Chapter 716: Hundred Battles Regions

"Max, you’re here," she greeted warmly, her voice carrying an undercurrent of confidence. "Come, let me introduce you to some of the best geniuses under my faction."

Without waiting, she gestured to the five others sitting around her.

"These are my people—my core team."

One by one, she introduced them. Each had a quiet intensity in their eyes, like seasoned warriors trained through countless battles. There was Arlen, a lean and sharp-eyed youth with silver gauntlets clasped around both hands.

Beside him was Sana, a dark-haired young woman with crimson irises that flickered slightly with demonic energy—clearly from a bloodline. Next to her sat Varek, tall and muscular, with an enormous axe resting beside his seat.

Then came Lena, elegant and composed, her aura laced with spatial ripples. Lastly was Kael, a brooding swordsman with a faint storm-like pressure radiating from him.

Max noted their auras instantly—each one was overwhelming. Their strengths weren’t exaggerated. All of them stood at either the 4th or 5th level of Champion Rank

Powerhouses. And from the way they looked at him, it was clear they were sizing him up—and not particularly impressed.

"Everyone, this is the one I was talking about," Lyra added, smiling casually, her words carrying deliberate weight. "And again, I remind you—don’t judge him by his base strength."

Max could see it clearly. The raised eyebrows. The polite but unconvincing nods. Their eyes said it all: ’He’s only at the 1st level of Master Rank? Really? This is the one?’

’I’m being underestimated again,’ Max thought with a sigh. His expression remained calm, but inwardly, a familiar flame stirred.

He glanced at them, two females and three males. Every one of them radiated dominance, the kind that could crush most cultivators. And yet, here they were, looking at him as if he were a child trying to walk into a battlefield meant for warlords.

"Princess Lyra, what is this all about?" Max didn’t waste time. His voice was calm but direct, his gaze unwavering as he looked straight at her, ignoring the subtle glares and curious expressions of the other geniuses seated in the room.

He wasn’t here for polite chatter or posturing—he had his goals, and anything that didn’t align with them was noise.

Lyra sighed softly, as though she had expected his reaction. She stood up and walked a few steps toward him, her expression serious now. "Actually, I wanted you to join their team," she said, gesturing slightly toward the five geniuses still seated. "I know you’re thinking of taking on missions to earn PQ—and you’re not wrong, that’s the right move at your stage. But believe me, 2-star missions are easier said than done."

She paused, giving him a moment to take in her words before continuing, "Normally, only well-balanced groups of four to five members can complete 2-star missions. The enemies, the terrain, the chaos—everything is amplified. You may be strong, Max, but there are limits to how much one person can handle in those regions."

Max raised an eyebrow, mildly surprised. He hadn’t expected such a straightforward proposal from her, especially not one that would involve working in a group. His instinct was to walk the path alone. He had always found more clarity in solitude.

"I believe there are still some missions that individuals can take, right?" he asked, his tone even but clearly not enthusiastic about group work. His gaze briefly drifted to the five geniuses, each of whom still looked vaguely unconvinced about his qualifications.

Lyra nodded but didn’t smile. "There are indeed individual missions—things like collecting rare herbs in dangerous forests, scouting for unusual mana fluctuations, or gathering a hundred unique elemental crystals. But those missions, Max... they won’t give you much PQ. Not nearly enough for what you’ll need if you’re serious about advancing your strength at the rate you’re aiming for."

She stepped closer, voice lowering slightly, and her expression turning solemn. "More importantly, most of the real 2-star and 3-star missions—missions that can actually grant you the PQ you need—are located in the Hundred Battle Regions. And Max, heading into those regions alone... that’s suicide. Even Champion Rank experts at the peak level form teams to survive there."

"Hundred Battle Regions?" Max frowned, his eyes narrowing slightly. "What is this place?"

The five other geniuses in the hall didn’t hide their disdain. A couple of them scoffed quietly. One leaned back on the couch with folded arms, a mocking smirk playing on his lips.

Another girl whispered something to the one beside her, both of them chuckling, as if Max’s ignorance confirmed their assumptions—that he was nothing more than a clueless bumpkin who’d stumbled into the higher realms of the Middle Domain by mistake.

Lyra’s expression darkened instantly. She turned her glare on them, her gaze sharp and cold enough to shut them up immediately. The mocking expressions vanished at once. Then, softening her gaze as she turned back to Max, she began to explain patiently.

"Hundred Battle Regions are the most chaotic and dangerous zones among the thousand regions of the Middle Domain," she said, her voice calm but carrying weight. "And also the most sought-after by the geniuses from all corners of the continent. It doesn’t matter if they’re from the Four God Nation or the Seven Overlord Forces... they all go there, eventually. For missions. For battles. For breakthroughs. That place is where true geniuses forge themselves."

Max raised an eyebrow. "Why? What’s so special about those regions?"

Lyra nodded slightly, as if she had expected that question. "Because unlike the rest of the Middle Domain, the Hundred Battle Regions aren’t under the control of the Four God Nation or the Seven Overlord Forces. No true superpower governs them. Instead, they’re loosely influenced by scattered second-rate and third-rate factions, which means... freedom. Pure, brutal, lawless freedom. It’s a land of endless chaos, and also endless opportunities."

She walked slowly toward one of the windows lining the massive hall and continued, "But that’s not even the real reason. The true draw lies in what lies hidden within those regions—rare treasures, ancient inheritance sites, conceptual caves that contain insights into the laws of nature, divine chances that can help you comprehend your concepts faster, and so much more. Things that simply do not exist in the structured, overly controlled parts of the Middle Domain."

Max’s gaze flickered with interest now. His expression changed slightly, his earlier frown giving way to curiosity as Lyra added with a light smile, "Basically, the Hundred Battle Regions are where true prodigies roam free. That’s where the phrase ’hidden dragons and crouching tigers’ comes alive. Everyone goes there to temper themselves, to grow, to challenge monsters, dungeons, and each other. That’s where names are made... or erased forever."

Then her smile vanished and her tone became firm again as she turned to address the whole room. "And since I’m recommending all of you to go there... I want the six of you to team up and set off together. It’s dangerous, yes, but the rewards are worth it. And if you go together, your chances of survival will be much higher."

She glanced toward the five Champion Rank geniuses before locking eyes with Max, her meaning clear.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay