Chapter 719: Two Secrets Domains of the Middle Domains

Lyra seemed to have anticipated Max’s curiosity and explained with a calm but authoritative tone, "The Heavenly Star Profound Domain is one of the two secret domains in the entire Middle Domain. No one truly knows how these domains came into existence. Some believe they were created by ancient beings from the Primordial Chaos Era. Others say they’re remnants of a world that once existed above the stars. But what everyone does know... is that these two domains were made to nurture the most exceptional geniuses of the Middle Domain."

She paused for a moment, letting the gravity of her words sink in. "They’re called the Heavenly Star Profound Domain and the Heavenly Lords Profound Domain. Both are unique. Both are dangerous. But the chances and inheritances they hold are beyond imagination. Still..." she narrowed her eyes slightly, "getting into either of these two domains will not be easy. In fact, for most people, it’s simply impossible."

Max crossed his arms and raised a brow. "How hard can it be?" he asked. He didn’t say it arrogantly, but out of genuine curiosity.

Lyra smiled faintly, as though she was waiting for that exact question. "Have you heard of the Abyssal Stairs? The one that connects the Lower Domain to the Middle Domain?"

Max nodded slowly. "Yes. I’ve heard of it." He had indeed. Aria once told him about it during their way to the Middle Domain. She mentioned that the Abyssal Stairs were one of the three known ways to cross over into the Middle Domain, and by far the most difficult one.

Lyra’s smile deepened. "Then you should know this—the entrance to the Heavenly Lords Profound Domain lies at the very peak of the Abyssal Stairs."

Max’s eyes sharpened.

Lyra added solemnly, "And to be blunt, your strength right now isn’t enough to climb even halfway. That place... it’s famously known as the battlefield of geniuses. A realm where only the strongest among the young generation dare to step. Not just anyone can reach the peak."

She leaned forward slightly. "Only Legend Rank geniuses... or 3-star geniuses are qualified to step into the Abyssal Stairs and attempt to enter the Heavenly Lords Profound Domain. Anyone weaker would be chewed up and spat out by the laws that govern that place."

Max leaned forward slightly, his tone more earnest than before. "What about the Heavenly Star Profound Domain?"

For him, the Heavenly Lords Profound Domain wasn’t as important as the Heavenly Star Profound Domain. At least for the current him who didn’t have the strength to walk the Abyssal Stairs. And since that was the case, Max decided to pay his attention to something that was within his reach.

Lyra glanced at him and gave a soft sigh, as if anticipating his question. "The Heavenly Star Profound Domain... it’s even more mysterious in some ways. The only known method to enter that domain is by possessing a Star Stone."

She paused, her tone turning more solemn. "And Max... that stone is incredibly rare. Not just rare in the way treasures are rare—legendary. Every time a Star Stone is discovered in the Middle Domain, the number of those stones in circulation drops by one. No one has ever seen more than a handful in their lifetime."

Max narrowed his eyes but didn’t look discouraged. "So... it all comes down to luck?" he asked.

Lyra nodded. "Yes. Finding a Star Stone is entirely dependent on fate. You could spend decades searching and come up with nothing. Or... you could stumble across one by accident in the most unlikely place. All I can say is—keep your eyes open. They’ve appeared in ancient ruins, fallen from meteor showers, and even emerged in some inheritance grounds."

"Star Stone..." Max repeated, nodding to himself. It was rare. It was hard to find. But it could be found in the Middle Domain. And that was enough for him.

Because if it existed in this world, then he didn’t believe he wouldn’t encounter it. No matter how rare something was, fate had a strange way of bending around him. He would find it. Sooner or later.

"As for the place filled with lightning..." Lyra’s voice brought him out of his thoughts, "you can head to the Berserk Lightning Region. That entire region is a natural lightning field. For some unknown reason, lightning falls there every single day. It never stops. The skies are always dark. Storm clouds cover the entire region and bolts of lightning rain down like spears from the heavens. It’s chaotic, unstable, and incredibly dangerous—but if you want lightning essence, that’s your best bet."

"Berserk Lightning Region..." Max nodded, the name already imprinting itself into his memory. "Sounds like exactly the kind of place I need."

Lyra smiled faintly. "Good. Then we’ve settled all the important matters." She clapped her hands lightly.

As if waiting for her cue, the doors to the room opened and a line of beautifully dressed maids entered gracefully, carrying trays of exquisite dishes and beverages that shimmered with a faint glow.

Rich fragrances filled the air in an instant—savory spices, sweet fruits, and exotic ingredients that Max couldn’t even name. The large room, filled with couches and tables, instantly transformed into a banquet hall fit for royals.

"Now," Lyra said, her formal tone replaced with something far more relaxed, "let’s eat and drink. You’re in the Delight Craven Restaurant’s ninth floor after all. Might as well enjoy it."

Max didn’t refuse. After all that talk of Nulls, inheritances, and dangerous lightning regions—this was the calm before the next storm.

They sat together, gathered around the lavish spread of delicacies that shimmered with faint elemental glows—meats marinated in beast essences, fruits chilled with natural frost qi, and wine that sparkled faintly with star energy.

The mood inside the ninth-floor room of the Delight Craven Restaurant slowly shifted from stiff unfamiliarity to relaxed engagement. Lyra, ever the tactician, made subtle efforts to bridge the gap between Max and the other five.

She made light jokes, dropped small praises about Max’s abilities—just enough to pique the others’ interest without making it seem forced. And soon, the effect began to show. One by one, the five geniuses—Arlen, Lena, Varek, Sana, and Kael—began to direct their attention toward Max.

At first, it was just polite curiosity: where he was from, what element he specialized in, how he had jumped from Lower Domain to 2-star status so fast.

Max answered some of their questions simply, shrugged at a few others, his tone casual but never arrogant. He wasn’t trying to prove anything—just being himself. That, more than anything, caught their attention.

As the meal went on, the conversation turned more fluid, more natural. Max, now genuinely interested, began asking his own questions. He wanted to know more about the Hunter Association’s internal structure, the kind of merit system it used, and whether it had records or lists of known Null-infested regions.

He asked about the Heavenly Star Profound Domain too, in case any of them had heard of a Star Stone being discovered recently or had theories about where such stones might appear.

To his surprise, the five were quick to respond. They didn’t treat him like an outsider anymore.

Lyra watched all of this from her seat, sipping lightly from her jade glass of wine, a pleased expression forming on her lips. She had orchestrated the entire meeting with two objectives in mind—solidify her faction’s cohesion and make sure Max had allies before stepping into the chaos of the Hundred Battle Regions.

And from the look of it... it was working better than she had hoped. The initial tension had dissolved. Now, there were genuine exchanges of ideas, mutual curiosity, even some light laughter.