In terms of area and population, the Immortal Xuanhuang Realm cannot compare with the legendary Xuanhuang Great World, which can be called a cosmic wonder.
Though the area is small, the population surpasses even the thriving phases of the Longevity World and the Profound Immortal Realm.
Take Tianxiang State, for example, it consists of thirty-six Daos, each Dao has dozens of cities, each city has dozens of counties, and dozens of towns.
Furthermore, each town typically has over ten thousand people, and some large towns can reach one hundred thousand.
Counties are similar, with populations in the millions, some large counties can reach tens of millions.
In other words, the entire state’s population might reach several tens of billions.
This massive population is compressed into a territory not even as vast as the Longevity World or the Profound Immortal Realm, plus many areas are designated for special purposes where ordinary people cannot reside, causing the residential areas, urban zones, and population density in the Immortal Xuanhuang Realm to reach astonishing levels.
Upon arriving at the central city of Tianxiang State, Tianxiang City, Gu Jinlai could better perceive this change.
is a city that can only be described by Gu Jinlai as peculiar.
With skyscrapers towering into the clouds, some buildings exceed a thousand floors, like massive pillars reaching the sky, standing majestic on Earth.
The entire city seems divided into three layers.
The lowest layer is not dark thanks to excellent urban lighting, but bereft of environmental beauty, resembling outdated towns from Blue Star decades ago.
However, the density is much higher than cities on Blue Star, with an overwhelming number of windows and buildings filling the view, making one’s scalp tingle.
Residents here live similarly to those on Blue Star years ago, pushing carts and even cattle carts back and forth, while scarce open spaces have vegetables growing.
Though under constant absence of sunlight, it’s uncertain if they can survive.
The middle layer features trains on tracks, hover cars, occasionally accompanied by mechas and private transporters.
Bridges connect hundreds to thousands elevated buildings, with many buildings freeing up floors to construct "sky gardens," misleading newcomers that this might be ground level.
The area is adorned with numerous glowing billboards, continuously flashing in a myriad of colors, reaching the point of causing light pollution.
The top layer is the roof level of all buildings.
This tier nearly strode above the clouds; visible seas of clouds churn beneath the feet.
Despite not grounding on Earth, it is filled with genuine sky gardens, every building is like a mountain, with minimal structures built on the summit and surrounding areas, while elsewhere appears as floral and scenic vistas, some buildings even have scaled forests above.
Various mechas traverse and land among them, accompanied by numerous personal aircraft and transporters.
People enjoy sunshine, beaches, swimming pools in their own little garden atop, and at command, delivery personnel bring various gourmet dishes and luxury goods to their doorsteps, not bothering to discern what lies beneath.
Upon seeing this city, Gu Jinlai finally understood why Tianxiang City, hailed as the largest city in Tianxiang State, has an astonishing population of over six billion.
Gu Jinlai arrived at the city via a passenger transporter.
The airport is situated atop a mountain, occupying a large area.
In reality, though, the mountain is artificial, containing a large factory that gathers geothermal energy and continuously transports it to the magnetic levitation transport system via connected tubing.
In a sense, this mountain serves as a regional public transportation hub.
Gu Jinlai glanced at the palm-sized Jade Talisman in his hand.
It is a peculiar entity akin to an electronic book, containing vast information, and can update in real-time when connected with specific equipment.
Much like a phone connected to the internet.
Currently, he views the news page with ten challenges posted "online" by the First Energy Higher Institution of Tianxiang State.
This came as a response from the Academy Palace Master when someone questioned the fairness of their exams.
He claimed that deciphering six questions would result in unconditional admission to the institution, and solving nine would grant the solver a tutor position and scholar status.
If all ten were solved, a solitary scholar assessment could be specially applied for them, and upon passing, they could apply for research projects.
As the leading institution in Tianxiang State’s First Sequence, the Energy Academy might not match the fame of the First Mechanic Academy, but any research project application from them guarantees funding starting in billions.
Once the ten questions were published, they sparked massive excitement across Tianxiang State in only three months, with many confident challengers stepping forward.
Though failures were frequent, successful attempts were plentiful too.
Within the three months, resolving six questions was common, while even those solving nine questions reached over ten individuals.
But only four individuals have solved all ten so far, with one completing their solution just two days prior.
Modest Gu Jinlai is the newly added fourth solver.
Upon disembarking the transporter, before he managed to leave through the exit passage, a woman appearing to be in her thirties, accompanied by a student-looking girl, hurriedly approached, "Are you Scholar Gu Jinlai?"