《A Night of Desperation》 Chapter 1: The Mysterious Shadow (1) ¡°Yi Yi.¡±¡°Yi Yi.¡± A faint voice called out, waking the little girl from her slumber. In the dark of the night, in a cramped square bedroom, a young girl with long black hair lay in bed, covered by a grey-white quilt that reached her shoulders, revealing the faded lace trim of her nightgown. The girl looked to be about seven or eight years old. She had a delicate face with a slightly high nose, and two red pimples on her chin. She seemed to be at that age when she was just beginning to understand the world around her. Upon hearing the voice, she slowly opened her eyes, sat up, and looked around. The room was shrouded in darkness, with only a faint moonlight filtering in through the window, dimly illuminating the foot of the bed. At the foot of the bed, there stood a dark figure. The upper body of the figure was engulfed in darkness, its face obscured. But the girl could feel that it was silently watching her. ¡°Mom?¡± The girl asked cautiously. She clutched the blanket tightly, her face tense, sensing that something was wrong. The room was eerily silent, with only her voice standing out as it echoed slightly in the stillness. ¡°Remember, Yi Yi, no matter what sounds you hear, you must hide in the secret altar. Don¡¯t come out until the white stone turns black.¡± The figure spoke softly. ¡°Don¡¯t come out.¡± After the words were spoken, it slowly turned around and silently walked toward the door. The wooden door opened with no sound, revealing an expanse of darkness outside, which quickly swallowed the figure whole. ¡°Mommy!!¡± The girl seemed to sense something was wrong. She suddenly threw off the blanket, jumped out of bed, and tried to chase after her. Boom!!! A loud crash echoed, followed by a strong tremor, ringing loudly in her ears. Hiss!!! The girl snapped her eyes open, arching her chest as she took a deep breath. It had all been a dream. Her eyes were wide with terror, her pupils dilating, and her consciousness slowly began to break free from the drowsiness of the dream. Boom!! Another loud bang. The entire room seemed to be shaking and trembling. The wooden door rattled violently, with a series of crashes that sounded as if a giant beast was violently battering against it. Boom! Boom! Boom!! The powerful impacts seemed as though they could shatter the door. Faint cracks began to appear on the surface of the door, slowly spreading. The girl snapped back to reality, remembering the sounds from her dream. ¡°Mom.¡± She didn¡¯t know why, but tears welled up in her eyes, and a deep pain rose in her chest. But hearing the crashing sounds and recalling the words from her dream, she quickly threw off the blanket, jumped out of bed, and looked at the door. Creak! The wooden door was suddenly smashed open, and broken splinters flew inward, landing on the brown earthen floor. The girl¡¯s body stiffened, her heart racing, and her face turned pale. She quickly crouched down and crawled under the bed. She crawled for a few steps, found a hidden black mudboard, grabbed the ring, and pulled it open with great effort. Beneath the mudboard was a small, square space just big enough for her to curl up in. The walls of the space were lined with white stones of varying sizes. These stones were shaped differently, but they all shared one feature: they were etched with complex red symbols. The girl quickly crawled inside, covered her head with the mudboard, and huddled in the darkness, shivering as she listened to the sounds outside. Strangely, once she hid in the space, the crashing noises outside ceased completely. It was as if everything she had heard earlier had been a hallucination. Silence. Absolute silence. The only sound in the space was her own breathing. The girl tightly pressed her hands over her mouth, fearing that any noise from her breath might give away her position. The immense fear and tension soon wore down her small body, and exhaustion slowly began to creep in. As time passed, the girl gradually fell into a deep sleep. She didn¡¯t know how long it had been. An hour, maybe two. ¡°Yi Yi.¡± A familiar voice called out, waking the girl from her sleep. She moved her body, as if trying to make herself more comfortable. ¡°Yi Yi?¡± ¡°Yi Yi, where are you? Mommy is back.¡± The voice outside sounded again, faint and familiar. The girl¡¯s fear seemed to have eased somewhat after her nap. Upon hearing the voice, she moved quickly, eager to get out. But suddenly, she remembered something. Looking at the white stones embedded in the wall, she noticed that they had not turned black. According to what her mother had said, only when the white stones turned black would it be completely safe. The girl¡¯s desire to go outside stopped immediately. ¡°Yi Yi, it¡¯s morning. It¡¯s safe now. You can come out.¡± The voice echoed again. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, with the light, those things won¡¯t dare come in. Mommy is here. You can come out.¡± The girl calculated the time. Normally, her mother would return about now. Every time she hid in this small space, after taking a nap, she would be able to see her mother when she came out. This time, the timing seemed right, so it should be no different. As for the white stones on the wall, maybe they hadn¡¯t turned black because too much time had passed. The stones were white during the day as well. The girl thought for a moment. She looked up through the small ventilation hole in the mudboard, peeking outside. She saw a faint white light. It was indeed morning. Finally, she relaxed. ¡°I¡¯m coming!¡± She called out. ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m coming.¡± She began to move, her little hands reaching up to push the mudboard above her. Soon, she managed to push open the mudboard and struggled to lift her head out of the small space, returning to the area under the bed. Then, she looked outside. ¡°!!??¡± Outside. It was still complete darkness. Wasn¡¯t it supposed to be daylight? The girl¡¯s scalp tingled. She sensed something was terribly wrong. With clenched teeth, she quickly crouched down, trying to retreat back into the small space. Clop. Clop. Suddenly, a pair of pale feet wearing her mother¡¯s cloth shoes stopped right in front of the bed. ¡°Yi Yi, my dear daughter, where are you?¡± The soft and familiar voice sounded again. The girl dared not make a sound. She tightly covered her mouth, tears streaming down her face as they slid down her cheeks. But she didn¡¯t dare move. At such a close distance, any slight movement could make a sound in the silent environment, exposing her position. Suddenly, she remembered that her mother couldn¡¯t possibly be unaware about the small space under the bed. So her mother couldn¡¯t be asking where she was. At that moment, she realized¡­ she had been tricked. Clop. Clop. Soon, there was no response. Perhaps the girl¡¯s response from the small space had been too quiet for the other person to hear. The feet slowly moved away from the bed and left, heading toward another part of the house. The steps were slow, barely making a sound. Soon, with a faint click of a door closing, the figure disappeared. Everything returned to silence. The girl continued to hold her breath, waiting. She didn¡¯t know how long it had been. When she didn¡¯t hear any more sounds, she slowly exhaled, letting go of her tension and shrinking back. After enduring so much, her body was weak. She could hear a faint buzzing in her ears, and her vision felt blurry. She could no longer hold on. Leaning against the small space, she gasped for air. When she realized the danger had passed, the girl waited a bit longer to be sure that there was no movement. Then, with great difficulty, she crawled out of the small space and slowly crept toward the exit under the bed. ?£Á¦­???? Plop. Suddenly¡­ Her shoulder bumped into something. The girl froze, an unsettling feeling sweeping over her. She slowly raised her head, looking toward the top right. A woman in a tattered white dress with long hair sat silently on her wooden bed, her left leg hanging down, resting on the girl¡¯s right shoulder. The woman¡¯s hair obscured her face, but she looked down at the girl. Through the dim moonlight, her pale lips were visible, showing signs of decay. Whoosh! The woman¡¯s decayed face suddenly leaned in, growing larger. * * * * ¡°This time, he didn¡¯t die.¡± In the darkness, a blurry voice emerged. It seemed to be a woman¡¯s voice. ¡°He is still alive, but¡­ just injured and very weak. You know, you always go out into the forest to rescue people, but we barely have enough food here. How can you bear to feed a sick person too?¡± the woman said. ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s¡­ fine, mom¡­ tell me,¡± a stuttering young girl¡¯s voice followed. ¡°Don¡¯t talk about your mom, just listening to you talk tires me. Okay, I stitched up your wound. Just don¡¯t get it wet and try not to get infected. I¡¯m leaving now.¡± The woman¡¯s voice continued as she seemed to be packing up something. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Thank you so much,¡± the stuttering girl said, laughing awkwardly. ¡°Stop thanking me. If it comes to it, just drag him outside and leave him there. He should be gone by morning.¡± The woman sighed. ¡°Thank you, only you help,¡± the stuttering girl said gratefully. ¡°That¡¯s just how it is. Life is hard for everyone, and no one has the energy to care for others. You¡¯re the only one who hasn¡¯t thrown him back into the wild by now,¡± the woman responded. Yu Hong slowly gathered strength, trying to open his eyes in the darkness. He saw a small, dirty girl with messy black hair talking to a middle-aged woman with yellow skin. The woman wore glasses, and her grayish-white long sleeves were stained with various smudges. Yu Hong only remembered that he had been exhausted from work, went home, and fell asleep. But in the middle of the night, he suddenly heard some noise, then felt a pain in his forehead, and everything went black. ¡°This¡­ where is this?¡± He tried to speak, but his throat felt like it was being sliced by a knife, and no words came out, only heavy breathing. At the same time, he felt that his forehead was very hot, his body feverish, and his eyes were full of crusted sleep. It must have been an infection somewhere, perhaps his throat. ¡°Medicine,¡± the girl¡¯s voice came. After the sound of a door closing, everything fell silent. The dirty girl struggled to move, pulling out a black metal box from the corner of the room. ¡°Take the medicine. It will get better.¡± She walked over and handed Yu Hong the box. With a click, she opened the lid, revealing several pieces of black charcoal, and inside, wrapped in paper, were three pale yellow capsules. But these three pills had small mold spots on them, with blue moldy fuzz growing on them. ¡°These pills¡­ they can¡¯t be eaten,¡± Yu Hong said stiffly, looking at her. Now fully awake, his throat felt much better, but still painful. ¡°And what is this medicine? What¡¯s wrong with me? How can you give me medicine when you don¡¯t even know what¡¯s wrong with me? This won¡¯t work.¡± ¡°First, tell me who you are, where I am, and what¡¯s going on?¡± The girl seemed confused, opening her mouth but only stammering, unable to produce any sound. Yu Hong leaned in and finally saw her clearly. Her skin was dark, covered in yellow stains. She wore clothes from different seasons¡ªsummer, fall, winter¡ªall layered together. Her collar was greasy and black, and she smelled strongly of sweat. She looked like a beggar. In fact, many beggars were probably cleaner than her. From a distance, she looked like a moving black ragged clothes trolley. Up close, he saw her body was deformed. One of her legs was lame, and on her right shoulder was a large tumor that was visible even through her clothes. She was barely five feet tall, dirty, and slow-moving. But her eyes¡ªthose eyes¡ªwere as clear as gemstones, almost without a trace of impurity. (End of chapter) Chapter 2: The Mysterious Shadow (2) In response to Yu Hong¡¯s questions, the girl was completely unable to react; she didn¡¯t know which question to answer first.She stood there in a daze, trembling with the medicine box in her hands. The shaking was so intense that it seemed like the medicine might fall out at any moment. Click. The door was pushed open again, from the outside. A middle-aged woman in a dirty white lab coat walked in. With yellow skin and black hair, wearing black-framed glasses, she was the same woman who had appeared earlier, presumably a doctor. ¡°I¡¯ll answer your questions. Don¡¯t make things difficult for Yi Yi. She had an illness before and was frightened. Her speech and thoughts aren¡¯t quite right,¡± the woman said. She walked over to the bedside and placed a light gray water jug on the wooden nightstand. ¡°We don¡¯t know how you got here. Last night, Yi Yi went out to gather firewood and accidentally found you in a pit, then dragged you back.¡± ¡°When we found you, you were unconscious. There didn¡¯t seem to be any visible injuries, but you were unconscious with a fever. Yi Yi fed you some filtered water, and you finally woke up after waiting through the night.¡± The woman exhaled. ¡°As for where this is, this is Baiqiu Village. The area is surrounded by deep mountains, and the only way out is an old road to the west.¡± She paused. ¡°I¡¯m the village doctor, my last name is Xu. She¡¯s called Lin Yi Yi, an orphan living here alone. There¡¯s not much else to say. Well, now it¡¯s your turn. Who are you? How did you get here? What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Dr. Xu, can I call you that?¡± Yu Hong, still holding his throat in pain, spoke in a low voice, trying to make sense of the situation. He saw her nod and continued. ¡°My name is Yu Hong. I was just sleeping at home before, and then¡­¡± He recounted his previous feelings in detail. ¡°I don¡¯t know how I got here. I¡­¡± He struggled to raise his hand and press it to his forehead. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°How old are you?¡± Dr. Xu suddenly asked. ¡°Twenty¡­ twenty-seven,¡± Yu Hong reflexively responded. ¡°That¡¯s enough. Anyway, you won¡¯t be going back. With the way things are, it doesn¡¯t matter where you came from or how. There are no vehicles; if you go outside, you¡¯ll die. You¡¯ll probably have to stay here for quite some time,¡± Dr. Xu said indifferently. ¡°??? No vehicles? Can you¡­ can someone lend me a car to take me to the nearest bus station? I can pay!¡± Yu Hong was confused. ¡°A bus station?¡± This time it was Dr. Xu¡¯s turn to be puzzled. ¡°What are you talking about? Where would you find a bus station? Who¡¯s going to drive you? Outside there are all sorts of strange monsters. If you go out, you¡¯re just asking for death.¡± ¡°Monsters?!¡± Yu Hong froze. ¡°What kind of monsters?!¡± He doubted that the woman was playing a prank or had some mental issue. But as he looked at Dr. Xu, who was staring at him like he was a fool, Yu Hong began to feel that something wasn¡¯t right. A sense of unease started to rise in his chest. He was just an ordinary office worker. No one would hire such a low-level actor to deceive him, would they? ¡°Well, looks like you¡¯re a fool after all,¡± Dr. Xu sighed as she raised her head. ¡°A fool with another fool. You two are quite a pair.¡± She glanced out the window. ¡°It¡¯s still early. When night falls, you¡¯ll see. I¡¯ll leave now. Yi Yi, keep an eye on him. Don¡¯t let him open the door tonight.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the girl, stuttering, quickly nodded. When Dr. Xu turned to leave, the girl hurriedly called out. ¡°Medicine! Sister!¡± she anxiously called out. Dr. Xu turned back, understanding, and took a mercury thermometer from her pocket, shoving it into Yu Hong¡¯s mouth. ¡°Let¡¯s check your temperature.¡± After a while, she took the thermometer out and looked at it. ¡°38.5¡ãC, you won¡¯t die.¡± ¡°Medicine¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± The stuttering girl quickly handed over the medicine box to Dr. Xu for inspection. The mold spots on the medicine made Dr. Xu frown. ¡°Yi Yi, I don¡¯t have much medicine left either. The post office only goes to town once a month.¡± Upon hearing this, the girl immediately panicked, looking around before quickly finding something resembling a yam from a corner cabinet and handing it over. ????£ÁN¨®????¨¨???? ¡°Trade, this, trade¡­ for medicine!¡± Dr. Xu shook her head, saying it wasn¡¯t enough. The girl then started rummaging through other places. They haggled, and the voices reached Yu Hong¡¯s ears. He felt drowsy and weak, his body sluggish. Soon, he fell back into a deep sleep, his throat still aching, his head heavy, and his limbs too weak to lift. His body¡¯s natural healing mechanism drove him into sleep to quickly recover his strength. Time passed quickly. He wasn¡¯t sure how long had passed¡ªmaybe an hour, or maybe three. Time was meaningless for someone in a daze. Slowly, Yu Hong woke up from his stupor. His whole body ached, feeling weak, and his throat felt blocked as if something was lodged there, making it impossible to speak. Only hoarse breaths escaped. He opened his eyes, struggled to prop himself up, and surveyed the surroundings. The room was quiet. This small, square bedroom had walls and a ceiling made of wood, all a light yellow color. The floor was black mud, smooth and dry, with some corners even sprouting grass. Yu Hong slowly shifted his body, lowered his legs over the edge of the bed, and gently let his feet touch the ground. The solid feeling of the floor under his feet made his heart feel inexplicably relieved. He looked down at himself. He was wearing a grayish-white short-sleeve T-shirt, with a cartoon tiger head printed on the front, stained with some yellow marks. His pants were cream-colored casual trousers, now wrinkled. His gray socks were torn at the big toe, with two big toes poking out through the holes, covered in black dirt. ¡®What is this?¡¯ He noticed a black mark on the back of his right hand. The mark looked like an ancient seal, a square stamp with what looked like a clump of rotten mud on it, with no patterns or characters. It resembled a birthmark at first glance. But Yu Hong clearly remembered that he never had such a large birthmark, especially not on his prominent right hand. He rubbed the mark, but it didn¡¯t hurt or itch. He tried to wipe it off, but it didn¡¯t come off, so he gave up for now. After checking his body and confirming there were no external injuries, Yu Hong touched the stubble on his chin and glanced toward the window. The window was square, located to the right of the bed, and was secured with horizontal wooden planks, both inside and outside. It was tightly sealed, as if protecting from a mental illness patient, messy yet unsettling. The light outside was dim, casting a faint yellow glow into the room, leaving pale yellow spots beside the bed. Yu Hong took a deep breath, noticing a strange, indescribable burnt odor in the air. He walked a few steps to the door and saw a thick stack of old newspapers by the doorframe. Pausing, he bent down, struggling to pick up the stack, and looked at the topmost paper. ¡°Top Alert: Major Black Disaster Strikes Nationwide¡± The huge headline almost took up half the page. Below it were the details. ¡®¡­The frequent black disasters and the weak response from authorities have posed a huge threat to the lives of the people. In the face of this grim situation, the National Disaster Prevention Committee has urgently set up an Emergency Management Department to respond swiftly to the worst-hit areas and organize rescue efforts.¡¯ Yu Hong frowned and flipped to the back of the page. A chaotic scene of rescue efforts appeared in front of him. It showed a grey, dilapidated building with people in heavy protective suits lifting stretchers, carrying blackened corpses. ¡°Black disaster?¡± He had never heard of such a term. He continued flipping the paper. ¡°Massive Bug Disaster Approaching, How Should We Respond?¡± ¡°Food Shortage, Water Crisis, National Rescue Teams Work Relentlessly to Save Thousands¡± ¡°Suspected Biochemical Agent Leak, Yi Guan City Sealed Off with Vehicle Barricades¡± ¡°Experts Discuss Blood Ticks in Response to Black Disasters¡± ¡°First Hope City Completed, 10,000 People Move In¡± With the sound of the pages rustling, Yu Hong¡¯s expression grew more serious. Not only were the headlines bizarre and abnormal, but more crucially, he suddenly realized that these newspapers were written in a language he had never learned before. It wasn¡¯t Chinese, English, French, Spanish, Russian, or any language he recognized. It was an entirely unfamiliar language. ¡°Dammit!¡± Yu Hong put down the newspaper and looked at the date. January 3, 2020. He had never seen this language before, yet he could understand it. This strange feeling made a sense of discomfort rise in his chest. After putting the newspaper back in its place, Yu Hong glanced at the door in front of him. The door was gray-black, with a large and small square pattern, one above the other. The doorknob was white, with some of the paint chipped off, revealing the black metal underneath. He reached out, gripped the handle, and the cold, solid touch sent a shiver through him. He gently turned it. Click. The door opened. Outside was a gray stone staircase, with three steps. Beyond that was a broken, rocky path. On the opposite side was a small, dark house with its door open. The walls were gray and white, the roof black and ruined. The house was only about three meters tall, and there were red slogans painted on the walls, now too faded to read. The slanted roof tiles still had pebbles and yellow dry leaves on them, which rustled in the wind. Yu Hong stepped outside, only to realize he wasn¡¯t wearing shoes, just his tattered gray socks. The rough ground felt uncomfortable, pricking his feet. He stood still for a moment. He looked around. On both sides of the rocky path stood a row of houses with stone walls and tile roofs. These houses were very old, their walls covered with mold and stains. Some had red slogans written on them, like ¡°Live a Happy Life, Be Safe Forever,¡± ¡°One Person Serves the Family, Everyone Is Safe,¡± and ¡°Fire, Bug, and Moisture Protection.¡± The rocky path was a bit gloomy, with the sun blocked by the houses. Only a sliver of light was seeping through the doors and windows. It was because these houses were all relatively low. He scanned his surroundings. Each house, like a person standing in line, was of similar height, dilapidated, with leaking doors and windows. Most of the dark wooden doors were wide open, revealing empty rooms and the sound of the wind howling through them. He turned to look back at the house where he had been staying. Indeed, his place, though also a tile-roofed house, was different from the others. Both the doors and windows were nailed with thick black and yellow wooden slats, with the gaps stuffed with heavy cloth, and the threshold was higher than the others. ¡°This place¡­¡± Yu Hong couldn¡¯t shake off a sense of unease rising in his chest. Click. Suddenly, a faint sound came from the right side, in the distance. It sounded like shoes stepping on gravel. Yu Hong quickly looked in that direction. He saw, inside a house on the right side of the road, a blurry figure in white standing in the shadow of the doorway, looking at him. From afar, it seemed like the person was smiling at him. ¡°Smiling my ass!¡± Yu Hong frowned and ignored the person. Although he was eager to ask someone what was going on, the person¡¯s appearance was a bit unnerving. It felt wrong, making him uncomfortable. So, he decided to look for someone else. He turned his head, stopped looking at that person, and began scanning the other houses, hoping to find someone else. Unfortunately, after a quick scan, he didn¡¯t see anyone else. So, he reluctantly turned back and looked at the figure in white. But this time, when he looked back, his heart sank. The figure in white was no longer in the house he had just seen. Instead, it was now in another house, much closer to him. Standing in the shadow of the doorway, smiling at him. In just a few seconds, the person had closed the distance by at least several dozen meters. What was even stranger was that despite the proximity, Yu Hong still couldn¡¯t make out the person¡¯s face clearly. He could only barely see the person smiling, with very pale skin, and it appeared to be a man. There was no sound of running¡ªhow had this person crossed such a great distance so quickly? A chill began to creep up Yu Hong¡¯s spine. He took a deep breath and turned his head to look in another direction, then quickly looked back at the figure in white. Only a second had passed. But in that second¡­ The figure in white was gone again, and now appeared in a house just ten meters away, across from him. The person was still standing in the shadow of the doorway, smiling at him. ¡°Goddamn!!¡± Yu Hong¡¯s heart raced as he slowly began to back away. What was even stranger was that, despite being this close, he still couldn¡¯t make out the details of the person¡¯s face! Remembering the earlier situation, he dared not blink, slowly backing away. He stepped back into the house, still watching the figure, and began to gently close the door. Slowly. The door was now only open a crack. Yu Hong strained to keep his eyes open, but they were growing sore, and tears began to pool in the corners of his eyes, increasing by the second. He could barely hold on. (End of chapter) Chapter 3: Danger (1) Click.Finally, the door was completely closed. Yu Hong let out a heavy sigh of relief. ¡°What kind of place is this?!¡± He locked the door, stood up straight, but suddenly thought about the little stutterer from earlier. This place looked increasingly strange. The stutterer seemed like a good person, but how did she survive here? He took two steps back and sighed deeply. Poof. Suddenly, his back seemed to bump into something. It was cold and somewhat hard. It felt like a person!! Yu Hong froze. He looked down and saw a pair of white shoes quietly standing behind him on the ground. This person¡­ actually came in!? When!? Bang!! There was a sudden loud noise. The wooden door was slammed open, and a short figure rushed in, throwing something grayish-white at him. ¡°Ah!!¡± At the same time, the stutterer¡¯s voice pierced the silence like a suona, instantly snapping Yu Hong out of his daze. He felt a grayish-white shadow brush past his cheek, hitting the white figure behind him. Poof, poof, poof! The sound of something hitting cloth filled the air, but with it, Yu Hong felt his body loosen up. He stumbled forward a few steps, almost falling. His body was weak, and he had already been drained by fear and emotions, which caused him to lose more strength. After a few steps, his legs gave out, and he collapsed to the ground. Turning over, he saw the stutterer had rushed in, holding a thick wooden stick and smashing it into the white figure. And what was even stranger was that the white figure seemed to deflate like a balloon. Poof! It quickly exploded into foam-like particles and shattered into rags that disappeared without a trace. ?¦¡??£Â?? The rags hadn¡¯t even touched the ground before they shattered, fading away, leaving nothing behind. It was as if everything that had just happened had been a hallucination. Huff, huff. The stutterer was panting heavily, putting down the large wooden stick, her face flushed and veins bulging on her skin. The tiny beads of sweat were clearly visible in the dim light. ¡°People¡­ dangerous¡­ don¡¯t¡­ go outside!¡± She turned back to look at Yu Hong, speaking seriously. Yu Hong subconsciously nodded. At that moment, he felt a sharp pain in his back, as if his skin had been scraped off. When he turned over on the ground, he suddenly noticed that there was a small amount of blood where his back had been. Seeing this, the stutterer quickly rushed over to help him up. Together, they exerted some force, and the stutterer¡¯s strength immediately became apparent. She was actually stronger than Yu Hong, a grown man, and by quite a bit! She lifted him up with ease, turned him around, propped him against the door frame, and took off his shirt. Then she rummaged through her things, pulling out a jar, and began applying something to his back. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Soon, a rough pain spread across his back. Yu Hong gritted his teeth, knowing that she was trying to treat his wound. ¡°What¡¯s this medicine?¡± he asked. ¡°My grandfather¡¯s¡­ medicine powder,¡± the stutterer replied, her words fragmented. ¡°It works¡­ well.¡± A long silence passed. Yu Hong reflected on the white figure from earlier. His mind was filled with questions that he wanted to ask. After thinking for a while, he finally spoke again. ¡°What exactly was that white figure?¡± ¡°Ghost shadow,¡± the stutterer answered. ¡°Ghost shadow?¡± ¡°Is it human?¡± Yu Hong asked again. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Yu Hong felt like his long-held belief in materialism was about to collapse, especially after the figure had disappeared right before his eyes. The scene had left him with an indescribable sense of falseness and unreality. He thought for a long time, until the light outside dimmed. ¡°So, was that white figure a ghost?¡± ¡°No,¡± the stutterer answered. ¡°It¡¯s in¡­ the newspaper.¡± She spoke with such effort that she paused, then bent down to pick up a newspaper. Flipping through it, she found a page in the middle and handed it to Yu Hong. Yu Hong took it, and saw the headline: ¡°Ghost Shadow Experiment Makes Major Breakthrough¡± Below it were the details. ¡°According to the Human United Research Institute¡¯s public announcement, the essence of the ghost shadow is closely linked to the blood tide. However, after careful analysis, the institute¡¯s published experimental content shows that the ghost shadow itself has no memories. They may appear as human forms but lack any corresponding memories or emotions. They instinctively hunt and kill any living creatures that come close or notice them, mainly targeting their own kind. In other words, the ghost shadow is more like a new type of hunter with a high level of camouflage. They cannot be killed but can only be driven away. Even if completely shattered, they will soon reappear and possess the ability to penetrate most existing materials. In certain experiments, some institutions even suspect that they may not exist in reality at all but exist within our brains, like a special signal akin to self-delusion.¡± After quickly reading the report, Yu Hong felt an icy chill spread throughout his body. Danger! So dangerous!!! What kind of hellish place is this!? How is it so dangerous!? He just stepped outside! Does he want to die!? Clutching the newspaper, Yu Hong took a few deep breaths to calm down. He re-read it several times. Bang. Yu Hong sat heavily on the bed, his face pale, watching as the stutterer cleaned up the things she used to treat his wounds. She then began organizing a bamboo basket filled with various messy, rotten roots and mud. The air in the room became thick with the smell of decayed mud due to the lack of ventilation. After sitting for a while, Yu Hong felt dry in his mouth and his body growing warm. ¡°Do you have water?¡± he asked weakly. The stutterer hesitated, then raised her hand, pointing to an inconspicuous black jar in the corner of the room. The jar was about the size of a human head and had faint, blurry bird and branch patterns on its surface. Yu Hong stood up, walked over, squatted down, and lifted the lid of the jar. Inside was a shallow layer of yellowish water that smelled faintly foul. ¡°¡­¡± He was speechless. Just looking at it, he knew the water was undrinkable. Suddenly, a black, teapot-like metal object was passed over to him from the side. It was the stutterer. She shook the teapot. ¡°Filter.¡± She mimed a motion as if scooping water from the teapot¡¯s spout. Yu Hong then noticed that there seemed to be a filter net attached to the spout of the teapot. He remained silent for a moment, then took the teapot. He found a small scoop by the water jar and carefully scooped out a bit of water. After a long time, he managed to filter out a small cup of water. He poured the water into a wooden cup. Shh. A stream of water, slightly foul-smelling but mostly clear, flowed into the cup, filling about a third of it before stopping. Yu Hong looked at the water. Despite being filtered, it still smelled. He hesitated. He didn¡¯t want to drink it, but his body was desperately thirsty. He knew that if he didn¡¯t drink, especially with his current sickness and injury, he¡¯d be finished. Just as he was about to raise the cup to his lips, the stutterer snatched it from his hand and drank it all in one go. Smack. She put the cup back on the edge of the jar with a clink. ¡°It¡¯s fine!¡± she said. Yu Hong paused, then went to scoop more water, filter it again, and finally held the cup in the air. He paused. The cup hovered there. He then lowered it. Again, he raised it. After repeating this several times, he sighed deeply, gripping the cup tightly, his face growing paler. Can¡¯t the water be cleaner? He was worried. If the water didn¡¯t hydrate him properly, he might collapse. The stutterer had drunk it with no problem, but that didn¡¯t mean he would be fine. Sometimes, the difference between people¡¯s constitutions was much greater than expected. Enhance the water cup? Suddenly, a faint voice whispered in his ear. Clink¡ªhe put the cup on the wooden table. Yu Hong¡¯s face changed slightly, and he looked around. But the only one there was the stutterer, standing quietly, looking confused. Enhance the water cup? The voice came again, impossible to tell whether it was male or female, emotionless like a mechanical voice. Yu Hong looked around again, but there was no one in sight. He focused on the wooden cup on the table. Soon, a faint number appeared on its surface: 3rd. There was nothing else. Yu Hong¡¯s face turned pale, and he blinked several times, unsure if he was seeing things. But after blinking again, he realized the number was still there. Suddenly, it clicked in his mind. He looked at the back of his right hand, at the black mark. Sure enough. The mark was the size of an egg, with the black area shimmering like water ripples. This thing is behind all of it! Yu Hong instantly understood. His eyes flickered, his mind racing, standing there with thoughts flashing through his head. But soon, he remembered the stutterer was still by his side. He quickly raised his hand and showed her the mark on his hand. ¡°Can you see this?¡± The stutterer shook her head, looking confused. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t¡­ see¡­ anything.¡± Yu Hong lowered his hand, glanced at the cup, and confirmed that the number was still there, feeling some sense of realization. He turned and walked toward another part of the room. The room wasn¡¯t big, and the furnishings were sparse. A wardrobe, a table that doubled as a desk, two bedside cabinets, an old-fashioned mirror, and two stools. There was a pile of miscellaneous things in the corner, where the small water jar had been placed. He walked around, then finally stopped in front of the wooden door. Reaching out, he pressed his hand against the door. Recalling the events from earlier, a thought started to form in his mind. Can¡¯t this door be better? Hiss. Suddenly, it felt as if a thin thread was passing through the mark on his hand, drilling into the door. Soon, a black number appeared on the door: 16th. Enhance the door? The faint voice came again, emotionless, like a mechanical sound. Yu Hong stared at the number, and he began to understand. The number likely represents the time needed for enhancement. But what will it look like after it¡¯s enhanced? He withdrew his hand and turned to look at the water cup, only to find that the number on it had disappeared. ¡®Moreover, how is this enhancement done? Will it make a lot of noise? Can it continue to be enhanced indefinitely, or are there any limits?¡¯ One question after another emerged in his mind. ¡°What are you doing?¡± the little stutterer couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°I just felt dizzy, my brain¡¯s a bit out of sorts,¡± Yu Hong sighed, not mentioning the numbers or the black mark. He wasn¡¯t planning to reveal anything to anyone until he figured out the situation. The priority now was to find something to test the enhancement effect of the black mark. The wooden door would take too long, and it couldn¡¯t guarantee the noise level. Yu Hong walked around, quickly fixing his attention on a small, inconspicuous object ¡ª the white stone that the little stutterer had smashed earlier. (End of this chapter) Chapter 4: Danger Part (2) This stone could hurt the white-clad ghostly figure, so it was likely some sort of special item. Additionally, its small size made it harder to notice, even if there was some noise.Moreover, if it could truly be enhanced, the power of the white stone would increase, making it much safer to deal with the previous ghostly figure. With this in mind, Yu Hong picked up a white stone and looked at the little stutterer. ¡°Could you give me one? Thanks for saving me earlier! I¡¯ll repay you,¡± he said earnestly. The little stutterer shook her head. ¡°This one¡­ it¡¯s already useless,¡± she explained. ¡°If you want it, just take it.¡± Yu Hong nodded, took the white stone, and examined it. The stone was about the size of a thumb¡¯s nail. Its surface was marked with a dark red complex symbol that resembled some kind of religious talisman. A third of the stone had turned black, though it wasn¡¯t clear why. The stone felt icy to the touch, like an ice cube¡ªchilling and somewhat bone-piercing. Ssss. Soon, a number appeared on the stone¡¯s surface: 3 days. A thought flashed through Yu Hong¡¯s mind. It seemed the black mark sensed it and immediately transmitted a voice. ¡®Would you like to enhance the target?¡¯ Yu Hong stuffed the white stone into his pants pocket. He tried responding in his mind: Yes. The moment he confirmed, the black mark on the back of his hand heated up slightly, then quickly returned to normal. At the same time, the white stone in his pocket also heated up briefly before returning to its usual state. The little stutterer didn¡¯t react at all to the movement of the white stone. ¡°Are you okay?¡± she asked curiously, looking at him. ¡°Almost¡­ the sky is getting dark quickly. We¡­ must prepare,¡± she stammered. ¡°Prepare for what?¡± Yu Hong asked. After the recent emotional and physical strain, his already weakened body was now returning to a normal state due to hormones dissipating. ?a¦­§°?¨§? He was still sick and inflamed. Earlier, he had only been able to fight off danger temporarily with physical and mental strength. Now, with the threat gone, his body was fighting off the virus and bacteria. His immune system had started rapidly splitting immune cells again, and his body temperature was beginning to rise. ¡°At night¡­ monsters are dangerous,¡± the little stutterer replied. She glanced out the window. The sunlight outside was rapidly dimming. The darkness was¡­ abnormal. It was too fast. It got so dark that Yu Hong could feel with his eyes that the light was fading. This strange phenomenon made him feel increasingly anxious. Clink, clink, clink¡­ S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The little stutterer suddenly pulled out a hammer and began hammering nails around the edges of the door and windows, seemingly reinforcing the surroundings. The door was locked with thick chains from the inside, and three heavy bolts were placed across it. Each bolt was as thick as an arm. The contact points between the bolts and the door panel were already worn smooth, showing that this wasn¡¯t the first time such measures had been taken. The light continued to grow dimmer and dimmer. Yu Hong stood still in the room, stunned for a moment before he quickly reacted and tried to help check the safety of the cracks. But because he was unfamiliar with the environment, the little stutterer soon pushed him back onto the bed, annoyed by his interference. ¡°You, don¡¯t make trouble,¡± she said seriously. She then crawled under the bed and pulled out a large black cloth bag. Inside the bag were densely packed white stones. She carefully picked up a red pen and began writing red symbols on each of the stones. ¡®So, she drew these red symbols herself?¡¯ Yu Hong thought as he watched, realization dawning on him. Suddenly, a very faint, sharp, theatrical-sounding female voice echoed from outside the room. The voice was high and low, melodious yet eerie, like crying or acting, with a strange sense of being both real and fake. Clink. The little stutterer obviously heard the sound as well. She quickly grabbed a few white stones and handed them to Yu Hong, then took a large yellow candle from a corner, rubbing it with something like a magnesium stick to light it. She held it up, nervously watching the doors and windows. Yu Hong stood behind her, noticing that the candle was unusually large¡ªabout the size of an egg. ¡°It¡¯s here,¡± the little stutterer suddenly said. At this point, Yu Hong noticed that the light outside the window had completely disappeared. Only an unrelenting blackness remained, seeping through from outside. Was it already night? How could it happen so fast? He wanted to speak, but suddenly, a wave of dizziness hit him, impacting his consciousness. His body was growing hotter, and his throat became increasingly painful. He needed to drink water and take medicine¡­ fever medicine. Otherwise, things might not turn out well. He knew his own condition¡ªwhenever he had a fever from a cold, it felt like this. The last time he had a fever of 39¡ãC, he wasn¡¯t this weak; it was likely the shock had taken a toll on him. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he tightly gripped the white stone, staring nervously at the doors and windows. The room was quiet, with both of them waiting. The air was filled only with their breathing and heartbeats. This state didn¡¯t last long. Clink. Finally, a faint noise came from outside the door. ¡°It¡¯s here!¡± the little stutterer shouted. Her body tensed, her muscles visibly tightening. She held the thick candle high, creating a circle of light that covered as much of the room as possible. Yu Hong, also tense, watched nervously. He wasn¡¯t sure what would happen, but from the little stutterer¡¯s reaction, something bad was likely about to occur. After all, the white ghostly figure from earlier hadn¡¯t made her this nervous. Soon, their wait bore fruit. Outside in the dark, the sound of bugs crawling on the door and windows grew increasingly louder. The sound was sudden, intense, and frantic, like a quiet void suddenly filled with the noise of a desert storm. The sand-like noise continued to scrape the doors and windows of the room. Yu Hong¡¯s eyes widened as he saw that through the small gaps in the door and window¡ªless than a centimeter wide¡ªsmall black bugs were crawling in. They were swarming in, hundreds, maybe thousands of them, all small like ants, with oval-shaped exoskeletons on their backs and monstrous, centipede-like mandibles. They had no eyes but many pairs of legs. They looked like tiny black centipedes. The bugs flooded the room, the scraping sounds growing louder, while the high-pitched female voice from the air grew closer and clearer. ¡°Get out!!¡± the little stutterer screamed. But she remained strangely still, holding up the candle and yelling furiously. Yu Hong, sitting on the bed, wanted to stand and help, but his weak body didn¡¯t have much strength left. His back was sweating, but it quickly evaporated due to his high fever. As he watched the black bugs pouring through the cracks in the room, his body tensed in fear, trembling. His mind filled with horrific images of the bugs crawling all over his body, gnawing at his flesh. It was a primal fear, impossible to suppress. But then, something unexpected happened. Ssss. The first group of black bugs that crawled into the circle of light from the candle quickly dissolved, turning into black smoke and evaporating into the air. The bugs seemed to be melting away, as if they were being burned, but they didn¡¯t retreat. They continued to surge towards the little stutterer, relentlessly. Soon, a ring of black bugs surrounded her, constantly dissolving, turning into black smoke, then dissipating into the air. The smoke rose and quickly disappeared, leaving behind a pungent, foul smell. Yu Hong stood there, shocked by the sight. He racked his brain for an explanation, but couldn¡¯t think of any bugs that would dissolve into black smoke when exposed to light. This strange scene shattered all his previous assumptions and expectations. Monsters. Suddenly, a term mentioned by Doctor Xu earlier popped into his mind. Yes, monsters. The black bugs before him were truly monsters, weren¡¯t they? They were endless, like a tide, yet disintegrated and disappeared at the touch of light. Yu Hong fell into a state of mental fog, carefully observing the black bugs and the candle, trying to find any signs of trickery. Occasionally, he pinched his thigh hard, using the pain to keep himself awake, trying to prove that what he saw wasn¡¯t a dream. But all his actions confirmed that this was all real. It wasn¡¯t a dream, nor was it an illusion. And he noticed one more thing. As the black bugs dissolved, the large candle in the little stutterer¡¯s hand, which should have lasted for a long time, was quickly melting down as well, burning faster as the bugs attacked. It seemed like fighting these black bugs was rapidly consuming the candle¡¯s energy. Time continued to pass in this tense, still silence. Ten minutes. Half an hour. An hour. Two hours. They remained in this state without moving. The candle in the little stutterer¡¯s hand shrank from the size of her forearm to the length of her palm. Suddenly, Yu Hong jumped up, turned, and reached back, grabbing a black bug from behind. As soon as the bug was exposed to the light, it dissolved into smoke. But Yu Hong quickly touched his backside. His left cheek had been bitten by a bug, and blood soaked his pants, clearly indicating a deep wound. The black bugs seemed to be attracted to the blood and began to surge towards him, but the candlelight remained firm, turning them into smoke. Yu Hong covered his wound and limped towards the little stutterer, standing by her side, both of them watching the scene unfold. The bugs surrounding the light ring continued to melt, turning into black smoke. This strange, dangerous scene was like a meteor shower, shattering his worldview into pieces. He didn¡¯t know how much time had passed. Finally, the high-pitched female voice faded away, becoming distant. As the voice disappeared, the black bugs entering the room started to thin out. A faint light began to shine through the cracks in the door and window. Finally. The last few bugs were enveloped by the light, struggling to dissolve into smoke. Everything returned to calm. (End of this Chapter) Chapter 5: Danger (3) Morning arrived.Bright sunlight seemed to fast-forward through the dim dawn, turning dazzlingly bright, almost glaring. Yu Hong stared blankly at the scene before him, his mind groggy, his body feverishly hot. He was already weak, and after staying awake all night, his condition had worsened. Now that the immediate danger seemed to have passed, he finally lost control, collapsing onto his side and lying on the ground. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Little Stutterer blew out the candle and was carefully putting it back in the cluttered corner. When She turned around, She saw Yu Hong lying on the ground. Startled, She hurriedly rushed over. Feeling his burning hot body, she quickly fetched some water, filtered it, and poured it into his mouth in a rush. After giving him water, she rummaged for medicine. She had acquired some from Dr. Xu and promptly fed it to Yu Hong. Though Yu Hong was aware of her help, his body was too weak to respond. He felt himself being lifted by the waist and placed onto the bed. Then, she found a piece of used white stone and placed it on his forehead to cool him down. The white stone, cold and refreshing, absorbed much of the heat, making Yu Hong feel significantly better. As comfort began to return, Yu Hong couldn¡¯t resist the pull of sleep and slipped into unconsciousness once again. This time, he slept deeply, entirely unaware of the passage of time. In a hazy state, he eventually regained a slight sense of awareness, unsure how much time had passed. ¡°It¡¯s the fourth day. His fever has gone down, so he doesn¡¯t need more medicine,¡± came Doctor Xu¡¯s voice. She seemed to be standing by the bedside, lightly touching Yu Hong¡¯s forehead. The faint sensation tickled him, but his weak body left him unable to raise a hand to scratch the itch, so he let it fade on its own. ¡°Once¡­ more¡­¡± stammered the little stutterer¡¯s voice. ¡°There¡¯s no need. You¡¯ve already traded everything you could. There¡¯s not much left to exchange. The post office hasn¡¯t received supplies for ages, and I¡¯m running out of antibiotics,¡± Doctor Xu refused. ¡°No, must¡­ more!¡± the stutterer insisted. ¡°Back then¡­ you¡­ same!¡± At these words, Doctor Xu fell silent. ¡°True. If it hadn¡¯t been for you, I would¡¯ve died on the roadside long ago, my bones probably gnawed clean by monsters. Fine, I¡¯ll trade you one last dose. But this is it¡ªno more!¡± ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll give you food!¡± A rustling sound followed. ¡°This isn¡¯t enough. According to our previous exchange rate¡­¡± Doctor Xu said helplessly. ¡°I have more here!¡± ¡°Forget it. Just take it. This is the last time. Really, you should stop trying to save people. We¡¯re struggling to survive as it is.¡± Doctor Xu sighed. ¡°Thanks,¡± said the stutterer gratefully. ¡°All right, I¡¯m off to check on Old Yu. Don¡¯t bother seeing me out,¡± Doctor Xu said. Her voice faded with retreating footsteps, followed by the sound of a door closing. The room fell silent. ?¨¢¦­?B§§? Weakly, Yu Hong opened his eyes to see the stutterer¡¯s grimy, dark face by the bedside, holding a wooden bowl filled with some unidentifiable black mush. She scooped some of the mush with a spoon and brought it to Yu Hong¡¯s mouth. Without resistance, Yu Hong ate the mush spoon by spoon, lying on an elevated pillow, his face pale and yellow. One fed while the other ate. Gradually, they emptied the bowl. Yu Hong licked his lips, finding himself oddly savoring the mush¡¯s taste. ¡°Is there more?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes! Yes!¡± The stutterer¡¯s eyes lit up with pure joy as she hurried to prepare another bowl of mush and continued feeding him. Though it filled him somewhat, the mush seemed too low in energy, and his long period of fasting left him weak. After finishing the second bowl, he still felt hungry and asked for more. The stutterer eagerly brought a third bowl. Finally, after eating, Yu Hong felt somewhat full. The cool, refreshing mush brought a comforting warmth to his belly and restored some of his strength. ¡°How long was I asleep?¡± he asked, looking at her. ¡°Four days,¡± she said, holding up four fingers and flashing a yellow-toothed smile. ¡°Thank you,¡± Yu Hong said earnestly. He knew that without her care, he would have likely succumbed to his illness during his fevered unconsciousness. Glancing at the ominous and perilous world outside, he realized that survival in such a place was impossible without someone¡¯s help. Alone, he doubted he¡¯d last a day. He resolved to repay this debt of gratitude in the future. As a capable man, he believed he could one day outdo the stuttering girl in skill and resources. ¡°No problem,¡± the stutterer said cheerfully. She stood up to fetch more water for Yu Hong but struggled to scrape together even a small cup from the little jar. ¡°I¡¯ll go to the well to fetch water,¡± she said, gesturing to Yu Hong. ¡°Wait for me. Don¡¯t open the door or window for anyone, no matter who knocks,¡± she warned seriously. ¡°Got it,¡± Yu Hong nodded solemnly. With that, the stutterer took the jar and dashed out the door. The air inside, thick with mildew, made Yu Hong uncomfortable, but he recalled her advice. Breathing in some mold spores was better than exposing himself to the dangers outside. More importantly, he remembered the white stone in his pocket, the one he had tucked away before losing consciousness. Curiosity and anticipation filled him as he reached into his pocket, pulled out the stone, and examined it closely. The white stone had changed. Its previously darkened parts had returned to a pure white, now resembling jade with a faint sheen. Even the red symbol etched into it had become more intricate and vivid, its strokes more defined. ¡®Is this an upgrade?¡¯ Yu Hong wondered. To confirm his suspicion, he retrieved an unused white stone from a pile of supplies and compared the two. The differences were striking¡ªthe upgraded stone looked significantly superior, with a far more complex symbol. ¡®This enhancement feels like a level-up,¡¯ he thought, intrigued. Carefully tucking the enhanced stone away, Yu Hong returned to his bed. Though the fever was gone, his body remained weak, and even minor movements left him dizzy and fatigued. His back injury felt numb, leaving him uncertain about its condition. Knock, knock, knock. Suddenly, the door rattled with knocks. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± Yu Hong asked, alert. ¡°It¡¯s me, Doctor Xu. Is Yi Yi there?¡± a familiar voice called from outside. ¡°She¡¯s not here,¡± Yu Hong replied. ¡°I¡¯ve brought her medicine. I¡¯ll leave it by the door. Make sure she gets it when she returns,¡± Doctor Xu instructed. ¡°Okay,¡± Yu Hong agreed. The faint sound of footsteps receded, and quiet returned. Taking a deep breath, Yu Hong slowly stood up, steadying himself on the bed, and made his way to the door. The medicine was too valuable to leave unattended¡ªit needed to be brought inside immediately. Gripping the doorknob, he hesitated, recalling the stutterer¡¯s warning not to open the door under any circumstances. Peering through the crack below the door, he froze. In the sunlight filtering through the gap, a shadow stood still outside the door. Someone¡ªor something¡ªwas silently waiting for him to open it. ¡®This isn¡¯t right,¡¯ Yu Hong thought, his body tensing. Quietly releasing the doorknob, he stepped back to the center of the room, gripping the enhanced white stone in his pocket. That voice¡ªidentical to Doctor Xu¡¯s¡ªhad nearly tricked him into opening the door. Terror and relief washed over him as he realized how close he had come to danger. His eyes stayed glued to the door crack, unwilling to look away. The shadow eventually shifted and moved away quietly, as if it had realized its trick had failed. Even as it left, Yu Hong remained on high alert. His chest heaved with heavy breaths as he cautiously approached the window to confirm the threat¡¯s departure. Peeking through the wooden planks covering the window, he scanned the outside. His heart nearly stopped. A face¡ªDoctor Xu¡¯s¡ªstared back at him, expressionless, through the gap. (End of this Chapter) sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 6: Danger (4) Their eyes met.A wave of dread exploded in Yu Hong¡¯s chest. A gut-wrenching, unbearable nausea surged from his stomach. His abdomen convulsed in pain as his entire body began to tingle and stiffen uncontrollably. An indescribable terror swelled in his heart and coursed through his veins. Around his eyes, black veins began to bulge and spread like tree roots branching outward. The veins grew thicker and thicker, as though they were about to burst at any moment. Just then, a chilling energy seeped from the strengthening white stone in his pocket, rushing into his thigh. This cold energy was like a steel pin, piercing deeply into his rigid body and pulling him back from paralysis. Bang! His legs gave out, and he crumpled to the floor, finally breaking eye contact with the entity. Huff! Huff! Huff! Bent over, Yu Hong gasped for air, feeling the white stone¡¯s icy energy rapidly relieve the stiffness in his body. He was overcome with a deep sense of gratitude, as though narrowly escaping death. Without daring to look outside again, Yu Hong quickly pulled out the strengthening white stone. He noticed the faint glow of a red symbol on its surface¡ªso faint it was almost imperceptible. ¡°A lifesaver!¡± Yu Hong thought with a surge of relief, immensely grateful that he had chosen to strengthen this white stone first. Ever since the stuttering girl used it to save him earlier, he had realized its extraordinary importance. Thankfully, his judgment had been correct. Scooting himself away from the window, Yu Hong decided not to take any more risks. In this eerie place, even a single glance outside could be dangerous. ¡°But why¡­ Why don¡¯t the stuttering girl or Dr. Xu encounter such dangers when they go out?¡± ¡°Do they have some other means of protection?¡± A flicker of doubt rose in Yu Hong¡¯s mind. But soon, the sheer exhaustion of his ordeal began to pull him into sleep again. His body was far too weak. Clutching the white stone tightly, he crawled back onto the bed. Wrapped in the foul-smelling, grayish blanket, he waited for a while, making sure nothing outside could get in. Only then did he relax slightly and drift back into unconsciousness. Time passed. Maybe hours. Maybe an entire day. When Yu Hong woke again, the stuttering girl was bustling about the room. ¡°You¡­ awake?¡± She turned quickly at the sound of his movement, her face lighting up as she looked at him. ¡°Eat this.¡± Soon, she brought over a bowl of black gruel and began feeding him. Without realizing it, Yu Hong finished the last spoonful of the gruel. His body felt much better. ¡°Any more?¡± he asked. The girl got up and rummaged around, but this time, she couldn¡¯t find any. After a long search, she returned, slightly dejected. ¡°Finished,¡± she said softly. Yu Hong got out of bed, walked to the corner of the room, and saw the wooden barrel she had been searching in. Inside were remnants of a multicolored powder, the apparent raw material for the gruel. The bottom of the barrel held only a few scraps. As he leaned on the barrel, he confirmed that it was indeed empty. Gurgle. A rumbling noise suddenly came from behind him. It was the stuttering girl. She rubbed her stomach and grinned sheepishly. ¡°You didn¡¯t eat?¡± ¡°Forgot,¡± she replied with a goofy laugh. Apparently, she had given him all the remaining food. Yu Hong was at a loss for words. He couldn¡¯t fathom how this girl had managed to survive in such a dangerous environment. Yet, he felt a pang of guilt. ¡°So what now? Where do you get this food? I¡¯m feeling better now and can help look for more,¡± he offered earnestly. ¡°No need. Yi Yi strong!¡± The stuttering girl thumped her chest, putting on a confident expression. ¡°I helped you. You help me find Dad and Grandpa,¡± she added, her words halting but clear in their intent. ¡°That¡¯s why you saved me?¡± Yu Hong understood. Having a request made things easier¡ªit gave him a chance to repay her. ¡°I promise,¡± he nodded. ¡°If I¡¯m able, I¡¯ll help.¡± Though the environment was perilous, the black mark on his hand gave him a sliver of hope for the future. With the mark¡¯s ability, if everything could be strengthened, then perhaps he could create a safer shelter or stronghold. After his firsthand experience, he knew the house¡¯s defenses were inadequate against the strange and deadly threats outside. Neither the white-clad figure, the black bugs, nor the terrifying mimic of Dr. Xu had been stopped. ¡°By the way, I wanted to ask, when you weren¡¯t here just now¡­¡± Yu Hong quickly told the other person what had happened earlier. After listening, the stuttering girl¡¯s expression grew serious. ¡°It was a shadow wraith!¡± she answered. ¡°That was a shadow wraith?¡± Yu Hong frowned. ¡°This question¡­ let me answer it.¡± A voice came from outside the door. The stuttering girl rushed to open it, happily welcoming Dr. Xu inside. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Dr. Xu had changed her outfit. Dressed in hiking gear with a camo bodysuit and a large backpack, she looked ready for a trek into the mountains. Her eyes swept over Yu Hong as she stepped into the room. ¡°In this place, shadow wraiths are a common threat during the Black Disaster. There are two main types: the white shadow, which you encountered earlier, and the impostor.¡± ?¦Á??§£¦¥? ¡°White shadows aren¡¯t too dangerous. As long as you carefully maintain eye contact and don¡¯t blink, you can escape safely. Reinforced white stones can also temporarily dispel them.¡± ¡°But impostors are a different story. You must remain vigilant at all times and never trust anything outside of what¡¯s been agreed upon.¡± Dr. Xu fixed her gaze on Yu Hong and emphasized, ¡°Agreements are extremely, extremely important here!¡± ¡°Agreements?¡± Yu Hong¡¯s thoughts began to churn. ¡°Yes. Before separating from your companions, you must set clear agreements. For example, what the signal will be when you regroup, what conditions allow for opening doors or windows, and so on. If you don¡¯t¡­ impostors will exploit any gaps, killing you one by one,¡± Dr. Xu explained with a sigh. ¡°This is also why the residents of Baiqiu Village live alone. Even during the day, the imposter might appear and attack.¡± Imposter. This completely new concept made Yu Hong suddenly realize something. He might never be able to return to his old life. ¡°Can you take me outside? I want to see if I can make it to the city,¡± Yu Hong spoke after a moment of silence. ¡°Take the glowstone¡ªthose white stones. As long as you go out during the day, you¡¯ll be fine, but control the time you return,¡± Dr. Xu replied. ¡°Also, while imposters can appear during the day, only those who are physically weak will see them. Healthy people cannot see them.¡± Yu Hong immediately understood. ¡°Isn¡¯t there any way to get rid of these monsters?¡± he asked in a low voice. ¡°No. We haven¡¯t found any, and the national authorities haven¡¯t come up with anything either,¡± Dr. Xu shook her head. ¡°Well, Yi Yi and I are going out. If you want to join, hurry up. Baiqiu Village doesn¡¯t keep useless people. You¡¯ve been dragging Yi Yi down for too long.¡± She seemed quite dissatisfied with Yu Hong, and her gaze was far from friendly. ¡°I remember the favor you did for me,¡± Yu Hong said seriously. ¡°First, survive on your own,¡± Dr. Xu sneered, not bothering to look at him again. She turned to talk to the stuttering girl. Soon, Little Stutterer began preparing the things and equipment for their departure. Yu Hong¡¯s body had recovered significantly, and he also started packing. He didn¡¯t mention the strengthening of the white stone. He couldn¡¯t explain where the strengthened white stone came from, but from the abilities of the black mark, it was clear that it would become his greatest support in the future. He wasn¡¯t sure if others had this ability, and the information he had was too limited, so it was more important to gather as much intelligence as possible first. This place was too dangerous; they had to be cautious and careful every step of the way. ¡°I will repay you.¡± With this thought, Yu Hong spoke again, repeating himself. Dr. Xu didn¡¯t even glance at him, pretending she hadn¡¯t heard. Clearly, she thought that as long as Yu Hong didn¡¯t hold Little Stutterer back, that would be good enough. Soon, a large cloth bag was prepared and placed on the ground. Dr. Xu lifted it carefully and placed it on Little Stutterer¡¯s back. The bag was filled with white stones marked with symbols. ¡°First, go to Old Yu¡¯s place to exchange for food, then head to the open-pit mine to dig for glowstone, and finally gather pigments. Including the return time, we must reach Old Yu¡¯s place within an hour. You can rest for the night at the mine, and tomorrow after collecting the pigments, we will head back,¡± Dr. Xu arranged. ¡°Is it far?¡± Yu Hong frowned, feeling that his physical strength might still be an issue, as he hadn¡¯t fully recovered. ¡°You don¡¯t need to go. You won¡¯t keep up. Just wander around here and come back,¡± Dr. Xu said coldly. ¡°At night, light the candle, focus on the glowstone during the day, don¡¯t open the door for anyone, and don¡¯t look outside. If there¡¯s no major issue, everything will be fine. This is also a test for you. If you fail, it means you can¡¯t adapt to this environment, and won¡¯t survive for long. The sooner you die, the better.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Wasn¡¯t that a bit too direct? Yu Hong was speechless. ¡°Yi Yi has saved many people, and I was saved by her too. But you know the people she saved¡­¡± Dr. Xu was about to say more, but Little Stutterer tugged at her sleeve. She realized and immediately stopped talking. This time, she decided not to pay any more attention to Yu Hong. She grabbed the things and opened the door, walking out with Little Stutterer. Yu Hong paused for a moment, grabbed the house key, and followed them out. He had decided to go outside and take a look. No matter what, they had to solve the source of food and water first. He couldn¡¯t keep relying on a disabled little girl to take care of them. Moreover, the key issue was that only by learning more could he figure out a more effective way to survive and cope. With a click, he closed the door behind him. The three of them lined up in a row and walked along the gravel road outside the door to the left. The temperature outside was mild, neither too hot nor too cold, and the sunlight was pleasantly warm. Of the three, Dr. Xu walked in the lead, followed by Little Stutterer, and then Yu Hong. After walking for a few minutes along the winding gravel road, they reached the exit of the village. At the end of the gravel road, it connected to a black mud road. The dry black mud surface was wide enough for two vehicles to drive side by side. The road was dark and winding, passing through abandoned green fields on both sides, stretching into the distance, leading to the dense and deep forest at the foot of the mountains. Yu Hong noticed that there was little grass along the edges of the black mud road, and two rows of black wooden fences had been built. Many places of the fence had rotted away, covered in moss. ¡°This is the only old road leading out of here,¡± Dr. Xu said. ¡°If you walk along it for about thirty miles, you¡¯ll reach the nearest town, but that place might be even more dangerous than here. The more people there are, the more dangerous it becomes, attracting those dangerous characters.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± She stepped off the gravel road and onto the black mud road. (End of this chapter) Chapter 7: Decision (1) Bright golden sunlight poured down.Baiqiu Village, surrounded by dark green mountains and forests, looked like a piece of dark chocolate in the middle of a green cake, standing out sharply. The entire village sat atop a large patch of grayish-white hills, at the top of the ridge. There were more than thirty scattered tile-roofed houses in the village. At this moment, at the western edge of the village, a pale-faced man was leisurely strolling, glancing around from time to time, looking nervous. The man wore a gray T-shirt and yellow casual pants, both dirty and wrinkled, clearly long overdue for a wash. His hair, oily and sweaty, was styled into a mohawk. On his feet were a pair of gray, nearly unrecognizable sneakers, which were not suited for the muddy ground beneath him. Around Baiqiu Village, there were no sounds of insects or birds, only the soft crunch of the man¡¯s steps on the ground. ¡°About fifteen minutes now.¡± Yu Hong took out his old phone from his pocket and looked at it. The phone, which he had kept because of sentiment, had unexpectedly become an essential tool in this place. He had been lying in bed for several days. If it were a smartphone, it would have run out of battery long ago. But this old phone had a small screen, a large battery, and a standby time of over a week. It was also durable, resistant to damage and water. At such a critical moment, it provided him with much-needed reassurance. The phone¡¯s screen clearly showed the time: March 5, 2024, 15:32. ¡°Sigh,¡± Yu Hong sighed softly. This was the time from before he came here. But now it meant nothing. Looking at the empty signal bar in the top-right corner of the screen, he understood that he was probably no longer in his original world. From the newspaper reports, to what Little Stutterer and Dr. Xu had mentioned, and the strange and bizarre things he had encountered, it was clear that this place was not his world. He looked up at the bright sunlight. Yu Hong lowered his head and marked the ground with a few stones, forming a small triangular structure. It was a mark to prevent getting lost. It had been fifteen minutes since Dr. Xu and Little Stutterer left. In these fifteen minutes, he had walked around the village for a while. But to his disappointment, it seemed that there were no other living people here besides the three of them. ¡®Maybe the living people are hiding, after all, even in daylight, there could be great danger.¡¯ Yu Hong sighed inwardly, his hand always clutching the reinforced white stone. From his previous encounters, he had learned that in this place, the effect of the white stone was his only guarantee of safety. According to what Dr. Xu said before leaving, there would be no black insects in the daytime when there was sunlight, and at most, there would be a rare encounter with a ghost shadow. ??????????????¦¥? As long as he had the white stone, the danger during the day was not great. Because these ghost shadows seemed to be very weak during the day. Yu Hong believed this, otherwise, Little Stutterer and Dr. Xu would never have been so bold as to keep going outside. He looked back at the marks he had made along the way, confirming they were still there, and then continued walking forward. Quiet. Dead silence. Shh. Shh. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Aside from the occasional crisp sound of grass being stepped on, there was no other noise. Even the wind was barely noticeable. After more than ten minutes, Yu Hong had finally circled the entire village. He stood at the initial gravel road, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and tried to remember some important locations he had just discovered. The most important of these was the well. Earlier, he had seen a well in a yard from a distance. There were many footprints around the stone-built well, clearly indicating it was a rare water source for the village¡¯s living people. However, from a distance of more than ten meters, he had felt a chilling, bone-piercing cold emanating from the well. Even the sunlight couldn¡¯t suppress it. He felt something was wrong, so he didn¡¯t approach and only remembered the location. ¡°Strange. A well on a hilltop in a small village?¡± Yu Hong thought. Normally, wells are dug in lower ground, since water flows downhill. But this place was different. Standing on the gravel road, he looked around again. The village was surrounded by endless dark green forests. The forests stretched out like a sea of trees. There were no bird calls, no visible animals, and even the dark green trees and grass gave an eerie, uncomfortable feeling. Yu Hong stood motionless, staring at the only old road leading out of the village for a long while before turning back. The journey was uneventful, and he returned to Little Stutterer¡¯s house. He didn¡¯t relax until he had firmly closed the wooden door behind him. ¡°This place is too creepy,¡± Yu Hong thought. The idea that he might have to live here without knowing for how long, with no hope of returning, filled him with despair. ¡°I¡¯ve already looked around. There are no vehicles, but there are tire marks on the ground. This suggests that there were vehicles here, but they were taken away.¡± Yu Hong picked up a piece of charcoal from the corner of the room and began drawing a map of Baiqiu Village on the wall. The map was simple, just some basic lines with small squares representing houses. He marked the well, the old road, and Little Stutterer¡¯s house on the map. The three locations formed a triangle. ¡®What should I do now?¡¯ Yu Hong thought as he stared at the map, pushing down his feelings of despair and considering his next move. ¡®I can¡¯t keep relying on Little Stutterer. I need to learn to deal with these dangers myself and figure out how to find food and shelter.¡¯ Sitting cross-legged on the floor, he drew on the wall with the charcoal. Then he raised his hand, looking at the black mark on the back of his hand. ¡®And this mark. If I don¡¯t want to be discovered, I have to choose to live alone. Otherwise, in this extremely dangerous environment, letting others know about my ability could be very risky!¡¯ Although he wasn¡¯t sure if others had similar abilities, he was certain that Little Stutterer and Dr. Xu didn¡¯t. He could tell from some subtle signs. ¡°First, I need to learn how to find food and water, then move out!¡± Yu Hong quickly made up his mind. Having made the decision, he got up and returned to the bed, planning to rest again and wait for Little Stutterer to come back. Knock. Knock. Knock. Suddenly. There was a rhythmic knock on the door. Yu Hong¡¯s throat tightened as he glanced at the wooden door. He didn¡¯t make a sound. The knocking wasn¡¯t right. But he didn¡¯t respond, gripping the reinforced white stone tightly, taking a deep breath, and lying down quietly, preparing to rest. Bang, bang, bang. The knocking continued. One after another. But Yu Hong remained silent, pretending not to hear. He lay sideways on the bed, his gaze fixed on the door, his hand clutching the reinforced white stone, his body tense, ready to react at any moment. Fortunately, after seven knocks, the sound stopped. Instead, there seemed to be someone peeking through the window. Peering in through the gap in the seal. Yu Hong¡¯s hair stood on end, and he turned to stare at the window, holding his breath and taking deep, controlled breaths. A strong sense of danger continued to stimulate his adrenaline, making his blood rush and circulate rapidly, his face flushed red. He didn¡¯t know how long it had been. It seemed the figure outside the window lost patience and quietly left. The window no longer blocked the light, and everything returned to normal. Yu Hong tightly gripped the reinforced white stone, feeling sweat on both the stone and his palm. He lowered his head, took a deep breath, and adjusted his body. He got up, picking up another white stone, this time one he hadn¡¯t used before. He looked at the stone, and the number displayed on it: 2 days. ¡®So unused stones only take two days to strengthen?¡¯ He sighed with relief. Listening to the sound of inquiry in his ear, he silently confirmed the strengthening process. Soon, the number on the surface of the white stone vanished, and the entire stone seemed to be coated with a layer of oily substance as it began the black mark strengthening. Yu Hong didn¡¯t even look at it, shoving it into the other pocket of his pants. He then lay back down, squinting his eyes, setting an alarm on his phone, and soon drifted into a drowsy sleep. This time, he didn¡¯t sleep for long, nor did he sleep soundly. He woke up quickly. ¡®Little Stutterer won¡¯t be back tonight, which means I¡¯ll be alone in the house tonight,¡¯ Yu Hong glanced at the dim sunlight through the window gap, his heart sinking slightly. He got up and went to the storage corner, taking the large candle and match-like items that Little Stutterer had left for him. He prepared them and placed them beside the bed, within easy reach. Then, he lay half-awake on the bed, waiting for nightfall. Time slowly passed, and soon, the outside world grew darker, sinking into pitch black. This time, it was very quiet, with no black insects and no ghostly shadows. It seemed as if everything had forgotten about him, and there was an eerie peace. In the weary waiting and vigilance, the night passed quickly. By morning, when Yu Hong saw the bright sunlight streaming in from outside, he sighed with relief. Though it was daylight, and nothing had happened overnight, the prolonged vigilance and tension had left him mentally and physically exhausted. This made him yearn even more for a truly safe resting place. He wasn¡¯t like Little Stutterer¡ªif this continued, he wouldn¡¯t be able to rest properly, and he¡¯d die. He got up, filtered some water to drink, and his stomach growled again. Although he had eaten all of Little Stutterer¡¯s remaining food yesterday, it had been a while, and his stomach had long digested everything. He went out, taking advantage of the perfect sunlight, and wandered around the gravel road for a while. This time, he walked down the old road, trying to find edible plants or insects. But unfortunately, he didn¡¯t find anything on the road. There were no insects, and he didn¡¯t recognize any of the plants. None of the plants here were familiar to him. Even the common wild chrysanthemums and dandelions were nowhere to be seen. Fortunately, Little Stutterer and Dr. Xu finally returned. Thud. Inside the house, Little Stutterer struggled to place a large bundle off her back onto the floor. She then opened the bundle. Inside were neatly packed bags of dried meat, dried mushrooms, and dried insects. Yu Hong stepped forward to help, noticing that the dried meat mainly consisted of dark, unidentifiable meat chunks from some unknown animal. The dried mushrooms were also broken and unidentifiable. As for the dried insects¡­ ¡°Is this¡­ a cockroach??!¡± Yu Hong¡¯s face changed slightly. ¡°It¡¯s a ¡®mouthful fragrance,¡± Little Stutterer shook her head and corrected him. Then, she casually grabbed a cockroach-sized dried insect and popped it into her mouth. (TL note :- In this context, ¡°Ò»¿ÚÏ㡱 (y¨© k¨¯u xi¨¡ng) is a phrase that could refer to something being very flavorful or aromatic, often used to describe food that is particularly tasty or fragrant. In this case, it seems to be a lighthearted or humorous way of describing something, especially given the context of eating a cockroach.) ¡°Delicious!¡± She gave a thumbs-up, chewing quickly with a crisp sound. Her eyes widened with delight, full of joy. ¡°¡­¡± Yu Hong was speechless. (End of Chapter) Chapter 8: Decision (2) Watching Little Stutterer carefully put away the supplies and then pick up the small jar to head outside, Yu Hong quickly followed. He needed to learn where to fetch water.When they stepped out of the house, to his surprise, Little Stutterer didn¡¯t head to the village well but instead walked down the old asphalt road, past the gravel path. After about ten minutes, they reached a broken-down well on a low-lying patch of land near the road. The well was shallow, and in the dim light, the bottom revealed a pool of dark yellow, foul-smelling water. Without a word, Little Stutterer tied the water jar with a rope and lowered it into the well to scoop up the water. ¡°Why not draw water from the village well?¡± Yu Hong couldn¡¯t help but whisper. ¡°That¡­water¡­isn¡¯t drinkable!¡± Little Stutterer answered seriously. As she filled the jar, she looked up at him. ¡°From now on¡­water¡­comes¡­from here!¡± She pointed at the well. Yu Hong nodded. He gazed at the murky water being drawn up, feeling a growing sense of unease. He helped Little Stutterer seal the jar tightly to prevent spills. Instead of returning to the house, they started combing through the surrounding grass. ¡°We must¡­eat grass!¡± Little Stutterer instructed. ¡°Otherwise¡­illness¡­death!¡± She gestured to explain. Yu Hong nodded and began observing closely which plants she was digging up. This was invaluable knowledge¡ªeating the wrong plant could result in poisoning or diarrhea, and in such harsh conditions, falling ill could easily lead to death. After a round of gathering, the two returned to the house, each carrying a large bundle. Little Stutterer spread the plants out by the window to dry. Yu Hong, meanwhile, meticulously used a piece of charcoal to jot down the key points of what he had learned. He kept the notes simple and concise, just enough for himself to understand. The notes were recorded on a piece of old newspaper that Little Stutterer had given him earlier. ¡°Do we have to travel far to get dried meat and mushrooms?¡± Yu Hong asked while taking notes. ¡°You¡­can¡­grow them,¡± Little Stutterer replied with effort, ¡°but¡­not¡­worth it!¡± Yu Hong nodded and added it to his notes. As he was about to ask more, a small notebook was suddenly handed to him. The notebook had a white cover with a cartoon mouse in the center. Crookedly written on it were the words: Survival Manual¡ªLin Yiyi. Yu Hong paused, then looked up to see Little Stutterer holding the notebook, grinning at him with her yellow teeth. ¡°Thank you,¡± he said as he took the notebook and began to flip through it. Inside, there were detailed records on how to fetch water, where to buy food, and identifying characteristics and locations of basic wild vegetables. The contents weren¡¯t extensive, but they were thorough. The notebook also included a list of several villagers from Baiqiu Village with their corresponding contact details. Among them, ¡°Old Yu¡± made dried meat, Dr. Xu provided medical care, someone named ¡°Jenny¡± specialized in leatherworking, and there was a candle-maker. In addition, there were markings for the residences of other villagers, though no names were listed, suggesting unfamiliarity. ???????????¦¥s Lastly, there was mention of a place called the post office, located north of Baiqiu Village in a forest. ¡°What¡¯s the post office for?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°To¡­connect¡­towns¡­get¡­supplies¡­salt¡­sugar¡­send¡­letters,¡± Little Stutterer explained, gesturing animatedly. ¡°You¡­must¡­learn¡­a skill¡­to trade¡­for goods.¡± ¡°I understand. I understand all of this, but I think the most urgent problem to solve right now is safety,¡± Yu Hong said seriously. ¡°There¡¯ve already been two instances of impostors causing trouble when you weren¡¯t around. This is too dangerous.¡± His mind raced, trying to figure out how to maximize his unique black seal for protection. ¡°No way.¡± Little Stutterer lowered her head dejectedly. It was clear she had considered this issue before. ¡°Specters¡­nothing¡­can¡­stop¡­them. Bugs¡­as long¡­as¡­there¡¯s¡­a gap¡­they¡­get in.¡± ¡°They¡­go through¡­walls!¡± She gestured emphatically. ¡°Through walls?¡± Yu Hong stared at the house walls in silence, falling into deep thought. ¡®This place is too crude, full of gaps and vulnerabilities,¡¯ he thought. He remembered how the black bugs had entered through door and window cracks, which suggested they might not actually pass through solid walls. He confirmed this theory with Little Stutterer. After thoroughly inspecting the house, he quickly concluded that it was highly insecure. ¡°I¡¯m planning to move out and find another place to live on my own,¡± he said quietly. Living alone would eliminate the risk of impostors, as long as no one opened the door. Little Stutterer froze. She had saved many people before, but they usually wanted to stay with her as long as possible to learn more survival skills. But this man¡ªthis Yu Hong¡ªwas barely recovered, and already thinking of living alone? Strange. What a strange man. Little Stutterer blinked at him. ¡°You¡­not¡­afraid?¡± ¡°I am, but your house is too unsafe,¡± Yu Hong replied. From the information in the notebook, he had a rough understanding of the key points about this place. ¡°The main threats are the bugs and the specters. While specters can pass through walls and must be driven away with radiant stones, the bugs can be blocked by doors and walls, as long as gaps are sealed. This means, with enough radiant stones and a properly sealed house, basic safety can be ensured, right?¡± Yu Hong calmly analyzed. His serious demeanor left Little Stutterer dumbfounded. ¡°Should we test it out? Seal the gaps with something, reduce the openings, and see if the bugs can still get in? If they can, figure out how small the gaps need to be to make a vent system work,¡± Yu Hong suggested. ¡°And also, how are radiant stones made? Can you teach me?¡± he asked earnestly. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Little Stutterer stared at him, nodding in a daze. At this moment, she seemed to see a figure from the depths of her memory on him¡ªone that was extremely familiar and deeply nostalgic. After discussing their plans, the two began preparations immediately. Little Stutterer rummaged for tools¡ªhammers, saws, scrap wood, nails¡ªrandom odds and ends. Yu Hong, still recovering from his illness, was physically weak, so he directed Little Stutterer in the work. To his surprise, Little Stutterer was incredibly strong¡ªstronger than he was even in his normal state. Her robust health was evident; despite sleeping on the floor these past days while he occupied the bed, she hadn¡¯t fallen ill. According to the notebook, the black bugs were officially named . Although their name didn¡¯t quite match their appearance, Yu Hong didn¡¯t dwell on it. He was more focused on learning everything about the bugs and specters. The two worked hard all day, and perhaps due to his improved health, they weren¡¯t disturbed by specters. Night fell without a bug attack either. According to Little Stutterer, the Blood Tide typically occurred every three to five days, and adequate lighting was the key to repelling them. The relied on light, while specters feared radiant stones. These were the survival rules the locals depended on. The next day, the pair continued Yu Hong¡¯s plan. They sawed wooden slats and made movable seals to thoroughly close the remaining gaps in the doors and windows. The movable seals could be opened during the day and shut at night. Although simple, these were part of Yu Hong¡¯s efforts to create a safe shelter¡ªor rather, a safe house¡ªthat could ensure his basic survival. Little Stutterer¡¯s house fell far short of his standards. Beyond the specters and bugs, the mold clinging to every corner and the stale, filthy air would shorten anyone¡¯s lifespan. And the water source was another issue. If he continued drinking that dirty water, he probably wouldn¡¯t survive long either. Nighttime. Inside the house, Little Stutterer and Yu Hong stood together. Little Stutterer raised the candle high, and the flickering candlelight dispelled the surrounding darkness. Hiss, hiss The faint sound of crawling insects continuously came from outside the doors and windows, but due to the sealing of the gaps, the small venting openings were much smaller than before. These black insects couldn¡¯t get inside. ¡°It works!¡± Yu Hong¡¯s face lit up with joy. He hadn¡¯t expected that his casual attempt would actually be effective. Little Stutterer was also grinning happily beside him. She realized that no black insects had entered the area. Even if a few small ones had slipped through, they were quickly melted by the candlelight. With this, the candle¡¯s consumption slowed down, and she wouldn¡¯t need to keep buying candles from the store, saving her a lot of trouble. She would be able to relax much more. Just as the two of them felt a sense of success¡­ Click, click Suddenly, a faint gnawing sound came from outside the sealed wooden boards. The sealing boards at the gaps, as well as the wooden doors and windows, all started making the same gnawing noise. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong! These insects can¡¯t get in, so it seems they started gnawing on the doors and windows!!¡± Yu Hong realized immediately. He grabbed a wooden stick, rushed to the door, and forcefully shoved it, pushing the bottom seal up. Crash! With a muffled sound, a large number of black insects poured in like a tide, rushing towards the two of them. Hiss The black insects rushed into the candlelight and were quickly melted, evaporating and dissipating completely. The candle also began to burn faster. In the bright yellow candlelight, Yu Hong watched the scene unfold before him, and the joy he had felt earlier slowly faded. ¡°If they can¡¯t get in, will they start gnawing on the walls of the house?¡± He finally understood why Little Stutter¡¯s house, despite knowing there were black insects, wasn¡¯t sealed off by her parents before. ¡°Has it failed?¡± Little Stutterer asked cautiously from behind. ¡°It¡¯s not a complete failure,¡± Yu Hong shook his head. The night passed without incident. The next morning. Yu Hong left the village early and headed to the forest at the base of the hill. He circled around the trees in the forest, occasionally tapping them with a hammer. Little Stutterer, having nothing else to do, started collecting a few medicinal herbs and plants for making ink. Her survival materials for trade were the glowstones with symbols drawn on them. According to Little Stutterer, the glowstones with symbols were more effective than regular ones. The sun was shining brightly. While Little Stutterer gathered her materials, she occasionally looked up at Yu Hong, who was doing something strange. ¡°What are you doing?¡± After watching for a while, she couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°I¡¯m picking wood, choosing a location, preparing to build my own safe house,¡± Yu Hong replied. ¡°Build¡­ a house yourself?¡± Little Stutterer couldn¡¯t understand. Could a house built by yourself be stronger than one made of stone bricks? (End of Chapter) Chapter 9: Operation (1) ¡°It¡¯s not entirely built by myself. I plan to use wood to assist with the construction, but the primary material will still be stone. Considering that stone bricks can¡¯t be found, the only solution is to find a natural stone cave,¡± explained Yu Hong.¡°Oh,¡± the little stutterer didn¡¯t quite understand but felt that Yu Hong¡¯s expression was confident and calm, so he must be quite capable. ¡°I¡¯ll help!¡± she said, patting her chest. ¡°I know¡­ a hunting cave!¡± ¡°A cave?¡± Yu Hong¡¯s eyes brightened. He had long since wanted to leave the little stutterer¡¯s place. Not only was safety not guaranteed, but more importantly, he couldn¡¯t experiment freely with his black seal to determine its effects. He touched the third piece of reinforced white stone in his pocket, which was actually enhanced glowstone, and quickly made a decision. ¡°Can you take me there?¡± He was in urgent need of a secluded place to test the specific effects of the black seal. He was wondering, if he reinforced the door and walls, what would happen? The glowstone could be enhanced into a material similar to jade, which seemed to make it stronger¡ªwhat about other things? Little stutterer put down what she was holding and returned it to the house. Then she led Yu Hong along a small path, going in the opposite direction of the old road, winding through the forest. After several days of rest, Yu Hong¡¯s physical strength had recovered significantly. Because of this recovery, he hadn¡¯t encountered the strange shadows during the day, which made him believe somewhat in what the little stutterer and Dr. Xu had said. In the eerie and quiet forest, they walked one behind the other, stepping carefully across slopes until they reached the bottom of the hill. The little stutterer looked around and seemed to find something near a tree hollow. She approached, reaching out to touch some carvings on the edge of the tree hollow. ¡°It¡¯s here,¡± she said seriously. Just as Yu Hong was about to ask, she raised her hand and pointed towards the distant right. Yu Hong was taken aback and looked in the direction of her finger. In the distance, he could vaguely see a gray rock wall emerging from the forest. In the middle of the rock wall, a dark cave was suspended in mid-air. The entrance of the cave was at least two to three meters above the ground, but there were some excavated recesses forming steps. Yu Hong glanced at the little stutterer, who had already started foraging for vegetables, and then held the reinforced glowstone as he walked towards the cave. ????B¦¥? Soon, he reached the bottom of the rock wall. He carefully examined the cave entrance. The entrance was about two people tall and more than one person wide. It wasn¡¯t very deep, and the sunlight from outside allowed him to see the cave floor. The bottom was cluttered with some cloth bags and animal skins. ¡°Are there animals here?¡± Yu Hong couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°Yes, but not many,¡± the little stutterer replied as she followed him. ¡°Before, there were many¡­ black disasters. Afterward, there were fewer.¡± Yu Hong nodded and climbed up the recesses, entering the cave. The entire cave was just over five meters deep, and the interior was a little larger, about three meters wide, enough for one person to rest. The ground was dry, with no musty smell, which was clearly due to the rock material. The cave was oval-shaped, with some irregularities in the oval cavity. Yu Hong thought to himself that compared to the little stutterer¡¯s house, this place was clearly much more comfortable. At least it lacked the mold that could damage the lungs, which would help him live much longer. More importantly, the Baiqiu village itself had a strange atmosphere. He always felt that the many strange shadows he encountered during the day were likely related to the environment of the village. Otherwise, why wouldn¡¯t so many villagers want to continue living there, even though there were plenty of empty houses? ¡°By the way, Yi Yi, do you know how many villagers are still in contact with you?¡± Yu Hong had become somewhat familiar with the situation over the past few days. From the booklet and the little stutterer¡¯s words, he learned that many villagers from Baiqiu Village lived in the nearby forest, either building their own houses or digging underground shelters. A few had left for the nearest town. Among them were several people whom the little stutterer had saved. Little stutterer, now also in the cave, looked around, ¡°There are four others,¡± she counted on her fingers. ¡°Apart from us.¡± ¡°Okay, got it,¡± Yu Hong nodded. He took out the measuring tape he had gotten from the little stutterer¡¯s house and measured the dimensions of the cave entrance. Then he climbed down and observed the surroundings. ¡°Can I live here?¡± he asked the little stutterer. ¡°Yes, no one¡¯s here anymore,¡± she nodded eagerly. Yu Hong was satisfied. This place was too dangerous. In truth, he had considered living with the little stutterer, but the risk posed by the strange shadows was too high, and they were too well disguised to defend against. Also, the little stutterer¡¯s environment was poor and dirty, making her prone to chronic diseases. Moreover, the reinforcement of the black seal had to be kept secret. These three factors made him eager to find a suitable place to live alone. And this cave was the best option. However, the living materials and the modification plan would likely take a lot of time. After all, living alone meant relying on stored food at the start. The cave also lacked a proper door, and things like chimneys and fire pits needed to be set up. Once his future residence was confirmed, Yu Hong began to wander around the forest with the little stutterer¡¯s tools, collecting materials. He wasn¡¯t sure what kind of wood would work for the door, but he knew it had to be hard and sturdy. Over the next few days, Yu Hong continuously designed the structure of his cave, the door, and various pieces of furniture, and started choosing materials. Soon, he selected a dry tree, which was sufficiently dry to prevent moisture. Then he started chopping the tree. His weak body and tired arms made it so that after chopping for a day, his arms were sore, and the next day, he could barely move. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Crack. The little stutterer, holding an axe, watched as the thick, tree-trunk-sized dead tree slowly bent and fell. ¡°Do you need more?¡± she asked, turning to look at Yu Hong, whose expression was complicated. ¡°No, that¡¯s enough,¡± Yu Hong shook his head. Stepping forward, he began to use a knife to remove the branches, selecting the straight parts of the trunk and cutting them to the approximate length for the cave¡¯s door. Although he was just an ordinary office worker before coming here, he had worked as a carpenter in the countryside for a while. Though not very skilled, he understood the basic steps. Little stutterer watched curiously and occasionally helped. Before long, it was dark. The two put down their tools and returned to the house to rest for the night. After a quiet night, they had breakfast and returned to the cave to continue their work from the previous day. Little stutterer, having eaten too quickly, realized the food was almost gone, so she planned to visit Dr. Xu and buy more food from Old Yu. She helped with the treework, and soon saw Dr. Xu approaching from the distant forest. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Excited, she waved to him. ¡°Xu! Over here!¡± Dr. Xu slowly walked closer and, seeing Yu Hong still there, frowned immediately. ¡°Didn¡¯t we just get food? I wondered why it was gone again¡ªturns out there¡¯s an extra person,¡± she said, not sounding pleased. ¡°Yu Hong is really capable!¡± little stutterer hurriedly waved her hands. ¡°He¡¯s making a much better house. It¡¯s safer than my house!¡± Her admiration for Yu Hong was clear, as she defended him at this moment. ¡°Fine, whatever. Let¡¯s just go, the sooner the better,¡± Dr. Xu glanced at Yu Hong, seeing him about to greet her, and walked a few steps closer to him. ¡°What are your plans?¡± She had occasionally chatted with the little stutterer and knew that Yu Hong was always busy with his own work. He relied entirely on the little stutterer for food, which made her burden much heavier. Originally, their food was only enough for half-full meals, and now there was an extra young man to feed. ¡°I plan to build a safe house. Right now, I¡¯m temporarily relying on Yi Yi, but trust me, I¡¯ll be able to move out soon. She¡¯s helping me now, and I¡¯ll remember it. Once I¡¯m settled, I¡¯ll repay her!¡± Yu Hong understood her intention. After saying this, he saw Dr. Xu¡¯s expression soften a little and continued. ¡°When I finish building a safer house, I can help Yi Yi build a better one too! Her house is really unsafe, and if there¡¯s a bigger problem, it won¡¯t hold up. That¡¯s when she¡¯ll see how good a safe house can be.¡± ¡°Do as you like, but just moving to a new place won¡¯t make it safer!¡± Dr. Xu clearly didn¡¯t believe him. ¡°Don¡¯t drag Yi Yi down.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t!¡± Yu Hong replied seriously. Dr. Xu stared at him for a moment, said nothing more, and left with Yi Yi. Yu Hong stood in the forest, watching them leave until they disappeared from view, then turned his gaze upwards to the sky. The bright sunlight gave him a sense of security. In this weather, even strange shadows wouldn¡¯t dare to appear recklessly. After a short break, he resumed cutting the wood with a saw. The segments of tree trunks, quickly scorched by fire, were turned into thick long planks. The surface burning was to prevent decay, kill off insects and their eggs, and remove excess moisture. Once cut into planks, they could be assembled together, using the mortise and tenon joint structure, to create a sturdy wooden door. Yu Hong used the simplest form of the mortise and tenon structure, which involved making a hole in one plank and carving a matching protrusion on another plank. By inserting the protrusion into the hole, the joint was complete. The greatest benefit of this structure was that it didn¡¯t require nails. With this method, Yu Hong slowly and painstakingly made thick, sturdy planks. Instead of finishing the door and bringing it all at once, he worked piece by piece, carrying the planks over and assembling them at the cave entrance. During this time, he also continued testing the effects of the black seal. He reinforced one piece of glowstone after another. Time passed, and just as Yu Hong was getting used to the strange dried meat flavor, the wooden door for the cave was finally completed. Early one morning, Yu Hong arrived at the cave entrance alone and attached the final thick plank to the door. The door was completely finished, with a movable central panel, giving it a rough appearance. It was made from parts taken from other houses in the village, combined with wood. Additionally, the large nails used to attach the wood to the stone were also from the houses in the village. The entire entrance was now completely blocked by the thick gray-black wooden door. Yu Hong entered, placing a piece of reinforced white stone into a groove behind the door. This was his idea for blocking the strange shadows from entering. Since the glowstone could disperse the shadows, he wondered if placing it strategically along their path could prevent them from entering the cave. (End of chapter) Chapter 10: Operation (2) After placing the enhanced glowstones, Yu Hong walked into the cave again. At the top and on both sides of the ground, he found corresponding indentations.These were spots he had prepared for placing the enhanced glowstones later, with the goal of ensuring the absolute safety of the entire safe house. Over the past few days, he had relied on Little Stutterer¡¯s help for food, and now he had collected seven enhanced glowstones. His stockpile was quite plentiful. The black insect blood tides, which had once been a major concern, no longer worried him. The eerie shadows that occasionally appeared also stopped showing up. According to Little Stutterer, they were in a safe period, which generally lasted about a month, before suddenly erupting into a high-intensity period. At that time, both the blood tides and the eerie shadows would become significantly stronger. ¡®No wonder Dr. Xu is so upset with me. I¡¯ve become a burden, delaying the progress of Little Stutterer, who should be gathering supplies now. This will cause her to run low on resources and get into danger.¡¯ Yu Hong thought to himself. But he didn¡¯t mind it. Because Dr. Xu didn¡¯t know what he was truly capable of. Not to mention, the effect of the enhanced glowstones was enough to ensure Little Stutterer¡¯s safety when facing the eerie shadows. At least, they worked much better than the regular glowstones. Regular glowstones could only be used once, but enhanced glowstones could be used multiple times. However, it was unclear how many times they could be used. He would have to find a chance to test it later. Thinking about this, Yu Hong snapped back to reality, closing the wooden door and standing alone in the cave. Once the door was shut, the cave grew dim, with only the striped ventilation hole letting in bright golden rays. Yu Hong stood with his back against the door, extending his hand. His arm, darker than before, still couldn¡¯t hide the clear black mark on the back of his hand. Soon, a large black number appeared on the door: 12 days. ¡°Do you want to reinforce the wooden door?¡± A faint sound reached his ears. Yu Hong¡¯s expression became serious, and he took a deep breath. ¡®Yes!¡¯ He responded strongly in his mind. Immediately, a black line flowed from the black mark on his hand, entering the wooden door, disappearing without a trace. Then, the number on the door changed, from 12 to 11 days and 23 hours, 59 minutes. The numbers flickered, faintly glowing, extremely mysterious. ¡°Countdown!?¡± Yu Hong was surprised to notice this for the first time. When he had used the enhanced glowstones before, he had always tried to avoid Little Stutterer and hadn¡¯t paid attention to the process. Now, it seemed that this black mark even had a countdown function, which was very convenient. ¡®Alright, now we just need to wait.¡¯ S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yu Hong sighed in relief. So far, the strengthening of the black mark hadn¡¯t caused him any negative side effects. The worst he had felt was a bit of mental fatigue after use, but a short rest was enough to recover. ?¨¤??B¦¥s? Twelve days. By then, he would be able to assess the effect of the reinforced wooden door. He was quite eager. After watching the wooden door for a while, Yu Hong picked up a piece of rubble from the cave, trying to activate the black mark again. But nothing happened. He wasn¡¯t surprised. He had tried before to see if he could strengthen two objects at once. But now it seemed that either it never worked, or perhaps he hadn¡¯t yet met some special condition. Yu Hong wasn¡¯t in a hurry. His main priority was to finish the safe house. After that, he would have plenty of time to study the black mark. Little Stutterer had gone out and wouldn¡¯t be back tonight. So, Yu Hong rested for a while in the cave, then stored the enhanced glowstones in various corners and headed back to Baqiu Village. Soon, he returned to the house, familiar with the path. After closing the door and placing the enhanced glowstones in their designated spots, he drank some filtered water to soothe his throat. The filthy, foul-smelling filtered water hadn¡¯t upset his stomach. That was truly a miracle. Yu Hong finished his preparations, took a piece of dried meat, and sat by the bed, slowly nibbling on it. The dried meat was very tough, unlike any meat he had eaten before. It was thin and black in color. According to Little Stutterer, it was lizard meat. Yu Hong didn¡¯t mind; at least he could tolerate it more than the other two types of dried meat: rat and cockroach. As nightfall approached, Yu Hong lit a candle and placed it beside him on the nightstand, ensuring the candlelight illuminated the ventilation holes in the door and windows. Then he closed his eyes and rested quietly. A peaceful night. The next morning, Yu Hong went to the village road to wait. His phone had long since run out of power, so he had to use the shadow of the sun on the ground to estimate the time with a simple sundial. After waiting for about an hour or so, two figures appeared at the end of the road, carrying large bags. As they got closer, Yu Hong recognized them as Little Stutterer and Dr. Xu. He hurried over to help Little Stutterer with the heavy bag on her back. ¡°Thank you for your hard work,¡± he said quietly. ¡°Safe house, how¡­ is it?¡± Little Stutterer asked with an expectant look on her face. Before they left yesterday, she had checked the progress and thought it was almost done. ¡°It¡¯s done. The door is completely finished!¡± Yu Hong said seriously, nodding and smiling. He was in a good mood. ¡°I bought waterproof paint!¡± Little Stutterer signed clumsily. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ paint it for you.¡± Waterproof paint? Yu Hong froze. Right, he had forgotten to apply the waterproofing. Otherwise, the wooden door he had worked so hard to build would soon rot from the moisture. After all, he wasn¡¯t a professional carpenter¡ªhe knew some basic skills but had overlooked key steps. Luckily, Little Stutterer had remembered to take care of it. ¡°That¡¯s right! I didn¡¯t even think about the waterproofing!¡± Yu Hong slapped his hand to his forehead in realization. ¡°Good thing you remembered, or all that effort on the door would have been wasted!¡± ¡°The paint¡¯s half used up. I traded it for three-quarters of the dried meat,¡± Dr. Xu said with a cold look in her eyes. ¡°Since the door¡¯s done, when will you move out?¡± she asked next. ¡°Soon, very soon!¡± Yu Hong nodded. ¡°Dr. Xu seems to misunderstand me. Just wait, soon I¡¯ll be able to help Little Stutterer live a better life.¡± Little Stutterer had helped him a lot, and he kept that in mind. As for the secret of the black mark, he was now sure it was something only he possessed. At least, neither Little Stutterer nor Dr. Xu had it. He had asked Little Stutterer, and no one she had met had ever heard of such a special ability. So, he felt much more confident now. ¡®Here we go again, another guy who just talks big.¡¯ Dr. Xu shot him a disgusted look, turned, and walked away. She had seen people saved by Little Stutterer before. They would wake up, learn something briefly, and leave. None of them stayed longer than five days. But Yu Hong¡­ he had been there for almost a month, twenty days, and still hadn¡¯t left! Not only was he not leaving, but he wasn¡¯t helping with the work either! This had caused Little Stutterer to spend even more time digging wild vegetables and painting glowstones, while they were eating less food. Food had been scarce, and now with two people eating, they had to ration it more. ¡°I trust you!¡± Little Stutterer said earnestly, getting closer to Yu Hong. ¡°Mm! Thank you!¡± Yu Hong nodded, watching Dr. Xu leave. The two returned to the house, where they sorted through the items they had brought back. A large bag of glowstones, minus the paint, had been exchanged for only half a pound of dried meat and one pound of dried mushrooms. Mixed with the wild vegetables, they would need to eat this for at least three to five days. In the house, the two of them sorted the dried meat into bags, adding charcoal to absorb moisture and tying them up to avoid opening them frequently. ¡°By the way, what¡¯s the strength of the eerie shadows and blood tides during the high period? Can you explain in more detail?¡± Yu Hong asked while sorting the meat. ¡°They¡¯re strong,¡± Little Stutterer nodded. ¡°The eerie shadows can appear at any time. The blood tides will come every day, along with the eerie shadows.¡± ¡°Ten glowstones are needed to deal with one eerie shadow.¡± Little Stutterer began to explain the dangers of the high period in detail. As she explained in her broken sentences, Yu Hong gradually understood more about the high period¡¯s dangers. Especially the eerie shadows. For them, even after drawing the symbols, the regular glowstones were only effective if ten were used to drive one away. Little Stutterer¡¯s glowstones were naturally better than others, which was why they always sold for a good price. But in the high period, even her glowstones needed ten to deal with one eerie shadow. Other people¡¯s glowstones would be much less effective. Yu Hong also asked about the candle usage. The answer made his heart sink. During the high period, one large candle was used up every night. The consumption was huge. Of course, they could burn firewood, but they always needed a light source to block the blood tides. After learning the specific details, Yu Hong calculated the remaining time for the high period, looking at the old calendar on the table. Only fifteen days left. The wooden door would be reinforced in twelve days. If the reinforcement didn¡¯t work well, things might get complicated. His heart sank slightly. ¡°Where do you buy the candles?¡± he asked. ¡°Uncle Wang,¡± Little Stutterer pointed to a distant spot on the simple map she had drawn. ¡°He¡¯s from the old village,¡± she added. ¡°How long does the high period usually last?¡± ¡°It used to be one day. Later, it became five days,¡± Little Stutterer replied. ¡°Will it last longer?¡± Yu Hong frowned. ¡°Yes!¡± Little Stutterer nodded vigorously. ¡°I understand,¡± Yu Hong knew he needed to hurry. In the coming days, he began to speed up the construction of his safe house. Although the door was done, the internal structures were not fully set up. The chimney, for example, had to be prepared in advance if he wanted to use fire inside. This wasn¡¯t too difficult, as he had seen houses with chimneys before. He just needed to take the chimney pipes from those houses. However, as Little Stutterer had warned, he should avoid going inside those buildings. While he could take the doorboards from outside, entering the dark areas could mean encountering eerie shadows. But with the enhanced glowstones, he didn¡¯t worry too much. One enhanced glowstone could handle several eerie shadows, which was much better than regular glowstones. Even so, the thought of the eerie shadow¡¯s terrifying presence made Yu Hong uneasy. He really didn¡¯t want to get too close to it. (End of Chapter) Chapter 11: Accumulation (1) This world is very dangerous. Extremely dangerous.In the more than half a month since Yu Hong arrived here, he has fully realized this. As an ordinary person, his survival knowledge is far inferior to that of Little stutterer and the others, and his physical abilities are also significantly weaker. Even Little stutterer and Dr. Xu are struggling so much; if he were to rely solely on himself, it would definitely not be enough. Therefore, he must utilize his unique advantage¡ªthe black mark. On a bright, sunny morning, outside a strange tiled house in Baiqiu Village. Yu Hong and Little stutterer, both dressed in filthy clothes, their hair greasy and matted into strands resembling dreadlocks, stood in front of the house, gazing inside. The interior of the house was dark, constantly emitting a cold and eerie aura. Occasionally, a slight cold breeze would surge out, accompanied by a musty and unknown stench. The sunlight stopped at the door, dividing the outside from the inside into two separate worlds. ¡°There¡¯s the smoking pipe I need inside,¡± Yu Hong said in a deep voice. ¡°How do we get it?¡± Little stutterer asked seriously from the side, as though mimicking Yu Hong. ¡°The phantom shadows could appear at any moment, so I must act quickly,¡± Yu Hong replied. The cave¡¯s safe house must have a warm stove, but lighting a fire in a sealed cave is extremely dangerous, so the smoking pipe is essential! At that moment, as he looked into the dimly lit house, determination rose in his eyes for the first time. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m just too scared.¡± To find safety, one must first face danger. He had no other choice. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± With his reinforced white stones in his pocket, Yu Hong strode into the house. Little stutterer, behind him, also held a bag of white stones, nervously scanning the area. Clap. As soon as their feet entered the darkened space, a chilling sensation started creeping up from their ankles. At that moment, both the reinforced white stones and the regular white stones activated, releasing cold air that countered the chill. ¡°There¡¯s something wrong, quickly!¡± Yu Hong instantly realized there was a phantom shadow and sped up, rushing deeper into the house. He had examined many houses, and this one¡¯s chimney was the most suitable, the longest. This time, he was determined to get it! The two quickly crossed an open space and reached the innermost corner of the room. There, a square metal stove was placed, with a vertical iron chimney pipe protruding from one corner. The chimney pipe extended two meters upward, then curved to the side for over three meters, reaching an opening in the wall. ¡°That¡¯s it! Grab it!¡± Yu Hong¡¯s eyes lit up as he rushed forward and grabbed the chimney pipe. Thud. He yanked it hard. It didn¡¯t move. He looked down. The chimney pipe was welded to the corner of the stove, immovable. Just as he was about to pull harder, Yu Hong suddenly caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye. A small door to the bedroom in the corner of the room slowly opened. §²¨¤?????????§§? In the darkness beyond the door, a figure in gray stood, its face obscured. The figure stood motionless in the shadows, staring toward them. At the same time, a more intense chill surged out from the small bedroom door. ¡°Yi Yi!!¡± In a panic, Yu Hong shouted, gripping the reinforced white stone tightly, his muscles tensing as he began to aim. His eyes darted toward the back, looking at Little stutterer (Yi Yi). But¡­ ¡°!!!?¡± There was no one there. Not only was Yi Yi missing, but the stove and chimney had also disappeared. Yu Hong quickly shifted his gaze again and saw Little stutterer, carrying the stove and dragging the chimney pipe, running toward the door to leave. The heavy stove in her hands seemed as light as a cardboard box, having no impact on her. ¡°Run! Yu!¡± Little stutterer charged out into the sunlight, only to realize Yu Hong hadn¡¯t followed. She quickly looked back, confused, and saw Yu Hong still standing where he had been, frozen in place. She immediately shouted. ¡°¡­¡± Yu Hong had no words to respond. But at that moment, the phantom shadow had locked its sights on him. A chilling, rigid sensation surged through him again, attempting to freeze him in place. The power of the reinforced white stone surged continuously to resist the stiffness. ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°I!!¡± Yu Hong trembled, unable to move from his position, clutching the reinforced white stone in his hand as though he were a machine on the verge of falling apart. Sweat poured down from his forehead and temples, his pupils dilated as intense fear threatened to engulf him. ¡®I¡¯m so scared.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s terrifying.¡± ¡°Why, why is there something so terrifying here?!¡± ¡®Why.¡¯ ¡®Why.¡¯ ¡®Why.¡¯ ¡®Why.¡¯ In an instant, countless ¡°whys¡± crawled up his mind, like insects, filling every inch of his being. They overwhelmed his thoughts, his consciousness, consuming everything. But at that moment, he was caught in an eerie struggle, the power of the phantom shadow and the strength of the reinforced white stone cancelling each other out. This battle played out through his body. Amidst this paralysis¡­ Yu Hong suddenly felt movement behind him. Crack. He heard a faint sound. It was as though a shoe had stepped on the muddy floor of the room. The soft, rhythmic sound of footsteps came, one after the other, seemingly getting closer from behind. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Step. Step. The footsteps were steady, neither fast nor slow, moving directly toward him. Then, the wooden door of the house silently began to close, slowly shutting off the bright sunlight and Little stutterer from the outside world. Yu Hong was terrified. His whole body shook as tears and sweat streamed down his face. At this moment, he could do nothing but watch the door slowly close. Helpless. A deep sense of helplessness surged from the bottom of his heart. ¡°I¡­¡± He opened his mouth, trying to speak. Smack. Suddenly, a hand tightly gripped his from behind! Ah!!!! In an instant, Yu Hong felt like he had been struck by lightning. He let out a piercing scream. He violently jumped up, and with a swift motion, he pulled a large wooden club from his pants leg and swung it backward with all his might. The wooden club was studded with steel nails, embedded with three pieces of reinforced white stone. Fear had completely consumed Yu Hong. As he swung the club, it let out a deep, whistling sound in the air. Amid the noisy sound of the club slicing through the air, there was a loud crash. Boom!!! The wooden club slammed into a white figure behind Yu Hong, splitting it in two. The figure deflated, scattering into pieces, vanishing into thin air. ¡°Ahhhhhh!!!¡± Yu Hong raised the steel-nail-studded club and immediately turned, rushing toward another gray figure by the small bedroom door. Boom!!! Another loud crash. The wooden club slammed into the doorframe, creating a deep dent. The gray figure shattered with the impact, turning into a pile of gray cloth that scattered to the ground and evaporated. Boom! Boom! Boom!! By this time, Yu Hong¡¯s eyes were bloodshot. Holding the steel-nail club, he continued wildly swinging at where the gray figure had been. Until the doorframe began to shake and splinter, he finally came to his senses. Seeing that the phantom shadow had disappeared, Yu Hong quickly rushed out of the house and into the sunlight. Huff! Huff! Huff! Amidst his heavy breathing, he slowly bent down, crouching on the ground. Little stutterer stood nearby, staring blankly at him, unsure how to comfort him. She had initially planned to rush in to save him, but seeing Yu Hong¡¯s sudden outburst, she was scared and could only stand in place, helplessly waiting for the outcome. The result was that Yu Hong emerged himself, violently smashing the two phantom shadows into pieces, his expression reflecting extreme fear as he crouched down outside, panting. ¡°Yu¡­¡± After a while, Xiaojieba hesitated and softly called out. ¡°Sorry¡­¡± Yu Hong¡¯s voice trembled, his body drenched in sweat, as though he had just been pulled out of water. ¡°I was just¡­ so scared.¡± He paused for a moment, slowly calming down as his emotions settled. He stood up, turned, and looked at Little stutterer. His face was filled with pain, helplessness, and a sense of vulnerability. ¡°They¡­ they scared me.¡± He waved the steel-nail club in his hand repeatedly, as though trying to express his intense emotions through body language. ¡°I was so scared.¡± Yu Hong¡¯s skin trembled. ¡°So, I had to smash them to death¡­ I¡­ I know what I¡¯m doing, but if I didn¡¯t smash them, I was afraid¡­ afraid they would come after me!¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Little stutterer blinked, taking a step back as the steel-nail club swung dangerously close, making her feel uneasy. ¡°It¡¯s fine now, just let it go. Let it go!!¡± Little stutterer raised both hands, trying to soothe him. Yu Hong, realizing that he was not in his right state, also started to take deep breaths. Inhale. Exhale. After thirty breaths, he finally felt his body stabilize. ¡°Good, good. I¡¯m glad I prepared in advance,¡± he said, lowering the heavy wooden club. He felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him. He was someone who always prepared thoroughly for anything he did. Just like when he went into the house to grab the chimney pipe. He had already planned out how to use his few remaining reinforced white stones. The three pieces of reinforced white stone embedded in the wooden club weren¡¯t actually ¡°embedded¡± in the traditional sense. Instead, Yu Hong had carved small recesses in the wood and tightly bound the stones with ropes. Looking back, this method had proven to be quite effective. ¡°Are you okay now?¡± Little stutterer asked carefully, her gaze focused on him. ¡°Sorry,¡± Yu Hong said, shaking his body in helplessness. ¡°I got too worked up.¡± Little stutterer shook her head, signaling that she wasn¡¯t scared. ¡°Actually¡­ I¡¯ve seen something like this before.¡± She lifted the stove and chimney pipe, and with Yu Hong, they began walking back. As they walked, she told him about the people she had encountered before. From her words, Yu Hong learned that there had been others in similar situations¡ªpeople who had fallen into extreme fear, just like him. Some of them, like him, had exploded in a frenzy, fighting back. But Yu Hong was different from them. After those people fought back, they would exhaust themselves, weakening further and falling into even greater danger. But Yu Hong wasn¡¯t like them. After smashing the phantom shadows, he didn¡¯t stop. He immediately turned and ran, heading for the safety zone, before finally letting himself relax. In extreme emotional states, it¡¯s rare for people to hold back any strength. Yet Yu Hong had managed to do so. Not only had he destroyed the phantom shadows, but he also conserved his energy to turn around and flee. This made him stand out in a very unique way. (End of this chapter) Chapter 12: Accumulation (2) Bang, bang, bang.Inside the safe house cave, Yu Hong let out a long sigh, took two steps back, and looked at the super-simple fixed setup he had created. He had secured the stolen stove along with the chimney to the middle section of the cave wall. ¡°Let¡¯s leave it like this for now.¡± He put down the hammer and turned to glance at the door, which was still undergoing reinforcement. The remaining time on the door read: 9 days, 5 hours, and 42 minutes. After finishing this, he exited the cave and looked at the little stutterer who was tying up a large bundle of wild vegetables. The incident with the chimney was over, but the emotions from it still left a deep impression on him. Even now, when he thought back to what had happened, he felt an intense sense of fear. This emotional state made him yearn desperately for a completely safe solitary cabin. A place where he could rest in peace. With such a place, he would be able to safely explore this incredibly dangerous world. Shaking off his thoughts, Yu Hong picked up the steel spike stick he had just used, noticing that some of the nails were bent. But that wasn¡¯t the key issue; the key issue was the three pieces of reinforced white stones. The first piece had completely turned black and lost its jade-like texture. ¡®Looks like it¡¯s used up.¡¯ Yu Hong reached out to remove this stone and replaced it with a new one. He still had a piece of reinforced glowstone left, which should be enough for now. But since the reinforcement could only be done one item at a time, he couldn¡¯t reinforce anything else until the wooden door was finished. Therefore, he needed to conserve the glowstones as much as possible. ¡®Based on previous usage, one piece of reinforced glowstone can shatter three ghost images. This means that one piece of reinforced glowstone is equivalent to thirty pieces of ordinary glowstones!¡¯ With this in mind, if he could advertise this comparison and trade the reinforced glowstone for supplies, the difference in value might allow him to stop worrying about supply shortages. While thinking about this, Yu Hong started to consider his future plans. Time passed quickly, and soon the sky began to darken. Little stutterer also finished packing the cloth bag and refilled the water jar. The two of them returned to the house in Baiqiu Village. It was only after they had returned from the cave that the place was finally tidied up, clean and fresh, with better air. Compared to the old house, which was dirty and filled with a musty smell of mildew, Yu Hong couldn¡¯t bear to stay there even for a moment. The night passed without incident. In the following days, unable to reinforce anything, Yu Hong and the little stutterer began collecting dry wood to store in the cave. Now that there was a door, it could block the wind and rain, and it was possible to store some firewood. Next, they prepared to filter water. According to the little stutterer, the water outside was very unclean, and drinking it directly would cause a strange illness, so it had to be filtered. ????????¦­?£Â¨§? Extra filters could only be bought in the town. So, they would have to make a trip to the town. ¡°It¡¯s over thirty miles to the town. I don¡¯t think I can make it,¡± Yu Hong said, fully aware of his physical limits. He might be able to push through the journey by sheer willpower, but after that, his knees could be injured, he could suffer from exhaustion, or other new illnesses could strike, all of which would greatly slow his response to potential dangers. At the slope by the cave entrance, the little stutterer dug while nodding. ¡°There¡¯s¡­ a way.¡± ¡°A way?¡± Yu Hong sat down and rested on the stone surface at the cave entrance, wiping the sweat from his forehead. ¡°Post¡­ office,¡± the little stutterer replied, then began explaining in short, interrupted sentences. Since speaking was difficult for her, she simply used charcoal to write on the stone. But she didn¡¯t know many characters, so she wrote while gesturing. ¡°Why can¡¯t I ask you to buy it for me at the post office?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°Filter¡­ can¡¯t buy¡­ must¡­ have qualifications,¡± the little stutterer replied. Qualifications? What qualifications? Yu Hong was about to ask again when he saw, from a distance, Dr. Xu carrying a cloth bag and walking towards them. ¡°Yi Yi, the peak period is coming soon, we need to go to the town!¡± Dr. Xu looked a little pale, and her right arm was wrapped in a white bandage, probably from an injury she had sustained in recent days. ¡°Okay!¡± the little stutterer responded loudly. Dr. Xu glanced at Yu Hong, didn¡¯t acknowledge him, and walked with the little stutterer to Baixiu Village to pick up items they were going to exchange. Soon, the two of them checked all the glowstones. ¡°Why is there less than half?!¡± Dr. Xu was shocked. Normally, every time they went to exchange goods, the little stutterer could provide twice as much as this, but now¡­ ¡°This amount won¡¯t get us much food! And Yi Yi, you¡¯re feeding two people!¡± she couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°Too¡­ busy,¡± Yi Yi replied sheepishly, rubbing her hands together. ¡°What were you busy with? Building some useless ¡®safe house¡¯ for that Yu Hong?¡± Dr. Xu exploded. ¡°I told you, no matter how thick the boards, they can¡¯t stop the ghost images and insects! The ¡®safe house¡¯ you¡¯re building is a waste of effort!¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I believe in him!¡± little stutterer patted her chest. ¡°You¡¯ll be killed by him!¡± Dr. Xu shouted angrily. ¡°If you don¡¯t eat enough, you¡¯ll lack energy and get sick. I went to the post office yesterday, but the mailman had disappeared, and there was no way to buy medicine. Many important supplies can only be obtained through him. We need to conserve food and seasonings, or we¡¯ll run out of supplies later!¡± ¡°No, it will be fine!¡± The little stutterer shook her head. She had received a piece of reinforced glowstone from Yu Hong. Though she had promised not to tell anyone, she knew in her heart that Yu Hong was different from the others. ¡°You!!¡± Dr. Xu was so furious that she almost ran to hammer Yu Hong, but seeing the little stutterer¡¯s look, she swallowed her anger. The two of them left the village, slowly making their way down the old road. On the other side, Yu Hong had re-arranged the safe house in the cave, checked all the sealing devices, and ensured everything was secure before starting to paint. Waterproofing was essential, and the cave walls had to be painted as well; otherwise, living there would cause temperature differences, leading to moisture condensation and mold. Once everything was checked, he decided not to return to Baiqiu Village but instead stayed in the cave, using the candles and blankets he brought, preparing to spend the night there. ¡°Whoo¡­¡± Slowly, the sky darkened. The wind outside the cave howled, the temperature dropped rapidly, becoming cool enough to feel. Inside the cave, Yu Hong sat cross-legged on a large wooden board, lit a candle, and quietly began to calculate how many supplies would be needed to safely survive the upcoming peak period. ¡°The last peak period lasted five days, and following the principle of continuous strengthening, it should be six days. One candle per day means at least twelve candles.¡± ¡°Then, food and water for six days need to be prepared. I don¡¯t have time to reinforce the White Stones for now; I¡¯ll have to wait until the wooden door is finished.¡± ¡°Once the wooden door is finished, there are still three more days until the peak period. Rather than gambling on the safety of the reinforced door, it¡¯s better to prepare myself.¡± While calculating, Yu Hong listened quietly to the sound of the wind outside. Soon, a rustling sound echoed again. The black insects brought by the blood tide started to invade once more. However, the large number of black insects could only enter through the designated opening. Their speed was not fast, and as soon as they entered, they were illuminated by the candlelight, quickly dissipating into nothing. Yu Hong observed carefully for a while, confirmed there was no issue, and then relaxed. He checked the candle¡¯s consumption rate, thought everything seemed fine, placed a steel nail and wooden stick beside him, and lay down on the bed, slowly pretending to sleep. Soon, dawn broke. Little stutterer and Doctor Xu returned. This time, they brought back half the supplies they had last time. Little stutterer calculated that it would only be enough for them for five days. After some thought, Yu Hong decided to have little stutterer try drawing more complex patterns on the reinforced radiant stones. After testing the patterns, if they worked, they could be sold. For now, to handle the immediate needs, he also began helping little stutterer gather wild vegetables. Days passed. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The two began to store water, and Yu Hong occasionally checked on the progress of the wooden door. Before long, the time on the wooden door was approaching its end. To observe the changes to the door closely, Yu Hong specifically asked little stutterer to go to Doctor Xu¡¯s place to borrow some food, which was a deliberate way to send her away. He then went to the safe area in the cave and quietly waited for the countdown to finish. In the midst of the rumbling sound, Yu Hong sat on the ground, his eyes fixed on the wooden door, which had not changed at all in the past twelve days. He wanted to carefully observe how the black imprint¡¯s reinforcement would be completed. The key was that he planned to seamlessly continue reinforcing other things to avoid wasting the reinforcement time of the black imprint. The door, now painted in yellow-black, showed black numbers that only Yu Hong could see. 0 days, 0 hours, 1 minute. In the final minute, just a little more, and the reinforcement of the wooden door would be completely finished. During this last minute, Yu Hong didn¡¯t dare to blink, keeping his gaze fixed on the final change. One second. Ten seconds. Twenty seconds. Thirty seconds. Snap. Suddenly, Yu Hong¡¯s vision blurred for a moment. When his vision cleared again, the wooden door had transformed into a much thicker, more tightly sealed giant door. The surface of the new door had delicate, wave-like patterns, and the air vents were covered with thick metal mesh, dense and breathable. In the middle, there was also a special observation window, allowing a view of the outside scenery. The originally loose connection between the door and the cave had been completely reinforced, with a dense ring of screws. It looked far sturdier than before. Yu Hong stood up, stepped forward, and touched the door. Thud, thud, thud. He knocked on it with his fingers. It was thick, hard, and flexible. ¡®This isn¡¯t the same material as before.¡¯ He hadn¡¯t expected that the reinforcement would change the material itself. ¡®They¡¯ve also added more materials.¡¯ Yu Hong touched the thick air vent at the bottom and opened the observation window at the top. He ran his hand along the edge, finding no burrs. ¡°Impressive!¡± With that thought, he quickly looked at the surrounding walls. His original plan was to reinforce the wooden door first, then reinforce the surrounding stone walls. But now, due to the food shortage, he decided to try reinforcing other things first. ¡°First, this.¡± Yu Hong pulled his hand back from the door and went to the stove. He picked up a piece of dried lizard meat from the stove. ¡®Can food be reinforced?¡¯ The thought flashed through his mind. Immediately, the dried lizard meat in his hand quickly showed a number: 3 hours. ¡®Three hours?¡¯ Yu Hong thought it over. He then put the meat back and grabbed the entire bag of dried meat. ¡®What about now?¡¯ On the outside of the cloth bag, a new number slowly appeared: 1 day, 8 hours, and 4 minutes. The numbers were precise, with both whole and decimal points. ¡®Let¡¯s see the result.¡¯ Yu Hong decided to wait for the reinforcement effect. A little over a day was something he could endure. (End of Chapter) Chapter 13: Experiment (1) Soon, Little Stutterer returned, carrying a small bag of dried vegetables, seemingly made from sun-dried plants like fiddlehead ferns.Together, they used a wooden bucket to filter some water in the house, preparing reserves for the upcoming surge period. Early the next morning, Little Stutterer went out to gather firewood. The workload was heavy today, with only two days left before the surge period. They needed to ensure everything was ready. After Little Stutterer left, Yu Hong headed alone to the mountain cave¡¯s safe house to check the surroundings. Once he confirmed that everything was in order, he picked up the bag of jerky undergoing enhancement. Yu Hong and Little Stutterer had divided the jerky into many small packets, opening one bag at a time when needed to prevent moisture damage. Each packet contained only ten small pieces. At this moment, the light from outside illuminated the cave, making it bright and visible. The brightness mainly came from a small mirror placed near the cave¡¯s vent, reflecting sunlight inside. The cave, usually dark and gloomy, was now much more livable thanks to this clever setup. Yu Hong took out the moisture-absorbing charcoal from the corner and left it outside to dry in the sun. Only after closing the door did he grab the jerky bag to examine it. The gray cloth bag displayed a timer: 0 days 0 hours 5 minutes. ¡°Almost there,¡± Yu Hong thought with anticipation as he sat down to wait. A minute passed. Two minutes. Three minutes. Suddenly, a faint rustling came from outside, like grass being brushed aside. Yu Hong¡¯s expression shifted slightly. He quickly got up and went to the cave entrance, peering out through the observation slit. The viewing slit was roughly cut and narrow, providing a limited but sufficient view in all directions. The reinforced wooden door, now vastly improved compared to before, had many additional reinforcements at the edges. The material also appeared much sturdier. It was fortunate that Little Stutterer¡¯s cognitive limitations prevented him from noticing these changes, and with no one else around, the transformation of the door remained concealed. The rustling sound came again, softer this time, as though the source was trying to stay unnoticed. Through the slit, Yu Hong saw two men in camouflage uniforms, their clothes tattered and stained with filth. They were walking through the wild grass, occasionally glancing at the narrow path that Yu Hong and Little Stutterer had inadvertently created with their frequent trips. When the men paused, Yu Hong¡¯s heart tightened. It was clear they had noticed the traces. The two men began searching the area, their eyes darting around. Following the trail, they arrived at the open area near the entrance of the cave safe house. About ten meters from the door, they stopped and hesitated, waiting quietly. Yu Hong stayed still and silent, observing their intentions. From his vantage point, he could see the men clearly against the green slopes outside. One man was thin and gaunt, with sallow skin, a weak-looking adult. The other was older, around his late 30s or early 40s, with a sturdier build and a machete hanging from his waist. ?¦ÁN?????¦¥? After waiting outside the door for a while, seeing no movement and possibly realizing they couldn¡¯t break in, the two eventually turned and left. Their figures disappeared into the forest, leaving Yu Hong to finally let out a sigh of relief. In this environment filled with dangers and severe resource shortages, encountering strangers didn¡¯t inspire thoughts of seeking help. Instead, Yu Hong¡¯s first instinct was caution. ¡°The surge period is coming in two days. Those two men must know this. They aren¡¯t like me¡ªsuddenly brought here with no knowledge of the situation. They must understand what¡¯s at stake. ¡°If they¡¯re wandering around with weapons at a time like this, their intentions are clear without needing much guesswork.¡± Returning to the cave, Yu Hong¡¯s gaze fell on the bag of jerky, which had completed its enhancement during the commotion. At this moment, he noticed that the jerky he had been waiting for to finish strengthening was already complete. His eyes lit up as he stepped forward and picked up the bag of jerky from the ground. Surprisingly, the cloth bag now looked quite different from before. The original bag had been grayish-white with a faded cartoon rabbit design on the outside. The rabbit had big buck teeth, long ears standing straight up, and was dressed in a black leather jacket. This was the ¡°Bandit Bunny,¡± the protagonist of Little Stutterer¡¯s favorite cartoon. All their bags were of this Bandit Bunny design, but with prolonged use, the rabbit¡¯s image had become somewhat faded¡ªafter all, it had only been printed on with some kind of cheap ink. Previously, this Bandit Bunny bag had been used to hold the jerky. But now, after strengthening¡ª Yu Hong held the bag and noticed the neatly printed text on the outside: ¡°High-Energy Protein Bar¡± Below the title was a small description: ¡°One bar fulfills your daily energy needs! Rich in essential trace elements required by the human body, featuring a combination of ingredients that rapidly replenish physical energy¡ªcarbohydrates, fats, proteins, dietary fiber.¡± The description was exceptionally comprehensive, including a list of ingredients, manufacturing details, and even a one-year shelf life. Everything was accounted for, except for a manufacturer. Holding the jerky bag, Yu Hong remained silent for a moment. ¡°It seems this strengthening process uses some sort of standard template to enhance the original items.¡± He frowned slightly, recalling the strengthened wooden door and the previous glowing stone. Combined with the jerky bag before him, a faint idea began to form in his mind. Rip. He decisively tore open the bag. The bag was still made of cloth, but the inside was lined with a layer of sealed paper that used a sealing strip to keep the contents dry. Reaching into the bag, he pulled out a piece of jerky. Yu Hong examined it carefully. The jerky had also changed. Previously, it was an uneven, dull grayish-black color, clearly handmade. But now, the jerky was a perfectly shaped rectangular block with smooth edges, and its surface was sprinkled with white sesame seeds. It emitted a rich meat aroma with a faint hint of sweetness. Yu Hong snapped off a small piece and popped it into his mouth. Immediately, his expression changed, his face scrunching up tightly. ¡°Sweet! Too sweet!!¡± No wonder one bar could last an entire day and had a shelf life of up to a year. ¡°I would have found this unbearable in the past, but now, this level of sugar concentration is actually a good thing.¡± Although it tasted awful, Yu Hong¡¯s mood improved considerably. Previously, a small bag of jerky could only feed him and Little Stutter for two meals at most, but now, this single bag could last five days. Food was no longer a problem! The black imprint had brought him an unexpected surprise. Although he still needed to test its effects to see if one bar could truly sustain him for an entire day, judging by the sweetness, Yu Hong felt it was likely. He stuffed the protein bar into his mouth, chewed it a few times, and swallowed it down, then took a big gulp of water. Soon, he felt full. ¡°The jerky¡¯s strengthening result is in. Next is something else.¡± Yu Hong¡¯s gaze quickly landed on his water cup. Drinking water had been his biggest headache since arriving here. The foul smell made every sip feel like torture. ¡°If only I could strengthen the filtration system. But unfortunately, we only have one, and Little Stutterer definitely won¡¯t let me tamper with it.¡± Carrying the high-energy protein bars, he walked to the wooden door. After a moment¡¯s thought, a question suddenly came to mind. ¡°This area is all forest, dense with trees and vegetation. Trees and weeds need water the most. So, where does their water come from?¡± The idea, once formed, stuck in his mind and kept rolling around. Coming back to his senses, he glanced at the items scattered in the cave. His gaze fell on the water cup. The outside of the wooden cup instantly displayed a number: ¡°3 days.¡± ¡°Not enough time. Let¡¯s try something else.¡± Yu Hong¡¯s gaze swept around and soon landed on a candle. The impending peak disaster period was a test for all survivors, and candles were a critical resource. They were essential for resisting the tide of blood insects during the black calamity. The candle, as thick as his arm, was something Little Stutterer had given him. Made of yellowish-brown wax, it was about as long as a pencil and had only been used a quarter of the way. Now, as Yu Hong focused on it, a new strengthening time appeared: ¡°1 hour and 12 minutes.¡± ¡°The time is short? Worth a try.¡± A thought stirred in Yu Hong¡¯s heart. He walked over, picked up the candle, and held it in his hand. ¡°Strengthen the tree oil candle?¡± A prompt appeared again. ¡°Yes.¡± Yu Hong confirmed in his mind. With just over an hour needed, he didn¡¯t have to wait long. Sitting in the cave, he held the candle tightly, staring at it without blinking. As the remaining time ticked down to the final minute, he carefully observed, curious about how the strengthening process would unfold. Pop. Suddenly, the candle blurred for a moment, then quickly cleared up. The previously yellowish candle transformed into a brand-new pure white one with a brass casing. ¡°It even comes with a lamp fixture?¡± Yu Hong was surprised. The black imprint¡¯s strengthening process gave him a strong impression: The enhancement wasn¡¯t bound by the principle of conservation of mass. The contents of an item before and after strengthening could be vastly different. For example, the candle had initially consisted only of wax and a wick. But now, the strengthened candle¡ª He picked it up. It was still as thick as his arm, but its exterior was wrapped in a brass windproof casing. The top had a small oil-catch bowl connected to a brass base. Unfortunately, the size hadn¡¯t changed. ¡°Interesting. Can strengthened items be strengthened again?¡± With this thought, Yu Hong focused on the brass lamp-candle, attempting to strengthen it again. But, to his disappointment, nothing happened. Looking down at the black imprint on his hand, he found it remained completely inactive. ¡°Is it limited to one enhancement, or is there some other condition?¡± Leaving the question in his mind, he glanced outside. It was already noon, and the light was at its strongest. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. His gaze shifted again, landing on a filthy blanket. As soon as the thought of strengthening arose, a large black number appeared on the blanket: ¡°1 day 0 hours 56 minutes.¡± He then looked at a nearby axe, used previously for chopping wood. A black number appeared: ¡°3 hours 12 minutes.¡± ¡°It seems everything can be strengthened. Then¡­¡± Yu Hong lowered his head and looked at his own body. ¡°What about me? Can I be strengthened?¡± A storm of thoughts churned in his mind as he stared intently at himself. Ten seconds. Twenty seconds. Thirty seconds. (End of Chapter) Chapter 14: Experiment (2) No response, no digits appearing.¡°It doesn¡¯t seem to work,¡± he thought, disappointedly lifting his head. After resting for a moment, he recalled the two people he had seen earlier. ¡°Threats don¡¯t just come from monsters and spectral figures¡ªthey might come from humans as well. Safety must always come first.¡± ¡°My physical fitness is poor¡ªworse than even Little Stutterer¡¯s. I haven¡¯t fully adapted to life here either. In the short term, the fastest way to ensure my safety is through equipment.¡± But he didn¡¯t have anything suitable at hand. What could he do¡ªstrengthen the axe to use against others? He glanced back at the axe, saw, nails, hammer, and other tools lying around. Shaking his head, he felt little hope. Still, he approached the axe, picked it up, and watched the digits appear on its surface, confirming the enhancement process. ¡°Since there¡¯s still time, I might as well give it a try.¡± After confirming the start, he placed the axe in a corner and covered it up. He then walked to the door and peered outside through the observation window. Outside, it was deserted and silent. The wind rustled through the leaves with a soft swish; even the insects and birds were absent. Click. Yu Hong opened the door, carrying a bag of protein bars as he stepped out, warily scanning the surroundings. He checked the steel-nail embedded wooden rod tied to his waist¡ªthis tool had been incredibly useful last time. It was especially effective against spectral figures. Although, according to Little Stutterer, spectral figures couldn¡¯t truly be killed and would eventually reappear, the tool still bought him enough time in a pinch. ?????£ÎO?????§¦s Closing the wooden door behind him, Yu Hong frowned. ¡°If someone finds this place, there¡¯s nothing stopping them from taking everything inside.¡± He touched the door lock. The round keyhole was made of standard metal¡ªcold and hard. The wooden door originally didn¡¯t have a lock, and he didn¡¯t know how to make one. But after enhancing it, the lock appeared on its own, along with several keys. This mysterious enhancement mechanism intrigued Yu Hong greatly. Standing at the doorway, he gathered leaves and vines from the surrounding area, spreading them across the entrance to conceal it. From a distance, the door was now far less noticeable. It still wasn¡¯t entirely safe, but it was better than before. Once he finished camouflaging the entrance, he cautiously headed toward White Hill Village. The protein bars alleviated their food shortage for now, but candles remained a pressing need. There simply weren¡¯t enough candles. If the heightened danger period lasted the full six days, their current three candles would fall far short. He had to get more. Following the familiar mountain path, he walked for about ten minutes before catching sight of White Hill Village in the distance. Just as he was about to approach, Yu Hong suddenly stopped. His expression shifted as he glanced toward the village, quickly hiding behind a tree trunk. Between his position and the old road leading into the village, a figure lay sprawled in the grass. It was a thin, black-haired man in camouflage, lying motionless in a pool of blood that had soaked the ground around him. ¡°Dead?¡± Hiding behind the tree, Yu Hong tensed up. Remaining perfectly still, he observed the scene, even controlling his breathing to avoid attracting any attention. Minutes passed, and the man didn¡¯t move. Yu Hong deduced that the man was either dead or unconscious. After carefully surveying the surroundings to ensure no one was lurking nearby, he cautiously stepped out and inched toward the figure. Kneeling beside the man, he patted his shoulder. ¡°Hey?¡± No response. Yu Hong reached out to feel the man¡¯s neck. It was cold. His heart raced¡ªhe was truly dead. A corpse. A freshly dead body of someone he had just seen alive earlier. The thought sent a wave of nausea through him. His stomach churned, his breathing quickened, and his pupils dilated. He felt an overwhelming urge to vomit, and his hand, which had touched the body, now felt unclean. Suppressing his revulsion, Yu Hong grabbed the corpse¡¯s shoulder and flipped it over. Thud. The black-haired man fell onto his back, lying face-up on the ground. A deep, dark-red hole was visible on the left side of his chest. His eyes were wide open, his mouth agape, as if frozen mid-scream. Yu Hong dared not look any longer, quickly searching the man¡¯s pockets. He found no food or useful tools, only a cracked black radio. Grabbing the radio, Yu Hong bolted. He had no desire to linger near the corpse. Even though he had mentally prepared himself for such sights, facing a dead body in reality was an entirely different experience. Within moments, he reached Little Stutterer¡¯s door and began pounding on it. ¡°Little Stutterer, open up!¡± he called, immediately reciting their agreed-upon code phrase. The sharp knocks echoed through the quiet, dusky village. Usually, Little Stutterer would respond quickly when Yu Hong knocked. But this time, there was no movement inside. ¡°Little Stutterer?¡± Yu Hong¡¯s voice grew louder. His knocking and shouting reverberated through the deserted streets, the sound bouncing off the empty, dark houses. The village grew even quieter. ¡°Little Stutterer!?¡± Unease crept over Yu Hong. Was she not home? He glanced around nervously, ensuring no spectral figures were nearby, and stopped knocking. Where could she have gone? Nightfall was approaching, and without a safe place to hide, the danger would be immense. Yu Hong¡¯s breathing quickened as he clutched the bag of protein bars in one hand and gripped the steel-nail rod with the other. ¡°Com-ing.¡± Suddenly, a familiar voice sounded from within the house. It was Little Stutter. Yu Hong¡¯s heart lifted, and he knocked again. ¡°Night¡¯s falling fast. Let me in first.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± she replied from inside. ¡°I¡¯m¡ªcom-ing.¡± Relieved, Yu Hong scanned his surroundings, still wary of the white-clad figure from last time. This village was far from normal. It had far more spectral activity than the mountain cave, one of the reasons he was desperate to relocate. Seconds passed. ¡°Are you coming or not?¡± Yu Hong frowned, the delay making him uneasy. The sky was growing darker by the moment, and time was running out. ¡°Com-ing.¡± Little Stutterer¡¯s voice sounded again, this time very close, right behind the door. But Yu Hong realized he hadn¡¯t heard any footsteps inside the house. In such an eerily quiet setting, footsteps should have been audible. It was as if¡­ As if she had suddenly appeared behind the door. A chill ran down Yu Hong¡¯s spine. Click. The door slowly creaked open a crack. Bang! Without thinking, Yu Hong kicked the door open, barging in with his steel-nail rod raised. ¡°Die, die, die!¡± Driven by sheer terror, he swung the enhanced rod wildly. Thud! Thud! Thud! Behind the door, a pale figure didn¡¯t even have time to materialize before being struck and shattered into fragments that dissolved into nothingness. ¡°Little Stutterer!¡± Yu Hong shouted, rushing inside. Fear fueled his frantic search, rod ready to strike. But the room was empty. On the table lay a piece of paper with scribbled charcoal writing. Panting heavily, Yu Hong noticed blood dripping from his nose. Wiping it away, he saw the vivid red stain on his hand. ¡°That thing didn¡¯t even touch me¡ªhow am I bleeding?¡± Looking down, he saw a slash on his shirt. Underneath was a small, knife-like wound on his chest, oozing blood. Clearly, the spectral figure had somehow injured him. Shutting the door and lighting a candle, Yu Hong slumped into a chair, catching his breath. ¡°This damned place,¡± he muttered under his breath. ¡°This damned, cursed place!¡± The flickering candlelight stretched his shadow long across the floor, swaying as if alive. Picking up the paper, Yu Hong read the messy scrawl: ¡°I went to get candles. Back tomorrow.¡± There were no punctuation marks, no proper spacing¡ªthe writing was crooked, but at least legible. Setting the note down, Yu Hong pinched his nose to stop the bleeding. ¡°I¡¯ll build a shelter¡ªa completely safe shelter where I won¡¯t fear anything. I have to!¡± He had enough of this wretched place, full of traps and deceptions. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Gripping the candle tightly, he sat by the bed, staring at the cracks around the door and windows¡ªthe entry points for the black insects. Their attacks came unpredictably, every three to five days. Little Stutterer had told him that when they first appeared, they were far fewer in number and less frequent. But now, their numbers and the toll they took on candles were overwhelming. After a while, his nosebleed stopped, allowing him to check his chest wound. Luckily, the wound wasn¡¯t itchy or inflamed. Without clean water, he could only endure it and hope against infection. Satisfied that the wound was manageable, Yu Hong let out a sigh, listening to the howling wind outside. A deep sense of loneliness crept over him. ¡°Maybe I¡¯m the only one left in Baiqiu Village now.¡± Most of the villagers had left long ago. Only Little Stutterer remained, living here alone. Yu Hong had no idea how she survived, but it must have been grueling and perilous. He sighed deeply, leaning back against the bed. Something hard poked him from behind. ¡°Hmm?¡± Reaching back, he pulled out the object. It was the radio. ¡°Wait¡­ can I enhance this broken radio?¡± Just as he was about to set it aside, the thought struck him. As soon as the idea surfaced, numbers appeared on the radio¡¯s surface: 5 hours, 12 minutes. (End of Chapter) Chapter 15: Trouble (1) The purpose of a radio is to receive external signals, but if it could also be enhanced, it might yield unexpected results.Looking at the numbers on the radio, ¡°Five hours, just enough time to finish by dawn, I can give it a try.¡± Up until now, Yu Hong hadn¡¯t noticed any side effects from enhancing the black marks, and the only cost seemed to be the consumption of mental energy. At this point, the axe had likely finished its enhancement, and he could hear the corresponding prompt for enhancement in his ear. In an instant, the radio in his hand blurred for a moment before quickly becoming clear again, with the display showing the numbers: 5:11. Seeing the countdown begin, Yu Hong placed the radio aside, sat alone on the bed, holding a candle, letting out a long breath, feeling an increasing sense of loneliness and fear in his heart. This fear came not only from the ghostly shadows and monsters that could appear at any moment but also from the unfamiliar corpses lying in the wilderness. He sat there, motionless, his mind racing. By dawn, his anxiety had somewhat eased. After drinking some water, Yu Hong left the room. The sunlight outside was weak, and the sky was covered with thick clouds, signaling an impending rainstorm. The air felt damp, and cold gusts of wind swept across his ankles as he walked on the ground. As he walked, he suddenly paused and turned to look at a nearby building. In the darkness, there were faint white figures flickering in and out of view. He took a deep breath, picked up the radio, and quickened his pace, heading toward the cave shelter. After about ten minutes, he reached the safety house. Bang. The reinforced wooden door slammed shut, and the lock was secured. Yu Hong finally relaxed a bit and sat down heavily on the floor next to the bed. Picking up the radio, he inspected it carefully, only to find that the numbers had disappeared. The entire device had quietly transformed, now looking completely new. The parts that had been broken before were now repaired. ¡°Could it be that my enhancement ability can not only enhance objects but also repair damaged items?¡± Yu Hong thought to himself. He turned the radio over and opened the battery compartment, only to find two blue AA batteries inside. Suppressing his surprise, he put the battery cover back on and switched it on. Click. A sudden sound came from the radio. Hiss¡­ Then, the familiar static hiss filled the air. ¡°It really works!?¡± Yu Hong was astonished. He examined the device again, making sure there was no issue, and then held it to his ear. The sound was clear, without any static, and he was quite pleased. ¡°Let me try tuning into a station here.¡± sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Since arriving in Baiqiu Village, he had been preoccupied with survival, constantly adapting to the environment and dealing with dangers. Now, with the cave shelter offering some safety, he could finally relax a little. Feeling more at ease, Yu Hong turned the large circular knob on the front of the radio to adjust the frequency. As he turned the knob slowly, the static hiss fluctuated, varying in intensity. Soon, with a sudden whoosh, a quiet frequency flashed by. Yu Hong quickly returned to the previous position, and after fine-tuning, a sad melody began playing from the radio. The music sounded like a dirge¡ªslow, long, and melancholic, its low tones evoking a sense of heaviness. Before Yu Hong could guess what program it was, a voice came through the radio. ¡°This is a reminder for everyone: Due to a shortage of batteries, please make sure to turn on your radios at this time every day, adjust the frequency, and remove the batteries after listening to save energy.¡± ?§¡??¦Â?? A deep, magnetic male voice came through the radio. ¡°This is the National Special Disaster Response Management Bureau. I will provide daily updates on disaster conditions and the actual changes in various types of dangers during the Black Disaster, along with some research and predictions made by the Silver Tower. Please take this seriously.¡± Hearing this, Yu Hong¡¯s expression stiffened. He knew he had found the right station, so he set the radio aside and listened quietly. He had been operating near Baiqiu Village for a while now. Due to his physical limitations, he couldn¡¯t venture farther into larger areas. Even if he could, he wouldn¡¯t be able to access the latest national research results. Therefore, the content he was hearing from this radio station was invaluable to him. The broadcast continued. ¡°According to statistics from the National Security Department, there are currently 759 locations in our country still affected and expanding due to the Black Disaster. Each of these areas is dominated by blood ticks, with occasional appearances of ghostly shadows.¡± ¡°Research by the Silver Tower has shown that the overall intensity of the Black Disaster is on the rise over time. The strength of the ghostly shadows is also gradually increasing. It is advised that cities prepare accordingly.¡± ¡°The peak period is approaching, and during this time, all Black Disasters will show a significant increase in damage. The blood ticks¡¯ resistance to light is also slowly improving, which will require more energy for lighting tools.¡± Yu Hong listened carefully. Much of the information the announcer was sharing was new to him. Particularly the fact that the overall intensity of the Black Disaster was rising, which once again filled him with a sense of urgency. He only had a small amount of enhanced glowstones left. The rest were either embedded in items or hidden in various dark corners of the cave, serving as a safety net. If the peak period arrived and he encountered ghostly shadows, even one or two a day would be too much for him to handle. At that moment, he decided to enhance more glowstones. He had just picked one up to start the process when a loud thunderclap was heard from outside. The wind howled, and the rain began to fall, first as scattered droplets against the wooden door, then quickly intensifying into a downpour. The sound of the rain hitting the door grew louder and more rapid. Yu Hong quickly reacted, retrieving a wooden barrel from the corner. He opened the door and placed it outside to collect rainwater. Rainwater was far cleaner than stagnant water. Closing the door, he listened to the roaring thunder and the heavy rain outside. Inside the cave, it was dry and quiet. A sense of calmness settled over him. Sitting back down on the musty, smelly bed, he let out a sigh. Although it smelled bad, it was safe. Under such conditions, even the water for drinking was in short supply¡ªthere was no way to take a bath. Suddenly, Yu Hong had a thought. He considered going outside to collect rainwater to wash himself but quickly dismissed the idea, fearing he might catch a cold or pneumonia. With no medicine available, he couldn¡¯t risk it. He decided to stay in the cave, staring out at the gray sky through the observation window. The radio continued to play. ¡°Due to the rapid increase in ghostly shadows in various regions, the Disaster Response Management Bureau will dispatch patrol teams to collect detailed data on the ghostly shadows.¡± A few sentences later, the announcer¡¯s voice cut off, replaced by rapid breathing. ¡°Emergency broadcast: A serious ghostly shadow incident has occurred at Hope City 43 in Wu Liang Mountain, resulting in hundreds of casualties. These types of shadows have extremely strong spreading abilities, and all communications with this location have been cut off.¡± ¡°Please note: The incident occurred at Hope City 43 in Wu Liang Mountain.¡± The announcer repeated the location several times, his tone tense and serious. Yu Hong sat there, confused. ¡°Is that it?¡± he wondered, baffled. ¡°No rescue measures? Just isolation? No supplies either?¡± But no matter how long he waited, the announcer never mentioned the incident again. Instead, the broadcast continued with updates on research from an organization called the Silver Tower. The Hope City incident was no longer mentioned. Yu Hong stayed by the radio for over ten minutes, still hearing no further news. Finally, he seemed to understand. Perhaps the authorities had no other way to deal with the ghostly shadows and the Black Disaster except to isolate the affected areas and wait for the intensity to pass. He stood up, sighed, and walked to the door, gazing outside. The rain continued to pour, and the once clear view of the mountains was now obscured by the downpour. A loud thunderclap sounded in the distance. Yu Hong suddenly thought of the little stutterer. He wondered how she was doing. She must have been caught in the rain on the way. He hoped she was alright. In such weather, he couldn¡¯t afford to go out looking for her. Moreover, she was much stronger than he was, so if he did find her, he would only be a burden. With that in mind, Yu Hong sat down again, feeling the moment of safety and quiet. He turned off the radio and resumed enhancing the glowstones. His biggest problems now were the lack of candles and insufficient glowstones. Tomorrow was the last day before the peak period arrived, and it was their final chance to go out and get more candles. As for the glowstones, he could only continue enhancing them while hoping the little stutterer could hurry up and finish her drawings. ¡°If the Black Disaster is truly getting stronger, how will ordinary people in the wilderness survive?¡± Yu Hong felt a slight fear rising in his heart. He was a naturally fearful person, easily scared and prone to imagining things in a complicated and dangerous way. This extreme mindset wasn¡¯t normal. But in this environment, that trait seemed to be of great use. ¡°If everyone else is gone, even with my black mark enhancement, I can¡¯t survive without food.¡± He knew he had to solve the food problem on his own. He had to be self-sufficient. With safety mostly secured for now, Yu Hong turned his attention to food. ¡°And I need to make a water filtration device too. These things aren¡¯t something I can make myself. I need to plan carefully.¡± * * * Boom. The mountain forest outside was drenched in heavy rain, and the dense droplets almost formed mist, covering the forest and obscuring the view. It should have been bright in the morning, but now the rain had made everything appear dim and gray. The vast forest looked like a piece of bread covered in green mold. At the edge of the area, two figures moved like sesame seeds, quickly heading toward Baiqiu Village. Both were wearing black raincoats and carrying trekking poles, running swiftly with practiced steps. ¡°Hurry, hurry! It¡¯s getting dark, and those things are going to come out soon!¡± the figure behind gasped, urging the one ahead. ¡°I know. Almost there,¡± came the stuttered response of the small figure ahead. It was the little stutterer, Yi Yi, returning from outside. The two quickly reached the lower part of the village and rushed along the gravel path. Bang. They reached the door, and the little stutterer pulled out a key to unlock it, one hand ready with a glowstone, prepared to release it at any moment. Fortunately, nothing unexpected happened. They made it inside without incident. Just as the door closed behind them, a flash of lightning lit up the gravel path outside, revealing several blurred figures standing there. The light disappeared in an instant, and the figures vanished, like mirages. (End of Chapter) Chapter 16: Trouble (2) ¡°No, it¡¯s fine now.¡± Little Stutterer sighed with relief, took off her raincoat hood, and then looked away.The other person also removed her hood, revealing Dr. Xu¡¯s tired face. ¡°This trip¡­ we encountered more strange shadows than before on the way back, and the consumption of the Huishi stone was too high. Also, the monster we encountered last night has been officially reported and assessed. It shouldn¡¯t have been in this area.¡± This time, Little Stutterer had borrowed food from Dr. Xu, and as a form of payment, Dr. Xu had asked her to accompany her on a trip. She exchanged some dried meat and mushrooms in return. At first, Dr. Xu thought she was just helping out of kindness, but during the journey, if it hadn¡¯t been for Little Stutterer¡¯s timely assistance¡ªpulling her out of danger several times¡ªshe might have¡­ Dr. Xu felt a wave of fear as she thought about it. ¡°This time¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± Bang!! Suddenly, there was a loud bang. The wooden door of the house was violently slammed. The huge impact shook the door panel, causing chunks of the wall to fall off. The door frame trembled violently, clearly loosening up. ¡°What is that!?¡± Dr. Xu¡¯s heart raced in panic. ¡°It¡¯s that monster! It¡¯s following us! Why!?¡± It was the same one they had encountered at their temporary shelter the previous night. ¡°Hold! Hold it!¡± Little Stutterer dashed forward and braced her shoulder against the wooden door. Bang! But another loud crash sent her tumbling backward. The monster outside was too powerful. There was no way to stop it. Bang! Bang! Bang!! The door was being struck again and again. The nails holding the door frame in place were slowly loosening, one by one, pulling out. Dr. Xu¡¯s heart raced, frozen in place, unable to react. ¡°It¡¯s it. That thing. How could it¡ª¡± Her son had died in a similar situation. At that time, she and her family reacted immediately, rushing to brace the door. But the force of the blows from outside was something they couldn¡¯t resist. ???¨°?¨¨? In less than half a minute, the door shattered. Her son had tried to draw the monster away, and in the chaos, he ran out, far away. She only saw his shadow being caught by that monster before they fled. Boom!!! Just then, the wooden door shattered completely, sending debris flying toward the frozen Dr. Xu. It looked like the debris was about to hit her in the forehead. Suddenly, Little Stutterer reached out and grabbed Dr. Xu, pulling her to the side and rolling away. Whoosh!! After the door shattered, the massive black monster outside was pushed in by the force of the impact. Seizing the moment it stumbled, Little Stutterer grabbed Dr. Xu and sprinted away. She dashed out the door, running as fast as she could along the rocky path. ¡°Where¡­ do we go?¡± Dr. Xu stammered, her voice shaking. Little Stutterer¡¯s mind raced through various places. Her own house had been reinforced, and it couldn¡¯t withstand that monster¡¯s force. If they went anywhere else, it wouldn¡¯t hold up long. What should she do? What should she do? What should she do!!? Sweat mixed with her hurried breaths, dripping down her temples. After running out of the village, Little Stutterer unknowingly found herself at the forest clearing where she had worked with Yu Hong during the day. Realizing the danger, she quickly turned and headed in another direction, not wanting to lead Yu Hong into danger. But carrying someone while running in the rain, even with her extraordinary physical strength, she began to tire rapidly. What should she do?? Her mind kept racing, but no matter how she thought, without the protection of a house or the barrier of the Huishi stones, they couldn¡¯t resist the strange shadows, let alone the monsters. ¡°Yi Yi, put me down. If I die, then so be it. I can¡¯t drag you down with me!¡± Dr. Xu said, her voice breaking, faintly coming from her shoulder. Little Stutterer didn¡¯t respond, her head down, running full speed toward the distance. Bang!!! Suddenly, she veered left, changing direction and charging forward. A large tree beside her was violently struck by the black monster behind her, producing a muffled sound. The tree swayed and the trunk bore deep dents, almost toppling over. * * * * Yu Hong placed the radio down, removed the batteries, and covered it with dry leaves. This would be the key to getting information from the outside world in the future. So, it had to be kept in good condition. After finishing that, he glanced at the Huishi stone, which was still being enhanced. The surface showed a faint countdown, barely noticeable, requiring careful observation to see. Phew. He exhaled and noticed his breath turning into a faint white mist. ¡°The temperature has dropped this much?¡± Standing up, he moved to the stove, planning to start a fire to warm up. The smoke pipe was connected to a vent on the door, ensuring safety when lighting the fire. However, looking at the firewood in the stove, Yu Hong knew it wouldn¡¯t last long. ¡°I wonder when Little Stutterer will come back. If only we could find some coal or something¡­¡± The cave here was far more secure than her house. The doors and windows at her place were only half as thick as those at the cave, and the materials used were much softer¡ªold wooden boards. What was missing now was a solution to heating and food. If those were solved, this could become a proper safe haven. Bang!! Suddenly, Yu Hong thought he heard a faint sound from outside. ¡°What¡¯s that noise?¡± He furrowed his brow. In this rainy weather, any sound would definitely be from a monster or a strange shadow. He stood up, intending to check the noise outside. However, just as he stood, a pale face suddenly appeared in the observation window, scaring him. Even with the enhanced Huishi stone blocking it, getting frightened and mentally exhausted was inevitable. With that thought, Yu Hong sat back down. Bang! Another loud sound followed. Yu Hong¡¯s face changed. He immediately got up and rushed to the observation window, pulling the cover aside to look outside. He saw Little Stutterer and Dr. Xu being chased by the black monster. ¡°Damn!¡± Looking at the monster, Yu Hong¡¯s heart froze. In the heavy rain, several dozen meters away in the forest, a massive creature resembling a giant tick, more than two meters tall and over four meters long, with a completely black body, was chasing the two women. Silent. Stalled. Yu Hong stood at the door. Bang! He suddenly threw the door open. ¡°This way! Hurry, over here!!¡± He yelled toward Little Stutterer. His body was tense, trembling, his blood rushing through his veins, and his face turned bright red. The overwhelming fear and anxiety urged him to quickly shut the door, afraid the monster would notice him. But Little Stutterer had saved him before, helped him so much. Even in fear, Yu Hong had his principles, his bottom line as a human being. Gripping the steel Huishi rod by the door, he struggled to control himself, refusing to let fear take over and lock the door, to hide. ¡°Over here!! Yi Yi!!¡± Yu Hong stepped out into the rain and yelled. ¡°Run this way!!¡± He shouted. He knew that, out here in the increasingly darkening environment, if a strange shadow appeared, the result would be certain death. Instead of that, he preferred to hide with them, hoping that the reinforced wooden door would hold up against the monster¡¯s attack. As long as they could hold on for a bit, it was still daytime, and once the clouds cleared, the monster would retreat¡­ Far away, Little Stutterer and Dr. Xu heard the sound and turned to look. Not only them, but the monster also noticed the noise and turned toward the direction of the sound. Seizing the opportunity, Little Stutterer gritted her teeth and prepared to run in another direction. ¡°Trust me! Yi Yi!¡± Yu Hong¡¯s voice came again. Little Stutterer stopped for a moment and looked at him. From afar, she saw the fierce determination on his face. ¡°Come!!¡± Yu Hong yelled, reaching out to her. Whoosh! The black monster charged again, the wind it created blowing Little Stutterer¡¯s hair back. Even the rainwater couldn¡¯t resist the strong gust. At that moment, Dr. Xu was the first to react, pulling Little Stutterer and rushing toward Yu Hong. Her movement triggered the monster. The giant black monster followed, charging toward the cave entrance where Yu Hong was. The beast, resembling a huge black tick, charged like a monstrous war machine with eight legs, charging toward the cave with a thunderous force. Its rhino-like size was terrifying, a completely different kind of fear compared to the strange shadows. Yu Hong took a step back, standing on the side of the door, looking at the approaching monster. His legs shook uncontrollably. A month ago, he had been just an ordinary office worker. Now, he was facing this terrifying, unknown creature! Fear. Intense fear. His whole body froze, almost unable to move. His right hand, gripping the door handle, trembled violently, wanting to shut the door quickly. But Yi Yi and Dr. Xu hadn¡¯t arrived yet! Dr. Xu, that was fine, but Little Stutterer was different. She had saved him back then, so now, he had to save her. Bang! Yu Hong slapped his own legs hard. ¡°Afraid of what, damn it!¡± ¡°Stop!!¡± ¡°Stand still, damn it!!¡± He yelled in his heart, staring fixedly at Little Stutterer and Dr. Xu, who were getting closer. Twenty meters. Fifteen meters. Ten meters. Five meters! One meter!! Swish! In an instant, Dr. Xu and Little Stutterer burst through the door. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Just as they entered, Yu Hong slammed the door shut and locked it behind them. Bang!!! In less than a second, a massive crash hit the door, shaking the entire cave. Bang! Bang! Bang!! The black monster began furiously slamming into the reinforced door. It seemed to be angry, furious that Yu Hong had stolen its prey. But no matter how hard it slammed, the door only trembled and showed no signs of damage. ¡°Phew, phew, phew¡­ What is this??¡± Little Stutterer collapsed to the ground, looking back, confused, at the door in front of her. She stared at it in disbelief. She remembered that the door she and Yu Hong had worked on before wasn¡¯t like this. This door seemed much more advanced and sturdier than the previous one. ¡°After you left, I improved this door and reinforced the surroundings.¡± Yu Hong noticed her confusion, sitting down and panting, explaining. ¡°¡­?¡± Little Stutterer stared at him blankly, noting the vast difference between the original wooden door and this reinforced one. ¡°Never mind that, help hold the door!¡± Yu Hong quickly got up and ran to the back of the door. Dr. Xu and Little Stutterer scrambled to their feet and helped brace the door. The banging continued, but with the three of them working together, the monster outside was unable to break the door. The banging lasted for about a dozen more strikes. When it realized it couldn¡¯t break through, the monster finally turned and left, disappearing into the rain. (End of Chapter) Chapter 17: Trouble (3) Thud.Yu Hong and the other two fell to the ground, their bodies limp and exhausted, gasping for air. The loud breathing created a rhythmic sound in the cave, stirring up tiny whirlwinds in the air. ¡°I told you. Didn¡¯t I say you should trust me?¡± Yu Hong said, his face pale and his voice weak. ¡°This door?¡± Little Stutterer still couldn¡¯t understand. The wooden door wasn¡¯t like this before, how did it suddenly change in just a day? ¡°What exactly did you encounter? What was that monster just now?¡± Yu Hong didn¡¯t answer. Instead, he looked at Dr. Xu, trying to get information from her. Communicating with Little Stutterer was simply too slow. Dr. Xu¡¯s face was pale, with blood slowly seeping from a wound on her calf. Upon hearing this, she carefully examined the reinforced wooden door, then looked around the cave. ¡°This is your idea of a safe place?¡± Boom!!! At that moment, a huge explosion interrupted her. In the sound of the explosion, the wooden door shook violently again, and small bits of stone flew off the edges. Hiss! A muffled and eerie screeching sound came from outside. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!!! Then came a series of rapid, violent crashes. This time, the force was far stronger than before. The reinforced wooden door trembled under the massive force, emitting tiny vibrations. The three of them froze for a moment, then quickly reacted. ¡°It¡¯s that monster! It hasn¡¯t left!!¡± Dr. Xu screamed. Her voice was sharper than usual, nearly changing pitch entirely. Without hesitation, Yu Hong and Little Stutterer rushed forward and braced the door with their shoulders. Seeing this, Dr. Xu gritted her teeth, got up, and joined them in holding the door. Bang! Bang! Bang!!! The continuous heavy blows made the reinforced wooden door sway and the screws fixing the door frame began to loosen. ¡°Hold it!!¡± Yu Hong shouted. One after another. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The three of them struggled to hold the door, trying to prevent the vibrations from the impact from loosening it further. They all knew that if the door were to break down, it would be the end. So, they were putting all their strength into it. One minute. Two minutes. Five minutes. Ten minutes. And finally, after thirteen minutes¡­ The heavy rain outside began to subside, and the dense clouds in the sky cleared a bit. Sunlight finally began to shine down from the gaps in the clouds, like straight golden rays. Boom!! The final explosion. The three of them felt a violent jolt through their bodies, and cracks had appeared around the door, threatening to tear it off the stone wall. Hiss!! The massive tick-like monster let out one final strange screech and then stopped crashing against the door, retreating. The screeching sound quickly faded, then completely disappeared. The three of them continued to brace the door, motionless, afraid the creature might come back with a surprise attack. They waited for more than ten minutes. The golden sunlight slowly filtered in through the inspection window, and Yu Hong finally knew it was safe. Thud. He collapsed onto the ground, panting heavily. He was so exhausted. They had almost been overrun. If the door had been breached just then, the outcome would have been clear: certain death. In their state, if the door had been breached, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to escape. Thankfully, everything was over. Huff, huff, huff. The three of them gasped like a bellows, sweat streaming down their faces, dripping onto the floor and forming a trail of dark spots. ¡°It should be okay now. The sun¡¯s out,¡± Yu Hong said as he stood up, swiftly pulling open the inspection window and looking outside. Through the wire mesh, the sunlight poured in, accompanied by a damp, chilly breeze that brushed against his face, making him shiver slightly. After scanning both sides through the window, he was certain that the monster had disappeared, and he finally relaxed. Turning around, he looked at the other two, who were also sitting on the ground. ¡°What was that thing? How did you guys attract it?¡± ¡°That was a large blood tick from the blood tide. We usually call it the Big Skin,¡± Dr. Xu wiped away the sweat on her brow, rubbing it on her dirty clothes as she replied. ????????????? ¡°But it shouldn¡¯t have appeared now. It only shows up occasionally during peak times, and it¡¯s never this aggressive and dangerous!¡± Thinking this, she forced herself to stand up. ¡°We can¡¯t stay here any longer. Something must have gone wrong. We have to pack up and head for the town¡¯s bunker! We can¡¯t stop the Big Skin on our own!¡± Her face grew tense with anxiety. ¡°Yu Hong, we held it off!¡± Little Stutterer stood up, also wiping the sweat from her face, pointing at the reinforced wooden door. She shouldn¡¯t have pointed it out because, when she did, both Yu Hong and Dr. Xu noticed the cracks at the edge of the door. ¡°What about next time? What if the peak season comes?¡± Dr. Xu said grimly. She turned to Yu Hong. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you made such a sturdy door, but the peak season is coming soon. We could barely stop one Big Skin now; do you really think you can handle it? Do you think staying here will keep you safe?¡± She pointed at the cracks in the door, raising her voice. Yu Hong fell silent. He placed a hand on the door and stared at the words that appeared on it: Repair time: 17 minutes. It was still possible to repair it, which he hadn¡¯t expected. Also, although going to the town might seem like the best choice, he wasn¡¯t so sure. He looked uncertain. If they left, a lot of things could go wrong. Besides, they had just managed to hold it off, didn¡¯t they? Though the door had almost broken, it was due to a lack of preparation. With a few more reinforcements, it would be much easier to handle next time. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go,¡± Yu Hong said. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t either,¡± Little Stutterer looked at the cracked wooden door and spoke hesitantly. But she was interrupted by Dr. Xu. ¡°Are you both crazy? The door is about to break, and you still don¡¯t want to leave? What if two Big Skins show up next time during peak season?!¡± Dr. Xu couldn¡¯t understand. Her breathing grew rapid again as she stared at Yu Hong. ¡°I¡¯m very grateful that you opened the door and saved us, but this is no time for stubbornness. Do you really think your almost broken door can withstand the peak season¡¯s onslaught? Do you want to get yourself killed?¡± ¡°Is it really safer in the town? With so many people, wouldn¡¯t the strange shadows be even more dangerous?¡± Yu Hong retorted, his emotions more stable now. After the intense fear and anxiety, he felt much calmer. ¡°Yes, but the committee is there. They have ways of handling it. It¡¯s at least safer than staying here with the Big Skin!¡± Dr. Xu said loudly. Yu Hong shook his head. ¡°Thanks, but I don¡¯t want to go.¡± At this moment, he felt that everywhere outside was dangerous. His self-made cave was safer than anything else. At least the black marks he could see now provided some measure of safety. After the door was repaired, he just needed to reinforce a few more panels or add chains, and next time, dealing with the Big Skin would be much safer. But he couldn¡¯t explain all this. In an environment where materials and parts were scarce, suddenly having such a well-made safety door was already abnormal. ¡°Crazy!¡± Dr. Xu stared at Yu Hong, ¡°You¡¯re really crazy! You¡¯ll die!¡± She pointed at the door. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you got this security door, but it won¡¯t stop the blood tide. Peak season is different from usual. If the Big Skin shows up like before, there could be several next time. You won¡¯t be able to stop it!¡± She kept trying to persuade him. But no matter what she said, Yu Hong only shook his head. He didn¡¯t believe that the safety measures in the town would be better. Going to the town¡¯s bunker might indeed be safer. But he didn¡¯t want to rely on places or people that were beyond his control. So, no matter how much Dr. Xu tried to persuade him, he shook his head. In the end, seeing she couldn¡¯t convince him, Dr. Xu turned to Little Stutterer. ¡°Yiyi, he can¡¯t be reasoned with. We¡¯re leaving!¡± Little Stutterer fell silent, then turned to look at Yu Hong. ¡°Stay¡­ together,¡± she stuttered. Clearly, Dr. Xu¡¯s speech hadn¡¯t convinced Yu Hong, but it had convinced her. After all, the reinforced wooden door was already at its breaking point. If another Big Skin charged at it, they were definitely finished. Yu Hong couldn¡¯t offer any explanation or supporting reason for his decision. He just stayed silent. ¡°Yu¡­ Hong!¡± Little Stutterer looked at him, ¡°Come with us.¡± She patted his arm, her eyes clear. But Yu Hong just shook his head. ¡°You two go. I don¡¯t want to go.¡± He knew that going to the town¡¯s bunker would indeed be able to handle the Big Skin. Otherwise, the town would have been overrun by the blood tide by now, and they wouldn¡¯t have been able to collect information about the Big Skin. Little Stutterer and Dr. Xu were better off there. But he didn¡¯t want to go. He didn¡¯t feel safe anywhere outside; only his cave felt safe. At least with the black marks, he could see and improve his safety. Even if he went to the town, with his current weak body, if he exposed the ability of the black marks, the danger might be far greater than staying in the cave. After all, people¡¯s hearts are often the hardest to guard against. The monster might be terrifying, but it was straightforward, simple, and crude. ¡°Yiyi, don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯ll fix the door myself. It¡¯ll be fine as long as I don¡¯t provoke a few Big Skins. The cave entrance is high, which makes it hard for monsters to charge in. I just need to hold out for a few more days. Don¡¯t worry,¡± Yu Hong reassured Little Stutterer. Little Stutterer blinked, looking at him, wanting to say more, but Yu Hong raised his hand to stop her. ¡°Go on. It¡¯ll be fine.¡± Yu Hong lowered his voice, ¡°You¡¯ve helped me for a long time, and it¡¯s time we part ways. But if you run into trouble in the future, you can come here. I¡¯ll help if I can.¡± He pulled out a reinforced glowing stone from his pocket and handed it to Little Stutterer. ¡°He can choose to die if he wants!¡± Dr. Xu was dry-mouthed from trying to persuade him. Seeing Yu Hong¡¯s unshakable attitude, she gave up. ¡°Stubborn as a mule! Let¡¯s go, Yiyi. We need to leave now if we¡¯re going to make it!¡± She grabbed Little Stutterer¡¯s hand and walked to the door, looking out through the inspection window to check the surroundings. Little Stutterer was being pulled away but turned to look at Yu Hong one last time. ¡°Come on, together.¡± A hint of urgency appeared on her face. But her hand was pushed away by Yu Hong. ¡°Yu¡­ Hong?¡± She was confused. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. Go with Dr. Xu. You two can look out for each other.¡± Yu Hong looked at her seriously. ¡°Dr. Xu, take care of Yiyi. If you run into trouble, come here. It may not be as good as the town, but it¡¯s safe to survive.¡± (End of Chapter) Chapter 18: Troubles (4) ¡°It¡¯s a man!¡± Doctor Xu said as she opened the door, turning to look at him.¡°I take back what I said about you being a burden, and I thank you for saving me. But right now, your decision is really stupid!¡± She couldn¡¯t understand how someone like Yu Hong could exist. He was like one of those idealistic, naive people who always say and do things that normal people can¡¯t understand. Now, it seemed that Yu Hong might actually have some skills. Being able to craft such reinforced wooden doors was impressive. But he was too full of himself. ¡°You¡¯ll regret this. You have no idea how hard the peak period will be.¡± Doctor Xu couldn¡¯t help but mock. That was just her personality. ¡°You can still change your mind and join us! It¡¯s not too late!¡± She stared at Yu Hong, her eyes softening with a subtle attempt at persuasion. ¡°No thanks,¡± Yu Hong shook his head. ¡°I prefer living alone.¡± ¡°You!¡± Doctor Xu¡¯s expression changed slightly, letting out a huff. She grabbed Little Stutterer and stormed out. ¡°Let¡¯s go! The ground¡¯s difficult to walk on since it just rained; we must hurry! Let¡¯s stay with one of the patients I helped before!¡± She finally stopped paying attention to Yu Hong and dragged Little Stutterer out of the cave, jumping down the rocky cliff and running off into the distance. Little Stutterer looked back at Yu Hong as she ran. ¡°Yu, Hong!¡± She struggled to wave her hand. ¡°House, things, all¡­ for you!¡± She felt like it might be the last time she¡¯d see him, and a tinge of sadness filled her heart. ¡°Thanks!¡± Yu Hong waved back, a smile on his face. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Watching the two of them getting smaller and smaller as they ran further into the wet forest, he suddenly had a feeling. Maybe Doctor Xu and Little Stutterer wouldn¡¯t be back for a long time. The sudden appearance of the large blood tick seemed to signify that the external environment was starting to deteriorate further. If the Big Skins started appearing regularly¡­ Yu Hong stopped thinking about it. Looking in the direction they went, he suddenly felt a deep sense of loneliness. Suddenly, he took a deep breath and shouted loudly. ¡°Yi Yi! I¡¯ll wait for you here, always waiting!!¡± His voice was loud and echoed through the mountains and forests, one shout after another, traveling far. The two dots in the distance paused slightly before continuing to move, disappearing completely. At this moment, more golden rays pierced through the gray clouds, lighting up the earth and the forest. Yu Hong looked in the direction where they had gone, then turned to look toward Baiqiu Village. ¡°Now, there¡¯s no one left.¡± He exhaled. ¡°It¡¯s just me now.¡± If all the villagers and survivors around here encountered the Big Skins, they would definitely make the same decision as Doctor Xu. They would look for a larger scale bunker. It was impossible to fend off the stronger monsters with just a few people. ¡°Maybe, in a radius of dozens of kilometers, I¡¯ll be the only one living in the wild.¡± Yu Hong stared at Baiqiu Village, the old houses filled with patches, giving off a cold and eerie death aura. From the cave entrance, he could barely see the outline of the village through the forest. He stood motionless at the cave entrance for a long time. Suddenly, his pupils contracted, and his muscles tensed slightly. From far away, he saw a figure suddenly appear at the entrance of Baiqiu Village¡¯s broken stone road. It was a middle-aged man in gray-white old clothes, with a thin build. The distance was too far to make out his appearance. He could only see that the person seemed to be smiling and waving his hand in this direction. The person stood at the village entrance, raising his right hand, mechanically waving toward Yu Hong. Yu Hong blinked, but as soon as he blinked, he noticed that the person was gone. ¡± Ghostly shadows!¡± He gritted his teeth, feeling his jaw tighten. The frequency of Ghostly shadows appearing in broad daylight was increasing. According to the little stutterer¡¯s information, it wasn¡¯t like this before. ??????O?§£§§? This was not normal. And with the appearance of the new large blood ticks¡­ Big Skins. ¡°Just as the radio said¡­ the environment is deteriorating. It¡¯s getting more troublesome.¡± Yu Hong slowly retreated, not looking back at the village direction. Instead, he began searching for the wooden barrel he used to collect rainwater. Soon, he found a barrel with a big hole in it, about ten meters from the cave entrance. Luckily, there was still a small amount of rainwater left in the barrel. He lifted it with difficulty and returned to the cave. Then, he checked the wooden door and placed his hand on the door panel. ¡°Would you like to repair it?¡± The mechanical voice of the black mark sounded again. ¡°Yes,¡± Yu Hong replied in his mind. Immediately, a black line flowed from the black mark on the back of his hand, shot out from his hand, and entered the wooden door. Then, a countdown appeared, visible only to Yu Hong. Seeing the repair start, he breathed a sigh of relief, opened the door, and let the wind from outside blow in a little. Then he started to count the food and supplies stored in the cave. One bag of enhanced protein bars, ten pieces. This should last him ten days if the packaging isn¡¯t lying.Dried mushrooms and vegetables that the little stutterer gave him. It was a large package, enough for a long time, providing trace elements and dietary fiber.One stinky cotton blanket.A radio.Two round wooden stools.One stove.One broken water bucket.One enhanced glowstone.An axe-saw lumbering kit.One enhanced candle. These were the main things. Other daily supplies were in the houses in Baiqiu Village. But¡­ Yu Hong walked to the window of the cave and looked in that direction. In the sunlight, he could vaguely see that every door and window in the ruined old village had a vague figure standing there. They stood quietly, motionless. As Yu Hong stared at them, it seemed like they noticed something and turned to look back in his direction. ¡°So many!¡± Yu Hong¡¯s scalp tingled, and he quickly slammed the board shut to block his view. Baiqiu Village had clearly changed, and it had become more dangerous. Not just the blood ticks were changing, but even the Ghostly shadows. ¡°Before, with such strong sunlight during the day, there shouldn¡¯t have been so many Ghostly shadows. Why is this happening now?¡± He couldn¡¯t understand. The enhanced glowstone in his hand had only one left, with the rest embedded in the walls and the door. Right, the rods! Yu Hong grabbed the steel spike rod and looked around at the enhanced glowstones embedded in the cave¡¯s surroundings, feeling slightly safer. Now, he kind of understood Doctor Xu. She was right. If the black mark weren¡¯t here, going to the bunker in town would be the best, and the only way to survive. ¡°By the way, after using the enhanced glowstone, I wonder if it can be repaired or replenished.¡± Yu Hong sat on one of the stools, picking up a piece of enhanced glowstone he had used before. This stone, once removed from the steel spike rod, had lost its jade-like texture and turned a pale white, resembling lime. The symbols on the surface were still there, but upon closer inspection, Yu Hong noticed that the lines had broken in many places, no longer continuous. Holding the enhanced glowstone, Yu Hong sat quietly, staring at the countdown on the door. He didn¡¯t dare go outside. The outside was clearly not normal. Tomorrow would be the peak period, but today had already started to feel extremely abnormal. Baiqiu Village had the things the little stutterer said she would leave for him, but he didn¡¯t dare go to get them now. Because it was too dangerous. Just now, from afar, he had seen at least twenty Ghostly shadows. These were Ghostly shadows that dared to appear in broad daylight. This was a completely different concept from before. Once these Ghostly shadows attacked, his enhanced glowstones wouldn¡¯t be able to stop them. Yu Hong kept his eyes on the countdown while thinking. ¡°Luckily, before I left, I gave one of the enhanced glowstones to Yi Yi and had her learn the more complex symbols on it. That should help her.¡± Suddenly. Just as he was thinking, the wooden door in front of him flickered. In an instant, the damaged wooden door with cracks was completely restored, as if it had just been made. All the damage, cracks, and loosened screws had been reinforced and restored to their original state. Yu Hong breathed a sigh of relief, stood up, and carefully inspected it. After confirming that there was no issue and that the door had indeed returned to its original reinforced state, he felt a deep sense of relief. ¡°But it¡¯s not enough.¡± Thinking of the terrifying impact of the Big Skins before, a shadow appeared in his eyes. After thinking for a moment, he picked up the steel spike glowstone rod, cautiously opened the door, and stepped outside. Outside was a quiet, dense forest. The moisture from the rain was rising, turning into a light mist, spreading through the forest and beginning to obscure his vision. The blurry mist made Yu Hong feel a sense of vigilance in his heart. But he had to go to the place where he made the wooden door earlier to find some long wooden planks to reinforce it. With the steel spike glowstone rod in hand, he moved as quietly as possible, climbing down the rock wall, and coming to a small open area in the forest. The clearing had a few stumps from trees that had been chopped down, black marks from fires, and wood shavings scattered around. This was where he had made the wooden door before. Yu Hong looked around and made sure it was safe, quickly picking up two thick wooden planks the size of his arms. These were leftover materials that had been discarded because they weren¡¯t straight enough. But now, they were just right for making door bolts and support beams. Dragging the two wooden planks, Yu Hong returned to the cave. The planks were soaked from the rain and very damp. But he didn¡¯t care about that. He wasn¡¯t concerned about whether they were wet or not; he just needed to survive through the peak period first. He took out a saw, measured them briefly, and then began cutting the planks. Soon, after adjusting and processing the ends of the planks, they were just the right size to be placed at the back of the wooden door, slanted to reinforce the door¡¯s defense. Once done, Yu Hong placed his hand on one of the planks. Thinking about reinforcing the door¡¯s support device. This was a test for him. On the surface, these were just two rough wooden planks. If he gave them a functional name, could the black mark reinforce them too? If not, that would mean the black mark had very specific requirements for its reinforcement targets. If it could, there would be much more flexibility. Pressing his hand on the plank, Yu Hong quietly chanted in his mind. Soon. ¡°Would you like to reinforce the door reinforcement device?¡± With a faint sound, only he could hear, the numbers on the wooden plank appeared. 11 Minutes. ¡°Yes!¡± He answered in his mind with great force. It worked!! It really worked!!! At the same time, a spark of excitement rose in his heart. If that¡¯s the case, then I can create a simple water filtration tool, and it should also be reinforced properly! ¡°Then there are furniture and various tools. As long as I give them a designated functional name, perhaps¡­¡± (End of chapter) Chapter 19: Another Attempt (1) The eleven minutes passed in the blink of an eye.Under Yu Hong¡¯s expectant gaze, the thick wooden bar supporting the door blurred with a faint ¡°whoosh¡± and transformed within two seconds into a jet-black metal rod! The metal rod resembled an oversized chocolate stick, complete with anti-slip pads at both ends to enhance friction. The material seemed like iron, but it was much darker. Picking up the rod, Yu Hong examined it closely. ¡°Although the structure is still simple, the material has been strengthened. It¡¯s obviously sturdier than before. Amazing!¡± He was in awe. Next, he repeated the process to reinforce the second wooden bar. Within minutes, two black metal rods were symmetrically bracing the back of the door. ¡°This is so much stronger than when three of us tried to hold it with our shoulders,¡± Yu Hong said, nodding in satisfaction. ¡°Now, there¡¯s only one final issue.¡± Candles. Baiqiu Village was a dangerous option, but the candles, along with the water filter, pots, and cups, were all back there. ¡°I only have one candle left. It¡¯s definitely not enough unless I start a fire. Wait!¡± Suddenly, Yu Hong¡¯s eyes narrowed as he turned to the furnace by the stone wall. The furnace, which Little Stutterer had retrieved for him, came with a smoke pipe and hadn¡¯t been put to use yet. ¡®What if I strengthen this?¡¯ The thought brought a wave of anticipation. Recalling the previously reinforced axe, Yu Hong went to the corner to retrieve it. The axe had undergone a significant transformation. It was no longer the simple wooden-handled tool it once was, complete with numerous nicks from chopping. Now, after being reinforced, it had turned into a robust, metal-handled felling axe. The long, black handle featured anti-slip grooves, and the silver axe blade was visibly thicker, with a razor-sharp edge glinting coldly in the dim light. £Ò??????B?S What was once an old, worn axe had transformed into a premium-quality tool. Putting the axe down, Yu Hong approached the furnace. The furnace was a black, metal, rectangular structure resembling a low table. Its surface was coated in black lacquer. Yu Hong pressed his hand against its edge. The cold sensation sent a chill down his spine. ¡®Strengthen¡­ no, enhance it as a lighting and heating system.¡¯ A sudden inspiration hit, prompting him to refine the furnace¡¯s purpose. With a soft hiss, the black mark on the back of his hand released a thin black thread that seeped into the furnace¡¯s surface. Soon, a glowing number appeared on the furnace: 12 hours and 7 minutes. ¡®Do you wish to enhance the lighting and heating system?¡¯ The mark¡¯s query echoed in his mind. ¡®Yes!¡¯ Yu Hong responded firmly. Instantly, the numbers on the furnace changed into a countdown timer. ¡®Here¡¯s hoping it works,¡¯ Yu Hong thought, anticipation rising. With a bit of daylight left and one candle still in hand, he was confident he could make it through the night. If the enhanced furnace failed to meet his expectations by morning, he¡¯d have no choice but to risk venturing into Baiqiu Village to retrieve the candles and other supplies left behind by Little Stutterer. Watching the timer on the furnace, Yu Hong sat down on a dry spot, exhaustion washing over him. The day¡¯s string of events had taken a toll, and the effort of reinforcing the wooden bars had drained him. Drowsiness soon overtook him, and clutching the lone candle in his hand, he leaned against the metal-reinforced rod and drifted off. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Here¡¯s the translation of the provided text: ¡°Old Yu?¡± ¡°Old Yu??¡± A gentle call jolted him awake from his sleep. Yu Hong opened his eyes and saw a familiar, cheerful face hovering in front of him, smiling warmly. It was his colleague, Chen Huiru, from the office. ¡°Old Yu¡¯s awake! You scared me! I thought something serious happened! Thank goodness, it¡¯s just a scare.¡± Chen Huiru turned her head to speak to someone else nearby. ¡°I told you, Old Yu¡¯s not that fragile.¡± ¡°This prank went too far. We¡¯re all from the same office, that¡¯s too much.¡± ¡°Old Yu always brags about his courage, but look at him now¡ªscared out of his wits. I¡¯ve got enough material for a whole year!¡± Laughter erupted around him. Soon, Yu Hong rubbed his eyes and realized he was sitting on the grass outside the office building, surrounded by a circle of colleagues, the greenery around them vibrant. Each of them was smiling at him, chattering away. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it lifelike?¡± ¡°The bug was a model I rented from a nearby film crew. You¡¯re the fourth person we scared! You were lucky, Yuan Zhou nearly wet his pants. We even filmed it!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t say anything! It was your bad idea!¡± His colleagues continued laughing and joking, surrounding him in the warm sunlight on the grassy lawn. Their smiles were warm and harmonious. As they chatted, they started holding hands and walking in a circle around Yu Hong. One circle. Two circles. Three circles. ¡°Look at Old Yu, still not recovered.¡± ¡°Too funny!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be upset. Later, Gao Ge will treat us to a meal, let¡¯s go have fermented hotpot!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s take some pictures, say cheese~~¡± The voices kept coming, drilling into Yu Hong¡¯s ears. He sat there, dazed, watching the colleagues spinning around him. Their smiles were so real, so warm. ¡®So, it was all a prank¡­¡¯ Yu Hong sighed in relief as his tense nerves finally relaxed. He stood up and reached out to grab one of his closest colleagues. Swish. Everything suddenly went quiet. The sounds disappeared completely, and a deep silence enveloped the air as Yu Hong¡¯s vision blurred. He took a sharp breath and slowly opened his eyes. The cold, hard stone floor greeted him, rough against his spine. He was still sitting on the ground, still leaning against the foul-smelling blanket, facing the countdown timer on the furnace, motionless, his hands wrapped around his knees. The cave was silent, with faint light filtering through the door¡¯s window. ¡°It was a dream¡­¡± He sighed. It was getting dark. Yu Hong¡¯s gaze shifted to the window. ¡°!!!¡± Through the window, he saw a blurry face peering through the wire mesh, silently staring at him! Staring at him, the one who had just woken up from his sleep! ¡°Who¡¯s there?!¡± Yu Hong jumped up, grabbing the steel nail rod, ready to confront whoever was out there. But after sitting still for so long, his legs had gone numb. When he tried to stand, his body tingled, nearly losing balance. He leaned against the furnace to steady himself, but when he looked back, there was no face in the window. ¡°Ha¡­ ha¡­¡± Yu Hong¡¯s face turned pale, realizing it was probably a ghostly shadow. He hadn¡¯t heard any footsteps. The shadow¡¯s movements were jerky, crossing distances in an unnatural way, characteristic of these spectral figures. Earlier, to let in some fresh air, he had opened the window so the outside air could flow in through the wire mesh. He hadn¡¯t expected that the ghostly figure would find him so quickly. ¡°It¡¯s still dusk, and the ghostly figure is already active.¡± He stood up carefully, moving forward to close the window. Swish. The light from the window disappeared, and the cave plunged into darkness. Yu Hong moved to another air vent on the opposite side. It was slower, but at least it wouldn¡¯t be so terrifying. Who knew how long that ghostly figure had been watching him while he slept? After doing that, with the little light coming from the air vent, he checked the reinforced stone behind the door. The stone was half its original size, now turned pale gray, almost like lime. Yu Hong¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°Good thing I have the reinforced stone, or I might not even know how I died if I fell asleep alone.¡± He sighed deeply, smelling a faint moisture in the cave, knowing that if he didn¡¯t dry it out soon, it would start to mold. At this point, his only hope was to see what would happen with the furnace after it was enhanced. The countdown on the furnace still had more than ten minutes to go. Yu Hong decided to sit down and eat some dried mushrooms. He didn¡¯t look at the door anymore; his eyes were focused on the furnace. The minutes passed quickly. The numbers on the furnace were about to reach their end. Yu Hong¡¯s nerves tightened slightly because this enhancement might be crucial for his next plan. Swish. At that moment, the numbers on the furnace disappeared, and the entire furnace, along with the smoke pipe, blurred. The blurring lasted a second before everything returned to clarity. A brand new furnace now stood before him. ¡°!!? What is this?¡± Yu Hong¡¯s eyes widened as he took in the new furnace. What stood before him was a completely integrated fireplace, seamlessly connected to the cave wall. The fireplace seemed to have merged with the rock wall, its pipe buried deep into the stone. But the most surprising part wasn¡¯t this¡ªwhat struck him most was that the furnace was made entirely of transparent material! It was like glass, crystal-clear synthetic material! Yu Hong stepped forward and lightly knocked on the outer edge of the furnace. Bang, bang! The sound was dull but hard. ¡®Incredible. It really serves both heating and lighting purposes.¡¯ Yu Hong was speechless. The furnace naturally had a heating function, but making it transparent also gave it a lighting function. This enhancement was a stroke of genius! He walked around the new furnace, observing it for a while, until the outside light had completely dimmed, and faint rustling sounds began to emerge. He quickly grabbed a match and lit a candle. The enhanced candle had windproof features and could also absorb smoke, which was quite useful. He placed the candle on the stool and quickly started loading the furnace with kindling and firewood. The kindling was the wood shavings he had left from cutting wood¡ªthin, curled, and easy to ignite. He added some dried grass leaves to the mix. Crackle, crackle. Soon, a dark red flame slowly flickered inside the fireplace. The flame grew larger with time, and white smoke began to rise from above, flowing into the smoke pipe, drifting outside without a trace inside the cave. The flame gradually brightened and grew. After more than ten minutes, as the fireplace stabilized, Yu Hong added thicker firewood and blew out the candle. ¡°Finally, it¡¯s done!¡± He dropped onto the wooden stool, watching the burning fireplace with satisfaction. Warm waves of heat radiated from the transparent surface of the fireplace. The material even had good thermal conductivity. As the warmth spread, the chill of the cave was gradually dispelled, replaced by relaxation and warmth. For a moment, the entire cave was as warm as spring, bright and safe. (End of Chapter) Chapter 20: Another Attempt (2) Yu Hong stretched his hand to warm up for a moment, suddenly feeling an unbearable thirst. He stood up and walked to the wooden barrel to scoop some water to drink.The water in the barrel was quite murky, a faint grayish color, but it was much better than the foul-smelling water. Yu Hong took a piece of dry charcoal, used an axe to cut off a small piece of cloth, and wrapped the charcoal inside. He then placed it on top of the wooden cup he intended to drink from, just the right size to stay in place and not fall out. With this, he had made the simplest, rudimentary charcoal filtration cup. He carefully and slowly poured water from the barrel over the cloth-wrapped charcoal. The water slowly seeped through and then very slowly dripped out from beneath the cloth, falling into the cup. Yu Hong observed and found that the water, at first, had some black charcoal residue, but gradually became cleaner, much clearer than the water in the barrel. Although still murky, it was an improvement. ¡°Water must be drunk, it can¡¯t be lacking. Let me see if I can reinforce and improve it. If not, I¡¯ll go to the little stammerer¡¯s house for help.¡± With this plan in mind, Yu Hong gripped the wooden cup. He concentrated, intending to reinforce it. Immediately, a new black number appeared on the side of the cup: 2 hours and 34 minutes. At the same time, the mechanical sound of the black imprint rang in his ears again. ¡°Do you want to reinforce the filtration cup?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Yu Hong replied eagerly, feeling hopeful. With a swish, the number on the side of the cup turned into a countdown. Relieved, he sat down, leaning against the fireplace to enjoy the warmth that radiated from it, feeling much more at ease. Two hours wasn¡¯t too long. A little rest would be fine. Sitting on the wooden bench, Yu Hong felt the continuous warmth from the fire flow through him, seeping into his body, making him feel increasingly lethargic. Despite the coming danger of the dark night outside, with its damp coldness and lurking threats, this warmth made it hard for him to muster any energy. Before he knew it, his eyelids began to droop. ¡°No! I can¡¯t sleep!¡± He suddenly stood up, distancing himself from the fireplace. By this time, a faint sweat odor had started to permeate the cave. It was the smell of his clothes and bedding being dried by the heat. Before, it hadn¡¯t been noticeable due to the dampness, but now that everything was drying out, the smell quickly spread. ¡°Ugh,¡± Yu Hong rubbed his nose, realizing that the best thing to do now was to open the door and let in some fresh air. Unfortunately, it was nighttime¡ªthe most dangerous time outside. ???O??¨§? Ssss A faint, hissing sound of insects crawling outside the door began to reach his ears. It was clear that the blood tick insects had started to appear. He didn¡¯t know where these bugs came from; they weren¡¯t visible during the day, but once night fell, they all crawled out. Moreover, they evaporated and vanished when exposed to light, which seemed unnatural. But at this moment, he didn¡¯t have time to think about it. He stood up and waited quietly by the fireplace. The flames in the furnace flickered like red silk, constantly shifting, their light dancing and fluctuating. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ssss Soon, a large number of black insects began to pour in through the ventilation hole on the right side of the door, like black sand seeping in. As soon as the black insects entered, they were exposed to the furnace¡¯s flames and instantly turned to black smoke, vanishing. The flames dimmed for a moment but quickly returned to their normal intensity. ¡°Thankfully, the blood tick insects don¡¯t consume much of the fire. As long as I control the number of them coming in, the firewood should last through the night.¡± Yu Hong assessed the dry firewood in the corner and breathed a sigh of relief. He stood by the fireplace, waiting for the insect invasion to subside while staying prepared to add more firewood. Time passed, and the firewood slowly began to dim. Yu Hong¡¯s movements were fast as he swiftly threw more dry wood into the furnace. Soon, the fire reignited and the light returned to normal. This cycle repeated, and he had to add more wood roughly every half hour, or the flames would quickly fade. This kept him from letting his guard down, constantly having to focus on the fireplace. Boom!!! Suddenly, the wooden door was struck with a loud crash. Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! A series of rapid knocks followed. The door shook violently, like a giant drum being hit, and stones began to fall off the edges of the doorframe. But the two reinforced support pillars were doing their job. In the midst of the loud bangs, the door shook and trembled, as though the entire cave might collapse. However, thanks to the support pillars, it was still firmly held in place, and the surrounding screws remained intact. Yu Hong stood frozen, heart pounding, trying his best not to look at the door, instead keeping his eyes on the fireplace, making sure the flames didn¡¯t shrink. The minutes dragged on in this tense atmosphere. He had long lost track of time, and his phone had run out of battery and shut off. All he could do was silently watch the fire, waiting for dawn. ¡°Wait!¡± Suddenly, a thought struck him. ¡°The phone is also an item. Can¡¯t it be reinforced too!?¡± Yu Hong quickly realized that the most technologically advanced thing he had was his phone. If he used it to reinforce, maybe he could turn it into a center for calculating and controlling intelligent systems. Maybe he could even create an absolutely intelligent and secure shelter base in the future! While standing there, Yu Hong let his mind wander. After a while, the loud banging sounds finally stopped. The large creature outside seemed to have realized that it couldn¡¯t break through the reinforced door, so it gave up and scuttled away, leaving behind only faint rustling noises that soon faded. About ten minutes of silence passed. Outside, apart from the usual blood tick insects, there was no other movement. Everything had returned to the same state of standstill. But after being struck for so long, the reinforced door had a slight inward bulge, with cracks beginning to spread across the surface. Phew. Yu Hong let out a sigh of relief. It seemed like half the night had passed. If he could hold on just a little longer, he¡¯d make it through. Boom!!! Just then, a huge crash exploded on the door. The door panel was struck so hard that a crack appeared. Yu Hong¡¯s expression changed. He quickly ran up to the door, dragging a quilt to brace against the door panel. Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!!! A new round of strikes followed, louder and stronger than before. ¡°Either this isn¡¯t the same creature, or the big creature has entered a berserk state!¡± Yu Hong gritted his teeth, holding the door, while his shoulders, already sore from the earlier strain, burned with pain. Ten minutes. Twenty minutes. Half an hour. Forty minutes passed. Finally, the banging stopped, and silence descended. Yu Hong breathed a sigh of relief, letting go of the quilt and checking the door. The reinforced door panel had several more raised areas on the inside, with cracks spreading all over. If the strikes had continued for another half hour, the door would have been completely broken. At this moment, a faint ray of light shining through the ventilation hole made Yu Hong realize that the creature outside hadn¡¯t given up, but it was just dawn. He slumped down, drenched in sweat, feeling both hungry and thirsty. He turned to look at the reinforced filtration cup. The countdown had long since disappeared. In its place was a completely upgraded black metal cup. The cup had a large filtration device attached, looking like a weight with the lid of the cup connected to it. The cylindrical base of the cup resembled a beer mug, with a capacity of at least 500 milliliters¡ªabout the size of a standard bottle of mineral water. Taking the reinforced filtration cup, Yu Hong quickly poured some water from the barrel into it. The rainwater filtered through, slowly dripping into the bottom of the cup, gradually forming a layer of clearer cold water. Yu Hong waited for a while, tilted the cup, and poured out the filtered water. ¡°This is drinkable now, but it still needs to be boiled.¡± The boiling pot and basin were in the house in Baiqiu Village. Yu Hong could only take a symbolic sip to moisten his mouth. Then he walked to the door, lifted the barrier, and peeked outside. The light outside had grown brighter, and sunlight was once again shining down. Yu Hong checked his surroundings and, finding it safe, removed the support pillar and unlocked the door. He stood at the door, checking the extent of the damage to the large door. To his shock, it was almost about to give way. If the reinforcement hadn¡¯t been done in time, it would¡¯ve been breached just before dawn. Yu Hong silently placed his hand on the surface of the door. ¡°Do you want to repair it?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± he confirmed. As the countdown appeared on the door, Yu Hong felt a faint sense of unease. ¡°It¡¯s still not enough; I need to reinforce the door even further. If another big creature comes and hits it, this door won¡¯t hold!¡± ¡°So how do I reinforce it?¡± He stood by the door, closed it, and began thinking carefully. After a while, he quickly grabbed an axe, and the sound of wood being chopped echoed through the cave. Soon, Yu Hong dragged two thick wooden boards back. Using a hammer, he made a lot of noise, and after some effort, the two thick wooden boards were nailed to the back of the door. But the boards were not nailed to the door itself. Instead, they were fixed against the stone walls on both sides, one at the top and one at the bottom, placed parallel to each other. This way, although it would be more cumbersome to enter and exit, the door was once again reinforced. Next, Yu Hong repaired the wooden boards, placing vertical strips along the back of the door to thicken it. Having done all that, he was exhausted and sat down. Wiping sweat from his brow, he took the small wooden box given to him by the stammerer, inside which only two nails remained. ¡°The steel nails are almost gone. I need to replenish them.¡± The mortise and tenon structure was useful, but it had to be planned from the start. Otherwise, later modifications would rely on things like steel nails. Sitting still, Yu Hong thought for a moment before filtering another cup of water and sipping it slowly. He picked up the steel nails and a fluorite rod, took a deep breath, and surveyed the entire cave. ¡°First, I¡¯ll go to Little Stutterer¡¯s house to move some things. Before I leave, I should reinforce something to save time.¡± He thought for a moment and chose to reinforce the newly added door reinforcement boards. Reaching out, he placed his hand on the reinforcement board behind the door, focusing his thoughts. Soon, the familiar black mark of a mechanical voice echoed in his mind. ¡°Would you like to reinforce the door reinforcement board?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Without hesitation, he responded in his mind. Immediately, a number appeared on the board, which soon turned into a countdown: 1 hour 32 minutes. ¡°Not too bad. It¡¯s not too long,¡± he sighed in relief. Then, he picked up the stick, tucked the single piece of enhanced stone into his pocket, and opened the door. Without hesitation, he jumped down the rock steps and headed toward Baiqiu Village through the forest. (End of this chapter) Chapter 21: Exchange (1) Fortunately, this time, there were no unexpected issues. Yu Hong smoothly moved out the dried meat, mushroom jerky, and other supplies from the house, as well as some unmarked white stones that hadn¡¯t been inscribed with runes yet. He also grabbed the iron pot and other tools. There wasn¡¯t much else of use in the house.By the time he returned to the cave, over an hour had passed. Panting, he put the items down and organized them neatly. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The door reinforcement was also just completed. After a blurry flicker, the reinforced board was perfectly embedded into the back of the door, fusing seamlessly with it. As a result, the entire door was at least half thicker than before. The heavy door was noticeably more difficult to open and close, but it made Yu Hong feel more secure. Once he finished these tasks, he closed the door and sat down on a wooden stool inside the cave, beginning to boil water. While the water boiled, he used a charcoal pencil to write and sketch on a piece of newspaper. The charcoal pencil was thick and hard to write with, but Yu Hong gritted his teeth, enduring the discomfort. He carefully wrote a line of text. ¡®Comprehensive Physical Training Plan¡¯ Then, below this line, he added the following numbered items: ¡®1¡ª¡ªJogging for fifteen minutes every day.¡¯ ¡®2¡ª¡ªAt least thirty push-ups a day, ten per set.¡¯ ¡®3¡ª¡ªAt least thirty sit-ups a day, ten per set.¡¯ These were simple plans for physical exercises. Yu Hong then extended his hand, pressing it onto the newspaper. The thought of reinforcement flashed in his mind. Immediately, the black mark on the paper rippled, and a black line flowed into the newspaper. ¡®Completeness insufficient.¡¯ A mechanical voice suddenly echoed in Yu Hong¡¯s ears. ¡°??¡± He froze for a moment, withdrew his hand, and frowned at the paper. This was an experiment he tried¡ªwriting a few basic exercise methods and guiding his thoughts to see if the black mark could enhance them into more effective and powerful training methods. §²??§à?¨¨? But now, it seemed¡­ ¡°Completeness insufficient? What does that mean? What¡¯s missing?¡± He picked up the paper and examined it closely. ¡°There are exercise methods, and the frequency is also there¡­ Wait! I understand.¡± Suddenly, his expression changed. He grabbed the charcoal pencil and started adding more. ¡®4¡ª¡ªSupplement protein, carbohydrates, and trace elements every day.¡¯ ¡®5¡ª¡ªTrain six days a week, rest one day, and ensure at least ten hours of sleep daily.¡¯ After tapping the charcoal powder off the paper, Yu Hong nodded, placed it down, and pressed his hand on it again, focusing his thoughts. Soon enough. ¡®Would you like to reinforce the Comprehensive Physical Training Plan?¡¯ The black mark¡¯s voice inquired. At the same time, the countdown to reinforcement appeared on the paper: 5 days, 12 hours, 16 minutes. Yu Hong was delighted. He knew his test was a success! However, seeing the long time required¡ªfive days¡ªhe didn¡¯t confirm immediately. He released his hand, canceling the reinforcement. Now was the peak period; if he reinforced it now, the black mark would temporarily be unavailable. He decided to wait until after this period. ¡®Since it¡¯s feasible, let¡¯s try again!¡¯ Excited, Yu Hong turned the page and wrote another title: Martial Arts Under this, he wrote down basic martial arts techniques he¡¯d seen online, struggling to piece together an adequate set, covering offense, defense, dodging, and pursuit. After thinking hard and completing it, he placed his hand on the paper again, full of expectation. ¡®Reinforce Martial Arts, with a focus on fantasy cultivation style!¡¯ In that moment, after watching too many novels, Yu Hong¡¯s heart was full of hope for the future. He nervously awaited the black mark¡¯s response. The black mark rippled again, and a black line flowed from it into the paper. ¡®Completeness insufficient.¡¯ A feedback sound followed promptly. Yu Hong¡¯s expression of hope froze. Although he had guessed this might happen, he still felt a bit disappointed seeing it for real. Then, thinking for a moment, he decided to change tactics. He pressed his hand on the paper with the Comprehensive Physical Training Plan. ¡®Reinforce the Comprehensive Physical Training Plan, with a focus on life evolution!¡¯ Hiss. The black mark surged again, flowing into the paper. Soon, the feedback came again. ¡®Completeness insufficient.¡¯ Yu Hong wasn¡¯t disappointed this time. Instead, he raised his hand again, pressing it onto the paper. ¡®Reinforce the Comprehensive Physical Training Plan, with a focus on human extreme training methods.¡¯ Hiss. The black line reappeared, surging into the paper. This time, the black mark was silent for a long while. Finally. ¡®Would you like to reinforce it into human extreme training methods?¡¯ ¡°Success!!!¡± Yu Hong let out a low exclamation, unable to suppress the smile spreading on his face. Then, he looked at the numbers that had appeared on the paper. ¡°.¡± His smile slowly faded, replaced by disappointment and speechlessness. The numbers appeared in the middle of the so-called Comprehensive Physical Training Plan: ¡®678 days, 12 hours, 06 minutes.¡¯ ¡°.¡± Yu Hong was speechless. He stood up and paced around for a bit. After a moment, he sat back down. ¡®Maybe I set the difficulty too high. I¡¯ll try adjusting it lower.¡¯ Once more, he pressed his hand on the paper. ¡®Reinforce the Comprehensive Physical Training Plan, with a focus on advanced physical enhancement.¡¯ This time, he didn¡¯t try to push it too high. Since he now understood that harder things needed more time, he lowered his expectations and just focused on the most basic level, with a slight lean towards internal martial arts. Sure enough, the black mark¡¯s inquiry returned. ¡®Would you like to reinforce it as advanced physical enhancement?¡¯ Numbers also appeared on the paper. Compared to before, these numbers were much more reasonable: 9 hours, 16 minutes. ¡®Yes!¡¯ This time, Yu Hong gave a definite answer. This time, with the reinforcement requiring just a sleep¡¯s worth of time, he was eager to see how the enhanced version differed from regular training methods. After boiling the water in the cave, he ate some dried meat, drank some water, and was about to go out to gather firewood when he suddenly heard someone shouting. ¡°Yu, Hong! Yu, Hong, are you there?¡± A familiar voice came from afar. With the sound of branches snapping underfoot, someone was quickly approaching the cave. Yu Hong¡¯s expression changed. He rushed to the door, peering through the peephole to look outside. In the bright forest, a small figure in camouflage was rapidly approaching. The person was wearing a steel helmet, brown hiking boots, a camouflage tactical vest, goggles, and a black breathing mask. With this gear, no one could tell who they were. But Yu Hong recognized the voice¡ªit was Little Stutterer, Lin Yiyi! ¡°Yiyi, is that you?¡± He quickly called out. ¡°1726495!¡± ¡°2, 3, 2!¡± Little Stutterer hesitated for a moment and immediately responded. ¡°It¡¯s you!!¡± Yu Hong quickly opened the door, cautiously checking the surroundings, and went out to meet her. The two quickly met on the sloped ground in the forest. ¡°You¡¯re alright! That¡¯s great!!¡± Little Stutterer grabbed Yu Hong¡¯s hand, both relieved and happy. ¡°I thought you¡­ were¡­ gone!¡± She gestured with her hands while pulling out a letter from her vest pocket. ¡°I¡¯m leaving! Read the letter.¡± She showed her face, a mix of happiness and helplessness. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Yu Hong, noticing her outfit, had a bad feeling. ¡°I¡¯ve been recruited into the United Army. I must go with the main force to a distant place!¡± Little Stutterer answered, gesturing to the letter. ¡°All the details are in here.¡± She said helplessly. ¡°As long as you¡¯re okay, that¡¯s good.¡± For a moment, Yu Hong didn¡¯t know what to say. In this environment, being drafted into the military was an extremely dangerous situation. But now, it was too late. He quickly took the letter and unfolded it to read. The handwriting was much smoother than before, so it was either someone else had written it for her, or Little Stutterer had practiced and gotten better at it. The letter explained that once she arrived at the town, she used the enhancement crystal to disperse three consecutive illusions, and because of her strong physique and great strength, the local defense forces had taken an interest in her. Little Stutterer didn¡¯t mind joining the army. At least she¡¯d have food and water, no more hunting and scavenging to survive. She would have clean clothes, gear, and housing, much better than when she was in the village. The letter also mentioned that the town¡¯s defense team had noticed the enhanced white stone¡¯s effects and might come to Yu Hong to negotiate an exchange. Although Little Stutterer didn¡¯t know where the enhanced white stone came from, she could see through their intentions. ¡°Be careful!¡± Little Stutterer warned seriously. ¡°Got it!¡± Yu Hong nodded. He had already prepared mentally for the possibility of the defense team coming for the enhanced white stone before he sent it with Little Stutterer, but he didn¡¯t expect it to happen so soon. ¡°I¡¯m leaving. The time¡¯s up.¡± Little Stutterer said one last time. She turned and ran off. After running about ten meters, she suddenly turned around and looked at Yu Hong. ¡°You can write a letter, at the post office!¡± She shouted, pointing in the direction of the previous postal worker¡¯s residence. After the order collapsed, Baiqiu Village¡¯s only external communication method had been through the post office. The postal workers, paid with state-issued supplies, trained their physical fitness every day. Their only job was to stay in contact with various regions, relaying intelligence and information about local specialties to higher-ups. The letter also mentioned that postal workers also had the task of being a general goods merchant. They would take local products to the distant gathering places, sell them, and buy necessities in return, making a profit from the price difference. Lastly, the letter mentioned that postal workers could help deliver letters for a fee, but only for nearby posts, and it wasn¡¯t cheap. In the forest, Yu Hong watched Little Stutterer as she gradually disappeared into the trees. He understood that it would be incredibly hard to meet again. Standing at the cave entrance, his heart was filled with emotion. Little Stutterer was the one who had guided him from the very beginning. Without her, he might have died in the wilderness or succumbed to illness. ¡®Safe travels,¡¯ he silently wished in his heart. Turning around, he went back inside, about to close the door. Suddenly, there was a rustling sound outside. The sound was messy but not hurried or concealed, indicating that the person wasn¡¯t trying to hide their presence. Yu Hong turned back quickly, closed the door, and looked out through the peephole. Outside, two figures in camouflage clothing emerged from the forest. Both men were over 1.8 meters tall, with broad shoulders and sturdy builds, each holding a slender metal rod, pushing through the bushes as they approached the cave. (End of this chapter) Chapter 22: Exchange (2) The two individuals wore goggles and black face masks, dressed in the same way as the little stutterer earlier.Soon, they arrived at the entrance of the cave, and the taller one stepped forward and knocked on the door. ¡°Yu Hong from Baiqiu Village?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me. What is it?¡± Yu Hong replied, hiding to the side of the door. He didn¡¯t stand behind the door but instead leaned against the stone wall. ¡°I heard you have better luminous stones for sale?¡± the taller man asked, without revealing his identity. (TL Note :- Changing white stone to luminous stone ) ¡°What better luminous stones? I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, and who are you?¡± Yu Hong asked, his voice low. ¡°Don¡¯t hide it. We¡¯ve already seen the two luminous stones in Lin Yiyi¡¯s possession. They¡¯re impressive. If you have such skills, you shouldn¡¯t be staying here. You should come with us to the town. There, you¡¯ll be able to make full use of your talents and save more people,¡± the taller man persuaded. ¡°By the way, let me introduce myself. I¡¯m Zhao Zhenghong, and this is Xu Yang. We¡¯re from the town¡¯s United Army.¡± ¡°United Army?¡± Yu Hong¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m not interested in going to the town. I feel safer staying here alone. However, I can sell you some enhanced luminous stones, but not right now. I don¡¯t have enough myself, and I don¡¯t have time to make more.¡± He had considered using enhanced luminous stones for bartering, but currently, he couldn¡¯t mass-produce them. It took three days to make just one, which was a huge waste for him, considering the use of Black Mark. ¡°It¡¯s a high-demand period, and many places need luminous stones. If you come with us to the town, you¡¯ll be under the protection of a lot of people, and you can focus on making larger luminous stones. It¡¯s far better than staying here and handling everything yourself,¡± Zhao Zhenghong continued. ¡°I forgot to mention, we¡¯re local to Baiqiu Village, so I¡¯m giving you a choice. You don¡¯t have to come, but you must contribute your technology on how to make the enhanced luminous stones, okay?¡± ¡°In these difficult times, every additional enhanced luminous stone could save lives. Once you share the technology, it doesn¡¯t mean you can¡¯t make them yourself. It won¡¯t stop you from hiding here and contributing to the greater good without much trouble, right?¡± Zhao Zhenghong¡¯s words were reasonable. If it were someone else, they might have been persuaded. But unfortunately, Yu Hong¡¯s enhanced luminous stones didn¡¯t rely on his own technology but on Black Mark. And Black Mark¡¯s ability was something that couldn¡¯t be exposed. ¡°Sorry, I only trade. As for the technology, it¡¯s something you can¡¯t master,¡± Yu Hong replied steadily. With the reinforced wooden door, he didn¡¯t think they could break in, so his refusal was firm. Zhao Zhenghong¡¯s eyes flickered, but instead of getting angry, he smiled. ¡°Alright, since that¡¯s the case, we¡¯ll visit again. You can think it over, Yu Hong. After all, staying here and suffering alone isn¡¯t better than enjoying life in the shelter, with food and no worries, plus a girl to share your life with.¡± He patted his companion, and the two turned and walked down the stone steps, heading into the distance. Soon, the two vanished into the forest, leaving no trace. However, just out of sight from the cave¡¯s window, another figure, dressed in camouflage, silently pressed against the rock wall, hiding to the right of the door. This figure was dressed the same as Zhao Zhenghong and his companion, holding a knife in one hand and standing motionless against the rock wall like a gecko. ??????????????§¦? From this position, as soon as the cave door opened, they could rush in and control whoever was inside. At this moment, Yu Hong quietly pulled his eyes away from the peephole and sighed. He watched for a while and confirmed that no one was around before relaxing slightly. ¡°The kind of trade I want is not with people like them.¡± He knew that the enhanced luminous stones would attract unwanted guests, but for the safety of the little stutterer, he hadn¡¯t been stingy with his trade. Since the fame of the enhanced luminous stones would spread, more people would likely come to trade with him. After all, the old luminous stones were too bulky, and carrying them was inconvenient. Just like when the little stutterer dispersed the phantom, he had to throw the luminous stones one by one. Snapping back to the present, Yu Hong didn¡¯t go outside. Instead, he waited quietly in the cave. He had food and water that could last for a day, so there was no hurry to go out. If those two came back, it would be troublesome. Leaning against the fireplace and feeling the warmth from it, Yu Hong thought to himself that perhaps living quietly in the safe house forever wasn¡¯t such a bad idea. Suddenly, his stomach rumbled loudly. Yu Hong¡¯s expression changed, and his good mood disappeared without a trace. He quickly rushed to a corner, grabbed a small bucket, and pulled his pants down to use it. Splash. As soon as he positioned himself, a gush of sound erupted. Yu Hong¡¯s face turned pale. He had diarrhea!! The sharp pain in his stomach told him that this wasn¡¯t just a simple case of catching a cold, but possibly an intestinal infection! Soon, after wiping himself with leaves, Yu Hong stood up, but after just a short time, he felt his stomach churning again. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He opened the lid of the bucket once more and had another episode of diarrhea. ¡°This is troublesome!¡± Yu Hong stood up and quickly started rummaging through his belongings. He soon found a small black box. Inside the box were two deep blue capsules, the purpose of which was unclear. But Yu Hong remembered that these were the cold medicine that Dr. Xu had given him. They weren¡¯t antibiotics. He had used up all his antibiotics. Later, when they ran out, the little stutterer exchanged some valuable items with Dr. Xu, but it still wasn¡¯t enough. In the end, Dr. Xu, out of goodwill, made a loss on the exchange. Only after taking the medicine did his body slowly improve. ¡°No, I need to find a solution!¡± Yu Hong closed the bucket, but the smell in the cave had already spread. He had to open the peephole to allow fresh air to circulate. ¡°I need medicine, either anti-diarrheal or intestinal anti-inflammatory!¡± Yu Hong thought urgently. He suspected that the rainwater he had drunk, which hadn¡¯t been boiled, might have caused the diarrhea. But strangely, the water he had drunk before had been filtered through the little stutterer¡¯s dirty filter and hadn¡¯t made him sick. The rainwater, however, seemed odorless, yet it caused an upset stomach. Yu Hong held his stomach and glanced at the newspaper on the comprehensive fitness exercise method, which was still in the countdown for reinforcement. Only a little over two hours had passed, so it still had time to finish. He looked outside at the daylight. Biting his lip, he grabbed two boards and wedged them into his shirt and abdomen. Then, he picked up the steel nail luminous stone rod and headed for the door. He needed to go to the other villagers¡¯ homes in Baiqiu Village to check if the post office had medicine. Otherwise, by tomorrow, the diarrhea would have left him exhausted, and his condition would be worse. Also, he had to figure out how to stock up on more medicine. Maybe he could use Black Mark¡¯s reinforcement once he returned. Gripping the doorknob, Yu Hong twisted it forcefully. Click. The lock turned with a sound. But Yu Hong stood still and waited quietly. He even held his breath, listening for any noise outside. Whoosh! Suddenly, he pushed the door outward. Then, with a bang, he quickly slammed the door shut again. With a crisp sound, just as the door closed, a figure flashed past from the outside, tumbling down the stone steps and crashing into the grass. ¡°Damn!¡± The person cursed as they stood up and muttered something in an unfamiliar dialect. Seeing that there was no movement inside the cave, the person glanced at the sky, snorted coldly, and quickly turned and walked away. Behind the door. Yu Hong took a deep breath, sweat beading on his forehead, but his expression eased. He remained standing behind the door, unmoving. After waiting for another ten minutes, he repeated the earlier tests and confirmed that there was no further movement outside. Only then did he slowly open the door. The sunlight outside was bright, and it was the best time of day, just past noon. ¡°At least five hours until dusk. The post office is about a mile away, so it¡¯s no problem to make a round trip. I can also ask other nearby villagers if they have anything to trade. If the post office has no medicine, someone else might.¡± As for what to trade, Yu Hong brought along the filtration cup he had made. It was reinforced and had good workmanship, filtering much better than regular devices. It should be very popular for trading. This cup was completely handmade by him, with a wooden cup that didn¡¯t even have a handle. It was simple to make¡ªjust carve a round hole into a piece of wood. For filtering, he used a piece of cloth and some charcoal, which was cheap and quick to reinforce. It was perfect for trading. With the filtration cup, the steel rod, some dried meat, and a water skin, Yu Hong set out, following the direction the little stutterer had given him, heading toward the post office. Since he had been there many times, a small path had already been worn into the ground. The grass on the road had been cleared, and it was shorter than the rest. Plus, the little stutterer had marked the trees to prevent getting lost. Yu Hong jogged along, without taking a wrong turn. About half an hour later. He finally reached the so-called post office of Baiqiu Village¡ª a square white stone house. The house was surrounded by a fence, and on the wooden door of the entrance hung a sign that read: Ring the bell before visiting. Yu Hong glanced at the stone house and walked to the sign, only to find that the bell had fallen to the ground. He picked it up. It was an egg-sized copper bell, and when shaken gently¡­ Ding dong! The sound echoed. He shook it continuously, the bell ringing, its sound spreading through the forest, in circles, as if responding to the wind. He shook the bell for several minutes. But there was no movement from inside the house. It seemed deserted. ¡°Stop shaking it. The postman has gone to the shelter in the town. There¡¯s no one here.¡± A cautious female voice called out from behind. Yu Hong turned and saw a small woman with blonde hair, wearing a green men¡¯s jacket, bowing down as she rose from a patch of grass. (End of Chapter) Chapter 23: Exchange (3) The woman, though short in stature, had an agile build. She held a large mountain-cleaving knife in her hand and was eyeing Yu Hong with a scrutinizing look.¡°Got any food?¡± Her gaze briefly lingered on the steel nail luminous stone staff Yu Hong was holding. ¡°Want to trade? What do you want?¡± she added quickly. ¡°Got any medicine?¡± Yu Hong, observing her toned physique, felt that this woman might be stronger than him, and a sense of caution rose within him. As he kept a wary eye on his surroundings, he looked her over. ¡°I need anti-diarrheal medicine and anti-inflammatory medicine.¡± ¡°I have some, but you need to figure out exactly what¡¯s wrong with you, or it¡¯ll just be a waste.¡± The woman responded quickly. ¡°Diarrhea, several times in a row. I think it¡¯s because I drank rainwater,¡± Yu Hong answered promptly. ¡°Rainwater!?¡± The woman¡¯s expression changed, and she stopped in her tracks, glaring at Yu Hong. ¡°Did you drink it directly, or did you filter it first?¡± ¡°Filtered it,¡± Yu Hong replied, sensing her reaction and feeling uneasy. ¡°Good, that¡¯s a relief.¡± The woman¡¯s tone relaxed. ¡°Rainwater has to be boiled before drinking. Ever since those things started appearing two years ago, the rainwater has been contaminated. Drinking it straight will cause severe diarrhea, only people with very strong constitutions can handle it.¡± ¡°So, what should I do now?¡± Yu Hong furrowed his brow and threw a piece of dried lizard meat toward her. She caught it, sniffed it, bit off half of it, and chewed slowly. Her gaze toward Yu Hong softened. ¡°Good thing you filtered it first. Didn¡¯t anyone tell you not to drink rainwater?¡± she said, sounding exasperated. ¡°No, I have a companion. She just drinks it without thinking,¡± Yu Hong recalled his time with Little stutterer , who often drank rainwater but never offered him any. ¡°You have a strong companion,¡± the woman murmured in silence. ¡°I guess she¡¯s like a wild buffalo, able to lift you with one hand.¡± ¡°Not that strong. But can you tell me how to fix this?¡± Yu Hong tossed another piece of dried meat toward her. She caught it with a faint smile. ¡°It¡¯s simple. Dig up some black, slightly purple soil from the ground. Take a lump about the size of an egg, mix it with water, and drink it down. You¡¯ll feel better soon.¡± She stood up straight, eyeing Yu Hong. ¡°By the way, this is probably your first time exchanging with someone, right? You just gave everything away. Were you from the underground bunker in town?¡± Yu Hong said nothing but looked at her, his expression revealing just how she knew. He wasn¡¯t from the bunker, but it didn¡¯t hurt to let her believe so. ¡°You¡¯re Yu Hong, right?¡± The woman suddenly said, speaking his name. ¡°Yi Yi is indeed strong, I¡¯ve heard her mention you. There are very few newcomers around here, and you¡¯re the only one recently.¡± ?????§§S? ¡°Alright, I¡¯m Yu Hong. What¡¯s your name?¡± Yu Hong, hearing Yi Yi¡¯s name, relaxed a bit, knowing the woman was familiar with her. But he still gripped his staff tightly. ¡°I¡¯m Jenny, a leather worker. You¡¯ve probably heard of me from Yi Yi. I can repair any clothing for the people around here,¡± the woman spoke more gently now. ¡°Where¡¯s Yi Yi? Why is it you instead of her? Why isn¡¯t she here?¡± Jenny asked, confused. ¡°She went to town,¡± Yu Hong lied casually, not saying that Yi Yi had left. ¡°Alright. Got any more food? I told you how to treat rainwater-induced diarrhea. If you have anything else to trade, just bring food. Need any clean clothes?¡± Her eyes scanned Yu Hong¡¯s filthy T-shirt and she smiled. The once-gray shirt now looked yellow and soaked with sweat, heavy and unpleasant to wear. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Got any nails?¡± Yu Hong thought for a moment and asked. He needed nails for his work; they were much more convenient than traditional joinery. ¡°I have plenty. What do you need them for?¡± Jenny blinked, and then her eyes widened as if realizing something. ¡°Wait, you can make things?¡± ¡°A bit,¡± Yu Hong nodded and pulled out a water filter cup he had made. ¡°This is my work. If you need it, you can order from me. Medicines, clothes, unprocessed gemstones, or help with some tasks can all be traded for it.¡± Jenny looked at the water filter cup in his hands, her eyes growing brighter as she examined it. ¡°If this works well, everyone around here can benefit. Because of the recent big disaster, we¡¯ve all gathered at Old Zhou¡¯s bunker. Once the crisis passes, I¡¯ll come to trade with you!¡± She quickly said. ¡°Will you trade this cup now?¡± she asked, pointing at the filter cup. ¡°Sure,¡± Yu Hong nodded. He could make things, and he was good at it. This was the identity he had crafted for himself, and it helped ensure his basic safety in the area. As long as he was alive, he could continue to provide what others needed. That was his value. ¡°Wait here, I¡¯ll be back soon,¡± Jenny said, not saying how much she would trade, and turned to run into the forest, disappearing in a flash. Yu Hong watched her go and then carefully found a place to hide, not wanting to remain foolishly exposed. He desperately wished for the exercise method he was about to finish enhancing. His physical condition was too poor, and he feared he couldn¡¯t defend himself if anyone attacked. Once the enhancement method succeeded, he could strengthen various survival skills, including wilderness survival and stealth techniques. But the key was that the enhanced skills had to be usable by him. ¡°Exercise still needs adequate food and rest. I wish I could figure out how the lizard jerky is made. And the mushrooms¡­¡± Yu Hong crouched in the grass, deep in thought, waiting. Fortunately, it was the hottest part of the day, and the phantom-like creatures wouldn¡¯t appear at this time. For some unknown reason, there were few mosquitoes or insects in the forest, so he didn¡¯t have to worry about being bitten. The leaves rustled with the wind, sometimes loud, sometimes soft. The sunlight was intense, casting a warm glow on his body. Yet, apart from the rustling of the leaves, the forest felt eerily quiet. No birds, no insects, just a suffocating silence. Yu Hong¡¯s eyes constantly scanned the area to ensure he wasn¡¯t being approached by a phantom. The forest, so full of life and sunlight, felt oddly lifeless. There were no butterflies, no bees, no flowers¡ªjust grass, tree branches, and roots. The layers of leaves, in shades of light green, emerald, and yellow, intertwined, forming a bizarre and unreal forest. ¡°This forest feels like it¡¯s dead. So lush yet falsely quiet,¡± a thought flickered in Yu Hong¡¯s mind. After several minutes, footsteps once again came from the direction of the post office stone house. ¡°Yu Hong? Are you here? I¡¯m back.¡± Jenny¡¯s voice called out. Yu Hong carefully peered through the grass, looking in the direction of the voice. Jenny appeared in her previous attire, holding a small cloth bag, scanning the surroundings. He didn¡¯t rush out but kept observing her. After a moment, he noticed her movements were natural, not stiff, and she was walking step by step. Clearly, she was not a phantom. Also, no one else had followed her. She was alone. Once he was sure of this, he slowly stood up. ¡°I¡¯m here. Got the stuff?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got it,¡± Jenny narrowed her eyes, looking in his direction. ¡°Stay still!¡± She suddenly shouted. ¡°What¡¯s the exchange we agreed on?¡± ¡°The filter cup and nails!¡± Yu Hong answered immediately. ¡°Alright!¡± Jenny relaxed and approached. ¡°Here,¡± she handed over the small cloth bag. Yu Hong took it, opened it, and found a large handful of rusty iron nails, each about the size of a finger. ¡°About thirty or so, should last a while. But this isn¡¯t enough for the filter cup.¡± He looked up at her. ¡°Add this.¡± Jenny placed a backpack on the ground, opened it, and pulled out a patched-up long-sleeve sweatshirt. ¡°I figured you¡¯d need a change of clothes. If you get soaked by the rain, you might catch a fever.¡± She smiled and winked at Yu Hong. ¡°Deal!¡± Yu Hong nodded, handing her the filter cup and receiving the sweatshirt. The sweatshirt was gray, made from some unknown fine grass and adorned with animal fur, looking warm and practical. ¡°This shirt has wild boar skin, it can keep the rain off, but don¡¯t stay in the rain for too long,¡± Jenny reminded him. ¡°It was originally for my daughter, who works at the bunker in town. She comes back once a month. She should be only a little younger than you.¡± A soft smile appeared on her face as she mentioned her daughter. ¡°You really love your daughter,¡± Yu Hong said, tucking the sweatshirt and nails away. ¡°Yes, she¡¯s my pride. She inherited the best traits from both her father and me¡ªbeautiful, confident, capable. She can handle everything in life,¡± Jenny replied with a smile. ¡°By the way, if I want to contact you from a distance, how can I do that?¡± Yu Hong suddenly changed the topic. ¡°You can use a long-distance communicator, but charging it is a hassle. It was useful before the disaster, but now it¡¯s pretty much useless,¡± Jenny replied. ¡°The mailman has one, though, and he can always contact the bunker in town.¡± ¡°How does the charging work?¡± Yu Hong¡¯s mind lit up, and he quickly asked. ¡°With a hand-crank generator. There¡¯s also solar power, but the efficiency has dropped over time, so now it only works as a backup,¡± Jenny explained. ¡°Why? Do you want one?¡± She quickly guessed Yu Hong¡¯s intentions. ¡°I have some small electrical devices. If they can be charged, they¡¯d be a huge help. When the mailman returns, can you ask if they¡¯re selling solar generators?¡± Yu Hong said. (End of chapter) Chapter 24: Exchange (4) ¡°If you still have something as good as a water filter cup, he will definitely buy it,¡± Jenny said with a laugh.Filtering water had always been a big problem for her. The water filter jugs sent from the bunker were only good for filtering coarse particles. They needed to be replaced frequently. She had just quickly checked the water filter cup in her hand. The filter inside had five layers, so it should work well. ¡°Would you mind if I try it?¡± She took a leather water pouch from her waist bag and compared it. ¡°Of course,¡± Yu Hong stepped back a little, letting her pour water into the filter cup. Soon, clear water flowed out, and the quality was so good that Jenny¡¯s eyes lit up. Clean water was in high demand, especially for washing wounds. After the transaction, they each stepped back and quickly parted ways. On his way back, Yu Hong found the soil that Jenny had mentioned. He dug up a bit and brought it back to the cave. He planned to try enhancing it. If the soil indeed had a diarrhea-stopping effect, the Black Mark should be able to enhance it into a medicine with fewer side effects. This was his true trump card! At that point, if the enhancement time was right, he would have another source of trade for supplies. On the other side. Jenny quickly passed through the forest and stopped in front of a patch of grass. She bent down, pushed aside some weeds, and dug out a pull ring from the ground. Grabbing the ring, she pulled it up. Immediately, a wooden board camouflaged as grass stood up. Below the board was a simple tunnel. She quickly crawled into the tunnel, going deeper into the dark passage. After crawling for more than ten meters, she soon reached the end of the tunnel. At the end, there was a black-gray round metal door. Knock, knock, knock. She knocked on the door, then, without waiting for a response, pulled out a key, inserted it into the keyhole, and turned it to open the door. Behind it was a small square room with atomic lights on the walls. The faint green light cast everything in a strange hue. This was her solitary bunker, furnished with tables, chairs, cabinets, a bed, tools, and plenty of materials used for leather crafting. Jenny crawled out of the passage, closed the door behind her, stretched, walked over to a cabinet, and poured the filtered water from the cup into a small pot, waiting for it to boil. She then walked to the bookshelf, sat down, took out a charcoal pencil and some newspaper, and prepared to record her encounter with Yu Hong today. ¡°Mom, did you just go out?¡± Suddenly, a clear voice came from another room. This bunker had a small hall with three rooms: one for leather crafting, one for the bedroom, and one for storage. The voice came from the bedroom. ¡°Is that you, Eve? When did you come back?¡± Jenny¡¯s face lit up as she turned to look in the direction of the voice. ¡°Not long ago.¡± A girl with a golden ponytail walked out of the bedroom. She wore a green hoodie and tight jeans. Her face was delicate, and it seemed like she had put on light makeup. ???????????¨¨S? She was Jenny¡¯s daughter, Eve, the most beautiful girl in the survivor settlement. ¡°Is there any food, Mom? I just checked, and there¡¯s nothing.¡± Eve complained. ¡°There¡¯s some left.¡± Jenny stood up and quickly found a small bag of dried meat in the corner. She opened the bag, grabbed half of it, and prepared to give it to her daughter. But before she could, Eve snatched the whole bag. ¡°There¡¯s this much? Thanks, Mom! I knew you were the best!¡± Eve happily gave her mom a kiss and quickly darted out through the exit. Jenny¡¯s hand hung in the air, the dried meat now gone. She smiled wryly but didn¡¯t stop her. She hadn¡¯t had the chance to say that the dried meat was most of her remaining supplies for the peak of her hunger. What¡¯s left was barely enough for her to make clear soup to survive each day. Sighing, Jenny suddenly smiled again. ¡°She must be really hungry. Well, it¡¯s good to help her.¡± She didn¡¯t think about why her daughter, who was doing well, suddenly ran back from the town, nor did she wonder why Eve wasn¡¯t considering her at all. She only knew that since her husband¡¯s death, Eve was her only remaining family. ¡®She¡¯s still young in this regard. She¡¯ll understand when she¡¯s older.¡¯ Comforting herself, Jenny continued to focus on handling some old clothes she had received in trade. She was dismantling the old clothes to make new, well-fitting ones, which was one of her trades. Elsewhere. Yu Hong quickly entered the cave and was greeted by a familiar stench, which reassured him. He closed the door and opened the window to let in some fresh air. He grabbed a protein bar and slowly chewed it while laying the soil he had dug out earlier on a piece of newspaper. Finally, he pulled over a round log stool, sat down, and quietly watched the newspaper with the ¡°Comprehensive Physical Training Method¡± flickering with a countdown. At this point, the countdown had just over five hours remaining. Yu Hong decided to stay put and wait calmly, sitting on the stool, watching the time pass. One hour. Two hours. Three hours. The sky outside began to darken. The wind in the forest picked up, howling louder. Yu Hong stood up, stretched his legs, and reached for the shutter to close the observation window. At the same time, he swapped out half of the strengthening stone for his only complete one. After doing this, he grabbed the small pot, poured out the boiled water, and took a small sip from the cup to avoid dehydration. ¡®With the rain outside, one day isn¡¯t enough to dry the wood. There¡¯s not enough dry firewood, so tonight, I¡¯ll have to make do.¡¯ He calculated the remaining firewood and then took out a candle, placing it somewhere easily accessible. Afterward, he lay down on the blanket, gazing at the door, waiting for nightfall. Not long after, about twenty minutes later, the sky turned completely dark. The familiar rustling sounds of black insects crawling came once again. Yu Hong quickly got up and used the remaining embers in the fireplace to light the candle. The candlelight illuminated the entire cave. During this time, he began lighting the fireplace. By nightfall, the outside temperature had dropped to just a few degrees, and the black insects rapidly swarmed in. The flames in the fireplace gradually grew brighter as Yu Hong added dry wood. Time passed in this monotonous routine. During this time, Yu Hong had to run to the toilet twice, each time experiencing severe dehydration symptoms. His complexion grew paler, and his lips lost their color. Finally, after closely monitoring the process, the ¡°Comprehensive Physical Training Method¡± enhancement finished. After a brief blur, the newspaper instantly transformed into a thin black manual. The manual was about the size of a palm, with a cover neatly stamped with the words: Advanced Physical Training Method. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Seeing this, Yu Hong¡¯s eyes lit up. He quickly put down the dry wood and walked over to grab the booklet. Under the firelight, he eagerly flipped to the first page. Immediately, a diagram of a standard running posture appeared before him. The figure in the diagram was a bald man with no skin, showing all his muscles, tendons, and bones. The areas where force should be exerted were highlighted in red, and arrows indicated the direction and intensity of the force. Looking at the text above the diagram, it read: Basic Breathwork Running. ¡°This is just running, isn¡¯t it?¡± Yu Hong carefully checked the details on the diagram, confirming that this was an extremely detailed guide on running technique. However, he distinctly remembered that he had directed the enhancement toward martial arts, internal skills, or similar areas. At the time, he had thought that even if the name was ¡°Advanced Physical Training Method,¡± slight deviation wouldn¡¯t matter. But this was the result? Yu Hong frowned, sighed, and patiently turned to the next page. The second page included a diagram of breathing techniques for running. Again, it showed the same skinless bald man, with red and blue arrows indicating exhalation and inhalation rhythms, quantities, times, and pathways. There were also small notes beside it, stating that a specific pattern needed to be visualized during running. The third page showed that very visualization pattern. It was an odd image, resembling a mix of black sludge and silver sand. At first glance, Yu Hong felt a slight dizziness, as if his eyes were being sucked in. He didn¡¯t dare to look further, because below it was a small warning: Do not look before the training period. He flipped the page again. Finally, there were some herbal materials to accompany the exercises. Yu Hong was surprised to find that these herbs were common in the surrounding forests. There were also cautionary notes and warnings. ¡®This training method is customized based on individual physical and mental conditions. Do not use it if you are not the intended recipient. Any consequences will be your own responsibility.¡¯ ¡°So intelligent?¡± Yu Hong felt more amazed by the Black Mark¡¯s power and mystery. He closed the last page, suddenly realizing that this ¡°Advanced Physical Training Method¡± only included a jogging exercise diagram? The black insects outside were still swarming in wildly. The noisy sounds brought Yu Hong back to his thoughts. He quickly set down the manual and walked over to the fireplace to add more wood. As he added the wood, he carefully recalled the exercise methods he had just seen. ¡®It didn¡¯t say that I need to run outdoors. It seems like I could try running in place indoors.¡¯ Unfortunately, the idea seemed good, but after just two minutes of running in place, his legs gave way, and he was exhausted. Having not eaten, only drinking water and suffering from dehydration, his body had already entered a state of fatigue. Realizing this, Yu Hong quickly remembered that he hadn¡¯t taken the medicine yet and his diarrhea hadn¡¯t improved. He grabbed a piece of firewood, went over to the mound of soil he had dug earlier, and touched it. ¡®Enhance the diarrhea medicine, with the goal: Reduce side effects.¡¯ He silently thought. If this soil really had a natural diarrhea-stopping effect, the Black Mark enhancement should succeed. If not, the Black Mark might fail to enhance, just like before, because the soil wasn¡¯t effective. This would be the test of whether it worked or not. Yu Hong stared at the soil, not blinking, quietly waiting. Hiss. Soon, a black line emerged from the Black Mark on the back of his hand, drilling into the soil. Immediately, a familiar countdown appeared on the surface of the soil. This time, the countdown was red, instead of black. ¡®1 hour, 51 minutes.¡¯ Really!! Yu Hong¡¯s eyes lit up, and a look of relief crossed his face. Although he didn¡¯t think Jenny would deceive him, seeing the results in person brought him a sense of relief. In this dangerous environment with a lack of medicine, being able to reliably produce enough diarrhea medicine would be a great benefit to both him and others. ¡®Do you want to enhance the diarrhea medicine?¡¯ The cold, mechanical voice of the Black Mark slowly sounded. Yu Hong licked his dry lips. ¡®Yes!¡¯ (End of Chapter) Chapter 25: Setback (1) An hour and fifty-one minutes, or rather, two hours, was not long for Yu Hong.While adding firewood, he patiently waited. Unknowingly, the number of black bugs outside began to decrease, and faint light started to shine through the ventilation holes. Morning arrived. He slowly walked to the back of the door and opened the observation window. Outside, the forest was shrouded in a hazy gray mist, unclear and indistinct. The sunlight illuminated the mist, turning everything into a dull gray-white. Suddenly, Yu Hong smelled a pungent odor and involuntarily took two steps back, frowning slightly. He glanced at the enhanced medicine behind him; there were still a few minutes left. Not in a hurry, he calmly sat and waited. Before long, the numbers on the surface of the black soil dropped to zero. Its entire body twisted and blurred for less than a second, then quickly returned to clarity. Once clear, the original soil had turned into six black capsules, lined up together. The back of the capsules had writing: Antidiarrheal medicine, usage: one capsule at a time, once a day. Side effects: abdominal pain, constipation, stomach discomfort. Yu Hong¡¯s expression brightened, and he quickly ran over to pick up the medicine. He took out one capsule and put it in his mouth, then grabbed the filtered boiled water and drank it, swallowing the pill with a few gulps. After taking the medicine, he felt much calmer. The enhanced black imprint ability had never failed. Since it had marked the pill as an antidiarrheal, it would definitely be safe. The medicine hadn¡¯t taken effect yet, so Yu Hong, with nothing else to do, began using the remaining wood to make a new water filtration cup. As long as it was roughly made, the enhancement would perfect it. He also took a protein bar and popped it into his mouth. This bar claimed to replace a full day¡¯s worth of nutrition, and he wanted to give it a try. While working with the saw, he casually turned on the radio. The radio was set up and hadn¡¯t been tampered with. Once switched on, a voice emerged, an interview format. ¡°.The major disaster in Youyun City in the past two years has not been an isolated case. According to the statistics of the National News Agency, since the appearance of the Black Disaster, special disasters have been increasing nationwide. The casualties caused by strange shadow creatures and blood tide monsters have not been particularly severe. They only caused considerable damage in the early stages of the Black Disaster. But in the more stable environments later, it was the more dangerous Evil Shadows that led to the sharp rise in casualties.¡± ?????¨§???? ¡°The Evil Shadows are not afraid of ordinary glowing stones, move extremely fast, and have strong infectivity. Although their appearance is rare, they cause far more harm once they appear than the previous two monsters. The recent disaster in Youyun caused over six hundred casualties, comparable to the early case in Frika, Charle Town.¡± ¡°Indeed, Professor Han, do you have any advice for us?¡± the radio host asked. ¡°Advice? There is only one: Try to reach larger Hope City outposts. They have better weapons, stronger protection, and a single person cannot find a way to combat the Evil Shadows. Thank you.¡± ¡°Okay, by the way, you previously mentioned that the Silver Tower Joint Research Institute is about to release a survival manual for defending against the Blood Tide and strange shadow monsters. Do you know if this is true or not?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard of it, but I¡¯m not sure whether it¡¯s true. However, the environment outside the cities is getting worse. Blood Tide and strange shadow creatures are increasing, and the night is growing longer. The demand for lighting is rising. Personally, I think Silver Tower has an obligation to release such a manual.¡± ¡°Lastly, a listener asked: In large gathering places, when danger strikes, more people die and the risk of being affected is higher. Just like the Bokov incident from a year ago or the Music Box incident five months ago, both led to mass casualties. There are even more incidents happening in various corners that haven¡¯t been reported. What is your opinion on these concerns?¡± ¡°I must warn you about these incidents. Investigations show that they were all caused by Evil Shadows. Their high infectivity allows them to spread rapidly through any contact with their mediums. This is the key to their large-scale casualties. As for the Evil Shadows, aside from isolating and dispersing the mediums, we have no effective means of driving them away.¡± ¡°How about high-concentration Luminous stone bombs?¡± ¡°No, the danger of Evil Shadows lies in their ability to recover extremely fast once dispersed, without any harm. So, once encountered, it is crucial to leave swiftly. With more Evil Shadow incidents outside, various Hope Cities are becoming stricter in their checks for people entering. I advise all survivors outside to enter the cities¡¯ bunkers as soon as possible. Otherwise, they may face difficulties entering and a lack of supplies.¡± The program ended with a thank-you message as the professor left the broadcast room, and the station played soothing music. Yu Hong sat on the bench, engrossed in listening. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He hadn¡¯t expected that even the seemingly safe Hope City outposts were facing such great dangers. ¡®Well, it makes sense. The more people, the more danger draws towards them. If I were a strange shadow monster, I¡¯d go to places with more people to find food.¡¯ Snapping back to reality, he sighed lightly. Standing up, he placed a rough wooden cup on the ground and, as usual, wrapped charcoal in cloth to block the cup¡¯s mouth. He pressed down on it and activated the enhancement. The countdown numbers appeared: 3 hours and 2 minutes. ¡°Huh? Why is the time longer?¡± Yu Hong remembered that the last time the enhancement took only two and a half hours. He looked at the new cup he had made. It was very rough¡ªjust a square wooden bowl hacked out with an axe, with a messy hole carved in the middle with a chisel. It was much worse than the finely crafted wooden cup he made the first time. ¡®Could it be that the craftsmanship is affecting the time?¡¯ he wondered. He made a mental note of this. After resting for a while, feeling better, he began enhancing the water filtration cup. Then, he cleaned up the cave, throwing out the garbage and changing into the new clothes he¡¯d found, before going outside to gather more firewood and collect water from puddles. After finishing these tasks, three hours had passed. The cup was enhanced, and there was no noticeable difference from the last one. He tested it out, and indeed, it worked well. That day, he didn¡¯t run around much, instead staying near the cave, gathering firewood. The dry firewood had been soaked by the rain, but it was still good for small crafting projects. Another three hours passed, and Yu Hong enhanced another filtration cup. With two now, he paused and decided not to continue, instead picking up his tool kit. This kit, assembled by the little stutterer, included a saw, axe, chisel, shovel, screwdriver, and more¡ªquite comprehensive. Yu Hong decided to enhance it properly for future use; if it broke, it would be troublesome to fix it later. Inside the cave, he placed all the tools together, bundled them in a piece of rag, and then pressed his hand on the cloth. ¡°Enhance tool kit, focus: reinforcement.¡± A black line flashed, and the countdown immediately appeared: 1 hour and 12 minutes. A short time. Yu Hong withdrew his hand, deep in thought. ¡°Looks like this enhancement is closely related to my requirements. The more difficult the requirement, the greater the time difference. There¡¯s also something about the level of completeness; I¡¯m not sure how low the minimum requirement is.¡± He calculated in his mind, then found a place to sit and rest. The antidiarrheal medicine was very effective; for six hours, he didn¡¯t have any problems and felt no discomfort. The remaining medicine could be saved for future use or exchanged at a crucial moment. As the afternoon passed, Yu Hong decided to take a break. After familiarizing himself with the environment, he returned to the shelter and prepared to sleep early. He couldn¡¯t sleep at night, so he planned to use the advanced physical training method to exercise his body. Before sleeping, he couldn¡¯t let the enhancement time go to waste, so he checked the status of the tool kit. When he reached the corner of the cave, Yu Hong was momentarily stunned. The once scattered and broken tools were now all fixed in place by a black metal rack. Each tool looked brand new, no longer showing any wear or damage. Moreover, the surfaces of the tools seemed to have a layer of unknown black substance attached, making them thicker and sturdier. ¡°Wow¡­ impressive. Just one hour?¡± Yu Hong couldn¡¯t help but exclaim, picking up a saw. The saw¡¯s teeth, which had previously been broken in some places, were now fully intact, sharper than before. Impressed again, he began to look for the next item to enhance. Now, in the cave, food, water, and tools were guaranteed for the time being. The only remaining issue was the place to rest. His gaze fell on the thick, smelly quilt. ¡®Let¡¯s enhance this too. If it can be turned into something resistant to mold, lightweight, and easy to clean, that would be great.¡¯ With that thought, he crouched in front of the gray-white quilt the little stutterer had given him and extended his hand. ¡°Enhance bedding, focus: anti-mold, pest control, more lightweight and easier to clean.¡± His requirements flashed in his mind. The black line from the imprint on his hand flashed out and entered the quilt. The countdown appeared: 10 hours and 14 minutes. ¡°Ten hours?!¡± Yu Hong was surprised. But then, he realized that the extra requirements and the larger size of the bedding might be the cause. Ten hours¡ªfrom now until morning¡ªhe could wait. He made up his mind and sat down to rest. As the countdown on the quilt began to move, Yu Hong started jogging in place, continuing his physical exercises. He kept his breathing steady, focusing his mind, and coordinating with his muscles. It was a challenge to synchronize all three. He kept trying and repeating, occasionally stopping to add firewood, as time continued to pass. By the later hours of the night, he gradually found the rhythm of coordination. As he jogged, he began to hear faint water sounds. The sound was initially soft. But over time, it grew louder and louder, eventually overtaking even the sound of the black bugs outside. (End of Chapter) Chapter 26: Setback (2) Gradually, Yu Hong began to feel heat surging through his body, a thin layer of sweat forming on his skin. He swung his arms with effort, coordinating his movements with his entire body.In his mind, he visualized the diagram of the advanced exercise method. Unknowingly, fatigue set in; his body grew heavier, and exhaustion crept in. This sensation lasted only a few minutes before¡ªsuddenly!¡ªa faint, almost imperceptible coolness emerged in the soles of his feet. This coolness seemed to be composed of countless tiny particles within his body, converging to form it. Yu Hong could distinctly feel countless tingling, itchy spots gathering around his soles, eventually coalescing into that faint thread of cool air. While his feet kept moving, a refreshing current began flowing upward from the center of his soles. The airflow moved slowly upwards, naturally following his running motion¡ªfirst reaching his hips, then his waist, his chest, and finally his head. The two streams of cool air converged at the top of his head, forming a vortex before flowing down the back of his neck, eventually returning to his soles and forming two circular loops. Curiously, as the two streams completed their first loop, Yu Hong felt a sudden chill sweep through his body, instantly alleviating much of his fatigue. Shortly after, he stopped to add wood to the fireplace, carefully savoring the sensations brought about by the advanced exercise method. That night, no large skinned creatures battered at the door¡ªonly a ceaseless tide of black insects poured in, seemingly endless. Unknowingly, dawn broke. Yu Hong ceased his exercises, glanced at the fortified bed, and began tidying up the ashes, eating, drinking water, and attending to other necessities. After waiting a while, he listened to the radio as the countdown for the fortification process neared its end. Swoosh!! In an instant, the scene twisted momentarily. The previously grimy quilt blurred before snapping back into clarity. What lay before Yu Hong was no longer just a blanket. It was now a grayish-white sleeping bag with a zipper and hood! The material had transformed from cotton to a lightweight, unfamiliar fabric. Yu Hong pinched it with his fingers¡ªit felt soft and gentle, exuding a faintly fragrant smell likely intended to repel insects. ¡°Now I just need a large supply of water to take a bath,¡± Yu Hong remarked, inspecting his improved cave, which had become far more comfortable compared to the beginning. ¡°How can I secure a large water source?¡± he muttered. It was a troublesome question. While there was just enough water to sustain basic needs, obtaining a large quantity required either a well or a stream. ¡®Wait¡ªif anything can be fortified, what about a well? Could a well also be fortified?¡¯ A sudden thought flashed in his mind. He pushed this idea aside for later, drank a cup of water, and pulled out a small bag of dried meat. Fortifying dried meat was the most cost-effective way to pass the time. ?????????¨®?????s A small bag containing ten pieces required only 8 hours to fortify, turning them into protein bars that could last for ten days. Compared to their pre-fortification shelf life of two to three days, the improvement was substantial. For the next two days, Yu Hong didn¡¯t leave the cave, focusing entirely on physical training. His meals consisted of protein bars mixed with dried mushrooms and wild vegetables. By boiling everything into a pot of soup, even the time for heating water was saved. Time flew, and the six-day peak period of fortification finally passed. On the last day, two large skinned creatures attempted to breach the door again but were repelled by the reinforced and re-fortified barrier. It was a close call. With this, the small safe house finally lived up to its name, providing genuine safety. After the peak period, Yu Hong tallied his remaining food supplies. All the dried meat had been fortified into protein bars¡ª26 in total¡ªalong with dried mushrooms and wild vegetables. Using the Black Seal, he fortified them into something similar to nutrient bars. According to the description, consuming one bar per day provided all essential micronutrients and dietary fiber. The forest was abundant with wild vegetables, but meat and water were still the main concerns. After the peak period, Yu Hong spent his days wandering the forest in search of streams and his nights training his body with the advanced exercise method before resting by the fireplace. Life became simple and rhythmic. Occasionally, shadowy figures would probe the area, but they were repelled by the Great luminous Stone. Yu Hong had come to prefer the name ¡°Great luminous Stone¡± as used by the town¡¯s allied military, so he adopted it himself. Days passed peacefully, one after another. In the blink of an eye, twenty days went by. With food supplies dwindling¡ªonly six protein bars left¡ªrestocking became urgent. Bang. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yu Hong closed the door behind him, holding a black metallic mace, and scanned the surroundings cautiously. Half a month of training had added some muscle to his frame, replacing the former frailness. His eyes now carried a sharp focus, a noticeable improvement. The most significant change, however, was his weapon¡ªa steel-spiked mace, which had been fortified into a lighter, sturdier weapon with concealed slots for inserting Great luminous Stone. The spiked club now came with an anti-slip wrist strap that secured it to his arm, preventing it from falling during combat. Three large luminous stones were discreetly hidden in the compartments along the middle section of the club, undetectable unless the compartments were unlocked. In addition, Yu Hong¡¯s dark green anti-stab jacket, which he wore, had been made by enhancing a hoodie purchased from Jenny. Although it had taken some time to complete, the results were worth the effort. The anti-stab jacket had been reinforced with two hardwood plates at the front and back, granting it some bulletproof capabilities. It could significantly reduce damage from anything short of a close-range shot, not to mention its excellent protection against stabbing weapons. The rest of his time had been devoted to enhancing the large luminous stones. Including the one he already had, he now possessed five in total. Phew. Yu Hong exhaled, watching his breath turn into a plume of white mist in the air. The temperature had dropped again. He pulled up the hood of his anti-stab hoodie, which also served as protection against rain and cold. ¡°I still need anti-stab gloves and a bulletproof helmet. If I trade jerky, maybe I can ask around. And salt is running out; I wonder if the courier has returned. If I can get solar equipment, electricity won¡¯t be a problem anymore.¡± Yu Hong lowered his head, jumped off the stone steps, and headed toward the post office. He had to hurry because he had noticed a clear trend recently: days were getting shorter, and nights were getting longer. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just that autumn and winter are approaching,¡± Yu Hong reassured himself. Wearing reinforced boots, he moved steadily through the forest, staying alert to his surroundings at all times. After twenty days of training, his physical stamina had improved significantly. The cool sensation generated by the advanced physical training method was generally of little help to him. Only when he was utterly exhausted would the cool energy manifest, rejuvenating his tired body. It was essentially like having a backup supply. Other than that, the training method was not much different from ordinary jogging. Though slightly disappointed, Yu Hong wasn¡¯t in a hurry. He figured he could refine the method later based on his current experiences and knowledge. If possible, he even hoped to learn from professionals to improve further. Crunch, crunch. Amid the sound of footsteps and branches breaking underfoot, Yu Hong soon arrived at the stone house post office. To his surprise, there was already quite a crowd gathered in front of the building. Among the seven or eight people, he immediately recognized Jenny. The middle-aged woman he had traded with before was noticeable, though not as much as the striking young woman beside her. The young woman had a curvaceous figure, long legs in tight whitewashed jeans, a full chest, and an exquisitely made-up face. Her soft, golden hair fell gracefully over her shoulders. In this forested area, surrounded by grimy people, she stood out like a beacon of cleanliness, seemingly out of place in this environment. Yu Hong¡¯s arrival drew a wave of tension from the crowd as multiple gazes fixed on him. ¡°Is that Yu Hong?¡± Jenny stepped forward first. ¡°What did we trade last time?¡± ¡°A water filter cup and steel nails,¡± Yu Hong answered quickly, moving a few steps back and forth to show he was flexible and not a spectral shadow. ¡°It¡¯s the kid rescued by Yi Yi!¡± A familiar voice emerged from the crowd. A middle-aged woman in a worn white coat stepped out, wearing black-framed glasses. It was none other than Dr. Xu, whom he hadn¡¯t seen in a long time. ¡°Dr. Xu? You¡¯re back?¡± Yu Hong asked in surprise. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be? That town¡¯s a nightmare! Forced labor every day, and the soldiers don¡¯t even pay for medical treatment. Speak too loudly, and they beat you!¡± Dr. Xu grumbled. Her sharp, abrasive tone was the same as ever, though it oddly improved Yu Hong¡¯s mood this time. At least, seeing a familiar person safe and sound¡ªsomeone who had helped him, even if it was due to Yi Yi¡¯s influence¡ªwas comforting. ¡°It¡¯s good that you made it back safely,¡± Yu Hong nodded, his tone softening. Seeing that he wasn¡¯t a Ghostly shadow but someone they knew, the others stopped paying attention and returned their focus to the stone house post office. Yu Hong approached, nodding at Jenny before standing next to Dr. Xu. Compared to Jenny, with whom he had only traded once, he was naturally more familiar with Dr. Xu. Despite her sharp tongue, Dr. Xu was loyal and kind-hearted. During the dire situation with the giant skin creature, she had pulled the mute girl to safety, saving her life. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen so many people here since I arrived,¡± Yu Hong whispered. ¡°Go to the town; you¡¯ll see plenty. But crowds aren¡¯t always a good thing,¡± Dr. Xu replied coldly. Up close, Yu Hong noticed one of her glasses lenses was cracked, and there was a bruise on the corner of her mouth. She had clearly been beaten. ¡°What¡¯s everyone here for? Has the courier returned?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°Yes, they just came back with news. The town is preparing to evacuate people to a larger Hope City. They¡¯ll leave the day after tomorrow. Anyone wanting to join must have certain skills and pass an assessment in town. Those who pass can leave with them,¡± Dr. Xu explained indifferently. ¡°What about ordinary people? What will happen to them?¡± Yu Hong frowned. He wasn¡¯t one to meddle excessively, but such policies were bound to cause unrest. After all, the number of ordinary people far exceeded that of skilled professionals. ¡°No idea. A few days ago, there was a mass killing in town. Over twenty people died, not from Ghostly shadows or blood tide parasites. No one knows the cause. I suspect it¡¯s a new kind of shadow,¡± Dr. Xu replied. ¡°What about you? Are you going with them?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°No, I¡¯m not. I won¡¯t live much longer anyway. Why bother? In this wretched world, I¡¯ll just stay here and wait for the end,¡± Dr. Xu replied coldly. Having lost her family, she was merely surviving, day by day. When Yu Hong returned the question, Dr. Xu looked at him suddenly. ¡°And you? Are you going?¡± ¡°No,¡± Yu Hong answered calmly. ¡°Weirdo.¡± Dr. Xu finally noticed his meticulously crafted gear. ¡°Your gear is impressive. Where did you get it?¡± After the last incident with the Big skin creature, her perception of Yu Hong had shifted, making her attitude noticeably less hostile. (End of Chapter) Chapter 27: Setback (3) TL Note:- Happy New year everyone on this occasion of New year imma upload bonus chapters for every novel I translate (Casino Wizard , Instant Kill, Time-Stop Spellcaster And A Night of Desperation {you should try this one its pretty good} ) love you all and thank you for reading my translated novels.*** ¡°Scavenging. Good luck, plus I¡¯m pretty handy at fixing things,¡± Yu Hong replied simply. ¡°By the way, let me ask you something.¡± He scanned the people around him. ¡°Do you know where the dried lizard meat we¡¯ve been eating comes from? Could we raise them ourselves?¡± Dr. Xu pointed to a balding man standing a bit away from the crowd. ¡°You¡¯ll want to talk to Old Yu. The mushrooms, cockroaches, and lizards we eat all come from him.¡± The old man was hunched over, wearing a brown short-sleeved shirt. His eyes were dull, and he coughed occasionally as if he had asthma. ¡°We call him Yu Toad because of his big belly, and he¡¯s always hunched over, wheezing like a toad. If you want to ask, you¡¯ll have to approach him yourself,¡± Dr. Xu said quietly. ¡°And I¡¯d advise you to hurry¡ªothers have already asked him about it.¡± Yu Hong nodded but wanted to ask more questions when suddenly the sound of a door opening came from the stone house. A heavy wooden door creaked open, and out stepped a middle-aged man with a buzz cut. He was dressed in camouflage fatigues, with a large red postal emblem prominently displayed on his chest. ¡°Anyone coming with us, step up to register!¡± the man shouted. The crowd surged forward. Yu Hong stepped back, waiting for everyone to register. Several others did the same, but most people rushed forward. * * * At the Mountain Cave Safehouse Two strong figures clad in camouflage uniforms with helmets and masks quickly emerged from the forest, approaching the mountain cave. ¡°This is the place.¡± One of them stopped at the stone steps beneath the cave entrance and looked up at the wooden door. ¡°Looks pretty sturdy. It¡¯s up to you now,¡± he said, glancing at the other. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The second man set down his backpack and opened it, pulling out a set of long, thin metal tools. ¡°I¡¯ve opened plenty of locks. This one¡¯s no problem,¡± he chuckled. ¡°We¡¯ll empty the place first, and then we wait to ambush the guy.¡± ¡°Alright. Everything else is fine, but the Great luminous stone is the priority.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the only thing that can help with the mess we¡¯re in this time. HQ is desperate for it, so¡ª¡± ¡°Enough chit-chat. Just open the door.¡± The two bantered while keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings. They climbed up to the heavy wooden door. The man with the tools inspected the keyhole. ¡°This lock is so pristine. Who knows how long it¡¯s been since someone last touched it,¡± he muttered. Ever since the Black Plague outbreak, his skills as a petty thief had earned him a spot in the joint forces. Without the alliance, there would be no luminous stones, and without those, encountering a shadow creature would mean certain death. ?????N?????¨º£Ó ¡°Stop wasting time and hurry up,¡± the other man urged impatiently from behind. ¡°Yeah, yeah. Stop rushing me.¡± The locksmith inserted his tools into the keyhole carefully. The sound of clicks and scrapes filled the air as he focused on the feedback from the lock. One minute passed. Two minutes passed. Ten minutes passed. Sweat began to bead on his forehead, and his hands started to tremble. ¡°This isn¡¯t right! This lock is nothing like any I¡¯ve seen before!¡± His voice quivered. Captain Zhao had brought him along specifically for his expertise in locks. If he couldn¡¯t deliver, he might lose his special privileges within the team. ¡°Can you open it or not?¡± The other man was visibly annoyed. ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± The locksmith hesitated. The lock was unlike anything he¡¯d encountered; its very mechanism seemed to defy basic principles. Without dismantling it for study, there was no way he could crack it quickly. ¡°This lock is¡­ different!¡± he stammered, pulling out his tools to try again. ¡°Forget it!¡± The other man yanked him back. ¡°I scouted earlier, and there¡¯s no one inside. Let¡¯s hide nearby and ambush that Yu Hong guy when he comes back.¡± ¡°So, we¡¯re not opening it?¡± ¡°Forget the damn lock! Let¡¯s go find a hiding spot!¡± the other man snapped. * * * At the Post Office Stone House All the registered evacuees had returned home to pack their belongings and prepare to leave. After chatting briefly with Dr. Jenny and others, Yu Hong noticed the postman was now free and approached him. Yu Hong¡¯s goal on this trip was to purchase food, and if he could trade for something valuable, it would be a bonus¡ªespecially the solar generator Dr. Jenny had mentioned earlier. If he could get it and enhance it himself¡­ The thought filled him with excitement. Having electricity would make many things much easier. The postman, a stoic-looking man, was reviewing a newly written registry. He had a stick of some kind of food in his mouth¡ªit looked like chocolate but darker. Seeing Yu Hong approach, he glanced up briefly. ¡°Here to register? Name?¡± he asked. ¡°No, not to register. I¡¯m looking to buy some food. Got anything?¡± Yu Hong got straight to the point. ¡°Not registering?¡± The postman looked surprised but quickly returned to his indifferent demeanor. He had seen many overconfident people who thought they could handle the dangers without evacuating¡ªusually those who hadn¡¯t yet encountered real threats. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve got some food. Not much. Dried lizard, dried cockroach, dried mushrooms. What¡¯ll it be?¡± ¡°Take a look at what I¡¯ve got to trade first.¡± Yu Hong pulled out his prepared items. He revealed a water filter cup and several large luminous stones, all stored in a single bag. ¡°A water filter cup? Did you make this? And these Great luminous stones?¡± The postman¡¯s interest was piqued. While the filter cup was finely crafted, he had top-tier gear from the authorities and wasn¡¯t lacking. But the luminous stones were a different matter. Especially recently, with shadow creatures prowling, only newly discovered luminous stones had proven effective. ¡°Where¡¯d you get these?¡± He instinctively reached for a stone but was stopped when Yu Hong stepped back. ¡°I made them myself,¡± Yu Hong replied. ¡°Are they worth trading?¡± ¡°Let me check first.¡± The postman pulled out a small black box the size of an egg, with a gray LCD screen and a round button underneath¡ªrudimentary but functional. ¡°This is a Red Value Detector. It¡¯s used to measure the quality of luminous stones and the ambient blood tide concentration,¡± he explained. ¡°This thing can measure that?¡± Yu Hong was surprised. He hadn¡¯t known the authorities had tools capable of assessing luminous stones, let alone something called a blood tide. ¡°It¡¯s a product from the Silver Tower research labs. Pretty reliable,¡± the postman said, pressing the button. The device emitted two quick beeps as the screen lit up with a red glow. He brought the device close to one of the luminous stones, stopping just centimeters away. Beep! The detector emitted a sharp sound, and the numbers on the screen began fluctuating rapidly. Yu Hong caught a glimpse of the values: the numbers jumped from 0 to -78, fluctuated a few times, and finally stabilized at -81. ¡°Wow, -81! Impressive!¡± The postman exclaimed. ¡°Ordinary luminous stones are usually around -20. This one¡¯s top-notch!¡± ¡°Name your price,¡± Yu Hong said decisively. ¡°Two pounds of dried lizard meat for one stone,¡± the postman offered after a moment¡¯s thought. ¡°I¡¯ll take all four of yours.¡± Food wasn¡¯t a concern for him, but luminous stones were lifesavers in critical moments¡ªsomething you could never have too many of. ¡°I¡¯m not trading all of them for meat. I heard you¡¯ve got a solar generator on its last legs?¡± Yu Hong asked quietly. ¡°That thing still works! Don¡¯t call it broken,¡± the postman retorted, frowning. ¡°If you want it, two stones.¡± ¡°The solar battery¡¯s about to give out, isn¡¯t it? Two stones is too much. How about one?¡± Yu Hong bargained. The two haggled for several minutes. Pressed for time, the postman finally relented. In the end, they settled on two luminous stones for the solar generator and a broken air purifier. The remaining stones were exchanged for meat and a small atomic lamp¡ªsomething Yu Hong insisted on. The atomic lamp, made from radioactive materials, emitted cold light and required no energy source, lasting over a decade. While its brightness diminished over time, it was perfect as a secondary light source in the cave. After completing the trade, Yu Hong bundled everything together. The solar generator, when folded, was no larger than a medium-sized bag. Along with the other items, the total weight was only about 10 kilograms. Yu Hong hefted the bundle. Thanks to weeks of physical training, he felt much stronger, and the weight barely registered. As the postman stored the luminous stones safely, he gave Yu Hong a scrutinizing look. ¡°Brother, let me give you some advice. Leave with the others as soon as you can. This bunker won¡¯t hold. Shadow creatures are one thing, but you don¡¯t want to face the Evil Shadows.¡± ¡°What do you mean, brother?¡± Yu Hong frowned. Perhaps pleased with his haul of luminous stones, the postman, chewing his snack, looked around cautiously. After ensuring no one was nearby, he lowered his voice. ¡°Evil Shadows are different from regular ones. Regular shadows stay confined to specific areas and rely on stealth and ambush tactics. Evil Shadows move freely, and no one knows how they travel. One moment, they¡¯re here; the next, they¡¯re there.¡± He paused for effect. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you this much. This isn¡¯t really a secret anymore since most people are leaving. Just don¡¯t go blabbing.¡± ¡°Got it. I won¡¯t say a word,¡± Yu Hong assured him, lowering his voice. ¡°I heard from insiders¡­ the Evil Shadow wiped out an entire street in the town¡ªboth civilians and joint forces alike. Not a single survivor. The number of dead¡­ it¡¯s impossible to count. There were just too many,¡± the postman said grimly, his voice trembling ever so slightly. ¡°The joint forces didn¡¯t call for reinforcements?¡± Yu Hong asked urgently. ¡°The Silver Tower focuses on shadow research. Their response was to isolate and abandon the town,¡± the postman sighed. ¡°Listen, brother, every Evil Shadow is unique, with its own abilities. The Silver Tower gives each one a codename. The one in our town is called ¡®Withered Maiden.¡¯ Its specific abilities are unknown, still under study. There¡¯s no way to fight it¡ªonly retreat.¡± ¡°And what about the survivors around here?¡± Yu Hong pressed. ¡°They¡¯re on their own,¡± the postman replied grimly. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m telling you to leave. Once the town¡¯s deserted, the Evil Shadow will eventually move on, likely to the nearest inhabited area. And we¡¯re a bit too close for comfort.¡± Yu Hong fell silent, deep in thought, weighing his options. After a moment, he asked another question. ¡°Even if I leave with the others, what¡¯s to say there won¡¯t be an Evil Shadow wherever we go next?¡± (End of Chapter) Chapter 28: Setback (4) ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the mailman shook his head. ¡°But the more people involved, the greater the impact, and the higher-ups will take it seriously. The Silver Tower will provide maximum support. It¡¯s better than us untrained brutes trying to figure things out ourselves. Do you think the higher-ups would dispatch a rescue team for just a few of you?¡±Yu Hong remained silent for a moment before asking: ¡°Does Great luminous Stone work against the Evil Shadows?¡± ¡°They say it helps a bit. Some people have managed to escape with its aid, even with stones smaller than yours,¡± the mailman nodded. By examining the surface of Yu Hong¡¯s Great Luminous Stone, the mailman deduced that it was likely handcrafted, possibly by Yu Hong himself or someone he knew recently. This fueled his eagerness to engage further¡ªmotivated by the military alliance¡¯s incentive program for recommending skilled individuals. ¡°Thanks for your concern, brother, but I¡¯ve decided not to leave. Maybe if enough of us stay behind, the Evil Shadows won¡¯t bother with this area anymore,¡± Yu Hong replied softly. The mailman scrutinized Yu Hong¡¯s expression but found no clues. After some more attempts to persuade him, he finally gave up. ¡°Well, whatever the case, this area isn¡¯t safe. If you insist on staying, I wish you luck.¡± ¡°Thank you for your kind words. I wish you a safe journey and good fortune,¡± Yu Hong nodded. The mailman sighed and returned to the stone house, while Yu Hong gathered his belongings, preparing to leave. As he stood up, he noticed someone behind a tree trunk¡ªDoctor Xu, holding a bag, seemingly waiting for a while. ¡°I heard you can make water filters?¡± she asked, adjusting her glasses. ¡°Want to trade?¡± Recalling her previous disdain, where she considered Yu Hong a burden, Doctor Xu¡¯s cheeks flushed slightly. However, the value of a reliable water filter in maintaining health was undeniable. ¡°I only have one left. Let¡¯s trade,¡± Yu Hong replied calmly. ¡°What do you want in return? I have extra iodine disinfectant. Interested?¡± she asked. ¡°Can iodine still be produced?¡± Yu Hong was surprised. ¡°Yes, the production chains in larger cities are quite intact,¡± she nodded. ¡°One bottle of iodine for one water filter. Deal?¡± ¡°Deal.¡± After trading a 200-milliliter bottle of iodine for a water filter, Yu Hong prepared to return. However, another voice stopped him. It was Jenny, accompanied by a beautiful blonde girl. ¡°Do you still have Great Luminous Stones to trade?¡± Jenny asked. ¡°No, you¡¯re too late,¡± Yu Hong replied, his gaze briefly pausing on the blonde girl. Pretty and clean are certainly good, but it also depends on the environment. At this time of year, it¡¯s surprising that some people dare to use filtered water to bathe. ?????£Î????????§§???? Hearing the sound, Dr. Xu, who had not gone far, turned around when she saw the two of them. She frowned, quickly scanned the beautiful girl, and seemed like she wanted to say something. However, she quickly held back, glanced calmly at Yu Hong, and turned to leave. Once Dr. Xu left, only Jenny, the two of them, and Yu Hong were left on the scene. ¡°Is that all? What a pity. Can I pre-order the next batch of Great luminous stone?¡± Jenny frowned and asked. ¡°Can¡¯t say for sure now. I¡¯m not sure if I can get the goods,¡± Yu Hong replied. He didn¡¯t want to become a tool for producing Great luminous stones; it depended on whether he had time to stay and reinforce the black marks. ¡°Alright, the filtered water cup you made before worked really well. I hope we can exchange again next time,¡± Jenny said, slightly disappointed. ¡°No problem,¡± Yu Hong nodded. ¡°Mom, aren¡¯t you going to introduce me? He actually made the filtered water cup himself? That¡¯s amazing!¡± the blonde, beautiful woman suddenly spoke up. Without waiting for Jenny to respond, she stretched out her hand toward Yu Hong. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Eve. You¡¯re Yu Hong, right?¡± Yu Hong looked at her clean, fair hand, then shook it with his own. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. To his surprise, Eve subtly scratched the back of his hand without leaving a trace. Yu Hong noticed the smile Eve gave him, but before he could figure out what it meant, they let go. ¡°Yes, nice to meet you. If you have anything good to exchange, feel free to find me¡ªcandles, food, or other odd things. I might be interested,¡± Yu Hong said briefly. In this environment, he didn¡¯t care whether she was beautiful or not. What mattered was whether she could get him the things he needed. The current safe house was still far from his ideal state. At the very least, he wanted to create a safe house that was self-sufficient in food, water, and energy. A safe house that could support at least a few years without needing to trade outside. But right now, it was still a long way off. ¡°Are you going to exchange for Great luminous stones? Or something like the filtered water cup?¡± Eve asked curiously. ¡°Mostly Great luminous stones,¡± Yu Hong replied. ¡°That¡¯s great. I happen to have some miscellaneous items. They¡¯re not here right now, but next time you come, I can show you what I have. Let¡¯s see how many Great luminous stones we can exchange for,¡± Eve smiled. Yu Hong nodded. He had a feeling that Eve was a bit unreliable and unstable, but since Jenny was around, he didn¡¯t have much to say. This trip had exchanged all his items, and he had gained a lot, especially the solar power generator, which was the biggest gain. If it could be reinforced, life at the safe house would be much easier in the future. The atomic lamp was also a good addition¡ªan uninterrupted light source. Although it was a bit dim, it saved him from having to constantly light fires, and maybe he could finally get a good night¡¯s sleep. Soon, with the items he had exchanged in hand, Yu Hong and Jenny agreed on the next exchange date¡ªexactly one month later¡ªand then turned to leave. On the way back, they saw the postman gathering the nearby residents who were ready to leave. One by one, they were standing in an open space, listening to the postman loudly explaining the rules for leaving together. Dr. Xu and Jenny¡¯s mother weren¡¯t among them, clearly planning to stay. Yu Hong left the post office carrying a stick and large bag, walking steadily toward the cave. On the way back, he was still very cautious, constantly paying attention to any movements around him, fearing that an unexpected threat might ambush him. Since it was still early, he also took the opportunity to gather some dry firewood along the way. In such an environment, the safe time during the day was extremely precious and should never be wasted; he had to do something productive. Soon, carrying his package, stick, and some dry firewood in his arms, Yu Hong returned to the vicinity of the cave. Just ahead, on the backside of the cave wall, two figures in camouflage clothing were quietly pressed against the stone, waiting silently. As soon as Yu Hong approached the cave entrance and tried to climb the stone steps to open the door, he would definitely pass by their ambush. Yu Hong slowly walked toward the cave, getting closer and closer. Suddenly, his gaze froze as he noticed the new muddy footprints on the stone steps. Bang! Yu Hong dropped his things and immediately ran! Without hesitation, without delay. He turned and dashed into the forest in the distance. By the time the two people in ambush reacted, he had already run more than thirty meters! ¡°Damn it! Chase him!¡± The two immediately started running after him. They had received a life-or-death mission from Team Zhao. If they failed to capture him and return, the punishment would be severe¡ªhalf of all rations would be cut. But if they captured him, all rations would double, a huge difference. The three of them¡ªone ahead and two behind¡ªwere soon running wildly through the forest. Yu Hong had already covered a long distance, so his physical strength was greatly depleted. As he ran, he quickly started feeling exhausted. The forest flew past his ears, the wind howling, and his feet were constantly moving. This explosive running at full speed caused his stamina to plummet rapidly in an exaggerated manner. After a short while, he was gasping heavily, sweating profusely. Fortunately, his legs, after being trained for a while, didn¡¯t give out and weren¡¯t cramping or weak. ¡°Quickly!! He¡¯s almost done for!¡± Running, Yu Hong heard voices behind him getting closer. He didn¡¯t know who they were, but he knew that anyone hiding near the safe house was not doing so with good intentions. Run! Run! He pushed his legs to the limit, trying to squeeze the last bit of strength from his body. In a blink, another hundred meters passed. The three had completely left the cave¡¯s surroundings and entered a completely unfamiliar area, far from Baiqiu Village. The ground here was even harder to walk on, with untouched grassy slopes everywhere. Up and down, through sharp or thorny plants, Yu Hong¡¯s protective clothes left scratches while the two behind him were actually injured. With a series of muffled groans, the two didn¡¯t give up and continued to chase Yu Hong. The distance between them was only about ten meters, slowly closing in. Yu Hong¡¯s lungs felt fiery, gasping for air, and he felt himself becoming oxygen-deprived. No matter how fast he breathed, it couldn¡¯t keep up with the rapidly consumed oxygen. ¡®I can¡¯t make it.¡¯ ¡®My stamina isn¡¯t enough. I can¡¯t hold on.¡¯ Sweat soaked his clothes, and his hands kept pushing aside the thorns and grasses ahead. With the sound of heavy breathing growing closer, Yu Hong could no longer hold out. His mind raced, and with a focused thought, a cool energy in his lower abdomen quickly began circulating. The cool energy flowed upward, passing through his chest, neck, forehead, and top of his head, down his spine to the tailbone, then through the perineum, and back to his abdomen. As soon as the cool energy flowed out, something miraculous happened. Yu Hong¡¯s body, which should have been exhausted, seemed to receive a long rest and quickly regained its composure. His sweat stopped, his lungs stopped heaving, and he didn¡¯t feel tired anymore. It was as though the long distance he had just run was all a mirage. Everything returned to the way it was before he left to trade goods. And so, Yu Hong kept running. He led the two behind him around the area near the cave. One circle, two circles, three circles. At least a mile had passed, and despite running full speed, Yu Hong was near exhaustion. But the two behind him, now panting heavily, had legs that could barely hold them up. ¡°Yu¡­ Yu Hong! Stop, please!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ I can¡¯t let him keep running!¡± one of them finally couldn¡¯t hold back, pulling out a gun from his waist. At that moment, Yu Hong, whose stamina had been completely restored, released another surge of cool energy. His physical strength was instantly restored, and he turned to charge. Boom! The person who was about to draw his gun was hit head-on, rolling violently down the slope. The rolling bodies collided with the other person who was still climbing. Ahh!! Two screams echoed as they both tumbled down the slope. Exhausted, they were quickly knocked out by Yu Hong, who took a stick and knocked them both on the head. Bang! Bang! With their heads struck hard, they collapsed, unable to get up. Yu Hong quickly grabbed the guns from their bodies, a wave of fear rushing through him. ¡°They even carried guns!!¡± He shuddered at the thought of what might have happened if he had hesitated for just a moment. A surge of intense fear made him strike them once more, just to be sure. Bang! Bang! This time, they didn¡¯t get up. With the hollow sticks, the blows weren¡¯t fatal, but their heads were swelling with blood. (End of Chapter) Chapter 29: Choice (1) Hoo, hoo, hoo!!In the forest, Yu Hong was panting heavily, staring at the two people in camouflage lying on the ground before him. Their attire reminded him of the previous stutterer. ¡®Are these people from the Allied Army?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t help but recall the guy named Zhao Zhenghong who had come last time. The guy had said it was an invitation, but in reality, he had sent someone to secretly hide by the door, trying to ambush him when he went out. Such a sly and treacherous person. After the appearance of the evil shadow, and the increased importance of the Great Luminous Stone, it made sense for him to send people to capture him again. Crouching down, Yu Hong carefully examined the two individuals. Soon, he found various miscellaneous items. Two military green daggers, two bags of old-version Luminous Stones, two leather water pouches, but none of these were anything special. One thing, however, made Yu Hong a little surprised. It was a grayish-white silver coin found on the person who had drawn a gun. The front of the coin depicted a tall, sharp, and beautiful tower, and the back had a special symbol commonly seen on Luminous Stones. ¡°Could this be the town¡¯s regular currency?¡± Yu Hong wondered, holding the coin thoughtfully. Whether it was or not, he decided to pocket it for now. After looting the two, he saw they hadn¡¯t woken up yet and didn¡¯t bother with them. He cleaned them out and then headed back the way he came. As for whether the two would survive, that was up to luck. If they woke up before nightfall, they might live. If not¡­ Soon, Yu Hong found the things he had dropped earlier, and even collected the scattered dry wood, hugging it all and returning to the cave. If it weren¡¯t for the high-level physical training method, which allowed him to recover twice from the chilling effects, he probably would have been captured by now and sent off as a tool. Click, he opened the door with the key and quickly entered, shutting it tightly behind him. The heavy door slammed shut, locking securely, and Yu Hong felt a deep sense of safety. He temporarily set down the items, placed them near the fireplace to prevent them from getting damp, and then sat on a stool to think about the issues he had encountered that day. First, there were the items he had looted¡ªtwo handguns, a silver coin, two daggers, two bags of old-version Luminous Stones, and other miscellaneous things. He fiddled with the handgun, having never touched one before. After a long search and study, he finally managed to unload the magazine. ¡°¡­There¡¯s only one bullet in this magazine¡­¡± Yu Hong was somewhat speechless. A single bullet in each gun? ¡°Has the government become this poor?¡± he said, speechless. He wasn¡¯t sure how the handgun would perform after being enhanced, but for now, he needed to focus on other preparations. The appearance of the evil shadow in the town was a serious matter, and he couldn¡¯t rely on luck. He had to prepare ahead of time. ¡®Evil shadow, Withered Maiden? Ordinary Luminous Stones are useless, and now even the Great Luminous Stones can only be used to escape¡­¡¯ He looked at the Great Luminous Stones placed in his cave. There were three of them in total, one at the entrance and two on the ground. With this density, they would probably only be useful for dealing with strange shadows. §²????¦­??§¦? He took out the last piece of Great Luminous Stone he had kept as a backup. He had originally thought it would be enough, but now¡­ ¡°By the way, why can Luminous Stones dispel strange shadows? According to the stutterer, even without this symbol, the Luminous Stones can still disperse the strange shadows, but the effect is weaker. So¡­ the question is¡­¡± He reached out and stroked the symbol on the Great Luminous Stone. ¡°Where did this pattern originate? The black disaster¡ªhow did it first appear?¡± He had a feeling that the symbol on the Luminous Stone might be connected to the appearance of the black disaster. ¡®The black seal¡¯s enhancement fails due to incomplete functionality. It seems I might be able to use this to test whether this symbol alone can resist strange shadows.¡¯ With this thought, Yu Hong took out a newspaper and a black charcoal pen. The charcoal pen had been enhanced, transforming it into a size similar to an ordinary ballpoint pen, but the writing was finer and clearer than before. It seemed the material of the charcoal had also been enhanced into some unknown form of charcoal. Yu Hong didn¡¯t care about this. As long as it worked, he was satisfied. He laid the newspaper flat, placed the silver coin under it, and then carefully traced the symbol pattern from the silver coin with the charcoal pen. Soon, a black symbol appeared before him. The background color was dark gray, and the pattern was darker, making it clearly visible. After drawing, Yu Hong placed his hand on the symbol. ¡®Enhance the dispelling of the Ghostly shadow rune, direction set, effect strengthened!¡¯ He silently muttered in his mind. Soon, a black line flowed out, but then quickly returned. ¡®Insufficient completeness.¡¯ It failed. Yu Hong frowned and withdrew his hand. From the black seal, it was clear that the symbol didn¡¯t have the effect of dispersing strange shadows. Or rather, it didn¡¯t have the effect on its own. ¡°It seems I can¡¯t figure out the principle of this in a short time. Well then¡­¡± He took a piece of ordinary Luminous Stone. He had collected quite a few of these, from both the two people he had just dealt with and from the stutterer¡¯s remains. He had gathered enough to fill four small bags, each containing ten pieces. ¡®Is it because ten pieces are needed to completely dispel the Ghostly shadows?¡¯ Yu Hong speculated. He placed the ordinary Luminous Stone down, then took another piece that hadn¡¯t been etched with a symbol yet. The tools for etching Luminous Stone symbols were also with him. He compared the symbols drawn by the stutterer and the ones he had just captured. The colors of the symbols on the two Luminous Stones were different, indicating different inks had been used. ¡®It seems the ink doesn¡¯t affect the symbols much. Let me try it myself.¡¯ He picked up the enhanced charcoal pen and began carefully drawing on the surface of a raw Luminous Stone. He drew the original symbol, not the enhanced one. The original symbol was simple¡ªjust a circle, four strange letters inside it, a small circle in the center, and a flame-like symbol. After practicing a few times, Yu Hong soon drew five pieces of Luminous Stone. He placed them on the ground, from left to right, in order. The order wasn¡¯t random, but based on the neatness of the symbols. From left to right, the symbols gradually became more precise, with the lines becoming more rounded and clearer. After finishing this, Yu Hong exhaled and reached out again, pressing his hand on the first piece on the left. ¡®Enhance into Great Luminous Stone, direction: strengthen effect.¡¯ He thought to himself. Soon, a black line shot out, and a response sounded. ¡®Would you like to enhance it into a Great Luminous Stone?¡¯ Yu Hong didn¡¯t respond, but instead let go of his hand, his gaze fixed on the symbol-covered Luminous Stone. The countdown had already appeared on it. ¡°3 days, 2 hours, 18 minutes.¡± He withdrew his hand and quickly wrote down the time in his notebook. Then, he extended his hand again, pressing it on the second Great Luminous Stone, repeating the same operation. Instantly, the second Great Luminous Stone also displayed a number. ¡°3 days, 1 hour, 2 minutes.¡± Next, the third one. ¡°3 days, 51 minutes.¡± The fourth one. ¡°3 days, 42 minutes.¡± The fifth one. ¡°3 days, 21 minutes.¡± Withdrawing his hand, Yu Hong looked at the row of numbers he had recorded, and a look of realization finally appeared on his face. ¡°Sure enough. The length of the enhancement time is influenced by the perfection of the item being enhanced. The smaller the difference between the item before and after enhancement, the shorter the required countdown time.¡± ¡°That being the case, if I had used an already enhanced Great Luminous Stone symbol from the start, the enhancement time would surely have been significantly shortened!¡± Yu Hong speculated. ¡°Because I saved time on enhancing the symbol!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s try it!¡± Immediately, he picked up a raw Great Luminous Stone and began to mimic the complex symbols on the enhanced Great Luminous Stone. These intricate patterns were far more difficult than the regular Great Luminous Stones. If the symbols on regular Luminous Stones had a complexity of 1, then the advanced symbols on Great Luminous Stones had a difficulty of 4. Not to mention the strange symbols that needed to be written for the advanced symbols¡ªthere were at least ten of them. Looking at them, they almost resembled some game arrays Yu Hong had seen in his memory. As time passed, he immersed himself in drawing the advanced symbols, completely forgetting about the time. Unknowingly, the sky outside began to darken. Yu Hong lit the fireplace and continued to draw. The firewood he had collected was enough to last the night, and from the information he had gathered, the threat of the evil shadow might indeed affect this place. If he didn¡¯t encounter it, it would be fine, but if he did, the small amount of Great Luminous Stones would definitely not be enough to block it! So he needed to think of a strategy. Finding a way to counter the evil shadow was naturally the most important. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But now, since that solution wasn¡¯t available, shortening the enhancement time of the Great Luminous Stones was more crucial. After all, even if he didn¡¯t use them, he could exchange them for goods with others, and they were truly hard currency. Time passed quickly while Yu Hong was engrossed in his work. Luckily, there were no blood waves or beetles to disturb him that night. Yu Hong drew deep into the night, and when he felt tired, he enhanced some dried meat. It took about three hours to enhance one piece. Once he confirmed the countdown time, he went to sleep. He slept until morning. In the morning, after eating and taking care of personal needs, he began practicing the advanced physical training method. At noon, he went out to gather firewood, pick wild vegetables, and refill his water supply. In the afternoon, he returned to continue practicing drawing advanced symbols, and during breaks, he enhanced more dried meat, making sure not to waste the black seal time. This routine repeated every day. Finally, by the afternoon of the fifth day, the drawing of the advanced symbols was finally successful! In the cave, Yu Hong let out a deep breath, his face relaxed, smiling as he held up a Great Luminous Stone with the advanced symbol he had just drawn. ¡°Not bad. Not worse than what the stutterer drew!¡± He eagerly placed it down and pressed his hand on it. ¡°Enhance into a Great Luminous Stone, direction: effect enhancement.¡± He thought to himself. Immediately, there was feedback from the black seal. A black line shot from his hand and instantly entered the Great Luminous Stone. Then, a mechanical voice echoed in his ear. ¡°Would you like to enhance it into a Great Luminous Stone?¡± Yu Hong didn¡¯t respond but instead released his hand, his gaze fixed on the Great Luminous Stone with the advanced symbol. The countdown had already appeared. ¡°2 days, 19 minutes.¡± Bang! Yu Hong slapped the ground hard. ¡°It worked!!¡± He couldn¡¯t help but laugh with joy. ¡°Sure enough, my guess was correct! Shortening the difference between the item before and after enhancement can shorten the enhancement time!¡± Two days for a Great Luminous Stone¡ªthis was a third shorter than the previous three days! This meant he could enhance more Great Luminous Stones more quickly, ensuring his safety! He could also exchange them for more supplies! After the excitement, Yu Hong quickly had a new thought. ¡°The enhancement time for the Great Luminous Stone has shortened, but I have no idea how powerful the evil shadow really is. What if the danger of the evil shadow is greater than I imagined?¡± (End of chapter) *** TL Note :- Tl Note :- Again Happy new year to y¡¯all, love y¡¯all Mwwwaaaaa Chapter 30: Choice (2) The smile on Yu Hong¡¯s face slowly faded.He needed information, sufficient information about the ¡°Evil Shadow.¡± If he could find the survivor who had narrowly escaped death, the one who survived after being attacked by the Evil Shadow¡¯s Withered Maiden, he might obtain first-hand intelligence. But unfortunately, the town had relocated earlier, and that person had probably already left by now. With this thought, Yu Hong chose not to continue with the enhancement. Instead, he stood up and walked back and forth in the cave. After a while, he paused and walked to the door, peeking through the viewing window to look outside. The forest at dusk was eerily quiet. In the distance, the vague outline of Baiqiu Village could be seen, also still and quiet. As he gazed out, Yu Hong suddenly had a thought. His expression went from slightly furrowed to thoughtful. He pulled over the divider, and his gaze landed on the upgraded wolf fang stick made of polished Luminous stone. The stick was originally a rough steel-spike Luminous stone stick, but now it had been significantly improved. Of course, it had been upgraded once already, and further enhancement would be useless. So, he wasn¡¯t focused on the stick itself, but on the concept of placing Great Luminous stones inside it. ¡®If a single Great Luminous stone is insufficient, then could I combine several stones together? Or, what if I ground the Great Luminous stones into powder, mixed them into ink, and used it to draw advanced runes?¡¯ ¡®Would that strengthen the effect and shorten the time?¡¯ * Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. * * * More than ten kilometers away from Baiqiu Village, Baishi Town. On the winding and long main street, dry yellow leaves were blown across the ground by the wind, making a rustling sound. The smooth gray cement road was full of potholes and cracks. On both sides of the street, the storefronts had long been shut down. The dim yellow sunlight divided the street into two parts of light and shadow. Bang! Suddenly, a shop door was smashed open from the inside. A burly man with a beard, dressed in a gray tracksuit, stumbled out of the door, running wildly toward the end of the street. He was sweating profusely, his eyes bloodshot, and in one hand, he was clutching a Great Luminous stone. But the jade-like luster of the Great Luminous Stone was rapidly turning pale from top to bottom. This indicated it was being consumed at a fast pace. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ don¡¯t kill me!! Stay back!!¡± The man was on the verge of collapse, his voice echoing down the street, amplifying the emptiness of the place. ¡°Please! Don¡¯t come any closer!!¡± He cried out, stumbling forward, glancing back in fear, as though something was chasing him. But behind him, there was nothing¡ªonly an empty, silent street. Thud. Suddenly, the man lost his footing and fell to the ground. A clear black handprint slowly appeared on his back. The handprint was small, as if a child had left it. But now, the print seemed to seep through his clothing, staining it like ink. Hiss. In an instant, a thick black liquid began to pour out from the handprint. The liquid dyed the man¡¯s clothes black, and soon his arms and face were completely coated. As his body was dyed black, the man¡¯s figure rapidly shriveled, as if losing all moisture. He struggled, his throat emitting weak cries, but in just a few seconds, his voice disappeared. The man¡¯s entire body stopped moving, turning into a dried, blackened corpse. A gust of wind blew by. The corpse disappeared suddenly, leaving only a pile of clothes behind. * * * The Next Day. At the Baiqiu Village post office. In the forest, in front of the stone building of the post office. Jenny, Dr. Xu, Yu Hong, and Old Yu were all gathered together. Jenny looked somewhat haggard, as if she hadn¡¯t rested well last night, and her gaze seemed unfocused, as though she was lost in thought. Dr. Xu was chewing on some jerky, squinting his eyes. Old Yu, the one in charge of breeding lizards to make jerky, looked even worse than before. ¡°Old Yu, didn¡¯t you leave? Why are you back again?¡± Dr. Xu asked. ¡°I turned back halfway,¡± Old Yu shook his head. ¡°Suddenly, they said they wanted to confiscate half of the supplies, everyone had to contribute. Heh, if I hadn¡¯t remembered the way back, they would¡¯ve really scammed me!¡± §²???¦Â¨¨???? Old Yu gave a cold smile, then glanced at Yu Hong. ¡°Young man, Jenny said you can get Great Luminous Stones? Are you sure you can get them steadily in the long term?¡± ¡°Yes, though sometimes I need to rest,¡± Yu Hong nodded. He had originally planned to take over Old Yu¡¯s breeding cave with Jenny and Dr. Xu. After all, they needed a stable food supply, and before leaving, Old Yu had agreed to let them use his breeding cave. But to his surprise, Old Yu had returned so soon. However, it was actually a good thing. It would be better if Old Yu handled the breeding rather than them trying to figure it out on their own. ¡°Good to hear that. Now we have candles and Great Luminous Stones. As long as we¡¯re careful, the chances of surviving are high. Since we¡¯re all gathered here, I propose we move into the post office basement. It¡¯s the most solid place, with enough rooms and facilities, and it¡¯s safer together.¡± Old Yu suggested. ¡°I have no objections. I¡¯ve got the candle-making tools, and I¡¯ll take care of the candle supply from now on. It¡¯s not difficult to make,¡± Dr. Xu replied. ¡°I¡¯ll pass. I¡¯m used to living alone,¡± Yu Hong declined. ¡°I¡¯m fine with whatever,¡± Jenny nodded. ¡°One less person is fine too. Alright, it¡¯s settled. Jenny will handle the clothing, repairs, and modifications. I¡¯ll take care of the food, Yu Hong will handle the Great Luminous Stones, and Dr. Xu will manage the candle-making and emergency medical care. From now on, this place will be just us. Let¡¯s watch each other¡¯s backs and work hard,¡± Old Yu said, clearly anticipating that Yu Hong might refuse. ¡°Any news about the Evil Shadow in town?¡± Yu Hong couldn¡¯t help but ask. He always felt uneasy, as if something might go wrong, until he understood the strength of the Evil Shadow. ¡°Some. It¡¯s said to be connected to the black handprints. If you see a black handprint in the wild, don¡¯t touch it. Keep your distance,¡± Old Yu said, coughing. ¡°Anything else?¡± Jenny asked. ¡°Well, don¡¯t go to the town and try to grab things. A lot of people who stayed behind there have died,¡± Old Yu gave a strange smile. ¡°In this world, one day of life is a day to be cherished.¡± After agreeing to meet at the scheduled time, the four returned to their respective dwellings. Yu Hong confirmed that the food supply was relatively stable and the candle supply was decent, which eased his mind. Returning to the cave, the floor was scattered with the Great Luminous Stone rune designs he had drawn. These were all practice sketches, but he hadn¡¯t used charcoal; he had just drawn and written with stones. Looking at the messy room, Yu Hong sighed, knowing that there was still a lot to be done. He had already begun to officially enhance the Great Luminous Stone yesterday to shorten the strengthening time. Since he didn¡¯t know how much Great Luminous Stone would be required to dispel the Evil Shadow, he could only try to make as many Great Luminous Stones as possible. At the same time, he had to explore new and better ways to resist the Evil Shadow. He took out an energy bar, bit into it, and began his advanced physical training. After an hour, he found a hammer and squatted in a corner of the cave, looking for a place to grind the stone. He had already smashed a small piece of raw Great Luminous Stone. Now, his main task was to grind it fine enough. ¡®If the effect of dispelling the Evil Shadow is created by both the Great Luminous Stone and the runes, then I should be able to use the Great Luminous Stone powder to draw runes directly, and it should work!¡¯ Yu Hong thought as he ground the stone, brainstorming for other better methods. About half an hour later, the Great Luminous Stone powder was ready. He added a little charcoal powder, poured it into a wooden bowl, added water, and stirred to make a standard Great Luminous Stone ink. Once successful, Yu Hong looked out the window, noticing that the sky was getting darker again. ¡®Why does it seem like the night is coming faster?¡¯ he furrowed his brow. He walked up, pulled the peephole partition shut. Since being frightened by the Evil Shadow once, he no longer opened the partition while sleeping. Pulling the partition down, he didn¡¯t light the fireplace this time but instead lit a candle and placed it on the wooden stool. He then used a wooden stick, dipped it in the Great Luminous Stone ink, and carefully began drawing the Great Luminous Stone runes on the stone wall beside the fireplace. The stone wall wasn¡¯t smooth, so he had previously used a chisel and hammer to carve out a large space for the Great Luminous Stone runes. Since he had already practiced elsewhere, drawing runes on the wall was no difficulty for Yu Hong. After all, it didn¡¯t require precision¡ªjust roughness was enough, and it needed to be large. Compared to drawing on a small Great Luminous Stone, this was much easier. Yu Hong carefully wiped away the dust from the wall, then filled the lines of the Great Luminous Stone rune with the ink. The lines were very fine, so the ink didn¡¯t take up much space. After about ten minutes, the entire wall carving was complete. Yu Hong stepped back and admired his work. Knock, knock, knock. Suddenly, the door was knocked with a steady rhythm. ¡°Is anyone there?¡± A strange woman¡¯s voice came from outside. ¡°It¡¯s getting dark, can you let me in to hide?¡± ¡°I hear someone inside, right?¡± The voice continued. Yu Hong¡¯s expression remained unchanged, as if he hadn¡¯t heard it. He glanced at the door and saw the Great Luminous Stone behind it, slowly but steadily changing color from top to bottom. He sighed, grabbed a chair, sat behind the door, and quietly waited, watching. Knock, knock, knock. The knocking continued. Once. Twice. Three times. Finally, everything went silent again. The Great Luminous Stone behind the door had already been consumed by one-third. Yu Hong quickly took it down and replaced it with a fully restored one. He casually charged the new Great Luminous Stone with the black mark, stood up, and returned to his sleeping bag to lie down. The amount of Great Luminous Stone consumed determined the recovery time. This time, the Ghostly Shadow¡¯s knock wasn¡¯t too strong, and it would take only two hours to recover. Yu Hong placed his hands behind his head and lay back, resting beside the candle. The best thing about candles compared to the fireplace was that they didn¡¯t require extra wood. And according to what Jenny told him, atomic lamps couldn¡¯t dispel the Blood Tide Black Insects. Only open flames could. ¡®Luckily, I bought the atomic lamp to see what the enhanced version might look like. If it can directly enhance things like an energy reaction furnace¡­¡¯ He began to daydream. As time passed day by day, he had already grown used to living in this dangerous forest. He had gotten used to sleeping in this state, where danger could strike at any moment. Knock, knock, knock. Late at night, the candle flickered. A knocking sound woke Yu Hong from his sleep. He looked at the peephole. Outside, it was pitch black again. He knew it was another Ghostly Shadow. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he stood up, grabbed the small kettle, and took big gulps of water. After drinking, he stood up, ignoring the knocking, and walked to the Great Luminous Stone rune he had drawn earlier that day. The large rune on the wall had already dried. On the floor below, the restored Great Luminous Stone had also been fully charged back to its original state by the black mark. Yu Hong didn¡¯t pay attention to the Great Luminous Stone. Instead, he extended his hand and gently pressed it against the large rune on the wall. This was an experiment. If it succeeded, it would greatly improve the efficiency of using the Great Luminous Stone. (End of Chapter) Chapter 31: Strengthening (1) Inside the cave.In front of the gray-black symbol pattern. Yu Hong¡¯s palm gently pressed against the cold, dry stone wall. At the same time, he silently recited in his heart. ¡°Strengthen the Great Luminous Stone symbol, direction: Enhance the effect of dispelling the Ghostly Shadows.¡± Hiss. In an instant, a black mark on the back of his hand shot out a thin black line, which drilled into the stone wall. One second later. A feedback sound echoed. ¡°Do you wish to strengthen the Great Luminous Stone symbol pattern?¡± A cold, mechanical voice rang out. Yu Hong was momentarily stunned, then a slow smile spread across his face. ¡°It worked! As expected, it can be done!¡± he thought with joy. This confirmed his speculation that this combination could indeed dispel the ghostly Shadow. Now, after polishing a Great Luminous Stone, it could be attached to any surface, anywhere, to carve this symbol pattern. With the black mark¡¯s supplement, these large symbol patterns were no longer one-time-use items; they could perfectly protect any surrounding area! At this moment, a black number appeared at the center of the symbol stone carving on the wall. ¡°1 hour and 12 minutes.¡± ¡°Could it be that the reduced quantity of the strengthening material means it doesn¡¯t need more time?¡± Yu Hong speculated. After all, it took only a third of the time to finish the symbol stone carving after grinding a piece of Great Luminous Stone to make the ink. Strengthening this small amount of material wouldn¡¯t take much time either. ¡°As long as it takes just over an hour to strengthen, let¡¯s test it and see the effect,¡± he thought with some anticipation, then silently responded affirmatively. ????B?? Instantly, the countdown on the symbol stone carving began to tick. While waiting, he found a stool, sat to one side, and idly fiddled with another unloaded handgun. He aimed, fired, the sound of an empty shot rang out, then lowered the gun. He practiced repeatedly, drawing and firing from different angles. Since there were no bullets, it was safe to practice. Twice, the Allied Forces came to capture him, attempting to use him as forced labor, which left Yu Hong feeling unsafe. Although the Allied Forces had probably left with the people from the town. It was hard to know when they might return. Then there were the two people who had attacked him last time. He had gone to check on the place where they had been knocked unconscious while gathering firewood. Now, only two sets of tattered undergarments remained. Clearly, the night¡¯s blood tide black insects had consumed everything¡ªflesh and bone. This deepened Yu Hong¡¯s understanding of the dangers of the night. ¡°Wait, if I can practice shooting by myself, refine my shooting technique, then summarize my shooting experiences, and strengthen them with the black mark, could that work? Would I get a better training manual for shooting techniques?¡± he pondered. After a moment, Yu Hong quickly came up with a new and unique strengthening idea. ¡°Also, I need to prepare reconnaissance methods. If I have traps or bells around, perhaps they could serve as an effective warning.¡± He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. The cave safe house he had painstakingly built must not be compromised, so he had to ensure its basic safety. As the creator of the Great Luminous Stone, the appearance of ghostly Shadows would undoubtedly increase the importance of the Great Luminous Stone significantly. In the future, someone might come after him, so he needed to be prepared. * * * Post Office Gathering Spot. Several earth caves were clustered together, forming a small gathering point. The largest and most sturdy one was undoubtedly the stone basement beneath the post office. Rather than a basement, it was more accurate to call it an emergency shelter that had been built in the past to prepare for war. It was large, about the size of the entire Baiqiu Village, located over ten meters underground. Since the Black Disaster outbreak, such war shelters had become bases for people to seek refuge. When people were unable to survive the extreme Black Disaster attacks, they would take shelter here for temporary protection. At this moment, in the dark emergency shelter, narrow and dim corridors stretched ahead. On either side of the corridors were small, cramped rest rooms. The green atomic lights above cast a dull green light along the hallway. A damp, chilly wind swirled and swished through the ventilation shafts in the corridor. Old Yu, his belly protruding, nervously looked around and carefully walked up to a room door. The edges of the gray-black iron door were covered in rust. He reached out and gently grasped the door handle. Creak. He twisted the handle downward. The door was slowly pushed inward. Just as Old Yu was about to enter and close the door behind him, he suddenly felt a tingling sensation on the left side of his body¡ªfrom his left cheek to his left leg, the skin along that side broke out in goosebumps. A strange yet familiar sense of dread flooded into his heart in an instant. ¡°¡­¡± His throat tightened as he sensed something on the left side. His peripheral vision caught sight of something in the darkness of the left corridor¡ªthere seemed to be a person standing there. Gulp. He swallowed nervously and slowly turned his head to look. His body trembled, and his trembling right hand slid down his sleeve, exposing rough, yellow-black skin. On that skin was a small black handprint, clear and distinct. Whoosh! Suddenly, he turned his head quickly and glanced toward the left side. But the darkness revealed nothing. The corridor was empty, save for his own breathing. At this moment, he was the only one left in the underground shelter. The others wouldn¡¯t be moving their things in until tomorrow. Originally, he thought he could last just one more day¡ªjust a short day. But now¡­ Sweat dripped from his forehead to his nose and fell. Old Yu stared anxiously at the left corridor, repeatedly confirming that he saw no one. Only then did he turn back, gently push the door open, and step into his bedroom. He quickly grabbed a bag of Great Luminous Stone from the corner, hugged it to his chest, and sat on the bed. A candle¡¯s faint glow illuminated the area, offering some reassurance. He sat on the bed, trembling all over, burying his head in the blanket as he silently cried. The truth was, he hadn¡¯t escaped on his own. He was forced out because he had been found with the black handprint. It wasn¡¯t that his supplies were being confiscated, but simply because he had been infected with the black handprint. ¡°Why¡­ why did they do this to me?¡± Old Yu stared at the candle in front of him, hands pressed to his face, tears flowing down continuously, soaking his palms. ¡°I was just a little greedy¡­ I returned everything¡­ I really did return it all!!¡± His tear-filled eyes blurred as he curled up on the dark bed, too frightened to move. Creak. Suddenly. The handle of the bedroom door turned from the outside. The sharp sound echoed loudly in the silence. Old Yu shuddered, his eyes wide as he stared at the door. But that door¡­ he had locked it!! How could it possibly open!? But the fact was, the bedroom door that had been locked and secured with a metal chain was now ajar. Creeeak. The door slowly opened. Revealing only a pitch-black darkness. Old Yu fixed his gaze on the darkness, staring at the crack, not daring to blink. The large basement door was still locked, with bags of Great Luminous Stone hanging on it. The hallway below was also filled with hanging Great Luminous Stones. He had exchanged everything he had accumulated for bags of Great Luminous Stones, scattered everywhere, some even etched with large Great Luminous Stone symbols. No one could get in. No ghostly Shadows could enter. But now¡­ Bloodshot veins appeared in Old Yu¡¯s eyes from staring too long without blinking. Tears streamed down his face as his fear and sense of danger grew stronger, making him unable to move, his eyes glued to the door crack. Fortunately, the door remained still. It seemed as though it had only been pushed open by the wind. This gave Old Yu a slight sense of doubt. ¡°Maybe I was just too scared earlier and forgot to lock the door when I entered,¡± he thought. With that small hint of doubt, he glanced at the bag of Great Luminous Stone¡ªeverything inside was fine, none had been consumed. This calmed his fear somewhat. Raising his head, he took the candle, using its light to stand up, intending to go back and lock the door again. Whoosh! Suddenly, the candle was blown out in one gust. Without warning, someone had come up behind him and blown out the candle! Old Yu stood frozen in fear. In that instant when the flame went out, he thought he saw a hazy figure with long hair beside him. The darkness swallowed everything completely. * * * Inside the Cave. Yu Hong stared eagerly at the large symbol pattern on the stone wall, counting down. If this test succeeded, it meant he could quickly create anti-ghostly Shadow symbol formations anywhere, anytime. Yes, he had named this large symbol pattern the symbol formation. ¡°If I repeatedly layer this type of symbol formation, crisscross them, or even directly arrange them with Great Luminous Stones¡­ the power would far exceed that of ordinary Great Luminous Stones!¡± Yu Hong thought. Of course, such a combined symbol formation would require a significantly long strengthening time. For now, he was mainly focused on how this large symbol formation would strengthen. Soon, the countdown entered its final 30 seconds. He silently watched the symbol formation on the wall, awaiting the outcome. 5 4 3 2 1 Whoosh! In an instant, the symbol formation blurred for a moment, then became clear again. The rough lines of the symbol formation were now smoother and more refined. The ink used in the formation had also deepened in color, its concentration seeming to have increased. Most importantly, the entire symbol formation now seemed to have a faint jade-like texture, clearly having turned into Great Luminous Stone material. ¡°It¡¯s done!!¡± Yu Hong exclaimed in delight. It had only taken a little over an hour. This meant he could drastically shorten the production cycle of the Great Luminous Stone. Provided the symbol formation¡¯s effect was not worse than the Great Luminous Stone. ¡°Even if the symbol formation is slightly weaker than the Great Luminous Stone, as long as it¡¯s stronger than regular Luminous Stones, it¡¯s still a win!¡± Yu Hong thought, calculating his next steps. Looking at the symbol formation, he wondered where he could find a ghostly Shadow to test it out. With that thought, he quickly crouched down again, searching for a spot on the back of the large door to draw the symbol formation. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In just ten minutes, Yu Hong, now proficient, quickly drew a symbol formation the size of a basin on the back of the door. He pressed his hand on it, ready to strengthen it. ¡°Wait a minute,¡± he suddenly thought. ¡°If I can guide the strengthening direction, why not just strengthen more, making its effect stronger? Maybe I should test the upper limit of black mark strengthening.¡± With that thought, Yu Hong was intrigued. Black mark strengthening surely had its own strength limit. Otherwise, why would a Great Luminous Stone only become a Great Luminous Stone and not a Giant Luminous Stone? Could this default strengthening limit be adjusted, and if so, by what means? (End of Chapter) Chapter 32: Strengthening (2) Yu Hong planned to take the opportunity to test this value.Without hesitation, he pressed his hand on the rune array, a thought rising in his mind. ¡°Strengthen the rune array, direction: strengthen its effect until the limit.¡± Immediately, black lines flowed from the black seal, merging into the rune array, and a clear countdown appeared. ¡°2 days, 13 hours, 09 minutes.¡± So much!?? Yu Hong was startled. He recalled the countdown of just over an hour he had encountered earlier. Comparing it to this more than two days, he immediately understood that the strength of the enhancement could indeed be adjusted, but it required active change. ¡°Do you wish to begin the enhancement?¡± The cold, mechanical voice of the black seal rang in his ears. Yu Hong took a deep breath, ready to try it out. ¡°Yes!¡± He confirmed the response in his mind. Sizzle! In that instant, as soon as he responded, the rune array on the door flashed with a jade-like light. Immediately, Yu Hong¡¯s physical strength and mental energy rapidly began flowing into the back of his right hand, into that mysterious, eerie black seal. His whole body tensed, feeling as though the black seal had become a vortex, a bottomless black hole, crazily devouring everything in him. Physical strength, mental energy, even his flesh seemed to be on the verge of being absorbed completely. As the terrifying absorption continued, he tried to struggle, to stop it, but it was futile. All his strength was being devoured by the black seal. ¡°Wait!! I can recover!!¡± Suddenly, Yu Hong realized, hastily calling upon the two cool air streams cultivated in his abdomen. (TL Note :- changed Jogging to Cultivate ¡­ don¡¯t ask why I just didn¡¯t use cultivate in the first place, looks like the ghostly shadows are affecting me too ) ?¨¢??????¦¥? These were his special trump cards, refined through advanced physical training methods. With his thoughts controlling it, the first stream of cool air rapidly moved, circulating throughout his body, restoring the physical and mental energy that had nearly been exhausted. But it still wasn¡¯t enough. Yu Hong felt that his recovered physical and mental energy was being continuously devoured by the black seal. Soon, the first stream of cool air was exhausted. He quickly called upon the second stream. Just as the second stream was about to be consumed, the black seal seemed to calculate his limit and stopped just in time. Everything returned to calm. Huff! Huff! Huff!! Yu Hong collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily. He felt as though he had almost been absorbed and turned into part of the black seal. ¡°Is this the upper limit of the black seal¡¯s enhancement?¡± He finally understood that, on a daily basis, the black seal likely consumed only a small amount of his physical and mental energy, so he didn¡¯t feel much. But this time, in order to enhance it to its maximum, it started to require a massive amount of energy. Yu Hong looked at the rune array behind the door with lingering fear. The countdown there finally began to move, indicating that the enhancement had officially begun. ¡°Now, I just need to wait and see what the enhanced rune array will look like.¡± Although the experience had been perilous, after calming down, Yu Hong was even more eager to see the result of the rune array¡¯s enhancement. After all, it had just scared him quite a bit. Two days passed. Since the black seal couldn¡¯t be enhanced, Yu Hong spent the time practicing his training methods diligently. The training method was basically a form of running. The more he practiced, the more he felt his legs becoming more flexible, and his muscles slowly growing stronger. The next morning. As dawn broke, Yu Hong set up a small pot, tossed in dried mushrooms, wild herbs, protein bars, added water, and began cooking a rich soup. Above the fireplace, there was a metal lid, allowing him to place the pot directly to heat it without worrying about smoke leaking out. Yu Hong stood by the fire, holding a spoon in one hand and adding firewood with the other, stirring the pot constantly. The protein bar soon melted and broke down, turning the entire pot of soup into a milky white color. A rich, sweet fragrance slowly mixed with the scent of mushrooms. In the milky soup, grayish-white mushrooms and dark green wild vegetables floated in and out of the surface as Yu Hong stirred. But his face remained unmoved, quietly stirring. After a while, he covered the pot. The soup smelled delicious, but the taste was hard to describe. And drinking this every day¡­ after dozens of servings, even the best dish would make one feel like throwing up. While the soup continued to simmer, Yu Hong sat down, leaned against the fireplace, and began fiddling with the newly arrived pistol. He found that the gun was quite different from those he had seen on TV. The safety was on the side, not at the back. It also had a simple sight attached: just a small circular lens with a red crosshair. The side of the gun was engraved with a line of text: ¡°Aurora Manufacturing.¡± ¡°Only one bullet, which likely means that the production of ammunition has been heavily restricted. The production line may be down, but it¡¯s more likely that the mine is the problem. After all, if iodine can still be produced, bullets should be easier to make than such a relatively complex chemical product.¡± Yu Hong attached the gun, along with its holster, to his lower back. He had already loaded two bullets into one of them. ¡°I¡¯ve never used a gun, and I¡¯m not sure about the recoil. The best way to use it is probably just for intimidation. If I can avoid using it, I will. If it¡¯s unavoidable, I¡¯ll use it up close to ensure accuracy.¡± After finishing this, he began disassembling the solar power generator he bought from the mailman. He intended to enhance it before using it, and for the direction of the enhancement¡­ ¡°It¡¯s best to enhance its durability. If this machine breaks, I won¡¯t be able to repair it, and it¡¯ll be useless. So, extending its lifespan as much as possible is the priority.¡± Soon, the soup in the pot began to boil, emitting steam. Yu Hong snapped back to his senses, stood up, and covered the fire to save firewood. Then, he took the pot off, grabbed chopsticks made from branches, and prepared to eat. Suddenly, a hurried set of footsteps approached from outside. The sound of footsteps crushing branches and leaves grew louder as they quickly reached the entrance of the cave. Thud, thud, thud! ¡°Yu Hong! Are you there? Something¡¯s happened! Old Yu¡¯s in trouble!!¡± It was Dr. Xu, her voice urgent. Yu Hong quickly stood up, checked the Great Luminous Stone behind the door, confirming no energy had been consumed, and immediately knew that it was a human. ¡°What did I exchange with you last time?¡± For safety, he still needed to verify some information. ¡°Iodine! It was iodine!¡± Click. Yu Hong opened the door to see Dr. Xu, sweating and looking very panicked. She hadn¡¯t even put on her coat, just a tight-fitting gray sports outfit, and had rushed over in a hurry. ¡°What happened?¡± Yu Hong asked in a deep voice. ¡°Old Yu¡¯s in trouble! His place is locked, and no matter how much we knock, there¡¯s no response. We suspect he¡¯s in trouble! I heard you bought a set of stone-carving tools from the post office.¡± Dr. Xu quickly replied. ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll bring it right away and head over with you!¡± Yu Hong nodded quickly. ¡°Wait here.¡± He pulled Dr. Xu inside, closing the door to prevent any Ghostly Shadows from entering. Then he hurriedly found the stone carving tools, grabbed his favorite Luminous Stone wolf fang club, stuffed a protein bar in his mouth, grabbed his water bag, put on his anti-stab gear, and donned a hood. He even stuffed thick newspapers inside. Finally, he thought for a moment and decided to bring the recently prepared Luminous Stone ink. As he rushed to prepare, Dr. Xu, who had just entered, stared in bewilderment at the strange safe house cave. It was completely different from her own. The ground was covered in mysterious rune-like lines that seemed to be carved into the stone. Some were incomplete, others were intact. On the wall, there was a huge jade-colored rune array that caught her attention. For some reason, this rune array gave her a soft sense of security, making her feel very comfortable. But what shocked her the most was the fireplace. The fireplace looked like it was made of crystal glass, seamlessly integrated with the mountain rock wall. The flames inside could be clearly seen, lighting up the cave. Above the fireplace was a metal disk that allowed heat to be transferred for cooking. The craftsmanship and design¡­ Dr. Xu compared it to the simple firepit in her own cave and felt an indescribable pang in her heart. Look at this place¡ªthere¡¯s even a way to cook and drink hot water on rainy days. Meanwhile, in her own cave, once the door was closed, she couldn¡¯t dare to make a fire, or else she would suffocate from the smoke. Looking at the warm and transparent fireplace, Dr. Xu¡¯s eyes showed a hunger that was almost as if she hadn¡¯t eaten for ten days, longing for something that could fill her stomach. Yu Hong, noticing her expression, felt a chill in his bones. ¡°Did you make this fireplace yourself?¡± Dr. Xu couldn¡¯t resist asking. Even though Old Yu was in trouble, her desire for the fireplace couldn¡¯t be suppressed. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve been gathering materials for a long time. It¡¯s impossible to replicate. The main body isn¡¯t something I could have made. I just put it into the wall,¡± Yu Hong quickly replied. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°It¡¯s amazing.¡± Dr. Xu¡¯s eyes were glued to the fireplace, not knowing how long it had been since she had peacefully slept beside a fire. At night, once the door was closed, she had to put out the fire completely, or the smoke would suffocate her. Now, the temperature had started to drop, and the cave at night was cold and damp, with a musty smell. But here, there wasn¡¯t a trace of mold, and it was warm as spring. ¡°Let¡¯s go, didn¡¯t you say Old Yu is in trouble? We should head over,¡± Yu Hong urged. Dr. Xu reluctantly touched the fireplace one last time before turning to leave. ¡°Doesn¡¯t this fireplace need to be put out?¡± she asked. ¡°No, once the firewood burns out, it automatically goes out. It also helps dry the house,¡± Yu Hong responded. They locked the door behind them and hurried toward the post office gathering area. About ten minutes later¡­ When they arrived at the post office, Jenny and her daughter were already standing at the stone house door, holding something and scanning around. It was a red-screened device that flickered, showing changing numbers. Seeing Yu Hong and Dr. Xu arriving, Jenny¡¯s expression turned serious as she walked up to them. ¡°Something¡¯s really happened. The red value inside is already above a hundred!¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°It means there¡¯s something like a Ghostly Shadow in the underground shelter of the post office,¡± Jenny answered. ¡°But strangely, I¡¯ve checked. The basement door and vents haven¡¯t been opened. Old Yu can¡¯t have forgotten to put Luminous Stone bags behind the door.¡± ¡°So we need to break down the door and check! No matter what happened, there¡¯s a lot of dried meat and mushroom jerky in there, enough for us to eat for a long time. We have to rescue it.¡± Jenny quickly said. ¡°We also need to think about how to handle food from now on. Old Yu probably has detailed breeding notes and tools.¡± Dr. Xu added. ¡°Are we really going to break open the door and go in?¡± Jenny¡¯s daughter, Eve, interjected. ¡°It¡¯s definitely dangerous inside. I¡¯m not going. Whoever wants to go, go. But I won¡¯t!¡± Her face changed slightly as she stepped back, giving a ¡°not my problem¡± expression. (End of Chapter) Chapter 33: Trouble (1) ¡°If we don¡¯t go down, there will be no food, Eve,¡± Jenny whispered, frowning and trying to persuade.¡°I¡¯ll go down, you stay up here to assist me, is that okay?¡± ¡°Alright, but be careful, Mom,¡± Eve whispered. As soon as she heard she wouldn¡¯t have to go down, she immediately agreed. ¡°Okay, stop talking. Let¡¯s get started,¡± Dr. Xu snapped, giving Eve an annoyed look. She extended her hand toward Yu Hong. ¡°Give me the things, I¡¯ll open the door.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Yu Hong shook his head, carrying the stone carving set, and walked to the stone house door of the post office. ¡°Open this door first, then where is the basement entrance?¡± ¡°It¡¯s inside the house, so we need to open two doors,¡± Dr. Xu replied. Without further words, Yu Hong took out his hammer and chisel and began smashing the door lock. The dull thudding sounds echoed throughout. After hammering for several dozen strikes, the lock was finally destroyed. Wooden shavings scattered around, and a fist-sized hole was punched in the lock. The wooden door became loose. Yu Hong withdrew the hammer and took a step back, kicking the door. Bang! The door stood firm. ¡°Wait!¡± Dr. Xu, standing beside him, sighed in exasperation, grabbing the door handle and pulling outward. With a creak, the door slowly opened, revealing a dimly lit interior. ¡°Alright,¡± Yu Hong muttered, putting away his tools. The first thing the group noticed as they stood at the doorway was a mesh bag lying on the floor. Inside the red mesh bag were chunks of grayish-white luminous stone. However, at this moment, all the luminous stones had turned pale, clearly having been completely consumed. Seeing the consumed luminous stones, the group exchanged glances, and their expressions grew grim. ¡°The luminous stones are all used up. Clearly, there¡¯s been some Ghostly Shadows inside. Everyone, be careful. In these dark environments, the Ghostly shadows love to hide,¡± Jenny was the first to speak. In fact, she was the most skilled among them. ¡°I¡¯ll go in first,¡± Jenny said after a moment. She pulled a large round luminous stone out from her waist pouch. This stone was identical in material to the one Yu Hong had enhanced, but the patterns on it were entirely different, more like the simplified older version. ¡°Is this luminous marrow!?¡± Dr. Xu exclaimed in surprise. ¡°This isn¡¯t just any stone, one piece is worth ten regular luminous stones, and its price is exorbitant. How do you have this?¡± ¡°My husband left it to me,¡± Jenny replied coldly. If it weren¡¯t for the extreme danger she felt, she wouldn¡¯t have used it. This was originally something to preserve her life. ¡°It¡¯s been many years, right? I heard the patterns on these stones have changed recently, with more complex and effective versions coming out. Your stone is already outdated, why not get it re-engraved?¡± Dr. Xu asked curiously. ????¨¤£Î????????¨§? ¡°It can¡¯t be washed away, and even if it could, it wouldn¡¯t matter. The patterns serve a guiding purpose, and the moment they are drawn, the effect is already in place. Scrubbing them off afterward won¡¯t change anything,¡± Jenny explained. As she spoke, she hung the large luminous stone around her neck, drawing out her machete from the side of her thigh while holding the red detector in one hand, carefully stepping toward the door. She led the way, Dr. Xu followed in the middle, and Yu Hong took up the rear. As for Eve, not wanting to go down, she stayed at the stone house entrance to watch over. The three moved in a line and soon arrived at the central hall of the stone house. On the floor of the hall was an open basement door, revealing a dark, eerie basement entrance. A chill gust of wind poured from the entrance, spreading to all sides, making the whole stone house feel unnaturally cold. The three exchanged a look, and Jenny pulled out an atomic flashlight, aimed it at the entrance, and opened the flashlight cover. Immediately, a greenish glow lit up a section of a rusted silver metal ladder. ¡°I¡¯ll go down first. You two wait for my signal before coming in,¡± she warned, taking a deep breath. ¡°Got it!¡± Dr. Xu replied, and Yu Hong nodded in agreement. After ensuring that both were ready, Jenny swiftly scaled the metal ladder, climbing down like a monkey. In no time, she reached the basement hall, which was over ten meters deep. While Jenny was descending, Dr. Xu unfolded a hand-drawn map and showed it to Yu Hong. ¡°The main structure down there consists of several corridors. The point where we are is the junction of all the corridors. From here, three corridors branch out, each with many rooms and storage rooms. This place was originally built as a shelter for wartime, specifically to defend against large-scale weapons of mass destruction,¡± Dr. Xu sighed. ¡°I never thought we¡¯d be using it for this.¡± ¡°Are the corridors narrow?¡± Yu Hong asked, frowning as he looked down. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve been down there a few times to bandage the postal workers. The corridors are about a meter wide, built to save on materials and space. The height isn¡¯t much either,¡± Dr. Xu nodded. Yu Hong fell silent, his hand unconsciously rubbing the handle of the luminous stone wolf tooth club. His expression had become more serious than usual. Time passed slowly. Around five minutes later, they heard Jenny¡¯s voice from below. ¡°All clear, you can come down. There¡¯s nothing inside,¡± she said, sounding a bit tired. The greenish glow of the atomic flashlight soon appeared. Dr. Xu and Yu Hong exchanged glances, checking their luminous stones to make sure there were no signs of depletion. Then they carefully climbed down the metal ladder. Both reached the small central hall of the basement, stepping onto the floor and surveying their surroundings. In the green light, the entrances to three corridors surrounded the small hall, resembling three dark and eerie caves, each blowing cold wind outward. ¡°I¡¯ve found Old Yu¡¯s room. Follow me,¡± Jenny said, holding the flashlight with a somber expression. ¡°Found him?¡± Dr. Xu¡¯s face tightened, and she quickly asked. It wasn¡¯t that she was particularly concerned about Old Yu, but without him, obtaining food would become much more difficult for them. ¡°Not sure,¡± Jenny shook her head, turning and leading the way down one of the corridors. The two followed her as they walked through the dark corridor to a room on the side. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Old Yu had enough supplies, why didn¡¯t he set up some atomic lights to illuminate? Doesn¡¯t he fear this place being so dark?¡± Dr. Xu asked, unable to stop herself. ¡°He used to say that atomic lights have too much radiation, and he was worried about getting cancer. Now it seems¡­¡± Jenny didn¡¯t finish the sentence. Among the three of them, she had spent the most time with Old Yu. Dr. Xu and Yu Hong were both outsiders who had been rescued by the little stutterer. So, when it came to knowing Old Yu, Jenny was the most familiar. ¡°He¡¯s just a cowardly, miserly guy, afraid of death, and he even once tried to pursue me,¡± she sighed again as she spoke. The other two said nothing in response. Jenny may have gotten older, but it was clear her figure was still in great shape, her movements nimble and strong, and her face free of wrinkles. Her skin had been well-maintained. Additionally, as everyone had grown paler due to lack of light, she exuded a certain western vampire beauty that Yu Hong had once noticed. It was entirely possible that Old Yu had tried to pursue her. ¡°This is the place, be careful,¡± Jenny said, gripping the large luminous stone in one hand, her expression becoming more serious as she stared at the half-open iron door. Without hesitation, she used the tip of her machete to gently prod the door, applying force to push it open. Creeeak. The iron door slowly opened, revealing a dark bedroom inside. The room was empty, with disheveled bedding in the corner, as though someone had recently been lying there. Other furniture, like tables and chairs, looked normal, with no strange marks. Just as Jenny was about to enter, she suddenly retreated quickly, her breathing becoming hurried. ¡°Careful!!¡± She spread her arms, blocking the two behind her. ¡°Look at the floor!¡± she quickly said. Yu Hong and Dr. Xu immediately followed her gaze. On the black floor of the bedroom, a set of gray male work clothes had been scattered around. The clothes consisted of long-sleeved shirts, yellowed white shirts inside, long pants, and a pair of long rubber boots. The shiny white rubber gleamed with a faint greenish light under the atomic flashlight. ¡°These are Old Yu¡¯s clothes and shoes,¡± Jenny said softly, her voice filled with complexity. ¡°The person must be gone,¡± Dr. Xu said, her mood growing heavy as she looked at the abandoned clothes. With the small number of people in their gathering place, losing another person¡ªespecially someone who produced food¡ªwould have a huge impact on them. She crouched down and reached out to pick up Old Yu¡¯s clothes. Suddenly, her pupils shrank, and she quickly stood and stepped back. ¡°Wait!! Everyone, stay back! Don¡¯t touch the clothes!!¡± Upon hearing her words, Jenny and Yu Hong immediately retreated. ¡°What¡¯s going on!?¡± Yu Hong tensed up, tightening his grip on the club and scanning the area. ¡°Look at the back of the clothes!¡± Dr. Xu gritted her teeth, her voice trembling. Yu Hong quickly directed the atomic light toward the clothes. He saw that Dr. Xu had turned the clothes over, revealing a clear black handprint on the sleeve! ¡°Black handprint!?¡± His heart sank. He had just heard about the characteristics of the Evil Shadow and the Withered Maiden, and now, seeing this distinctive black handprint, he felt uneasy. ¡°Get out of here! We can¡¯t stay here!¡± Jenny made a decisive call and turned to leave. The other two felt a chill in their hearts and quickly followed her. They didn¡¯t dare touch anything, rushing back to the small hall and climbing up the ladder to return to the stone house. Bang. Jenny kicked the metal cover back over the basement entrance. ¡°We can¡¯t go back in there!¡± she said firmly. ¡°Old Yu must have been infected long ago, which is why he was sent out and couldn¡¯t be relocated!¡± Dr. Xu¡¯s face went pale. ¡°I¡¯ve had contact with him before; I hope I wasn¡¯t infected too.¡± ¡°Everyone, check yourselves carefully. I heard that if you don¡¯t have direct contact, you usually won¡¯t get infected. The black handprint can seep through clothes,¡± Jenny said, her scalp tingling with unease as she spoke. She was also furious, realizing that Old Yu¡¯s concealment could lead to a catastrophe for everyone. ¡°Let¡¯s check each other,¡± Yu Hong said after a long silence. At that moment, all three fell silent. Then, they slowly moved apart and began inspecting each other for black handprints. A few minutes later, to their relief, none of them had been infected, which allowed them to breathe a little easier. ¡°We can¡¯t stay here. Let¡¯s get out first,¡± Jenny said in a low voice. ¡°What about the food?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°Without Old Yu, we¡¯ll have to find food on our own. Relying on wild vegetables won¡¯t be enough.¡± ¡°I know a bit about Old Yu¡¯s Breading process. Let¡¯s give it a try. If it doesn¡¯t work, we can go back down and search,¡± Jenny replied. (End of Chapter) Chapter 34: Trouble (2) Immediately, the three left the stone house. Jenny returned with a nervous-looking Eve at the door.Dr. Xu and Yu Hong, having exchanged candles for some Great luminous stone, also returned to rest. Carrying their items, Yu Hong didn¡¯t head back directly but instead made his way to the old Yu¡¯s former residence¡ªa small hillside cellar that looked like a burial mound. He opened the cellar door, and immediately, the smell of mold and rotten meat rushed out. Holding his stick, he fought off his disgust and carefully crawled inside. About ten minutes later, he crawled out from the cellar, stinking all over, holding a black-covered notebook in his hand, and walked off. Returning to the cave¡¯s safe house. Yu Hong resumed his previous routine. He exercised in the morning, went out at noon to collect firewood, find water, and dig for vegetables, then spent his afternoons studying the enhancement of the black mark with books. Two days passed quickly. Crack. At noon, inside the stone house, Yu Hong snapped a dry branch in two, shortening it to a size that could fit into the fireplace, then tossed it aside and picked up another. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the countdown on the door. There were only a few minutes left on the timer. ¡®It¡¯s almost time. Soon, I¡¯ll know what the effects will be after reaching the maximum enhancement,¡¯ he thought, filled with anticipation. Although the threat of the evil shadow had spread to the post office gathering area, as long as he wasn¡¯t infected, with the symbol array strengthened by the black mark, he didn¡¯t believe the Ghostly shadows and evil creatures could harm him without a trace. The only thing he was worried about was how effective the symbol array would be against the evil shadow. This hadn¡¯t been tested for real, so no one knew if it could withstand it. Minutes passed quickly, and the countdown hit zero. Hiss! A blur covered the symbol array behind the door, but it cleared again in an instant. The symbol array that appeared was now completely different. The originally gray-white lines of the array had been enhanced to a faint silver color. The symbols in the array had changed too. They went from the Great luminous stone¡¯s level to a completely new design. This new design was far more complex than the one with the Great luminous stone and included many detailed aspects of shading and depth. ¡®It looks very strong. Just don¡¯t know how it will perform in practice,¡¯ Yu Hong thought, happily observing the array. He reached out to touch it, feeling the surface, which was incredibly smooth as though nothing had been carved. ????????§¦? ¡°Not bad, not bad. Next, if I grind the Giant luminous stone into powder and make Giant luminous stone ink, would it be even stronger?¡± He had now roughly grasped the lower limits of the black mark¡¯s potential. Indeed, each object could only be enhanced once, but if the enhanced object were processed again with a large amount of personal material added, it could be enhanced once more. The key difference was that the material added must constitute the majority of the final composition. ¡®The evil shadow might be nearby. Considering the soldiers who passed by before, I need to stay alert.¡¯ In these past few days, Yu Hong had also set up some basic warning systems around, such as fine ropes tied between trees, hidden in the grass. If someone brushed against the ropes, it would trigger a bell at the end of the rope. The bells were found in the stone house where the old Yu had been. Returning to his work, Yu Hong went to another corner, picked up a piece of Great luminous stone, and began to grind it. He added water and carbon. Soon, he skillfully created a fresh batch of Great luminous stone ink. This time, instead of carving anywhere else, he took a prepared wooden board and began to carefully draw the Giant luminous stone symbol array. The silver array¡¯s symbols were too complex. He observed closely but found that the varying depths required were too difficult to replicate, so he chose to use the more familiar jade-like symbols, the enhancement marks naturally found on Great luminous stone. After about ten minutes, a brand-new wooden board symbol array, drawn with Great luminous stone ink, appeared in his hands. He stretched out his hand, pressed it down, and began to enhance it. And not just any enhancement, but the highest level of enhancement. Soon, a new countdown appeared on the wooden board: ¡°2 days, 1 hour, 04 minutes.¡± Yu Hong, feeling once again completely drained, struggled to confirm the start of the enhancement process. He planned to prepare as much as possible. If Jenny and the others failed to cultivate the meat, he might have to move food from old Yu¡¯s cellar. As for how strong the evil shadow was, he didn¡¯t know, so he could only prepare in every way he could. If it really came down to it, he planned to experiment using old Yu¡¯s notebook. But that was a last resort because starting from scratch would mean many failures and plenty of troublesome issues. * * * * Five days passed in the blink of an eye. At the Post Office gathering site, Jenny¡¯s cave. ¡°The high tide period is coming. We don¡¯t have enough dried meat, Mom! Do we have any more food hidden away? I¡¯m so hungry!¡± Eve slumped on the bed, flipping through a romance novel. ¡°We just ate not long ago,¡± Jenny¡¯s voice came from the workroom. ¡°I gave you all the dried meat, and there¡¯s none left at home. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll go see Dr. Xu to see if I can borrow some.¡± She had given most of their food to her daughter, but it had been five days, and she still hadn¡¯t managed to grow edible mushrooms. Growing mushrooms was the first step in raising the lizards, but now, she didn¡¯t even know where to start. She used to think it was easy when Old Yu grew mushrooms so quickly, but now she realized it was far slower than she thought. ¡°But Mom, I¡¯m so hungry,¡± Eve complained. ¡°We¡¯ve already borrowed food from Dr. Xu once. It¡¯s probably all gone by now.¡± ¡°Just bear with it. It will be over soon. We can make do with mushrooms and wild vegetables for now,¡± Jenny said helplessly. Old Yu¡¯s disappearance had thrown her carefully planned schedule into disarray. She had originally planned to grow food herself, but unexpectedly, Old Yu had returned. Thinking they no longer needed to grow food, she had stopped. But now, just when they needed to replenish food, Old Yu was gone! This had put both Jenny and Dr. Xu in a state of hunger with little food left. ¡°Old Yu should have some at his place, right? Why don¡¯t we just go and take it?¡± Eve said disgruntled. ¡°He¡¯s gone now, so it¡¯s basically free to take, right?¡± ¡°No, we can¡¯t. What if there are black handprints there? What if they¡¯re contagious?¡± Jenny was startled and quickly raised her voice. ¡°I can help you with all sorts of problems, but this time, you have to listen to me! Absolutely do not go to Old Yu¡¯s place. It¡¯s too dangerous!¡± Seeing her mother so adamant, Eve had no choice but to nod, signaling she wouldn¡¯t go. However, she squinted, lowered her head, and rubbed her hungry, shriveled stomach, feeling feverish all over. She craved meat, meat, meat. She was becoming more and more obsessed with the food piled up in Old Yu¡¯s place. It was said that Old Yu had stocked up on candies and drinks from the town. If she could get her hands on them, it would be so satisfying! ¡®The person¡¯s been dead for so long. The black handprints must have disappeared by now. Besides, I¡¯ll just go in, grab something, and leave. I won¡¯t touch the black handprints, so it should be fine!¡¯ She wasn¡¯t concerned. With the high tide period fast approaching and the dried meat reserves running low, if she didn¡¯t hurry to stock up, she might starve to death before the bugs even had a chance to bite her. Now that the canned food her father had left was finally finished, everything depended on outside supplies. If she didn¡¯t go out now, she would have no energy left to go out later when she got too hungry. Eve pretended to agree, but while waiting for her mother to go out and borrow food from Dr. Xu, she quietly slipped out of the cave. She didn¡¯t wander off. Soon, she arrived at the stone house with the broken door, and after turning on the atomic flashlight, her face showed a bit of fear. But with her stomach growling from hunger, she hesitated briefly before making up her mind and quickly slipping inside. Not long after, she tiptoed back out, crawling out of the basement. Afraid her mother would find out and scold her, she had only grabbed a small packet of food from the entrance. It was a stash she had hidden for herself. She vowed not to let her mom find out, or she might get another slap. She returned and carefully hid the food. Sure enough, her mother didn¡¯t notice, which gave her a sense of accomplishment. The next day, she used the excuse of going out to collect firewood to sneak back to Old Yu¡¯s basement, light the candles inside, and look for more food. She had a delicious meal. The same happened on the third day. Days passed slowly, and Eve didn¡¯t notice that with each visit to the stone house¡¯s basement, she had ventured further inside, away from the original entrance. After realizing nothing was wrong, her vigilance decreased. Every day, she lit candles and leisurely enjoyed eating in the basement. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Soon, the food in one of the rooms was finished, so she moved on to the next room. As time passed, she eventually reached the bedroom where Old Yu had been attacked. In the dim, dark corridor, candles were lit at intervals. The bright candlelight gave Eve a lot of reassurance. After stealing food for so many days, she was now certain that there was nothing wrong with this place and no danger. Her mother and Dr. Xu had just been scaring themselves. Humming a little tune, she approached the bedroom door, glancing at the scattered clothes on the floor and noticing the black handprint on the sleeve. ¡°As long as I don¡¯t touch the black handprint, it¡¯ll be fine. Why are they making such a big deal out of this? It¡¯s not like anything happened,¡± Eve thought as she stepped over the clothes and entered the bedroom. With the candlelight in her hand, she quickly searched the bedroom, rummaging through cabinets for food and good items. The dark, cold basement was fully illuminated by Old Yu¡¯s candles, showing every corner. It wasn¡¯t her stuff, so she didn¡¯t care about it. These supplies that belonged to Old Yu were now being recklessly wasted by Eve. After a quick search, she cheered when she found a piece of white chocolate in a cabinet. ¡°This is so good!¡± She stuffed it into her mouth and hummed in satisfaction. Bang! At that moment, a soft sound came from the bedroom door. Eve froze, turning her head to look. She saw that the candle at the door had gone out. Bang! Just as she turned to look at the door, another soft sound came from beside her, and the candle in her hand went out too. Eve hurriedly turned back but saw nothing. She looked at the room, which was slowly darkening, and started to feel a little scared. ¡®I need to go back,¡¯ she thought nervously, stepping back two paces and quickly heading for the door. Just as she was about to cross the pile of clothes at the door¡­ Whoosh! Suddenly, two candles in the corridor went out at once. Immediately, only two candles remained lit in the corridor. Eve was so startled that she shivered, and her feet slipped, causing her to fall onto her bottom with a painful thud. Thud! She fell hard onto the floor, her butt aching from the impact. As she hurriedly tried to get up, she suddenly froze. Looking down, she realized she had sat right on top of Old Yu¡¯s pile of clothes! ¡°No way¡­¡± She felt a chill run through her body, and her scalp went numb. She jumped up and ran toward the exit. But she didn¡¯t notice that on her lower back and buttocks, a clear black handprint was slowly forming. Whoosh! After she left, the last two candles in the corridor were suddenly blown out. * * * * The high tide period was fast approaching. At this time, Yu Hong, Dr. Xu, and Jenny had arranged to meet up to exchange supplies. In the safe house, Yu Hong carefully packed everything he could carry. His physical fitness had noticeably improved during these training sessions, and there was now a slight chill in his body. This meant that he now had three strands of cool energy inside him to use. ¡°I hope Jenny can manage to grow some dried meat. Otherwise¡­ I can last a while, but they won¡¯t make it.¡± After packing his things, Yu Hong opened the door, looked out at the bright sunshine, and stepped out, heading toward the Post Office gathering site. (End of Chapter) Chapter 35: Trouble (3) The sun was scorching, its rays causing a prickling sensation on the skin. The temperature had risen to at least thirty degrees.After fully gearing up, Yu Hong had only walked a short distance before he was drenched in sweat, but he dared not remove his equipment. In such an environment, he had to be wary not only of the Ghostly shadows but also of people. So even though it was hot, he had to endure it. After walking for over ten minutes, he quickly reached the gathering point by the post office. He waited for a while in front of the stone house. While waiting for others to arrive, he was also carefully observing his surroundings. The grayish-white stone house stood quietly among the dark green trees. The exterior of the house was full of worn, unidentified marks, and the edges and corners showed signs of damage from impact. Vines, a mix of green and gray-brown, had climbed up the roof. A gentle breeze stirred, making the leaves and branches of the plants sway slightly. Yu Hong looked down at the ground and suddenly furrowed his brow. The ground outside the stone house seemed to have some footprints. ¡°Yu Hong, you¡¯re here so early today?¡± Jenny¡¯s voice came from behind. ¡°Mm, the high tide period is approaching, trouble¡¯s coming again, so we need to prepare in advance. The problem now is how to deal with food,¡± Yu Hong turned around and looked at her. Jenny had changed into a form-fitting camouflage outfit, her expression tired, and her eyes bloodshot. She clearly hadn¡¯t had enough rest. As soon as she got close, a sour, unpleasant odor wafted from her, indicating she had likely not had time to clean herself. ¡°I tried growing mushrooms, but the ones that grew are completely inedible. They¡¯re all contaminated with toxic bacteria,¡± she sighed. ¡°We usually eat ox-leg mushrooms, right?¡± Yu Hong had been reviewing Old Yu¡¯s record manual in the past few days. While it didn¡¯t provide the exact cultivation process, it listed many of the problems encountered during cultivation. This manual was essentially Old Yu¡¯s mistake book and was quite useful for reference. Ox-leg mushrooms were a type of non-light-dependent mushroom, similar to chicken-leg mushrooms, non-toxic, and large in size. Cultivating them once could yield a considerable amount, making them perfect for supplementary food. The key was that these mushrooms didn¡¯t require light, making them ideal for a closed, humid environment like theirs. ¡°Do you think the contamination could be from spores of other mushrooms? After all, random bacteria don¡¯t just appear,¡± Yu Hong thought aloud. ¡°I¡¯ve been very careful, but it¡¯s impossible to completely eliminate the risk,¡± Jenny shook her head. ¡°I heard Old Yu had his own cultivation box specifically for growing ox-leg mushrooms. If we could get our hands on that, success would be much easier.¡± ¡°Where is the cultivation box?¡± ¡°In the post office basement.¡± For a moment, neither of them spoke. No one dared go into the post office basement anymore. Once infected with the black handprints, even the town¡¯s Allied military forces couldn¡¯t stand up to the terrifying Shadow Woman, let alone ordinary people like them. ¡°I also tried cultivating,¡± Dr. Xu¡¯s voice, weary as well, came from their side. She had changed into a black long-sleeve T-shirt and jeans, her lips cracked and her face pale. ¡°I remember Old Yu secretly digging in corners of some forests several times. I suspect that the soil must be specific for growing mushrooms; otherwise, it won¡¯t work,¡± she continued. ????£Á??????????? She paused before adding, ¡°And I must remind you both, when trying to grow mushrooms, be cautious of mushroom lung disease.¡± ¡°Mushroom lung?¡± Yu Hong¡¯s face shifted slightly as a memory came to him. He recalled reading about this disease online before. ¡°Yes, when mushrooms are nearing maturity, they silently release spores. If inhaled into the lungs, it can cause mushroom lung disease. The symptoms include coughing, white phlegm, chest tightness, shortness of breath, sometimes even fever, palpitations, and nausea,¡± Dr. Xu explained. ¡°Of course, it only happens if you¡¯ve been inhaling spores for a long time. As long as you¡¯re careful and wear a mask, you¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°No wonder Old Yu always coughs non-stop. He might have a problem,¡± Jenny thought out loud. ¡°That¡¯s possible, but it¡¯s too late to discuss this now. Anyway, the high tide is almost here. The key now is how to get food,¡± Dr. Xu shifted the topic. The three of them looked at each other, and then fell silent. For a moment, the breeze brushed by, and the scorching sunlight fell on the three of them, but they couldn¡¯t feel the warmth. Without food, they wouldn¡¯t survive for a week. Yu Hong was better off. His protein bars had extremely strong endurance, and one could last him a whole day. Plus, he had swapped food with Old Yu earlier, so his food supply could last for two weeks. But Jenny and Dr. Xu wouldn¡¯t be fine. Judging by their current state, they¡¯d likely run out of food in a few days. ¡°Without a proper cultivation method, we can only find other food to tide us over,¡± Jenny said in a low voice. She had clearly been thinking about this for a long time before coming. ¡°As for what other food, I don¡¯t need to explain, right?¡± ¡°You mean scavenging from other people¡¯s homes?¡± Dr. Xu immediately reacted. ¡°Is that feasible? They probably took everything with them, right?¡± ¡°There must still be some down below the postal building. Also, I know a few hiding spots from people who died during the high tide. There¡¯s definitely food there, though the entrances are tricky to open.¡± Jenny replied. ¡°Shall we go?¡± Dr. Xu looked at Yu Hong. After visiting Yu Hong¡¯s safehouse, she had developed a sense of respect for him. She realized that he wasn¡¯t just boasting but actually had real skills. It was a pity that Yi Yi left too early; otherwise, if she¡¯d followed Yu Hong, she might have had a much better life. ¡°Let¡¯s go check,¡± Yu Hong nodded. Even if they couldn¡¯t find food, it would still be worth it if they could find valuable miscellaneous items from other people. Especially the Red Value Detector. He was somewhat covetous of it. If he could get one and upgrade it, it might prove very useful. At the very least, it could provide environmental warnings. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll lead the way. You guys follow closely.¡± Jenny nodded, as if she had expected them to agree. ¡°By the way, where¡¯s Eve? Is she not coming out?¡± Dr. Xu suddenly asked. ¡°She said she wasn¡¯t feeling well and is staying in her room alone. I don¡¯t know what she¡¯s doing in there. But since she¡¯s moving less and using up less energy, I didn¡¯t bother her,¡± Jenny answered. ¡°By the way, wasn¡¯t Eve in the town? Why did she suddenly come back? Why didn¡¯t she migrate with the town?¡± Dr. Xu asked curiously. ¡°That¡­ I¡¯m not sure.¡± Jenny showed an unnatural expression. ¡°I think she offended someone in the town, but I don¡¯t know the details. But you know, Eve is very beautiful, and she always attracts a lot of admirers.¡± ¡°Yeah, sometimes being too beautiful isn¡¯t a good thing in times like these,¡± Dr. Xu agreed with a sigh. Yu Hong, walking behind, wiped his sweat as he listened to their conversation. When he heard the part about offending someone, his expression seemed to shift slightly. In the quiet forest, the three of them equipped with their tools, left the stone house by the postal building and followed a waterway washed out by rain. Soon, they reached a small hill. At the foot of the hill, there was a rough iron door. The door was black, painted over, with yellow rust showing where the paint had chipped off. Jenny stopped in front of the iron door and picked up a thick tree branch to knock on the door. Clang, clang, clang. The iron door made a dull sound. ¡°This was Elsie¡¯s place. He and his father lived here. One day, they went far away to dig for Luminous ores and never came back.¡± ¡°Elsie¡­ a shy young man. He and his father were good people. They even helped me chop wood.¡± Dr. Xu recalled with a melancholic look in her eyes. ¡°Good people never seem to live long.¡± ¡°It has nothing to do with being good or not. How long you live depends on how careful you are,¡± Yu Hong added. ¡°True.¡± Dr. Xu nodded. The three of them stopped talking and let Yu Hong step forward. Holding the chisel he¡¯d brought earlier, he began hammering at the door. Clang, clang, clang! The iron door, already rusted badly, gave way with just a few hits. Yu Hong pulled the door open, and immediately, a cloud of visible dust poured out. A mixture of moldy and rotten smells filled the air. ¡°What¡¯s that smell?!¡± Jenny quickly stepped aside, covering her nose with a twisted expression. ¡°It¡¯s a body.¡± Dr. Xu bent down to peer into the hole. Inside the narrow pit, a grayish-yellow body, already decayed to the point where only the skin and bones remained, lay quietly on the ground surrounded by tiny insects. The body was dressed in tattered long sleeves and pants, now grayish-white. A bandage was wrapped around the arm, and the man wore black-framed glasses. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. His face was turned sideways, his eye sockets gnawed out, staring blankly at the door, as if still yearning to escape even in death. ¡°It¡¯s Elsie. This bandage¡­ I was the one who bandaged him. I didn¡¯t expect he¡¯d come back,¡± Dr. Xu recognized the body and her eyes filled with sadness. ¡°He was a good kid.¡± ¡°Stop lamenting. Time is running out.¡± Yu Hong stepped around the body and entered the pit, holding his breath. After a quick search, he soon found two bags of dried meat, one bag of dried mushrooms, and one bag of half-eaten dried wild vegetables. ¡°The food is still here. He didn¡¯t die of hunger.¡± He walked over to the firepit in the corner, picked up the tilted aluminum kettle, shook it, and found it still contained half a kettle of water. ¡°And the water¡¯s here. He didn¡¯t die of thirst.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Ghostly shadow.¡± Dr. Xu bent down to pick up a bag of Luminous stone powder. Even in the powder, she could faintly see fragments with red symbols. Yu Hong shook his head, took the food, checked it for safety, then divided it among them. The three of them continued to the next house. One by one, they smashed open various hiding places, and as time passed, they visited several abandoned survivor safehouses. Some were completely empty, while others yielded some food. After visiting five safehouses, each person had two bags of dried meat, one bag of mushrooms, and one bag of dried wild vegetables. This was enough to alleviate their immediate problem. By the time they finished the last house, Jenny glanced at the sky. ¡°We still have time. We can go to the nearby Luminous Stone mine and collect some Luminous stone for later. What do you think?¡± she asked the others. ¡°How far is it from here?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°About two kilometers from here, but the mountain paths are much harder to traverse than flat ground, so we have to move quickly,¡± Jenny replied. ¡°Let¡¯s go tomorrow. It¡¯s too rushed now. If anything happens on the way, and we end up stuck in the wild overnight, it would be dangerous,¡± Yu Hong frowned. (End of Chapter) Chapter 36: Trouble (4) Jenny glanced at Dr. Xu and saw that she also wore an approving expression.¡°Alright, let¡¯s go back first. The food should be enough to get us through this high-risk period,¡± Jenny said. Once the three of them reached a consensus, they quickly made their way back, picking up some dry firewood along the way. It was slow when they left, but much quicker on the return, and within less than twenty minutes, they successfully arrived at the post office gathering site. As they were about to part ways, Yu Hong suddenly thought of something and asked aloud. ¡°By the way, Jenny, I remember that it was several days between Old Yu¡¯s return and the incident, right?¡± ¡°Yes, it was definitely several days,¡± Jenny nodded. ¡°Does this mean that even if he was infected, it could take several days before he spreads it to others?¡± Yu Hong furrowed his brows. ¡°So the question is, what¡¯s the method of transmission for the black handprints? Do you know?¡± ¡°Contact, it should be contact,¡± Jenny replied. ¡°As long as you touch a black handprint or an individual with a black handprint, you could be infected.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± Yu Hong nodded and glanced at Dr. Xu while picking up his things. ¡°Since it¡¯s transmitted by contact, then when Old Yu first returned, who did he come into contact with?¡± ¡°¡­¡± The other two fell silent. They both recalled the situation and felt uneasy. Old Yu, being a butcher, had nearly come into contact with everyone. Looking at it this way, any one of them could have been infected. ¡°Let¡¯s check again. Everyone, be cautious,¡± Yu Hong paused, his gaze turned toward the stone house. ¡°Also, there¡¯s one more thing.¡± ¡°Mom!¡± Suddenly, Eve¡¯s voice came from a distance. Her face looked somewhat haggard, and she was dressed in a gray thin sweater and black pants, walking quickly toward them. When she got closer, instead of looking at the food in her mother¡¯s hands, her eyes immediately fell on Yu Hong, her expression brightening with joy. She immediately walked briskly towards Yu Hong. ¡°Brother Yu,¡± she said with a sweet smile, puffing her chest to subtly accentuate her body¡¯s curves. ¡°I heard you can make Great Luminous Stone. How many pieces do you have now? Could you sell me some more?¡± ¡°Eve!¡± Jenny scolded from the side, unable to hold back. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Brother Yu is a good person, mom, don¡¯t worry.¡± Eve unconsciously moved closer, reaching to hold Yu Hong¡¯s arm. ¡°Stop!¡± Yu Hong suddenly took a step back, his gaze cold as he distanced himself. ¡°I want to ask you something.¡± He fixed his eyes on Eve. ¡°What¡­ what question!?¡± Eve was startled by his sudden loud voice and stood frozen, not daring to move. Jenny, on the other hand, was on high alert, her hand subtly resting on the hilt of the knife at her side. She feared Yu Hong might harm her daughter. After all, in these times, there were many people with mental issues living alone. Dr. Xu, without saying a word, also gripped the hilt of her short knife and slowly moved closer to Yu Hong, her eyes focused on Eve and Jenny. Clearly, compared to Jenny and her daughter, she trusted Yu Hong more. For a moment, the four of them were split into two sides, with a tense atmosphere brewing. ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, I just want to ask a question.¡± Yu Hong took a step back, signaling Dr. Xu to also back off. ¡°The footprints at the entrance of the post office stone house. Aside from the ones we left that day after we left, there was another set. Who do they belong to?¡± £Ò??§°????¨¨? His gaze shifted between Jenny and Eve. ¡°Don¡¯t lie, I remember the footprints clearly from when we left that day. I made sure to remember the shape. But when I came back today, I noticed the footprints were different. Clearly, someone else has entered and exited the stone house more than once!¡± As soon as he said that, the expressions of the three of them changed. Jenny and Dr. Xu were both confused and fearful, while Eve was simply panicked. Jenny glanced around and immediately noticed her daughter¡¯s strange behavior. She was very familiar with Eve. Whenever Eve was anxious, she would stiffen, lower her head, and avoid eye contact, unconsciously pressing her hands against her thighs, wiping the sweat from her palms. ¡°Eve!!¡± Jenny suddenly shouted, her voice echoing through the woods. ¡°Was it you!?¡± She gritted her teeth, staring at her daughter with bloodshot eyes, hoping that Eve would deny it. But Eve¡¯s reaction caused Jenny¡¯s hopes to collapse rapidly, leaving her in despair! Pfft. Eve covered her face with both hands, standing frozen in place, her face pale. After a long pause, she slowly turned around. Indeed, on the left side of her hip, a small black handprint was faintly visible. The reason she had changed into black pants was clearly to cover up the gradually emerging black handprint on her body. If it weren¡¯t for Yu Hong¡¯s suspicion, and if Eve hadn¡¯t been questioned, the three might not have noticed the handprint hidden on her black pants. Seeing the handprint, Yu Hong and Dr. Xu didn¡¯t say anything further and quickly distanced themselves. ¡°The food¡¯s been found. Let¡¯s all scatter and calm down for a while,¡± Yu Hong quickly said. ¡°Jenny.¡± Dr. Xu called, seeing that Jenny hadn¡¯t shown any sign of distancing herself from her daughter. She couldn¡¯t help but remind her. ¡°If one person is infected, perhaps Great Luminous Stone can still help. But with two people, it¡¯s different!¡± She paused. ¡°Also¡­¡± Dr. Xu¡¯s gaze turned sharp as she stared at Eve. ¡°Keep an eye on your daughter.¡± Her tone was rather blunt. Jenny froze for a moment, her eyes reddening, as if she hadn¡¯t heard the warning. She just turned her head, staring at her daughter with a fierce gaze, her chest rising and falling violently, her back to Yu Hong and Dr. Xu, crouching slowly beside Eve, as if deaf. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Dr. Xu didn¡¯t say anything else. She quickly grabbed her things and left. The two of them left one after the other, checking each other for any black handprints as they walked. After confirming that neither of them had any, they let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Eve definitely tried to infect us!¡± Dr. Xu gritted her teeth. ¡°Why would she do that!?¡± Yu Hong pulled out a half-changed Great Luminous Stone from his chest and exhaled. It was this item that had alerted him. He had initially been unsure about who had entered the stone house, but once the Great Luminous Stone showed abnormal behavior, he quickly identified the culprit. ¡°There must be some benefit, otherwise, both she and Old Yu wouldn¡¯t have concealed it and actively made contact with others,¡± Dr. Xu speculated. ¡°I¡¯ve always felt something was off.¡± Yu Hong spoke. ¡°With Eve¡¯s personality, in such a harsh environment, how could she not have any sense of vigilance? There are shadows and bugs everywhere, hasn¡¯t she been scared?¡± ¡°Speaking of that.¡± Dr. Xu showed a hint of recollection. ¡°Eve really is different from most people. I remember when Jenny¡¯s family first arrived, her father was still around. He was a very frail old man, with no color on his face. He was at least 20 or 30 years older than Jenny. And¡­¡± ¡°And what?¡± ¡°And back then, Eve hardly ever came out. It was mostly her parents who showed up.¡± Dr. Xu recalled as she leaned against a tree. ¡°Later, Eve¡¯s father suddenly said he was going out, but never returned. After that, Eve started going out. This girl is very capable, don¡¯t be fooled by how silly she seems. Actually, she¡¯s a linguistic genius, speaks four languages, and has deep knowledge of ancient linguistics. I don¡¯t know why her family moved here.¡± ¡°Is there anything else unusual?¡± Yu Hong pressed. ¡°One more thing.¡± Dr. Xu¡¯s brow furrowed deeply. ¡°Their underground tunnel, no one¡¯s ever gone in there. And they don¡¯t allow anyone to visit. Also, several times during surge periods, when everyone was on the brink of collapse and several people died, their family was fine.¡± ¡°Looks like they have something going on.¡± Yu Hong nodded. Based on what he learned from Dr. Xu, they definitely had some hidden secrets. ¡°Definitely. Before, Eve went to town and brought back two guys who were pursuing her, but they quickly disappeared. I don¡¯t know why, but I always feel like this girl is hiding something.¡± Dr. Xu frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t get too close to them for now. If anything happens, come find me. If there¡¯s any abnormality, tell me immediately.¡± Yu Hong took another piece of Great Luminous Stone from his waist pouch. ¡°I¡¯ll lend you one piece of Great Luminous Stone for now. Be careful, it will emit slight heat when it changes color. Carry it close to your body, and you¡¯ll be able to sense many places of danger.¡± He handed the Great Luminous Stone to Dr. Xu. No matter what, she was the only medical professional around, and she was a familiar face with a good nature. If he could help, he would. ¡°Thank you!¡± Dr. Xu¡¯s eyes flickered, and her face showed a trace of emotion. She quickly took the Great Luminous Stone. ¡°I¡¯m working on a herb right now, basically made from wild plants and minerals found nearby. It¡¯s very helpful for wound infections, almost done. I¡¯ll give you some when it¡¯s ready!¡± ¡°Good!¡± Yu Hong¡¯s eyes brightened. He hadn¡¯t expected an extra reward. ¡°Be careful.¡± ¡°I will!¡± Dr. Xu nodded firmly. The two of them parted under the tree and returned to their respective shelters. By the time Yu Hong returned to the safe house cave, the sky had already dimmed. He put the firewood in the corner, started a fire, and began preparing food. Sitting by the fireplace, he carefully thought back on the details of Jenny and Eve, his brow furrowing deeper. ¡®The evil shadows are getting closer, quietly arriving beside the people around me. Eve is definitely done for. If Jenny stays with her, she¡¯ll die too. That means, after this, only Dr. Xu and I will still have food issues left. Two more people will be gone.¡¯ He sighed and poked the fire with a stick to ensure the oxygen could circulate better. The red glow of the fire danced on his face, flickering in and out. After adding more wood, Yu Hong stood up to check the protective symbols he was reinforcing on the walls. He had set up symbols all over the inner walls of the cave. But instead of reinforcing them to the extreme, he was strengthening them to a normal level. Now, the walls and floor were covered with these symbols, designed to prevent evil shadows and malignant entities from entering the cave. The threat of evil shadows was imminent, and he needed to be as prepared as possible. These symbols all over the cave were the first step. The second step was to create a portable temporary formation plate, which could be used to test the protection range of the symbol formations in other locations. How large an area one symbol formation could protect was an important piece of data. Only by confirming the range could he strengthen it on clothing, armor, and even on his body! (End of Chapter) Chapter 37: Secret (1) The next day, in Baiqiu Village.A warm breeze blew gently, and the sun was at its hottest around noon. In front of the desolate houses of the village, a tall figure dressed in gray-black anti-stab clothing slowly walked along the gravel road, as though surveying the surrounding environment. The figure wore a helmet and carried a black wolf-tooth club, its spikes glinting faintly silver in the sunlight, looking menacing. After a while, the figure raised his head, revealing a pale, expressionless face¡ªYu Hong. His footsteps paused as he stopped in front of a slightly larger, dark stone house. Without a sound, he quietly took a bag from his back, opened it, and pulled out a palm-sized yellow wooden board. Inlaid in the board was a jade circle with a Great luminous stone (Dahuishi) rune array. He gently pressed the rune array board against the stone door and lightly secured it with nails. Once his hands were free, he opened the door, looked inside at the dark, pitch-black interior, took a deep breath, and stepped inside. Before long, his figure disappeared into the darkness, and silence fell. Time passed slowly. Five minutes later. Bang!! A figure suddenly shot out from the darkness, rushing toward the door. It was Yu Hong. His expression remained calm, but several spikes of the wolf-tooth club he held had already bent. Hiss! Behind him, a woman in black with her skull crushed in, rapidly approached, her pale, decayed right hand reaching toward his back. Just as the woman¡¯s hand was only a few inches from Yu Hong¡ª Suddenly, he lunged forward and rolled on the ground, just as the door creaked open a little, allowing him to escape, narrowly avoiding her grasp. In the split second, the woman¡¯s hand collided with the door that had been nailed with the rune array board. Ah!!! A sharp, invisible sound wave exploded, and the woman¡¯s right hand turned translucent, distorting as if it were mist in the wind, about to dissipate. Then, her entire body seemed to undergo intense interference, rapidly twisting, creating large ripples. Poof! Moments later, the woman vanished. The rune array board on the door also turned completely gray-white, and the runes began to crack and break apart. After the scream, everything returned to stillness. Yu Hong slowly rose from the gravel road, his gaze fixed on the rune array board on the door. ¡°Surprisingly, the effect is even stronger than the regular Great luminous stone. It seems the power of both the luminous stone and the rune array is related to the specific area of the rune array.¡± ??????????B§§? This wasn¡¯t even the strongest silver rune array, just an ordinary Great luminous stone rune array, and a single piece was enough to repel a Ghostly Shadow. After removing the nails and rune array board, Yu Hong carefully examined the area where the rune array had activated. There was a faint gray-white circle around the board on the wooden door. It looked like a chalk circle drawn around the rune array itself. This mark didn¡¯t exist before, but it had appeared after the rune array and the apparition made contact. Yu Hong gently touched it and confirmed it couldn¡¯t be wiped away. It was already imprinted on the door. He thoughtfully withdrew his hand and estimated the size of the circle¡ªit was about three times the size of the rune array. He quickly noted the data on a piece of paper and packed up his things, leaving quickly. After walking a distance, he suddenly felt a chill blow from behind and quickly turned around, looking toward the stone house he had just left. Inside the house, the wooden door was wide open, and through the shadows, a blurry figure of the woman in black¡ªthe apparition he had just dispersed¡ªwas standing. It seemed the apparition was reconstructing, with her body gradually becoming clearer from the previous blur. Yu Hong withdrew his gaze, quickly calculated the time, looked down to record the data, and then left in a hurry. Soon, he left Baiqiu Village, collecting some dry firewood along the way, and returned to his cave. He took out more Great luminous stone ink and repaired the broken lines of the rune array on the board. He then placed his hand on it. The black lines flickered, and a countdown instantly appeared on the board: 45 minutes. Once that was done, Yu Hong walked to the corner, took out a thin wooden board rune array that he had started making yesterday. This rune array board was very thin, almost as thin as a mobile phone. He had made over ten of these and stacked them in the corner. Ever since discovering Eve¡¯s infection with the Black Handprint, he had been preparing to face the dark apparitions. Regular Great luminous stones could no longer block them, which had already been tested. One Great luminous stone was only as effective as a bag of ordinary luminous stones. Given the mass death in the town overnight, it was impossible no one had tested bags of luminous stones. The greater possibility was that the bags of luminous stones had no effect at all. So, he needed a stronger solution. The rune arrays were his trump cards. Sitting in the corner, Yu Hong took one of the boards and drew the Great luminous stone rune array on it. Crack! At that moment, a faint sound of footsteps came from outside. Crack. Crack. The footsteps were slow and rhythmic, steadily approaching, stepping on dry twigs. As the sound grew nearer, Yu Hong stopped drawing, placed the board down, stood up, and grabbed the wolf-tooth club in his hand. His eyes grew vigilant, focusing on the door as the footsteps continued to approach. The peephole in the door was covered, and he could only see faint sunlight streaming in through small cracks. Despite the bright, warm sunlight, a strong, bone-chilling coldness slowly rose from within Yu Hong¡¯s heart. Crack. Crack. The footsteps were almost upon the door. Finally, the sounds stopped. The person outside seemed to hesitate, considering whether to continue. Yu Hong also reached the back of the door, holding his wolf-tooth club in one hand and two large luminous stones in the other, gently pressing them against the door. One minute. Two minutes. Three minutes. There was no further movement outside. Yu Hong¡¯s tense nerves slowly began to relax. He glanced at the luminous stones behind the door. The luminous stone had quietly consumed half of its energy and had now stopped, returning to silence. Sigh. He let out a quiet breath, reached out to open the peephole, and looked outside. It was bright and sunny, with the wind calm, the area empty, and nothing in sight. Seeing this, Yu Hong sighed in relief. He replaced the luminous stone behind the door and closed the peephole again. Bang!!! At that moment, a pale face suddenly pressed against the iron net of the peephole. With a loud crash, the decayed face pushed hard against the net, causing it to creak and almost break. The face glared at Yu Hong, then pushed with more force. To Yu Hong¡¯s horror, the face squeezed through the iron net and broke through the peephole! Buzz!!! In an instant, the luminous stone behind the door turned to white powder. The two other stones in Yu Hong¡¯s hands shattered as well. These luminous stones could not block the face¡¯s entry. At that moment, the silver rune array on the door suddenly lit up with a flash of silver. The higher-level rune array, which had taken two days to complete, suddenly emitted an intense, pure, invisible wave. The wave spread like ripples, covering the entire door and even the stone walls of the cave surrounding it. With the spread of the wave, the decayed face flickered, like a phantom, and disappeared in the blink of an eye. Everything immediately fell silent. The iron net of the peephole remained damaged, but the face had completely vanished. Yu Hong stood rigid, his body frozen as he realized the gravity of what had just happened, breathing heavily. He hadn¡¯t been able to move at all! It had all happened so suddenly. The pressure from the attack had been so overwhelming that he had been stunned and hadn¡¯t reacted in time to deal with it. When he finally regained his senses and prepared to act, everything was already over. ¡®Wait!! There was some special force that had paralyzed me!¡¯ Yu Hong recalled. Logically, by now, he shouldn¡¯t have been as vulnerable as he had been when he first arrived in this environment, and even if he were scared, he wouldn¡¯t have been completely frozen. But that feeling, the overwhelming fear, made him feel like a newcomer again. That terrifying sensation. He looked down at his body, noticing a faint gray-black handprint on his jacket¡¯s chest that was slowly fading away. ¡°Was it the withered Maiden?¡± he wondered. Compared to the apparition, the strength of that attack had been far greater. If it hadn¡¯t been for the silver rune array activating, he likely would have been caught and faced an unknown danger. He bent down and carefully inspected the silver rune array, noticing that the silver had faded slightly, indicating some of its power had been consumed. ¡°Tomorrow is the high surge period. Looks like I won¡¯t be able to leave casually after this.¡± Yu Hong checked the damage to the peephole and stretched out his hand to reinforce it, but then remembered there was still something in countdown. He could only wait for now. So, he grabbed a chair, sat down in front of the door, and started recovering his strength. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Not long after, when the countdown ended, he began to repair the broken iron net. It didn¡¯t take long to fix it, and then Yu Hong began to replenish the silver rune array¡¯s consumed power. After two hours, the silver rune array was back to normal, looking as it had before. However, inside, Yu Hong had gained a rough estimate of the strength of the withered Maiden and the apparition. * * * nside the Jenny cave. Eve was frantically scrubbing at the black handprint on her hip with a wet towel, but no matter how much she rubbed, the handprint remained stubborn and pitch black. Her face was filled with panic, and she seemed agitated. When she couldn¡¯t get rid of it, she immediately grabbed a knife, intending to cut the mark off herself. Bang! A stick swung from the side and struck her hand hard, knocking the knife to the ground. The stick was held by Jenny, her face cold, a hint of panic in her eyes as she kept a tense watch on their surroundings. ¡°Don¡¯t do something pointless! You¡¯re not dead yet, there¡¯s still hope! Don¡¯t give up!¡± ¡°But Mom!¡± Eve said, her face pale, her eyes already swollen from crying. ¡°Even Old Yu is dead¡­ I can¡¯t escape¡­¡± ¡°Go to the isolation room. Now!¡± Jenny barked. Eve was startled but gritted her teeth and quickly made her way to the wall in the bedroom. She moved aside a bear skin hanging on the wall to reveal a silver metal door beneath. Pushing the metal door horizontally, Eve crawled in and slammed it shut behind her. ¡°From now on, you¡¯ll stay in there. Do you understand?¡± Jenny said solemnly. ¡°Until the handprint disappears completely. Understand?¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Eve¡¯s voice came muffled from inside the silver metal door. ¡°Tomorrow is the peak period. I¡¯ll go out and figure something out for you,¡± Jenny said as she put down the stick, pulled the bear skin back into place, grabbed a bag of glowing stones, glanced at the clock, and quickly left the cave. (End of Chapter) Chapter 38: Secret (2) The sky was dim, approaching twilight.In front of the cave¡¯s safe house. Knock knock knock. A series of hurried knocks rang out. Jennie stood at the door, holding a knife in one hand, knocking with the other. ¡°Yu Hong! Do you have a business deal?¡± she asked, glancing at the sky, knowing that night was coming soon and she had to act quickly. ¡°What business?¡± Yu Hong asked from behind the door. He hadn¡¯t expected Jennie to come this late. But then again, it was to be expected; she would come sooner or later. ¡°My daughter¡¯s situation is my fault, and I apologize to you. But everyone has their selfishness. We all want to survive. I hope you understand that,¡± Jennie quickly explained, keeping a wary eye on the surroundings. Yu Hong scoffed inside. She nearly infected both him and Doctor Xu, and she casually mentioned such a major event like it was nothing. He had thought Jennie was relatively normal, but now, it seemed she was just like her daughter. ¡°What are you trying to say? There¡¯s nothing to discuss,¡± he said coldly. ¡°I want to buy all the Great Luminous Stone you have, using something you absolutely can¡¯t refuse,¡± Jennie said swiftly. ¡°The peak period is coming. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything that would make me refuse,¡± Yu Hong responded indifferently. ¡°You can at least listen,¡± Jennie continued, unbothered by his response. She went on, ¡°You probably don¡¯t know how Eve and I ended up here. Baiqiu Village is just a remote village. Why would our family go all the way to this place?¡± Yu Hong remained silent. Indeed, this seemed strange. ¡°My husband used to work as a researcher at the Silver Tower Joint Research Institute. Silver Tower isn¡¯t just a single place, it¡¯s a global alliance of many research institutions,¡± Jennie explained. ¡°He discovered that certain places in the world were the original sources of the black disaster. Baiqiu Village is one of those places. So¡ª¡± ¡°So he brought us here to find the source. He taught Eve from a young age, and both of them became quite proficient in ancient languages. Near this village, they discovered an underground relic,¡± she paused, sighing. ¡°Of course, that¡¯s not the most important part. The most important thing is that my husband brought out a liquid metal from Silver Tower. It can be used like spray paint. Its name is ¡®Sunshine No. 1.¡¯¡± ¡°This liquid metal is the only substance in current research that can block and isolate the ghostly shadows,¡± Jennie sighed. ¡°I have a small vial of this metal. I can trade it to you for all your Great Luminous Stone!¡± Sunshine No. 1? Such a thing exists? Yu Hong was half skeptical and didn¡¯t respond immediately. Strangely, Jennie didn¡¯t urge him but stood outside and continued speaking. ¡°You should think carefully. Right now, Eve is hiding in the Sunshine No. 1 room, which can temporarily block the evil shadows, but she can¡¯t stay in there forever. The moment she steps outside, she will likely be tangled by the evil shadows. So, after the peak period, I will come again. By then, I hope you¡¯ll have made your decision.¡± After speaking, Jennie quickly left the door and sprinted off into the forest, her movements as swift as a leopard. Soon, she returned to her cave home. She closed the door, locked it, and walked to the silver metal door where her daughter was. Squatting down, Jennie saw that the bag of Luminous Stone outside the silver metal door had already turned into white powder. Her face changed immediately. ¡°Eve, are you still there?¡± she called out loudly. ¡°I¡¯m here, Mom!¡± Eve quickly responded from inside. ¡°According to the attack pattern, the next strike should come in six hours. I¡¯ve used the red-value detector, and the environmental red value will peak over 200 just before the attack! Luminous Stone can neutralize the red value to reduce the peak, preventing the attack. So, all I can do now is gather as many Luminous Stone and Great Luminous Stone as possible to place near you to neutralize the environmental red value!¡± ??¦­?£Â?? Jennie spoke in a low voice. At that moment, she seemed like a completely different person from when she had been with Yu Hong and Doctor Xu. She knew much more and showed no sign of hiding or pretending. ¡°I understand. It will be fine. It¡¯s just that the black handprint is crazily driving me to infect more people. It feels like¡­ if I can infect enough people, I can avoid the danger!¡± Eve shouted from inside. ¡°It will be fine, just like before. As long as your father¡¯s things are here, I will cure you! Don¡¯t worry, Eve,¡± Jennie comforted. ¡°I believe you, Mom,¡± Eve responded. Then, Jennie started preparing food for both of them while getting ready for the peak period. * * * Night slowly descended. Yu Hong stirred the fire in the stove, boiling the thick soup he¡¯d just added ingredients to. The large gate and the silver rune array have been restored. Next, he must keep the black mark to prepare for the next possible enhancement. The words Jennie said in the afternoon kept echoing in his mind. Ancient language? Origin of the black disaster? Sunshine No. 1? These things, these names, had wrapped Baiqiu Village, which he once thought was just a regular village, in a mysterious veil. Yu Hong had always wondered about something: where did the red symbols on the surface of the glowstones come from? They didn¡¯t seem like modern technology products. And in this technology-driven modern society, when dealing with ghostly shadows and blood tides, there had to be some method of defense. What could that method be? Now, Jennie had given a potential answer. It was likely Sunshine No. 1. Thinking about it, he stood up and walked to the corner, pulling out a stack of newspapers he had brought from Jiuba¡¯s place, flipping through them. Soon, his hand paused. He pulled out one paper. The headline mentioned Sunshine No. 1 material. ¡°Regarding the newly developed special liquid metal, Professor Peng Siwei translated it as Sunshine No. 1. This liquid metal has the characteristic of solidifying upon exposure to light. Its initial discovery was near a few of the black disaster source points. The material is believed to have been generated alongside the black disaster.¡± It really exists¡­ Yu Hong muttered to himself, stunned. Then, he recalled what Doctor Xu had said. Jennie and her daughter had encountered extremely dangerous peak periods multiple times and had managed to survive. Combined with Eve¡¯s odd and out-of-place nature, Jennie and her daughter clearly had secrets, and they weren¡¯t ordinary ones. ¡°From the way she spoke earlier, she was very confident that she and her daughter could survive the peak period. It must be the effect of Sunshine No. 1.¡± As this thought passed through his mind, Yu Hong felt a flicker of temptation. Bam!! Suddenly, a loud sound came from the front door. He turned to look at the wooden door. The door trembled slightly, as if some large creature outside was ramming against it. Bam! Bam! Bam!! The continuous heavy bangs kept coming. Black insects began pouring in from the ventilation holes like sand. These insects had black shells, long and dense short legs, and menacing mouthparts like centipedes. But no matter how vicious they looked, the moment they entered the safe house, they were instantly melted by the light and turned into black smoke, disappearing into thin air. Yu Hong¡¯s face remained calm. The peak period wasn¡¯t a big threat to him now. All he needed to do was wait for the large creature to leave, then quickly repair the door. While waiting, Yu Hong kept an eye on the door¡¯s stability and began drawing ordinary runes, reinforcing them with black prints. These runes were all drawn on regular wooden boards, then stacked and connected using pre-made wooden nails to form a whole. In this way, a large rune array, made from nine wooden boards, was successfully completed. Over the next six days of the peak period, Yu Hong made three of these rune arrays. Two of them were ordinary rune arrays, and the last one, which was made with a silver rune array at its core, was a silver-core version. It was made specifically to deal with the impending danger of the ghostly shadow and the withered Maiden. Soon, the peak period passed. The next early morning. Yu Hong opened the door to go out and gather more firewood, when he soon heard faint footsteps approaching. He returned to the stone steps at the cave entrance and looked into the distance. In the distance, Jennie was walking quickly toward him with Eve. Six days had passed, and Jennie looked more haggard. Her eyes were sunken and dark, and she had lost a lot of weight. Her daughter Eve looked the same. Her once bright golden hair had lost its luster, and she seemed timid, anxious, and fearful. But despite everything, they were still alive after six days, and had not been taken by the evil shadows. This alone was an abnormal sign. Seeing them approach, Yu Hong didn¡¯t hesitate. He quickly went inside, locked the door, and quietly waited for them to arrive. His impression of Jennie and her daughter had become vague, replaced by a sense of mystery. Soon, they stood outside the wooden door, just a door away from Yu Hong. ¡°It¡¯s been six days. Have you thought about it? Maybe you should try the effect,¡± Jennie¡¯s hoarse voice came from outside. ¡°How do I know if what you say about Sunshine No. 1 is true? After all, you don¡¯t have what I need. Our trade is not balanced,¡± Yu Hong replied coldly. ¡°Everyone just wants to live,¡± Jennie said. ¡°Eve just wants to survive. Is that wrong?¡± ¡°She¡¯s not wrong,¡± Yu Hong said. ¡°But that has nothing to do with me. I have no reason to help you.¡± ¡°But we have no other choice,¡± Jennie said, reaching out to grab a wooden stick. The end of the stick was connected to Eve¡¯s hand. The two of them were connected by this stick. ¡°I said, it has nothing to do with me,¡± Yu Hong said calmly. He didn¡¯t want to deal with someone like Eve, who was trying to secretly infect others. ¡°You have the ability! That¡¯s what makes it your concern!¡± Jennie raised her voice. ¡°I¡¯m not obligated to help you,¡± Yu Hong replied. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°But we have no other choice!¡± Jennie retorted. ¡°Don¡¯t force us.¡± Her eyes deepened with danger. ¡°How am I forcing you? I don¡¯t have the ability to save you. How is that forcing you?¡± Yu Hong was almost laughing in anger. He had heard of people like this before, but never thought he would meet one in reality. ¡°Faced with the pressure of death, to survive, many people will do anything,¡± Jennie said calmly. Behind her, Eve stepped forward, standing up. ¡°But if you help us now, we will be very grateful,¡± Jennie continued. ¡°I don¡¯t need your gratitude,¡± Yu Hong said in a low voice. ¡°Then we¡¯ll perish together,¡± Jennie smiled. ¡°Eve will sit at your door from now on. If she dies here, the Withered Maiden¡¯s black handprint will remain on your door. Your safe house will be completely destroyed and become a source of evil shadows. Once you step outside, the evil shadow¡¯s black handprint will stick to you!¡± (End of chapter) Chapter 39: Secret (3) Jenny spoke lightly, but the look in her eyes was ice-cold.¡°Do you want to try? See if we can destroy your safehouse?¡± For a moment, the three people inside and outside the door fell silent. Yu Hong remained silent, his expression changing unpredictably, clearly deep in thought and hesitation. After a long pause, he slowly spoke. ¡°This deal is unreasonable. I need to know why you are so sure that with my help, you can escape the Withered Maiden¡¯s attacks? That you can survive?¡± Outside the door, Jenny remained calm, taking a sip from her water pouch. As soon as she heard his words, she knew he was starting to compromise. ¡°This was part of my husband¡¯s research. Later, I can offer it as compensation for you. But the condition is, you must help us through this crisis.¡± ¡°¡­How do you plan to get through it?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°Great Luminous Stones! We need enough of them!¡± Jenny replied. ¡°I can give you three at most. That¡¯s all I have in stock.¡± Yu Hong answered, furrowing his brow. ¡°Three should be enough for a while. As long as we don¡¯t face them head-on, it will last a long time!¡± Jenny quickly responded, showing a hint of joy on her face. ¡°But how do I know you¡¯ll keep your promise and tell me the secret to avoiding the Withered Maiden?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°Here¡¯s what I propose. I¡¯ll give you part of the information, and then you place two pieces of the Great Luminous Stones outside for us to take. Afterward, I¡¯ll tell you the last part, and then you give me the final stone.¡± Jenny quickly said. ¡°It¡¯s less secure for us, but it guarantees your part of the benefit. How about it?¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Yu Hong answered after a moment of silence, confirming his agreement. He stood up, walked to the corner of the cave, and pulled out his stock of Great Luminous Stones. There were only five left in total. The barriers and the main door needed frequent replacements, so there were only a few complete Great Luminous Stones left. He had been researching talisman arrays and hadn¡¯t had time to make or restore the less efficient Great Luminous Stones. He took out three of them, returned to the door, and sat by the side stone wall. ¡°I¡¯ve got the stones. You can back off,¡± he said. ¡°Alright,¡± Jenny replied, her emotions more stable now. She grabbed a stick and helped her daughter down the stone steps, retreating. From a distance, the two kept a close watch on the wooden door, paying attention to every movement. After about half a minute, the wooden door made a crisp cracking sound, then slowly opened, revealing a narrow gap. A hand appeared, holding a Great Luminous Stone, and carefully placed it outside. This was the first one. The hand retracted, then took out the second stone and placed it next to the first. Crack. The door closed again. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Jenny¡¯s face lit up with joy. She quickly stepped forward, climbed the stone steps, and picked up the two Great Luminous Stones. ¡°Now, can you tell me how you avoid the Withered Maiden?¡± Yu Hong¡¯s voice came from behind the door. ¡°We can tell you half,¡± Jenny said, giving her daughter a look. Her daughter understood and stepped back a little. ¡°The Withered Maiden and the Withered Shadows are essentially the same. Before attacking living beings, they cause a series of premonitions. We can detect these premonitions using instruments to prepare in advance, preventing them from attacking successfully.¡± ?????£Î£Ï£Â¨§S? She paused before continuing. ¡°According to my husband¡¯s research, by using the Red Value Detection Instrument, if you maintain the red value within a certain range, it will cause the Withered Shadows to hesitate, making them indecisive.¡± ¡°Do they have intelligence?¡± Yu Hong pressed. ¡°Uncertain.¡± Jenny replied. ¡°Anything else you want to ask?¡± ¡°How do you know the red value range for the Withered Maiden?¡± Yu Hong narrowed his eyes. ¡°By adjusting it based on the average strength of the Withered Shadows, it¡¯s not difficult. What¡¯s hard is stabilizing the value. Usually, whether it¡¯s the Withered Shadows or the Withered Maiden, before they appear, the red value rapidly rises to its maximum. This is the main reason we need your Great Luminous Stones,¡± Jenny quickly explained. ¡°Lastly, the Sunlight No. 1.¡± Yu Hong reminded. ¡°The secret to avoiding the Withered Maiden¡¯s pursuit can be exchanged for three Great Luminous Stones. That¡¯s enough,¡± Jenny said coldly. ¡°If you still want Sunlight No. 1, you¡¯ll need to give us more Great Luminous Stones!¡± ¡°I have more questions. If you¡¯re willing to answer, I¡¯ll give you another Great Luminous Stone.¡± Yu Hong continued. ¡°Four stones? Alright, but I need to assess the value of your questions.¡± ¡°Deal!¡± They quickly reached an agreement. ¡°Now, tell me the red value range for avoiding the Withered Maiden. I¡¯ll give you the third stone,¡± Yu Hong said. ¡°Alright, the red value range for avoiding the Withered Maiden is between 120 and 140! As long as it stays in this range, the Withered Maiden will be at a point where she¡¯s about to appear but can¡¯t. However, this point will continuously drain the red value. After maintaining it for half an hour, the Withered Maiden will retreat,¡± Jenny responded promptly. ¡°Good. Now, step back a little. I¡¯ll give you the third one!¡± Yu Hong also agreed quickly. Although he didn¡¯t fully trust her, at least it provided some reference value. ¡°Alright,¡± Jenny replied, slowly stepping back. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, this time, she didn¡¯t retreat too far. Instead, she circled around and hid to the left side of the wooden door. She grabbed the wall effortlessly, as agile as a rock climber, and climbed to the left side of the wooden door in the cave. After securing herself, she drew a black dagger from her waist and aimed it at the door. The moment the door opened, she would leap down and immediately subdue the person inside. With her professional combat skills, she could easily take down someone like Yu Hong, who was a weak man. Time ticked by. Soon. The wooden door made a slight cracking sound. The gap in the door grew larger and larger until it was wide enough for a hand to slip through and place a Great Luminous Stone outside. At this moment, Jenny jumped down from the side, grabbing the wooden door with her body and pressing herself inside. As long as she could get behind the door, with her fighting skills, Yu Hong was nothing to her. Crack. A gun was raised, aiming directly at her chest. Just as Jenny jumped into the cave, ready to leap and restrain Yu Hong, a black barrel had already been aimed at her. The gun didn¡¯t budge, and the muzzle was only a few centimeters away from her chest. The person holding it was Yu Hong. His expression remained calm as he reached out and pulled the trigger without hesitation. Bang! Jenny was shocked. She swiftly retreated, rolling sideways to the ground with a thud, blood spreading from her chest. She was hit in the right side of her chest at such a close range, but fortunately, her opponent¡¯s marksmanship was poor, or perhaps the recoil from the gun was unfamiliar to him. This mistake gave her the only chance to survive! Jenny¡¯s body went numb. The bastard had a gun!?! He had a gun and was still so cowardly!? So fake!? She thought, her mind racing, realizing for the first time how treacherous human nature could be! The purpose behind Yu Hong¡¯s actions swirled in her mind, but she couldn¡¯t figure out what he was trying to achieve by doing this. Wounded and struggling, she quickly rushed to her daughter¡¯s side and grabbed the wooden stick in her hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go!!¡± She said harshly. The intense pain made her face twist, but the pain also sharpened her mind. She had been caught off guard this time, but once she had recovered, there would be many ways to deal with Yu Hong. As long as he kept going out to collect firewood, fetch water, or find food, she would have a chance to ambush him and take him out. If worse came to worst, her husband¡¯s last few chemical poisons could easily kill him without a trace, just by spraying them into his air vents. The two ran quickly into the distance. Bang! Another gunshot rang out. Jenny fell to the ground with a cry, her back and waist bleeding profusely, staining her clothes. Her daughter, Eve, was pulled down with her and fell beside her. Seeing her mother¡¯s injury, Eve was clearly stunned. A few moments passed. She trembled all over, reached out, and wanted to touch her mother, but was hesitant due to the Withered Maiden¡¯s infection. ¡°Run!¡± Jenny raised her pale face, speaking weakly to her daughter. When Eve didn¡¯t respond, Jenny gathered all her strength and shouted. ¡°Run!!¡± She cried, stuffing the two Great Luminous Stones into Eve¡¯s hands. ¡°Stop! Kneel down!¡± Yu Hong¡¯s voice came from behind. He still held the gun, aiming at Eve, and was stepping forward. But Eve was clearly panicking. Gripping the Great Luminous Stones, she turned and ran. She didn¡¯t even glance back at her mother, running wildly toward the woods, stumbling, falling, then getting up again, not turning around, gradually increasing the distance between them. ¡°If you don¡¯t want Jenny to die, stop and stay still!¡± Yu Hong shouted as he approached, aiming at her. His voice echoed across the forest. Unfortunately, Eve didn¡¯t listen. It was as if she hadn¡¯t heard him, continuing to charge ahead until she disappeared deep into the woods. Yu Hong lowered his gun and looked at Jenny¡¯s body, which had already bled a large pool on the ground, staining the surrounding grass. It seemed she was done for. ¡°Anything you want to say?¡± He asked coldly. Unlike the first time he had killed someone, Yu Hong now seemed to have adjusted to the rules of this world. ¡°Eve¡­ She will survive.¡± Jenny¡¯s pupils were unfocused. ¡°She will¡­ survive¡­ and take revenge for me.¡± ¡°Nice fantasy,¡± Yu Hong said flatly. He didn¡¯t even look at her anymore as he quickly headed toward the bunker where Jenny and Eve had lived. He ran at full speed, chasing after them. Finally, after using his second breath. Bang!! A large wolf¡¯s fang club slammed into Eve¡¯s head, knocking her to the ground. In the forest, only thirty or forty meters from the post office, Yu Hong caught up with Eve. Looking at the girl who was dazed and lying on the ground, he looked around and walked forward, prying the two Great Luminous Stones from her hands using the wolf¡¯s fang club. Of course, he didn¡¯t touch her directly, fearing she might infect him. ¡°Goodbye,¡± he whispered to her. ¡°No, no!!¡± Eve struggled, her voice weak like a mosquito¡¯s, tears flowing down her cheeks. Bang! Several muffled sounds rang out. Yu Hong turned and left, leaving Eve lying there, completely unconscious. Blood continued to flow from her forehead, spreading more and more. Yu Hong didn¡¯t kill her, because Eve hadn¡¯t participated in Jenny¡¯s threats. She was just a child, unaware of much. She was young and didn¡¯t understand many things. So, he only broke her limbs, then knocked her unconscious. (End of chapter) Chapter 40: Secret (4) Walking on the way back, the image of Eve, who had just fainted, kept stirring in Yu Hong¡¯s heart.He had originally wanted to kill her outright, but when the time came, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to do it. He had been an ordinary person, a regular office worker. Even though he had knocked out two soldiers during his counterattack last time, he hadn¡¯t killed anyone! That¡¯s right. He had only knocked out two people. If they woke up in time, they would survive. So, he hadn¡¯t killed anyone. As long as the person didn¡¯t die immediately in his hands, it didn¡¯t count. And this time, it was the same. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to kill. He couldn¡¯t bear to see a living, moving, and struggling life¡ªan equal life¡ªgradually fading away in his hands. That indescribable feeling made his heart grow more and more nauseous, as if he wanted to vomit. Perhaps he would get used to it in the future, but for now, at least at this very moment¡­ He still harbored mercy. He was still just an ordinary person. Returning to the cave¡¯s safehouse, Yu Hong gave the unconscious Jenny a few more blows, breaking her limbs. Then, he took her keys and dagger, among other items, before feeling at ease and heading back inside, starting a fire. He took off his sweat-drenched clothes, sitting by the stove, bare-chested. He didn¡¯t move, sitting quietly as three talismans lay beside him, within easy reach. He remained silent for a long time¡ªperhaps over an hour. ¡°Sigh.¡± Yu Hong sighed, watching the flickering flames in the fireplace, a trace of confusion and sadness in his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t want it to be this way.¡± He muttered softly. ¡°But the environment is like this, and the people outside are like this. It¡¯s not my fault.¡± He extended his hand and took out the handgun from his waist holster. The black Aurora-made pistol, now completely out of ammunition, had just fired the last two shots from his limited supply. Since it was already empty, he might as well use it for an enhancement attempt. Gripping the gun¡¯s handle, Yu Hong silently whispered in his mind. ¡°Enhance the firearm, with the direction being¡­ automatic bullet replenishment.¡± ¡°Integrity insufficient.¡± The feedback from the black mark was clear¡ªit wasn¡¯t going to be that easy. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Upgrading an ordinary handgun into one with infinite bullets was clearly impossible. Yu Hong thought for a moment and changed his approach. ¡°Enhance the firearm, with the direction being: reduced recoil, refill bullets once.¡± ¡°Integrity insufficient.¡± The feedback from the black mark still didn¡¯t work. Yu Hong furrowed his brows and started to try other enhancement directions. But no matter which direction he chose, it seemed he couldn¡¯t replenish the bullets. Remembering the items he had enhanced earlier, many had automatically been repaired or even fully restored. For example, the big door was like this. So, he decided to begin with a basic recoil reduction for the handgun. The countdown began at last, with 32 minutes on the clock. Not long. Yu Hong simply sat there, quietly waiting, organizing his thoughts and future plans. Soon, the time came. The handgun in front of him shimmered briefly before becoming clear again. After the enhancement, the handgun looked the same but was obviously much newer, and the Aurora mark was gone. Yu Hong quickly picked it up and ejected the magazine. It was empty, causing him to show a disappointed expression. ¡°Looks like it still can¡¯t replenish the bullets. This means bullets are treated as separate items from the handgun.¡± He gave up on the firearm and got up to exercise. The advanced physical training method had been very helpful to him so far. His stamina had improved, and running had become faster and easier. After exercising and eating some rich soup, the sky outside had gradually darkened. Yu Hong thought about the mysteries surrounding Jenny and her daughter. ¡°If we follow Doctor Xu¡¯s judgment, Jenny and her family are definitely abnormal. Jenny herself has clearly trained in combat and is skilled with a dagger. Her daughter Eve is proficient in ancient languages and multiple foreign languages, which is something that can¡¯t be taught in such a small place. The educational environment is simply insufficient.¡± ?¨¢??????§¦???? ¡°So, this means they must have lived in a much better environment before. What¡¯s strange, though, is that even if they were investigating the secrets of the Black Disaster, Jenny¡¯s husband shouldn¡¯t have brought his whole family here. His family would obviously be safer in a bigger place.¡± ¡°Why bring them here?¡± Yu Hong couldn¡¯t understand. But at least tomorrow, he planned to visit Jenny and her daughter¡¯s home to see if he could find something useful, like the Sunshine No. 1. The sky had completely darkened. Yu Hong sat alone on a round stool, drinking some freshly cooked sweet soup. Outside, the sound of black insects crawling could be heard, but as they entered, they were burned by the firelight, turning into black smoke. By now, he had become quite calm in the face of the Black Disaster¡¯s invasion. Compared to the Black Disaster, the eerie shadows and evil shadows posed a much greater threat to him. He casually took out a wooden plate with a drawn array and began enhancing it again. ¡°If the fireplace could automatically add wood, so I wouldn¡¯t have to manage it, I could sleep peacefully without worrying about anything. Instead of having to manually add wood every half hour like this.¡± He sighed softly. The night passed without incident. The next morning, he fully armed himself with a wolf tooth club and went out. First, he went to the place where Jenny had been lying. She had crawled for more than ten meters across the grass, finally resting under a tree, where she had completely disappeared, leaving only a pile of scattered clothes. Yu Hong checked and confirmed that the clothes were fine, with no black handprints. He rolled them up and placed them in the cave¡¯s safehouse. These fabrics could be used to make many things. They had a wide range of uses, so after losing the people who made leather and clothing, cloth needed to be saved for later. Skipping past Jenny, Yu Hong continued toward the post office. Soon, he arrived at the place where Eve had collapsed. As expected, only a set of clothes was scattered in the grass, unmoving. But this time, Yu Hong didn¡¯t dare touch anything because the pants of the clothes had a clear black handprint on them. He picked up some stones and placed them on the clothes to prevent the wind from blowing them away. Then, he continued on his way to the post office. Doctor Xu¡¯s underground residence was nearby, and he needed to give him a heads-up to avoid any misunderstandings. After all, they were the only two living people in the area. When passing the post office, Yu Hong suddenly stopped, shocked to see someone outside the stone building sweeping the yard. The person looked like a hiker, dressed in blue and white camouflage, carrying a khaki backpack and wearing a baseball cap. He was about 1.8 meters tall, very strong, and had a dark complexion. The man saw Yu Hong and put down the broom, slowly walking toward him. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m the new postman, Li Runshan.¡± He didn¡¯t approach too closely, stopping about five meters away. ¡°I¡¯m Yu Hong, I live nearby.¡± Yu Hong briefly introduced himself. ¡°Are you really a postman?¡± He had some doubts. ¡°This is my ID, medal, and tools.¡± Li Runshan took out a small dark blue booklet and opened it to show Yu Hong. Inside the booklet was indeed an official identification with a red seal, stating that he was part of the Republic¡¯s United Army Postal System, with the national emblem, his name, and ID number. The medals were much simpler. Li Runshan casually flipped his coat open, revealing several medals of various sizes and colors hanging inside. ¡°I¡¯m a veteran, served over ten years in a field unit. Sigh.¡± He exhaled. ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought the world could change so quickly.¡± ¡°The nearby town has been relocated. Did you know?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m not from the town. The relocated town merged with our Hope City, and now it¡¯s part of the city. The Hope City code is 231, but we all just call it Baihe City now,¡± Li Runshan explained. ¡°I was sent from the city.¡± He paused. ¡°To be honest, not many people want to come here. There are hardly any living people left. But this Baiqiu Village has a nearby Luminous Stone mine and some ruins. Actually, the ruins aren¡¯t much, but more importantly, the Luminous Stone mine is growing. With the increase in Ghostly Shadows and evil shadows, three towns disappeared just last month. Your nearby town is lucky¡ªit was evacuated and sealed off right away. Otherwise, heh¡­¡± This man was clearly a chatterbox and seemed to have just come from a bigger place, eager to share everything with someone after a long journey. ¡°Ruins¡­ accompanying Luminous Stone mines? So you¡¯re saying Luminous Stone is connected to the source of the Black Disaster?¡± Yu Hong frowned. ¡°Mostly, yes. But there are many mines that have been independently excavated. By the way, my superior told me to contact a researcher named Freen from the Silver Tower. Do you know him?¡± Li Runshan asked casually. ¡°I don¡¯t know him,¡± Yu Hong immediately thought of Jenny and Eve. ¡°Then he¡¯s probably gone.¡± Li Runshan lowered his head and popped something dark into his mouth, chewing carelessly. ¡°To be honest, I was pushed out by the city, and I offended some people. That¡¯s why I was sent here. You know how it is out there. Ghostly Shadows everywhere, the Black Disaster is getting stronger, and no one survives long out here. Most people who are sent out here never make it back.¡± Yu Hong didn¡¯t know how to respond. ¡°However, I volunteered to come here. The people in the city were just too disgusting,¡± Li Runshan added. ¡°Tell me more about that Silver Tower researcher. Are you sure he came here? If he¡¯s dead here, will they send more people?¡± Yu Hong looked at him with a slightly hopeful gaze. He didn¡¯t ask whether they would come but whether they could come¡ªthis suggested he was hoping for more people to arrive. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but once the higher-ups recover, they¡¯ll likely send more people. This place was one of the original sources of the Black Disaster. The first protection symbols were discovered here,¡± Li Runshan replied. ¡°Protection symbols?¡± Yu Hong asked curiously. ¡°They¡¯re the symbols on the Luminous Stone. Anyway, I need to clean up the post office now.¡± ¡°Wait. Be careful in your basement. Watch out for the black handprints left by the evil shadow. Don¡¯t touch them.¡± Yu Hong kindly warned him, feeling that Li Runshan had provided useful information. ¡°Mm, thanks! I¡¯ve already seen them.¡± Li Runshan smiled and seemed a bit more at ease. Clearly, as a postman, he had more ways to handle these things. Even traces left by the evil shadow weren¡¯t too difficult for him to deal with. ¡°By the way, there are two letters here, one for Xu Ruoyin and one for Yu Hong.¡± Suddenly, he remembered something and quickly took out two letters from his backpack, glancing at the covers before handing one to Yu Hong. ¡°This one should be for you, Yu Hong.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Yu Hong took the letter, curious. He wondered who would send him a letter from afar since he hadn¡¯t been here long. Suddenly, he thought of one person. (End of Chapter) Chapter 41: Letter (1) The sun shone brightly, and the shadows of the trees swayed.Eve, whose clothes had been swallowed by the wind, rolled about uncontrollably but remained rooted in place due to the pressure of a stone. It remained motionless. On the grass, a tiny black centipede slowly crawled out of the soil, moving toward the pile of clothes. The centipede didn¡¯t directly crawl on top of the clothes. Instead, it circled around, turning back and forth, again and again. After realizing it couldn¡¯t crawl into the clothes, the centipede grew impatient, turned, and scuttled off in another direction. Poof! At that moment, a black hand shot out from the pile of clothes and pressed down on the centipede. Whoosh. The black hand withdrew into the pile of clothes, vanishing with the centipede. Soon, the pile of clothes seemed to be seized by something and was pulled sideways, causing the stone to roll away to the side. The clothes seemed to be moved by the wind, rolling about as if alive, heading toward the gathering place near the post office. * * * With a rustling sound, the envelope was torn open, and the letter unfolded. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yu Hong carefully read the precious letter. ¡°I am Lin Yiyi. I¡¯ve been at this seaside base for three days now. According to the regulations, our squad will be stationed here for a long time, so in the future, you can send letters directly here. The address is at the end of the letter. But remember, don¡¯t send any valuable items; they may be lost along the way.¡± ¡°Just as I thought, it¡¯s Yiyi.¡± Yu Hong sighed in relief. Seeing that the stutterer was safe, he finally eased his worried mind. He continued reading. ¡°That day I left in a hurry, but honestly, I don¡¯t regret leaving. Baiqiu Village became increasingly strange and dangerous.¡± There were marks of something crossed out, clearly more words had been written but erased. ¡°My father and grandfather went missing, and my mother disappeared one day when she went out and never returned. I remember, when the food ran out at home, I started eating rats and bugs. Later, even the rats and bugs became scarce, and I ate tree bark and mud. Eventually, my stomach grew larger, and my mind became more and more unclear. That¡¯s when I realized, tree bark and mud couldn¡¯t be eaten anymore. So, I started walking outside.¡± ???§à?¨º? ¡°I stayed out one night. You probably wouldn¡¯t believe it, but luckily there were no black bugs that night, so I survived. I stayed at the Luminous Stone mine near the village. If you ever find yourself in a situation you can¡¯t handle, you can go there too. But don¡¯t stay too long. After I came back from there, I got a fever that same day. I don¡¯t remember much after that, just that an old man who wanted to steal something from the house saved me.¡± ¡°I was still young and stupid back then, didn¡¯t understand anything, so I gave him everything. Afterward, whenever I was close to dying, he would come and give me some food. But after I grew older, I never saw him again. He might have died.¡± ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m telling you all this just to let you know that I¡¯m fine, doing well, and you don¡¯t have to worry. By the way, this letter was written by my roommate Anseline. She¡¯s a good person and treated me well. If you have anything nice, you can send it to her.¡± When Yu Hong read this last line, he couldn¡¯t help but laugh. This line clearly wasn¡¯t written by the stutterer herself. It was likely added by her roommate. The smoothness of the language indicated it had been polished by her. But it didn¡¯t matter. At least this proved that the stutterer was safe. Moreover, the fact that she had time to reminisce about the past meant she must be in a relatively stable environment. After finishing the letter, he flipped it over and, just as expected, saw a somewhat scribbled map. The map marked Baiqiu Village, the post office, the town, the Luminous Stone mine, and the ruins. Lines connected these locations, each marked with a number. Yu Hong carefully examined the numbers, which seemed to correspond to the estimated time taken for walking between locations. His face softened. With this simple map, he now had a clear idea of the locations of the mine and the ruins. Just as he was about to fold the letter and keep it, his gaze seemed to land on a spot on the map. He stopped his actions and unfolded the map again for a closer look. Indeed. On the map, right next to the ruins, there was a small black dot. This black dot didn¡¯t stand out much on the map, but it was marked with a red ¡°X¡± and a small line of text next to it. ¡°Don¡¯t go there!¡± ¡°Even Baiqiu Village wasn¡¯t marked like this, so this place must be even more dangerous.¡± He carefully remembered the location. After securing the letter, he quickened his pace, heading toward the cave where Jenny and her daughter lived. He soon arrived at the entrance of the cave. He stopped and scanned the surroundings, making sure no one else was around before he took out a Great Luminous stone from his pocket and approached the door step by step. He squatted in front of the door, took out a key, gently inserted it, twisted, and pulled upward. Click. The wooden door, camouflaged as part of the grass, made a distinct unlocking sound before being pulled open. Yu Hong took a quick glance inside. It was a dark, deep tunnel. A hint of hesitation flashed across his face. Places like this, once you go in and someone blocks the exit, it¡¯s a certain death. If Jenny and her daughter were still around, they would know if there were any other exits in the tunnel. But he wasn¡¯t the owner, and didn¡¯t know what dangers or exits might be inside. Poof. He quickly shut the wooden door again, locked it, and turned to leave. ¡°I need someone to guard the outside if I¡¯m going to try searching inside.¡± There was another way, but it wasn¡¯t the right time to use it. He left Jenny¡¯s house and went straight to Dr. Xu¡¯s house. Unlike Jenny¡¯s cave, Dr. Xu¡¯s residence was a typical underground cellar. The door was solid, with a cross-shaped window on one side. From the outside, it looked as though the entire hill had been hollowed out. Knock knock knock. Yu Hong knocked on the door. ¡°Who¡¯s there!?¡± Dr. Xu¡¯s cautious voice came from inside. ¡°It¡¯s me, Yu Hong.¡± ¡°When did we last part ways?¡± ¡°Before the outbreak of the climax period, you were to check if the Luminous stone reacted,¡± Yu Hong reminded. There was silence behind the door, followed by the unmistakable click of the door being unlocked. Dr. Xu¡¯s tired and haggard face appeared, but her eyes were much brighter than before. ¡°You came just in time! My herb worked!¡± She said, filled with joy. ¡°I tested it on rats and found that it can really substitute for the treatment of wound inflammation and disinfection! It¡¯s only slightly weaker than antibiotics like penicillin. Of course, I¡¯ve also been making penicillin and streptomycin, but they can¡¯t handle contamination interference. I need better disinfection equipment.¡± She pulled Yu Hong inside, locked the door, and excitedly led him into the house. The cellar had three rooms: one for her bed, another full of various tools and containers, obviously a workshop, and the last was a storage room, which seemed to double as a bathroom. The whole place reeked of mildew and was damp and cold, which was typical of most cellars and basements. ¡°Come, come here!! The herb I promised you is really ready!¡± Dr. Xu¡¯s face was flushed, clearly in a state of mental excitement. She dragged Yu Hong into the workshop and pointed to a pile of green mush that had been stirred into a sticky paste. ¡°This is it! I did it! I tested it on rats, and the inflammation disappeared completely! This is a brand-new anti-inflammatory drug. If society were still intact, I¡¯d definitely make a fortune and earn tons of money!¡± ¡°Very impressive!¡± Yu Hong nodded, raising his assessment of Dr. Xu considerably. Creating such a herb, if it truly works, means they will have a continuous supply of medicine, which is a huge boon considering the severe shortage of drugs. But that wasn¡¯t why he had come here today. Once Dr. Xu calmed down a bit, he carefully chose his words and said seriously, ¡°Do you remember Jenny¡¯s daughter, Eve? The one who tried to infect us with the black handprint.¡± ¡°Of course. She must be dead by now, right?¡± Dr. Xu frowned, her mood cooling from the excitement. She had a feeling there was something off about Yu Hong¡¯s unexpected visit. ¡°She¡¯s dead.¡± Yu Hong nodded. ¡°Her mother, Jenny, is also dead.¡± ¡°Jenny¡¯s dead too?¡± Dr. Xu was a bit surprised, but quickly accepted it. ¡°Well, her daughter was a mess, so maybe she passed the infection to her. It¡¯s better that they¡¯re both dead. At least I¡¯ve seen their true colors.¡± She paused, then suddenly looked at Yu Hong. ¡°A new mailman came, did you know?¡± ¡°Yeah, I saw him just now. His name is Li Runshan, looks like a decent guy,¡± Yu Hong nodded. ¡°He can send letters. Yiyi sent me one, and I plan to reply, but the price is a bit high.¡± Dr. Xu frowned. Yu Hong had been considering the same thing. Luminous stones were heavy, making them difficult to mail, and they might be lost along the way. No, they definitely would be taken. ¡°That¡¯s good, then. Jenny and her daughter are dead, but their stuff and supplies are still there.¡± Yu Hong said in a deep voice. Upon hearing this, Dr. Xu¡¯s eyes lit up. After a moment, the two headed back to Jenny¡¯s cave. Yu Hong opened the cover, revealing the dark tunnel below, and then looked at Dr. Xu. ¡°Who¡¯s going in?¡± Though he trusted Dr. Xu more than others, it was still concerning to enter a sealed tunnel. ¡°I¡¯ll go,¡± Dr. Xu said without hesitation and crouched, heading into the tunnel. Before long, she disappeared into the darkness. Yu Hong stood guard at the entrance, alert. About five minutes later, there was movement from the tunnel again. Dr. Xu struggled to drag a large plastic bag out of the tunnel. ¡°It worked!¡± She was covered in dirt, her hair soaked with sweat, and her gray top was drenched, revealing her full body curves, though she didn¡¯t mind. ¡°There are many good things inside, but¡­ I didn¡¯t dare take much. There were many things I didn¡¯t dare touch.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Yu Hong frowned, pulling her out. ¡°Many things inside had no markings, but when I got close with the Luminous stone, it reacted.¡± Dr. Xu pulled out a Luminous stone from her chest, which she had been wearing as a pendant. Half of the stone had already turned a dull gray. ¡°But the most important thing is that I managed to take it out. The rest can wait for another time.¡± She changed her expression and pulled a small black box from her pocket. It looked like a pager, palm-sized, with a gray LCD screen in the middle. (End of Chapter) Chapter 42: Letter (2) Red value detector!¡± Yu Hong laughed, deeply impressed by this device. He could say that without it, following Jenny¡¯s suggested method of avoidance would have been completely ineffective.Snap. Dr. Xu pressed a button to test it. Whir. Instantly, a red glow appeared on the detector, and the data on the LCD screen began to change rapidly. Sizzle! The numbers surged upwards. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. 50! 80! 120! 230!! The red glow from the detector became brighter and more blinding. Yu Hong and Dr. Xu were momentarily stunned. Bang!! Suddenly, Yu Hong pushed Dr. Xu away forcefully, and they both fell to the ground. As they separated, a shadow appeared behind Dr. Xu, reaching out toward her. Beep!!! The sharp alarm of the red value detector sounded. Yu Hong rolled on the ground and quickly grabbed a spiked club, swinging it toward the shadow. The spiked club whistled through the air and struck the shadow¡¯s head directly. But strangely, it seemed as though the club had struck a cloud of black mist, as it passed through the shadow and came out beneath it. The three Great Luminous stones inside the club immediately turned to ashes and vanished. The red value detector faltered, and the numbers plummeted, dropping by 200. Then, it dropped to 150, 100, 60, 30. It stopped at 30, but after just a few seconds, the numbers began to climb again. ¡°Run!¡± Yu Hong grabbed Dr. Xu, and the two of them sprinted toward the distance. The alarm of the red value detector sounded again as they ran. The sharp warning echoed through the surrounding woods. Back at the entrance to Jenny¡¯s underground path, a shadow was rapidly regaining its form. In just a few seconds, the shadow fully restored itself and suddenly vanished. ??¦­?????¨º???? Huff! Huff! Huff!! Yu Hong was panting heavily, running while checking the large glowing stones on his body. All three stones in his spiked club were gone, turned to white ash. However, the talisman array and three large glowing stones he carried were still intact. ¡°It destroyed my three Great Luminous stones in one blow; that was definitely an evil shadow!!¡± He tried to steady his breathing, shouting loudly. Dr. Xu was running quickly behind, seeming to have slightly better stamina than him. But it was understandable; those with poor stamina wouldn¡¯t have survived this long. ¡°Where¡­ where do we go now!?¡± she asked. ¡°To my place! Only there can we possibly stop that thing!!¡± Yu Hong answered urgently. ¡°I didn¡¯t bring my medicine!¡± Dr. Xu¡¯s face changed. ¡°Survival comes first! We can get it later!¡± Yu Hong replied. They sprinted through the woods at full speed, with no signs of anything chasing them, yet they both felt an overwhelming sense of dread, as though something was rapidly closing in on them. The trees on both sides seemed to be retreating quickly, and the grass beneath their feet was being stamped down, leaving clear footprints. Whir! Suddenly, Yu Hong stopped, looking ahead. His abrupt stop caused Dr. Xu to almost crash into him. ¡°What is it?¡± Before Dr. Xu could ask, she too saw the situation ahead. A black figure stood silently behind a large tree, only half of its messy black hair visible. A torn black dress, disheveled dry black hair, an unseen face, and the rapidly rising red value data¡ªeverything indicated the identity of the figure¡ªan evil shadow! Yu Hong slowly stepped back, but was suddenly pulled by Dr. Xu¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Behind us¡­ there¡¯s more!¡± Dr. Xu¡¯s voice trembled. Yu Hong subtly shifted his body and tensed, looking back. Sure enough! There was another black-clad figure behind them, standing behind a tree. No¡­ not just behind them! His entire body stiffened as he saw black-haired figures slowly moving behind every tree around them. Ten. Twenty! Thirty! Fifty!! Perhaps even more! They were clustered around the trees, heads lowered, long hair covering their faces. They stood silently, waiting, surrounding the two of them. ¡°Why are there so many!!?¡± Dr. Xu¡¯s voice cracked, as if she had lost her usual tone, sounding like a completely different person. ¡°Do you have Jenny¡¯s stuff!?¡± Yu Hong inhaled deeply and asked in a low voice. ¡°I¡­ I have it,¡± Dr. Xu answered. Back to back, their clothes were soaked in sweat, and they didn¡¯t dare to move recklessly. ¡°Hold on tight.¡± Yu Hong took another deep breath, suppressing the fear in his heart, and grabbed the only talisman array hidden in his clothes. ¡°Stick close to me!¡± He lowered his voice. ¡°I¡¯ll count to three, then we run.¡± Dr. Xu¡¯s face turned pale, and she nodded hurriedly. She no longer knew what to do, but now she understood the level of danger that the evil shadow posed¡ªthis was the force that had driven an entire town¡¯s united army to retreat. ¡°One.¡± Yu Hong gently clenched the talisman array and pulled it out. ¡°Two.¡± His other hand touched the spot where the three Great Luminous stones were, ready to grab them and throw them out at a moment¡¯s notice. The surrounding woods were eerily quiet, and even the wind had died down. Only the heavy sense of oppression remained, constantly closing in, attempting to overwhelm the two of them. ¡°Three!!¡± As soon as he said ¡°three,¡± Yu Hong charged forward, running toward the direction of his cave. He didn¡¯t look at the black figure ahead but rushed straight toward it. He raised the talisman array and, with his other hand, threw the Luminous stones. At the same time, Yu Hong activated a cool air flow inside his body to recover his stamina. ¡°Stay close to me!¡± he shouted. The three Great Luminous stones he threw flew toward the shadow ahead, but before they could reach it, they turned into white powder. He quickly grabbed the talisman array with one hand and pressed it forward. The black figure twisted rapidly, becoming blurred, clearly affected by the three Luminous stones. At the same time, the talisman array¡¯s wooden board quickly approached, and with the sharp alarm of the red value detector, the talisman and the shadow made contact. Bam!! A flash of white light, followed by a sound like a lightbulb exploding. The talisman and the shadow exploded simultaneously, disappearing into thin air, and the shattered wooden pieces scattered across the surrounding grass. At that moment, Yu Hong and Dr. Xu broke free from the encirclement and sprinted toward the cave. The two of them ran for their lives, not daring to stop. They dashed through patchy forests, slopes, and rocky areas. What should have taken ten minutes or even half an hour was reduced to just ten minutes by their frantic pace. Both of them were drenched in sweat, their muscles growing weaker, their lungs burning with pain, and their vision beginning to blur. ¡°Hurry!!¡± Yu Hong activated another burst of cool air, quickly recovering his stamina and alleviating much of the negative physical state. He realized then that the cool air didn¡¯t perfectly restore his body; it just replenished his energy temporarily. The physical injuries were still there. ¡°I can¡¯t go on¡­¡± Dr. Xu was barely able to breathe, already close to exhaustion. Running at full speed for ten minutes, even for someone as fit as her, was an immense burden in this environment, lacking many essential microelements. The fact that she had made it this far was already beyond her limits. ¡°We¡¯re almost there! Hurry!¡± Yu Hong reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her forward. But just as he turned back, he saw a black figure appear less than ten meters behind them. ¡°It¡¯s here again!! Hurry, we¡¯re almost there!!¡± he urged, pushing forward. The stone wall of the cave entrance was ahead, the door growing closer and clearer. They were almost there!! Whir! Suddenly, a black figure flickered into existence, just less than a meter behind them. The shadow reached out, almost touching Dr. Xu. A chilling aura enveloped them, trying to slow them down. But it was just barely, just a fraction of a second too late. Bang! Finally, Yu Hong reached the door!! He slammed into it, pulled out the key, and quickly unlocked it. Then, he pulled Dr. Xu inside, rolling them both into the safety of the cave. Bam! The door slammed shut, locked, and the silver talisman array on the back of the door suddenly glowed, blocking the black shadow rushing toward them. At that moment, Dr. Xu collapsed to the ground, her eyes filled with a snowstorm of flashing lights, unable to see anything. Her body was convulsing violently, and her leg muscles were twitching visibly. Soon, she tilted sideways and collapsed onto the ground, curling up. Her mouth opened unconsciously, saliva mixing with sweat, dripping down her chin. She felt herself losing control of her body, starting from her legs, with sensation gradually fading away. The loss of feeling continued to climb, reaching her thighs, then her entire lower body. Vaguely, she thought she heard something crash into the door, creating a loud noise. The sensation of numbness quickly spread upwards, reaching her abdomen, almost to her chest. Bam! Yu Hong quickly helped Dr. Xu to sit against the stone wall, then grabbed the talisman array and moved toward the door. He had used one of the talismans, leaving two remaining. One of them was the most powerful version, centered around the silver talisman. At the door, he pressed the talisman against the back of it. Bang! Another loud crash against the door. As the silver talisman flared to life, the black shadow outside immediately dissipated. But there were too many shadows, and soon, another black figure rushed toward the door. Bang!! The new shadow was also dissipated under the silver light. But more black figures kept coming. Bang! Bang! Bang!! One after another, violent crashes rocked the door, causing Yu Hong to tremble as well. The silver talisman in his hand quickly dimmed, losing its effectiveness. He quickly switched to a new one, pressing it against the back of the door. Again and again, the light from the talismans faded rapidly, mixing white and silver light, weakening with each use. The light was about to go out completely, and there were only two more uses left before the door would be breached. The noise suddenly stopped. The white light on the talisman slowly faded away, extinguishing. Half of the talisman runes remained intact, which meant the evil shadow had either left or disappeared completely. Yu Hong didn¡¯t dare move, still standing in place, drenched in sweat, waiting. He endured for another ten minutes. Finally, when the talisman was completely still, he was sure the evil shadow had either left or disappeared. Slowly, he released the talisman and sat down heavily on the ground. Looking down at his hands, marked with red impressions from the talisman, his body began to tremble uncontrollably. ¡°Damn!¡± His face twisted as he clenched his hands tightly, trying to calm his fear. Yes, he still had stamina. His physical state now was purely a result of psychological stress. This direct confrontation had made him truly understand how dangerous the evil shadow was. Close. So Close. (End of chapter) Chapter 43: Thoughts (1) Inside the cave¡¯s safe house.Yu Hong sat down and panted heavily, recovering his strength. He placed the talisman array on the ground, drenched in sweat, his eyes clouded with it, making it hard to open them. After resting for a few seconds, he glanced at Dr. Xu and noticed she had her eyes closed, seemingly resting as well. He then extended his hand and pressed it against the silver talisman array on the door. After a brief pause, he released his hand and saw a black countdown appearing on the surface of the talisman array, indicating the recovery process was in progress. He sighed in relief. It wouldn¡¯t take long¡ªjust over forty minutes for him to fully recover. ¡°Dr. Xu, are you okay?¡± Yu Hong finally found the time to ask. ¡°¡­¡± There was no response. Yu Hong furrowed his brows and looked back again, noticing that Dr. Xu was still curled up on the ground, motionless. Sweat and saliva dripped from her chin, and her body twitched and trembled slightly. ¡°Dr. Xu?¡± Yu Hong called again, sensing something was wrong, his expression becoming more serious. He extended his hand and pushed her, but there was no reaction. He quickly stood up, went to get a cup of water, and tried to feed it to her. Unfortunately, Dr. Xu¡¯s mouth was too tightly shut, and her breathing was irregular, making it dangerous to try to feed her water. Yu Hong carefully moistened her mouth and then dragged her over to a softer sleeping bag. ¡°I don¡¯t have any first-aid medicine, and I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening to you. The only thing I can do now is hope you can help yourself,¡± he said quickly, sitting by her side. ¡°If you can hear me, can you tell me what to do to help you?¡± Dr. Xu did not respond, her eyes still closed as she lay in the sleeping bag, twitching and unable to move. Her body was cold, yet sweat kept seeping out. Soon, the warmth of the fireplace flared up, making her body relax a little. Her breathing seemed to calm with the warmth. Seeing her condition improve a bit, Yu Hong breathed a sigh of relief. At this point, handling logistics and making materials on his own was impossible. A person like Dr. Xu, who was not only a good person but also a familiar acquaintance, was someone he wanted to save if possible. He glanced at the countdown on the door, then at the grime on Dr. Xu¡¯s face, and used a piece of tree leaves and newspaper to wipe off the sweat and saliva. Then, he sat down and started rummaging through the bag he had just retrieved from the cave of Jennie and her daughter. The bag was not a cloth bag but a large, thick black plastic bag with white ear straps, allowing it to be carried with one hand. Yu Hong tore open the opening and began pulling out the items inside. At the top was a red value detector, which he placed on the ground. Next came a pair of black leather boots for women. Three candles. A hardcover brown notebook. A bottle of small red pills with an unknown use. A black, somewhat dirty fabric mask. A short knife with a scabbard, featuring a snake-skin pattern. A small green box resembling a handheld gaming device, complete with a screen and cross-button. Yu Hong picked up the green box and found a small black switch on the side, flipping it. Nothing happened. He put it down and picked up the small pill bottle. Through the transparent glass, he could see the red pills inside¡ªnew and dry, not a trace of mold. ¡°Jennie and Eve couldn¡¯t find any signs of illness. So what is this medicine? Emergency anti-inflammatory medicine, or¡­?¡± he wondered. Unable to figure it out, he decided to wait until Dr. Xu woke up to test it. He set the pills aside and picked up the short knife, gently pulling it from the scabbard. The sharp silver blade was quite clean, with a faint layer of maintenance oil. The back of the blade had a saw-like design, and the side of the blade featured a blood groove, making it look very practical. ?????¦­O?????§§? ¡°Shh.¡± After closing the short knife, Yu Hong finally reached for the notebook. He picked it up and opened it. ¡°Adjust the radiation time according to the dosage, continue the next step of testing based on the detailed plan of Solution 2.¡± ¡°In April, three accidents occurred, and 16 samples of radiation data from the Luminous Stones were collected.¡± ¡°In May, radiation data surveys of the surrounding terrain of the Luminous Stone mine were conducted, with 74 samples taken.¡± ¡°In June, it was found that an individual entered the mine, and slight physical mutations were observed. Data was successfully collected.¡± ¡°In July, five successful animal model experiments were conducted. Due to environmental changes, the number of animals and insects drastically decreased, and the experiments had to be halted.¡± ¡°In August, Eve¡¯s cells were collected and cultured. Radiation tests were then conducted on the cultured tissues. The comparison between these and Lin Yiyi¡¯s previously collected cell tissues revealed the mutation process.¡± Under the firelight, Yu Hong furrowed his brow as he read the rows of text in the notebook. Below the text were detailed charts and character data, many of which were coded abbreviations that he didn¡¯t understand. From the context, however, it was clear that Jennie¡¯s family likely had ulterior motives for coming here, and they had also been secretly sampling and observing Lin Yiyi. He kept flipping through the pages, skipping over many data charts, and soon came across some key text. ¡°The Luminous Stone disease has been confirmed to give the illusion creatures increased resistance. Under similar conditions of infection, individuals with the Luminous Stone disease experience some level of cognitive decline, but in high red-value environments, they show a stronger resistance. Symptoms such as body rigidity, twitching, and hallucinations will no longer occur.¡± ¡°In cell sampling experiments, the cells infected with the Luminous Stone disease showed a significant increase in activity, but their lifespan decreased by 65.4%, and their resistance to bacteria and viruses improved by over 70%. It was determined that taking Eve to the mine every five days for about half an hour can effectively suppress the special marking disease she suffers from.¡± By now, Yu Hong had started to understand. Jennie¡¯s family had likely come here seeking a research method to save their daughter, Eve, who had been affected by some unknown source. Unfortunately, their research had barely shown some results before being interrupted. Eve hadn¡¯t died from the evil creatures but was instead killed by this ordinary human. ¡°But the Luminous Stone disease¡­ the Luminous Stone can actually cause illness?¡± Yu Hong recalled the situation with Lin Yiyi. She had cognitive decline, yet she was highly resistant to the illusion creatures. He¡¯d never seen Lin Yiyi so scared of the illusion creatures. ¡°Could it be that Lin Yiyi has the Luminous Stone disease too?¡± Yu Hong speculated in his heart. If he could determine the cause, maybe he could find a way to cure her in the future. * * * Baihe City (White river City) On the surface. On the beach, the waves repeatedly carried white lines of water, rushing up and then retreating, over and over. A hundred meters above the beach stood a group of abandoned, rusted skyscrapers, quietly standing in the scorching sunlight. The faint blue glass on the buildings reflected the glaring sunlight, occasionally making a clanging sound as the sea breeze blew. On top of one of the buildings, at the rusted rooftop. Several men and women in camouflage clothing were speaking in low voices. They were gathered together, their clothes marked with the United Army insignia. One of the men with short hair and glasses held a large piece of jade-like glowstone, his head lowered, frowning as he listened to the others. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The man had a gentle face, a bronzed complexion, and a silver-white handgun at his waist. A unique three-star insignia appeared on his right forearm. ¡°A Dong and the others still haven¡¯t returned. We didn¡¯t have time to pay attention before, but now that we¡¯ve finally settled down, I sent people to the agreed location to wait, but there¡¯s no one there. I suspect something happened to them,¡± said a dark-skinned young woman, her voice low. ¡°They both had guns and resting points along the way. It shouldn¡¯t be possible for anything to have happened, right?¡± another person interjected. ¡°It¡¯s hard to say. The evil creatures were rampant before. They might have been killed halfway. Now the satellite signals are too disrupted, and we can¡¯t contact them from a distance. The only thing we can rely on is whether they show up on time. If they don¡¯t, we¡¯ll have to assume they¡¯re dead,¡± the young woman replied swiftly. ¡°What should we do? If someone at Baiqiu Village is capable of making Great Luminous Stones, it would be a huge waste to give up now,¡± another voice said. ¡°True. So who¡¯s willing to go back and investigate what happened to confirm the truth?¡± the man with glasses asked loudly, scanning the people around him. But every time his gaze met someone¡¯s, they quickly looked away, unwilling to respond. ¡°Isn¡¯t anyone willing to take the lead?¡± the man with glasses sighed. ¡°If we can capture the person making Luminous Stone, I¡¯ll guarantee double the treatment every month¡ªfood, supplies, whatever.¡± Still, no one spoke. Having just escaped the evil creatures, no one wanted to go back to their deaths. Besides, with such a long distance, they might not even make it to their destination before encountering those creatures and dying. ¡°Xu Yang, you¡¯ve always been my most reliable assistant,¡± the man with glasses said, focusing his gaze on a strong man wearing a black face mask. ¡°Team Zhao, if we go back on our own, we¡¯ll likely encounter danger along the way. Think of how many problems we ran into just migrating here,¡± Xu Yang said quickly. ¡°Are you saying¡­¡± The man with glasses frowned. ¡°The key right now is that Baiqiu Village is too dangerous. None of us here can handle it. So we need to find someone who can,¡± Xu Yang smiled. ¡°Who can guarantee they can handle it?¡± the man with glasses asked. ¡°I¡¯ve already found someone. There¡¯s a black-market bar in Baihe City that hires outlaws. I met a real expert there last time. He used to be a mailman, and he comes from the Aurora City United Army frontline. He¡¯s elite¡ªhis shooting and hand-to-hand combat skills are top-notch,¡± Xu Yang said. ¡°Sounds expensive,¡± the man with glasses frowned. ¡°And why would such an expert be willing to work for us? He could catch people and earn more himself.¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t tell him. Let him catch people, and if he finds out later, we can negotiate. At worst, we¡¯ll share some benefits with him. It¡¯s better than doing nothing,¡± Xu Yang smiled. The man with glasses nodded and carefully examined the Great Luminous Stone in his hand. ¡°Good point. In the current environment of White River City, if we can control the person making these Luminous Stone, it¡¯s like having a goose that lays golden eggs.¡± He paused. ¡°This is the equivalent of Luminous Stone marrow. The symbols on it are secondary. Many similar types can be easily replicated. The key is the material. It can be used to fake the rare Luminous Stone marrow, and the price difference is far beyond what most people imagine. I really don¡¯t know how he made it.¡± He exhaled and looked at Xu Yang again. ¡°Take care of this. Can you handle it?¡± ¡°Guaranteed,¡± Xu Yang smiled. ¡°What¡¯s his name?¡± ¡°Bai Mang, Guo Xudong.¡± (End of chapter) Chapter 45: Thoughts (3) ¡°I¡¯m planning to buy something, Is she your?¡± Yu Hong asked in a low voice as he looked at the chubby little girl.¡°Yes, she¡¯s my daughter, Aisina,¡± Li Runshan said with a smile. ¡°She¡¯s very sensible and can draw. When you have time, I¡¯ll show you her drawings; they¡¯re beautiful.¡± As he spoke, he pulled out a rolled-up sheet of white paper from his waist pouch. The paper was filled with items for trade. ¡®Edible wild vegetables¡¯¡®Cow leg mushrooms¡¯¡®Sanitary cockroaches¡¯¡®Red-tailed lizards¡¯¡®Custom small furniture¡¯¡®Mail services¡¯¡®Mailing items¡¯¡®Candles¡¯¡®Basic survival skills training¡¯¡®Basic combat skills training¡¯¡®Basic firearms and knife skills training¡¯ Yu Hong remained silent as he gazed at this extremely detailed list of trade items. ¡°No wonder you dare to bring a child to such a desolate mountain wilderness alone. You really are impressive!¡± he muttered in admiration. ¡°You¡¯re overpraising me,¡± Li Runshan smiled. ¡°These are just essential skills for a postal worker. After all, in some places, you lack everything and have to do everything yourself.¡± Yu Hong asked, ¡°So what can these items be exchanged for? I don¡¯t see any prices marked.¡± ¡°Depends on what you have. Right now, I¡¯m cultivating mushrooms and breeding cockroaches. Food and water are scarce. If you can provide some, it can be exchanged. Of course, if you have Luminous Stone or Great Luminous Stone, that would be even better,¡± Li Runshan smiled. ¡°I have Great Luminous Stone, but the price needs to be negotiated. Also, if I exchange for the basic survival manual, would you teach me how to cultivate mushrooms?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°Sure, it depends on what you need, what you¡¯re lacking. Just filling the gaps,¡± Li Runshan nodded. ¡°These are not classified, just basic outdoor survival skills.¡± Yu Hong nodded. It seemed that Li Runshan was much more versatile compared to previous postal workers. ¡°I¡¯d like you to teach me how to cultivate mushrooms and lizards, as well as basic combat and firearms skills. How should we price it?¡± ¡°Do you have any extra food? I¡¯m a bit short on food here,¡± Li Runshan asked. ¡°How about this?¡± Yu Hong handed over a protein bar. ¡°One of these can keep you full for a day. I made it myself.¡± Li Runshan raised an eyebrow, took the protein bar, and examined it. ¡°Can I try it?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Yu Hong nodded. Li Runshan sniffed it, then broke off a small piece and tasted it, squinting his eyes as a faint wrinkle appeared on his face. ¡°High in calories! There¡¯s sesame, peanuts, butter, sugar, cream, rice flour¡­ Hmm, and a lot of other ingredients I can¡¯t quite place. This isn¡¯t something you made yourself; you don¡¯t have that many ingredients.¡± Yu Hong was startled. He hadn¡¯t expected Li Runshan to be so skilled, able to identify so many ingredients just by taste. The sweetness of the bar had masked most of the flavors, and Yu Hong himself couldn¡¯t identify much. ¡°You¡¯re right. This was from my previous stock. I don¡¯t have much left. Can you tell me what you can exchange it for?¡± he said, maintaining his composure. ¡°Sure. If you want the mushroom cultivation techniques, you need to give me ten of these protein bars, on the condition that one of these bars really lasts you a day.¡± Li Runshan nodded. ¡°As for the combat and firearms skills, there are many subcategories. And for combat, you need a high-calorie intake. If your food intake is inadequate, it could harm your body. I recommend you focus on a specific type first, like boxing, ground fighting, leg techniques, or swordsmanship.¡± ¡°As for firearms, I can only give you a manual of what I have recorded. You¡¯ll have to practice on your own. Honestly, there¡¯s a shortage of bullets now, and since firearms are useless against the Black Disaster, many military factories have been repurposed for other uses. So, bullets are scarce, mostly used internally. I suggest you focus on shooting, and I can teach you about slingshots. I have a lot of experience with those.¡± ¡°Slingshots??¡± Yu Hong blinked, suspecting he had misheard. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Li Runshan pulled out a large slingshot from his waist, the handle as thick as an egg, with more than ten rubber bands attached. ¡°Consider it. It¡¯s a bit cumbersome, but you can use stones as ammo, which are easy to find anywhere. It¡¯s got enough killing power.¡± ¡°Let me think about it,¡± Yu Hong said, speechless. ¡°Since you¡¯re into cultivation, I heard you¡¯re already growing mushrooms?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll have mushrooms ready in about a week, and it will cycle quickly. I brought some seeds,¡± Li Runshan nodded. ¡°So, right now, I need a week¡¯s worth of food. If you can provide fourteen protein bars for me for the week, I can exchange that for survival manuals and three combat training sessions.¡± Yu Hong was somewhat tempted. If he got the survival manual, he could supplement his food and wouldn¡¯t have to rely on others. As for combat skills, they were essential. Since he could enhance his armor with bulletproof features, combat skills would become critical when firearms became obsolete. Most importantly, the advanced physical training methods he had developed had greatly improved his leg strength and endurance. So, it was better to plan ahead. Had it not been for his gun, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to defeat Jenny. And if Jenny had a bulletproof vest, he likely would have lost. If someone wearing a bulletproof vest, fast and skilled in hand-to-hand combat, approached quickly¡­ He might not stand a chance. ¡°This danger is far worse than the Black Disaster and the Ghostly Shadows. At least they don¡¯t try to pick locks in various ways,¡± Yu Hong thought. He counted his protein bars. All his jerky had been converted into protein bars. Including the two bags of jerky he found, he had a total of thirty-six protein bars. If he gave fourteen away, he would still have twenty-two left, which was enough. ¡°Alright, one week for mushrooms, and if you can replenish, it¡¯s fine,¡± Yu Hong said, calculating and nodding. ¡°Great, I was planning on cutting my daily food intake in half. You¡¯re a big help!¡± Li Runshan smiled. ¡°So, what combat skills do you want to learn? Boxing, sword techniques, leg techniques, or ground fighting? I can teach all of those.¡± ¡°Leg techniques,¡± Yu Hong decided. His legs had become stronger with training, so reinforcing his strength would give him an advantage over others. ¡°Good choice. It¡¯s also useful for running fast. You don¡¯t need to outrun the ghostly Shadows, just outrun the people around you. The Black Disaster is the same.¡± Li Runshan chuckled. The two agreed on a time to exchange, then parted ways quickly. Yu Hong went back to grab the protein bars, counted them carefully, and then headed back to the post office. They stood by the stone house¡¯s fence. ¡°Here¡¯s the survival manual and the basic leg training steps I¡¯ve put together. Take a look first, and ask me if you have any questions,¡± Li Runshan handed Yu Hong two small booklets. The edges were worn, clearly having been used for some time. ¡°After you¡¯re done, return them to me. You can copy them, just don¡¯t damage them.¡± Yu Hong took the booklets in silence, feeling somewhat tricked as he watched his protein bars being taken. He had hoped for just two manuals, but he had ended up spending so many protein bars. Opening the survival manual, the first page clearly said: . He sighed and started reading. The first page had a directory. ¡®Mushroom Cultivation ¨C Pages 1-4¡¯¡®Cockroach Cultivation ¨C Pages 5-8¡¯¡®Lizard Cultivation ¨C Pages 9-13¡¯ He continued flipping. ¡®Mushroom cultivation requires enough humus, clean spores, and the right environment. Given the current special conditions, only a few types of mushrooms can be cultivated. After thousands of attempts, the Silver Tower Research Institute developed a special species called ¡°Cow Leg Mushroom.¡± This species is rich in protein, oil, and calories, with levels 40% higher than other mushrooms under similar conditions.¡¯ ¡®The most crucial aspect is that the Cow Leg Mushroom is a lightless species, growing without any need for light, making it perfect for underground cultivation. Below is what you¡¯ll need for planting.¡¯ Yu Hong looked at the diagram below. It showed a mushroom cultivation box, resembling a large wooden crate, with a bag of clean spores and a pile of dark dirt labeled Humus Soil. (End of Chapter) S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 46: Thoughts (4) yu hong flipped through the subsequent pages.¡°humus soil should be dug from under trees. please try to dig in areas where there are more decayed branches and leaves, as the soil extracted from these areas is richer in nutrients. after digging up the soil, it needs to be exposed to the sun for three days to kill the insect eggs and weed seeds.¡± the following pages contained details on how to place the soil in boxes, maintain humidity, how much water to apply, how to introduce mushroom spores, how frequently to observe, and how to deal with various issues. all the necessary details were covered. in just a few pages, the content was concise and there was even a reminder on how to prevent mushroom lung. after reading through the mushroom cultivation section, yu hong had a rough plan for how to farm mushrooms. ¡°the key is i don¡¯t have the spores yet, or the cultivation boxes!¡± he frowned, ¡°so this was waiting for me.¡± he went back to the previous page and saw a line: ¡°if you need to purchase spores and cultivation boxes, you can inquire about the specific prices.¡± shaking his head in speechlessness, yu hong continued to strengthen a new array and flipped through the rest of the content. this time he flipped faster, just scanning through. then he noticed a problem. ¡°wait, mushroom cultivation is actually the foundation for other types of farming?¡± ¡°after cultivating mushrooms, they are used to raise cockroaches. once there are enough cockroaches, they are used to raise lizards. one cycle after another. but the initial seeds for each cycle must be bought from the post office.¡± now yu hong understood how the old man had been providing three types of food¡ªmushrooms, cockroaches, and lizards¡ªon his own. as for wild vegetables, they were everywhere in the forest, and he had already become familiar with many varieties by following little stutterer. after finishing the survival manual, yu hong picked up the martial arts leg technique manual. ¡°ugh,¡± he looked at the drawings in the manual with some exasperation. the book contained only three moves. low kick, side grab and kick, and an upward thrusting kick. the low kick, according to the picture, involved kicking someone¡¯s lower leg to make them lose balance and fall. the side grab and kick was more brutal. it involved grabbing the opponent¡¯s arm, turning sideways, and kicking their waist or abdomen with the heel. the force created a tearing and pulling effect due to the arm being grabbed, making this move extremely damaging. if it succeeded, a normal person would immediately suffer severe internal injuries and collapse. the upward thrusting kick was the simplest move: kicking directly to the opponent¡¯s vulnerable area between the legs. ¡°these three moves. i could probably come up with them myself,¡± yu hong thought in disbelief, continuing to flip through. the following content caught his interest. the manual described how to use these three moves most effectively in various situations, different postures, and from different positions. ¡°now this is more like it,¡± he nodded slightly. after carefully studying both manuals, the sky had turned dark again. after cooking some food and lighting a fire, he resumed strengthening the array. for three consecutive days, yu hong stayed in the cave, either practicing advanced physical training or studying and transcribing the survival and martial arts manuals. the reinforced charcoal lines were thin, and he quickly transcribed the content of both manuals. he wrote on thin wooden planks that he had chopped using an axe. these wooden planks were stacked together to form a book. after completing the transcription, he returned the manuals to li runshan and asked about the three problems he had accumulated. li runshan answered his questions readily, then started selling the mushroom cultivation boxes, clean spores, and a simple training mannequin for leg techniques that he had recently made. the guy seemed to be targeting yu hong for a profit. but to be self-sufficient, yu hong still bought the boxes and spores with the great luminous stone. after bringing them back, he began digging soil to expose it to the sun while preparing clean water for future cultivation. he also needed to carve out a separate space in the cave to serve as the mushroom cultivation room. although there were special cultivation boxes, the spores released by the mature mushrooms could escape through any gaps, so the risk was still significant. he didn¡¯t want to end up like the old man, coughing, feverish, and weak. soon, two more days passed. all of yu hong¡¯s arrays were finally fully strengthened, covering the entire cave and sealing every corner, forming a standard luminous stone-tight room. the dark ink could now be freed up to reinforce other things. the most urgent thing yu hong wanted to strengthen was the martial arts leg technique manual. inside the safety room of the cave. he quietly observed the stack of leg technique wooden planks in front of him. there were thirteen planks in total, representing the leg technique training manual li runshan had sold to him. ¡°last time i enhanced ordinary physical training into advanced physical training, so what will happen if i enhance these ordinary leg combat techniques?¡± yu hong felt a cool sensation inside his body. he had now developed four threads of cool energy, meaning he could restore his physical stamina four times even under extreme exhaustion. although he was still like an ordinary person in most respects¡ªjust running a bit faster than others¡ªthis cool energy had completely turned him into a small superhero compared to regular humans. ¡°normally, if someone can run five kilometers, i can run twenty kilometers. if they can run ten kilometers, i can run forty kilometers! this advanced physical training works best when enhanced early on, as it creates a snowball effect, making me stronger and stronger.¡± with this thought, yu hong exhaled, reaching out to touch the wooden planks. he silently chanted in his heart. ¡°enhance leg technique training manual, with the direction: internal force martial arts leg techniques!¡± last time, when his mind focused on a martial arts style, the high-level physical training was successfully enhanced. after tasting the benefits, this time, he envisioned the martial arts scenes he had seen in movies. a flash of dark ink appeared. soon, the dark ink responded. ¡°would you like to begin enhancement?¡± yu hong looked down and saw a countdown on the wooden planks: 4 days, 17 hours, and 41 minutes. ¡°really?!¡± his heart lifted with a sense of excitement. the advanced physical training had given him a huge physical advantage. now, if the enhanced leg technique combat skills also greatly improved his combat ability, it would be a huge survival boost in this harsh environment. able to fight and run, coupled with enhanced bulletproof gear, he would truly be armed to the teeth! ¡°i hope it gets strong enough!¡± yu hong thought eagerly. ¡°last time, enhancing the high-level physical training only took about nine hours. this time, it¡¯s over four days, so it must be far stronger than the high-level physical training!¡± * * * baihe city in the eerie underground passage. the ground was covered in abandoned railway tracks, dark with occasional red rust, and every so often, piles of various junk were scattered around. xu yang, along with two team members, holding hand-crank flashlights, walked along the edges of the railway tracks. they passed by piles of junk, and the air was filled with a musty smell and the stench of dirty water. the trio walked, observing the surroundings. the walls on either side were covered with chaotic graffiti and slogans, with a lighted room every so often, where curses and loud laughter could be heard. xu yang furrowed his brow and continued inward. he soon arrived at a room with the sign ¡°old cat bar.¡± outside the door, the walls were covered in green mold and had a slimy reflection. xu yang looked up and noticed water seemed to be leaking from the ceiling, with a fine stream of water dripping down the walls, splitting at the doorframe and pooling on the ground. he wrinkled his nose in disgust and entered the room. it was indeed a bar, with red lighting dyeing the individual sofas red. each sofa was separated by wooden boards. there were only a handful of people inside, with some waitresses dressed scantily, serving food and drinks. at the center, four people were gathered, loudly playing cards. the noise was coming from them. ¡°how about a glass of mushroom wine?¡± as xu yang and his team entered, a ponytailed girl in minimal clothing approached them. ¡°we¡¯re here to find someone.¡± xu yang impatiently pushed her aside and walked toward a corner of the bar. the trio, in their full joint military uniforms, made the bar¡¯s security frown but not approach. they quickly reached a corner, where a tall, burly man stood, about two meters tall. ¡°mr. bai mang?¡± xu yang asked in a deep voice. the burly man lowered his head, his hands resting on the table like a crouched bear. his black hair was disheveled, and his gray shirt was unbuttoned at the chest, revealing his muscular torso. he appeared to be in his early forties, with tired features and dull eyes, with traces of vomit around his mouth. this was a man who seemed to be in a miserable state. ¡°something up?¡± the man raised his head coldly and scanned xu yang and his team. ¡°we¡¯ve got a job for you. the reward is negotiable.¡± xu yang¡¯s voice was low. ¡°say it. what¡¯s the job?¡± bai mang asked coldly. ¡°go to a place two hundred kilometers away, near the luminous stone mine, find a man, and bring him back within six months,¡± xu yang explained. ¡°too far. not interested,¡± bai mang replied coldly. ¡°and i have no information on this person.¡± ¡°just an ordinary adult male, probably carrying some gear. he shouldn¡¯t be too difficult to handle¡ªany normal new recruit could deal with him. the main challenge is the journey,¡± xu yang quickly added. ¡°we can offer fifty pounds of jerky, twenty pounds of dried mushrooms, and one hundred pounds of synthetic flour.¡± ¡°too little,¡± bai mang didn¡¯t even look up. ¡°add five silver coins.¡± xu yang paused for a moment. ¡°alright, a third upfront, the rest when we return,¡± xu yang agreed. ¡°fine. three days from now, come back here with the payment, and i¡¯ll head out immediately.¡± ¡°good!¡± xu yang and his team left. outside the bar, one of the team members couldn¡¯t hold it in any longer. ¡°captain xu, that¡¯s five silver coins. are we really agreeing to that? one silver coin can be exchanged for ten to fifteen pounds of jerky!¡± ¡°bai mang is very capable, with skills in firearms, close combat, and stealth. aside from his attitude, everything else checks out. and as long as we capture that man, it won¡¯t be a problem. if the person disappears, even if bai mang fails, we don¡¯t have to pay the remainder,¡± xu yang smiled and explained. ¡°also,¡± he paused. ¡°you got the exchange rate wrong. nowadays, the national bank gives twenty-three pounds of jerky for one silver tower coin. after all, it¡¯s a currency used to refine sunlight series materials.¡± s§×ar?h the ¦Çovelfire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. (end of chapter) Chapter 47: Reinforcement (1) in the dense forest:a tall figure dressed head to toe in stab-resistant gear and a helmet was walking quickly toward a specific direction in the woods. occasionally, the figure would stop, bend down to pull some weeds from the ground, and stuff them into a cloth bag. the person wore leather gloves and sturdy leather boots, with the helmet covering everything except for their eyes and nose, resembling a fully armored medieval knight. a short dagger hung from their waist, and their vigilant eyes constantly scanned their surroundings. soon, a grayish-white stone house emerged in front of them, surrounded by a circular wooden fence. inside the fence, a burly, short-haired man in camouflage was arranging something. upon seeing the approaching figure, the man smiled out of habit. ¡°brother yu, here again?¡± the figure stopped outside the fence¡ªit was yu hong, returning from the cave once again. ¡°i¡¯ve searched the area for a while and found no sign of the evil shadow,¡± yu hong said in a muffled voice. ¡°the traces of evil shadow disappear under sunlight three days after losing their carriers. if you encounter a carrier, like clothing or items with black handprints, you can burn them with high heat. but remember, never watch the burning process nearby,¡± li runshan explained. ¡°why not?¡± yu hong asked, puzzled. ¡°because the evil sahdow will manifest one last time during burning. if anyone is within 20 meters, it can attack and infect a new host, starting another cycle. many places can¡¯t fully eradicate it, so they opt to relocate¡ªthat¡¯s what happened to the nearby town,¡± li runshan sighed. ¡°no wonder,¡± yu hong muttered, understanding the situation. ¡°the town had too many dark corners, perfect for hiding the traces.¡± ¡°exactly. and the traces can also shift their location,¡± li runshan said, kicking at the remains of a charred pile of clothes with his boot. ¡°this pile even tried to move toward me once since i was the closest. luckily, i burned it in time, keeping it out of the house. you should stay vigilant too. evil shadow is a new type of anomaly and might evolve further. much of our knowledge has been gained at the cost of lives.¡± ¡°so, brother li, you¡¯re still in contact with headquarters?¡± yu hong guessed. otherwise, how could li runshan have such up-to-date information on the evil sahdow? ¡°yes. actually, i won¡¯t hide it. my main task here is to guard this origin site and the luminous stone mine while reporting any changes to headquarters. of course, there are perks¡ªsupply teams pass by occasionally to resupply me. i also have a newly developed enhanced communicator for direct contact with postal headquarters.¡± yu hong nodded. with such backing, it made sense that li runshan would dare to bring his daughter to such a dangerous place. ¡°it¡¯s good you¡¯re here. otherwise, we might have had to relocate,¡± yu hong said with a sigh. ¡°it¡¯s mutual support. before coming here, i thought there would be at least five or six families left. didn¡¯t expect just two,¡± li runshan said, somewhat helplessly. ¡°anyway, i¡¯m here to ask for your help in mailing a letter,¡± yu hong said, pulling out a pre-written wooden plank. lacking paper, he had to use thin wooden boards. he wrote down his current situation and included a regular talisman board as an experiment. if the talisman reached its destination, it could help little stutterer, making the effort worthwhile. if not, he would try another method next time. the wooden board was covered with a piece of cloth and consisted of two planks nailed together. only yu hong knew that the bottom plank hid the talisman, invisible to outsiders. ¡°mailing a letter, huh? it might cost you since i have to wait for the supply team,¡± li runshan said, taking the plank. ¡°when will the supply team arrive?¡± yu hong quickly asked. ¡°schedules are monthly, but there can be changes. since i just settled here, they promised to come in two weeks¡ªshould be a few days now,¡± li runshan estimated. ¡°can we trade with the supply team?¡± yu hong asked. ¡°nope. only postal couriers are allowed to trade; others aren¡¯t qualified,¡± li runshan shook his head. ¡°alright,¡± yu hong sighed, understanding the postal system¡¯s exclusivity. couriers held immense power as distributors, monopolizing substantial profits. ¡°anything else? for mailing, the cost is one silver coin. if you don¡¯t have that, twelve packets of jerky would do.¡± ¡°what? twelve packets?¡± yu hong¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°yep. i¡¯m already giving you a discount. it¡¯s usually fifteen pounds of jerky elsewhere,¡± li runshan said casually. speechless, yu hong suddenly remembered the silver coin he had scavenged from two soldiers. after searching, he pulled it out. ¡°this one?¡± he asked, showing the silver coin. ¡°yep, that¡¯s it. perfect,¡± li runshan confirmed with a smile. ¡°great. do you have long-range communicators for sale? i¡¯ve got a solar generator for charging,¡± yu hong asked. ¡°not here, but i can ask the supply team. these are popular in larger settlements,¡± li runshan said. ¡°by the way, if you find anyone passing by, encourage them to settle here. the more people, the easier self-sufficiency becomes. don¡¯t you agree?¡± ¡°got it,¡± yu hong nodded. as he left, yu hong glanced back at the stone house window. a chubby little head peeked out, watching him curiously. ¡°why are you staring at him like that?¡± li runshan asked, ruffling his daughter¡¯s hair. ¡°that uncle looks¡­ strange,¡± aisina murmured. ¡°strange? he¡¯s one of the rare normal ones. these days, finding normal people is a blessing. most loners end up a bit off,¡± li runshan chuckled. watching yu hong¡¯s silhouette disappear into the woods, he turned back to his daughter. ¡°that uncle feels like a stone¡ªsteady and fearless,¡± aisina added. ¡°stone?¡± li runshan pondered, smiling. ¡°well, whatever he is, i¡¯ll protect you.¡± ¡°you¡¯re the best, dad,¡± aisina beamed, nuzzling his hand. * * * * yu hong walked slowly on his way back. he had just stopped by to check on dr. xu ruoying. her health had significantly improved, and she even gave him a packet of her homemade herbal powder. in return, yu hong gifted her a large piece of luminous stone as an exchange. with so few people left alive around here and the external environment worsening, he sincerely hoped she could hold on and survive. on the way back, he arrived at the spot where eve¡¯s clothing had previously been. holding a silver rune-inscribed wooden board in one hand and a short knife in the other, he searched the ground thoroughly but could not find any trace of the clothes. only then did he fully believe that the traces of the evil shadow had been dealt with by li runshan. ¡°judging by his reaction, it seems this isn¡¯t his first time handling traces of the evil shadow. he seemed very confident about it. besides, he¡¯s brave enough to bring his daughter along. from her name, which doesn¡¯t fit the local naming style, it¡¯s likely that her other parent is a foreigner.¡± yu hong speculated internally, feeling increasingly certain that li runshan was not an ordinary man. but soon, he changed his focus. regardless of whether li runshan was extraordinary, as long as the man wasn¡¯t a threat to him, yu hong didn¡¯t care what he was up to. in fact, the stronger li runshan was, the safer they would all be. he returned to the cave without encountering any evil shadow or sinister entities along the way. it was unusually peaceful. after closing the cave door, yu hong checked the countdown. there were still over three days left until his leg technique enhancement was completed. suppressing his anticipation, he first drank a cup of water, then ground a great luminous stone into powder to make luminous stone ink. he began crafting new rune-inscribed wooden boards. he couldn¡¯t afford to be idle during the enhancement of the black seal. after making several wooden rune boards, he got up, cooked a pot of sweet protein bar soup, and enjoyed it while studying the intricate patterns of the silver rune array. the silver rune array required precise depth gradients, making it far more challenging than the great luminous stone arrays. even now, he had not been able to replicate it successfully. after finishing his meal, time quickly slipped into the afternoon. he stood up and began practicing his advanced physical techniques inside the cave. two hours of practicing advanced physical techniques was a non-negotiable daily routine he set for himself. after completing the practice, he rested for over half an hour, wiping off his sweat, replenishing his energy with food, and sometimes even taking a short nap. this was all part of his established schedule. s§×ar?h the n??efire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. however, today, after finishing his exercises and while wiping off his sweat, yu hong suddenly froze in place. he felt a cluster of tiny, tingling points in his abdomen rapidly converging. in no time, they gathered into a new thread of cool energy. ¡°the fourth thread of cool energy! it¡¯s getting thicker and stronger,¡± yu hong thought with delight. the more substantial the cool energy, the greater his confidence and strength. (end of chapter) (tl note :- should i change ¡°cool energy¡± to ¡°cold qi¡± or should i keep as it is ?? personally i think energy is fine but what y¡¯all think ?) Chapter 48: Reinforcement (2) The consolidation and enhancement of the fourth stream of cold Qi brought joy to Yu Hong¡¯s heart, lifting his spirits significantly.After wiping away his sweat, he rested briefly and moved to a corner of the cave to prepare tools for carving out a new private room. ¡°To cultivate mushrooms and breed lizards, I need to carve out a separate space first. But where to dig and how to do it requires careful consideration,¡± he thought. With a knife in hand, he marked and mapped out structural plans on the ground. As he pondered, night fell outside, bringing complete darkness. It wasn¡¯t until everything was pitch black that Yu Hong suddenly realized: there had been no knocks from the Ghostly Shadow tonight. Normally, Ghostly Shadows would periodically knock on the door, pretending to be acquaintances or strangers to lure him into opening it. But now, in the fully enclosed space reinforced with Great Luminous stones, there wasn¡¯t a single knock. ¡°Looks like the Luminous stone concealment method is working,¡± Yu Hong mused. Walking to the door, he gently slid open a gap in the barricade and peered outside. Pitch darkness. Nothing was visible. Confirming there were no insects nearby, he lit the fireplace, dragged over his sleeping bag, and settled down to sleep in peace. The warmth of the fireplace dispelled the cave¡¯s chill, and the absence of sudden knocks meant no startling interruptions in the night. Yu Hong slept soundly until almost noon the next day. If his throat hadn¡¯t dried out, waking him up, he might have slept even longer. Inside the sealed cave, cocooned in blankets, Yu Hong gazed lazily at the sunlight streaming through the cracks in the door. His body felt relaxed and unwilling to move. ¡°It¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve had such a restful sleep,¡± he thought, lying still. The scene reminded him of his past¡ªback at home, curled under a blanket, air conditioning on, staring at the sunlight outside yet unwilling to leave the cozy bed. It felt nostalgic, like a return to the good old days. But nostalgia aside, life had to go on. After a brief struggle, Yu Hong emerged from the sleeping bag. Following his previous plan, he began preparations for chiseling out new rooms in the cave. Using his reinforced tools, he drew a circular outline on the cave floor with charcoal and started hammering away at the marked area. The repetitive sound of hammering echoed through the cave as fragments of hard rock scattered, filling the air with dust. Yu Hong coughed from the dust and was forced to sprinkle water to settle it, using a cloth from Eve¡¯s belongings as a mask. The work was monotonous, but with his leg technique enhancement still underway, Yu Hong had plenty of time. Over the next three days, his routine consisted of eating, sleeping, exercising, and chiseling. Piles of rocks accumulated, which he repurposed to build a simple stone fence outside. When exhaustion set in, he used his cold Qi to recover. When he grew drowsy, he rested. This cycle, aided by his cold Qi, allowed him to make rapid progress¡ªthough by the end, the blisters on his hands became almost unbearable. After three days, he had excavated a circular pit over a meter deep in the corner of the cave, complete with crude steps leading downward. Still, this was just the beginning. Yu Hong saw this as a long-term project, planning to carve out multiple rooms for various purposes. The excavated rocks would either form a perimeter wall outside or be used to dig a small pond for water collection. A pond would be useful during droughts and could even enable small-scale gardening within the stone yard. He imagined transplanting and cultivating common wild vegetables in the future. As Yu Hong delved deeper into his work, a sense of fulfillment filled him¡ªit was the joy of building a home from scratch. Another day passed. Rain drizzled outside, keeping Yu Hong indoors. He rested in his safe haven, keeping an eye on the countdown to his leg technique enhancement. Ghostly Shadows remained absent, and the cave entrance he had sealed with a Luminous stone-etched board remained untouched. As the countdown timer on the plank kept decreasing, Yu Hong¡¯s mood grew restless. His intense anticipation made him stare unblinkingly at the numbers. ¡°What will the enhancement result in?¡± ¡°This is a much more refined and professional leg technique than the rough physical training I devised earlier. And with over four days of enhancement, it should definitely surpass the high-body technique from before.¡± Yu Hong¡¯s expression hardened as he fixed his gaze on the numbers. ¡°01 minute.¡± The last minute felt like an eternity. Countless thoughts raced through Yu Hong¡¯s mind. Finally, snap! With a soft sound, the plank blurred instantly. Moments later, a thick stack of leg technique notes rapidly condensed into a black leather booklet, the size of a standard book. On the cover, clear letters read: Enhanced Leg Technique. ¡°So the name didn¡¯t even change from what I used before? Not even slightly refined?¡± Yu Hong muttered, feeling speechless as he stared at the cover. ¡°Well, the name doesn¡¯t matter¡ªwhat matters is the content!¡± He eagerly reached out and opened the first page. * * * * Li Runshan carefully cradled his daughter, gently placing her into a wooden box lined with dense layers of shimmering Luminous Stone. He closed the lid securely, ensuring his daughter was sound asleep before returning to his desk. Picking up the communicator he had been debugging, he spoke softly into it. ¡°This is indeed one of the origin points. I¡¯ve already investigated the black disaster traces. The outbreak pattern matches the detected path.¡± ¡°Very good. If possible, I¡¯d like you to collect some Luminous Stone essence,¡± a gentle female voice replied from the communicator. ¡°I¡¯ll try. I initially thought someone here had already unearthed Luminous Stone essence, but it turned out to be just a similar material¡ªcompletely unusable,¡± Li Runshan answered. ¡°Also, the situation here is complicated. As soon as I arrived, I encountered a Evil Shadow. It had devoured at least a hundred people and even consumed some polluted individuals marked with blood tide imprints. The situation has mutated, but thankfully, I handled it in time. Without a host, it¡¯s unlikely to return anytime soon.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard,¡± the woman sighed. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I need to try infecting Aisina with Luminous Stone disease anyway, to see if it can neutralize the imprint,¡± Li Runshan muttered. ¡°The radiation near the Luminous Stone mines is severe. You must constantly monitor Aisina¡¯s condition and pay attention to the frequency of Luminous Stone replacement,¡± the woman cautioned. ¡°I understand,¡± Li Runshan nodded. ¡°What a pity¡­ if Milian were still here¡­¡± the woman sighed. Li Runshan said nothing, only remaining silent. ¡°All right. If you need assistance, report it promptly. I¡¯ll do my best to support you,¡± she said softly. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Thank you, Commissioner,¡± Li Runshan forced out before the communication abruptly ended. Switching off the communicator, Li Runshan leaned back in his chair with a sigh. Knock, knock, knock. A soft knocking sounded at the door. ¡°Dad? Are you there? It¡¯s Aisina,¡± his daughter¡¯s voice called softly from outside. Li Runshan glanced at the box where his daughter lay sleeping but remained motionless. He closed his eyes, quietly adjusting his breathing. ¡°Dad, open the door! It¡¯s really me, Aisina. It¡¯s so scary outside¡­ something¡¯s chasing me.¡± The voice continued, gentle yet eerie. Li Runshan paid no attention, as though accustomed to such occurrences. He reached under his desk and pulled out a blanket covered in fine white Luminous Stone dust. Tossing the blanket over himself, he completely concealed his body. The voice outside abruptly ceased, vanishing as if it had never been. * * * * Inside the mountain cave safehouse. Yu Hong, suppressing his excitement, carefully opened the black book to the first page. His eyes locked onto the contents, unblinking. Four days of enhancement time¡ªfar exceeding the nine hours for a high body technique¡ªmeant that the power of this leg technique was undoubtedly far superior! He swallowed hard, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing as he studied the page. ¡°¡®Enhanced leg technique is customized based on the individual¡¯s physical qualities, mental state, and condition. It has no general application. Use with caution.¡¯¡± This warning was at the top of the page. Below it was the specific content. ¡°First Move: Low Sweep Kick.¡± The name hadn¡¯t changed, but the details were far more intricate. There was a detailed diagram of human blood vessels and meridians, with red and blue arrows indicating the flow of cooling energy and its repetitions. At the bottom was a unique visualization diagram depicting a bizarre metallic castle monster with thick, muscular limbs. The monster¡¯s limbs were made of sturdy metal, exuding power. One forelimb was raised in a stomping posture. As Yu Hong examined the diagram closely, he noticed something eerie: the black lines outlining the castle monster seemed to correspond closely to his body¡¯s meridian paths. Looking up at the human diagram, he realized that the monster¡¯s surface patterns matched the human meridians perfectly. Below it, neat, meticulous text read: ¡°Leg techniques differ from fist techniques. Once initiated, success is imperative. Being blocked or countered risks losing balance. Balance and rooted stability are the fundamental principles of leg techniques.¡± Yu Hong narrowed his eyes and turned to the next page. ¡°Ordinary leg strength far surpasses that of punches, but due to balance concerns, leg techniques should be decisive. If you use a leg technique, it must hit and defeat the enemy in one strike.¡± Below this were sequential illustrations of the low sweep kick. A muscular, short-haired man bent slightly forward, lifting a leg for a sweeping motion. Behind him, a simplified sketch of the castle monster mimicked the action. Further down was new text: ¡°The second principle of leg techniques is that the legs must be tough, durable, and indestructible.¡± ¡°Thus, one must first harden the leg bones and muscles to enhance defense.¡± ¡°Then, equip the legs with alloy guards and add sharp elements to increase armor-piercing capability. Using reinforced leg bones and muscles to absorb the shock of alloy collisions forms the foundation of the ultimate leg technique.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Yu Hong was speechless. This leg technique¡­ something about it felt off. As he flipped through the rest, he found that the other two moves remained similarly enhanced, requiring visualization and forceful leg reinforcement. All three moves emphasized the use of protective gear to amplify destructive power. On the last page, there was an additional note: ¡°The visualization diagram is tailored to the individual and cannot be shared. Using someone else¡¯s may result in danger. Proceed with caution.¡± ¡°Mastering the enhanced leg technique accelerates movement, increases inner Qi refinement, nourishes leg muscles and bones, and explosively boosts power.¡± ¡°Core Tip: This technique amplifies force through leverage. The greater the personal load, the stronger the leg technique¡¯s output. Physical tempering is key.¡± ¡°¡­¡± After finishing, Yu Hong could only acknowledge that the technique was, indeed, immensely powerful. But for some reason, it was a far cry from the martial arts inner Qi technique he had envisioned. (End of Chapter) Chapter 49: Reinforcement (3) Weight Training The heavier the load, the greater the power.Yu Hong carefully memorized the key principles of this leg technique, stood up, and began to assume the stance, attempting to train. The training method was simple¡ªthree moves in total, divided into three stages. The first move focused solely on low sweeping kicks. The technique involved kicking at the opponent¡¯s lower legs. It seemed to align perfectly with Yu Hong¡¯s natural movements, as every action felt smooth and habitual, as if it was tailor-made for him. The only additional requirement was to practice alongside visualizing the provided diagrams. Everything proceeded smoothly. Yu Hong trained daily, focusing on advanced body techniques and the first move of the leg technique from morning until night. Seven days passed before Li Runshan¡¯s mushrooms were ready for harvest. The two traded some fresh mushrooms, which they used to make soup mixed with other ingredients, vastly improving the flavor. This marked their first break in training. The stone house at the post office, in the yard. The sky was thick with clouds, threatening rain at any moment. Yu Hong and Li Runshan stood in the yard, looking down at a yellowish sludge mixed into a muddy mess. ¡°This is about done,¡± Li Runshan said, setting down the wooden stick and gazing at the mixture with satisfaction. ¡°Next comes cockroach farming. Cockroaches grow fast, lay many eggs¡ªone egg capsule can produce dozens¡ªand fatten up quickly. I brought a good number of egg capsules this time, which will come in handy.¡± ¡°What exactly is in this stuff?¡± Yu Hong asked, wrinkling his nose. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Mushroom scraps, some moss I found, roots, oilseed plant fruits, and feces,¡± Li Runshan listed casually. ¡°Just like you need wood chips for mushroom cultivation, cockroach farming requires specific additives. You can¡¯t just raise them randomly.¡± Yu Hong¡¯s expression turned wooden. He had initially considered farming cockroaches himself, but now it seemed clear¡ªuntil he had a separate room excavated, he had no intention of attempting it. ¡°I understand now why people prefer eating lizards,¡± he sighed. ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s a big difference between eating poop directly and eating it indirectly,¡± Li Runshan said with a laugh. He turned to Yu Hong and asked, ¡°How¡¯s your training going? Remember to eat, drink, and sleep properly. Training without taking care of yourself just harms your body¡ªit¡¯s like burning through your reserves.¡± ¡°Not bad. I sleep ten hours a day and eat plenty, so there¡¯s no problem. But when will you teach me slingshot shooting?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°Wait a bit. First, make a slingshot handle yourself. I¡¯ll give you some elastic bands to use. Practice on your own for a while,¡± Li Runshan replied with a smile. ¡°By the way, I¡¯m planning to visit the Pyroxene Mine in a few days. Are you familiar with that place?¡± ¡°Not very,¡± Yu Hong said, frowning. ¡°Then how did you get those Great Luminous Stone? You might fool others, but you can¡¯t pull that off with me,¡± Li Runshan said with a laugh. Yu Hong stayed silent. His advanced body technique had now condensed four strands of cool energy. As for his leg technique, though he only practiced one move, a week of intensive training had given him a solid grasp. He had spent his days entirely dedicated to training, aside from basic needs like eating, drinking, and collecting firewood, water, and vegetables. Meanwhile, the black seal continued strengthening the silver runic arrays. Now, he had four silver arrays, including the one he had previously created, not counting the one behind the door. The silver arrays had a significant advantage: they could be replenished after use, restoring them to full capacity. Ordinary runic arrays were more numerous, though Yu Hong had stopped counting them. Whenever he had time, he would strengthen them and pile them in a corner. Unlike the silver arrays, these were consumables¡ªthey couldn¡¯t be replenished and were destroyed after use. However, they required less time to make and were useful in emergencies. ¡°Great Luminous Stone are effective against Ghostly Shadows but struggle against the Evil shadows. You¡¯d need a large quantity to make them effective,¡± Yu Hong said in a low voice. ¡°You¡¯re right. Great Luminous Stone aren¡¯t mainly for combating Ghostly or Evil shadows. Their primary use is as additives or catalysts in other production processes. Since the discovery of the Black Disaster a few years ago and the establishment of the Silver Tower, the real treasures have been the Sunlight Series materials,¡± Li Runshan said, smiling again. ¡°I¡¯ll soon have some Sunlight Series materials in hand. These are exceptional coatings that can disperse ordinary blood tides and conceal your presence to avoid shadowy apparitions. They can even hold off malevolent shadows for a long time, as long as they¡¯re electrified.¡± ¡°Sunlight Series? Are they really that strong?¡± Yu Hong asked, doubtful. ¡°The Black Disaster¡¯s first target was Hope City, and so were the Evil shadows. They even unleashed monsters far stronger than the ordinary blood tides. What do you think the nation relied on to survive?¡± Li Runshan said matter-of-factly. ¡°The threats in major areas are far more than you can imagine.¡± ¡°When is the supply convoy arriving?¡± Yu Hong finally asked. ¡°Tomorrow. That¡¯s the notified time, but the exact arrival is uncertain. If you have resources to trade, you can come find me. You might get some food or good tools in exchange,¡± Li Runshan replied. Yu Hong nodded and left. His main purpose for visiting was to check on the cockroach cultivation, and since everything was progressing smoothly, he was reassured. Returning to the safety of his cave, Yu Hong resumed training in leg techniques and advanced body methods before shifting his focus to strengthening other items. Standing at the cave entrance, he used a saw and an axe to fashion some thick wooden planks. These planks weren¡¯t meant for runic arrays but for creating barrel-shaped body armor. However, the process proved challenging, as the planks often cracked. If the supply convoy arrived tomorrow, he planned to trade for bulletproof vests or similar gear. After a session of woodworking, Yu Hong returned to the cave, confirmed that another ordinary array had been strengthened, and laid out items for further enhancement. Among them, the most critical ones were: A solar generatorA daggerA handgunA pair of boots First, he picked up the boots¡ªwomen¡¯s waterproof leather boots, sturdy and tough. Examining the dagger alongside the boots, Yu Hong had an idea. Placing them together, he concentrated and thought, Enhance to create spiked boots I can wear. He visualized boots with extendable blades, like those from martial arts movies. The black seal responded: Enhance spiked boots? This feedback usually indicated the seal could proceed, meaning the items were compatible. Relieved, Yu Hong looked at the countdown displayed on the boots: 1 day, 3 hours, and 5 minutes. ¡°Not bad,¡± he thought, as the countdown began. Observing the flashing numbers on the boots and dagger, he realized, It seems items placed together can be fused and enhanced. This adds another layer of functionality. Feeling encouraged, he slept for a while, then woke to train in his leg techniques again. He had named the technique ¡°Heavy Leg Technique,¡± a straightforward name that highlighted its focus. In the cave, Yu Hong practiced low sweeps with both legs, visualizing the diagram in the manual and directing the cool energy within his body to flow through the mapped meridians. Initially, multitasking was difficult, but after a week, he executed the movements with ease. He had now reached the point where the fifth strand of cool energy was beginning to form within him. After practicing for a while, he ate and resumed chiseling stone. As night fell, he trained further in the Heavy Leg Technique. To master the first move, he needed to coordinate the cool energy with his kicks, achieving an explosive release while aligning with the meridian diagram. Standing shirtless in the dimly lit cave, Yu Hong contemplated for five minutes before suddenly sweeping his right leg diagonally forward. Swish! It felt as though he had struck an invisible opponent¡¯s lower leg. The speed and strength were normal for an average man. Gathering focus, he swept again. Thud! This time, a strand of cool energy surged into his right leg, significantly boosting speed and power. ¡°Much better with one strand of cool energy. Let¡¯s try two,¡± he murmured. He repeated the motion, this time channeling two strands. Boom! A muffled noise echoed in the cave, louder than before. The sweeping motion generated an audible gust. Breathing heavily, Yu Hong remarked, ¡°Two strands are powerful but require intense focus. It¡¯s less convenient than using just one.¡± On his third attempt, he tried all four strands. Swish! The speed was impressive, but the effort depleted all his cool energy, requiring half a day to recover. ¡°Too fast a drain. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll test the full power outside,¡± he thought, glancing at the boots being enhanced. Excited by the possibilities, Yu Hong rested for the night and set off early the next morning for the stone house near the post office. From a distance, he spotted a middle-aged man with a large backpack chatting with Li Runshan. The man, with a bushy beard and disheveled hair, looked leaner than Li but exuded a sharp, capable energy. Keeping a safe distance, the man stood outside the fence. Li Runshan waved enthusiastically as Yu Hong approached. ¡°Yu, come here! This is Old Zhou. He came with the supply convoy and plans to settle here.¡± ¡°Old Zhou?¡± Yu Hong nodded and studied the man. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Yu Hong, a Luminous Stone supplier in the area. Feel free to reach out if you need to trade for Luminous Stone,¡± Yu Hong introduced himself. The identity of a Luminous Stone supplier was one he had carefully crafted to maintain cover. After Li Runshan had previously discovered issues with protein bars, Yu Hong became more cautious, refraining from selling enhanced items directly. Instead, he planned to process Great Luminous Stone into powder and create ordinary runic arrays to sell¡ªa safer and more sustainable business. ¡°As long as my arrays are slightly better than others, I can secure steady trade,¡± he thought, strategizing his next moves. Simply selling Great Luminous Stone is wasteful; using them to create runic arrays is much more practical. They are lighter and far more effective. (End of Chapter) Chapter 50: Reinforcement (4) At this moment, hearing Yu Hong¡¯s self-introduction, the bearded man nodded.¡°I¡¯m Zhou Kaiming, but just call me Old Zhou. I know a bit of everything. If you need anything, feel free to ask. My prices are negotiable.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Yu Hong nodded. After maintaining a polite distance, he shifted his gaze to Li Runshan. ¡°Brother Li, where¡¯s the supply team?¡± ¡°They left, more than half an hour ago,¡± Li Runshan said with a smile. ¡°They can travel through the night, and they probably arrived just as dawn broke.¡± Seeing Yu Hong¡¯s slightly disappointed expression, a sly smile flickered on Li Runshan¡¯s face. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I remembered what you mentioned last time about needing a bulletproof vest set. I kept an eye out for you and happened to get a set of Grey Lizard gear¡ªhelmet, gloves, boots, the whole package. Interested?¡± ¡°Huh? Really?¡± Yu Hong asked in surprise. ¡°Of course. Why would I lie to you?¡± Li Runshan nodded. ¡°It¡¯ll cost you twenty silver coins. But if you don¡¯t have silver, you can trade with other valuable goods. For example, those Great Luminous Stone of yours¡ªthey¡¯re quite handy. I went to a mine a few days ago, and there were shadows everywhere outside. I barely broke through thanks to your Luminous Stone. The only downside is they run out quickly.¡± ¡°That¡¯s to be expected. But compared to carrying a whole bag of regular Luminous Stone, isn¡¯t it much lighter?¡± Yu Hong chuckled. He didn¡¯t care what Li Runshan did at the mines, as long as there was demand, he had room to barter. ¡°That¡¯s true. But you should protect this technique of yours. Turning regular Luminous Stone into large ones similar to Luminous cores is quite profitable. If word gets out, a lot of people will want it. If you ever consider selling this technique, let me know first. I¡¯ll offer you the highest price!¡± Li Runshan smiled. ¡°Indeed, such a technique is a steady source of income in smaller places. But cities like Hope likely have similar synthesis and refining methods. The purified Luminous Stones they produce have incredibly high purity,¡± Old Zhou chimed in. ¡°I used to have a drinking buddy who showed me. He was a patrol captain in Aurora City, overseeing a district that had a refinery like that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the same. Xiao Yu can handle it all by himself,¡± Li Runshan shook his head. Then he turned back to Yu Hong. ¡°Enough talk. Want to see the goods?¡± He started walking toward his stone house. ¡°Sure,¡± Yu Hong nodded, keeping his distance. He stopped by the stone house¡¯s fence, standing still like Old Zhou. ¡°Speaking of bulletproof vests, I have a spare set. It¡¯s old and used, but still decent. Also a Grey Lizard set. Want it?¡± Old Zhou suddenly asked in a low voice. ¡°???¡± Yu Hong was puzzled, but before he could reply, Li Runshan burst out of the stone house. ¡°Old Zhou, what¡¯s the meaning of this? Stealing my business?¡± The smile vanished from Li Runshan¡¯s face. He was holding a sturdy camo suit, noticeably different from their current gear. Their clothing was mostly dark green and black, while this set was yellow and gray-black. It came with boots, a helmet, and a mask. ¡°This is a full set, brand new, complete with a filtered mask¡ªway better than your used stuff,¡± Li Runshan walked up, showcasing the suit. ¡°In terms of bulletproof levels, the Grey Lizard set is Grade Four, mid-tier quality. It offers excellent protection against shrapnel and most standard handgun bullets. It even includes high-strength ceramic plates and alloy panels for extra defense. It can double as an anti-stab suit.¡± He quickly explained. ¡°Of course, if you¡¯re shot at close range, the concern isn¡¯t whether it¡¯ll hold up, but whether the impact will leave you with broken bones or internal injuries.¡± ¡°How much?¡± Yu Hong asked immediately. The suit was impressive, and if he could enhance it, it would far outperform his current stab-proof gear. ¡°Fifty silver if you pay with Great Luminous Stone,¡± Li Runshan said, raising five fingers. ¡°Fifty!?¡± Yu Hong¡¯s expression changed. He expected it to be expensive but not this costly. Unless he spent all his time making Great Luminous Stone, it¡¯d take ages to gather enough. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I¡¯ve designed a rune array on wooden boards using Luminous Stone powder. Its effect is even better than Great Luminous Stone. Can I trade with that?¡± Yu Hong quickly proposed. ¡°If its effect is really better than Great Luminous Stone, absolutely,¡± Li Runshan¡¯s eyes lit up. He enjoyed dealing with inventive people like Yu Hong, who always seemed to have unexpected surprises. In his eyes, Yu Hong was undoubtedly such a person. Furthermore, his background was likely not simple¡ªjudging by the finely processed protein bars he once brought out, Yu Hong probably had ties to some organization or faction, perhaps even a researcher in disguise. Yu Hong quickly pulled out a sample rune-etched wooden board and handed it to him. ¡°This is a sample I carry with me. You can test it out. We can finalize the deal tomorrow.¡± ¡°No problem,¡± Li Runshan accepted the board with a smile, clearly in high spirits. Afterward, Yu Hong bought some fresh mushrooms and returned to his safe-house cave for training. Training, digging, and resting, by midday, the reinforced boots were finally finished. Inside the cave. A pair of brand-new black leather men¡¯s knee-high boots quietly lay on the wooden table in front of Yu Hong. He reached out and picked up the boots, squeezing and patting them here and there, when suddenly there was a crisp sound. Ssshh! A black sharp spike suddenly shot out from the bottom of the boots, pointing in front of the toes. The spike was triangular in shape, with a blood groove in the middle, and the tip was extremely sharp, flashing a faint cold light. Yu Hong nodded in satisfaction and pressed a switch, causing the spike to retract. He placed the boots on the ground, took off his previous boots, and put these on. Then he stood up and moved around a bit. ¡®They fit perfectly, with breathable holes on the surface. They aren¡¯t suitable for rainy days, but that¡¯s fine, just add a layer of protection.¡¯ Suddenly, he pressed his toes forward. Ssshh! Two spikes popped out at once. When his toes pressed down again, the spikes slowly retracted. Seeing this, Yu Hong smiled with satisfaction. ¡®Next, it¡¯s the Gray Lizard suit. If I get it, I¡¯ll have full-body protection. Even a handgun won¡¯t be much of a concern.¡¯ Wearing the new boots, he left the cave and kicked the nearest large tree. Ssshh! The surface of the tree was easily pierced, and a hole appeared. ¡®So sharp!¡¯ Yu Hong became interested and began casually testing the spikes¡¯ power. He kicked the ground, and a hole appeared in the earth. He kicked a stone, and a hole appeared in the stone. He kicked some branches and leaves, and they were easily sliced and cut through. ¡®Both sharpness and piercing power are great. Now, let¡¯s try using the cool energy, or internal energy, and see how much it increases the effect.¡¯ With this thought, he returned to the cave and rested quietly. After two hours, when his two internal energy reserves were restored, he got up again, put on the spiked boots, and went outside. Standing in front of a large tree, Yu Hong focused, rooted his legs into the ground, and stood still. Concentrate. Gather strength. Kick! Suddenly, Yu Hong¡¯s right leg shot out like a spring and hit the tree trunk hard. Boom! The rough black-barked tree trunk exploded, sending chunks of bark and wood flying. This was very different from before; previously, it only pierced a hole, but now, after the spike penetrated, it caused a small explosion. ¡®Is this the effect of the cool energy?¡¯ Yu Hong retracted his leg and carefully examined the spike. He confirmed that the spike¡¯s edges hadn¡¯t bent or been damaged and felt relieved. ¡°The power is huge. With a sneak attack, it could likely decide the outcome in one strike.¡± Standing in the open area, he began training his leg technique again. This time, without using cool energy, he gradually felt a faint warmth flowing from his legs, spreading throughout his body. When visualizing his training diagrams, this warm current became more evident, as if nourishing his entire body. After practicing his leg techniques for a while, he began digging again. By evening, after dinner, Yu Hong leisurely sat by the fireplace to rest. He picked up a bag of dried mushrooms, ready to eat them for a small nutrient boost. ¡®Wait!¡¯ Suddenly, he remembered that he had never tried to enhance dried mushrooms to the limit. Not just dried mushrooms, maybe wild vegetable dry grass could be tested as well. ¡°I can try to see what it can be enhanced to.¡± The success of his leg technique filled Yu Hong with anticipation for the future. He was about to use the black imprint to enhance the Gray Lizard suit, which would take a long time. So, he decided to find something with a short enhancement time. He picked up a bag of dried mushrooms, opened it, and saw that it was full of black umbrellas and yellow-stemmed cow leg mushrooms. A rich, oily fragrance wafted out, giving a sense of peace. Yu Hong reached out and pressed on the mushroom bag. ¡®Enhance dried mushrooms to the limit. The direction is¡­¡¯ Various images of medicinal mushrooms flashed in his mind. ¡®Do you wish to enhance the dried mushrooms?¡¯ The black imprint kindly didn¡¯t cut off the request directly. He only glanced at the countdown that appeared. ¡®12 days, 16 hours, 32 minutes.¡¯ His heart sank. He quickly let go of his hand and swapped to another item, pressing it onto the wild vegetable dry grass. ¡®Enhance wild vegetables to the limit, focusing on multi-vitamin supplementation.¡¯ This time, the black imprint responded normally, and the countdown appeared swiftly. ¡®3 hours, 51 minutes.¡¯ ¡°This time is manageable. I hope it will enhance something useful.¡± He put down the wild vegetable bag, took off his boots, and a wave of foot odor quickly filled the cave, making even him hold his nose. ¡°Hopefully, socks can be enhanced to absorb sweat, prevent odor, and inhibit bacteria, so I don¡¯t get fungal foot diseases.¡± Three hours passed in the blink of an eye. Yu Hong went to the wild vegetable bag again, and in front of his eyes was a small square paper box, about the size of a palm. The box was labeled: Multi-vitamin Tablets (200 pieces). He picked up the box, and it made a rustling sound as if many pills were inside. He opened the box and found a wooden round bottle inside. Taking the bottle, he twisted the cap and poured out a pill. The pill was dark green, speckled with white and black dots, and smelled faintly of grass. Yu Hong looked at the back of the bottle, which read: The Multi-vitamin Grass Tablets can supplement the fiber and trace elements needed by the human body, maintain acid-base balance, promote bowel movement, prevent and treat various vitamin deficiencies, and have good therapeutic effects on osteoporosis in middle-aged and elderly people. Warning: Take one tablet per time, once a day, to meet the normal needs of an adult male. ¡®Is this really possible??¡¯ Yu Hong was speechless. With this, he could sell the product. Two hundred tablets would be enough for one person for over half a year! (End of chapter) Chapter 51: Relaxation (1) More than eighty kilometers away from Baiqiu Village.A man dressed in a gray mountaineering suit, carrying a large bag, holding a hiking pole, and wearing a helmet and face mask, was moving quickly along the winding road toward Baiqiu Village. The road was desolate and silent, stretching endlessly into the forest, looking like a thin gray-white line. After walking for a while, the man stopped, used a small knife to carve a triangular mark on a tree, and then scanned the surroundings. Crack. Crack. Suddenly, he heard footsteps behind him slowly approaching. He quickly turned around, but there was nothing in sight. ¡°Ugh, it¡¯s this damn thing again.¡± The man took off his backpack and hung it on a nearby branch, then swiftly climbed up a large tree. He took the bag down and unzipped it. With a rustling sound, he pulled out a large dark green cover and enveloped himself entirely in it. The moment he was covered, he blended completely into the surrounding environment, disappearing from sight. At the same time, the strange footsteps behind him vanished completely. After waiting for a while, the man removed the cover, folded it back into the bag, and jumped down from the tree to continue his journey. Suddenly, he made a sharp left turn, leaped to the ground, and lay flat. Bang! A gunshot rang out. The grass beside him was hit, splattering small bits of black earth. ¡°You¡¯re dead, Bai Mang!! How dare you mess with my boss¡¯s woman!¡± A heavily accented voice shouted from the distant woods. The man remained calm, drew a black dagger with his left hand, and swiftly rolled to the side. Bang, bang, bang! Three consecutive gunshots hit the spot he had just occupied, kicking up three pieces of black earth. Taking advantage of this, the man sprang up, planting his hand on the ground to propel himself forward. He then leapt and began sprinting toward the gunfire like a leopard. With a series of quick, sudden changes in direction, he avoided several shots and finally closed the distance to the shooter. ¡°Shit!¡± There were three gunmen, all strong and wearing stab-resistant armor. Seeing this, the three of them dropped their guns and drew out their knives to surround him. ¡°Kill him!¡± One by one, they lunged toward the man with their knives. But before their strikes could land, the man easily ducked his head and avoided them. Compared to the agility of the man, they were like heavy, clumsy blocks of metal. All their knife slashes missed. The man ducked the first attacker, then his right hand struck out with precision, stabbing into the first man¡¯s abdomen. He rolled forward, his short knife easily cutting through the second man¡¯s calf. Then, rising swiftly, he delivered a powerful punch to the third man¡¯s right ear. In just a few seconds, the three men were all on the ground. Before they could react, the man spun around and slashed each of their throats with a knife. Thud, thud, thud. Three precise slashes, blood gushed out, accompanied by the sound of flowing blood. Everything became quiet. The man stood up, searched for any valuables, then continued on his journey. Throughout, he never once removed his backpack from his back. * * * Heavy rain poured down. Inside the cave safehouse, a roaring fireplace blazed, completely driving away the dampness and chill. The bright yellow flames lit up the somewhat dim cave, making it seem like daylight, though it was already daytime. Yu Hong stood in the open space of the cave, practicing his heavy leg techniques with low sweeping kicks, one after another. He had discovered that if he didn¡¯t use his inner energy but simply practiced the heavy leg techniques, he could gather new inner energy faster than with his high body techniques. This particular martial art seemed to train both striking and internal cultivation at the same time, making it highly efficient. So, he decided to focus solely on practicing heavy leg techniques. After some time, he took a sip of water, sat down to rest, then continued to strengthen his new talisman formations. He already had more than twenty regular rune array, as they only took about an hour to strengthen. After another two days, he¡¯d have enough to exchange for the bulletproof Gray Lizard suit. Yu Hong also bargained with Li Runshan and succeeded in getting the price down to forty-two rune array. The rune array had already been tested and confirmed to be effective. With this, he made a deal with the new arrival, Old Zhou, to trade thirty talismans for a secondhand Gray Lizard suit. ¡°Almost there,¡± Yu Hong murmured as he drank a bowl of protein-rich sweet soup in one go. He stood up, began adding weight to his body by tying things to his legs. Training with the added weight, he once again felt a faint warmth spreading through his body. In this dangerous environment, the warm sensation nourishing his body gave him a strong sense of security. Thunder rumbled outside, and the rain became heavier. The raindrops hit the wooden door, making a soft, rhythmic sound. The outside was cold and damp, and visibility was poor, but inside was warm and dry, like spring. This contrast helped Yu Hong relax even more, and he completely immersed himself in his rigorous training. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡®I don¡¯t need to master many techniques, as long as I perfect one to the extreme, to use it freely, and strike decisively, that¡¯s enough.¡¯ With this mindset, he focused on his practice, drawing rune array formations in his rest time and strengthening the wooden array boards. After three continuous days, the rain outside finally stopped. The entire forest had been washed clean, and the ground¡¯s bloodstains had long been erased, leaving no trace. Yu Hong gathered all the talismans, stacked them together, and placed them in his backpack before heading toward the stone house near the post office. He had accumulated enough talismans and even prepared extra for himself. Now it was time to trade for the secondhand Gray Lizard suit. The secondhand part didn¡¯t matter much to him; he would just strengthen it once he got it. Soon, he arrived at the stone house and followed the new sign to Old Zhou¡¯s residence. Old Zhou¡¯s place was none other than the same place where Old Yu used to live. Several things had been moved out of the cave, and in the open space, Old Zhou was sitting on a wooden bench, carving something with a chisel. Seeing Yu Hong approach, he quickly stood up. ¡°You came at the right time. I¡¯m heading out the day after tomorrow. If you hadn¡¯t come, our trade would¡¯ve been delayed.¡± He put down the chisel, clapped his hands, and went inside the cave. A moment later, he came out with a somewhat old camouflage suit. ¡°This is my backup. Do you have the rune arrays?¡± Old Zhou asked Yu Hong. ¡°Of course,¡± Yu Hong nodded. ¡°Can I ask why you need so many rune arrays? Normally, these would be better off with Old Li to trade with the supply team. Why do you need them all?¡± ¡°I might run into trouble outside. Rune arrays are much lighter than the big bricks and have a much wider protective range. They¡¯re very useful,¡± Old Zhou replied with a smile. ¡°Alright,¡± Yu Hong said, taking out the rune arrays boards from his backpack and placing them on the side for inspection. He then took the Gray Lizard suit and began inspecting it. The suit was indeed as described¡ªno damage, just worn out from use, with several bullet holes on the chest. However, the bullet holes hadn¡¯t penetrated the alloy plates inside, so it didn¡¯t affect its use. The helmet and mask were intact with no damage. Yu Hong was quite satisfied with the condition. Old Zhou finished inspecting the rune arrays with a red value detector, his expression also satisfied. ¡°Pleasure doing business,¡± he said with a smile. ¡°Pleasure doing business,¡± Yu Hong replied, nodding. The two successfully avoided the unscrupulous Old Li and completed the deal. ¡°By the way, how long have you been staying here?¡± Old Zhou suddenly asked, his tone slightly stiff. ¡°Not too long, maybe a few months,¡± Yu Hong casually answered. ¡°Have you seen a younger man, a little shorter than me, with a dark red 8-shaped birthmark on his face?¡± Old Zhou asked softly. ¡°No, I haven¡¯t. We mostly stay in our own dwellings, you know. We don¡¯t often wander around,¡± Yu Hong shook his head slightly. ¡°Alright, thanks,¡± Old Zhou said, his gaze darkened slightly as he turned and walked back toward the cave. Watching his retreating figure, Yu Hong guessed he might be searching for someone. The person he described was likely someone very important to Old Zhou. Unfortunately, at this time of year, being outside alone for too long could lead to trouble. With the Gray Lizard suit in hand, Yu Hong didn¡¯t dwell on it further and turned to head back to the cave. On the way, he passed the post office stone house and saw Li Runshan playing a game of throwing stones with his daughter, Aisenna. When Li Runshan saw the Gray Lizard suit in Yu Hong¡¯s hands, his smile instantly disappeared. However, Aisina still cheerfully waved at Yu Hong from a distance. Though Yu Hong was fully covered in his stab-resistant suit and helmet, the little one still recognized him at a glance. ¡°Uncle Yu Hong!¡± Yu Hong waved back at her from a distance, and seeing her chubby little face shaking with joy, his mood lifted. Without further conversation, he walked straight back to the safehouse in the cave. The muddy, damp ground made carrying the 12-kilogram Gray Lizard suit a bit more cumbersome than usual. When he reached the cave, his pants were covered in grass and black mud stains. He shut the wooden door, laid the suit down on the floor, and placed his hand on it. Excitement filled his heart again. A complete set of bulletproof armor would elevate his security level to a whole new tier. Immediately, he began imagining how he would strengthen it and the direction for the enhancements. Soon, after finalizing his thoughts, he silently muttered in his mind. ¡®Strengthen the heavy-duty bulletproof suit, enhance the bulletproof effectiveness, improve the filtering mask, add internal pockets for new components, and enhance flexibility.¡¯ At that moment, his mind flashed with images of the heavy machine-gun soldiers from the shooting war games he used to play. This time, his requests were many, and Yu Hong prepared himself for a longer process. Quickly, a black line flowed into the suit, and a clear countdown appeared. ¡®5 hours 15 minutes.¡¯ So short? He was slightly surprised but then realized that while his requests were numerous, the degree of enhancement wasn¡¯t very high. The Gray Lizard suit was already bulletproof, and the improvements were relatively minor. The difficulty wasn¡¯t much. ¡®In that case, I can add a few more features.¡¯ He thought for a moment and then took out the red value detector he had acquired earlier. He placed it on the suit. He pressed his hand onto both the detector and the suit, silently adding the requirement for a red value detection function. Soon, a new countdown appeared. This time, the time was much longer than before. ¡®17 hours 21 minutes.¡¯ Yu Hong exhaled deeply, confirming the strengthening process. (End of Chapter) Chapter 52: Relaxation (2) Over forty kilometers from Baiqiu Village.Night. On a tree as thick as two people embracing, Bai Mang, Guo Xudong is quietly resting, leaning against a branch. He is wrapped in a Luminous stone blanket that blocks the Ghostly shadows, using the breathable holes on the blanket to take in air. As time passes, the night grows deeper. A faint rustling sound from crawling insects begins to rise from the ground. Guo Xudong suddenly opens his eyes, tearing off the blanket and looking down. In the faint moonlight, the black earth on the ground seems to spout like a fountain, with large groups of black insects emerging one after another. The black insects emerge from the ground, spreading like ants, and within seconds, the entire grassy area turns black. The waves of black insects move in the forest, searching for anything living to devour and tear apart. Soon, some of the black insects seem to detect a scent and begin crawling up the tree where Guo Xudong is resting. His expression unchanged, Guo Xudong quickly takes out a small bottle from his body, opens it, and applies some sticky liquid onto himself. Soon, he emits a foul odor that causes the black insects below to scatter in all directions. After putting the small bottle away, Guo Xudong prepares to continue resting. Bang! Suddenly, a heavy, muffled sound comes from nearby. His expression slightly changes, and he rises again, looking toward the source of the sound. In the forest, a huge shadow, about the size of a person, appears. It looks like an enlarged beetle, with a mouth resembling pincers made up of many parts, charging rapidly toward him. Boom boom boom boom! ¡°Big skin? Can this place attract big skin too? Or has the intensity of the blood tide increased?¡± Guo Xudong mutters under his breath, his face darkening. Seeing the large insect approaching, he quickly takes out a specially made rope and throws it toward another tree. The rope wraps around the tree, and he swings toward it. As he swings through the air, Guo Xudong quickly pulls something from his bag, tears off the lid, and throws it behind him. The object precisely lands in the wide open mouth of the big insect. One second. Two seconds. Boom!!! In an instant, a burst of flame explodes, ripping apart the two-meter-long body of the big insect, scattering countless black fragments like raindrops. Under the light of the explosion, large swathes of black insects nearby evaporate into black smoke and disappear. Without stopping, Guo Xudong accelerates and moves farther away. He doesn¡¯t believe that his homemade soil bomb can completely resolve the crisis. The blood tide monsters and Ghostly shadows are completely different kinds of threats. Their greatest feature is their infinite numbers. * * * The Next Morning Knock knock knock. Yu Hong is startled awake by the knocking at the door. He slowly sits up, squinting at the door. He had exercised late into the night yesterday and also dug a lot of stones, expanding his small room a bit. Additionally, the strengthening process had consumed quite a bit of his mental and physical energy. So, his current state isn¡¯t great. ¡°Who is it?¡± he asks. Due to the effects of the Luminous stone secret room, the eerie shadows haven¡¯t been knocking much. The person knocking now is likely a living person. ¡°Xiao Yu, it¡¯s me.¡± Dr. Xu Ruoying¡¯s voice comes from outside. ¡°Do you have anything to eat? The food over here isn¡¯t enough. Something happened.¡± Yu Hong furrows his brow. He remembers that Xu Ruoying had swapped for enough food from Li Runshan¡¯s side. How could it suddenly not be enough in just a few days? S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± he walks to the door and looks through the gap in the barrier. Outside the door, Xu Ruoying¡¯s eyes are as red as a rabbit¡¯s, her face haggard, clearly having not rested for a long time. After confirming no one else is around and that the Rune Array formation behind the door is still inactive, Yu Hong opens the door and quickly lets her in. ¡°Sigh,¡± Xu Ruoying sighs deeply as she enters. ¡°Yesterday evening, a family of three who were fleeing passed by. They went to an empty cave nearby to stay. I couldn¡¯t resist, so I gave them some food.¡± ¡°A family of refugees?¡± Yu Hong frowns. ¡°Which direction did they come from?¡± ¡°They said they came from Yuehe City, where a terrifying evil shadow broke out, killing many people before they could even escape. The officials tried to prevent the situation from worsening, but they all perished. The citizens were fleeing in all directions, and they were driving fast,¡± Xu Ruoying sighs. Yu Hong has no response. He takes out a bag of protein bars and gives it to her. The packaging has been changed, so he¡¯s not worried about it being discovered. Previously, Li Runshan had exchanged quite a bit of food from the supply team. He also swapped some items for rune array and anti-diarrheal medicine, which he then strengthened into protein bars. Now, he has more than fifty protein bars piled up in the cave, enough to last him for a long time. With the food supply adequate, he doesn¡¯t mind sharing some with Xu Ruoying. ¡°Do you want to go see them?¡± Xu Ruoying asks softly as she takes the food bag. ¡°No, it¡¯s no use going.¡± Yu Hong is silent for a moment, not agreeing to the idea. Though he bears the black mark, right now, he can only barely ensure his basic survival and safety needs. He is powerless to do anything else. ¡°Thanks,¡± Xu Ruoying says, taking the protein bars and heading out the door. Yu Hong sits down on the round stool, takes out a radio, and turns it on. After a brief static, the faint voice of a broadcast starts to play. Two male voices seem to be talking in a Q&A format. ¡®We hope to handle this matter properly. Regarding the recent worsening of the large-scale black disaster, the relevant departments have traced the source. A total of seven high-risk evil shadows are involved, causing vulnerabilities in the internal defenses of Hope City, leading to the breach of the black disaster.¡¯ ¡®These seven evil shadows were collected and classified by the Silver Tower. According to their public information, we know that the black disaster is now classified into nine levels of danger, with the level not representing strength but rather the harm to the surrounding environment and society. The seven evil shadows are all classified between levels two and five.¡¯ ¡®Doesn¡¯t that mean the lowest-level black disaster is easier to handle?¡¯ ¡®The lowest level means we already know it well and can devise a precise countermeasure, so it poses minimal danger. For example, ordinary black insects, known scientifically as blood ticks, are level one.¡¯ ¡®But based on Silver Tower¡¯s statistics, there are also three higher categories: War-level, Nightmare-level, and Despair-level.¡¯ ¡®This I know, the frontline black disaster currently being fought in Aurora City is a War-level one,¡¯ the host replies. ¡®Of course, we can¡¯t simply judge the strength of a black disaster based on its level. If you don¡¯t know the intelligence or weaknesses of a black disaster, even a level one disaster is like a Despair-level one, unavoidable and certain death,¡¯ another person responds. ¡®That makes sense. But what about the higher levels? What makes them so dangerous?¡¯ the host asks. ¡®It lies in the range of erosion and the desire for erosion. Everyone knows that many city districts outside the core circle of Hope City are facing a new round of challenges. My suggestion is to move into the core area as soon as possible, where the Aurora defense line can offer the best protection,¡¯ the guest advises. The rest of the broadcast consists of meaningless thank-yous and compliments, which Yu Hong tunes out. As the broadcasters talk about the deaths and the collapse of defenses in Hope City, they sound indifferent, as though it were a distant event. ¡®Have they gotten used to it? Or is there another reason?¡¯ Yu Hong stands up. ¡®Is the withered Maiden one of the level five evil shadows?¡¯ He doesn¡¯t know. If that¡¯s the case, then with so many levels and types of black disasters, human deaths seem like cold numbers, cheap and frequent. At this thought, he suddenly feels a sense of suffocation. He pours himself a glass of water and drinks it all in one go, then starts practicing his heavy-leg technique. Streams of warmth spread up from his legs, extending throughout his body. The feeling of warmth makes him feel much better. After some time, he heads back to the reinforced gray lizard suit, where the countdown is almost finished. He watches the decreasing numbers and glances at the radiant stone reserves in the corner. The regular Luminous stones he had accumulated are almost used up. He¡¯ll need to go back to the mine to restock. A few more minutes pass, and the countdown on the gray lizard suit finally finishes. A distorted blur covers the suit, and after a second, the distortion fades. A brand-new, thick and heavy black bulletproof suit appears in front of Yu Hong. It still looks like the gray lizard suit but without the camouflage color. It¡¯s noticeably heavier. The helmet comes with windproof glasses and a filter mask, and the alloy plates on the body are thicker than before. The stitching is more meticulous, and the bulletproof ceramic plates now cover the entire torso. Even the gaps around the neck are protected by high-strength alloy plates. Yu Hong is pleased. He quickly puts it on. The new gray lizard suit weighs a bit more, about sixteen or seventeen pounds, but its joints move almost as freely as regular clothes, with minimal impact on flexibility. Fully armored, he notices the red value detector has been integrated into the collar. A small LCD screen inside the collar displays the current external red value. He activates the suit, testing it, and begins practicing the heavy-leg technique again. This time, with the added weight, the heat flow generated is even greater. As warmth spreads throughout his body, he opens the door, steps outside into the open space, and starts moving around. With the red value detector constantly monitoring, he can detect any Ghostly shadows that might appear nearby. After practicing for a while, he thinks about the fleeing group Xu Ruoying mentioned. He might be able to exchange something new from them to reinforce his gear. Also, since Xu Ruoying is alone there, she might be in danger. Yu Hong senses the remaining cool air and turns back to grab a bag of protein bars before heading toward her residence. With his spiked boots, enhanced gray lizard suit, heavy-leg technique, and the remaining cool air, Yu Hong feels somewhat safer. He plans to check on her, then return to reinforce the solar-powered generator, charging the radio and red value detector. Otherwise, once the power runs out, they will be useless. Following his familiar route, the heavy suit barely weighs him down. He regularly works with wood and stone, so his strength is already well-trained. However, he¡¯s puzzled. Since starting the heavy-leg technique, he¡¯s noticed less pain in his skin and bones, even some numbness in his sense of touch. (End of Chapter) Chapter 53: Relaxation (3) Following the familiar path, Yu Hong walked ahead and soon found the cave where Dr. Xu lived.The cave¡¯s door was half open, and a tall, burly bald man was arguing loudly with Xu Ruoying. The voices were harsh, filled with anger, and their conversation was in a heavy local accent, making it hard to understand, even for Yu Hong who approached. He decided to wait at a distance for them to finish talking, but after a short while, the bald man¡¯s voice grew even more furious. With a loud bang, the bald man angrily shouted, grabbing Dr. Xu by the collar and yelling at her. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Yu Hong asked in a deep voice, his gaze directed at Dr. Xu. ¡°Why the hell aren¡¯t you giving us medicine?! We have three injured people who need it, and you¡¯re giving free medicine to a beggar!¡± the bald man yelled, his face flushed with rage. ¡°My medicine, I¡¯ll give to whoever I want!¡± Xu Ruoying shouted back, still struggling as she was pulled by the collar, struggling to breathe. ¡°Are you looking for death? Do you believe I¡¯ll beat the life out of you, you bitch?!¡± The bald man threatened fiercely. ¡°Speak properly, don¡¯t lay your hands on her!¡± Yu Hong walked up, his face dark, and stepped in to stop the aggression. ¡°Who the hell are you?! What¡¯s it to you?!¡± the bald man snapped, still not having adjusted to the environment after escaping from the city. Bang! Without another word, Yu Hong swiftly kicked out with his right leg, delivering a powerful sweep. The move was executed smoothly, using his practice from training. It wasn¡¯t powered by internal energy, just the explosive force of his physical power. With a dull thud, the bald man¡¯s face twisted as he bent down, clutching his leg in pain. Before he could retaliate, Yu Hong quickly followed up with a series of intense kicks, landing blow after blow on the man¡¯s shoulder and head. Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! The reinforced steel plating in Yu Hong¡¯s legs added extra strength to the blows, and with just a few hits, the bald man collapsed to the ground. ¡°Are you calm now?¡± Yu Hong asked after his series of kicks, feeling no discomfort in his own leg due to the internal cushioning. Unable to resist, the bald man, trembling in pain, answered clearly, telling the truth. ¡°We saw her take out some anti-inflammatory medicine to save someone, and we wanted some too. She refused, so we thought we¡¯d just take it by force.¡± ¡°Get lost.¡± Yu Hong casually dismissed him. He knew troublemakers would always show up with newcomers. He kicked the man again, the steel plate causing another scream of pain as it struck bone. Watching the man limp away, he turned back to face Dr. Xu, who looked tired. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± he asked. ¡°Too many eyes, and I¡¯ve been targeted. Thanks for helping me,¡± Dr. Xu sighed, looking at the retreating bald man helplessly. ¡°This group of people is just passing through. You have to be careful. I just gave them food and some medicine, and I got targeted for it. You¡­¡± she started to explain. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Yu Hong reassured her, having tested the strength of his leg kick combined with the steel plating¡ªimpressive, indeed. Fully armored, with a helmet and body armor, he felt far more confident in dealing with trouble than before. ¡°But that man doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯ll let it go easily,¡± Dr. Xu voiced her concern again. ¡°I¡¯ll be careful. In this environment, they dare to roam around like this? Don¡¯t they fear the shadows lurking here?¡± Yu Hong questioned. ¡°They drove here but ran out of gas,¡± Dr. Xu explained briefly. ¡°I saw them when I was picking up firewood. There was a baby on the car burning with fever. I just couldn¡¯t resist¡­¡± She then smiled faintly. ¡°I actually have my own defense methods,¡± she said, her left hand having been behind her back, now holding a white plastic spray bottle filled with a reddish liquid. ¡°In times like these, it¡¯s best to protect yourself first,¡± Yu Hong patted her shoulder, then turned toward the post office. He planned to check with Old Li for more information. The mailman had far more contacts and would likely know more. After walking a short distance, he noticed there was no sound of a door closing behind him. He turned to see Dr. Xu standing in the doorway, lost in thought. Yu Hong guessed she was thinking about her family. She once had a husband and children, a happy family, but all of it was destroyed by the Black Disaster. Turning back, he continued on his way. Not far ahead, two men holding daggers blocked his path. A third, holding a gun, limped against a tree, glaring with venomous eyes. It was the same bald man he had just dealt with. There were three of them in total. All seemed to be in their thirties, dressed reasonably well, with muscular builds that suggested a life of sufficient nutrition, meaning they weren¡¯t ordinary people. The man with the gun spoke up, pointing it directly at Yu Hong. ¡°It¡¯s him! My leg is still in pain, let¡¯s take out his leg first!¡± As the bald man finished speaking, the other two men quickly closed in, flanking him on both sides. Clearly, the bald man was the leader of this group. Yu Hong remained silent. His full body armor and internal energy gave him confidence, and this would be a good opportunity to test his equipment against these opponents. Though he trusted the armor¡¯s strength, he knew the gun was still a risk at close range. He calmly observed their positions and movements. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The bald man, grinning wickedly, raised his gun, aimed at Yu Hong, and pulled the trigger. The others prepared to strike, but Yu Hong reacted swiftly, stepping forward and using his wolf-tooth club to attack the nearest attacker. The club struck a short blade, creating a loud crash. Immediately, Yu Hong¡¯s leg swept low, taking the man off balance and breaking his leg. The second man¡¯s short blade cut into Yu Hong¡¯s arm, but the ceramic plates in his armor absorbed the blow, and Yu Hong retaliated with a swift strike to the head, missing the target as the man dodged. Before Yu Hong could react, a sharp pain in his side reminded him of the third assailant. He kicked back without turning. As the man cried out in pain, Yu Hong spun and grabbed the third assailant, forcing him down and kicking his leg out from under him. The last man fell with a painful cry, unable to recover. Yu Hong paused, then raised his wolf-tooth club to strike again when a gunshot rang out. The bullet ricocheted off his helmet. ¡°!¡± Yu Hong stopped, turning his head slightly to see the bald man shaking, gun in hand, firing again. The bullet grazed his shoulder, sparks flying as the impact hit. Yu Hong quickly adjusted, using his agility to dodge, and then charged at the bald man. With no more bullets, the bald man panicked, throwing his gun away and trying to run. But after only a few meters, Yu Hong caught up, slamming the wolf-tooth club into the back of the bald man¡¯s head, knocking him out cold. The remaining two men also fell in short order, their cries ending as they were taken down. Yu Hong dragged the bodies, gathering his spoils. Unfortunately, they were poor and only had a few trinkets and weapons. Rising, he turned to see Li Runshan and Aisina watching from a distance. The gunshots had drawn them over, but they arrived to witness this bloody scene. ¡°Sorry,¡± Yu Hong said, his voice muffled behind his mask, ¡°Didn¡¯t mean to disturb you.¡± His imposing figure in reinforced armor, holding a blood-stained wolf-tooth club, left an unforgettable impression, shattering the calm, quiet image they had of him. (End of Chapter) Chapter 54: Relaxation (4) ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Li Runshan still wore a smile on his face. ¡°These people are potential threats. Even if you don¡¯t deal with them, I would still have them driven away.¡±His gaze swept over the three people on the ground before returning to the suit on Yu Hong. ¡°Good to know.¡± Yu Hong exhaled, turned, and slowly picked up his things, heading back to his dwelling. At times like these, it was inconvenient to chat with Li Runshan. The other man had clearly grown wary of him. Yu Hong¡¯s figure moved at a moderate pace, gradually disappearing deeper into the forest. Only after he was completely out of sight did the smile on Li Runshan¡¯s face slowly fade. ¡°That gear¡­ Its strength is very high!¡± he muttered under his breath. ¡°Dad, Uncle Yu Hong was so scary just now.¡± Aisina spoke softly from behind. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Daddy will protect you.¡± Li Runshan smiled again, ¡°Although his equipment is impressive, Daddy is stronger.¡± He reached out to pat his daughter¡¯s small head. Though he said this, recalling Yu Hong¡¯s two swift leg sweeps earlier, he felt an unsettling sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. Those leg sweeps¡­ weren¡¯t they the basic techniques of the leg strike I sold to him? Though his movements were somewhat unrefined, the power behind them was unmistakably similar. But why was the speed of those sweeps so fast? Thinking back to the earlier strikes, a trace of seriousness flashed in Li Runshan¡¯s eyes. He had seen the defensive capabilities of that black suit firsthand¡ªcomprehensive and formidable, far superior to the Grey Lizard suit. Coupled with Yu Hong¡¯s explosive speed beyond the ordinary, it seemed only joint locks could control him. * * * Back at the cave¡¯s safehouse, Yu Hong stood in an open area, stretching his body in the suit. He didn¡¯t take it off but instead began to practice weighted leg exercises. Having just killed three people, he appeared calm on the surface but felt a strange unease deep inside. Though he had dealt with others before, this time was different. He had personally taken the lives of three individuals, creating three corpses. The sensation of knocking someone out with a single blow felt unreal. To calm his mind, he threw himself into his training, practicing repeatedly, over and over again. Before he knew it, the sky outside had grown darker, and time flew by. It was already evening. When Yu Hong emerged from his trance, the night had fallen. There were no black insects tonight, just a calm silence. Covered in sweat, he stood motionless in the cave, waiting for his breathing to settle before slowly removing his gear. His body felt flushed, and under the intense training, his fifth internal energy had quietly condensed in his abdomen. At the same time, a plastic-like sensation began to form on the outer skin of his legs, as if his sense of touch had become dulled. He took off his pants and looked down. On his white legs, a layer of transparent callus had appeared, he didn¡¯t know when. He touched it¡ªit felt stiff, as though it wasn¡¯t his own skin, with minimal tactile sensation. ¡°Is this the result of the heavy leg training?¡± S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After putting his pants back on, Yu Hong sighed. Unknowingly, he had become completely different from the person he once was. He picked up his helmet, which integrated a red-value detector. Once worn, it would light up in corresponding directions based on the user¡¯s location. The collar displayed specific readings. This feature was quite practical. It could pinpoint the direction of a lurking shadow or malicious presence far better than the simple red-value detector. As the feeling of having killed subsided, he recalled the black imprint function¡ªsynthesis. ¡°Since I can combine two items to make something new, then¡­¡± His eyes glimmered as he turned to the pile of firewood in the corner of the room. Among the dry branches were several green wild grass stems, clearly still alive. Yu Hong walked over, picked up a piece of grass about the size of a palm, and held it in his hand. Then, he grabbed a piece of Luminous Stone, placing them together. He then placed his hand on top. Yes, he intended to test whether combining these two items would produce something new. He just picked two random items to try. ¡°Enhance the wild grass, with the Luminous stone effect.¡± Yu Hong silently recited in his mind. Soon, black lines flowed from the black mark on his hand, instantly merging with the wild grass and Luminous stone. A cold, mechanical voice echoed in his ear. ¡°Do you wish to enhance the wild grass?¡± He hesitated, then responded with a ¡°yes¡± in his mind. Immediately, changes began to occur. The familiar feedback sound should have brought Yu Hong joy, but just then, a powerful pulling force surged from the black mark on his hand. In an instant, he clearly felt his physical and mental energy being rapidly drained by the black imprint. This had happened before, and he suppressed the discomfort, forcing himself to draw internal energy. Before long, the first internal energy replenished his strength, but after a few seconds, the replenished energy was swiftly consumed again. Yu Hong continued to activate his second internal energy, but this time, the black imprint¡¯s absorption was far more exaggerated. The second internal energy wasn¡¯t enough, followed by the third, fourth, and fifth! Even the freshly condensed fifth internal energy was swiftly drained. His physical and mental energy continued to dwindle, and fatigue began to weigh heavily on him. Finally, the absorption ceased. ¡°This always happens¡­ it¡¯s as if the system perfectly calculates all my stored energy¡­¡± Yu Hong stared at the glowing imprint in silence, gasping for air, waiting for his body to recover. His eyes were full of white spots, his breath quick and labored, and his muscles felt weak. It was as if he was on the verge of total exhaustion. After resting for several minutes, he finally gathered enough strength to examine the cause of his current condition: the wild grass and Luminous stone. Both the wild grass and the Luminous stone now had a new countdown timer: 2 days, 8 hours, 47 minutes. ¡°Really?¡± Yu Hong couldn¡¯t believe it. He hadn¡¯t expected the random items he picked would actually combine. Looking at the mismatched objects, he was filled with curiosity, wondering what the enhancement would yield. However, now that the black imprint had claimed the enhancement time, he could only wait for two days. At least it was only two days. During this time, the black imprint had asked about the enhancement before showing the countdown, leaving Yu Hong feeling cheated. If he canceled the enhancement now, it would likely be wasted. ¡°Wait¡­ I think I don¡¯t know how to cancel the enhancement?¡± Yu Hong suddenly realized, after using the black imprint for so long, that he didn¡¯t know how to cancel an enhancement. Lighting the fireplace, he took deep breaths and drank the sweet soup he had made earlier. The taste had become intolerable, but there was little choice. After eating, he leaned against the fireplace and immediately fell asleep. He slept straight through until the next afternoon. By the time he woke up, it was almost evening again. After taking care of personal matters, he set up the solar-powered generator he had bought earlier, placing it in the area behind the door where sunlight would shine, testing if it could work tomorrow. He also kept an eye on the countdown of the enhanced wild grass. He was genuinely curious about what it would turn into. That night, he continued his training, eating, resting, and repeating the cycle until the next afternoon, when the countdown finally neared its end. Yu Hong stopped his leg training near the end of the day, quietly waiting. Ten minutes. Five minutes. Two minutes. One minute. Yu Hong sat at the table, staring at the wild grass without blinking. Whoosh! In an instant, a distorted blur enveloped the wild grass and the Luminous stone. When the blur dissipated, the Luminous stone had disappeared, but the wild grass remained, now with white spots and a thicker stalk. Apart from the color and size, the wild grass seemed to have changed little. Just as Yu Hong frowned, confused, the black imprint¡¯s feedback voice suddenly rang in his ears again. ¡°Enhancement successful, default name: Luminous stone Grass. Current enhancement: Living. Do you wish to mark it?¡± ¡°Current mark count: 1.¡± Yu Hong stood up in shock. ¡°Mark? What is that?¡± He had used the black imprint for so long, and this was the first time he had encountered such a thing. The black imprint remained silent¡ªit seemed to be a rigid system, only providing prompts when specific conditions were met. Yu Hong stood still, scrutinizing the green grass with spots, deep in thought. He pondered what this mark might be. After a long pause, he gritted his teeth. The grass he had enhanced couldn¡¯t just be worthless. He decided to test it. ¡°Once the mark is set, can it be replaced or canceled?¡± he asked in his mind. There was no response. Yu Hong thought for a moment, then placed his hand on the black imprint and asked again. This time, a reply came quickly. ¡°Yes, if replaced, the non-marked object will lose most of its effects.¡± ¡°Then¡­ mark it!¡± Yu Hong answered in his mind. He wanted to see what the new feature of the black imprint would do. As soon as he gave his response, a faint white glow surrounded the enhanced wild grass on the table. At the same time, Yu Hong felt a sharp sensation, as if something had pierced his mind. ¡°Mark complete. Current controlled mark: Luminous stone Grass.¡± ¡°Luminous stone Grass!?¡± Just then, Yu Hong inexplicably felt a connection between himself and the wild grass in front of him. It was as if he could control it, commanding it to make various changes. This feeling was like holding a remote control, able to manipulate the moving model in front of him. However, this ¡°remote control¡± had been embedded deep within his mind, controlled by his will and thoughts. Accompanying the control was a brief stream of information flooding his mind. ¡°Luminous stone Grass: A special plant that can reduce red value in the air. When its numbers reach a certain threshold, it will produce a collective effect. It is highly resilient and requires only a small amount of water, sunlight, and ordinary soil to grow.¡± ¡°Growth cycle: Four days.¡± ¡°The mark controller can use internal energy to shorten the growth cycle.¡± Yu Hong stood frozen, his expression stunned as he stared at the plant. For a moment, he almost questioned whether he was hallucinating. This enhancement¡­ can it really do this?! (End of Chapter) Chapter 55: Hope (1) Luminous Grass. A strange plant synthesized from luminous stones and wild grass, the most critical thing is, it seems to be controllable?!(TL Note :- will just call this grass ¡°luminous grass¡± , ¡°luminous stones grass¡± is too long and weird sounding ) Yu Hong held the reinforced grass stalk in his hand, pondered for a moment, then looked up at the sky outside. The golden red light of the setting sun streamed through the gap in the door, dyeing a small area near the door red. He exhaled, stood up, held the Luminous Grass, opened the door, and stepped outside into the yard. After several days of adjustment and placement, the stone yard outside had started to take shape. At first, it was just a large circular ring made of stones. Later, he mixed the stones with black mud, tamped it down, and created mixed pillars. At this point, a circle of gray pillars, about ten centimeters high, outlined a roughly 200-square-meter area. This area was filled with black mud soil covered in green grass, with occasional large stones sticking out from the surface. A large tree of unknown species grew in one corner, lush and shady, casting an oblique shadow with a diameter of five to six meters. Yu Hong glanced at the setting sun, squatted down, casually picked up a branch, and stuck it in the ground to estimate the time. Then he stood up, wandered around the simple yard, and thought about where to plant the Luminous Grass. After walking around for a while, his gaze fell on a small sloped depression in front of the cave entrance. On one side was a white stone wall, and on the other side was the black mud yard, with sparse wild grass. ¡°This will do!¡± He went over, pulled out all the few wild grasses, and used a chisel to dig up the roots. Finally, he dug a small hole, placed the Luminous Grass roots inside, covered it with soil, and watered it. Once everything was done, he stood up, satisfied, and returned to the cave, waiting for the planting results. Soon, the sky outside darkened. On the solar panel placed at the door, the LCD screen displayed that two bars of power had accumulated. The solar generator consists of two parts: one is a solar panel that can be folded out, and the other is the control unit linked to a display and main control console, which is a small plastic box the size of a book, with operation buttons and a square LCD screen showing the remaining power. In addition, the solar generator has a set of dedicated charging ports for powering other devices. A row of over ten sockets on its side can be used to charge various devices. Yu Hong took out the radio, searched for it, and pulled out a half-meter-long power cable from a hidden compartment at the bottom of the radio, plugging it into the solar generator. ¡°Finally, I can charge it.¡± He breathed a sigh of relief. Because he had been worried about running out of power, he hadn¡¯t dared to turn on the radio too often. Now, at least the solar generator could still be useful. After confirming the charging was fine, Yu Hong calculated the charging time. The radio, which still had half its battery, was fully charged in just a few minutes. Meanwhile, the solar generator displayed one bar of remaining power. By now, the sunset had already set, and the sky had fallen into a dim twilight. ¡°It seems it¡¯s still better to reinforce it. But which direction should I reinforce?¡± Yu Hong pondered. ¡°Previously, I only enhanced its durability, but that was not enough. Since I can add functions and enhance synthesis, I need to think carefully about how to strengthen it.¡± He pulled down the door panel, lit the fireplace, sat down, and turned on the radio. Soft, gentle music drifted from the radio. It seemed to be some kind of string instrument, long, delicate, and mellow, like a woman softly crying. At times, a piano-like accompaniment played, crisp and melodious. He focused his gaze on the solar generator, and a series of thoughts kept running through his mind. ¡°First, durability is a must. Second, increasing the total battery capacity is necessary, to avoid issues with consecutive cloudy weather preventing charging.¡± ¡°Third, the conversion efficiency also needs improvement, otherwise, it will be too slow, and if the days get shorter, it may not be enough.¡± ¡°Fourth, sturdiness must be reinforced; otherwise, if it¡¯s damaged, I won¡¯t know where to fix it.¡± After coming up with these four points, Yu Hong extended his hand, placed it on the solar generator, and began to reinforce it. He silently recited his enhancement goals, and soon, the black mark responded with feedback, and the countdown officially began. ¡°2 days, 7 hours, 15 minutes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine, not too long.¡± Yu Hong nodded in satisfaction, stood up, drank some water, and continued with his daily training. In this boring environment, listening to music on the radio while training was far better than before. It made Yu Hong feel like there was a bit more life around him, no longer just himself living in a desolate mountain forest with no one around for miles. As the music repeated, Yu Hong gradually immersed himself in his training. Time passed quietly in the repeating routine. Soon, the solar generator was fully reinforced, looking brand new and sturdier. Yu Hong placed it outside the cave, where it absorbed sunlight during the day and was stored at night. He continued his routine: cleaning and exercising every morning, collecting firewood and water, digging for vegetables, and exchanging supplies at noon. In the afternoons, he worked on the runes for the Great Luminous Stones and practiced. At night, he listened to the radio, exercised, and reinforced the rune formations. This continued day after day. Before he knew it, three weeks had passed. In the early morning, the stone yard outside the cave had sprouted some green grass with spots on it. These small grasses were sparse, scattered across the muddy ground, and when exposed to sunlight, the spots on them reflected a faint glow. Crack. The wooden door of the cave opened, and Yu Hong walked out, fully armed in his reinforced gray lizard suit, holding his freshly cleaned Luminous Stone club and with a multi-purpose knife sheathed on his back. He descended the stone steps, walked over to the Luminous Grass, and crouched down to examine it. As he got closer, the LCD screen on his collar began to quickly display the red value data of the nearby environment. After a few jumps, the value stabilized at ¡°-24¡±. Yu Hong exhaled, a slight relaxed expression appeared on his face behind the helmet. He took out a thin wooden board, pulled out a charcoal pencil from his pocket, and recorded the date and data, including the number of Luminous Grass. The board already had many dense records. From top to bottom, one could see that the Luminous Grass had spread from just one stalk, continuously dispersing its seeds and growing into a patch of its kind. In just twenty days or so, it had multiplied from one to more than ten plants. And the effect it had on the surrounding environment, initially a single-digit number, was now over twenty. Yu Hong stood up, backed away, and continued testing the red value detector on his collar. One meter, two meters, three meters. As the distance increased, the red value decreased. Finally, he stopped at the boundary of the stone yard, where the LCD on his collar showed a fixed data: -2. ¡°This is it. Seems like this is the limit,¡± Yu Hong murmured, walking around to confirm the range and limit of the Luminous Grass¡¯ red value influence. Back at the entrance to the cave, he looked at the small patches of Luminous Grass in the soil, extended his hand, and placed it on the black mark, silently focusing on controlling the Luminous Grass. Soon, a strange sensation of connection emerged in his mind. It was as if a glowing point floated deep in his chest, representing the mark of the Luminous Grass. ¡°Do you wish to catalyze and accelerate using inner energy?¡± The cold mechanical voice of the black mark sounded in his ear the moment his consciousness touched the glowing point. Yu Hong¡¯s expression stiffened. This was exactly the feature he intended to test. He had previously allowed it to grow naturally, just to record the comparison. After all, without knowing the normal growth speed, he couldn¡¯t determine how much inner energy would enhance the growth. He calmed himself and silently recited. ¡°Yes.¡± In an instant, one of the inner energy threads in his body began to stir, as if wanting to rise and move toward the glowing point representing the Luminous Grass. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yu Hong thought for a moment, coordinated with the inner energy, and guided it upward. Before long, the inner energy collided with the glowing point of the Luminous Grass. Hiss. A faint sound echoed in his ears. The inner energy disappeared in the blink of an eye, as if being completely consumed by the glowing point of the Luminous Grass. At the same time, the glowing point representing the Luminous Grass brightened dramatically, its brightness at least doubled. It seemed to stay in this state, glowing as if burning, consuming the inner energy it absorbed. Yu Hong observed for over ten minutes, confirming there were no other issues, and then turned his attention back to the small patch of Luminous Grass on the ground. But no matter how much he looked, he couldn¡¯t see any noticeable changes. After fruitless observation, he reluctantly set it aside and continued with his fixed daily routine. The day passed quietly, and the night gradually fell, covering the sky with darkness. Inside the cave. Yu Hong quietly adjusted the firewood in the fireplace, using a stick to push aside excess ash from the fire pit to ensure enough oxygen for combustion. The firelight illuminated his face, revealing beads of sweat and oil stains on his forehead. Long hours of physical labor and exercise had made his muscles more defined, and his body was becoming more toned with each workout. The rustling of insects could be heard from outside the door. Soon, black swarms of insects began pouring in through the cracks in the door and ventilation holes, flowing like water. Before the black bugs could touch the ground, they quickly evaporated into black smoke under the firelight. Yu Hong stood up and quietly watched this scene. Before, he had been scared of the black bugs from the blood tide, but now, he had long since gotten used to it. Time passed little by little, and after about half an hour, the black bugs stopped coming in in such a steady stream, no longer rushing in rapidly as before. Yu Hong¡¯s expression changed slightly, and he rummaged through a corner, pulling out a spare candle, lighting it, and slowly walked toward the door. Swish. He used a stick to open the glass window on one side of the door. Through the high-strength glass, the candlelight illuminated the outside. Instantly, a small circle of black insects near the yard evaporated into black smoke, clearing the area of insects. At the same time, the candle flame shrank considerably, as if it were being suppressed, burning much faster than usual. Yu Hong ignored these usual changes and instead focused on the outside through the candlelight. What he saw made him look surprised. Outside the cave, in the stone yard, the dim night was illuminated by the soft white glow coming from the Luminous Grass. The Luminous Grass was glowing?! Yu Hong blinked and looked again. He confirmed he wasn¡¯t mistaken. The Luminous Grass was indeed glowing, and the white light exactly matched the red value effect range he had tested earlier, covering the entire small stone yard. Through the candlelight, he could clearly see the bugs, which seemed to be drawn toward the cave by the faint white light of the Luminous Grass. However, only a small portion of them moved toward it, while more seemed to dislike the white light and scattered toward the distant darkness, like water being diverted by rocks. (End of chapter) Chapter 56: Hope (2) In the round courtyard, the closer the black insects got to the Luminous Grass, the fewer there were. Many black insects, halfway toward it, diverged and fled again.They escaped the white light, changed their crawling direction, and rejoined the swirling black flow outside. In the end, only about one-tenth of the black insects that initially approached actually made it to the cave¡¯s safe house. ¡°That Luminous Grass has such a function!? No¡­ wait, perhaps this is one of the core methods used by large cities to expel and isolate the Black Plague.¡± ¡ªLowering the environmental red value. This was the method that had just come to Yu Hong¡¯s mind. ¡®The red value can actually influence the blood tide black insects. This means that, essentially, maybe the blood tide black insects and the Ghostly Shadows are the same kind of existence?¡¯ Yu Hong speculated in his mind. Holding a candle, he turned off the glass window cover and stepped back to a safe area. Watching the black insects trickling in intermittently, he had more guesses and plans for the Luminous Grass. With just this little Luminous Grass, it could influence the blood tide, so what if there were more? What if the whole courtyard was filled with it? Could it completely isolate the blood tide black insects¡¯ invasion? Even the big skin¡­ Yu Hong had high expectations in his heart. He never expected that something he casually synthesized could have such a large effect. For a disaster as serious as the blood tide, which severely affects people¡¯s sleep and rest, he had longed for a good night¡¯s sleep. Not just him, but also others like Old Li, Old Zhou, and Doctor Xu¡ªall of them felt the same. He had asked for countermeasures before. If it was the Ghostly Shadows, one could still use Luminous Grass to isolate them, but for the blood tide, there had been no solution. The next day, Yu Hong stepped outside early in the morning. Yesterday, he had injected a thread of inner energy, and today he wanted to see the results of the catalyzed growth. By the time he stepped outside, a small patch of lush, vibrant grass caught his eye. ¡°So much!?¡± Yu Hong stood at the door, his eyes wide in astonishment, staring at the Luminous Grass in the courtyard below. Yesterday, there had only been a dozen or so small plants, but now, the number had increased by more than half, reaching over twenty plants. Their spread had already covered a third of the stone courtyard. ¡°Just one day¡­¡± Yu Hong was amazed. He was incredibly glad he had the help of the black imprint; without it, he was sure he would have already met his end when he left the little Stutterer, with no trace left. Descending the stone steps, he confirmed that the newly grown Luminous Grass was real and healthy, so he quickly began testing the red value data in the courtyard. This time, standing at the boundary of the courtyard, the red value measured was -13, a significant increase from before. On the third day, Yu Hong used inner energy to accelerate the growth of the Luminous Grass again. This time, he used two threads of energy and added them one after another. By the fourth day, the entire courtyard was mostly covered in Luminous Grass. At the boundary of the courtyard, the red value had reached -41. Late at night. Yu Hong stood behind the wooden door, peering through the glass window at the courtyard outside. A soft white light covered the entire courtyard and extended slightly beyond it. From the area bathed in white light, the black insects began to avoid it, diverting and bypassing this area to head elsewhere. Thud, thud, thud. Soon, a heavy footstep sounded, and a large, dark beetle emerged from the darkness, stepping into the white light zone. But after walking just a few steps, approaching a third of the distance, the beetle shook its little head, turned to the side, and left, quickly disappearing into the thick night. Seeing this, Yu Hong¡¯s face showed a surprised expression. ¡°Even the big skins can be repelled!?¡± His heart was filled with joy. ¡°One Great Luminous Stone, even close to it, only emits a red value of around -80 or -90. But this Luminous Grass emits a red value range of -30 or -40, and it continuously emits it, increasing from far to near!¡± He had tested the data, and the Luminous Grass up close already emitted a red value of over -100, almost like constantly stacking a Great Luminous Stone right at the entrance of the cave. ¡°Although I don¡¯t know how long the consumption can last, but this stuff recovers on its own, which is far more economical than using Luminous Stones!¡± Looking through the glass window at the blood tide black insects bypassing the courtyard, Yu Hong suddenly thought: Since Luminous Grass can be synthesized from wild grass and Luminous Stones, what about large Luminous Stones and other plants? What if it¡¯s combined with trees? Even cockroach mushrooms, living creatures¡ªif synthesized with Luminous Stones, would there be even greater and stronger transformations? If the synthesized result could be controlled, could synthesizing cockroaches, lizards, create specialized, enhanced creatures that he could control? At this moment, his mind was a mess, countless ideas flooding in, and countless combinations made him even more excited about the future. The next day, bright and early, he went out into the courtyard. He didn¡¯t need to check the Luminous Grass since its effects had already been very clear the night before. Yu Hong walked to the rough, simple earthen mound in the courtyard. Looking at the mound, which was not even knee-high, he extended his hand. His palm pressed against the rough surface of the earthen wall. ¡®Reinforce the wall!¡¯ Yu Hong silently muttered in his mind. This was his test, a trial. Previously, all the reinforcements were small objects, not very large in size. This time, he planned to test strengthening a larger object. From previous observations of the reinforcement process, he had already realized that the black imprint enhancement was more about himself, about how he viewed the range of things. Simply put, the target of the reinforcement was mainly controlled by him¡ªthe size, the concept, and the boundary. If he viewed something as a whole, the black imprint would do the same, treating it as a whole and providing a countdown for whether it could be reinforced. Therefore, right now, he was about to conduct an unprecedented test. That is¡­ * * * Crack, crack. In the deep mountains. A tall, bear-like figure quickly moved through the fallen leaves of the desolate forest, stopping from time to time to reassess his direction. ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± The figure suddenly stopped and carved a triangle into a nearby tree trunk. Looking up, he revealed a slightly troubled expression¡ªit was none other than the Bai Mang (white python), Guo Xudong, who had been traveling non-stop. He looked around, then suddenly dashed forward a few steps and leaped up, grabbing a thick tree branch with one hand. With a single motion, he swung himself forward, flipped, and climbed up the tree, stabilizing himself before looking toward the distant hills. In the distance, a small hill could vaguely be seen with some dilapidated gray-white buildings. ¡°Baiqiu Village, we¡¯re here. According to the intel, that person should be nearby.¡± After dropping down from the tree, the Bai Mang (white python) quickened his pace toward the village. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡®Two previous groups disappeared nearby. Either this place holds a dangerous threat, or¡­ it¡¯s a trap set by someone.¡¯ Guo Xudong moved swiftly through the forest, his silver-gray dagger now appearing in his hand, reversed in his palm. Half an hour later. He arrived at the gravel road outside Baiqiu Village and stood at the edge of the road, gazing at the village. The deep alleyways, the dark, uninviting doors and windows, the lifeless houses and walls. Guo Xudong took a small pouch of Luminous Stones and slowly entered the village. But after walking just a few steps, he stopped, lowering his head to carefully inspect the ground. Soon, it seemed like he noticed something, standing up and slowly stepping back, leaving the village. He then circled around the entire Baiqiu Village. Round and round. It took him over an hour to finish inspecting the entire village. ¡°There are no footprints of any activity.¡± Guo Xudong decisively turned around and walked down the hill. ¡°According to the intel, that person is either in the village or living in a nearby cave. The cave should be not far off. Let¡¯s search carefully.¡± He muttered to himself, leaving the village and quickly disappearing into the forest. * * * * Yu Hong pressed one hand against the earthen mound in the courtyard. He closed his eyes slightly, silently still, holding the position. After a few minutes. When he felt his mind had calmed, he silently thought. ¡®Reinforce the earthen wall, with a focus on material strengthening¡ªheightening and thickening.¡¯ Whoosh! In an instant, a black line from the imprint on the back of his hand fused into the earthen wall. Immediately, a countdown appeared in front of Yu Hong. ¡®15 days, 6 hours, 44 minutes.¡¯ ¡°!!!¡± At the moment he saw the countdown, Yu Hong¡¯s face showed a joy that was hard to describe. ¡°Wow, it really works!!¡± Although the time was long¡ªfifteen days¡ªprobably because the volume of reinforcement was much larger than the previous smaller objects, the wall, no matter how short or small, was far heavier than the previous reinforcements. With this thought in mind, a new idea flashed through his head. ¡®If I try to enhance the earthen wall even further, could I significantly shorten the reinforcement time?¡¯ ¡®And, since the earthen wall can be reinforced, what about the puddle? Can I turn the puddle into a well? Or even¡­ could the whole cave safe house be reinforced? Even if it takes longer, if it¡¯s all done at once, reinforcing it into an underground shelter with multiple rooms would save so much hassle.¡¯ Now that he had realized the black imprint enhancement worked based on his concept of the whole and its range. ¡®What if I consider the entire underground planet as a whole¡ªcould I reinforce the whole planet?¡¯ Yu Hong thought boldly. With that idea aside, he suddenly felt a strong urge to complete the earthen wall. Unfortunately, his regular Luminous Stones were used up, and he had to go to the mine to resupply. Otherwise, his supply of silver Rune Arrays would be fine, but the ordinary Rune Array and Great Luminous Stones would run out of materials. Happy with his progress, he returned to the cave, grabbed his backpack and tools, locked the door, and headed straight for the Luminous Stone mine. And not long after he left, a strong, bear-like figure silently emerged from the forest and saw the cave¡¯s safe house surrounded by the courtyard. The figure crouched down behind a tree trunk, set down his backpack, and took out his mask, helmet, and bulletproof gear¡ªputting everything on carefully. Once prepared, he slowly walked toward the cave, revealing a pair of slightly troubled eyes. It was none other than Guo Xudong, Bai Mang (White Python), investigating the area! (End of chapter) Chapter 57: Hope (3) Luminous Stone MineNot far from the post office stone house, in a canyon, several natural stone cave openings are quietly embedded in the grayish-white mountain wall, surrounded by vines, green grass, and withered leaves. A few scattered birds perch on the withered vines above the caves, emitting sharp cries. The sky is nearing dusk. From one of the caves, a tall figure slowly walks out. The figure is wearing a full black bulletproof suit. The thick bulletproof suit makes him, whose height is barely 1.7 meters, appear to be nearly 1.8 meters tall. Under the helmet are plain gray goggles and a pitch-black metallic filtration mask. The sound of heavy breathing constantly emerges from the filters on both sides of the mask. ¡°Rare to see birds,¡± the figure looks up, observing the small birds outside the cave. The three small birds standing on the withered vines jump a few times, also looking down at him. All three birds have grayish-brown feathers, dirty and even tangled. The pale yellow beaks still have dried blood stains. ¡°This environment, even the birds aren¡¯t normal?¡± The figure sighs and looks down at the red value changing on his collar. The data fluctuates between 20 and 40. This is right at the entrance of the mine. It wasn¡¯t like this a moment ago. But now¡­ Holding the luminous stone bag, Yu Hong realizes that these rare small birds are likely problematic. The optimism he felt upon seeing the birds slowly fades. ¡°What¡¯s still normal in this world?¡± With the luminous stone in hand, he doesn¡¯t look up anymore and strides in the direction of his return. There is nothing at the luminous stone mine, perfectly normal¡ªno strange shadows, no black insects, no plants, just pure and clean. But the only problem is radiation. He doesn¡¯t dare stay too long because, according to the experimental records from Jenny¡¯s side, the radiation from the luminous stone really can make people become dull-witted. Carrying a full bag of luminous stone, Yu Hong swiftly navigates through the forest path. After about 20 minutes, the sky is nearly completely dark. The outline of the cave ahead is faintly visible. Yu Hong quickens his pace. In this dangerous environment, seeing a safe, warm shelter where he can avoid the wind and rain fills him with an urge to hurry back and rest. ???????§£¨ºs ¡®It¡¯s getting colder. The temperature difference between day and night is increasing, and the humidity in the cave is getting worse. If there¡¯s enough solar power, it¡¯d be nice to get some electric lights, make it more comfortable.¡¯ He thinks to himself. He could go to Li Runshan¡¯s side to pre-order light bulbs and wires. These are cheap, and when he last exchanged supplies, he asked about them. The real problem is the generators needed to power the lights. Solar-powered generators are truly hard to get. It is said that the main factories producing them were hit hard by several large-scale terror incidents, many workers died, and the machinery was damaged. Production, which had been good, came to a halt, and now the authorities are urgently searching for new sites to rebuild. Combined with shortages in raw materials, it will take time to recover production. So good solar panels are in short supply. Thinking this, Yu Hong feels even more fortunate that he has the Black Ink enhancement; otherwise¡­ He reaches the cave entrance, steps over the earthen mound in the courtyard, and enters the yard filled with luminous stone grass. Once inside, his collar¡¯s LCD display quickly shows negative red values. Feeling as if surrounded by safety, Yu Hong relaxes even more. He walks toward the wooden door, takes out his key, and aims it at the keyhole. Click. With a sharp sound, a great force strikes the key from the side. The key flies out, landing on the grass. Yu Hong freezes for a moment, not understanding what just happened. He only feels a tremor in his hand before the key is forcefully yanked away. ¡®What was that?¡¯ ¡®What hit the key?¡¯ In one second, he snaps out of his stunned state, his body tensing. He drops the luminous stone bag and grabs his mace. But at this moment, there¡¯s already a new development. Thud, thud, thud. While the key is sent flying, urgent footsteps approach from behind. The sound is fast! So fast that it only takes two seconds from hearing the noise to feeling it close in on him. In those two seconds, Yu Hong has just enough time to turn around, tighten his grip on the mace, and assess the situation. His lack of professional training shows in that moment. When he turns around, before he can make sense of what¡¯s happening¡­ A figure, as large as a black bear, rapidly closes the distance. The elbow locks around his neck, the immense strength combined with force knocks him hard into the wooden door. Bang!! The door shakes. Yu Hong feels something crushing his neck. If not for the tough alloy plating in his suit, he might not even be able to breathe right now. Even so, immense pressure starts to build on the sides of his neck. The attacker is attempting to quickly subdue him and knock him unconscious. This is a very dangerous area of the body. Once trapped in the right position, a few seconds is enough to knock someone out. This isn¡¯t a blood circulation issue, but the body¡¯s nervous mechanism being forcibly triggered. It¡¯s also one of the most commonly used lethal moves in ground combat systems. The assailant¡¯s strength is overwhelming. He drags Yu Hong leftwards, down the stone steps. They crash into the grass, crushing the luminous stone grass in the yard. Thud, thud, thud! Yu Hong desperately tries to hit the arm trapping him, but it¡¯s no use. His strength is far too weak compared to the attacker¡¯s. Luckily, the enhanced suit provides solid protection for his neck, the alloy plates blocking the grip. Besides being immobile, there¡¯s no immediate danger. Suddenly, Yu Hong¡¯s expression changes dramatically. Through the goggles, he sees a metal tool with a hooked end, held in a thick, powerful hand, rapidly thrusting toward the filtration device of his mask. The mask is also made of alloy and bulletproof, but the only weakness is the filters on the sides used for ventilation. Clearly, that¡¯s the target now. This part has only ordinary material protection, with a steel wire mesh on the outer layer. Its strength is far lower than the other parts. If pierced by the metal tool, the entire protective system of the mask will be compromised. Thud! But Yu Hong doesn¡¯t have the strength to break free. With a muffled thud, one of the filters gets punctured. The cold air outside rushes into the mask, causing his pores to contract. ¡®I can¡¯t let this continue!¡¯ A strong sense of danger surges up in his heart. Yu Hong immediately activates his internal energy, all his strength surging out in a single explosive burst. Ah!!! He shouts out, and the surge of power allows him to swing the mace behind him. This swing targets the head of the attacker sneaking up behind him. The mace is swung with all his might, even disregarding the risk of collateral damage. Yu Hong bets that his helmet is far tougher than the attacker¡¯s! Bang! A muffled sound. The mace strikes the edge of his own helmet, missing entirely. This means the attacker loosens his grip. Yu Hong immediately feels the immense pressure on his neck vanish, his body relaxing. He quickly scrambles to his feet, takes two steps forward, and turns to look behind him. Bang!! Before he can stabilize himself, another heavy impact slams into his chest. The outer fabric of the bulletproof suit is torn open by something. The tremendous force sends him stumbling backward, his head spinning, unable to focus his vision. Unfortunately, the attacker doesn¡¯t wait for him to recover but instead seizes the opportunity, charging forward with a punch to his head. Bang! Yu Hong is knocked into the air, nearly leaving the ground. He falls heavily to the ground. In the luminous stone grass yard. At this moment, two similarly tall figures, both wearing bulletproof suits, one in camouflage, land heavy punches. The punch lands on the chin of the black-suited figure, sending him flying backward. ¡°Strong defense, but unfortunately¡­ it¡¯s on a useless body.¡± Guo Xudong (White Python) flexes his right fist and quickly rushes toward the still-trying-to-get-up Yu Hong. Bang! A powerful kick lands in Yu Hong¡¯s abdomen. The massive impact sends him flying, crashing into the earthen mound behind him. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Guo Xudong looks at the incapacitated Yu Hong, pulls out a roll of high-strength rope from his waist pouch, and slowly walks toward him. For him, the difficulty of this mission lies in the unknown dangers around them. The rest seems easy. He closed in quickly, suddenly lifting his knee and delivering a knee strike to Yu Hong¡¯s head. Bang! The knee strike landed perfectly, but unexpectedly, it didn¡¯t hit the chin. Instead, it struck the chest. Moreover, the solid alloy plate on the opponent¡¯s chest absorbed the impact, making his knee hurt. Clearly, he also wore a bulletproof suit, and knee pads were equipped to protect his joints! ¡®This guy still has energy!?¡¯ After he had been trapped earlier, both sides had struggled with their strength for a long time. This direct confrontation should have drained both their stamina significantly. Yet now, this guy still seems full of energy. Surprised by the opponent¡¯s physical condition, Guo Xudong made a wrong hit, quickly sidestepped, and created some distance. This also just happened to avoid a powerful swinging punch from the opponent. He circled behind, right hand drawing a sharp short knife, and delivered a slash to the back. Slash! The blade was blocked. Guo Xudong wasn¡¯t surprised. He was merely looking for weak spots in the opponent¡¯s suit. In an instant, he swiftly moved around Yu Hong, light on his feet, delivering punches, kicks, and knife strikes one after another, like heavy artillery, constantly battering Yu Hong¡¯s body. The difference in their fighting awareness was too great. Guo Xudong practically treated Yu Hong as a target, relentlessly beating him. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! In the yard, two figures moved like two billiard balls¡ªone aggressive, continuously rolling and crashing, while the other was passive, being knocked around helplessly. Soon, a flash of light appeared in Guo Xudong¡¯s eyes beneath his helmet. He seemed to have found a weak spot in the opponent¡¯s suit! The thick alloy plates and ceramic sheets did indeed provide strong protection, but the entire set of alloy plates also restricted the opponent¡¯s movement and coordination. Any movement that required more space would be hindered by the alloy plates, slowing down both speed and power. So¡­ The opponent¡¯s weakness is flexibility! Use joint techniques! Guo Xudong quickly devised a strategy. No matter how tough the bulletproof suit was, it couldn¡¯t restrict the movement of the joints; otherwise, the wearer would become a zombie. As long as the joints could still move and had space to move in, he could directly disable the opponent¡¯s ability to move using joint locks. He discarded the short knife in his hand, circled around, and launched a sprint, performing a powerful kick. Bang! The kick landed squarely on the opponent¡¯s side, sending him flying several meters and crashing to the ground. ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± Guo Xudong made two quick steps, leaped into the air, and elbowed down hard onto the opponent¡¯s back. Weighing over 260 pounds, his weight combined with the acceleration of his descent made the elbow strike devastating. He landed with his elbow as the focal point, instantly knocking the wind out of Yu Hong. Even though the bulletproof suit mitigated the impact, this blunt force was far more overwhelming than a bullet or a knife stab. Bang! Yu Hong collapsed onto the ground. His right wrist was grabbed, twisted behind him, and pulled forcefully. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. His forearm was pinned to his back by the knee of someone behind him, rendering him immobile. Fortunately, the enhanced suit had some high-strength ceramic inserts to limit reverse joint locks. His forearm was compressed, his left hand forced to the ground, unable to turn over. He was in a prone position, completely immobilized. (End of Chapter) Chapter 58: Hope (4) [Tl Note:- sry for not uploading Yesterday was a little busy]¡­.. Click. At the joints of the bulletproof suit, the ceramic pieces made a brittle sound under immense pressure. Tiny cracks began to appear on the white ceramic pieces. The cracks grew larger and more frequent. If they broke, Yu Hong¡¯s right arm would instantly snap. Without protection, his combat skills were completely useless against his opponent. At this point, he no longer knew where his wolf tooth club had gone. The pain from his right forearm was becoming more and more pronounced. Once again, the two were locked in a contest of strength. Ahhh!!! Yu Hong let out a loud roar, kicking backward with his right heel, striking the opponent¡¯s back. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!! After training his heavy leg skills for so long, his leg strength had improved significantly, and now he was going all out. One kick after another, more than ten in total. Finally, the two suddenly separated. Guo Xudong sidestepped the back kick, flipped over, grabbed the wolf tooth club on the ground, and swung it forward with a powerful strike. The black wolf tooth club, with its spikes, slammed into the outside of Yu Hong¡¯s arm. Bang! Bang! Bang!! Each hit landed one after another. Guo Xudong growled as his eyes began to redden. After this prolonged fight, he was clearly starting to breathe heavily. Bang!!! A heavy blow landed. He used all his strength, gripping the wolf tooth club tightly and smashing it down on the opponent¡¯s raised arms, which were attempting to block. A muffled thud. Guo Xudong watched as Yu Hong fell to the ground, motionless for a moment, unable to rise. Huff¡­ Huff¡­ Huff¡­ He lowered his head, dropped the slightly bent wolf tooth club, and picked up the high-strength rope that had fallen earlier, walking toward his opponent. ?¨¤No?????¨ºS? However, after only a few steps, he stopped. His pupils shrank slightly. Across from him, about five to six meters away, Yu Hong was once again getting up, breathing heavily. Although his broken breathing valve indicated he was exhausted, very possibly nearing his limit, there was no doubt¡­ This guy¡­ was getting back up! ¡°Ah!!¡± Guo Xudong roared again, charging forward with a powerful kick! Bang! It landed squarely on the target. Yu Hong was once again sent flying, crashing into a dirt mound. Before he could rise, Guo Xudong quickly followed, landing punch after punch on his head. More than ten punches landed in quick succession. Guo Xudong circled around and grabbed Yu Hong¡¯s right arm, twisting it back again. But this time, it was blocked. Yu Hong raised his leg and executed a low sweeping kick. The speed of this sweeping kick was incredibly fast, nearly grazing Guo Xudong¡¯s calf. The sudden burst of speed caught Guo Xudong off guard. He quickly released his grip and stepped back to avoid the sweep, widening the distance. Taking advantage of the moment when his opponent was dazed, Guo Xudong charged again, stepping sideways and delivering a powerful kick. His right leg struck like a cannon, gathering all his strength and slamming into Yu Hong¡¯s chest. Bang!!! This hit had more power than the previous ones. The massive impact caused Yu Hong to lift off the ground, flying out of the dirt mound, soaring two to three meters before crashing into the grass outside the yard. Finally, he stopped moving. Everything went silent. Guo Xudong¡¯s skin turned red, his eyes bloodshot, and the muscles in his face were bulging with veins. His breathing was labored, like a bellows. He too was almost at his limit. This continuous full-force combat had drained him immensely. Before coming, he never expected this guy to be so tough. If it had been an ordinary bulletproof suit, this person would have been down long ago. The strength and comprehensiveness of the suit were astonishing. Whether it was piercing, blunt force, or joint locks, the protection was incredibly complete and of high strength. It was only now that he had slightly managed to break through the suit¡¯s defenses. At this thought, Guo Xudong¡¯s eyes lit up. If he had such a suit himself, it would significantly improve his safety. A regular, useless person, wearing this suit, could last this long¡­ so if it were him, his combat capabilities would skyrocket to the top! Perhaps¡­ perhaps he could take on that person. With that thought, Guo Xudong quickly moved toward his opponent. But after only a few steps, he suddenly stopped. His eyes locked onto his opponent across the yard, revealing disbelief. There, on the grass, the black figure was once again slowly rising. That guy¡­ he could move again?! Guo Xudong felt his scalp go numb, the confidence that had been in his heart suddenly giving way to a deep unease. ¡°You bastard!!¡± He flipped over, jumped out of the yard, and launched a knee strike. It landed squarely on Yu Hong¡¯s face. Bang!! The force of the strike sent Yu Hong stumbling back. Before he could regain his balance, another kick landed on his chest. Then another kick followed, this time aiming for his chin. The immense force lifted Yu Hong off the ground, his body going rigid for a moment. Before he could land, Guo Xudong unleashed a barrage of punches and elbows, striking his head and chest. The heavy blows caused Yu Hong to fall backward, but Guo Xudong didn¡¯t stop. He continued to close in, delivering a flying knee strike to his chest. Bang! The alloy plate on Yu Hong¡¯s chest had already been bent, and with this strike, it caved in further. The attacks didn¡¯t stop. They continued, relentless. One minute. Two minutes. Five minutes¡­ Bang! Another kick landed, sending Yu Hong crashing to the ground once more, motionless. Guo Xudong gasped for breath, drenched in sweat, his eyes flickering with faint white sparks. ¡°This time¡­ you should be down, right?¡± He stumbled forward, picking up the rope and walking toward his opponent. But after walking halfway, he stopped again. His eyes were fixed on the black figure slowly rising. He suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. He stared intently at the black figure rising again. A sense of powerlessness and fear surged inside him. ¡°¡­Damn!!¡± ¡°You¡­!!¡± A strong disbelief, mixed with a rising fear and frustration, ignited a wild anger in his heart. ¡°You monster!!!¡± ¡°Die!!!¡± ¡°Die!!¡± Guo Xudong completely lost control. He roared, charging forward, right leg swinging with all his might toward Yu Hong. At that moment. Yu Hong suddenly raised his leg, releasing his inner energy, and executed another low sweep. This sweeping kick was much faster than before, and combined with Guo Xudong¡¯s complete loss of control and reason¡­ The two were almost in sync, but Yu Hong¡¯s burst of speed and strength surpassed Guo Xudong¡¯s, making the attack faster and more powerful. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Swish! Crack. Guo Xudong¡¯s calf was snapped like a dry twig by the explosive energy. He was just about to land his kick on Yu Hong, but this moment became an unattainable task. The excruciating pain from the broken leg and the loss of balance made him fall to the ground. Before he could rise, Yu Hong stepped forward, and with a burst of inner energy, kicked him with the tip of his boot. Thud. The tip of the boot, propelled by the explosion of energy, struck Guo Xudong¡¯s chest. The spike pierced his chest, went through his ribs, and exploded from within with the burst of inner energy. Bang!! Guo Xudong collapsed to the ground, his body trembling. The explosion of flesh and blood was contained by the bulletproof suit. From the outside, only a small wound on his chest was leaking blood. But inside, his entire chest cavity had been destroyed by the explosion of inner energy. There was no life left. ¡°¡­¡± He opened his mouth as if to say something, but his lungs were completely destroyed, and no sound came out. He couldn¡¯t understand. He couldn¡¯t understand how this guy was able to keep going after so many heavy hits. Even with a super strong suit, the impact and blunt force were not insignificant, and the physical drain was real. After all this fighting, how could he still unleash such terrifying force? It was beyond reason. He had knocked him down countless times, but the moment Yu Hong knocked him down once¡­ ¡®Could it be¡­ a phenomenon disease?¡¯ Guo Xudong thought, recalling stories he¡¯d heard about people with the phenomenon disease gaining extraordinary abilities¡ªlike strength, speed, or physical endurance. But even in the case of the phenomenon disease, no one had ever exceeded human limits. And yet, this guy¡­ His consciousness began to fade, and everything grew fuzzy. Guo Xudong collapsed on the ground, his head hitting the grass with a heavy thud. His eyes wide open, but gradually, he fell silent. Yu Hong walked over to him, bent down quickly to search for things, then grabbed the key before heading back to the cave¡¯s safe house. He struggled to take off his enhanced suit, sat down with his back against the fireplace, covered in blood. The injuries came from the bent alloy plates and ceramic pieces, pressing and slicing into him. Even with the protection of the suit, it wasn¡¯t enough to fully absorb the impacts. ¡°My wrist is sprained¡­ my chest is swollen¡­¡± Yu Hong checked his injuries. ¡°My head¡¯s a bit dizzy, probably from the heavy kick to the chin earlier. A slight concussion.¡± Given the suit¡¯s strength, he was lucky. Without it, that kick alone would have sent him straight to meet Jenny and her daughter. ¡°And my right leg¡­¡± He took off his boot, looking at the red and swollen toes, with the nail torn off. He sighed. ¡°This guy is strong!¡± Despite being a bit fragile, the attacker had almost completely suppressed him. If not for relying on inner energy to recover and a sudden counterattack, the outcome might have been different. He had always thought that with the enhanced suit, he should be able to handle anyone he faced. But now it seemed¡­ this guy¡¯s combat skills far surpassed his own, his strength was strong enough to bend even the alloy plates. ¡°This guy this time is just a poor bastard, not as well-equipped as me, but if next time someone comes with similar equipment¡ªno, they don¡¯t even need to be exactly the same, just not too far off, with a weapon strong enough to break through my defense¡ªI¡¯m definitely going to be in trouble!¡± Yu Hong took out iodine, starting to apply it to his wounds. As he did, he reflected on the opponent he had just faced. ¡°Where did this person come from? Why attack me? What was their goal? Why, with the protective suit, did they not use a gun?¡± Questions continued to rise in his mind. He had to figure out who was behind this. After being attacked several times, Yu Hong realized that he couldn¡¯t keep passively taking hits like this. He needed to understand the cause and effect and find a way to eliminate the threat once and for all. (End of chapter) Chapter 59: Weakness (1) After applying medicine, Yu Hong quickly left the cave and returned to the side of Guo Xudong¡¯s body.Looking at the strong, bear-like figure, he was still a little shaken. This guy was really tough, especially with his rhythm that constantly suppressed him. Each time Yu Hong wanted to counterattack, he was interrupted as soon as he gathered his strength. It was an extremely frustrating feeling. From this, it was clear that the opponent was definitely a skilled fighter. If it weren¡¯t for the five bursts of internal energy Yu Hong had to forcibly break through the rhythm, he wasn¡¯t sure who would have come out on top. ¡®There can¡¯t be another time. Close combat is now more important to me than firearms, I must enhance my fighting skills.¡¯ Crouching down, Yu Hong quickly began scavenging the remains of his opponent. Soon, the first obvious item caught his eye¡ªa black pistol. He skillfully ejected the magazine, finding it fully loaded with nine rounds! He had used the two handguns in his safe house countless times, and now, holding a similar gun, his movements were much more proficient. ¡°Fully loaded!¡± Yu Hong couldn¡¯t help but laugh. He had always hoped to get a firearm and bullets to enhance with Black Mark. He thought it would take much longer, but now, he had one so soon. ¡°This guy didn¡¯t use his gun on purpose; clearly, he wanted to control me with close combat. It seems this wasn¡¯t a random encounter but an intentional attack, likely aimed at me.¡± He knew that the Great Luminous Stone he carried would attract attention because it resembled the mineral¡¯s core, which was very expensive and had vital uses in many products. So it made sense that someone would come after him for the technology. After two previous attacks, and now this third one, though he didn¡¯t know if it was the same group, he concluded, ¡°This can¡¯t go on.¡± Furrowing his brow, Yu Hong quickly stripped everything off the body, then returned to the cave and locked the door tightly. Once safely inside, he started a fire and felt much more at ease. As the sky darkened outside, he laid out his spoils on the ground. Apart from the handgun, the attacker had brought some useful items. A neatly folded black blanket, covered with many gray-white stone particles. A military-grade metal water bottle, with a built-in filter spout. A money bag containing more than ten of those silver coins. A box of high-calorie compressed biscuits. A sharp, silver-black short knife. A damaged bulletproof suit. Yes, he stripped the body of the bulletproof suit entirely. Aside from that, there were keys, underwear, a cigarette pack, a pendant, and other items Yu Hong didn¡¯t bother to take. They were useless and covered in blood. ??N?????¦¥? ¡°This is the biggest gain,¡± Yu Hong said, picking up the black handgun and aiming it forward in satisfaction. Nine bullets would be enough for quite a while. But the real value wasn¡¯t just the bullets; the full magazine would allow him to reinforce it with the Great Luminous Stone. Sitting down, Yu Hong pondered while holding the gun. After much thought, he realized that what he really needed wasn¡¯t more shooting practice or reinforcing the gun. Even if the gun was in his hands, it wouldn¡¯t create the most damage. In fact, if someone else stole it after it was reinforced, it would become a significant threat to him. ¡°So, I can¡¯t enhance its power. I need to reinforce other aspects. What I really need now isn¡¯t a gun. With the reinforced bulletproof suit, the real threat is close-combat experts. I need to quickly improve my hand-to-hand combat skills.¡± ¡°Also, the main issue in the ambush was my poor scouting ability. The simple bell I had before was useless against real experts. I must find an effective method to ensure real vigilance.¡± After organizing his thoughts, Yu Hong suddenly understood why the guns from the previous two attackers only had one bullet each. This handgun only had some use against people. Otherwise¡­ He sighed as he heard the familiar scuttling noises of insects outside the door. Turning to look, he saw that no black insects had entered through the vent this time, only the sounds coming from outside. ¡°The Luminous Grass in the yard is working.¡± That thought flashed through his mind. Relaxing his body a little, he bit into a protein bar and leaned back against the fireplace, quietly watching the door. He felt the warmth of the fire radiating and, slowly, his eyes closed, and he fell into a deep sleep. It had truly been exhausting this time. Knocked down again and again, getting back up every time, his stamina drained and only recovering through internal energy. In the end, relying on internal energy bursts, he was victorious in the ambush, but his nerves were on edge the entire time. If it weren¡¯t for the reinforced gray lizard suit, he might have been knocked out in a single exchange. The other man¡¯s explosive power was too strong, completely on a different level than him. The next day, Yu Hong didn¡¯t go anywhere, just stayed in the cave healing. After all, his toenail had been flipped, and it still hurt. Leaning by the fireplace, he suddenly remembered that the flue might be connected to the outside world. (Tl Note :- Flue is a duct for smoke and waste gases produced by a fire, a gas heater, a power station, or other fuel-burning installation.) So, he searched for the exit of the flue outside the cave. He found that the flue¡¯s exit was also sealed with tough steel wire, layered several times. To prevent accidents, he drew some symbol arrays on the inner wall of the flue exit using Great Luminous Stone powder. Though it was hard work, after several days of healing and drawing symbol arrays, he felt somewhat productive. By the third day, the solar-powered generator had been reinforced. Inside the cave, Yu Hong sat and observed the completed solar generator. Originally, the solar panel and the main control box of the generator were separate, connected by wires. Now, the whole solar generator had become one piece. It was entirely black, resembling a foldable solar panel. It was wrapped in a layer of transparent, hard glass, and the total power scale had increased from three bars when fully charged to six. The rest of the changes were hard to discern for now; only practical use would tell. He placed the generator at the door, letting the sunlight shine on it, and casually reinforced a piece of Luminous Stone before going back to rest. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This cycle of life continued until the fifth day. Feeling much better, Yu Hong got up to move around, re-equipped the repaired reinforced suit, and prepared to go outside. His injuries had healed significantly, but rather than saying they had healed, it was more accurate to say that they hadn¡¯t been serious to begin with. The toenail had been the main issue, but even that was much better now. The goal for this trip was to trade with Old Li and Old Zhou, to see if he could find a light bulb. With the large-capacity solar battery now ready, he could keep a light on for a long time. At the same time, he needed to inquire about learning combat and scouting techniques. Stepping out of the cave, the grass outside was lush, and the yard was already filled with Luminous Grass. Its red radiation quickly caused the values on Yu Hong¡¯s collar to spike to over -100. With such high radiation, Yu Hong didn¡¯t dare stay too long and quickly left the yard, heading towards the post office. As for the corpse outside, it had already been buried a few days ago, leaving only its clothes and shoes. After walking through the forest for more than ten minutes, Yu Hong reached the post office, where he saw Li Runshan playing chess with Aisina. The father and daughter sat in front of the stone house, completely focused. Aisina wore a pure white dress, her chubby little face full of collagen, and was exceptionally cute. Li Runshan, noticing Yu Hong approach, quickly stood up to greet him. ¡°It¡¯s been a few days. What can I get for you?¡± He smiled at Yu Hong. ¡°Do you have light bulbs?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°Of course. No, they¡¯re by reservation.¡± Li Runshan replied. ¡°Also, I¡¯d like to purchase some basic combat training.¡± Yu Hong added. ¡°Oh? Seems like you¡¯ve run into some trouble.¡± Li Runshan noted the slight unease in Yu Hong¡¯s movements. ¡°Yes, a small problem has been resolved.¡± Yu Hong nodded. ¡°Good. The prices are listed, just bring the items you want to exchange. Also, here¡¯s your mail.¡± Li Runshan turned and brought out an envelope, handing it to Yu Hong. ¡°By the way, do you remember the people who came before? They had a car, which is nearby, and I found it. It¡¯s¡­ a tragic scene.¡± ¡°Any survivors?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°They¡¯re all dead. From the old to the young. The car was damaged too. I was thinking about scavenging it, see if I could get anything good,¡± Li Runshan shook his head. ¡°But I got word that they¡¯re not the first batch. More people will likely pass through here. There are a few vacant safehouses, so someone might settle here. They may come looking for you to buy stones, so keep an eye out.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Yu Hong nodded, took the letter, and saw that the address was still on the small stutterer¡¯s side, immediately realizing it was a letter from Yi Yi. ¡°By the way, the rune Arrys and Great Luminous Stone you gave me last time were very popular. My superiors want you to supply Great Luminous Stone on a long-term basis. How does that sound?¡± Li Runshan continued. Yu Hong paused, then thought for a moment, shaking his head. ¡°The process of making Great Luminous Stone is random, and I can¡¯t guarantee production, so I can¡¯t supply it regularly.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Li Runshan shrugged. ¡°What kind of combat techniques are you looking for? Standing techniques? You¡¯ve already bought leg techniques last time. Or is it knife skills?¡± ¡°Practical sparring,¡± Yu Hong said in a deep voice. He had had enough of being suppressed this time. Li Runshan was a little stunned by the answer. Well, this was going straight for the highest difficulty. But recalling the fight he had witnessed before, he understood. ¡°Actually, Old Zhou is the expert in this. I can only give you the basics. But he¡¯s not great at teaching. In terms of fundamentals, I¡¯m far better than him. So, you came to the right person!¡± Li Runshan smiled, revealing his black teeth. ¡°Your teeth?¡± Yu Hong blinked in confusion. ¡°Oh, I brush with charcoal powder, just haven¡¯t washed it off yet,¡± Li Runshan grinned. ¡°Looks like your injuries haven¡¯t fully healed. How about we start once you¡¯re completely recovered?¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Yu Hong nodded. After reserving the light bulb and wires, he went to check on Dr. Xu, who was still focused on making herbal medicine, clearly preparing to mass-produce. ¡°The supply team from Li Runshan¡¯s side? I¡¯ve seen them. We¡¯ve settled on the price. Once I¡¯ve gathered 300 doses of anti-inflammatory powder, they¡¯ll take me to Baihe City.¡± Dr. Xu¡¯s face held more hope than before. She was working up a sweat as she stirred the herbal paste with a wooden stick. ¡°You¡¯re planning to leave?¡± Yu Hong was slightly surprised, standing at the door. (End of Chapter) Chapter 60: Weakness (2) ¡°I can¡¯t wait any longer.¡± Xu Ruoying nodded, her expression somewhat downcast. ¡°The little stutterer told me about the situation in the city. It¡¯s safe, though a little chaotic, but for someone like me with some skills, the city offers decent treatment.¡± ¡°So, before you¡­¡± ¡°Before, I hadn¡¯t figured out the anti-inflammatory herbs, but this time is different.¡± Dr. Xu looked up, showing a hopeful smile. ¡°So, once I establish a foundation with the little stutterer in the city and settle down, we can help you join us.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Yu Hong remained silent. Dr. Xu seemed to realize something, and her smile faded. ¡°City life is still much better than being on our own out here.¡± She said quietly. ¡°Then I wish you good luck.¡± Yu Hong also said quietly. Turning around, he headed back towards the cave¡¯s safe house. Although he had expected that the others without the Black Mark would eventually leave due to the increasingly dangerous external environment, he hadn¡¯t anticipated it would come so soon. But he understood¡ªafter all, for ordinary people in the wilderness, surviving safely was incredibly difficult. Back in the cave, he took out the letter he had received, tore open the envelope, and pulled out the letter. The handwriting was much messier this time, with many errors, punctuation marks being misused, and even some places entirely missing. Clearly, this letter was written by the little stutterer. ¡®Yu, I received the things. They¡¯re really handy. I¡¯m doing well here, don¡¯t worry. Everyone is fine, it¡¯s safe here and I¡¯m very happy. No need to worry about food or water, the clothes are clean, and I can even wash myself and take a bath. So happy.¡¯ Yu Hong felt a bit of a headache reading this. This guy really needs to learn punctuation and paragraphing, it¡¯s so hard to read. He continued reading. ¡®Because there are big walls made of sunlight materials, the monsters and bugs outside can¡¯t get in. Recently, there have been various talisman papers made from glowstone powder, which have effectively restrained the Ghostly shadows and evil shadows. I plan to investigate my parents¡¯ situation, I want to know where they went.¡¯ Yu Hong sighed helplessly as he took out a charcoal pencil and began dividing the letter into sections and adding punctuation. After a few minutes, the letter was finally legible. ¡®I also found friends who want to find their relatives. They are all doing well. We plan to form a small group to collect all the information. By the way, I¡¯ve already asked around, some old people from Baiqiu Village are still alive, and some seem to know something about my parents. I plan to inquire more about it, but for now, I need to carry out tasks and patrol.¡¯ ???????????¦¥? The letter ended abruptly here. Yu Hong folded the letter back up and put it away. For some reason, after reading it, he felt a bit more relaxed, as if his mood had improved slightly. He couldn¡¯t help but smile faintly, imagining the little stutterer in the far-off Baihe City, Hope Town, trying to figure out what to write in the letter. Suddenly, he had an idea. He went over to a corner and grabbed the anti-inflammatory herbs Dr. Xu had given him. He knew the herb composition and thought about how the little stutterer might get injured in the military, especially with possible wound infections. He placed his hand on the herb powder packet. ¡®Strengthened anti-inflammatory medicine, direction: effect enhancement.¡¯ Black lines began to flow out, and a countdown appeared: 2 hours, 21 minutes. Yu Hong confirmed the enhancement query and watched the countdown begin ticking, then pulled his hand away. ¡®Sending the enhanced medicine to her is a good idea. Since the Rune Arrays can be delivered, it means the postal system has some guarantees, even if the price is a bit high. And since the little stutterer was able to send letters to both me and Xu Ruoying, there¡¯s likely some military benefit involved.¡¯ He stood up and practiced his leg exercises. Though injured, his thighs and calves were unharmed, so the leg exercises were not a problem. Two hours passed quickly. The countdown on the medicine packet disappeared, and the whole packet flashed before transforming into a sheet of compressed tablets, wrapped in silver packaging from an unknown source. Yu Hong picked it up and inspected it. There were twelve pills in total, and the packaging thoughtfully included instructions. ¡®For adults weighing 50 to 100 kg, take one pill after meals daily. For children, adjust the dosage based on weight. One week per course, with one day off in between.¡¯ ¡®Treats: systemic muscle inflammation, lung and bronchial tonsillitis, gastrointestinal inflammation, oral inflammation. Can also be applied topically for wound inflammation.¡¯ ¡°Not bad!¡± Yu Hong nodded in satisfaction. This should help the little stutterer significantly. He then began writing a reply and prepared to send the medication along with it. * * * One week later, Baihe City. Coastal Base. The waves crashed against the cement wall outside the base, spraying white foam. Inside the base, the soldiers¡¯ dorms were full of young female soldiers chatting and laughing. In one dorm room, the light was dim. Four iron beds were set up along the walls. The little stutterer was lying on a black iron table by the window, reading the letter she had just received. It was a letter from Yu Hong, and it even contained a sheet of anti-inflammatory tablets, which made the little stutterer very happy. Recently, she had been having digestive issues from overeating, and the army-issued medicine didn¡¯t work at all. It was obviously the wrong prescription. In the current environment, although there were medicines, the variety was much less than in peacetime. ¡°Lin Yiyi!¡± Suddenly, a fiery girl with a ponytail rushed into the dorm. The girl appeared to be around sixteen or seventeen, dressed in camouflage military clothing, with a high nose and fair skin¡ªshe seemed to be mixed race. ¡°I just got the notice. Tomorrow we¡¯re gathering our team to investigate the explosion at the southern water plant. We need to prepare in advance, the situation might be bad.¡± The girl was named Ou Li, and she was the little stutterer¡¯s closest friend among the four in the dorm. Because the little stutterer was somewhat clumsy and had a bit of a silly side, she was not very popular with others. Her appearance was also considered unattractive, and due to her intellectual disabilities, she couldn¡¯t use most equipment or handle the rapidly changing dangers outside. As a result, people didn¡¯t favor her much. Quick thinkers were the most popular in today¡¯s world. Ou Li, however, was also someone who wasn¡¯t very popular. The two of them, being isolated, naturally came together. ¡°Tomorrow, gathering?¡± The little stutterer put away the medicine and turned to look at her friend. ¡°This mission is a bit dangerous. Make sure you have everything packed, don¡¯t forget anything,¡± Ou Li reminded. ¡°I know. Thanks.¡± The little stutterer responded with a firm nod. ¡°Just help me carry my bag tomorrow,¡± Ou Li waved her hand. ¡°Okay!¡± The little stutterer nodded. She paused and then spoke again. ¡°You, tomorrow, do you want to¡­¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll be faster alone. You can¡¯t do much, and you¡¯re too slow,¡± Ou Li said without hesitation. ¡°Okay.¡± The little stutterer lowered her head, a bit disappointed. Ou Li shrugged, muttered something, and then left. ¡°By the way, don¡¯t forget to wash my underwear and socks!¡± Her voice floated back into the room. ¡°Okay!¡± The little stutterer quickly responded, a happy smile appearing on her face. * * * ¡°This fight¡¯s biggest issue was that I couldn¡¯t react to the opponent¡¯s speed or predict his moves. Of course, those are secondary,¡± Yu Hong reflected on the battle in the cave. ¡°The real problem is I couldn¡¯t take the hits.¡± He recalled the previous encounter. ¡®If I had been able to stabilize my body when hit, I could have countered immediately. But unfortunately, most of the time I couldn¡¯t stabilize myself and was knocked off balance, which made it impossible to counter. My legs instinctively went to maintain balance, preventing me from fighting back.¡¯ ¡®So, my current key point is to increase stability and ensure my body stays steady. And this, happens to align with the heavy leg training.¡¯ An idea popped into Yu Hong¡¯s mind¡ªadding weight. ¡®Rather than increasing the weight, I could increase the thickness of the protective suit, which would improve both defense and stability.¡¯ Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He looked at his full set of reinforced gear, his gaze shifting to the legs. ¡®I can¡¯t practice martial arts, but I can just make the lower half of my body heavy enough!¡¯ Thinking of this, he immediately started modifying the new bulletproof suit he¡¯d obtained. The suit had a small white bear logo on the chest with the Aurora brand name, so Yu Hong casually referred to it as the ¡°White Bear Suit.¡± The legs of the suit were damaged, and the chest had a small hole, but that didn¡¯t matter. After reinforcement, it would be as good as new. What was important was that Yu Hong began adding weight to the lower body¡ªhe stuffed heavy wooden boards into the legs and feet as shields and wrapped them with torn clothing for extra protection. Soon, an abnormally heavy protective suit, with the lower half weighted down, appeared before him. He reached out to try enhancing it. ¡®Enhance protective suit to the maximum, direction: increase weight and size of lower body, reinforce armor for full-body protection, and strengthen the breathing valve for better defense.¡¯ He also specified the breathing valve issue, which had almost been a fatal weak point during his previous attack. As the black lines flowed out during the enhancement, Yu Hong focused on visualizing the exact suit he wanted in his mind, a trick he had recently discovered. This mental visualization helped guide the enhancement process to align with his intentions. The black line continued to flow, and soon the prompt appeared: ¡®Do you wish to enhance the White Bear Suit?¡¯ The cold mechanical voice echoed in his head, and Yu Hong sighed in relief. At least he could enhance it. He looked at the countdown that appeared: ¡®7 days, 7 hours, 05 minutes.¡¯ ¡°¡­¡± At this point, he canceled the enhancement. The short-term items that needed enhancing were more urgent, and he needed to address those before tackling this long-term project. After setting aside the White Bear Suit, Yu Hong began inspecting the other spoils of war he had recently acquired. ¡°This Luminous stone blanket¡­ what is it for?¡± He carefully examined the item in his hands. He had recognized it immediately because of its contact with Luminous stone powder. It was likely part of an item used for creating a simple Luminous stone chamber. ¡°Could it be used for that?¡± he wondered. (End of Chapter) Chapter 61: Methods (1) Standing up, Yu Hong opened the blanket and wrapped it around himself, completely enveloping his body from head to toe. ¡°It fits just right. No wonder those attackers could run around outside alone,¡± he thought, understanding it a little more. He put the blanket down and wandered around the cave, pondering the most urgent thing to strengthen and synthesize. ¡®Now, I should solve the water issue. How long has it been since I last took a bath? The little bit of water I used to clean my wounds is not enough at all. This time, it¡¯s just a small injury, but if it were more serious, it would definitely get infected.¡¯ He thought, realizing he couldn¡¯t even remember when he last had a bath. Looking down at his body, he rubbed his dirty arm, and immediately a streak of black dirt came off. ¡®Water is the foundation of everything, and growing mushrooms later will also require a lot of water. So, I must first solve the problem of water usage.¡¯ He¡¯s currently healing, so he can¡¯t work on digging stones, and his free time is being spent thinking about how to handle the water issue. ¡®Water sources mainly include rainwater, groundwater, and surface river and stream water. The river and streams are too far for me to consider right now. Rainwater is unstable and can come and go. So, the most reliable source is groundwater. This place is in a low valley, surrounded by dense trees, so there must be abundant underground water resources. Otherwise, such a large forest wouldn¡¯t be able to survive here. So, the best method is¡­ to dig a well!¡¯ Thinking of this, Yu Hong immediately set out. He looked at the sky¡ªstill early¡ªand grabbed a shovel to head outside. Since the Ghostly shadows were no longer a problem, life had become much easier and happier for him. Especially with the protection of a large amount of Luminous grass in his yard, the shadows wouldn¡¯t even approach. Thus, the yard had become his safe haven. Yu Hong found a spot in the yard without any Luminous stone grass and began to dig. With each shovel, piles of soil were moved aside. He kept digging nonstop and, after lunch, continued until the afternoon. By the time the sky was getting late, he stopped and began constructing a wooden well inside the half-meter deep pit. Building the well was quick¡ªhe simply used rough wooden planks and stuck them in the ground, forming a circular shape like a water well. Once that was done, Yu Hong reached out his hand, filled with anticipation, and placed it on the well. ¡®Reinforce the well, direction: strengthen, deepen, until water comes out.¡¯ A black line flashed. ¡®Incomplete.¡¯ The feedback from the black mark made Yu Hong¡¯s hopeful expression freeze. He lowered his head and took a look. ¡®Could it be that the depth isn¡¯t enough?¡¯ He glanced at the sky and decided to try again tomorrow. The next morning. After having breakfast, he went outside to start digging again. Shovelful after shovelful, the soil was piled up to the side, and the depth of the pit kept increasing. By noon. Whoosh! Yu Hong forcefully drove the shovel into the ground and was about to dig out the soil when his face suddenly changed. He saw blackness oozing from the edges of the spot where the shovel had been inserted. ?????????§à????§§£Ó Instinctively, he stepped back. Gurgling sounds filled the air as black, tiny insects began pouring out from the crevices where the shovel had entered. These insects surged out like a black spring, pouring out from the cracks. But because of the bright sunlight, they quickly evaporated into black smoke. But Yu Hong now understood. He gripped the shovel and pulled it out, revealing a dark, insect-filled gap at the bottom of the pit. Countless black insects dissolved, evaporated, and turned into black smoke under the sunlight. As the smoke rose, the gap gradually shrank, as though something was filling and repairing it. Yu Hong stood on the side, staring blankly at the scene, unsure of how to react. No matter how he thought about it, it seemed like the groundwater plan was no longer feasible. Back in the house, he didn¡¯t fill in the pit he had dug but instead thought about the situation with the black insects. ¡®It looks like the black insects at night are probably hiding deeper underground. That makes sense because the deeper parts of the ground are shielded from sunlight. So, the idea of digging a well for water is no longer viable.¡¯ He suddenly recalled the well he had seen in Baiqiu Village. Now that he thought about it, that well probably had big problems too. With a sigh, his mind was filled with mixed thoughts, unsure of how to solve the water problem. He decided to eat something and then went back to sleep. In the following days, he didn¡¯t do any heavy work, instead focusing on recuperating and began reinforcing his White Bear Armor. After another seven days, he felt that his injuries had nearly healed. He then went out to find Li Runshan. Regardless of anything, he needed to improve his combat skills; the recent attack had taught him a great lesson. So Yu Hong made up his mind to completely address this weak point of his. Inside the post office stone house yard. Li Runshan and Yu Hong stood facing each other, ready for combat training. Though he had wanted to spend time with his daughter during this period, Li Runshan had no choice but to sacrifice his personal time since the offer from Yu Hong was too tempting. So, he began the combat basics lesson. The gentle breeze blew, and leaves fell. It was already autumn, and the sunlight no longer felt warm. Li Runshan was dressed in protective gear and a helmet, fully covered. ¡°To prevent ambushes, we¡¯ll mainly practice with our protective gear on. No objections, right?¡± Li Runshan asked. ¡°I think so too. No objections,¡± Yu Hong replied in a muffled voice. ¡°Mm, I thought you wouldn¡¯t object,¡± Li Runshan said, his eyelids twitching as he looked at the large figure in front of him. He had seen many types of protective suits, but the one before him was unlike any he had seen. This was the first time. Where on earth did he get such an exaggerated suit from? Li Runshan was speechless, carefully observing Yu Hong. The suit was fine overall, resembling a standard, heavily reinforced bulletproof outfit, but from the waist down¡ªhis lower body and legs¡ªit was ridiculously thick and massive, resembling stone pillars. Li Runshan carefully observed, estimating that the lower half of this suit was at least three times thicker than a normal one, maybe even more. ¡°This suit of yours, it¡¯s like wrapping your lower body in a huge pile of stones?¡± He couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°Mm, it¡¯s custom-made,¡± Yu Hong answered calmly. ¡°The attacker I encountered last time was too strong, and I suffered a big loss, so I strengthened my weaknesses this time.¡± ¡°¡­But with this, you won¡¯t be able to perform many agile dodging moves,¡± Li Runshan said helplessly. ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll handle it,¡± Yu Hong didn¡¯t mind. Heavy leg techniques are more effective with added weight, so he thought that if he really needed agility, he could switch back to reinforcing his Gray Lizard Armor. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Alright then,¡± Li Runshan said, resigned. ¡°Let¡¯s start with the basics of combat.¡± He quickly explained the main attack points, defense methods, and dodging techniques, which all followed specific routines. In fact, due to the inherent limitations of the human body structure, humans¡¯ movements are all within a fixed range. As long as you master this range, you can handle most close combat attacks. After going over the basics, Yu Hong had a general understanding, so the two began practical sparring. That was his purpose for coming here; if it was just theoretical knowledge, a booklet would have sufficed. There was no need for them to engage in combat training. ¡°Alright, watch closely. I¡¯ll launch a frontal attack now,¡± Li Runshan smiled. He observed Yu Hong, who stood ready, and suddenly stepped forward with his right leg, crouched, sprinted, and threw a punch. Boom!!! The punch combined the force from his legs, waist, shoulders, and arms, smoothly flowing like mercury, heavy and without hesitation. It struck Yu Hong¡¯s chest. A dull thud echoed. It was too fast! Incomprehensibly fast! Yu Hong barely saw a blur in front of him, and in the blink of an eye, the three-meter distance was crossed, and he felt the punch land on his chest. His arms, trying to block, only raised to about a third of the height. The speed made him think back to the attacker he faced earlier. That person was also fast¡­ No, that person wasn¡¯t as fast as Li Runshan! He suddenly had a clear comparison in his mind. If there¡¯s no significant difference in speed, ordinary people wouldn¡¯t notice. But now, he could tell, which meant that Li Runshan was faster by a lot than the attacker he faced before! After the heavy impact, Yu Hong took a step back, involuntarily retreating. But even with that step, it shook him to the core. His White Bear Armor alone weighed at least 80 pounds (about 40 kg), and combined with his own weight, he guessed he was now at least 220 lbs (100 kg). But despite this weight, Li Runshan¡¯s punch was enough to push him back?! ¡°!!??¡± Yu Hong touched his chest, unsure of what to say. Li Runshan¡¯s smile faded slightly, and his mouth twitched. After throwing the punch, he finally realized just how much additional protection Yu Hong had put on his suit. Even through the gloves, he could feel the pain radiating from his knuckles. ¡°I feel a bit shortchanged,¡± he murmured, but seeing his daughter watching through the window, he couldn¡¯t back out. Otherwise, he¡¯d ruin his heroic image in her eyes. ¡°Again!¡± He shouted and rushed forward, throwing an uppercut. His fist cut through the air with a loud whooshing sound, faster than Yu Hong, and hit his helmet. Boom! Another loud crash. Li Runshan quickly retreated, his gloves reddened from the impact. ¡®Damn, it¡¯s so hard!¡¯ Li Runshan was speechless, staring at his opponent. Yu Hong¡¯s state was far beyond his expectations¡­ so much so that it seemed his punches didn¡¯t even break through the defense. ¡°Hit harder, Old Li! I can take it!¡± Yu Hong said in a muffled voice. He slightly bent his knees, hands resting on his thighs, his legs and knees now resembling two thick tree trunks rooted in the ground. Just by looking, he gave off an immovable visual impression. From the previous two hits, he truly felt that Li Runshan was stronger than the attacker he faced earlier. If he could adapt to Li Runshan¡¯s attacks, then next time he faced someone of that level, he could easily handle it. (End of Chapter) Chapter 62: Method (2) ¡°I was just testing you earlier,¡± Li Runshan said calmly, ¡°It seems like your suit works well, so since you¡¯re stepping it up, I¡¯ll get serious now.¡± With his daughter in front of him, he couldn¡¯t afford to back down. He immediately took a deep breath, and his left leg started to tremble slightly. After a few attempts to gauge the strength of his opponent¡¯s protective suit, he realized that normal attacks wouldn¡¯t do anything. Even ground techniques wouldn¡¯t work unless he could knock the person down first. So, his next plan was clear: bring this guy down! Puff, puff, puff! In an instant, he rushed forward, crouched low, and delivered a powerful kick to the opponent¡¯s knee. With a thud, the opponent swayed slightly but instantly dispersed the force across the large surrounding protective panels. The dispersed force didn¡¯t even shake the heavy steel boots. ¡®What the hell! Is it really that exaggerated!?¡¯ Li Runshan couldn¡¯t understand it. He weighed over 200 pounds, and crashing into someone¡¯s knee only made them wobble slightly? ¡®How ridiculous is that!?¡¯ Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He felt like he might lose big this time. Then, as he stepped back, he noticed something strange at the bottom of the opponent¡¯s feet¡ªthere were thick, sharp spikes used to anchor him to the ground!? Li Runshan was speechless, unsure of what expression to wear in the face of this. Just how afraid must this guy be of being knocked down? The lower half of his body alone must weigh at least 50 pounds. Imagine what 50 pounds of bulletproof armor steel would feel like! Normal bulletproof vests, even the heaviest versions, rarely exceed 20 kilograms for the entire body. But this suit? Just the legs alone weighed over 50 pounds. ¡°Try again!!¡± Li Runshan¡¯s face, hidden under his helmet, was no longer smiling. This time, he was really planning to get serious. As a courier, especially one stationed in a dangerous area, his strength was clearly not just what he had shown so far. ¡°What I¡¯m using is the military¡¯s commonly practiced Milshig combat technique. This martial art originated from a small country as a method to fend off foreign invaders. It focuses on rapidly moving into the opponent¡¯s blind spots and delivering powerful blows to vital points. It¡¯s vicious, often crippling, and was later introduced to our country for improvement,¡± Li Runshan briefly explained. ???????¦Â§¦? ¡°You can experience it yourself.¡± This time, he wasn¡¯t holding back. He had to show off in front of his daughter to maintain his fatherly image. With a swift step, he quickly circled around the opponent¡¯s side and struck a sharp elbow to their waist. ¡°Once.¡± He immediately circled again, slashing his hand down to the opponent¡¯s neck. ¡°Twice.¡± Once more, he circled, avoiding the opponent¡¯s wild punches, and slapped the opponent¡¯s left chest with his palm. ¡°Three times!¡± Then he quickly retreated, standing still and catching his breath. ¡°Do you feel that? If this was combined with a high-powered short knife, you¡¯d be dead three times over. If it was a gun with armor-piercing bullets, this suit wouldn¡¯t be much protection. You¡¯d be a sitting duck.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go again!¡± The opponent, Yu Hong, wasn¡¯t wasting words. He was here to train, after all, and that¡¯s exactly why he was paying for it! The training session lasted for over three hours, until the sun began to set and the temperature dropped. Yu Hong kept adapting to Li Runshan¡¯s rapid, vital-point targeting style. With the enhanced White Bear suit, heavy strikes weren¡¯t a problem anymore; the key was balance¡ªhe couldn¡¯t afford to fall. If he did, his opponent would use the environment to finish him off. Every day, Yu Hong came to train under Li Runshan¡¯s guidance. He worked on strengthening his leg power and practiced with Li Runshan, constantly coming up with new strategies. When he couldn¡¯t figure it out, he would ask Li Runshan for advice. After all, he had paid for the training. As the days passed, Yu Hong¡¯s reactions became quicker, and he started to keep up with Li Runshan¡¯s movements. The enhanced leg power made his kicks stronger and stronger. The White Bear suit didn¡¯t feel as heavy anymore. In fact, the more he trained, the easier it became to handle the weight while kicking. His leg speed increased, and his strikes became increasingly powerful¡ªwhen they hit, they felt devastating. Eventually, even Li Runshan started avoiding head-on collisions with his kicks, opting for other ways to deal with them. Days passed, and Yu Hong¡¯s intense leg training started to spread warmth throughout his body. The transparent, thickening layers on his legs became harder, and his leg strength grew heavier. Meanwhile, his sixth internal energy point naturally developed, gathering in his lower abdomen. Soon, after two cycles of intense growth, Yu Hong¡¯s physique had expanded significantly. Compared to his initial weak self, he was beginning to resemble the attacker, Bai Mang (White Python) Guo Xudong. His weight also exceeded 160 pounds, as recorded by the weighing scale at Li Runshan¡¯s place. One morning, in the stone courtyard of the post office. Li Runshan and Yu Hong sat opposite each other, both wearing thick bulletproof suits to avoid outside attacks. ¡°From the details you¡¯ve described, I¡¯m guessing the person who attacked you is also a former postal worker,¡± Li Runshan said, crossing his legs and leaning back in his chair as he analyzed lazily. ¡°His fighting style is well-balanced¡ªheavy on power, moderate on speed, and using military combat techniques, Milshig to be exact. It looks like he adapted his attack method slightly. Initially, he didn¡¯t aim for your vital points and didn¡¯t seem to want to kill you. This suggests his main goal was to capture you.¡± ¡°He later targeted my vital points¡ªmy head, chin, and so on,¡± Yu Hong countered. ¡°That¡¯s because he realized your protection was too thick. Without targeting your vitals, he couldn¡¯t land a hit. He had no choice but to change tactics,¡± Li Runshan chuckled. ¡°And you should know, he definitely had a gun. With a postal worker¡¯s shooting skills, if he aimed for the gaps in your bulletproof suit and hit the same spot twice, you¡¯d be dead for sure.¡± Yu Hong had no reply to that. ¡°Are you planning to take revenge?¡± Li Runshan asked. ¡°I do have that intention,¡± Yu Hong admitted openly. ¡°Got any advice?¡± ¡°Well, I just have one question for you. If you¡¯re going out to take revenge on your own, it¡¯ll take a long time, right? How are you going to handle food, lodging, and supplies?¡± Li Runshan asked with a grin. ¡°Carry portable luggage and prepare supplies for a while, then return once I run out,¡± Yu Hong answered. ¡°Do you know who sent them? Do you know where they are now? How many of them are there? Do they have heavy weapons?¡± Li Runshan asked again. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know,¡± Yu Hong shook his head. ¡°But¡­ that¡¯s why I¡¯m here, right?¡± He looked at Li Runshan. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Li Runshan widened his eyes. ¡°You want me to help you gather intel? And use that intel to commit a crime!?¡± ¡°What¡¯s it gonna be? Are you in or out?¡± Yu Hong asked, his expression unchanged. ¡°You¡¯re forcing me to make a mistake!!¡± Li Runshan shot up from his seat. ¡°Twenty rune arrays,¡± Yu Hong said calmly. ¡°I¡¯m just one person, and I¡¯ve got a kid. You have to understand my difficulties!¡± Li Runshan shouted. ¡°Add twenty pieces of anti-inflammatory medicine,¡± Yu Hong added. ¡°Deal!¡± Li Runshan agreed quickly. He had already tested the anti-inflammatory medicine that Yu Hong offered and found it highly effective. When traded with the supply team, it was very popular. In a time when medicine was scarce, it had become a valuable commodity. ¡°I¡¯ll send a message to my colleagues at other post offices. From what you¡¯ve described, that guy is probably from Baihe City. Other distant places like Hope City are too far to walk from. Based on the items you brought, it¡¯s clear he used to be a postal worker but was dismissed and became a mercenary. His skill level and physique make him easy to track down. People like him aren¡¯t nobodies,¡± Li Runshan said quickly. ¡°Great! I¡¯ll leave it to you,¡± Yu Hong said seriously. ¡°No problem. To be honest, your skills are starting to attract a lot of attention. Have you thought about paying a price to protect yourself?¡± Li Runshan smiled under his helmet. ¡°You mean¡­¡± Yu Hong began to understand. ¡°In this world, you can¡¯t do everything alone. You need a group of bodyguards to keep you safe,¡± Li Runshan laughed. ¡°You know, our post office is huge and has many skilled individuals, but some quit for various reasons. With your skills and financial resources, I¡¯d recommend hiring some people to protect you. Once you¡¯re safe, you can even hire people to handle food production and so on, working together to create a small outdoor village base.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think about it,¡± Yu Hong hesitated, as Li Runshan¡¯s words made sense. ¡°Think about it. Right now, you¡¯re one person. If you go out for revenge, your hard-built safe house could be taken over. How long can a door lock hold up? But if you have people watching over you, or if you hire someone else to take revenge while you stay in a secure cave, eat, drink, and sleep¡ªdoesn¡¯t that sound much better than what you¡¯re doing now?¡± Li Runshan whispered, tempting him. ¡°And what about you?¡± Yu Hong pondered for a moment before asking. ¡°Aren¡¯t you interested? If you could get the technique for refining Luminous Stone from me, wouldn¡¯t you want it?¡± ¡°The post office has rules against our involvement in these things. If I¡¯m caught, I¡¯ll lose my job and might even get hunted down. Even though this is a chaotic time, the higher-ups are still trying to maintain some kind of order,¡± Li Runshan answered. ¡°Besides, I feel you¡¯ve got a lot of potential. The Luminous Stone refining technique is already available in Aurora City; they just use large machinery to extract it. The cost is not much higher than yours. The only reason it hasn¡¯t affected you is because your output is too low, and the demand for Luminous Stone is huge. The distance involved makes it unfeasible. But to risk everything for this technique? I¡¯ll pass.¡± He smiled. ¡°What we really need to deal with right now isn¡¯t making money, but other things. Black disasters keep getting worse every year, and the specters are increasing. No matter how much money you make, if you¡¯re dead, you won¡¯t be able to spend it.¡± Yu Hong began to understand Li Runshan¡¯s mindset. ¡°Are you trying to invest in me?¡± (End Of Chapter) Chapter 63: The Journey (1) ¡°Of course, someone like you, a research-type talent, is rare. It¡¯s impressive that you were able to create so many things on your own. The Great Luminous Stone, advanced new rune patterns, rune array boards, and the improvement of Dr. Xu¡¯s herbal medicine into more effective anti-inflammatory tablets. These are things that not just anyone could make. I¡¯ve thought about it, and if given time, maybe you could develop even better ways to combat the Black Disaster.¡± Li Runshan said with a smile, ¡°So, do you think I should take action against you just because of one piece of Great Luminous Stone technology?¡± Yu Hong was left speechless. He also felt that Li Runshan had a very valid point. If he were in Li Runshan¡¯s position, he would probably make the same choice. ¡°Since I¡¯m so valuable, doesn¡¯t the organization behind you, the post office, want to recruit me?¡± He asked another question. ¡°Of course, but the problem is that I haven¡¯t reported you.¡± Li Runshan smiled. ¡°After confirming that you didn¡¯t want to leave here, I didn¡¯t report anything about you. Otherwise, if you left, I¡¯d be the only one left, and I¡¯d get nothing. And do you know how I ended up here? With a kid in tow, too?¡± ¡°Did you offend someone?¡± Yu Hong immediately understood. ¡°Yeah, one of the big shots at the post office. Luckily, another big shot, my former superior, supported me. After some negotiations, the result was me coming here for the relic investigation task.¡± Li Runshan said casually. He then looked at Yu Hong. ¡°So, do you want me to help you hire a team? For protection? The price is negotiable.¡± Yu Hong thought for a moment. Long-term employment wasn¡¯t an option for him. His secret was too many, and once the Black Seal enhanced, his appearance would drastically change. If someone was around, they¡¯d definitely notice the difference. Hiring temporarily, though, wasn¡¯t a bad idea. Just like this time, he could temporarily hire a team to help him with intelligence gathering or revenge. In exchange, he could give them some rewards or unique enhancement items or weapons¡ªthings they couldn¡¯t get anywhere else, fitting his researcher identity. ¡°I can accept temporary employment for completing a task. How will the payment work?¡± Yu Hong asked, genuinely intrigued. ¡°I¡¯ll contact someone. This place is too remote, so I need to first confirm the location of the closest person.¡± Li Runshan smiled. ¡°As for payment, there¡¯s no fixed price, as long as you offer them a price they can¡¯t refuse, it¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°So, what do you think I should offer?¡± Yu Hong asked. He wasn¡¯t unaware of the potential to be swindled, but sometimes talking about money helped build trust. Plus, this was Li Runshan¡¯s exclusive business. ¡°That depends on the level of people you want to hire. Regulars, stronger ones, elites, or someone like the person who attacked you. The price varies for each. Also, because of the location, you¡¯ll need to provide travel expenses upfront,¡± Li Runshan said with a smile. ¡°How much for a retired postman?¡± Yu Hong asked directly. ¡°Travel expenses are five silver coins, and the cost of their help depends on the opponent. We¡¯ll discuss it once the intel is confirmed,¡± Li Runshan replied. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll wait for your news.¡± Yu Hong stood up to leave. ¡°I¡¯ll bring the items to you soon.¡± Twenty normal rune arrays weren¡¯t much for him, and the short duration of the anti-inflammatory enhancement was still worth it. As for how much Li Runshan made, Yu Hong didn¡¯t care. As long as the goal was achieved, everything else was secondary. ??¦­?£Â§¦? * * * In Baihe City. In an abandoned factory underground, among the winding underground pipes. In a large underground chamber that had been modified, complete with a TV, fridge, washing machine, and other amenities, a large fan by the ventilation shaft flickered with bright light from outside. Zhao Zhenghong sat on the sofa, fiddling with a sharp folding knife. Next to him sat a voluptuous woman in a purple low-cut dress with big red waves of hair. In other corners of the room, team members were mingling with beautiful women, their hands wandering. ¡°Boss, we¡¯ve been in Baihe City for a while now. What¡¯s the deal with Director Xiao? We¡¯ve already given the token of allegiance, but there¡¯s no reply?¡± Xu Yang frowned, slowly taking a drag from his cigarette. ¡°The big shots above us are different. Their situations, thoughts, and goals are different,¡± Zhao Zhenghong replied calmly. ¡°We¡¯re outsiders, suddenly inserting ourselves into Baihe City. They¡¯ll need to consider what position to give us before they take us in.¡± ¡°True, but it¡¯s been so long,¡± Xu Yang replied helplessly. ¡°It¡¯s only been a few months,¡± Zhao Zhenghong said. ¡°Resources are running low. We don¡¯t have enough ways to make money. If Bai Mang replied, things could improve,¡± Xu Yang sighed. ¡°There¡¯s no rush, we still have time. Also, I¡¯ve got the price list from Black Stone Institute. You should send someone to take care of it,¡± Zhao Zhenghong said in a low voice. ¡°Black Stone? Their prices aren¡¯t very stable, and this so-called partial enhancement technology¡­ It sounds unreliable,¡± one of the team members voiced. ¡°It¡¯s fine. The problem is, we¡¯re not important enough to Director Xiao. He has too many talented people under him and doesn¡¯t care about us outsiders. So, we need to up our stakes and increase our value,¡± Zhao Zhenghong said with a dangerous gleam in his eyes. ¡°With just our people, we don¡¯t have enough money or manpower. Our only option now is to gamble with Black Stone.¡± * * * Two days later. At the Stone House of the Post Office, Li Runshan handed Yu Hong a handwritten report. ¡°This is detailed information about the people behind the attack on you.¡± Yu Hong took it and quickly skimmed through it. ¡®Bai Mang Guo Xudong, former post office delivery man, active in Baihe City¡¯s black market after retiring, accepting various hired tasks. The employer behind this attack is suspected to be Zhao Zhenghong, the former captain of the Third Brigade of the White Stone Town United Army.¡¯ ¡®Zhao Zhenghong: 31 years old, former member of the United Army, unmarried, leads a team of 23 members, with Xu Yang as his deputy. According to thorough investigation, Zhao Zhenghong has sent people to Baiqiu Village several times, trying to find something.¡¯ ¡°How is it? Real information, right?¡± Li Runshan smiled proudly. (End of Chapter) S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 64: The Journey (2) ¡°Just this much?¡± Yu Hong shook the papers in his hand, clearly unsatisfied. ¡°I found the person for you¡ªname, identity, age¡ªwhat more do you want?¡± Li Runshan widened his eyes. ¡°Fine, let¡¯s talk about hiring someone for revenge.¡± Yu Hong couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue further. ¡°This is interesting. Did you see where Zhao Zhenghong came from?¡± Li Runshan grinned. ¡°What about it?¡± Yu Hong frowned. ¡°Do you know about the People¡¯s Army?¡± Li Runshan¡¯s smile faded slightly. ¡°If we, the Post Office, are all-around talent elites, then the People¡¯s Army is a true killing machine¡ªan elite force dedicated to executing high-difficulty and troublesome missions.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying this Zhao Zhenghong is strong? Stronger than Bai Mang?¡± Yu Hong¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°That¡¯s a given.¡± Li Runshan nodded. ¡°The People¡¯s Army is composed of the top experts meticulously selected by the country. A few years ago, they underwent a special military enhancement project, filtering out those who failed to meet moral and ideological standards. This guy was likely one of the ones removed at that time.¡± He paused for a moment. ¡°Everyone knows that the United Army is the main force fighting against the Black Disaster, but few realize that the People¡¯s Army is often deployed to handle the highest-risk missions. These are people with terrifying mental fortitude, exceptional skills, top-tier equipment, and outstanding teamwork. They fear nothing. You could call them a bunch of extreme, terrifying monsters.¡± ¡°That much trouble?¡± Yu Hong was skeptical. ¡°Just tell me how much it¡¯ll cost to take him out.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not exaggerating,¡± Li Runshan patted his chest. ¡°Zhao Zhenghong is still a member of the United Army. While each region¡¯s United Army operates semi-independently like warlord factions, making them less of a concern, this guy is personally strong and has over twenty subordinates backing him. The price for this job won¡¯t be cheap.¡± ¡°Is anyone willing to take it?¡± Yu Hong didn¡¯t waste words. ¡°Sure, there are takers, but can you afford it?¡± Li Runshan countered. ¡°Honestly, I didn¡¯t expect this guy to be from the People¡¯s Army when I started looking into him.¡± Yu Hong thought for a moment. ¡°Alright, I can offer a customized enhancement upgrade for bulletproof armor or other protective gear as payment.¡± ¡°You mean the kind of protective suit you¡¯re wearing now?¡± Li Runshan¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Yes, but they¡¯ll have to provide the materials. I can custom-design and upgrade it. If they supply enough materials, the enhancement effect can be substantial¡ªyou¡¯ve seen what it can do.¡± Yu Hong flexed his hand, the protective suit subtly shifting in response, proving his point. ¡°In that case, come check out this list.¡± Li Runshan wasted no time. He pulled out a document from somewhere on his body and handed it to Yu Hong. Yu Hong scanned it. It was a roster of elite mercenaries available for hire¡ªnames, backgrounds, skills, even some with entire teams under their command. ¡°I put this list together myself. These are reliable teams with proven track records. Any of them can handle this job, but I should warn you, some of the top-ranked individuals are extremely skilled but also¡­ difficult personalities,¡± Li Runshan cautioned. ??????¨¯??? ¡°That¡¯s fine. Talented people tend to have quirks. I understand.¡± Yu Hong wasn¡¯t concerned. Then he noticed a red number beside each name. Pointing at it, he asked, ¡°What do these red numbers at the end mean?¡± ¡°Oh, that? It¡¯s their kill count,¡± Li Runshan replied with a casual smile. Yu Hong froze. He glanced at the top names on the list. All of them had four-digit numbers. Looking back at Li Runshan, he found only an easygoing smile in his eyes. Was this a mercenary roster¡­ or a list of mass murderers?! He felt a chill crawl up his spine. ¡°You¡¯re serious?¡± After a long silence, he couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°Survivors from the frontlines of Aurora City, people who made it through both the Black Disaster and backstabbing teammates. You should understand the value of that experience. And these are just the closest ones,¡± Li Runshan explained. ¡°They were partially infected with the Luminous Stone Disease, which messed with their personalities. They couldn¡¯t stay in the United Army, so they had to find other ways to survive. Some were treated like disposable weapons, and, well, a few of them went off the rails¡ªkilling a lot of people under the excuse of fighting the Black Disaster. ¡°Guns are efficient, you know. Right place, right angle, right crowd¡­ a sweep of bullets, and there¡¯s your four-digit body count.¡± Yu Hong was speechless. For the first time, he felt that, compared to the terrifying Black Disaster, perhaps people were the real monsters. He swiped his finger across the list, stopping at one particular name. ¡°Him. Contact them and negotiate the price. I need them to move out as soon as possible.¡± ¡°All of these teams are highly mobile. They have their own transportation¡ªnone of them are walking on foot. But are you sure you can actually enhance their armor? If they arrive and you can¡¯t deliver, things will get ugly,¡± Li Runshan warned seriously. ¡°We¡¯ll negotiate first. I can enhance 90% of the protective suits on the market. The technical details would be lost on you.¡± Yu Hong spoke with a blank expression. Even through his helmet¡¯s visor, the dismissive superiority of a technician looking down on a layman was unmistakable. ¡°Haha, well, as long as you¡¯re confident. I knew it¡ªyour research abilities are far beyond something as trivial as Luminous Stone mutations!¡± Li Runshan chuckled dryly before pulling up the detailed profile of the team Yu Hong had chosen. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Blood Butcher Xu Fan¡ªtwo support teammates, 35 years old, expert in brute-force charges, partially infected with Luminous Stone Disease, extremely violent, immense strength. Skill tags: Sharpshooter, Yonghe Boxing Master, Kaishan Fist Master, proficient in 17 international martial arts styles. Weight: 172 kg | Height: 233 cm. ¡°You¡¯re sure¡­ you want this guy?¡± Li Runshan looked at him strangely. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sure,¡± Yu Hong replied firmly. ¡°Start the negotiations.¡± ¡°I already know his terms. That guy¡¯s been wanting to upgrade his Blue Whale armor for ages but couldn¡¯t find anyone to do it. The big companies charge way too much and only serve their own people. No matter how strong he is, he can¡¯t access top-tier upgrades.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s give it a try. If I can do it, it¡¯ll depend on whether he¡¯s interested.¡± Yu Hong was calm. He had already positioned himself purely as a researcher. ¡°Alright.¡± Li Runshan nodded. After ironing out the details, Yu Hong returned to his hideout and retrieved a confiscated handgun. ¡°Relying solely on others isn¡¯t safe. Who knows¡ªif Zhao Zhenghong is gone, maybe another Xu Fan will come after me. ¡°I need my own means of protection, so I can safely hire mercenaries when necessary. And I need to strictly control how much I enhance their gear¡ªmaking it too strong would be dangerous.¡± With that in mind, he placed his hand on the gun. His goal: enhance it to assist with aiming and locking onto targets while boosting firepower, then hide it as a trump card for emergencies. * * * Two Days Later On an abandoned highway near Baiqiu Village, a massive, dark green armored vehicle slowly came to a stop. The vehicle¡¯s exterior was covered in jagged metal spikes protruding outward, and its front headlights cast a harsh, blinding glare. This armored vehicle was larger than most, with six oversized wheels wrapped in thick, puncture-resistant, non-slip layers. Click. The door opened from the inside, and a massive, bald man with a face painted in camouflage patterns stepped out. Bending down as he exited the vehicle, he placed his feet firmly on the ground and straightened his towering frame. He was an enormous man, his bear-like build making everything around him seem smaller in comparison. His skin was a deep brown, his eyes sunken, and within his black pupils, a restrained aggression flickered. He wore a dark blue bulletproof suit with a black X-shaped alloy plate exposed on his chest. Additional alloy plates protected his arms and knees, and the gloves on his fists were embedded with rows of sharp spikes, designed to maximize damage. ¡°Anna.¡± The bald man scanned the surroundings. ¡°This is the mission site? Where¡¯s the client?¡± A petite, short-haired brown-haired girl leaped down from the vehicle behind him. ¡°The client is an old friend¡ªBlack Panther.¡± A relaxed smile played on the girl¡¯s face. ¡°Didn¡¯t expect to land such a high-value job. We got lucky this time. If we can upgrade and repair your Blue Whale armor, your survival rate will increase significantly.¡± ¡°Black Panther¡¯s reputation is solid. Shady, but highly trustworthy.¡± The bald man¡¯s voice was low and steady. ¡°We need to eliminate twenty-four people. Did the client specify whether they want proof?¡± He crouched down, sifting through the gravel on the ground as if inspecting something. ¡°No need. The client wants all weapons, equipment, and personal belongings collected. The traces left behind will be enough to confirm the kill count.¡± Anna replied. ¡°That makes things tricky,¡± the bald man muttered. ¡°Then try not to tear them apart too much,¡± Anna teased. She drew a silver handgun from her waist, spun it swiftly in her palm, then caught it with a sharp snap. ¡°Infrared radar is set. According to intel, they¡¯re already en route from Baihe City. We¡¯ll intercept them halfway¡ªit¡¯ll save time.¡± She adjusted her gun, ran a hand over the row of poison-tipped throwing darts strapped to her thigh, and, after ensuring her gear was in order, stepped back into the armored vehicle. The bald man exhaled, then turned and climbed back inside as well. The vehicle turned around and began driving away from Baiqiu Village. Meanwhile, at the outskirts of the abandoned Baihe City, a convoy of military-green jeeps was also advancing toward Baiqiu Village. Inside the jeeps sat Zhao Zhenghong and his twenty-four men, fully equipped and ready to move out. This was their final attempt to determine if there was still any hope left in this mission. If their target was already dead and the culprit was some unknown force, they would withdraw completely. But if the target was still alive, that would be ideal¡ªit meant they could use sheer manpower to overpower him and accomplish their goal. (End of Chapter) Chapter 65: The Journey (3) At the forefront, in the leading jeep¡ª Zhao Zhenghong inspected his custom-made handgun with one hand. This weapon had been heavily modified, rendering it completely different from standard models. Its internal magazine was capable of loading multiple types of bullets to handle various situations. For instance, Luminous bullets, tranquilizer rounds, explosive ammunition, and armor-piercing shells. He had brought a mix of all these types for this mission. Custom bullets were costly, but they were essential when facing the unknown. ¡°White Python was skilled. His experience as a former courier made him adept at handling wilderness threats. Yet he still failed. That means we must be extra cautious,¡± Zhao Zhenghong muttered as he ejected the magazine, checking that it was fully loaded. ¡°Based on the latest intel, the post office near Baiqiu Village is still operational. That means people are still alive there. The Evil Shadow hasn¡¯t completely wiped out the area,¡± Xu Yang, who sat beside him, said in a low voice. ¡°So it¡¯s not the Evil Shadow¡­ but human intervention?¡± Zhao Zhenghong¡¯s sharp eyes narrowed slightly behind his glasses. ¡°Most likely. Either someone powerful is protecting that person, or they have their own plans for him. But something doesn¡¯t add up¡ªif an expert was involved, they wouldn¡¯t just leave the target in place. They should have taken him away by now to avoid risks,¡± Xu Yang speculated. ¡°We¡¯ll know soon enough.¡± Zhao Zhenghong swapped to another magazine, loading it with armor-piercing and explosive rounds. ¡°If this was man-made, we need to be even more careful. Even White Python didn¡¯t make it,¡± Xu Yang started to say but was interrupted. ¡°How many men would you need to surround and kill White Python?¡± Zhao Zhenghong asked. ¡°Seven, maybe eight, at the minimum.¡± Xu Yang thought for a moment, then frowned. ¡°But we have twenty-four,¡± Zhao Zhenghong chuckled. ¡°And I¡¯m here. Couriers are formidable¡ªI¡¯ve fought them before. But White Python? A rejected, former courier? He¡¯s long past his prime.¡± He sighed. ¡°Honestly, I didn¡¯t want to get involved personally. But we¡¯ve lost too many men, and there¡¯s been no progress. If I don¡¯t see for myself, I won¡¯t be satisfied.¡± ¡°The captain is, of course, stronger. As soon as we sense anything wrong, we¡¯ll withdraw immediately,¡± Xu Yang nodded. Their convoy of four jeeps pressed forward along the main road toward Baiqiu Village. By midday, they had reached the dense forest surrounding the village. The road twisted and turned, flanked by towering trees whose thick canopies blocked most of the sunlight. Xu Yang held a red-spectrum detector, carefully scanning the surroundings. ¡°We should be close. A vehicle moves much faster than someone on foot¡ªit¡¯s only taken us a few hours to get here.¡± He surveyed the area, his voice grave. ¡°There¡¯s something wrong with this place.¡± Suddenly, Zhao Zhenghong straightened up, ignoring the moving jeep as he stood and peered down at the ground. On the old, cracked road, a set of fresh black tire tracks ran straight down the center. They were distinct¡ªmatching those of military-grade, anti-puncture tires. ¡°There¡¯s a military vehicle ahead,¡± Zhao Zhenghong said swiftly. ¡°Huh?¡± Xu Yang was stunned. ¡°Why would a military vehicle be here now? Could the target have been exposed?¡± ¡°That makes sense. If we found him, others could too. But¡­¡± Zhao Zhenghong studied the tracks carefully. ¡°These anti-puncture layers are an outdated model. This isn¡¯t a vehicle from Baihe City¡¯s current forces.¡± ??????¨®????§¦? He pondered for a moment. ¡°Here¡¯s the plan¡ªwe split up. Xu Yang, you take half the team and go after the target. I¡¯ll take the rest and check out this military vehicle.¡± Something still didn¡¯t sit right with him. If White Python¡¯s disappearance was connected to this military vehicle, they needed to know. ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°If anything seems off, don¡¯t waste time fighting¡ªgrab the target and get out. Be quick.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The convoy split. Two jeeps turned down a side road, while Xu Yang led eleven men straight toward the mountain cave safe house where Yu Hong was hiding. This time, they had brought portable explosives, tranquilizer guns, and armor-piercing rounds. They were prepared for a direct assault. Last time, that cave left a strong impression. If it truly belonged to the Great luminous stone craftsman, blasting it open might yield something valuable. * * * Inside the mountain cave safe house. Yu Hong lifted a steaming pot of thick soup and downed it in one gulp. Satisfied, he set the pot down, stretched, and stood up. The seventh strand of internal energy had now solidified within him. His Heavy Leg Technique was proving far more effective than his previous training methods¡ªit strengthened his legs, boosted his internal energy, and enhanced his overall strength through weighted exercises. He could clearly feel the difference. The most obvious sign was his ability to chop wood outside. With firewood running low, he often searched for large, nearly dead trees, chopped them down, and dragged them back. Before, he had to split a tree into over ten pieces to transport it. Yesterday, however, he found he could move a tree in just five pieces. He glanced at his handgun, still undergoing enhancement. He had requested modifications: enhanced aiming, concealed installation in his bulletproof suit¡¯s sleeve, and silencing capabilities to reduce noise. He had also wanted to increase the ammo capacity, but the Black Mark system had given an ¡°insufficient integrity¡± warning, allowing only refinements to existing features. So he had opted to strengthen the bullet impact and explosion force, as well as infuse them with Luminous stones¡ªmaking them effective against both heavily armored enemies and shadow creatures. Since he had added multiple upgrades, the enhancement process had been extended to over two days. ¡°Still two more hours. Seems like enhancing a handgun isn¡¯t very cost-effective. Next time, I should focus on something else¡ªthis thing is more of an emergency-use item.¡± Yu Hong picked up the half-finished gun and inspected it. He had realized that as long as he didn¡¯t break or scatter an item too far apart, it wouldn¡¯t disrupt the enhancement process. Just as he was fiddling with the weapon, a distant jingling sound echoed from outside. His expression changed. He grabbed the gun and walked to the entrance, pulling back a wooden cover to peer outside. Bright sunlight bathed the forest in a serene glow. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The trees stood silent, their withered leaves rustling slightly in the wind. To the right, near an empty patch of ground, were the remnants of his firewood pile. But beyond that¡ªnothing. ¡°Was it just the wind? Or did a branch fall on the bell?¡± Yu Hong watched for a while but saw no movement. Frowning, he stepped back inside and donned his newly reinforced White Bear Suit. Its defensive capabilities were exceptional, and it gave him a strong sense of security. He sat down inside the cave, waiting for the handgun enhancement to finish. Meanwhile¡ª Just a hundred meters away, on a sloped forest path, Xu Yang¡¯s team had regrouped. A scout returned, reporting swiftly: ¡°No abnormalities. The cave shows signs of habitation. The target is still inside.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Xu Yang nodded. ¡°Ah Hong, take two men and place R7 charges near the entrance. We¡¯ll blow the door off.¡± ¡°We¡¯re using explosives? What if we injure the target?¡± a teammate questioned, frowning. ¡°Just control the blast radius. Our priority is to secure the target¡ªnow hurry up, Monkey, calculate the detonation points.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°Good. Check your equipment. Count down.¡± Three fingers raised. Three. Two. One. Move! Crack. A sudden crunching sound interrupted the group¡¯s action signal. Xu Yang¡¯s heart lurched. His eyes instantly locked onto the direction of the noise. He quietly disengaged the safety on his pistol, raising the muzzle and aiming at the source. From the top of the slope, the sound of footsteps crushing fallen branches continued, heavy and powerful, carrying an inexplicable rhythm. Before long, a towering, muscular humanoid figure¡ªover two meters tall¡ªslowly emerged from the depths of the forest. The figure was entirely clad in black, resembling a walking mountain, its sheer size equivalent to two or three men combined. It wore a thick, reinforced bulletproof suit. The helmet was equally heavy and grotesque, adorned with rows of sharp spikes. But none of that was the most striking feature. The hands. Those massive hands were coated in dark red, congealed blood. The thick alloy gloves bore traces of a viscous, brain-like substance wedged between the joints. As the breeze swept past, an overwhelming stench of blood filled the air. At the same time, an immense, suffocating pressure radiated from the figure, striking terror into all who stood before it. ¡°Successfully intercepted.¡± A deep, resonant voice echoed from beneath the spiked helmet. ¡°What a lucky day.¡± At first, the team was on guard, but soon, recognition dawned upon some of them¡ªespecially Xu Yang. His initial reaction was mere confusion and tension, but as more details of the figure aligned with a name buried in his mind, his expression began to change. ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re the Butcher!!!¡± Xu Yang¡¯s face twisted in horror, and his voice trembled. ¡°¡­The Butcher, Xu Fan!!!¡± Cold sweat poured down his body. He was surrounded by over a dozen teammates, yet in this moment, he felt utterly isolated. A chill climbed up his spine, paralyzing him with fear. The Butcher, Xu Fan. A top-tier black market mercenary, whose danger level ranked two full tiers above the White Python. A monster who had slaughtered over a thousand men¡ªhis kill count beyond four digits. To killers like him, taking a life was easier than eating or drinking. These were pure, unrelenting death machines. Without an equal adversary or an entire army to take them down, ordinary fighters had no chance of stopping them. How could such a monster be here, in this place?! How was this even possible?! Xu Yang¡¯s mind was in chaos. His pulse pounded furiously, every nerve screaming in alarm. He wanted to believe this was a deception¡ªa fraud impersonating the infamous killer. But the sheer weight of terror¡ªthe tangible, suffocating presence¡ªmade it painfully clear. That man. That man¡­ was real. (End of Chapter) Chapter 66: The Journey (4) ¡°Do you recognize me?¡± Xu Fan moved his gloved hands with some surprise. ¡°Looks like you had a friend who escaped from me¡­ interesting.¡± The man inside the helmet grinned wickedly. ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± Xu Yang trembled all over, even the hand holding the gun shaking violently. He had no idea why, having only come to capture a somewhat skilled cash cow, they had provoked such a formidable opponent. If he had known they¡¯d run into someone like the Butcher, he¡¯d never have followed Captain Zhao here. His panic visibly rattled the team, everyone on edge, sweating buckets, guns trained on Xu Fan with tense grips. Some had heard of the Butcher¡¯s reputation; others just sensed the danger from their leader¡¯s reaction. ¡°I thought this mission would be tough, but it¡¯s just a bunch of kids¡­¡± Xu Fan scanned the group, sounding almost disappointed. ¡°Ten seconds,¡± he mouthed. Bang!!! In a flash, his body lunged forward, a black shadow charging at them. Like an unstoppable rhino, he smashed into the center of their formation. Before they could react, two black chains shot from his arms, whipping out like dark wings, sweeping several meters on both sides. Pupupupu! In an instant, four team members¡¯ throats were slit, tracheas exposed, blood spraying. Shock frozen on their faces, they didn¡¯t even see what hit them before collapsing, strength gone. The shadow pulled the chains back, dodged as Xu Yang fired wildly, and shrank¡ªhis over two-meter frame curling into a one-meter black ball, then leaping into the air, crashing between two men. Woosh! Unfurling, his arms snatched their heads and slammed them forward. Bang!!! A sickening crash. Two skulls smashed against trees, bursting open¡ªdead on impact. The shadow jumped again, evading a hail of bullets, pouncing on the rest. Pupupupu¡­ Like a rhino, his right shoulder plowed through each one. In under ten seconds. Only Xu Yang and a man clutching explosives¡ªMonkey¡ªremained on the slope. Both shook, pale, drenched in sweat, too scared to move, staring at the now-still shadow. ¡°You¡­ what the¡­!!?¡± Xu Yang stammered, gun aimed but useless, offering no comfort. Over ten men¡ªhalf a military squad, all pros, not street thugs¡ªwiped out so fast¡­ But Xu Fan ignored him, turning as a voice crackled through his earpiece. ¡°Right, two more left,¡± he said gravely. ¡°It¡¯ll be over soon.¡± He glanced at Xu Yang and Monkey, who looked ready to speak. Too late. A flash sparked from Xu Fan¡¯s right hand¡ªa hidden gun fired, striking Monkey¡¯s explosives. Boom!!! Flames erupted, ballooning outward for meters. An orange fireball swallowed Xu Yang and Monkey, erasing them. The blaze caught nearby trees and leaves. When it faded, only charred remains lingered. Xu Fan was gone, just the faint snap of twigs echoing from the woods. --- Yu Hong heard the shouts, blasts, and crackling flames outside. He waited until it quieted, then slid the shutter open a crack to peek out. Flickering flames painted everything red. Hot gusts carried ash through the air. ¡®A fire?¡¯ Heat crept toward his garden. ¡®Wait, my Luminous Stone grass¡ªwill it get torched?¡¯ He considered checking, but the recent explosion stopped him. ¡®What if there¡¯s a fight out there and I stumble into it?¡¯ He remembered today was when his hired expert, tipped off by Li Rushan, was due to arrive. ¡®That blast¡ªprobably my guy clashing with the attackers¡¯ backup. They used bombs?!¡¯ A chill hit him. His polar bear suit couldn¡¯t shrug off explosives¡ªgood thing he hadn¡¯t gotten cocky. ???O?£Â????? ¡®Thank fuck I hired a pro instead of playing hero. Safety first.¡¯ He decided to stay put. If those attackers caught him now, weakened as he was, he might not hold up. Settling in, Yu Hong dragged a stool to the door, sitting and occasionally glancing out. Suddenly, his face tightened. He snapped the shutter shut, peering through a slit. A group in dark green camo crept through the woods, moving fast. Their leader wore a dark brown, high-tech bulletproof vest, far sleeker than the others¡¯. Seeing him, Yu Hong¡¯s mind flashed to Zhao Zhenghong and Xu Yang¡ªfaces he¡¯d seen before. ¡®It¡¯s one of them¡­ they¡¯re behind this!¡¯ Cold dread sank in. He vowed to stay silent. The group neared his yard, vaulting in. The front few held small silver boxes marked with black-and-white stripes and ¡°DANGER¡± in bold. ¡°What the hell¡¯s that?¡± Yu Hong¡¯s gut twisted. Lockpicks? No¡ªtoo many carried them. Unease grew as they closed in. Zhao Zhenghong, frowning, held a bomb, inching toward the wooden gate. Silence hung heavy. After splitting from Xu Yang, he¡¯d tracked the tire marks, but an explosion midway pulled him here. Nothing¡ªjust a raging fire scorching the forest red. Too hot to approach. Left with no choice, he led his team to the cave, planning to blast it open, grab anything valuable, and take the target. But things had spiraled. Xu Yang likely hit the enemy, even used bombs. He had to act fast¡ªcrack the door, check inside, then find Xu Yang. With that, Zhao Zhenghong hustled, slapping the bomb onto the gate. A black shadow flickered in the bomb¡¯s silver reflection. A familiar, gut-punching threat loomed from his left. His face twisted. He hurled himself back. Bang bang! Two shots whizzed past where he¡¯d stood. Dropping the bomb, he flipped backward like a monkey, tumbling over ten meters, then braced against a tree. Bang bang bang bang!! His team caught on, firing toward the shots¡¯ source. Ammo spent, they roared, drawing knives, swords, and rods, surrounding the spot. The first to charge froze mid-step, hoisted up as a huge hand grabbed his head and flung him skyward. Whoosh! He spun two meters up, then crashed down. Thud! Giant hands stabbed his gut like blades, ripping outward. A wet crunch¡ªhe was torn in half, no scream, just blood. Gore sprayed, staining trees, grass, and mud red amid the flames. ¡°Fucking hell!!!¡± Zhao Zhenghong, steadying himself, saw it¡ªhis eyes blazed. He yanked a short knife from his arm and sprang, moving like a black ape, crossing ten meters to tackle the shadow that ripped his man apart. Clang!! Midair, an alloy glove snatched his knife hand. Before him loomed a bear of a man¡ªover two meters, arms thick as thighs. Clad in armor, his spiked helmet smeared with blood, wild eyes glinted under red goggles. ¡°You¡¯ve got some fight,¡± the man growled, mocking and cruel. Boom! Boom! Boom!! Six teammates charged, roaring, swinging blades and rods at the giant. With Zhao Zhenghong at the front, seven total boxed him in. But¡ª ¡°Retreat!!¡± Zhao Zhenghong¡¯s face warped as he rolled back, dodging a sweeping black hand. The others weren¡¯t as quick. Boom! The hand lashed out, smashing a man¡¯s head to pulp. Two tried to flee; the giant grabbed their arms, hurling them into two others. Four crumpled, down for good. The last two gained distance, but the giant snatched a grindstone-sized rock and chucked it. Boom! Boom! Two thuds¡ªchests caved, bodies mashed against a tree. ¡°Use the bombs!¡± Zhao Zhenghong screamed, veins bulging. Half his team gone in seconds. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The survivors scattered, tossing portable bombs. But before they landed, the giant vanished. Zhao Zhenghong spun¡ªthree meters away, a massive shadow loomed. Arms spread, it hopped, striking a crane-like pose. A name flashed in his mind. ¡®Iron Wing Splitting Sky? Crane Fist?!!¡¯ Chapter 67: Conclusion (1) Hiss!! A massive tree trunk bore six deep claw marks, nearly severing it in half. Losing balance, the tree tilted sideways and collapsed. Boom! The tree fell. On either side of the fallen trunk stood two figures. On the left was a towering figure clad in black¡ªa heavily armored man in an undamaged bulletproof suit. He was none other than the Butcher, Xu Fan, who had just completed his ambush. Standing still, he clenched his alloy gloves, shook off the blood from the spiked knuckles, and let out a satisfied chuckle. On the right, Zhao Zhenghong was kneeling on one knee. One of his arms hung limply at his side, completely immobilized. Three deep, bloody gashes ran across his cheek and mouth. Blood dripped steadily from his chin. That wasn¡¯t all¡ªbeside him, on the ground, lay the dismembered corpses of two of his squad members, their bodies sliced into several pieces. Pools of blood spread around them, staining the forest floor red. Boom! A thrown explosive detonated with a deafening roar, igniting an even larger forest fire. ¡°Butcher¡­ If I surrender now, will you let me go?¡± Zhao Zhenghong slowly stood up, blinking blood out of his eyes as he stared at his opponent. ¡°That depends on what my employer says.¡± Xu Fan rubbed his chin and turned his gaze toward a nearby cave. In that instant, Zhao Zhenghong¡¯s hand moved like lightning, producing a pistol and firing a shot. Bang! The gunshot rang out. A fiery explosion erupted from Xu Fan¡¯s chest, causing him to stagger slightly as flames momentarily obscured his vision. Bang! A second shot followed. Xu Fan instinctively raised his arms to shield himself but underestimated the bullet¡¯s power. The second round was an armor-piercing bullet! It tore through the outer metal layer of his gloves, striking the alloy plate in his chest and denting it inward. But that was all. Lowering his hands, Xu Fan scanned ahead. Zhao Zhenghong had already vanished from sight. ¡°Anna!¡± He frowned, his deep voice calling through his earpiece. ¡°Ten o¡¯clock direction,¡± a soft female voice responded. Xu Fan was about to give chase when¡ª ¡°Wait, don¡¯t bother.¡± Anna¡¯s voice came again. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Someone else has intercepted him.¡± * * * * At the edge of the wildfire, flames flickered, and thick smoke billowed into the sky. Zhao Zhenghong staggered forward, fleeing as fast as he could. His facial wounds had stopped bleeding for now, but his fractured right arm and dislocated shoulder severely hampered him. ?????¦­¨®?§¦? The brief window created by his sneak attack on Xu Fan had finally given him a chance to escape. As he ran, flashes of his fallen subordinates¡¯ mangled corpses played in his mind, fueling his rage to a boiling point. ¡°Xu Fan¡­ I will kill you!! I will tear you apart!!!¡± ¡°Aaaaargh!!!¡± His bloodshot eyes burned with madness as he sprinted forward, using every ounce of strength left in his battered body. Swish! His foot suddenly halted, dodging left with a rolling motion to absorb the impact before springing back up. Ahead, a massive shadow loomed among the trees. The figure wore a full-body, jet-black armored suit resembling a battle-ready knight. His legs were as thick as tree trunks, and his frame, though slightly smaller than Xu Fan¡¯s, appeared just as imposing due to the bulky armor. ¡°You look badly injured,¡± the man said. ¡°You¡¯ve lost a lot of blood. You must be getting weak.¡± ¡°¡­Who are you?¡± Zhao Zhenghong gritted his teeth, fighting the pain and growing fatigue. His sharp gaze locked onto the stranger. ¡°I am a poet,¡± the man answered casually. ¡°I happened to pass by and saw you were hurt. Thought you might need some help.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Zhao Zhenghong shut his mouth, realizing he was dealing with a lunatic. Yet, something about the man¡¯s voice and build felt oddly familiar. His sharp memory worked quickly¡ªthen, it clicked. ¡°It¡¯s you!?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± The armored man, Yu Hong, hadn¡¯t expected to be recognized. He was about to speak when¡ª A blur. In a flash, Zhao Zhenghong dashed forward, closing several meters in the blink of an eye. Swish! A silver blade stabbed fiercely at Yu Hong¡¯s abdomen. But the knife¡¯s tip skidded off the inner alloy plating, deflecting left. The miscalculated angle twisted Zhao Zhenghong¡¯s wrist, throwing him off balance. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At that moment, Yu Hong swung a spiked mace from his back, smashing downward. His strike missed as Zhao Zhenghong swiftly dodged, rolling away. Yu Hong wasn¡¯t surprised¡ªhe expected that much from a skilled fighter. But he immediately changed his attack from a downward smash to a sweeping strike. Whoosh! The air howled as the spiked mace carved a wide arc through the space ahead. Zhao Zhenghong hunched low, curling his body into a tight ball. The mace whooshed past him, slicing through branches instead. Using his arms for support, Zhao Zhenghong flipped into a handstand, kicking both legs toward Yu Hong¡¯s head. It was an acrobatic move, but with his steel-reinforced boot heels and the raw power of a leg strike, a direct hit could easily shatter bones. Whoosh. Yu Hong didn¡¯t dodge. He stood still. The boot connected¡ª At the same time, Yu Hong¡¯s leg lashed out like a whip. A low sweeping kick. Boom!!! Both strikes landed simultaneously. Zhao Zhenghong was sent flying backward, crashing into a tree before tumbling to the ground, spitting blood. Yu Hong, having taken a direct kick to the head, merely shook his head to steady himself. His visor had gained two cracks, but otherwise, he was unharmed. Bang! A gunshot erupted at close range. Yu Hong flinched as flames burst from his chest¡ªan explosive round! Then, another shot followed. Bang. An armor-piercing round struck Yu Hong¡¯s helmet¡ªbut against his 25mm-thick alloy visor, it only left a dent. Yu Hong was startled but quickly realized he was unscathed. His shock turned to fury. He charged forward. This time, he didn¡¯t hold back. Boom!! His kick landed on Zhao Zhenghong¡¯s gun-wielding arm. Crack! The arm snapped like a twig, blood splattering against the tree trunk. Zhao Zhenghong, now drained of strength and bleeding out, had nothing left. ¡°If I weren¡¯t injured¡ª¡± he gasped weakly, his fury still burning. ¡°If you weren¡¯t injured, do you think you¡¯d even get to see me?¡± Yu Hong interrupted smugly, landing another brutal kick¡ªthis time on Zhao Zhenghong¡¯s already broken arm. Defenseless and near unconsciousness, Zhao Zhenghong slumped against the tree, unable to move. But Yu Hong wasn¡¯t done. He kicked him again. And again. Thud! Thud! Thud! A merciless beating followed, hammering every exposed part of Zhao Zhenghong¡¯s battered body. All the pent-up frustration¡ªevery ambush, every trap, every near-miss¡ªYu Hong finally let it all out. After a savage pummeling¡ª ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough. If you kill him, we won¡¯t get any answers.¡± A voice came from the trees¡ªLi Runshan. Yu Hong exhaled, stepping back to admire his handiwork: Zhao Zhenghong, now a motionless, bloody mess. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll take a break.¡± Li Runshan was speechless. He had been called in as insurance for this kid, to back him up while he fought the fleeing target. He hadn¡¯t expected the fight to be over so quickly¡ªjust a few exchanges, and the opponent was already defeated. Putting away his slingshot, Li Runshan glanced at Yu Hong¡¯s gear. ¡°Alright, the guy¡¯s dealt with. I¡¯ll interrogate him and see if there are any loose ends.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Yu Hong crouched down, grabbed Zhao Zhenghong¡¯s head, and shook it a little. Confirming that the man was barely hanging on, he tossed him aside and stepped back to let Li Runshan do his work. Compared to him, Old Li had far more effective methods. Yu Hong moved to the side, checking himself for injuries before leaning against a tree and waiting. Not long after, Li Runshan clapped his hands and walked over. ¡°Done. Got everything out of him.¡± He grinned. ¡°This guy is Zhao Zhenghong. He¡¯s been trying to capture you for your Great Luminous Stone technology. The last three attacks were all his doing. He used to be a joint military captain from a nearby town and had a squad under his command.¡± ¡°So, this is all settled?¡± Yu Hong blinked. ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s dead¡ªproblem solved. It was a simple case of a small-time leader eyeing your tech and trying to kidnap you. That¡¯s why none of his men went for the kill.¡± Li Runshan explained. ¡°If you think about it, it makes sense. The big factions can get a decent quota of Luminous Stone products from Aurora City, but smaller groups, like us, have to scramble for whatever we can get.¡± ¡°I see¡­ Does that mean I¡¯ll keep running into trouble like this?¡± Yu Hong asked. He knew he couldn¡¯t avoid revealing some of his technology in exchange for resources. But once he did, if he didn¡¯t demonstrate enough strength and backing, attacks were inevitable. ¡°That¡¯s why you need some allies,¡± Li Runshan chuckled. ¡°Now, let¡¯s talk payment. You promised to cover my travel expenses and upgrade my Blue Whale gear.¡± ¡°Just give me the materials first. I¡¯ll check them and then coordinate with my contacts on the upgrade.¡± Yu Hong exhaled, relieved that the ordeal was over. Now it was time for cleanup. Half an hour later¡ª Li Runshan, Yu Hong, and the Butcher Xu Fan gathered in front of the post office stone house. ¡°This is the client?¡± Xu Fan scrutinized the bulky figure before him. On closer inspection, the man wasn¡¯t actually that big¡ªhis armor was just exceptionally thick. With the heavy helmet and layers of plating, he only appeared massive. Xu Fan also noticed the bullet marks and scorch marks on the helmet and chest, but despite that, the suit had barely any real damage. This armor¡­ The defense is insane. Xu Fan now had a better grasp of the situation. The fact that this guy knew he was wearing Blue Whale armor and still dared to hire him meant he clearly had some serious skills. More importantly, his unknown gear looked no worse than a brand-new Blue Whale suit. (End of chapter) Chapter 68: Conclusion (2) ¡°I¡¯m the one who issued the task. You can call me Yu Hong,¡± Yu Hong said, nodding politely to Xu Fan. ¡°What about the task reward?¡± Xu Fan asked directly. ¡°I need to do an inspection, confirm your needs, finalize the required materials, and then proceed with the repairs. That¡¯s the standard process. No issues, right?¡± Yu Hong responded. With the Black Mark Seal, he wasn¡¯t worried about whether he could fix it¡ªjust how long it would take. ¡°No problem,¡± Xu Fan nodded. ¡°But I can only stay here for half a month. Will it be done by then?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s inspect it first,¡± Yu Hong emphasized. Xu Fan glanced at Li Runshan, who gave him a nod. He chose to trust Old Li¡¯s reputation. Old Li may have a shady side, but his credibility was unquestionable. Without hesitation, Xu Fan began removing his armor piece by piece. In no time, a burly, two-meter-tall bald giant appeared before them. His face was painted with oil, and a fresh gash marred his nose¡ªa recent injury. ¡°The main issue is the damage to the faceplate of the helmet. If possible, I¡¯d like to enhance its strength. There¡¯s also damage to the lower back from armor-piercing rounds and a dent on the left knee from fighting a troublesome opponent.¡± ¡°Chris the Bronze Statue?¡± Li Runshan asked casually. ¡°Yeah. That guy¡¯s strength was comparable to mine, and he was fully equipped. We fought for over three hours before I managed to kill him,¡± Xu Fan nodded. ¡°Understood. I need specialized tools for evaluation. I¡¯ll take the suit back with me for inspection and give you a definitive answer in about an hour. Any issues?¡± Yu Hong gathered the armor parts and stacked them neatly. ¡°No problem,¡± Xu Fan nodded. His calm demeanor gave no hint of a violent temper¡ªperhaps his rumored aggression only surfaced under specific conditions. ¡°You know where I live. Come by in an hour,¡± Yu Hong said simply. ¡°Got it.¡± Yu Hong soon parted ways with the group, carrying the equipment back to his cave safehouse. On the way, he silently asked the Black Mark Seal how long it would take to enhance the armor. The Black Mark Seal couldn¡¯t repair items it hadn¡¯t originally fused, but Yu Hong had a trick: a minor enhancement infusion that would activate the seal¡¯s auto-repair feature. This way, future repairs could be handled directly by the Black Mark Seal. In his plan, this repair ability was crucial for establishing his foothold in this world. With the ability to repair high-level equipment, he could easily trade for various resources and information. Now, his only remaining need was protection¡ªjust as Li Runshan had mentioned. Back at the cave, Yu Hong placed the Blue Whale armor on the ground and headed outside to sift through his pile of loot. He found a forearm-length metal machete to use as enhancement material. ????????¦¥s? Returning indoors, Yu Hong set the machete beside the Blue Whale suit, planning to fuse its materials into the armor. He had already tested it on the way back¡ªthe repair would take just over an hour with a minimal enhancement to the faceplate. This time, with additional material, the enhancement would strengthen the faceplate as Xu Fan requested. He placed his hand on the Blue Whale armor again. ¡°Enhance Blue Whale armor. Direction: minimal enhancement of faceplate strength.¡± A black line flashed, followed by a system prompt. ¡°Do you want to enhance the Blue Whale armor?¡± A countdown appeared on the armor¡¯s surface: 2 hours and 12 minutes. Yu Hong nodded. It was an acceptable duration. ¡°The time¡¯s short, but I can¡¯t let Xu Fan and the others think it was easy. I need to make it seem like a complex, exhausting process with impressive results. That way, it¡¯ll feel worth the price.¡± He knew that if the outcome appeared too effortless, people would instinctively distrust it and feel cheated. ¡°Why are you charging me so much if it was so easy for you? Are you ripping me off!?¡± Yu Hong wanted to avoid Xu Fan and his crew thinking this way. Reasonable. Logical. This was Yu Hong¡¯s key approach. One hour later. Xu Fan and Anna arrived at the stone courtyard outside the cave safehouse. In the distance, a large fire continued to burn, showing no signs of stopping. The two stood outside the yard, eyeing the strange, lush grass within. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Something¡¯s off,¡± Anna whispered. ¡°The red energy readings resemble a Luminous stone mine.¡± Her eyes scanned every corner of the yard, filled with suspicion. But no matter how closely she looked, nothing unusual stood out. Just grass¡ªlots of it. Xu Fan felt it too. Having been exposed to high doses of Luminous stone radiation before, he had developed a sensitivity to red energy fluctuations. Standing outside the yard, his skin tingled with a cool, hair-raising sensation. ¡°It must be lined with Luminous stone patterns, like the outer walls of Hope City,¡± he speculated. ¡°I don¡¯t see any patterns,¡± Anna shook her head. ¡°This task giver knows his stuff. This setup would effectively ward off Ghostly shadows and ensure a stable living environment.¡± ¡°Yu Hong¡­ I¡¯ve never heard of him before. If he can fix this armor, we may be working with him long-term,¡± Xu Fan noted. High-level armor repair was no easy feat. ¡°Agreed,¡± Anna nodded. After a few minutes, the wooden door of the cave opened. A burly figure stepped out, wearing the same heavy armor as before. However, the dents and bullet marks were completely gone. Noticing this, Xu Fan felt reassured¡ªYu Hong could really fix the Blue Whale armor. The three met outside the courtyard. The red energy level inside had surpassed 100, with Luminous grass growing everywhere, making it unsuitable for conversation. ¡°Sorry for the wait. The repairs will take about a week. I have some materials here¡ªnot the original, but close enough. Can you accept that?¡± Yu Hong asked seriously. ¡°A week!?¡± Xu Fan was surprised, glancing at Anna, who was equally stunned. ¡°Really? Just a week?¡± he repeated. ¡°Yes. I guarantee it¡¯ll be done in a week,¡± Yu Hong said confidently. ¡°As long as it¡¯s functional, I¡¯m good!¡± Xu Fan agreed. He still found it hard to believe. Most armories he had consulted needed at least three months, except for Aurora City and Silver Tower, which required two weeks. If not for the faceplate¡¯s damage affecting combat, he would¡¯ve made do. ¡°It¡¯s quick because I don¡¯t waste time on formalities. I¡¯ll be fully focused on repairing it,¡± Yu Hong explained, realizing he had understated the timeline. ¡°Understood,¡± Anna replied. ¡°We¡¯ll pick it up in a week. Perfect timing for a short break after this mission.¡± ¡°Sounds good,¡± Yu Hong nodded. ¡°By the way, have you considered settling down somewhere?¡± He was impressed by their strength and wanted to test the waters. Li Runshan had mentioned they were nomadic mercenaries, moving from place to place. ¡°We¡¯ve thought about it, but larger communities attract more Blood Tide shadows, which brings more trouble,¡± Anna sighed. She gave Yu Hong a sly smile. ¡°If you want to hire long-term bodyguards, you¡¯ll need to provide stable water, food, and shelter. With those basics, people will come.¡± She had clearly picked up on Yu Hong¡¯s intentions. ¡°Good advice,¡± Yu Hong acknowledged. Indeed, without stable water, why would anyone leave a well-supplied place like Hope City to live with him in the wilderness? They agreed on a pickup time and location. Yu Hong gave them a Luminous stone leaf as a token¡ªunique to his yard, it would lose its energy after being plucked. Xu Fan and Anna soon left. Yu Hong then met with Li Runshan again. ¡°Thanks for helping out this time,¡± Yu Hong said as they sat on new wooden benches in the courtyard. ¡°No problem. Keep jobs like this coming¡ªI don¡¯t mind,¡± Li Runshan replied with his usual smile. ¡°Here¡¯s your payment.¡± Yu Hong handed over some silver coins and a stack of sigil arrays from his loot. Li Runshan quickly stashed everything inside. ¡°Much appreciated,¡± he said, his smile softening. Yu Hong went to meet Li Runshan again. ¡°Thanks for your help this time.¡± The two sat down on a new wooden bench in the courtyard. ¡°You¡¯re paying me, so feel free to call me anytime for more of these jobs. I don¡¯t mind.¡± Li Runshan still had that smiling expression. ¡°Alright, I brought the payment.¡± Yu Hong handed over some silver coins he had scavenged from his loot, along with a stack of rune arrays he had made. Though Li Runshan was just a middleman, Yu Hong knew that if he didn¡¯t offer some benefits, there wouldn¡¯t be a next time. He highly valued Li Runshan¡¯s access to mercenary channels and postal supplies. ¡°No need to be so polite,¡± Li Runshan quickly accepted the items and stashed them in the house. When he came back out, his expression was noticeably softer. ¡°The task is done, but to avoid similar incidents in the future, I¡¯m considering hiring some skilled hands for long-term protection,¡± Yu Hong said plainly. ¡°However, given the conditions around here, you know we first need to solve the issues of water, electricity, and food. Only then can we attract people to settle here. Otherwise, everyone will choose the better conditions in Hope City. Don¡¯t you agree?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Li Runshan nodded. In his view, Yu Hong, once a clueless rookie, had now started to gain some sense. ¡°So, I want to ask if there¡¯s any way through the post office to solve the water supply issue. I tried digging a well, but once I got deep enough, it was full of black insects,¡± Yu Hong said with a sigh. ¡°Groundwater won¡¯t work.¡± Li Runshan shook his head with a smile, stretched his hand back, and a small hand quickly passed him a cigarette and lit it for him. Only after taking a contented puff did he continue. ¡°Many parts of Hope City were built near rivers and oceans. Your only option is to relocate closer to a river for easier water access. But remember, rivers and streams aren¡¯t necessarily safe either. If the land has blood tide black insects, the water has equally dangerous or even more deadly creatures.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Yu Hong nodded silently. Rainwater was toxic and required multiple rounds of filtration and boiling to be drinkable, but even that wasn¡¯t stable. Now it seemed that rivers and streams were the only hope. Yet giving up the heavily fortified cave safehouse he had worked so hard to strengthen was something he couldn¡¯t accept. (End of Chapter) Chapter 69: Convoy (1) ¡°Aside from water, there¡¯s also the constant disturbance from ghostly shadows. You¡¯ll need to create an environment isolated by luminous stones. And for food, mushrooms, cockroaches, and lizards need to be produced steadily. In Hope City, there are even people farming and raising livestock¡ªthe difference in conditions is too vast,¡± Li Runshan shook his head. ¡°The difference is too vast,¡± echoed his daughter Aisena, who had appeared behind him at some point. She nodded along. ¡°So.¡± Yu Hong glanced at the girl before shifting his gaze back to Li Runshan. ¡°So you can only rely on those people who can¡¯t stay in Hope City,¡± Li Runshan advised with a grin. ¡°Start with them to build a small base. Once you secure water and food, then you can think about attracting skilled individuals to settle permanently.¡± ¡°That makes sense,¡± Yu Hong sighed. ¡°In a few days, there will be a group of refugees passing by nearby. They are using solar-powered vehicles that rely solely on solar charging, so they move slowly. Along the way, there will definitely be people who run out of food. This group is headed towards Tianyue, making stops along the way to trade for food. When they pass by, you can see if you can take in a few people.¡± Yu Hong nodded but thought about the condition of his safe house. He shook his head internally. His safe house wasn¡¯t equipped to house others¡ªwhere would they stay? Would they share the cave with him? He had too many private things there to feel at ease. For now, there was no way. The time wasn¡¯t right yet. He had to move step by step. He hadn¡¯t even achieved self-sufficiency¡ªit was too early for that. After talking with Li Runshan, Yu Hong left and visited Dr. Xu on his way back, only to find her underground shelter empty and silent. Knock, knock, knock. He stood in front of the shelter door and knocked. No response. Lowering his hand, he sighed softly and turned to look around. The area was silent, with only thick smoke rising from the still-burning distant fire. The once-quiet forest was now bathed in red light. Even though it was nearing dusk, it looked as bright as noon. Just as he was about to leave for his safe house¡ª Knock, knock, knock. Suddenly, a knock came from inside Dr. Xu¡¯s shelter. ¡°Who¡¯s knocking?¡± A cautious, careful voice came from within¡ªit was Dr. Xu. Yu Hong glanced at the red value detector on his collar. The red value had spiked to over eighty. He sighed internally and ignored the voice from inside. Turning, he walked away. After a few steps, he returned, bent down, picked up a stone, and carved a line on the ground in front of the wooden door: ¡°The owner is gone. There¡¯s something strange inside.¡± With that done, he stood up again. From the half-drawn white curtain over the shelter¡¯s window, a woman in white stood silently. The woman stared blankly at him through the window. Her eyes were vacant, and she stood still. Her face was an exact replica of Dr. Xu¡¯s, but her skin was unnaturally pale with a hint of decay, like peeling white walls. Yu Hong gave her one last glance before quickly walking away. * * * Baihe City. Inside an abandoned auditorium. Rows of dark red seats with knitted covers filled the space. Some seats had collapsed, others remained intact but were coated in dust. The red seats fanned out in a semicircle around a rectangular stage at the front. More than twenty people stood scattered across the auditorium¡ªall soldiers of the United Army dressed in camouflage uniforms with helmets and tactical vests. ????¨¢????O?????§¦? In front of them stood three sergeants in similar camouflage uniforms, distinguished by silver crescent pins on their shoulders. The three sergeants¡ªtwo men and one woman¡ªheld paper and pens, calling out names. ¡°Xu Zhengqiu.¡± ¡°Wang Xuan.¡± ¡°Zhang Jiawei.¡± ¡°Liu Yu.¡± One by one, names were called, and the soldiers approached the respective sergeants, joining assigned squads. As the names were called, the three squads gradually took shape, with more people joining each team. The number of unassigned soldiers dwindled. After about ten minutes¡ª ¡°Ma Randong.¡± ¡°Xu Dawei.¡± As time passed, the names were called more slowly. Finally¡ª ¡°Ding Chao.¡± With that last name, the sergeants stopped calling. But three soldiers¡ªtwo women and one man¡ªremained unassigned. ¡°Is it over? Why are three people left unassigned?¡± Xu Fei, one of the sergeants, frowned at his two peers. ¡°I¡¯m full on my end.¡± ¡°Same here,¡± another sergeant replied coldly. The only female sergeant, Xue Ningning, sighed at the other two. She understood the need for elite squads, but if the remaining three weren¡¯t selected, they would have to form their own team. A team without a leader entering the mission zone would be at significant risk if they encountered unfamiliar ghostly shadows or blood tide creatures. Typically, leaders would try to distribute all soldiers to minimize these risks. However¡ª Xue Ningning glanced at the profiles of the remaining three: Ou Li, Chen Qiaosheng, and Lin Yiyi. Each had significant flaws despite being local elites in their own right. ¡°Captain Liu, what about the remaining three?¡± Xue Ningning asked the largest male sergeant. ¡°Let them form their own team,¡± he said without even looking at the three, leading his team out of the auditorium. ¡°Ou Yang,¡± Xue Ningning turned to the other sergeant. ¡°Ningning, don¡¯t look at me. I¡¯m responsible for my team¡¯s safety. The new mutated shadow type will spread here in a few days, and blood tide levels are rising. More people doesn¡¯t always mean safer, and you know that.¡± The sergeant shrugged and led his team away. As they left, many soldiers cast knowing glances at the three unassigned individuals, making it clear they were seen as the weakest links. Xue Ningning hesitated, her face troubled. She raised her hand to signal her team to prepare to leave. Halfway through giving the order, she saw the three¡¯s anxious, hopeful expressions and softened. ¡°Forget it. You three, join my team,¡± she called. The three stood at attention, voices loud and clear: ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± Lin Yiyi, standing beside Ou Li, beamed. She had been nervous after being left out but now grabbed Ou Li¡¯s hand excitedly. ¡°We made it!¡± ¡°Alright, alright, I got it. Let go of me,¡± Ou Li said impatiently. She didn¡¯t care which team she joined¡ªshe just wanted food and planned to run at the first sign of danger. The third person, Chen Qiaosheng, looked pale but breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing the order. Seeing their varied reactions, Xue Ningning shook her head. One was selfish, one lacked intelligence and technical skills, and one was physically weak. Each had strengths, but their weaknesses were glaring. She wasn¡¯t sure if bringing them along was the right choice. * * * ¡°How do I solve the water issue?¡± The forest fire had subsided, and evening approached. Yu Hong sat on a wooden bench in his safe house, deep in thought as he scribbled on a wooden board with charcoal. ¡°I¡¯ve already adapted to this environment. If I move to a stream, I¡¯ll have to start over, and I can¡¯t move everything from here. It¡¯ll take too long¡­¡± He took a sip from his cup and set it down. Staring at the water droplets clinging to the cup¡¯s inner wall, he suddenly had an idea. ¡°What if I condense water from the air?¡± The air was filled with moisture from evaporation. ¡°High humidity leads to mold and microbial growth. If I can extract water from the air, I can secure water and improve living conditions.¡± The more he thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. ¡°But how do I get a dehumidifier?¡± He decided to ask Li Runshan¡¯s supply team. They could procure almost anything for a price¡ªplus Li¡¯s cut. Fortunately, Yu Hong had plenty of loot: protective gear, knives, silver coins, and other supplies. He remembered the car keys he found. ¡°Their cars should be mine too!¡± Excited, he planned to inspect the vehicles and order a dehumidifier the next day. ¡°Speaking of dehumidifiers, I¡¯ll need more power¡­¡± Without enough solar power, he needed a solution. ¡°Maybe I can turn a car into a mobile safe house,¡± Yu Hong thought. ¡°That would solve the water issue and expand my exploration range.¡± Strengthening a luminous stone, he began his daily training. The next morning. Yu Hong woke up early. Just as dawn broke, he put on his gear and went out to search for the car driven by Zhao Zhenghong¡¯s group. Amid the crunching sound of his footsteps, he moved at a steady pace through the freshly extinguished, charred woodland. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The temperature around him remained high. Despite it being the coldest time of morning, he still felt as if he were in the height of summer, his whole body burning hot. (End of chapter) Chapter 71: Night Rain (1) ~~~ Tl note :- Thank Thyme for the bonus chapter that are about to come .. first i will unlock all the chapters that are locked then i will start with the 20 bonus chapters!!! And thank you Thyme for supporting and reading my translations :3 Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ( i don¡¯t think i will be able to upload all bonus chapters today cuz i didn¡¯t actually had chapters stocked lol ) ~~~~ Inside the mountain cave safe house. Through a closed door, Yu Hong listened intently to the information being shared about the ¡°Whisperers.¡± ¡°My name is Zhou Xiaoling, and this is my sister, Zhou Xiaoyin. We¡¯ve only encountered a Whisperer once,¡± said the girl with a full figure, instinctively clutching at the fabric on her chest. She bit her lip, eyes reflecting lingering fear from the past. ¡°We used to work in a customer service company, taking calls all day long. After the Black Disaster, we were reassigned as emergency caregivers after receiving brief medical training to care for the wounded. Then, just recently¡­¡± ¡°How recently?¡± Yu Hong interrupted without warning. ¡°About two weeks ago,¡± Zhou Xiaoling thought for a moment before answering. ¡°Go on,¡± Yu Hong nodded, locking in that timeline. ¡°Two weeks ago, our clinic admitted a special patient,¡± Zhou Xiaoling said, fear creeping into her delicate face. Her body tensed, and she swallowed repeatedly, unconsciously leaning toward Yu Hong as if seeking security. ¡°That patient constantly talked to themselves, even when no one was around. It seemed like they were having natural, one-sided conversations.¡± ¡°Was there something invisible to the human eye?¡± Yu Hong frowned. ¡°No, no,¡± Zhou Xiaoling shook her head vigorously. ¡°We initially thought the same thing. But no matter how we tested, the red values were normal. No abnormalities. Then the situation worsened¡ªshe¡¯d start laughing out loud, suddenly, in dead silence, as if something made her very happy.¡± ¡°Sometimes in the middle of the night, sometimes during the day. Eventually, no matter what we said to her, she grew impatient and ignored us.¡± Zhou Xiaoling paused, her face turning pale with beads of sweat dotting her forehead. ¡°Until¡­ one day.¡± Her body shuddered at a memory. Her sister, Zhou Xiaoyin, turned pale too, clutching Zhou Xiaoling¡¯s hand as they hugged tightly for comfort. ¡°What happened?¡± Yu Hong glanced at the silver protective rune array behind the door to confirm it was still intact before turning his attention back to them. ¡°That day¡­¡± Zhou Xiaoling trembled more violently. She lowered her head and bit her lip as if consumed by fear. Her words were barely audible. ¡°What?¡± Yu Hong leaned forward, trying to catch her words. ¡°That day¡­ she¡­¡± Zhou Xiaoling¡¯s face turned white as she shrank into herself, trembling uncontrollably. Her words were fragmented, quivering with terror. ????????????? ¡°Can you speak up? I can¡¯t hear you,¡± Yu Hong urged. ¡°I¡¯ll try,¡± Zhou Xiaoling nodded quickly, ready to continue. But at that moment, her body froze, her expression vacant. She was as rigid as a wax statue, her wide eyes filled with terror¡ªfixed not on Yu Hong, but on something behind him. Yu Hong instantly felt something was wrong. Grabbing his spiked club, he swung it behind him. Whoosh! The spiked club whooshed through empty air. Seeing no threat, Yu Hong quickly leaned against the door and turned back to Zhou Xiaoling. ¡°What did you see?¡± Silence. Yu Hong blinked in surprise. The Zhou sisters had vanished! ¡°Did they hide?¡± he wondered. If they crouched in a blind spot of the viewing window, they could avoid his line of sight. He knelt down and knocked on the door. Knock, knock. ¡°Zhou Xiaoling? Are you there?¡± he called. No response. Just an eerie, empty silence. Yu Hong called out several more times, but still received no answer. Thinking carefully, he donned his white bear bulletproof suit, armed himself with the spiked club, and grabbed the silver rune array. His hand hesitated on the doorknob. ¡°Wait. What if I run into that Whisperer? Or what if the Zhou sisters were bait for an ambush?¡± He loosened his grip on the doorknob. ¡°Better to wait. If they¡¯re hiding, they¡¯ll make some noise eventually. Whether they¡¯re genuine or a trap, panicking now won¡¯t help.¡± Yu Hong sat cross-legged by the door, patiently waiting. Time ticked by. Ten minutes. Half an hour. An hour. Two hours. Thunder rumbled. It looked like rain was coming. But there was still no sound outside, and the red value detector remained calm. Night was falling. Yu Hong exhaled deeply and drank a cup of water. Then he returned to the door. Gripping the doorknob again, this time with greater resolve, he thought, ¡°There¡¯s been no movement for hours. The Zhou sisters must be in trouble. I need to check¡ªwhatever happened, it¡¯s in front of my door. I have to see.¡± Click. The door handle turned, and the door creaked open. Yu Hong stepped outside, spiked club in hand. No one was there. The courtyard was empty, just as it had been earlier. The Luminous grass plants were lush and vibrant again. But¡­ Crouching down, Yu Hong examined the ground. The ground was covered with white luminous stone powder¡ªa byproduct of his stone excavation. His own large footprints were clearly visible. But something was wrong. There were no other footprints. The Zhou sisters had stood here for a long time. So where were their footprints? Yu Hong¡¯s eyes darkened as he searched the courtyard. He found nothing but his own tracks. No sign of anyone else. ¡°If only my footprints are here, where did those two go? Were they even human?¡± A thread of doubt surfaced in Yu Hong¡¯s mind. Glancing around, he felt a growing sense of foreboding. Returning inside, he locked the door, armed himself with his pistol and knife, and stuffed two silver rune plates into his chest pocket. He hurried out of the cave and headed to the post office to find Li Runshan. As a mailman, Li might know something. Puff. Puff. Puff. Yu Hong walked quickly. With the sky darkening, he had to move swiftly and return promptly. In just ten minutes, he arrived at the post office. The stone post office was shrouded in darkness and silence. The windows were covered with thick black curtains, the door was tightly shut, and thorny, poisonous brambles surrounded the courtyard. Li Runshan, who usually enjoyed playing games with his daughter in the courtyard, was strangely silent. Yu Hong frowned and knocked on the wooden gate of the courtyard. Thud, thud, thud. No response. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± He squinted and knocked again. Still no movement. This wasn¡¯t normal. Even if Li Runshan thought it was a Ghostly shadow approaching, he should have exchanged passcodes with him. But there wasn¡¯t a single response. Yu Hong knocked again, this time much faster. Thud, thud, thud. Still no answer. After some thought, he left the post office and quickly headed back. He had planned to look for Old Zhou for some answers, but time didn¡¯t allow it. Glancing up at the sky, he saw thick clouds covering it. The darkness had descended much earlier than usual. Boom! A clap of thunder. Fine raindrops started to fall, hitting the grass with a faint sizzling sound. ¡°There¡¯s probably half an hour before it¡¯s completely dark,¡± Yu Hong estimated, quickening his pace. Living in such an environment had taught him to judge the night¡¯s approach by observing the sky. The journey back was uneventful, and he smoothly arrived at the courtyard. At the entrance to the mountain cave safe house, he took out his key to open the door. As soon as he stepped inside, the raindrops outside intensified in an instant. Rumble. Thunder rolled as heavy rain poured down, beating the luminous grass into trembling submission. Yu Hong switched on the electric lamp, and the bright white light immediately made him feel much safer. After removing his suit, he returned to the door and looked outside through the viewing window¡¯s glass pane. ¡°Could the Zhou Xiaoling sisters be Ghostly shadow? But Ghostly shadow don¡¯t usually act so naturally. It¡¯s impossible for them to have spoken for so long and with such ease. But if they weren¡¯t Ghostly shadows, why didn¡¯t they leave any footprints outside?¡± Yu Hong couldn¡¯t make sense of it. He had originally intended to ask Li Runshan for information on the Whisperers, but the attempt had been fruitless. His instincts told him that this Whisperer was probably more troublesome and dangerous than the withered maiden he had encountered before. Watching the pouring rain outside, he quietly sat inside the safe cave. After resting for a while, he got up and resumed training in heavy leg techniques. The eighth strand of internal energy was gradually forming again. According to the heavy leg technique¡¯s manual, completing nine strands of internal energy would almost fully enhance his body. Once the enhancement succeeded, he could move to the second level¡ªtraining the second move, the side-body grab and kick. The technique had three levels in total. It was simple, easy to learn, and well-suited to him. Feeling on the verge of a breakthrough, Yu Hong relaxed, clearing his mind of recent events to focus entirely on training. After over an hour of training, he started a fire and cooked some food. Late at night, after confirming there were no black insects outside, Yu Hong finally lay down and crawled into his sleeping bag to rest. ¡°Yu Hong?¡± ¡°Yu Hong?¡± In the dead of night. Half-asleep, Yu Hong frowned as he was gradually awakened by a clear voice calling his name. Groggily, he squinted at the glowing white rune patterns on the cave ceiling. The grayish-white stone walls, the luminous rune patterns, and the rough rocky texture all looked the same as before. The air was filled with a mixture of mushroom, jerky, protein bar soup, and moldy scents. (End of Chapter) Chapter 72: Night Rain (2) ¡°Yu Hong, why are you still asleep?¡± A familiar voice suddenly sounded by Yu Hong¡¯s ear. Under the lamp¡¯s glow, he was startled and quickly looked around. He found himself still alone in the cave. There were no living people or ominous figures outside the door. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± He leaped out of his sleeping bag and grabbed a silver rune array, scanning his surroundings warily. ¡°You¡¯ve been asleep for so long! You said we¡¯d have a team-building activity, but everyone found you asleep at home and couldn¡¯t wake you up. So, they sent you to the hospital. You¡¯ve been lying here for two days. Luckily, you¡¯re starting to respond. Otherwise, they would¡¯ve brought in specialists for a rare case consultation.¡± The voice continued. Yu Hong meticulously inspected every corner of the cave to determine the source of the voice. But to his disappointment, there was nothing around. The voice grew fainter and more distant, like a radio signal fading. ¡°Chen Huiru? Is that you?¡± He suddenly recognized the voice as belonging to his closest female colleague at work. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me. How could you forget me after only two days? Can you see me? Can you see my hand waving?¡± Chen Huiru asked. Yu Hong stayed silent. ¡°It seems your illness is affecting your vision,¡± Chen Huiru said, her voice tinged with concern. Another male colleague¡¯s voice followed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The company is covering 80% of Yu¡¯s medical expenses. The hospital specialists are paying close attention and have a treatment plan in place.¡± ¡°I¡¯m worried about his eyesight¡ªit¡¯s not improving. This could be tricky.¡± Another voice came from nearby. ¡°Put the gifts by the bed. Visiting hours are over soon,¡± a nurse¡¯s impatient voice instructed. ¡°Nurse, could you tell us how Yu Hong is doing?¡± Chen Huiru asked. ¡°He¡¯s okay, but he sees things in his dreams. He¡¯s even attacked doctors while sleepwalking. Be careful,¡± the nurse warned impatiently. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yu Hong stood in his safe house, emotionless as he listened to the voices around him. He poured a glass of water, downed it in one go, and waited to see what the voices would do next. ¡°The patient¡¯s trapped in his dream world. You visiting helps bring him back to reality,¡± the nurse explained. ¡°We understand,¡± Chen Huiru replied. ¡°We¡¯ll come when we can,¡± another colleague added. The group¡¯s footsteps and the sound of the door closing followed. Yu Hong walked to the door and looked at the pouring rain outside. His thoughts grew chaotic. ¡°Was that the Whisperer?¡± he pondered. ¡°Or am I really dreaming? Is all of this just my imagination?¡± He touched the rough, cold door, feeling the world¡¯s reality. Then, he built a fire and started cooking. The flames leapt, radiating warmth throughout the cave. As he added more wood, his hand suddenly felt empty¡ªthere was no more firewood. ¡°We¡¯re out of firewood,¡± he sighed. ¡°Yes, we are,¡± Chen Huiru¡¯s voice echoed. Yu Hong froze and looked around again. Still, nothing. He was alone. ¡°He¡¯s talking in his sleep again,¡± said another nurse. ¡°Only breaking free from the dream will wake him.¡± ¡°How can he break free? Sometimes it¡¯s funny, but mostly it¡¯s just sad,¡± Chen Huiru¡¯s voice added. ¡°He¡¯s getting brain surgery soon. A brain tumor¡¯s been causing his coma. Once removed, he should recover,¡± the nurse explained. Yu Hong sat by the fireplace, expressionless. The voices faded, replaced by the sound of something being sawed. It was a sharp, grating noise, accompanied by Chen Huiru¡¯s soft humming. ¡°I¡¯m here to see you again. Here¡¯s some fruit. Your surgery is soon. You¡¯ll recover if you cooperate with the doctors,¡± Chen Huiru¡¯s voice continued. Yu Hong ate in silence and picked up a red-level detector¡ªone of his spoils of war. The readings were steady and normal. He put down the detector, walked to the door, and opened the observation window. Rain poured down, creating a misty, obscured view. He stood at the door, unmoving, watching the rain. * * * * At the post office¡¯s underground room, Li Runshan read a book with his daughter Aisena. ¡°Dad, I think I heard Uncle Yu knocking earlier,¡± Aisena said. ¡°It¡¯s not our concern. You misheard,¡± Li Runshan smiled. ¡°But I really heard it!¡± she insisted. ¡°Even if you did, we can¡¯t respond. Whisperer have invaded, and any response spreads infection,¡± Li sighed. ¡°They¡¯re invisible to red-level detectors. They lure victims with their deepest desires, making them believe reality is fake.¡± ?¨¢??????¨º? ¡°That¡¯s terrifying,¡± Aisena shivered. ¡°I wanted to leave a note for Yu, but¡­¡± Li recalled the scene and narrowed his eyes. Ten minutes ago. Hearing knocking, Li went to the surface and threw a paper ball out the window. The paper hit Yu, but he stood motionless, mechanically knocking on the door and repeating, ¡°Is anyone there? Open the door.¡± He was straight-backed and weaponless. Alarmed, Li remembered the Whisperer¡¯s profile and shut the window. Yu left shortly after, ignoring the paper ball. ¡°How can we fight a language shadow?¡± Aisena asked. ¡°Once infected, danger grows until full outbreak at 12 hours. The only solution is enough luminous stones,¡± Li explained. ¡°How many?¡± Aisena asked. ¡°20 to 30 Great stones,¡± Li answered. ¡°He¡¯ll be fine¡ªhe has plenty,¡± Aisena said. Li said nothing but felt uneasy. He couldn¡¯t help but recall the scene when he saw Yu Hong earlier. ¡®Judging by the timing, if I saw him just as he got infected, then now, the critical moment should be approaching.¡¯ At this thought, a trace of worry flashed across his face. He had invested so much in Yu Hong¡ªif the kid died, it would be a huge loss. * * * Inside the cave shelter. Yu Hong looked at the heavy rain outside and let out a long sigh before turning to rest. Bang. Suddenly, a gunshot rang out in the pouring rain. ¡°Run!!¡± A very familiar female voice shouted immediately after the gunshot. This was followed by hurried footsteps and labored breathing. Yu Hong¡¯s whole body trembled. He rushed back to the viewing window to look outside. But the rain was too heavy¡ªhe couldn¡¯t see anything. Bang! Bang! Two more gunshots quickly followed. ¡°Yi Yi!¡± Another familiar female voice called out. ¡°Run! I¡¯ll draw him away!¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t!¡± A stuttering voice responded. Hearing this, Yu Hong could no longer hold back. He quickly changed into a lighter reinforced gray lizard suit, grabbed his wolf-tooth club, and rushed out the door. Crack. Lightning split the sky, illuminating everything in a pale white light. Yu Hong sprinted in the direction of the voices, crossing the yard and plunging into the rain. His heavy footsteps left clear imprints on the ground as he ran. However, just as he left the yard, he suddenly stopped and quickly looked ahead. ¡°Something¡¯s not right.¡± In front of him, all he could see was rain and trees swaying in the wind. The dark morning forest was empty¡ªthere was no one but him. ¡®Yi Yi should be far away in Hope City. How could she suddenly appear here?¡¯ Realizing something was wrong, his inner energy surged, and he spun around, sprinting back to the yard. The yard was covered with lumious grass, which gave him a strong sense of security. Once back in the yard, he decided not to go out again and headed straight back to the cave. But just as he opened the door and stepped inside, a heavy sound came from behind. Boom!! ¡°Yi Yi!¡± Dr. Xu¡¯s cry sounded again. ¡°Your leg! What happened to your leg?!¡± she cried out. Crack. Hearing the voice, Yu Hong¡¯s grip on the club tightened until it made a cracking sound. He forced himself to resist the urge to run out and investigate, leaning against the wall and taking deep breaths. (End of Chapter) Chapter 73: Night Rain (3) ¡°Don¡¯t try to fool me. Don¡¯t try to fool me,¡± Yu Hong muttered under his breath. He closed his eyes, shutting out the world, and focused only on the sound of his own voice. The mountain cave¡¯s safe house now had the full effect of a luminous stone chamber. Because of the rune Arrays used, the radiation levels were lower and safer than the original version. ¡°As long as I don¡¯t go out, you can¡¯t harm me. As long as I don¡¯t go out,¡± he repeated. Now, as he thought back, he was increasingly certain that everything strange started when the Zhou Xiaoling sisters arrived. Before they came, his surroundings had been normal, with no sudden noises. But after their arrival, everything changed. Yu Hong remained motionless, leaning against the wall like a statue. The outside noises persisted for more than ten minutes, then gradually faded, leaving only the sound of rain. Yu Hong didn¡¯t move and continued to lean against the wall, waiting for time to pass. After another half hour, when he was certain there were no more sounds, he finally relaxed and stood up. He poured a glass of water and drank it down in one gulp before checking the runic arrays in the safe house. Everything was intact, which eased his mind. He now had three silver Runic arrays stored, over twenty standard Runic arrays, and more than ten Great luminous stones. The Great luminous stones had a red value of around 80, the standard runes were around 100, and each silver rune was worth 500. This level of protection didn¡¯t even account for the fifty Runic arrays of various sizes engraved all over the cave¡¯s walls to create the luminous stone chamber. With these safeguards, Yu Hong wasn¡¯t afraid of any ghostly or Evil Shadows invading. But the voices¡­ ¡®If they weren¡¯t Evil Shadows, could it be¡­ me?¡¯ Yu Hong repeatedly checked his red-value detector. The readings were all normal, and there were no negative signs on his body from ghostly presences. He exhaled deeply, took off his bulletproof gear, and sat down by the fireplace to rest. ¡°Move him to the operating room. Everything¡¯s ready over there.¡± Suddenly, a steady male voice sounded in his ear. Yu Hong¡¯s entire body tensed, and he quickly heightened his vigilance, looking around. But there was nothing, just like before. He stood up. Soon, he heard the sound of wheels rolling. Then, the sound of a door opening and the ding of an elevator. Yu Hong began to feel uneasy. Before long, a faint buzzing sound reached him. ¡°The anesthetic has been administered. It¡¯s a little light, so he may have some awareness, but it¡¯s not a big issue,¡± the male voice said again. ¡°Increase the speed. Be mindful of the angle when performing the craniotomy. I¡¯ll try to make the incision as small as possible.¡± ¡°Understood, Doctor.¡± The piercing buzzing sound¡ªlike a cutting saw¡ªgrew louder and clearer. Yu Hong felt the hairs on his head stand on end. He could hear the saw¡¯s sound coming from the very center of the cave. He took a few steps, pinpointing the saw¡¯s location. Instinctively, he backed away. ¡°Prepare yourselves,¡± the doctor¡¯s voice said again. ¡°I¡¯m starting now.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The nurse¡¯s voice responded. The sharp buzzing sound moved closer to Yu Hong. Closer and closer. It felt like an invisible saw, suspended in midair, was inching toward his head. ¡°Still trying to trick me?!¡± Yu Hong clenched his wolf-toothed club and swung. But the club sliced through the air with no resistance¡ªthere wasn¡¯t even the usual whoosh sound. It was as if the world had become a silent film. Yu Hong couldn¡¯t hear anything except the approaching buzz of the saw. Sweat began to bead on his forehead, and his heart pounded faster. The entire safe house transformed into an operating room in his ears. ¡°Restrain the patient. Don¡¯t let him struggle or break free,¡± the doctor¡¯s calm voice ordered. ¡°Got it,¡± two nurses replied. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The buzzing saw moved even closer. Yu Hong¡¯s sweat poured down, and his muscles tensed more and more. He checked the red-value detector repeatedly, dropping the club and grabbing a silver rune formation. But it was no use. The detector showed normal readings, and the silver rune formation remained unspent. The buzz was now so close it seemed to brush his forehead, just barely touching his hair. Almost there. Almost ready to cut. ¡°Hold him down. He¡¯s still struggling because of the light anesthetic,¡± the doctor¡¯s voice commanded. ¡°I¡¯ll count to three, then apply pressure together.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Yu Hong¡¯s tension skyrocketed. He didn¡¯t know which side to trust. If he trusted the voices, he should flee immediately. If he trusted reality, he needed to stay in the safe house and remain still. Thunk! Suddenly, he rolled away from his spot. But it didn¡¯t help. All he could hear were the doctor, the nurses, and the saw. Any other sounds he made¡ªthe rustling of objects he bumped into¡ªvanished. Everything became a soundless pantomime. ¡°Three.¡± The doctor began counting down. The saw hovered at his forehead. ¡°Two.¡± Yu Hong¡¯s eyes widened. He brandished the silver rune, trying to ward off the voices, but nothing worked. His body tensed until it hurt. A bone-chilling sensation spread from his forehead, as though a sharp object was getting closer and closer. ¡°One!¡± the doctor¡¯s voice shouted again. It felt like an echo. ¡°Aaaaahhh!!!¡± Yu Hong roared, unleashing a frenzied scream! Gripping the silver rune in one hand and the wolf-toothed club in the other, his inner energy erupted, enveloping his body. A faint, transparent layer of hardened skin appeared beneath his flesh. ?§Ñ£Î§à??S? ¡°Go to hell!!!¡± He charged forward, slamming his head into the corner piled with rune boards. ¡°Two!¡± Yu Hong curled up in the corner, frantically pressing runes and luminous stones against himself. He chose to trust what he could see! ¡°Three!!!¡± Buzz!!! A loud buzzing exploded in his ears. The cave lights flickered wildly, oscillating between bright and dark. Transparent, water-like gel oozed from Yu Hong¡¯s body, seeping through his clothes. The runes around his head emitted a powerful force that evaporated the gel as soon as it touched the air. The runes across the cave glowed faintly, seemingly warding off an unseen threat. All the luminous stones began to shine, especially the three silver Runic arrays, which radiated intense silver light. They unleashed invisible energy, merging with the other Runic arrays to create a force field that suppressed the gel flowing from Yu Hong¡¯s body. The red-value detector¡¯s numbers plummeted¡ªfrom 3500 at the start to 2000, then lower. Ten seconds. Twenty seconds. Thirty seconds. The detector hit zero and beeped an alarm. Whoosh! The gel stopped oozing. The last bit evaporated, leaving Yu Hong surrounded by spent rune boards turned gray and lifeless. The three silver runes were also depleted, drained of their power. Over half of the wall¡¯s Runic arrays dimmed, leaving only a third barely operational. One minute later, silence returned. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Yu Hong slowly stood up, shaking his head. His eyes landed on the pile of spent rune boards. His face darkened as he grabbed one to inspect it. ¡°All used up¡­¡± He checked the silver runes. They too were drained. ¡°So I wasn¡¯t wrong. The voices were trying to force me out of the cave, away from the protective runes!¡± Yu Hong¡¯s mind cleared. Thinking back, he understood. The voices¡ªthose of coworkers, surgery staff, Little Stutterer, and Doctor Xu¡ªwere all traps meant to lure him away from the safe house. But he held firm. Even at the last moment, he didn¡¯t give in to their deception. ¡°What were they? Could it be¡­ the Whisperer?!¡± Panting, Yu Hong grabbed the silver rune and began restoring it with the black seal. When the countdown started, he put the rune board down and stood up. Only then did he realize he was soaked with sweat. Recalling the earlier events sent chills down his spine. The voice of Little Stutterer, in particular, had almost convinced him to leave. Thankfully, he noticed the danger and rushed back just in time. ¡°It seems safe now,¡± Yu Hong muttered as he checked the cave once more. After ensuring there were no more sounds, he spent half an hour tidying up before relaxing. While waiting for the silver rune¡¯s restoration, he walked to the door, opened the viewing window, and peered outside. ¡°!!¡± The once-vibrant luminous grass in the courtyard had withered, turning black and lifeless, as if struck by a deadly frost. Yu Hong¡¯s expression darkened. He shut the window and stopped looking. After scanning the cave, he sat cross-legged by the spent luminous stones. Covering himself with a luminous stone blanket, he closed his eyes to rest. This time, there were no sounds. He slept peacefully until dawn. When he awoke, bright sunlight streamed through the window slits. He threw off the luminous blanket and stood. The silver rune had finished restoring, so he swapped it with the one behind the door. Grabbing another depleted silver rune, he began its restoration. Dressed in reinforced white bear gear and wielding his wolf-toothed club, Yu Hong resumed his daily heavy-leg training. His inner energy had fully replenished. Now, he was ready to push toward the eighth layer. Once achieved, he¡¯d only be one step away from the ninth layer, which would bring a full-body enhancement and unlock the second move of heavy-leg training. Although he wanted to visit the post office and question Li Runshan, yesterday¡¯s events still haunted him. His nerves hadn¡¯t fully recovered. (End of Chapter) Chapter 74: Night Rain (4) After enduring over an hour of heavy leg training, Yu Hong¡¯s mood completely stabilized. He then ate a protein bar and drank a full cup of water. Only then did he put on the red value detector and the second restored silver symbol array, and opened the door. Thud. He jumped down the stone steps and looked at a patch of withered and blackened Luminous grass, his mood heavy. The attack that happened yesterday really exceeded expectations. He couldn¡¯t imagine how anyone other than him survived an attack of such power and intensity. ¡®Perhaps they have other methods to avoid direct confrontation, just like the Luminous stone mats,¡¯ he thought to himself. Walking out of the yard, suddenly, the value on the red value detector changed. It dropped from a positive single digit to a negative single digit. Yu Hong¡¯s expression shifted, and he quickly moved the detector to pinpoint which direction¡¯s radiation was affecting the value. Soon, he held the detector up and found a small patch of luminous stone grass growing outside the yard on the right side. The luminous stone grass here seemed to have survived because it was farther from the cave and had not participated in yesterday¡¯s major confrontation. Yu Hong¡¯s mood brightened, and the heavy feeling seemed to ease a bit. He quickly dug up the grass and transplanted it into the yard in front of the cave. After doing all this, he spent more than ten minutes and then walked briskly toward the post office. * * * Knock, knock, knock. Outside the post office stone house. Yu Hong knocked on the fence with force. This time, it didn¡¯t take long. The stone house was soon opened, and a tall, muscular man, carefully carrying a little girl on his back, walked out. It was Li Runshan. Slap. Li Runshan threw a crumpled piece of paper towards him. Yu Hong caught it and unfolded it. ¡°Did you hear any invisible sounds around you? If you did, don¡¯t speak. We¡¯ll communicate by writing.¡± Yu Hong quickly thought of yesterday¡¯s experience and the strange behavior of the Zhou Xiaoling sisters. He nodded solemnly. Soon, the two of them communicated by writing on the ground with stones, across the fence. ¡°When you came here yesterday, I also gave you a paper ball, but you didn¡¯t even look at it. You just knocked and shouted, and your expression was strange.¡± Li Runshan wrote seriously. ?£Á¦­??¨ºs? ¡°I did come yesterday,¡± Yu Hong furrowed his brows. ¡°But I only knocked on the door, I didn¡¯t shout anything!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t shout? Impossible. I came out and still heard you calling me, and even calling my daughter¡¯s name,¡± Li Runshan wrote. Yu Hong paused for a moment and carefully recalled. After practicing his martial arts, his energy had greatly increased, and he could remember things clearly, especially something that happened only yesterday. He wrote with certainty: ¡°I¡¯m sure. I only knocked on the door. I didn¡¯t shout your names. I was waiting for you to respond with a signal after I knocked, but you didn¡¯t make any sound.¡± ¡°Seems like it¡¯s the influence of the ¡®Whisperer¡¯,¡± Li Runshan¡¯s expression turned grim. He quickly shared the report on the Whisperer with Yu Hong. Yu Hong also recounted everything he had experienced yesterday. After their exchange, Li Runshan¡¯s eyes were more serious than ever. ¡°I¡¯ve received information that a convoy heading this way was coming from Yuhe City, where the Whisperer outbreak occurred. So, this convoy most likely brought the Whisperers here.¡± He quickly wrote. After Yu Hong read it, Li Runshan wiped it off and wrote again. ¡°The Zhou Xiaoling sisters you met yesterday are probably one form of infection from the Whisperers. Fortunately, your place has a lot of talismans and Luminous stones, which resisted the sound¡¯s trickery. You didn¡¯t leave the cave, or the consequences would have been unimaginable!¡± ¡°So, what should we do now?¡± Yu Hong felt the situation was quite tricky. ¡°Let¡¯s not speak for now. Let¡¯s communicate by writing for the time being,¡± Li Runshan said. ¡°You¡¯ve already survived one outbreak of the Whisperer infection last night, so you should be safe for now. I plan to check out the convoy. If possible, we¡¯ll completely eliminate them, to avoid them being a constant threat.¡± ¡°How do we eliminate them?¡± Yu Hong¡¯s eyes turned sharp as he quickly wrote. ¡°According to the wireless communication feedback, the current solution for dealing with the Whisperers is to clear all infected beings. As long as there are no infected beings within one kilometer, they¡¯ll naturally dissipate over time and vanish,¡± Li Runshan replied. ¡°Good!¡± Yu Hong quickly nodded. Yesterday, he nearly died. If he had rushed out of the cave without the arrays protecting him, he would have certainly been done for. Such a dangerous evil must not be allowed to linger nearby! ¡°By the way, go check on Old Zhou and ask him to join us,¡± Yu Hong added. Li Runshan nodded. The two quickly packed up their things, took paper and pens with them¡ªYu Hong didn¡¯t have paper, so he borrowed some from Li Runshan. After making sure Aisena was settled and warned her not to respond to any outside sounds, they quickly left the post office and headed toward Old Zhou¡¯s house. The post office and Old Zhou¡¯s house were only a few hundred meters apart, just across a small hill. They soon arrived at Old Zhou¡¯s hole. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Knock, knock, knock. Li Runshan stepped forward and knocked on the door with a wooden stick. No response. His face slightly changed, and he knocked again, rhythmically. Knock, knock. Knock. Knock, knock, knock. They waited after knocking. Still no response. Li Runshan and Yu Hong exchanged glances. One went to the door, the other to the window. ¡°Who?¡± Suddenly, Old Zhou¡¯s voice came from behind the door. ¡°Who¡¯s out there!?¡± His voice was filled with vigilance, fear, and terror, as if he had just been startled. Li Runshan pressed his lips tight and knocked again with the wooden stick. Knock, knock, knock. Knock, knock. ¡°Who¡¯s knocking!? Go away!¡± Old Zhou¡¯s voice rang out again, this time mixed with fear and anger. Li Runshan frowned, tore off a piece of paper, wrote something on it, and slid it into the door¡¯s ventilation hole. He pushed it hard. The paper rolled into a strip and was squeezed through. But after only two seconds. Snap. The sound of the paper falling to the ground came from inside. ¡°Who¡¯s out there!? Respond!¡± Old Zhou¡¯s voice came again, ¡°If you don¡¯t speak, don¡¯t blame me for being rude!¡± Click. The sound of a gun¡¯s safety being unlocked came from inside the door. Yu Hong remained unfazed and stepped forward, blocking Li Runshan. His reinforced white bear suit had already been tested and could withstand close-range gunfire. ¡°Respond!!¡± Old Zhou shouted from inside. Suddenly, a piece of paper was pushed to Yu Hong¡¯s side: Open the door. Yu Hong¡¯s eyes narrowed, and he drew his gun, shooting at the door lock. Bang!! A large hole appeared in the door lock. The power of the reinforced handgun was fully demonstrated, even startling Yu Hong himself, not to mention Li Runshan behind him. Both of them shuddered, looking at the broken door lock and the still-smoking barrel of the gun. Bang. Yu Hong was the first to react, kicking the door open. The door swung wide. Everything was silent. The two stood outside, motionless. They simply looked inside the door, at the lifeless body of Old Zhou on the ground, his eyes wide open, his mouth agape, but with a smile on his face, a strange, delighted smile. It seemed that before he died, he wasn¡¯t frightened, but rather had welcomed death, getting everything he wanted. ¡°This is the Whisperer.¡± Li Runshan wrote a line for Yu Hong. Then he stepped forward to deal with Old Zhou¡¯s body. Soon, a fire started, consuming Old Zhou along with everything around him. Thick smoke billowed, and Li Runshan and Yu Hong didn¡¯t have time to adjust their emotions before they quickly headed back, first checking on Aisena to ensure she was safe. Only then did they start moving toward the highway. According to Li Runshan¡¯s information, the convoy was coming from the highway, using the main road. The two walked cautiously, stopping occasionally, always on alert for anything that might happen. No one dared speak, afraid that something might sneak into their conversation, into their voices. In this eerie silence, they soon found the bus convoy parked by the roadside. Five buses, all gray-white, with thick white metal plating on the lower halves of the vehicles, and many thick wooden planks nailed up inside the windows as shields. The two were about to approach the buses when suddenly, Li Runshan gestured for Yu Hong to stop. He picked up a rock the size of an egg and threw it forcefully toward the buses. In the sunlight, the stone flew out of the forest, passed through the air in a perfect arc, and struck the roof of the second-to-last bus. Clang. The rock shattered on impact, rolling down the front-right side. A complete silence. None of the five buses made a sound. No one responded. Seeing this, Li Runshan¡¯s expression grew even more serious. He took out a magnesium stick and exchanged a glance with Yu Hong. The two split up and moved toward the convoy from opposite sides. A few minutes later. The two reached the last bus, one on the left and one on the right. Yu Hong, wearing his reinforced white bear suit and holding a wolf tooth club, with all his defensive points maxed, extended his club to hook the bus door handle. He pulled it outward. Creek. The metal door opened with ease. It wasn¡¯t even locked! The gray-white bus door, which wasn¡¯t even properly latched, was effortlessly pulled open by Yu Hong. The inside was pitch dark, so dark that even the bright sunlight outside could only light up a small area around the door. Yu Hong looked at Li Runshan, who had circled around. Li Runshan signaled him to go inside. He nodded and, using his wolf tooth club to clear the way, pulled out the silver talismans hidden in his outer pocket. With one foot on the door step, he used it to jump and entered the bus. Poof. Suddenly, his body swayed, and he retreated again. Standing at the bus door, he acted as if he had sprained his ankle. Li Runshan gestured to him, but Yu Hong repeatedly shook his head, pointing at his ankle to indicate that he couldn¡¯t continue, his foot hurting badly, and that it was up to Li Runshan now. Yu Hong cupped his hands in apology, stepping back. Li Runshan: ¡°.¡± If it weren¡¯t for the fact that he saw Yu Hong moving smoothly as he stepped back, and knowing that Yu Hong had specifically trained his legs, and if his IQ wasn¡¯t still relatively normal, he might have actually believed the act. At a loss for words, Li Runshan shook his head and pointed to himself, signaling that it was his turn. Armed with a machete and a stack of talismans he bought from Yu Hong, he moved toward the bus door. Poof. Suddenly, his body hunched over, clutching his stomach in a painful manner, and he began retreating again. As he backed up, he also pointed at Yu Hong, making hand gestures to show that his stomach was hurting unbearably, that he couldn¡¯t handle it, and couldn¡¯t straighten his back. The daunting task of exploring the bus interior had to fall to Yu Hong now. Yu Hong was speechless. Watching this guy try to outdo him in acting, neither of them wanted to take the first step into the unknown. (End of chapter) Chapter 75: Unexpected Developments (1) ¡°I really have a stomachache!¡± Li Runshan wrote quickly, his expression a mix of shame and annoyance. ¡°I really twisted my leg!¡± Yu Hong was unwilling to back down, hastily writing his response while patting his own thigh. The two men stood in a standoff, neither willing to concede. After more than half a minute, Li Runshan, ultimately concerned about his daughter, decided not to waste any more time. His expression hardened, and he took the initiative. However, instead of entering the vehicle directly, he moved to the side of the bus and smashed the window with a heavy blow. Bang! The glass shattered instantly, but the inside was blocked by nailed wooden boards, preventing any view of the interior. Without hesitation, Li Runshan pulled out a magnesium rod, ignited a rag he had found from somewhere, and stuffed it into the crack of the broken window. The moment it was in, he turned and ran, signaling to Yu Hong as he did. Yu Hong immediately followed suit, both men sprinting forty to fifty meters away before turning back to observe the bus. Inside, flames had already started to spread, faint red light flickering through the cracks. ¡°What kind of fabric burns that well?¡± Yu Hong wrote curiously. ¡°Special oil cloth. As long as it works, that¡¯s all that matters,¡± Li Runshan responded casually, his eyes fixed on the burning vehicle. Time passed as they watched the fire grow stronger, flames squeezing out through doors and windows. Li Runshan gave a small nod of satisfaction. ¡°Let¡¯s move to the second vehicle and do the same,¡± he wrote. Yu Hong was speechless. If we were going to do this, why bother pretending to check the buses first? Shaking his head, he followed Li Runshan, torching one bus after another. Clearly, Li had been prepared¡ªeach time, he stuffed a strip of that special oil cloth into the smashed windows, igniting the wooden panels inside. The fire quickly engulfed the interiors. One by one, five buses turned into blazing torches, illuminating the surrounding forest in an eerie glow. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Li Runshan wrote. ¡°As long as the bodies carrying the language entities are completely burned, we¡¯ll be safe. The biggest danger with language entities is how easily they infect people through speech, especially when you don¡¯t know what they are.¡± Yu Hong nodded in complete agreement. That was how it had happened to him¡ªwithout knowledge of the shadow entities, avoiding infection was nearly impossible. No wonder the people who escaped from Yuhe City had all died on the way out. The two men stood near the fire, waiting until the flames fully consumed the vehicles and all the corpses within. There was no choice¡ªthe language entities were too dangerous, too covert. Before their influence was obvious, their victims often thought they were simply losing their minds. Worse yet, red-value detectors couldn¡¯t pick up their voices, making them nearly impossible to detect. ????¨¤????§°????§¦S? Maybe I should upgrade the red-value detector. If it could recognize problematic speech patterns, these entities wouldn¡¯t be as much of a threat. The thought flashed through Yu Hong¡¯s mind. As he stared at the burning buses, he suddenly felt a pang of worry for Little Stutterer. If she encounters a Whisperer¡­ Given her intelligence, she would likely fall victim to it immediately, just as he had. The detector upgrade is essential. At the same time, his silver array was struggling against the increasing power of the Ghostly shadow. Are they getting stronger, or were always more dangerous than the ? He turned to Li Runshan with the question. Li Runshan shook his head. ¡°Evil Shadows naturally grow stronger by killing. They evolve continuously, increasing their danger level until they reach war-grade, nightmare-grade, or even despair-grade. We even suspect that what we call Evil Shadows may very well have evolved from Ghostly Shadows.¡± ¡± He wrote a rather long passage, but the paper wasn¡¯t enough and ran out. So, he could only shrug helplessly at Yu Hong and stop. The two of them waited for over an hour, ensuring that all five buses were completely burned down before turning around and heading back the way they came. ¡°Oh, right. I have a suspicion about the Whisperers.¡± Li Runshan suddenly recalled the scene when he first saw Yu Hong¡ªYu Hong stood in front of the stone house, completely unresponsive to the paper ball he threw, as if he couldn¡¯t see it at all. He thought he should bring this up. ¡°That is, about earlier¡ª¡± Li Runshan had just started writing when¡ª Boom! A massive explosion suddenly erupted behind them. The two instinctively dove forward, turning their faces to look back. In the direction of the five buses, an even brighter fireball was blazing fiercely¡ªit was clear that one of the buses had exploded. ¡°This time, they¡¯re definitely done for.¡± Yu Hong picked up a rock and casually wrote on the ground. ¡°.Mm.¡± Li Runshan nodded. Looking at the bright flames, he suddenly wondered if bringing his daughter from the safety of Hope City to this place was really the right decision. ¡°Oh right, what were you trying to say just now?¡± Yu Hong wrote on the ground. ¡°Mm, about earlier.¡± Li Runshan responded, also writing with a stone. He told Yu Hong in detail what he had seen before. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°From the moment the Zhou sisters arrived, I should have already been affected visually.¡± Yu Hong replied. Old Li¡¯s reminder made him snap back to full awareness, realizing just how dangerous things had been for him before. Thinking back now, when he was in the cave, swinging the wolf-tooth club with no reaction¡ªit was very likely that he wasn¡¯t even holding it at all. The Whisperer¡¯s ability was growing increasingly terrifying the more he thought about it. The two got up shortly after and headed back the way they came. They first arrived at Yu Hong¡¯s stone house. ¡°After destroying the vessel, how long until I can speak normally again?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°About three days. Bear with it.¡± Li Runshan replied. ¡°When you¡¯re alone in the safehouse, you can talk freely, just don¡¯t respond to anything from outside.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Yu Hong nodded. ¡°Alright then, see you later.¡± Old Li waved and hurried back toward the post office¡ªhe was clearly anxious to check on his daughter. Yu Hong stood in the courtyard, watching his figure disappear into the forest before turning around and heading up the steps into the house. In the next couple of days, he needed to quickly repair the rune arrays in the safehouse and complete the sealed chamber of luminous stone. Only then could he finally sleep well. Standing at the entrance, he glanced at the withered, blackened luminous stone grass outside and sighed. Bang. The door shut completely. The next morning, bright and early, Li Runshan came looking for Yu Hong. The two of them went back to the convoy site to check once again, confirming that the vehicles were completely burned to ashes. However, something strange stood out¡ªthere were no bodies inside. If there were no bodies, then how had these vehicles driven here in the first place? Neither of them could make sense of it. Still, knowing there were no bodies inside gave them a sense of relief. They searched the surrounding area again, making sure nothing was amiss and that no bodies had been overlooked. Only then did they feel reassured enough to return, just as dusk approached. On the third day, they repeated the process. Yu Hong was gradually beginning to feel at ease. Of course, this wasn¡¯t just because the Whisperer had been completely wiped out¡ªit was also thanks to the repairs he had made to the rune arrays on every wall of his safe house. He had successfully restored the integrity of the luminous stone chamber, once again activating its protective effects. At the same time, with the aid of internal energy stimulation, fresh luminous stone grass sprouted rapidly in the courtyard outside, covering the ground in a new layer of greenery. Although the young grass emitted only a weak radiation, it gave Yu Hong a deeper sense of security. After all, luminous stone grass could repel black insects and prevent ordinary eerie entities from disturbing his rest. On the fourth day, both men remained silent, still shaken by their encounter with the Whisperer. Neither stepped outside. They endured three more days like this. Then, on the day before the supply team¡¯s arrival¡ª Early in the morning, Li Runshan appeared outside Yu Hong¡¯s courtyard, carrying a large backpack. ¡°Xiao Yu?¡± He knocked on the door in a prearranged rhythm and called out softly. ¡°Are you there?¡± he asked in a hushed voice. Click. Yu Hong opened the door, fully dressed in his complete gear, standing in the doorway to block the view of the inside. ¡°We can finally speak again?¡± he exhaled, writing his words on a board. ¡°We still have to be careful. I just got word¡ªthis time, Yuhe City was hit hard. A sudden outbreak of Whisperer manifestations killed at least 200,000 people. The entire prefecture-level Hope City fell into ruin within days!¡± Old Li sighed. ¡°Two hundred thousand people¡­¡± Hearing that number, Yu Hong couldn¡¯t even fathom what it truly meant. But he knew¡ªwhen casualties were counted in the hundreds of thousands, it was an overwhelming disaster. If you lined up just over ten thousand people on a plain, it would already stretch beyond the horizon. And two hundred thousand¡­ ¡°If unprepared, the killing power of a Whisperer is indeed unstoppable,¡± he sighed, responding. ¡°Now, the entire Yuhe City is gone. Even the three nearby Hope Cities have been affected, with an unknown number of casualties. The United Army headquarters is still in the midst of emergency relief operations,¡± Li Runshan said grimly. ¡°The People¡¯s Army has also been deployed. Even they suffered heavy losses just to establish a large quarantine zone to contain the spread of the Whisperer.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Yu Hong had no words. And this was just an ¡°Evil Shadow¡± level threat¡ªone of the stronger ones in its category. There were three higher tiers beyond this. Who knew how terrifying they could be? In times like these¡­ how much longer could people even survive? ¡°You came looking for me¡ªdo you need my help with something?¡± Yu Hong asked. He knew that Li Runshan never showed up without a reason. Usually, it was Yu Hong seeking him out. If Li Runshan was coming to him this time, there had to be something. He wouldn¡¯t have come just to relay the news. ¡°Here¡¯s the situation. Given the massive casualties and the need to curb the rapid spread of the Evil Shadows, the higher-ups have increased production at the Silver Tower, setting up more manufacturing lines to mass-produce luminous stones and high-level rune arrays. So from now on, I won¡¯t be buying the luminous stones and rune arrays you make,¡± Li Runshan said seriously. ¡°Huh?¡± Yu Hong was taken aback. That was possible? ¡°Of course, I still need them for personal use, but the purchase price will have to drop. Too many customers for rune arrays and luminous stones have died in this disaster. Plus, now that the farther Hope Cities are receiving direct supplies from the higher-ups, there¡¯s no way I can keep paying the old prices. Before, the supply team bought luminous stones and rune arrays from me to resell them at a higher price. But now, with demand plummeting, even the profit margin isn¡¯t enough to cover travel costs. So¡­ you get it,¡± Li Runshan raised an eyebrow at Yu Hong. ¡°¡­In that case, I can still repair high-level equipment, weapons, and some small machines,¡± Yu Hong thought for a moment and replied. ¡°That works too,¡± Li Runshan chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m setting up a large underground temperature-controlled farm. I need a sterilizing air circulation unit for it. I¡¯ve preordered a broken one from the supply team¡ªwhen it arrives, can you check it out and see if you can fix it?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Yu Hong was speechless. Was this guy deliberately buying broken ones just so he could have him fix them? Chapter 76: Unexpected Developments (2) After finalizing the plan to check on the repairs later, Yu Hong saw off Li Runshan and returned to his safe house to begin training in Heavy Leg Technique. Perhaps it was the good news today, or maybe it was the relief of finally being able to speak freely after days of silence, but as Yu Hong trained, he felt a newfound ease. The flow of internal energy in his body was smoother and faster than before. Barely ten minutes into his training¡ª A new internal energy thread quietly condensed and merged into his lower abdomen. The eighth internal energy thread had been successfully acquired. Now, only the ninth remained. Once fully condensed, as per the description of the Heavy Leg Technique, he would be able to use all nine threads to enhance his entire body, qualifying him to advance to the second level. Yu Hong was eager. So far, the Heavy Leg Technique had only boosted his low sweeping kick strength, but other vulnerabilities remained. Without protective gear, he doubted he could defeat a well-armed soldier. Of course, he had a gun now too, so in an actual fight, it would just come down to who was faster and more accurate¡ªmaking the Heavy Leg Technique somewhat pointless. After gulping down a large glass of water, Yu Hong set the cup aside and relished the growing strength in his body, his mood considerably improved. Over the past few days, he had poured all his time and energy into fortifying Great luminous Stones and rune arrays to guard against the Whisperers. Even silver rune arrays¡ªwhich were far more advanced¡ªhad been strengthened. Now that those reinforcements were complete and everything had returned to normal, he finally had the mental space to experiment with a long-standing idea. Enhancing the Detection Device Seated near the door, Yu Hong picked up a Red Value Detector and placed one hand on its surface. ¡°Enhance the Red Value Detector. Focus: Greater detection strength, improved sensitivity, higher durability.¡± If he only optimized it for Whisperer detection, it wouldn¡¯t be worth the effort. Other threats with high concealment abilities were bound to emerge in the future. A generalized upgrade would be the best approach. This was his thought process. Shortly after, black lines emerged, and a countdown timer flashed on the device¡¯s screen: ¡°5 hours, 12 minutes.¡± ¡°Not bad.¡± Yu Hong nodded in satisfaction. Just as he was about to confirm the enhancement, a sudden thought flashed through his mind. He paused. Retracting his hand, he stood up, grabbed a sheet of white paper, and a charcoal pencil. This was part of a bulk supply of paper he had purchased from Li Runshan¡¯s supply team¡ªa full thousand sheets, ensuring he wouldn¡¯t run out anytime soon. Holding the paper, Yu Hong quickly scrawled a title: ¡°Countermeasures Against Whisperer Attacks¡± Then, he meticulously wrote down every piece of information he had gathered from Li Runshan: Final Stage Outbreaks: When a Whisperer reaches its final stage, it will fully erupt. To counter this, a large quantity of Greater Luminous Stones is needed. Attack Mechanism: The primary mode of attack is sound-based communication. The infection process follows this sequence: Hearing a Whisperer¡¯s voice Responding The Whisperer successfully takes residence within the responder. Corpse as a Vessel: Whisperers require a corpse as a host. From the corpse¡¯s location, it selects targets within a set range. After ensuring he had written everything down clearly and comprehensively, Yu Hong set the charcoal pencil aside and reviewed his work. Then, he placed his hand on the paper. ¡°Enhance the Whisperer Countermeasures. Focus: Completing the information to perfection.¡± A surge of anticipation welled up within him. If this enhancement succeeded, it would mean any future threat could be addressed using the same method¡ªanalyzing data, integrating information, and refining strategies through Black Mark enhancements. ?????????S? However¡ª A black flash. ¡°Insufficient completeness.¡±The Black Mark¡¯s feedback echoed in his ears. Yu Hong¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°Incomplete?¡± He recalled the experience of enhancing the Heavy Leg Technique and decided to try again¡ªthis time without specifying a detailed enhancement direction. Placing his hand back on the paper, he simply thought: ¡°Enhance the Whisperer Countermeasures.¡± No specifics, just a general command. A moment later¡ª A black line flowed from the Black Mark on his hand, seeping into the paper. ¡°Enhancement available. Confirm?¡± Success! Yu Hong couldn¡¯t suppress a smile. His eyes locked onto the newly appeared countdown timer on the paper: ¡°3 hours, 56 minutes.¡± ¡°Only four hours!¡± Without hesitation, he confirmed the enhancement. A hissing sound. The countdown on the paper began to tick, with the numbers decreasing by one minute, marking the official start of the timer. Yu Hong let out a breath of relief, carefully picked up the paper, and placed it away from the fireplace. He pressed it down with two rune array wooden boards to keep it safe. Then, he quickly put on his outfit and went outside to gather firewood and dig for wild vegetables. Four hours wasn¡¯t a long time. By the time Yu Hong returned and sorted the firewood and wild vegetables into separate piles, the countdown was almost over. With anticipation, he took out the paper and laid it flat on the wooden table, waiting in silence. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The final minute of the countdown remained frozen on the paper. Any moment now. Soon, he would finally be able to confirm whether this method could truly yield the desired results. Yu Hong was filled with expectation. Because if this method worked, it would mean he could fully utilize the Black Mark to gather and integrate various pieces of information, ultimately finding a more complete and effective way to resolve the Black Disaster! * * * Stone House at the Post Office Li Runshan had gone out to gather vegetables and had yet to return. Left alone in the stone house, Aisena sat at the wooden table, bored, absentmindedly playing with a small wooden figurine. She twisted the figurine¡¯s arms back and forth, as if making it spin. Creak. One spin. Creak, creak. Two spins. Creak, creak, creak. Three¡ª Suddenly, Aisena¡¯s hands froze. She stared blankly at the figurine. Just now, she hadn¡¯t moved its arms at all. Then¡­ where had that sound come from? Her small face lifted as she looked toward the window. There was nothing outside. Without hesitation, Aisena jumped off the chair, ran to the bed, and wrapped herself tightly in the Luminous Stone Blanket. Clutching the wooden figurine, she curled up on the bed, hiding. She pulled the blanket over her head completely, staying silent, her face calm, waiting for time to pass. Ten minutes later. Still, nothing unusual happened outside. Aisena didn¡¯t remove the blanket and continued hiding. But just then, she heard footsteps¡ªcoming from outside the house. The sound grew closer. Under the Luminous Stone Blanket¡¯s protection, she couldn¡¯t hear the eerie voices of the Whisperers, so she knew the footsteps weren¡¯t from them. Still, she didn¡¯t move. She remained hidden, perfectly still. Tap, tap, tap. The footsteps approached, stopping at the door. Then, the sound of a key sliding into the lock. A faint click. The door opened. Then¡ªbang! It shut again, locked from the inside. ¡°Aisena, I¡¯m back!¡± Her father, Li Runshan¡¯s voice, rang out with a warm laugh. ¡°Daddy!!¡± Aisena threw off the Luminous Stone Blanket, her face lighting up with joy, and leaped off the bed, calling out. Silence. But the sight before her made the smile on her face slowly fade. The stone house was empty. No father. No voice. Only beams of light filtered through the cracks in the window, illuminating floating dust particles in the air. The room was completely silent. ¡°¡­Daddy?¡± Aisena called out cautiously. (Tl Note :- Noooooooooooo , curse u Whisperer, foul Whisperer¡­) * * * Under the Lamplight Yu Hong stared intently at the fading paper before him. The text on the white paper blurred momentarily¡ªthen sharpened again. New lines of writing emerged. Smaller. Denser. More precise. The title remained unchanged: ¡°Countermeasures Against Whisperer Attacks.¡± Below, the details expanded, still based on what he had originally written. But now, new information had been added. For example: The exact Red Value range of a Whisperer outbreak: Upper limit: 10,000. Lower limit: 3,000.The range of the Whisperer¡¯s host¡ªit could actually spread within a three-kilometer radius, not just one kilometer as Li Runshan had previously stated.The infection process wasn¡¯t just about asking and responding¡ªit was more severe.If anyone made any sound within five seconds after hearing a Whisperer¡¯s voice, they would be considered infected. Yu Hong read on, his expression growing heavier. And then¡ª At the bottom of the paper, a warning appeared in blood-red text: ¡°Warning: Once a Whisperer has killed over 10,000 medium to large lifeforms, it will undergo an evolutionary transformation and enter its Second Form. This transformation will trigger when all existing hosts within its range are destroyed. Its manifestation is¡ª¡± Yu Hong¡¯s mind flashed back to what Li Runshan had told him: ¡°This time, Yuhe City suffered terribly. The sudden outbreak of Whisperer apparitions killed at least 200,000 people. The entire Hope City fell into ruin within days¡ªcompletely abandoned.¡± 200,000 people?! ¡°Wait¡ª200,000 deaths should have triggered the Second Form! But when we burned the bus, why didn¡¯t we see it?!¡± A shiver ran down Yu Hong¡¯s spine. Then, realization struck him like lightning. ¡°The Second Form only appears when all hosts in its range have been wiped out. But we didn¡¯t see it back then, which means¡ª¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t burn all the hosts!!!¡± Disaster! Yu Hong shot to his feet, grabbed a wooden board to pin down the paper, and snatched up a Silver Rune Array, preparing to rush out and warn Li Runshan. If Li Runshan died, Yu Hong would be completely alone. No supply chains. No communication with the outside world. Nothing. And Aisena¡­ Despite all the horrors he had witnessed, he refused to let that bright, cheerful girl die because of a single oversight. Bang! Yu Hong slammed the wooden door shut behind him. Equipping every rune array he had, gripping his wolf-tooth club, he rushed toward the post office. (End of Chapter) Chapter 77: Handling the Situation (1) Afternoon, 15:00 ¨C 17:00 Deep within the dense forest, between the scorched black trees and the normal ones, a tall and sturdy figure was sprinting at full speed toward the post office. At some point, the sky had become overcast with thick clouds. The howling wind tore through the surrounding branches and leaves, making them rustle violently. Yu Hong carried only a single silver rune array, which was far from enough to deal with the Whisperers. But his goal wasn¡¯t to confront them directly¡ªit was to give an early warning. By relying on his enhanced methods of dealing with Whisperers, he was able to confirm that they hadn¡¯t been eradicated. However, Li Runshan and his daughter didn¡¯t know that. As he sprinted through the forest, he used his inner energy twice in succession, ensuring that he maintained his top speed. A journey that would take an ordinary person half an hour on foot was shortened to just seven minutes. Finally, he reached the stone house of the post office. Under the dark clouds, the grayish-white stone house stood encircled by a sturdy wooden fence, appearing both primitive and tranquil. Through the narrow gaps in the windows, there was no sound or light coming from within. Yu Hong took a deep breath, quickly stabilizing his body and trying to calm his racing heart. Standing outside the fence, he knocked forcefully on the door. Knock, knock, knock. Knock, knock. Knock, knock. He knocked in a coded rhythm three times, then waited. But after several minutes, there was still no response from inside. Yu Hong started to feel uneasy. He scanned the surroundings, concluding that Old Li was likely not home. But even if Li Runshan wasn¡¯t there, it was impossible for the house to be completely empty¡ªAisena had to still be inside. ¡°Aisena!¡± he suddenly called out. ¡°Nana! It¡¯s Uncle Yu, open the door.¡± (Tl Note:- In this context, ¡°Nana¡± is likely a nickname or a term of endearment for °¬É­ÄÈ (Aisena). It could be a shortened or affectionate way of addressing her, similar to how some names are abbreviated or softened in familiar or familial relationships. It does not necessarily carry a specific meaning beyond being a personal nickname in this case.) ????????????? No response. Yu Hong wanted to enter but hesitated, wary of any possible traps in the yard. He knocked again, calling out louder. Still, silence. As he waited, the sky darkened further, and heavy rain seemed imminent. Finally, unable to wait any longer, Yu Hong grew increasingly suspicious that something was wrong inside. After glancing around to confirm his position, he placed a hand on the fence and swiftly vaulted over it, landing lightly on the ground within the yard. Treading cautiously on the dirt, he advanced toward the stone house while gripping his red-value detector, his eyes scanning for danger. The trees swayed, the wind howled, and the air carried the acrid scent of something burnt. The green grass beneath his feet rippled under the force of the wind, resembling waves on water. The wind was getting stronger, and the noise grew louder. ¡°Aisena!¡± Yu Hong shouted. ¡°If you can hear me, don¡¯t reply¡ªjust listen.¡± He approached the house cautiously, tapping the ground ahead with his spiked club, testing for any hidden dangers. ¡°The Whisperers we fought before weren¡¯t completely wiped out. They¡¯re still here!¡± He paused briefly before continuing. ¡°If you hear anything unusual, do not reply. Instead, write it down! No matter what¡ªdo not speak! Do not make a sound!!¡± He shouted over the wind, hoping that whoever was inside could hear him. After yelling, he suddenly thought of a way to warn Old Li. Crouching down, he quickly wrote in the dirt with his spiked club. Soon, a message appeared on the ground: ¡®The Whisperers are still here. Stay silent!¡¯ ¡°Uncle!¡± Suddenly, Aisena¡¯s voice came from inside the house. Yu Hong¡¯s head snapped up. Instinctively, he almost responded¡ªbut he caught himself just in time, a cold sweat breaking out on his back. Right in front of him, at the house¡¯s window, Aisena stood in the darkness. She wore a delicate white lace dress, her long black hair draping over her shoulders. Her dark, shining eyes stared silently at him. Yu Hong counted six seconds. Only after the contagion period had passed did he finally speak. ¡°Don¡¯t make a sound. Write it down instead.¡± As he spoke, he edged closer to the house. ¡°Where is your father? Is he not home? I¡¯m coming in slowly¡ªyou don¡¯t need to open the door for me. Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯ll stay right here with you for now.¡± Aisena didn¡¯t respond. She simply stood at the window, watching him, unmoving. Suddenly, she raised her right hand¡ªholding a pair of black scissors¡ªand slowly pressed the sharp tip against her throat. ¡°No!!¡± Yu Hong shouted, charging forward in a flash. He crossed the yard in a few strides, raising his spiked club and smashing it against the window frame, trying to break through to stop her. Boom! Boom! Boom! Small craters exploded in the ground at his feet. ¡°Stop right there!! What the hell are you doing?!¡± Li Runshan¡¯s furious voice rang out from the side of the forest. Old Li was holding a rifle¡ªsome kind of long-range firearm¡ªaiming directly at Yu Hong, his face contorted with rage. ¡°Step back!¡± he roared. Yu Hong turned toward him, seething with anger. ¡°Your daughter is in danger!!¡± He almost blurted it out but swallowed the words, worried that Li Runshan might already be infected by the Whisperers. But there was no time to wait the required five seconds for safety. Aisena had already touched the scissors to her neck¡ªthere was no time left. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Without hesitation, Yu Hong charged toward the window where Aisena stood. One step. Two steps. Three¡ªhe leaped forward, crashing into the window. Crash! Glass shattered, along with the wooden reinforcements. Yu Hong flipped inside, tackling Aisena to the ground. Thud. They both hit the floor as he wrenched the scissors from her grasp. As they landed, he shielded her head and back with his arm, preventing serious injury. Shards of glass and splinters of wood scattered across the floor. ¡°Let me go!!¡± Aisena screamed, struggling wildly. ¡°I want to find my dad! Stop dreaming! No!!¡± She paid no attention to the shattered glass on the ground, desperately flailing her hands and feet, hitting the floor and Yu Hong. In the process, she ended up with multiple bleeding cuts on herself. Yu Hong held her tightly, climbed to his feet, and waited six seconds before speaking. ¡°Your father is right outside. Don¡¯t make a sound! He¡¯s coming back any second!!¡± But it was useless. Aisena continued to struggle violently, even reaching for a shard of broken glass, trying to stab it into her own neck. Yu Hong swiftly snatched the glass away and lifted her high into the air. Bang! At that moment, the wooden door slammed open. Li Runshan burst in, eyes red with rage. The moment he saw Yu Hong, he raised his gun and took aim. ¡°Put my daughter down!! Now!!¡± he roared, his voice hoarse from shouting too loud. Yu Hong wanted to explain, but he forcibly swallowed the urge. He had to wait five seconds. He considered setting Aisena down so she could write something, but she was still struggling wildly. If he let go now, she might do something terrible! So instead, he raised a hand and made a calming gesture, trying to communicate with Old Li. ¡°Put. My. Daughter. Down!!¡± Li Runshan was already beyond furious. He shouted again, his finger pressing harder against the trigger, his fingertip turning white from the pressure. Yu Hong was also starting to lose his patience. He wanted to speak, but the contagious nature of the Whisperers¡¯ influence made him hesitate. With Old Li pointing a gun at him, despite the fact that he was trying to save someone, all Li had to do was calm down and verify the situation to understand. But the usually calm, smiling Old Li was now like a different person¡ªirrational and out of control. Seeing how completely out of control Li was, Yu Hong felt a surge of frustration. Whoosh! He abruptly dropped Aisena and lunged forward, sending a powerful kick straight at Li Runshan¡¯s chest. But the kick missed¡ªLi had dodged to the side. Undeterred, Yu Hong charged sideways, slamming into him with his full weight. He didn¡¯t use any special techniques¡ªjust brute force. Wearing his reinforced White Bear suit, the sheer weight of his armored plating alone was enough to injure an average person. A full-power collision from his over 200-pound frame would be enough to seriously hurt anyone who wasn¡¯t invulnerable. The impact sent Li Runshan stumbling off course, forcing him to the ground. With that, Yu Hong got back up and finally spoke. ¡°The Whisperers are still here, you idiot!¡± he roared. ¡°Don¡¯t answer me!¡± Li Runshan froze for a split second. Yu Hong took the opportunity to turn toward Aisena¡ªonly to see her off the bed, gripping a shard of glass, about to slash her own throat. Yu Hong immediately dashed forward, smacking the glass away and grabbing her to keep her still. ¡°Hurry up! She might be infected by the Whisperers!¡± Li Runshan¡¯s rage turned to alarm. Realizing his mistake, he rushed over, moving quickly and precisely. In a flash, he yanked a small towel from somewhere and pressed it over his daughter¡¯s nose and mouth. A few seconds later, he let go. Aisena¡¯s eyes rolled back, and she collapsed into unconsciousness. Clatter. The glass shard fell to the ground. Yu Hong let out a long breath. Once he confirmed that Aisena had truly passed out, he carefully handed her over to Li Runshan. ¡°You owe me for this one,¡± he said irritably. He had risked his life to save her, only to be mistaken for a threat and nearly shot. If he hadn¡¯t stood his ground, Aisena would already be dead. ¡°My Nana¡­ My little Nana!¡± Li Runshan¡¯s eyes filled with tears. He clutched his daughter tightly, all of his usual composure gone. Piecing everything together, he finally understood. Yu Hong must have come looking for him and stumbled upon Aisena at the window, already under the Whisperers¡¯ influence. In an attempt to calm her, Yu Hong had approached¡ªonly for Li to walk in at the worst possible moment. Then Aisena¡¯s condition escalated, leading to their near-fight. ¡°I owe you one!¡± Li Runshan suddenly swung his gun around. Bang! The gunshot rang out. His own finger was blown apart, flesh and bone scattering. Dropping the gun, he pulled out a knife, slicing off the remaining shredded tissue and immediately binding the wound with bandages. ¡°This is my apology! I nearly got my own daughter killed! And I wrongly accused you!¡± His face contorted in agony, but in his eyes, there was nothing but deep fear and grim determination. Clearly, the physical pain was nothing compared to the guilt and terror gnawing at him. Yu Hong was momentarily stunned. He had been furious just moments ago, ready to beat Li Runshan senseless. But he had never expected this. Staring at Li¡¯s now-missing finger, Yu Hong suddenly saw another side of him. This man wasn¡¯t just a sly businessman with a constant smile. ¡°Forget it. Let¡¯s deal with Aisena first. I confirmed through other methods that the Whisperers infection hasn¡¯t been completely eradicated! That¡¯s why I came to warn you. And when I arrived, I saw your daughter at the window, holding scissors, about to kill herself. ¡°I panicked and rushed to stop her, knocking the scissors away. But that¡¯s when you walked in¡ªand everything escalated from there.¡± Yu Hong finished his explanation and quickly raised a hand, signaling Li not to speak. Then, he swiftly relayed the new critical details he had discovered. Especially the rule¡ªthey could only speak after five seconds had passed. (End of chapter.) Chapter 78: Handling the Situation (2) Li Runshan also noticed his daughter¡¯s strange behavior just now, his face turning pale instantly. He painfully placed his daughter on the bed and waited five seconds before speaking. ¡°I¡¯ll go find a vessel first! I don¡¯t have enough Great Luminous Stones here, so I¡¯ll be counting on you! Consider this as me owing you twice!¡± Without speaking, Yu Hong gave a heavy nod. The risk of the Whisperers was too high¡ªthey had to deal with it as soon as possible. With Li Runshan being more experienced, it was obviously better for him to go out searching for a corpse. After confirming the plan, the two split up. Li Runshan quickly headed out to search, while Yu Hong carried Aisena, grabbed some food from the stone house, and hurried back to his mountain cave safe house. Rushing all the way¡ª Yu Hong reached the cave just before the rainstorm arrived, set Aisena down, and tied her up tightly with rope. To prevent her from biting her tongue, he stuffed a clean cloth into her mouth. Then, he quickly placed several rune formations around her, including a silver rune formation. After finishing these preparations, he immediately resumed restoring the third silver rune formation. Restoring the charge alone didn¡¯t take much time¡ªjust two hours. ¡®How long from infection to outbreak again?¡¯ Yu Hong glanced at a piece of paper. ¡®Twelve hours!¡¯ He quickly disinfected Aisena¡¯s wounds, then used the free time while the Black Mark was idle to reinforce new rune formations. Strengthening a silver rune formation would take two days, which was clearly too long, but ordinary rune formations were much faster. Yu Hong immediately buried himself in creating more formations. Each ordinary rune formation only took 45 minutes to complete¡ªright now, this was the best way to strengthen defenses, since even Luminous Stones required three days to refine just one. After ensuring the reinforcement process had started, Yu Hong let out a deep breath and sat down to plan his next steps. ¡®Even silver rune formations are running low. I need to find a stronger countermeasure.¡¯ The outbreak intensity of a Whisperers was enormous, potentially reaching tens of thousands¡ªit was an absurd level. If he hadn¡¯t developed countermeasures in advance, the next time he encountered a similar situation, he¡¯d suffer a great loss. ¡®First, I need to strengthen the Red Value Detector. The current one is insufficient and can¡¯t detect traces of a Whisperers. ¡®Second, I must develop something superior to silver rune formations.¡¯ That was easier said than done. A single silver rune formation took two days to craft, and relying solely on manually refining them with the Black Mark would take too long. If the Ghostly Shadows attacked one by one, it might be manageable, but what if they all came at once? He sat cross-legged, racking his brain. ¡®If only there were a rune formation that could recharge itself without consuming the Black Mark, then I could mass-produce them nonstop.¡¯ A spark of inspiration flashed through his mind. Luminous Stone Grass worked in a similar way. After being depleted in defense, the grass would wither and die but later regrow, naturally replenishing its energy. ??????????§£¨§? Wasn¡¯t that exactly the kind of mechanism he needed? ¡®Then there¡¯s the issue of Inner Energy. Strengthening my Heavy Leg Technique improves my combat ability against humans, but it doesn¡¯t enhance my ability to deal with Shadow Nightmares or the Blood Tide. I need a method to strengthen myself so that I can feel secure when facing greater dangers in the future.¡¯ He continued organizing his thoughts, developing a clear plan for action once he got through this crisis. He had originally thought his preparations were sufficient, but the sudden surge in the Whisperers¡¯ strength had nearly capsized him. The deception of the Evil Shadow was far too treacherous. Time passed little by little. Outside, the rain finally began to fall, thunder rumbling as the storm turned the world into a misty downpour. Yu Hong worked tirelessly, reinforcing rune formations. By the time he was on the third, Aisena woke up. He got up, dampened a towel Li Runshan had given him, and placed it over her forehead, quickly pressing her back down before she could fully regain consciousness. By the time he was nearly finished with the sixth rune formation, night had almost fallen. Knock, knock, knock. There was a knock on the door. ¡°Don¡¯t reply, just listen. Aisena is in your hands now¡ªI don¡¯t have enough Luminous Stones. I¡¯ll be back in the morning,¡± Li Runshan¡¯s voice came from outside. Knock. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yu Hong tapped the door in response. After six seconds, he asked, ¡°Did you find a corpse vessel? Knock once if yes, twice if no.¡± Knock, knock. The sound came from outside. Yu Hong frowned. ¡°Let¡¯s get through the outbreak first. See you tomorrow! Aisena is safe with me. I have enough Luminous Stones and rune formations,¡± he assured. Knock. A single knock in response. After five more seconds, Li Runshan spoke again, ¡°I¡¯m counting on you!¡± He stood outside for a long time, only leaving when the sky had nearly gone completely dark. His footsteps mixed with the sound of the rain and quickly faded away. Yu Hong sighed, picked up his tools, and resumed mixing Luminous Stone ink powder¡ªhis stock of rune ink was running low, and he needed to replenish it as soon as possible. This Whisperers attack had drained him both mentally and physically, reinforcing his belief that he needed to develop a technique like the Heavy Leg Technique¡ªone that could both enhance himself and counter Ghostly Shadows. Otherwise, relying solely on rune formations lacked scalability. If he encountered a more severe danger in the future, he wouldn¡¯t be able to react in time. Boom! A thunderclap exploded across the sky, and night completely took over. Yu Hong lit the fireplace, its firelight and the electric lamp forming a protective glow, keeping the rustling black insects outside at bay. Beyond the perimeter, the Luminous Stone Grass emitted a faint fluorescence, repelling the Blood Tide¡¯s black insects as they tried to approach. Everything was the same as before¡ªno changes. That put Yu Hong at ease. He pulled open the observation window and checked outside. Seeing no issues, he closed it and prepared to pull an all-nighter making rune boards. But the moment he shut the window, a strange buzzing noise filled the air. Yu Hong¡¯s expression shifted, and he quickly opened the observation window again. Outside, in the torrential downpour of the night sky, a massive swarm of moth-like, red-eyed flying insects surged forward like a cloud of glowing red sand, rushing rapidly in this direction. Their eyes glowed with a sinister red light in the rainy darkness, and each one was twice the size of the black insects. As they flew, their moth-like gray wings flapped rapidly, producing a faint buzzing sound. ¡°Devourers!¡± Yu Hong¡¯s expression darkened. He had heard about these creatures from the radio¡ªthey were one of the few Blood Tide insects with detailed records. These flying insects could consume everything except Luminous Stones, whether metal, wood, flesh, or soil. Without a strong enough defense, encountering Devourers was practically a death sentence. ¡®But Devourers usually only appear in areas with large gatherings of people. Why are they here? There are only three people in this place¡ªit should be far less attractive to them than Hope City.¡¯ Yu Hong was puzzled. With a swift motion, he pulled the wooden shutter closed and pressed his hands against the door. If things got out of control, he planned to try synchronizing the door¡¯s restoration while under attack. One second. Two seconds. Boom!!! Suddenly, the wooden door trembled violently, as if something massive had slammed into it. Yu Hong braced against the door with both hands, startled by the force. Immediately after, the sound of countless tiny mandibles gnawing at the wooden door filled the air from outside. His expression grew serious as he waited in silence. As time passed, the sounds of gnawing became louder and closer¡ªsome parts of the door were about to be chewed through. He focused his thoughts and activated reinforcement. ¡®Restore?¡¯ The Black Mark prompted him. Yu Hong exhaled deeply. ¡®Yes!¡¯ he confirmed. At that moment, a countdown appeared on the door: 3 hours and 12 minutes. But this time, something was off¡ªthe timer was increasing as the insects continued their relentless chewing. In just a short moment, Yu Hong noticed that instead of decreasing, the countdown had increased by over ten minutes. ¡®Does this mean the repair time corresponds to the severity of the damage?¡¯ He was speechless. Without hesitation, he pulled open the observation window, letting the indoor light spill outside. The moment the light touched the darkness, a swarm of moth-like Devourers surged forward¡ªonly to crash into the illumination. Instantly, the densely packed creatures disintegrated, evaporating into black smoke. However, at the same time, the electric lamps and fire inside the cave dimmed slightly¡ªthe electricity consumption spiked, and the firewood burned much faster. Throughout the night, Yu Hong gritted his teeth and endured in this tense atmosphere. By dawn, when the Blood Tide finally receded and the Devourers disappeared, he let out a long sigh of relief. But the attack had delayed his progress in crafting rune formations. At that moment, the restoration timer for the door had been extended to over 3 hours. Exhausted, Yu Hong collapsed onto his bed to rest. He had barely shut his eyes when a sudden scream jolted him awake. ¡°Ah!!!¡± Aisena¡¯s shriek pierced through the air as her entire body convulsed violently. From her mouth, nose, and eyes, a large amount of transparent, gelatinous liquid gushed out. The moment the strange substance appeared, the surrounding rune formations flared up, resisting its spread. An invisible force radiated outward, suppressing the mysterious gelatinous mass within Aisena. At the same time, every rune formation inside the cave¡¯s walls lit up with a fluorescent glow, reinforcing the containment. Standing in the corner, Yu Hong watched intently, tension gripping his entire body. He had gone through this ordeal once before, but witnessing it again from an outsider¡¯s perspective felt even more unsettling. Then¡ªsomething unexpected happened. Aisena¡¯s body suddenly twisted unnaturally, releasing an inhuman burst of strength. Snap!! The ropes binding her snapped apart, the severed strands flying toward the walls. A massive glob of transparent gelatin spewed from her mouth, rapidly morphing into the upper half of a grotesque humanoid figure. It looked as if an invisible entity was trying to crawl out of the young girl¡¯s body. Yu Hong¡¯s expression darkened. Without hesitation, he lunged forward, grabbing a silver rune board and slamming it onto the emerging figure. Buzz!! The silver rune board erupted with radiant energy, smashing against the humanoid figure¡¯s head¡ªbut to his shock, it raised its translucent arms and blocked the attack. Yu Hong could feel the sheer strength radiating from the creature. He never imagined that a small girl like Aisena could unleash power comparable to that of a giant white python. ¡°Ahhhhh!!!¡± Aisena¡¯s mouth gaped open in a bone-chilling scream, her eyes rolling white as if completely overtaken by another presence. But Yu Hong had had enough. The last time he was ambushed, he had barely survived. Now, this thing dared to challenge him head-on? The memory of being tricked into nearly leaving the safe house resurfaced, and an overwhelming fury surged through him. Fueled by pure rage, he bellowed back at the creature with equal intensity. ¡°Get the hell out, you bastard!!!¡± Roaring, he grabbed a second silver rune board and smashed it repeatedly into the figure. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!!! Each impact sent chunks of gelatin flying off the humanoid shape. The silver light clashed with the gelatinous mass, instantly neutralizing it into nothingness. The transparent figure struggled, trying to resist, but the cave walls lit up once more, the rune formations generating an invisible force field that locked it in place. It writhed like a giant blob of jelly, each strike from the silver rune board making it smaller and thinner, sending ripples through its form. Within minutes, the battle was over. Aisena¡¯s body stiffened, her blank eyes rolling back as she collapsed into unconsciousness. The last remnants of the gelatinous substance oozed out of her, lost its form, and evaporated into nothing. All of it had been completely neutralized. (End of Chapter) Chapter 79: Handling the Situation (3) Huff. Huff. ¡°Damn it!¡± Yu Hong was panting heavily, his entire body flushed as he stared at the completely grayed-out rune array. One-third of the rune patterns inside the cave had also lost their effectiveness. He finally dropped the now completely depleted silver rune array and quickly supported Aisena. Now, it was time to deal with the final trouble¡ª The second form of the Whisperer. He untied Aisena¡¯s ropes, fed her some water, and let her lie flat to rest. Then, he sat down himself to recover. The recent battle had drained him significantly. He had to explosively release two full strands of inner energy just to forcefully disperse the transparent humanoid entity. He had an ominous feeling¡ªif that entity had fully materialized, Aisena would have been in extreme danger. And that gelatinous substance¡­ it seemed even stronger than when he was infected last time. As he rested, he didn¡¯t have to wait long before a knock came from outside. ¡°Yu Hong, it¡¯s me.¡± Li Runshan¡¯s voice carried through. ¡°Aisena¡­ my daughter¡­ is she okay?¡± His voice was filled with cautiousness, worry, anxiety, and fear¡ªso many emotions mixed together, making it hard to associate with the usual him. Yu Hong waited six seconds, exhaled, and wiped the sweat from his forehead. ¡°She¡¯s fine. We made it through safely. Did you find a vessel?¡± Hearing this, a long sigh of relief came from outside. Six seconds later, Li Runshan responded. ¡°I found two more corpses. I burned them both.¡± Yu Hong waited a moment before his brow furrowed again. ¡°You didn¡¯t notice anything else unusual?¡± ¡°No,¡± Li Runshan answered. ¡°But near the bodies, I found footprints of a third person¡­ I suspect someone else has been infected and has taken the Evil Shadow elsewhere.¡± His voice was low and heavy. ¡°In that case, there¡¯s no time to worry about anything else. You should report this immediately through your channels and alert the nearest Hope City to be on guard,¡± Yu Hong said seriously. To be honest, if he had to face the Whisperer¡¯s second form, he wasn¡¯t in great shape right now¡ªit would be extremely dangerous. The first form had already depleted most of his resources, so the second form would definitely be even stronger. If that happened¡­ Oddly enough, hearing that the infected had left, Yu Hong actually felt a small sense of relief. Grabbing his spiked club, he confirmed that the red-value detector showed no movement. Only then did he open the door and quickly hand over the unconscious Aisena. ¡°Remember, you owe me twice now,¡± Yu Hong said seriously. Li Runshan carefully held his daughter, his exhausted face easing only after confirming she was unharmed. He gave Yu Hong a firm nod before turning and quickly disappearing into the forest. Huff. Yu Hong exhaled deeply and turned to look at the door. The once ten-centimeter-thick door had now been gnawed down to just a few centimeters, with some areas almost chewed through. Sighing, he closed the door and began waiting for the rune arrays to recover. The Whisperer¡¯s danger might have left¡ªfor now. But it could still return. The threat was far from over, and he had to be fully prepared. ¡®Additionally, I must develop a self-repairing weapon to resist the Evil Shadow¡­ and upgrade the detector. Getting my hands on an anti-Shadow martial technique is also a priority.¡¯ ???????B?? ¡®There¡¯s too much to do. I have to act fast. If the Whisperer returns, I¡¯ll be dead for sure in my current state!¡¯ With that thought, the exhaustion from the recent battle suddenly hit him all at once. He slumped against the wall, shoved a protein bar into his mouth, and forced himself to rest and recover. This recent attack by the Whisperers inflicted significant losses on both Li Runshan and Yu Hong. The sudden surge in the Evil Shadow¡¯s Threat left them both shaken. For several days afterward, they shut themselves indoors, relying on their stockpiles to get by. Once the latest surge had finally subsided¡ª Yu Hong fully restored all his warding formations, and the entrance was repaired to its original state. Outside, the Luminous Grass flourished once more, teeming with vitality. It seemed as if everything had returned to the peaceful state before the Whisperers¡¯ attack. But this time, Yu Hong was no longer complacent. He understood that this was just a fragile illusion. As soon as he had recovered, the first thing he did was seek out Old Li to cash in on a favor. Inside the Post Office Stone House Under the dim candlelight, Li Runshan picked up the radio and slumped into the seat across from Yu Hong, casually switching on the station. ¡°You sure you want to cash it all in?¡± His face was unshaven, clearly exhausted from tending to his daughter¡¯s health these past few days. ¡°I¡¯m sure. If I don¡¯t turn these favors into tangible help now, I might never get the chance later,¡± Yu Hong said seriously. Li Runshan studied him for a long moment. ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯ll give you everything at cost this time. What do you need?¡± ¡°A de-humidifier. Can you get one?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°Also, the Sunlight series coatings.¡± ¡°The dehumidifier isn¡¯t an issue. The Sunlight series is trickier¡ªit¡¯s a special supply material in high demand everywhere. It repels Blood Tide and Shadows, making it universally useful,¡± Li Runshan admitted. He had already guessed that Yu Hong wanted to solve his water supply problem, so he pondered for a moment. ¡°You saved Nana¡¯s life. No matter what, I have to help you with this. You¡¯re trying to secure a water source, right?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Yu Hong nodded without hesitation. ¡°This kind of problem can only be solved with large-scale engineering. But for you, I¡¯ll pull some strings and get you a broken underground water supply system. It¡¯s made of metal pipes infused with a small amount of Sunlight material, drawing water from deep underground.¡± Li Runshan paused before continuing. ¡°Many organizations are after these systems¡ªthey¡¯re top-tier, highly sought-after goods. I can¡¯t get you a fully functional one, not with my limited connections as a mere courier. But if you¡¯re fine with a damaged one, I can pull some strings.¡± ¡°Will it be vulnerable to Black Insects?¡± Yu Hong¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°No. Sunlight materials have a strong repelling effect on Black Insects. Unless they¡¯re Blood Tide mutants, there shouldn¡¯t be any issues. Many Hope Cities rely on these for their water supply,¡± Li Runshan explained. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you mention this before when I asked?¡± ¡°Back then, you weren¡¯t exactly a VIP customer,¡± Li Runshan said matter-of-factly. ¡°Honestly, even if I got one for you, if you couldn¡¯t repair it, it would be completely useless. So, if you really want it, think it through carefully.¡± ¡°Bring it over. I should be able to fix it,¡± Yu Hong replied solemnly. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He was certain that the underground water resources beneath his residence were abundant. After all, the surrounding area was full of mountains and forests yet lacked streams¡ªthere had to be a significant underground water supply. ¡°Alright.¡± Li Runshan nodded. ¡°Wait for my news. It should arrive in about two weeks.¡± ¡°The price?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°On me.¡± For once, Old Li was uncharacteristically generous, closing his eyes as he spoke. ¡°Now, tell me about the second favor.¡± ¡°Help me find a completely secure delivery channel. I need to send something to someone,¡± Yu Hong said seriously. After encountering the Whisperers, he became increasingly worried about Little Stutterer¡¯s situation. The sheer deceptive nature of these sinister entities made him uneasy. ¡°Sending something¡­ I can give you access to our internal courier network, but you¡¯ll have to cover the cost yourself. I can guarantee security, though,¡± Li Runshan mused. ¡°It won¡¯t be intercepted mid-route, will it?¡± Yu Hong asked warily. ¡°No. It¡¯s an unspoken rule within our postal system¡ªcouriers don¡¯t open or tamper with each other¡¯s packages,¡± Li Runshan reassured him. He glanced at Yu Hong and continued, ¡°But this service only allows shipments once every two months, and you¡¯ll still have to pay for postage. It¡¯s just slightly cheaper than regular courier services. You can use both in combination.¡± ¡°Great!¡± Yu Hong nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll be counting on you from now on.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Honestly, helping you is also helping myself at this point,¡± Li Runshan admitted. Adversity reveals true character. After the Whisperers¡¯ attack, he was convinced that Yu Hong was someone he could trust. In this era of despair and terror, encountering someone with a fundamentally good nature was already a rare stroke of luck. And Yu Hong wasn¡¯t just a decent person¡ªhe was also highly capable. After all, not just anyone could survive alone in the wilderness for so long. A static-filled hiss crackled from the radio speaker. ¡°This is a nationwide broadcast on August 18, 2022, at 14:32. We will now rebroadcast the latest compiled reports on the Black Disaster.¡± A female anchor¡¯s voice, smooth yet heavy with emotion, resonated through the room. ¡°According to intelligence from the United Military, since early July, five city-level Hope Cities have fallen to the Black Disaster, displacing over a million civilians. Casualty numbers remain uncountable.¡± ¡°Silver Tower researchers have confirmed the emergence of three new Blood Tide variants¡ªTidal Crawler, Devourers, and Broodmother. All three evolved from low-grade Blood Tick larvae. Due to their enhanced capabilities, their threat level has been escalated to War-Class.¡± ¡°In addition, the mass death event in Rongjing City has been identified as the work of a new War-Class Shadow: The Withered Black Maiden. Silver Tower has dispatched a team to investigate countermeasures against her.¡± ¡°Meanwhile, Aurora City reports that the United Military encountered a Nightmare-Class Shadow. The Third and Fifth Armies are now trapped in the mist, unable to withdraw.¡± The radio continued to relay the latest updates, reporting the grim progress of ongoing battles. Most of the news was bleak¡ªdeath, destruction, losses. Only a handful of Hope Cities had successfully defended against the recent onslaughts. Even the Blood Massacre incident in Yuhe City was being reported. ¡°According to field investigators, the recent Whisperer outbreak in Yuhe City was of medium scale, rated Level Four in danger. Initially, the surrounding Ghostly Shadows were only Levels One to Three, but the sudden appearance of a Level Four entity strongly suggests contamination from an external source.¡± Inside the stone house, the two men listened to the broadcast in silence. Only when it began repeating did Li Runshan reach over and switch it off. ¡°The threat levels range from One to Nine. Whisperers are only Level Four¡ªnow you understand why so many people are flocking to Hope Cities, right?¡± Li Runshan sighed. ¡°If people could reliably detect Whisperer infections early on, they¡¯d be manageable. The real danger is that there¡¯s no way to identify them before they start killing¡ªthat¡¯s the worst part,¡± Yu Hong said, frowning. ¡°Exactly. That¡¯s what doomed Yuhe City. Hundreds of outbreaks in just a few days. The United Military¡¯s entire defensive line was wiped out, and the city¡¯s leadership was nearly annihilated,¡± Li Runshan added. ¡°A Level Four entity is already this strong¡­ I can¡¯t even imagine how terrifying War-Class or Nightmare-Class threats must be,¡± Yu Hong murmured. ¡°The One to Nine scale doesn¡¯t measure raw power¡ªit measures how difficult an entity is to handle. Lower levels have obvious weaknesses and are easier to counter. Higher levels are nearly impossible to deal with,¡± Li Runshan explained. ¡°And they move. So, if you ask me, you should really head for a major Hope City. Staying alone in the wild¡ªif you ever run into a higher-level threat, you¡¯re as good as dead.¡± (End of chapter) Chapter 80: Handling the Situation (4) ¡°Certain death? And what about the defeated residents of Hope City? Weren¡¯t they just as doomed?¡± Yu Hong said calmly. ¡°Rather than pinning my fate on the United Army or relying on someone else¡¯s protection, I¡¯d rather depend on myself. At least that way, even if I die, I won¡¯t live in constant fear.¡± ¡°Straightforward!¡± Li Runshan slapped his thigh in approval. After confirming his subsequent orders and arranging for delivery, Yu Hong stepped out of the stone house. It was already past four in the afternoon. The sky was beginning to darken once again. Frowning slightly, Yu Hong quickened his pace toward the cave. A few minutes later, he entered his courtyard, immediately feeling reassured by the radiant energy field emitted by the Luminous Grass surrounding him. Looking up at the sky, he chose not to enter the house this time but instead stood outside, observing the luminous stone grass in the yard. ¡®If the luminous stone grass can recharge itself, can I use it to create a large rune array? That way, the Array could benefit from the grass¡¯s regenerative abilities while also amplifying its radiation field.¡¯ With this thought, Yu Hong quickly entered the cave and fetched a large piece of Luminous stone graphite. He began burying Luminous stone powder around the cave entrance. Soon, a massive and intricate rune array was complete. The cost? Yu Hong had completely depleted his stockpile of Great luminous stones. In some places, where lines were incomplete, he even dismantled his old wooden rune boards and buried the luminous stone ink into the soil. By the time everything dried completely, another half-hour had passed, and darkness was about to fully set in. Wiping the sweat off his brow, Yu Hong stood in the center of the courtyard¡¯s grand Rune Array, hands on his hips. Then, he extended his hand and pressed it onto the core of the Array¡¯s Runes. ¡®Reinforce the large Rune Array. Focus on integrating the luminous stone grass¡¯s self-recharging radiation properties.¡¯ A black streak flashed across the back of his hand and flowed into the ground. ¡®Reinforce the large Rune Array?¡¯ The black mark¡¯s inquiry echoed in his ears. It worked! Yu Hong¡¯s eyes locked onto the massive countdown that appeared on the ground. ¡¯19 days, 21 hours, and 30 minutes.¡¯ ¡®Nineteen days¡ªjust as expected. But if the enhancement truly succeeds, the safe house¡¯s resistance against Ghostly Shadow will reach another level!¡¯ Every encounter with a Ghostly Shadow forced him to spend a significant amount of black mark time restoring the Rune Array, causing him endless trouble. ??£Î??????s If he could save time on this, he could allocate the black mark¡¯s power elsewhere instead of being stuck in a constant cycle of Rune repairs. ¡®Begin reinforcement.¡¯ With firm resolve, Yu Hong responded to the black mark, feeling a sense of anticipation as he entered the cave to start a fire and prepare soup. For the time being, he planned to keep a low profile¡ªno reckless actions, no unnecessary risks. With no way to replenish silver Rune Arrays or Great luminous stones, he had to conserve his resources as much as possible. Fortunately, the other luminous stone grass in the courtyard helped reduce the Rune Array¡¯s luminous stone consumption, preventing the daily drain from the Ghostly Shadows. Time passed as Yu Hong diligently practiced his heavy leg technique every day. After condensing his eighth strand of internal energy, an attack from the Whisperers ignited a deep sense of crisis in him. So, based on the nature of the heavy leg technique, he started adding weight to his body until he reached his limit. Once he adapted, he regularly sparred with Old Li. In the blink of an eye, two weeks passed. Outside the stone house of the postal station, in the courtyard¡­ Cold sunlight fell on the grass, casting the shadows of two figures facing each other. The man on the left was tall and robust, clad in a full-body camouflage protective suit. He appeared agile, powerful, and well-proportioned. The man on the right had a solid build but was far from as lean as the other. His protective suit was comically bulky¡ªat least twice as thick as his opponent¡¯s. His lower body, in particular, looked like tree stumps planted firmly in the ground, utterly immovable. More striking than his attire, however, was the massive wooden shield he carried. Over a meter tall and more than ten centimeters thick, the triangular shield was firmly planted in the ground with its pointed end. It looked incredibly stable. The wood was a pale yellow and emitted a fresh, woody scent. Its edges were lined with splinters, and its rough, uneven surface suggested that its creator hadn¡¯t even bothered to polish it¡ªit was just chopped into shape and put to use. ¡°Xiao Yu¡­ Did you make that shield yourself?¡± the man on the left asked, unable to hold back his curiosity. ¡°Yeah, I finished it a while ago but was getting used to it indoors. Now I¡¯m bringing it out for sparring,¡± replied Yu Hong¡ªthe same man who had trained relentlessly for the past two weeks, his body now noticeably sturdier. He had spent a long time pondering how to increase his load and improve the efficiency of his heavy leg technique. The final solution? Making weapons and shields. The shield was done, but the weapon was still in the works, both crafted from an exceptionally heavy material¡ªIronwood. Ironwood was a particularly dense tree species found in nearby forests. Its wood was pale yellow with straight, orderly grain and a camphor-like scent. ¡°How much does that shield weigh?¡± The man on the left, Li Runshan, was one of the only three nearby residents. He wore a high-grade Wildcat combat suit and eyed the massive wooden shield, which covered most of Yu Hong¡¯s body, with gritted teeth. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but it feels about the same as that white boulder outside your house,¡± Yu Hong answered honestly. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°¡­¡± Li Runshan¡¯s teeth-gritting turned into a full-blown toothache. He knew exactly how much that white boulder weighed¡ªabout ninety pounds. If that wooden shield was just as heavy¡­ Did this guy¡¯s strength increase way too fast? ¡°Aren¡¯t you exhausted?¡± He wondered if they should call off the sparring session to prevent any accidents. ¡°Not really. I¡¯m fine for a short time,¡± Yu Hong replied. Currently, he was carrying a spiked club and a massive wooden shield. With his reinforced Polar Bear armor, his total load exceeded 160 pounds. At this level, his stamina drained rapidly. Based on previous tests, every minute of combat at this weight cost him one strand of internal energy. But it didn¡¯t matter¡ªthis was for training. Ever since increasing his load, Yu Hong found that condensing internal energy had become much faster than before. Clearly, the heavy leg technique¡¯s claim that ¡°greater weight yields higher efficiency¡± wasn¡¯t just for show. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go, Old Li !¡± Yu Hong was eager to test his shield in battle for the first time. Originally, he had planned to ask Butcher Xu Fan for a sparring session when he came to pick up his Blue Whale armor. But Xu Fan, possibly affected by the Whisperer attack, still hadn¡¯t come. ¡°Fine, but be careful¡­¡± Li Runshan, conscious of his image as a father, had to maintain his dignity. He drew the short blade strapped to his thigh but, after a glance at the thick armor covering Yu Hong, silently sheathed it again¡­ ¡°You carry so much weight that most people wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything against you in a direct confrontation. But the price you pay is a significant drop in agility. So, defeating you is actually quite simple.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, he shot forward like an arrow. With a push from his left leg, his body surged ahead, combining waist and leg strength to deliver a powerful side kick. This kick concentrated his entire body¡¯s force into a single point, using the momentum of his charge. The speed was astonishing as it smashed toward the upper half of Yu Hong¡¯s shield. Just as Li Runshan had said, Yu Hong¡¯s heavy load greatly reduced his reaction speed. He barely had time to lift his spiked club before the shield took the direct impact. Boom!! A deep, muffled thud echoed as Yu Hong¡¯s entire body trembled. Even with the shield¡¯s massive 300-pound weight, he was nearly knocked off balance by the force of the kick. His back leg tensed as he planted himself firmly, merely shaking in place before swinging his club toward the outer edge of the shield. His speed was indeed slower, but what did it matter if the opponent was fast? Speed alone wasn¡¯t enough to break through his defense. Whoosh! His attack missed. The spiked club crashed into the ground, carving out a deep pit in the black mud. Yu Hong¡¯s vision blurred for a moment. Before he could recover, Li Runshan had already disappeared from sight. Then, from his right, he heard the faint sound of something slicing through the air. Bang! Yu Hong raised his shield, shifting it slightly to the right to fully cover himself. A heavy whip kick slammed into the shield with full force. Unfortunately, it was useless. The 90-pound giant wooden shield, combined with Yu Hong¡¯s thick armor, didn¡¯t even take a scratch. Yu Hong continued moving the massive shield, blocking attacks from various directions. Standing motionless like a fortress, he let Li Runshan launch rapid strikes from every angle. His heavily reinforced armor, deeply rooted stance, and absurdly thick giant wooden shield made him completely unshaken by Li Runshan¡¯s relentless barrage. Two minutes later¡­ Huff, huff, huff¡­! Li Runshan stood with his hands on his knees, drenched in sweat, his face flushed red. He was too exhausted to speak and could only stare helplessly at Yu Hong. What the hell kind of turtle shell is this?! He had been circling Yu Hong, using his strongest leg techniques for a full two minutes. And yet, this guy had merely wobbled a few times¡ªno injuries, no movement, nothing. ¡°This won¡¯t work.¡± After catching his breath, Li Runshan finally spoke. ¡°Your defense is indeed strong¡ªclose-range fighters won¡¯t be able to hurt you. But what about firearms? You can¡¯t keep up with my speed, and if I throw a grenade at you, you wouldn¡¯t even be able to dodge. You¡¯d be dead for sure.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s fine. If it¡¯s firearms, I can just use weapons to compensate. I¡¯ll take down the enemy from a distance before they can do anything.¡± Yu Hong¡¯s voice came muffled from within his thick helmet. Right now, he was feeling better than ever. During the fight with Li Runshan, the ninth strand of internal energy in his abdomen had almost fully condensed¡ªjust a little more, and it would be complete. ¡°And what about heavy armor-piercing rounds? How do you dodge those? No matter how thick your armor is, it¡¯s not as strong as a tank.¡± Li Runshan countered. ¡°Your strategy turns you into a walking target. Sacrificing agility like this just isn¡¯t worth it.¡± ¡°You have a point,Old Li, but even if I had high agility, wouldn¡¯t I still be unable to dodge a high-speed armor-piercing round? No human can outrun a bullet.¡± Yu Hong replied indifferently. He wasn¡¯t too concerned¡ªhis strategy was purely for the sake of training his heavy leg technique. The more weight he carried, the faster his progress. But he wasn¡¯t about to explain that. ¡°If your leg technique is fully mastered, you won¡¯t be faster than a bullet, but you might be faster than the person pulling the trigger.¡± Li Runshan grinned. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I doubt I¡¯d ever be targeted by an armor-piercing round anyway. I¡¯m just a regular civilian¡ªI don¡¯t steal, I don¡¯t rob, I have a clean record. Who would hate me enough to use something like that on me?¡± Yu Hong dismissed the concern. To him, training like this gave him an immense sense of security. ¡°Alright, as long as you¡¯re happy.¡± Li Runshan sighed. ¡°But you need to change your weapons. The spiked club is useless against distant enemies. You need long-range attacks and a way to extend your attack range.¡± ¡°Any recommendations?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°I¡¯d suggest a meteor hammer with a long chain. Also, mount some firearm launchers on your armor. Since your suit is thick enough, you have plenty of space for attachments. Adding a grenade launcher, poison gas sprayer, or other ranged weapons would make you much more versatile.¡± Li Runshan chuckled and immediately offered his valuable advice. (End of Chapter) Chapter 81: Gloom (1) ~~~ TL Note:- All locked chapters have been unlocked , thank Thyme for the next 20 bonus chapters ~~~~ ¡°That¡¯s actually a good idea.¡± Yu Hong nodded in agreement. ¡°By the way, have you received any intelligence updates recently?¡± he suddenly asked, thinking of the long-silent Whisperer. Two weeks had passed, and in just a few more days, his self-recovery Rune Array would be fully strengthened. If Whisperer returned during this time, it would be dangerous. ¡°As we predicted, that ghostly thing has moved elsewhere. One of the smaller strongholds was affected, and hundreds of people died.¡± Li Runshan sighed. ¡°Now the higher-ups have started planning stronghold mergers because they¡¯ve realized that as the nights grow longer and the days shorter, the scale and danger of the Black Disaster are also steadily increasing.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve noticed that too. The days are getting shorter¡ªI thought it was just a seasonal change.¡± Yu Hong frowned. ¡°Of course not. The change is far more drastic than normal seasonal variations.¡± Li Runshan sighed again. ¡°By the way, have you given any thought to my previous suggestion? About establishing a ring of strongholds centered around you?¡± ¡°At this rate, let¡¯s just focus on keeping ourselves alive first. Why bring that up now?¡± Yu Hong was surprised. ¡°I went out yesterday and ran into a few solo scavengers digging for Luminous Stones. They were all quite capable. You know, anyone still roaming outside alone at this point isn¡¯t an ordinary person. I also encountered a strong survivor leading a group of refugees. They were running out of food, so I suggested they take shelter in Baiqiu Village.¡± Li Runshan explained. ¡°So?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°I was wondering if you¡¯d be interested in taking them in. I¡¯ve stockpiled plenty of food from the supply team. Honestly, if it weren¡¯t for Whisperer, we¡¯d have no problem handling regular threats.¡± Li Runshan said. Yu Hong nodded. That was true. If it weren¡¯t for Whisperer¡¯s absurd strength, he wouldn¡¯t have been so desperate to strengthen his Rune Arrays. ¡°Think about it. After this wave of disasters, a lot of people have started living in isolation with their own small groups. Larger settlements tend to attract more attention and risk dangerous attacks.¡± Li Runshan continued. ¡°Also, I can¡¯t keep up with making dried meat and mushrooms by myself¡ªthe production is too low. We need more hands. If the nights keep getting longer, it might lead to a lack of sunlight. At that point, solar power will be useless, and we¡¯ll have to rely on bioenergy. We also need to continue making candles.¡± ¡°If there¡¯s no sunlight, the trees won¡¯t survive either. What are you going to use for candle-making?¡± Yu Hong was skeptical. ¡°Good point¡­ Maybe I should set up some human-powered generators or find a way to use biogas for emergency lighting.¡± Li Runshan sighed. ¡°Anyway, figure something out. We can¡¯t keep relying on the supply team. Their trips are getting harder, and the intervals between deliveries are getting longer. If we run out of food before they arrive, we¡¯re in big trouble.¡± ¡°That is a serious problem.¡± Yu Hong nodded. ¡°That¡¯s it for today. Your water system should arrive in a few days¡ªI¡¯ll let you know when it does. Also, I managed to get some beehive-style synchronous communicators, so we won¡¯t have to run around just to talk. I spent all my savings on this, but I¡¯m determined to fortify our home! I even got something from the Sunlight series¡­ never mind, I¡¯m out of here.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you couldn¡¯t afford the Sunlight series?¡± Yu Hong immediately questioned. ¡°You misheard me, definitely misheard.¡± Li Runshan deflected. ¡°Alright, we¡¯re done for today. Nana, say goodbye to Uncle.¡± ¡°Goodbye, Uncle.¡± Bang. Old Li dragged his daughter into the stone house and shut the door, making a quick escape. Yu Hong was left standing outside, speechless. ¡°This guy¡­¡± He muttered, tapping his staff against the messy grass before heading out of the courtyard. Clearly, Li Runshan had managed to get only a limited amount of Sunlight-series gear, probably due to purchasing restrictions. No matter how much money he had, he couldn¡¯t buy it freely. That¡¯s why he was being so secretive about it. ???£Ï????¦¥? After leaving the post station, Yu Hong returned to his cave. As usual, he checked the countdown on his Rune Array to ensure everything was on track before continuing to dig out his stone chamber. His underground shelter was actually part of a small mountain, with the cave entrance slightly above ground level. Digging additional chambers wouldn¡¯t be an issue, as they would only extend slightly below the surface, avoiding the Black Insect Layer beneath. Yes, Yu Hong had named the area between the surface and the Black Insect Layer the Surface Layer for easier reference. Anything deeper than that was the Black Insect Layer. Thud. A large basket of crushed stone was carried out and dumped in a corner of the courtyard. After checking the sky, Yu Hong turned back to dig again. Before long, another full basket of stone was brought out. Covered in sweat, he stretched his arms before using the stones to reinforce the courtyard walls. By now, the walls were already half a meter high, built entirely from the stones he had excavated over the past few days. With this much stone removed, the chamber was also nearly complete. After organizing the stones, Yu Hong re-entered the cave and descended through a stairway into the depths. He soon reached a roughly rectangular underground chamber. The stone room was dark and cold, lit only by a dim atomic cold-light lamp in the corner, casting a faint green glow. Yu Hong clapped the dust from his hands and paced around the chamber, estimating its size by counting his steps. ¡°It feels much bigger than the upper cave¡ªat least twice as large. This should be good enough for a storage or activity room. I¡¯ll dig separate rooms later.¡± He then started carving Rune Arrays into the walls to prevent any ghostly shadows from entering. Since this chamber was deep inside the mountain with no other exits, it was unlikely that the wraiths had discovered it. However, ventilation was still necessary, so he needed to create a connection to the outside. ¡®Once the water system arrives, I can set it up here. But without electricity, none of the utilities will function. That¡¯s a serious issue. If the nights keep growing longer, we¡¯ll face an even greater energy shortage¡­` Yu Hong thought grimly. The emergence of new Devourers during the Blood Tide had already been a headache. Now, the issue of solar energy failing was adding to his worries. This wasn¡¯t just his problem¡ªall of the Hope Cities would face the same issue. Some Hope Cities could rely on hydropower, geothermal energy, nuclear power, wind power, or fossil fuels. But he was just one person, with no foundational knowledge of these fields, no facilities, and a severe lack of engineering materials. The surrounding environment wasn¡¯t suitable for utilizing these energy sources either. If only I could get my hands on a nuclear reactor¡­ He had talked to Old Li about it before and heard that some Hope Cities used micro nuclear generators, about the size of a pressure cooker, capable of sustaining a small city block¡¯s power needs. Sighing, Yu Hong continued carving Rune Arrays into the walls. Soon, the entire surface was covered with densely packed glowing white symbols. Clang, clang. The wooden bucket holding his ink powder was completely empty. Yu Hong stomped on the bucket, then scraped it with a spoon and tapped it a few times, managing to extract barely half a scoop¡ªnowhere near enough to complete another Rune Array. Time to head to the mines again¡­ All the Great Luminous Stones are gone, and even the small ones have run out. I need to gather more so that once the outer array is strengthened, I can work on refining larger stones. He had stopped directly refining Great Luminous Stones¡ªit took too much time. Instead, he had discovered a more efficient method: grinding small Luminous Stones into powder before refining them. This process was both faster and simpler. Since Great Luminous Stones would be ground into powder anyway, there was no need to engrave runes on their surface. As long as their material composition was enhanced, they would serve their purpose. If I have to grind them down anyway, I might as well do it manually first. That way, I can cut down on the refinement time. After multiple tests, Yu Hong confirmed that this method worked. He successfully reduced the time required to refine Luminous Stone ink powder from three days to just over two. Exhaling, he climbed the stone steps back to the cave, lit a fire, and cooked a pot of thick soup, savoring every sip. Outside, the sky had turned completely dark. Lying down on his soft sleeping bag, he quickly drifted into slumber, exhaustion overpowering even the bright white light in the room. In the haze of sleep, he seemed to hear voices echoing around him¡ªfamiliar ones, like Chen Huiru and Li Runshan, as well as others, both known and unknown, happy and sorrowful. The voices grew louder, more chaotic, until¡ª Bang! Bang! Bang! Yu Hong¡¯s eyes snapped open at the loud pounding on the door. He turned his gaze toward the entrance. Through the narrow viewing slit, a bright white ray of daylight streamed in¡ªit had been morning for a while. ¡°Mr. Yu, are you in there?¡± A deep, muffled voice boomed from outside. Yu Hong exhaled, slowly sitting up and stretching his limbs. Inside the cave, the fireplace had long since burned out. The lights were still on, but the temperature had dropped, making it uncomfortably cold. The temperature is getting lower¡­ I need to figure out a way to stay warm. If I catch a cold or fever now, it¡¯ll be a serious problem. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He rubbed his hands together, warming them slightly, before heading to the door. Swish. The viewing slit slid open, revealing the broad, bald head of Butcher Xu Fan. The grease paint on his face had been washed off, exposing two round, slightly brownish eyes that resembled a tiger¡¯s. His nose was slightly flattened, likely from an old injury, and a stitched scar ran across the corner of his mouth¡ªaltogether giving him the perfect look of a horror movie butcher. No wonder they call him Butcher. Yu Hong was speechless for a moment, waiting five seconds before speaking. ¡°You¡¯re finally here. I¡¯ve been waiting a long time. You¡¯re way past the agreed time.¡± ¡°Ran into some trouble¡­ Long story.¡± Xu Fan looked a bit helpless. ¡°You step back first and wait for me outside the courtyard. Remember not to stay inside for too long¡ªit¡¯s dangerous.¡± Yu Hong strictly followed the five-second response rule and gave a warning. Xu Fan acknowledged the warning and hopped down the stone steps, retreating beyond the courtyard. Only after confirming that Xu Fan had moved a safe distance away did Yu Hong put on his reinforced White Bear armor, pick up his repaired Blue Whale suit, and step outside. He had considered simply staying inside to avoid potential danger. That worked against Ghostly Shadows and the Blood Tide, but against humans¡ªespecially a battle-hardened Butcher¡ªhiding in the cave was a death sentence. It would be far too easy for the enemy to trap him inside. A single gas grenade could put him in trouble. His armor had a gas mask, but all his stored food¡ªmeat, mushrooms, and wild vegetables¡ªwould undoubtedly be contaminated. Against human opponents, it was actually safer to face them in open space. A wider battlefield gave him more room to maneuver. Of course, stepping outside didn¡¯t mean letting his guard down¡ªhe carried his reinforced handgun and kept pen and paper handy for quick notes. (End of chapter) Chapter 82: Gloomy (2) ~~~ Thank Thyme for the bonus chapters ~~ The two walked outside the courtyard. Yu Hong placed the Blue Whale suit on the ground, took a step back, and watched as Xu Fan stepped forward to try it on. Before long, the test was complete. Xu Fan was satisfied, patting the alloy gloves and touching the reinforced helmet visor. ¡°Not bad at all! The helmet is reinforced, and all the damaged parts have been fixed. Mr. Yu, your skills are incredible! Not inferior to those research institutes at all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. As agreed, this concludes our contract.¡± Yu Hong wrote. ¡°If you ever need anything, remember to find me, Old Xu. Prices are always negotiable.¡± Xu Fan smiled. He stretched his arms and subtly stepped forward. Noticing the decreasing distance between them, Yu Hong took a step back. He knew very well that his strength was vastly inferior to the man before him. Even with the suit¡¯s protection, he doubted he could handle the Butcher¡ªsomeone who had previously slaughtered a twenty-man joint military squad single-handedly. From Old Li, he had learned that Bai Mang only died at his hands because he had attempted to capture him alive. If it had been a true life-or-death battle, Bai Mang could have simply kept his distance and shot him. Two consecutive rounds would have pierced through his reinforced Grey Lizard suit. Yu Hong had estimated that if he were to fight Bai Mang now, he might be able to hold his own, but the outcome was uncertain. But the Butcher and Bai Mang weren¡¯t even in the same league. If this guy decided to make a move now¡­ Yu Hong¡¯s heart tensed, ready to draw his enhanced handgun at any moment. He had witnessed the Butcher¡¯s killings¡ªtremendous strength, incredible speed. His only advantage was his thick skin, relying on the reinforced White Bear suit to endure the damage, exhausting his opponent¡¯s stamina with inner energy, and then ambushing with his enhanced handgun. Based on previous tests, the enhanced handgun should have no problem piercing the Blue Whale suit. ¡°If I need anything in the future, I¡¯ll definitely consider you first.¡± Yu Hong nodded, pretending not to notice Xu Fan¡¯s movements and continued writing. ¡°By the way, did you hear anything about the Whisperer?¡± ¡°The Whisperer? No, we haven¡¯t encountered him. But I heard he¡¯s a very dangerous Evil shadow.¡± Xu Fan¡¯s tone grew serious. He took another step forward. ¡°I have detailed information on the Whisperer. Do you want it?¡± Yu Hong wrote, simultaneously retreating to the edge of the courtyard. ¡°I was just about to ask¡ªMr. Yu, why do you keep writing instead of speaking? Do you have a throat problem?¡± Xu Fan frowned. ¡°Speaking of which, lately, new dangers have been appearing more frequently. Mr. Yu, staying here alone might not be safe. You really need a few reliable helpers.¡± ¡°We can discuss that later. I can¡¯t leave the lab¡ªmany machines can¡¯t be moved. As for the writing, it¡¯s related to the Whisperer. You might want to reconsider whether you need this information. Old Li and I had a run-in with him and barely made it out alive.¡± Hearing that the machines couldn¡¯t be moved, Xu Fan fell silent, seemingly deep in thought. He had initially planned to abduct Yu Hong, forcing him to provide logistics and equipment upgrades for his team. But upon hearing about the immovable machines, he hesitated. Though slightly skeptical, he dismissed the idea. ?£Á?§°????¦¥? Indeed, no matter how skilled an expert was, without high-precision machines, they would be powerless. And machines required power, water, and material supplies¡ªall fixed necessities that couldn¡¯t simply be relocated. This confirmed that Yu Hong was backed by a mysterious lab or organization supporting his research. After a dozen seconds, Xu Fan completely abandoned his kidnapping plan and spoke again. ¡°What do you need?¡± ¡°Three small things,¡± Yu Hong wrote quickly. ¡°First, dig up enough Luminous Stones for me. Second, get me a discarded nuclear generator. Third¡ª¡± ¡°Wait a minute! A nuclear generator is not a small thing!¡± Xu Fan interrupted immediately. ¡°Even if it¡¯s broken, the reactor core would¡¯ve been removed, making it useless. Those things are prized possessions of every major faction. Where the hell am I supposed to get one for you?¡± ¡°A detailed report on the Whisperer could save your life.¡± Yu Hong pulled out a piece of paper and wrote. ¡°The problem is that your request is too high.¡± Xu Fan sighed. ¡°However, if your intel is really valuable, you could directly trade it with those organizations, or even the United Army¡¯s Hope City, to get a nuclear generator.¡± Yu Hong remained silent. He wasn¡¯t sure if that would work, but it was worth a try. He could reach out to Li Runshan and use the Post Office to make contact. ¡°I can¡¯t do anything about the other requests, but digging up some Luminous Stones is easy. I¡¯ll get it done for you soon!¡± Xu Fan promised heartily, patting his chest. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll give you a copy of the Whisperer¡¯s intel.¡± Yu Hong quickly wrote a summarized version and handed it over. It was information Old Li already knew¡ªnothing valuable. He planned to trade the more detailed intel with the Post Office. Xu Fan took the paper, skimmed through it, and his expression immediately changed under his helmet. Now he understood why Yu Hong insisted on writing instead of speaking. The two soon parted ways, and Xu Fan hurried off to inform his teammates, who were waiting in a nearby vehicle. Yu Hong watched them leave before turning toward Baiqiu Village. In the distance, he noticed unfamiliar people moving about the houses. They wore ragged clothes, looked filthy and dispirited. They seemed to be cooking something in the middle of the village, with smoke rising visibly into the sky. Yu Hong thought for a moment. The Post Office¡¯s stone house had plenty of basement rooms¡ªenough for over ten people. If Old Li could recruit useful talents from these refugees, it might help alleviate their manpower shortage. But that was Old Li¡¯s concern. His current priority was still training, striving to reach the ninth level of inner energy as soon as possible. The threat of the Butcher had only reinforced his need for greater strength. Be it humans, Evil shadows, or the Blood Tide¡ªhe needed more power and more ways to counter them. He had planned to use the Black Mark to develop techniques against Ghostly Shadows and Evil Shadows, but for now, the Black Mark wasn¡¯t free to use. Moreover, he hadn¡¯t forgotten that when enhancing things with the Black Mark, his inner energy allowed him to rapidly recover and replenish his stamina. Like during the extreme symbol formation test¡ªwithout inner energy, a single enhancement would have left him lying unconscious for seven or eight hours. Or when synthesizing Luminous Stone Grass, which had completely drained his inner energy in one go. Looking back, he suspected that without his inner energy as a backup, he might not have been able to synthesize the Luminous Stone Grass at all. Many times, the Black Mark seemed to calculate his inner energy limit before providing feedback on whether an enhancement was possible. He had noticed this pattern multiple times. Back in his cave, after handling bodily necessities, Yu Hong resumed training. Before long, noon passed, and by mid-afternoon, around three or four o¡¯clock, he was about to finish his session and head out to chop firewood. Suddenly, a muffled thud echoed from within his body. His heart clenched, and standing inside the cave, sweat immediately poured from his body, soaking his clothes within minutes. The heat radiating from his body turned the reinforced White Bear suit hot and unbearable, the humidity making it suffocating. Thick steam billowed out from the suit¡¯s ventilation holes at the shoulders, resembling white smoke. This state lasted a full five minutes before it slowly subsided. Finally. Yu Hong stood in place, his body trembling slightly. Then, he reached up, removed his helmet, and revealed a beaming smile. ¡°I finally did it! The ninth strand of inner energy!¡± Reaching the ninth strand meant he could begin a full-body enhancement, which would allow him to enter the second¡ª Boom!! Just as Yu Hong was carefully sensing the ninth strand of inner energy in his abdomen, the nine strands suddenly compressed into a single mass before violently exploding. From contraction to detonation, the entire process took less than a second. The violent explosion instantly sent shockwaves through every drop of blood in Yu Hong¡¯s body. It even seemed to generate a strange force field that spread throughout his entire being. His focus had been centered on his abdomen, and when the explosion struck, he was momentarily stunned. His mind went completely blank¡ªhe couldn¡¯t feel anything, couldn¡¯t hear anything. One second. Two seconds. Three seconds. Soon, inside the cave, Yu Hong¡¯s body began to tremble and distort slightly. He remained standing, but his muscles expanded in waves, swelling as if being inflated. Then, they rapidly contracted, tightening against his bones, only to swell again. This repeated nine times. At last, Yu Hong¡¯s physique stabilized. Originally, he had been just over 170 centimeters tall, but after the transformation, he now stood at 180 centimeters. Shhh. Yu Hong snapped back to awareness, quickly removed his suit and clothing, and looked down at himself. On the skin of his abdomen, there was now a black vortex-like mark, about the size of an egg. ¡®So this is full-body enhancement?¡¯ He carefully examined the changes in his body. Shhh. He threw a quick jab forward. A sensation of lightness and fluidity surged through him, reaching deep into his core. After training with Li Runshan for so long, he had picked up the basics of boxing techniques. Previously, when throwing a jab, he always felt somewhat sluggish and awkward. But now, his speed was significantly faster, and his movements were much smoother. Raising his fist, Yu Hong noticed that the previously thin transparent keratin layer on his skin had thickened and become noticeably tougher. He reached out and touched it¡ªit felt like a layer of thick leather. Bang! Suddenly, he crouched and punched the cave floor. No pain. Only a slight sensation of impact and compression transmitted back through his fist. Lifting his hand, Yu Hong froze in shock. Beneath his fist, the stone floor had formed a deep, fractured imprint. It wasn¡¯t just a fist mark¡ªit was an indentation filled with shattered stone and fine dust. ¡®Breaking stone bare-handed? That¡¯s insane!¡¯ Yu Hong had speculated about what the first layer breakthrough would bring, but now that the transformation had happened, he was still in disbelief. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡®Too bad there¡¯s nothing around to properly test my strength.¡¯ Standing up straight, he put on the reinforced White Bear suit again, grabbed his massive wooden shield and spiked club, and moved around freely. Something strange happened. An hour ago, these heavy weapons had felt burdensome. But now, they felt as light as a feather¡ªno longer a strain at all. Boom. Boom. Yu Hong walked a few steps inside the cave, swinging his club experimentally. It wasn¡¯t an illusion¡ªhis speed had indeed increased dramatically. ¡®I need a benchmark.¡¯ He opened the door, stepped outside, and scanned his surroundings. Before long, he found a large boulder, half-buried in the ground. The rock¡¯s surface was rough, covered in layers of brownish patterns. Approaching it, Yu Hong took a deep breath, then suddenly threw a full-force punch. Boom! His gloved fist struck the rock, causing it to violently tremble in the soil. His fist sank halfway into the stone, and from the point of impact, black cracks spread outward like a spiderweb. Crash! The massive millstone-sized rock instantly shattered into pieces, crumbling to the ground. ¡®What the¡ª?! This is insane!!¡¯ Yu Hong stared at the scene before him, utterly dumbfounded. Just how much had his strength increased?! To cause this level of destruction with a single punch?! (End of chapter) Chapter 83: Gloomy (3) ~~~ Thank Thyme for the bonus chapters ~~ Startled, Yu Hong picked up a few more of the large rocks he had found earlier and smashed them into fragments with his fists. Only after confirming that his strength was indeed real and undiminished did he fully grasp the exaggerated effects of the Heavy Leg Art¡¯s full-body enhancement. Strength, explosiveness, stamina, and endurance¡ªall had improved across the board after some simple tests. The most significant increases were in strength and explosiveness, while the others saw only slight improvements. Even so, this put him in a great mood. As dusk approached, he returned from the forest to the cave. Before he even got close, he noticed a large, rough, milky-white stone stacked in one corner of the courtyard. He paused for a moment, then quickened his pace into the courtyard and approached the stone. The stone was nearly as tall as he was, with a diameter of over a meter, and had been placed upright in the corner near the entrance steps of the safe house. Footprints left in the dirt from its transport were still clearly visible. Yu Hong reached out and pulled a piece of paper from between the stone and the mountain wall. The note contained a brief message: ¡°The promised Luminous Stone has been delivered¡ªXu.¡± ¡°Xu Fan?¡± Yu Hong immediately realized who it was. That guy sure was efficient. He had just mentioned mining luminous stones, and now a massive piece had already been delivered. This one chunk would last him a long time. Given the negative red value concentration of the luminous stone grass in the yard, he wasn¡¯t worried about passing Wraiths draining this raw luminous stone anytime soon. After confirming the sender, Yu Hong ascended the steps and entered the house. With only a few days left until the luminous stone grass formation¡¯s reinforcement was complete, he didn¡¯t want any changes disrupting the process. He decided to stay put in the safe house and guard the formation for the remaining days. And that was exactly what he did. For the next few days, Yu Hong stayed inside obediently. He didn¡¯t even visit the Post Office, focusing solely on adapting to his newly enhanced physical capabilities. Finally, the last day of the formation¡¯s reinforcement arrived. He stationed himself at the entrance early in the morning, watching the countdown numbers on the ground and waiting quietly. To pass the time, he occasionally glanced toward Baiqiu Village in the distance. ¡°What happened to the newcomers in Baiqiu Village?¡± Yu Hong was curious about how they had survived these past days. Recently, the night had become even more dangerous, with flying Devourers appearing on occasion, far more threatening than before. In Baiqiu Village, he could faintly see people moving in and out, seemingly transporting goods. The village perimeter had been enclosed by a raised stone wall, blocking parts of the inner buildings from view. ¡°Are they fortifying the village? Planning to turn it into a fortress?¡± Yu Hong speculated. As he alternated between practicing and resting, he observed both the formation and the village. The second level of the Heavy Leg Technique required him to accumulate new inner energy¡ªagain, nine segments in total. But now that he had grasped the key technique, increasing his body weight and training intensity allowed him to accumulate energy much faster. ?????¦­??????? At his current pace, he estimated he could condense the first inner energy segment of the second level within a week. ¡°The second level¡¯s inner energy condensation is clearly more difficult than the first. It requires much more energy. But that should also mean the inner energy burst will be far stronger, making it an excellent power source for reinforcing the Black Mark. This should allow me to enhance even more things.¡± Yu Hong was filled with anticipation. The outside world was too dangerous. His greatest wish now was to complete the safe house¡¯s self-sufficiency as soon as possible. To achieve self-sufficiency, safety came first. Only then could he secure energy, water, and food. The reinforcement of the formation was his first major step toward this goal. As he was deep in thought, a faint sound of footsteps came from the nearby forest. The crunching of shoes stepping on dry leaves was particularly sharp in this season, standing out even against the wind. Snapping out of his thoughts, Yu Hong looked toward the source of the sound. He was already standing outside the yard, avoiding the radiation field. From this position, his view was unobstructed by the yard walls. Soon, he caught sight of the approaching figures. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A short man in a dark gray hoodie was leading a group of three¡ªone man and two women¡ªtoward him. The short man had dark skin and a resolute expression, but his eyes carried a deep worry. He seemed to be in his thirties, walking with steady, cautious steps, as if measuring every move. The three following him were different. They all looked under thirty and had a strong student-like aura. One young man had a fair, handsome face. Though his face was smudged with dirt and soot, it couldn¡¯t hide his delicate, almost submissive demeanor. Among the two women, one wore a red short-sleeved shirt and denim shorts. Her high ponytail swayed as she walked. She had a cold demeanor and an average face, but her tall legs, perky hips, and slim waist made her a classic ¡°back-view killer.¡± The other girl was adorable, with baby-fat cheeks and two dimples. She had black hair styled into twin tails, a petite figure, and a flat chest, giving her a distinct anime-like appearance. However, her eyes were red and puffy¡ªclearly, she had been crying recently. As Yu Hong spotted them, the four also noticed him. Their eyes immediately lit up, as if they had found their savior. They quickened their pace toward him. Soon, they stopped ten meters away, standing without any apparent wariness¡ªcompletely unguarded against Yu Hong, who was clad in full-body ballistic armor. This particular sense of ease reminded Yu Hong of students who had just stepped into society. ¡°Hello, are you Mr. Yu Hong? We are the Wu Shan Sports Academy convoy that recently settled here. We escaped from Yuhe. I¡¯m Song Mingshi, a faculty leader. Postal worker Li Runshan told us that we could trade for some Great luminous stone rune arrays here. Is that true?¡± The short, stocky man took a step forward, speaking politely with a low posture. Song Mingshi? Yu Hong examined him and noticed a large slingshot and a forearm-length dagger at his waist. He then observed the other three¡ªthey only had wooden sticks. Clearly, this faculty leader Song Mingshi was the ¡°muscle¡± of the group. Judging by his movement and posture, however, he wasn¡¯t much stronger than an ordinary person. His steps lacked the instinctive control of body strength that Old Li displayed. A dangerous group. That was Yu Hong¡¯s evaluation. Not that they were a threat to him, but that they were at high risk of running into danger. Having survived multiple crises, Yu Hong could tell just how inexperienced and weak they were. ¡°I¡¯m Yu Hong. Sorry, but I¡¯m currently having issues with the Great luminous stone rune array and won¡¯t be selling them for now. It will take some time.¡± He replied calmly. ¡°Not selling?¡± Song Mingshi was stunned, and the three students behind him visibly reacted, their expressions shifting. ¡°Mr. Yu, we originally set out with the supply convoy, but something happened along the way, and we were forced to scatter. My group¡ªtwo teachers and thirteen students¡ªhasn¡¯t had a proper meal in two days. With Ghostly Shadows constantly appearing nearby, we desperately need some large luminous stones to help set up a barrier. Would you be able to spare us some?¡± Song Mingshi pleaded earnestly. ¡°The supply convoy ran into trouble?¡± Yu Hong¡¯s heart tightened, his expression turning serious beneath his helmet. ¡°Was it the convoy heading this way?¡± he asked quickly. ¡°Yes. We encountered something unknown along the way, and more than half of the convoy members vanished in an instant. Without the guards and leaders, everyone grabbed what supplies they could and fled separately. No one dared to stay with the convoy,¡± Song Mingshi said helplessly. ¡°When did this happen?¡± Yu Hong asked again, his face darkening. Without the supply convoy, he and Old Li wouldn¡¯t be able to replenish their food stores and would have to rely entirely on self-sufficiency. That meant he¡¯d need more hands for labor. ¡°About five days ago,¡± Song Mingshi replied. ¡°This is bad news.¡± Yu Hong let out a breath. The recent crisis had just passed, and things were only starting to settle down¡ªnow, the supply convoy had met disaster. ¡°What did Li Runshan tell you? Why did he send you to find me?¡± After a brief pause, Yu Hong asked. ¡°Mr. Li took some silver coins from us and gave us your location. If possible, we¡¯d also like to exchange silver coins for some food and medicine,¡± Song Mingshi admitted, finally revealing their true intent. These people had been able to travel with the supply convoy and even persuade Li Runshan¡ªclearly, they had money. No wonder they had managed to stay in Baiqiu Village without running into trouble. They must have ample resources. ¡°Forget the money¡ªwho knows how long it will still hold value in this world? What do you have to trade? Tell me,¡± Yu Hong said casually. If they had something useful, he wouldn¡¯t mind making an exchange. After all, today was the day the large sigil formation would be fully reinforced. ¡°We have a newly developed lightless mushroom strain from Yinta called ¡®pig-leg mushrooms.¡¯ We also have the latest water purifiers, repair tools, hand-crank generators, and blankets,¡± Song Mingshi answered quickly. ¡°Anything else?¡± Yu Hong frowned. ¡°Uh¡­ you don¡¯t need these?¡± Song Mingshi asked, looking a little helpless. ¡°Not really. Also, how long do you plan to stay here? There¡¯s no way I can provide food for so many people,¡± Yu Hong said. ¡°After we recover, we plan to head toward Baihe City. We¡¯ve heard that a lot of refugees have gathered there,¡± Song Mingshi explained. He was starting to grow anxious¡ªYu Hong didn¡¯t seem interested in anything they had to offer. ¡°How about this¡ªif large luminous stones aren¡¯t available, we can go to the mines and dig for ordinary luminous stones ourselves. But what about antibiotics? Some of our people have had persistent high fevers. Mr. Yu, could you spare us some medicine?¡± ¡°I can give you some. A one-day dose per person will cost five silver coins. Is that acceptable?¡± Yu Hong said in a steady voice. He wasn¡¯t a charity¡ªif he gave things away for free, people would only take advantage of him and keep coming back for more. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ way too expensive!¡± Song Mingshi¡¯s expression changed slightly. At that price, they had no way of knowing how effective the medicine was or how long a full course of treatment would take. What if the effect was weak, and they needed to take it for a long time? ¡°Besides, I only have three doses right now. I need to keep some for myself, and I don¡¯t have time to make more at the moment,¡± Yu Hong said bluntly. ¡°Take it or leave it.¡± He realized that these people had no real grasp of their situation. In this kind of environment, antibiotics were far more valuable than silver coins. In fact, with the supply convoy unable to reach them, silver coins were completely worthless. In this isolated world, a single dose of antibiotics could mean the difference between life and death. The fact that Yu Hong was even willing to trade them was already an act of generosity. (End of chapter) Chapter 84: Gloomy (4) ~~~ Thank Thyme for the bonus chapters ~~ ¡°Alright, alright, we¡¯ll swap them all,¡± Song Mingshi sighed. Behind him, three students stood, with only the baby-faced twin-tailed girl remaining neutral. The other two looked displeased, feeling this trade was unfair. ¡°In the city, the market price is only one silver coin for a day¡¯s supply,¡± the male student muttered under his breath. The purchasing power of Silver Tower coins remained strong, enough to exchange for a decent amount of food. But here, with Yu Hong, the price had been multiplied by five! It was outright profiteering. Soon, Yu Hong retrieved three portions of anti-inflammatory medicine from the cave and completed the exchange with the four. The group quickly carried the medicine back to the village, while Yu Hong returned to his courtyard, waiting for the grand array to fully activate. The countdown ticked away: ¡¯03 minutes.¡¯ ¡¯02 minutes.¡¯ ¡¯01 minute.¡¯ With Yu Hong watching intently, the lush, Luminous stone grass within the rocky courtyard glowed with a faint white light the moment the countdown reached zero. At the same time, in complete silence, an enormous Rune Array surfaced from the ground, covering the entire courtyard. The Array was entirely white, and the moment it appeared, it stirred the air into subtle currents, forming a gentle breeze. Standing outside the courtyard, Yu Hong held a red-value detector in hand and clearly saw the numbers on the device rapidly increasing. Previously, the courtyard¡¯s negative value averaged around -120 to -130, but now, as the Array emerged, the number skyrocketed. Yu Hong watched in astonishment as the value surged past 130, climbed to 160, then 250, 300, 500, 800¡ª1,000! After exceeding 1,000, it gained another seventy or eighty points before finally slowing down and stabilizing. Then, the Array¡¯s white glow quickly dimmed and disappeared, and the red value started to drop from over 1,000, swiftly returning to around -100. ¡°Just like the Arrays, the radiation is now condensing instead of leaking. That¡¯s a good sign!¡± Yu Hong nodded to himself. The Arrays he crafted worked exactly like this¡ªnormally, their radiation levels were much lower than those of Great Luminous stones. But when facing ghostly threats, they would rapidly activate, surpassing even the stones in intensity. This was one of the reasons why Rune Arrays were so popular¡ªthey significantly reduced the risk of contracting Great Luminous Stone Disease. ¡°Over a thousand in negative value¡­!¡± Yu Hong exhaled deeply as he watched the massive Rune Array fade into the ground. ¡°And this is a self-replenishing array. Normal Ghostly Shadows won¡¯t even be able to approach, and even something like a Withered Woman might not dare to get close.¡± ??N???? S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The grand array¡¯s completion gave him a strong sense of security. A three-thousand-value array had completely neutralized the Whisperer, and the Withered Maiden had weakened considerably under a silver array with a mere -500 value. As these thoughts passed through his mind, Yu Hong remembered the news brought by the academy students earlier. Without wasting time, he headed toward Old Li¡¯s place. He needed to check if his water supply system had arrived. Ten Minutes Later Yu Hong reached the stone post office but was surprised to see two young women inside, tidying up the yard and maintaining the fence. Both wore completely out-of-place gray, low-cut yoga outfits that accentuated their curvy figures. Their faces had light makeup, the kind popular in peacetime. As they worked, their every movement seemed oddly out of sync with the current world. Meanwhile, little Aisena stood by the door with her arms crossed and lips pouting¡ªclearly displeased with the newcomers. It was obvious she didn¡¯t welcome them. ¡°Yu Hong! You¡¯re here. Come, come!¡± Li Runshan, who was busy inside, noticed Yu Hong and cheerfully stepped out, spreading his arms for a hug. ¡°What the hell are you up to?¡± Yu Hong obliged with a brief hug before asking in a low voice. ¡°I found some helpers! The heavens show mercy, and since I was going to take in people anyway, why not pick some good-looking ones?¡± Li Runshan replied matter-of-factly. ¡°Can you handle them?¡± Yu Hong questioned. ¡°One¡¯s helping me grow mushrooms, the other¡¯s taking care of the lizards. This frees up my time so I can spend more of it with Nana,¡± Li Runshan said naturally. ¡°Hah¡­ just don¡¯t cause trouble,¡± Yu Hong smirked, knowing this guy was simply indulging his lust. ¡°There are plenty of people in the village. If you need talent, you can go pick someone. Most of these people are desperate for food and water¡ªthey won¡¯t last much longer.¡± Li Runshan lowered his voice. ¡°You hoard food, don¡¯t you? Why not share it to help them?¡± Yu Hong sneered. ¡°What, only the pretty ones count as people?¡± ¡°Come on, that¡¯s not fair. I¡¯m just trying to find someone to take care of Nana. She¡¯s growing up, and as her father, I can¡¯t be the one giving her baths forever,¡± Li Runshan argued. Yu Hong didn¡¯t bother debating further. He wasn¡¯t the type to let just anyone into his home. He could make exceptions for Little Stutterer, maybe even Dr. Xu, but that was it. ¡°Alright, alright, where¡¯s my water system?¡± ¡°I was just getting to that. It¡¯s inside¡ªcome see which parts are damaged,¡± Old Li said, leading Yu Hong inside. In the living room, the water supply system lay in pieces, dismantled into various components. It was a simple setup¡ªjust a series of pipes, a high-powered silent water pump, and control valves. The key, however, was that it was made with a bit of Sunlight-series material, making it resistant to Blood Tide bugs. Yu Hong quickly assessed the damage¡ªthe core water pump was broken. But that didn¡¯t matter to him. With his Black Seal, nothing was beyond repair. He grabbed a pile of parts and headed back. On his way out, he noticed Li Runshan sneaking off with one of the girls, supposedly to gather firewood, but really just groping around behind the house. He was speechless. While he knew Old Li had ¡°needs,¡± this level of casual behavior was ridiculous. Returning to his safehouse, Yu Hong stashed the water system components in the newly carved underground stone chamber. Then, he picked up the red-value detector, preparing to enhance it¡ªhe didn¡¯t want to be caught off guard like with the Whisperer. Placing his hand on the detector, he focused on the modifications: increased sensitivity, expanded detection range, extended battery life, and integration into his reinforced White Bear Suit. As dark lines seeped from the Black Seal, a countdown appeared: ¡®6 hours 17 minutes.¡¯ Once he confirmed the enhancement process had begun, Yu Hong sat by the fireplace, gazing through the reinforced glass window. He pondered what to send to Little Stutterer. After some thought, he decided to wait until the detector was upgraded. If the results were promising, he¡¯d send one her way. Unlike arrays, which were single-use, a fully charged detector could last a long time, and there were charging stations in the city. In terms of safety, it was far superior. As he lay down, waiting for the enhancement to finish, Yu Hong unknowingly drifted into sleep. This was his routine¡ªafter morning training, he always took a midday nap to ensure he had enough energy for the afternoon. Normally, he¡¯d sleep for about an hour and a half. But this time, something unexpected happened. Knock, knock, knock, knock. A series of cautious knocks woke Yu Hong. He slowly opened his eyes and saw someone standing outside the window¡ªit was the baby-faced girl from earlier that morning. The girl¡¯s eyes were even redder, slightly swollen. She had changed into a rather cute white lace princess dress. From this side of the glass, Yu Hong could clearly see the thick, pure-white stockings under her skirt, accentuating the graceful curves of her legs. Although she was short, her proportions, highlighted by this outfit, looked rather decent. ¡°Do you need something?¡± Yu Hong stood up, walked behind the stone wall, and asked through the door. ¡°Excuse me¡­ could you possibly spare one more portion of anti-inflammatory medicine? Please!¡± The girl bowed deeply, only to bang her forehead against the door with a loud thud, immediately crying out in pain. ¡°I already told you, I don¡¯t have any more. I¡¯ve given away all I could spare,¡± Yu Hong replied expressionlessly. ¡°But¡­ but the medicine really isn¡¯t enough!¡± The girl¡¯s voice trembled as she tried to suppress her sobs. ¡°The medicine from this morning¡­ my mother didn¡¯t get any at all! The others took it all before she could¡­ please, I beg you!¡± Yu Hong fell silent. He did still have some medicine. After selling three portions, he had kept a small reserve for himself, and even if he ran out, he could always gather more ingredients to make more. But making medicine took time. And besides, he had always believed in the principle of fair exchange. No one could take something from him without offering something of equal value. After experiencing people taking advantage of his generosity time and time again, he had become even firmer in this belief. ¡°I can spare you one last portion. But this time, it¡¯ll cost six silver coins,¡± Yu Hong replied calmly. He needed her to pay a higher price¡ªonly then would people stop having unrealistic expectations of him. ¡°One portion¡­ might not be enough¡­ could you spare one more? My father works in Aurora City. Once we get there, we¡¯ll definitely repay you!¡± the girl pleaded, her voice filled with desperation. ¡°Aurora City?¡± Yu Hong¡¯s heart stirred. Now he understood¡ªthis group was clearly made up of privileged second-generation elites. Not a single one of them was an ordinary person. After all, what kind of commoner could casually take out so many silver coins and evacuate with the supply convoy? ¡°Can you get your hands on Sunlight-series materials?¡± Yu Hong suddenly asked. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not sure¡­ My father works at the Energy Research Institute¡­ he specializes in nuclear energy miniaturization research,¡± the girl hesitated before answering. Nuclear energy miniaturization?! Yu Hong¡¯s heart trembled. Right now, his most ideal power source was nuclear energy. If he could obtain a nuclear battery¡ªeven an incomplete version¡ªhe could enhance it with the Black Seal and create a fully functional one. That would be a game-changer. A complete transformation. A one-time upgrade that would take his capabilities to an entirely new level! ¡°How can you prove that?¡± He suppressed his excitement and asked in a deep voice. ¡°My mother and I joined the supply convoy because my father arranged it through the postal system. If you want to verify, you can check through the postal network,¡± the girl answered smoothly, as if she had repeated this explanation multiple times before. Yu Hong¡¯s thoughts shifted. He knew for a fact that Li Runshan had real-time communication equipment at the post office. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll head to the post office right now to verify your story. If everything checks out, then we can have a serious discussion.¡± ¡°By the way, what¡¯s your name?¡± he asked. ¡°Wei Shanshan. My father¡¯s name is Wei Hongye. He¡¯s the deputy director of the research institute,¡± the girl replied softly. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s head to the post office now to confirm your identity. No objections, right?¡± Yu Hong said decisively. (End of Chapter) Chapter 85: The Situation (1) ~~~ Thank Thyme for the bonus chapters ~~ Yu Hong led Wei Shanshan toward the post office. Though it was only a ten-minute walk, the girl was panting heavily, her face flushed red, and she had to bend over to rest frequently. It took them a full half-hour of slow trudging before they finally arrived at the stone post office. Old Li was in the courtyard, chatting with two tall young men. Seeing Yu Hong approach, he immediately waved enthusiastically. ¡°Xiao Yu, what brings you here at this hour?¡± Yu Hong glanced at the two men and noticed their brows furrow slightly upon seeing Wei Shanshan, as if they recognized her. That was enough to clue him in. He pulled Old Li aside and quietly explained the situation. ¡°This is a small matter. I was just about to report the supply team¡¯s situation to the higher-ups. This incident has caused quite a stir, and they¡¯ve promised to send reinforcements, but it will take a few days,¡± Li Runshan lowered his voice. He glanced at Wei Shanshan and the two men. ¡°Most of these people are either rich or powerful, with special identities. If something really happens to them, the impact will be huge. So, I have to lend a hand where I can. If you have any spare Rune Array, sell them to them. Don¡¯t worry, charge as much as you want¡ªthese people have money.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Yu Hong grinned, but his smile quickly faded. ¡°What about those flying bugs, the Devourers? Can you handle them?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. As long as we hide underground, we¡¯re safe,¡± Li Runshan nodded. ¡°But I¡¯ve received intel that the Black Disaster is accelerating. The outside world is getting more dangerous¡ªespecially the wilderness. In the future, only heavily armed supply convoys with elite combat strength will be able to connect cities. This could be a real problem. Small places like ours might be completely cut off when they shorten the supply routes.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the higher-ups¡¯ response?¡± Yu Hong¡¯s heart sank. If the supply convoys couldn¡¯t come, or if their arrival frequency was reduced, both he and Old Li would be in big trouble. No wonder the guy had started taking in people¡ªit was a survival strategy. ¡°There¡¯s no response. The Black DIsaster has been steadily worsening since it first appeared, but now its growth rate is increasing. Why do you think I¡¯m taking in people? It¡¯s all about planning ahead,¡± Li Runshan chuckled. ¡°I need to expand the lizard pens, dig up humus soil¡ªit¡¯s impossible to do everything alone. Not to mention mining radiant stone, maintaining buildings, and taking care of Nana. There¡¯s too much work for just me.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, you¡¯ve got such noble reasons,¡± Yu Hong scoffed, unconvinced. ¡°Forget about me¡ªyou should start recruiting people too. I¡¯ll give you a breeding box for free. You need to start growing mushrooms. If even we get cut off from supplies, that would be the real disaster,¡± Li Runshan¡¯s tone became serious. As he spoke, he suddenly smacked his forehead as if remembering something. ¡°Wait here.¡± He dashed into the stone house and soon returned with a black, box-like device. He shoved it into Yu Hong¡¯s hands and whispered, ¡°This is an instant communicator. It works within a one-kilometer radius. We can use this to stay in touch.¡± Yu Hong took the box and gave it a shake. The contents clattered lightly, indicating there were quite a few components inside. ¡°Good stuff! And we both have solar chargers.¡± ¡°Yeah. By the way, I checked¡ªWei Shanshan¡¯s name is indeed on the list I received. Her father, Wei Hongye, is a top expert in nuclear energy research,¡± Li Runshan shifted the conversation. ¡°Are you planning to get something from her? Just a heads-up, this girl is part of the specialized aid team. She¡¯s probably used her identity to get help all the way here. I doubt you¡¯re the first person she¡¯s promised something to.¡± ????????¨¨s ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. As long as it¡¯s valuable, that¡¯s all that counts. It also depends on whether her father is willing,¡± Yu Hong said indifferently. ¡°Can you contact her father?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try,¡± Li Runshan nodded. He gave a few instructions to the three people outside before heading back into the stone house. Yu Hong and the others waited quietly. About ten minutes later, Old Li came back out and waved Yu Hong over. Yu Hong¡¯s heart stirred, and he stepped inside. Wei Shanshan was also called in right after him. They sat down at a wooden table in the living room, facing a silver, speaker-like device. A worried, slightly high-pitched male voice came through the speaker. ¡°This is Wei Hongye. Is Shanshan there?¡± ¡°Dad! I¡¯m here! I¡¯m right here!!¡± The moment she heard her father¡¯s voice, Wei Shanshan¡¯s eyes turned red, and large tears rolled down her face. ¡°Mom¡­ Mom isn¡¯t going to make it! We have no medicine left! I¡¯m so scared of the infections¡­ And the monsters are everywhere outside! We just found a place to rest, but in a few days, several people have already died¡ª¡± She collapsed against the communicator, sobbing uncontrollably as she recounted their journey. Yu Hong listened silently. After the supply team was attacked, this group had fled with some resources, constantly chased by unseen horrors. Many had died along the way, but those who survived had gradually adapted. Just as they got used to the Ghostly Shadow, another nightmare appeared at night¡ªthe Devourers. Within moments, several more people were lost. At that point, the teachers and bodyguards among them began to break down. They started prioritizing only their most important charges, leaving the rest to fend for themselves. ¡°Right now, the team is split into three groups: high-ranking United Army officials¡¯ children, local government officials¡¯ children, and us¡ªrelatives of researchers. We have the least protection! Any aid that arrives, they take first. The very first night here, we already lost two people,¡± Wei Shanshan choked out. ¡°What about Yan Xudong? Didn¡¯t that kid promise to protect you?!¡± Wei Hongye¡¯s voice was sharp with fury. ¡°Brother Dong¡­ he¡­ He went out to fetch water on the second day and never came back,¡± Wei Shanshan cried. There was silence on the other end of the line, followed by a long sigh. ¡°The postman assisting this call is¡­?¡± ¡°This humble one is Li Runshan. No need for formalities, just call me Old Li,¡± Li Runshan quickly replied. ¡°You heard my daughter¡¯s situation. Can you¡­?¡± Wei Hongye asked. ¡°Providing shelter is no issue. The problem is the lack of antibiotics. I¡¯ve run out¡ªI only had a few doses, and Yu Hong is the only one nearby who still has some. The key now is to negotiate a trade with him,¡± Li Runshan explained. ¡°Is Mr. Yu Hong there?¡± ¡°He¡¯s right here.¡± ¡°Alright. Mr. Yu, could you please help my wife and daughter? Whatever compensation you require, I will make sure you receive it,¡± Wei Hongye said sincerely. Yu Hong had been waiting for this moment. ¡°Fine. I need a micro nuclear battery. Can you get me one?¡± ¡°Nuclear batteries¡­ The technology for micro nuclear batteries is still far from completion,¡± Wei Hongye replied, slightly exasperated. ¡°I need a long-term, stable indoor power source. I don¡¯t know much about this field, but if you can solve this problem for me, I¡¯ll protect your wife and daughter,¡± Yu Hong responded swiftly. There was a brief silence. ¡°I understand. However, nuclear materials are heavily restricted¡ªI don¡¯t have the authority to allocate them privately. But¡­¡± S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°But what?¡± Yu Hong frowned. ¡°But near your location, there¡¯s an abandoned town that contains what you need. I can give you the exact coordinates.¡± Wei Hongye didn¡¯t state it explicitly, but his meaning was clear. As a high-ranking official in the nuclear research institute, he couldn¡¯t openly admit to misusing official resources to provide someone with nuclear energy equipment through postal communications. However, by offering a crucial piece of intelligence and letting Yu Hong retrieve it himself, it became an entirely different matter. The only question was¡ªhow many people had he sold this information to? Legitimate, compliant, and reasonable. ¡°Alright!¡± Yu Hong immediately understood the implication. Although there was a risk of being deceived, he had no other choice in this situation. If he could truly obtain a nuclear energy system, he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about power issues for decades. A short-term reactor could last thirty years, while a long-term one could even run for sixty. With energy secured, the water supply system could also function, ensuring a stable source of water. ¡°My condition is that you and Mr. Li must protect Shanshan and her mother until the new rescue team arrives. The item you requested will be delivered along with them. Do we have a deal?¡± Wei Hongye said solemnly. ¡°Deal!¡± Yu Hong agreed without hesitation. It was essentially a gamble¡ªif it paid off, the benefits would be immense. If it didn¡¯t, he¡¯d have only wasted a few days, which wasn¡¯t a big loss. ¡°But how can I be sure your information is reliable?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee it,¡± Wei Hongye admitted after a brief pause. ¡°But I can give you another critical piece of information.¡± ¡°Go on,¡± Yu Hong prompted. ¡°Aurora City and Silver Tower are on the verge of collapse. Casualties at the front lines have been catastrophic¡ªno one can withstand the nightmare-level Black Disaster. It ignores most of our weapons, and only sunlight materials can repel or defend against it. But the production of sunlight materials is far too low. Ever since the last elite suicide squad went missing last month, the situation has spiraled out of control.¡± Wei Hongye sighed. ¡°Out of control? What do you mean?¡± Yu Hong¡¯s expression turned serious. Beside him, Li Runshan also looked grim¡ªclearly, this was news to him as well. ¡°Exactly what it sounds like. The front lines can¡¯t hold anymore. The real danger is coming. The Evil Shadow are just minor problems compared to what¡¯s ahead¡ªWar-class, Nightmare-class, and even the newly emerging Despair gates.¡± ¡°The United Army?¡± Li Runshan asked. ¡°Let me tell you a fact,¡± Wei Hongye said. ¡°The United Army¡¯s weapons are ineffective against many Evil shadow Calamities, including Luminous Stone weapons. These creatures can¡¯t be completely exterminated or truly killed. Even Ghostly Shadows, once dispersed by Luminous Stone weapons, will regenerate and reappear shortly after. So, if the defense line collapses, those rapidly recovering monsters will break through as well.¡± ¡°What about nuclear bombs? Why not use them?¡± Li Runshan couldn¡¯t help but interrupt. ¡°Who says they haven¡¯t?¡± Wei Hongye countered. (End of Chapter) Chapter 86: The Situation (2) ~~~ Thank Thyme for the bonus chapters ~~ Silence. No one present knew what to say. Yu Hong had known things were bad, but he hadn¡¯t expected them to be this dire. ¡°This is the situation, Mr. Yu. The rescue team should arrive in about ten days. It might take longer, or it could arrive earlier. What about your side?¡± ¡°I have no problem.¡± Yu Hong calculated his protein bar reserves. His best source of sustenance was the dried lizard meat he had bought from Old Li¡ªa bag of ten pieces. A normal person could only last two days on that, but he could stretch it to ten. That was a fivefold difference. Right now, he had over two hundred protein bars stored in his cave shelter. That was from the last supply shipment, along with what Old Li had managed to raise himself. Previously, Old Yu alone had been able to supply food for an entire group. Now, although Li Runshan wasn¡¯t as efficient as Old Yu, providing for just three people was still more than manageable. ¡°Then it¡¯s settled.¡± Wei Hongye said in a deep voice. ¡°The frontline pressure is immense. They¡¯ve begun to let gaps open up to ease the losses. As things stand, in a month¡¯s time, Despair Gates will continuously spawn Black Disasters. The dangers in your area will rise drastically as you face the first wave of impact. If possible, try to move closer to a major city.¡± The communication ended. Wei Shanshan was crying uncontrollably, her eyes swollen like peaches. ¡°How do you plan to take care of Wei Shanshan and her mother?¡± Li Runshan asked, looking at Yu Hong. ¡°Can they stay at your place?¡± Yu Hong considered his options. It was inconvenient for him to let them into his current safe house. The only viable choice was the post office basement. ¡°They can, but I can¡¯t provide food or medicine.¡± Li Runshan spread his hands. ¡°I¡¯m already supporting four people by myself. It¡¯s a heavy burden.¡± ¡°¡­So?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°Do you have any extra mushroom cultivation boxes?¡± He realized he needed to start producing his own food. It was inevitable, but Wei Shanshan¡¯s situation had forced him to accelerate his plans. ¡°That¡¯s easy. The problem is the mushroom spores. The group over in the village has them, so you¡¯ll have to trade for some. You have a manual, right? From the records we found in Old Yu¡¯s notes?¡± Li Runshan asked. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°No problem.¡± Yu Hong nodded, then turned to the tear-streaked Wei Shanshan. ¡°Let¡¯s go. We need to bring your mother over first.¡± Since they had already made the deal, they needed to act fast and settle things quickly. Wei Shanshan trembled, quickly nodding. She opened her mouth to say something but remained silent, lowering her head and standing behind Yu Hong. ¡°Oh, by the way, Old Li, now that the supply team is gone, does that mean mail delivery¡ª¡± Yu Hong suddenly thought of this issue. ¡°There are still some routes, but deliveries will become much more difficult. I¡¯ll let you know once I get more details.¡± Li Runshan sighed. Without further discussion, Yu Hong took Wei Shanshan and left the stone house, carrying his local network communicator as they returned to his mountain cave safe house. ?§Ñ?o??§§? He didn¡¯t let Wei Shanshan inside. Instead, he handed her a Rune Array and told her to wait outside. Then, he put away his things, grabbed his tools, and quickly started looking for a suitable spot along the courtyard wall. After pinpointing the location, he dragged wooden logs from the nearby forest and began constructing a simple wooden house. Afternoon Wei Shanshan stood outside the courtyard wall in a daze, watching as Yu Hong worked at an incredible speed, hauling logs from the forest. He carried one log in each arm, bringing them in two at a time. In mere moments, he had dragged in at least several hundred kilograms of timber. Then, he took out an axe and a saw, working with tireless strength. Within thirty minutes, he had split the logs into neat wooden planks. Using those planks, he constructed a small wooden hut¡ªlaying down a wooden floor, erecting four walls, building a sloped roof, and coating it with leftover waterproof paint. Finally, he layered the roof with random leaves and branches. The result was a two-meter-wide, three-meter-long wooden hut, just large enough to fit a bed. It stood over two meters tall, entirely light brown in color. It looked like an oversized doghouse. However, since it was right against the courtyard wall and had a proper wooden floor, it appeared surprisingly decent. ¡°Let¡¯s go. It¡¯s getting dark. We need to get your mother.¡± Yu Hong clapped his hands and glanced at his enhanced Red Value Detector¡ªit had finished upgrading. The upgraded detector had shrunk slightly, now resembling a small smartphone. Its surface was smoother, but aside from that, it remained black with an LCD screen. Yu Hong pressed the single circular power button. Beep. A short tone sounded, and numbers appeared on the screen. Current Red Value: -79.348. Impressive! Yu Hong silently praised it. Previously, the detector could only measure whole numbers up to 79. Now, it displayed values down to three decimal places. He examined the top-right corner of the LCD screen, where a battery indicator was displayed. Below it, small text read: Remaining Time ¨C 56 hours 07 minutes. ¡°So, while powered on, it can last fifty-six hours? It¡¯ll last even longer when turned off!¡± Yu Hong sighed in relief. Before, the Red Value Detector could only run for a few hours, meaning he had to keep it off most of the time and only activate it when something seemed wrong. Now, with this upgrade, he could leave it on indefinitely to continuously monitor the surroundings. ¡°A few hours of enhancement was totally worth it!¡± Yu Hong returned to his cave, grabbed another Red Value Detector, and started a second round of enhancement. He planned to make one for Little Stutterer. Once he finished, he called Wei Shanshan and set off toward Baiqiu Village. The two quickened their pace, following the familiar gravel road to the village entrance. By now, some people had stacked furniture and debris to form barricades, leaving only a small gap as an entrance. Two young men guarded the entrance, one holding a machete and the other gripping a handgun. They were chatting idly in a heavily accented dialect. Yu Hong couldn¡¯t understand them, so he gestured for Wei Shanshan to handle the conversation. His goal was to retrieve someone. If possible, he wanted to avoid unnecessary trouble. Wei Shanshan nodded, stepped forward, and knocked on the barricade. Knock, knock. ¡°I¡¯m Wei Shanshan from Squad Three. Please let me in. Thank you.¡± The two men glanced outside. But their first sight wasn¡¯t Wei Shanshan¡ªit was the massive, imposing shadow behind her. A towering figure, nearly 1.9 meters tall, clad head to toe in heavy black bulletproof gear. A helmet on his head, legs as thick as tree trunks, and a large black pistol strapped to his waist. They hadn¡¯t noticed him approaching earlier, but now, seeing him up close, they realized¡ªif this guy made a move, things could get ugly. ¡°Shanshan, weren¡¯t you out looking for medicine?¡± one of them asked warily. ¡°Who¡¯s this guy?¡± ¡°I found a doctor. Let me in¡ªI need to check on my mom,¡± Wei Shanshan said again. ¡°You can come in, but if he wants to enter, he¡¯ll need to take off the gun and all that gear,¡± the other man hesitated before replying. ¡°Mr. Yu is the doctor I brought!¡± Wei Shanshan protested loudly. ¡°What kind of doctor wears gear like that?! Cut the crap! Are you coming in or not? If not, get lost!¡± The man was growing impatient. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Go inside and bring your mother out. I¡¯ll wait here,¡± Yu Hong instructed. If it wasn¡¯t necessary, he had no intention of causing unnecessary conflict with these people. Besides, he knew his appearance alone was intimidating. Wei Shanshan gratefully bowed to him. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back. Please wait a moment.¡± She quickly squeezed through the obstacles, whispered a few words to the two men, then hurried into the alleyway between the houses. In less than five minutes, she returned, supporting a woman in her thirties along the narrow path. The woman¡¯s face was pale, and she coughed incessantly. Her lips were cracked, as if she hadn¡¯t had water in a long time. Even though she looked older, her sharp and refined features bore a strong resemblance to Wei Shanshan. However, unlike Wei Shanshan¡¯s delicate and cute appearance, she exuded the aura of a strong, career-driven woman. She had a fuller figure and wore a dirty gray tracksuit and black sneakers, covered in mud stains. Her long black hair was tied back with a hairband, revealing a pale neck that matched her complexion. This woman doesn¡¯t look easy to deal with. Yu Hong observed from a distance and instinctively came to a conclusion. It was clear that someone as timid as Wei Shanshan likely became that way due to growing up under a dominant figure who made all her decisions for her. And judging by the situation, that person was most likely her mother. As the mother and daughter approached, passing the two guards, the men instinctively stepped back as if avoiding the plague, terrified of catching whatever Wei Shanshan¡¯s mother had. Yu Hong also felt uneasy, worried about the possibility of infection. Luckily, he was wearing a respiratory filter, and he had already prepared a separate shelter for the two of them. Fortunately, he was wearing a respiratory filter and had even built a small shelter in advance for the two of them to stay in. ¡°You must be Mr. Yu? I really appreciate your help this time. I¡¯m Qiu Yanxi, Shanshan¡¯s mother,¡± the woman said as she examined him. ¡°It¡¯s just business. Can we speed this up? We need to get back to the safehouse before dark,¡± Yu Hong asked in a deep voice. But when he saw the hesitation in her expression, he knew things wouldn¡¯t be quick. ¡°I¡¯ll carry you. Do you mind?¡± Qiu Yanxi turned back toward the village. Seeing only two women watching from a distance, her eyes dimmed slightly before she turned forward again. ¡°I don¡¯t mind. Sorry to trouble you,¡± she said quietly. ¡°Good.¡± Yu Hong rolled his shoulders, then suddenly reached out¡ªgrabbing the back of Wei Shanshan¡¯s clothes with one hand and Qiu Yanxi¡¯s with the other. Then he lifted them both into the air. ¡°AHHHH!!!¡± x2. Amidst their terrified screams, the two women were suspended like coats on a hanger, limbs flailing as Yu Hong sprinted downhill at full speed. The power he gained after his breakthrough was overwhelming. Lifting one person in each hand felt no different from picking up cardboard¡ªlight and effortless. The combined weight of both women was barely heavier than his giant wooden shield and spiked club. Maybe 170-180 kilograms at most. Even before his breakthrough, he could swing his massive shield and club with full force for several minutes without tiring. Now, with his newfound strength, it was even easier. Within minutes, they arrived at the safehouse. Yu Hong dumped the two into the small wooden shelter in the yard, then went into the bunker to fetch a blanket, tossing it inside. That was that. Next came the medicine. The enhanced antibiotics would only be effective for a little over two hours, so he planned to boost them before administering. After all, he had promised to take care of them, so he had to put in some effort. But now that it was dark, time was running short. And to ensure those two survived, they needed some extra provisions. Yu Hong rummaged through his supplies, pulling out a long-forgotten candle. Then he poured a cup of hot water, grabbed two protein bars, and delivered them to the women. With a bang, he shut the door. And that was that. (End of chapter) Chapter 87: The Situation (3) ~~~ Thank Thyme for the bonus chapters ~~ Inside the slightly drafty new wooden hut. Wei Shanshan and her mother, Qiu Yanxi, stood in the cramped space, taking in their surroundings. The tiny room was barely enough to turn around in. Creak. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Wei Shanshan noticed that Yu Hong had actually made them a door. She pulled it shut and slid the attached latch down to lock it. It wasn¡¯t much, but at least it offered some degree of privacy. ¡°Shanshan¡­ you¡¯ve suffered.¡± As soon as Wei Shanshan closed the door, her mother gently embraced her. Hearing the exhaustion in her mother¡¯s voice, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a sting in her nose as her eyes welled up. ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡­ I¡¯m not afraid. We¡¯ve survived so many times before. Besides, Mr.Song has been looking after me,¡± she choked out. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. I should never have agreed to flee with them,¡± Qiu Yanxi held her daughter tightly, her face full of guilt. She had known what her daughter intended when she saw her leave the house in a pretty dress and white stockings. But at the time, she had been too weak to stop her. Later, when the dizziness finally faded and she regained some strength, she had nearly¡ª Thinking back to what had happened before, waking up to see Song Mingshi¡¯s guilty expression, and the dull pain in certain sensitive areas of her upper body, her heart was filled with rage, frustration, and sorrow. But she couldn¡¯t tell her daughter the truth. She couldn¡¯t explain why Song Mingshi had been so ¡°kind¡± to them. She could only accept it in silence. In her weakened state, the only person she could rely on to keep her daughter safe was Song Mingshi¡ªher former suitor. Many of their former colleagues at the academy, once friendly, were now completely unreliable. ¡°Never again¡­ You have to promise me, never do that again! Mom is still here¡ªI¡¯m not dead yet!¡± Qiu Yanxi clung to her daughter, her eyes turning red. They remained silent for a while, listening to the howling wind outside. Finally, Wei Shanshan pulled away and fetched some food and hot water. ¡°Mr. Yu gave us this. Let¡¯s eat something to keep our strength up.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll eat first. If anything feels off, you run¡ªback to the others. There¡¯s still hope; they won¡¯t completely lose control,¡± Qiu Yanxi instructed cautiously. ??¦­?B?? ¡°Okay!¡± Wei Shanshan nodded quickly. ¡°Also¡­ This hut won¡¯t hold off the blood tide at night. But that Mr. Yu wouldn¡¯t have gone to such lengths just to bring us here to die. So, go ask him what the plan is,¡± Qiu Yanxi whispered a few words into her daughter¡¯s ear. ¡°Understood.¡± *** Yu Hong rummaged through a corner, finding a previously enhanced anti-inflammatory pill. He used a knife to cut it in half before heading to the wooden door. Pulling back the cover, he peered outside at the mother and daughter in the courtyard. These two were crucial to securing future energy sources, so he needed to take good care of them. To be honest, Wei Shanshan was indeed cute¡ªso much so that it made him want to bully her. If this were peacetime, he might have entertained thoughts typical of any man. But in times like these, with danger looming ever closer, anyone who dared to slow him down would be swiftly kicked aside. He glanced at the sky¡ªit was nearly dark. Holding the medicine, he strode into the courtyard and knocked on the hut¡¯s door. Knock, knock, knock. ¡°Who is it?!¡± Qiu Yanxi¡¯s wary voice came from inside. ¡°It¡¯s me. You¡¯re safe here¡ªI¡¯ve set up defenses around the courtyard, so don¡¯t worry about insects getting close. Also, I left medicine outside your door. Instructions are written on the packaging. And one more thing,¡± Yu Hong paused. ¡°Don¡¯t wander around the courtyard at night. To repel the insects, the red-value negativity here is quite high. Only inside your hut is safe.¡± He had removed the Luminous stone grass in this spot to eliminate radiation, and now that the grand formation was complete, its energy was contained rather than dispersed. This small area remained free of harmful radiation levels. ¡°Understood. Thank you,¡± Qiu Yanxi replied softly. ¡°Alright then. If you need anything, find me during the day. One protein bar per person per day is enough. Don¡¯t overeat. I¡¯ll leave fresh water outside your door every day, along with candles and medicine,¡± Yu Hong stated quickly before turning to leave, avoiding prolonged exposure. Night was falling¡ªit was time for his training. ¡°Wait!¡± Qiu Yanxi suddenly called out. ¡°Are we not allowed to leave the hut at all?¡± ¡°As long as it¡¯s brief, you can walk around the courtyard. But do not leave it. The outside is getting more dangerous by the day.¡± Yu Hong hesitated for five seconds before answering. Ever since the incident with the Whisperer, he had developed the habit of pausing before responding, just to be sure. ¡°Thank you for your arrangements. But¡­ where can we relieve ourselves?¡± Qiu Yanxi asked hesitantly. Yu Hong was momentarily stunned. He had completely overlooked that issue. Looking around the courtyard, he walked over to a bare patch of dirt beside the hut¡ªone without glowing stone grass¡ªand started digging with his hands. Within minutes, he had created a pit, about half a meter wide and deep. ¡°There¡¯s a pit next to your hut. Use that.¡± Satisfied with his work, he informed them before heading back. ¡°O-Okay,¡± Qiu Yanxi replied. Seeing that they were settled, Yu Hong returned to his safe house and quickly lit the fireplace. As night fell, the sky turned pitch black, not a single star or moon in sight. From the forest came the faint rustling of crawling insects. At first, the sounds were sparse, but they soon converged into a growing, unsettling chorus. Inside the wooden hut, Qiu Yanxi and her daughter huddled together, terrified that insects might squeeze in through the cracks. But time passed, and nothing happened. No insects attacked the hut. This made them start to believe Yu Hong¡¯s words a little more. Once they were sure the insects weren¡¯t coming, their fear gradually subsided. Eventually, exhaustion took over, and they drifted off to sleep. At some unknown hour, Wei Shanshan stirred awake. Seeing a faint white glow seeping through the door cracks, she assumed dawn had arrived. She glanced at her sleeping mother before walking to the door and peering through the gap. ¡°¡­!?¡± Outside, the tiny grass in the courtyard was emitting a soft white glow, like a luminous carpet. Beyond the courtyard walls, an endless tide of black insects surged past, flowing like a dark river. They did not cross into the courtyard, as if it were an absolute forbidden zone. Wei Shanshan was stunned. The only time she had seen something similar was in the city, where walls coated with expensive Sunlight Series repellents kept the insects at bay. ¡°Mr. Yu¡­ Who exactly is he?¡± For the first time, an intense curiosity bloomed in her heart. *** ¡°This can¡¯t go on.¡± Unlike Wei Shanshan, Yu Hong was also keeping an eye on the situation outside from within his safe house. His elevated position allowed him to see farther than most. Beyond the courtyard walls, in the darkness, several massive figures¡ªeach about the size of a rhinoceros¡ªwere slowly making their way past. These were Great Skins, a type of large Blood Tick, but they alone weren¡¯t enough to make Yu Hong wary. What truly caught his attention was something further in the distance¡ªan elephant-sized Blood Tick moving silently through the forest. What made this creature particularly eerie was its semi-ethereal form, as if it were made of smoke. Sometimes, when it encountered a tree, it wouldn¡¯t bother going around; instead, it would pass straight through, as though neither it nor the tree truly existed in the same space. As it neared Yu Hong¡¯s courtyard, unlike the others, it slowed down and hesitated, even inching closer. ¡°Sss¡­¡± A faint hissing sound escaped from the massive creature. It approached the courtyard wall, its ghostly body phasing through the structure, only to jerk back the moment it crossed the boundary¡ªas if shocked by an invisible force. It tried again. And again. On the third attempt, the enormous elephant-sized Blood Tick finally gave up. Without rushing, it slowly turned away and headed elsewhere. Yu Hong¡¯s expression darkened as he recognized where it was going¡ªBaiqiu Village! ¡°Good thing I completed the Grand Array in time. Otherwise, my defenses might not have held up.¡± The Grand Array, with its overwhelmingly negative red value, had clearly repelled the Blood Tick, forcing it to leave. Had the negative red value only been in the hundreds instead of the current thousands, the formation might not have been strong enough to drive away such a powerful entity. Yu Hong couldn¡¯t help but feel a deep sense of relief at his decision. Without the Grand Array, he might have burned through his reserves of Rune Array just to hold back tonight¡¯s wave of insects. He watched as the elephant-sized Blood Tick faded into the distance, then took out his enhanced red-value detector and switched it on. A soft beep sounded, and numbers appeared on the LCD screen: -0.124. ¡°Good. I¡¯m outside the Grand Array¡¯s main coverage zone, yet the negative red value still registers here. That means the array¡¯s reserves haven¡¯t been drained completely and will continue recovering over time.¡± Yu Hong let out a breath of relief and observed the surroundings for a while longer. Seeing no second elephant-class Blood Tick, he finally felt at ease and returned to his sleeping bag. The night passed uneventfully. The Next Morning At dawn, Yu Hong woke up on time and began his daily training routine. As his physical strength had increased significantly, training inside the cave was no longer an option¡ªany misstep could cause unnecessary destruction. Instead, he moved to a newly excavated underground chamber. A dim greenish glow illuminated the training area. Yu Hong donned his heaviest reinforced White Bear Suit, then grabbed his Giant Wooden Shield and Spiked Wolf Club before starting the second level of his combat drills. This level focused on a single technique¡ªthe Side Grab Kick. It was a close-quarters move meant for grappling an opponent¡¯s arm, stepping sideways, and delivering a powerful kick. Since he had no sparring partner, Yu Hong could only practice solo. Burdened by immense weight, he carefully set down the Spiked Wolf Club, reached forward, and snapped his hands closed as if grasping an opponent¡¯s arm. Then¡ªpull! And finally¡ªkick! The entire sequence consisted of three precise steps: Grab, Pull, Kick. With mental visualization techniques, he gradually refined his movements, increasing speed and fluidity over time. As he repeated the drill, something strange happened¡ªmysterious energy currents began to seep into his body out of nowhere, condensing into countless tiny particles that flowed toward his dantian. Yu Hong could feel it¡ªhis body was heating up, growing stronger bit by bit. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was just his imagination, but the sensation of getting stronger was undeniable and exhilarating. After over an hour, his muscles burned with exhaustion, his strength completely drained. Finally, he collapsed onto the ground, gasping for breath. While resting, he began contemplating his next goal: How could he develop a martial art specifically to counter those Ghostly Shadow creatures¡­? (End of Chapter) Chapter 88: The Situation (4) ~~~ Thank Thyme for the bonus chapters ~~ ¡®The foundation of Heavy Leg Technique comes from the basic leg techniques taught by Old Li, primarily used to strengthen the body. Only with this complete foundation can I gain the recognition of the Black Seal and enhance myself.¡¯ ¡®If I want to obtain techniques specifically targeting Ghostly Shadows and Evil Shadows, I must first establish the same complete foundation¡ªone that allows me to train myself and develop fundamental methods to resist Ghostly Shadows.¡¯ S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡®As long as this method is complete, even if it is rudimentary, it can be strengthened. The problem now is: where do I find such a method?¡¯ Yu Hong sat in the basement, deep in thought. ¡®The main things that counteract Ghostly Shadows are Luminous Stones, Great Luminous Stones, and the rune formations inscribed on them. If I were to draw a rune formation on myself, would that count as training?¡¯ he pondered. He acted on his thoughts immediately. After recovering some stamina, he removed his suit, went up to the cave above, fetched some water to wipe down his skin, then retrieved the freshly ground Great Luminous Stone powder. Mixing it with water, he skillfully drew a small rune on his left forearm. By now, he was extremely proficient in drawing these runes. After all, he had lost count of how many he had inscribed throughout the entire safe house. Once finished, he pressed his hand onto the rune formation and silently invoked enhancement. ¡®Incomplete execution.¡¯ The Black Seal didn¡¯t even emit a single black thread¡ªit simply provided instant feedback. Yu Hong frowned, wiped off the rune, and paced around the cave before suddenly having another idea. ¡®What if I could manipulate my inner energy to draw a rune within my body? Would that work?¡¯ However, he couldn¡¯t conduct this experiment just yet. After his breakthrough, all his inner energy had vanished¡ªthere wasn¡¯t even a trace left, as if he had completely exhausted his reserves. ¡®Looks like I still need to keep fortifying the safe house to ensure absolute safety. At the same time, I need to work on making it self-sufficient so I can slowly study the martial techniques.¡¯ Having set his objective, he cooked some food to fill his stomach, then put on his unbearably stinky Enhanced White Bear Suit again and pulled open the door. Click. Outside, the sunlight was cold, and the wind howled. Yu Hong froze in place, stopping at the doorway. The reason was simple: in the courtyard, Wei Shanshan¡¯s mother, Qiu Yanxi, was squatting beside the small wooden cabin, pants down, straining hard. Although she was positioned sideways, partially obscured by the cave and the Luminous Stone grass, making it impossible to see anything clearly, the stark white of her skin was still visible. At that moment, Yu Hong saw her. Qiu Yanxi also heard the noise and turned to see him. Their eyes met. Both of them froze instantly. Qiu Yanxi¡¯s face flushed red, her skin visibly turning crimson. She quickly grabbed some leaves, wiped herself, pulled up her pants, and dashed into the cabin. She didn¡¯t even dare to make a sound, fearing she might wake her sleeping daughter. Soon, there was a soft thud as the wooden door shut. Everything fell silent again. Yu Hong, speechless, grabbed his spiked club and strapped on his massive wooden shield, preparing to check out the situation at the post office. He had always been curious¡ªwhere did the rune Array on the initial Luminous Stones come from? Perhaps Old Li, who had seen and experienced much, could answer his doubts. Just as he stepped into the courtyard with his weapon in hand, he suddenly recalled the short-range communication device he had acquired yesterday. He turned back, reentered the cave, closed the door, and dug out the device. Opening the black box, he found a simple handheld radio inside. It was black, with numerous honeycomb-shaped holes at its center, and three dark green buttons below: Connect, Hang Up, and Switch Channels (1, 2, 3). £Ò??O?????¨¨? ¡®1, 2, and 3 represent the ability to connect with three different people at the same time,¡¯ Yu Hong noted as he examined the manual. ¡®Once fully charged, pressing Connect will allow the device to automatically search for other active devices in range.¡¯ ¡®So, it only works if the other side has turned theirs on as well,¡¯ he mused, shaking his head slightly. Then, he pressed the Connect button. Static. A sound like radio interference came from the device, but there was no response. ¡®They probably haven¡¯t turned it on yet,¡¯ Yu Hong speculated. After a moment of thought, he reached out and placed his hand on the device. ¡®Enhance short-range communicator, direction¡ª¡¯ In his mind, he envisioned a central device capable of connecting more than five target devices, merging all users onto a single channel for communication. Additionally, he added enhancements such as reduced energy consumption, increased search range, and improved signal resistance to interference. Since the Black Seal¡¯s primary focus was on strengthening Great Luminous Stones and rune formations, he figured he might as well allocate some effort to enhancing the communicator. Strengthening it would bridge the gap between them, serving as a contingency plan in case he couldn¡¯t freely visit the post office in the future. Zzt. A black thread flickered briefly. ¡®Enhance short-range communicator?¡¯ The Black Seal¡¯s feedback appeared. Yu Hong watched as a countdown timer surfaced on the communicator¡¯s display: 11 hours, 19 minutes. ¡®Yes!¡¯ The enhancement process would take quite some time. He confirmed the enhancement, then put the device aside and grabbed the second Enhanced Red Value Detector he had created earlier. Once again, he opened the door and stepped out into the courtyard. The small wooden cabin in the right corner of the courtyard remained silent¡ªthe mother and daughter seemed intent on avoiding him to spare themselves the awkwardness. Yu Hong had no interest in engaging with them either. As long as they stayed inside the safe house and he provided them with food and water, they just needed to survive until the rescue team arrived. ¡°I¡¯m heading out to the post office. Stay inside and don¡¯t go out under any circumstances, no matter what happens. Got it?¡± he instructed. As long as they remained within the courtyard, their safety was ensured. Of course, if a Speaker or a Withered Maiden launched a sudden attack, that would be a different story. But given how much time had passed, the Whisperer had yet to reappear¡ªit was likely gone for good. With that, he checked the Enhanced Red Value Detector in his hand. The display read -87.621¡ªthe red value inside the courtyard. Without waiting for a response from the wooden cabin, he walked out of the courtyard gate and checked the detector again. 9.711. Yu Hong stopped in his tracks. ¡®What¡¯s going on? How is there a positive red value outside in broad daylight?¡¯ The face beneath his helmet twisted into an unpleasant expression. ¡°Could it be that Ghostly Shadows are nearby? The only ones able to move during the day are the Ghostly Shadows and Evil Shadows.¡± Without hesitation, he grabbed the enhanced detector and advanced toward the post office. After walking more than a hundred meters, he checked the display again: 8.113. Still positive! ¡°Something¡¯s wrong. This isn¡¯t right! The minimum value for Ghostly Shadows is above twenty. A single-digit red value like this only appears when residual traces are left after a Ghostly Shadow has departed. But now, over such a large area, everywhere outside is showing red values.¡± The more Yu Hong thought about it, the more he felt something was amiss. This wasn¡¯t a surge period. If red value radiation was appearing everywhere outside, it meant the external environment had become even less suitable for humans¡ªand far more suitable for Ghostly Shadows. Realizing this, he instinctively quickened his pace toward the post office. A Few Minutes Later As he approached the stone post office, he saw a crowd pressing against the courtyard gate, knocking desperately. Cries, shouts, and pleas blended into a chaotic uproar, making it impossible to discern what was happening. Most of these people bore bloodstains on their bodies, their faces pale and filled with terror, as if they had been scared out of their wits. They were mostly young¡ªunder twenty years old. Their youthful features made their age apparent at a glance. However, not everyone in the group was so young. A few adults stood at the edge of the courtyard. These individuals wore tight-fitting blue-black stab-resistant suits, with firearms and daggers strapped to their waists. There were both men and women among them, their expressions ranging from indifferent to grim. Yu Hong swept his gaze across them and quickly spotted Song Mingshi among them¡ªthe only adult attempting to calm the younger ones. As Yu Hong approached, the crowd soon noticed him. Numerous eyes turned toward him, and the crying and shouting gradually subsided. They were clearly wary, unsure of his identity or purpose. Song Mingshi was the first to recognize Yu Hong, as did a few team members who had seen him before. They murmured among themselves, quickly passing along what little they knew from the previous day¡¯s events. Yu Hong, however, paid them no mind. He simply quickened his pace toward the courtyard. ¡°Old Li.¡± He called out while pulling open the gate with one hand and stepping inside. People in his path instinctively shrank back, making way without daring to obstruct him. Soon, Yu Hong reached the stone building. The moment he arrived, someone inside immediately unlocked the door and ushered him in. Bang. The door shut and locked behind him. Inside ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Yu Hong asked, looking at Li Runshan¡¯s haggard face. ¡°There¡¯s trouble!¡± Li Runshan¡¯s expression was grim. He glanced around cautiously before leaning in and speaking in a low voice. ¡°Last night, during the Blood Tide, a Rank 3 Elephant Tick appeared! If we hadn¡¯t hidden underground, we wouldn¡¯t have stood a chance!¡± ¡°Elephant Tick¡­ I saw one. It¡¯s like a giant tick, much larger than a hound, right?¡± Yu Hong frowned. ¡°Yes. Those people outside are refugees from Baiqiu Village. The Elephant Tick broke in and devoured several of them last night. If someone hadn¡¯t reacted quickly and set a house on fire to drive it away, none of them would¡¯ve survived!¡± Li Runshan said gravely. ¡°They came here seeking shelter from you?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°Yeah. They all want to get into my underground bunker, but I can¡¯t take in so many people.¡± Li Runshan sighed. ¡°These people are from different backgrounds. If I kick them out, it could cause trouble. Brother Yu, I need your help.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help, but first, answer a question.¡± Yu Hong¡¯s tone was firm. ¡°Anything I know, I won¡¯t hide from you.¡± Li Runshan nodded seriously. ¡°The rune engravings on Luminous Stones¡ªwhere did they originally come from?¡± Yu Hong asked in a low voice. ¡°I already told you, from the ruins. Why? Are you interested in them?¡± Li Runshan was taken aback. ¡°There¡¯s a ruin near us, right?¡± Yu Hong continued. ¡°Yes. Ruins are usually accompanied by Luminous Stone mines, which is why I came here in the first place. Those people outside also came for that reason. Although Luminous Stones emit radiation, they can ward off Ghostly Shadows and Evil Shadows. Between two dangers, they chose the lesser one¡ªgetting sick is better than dying immediately.¡± Li Runshan nodded. ¡°Have you been inside the ruins?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°Yes, but they were already thoroughly looted. There¡¯s nothing left.¡± Li Runshan confirmed. ¡°Do you have a map?¡± ¡°I do. I¡¯ll get it for you later. Anything else?¡± Li Runshan asked. ¡°One more thing. On my way here, I detected an abnormal red value.¡± Yu Hong said. ¡°What kind of abnormality?¡± Li Runshan was puzzled. Red values in the wild were usually zero. What could be abnormal about that? ¡°On my way here, the red value consistently stayed between 8 and 9. I suspect¡­ something major has changed outside.¡± Yu Hong¡¯s expression darkened. (End of Chapter) Chapter 89: Testing (1) ~~~ Thank Thyme for the bonus chapters ~~ ¡°Are you sure you didn¡¯t see it wrong!?¡± Li Runshan¡¯s expression changed instantly. He even set aside what he was about to ask Yu Hong for help with and stared at him intently, repeating the question. ¡°You have a detector yourself. Test it and see,¡± Yu Hong nodded. ¡°Damn!¡± Li Runshan wasted no time. He pulled out a detector, rushed out the door without acknowledging the people in the courtyard, and sprinted into the forest. Without hesitation, he pressed the button. Soon, his face darkened. He quickly returned to the courtyard, ignored everyone else, re-entered the stone house, and shut the door. ¡°A big one is coming. This is a damn sign of a full-scale Blood Tide outbreak! Yu Hong, you need to leave now. Help the people outside as much as you can¡ªtake as many as possible. Otherwise, none of them will survive the night!¡± ¡°I already agreed to help. I won¡¯t go back on my word,¡± Yu Hong nodded. He had some ideas about how to settle these people. ¡°If worst comes to worst, we can throw them into the mining zone,¡± he suggested. ¡°That¡¯s useless. The mining zone is safe, but the radiation will turn them into idiots, which is pointless,¡± Li Runshan sighed. ¡°But on my end, I can only take in four or five more people at most,¡± Yu Hong calculated. If he built two more wooden huts in the yard, three people could stay in each. That should be manageable. The Luminous stone Grass could be transplanted a little further out. However, he had no reason to take on too much responsibility. Protecting too many people wouldn¡¯t benefit him. Wait¡­ benefits. Yu Hong narrowed his eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about compensation. I charged Wei Shanshan and her mother for helping them. If the others want in, they can¡¯t expect it for free.¡± ¡°What do you need? What can they offer? You can negotiate with them yourself,¡± Old Li sighed. ¡°These people have a lot of resources, but the problem now is the deteriorating environment. I¡¯m worried about the reception team¡­¡± Yu Hong¡¯s expression also shifted slightly. ¡°If the reception team doesn¡¯t make it, what will you do?¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll have no choice but to¡ª¡± Li Runshan gritted his teeth but didn¡¯t finish his sentence. With limited resources, he couldn¡¯t risk his and his daughter¡¯s lives to protect a group of strangers. ¡°Uncle¡­ will we die?¡± Aisena, who had been standing quietly on the side, suddenly spoke. Her big eyes looked at Yu Hong calmly. ¡°¡­No, you won¡¯t,¡± Yu Hong looked at her round, fair little face, reached out to pinch her cheek gently, and forced a smile. ¡°Your dad is really strong. He¡¯ll protect you.¡± ¡°Nana,¡± Li Runshan gently picked her up and handed her to a beautiful woman nearby. ¡°Go rest with Aunt Lin. Daddy has something to take care of and will check on you later.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Aisena nodded obediently and nestled into the woman¡¯s arms without another word. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m heading back. Give me the ruin¡¯s map,¡± Yu Hong said. His main purpose here was to investigate the origins of the rune patterns and gather more information on how to counter the Specters. ¡°You don¡¯t actually need a map. The place is simple¡ªjust go straight in. The structure is shaped like an ¡®L.¡¯ You¡¯ll understand once you¡¯re inside. But be careful¡ªthe ruin is near the mine, so the radiation is high. And things might have changed inside. I haven¡¯t been there in a long time,¡± Li Runshan warned. ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°And about taking people¡­¡± ¡°You took that job, so deal with it yourself,¡± Yu Hong refused to get involved. Li Runshan had no choice but to go out and loudly ask if anyone was willing to follow Yu Hong to another safehouse. However, no one was willing. The crowd, previously noisy and panicked, suddenly became eerily silent. Though fearful and anxious, no one wanted to leave the underground shelter of the post office for a completely unknown ¡°safehouse.¡± ????????¦­??¨¨? Creak. Yu Hong pushed open the door, whispered a fixed communication schedule to Old Li, then glanced at the men and women in the courtyard. No one paid him any attention. Clearly, they trusted the reputation of the post office couriers more. Two military officers, who appeared to be in charge, approached Old Li to negotiate for warm supplies and arrange for their key personnel to enter the underground facility first. As Old Li talked with them, he also jotted down notes on paper. Seeing no one willing to follow him, Yu Hong shrugged at Old Li¡ªmeaning it wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t want to help; rather, they simply refused his help. Without delay, he turned and headed back to his residence. After a brief preparation, Yu Hong packed his gear, weapons, protein bars, and a water pouch before setting off for the mining zone. The sky was still bright, but he had no idea how large the ruin was inside. He needed to allocate enough time to explore and prepare accordingly. Following a forest trail, he crossed scorched woodlands and small hills. After half an hour, he arrived at a massive gray-white stone wall, over ten stories high. At its center was a narrow crack, just over two meters tall. The fissure was pitch black and deep, resembling a jagged bolt of lightning in a painting. A thin stream of water trickled from it. Standing at the entrance, Yu Hong examined the water¡¯s flow. It didn¡¯t travel far before disappearing into the cracks between the stones. Lush green vines and grass surrounded the area, thriving despite the cooling temperatures. He crouched down, pinched a blade of grass, and held it up to confirm¡ªit was indeed fresh. Then, he dipped his hand into the stream to test its temperature. Warm¡ªsignificantly warmer than the outside air. After a pause, Yu Hong took out a glowstick, held it high for illumination, and strode into the fissure. The shifting environment made him even more curious about the ruin. With no progress in his search for techniques, he hoped this place¡ªwhere the first rune patterns were discovered¡ªmight hold some valuable clues. He had a feeling that if he didn¡¯t explore now, the worsening conditions might make it too dangerous to venture out later. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Search quickly and return immediately,¡± he set a goal for himself before entering the fissure. Rustle. As he moved deeper, the passage widened, but the temperature dropped. Yu Hong¡¯s black combat suit blended perfectly with the surroundings, though his occasional breath produced faint white mist. Inside, the floor bore many footprints and drag marks from heavy objects¡ªclear signs of frequent activity. The walls had recessed alcoves, once used for storage but now empty. ¡°Looks like everything¡¯s been taken,¡± Yu Hong muttered, activating his enhanced detector. Beep. The LCD screen displayed the surrounding red value: 37.122. ¡°It¡¯s already over thirty,¡± Yu Hong¡¯s heart sank as he tightened his grip on the spiked club. He continued inward. The passage gradually widened until it stabilized at around five meters. At this point, the cave¡¯s height was also about five meters, forming a semi-cylindrical shape that stretched further into the mountain. As he ventured deeper, strange symbols and writings began to appear on the stone walls on both sides. These markings, drawn in black ink, resembled claw marks left by some kind of monster under the eerie green glow. Apart from these, small scattered stones started to appear along the sides of the stream on the ground. Most of these stones had incomplete carvings on their surfaces. They were similar to pebbles found along a riverbank¡ªgrayish-white and evenly distributed. Crack. Yu Hong bent down, wedged the atomic light stick under his armpit, and picked up a stone about the size of an egg. The black markings on the stone¡¯s surface looked oddly familiar. ¡®Isn¡¯t this the Luminous Stone Rune? The earliest form of rune Array!¡¯ He suddenly recognized the markings. Placing the stone back, he picked up another one and found the same runes, though incomplete due to the stone¡¯s broken edges. Yu Hong systematically examined one stone after another and discovered that they all bore the same runes. Standing up, he exhaled, releasing a faint cloud of white mist into the air. He then turned the light toward the murals on both sides of the cave. The walls were covered in black inscriptions of an entirely unknown language. Both sides bore the same script. After staring at it for a while without making any sense of it, he decided to continue deeper into the cave. Before long, he reached the end of the passage. A towering black stone wall completely blocked his path. The walls on either side of this stone barrier were filled with countless small holes, from which thin streams of water silently trickled down. These streams pooled on the ground and merged into a small creek that meandered out of the cave. Standing before the black stone wall, Yu Hong raised his atomic light and illuminated the massive five-meter-high rock. Carved into the stone was a large, gray-inked archway. The drawn gate was densely inscribed with numerous unfamiliar symbols and writings. Among these, Yu Hong quickly identified several symbols used in the Luminous Stone Rune. His spirits lifted instantly. Setting down his club, he retrieved paper and pen from his pocket and carefully copied all the symbols from the archway. Including the ones from the murals he had seen earlier, he recorded a total of seven distinct symbols after eliminating duplicates. However, upon closer examination, Yu Hong noticed that these seven symbols not only formed the Luminous Stone Rune but also came together on the archway to create an even more complex and intricate symbol. This larger symbol appeared frequently at the top of the mural gate. Its sharp, striking strokes exuded an imposing aura, though its function remained unclear. Even after transcribing everything, Yu Hong felt something was off about this large symbol. At first glance, it seemed like a swirling vortex, but upon closer inspection, he realized it was merely an optical illusion. ¡®Why did the previous explorers only study the Luminous Stone Rune and ignore this symbol?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t understand. After finishing his notes, he searched every corner of the cave for more clues. However, it was evident that anything of value had long since been taken, leaving him with no further discoveries. Reluctantly, he exited the ruins. The way in had been slow, but the way out was much faster¡ªwithin minutes, Yu Hong was back at the cave entrance. ¡®The markings on the Luminous Stone should be called the Amplification Rune. As for this newly discovered symbol¡­ I¡¯ll call it the Vortex Rune for now. Hopefully, it¡¯ll lead to some new findings.¡¯ Feeling a tinge of disappointment, he turned back to glance at the cave ruins. ¡®Did the original Black Disaster really seep out from places like this?¡¯ He recalled the archway mural at the cave¡¯s end, covered in inscriptions¡ªaside from the vast, unreadable text, it prominently featured the Luminous Stone¡¯s Amplification Rune and the newly found Vortex Rune. Yet on the stone walls, the symbols had been distorted¡ªsome stretched long and thin, others shrunk, some shaped into squares, and some flattened like dough. With unanswered questions in his mind, Yu Hong quickly returned to his residence. He planned to use the Black Seal to decipher the function of the Vortex Rune as soon as possible. (End of Chapter) Chapter 90: Testing (2) ~~~ Thank Thyme for the bonus chapters (TL note :- will upload the rest of bonus chapters tomorrow) ~~ At the cave safehouse. Wei Shanshan carefully pulled up her pants, glanced around, and shyly used her foot to push some dirt over the pit, covering up the waste. With a sigh, she returned to the wooden hut and looked at her resting mother. Compared to before, she felt much more at ease. ¡°Mom¡­ that protein bar was amazing. Just one, and I don¡¯t feel hungry at all¡­¡± Qiu Yanxi turned her face to the side and gave her daughter a strange look. Lying on the filthy blanket, she gazed up at Wei Shanshan from below, and the angle, combined with her expression, suddenly felt unfamiliar to her daughter. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Wei Shanshan asked softly. ¡°Shanshan¡­ tell me honestly, did you sleep with that guy, Yu?¡± Qiu Yanxi¡¯s eyes flickered with a trace of pain, but she kept her voice as calm as possible. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. If you did, you did. Given the current situation, it¡¯s our fault¡ªyour father and I protected you too well before. Something like this¡­ it¡¯s really not that big of a deal. Don¡¯t overthink it.¡± She recalled what she had seen before¡ªwhen they were fleeing from the academy, they had encountered a wealthy family. The daughter, once a pampered young lady, had traded her body for food to help her father. But instead of gratitude, she had been beaten, cursed, and shamed. In the end, she had jumped from a height, ending her life on the spot. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Qiu Yanxi didn¡¯t want her daughter to suffer the same fate. As long as she was alive, there was still hope. ¡°No!¡± Wei Shanshan¡¯s face flushed red. She lowered her head. ¡°He¡­ wasn¡¯t interested in me at all. But when he heard about my dad¡¯s position, he¡­¡± She thought her mother would be relieved by this answer. But to her surprise, Qiu Yanxi¡¯s expression grew even more serious. ¡°In a situation like this, when there¡¯s no law or restraint, yet he can suppress his desires and remain disciplined¡­ this man, this Mr. Yu, must be incredibly self-controlled¡ªmaybe even terrifyingly so.¡± Qiu Yanxi said in a low voice. ¡°Mom, what are you worried about? Isn¡¯t that a good thing? The more powerful Mr. Yu is, the safer we are.¡± Wei Shanshan didn¡¯t understand. ¡°If your father¡¯s offer is enough to satisfy him, then fine. But if it¡¯s not¡­ we hold no value to him at all,¡± Qiu Yanxi shook her head. ¡°Honestly, if he had shown some interest in you, I might have felt a little more at ease.¡± ¡°Mom! What are you even saying?!¡± Wei Shanshan was completely bewildered. ¡°Forget it,¡± Qiu Yanxi changed the subject. ¡°Tell me, last night, did you see those glowing plants in the yard? They acted like sunlight, keeping the blood tide from coming in. And we¡¯ve been here for a while now¡ªhave you noticed any sounds from the Ghostly Shadows? Not even a whisper, right?¡± Wei Shanshan nodded hesitantly. ¡°What does that mean? Do you understand?¡± Qiu Yanxi looked at her daughter with an intense gaze. ¡°Mm¡­ If Dad could get samples of those plants, he might be able to study them and figure something out.¡± Wei Shanshan understood their value. ¡°Mr. Yu is no ordinary man. He¡¯s been surviving in this wilderness, yet he has no shortage of food or safety. He must have some hidden trump card. And those glowing plants that repel the blood tide¡­ that must be his secret weapon.¡± Qiu Yanxi said in a serious tone. R???£Â¨§? ¡°But what does that have to do with us?¡± Wei Shanshan asked, confused. ¡°We just need to wait for the rescue team to come, don¡¯t we?¡± ¡°My silly daughter, do you really think that once we reach your father, we¡¯ll be completely safe?¡± Qiu Yanxi laughed bitterly and rubbed her daughter¡¯s cheek. ¡°Your father is just a deputy director at a city research institute¡ªone of three, at that. His position and authority don¡¯t compare to the actual director, let alone those even higher up. But if we could get Mr. Yu¡¯s secret for avoiding the blood tide and hand it over to your father for research¡­¡± ¡°We could trade with Mr. Yu and see if he¡¯s willing to exchange it,¡± Wei Shanshan¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°And what do we have that he would want?¡± Qiu Yanxi shook her head. ¡°Your father¡¯s just a deputy director, but he has no real resources or power. The intelligence he provided before¡ªthat was all the support he could offer remotely.¡± ¡°Then what do we do?¡± Wei Shanshan was frustrated. Seeing a glimmer of hope, only to realize they had no way of obtaining it, was incredibly frustrating. ¡°We¡¯ll observe for now. No need to rush¡ªI¡¯ll think of a way.¡± A sharp glint flickered in Qiu Yanxi¡¯s eyes. ¡°We¡¯ll start by asking him directly. If that doesn¡¯t work, we¡¯ll find another way.¡± Just then, the sound of heavy footsteps crunching over dry leaves echoed from outside. The steps were firm and steady¡ªunmistakably Yu Hong¡¯s way of walking. Creak. The wooden gate swung open, and Yu Hong walked in, gripping his club. As he passed by the wooden hut, he glanced at the door and saw through the gap that the mother and daughter were still inside. Satisfied, he continued toward the cave entrance, about to open the door. ¡°Mr. Yu, please wait¡ªI¡¯d like to discuss something with you.¡± Qiu Yanxi¡¯s voice came from behind him. Her tone was sincere. As the wooden door creaked open, she leaned on her daughter for support, standing at the doorway and gazing at him. Yu Hong turned around and examined her once more. This woman, nearing forty, was remarkably well-maintained. Now that she had freshened up a bit, she looked more like she was in her late twenties. Standing next to her daughter, they had the appearance of a pair of sisters. Her figure was even more striking than her daughter¡¯s¡ªher curves were impossible to hide, even beneath her athletic clothing. ¡°What is it?¡± Yu Hong asked calmly, retracting his gaze. ¡°It¡¯s about the glowing plants in your yard. How do they repel the blood tide? Would you be willing to trade that knowledge with us?¡± Qiu Yanxi asked sincerely. ¡°The situation outside is worsening. Sunlight-based materials are in short supply. If we had a second way to protect ourselves, who knows how many lives we could save? Your generosity could change countless fates.¡± ¡°What do you have to offer in exchange?¡± Yu Hong asked directly. ¡°I can share the method¡ªbut what¡¯s the price?¡± The luminous stone grass was indeed something he could share, but he personally didn¡¯t think it was all that useful. It was too fragile. Without inner energy to accelerate its growth, it would be wiped out in an instant. Previously, An Evil shadow arrived and destroyed 90% of the Luminous grass, leaving only a few outer seedlings, which barely managed to recover. This meant that the Luminous stone grass had a limit¡ªonce it was exceeded, it could not regenerate and would be instantly destroyed, making it highly fragile. ¡°We can compensate you with supplies. Once the rescue team arrives, we will be able to make the payment. Additionally, you could come with us to Hope City. Once inside, we can arrange a well-paying position for you,¡± Qiu Yanxi said sincerely. ¡°Supplies?¡± Yu Hong remained indifferent. ¡°We¡¯ll see. The real problem isn¡¯t the shortage of sunlight materials, but the fact that the Black Disaster cannot be completely eradicated. Even if dispersed, it quickly regathers. In this situation, no amount of alternative sunlight materials will make a real difference.¡± ¡°Mr. Yu, you might find it worthwhile to talk with my husband. He is also involved in scientific research in this field, and you might have much in common. If you join the research institute, the benefits will be far better than struggling alone in this wilderness,¡± Qiu Yanxi persuaded. ¡°Let¡¯s wait until the rescue team arrives. Right now, you can¡¯t offer me any concrete guarantees,¡± Yu Hong cut her off bluntly and turned to open the door. Qiu Yanxi watched helplessly as the heavy wooden door closed. She patted her daughter¡¯s arm. ¡°This man is definitely someone extraordinary. His outfit resembles the Gray Lizard Suit sold on the market, but it¡¯s much thicker and more advanced. On top of that, he has high-grade anti-inflammatory medicine and protein bars. If he can escort us back safely, we¡¯ll be in good hands.¡± ¡°Then, Mom, what should we do next?¡± Wei Shanshan asked in confusion. ¡°No rush. We still have time. Let¡¯s think about it first,¡± Qiu Yanxi shook her head. Bang. The wooden door was locked. Yu Hong quickly took off his gear, inhaled the fresh air, then sat down on the wooden bench and took out the new rune he had copied earlier. The vortex rune was originally the size of an egg, but his copied version was much larger, about the size of a grapefruit. Yu Hong cleared the table, laid the copied rune flat, and transcribed a second copy using charcoal. Afterward, he glanced at the communicator, which was still in the process of enhancement. Deciding to rest, he lay down for a nap to recharge. By the time he woke up, the sky had darkened, and the communicator¡¯s enhancement was complete. Yu Hong sat up, took the second copy of the rune, placed his hand on it, and silently commanded: ¡°Enhance the rune formation. Direction: Dispel Ghostly Shadows.¡± Black ink-like lines flowed out from his brand imprint and into the rune. ¡°Incomplete.¡± As expected. A smile appeared on Yu Hong¡¯s face. This was precisely his goal¡ªusing the brand imprint as a way to determine the rune¡¯s actual function. ¡°The fundamental requirement for brand imprint enhancement is that the object must have at least the basic properties of the intended enhancement. If I randomly pick up a stone and try to enhance it into a powerful luminous stone, it won¡¯t work because an ordinary stone has no ability to repel Ghostly Shadows.¡± ¡°The brand imprint enhances, evolves, upgrades, and synthesizes¡ªbut it cannot create something from nothing.¡± Having used the brand imprint for so long, Yu Hong had gained a deep understanding of its workings. ¡°In other words, I just need to keep testing different enhancement functions. If an attempt is rejected, it means that¡¯s not the rune¡¯s purpose. I¡¯ll keep changing directions until the brand imprint accepts one.¡± ¡°The final enhancement that succeeds must be the true function of this vortex rune!¡± Gazing at the unfamiliar rune, he continued testing. ¡°Enhance the rune. Direction: Positioning, Sensing.¡± Black lines emerged. ¡°Incomplete.¡± ¡°Enhance the rune. Direction: Attack, Damage.¡± ¡°Incomplete.¡± He tried again and again, receiving the same result each time. Yu Hong was extremely patient, methodically going through every possibility. Time passed slowly. Eventually, he had tested nearly every function he could think of. And yet, the results were all the same¡ª¡±Incomplete.¡± His brows gradually furrowed. ¡°Could this rune really be useless?¡± he wondered. ¡°No worries, there¡¯s another way.¡± Besides enhancement, the brand imprint had another feature¡ªsynthesis. Yu Hong picked up a blank sheet of paper, placed it over a regular luminous stone with runes, and pressed his hand on it. He silently commanded the brand imprint to merge the unknown rune with the luminous stone. By comparing the synthesized result to the original, he could determine the rune¡¯s general function. Though this process was slower and might not yield a complete answer, it was still worth trying. (End of chapter) Chapter 91: Rune Pattern (1) ~~~ Thank Thyme for the bonus chapters ~~ The new research method required consuming the enhancement time of the Black Seal. Fortunately, after Yu Hong synthesized the Vortex Rune with a luminous stone, the countdown was only a few minutes. After waiting briefly, he obtained a small luminous stone with an entirely new rune pattern. Picking up the stone, he examined the rune on its surface. ¡®The new rune isn¡¯t just a simple combination of the Enhancement Rune and the Vortex Rune. The internal symbols have shifted positions and order. However, the material of the luminous stone remains unchanged¡ªstill an ordinary luminous stone.¡¯ He took out the Red-Value Detector and pressed it against the stone. Beep. A numerical value appeared on the LCD screen: -7.221.¡°No difference from before the test.¡± Yu Hong frowned slightly. He had already measured this stone before, and the results had fluctuated around this number. The red value of ordinary luminous stones was generally small and mainly determined by their size. Typically, after being mined, luminous stones would gradually break into pieces of roughly uniform size over time. ¡®Maybe the Vortex Rune doesn¡¯t take immediate effect¡ªperhaps it needs time to ferment.¡¯ Yu Hong took out a pen and paper and recorded his findings. The white paper was already filled with numerous past experiments. Using the Black Seal, he had ruled out many potential directions. ¡®What if I try drawing the Vortex Rune separately?¡¯ He quickly grabbed a small luminous stone and used a charcoal pen to draw a vortex rune on it. Then, he tested it again with the Red-Value Detector and recorded the data. No change. Still useless. Unfazed, Yu Hong tried applying the Vortex Rune to different materials. He continued his meticulous trial-and-error approach. The sky gradually darkened. ¡°Huh? Why did it get dark so fast?¡± Snapping out of his experiments, Yu Hong looked toward the door¡¯s viewing window. He took out his enhanced communicator, now a square plastic box with four speakers on its sides. The top featured a row of buttons and dials, each labeled with functions and numbers. After inspecting it briefly, he found the switch on the lower side and flipped it on. Ssshh¡ª A burst of static crackled from the speakers. Soon, the noise faded, replaced by faint voices. ¡°¡­Four days, at most four days before we face¡­¡± ¡°¡­Too many people, and supplies are still¡­ Reduce numbers, drive them out¡­¡± ¡°I disagree. We all survived the worst together, and now we¡¯re¡­¡± A dispute seemed to be taking place on the other end, and Yu Hong recognized Old Li¡¯s voice among them. Old Li sounded calm as he reported the longest duration their supplies could sustain them, but the rest of the conversation was unclear. Yu Hong slapped the communicator, causing a loud crackling noise. It immediately caught the attention of those on the other side. ¡°Old Li? Can you hear me?¡± he asked in a deep voice. ¡°Yes, loud and clear. Your signal is that strong over there?¡± Li Runshan sounded surprised¡ªclearly unaware of the quality of Black Seal enhancements. ¡°It¡¯s decent. Let¡¯s keep it short. I have something to ask you.¡± Although they had agreed to communicate at a fixed time daily, power consumption was a concern. If there was nothing urgent, they would shut it off to save energy and wait until the next day. ???????????¨§? This setup was inconvenient and outdated. Yu Hong wanted to complain¡ªwhy couldn¡¯t it function like a regular phone, with a ringtone or vibration for notifications? Why did both devices have to be on at the same time to connect? ¡°Go ahead. What is it?¡± Li Runshan was also satisfied with the call quality. ¡°I explored a ruin cave and found another rune similar to the luminous stone Rune. But it seems useless. Do you have any research on this?¡± Yu Hong didn¡¯t hesitate to ask directly. He didn¡¯t believe other ruin explorers would ignore studying the Vortex Rune. If he could gather clues through the post office¡¯s channels, it would save him a lot of time and effort. ¡°Oh, that one? Yeah, we¡¯ve looked into it.¡± Li Runshan replied promptly. ¡°Actually, the ruins contain more than just these two runes. There are several others you haven¡¯t seen before, ones that have never appeared on the market. But the only one that has been proven useful is the Enhancement Rune we currently use.¡± Yu Hong frowned. ¡°If it¡¯s useless, why was it drawn on the ruin walls?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe the ruin scholars would have some insights. But when I tried contacting the higher-ups earlier, even our previous anti-interference communication was heavily disrupted. The signal is extremely unstable now. I suspect the changing external environment is affecting communications.¡± Concern tinged Li Runshan¡¯s voice. ¡°Regardless, we should prepare for a long-term battle.¡± Yu Hong said. ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t waste more power. It¡¯s almost nightfall¡ªlet¡¯s hope there¡¯s no Blood Tide tonight.¡± With that, they ended the call. Yu Hong exhaled deeply. ¡®Even the post office¡¯s communication is affected¡­ If contact with the higher-ups is lost¡­¡¯ A hint of worry flickered in his eyes. Without communication, supply teams might stop coming. If the wilderness continued growing more dangerous, future supply missions could become impossible. ¡®If the luminous grass outside can¡¯t repel the Blood Tide, I¡¯ll have to rely on my cave door to hold them off. But the current door might not be strong enough.¡¯ Assessing potential risks, Yu Hong decided¡ªhe needed to reinforce the door. The mother and daughter in the courtyard would eventually leave; they were not his concern. But if supply teams stopped arriving, they would have to rely entirely on themselves¡ªcomplete self-sufficiency. ¡®Reinforcing the door isn¡¯t enough. I need to expand the safety bunker, create storage and farming areas, and separate washing and waste areas to prevent moisture buildup. A training space, an experiment lab¡­ I should plan for as many rooms as possible for future expansion.¡¯ With his future plans in mind, Yu Hong sketched a rough blueprint of an underground chamber layout. He initially planned five rooms, with one being significantly larger for indoor training and experimentation. Once the layout was set, he glanced outside. The sky was completely dark, but tonight, there was no Blood Tide¡ªonly silent darkness. The moon was hidden behind clouds, and only occasional glimpses of starlight peeked through. Outside the cave, the luminous grass swayed gently in the wind, emitting a soft, luminous white glow. Yu Hong had taken a nap during the day, and now he was full of energy. He decided to cook some protein soup, ate a meal, and began training. For three hours straight, he concentrated on his training, exhausting his stamina as much as possible. Just as he was about to finish and prepare for rest, at the very last moment of stopping¡ª Hiss. A faint sound emerged from deep within his abdomen. At that moment, countless unknown and strange particles from the outside world passed through his fair skin, penetrated the red muscle layer, and continuously poured into his dantian. These particles were far finer than dust. They appeared solid, yet they could easily pass through physical matter, as if they were illusions. This strange phenomenon lasted for more than ten seconds before gradually fading away. ¡°This is¡­!?¡± Yu Hong gently touched his abdomen and found that his skin there had turned slightly cold, as if he had just touched an ice block¡ªbone-chilling. Inside his body, he could clearly feel it¡ªa new, cold stream of inner energy had begun forming in his dantian. ¡°The first inner energy of the second level is finally here!¡± Comparing this sensation to the descriptions in Heavy Leg Technique, Yu Hong finally exhaled in relief. Without inner energy, even though his physique had greatly strengthened, he still didn¡¯t feel completely secure. Now that he had finally accumulated inner energy, he felt an immense sense of security. ¡°With inner energy in place, I can start expanding the underground shelter tomorrow!¡± Feeling reassured, Yu Hong finalized his plan. Inner energy wasn¡¯t just a powerful endurance booster¡ªit could also accelerate the recovery of luminous grass and provide more energy for Black Seal enhancements. Its applications were extensive. With tomorrow¡¯s plan settled in his mind, Yu Hong finished his training and prepared to head upstairs to rest. But just then, a sudden thought flashed through his mind, making him stop in his tracks. ¡°Wait! If the outer wall can be strengthened as a whole, and formations can be strengthened as a whole, then why not the entire safehouse?¡± Standing under the faint green light, the gleam in Yu Hong¡¯s eyes grew brighter. He remained still for a moment before suddenly crouching down and pressing one hand against the ground. ¡°Enhance the entire safehouse. Parameters: increase the number of compartments by five, improve wall hardness and moisture resistance.¡± With a deep sense of anticipation, he waited for the Black Seal¡¯s response. Hiss. A black line emerged from the Black Seal, merging into the ground. Then, he waited. One second. Two seconds. Three seconds. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Five seconds. Finally, a cold mechanical voice echoed in his ears. ¡°Enhance the entire safehouse?¡± At the same time, a large black countdown timer appeared on the ground beneath him. ¡°24 days, 11 hours, 7 minutes.¡± ¡°It really works!!¡± Yu Hong¡¯s eyes widened in excitement. He knew exactly what this meant¡ªgoing forward, he wouldn¡¯t need to learn construction techniques or seek help for expanding and modifying the safehouse. As long as he kept synthesizing and enhancing with the Black Seal, everything could be done automatically! ¡°If I can enhance the entire safehouse, then I should be able to enhance individual compartments separately!¡± Excitement surged through him as he realized the possibilities. Without hesitation, he stepped to the wall, placed his hand on it, and whispered his next command. ¡°Enhance this compartment. Parameter: add one connecting compartment.¡± This time, he didn¡¯t increase five compartments at once. Instead, he only added one, without requesting any other upgrades. His goal was to determine how long a single compartment enhancement would take. Soon, the black lines spread out, and a countdown timer appeared on the wall. ¡°4 days, 11 hours, 2 minutes.¡± ¡°Only four days! That¡¯s way faster than digging it myself!¡± Yu Hong¡¯s heart trembled with excitement, and a smile spread across his face. Although his strength had greatly increased and his physique had improved, digging through rock was still far more difficult than digging through soil. Even with his current strength, it would have been impossible for him to carve out a proper compartment in just four days. ¡°The best part is, once the Black Seal enhances it, everything will likely be perfected¡ªsmooth walls, complete structural integrity, and even aesthetics¡ªall far better than if I did it manually.¡± (End of Chapter) Chapter 92: Rune Pattern (2) ~~~ Thank Thyme for the bonus chapters ~~ Excited by his discovery, Yu Hong decided not to continue reinforcing rune arrays that evening. Normally, he would enhance the rune arrays at night, calculating reinforcement times and bundling multiple arrays together so that by the next morning, he would have several improved ones ready. But this time, he planned to test the Black Seal¡¯s ability to strengthen a chamber. Placing one hand on the stone wall, Yu Hong silently gave his command: ¡°Reinforce the entire safe house. Direction: Add a new room of the same size as this chamber, extending further into the mountain. Keep the exterior unchanged, enhance the strength of the main door, integrate it seamlessly with the stone walls, and increase impact resistance.¡± A black line flickered, and a countdown appeared: 6 days, 9 hours, 42 minutes. ¡°Do you want to reinforce this chamber?¡± the Black Seal inquired. ¡°Yes!¡± Yu Hong responded eagerly. Immediately, the underground chamber flickered slightly before returning to normal. The countdown on the wall began ticking down. Satisfied, Yu Hong withdrew his hand. ¡°Six days¡­ Although the Black Seal will be unavailable for now, once this is completed, I can continue expanding this way!¡± ¡°By the time the reinforcement is done, the rescue team should have arrived. Once I get the intel, I¡¯ll retrieve the nuclear generator. If I solve the energy issue, water supply should be easily taken care of as well.¡± Using the Black Seal¡¯s reinforcement and synthesis abilities, Yu Hong figured he could seamlessly integrate the water supply system and nuclear generator into the safe house¡¯s infrastructure. This would save him from extensive planning and modifications. If it weren¡¯t for the Black Seal, he wouldn¡¯t even know where to start when it came to installation and integration. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With the countdown in motion, Yu Hong returned to the upper cave, lay down, and fell asleep. His mood was light, and he slept soundly until nearly noon the next day. He could have continued sleeping, but loud noises from outside disturbed his rest. *** Outside the Safe House ¨C Walled Courtyard Wei Shanshan and Qiu Yanxi stood close to their wooden hut, confronting a group of over ten people outside the stone wall. It was nearly noon, and the sun was shining brightly. The group consisted of both men and women, wielding machetes, wooden clubs, daggers, and even firearms. Some wore academy uniforms similar to Wei Shanshan¡¯s, others were in camouflage gear, and one girl, absurdly dressed, wore a tight-fitting mini dress that exposed her pale thighs. ???????????¨º? Despite their differing appearances, they all shared the same expression¡ªfear. Some were even trembling. ¡°Rune arrays! Great Luminous Stones! We need more of them!¡± ¡°Hand them over!! Give us the rune arrays!!¡± At the forefront was a young woman, likely in her early twenties. Her figure was better than Wei Shanshan¡¯s but not as impressive as Qiu Yanxi¡¯s. Her face was unremarkable, marred by stress-induced red sores at the corners of her mouth. She gripped a compact submachine gun, pointing it directly at the mother and daughter within the walls. ¡°So many people died last night! You had those rune arrays and Luminous Stones, yet you refused to share them with us!? Why!?¡± The woman¡¯s voice trembled with rage and fear, her hands shaking as she clutched her weapon. ¡°Li Jingyuan!¡± Qiu Yanxi forced herself to stay calm despite the gun pointed at her. Her body trembled, but she spoke loudly, ¡°Weren¡¯t you all taking shelter at the post office? What happened? What¡¯s going on? Take a deep breath! It¡¯s broad daylight¡ªthe safest time! There¡¯s no need to panic right now!¡± As a teacher, her authority still held some sway over her former students. ¡°Ghostly Shadows¡­ Too many Ghostly Shadows!! We couldn¡¯t hold them back! The post office refused to let us stay! They ran out of rune arrays and Luminous Stones too! We lost eight people last night alone!!¡± The woman¡¯s voice was hoarse as she screamed, ¡°There are too many Ghostly Shadows outside! We can¡¯t stop them! Without Luminous Stones and rune arrays, we¡¯re all going to die¡ªtonight!!¡± Her bloodshot eyes widened. ¡°I don¡¯t want to die!! I need Luminous Stones! Give me Luminous Stones!!¡± ¡°There¡¯s a mine nearby¡ªyou could go there and dig for some¡ª¡± Before Qiu Yanxi could finish, two gunshots rang out. Bang! Bang! The bullets struck the ground near her feet, sending dirt flying. Some of it sprayed onto her legs, leaving tiny red welts. ¡°Go to the mines? Do I look like a fool to you!?¡± Li Jingyuan screamed. ¡°Going there is as good as dying! Normal Luminous Stones are useless! I need Great ones! Give me Great Luminous Stones!!¡± ¡°I can call Mr. Yu out and arrange a fair trade¡ª¡± ¡°Fair trade? My ass! We have guns and numbers! Why the hell should we trade!? He should share everything with us!!¡± ¡°Share it all!!¡± ¡°Yeah! Share it!!¡± ¡°If he won¡¯t share, we¡¯ll kill him!!¡± ¡°Either way, we¡¯re dead!! Let¡¯s go for it!!¡± The group¡¯s mental state had clearly collapsed. They were on the edge, driven mad by desperation. ¡°There are Great Luminous Stones over there!! I see them!!¡± Someone pointed to a massive chunk of stone in the courtyard. ¡°Damn it! Grab it!!¡± With a wave of her hand, Li Jingyuan sent several young men charging towards the Luminous Stone. ¡°There are rune arrays too! And food! Drag that bastard out! This place belongs to us now!!¡± One of the taller men yelled and sprinted toward the entrance of the safe house. These people had been exiled from the post office shelter¡ªdiscarded by those with more power and influence. When the rune arrays and Luminous Stones ran out, they found themselves defenseless. Many had died in a single night. That brutal reality shattered their last hopes. They tried attacking the United Army¡¯s survivor camp but were driven off, leaving behind more bodies. Desperate and with nowhere to turn, they thought of Yu Hong¡¯s safe house. Starving and desperate, they rushed here, clinging to this last chance of survival. ¡°Charge!! Get inside!! Those two are fine¡ªthere must be enough Luminous Stones here for all of us!!¡± ¡°Why should just a few people hoard all this!?¡± ¡°If we¡¯re going to die anyway¡ªscrew it!!¡± Li Jingyuan joined the charge, completely ignoring the mother and daughter at the wooden hut. Over a dozen people swarmed into the courtyard, trampling over the luminous grass as they charged toward the wooden door. The leading young man raised his gun, aiming at the door¡¯s lock, ready to fire a burst. Whoosh¡ª The wooden door suddenly swung open. A dark shadow lunged out, striking the young man square in the chest. Boom!! The gunman was sent flying backward, his chest caving in with a sickening crack as his sternum shattered. Blood sprayed from his mouth as he slammed into the stone wall, then collapsed to the ground, motionless. A pool of blood quickly spread beneath him. The sudden turn of events froze the charging group in place. All movement stopped as every gaze snapped toward the now-open door. Inside. Yu Hong, towering at nearly 1.9 meters in full armor, stepped out. He was clad in a complete set of reinforced White Bear ballistic gear, resembling a walking tank. In one hand, he held a massive wooden shield; in the other, a spiked mace. Weighing over 300 pounds, he took a single step forward and lightly hopped down onto the courtyard grass. Thud. His boots sank deep into the ground. As his body landed, a faint shockwave rippled outward, dispersing across the courtyard. The air stirred, sweeping through the luminous grass, bending it outward in waves centered around Yu Hong. Whoosh¡ª A stream of condensed white vapor hissed from the breathing valve of his helmet, curling into twin trails along its sides. ¡°I gave you fairness.¡± He raised his head, looking at the group before him. ¡°And this is how you repay me?¡± His deep voice jolted the nearest few back to their senses. ¡°Fairness!?¡± someone screamed. ¡°You hoarded all the large Luminous Stones and rune arrays while watching us die! That¡¯s your so-called fairness!?¡± ¡°Kill him!!¡± ¡°Shoot!!¡± Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Li Jingyuan was the first to raise her submachine gun and unleash a barrage at Yu Hong. Gunfire rang out as bullets struck his heavy ballistic armor, sparking on impact. More gunfire erupted as two others also opened fire, their bullets hammering against his armor and wooden shield, sending splinters flying. ¡°Fools.¡± Yu Hong raised his shield, hunched his shoulders, and charged. Boom! Boom! Boom! With three thunderous strides, he barreled forward like a raging rhinoceros, slamming into the first three attackers. They had no time to dodge. The massive wooden shield smashed into them head-on, sending them flying like bowling pins, rolling across the ground. Without pausing, Yu Hong stormed toward the courtyard wall, lifting his shield with one arm and swinging it down. Boom! The shield struck Li Jingyuan directly. The sheer force sent her hurtling sideways. She didn¡¯t even have time to scream before she crashed into the outer wall, leaving a streak of blood midair before slumping lifelessly to the ground. Yu Hong spun around, sweeping his spiked mace in a wide arc, swatting two more assailants like ragdolls. Then, tossing aside his shield, he grabbed another attacker by the collar and hurled him sideways. Crack!! The sickening crunch of breaking bones echoed as the man¡¯s body collided with two others, sending another shower of blood across the courtyard. Finally, Yu Hong flung his spiked mace. It spun through the air, howling, before slamming into two fleeing men. Their upper bodies crumpled inward on impact, and they collapsed to the ground, dead on the spot. The mace rolled across the courtyard until Yu Hong casually walked over and picked it up again. ¡°A pack of weak fools.¡± He sighed. Straightening up, he surveyed the blood-soaked courtyard filled with corpses, shaking his head before stepping toward a young man still struggling to crawl. His lower body had been completely crushed beneath the shield. ¡°You¡­!!¡± The young man gasped, his pain-ridden eyes glaring at Yu Hong as if trying to say something. Thud. The spiked mace came down, shattering his neck. Life faded instantly. Yu Hong silently withdrew his weapon. He wasn¡¯t someone who enjoyed killing. But sometimes, a man had to do what had to be done. With the deed finished, he turned his gaze toward Qiu Yanxi and her mother. The two stood frozen before their wooden hut, blood splattered across their clothes. Their expressions were blank, as if paralyzed by fear. ¡°Go inside and rest.¡± Yu Hong sighed. ¡°Killers will always be killed in return. I didn¡¯t want this either¡ªit was their fault.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qiu Yanxi¡¯s eyelids twitched. A bizarre sense of absurdity surged within her. She watched Yu Hong shake his head and sigh, as if filled with regret, before turning and stepping back into the cave¡ªleaving behind a courtyard littered with mangled corpses. Clutching her daughter¡¯s head tightly, Qiu Yanxi suddenly recalled a madman they had encountered on the road. ¡°¡­It¡¯s not my fault¡­ They forced me to eat them! They forced me!!¡± His voice sounded eerily identical to Yu Hong¡¯s. (End of Chapter) Chapter 93: Change (1) ~~~ Thank Thyme for the bonus chapters ~~ ¡°What? Li Jingyuan and the others went to the cave?¡± Inside the stone post office. Li Runshan abruptly stood up from his seat, visibly shocked. ¡°I saw them heading there when I came back to collect firewood. There were more than ten of them, and they had guns. I think your friend might be in danger.¡± The one speaking was Ge Shenghao, the temporary leader of Team One¡ªthe strongest group among the refugees. Ge Shenghao was a man of great physical strength, with a square face, resolute eyes, and dark skin. His appearance gave off an impression of integrity at first glance. He led his team with discipline, but his main flaw was that he only cared about Team One. The survival of the other two teams was of no concern to him. ¡°Yu Hong also has a gun. As long as he doesn¡¯t step outside and get ambushed, he should be fine.¡± Li Runshan pondered for a moment before sitting back down. ¡°Then let¡¯s discuss tonight¡¯s arrangements. We used up most of our Rune Arrays and Luminous Stones last night to save people. What¡¯s left isn¡¯t enough.¡± Ge Shenghao spoke in a serious tone. ¡°I don¡¯t care about the others, but all fourteen members of my team must survive.¡± sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Li Runshan frowned. Team One was composed of two types of people: high-ranking United Army officials¡¯ family members and their bodyguards. The former were easier to deal with, but the latter were highly capable fighters. A quick glance told Li Runshan that six of them were family members, making up three households, while the remaining eight were bodyguards. Among these eight, at least three were his former colleagues¡ªelite operatives who had worked within the postal system. In this world, post office couriers were second only to the United Army¡¯s top-tier special forces. If Team One had three such experts, it spoke volumes about the troublesome status of the family members they were protecting. Yes, troublesome. That was exactly what Li Runshan was thinking at this moment. Their supplies came from the logistics team, and their equipment was no worse than his¡ªpossibly even better. Their firearms and armor were all top-tier. This meant he couldn¡¯t simply use force to drive them away. ¡°The remaining Rune Arrays and Luminous Stones can barely secure one basement room into a sealed chamber. We can all squeeze in, but what about Teams Two and Three? They¡¯re not stupid. Everyone saw how we drove those people away before.¡± Li Runshan said gravely. ¡°Send them to the mining area. Or see if your friend has a solution. This has nothing to do with us¡ªI¡¯m only responsible for Team One.¡± Ge Shenghao replied coldly, completely indifferent. With that, he turned and left the stone house, heading into the basement. Li Runshan let out a sigh and walked to the window, peeking through the cracks to look outside. In the courtyard, members of Teams Two and Three were gathered around fires, cooking food. Their faces still carried the terror from the previous night, their expressions dull and numb. Meanwhile, the bodyguards from the two teams were huddled together, seemingly in discussion. Seeing this, Li Runshan¡¯s heart sank. If this continued, conflict between the three teams would explode before nightfall. And he wasn¡¯t sure if Team One alone could withstand the pressure. Just then, several figures came sprinting toward the courtyard from the distant woods. They stumbled forward in terror, as if something horrific was chasing them. ¡°Stop! Stay where you are!¡± One of the guards in the courtyard raised his gun and shouted. With the threat of lurking Ghostly Shadows and the possibility of an attack from Li Jingyuan¡¯s expelled group, their vigilance was at an all-time high. ????£Á¦­¨¯§£¦¥???? But the fleeing people seemed either too terrified to listen or simply didn¡¯t hear them. They kept running forward, desperate. Bang! Bang! Bang! Gunshots rang out. The fleeing individuals collapsed instantly. The guards lowered their weapons and resumed their activities as if nothing had happened¡ªcontinuing to cook, chat, and rest. No one paid any attention to the dead bodies outside. Just like no one cared about the eight people who had been dragged away by Ghostly Shadows the previous night. They had seen too much death. What they failed to notice, however, was that beyond the courtyard, among the trees and undergrowth, faint white mist was beginning to rise. The strands of mist wove like silk, rendering the once-clear forest hazy and mysterious. Shh! Deep within the woods, a gray-white shadow flickered past in an instant. * * * Inside the cave. Yu Hong no longer experimented with the vortex Rune pattern. The Black Seal had already begun reinforcing the entire safehouse¡ªstrengthening the door and merging it with the cave walls, significantly enhancing its defenses. Yu Hong recalled that during his encounter with the Big Skin, the first issue had been at the door¡¯s edges¡ªwhere it connected to the walls. The door itself was strong enough, but he needed to prevent outsiders from digging through the weaker stone walls to break in. Right now, the cave walls weren¡¯t as strong as the reinforced door. To counter this, he needed to seamlessly integrate the door with the weaker sections of the stone wall. ¡®After this reinforcement, the cave safehouse should be much safer. Later, I¡¯ll use the synthesis function to further strengthen and refine it.¡¯ He changed into his reinforced White Bear Suit and resumed practicing the second level of Heavy Leg Technique. Dealing with troublemakers was nothing more than a way to refine his combat skills¡ªit wasn¡¯t a challenge. Bullets couldn¡¯t penetrate his defense, and those people were physically weak¡ªutterly powerless against him. Meanwhile, outside in the courtyard, Qiu Yanxi and Wei Shanshan stood in silence for a while before silently gathering the corpses and dumping them outside. After working for some time, they stopped to catch their breath, staring at the blood-stained ground. ¡°Mom¡­ if the rescue team doesn¡¯t come¡­¡± ¡°They will come.¡± Qiu Yanxi shook her head. ¡°They have to. There are too many important people here¡ªthey won¡¯t be abandoned.¡± She seemed to be convincing both her daughter and herself. Crack! Suddenly, the door swung open. Yu Hong stepped out, clad in a gray lizard suit, and tossed out a set of tools. ¡°Since you¡¯re just sitting around doing nothing, help me chisel this Luminous stone. Just break it up a little¡ªit will naturally split apart on its own,¡± he instructed. There were still many days ahead. He had no intention of supporting these two for free; they needed to contribute to daily necessities as well. ¡°Also, collect more firewood when you have time.¡± He threw out a Rune board. ¡°Take turns carrying this when you go outside.¡± With that, bang, he shut the door again and went back to rest. Qiu Yanxi and her daughter exchanged looks. After a brief hesitation, Qiu Yanxi stepped forward, picked up the tools and the Rune board, examined them carefully, and then softly instructed her daughter not to go outside while she herself went out to collect firewood. Since Yu Hong had no interest in their bodies, they had to prove their value in other ways. Otherwise, if the rescue team never arrived¡­ She couldn¡¯t help but recall the horrific cases she had seen before¡ªcorpses stripped down to bare bones after being devoured. That night, the Blood Tide appeared once again. As usual, the black insects passed outside the courtyard walls but never set foot inside. This finally allowed Qiu Yanxi and her daughter, who had been on edge, to breathe a sigh of relief. They now understood that this courtyard truly possessed some special property that kept the creatures at bay. Meanwhile, Yu Hong enjoyed a more comfortable and convenient life inside the cave. There was now someone gathering firewood for him, and food was temporarily not an issue. He had originally needed to go out to fetch water, but two days later, light rain began to fall. He collected four large barrels of rainwater, enough to filter and boil for drinking over the next week. His daily routine consisted of eating, drinking, and training. Occasionally, he would step out to check on Qiu Yanxi and her daughter, ensuring they were still healthy, before returning to his cave and waiting for the countdown to end. This was his first large-scale reinforcement of the entire cave safehouse. He speculated that this upgrade might fully integrate the entire structure. Some hidden structural weaknesses might finally be resolved, following the pattern of the Black Seal¡¯s previous enhancements. He was looking forward to it. Time passed day by day. In the blink of an eye, five days had gone by. Boom! On the fifth morning, Yu Hong was jolted awake by a deafening explosion. He flipped out of bed, rushed to the entrance, pulled open the barricade, and looked outside. Thick black smoke billowed into the sky from the direction of the post office. ¡°What the hell is going on!?¡± His expression darkened. He wasn¡¯t yet capable of complete self-sufficiency. If something happened to Li Runshan¡¯s group¡­ But at this distance, if he left and his safehouse was attacked in his absence, the loss would be irreversible. Qiu Yanxi and her daughter were powerless. If they died, his energy source would be gone. After a brief moment of thought, Yu Hong quickly turned and activated his reinforced communicator. Static¡ª After a burst of harsh electrical noise, a voice finally came through. *¡±Finally connected!! Old Yu, be careful over there! Something serious happened here in broad daylight! Some troublesome bastard showed up¡ªpeople died in an instant, we didn¡¯t even have time to react¡ª¡± A bloodcurdling scream cut off Li Runshan¡¯s words, followed by furious cursing, gunfire, and the sound of blades hacking into wood. A few seconds later, Li Runshan¡¯s breathless voice returned. ¡°Damn it! This is still daytime! These Blood Tide monsters are appearing in broad daylight now! Listen up! It¡¯s not a Ghostly Shadow! Not a Ghostly Shadow!! It¡¯s something new¡ªfast as hell, and it can fly! You need to¡ª¡± Boom! The signal cut off. All that remained was the sound of chaotic static. Yu Hong¡¯s expression turned grim. He didn¡¯t turn off the communicator but kept it charging with solar power, hoping for more updates. ¡°What the hell is happening¡­? Something attacking in broad daylight already? How has the environment deteriorated this much in such a short time¡­?¡± * * * Outskirts of Baihe City On the sandy shore near the sea¡ª Rat-a-tat-tat-tat! A dense barrage of machine gun fire tore through the air, forming invisible bullet chains that raked across the sky above the water. Weaving between the hail of bullets were three multi-eyed monstrous birds, deftly dodging as they dived toward the beach below. Even when struck, they barely reacted. Aside from a few bursts of blood, their speed hardly slowed as they continued their assault. On the beach below, squads of camouflaged soldiers fired upwards at intervals, trying to hold the creatures back. The squad leader, an expert marksman, managed to land precise shots on the creatures each time he fired. But soon, two belts of ammunition ran dry, signaling an urgent reload. The monsters seized the opportunity and dived. Slash! Two soldiers beside the squad leader were instantly sliced apart as if by razor-sharp blades. Their upper bodies vanished in a flash, while their remaining halves were snatched up and swallowed whole by the creatures, their necks stretching like snakes as they devoured their prey. ¡°Fall back! Fall back!!¡± the squad leader roared, ordering his men to retreat. Just as they tried to resist, fresh ammo belts were finally loaded, and a renewed stream of machine gun fire shredded one of the monstrous birds. Its neck snapped midair, spilling out the half-digested remains of its victims. ¡°Get out of here! We¡¯re out of ammo!!¡± The squad leader turned and ran, his vision blurring with adrenaline as he sprinted toward the military fortress. His remaining team members followed, charging desperately toward the safety of the stronghold. Seeing this, the monstrous birds finally gave up, flapping their wings and retreating into the dense white mist above the sea. (End of Chapter) Chapter 94: Change (2) ~~~ Thank Thyme for the bonus chapters ~~ ¡°Shit!¡± The captain slammed his fist against the outer wall of the fortress, bending over and gasping for breath. ¡°The front line collapsed. At least a hundred Grade-4 multi-eyed birds got in. You¡¯re lucky to have made it back alive.¡± A helpless female voice came from behind the squad. The few remaining team members, their eyes red with grief and rage, turned to look. The speaker was a black-haired woman in a white research coat. She was smoking, gazing calmly at the sea where the monstrous birds had disappeared. Her features were ordinary, her figure slightly plump, with noticeable dark circles under her eyes. She looked exhausted, around forty years old, with deep crow¡¯s feet at the corners of her eyes. If not for her lab coat, anyone would have mistaken her for an average housewife. ¡°Director Yan! Why didn¡¯t anyone warn us? Why the hell didn¡¯t we get notified that the multi-eyed birds broke through!?¡± The captain charged forward, grabbed her collar, and lifted her off the ground. ¡°Because we couldn¡¯t reach you. The signal interference got worse,¡± the woman replied calmly. ¡°I¡¯d advise you to take it easy¡ªI¡¯ve been pulling three all-nighters to upgrade the communication system.¡± The captain¡¯s furious expression stiffened. Though his anger still boiled over the loss of his team, his grip unconsciously loosened as he set her down. ¡°Why!¡± He punched the fortress wall. ¡°Why did this happen!? Four squads¡ªfour! And we¡¯re the only ones left!¡± ¡°When the Blood Tide reaches Level 2, ordinary humans can no longer handle it. Even elite operatives like you, enhanced with localized Luminous Stone exposure, still need firearms and defensive positions to stand a chance,¡± Director Yan said evenly. ¡°From the very beginning, Blackstone¡¯s assumption that its enhancements could counter the Blood Tide was a fundamental mistake.¡± ¡°And at Level 4, small-caliber firearms and standard explosives barely faze these creatures. They might get wounded, but they¡¯ll regenerate quickly and come back stronger.¡± ¡°What about full-body Luminoius Stone enhancement!?¡± The captain clenched his teeth. ¡°They should be able to handle it!¡± ¡°According to our latest data, a fully enhanced individual in underground trials managed to severely wound and kill a Grade-3 Blood Tide creature¡ªbut at the cost of a 3-to-1 casualty ratio,¡± Director Yan replied. ¡°And it was meaningless, because Blood Tide creatures regenerate. The trials showed that at Grade-3, these entities already surpass the limits of human strength and endurance. It¡¯s a fundamental biological limitation¡ªour skeletal structure, our cellular resilience¡ªthis is where we max out.¡± ¡°So Grade-3 is our absolute limit!?¡± The captain asked, suppressing his rage. ¡°Stop throwing lives away. Blackstone¡¯s tests are nothing but a waste of resources and personnel. Silver Tower figured this out long ago¡ªat a very steep cost.¡± With that, Director Yan turned and walked away without looking back. Grade-3 is the limit of human physical enhancement. Beyond that, no amount of augmentation will help. * * * Afternoon. The enhanced red-value detector displayed on the standby LCD screen: 15:03. Inside the cave, Yu Hong put down the communicator, his heart heavy. After thinking for a moment and determining the next course of action, he stood up, walked to the wooden door, and peered outside through the observation window. R?¨¢??????§§? Beyond the door, in the dense forest, wisps of white mist flickered in and out of view. Compared to before, the atmosphere seemed even more dangerous and mysterious. ¡°It seems the red-value outside¡­ has likely increased.¡± A grave expression crossed Yu Hong¡¯s face. What was once a safe time of day¡ªdaylight¡ªwas now turning extremely perilous. Remembering Old Li¡¯s previous warnings, he suddenly felt relieved that he had already taken steps to reinforce the safe house. The fortification would soon be complete. If not, dealing with future threats would have been a nightmare. He had no idea what was happening at the Post Office, but it was no longer safe to venture out to check. He had to¡ª Whoosh!! Suddenly, just as he was looking outside, something in the forest seemed to have noticed him through the observation window. A gray blur burst from the mist, an arrow of death streaking toward the wooden door¡¯s peephole. Its speed was so fast that the sharp whistle of air being split pierced his eardrums with pain. Yu Hong¡¯s pupils contracted. He immediately retreated, slammed the cover shut, and dashed toward the White Bear Suit in the corner. Boom!! The instant he left the door, a deafening impact exploded against it. The heavy, reinforced wooden door¡ªstrengthened multiple times¡ªwas punched through in an instant. A gray-white spike, as thick as an adult¡¯s forearm, pierced straight through the wooden observation window. The tip of the spike glowed with a faint, eerie blue light, effortlessly tearing through the steel wire mesh, piercing through the wooden cover, and stabbing half a meter into the cave interior. After confirming it had struck empty air, the spike swiftly retracted, generating a rush of wind before vanishing back into the foggy forest. Yu Hong, now clad in the White Bear Suit, felt his heart go cold. If he had stayed put, that single strike could have impaled his chest, killing him on the spot. ¡°This¡­ this is the thing that broke through the front lines!?¡± ¡°The Joint Army is fighting against these monsters!?¡± A shudder ran through him. The Blood Tide monsters he had encountered before suddenly seemed harmless in comparison. If Ghostly Shadows and Evil Shadows were the embodiment of terror and dread, then this gray unknown creature was overwhelming power and despair given form. ¡°It¡¯s too fast¡­ and it can fly!!¡± His thoughts barely had time to form before his face changed drastically. He raised his massive wooden shield just as¡ª Boom!! Another tremendous impact rocked the wooden door. This time, the peephole was completely obliterated. A gray-white spike shot through¡ªthis time stabbing a full meter into the interior. Then, as if sensing another miss, the spike swiftly withdrew, returning to the creature outside. ¡°This can¡¯t continue! The door will be completely destroyed! Hiding is useless!¡± Yu Hong gritted his teeth. He had to act now! With a decisive movement, he rushed forward, wrenched the door open, and charged out. Shield raised. ¡°DIE!!¡± With a furious roar, he sprinted at full speed and leaped forward¡ªa black armored juggernaut, barreling straight toward the unknown gray monster outside the door. If this was a Blood Tide creature or some sort of mutant beast, then it should still adhere to basic biological instincts. Against wild animals, one must dominate with sheer force¡ªmake it understand that a fight would only result in pain, forcing it to retreat. As soon as he stepped outside, Yu Hong got a full view of the gray monster¡ª It was a hairless, grotesque bird with two rows of red, beady eyes. Its entire body was gray-white. Despite having no feathers, it had still moved at that terrifying speed. Under its translucent skin, countless writhing lumps pulsed and shifted¡ªsomething was moving rapidly inside its flesh. The moment it spotted Yu Hong rushing out, it let out a deep, toad-like roar, then smashed a wing downward¡ªstraight toward Yu Hong¡¯s massive wooden shield. The creature stood over a meter tall, with an elongated body and a four-meter wingspan. As its wing sliced through the air, it emitted a shrill whistle¡ªas if a razor-sharp blade was cutting through the atmosphere. Yu Hong¡¯s muscles bulged, veins popped across his face, and with a furious bellow, he charged forward. ¡°AAAHHHHHH!!¡± Boom!! The wooden shield buckled inward. The bird¡¯s wing and Yu Hong¡¯s alloy-reinforced White Bear Suit collided head-on¡ªneither yielding an inch. ¡°FUCK YOU!!¡± Yu Hong¡¯s other hand swung his spiked club with all his might. The black, iron-studded club, backed by his superhuman strength, howled through the air and smashed into the monster¡¯s neck. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At the same time, the creature¡¯s other wing slashed at Yu Hong¡¯s left shoulder. Both sides had the same idea¡ªa simultaneous surprise attack. Boom! Boom! Two dull impacts rang out at the same time. Both Yu Hong and the monster were sent flying from the force of their strikes. Yu Hong rolled several meters, crashing into a stone wall before coming to a stop. The monster¡¯s neck twisted at an unnatural angle as it tumbled past the wall, landing in the grass and rolling a few times. Both struggled to get back up. ¡°DIE!!!¡± Yu Hong hurled his spiked club at the monster with all his strength. At the same time, he drew his reinforced handgun from his back and fired a barrage of bullets. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Each shot exploded from the barrel, leaving behind tiny rings of white smoke. The high-powered bullets, moving at twice the speed of sound, ripped through the air. Four shots¡ªtwo hit their mark, exploding into gray-white blood splatters the size of fists. ¡°SKREEEE!!¡± The monster shrieked in pain, flapped its wings, and fled into the foggy forest. Its blood, dripping as it escaped, corroded the grass beneath, leaving behind blackened holes. ¡°Shit!¡± Yu Hong panted heavily, standing his ground, calming his overexerted body. He had gone all out¡ªeven burning his internal energy in that fight. And even then, he had only barely overpowered the creature. His brief sense of confidence after his recent breakthrough was utterly shattered. ¡°Too weak!!¡± ¡°I¡¯M TOO FUCKING WEAK!!¡± He punched the stone wall beside him in frustration¡ªdust scattering, a shallow dent left behind. ¡°If just one of those things gave me this much trouble¡­ what if there were two!? Would I be torn apart!?¡± As frustration burned in his chest, a distant explosion from the Post Office caught his attention. Old Li¡­?! If he had the strength, he¡¯d rush over to help¡ªbut his body was aching, and his energy drained. Gritting his teeth, he glanced at Qiu Yanxi and her daughter, confirming their safety before retreating back into the damaged cave to check his injuries. (End of chapter) Chapter 95: Countermeasures (1) ~~~ Thank Thyme for the bonus chapters ~~ Bang. Yu Hong took off his reinforced suit and threw it to the ground. The alloy plate on the arm section was severely deformed. The deformation had also left a bruise on his forearm. ¡°Strong enough!¡± Yu Hong cursed under his breath. This was the first time he had encountered such a ferocious monster¡ªone that wasn¡¯t even afraid of light and attacked during the day. Compared to the insects of the Blood Tide, which feared sunlight, this strange bird¡¯s lethality and threat level were on an entirely different scale. He quickly applied some iodine to his wounds, then half-leaned against the wall, exhaling deeply. Looking at the wooden door, which now had a gaping hole in it, he could only feel helpless. ¡°I hope nothing happens tonight¡­ wait, what about the Luminous Stone Grass!?¡± He suddenly remembered. If anything had happened to the Luminous Stone Grass in the yard, Wei Shanshan and her mother would be in danger. They were his only hope for an energy source¡ªuntil the rescue team arrived, he had to ensure their safety. Yu Hong got up, walked to the doorway, and peeked through the hole. The door of the wooden hut outside was half open. Qiu Yanxi stood there, staring blankly at the mess in the yard, while her daughter, Wei Shanshan, was gathering dry firewood in a corner of the yard. It was unclear if she was planning to light a fire for warmth. Although one was still, and the other was moving, their faces were equally pale and lifeless. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Suddenly, Qiu Yanxi turned her head and saw Yu Hong watching them. A flicker of light appeared in her dull eyes, and she forced a stiff smile in his direction. ¡°What a hassle.¡± Yu Hong sighed as he examined the state of the Luminous Stone Grass in the yard. Much of the central area had been trampled and crushed during his fight with the strange bird. In some spots, even the black soil beneath had been overturned, leaving the place in ruins. Yu Hong took note of the damage, then went back inside, retrieved a few Rune arrays, and grabbed a Luminous Stone Mat before stepping outside. The moment he walked out, the mother and daughter instinctively huddled closer together, standing stiffly without daring to move, waiting for him to speak. Yu Hong dropped the runes and the Luminous Stone Mat onto the ground beside the wooden hut. ¡°Be careful at night. Keep these as backup.¡± ¡°Y-Yes!¡± Qiu Yanxi quickly responded nervously. She had initially planned to bargain for the secret method Yu Hong used to repel the Blood Tide insects, but after witnessing the battle just now¡­ Yu Hong said nothing more and turned back inside. Soon, the wooden door closed, and he hammered a wooden plank over the hole to temporarily cover it. Silence returned. Qiu Yanxi remained standing for a moment. Only after confirming that Yu Hong had no further actions did she let out a deep breath. ¡°Shanshan, come here.¡± She called her daughter. The two of them entered the wooden hut, picking up the items Yu Hong had left behind. Having these supplies gave them a stronger sense of security¡ªcertainly more than they would have gotten at the post office. ??????????B§§? ¡°That man¡­ that Mr. Yu¡­ he must be a Luminous Stone-enhanced human!¡± Qiu Yanxi lowered her voice and warned her daughter. ¡°When you talk to him, be careful and go along with whatever he says. Enhanced humans have unpredictable tempers, and they¡¯re mentally unstable. You can never guess what they¡¯re thinking. Just do what he says and don¡¯t ask questions!¡± ¡°W-What do you mean by ¡®just do what he says¡¯?¡± Wei Shanshan was already terrified. The battle earlier had left her legs weak, and now, her mother¡¯s warning made her even more anxious. Her face turned pale, and cold sweat broke out on her back. ¡°It means if he tells us to do something, we do it. No questions, no opinions. We just hold out until the rescue team arrives.¡± Qiu Yanxi spoke in a low voice, her expression heavy. ¡°The monsters outside are getting stronger. Now they even attack in broad daylight. If something happens to the rescue team, we might have no choice but to rely on Mr. Yu to survive. Pay attention to what he needs. If we can help, we should¡ªlike gathering firewood or repairing the walls.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Wei Shanshan nodded quickly. Qiu Yanxi exhaled slowly. ¡°Still, even though things are getting more dangerous, if we stay close to Mr. Yu, we¡¯ll be far safer than most people¡­ That explosion earlier¡ªI wonder what happened at the post office.¡± Her heart pounded at the thought of the post office. The people there, especially Song Mingshi, who had once taken advantage of them, might be in trouble. If so, she felt a twisted sense of relief and even a bit of satisfaction. Thinking back to Yu Hong¡¯s battle with the strange bird, she compared it to previous fights she had seen among enhanced humans. Even among them, she had never seen anyone fight at that level. ¡°This Mr. Yu¡­ he must be one of the strongest among the enhanced humans. No wonder he dares to live alone in the wilderness.¡± ¡°Mom¡­ do you think we¡¯ll make it back alive?¡± Wei Shanshan asked softly. ¡°We will. We have to.¡± Determination flashed in Qiu Yanxi¡¯s eyes. * * * After the strange bird attack, there was no Blood Tide that night, and the Ghostly shadows that usually lurked around seemed to have lessened. Yu Hong kept his communicator on all night, but the post office remained silent. He barely got any sleep, constantly worrying that the hole in the door might let something slip in or that something might happen to the mother and daughter outside. The damage to the Luminous Stone Grass also weighed on his mind. But nothing happened. The next morning, Yu Hong kept his eyes on the countdown timer in the basement. As the numbers ticked down, anticipation filled his heart. He suddenly remembered¡ªalthough he had requested for the structure¡¯s appearance to remain unchanged, the large hole in the door still needed to be covered to avoid suspicion. After a moment¡¯s thought, he grabbed some tools and wooden boards and went outside to work on the door, hammering away. While working, he noticed Qiu Yanxi and Wei Shanshan in the yard, picking up stones from the damaged wall and stacking them back in place. They had somehow found sand and water to mix into a grayish cement-like paste, using it to seal the gaps in the wall. They had also gathered a large pile of firewood, enough to last a long time. Yu Hong nodded in approval at their efforts. ¡°Mr. Yu, is there any news from the post office¡¯s support team?¡± Qiu Yanxi cautiously stepped forward to ask, seeing that he was in a relatively good mood. ¡°No contact yet.¡± Yu Hong shook his head. ¡°Something seems to have happened over there. The situation outside the yard is also bad¡ªRed Value is high, meaning danger could appear at any moment. Without knowing what¡¯s going on, I don¡¯t dare to check it out recklessly.¡± ¡°When we went out to collect firewood, we didn¡¯t dare go too far. It felt like something was watching us the entire time.¡± Qiu Yanxi, who had regained some color in her face, spoke more carefully now. She had learned to keep unnecessary thoughts to herself. ¡°You have enough firewood now. Go out less from now on.¡± Yu Hong thought for a moment, then turned back inside. After a short while, he came back out and handed them a solar-powered light set, including a connected bulb. ¡°This charges during the day and provides light at night. It can handle normal Blood Tide insects. Use it carefully.¡± He instructed. ¡°Thank you! Thank you, Mr. Yu!¡± Qiu Yanxi was overjoyed and repeatedly expressed her gratitude. ¡°If there¡¯s anything we can do, just let us know¡ªlike cleaning, crafting small tools, sewing¡ªanything! We¡¯ll do our best!¡± ¡°Water is limited, so just manage for now.¡± Yu Hong was satisfied with their attitude. In desperate situations, people who truly wanted to survive would contribute however they could. He returned to the cave and shut the door. Quickly, he descended into the basement. Only two minutes remained on the countdown. For the last two minutes, Yu Hong simply sat cross-legged on the ground, waiting silently. Time ticked away. Finally¡ª The countdown hit zero. Hiss!! In an instant, the entire cave and stone walls flickered slightly, as if reality had momentarily blurred. Less than a second later, everything returned to clarity. Silence. But Yu Hong immediately noticed the difference. He reached out and touched the ground. The rough stone texture was gone, replaced by a smooth, polished surface. Although no additional materials had been applied, the floor was now far more even. Its density seemed to have increased, making it slightly harder than before¡ªan indication of minor structural reinforcement. Standing up with a rustle, Yu Hong ran his hand along the walls. The walls had been uniformly smoothed and hardened. ¡°This should be a basic reinforcement against impacts.¡± He felt satisfied, slowly circling the basement. But he didn¡¯t see the additional chamber he had requested during the reinforcement process. ¡°If it¡¯s not here, then it must be on the other side.¡± He followed the steps back up to the cave. Sure enough, in a symmetrical position across the cave, a new entrance to another underground chamber had appeared. With the same gray-white stone steps, he quickly descended. Below was a space identical in size to the first basement. Its inner walls had also been reinforced, but apart from that, the space was completely empty. Even so, Yu Hong was quite pleased. With his hands behind his back, he carefully inspected the new chamber, ensuring there were no issues before returning to the cave¡¯s first level. Finally, he turned his attention to the reinforced main entrance. The door, previously damaged and full of holes, had been completely restored. Its appearance remained unchanged, but the material¡¯s density had visibly increased. Yu Hong placed his hand on it. A cool, metallic sensation met his fingertips. He pulled back the repaired cover panel. It was no longer wooden¡ªit had been replaced with a silver-black metal plate. Clang. Behind the panel was the observation window. Previously, it had been covered with a wire mesh. But now, what greeted him was a thick, transparent layer of glass. Yu Hong knocked on it. Thud, thud. Solid. Dull. He nodded in satisfaction. ¡°The strength is much higher than before. Not bad!¡± Then, he closed the window and inspected where the door connected to the stone wall. Previously, the door had been reinforced with numerous nails and fasteners. Now, all of them had disappeared¡ªreplaced by a seamless transition, as if the door and stone had fused together like cement. Yu Hong lightly struck the door with his elbow. Not even the slightest tremor. It was incredibly sturdy. ¡°This is great. The strength has increased by a whole level!¡± Looking at the brand-new, high-strength door, an overwhelming sense of security washed over him. The nightmare of being pierced by that strange bird was now much less likely to repeat itself. After confirming that the entire safehouse¡¯s reinforcement had exceeded his expectations, Yu Hong sat down, feeling content. Now, he could start planning the next upgrade. (End of chapter) Chapter 96: Countermeasures (2) ~~~ Thank Thyme for the bonus chapters ~~ Under the illumination of the electric light, Yu Hong surveyed his surroundings. A transparent fireplace, still radiating residual warmth, stood in the corner with various items piled next to it. Against the wall, there was a set of wooden tables and stools, with a sleeping bag tucked underneath the table. Not far from the sleeping bag, two sets of reinforced suits lay on the ground. To the right, a small wooden crate held several handguns. Further right, a spiked club leaned against the wall, next to a partially unfolded solar panel that connected to a communicator, a light bulb, and a red-value detector. Beyond that, barrels of water and plastic bags filled with protein bars, rune Arrays, large Luminous stones, and small Luminous stones were stacked neatly. u Hong scanned the items one by one, and soon his gaze landed on the previously enhanced Luminous stone, which had fused with a vortex rune. After days of study, he had repeatedly analyzed the object and could now skillfully draw the rune with ease, succeeding in a single attempt. However, no matter how much he researched, observed, or compared, the rune¡¯s fusion with the Luminous stone¡¯s original patterns seemed to have no apparent effect. Seeing it again, Yu Hong swiftly grabbed the enhanced red value detector, switched it on, and conducted an inspection. Beep. The LCD screen displayed a red value of -9.622. ¡°Still the same¡­ Not much change in the data.¡± Yu Hong sighed with slight disappointment and recorded the new detection results on his notepad. After jotting down the values, he set aside the charcoal pencil and began contemplating his next enhancement target. After all, his initial goal was to develop an enhanced technique capable of countering Dark Shadows. At that moment, a sudden thought flashed through his mind. ¡°Wait¡­ Now that I have regained my Internal energy, what if I draw these rune patterns using my Internal energy? What effect would that have?¡± He had considered this before, and now that he had restored his Internal energy, the idea became even more irresistible. Theoretically, since his Internal energy was derived from Internal force, it could be infused into external objects. Without hesitation, Yu Hong picked up a wooden board, dipped a charcoal pencil into Great Luminous stone ink, and steadied himself. Focusing his mind and regulating his breath, he took a dozen deep breaths before gently pressing the pencil onto the board. A thin stream of inner energy flowed from his abdomen through his arm and fingers, into the charcoal pencil, and into the rune strokes he was drawing. Yu Hong was extremely careful, wary of using too much inner energy and accidentally breaking the pencil. Before long, he had expended a minuscule portion of his inner energy and completed a new enhancement rune. ¡°Hmm.¡± He lifted the wooden board and examined it, finding no visible anomalies. Then, he grabbed the enhanced red value detector and switched it on to check. Beep. ¡°-138.116.¡± ¡°Huh!? That¡¯s significantly higher!¡± Yu Hong was taken aback. Typically, ordinary Rune Arrays recorded red values ranging from 120 to 130, with the upper limit being 130. It was rare to create a rune board that reached the upper limit. ?§Ñ??????????? Achieving such values required precise coordination between the ink, wooden board, and strokes. Yet this time, he had drawn the rune casually, with rough and uneven lines, and still exceeded 130! ¡°Infusing inner energy really does work!¡± Yu Hong calculated his energy expenditure, which was at most one-thirtieth of his total. More importantly, inner energy replenished itself continuously, making the cost negligible. ¡°Let¡¯s try again.¡± One sample wasn¡¯t enough. He proceeded to test more rune boards. Before long, several new Rune Arrays were completed. Checking the values, most exceeded 130, with one even soaring to 150! This was unprecedented. Yu Hong was thrilled and immediately dipped his pencil in ink, grabbed a new wooden board, and began drawing the newly discovered vortex rune. This time, he infused a greater amount of inner energy, focusing solely on drawing the vortex rune. Half a minute later, a palm-sized vortex rune board was successfully completed. After allowing it to dry slightly, Yu Hong picked it up for testing. ¡°-1.025.¡± ¡°¡­No effect at all?¡± Yu Hong frowned. This red value was essentially the base number from the Great Luminous stone ink itself. He retested with the detector. Beep. ¡°-0.992.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s decreasing!?¡± Yu Hong was puzzled. Unwilling to accept it, he waited a moment and tested again, ensuring the same position, proximity, and equipment. Beep. ¡°-0.904.¡± ¡°It really is decreasing!¡± Yu Hong became intrigued. After all this time, he had tried countless methods to study the vortex rune, but none had shown any effect. Now, after infusing inner energy into the rune, there was a noticeable change. Immediately, he monitored the rune board, using the detector every five minutes to record red values. Half an hour later, Yu Hong stared at a column of recorded data in astonishment. ¡°-0.889.¡± ¡°-0.861.¡± ¡°-0.793.¡± ¡°The red value is steadily decreasing, by nearly one-fifth from the initial reading.¡± Yu Hong rubbed his chin in thought. ¡°Why is it decreasing? Red values don¡¯t just vanish into thin air. Where is this missing radiation going? Where is it being transferred?¡± He closely examined the vortex rune board from every angle. Then, he noticed a subtle change. The rune lines appeared slightly brighter than when first drawn. ¡°Is it just the lighting?¡± Yu Hong wondered and quickly compared it with other rune boards. Ordinary Rune Arrays had grayish-white lines with a faint fluorescence. The vortex rune board, however, had noticeably whiter lines with a stronger fluorescent reflection. Additionally, the lines contained tiny silver sand-like particles. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Moreover, at the vortex rune¡¯s center, a triangular pattern had developed a film-like iridescent sheen. He pondered for a moment, then brought the enhanced detector close to test it. Beep. The reading was zero! ¡°Could this rune be¡­¡± Yu Hong¡¯s heart pounded as a bold hypothesis formed in his mind. He grabbed the rune board and clenched it tightly. Crack! The rune board shattered into several pieces. At the same moment, the detector blared an alarm as red values skyrocketed. ¡°-234.772.¡± ¡°-391.640.¡± ¡°-518.121.¡± ¡°-722.913.¡± The red value instantly surged past 700, maintained for two seconds, then rapidly declined before reaching zero within seconds. Yu Hong stared at the wild fluctuations in shock. He suddenly snapped back to his senses, realizing that his guess was correct¡ªthe vortex Rune Array was very likely¡­ * * * The post office stone house. A courtyard with crumbling walls, scattered severed limbs, and bloodied remains. The gray-white stone house with its doors and windows completely shattered, standing empty with not a single figure inside. Click. In the living room of the stone house, a concealed stone slab silently rose from the ground. The slab was the same gray color as the floor, with seams crafted so meticulously that it was nearly impossible to detect. As the slab was lifted, a tall, sturdy man wearing an advanced gray lizard suit emerged from below. After stepping out, he moved aside as two more men in similar suits followed. The three of them closed the slab, scanning their surroundings. What was once an intact post office was now in complete ruins, utterly devastated. ¡°The second and third teams outside¡­ they¡¯re probably done for,¡± said the first man who emerged, his deep voice carrying through the helmet¡ªLi Runshan. ¡°That monster was too fast. The fact that we managed to survive is already fortunate,¡± the second man replied coolly. ¡°This was their fate.¡± ¡°You take the lead next,¡± the third man said, looking at Li Runshan with a serious expression. ¡°Alright, stay close. That monster could still be lurking outside,¡± Li Runshan nodded. ¡°That thing had half its body blown apart. It won¡¯t recover so quickly. We need to take this time to gather enough Rune Arrays, or the upcoming Ghostly Shadows and even Evil Shadows will be far deadlier,¡± the third man said swiftly. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for that monster, our Luminous Stone chamber setup wouldn¡¯t have been compromised,¡± the second man muttered in frustration. ¡°Let¡¯s move.¡± Li Runshan led the way out of the stone house, quickly determining the direction before heading toward Yu Hong¡¯s safe house. The other two followed closely behind. Their pace was swift¡ªnearly a full sprint. While maintaining as much silence as possible, they maximized their speed. In less than ten minutes, they reached the outer walls of the mountain cave safe house. Outside the walls, the grass was littered with scattered clothes, shoes, and pants from many people. Large claw marks covered the ground, tearing up the black soil beneath. Li Runshan stepped forward, nudging the clothing with his foot. ¡°It¡¯s from Li Jingyuan¡¯s group¡ªthe ones we expelled earlier.¡± ¡°They¡¯re all gone?¡± the second man asked grimly. ¡°The number of clothes matches up. Most of them are here, which means they¡¯re likely all dead.¡± The third man responded. He lifted his head and exchanged a silent glance with the second man. Their internal assessment of the Rune Array trader¡¯s danger level quietly increased once again. Without speaking further, they moved to the wall and peered inside. The sight made them freeze. Within the courtyard, lush green grass swayed gently as Qiu Yanxi and her daughter diligently repaired the damaged ground. Their clothes were unchanged, their bodies completely unharmed, and their expressions even carried a strange sense of reassurance. ¡°No attacks from the Many-Eyed Birds here?¡± the third man whispered. ¡°Do you think that¡¯s possible?¡± the second man retorted. The two exchanged glances again and fell silent. From the traces on the ground and surroundings, this place had clearly been attacked. But strangely enough, that mother and daughter remained unscathed. There had to be something here¡ªsomething that repelled the Many-Eyed Birds! The realization struck them at the same time. There must be a method to ward off the Many-Eyed Birds! With only three people and far inferior weapons and equipment, how could they have resisted the creatures? There had to be a hidden secret. And if they could obtain that secret, most of their first team¡¯s safety concerns would be resolved! After all, the most troublesome threat at the moment was the Rank 4 Many-Eyed Birds. ¡°Yu Hong! Are you here?¡± Qiu Yanxi and her daughter noticed the three men and quickly retreated into their wooden house. They weren¡¯t about to interact with these people rashly. Their current relationship with Yu Hong was stable, and as long as nothing unexpected happened, they only needed to wait for the rescue team to arrive to ensure their safety. Since these people weren¡¯t looking for them, Qiu Yanxi tactfully stepped aside to avoid unnecessary trouble. Li Runshan didn¡¯t care about the two women. Even among Li Jingyuan¡¯s expelled group, there were people with backgrounds similar to theirs, and they had still been abandoned without hesitation. In this situation, no one had any real control over their fate. Seeing no response, he called out again¡ªtwice. Finally, the door to the cave opened. (End of Chapter) Chapter 97: Power (1) ~~~ Thank Thyme for the bonus chapters ~~ As the wooden door opened, Yu Hong stepped out, clad in a thick, reinforced White Bear Suit. ¡°Old Li, what couldn¡¯t be said over the communicator that made you come all the way here?¡± He frowned, glancing at the two men behind Li Runshan. ¡°I need more Rune Arrays to set up a secure chamber. Can you spare some? The reward is negotiable!¡± Li Runshan quickly stated. ¡°How many?¡± ¡°At least thirty.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t get that many in a short time. You¡¯ll have to wait four days,¡± Yu Hong shook his head. ¡°Besides what I need for myself, I can only give you twenty-two. Regular Luminous Stones can also be used for a secure chamber¡ªwhy not go to the mining area?¡± ¡°A small team went there¡­ and never came back,¡± the second man behind Li Runshan said. ¡°By the way, Mr. Yu, do you happen to have anything that can repel the Many-Eyed Birds? If so, we¡¯re willing to pay a high price for it!¡± ¡°Something special? Against the Many-Eyed Birds?¡± Yu Hong¡¯s face, partially concealed under his helmet, showed a brief hint of surprise. ¡°You must understand, Mr. Yu¡ªthe people we¡¯re protecting are all high-ranking United Army officials¡¯ family members. If we can lend a hand at a critical moment, the benefits we gain in return will far outweigh what we¡¯re offering now,¡± the man continued. ¡°Weapons, equipment, supplies¡ªjust a minor request within the United Army, and we can get anything we need.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a tempting offer,¡± Yu Hong admitted. If he really had something like that, he would certainly be willing to trade. ¡°But unfortunately¡­ I don¡¯t have anything like that.¡± ¡°Do you not believe us, Mr. Yu?¡± the second man pressed on. ¡°At this point, the VIPs in the first team are our last lifeline. If something happens to them, the higher-ups will be furious. Not only will the rescue team be called off, but we¡¯ll also be remotely wiped out along with the monsters. Mr. Yu, you might not understand the current mindset of the United Army generals¡ªhuman lives are just numbers to them. If we fail to protect those key individuals, then everyone here¡­ will die.¡± ¡°What does that have to do with me?¡± Yu Hong scoffed. ¡°I¡¯m not part of your first team. Even if they¡¯re furious, they won¡¯t come after me.¡± ¡°The higher-ups don¡¯t have time to investigate such details. Our lives alone aren¡¯t worth the risk for a rescue team to come all this way. And if you refuse to help, you¡¯ll naturally be implicated as well. The reality is, we¡¯re all stuck in this mess together,¡± the second man said in a low voice. ¡°Heh, what¡¯s your name?¡± Yu Hong smirked at the blatant coercion. ¡°Ge Shenghao. Mr. Yu, do you think I¡¯m lying?¡± Ge Shenghao asked calmly. ¡°I won¡¯t deny it¡ªwe want to survive. Now that we know you have a way to avoid the Many-Eyed Birds, what do you think we¡¯ll do? Stay put and wait for death? Or¡­ make another choice?¡± Yu Hong fell silent. That was an implicit threat. He looked at Li Runshan, who gave him a subtle shake of the head¡ªsignaling that cooperation was the best course of action. Yu Hong didn¡¯t want to break ties with the rescue team either. If they did arrive, he had plenty of things he could trade with them. But if he completely severed relations with the authorities, there would be no way to acquire resources from the post office in the future. ????¨¤¦­??§§? ¡°I¡¯d love to cooperate, but unfortunately¡­ I really don¡¯t have a way to avoid the Many-Eyed Birds,¡± Yu Hong said again. Ge Shenghao and his companion frowned¡ªthey hadn¡¯t expected that response. The third man¡¯s face darkened, and he instinctively reached for his gun, but Ge Shenghao stopped him with one hand. ¡°Well, since we¡¯ve gotten this far, it seems Mr. Yu truly has nothing. In that case, let¡¯s drop the subject. But surely, you can provide us with more Rune Arrays or Luminous Stones?¡± ¡°What do you have to trade?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°We have plenty of clothing, equipment, bedding, diesel, gasoline, medicine, and more. What do you need?¡± Ge Shenghao countered. Yu Hong thought for a moment. These people had a rich supply of goods¡ªno surprise, considering they had escaped from the supply team. ¡°Do you have an oxygen generator?¡± he asked quickly. ¡°Oxygen generators are a must in underground safehouses these days,¡± Ge Shenghao explained, ¡°but the key issue isn¡¯t the machine¡ªit¡¯s the constant supply of oxygen-producing materials. The most common type uses electrolysis, which requires a steady supply of electrolytes, as well as a high-performance water filtration system. The water used for oxygen production should ideally be purified to avoid damaging the machine.¡± ¡°So, an oxygen generator needs water, electricity, and electrolytes?¡± Yu Hong asked with a frown. ¡°Not just that. Safety is a major concern. The hydrogen gas produced during electrolysis is highly flammable, so even if you get an oxygen generator, you need to be very careful about potential hazards,¡± Ge Shenghao warned. ¡°I¡¯ll take one. What¡¯s the trade?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°We used to have several, but we lost most of them on the way. We still have three left¡ªwe can give you one, along with ten pounds of electrolytes, which should last a long time. In exchange, we need thirty Rune Arrays. Deal?¡± Ge Shenghao offered. ¡°Twenty. I don¡¯t have any more than that,¡± Yu Hong shook his head. ¡°Deal.¡± Ge Shenghao didn¡¯t argue. The Many-Eyed Birds could attack again at any moment¡ªthey had to complete the trade quickly and return to the post office basement. ¡°Bring the machine first. I have the Rune Arrays ready anytime,¡± Yu Hong said. ¡°I¡¯ll go get it!¡± The third man wasted no time, turning and disappearing into the mist. Taking advantage of the wait, Yu Hong asked a question that had been on his mind. ¡°How did you manage to drive away the Many-Eyed Birds just now?¡± ¡°We fired five single-soldier automatic-tracking micro-missiles,¡± Ge Shenghao sighed. ¡°And still lost three men¡­ The second and third teams were completely wiped out,¡± Li Runshan added from the side. Too many people had died these past few days. ¡°If they had died fighting like warriors, I wouldn¡¯t feel this way. But to be helplessly slaughtered like that¡­¡± S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°As far as I know, the Many-Eyed Birds are strong, but missiles should still be able to kill them, right?¡± Yu Hong frowned. ¡°They can, but the fog obscures visibility. By the time we spot the Many-Eyed Birds, they¡¯re already too close. The missiles don¡¯t have time to lock on properly. At such short range, they can¡¯t even adjust their trajectory¡ªthey just fly straight,¡± Ge Shenghao explained. ¡°And if we fire them too close, we¡¯re not killing the Many-Eyed Birds¡ªwe¡¯re blowing ourselves up.¡± Yu Hong imagined the predicament and fell silent. After a brief pause, he started asking about the group¡¯s situation and status, engaging in casual conversation with them. Before long, the person who had gone to retrieve the oxygen generator returned with two others, each carrying something in their hands. It was a rectangular machine with a gray-white exterior, a black power cord trailing from the back, and a plastic attachment resembling a breathing valve on one side, presumably for oxygen intake. In addition to the machine, there was also a large bag of granular material resembling salt, packed in a plastic bag. Without much discussion, Yu Hong quickly went back and retrieved twenty rune arrays, placing them on the ground outside the courtyard. The other party did the same, leaving their items on the ground, and both sides proceeded with the exchange. After securing the rune arrays, Ge Shenghao and his companion wasted no time, picking up their supplies and leaving immediately. Li Runshan gave Yu Hong a few extra glances, made a subtle gesture, and then followed after them. Soon, the three figures disappeared into the thick fog. Yu Hong didn¡¯t quite understand what Li Runshan¡¯s signal meant, but he didn¡¯t dwell on it. He simply picked up the oxygen generator and returned to the cave. Just as he was about to close the door¡ª Qiu Yanxi¡¯s voice suddenly came from behind. ¡°Mr. Yu, could you help us find another place to hide? That monster bird¡­ If it even brushes against the house, we¡¯ll all be¡ª¡± The woman stood in the courtyard with her daughter, her face full of tears, looking pitiful. ¡°Wait a moment.¡± Yu Hong thought for a moment. Leaving them directly in the courtyard was indeed a problem. He stepped back inside the safehouse and inspected the two underground rooms, one on the left and one on the right. The newly constructed underground room was closer to the outer wall. ¡®Temporarily converting one of the underground spaces into a guest room could work. The problem is the door¡ªthere¡¯s no way to reinforce two doors at once without severely slowing down my Black Mark progress.¡¯ Qiu Yanxi and her daughter were still important, as they were connected to the energy supply issue. After some thought, an idea suddenly struck Yu Hong. ¡®I could just dig a small stone cave outside. It doesn¡¯t need to be big, just large enough for the two of them to hide and sleep in. No need to hold it to my own standards.¡¯ With that in mind, he quickly grabbed his tools, opened the door, and stepped outside. Boom!! He had only taken two steps, just reaching the doorway¡ª A violent explosion erupted in the direction of the post office. Blazing flames shot into the sky from that direction. Yu Hong frowned deeply. He was worried about Li Runshan and Aisena, but the distance was too great, and with the monster bird possibly lurking around, he didn¡¯t dare to rush over recklessly. Standing at the cave entrance, he gazed at the distant flames for a while before turning away, promptly beginning to carve out the cave he needed into an empty rock wall. Since the two only needed a place to sleep, Yu Hong dug out a rectangular cave about two meters deep, one meter wide, and one meter high. He placed a stone slab at the entrance as a door, leaving a small gap for ventilation. With his current strength and endurance, the entire process took just over ten minutes. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to sleep in the wooden house, you can sleep in here,¡± Yu Hong instructed, pointing at the cave. ¡°¡­¡± Qiu Yanxi and her daughter stared at the hole in stunned silence. Wrapped in a Luminous Stone blanket, they could barely squeeze inside together. They hadn¡¯t expected Yu Hong to come up with something like this. Yu Hong didn¡¯t care about their thoughts. After solving the issue, he returned to the safehouse, picked up his previously reinforced handgun, and checked it. After the Black Mark reinforcement, his handgun¡¯s ammunition had been replenished over time. The gun had proven extremely useful to him. In contrast, his longtime weapon¡ªthe spiked club¡ªwas starting to feel inadequate. Inside the room, Yu Hong listened to the continuous explosions coming from the post office while holding the spiked club in one hand, recalling the suggestion Li Runshan had given him earlier. ¡®I really do need to upgrade my weapon¡­ A meteor hammer, perhaps?¡¯ A thoughtful look crossed his face. ¡®A simple meteor hammer isn¡¯t very practical. I¡¯m not skilled with it, and against the Many-Eyed Bird, it¡¯s best to have a weapon that latches onto the target upon impact, allowing for follow-up attacks.¡¯ ¡®What kind of weapon could accomplish that?¡¯ Soon, an image of a uniquely structured weapon formed in Yu Hong¡¯s mind. After glancing at the recently discovered secrets of the Vortex Rune, he decided to prioritize weapon enhancement first. The Many-Eyed Bird could appear at any moment, and there were certainly more than just one lurking outside. If he didn¡¯t increase his combat power soon, no matter how useful the Vortex Rune was, he wouldn¡¯t even get the chance to use it. (End of Chapter) Chapter 98: Power (2) ~~~ Thank Thyme for the bonus chapters ~~ At once, Yu Hong placed the spiked club on the ground and rummaged through a pile of weapons he had previously looted from his kills. The majority of the weapons consisted of steel pipes, machetes, and daggers, along with a few small alloy shields. He piled all the metal items together with the spiked club, then picked up a confiscated submachine gun. After thinking for a moment, he put it back down. In close combat, this thing was far less effective than a club. Placing a hand on the pile of metal, he silently muttered: ¡°Enhance weapon. Direction.¡± In his mind, he envisioned the form of the weapon he desired. Soon, black threads began to flow, merging into the spiked club. ¡°Enhance?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± A countdown appeared: 3 hours and 9 minutes. * * * Post Office Two multi-eyed birds staggered as they flew away from the stone house, retreating into the distance. Their bodies were covered in burns from explosions. One of them had even lost its head, but the flesh at its neck was rapidly wriggling and regenerating, forming a new head. Inside the stone house¡ª A team of five, including Ge Shenghao, was left bloodied and exhausted. Two had lost an arm each, another had his shoulder crushed and was barely breathing, while one more lay on the ground, screaming in agony with both legs broken. Ge Shenghao pushed himself off the ground. Blood seeped from his back, but it was a minor wound¡ªan impact injury from being slammed into a rock by the bird¡¯s immense force. ¡°We¡¯re out of grenades. If that thing comes back, we¡¯re dead!¡± ¡°Send A-Dong off.¡± The bearded man with a severed arm spoke in a low voice. A-Dong was the one whose legs had been crushed. In this environment, a man without arms could still run, but one without legs¡­ Thud. Someone stepped forward and knocked A-Dong unconscious¡ªnot to kill him, but to leave his wounds untreated. They gently laid him flat. ¡°How long until the support team arrives?¡± Ge Shenghao asked grimly while tending to the wounded. ¡°They said today,¡± the bearded man replied, biting a cigarette and lighting it with a lighter. He closed his eyes, unwilling to look at their doomed comrade. ??????¦Ï§£?? ¡°We can¡¯t hold out. We have nothing left that can threaten the multi-eyed birds.¡± Ge Shenghao continued wrapping his arm. ¡°Running is pointless. We¡¯d be killed before we made it far.¡± The bearded man¡¯s tone was indifferent. ¡°There¡¯s one more way!¡± Ge Shenghao hesitated, then described what he had seen on Yu Hong¡¯s side. ¡°There were no explosion sounds over there, and that man protected those two women alone. He must have a secret. He must have a way to drive off the multi-eyed birds!¡± Hope flickered in the others¡¯ eyes as they listened. ¡°What do you want to do?¡± The bearded man looked at Ge Shenghao. He was no stranger to life and death, but surviving was always preferable. ¡°We fight for our lives!¡± Ge Shenghao turned his head toward Li Runshan, who had just crawled out of the basement unscathed, holding some medicine and clean water. This man wore a guilty expression¡ªclearly, during the battle, he had slipped away and hidden in the basement. * * * Evening fell, and darkness was setting in. In the courtyard, Qiu Yanxi and her daughter were chiseling the Luminous Stone into small pieces. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, neither of them noticed the two large, hazy gray-white figures lurking in the thick fog beyond the courtyard wall, silently observing them and the cave safe house. Inside the basement of the safe house, Yu Hong held a vortex rune plate, which he had just discovered some secrets about. ¡°The vortex rune must be inscribed with internal energy for it to take effect. Once successful, the negative Red Value will no longer radiate outward but will instead concentrate and condense within the rune, especially at its very center¡ªwhere the Red Value is most concentrated.¡± Yu Hong concluded. ¡°The moment the vortex rune is crushed, the accumulated negative Red Value will erupt instantly, creating a temporary high-concentration radiation effect in a small area. This could potentially be used as a negative Red Value grenade.¡± ¡°Looking at it this way, the primary function of the vortex rune should be to store radiation energy.¡± Storage. At this thought, Yu Hong suddenly realized something¡ªif the vortex rune was merely storing energy, then why did the eruption result in such a massive increase in Red Value? ¡°Could it be that the Great Luminous Stone powder itself already contains such a high level of negative Red Value radiation?¡± Yu Hong shook his head. That was a possibility. After all, Luminous Stone continuously emitted radiation, and if all the radiation was concentrated into a single point and released at once, it would naturally result in a powerful effect. ¡°But going from just over a hundred negative Red Value to seven or eight hundred¡ªthat¡¯s way too exaggerated.¡± He clearly remembered that a piece of Great Luminous Stone would completely deplete after being used by a Wraith three times, turning into powder. This meant that the radiation energy of a Great Luminous Stone couldn¡¯t possibly reach seven or eight hundred negative Red Value. ¡°Then why¡­¡± His brows furrowed as a major suspicion slowly surfaced in his mind. ¡°The only possibility is that this vortex rune¡­ isn¡¯t just storing radiation energy.¡± He picked up the rune plate, carefully tracing the fine patterns on its surface. ¡°It¡¯s more likely absorbing external radiation energy and storing it!¡± ¡°If it truly absorbs energy, then by varying the time the vortex rune is left alone, I should be able to test the differences in negative Red Value when it erupts.¡± After creating the rune, the longer it was left untouched, the greater the negative Red Value eruption would likely be upon being crushed. At this thought, Yu Hong propped the freshly made rune plate against the wall and left it alone for the time being. Then, he moved to the center of the basement and resumed training. Over the past few days, as he progressed through the second layer of Heavy Leg Technique, his physical strength had stopped increasing. Instead, his skin¡¯s keratin layer had thickened, and his body felt increasingly light. Clearly, the second layer primarily enhanced defense and agility. Through his persistent daily training, Yu Hong could faintly sense that his second internal energy stream was on the verge of forming. Standing in the middle of the basement, he steadied his mind and began practicing Heavy Leg Technique over and over while visualizing the corresponding patterns. Time passed bit by bit. Suddenly, a sharp scream echoed from outside the safe house. Shua! Yu Hong, who had been deep in visualization, abruptly opened his eyes. He quickly donned his White Bear suit and rushed upstairs. As he passed by the spiked mace, he noticed it had finished its reinforcement process. He grabbed it without hesitation and strode toward the door. Pulling open the barrier, he looked through the reinforced glass window. The sky was now completely dark. The moonlight was bright, like a misty veil blending into the thin fog, making it difficult to distinguish the two. Two enormous multi-eyed birds, identical to the one from before, were circling above the forest outside the cave, emitting eerie croaking sounds similar to toads. Flapping their wings, they swooped in wide arcs, their two rows of small red eyes glowing faintly in the night, resembling laser sights from sniper rifles. Yu Hong observed closely and noticed that one of the multi-eyed birds had a large scar on one side of its body¡ªa wound from being struck by the spiked mace. ¡°That one from earlier today¡­¡± He took a deep breath. One of these creatures had already pushed him to the brink of injury earlier. Now, there were two at once. To make matters worse, his giant wooden shield had been destroyed and was still unrepaired. ¡°Troublesome¡­¡± Sweeping his gaze across the courtyard, he noticed that Qiu Yanxi and her daughter had already disappeared, likely hiding in either the wooden house or the newly dug stone cave. Ang!! At that moment, the two multi-eyed birds spotted Yu Hong. With a synchronized movement, they spiraled downward in a dive attack, like arrows streaking toward the cave entrance. Their ghostly screeches pierced the night, sharp and grating. Sensing danger, Yu Hong quickly retreated, gripping his firearm in one hand and the mace in the other, widening the distance. He didn¡¯t charge forward immediately; instead, he wanted to see how well the reinforced door would hold up. One second. Boom!!! Boom!!! Two consecutive loud crashes echoed. The entire cave safe house trembled violently. The thick wooden door at the entrance now had two massive dents¡ªbut that was all. ¡°It held!¡± Yu Hong¡¯s spirits lifted. The door, which previously couldn¡¯t withstand a single attack from a multi-eyed bird, had now endured consecutive strikes from both of them. This test was enough. Relying solely on the door for defense was unrealistic¡ªunless it could repair itself. Otherwise, he would have to go outside and deal with the enemies sooner or later. Now that he confirmed the door¡¯s improved durability, Yu Hong felt slightly relieved. He remained in place, not stepping forward to open it. Instead, he raised his spiked mace with one hand and waited quietly. Boom!! Boom!!! Boom!!! Crash!! The door finally shattered, and a white-feathered bird head thrust through the opening, lunging toward Yu Hong with its built-up momentum. ¡°Die!!!¡± In an instant, Yu Hong stepped forward with a roar. His body blurred like an afterimage as he stomped the ground, swinging his mace with full force. The spiked mace tore through the air with a sharp whistle, carrying all of Yu Hong¡¯s stored-up power, smashing directly into the bird¡¯s head. Boom!! Caught off guard, the multi-eyed bird¡¯s skull and most of its neck exploded instantly, turning into a rain of gray-white blood. Even its body, unable to resist the massive impact, was sent flying diagonally out of the cave, crashing into the distant forest. Ang!! Seizing the opportunity, the second multi-eyed bird raised its beak like a war hammer and slammed it downward. Its talons gripped the door frame tightly, wings flapping wildly for leverage. The razor-sharp beak, screeching through the air, stabbed fiercely toward Yu Hong¡ªright at the moment he was off balance from his last swing. The multi-eyed bird was already extremely fast, and now it struck at the perfect moment, making it impossible to dodge. Puff!! The beak crashed into Yu Hong¡¯s raised arm, bending the alloy plate inward. Yu Hong¡¯s face twisted from the impact. However, despite the heavy strike, his thickened transparent keratin layer absorbed the damage, preventing any real injury¡ªonly causing pain. That sudden pain, instead of hindering him, triggered an uncontrollable rage. His blood surged violently, flooding his entire body. As soon as he was struck, he stepped back two paces and raised his gun¡ªno need to aim. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Five consecutive shots rang out, blasting five bloody holes into the second multi-eyed bird, nearly shattering its entire upper body. Seizing the moment, Yu Hong let out a furious roar, lifted his spiked mace, and swung it down with all his might. The reinforced Wolf Fang Club was now significantly heavier than before. The club alone weighed over a hundred pounds, and its surface was covered with numerous barbed spikes. Once embedded in flesh, it would be extremely difficult to pull out. At this moment, Yu Hong lifted it and smashed it down with full force. The tip of the Wolf Fang Club barely struck the neck of the second Multi-Eyed Bird, hooking onto it in an instant. With a fierce tug, he pulled it back. Yu Hong¡¯s immense strength clashed against the Multi-Eyed Bird¡¯s powerful resistance¡ªone pulling back, the other struggling to break free. With a sickening tear, a large portion of the Multi-Eyed Bird¡¯s neck was ripped apart, its mangled flesh hanging onto the Wolf Fang Club, unable to be shaken off. (End of Chapter) Chapter 99: Rescue (1) ~~~ Thank Thyme for the bonus chapters ~~ Roar!!! Just as Yu Hong was grappling with the second Multi-Eyed Bird, the first Multi-Eyed Bird suddenly burst out from the darkness, letting out a shrill cry as it shot toward him like a cannonball. Its injuries had recovered significantly, barely affecting its mobility, and it erupted with astonishing speed. All of its explosive force was concentrated on its sharp, spiked beak. This sudden attack caught Yu Hong off guard, striking him squarely. The beak pierced into his back shoulder, bending the alloy plate with its tremendous impact, and smashed into his shoulder bone. Boom!! Yu Hong was sent flying backward, rolling back into the cave with the bird. Along the way, they crashed into two solar-powered generators and a wooden crate storing firearms. Fragments of solar panels and wood splintered into the air, scattering across the ground. They were heading straight for the rune array. These arrays couldn¡¯t withstand heavy pressure¡ªany significant force would completely destroy them. Among them were even two silver rune arrays. Yu Hong had had enough. ¡°Get the hell off me!!!¡± His veins bulged as he roared in rage, gripping the bird¡¯s beak with his bare hands. His legs carved deep trenches in the ground as he mustered all his strength, his internal energy surging, and charged forward. Boom, boom, boom, boom!!! Like a rampaging heavy rhino, he lowered his head, wrapped his arms around the monstrous bird, and burst out of the cave with a powerful leap. Then, he slammed it down. Boom!!! The ground exploded into a crater, dirt flying in all directions. The massive impact crushed the bird¡¯s chest cavity, pinning it beneath the Wolf Fang Club. But it still struggled, its wounded flesh rapidly regenerating under the moonlight. ¡°Like hell, you¡¯re surviving this!¡± Yu Hong, burning with rage, grabbed the bird¡¯s neck, lifted it, and smashed it into the mountainside. Boom! The rocks shattered, leaving a deep dent in the cliff face. But he wasn¡¯t done. Yu Hong continued his frenzied assault, repeatedly slamming the monster against the mountain. Amidst the relentless explosions of impact, the creature kept healing. And as if that wasn¡¯t enough, the second Multi-Eyed Bird let out a shriek in the distance. Despite its own injuries, it recklessly flew toward Yu Hong, crashing into his back. ??¦­??¨§? Yet Yu Hong ignored it completely. He let the other bird attack him as he continued his brutal rampage against the first one. Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!! He had no idea how many times he smashed it. By the time his hands could no longer hold onto a single intact piece of flesh or feather, he finally stopped, panting heavily. Turning around, he reached for the second charging bird. But this time, the creature let out a strange cry, abruptly veered upward, flapped its wings, and fled into the distance without looking back. Bang! Bang! Bang! Yu Hong raised his gun and fired relentlessly, emptying the magazine. By sheer luck, one of the bullets struck the bird¡¯s wing, causing it to tilt and crash into the nearby forest. ¡°Trying to run?!¡± Yu Hong snarled, charging after it. Within moments, he had stormed into the forest, grabbed the bird by its body, and lifted it high above his head. Rip!!! S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With sheer brute force, he tore the creature in half from its abdomen, sending a rain of blood and feathers scattering through the air. ¡°Aaaahhh!!!¡± Yu Hong let out a furious roar, his blood boiling. The long-suppressed fear and pressure erupted into pure rage, pushing him toward the brink of berserk madness. He grabbed what was left of the bird and slammed it into the ground over and over. He had no idea how long he continued until the remains were nothing but a mangled mess, with only two chunks of meat left in his hands. Finally, silence fell. Yu Hong gasped for breath, his entire body drenched in sweat. His body burned with heat, his heartbeat pounding like a war drum. Under the moonlight, he tossed aside the scraps of meat in his hands and spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva. ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± He turned back toward the courtyard. From a distance, he saw the area was in disarray, but fortunately, the Luminous Stone Grass remained unharmed. During the fight, he and the Multi-Eyed Birds had stormed out of the courtyard, so the damage was minimal compared to before. During the fight, both he and the Multi-Eyed Birds had rushed out of the courtyard. The battle had covered a larger area than before, but the destruction remained relatively minor. The courtyard was empty¡ªno one in sight. Clearly, the mother and daughter had wisely hidden in the small cave beforehand, not daring to come out. That gave Yu Hong some comfort. At least they had good survival instincts, meaning he didn¡¯t have to constantly worry about them. Now that both Multi-Eyed Birds were dead, the pain in his body hit him all at once. His back had taken the full force of the second bird¡¯s attack. Earlier, adrenaline had numbed him, but now that he was calm, the pain surged, becoming much more pronounced. ¡°My back is definitely bleeding¡­ Not sure if my bones are fractured. Left wrist feels sprained¡ªprobably from gripping the bird¡¯s neck too hard while smashing it¡­¡± Hurting himself by overexertion¡ªthis was a sign of losing control due to excessive emotion. That realization made Yu Hong reflect on his actions. ¡°I can¡¯t keep fighting like this. Losing control in battle is dangerous.¡± He checked himself for other injuries. No major external wounds, but his inner energy was completely drained. His upper body muscles also felt strained. The worst part was his Enhanced White Bear Suit. Back inside the cave, slumped against the battered door, Yu Hong finally noticed how damaged his armor was. The suit had been smashed all over, with massive tears and gaping holes. It was barely usable. ¡°If those birds had lasted any longer, the suit would¡¯ve been destroyed¡­ and I¡¯d be the one in real danger.¡± He felt a wave of relief. Seeing how tattered the armor was, he knew it had saved him from countless fatal injuries. He quickly stripped off the White Bear Suit, treated his wounds, disinfected them, and took anti-inflammatory medicine. Then, he switched into his Enhanced Gray Lizard Suit for now. This suit could only block handgun bullets. Against rifles, snipers, or the sheer brute force of a Multi-Eyed Bird, its defense was almost useless. Compared to the White Bear Suit, it was a significant downgrade. But having something was still better than nothing. After suiting up, he placed his hand on the broken door, activating its self-repair. The countdown showed three hours. Only then did Yu Hong finally lean against the fireplace, ready to rest until dawn. This battle had cost him dearly. But at least now, he understood just how deadly the Multi-Eyed Birds were. Even when going all out, he had barely managed to kill two. That realization filled him with renewed anxiety about the future. The monsters outside were endless¡ªthere was no way to kill them all. If he wanted to live a safe and stable life, he had to find a way to hide and conceal his presence, preventing monsters from detecting him. Otherwise, if he kept fighting head-on, he wouldn¡¯t be able to handle the relentless attacks. A thought flashed through Yu Hong¡¯s mind as he considered how to conceal his presence. His mind raced through everything he knew. ¡°Wait¡­ If I want to hide, I first need to understand how the Blood Tide creatures and Ghostly Shadows detect me. What exactly are their scouting methods?¡± Recalling his past encounters, he realized that while the Ghostly Shadows¡¯ method of spreading was clear, the detection mechanisms of the Ghostly Shadows and Blood Tide creatures remained a mystery. ¡°Experimenting on my own would take too long. The best option is to find research materials or someone who has studied this field. Getting their experimental data would save me a lot of time.¡± This thought lingered in Yu Hong¡¯s mind. As he pondered, drowsiness crept in. His exhaustion and pain overtook him, and he leaned quietly against the fireplace to rest. Right now, his enhanced handgun was empty, the White Bear Suit was broken, and the main gate was completely exposed. His upper body was weak, his stamina depleted, and his inner energy had been exhausted, waiting to recover. His wrist was sprained, his back throbbed with sharp pain¡ªpossibly even fractured. This was the worst he had ever been injured. Sitting on the ground to catch his breath, Yu Hong exhaled deeply and grabbed the metal basin used for boiling water. He opened his helmet and took a sip. A flash of silver gleamed along the edge of the metal basin. Clack. Suddenly, a black, stone-like object was tossed into the cave through the broken entrance. The object bounced and rolled a few times before hitting the shattered wooden frame and coming to a stop. Yu Hong¡¯s eyes flickered¡ªsomething felt wrong. Without hesitation, he lunged forward, grabbed the object, and hurled it outside. Boom! Just as it left his hand, the object exploded in midair, releasing a blinding white light that instantly illuminated the entire courtyard as if it were broad daylight. A flashbang! Yu Hong reacted in time, shutting his eyes, turning his head, and dropping to the ground. He had never encountered this kind of weapon before. Fearing it was a grenade, he instinctively mimicked what he had seen in movies¡ªdiving down, covering his head, and lying flat. As soon as the sound dissipated, he flipped over and stood up. That was when he saw three black-clad figures vaulting over the courtyard wall with swift, coordinated movements, rushing toward him. Bang!! A gunshot rang out. Muzzle fire erupted near Yu Hong¡¯s right knee. His knee buckled from the impact, forcing him to stumble backward. ¡°That¡¯s not a handgun! Where did these people come from?!¡± Yu Hong¡¯s heart sank. This was the worst possible moment to be attacked. One of his hands was injured, limiting his strength. His back was in pain, his body exhausted, stamina drained, and his inner energy had been spent. Being ambushed now¡ªespecially by skilled riflemen¡ªput him in a dire situation. A single thought flashed through his mind: I can¡¯t stay still. The enemy had a sharpshooter. If he remained stationary, he would be an easy target. But it was nighttime¡ªif he moved fast enough, he doubted they could land precise shots. His eyes locked onto the three approaching figures. They were all tall and well-built, around 1.89 meters in height, their movements steady and powerful, showing a subtle rhythm of teamwork. Yu Hong immediately dropped his wolf-fang club to reduce weight and, with a sudden burst of speed, rolled to the side. Whoosh! He leaped out of the cave and landed on the grassy right side of the courtyard, slipping into the shadows under the faint moonlight. From the moment of the attack to Yu Hong¡¯s reaction¡ªescaping the safehouse¡ªit had only taken a single second. He hadn¡¯t given the hidden gunman a second chance to fire. Now engulfed in darkness, with only the dim glow of the moon, Yu Hong sprang to his feet, charging toward the three pursuers. The first attacker wasted no time. Lifting his leg, he delivered a powerful front kick aimed directly at Yu Hong¡¯s chest. Yu Hong had just gotten up and had no time to react. The kick landed squarely against his torso. Boom. The man¡¯s right leg struck Yu Hong¡¯s chest with brutal force, his momentum transferring seamlessly from his core into the impact. Dust exploded beneath them, scattering in a faint cloud, illuminated by the moonlight like a pale-white halo. ¡°It¡¯s you?!¡± At such close range, Yu Hong finally saw the attacker¡¯s face under the dim glow. It was Ge Shenghao¡ªsomeone he had encountered before! The leader of the other squad. This guy had once been an elite postman at the former postal bureau. His strength rivaled even that of Li Runshan. (End of Chapter) Chapter 100: Rescue (2) ~~~ Thank Thyme for the bonus chapters (Tl Note :- Phew finally done with the bonus chapters ) ~~ ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± Ge Shenghao¡¯s eyes reflected the moonlight, shining like twin stars. His luck wasn¡¯t great¡ªthey arrived only after everything was over and missed the intense battle between Yu Hong and the Many-Eyed Bird. At this moment, Ge Shenghao kicked forward, forcing Yu Hong to stagger three steps back. Without hesitation, he lunged again, his right leg striking like a venomous snake, whipping at Yu Hong¡¯s side. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! His kicks came at lightning speed¡ªwithin seconds, he had landed over a dozen strikes, all aimed at Yu Hong¡¯s blocking left arm. Not only that, but two more attackers closed in¡ªone wielding a staff, the other a hammer¡ªraining blows upon Yu Hong. Despite his defenses, he was repeatedly struck. However, the three attackers soon realized something was off. No matter how fiercely they struck, they simply couldn¡¯t knock Yu Hong down. Though they forced him to retreat step by step, a strange shadow of unease crept into their hearts. Suddenly, one of them lost patience. Gripping his staff tightly, he seized an opening and swung with all his might, smashing it against Yu Hong¡¯s left shoulder from behind. Crack! The thick wooden staff snapped on impact. Yu Hong didn¡¯t move an inch. From beneath his helmet, his gaze locked onto the three men. ¡°Are you done playing?¡± His voice was calm, as if the fight hadn¡¯t even served as a warm-up. Boom! Ge Shenghao suddenly raised his leg high and brought it down fiercely against Yu Hong¡¯s left neck. A heavy impact struck the outer layer of Yu Hong¡¯s suit, sending a faint spray of white dust into the air, clearly visible under the moonlight. But to their horror, Yu Hong remained standing. His helmet merely wobbled slightly before coming to a stop. He hadn¡¯t even bothered to block. He simply stood there, unmoving. ¡°Anything else?¡± he asked. ¡°¡­!!?¡± A cold sweat broke out on Ge Shenghao¡¯s forehead. His pupils shrank as a realization hit him, and he instinctively tried to retract his leg. But at that moment, Yu Hong suddenly lifted his own leg and struck at Ge Shenghao¡¯s supporting leg. Low sweep! This was a heavy leg technique Yu Hong had trained in for days. By now, it was second nature to him, executed with seamless speed¡ªpractically a reflex. ?¨¤??????¨¨???? However, Ge Shenghao reacted unexpectedly. He leaped into the air, dodging the sweep, then used the momentum to kick at Yu Hong¡¯s chest before flipping backward and landing safely. Yu Hong stepped forward to chase him down, but a hammer suddenly swung in from the right, slamming into his shoulder. Boom! With a dull thud, Yu Hong didn¡¯t even glance at his attacker. He simply reached out, grabbed the hammer¡¯s handle, and yanked. The wielder was pulled forward by sheer force. Before he could regain balance, Yu Hong wrapped both arms around him¡ªalmost like an affectionate embrace. One arm locked around the man¡¯s back, the other around his waist. ¡°Ahh!!¡± A sickening crack echoed through the night, followed by a bloodcurdling scream. No one knew how many bones had just shattered. Even with his bulletproof suit, there was no defense against this kind of crushing force¡ªarmor designed for bullets was useless against joint-breaking pressure. Blood instantly spewed from the man¡¯s mouth and nose. Yu Hong let him go, striding toward Ge Shenghao once more. Bang! Another gunshot rang out. A bullet struck Yu Hong¡¯s right knee, piercing through the alloy plating and causing a faint sting. Taking advantage of the moment, Ge Shenghao charged forward again¡ªhe was still daring enough to attack. His right leg was now clad in a silver-white alloy shin guard, and he swung it directly at Yu Hong¡¯s wounded knee. Had this attack landed, it could have shattered the armor¡¯s protection in an instant. But Yu Hong had the same idea. Without hesitation, he raised his own leg and delivered a low sweep, mirroring Ge Shenghao¡¯s movement exactly. Both were using military-style Miersch close combat techniques. Their angles and timing were identical, leading to a direct clash. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Boom! Legs collided, sending a fine layer of dust scattering. Ge Shenghao lacked the raw power and was sent staggering backward. But rather than retreating, his fighting spirit flared. ¡°I¡¯LL BREAK YOU!!¡± With a furious roar, he launched another flurry of kicks at Yu Hong. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! The two continued exchanging brutal leg strikes, neither backing down. Over ten consecutive kicks clashed in a matter of seconds. Then¡ªCrack! A sharp sound rang out. Ge Shenghao suddenly recoiled, clutching his leg, his face twisted in agony. Sweat poured down his body as veins bulged across his forehead. He glared at Yu Hong, his teeth clenched. He couldn¡¯t believe that his years of combat training had been utterly useless in just a few exchanges. ¡°Sixth! Run! Don¡¯t look back!!¡± Ge Shenghao suddenly shouted. Staring at Yu Hong¡ªwho appeared completely unchanged from the start¡ªrealization dawned on him. Now he understood. He finally grasped why Yu Hong had survived the Many-Eyed Bird¡¯s attacks while also protecting two defenseless women. But it was too late. ¡°I never expected¡­ in a place like this¡­¡± His words trailed off as he turned and fled. Yet before he could get far, Yu Hong seized his suit and lifted him effortlessly into the air. Just as he was about to be crushed in another bone-breaking hold, a figure lunged from behind. A sneak attack. A hammer smashed into the back of Yu Hong¡¯s helmet. Boom! The impact created cracks in the helmet, denting its surface inward. However, the helmet¡¯s inner padding absorbed most of the force. A normal person might have suffered a concussion from the remaining shockwave. But Yu Hong barely felt it. His enhanced bones and thickened outer skin made it feel like a mere paper-thin slap. With furrowed brows, he turned and grabbed the attacker¡¯s arm. And then¡ªlow sweep! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!! In a matter of seconds, he unleashed over ten consecutive kicks. At first, the attacker withstood them. But soon, his screams turned to gurgles as his lower body turned into a mangled mess. By the time Yu Hong let go, the man¡¯s legs were nothing but shredded flesh and twisted armor. Blood and metal scraps littered the ground. Noticing that the man had gone silent, Yu Hong dropped him carelessly. Even with just one hand, his strength was overwhelming. There had never been a contest. Regaining focus, he turned back to Ge Shenghao. ¡°What were you thinking?¡± By now, Ge Shenghao had completely broken down. His face was frozen in a grimace of fear, his body convulsing uncontrollably. He couldn¡¯t even speak. He had watched, helplessly, as his teammates were torn apart like rag dolls. The difference between them was simply too vast. His opponent¡ªno, this monster¡ªmust have undergone a full-body enhancement with Luminous Stone! Yes. Only a creature like that could achieve such an overwhelming victory. A monster, combined with that obviously modified and reinforced Gray Lizard combat suit¡­ They had lost. Completely. This gamble was over. Their choices had been limited from the very start¡ªeither die in the beaks of the multi-eyed birds, or die in battle against this monster. What Ge Shenghao hadn¡¯t expected was that Yu Hong had not survived through evasion or clever tactics. He had simply endured everything with sheer strength. Yu Hong shook him, noticing that he no longer had any will to resist. He lost interest in further questioning. Instead, he abruptly tightened his grip. Crack, crack, crack! The sound of snapping bones echoed as Ge Shenghao¡¯s limbs were all crushed. Only then did Yu Hong carry him back to the courtyard. There had been four attackers in total, with one hidden sniper. That shooter had likely already fled. As for the one in his hands¡­ He thought for a moment and stood at the courtyard entrance. Since the secret was already out, there was no point in eliminating all witnesses. Keeping one alive might even provide useful intelligence. So, instead of killing Ge Shenghao, he threw him into the yard. He hammered a wooden stake into the ground, tied him to it, and placed some Luminous Stones around him to block his vision¡ªforming a corner against the courtyard wall and mountain rock. With that done, Yu Hong returned to the cave. At last, he could rest. But he didn¡¯t dare to fully relax. Until the gate was repaired, he wouldn¡¯t allow himself to fall into a deep sleep. He used wooden boards to block the hole in the gate and covered it tightly with fabric. Fortunately, nothing else disturbed him that night. In the depths of the night, the gate shimmered faintly before restoring itself to its original state. Ge Shenghao, hidden behind the Luminous Stones, saw nothing. The mother and daughter, Qiu Yanxi and her child, remained huddled in the stone cave, too terrified to move. Only after confirming everything was safe did Yu Hong finally allow himself to collapse into sleep. He was utterly exhausted. Time passed. Half-asleep, Yu Hong vaguely heard sounds coming from his communicator. It seemed like Li Runshan was talking. He had left it on the whole time, worried about missing any critical updates. But right now, he was simply too tired. His internal energy was completely drained. Any non-urgent noises were simply filtered out of his exhausted mind. * * * Post Office Stone House. In the open space outside the courtyard, a strange dark green vehicle, resembling a small train with three connected carriages, stood silently. The morning light was bright yet cold, casting a pale glow on three masked officers standing beside the vehicle. All three were clad in thick tactical bulletproof suits. From their body contours, it was possible to discern that the leading officer was a woman, while the other two were men. Inside the post office, the trembling family members of high-ranking United Army officials emerged from the underground shelter, their faces filled with gratitude. Under the protection of the guards, they hurried toward the strange vehicle and quickly boarded. Li Runshan let out a breath of relief and approached the female officer leading the group. ¡°You came in person?¡± he asked in a low voice. ¡°Manpower is too tight, and this area is too important. I had no choice but to come myself,¡± the masked woman replied. She scanned the people present, quickly noticing that the number of guards and reported personnel did not match. ¡°Where¡¯s Ge Shenghao?¡± ¡°¡­No idea. His men said he went out last night, but no one knows why.¡± Li Runshan shook his head. ¡°Our intel shows that there are over a dozen Many-Eyed Birds wandering around this area, and the environmental red zone level is still rising. The longer we stay, the more dangerous it becomes,¡± the woman said gravely. Li Runshan fell silent. After a moment, he smiled faintly, unconcerned. ¡°It¡¯s fine. We¡¯ll always find a way to survive.¡± He chatted with the woman for a bit longer. By now, most of the people from the underground shelter had boarded, but there was still no news from Yu Hong. He excused himself and returned inside to reconnect the communicator. ¡°Yu Hong! You there!? The evacuation team has loaded everyone up. If you don¡¯t come now, we¡¯re leaving without you!¡± he called loudly. This was his third time trying to contact him. Finally, a response came through. There was a long stretch, followed by a yawn. ¡°¡­Were you sleeping?¡± Li Runshan¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Too exhausted. Last night¡­ cut me some slack,¡± Yu Hong sighed. ¡°Take care of yourself. Wasn¡¯t it just one against two? Pushing yourself too hard?¡± Li Runshan muttered. ¡°One against two? It was one against four!¡± Yu Hong corrected. ¡°Never mind, you wouldn¡¯t understand anyway. The extraction team¡¯s here, right? I¡¯ll bring them over now.¡± As long as he could hand over Qiu Yanxi and her daughter to the evacuation team, his deal with Wei Shanshan¡¯s father, Wei Hongye, would be complete. ¡°Yeah, hurry up. Director Wei brought something for you, but you need to come in person to get it,¡± Li Runshan urged. ¡°Got it.¡± Thinking about the potential solution to his energy problem, Yu Hong felt a flicker of anticipation. (End of chapter) ~~~ Tl Note :- Man we are already in chapter 100!! Happy 100 chapters to y¡¯all and wish y¡¯all luck so you can escape the ghostly shadows in the desperate nights !! byeeee :3 ~~~~ Chapter 102: Cultivation Technique (2) Yu Hong looked at the red value detector again and found that the values inside the safe house had returned to single digits, approaching zero. ¡®It seems that the rune array inside the safe house may have had some effect.¡¯ He let out a sigh of relief, turned on the light, pulled down the shutter, but did not take off his suit. In such a situation, the ever-present threat of the multi-eyed bird forced him to remain constantly vigilant. Picking up the vortex rune array board, he sat down to think carefully. ¡®If I apply the storage function of the vortex rune array to the safe house, could I create a stable battery that converts and stores Luminous Stone radiation energy?¡¯ ¡®Besides making grenades, what else could a Luminous Stone radiation battery be used for?¡¯ He returned to his initial idea¡ªcreating a technique that would allow him to handle Ghostly shadows. ¡®If¡­ if I could use my body to generate Luminous Stone radiation explosions similar to the vortex rune array, wouldn¡¯t that make dealing with Ghostly Shadows much easier?¡¯ Following this line of thought¡ª ¡®Anti-Ghostly Shadow Technique.¡¯ ¡®Using inner energy as a pen, construct a vortex rune array inside the body to create an internal Luminous Stone radiation battery that can absorb external radiation.¡¯ ¡®Such an internal structure must remain extremely stable under normal conditions. Only when I perform certain specific actions or enter a particular state will the battery structure temporarily break, causing a massive burst of radiation from within, forming a Luminous Stone radiation attack to counteract external Ghostly Shadows or Evil shadows.¡¯ ¡®When I exit the special state or action, the rune array restores itself and resumes absorption and storage automatically.¡¯ ¡®Side effects: Luminous Stone radiation can cause harm and mutations to the human body. This issue might be countered by my continuously strengthening physical constitution.¡¯ After writing these words, Yu Hong carefully checked for typos and major logical flaws. Confirming that there were none, he placed the paper on the wooden table. ¡®The enhancement of the Black Mark must be based on a feasible foundation. Now, let¡¯s see¡ªif this foundational technique works, then the Black Mark might refine and perfect it into an even better technique.¡¯ Looking at his technique hypothesis, Yu Hong extended his hand and pressed it against the paper. ¡®Enhance Anti-Ghostly Shadow Technique. Direction: Integrate with Heavy Leg Technique.¡¯ Soon, a black line flashed, and the feedback sound quickly rang out. ¡®Enhance technique?¡¯ It was feasible! Yu Hong was overjoyed. He hadn¡¯t expected it to succeed on the first try. He glanced at the countdown appearing on the paper: 1 hour and 4 minutes. Such a short time¡ªthis meant the difficulty wasn¡¯t high. Thinking this, he pressed his hand down again. ¡®Enhance Anti-Ghostly Shadow Technique. Direction: Integrate with Heavy Leg Technique, strengthen control, reduce side effects, increase power, and optimize the vortex rune array to enhance the total storage of radiation energy.¡¯ ???????§£§¦? Yu Hong added everything he wanted in one go. Then, as the feedback sound played, he quickly checked the countdown that appeared. ¡®1 day, 23 hours, 11 minutes.¡¯ ¡®Almost there¡ªany longer and the risk would be too high.¡¯ He sighed. He confirmed the enhancement process. This time, acquiring the vortex rune array had been an immense help to him. This thing instantly increased his means of dealing with malevolent shadows by more than double. Placing a wooden block over the enhancing paper to keep it in place, Yu Hong stood up and went to Basement One¡ªthe very first one he had dug. Inside the basement, he picked up the vortex rune array board he had previously made. This board, inscribed with inner energy, had now completely turned silver. It looked very similar to the enhanced silver rune array he had seen before. But the patterns of the two were completely different. Yu Hong brought the detector close and measured it. The red value was only a negative single digit. Clearly, this rune array had a strong absorption and storage capability. After some thought, he decided to take the board outside for a test. Just as the Black Mark was enhancing the new fusion technique¡ªonce the fusion was complete, he could train his Heavy Leg Technique while gaining a similar ability to counter Ghostly Shadows. For now, the most important thing was ensuring the safety of the safe house. Acquiring an energy core was difficult under current conditions. Once things stabilized and his technique was refined further, he would consider it again. Yu Hong made up his mind. Taking the board with him, he returned to the first floor and activated his communicator. ¡°Old Li, are you there?¡± After some static noise, a somewhat surprised male voice came through. ¡°So clear? How did the signal suddenly get better again?¡± Li Runshan asked in astonishment. Yu Hong guessed it was probably due to his enhancement of the communicator. The effect likely only worked when he communicated with Old Li. However, he didn¡¯t say anything and quickly changed the subject. ¡°I have a question. Is there a way to avoid the multi-eyed birds? How did you evade their attacks before?¡± ¡°¡­Vision, smell, hearing¡ªthese strange birds track targets just like humans do, relying on their sensory organs. But their sense of smell is exceptionally sharp.¡± Li Runshan replied, ¡°Before, we weren¡¯t careful about scent. Later, when the rescue team arrived, they gave us some deodorizing sand, and the multi-eyed birds stopped approaching. I still have twenty pounds of deodorizing sand.¡± ¡°Any other methods?¡± Yu Hong frowned. ¡°There¡¯s also the sunlight series materials. Multi-eyed birds are well-known monsters in the frontline Aurora City, and they are one of the creatures that sunlight series materials specifically counter,¡± Li Runshan replied. He paused before continuing. ¡°If you need them, I can try to get you some. They should arrive next month. Hold on until then.¡± ¡°How much?¡± Yu Hong was a little surprised. The stingy guy was finally willing to offer something. ¡°I have a set of communicators here. Can you take a look at them for me? Except for my connection with you, all other communications are terrible¡ªI can barely hear anything and rely entirely on Morse code,¡± Li Runshan said casually. ¡°Alright,¡± Yu Hong agreed. ¡°By the way, can you still send mail internally? To Baihe City?¡± ¡°Yes, but the cost is higher. Baihe City is currently under attack by the Whisperer ¡ªyou know how they¡¯re completely undetectable until they strike. Plus, there are too many multi-eyed birds outside. Without a sunlight series Luminous Stone blanket, people don¡¯t even dare to go out, and travel costs are skyrocketing. What do you want to send?¡± Li Runshan asked. ¡°I¡¯ll bring it to you later. Just a small item.¡± Yu Hong replied. The enhanced red value detector needed to be delivered to Little Stutterer in time to deal with the Whisperer. ¡°Alright, tomorrow an expert from the postal service will be passing by. I can ask them to take a detour. Also, one more thing¡ªbe more careful in the future. The item you left behind, I threw it into the scorched woods beside you. Go pick it up.¡± Li Runshan said before hanging up. What is it? What item? Yu Hong narrowed his eyes slightly, quickly put on his gear, and stepped outside. Before long, he spotted a male corpse in camouflage uniform lying among the scorched woods to the right of the courtyard wall. The body¡¯s eyes remained open in death. In the corpse¡¯s hands was a black rifle, over a meter long, equipped with a scope. Yu Hong had no idea what model it was¡ªhe didn¡¯t recognize it at all. He reached out and forcefully pulled the rifle free, then searched the body. Everything else was gone¡ªcompletely stripped clean. The only thing left was the rifle, which made Yu Hong suspect that this man was likely the only companion of Ge Shenghao who had managed to escape. ¡°Why bother running back then? Dying by my hand would¡¯ve at least been quicker.¡± Yu Hong carried the rifle, guessing that Li Runshan had probably left it there intentionally as proof. Otherwise, this weapon would have been gone long ago. Aang! Suddenly, from deep within the forest behind him, came the eerie screech of a multi-eyed bird once again. Yu Hong immediately quickened his pace, dashing back into the cave. He shut the door behind him and hid in silence. He had had enough of these monstrous birds. * * * Three Days Later Baihe City At the mouth of a massive, pitch-black underground tunnel on the outskirts, squads of personnel assigned to clear hidden dangers were gathering. There were more than ten teams in total, many of which had new recruits among their ranks. Each team was marked by a wooden sign, numbered from 1 to 16, held up by a designated member. Behind the number 3 sign, eight young soldiers stood in a loose formation. Some looked fatigued, others had hollow expressions. Among them, three individuals stood out¡ªOu Li, Chen Qiaosheng, and the sullen Lin Yiyi, nicknamed Stutterer. ¡°Alright, quiet down.¡± A tall, crew-cut man emerged from the tunnel entrance, clapping his hands loudly to get everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Each team, prepare yourselves. Once this exploration mission is over, head to the system registry to calculate your contribution points based on your performance.¡± After giving these instructions, the man turned away without looking at anyone and left. The remaining team leaders returned to their squads. Xue Ningning, one arm wrapped in bandages and held in a sling across her chest, stepped in front of the number 3 sign. She studied her team members, shaking her head helplessly. Even though they had taken a relatively safe route, their cleanup mission had still encountered several dangerous situations. At critical moments, the team¡¯s coordination fell apart, forcing Xue Ningning to personally intervene. Using her Luminous Stone weapon, she had to fend off several attacking creatures, which left her injured. Two of her teammates had also been severely wounded and were now recovering, unable to continue. They had almost failed the mission entirely. In the end, Xue Ningning had to push the entire squad forward at high speed just to barely complete it. Now, reviewing the experience, she found herself deeply disappointed in Ou Li, Chen Qiaosheng, and Lin Yiyi. They had contributed almost nothing. She considered replacing them. But if she did, they would likely be expelled from the team altogether¡ªand given their current situation, no other squad would accept them. ¡°Ningning, the news about your team has already spread. Are you planning to swap out members?¡± a female squad leader nearby asked quietly. Ou Li was at least average, but Chen Qiaosheng was physically weak and practically useless beyond tagging along at the back. Lin Yiyi, on the other hand, was reckless¡ªalways charging forward without thinking. While she wasn¡¯t afraid of pain or death, her impulsiveness had repeatedly disrupted Xue Ningning¡¯s plans. If she replaced them, Lin Yiyi and Chen Qiaosheng would be reassigned to much more dangerous squads. Her squad, Team 3, was relatively safe thanks to her leadership. If those two were moved, their survival rate would plummet. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xue Ningning sighed and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ll just recruit more members. I won¡¯t replace them.¡± At least keeping them here was better than sending them to their deaths elsewhere. With their weaknesses, only Ou Li stood a chance of surviving in another team. The other two¡­ wouldn¡¯t last long. As for Ou Li, Xue Ningning had already figured him out¡ªselfish on the surface, but that was just a protective shell. (End of Chapter) Chapter 103: Departure (1) ¡°You can¡¯t keep doing this. Even if Team Three¡¯s missions are all safe, over time, your teammates won¡¯t improve, and eventually, they¡¯ll drag you down, lowering your evaluation score.¡± One of the captains, Xu Fei, frowned as he tried to persuade her. In his view, useless teammates should be replaced immediately. ¡°It¡¯s fine. My family is gone, and I only have a younger sister left. She¡¯s far more capable than I am, so I¡¯ll leave the improving to her.¡± Xue Ningning smiled indifferently. She had no ambition¡ªjust wanted to get by. ¡°If your evaluation drops, your logistics support will be affected, and even your equipment and supplies might be cut,¡± Xu Fei continued, as he had some interest in Xue Ningning. ¡°It¡¯s not a problem.¡± She wasn¡¯t concerned. In truth, she also wanted to replace her teammates. But if she left the safest Team Three, those three would undoubtedly get into trouble. It had happened before, so she had long stopped casually dismissing members. In any case, she only took on the safest missions. ¡°I¡¯ll take time to train them in private. They¡¯re good kids¡ªI believe they¡¯ll catch up soon.¡± She spoke earnestly. ¡°You¡¯re still so na?ve.¡± Not far away, Captain Yao Chenling of Team Nine remarked coldly. Yao Chenling, another female captain, was tall, muscular, and powerful. She had always disdained Xue Ningning, who had risen through connections with her younger sister. And now, when everyone else was striving to improve their teams, Xue Ningning was still dragging along dead weight, attempting to move forward with them. Sure, a capable person could do that, but the cost would be stagnation or even regression. In such harsh conditions where resources were scarce and competition was fierce, falling behind meant fewer resources¡ªessentially digging one¡¯s own grave. Xue Ningning didn¡¯t respond¡ªshe just smiled. Worst case scenario, she wouldn¡¯t take on missions at all. As long as she stayed in Hope City, things wouldn¡¯t be too bad. After the teams gathered, they quickly dispersed. Each member returned to their dormitories. Ouli and the others parted ways, and since she shared a room with Xiaojieba, they returned together. As they reached their dormitory door, a voice called out to them. ¡°Lin Yiyi.¡± The dormitory manager, an elderly woman, waved a small package in her hand. ¡°You have a parcel delivery.¡± ¡°A package?¡± Xiaojieba blinked in confusion. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s from Baiqiu Village,¡± the manager replied casually. ¡°Baiqiu Village!?¡± Little Stutterer¡¯s eyes lit up in delight as a name flashed through her mind. * * * Baiqiu Village, Mountain Cave Safehouse Yu Hong stood alone in the basement, holding his breath, motionless. Time ticked away, second by second. Still, he remained the same¡ªcompletely still, like a sculpture. About fifteen minutes later¡ª Pfft. Suddenly, his face turned red, and he coughed up a small mouthful of blood. ¡°Failed again¡­¡± He raised his hand, watching as the red vortex rune on his palm slowly faded and disappeared. He shook his head inwardly. Ever since he had completed his new cultivation technique yesterday, he had been trying to train according to its methods. The new technique had successfully merged multiple functions into his Heavy Leg Technique and even integrated the newly acquired vortex rune. The small cultivation manual he had obtained through enhancement described impressive effects, but¡­ the difficulty of training it was far greater than before. ?¨¤??£Â¨¨? Yu Hong slowly relaxed his body, walked to the side, picked up a red booklet from the ground, and flipped through it. ¡°Basic Survival Leg Technique.¡± That was the name he had given this new cultivation technique¡ªan extremely fitting name. After all, survival was the very reason he had fused and created it. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The thin booklet still contained the three original moves of the Heavy Leg Technique, but now it had three additional levels beyond them, making it six in total. Each level also incorporated some static exercises, seamlessly integrating them into the cultivation and training process. Just now, Yu Hong had been practicing the static exercise portion of the first-level Low Sweep Kick, but he hadn¡¯t expected it to be this difficult. After flipping through the booklet for a while, he confirmed that he had been practicing correctly¡ªit was just that his body needed time to adapt. Rushing it would only backfire. He could only endure and take it slow. The Basic Survival Leg Technique required not only a proper daily diet but also one crucial element for training¡ªradiation. However, it wasn¡¯t ordinary luminous stone radiation but red-value radiation. At first, Yu Hong found this requirement a bit odd, but he soon understood the reasoning behind it. If he could absorb and adapt to increasingly higher levels of external red-value radiation, his survival rate would naturally improve significantly. This technique perfectly fulfilled the purpose he had intended. After reading for a while, Yu Hong set the booklet aside and headed upstairs. The room was brightly lit, and the area outside the door was silent. The entire safehouse felt peaceful and tranquil. If he could remove the dangers of this world, this kind of life wouldn¡¯t be so bad¡ªexcept for the loneliness. Yu Hong walked to the entrance and pulled back the barrier to glance outside. In the courtyard, luminous white-glowing Luminous Stone Grass swayed gently in the wind, releasing invisible radiation. Further beyond, outside the gray-white courtyard walls, a faint mist loomed in the darkness. Occasionally, strange, fragmented noises flickered past. Yu Hong retracted his gaze and closed the barrier. Since yesterday, after obtaining some odor-removal sand from Li Runshan and covering the outer gate with a generous amount of crushed stone powder to blend it with the mountain wall, the Multi-Eyed Birds had surprisingly stopped bothering him. Glancing at the enhanced red-value detector, the time read 21:42 (9:42 PM). Yu Hong turned on his communicator, listening to the faint static, waiting for Li Runshan to contact him. They had agreed to communicate once a night, around 10 PM. A few minutes later, the communicator crackled to life. ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting. I just got Nana to sleep¡ªI had to tell her several stories. Kids these days are a real handful.¡± Li Runshan¡¯s exhausted voice came through. ¡°That¡¯s how kids are,¡± Yu Hong chuckled. ¡°By the way, thanks for the odor-removal sand and disguise method. The Multi-Eyed Birds haven¡¯t attacked again¡ªit seems to be working.¡± Since it worked, he had to express his gratitude. After all, for once, Old Li, the notorious tightwad, had provided free support. Even though Yu Hong still had to help fix some equipment, when he checked, the ¡°broken communication device¡± was actually beyond repair. Instead, the repair job had been swapped to a simple little fan. Li had agreed to the change, likely just needing an excuse to help him. ¡°¡­Wait, it actually worked?¡± Li Runshan blurted out in surprise. ¡°¡­What do you mean by that?¡± Yu Hong¡¯s smile vanished instantly. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you were using me as a test subject?¡± ¡°Of course not! I use odor-removal sand myself. Why would I experiment on you?¡± Old Li laughed nervously. ¡°Did you coat yours with sunlight coating?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°¡­Uh, yeah, but you know, the quality of that stuff varies. Regular-grade sunlight coating won¡¯t hold up against a Danger Level 4 creature.¡± Li Runshan tried to deflect. ¡°Forget it, no point in arguing. How¡¯s the map I asked you to check? I¡¯m planning to leave tomorrow,¡± Yu Hong changed the topic. ¡°No problem, it¡¯s ready. But are you sure about leaving now? The Multi-Eyed Birds are still out there, and the red-value environment is getting worse¡­¡± Li Runshan frowned. ¡°Exactly because the red-value is rising. The longer I wait, the worse it¡¯ll get. Better to act fast and finish this quickly.¡± Yu Hong sighed. He had originally planned to make some progress in cultivating his new technique before setting out. But the environment outside was deteriorating too rapidly. Earlier today, when he checked, the external red-value had already reached 30. If this continued, he might not be able to leave at all. ¡°You should expand your breeding operations. Otherwise, I worry food supplies might become a problem in the future,¡± Yu Hong warned. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve already prepared the breeding boxes. You wanted to start farming on your own, right? Just come pick them up,¡± Li Runshan replied. ¡°The situation is getting worse, but the one good news is that Nana¡¯s condition has stabilized a lot. At least my time in this forsaken place hasn¡¯t been wasted. Ah¡ªnot to say this place is bad or anything.¡± ¡°Heh,¡± Yu Hong chuckled. ¡°Sigh, by the way, how exactly did you get into a conflict with Ge Shenghao?¡± Li Runshan suddenly changed the topic. ¡°How would I know? They suddenly attacked me. Luckily, I dodged in time, and then I saw them get taken down one by one by the Multi-Eyed Birds. I was so scared I hid in my house, not daring to make a sound, afraid the monsters would notice me. Fortunately, those Multi-Eyed Birds left after killing them.¡± Yu Hong¡¯s response was watertight. ¡°They were insane¡ªpicking fights at a time like this. Besides, given the situation, the retrieval team couldn¡¯t wait around for them indefinitely. They wouldn¡¯t risk spreading their forces searching for people. If they weren¡¯t there on time, nobody would care about a few bodyguards,¡± Li Runshan said, as if explaining, but it sounded more like he was setting the tone for what had happened. Yu Hong¡¯s thoughts stirred, and he played along. ¡°I¡¯m guessing they wanted to get a method from me to avoid Multi-Eyed Birds, but they didn¡¯t realize¡­ I was just lucky. I stayed low-profile, so the creatures ignored me.¡± Both men sighed through the communicator, feigning sincerity. After a moment, Li Runshan wrapped up the conversation. ¡°I¡¯ve prepared everything for you. Be careful on the road. I hope you find the nuclear power generator¡ªdaylight hours are getting shorter, and nights are getting longer. I checked¡ªyesterday, daylight only lasted eight hours, three hours shorter than before.¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly why I¡¯m worried about insufficient sunlight¡ªit¡¯ll be a huge problem later,¡± Yu Hong sighed. The nuclear power generator was crucial to his logistics. Water supply systems, solar energy replacements, oxygen generators¡ªthey all needed power. His communicator, lights, red-value detector¡ªwithout power, survival would become significantly harder. ¡°Too bad I have to take care of Nana. Otherwise, I¡¯d go with you,¡± Old Li said, pretending to regret it. ¡°Baiqiu Village still has some supplies. Since you can¡¯t go with me, why don¡¯t you go retrieve some materials instead?¡± Yu Hong suggested. ¡°Uh¡­ The environment¡¯s bad right now, and I¡¯m a bit tied up. Let¡¯s talk about it later,¡± Li Runshan laughed it off. The communication ended. Yu Hong began preparing for his departure the next day. He packed all three silver rune array, along with twenty regular rune array. Then came water, protein bars, dried mushrooms, and dried wild vegetables. For his bulletproof gear, he chose the enhanced Gray Lizard Set¡ªfar more flexible than the White Bear Set, making it much more suitable for travel. Finally, the most crucial item¡ªthe Luminous Stone Blanket. He had made a few small modifications to it. (End of Chapter) Chapter 104: Departure (2) Early the next morning. Yu Hong carried a large backpack as he left the cave and made a quick stop at the post office. He took the supplies Li Runshan had prepared for him¡ªmost importantly, a map¡ªand then set off toward Lu long County. ¡°Safe travels.¡± As he walked away, he heard Old Li¡¯s farewell from behind. Turning back, he saw Li Runshan standing at the doorway, waving. But soon, a thin gray-white mist rolled in, slowly engulfing Old Li, Aisena, and the entire run-down white stone post office. Yu Hong exhaled, turned his head forward, and continued along the narrow footpath toward the main road. Following the highway on the map would prevent him from losing his way. Crack. Crack. Crack. His boots crushed dry twigs and leaves beneath them, making sharp, conspicuous noises. Even through his breathing valve, Yu Hong could detect a faint burnt smell lingering in the air. He walked through the gray fog, his visibility limited to about three meters. Beyond that, everything was a hazy blur. Moving forward along the path, after about fifteen minutes, the forest finally parted ahead, revealing a 30-meter-wide, gray-white highway. The road had some cracks and signs of subsidence but was largely intact. Several gray trees had fallen, blocking a good portion of the way. Whoosh. Yu Hong exhaled again, adjusted the straps of his heavy backpack, and carefully slid down the slope, landing on the slightly lower road surface. Glancing around, he noted that the fog here was slightly thinner, improving visibility to about five or six meters. Reaching into his coat, he took out a rune array and held it tightly in his hand before continuing left along the highway. After walking for a few minutes, he spotted a large dark shadow ahead. He did not stop but instead walked past it on the right side. As he got closer, the mist thinned, revealing the dark shadow¡¯s true form¡ªa burnt-out, wrecked bus. The bus was completely charred, its structure twisted and partially melted. The wheels had collapsed, making one side lower than the other, leaving behind only a hollow frame. Yu Hong slowed down slightly to examine it, but then¡ª Beep. Beep. A faint alarm sounded. His expression darkened as he glanced at the reinforced Red Value Detector embedded in his collar. The LCD screen displayed an alarming spike: 92.331. Something¡¯s inside the bus! Yu Hong¡¯s heart tensed. Staying alert, he quickened his pace, minimizing noise as he distanced himself. Only after putting more than ten meters between himself and the bus did the detector¡¯s red value rapidly drop, returning to a normal range of twenty to thirty. ?¦¡???????? He exhaled softly, staying vigilant as he pressed on. Continuing along the highway for about five more minutes, he finally spotted two intact, dark green military jeeps. They sat silently by the roadside, showing signs of previous dismantling. Why are there only two left? Yu Hong frowned slightly, cautiously approaching the vehicles. It was only when he got closer that he noticed the leading jeep had somehow flipped off the highway slope. Through the mist, he could vaguely make out signs of impact¡ªits body was twisted and caved in, as if it had been crushed under an elephant¡¯s foot. His heart tensed. Ignoring the wrecked jeep, he focused on checking the two remaining ones. After a quick assessment, he chose the foremost vehicle as his mode of transport. Taking out the key, he unlocked the door and inspected the interior. The jeep had three rows of seats, eight in total, with a rear compartment that could fit two or three more people. Yu Hong examined the layout and determined the amount of space he would need. Satisfied, he reached for the middle row of seats. Gripping them tightly, he gave them a forceful tug. Snap. With sheer strength, he tore the entire row of leather seats out. Tossing them aside, he instantly gained much more space in the vehicle. Pleased, he climbed in, set his backpack down, and retrieved a solar-powered generator he had previously removed from this very jeep. Holding the solar panel, he inspected it from all angles¡ªonly to realize¡­ He had no idea how to reinstall it. After a moment of contemplation, he decided to leave the panel inside the car. Taking his pack, he stepped out, standing beside the vehicle. Placing a hand on the jeep¡¯s body, he muttered: ¡°Enhance vehicle. Direction:¡± Yu Hong dared not request too many modifications¡ªthe longer the enhancement took, the more it would delay his departure. He envisioned a simple, sealed vehicle with the solar generator installed and all gaps and openings completely closed. No reinforced structure, no strengthened armor¡ªjust a fully enclosed space. This way, he could use his Luminous Stone Ink inside to draw rune patterns, creating a camouflaging effect similar to a Luminous Stone Blanket. With his requirements set, the black markings on the back of his hand flickered and flowed into the vehicle. Moments later, a system prompt sounded: ¡°Enhance vehicle?¡± At the same time, a large red countdown timer appeared on the side of the jeep, facing Yu Hong. Time: 32 minutes. ¡°Yes.¡± Yu Hong glanced at the time and quickly responded. Then, he sat back inside the vehicle, lying sideways on the rear seat, quietly waiting. The rear seat was a bit firm and uncomfortable to lie on. It was also narrow, forcing him to barely manage a sideways position. With his back pressed against the leather seat, Yu Hong gazed through the front windshield at the gray fog outside. For some reason, a faint sense of security crept over him. Even though the car¡¯s protection was far inferior to that of a safe house¡ªor even the reinforced Gray Lizard gear he was wearing¡ªbeing in this dense fog where nothing could be seen or heard, surrounded by lurking dangers and eerie presences, having a place to hide, no matter how flimsy, was reassuring. It could at least block his figure from view and prevent certain threats from detecting him. This feeling brought a bit of peace to Yu Hong¡¯s heart. Lying on the seat, he stared out the front windshield. Just five meters ahead, the gray mist churned and rolled, like thick smoke from a fire, growing denser and denser. A few minutes later, on the left side of the vehicle, near the center of the road, faint footsteps could be heard passing by. A subtle sound, like a whisper near his ear, began to emerge around Yu Hong. The sound was soft, like sleep-talking, but he couldn¡¯t make out the words. Yu Hong remained completely still inside the car, like a corpse, even slowing his breathing as much as possible. From his vantage point, he could see through the left window¡ªsilhouettes of ragged figures slowly walking past the vehicle, moving along the road ahead. They emitted unintelligible noises, speaking in an incomprehensible murmur. They didn¡¯t seem to notice Yu Hong¡¯s presence; they just walked straight ahead, step by step, gradually vanishing into the dense gray fog. Yu Hong couldn¡¯t see their faces. He could only make out their vague clothing, their skin¡ªso indistinct that he couldn¡¯t even tell if they were male or female. All he could discern was that they varied in height, some tall, some short, some old, some young. ¡®What are these? Ghostly shadows?¡¯ He watched them quietly as they disappeared into the fog. ¡®If they are Ghostly shadows, why aren¡¯t they speaking deceptive words meant to confuse me?¡¯ ¡®Could it be that a true Ghostly shadow¡¯s voice is always like this? Only when targeting a specific person does it shift into deceptive whispers?¡¯ He didn¡¯t know. There was no way to test it. At most, his thoughts were just speculation. He had no idea how much time had passed¡ªmaybe ten minutes, maybe twenty. Outside the car, the murmurs gradually faded, receding into the distance before disappearing completely. Yu Hong still didn¡¯t move. Dressed in his full set of reinforced Gray Lizard gear, he lay motionless on the leather seat, appearing no different from an unused suit of armor left in place. The car windows were one-way; he could only see out from the inside. Holding a charm slate in his hand, Yu Hong stared into the gray mist outside, quietly waiting for the black seal enhancement to finish. Knock, knock, knock. Suddenly, a finger rapped against the window. ¡°Is anyone there?¡± A somewhat familiar voice called out. ¡°No one? Then we¡¯ll just take this car and move it.¡± The voice continued. ¡°Pretty lucky¡ªfinding two Jeeps here.¡± Another voice spoke from a bit farther away. ¡°Yeah, with a car, our journey will be much faster.¡± ¡°Does the door open?¡± This was followed by the sound of hands slapping against the car door. ¡°I¡¯ve got a wire. Try it.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Then came the sound of metal scraping inside the lock. Click. The lock opened. Yu Hong still didn¡¯t move, remaining motionless on the leather seat. He stared out the window¡ªthe gray fog still thick outside, not a single figure in sight. The car¡¯s lock had been opened, but there was no sign of the door being pulled. The voices from just moments ago had also vanished completely. Everything fell into complete silence. After waiting for another two minutes, Yu Hong slowly sat up. ¡°It¡¯s time,¡± he muttered, as if speaking to himself. Hiss! In an instant, the entire interior of the vehicle blurred for a second, then returned to clarity. Inside the Jeep, all the surfaces were now coated with a layer of transparent, hardened film. It was as if someone had spread glue over everything¡ªevery gap and crack was completely sealed. At the same time, the solar panels that had been on the floor of the car had disappeared. In the driver¡¯s seat area, a control switch for deploying and retracting the solar panels had appeared. Additionally, the torn seat from earlier was no longer damaged, replaced by a smooth and sturdy floor. Yu Hong let out a breath of relief, quickly taking out a container of Great Luminous stone ink from his bag. Then, using a homemade branch pen, he began drawing a series of rune formations of varying sizes throughout the car¡¯s interior. After spending over an hour, he had covered every part of the vehicle with the protective range of these rune formations. The entire car was now a temporary hidden space, similar to a Luminous Stone Mat. Only after finishing this did Yu Hong move to the driver¡¯s seat, peering through the rune-covered window ahead. Clap. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He opened the solar panels and pressed the ignition switch. Buzz. A faint motor sound started up¡ªmuch quieter than a gasoline engine. Confirming that the vehicle was functioning properly, he quickly turned it off, pulled out a map, and placed his hand on it. This was a hand-drawn map by Li Runshan. Since he had been to Lulong County before, he had sketched out this route map from memory. But the map was too rough, so Yu Hong decided to refine it himself. ¡®Enhance the map¡ªobjective: refinement and three-dimensional detailing.¡¯ Black lines flowed from the back of his hand, merging into the map paper. A feedback sound chimed, and a countdown timer appeared: 8 minutes. Confirming that the enhancement had started, Yu Hong pressed the ignition switch again, stepped on the accelerator, turned the vehicle around, and slowly drove onto the highway. Although the map was still enhancing, he had already memorized the general direction. The main route wouldn¡¯t be wrong. Buzz. The olive-green Jeep moved slowly along the highway, passing through the mist. The sound of its tires rolling over the pavement echoed faintly through the silent forested hills, a lonely whisper amidst the stillness. It was as if this sound was the only one reverberating in the entire mountain forest. ¡®86 kilometers. If all goes well, I should arrive in four hours.¡¯ Yu Hong calculated in his mind. He didn¡¯t dare to drive fast¡ªhe had to be ready for any road hazards or sudden attacks. Though, in theory, daytime was the primary activity period for Ghostly shadows, after experiencing the attack of the Multi-Eyed Bird, he understood¡ª in an environment like this, encountering trouble at any time was hardly surprising. (End of Chapter) Chapter 105: Departure (3) ¡°In the quiet village, snow drifts down.¡± ¡°Under the overcast sky, pigeons take flight~~~¡± ¡°The birch tree, carved with those two names.¡± ¡°Hmm~~~ hmm~~~¡± Amidst the gray fog, deep in the mountains and forests, a long stretch of gray-white highway extended into the distance. A dark green jeep sped forward along the road, resembling a tiny green insect crawling slowly yet steadily along a strip of gray paper. Layers of mist were torn apart at the front of the vehicle, swirling and twisting as they parted to create a narrow passage. Yu Hong rested his hand on the steering wheel, softly humming a tune under his breath. The only sound in the vehicle was the whirring of the electric motor. For over two hours, that monotonous hum was the only thing accompanying him. He was alone. After hearing the motor for so long, he could even make out the subtle rhythms of his own breathing and heartbeat. In such solitude, his senses became unnaturally sharp. Yet, instead of comfort, this heightened awareness only made the loneliness more unbearable. Driving alone. Noise alone. A long road ahead, alone. Unable to endure the silence any longer, he started humming his favorite song from his past life. He had forgotten some of the lyrics, only recalling fragments, but it didn¡¯t matter¡ªhe still remembered the melody. Whenever he couldn¡¯t recall a word, he simply hummed. The jeep rolled forward quietly. Occasionally, Yu Hong picked up his map to glance at it. The enhanced map had transformed into a three-dimensional projection, displaying different areas in shades of gray, black, and white, with varying concentrations of red values. By checking the red intensity, Yu Hong could avoid high-risk zones to prevent encounters with more creatures or Ghostly Shadows. The hum of the vehicle continued, and he must have hummed his song dozens of times. Taking a sip from his water pouch, he moistened his lips, keeping one hand lightly on the steering wheel while allowing the vehicle to move forward in a straight line. The road ahead was completely straight, so he could afford to relax just a little. After drinking, Yu Hong retrieved a protein bar and took a bite. As he began to chew, he noticed a change in the landscape. To his right, the thick forest gradually gave way to towering, steep gray rock formations. The rocky cliffs stretched upward into the mist, their true height unknown¡ªlike an immense, gray wall. The rough, jagged stone surface was covered with dark, vine-like growths. From a distance, these vines looked like clumps of gelatin clinging to the rock face. Their surface was glossy and wet, resembling peach resin or amber. Yu Hong drove past, watching as the strange substance clung to the mountainside for hundreds of meters. ¡°What the hell is that?¡± His red-value detector, attached to his collar, began flashing urgently, the readings spiking past sixty. Without stopping, Yu Hong slightly accelerated and quickly left the cliffside, once again entering a section of road surrounded by forest. But this time, things were different. The rock wall on the right side was gone, and the newly emerging forest was covered in a thick, gelatinous substance resembling peach resin. The dark, sticky substance clung to tree trunks, stretched into viscous strands connecting to the ground, and even draped over entire tree canopies, as if digesting them. Yu Hong¡¯s expression grew solemn as he continued forward. At this point, the mist gradually thinned, and visibility improved significantly. The car hummed forward, soon exiting the forest and entering a large curved section of road. As he turned, one side was a mountain cliff, the other a dense forest. From the cliffside, a distant view of the landscape unfolded. In the misty gray expanse, a hazy, abandoned city stood silently in a basin-like depression. A pitch-black river, like a ribbon, wound through the city. Towering buildings stood eerily still¡ªno lights, no signs of life. Skyscrapers, hotels, office buildings, landmark structures, and even a television station¡ªeverything was silent, deserted, and dark. Strangely, most of the buildings were covered in a thin layer of black, viscous substance¡ªthe same gelatinous material he had just seen along the road. ¡°What the hell is this stuff?¡± A heavy feeling settled in Yu Hong¡¯s heart. He sensed that passing through this area could bring trouble. He glanced at the black mark on the back of his hand. Ever since leaving the safe house, the mark had been warning him that the bound Luminous Stone Grass would wither and be eroded by the Red Value once he moved a kilometer away. To maintain it, he needed to use internal energy to stimulate growth again. ¡°So this is how the binding works? Troublesome, but it does serve as a portable temporary base.¡± Yu Hong calculated in his mind and withdrew his gaze. As he rounded another bend, he glanced at the city once more. Suddenly, his body tensed, and his heart pounded. ¡°What the hell!?¡± The massive black gelatin covering one of the tallest buildings in the city had just moved. That lifeless, tar-like substance had actually shifted! Yu Hong stared in shock as a black, tentacle-like appendage slowly extended from the gelatin coating the upper portion of a skyscraper, reaching toward another building that was not yet covered. ¡°That thing¡­ it¡¯s alive!?¡± A chilling sensation surged through his body, spreading like an icy tide. Without hesitation, he pressed the accelerator, speeding away from the city. For over half an hour, he drove at full speed until the eerie city was swallowed by the mist behind him. Only then did he exhale slightly in relief. He pulled out a map. ¡°Hu¨¤nf¨¥ng City.¡± That was the name of the strange city he had just passed. ¡°I better never go near that place again. There¡¯s definitely something seriously wrong in there.¡± He muttered to himself. In such an utterly desolate environment, he instinctively used his voice to keep his ears engaged¡ªensuring they didn¡¯t fall into an unnatural silence. In extreme monotony, the human brain can either adapt by perceiving silence where there is none or, worse, start hallucinating sounds. As night fell, Yu Hong decided not to continue forward. Instead, he pulled over in a relatively open area. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After parking, he took out an energy-free atomic lamp, casting a faint greenish glow inside the vehicle. He quickly handled personal hygiene, tying up the waste in plastic bags to prevent any odor from spreading. Then, he used black cloth to cover the car windows, ensuring no light escaped. Click. Yu Hong opened the car door and stepped out, carrying the plastic bag. The surroundings were an open field of overgrown weeds¡ªonce farmland, now long abandoned. The shortest grass reached his knees, while the tallest stood over a meter high, obscuring much of the view. Exhaling, his breath formed thin white mist in the cold night air. He walked to the roadside, dug a small hole, and buried the bag. Then, he turned back toward the car. Click. Suddenly, from behind him, a faint rustling came from the grass. Yu Hong froze, then swiftly turned to look. The grass swayed in the wind¡ªempty. Nothing was there. He scanned his surroundings carefully, but after confirming there was no threat, he continued toward the car. Once inside, he blocked out the atomic lamp¡¯s glow and lay in the back seat, listening intently. In the sealed space, he had to periodically replace the air supply. This required maintaining a constant state of awareness. Not long after, a faint, eerie sound drifted in from outside¡ªlike singing. Immediately following it came a wet, sticky noise, as if something gelatinous was repeatedly pulling apart and sticking together. Yu Hong narrowed his eyes, moved closer to the car window, and lifted a corner of the black cloth to peek outside. A massive, two-meter-tall humanoid figure was walking slowly along the road. Its entire body was pitch black, composed of the same viscous, gelatinous substance he had seen before. With every step, clumps of black sludge peeled off its body and splattered onto the ground. The creature didn¡¯t seem to notice Yu Hong at all¡ªit simply trudged forward, disappearing into the gray fog. Yu Hong let out a quiet sigh of relief. He had no intention of engaging an unknown entity. The capabilities of these creatures and the Ghostly Shadows were a mystery, and their danger levels were only an estimate of their threat, not their strength. Fortunately, after the humanoid figure passed, the night remained quiet. With the Red Value detector set to alert him of any changes, he managed to rest a little. The night passed uneventfully. By morning, he restarted the car and continued along the highway. Humming a tune, he continued driving for over an hour. Finally, buildings began to appear on both sides of the road¡ªrural houses scattered across the farmland. These houses were all old and abandoned, covered in dust, with some showing obvious signs of damage. Between the houses, the farmland was filled with black, viscous sludge. No weeds grew there, and the air was thick with the stench of decaying flesh. Yu Hong estimated his battery power. After driving for so long, he had at most a third of his charge left¡ªhe¡¯d need to find a way to recharge before heading back. Buzz. The car passed through the blackened fields, and the number of buildings increased. The rural houses gave way to an abandoned town with single-story houses and low-rise buildings. It seemed like he had entered the county¡¯s outskirts. Unconsciously, Yu Hong slowed down, carefully observing his surroundings. The streets were littered with abandoned electric scooters, tricycles, and a few cars with shattered windows and twisted frames, as if they had been crushed by something massive. ¡°Help¡­ help me¡­¡± A faint voice suddenly came from the right. The voice belonged to a young girl¡ªsoft, weak, and filled with pain. Yu Hong frowned and turned his head. At the entrance of a gray, two-story building, a little girl with long, unkempt hair was crouching. She was completely naked. She hugged herself tightly, shivering, and lifted her head to look at his car with tearful, pitiful eyes. Her pale skin was smeared with dirt. ¡°Please help me!¡± she cried out desperately. (End of chapter) Chapter 106: Departure (4) Yu Hong remained expressionless as he continued driving past without any intention of stopping. The car sped past the girl, kicking up a gust of cold wind. The girl¡¯s expression changed. She stood up, no longer caring about her exposed body. The pitiful look from before instantly darkened. From the corridor behind her, two more figures emerged¡ªboth female, each wielding a weapon, either a firearm or a blade. The three of them cursed angrily at the car before turning back into the building, disappearing from sight. Hearing human voices¡ªespecially those with a local accent¡ªYu Hong instead slowed down, brought the car to a stop, secured the protective rune on his body, and stepped out. He turned and walked toward the corridor entrance. Bang. Just as he made it halfway there, a hard stone was suddenly flung out from somewhere and struck his helmet hard. A white smudge was left on the dark green helmet. Yu Hong paused and looked up. At the second-floor window, a woman with a ponytail stood, holding a slingshot. She looked stunned, seemingly unable to believe that her powerful shot had failed to have any effect. After all, when she ambushed people before, this thing had always been a one-shot kill. ¡°Hello there.¡± Yu Hong grinned at her. In a flash, he lunged forward like an arrow, closing the distance to the corridor entrance within seconds. In just two steps, he had climbed the stairs to the second floor. At the entrance of the security door, the three girls had just turned to enter when they heard the sudden commotion behind them. As they turned around, they saw Yu Hong, clad in his reinforced gray lizard suit, charging up the narrow stairwell. Standing at over 1.9 meters tall with a broad, muscular build, Yu Hong was like a rampaging black rhino, storming up the stairs straight toward them. Boom! One of the women raised a shotgun and fired. The blast of pellets slammed into Yu Hong¡¯s chest, but only caused him to pause slightly. Without even glancing at them, he rammed directly into the security door with his full weight. In the process, the edges of his armor slammed into two of the women, pinning their arms against the door. Crack. ¡°Ahhh!¡± Two agonizing screams rang out as the sheer force of the impact slammed the two women into the door. The door caved inward, and the women were thrown inside. Their arms, now a bloody mess of mangled flesh, were clearly crippled. Yu Hong grabbed the remaining naked girl by the hair and dragged her into the house. ¡°Let go of me! You¡ª¡± The naked woman struggled violently, cursing at him. But before she could finish, Yu Hong smashed her head into the wall. Bang! Her eyes instantly turned blank, her head spinning, and she fell silent. The house was a two-bedroom, one-living-room layout. As Yu Hong entered the living room, the first thing he saw were several corpses hanging in midair, dried up by the wind. All the bodies were completely naked, their flesh carved away in places, leaving only wounds. Two of the corpses had already been eaten down to just their upper bodies¡ªtheir lower halves reduced to bare bones. ¡°Put my daughter down!¡± From the balcony, the ponytailed woman, now wielding a black, pipe-like firearm, aimed at Yu Hong and roared in fury. ¡°Put her down!¡± ¡°I¡¯m just here to ask for directions.¡± Yu Hong looked at her calmly. ¡°Do you know where Anxi Bridge is?¡± The map had a detailed route to Lulong County, but Old Li hadn¡¯t marked the specifics of the county itself. The reinforcement had only provided additional details based on existing knowledge. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I told you to f***ing let her go!!¡± The woman screamed, gripping her gun tightly. ¡°Let my daughter go!!¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Yu Hong nodded. He turned, pressed the unconscious girl against the wall, and drew his long dagger. With a vicious thrust, the blade pierced through the girl¡¯s shoulder, stabbing through to the other side and pinning her to the wall. Shhhhk! The excruciating pain jolted the girl awake. She let out a bloodcurdling scream, wailing in agony. She reached out to grasp the dagger but hesitated, too afraid to touch it. ¡°Meeting such friendly survivors in a place like this¡­ looks like today¡¯s my lucky day.¡± Yu Hong smiled. ¡°F*** you!!¡± The woman was enraged, but she didn¡¯t dare pull the trigger¡ªYu Hong was too close to her daughter. If she fired, the ricocheting bullets would kill her as well. ¡°You answer my questions,¡± Yu Hong said again. ¡°Fine! I Will Speak!¡± The woman gritted her teeth. Yu Hong repeated his question and soon got his answer. ¡°Anxi Bridge is close. Just follow this road ahead, take a right at the fork, and go through a farmer¡¯s market. You¡¯ll see it.¡± ¡°Good. Thanks.¡± Yu Hong yanked the dagger out of the wall and, without hesitation, flung it forward. Whoosh! The dagger spun through the air with a piercing whistling sound and struck the woman squarely in the face. Blood splattered, and a gunshot rang out. Yu Hong paid no mind to the gunfire. He strode forward, grabbed the woman¡¯s head, and slammed it against the wall. Bang. The wall trembled violently, and a grotesque smear of red and white was left on its surface. Yu Hong retrieved his dagger, checked the gun the woman had been holding, and sneered. ¡°Tch, broke-ass scavengers.¡± Annoyed, he turned toward the remaining two injured women, who were still groaning in pain. With one swift kick each, he struck their heads. A sickening crack echoed, and both fell silent. Only the unconscious, naked girl remained. She looked no older than sixteen or seventeen. Yu Hong stepped up to her. ¡°Be a good person in your next life,¡± he murmured. Shunk. He drove the dagger straight into her forehead, then pulled it out and flicked the blood off the blade. Without another glance, he turned and left. Downstairs, he exited the corridor, got back into his car, and continued down the street. * * * As Hong rushed toward Anxi Bridge, In the underground security facilities of Lulong County, another team of heavily armed individuals was cautiously making their way toward the energy supply room. This team consisted of four members, all carrying firearms¡ªeach equipped with a submachine gun. Their gear was standard ¡°Wild Dog¡± bulletproof suits, the most basic model available on the market. Though the name was crude, the suit offered a great balance of cost and performance. Its defense was comparable to the ¡°Gray Lizard¡± model, but it lacked flexibility and did not come with a built-in breathing valve. Even so, the Wild Dog suit was highly sought after by civilian players due to its affordability and effectiveness. These four relied on their gear¡ªand a bit of luck¡ªto earn a place in a small outpost nearby. After surviving numerous dangerous encounters, their teamwork became increasingly seamless, turning them into a fairly elite squad. ¡°The energy supply room that Wei Hongye mentioned is just ahead. Stay alert. We¡¯ve made it this far, so don¡¯t get careless and end up injured. None of us want to spend weeks recovering,¡± the team leader, Zhao Huaijun, reminded them in a low voice. ¡°Relax, there¡¯s no way anyone else is here. Wei Hongye owes us a big favor for this¡ªno one else even knows why we¡¯re here,¡± one of the squad members chuckled. ¡°Once we get our hands on the nuclear generator, we¡¯ll finally have a stable power source back at the base! No more worrying about water shortages, we can keep the lights on as long as we want, and dealing with blood tides won¡¯t be such a struggle anymore,¡± another teammate added, his tone lighthearted. ¡°Yeah, we got lucky this time. No trouble at all on the way he¡ª¡± BANG!! A sudden gunshot. The man who had been speaking was walking at the side. His head snapped back as a bullet struck his forehead, his helmet caving in with a sickening crack. Blood seeped through the cracks, pooling inside his helmet. He collapsed instantly, motionless. The remaining three froze for a second before reacting. ¡°Old Ma!! F***!! Who the hell is shooting?!¡± Zhao Huaijun roared in fury, whipping out his gun and firing wildly down the right-hand corridor. But before he could process what was happening, a dark shadow burst from the tunnel, charging at him head-on despite the barrage of bullets. A massive hand came crashing down. Whoosh! The wind howled with the force of the strike. Zhao Huaijun let out a furious yell, dropped his gun, and drew his blade, stabbing with all his might at the approaching palm. He wasn¡¯t just some ordinary scavenger. He dared to lead this mission because he had undergone Luminous Stone radiation mutations. His arms were far stronger than a normal person¡¯s¡ªwhen it came to raw strength, he feared no one! He had led hunts against Blood Tide Tier 2 Behemoths before. He might hesitate against monsters, but against another human? And a knife-to-hand fight at that? THUD! A muffled explosion of impact. Zhao Huaijun¡¯s knife plunged into the enemy¡¯s palm¡ªbut barely drew blood. The blade was stuck. His opponent clenched his fist, trapping the weapon in his grip. ¡°Another squad? This bait works wonders, hahaha!¡± The attacker laughed as he wrenched the knife from Zhao Huaijun¡¯s grasp with brute strength. With his other hand, he struck forward. BAM. Fist met fist. A shockwave of force rocked through Zhao Huaijun¡¯s body, making his limbs go numb. His knees almost buckled under the sheer impact. ¡®A fully-enhanced mutant!¡¯ A cold chill ran down Zhao Huaijun¡¯s spine as he realized the identity of his opponent. Suddenly, he recalled rumors from refugees at the outpost¡ªtalk of numerous Luminous Stone(Radiation)-enhanced mercenaries banding together due to the worsening environment. These people had once thrived on hired jobs but now needed to form gangs to secure resources and weapons. Their leader was a bald brute known as ¡°Black Crow,¡± who had gathered seven or eight equally formidable enhanced individuals and mercenaries. In this wasteland, only the strong survived. The weak had long since perished. Before Zhao Huaijun could react further, his remaining teammates were taken down by two more dark figures. ¡°The fourth squad today! Not bad, not bad, hahaha! This is what I call waiting for prey to walk into a trap. Boss sure is smart!¡± A hulking figure chuckled, lifting a fallen squad member like a butcher inspecting livestock. ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m smart, it¡¯s that they¡¯re just dumb,¡± the bald leader sneered. He grabbed Zhao Huaijun by the throat, lifting him off the ground with terrifying ease. Zhao Huaijun thrashed wildly, but his struggles were meaningless against such monstrous strength. ¡°You won¡¯t get away with this! The Coalition Army will hunt you down!¡± he spat, voice strained. ¡°The Coalition Army? Buddy, the front lines have already collapsed,¡± Black Crow smirked, pulling Zhao Huaijun closer before slamming his forehead into his captive¡¯s skull. The impact left Zhao Huaijun dazed and weak-limbed. ¡°I¡¯ve lured three squads here already, killed at least twenty people, and not a single Coalition soldier has come knocking,¡± Black Crow sneered. .bg-container-10448ed3ed0{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } .bg-ssp-10448{margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;display:flex;justify-content:center;} .bg-container-10448f61e68{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } ¡°If you keep this up, sooner or later, someone stronger than you will come for you!¡± One of Zhao Huaijun¡¯s remaining teammates growled. ¡°And when they do, I hope you die a miserable death!¡± ¡°Stronger? Who? Bloodbird? Killshot Cannon? The Butcher? Ice Blade? Which one of them is stronger than me?¡± Black Crow¡¯s grin widened, full of mockery. ¡°Threatening me? All the real powerhouses have already gone to Hope City. The only ones left in the wild are trash¡ªoutcasts and weaklings. You call yourselves strong?¡± ¡°Oh, right¡ªyour outpost does have that guy Lang Feng. He¡¯s decent. If he actually comes after me, that might be a bit of a hassle,¡± Black Crow mused, stroking his chin. ¡°Good reminder, actually. After this haul, it¡¯s about time to move on anyway.¡± He waved a hand. ¡°Grab the nuclear generator. We¡¯re relocating!¡± (End of Chapter) Chapter 107: The Generator (1) A jeep slowly crossed an ancient gray stone bridge and came to a stop on the right side. Beneath the bridge, the black river water was nearly dried up, with tall, dense weeds reaching up to a person¡¯s height on both banks. A gentle breeze rustled through the grass, making a soft swishing sound. Click. The car door opened, and Yu Hong stepped out, gripping a club. He slung it over his back and surveyed his surroundings. Squawk! Just as he got out of the vehicle, a familiar cry echoed from the mist not far away. Hiss. A slight static noise of annoyance came from inside Yu Hong¡¯s helmet. ¡°Another multi-eyed bird.¡± He pulled out his club and turned his gaze to the sky where the sound came from. He waited quietly for a few seconds. Soon, from within the gray mist above, a massive white figure suddenly shot out. It moved at an incredible speed, diving straight at Yu Hong like an arrow. Just as it was about to reach him, a black spiked club swung out abruptly, striking it squarely in the forehead. Like a baseball, the multi-eyed bird had no time to react before the massive force smashed into its skull. Its huge head burst open on the spot, and its body was sent flying sideways, crashing into a nearby concrete building near the bridge. Whoosh. Yu Hong reattached his club. After dealing with so many of these birds, he had grown accustomed to them. Besides, this one was slightly smaller than the ones he had faced before, and its strength was noticeably weaker. He watched as the bird crashed to the ground, its wings flapping wildly in a futile struggle. Even though its head had been destroyed, its body continued to move instinctively, trying to stand back up. Yu Hong took a few steps forward, standing before the multi-eyed bird. He observed as its exploded head rapidly regenerated, growing a brand-new one. Squawk! The bird lunged at Yu Hong again, its sharp beak aiming for his face. But at such close range, without the momentum of a dive, its peck was far from fast enough. Yu Hong easily caught the bird¡¯s beak with one hand. He grabbed the bird¡¯s beak, lifted it, and slammed it onto the ground. Boom! The multi-eyed bird trembled violently as a splash of gray blood splattered. It struggled frantically, its talons desperately clawing at Yu Hong¡¯s body. But such struggles were futile against him now. Having familiarized himself with the bird¡¯s attack patterns and strength, Yu Hong gripped its beak, flipped it, and smashed it down again. This time, the bird completely lost its balance and leverage, crashing onto the ground with a brutal impact. The sound of bones cracking rang out chaotically¡ªwho knew how many had snapped? Yu Hong didn¡¯t stop. He grabbed the beak and repeatedly slammed the bird against the ground. Again and again. After a while, the once-fierce multi-eyed bird was reduced to a pile of mangled flesh, as limp as an empty husk, hanging lifelessly from his hand. Only then did he stop and casually tossed the carcass off the stone bridge. Plop. Black water splashed. The bird¡¯s body sank and vanished. Yu Hong exhaled. ¡°Damn thing really does have infinite regeneration.¡± In just a few minutes, he had killed this bird at least a dozen times, but each time, it recovered effortlessly, showing no signs of permanent death. If he weren¡¯t busy right now, he would have tested how many times it could resurrect. After discarding the bird, he checked his direction and followed the route he had just asked for, heading toward the small forest shrouded in gray mist. This forest was dense with trees, their leaves an unusual red-purple¡ªnot maple, but some unknown species. The ground was covered with thick layers of purple, withered leaves. As he stepped on them, brittle crunching sounds echoed underfoot. Hissss¡ª Yu Hong sniffed the air. Even through his breathing valve, he could catch a faint scent of decaying protein. Passing through the forest, he reached a barbed wire fence with a warning sign. A yellow board with red characters read: ¡°Restricted Area Ahead. Do Not Enter.¡± ¡°This should be the place.¡± Yu Hong pulled out the identification chip, checked the markings on the back, and confirmed he was on the right path. ¡°Luckily, it¡¯s still relatively safe here during the day. But if that multi-eyed bird appeared just now, how did that girl at the building entrance dare to lure people in public? Wasn¡¯t she afraid of being attacked?¡± He continued forward, smashing a hole through the wire fence with a swing of his staff before stepping inside. ¡°Maybe they have a special way to avoid the multi-eyed birds, or maybe the ones here aren¡¯t as strong as the ones where I came from.¡± He had already tested it¡ªthese smaller multi-eyed birds were about two-thirds as strong as their counterparts at the safehouse, and much slower. Stepping through the broken fence, he entered the restricted forest. Not far ahead, nestled within the trees, stood a two-story, conical gray building. Its door was slightly open, facing sideways toward Yu Hong. A sign on the door read: ¡°Civil Defense.¡± * * * Inside the Underground Civil Defense Passage. ¡°Hurry, hurry, hurry!¡± Black Crow touched his bald head, readjusted his helmet, and urged his subordinates to quickly load the necessary equipment onto the trailers, preparing to transport everything out of the shelter and onto trucks waiting outside. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. There were over ten of them, gathered near another exit of the underground passage. The exit was a sloped ramp, inclined at about thirty degrees and more than ten meters wide, allowing vehicles to pass through. Among the ten or so people, at least four had undergone localized enhancement through Luminous Stone radiation exposure, making them significantly stronger than ordinary people. It wasn¡¯t just a matter of raw strength¡ªthe difference in power allowed them to wear superior armor and carry heavier weapons, further amplifying their combat capabilities. ¡°Brother Crow, someone¡¯s coming through Entrance One. The sensors picked up movement.¡± A thin man with glasses approached while they were still moving supplies, speaking in a low voice. He was the scout of Black Crow¡¯s team, nicknamed ¡°Black Eye¡± to match their naming style. Skilled in electronic devices, he was an expert in surveillance and detection. ¡°How many?¡± Black Crow frowned, glancing at the nuclear generator being carefully lifted onto a trailer by four men. The generator was about the size of a refrigerator, jet black, covered in multiple ports and pipelines. Though compact, it was incredibly heavy. ¡°Just one person. Looks like some scavenger who accidentally wandered in looking for supplies.¡± Black Eye adjusted his glasses. ¡°One?¡± Black Crow turned to a man leaning against the wall in the corner. ¡°Wild Chicken, go take care of it. Make it quick, then come back so we can move out.¡± ¡°¡­Alright.¡± The man acknowledged the order in a dull voice, then strode off into the depths of the underground passage. As soon as Wild Chicken was out of sight, Black Crow clapped his hands. ¡°Alright, move faster!¡± ¡°Boss, are we really waiting for Wild Chicken?¡± someone asked with a smirk. ¡°Wait my ass. We¡¯re leaving now.¡± Black Crow sneered. That guy had been discontent for a long time¡ªthis was just an excuse to get rid of him. The group chuckled knowingly. Without hesitation, the burly men pulled the trailers up the slope towards the exit. Before long, a strange, multi-voiced bird cry echoed from outside. Then, a loud explosion followed by silence¡ªclearly, the creature had been temporarily taken down with firearms. ¡°Move it! Don¡¯t let those damn birds latch onto us! You can¡¯t kill them permanently!¡± Black Crow urged. He was the only one in the group who had undergone near-complete body enhancement. Except for his head, his entire body had been fortified through guided Luminoua Stone radiation, drastically improving his speed and strength. ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The group responded in unison. One by one, the trailers were pulled up to the surface. The nuclear generator was loaded into a small truck hidden in the nearby forest, along with various other supplies. A total of five solar-powered cargo trucks were packed and ready. Engines roared to life as the last few men climbed aboard. Black Crow glanced back at the underground shelter, chuckling. ¡°Shame we have to leave. If those damn birds weren¡¯t increasing in numbers, we could¡¯ve stayed longer and lured in more fools. Would¡¯ve gotten even more supplies out of it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, boss. If only¡ª¡± BANG! A gunshot rang out. The bullet tore through the truck¡¯s window, cutting through the air with a faint ripple, and struck Black Crow¡¯s helmet dead center on the forehead. His head snapped back as the metal helmet caved inward from the impact, leaving a deep dent. Fortunately, the helmet had an internal alloy plate that completely absorbed the bullet¡¯s force. ¡°AHHHH!!¡± He finally reacted, letting out an enraged, pained howl. He flipped out of the truck, raised his weapon, and fired wildly toward the source of the shot. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! The rest of the team also scrambled out, guns blazing. Their targets? Silhouettes in camouflaged gear emerging from the forest ahead. The gunfire ceased quickly. Ammunition was limited, and no one had time to reload. The five figures in camo closed in at incredible speed, engaging Black Crow¡¯s men in brutal melee combat. Each of the five was highly skilled, wielding short blades and dispatching several of Black Crow¡¯s men in mere moments. Leading them was a towering man, nearly two meters tall, wielding a blade in one hand and an iron shield in the other. He charged straight at Black Crow. ¡°Xiaofeng!¡± he shouted. A smaller figure darted out beside him, aiming a hammer strike at Black Crow¡¯s lower body. The two worked seamlessly together, quickly forcing Black Crow into close combat. ¡°Lang Feng? You really dared to leave your base to die?!¡± Black Crow recognized his opponent and grinned viciously. He drew his alloy staff from his back and charged forward without hesitation. ¡°You thought I wouldn¡¯t notice how many people you¡¯ve lured in and killed?!¡± Lang Feng snapped coldly. The three clashed violently, weapons colliding in a flurry of sparks. They fought at breakneck speed, each strike carrying immense force. However, Black Crow¡¯s enhanced physique gave him a clear advantage over Lang Feng and his companion. Their weapons occasionally struck his body, but thanks to his custom-made armored suit, he barely needed to defend¡ªhe focused entirely on attacking, quickly gaining the upper hand. ¡°I didn¡¯t go out of my way to kill your people. What the hell does this have to do with you?!¡± Black Crow growled. ¡°Where is Zhao Huaijun?!¡± Lang Feng suddenly roared. His stance shifted, becoming erratic and fierce. In a burst of speed, he rolled to Black Crow¡¯s side and slashed his knife toward a seam in the armored suit¡ª * * * Inside the Underground Civil Defense Shelter The pitch-black corridor stretched into the distance, with atomic lamps affixed to the walls at intervals, emitting an eerie green glow. The passage was long and silent, lined with metal doors¡ªsome tightly shut, others slightly ajar. Scattered across the dark floor were remnants of daily necessities¡ªdiscarded packaging, tattered clothing, and mismatched socks. In the corners, dried yellow stains of urine gave off a putrid stench. Yu Hong frowned and quickened his pace, scanning his surroundings as he searched for the so-called power supply room. If Wei Hongye¡¯s intel was correct, all he needed to do was locate the power supply room, insert the chip panel he carried, and extract the miniature nuclear generator inside. This place is too big¡­ Too many rooms. If only I had a layout map¡­ With that thought, he began carefully inspecting the walls. Typically, facilities like this had layout maps posted near entrances. His methodical search soon paid off¡ªat a junction, on the right-side wall, he spotted a faded plastic layout map. .bg-ssp-10448{margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;display:flex;justify-content:center;} .bg-container-10448f61e68{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } Studying the map closely, he first identified the red marker indicating his current location. Then, he found the power supply room and traced the optimal path to reach it. Just as he was about to move¡ª THUD! A wood-handled maintenance hammer suddenly struck the back of his head with force. (End of Chapter) Chapter 108: The Generator (2) The sound of a massive helmet shattering echoed through the corridor, reverberating loudly. Behind him, the burly Wild Chicken gripped his hammer with both hands, grinning viciously as he pulled it out. ¡°You idiot, you didn¡¯t even notice me getting this close. How the hell have you survived this long?¡± But his grin quickly disappeared. Because Yu Hong was still standing there¡ªno screams of pain, no staggering, no collapsing. He merely turned his head and looked at Wild Chicken. Through his goggles, there wasn¡¯t even the slightest trace of surprise on his face. ¡°What was that sound just now? It was so loud,¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°¡­¡± Cold sweat immediately broke out on Wild Chicken¡¯s back. ¡°You!? You bastard¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking for the power supply room. Can you take me there?¡± Yu Hong said calmly. ¡°¡­Power supply room?¡± Wild Chicken¡¯s sweating intensified. He immediately realized that this guy was just like the others who had been lured here¡ªhe was looking for the nuclear Generator. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m here to collect the nuclear Generator that was given to me,¡± Yu Hong replied, his eyes locked onto Wild Chicken through his goggles. ¡°You¡¯re not going to stop me from taking what¡¯s mine, are you?¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± Wild Chicken¡¯s eyes became bloodshot, his whole body tingling as if he were being stared down by a terrifying beast. Goosebumps erupted all over his skin. His blood was pumping faster, his heart pounded in fear, and even his breathing felt unsteady. He was a partially enhanced human. Even when facing Black Crow, their leader, he had never felt such overwhelming pressure. As the second strongest in Black Crow¡¯s team, he wasn¡¯t that much weaker than Black Crow. Their only differences were combat experience and attack speed. In the right circumstances, he might even be able to defeat Black Crow. That was precisely why he had never truly submitted to Black Crow and had repeatedly attempted to take his place. But now¡­ Now¡­ The enhanced physique and combat instincts he had always been so proud of were crumbling under the sheer weight of this man¡¯s presence. Absolute suppression! It was the same kind of fear he had felt when he once faced a fourth-tier multi-eyed bird alone. * * * Outside Exit No. 2. Gunfire, battle cries, and the clash of weapons created complete chaos. Lang Feng and Xiao Feng fought together against the strongest opponent, Black Crow, while the other three clashed with the enhanced fighters from Black Crow¡¯s squad. Bullets were useless against their bulletproof gear. Without armor-piercing rounds, only heavy weapons could pose a real threat at this level. Boom! Suddenly, a dull thud rang out¡ªXiao Feng was kicked away, tumbling across the ground. He dug his hand into the dirt to slow himself down, but blood kept spilling from his nose and mouth beneath his helmet. At the same time, Lang Feng took a direct hit to the shoulder from a staff. Even with the buffer layer and thin alloy plate in his bulletproof suit, the impact sent sharp pain through his shoulder, and he could feel a fracture forming. Lang Feng quickly backed away, creating distance. He clutched his shoulder and moved it slightly. ¡°Master Fohl¡¯s staff technique?¡± ¡°Heh, you¡¯ve got sharp eyes.¡± Black Crow twirled his long staff, spinning it into a circular blur. Without revealing anything, he subtly moved his right knee¡ªthe spot Xiao Feng had repeatedly struck earlier. ¡°Enhanced physiques are just the foundation. What truly determines our strength is our combat technique.¡± Although his physique was indeed stronger than Lang Feng and Xiao Feng¡¯s, the difference wasn¡¯t insurmountable. Among enhanced humans, there was a vast gap between partial and full-body enhancements. However, Black Crow wasn¡¯t fully enhanced¡ªhis head remained unmodified. This meant he couldn¡¯t wrestle cars or lift two-ton boulders barehanded. But on the other hand, he didn¡¯t have to worry about radiation damage turning him into a lunatic or an idiot. ¡°Interesting¡­¡± Lang Feng spat out a mouthful of blood and swallowed the rest. ¡°I¡¯ve killed two fully enhanced freaks before. I¡¯m a half-body enhancement myself. Today, I¡¯d love to see just how good your so-called combat technique really is.¡± He raised his shield with one hand, positioning it to cover his face, and took on an unusual fighting stance. ¡°In the end, it¡¯s all about the nuclear Generator. A bunch of hypocrites.¡± Black Crow sneered. Before his words even finished, he charged at Lang Feng. A rapid burst of muffled impacts exploded between them. The long staff spun like a whirling disc, striking Lang Feng¡¯s shield from every angle at incredible speed. Lang Feng¡¯s shield and blade acted like a turtle shell¡ªmostly defensive, with the occasional sudden counterattack. But when he did strike, the force behind it made Black Crow extremely uncomfortable. Even with his bulletproof suit, he couldn¡¯t fully absorb the damage. He had to dodge carefully to avoid being cut. Both sides fought fiercely, all for the nuclear Generator. Ultimately, the Black Crow group had the advantage in numbers and gradually injured several members of Lang Feng¡¯s team. A few minutes later, a member of Black Crow swung his staff in a sweeping motion. Suddenly, the staff¡¯s shadow expanded sharply¡ªit unexpectedly extended, with more than ten centimeters of hidden segments shooting out from the end. This sudden change caught Lang Feng¡¯s team off guard. Bang! Xiao Feng was struck directly in the neck by the staff and was sent flying sideways, unable to get up. Lang Feng managed to block with his shield, but the extended staff slammed diagonally into his helmet. The helmet caved in and shattered on impact, leaving him dazed and stumbling backward. Black Crow laughed, retracted his staff, and charged at Lang Feng¡¯s remaining subordinates as if preparing to attack. After forcing them back, he quickly jumped into a vehicle. ¡°Go!¡± The Black Crow team members got into their vehicles, leaving a few to cover their retreat. Once the vehicles picked up speed, the remaining members grabbed onto the ropes thrown down by their companions and effortlessly climbed aboard. With Lang Feng and Xiao Feng incapacitated, the others didn¡¯t dare to pursue. They could only watch helplessly as the convoy sped into the distance. ¡°Damn it!¡± Xiao Feng punched the ground angrily. ¡°We were so close!¡± ¡°If Huaijun¡¯s group had acted with us, this wouldn¡¯t have happened!¡± Lang Feng gritted his teeth, clutching his injured shoulder as he glared at the departing convoy. ¡°That bastard Black Crow is so arrogant, openly luring people to their deaths! Is there no one who can stop him?!¡± Xiao Feng raged. ¡°The United Army can barely protect the major cities¡ªthey don¡¯t have the resources to worry about survivor outposts like ours,¡± Lang Feng replied. ¡°Feng, should we shoot out their tires?¡± a woman in a red outfit asked in a low voice. ¡°We can¡¯t stop them. Black Crow is stronger than expected. If he wasn¡¯t worried about attracting the United Army¡¯s elite forces, we wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against him in a direct fight.¡± Lang Feng shook his head. He glanced at the bodies on the ground. His team had lost one elite fighter, while the Black Crow group had lost four¡ªbut their casualties were just low-ranking grunts. ¡°So we¡¯re just going to let them take the nuclear Generator?!¡± Xiao Feng protested. ¡°Where is the motor?¡± A sudden voice spoke from behind them. ¡°It¡¯s on the truck!¡± Xiao Feng snapped impatiently. ¡°Can¡¯t you see? The third truck!¡± Whoosh! A black shadow suddenly shot past them, moving like the wind toward the fleeing convoy. Lang Feng, Xiao Feng, and the others were startled. When they came to their senses, they saw a brawny figure in what looked like a Gray Lizard combat suit sprinting toward the three cargo trucks. That man was unbelievably fast¡ªjust slightly faster than the trucks. Someone was outrunning a vehicle?! ¡°What the hell?!¡± Lang Feng and the others were dumbfounded. The Black Crow members in the third truck also noticed the disturbance. They leaned out to check and were shocked to see someone chasing them¡ªand actually gaining on their truck. ¡°A super-enhanced human? You¡¯re looking for death!¡± Black Crow laughed and pulled out a gun, firing at the pursuer. Bang! The bullet struck the man¡¯s suit, only sparking slightly. ¡°. . . !!¡± Black Crow¡¯s grin froze. ¡°The hell? Isn¡¯t that a Gray Lizard suit? How is it this tough?!¡± He had no time to waste. Normally, he might have enjoyed a fight, but with Lang Feng¡¯s group behind them, he couldn¡¯t afford to be delayed. If stronger reinforcements arrived, he might not escape. ¡°Speed up!¡± Black Crow ordered. ¡°Lose him!¡± ¡°Got it!¡± the driver responded. Black Crow turned back, took aim, and fired several more shots¡ªbang! bang! bang! bang! His bullets were spent, but they had only left minor dents on the pursuer¡¯s armor. ¡°You got lucky, you idiot. If this were any other time, that suit of yours would be mine!¡± Black Crow scoffed, tossing his gun aside. As the truck accelerated, he felt relieved, confident that the distance was growing. ¡°See you next time¡ªhope your luck holds out!¡± He waved mockingly. ¡°Give me back my motor!¡± A furious roar erupted. Black Crow¡¯s vision blurred as the pursuer suddenly surged forward¡ªhis speed skyrocketing. In a single bound, he caught up to the truck, grabbed onto the edge, and lifted his leg. ¡°Give it back!!!¡± Boom!!! He delivered a low sweeping kick¡ªstraight into the rapidly spinning rear wheel. The tire instantly deformed, compressed like a balloon crushed by immense force, and exploded with a thunderous blast. Boom!! The truck lost control and flipped on the spot. The Black Crow members inside tumbled violently, utterly shocked. Their mouths hung open, unable to comprehend what had just happened. The overturned truck skidded forward, crashing into two massive trees with a heavy impact. Bang!! The sheer force of the collision killed two of the four people inside. Black Crow and another subordinate, Black Eye, were dazed and trapped under the mangled metal. ¡°Shit! What the hell?! A Blood Tide monster?!¡± Black Crow shoved away the metal crushing his chest, gasping for air. He grabbed Black Eye and crawled out of the wreck. His body was incredibly tough, so he had only suffered minor injuries¡ªbut mentally, he was shaken beyond measure. That was a two-ton cargo truck! A man had shattered its tire with a single kick while it was moving at high speed?! Even fully enhanced mutants wouldn¡¯t dare attempt such a reckless feat! How did that lunatic¡¯s leg not get torn apart?! As he staggered out, he saw that same man standing at the truck¡¯s rear. The pursuer gripped the cargo door with both hands¡ªand ripped it off with brute force. Clang! The reinforced door was torn away and tossed aside like scrap metal. The man began inspecting the nuclear Generator inside. .bg-container-10448869e4d{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } .bg-ssp-10448{margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;display:flex;justify-content:center;} .bg-container-10448f61e68{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } Black Crow¡¯s heart pounded. He didn¡¯t need a fight to know¡ªhis strength was far inferior to this monster¡¯s. He exhaled slowly, lowered his stance, and dragged the pale-faced Black Eye toward the cover of the dense forest. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. There was no doubt in his mind now¡ªthis guy was a fully enhanced human, and probably mentally unstable. Only a monster like that could pull off something so absurd. (End of chapter) Chapter 109: The Harvest (1) Just as Black Crow and Black Eye were quietly leaving toward a concealed vantage point¡ª Boom. A dull thud echoed behind them. The nuclear Generator, resembling a giant freezer, was lifted off the truck and set down. Hearing the sound, Black Crow immediately quickened his pace, dragging Black Eye along as they sprinted away. Bang! Before they could get far, gunshots rang out behind them. The trunk of a tree beside them exploded, leaving a fist-sized hole in its bark. Splinters flew, making both men shudder in terror. Black Crow no longer cared about his subordinate. With a swift roll, he evaded his previous spot and took cover behind another large tree. He peeked back to assess the situation. If the enemy possessed high-powered firearms, running blindly like before would be suicide. Pressing against the tree trunk, he scanned ahead, hoping to spot any of the four trucks his subordinates had taken. But none had returned. Those so-called subordinates were nothing more than opportunists. At the first sign of danger, they had scattered like rats. ¡°Damn it!¡± Black Crow¡¯s eyes turned icy cold. He swore to deal with those cowards once he got away. He quietly pulled out his alloy staff from his back. With a sharp tug, it extended and locked into place. ¡°That guy has a high-powered firearm. I can¡¯t engage from a distance¡ªI need to get in close!¡± Though his opponent seemed incredibly strong, raw strength alone didn¡¯t determine the outcome of a fight. This was a battle to the death. A ruthless glint flashed in Black Crow¡¯s eyes. He took a deep breath, held it, and suddenly pivoted into a sprint. He moved like a black python slithering through the underbrush, racing toward Yu Hong, who was checking the generator. ¡°First, use my staff techniques to probe the weak spots in his armored suit. Use his own strength against him to throw him off balance.¡± A sharp plan formed in Black Crow¡¯s mind as he fixated on the black-clad figure ahead. He had a feeling¡ªthis fight would be the toughest of his career. ¡°If other combat specialists faced such a naturally powerful opponent, they¡¯d be helpless. But my staff technique excels in leveraging an opponent¡¯s force. Judging by his footwork, he¡¯s not trained in close-quarters combat¡ªmy chances of winning are high!¡± In the brief seconds of his charge, confidence surged through Black Crow. From subtle clues, he had deduced that Yu Hong¡¯s fighting skills were inferior to his own. So¡ª S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Black Crow suddenly leaped from the grass, his staff turning into a black crescent moon, smashing down toward Yu Hong¡¯s face. ¡°Master Fu¡¯s Staff Technique: Secret Art¡ªPhantom Strike!¡± This move was designed to bait the opponent into exerting force in a particular direction, setting up a counterattack. It was the first step in Black Crow¡¯s carefully planned assault. The seemingly deadly black crescent was actually a feint. As long as Yu Hong reacted¡ªwhether by attacking or blocking¡ªhe would¡ª Thud! The black crescent struck Yu Hong¡¯s helmet and shoulder with a dull thud. Yu Hong hadn¡¯t even attempted to block. He simply stood there, letting the staff hit him. Just as Black Crow expected, his attack felt as weak as a gentle breeze. The force dispersed upon impact, nullified by the buffering layers of Yu Hong¡¯s reinforced Gray Lizard suit. He felt nothing. ¡°I have a question,¡± Yu Hong said casually. Before Black Crow could react, more staff shadows filled his vision, this time delivering solid, killing blows. Each strike was aimed at a vital point. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! In mere seconds, over a dozen strikes landed across Yu Hong¡¯s body, creating a blur of black staff shadows. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Yu Hong suddenly reached out. Ignoring the attacks, his arm shot forward and clamped onto Black Crow¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Struggling won¡¯t solve anything. Let¡¯s talk.¡± Black Crow¡¯s face twisted in panic. He struggled with all his might, but the strength gap was insurmountable. No matter how hard he fought, he couldn¡¯t break free from Yu Hong¡¯s grip. Crack. As he struggled, Yu Hong increased his grip. The bulletproof suit¡¯s internal ceramic plating groaned under the pressure, on the verge of shattering. ¡°You bastard!!¡± ¡°Calm down.¡± Smack! Yu Hong slapped Black Crow across the face. The impact shattered one side of his helmet, sending cracks spreading like a web. Black Crow¡¯s massive, two-meter-tall frame was sent reeling. His mind blanked out from the sheer force of the hit. Had it not been for the reinforced neck support in his suit, his spine might have snapped on the spot. In front of so many people, including Lang Feng, he¡ªBlack Crow¡ªthe top-tier staff master among enhanced humans, second only to those freakish lunatics! Since the outbreak of the Black Disaster, he had led his team rampaging across the surrounding areas, unstoppable! And now, he had actually been slapped into a daze by some unknown nobody who came out of nowhere!? In an instant, as Black Crow snapped back to reality, a surge of indescribable shame and fury erupted in his heart. ¡°I¡¯LL KILL YOU!!!!¡± He roared in rage. Shh! A sharp blade protruded from the edge of his staff. At the same time, ignoring the grip on his shoulder, he exploded with his full strength, swinging his staff ferociously at his opponent¡¯s chest. Pfft!! The blade on the staff slashed viciously into Yu Hong¡¯s suit, but it was forcibly stopped by the ultra-thick alloy plating inside. If it were a standard Gray Lizard suit, the attack would have easily pierced through. But¡­ This last desperate strike still failed to break through. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to cooperate, forget it.¡± Yu Hong remained unfazed. Though Black Crow¡¯s frenzied resistance looked fierce, every attack was completely absorbed by his suit. ¡°Remember to be a good person in your next life.¡± He calmly drew a metal spiked club from his back. Seeing the club, which was as thick as a human thigh, Black Crow¡¯s eyes widened in terror. He frantically struggled to escape, but¡ª Suddenly, his body became weightless as he was effortlessly thrown into the air. BOOM!!! A black blur shot forward like a cannonball, slamming into his chest with a deafening impact. The terrifying force crushed his alloy chest plate, bending it inward, snapping his spine, and instantly flattening his entire ribcage into a bloody pulp. ¡°AH¡ª!!!¡± Black Crow¡¯s scream was cut short as his body flew like a ragdoll, slamming into the trunk of a large tree before sliding to the ground, lifeless. Yu Hong turned around, looking at Black Eye, who was scared stiff on the ground, and Lang Feng¡¯s group, frozen in place not far away. ¡°Hey, can you guys help me out? The generator¡¯s too big¡ªI don¡¯t think it¡¯ll fit in my car.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lang Feng swallowed hard, his scalp tingling. Staring at the crushed and lifeless Black Crow, he suddenly felt that his earlier struggle against him alongside his friend had been nothing but a dream. That arrogant bastard¡­ had been as helpless as a child before this man. Hearing Yu Hong¡¯s request, Lang Feng instinctively nodded, realizing what needed to be done. Moments later¡ª By the stone bridge, next to Yu Hong¡¯s Jeep, the group worked together to place the nuclear generator on the roof, securing it with ropes, wrapping it with tape, and adding friction pads between the generator and the car¡¯s roof. ¡°All set. This should be fine now.¡± Lang Feng clapped his hands and politely turned to Yu Hong. ¡°Thanks a lot, this really helped.¡± Yu Hong nodded in satisfaction. ¡°When traveling, mutual aid is the only way to survive. The world is getting more dangerous, and fewer people are living outside the cities. If we don¡¯t help each other, it¡¯ll only get harder to survive.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too kind, Mr. Yu. You helped us take care of that thug¡ªhelping you with this is the least we can do,¡± Lang Feng said seriously. ¡°Well said, Captain Lang. Though honestly, I didn¡¯t expect Black Crow to be such a ruthless and violent guy. I originally wanted to talk things out with him, but his reaction was just too abnormal.¡± Yu Hong sighed. ¡°I heard he had companions?¡± ¡°No need to worry about that. These days, people only look out for themselves, and criminals are even more selfish,¡± a young man named Xiao Feng chimed in. Xiao Feng was extremely curious about Yu Hong. Seeing that he was about to leave and noticing his friendly demeanor, he finally couldn¡¯t resist speaking up. ¡°I have a question. You don¡¯t have to answer if you don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± Yu Hong smiled. This group had not only helped him transport the generator but also given him extra food and supplies. They were friendly and just, and after talking for half an hour, he could tell they were genuinely kind people. ¡°Are you a fully enhanced human?¡± Xiao Feng asked in a low voice. ¡°¡­Enhanced human? I¡¯m not sure.¡± Yu Hong shook his head. ¡°But I have had a lot of contact with Luminous Stone. I¡¯ve never had a professional examination.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Xiao Feng didn¡¯t seem disappointed, as if he had already guessed the answer. ¡°Since you came from Baiqiu Village, you¡¯ll have to pass through Huanfeng City. That place is a huge problem right now, so please be very careful. Did you run into any trouble on your way here?¡± ¡°It was fine, nothing too serious. Though I did encounter a strange creature I¡¯ve never seen before. The radio never mentioned it.¡± Yu Hong described the humanoid monster made entirely of black gelatinous material that he had encountered. ¡°Thanks for the intel. We¡¯ll be on guard.¡± Lang Feng cupped his hands in gratitude. ¡°The situation in Huanfeng City has deteriorated badly. The infection is spreading to the surrounding areas. The Joint Army has already sent elite forces three times, but none have returned. I received word that they might be sending their strongest unit¡ªthe Blood Lead Division.¡± ¡°You¡¯re in contact with the Joint Army?¡± Yu Hong asked in surprise. ¡°Sometimes we get cooperation requests. Not just us¡ªevery stronghold in this area does, whether friend or foe. Everyone has to assist the investigation teams they send. Helping them is helping ourselves,¡± Lang Feng explained. ¡°I¡¯ll be careful in Huanfeng City,¡± Yu Hong nodded. ¡°We call those gelatinous creatures ¡®Black Oil Men.¡¯ They¡¯re highly toxic. Don¡¯t touch them lightly, and even being near them too long can cause lung problems. The best way to deal with them is fire¡ªthey¡¯re very afraid of it.¡± Lang Feng warned. .bg-container-10448ed3ed0{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } .bg-ssp-10448{margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;display:flex;justify-content:center;} .bg-container-10448f61e68{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } .bg-container-10448222eb6{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } ¡°Got it.¡± Yu Hong nodded. ¡°There¡¯s one more thing¡ªnear Huanfeng City, there¡¯s an idiot enhanced human named Du Chengtao. He¡¯s a fully enhanced type and extremely strong. Be careful if you run into him,¡± Lang Feng added. ¡°Du Chengtao, huh¡­ Got it.¡± Yu Hong nodded. ¡°Speaking of which, they say full-body enhancements are the strongest. Just how powerful can they get? What¡¯s their limit? Is it just about strength?¡± He had no understanding of this field. Since he had met someone knowledgeable, he figured it was a good chance to ask. (End of Chapter) Chapter 110: The Harvest (2) ¡°Aurora City previously issued an announcement categorizing enhanced individuals by danger level. Those with localized limb enhancements, after training, can easily surpass ordinary people, reaching the same Level 1 danger classification as a common Blood Tide black insect,¡± Lang Feng explained with a sigh. ¡°Among those with localized enhancements, the difference between the strongest and weakest is vast. Some can even reach Level 2 danger levels, capable of directly confronting Blood Tide monsters like the Big Skins. However¡­¡± He paused briefly. ¡°But reaching Level 3¡ªonly fully enhanced individuals can attain that. Their strength, speed, explosiveness, and endurance far exceed ours. They are also resistant to low concentrations of Red Value radiation, have strong immunity against the hallucinations of Ghostly Shadows, and possess superior survivability. Even if they consume some toxic, spoiled food, it doesn¡¯t affect them.¡± Glancing at Yu Hong, who was listening intently, he added, ¡°Of course, many are fully enhanced, but the truly formidable ones are those who have mastered various skills. If they were just ordinary people before, they¡¯re merely a little stronger than wild Blood Tide creatures.¡± ¡°I heard that powerful fully enhanced individuals can fight Level 3 monsters?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°There is such a claim, but those monsters can infinitely regenerate. ¡®Fighting¡¯ them only means temporary resistance, not ongoing combat,¡± Lang Feng replied. ¡°That¡¯s already incredible.¡± Yu Hong understood the concept and difficulty of facing a Level 3 monster. Not to mention, the elephant beetle from before was at that level. Being able to face off against such massive creatures was already an incredible feat for fragile humans. ¡°Blood Tide creatures can still be countered using weapons and explosives. However, the dangers posed by the Ghostly Shadows faction are far trickier. Our only reliance is on various Luminous Stone series tools and sunlight-based materials,¡± Lang Feng sighed. ¡°This time, the higher-ups sent the Blood Lure Squad partly to deal with the Whisperer.¡± ¡°The Whisperer is Level Four, right?¡± Yu Hong frowned. ¡°Indeed, compared to the multi-eyed bird at the same level, they¡¯re even harder to deal with.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why the higher-ups had no choice but to deploy Blood Lure,¡± Lang Feng said. ¡°Blood Lure¡­ is this squad more elite than the others?¡± This was Yu Hong¡¯s first time hearing this name, and he was curious. ¡°Blood Lure¡­ actually,¡± Lang Feng shook his head. ¡°The name itself already reveals its purpose. From the beginning, they weren¡¯t created to defeat or resist creatures and dark entities. They are sacrificial warriors who use their own blood to lure monsters and Ghostly Shadows to uninhabited desolate lands¡­¡± Yu Hong fell silent. He found it hard to imagine what kind of people would willingly make such a self-sacrificing decision to protect others. As he watched the supplies being loaded into the vehicle, he checked the time. It was about time to leave. The journey back would take around four hours, and if he calculated correctly, he would return to the safehouse before nightfall. ¡°If you ever find it impossible to stay here, you can come to my place. I won¡¯t say much, but I can create Luminous Stones, and there¡¯s a Luminous Stone mine nearby, making it more convenient than here,¡± Yu Hong offered. ¡°Alright! If it comes to that, we¡¯ll consider it,¡± Lang Feng nodded seriously. Yu Hong closed the car door and started the vehicle. The solar charge had recovered to 60%, so he rolled down the window and looked at Lang Feng and his group. ¡°By the way, is there any other way to identify fully enhanced individuals?¡± Lang Feng thought for a moment before replying, ¡°Our enhanced body parts can be detected with a Red Value scanner, showing negative values. According to published data, the higher the negative value, the greater the enhancement and amplification. Fully enhanced individuals have values far exceeding ours. We typically range from -5 to -9, while they are usually above -12, with some even reaching -19. The test must be conducted when they are at rest, using direct skin contact with the scanner.¡± ¡°Thanks!¡± Yu Hong waved and rolled up the window. This trip had been a great success. Not only did he acquire the nuclear Generator but he also made some generous and kind-hearted friends who even gifted him a supply of dried meat, mushrooms, biscuits, and canned food. This put him in a great mood. As he drove away, watching Lang Feng and his group gradually disappear into the mist through the rearview mirror, Yu Hong exhaled, feeling a slight sense of loss. If not for the Black Mark, he would have preferred to stay with more people. That way, he wouldn¡¯t be lonely, wouldn¡¯t lack conversation partners, and wouldn¡¯t have to do everything alone. But unfortunately¡­ As he drove through the parted gray mist, along the empty streets, he thought about how the nuclear generator would provide power to the safehouse for decades, solving his energy and water problems. Life was going to get better. His loneliness was quickly overshadowed by anticipation. ¡®Wait, if enhanced individuals can be detected with a Red Value scanner, and the higher the value, the greater the enhancement¡­ What about me? Do I have a value?¡¯ The thought suddenly flashed through his mind. ¡®Let¡¯s test it.¡¯ He had plenty of scanners anyway. Controlling the steering wheel with one hand, he grabbed a scanner with the other, removed his right-hand glove, and pressed the scanner against his skin. Then, he relaxed. ¡®0.121.¡¯ The scanner beeped, displaying the result. ¡°Looks like I have nothing in common with enhanced individuals after all¡­¡± Yu Hong shook his head slightly, removing the scanner. The moment it detected the air¡¯s Red Value, the number quickly rose above twenty. Soon, accompanied by the hum of the engine, the vehicle drove out of the county town, heading back in the direction it came from. The journey was uneventful, and within a few dozen minutes, he had reached the mountain road near Ringpeak City. However, this time, he didn¡¯t encounter the black humanoid creature from before and was able to leave the area without incident. After driving along the highway for another half an hour, suddenly, by the roadside ahead, a bald man, about 1.8 meters tall, appeared. He was dressed in a dull gray, high-collared work uniform, holding a bundle of dry firewood in one hand and carrying an unconscious middle-aged man in the other. This bald man had a stocky build. Despite his height, from a distance, he gave off a short and stout impression. Hearing the approaching vehicle, the bald man turned around. When he saw Yu Hong¡¯s jeep, a hint of happiness appeared on his slightly crooked face. ¡°Car, car, car! Meat! Here!¡± He put down the firewood and the unconscious man, patted his chest, then walked directly to the middle of the road, spreading his arms wide as if to block the vehicle. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Now that he was facing him directly, Yu Hong finally had a chance to observe him closely. The bald man¡¯s face was covered in thick flesh, his mouth was crooked, one eye was larger than the other, and his gaze was vacant. But aside from these flaws, the exposed skin and muscles where his work uniform was torn had an eerie gray-black color, resembling a sculpture of steel, as if coated with a layer of black gel. ¡®Hmm!? Gel??¡¯ Yu Hong narrowed his eyes, realizing something was off. Suddenly, he recalled the two-meter-tall black gel-like humanoid he had encountered before. The car gradually slowed down. Yu Hong turned off the engine and parked the vehicle near the mountain wall to avoid the risk of falling off the cliff on the other side. Then, he opened the door and stepped out. ¡°Do you need something? What¡¯s the meaning of blocking the road?¡± He walked forward, glancing around to confirm that the bald man was alone. ¡°Meat¡­ Hehe¡­ Lots of meat.¡± The bald man grinned foolishly, drool dripping from the corner of his mouth onto the ground. His gaze toward Yu Hong was like that of a man staring at a large, juicy piece of roasted meat. ¡°Run!¡± Just as Yu Hong was about to ask more questions, the unconscious middle-aged man suddenly woke up and struggled to shout. ¡°Get in the car!! Run!! This guy¡­ He¡¯s Du Chengtao! A Fully Augmented Human!!¡± ¡°Du Chengtao?¡± Yu Hong hadn¡¯t expected to hear this name, let alone encounter him on his way back. A Fully Augmented Human, classified as a maximum Level 3 threat¡ªan exceptionally dangerous mutant. That was the evaluation given by Aurora City and Silver Tower. ¡°Run!!¡± The middle-aged man saw Yu Hong standing still and immediately gritted his teeth, grabbing a wooden stick to support himself as he stood up. ¡°I¡¯m a Joint Army officer who escaped from the front lines! That guy has completely lost his mind! He¡¯s capturing people to take them back and cure them into jerky!!¡± He mustered his remaining strength and shouted. ¡°So¡­ You¡¯re saying he eats¡ª¡± Yu Hong¡¯s expression darkened as he looked at the officer. Bang!! Just then, a fist-sized rock whistled through the air and struck him directly on the helmet. The rock shattered into several pieces upon impact, sending a small cloud of white dust flying. A blow like that¡ªif it had hit an ordinary person, even with a bulletproof helmet, they¡¯d be left dazed at best, or suffer a broken neck and die on the spot. The dull thud of the impact made the middle-aged officer shudder. Then, in pain, he realized what had just happened. ¡°I told you to run¡­ Why¡­¡± He knew¡ªyet another innocent person had fallen victim. On the way here, he had already witnessed at least three people being knocked unconscious by Du Chengtao and dragged away to be turned into jerky. If not for the fact that he still had some use to Du Chengtao, he would have been skinned and strung up long ago. And now¡­ Another victim had been added. However, things didn¡¯t seem to be unfolding as he had expected¡­ On the road, Yu Hong¡¯s words had been interrupted. A large crack had appeared on the visor of his helmet, obstructing his vision. ¡°I hate it the most¡­ When people interrupt me.¡± He slowly turned his head to look at his opponent. Du Chengtao was rubbing his bald head in confusion, seemingly puzzled as to why his rock had no effect. Before long, he looked down, picked up a grinding disc-sized boulder from the roadside, grinned foolishly, and hurled it at Yu Hong with all his might. Whoosh!! The rock howled through the air, tearing through the wind as it hurtled toward Yu Hong¡¯s head. Boom!!! In an instant, the boulder shattered into countless fragments, exploding mid-air. Yu Hong burst through the cloud of dust and debris, gripping his spiked club tightly as he stomped forward. Each step left behind a crisp, deeply imprinted footprint on the ground. One second. A ten-meter gap vanished in a flash. Yu Hong gripped the club with both hands and swung it horizontally with immense force toward Du Chengtao. Clang!! Instead of the sound of flesh and bone breaking, the impact produced a metallic clashing noise. Without even making a sound, Du Chengtao was sent flying like a cannonball, crashing into the mountain wall on the left. ¡°Trash that survives by eating humans¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re living a life worse than death anyway, so let me put you out of your misery!!¡± Yu Hong hoisted his spiked club and, not giving Du Chengtao a chance to recover, charged forward and struck again. Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!!! He lifted his weapon and slammed it repeatedly against the mountain wall. The rock face crumbled, debris rolled down, and stone dust filled the air. For a moment, the entire road was filled with nothing but the deafening sounds of shattering stone. Meanwhile, the military officer standing at the roadside was completely dumbfounded. ¡°Am I¡­ dreaming??¡± (End of Chapter) Chapter 111: The Harvest (3) ¡°Ah!!!¡± After being smashed more than ten times in a row, a painful and furious roar finally erupted from within the mountain wall¡ªDu Chengtao¡¯s voice. Pa! He suddenly reached out and grabbed the Spiked Club, mustering all his strength as he charged out from the rock wall, ramming his head straight into Yu Hong¡¯s. Their heads clashed violently on the spot. Boom!! Du Chengtao¡¯s vision blurred instantly. It felt like he had crashed into a steel wall. The impact force rebounded, sending him hurtling back into the dented section of the mountain wall. Yu Hong took a step back and shook his head. His visor became even more distorted, making it impossible to see clearly. ¡°Damn it!¡± He was finally enraged, reaching out to grab Du Chengtao by the neck. His right leg exploded with power and vanished from the spot. A low-tier sweeping kick from Basic Survival Leg Techniques¡ªexecuted with his current strength and condition¡ªwas devastating. At this point, his Spiked Club alone was already sufficient to handle most opponents. There were very few occasions where he needed to use his leg techniques. However, right now, Du Chengtao was proving to be more resilient than any opponent he had faced before, finally giving him a chance to utilize his leg techniques once again. Boom!!! In an instant, Yu Hong¡¯s leg lashed out, striking Du Chengtao¡¯s abdomen. The immense force instantly shattered the muscles in Du Chengtao¡¯s abdomen. Not only that, but the impact also completely pierced through his torso, taking his spine along with it and reducing it to a mist of flesh and blood that splattered against the mountain wall. ¡°Argh!!¡± Du Chengtao still managed to scream. His arms flailed wildly in front of him, struggling in resistance. His strength was almost on par with Yu Hong¡¯s. His frantic resistance was actually causing considerable disruption to Yu Hong¡¯s movements. Aside from his sheer strength, Du Chengtao¡¯s physical endurance was outright monstrous, even surpassing Yu Hong¡¯s post-training physique. If he had been wearing a bulletproof suit, he wouldn¡¯t have been so easily injured. However, now that his abdomen had been punctured and his body had suffered multiple fractures from the attacks, Du Chengtao could no longer move. He could only slump against the mountain wall, relying on his still-functional arms to flail and block attacks blindly. Yu Hong pulled out the Spiked Club that had shattered his opponent¡¯s shoulder and observed this so-called Tier 3 Fully Enhanced Human. In just this short exchange, he noticed that the gaping wound in Du Chengtao¡¯s abdomen was already beginning to clot and heal. ¡°His physical endurance is outrageous, stronger than mine, but his strength is inferior to mine.¡± Evaluating the situation, Yu Hong determined that while his raw power surpassed Du Chengtao¡¯s, his opponent¡¯s resilience and recovery speed were beyond his own. ¡°What a pitiful guy. Instead of living like a deranged beast in this world, he might as well just die. In a place like this, death might be more peaceful than struggling to survive.¡± Yu Hong gazed at Du Chengtao, who was wailing miserably, and suddenly lost interest. At this rate, it was clear¡ªhe had surpassed Fully Enhanced Humans in terms of physical capabilities, reaching the pinnacle of human potential. While this didn¡¯t mean much in a world dominated by powerful weaponry¡ªwhere a single bomb could still obliterate him¡ªit was an undeniable advantage in wilderness survival. At the very least, as long as his opponents were human and lacked firearms, they stood little chance against him. ¡°Argh!!¡± Du Chengtao continued screeching, his voice shrill and grating, like that of a crow. Boom! A Spiked Club slammed down viciously, striking his forehead directly. The immense force granted the weapon an unparalleled impact, instantly shattering his skull and caving it inwards. Du Chengtao¡¯s body trembled violently before finally ceasing all movement. Embedded in the mountain wall, he remained motionless. His arms went limp and dropped to his sides. His breathing stopped soon after, and his skin rapidly darkened as though being tainted by ink. Yu Hong was about to step forward and scavenge for anything useful when he saw this and furrowed his brows, retreating a couple of steps to maintain distance. Just as he stepped back, he witnessed Du Chengtao¡¯s body quickly being engulfed by a layer of black gelatinous substance. Within moments, he transformed into the same black gelatinous humanoid he had encountered before. Yu Hong glanced at the red-value detector on his suit collar, which had spiked to over one hundred. ¡°Time to go.¡± He swiftly withdrew, supporting the middle-aged military officer who had warned him earlier, and the two of them quickly got into the vehicle. They sped away down the highway. Behind them, Du Chengtao¡¯s body rapidly softened. After a few dozen seconds, he extracted himself from the mountain wall, now fully transformed into a humanoid figure composed entirely of black gelatinous material. Step by step, he began making his way toward Huafeng City. He didn¡¯t even glance at the departing solar-powered jeep, as though he were responding to some unseen summons, striding briskly toward the black-gelatin-covered Huafeng City. Yu Hong, seated in the vehicle, observed this scene through the rearview mirror, his expression darkening. He had already removed his visor. The shattered and blurred lens had become more of a hindrance than a help. The middle-aged officer sat in the passenger seat, breathing heavily, clearly still injured. He stared at Yu Hong, his expression conflicted, his eyes still reflecting the shock he had just experienced. ¡°What do you want to say?¡± Yu Hong asked casually. ¡°Brother¡­ you¡¯re an Enhanced Human too, aren¡¯t you?¡± The officer asked in a deep voice. ¡°I¡¯m not. I¡¯m just an ordinary person,¡± Yu Hong replied. He had just confirmed it himself¡ªhe didn¡¯t belong to the Enhanced Human system. His path was entirely different. ¡°¡­ My name is Zhou Xueguang, a deserter who just escaped from the front lines,¡± the man finally said after a moment of silence. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to ask how I managed to kill Du Chengtao?¡± Yu Hong asked, a bit surprised. ¡°Everyone has their secrets, just like how I wouldn¡¯t want you asking why I became a deserter,¡± Zhou Xueguang replied. ¡°Fair enough. I was just about to ask that,¡± Yu Hong raised an eyebrow. ¡°What¡¯s your plan now?¡± ¡°No plan. Find a place to settle down and survive. Heal my wounds first¡ªonly then will I have the luxury to think about anything else,¡± Zhou Xueguang sighed. ¡°Come with me. There are plenty of abandoned safe houses nearby where you can rest. The post office also has basic food supplies. I¡¯ll ensure you have access to Great luminous Stones and Rune Arrays,¡± Yu Hong offered. ¡°You trust me that easily?¡± Zhou Xueguang wiped the blood from his face with his sleeve, looking skeptical. ¡°It¡¯s not like we¡¯ll be living together¡ªjust neighbors. You warned me earlier, and you don¡¯t seem like a bad person,¡± Yu Hong replied. ¡°Being too trusting isn¡¯t good,¡± Zhou Xueguang remarked. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve met far more good people than bad ones,¡± Yu Hong chuckled. ¡°Then you¡¯re just lucky.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re strong enough, bad people turn good in front of you,¡± Yu Hong laughed. Zhou Xueguang was momentarily speechless. ¡°¡­ That¡¯s a solid point.¡± ¡°How¡¯s the injury?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°It¡¯s not too bad. Two broken ribs, a dislocated wrist, and a cut on my shoulder. Once we settle down somewhere, I¡¯ll cauterize the wound with fire and take some antibiotics. Speaking of which, do you have any antibiotics?¡± Zhou Xueguang asked helplessly. ¡°Consider it a loan.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get you some soon,¡± Yu Hong said casually. His attitude gave Zhou Xueguang some confidence¡ªat least medicine didn¡¯t seem to be in short supply. The two of them chatted idly as they drove. After more than an hour, they finally returned to the spot where the other Jeep was parked. Click. Yu Hong opened the door and stepped out. Looking at the fully loaded vehicle, he suddenly found himself in a dilemma. ¡°How am I supposed to carry all this back?¡± he asked. Zhou Xueguang limped out of the car, looked around at the gray mist that surrounded them, and noted that it was already nearing dusk. ¡°It¡¯s getting dark. I suggest not staying here to slowly haul everything back and forth. If the distance isn¡¯t too far, we can come back tomorrow,¡± he replied. ¡°No worries, let¡¯s take the most important stuff first,¡± Yu Hong thought for a moment before reaching out to unfasten the nuclear generator from the car roof. Luckily, the thing was only the size of a freezer. ¡®Wait a minute.¡¯ S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He suddenly recalled something, climbed back into the car, and rummaged around until he found the chip Wei Hongye had given him. Then, he walked around the nuclear generator, searching carefully. Soon, he found a long, narrow slot that was just the right size. Holding the chip, he slid it into the slot. Click. It fit perfectly. ¡°And now?¡± Yu Hong looked at the large ¡°freezer,¡± waiting to see what would happen next. Buzz. Suddenly, the black surface of the ¡°freezer¡± where the slot was located slowly split open, revealing a small door¡ªjust like a real refrigerator. When the door swung open, it exposed a narrow space about the size of a watermelon. Inside sat a black, box-like metal device, about the size of a car battery. The box was surrounded by countless unknown slots and holes, with rows of tiny green lights blinking on and off. It looked a lot like a power adapter. After carefully inspecting the interior walls of the ¡°freezer,¡± Yu Hong confirmed that this little box was the actual nuclear generator. The outer shell was just a protective casing¡ªthe real generator was only the size of a watermelon. When Yu Hong lifted it out, he found it was much heavier than expected. He then manually detached the solar panels from the vehicle before carrying the generator. With Zhou Xueguang walking beside him, both of them left the road, climbed into the forested hills, and disappeared into the mist, making their way toward the safehouse. The journey was slow and full of stops, taking over half an hour before they finally reached the cave safehouse. Standing outside the courtyard wall, Yu Hong quickly placed their supplies inside the cave before leading Zhou Xueguang toward the post office. Most of the primary safehouses¡ªunderground shelters abandoned by former residents¡ªwere located near the post office. Before long, Yu Hong settled Zhou Xueguang in the basement of the post office, briefly explained the rescue to Old Li, and then hurried back to the cave safehouse. He was eager to integrate the nuclear generator into his hideout. Bang. The wooden door of the cave shut behind him as Yu Hong sat down on the ground. Looking at the nuclear generator in front of him, his eyes gleamed with hope. ¡°How long has it been since I last took a bath?¡± ¡°So long that I can¡¯t even remember,¡± he sighed. The stench on his body had become so ingrained that his nose had completely adapted¡ªhe could no longer smell it. Only particularly strong odors could still trigger his dulled sense of smell. Quickly, he boiled water, prepared soup, and threw in mushrooms and wild vegetables before setting the fire to its lowest heat. After glancing outside at the darkening sky, he rushed out again. He spent ten more minutes hauling another load of supplies from the car, stacking them in the second basement. This would be his future storage and breeding room. Since there was still some daylight left, Yu Hong sped up his pace, making two more trips. Finally, he had transported all the supplies generously gifted by Lang Feng and his group. After a rough estimate, the canned food and other rations would last him more than ten days. Combined with his protein bars, he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about food for a long time. ¡®Better get everything in order and fortify my food supply before I start integrating the nuclear generator.¡¯ Outside, the sky had completely darkened. Thunder rumbled faintly in the distance, hinting at an approaching storm. Yu Hong secured the barricades, then sat at the wooden table, placing his hand over the black mark on the back of his hand and closing his eyes. .bg-container-10448869e4d{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } .bg-ssp-10448{margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;display:flex;justify-content:center;} .bg-container-10448f61e68{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } .bg-container-10448222eb6{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } At that moment, a glowing white dot, like a living firefly, slowly appeared in the darkness of his mind and drifted about. ¡®Current Imprint: 1.¡¯ A cold, mechanical voice echoed in his mind. ¡®First Imprint: Luminous Stone Grass. Would you like to activate Luminous Stone Grass?¡¯ (End of Chapter) Chapter 112: Harvest (4) ¡®Activate!¡¯ Yu Hong confirmed in his mind. Immediately, he felt the trace of internal energy in his abdomen surge upwards, flowing into the black mark on his hand before disappearing completely. One second later. The glowing dot in his vision suddenly brightened and then burst apart with a soft pop, vanishing completely. ¡®Activation successful. Luminous Stone Grass has entered accelerated growth mode. Duration: twelve hours. Growth location: previous growth site.¡¯ Releasing his hand, Yu Hong felt relieved. With the Luminous Stone Grass taken care of, he stood up and went down to the basement, making his way toward the newly transported food supplies. All the food had been piled up in the second basement. In the dimly lit basement, the atomic lamp cast a hazy green glow. On the ground, there was a box of canned beef, a box of canned fish, two boxes of scallion crackers, and a box of mushroom chicken-flavored instant noodles. In addition, there were four dried salted fish of varying lengths¡ªsome as long as an arm, others only the size of a book. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Truly kind-hearted people,¡± Yu Hong sighed. He had long grown tired of eating protein bars and jerky. Now, finally, he had a chance to change things up. ¡®First, enhance them to extend shelf life.¡¯ He reached out and gently placed his hand on one of the cardboard boxes. ¡®Enhance food. Parameters: Extend shelf life, increase calories and nutrition, reduce side effects.¡¯ A black line flashed, flowing from the black mark into the cardboard box. Soon. A black countdown appeared on the box: 3 days 15 hours 32 minutes. ¡®Enhance food?¡¯ The black mark¡¯s mechanical voice prompted. Yu Hong did a quick calculation. ¡®When I enhanced lizard jerky before, a single piece took three hours to turn into a protein bar. A bag of ten pieces took over a day. Now, enhancing all this food to a higher quality only takes a little over three days.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just that. He had also noticed recently that the time required to enhance various items had shortened slightly. At first, these small reductions in time weren¡¯t noticeable, but when applied to a large quantity of food at once, the cumulative effect became significant. After confirming the enhancement process, Yu Hong settled in patiently, returning to the first floor to enjoy his freshly prepared protein soup. Three days¡ªhe could wait. After his meal, he rested for half an hour before starting his training. His new martial arts technique, which had integrated Heavy Leg Technique, had added a lot of stillness-based exercises. His goal was to develop a technique capable of dealing damage to Ghostly. Because of this, Yu Hong held high expectations for it. Standing in the first basement, he resumed practicing the first level of the technique¡¯s stillness exercises. Following the method described in the manual, he sat cross-legged in a Taoist-style meditation posture. As he meditated, his depleted internal energy began slowly absorbing an unknown type of particle from the surroundings, gradually forming new strands of internal energy. With his eyes closed, he focused his mind on the visualization diagram of the first level, feeling as though he was soaring through the strange illustration. Time seemed to lose meaning. He didn¡¯t know how long had passed or where he even was. When he finally regained awareness, a second strand of internal energy had begun forming in his abdomen. Comparing it to the first strand, he estimated that two more progressions like this would allow him to fully condense the second strand of internal energy. That would mean he had completely mastered the first level¡¯s stillness exercises and could move on to the second level. Splash. The sound of rain faintly reached the basement. Raindrops struck the wooden door with dull, rhythmic pattering. Yu Hong slowly opened his eyes from his meditation, standing up with satisfaction. ¡°Almost there¡­ I didn¡¯t expect that just one trip outside would allow me to complete the first level¡¯s stillness exercises.¡± He wasn¡¯t sure why this was happening, but as long as his progress was good, that was enough. Glancing at the red-value detector, he saw that only three hours had passed since he started training. Ignoring the food still undergoing enhancement, Yu Hong climbed up to the first floor, walked to the door, and pulled open the wooden shutter. Beyond the reinforced glass, a torrential downpour blanketed the night. No black insects. No moonlight. No stars. Outside was an abyss of ink-like darkness, where nothing could be seen. The whooshing rain was the only sign of life. Not only that, but the temperature had dropped considerably, and the moisture in the air made the front door emit a constant chill. Yu Hong stoked the fireplace, feeding the flames to provide more warmth and dispel the creeping dampness. Then, he switched on the radio, tuning it to the only nationwide channel: AM500, National Security Broadcast. After rummaging through his supplies, he found a bottle of Luminous Stone Ink and a stack of thin wooden boards. As he listened to the radio, he carefully began drawing new talisman boards. There was no news on the broadcast¡ªonly soft, melancholic music. It was a blend of piano, bamboo flute, and drums, carrying an air of longing, solemn and low. As time passed, Yu Hong methodically created one array board after another, setting them aside for later enhancement. On his last outing, he hadn¡¯t needed the Vortex array Boards, but that didn¡¯t stop him from contemplating their potential applications. Judging by how the fusion of Vortex array with his Survival Leg Technique had noticeably increased his internal energy absorption rate, the talismans likely had an effect that enhanced energy intake. After completing a stack of array boards, Yu Hong drank some water, lay down in his sleeping bag, and closed his eyes, quickly drifting into restful sleep. That night passed in quiet stillness. * * * At the entrance of a comprehensive research park in Baihe City¡ª Squads of heavily armed United Army soldiers stood guard, protecting the black solar-powered sedans parked at the gate. Before long, the car doors opened one by one, and men, women, young, and old stepped out. Their appearances were disheveled, some even wounded, but at this moment, their faces all shared a common expression¡ªjoy. Joy mixed with relief. The soldiers organized them into two lines, systematically checking, registering, and guiding them into the park. Among them were Wei Shanshan and her mother. The two stood in the middle of the queue, surrounded by other key family members of major research institutions. Some had been rescued just like them, while others had rushed here from different cities, all for one reason¡ªto make it in time for the complete relocation of Baihe City¡¯s research facilities. Once registration was completed, Wei Shanshan and her mother were led by an assigned personnel to a five-story building within the park. A group of people was already waiting in front of the building. Leading them was a middle-aged man with short hair, black-rimmed glasses, and a weary expression. His facial features resembled Wei Shanshan¡¯s, but were more defined, hinting at a trace of foreign ancestry. The moment he saw Wei Shanshan and Qiu Yanxi, his lips trembled involuntarily. Taking a few steps forward, he spread his arms wide. Thud. Father and daughter embraced tightly, holding each other as they sobbed. It was an incredibly touching scene, yet Qiu Yanxi remained calm on the side. ¡°This time, it¡¯s all thanks to you. Consider this a favor I owe you.¡± She spoke softly. ¡°Xixi, are you still angry with me?¡± Wei Hongye held his daughter and turned to his wife, gripping her hand. ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s just¡­¡± Qiu Yanxi sighed. After experiencing life-and-death hardships, she seemed to have lost the sharpness and severity of her past demeanor. ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s not talk about this now. This time, we brought something back for you. Although it turned into powder halfway, perhaps you can still study it as a sample.¡± She carefully took out a plastic bag containing the powdered remains of Luminous grass and handed it to Wei Hongye. The moment she noticed the herb had turned to powder, she realized its significance and immediately sealed it in a bag. ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll conduct a thorough analysis. Tell me more about where it came from.¡± Wei Hongye nodded, his expression serious. ¡°Also, that wild man who helped you, the one named Yu Hong¡­ Did he¡­¡± He didn¡¯t finish his sentence, but a strange weight settled in his gaze behind the glasses. ¡°¡­No!¡± Qiu Yanxi¡¯s voice was firm. ¡°Neither I nor your daughter were harmed! You can rest assured on that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Wei Hongye let out a breath¡ªwhether out of genuine relief or not was unclear. ¡°In exchange, I gave him the token for the nuclear-powered motor. Only with that token can he locate and activate the real micro nuclear reactor. It was a fair trade.¡± ¡°Was it really fair?¡± Qiu Yanxi stared at her husband. She knew his nature all too well. ¡°I told him the location and gave him the key. Whether he gets the motor or not is no longer my concern. My reach ends there¡ªI can¡¯t interfere beyond that.¡± Wei Hongye remained composed. As for whether he knew that the nuclear motor¡¯s location was under surveillance by the Black Crow team, or that he had sold the information to multiple buyers¡ªonly he himself knew. Holding the powdered Luminous grass, he spoke again. ¡°Alright, come inside and rest. Then tell me everything you encountered and what this powder is.¡± He smiled, visibly more relaxed. ¡°Alright.¡± Qiu Yanxi nodded. ¡°Our time here is running out. We must leave for New Aurora City as soon as possible.¡± Wei Hongye stated. ¡°What happened? Another incident?¡± Qiu Yanxi frowned. ¡°Yes. The defense lines keep falling back, the red zone contamination levels are rising, and Shadow entities are appearing more frequently. Even previously low-threat creatures and Shadows are becoming increasingly difficult to handle. The Luminous Ore deposits are also shrinking. This place won¡¯t be safe much longer.¡± Wei Hongye sighed. ¡°¡­Even Aurora City and Silver Tower are struggling?¡± Qiu Yanxi¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Silver Tower¡¯s wireless communications have been down for half a month¡­ The situation is likely dire.¡± Wei Hongye exhaled heavily. ¡°The rising red zone contamination has triggered unpredictable and dangerous environmental changes. The Aurora City Council, in agreement with the United Army leadership, has signed a new treaty. From now on, all Black Disaster ranked Level 4 or above will be dealt with through isolation and containment¡ªno longer through combat and rescue missions.¡± ¡°How could this be!?¡± Both Qiu Yanxi and Wei Shanshan were stunned. ¡°That¡¯s why I was so desperate to bring you back. This might be the last retrieval mission. From now on, there won¡¯t be any more rescue operations from the United Army. Those left outside¡­ will have to fend for themselves.¡± Wei Hongye sighed. .bg-container-10448869e4d{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } .bg-ssp-10448{margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;display:flex;justify-content:center;} .bg-container-10448f61e68{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } .bg-container-10448222eb6{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } He lifted his gaze toward the dark and eerie night sky. ¡°We have one month to leave. According to reliable intel, a wave of high-risk Black Calamities from the frontline breach will arrive in a month and a half. Aside from the troublesome Whisperers, the Many-Eyed Birds, and the Withering Maidens, this wave also includes a Level 6 threat¡ªthe Intermittent Man.¡± He closed his eyes, and for the first time, a flicker of fear crossed his face. ¡°With the current conditions in Baihe City, if it encounters this wave¡­ the city will be wiped out. We must leave before word spreads.¡± (End of Chapter) Chapter 113: Prevention (1) Yu Hong took some anti-inflammatory medicine and headed to the post office. It was not yet ten in the morning when he saw Old Li standing by the stone house, talking quietly with Zhou Xueguang. This made his brows furrow slightly. ¡°Old Li,¡± he called softly. Li Runshan looked up and waved at him. ¡°You came at the right time. I just took Old Zhou to pick out a burrow. Now we¡¯re talking about the troubles at the front lines. Since you¡¯re here, let¡¯s all listen together.¡± His expression was more serious than usual, lacking his usual playful demeanor. ¡°What about the Multi-eyed bird? Why are you standing outside?¡± Yu Hong walked over and entered the courtyard. ¡°The Multi-eyed bird¡¯s attacks usually last for one to three waves. If it keeps failing, it will quickly switch targets. Based on what Old Li told me about the previous attack patterns, the Multi-eyed bird likely won¡¯t be coming back here,¡± Zhou Xueguang said. After a night of rest, he seemed much better, and his wounds had been well treated, covered in white bandages. ¡°Then why do you both look so grim?¡± Yu Hong frowned. ¡°In the Black Disaster, the real danger isn¡¯t the Blood Tide creatures but the Shadow entities. Whether it¡¯s ordinary Shadows or various Evil Shadows, they¡¯re like assassins¡ªimpossible to guard against,¡± Zhou Xueguang sighed. ¡°We¡¯re talking about the front lines. That¡¯s where the greatest dangers are. Old Zhou is sharing his experiences so we can think of more ways to prepare,¡± Li Runshan explained. ¡°Sigh.¡± Zhou Xueguang sighed again. ¡°The biggest trouble with the Multi-eyed bird isn¡¯t its strength. The real reason it¡¯s classified as Level Four is its reproduction rate.¡± ¡°Reproduction? You don¡¯t mean what I think you mean, do you?¡± Li Runshan¡¯s expression froze, looking uneasy. ¡°It¡¯s exactly what you think. In fact, the Multi-eyed birds that made it past the front lines were just two originally. All the others were bred in the time since,¡± Zhou Xueguang said helplessly. Yu Hong¡¯s expression stiffened. He had personally repelled many Multi-eyed bird attacks and knew how troublesome they were. ¡°But right now, the biggest threat isn¡¯t them. It¡¯s the high-risk Black Disasters from the front lines!¡± Zhou Xueguang stated. ¡°Come inside,¡± Li Runshan said, picking up a wooden bucket of collected rainwater and heading into the stone house. Though the house was in poor condition, with issues everywhere, at least the roof was intact, providing shelter from the sun and rain. The three entered the living room and sat around together. ¡°What high-risk Black Disasters from the front lines might come here? Old Zhou, don¡¯t scare us. Are you sure high-risk ones will show up?¡± Li Runshan asked anxiously. He still had a sick daughter to care for, and the thought made his heart sink. ¡°High-risk Black Disasters usually don¡¯t appear together. They seem to compete with each other for hunting grounds. In our direction, the two most dangerous ones are the Withered Black Maiden and the Intermittent Man,¡± Zhou Xueguang said in a low voice. ¡°The Withered Black Maiden is war-class. If you encounter her, you¡¯re almost certainly dead¡ªthere¡¯s no way to fight back. The Intermittent Man is a system of Evil Shadows with over ten variants. They attack and kill at lightning speed, just as hard to guard against as the Whisperer. The worst part is, if you let your guard down even a little, you¡¯ll disappear.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard of the Withered Black Maiden¡­ but an upgraded version of the Withered Maiden? I¡¯ve never seen the Intermittent Man. Tell me how to deal with them,¡± Yu Hong asked seriously. ¡°The method is simple¡ªthe Luminous Stone Chambers work. They can hide a person¡¯s presence. The Intermittent Man can¡¯t be repelled or physically interacted with, just like the Whispering Men. The only time you can truly make contact with them is in the moment they strike. To temporarily escape or defend against them, you need a high concentration of Luminous Stone Solution¡ªat least at the Luminous Stone Core level. And you need at least a full liter at once. If the concentration is diluted even slightly, it won¡¯t work,¡± Zhou Xueguang sighed. ¡°The Intermittent Man is the most common and most dangerous Black Disaster on the front lines. It kills the most people because it¡¯s impossible to guard against. The Whispering Men still need time to build up, but the Intermittent Man doesn¡¯t.¡± ¡°High-concentration Luminous Stone Core Solution¡­¡± Yu Hong¡¯s face darkened. He didn¡¯t have Luminous Stone Core, only Great Luminous Stones. Based on the description, dealing with the Intermittent Man might require a Silver Rune Array. ¡°From the time I left the front lines, I estimate we have just over a month before a large-scale Black Disaster reaches this area. You two should start stockpiling¡ªfood, water, everything. The outside world is about to become several levels more dangerous,¡± Zhou Xueguang warned. ¡°Damn! How the hell are normal people supposed to survive this?!¡± Li Runshan¡¯s face darkened, and he slammed his fist onto his thigh. ¡°The environment should have worsened long ago. The only reason it hasn¡¯t is because the front lines have been holding back the most dangerous Black Disasters. But now¡­ they just can¡¯t hold them back anymore,¡± Zhou Xueguang said quietly. ¡°You said¡­ just over a month?!¡± Yu Hong¡¯s face turned even grimmer. The current dangers were already troublesome enough. If things got even worse¡­ he might not even dare to leave his home. As for other survivors, without Sunlight Materials for hiding, they¡¯d be dead the moment they stepped outside. ¡°This is just my estimate. Black Disasters don¡¯t move fast, but their direction is stable and predictable. They also don¡¯t overlap¡ªonly one high-risk Black Disaster will appear in a given area at a time. On the front lines, we often use this to our advantage, deliberately luring in the lesser-known but easier-to-handle Black Disasters to drive away the more dangerous ones,¡± Zhou Xueguang explained. ¡°So, in our area, the most likely threats are the Withered Black Maiden and the Intermittent Man?¡± Yu Hong confirmed. ¡°Yes. Our front-line defense mainly dealt with those types. Other creatures, like insects, are minor threats. As for the Blood Tide, the most dangerous ones are the Elephant Beetles, Eagle Bugs, and Phantom Jellyfish, but they can be temporarily repelled with laser sweeps and large-scale bombardments,¡± Zhou Xueguang nodded. Yu Hong and Li Runshan exchanged worried glances. ¡°If Old Zhou¡¯s information is accurate, then we¡¯ll have to drastically reduce how often we go outside from now on.¡± Li Runshan¡¯s expression was grim. ¡°I asked him how the front lines handle this situation. He said the best approach is to minimize outdoor activity. If you must go outside, the only option is to use underground Sunlight Passageways. But even those aren¡¯t completely safe. There are many types of Sunlight Materials, each designed to counter specific dangers. While they can prevent most threats from detecting us, there are still a few that can break through and launch surprise attacks.¡± ¡°So, at the front lines, the biggest issue is actually food supply,¡± Zhou Xueguang nodded. ¡°Every supply run costs lives. Rather than saying our fortresses are resisting the Black Disasters, it would be more accurate to say we are using ourselves as bait¡ªdrawing the Black Disasters toward us so they don¡¯t break through to attack the rear.¡± ¡°What about Silver Tower? What about Aurora City?¡± Yu Hong couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°Is there really no solution? Not even nuclear weapons?¡± ¡°Silver Tower has lost contact.¡± Zhou Xueguang looked even more dejected. ¡°If that weren¡¯t the case, we wouldn¡¯t have lost all hope and fled the front lines. Without Silver Tower¡¯s intelligence reports and Sunlight Materials, staying there would just be waiting for death. But even if we still had their support, humanity¡¯s current arsenal can¡¯t kill a single Black Disaster¡ªwe can only repel them, over and over again.¡± ¡°If the front lines can¡¯t handle them, then what¡¯s the point of fleeing inland? Just to delay death a little longer?¡± Li Runshan asked bitterly. ¡°No!¡± Zhou Xueguang suddenly looked serious. ¡°It¡¯s true that we can¡¯t fight Black Disasters¡ªbut we can isolate them! As long as the distance is great enough and we give them enough space to remain undisturbed, they will stay in place indefinitely! That¡¯s why the government abandoned the old cities and built the new Hope Cities!¡± Yu Hong and Li Runshan fell silent, absorbing the weight of Zhou Xueguang¡¯s words. After a while, Yu Hong forced a bitter smile. ¡°Now I¡¯m really glad I ran into you on my way back. The information you brought came just in time. If the danger had arrived before we prepared¡­ it would¡¯ve been too late.¡± ¡°I tried contacting the higher-ups, but they haven¡¯t responded. Now it seems it¡¯s not that they don¡¯t have information¡ªthey¡¯re just keeping quiet to prevent panic,¡± Li Runshan said darkly. For a moment, the three men said nothing. Outside, even the United Army had collapsed. The United Nations¡¯ top research institution, Silver Tower, had gone dark. Humanity¡¯s ability to fight the Black Disasters seemed nonexistent. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Did humanity still have any hope? Minutes passed in heavy silence. Finally, Yu Hong exhaled and broke the quiet. ¡°If,¡± he said, ¡°and I mean if¡ªwe stop relying on supply teams and survive on our own, Old Li, can your farm sustain us?¡± ¡°No problem. I can supply basic food for seven or eight people at full capacity,¡± Li Runshan replied. ¡°But you have to consider¡ªif things get more dangerous out there, what about wild vegetables? Without trace minerals and dietary fiber, we¡¯ll still be doomed.¡± ¡°We have to find a way to move safely outside. I remember someone had a sealed chamber made of Sunlight Materials, right?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°You mean Jenny?¡± Li Runshan reacted immediately. They had talked about this before, but Jenny¡¯s chamber mainly relied on surface coatings of Sunlight Material, making it difficult to relocate. ¡°Also, the daylight hours are getting shorter and shorter. If¡ªjust if¡ªdaylight shrinks even more and wild plants stop growing, what do we do? Survive solely on mushrooms?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°Silver Tower anticipated this possibility and developed Night Grass Mushrooms to counter it. But I don¡¯t have any spores,¡± Li Runshan admitted. ¡°Where can we find them?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°There¡¯s a mushroom research institute in Yuanfeng City. They might have some.¡± Li Runshan hesitated. ¡°I¡¯ll go check it out.¡± Yu Hong had brought back Zhou Xueguang and his critical intel. Now, it was time for him to contribute. If the supply teams really stopped coming, he would still have to feed three people. And when it came to Great Luminous Stones, he¡¯d need Yu Hong¡¯s help. ¡°What about Aisena?¡± ¡°She has her two sisters taking care of her. No problem,¡± Old Li said confidently. He clearly trusted the two beautiful women. ¡°As long as you know what you¡¯re doing,¡± Yu Hong replied, not pressing further. ¡°I encountered the Intermittent Man and the Withered Black Maiden many times at the front lines. I¡¯ll write down what to watch out for,¡± Zhou Xueguang said. He was still injured but didn¡¯t want to waste time. ¡°I¡¯ll lend you my car. Just make sure to reinstall the solar panels when you¡¯re done,¡± Yu Hong said, tossing the keys to Li Runshan. A solar-powered car would save him a lot of time on the trip. ¡°Great! That makes things so much easier!¡± Li Runshan was overjoyed. ¡°Take care of Nana for me. My farm is in good hands¡ªmy two girlfriends are managing it, and I already taught them everything.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± Yu Hong nodded. ¡°I need to install the nuclear generator. With it, even if there¡¯s no sunlight, we¡¯ll still have power.¡± ¡°If we run out of electricity, we¡¯ll come to you for a charge!¡± Li Runshan laughed. He hadn¡¯t expected Yu Hong¡¯s trip to bring back a fully functional nuclear generator. (End of Chapter) Chapter 114: Prevention (2) ¡°By the way, Yu Hong, I heard from old Zhou that you ran into Du Chengtao on your way back?¡± Li Runshan asked. He had listened to Zhou Xueguang¡¯s account of being rescued but still found it hard to believe. After all, he knew exactly what Yu Hong was capable of¡ªhe was the one who sold him the basic leg techniques. Yu Hong being able to handle ordinary experts, especially with firearms and equipment, made sense. But taking down Du Chengtao directly? That seemed a bit too much. He knew firsthand how difficult Du Chengtao was to deal with. Yu Hong had dealt with many enemies before, but he had always relied on weapons and equipment. Du Chengtao, however, was a different kind of monster. As a fully enhanced individual, Du Chengtao could tear through standard bulletproof gear with ease. Unless Yu Hong had high-end custom armor¡ªlike the Blue Whale Suit¡ªthere was no way he could stand a chance against him. And even with that armor, it would only be useful for escaping. Facing a monster capable of exerting one or two tons of force with a single punch¡ªone strong enough to smash through walls¡ªhe seriously doubted Yu Hong¡¯s equipment could withstand such an attack. ¡°I was just lucky,¡± Yu Hong sighed. ¡°Du Chengtao underestimated me because I wasn¡¯t as big as him. I managed to catch him off guard with a specialized weapon. Plus, when I encountered him, he wasn¡¯t wearing any gear or carrying any weapons¡ªhe was completely unarmed.¡± Li Runshan immediately understood. ¡°That explains it.¡± Without equipment, even a fully enhanced individual was still just flesh and blood. They were stronger than ordinary people, but that didn¡¯t mean they could withstand bullets and explosives unprotected. Only when equipped with high-end gear and weaponry did they become war machines, unstoppable killing machines. Even the strongest enhanced individual would drop with a well-placed bullet if they weren¡¯t properly equipped. ¡°Let¡¯s not dwell on this. old Zhou¡¯s intel came just in time. We need to work together and prepare as quickly as possible,¡± Li Runshan said. The three quickly reached a consensus. The looming danger forced them to set aside any doubts and focus entirely on securing their survival. After finalizing their plans, Zhou Xueguang decided to stay in the underground shelter beneath the post office to recover from his injuries while also documenting key defensive measures. Yu Hong, meanwhile, swiftly returned to his safehouse. By the time he got back, new patches of luminous stone grass had already grown in the courtyard outside the cave. Seeing the fresh growth, he felt a faint sense of security. Upon entering his home, Yu Hong quickly grabbed the solar panels, set them up by his vehicle, and then returned to his safehouse to start digging a third underground chamber. He planned to spend the next month digging this new chamber, which would serve as an emergency backup room specifically for storing the nuclear generator and water system. Time passed quickly as he alternated between digging and training. In the blink of an eye, more than two days had passed. By now, Li Runshan had already set off for Yuanfeng City, a location even farther than Baihe City¡ªabout three hundred kilometers away. Without Yu Hong¡¯s solar-powered vehicle, the journey would have taken at least half a month. With the vehicle, however, he could make the trip in just two days¡ªassuming no unexpected incidents occurred. Boom. Boom. Boom. Inside the wooden house in the courtyard, Yu Hong crushed large chunks of luminous stone and ground them into powder using a metal drum. This would serve as material for the enhanced luminous stone ink he planned to use later. As he worked, he occasionally heard the distant cries of multi-eyed birds. Fortunately, these creatures had become increasingly rare. Even when they did call out, their voices grew fainter each time. In the past, he might have been relieved, thinking it meant the area had become safer. But after learning about the patterns of the Black disaster from Zhou Xueguang, he now understood what this truly signified: Level-4 multi-eyed birds were retreating to avoid an even greater, more dangerous Black disaster. An even bigger threat was approaching. ¡®At least today¡¯s food enhancement is almost complete,¡¯ Yu Hong thought. After grinding a bit more luminous stone powder, he checked the time, then stopped his work and picked up a bag of the powdered material. He quickly crossed the grassy area and returned to the cave entrance. Using a key, he unlocked the door, placed the bag inside, then shut the door behind him. Without delay, he rushed into the underground chamber. Inside, the piles of food cans and supplies from before had completely disappeared. In their place were three neatly packed white cardboard boxes. Black lettering was printed on the exterior of the boxes: Emergency Nutrition Paste. Curious, Yu Hong walked up to one of the boxes and used his fingernail to slice through the clear tape sealing it shut. He lifted the lid. Inside, neatly arranged green plastic packets held some kind of paste-like substance. Each packet was about the length of a palm and roughly as thick as two fingers placed together. Tiny printed text covered the green surface. Standard Balanced Nutrition Paste: ¡°For adults over 18. One packet per day provides all necessary micronutrients and sufficient daily caloric intake for basic activities.¡± Warning: ¡°Consume within the expiration date. Nutrition paste is not a substitute for fresh food. Long-term consumption may lead to appetite suppression.¡± Shelf Life: ¡°1095 days. Storage conditions: Keep in a cool, dry place away from light.¡± ¡°Not bad!¡± Yu Hong grinned as he examined the labels. Each box contained one hundred packets, meaning he now had three hundred packets in total. That was three hundred days¡¯ worth of food¡ªnearly ten months if it was just for him alone. ¡®Considering my increased appetite due to training, even if I eat double portions, this will last me five months! And the best part is, it contains all the essential nutrients I need. Even without mushrooms or wild vegetables, I should be fine.¡¯ After opening and checking the other two boxes, he confirmed that all the nutrition paste was identical. Each packet even contained a small amount of water, and the airtight packaging ensured long-term preservation. Satisfied with his food supply, Yu Hong carefully moved the boxes into the corner. Then, he carried the nuclear generator to the newly dug third underground chamber. This third chamber was located directly behind the first and second underground rooms, running parallel to them and connected via passageways. Thanks to his greatly increased strength and endurance, Yu Hong had managed to carve out a 3¡Á3¡Á3 cubic space in just two days. This small space was just right for storing the nuclear generator and water supply system. Soon, after moving everything into place, Yu Hong exhaled, stood in front of the third underground chamber¡¯s entrance, and pressed his hand against the wall. ¡°Enhance safehouse: integrate nuclear generator, water supply system, improve piping, and reinforce the walls.¡± He quickly stated his requirements. This was essentially the same as when he had installed the fireplace¡ªsimply using the Black Mark to integrate the nuclear generator and water supply system into the safehouse. A black line shot out from the Black Mark, and soon a prompt appeared. ¡°Enhance safehouse?¡± S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A countdown timer appeared on the wall in front of Yu Hong: 26 days, 15 hours, 07 minutes. ¡°26 days, huh?¡± Yu Hong sighed in relief. What he feared most was that the process would take too long, leaving him unprepared when an even greater Black disaster arrived. That would be a nightmare. Now that he had enough time, he confirmed without hesitation: ¡°Yes!¡± The countdown flickered and began ticking down. Yu Hong stood up, filled with anticipation. After this, he would have at least twenty years of stable energy and a reliable water supply. At that point, he could even set up a subterranean farm. No matter how dangerous things got outside, he could survive entirely within his safehouse, self-sufficient and free from all the chaotic threats. The luminous stone chamber would ensure that he remained hidden from most Black disasters, allowing him to completely disappear from their sight. * * * Baihe City. Third Underground Passage in the Suburbs. In the dimly lit, wide passage, a squad of heavily armed United Army soldiers, equipped with firearms and sigil plates, carefully advanced deeper into the tunnel. They carried powerful, dazzling searchlights, illuminating the path ahead. ¡°Linzi, how much farther?¡± the man leading the group asked in a low voice. ¡°We¡¯re still 220 meters from today¡¯s patrol checkpoint,¡± the soldier behind him quickly responded. ¡°Not bad, almost done. After this patrol, I¡¯m buying everyone a drink at the Rat Bar,¡± the squad leader sighed in relief, a faint smile appearing on his face inside his helmet. ¡°Thanks, Captain!¡± ¡°Long live the Captain!¡± The six-man team immediately perked up. In these times, alcohol was incredibly expensive, and their salaries weren¡¯t enough to casually afford a drink. But just as the group was enjoying the moment, the soldier at the very back of the formation remained silent. Sweat drenched his chubby face under his helmet, and his hair stuck to his forehead in damp strands. ¡°Old An, why are you so quiet? The Captain rarely treats us to drinks. If he weren¡¯t about to get a promotion and a pay raise, we wouldn¡¯t be getting this chance!¡± A female soldier with a red ponytail whispered beside him. ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± The chubby soldier, Old An, smiled weakly and looked up. His face inside the helmet carried an inexplicable blankness. ¡°Old An? What¡¯s wrong?¡± The red-haired soldier asked with concern. ¡°What¡­ did you just say?¡± Old An suddenly responded with an unrelated question. ¡°I asked what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± the female soldier repeated. ¡°I¡­¡± Old An lowered his head. ¡°I just¡­ want¡­ freedom!!¡± Beep. Beep. Beep. Suddenly, a sharp electronic beeping sound came from his body. The soldiers around him immediately realized something was wrong. Their faces changed, and they instinctively tried to scatter. But it was too late. Boom!!! In an instant, Old An¡¯s entire body was torn apart by a massive explosion of orange-yellow flames. The fire expanded rapidly, unleashing a shockwave that filled every corner of the tunnel. The entire United Army patrol squad, who had just been exploring moments ago, was completely consumed and vanished. ¡°What? Another case of sudden auditory hallucinations, mind corruption, and then self-detonation!?¡± In the United Army Command Center of Baihe City, located directly beneath the central district¡¯s underground defense shelter, a white-haired man, forehead covered in sweat, was gasping as he answered the phone. He wore a dark purple military officer¡¯s uniform, with two military insignias embroidered on his shoulders. The insignias featured a silver sunbird in a simple sketch style, surrounded by a fine star-dust patterned ribbon. Such insignias signified a major general rank¡ªonly the highest military commander in charge of an entire prefecture-level city¡¯s Hope Fortress was permitted to wear them. The man currently answering the call in this underground office, his face tense with anxiety, was Baihe City¡¯s highest-ranking United Army officer¡ªChen Xingzhao. ¡°Three patrol squads have been wiped out in just two days due to mind corruption. Have all the bodies been isolated? Did you ensure absolute silence from a distance? The Whispering Specter¡¯s principle is simple¡ªonce understood, it¡¯s actually easy to defend against. How did you let it get this bad?!¡± Chen Xingzhao was furious. The Whisperer, as long as it didn¡¯t infect people and was properly quarantined, wasn¡¯t actually that dangerous. That was why, despite the high death toll it caused, it was still only classified as a Level-4 threat. ¡°Sir, now is not the time to investigate how the Whisperer spread. We need to act immediately to prevent further outbreaks!¡± A middle-aged woman¡¯s voice came firmly from the other end of the line. ¡°Broadcast the emergency notice repeatedly. Deploy the Silence Operatives to start screening the area. The Lightlock model trackers from Aurora City should be able to detect the Whisperer¡¯s subtle fluctuations at close range,¡± Chen Xingzhao ordered through gritted teeth. ¡°Understood! But what about the areas where attacks have already occurred?¡± the middle-aged woman asked. ¡°Deploy the Enhanced Units. Move in as fast as possible and launch sound-absorbing foam. Completely seal off the affected zones,¡± Chen Xingzhao commanded. (End of Chapter) Chapter 115: Intermittent (1) Puff. Puff. Puff. Barrel after barrel of rocks was carried out of the cave by Yu Hong and dumped into the courtyard. Then, carrying his stone-cutting tools, he returned to the cave to continue excavating a new chamber. This time, his fourth chamber was not being dug downward but extending into the mountain. This fourth chamber was meant to serve as a relaxation and entertainment space. For a long time, he had been placing his bed in the frontmost entrance room, which significantly affected his rest. So, he planned to create a separate rest and entertainment room, which could also store some of his most valuable belongings. If the entrance was ever compromised, this additional depth would provide a secondary line of defense. From 7 AM to noon, five full hours, he dedicated himself entirely to excavation. After lunch, he took a one-hour nap before getting up to train. His foundational survival leg technique, which had incorporated the Vortex Rune and Heavy Leg Technique, now greatly accelerated his internal energy cultivation. Based on the enhancement provided by the Black Mark, this technique should have the ability to resist the Ghostly Shadows. This made Yu Hong quite curious¡ªjust how would this technique counter the Ghostly Shadows? After three hours of training, he went out to the post office and finally retrieved the breeding boxes that Old Li had prepared for him. Along with them were fungus packs. He needed to start by cultivating mushroom bull¡¯s-leg fungi. Once he had enough, he could begin breeding cockroaches, and ultimately, he would use lizard hatchlings¡ªfeeding them with cockroaches to produce dried lizard meat. ¡°How do I start the cultivation?¡± By the communicator, Yu Hong carefully poured teams of decomposed soil into the breeding boxes, leveling it out, before picking up the fungus packs to check the manual left by Old Li. The instructions were detailed: ¡°First, sterilize the soil to ensure that only the fungal spores remain.¡± After some thought, he decided to pour out all the decomposed soil and boil it in a large pot with a bit of water. However, very quickly, the pot bottom started to burn¡ªsome unknown substances in the soil had charred. Hurriedly, he removed the soil, only to find that the bottom of the pot was nearly burnt through. If not for the Black Mark¡¯s ability to repair things, this one sterilization attempt would have cost him an entire afternoon. Eventually, he came up with a new method¡ªsteam sterilization. Separating the soil into small portions, he sterilized them bit by bit. By evening, he had finally finished preparing the soil, placing the fungus packs inside, spraying water, and covering it with a plastic sheet to maintain warmth. Now, it was a waiting game. ¡°Hopefully, this works.¡± After setting up the breeding boxes in the basement, he resumed his evening training. This routine continued for three days. Gradually, he watched as tiny white mushroom heads emerged from the black soil inside the breeding boxes. This finally put his anxious mind at ease. On the fourth morning, he headed to the post office to check on things. Knock, knock, knock. A series of crisp knocks rang out, and the stone house door quickly opened. The two women inside, who had already been informed via communicator of his visit, had been waiting. Aisena was also present, wrapped in a Luminous stone blanket, looking like she had just woken up. ¡°Uncle Yu!¡± Seeing Yu Hong, she immediately greeted him cheerfully. ¡°Nana, everything alright these past few days? Before your father returns, I¡¯ll look after you. Let me know if anything happens,¡± Yu Hong said as he entered, gently pinching her cheek. ¡°Mm, nothing happened,¡± Aisena shook her head, looking obedient and well-behaved. ¡°Mr. Yu, Nana is fine, but when we went out to fetch water yesterday, we found a corpse¡ªa body lying by the water,¡± one of Old Li¡¯s two women spoke. She had two braids, no makeup, and a naturally delicate appearance, looking no older than her early twenties. ¡°A corpse?¡± Yu Hong raised an eyebrow. ¡°A fresh one?¡± ¡°No, no, it¡¯s been dead for a long time,¡± the woman shook her head. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Yu Hong observed the woman¡ªher build was slightly petite, but her eyes were sharp and intelligent, unlike her companion, who seemed more like a typical beauty without much depth. ¡°Lin Haini,¡± she answered quickly. ¡°Right now, the wilderness is constantly covered with black tide. There shouldn¡¯t be any corpses left intact. So when I saw it, I found it strange.¡± ¡°Where did you find it?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°Near Baiqiu Village. Brother Shan dug a small pond there to collect rainwater,¡± the other woman interjected, seemingly unwilling to be ignored. ¡°Mr. Yu, my name is Song Wei. I also saw the corpse. I can take you there.¡± Lin Haini glanced at her but remained silent, seemingly letting her take the lead. ¡°Alright, there¡¯s still time. Lead the way,¡± Yu Hong said, indifferent to who guided him. His goal was simply to see the body. If a corpse remained intact despite the swarms of black bugs, it must be hiding some kind of secret. Without delay, Song Wei grabbed an array board and, following a familiar route, led Yu Hong out of the stone house toward their usual water collection site. Before long, they passed the stone house and arrived at a shadowy rock face. This rock face was hidden behind shrubs and shielded by several large trees. At the base of the rock, a duckbill-shaped pond had been dug, with floating leaves scattered across its surface. The pond was filled with clear water, and on a patch of grass beside it lay a withered black corpse, face down, silent and still. The corpse wore a gray-black, multi-pocketed loose jacket, a wide-brimmed sun hat, and one outstretched hand clutched something tightly, as if it had been crawling forward in desperation to reach the water. ¡°When you fetched water before, was this body here?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°No, it must have appeared recently,¡± Song Wei quickly answered, feeling somewhat fearful of the burly man beside her. Yu Hong nodded and moved closer, pulling out a red-value detector. To his surprise, even when he was just a meter away from the corpse, the detector showed a stable reading of the environmental red value¡ªtwenty-something, with no fluctuations at all. Drawing out his spiked wolf club, he carefully flipped the corpse over. Puff. The body landed face-up. Its dark, hollow eye sockets were devoid of eyeballs, as if they had been dug out. It looked like the shriveled corpse of an old man, but from the size of its shoes, it was clear that this was no elderly person. After all, an old man wouldn¡¯t deliberately wear shoes far larger than his feet, especially in such a dangerous environment. Soon, Yu Hong noticed that the corpse¡¯s tightly clenched hand seemed to be holding something. Crouching down, he carefully pried open the stiff fingers one by one and extracted a crumpled, yellowed paper. Unfolding it, he found hurried, scribbled lines of writing: ¡°Dear Vasana, if you see this letter, I am no longer in this world¡­ The family¡¯s downfall was never my intention. That gamble¡ªhad I won, we would have risen to great heights. But since I lost, this is the price we pay¡­¡± Yu Hong frowned and scanned the surroundings for danger before continuing to read. ¡°Follow the map I left in the safe. Return to the place where our family first rose to power¡­ All of our secrets lie buried there.¡± ¡°What is this? A fallen noble on an adventure, searching for treasure?¡± Yu Hong finished reading the letter, then flipped it over and examined it again carefully. Aside from a name at the very bottom of the letter, there was nothing else of note. ¡°Lurs Mesa.¡± He read the name aloud. It was clearly not an Eastern River name¡ªmore like something from the Flica region. Yu Hong thought for a moment, then quickly searched the corpse¡¯s pockets. All he found were a few miscellaneous items¡ªa flashlight, a magnesium rod, a simple water filtration straw, and a hiking backpack stuffed with food wrappers. Other than that, this guy had nothing. Not even a single silver coin. A complete pauper. Yu Hong stood up, his brows furrowed. ¡°Let¡¯s go back first. We¡¯ll talk later.¡± He ordered. The surrounding fog was growing thicker. Staying outside too long could be dangerous. ¡°Okay!¡± Song Wei nodded quickly. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The two of them hurried back to the post office, arriving just as Old Zhou was moving supplies. Zhou Xueguang was transporting goods from the post office to the underground safe house where Jenny and her daughter lived. Carrying a large sack on his back, he nodded at Yu Hong before preparing to leave. ¡°Old Zhou, I just happen to have something to ask you.¡± Yu Hong stepped forward and called out. ¡°Why don¡¯t you come in and sit for a bit?¡± Old Zhou hesitated for a few seconds before speaking. ¡°Alright.¡± They entered the post office and sat down. Song Wei and Lin Haini, knowing what to do, took Nana to hide underground. Only Yu Hong and Zhou Xueguang remained, sitting across from each other. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Zhou Xueguang exhaled wearily. ¡°I found an unusual corpse. Have you seen anything like it on the frontlines?¡± Yu Hong described the blackened mummified body and handed the letter over. ¡°I¡¯m just a low-ranking officer. I know a lot about frontline intelligence and common knowledge, but I don¡¯t know much about the Flica region.¡± Zhou Xueguang shook his head. He lightly shook the letter in his hand. ¡°This is strange. In a place this dangerous, how did a Flica native manage to cross the sea, reach Eastern River, and end up near us?¡± ¡°Could he have been like you, a soldier discharged from the frontlines?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°Eastern River doesn¡¯t recruit mercenaries. The United Army might have some exchange officers, but why would he come all the way here?¡± Zhou Xueguang frowned. ¡°According to the letter, their family¡¯s great secret is hidden here.¡± Yu Hong said. ¡°Not necessarily. Maybe he died on the way before reaching his actual destination.¡± Zhou Xueguang countered. ¡°That makes sense.¡± Yu Hong nodded. ¡°Honestly, besides an old luminous stone mine, there isn¡¯t much of value around here.¡± Even so, Yu Hong couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that there was something unusual about the corpse. ¡°Let¡¯s not worry about anything else for now. While the multi-eyed birds are avoiding this area, we need to finish all our preparations quickly.¡± Zhou Xueguang reminded him. ¡°Got it.¡± Yu Hong nodded firmly. The mushrooms in the cultivation box were sprouting¡ªsoon, self-sufficiency would become a reality. When that time came, he could stay hidden at home, never going outside again. (End of chapter) Chapter 116.5: Announcement It have come to my notice that people have been taking my translation of this novel and uploading them in sites i am not affiliated with , so here what imma do from now on the novel schedule will change to 3ch/week (mon,wed,fri) from 5ch/week, there will be no bonus chapters anymore for this novel and for those who want to read ahead they can do so on ko-fi where imma soon gonna start a monthly membership thing where u can read upto 12 chapters ahead. Sorry to everyone who love and enjoy this series ???? sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Kofi :- http://ko-fi.com/ilikeramen/tiers The membership will be available by tomorrow i think lol Chapter 116: Intermittent (2) n the blink of an eye, two weeks¡ªfourteen days¡ªhad passed. At Baihe City Port, cargo ships slowly departed, heading toward the vast ocean. These ships were fully loaded with supplies and carried waves of migrants seeking refuge elsewhere. The population of Baihe City was rapidly dwindling as people left in large numbers. Everyone was trying to reach New Aurora City, a place far safer and more resource-abundant than here. To cover the city¡¯s evacuation, elite enhanced soldiers from the United Army were deployed. They assisted regular military squads in handling nearby threats. Outside the city¡ªa deserted industrial park. A fully armed squad, equipped with firearms, blades, and riot shields, stood silently at the entrance, checking their gear. ¡°This mission was assigned from above. Every enhanced squad has to participate¡ªwe can¡¯t opt out,¡± said Squad Leader Xue Ningning helplessly. Every squad had been given an area to cover. Even with her connections, she couldn¡¯t avoid this mission¡ªit was a direct order from the highest command. ¡°Ning Team has already done her best for us. This time, there¡¯s no way around it. I heard over a dozen regular squads have already gone missing. The Whisperer is spreading, and it¡¯s getting harder to contain them,¡± a middle-aged male team member sighed. ¡°We¡¯re just buying time for the main force to retreat,¡± another sneered. ¡°We¡¯re nothing but slightly more valuable pawns.¡± ¡°No one¡¯s forcing you to stay,¡± someone responded. ¡°I never wanted to stay! Look at this squad¡ªwhat a joke. Ning Team, I told you before, stop being soft-hearted and bringing in useless people. Now look¡ªthis mission lands on us, and we barely have enough capable hands. What are we supposed to do?¡± A buzz-cut young man with a strong build spoke irritably. ¡°Tang Xing, you five come with me inside. The rest, stay outside,¡± Xue Ningning ordered, exasperated. With the risk of encountering Whisperers, she couldn¡¯t afford any weak links. One wrong move, and the entire team could be wiped out. The five she named looked dissatisfied but had no choice¡ªthey understood how dangerous Whisperers were. Among those left outside were Ou Li, Lin Yiyi, and Chen Qiaosheng. The three of them watched with different expressions as Xue Ningning led her team into the park. ¡°C-captain¡­ will it be dangerous?¡± Lin Yiyi asked worriedly. ¡°Do you even need to ask?¡± Ou Li said coldly. ¡°Stop asking stupid questions.¡± ¡°Ning Team has looked after us for so long¡­ Can¡¯t we do something?¡± Chen Qiaosheng sighed. ¡°She¡¯s giving you a chance to slack off, and you¡¯re still complaining?¡± Ou Li raised an eyebrow. Although true, Chen Qiaosheng and Lin Yiyi didn¡¯t look relieved or happy. ¡°Where¡¯s the Silent Squad? Shouldn¡¯t they be the ones dealing with Whisperer? We¡¯re just enhanced humans, but we¡¯re still basically regular people. We don¡¯t have the proper training for this,¡± Ou Li asked. No one responded. Truthfully, many shared the same thoughts. They waited in silence, listening for any movement from the industrial park. The fog thickened, making it impossible to see each other¡¯s faces from just four or five meters away. More than half an hour passed. Xue Ningning¡¯s team still hadn¡¯t returned. One of the team members, a girl with a ponytail, picked up her communicator and entered a code. This was their agreed-upon method for Whisperer-related emergencies. Tap tap tap¡ªshe sent the signal, but there was no response. The team¡¯s expressions shifted. Something was wrong. Bang. A sudden gunshot echoed from within the park. Before they could react, a bright red explosion erupted from one of the factory buildings inside. ¡°That¡¯s where Ning Team went!¡± Chen Qiaosheng whispered anxiously. Hiss¡­ The communicator crackled with sound. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ talk¡­ Someone¡­ come get us¡­¡± Xue Ningning¡¯s voice came through¡ªweak, exhausted, pained. She was in trouble. The six remaining team members hesitated. If they went in, they might face the same danger. They had joined the third squad to find an easy, safer job¡ªto avoid situations like this. But now¡­ The ponytailed girl clenched her teeth and slowly set the communicator on the ground, stepping back. No one picked it up. Bang! Bang! Bang! More gunshots rang out, followed by Xue Ningning¡¯s pained groan¡ªthen silence. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The connection was lost. The ponytailed girl glanced at the others, already thinking of an excuse to leave. ¡°Ou Li¡­ I washed your clothes¡­ for two months¡­ We¡¯re¡­ friends, right?¡± Lin Yiyi suddenly asked. ¡°I guess? What about it?¡± Ou Li muttered impatiently, also looking for an excuse to leave. ¡°If we¡¯re friends¡­ then follow me!¡± Smack. Lin Yiyi grabbed Ou Li¡¯s arm. Before Ou Li could react, Lin Yiyi dashed forward, snatching the communicator and dragging her unwilling friend through the park¡¯s iron gates. ¡°C-communicator¡­ I c-can¡¯t¡­ depend on you¡­¡± ¡°AAAAAHHHHHH!!¡± Lin Yiyi¡¯s quiet reminder and Ou Li¡¯s panicked screams echoed together as they disappeared into the thick fog of the industrial park. * * * Crash. A large bucket of stones was poured by Yu Hong onto the courtyard wall. He shook the dust off the bucket and wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve. Turning around, he looked at the large pile of Luminous Stones in the courtyard. Now, all of them had been ground into powder, waiting for the Black Mark reinforcement process before being converted into Great Luminous Stone powder. Knock knock. Just as he was about to go back inside, a light knocking sound came from beyond the wall. Yu Hong turned his head toward the sound. A set of car keys spun through the air, precisely clearing the wall and landing right in front of him. Picking up the keys, Yu Hong¡¯s expression relaxed slightly. ¡°You¡¯re back? Old Li.¡± Sure enough, outside the wall stood a familiar figure. Dressed in black-green camouflage, carrying all sorts of mismatched gear¡ªguns, shields, blades¡ªand even two cloth bags from a food store labeled Xu¡¯s Lobster, Li Runshan was still the same as always. Pulling up his goggles, he looked at Yu Hong with a grin. ¡°Mission accomplished! Got the spores, plus a full cultivation guide!¡± But his smile quickly faded, replaced by a solemn and icy expression. ¡°But there¡¯s bad news too. On my way back, I heard from survivors that all the regional cities nearby are evacuating. From now on, the entire East River region will focus on building a single new city¡ªNew Aurora. Everyone is migrating there.¡± ¡°Migration? New Aurora?¡± Yu Hong¡¯s first thought was of Lin Yiyi. ¡°Then what about Hope City and the other regional cities? They¡¯re just going to abandon them?¡± ¡°Daylight has shortened by another two hours. Now, more than half of the time is just darkness, and even during the day, the fog blocks the sun. There isn¡¯t enough light anymore, and solar energy is no longer usable.¡± Li Runshan explained. ¡°Plus, the frontlines have collapsed. High-threat Black Disaster creatures are flooding in¡­ Hope City will probably be abandoned too.¡± ¡°¡­Then what about supply teams?¡± Yu Hong fell silent for a moment before asking. ¡°There won¡¯t be any. If even Hope City is being given up, we¡¯re not even worth mentioning. But not everyone can be evacuated¡ªat least a third of the population will be left behind, left to survive on their own. We can make contact with those people in the future,¡± Li Runshan replied. After delivering the news, he turned and walked toward the post office. ¡°From now on¡­ we¡¯re on our own.¡± He waved without looking back, gradually disappearing into the thick fog. Yu Hong clenched the keys, watching him leave. Turning back, he entered his safe house, went down to the basement, and looked at the countdown on the wall: 9 days, 11 hours, 24 minutes. ¡°Almost¡­ there.¡± He let out a breath, filled with anticipation. Just as he was about to head to the first floor to warm up by the fire and rest¡ª A strange feeling flickered through his mind. His thoughts replayed Li Runshan¡¯s expression, tone, and gaze from earlier. Something about the whole interaction¡­ felt off. Standing up straight, Yu Hong slowly returned to the first floor, grabbed a chair, and sat down, replaying the moment in his head over and over. At the same time, he pulled out a reinforced red-value detector to measure the surrounding levels¡ªincluding his own. 0.124. The structure of the Luminous Stone-sealed safe house kept the red value close to zero. It was safe. ¡°¡­Was it just my imagination?¡± He frowned slightly. * * * In the Gray Fog Li Runshan carried the spore package into the courtyard and used his key to unlock the stone house¡¯s door. Despite the door having been broken down multiple times, his craftsmanship had allowed him to restore and repair it again. ¡°Hey, Nana, I¡¯m back,¡± he called out in a raised voice. Entering the house, he shut the wooden door behind him. Seeing the empty stone house, he knew they were all underground. He set down the spore package, removed his slightly cracked helmet, and turned toward the living room. That was where the entrance to the underground shelter was. But after only a few steps, his brow furrowed. His smile vanished. His footsteps slowed and lightened. Tap. He suddenly stopped and turned around. The stone house¡¯s corridor was empty, its grayish-white walls bare except for two colorful drawings by Aisena. Li Runshan carefully scanned the hallway, checking every inch and every corner. Nothing. But he trusted his instincts. Just now, he had felt it. Someone. Standing about five or six meters behind him. Watching him. A Whisperer? He carefully examined the charm plates on the walls¡ªdefensive Runes he had traded from Yu Hong. These Runes were evenly spread throughout the stone house¡¯s inner walls, covering most of the area. If a Whisperer had entered, they would have triggered the Runes. He checked every single one. No reaction. The Runes remained intact, still clinging to the walls. ¡°Shit.¡± Something was wrong. He pulled out his red-value detector and switched it on. The readings showed 11¡ªnormal. The Runes had counteracted some of the red radiation from the outside air. That reassured him a little. He switched the device off. But then¡ª In the reflection of the detector¡¯s smooth surface¡­ A figure. Standing not far behind him. A blurry, white silhouette. Neither male nor female, but faintly discernible. And smiling. A bright, gleeful smile. Smiling directly at Li Runshan. Laughing in the reflection of the detector. Whoosh. He whipped around. Nothing. But at that moment, he knew¡ªhe was in danger. I can¡¯t stay here. I can¡¯t drag Nana into this! His instincts screamed at him. Without hesitation, he grabbed his gear, threw open the door, and bolted out of the stone house, past the courtyard, and into the fog. Soon, he disappeared without a trace. (End of Chapter) Chapter 117: Intermittent (3) Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Urgent knocking pounded against the door. Yu Hong was in the basement, organizing supplies, when the relentless knocking on the safehouse door startled him. He quickly ascended to the ground floor and peered through the peephole after sliding back the wooden cover. Outside, Li Runshan stood at the door, knocking impatiently. Yu Hong approached but didn¡¯t open the door immediately. Instead, he knocked back lightly in a predetermined pattern¡ªa reminder. Without hesitation, Li Runshan adjusted his knocking to the agreed-upon 1-3-1 rhythm. It was their newly established identity verification code. Confirming it was correct, Yu Hong let out a breath of relief. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Old Li?¡± He checked the silver rune array behind the door¡ªno reaction. Reassured, he opened the door and let Li Runshan inside. ¡°I¡¯m in trouble!¡± Li Runshan rushed in, his face grim. Strangely, the moment the cave safehouse door shut behind him, the chilling, indescribable weight pressing on his back abruptly vanished¡ªlike shedding a heavy burden. Huff¡­ Huff¡­ Breathing heavily, Li Runshan wiped the sweat from his forehead. Running all the way from the post office stone house in a state of high alert had drenched him in sweat. ¡°Can I stay here for a while? I might have brought trouble with me. I don¡¯t want Nana to be affected.¡± ¡°You¡¯re worried about Nana but not about me?¡± Yu Hong was speechless. But seeing the pleading look in his friend¡¯s eyes, he relented. Their relationship was decent, after all. ¡°You can stay, but this place is still under renovation. You¡¯ll have to stay in the outer wooden cabin. Don¡¯t worry, I have special protective measures¡ªit¡¯s safe even though it¡¯s just a wooden hut.¡± ¡°The one in the yard?¡± Li Runshan nodded, understanding. ¡°Fine. Also, give me more rune array. I have a really bad feeling.¡± ¡°What exactly did you run into?¡± Yu Hong narrowed his eyes and picked up a reinforced red-value detector, pressing the power button as he brought it close to Li Runshan. Beep. Beep. The detector stabilized at 52.221. Seeing the number, Yu Hong¡¯s expression grew serious. ¡°Looks like something really has locked onto you.¡± Li Runshan was taken aback. He had just tested himself earlier¡ªhis readings had been normal. Why was Yu Hong¡¯s detector showing something completely different? He glanced at Yu Hong¡¯s device. It seemed different from his own. ¡°Drink some water first, then tell me everything in detail.¡± Yu Hong poured him a cup, and the two sat down. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I feel like¡­ something is following me. No matter what I do, I can¡¯t shake it off.¡± Even sitting inside the cave safehouse, Li Runshan kept glancing over his shoulder, as if something was still clinging to him. ¡°Following you? Whisperer? A Evil Shadow? Or a Blood Tide creature? When did this start?¡± Yu Hong asked quickly. ¡°When I was heading back just now. Actually, when I went to pick up the spore package, I felt something behind me when passing through the main hall. But I thought it was just my imagination and ignored it.¡± Li Runshan raked his fingers through his hair, clearly shaken. ¡°Usually, as long as I enter a rune-protected area, the feeling disappears. But this time, even inside my stone house, I still felt uneasy. You know my situation¡ªif it were a regular Whisperer, I wouldn¡¯t be feeling like this. This thing¡­ it¡¯s definitely a Evil Shadow. And likely one we¡¯ve never encountered before.¡± Yu Hong picked up a pen and paper and started jotting down notes. 1¡ªFollowed from behind but did not attack immediately. 2¡ªEntity appears as a blurry white figure with a smiling face, unclear features. 3¡ª¡­ He paused, then handed the paper to Li Runshan. ¡°Anything to add?¡± ¡°The icy sensation on my back¡ªdoes that count?¡± ¡°Yes. You should stay put for now. I¡¯ll go find Zhou Xueguang for information and check out the post office.¡± Yu Hong swiftly recorded the detail, speaking with a serious expression. Li Runshan was one of the few local food producers. If he could help, he would. In the past, Yu Hong wouldn¡¯t have cared about getting involved. But after his recent outing, his fear and hesitation toward the Black Disaster had significantly diminished. He had also gained a clearer understanding of his own strength in this world. After all, he had managed to pummel an enhanced soldier, Little Du, to death. ¡°This trip made me realize something. We can¡¯t always be passive, waiting for these things to fully prepare before attacking us,¡± Yu Hong said firmly. ¡°We need to disrupt them first. Gather intel, weaken them however we can. That¡¯s our best chance at survival.¡± Li Runshan blinked, surprised¡ªas if seeing him in a new light. ¡°You¡¯re right¡­ But how do we disrupt them when we don¡¯t even know what they are? If I were at the post office, I could use the comms to ask the higher-ups, but now I don¡¯t dare go back.¡± He exhaled heavily. ¡°This time, I have to rely on you. I think the thing following me might be just as dangerous as the Whisperer.¡± ¡°Got it. Anything else?¡± Yu Hong handed him the pen. ¡°One more thing¡ªwhenever that thing appears, my back turns cold. Not just mentally, but physically. My body temperature drops, and my movements slow down.¡± Li Runshan quickly wrote this down. ¡°That¡¯s important.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get you settled in the wooden cabin.¡± Yu Hong got up, grabbed a stack of rune arrays, then thought for a moment and added a silver rune array before handing them over. ¡°Take these.¡± Li Runshan examined the silver rune array¡ªit was the first time he had seen one. ¡°This an advanced version?¡± ¡°Yeah. One of these is worth ten regular ones.¡± Yu Hong exaggerated slightly, but it wasn¡¯t far from the truth. ¡°Damn, this is good stuff.¡± Li Runshan smirked, looking a little more at ease. ¡°Let¡¯s go. There are too many secrets here¡ªI¡¯m not showing you.¡± Yu Hong was blunt. ¡°Man, you don¡¯t have to say it like that. That kinda hurts.¡± Li Runshan chuckled, finally relaxing a little. ¡°My greatest virtue is honesty.¡± Creak. The wooden door swung open. The two walked out, one after the other. Yu Hong led him to the wooden cabin, placed a reinforced red-value detector on the wooden bed, and said, ¡°This one¡¯s modified for high precision. If anything feels off, use it immediately.¡± ¡°Alright. Thanks.¡± Li Runshan nodded, hesitated, then added, ¡°Your last batch of Sunlight Materials should be arriving through the postal channels soon. I¡¯ll give you a discount.¡± He knew how rare genuine help was in a place like this. He owed Yu Hong now¡ªtwice. ¡°No more postal shipments after this?¡± Yu Hong paused. ¡°Nope. From now on, we¡¯re on our own. I¡¯ll try to contact the remaining survivors in Baihe City, but don¡¯t get your hopes up¡ªtheir supplies are nowhere near what we used to have.¡± Li Runshan sighed. Yu Hong said no more. He locked the door, took his notes, grabbed two more silver rune arrays, a stack of regular ones, and put on his reinforced White Bear suit before heading toward the post office. He kept an eye on his detector along the way. 31.224. 31.532. The ambient red value had risen to 31 and completely stabilized. Hoo. As he walked, Yu Hong let out a breath and glanced around the surrounding forest. In the gray, misty air, the outlines of trees could only be faintly seen five or six meters away. Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. His boots crushed the fallen leaves on the ground, producing a rhythmic, crisp sound. As he traveled, Yu Hong occasionally picked up his detector to check the changing values. Crunch. Crunch. Pa. Suddenly, his steps came to a halt. Swish! He abruptly turned around and looked behind him. The gray, foggy forest behind him was eerily silent, shadowy, and cold. Just now¡­ something was following me. Yu Hong recalled the moment in his mind. Amidst his own footsteps, he had suddenly heard an extra sound of leaves being crushed. An ordinary person might not have noticed this, but with his heightened senses and constant vigilance, he picked up on it instantly. Confirming that there was nothing behind him and no one following, Yu Hong turned back and continued forward. This time, he quickened his pace, gripping the silver talisman board tightly in his hand, ready to act at any moment. Fortunately, the rest of his journey was uneventful, and he arrived safely at the post office. The stone house of the post office was completely empty, its door tightly shut. Yu Hong glanced around the courtyard, then stepped in and inspected the house¡¯s perimeter. After ensuring there were no issues, he finally walked up to the main door. He reached into his pocket, took out the key Li Runshan had given him, and carefully inserted it into the lock, turning it. Click. The door unlocked. But Yu Hong froze in place. Because at the very moment he made the unlocking sound, he heard an extremely faint footstep behind him. It was the sound of something akin to high heels clicking against the wooden steps in front of the stone house. Subtle and brief. Yu Hong maintained his posture, still holding the key as if about to open the door. From the corner of his eye, he cautiously glanced at one of the side windows of the stone house. The window was boarded up with thick planks, but some broken glass shards still remained on the outer frame. Through one of these triangular fragments of glass, he vaguely caught a reflection of the scene behind him. In that small piece of glass, a blurred white figure with long, disheveled black hair was standing just two meters behind him¡ªsmiling silently. Yu Hong¡¯s body stiffened. He didn¡¯t continue to open the door. Instead, he slowly withdrew the key and slipped it back into his pocket. Then¡ª ¡°SMILE AT YOUR MOM!!¡± Swish! In an instant, he spun around and lunged forward, pulling out a silver rune array and swinging it with force. At the same time, he also swung the red value detector along with it. Boom!! His arm tensed, and his thick forearm, like an iron hammer, smashed heavily into the wooden steps. Crack! A deep crack spread through the wood upon impact. (End of Chapter) Chapter 118: Intermittent (4) The whistling wind flashed past, but the silver rune array struck nothing. There was nothing behind¡ªonly a vast expanse of mist. Yu Hong got up, looked around, and quickly glanced at the detector. The numbers remained normal. ¡®Trouble.¡¯ He knew in his heart¡ªthis must be a new kind of Ghostly shadow. The style, the method¡ªit was still daylight. This was definitely not one of those crude blood tide monsters. Thinking for a moment, he quickly stepped out of the courtyard, glancing back one last time at the stone house. Inside, it was empty, as if nothing had happened. ¡®I should go ask Zhou Xueguang immediately, but with the current situation, the outside environment could be extremely dangerous. If I just go over like this¡­¡¯ ¡®No, even if I don¡¯t go, he¡¯ll definitely come out sooner or later to collect firewood or transport supplies. I should go warn him now!¡¯ It wasn¡¯t out of kindness¡ªif what appeared just now was truly a new Evil shadow, he had to gather as much complete information as possible. This would be crucial for strengthening his Black Mark in the future. And Zhou Xueguang had come from the frontlines¡ªhe had seen much and likely knew relevant intelligence. So he had to find him quickly and warn him before anything happened, ensuring he could provide key details in time. Yu Hong made a decisive choice, turning towards the underground safehouse where Old Zhou¡ªalso known as Jenny¡ªresided. He moved swiftly, nearly running. The mist swept past him on both sides, and the cold wind howled. Beep! Suddenly, a sharp sound rang out from the detector in his hand. Yu Hong¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He looked around but found no movement at all. Yet the detector continued its relentless alarm. He picked it up and looked. ¡®1842.215¡¯ !!! Yu Hong¡¯s expression changed drastically. This number had already exceeded his estimated safety threshold. Alarms rang in his mind. He waved the detector around, but the numbers barely fluctuated. ¡®Why is this happening? Is the detector broken? Or is the red value in this area particularly strong?¡¯ He quickened his pace, attempting to leave the area and escape the red value¡¯s influence. But even after reaching Zhou Xueguang¡¯s burrow, the detector in his hand continued its relentless alarm. Knock, knock, knock. Knock, knock, knock. Three consecutive knocks¡ªthis was the second secret signal he and his companions had agreed upon. ¡°Old Zhou. Don¡¯t open the door¡ªit¡¯s me, Yu Hong.¡± Yu Hong surveyed his surroundings, crouching near the burrow as he spoke. ¡°The situation outside isn¡¯t right. I need to ask you a few questions!¡± ¡°No need. I¡¯ve already written it down¡ªabout the most common frontline threats and the trouble we are about to face.¡± Zhou Xueguang¡¯s voice came from below the burrow. Soon, a rolled-up piece of white paper was pushed through the wooden ventilation slit of the burrow, falling onto the grass beside it. Yu Hong grabbed the scroll and picked it up. ¡°The outside feels off. Don¡¯t come out for now.¡± ¡°I understand. Be careful¡ªI can feel something approaching. You¡¯d better return to your safehouse immediately,¡± Zhou Xueguang warned quickly through the wooden board. Whoosh. Without hesitation, Yu Hong stowed the scroll away and bolted. While running, he swiftly unrolled the paper to check its contents. The first thing written was exactly what he wanted to see. ¡®The Intermittent Man 1¡ªThe Behind Person.¡¯ ¡®This is an Evil Shadow that always lurks behind people. Victims typically see it three times, and on the third sighting, it suddenly strikes from behind. The method of attack is unknown. The means of prevention are unknown. Handling method: The Behind Person only attacks one target at a time. Once this target dies, it moves on to the next. Back on the frontlines, two Blood Marks worked together to lure it into an abandoned underground cave. After detonating the cave, we completely buried and isolated it.¡¯ There was a second entry on the paper, but Yu Hong had no time to read further. Because the detector in his hand was beeping even more sharply. The number on it had skyrocketed from over a thousand to more than three thousand in the blink of an eye! 3422.548!! The sheer magnitude of this number made Yu Hong¡¯s heart tighten. Even with all his rune arrays combined, he wouldn¡¯t be able to offset such an overwhelming red value! Crack. Crack. Crack. As he sprinted, an icy chill crept up his back, as if something cold was pressed against his skin, gradually lowering his body temperature. Before long, the mist ahead began to disperse, revealing the one-meter-high courtyard wall of his safehouse cave. At that moment, Yu Hong suddenly stopped in his tracks. Because outside the white courtyard wall, a faint white figure stood still, peering inside. ¡®How many times is this now?!¡¯ Yu Hong realized that he was likely dealing with the Behind Person from the Intermittent man category of Evil Shadows. Fortunately, he did not panic. This wasn¡¯t his first encounter with an Evil Shadow, and besides, he still had silver rune arrays on him. Right in front of him was his small courtyard, planted with Luminous Stone Grass. Hiss! He took a deep breath, staring at the figure beyond the courtyard wall. Clutching a stack of rune arrays, he charged forward. Although he couldn¡¯t neutralize the red value entirely, he could withstand a moment¡¯s exposure and rush into the courtyard. Besides, he still had that¡­ Beep! Beep! Beep! The detector¡¯s shrill alarm reached an unbearable pitch. The closer Yu Hong got, the louder it became. Whoosh! S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Suddenly. The white figure vanished soundlessly. Just as Yu Hong approached, it disappeared entirely, as if it had never existed. He struck nothing. The alarms on his body instantly stopped, and he leapt over the wall into the Luminous Stone Grass field. After rolling once, he got up. ¡®Where did it go??¡¯ Yu Hong straightened up and turned back. Behind him was the uniform gray-white wall, and beyond it, the mist concealed the distant trees. There was no trace of the figure. Confirming that it was safe, he let out a breath and quickly checked his rune arrays. ¡°!!!¡± One by one, he pulled them out. To his shock, all his rune arrays had turned into dull gray, signifying they had been used up. Even the two silver rune arrays had lost their color, exhausted completely in that brief moment. Looking at the depleted rune arrays, his heart grew heavy. ¡®It hasn¡¯t even launched a full attack yet, and even the silver rune array couldn¡¯t withstand it.¡¯ All signs indicated that the entity attacking them was most likely a high-tier Black Disaster. Given the timing, it was likely an Intermittent Person that had slipped through from the frontlines. ¡®The Black Mark is still reinforcing the entire safehouse¡ªI can¡¯t rely on it right now. I have to hold out on my own.¡¯ Taking out the paper scroll, Yu Hong walked up to the wooden house and knocked lightly. ¡°Old Li?¡± Click. The wooden door swung open abruptly, and a hand grabbed him, pulling him inside with force. Bang. The door shut behind them again. Li Runshan gestured for silence, facing the slightly startled Yu Hong. The two crouched against the wall, sitting close together. ¡°Old Li??¡± Yu Hong, sensing his unease, grew even more tense and lowered his voice. ¡°Shh, don¡¯t make a sound. Listen.¡± Li Runshan whispered. His face was covered in sweat, his lips were dry and cracked, and his eyes darted around unnaturally, as if constantly scanning his surroundings. Yu Hong slowed his breathing and listened carefully. Sure enough, now that everything was silent, the surrounding noises became much clearer. Aside from their own sounds, there was another faint set of footsteps behind them. The sound seemed to be approaching slowly from behind¡ªnot far away. Even through the wooden walls, they could hear the faint crunch of footsteps pressing into the soil. Getting closer. And closer. ¡°I¡¯ve been hearing this sound ever since you left. It repeats every little while.¡± Li Runshan whispered. ¡°No matter where I sit, the sound always comes from behind me. Even when I sit against a wall¡ªor lie down on the ground¡ªit still happens!¡± ¡°I felt something was off as soon as I got back. Do you still have rune arrays? Give me more!¡± He pulled out the silver rune array Yu Hong had given him earlier. Most of its silver sheen had already faded, leaving only a small trace of silver, clearly on the verge of being depleted. Yu Hong¡¯s heart tightened. The Black Seal was still reinforcing the safehouse. Once the silver rune arrays were exhausted, they would be left defenseless against this unknown new Evil Shadow. And with no way to craft new silver rune arrays, the situation could become truly dangerous. ¡°You went outside just now?¡± he asked in a low voice. ¡°Just for a little while. I wanted to test the pattern of that thing.¡± Li Runshan nodded. ¡°Using the silver rune array you gave me, I managed to figure out one of its behavioral rules.¡± ¡°What?¡± Yu Hong¡¯s mind stirred. As expected, Old Li was more capable than most other survivors. ¡°This thing is different from the Whisperer. The Whisperer explode in one violent burst, but this one steadily wears a person down. It attacks constantly, eroding us little by little.¡± Li Runshan said quickly. ¡°So just like Zhou Xueguang said, this thing starts its erosion as soon as it appears. It¡¯s just not very fast. If someone has something to counteract it, they might be able to hold out for a while.¡± Yu Hong took out paper and pen, quickly jotting down Li Runshan¡¯s observations on the white paper Zhou Xueguang had given him. This would help refine their defensive strategies for the Black mark reinforcement. ¡°See if there¡¯s anything to add. I¡¯ll go grab more rune arrays.¡± He stood up and handed the paper to Old Li. So far, this new Evil Shadow felt dangerous, but it hadn¡¯t gone into full attack mode yet. He had to buy as much time as possible¡ªuntil the Black mark reinforcement was complete. ¡°Be careful.¡± Li Runshan took the paper and watched as Yu Hong quickly opened the door and stepped outside. Then he lowered his head and began reviewing the notes. As soon as Yu Hong stepped out of the wooden house, he scanned his surroundings¡ªand immediately noticed something was off. Standing in the middle of the Luminous Stone Grass patch, he looked down at the ground. ¡®The grass field¡­ it¡¯s shrinking.¡¯ The Luminous Stone Grass marked a purified zone¡ªone that forcibly repelled the surrounding harsh environment. But now, that safe area was shrinking. Taking a deep breath, he rushed into the cave and grabbed a fresh set of rune arrays. Back at the main entrance, Yu Hong reviewed everything that had happened. ¡®First, everything started when Li Runshan returned. It¡¯s possible he unknowingly brought something back with him from outside.¡¯ ¡®Second, if this Evil Shadow is confirmed to be the Behind Person from the Intermittent man, its threat level is at least a six. At this level, it¡¯s nearly impossible to resist directly¡ªit can only be lured away using Blood Marks. But my Black Seal reinforcement isn¡¯t done yet.¡¯ ¡®So what can I use to temporarily stall for time?¡¯ He paced inside the cave, gathering every remaining rune array. He had one silver rune array left. Over twenty normal rune arrays. That was all. And that wasn¡¯t even counting the rune arrays embedded in the cave walls¡ªthey were meant for completing the Luminous Stone Chamber and couldn¡¯t be touched. ¡®This is bad.¡¯ Yu Hong¡¯s heart tightened. ¡®This isn¡¯t enough to hold off whatever just arrived.¡¯ He walked up to the entrance and gazed outside. Now that he was inside the safe zone, the chilling sensation at his back had disappeared. But he couldn¡¯t stay in here forever. Water, food, materials for breeding¡ªhe had to go outside to get those. Standing at the doorway, deep in thought, Yu Hong suddenly froze. His eyes locked onto something in the outermost part of the courtyard grass. A new ring of black had appeared there. (End of Chapter) Chapter 119: Information (1) ¡®What is that?¡¯ Yu Hong focused his attention carefully. He discovered that it was a ring of blackened ashes from the Luminous Stone Grass. This ring of ashes was located at the outermost edge of the Luminous Stone Grass, forming a black circular barrier around the courtyard of the grass. ¡®Is the Evil Shadow corroding the Luminous Stone Grass?¡¯ Yu Hong speculated in his heart. ¡®If that¡¯s the case, then the Luminous Stone Grass must also have a certain resistance to this thing.¡¯ A sudden thought flashed through his mind. ¡®That¡¯s it. I may not be able to use the Black Seal right now, but the Luminous Stone Grass can be restored using internal energy. If I keep activating and stimulating the growth of the Luminous Stone Grass, I can indirectly utilize my internal energy to resist the Evil Shadow outside!¡¯ This was a desperate measure, but given that he was currently unable to use the Black Seal, accelerating the growth of the Luminous Stone Grass could serve as a substitute for the rune board, allowing him to hold off the dangers outside for the time being. With this realization, Yu Hong¡¯s spirits lifted. He placed one hand on the surface of the Black Seal, and immediately, he could sense a faint connection with the Luminous Stone Grass. He could clearly feel that he could transmit his internal energy through this connection. ¡®Perfect. My internal energy technique has also improved and been refined. The internal energy I possess now is completely different from before. If I apply it to the Luminous Stone Grass, I wonder if there will be any changes.¡¯ With this thought in mind, Yu Hong cautiously transmitted a small amount of internal energy. At that moment, through his observation window, he saw the blackened Luminous Stone Grass beginning to regain its green hue before his very eyes. In just over ten seconds, the area where the grass had turned black sprouted a new layer of tender, fresh Luminous Stone Grass. ¡®The new internal energy activates growth this quickly??!¡¯ Yu Hong¡¯s eyes filled with astonishment. Previously, even after activating his internal energy, it would take an entire night for the Luminous Stone Grass to recover. But now, with this new internal energy, the effects were significantly enhanced, allowing for rapid regrowth of the grass. Clearly, the refinement and optimization of his cultivation technique had strengthened the ability to stimulate the growth of the Luminous Stone Grass. However, he was still unsure if the newly grown grass differed in any way from before. Yu Hong wanted to go outside and check, but he recalled the eerie sounds of footsteps behind him earlier. He suppressed his curiosity for now. At first, encountering a single Specter would have terrified him. But after facing multiple Black Disaster, his nerves had been hardened significantly. It wasn¡¯t that he no longer felt fear¡ªit was that he understood fear would only lead to a quicker death. After observing the area outside the door for a while, Yu Hong narrowed his eyes in contemplation. Moments later, he swiftly closed the barricade, retreated into the basement, ate some food, and began training. Now that his internal energy was this effective, he had even more motivation to refine his cultivation technique. If he could develop an additional reserve of internal energy, he would have another layer of security when using it to stimulate the Luminous Stone Grass. With the unknown threat of the pursuer behind him, he needed to prepare for every possibility. * * * Baihe City Inside the Abandoned Industrial Park. Among the desolate and dilapidated buildings, Lin Yiyi and the pale-faced Ou Li carefully supported the weakened Xue Ningning as they moved forward cautiously and silently. Two other team members who had entered the park with them followed closely behind. Not long after entering the industrial park, they found Xue Ningning, who was severely injured. Apart from Xue Ningning, several other teammates who had entered were missing, while the remaining two were covered in wounds. Xue Ningning herself had survived thanks to a special metallic pendant given to her by her younger sister. At first, she thought she was doomed. The pendant, originally silver-gray, had slowly turned pale white after the attack, clearly being consumed as it protected her. What she hadn¡¯t expected¡­ Was that Lin Yiyi, whom she had initially thought of as a burden, and Ou Li had actually charged in together to save them. Thinking of this, Xue Ningning felt a complex mix of emotions. Initially, she had regretted allowing the three newcomers to join the team, but now¡­ Watching Lin Yiyi scanning her surroundings vigilantly as she moved forward¡­ Watching the pale-faced but determined Ou Li still insist on supporting her¡­ Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xue Ningning suddenly felt a hint of relief. Perhaps¡­ this was karma. Unfortunately¡­ Their rescue attempt had been in vain. ¡°Leave me behind,¡± Xue Ningning whispered weakly. ¡°You should escape while you still can. Staying here is just a death sentence. It¡¯s already marked us¡ªwe can¡¯t escape.¡± Though she was deeply grateful for their sacrifice, she understood that some things couldn¡¯t be changed just by sheer willpower. They were up against a Yu Ren¡ªand it was completely different from the ones described in official reports! According to the records, Yu Ren primarily misled their victims through sound, manipulating their thoughts and perceptions before attacking. But just now¡­ She hadn¡¯t heard a single sound before being attacked. No warning. No signs. In an instant, three of their team members had been swallowed and disappeared. The remaining survivors had used grenades and Luminous Stone explosives¡ªbut to no avail. They had no way of detecting when or where the Yu Ren would strike. Their weapons had all been wasted on empty air. ¡°We¡¯re already inside. Running now is pointless,¡± Ou Li said coldly. Though her face was pale, she was calmer than ever in this critical moment. ¡°I¡­ will¡­ help!¡± Lin Yiyi declared firmly, her gaze unwavering and determined. ¡°It¡¯s useless. If I stay behind, I can act as bait to keep this mutated Yu Ren here and prevent it from spreading outside,¡± Xue Ningning said with a bitter smile. ¡°If you two stay, all it means is more bodies left behind. Nothing else. You¡¯ll just be throwing your lives away.¡± Even though everyone on the team had undergone body reinforcement procedures, against the Evil Shadows, even enhanced humans were just slightly larger ants. Human limitations meant they could never be on equal footing with these creatures. ¡°You two coming in here is just making things worse! What the hell were you thinking?!¡± One of the surviving female team members snapped in frustration. ¡°The moment you realized we weren¡¯t coming back, you should¡¯ve called for backup! What good does it do to come in here?! Now you¡¯re trapped just like us!¡± ¡°Enough, A-Jun,¡± Xue Ningning chided. ¡°Focus on your role.¡± The woman¡¯s name was Fang Shijun, one of the main combatants who had initially opposed adding the newcomers to the team. She and another team member, Chen Xinji, were the most skilled fighters in Team Three. With the others gone, they were now Xue Ningning¡¯s last remaining support. The two of them had worked together with Lin Yiyi and Ou Li to momentarily divert the Evil Shadow¡¯s attention, barely managing to escape the Yu Ren¡¯s pursuit. At present, Fang Shijun and Chen Xinji were actively scanning the area, operating advanced detection equipment and calculating the best escape route. Fang Shijun¡¯s suit alone carried five different detection devices, analyzing the surrounding environment through five different dimensions, including electromagnetic fields, three types of radiation, and molecular composition in the air. These high-tech devices required specialized training to operate. Unlike Lin Yiyi, who had great strength and endurance as a reinforced human, she couldn¡¯t use these devices effectively. This was precisely why no other teams wanted to take Lin Yiyi in. Right now, Fang Shijun and Chen Xinji were holding their portable devices, rapidly analyzing data, and using a laptop for complex calculations to determine the optimal escape route. ¡°The industrial park has four unique force fields distorting our perception,¡± Fang Shijun muttered. ¡°We were close to calculating the best escape route, but the arrival of these two triggered a shift in the force fields. I suspect we¡¯ve already drawn additional attention¡ªpossibly from other Yu Ren. We need to recalculate. At this rate, none of us are getting out of here!¡± ¡°What does that have to do with us?!¡± Ou Li suddenly raised her voice, her tone sharp and unyielding. ¡°How do you know we can¡¯t escape if you haven¡¯t even tried?!¡± ¡°And what can you do?! Do you even know how to operate a single piece of this equipment? Tell me¡ªwhat use are you?!¡± Fang Shijun stopped in her tracks and stepped toward Ou Li. ¡°You think I wanted to come here?!¡± Ou Li¡¯s face darkened. The truth was, she only knew how to operate one or two of the devices Fang Shijun was using. ¡°Then why did you come?!¡± Xue Ningning sighed, pulling Fang Shijun back to stop the argument. ¡°I would have never¡ª¡± Ou Li was just about to explain when¡ª Smack! Lin Yiyi suddenly gave her a ¡°gentle¡± slap on the forehead. Pfft. ¡°Ou Li¡­ just¡­ not good¡­ at talking. But¡­ her heart¡­ is good.¡± Lin Yiyi earnestly defended her friend. ¡°¡­!!!¡± Ou Li was nearly knocked over by the sheer force, her head buzzing. The words she had planned to say completely vanished from her mind, and all she could do was let out a weak groan before falling silent. ¡°You¡¯re all good kids,¡± Xue Ningning sighed. ¡°But¡­ I dragged you into this mess.¡± ¡°How¡­ does Yu Ren¡­ attack?¡± Lin Yiyi asked. ¡°We don¡¯t know. None of our detection methods work. We have no idea when it gets close,¡± Xue Ningning said grimly. ¡°Some of our team members were holding Luminous Stone grenades, but they were swallowed before they could even detonate them.¡± ¡°Yu Ren¡¯s attacks don¡¯t follow a buildup-and-strike pattern. It just¡­ attacks, suddenly and unpredictably.¡± She looked at the two girls. ¡°That¡¯s the biggest problem¡ªwe don¡¯t know when it will attack, where it will attack, or who it will attack.¡± The group fell silent. This unpredictability was precisely what made the Yu Ren so terrifying. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Xue Ningning finally said, signaling for Fang Shijun to lead the way. They needed to keep moving. The group quickly advanced, occasionally making sharp turns and retracing their steps based on their instruments¡¯ calculations. The path they followed was carefully determined through specialized simulations. As they moved, Fang Shijun and Xue Ningning occasionally exchanged technical terms and data that Lin Yiyi and Ou Li couldn¡¯t understand. All the two girls could do was follow silently. Then, suddenly¡ª Fang Shijun¡¯s face turned pale. The path ahead was blocked by a towering wall. Through the decorative openings in the wall, they could see that beyond it were not the expected park exits, but the same oppressive industrial buildings. ¡°This isn¡¯t right! The calculations were wrong! This isn¡¯t an exit!¡± ¡°Backtrack to the last node and recalculate!¡± Chen Xinji ordered gravely. But as they turned around¡ª They found that the road behind them¡­ Had completely changed. (End of Chapter) Chapter 120: Information (2) ¡°Something¡¯s wrong! Completely wrong! The Whisperer, the Whisperer is coming!!¡± Fang Shijun was drenched in sweat, his body trembling as he took steps backward. ¡°What¡¯s the data?? Recalculate the passage! Chen Xinji, hurry!¡± Xue Ningning shouted anxiously, her face pale. The last time this happened, they lost several teammates. Now, history seemed to be repeating itself. ¡°The data hasn¡¯t changed! There¡¯s no time!!¡± Chen Xinji was just as frantic, his hands flying over the keyboard, desperately running calculations. The sky around them gradually darkened, as if an invisible veil had been draped over it. It wasn¡¯t even close to nighttime, yet the daylight was fading fast. ¡°What¡¯s the Red Value now?!¡± Xue Ningning shouted. ¡°Still zero! It¡¯s not registering at all! We can¡¯t measure anything!¡± Chen Xinji¡¯s hands were shaking. ¡°Move! We have to get out of here!¡± Xue Ningning gritted her teeth, bracing herself as she led the charge forward. The group followed her, quickly weaving through the buildings. But, strangely, minutes later, they found themselves back where they had started. Back in front of the same twenty-story building they had just left! Their faces turned grim as they tried again. But the second time, the third time, the fourth time¡ª No matter which direction they ran, they always ended up back in the same spot. Even running in a straight line felt like moving in circles. ¡°We¡¯re done for!!¡± Fang Shijun collapsed to the ground, trembling. ¡°We¡¯re dead. We¡¯re so dead¡­ This isn¡¯t even the Whisperer!! What if it¡¯s some other kind of evil shadow? Our equipment is completely wrong for this¡­¡± The others fell silent. A faint sense of despair spread through the team. ¡°Are we¡­ going to disappear in this park, just like the other teams?¡± Chen Xinji murmured. Xue Ningning couldn¡¯t answer. At that moment, she grasped the metal pendant hanging from her chest, her eyes filled with sorrow¡ªyet also a glimmer of determination. ¡°Everyone¡­ leave behind a will. If anyone makes it out, deliver them to our families.¡± Chen Xinji lowered his head. After a moment of silence, he pulled out paper and pen with trembling hands and started writing first. There was no way out. They were completely trapped in this eerie park. ¡ªBeep. Suddenly, a sharp alarm sounded. Little Stutterer froze. The others turned to her, and after a moment of thought, she smacked her forehead and started rummaging through her backpack. Soon, she pulled out a Red Value Detector. This detector looked different from the ones issued to the team¡ªit had a more advanced display with additional data points and parameters. ¡°¡­The alarm¡­ went off,¡± she mumbled, still unsure why the others were so hopeless. Holding the detector, she slowly operated it. ¡°There¡¯s a Red Value¡­ change!¡± She adjusted the device, scanning around before stopping at a specific direction in front of them. ¡°It says¡­ run that way! The Red Value is lowest there.¡± Xue Ningning also had her own detector turned on, but hers remained silent. Her despair briefly interrupted, she glanced at Little Stutterer¡¯s detector out of the corner of her eye¡ªand suddenly froze. ¡°Yiyi¡­ why does your detector have decimal points??¡± She quickly checked her own. The screen still displayed 0. But Lin Yiyi¡¯s detector showed 0.122. Not only that, but it also marked a specific direction as the source of the reading. ¡°My¡­ friend¡­ gave me¡­ this. It¡¯s high-level.¡± Lin Yiyi grinned proudly. ¡°A high-level detector??¡± Xue Ningning was stunned. She examined the device and then looked around at their surroundings. There were better detectors? She tapped her own detector¡ªstill zero. Glancing at the despairing Fang Shijun and Chen Xinji, an idea flashed in her mind. She made a quick decision. Since they had no way to escape this park, and since Yiyi¡¯s detector was showing something¡ªrather than running blindly, they should take a gamble. ¡°Let¡¯s go! Follow her detector¡¯s direction!¡± she ordered. ¡°Okay!¡± Lin Yiyi confirmed the path, grabbed Ou Li with one hand, and held the detector in the other. She took off at a sprint, heading toward the lowest Red Value. The others, pulled along by Xue Ningning, quickly followed. Before long, Lin Yiyi had run over a hundred meters. Ahead, another exit gate from the park came into view. They were only a few dozen meters away. Fang Shijun and Chen Xinji¡¯s despair turned to excitement. ¡°A gate! We¡¯re getting out!!¡± They never expected that Little Stutterer, using nothing but a single detector¡ªwithout any of their usual instruments¡ªhad actually found a way out! The two had no time to think; they immediately turned to rush toward the gate. ¡ªBeep! Beep! Suddenly, the detector sounded again. Little Stutterer halted, checked the screen, and, without hesitation, changed direction according to the detector¡¯s guidance. She trusted Yu Hong completely¡ªso she executed the detector¡¯s instructions without a second thought. ¡°Wait! That way leads straight out!¡± Ou Li couldn¡¯t help but shout. ¡°Put me down!¡± She began to struggle. ¡°Can¡¯t¡­ go.¡± ¡ªSmack. Little Stutterer slapped her. Ou Li instantly fell silent, her gaze clearing up. ¡°We¡­ are friends. We go¡­ together!¡± Little Stutterer said seriously. Without hesitation, she picked Ou Li up again and sprinted away. On the other side, Xue Ningning and the others paused, exchanged glances, and made a decision. They cast one last reluctant look at the gate¡ªthen resolutely followed Little Stutterer. If she could find one way out, she could definitely find another. They were logical people. They had seen hope¡ªand they made the smartest choice. That was to follow Lin Yiyi! Over the next fifteen minutes, the group kept adjusting directions, jogging nonstop. Surprisingly, not once did they end up running in circles. It was as if this deadly park was nothing more than a movie set, its eerie dangers all just an illusion. Even that sinister presence did not interfere with them at all. At first, Xue Ningning was on edge. But as time passed, her expression gradually shifted¡ªfrom anxiety, to doubt, to shock¡ªbefore finally settling into serious contemplation. Then¡ªten minutes later. ¡ªBang!! A section of the iron fence was shoulder-rammed by Little Stutterer, breaking apart. She kicked away any jagged edges that could cause injury, then led the way out with ease. The detector¡¯s alarm immediately fell silent. All five of them climbed through the gap and sprinted five hundred meters away before stopping. ¡°¡­Safe. We¡¯re safe!¡± Little Stutterer set down the detector and Ou Li, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and grinned. Ou Li was still in shock, gasping for air. Xue Ningning, still half in disbelief, only fully relaxed once she confirmed they were truly out. Then, her gaze shifted toward the special Red Value Detector¡ªthe one that had just led them to safety. ¡°Yiyi¡­ where did you get this detector??¡± Her voice wasn¡¯t just filled with relief¡ªthere was something more. If this device could detect Whisperers¡­ if it could be mass-produced¡­ How many teams could avoid death?! ¡°This¡­ my friend¡­ gave it to me,¡± Lin Yiyi answered honestly. ¡°Your friend?¡± Xue Ningning was stunned. If this wasn¡¯t just luck¡­ Then she wanted to meet that friend too. Fang Shijun and Chen Xinji still couldn¡¯t believe they had actually made it out. They quickly checked their equipment data, reestablished contact with their higher-ups, and finally confirmed¡ªtheir communication signals were back. They had truly escaped the park. After a moment of silent relief, they both turned their eyes toward Little Stutterer. Neither spoke. ¡°You two said we were just a burden, didn¡¯t you?¡± Ou Li finally snapped out of it, glaring at them with a mocking smile. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She was still shocked by how capable Little Stutterer had suddenly become. But venting the anger from earlier¡ªwhen they had been treated as useless¡ªwas the best way to release the pressure of nearly dying. Fang Shijun fell silent for a moment, then shook his head. ¡°This time, we do owe Lin Yiyi. But¡­¡± She looked at them with a solemn expression. ¡°Let¡¯s be honest¡ªif not for that special detector, what could you have done?¡± ¡°Without that device, weren¡¯t you really just a burden? Especially you.¡± She extended a slender finger and poked Ou Li¡¯s chest. ¡°What are you so smug about? If we hadn¡¯t saved you, you would¡¯ve died in there sooner or later!¡± Ou Li was instantly enraged, raising her voice. The others quickly stepped forward to separate them. ¡°The one who saved me was Lin Yiyi, not you,¡± Fang Shijun said coldly. Then, she took a deep breath and turned to Little Stutterer. ¡°No matter what¡ªI owe you my life.¡± She placed a firm hand on Little Stutterer¡¯s shoulder. ¡°If anyone dares to bully you, I¡¯ll make sure they regret it.¡± Little Stutterer blinked in confusion. She glanced at Fang Shijun, then at the still-fuming Ou Li. ¡°I feel the same,¡± Chen Xinji said, stepping forward and placing his hand on Little Stutterer¡¯s other shoulder. Xue Ningning watched this unfold, holding onto Ou Li, a relieved smile spreading across her face. At that moment, she felt incredibly lucky. If she hadn¡¯t insisted on letting Lin Yiyi join their team back then¡­ Perhaps, just like the other missing teams, they would have vanished into the park¡ªkilled by the Whisperers. Maybe this was what people meant when they said good deeds bring good fortune. * * * Yu Hong carefully concluded his training, adjusting his breathing as he slowly stood up. The second fusion and optimization of his technique was far stronger than before. As he trained, he could distinctly feel countless tiny particles being absorbed into his body. These particles came in various types and shapes, each giving off a unique sensation. However, only a small portion could actually be absorbed. Even so, his inner energy was accumulating at an astonishing speed¡ªfar faster than before. In such a short amount of time, his second layer of inner energy had already condensed two-thirds of the way. At this rate, it wouldn¡¯t be long before it was fully completed. He stood up, returned to the first floor, and stepped to the doorway, gazing out into the courtyard. There, the lush Luminous Stone Grass glowed faintly white under the dimming sky. But something was different¡ªthe outermost ring, the part he had cultivated using his newly enhanced inner energy, seemed¡­ unusual. Yu Hong focused his gaze. He could vaguely tell that the glow from that ring was brighter than the rest. ¡°Could it be¡­ that my inner energy is also enhancing the quality of the Luminous Stone Grass?¡± (End of Chapter) Chapter 121: Information 119 Thinking about this, Yu Hong couldn¡¯t contain his curiosity any longer. He put on the Vortex Talisman Plate, slowly opened the door, and quickly walked toward the outer edge of the courtyard. As he passed the wooden house, he could still hear the repetitive rustling sounds of tossing and turning¡ªobviously Li Rushan couldn¡¯t sleep at all. He decided not to disturb Old Li and walked directly to the outer edge of the luminous stone grass, crouched down, and carefully inspected the newly sprouted tender grass. The new grass blades were slender and tough, their tender green flecked with tiny milky-white spots¡ªthere didn¡¯t seem to be much difference from before. But Yu Hong took out the Enhanced Red Value Detector and pressed the switch. Immediately, the LCD screen beeped and displayed continuously changing values. ¡®-183.226.¡¯ ¡®-191.178.¡¯ ¡®-191.091.¡¯ The numbers kept fluctuating continuously between 183 and 192. This made Yu Hong¡¯s face reveal an evident anomaly. ¡®I remember the close-range detection value of the luminous stone grass used to be around 120¡­ now it has skyrocketed to over 180¡­¡¯ S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He checked again to confirm the values, then stood up, stepped back a few paces, and returned to the area where the old luminous stone grass was. Once again, he crouched down and brought the detector close for measurement. ¡®-121.182.¡¯ ¡®Exactly!¡¯ Yu Hong¡¯s eyes lit up as he continued to change locations and measure, and in five consecutive places, they were all around 121. ¡®This indicates it¡¯s not that the luminous stone grass has evolved on its own, or strengthened itself. Rather, it¡¯s my Inner Qi that has improved, causing the newly produced luminous stone grass to have enhanced radiation.¡¯ ¡®This means, if my Inner Qi improves more, and becomes stronger, then the strength of the luminous stone grass might further increase.¡¯ Yu Hong deduced this conclusion;although it was just a guess, in this despairing world where no hope was seen, such a conclusion filled one with increased anticipation. With that thought, Yu Hong quickly stood up and returned to the cave to continue practicing the Basic survival leg technique. Now, when he practiced, he felt filled with motivation. * * * The sky was gray. Near Baiqiu Village, the postal stone house. Click. The living room¡¯s underground entrance door was gently pushed upward. A slender figure, clad in a Protective Suit, quietly emerged from the ground, looking around cautiously. Once sure no one was around, she slowly crawled out of the underground entrance, and closed the door behind her. According to the schedule, she had to come up to adjust the solar panels and check how much the communicator had charged, because the sunshine was getting shorter, charging time was reduced, and it was becoming increasingly troublesome to charge the communicator due to low battery, so she also had to manage the time to adjust the position of sunlight exposure correctly. Of course, these were all justifications. The key reason was, previously, they had heard knocking sounds underground, but when they came up, they found no one, so she found an excuse to come up and check, and also to get some fresh air before it was completely dark. The figure walked into the living room and stopped in front of the communicator on the table, revealing a stunning and voluptuous face. She was one of the two people taking care of Aisena¡ªSong Wei. Because Li Rushan hadn¡¯t returned for a long time, she felt too uneasy staying underground, complaining about poor ventilation and the omnipresent moldy smell, so she couldn¡¯t resist coming up to the stone house to breathe some fresh air. Despite Lin Haini¡¯s constant persuasion, telling her that Li Rushan had instructed them not to go to the surface before he left, But Song Wei was unconvinced, staying continuously in the mold-smelling underground would eventually lead to lung diseases, she thought. She didn¡¯t want to suffocate in such a remote underground place so young. Click. She sat down on the wooden stool, relaxing her body against the chair¡¯s back. "Comfortable.¡± She couldn¡¯t help but exclaim. Looking at the outside courtyard, which was growing dark and nearly completely dark, she slightly shifted on the wooden plank, then quickly turned on the communicator, and picked up the luminous stone blanket from the side, draping it over herself. Patter. The sizzling sound of electricity came from the communicator, there was no sign from Yu Hong¡¯s side, and according to the agreement, they were supposed to connect at around ten at night. But Song Wei hadn¡¯t come up for the connection¡ªshe showed a hint of anticipation on her face, quickly adjusted the communicator¡¯s knob, switching it to reception mode. Hiss. Soon, the static noise began to decrease, and a series of faint musical notes drifted out from the inside. Quiet, soft, and filled with sorrowful tunes slowly floated from the communicator. For a moment, the grim and cold stone house seemed to gain a touch of elegance due to the music. Song Wei lay her head on the table in front of the communicator, relaxing her body. Actually, ever since Li Rushan left, she would secretly come up every day to listen to music alone. This could momentarily relieve her increasingly oppressive mind and body¡­. Snap. A noise erupted behind her. Song Wei abruptly stiffened and quickly turned her head. Behind her was the dark hallway leading to the living room. The hallway, about seven or eight meters long with a faint mist, vaguely allowed one to see the quiet, empty living room at the end. By now, it was almost dark, and both the living room and the mist had taken on a strange, gloomy blue tint. It was a blue almost reaching black, symbolizing depth. Under such a blue, everything in the living room had turned into one color. Song Wei frowned slightly, not paying it much mind, turned back, and continued to fine-tune the communicator, trying to make the sound clearer. Patter. Suddenly, another noise came from behind her. She suddenly turned around, looking again. The deep blue living room was still empty, and the hallway was quiet. "Who¡¯s there?¡± Song Wei couldn¡¯t help but ask aloud, feeling that it was Nana or Haini playing a prank on her. There was no response. Suddenly, she remembered the warning Li Rushan gave before he left. "If you notice anything wrong, wrap yourself in the luminous stone blanket without hesitation! Hide for half an hour first.¡± He had arranged a luminous stone blanket for each of his two women. Song Wei turned back, thought for a moment, and was about to lift the luminous stone blanket to cover her entire body. Snap. The sound suddenly rang out again, right behind her, not more than a meter away. So close! That proximity and the sudden noise made Song Wei shiver all over, almost losing grip on the luminous stone blanket. She stood up from the stool in a hurry, her face pale, and accidentally tore a small cut on the edge of the luminous stone blanket without noticing. But she didn¡¯t realize it, and quickly turned off the communicator, hurrying toward the wooden bed. Plop! She ducked under the wooden bed, completely covering herself with the luminous stone blanket, curling up. Only then did she realize in horror that her luminous stone blanket had a tear! Through the tear, she could see the scene in front of the wooden bed. ¡°!!??¡± Seeing the tear momentarily threw Song Wei into a panic. "How¡­ how did this happen!? Where did this tear come from¡­?? I had checked it earlier¡­ why¡­¡± She trembled as she quickly pinched the tear closed. Snap. A new sound once more came from behind her. Song Wei shook violently, and a profound terror surged through her heart. Her back felt like it had fallen into an icy cave, numb and stiff, nearly unable to move. ¡®Wait!¡¯ Suddenly, she jerked into realization. ¡®My back¡­ my back is against the wall! Where is the sound coming from!!?¡¯ Song Wei stiffly, slowly, turned her head bit by bit. Then, she saw it. On the luminous stone blanket behind her, a blurred smiling face quietly emerged. The smiling face was only a fist¡¯s distance from her. It was as if someone was lying beside her, close to her body, pressing their face against the luminous stone blanket, right at the position of her neck behind her. Snap. Another crisp sound. The wooden bed was empty again, regaining its calm. A completely whitened luminous stone blanket lay quietly disheveled on the bed, with no trace of anyone else around. * * * Inside the cave safe house. "I¡¯m a bit worried about Nana and the others¡­¡± Li Rushan¡¯s worried voice softly transmitted through the short-range communicator. "There¡¯s nothing we can do. I went to check, but encountered the thing you talked about on the way. It always followed behind me, impossible to shake off, indeed more dangerous than the shadow and Language Person because it silently consumes the talisman luminous stones you carry.¡± Yu Hong quietly replied while drawing on the talisman plate. They were communicating through an unenhanced short-range communicator. Among the miscellaneous items Yu Hong had collected earlier, he had found this pair of devices. Thought initially useless, they turned out to be quite functional at this time. "Do you have a note?¡± Li Rushan asked. "No, there wasn¡¯t time. That thing was chasing me too closely.¡± Yu Hong said, ¡°Did you leave one yourself?¡± "I warned them not to come out. The woods might be fine, but I¡¯m worried about Weiwei¡­¡± Li Rushan¡¯s tone carried a trace of weariness. "Just make sure Nana is safe, that¡¯s all. In times like these, when you can¡¯t even protect yourself, why think about protecting others?¡± Yu Hong stated calmly. He had always disliked Li Rushan sheltering two beauties. In such a hostile environment, seeking after beauty seemed like courting death. "Seriously¡­¡± Li Rushan sighed, ¡°Old Yu, do you think we can hold out for long??¡± "I don¡¯t know.¡± Yu Hong replied. "No supplies, no communication, staying here completely isolated from the outside.¡± Li Rushan said, ¡°Shadow, Language Person, Blood Tide, elephant worm, Multi-eyed Bird, dangers are increasing¡­ but our available resources and weapons are diminishing¡­¡± Yu Hong remained silent, knowing what the other said was true. At this rate, they definitely wouldn¡¯t last¡­ His mind was also swiftly contemplating future directions. Unlike others, even in the harshest external environments, he had the Black Mark, which could enhance nearby objects and find new hope. "The talisman plates are barely holding up outside.¡± he whispered, ¡°I¡¯ll try to find new technologies¡­ If we can get our hands on sunlight materials, maybe our situation might improve.¡± "I¡¯m starting to worry whether the guy delivering the materials will come, can he make it here¡­¡± Li Rushan sounded uncharacteristically down. In Yu Hong¡¯s memory, he always seemed cheerful, as if nothing could trouble him. But now¡­ "At ten o¡¯clock, I¡¯ll contact the post on the other side, but don¡¯t get your hopes up,¡± Yu Hong said. "I¡¯m not hopeful. The communicator is inside the stone house due to signal issues. If Weiwei or the others turn on the communicator upstairs, it¡¯s likely¡­¡± Li Rushan said, his breathing growing rougher, clearly anxious. Yu Hong didn¡¯t speak further. The two fell silent for a while before disconnecting to save battery. There were twelve more days until the enhancement was complete. If they acted rashly during this time, and the talisman plates ran out, the situation could get even worse. Chapter 122: Information Four Yu Hong sat in front of the communicator, turned on the machine, and quietly waited for the time to pass. He had to find a way to notify Aisena on the other side, asking them to stay inside as much as possible. Staying in the underground Pyroxene Secret Room was the safest method. Sitting there, he had finished updating the information on the people behind him, so he took the opportunity while waiting to quietly cultivate his Inner Qi. He had completed the first level of static exercises, and now that he was practicing the second level, it was clearly much smoother, and the condensation of Inner Qi was also much faster. At that moment, he was one-third away from achieving the second level of Inner Qi. According to his previous progress, in a few days at most, he would have the full second level of Inner Qi, and his confidence in surviving would be even greater. After all, the Black Mark sometimes required Inner Qi as a backup energy source. Time slipped away bit by bit, and soon, Yu Hong ate some nutrient paste and took a short rest;it was almost ten o¡¯clock. "Hiss¡­ Uncle Yu Hong, are you there?¡± Aisena¡¯s voice came on time from the other end of the communicator. "Nana? Now, listen quietly to me!¡± Yu Hong¡¯s spirits were lifted, knowing that the other side might be in great danger, so he quickly clarified Li Rushan¡¯s situation and things they needed to be cautious of. "That¡¯s good to hear about Dad. I have remembered everything you¡¯ve said, Uncle,¡± Aisena answered obediently. "What about your two sisters? Make sure they don¡¯t run around recklessly,¡± Yu Hong cautioned. "We understand, but Sister Song Wei left early. We noticed she hadn¡¯t returned, so we came out with some things to look for her,¡± Lin Haini quickly took over the conversation. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, all the talisman plates placed in the windows and doors of the stone house are intact;staying inside shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡± "I suggest you go back immediately,¡± Yu Hong¡¯s brow furrowed. "But Song Wei isn¡¯t here¡­ She has the key for entering and exiting the area¡­¡± "Let Nana go back first!¡± Yu Hong insisted decisively. ¡°¡­ I understand,¡± Lin Haini, who was not one to be oblivious, caught the tone and immediately agreed. "Alright, that¡¯s it. Do not come to the stone house for contact in the future. If there¡¯s a problem, Old Li will later go straight to the house and communicate with you through the post office.¡± "Okay!¡± Snap. The communication cut off, and Yu Hong let out a long sigh of relief. "I hope they¡¯re safe.¡± The people around him were already too few. If it continued like this, and there was no one left to talk to, that would really be terrible. He stood up, started to prepare something to cook, and while the stove was warming up, he went to the door and looked outside. The luminous grass in the courtyard swayed silently in the night breeze. In the window of the wooden house in the yard, Li Rushan stood motionless, gazing at the glowing ground, momentarily at a loss for words. Yu Hong looked at him, shook his head internally, and pulled the shutter back down. Days passed, one by one. One day, two days, five days, ten days¡­ The area around Baiqiu Village was peaceful;everyone hid in their secret rooms, not venturing out. Yu Hong didn¡¯t know how Nana and Lin Haini were, nor did he know the status of Zhou Xueguang;all he knew was that he and Li Rushan were about to burst from staying cooped up. Without firewood, even with lighting, they had to go out to collect it. Because flames represented safe drinking water in this environment where most water sources were poisonous, without fire, they could not boil and disinfect water, meaning they would suffer severe dehydration. Humans can survive a week without food, but not a week without water¡ªthat would be certain death. So, with only two days left before the Black Mark strengthened, Yu Hong had no choice but to leave the safehouse, cautiously gathering some dry wood. Creak. The wooden door slowly opened. The morning light, filtered through the haze, spread evenly around the cavern, making the white even whiter and the dark colors lighter. Yu Hong, dressed in a white bear suit and holding a Wolf Fang Club, with all the remaining talisman plates in his pocket, carefully descended the stone steps. He moved to the side of the wooden house and squeezed a few nutrient pastes through the window slit. "How are you feeling?¡± "I¡¯m planning on going back,¡± Li Rushan said in a heavy voice. ¡°After so much time, that creature should have left the area. I can¡¯t possibly continue to live like this indefinitely, dragging it out.¡± He paused. "Thank you for looking after me during this time, but no matter what, I must return today.¡± Over these nights, he, too, had seen the fluorescent luminous grass but asked no questions. To ensure their safety in such a dangerous environment was in itself the greatest act of kindness. "I¡¯ll go out with you,¡± Yu Hong thought it over;since he was going to collect firewood anyway, it would be better to join Old Li. Two people could support each other. Of course, it was absolutely not to see when the sunlight materials would arrive. Absolutely not. Yu Hong stood outside the wooden house, quietly waited for a little while, adjusting the slightly restless Inner Qi within him. During this time, he had made five more Vortex Talisman Plates. The greatest advantage of this new talisman plate was that there was no need for Black Mark strengthening. It only required the consumption of Inner Qi, channeled into the ink, to easily form. Including the previous talisman plates, he had a total of six, all of which had been placed long enough to fully saturate their internal capacity. It was also because of this that he had the courage to go out to fetch wood. Before long, the door of the wooden house opened, and Li Rushan, looking haggard with his hair and beard having grown significantly and in utter disarray, walked out. He nodded to Yu Hong and took the lead, with Yu Hong following, no more than five meters behind. The two quickly left the courtyard and headed towards the post office, and along the way, Yu Hong kept bending down to pick up firewood. It was Li Rushan, eager to return, who disappeared into the mist ahead. Plop. Suddenly, a soft sound came from behind Yu Hong. He had planned to catch up quickly, but upon hearing the noise, his expression turned serious, and he looked back. Through the fog, about ten meters away on the grassland, stood a quiet, indistinct figure. The person wasn¡¯t very tall and seemed a bit thin. The distance was too great and the haze too thick to make out any details. He seemed to be wearing very old clothes, the kind of workwear from decades ago, with a gray shirt on top and black trousers on the bottom, his hair a mess, clearly revealing he was male. Soon, the fog thickened, and the person disappeared, buried by the mist. "Hello,¡± Yu Hong greeted the other, arms cradling firewood, as he tentatively called out. Pitter-patter. Suddenly, a strange light sound erupted much closer behind him. His heart leapt, and he whirled around. There was nothing behind him, only the thick fog. He scrutinized deep into the fog, sensing for any figures that might emerge around him. His gut told him that this time, the person behind him likely wasn¡¯t just one person, and moreover, probably didn¡¯t act according to the three-time kill rule Zhou Xueguang had mentioned¡­ Pitter-patter. Suddenly, a third light noise sounded right at Yu Hong¡¯s back. The sound was so close it was as if the person making it stood right behind him;any larger movement upon turning could potentially brush against them. Yu Hong felt as though his blood had frozen solid, goosebumps madly erupting on his skin. A ghastly pale face with the stench of rot had closed in on the nape of his neck and shoulder, poised to draw even nearer at any moment. ¡®Now is the time!!¡¯ His eyes beneath the goggles snapped wide open. His right arm smashed violently into his own chest. Crack. Just then, a fourth noise mixed with his blow against his suit erupted behind him, the two sounds spreading together. Whoosh!!! In an instant, a terrifying radiation burst forth from Yu Hong as the center, rippling out in invisible, horrifying waves. The explosion caused by using five Vortex Talisman Plates at once yielded an exaggerated negative value luminous stone radiation blast of over three thousand. The piercing alarm of the detector wailed frantically! Invisible spherical ripples spread out from Yu Hong, covering the surroundings and forming an enormous sphere with a diameter of over ten meters. And within this sphere, a hazy figure emerged from the fog like a reflection in water, twisted and distorted by a massive impact, as if pausing a movie scene. The figure stood behind Yu Hong, in a reaching stance, then could no longer move an inch. Following that. Boom!! Yu Hong turned around, raised his leg, and his Inner Qi exploded in an upward kick. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Low sweep leg!! Right at the moment the opponent seemed to be frozen, he struck full force, directly hitting the figure¡¯s legs. The legs snapped instantly like sugarcanes, emitting a crisp sound. Then Yu Hong swung the Wolf Fang Club horizontally with a sweep of his hand. The terrifying blow generated a shrieking in the air and, in a flash, achieved its purpose. The Wolf Fang Club hit the figure squarely but met empty air, passing through and striking a large tree to the side. Thud! Wood chips scattered. Yu Hong pulled out the club and without a second word, took off running. In less than two seconds, he vanished into the fog, single-handedly clutching the firewood and heading back towards the cave. After a quick sprint, he returned to the luminous stone courtyard, leaped over the low wall in a dive, effortlessly rolled on the ground to break his fall. Firewood scattered everywhere, but that cold, bone-piercing sensation on his back was gone. Standing up, Yu Hong looked back over the wall. Just now, that figure stood outside the wall, body much more blurred than before. It faced him, clearly watching this side. ¡®The Vortex Talisman Plate¡¯s explosion worked, but it seems to only temporarily paralyze these Evil Shadows,¡¯ Yu Hong frowned tightly, recalling everything that had just happened. ¡®The figure behind seems to stiffen up when washed over by negative radiation.¡¯ He noted this reaction. Standing straight, Yu Hong caught his breath, hugging the firewood while intently staring at the figure, slowly retreating into the cave until he completely shut the door, finally breathing a sigh of relief. ¡®Now that the firewood issue is resolved, it should last at least two days. Next¡­ as long as we survive, we can attain a perfect safe house with both energy and water!¡¯ ¡®However, my direct kick landed on that guy, while the Wolf Fang Club did nothing. It seems my new Inner Qi indeed has some effect, albeit weak, on injuring or controlling these spectral and Evil Shadows¡­¡¯ Standing at the door, Yu Hong looked out at the figure still hovering outside the wall and took up pen and paper to note it down. This note¡¯s content would become reinforcement material for the Black Mark in a few days. Just as Yu Hong prepared to turn away, Suddenly, his gaze sharpened as he saw that the blurred figure outside the courtyard wall, unbelievably, lifted a leg and stepped forward! That figure actually stepped into the courtyard filled with luminous grass!!!! Hiss. In an instant, the luminous grass all around it blackened, disintegrated, and turned to ash. "This damn thing!!¡± Yu Hong tensed up and quickly pressed his hand on the Black Mark, not hesitating to inject all of his remaining Inner Qi into the luminous stone mark linked to him. ¡®Mark recharging complete, do you wish to open the second mark?¡¯ "Huh???¡± Yu Hong¡¯s eyes widened, astonished. Chapter 123: Mark of 121 "The second mark!?¡± Yu Hong stared in shock. The luminous grass was his first bound creature for the mark;he couldn¡¯t even count how much it had helped him. Without the luminous grass, his gate would have eroded daily by the Blood Tide worms, and he would have had to spend significant Black Mark time repairing it daily. Even big Blood Tide Monsters like the elephant worm might not have been stopped by it alone. Such a creature, seemingly simple and ordinary in its utility, played a crucial part in such a perilous world. And now, the Black Mark had opened up a second mark position!? After the shock ebbed away in Yu Hong¡¯s heart, overwhelming joy followed. But this was not the moment to rejoice. He regained his composure and stared intently at the figure attempting to step into the yard of luminous grass through the window. He was certain that this person was not a shadow but very possibly the mastermind himself. Previously, the figure might have detested the continued emission of negative Red Value by the luminous grass, but now, for some reason, it was trying to enter the yard voluntarily. Hiss. Yu Hong watched as the luminous grass within several meters of the figure rapidly turned black, shattered, and turned to ashes. And as he continuously poured his Inner Qi into the mark, new and stronger luminous grass began to sprout from the mud around the figure. Snap. The figure took another step further and then stopped. Its body seemed to continually emit an invisible radiation force, fighting against the regenerating luminous grass around it. Time slowly ticked by. Ten seconds. Thirty seconds. Fifty seconds. Finally, the figure slowly retreated, step by step, out of the yard and stood outside the wall again. It looked up, its face blurred with a smile, giving Yu Hong a glance before turning and disappearing into the dense fog. At the same time, inside the yard, the grassland that had turned to black ash rapidly returned to its original state with the supply of Inner Qi. Yu Hong sighed deeply, sweat faintly visible on his forehead. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He had just thought that the luminous grass yard wouldn¡¯t hold, and without it, he had no sufficient means to confront the mastermind. If the yard were breached, all he would have left was the safety of the Pyroxene Secret Room inside the cave. "This time, even the luminous grass yard couldn¡¯t expel it¡­ It seems relying on the luminous grass alone might not be enough against the mastermind¡­.¡± Thinking this, he withdrew his gaze, feeling the scant remains of his Inner Qi and knowing just how perilous the situation had been. "The second mark¡­ what should I bind this time?¡± He breathed a sigh of relief, stood up, and looked around inside the cave. The dim red charcoal in the fireplace slowly released heat, a black box-like communicator lay on the wooden table in the middle, and to one side was a solar panel responsible for generating electricity. Yu Hong¡¯s gaze swept through all the objects. "The function of a mark, allowing rapid regeneration, recovery, and enhancement in accordance with the strength of Inner Qi, is closely related to my Cultivation Technique. I must bind something that could protect my safety even better than the luminous grass¡­.¡± "Non-living items definitely wouldn¡¯t work¡­ their cost-effectiveness compared to living beings is too low, and they can¡¯t recover by themselves.¡± "As for living beings, I could choose a new type of wild grass, vine, shrub, or even the trees outside!¡± Yu Hong turned and slid the barrier aside, looking at the trees faintly illuminated by the light of the luminous grass outside. Pillars of trees standing at least ten meters tall, robust and powerful. "The advantage of a large tree is that it¡¯s not easily damaged, but it grows slowly¡­ and its range is fixed¡­ though its radiation is definitely far greater than that of luminous grass.¡± Yu Hong felt that if he chose a large tree as the bonded creature for the mark, the fusion time might be significant. "And besides, the Black Mark has not yet been fully enhanced;I can¡¯t use the mark to bind anything in the short term. I remember the initial binding of the mark was accidentally achieved through a mixture of luminous stone and wild grass. Now that there¡¯s an extra mark slot, it just means I can synthesize and bind another living being. This process must still use the Black Mark enhancement¡­.¡± "That is to say, I still have to wait for the Black Mark enhancement to finish, to bind the second mark¡­.¡± With that thought, Yu Hong steadied his mind. At this point, everything was converging towards the moment the Black Mark enhancement completed. "Only two more days¡­ soon¡­¡± He took a deep breath, closed the barrier, and went back to continue his training. The new Inner Qi let him directly touch the mastermind, signifying that the merged Cultivation Techniques were beginning to show the capabilities he originally wanted. He had enhanced his Cultivation Technique specifically to acquire abilities to counter the shadow and Evil Shadow. "Keep it up!¡± He muttered to himself quietly. He buried himself in intense training. Regarding what to bind with the second mark, he now had a clearer idea. When a person wholeheartedly buries himself in one task, time flies by rapidly. In the blink of an eye, two days passed. Inside the cave basement. Yu Hong sat cross-legged, his body suddenly trembling slightly. He opened his eyes, a genuine smile breaking over his dirt-streaked face. "It worked!!¡± The second stream of Inner Qi was now silently circulating in his abdomen. Two streams of Inner Qi¡ªthat was the result of his re-crafted Cultivation Technique. As before, the second layer of the Basic Survival Leg Technique also required accumulating nine streams of Inner Qi before one could advance to the next layer. Today, this Cultivation Technique possessed a total of six layers. Moreover, as the booklet explained, the higher the layer, the more environmental Red Value needed to be absorbed. This was also the fundamental reason why the Red Value radiation in the air inside the cave shelter was extremely scant. It was not just the mitigation by the luminous stone grass and the talisman array¡¯s radiation, but also Yu Hong¡¯s continuous absorption. "Today is also the last day of the Black Mark enhancement!¡± Yu Hong¡¯s heart was filled with anticipation. He stood up, moved his limbs, walked out of the basement and went to the newly excavated third stone chamber, which was the designated energy control room. This room housed the nuclear energy motor he had obtained, as well as the central water supply system. In fact, these past days, Yu Hong had not checked on the situation for the first time;the impatient he would come and examine the nuclear energy motor every day. Through this examination, he discovered a problem. The nuclear energy motor itself was not perfect. In a corner at the very bottom, there were faint engravings, ¡°Experiment No. k238.¡± This led Yu Hong to speculate that perhaps the device was only an experimental model, incomplete in function, far less valuable than the complete units used in Hope City, and thus left behind unclaimed¡ªa fact linked with what Wei Hongye had said about the inadequacy of miniaturized nuclear technologies. Thus, it was used by Wei Hongye as bait, continuously exchanged for benefits. "However, all these don¡¯t matter. With the Black Mark¡­. even an imperfect experimental model can be fully repaired by me!¡± Yu Hong stared at the countdown numbers continuously changing on the wall. Only one minute left, enhancement was about to end. His eyes were focused intensely, filled with thick anticipation, on the nuclear energy motor before him. "Starting today¡­. For a very long, long time, I won¡¯t have to worry about energy problems¡­.¡± This exhilarating thought kept revolving in his mind. Hum! All of a sudden, Yu Hong felt a tingling sensation throughout his body. Everything before his eyes, everything around him, everything in the entire cave shelter, at that moment, completely blurred. It blurred for an instant, not even 0.1 seconds;it felt like his vision had briefly blurred as something floated by, obscuring it. Then, everything transformed. The originally rough and primitive basement, at this moment, swished and turned into a room with smooth, thick walls, entirely black. The nuclear energy motor was gone, and so were the components of the water supply system. Instead, the wall now had two integrated box covers implanted into it. Yu Hong walked over, pulled open the black box cover on the left, marked with a red skull and inscribed with red letters: Energy Control Box. Inside the box cover were various switches and buttons, controlling the electricity supply for all basement rooms. After closing the lid, Yu Hong opened another white box cover. This lid was painted with a huge blue water droplet on its surface. Inside were water source switches corresponding to each room. Snap. He closed the lid, took a deep breath, turned around, and rushed upstairs to the first floor. The first floor of the cave, near the exit door, had also changed. The cave walls were completely regularized, all turned into what seemed like a thick black color, apparently coated with a layer of hard metal. Everything else was still in its original place, but there was a new rectangular washbasin recessed into the wall on the right side next to the fireplace. The basin was entirely made of stone, smooth and flat, without any patterns. A faucet, a sink, and a drainpipe¡ªjust those three structures. Similarly, the entire washbasin was also black, as if coated with the same type of paint as the walls. Yu Hong took a breath, went up, and turned the tap. Whoosh. A stream of clear water immediately squirted out from the faucet. Endlessly flowing. Watching the glistening water flow, Yu Hong¡¯s lips were tightly pursed, his facial skin trembling. He could not recall the last time he had seen such ordinary tap water. Only those like him, who had lived in such terribly dangerous environments for so long, could appreciate how precious having an uninterrupted water supply was. Watching this gushing water flow, an indescribable emotion welled up in Yu Hong¡¯s heart. "From now on¡­. I can finally¡­. stop searching for water outside, finally not worry about bathing, finally not have to sleep uncomfortably under these smelly, greasy, and sweaty clothes and bedding¡­¡± At this moment, his eyes unconsciously moistened, only he could understand how painful it was to sleep night after night by these stinking, simultaneously slimy, sweaty bedding and clothes. Standing still, he turned off the faucet and tried to calm his agitated emotions before going to check the power supply. As he expected, each room had a switch to control the lights. Light bulbs were naturally installed in each room, with switches and wires embedded in the walls. The entire safe house looked like a meticulously decorated three-bedroom hall, showing no signs of its initial roughness and manually chiseled traces. Moreover, Yu Hong found reserved wall sockets in each room, though they were made of stone, not the familiar plastic, but this made him understand why this enhancement needed so much time. It seemed that a lot of time had been spent on replenishing many small details of the shelter. He meticulously inspected every room, the three basements, and the main hall. Every single corner was meticulously inspected for changes. And as he repeatedly rechecked, the joy and comfort rising in his heart slowly returned to calm. Chapter 124: Mark of the 124th Back on the first floor. Yu Hong flipped the switch with a snap, and the light bulb lit up, casting a uniform white light across the main hall. He found a stool to sit on, feeling almost overwhelmed with satisfaction from his initial arrival here, through each dangerous and challenging experience, to the present. He had finally, Finally through his own efforts, secured a primitive yet stable safe house. It had a power supply that could last for over twenty years and a continuous water supply system linked to an underground river. Next, he just needed to refine this place bit by bit. ¡®If it weren¡¯t for the many details, perhaps the Black Mark wouldn¡¯t have taken so long. Next, I need to get some shower stuff, carve out a separate bathing space, and could even set up a hot water system using nuclear heat to raise the temperature inside the entire safe house. Water filtration and purification also need to be scheduled¡­.¡¯ Yu Hong settled down, and ideas for improving the safe house began flooding his mind. Washing machines, dryers, kitchen utensils, external surveillance systems, and more¡­ With energy, the things he wanted to make multiplied. ¡®I need to make a trip outside sometime, scavenge around the abandoned Hope City, maybe get a good haul.¡¯ He confirmed his thoughts, and only then did his mood completely stabilize. ¡®Then¡­ it¡¯s time for the new main event¡­¡¯ Talisman-bound objects! The newly opened second Black Mark offered additional binding slots, which if used wisely, could provide better defense effects than luminous grass. And Yu Hong already had an idea for the new target. ¡®Compared to binding trees and vines, they lack flexibility. If I could bind and control movable living creatures, perhaps I could use them as a frontline force against the Blood Tide. Then I wouldn¡¯t need to risk myself personally, some lower-level dangers could also be addressed and tested using living creatures.¡¯ Yu Hong took out some paper and a pen, and pondered. ¡®The only living creatures I can contact are two types, the rest for some reason are nowhere to be seen, no cats or dogs¡­ I¡¯ll investigate this issue later. For now, I can only choose from the two easiest to access.¡¯ He wrote on the paper. ¡®Cockroaches, lizards.¡¯ ¡®Cockroaches reproduce quickly, easily forming a collective effect, and have a broad diet, very strong survivability. They are also not afraid of many viruses and bacteria, many advantages, but the fault is¡­ they are too small, too weak¡­. Against ordinary shadows, after synthesis and enhancement, definitely no problem, but with Evil Shadows, the radiation is not enough and it won¡¯t have a big effect.¡¯ Yu Hong shook his head slightly, then looked at the second option. ¡®Lizards, average reproduction, the species Li was breeding are north forest red lizards. They are oviparous, and can grow quite large on average.¡¯ He recalled a past casual chat with Li, who had mentioned this. ¡®The largest, it is said, can reach the size of cats and dogs, the upper limit can be raised to more than ten pounds. But usually, for meat harvest, they start slaughtering as soon as they grow over a pound.¡¯ ¡®If enhanced, maybe the size could be larger, used as guard creatures, placed roaming around, the defensive power definitely far surpasses that of cockroaches. It¡¯s just that the diet is a bit narrow¡­ reproduction is also not as good as cockroaches, if some die, it won¡¯t be easy to replenish in a short time.¡¯ Although talisman binding creatures could be recovered and strengthened with inner Qi, Yu Hong knew very clearly what he needed. ¡®I need a creature that can withstand shadows and the Blood Tide to a certain extent, can also patrol around on its own, ensuring a safe area within a certain range. Also must be able to quickly reproduce and recover, needs a wide diet, strong survivability, and sufficient stealth, otherwise if it encounters people with guns and bombs, a few shots would kill them, making it utterly pointless.¡¯ ¡®Movable living creatures can completely accompany me on outings, serving as assistants to test many dangerous areas.¡¯ Yu Hong kept twirling his pen, continuously pondering. ¡®This creature¡¯s diet should be available everywhere, easy to solve. Otherwise, it¡¯s not conducive to subsequent population expansion.¡¯ ¡®So, what kind of thing is everywhere outside?¡¯ Yu Hong¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, and suddenly a thought struck him. ¡®Wait.¡¯ He straightened up. ¡®Since luminous grass can absorb other substances and convert them into special radiation against the Red Value, since my cultivation technique can synthesize enhanced effects to absorb Red Value, why can¡¯t I synthesize and enhance a creature that can absorb Red Value, even prey on Blood Tide creatures?¡¯ Thinking this, Yu Hong stood up quickly, switched into his suit, and began to strengthen and restore the Silver Talisman Plate. To synthesise a new living creature, he had to head to the post office stone house, where live cockroaches and lizards were available, so he had to go out. And going out meant facing the dilemma of not enough talisman plates, the Black Mark was now vacant, he needed to quickly restore talisman plates and make more vortex talisman plates, fully preparing before heading out to the post office stone house. ¡®Just don¡¯t know how Li is now after he¡¯s gone back, how¡¯s the situation.¡¯ Yu Hong worried for a few seconds, then stopped thinking about it further, as he wasn¡¯t the other person¡¯s nanny, at most, he¡¯d lend a hand at critical moments. After quickly arranging the task for restoring the Silver Talisman Plate, one and a half hours per piece, totaling two pieces. Using this time, he went to the washbasin and began washing himself. The water supply system was equipped with some filtering components, even though the water that came out directly wasn¡¯t drinkable, it was still fine for washing and bathing. Otherwise, Hope City would not have installed such facilities. Yu Hong tested the water¡¯s radiation value, ensured it was roughly fine, then vigorously wiped his body with a towel, also rinsed his hair, then slowly dried himself by the fireplace. Then he cleaned and wiped down the suit, clothes. He hadn¡¯t cleaned himself for too long, now with plenty of water, he felt almost mad, wanting to rinse everything he saw. It was just after strengthening, all the walls and floors were as clean as new, which greatly relieved Yu Hong¡¯s cleaning anxiety. Soon, three hours passed, it was already ten o¡¯clock outside, Yu Hong, although not hopeful, still turned on the communicator, waiting for a call from the post office. Since there was electricity now and the energy could last for decades, there was no worry about wasting it. Next, Yu Hong took out the paper he had previously recorded with the information for dealing with the people behind the scenes. The paper recorded the detailed intelligence they three had come up with together. Yu Hong waited for the two talisman arrays to both fully recover, then stretched out his hand, pressed it on the tabletop, holding down this piece of white paper. "Strengthen the way to deal with the person behind,¡± he recited silently. To handle this suddenly appearing, highly dangerous Evil Shadow, it was necessary to gather as much information about it as possible. The Black Mark¡¯s enhancement was a cost-effective way. Yu Hong did not think in any particular direction in his mind, fearing that once a direction was set, it might lead to incomplete information and therefore failure. The enhancement of the Black Mark followed the principle of completeness. That is, if the basic information was present and the structure complete, it could be enhanced further and stronger. But without the basic information or a complete structure, failure was certain. Soon, a red countdown number slowly appeared on the paper recording the characters: 2 hours 14 minutes. Yu Hong released his grasp, and as the querying voice of the Black Mark echoed in his ears, he replied affirmatively, stood up again, went to the door, opened the barrier, and looked out at the yard of luminous stone grass, filled with anticipation. Since arriving at this place, it was the first time his heart was filled with anticipation. * * * Post office. Inside the underground air-raid shelter. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Li Rushan carefully held Aisena and gently placed her on the small bed, looking at her sleeping face, his original fear, bewilderment, and panic all turned into determination. "I will definitely protect you¡­ absolutely!¡± He made a resolution in his heart. After returning earlier, he and Lin Haini and Aisena had embraced for a long time. Upon learning of Song Wei¡¯s disappearance, Li Rushan immediately decided to block off the passage leading to the stone house. No one was allowed near it. Only after settling the issues of food and drink and putting his daughter to sleep did he get up and find the opportunity to ask Lin Haini about everything that had happened. The two left the bedroom alone and entered the neighboring room, turning on the electric light connected to the solar battery. "The days are getting shorter, but there must be a way. Yu Hong got a nuclear generator, if all else fails, we could get some storage batteries, charge them at his place, and bring them back for use,¡± Li Rushan said. He paused, looking at the other person. "Tell me, what exactly happened to Song Wei?¡± Song Wei had not appeared to this day, and in such a dangerous environment, there was no need to guess, she was surely dead. Lin Haini leaned against the wall, her eyes sorrowful, and said softly, ¡°She was restless. At first, due to the danger, she could still hold on underground, but as time passed, she really couldn¡¯t control herself and went upstairs every day to listen to music. You know, because too many people died, some radio stations would often play pure music to mourn those who passed¡ª to mourn those who sacrificed themselves to save most people. So¡­¡± "She went up to listen to music, and then disappeared?¡± Li Rushan asked. "We¡­ found her luminous stone blanket on the bed in the room¡­ all the luminous stones in the blanket had been depleted¡­¡± Lin Haini looked down, her eyes reddening a bit. After all, she and Song Wei had originally sought refuge with Li Rushan together, relying on each other, raising children together, their relationship often closer than sisters, but now¡­ She was the only one left. If Li Rushan hadn¡¯t returned in time, she might also have been unable to hold on much longer¡­ Click. As the two were talking, suddenly a light sound came from the corridor outside. Li Rushan was about to speak when he heard the sound and abruptly stopped, his expression grave. He looked up at Lin Haini. "Did you close the entrance properly when you came in?¡± The entrance was closely sealed with a talisman plate. As soon as it was depleted, the talisman plate would fall to the ground, making a sound. But the sound just now came from the corridor, not possibly from the falling talisman plate at the entrance. Lin Haini¡¯s body chilled, and she quickly nodded. "I checked it twice and even propped it with a metal pipe!¡± Li Rushan¡¯s face paled, he now had only the last two ordinary talisman plates given by Yu Hong, all the others had been exhausted. This meant these two rooms had been arranged as Pyroxene Secret Rooms, that¡¯s why he was somewhat confident he could avoid trouble. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have immediately decided to return to the post office. "Don¡¯t worry, both these rooms are Pyroxene Secret Rooms, nothing will¡ª¡± snap. Suddenly a faint sound emanated from behind Lin Haini. The sound was very close, too close. Lin Haini heard it. Li Rushan did as well. Both froze in their movements. Li Rushan raised his head, looking at the talisman plates tightly fixed on the wall. Only then did he shockingly discover that one-third of the talisman plates on this room¡¯s walls had turned completely pale and lost their effect. "Shan¡­ save me¡­¡± Lin Haini trembled, stretching her hand out to Li Rushan. Chapter 125: Mark of 123 In the safety bunker within the cave. Yu Hong carefully drew a Vortex Rune Array with Large Pyroxene Stone graphite powder on the skin of his right leg. "Still not working, huh? It¡¯s too easily dried up and cracked. The rune lines are quickly dried by the skin, and any slight movement will prematurely destroy the structure of the rune lines, causing the absorbed radiation to release,¡± he murmured as he tested and found it unsatisfactory. "Then let¡¯s switch to engraving it on the suit instead.¡± He swiftly grabbed the Polar Bear Suit and began to inscribe the Vortex rune patterns on its surface. Due to his extremely high proficiency, it took him only a few minutes to finish inscribing two suits along with a Wolf Fang Club, all adorned with talisman arrays. Next was waiting for them to dry and absorb the radiation. "This way, during combat, I can continuously detonate the Vortex Talisman Plates to forcibly control the Evil Shadow.¡± Feeling the growing strength of the Evil Shadow, Yu Hong was carefully considering a method. ¡®How to use the Black Mark to forcibly enhance the same item continuously.¡¯ His Inner Qi had now reached the second layer with two strands, enhancing his speed, strength, protection, and endurance in all aspects. He could handle the Blood Tide Monsters, but facing the shadow and Evil Shadow, he was clearly out of his depth. "The Evil Shadow¡¯s abilities are bizarre and varied;it¡¯s essential to have marking items to probe in advance for higher safety,¡± Yu Hong reaffirmed his idea. Checking that enough time had passed, he returned to his desk to review information on the newly completed enhancement. ¡®Countermeasures against the Person Behind.¡¯ The name was distinctly marked on the new sheet. Below were lines of content with numeric identifiers. ¡®1: The attacks of the Person Behind follow a three-strike rule, but it¡¯s not about seeing three times;it¡¯s hearing the noise made three times. 2: The Person Behind¡¯s attack method focuses on sustained attrition without explosiveness. The main method is to forcefully reduce the target¡¯s ambient negative Red Value, and once it drops to a critical point, the target will be instantly devoured. 3: The Person Behind adheres to a unique singularity;one Person Behind can only target one individual at a time. 4: When bombarded with a significant amount of negative radiation, the Person Behind will be forced out of hiding and into rigidity. If attacked while rigid, the Person Behind suffers great damage. The rigidity duration formula is: (Negative Radiation Shock Amount ¨C Person Behind¡¯s own Red Value Amount) / 800 = Rigidity Duration, in seconds. 5: If the damage received during rigidity exceeds the Person Behind¡¯s own total Red Value, the Person Behind¡¯s physical reality will be shattered, waiting to recover.¡¯ "Tsk, tsk, tsk¡­ Now that¡¯s detailed,¡± Yu Hong carefully examined the paper, finding this information far more detailed than the minimal intel provided by Zhou Xueguang. "If the channel is still open, maybe I could exchange it for some goods or resources¡­¡± he mused, feeling much more relaxed while holding the paper. Many dangers are not to be feared for the enemy¡¯s strength but the lack of effective countermeasures. As long as there is hope, as long as there is a method to harm the enemy, all fear is diminished. With the paper in hand, he quickly moved to the communicator, which had been on without making a sound. The silence persisted. He pressed the paper to one corner of the communicator and then continued the next round of enhancement. After previous tests, the Silver Talisman Plate was almost outdated, so he planned to find a powerful item that could deal with the current predicament. ¡®Since the normal talisman array enhances the effect of luminous stones and the Vortex Rune Array stores radiation effects, can the two be combined for use? First, the Vortex Rune Array stores the radiation, then the released radiation is amplified by the normal rune array, creating a greater destructive force.¡¯ Yu Hong¡¯s approach was straightforward. Such a construct was merely a simple linkage structure. He took a Vortex Talisman Plate and wrapped it in a layer of soft cloth, then drew amplification array patterns on the cloth. After drying both, he tied them up with a string. It took him less than half an hour to complete a simple combined talisman array system. "Let¡¯s give it a try.¡± Yu Hong weighed the cloth-wrapped talisman plate in his hand with some anticipation. The Vortex Talisman Plate was saturated with radiation, and with the newly drawn amplification rune¡­ He pinched the cloth-wrapped talisman plate with one hand, silently thinking ¡®Enhance.¡¯ ¡®Enhance the Radiation Hand Grenade. Direction: Structure optimization with the goal of amplifying power.¡¯ A black line flowed out of the Black Mark, soon followed by a feedback sound. ¡®Would you like to enhance the Radiation Hand Grenade?¡¯ A countdown appeared on the cloth-wrapped talisman array: 13 minutes. ¡®Yes.¡¯ Yu Hong felt satisfied. Simply having the Black Mark reinforce and optimize the link between the two greatly reduced the time required, especially since the Vortex Rune Array was already a finished product. In just a few minutes, he simply moved a stool to the desk and sat down to wait. Soon. The time arrived. The cloth-wrapped talisman array hissed and blurred out, and in the blink of an eye, it transformed into a black-brown rigid object with a handle. Yu Hong was surprised and carefully inspected the item. It was about the length of a smartphone and as thick as a cucumber, cylindrical, with an anti-slip pattern that made it easy to grip. The overall texture was hard, seemingly made from a plastic-like material. There was also a red switch that could slide up and down, with a line of tiny text beneath it: Flip open and throw after three seconds. "This thing¡­¡± Yu Hong held the object, filled with an unexpected mix of surprise and curiosity. "Logically, the enhancement should be proportional to the time spent;just a few minutes, and the material has even changed¡­ This doesn¡¯t fit the pattern I¡¯ve summarized before.¡± He frowed, mentally noting this anomaly for future study. With the grenade in hand, Yu Hong approached the door, gently opened it, and walked into the yard. The yard was glowing in the dark night, filled with the radiant white light of enhanced pyroxene grass. Outside, there were no Blood Tide Monsters, just an inexplicable chill that kept spreading in the dark fog, pervading the area. Yu Hong, holding a Radiation Hand Grenade, wandered around the yard several times, quickly locating a direction with the help of a detector. He carefully reached forward with one hand, gently extending it into the black fog outside the wall. "Hello, is there any brother nearby?¡± Whoosh!! In an instant, a black shadow abruptly appeared in the fog where he had reached his hand. The shadow also reached out, moving extremely fast to grab at Yu Hong. Its speed was so fast, so fast that an ordinary person would have no way to react. Even an enhanced person would most likely be unable to retract their hand in time if caught off guard. And indeed, Yu Hong¡¯s speed was not fast, and he also did not react. Of course, he didn¡¯t want to react. From the moment he noticed the shadow flickering into existence, with his other hand he turned on the Radiation Hand Grenade and smashed it forward. Plop. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The hand grenade spun, gently brushing past the shadow¡¯s body as if it had passed through an illusion, a shadow, and lightly fell onto the grass. And then¡­. Boom!!! A circle of transparent, invisible, lightless explosion instantly centered around the shadow and burst open with a bang. The black shadow dissipated like a bubble, shattering in an instant, vanishing without a trace. Beep!! The enhancement detector on Yu Hong¡¯s body simultaneously blared, the reading jumped from a negative value of over one hundred to negative seven thousand plus in an instant, sustained for two seconds, then quickly fell back to around negative two hundred. Yu Hong blinked his eyes. "Still there?¡± he moved his hand, waving the one he had extended to test the waters. No response. The fog outside was still there, but the shadow had long since disappeared. "Hello?¡± He waved his hand again. No one responded. He then took out the Red Value detector, reached out, and measured into the darkness. ¡®-271.241.¡¯ ¡°¡­¡± Yu Hong was at a loss for words;he had not expected that just a simple pairing of two runes would unleash such tremendous power. Of course, it was also because of the targeted intelligence, the optimized combination of Black Marks, that such good results could be produced in one go. ¡®Later on, first cause stiffness in the opposition¡¯s back, then destroy their physical body with a massive dose of radiation. Combined, as long as the radiation can be elevated to over six thousand in a single breath, a two-stage explosion might be able to temporarily take down the foe. As for the recovery time after they are destroyed, that¡¯s a matter for later.¡¯ Yu Hong climbed over the courtyard wall and calmly walked into the darkness outside. The air still carried an extremely powerful negative radiation. After picking up some dry wood on the way back, Yu Hong changed into his suit and continued to enhance and manufacture new Radiation Hand Grenades. This thing might be useless against other monsters like the Multi-eyed Bird, as those creatures regenerate quickly and require sustained damage to wear them down. But for dealing with invisible enemies like the Evil Shadow that are elusive and difficult to handle, it has strong specificity. ¡®What I encountered just now probably was a shadow or the like. When facing the real Evil Shadow, who knows what the situation will be. Besides, there¡¯s not just one Evil Shadow;I must prepare more hand grenades for emergencies. Fortunately, Radiation Hand Grenades cause little damage to physical bodies, and though their impact is strong, it¡¯s brief. I don¡¯t have to worry about affecting myself at close range.¡¯ Returning to the cave, Yu Hong began to quickly manufacture new Radiation Hand Grenades. After testing the hand grenades, their effectiveness was quite astonishing. It just remains to be seen what will happen when facing the real Evil Shadow. Yu Hong was somewhat looking forward to it. As night fell, time slowly trickled by. As the Black Mark continued to be enhanced, more and more Radiation Hand Grenades emerged on the wooden table inside the cave. The number of these things entirely depended on how much material was available for the Vortex Talisman Array and Large Pyroxene Stone graphite powder. Soon, a total of five hand grenades were perfectly arrayed in front of Yu Hong. He picked up a hand grenade and carefully placed it in the sealed pocket of his suit. ¡®No time to delay;there¡¯s no Blood Tide anyway, so I might as well go to the post office and get the binding mark¡¯s living creatures.¡¯ The enhancement was complete, and instead of letting the Black Mark idle, doing nothing, it was better to get the materials now and synthesize them in advance. After packing up, Yu Hong tidied up his suit, opened the door, and stepped out quickly. * * * Thud. The stone door of the post office was suddenly knocked open. Li Rushan, holding his daughter and draped in a luminous stone blanket, ran madly. He crossed the steps, barged through the yard¡¯s fence, and rushed frantically towards the direction of Yu Hong¡¯s cave. ¡®Hurry hurry hurry!¡¯ ¡®I absolutely cannot die! Absolutely not!!¡¯ Li Rushan¡¯s eyes were blood red, his muscles tensed to the extreme, and sweat, accompanied by violent breathing, constantly splattered to the ground. His legs made muffled thuds on the ground as he ran through the darkness, leaving a chaotic trail of footprints that were messy and seemed to float. "Daddy¡­ are we going to die?¡± Aisena asked calmly, curled up in Li Rushan¡¯s arms. At just a few years old, she seemed to have no fear of death, just calmness. "No¡­ Daddy won¡¯t let you die¡­ You will definitely live on! Definitely!!¡± Li Rushan managed to squeeze out a faint smile and wrapped the blanket tighter around his daughter. Chapter 126: Mark of 124 Four Just now, Li Rushan had helplessly watched Lin Haini disappear right before his eyes, with a blink that made her vanish completely. It was as though a frame had been removed from a video, a lively, beautiful woman who had disappeared right in front of him in an instant. In that moment, he was truly frightened, jumped up, and ran to his daughter¡¯s room. He wrapped her in a luminous stone blanket and ran out with her. But what he hadn¡¯t expected was that after rushing out of the room, the familiar hallway, the familiar civil defense hallway underground, had become unbearably long and unfamiliar in that moment. He tried to take the familiar route to the surface, but inexplicably got lost. The bizarre twisting force made him even more anxious about the situation. In his desperation, he closed his eyes, gripped the talisman plate Yu Hong had given him in one hand, and blindly charged forward. He finally managed to rush out from underground by following the route he¡¯d subconsciously memorized. After comforting his daughter, a thick doubt arose in Li Rushan¡¯s mind. "Why, why didn¡¯t the luminous stone blanket work? Old Zhou had said that at the front line, they too used the luminous stone blankets to hide themselves and managed to retreat safely.¡± As he thought this, Li Rushan suddenly heard a faint clicking sound behind him and quickly reached into his chest to pull out a talisman plate, clutching it in his hand. The lines on the talisman plate slowly turned gray and white, losing effectiveness. Li Rushan glanced at the talisman plate and then reached into his waist pouch again, soon pulling out a rock shaped like an oval pebble. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Looking at the stone, a reluctant expression appeared on his face, but with imminent danger at hand, if he didn¡¯t use it now, he might never have another chance. Gritting his teeth, he threw the stone backward with force. Buzz!!! Instantly, a point of white light brightened, and an explosion of bright white light erupted behind him, the scorching air current bearing a hint of faint negative radiation, heavily suppressing the white silhouette in the mist for a moment. But it was just a moment;the silhouette sped up and continued charging toward Li Rushan and his daughter. Li Rushan hadn¡¯t expected the effect to be so poor. By the time he realized it, it was almost too late, and he hastily rolled on the spot, barely dodging. Whoosh! The white silhouette brushed past where he had just been and charged forward more than ten meters before doubling back toward the two. Crack. Just then, a clear, odd noise came from behind Li Rushan. At that moment, his nerves suddenly twitched. "Wait!! Could it be that the thing that appeared in front wasn¡¯t real!? Is the real threat behind me!?¡± He suddenly realized. The being from behind, naturally appears primarily from behind. Without hesitating, he rolled again with great speed, accurately dodging the direct assault of the white silhouette. The white silhouette and the being behind him suddenly met. Pfft. The white silhouette disappeared all at once, vanishing as if it had never been there. Crack. Behind Li Rushan, another crisp sound echoed, A chilling coldness surged from his back. He tried to keep running forward, but after just a few steps, his body began to stiffen, and his movements became slower and slower. "Run!! Move!!¡± Li Rushan mentally urged his body, desperately trying to make his limbs move. His whole body tensed, blood flowing faster, his body unconsciously trembling slightly. But in this world, if one could change reality by sheer will, there wouldn¡¯t be so many people failing¡­ With this in mind, Li Rushan pulled a silver-black metallic eagle pendant from his neckline. Holding the pendant tightly, his eyes filled with reluctance, but after only holding it for two seconds, he slowly let go. Snap. He yanked the pendant off and threw it behind him. The surface of the pendant suddenly lit up with a golden, sun-like luster, the brilliant gold, like a bright light suddenly turned on in the dark night. In an instant, it forced the blurry smiling humanoid figure at Li Rushan¡¯s back to retreat. Seizing this opportunity, Li Rushan, elated, grabbed Aisena and crazily rushed toward Yu Hong. After rushing more than ten meters, he suddenly saw a figure rapidly approaching from the side. "Yu¡­.¡± he shouted out loud, a joyful expression spreading across his face. But his joyful expression halted abruptly as he realized the approaching figure wasn¡¯t Yu Hong¡ªit was Zhou Xueguang! Old Zhou was covered in blood, with half a tattered luminous stone blanket wrapped around his body, one arm dangling limply at his side, his face also bearing an indescribable terror. And behind him, a second white smiling humanoid figure was also approaching, slowly lifting its head to look toward Li Rushan and his daughter. The humanoid slightly turned, perfectly blocking the direction in which Li Rushan and his daughter were charging. The smile on its face was incredibly radiant, its arms opened wide as the air around them twisted invisibly, causing the surrounding Red Value to skyrocket rapidly. The Red Value radiation in the night seemed to form a giant net, enveloping the three of them. "No!!!¡± Li Rushan wanted to scream, but a wave of utter despair rendered him voiceless. With beings from behind attacking from both front and rear, the air filled with a freezing terror. His legs had already stiffened to the point of being nearly unresponsive. If it were a physical fight, he might have thought of many strategies, but against the assaults of the Evil Shadow¡­ Li Rushan clenched his teeth and, using all his strength, set his daughter down from his embrace. "Run!¡± he screamed with all his might. Staring at Aisena, who stood frozen in her tracks, he again used all his strength. "Run!!¡± Yet Aisena still stood motionless, dumbly raising her little face, and pointing behind Li Rushan. "Uncle¡­ Uncle Yu¡­.¡± Li Rushan was stunned and turned his head with difficulty. The first thing he saw was a blurred and distorted smiling face right behind him, just a breath away from touching him. And crucially, behind this person, there stood a towering black shadow, half a head taller than him. That was¡­ Yu Hong¡¯s enhanced white bear suit!! At this moment, the grim and bulky suited figure was holding a dark stick-like object with two fingers, as if embroidering. Seeing that he had been spotted, Yu Hong smiled slightly at Aisena. "Hush~~¡± He placed his finger to his lips, signaling her to be silent. Boom!!! Instantly, the black stick-like object shattered, exploded, and turned into a cloud of black powder that burst outward. At the same time, an invisible spherical ripple, with Yu Hong at the center, violently spread out across a radius of more than ten meters. The figure behind Li Rushan suddenly froze, completely motionless. In that instant, a large hand grabbed their crown, lifted them sharply, and slammed them down! "Die!!¡± accompanied by a loud laugh. Boom!!! The upper half of the figure was violently smashed into the ground, creating a crater. Yu Hong lifted him again with one hand and madly smashed him against the nearby ground. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom!! Finally, he leaped high into the air, his right arm muscles swiftly bulging and enlarging, he pressed the figure¡¯s face down as they plummeted. Just then, at the spot where they were about to land, a radiation hand grenade, whose switch had apparently been turned on earlier without anyone noticing, lay on the ground counting down its last second. Boom!!! In an instant, Yu Hong¡¯s arm, along with the figure, forcefully plunged into the ground. Meeting the exploding radiation hand grenade, the two forces collided and struck the ground with a tremendous impact. In the silent aftermath, the figure behind transformed into countless white ashes and vanished without a trace. Click. Yu Hong pulled his arm out of the earth, shook the dirt off his body, and looked at the three people who were now speechless. Then he raised his eyes to the Daoist behind Zhou Xueguang. His form was blurry and twisted, flickering, and also slowly fading into nothingness. The high-density negative radiation made it impossible for any shadows or Evil Shadows to approach this area for a while. "It seems I arrived just in time,¡± said Yu Hong as he looked at Li Rushan and his daughter, who were sitting on the ground. He stepped forward and stretched out his hand, displaying a friendly smile. Li Rushan looked at the hand that was bigger than his own, and although it appeared larger due to the suit, he still remembered the first time he had seen Yu Hong. Back then, he was nothing like he was now¡­ worlds apart. "This is the third time,¡± his face showed a mixture of crying and laughing, a complex expression mixed with luck and joy. "You¡¯ve saved me for the third time¡­.¡± Snap. He reached out and firmly grasped Yu Hong¡¯s offered hand, standing up. He didn¡¯t know what method the other person had used, nor why he had just happened to appear here. All he knew was that he and his daughter were safe. "So, what will you give me in return?¡± Yu Hong joked. ¡°¡­I have nothing to give,¡± Li Rushan wiped the sweat from his brow and held his daughter¡¯s hand tightly. "How about I offer myself in marriage?¡± Yu Hong¡¯s expression stiffened, but he quickly caught on to the other man¡¯s meaning, his eyes brightening. "Thank you, Uncle Yu,¡± Aisena also spoke up. ¡°I¡¯ll grow up soon and marry you with my dad.¡± Her little face was serious as she looked at Yu Hong. ¡°¡­.That¡¯s a cold joke,¡± Yu Hong¡¯s mouth twitched as he walked over to Zhou Xueguang and similarly helped him to his feet. "Are you okay?¡± "My hand¡¯s broken, but I¡¯m not dead,¡± Zhou Xueguang exhaled, his gaze complex as he looked at Yu Hong. "What did you just use?¡± he couldn¡¯t help but ask quietly. "A newly researched radiation hand grenade. How is it, pretty effective, right?¡± Yu Hong smiled. "More than effective¡­ In my years on the front lines, I¡¯ve only seen the shadows show that kind of change during massive luminous stone missile bombings,¡± Zhou Xueguang felt Yu Hong was becoming more mysterious. He initially thought Yu Hong was just an enhanced human, albeit with a slightly greater extent of enhancement. But now¡­ the research capability that he displayed far exceeded the strength of physical enhancement. The shadows had killed countless soldiers of the joint army on the front lines, and Silver Tower had researched for so long without producing a weapon specifically against them. The only method was massive bombings to change the environmental Red Value, forcibly injecting a huge amount of negative radiation weapons. But this guy, with just those two small things¡­ had achieved an exaggerated effect that would have cost Silver Tower in Aurora City at least one local battle¡¯s worth of luminous stone reserves. "Yu Hong, have you ever considered collaborating with the joint army?¡± Zhou Xueguang suddenly spoke. ¡°If we had your kind of radiation hand grenade, we might still have a chance¡­.¡± "If it were feasible, I would naturally be willing, but¡­¡± Yu Hong knew very well how his radiation hand grenades were made. Without Inner Qi, it was impossible to create the core Vortex Talisman Plate, and it also needed a second optimization with the Black Mark. Essentially, only he in the entire world could produce them, and the output was extremely limited. "Let¡¯s go, we¡¯ll go to my place together, this place isn¡¯t safe.¡± Yu Hong grabbed Zhou Xueguang with one hand, signaled to Li Rushan and his daughter, and quickly headed toward the direction of the cave. Chapter 127: Hope One Pfft. In the courtyard of the safe house in the cave, the luminous stone grass shimmering with a lustrous white light continually neutralized the Red Value radiation permeating the surrounding air. The gate opened, and Yu Hong led three people in at a swift pace. "Quick, inside the cabin, out here is a new variety of luminous stone grass I¡¯ve researched. It¡¯s used to counteract things similar to Red Value luminous stone, emitting negative-value radiation, which can cause luminous stone disease in people just the same!¡± Yu Hong quickly advised as he entered. Li Rushan, holding his daughter, nodded and hurried to the front of the wooden house, pushing open the door to enter. Zhou Xueguang immediately followed behind. When the three of them entered the courtyard, they genuinely felt their skin prickle with an eerie sensation. Only when they entered the wooden house did it ease slightly. "Actually, even inside the house, you¡¯ll be affected by the negative-value radiation. It¡¯s just much less concentrated than outside,¡± Yu Hong explained from the doorway. ¡°So if you plan to stay here in the future, you¡¯ll need to sort out your own living arrangements.¡± "Okay!¡± Li Rushan agreed. Neither he nor Zhou Xueguang asked why they couldn¡¯t go further into the cave. Just as Li Rushan had never invited Yu Hong into the human defense underground Pyroxene Secret Room. In this kind of environment, a safe house is one¡¯s most basic line of defense. Thus, by an unspoken understanding, they didn¡¯t ask. "We owe you big time for the rescue. We would¡¯ve been goners otherwise,¡± Zhou Xueguang said with a sigh. "Hold on.¡± Yu Hong quickly returned to the cave and brought back iodine swabs, anti-inflammatory drugs, and cool boiled water to treat each person¡¯s wounds, preventing any outbreak of illness. Then, he sat down in the house and inquired about what happened to them. "Tell me, how did you get busted out of the Secret Room?¡± He couldn¡¯t comprehend how people at the front line could use the Pyroxene Secret Room to conceal themselves and avoid most dangers, yet here it suddenly failed. ¡°¡­Because there were others,¡± Li Rushan said, his head lowered as he downed a mouthful of water with vigor. ¡°Aside from the ones behind us, there was another Evil Shadow involved. It was another Evil Shadow that broke the Secret Room, and then we were caught by those chasing us. If you hadn¡¯t arrived in time, Nana and I would have been done for.¡± "There are more Evil Shadows¡­¡± Yu Hong furrowed his brows. ¡°Isn¡¯t it said that there¡¯s an overlay phenomenon among Evil Shadows?¡± He directed this question to Zhou Xueguang. "There is, but overlay doesn¡¯t mean complete extinction. There can also be enslavement and merging¡­¡± Zhou Xueguang replied with a grim expression. He turned to look out at the white light of the luminous stone grass. ¡°Are you sure the glowing grass in your yard can keep off the Evil Shadows?¡± "I¡¯m not certain, but they can create an environment that Evil Shadows detest, making them unwelcome to come near here unless necessary. Just like you won¡¯t be harmed by a public restroom, but would you willingly go there for a stroll?¡± Yu Hong¡¯s analogy was remarkably precise, instantly helping the two men understand the role of the luminous stone grass. "So, what do we do now?¡± Zhou Xueguang exhaled deeply, looking at Yu Hong. ¡°I hope you can help us, but I know there¡¯s no help without reason in this world, so, is there anything I can help you with?¡± "I can¡¯t go back to my side of the post office now, and it looks like I¡¯m sticking with you from now on. Just give me the word if you need something done,¡± Li Rushan also said straightforwardly. "Alright then, first help me get the farming going. I¡¯ll cover food and drink for now. Also, Old Li, how many lizards do you still have?¡± Yu Hong asked. "Still rearing about a dozen or so. I planned to slaughter them when I got back, but it looks like there¡¯s no way to do it now. I don¡¯t know if the Evil Shadows will kill them all,¡± Old Li said helplessly. "I¡¯ll go have a look in the daytime.¡± After the close encounter just now, Yu Hong was much less worried about those behind, possessing Radiation Hand Grenades and Inner Qi inside him. If he caught an opportunity, with two Radiation Hand Grenades and proper coordination, he could take down one of those behind him. He still had three Radiation Hand Grenades on him, barely enough for use. "Also, Old Li, after you come over, help me connect with the post office leadership tomorrow, I want to confirm if we can still send things. I plan to trade all my intelligence about the Evil Shadows for supplies.¡± Trading intelligence for supplies was naturally the best outcome. The fear was that the current external environment had become overly hostile¡­ "I¡¯ll give it a try¡­¡± Li Rushan was not hopeful. After their exchange, Yu Hong treated their wounds and brought over a pile of nutrition paste before leaving them be and returning to the cave safe house. Looking at the still-active communicator, he sighed. There was no one left at the post office stone house, and the communicator being on served no purpose now. Thinking this, he reached for the switch, preparing to turn it off. "Sss¡­ Is anyone there? Can anyone hear me?¡± Suddenly, a deep and robust voice with a hint of weariness floated out from the communicator, probably triggered by his movement. ¡°¡­Has the signal gone haywire again? Hmm¡­ I¡¯ll sing a song this time. If anyone can hear it, please make a noise.¡± The man¡¯s voice continued. ¡°¡­¡± Yu Hong did not respond immediately. In these times, encountering an Evil Shadow like the Language Person could leave one with nowhere to cry. After waiting six seconds, the other party began to sing with an excruciatingly bad crow¡¯s voice. Only then did he speak up. "Who are you? I was about to turn off the device when I heard you talking.¡± "Well, I¡¯ve found another one. Haha, lucky this time,¡± the man laughed cheerfully. ¡°My name¡¯s Guan Cao, um, I live around Lushan Town and I¡¯m using the base¡¯s communicator to search for survivors. You make the third one I¡¯ve found.¡± "Lushan Town?!¡± Yu Hong was startled. ¡°I¡¯m in Baiqiu Village, you must be at least, let me see¡­¡± he quickly flipped through an old map. "At least over two hundred kilometers away! What kind of communicator do you have? It¡¯s amazing!¡± Yu Hong was extremely surprised, considering he was using a Black Mark enhanced communicator, and it was unlikely that the other party had the same technology optimization. But as he was surprised, the person on the other end was equally astonished. "What?! Over two hundred kilometers? Baiqiu Village? Village??¡± The man seemed to hear some inconceivable information. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a nuclear shelter?¡± "No, it¡¯s just a communicator I¡¯ve modified myself,¡± Yu Hong said. ¡°¡­.Self-renovation? The contacts I¡¯ve made are essentially all signals from underground nuclear shelters;the previous two were a self-funded tycoon and a facility manager responsible for an official organization. I thought it was virtually impossible for such a high-level satellite communicator to end up in private hands¡­ even that rich guy has his own research institute¡­¡± The male voice conveyed shock and disbelief over the communicator, trying to explain. ¡°¡­..¡± Yu Hong was at a loss for words;he didn¡¯t know how to explain either. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Nevertheless, no matter how you achieved this outcome, I¡¯m happy to make contact with another person. That¡¯s the very reason I set up this communications platform.¡± The man laughed. ¡°Let me reintroduce myself, my name is Guan Cao. An old soldier.¡± "Alright, my name is Yu Hong, a regular survivor.¡± Yu Hong replied. Though somewhat bewildered, having another voice to listen to was nevertheless comforting. "That¡¯s great, I¡¯ll add you to the channel later. Despite the distance, it¡¯s nice to have someone to talk to, right?¡± Guan Cao chuckled. "Indeed, it is nice.¡± Yu Hong felt genuinely happy. Even though danger lurked everywhere outside, having someone to talk to alleviated the uncomfortable sense of blind solitude. But luckily, he hadn¡¯t forgotten about the threat of the people lurking behind him. After a brief chat, he hung up the communicator, stood up, and continued making new Radiation Hand Grenades. The night passed without incident. The courtyard outside was quiet;the attackers seemed to have temporarily given up and did not strike again. This allowed Li Rushan and his two companions to sleep well. The next morning, just as dawn began to break, Yu Hong stepped outside and saw Li Rushan and his daughter quietly looking towards the post office, seemingly whispering something. Their faces were sorrowful;perhaps they were missing Lin Haini and Song Wei. Zhou Xueguang was sitting alone in front of the wooden house, closely examining the luminous stone grass growing on the ground. It was clear he was very interested in this plant. His one hand was severed and hung in a sling across his chest, but he couldn¡¯t help fiddling with the leaves on the ground with his other hand. Noticing Yu Hong come out, he stood up. "Boss.¡± After yesterday¡¯s events, he had decided to pledge himself to Yu Hong;with the decision made today, it was time to change how he addressed him. Yu Hong was startled but then accepted the new title. He indeed needed helping hands to manage various tasks, such as sanitation, animal husbandry, gathering supplies, and contacting the outside world, among others. If he had to do all these miscellaneous tasks alone, it would waste a lot of time each day. "Now, the radiation in the yard is too intense, and the wooden house isn¡¯t spacious enough for all of you. So, today, your task is to expand the yard and build another house inside it.¡± He could use his Inner Qi to spread the luminous stone grass over a larger area, but the large array under the courtyard wall had a fixed coverage range. "Besides, I plan to make a trip to the post office to move the breeding boxes Li had set up before. Without food, we can only eat through our reserves, so¡­¡± Before Yu Hong could finish, Li Rushan immediately responded. "I¡¯ll go with you;Nana and Old Zhou can watch over things for me,¡± Li Rushan said quickly. "Alright.¡± The three of them quickly sorted out their tasks. Yu Hong geared up, armed himself, and took the freshly made Radiation Hand Grenades, six in total, heading out with Li Rushan. As they left the courtyard wall, they could immediately feel a chilling coldness seeping through the gray fog. "The weather is getting colder¡­¡± Li Rushan sighed. ¡°I had promised Weiwei and Yu to teach them woodworking¡­¡± His eyes reddened, and his expression grew despondent. "In these times, you can¡¯t protect them,¡± Yu Hong sighed. "If I had known, I would¡¯ve let them leave with the evac team.¡± Li Rushan was helpless. ¡°¡­¡± Yu Hong was at a loss for words. Hiss¡­ Suddenly, a cold chill surged from behind his back. Pat. "They¡¯re here! Pick up the pace!¡± Yu Hong¡¯s expression shifted, he handed a Silver Talisman Plate to Li Rushan and sped up towards the post office. He picked up a small mirror that had been prepared earlier, one that Stutterer had used to wash his face and groom himself. The mirror reflected their rear view. Within the gray mist, a blurry smiling human figure emerged, slowly closing in amidst the fog. "This guy¡­ is the same one from yesterday!¡± Yu Hong recognized the attacker. The person still bore the marks where Yu Hong had broken his legs the day before, the footprint on the pants. "He¡¯s revived so quickly¡­ These Evil Shadows are truly disgusting!¡± He felt a heavy heart. "That¡¯s why the frontline is struggling, running out of supplies, with too many casualties,¡± Li Rushan panted, following close behind. Both men swiftly arrived at the post office. To their surprise, the second sound of the lurking attackers did not follow. Li Rushan with the Silver Talisman Plate went down to move the breeding boxes, sixteen in total, which were gradually transferred to the stone house on the first floor. The boxes were large, each about the size of a large freezer. Chapter 128: Hope 2 "Move them in batches!¡± Yu Hong decided. Immediately, the two men each took a box and walked away. One trip followed another, and eventually, the person behind could no longer hold back. He launched an attack on Yu Hong at a slower pace than before, clearly holding a grudge and ignoring Li Rushan, focusing solely on Yu Hong. After being stiffened by a radiation hand grenade and physically burst open by Yu Hong once, the creature finally calmed down. The two men carried eight trips in one go, even bringing some miscellaneous items from the post office. Finally, they concluded this dangerous transporting adventure. By noon, Yu Hong instructed everyone to rest and eat. Then he entered the cave and approached a plastic box containing red lizards and cockroaches. The box was divided into compartments, one side holding a red lizard about the length of a forearm, the other containing several dark walnut-sized cockroaches. Yu Hong closed the partition to avoid leaking any secrets. Then he carefully observed the lizard and the cockroaches. The large lizard had rough skin, bulging eyes, and a row of umbrella-shaped red flesh crowns growing on the back of its neck. ¡®The mere establishment of fixed protective areas cannot withstand the potentially high-risk Evil Shadows that might appear later. I must gain a lot of intelligence in advance to prepare preventive measures.¡¯ ¡®If the Black Mark can synthesize luminous stones and wild grass, why can¡¯t it synthesize luminous stones, cockroaches, and lizards?¡¯ He decided to give it a try. What he wanted was a hybrid creature that had the survival and reproductive abilities of cockroaches and the strength and regenerative abilities of lizards. ¡®Let¡¯s see.¡¯ Yu Hong took out a Large Pyroxene Stone and placed it on top of the box. Then he pressed down on the box with one hand. ¡®Enhance the Black Lizard, direction: acquire the reproduction and adaptability of cockroaches, retain the regenerative ability and growth potential of lizards, and integrate the radiation of the Large Pyroxene Stone against the shadow.¡¯ After confirming the requirements, Yu Hong prepared himself for the prolonged process of enhanced synthesis. Soon. A black line flashed. ¡®Enhance the Black Lizard?¡¯ The feedback voice of the Black Mark sounded in his ear. Yu Hong glanced at the countdown timer on the box: ¡®5 days 18 hours 41 minutes.¡¯ He sighed with relief. Thank goodness. The time was shorter than expected, which he suspected was due to the increase in his Inner Qi. ¡®Yes!¡¯ he confirmed in his mind. Hisss!! S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In an instant, a terrifying force of attraction completely drained the two streams of Inner Qi from his body and didn¡¯t stop there;it began to devour his physical strength and spirit as well. His consciousness grew increasingly weary, and his body weakened. Since breaking through the second layer of his Cultivation Technique, he had not experienced such a state for a long time. Seconds later, the devouring force ended. Yu Hong almost fell to the ground with a snap. He saw stars, his vision filled with white dots flickering and floating, similar to the last time he synthesized the luminous grass stone, if not more challenging. Leaning against the edge of the table, it took him at least ten minutes to catch his breath and regain his senses. Looking at the countdown now on the box, he breathed a sigh of relief and struggled to move to a stool, where he sat down heavily. The excess consumption of mental and physical strength made his eyelids fight each other, drooping down, inviting sleep. Yu Hong did not resist any longer, laying his head on the tabletop, he slowly drifted off to sleep. * * * Baihe City. One after another, new ships formed convoys, taking away the vast majority of the materials from Hope City. Inside a research institute in the industrial park. Wei Hongye held an investigative report in hand, gazing at the towering one-eyed man waiting respectfully before him. "Yu Hong, aged between twenty and thirty, a bit over 1.7 meters tall, weighing 67 kilograms. He suddenly appeared in Baiqiu Village a few months ago and was rescued by the reclusive Lin Yiyi from the village. He later moved out to live alone. He is suspected to have discovered a nearby concealed research institute. The Large Pyroxene Stones, talismans, and suspected luminous wild grass could all possibly be the results from the research institute he found.¡± Wei Hongye finished reading the report, his expression dissatisfied. "Is this all the comprehensive information you bring me?¡± "Regarding the special luminous wild grass that you mentioned, which can disperse shadows and Blood Tide insects, we applied to search through multiple biological laboratory projects and found no evidence of any research initiatives, so this result couldn¡¯t be from recent projects,¡± said the one-eyed man calmly. "Too little, this is nowhere near enough,¡± Wei Hongye grumbled, though he should have left by ship already, he had delayed his departure for the sake of something important¡ªYu Hong¡¯s findings. "And what about Lin Yiyi? According to postal records, she has had significant correspondence with Yu Hong,¡± Wei Hongye inquired again. "There¡¯s no need for us to intervene, sir. Madame has already gone to visit Miss Lin Yiyi,¡± the one-eyed man replied respectfully. "Very well, can you send someone to Baiqiu Village?¡± Wei Hongye asked reluctantly. "I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not possible, sir. With Language Persons rampant outside, no one is willing to leave the safety of their homes. Apart from the sea routes, other land routes could encounter Language Persons, and none of our brothers are willing to risk it,¡± the one-eyed man declined calmly. "Fine then, what about Lin Yiyi¡¯s information?¡± Wei Hongye shifted his target. "That¡¯s quite comprehensive.¡± The one-eyed dragon took out another new report and handed it over. Wei Hongye took it and looked it over carefully. This time, the report detailed Lin Yiyi¡¯s background, her parents, her family, her place of birth, her abilities, and so on¡ªit was quite thorough. Originally, Wei Hongye had planned to investigate Yu Hong and then look into Lin Yiyi, but as he reached the end of the report, his eyes slightly lit up. "Enhanced Advanced Red Value Detector?¡± At the very end of the report, it mentioned that Lin Yiyi, with the help of an Enhanced Red Value Detector given to her by a friend, had led several team members, including the team leader, to survive. "Is there a research institute taking on the project for this Red Value Detector?¡± Wei Hongye thought immediately that this must be related to Yu Hong. A fully enhanced person with intellectual disabilities couldn¡¯t possibly come up with such a high-grade detector. "Yes, by regulation, it was supposed to be Chen Jinbiao from the Fifth Research Institute who took over the project, commissioned by the third squad of the Joint Military¡¯s Enhanced Troops. But the Fifth Institute has been empty for a while now, and Chen Jinbiao left yesterday. You can completely take it over on your own initiative,¡± the one-eyed dragon replied. "Enhanced Troops ¡­¡± Wei Hongye held the report and pondered. ¡°They¡¯re not easy to deal with ¡­ I know about the third squad;the captain has some background. And Yu Hong might have some research capabilities, it¡¯s unnecessary to become complete enemies with him.¡± However, the one-eyed dragon saw that the director was very interested in researching the Enhanced Red Value Detector and suddenly smiled. "Director, it¡¯s extremely dangerous outside right now. Language People are just the first wave;one high-risk Black Disaster after another is slipping in from the front lines, and even we dare not handle them, let alone Yu Hong who¡¯s left out in the wilderness¡ªso it¡¯s pretty certain he¡¯s done for. Since that¡¯s the case, why do you still care about that guy? If you want something, just transfer it over,¡± he said. "You make a good point, but that woman from the third squad, her sister, is not someone to be trifled with,¡± Wei Hongye frowned. "What are you really worried about ¡­?¡± "Xue Chengjing. One of the trump cards of the Enhanced Troops, the guy who¡¯s third in the comprehensive practical combat competitions in Baihe City¡­ He¡¯s got a hot temper, hard to deal with,¡± Wei Hongye shook his head. "Her ¡­¡± The one-eyed dragon breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°All the top experts from the Enhanced Troops left three days ago on a cargo ship escorting the big shots. Xue Chengjing, as a trump card, was certainly among them. Now, there¡¯s only a small number of people left in the city, and we¡¯re one of the last groups to leave. By the time of the last ship the day after tomorrow, we¡¯ll quietly take the stuff, so no one finds out, then you¡¯ll change your identity and reinitiate the project with the Enhanced Detector. The benefits you¡¯ll gain¡­¡± His words lit up Wei Hongye¡¯s eyes. "Well said!¡± After saying so much, his core purpose was actually to secure the Enhanced Detector technology for himself. If the luminous grass was out of reach, it wouldn¡¯t be bad to switch targets. "So what about Lin Yiyi? What should we do with her?¡± he asked, feigning concern. "Once you have results and a higher position in the Joint Military, who will care about the opinion of an intellectually challenged enhanced person? And ¡­ as long as we act quickly and covertly, she won¡¯t even know if the item is with you,¡± the one-eyed dragon tactfully laid out the following strategy. He knew his role and position well;these were things Wei Hongye could clearly plan, but as the head of the institute, his character and status meant he would never say such things out loud. "You handle this matter,¡± Wei Hongye finally showed a smile on his face. He was about to leave, aiming to climb higher in the future, to gain more status, power, and resources. Sometimes, people have to do things they must do¡­ Thinking about this, he felt an inevitable sense of resignation. "Looks like it¡¯s actually better not to let Yanxi get her hands on it too easily, Harris, go let them know,¡± he said in a low voice. "Understood.¡± The one-eyed dragon Harris nodded with a smile. He was the security chief specially in charge of Wei Hongye¡¯s institute, responsible for security and doing the dirty work. These underhanded tactics were second nature to him. "Also, bring back that detector while you¡¯re at it. Don¡¯t use our own people, go under the name of Chen Jinbiao. Otherwise, if we¡¯re discovered, Xue Chengjing is not someone to mess with,¡± Wei Hongye instructed. "Yes. I won¡¯t disappoint you,¡± Harris replied with confidence. ¡°Once we take it, we leave. In this chaos, no one will notice.¡± * * * Bright sunlight bathed the earth;lush green grass stretched into the distance, and a series of hills undulated on the horizon, cloaked in verdant green. A cross-country vehicle, emblazoned with the Shanxi Green Pattern Tour Agency¡¯s logo, drove slowly along a yellow road between the hills. "All you know is how to waste money;I told you we could¡¯ve just stayed home, but no, you had to drag us out on this trip.¡± A familiar voice, tinged with age, came from Yu Hong¡¯s right. "I finally saved up enough leave, Dad, don¡¯t be a spoilsport. We¡¯re already out,¡± Yu Hong replied naturally. "Having Hong Hong come out with me is rare;just be quiet, Dad. The chances to come out together will be even fewer once he¡¯s married,¡± another familiar, aged female voice chimed in. "It¡¯s just that I feel it¡¯s such a waste of money,¡± Dad complained. "Now Hong Hong is different. Earning money won¡¯t be a problem for him,¡± Mom consoled him. ¡°Look, the weather is so nice, and it¡¯s so open outside;let¡¯s sing.¡± "What should we sing?¡± Dad asked. "The quiet village, where snow drifts down~~~¡± "Under the gloomy sky, pigeons are flying¡­¡± Thud, thud, thud. Yu Hong opened his eyes to see the flat stone ceiling of the safety house bunker. The ceiling, coated with black sandy metallic paint, was thick and profound. He lay on his back on the ground next to a table, not knowing how long he had slept. "Turns out I got the song wrong, purely because of Dad¡¯s influence,¡± he sat up on the floor, mind feeling numb. Thud, thud, thud. The door was still being knocked on. Yu Hong got up, glanced at the countdown timer on the box, dusted himself off, walked to the door, and slid open the peephole. "I¡¯m here!!¡± Li Rushan¡¯s twisted, maniacally happy face appeared outside. "My buddy¡¯s here!! He¡¯s brought the sunlight materials!!¡± His hands gripped the door, his eyes gleaming as if they were radiating light. Chapter 129: Hope Three Materials? Sunlight materials?? Yu Hong¡¯s expression suddenly came to life, assuming that materials couldn¡¯t be delivered in such an environment. After all, with such high danger outside, who would dare to risk their life delivering goods here? "Is it true? You¡¯re not dreaming, are you?¡± Yu Hong quickly changed into his suit, took his weapon amulet, and went out the door. "According to the password translation, that brother only left for half an hour, we must hurry!¡± Li Rushan said quickly, without wasting any words. "Let¡¯s go!¡± Yu Hong didn¡¯t waste words either. The two asked Zhou Xueguang to look after Nana and left the courtyard together. Outside the courtyard during the day, the fog in the forest had thinned a lot. The long-unseen sunlight pierced through the fog and dappled the ground. Both were wearing bulletproof suits. Li Rushan walked in front leading the way, moving towards the direction of the highway. About ten minutes later, a curved road gradually emerged ahead. On the road, there was a black armored vehicle, decked out like a porcupine. The vehicle had large toad-eye lights on the front, back, left, and right, and there was a heavy machine gun with ammunition draped over it on top. The side had many dark red blood stains, clearly, the vehicle had encountered dangerous things on the way here besides the Black Disaster. "How did you find out the vehicle had come?¡± Yu Hong asked in a low voice as he approached. "Flare. We have special flares in our post office. Firing one can last for more than an hour suspended in the air and it also carries a coded message.¡± Old Li quickly said, looking very pleased. "Good idea.¡± Yu Hong praised. The two quickly approached the armored vehicle. Li Rushan stepped forward, shouted loudly, and recited a special sequence of numbers. The vehicle quickly opened its hatch, and a lean middle-aged man climbed out from the top cover. The man was wearing dark black camouflage and had something like a communication headset around his neck. Unexpectedly, this guy wasn¡¯t wearing a helmet. His lips were somewhat purplish, and his eyes had a fleeting, unfocused look. "Li Rushan, good buddy, I¡¯ve brought you something. The sunlight materials you wanted, a total of twelve catties of paint. I brought it all. They wanted to leave, no one was going to deliver to you, just, just I remembered, remembered.¡± The man spoke in a halting manner, occasionally repeating himself. Li Rushan and Yu Hong¡¯s expressions immediately became hesitant. "Tang Haitao¡­ what happened to you?¡± Li Rushan obviously recognised the other party, his expression changing suddenly. "Sunlight materials, materials.¡± Tang Haitao climbed back in, quickly emerged again with a red paint bucket, and unsteadily climbed out of the vehicle, jumping to the ground. He handed the red bucket to Li Rushan. "This is¡­ yours.¡± "Haitao¡­¡± Li Rushan took the red bucket, but his eyes were carefully observing the other person. "I¡¯m leaving, leaving. You, take care.¡± Tang Haitao staggered, turned around, and climbed onto the armored vehicle. Li Rushan was about to call out to him, but as he saw the man¡¯s back for a moment, he paused. On the man¡¯s back, close to the kidneys, there was a huge gash about the length of a forearm. The flesh inside the cut was blackened, with no blood seeping out, as if it had been dried out for a long time. Li Rushan suddenly couldn¡¯t speak. He watched his friend¡¯s figure slowly climb onto the armored vehicle, and for a moment his throat felt choked, making no sound. "Li Rushan, the favor you did for me before, I¡¯ve repaid it!¡± On the vehicle, Tang Haitao turned back, waving at him. Yu Hong, watching from the side, only then noticed the man¡¯s hands and everywhere on his body, the skin began to slowly crack, dry out, and age, as if time had accelerated countless times in that moment. A middle-aged soldier, who had been normal just seconds ago, now had his skin quickly developing extensive wrinkles. Thud. Tang Haitao went back inside the armored vehicle, which slowly drove away. Under their watchful eyes, it gradually entered the fog and disappeared. "Haitao!!¡± Li Rushan couldn¡¯t help but dash forward in a burst. But strangely, although the armored vehicle appeared slow, when he chased after it and passed through the fog, he found nothing ahead on the road. Behind him, Yu Hong crouched down and touched the marks on the ground. "No tracks¡­¡± His pupils contracted slightly. Standing up, he walked to Li Rushan¡¯s side. They both looked forward in the direction the vehicle had left, silent for a long time. By the time the two returned to the safe house in the cave, it was already over half an hour later. Li Rushan had not yet pulled himself out of the emotions of his friend¡¯s departure when the recovering Zhou Xueguang explained to Yu Hong the uses of the sunlight paint. "This should be Sunlight No. 1 paint, the least effective, but also the easiest to obtain.¡± Zhou Xueguang examined the red bucket and whispered, ¡°Old Li really went all out, how much did he charge you?¡± Yu Hong shook his head: ¡°He didn¡¯t take any money.¡± "Generous.¡± Zhou Xueguang sighed. ¡°Believe it or not, this small bucket of stuff, if taken back to the old Hope City, could be traded for a warehouse full of various supplies, a year of different girls every night, or almost anything you wanted.¡± S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "It seems I made a good deal.¡± Yu Hong shook his head, his mind still on Tang Haitao. It took a while before his thoughts returned to the materials. Now that he had the sunlight materials, their greatest use was to enhance them with the Black Mark. But currently, the Black Mark was still merging and strengthening into the second imprint¡¯s special creature, so either way, this material would have to wait a few days. Taking the red bucket, he returned to the cave, watching Li Rushan who had perked up again, starting to dig foundations in the courtyard with his daughter, and finally relaxed. After a shower, he dried off with a freshly laundered towel, sat down at the wooden table, opened the communicator, and quietly waited, concentrating on practicing his still techniques. About half an hour later, the communicator sounded again. "Good morning,¡± Guan Cao, whom I had just met, greeted me. Six seconds later, Yu Hong also greeted. Thinking about Tang Haitao¡¯s situation, he inexplicably wanted to ask someone. * * * Outside the cave. "You didn¡¯t go with them?¡± Zhou Xueguang was surprised to see Li Rushan starting to work. "Go? Where to?¡± Li Rushan exhaled, his eyes still holding the departing silhouette of his brother. He and Tang Haitao were close friends, but now¡­ "Go to Hope City. The Black Disaster is becoming increasingly dangerous, and it¡¯s unclear how long we can survive staying here,¡± Zhou Xueguang casually said. "Just like Yu Hong,¡± Li Rushan replied indifferently. "Boss¡­ how many people like him have you seen?¡± Zhou Xueguang recalled the scene he had witnessed earlier. Yu Hong single-handedly grabbing the rampaging Evil Shadow had filled him with a sense of security that still remained. That was also the main reason he decided to follow Yu Hong later. It mainly had to do with when one is afraid and suddenly discovers that the thing they fear is being thrashed by someone else. That impact¡­ up to now, Zhou Xueguang still feels a tingling in his scalp. "I¡¯ve seen quite a few,¡± Li Rushan replied. ¡°I work as a middleman;I¡¯ve seen many enhanced individuals.¡± He stopped digging the foundation with his hoe, stood up straight, and smiled at his daughter who was eating nutrient paste nearby. "But¡­ although I¡¯ve seen many, maybe the only one who grabbed the Evil Shadow and saved me three times is him,¡± he whispered softly. ¡°How about you? Have you seen anyone like that on the front lines?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Zhou Xueguang was silent. Both men stood up straight for a moment, unconsciously looking around at the scattered luminous grass. Clearly, both had reached a consensus that following Yu Hong was obviously safer than entering the city. * * * Inside the cave. "You should really name your stronghold,¡± Guan Cao couldn¡¯t help mentioning through the communicator. ¡°Honestly, I wanted to tag a name for your place just now, but I didn¡¯t even know how to mark it. Should I just call it ¡®Cave Safe House¡¯?¡± Unlike others, Guan Cao¡¯s tone had a noticeable laxness distinct from the rest. "This is indeed an issue that needs to be resolved,¡± Yu Hong stroked his chin, his face thoughtful. Two seconds later, he spoke. "Let¡¯s call it Black¡­ Black Wind Base.¡± Actually, he was initially going to simply call it ¡®Black Mark¡¯, but considering that the name ¡®Black Mark¡¯ might also attract some trouble, he changed one word to ¡®Black Wind¡¯. As for why it was ¡®Wind¡¯? It was entirely because his leg technique training mentioned the principle of moving like the wind. "Black Wind? Okay, the name has a bit of a Black Bear Spirit from Black Wind Cave vibe,¡± Guan Cao couldn¡¯t help laughing. "Think what you will, that¡¯s the name,¡± Yu Hong said. ¡°By the way, didn¡¯t you say you were going to introduce other people to me? There are still two more, right?¡± "They need to find the right time;not everyone is always online all the time. Moreover, with the front line collapsing recently and the Black Disaster raging, things are getting more chaotic. These two are also at their wits¡¯ end,¡± Guan Cao casually said. "Aren¡¯t you afraid?¡± Yu Hong asked, his tone slightly strange in this environment. "I¡¯m hundreds of meters underground, scared of nothing. The exit passages are all blocked;no one can come in, and I can¡¯t go out. I have enough supplies here for over a hundred years. Oxygen and everything can be auto-recycled. What do I have to be afraid of?¡± Guan Cao laughed. "Just you alone?¡± Yu Hong asked. "Yeah.¡± ¡°¡­..Truly lucky,¡± Yu Hong was at a loss for words. ¡°Or rather, you¡¯ve got a really good signal.¡± "I think so too,¡± Guan Cao laughed even more joyfully. ¡°Old Yu, have you ever thought about where this Black Disaster actually came from? At first, everyone was normal. Why did everything collapse so quickly?¡± "What do you know?¡± Yu Hong raised his eyebrows slightly. "I¡¯ve been bored and looked up a lot of information. The origin of the Black Disaster initially came from ancient relics all over the world. Among these relics, a few are crucial. Long ago, the government had people investigate, but they found nothing. However, the Black Disaster first emerged from these relics,¡± Guan Cao said. ¡°Also, I found a special name.¡± "What?¡± Yu Hong¡¯s interest was clearly piqued. "Meisha,¡± Guan Cao smiled. ¡°In the initial outbreak of the Black Disaster, there were a few key places with various mysterious rumors for many years. Looking back now, it wasn¡¯t without basis.¡± "Meisha¡­¡± Yu Hong thought of the corpse he had discovered earlier. ¡°Have you heard of the Meisha family?¡± "Of course. More than twenty years ago, my father mentioned this Flica family. They are one of the oldest families in the whole Flica, but in reality, they have really risen only over the past hundred years. Before the outbreak of the Black Disaster, they had completely declined,¡± Guan Cao said. "I live near the relics here;I just happened to find a body recently¡ªit¡¯s from the Meisha family,¡± Yu Hong frowned. ¡°A guy named Lurs Meisha, dead by the relic near here.¡± "It¡¯s no big deal. This family has always been secretive;no one knows what they are up to. Their members mostly like adventuring,¡± Guan Cao said indifferently. "Maybe,¡± Yu Hong said. "Speaking of which, compared to us in Eastern River, Flica collapsed even faster¡­¡± Guan Cao changed the topic, bringing up the strongest country among the human united forces, Flica. Although Yu Hong wasn¡¯t interested in it, he listened calmly while also practicing the Basic Survival Leg Technique. Chapter 130: Hope Four Regarding Guan Cao¡¯s words, he listened carefully to what was useful and did his own things when it was not. Unfortunately, when he asked about Tang Haitao, Guan Cao was also unclear about the situation. After training for a while, he ate some nutritional paste, said goodbye to a tired Guan Cao, and then left to check on the activities of Li Rushan and his group. Outside the cave, Li Rushan had already dug a simple foundation and was sitting with Aisena, eating nutritional paste and explaining something. Zhou Xueguang was taking care of the newly moved breeding tank, turning around in the yard with a single hand, his brow furrowed as if pondering something. "Old Li,¡± Yu Hong descended the stone steps, surveying the surroundings. ¡°I need a favor first.¡± "What is it?¡± Li Rushan seemed to quickly adjust back from his friend¡¯s departure and stood up to approach. "It¡¯s still about leg techniques,¡± Yu Hong thought for a moment, ¡°I¡¯ve got a heavy leg technique that increases combat power, but I lack one that can boost speed.¡± He had thought of this idea early on in his training: if he could have a leg technique that increased movement speed, he could greatly shorten his travel time in many places. "Movement speed?¡± Li Rushan was puzzled. ¡°Isn¡¯t that just running? Just run more.¡± "Speaking of which, since the last time we taught leg techniques, it has been a long time since we¡¯ve practiced together. How about a round?¡± Yu Hong mused. ¡°¡­Fine, that works, but your strength is now too great¨Cwe can only practice moves at most. To really spar¡­probably only enhanced humans can match you,¡± Li Rushan said with a pause, quickly adding. "Then let¡¯s just practice techniques. I¡¯m seriously lacking in real combat experience right now. Old Zhou, come and give some pointers too,¡± Yu Hong said earnestly. He wouldn¡¯t think that just because he had saved two people, he was invincible. At least until he could handle many firearms, he didn¡¯t feel strong. And in this dangerous era where firearms often failed to work, his skills were even weaker. "I¡¯ve actually witnessed combat styles similar to yours among enhanced people,¡± Zhou Xueguang approached, with a hint of reminiscence. He and Li Rushan now shared their knowledge without reservation. After carefully inquiring about Yu Hong¡¯s leg techniques, the two synthesized them and provided a set of practical leg technique moves. After all, the few moves of Basic Survival Leg Technique were not enough;facing many complex environments, Yu Hong had to use his hands as a substitute. But according to Zhou Xueguang, a true master of leg techniques hardly needs to use hands;a few moves with the legs can settle everything, because the power of the legs far exceeds that of the hands. Together, the two quickly helped Yu Hong summarize all the details of the practical leg techniques and recorded them on paper. Next, there was nothing but repeated practice;there were no shortcuts. Yu Hong planned to incorporate the recorded moves into his Cultivation Technique during enhancement, further perfecting his combat system. Now that the two biggest problems in the safe house had been solved, energy and water, he was much more settled. The excavation and use of the Black Mark were also on the schedule. The most critical point was still the optimization and enhancement of the Cultivation Technique. After the mark was completed, Yu Hong planned to enhance his Cultivation Technique again. The previous Cultivation Technique optimization had paid off;otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have even been able to touch the person behind Evil Shadow that last time. Next, after strengthening the leg technique, he would need a special Inner Strength practice that accelerates the cultivation of Inner Qi. His current Inner Qi depended solely on the gradual accumulation from practicing the leg technique, which was unbearably slow for Yu Hong. After recognizing the effect of Inner Qi on the Black Mark and the effect on the mark itself, he decided to rely on his current experience in cultivating Inner Qi to summarize a new simple method of cultivating Inner Qi, then combine and enhance it to create a specialized Inner Strength Cultivation Technique. Based on the fundamental requirements for strengthening the Black Mark, he had been cultivating Inner Qi for so long, and he had some basic understanding of this energy. With this as a foundation, envisioning a feasible, pure Inner Strength technique was no longer difficult. If it were at the very beginning, when he was completely ignorant about Inner Qi, he certainly couldn¡¯t have done it, but now, with the foundational Inner Qi from the basic leg technique, his understanding of Inner Qi had far surpassed the past. So¡­he already had a foundation for devising a pure Inner Strength technique! *** *** *** Baihe City. The United Military¡¯s enhanced troop female soldiers¡¯ barracks. Stuttering carefully handed over her Enhanced Red Value Detector to the female soldier who came to pick it up. "When¡­will you¡­return it to me?¡± She hesitated, her hands reluctant to let go of the detector. That was the treasure Yu Hong had given her;it had saved their squad¡¯s lives before. Its functionality, and more importantly its significance, was very different. "Don¡¯t worry;the results will be known only after it is examined by the higher-ups. Rest assured, your contribution to the army could potentially save many elite comrades who would otherwise die in missions. Besides, you won¡¯t have any missions during this time, to ensure your safety,¡± the visitor replied earnestly and sincerely. "I understand,¡± Stuttering nodded. If it could help more people survive, as reluctant as her heart was, she still let go. Allowing the research institute to thoroughly analyze and understand it before massively replicating it was the right way to use the Enhanced Red Value Detector. "Don¡¯t worry;with Xu¡¯s connections, no one dares to have any ill intentions,¡± Ou Li approached impatiently from behind. ¡°Moreover, the fifth institute is in the city;if you¡¯re not busy, you can go and inquire about the progress.¡± "Okay¡­¡± Stuttering stepped back with difficulty, exchanged a salute with the female soldier picking up the detector, and then watched her turn around and quickly walk towards the barracks¡¯ exit. The female soldier exited the barracks and quickly got into a camouflage military vehicle parked by the roadside. Two people sat in the military vehicle. One of them, dressed in a black ladies¡¯ suit with long hair tied up, had a sharp facial expression. It was Wei Hongye¡¯s wife, Qiu Yanxi. "Did you get the item?¡± Qiu Yanxi looked at the object in the female soldier¡¯s hands, her expression becoming slightly tense. "Got it,¡± the female soldier reached up to her face, and in an instant, she tore off the entire mask, revealing a completely different face. "Everyone saw that it was someone from the fifth institute who took the detector,¡± she said with a slight smile, handing over the object to Qiu Yanxi. Taking the detector, Qiu Yanxi sighed, a familiar yet increasingly strange face of Yu Hong flashing through her mind. "We didn¡¯t get the herb, but this as a substitute isn¡¯t bad either. If the higher-ups hadn¡¯t left earlier, this wouldn¡¯t even have been our chance.¡± S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Although Yu Hong had saved them, with the high-risk Black Disaster drawing near, Yu Hong was inevitably going to die in the wilderness. The technology he left behind would be sought after by others if she didn¡¯t go after it herself. Compared to her and her associates, other people wouldn¡¯t regard Yu Hong¡¯s feelings, and might even harm little stammerer Lin Yiyi cruelly. Instead of that happening, it was better for her to take the initiative. This way, she could ensure the safety of little stammerer Lin Yiyi, as well as help her husband increase his standing and authority in Aurora City. It was two birds with one stone. "It¡¯s time to head back, ma¡¯am. We¡¯re taking the last batch of ships out tomorrow, we need to prepare.¡± The female soldier reminded. "Mhm.¡± Qiu Yanxi nodded, collecting her thoughts. The military vehicle slowly started and drove along the now rather deserted road toward the distance. The next day. Baihe City port. There were a total of six ships heading to Aurora City, each a massive cargo vessel carrying evacuees. They were starting up one after another, sailing off into the distant sea. Shortly, the first five ships had slowly embarked, leaving the harbor. At the last cargo ship¡¯s side. A long queue of evacuees was gradually boarding the ship, maintained by the Joint Military soldiers. Wei Hongye¡¯s family, along with two other families of the same ranking from research institutes, looked slightly anxious as they chatted idly, slowly inching forward in the line. Not far behind them were the families of important members from research institutes, such as One-Eyed Dragon, and further back, a few knowledgeable and capable small businessmen who had exchanged their accumulated goods for these last spots on the cargo vessel. Even farther away, many oblivious onlookers watched the activity, completely unaware that they were the last group of people being abandoned. Buzz! Accompanied by the sound of the ship¡¯s whistle signaling departure, Wei Hongye and his family also stepped onto the boarding passage. Wei Shanshan couldn¡¯t resist turning back to look at Baihe City, a trace of confusion fleeting through her eyes. "Mom, what kind of place is Aurora City? Will it be safer than here?¡± "Many important figures have already moved there ahead of time. It¡¯s definitely much safer than here,¡± Qiu Yanxi smiled reassuringly. "But with so many important figures there already, will we end up living poorly when we get there?¡± Wei Shanshan couldn¡¯t help but express her worry. "It definitely won¡¯t be bad. Your dad has everything prepared. Just trust him,¡± Qiu Yanxi said with a gentle smile, confident that with the Enhanced Red Value Detector and by uncovering a bit of technology, they could quickly establish themselves after the move. "Okay¡­ I actually¡­¡± Wei Shanshan lowered her head, her expression anxious. Swoosh¡­ Suddenly, a subtle sound of the wind arose, catching everyone¡¯s ears. At first, the sound was very faint, but in just a few seconds, it rapidly grew louder and louder. "My God!! What is that!??¡± Someone standing at a high point cried out in terror. "Look to the right! Look at the right side!! The cargo ships leaving the harbor!!¡± "In the sea! Look in the sea!!¡± "Fuck!¡± A chorus of voices thick with fear rose into the air. Just as Wei Hongye and his family were confused about what was happening. BOOM!!! A deafening roar accompanied by a huge swell of waves erupted from the sea. Under the gaze of everyone. In the port, gradually moving into the deeper seas. One of the previously departed cargo vessels, a white ship over three hundred meters long, was violently struck midsection by a giant black creature that had surged out from the right side. The sound of the impact reverberated with the spray of water. The cargo ship snapped in two instantly, like a child breaking a simple cardboard box, easily severed by the collision. Moo!! The black creature briefly leaped out of the sea, revealing a giant head covered in dense, black horns. It gently re-entered the water, its huge body spanning over three hundred meters, turned a corner, trailing a long plume of black smoke as it charged toward the next ship. BOOM!!! The cargo ship that Wei Hongye and his family were about to board was also completely broken in two at that moment. At the port¡¯s edge, the heavy body of the cargo ship was violently smashed into the air, thrusting onto the empty square and roadway on the shore. Countless metal fragments flew through the air, striking the people who had not yet reacted, and blood instantly splattered everywhere. At the same time, across another part of Baihe City¡¯s sky, swarms of massive Multi-eyed Birds flapped their wings, with sharp beaks diving toward the urban area of the city. Roar!! The dense cries of the birds plunged the partly abandoned Hope City into total despair. Because of the departure of the upper echelons, a large number of elite Joint Military forces and plenty of weapons and equipment had silently been taken away. The people left behind were utterly incapable of defending against the Black Disaster¡¯s incoming monsters. And the outcome of this was that Baihe City was finished. Chapter 131: The Second Seal Cave safehouse. Sss¡­ The communication device transmitted faint circuit noise. "Today we finally gathered,¡± Guan Cao¡¯s voice came from the other end, ¡°Wei Song, Zhang Kaijun, we¡¯ve got a newcomer here, pretty badass, modified the communicator himself to connect to the satellite, accidentally stumbled upon me.¡± His voice sounded like it didn¡¯t belong to this era, no sense of urgency, just casually greeting like during peacetime. "Hello, I am Yu Hong, I am pleased to make new friends,¡± Yu Hong went through the usual pleasantries. "I am Wei Song;anyone who can access this channel isn¡¯t trash. I¡¯m happy to have another friend.¡± "I¡¯m Zhang Kaijun. And please don¡¯t call me Zhang Kaijun, thank you.¡± Wei Song turned out to be female, her tone unmistakably confident and sharp, felt a bit like Qiu Yanxi, but with a stronger presence than Qiu Yanxi. Zhang Kaijun, on the other hand, spoke with a hint of dejection and solemnity, hard to pin down anything specific. "Zhang Kaijun, can you get in touch with the Eastern Reinforcement Special Response Team?¡± Wei Song greeted and then directly asked. "I¡¯m only in charge of base affairs, the rest isn¡¯t my responsibility because there are special Evil Shadows that can attack through communication, so I am isolated from the main body of the united forces,¡± Zhang Kaijun replied. ¡°Also, I told you not to call me Zhang Kaijun.¡± There was not only his voice;there were also faint mutterings and footsteps from others. Clearly, there were many people. "Okay, then that¡¯s impossible. The force field distribution map about the origin of the radiation that you wanted before, I¡¯ve managed it, Riswibul¡¯s technology, absolutely no problem,¡± Wei Song replied. ¡°Shall I send it directly to you?¡± "Okay. How big?¡± "About 15g.¡± "Fine.¡± Clearly, these two individuals differed vastly from Guan Cao;they were true professionals, their communication always served a specific purpose. Whereas Guan Cao just idly hung on the line, failing to get a word in. Yu Hong also decided to mimic him, staying silent, just listening to the two exchange various technical terms. Listening to them, Yu Hong gradually discerned that although Wei Song and Zhang Kaijun were both tech experts, one was an expert in a narrow field, while the other covered a broad scope, different types. Moreover, both seemed to be investing efforts into investigating something related to the Black Disaster. The communication did not last long, both signed off the line, leaving Yu Hong and Guan Cao. "See, both of them are busy people, under a lot of pressure, always in a mess. My task is just to stay online, see if I can contact more people,¡± Guan Cao said helplessly. "They seemed to be looking for something?¡± Yu Hong squinted and asked. "Yeah. Every so often, Wei Song gathers a summary of the radiation force field distribution to pinpoint the areas with the highest concentration of radiation. The stronger the radiation, generally, the stronger the Black Disaster. But now the situation¡¯s off, with the frontline crumbling, causing the Black Disaster to surge in, making the environmental concentration in all domestic areas spike dramatically. Changes need to be monitored all the time, so they must prepare the calculations for this,¡± Guan Cao answered. "So it¡¯s kind of like prevention?¡± Yu Hong understood. "Yes, exactly, the Black Disaster prevention notices from the united forces are indeed their work. Initially, it was done by the national forecasting department, but after the department was annihilated by the Evil Shadows, leaving only Zhang Kaijun and others on duty outside, they simply found a base outside, reorganized a department, and continued to issue notices,¡± sighed Guan Cao. ¡°Actually, before him, due to the attacks by Evil Shadows, the reporting department had been wiped out more than ten times. The death count almost reached a thousand. So then it fell on personnel like Zhang Kaijun to handle the general affairs. Because the more specialized experts had all perished¡­¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Yu Hong didn¡¯t know how to respond. "Although I¡¯m staying in the safest underground base, I can feel it, the outside world is about to completely collapse¡­¡± Guan Cao sighed. "What kind of Evil Shadows can attack through communication across the line?¡± Yu Hong asked. "It¡¯s called a Level 9 Black Disaster with the code name ¡®Evil Code.¡¯ Its characteristics include¡­ abruptly making communication attempts at midnight, including but not limited to phone calls, telegrams, codes, Morse code, etc.,¡± Guan Cao cautioned. ¡°Our area is relatively peaceful, with only a few low-danger level Black Disasters, not a big deal, but by the looks of it, outdoor radiation concentrations will soon escalate to those of the frontline, and once the concentration reaches the standard, War Level Black Disasters will descend,¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.War Level, can anyone resist that?¡± Yu Hong couldn¡¯t help but ask. "No. If you encounter it, just wait to die. But Black Disasters all have their approximate ranges, even the mobile ones follow their own patterns. Areas near the frontline are now preliminarily forming fixed special regions.¡± "So as long as you stay within these regions, you¡¯ll be safe?¡± Yu Hong spoke. "Yes, many Black Disaster creatures, shadows, Evil Shadows, all have their own core activity areas. This is also one of the reasons why the frontline deliberately leaves gaps. Although it leads to the collapse of nearly missed cities like Hope City, concentrating resources and power to preserve the last seeds of the nation¡¯s core is most crucial.¡± As Yu Hong practiced his Inner Qi, he listened carefully to Guan Cao¡¯s explanations, knowing far less about the external situation than the latter. This sudden communication opened up his overall vision to the outside world, enhancing information flow. After talking for two hours, he turned off his device and went out to help build a new wooden house. The previous cabin was too small, suitable for no more than two people. Therefore, it was necessary to build an additional suitable house for Zhou Xueguang, including a breeding room. Yu Hong didn¡¯t want to expose the environment inside his safehouse, but in doing so, breeding had to be conducted outside the safehouse. This, for the increasingly dangerous future environment, was undoubtedly unsafe. Afternoon. After the fog had thinned a little, Yu Hong helped move several thick logs, cut them off and directly inserted them into the foundation, watching Li Rushan skillfully construct the wooden house¡¯s walls, floors, and framework. He was responsible for sawing the trees into flat planks and then briefly scorching them with fire. Zhou Xueguang was beside him oiling the wooden boards. Aisena was not far away, slowly flipping through a storybook. With Yu Hong¡¯s help, by the afternoon, a new, sturdy wooden house had been completed. Inside the wooden boards, several people took up charcoal pencils and ink powder, mixed it with water to make ink, and started drawing a talisman array on the interior walls by hand. The talisman array chosen was a spiral one, etched with Inner Qi. It took Yu Hong a full two days to intermittently complete it. These talisman arrays continuously absorbed the surrounding radiation, forming a simple radiation vacuum area. It was perfectly suitable for ordinary people to live in. The fifth day, which was also when the Black Mark enhancement was nearing completion. The talisman array drawn by Yu Hong was almost dry, having absorbed enough air radiation. Inside the new wooden house. A few people stood together. This time, the size of the house was much larger than the last one, with enough space to lay out six beds side by side, fully capable of expanding the room later. Inside the wooden house, Yu Hong reached out and gently touched the lines on the wall, all of which had absorbed radiation and reflected back full silver light spots. "This is a new type of talisman array I¡¯ve researched. It can absorb surrounding radiation to prevent you from developing radiation sickness. But because of its limited capacity, I¡¯ve designed a folding talisman array structure at the doors and windows.¡± "How so?¡± Zhou Xueguang asked curiously. He hadn¡¯t seen any second type of talisman array on the front lines besides the enhanced runes he was familiar with. Yet here, he was witnessing a second type created by Yu Hong. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "When you open the door or windows, the talisman array becomes incomplete, breaking in the middle due to the folding, thereby releasing the stored amount of radiation. When closed again, the talisman array restores to completeness and begins to absorb radiation anew.¡± Yu Hong modestly introduced his newly designed structure. This structure was not a product of Black Mark enhancement, but rather an outcome of his own painstaking research. To resolve the connectivity requirements of the ink for the lines during disconnection and reconnection, he had come up with quite a few solutions. Eventually, he succeeded by increasing the concentration of ink powder in the ink. "This new talisman array¡­ it can absorb external radiation and release what¡¯s stored??¡± Li Rushan, too, reached out and gently touched the runes on the wall, his expression astounded. "Yes, but only the runes drawn with my unique etching technique possess such special effects. Techniques akin to printing technology can¡¯t be applied here,¡± Yu Hong, knowing what he was thinking, immediately dismissed the idea. "Can¡¯t it be popularized?¡± Li Rushan sighed. "No, if it could be popularized, it would save more people, and I¡¯m not so stingy¡­¡± Yu Hong nodded. Suddenly, he thought if Wei Song and Zhang Kaijun, whom he could contact through communication channels, could truly reach and inform more people, then perhaps he could share various detailed reports about the Evil Shadow he possessed. He wasn¡¯t a saint, but in such an environment at this moment, humans were indeed struggling¡­ Even elite individuals like postal workers had such tough lives, let alone ordinary people who would undoubtedly die. This thought arose in his heart, but Yu Hong internally did not approve of freely sharing important information with others. What comes too easily is not cherished and could be detrimental to oneself. After all, once given freely, expectations for the second, third times emerge. Moreover, should there be any mutations in the information, the consequent dangerous losses would inevitably bring negative impacts to him. "Boss, may I ask a question?¡± Li Rushan suddenly shifted the topic. "What?¡± "If there are new rune symbols, could you research something new?¡± Li Rushan turned, looking seriously at Yu Hong. "Hmm? Have you seen other new symbols?¡± Yu Hong, slightly surprised, immediately felt a sense of anticipation. "Yes, I have been to other ruins for deliveries before. There are many ruins around the world. In some ruins, besides enhancement symbols, there are other rune symbols. But since only one had an effect, after some time of research without results, these runes were completely abandoned. But¡­¡± his eyes gleaming, ¡°If you could make these new symbols functional, maybe¡­ it could bring us a good influence.¡± "I can¡¯t guarantee that,¡± Yu Hong shook his head, ¡°I can¡¯t assure that all symbols are useful. Also, I should say upfront: just because I can use them doesn¡¯t mean others can. Even if we discover their effects, it might not help others.¡± "I understand.¡± Li Rushan wasn¡¯t ungrateful. ¡°Since I¡¯m technically working for you now, I can make this clear.¡± "Good. Since you¡¯ve mentioned it, that means you might have a chance to get hold of other new symbols, right?¡± Yu Hong discerned the implication in old Li¡¯s words. "In Shoudong City, there¡¯s an ancient museum where I remember delivering some stonework relics. Inside, there are a third kind of rune symbols that are completely different from the ones we have here,¡± Li Rushan nodded. "Are you sure?¡± "Sure.¡± Chapter 132: The Second Seal Part Two "How far is Shoudong City from here?¡± "Over eight hundred kilometers. It¡¯s not far by car, but the main issue is that we are uncertain about what we¡¯ll encounter along the way.¡± Li Rushan replied. ¡°However, if you equip me with enough of those Radiation Hand Grenades of yours, I¡¯m confident I can make the trip.¡± ¡°¡­How many do you need?¡± Yu Hong asked after a moment of silence. The allure of new runes was significant. Of the seven runes he had copied last time, only the Vortex Rune worked when drawn with Inner Strength. If what Li saw were other useless symbols, it would be a wasted trip. "Wait, are you sure it¡¯s not a rune from a relic nearby?¡± he asked again. "I¡¯m certain, because I¡¯ve seen the promotional material before. Each relic has a door painted with symbols;while many overlap, each relic has two core symbols that are completely different. There wasn¡¯t much written by the experts, but I remember that.¡± "Each relic has different core symbols?¡± "Yeah, that¡¯s what the expert wrote.¡± Li Rushan nodded. "I¡¯ve heard a bit about this as well,¡± Zhou Xueguang, who was on the side, couldn¡¯t help but chip in, drawing the attention of the two men. "Our front-line researchers often go to collect various materials, and over time, some of the grassroots material collectors have become familiar with us survivors. After all, everyone wants to avoid danger, so consulting with us has become common.¡± He paused. ¡°We often gather for bragging sessions, and I¡¯ve heard that aside from the Pyroxene Symbol, the so-called enhancement symbol that all relics have, many relics also have their own unique special symbols. However, research has shown that the only effective one discovered by Silver Tower is the Pyroxene Symbol.¡± He exhaled and continued, ¡°Some experts are not satisfied with this finding, attempting to uncover effects from other symbols and runes, but to no avail.¡± After he finished, he looked at Yu Hong with a measure of respect in his eyes. When you think about it, if so many top experts at Silver Tower couldn¡¯t find any use for the symbols, yet they had developed a second symbol under Yu Hong, that was something. "I stumbled upon it by accident,¡± Yu Hong shook his head. He was well aware that the Vortex Rune would probably only be effective when combined with Inner Qi. Or rather, Inner Qi was an essential component for the Vortex Rune to produce an effect. It was like someone wanting a cup of saltwater, but having only salt and no water;he could never obtain saltwater in such a case. The Vortex Rune was the same. "This¡­ is worth a gamble¡­ but it¡¯s quite risky. I think it¡¯s better if I go myself,¡± Yu Hong considered before speaking out loud. "Boss, we came to you to be useful, didn¡¯t we?¡± Li Rushan put a hand on Yu Hong¡¯s shoulder, earnestly saying, ¡°I¡¯ll go. There won¡¯t be any problems this time. An old postman like me is just getting back to his roots.¡± He grinned, showing off his yellow teeth that hadn¡¯t been brushed in who knows how long. Yu Hong looked at him and paused for a few seconds. "Fine. I¡¯ll trust you once more. I¡¯ll prepare ten Radiation Hand Grenades for you. Since they need time to absorb radiation and I need to optimize the structure, they¡¯ll be ready the day after tomorrow. You can set off then, okay?¡± "Okay!¡± Old Li clearly had already thought about his role. His recent request to go out and collect materials was obviously not a spur-of-the-moment thought. After confirming the arrangements, the cabin was sorted out too. The three of them then quickly started to build a wooden bed and chairs, and afterward, Yu Hong connected a water pipe out from the cave. Splash. The water flowed continuously and washed the walls of the courtyard. "Holy sh*t!!! Running water??¡± Li Rushan, who had just placed a wooden table inside and come out, saw a water pipe spraying water! He was stunned, his eyes revealing a dream-like expression. Standing amid the spray¡¯s mist, his eyes bulged like spheres, intently watching the transparent flexible hose in Yu Hong¡¯s hand. It wasn¡¯t just him;Zhou Xueguang, who was squatting and clearing sawdust, opened his mouth in amazement at the scene. "Boss¡­ you¡¯ve sorted out the water supply!?¡± He inhaled sharply, standing up to ask loudly. Li Rushan then remembered Yu Hong had bought him a set of underground water supply system components before. Added to that were the nuclear-powered generators for energy;with Yu Hong¡¯s skills, it was indeed possible to set up an underground water supply system. "Wow! We¡¯ve got water! We can shower now!!¡± Aisena, still a child, was the first to cheer excitedly. She ran out from the cabin, happily spinning around in the mist. "So, I guess it¡¯s time we built a communal shower,¡± Yu Hong said, holding onto the water hose, looking around at everyone in the courtyard, unable to suppress a smile. In this extremely dangerous environment, being able to avoid going out for water and having a constant supply was a massive surprise for anyone. Suddenly, whether it was Li Rushan or Zhou Xueguang, everyone moved closer to the mist, reaching out to touch it. All faces revealed a sense of relaxation and joy from within. "Also, I¡¯ve solved the energy issue. If you have any devices that need charging, come to me. After all, the days are getting shorter. I¡¯ll also install a light bulb outside for communal lighting,¡± Yu Hong added. "Long live the boss!!¡± Aisena was the first to raise her hands high and cheer. Li Rushan and Zhou Xueguang also showed surprised smiles and raised their hands. "Long live!!¡± They too joined in the cheer, watching Nana bounce and spin in place. Having water and electricity, these were the fundamental guarantees for a small base! If before it was simply about surviving, now, the assurance of energy and water sources gave everyone the true expectation of living better. No sooner said than done, Yu Hong quickly brought out an electrical wire from the cave, hung up a light bulb, and provided around-the-clock illumination for the outside yard through the vent above the door. "The light has a resisting effect on the Black Disaster in the wild, but even if we¡¯re using nuclear power, we shouldn¡¯t waste energy unnecessarily. So I suggest we add a cover to the light bulb, paint the inside of a cone-shaped cover with reflective material, which can further narrow the illumination range and at the same time increase the brightness within this range,¡± proposed Zhou Xueguang. It was clear that after mixing it up on the front lines for so many years, he had many practical tricks up his sleeve. "That makes sense,¡± Yu Hong quickly adopted the idea, and along with Li Rushan, made a trip to the post office. They found tinfoil and glue from the miscellaneous items there, then used wood to make a lampshade. In less than half an hour, they had constructed both the lampshade and its supporting base. The communal electric light hung on a five-meter-high wooden pole in the center of the yard. The wooden pole was as thick as a watermelon. To call it a pole was an understatement;it was more like a small tree that Yu Hong had dragged over from outside. As evening approached, the communal shower cubicle was also set up and painted with a waterproof coating on the surface. This made the yard a lot livelier. Three wooden houses of varying sizes were distributed in a triangular formation, with an electric light pole standing in the middle of the open space. The bright light, gradually dimming in the evening, gave everyone an inexplicable sense of security. Bursts of cold wind blew through, and the luminous grass in the yard rustled with the wind. Yu Hong stood in front of the gate, looking at the scene before him, and felt an inexplicable sense of achievement in his heart. "It looks a bit like a small village,¡± he smiled and said. "Yeah¡­ an ordinary village is far behind us in terms of conditions!¡± Li Rushan stood beside him, remarking with a sigh. ¡°We¡¯re just lacking one thing, and then we won¡¯t have to go outside for a long time.¡± "You mean heating?¡± Yu Hong understood. "Yes, the weather is getting colder and colder. The seasons now have completely lost their meaning. The temperature seems to be linked to something else,¡± Li Rushan nodded. ¡°Since we have a nuclear power source, we can completely utilize the cooling water pipes to construct a waste heat system.¡± "The essence of nuclear power generation requires a large amount of water for cooling, and this cooling water is heated to a very high degree. Indeed, it can be used for heating,¡± Yu Hong, though a pseudo-researcher, still knew some basic knowledge. It was just a bit unfamiliar to him. Hearing Li Rushan mention it now gave him a sense of urgency about his own knowledge reserves. After all, he was portraying the image of a profound researcher. If he didn¡¯t even know some basic knowledge, people would definitely suspect how he managed to create those things. "We still need to refine our defenses outside,¡± Li Rushan sighed. "Right, I¡¯ll think of a way,¡± Yu Hong nodded. "Then boss, since everything is so ripe now, if I encounter very suitable survivors outside, can I bring them to join us?¡± Li Rushan turned his head to look at him. "Not for now, our defensive range is limited,¡± Yu Hong considered for a moment and declined. The area pushed back by the luminous grass was only so large. Whether they can expand the safe zone further would depend on how the newly synthesized marked creatures turned out. After discussing the future development with Old Li, the two went back to rest. Soon after, rustling sounds of numerous crawling creatures passed by the outside of the yard wall. Countless black bugs, like a tide, passed by one wave after another. They naturally skirted this area, forcefully driven away by the luminous grass, creating a perfect safe zone. Over in the night sky, unpleasant cries of Multi-eyed Birds drifted from afar, one after another, clearly more than one. This made Yu Hong¡¯s heart unconsciously clench. But after observing for a while at the door, he noticed that these Multi-eyed Birds didn¡¯t approach. They flew further and further away, until they were completely inaudible. Once he confirmed there was no danger, Li Rushan and the others inside their houses also witnessed this scene through the cracks in the window. Hearing that the Multi-eyed Birds had completely left and were no longer attacking, a strong sense of security welled up in everyone¡¯s hearts. Whoosh. Yu Hong pulled the shutter closed and returned to the lizards and cockroaches undergoing enhancement. The box before him had several cockroaches missing, one lizard gone, and the Large Pyroxene Stone traceless. The countdown outside the box had ended. In its place was a bizarre lizard with black and red all over its body. This lizard was smaller than the previous red lizard, with an extra pair of black insect wings on its back, and they were hidden just like those of a cockroach, nearly invisible when not spread. The wings were smooth and glossy like ceramic, with faint white patterns barely perceptible. Yu Hong thought for a moment, opened the plastic box, and reached out to touch the lizard. It was very smooth. The lizard was only as long as a palm and slender in build. If you didn¡¯t look closely, it was hard to tell it was a living creature and not just a reddish-black wooden stick. ¡®It¡¯s camouflage isn¡¯t bad either.¡¯ Yu Hong looked at the motionless lizard and suddenly noticed a piece of white paper placed in the lower right outside the plastic box. He picked up the paper, and it surprisingly contained detailed instructions. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡®Black Lizard: Also known as Plague Insect Lizard, it has an insect¡¯s incredible adaptability, can regenerate quickly after losing certain limbs, is immune to most pathogens, and its body fluids contain potent toxins. In an agitated state, it secretes large quantities of venom to attack enemies through spraying. It reproduces oviparously with a single female. Its diet primarily consists of Red Value radiation, supplemented by some decaying vegetation and insects.¡¯ Chapter 133: The Second Seal Part Three Holding the black lizard in one hand, Yu Hong couldn¡¯t help but feel that this creature didn¡¯t appear to be newly synthesized in a short time. The edges of the lizard¡¯s belly even had moss growing on it, which seemed to have come from who knows where. There were also specks of white sand on its tiny claws. He weighed the black lizard in his hand;it was very light. "How do you control this thing?¡± After pondering for a moment, Yu Hong suddenly thought of the regenerative plant, the luminous stone grass, and was inspired. He mobilized his Inner Qi and quickly sensed the mark on the black lizard, slowly infusing Inner Qi into the mark. To him, the mark felt like an extra limb beyond his hands, one that he could sense at any time. This sensation was quite marvelous. Because the two marks were not connected to Yu Hong, they were like two round spheres floating nearby in midair, vague and hazy. They would greatly reduce their presence when not needed, yet when he needed them, they would rapidly and automatically strengthen their presence. Hiss¡­ The input of Inner Qi was quickly completed. The second mark trembled slightly as if it had reacted. Meanwhile, the black lizard in Yu Hong¡¯s hand also trembled slightly, crawled forward a few steps, and extruded a white, walnut-sized lizard egg from its behind. ¡°¡­.¡± Yu Hong was at a loss for words and gently picked up the lizard egg with his hand. The egg¡¯s surface was a limy white with natural, vine-like black patterns. ¡®Black Lizard Egg: Absorbs Red Value radiation to hatch, time three days. Black lizard needs one week to grow from birth to adult.¡¯ At this moment, the second mark naturally conveyed related information. But this extremely comprehensive information, along with the inexplicable details on the black lizard¡¯s body, all made a certain speculation in Yu Hong¡¯s mind even clearer. He held the black lizard egg and gently placed it into a plastic box. ¡®Could it be that the Black Mark directly moved this thing from somewhere else?¡¯ To be honest, when he enhanced jerky and got a protein bar last time, he was a bit doubtful. Now another plague bug lizard had popped up, and they even deliberately labeled it with a scientific name. ¡®Could it be that the Black Mark sometimes synthesizes and enhances on its own, and sometimes directly transports and copies from outside?¡¯ Yu Hong speculated in his mind, but there was insufficient evidence for now, so he could not verify it. He then refocused his eyes on the black lizard. ¡®Now, it¡¯s time to try out the black lizard¡¯s specific abilities.¡¯ He had enhanced the black lizard not with the intention of keeping it as a pet for fun. Moments later. The cave¡¯s main gate opened. In the night, countless tide-like plague bugs swarmed past from the outside of the wall. They looked like a black ocean, endlessly flowing. Like moving sand, they rubbed against each other, creating strange noises. All luminous stone grass in the yard shone with a white glow, and combined with the lights, vaporized all the black bugs that approached the inner wall. The three little wooden cabins in the yard were all tightly closed, with no sign of activity. Only the wind blew against the hanging electric lights, causing them to creak. Accompanied by the shadows swaying with the light. Yu Hong, dressed in an enhanced gray lizard suit, slowly walked out of the cave¡¯s gate, down the steps, through the yard, and steadily approached the enclosure wall. His body was now one meter eighty tall, and wearing the suit, he could reach over two meters. His bulk was imposing and pressuring as he paced. Passing by Zhou Xueguang¡¯s cabin, a faint noise came from inside. "It¡¯s me, Old Zhou. Keep sleeping;I have some things to take care of.¡± Yu Hong spoke up before anyone else. There was a pause inside the cabin, and then no more sounds were heard. Yu Hong walked past the cabin and came to the edge of the wall. Gazing at the ceaseless tide of black bugs outside, he took a deep breath and opened his right hand. In his palm, a strangely shaped black lizard flapped its wings quietly, as if adapting to the environment. In half a minute, the black lizard seemed to awaken from the dense Red Value radiation from outside. It leisurely moved its body in Yu Hong¡¯s palm, shaking its head, twisting its legs, and flicking its tail. Then. Plop. The black lizard leaped, gracefully landing on the wall, facing the tide of black bugs, and opened its small mouth. A faint red tongue shot out like lightning, precisely sticking to a black bug and retracted back into its mouth to swallow. The tongue moved so quickly that Yu Hong hardly saw it. He took a step back, watching the black lizard perched on the wall, then closed his eyes and thought. Suddenly, a fine sensation came from the second mark. He seemed to be able to vaguely sense the black lizard¡¯s condition, status, and whether it was safe. Quickly, the black lizard moved and jumped back into the luminous stone grass inside the wall, where it became motionless. As there were no black bugs in sight around the black lizard, the sensation in Yu Hong¡¯s heart became much more peaceful. If the feeling when encountering the black bugs before was like a burning flame, then now that the flame had extinguished, the black lizard gave Yu Hong the feeling of being a movable stick of wood. The contrast between the two sensations was very clear. After the black lizard stopped moving, it soon began to slowly absorb the Red Value around it. ¡®Do encounters with the Black Disaster and lying in wait both have distinctive mark statuses?¡¯ Yu Hong carefully experienced it. With a thought, The black lizard immediately stood up from the grass and, with a biu, climbed back up the wall along the enclosure. Upon seeing the vast swarm of black insects outside, Yu Hong¡¯s perception of the black lizard immediately changed in his heart. It went from a wooden stick to a small flame. The difference between the two states was very clear. This allowed Yu Hong to easily distinguish between them and firmly memorize them in his mind. The testing of the black lizard continued for over half an hour. Yu Hong quickly mastered the delicate methods of controlling it, and ascertained the various abilities of the black lizard. Then, he left the little creature behind, waiting for daylight to let it out. The biggest use of this thing was not to purify a piece of land like the luminous stone grass, but to patrol the surroundings and determine the approximate types of Black Disaster hazards. After testing, Yu Hong found that the black lizard would trigger different states when encountering different types of Black Disaster. Encountering black insects would produce a small flame. Encountering something bigger like Big Skin would result in a medium flame. As for more situations, they couldn¡¯t be tested yet because there were no encounters. But in a state of rest, the black lizard would absorb the surrounding red value radiation. This absorption, seemingly slow and useless, actually allowed the black lizard to rest and feed, significantly concealing itself. After the test was over, Yu Hong returned to the cave and took off his suit to rest. "It¡¯s a bit weak,¡± he thought as he lay in his sleeping bag, his face showing a slight disappointment. "Compared to luminous stone grass, the uses of the black lizard are obviously much less. It can only patrol the edges, acting as a temporary mini radiation purifier.¡± "But maybe it¡¯s just that the numbers are too few. Perhaps later on, as the numbers increase¡­ the situation might change,¡± he comforted himself internally. With that thought in mind, Yu Hong rested, but did not fall asleep. Instead, he got up again, took out pen and paper, and quickly recorded the basic leg technique moves they had summed up earlier. Then, he took out the booklet of the Basic Survival Leg Technique that he had previously enhanced and placed it next to the records. He placed one hand on the paper. "Enhance the leg skill, direction: improve movement speed, maneuverability of moves, and adaptability to various environments.¡± The previous basic leg skill was strong, but many times it was inconvenient to apply, and he often needed to use other weapons in combination. So, this enhancement served as an addition. "Enhance the leg skill?¡± The cold mechanical voice of the Black Mark resounded once more. A countdown appeared on the paper: 5 hours 12 minutes. "Yes!¡± Yu Hong was somewhat surprised that merging some basic moves would take so long, but after calculating, he figured it was just enough time to sleep until dawn, so he did not inquire further and confirmed his response to the Black Mark. Then he turned over and slowly curled up to sleep. Tomorrow, he still had to make a Radiation Hand Grenade for Old Li to send him on his way. He also had to continue testing the black lizard¡¯s effect on shadows, and there was still much to do¡­ * * * In the early morning. In Baihe City. Streets that were once bustling with life were now eerily quiet and desolate. Vehicles were sprawled chaotically, with some emitting white smoke, others ablaze with fire, and some crashing into the shops on the street, never to move again. In buildings previously hiding people, walls were splattered with blood, and torn-apart corpses were being pecked at by Multi-eyed Birds. In the corridors, beside broken doors and windows, stiff and eerie shadows flitted by, appearing on one side one moment and another side the next. Underground in the city, within the vast tunnel network. The grating sounds of gunfire, cannon fire, and explosions continued unabated. Occasionally, there were human screams of despair and crying, but such sounds would quickly cease, disappearing altogether. In the dark tunnels, the nuclear engines were still running, sustaining the dim yellow lights that lit the surroundings at intervals. Bloodstains were visible on the floors of the tunnels, but there were no traces of bodies, only sets of clothing arranged in human shapes. Buzz! Suddenly, a black, sealed military vehicle sped out from one of the main tunnels. The entire vehicle was covered with something akin to a luminous stone blanket, and talisman array patterns were clearly visible on the windows. Despite some obstruction to their view, this was the safest way to stay concealed at the moment. Inside the vehicle, at the driver¡¯s seat, was a pale, panicked-looking mixed-race girl. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The girl was pretty, with a hint of exotic flair. If it were peacetime and she were dressed up a bit, she wouldn¡¯t fall short of many female stars on the screen. But at this moment, a pretty face was utterly useless for survival. Ou Li breathed rapidly, focusing all her energy on driving, occasionally swerving urgently to avoid sudden obstacles ahead. "Hold on! Team Leader Xue! As long as we break through and get away from the city surface, we can find medicine at the auxiliary base!¡± A man¡¯s anxious voice came from behind in the vehicle. At the moment, Little Stutter, Xue Ningning, Chen Qiaosheng, and also Fang Shijun and Chen Xinji, who had acted together with them previously, were in the car. These two had not believed Lin Yiyi before but had their attitude towards her greatly changed after she saved them. Now, they were together in the car. Specifically, at the critical moment, it was these two who drove this vehicle and rescued the still dazed Little Stutter and the others, escaping into the underground tunnels. "Even if we go to the auxiliary base, what then? Without the breeding production line, food will be a big problem¡­ And with so many Black Disasters outside, the Multi-eyed Birds, Language Persons, shadows, the sea is completely sealed off, and we have no way to contend with that big creature¡­¡± Chen Qiaosheng said with a defeated look while watching Fang Shijun treat Xue Ningning¡¯s wound. "One step at a time!¡± Fang Shijun said sharply, ¡°If you yourself don¡¯t want to live, do you expect others to drag you along?¡± Her gaze swept across the others, noticing the despairing look on everyone¡¯s face except for Lin Yiyi. "The port attack before killed too many people in the city, but a lot also scattered and fled by car. These people attracted many Black Disasters that went after them. Cruel as it may be, the gap that has opened up is our best chance to escape.¡± "The key issue is where to go? I don¡¯t think going to the auxiliary base is a good idea,¡± said Chen Xinji, the second male member of the team, joining in the conversation. Chapter 134: The Second Seal Four "Now¡­ When the crowd gathers, it will definitely trigger an attack from the Black Disaster swarm¡­ We can¡¯t run to crowded places¡­ The more people there are, the more it attracts stronger Black Disasters¡­¡± Xue Ningning¡¯s leg was pierced by a piece of broken glass, and the blood wouldn¡¯t stop flowing. Before the attack, she was lying in a hospital bed resting and healing, and couldn¡¯t react in time. As a result, a Multi-eyed Bird burst into the ward, and in the chaos, she was rescued by Fang Shijun, who drove to the hospital. "Where should we go then?¡± Fang Shijun frowned. "My sister has a temporary safe house in the wilderness, let¡¯s go there!¡± Xue Ningning gritted her teeth. "The wilderness¡­ The place you mentioned¡­ might be too far. If we just rush there, it¡¯s very dangerous!¡± Chen Xinji frowned and retorted, ¡°Now is a chaotic time outside, and high-risk Black Disasters are still lurking nearby. We must find a nearby hiding spot to lay low.¡± "Nearby¡­ I know of a safe point,¡± Lin Yiyi suddenly spoke up, even though she stuttered. She had always been active, searching for her father and grandfather, and had teamed up with a few friends with the same goal. These people lived their separate work lives and gathered periodically to share clues they had collected. The gathering spot was an extremely safe small base. "There, we, have stored, a lot of, food,¡± Lin Yiyi reiterated seriously upon seeing the skeptical looks from the group. "Let¡¯s follow Yiyi¡¯s lead!¡± Xue Ningning immediately decided. * * * Inside a cave. Yu Hong slowly awakened from his stupor. He paused for a moment, then suddenly flipped out of the wooden bed and immediately looked towards the Cultivation Technique book for leg techniques. As he expected, it had been more than five hours, and the leg technique had already been enhanced. What appeared before Yu Hong was a black book that was completely different in style from before. The cover of the book clearly printed: Leg Techniques. The two large characters were neatly written, stroke by stroke. However, this book gave Yu Hong the same feeling as yesterday¡¯s Black Lizard. ¡®It¡¯s just freshly enhanced, yet it carries a faint sense of age¡­?¡¯ He furrowed his brow slightly, extended his hand, and gently flipped to the first page of the black book. Inside, the white paper clearly read: Thunderbolt Leg Technique. The four large characters were flamboyantly written as if by a master¡¯s hand. Yu Hong¡¯s expression changed slightly and he continued to turn to the next page. The contents of the second page left him stunned. It described the life of the technique¡¯s creator, a story about a boy who faced the tragedy of his clan being annihilated, how he overcame various hardships, studied under a master, and eventually created his own leg technique to avenge his clan. The names of places and people mentioned in the story, along with its twists and turns, made Yu Hong even more certain that the Black Mark likely moved this leg technique directly from somewhere. ¡®Could it be that everything the Black Mark brings over is directly moved from other places?¡¯ ¡®No¡­ that can¡¯t be. I¡¯ve enhanced the door many times, and if it were simply moved, it wouldn¡¯t fit so well. It¡¯s very likely that sometimes it¡¯s moving, and other times it¡¯s synthesizing enhancements¡­¡¯ Yu Hong speculated in his mind. With this thought, he continued to flip through the book in his hand. The following content detailed how to practice the leg technique;as he expected, the content of the Basic Survival Leg Technique was still there, but it was clear that some parts had merged with the vastly different Thunderbolt Leg Technique. The Thunderbolt Leg Technique resembled traditional Chinese martial arts, while the previous Basic Survival Leg Technique was a special technique that incorporated interstellar elements. The two were poles apart, yet here and now, under the amalgamation of the Black Mark, the two actually merged into a new Thunderbolt Leg Technique with six levels. Yu Hong read through the book once and found that the pathway of the Thunderbolt Leg was the same as before, also focusing on exercising from outside to inside to generate Inner Qi, then using that Inner Qi to execute damaging moves. However, compared to the previous leg techniques, the speed and agility of the Thunderbolt Leg were much faster. ¡®Refined to a minor level, the leg technique is like a thunderbolt, swift and unmatched. Perfected to a major level, under the propulsion of Inner Qi, the leg technique inherently carries a trace of true thunderbolt intent, reaching where the electricity touches, significantly enhancing the strength of the legs, known as Thunderbolt Transformation.¡¯ This was the original text of the Cultivation Technique, and below it, there were attached visualization diagrams. The peculiar diagrams from before now vaguely showed a shape of a faint lightning bolt at the center. Yu Hong read the booklet several times, then started making Radiation Hand Grenades, and in the basement, he also tried practicing the new leg technique. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Thunderbolt Leg matched extremely well with the previous basic leg technique. He slightly adjusted and familiarized himself with the new practice moves, quickly adapting to the changes of the first and second levels. Through repeated practice of the techniques, his Inner Qi gradually became more active. In one morning, Yu Hong successfully adapted the practice, and with the new visualization diagrams, his Inner Qi continuously circulated and flowed in his abdomen, releasing a sensation similar to a mild electric current. He roughly estimated that fully adapting to the Thunderbolt Leg would still take some time. While adapting the technique was easy, actually applying it in combat would require specific scenario practice. But he wasn¡¯t in a hurry¡ªthings needed to be done one by one. First, he needed to finish the Radiation Hand Grenades, see Old Li off on his journey, then free up the Black Mark to enhance the Internal Cultivation Methods. Taking advantage of the enhancement time, he would continue practicing the leg technique, and also adapt to using the Black Lizard. At noon, after eating protein bars and nutrient paste, Yu Hong stepped out of the front door. Outside in the yard, Old Li and Zhou Xueguang were already gathered together discussing something, with equipment for the departure neatly packed and placed at the cabin door. Aisena silently drew something on the yard wall with charcoal;it seemed that since she arrived, she rarely stayed inside like before. "Uncle Yu!¡± Aisena¡¯s round face lit up with joy when she saw Yu Hong coming out, and she waved at him from a distance. Yu Hong waved back, a relaxed smile appearing on his face. In such a world filled with some despair, seeing such an innocent smile every day was a comfort to anyone¡¯s heart. On the other side, Old Li and Old Zhou were about to come over, but Yu Hong motioned for them to continue with their tasks. Returning to the wall where the shadow lizard was located, Yu Hong looked down at the shadow lizard hiding in the luminous stone grass and activated the second mark in his mind. Instantly, the shadow lizard silently jumped onto the wall and quickly climbed out. By now, the Blood Tide Black Insects were gone outside, the early morning mist illuminated by the pale sunlight. Although it was still profound, like a gray wall, it was much safer than night. The shadow lizard jumped down the wall and swiftly burrowed into the thick fallen leaves, disappearing from sight. Following that, a peculiar sensation surged in Yu Hong¡¯s heart. He focused on the second mark and suddenly felt the distance, direction, and condition of the shadow lizard. This feeling was bizarre, as if a dark map suddenly emerged in his mind. The places where the shadow lizard crawled were like the black erased parts of the map. Just as he was immersing himself in this peculiar radar sensory experience, suddenly, the shadow lizard halted, and its condition abruptly shifted to a medium flame state. Then, a cryptic piece of information travelled from the shadow lizard to his perception. It was a gray, indistinct image. In a forest full of thick fallen leaves, a gray-white silhouette stood silently by a withered tree, looking towards the shadow lizard. ¡®Evil Shadow?¡¯ Yu Hong recognized the identity of the figure immediately. What he didn¡¯t expect was that the shadow lizard could also transmit vague image information back to him. This was impressive! ¡®A perfect fit for the Sentinel Patrol role I wanted!¡¯ Yu Hong¡¯s prior disappointment was somewhat assuaged at this point. Then, unexpectedly, The shadow lizard stopped its movement and started to look up at the Evil Shadow. Then¡­ Puff! A stream of dark green liquid shot out from the image, landing precisely on the Evil Shadow. Hiss¡­ An acidic hole instantly formed on the Evil Shadow¡¯s body. The figure also silently lunged towards the shadow lizard. The image abruptly cut off. Yu Hong was stunned, his heart sank, slightly worried. Shortly after, the image restored. It was still the same forest, still the same gray and slightly blurry. The Evil Shadow had disappeared, and the condition of the shadow lizard also relayed back a sensation of weakness and pain. Then, the shadow lizard remained motionless, entering a hidden state, and started to absorb the Red Value radiation from the air, like Yu Hong had discovered before. Simultaneously, he could feel that as the shadow lizard absorbed the Red Value, it was transmitting back information about its recovery. ¡®This shadow lizard actually possesses a clear and simple intelligence! It can even drive away an Evil Shadow while on patrol!¡¯ Yu Hong never expected that a palm-sized shadow lizard could drive away such a large Evil Shadow. This pleasant surprise was unexpected. ¡®In this way, as long as there are enough shadow lizards, I can completely drive out all the Evil Shadows within a certain radius. And when a Blood Tide occurs, the shadow lizards can also significantly reduce their numbers. I just wonder how effective this ejected venom can be, if it works against Big Skin or Evil Shadow, then¡­ the future is promising!¡¯ A smile unconsciously appeared on Yu Hong¡¯s face. His previous disappointment had now completely turned into joy. The shadow lizard was recovering and didn¡¯t need attention for the time being. Yu Hong sent it a simple command to patrol the road between the mountain cave and the post office once it had recovered, driving away Evil Shadows. There were still many supplies at the post office that couldn¡¯t be transported back, so clearing and restoring this road was the priority. After setting up everything here, he returned to the cave and continued practicing the Thunderbolt Leg Technique. By the afternoon, it was the time he had arranged to practice with Old Li and others. Practicing required a space and an environment. Yu Hong brought tools and took matters into his own hands, marking out a large new territory on the right side of the courtyard wall as an expansion of the safety zone for the luminous stone grass. For now, he surrounded it with broken stones, and placed a few Enhanced Red Value Detectors around it, which allowed him to monitor the changes in Red Value around the area at any time. After setting the alarm threshold, the detector would automatically sound an alarm if any danger approached. Thus, a simple practice field was set up. "I¡¯m still using electricity so extravagantly for the first time, having four detectors running simultaneously,¡± Yu Hong marveled at the comparison between the current environment and the past, feeling somewhat emotional. Standing across from him, Old Li also marveled. "Now we can sort of consider ourselves wealthy;boss, your capabilities not utilized at Silver Tower is a loss for humanity.¡± "Enough flattery, let¡¯s practice properly. I need you to guide me when to use which moves, how to connect them, I¡¯m not clear on that. Help me with that after I finish a move,¡± Yu Hong wanted Old Li¡¯s real combat experience. "Sure thing,¡± Li Rushan nodded, agreed though he did glance at Yu Hong¡¯s starkly robust muscles stripped of a suit, hesitating somewhat. Compared to the initial butcher, his muscle mass was not too modest. "Just to be clear, only use ten percent of your strength!¡± he reminded. "Ten percent, how much is that? I¡¯m not too good at fine control, you need to teach me that,¡± Yu Hong nodded. Chapter 135: Information 133 In the clearing, the freshly cleared mud ground had been simply covered with some wooden boards. For Yu Hong at this time, laying these boards wasn¡¯t too much of a hassle;a saw could easily cut off a long strip of wood. He and Li Rushan stood facing each other, about five or six meters apart, neither of them wearing suits. Surrounding them, Zhou Xueguang and Aisena stood watching. "It¡¯s just past one in the afternoon now. After we finish, it will be just right time to take a shower, and it¡¯s almost getting dark,¡± Li Rushan said with a smile. "Alright. So, shall I go first?¡± Yu Hong moved his ankles. After receiving an affirmative response from across, he suddenly took a step forward, reaching to grab Li Rushan¡¯s shoulder. "Aren¡¯t you all about leg techniques? Why start with your hands?¡± Li Rushan quickly retreated and immediately spoke up. "How am I supposed to use leg techniques if I don¡¯t grab you first?¡± Yu Hong replied as if it were obvious. "Why do you need to grab me??¡± Li Rushan didn¡¯t understand. "If I don¡¯t grab you, you¡¯ll run away!¡± Yu Hong countered. "Damn, that actually makes a lot of sense!¡± Li Rushan opened his mouth, then suddenly thought of something, ¡°Wait! Are you planning to grab me and then go crazy with Low sweep leg?!¡± ¡°¡­.Is that not okay?¡± Yu Hong blinked. ¡°That¡¯s how I¡¯ve always been doing it. It works very well.¡± Li Rushan: ¡°¡­.¡± He took a few deep breaths, trying his best to calm the surge in his heart. "The lethality, with that approach, it¡¯s indeed great, but¡­ what if you meet an opponent who¡¯s fast, you won¡¯t even be able to grab them, how will you fight then?¡± "Yes, that¡¯s why I came to seek advice from you, right?¡± Yu Hong stated matter-of-factly. ¡°¡­..¡± Li Rushan felt a lump in his chest that he almost couldn¡¯t breathe out. "Forget it, let¡¯s start with the most basic combat teaching¡­.¡± he pondered for a second, ¡°Firstly, you have already mastered several sets of moves with significant lethality. Fundamental skills are not something that can be learned overnight, so in order to form combat capabilities quickly, you need to understand the concepts of distance and dynamic striking points. The distance is the optimal range for your leg techniques to cross over instantly and exert the greatest power, and dynamic striking points refer to the range your enemy falls within when you launch your techniques from various postures¡­.¡± Li Rushan began a detailed explanation to Yu Hong about how a true leg technique master should fight an opponent. Originally, he intended to start with teaching about balance, but remembering Yu Hong¡¯s previous heavy exaggerated suit, he didn¡¯t want to waste time. After a brief basic explanation, the two immediately began to try it out. Li Rushan tapped the ground with one foot, breathing steadily, standing three meters away from Yu Hong. Suddenly, he took a forceful step and launched a side kick. His left leg, like a spear, thrust rapidly towards Yu Hong¡¯s face. Swish! The kick stopped in mid-air, just a dozen centimeters from Yu Hong¡¯s face. Yu Hong only reacted at that moment, attempting to parry with his hands, but they had only lifted halfway and were already too late. "Impressive! I thought you were too far away to hit me, so I defended late,¡± Yu Hong exclaimed admiringly. "Seizing the weak points and relentlessly attacking¡ªthat¡¯s the basic principle of the leg techniques I¡¯ve mastered,¡± Li Rushan nodded. ¡°Your physical fitness far exceeds the standards, but you need to adjust and adapt your combat awareness when fighting people. Before, you were wearing a suit, which others couldn¡¯t damage, so you got used to taking hits before defending and countering. Since your suit was so durable, it would often lead the opponent to misjudge, making their strikes ineffective, causing them to expose a huge weakness, which you would then exploit to get in close and eliminate them. But¡­¡± He paused for a moment. "Once you face a real combat master, especially one who isn¡¯t much smaller than you, you could be in danger. After all, your equipment can¡¯t protect against all weapons. If someone with high-powered firearms keeps their distance and concentrates fire on you, how will you defend?!¡± "That makes sense,¡± Yu Hong nodded. Immediately, he began to learn various quick-response leg techniques from Li Rushan. Stepping forward with a direct kick, side kicking, flipping back kick, high kicks, spinning kicks, and so on. Internal Qi Technique seemed to optimize Yu Hong¡¯s adaptability to the moves, and he mastered them very quickly. Two hours later, he had essentially mastered them all. As the two sparred, they were able to fight using only legs, without the need for their hands to assist. After training for a while, Li Rushan¡¯s stamina fell short, and he took a break while Yu Hong continued to review the various skills he had just acquired. His Inner Qi was abundant, his recovery speed was fast, and his endurance was astonishing. He could continue training at this intensity right until the evening without any problem. The time passed three o¡¯clock, and the sky gradually darkened. Reluctantly, Yu Hong returned to the cave to continue his training, enhancing Radiation Hand Grenades while practicing the Thunderbolt Leg Technique. The Thunderbolt Leg Technique, like other types of Martial Arts, contained various leg techniques, but it lacked the practical experience of when and how to use them in combat. This is exactly what he was in dire need of. Inside the basement. Yu Hong took a deep breath, standing in the center. A strand of Inner Qi was activated, coursing into his legs. With the modified Thunderbolt Leg Technique, this was his first time using Inner Qi to try out the moves. This leg technique, in theory, should combine speed with refined martial prowess. So¡­ Under the white light. Yu Hong suddenly performed a Low sweep leg, sweeping forward. Inner Qi instantly infused his right leg, greatly enhancing its hardness. At the same time, the speed of this leg swept up much faster than he had anticipated. Hummm!! A faint rumbling noise, like thunder, rolled back and forth, emanating from Yu Hong¡¯s leg. He then followed up with a side kick, a whip kick, a turning low sweep leg, and a high sweep leg, among other moves. With his Inner Qi pouring into his moves, he became at least thirty percent faster than before, and much more agile. For a while, the basement air whirlpool with his practiced moves stirred up invisible whirlwinds, blowing around the fine dust. After practicing the sequence over a dozen times, Yu Hong slowly retracted his moves and stood still. "Speed has increased this much, and I¡¯ve only reached the second layer. By the later stages of the sixth layer, I wonder how fast I could get!¡± He was very satisfied with the increase in speed because in this era, being fast often meant keeping alive. Once the dynamic Cultivation was done, he began to practice static Cultivation. But as the primary method of cultivating Inner Qi, static Cultivation absorbed Inner Qi far too slowly. Yu Hong endured and completed his daily routine as the darkness fully settled outside. He took a nutrition paste, went upstairs to check on the Vortex Talisman Plate¡¯s absorption. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Radiation Hand Grenade needed the Vortex Talisman Plate to fully absorb the radiation before using the Black Mark to optimize the structure for production. So, after intermittent work, he had only accumulated fifteen to date. "Almost there, ten for Li Rushan to use on the road, plus several luminous stone blankets, a Silver Talisman Plate, a stack of ordinary talismans, and a protection suit. As long as we don¡¯t provoke trouble or have accidents, there shouldn¡¯t be a problem¡­¡± Yu Hong checked the prepared items and sat down at the wooden table, nodding in satisfaction. Next, he planned to start the most anticipated part. He picked up a pen and quickly wrote down a set of the most basic Internal Cultivation Methods on the paper. "The requirements and control of the Inner Strength method on oneself aren¡¯t much. The key lies in the matching sequence of visualization and visualization charts.¡± The visualization chart is the real core of Inner Strength cultivation. Whether it was the basic leg techniques before or the current Thunderbolt Leg, both had their unique visualization charts. "Visualization charts are based on the Cultivator¡¯s own body and are meant to adjust to a specific state to absorb certain special energies from the outside world.¡± Yu Hong re-examined the Thunderbolt Leg¡¯s visualization chart, clearly marked as being designed based on his physical and mental state. This is like the same abstract painting that makes some people think of rivers, others see a rainbow, and still others might think of twisted houses and more. This is the so-called ¡°A thousand Hamlets in a thousand people¡¯s eyes.¡± "I can¡¯t create my own visualization chart¡­ The difficulty is too great.¡± Yu Hong looked at the Thunderbolt Leg Technique, frowning deeply. The writing of these basic cultivation methods stumped him from the start. "There¡¯s another way, just directly strengthen it. Use the static visualization of the Thunderbolt Leg Technique, taken out on its own.¡± There are many copies of the Thunderbolt Leg Technique¡¯s visualization chart, six each for dynamic and static exercises, corresponding to six layers. Yu Hong chose the simplest first static visualization chart. It was a square colored chart with blue, red, and purple dots, and in the center of the pattern, a black and gray bolt of lightning struck downward. The lightning bolt pierced through the entire pattern, fierce and distorted. Yu Hong gazed at the chart, recalling the matching static exercises. His hands swiftly wrote out the simplified key points. In total, there were five points, which after his testing and reduction, were all absolutely necessary for the cultivation of Inner Qi. The other parts, he tried to remove without much impact. More on the impact was on attributes like the Inner Qi absorbed and the speed of absorption, etc. After finishing this, Yu Hong satisfactorily double-checked everything. "This time there should be no problem. I¡¯ve tweaked the details, and although I¡¯m using the original visualization chart, it also has my adjusted proportions, enough to go through the Black Mark¡¯s secondary strengthening.¡± Confident that there was nothing wrong with the base Inner Strength method, Yu Hong extended his hand and placed it on the paper. "Strengthen the Internal Cultivation Methods, objective: maximize the speed of Qi Cultivation.¡± There were no other demands, just this one. This was Yu Hong¡¯s greatest requirement. Otherwise, by his estimates, if he were to cultivate Qi step by step honestly, up to the sixth layer, when would he finish? "Would you like to strengthen the Internal Cultivation Methods?¡± The timely response from the Black Mark came. Yu Hong let out a sigh of relief, leaned back in his chair lightly. He looked at the countdown appearing on the paper: 12 days 22 hours 09 minutes. The time was long¡­ almost half a month, but if it really worked, after the enhancement, his speed of Inner Qi Cultivation would increase substantially. "Yes!¡± Yu Hong unhesitatingly affirmed the Black Mark¡¯s inquiry. The countdown flashed and quickly started timing. Watching the red-glowing countdown numbers, he breathed a sigh of relief, leaned quietly in his chair, suddenly feeling a hint of melancholy in his heart. "Now I have water and electricity, food can be secured by the Black Mark, and although I can¡¯t cycle it completely autonomously yet, it¡¯s already so much better than before.¡± "I am now slowly cultivating Inner Qi on this world, standing firm¡­ What next? What should I do next?¡± A sense of puzzlement suddenly rose in Yu Hong¡¯s heart. "Just stay in the safe house, honestly facing the various dangers that come?¡± "Maybe occasionally shelter a few survivors, just live here¡­ eating nutrition paste and protein bars until old?¡± He stood up, walked to the door, and looked through the peephole to see the well-lit white courtyard. Beyond the courtyard wall, the tide of black bugs surged. Chapter 136: Information 134 Boom. Boom. Boom. The huge, black elephant worm closely passed by, steadfastly heading in an unknown direction. Amid this exaggerated black tide, Yu Hong could still sense the presence of the Black Lizard. The Black Lizard was still on the road between the post office and the cave, unseen, occasionally opening its mouth to stealthily consume a few black worms. Witnessing this exaggerated scene outside, an inexplicable unease surged in Yu Hong¡¯s heart. "No, I¡¯m not yet completely safe. If these elephant worms recklessly charge into the yard and attack the safe house, how many could I handle now? Not to mention there are stronger foes like the Evil Shadows and War Level Black Disasters¡­ I¡¯m still very weak, very weak¡­¡± "Without knowing the upper limit of the Black Disaster, I¡¯ll use the Black Mark to reach the furthest limit I can manage for now!¡± Yu Hong¡¯s false sense of security was instantly shattered. He had only begun utilizing the aversion of the Black Disaster, establishing a simple micro-refuge. It was still far too early to feel at ease. Standing at the doorway, regaining his senses, Yu Hong saw Aisena opening the window of a wooden house, staring blankly at the flowing black worms outside, seemingly lost in thought. Beside her, Li Rushan was sleeping deeply, his belly swollen. When Aisena noticed Yu Hong watching her, she turned her head and sweetly smiled at him. The flesh on the little girl¡¯s face appeared slightly less than before, gradually revealing a semblance of her mother¡¯s large eyes and high nose. "Go to sleep,¡± Yu Hong said. The little one nodded, closed the window, and quietly leaned against her father as she lay down. She was always strong, never crying, always quiet. It seemed she knew how much hardship and cost her father endured to treat her illness. So, she tried her best to take care of herself and not cause her father trouble. Seeing the little one asleep, Yu Hong also drew the shutters and returned to his wooden bed, lying on his back. The night passed without a word. The next morning dawned early. Everyone in the yard came out to see off those leaving. Yu Hong handed a large backpack and the car keys to Old Li. "The solar panel on the car wasn¡¯t removed last time;I hope it¡¯s still there. With such a long distance, you¡¯ll definitely need to recharge, so keep an eye on the battery levels yourself. And the Radiation Hand Grenades, talisman boards, they¡¯re all here.¡± He handed over the second tactical waist pack, containing the critical items required for this trip. "Wait for good news, boss,¡± Li Rushan offered an easy smile. ¡°I used to be an old postal carrier;this short trip isn¡¯t far. Remember to use the solar materials, don¡¯t forget, boss.¡± "I know, don¡¯t worry,¡± Yu Hong nodded. There¡¯s a lot that needs enhancing with the Black Mark;he would have to wait until after his Internal Cultivation Methods session. "I¡¯ve packed enough food and water for a month;there will be absolutely no problem,¡± Li Rushan patted his backpack, which was filled with nutritious paste and plain boiled water provided by Yu Hong. "Be careful on your journey,¡± Yu Hong said earnestly. "Remember to find me a pair of shoes along the way;there are plenty of shoe stores in the city. I have no shoes to wear,¡± Zhou Xueguang reminded him. "Don¡¯t worry, got it,¡± Li Rushan laughed, face relaxed. ¡°I¡¯m off!¡± He stepped over the courtyard wall exit, opened the Enhanced Red Value Detector strapped to his waist, and waved back at the three of them. "Nana, remember to listen to Uncle Zhou, and do things like washing up yourself;don¡¯t be lazy.¡± "I know,¡± Aisena nodded, a flicker of worry passing through her eyes. As Li Rushan slowly vanished into the morning mist, she felt a vague emptiness in her heart. "Well, since we¡¯re free, Nana, come and revise your lessons with me. In this environment, your Uncle Zhou here was in an accelerated program. Basic Chinese, math, physics, and chemistry¡ªI can teach them all,¡± Zhou Xueguang clearly had already planned something to do. Upon hearing this, Aisena¡¯s previously empty feeling suddenly disappeared, and her expressionless little face seemed to turn even paler. "I think drawing will be fine¡­¡± "Can drawing fill your stomach? Come on, since your dad¡¯s gone, I¡¯m temporarily your dad, and damn, I¡¯ve always wanted a daughter. This is the perfect opportunity to try out the preschool materials I prepared in advance.¡± Happiness spread across Zhou Xueguang¡¯s face. "Uncle Zhou, what about your family?¡± Aisena sharply asked. "Ah¡­ they disappeared. Once I¡¯m healed, I might plan to go look for them too,¡± Zhou Xueguang¡¯s smile momentarily paused, then he continued. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s start with literacy.¡± S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The large and the small waved at Yu Hong and entered the wooden house to begin the charcoal pencil Chinese lesson. Yu Hong was at a loss for words;clearly, this was Old Zhou¡¯s way to temporarily divert Aisena¡¯s worries. Shaking his head, he turned back and entered the cave to start his routine practice. Not long after Old Li¡¯s departure, the days passed one by one. Every morning, Old Zhou earnestly taught Aisena basic preschool knowledge, then took her to exercise after meals, followed by managing the cultivation box¡ªhydrating, feeding, cleaning waste and debris, changing soil, and checking temperatures. Though only one of his arms was functional, Old Zhou was diligently and earnestly performing all tasks within his capability. Yu Hong, when not practicing the Thunderbolt Leg Technique, would go out to build and expand a second courtyard. To facilitate cultivation, he also started chiseling a new cave from another part of the mountain wall. The chosen spot was precisely the sleeping hole that he had previously drilled for Qiu Yanxi and her daughter, simply continuing the expansion from there. In just two days, he managed to excavate a new large cave over five meters long and nearly ten meters deep. The interior wall was even painted with a vortex talisman array. This type of talisman array could absorb radiation, reducing air radiation concentration, and combined with the luminous stone talisman plate, it produced an even better concealed effect for the Pyroxene Secret Room. The breeding boxes were placed one by one, arranged in two rows. A special breeding room was thereby constructed. In the blink of an eye, two more days had passed. Inside the cave, Yu Hong focused intently at the side of a wooden table, eyes fixed unwaveringly on the black lizard egg. The hatching time had arrived. This was the estimated time given by the Black Mark for the egg to hatch, the confirmed time of emergence. Crack. The surface of the grayish-white black lizard egg suddenly split open with a crack. Immediately after, spiderweb-like fine cracks swiftly spread across the entire egg from the fissure. With a pop, a curled-up black lizard suddenly stretched its insect wings and arched out from the crack in the eggshell. It was covered in a layer of viscous transparent liquid and soon wriggled out onto the table, stretching its body, vibrating its back wings a few times, then turning around to start nibbling on the eggshell. In just a few minutes, the entire eggshell was eaten up. Inside Yu Hong¡¯s second inner marking, another vague sensing point appeared. The first black lizard and this one, two points in total, floated clearly inside the second marking, readily available for him to share in the sensory imagery. "Go. Find food on your own,¡± Yu Hong commanded in his mind. Black Lizard Number Two paused momentarily, then vibrated its insect wings and easily flew out, landing on the ground and rapidly crawling towards the door. Yu Hong hurried over to open a crack in the door, letting it squeeze out, before closing it again. Watching Black Lizard Number Two rush into the yard, silently climbing the garden wall, with a gentle leap, it quickly disappeared into the misty mountain forest outside. Closing his eyes, he carefully sensed the Black Lizard Number One in the second marking. This first synthesized black lizard had already consecutively poisoned five Evil Shadows within these days, essentially clearing out the Evil Shadows that had lingered around the post office and the cave before. But to Yu Hong¡¯s surprise, he had never seen the person behind it all. "Black Lizard heals from injuries in at most three hours and can resume patrolling. Its movement speed is roughly the same as a person walking leisurely. So much continuous patrolling, yet it still hasn¡¯t encountered the person behind it all these days¡­¡± Yu Hong didn¡¯t believe that the person behind had disappeared;after blowing one up previously, the opponent had fully revived quite quickly and even pursued him outside the yard, almost breaking in. "Why haven¡¯t I encountered that ghastly thing these past few days?¡± He waved by the desk, took out a piece of white paper, and drew a simple map. He marked the post office stone house and his own safe zone yard. "Come to think of it, where do these Evil Shadows stay when they are not attacking people?¡± No one cared about this question because others were too busy fleeing from the Evil Shadows, let alone actively seeking them out. But Yu Hong was different;he didn¡¯t need to act in person. With that thought, he controlled Black Lizard Number One and began to deviate from the fixed patrol route, expanding into other directions. "Black Lizard Number Two will take over the previous patrol tasks, Number One is responsible for enlarging the patrol range around the yard.¡± After arranging these tasks, Yu Hong input his Inner Qi, setting Black Lizard Number One to lay an egg and bury it, continuing to increase their numbers, then set it so that the Black Lizards would fight those they could overcome and avoid and detour around those they could not. In this way, in the dark map in his mind, all the places that could be illuminated were ones that the Black Lizards had cleared, while the remaining dark spots indicated the presence of grave dangers beyond the Black Lizards¡¯ coping range. It would be more convenient to avoid these areas later on. After completing these tasks, Yu Hong stood up and approached the communication device. Today was the day he had arranged for Song and Spike to come online. Guan Cao was online every day, but the other two needed a bit of luck. Now this satellite-linked communication device had become his only channel to understand the outside world, which Yu Hong highly valued. Click. The power switch of the communication device was turned on. The channel remained in its original position, unadjusted. So upon powering on, he immediately heard Guan Cao¡¯s sigh. ¡°¡­When receiving people, it¡¯s always like this. This is the seventh Hope City that has been breached and annihilated¡­ How many are left intact across the country now?¡± "Three. They¡¯re all newly built new Aurora Cities, fully coated with the latest Sunshine Nine paint, and Silver Tower¡¯s previously developed weapons and equipment were all concentrated there. The talisman array has been stacked at least five layers deep in front and behind. The three new Aurora Cities are built around the core of a luminous stone mine;it¡¯s likely large numbers of Radiation-Enhanced People will appear there in a short time.¡± "It¡¯s good enough that they can survive. Other expectations can wait for later,¡± Zhang Kaijun coldly stated. ¡°Our current problem is, the threat of the Withered Woman is simply too great. Coordinating forces from both sides with more than ten types of intermittent people, they are also struggling to cope.¡± "Has Yu Hong come online?¡± Guan Cao noticed the newly connected communicator and took the initiative to greet. "Um¡­ We had an appointment about the detailed prevention intelligence I possess on the Language People and the intermittent people behind them;I¡¯d like to exchange some equivalent intelligence with everyone,¡± Yu Hong said gravely. "Are you sure the intelligence you hold is more detailed than ours?¡± Zhang Kaijun bluntly asked. ¡°Intelligence loses its value after disclosure, how can you demonstrate the value of the intelligence you hold?¡± "Do you know there is a second stage to Language People?¡± Yu Hong calmly stated. ¡°¡­¡± The communicator instantly fell silent. All three people seemed not to expect that Yu Hong actually held information they were unaware of. "Additionally, I¡¯ve successfully found a pattern and eliminated the person behind twice. It was not through excessive radiation bombardment,¡± Yu Hong added. ¡°¡­.Ss, really?¡± Someone in the communicator couldn¡¯t help but let out a faint gasp of air. No one would boast or joke about such a matter because if the method were used, it would be exposed immediately. "Unless the person behind undergoes mutation, I believe the pattern I¡¯ve discovered should have general applicability,¡± Yu Hong continued. Chapter 137: Development First "So, what do you want to exchange?¡± After a moment¡¯s thought, Zhang Kaijun was the first to speak. He didn¡¯t believe that Yu Hong would joke about this sort of information with them. "I want to exchange for detailed information about other types of Black Disaster creatures likely to be encountered in the vicinity of where I am. Similarly, I have at least two types to offer in exchange,¡± Yu Hong said. ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t have a computer here, so I can¡¯t transmit the information directly. It can only be relayed verbally.¡± "The location you are at is the Baiqiu Village ruins mining area. The surrounding Blood Tide creatures mainly include Big Skin, elephant worms, common black worms. Shadow creatures include Withered Woman, Language Person, Back People among the Interval People, Speed Man. Additionally, about four weeks later, there will be a danger level 8 Evil Shadow approaching. The specific category cannot be determined from the middle, but I can only see from the satellite radiation scan images that the concentration is very high and possesses a level 8 hierarchy,¡± Zhang Kaijun said, his cold voice succinctly outlining the situation in Yu Hong¡¯s area. "Four weeks later?¡± Yu Hong¡¯s heart chilled. The types mentioned by the other party matched the circumstances he had encountered in his surroundings;it seemed that the subsequent highly dangerous Evil Shadow might indeed be consistent with what he mentioned. "If the movement of that radiation doesn¡¯t change, it should be around that time,¡± Zhang Kaijun replied. ¡°I can provide a more specific encounter time to exchange for the information you give. Does that sound fair?¡± "Accurate to the day?¡± Yu Hong understood what the other person meant;this was an attempt to trade information based on Evil Shadow forecasts. "Yes. In addition, if the information you provide is of sufficient quality, I will also consider providing compensation. Here¡¯s a piece of information for you: the Baihe port area near your location saw the emergence of a danger level 9 Blood Tide creature¡ªthe Smoke Horn Whale¡ªjust a few days ago. This creature completely blocked the port¡¯s shipping, cutting off Baihe City¡¯s transportation channels with the outside world. I can provide detailed information on the Smoke Horn Whale. How does that sound?¡± Zhang Kaijun continued. Yu Hong was startled at the news. "Are you saying that a level 9 creature appeared in Baihe City!? How is it there now?¡± He hadn¡¯t expected that his mere intention to kindly exchange information would yield such critical news from the other side. Stutter was still enlisted there. "It¡¯s already collapsed,¡± Wei Song chimed in with a sigh, ¡°The external communication with Baihe City is completely severed. It¡¯s clear it¡¯s not just the interference of the Blood Tide creatures;there must also be some special Evil Shadow attacks that can affect signals. According to the scant information from the few survivors who escaped the city limits, the city has been completely overtaken by the Black Disaster, and not one in ten of the living survive.¡± Yu Hong¡¯s expression instantly turned somber. He had worried that Stutter might encounter danger and meet with an accident, but he hadn¡¯t anticipated that the day would come so soon. "Do you have someone important there?¡± Wei Song evidently caught on to something from the silence on this end. "A friend,¡± Yu Hong took a breath and solemnly replied, ¡°Is there a way to get in touch with the combined military camp in that city?¡± "No way,¡± Zhang Kaijun said icily. ¡°The officials sent three Blood Attraction Forces there, all to no avail. The intensity of the Black Disaster there is significant;although it hasn¡¯t reached War Level, the number of level 9 and lower Black Disaster creatures that are congregating is very high, and they have occupied the entire port area.¡± Yu Hong had no response. He wanted to go and check it out in person, but if he left, the luminous stone grass would disappear, and Aisena and Zhou Xueguang in the yard would die. Without the luminous stone grass, even the cave safe house wouldn¡¯t last long without a Black Mark repair. As long as a large Multi-eyed Bird kept attacking the gate, it would soon be breached. "You should worry about yourself,¡± Zhang Kaijun¡¯s cold words were not misguided. Yu Hong thought for a moment. If he could leave alone now and the luminous stone grass could live without him;if he had enough Inner Qi, enough Radiation Hand Grenades, more information, perhaps he could personally go to search for and rescue Stutter. In the end, he wasn¡¯t strong enough, and neither was his base;thus, he couldn¡¯t take care of both ends. ¡®If there were more good hands, perhaps I could equip them and send them as scouts to Baihe City for investigation.¡¯ Suddenly, an idea flashed through Yu Hong¡¯s mind. If he had many subordinates as skilled as old Li, he wouldn¡¯t have to personally handle this matter. With that thought, he pondered for a while. "What about the survivors? Can you help me hire some strong enhanced humans?¡± "Currently, there are a total of twelve accessible locations around Baihe City, most of which include teams with enhanced humans. But I don¡¯t think they would be willing to go back to the city to investigate and look for people,¡± Zhang Kaijun replied. ¡°In reality, they are all facing pursuit from the Black Disaster.¡± Yu Hong felt the shortage of manpower all the more keenly. If he could take in a few more good hands¡­ "Have you decided? Exchange of information?¡± The interrogative voice came through the communicator once again. Yu Hong paused. "Okay.¡± Anyway, he had high-risk Black Disasters to deal with himself. The information had to be secured in advance. With Zhang Kaijun¡¯s reminder, he could detect the approach of the Black Disaster more accurately and be better prepared. Moments later, the communicator disconnected. Yu Hong, holding a piece of recording paper, looked over the detailed information on it. ¡®The high-risk Black Disasters I may face include: Speed Man, tick spheres, Insect man.¡¯ ¡®Speed Man: One of the Interval People, danger level 8, traits: The second glance, if it results in mental fear, will lead to an instant ambush. Defense method: Once you see a suspicious individual with limbs slender like a possible Speed Man, you must remain calm and not generate any fear. However, this method can only withstand twice. After each time resisting, the human spirit will suffer what seems to be permanent damage, resulting in a severe decline in condition, endocrine disorders, abdominal pain, dizziness, nosebleeds, and various other abnormalities.¡¯ ¡®Tick Ball: Danger Level 7, a huge sphere made up of Blood Ticks, possesses certain low-level hunting intelligence, and fears not radiation damage with negative values below 100,000. Immune to physical strike damage, it can regenerate at high speed within three seconds regardless of the injury. According to the experience feedback from the Blood Attraction Squad, the Tick Ball does not possess a true core, having been ignited by an overdose of radiation bombardment, and it quickly regenerates from the brink of annihilation, completely reverting to its original state. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Defense method: Striking cannot destroy the Tick Ball, but it can be forcefully rerouted. Path adjustments can be prepared in advance to divert it in another direction.¡¯ ¡®Insect Man: A special humanoid form of Black Disaster evolved from Blood Ticks, Danger Level 8. It has certain intelligence and is extremely fast, able to rapidly enhance its strength by devouring blood. After hunting over a thousand humans, it can evolve into a second form, reaching running speeds of 230 kilometers per hour. The impact force of its pounce can reach over 3 tons. It can perform short-distance teleportation, crossing barriers to attack from inside. The maximum range of the teleportation is unknown.¡¯ ¡°¡­..¡± Yu Hong fell silent upon reviewing the intelligence he had just obtained. Although there was no specific method of defeat, and the value was less than the two pieces he provided, but¡­ these three pieces of intelligence detailed the high dangerousness of the Black Disasters he might face¡­ Any of these three Black Disasters was worthy of their Level 7 and 8 status. Especially the last one, Insect Man¡­ What kind of ability is teleportation into the interiors of obstacles? This means that any external defense is like a facade in front of it. A Black Disaster with such a terrifying ability is only Level 8!? And importantly, the speed of the Insect Man is also very fast, 230km per hour¡­ which converts to 63 meters per second¡­ With this speed, not to mention anything else, just a direct collision would be an extremely horrifying impact. Yu Hong didn¡¯t believe his Protective Suit could withstand it;no matter how it was strengthened, it couldn¡¯t block the Insect Man¡¯s teleportation. ¡®According to the principle of mutual exclusivity among Black Disasters, only one type of Black Disaster will appear in the same area at the same time, unless it is the rare enslavement-style Black Disaster. But none of these three are, meaning I will most likely encounter only one of the three separately¡­¡¯ What he feared most was the Insect Man, although he had chased cars and had a fast running speed, it was in the woods, where the cars themselves couldn¡¯t go very fast. At most, they were around seventy or eighty yards. This is nothing compared to the Insect Man¡¯s 230km per hour. ¡®I have to find every possible way to prepare for the surroundings.¡¯ He stood up, walking around the inside of the house with the paper in his hand. ¡®Right, I can try to use the Shadow to scout at long distances and see how far away I can detect danger in advance. If it¡¯s far enough, I can try to use traps to guide a change of direction.¡¯ Yu Hong thought of the strategy of the Blood Attraction Force, suddenly feeling a glimmer of hope. If the Shadow was reliable, he might use it in place of a person as bait, to lure away the Black Disaster. After all, several more days had passed, and now he had three Shadows, the hatching speed was still okay. Right away, he walked to the door and looked outside through the ventilation holes. It was still morning now, around eleven o¡¯clock. In the courtyard, Zhou Xueguang and Aisena were teaching how to maintain breeding boxes. Clearly, Old Zhou was not teaching entirely like how he would during peacetime enlightenment. Aisena¡¯s little face was very serious, with her hands on her hips, she asked a few questions now and then, appearing exceptionally mature. Yu Hong let out a sigh, his gaze shifting towards the foggy mountains in the distance. He picked up the paper, roughly determined the direction, and then closed his eyes to focus his Inner Qi on the second Black Mark Shadow. Instantly, a map of a mountain cave safe house enclosed by darkness appeared in his mind. To the left of the mountain cave safe house, there was a straight path extending outwards, like a gray thin line, leading to a white stone house. This was the route that he had previously set for Shadow Number One to patrol. The area slightly larger around the courtyard was the map expanded by Shadow Number Two¡¯s patrol. However, the expansion of Shadow Number Two was not going smoothly. These past few days, Shadow Number Two had constantly encountered a large number of Evil Shadows wandering around, going through a vicious cycle of being injured, healing, being injured again, and healing. Yu Hong realized that a single Shadow couldn¡¯t drive away the surrounding Evil Shadows. Because the Evil Shadows would also revive, the speed of their appearance due to their numbers had already exceeded the clearing capability of Shadow Number Two. ¡®Then let¡¯s try the maximum distance.¡¯ Yu Hong had not tried to control the Shadow to go to a distant place before. Thinking of this, he immediately controlled Shadow Number Two with his mind, making it crawl towards the direction of the highway. That was also the direction from which new Black Disasters were about to surge at the frontline. In the misty wooded mountains. A stick-like black lizard silently and swiftly crawled forward. No insects on the ground, just fallen leaves. The entire forest seemed devoid of life except for the Shadow. Deathly silent and despairing. Rustling. The breeze passed, scattering a shower of dry yellow leaves and creating a rustling sound among the branches. It wasn¡¯t long before the Shadow left Yu Hong two hundred meters behind. It crossed over slopes one after another and soon extended the distance to five hundred meters. The sensations it sent back remained clear even here. The Shadow continued to move forward, sprinting towards a radius of one kilometer. Chapter 138: Development Roughly ten minutes later, Black Lizard No. 2 crossed the highway and crawled into the concave canyon on the other side of the road. Here, there were overturned jeeps, clothes, and belongings left by the dead, along with charred traces of fires that had burned through. But even here, the signal remained clear. Through Black Lizard No. 2, Yu Hong saw the mess within the canyon. "Keep going,¡± he thought, prompting the Black Lizard to continue crawling toward the distance. Soon after covering more than a kilometer, the signal rapidly weakened. He couldn¡¯t see the image anymore, yet besides that, he could still control the Black Lizard¡¯s movements¡ªhe just couldn¡¯t see what it was doing. Yu Hong didn¡¯t stop and instead commanded Black Lizard No. 2 to advance further. Until nearly reaching a range of two kilometers, the status of the Black Lizard No. 2¡¯s signal became increasingly indistinct, getting to a point where even sensing it was difficult. "It seems the control limit is two kilometers,¡± Yu Hong thought with unexpected satisfaction. "If I use Inner Qi to stimulate it, I could get a Black Lizard to lay an egg every three days. By the looks of it, this Black Lizard should soon be able to form a dense fighting force.¡± Yu Hong calculated in his mind. He now had two streams of Inner Qi, both of the second layer of Cultivation Technique quality, with one stream capable of inducing the hatching of a Black Lizard egg. "With the speed of my Inner Qi recovery, there should be enough for inducing hatching, but I just don¡¯t know if there will be a limit to the number of Black Lizard marks I can control¡­¡± Thinking of it, he acted. The crisis loomed closer, and the inability to save little Stutterer intensified the sense of urgency within Yu Hong¡¯s heart. He simply sat cross-legged at the entrance, closed his eyes, and continuously channeled Inner Qi into the second Black Lizard mark. After using both streams of Inner Qi, he was able to induce the hatching of two Black Lizard eggs. The recovery time for Inner Qi was over three hours, slower than before¡ªan obvious sign that the quality of his Inner Qi had greatly improved and so had the recovery time. Three hours later, Yu Hong stimulated the birth of two more Black Lizard eggs. Then he repeated the process until he managed to hatch the sixth Black Lizard egg. The second mark could no longer be infused with Inner Qi. "The hatched Black Lizards, along with the eggs, total up to exactly nine¡­ Is this the limit of the second mark?¡± Yu Hong opened his eyes, pondered for a bit, and slid the doors of the cave open. Descending the steps, he walked straight to the edge of the courtyard wall. The yard was empty;Zhou Xueguang and Aisena had each returned to their own rooms to rest, and their even breathing was faintly audible. Yu Hong didn¡¯t wake them but stood by the wall, stretched out his hand, palm up. Phwit phwit. Suddenly, from the misty forest outside, the sound of wings flapping rapidly approached. Following closely, a shadow the size of a small cat swooped out and landed precisely on his palm. The shadow revealed its form, and it was none other than an enlarged version of a Black Lizard. It was Black Lizard No. 1, the earliest hatched marked creature. Compared to its palm-sized beginning, it had now grown to the length of an adult¡¯s forearm. A pair of dry yellow eyes were set in its all-black body, with transparent insect wings folded neatly under the protection of the black carapace, giving off a peculiar and chilled appearance. Cradling Black Lizard No. 1, Yu Hong thought for a moment, then threw it gently, letting it fly back into the misty forest, blending into the vapor. "Patrol in a ring around the yard as the center, driving away all shadows.¡± He planned to thoroughly test the combat capabilities of the grown Black Lizards before the highly dangerous Evil Shadows arrived. After the order was given, Black Lizard No. 1, the sole near-adult individual, started to quickly circle the yard. Yu Hong, meanwhile, monitored the situation on the mental map in his head. Around the yard, three challenging areas had already been marked based on Black Lizard No. 2¡¯s previous patrols. These were dangers that the Black Lizards couldn¡¯t dispel on their own. The first was next to a waterway pointing towards Baiqiu Village. The second was a section on the path leading to the luminous stone mine. The third was under a withered old locust tree to the left of the road to the post office. In the patrol safety map in Yu Hong¡¯s mind, these three areas were marked as dark spots, indicating that hidden within them were dangers of the Black Disaster far beyond ordinary shadows. Soon, Black Lizard No. 1 encountered the first danger. In the misty forest, a gaunt woman sat on a horizontal tree branch directly in front of it. She wore a tattered and oversized long skirt, grey in color and smeared with patches of blood. The moment Black Lizard No. 1 spotted her, she also noticed it. Whoosh! Suddenly, Black Lizard No. 1 lifted its head and sprayed a stream of venom instantaneously. The dark venom, like an arrow, crossed the distance of over ten meters in a flash, hitting the woman¡¯s skirt precisely. Ahh! The woman¡¯s body contorted and melted like a candle in high temperatures, struggling until she dripped from the branch within three seconds, turning into a puddle of black sludge. "Impressive!¡± Yu Hong let out a sigh of relief, not expecting the Black Lizard to possess such lethal power after growing. "It looks like, although ordinary shadows can regenerate indefinitely, with Black Lizards patrolling, I can maintain a relatively safe living area.¡± His mood was quite good at that moment. Then, he watched as Black Lizard No. 1 went forward, quickly sucking up the melted black sludge into its mouth and swallowing it. Then it continued patrolling. The second time, two shadows appeared together, hand in hand, seemingly two brothers silently drifting through the foggy woods. The moment the two shadows spotted Black Lizard No. 1, they launched an attack, swooping toward it swiftly, and in a flash, they reached out to claw at the Black Lizard. Hiss! Black Lizard One began to emit smoke rapidly upon contact with the shadow, the black smoke distorting its figure slightly. With a puff, another spray of venom was ejected. Black Lizard One rolled and dodged, watching as the two shadows twisted and tumbled, melting into a new puddle of black mucus. It continued forward, consuming the mucus and at the same time feeling a faint sense of weakness emanating from within itself. Apparently, the touch of the shadow had not been without harm to it. "Is three the limit?¡± Yu Hong set the data in his mind. It seemed that nine adult Black Lizards should be able to drive out a territory occupied by about thirty shadows. Considering the roaming of other Black Disasters and the varying regeneration speeds of the shadows, Yu Hong quickly sketched out a rough estimate of a future safe zone patrolled by the nine Black Lizards in his mental map. This area just happened to cover a circular range around the yard, extending two hundred meters in all directions. "Once all the Black Lizards hatch and grow, this new safe zone will be secured¡­ Then it¡¯ll be easy to gather humus, timber, and so forth.¡± Yu Hong felt somewhat relieved. The Black Lizards were more effective than he had imagined;they essentially created a dynamically adjustable safe zone. They also allowed for early detection of the approach of high-risk Black Disasters. "A standard sentinel,¡± he finally defined the role of the Black Lizards. After resting for a bit, Black Lizard One continued to carry out its cleansing command, while Yu Hong shifted his sensory vision back to the departing Black Lizard Two. Before long, he suddenly uttered a soft exclamation, his expression showing mild surprise. "People?¡± Within a range of one kilometer, Black Lizard Two began its covert roaming patrol. During this patrol, it unexpectedly came across an overturned bus. A gray bus. The bus had rolled off the road and tumbled into a deep ditch, its exterior sheathed in thick metal plates that sealed all the windows. From a distance, it resembled a shriveled bean pod at the waist. Inside the bus, several figures were crying out in pain, wriggling and struggling to crawl out of the twisted wreckage. Their legs were injured, bleeding everywhere. They dragged themselves through the bus, leaving behind long marks like brushes soaked in blood. Through the eyes of Black Lizard Two, Yu Hong roughly estimated that out of the survivors, five in total, only three could live, while the other two had their lower bodies completely crushed and were bleeding out hopelessly. The three who would survive had minor injuries that did not significantly affect their mobility. After hesitating for a moment, Yu Hong decided to go and check it out, to see what kind of people they were. If they weren¡¯t the despicable sort, rescuing them might provide some additional manpower. He himself couldn¡¯t leave at the moment and had to rely on others for external assignments. He was severely short on manpower. Once the decision was made, Yu Hong immediately instructed Black Lizard Two to patrol the area stealthily, driving away the shadows to ensure the safety of these people. He then donned his reinforced lizard suit and swiftly left the yard, heading in the direction of Black Lizard Two. A few minutes later. He arrived near the overturned bus. Before he got close, the survivors spotted him. "Over here!¡± One person waved frantically at him. As Yu Hong approached, he suddenly paused. He recognized one of the three surviving women. "Doctor Xu? How is it you?!¡± The remaining three were all female or, more precisely, everyone in the bus was female. From the uniforms and firearms on the corpses at the entrance of the bus, Yu Hong deduced that they were likely a women¡¯s refugee group formed for self-protection. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This matched what Old Li had told him before: in these chaotic times, many women became persecuted vulnerable groups, and in the absence of law and order, many formed small self-protective groups to avoid harm. Among them were those who voluntarily underwent luminous stone radiation surgery. "Yu Hong!¡± Doctor Xu¡¯s arm hung limply at her side, her hair was messy, her face covered in blood, and her features were hardly distinguishable until he drew closer. Seeing Yu Hong, she became emotional all at once. "Help me! I¡¯m dying! Ah¡­ the pain is killing me!¡± She clutched her arm and wailed loudly. "Just wait there. Don¡¯t move,¡± Yu Hong glanced at the other two. They both wore helmets and gray-white women¡¯s suits, supporting each other;one held a submachine gun, both turned towards him, watching warily. "If you need help, wait a moment.¡± Yu Hong maintained a distance as he passed by them, and grabbed Xu Ruoying by the shoulder. "Ouch! My bones are broken here too!¡± Doctor Xu screamed in agony. So Yu Hong had no choice but to grasp her hair with one hand and the collar of her neck with the other, and heaving with both, lifted her up. "You can still scream, that¡¯s good, at least the pain means your nerves are still alive,¡± Yu Hong sighed and, carrying the woman, turned towards the safehouse to leave. "I¡¯m so miserable, Yu Hong¡­ really, I¡¯m too miserable¡­¡± Once lifted, Doctor Xu became much more agitated than when she had first left. Back then, she had been filled with hope about going to Hope City. And now¡­ "My herbal patent was stolen, reduced to a pill-making machine, working from dawn till dusk, only five hours of sleep, even had to use a completely transparent cubicle for the toilet¡­ I tried to escape nine times! Each time they caught me and beat me mercilessly, hahaha, I think being killed by the Black Disaster would be better than living that hellish life!¡± Xu Ruoying dangled in the air, on the verge of mental collapse. As she spoke of her ordeal, tears streamed down her face unceasingly. "Eventually, I almost got used to it. Ah! It didn¡¯t hurt as much after being hit so many times. I never thought that when I finally stopped trying to escape, the chance to get out would come!¡± She started laughing amidst her storytelling. Yu Hong sharply noticed something. This woman¡­ her mental state seemed a bit off. Chapter 139: Development Three Carrying Doctor Xu up the slope, Yu Hong stepped onto the smooth surface of the roadway. The two fully armed women behind him followed suit. "You can come back to the camp with me, but you are not allowed to enter the main camp, and you must surrender your weapons. After all, we haven¡¯t established basic mutual trust yet,¡± Yu Hong stated calmly. The two fell silent. The slightly taller one spoke up. "No need, we¡¯ll just set up a temporary camp near your site, just give us a bit more food and drink.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Yu Hong frowned slightly, sensing something off in her tone. ¡°Why should I provide you with food and drink?¡± As these words came out, the two of them trembled, seemingly not expecting such a question. But then, as if remembering something, the taller woman hesitated before single-handedly grabbing the edge of her face mask and pulling it up. Whoosh. Beneath the mask was a delicate, pale, and pretty face. A pair of almond-shaped eyes stood out, tearful as if always carrying a pleading look. But upon closer inspection, one could see it was not the look in her eyes but an illusion created by their shape. "If you could provide us with basic sustenance, we would be immensely grateful and would assist by offering basic support,¡± the woman said earnestly. ¡°My name is Yao Feiling, and she is Ding Shao. We¡¯re survivors who escaped from Baihe City.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Yu Hong glanced over the two women¡¯s equipment and their cautious stances and actions. They looked alert and capable of surviving this challenging environment so far, having fled Baihe City, a place ravaged by the Black Disaster. These people must have some strength¡­ "Fine, I can provide two days¡¯ worth of food and drink, but after two days, you¡¯ll need to show enough value and earn my trust to stay,¡± he said indifferently. If he weren¡¯t in urgent need of manpower, he actually wouldn¡¯t be keen on bringing strangers back. Unfamiliar people without a foundation of trust could pose a threat to Nana and Old Zhou. But these two came with Doctor Xu, and they should pose little danger once their weapons were confiscated. "By the way, you must give me your firearms,¡± he emphasized once more. "We are setting up camp near your site, why should we disarm?!¡± Yao Feiling exclaimed with discontent. "If you really don¡¯t want to disarm, then stay far away from my camp. I need to ensure the safety of everyone in my camp,¡± Yu Hong replied calmly. Yao Feiling wanted to say more, but Ding Shao gently patted her arm, silencing her. "Let¡¯s do this, we can stay at a distance, but disarming in this environment is truly unacceptable,¡± Ding Shao spoke softly, her voice heavy with exhaustion. "I understand your cautiousness, that¡¯s fine,¡± Yu Hong nodded, then turned to look at the car. ¡°Are you going to check on those people?¡± "There¡¯s nothing to see. We had a car accident because some idiots!¡± Yao Feiling said, clearly irate at the mention. It seemed there was little connection or feeling between them and the others in the car. "Do you need to tidy up?¡± Yu Hong asked. "One minute,¡± said Ding Shao, her voice gentle, conveying a good temperament even in fatigue. The two quickly went back to the car, gathered some belongings, and each carried a large backpack, climbing onto the road. Both large backpacks were military green hiking packs, nearly as big as their bodies, appearing somewhat exaggerated. After the two struggled up, Yao Feiling looked at Yu Hong, who stood unmoved, not offering a hand, and she bit her teeth in dissatisfaction. They had encountered many men, but before the city fell, most would actively help them with their heavy luggage. But Yu Hong, a big fellow, just stood there, motionless. Utterly lacking in manners. "Let¡¯s go,¡± Yu Hong said, turning to lead Xu Ruoying toward the direction of the camp. Without a basis of mutual trust, he still couldn¡¯t be certain they posed no threat, so maintaining distance was wise. "Let¡¯s go¡­¡± Ding Shao sighed and followed, carrying the sizeable pack with difficulty. They were both partially enhanced humans;otherwise, after such intense encounters, they wouldn¡¯t possibly still have the energy to travel now. "Ding Shao¡­ we still have some food, maybe we should just find a place for ourselves¡­¡± Yao Feiling couldn¡¯t help but express her dissatisfaction. She had a feeling something was off about him, something not quite right. "Don¡¯t be stubborn,¡± Ding Shao said helplessly. ¡°We have no other choice, without food and water we can¡¯t last a few days. Following them at least provides a camp. If he can survive out here, he must have a way to ensure basic supplies.¡± After the Baihe City defenses collapsed, they organized a team and rushed out in a vehicle as soon as possible. Because of that, they faced the least danger and managed to break through the Black Disaster¡¯s layers of encirclement. Although they had nearly exhausted their talisman arrays and luminous stone marrow supplies, at least they had kept their lives. The two fell silent and followed Yu Hong without further talk. The four of them moved through the fog-filled mountain forest. Strangely, they didn¡¯t encounter a single shadow in the forest. It was quiet, without wind, and the air was cold. Up ahead, Yu Hong took out a detector to check the time: 11:32 AM. Red Value: 43.116. Holding Xu Ruoying with one hand, he put away the detector, silently commanding the black lizard to drive away shadows ahead. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I¡¯m going to die¡­¡± Doctor Xu moaned, clearly in a bad state. "Yiyi, where¡¯s Yiyi? I was planning to find her¡­¡± "I don¡¯t know, I¡¯m looking for her too,¡± Yu Hong answered. ¡°You¡¯re fine, just a broken bone. A fix and a bit of rest should do the trick.¡± "Ha-ha, right¡­ just a broken bone, I¡¯ll be fine in two days! Ha-ha¡­¡± Xu Ruoying laughed. Behind her, Yao Feiling and Ding Shao both felt somewhat helpless. They didn¡¯t actually know Xu Ruoying, only having temporarily joined her in the vehicle, initially believing that this madwoman would die halfway through the journey. Both harbored some disgust towards her. After all, it was hard enough for a sane person to survive in such an environment, let alone a lunatic. But unexpectedly, after escaping through several dangers, this crazed doctor actually did survive. With her rather decent medical skills, Xu Ruoying was repeatedly assisted by people she treated along the way. And now, she even seemed to know people at this campsite, with relationships looking quite amicable. The two suppressed their thoughts. The four of them moved forward, and amidst Doctor Xu¡¯s rambling nonsense, it took them a full twenty minutes to get back near the campsite. When they were about tens of meters away from the camp in the forest, Yu Hong stopped and turned back to look at the two women. "You can stop here. My camp is just ahead,¡± he said. "Here¡­ How are we supposed to stay? There¡¯s no suitable place around!¡± Yao Feiling looked around, the ground was filled with dead grass;towering trees shot up into the sky, with grim lighting, damp mist, and uneven ground that was steep and riddled with tree roots. The overall slope, that is, the gradient of the ground, was also an issue. "This is something you need to figure out. If you want to enter my camp, you must disarm,¡± Yu Hong said calmly. ¡°To be honest, if I hadn¡¯t known her, I wouldn¡¯t let strangers so close to my camp.¡± He gestured towards Xu Ruoying. The two women glanced at Doctor Xu and were not expecting that someone they found repellent, a lunatic, had actually led them to salvation. They looked around and then back at Yu Hong. "Then we will find a spot nearby to set up camp,¡± Ding Shao decided. "Good,¡± Yu Hong promptly nodded, then turned to return to the campsite with Xu Ruoying. His figure quickly disappeared into the mist. Leaving the two women standing on the slope, silent for a moment. Yu Hong quickly brought Xu Ruoying back to the courtyard. He placed her in a newly dug breeding pit, found some clean clothes to pad the ground, and had her lie down. Then he poured a glass of water, got some anti-inflammatory medicine, and stuffed two pills into her mouth all at once. "I need to find a wooden board to stabilize my hand¡­¡± Xu Ruoying said, out of breath and sweating profusely. "Say everything you need all at once,¡± Yu Hong said, wiping her face with a damp towel. Instantly, her face was cleansed of grime and dust, revealing Xu¡¯s original features. She looked visibly haggard, with sunken eyes, and her pupils constantly moving, unable to focus on a point for long. Yu Hong found her a wooden board, then picked up an unused blanket to cover her. There were still some iodine and cotton swabs left. He rarely used them, but he brought them over as well. Fortunately, despite being a bit off, Xu Ruoying¡¯s basic nursing and stabilization techniques were still intact. In no time, she had fixed her broken arm and hung it around her neck. Yu Hong gave her some nutritional paste and then left the breeding pit. Outside, Zhou Xueguang and Aisena were awakened by the commotion and came out to see what was happening. "An old friend has come back,¡± Yu Hong explained simply. "If you need help, just ask,¡± Old Zhou declared promptly. "Just say the word!¡± Aisena nodded, patting her chest. Yu Hong was amused by her gesture and patted her hair. "Thanks. She¡¯s a doctor;she can take care of herself.¡± After asking Old Zhou to keep an eye out, he took four sticks of nutritional paste and a bucket of boiled water and walked out of the courtyard towards the spot where the two women had stopped. Soon, a hammock suspended among the tree trunks materialized through the mist. On the military green hammock, two women were placing sticks horizontally beneath it. Using branches and ropes, they had woven a rectangular safe zone in mid-air and then placed an air mattress on top, which they tied down with ropes. They had turned it into a makeshift hammock. Judging by the speed and efficiency of the women, it was obvious that this wasn¡¯t their first time doing this. They truly deserved to be survivors who had escaped from Baihe City. Yu Hong stood on the ground, estimating the hammock¡¯s height from the ground¡ªabout seven or eight meters. Pretty high. "This is the food and drink I promised you,¡± he called out, placing the items on the ground. "Thank you,¡± Ding Shao paused her work, looking down at Yu Hong from above. "Can you tell me about the current situation in Baihe City?¡± Yu Hong asked. Although he had obtained some intelligence from the communicator, Zhang Kaijun, many details were only known to those who had really experienced them. "It¡¯s terrible¡­¡± Ding Shao sat on the edge of the hammock, supporting herself against a tree trunk. ¡°The defense line collapsed suddenly. At that time, many people in the city still didn¡¯t know. Plus, the freighter outside the port was destroyed by that huge whale, and everyone panicked at once.¡± "There were dead everywhere on the streets, bodies piled up. Actually, the Black Disaster didn¡¯t kill as many people as the stampeding crowds did. There were car accidents everywhere;the roads were completely impassable, with everyone unwilling to make way and jamming the streets completely.¡± "I guess that not more than one-tenth of the people could survive,¡± Ding Shao concluded at last. Chapter 140: Development ¡°¡­.¡± Yu Hong fell silent for a moment, then began asking some detailed questions about the Evil Shadow. After conversing for about fifteen minutes, he completely confirmed that the intelligence given by Zhang Kaijun was indeed entirely accurate. "Rest well,¡± he said before turning and heading back to the camp. Saving Doctor Xu was just an unexpected episode. The appearance of two strangers near the campsite aroused the curiosity of Zhou Xueguang and Aisena. After all, in such a despair-inducing environment, the sudden addition of two people indeed had a novelty factor. Ding Shao and her companion also arrived at the outskirts of the camp before nightfall to check out the situation. They did not dare to get too close, merely observing through the fog the sight of three small wooden huts in the camp, with lights surprisingly burning all day long. Shocked, they returned to their hammocks and sat in silence. "They¡­ they have electricity!? In this wilderness, where did they get electricity from? Especially when sunlight is becoming scarcer¡­¡± Yao Feiling couldn¡¯t help but question. So far, she was still wearing an expression of doubt, even half an hour after discovering the lights. "There must be a nuclear generator¡­ I didn¡¯t hear the sound of high-power gasoline generators, nor did I see any water flow nearby,¡± Ding Shao muttered, equally stunned. "Water, food, and even electricity¡­ No wonder this camp¡­ can hold out for so long out here,¡± Yao Feiling whispered. "Let¡¯s just observe for a bit longer,¡± Ding Shao understood that she was tempted;joining this camp would definitely skyrocket their quality of life, at least they could instantly escape the awkward situation of constantly searching for water. "Yeah, let¡¯s see what kind of person that man is. If there¡¯s no problem, joining his camp wouldn¡¯t be an issue,¡± Yao Feiling stated confidently. They had the confidence to make such statements. Aside from their good looks, the two were among the few who were enhanced by Large Pyroxene Stone among the survivors in the vehicle. Furthermore, having undergone covert military training by the Sisterhood, they would be absolutely welcome in any camp in such harsh conditions. "Alas¡­¡± Ding Shao sighed, saying nothing more. This future without hope¡­ She often even considered the thought of just dying in the Black Disaster. After all, survival was but a torment. * * * The arrival of Xu Ruoying hadn¡¯t brought any changes to Yu Hong¡¯s Black Wind Camp. He continued his daily routine of leg technique training, cultivation, waiting for the strengthening process of his Internal Cultivation Methods to finish, and also awaited Old Li¡¯s return with new runes. Days went by, and those two women outside accepted supplies for two days without further disturbing Yu Hong. They actually settled down in the hammocks suspended mid-air. They even kept reinforcing their hammocks by finding many long branches to add a base, instead of just relying on ropes for support. Occasionally, when Yu Hong patrolled the area with his Black Lizards, he noticed them hanging various daily necessities from the trees, managing a basic rhythm of life despite difficulties. Therefore, he no longer concerned himself with them. Four weeks passed, and he had to enhance his Inner Qi cultivation as much as possible to cope with potential high-risk Black Disasters. Speed Man, tick orbs, Insect Man¡ªeach kind of high-risk Black Disaster was extremely challenging to deal with. Before he knew it, another five days had passed. Xu Ruoying¡¯s injuries improved substantially with adequate nutrition, healing was not possible, but the pain and inflammation decreased. She began pacing around the camp, murmuring to herself, not knowing what she was saying. On the sixth day. Yu Hong changed into a cleaned set of reinforced gray lizard armor and equipped himself with weapons, guns, and Rune Plate Detector Hand Grenades. He lowered his goggles and pulled up his face mask, completely covering his face. Click. He opened the wooden door and stepped out of the cave. These days, he wasn¡¯t just sitting around cultivating. Within six days¡¯ time, all his Black Lizards had hatched, and three had grown to adult size, about the size of a cat or dog. With nine Black Lizards in total, he had reached the limit and it was time to start what he had planned. Heading into the yard, he greeted Old Zhou who was chatting with Doctor Xu and handed a nutrition paste to Aisena, who was struggling with her writing. He then left the compound, stepping out of the safe zone. He had been going out almost every day, to which Old Zhou and Nana had grown accustomed. They didn¡¯t ask questions. But today was different. Yu Hong felt the two powerful streams of Thunderbolt Inner Qi fill his body, with a third slowly taking shape. ¡®This time, I¡¯ll thoroughly clear the vicinity within a two-hundred-meter radius. Turn it all into a safe zone.¡¯ Even though the arrival of high-risk Evil Shadows would temporarily drive away lower-level Black Disasters, once the high-risk Black Disasters left, the surroundings would revert to their former state. So this time, he aimed to polish his own strength while thoroughly clearing nearby threats. Not the shadowy kind, but more troublesome things that the Black Lizards couldn¡¯t handle. As for his strength and skills, especially his leg techniques, he had already begun rigorous practice and mastered all the new moves. It was an ideal time to test them out. After all, the newly optimized Inner Qi could directly attack the enhanced qi of the Evil Shadows. Having been strengthened by the Black Mark several times, his Inner Qi now fully met Yu Hong¡¯s needs. Sigh¡­ Yu Hong exhaled a long breath, his white breath spraying out from both sides of his respirator valve. The weather was getting colder and colder, so he picked up the detector, turned it on, and the temperature check displayed on it. Temperature: 6 degrees Celsius. Red Value: 42.531. He put away the detector and slid it back into his lower back, taking a step forward, ready to start today¡¯s task. Suddenly, a faint rustling noise came from the forest in front to the right. "Come out,¡± Yu Hong stopped in his tracks, gently resting his hand on the high-powered enhanced pistol at his waist. Out of the fog, a slim figure in a gray and white women¡¯s suit slowly emerged. The figure didn¡¯t have her face mask and goggles on, revealing a pale, serious, and delicate face. "It¡¯s me, Ding Shao,¡± the woman said. She pursed her lips, her expression very earnest. Unlike Yao Feiling, she was equally delicate in features and well-kept, but exuded an aura of constant seriousness. "What is it?¡± Yu Hong asked calmly. He hadn¡¯t yet developed enough trust in these two people, and the two days of supplies he had given them previously was already an act of kindness. "It¡¯s just¡­ we¡¯ve searched all around but haven¡¯t found any water sources¡­ now¡­ the camp¡¯s water supply is almost gone. Could you please tell us where to find some water¡­?¡± Ding Shao pleaded softly, with her hands pressed together. "I can do that. But it won¡¯t be for free. What do you have to offer in exchange?¡± Yu Hong nodded, knowing that the tap water in the camp was always on, readily available from the faucet, but had to be boiled before drinking. "We can help keep watch around the camp,¡± Yao Feiling¡¯s voice came from a little behind, approaching through the fog, speaking loudly. "Both of us are enhanced, trained militarily, and will be a great asset to your side when it matters most.¡± Actually, she and Ding Shao had been stealthily patrolling the vicinity for the past few days. At first, very anxious, carrying the talisman array luminous stones, they were expecting to encounter Evil Shadows. Surprisingly, after several rounds, not a single ghostly shadow was to be seen. Hearing now that they needed to exchange something for water, the idea instantly sparked her interest, prompting her to take the initiative to speak up. "In fact, we¡¯ve been patrolling around these past few days, haven¡¯t you noticed it¡¯s gotten a lot quieter and safer around here? If we hadn¡¯t been constantly on watch, do you think you could have slept so soundly?¡± Yao Feiling spoke up loud and clear. Yu Hong glanced at her, pausing briefly on her substantially prominent upper curves. These past few days, he had commanded the black lizards to patrol the area constantly, taking care of Evil Shadows, and had seen these two occasionally. What he hadn¡¯t expected was that all the black lizards¡¯ efforts seemed to have been credited to her all of a sudden¡­ "Alright, Lingling,¡± Ding Shao patted her friend, smiling awkwardly at Yu Hong in embarrassment. ¡°Sorry, we really have been patrolling, but haven¡¯t encountered any trouble. She exaggerated a bit.¡± This one seemed pretty sincere. Yu Hong¡¯s evaluation of her went up a notch in his mind. As for the other one¡­ her intelligence might be concentrated in her chest. ¡®Observe them a bit longer.¡¯ He wasn¡¯t interested in bringing Yao Feiling into the fold, but he appreciated Ding Shao¡¯s stable character. If he could choose only one of them, that would be best, but it seemed unlikely the two would separate. "Old Zhou.¡± He turned and walked back to the courtyard wall, whispering a few words to Old Zhou, who had been watching the commotion. Old Zhou curiously glanced at the two women and nodded before turning to open the water faucet near the cave. Whoosh. Clear tap water rapidly flowed into the wooden barrel, creating a gentle splash. Ding Shao and Yao Feiling heard this sound. Both of their eyes widened. Before Ding Shao could say anything, Yao Feiling swiftly turned and climbed up a tree trunk beside her like a monkey. She was very good at climbing, reaching a height of three meters in the blink of an eye, standing on a branch and peering into the courtyard. "Fuck! Tap water! There¡¯s actually tap water in there!!!¡± The moment she saw the scene within, she couldn¡¯t help but blurt out in astonishment. Tap water!? Ding Shao was taken aback, quickly turning her head to look at Yu Hong, but noticed he was indifferent, standing still without any reaction or objection. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. For a moment, she doubted whether Lingling had seen incorrectly, but after a few seconds, realizing Lingling still hadn¡¯t corrected herself and was just staring into the courtyard, her heart suddenly leapt. "Mr. Yu¡­is it really¡­tap water??¡± she asked, her voice trembling slightly. She was a very detail-oriented person. Through previous conversations with Doctor Xu and Yu Hong, she had learned his name. Now she asked directly. "I installed the water supply system myself, so it kind of counts as tap water. But it lacks the city¡¯s disinfection and multiple filtration, and can¡¯t be drunk directly,¡± Yu Hong replied calmly. ¡°¡­!!!¡± Installed by himself!!? Ding Shao and Yao Feiling¡¯s view of him changed instantly. Tap water! That was something only supplied in the city! And he managed to install it himself!? A sudden feeling swelled within them as though they were inflating rapidly, a surge of excitement they couldn¡¯t immediately vent. Tap water! Plus, the electric lights they had seen at the beginning¡­ With water and electricity! This camp¡­this camp was simply¡­! In that instant, a myriad of thoughts raced through Ding Shao¡¯s mind. She knew that in this desperate environment, many people didn¡¯t actually die at the hands of Evil Shadows, as their numbers weren¡¯t that high. Instead, more people actually died from lack of food and water. A camp with both water and electricity like Yu Hong¡¯s, if only a bit more safety could be ensured¡­would absolutely be the haven that any survivor longed to join. At many previous outdoor strongholds, it was the presence of water and electricity that had led to repeated battles between various powers. Even if just one of the two was available with a stable source, it would cause immense contention. Watching the running tap water at that moment, they both had one overwhelmingly strong thought emerging¡ªjoin him! Join this camp! Chapter 141: Clearing Regardless of what the two women were thinking, Yu Hong addressed their questions and still proceeded with his plan to leave. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t completely relax his vigilance, and had arranged for two black lizards to patrol the camp, ready to launch a sneak attack should the women dare to do anything to the camp. Given the black lizard¡¯s toxicity that could even corrode shadows, it might be just as terrifying to humans. After all, its original name included the word ¡°plague.¡± In the dense forest. Yu Hong moved slowly forward, his feet crushing the dry, yellow fallen leaves. The thick layer of fallen leaves formed a soft carpet under his feet, dry on the surface but still moist and soft underneath. "This indicates a lack of sunlight, not sufficiently sun-dried,¡± he thought. Yu Hong glanced at his own boots, where in some spots the soles had pierced through the dry leaves and touched the damp layer below, even picking up faint water stains. Without pausing, he continued moving forward. Fog enveloped the area with a visibility of only four or five meters. Above, there was no sunlight, only a gray white expanse as the diffuse fog draped everything around as if layering it with a white veil. The yellowish grass, the straight trees, the black and yellow soil¡ªall of it took on a dim and blurry coloration. Yu Hong walked slowly through the woods, with seven black lizards quietly following on either side, ready to scout for any potential situations. After a short while. He gradually slowed down and stopped in the middle of a dark yellow dirt path. Crouching down, he pressed his hand against the moist yellow soil. The soil was slightly hard, resembling dried-out modeling clay, not as soft as he had imagined. "A very regular path¡­ as if something had uniformly compressed it.¡± Yu Hong raised his head and looked along the mud path stretching straight into the distance, disappearing into the grey fog. "Could it be the tick ball Zhang Kaijun mentioned?¡± he thought, apprehension tightening within him as he roughly estimated the size of a spherical object that would be required to roll out such a path. Standing up, he looked around, his nose picking up a faint mint-like fragrance even through his breathing filter. Unperturbed, he continued to let the black lizards lead the way towards the first point they needed to assault. Crossing the strange yellow mud imprint, after walking for a few more minutes, a large locust tree with its leaves almost completely fallen and branches wildly outstretched finally appeared ahead. The locust tree stood quietly in the fog, part of its crown obscured by distance and engulfed in fog, indiscernible. Its trunk was dark, its surface subtly reflective of moisture. A strong mint-like scent was spreading from it. Upon reaching this point, Yu Hong sharply sensed a trace of tension from the black lizards he controlled. Indeed, the locust tree in front of him was no ordinary specimen, considering that it could even make such venomous creatures as black lizards feel anxious. Immediately, he took out his detector, which had already unknowingly exceeded a reading of one hundred and was still fluctuating around one hundred and thirty. After thinking for a moment, he took a step forward. The Red Value on the detector instantly surged by more than a dozen points. Then stepping back. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Red Value immediately returned to its original range. Understanding dawned on Yu Hong¡¯s face, and he swiftly pulled out an enhanced pistol from his waist. Aimed at the locust tree. Bang! A gunshot sounded, and the bullet burst forth without hesitation, fiercely embedding itself into the center of the locust tree. The powerful pistol bullet instantly blasted a fist-sized black hole in the middle of the trunk. Screech! Just then, a huge black shadow the size of a bathtub suddenly swooped down from above the locust tree, rapidly approaching Yu Hong and extending its sharp claws. With a hiss, the claws grabbed Yu Hong¡¯s helmet, lifting upwards. This creature actually tried to lift Yu Hong completely. Though it was large, it was clearly much smaller compared to Yu Hong in his enhanced suit. Yet, it nearly managed to lift him off the ground with one pull. Pff! At that moment, a circle of invisible radiation exploded from Yu Hong, enveloping him. The detector¡¯s readings shot up from a hundred to over negative seven thousand in the blink of an eye. The invisible radiation, like a storm, instantly enveloped a radius of more than ten meters around him. Including the black shadow that attempted to lift Yu Hong. The huge negative Red Value directly neutralized the radiation on the black shadow¡¯s body. Screech! It uttered a painful cry, released its claws and tried to flee. But¡­ Yu Hong suddenly moved, his right leg kicking to the side. The furious leg silhouette thunderously broke through the air, vanishing in a flash. Boom!!! The leg hit heavily on the black shadow¡¯s body, sending it flying like a ball, its body caving in from the middle before it whistled through the fog and smashed into the grass on the left, tearing up a strip of turf. The black shadow lay on the ground, struggling to rise, and only then was it truly clear what it was. It was a huge black crow, the size of a bathtub, just like the crows Yu Hong had seen before at the mine entrance, only this one was particularly large. The crow¡¯s head bore a red gem-like crystal, an irregular polyhedron about the size of a peanut. Both of the crow¡¯s wings were broken by the kick, its body deeply dented on one side, clearly unable to fly, only able to lie on the ground and emit sorrowful cries. Yu Hong approached, reached out to grab the creature, and the crow still tried to bite him. "Smack.¡± He slapped the crow¡¯s head on the spot, causing blood and flesh to splatter, with only a bit of skin still connecting the neck to the bird¡¯s body. "Gah!¡± The creature was still squawking, refusing to die. ¡®It seems to have mutated.¡¯ Yu Hong sighed lightly, plucked the ruby from the crow¡¯s forehead with one hand, pocketed it, and then crushed the crow¡¯s head with his bare hands, tossing the corpse aside. He took out the detector and checked;the environmental values here had returned to normal. It signified that the clearing was directly completed here. ¡®Next.¡¯ He turned around, left a black lizard to monitor the area, and then headed towards the second clearing site. Soon, the second location was on the middle of the path towards Baiqiu Village. On the right side of the road, a rotting, dark tree stump had, from a distance, a gray-white humanoid figure with slender hands sitting on it. The humanoid was completely naked, its whole body covered with patchy mold-like spots, and bald on top of its head without any hair. The strangest thing was the air constantly flowing and distorting around this creature as if heat waves were twisting the light. Yu Hong stopped about ten meters away from this creature. He looked around to ensure there were no other Evil Shadows, then commanded the black lizards to spread out and form a fan shape to surround the humanoid. Silently, six black lizards had completely encircled the humanoid. ¡®Prepare.¡¯ Yu Hong ordered mentally. The six black lizards each gathered a mouthful of old phlegm, their chins lowered. ¡®Now!¡¯ Spurt!! In an instant, six gobs of black phlegm shot out, aiming simultaneously at the humanoid from six directions. Smack! All six gobs hit their target. The sheer potency of the poison began to corrode the gray-white humanoid rapidly. "Ah!!!¡± The humanoid threw back its head and screamed, but its resistance to toxins was surprisingly strong;its skin merely emitted black smoke and did not melt into mucus like the Evil Shadows. Suddenly, the humanoid turned its head towards Yu Hong, seemingly aware that it was him controlling the attack. Instantly, the creature stood up and lunged forward. Hiss! Its silhouette moved incredibly fast, the air around it twisting even more violently like a booster, covering the distance of more than ten meters in the blink of an eye, far faster than Yu Hong. Thump! Yu Hong, already on high alert, burst forth with energy, his Thunderbolt Leg kicking forward sharply! Bang!! The two figures collided, the enormous impact forcing Yu Hong to stagger back two steps. He felt as if his right leg had kicked a heavy piece of iron, pain faintly spreading from his sole up through his knee to his waist;the vibration was immense. "Damn! That was strong! Again!¡± His heart flared up from the collision. He steadied himself, lunging forward aggressively towards where the humanoid had rebounded. Hisss. Sharp spikes shot from his feet, his hands adeptly reaching forward to seize. But just as his palms touched the humanoid¡¯s shoulders, it dissolved into a puddle of black liquid, collapsing down without a trace of its human form. ¡®That fast!?¡¯ Yu Hong grabbed at air, his consecutive moves completely disrupted, stuffing his rising anger back down forcibly. He looked around, took out his detector, and noticed the Red Value had already recovered to thirty or forty normal values. Only then did he realize that the humanoid had thoroughly vanished. He huffed heavily, frustration making him kick fiercely at the trunk of a nearby tree. Bang! The tree trunk shattered instantly, wood chips flying as the thick tree slowly tilted and fell to the side. With a dense crashing sound, the tree broke completely and fell onto another tree¡¯s branch, stopping there. Yu Hong controlled his black lizards, preparing to leave. As he turned, changing direction, his gaze sharpened suddenly, and he looked back towards where he had last seen the humanoid. On that rotten tree stump. Now, incredibly, another gray-white humanoid identical to the earlier one appeared. It still sat on the stump, its back towards Yu Hong and the black lizards, unmoving, with slender hands. ¡®This creature¡­ resurrects so quickly!?¡¯ Yu Hong checked his detector again, Red Value 311.731. ¡®A Red Value over three hundred, considered a low-level Evil Shadow¡­ But.¡¯ This time he did not attack immediately. Having used a dose of Thunderbolt Inner Qi, he needed to keep one for emergency self-defense. Watching the humanoid, Yu Hong slowly directed the black lizards to pull back, marking this area as off-limits. Then he proceeded to the third location. ¡®This world, besides the official count of Blood Tide and Evil Shadows, who knows what other bizarre threats have emerged.¡¯ On the road, Yu Hong steadied his breathing, took out talisman array and Radiation Hand Grenade, planning to resolve the issue with tools this time. Fortunately, the third location had no surprises, just a group of five Evil Shadows wandering together. He didn¡¯t even use his hand grenade, charging in with the Silver Talisman Plate and instantly exploding them. After dealing with them all, Yu Hong ordered two black lizards to stay and guard the area, directly spitting to kill any possibly resurrecting Evil Shadows. Chapter 142: Clearing Up Returning to the camp in the cave, Yu Hong quickly practiced Qi cultivation to restore his two strands of Thunderbolt Inner Qi. Then he meticulously recorded the new monster he encountered today to keep it as a reference for future intelligence trading. Meanwhile, Ding Shao and Yao Feiling, after collecting water, clearly showed their reluctance to leave and their intense desire for the camp. The two women lingered around the camp for a long time and even engaged in conversation with Old Zhou and Nana before they finally left with heavy hearts. In the following days, as Yu Hong sequestered himself to diligently cultivate his Inner Qi and train in the Thunderbolt Leg Technique, the two women seemed to change their strategy, frequently engaging in idle chatter with Old Zhou to build rapport. Since Old Zhou hadn¡¯t received an order from Yu Hong to limit their water collection, he didn¡¯t pay much attention to their frequent water retrieval, considering that the underground water was essentially inexhaustible. And as the women continued to cozy up, the countdown to the completion of the Inner Strength enhancement kept ticking closer. Yu Hong¡¯s anticipation also rose gradually. How much would a twelve-day enhancement increase the refining speed of his Inner Strength? He couldn¡¯t imagine. After all, the operation of the Black Mark could very possibly grant him access to a Cultivation Technique from who-knows-where. As time continued to slip by. As the black lizards steadily secured new safe zones, a 200-meter radius around the camp gradually became stable and was cleared of shadows. Yu Hong realized that the resurgence spots of the shadows were decided by their places of death, so he used the black lizards to lure each shadow away from their original position, a 200-meter distance from the camp, before killing them. Thus, the resurrected shadows would emerge at these new locations, wandering only in their vicinity. Perhaps they would gradually drift and approach this area again, but then it would just take another luring session with the black lizards. Following such a strategy, except for the ashen humanoids perched on rotten logs, all the other shadows in the area were driven away. Yu Hong began to cultivate luminescent grass intensely, infusing it with Inner Qi, spreading its growth across a larger area. However, this growth was exceedingly slow, with radiation from the luminescent grass weakening the further away it got from Yu Hong, the growth and recovery rate slowing down likewise. Breaking through the bounds of the courtyard walls, the growth of luminescent grass spread out for over ten meters, forming a massive circle. No matter how much Yu Hong urged his Inner Qi, the outer layer of the circle would not grow anymore. It seemed that the ambient Red Value radiation had completely suppressed and neutralized it. With the expansion of luminescent grass proving difficult, on the other hand, the countdown to the fortification of Inner Strength finally reached its end. Inside the cave. Yu Hong sat beside the communicator, holding a charcoal pencil, listening intently to Wei Song explaining the specific methods, means, and measures employed by the allied forces in response to the Black Disaster. ¡°¡­the Sunlight series of weapons, equipment, and materials are closely guarded strategic resources in the military. From Sunlight One to Nine, all series have the effect of expelling and interfering with the resurrection of shadows and Blood Tide. These effects enhance with each iteration. Even War-Level Black Disasters, when faced with Sunlight Nine weapons and items, experience intense discomfort and their resurrection points are severely disrupted, causing deviations and departures from the original location.¡± "So, the allied forces shouldn¡¯t have their defense lines so easily breached, right?¡± Yu Hong asked in a grave tone. "Yes. The Sunlight series is key to the support the allied forces have maintained for so long,¡± Wei Song confirmed. ¡°But¡­ the true decider of victory on the frontlines is still the supply of resources.¡± "You mean¡­ resources are running low?¡± Yu Hong frowned. "It¡¯s easy to say that, but the actual reason is the Silver Tower¡¯s sudden collapse and loss of contact. Without the support of technology and intelligence, the frontlines completely fell apart,¡± Wei Song sighed. "Old Yu, if you can pull through this time, we¡¯ll be able to use your Black Wind Camp as a fixed contact point later and include you in the long-distance trading caravan alliance. We¡¯ll provide you with material support,¡± Zhang Kaijun spoke up. "Indeed, the information you provided on the second form of Language Persons was a great help to my side. When two of my teams encountered Language Persons, they used the information you provided, the double attack strategy, and successfully suppressed an attack from a Language Person temporarily,¡± Wei Song agreed, his voice filled with sincere thanks. "That¡¯s what¡¯s expected,¡± Yu Hong replied with a calm expression. ¡°You¡¯ve given me quite a lot of information as well.¡± "No! The information you¡¯ve given has been verified as authentic, whereas the information we traded to you lacks the specific methods for defeat. This is not something that can be measured on the same level,¡± Wei Song retorted earnestly. "According to calculations from radiation satellite images, roughly two months from now, the influx of Black Disasters resulting from the collapse of the frontline will gradually enter a period of equilibrium. The domains of the Black Disasters will stabilize and solidify, and by then we can recount and map out new paths between the Black Disasters and establish new trading caravans,¡± Zhang Kaijun stated gravely. "Let¡¯s hope everything goes smoothly,¡± Guan Cao sighed. "It will go smoothly¡­¡± Wei Song unusually revealed a hint of fatigue. "That will be all for today;we just took in two refugee teams here, totaling over three hundred people, and now there¡¯s trouble starting up again;I need to go handle it,¡± Zhang Kaijun¡¯s typically indifferent voice came through. "Alright, you planning to handle it the same old way?¡± Guan Cao couldn¡¯t help but ask. "How so?¡± Just by the sound of it, one could imagine Zhang Kaijun frowning deeply. "I don¡¯t mean to interfere, but with so few left, I just think maybe you could soften your methods a bit, going forward there will only be fewer and fewer people¡­¡± Guan Cao sighed. "My methods are already quite restrained,¡± Zhang Kaijun said flatly, ¡°Just killing the whole family of troublemakers is already quite restrained for me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Guan Cao was left speechless, only hearing the communicator abruptly disconnect. "I¡¯ll be going too,¡± Wei Song said wearily, ¡°That¡¯s just his character. His closest teacher and senior sister died tragically because they were implicated by internal troublemakers. There¡¯s a reason for his personality to be like this. Try to understand more.¡± "I just feel that killing half of those met is somewhat too cruel,¡± Guan Cao replied, helplessly. Yu Hong had nothing to say. Zhang Kaijun had such a cute nickname, yet he was this brutal? He had chatted with Zhang casually before and thought he was the cold exterior, warm heart kind of person. To think¡­ "Germ¡¯s base has ten absolute kill orders;as soon as they¡¯re broken, there¡¯s no discussion of personal feelings, death to the whole family. You could say his rules are the harshest among all bases,¡± Guan Cao continued, sighing, ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s not talk about this. You prepare well, facing a danger level eight Black Disaster¡­ it will be tough for you too¡­¡± S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I¡¯m signing off.¡± "Okay, talk to you later.¡± All communicators went offline. Yu Hong turned off the device and set down the charcoal pen before standing up to stretch his body. Communicating for an hour each day had become an essential habit he¡¯d cultivated. Usually, after chatting and collecting external intelligence, he should now be practicing the Thunderbolt Leg Technique, then eat something, wipe his body, and go to sleep. But today was different. Yu Hong walked to the wooden door and pulled open the cover to look out into the courtyard. The courtyard at night was illuminated by lights that held back the surging Blood Tide Black Insects on the perimeter. A combination of luminous grass and electric lights, along with a large talisman array hidden underground, had turned Black Wind Camp into a fortress of safety. But Yu Hong knew that in just over two weeks, a truly greater trouble would arrive in full force. If they couldn¡¯t hold off the threat, he, Old Zhou, Nana, and perhaps everyone else might die. He had considered moving to a different location to avoid the perilous Black Disaster, but the camp couldn¡¯t be relocated. To leave rashly would likely lead to a significant drop in protective strength and potentially lose the ability to protect themselves. Swoosh. After pulling the cover closed, Yu Hong turned around and headed to the basement. He had moved the papers for inner strength fortification to the second basement level. The first basement level was now being used for practicing martial arts, while the second stored various miscellaneous goods and supplies. The third basement was quite small and served as the main control room. Inside the basement, it was as bright as day with the lights on. Yu Hong first washed his hands at the sink along the wall and dried them with a towel. Then he seated himself at a new wooden table against the wall. The countdown on the paper on the table had two minutes left before it would end. He didn¡¯t move, just quietly waiting. One minute. Two minutes. Snap. Suddenly, the countdown ended. The paper on the entire brown wooden table blurred and vanished. 0.1 seconds later, a thin, bronze-colored booklet appeared before Yu Hong. ¡®It¡¯s here!¡¯ Yu Hong¡¯s spirits lifted, and, suppressing his strong anticipation, he stood up to carefully examine the newly appeared booklet. The booklet was the size of a regular dictionary in length and width, with a thickness of about a dozen pages¡ªnot many. There were four big characters printed on the cover. ¡®Internal Cultivation Methods.¡¯ Because that was what he had named it during the fortification process, the same four characters appeared. Yu Hong didn¡¯t mind and reached out to pinch the corner of the booklet, gently turning a page. The material of the booklet didn¡¯t feel like paper, but rather more like cloth¡ªsoft to the touch and slightly warm. ¡®This time it¡¯s been strengthened to the limit, the highest degree possible in one go¡­ I hope¡­ it won¡¯t disappoint me.¡¯ With great anticipation, he carefully looked at the first opened page. ¡®Infinite Qi Condensing Technique.¡¯ As expected, five new and prominent characters with a texture resembling that of gray rocks appeared before his eyes. Below the large characters was a small line of annotation: ¡®One of the fundamental introductory methods of Wuji Palace.¡¯ ¡°¡­¡± Speechless, Yu Hong knew that the Black Mark had, once again, acquired someone else¡¯s internal cultivation methods from some unknown place. He turned the pages without a word. The following page contained line after line detailing the specific effects of this mental method. ¡®This method grasps the true meaning of the Infinite, based on the 9,672 Vacuum Particles determined by this sect¡¯s founding ancestors, aiding in strengthening ninety-nine percent of all kinds of cultivation techniques and accelerating their practice. Its adaptability is extremely strong.¡¯ Below that was an explanation of how to define and absorb Vacuum Particles. ¡®Countless types of particles exist in the vacuum of space, infinite universes nest within each other, each encompassing the other, with each type of particle potentially representing a unique system of power, possibly originating from a tremendously distant special universe. Therefore, the absorption of Vacuum Particles must not be done crudely, all at once. Instead, it requires a meticulous approach, selecting from the endless surrounding grains that which suits oneself¡­¡¯ With passages of text paired with specific illustrative diagrams, Yu Hong was utterly captivated. He had never imagined that the countless particulate substances he sensed during his Inner Qi practice hid so much mystery. In no time at all, he had finished reading the entire thin booklet. The seven visualization charts included, coupled with a rather complex Breathing Control Method, were thoroughly committed to memory, repeatedly recalled and reflected upon. On the last page of the booklet, the required time for practicing this method was mentioned¡ªthree days. Chapter 143: Cultivation "Just three days??¡± This made Yu Hong feel ineffably strange in his heart. "This mental method once mastered, can greatly accelerate the speed of cultivating with one¡¯s original mental method. The increase could even reach almost double the rate. But¡­¡± "This powerful mental method, it only takes three days to complete?¡± He always felt something was off, there definitely was a problem. Thus, Yu Hong picked up the booklet again, scrutinizing it carefully from beginning to end, all over again. Sure enough, this time he finally found a clue. "This damn thing, turns out it¡¯s still a merged version!¡± He was speechless, holding the booklet, looking at the various cultivation diagrams inside. There were many such diagrams in the booklet, clearly drawn to facilitate explanation, with detailed descriptions of the Qi circulation routes. The problem lay within these Qi circulation routes. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yu Hong randomly picked one, looked closely, and found that the figure sitting cross-legged on the diagram, not only looked exactly like him in appearance but even had the same Black Mark on the back of his hand. Moreover, the crucial part was that in every single one of these Qi route diagrams, the Inner Qi pathways would repeatedly pass through the Black Mark on the back of the hand. A few passed through three times, others had to go through more than a dozen times¡­ "I was wondering why it only took three days¡­ Turns out this is tailor-made, even using the Black Mark to accelerate cultivation with a one-of-a-kind version??¡± Yu Hong was speechless. But no matter what version it was, as long as it could rapidly increase his cultivation speed, he would use it for now! He had been dissatisfied with the progress of his Thunderbolt Leg for a long time, and now, with the aid of the Infinite Qi Condensing Technique to speed things up, the idea of quickly enhancing the strength of the Thunderbolt Leg could become a reality! ¡®No more thinking, start practicing!¡¯ Immediately, Yu Hong once again checked all the procedures, focusing his attention on the first step of cultivating this auxiliary mental method. ¡®To cultivate this technique, the first prerequisite is to divide one¡¯s attention. There are countless Vacuum Particles, infinite and vast, to truly find the particles that resonate with oneself, one must divide their consciousness and heart into incredibly precise parts. Matching the minuscule with the minuscule, probing, entangling, adapting, accepting, integrating, until finally, they return to the whole¡­¡¯ The cultivation method of the Infinite Qi Condensing Technique obviously completely differed from many mental methods Yu Hong had heard of before. While others required one to concentrate their mind, his required the opposite. But due to his trust in the Black Mark, he immediately started practicing according to the order of the mental method. There were specific visualization diagrams to assist with dividing attention;he gazed at the diagrams and gradually felt as if he had become a stone statue. The stone statue slowly showed more and more cracks, becoming ever more numerous and dense, until finally, with a crash. His entire body, his entire spirit, shattered completely, falling to the ground, turning into countless tiny particles¡­ * * * About six hundred kilometers away from Baihe City, Shanli City. Within the desolate city, the streets were scattered with colliding abandoned vehicles. Red, white, black, vehicles of all sorts, some deformed, some overturned, some simply bursting into flames, with the fire raging on continuously. Click. On the sidewalk next to a shop, a thick glove-covered hand forcefully punched through the silver-gray rolling shutter door, then tore it open into a gap large enough for people to pass through. "Ha ha ha, got goods again!¡± A large man over two meters tall, wearing a full set of gray-black bulletproof gear, bent over and walked out of the shop. In his other hand, he was holding a slender young blonde girl. The girl dressed in ragged red T-shirt and jeans, her legs frantically struggling in midair. "Play before eating, plus the rice we found earlier, we can hold out for a long time.¡± The man emerged from the shutter door, followed by two more similarly built bulletproof-gear-clad men. The three men all wore dark red striped round helmets, their faces unseen;only their voices revealed a chill and cruelty. "Please¡­ don¡¯t kill me¡­ don¡¯t¡­¡± the girl cried and screamed. But someone found her annoying, slapped her on the back of the neck;her voice stopped on the spot, her eyes rolled up, and she was stupefied. "Ding Lin, it¡¯s getting harder to find people nearby, might need to go farther to find others, and when people die they can¡¯t be stored, and if they rot they can¡¯t be used, it¡¯s a bit troublesome,¡± one of the men behind spoke up. "That¡¯s why we need to find more live ones fast, smear them with salt to preserve them,¡± the first guy out responded. "Heard on the broadcast that the front line has collapsed, maybe a stronger Black Disaster is approaching, and we need to prepare in advance,¡± the third man calmly said. "We¡¯ve stored more than twenty already, should just about suffice, and there¡¯s a warehouse full of rice, just for the three of us, enough for several years. Why think so much?¡± Ding Lin said dismissively. He reached out and pinched the flesh of the girl in his hand. "This one hid for so long and still managed to stay so plump, well maintained, quite the rare good stuff, lucky today¡­¡± Snap. Suddenly, he paused mid-sentence, quickly turning his head towards the direction of the sound. Over there lay a pile of burnt and indistinguishable debris. A flattened metal barrel fell from the pile onto the ground, making a crisp sound. "Tsk!¡± Ding Lin pulled up the girl, turning his head to look behind him. ¡°Getting too jumpy lately, ha ha¡­¡± He froze all of a sudden under his helmet. Behind him, the two companions that had just been with him, that had just come out together, were now both gone. Just a minute ago, they¡¯d stood together talking, one of them even reminding him to prepare in advance. But now¡­ Ding Lin stared at the gaping dark hole of the rolling shutter door behind him, at the spot where his two companions had just been. "Old Dong?¡± He stepped closer, crouched down, and examined the ground. This look made his heart shudder. On the ground, other than his own footprints, there were surprisingly no other traces at all! Inside the gray shutter door, not a shred of light, only cold currents of air kept stealthily seeping out. "Damn it! Old Chen! Old Dong!?¡± Ding Lin stood up, looking around, cold sweat starting to seep from his back. He had survived a previous Evil Shadow attack¡ªwhich felt very similar to now¡ªhis being the only escapee from a stronghold with over a hundred people. And now¡­. He set down the girl and quickly took out a bag of Large Pyroxene Stones from his lower back. Then he tied the bag to a thick wooden stick and kept swinging it in circles above his head. Swish, swish. The talisman-covered Large Pyroxene Stones were incessantly swung on the stick, drawing uneven circles in the air. This had been the key to Ding Lin¡¯s successful escape last time. As long as the Large Pyroxene Stones weren¡¯t used up, he could temporarily ensure his safety. But just then, his body suddenly trembled. The spoils of the battle he had just put down, the girl, was nowhere to be seen now? "Fuck!¡± Sweat appeared on his forehead as he swung the bag of Large Pyroxene Stones, quickly starting to trot forward. The patter of footsteps echoed ceaselessly through the streets. Soon, he returned to the temporary warehouse where his group of three was staying. The warehouse was located next to the entrance of a small park, with the first gray building on the right upon entering. The barrier at the entrance of the park had long been broken, and the security room connected to the barrier was empty, its desk covered with a layer of dust. Ding Lin rushed toward the entrance of the park, constantly glancing left and right. He didn¡¯t have a detector¡ªor, more accurately, the detector couldn¡¯t charge, so he had no idea how high the Red Value was in his surroundings. As soon as he entered the park and stepped onto the empty internal driveway¡­ His footsteps suddenly halted. At the entrance of the warehouse up ahead, there stood three people. Two companions donned in black suits and the pretty girl he had just captured. All were there. They stood in a line in front of a window beside the warehouse door, waving faintly towards him. They revealed their faces, which looked stiff and unnatural, their hands, somehow, appeared elongated, and their skin emitted an indescribable pallor. "Fuck! Damn, damn, damn!¡± Ding Lin immediately realized something was wrong as sweat poured profusely. He slowly backed away, step by step out of the park. Then he suddenly turned and bolted. Cold sweat broke out all over his body, and his face twisted in fear, pain, and anxiety. He hadn¡¯t run far when he suddenly stopped, threw his head back, and nearly fell backward onto the ground because of the abrupt movement. Standing in the middle of the street, right ahead of him, were the same three people as before. Smiling, they stood still, quietly waving in his direction. Ding Lin¡¯s heart grew more and more panicked, his hands steady as he kept spinning the bag of Large Pyroxene Stones on the stick. Snap. Suddenly the rope broke, and the bag fell entirely onto the ground. Ding Lin frantically bent down to pick it up. Just as he grabbed the bag, he realized something was terribly amiss. The Large Pyroxene Stones in the bag, at some unknown time, had already turned into a bag of stone powder. Snap. Ding Lin shuddered all over and finally didn¡¯t dare to move an inch. He paused briefly, slowly lifting his head while sweat dripped from his nose. Right in front of him, within arm¡¯s reach¡­ Three pairs of booted legs were already standing before him. Two pairs of black boots, one pair of brown short boots for women. Ding Lin dared not look up any further;his helmet was almost touching the pants of the people standing in front. Sweat broke off in beads down his back, his heartbeat far exceeding 300 beats per minute, and an indescribable sense of terror paralyzed him. Crack. Another crisp sound. The street was empty once more. Void and deserted, with only the abandoned vehicles crowded together. Stoking the fireplace, Yu Hong stuffed dry wood in and started to heat water. "We need to get some basic electrical appliances¡­ It¡¯s a bit inconvenient to keep burning wood for warmth and cooking if we have electricity.¡± After strengthening his Internal Cultivation Methods, he tried to begin cultivation immediately. It was still the first day, and he would have to wait three more days to master the Infinite Qi Condensing Technique fully before he could naturally apply it to the Thunderbolt Leg Technique. So, for now, there was nothing discernible. As for the Black Mark, he didn¡¯t waste any time and swiftly sent it to enhance sunlight materials. He was quite eager to see what state these special materials could be enhanced into. Sunlight materials totaled nine generations, his being only the first generation, which was the weakest. But according to Old Li, it could still drive away and affect most Black Disaster radiations that weren¡¯t strong enough. The enhancement direction was to strengthen effects, with a countdown of about three days. The flames gradually burned in the fireplace, growing red and beginning to emit heat. Yu Hong placed the pot with nutrient paste on it to cook. He had lunch hastily after a quick boil and continued to immerse himself in cultivating the Infinite Qi Condensing Technique. Knock, knock, knock. Suddenly, there was a gentle knock on the cave¡¯s door. "Who is it?¡± Yu Hong frowned slightly, calling out loudly. "It¡¯s me, boss, there¡¯s been a situation, you may need to come out and take a look,¡± Old Zhou¡¯s voice rang from outside. Chapter 144: Cultivation Two "Is it those two women causing trouble?¡± Yu Hong frowned as he quickly returned to the first floor, first removing the panel to check outside, confirming it was indeed Old Zhou, Zhou Xueguang. He stood at the door with a hesitant expression, looking as though he wanted to speak but stopped himself. Click. Yu Hong opened the door and stepped outside. "What¡¯s going on?¡± he asked in a deep voice. "It¡¯s not those two, it¡¯s Doctor Xu¡­¡± Zhou Xueguang whispered. Yu Hong said no more and walked into the yard, where he first saw Doctor Xu, Xu Ruoying. She was sitting on a rock in the yard, gently pressing a hand on her stomach. "Yu Hong, you¡¯re here,¡± Xu Ruoying called out as she first noticed Yu Hong approaching. Her demeanor was very normal, completely different from her initial madness. "Are you alright?¡± Yu Hong asked, his tone somewhat concerned. "I¡¯m fine¡­¡± Doctor Xu revealed a gentle smile, and for some reason, her smile was filled with anticipation. "Boss, look at her stomach,¡± Zhou Xueguang softly tapped Yu Hong from behind. Yu Hong immediately sensed something was amiss. Doctor Xu Xu Ruoying¡¯s stomach seemed unusually large. "Is her stomach bloated?¡± he frowned deeply as he looked toward Old Zhou following him. But this time, it wasn¡¯t Old Zhou who answered him, but Doctor Xu herself. "I¡¯m pregnant.¡± She answered seriously and with hope. Yu Hong¡¯s eyes widened. Pregnant?! He couldn¡¯t believe it, Doctor Xu returned¡­ and now she was pregnant?? "Whose is it?¡± he blurted out. "I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Xu Ruoying shook her head, ¡°When I was detained, about ten people were involved with me daily. There were too many, I couldn¡¯t tell whose it was exactly.¡± She seemed much more normal now, a stark contrast from her previously restless, darting eyes. "But it doesn¡¯t matter¡­ the important thing is that he is my child!¡± Doctor Xu¡¯s tone changed, her face showing intense anticipation. Yu Hong, looking at her now, could clearly see that this sudden child had become her last pillar of normalcy. "Take care then, we have enough food and drink here, don¡¯t worry,¡± Yu Hong reassured after a moment. In fact, since hearing that Doctor Xu had been captured, he had suspected she might have been violated, but he never anticipated this development. "Thank you! I can manage basic wounds and make medicine, and once I¡¯ve recovered a bit, I can make some sutures from animal sinews. I won¡¯t be a freeloader,¡± Xu Ruoying smiled. "Alright.¡± Yu Hong nodded. He exchanged a look with Old Zhou, sighed, and turned back to the cave. Shortly after, he retrieved a stash of nutritional paste and handed it over to Old Zhou. "This is a month¡¯s worth. Keep it safe, and take the mushrooms, cockroaches, and lizards you collect, process them and leave them at my door. I¡¯ll deal with them later.¡± "Mm.¡± Old Zhou nodded. Glancing at Doctor Xu, who was no longer looking this way, he asked again, ¡°What about those two women? They¡¯ve been patrolling outside these last few days.¡± "No hurry,¡± Yu Hong shook his head. Although he was irritated by Ding Shao and her companion, he wasn¡¯t to the extent of directly driving them out or wishing them dead. "The camp is running low on luminous stones. Have them go to the mining area and transport some back as a trade for access to the water source,¡± he instructed. "Okay,¡± Old Zhou nodded. ¡°One more thing, Nana has been asking when Li Rushan will be back. Do you have any news?¡± Yu Hong shook his head. Li Rushan had been gone for some time, and by all accounts, he should have returned by now in a vehicle. But there was still no sign of him, clearly something had happened. "Don¡¯t worry, he took so much with him, even if something unexpected happens, he should be able to come out unscathed. We¡¯ve faced many types of Black Disasters, with his caution, there should be no problem.¡± "Ha, caution my ass,¡± Old Zhou made a disdainful face, ¡°If it were him dealing with Ding Shao and her friend, he might have already taken things to the bed by now.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Yu Hong was speechless. Given Li Rushan¡¯s personality, it was indeed a possibility. He silently patted Old Zhou¡¯s shoulder. "By the way, I¡¯ve recently cleared the area around the camp. I¡¯ll outline a new safety zone soon, and within this area, you can move around to gather firewood, pick wild vegetables, or dig in the soil.¡± "Really?¡± Zhou Xueguang was taken aback. "Of course.¡± "Give me some talismans first, I¡¯ll go test them out.¡± He was very cautious. "Sure¡­¡± Yu Hong waved his hand, fetching some Vortex Talisman Plates and ordinary talisman plates from the cave for Old Zhou. Then he went back to continue practicing the Infinite Qi Condensing Technique. However, after closing the door and drinking some water, as he was about to pull down the shutter, Yu Hong saw Old Zhou by the courtyard wall, exchanging something with Ding Shao across the wall through a talisman plate. It appeared they were exchanging a multifunctional pocketknife. Yu Hong shook his head but did not stop them, pulled down the shutter, and turned around to continue practicing his cultivation technique. He had to master the Infinite Qi Condensing Technique early to rapidly increase his Inner Qi cultivation progress. The practice of the Infinite Qi Condensing Technique proceeded without any surprises, everything falling naturally into place. Clearly, this cultivation technique was a special version tailored specifically to the Black Mark for him. Three days passed in a blink. On the night of the third day, the time displayed on a detector standing by: 11:15 PM. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Inside the basement of the cave. Yu Hong, who was sitting cross-legged on the ground, suddenly opened his eyes. A faint current of air, centered around his body, began to swirl subtly but then quickly dissipated, as if it were an illusion. "It¡¯s done¡­¡± he exhaled deeply. This auxiliary internal cultivation method had a straightforward main process¡ªessentially, it involved diverting one¡¯s focus outward to find particles suitable for oneself and, through the rapid conversion by the Black Mark, allowing these particles to rapidly become part of oneself under the influence of Inner Strength, thus greatly accelerating Inner Qi cultivation. "Essentially, it¡¯s actually a practiced skill;you can achieve it with more practice¡­ The key is that it extremely complements myself¡­¡± Yu Hong lifted his hand. After practicing this cultivation technique, he felt his perception of the surrounding environment had greatly enhanced, as if he could sense the countless tiny particles suspended in the air around him at all times. "Next, let¡¯s try the Thunderbolt Leg Technique¡­¡± With a trace of expectation, he finally began to practice the Thunderbolt Leg, which he hadn¡¯t practiced for a long time, after three days. With a mere thought, the Inner Qi in his lower abdomen began to swirl like a vortex, rotating at high speed. Ordinarily, the Inner Qi refinement of the Thunderbolt Leg Technique directly absorbed countless particles from the surroundings. But this time, the particles it absorbed were the matching particles pre-absorbed by the Infinite Qi Condensing Technique. The Infinite Qi Condensing Technique acted like a pre-filter, absorbing suitable particles first, then allowing the Inner Strength of the Thunderbolt Leg to absorb and transform them. This practice made Yu Hong unwittingly reveal an ecstatic expression. He felt his transformation speed of Inner Qi was faster than he could have imagined compared to before. While previously at the second level of the Thunderbolt Leg Technique, he had only accumulated two strands of Inner Qi, and the third strand was only half accumulated. Yet, with the aid of the Infinite Qi Condensing Technique, this half-accumulated third strand of Inner Qi rapidly expanded and solidified like an inflating balloon. Its condensation speed was so fast that it was estimated to complete the Qi condensation in less than three days. "With this rate, my refining speed of one strand of Inner Qi on the second level should be about one strand per week! The speed of Qi Cultivation has improved by at least half!¡± Yu Hong estimated joyfully in his heart. The fullness of Inner Qi determined the recovery speed of the Black Lizard, luminous grass, and also dictated the frequency of his finishing moves during combat. The significant improvement in the speed of Qi Cultivation plunged Yu Hong into a fervent state of secluded training. The imminent peril of the Black Disaster gave him a strong sense of urgency. Soon, another two days went by in the blink of an eye. At the outer perimeter of the Black Wind Camp. Sparse luminous grass spread across the ground, enveloping the entire camp in a big circle. After successfully forming the third strand of Inner Qi, Yu Hong and Old Zhou began to build a new courtyard wall along the perimeter of the big circle. The construction method was simple: they first dug a clear and evident trench to mark the specific boundary. The trench, about one meter deep, after being dug, was helped by Ding Shao and another to insert thick wooden planks and a large number of coarse branches into the ground to secure them, forming a rudimentary fence. Relying on the resources of the camp to survive, these two naturally came to do the heavy lifting as called upon by Yu Hong. The range of the big circle was completed in only half a day with the efforts of four people. "From now on, this fence-enclosed area will be our secondary safety camp boundary. Don¡¯t go out to the farther exterior, it¡¯s much more dangerous,¡± he instructed Old Zhou and Aisena. The two were wandering within the new boundaries. Though the diameter had only expanded by a few meters, the area enclosed was much larger than before. It included a few trees, slopes, rocks, and patches of weeds. "I understand. The new safety zone contains quite a bit of humus and wild vegetables;we could get some seeds and seedlings to plant. There are a few types of hardy weeds that grow easily;we could plant them inside the fence,¡± Old Zhou was already enthusiastically starting to allocate uses for the new area. "And these dozen trees, if we could get cameras, we could easily set up a simple monitoring system to cover the entire camp¡¯s surroundings. A pity that the fog is too thick and visibility is not far.¡± "Additionally, if we later welcome more people into the camp, the living arrangements can easily be sorted out.¡± Seeing his enthusiasm and organized planning, Yu Hong straightforwardly spoke up. "Alright then, you take care of assigning the living arrangements and such in the future. All good? Acting as a future camp director,¡± he joked. "Sure, leave it to me,¡± Zhou Xueguang promised, patting his chest enthusiastically. ¡°Since coming to this camp, these have been the most stable days I¡¯ve had since the Black Disaster hit. Even when I was on the frontline, despite other units covering us, I never felt as at ease as I do here.¡± He had vaguely sensed that something outside the camp was discreetly driving away the shadow. But with his sensitivity, he could not detect what it was, yet from his probe into Yu Hong¡¯s background, he surmised that it definitely had something to do with the boss. "That¡¯s right. I have special technical means to monitor the safety of the camp¡¯s perimeter at any time, so I will send an early warning if there¡¯s any danger,¡± Yu Hong nodded. "That¡¯s good¡­ But to tell the truth, now that we have water and power, the only thing we lack is a greater sense of security. If we could build the surrounding walls and coat them with sunlight material, the safety would greatly increase. This material naturally emits a kind of invisible radiation that Black Disaster extremely detests, automatically keeping it away from here. Unless the crowd gathers in large numbers, attracting more than the repelling effect, it would attract a Black Disaster attack,¡± Old Zhou explained. Yu Hong nodded in agreement, gazing at the newly demarcated secondary safety zone, feeling a hint of accomplishment in his heart. Building such a large safe camp in such a dangerous environment was no easy feat, and only he knew this. "Mr. Yu.¡± At that moment, Ding Shao approached from not far away, raising her hand to indicate she was unarmed. "Can we talk?¡± she asked sincerely, her calm gaze resting on Yu Hong¡¯s face. Chapter 145: Cultivation 3 "Okay,¡± Yu Hong glanced at Old Zhou. The latter gave a knowingly ambiguous smile and ran off to take care of Aisena. "Take your time.¡± He quickly left the spot, leaving the two standing a few meters apart. "Mr. Yu, during this period of observation, we have come to see you as a leader worthy of respect. So, Lingling and I have discussed carefully and would like to formally apply to join your camp, if you don¡¯t mind¡­¡± Ding Shao spoke softly, her expression sincere. Yu Hong: ¡°???¡± He hadn¡¯t quite understood their line of thinking. "No, the issue now is that I really don¡¯t need you to join the camp. Observing? Whether you observe me or think I deserve respect has nothing to do with me.¡± He couldn¡¯t help but be blunt. He indeed lacked manpower, but if new members could cause discord at the camp, he would rather not have them. These two had problematic thoughts, not the type he needed. ¡°¡­???¡± Ding Shao was surprised upon hearing this. Not just her, but Yao Feiling, who had stealthily approached to eavesdrop, also trembled. Both hadn¡¯t anticipated this response from Yu Hong. "No, do you know how strong our capabilities are?¡± Yao Feiling couldn¡¯t help but step closer. With her and Sister Ding¡¯s abilities, looks, and figures, they were extremely eye-catching and popular wherever they went. "Whether you¡¯re strong or not doesn¡¯t concern me. I need honest, ordinary skilled people. If you can¡¯t be ordinary, stay away from here,¡± Yu Hong said dismissively. "You jerk¡­¡± Yao Feiling felt a surge of anger rise in her heart, facing his expressionless, annoying face, she wanted to slap him right then. But she knew that if they resorted to violence, she and Sister Ding would definitely not be able to join the camp. Suppressing her anger, Ding Shao, sensing the unfavorable situation, forcibly pulled her away, and they returned to their temporary dwelling. Inside the camp, sitting in a hammock, they looked at the notch caused by an attack from a small Multi-eyed Bird the previous night, feeling quite displeased. They brought up joining the camp again, mainly because there had been sightings of Multi-eyed Birds in the sky recently. They could barely manage the small ones, but the larger Multi-eyed Birds¡­ For safety, they decided to discuss joining the camp with Yu Hong again. Just as they started, they almost ended up hitting him¡­ "Sister Ding, look at that guy, he¡¯s so infuriating! If it weren¡¯t for you holding me back, I would have slapped him right then! What does he mean by not normal!? Saying we¡¯re not normal!? He¡¯s the one who¡¯s perfectly normal!?¡± In the swaying hammock, Yao Feiling clenched her fists in anger, crackling sounds erupting from them. "Yu Hong is physically strong, capable of managing a camp, and he might also be enhanced. If you confront him up close, you¡¯ll surely be at a disadvantage. We¡¯re both speed-enhanced, long-range firearms are our forte. Plus, once a fight starts, win or lose, we won¡¯t be welcomed into the camp,¡± Ding Shao comforted and cautioned simultaneously. "So what do we do? If the large Multi-eyed Bird approaches, our defenses will definitely be inadequate. We won¡¯t be able to drive it away without crippling it,¡± Yao Feiling said anxiously after calming down. "I¡¯ll ask again later to see what conditions Yu Hong wants to let us join,¡± Ding Shao sighed. "Why not just skip asking and take over the camp ourselves!¡± Yao Feiling grumbled discontentedly. ¡°¡­We can¡¯t. They generously provided us with a water source,¡± Ding Shao shook her head. "This is not okay, that¡¯s not okay, ah, what should we do!?¡± Yao Feiling burst out in frustration. "Wait, could it be¡­ that guy is deliberately waiting for the Multi-eyed Bird!? Waiting for us to be overwhelmed and have to beg him so he can do whatever he wants with us?¡± She suddenly had a smart thought. ¡°¡­It¡¯s not impossible,¡± Ding Shao thought and felt something wasn¡¯t right. "In that case¡­ let¡¯s just take over the camp!¡± Yao Feiling decisively said. ¡°We can¡¯t stop the huge Multi-eyed Bird chasing us. We¡¯ll definitely die if it catches us!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Now Ding Shao was at a loss. To survive, perhaps there really was only¡­ But the basic moral line still suppressed the thought. She shook her head. "No matter if we can succeed or not, how are we any different from those disgusting people from before?¡± ¡°¡­So annoying! Annoying!!¡± Yao Feiling raged, ¡°Are we just supposed to wait here to die!?¡± Ding Shao remained silent in response. * * * Inside the cave. Yu Hong stood on one foot, the toes of the other lightly touching the ground, concentrating and gathering his inner energy. Whoosh! A sound like rocks crumbling, breaking into countless fragments, suddenly arose in his heart. In an instant, Yu Hong¡¯s right leg swept up, moving forward like a whip, tracing an arc. Not only that, but his body spun with continuous sweeps forward from his legs, kicking out a series of sharp, invisible air currents. His relentless leg whips, like a mixer, continuously stirred the air in the basement, generating fierce, directional winds. Whir, whir, whir!! His leg movements blurred, gradually generating a small gray vortex in the basement. The vortex centered around him, gradually enveloping him and twisting the air and light around. Snap! He stopped abruptly, retracting his leg. A hint of satisfaction appeared on his face. ¡®This is the true Thunderbolt Leg!¡¯ Yu Hong always had a great doubt¡ªwhy in his previous life, those highly skilled martial artists he saw had such inexhaustible inner strength, even the poorer masters could sustain at least one fight. But for him, Inner Qi could only sustain two moves, which seemed highly abnormal. Now that he had successfully condensed three streams of Inner Qi with the aid of the Infinite Qi Condensing Technique, he gradually discovered a technique about the use of Inner Qi. This was a trick that people who had been in many real battles might easily notice. That was to contain but not release. Inner Qi was contained within the moves, used only to slightly amplify the speed, strength, and physique, and not to explode all at once. Such a technique was indeed a sustainable way to use it. ¡®With the technique of containing but not releasing, as long as a stream of Inner Qi isn¡¯t consumed heavily, it can continuously enhance, increasing the speed, strength, and hardness of skin and muscles by about thirty percent compared to my normal state.¡¯ He moved his legs. ¡®Causes of intense consumption of Inner Qi can be summed up from what I have previously encountered as follows.¡¯ ¡®One: Complete and significant self-amplification, which can reach twice my normal state or even more.¡¯ ¡®Two: Used for protection when hit by a strong attack.¡¯ ¡®Three: Inner Qi used for luminous stones, black lizards, and talisman array.¡¯ After summarizing the details of Inner Qi, Yu Hong was quite satisfied. He maintained the state of containing without releasing and practiced the entire set of Thunderbolt Leg Technique. After practicing the Thunderbolt Leg Technique for a while, his moves and body techniques were much stronger than the clunky clumsiness of before. Between each movement, his legs flipped, attacking forward tirelessly like a thunderstorm, with great momentum, heavy power, and rapid speed, combining the force and velocity of a cheetah. Especially under the state of Inner Qi infused without releasing during the Thunderbolt Leg Technique, he discovered that when he executed more than ten consecutive moves, a transparent airflow would surround him. He wasn¡¯t sure what this layer of airflow did, as it was weak and thin, not even capable of obstructing the line of sight, but perhaps its effects would become apparent once his Inner Qi grew stronger. Swish. He instantly retracted his legs and stood still, exuding an indescribable contrast with his broad physique. Despite his massive body weighing over four hundred pounds, broad shoulders, robust muscles, and height over one meter eight, his movements were agile like a giant bat, seemingly unaffected by physical inertia in all directions, unpredictable. The lightness contrasted starkly with his heavy, large body, creating an unexpectedly uncomfortable impact. ¡®Now that my moves have become more agile, and my stance is much steadier than before, using the previous reinforced polar bear suit seems somewhat inappropriate.¡¯ He carefully thought it over. "I need a suit now that doesn¡¯t hinder body movements, provides enough protection against most firearms, and has detection, anti-poison, and waterproof capabilities. It would be best if it could also integrate an oxygen tank to prevent situations where external breathing isn¡¯t possible.¡± He grabbed a towel to wipe the sweat off his body, walked down to the first floor, and gulped down a glass of water. He put down the glass and went to the door. He opened the ventilation hole to air out. It was early evening outside, the twilight gray mingling with mist, creating a gloomy, damp discomfort. Looking through the peephole. The mountains and fields were gray-white, the rough paths on either side were also gray-white. ¡®The sun is becoming scarcer, photosynthesis will diminish, carbon dioxide concentration will increase, and the oxygen in the atmosphere will definitely become scarcer¡­ but fortunately¡­ the creatures that consume oxygen are also becoming scarcer¡­¡¯ More dead creatures somehow turned into a good thing for improving the concentration of atmospheric gases? It was somewhat ironic. He picked up the detector, Yu Hong glanced at the time. ¡®1:12 PM¡¯ "It¡¯s getting earlier¡­ the days are becoming shorter.¡± ¡®Let¡¯s go back and train a bit more, refine more Inner Qi, then I¡¯ll be more confident after that,¡¯ he thought, turning to leave. Suddenly, he saw something emerging outside the newly built fence in the distance. The luminescence from luminous stone grass and adjusted lights penetrated the mist, illuminating the scene outside. A black tick the size of a rhinoceros was slowly emerging from the mist. This creature was even bigger than before, previously only over two meters tall, now almost two and a half meters, with a body length reaching six meters, its eight legs densely packed like needle points stabbing into the ground, leaving behind rows of small holes. Under the gray light, Yu Hong was seeing this creature clearly for the first time. These giant ticks, known as Big Skin, usually appeared at night, so under insufficient light conditions, it was impossible to see them clearly. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But now, things were different¡­ It was still daylight and this thing had already come out¡­ "Is it because of the high Red Value?¡± Yu Hong felt heavy-hearted. This giant tick, also known as Big Skin, from a distance looked like a watermelon seed with eight thin legs, its head pointed, with two black eyes far apart like those of a crab. The most striking feature was its mouthparts. They were a black, spike-like structure, glossy under the light of the lamps. Small, dense, gray barbs would intermittently pop out from around the spike, resembling a thick straw covered in barbs. Yu Hong knew at a glance, such a structure was perfectly suited to penetrate flesh and prevent being pulled out by external forces. If forcibly removed, it would tear apart a large chunk of flesh in an instant, killing the victim instantly. ¡®Black lizards can¡¯t thwart this kind of Blood Tide Monster¡­¡¯ He sighed silently. Black lizards at most could deal with the weakest shadows or drive away small creatures. Like Big Skin this hefty¡­ Chapter 146: Cultivation Four ¡°`html This passing Big Skin seemed to have noticed that the camp¡¯s territory had expanded. Faced with the newly built fence, it appeared somewhat hesitant, wanting to burst in, yet it was repulsed by the sparse luminous stone grass on the ground. Soon, amidst the mountain mist, two more Big Skins slowly crawled out. The three Big Skins stopped outside the new fence, seemingly dissatisfied with it. Poof. A spit from a black lizard shot out, landing precisely between the eyes of one of the Big Skins. The sizzling corrosive toxin made the shell emit faint black smoke. But soon, the black smoke disappeared, leaving only a basin-sized dent on the Big Skin¡¯s body. The Big Skin didn¡¯t care about this minor injury, for its massive size meant that such damage was merely superficial. Inside the camp courtyard. Zhou Xueguang also noticed the three Big Skins lingering outside. He opened the door and stepped out of the wooden cabin, holding a symbol board in one hand and a black pistol in the other. He first went to the small window of the cabin where Nana and Doctor Xu stayed, knocked on it, whispered a few reminders, then looked toward Yu Hong¡¯s direction. The two exchanged glances, and Yu Hong gestured, indicating for him to go back and hide while he handled it. This was the moment for the secondary safe zone to truly be tested. If they succeeded in driving away the Big Skins, it would basically ensure the stability of the new secondary safe zone. However, it seemed that the situation was not looking favorable. Click. Yu Hong pushed the door open and stepped out, already clad in the reinforced gray lizard suit. As he walked out into the secondary safe zone, beyond the fence, the three Big Skins began to stir. They sensed the presence of living creatures and moved forward, the closest one almost touching the wooden fence. This distance was already very close¡­ Yu Hong stopped at an appropriate distance. He didn¡¯t really value the secondary safe zone;he only planned to use it as a buffer zone for the yard. After all, even to grow lightless mushrooms, he needed enough humus and some other miscellaneous outdoor materials. Additionally, wild vegetables and such required some planting space. So a small woodland area was necessary for the breeding cycle. But now, a more urgent high-risk Black Disaster needed to be dealt with first. Otherwise, even if the secondary safe zone was completed, it wouldn¡¯t mean much. And his main intention in stepping out now was to¡­ test the new technique of Thunderbolt Leg. Honk! In the distant mountains and forests, the characteristic call of the Multi-eyed Bird echoed. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Honk, honk, honk! ¡®Not just one.¡¯ Yu Hong judged the number of calls. He faintly heard a piercing gunfire too, indicating that someone was fighting the Multi-eyed Bird. Without expression, he pulled down his helmet goggles and mask. The Inner Qi of the Thunderbolt Leg swiftly flooded into his legs, held back from being released, only slowly exerting its most basic amplification effect. This consumption was extremely minimal. Before making a move, he suddenly recalled the small ruby he had obtained earlier, which was scraped off the big crow. ¡®I wonder if there might be something similar on this Big Skin now?¡¯ At this moment, one of the Big Skins finally couldn¡¯t hold back anymore, and its massive body charged towards the wooden fence. Simultaneously, it emitted a piercing hissing sound, its version of a roar. Hiss! A stream of black gas sprayed from the Big Skin¡¯s mouth, turning into a gray-black wind, falling onto Yu Hong and bringing with it a strong stench. Like the foul odor of rotting protein. ¡®Where should I hit this guy?¡¯ Yu Hong observed the creature, always feeling unsure of where to strike. "Forget it.¡± After a moment of hesitation, he exhaled. His right foot stepped forward, toe pointing to the ground. "Just aim for the meatiest part.¡± He arched his body slightly, charging against the Big Skin coming straight at him. Bang. The fence shattered, and the Big Skin, like a black van, crashed heavily toward Yu Hong. Its huge body brought with it a strong wind, sending fallen leaves swirling and breaking around the ground. In the dusk, those dark, shiny insect eyes revealed nothing but pure malice and desire for slaughter. No evasion, no hesitation. Yu Hong took a deep breath. Hiss. Suddenly stepped forward and spun. Side kick! His right leg whistled through the air, producing a peculiar laughing sound as it pierced through. Hahahahaha! Boom!!! In an instant, the big and small collided. The thunderous sound of the Thunderbolt Leg, after being combined and released, was completely devoid of the previous grand intensity. Boom! A large spray of black smoke scattered at the impact point. Under the massive hit, the Big Skin¡¯s body tilted, as if turning over, was kicked and veered to the left. It let out a pained hiss and was slammed against a tree on the left with immense force, causing the entire trunk to shake and tremble. Before it could rise, a figure flickered to its side. The tip of the foot hooked, astonishingly lifting half the Big Skin¡¯s body over a meter into the air, followed by a side sweep kick. The eerie, sharp laughter of the Thunderbolt Leg rang out again. Hahahaha!! This sweep kick, like a cannonball, hit the Big Skin¡¯s side directly. The enormous force smashed the shell to pieces, and the power shot through, causing more than half of the Big Skin¡¯s body to cave in. The other two Big Skins, seeing the situation, charged toward Yu Hong, who had paused. But before they could get close, accompanied by the strange, sharp laughter, Yu Hong suddenly dashed forward, arriving before the second Big Skin. Boom!! A mass of twisting black gas exploded between the man and the insect. The Big Skin had three leg joints broken by a kick, lost balance, fell to the ground, and was hit in the face by a front kick from Yu Hong. Its head, along with all its mouthparts, was forcefully rammed inward, as if its head had been removed in one stroke. Hahahaha!! The eerie, sharp laughter rang out once more. Yu Hong suddenly appeared before the third Big Skin, his legs whirled in a chain. Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!! The continuous heavy kicks shattered and knocked off the Big Skin¡¯s shell like being struck by a sledgehammer. With every hit, its body shivered violently. The final blow. Yu Hong suddenly leaped, knee down, crashing like a meteor. Boom! The knee smashed down heavily on the last Big Skin¡¯s back. The back caved in, the shell shattered, the Big Skin howled on the spot, its body rapidly crumbled, turning into a vast black smoke and dissipating entirely. Meanwhile, the other two Big Skins also dissipated themselves as he dealt with the third one. Yu Hong landed on the ground, stood up, and his face showed a bit of dissatisfaction. *¡¯Without weapons, handling these large creatures was ultimately not quite convenient.¡¯* *¡¯Leg techniques and fist techniques are indeed very handy for fighting humans or small adversaries, but for the big guys, a weapon of sufficient length is necessary to hasten the battle.¡¯* He looked at the mess of the woodland in front of him and flexed the slightly engorged muscles in his legs. The three Big Skins could now be dealt with easily by him without tools or weapons. This was progress. "The danger level of Big Skin was grade two, also the extreme individual that humans could handle with their own strengthened bodies. The completely reinforced humans after training could face up to this level. But that¡¯s far from my limit.¡± Yu Hong didn¡¯t even release his Inner Qi, nor did he detonate it. If he had, the outcome would have been more dramatic. He stood there pondering for a while. He was about to turn and return to the camp. Honk! Ah! Suddenly a miserable cry accompanied the call of a Multi-eyed Bird from afar. *¡¯Those two?¡¯* Yu Hong speculated. He glanced in that direction but paid no attention. Ding Shao and his group never particularly pleased him, not chasing them away usually, but at this time, it was naturally impossible to help them. But just as he wanted to go back, something in the mist seemed unwilling for him to leave. Bang. Bang. Bang. With heavy footsteps approaching. A gigantic black worm, six meters tall and over ten meters long, like a small house, was slowly advancing this way. In the gloom, its enormous eyes, as big as watermelons, stared unblinkingly at Yu Hong. Elephant worm! Danger level three, the highest-class monster appearing in the Blood Tide during normal times. Compared to this creature, Yu Hong, barely 1.8 meters tall, was just a little dot, completely inconspicuous. Nonetheless, as their distance closed, faint twisting currents gradually swirled around him. A low, eerie laughter occasionally sounded around him, like an illusion. Seemingly sensing some special aura, the Elephant worm halted, coming to a stop five meters from Yu Hong. Five meters, which for it was practically an arm¡¯s reach. But at this distance, the Elephant worm halted completely. It watched Yu Hong silently from above. Bang. More than ten seconds later. It slowly turned, walking towards the forest in another direction, not looking back as it gradually vanished within the mist. Yu Hong squinted, watching it leave. It was naturally best not to fight, yet, he didn¡¯t know why. Moments ago, he seemed to perceive a flicker of apprehension in the creature¡¯s eyes. Conscious apprehension. But could an Elephant worm be conscious too? * * * In a collapsed office building basement on the outskirts of Baihe City. "The night is falling earlier.¡± Ou Li, clutching a freshly found box of ramen, crawled into the basement, shut the door behind him, trembling from the cold, breath forming white puffs visible in the evidently frigid temperature. The basement had a standard three-room and one hall layout. Everyone in Xue Ningning¡¯s team was here, each huddled in their corners, some resting, some writing, and others staring blankly at the wall. Besides that, a short-haired girl wearing glasses and a respirator was leaning over a table, organizing a messy pile of fragmented newspapers and papers. The dim basement was lit only by reserve lighting transmitted via solar power. "We can¡¯t keep hiding here, living off scavenged supplies will eventually lead to problems. What¡¯s the next step? We need to plan ahead.¡± Xue Ningning came forward, took the ramen box from Ou Li, and gently reminded. "Hope City is gone, the freighter is gone too, we¡¯re doomed¡­ now nowhere to go¡­¡± Chen Qiaosheng murmured in despair, leaning against the wall. "Everyone, whatever it is you wish to do, better start now. Before dying and leaving regrets,¡± Fang Shijun said nonchalantly. ¡°Speaking of which, this lady here hasn¡¯t tried what a man feels like yet, anyone fancy giving it a whirl?¡± "I want to find my mom,¡± Chen Qiaosheng seemed lost in his own world, not hearing a word from this side. "I wonder how my sister is now, she¡¯d be heartbroken if anything happened to her¡­¡± Xue Ningning smiled bitterly. "An¡¯an.¡± Lin Yiyi didn¡¯t show any disheartened expression on her face but instead looked at the short-haired girl by the table. "Is there, a lead?¡± she asked. She wasn¡¯t afraid of death or pain;even with the dangers outside, she wanted to go out, mainly to uncover the truth behind her mother¡¯s death and find the whereabouts of her father and grandfather. Apart from these, she also worried about Yu Hong and Doctor Xu. But in such an environment, no one could do anything. Holding onto one¡¯s life was already challenging enough. Recently, she wanted to find a solar car to return to Baiqiu Village. But then, An¡¯an, who teamed up with her in this search, unexpectedly found some clues and was now delving deeper. "Yes, found a little.¡± The short-haired girl nodded, replying without looking up. She pulled out a slightly old and yellowed magazine. The cover depicted a dilapidated and mysterious little mountain village, in black and white tones, with blank-faced people, evoking an inexplicable sense of depression. Above the picture was the magazine¡¯s title: ¡°East River Secrets.¡± "Is your father¡¯s name Lin Handong?¡± An¡¯an asked. "Yes, that¡¯s him!¡± Stammering Yiyi was overjoyed, her face showing emotion. "Yes, here it mentions a reporter encountering a middle-aged man named Lin Handong while interviewing in the village,¡± An¡¯an nodded. "The location¡­¡± Lin Yiyi asked excitedly. "Black Tree Village, well, it¡¯s a place quite far from us,¡± An¡¯an replied. Chapter 147: Attitude One Two days later¡­ Black Wind Camp, inside the cave. Yu Hong carried a can of sunlight material paint and held the instruction manual, feeling somewhat surprised in his heart. Before strengthening this thing, he thought at most it would just enhance the sunlight material to become a stronger version: better camouflage effect, improved repelling effect. But now¡­ after it was really enhanced, he realized that this thing was somewhat different from what he had imagined. Like many other items before, the sunlight generation paint, after being strengthened, came with an instruction manual. It detailed the effects of the paint after enhancement with plenty of writing. ¡®Sunlight No. 1 Paint: Also known as Venus No. 1 protective paint, it provides a rather strong camouflage capability after application, significantly reducing the attention drawn to the painted object.¡¯ "When I strengthened it, I didn¡¯t give any direction;I let it enhance randomly, but I didn¡¯t expect it to turn out like this.¡± Holding the paint, he didn¡¯t even need to think to know that this Venus No. 1 was definitely much stronger than the previous camouflage ability. Three days of enhancement couldn¡¯t have been in vain. While the high-risk Black Disaster still hadn¡¯t arrived, he decided to first try applying it to see the effects. Walking out of the cave, he carried the paint and took a round trip around the camp. "Boss, are you preparing to apply Sunlight No. 1?¡± Old Zhou approached and asked quietly as he saw the situation. "Yep, any suggestions? This is my improved version that can enhance camouflage capabilities and reduce the chances of being discovered by the Black Disaster,¡± Yu Hong shamelessly continued to establish his image as a scientific researcher. "Boss is so talented!¡± Old Zhou gave a thumbs up. ¡°Speaking of ideas, I actually have one. This amount of paint, in fact, if you really apply it everywhere, it won¡¯t be of much use. It¡¯s better to use it primarily on your vehicle¡­¡± The vehicle? Yu Hong narrowed his eyes, carefully looking at the paint¡ªthere was probably just enough to cover the outer layer of the cave, but this use was actually not very meaningful as it wouldn¡¯t enhance the defenses of the camp¡¯s exterior. On the other hand, if used on the vehicle, going out to search for supplies, save people, or gather talent, it would greatly enhance safety. "That makes sense.¡± He nodded in agreement. ¡°Anything else? Any more suggestions?¡± "There¡¯s also the way we used it on the front lines before, directly soaking and applying it to weapons. For example, applying it to some high-powered luminous stone bombs. Of course, we used it to increase the power, but after your improvements, it can completely increase the weapon¡¯s concealment. Like, pulling it out in front of the Black Disaster and throwing it out.¡± Old Zhou couldn¡¯t help but laugh. Yu Hong laughed as well. This idea was creative. "That¡¯s a good idea,¡± he agreed with a nod. "There¡¯s also a similar use like the water supply system, if I remember correctly, your cave stronghold still lacks a ventilation system, right? It can also be reserved to enhance the ventilation system. This material can effectively prevent things like Shadow Bugs from penetrating.¡± Old Zhou¡¯s suggestions were all very appropriate. Yu Hong thought for a moment and decided to save it for now, to use on the vehicle when it returned. Carrying the paint back to the camp, just as he entered, he heard the strange cries in the distance once again. "Those two women haven¡¯t come by these last couple of days, have they?¡± he asked casually. "Yep, haven¡¯t seen them. Probably tangled up with the Multi-eyed Birds,¡± Old Zhou nodded without any special reaction. He was a perceptive man, knowing the boss didn¡¯t like those two, so he decidedly didn¡¯t mention offering help. Although both women were good-looking and well-formed, he had seen plenty of pretty female soldiers at the front, and he¡¯d become numb to how many people died. Whether pretty or not, it¡¯s just a matter of where the flesh happens to be. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Once a bullet goes through, everyone¡¯s the same. "Multi-eyed Birds, huh¡­¡± Yu Hong didn¡¯t show any reaction. But in his mind, he was considering if those two women couldn¡¯t withstand the Multi-eyed Birds, they might try everything to join the camp. But if they didn¡¯t have strong enough weapons for protection, even if it was the camp, could it really stop the Multi-eyed Birds? "If those two women come by in the next few days, be careful. A cornered dog will jump over a wall. Harried by the Multi-eyed Birds, they might cause trouble,¡± he warned. "Got it,¡± Old Zhou nodded. He was a veteran, with firearms and bullets provided by Yu Hong. Although not many, being on alert for an attack from the two women was not a big problem. Of course, Yu Hong couldn¡¯t place all his hope on him alone. The patrols of the black lizards could also ensure that the secondary security perimeter around the camp would not be breached. Back in the cave, he continued to diligently practice the Thunderbolt Leg Technique while using the Black Mark to produce a large number of Vortex Talisman Plates. The luminous stone powder needed to make the talisman array also required strengthening regular luminous stones, so the Black Mark was indispensable everywhere. Ding Shao and her companion had previously dug up hundreds of pounds of regular luminous stone to exchange for water, which was just enough for the strengthening and would last a long time. Time passed slowly in this stable training period. In the blink of an eye, another week gone by¡­ Inside the cave, Yu Hong extended one leg forward, his toes lightly touching the ground, his knee lifted, eyes tightly closed. Invisible, tiny particles flowed consecutively into his skin through the surrounding unknown vacuum. After the circulation of the Infinite Qi Condensing Technique and refinement by the Black Mark, these particles rapidly converged into his Dantian, transforming into the Inner Qi of the Thunderbolt Leg Technique. Sss. Suddenly, his mind seemed to explode with a faint sound. Yu Hong opened his eyes, his skin and muscles all over his body suddenly tensed up before gradually relaxing. In his abdomen, the fourth strand of Inner Qi had taken shape. ¡®The accelerated effect of the Infinite Qi Condensing Technique is now fully displayed¡­ Indeed, it¡¯s worth the price!¡¯ He had just condensed the third strand of Inner Qi, which, just as he expected, the fourth strand took just over a week to form. Compared to the painfully slow process of condensing one strand of Inner Qi a month before, this was unimaginably faster. ¡®It looks like, it¡¯s almost time for the high-risk Black Disaster¡­¡¯ He ended his practice, wiped off his sweat, and went upstairs. Old Li had not returned yet. But the high-risk Black Disaster was about to arrive. He turned on the communicator, sat down at the wooden table with a thump, and poured himself a glass of water. "Yu Hong has arrived, and the Red Value radiation has started to soar over there,¡± Zhang Kaijun¡¯s voice came from the communicator. ¡°An 8th-grade high-concentration radiation cloud has moved to your surrounding area. Don¡¯t go outside if it¡¯s not necessary these next few days.¡± "Understood¡­¡± Yu Hong replied. ¡°Still can¡¯t determine what type it is?¡± "Can¡¯t. I can only observe the general direction of change from the macro satellite cloud map,¡± Zhang Kaijun answered. "No worries, I appreciate it. I have pretty much prepared everything I can here,¡± Yu Hong sighed. Vortex Talisman Plates, luminous stone talisman plates, Radiation Hand Grenades. In these days, he had continuously made a large number of them, mainly focusing on producing Radiation Hand Grenades. There were now over one hundred and thirty of them placed in the corner. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that the Vortex Talisman Plates inside needed to absorb radiation to full capacity for Black Mark optimization, he estimated he could make over one hundred and fifty. All nine Black Lizards had also fully matured and were evenly patrolling the area automatically, ensuring basic security. Underground fencing in the secondary security zone, a circle of Vortex Talisman Arrays had been buried as traps. As soon as a gun was shot or a heavy footstep fractured the ground, causing the talisman array to break, it would instantly release a vast amount of negative-value radiation. The fence was also densely covered with new Vortex Talisman Plates. These storage-type talisman plates were very useful and could also serve as powerful, disposable bombs against the Black Disaster. This time, Yu Hong had prepared to the utmost. ¡®Pity all I have are one-time explosive weapons. If only I had a continuous area protection method, it wouldn¡¯t be such a hassle. Having to hurriedly replenish after one is triggered is inconvenient. If there were self-replenishing and repairing techniques, that would be great¡­¡¯ Such an idea surfaced in Yu Hong¡¯s mind. Meanwhile, the communicator was still buzzing on the other side. "What about Guan Cao? Why haven¡¯t we heard him online these last few days?¡± Zhang Kaijun was asking Wei Song. "I don¡¯t know;the last time I talked to him the day before yesterday, there seemed to be some malfunction at his base, and he went offline to repair it. He hasn¡¯t come back on,¡± Wei Song replied, with a somewhat concerned tone. "He¡¯s too far underground for me to observe anything. He has to rely on himself,¡± Zhang Kaijun replied gravely. "He¡¯s alone underground, he should be fine, there isn¡¯t much other interaction,¡± Yu Hong offered reassurance. "Speaking of which, I just received a clue last night. It¡¯s from the Blood Attraction Force elites of the newly joined Aurora City. They delved into the high-risk mining area relics and discovered some of the origins of the Black Disaster,¡± Zhang Kaijun continued. "What does that mean?¡± Wei Song¡¯s tone deepened, ¡°Have they finally made progress in investigating the origin of the Black Disaster?¡± "Yeah, after Old Zhou told me, I went to investigate the Meisha family and indeed found some peculiarities. After the Black Disaster broke out, the people from this family strangely disappeared collectively from their family estate. I mobilized a lot of resources, and aside from myself, I found another power that had been investigating them years ago. From the investigation records of this power, I found that the Meisha didn¡¯t live in Hope City nor in Aurora City, and their traces couldn¡¯t be found anywhere. Only occasionally did news of Meisha people come from near the remnants of relics around the world.¡± "Are they avoiding something?¡± Yu Hong frowned. "Possibly. The power is vast, but since it was investigated by frontline personnel and recorded, I can fish out relevant records too,¡± Zhang Kaijun answered. ¡°Of course, during peacetime, I would have been discovered by them already. But now¡­ heh.¡± With the collapse of order and countless deaths, the force searching might also have been severely weakened, no longer able to continue their previous searches. "Talk about the Black Disaster origins progress,¡± Wei Song steered the conversation back. "It¡¯s simple. In the Yarn Aurora City near Flirica, which is near the first outbreak site of the Black Disaster, Flirica¡¯s Blood Attraction Force went deep there and found a new secret chamber. They say it was discovered when they used explosive weapons and caused part of the cave structure to collapse, burying people inside. Later, when enhanced humans were digging the exit, they accidentally unearthed a new secret chamber.¡± "It seems like a significant discovery,¡± Yu Hong said softly. "Yes. Inside, they found compelling evidence of the Meisha family¡¯s deep involvement in the outbreak of the Black Disaster. So now, Flirica¡¯s higher-ups are notifying the world, hoping all the allied forces¡¯ high commands can help find the Meisha family,¡± Zhang Kaijun went on. "What¡¯s the use of finding them now? Can they stop the Black Disaster?¡± Yu Hong asked with a frown. "The intelligence indicates that before the Black Disaster broke out, the Meisha family frequented that secret cave, consistently removing ancient paintings, artifacts, to sell and support their family¡¯s expenses.¡± "And then, the Black Disaster broke out? From that place where they took things?¡± Wei Song spoke up. Chapter 148: Attitude Two "Yes,¡± Zhang Kaijun said in a heavy voice. ¡°According to investigations, many of the antique murals the Meisha family sold off are related to relic runes and contain quite a bit of gold and silver antiques. Although there¡¯s no direct evidence proving they triggered the Black Disaster, the Meisha family is definitely connected to it!¡± "What¡¯s the use of finding them now?¡± Wei Song sighed. ¡°Enough people have already died¡­¡± "But what if we could completely shut down the Black Disaster?¡± Zhang Kaijun insisted. "Are you suggesting we can put all the Black Disasters back in the world?¡± The two of them chatted back and forth, with Yu Hong mostly listening in on the side while he continuously made new Radiation Hand Grenades. With these as his confidence, he feared nothing, no matter which of the three types of Black Disasters approached. After the communication ended, Yu Hong also made six more Radiation Hand Grenades. He stood up, put on his suit, and prepared to be on standby at any moment. At the same time, he stepped out of the courtyard and reminded Old Zhou to be cautious during these times. He had long passed on the intelligence information about the three dangerous types of Black Disasters to Zhou Xueguang, and asked him to share it with Nana and Dr. Xu. As for the two women outside, he also had Old Zhou give them a heads up to avoid this area. It was out of humanitarianism;whether they listened or not was none of his concern. * * * More than ten kilometers away from Black Wind Camp. A broken-down black sedan, covered in dried bloodstains, was moving along the highway at an unhurried pace. The windows were shattered, and the tires were flat, yet the car moved eerily silently, without a sound of tires crushing the road. Through the window, one could see a middle-aged man with glasses sitting in the driver¡¯s seat. Dressed like a successful businessman in a black suit and red tie, the man had a slightly chubby face with a neatly-trimmed mustache over his mouth and nose. He drove with a smile, gazing straight ahead, as if he wasn¡¯t driving in the perilous wilds of Shadow but taking a short weekend trip to relax and breathe in the fresh air. Oddly, no matter what lay ahead on the road, the middle-aged man¡¯s expression remained unchanged. Smiling. He kept his eyes on the road ahead, always smiling. After a while, the black sedan approached the highway near Black Wind Camp. Suddenly, the car seemed to detect something, began to slow down, and then came to a gradual stop. Click. The door opened. The middle-aged man inside released the steering wheel, seemingly waiting for a passenger to get out. Click. The car door suddenly closed on its own. The sedan then slowly moved forward again, gradually heading into the distance and vanishing into the mist. * * * Black Wind Camp ¨C Inner Courtyard. "This is some freshly air-dried beef jerky, mushroom jerky, and cockroach jerky. If you don¡¯t want them, I won¡¯t make any,¡± Old Zhou said, placing a large plastic bag in front of Yu Hong, As he opened the bag, yellow-brown pieces of mushroom jerky and lizard jerky mixed together were revealed. "It hasn¡¯t rained lately, but the fog is too thick. There¡¯s only a little time in the morning for drying. It¡¯s getting harder to get by these days. Without the sun and with the air getting damper, we don¡¯t know what to do,¡± Old Zhou sighed, his face showing some worry. "Don¡¯t go out in the next few days, not even to the outer courtyard, and remember to stay inside,¡± Yu Hong said as he picked up the bag, saying no more. "Yeah, I know. By the way, those two women came again, they want to talk to you,¡± Old Zhou mentioned. "Ignore them,¡± Yu Hong replied. His gaze shifted towards the outer courtyard fence, where the fog was too thick to see clearly. Only indistinct silhouettes of people standing there could be made out. "They have guns. I¡¯m afraid they might get desperate¡­ It¡¯s okay for me, but it would be troublesome for Nana and Dr. Xu,¡± Old Zhou cautioned. "You make a good point,¡± Yu Hong conceded after some thought and nodded. These days, he had been entirely focused on practicing to enhance his Inner Qi and making grenades, with Old Zhou handling everything else¡ªand he was doing a good job. But Ding Shao and Yao Feiling weren¡¯t an issue Old Zhou could handle. With that in mind, Yu Hong put the bag inside the cave, then walked directly towards the figures. Exiting the inner courtyard and crossing the grass of the outer courtyard, he stopped inside the fence and looked at Ding Shao and Yao Feiling, whom he hadn¡¯t seen for a long time. Both women looked exhausted, with heavy dark circles under their eyes and their suits torn and blood-stained all over. Ding Shao had lost her helmet, leaving only her face mask and goggles. Yao Feiling¡¯s previously carried rifle was gone, leaving only a long dagger holstered at her thigh. They both looked very haggard. As Yu Hong approached, Ding Shao once again spoke with a pleading tone. "Mr. Yu, what will it take for you to let us join the camp?¡± The truth was, they weren¡¯t as disheveled as they appeared to be. They¡¯d just been dealing with the Multi-eyed Bird for the past few days, suffering from lack of rest and running low on weapons and ammunition. They realized it would truly be dangerous to continue on their own. So the two crafted a strategy, first pretending to be in a miserable state to probe Yu Hong¡¯s thoughts and see if they could successfully join the camp. If they could, that would be best. If not, their feigned weakness would lower his guard, and then¡­ they would attack suddenly. Overpowering Yu Hong was the plan. After careful consideration, they contemplated taking Old Zhou, Nana, and Dr. Xu as hostages, but after observing from a distance, they realized that Yu Hong kept to himself in a cave with much stronger defenses and was unwilling to let the others enter, not even little Nana. This clearly indicated that Yu Hong was extremely selfish. Based on this conclusion, taking the others hostage was unlikely to achieve their goal and would instead alarm Yu Hong, causing him to hide in the cave and never come out. That would make taking over the camp much more difficult in the future. Therefore, to ensure success on their first attempt, they decided to make Yu Hong their target. First, they would show their own weakness, then tempt him with their beauty to lower his guard. Finally, they would move quickly to capture him. They also considered that Yu Hong might be a highly skilled individual, so it would be best not to harm him. Controlling him by incapacitating rather than killing him would be the best approach to make him serve them. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Snapping back to the present, the two women intently watched Yu Hong, awaiting his response. "If you¡¯re willing to let us in,¡± Ding Shao bit her lower lip, her cheeks flushed after just washing her face with camp water, ¡°Lingling and I will do anything you ask¡­¡± Unconsciously tugging at the front of her suit, she revealed¡­ a small gap. On one side, Yao Feiling wordlessly tugged at her companion and naturally leaned forward, pulling open her own suit at the chest to reveal a deep cleavage that far surpassed Ding Shao¡¯s. "Yeah, just let us join, and we can keep you company!¡± she said with a mournful tone, ¡°We can¡¯t take it anymore, we really can¡¯t stand it out there¡­¡± "If you want to join, it¡¯s not impossible,¡± Yu Hong said, looking at the two girls in front of him. They were indeed quite beautiful and seemed to be quite capable, as they had managed to survive so many days outside, getting past the Multi-eyed Birds, hiding from the Black Disaster worms, and the elephant worms. Indeed, they had some skills. "You agree!?¡± Both women were startled, their expressions showing ecstatic joy. But inside, they were already tensing up, ready to draw their guns at any moment. "There¡¯s a condition,¡± Yu Hong nodded, ¡°As long as you can do it, you can join the Black Wind Camp.¡± The two women had already subtly reached for the high-potency pistols strapped to their backs. "What¡¯s the condition?¡± Ding Shao asked quickly. "Do you know the kind of rune that is drawn on the Large Pyroxene Stone?¡± Yu Hong spoke seriously, ¡°If you help me find three new runes that are different from the ones I have here, I¡¯ll accept you into the camp.¡± He was thinking that, rather than letting these two die here for nothing, it would be better to make use of them to search for the runes. Finding three new runes would require them to search far and wide, and normally, they would need to visit three different relics to collect them all. The difficulty was enormous, and it was very likely to be a life-threatening endeavor. Old Li hadn¡¯t even returned with one type yet, let alone three. Of course, if they really were capable of finding all three, then Yu Hong would not mind letting them join. If they could achieve that, it would prove that the two of them had great capabilities, and perhaps in the future, he could send them to collect other runes as well. No matter what they chose, he would not lose out. That was Yu Hong¡¯s thought. "Three runes?¡± Ding Shao and Yao Feiling were a bit stunned. They were not clear about what this condition meant. They had indeed seen the runes on the Large Pyroxene Stone, but they were completely clueless about the other runes. How to obtain them, where to find them, and the difficulty involved were all unknown to them. Originally, they thought Yu Hong was after their bodies, that he had finally reached the point where he would reveal his true nature. But¡­ "May I ask, where do we find these three runes?¡± Ding Shao asked in a low voice. "Go to the relics near other luminous stone mines. Each relic will have only one unique rune,¡± Yu Hong said. ¡°¡­..¡± Upon hearing this, both women fell silent. In such a dangerous environment, they could barely handle a few more days outside, let alone traveling to an unknown distance to find relic runes! This wasn¡¯t giving them hope for joining;this was sending them to their deaths!! "I¡¯m gonna fucking kill you!!¡± Finally, an enraged roar. Yao Feiling raised her hand and drew her pistol, its safety already off, and aimed directly at Yu Hong¡¯s chest. Her finger pulled the trigger. Bang! Just at that moment, her cheek violently struck. A thick metal black glove slapped her across the left side of her face. The enormous force burst forth in an instant, piercing through the helmet, shattering the goggles, and landing on the delicate skin of her cheek. Whoosh! Yao Feiling was sent flying, her head facing outward as if her hair was grabbed, and she slammed heavily onto a large rock to her left. A dull sound echoed as she groaned in pain, dazed by the strike, her mind buzzing, leaning against the rock with her mind going blank and a nauseating feeling of wanting to vomit surging up. On the other side, Ding Shao simultaneously drew her gun, taking advantage of the moment Yu Hong moved to throw Lingling, she pulled the trigger like lightning. Pop pop pop pop!! The continuous auto pistol¡¯s muzzle flared, firing four bullets in a blink, hitting Yu Hong squarely in the chest. Unexpectedly, the specially designed armor-piercing bullets hit Yu Hong¡¯s suit, only shattering the outer metallic shell, then got embedded in the ceramic layer in the middle, stuck and immobile. She was quick, and indeed all shots were fired, but¡­ The bullets seemed¡­ useless. Ding Shao swallowed hard, looked up, and saw Yu Hong standing unmovably before her. Suddenly, she ducked, avoiding a slap, but she could not dodge the kick aimed at her lower abdomen. Bang!! She was knocked flying backward, crashing into a tree trunk three meters away, wood chips flying, slowly sliding down, her body curled up into a ball, unable to move. The power difference was too great;with Inner Qi amplifying his strength, Yu Hong¡¯s power level was entirely on a different scale from theirs. "Aaah! I¡¯m going to kill you!!¡± On the side, Yao Feiling screamed in fury, scrambling up and throwing a dark object at Yu Hong. As the object was thrown, a faint hissing sound filled the air. A grenade!? Ding Shao¡¯s heart leaped in alarm, at such a close distance, if it exploded, all three of them would be¡­ Boom! A massive explosion erupted, the exaggerated blast force expanding, covering a five-meter radius, slamming into all three of them. And crucially, Yao Feiling had silently counted down the wait time, throwing the grenade to explode on impact. Good sister Ding Shao was the first to be blown away, tumbling to the ground, her front side a bloody, charred mess, consciousness fading. Yao Feiling was likewise blasted into the air and smashed to the ground, unable to rise again. Yu Hong¡­ He stood his ground, retreating several steps and crashing into a pre-set fence, breaking several thick branches. But that was all. His current physique, amplified by Inner Qi, could easily withstand the residual force that penetrated the reinforced suit. Chapter 149: Attitude 3 Slap, slap. Yu Hong dusted himself off and through the smoke, he saw two motionless figures on the ground. Another look at his own suit revealed a good amount of damage on the front, but the impact was only equivalent to being punched by his own strength. Apart from the damage to the suit, there was nothing else wrong. "This is good, a chance to completely resolve a hidden danger.¡± He walked forward, grabbed Yao Feiling¡¯s head, and lifted her up. "With a temper like yours, how have you survived this long?¡± he couldn¡¯t help but wonder. If the two of them had really taken the rune mission, they could have avoided the upcoming severe Black Disaster, since it didn¡¯t occur everywhere. That was the benefit of his good intentions. Unfortunately¡­ these two couldn¡¯t wait to turn against him. ¡°¡­¡± Yao Feiling, with who knows how many broken bones, could only stare at Yu Hong filled with hatred. "Why hate me? I¡¯ve been living just fine here, and you had to come looking for death. I built this camp with my own hands, and it¡¯s my freedom to decide who stays and who goes, inviting you to leave.¡± Holding onto her, Yu Hong walked over to Ding Shao and kicked her with his foot. "You¡¯re the one who had¡­ improper¡­ intentions towards us!¡± Yao Feiling cursed intermittently. "With an attitude like yours? Harbouring improper intentions?¡± Yu Hong couldn¡¯t help but laugh. After thinking for a moment, he suddenly said, "Do you think that because you have a pretty face and a good figure, everyone would covet your body?¡± Yao Feiling didn¡¯t speak, but the hatred in her eyes unreservedly gave her answer¡ªthat¡¯s what she thought. "That¡¯s simple.¡± Yu Hong stretched out his hand and tore off her goggles and mask. Beneath was a beautiful face already ruined by the grenade blast, covered in bloody gashes from the shattered mask cutting into her skin. "Your face is already destroyed now, feel for yourself.¡± Then, holding her, he came to a large tree. He pressed her chest against the tree trunk. "Wait, what do you¡­ think you¡¯re doing!??¡± Yao Feiling suddenly felt a sense of doom and called out with difficulty. "I¡¯m curious to see what happens when you lose everything you¡¯re proud of, how you¡¯ll view others,¡± Yu Hong said calmly. Momentarily after, Yu Hong released the unconscious Yao Feiling, allowing her to slide to the ground. "Alright, it¡¯s time to test the sisterly love between you two.¡± He thoughtfully went back to the camp to get them some anti-inflammatory medicine, one for each person. In fact, Ding Shao had already awakened. The constitution of an enhanced human was not to be underestimated. Ding Shao was injured too, hit hard with a foot to her abdomen, and with her sister¡¯s grenade going off at close range, she certainly sustained a concussion and internal injuries. Although he didn¡¯t know why she was pretending to be unconscious, if Ding Shao didn¡¯t help Yao Feiling, the latter might not survive tonight in such a dangerous environment. Truthfully, Yu Hong was most interested in Yao Feiling. He found it interesting to imagine the reaction of someone who believed everyone coveted her beauty when she lost it. With fewer and fewer living people around, he was becoming less and less willing to destroy two living souls. If it wasn¡¯t for them trying to kill him, perhaps he might have let them go again. After checking and removing their weapons and equipment, making sure there were no powerful explosives like grenades, he then returned to camp. Upon entering the camp, the first thing Yu Hong saw was the sneaky Old Zhou and two others watching the show from the cabin window. Inside the cabin, Old Zhou, Aisena, and Doctor Xu were squeezed against the window, heads touching, trying hard to see how the fight was going through the mist. Unfortunately, the mist was too thick, and they could only make out that the tallest figure, Yu Hong, was the winner. The rest of the details were shrouded in fog. "Alright, enough, there¡¯s nothing to see. Go back and rest,¡± Yu Hong waved them off, ¡°Don¡¯t set a bad example for the kids.¡± "Yes!¡± Old Zhou quickly responded, tugging at the other two and closing the window. Yu Hong pinched the two pistols in his hand and looked back. The place where the two women had been now had only one person left. Ding Shao had stealthily got up and left at some point. Only Yao Feiling was left lying quietly in her original spot, seemingly passed out. As for Ding Shao, Yu Hong didn¡¯t think much of it;he hadn¡¯t held back with that kick. A direct blow with all his current strength plus the amplification of Inner Qi could probably wreck a small car. Ding Shao looked fine on the surface only because the suit hid the wounds on her abdomen. Whether or not she would survive¡­ whether or not she¡¯d be crippled if she did, was hard to say. "Why can¡¯t I encounter some normal people for once?¡± Yu Hong thought back on the survivors he¡¯d met, few of them both normal and capable. Shaking his head, he walked through the yard into the cave, set down his enhanced suit, and started the repair of the Black Mark. While the countdown for repairs ticked away, he sat down cross-legged, pondering how to keep resisting the Black Disaster continuously. ¡®Relying solely on consumable items, if all the Black Disaster were brainless idiots it would be fine, but the elephant worm proved the Black Disaster isn¡¯t mindless¡­ If it were slightly smarter, using weak Shadow Black Bugs to trigger booby traps and deplete my talisman plates, then all my arrangements would fail.¡¯ ¡®Whether it¡¯s the luminous stone talisman plate, the Radiation Hand Grenade, or the Vortex Talisman Plate, they are all irrecoverable consumable weapons. I must have¡­ I must have a self-replenishing, sufficiently potent, area-effect countermeasure¡­.¡¯ He sat on the ground, racking his brain. ¡®I have Inner Qi, two kinds of runes, black lizard, luminous stone herbs, but the only self-replenishing one is the luminous stone herb¡­¡¯ He repeated the words luminous stone herb, mulling over them. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Suddenly, an inexplicable spark flashed through his mind. ¡®The luminous stone herb automatically repels the Shadow Black Bug by absorbing Red Value continuously and then converting it into negative radiation. And the reason why the Vortex talisman array and the luminous stone talisman array can¡¯t do it is exactly this. They can¡¯t regenerate.¡¯ ¡®But what if, I use the luminous stone herbs in combination with the Vortex talisman array for reinforcement? Could I possibly fortify into a kind of living, self-replenishing range talisman array? Or rather, produce a stronger type of luminous stone herb?¡¯ Thinking about this, a new spark of inspiration ignited within him. Now that the Black Mark was vacant, replenishing his equipment would take less than half an hour, enough time to see if this idea would work. He stood up at once, checked the Black Mark to ensure the repair suit was complete, then brought in a luminous stone grass from outside and placed it beside a just-finished Vortex Talisman Plate. He reached out and pressed down. Just as he was about to start quietly reciting the enhancement incantation, Yu Hong suddenly remembered something. His eyes flickered, pausing for a few seconds before he slowly voiced his thoughts inside. ¡®Enhance the Black Wind Protection Array, direction: automatically absorb Red Value to repair itself, reduce negative radiation release under normal conditions, and automatically release stored radiation upon detecting a Black Disaster.¡¯ He wasn¡¯t certain if such enhancement would be successful, but it was worth a try. The luminous stone grass, as his first binding mark, had somewhat fallen behind, so it was time for an enhancement. Hss. In an instant, a black line emerged from the back of Yu Hong¡¯s hand, flowing towards the luminous stone grass and the Vortex Talisman Array beneath his palm. The black line vanished, and a familiar, cold mechanical voice sounded. ¡®Do you wish to enhance the Black Wind Protection Array?¡¯ Yu Hong¡¯s heart eased, being able to enhance it was good news. He looked at the red countdown digits that appeared on the Vortex Talisman Plate: 5 hours and 51 minutes. A short amount of time, it seemed to be a simple merger of the two. He felt a little disappointed, but with the high-risk Black Disaster possibly striking at any moment, a shorter time also had its benefits. ¡®Yes.¡¯ He immediately gave his affirmative response. A mere five hours, he could wait. * * * Dozens of kilometers away, within a sparse mangrove forest. A massive elephant worm, over six meters tall, was making its way step by step toward a predetermined direction. Before long, the elephant worm had slowly receded into the mist and vanished from sight. After its colossal form had completely disappeared, several people began to stand up one after another from the dry and moldy bushes within the mangrove forest. These people were all draped in camouflaged grey-black luminous stone blankets;they were shabby and filthy, their lips cracked, bodies trembling, but they dared not make a sound. More than ten people silently carried their luminous stone blankets and moved away from the direction the elephant worm had taken. Wei Shanshan closely followed her father Wei Hongye and mother Qiu Yanxi;the three of them were draped in specially made luminous stone blankets and were in the best condition among this group. "Harris has already gone ahead to the stronghold. We must seize a stronghold this time;we can¡¯t keep moving. We¡¯re low on supplies. The concentration of the Red Value outside is also getting higher, and the dangers are growing stronger,¡± Wei Hongye explained softly. "Are we really sure about this?¡± Qiu Yanxi couldn¡¯t help but question in a low voice. ¡°That stronghold¡¯s leader doesn¡¯t seem easy to deal with.¡± "Don¡¯t worry, with the insectoid toxin traps I¡¯ve designed, along with Harris¡¯s skills, just a small chance to get close is enough to instantly restrain their leader,¡± Wei Hongye confidently stated. ¡°Then he will come out and lead us in.¡± "Okay,¡± Qiu Yanxi nodded, holding her limp right arm, bending down and moving forward. Seeing her husband¡¯s unwavering confidence, she actually had more to say but now was not the time to continue. "It¡¯ll be fine;by this time tomorrow, we¡¯ll be in control of a small stronghold. If it didn¡¯t have a water source within, I would normally not even consider such a place, but now¡­ to think we have to scheme to take it¡­ how fate plays with us,¡± sighed Wei Hongye. The group slowly moved forward and soon arrived in front of a small forest building surrounded by a cement wall. The wall had a metal gate with a white sign hanging beside it: Red Forest Mountain Management Committee. Creeak¡­ The metal gate was slowly opened from the inside. A group of black-clad, fully armed personnel carrying guns swiftly stepped out, quickly approaching the group of more than ten refugees. Two individuals led the armed group of gunman;one was muscular with a large white star pattern on the sleeve of his protective suit. The other, not wearing a helmet, revealed a shiny bald head¡ªit was none other than Harris, the research institute¡¯s undercover security chief. From a distance, he exchanged a glance with Wei Hongye, signaling him to coordinate their move. A hint of a smile curled at the corner of Wei Hongye¡¯s mouth, his hand quietly touching the gun at his waist. He had already noticed that at least half of these people were security guards from the research institute whom he had gradually been sneaking in over the days. Watching Harris getting closer, his gun slowly shifting towards the other leader. Suddenly. Bang! A gunshot. Wei Hongye, who had just stood up, felt as if punched in the chest, and his body violently flew backward, crashing to the ground. Blood splattered from him. Not just him, the other disguised members of the refugees who had not had time to react were accurately shot down, one after another. The ones firing the guns were Harris and the other members by his side. "Harris!!!¡± A roar of disbelief erupted from Wei Hongye;he stood up again, his body seemingly inflating in size, and fired three bursts at Harris, but the prepared Harris dodged them all. "How dare you betray me!?¡± Chapter 150: Attitude at 148 Degrees "Betrayal? You think you¡¯re still the high and mighty director from before? Poor fellow, compared to the powerful President Wen, I¡¯d rather side with someone stronger.¡± Harris said with a smile while shooting. "Just didn¡¯t expect that you had also undergone enhancement transformations and were quietly wearing a bulletproof vest.¡± After his repeated shootings proved futile, he immediately threw away his gun and rushed forward to engage in close combat. Boom!! In an instant, the two collided. Within seconds, both were startled by the tremendous force of each other¡¯s punches, blood spraying wildly around. Harris was forced to retreat repeatedly, no match for his opponent. Boom!! A gunshot rang out. Wei Hongye was shot in the chest with an armor-piercing bullet by someone ambushing him, blood gushing out immediately. "I¡¯m going to kill you! How dare you betray me!¡± he roared, still landing a punch on Harris¡¯s face. If it weren¡¯t for the gunshot, his strength and skills would have perfectly suppressed his opponent. Unfortunately¡­ "Betrayal? You didn¡¯t say that when you stole Director Gao¡¯s patents.¡± Harris stepped back and shook his head, using the shooting to buy himself some time. ¡°You can rob others, I¡¯m just learning from you. Hand it over, you can¡¯t escape.¡± "Yanxi, take Shanshan and run! Run!¡± Wei Hongye yelled loudly. ¡°I¡¯ll come find you later, go now!¡± The fight between the two left everyone else around them stunned. At that moment, a roar erupted, and Qiu Yanxi quickly recovered from the shock, grabbing her daughter and fleeing towards the distance. She hadn¡¯t run far when a gunshot hit her right leg, spraying blood and causing her to fall to the ground. "Run! Shanshan, run!!¡± Qiu Yanxi let go of her daughter, pushing her far away before she fell. Wei Shanshan was still in a daze, turning to look at her mother and her father being surrounded. She stood there, unsure of what to do. "Run!!¡± Qiu Yanxi pulled out her pistol and returned fire, shouting loudly. Her shout seemed to awaken the fear and survival instincts within Wei Shanshan. Tears flooding her eyes, she turned and ran frantically. She dared not look back, only hearing behind her the screams of her father and her mother¡¯s angry curses. * * * Inside Black Wind Camp. Yu Hong, Old Zhou, and Aisena were sitting beside a wooden cabin, shielded from the chilling wind by the cabin and seated around a slowly burning bonfire, quietly chatting. It was getting dark, but the detector showed it was only one in the afternoon. "The temperature is dropping;it¡¯s going to be tough without fire,¡± Yu Hong said in a deep voice. ¡°I can run some electric lines from the cave for power, but we don¡¯t have any electric heating equipment¡­¡± "There must be some in the residential area. The nearby abandoned town should have some, my arm can move a bit now, let¡¯s head out early tomorrow to look,¡± Old Zhou whispered. ¡°The temperature must be around three degrees now.¡± "Don¡¯t go, let¡¯s just keep the fire going in the cabin for now. We can go to the post office and get some stone stoves to use,¡± Yu Hong suggested, He looked sideward toward the yard outside. The gray fog-shrouded forest was gloomy and silent. And the low fence around the camp seemed to sharply delineate safety from danger. Inside was safe, outside was dangerous. "It seems even the Multi-eyed Bird¡¯s call can¡¯t be heard today,¡± he murmured. "Yes¡­ Boss, I also found something you might need to pay attention to,¡± Old Zhou whispered. "What?¡± "I smelled something in the air, an unpleasant smell. Not just me, Nana and Dr. Xu smelled it too.¡± "An unpleasant smell?¡± Yu Hong sniffed carefully for a while before faintly detecting a faint foul smell in the air. It was like some wires had been burned, hardly noticeable unless you paid attention. He was originally waiting for the enhancement array to finish, taking the opportunity to step out and get an update from Old Zhou about the camp. Unexpectedly, he learned this. "Let¡¯s study this after some time passes, just ignore it for now. I¡¯ll get you a few sets of respiratory filter masks to use for the time being,¡± Yu Hong said. "Okay,¡± Old Zhou nodded. "Uncle Yu, do you know when my dad will be back?¡± Aisena asked quietly. The fire¡¯s red glow cast a somewhat gaunt reflection of her face, now thinner than before. Her skin grew paler from lack of sunlight, with her mixed-race features becoming more prominently beautiful. "I¡¯m not sure, but he should be fine,¡± Yu Hong reassured. ¡°Your dad took a lot of good stuff with him;he¡¯s experienced, not so easy to run into trouble.¡± "I want to help.¡± Aisena bowed her head, hugging her knees. ¡°I don¡¯t want to draw anymore or learn words. I want to be useful. I don¡¯t want to be a burden.¡± "Why would you be a burden? Nana, you¡¯re so hardworking and cute, no one would think you¡¯re a burden,¡± Yu Hong said with a smile. "I¡¯m not cute! Dr. Xu told me that useless people die the fastest,¡± Aisena lifted her head, earnestly saying, ¡°I don¡¯t want to be useless!¡± She showed an unprecedented seriousness on her cheeks. "Nana is not useless¡­¡± Old Zhou started to comfort her but was quickly interrupted by the little girl. "I¡¯m not joking,¡± she earnestly grabbed Old Zhou¡¯s hand. ¡°My illness has gotten a lot better here, though my dad told me never to tell anyone about this, but¡­¡± She paused. "But I think Uncle Zhou and Uncle Yu are trustworthy people. Dr. Xu said if I don¡¯t try hard, I¡¯ll just end up marrying Uncle Yu, and I don¡¯t want to be a wife. I want to be a useful person!¡± ¡­ ¡­ Both men were at a loss for words. "Nana, be good¡­ It¡¯s getting dark, you should go back and read and learn words now,¡± Old Zhou said with a smile. "I have an illness that, unless suppressed by the luminous stones, will slowly emit stuff like those shadows,¡± Aisena calmly mentioned. ¡°¡­.¡± This statement made Yu Hong, who had also been about to speak, pause. He and Old Zhou exchanged glances and then turned their attention back to Aisena. "What do you mean? Are you saying that you also emit Red Value radiation?¡± Yu Hong asked as simply as possible. "My dad said that if I don¡¯t use luminous stones to suppress it, I¡¯ll become one of those guys outside,¡± Aisena explained. Yu Hong and Old Zhou stared at the little one, remembering that she was sick, and Li Rushan had never mentioned what illness she had. This little one¡¯s mother was unknown, only suspected to be a researcher from Silver Tower. Immediately, Yu Hong took a detector, pressed it closely against Nana¡¯s skin, and pushed the detection button. Beep. The LCD screen displayed the numbers: 8.533. Then he measured himself and Old Zhou;neither exceeded 2. In the camp, talisman arrays surrounded the underground, with luminous stones continuously emitting negative radiation to neutralize the Red Value in the air. In such an environment, Aisena still had a Red Value radiation of 8. "Maybe what she says is true?¡± Old Zhou was somewhat convinced. "Of course it¡¯s true. If I don¡¯t suppress it for two days, I can go out and gather information for you, deliver messages and such. As long as it¡¯s not a special Black Disaster, no one will attack me,¡± Aisena seriously replied. "How do you know no one will attack you?¡± Yu Hong narrowed his eyes as he stared at the child. She seemed to harbor quite a secret. "Before Dad found me, I snuck out many times,¡± Aisena answered. Yu Hong looked at the child and suddenly remembered, when they first came here to live, it was Old Li who took just the two of them here. Old Li often went out alone to gather firewood, mine, dig soil, fetch water, etc. Only Aisena was left in the house. But he always seemed cheerful, apparently never worried about his daughter running into trouble. Now it seems¡­ this little one truly has an unusual constitution¡­ "Nana, go study first. Don¡¯t tell anyone about your condition from now on. Understand?¡± he instructed. "Mm,¡± Aisena nodded firmly. "Old Zhou, take her back,¡± Yu Hong gave Old Zhou a look, and the latter nodded, stood up, and took Nana back to the house. Soon after, the gentle sound of a child¡¯s reading came from the house. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yu Hong doused the campfire and stood up, his mind still pondering the secret he had just heard. He checked the time;the Black Mark enhancement was about to be completed. He was somewhat excited to see whether the Black Wind protective array would work. Immediately suppressing his curiosity about Aisena¡¯s secret, he turned and walked back toward the cave entrance. Roar!! Just then, a harsh, piercing screech came from beyond the security fence. Multi-eyed Bird! Yu Hong paused, turned around, and looked in the direction of the call. "And it¡¯s not an ordinary Multi-eyed Bird¡­ This call is much louder and rougher than others¡­¡± He was quite familiar with Multi-eyed Birds from Black Disasters;hearing the sound now, he knew this was a standard large Multi-eyed Bird, a level-four Black Disaster. "Couldn¡¯t resist anymore?¡± It had been some time since the safety zone of the camp had been expanded. Previously, Ding Shao and two living people outside were luring these Multi-eyed Birds. But now those two were gone, and only the camp remained the most significant gathering place for living people. They had resisted all these days, proving their endurance. Yu Hong turned around, already dressed for battle, wearing his suit. He exhaled, stepping towards the source of the sound. Passing through the inner courtyard, he signaled to Old Zhou and the others to hide and keep quiet. Yu Hong reached the fence, just in time to see a flesh-colored, large Multi-eyed Bird, bald and featherless, standing ugly on the ground next to Yao Feiling. Its massive, sharp beak and two rows of dense red eyes were focused on Yao Feiling, seemingly assessing where to bite first. On the ground, Yao Feiling¡¯s face was streaked with tears, looking despairingly at the monster before her. All her limbs were severed and she had been abandoned by Ding Shao, now unable to move, lying helplessly, her wounds becoming putrid. The her from two days ago would hardly recognize the person now lying on the ground. "I.. don¡¯t want¡­ to die,¡± she sobbed, her face contorted. Yu Hong¡¯s arrival caught the attention of the Multi-eyed Bird. "The fresh flesh attracted the monster, didn¡¯t it?¡± He glanced at Yao Feiling on the ground, thoughtful. The vitality of enhanced humans was indeed exaggerated;even after her limbs were severed, surviving a point-blank grenade explosion and several heavy blows from him, she still had so much blood yet was able to hold on for so long. "You might use your beauty to move it, let it spare biting you. Then have it carry you away,¡± Yu Hong said seriously. Yao Feiling paused, closed her eyes. "No matter how you mock me, it doesn¡¯t matter. At this close distance, if I die, you won¡¯t escape either! The speed of a giant Multi-eyed Bird far surpasses your imagination, and without depending on camp weapons to fight, you also¡­¡± Boom!!! Suddenly, a thunderous, muffled sound erupted. Before she could finish, Yu Hong had vanished from sight and reappeared having grabbed the giant Multi-eyed Bird, his right leg smashing up with a knee strike!! Thud thud thud thud!!! In a continuous series of heavy impacts, the Multi-eyed Bird struggled only briefly before the relentless knee blows mashed its lower body into a bloody mess, blood and flesh flying, bones shattered. It howled in agony and before it could even cry out a few times, it abruptly stopped. Plop. Yu Hong tore off the bird¡¯s head with one hand, crushed it under his foot, and ripped the bird¡¯s body into small bits. Casually discarding the corpse, Yu Hong shook the bloody mess off his body, watching as they quickly disintegrated into black smoke, his expression under the mask utterly unflinching. Turning back to look at the stunned face of Yao Feiling. "You were right;its death was indeed faster than I expected.¡± With the sound of his footsteps, Yu Hong walked past her, climbed over the fence, and returned to the outer courtyard. He needed to return to check on the enhanced array. Chapter 151: Air Chapter One Lying on the cold ground, Yao Feiling stared blankly at the dark sky. Recalling when Yu Hong had unleashed terrifying power, instantly dealing with the Multi-eyed Bird. She knew she had misunderstood him. He was strong, very strong, stronger than anyone she had ever seen. Able to burst the Multi-eyed Bird with his bare hands, his level far surpassed any fully-enhanced person she had encountered. His strength alone was the equivalent of what it would take three fully-enhanced persons to achieve together. "If we had conducted thorough reconnaissance from the beginning, if we had decisively left earlier instead of staying here holding onto a sliver of hope¡­¡± Various thoughts kept flashing through her mind. Regret? None. What she felt now was simply the sorrow of waiting for death. Creak, creak, creak. Suddenly, a faint sound of footsteps came from the edge of the fence. Slowly turning her head, she saw a woman with a slightly protruding belly standing there, draped in a thick Protective Suit. It was Xu Ruoying, that madcap female doctor. "In this world, beauty is useless. It only makes you more prone to disaster,¡± Doctor Xu squatted down and said softly. She seemed to be in a normal state now, to be precise, her mental state had improved a lot since finding out she was pregnant. It had become completely normal. "I understand now,¡± Yao Feiling¡¯s eyes were hollow, ¡°Only strength is the root of everything. I overestimated myself before, it¡¯s just a pity I realized this too late.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Doctor Xu stood up, covering her stomach, quietly watching her without saying a word. Yao Feiling smiled faintly, continued to turn her head, and looked up at the night sky, ignoring her. Now, thinking back on her former self, it was laughable that she had once considered her beauty as one of her confidences. Now she had come to realize, but it seemed too late. Following despair, the great ups and downs, she lay there, thinking a lot. In the cave, Yu Hong stood in front of the window, looking at Doctor Xu and her, deep in thought. With Black Lizards constantly patrolling around, the outer courtyard was very safe, and he could sense any large monsters or Evil Shadows approaching in advance. After all, the newly expanded secondary safety zone was much larger in area than the outer courtyard. It was a large area determined by the radius of the Black Lizards¡¯ patrolling limit. When the Multi-eyed Bird had come before, he had also noticed it in time and went forward to deal with it. Theoretically, Yao Feiling was now allowed to stay at the edge of the camp because she posed no threat, which was safer than before. This could not help but seem like a peculiar irony. As for her future, it would depend on her own fate;with Black Lizards patrolling and no elephant worms or shadows nearby, it was relatively safe. Pulling down the shutter, Yu Hong didn¡¯t look any longer and returned to his desk where the enhancement Array was, and sat down. Only five minutes were left on the countdown. He had timed it just right. Sitting in the chair, Yu Hong practiced his meditation while waiting for the final result. Five minutes passed quickly. The two items that had been on the table disappeared and reappeared as a walnut-sized, silver fruit. The fruit, looking similar to a fig, had a thin, smooth skin without any texture, with a star-shaped opening at the top revealing tiny silver particles inside. There was also a white paper with instructions placed in front of him. Yu Hong picked it up to read. ¡®Black Wind Protective Array: Combining the luminous grass¡¯s ability to absorb Red Value and restore itself, this Array has self-repair capabilities and automatic alert functions. When an intruder enters the Array¡¯s range, it will automatically release stored negative radiation to expel the intruder.¡¯ ¡®Note: The integration of the vortex talisman array significantly improves the Array¡¯s storage capacity, allowing for increased Red Value¡¯s upper limit. Therefore, when the Array is activated, it may affect normal life with negative radiation.¡¯ ¡®Installation method: Bury two meters into the ground, and the Array Plate will automatically grow and extend, forming a circle with it as the center.¡¯ "Not bad, didn¡¯t have to transport things from somewhere else this time, it¡¯s genuinely integrated,¡± Yu Hong was satisfied. This feature completely met the level he had wanted before. It could self-repair, stronger than luminous grass, capable of expelling more of the Black Disaster, and without being triggered, it did not pose pollution threats to ordinary people. "This way, I can have much peace of mind!¡± He picked up the Array Plate fruit and quickly went out the door. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In the yard, Old Zhou was watering the luminous stones, as it hadn¡¯t rained for many days. The fog was thick, but the luminous stones were still a bit languid. Seeing Yu Hong come out, Old Zhou stepped forward to talk. "You do your thing, I¡¯m going to set something up for the protection of the camp,¡± Yu Hong said with a smile. "Mhm,¡± Old Zhou was very content with his current life;the security of the Black Wind Camp had exceeded his expectations, so his respect for Yu Hong had increased even more. Yu Hong went to the center of the camp, calculated the distance briefly, and began to dig under the upright electric lamp post. He dug quickly, if a normal person took three seconds to shovel, he did it in one. Regardless of what tough clumps of soil he encountered, he smashed them all at once ¡ª although it was a bit hard on the shovels. Soon, a two-meter-deep pit appeared in front of him. The pit also revealed the larger Array that had been buried previously. He didn¡¯t care about it, and directly placed the Array Plate in his hand into the hole, making sure it was straight, then began to cover it with dirt. "This is a new type of automatic protection device I¡¯ve developed. In the future, be careful when digging underground;if you find something abnormal, remember to tell me, and I¡¯ll assess the situation,¡± he instructed Old Zhou, who had come over to watch. "Got it,¡± nodded Old Zhou. "Spread the word to everyone else. I¡¯m going to check if there¡¯s news from Old Li,¡± Yu Hong returned to the cave. Concerned that a high-risk Black Disaster might arrive just as Old Li was returning, he had turned on the communicator in advance to check if he could make contact when Old Li turned on the walkie-talkie according to their agreement. After all, there was always nuclear power in the camp;there was no reason not to use it. "Got it, hopefully Old Li is all right,¡± Zhou Xueguang sighed. After completing these preparations, Yu Hong put on his Polar Bear Suit and started to carefully inspect the perimeter of the outer courtyard. At nighttime, there was no Blood Tide today;the mountain forest was a haven of peace, a rare calm before the storm of a Black Disaster. Yu Hong slowly walked outside the fence, carefully inspecting the luminous grass on the ground. He hadn¡¯t gone far when he paused in his step, crouched down, and gently pinched a blade of the luminous grass. These leaves, green with white spots, were slender and soft, still emitting a faint white luminescence at night. ¡®It¡¯s a bit dim,¡¯ Yu Hong recalled the luminous grass from before, clearly, the brightness was dimmer now. Without betraying his feelings, he stood up again and moved forward. Upon reaching the little forest path leading from the camp to the post office, the luminosity of the luminous grass inside the fence dimmed once more. Compared to before, if one wasn¡¯t scrutinizing closely now, it would be impossible to notice the leaves glowing at all. Yu Hong felt for the first imprint in his heart. The luminescent spot belonging to the luminous grass had been replaced by the newly strengthened synthetic spot of the Black Wind Array. His consciousness shifted, making contact with the new Black Wind Array spot. Hiss. In an instant, a large Array network covering the entire camp appeared in his mind. It was as if he were floating in the sky, overlooking the earth below. The layout of the whole camp became clear in his mind. A massive white light Array Plate, like a spider web, covered everything within. Caves, log cabins. Inner yard, outer yard, all within the Array¡¯s protective scope. Even beyond the outer yard, there was an extent covered as well. ¡®This should be the coverage range of the Black Wind Array,¡¯ thought Yu Hong, nodding with satisfaction. Returning to his senses, he took out a detector and turned it on. Beep. A soft sound, and the LCD screen displayed the surrounding environmental Red Value: 1.237. ¡®The effect is good, it still offsets the environmental Red Value. It¡¯s just unclear whether it weakens by absorbing the Red Value or by releasing a negative value to neutralize it.¡¯ He was at ease;the new Array¡¯s effect surpassed his expectations. Compared to the conspicuous glowing of the luminous grass at night, the Black Wind Array was significantly more covert. As for its strength¡­ Yu Hong thought for a moment, then swiftly dashed toward the deep forest. In no time. He reappeared at the edge of the camp, followed by a flapping Multi-eyed Bird. It was not a large Multi-eyed Bird, just an ordinary one, at most a level two or three. The Multi-eyed Bird chased after him, its small red eyes revealing a primitive and icy intent to kill. Puff! Yu Hong took a flying leap, jumping the fence and entering the outer yard, and, at the same time, the Array¡¯s range. He stood up and turned back to look at the little Multi-eyed Bird. The creature, furious, sped up along the way and crashed into the area fiercely. Shrill! A piercing cry exploded as the strange bird lunged at Yu Hong, its sharp and pointed beak veering to violently stab at Yu Hong¡¯s chest. Whoosh! At that moment, an invisible negative energy flow suddenly shot out from the ground below. The flow seemed to affect only the Multi-eyed Bird, not touching the soil or Yu Hong, precisely landing on the bird alone. Shrill!! The bird¡¯s body froze mid-flight, suddenly losing balance and thudding heavily onto Yu Hong. Before it could be grasped, its entire body began to rapidly disintegrate. The small Multi-eyed Bird that had intruded into the camp started to visibly dissolve at a rapid pace. Much like a candle coming too close to a fire. It tumbled, letting out piercing cries, rolling off Yu Hong onto the ground, desperately struggling. But no matter how it struggled, it couldn¡¯t escape the fate of being enveloped by an invisible radiation. One second. Two seconds. Three seconds. The cries abruptly ceased. The little Multi-eyed Bird was utterly still, most of its body dissolved, lying on its side on the ground, leaving only whitish bone debris. In a few more seconds, even the whitish bone debris had completely dissolved, vanishing without a trace of even black smoke. All trace of the Multi-eyed Bird¡¯s body had completely dissipated here, leaving not a shred behind. "Impressive!¡± Yu Hong stood up, walked over to where the Multi-eyed Bird had dissolved, and dug around in the soil with his foot, finding nothing. He closed his eyes and sensed again, the first imprint in his mind, revealing the Black Wind Array covering the entire camp;its white light had dimmed ever so slightly but quickly restored within a few seconds. ¡®The entire Array covers a large area, and it absorbs Red Value quickly, it seems like such minor intruders can¡¯t test the limit of the Array.¡¯ Images of elephant worms danced through Yu Hong¡¯s mind. If he could lure one, perhaps¡­ But he wouldn¡¯t actively go looking for trouble just to test the Array. So¡­ ¡®Now all is in readiness, except for the arrival of a high-risk Black Disaster¡­ I want to see if a specifically targeted Array and focused bombardment with Radiation Hand Grenades can take down a high-risk Black Disaster.¡¯ He checked once more;the luminous grass on the ground was indeed withering. After informing Old Zhou about the situation, so he wouldn¡¯t panic, Yu Hong returned to his cave and hurried to craft more Radiation Hand Grenades. Chapter 152: Empty Space 150 ¡°`html Bang. Bang. Bang. Nighttime. A giant elephant worm, towering up to six meters, was slowly walking step by step on the spacious highway. Suddenly, it paused, stopping in the distance, raising its head to look straight ahead. At the edge of the slightly damaged gray-white road stood a woman with black hair, wearing a yellow top and white skirt. Her long hair covered her face, and the yellow top was fresh and bright, unusually clean, clearly visible in the moonlight. The white knee-length skirt had fine long vertical folds, gently swaying with the night breeze. The woman stood quietly by the roadside, alone, her hands seeming somewhat long, the exposed skin fair and delicate, as if it hadn¡¯t seen sunlight for a long time. This was a very clean person. And in such an environment, such a clean person shouldn¡¯t appear. The elephant worm hesitated. It stood quietly on the road, staring at the woman, motionless. After a moment. The elephant worm slowly retreated, turned around, and began to leave in the direction it came. It had only turned around, not taking more than a few steps. Incredibly, the woman in the white skirt appeared once again along the roadside ahead. Bang. The elephant worm instinctively stepped back. Click. Suddenly, its vision blurred, the woman¡¯s figure vanished. In an instant, it realized something, looking down. Somehow, without it knowing, the woman had appeared right beneath it. She was slowly raising her head, parting her long dark hair, revealing the face hidden underneath. Whoosh¡­ The night wind blew gently, restoring everything to peace. The elephant worm on the highway disappeared without a trace, leaving only the woman in the white skirt standing quietly by the road. Even the footprints left by the elephant worm on the ground vanished mysteriously. * * * In the basement. Yu Hong moved with agility, constantly kicking in the same direction. Left leg, right leg, circular kicks in succession, his whole body spinning like a top, faster and faster, thus stirring the air currents with increasing intensity. In the middle of the basement, strange, sharp laughter gradually emerged once more, one after another, without pause. Rising and falling, overlapping each other, bringing a strong sensation of unease that made the scalp tingle. Before long, Yu Hong switched to high whipping kicks, low sweeping kicks, turning to sweep, Battle Axe smashing down, and various moves. As his moves grew more skilled, the speed and continuity of his leg movements increased, slowly causing a faint weak air current to linger around him. Bam! Finally, a front kick to the heavens. Yu Hong slowly retrieved his leg, stood still without moving, heat steaming off his body, sweat pouring down like rain. *Another three days had passed, yet the Black Disaster still hadn¡¯t arrived. No word from Old Li either¡­ Could something really have happened to him!?* He frowned deeply, and even though the fifth Inner Qi in his abdomen had half condensed, he couldn¡¯t dispel the worry in his heart. Having known each other for so long, Old Li was his only friend in this world besides Stammering Yiyi. If something happened to him now¡­ He pulled a towel over, wet it under the faucet, and wiped away the sweat. Following the stairs, he returned to the first floor. Outside, faint voices of Old Zhou, Doctor Xu, and Aisena could be heard. Yesterday Yu Hong had taken some time to go to the post office, brought back a stone stove, also a bunch of miscellaneous household items, just in time to fill the gap. Now the temperature was growing colder, and the previous dampness seemed to have started dissipating, becoming dry, perhaps due to the moisture freezing into frost. But the strange mist still lingered. Sitting by the communicator, Yu Hong adjusted the channel. From Li Rushan¡¯s pager channel, he turned to the satellite channel. Soon, amid crackling static. There came a wheezing sound from the communicator. "Heh heh¡­ heh heh heh heh¡­.¡± It was Guan Cao¡¯s voice! Something was wrong! Yu Hong¡¯s heart tightened, without thinking, he immediately shut it off. Pop! A spark flashed, the communicator seemingly burnt out inside, went silent. Yu Hong exhaled long, stretched out his hand, quickly adjusted to another frequency, then placed it over the power button. Clap. Suddenly, a pale human hand stretched out from behind the communicator, grabbing his wrist. Hiss!! The intense burning sensation brought tremendous pain, causing Yu Hong to involuntarily cry out. The four strands of Inner Qi misaligned automatically, surged forth, concentrating on his grabbed right wrist. The powerful force of separation immediately broke Yu Hong and the hand apart, like an electric shock. He staggered back, knocking over a chair as he stood, retreating two steps. Looking at the communicator, the human hand had disappeared without a trace, the communicator still quiet, seemingly undamaged. Huff¡­ huff¡­ huff¡­. Yu Hong continuously breathed deeply, the sweat that had just receded now seeping out again, soaking his undershirt. He raised his hand, looked at his wrist, seeing a gray-black handprint. It was as if a hand had truly grabbed him tightly, trying to pull him into the communicator a moment ago. "It was fine contacting yesterday¡­. Guan Cao¡¯s channel seems unusable now.¡± Yu Hong¡¯s heart sank, realizing something might have happened to him. He had advised this guy along with Zhang Kaijun and the others before, telling him not to stay online all the time;it was dangerous. But he wouldn¡¯t listen. Setting the chair back up, Yu Hong circulated his Inner Qi, finding that there were only two strands left out of the four just now. Evidently, they were consumed in the confrontation with that hand just now. *Fortunately, I strengthened my Cultivation Technique, able to use Inner Qi to hurt the Black Disaster;otherwise, that encounter just now¡­* Yu Hong felt lingering fear. His body was now much stronger than initially, his Inner Qi quite abundant, equipped with all kinds of weapons, tools, and armor, yet still, he was defenseless, almost caught off guard. Sitting down again, he took out a Radiation Hand Grenade, keeping it ready to explode at any moment. Then again clicked the communicator on. This time, the communicator¡¯s channel was not directly linked to Guan Cao¡¯s public channel;only faint static was heard from the speaker. *If something has happened to Guan Cao, then Zhang Kaijun and Wei Song might be in trouble too¡­. A sudden attack like the one just now, a slow reaction would surely lead to death.* He memorized the problematic channel¡¯s number just now, continually adjusting the dial, trying to find other contact channels. But there were none. The national radio station that was there before now left only static, blank and bewildering. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. *Has everything gone wrong? Or¡­ should it be a kind of Black Disaster that can be transmitted through broadcasts, attacking all communication devices¡­* He snapped the communicator off;a channel he had just found was suddenly broken. Were Zhang Kaijun and Wei Song alright? He didn¡¯t know. Guan Cao¡­ might already be gone. Alone in the underground nuclear facility, faced with danger with no one to help him. Such places, safe as they were paradises, became certain death traps in the event of trouble. Finally rising, Yu Hong turned the communicator back on, switching to Li Rushan¡¯s pager frequency, quietly making new Radiation Hand Grenades, waiting. Over an hour passed in no time. Yu Hong stood to pour himself a glass of water, drinking halfway through. "Cough cough!¡± Suddenly, a vigorous coughing sound came from the communicator. ¡°Boss! Boss, can you hear me? I¡¯m back! Boss!¡± Li Rushan¡¯s voice echoed. Yu Hong¡¯s eyes widened, straightening his back. But he didn¡¯t answer immediately, waiting six seconds. "Codeword.¡± "At Black Wind Mountain¡¯s Black Wind Ridge, in Black Wind Ridge¡¯s Black Wind Cave, a peach tree grows, picking peach blossoms to sell for wine money.¡± ¡°¡­ Not bad, you remember well,¡± Yu Hong said, his mouth twitching, realizing now that the design of the code had a sense of shame he hadn¡¯t felt before. "Ashamed, ashamed.¡± Li Rushan replied. This follow-up dialogue was also part of the code. "It truly is you! Where are you now?¡± Yu Hong was now completely certain it was Li Rushan himself. "About two kilometers from the camp, otherwise even with the communicator modified on your end, I couldn¡¯t get a signal here on my walkie-talkie.¡± Li Rushan answered. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve made a big haul this time, almost there.¡± He sounded in a pretty good mood. "Why did it take you so many days?¡± Yu Hong quickly asked. "Encountered trouble on the way, took a big detour, the vehicle¡¯s power was low, had to charge using solar power for quite a few days to finally fill it. Now the sun is becoming shorter, hard to run the vehicle.¡± Li Rushan said helplessly. "Wait there, don¡¯t get out of the car when you arrive, there¡¯s danger here, wait for me to get you,¡± Yu Hong instructed. "Ah? But I¡¯m out of food and drink¡­ Boss, I¡¯m gonna starve to death!¡± Li Rushan complained. "You¡¯ve endured this long, still concerned about that little bit?¡± Yu Hong replied. "Okay, okay¡­¡± Old Li answered weakly. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Yu Hong quickly explained to him about the three types of high-risk Black Disasters he learned from Zhang Kaijun and the hand he encountered in the communicator, advising him to be careful. To prevent invasion by the strange hand earlier, they agreed on a fixed time to turn on the machine again, before finally disconnecting. After thoroughly shutting down the communicator, Yu Hong stood up, quickly donned his enhanced gray lizard suit, packed a large bag of Radiation Hand Grenades, holstered his enhanced pistol. He prepared to pick up his friend¡­ Old Li¡¯s return timing was unfortunate, high-risk Black Disaster attacks could happen at any moment, making trips outside highly dangerous. So Yu Hong decided to take several black lizards for vigilance along the way. He exited the cave, arrived beside a small wooden house, knocking on the window. "Nana, there¡¯s news about your dad, he¡¯s on his way back!¡± After several breaths. With a clatter, the window opened, revealing Aisena¡¯s excited little face. "Really!? There¡¯s really news about Dad!?¡± "I just got in touch with him. I¡¯m getting ready to pick him up now, you all stay careful at the camp, try to stay in the inner courtyard and don¡¯t go out.¡± He instructed. "Got it!¡± Aisena nodded vigorously. Old Zhou also emerged from another wooden house nearby, showing a hint of joy on his face. "He¡¯s finally back, worried for so long, good thing nothing happened.¡± "Indeed.¡± Yu Hong nodded, ruffling Aisena¡¯s head. "I¡¯m heading out now.¡± Old Li¡¯s comeback seemed promising, and looking at him, it was evident that he wasn¡¯t returning empty-handed, so maybe this time they¡¯d get some new and unseen runes. This brought a strong sense of anticipation to him, after ensuring Old Li¡¯s safety. "Boss.¡± Suddenly, Doctor Xu walked out of Aisena¡¯s wooden house. ¡°What about that girl in the outer courtyard?¡± "Yao Feiling?¡± Yu Hong thought for a moment, ¡°How¡¯s she recovering?¡± During these days, he saw Doctor Xu attending to her daily. With the black lizard¡¯s help, he could monitor Yao Feiling and Doctor Xu¡¯s interactions;they seemed to get along quite well. "Her hands can¡¯t move, but slowly she¡¯s able to shuffle her legs.¡± Doctor Xu answered. Chapter 153: Air ¡°`html "Such strong resilience? I¡¯ll go take a look,¡± Yu Hong said in surprise. He quickly walked towards the outer yard, and before long, he reached Yao Feiling¡¯s side. This guy was still the same, looking up at the sky without moving. Doctor Xu had dragged her body into the yard to prevent it from being eaten by passing black bugs. "Looks like you¡¯ve figured it out?¡± Yu Hong stood next to her, a little surprised at this guy¡¯s current expression. "What are you doing here? To laugh at me?¡± Yao Feiling said calmly. "There are fewer and fewer living people, just wanted to keep some memories,¡± Yu Hong replied calmly. For this guy, he might have wanted to let her join the camp if it were Ding Shao, but this person was so crazy she would even bomb her own friends, not a qualified teammate. "Then what does whether I¡¯ve figured it out or not have to do with this?¡± Yao Feiling said, ¡°Doctor Xu gave me food and drink, why didn¡¯t you stop him? I wanted to kill you before.¡± "It¡¯s still that reason, not many living people left¡­ Anyway, you pose no threat to me now.¡± Yu Hong stopped paying attention to her;he just wanted to hear more human voices. The food supply from the breeding box could support more than twenty people. Adding one more or one less didn¡¯t matter. There was food, but the number of living people outside kept decreasing¡­ He felt this increasingly after the communicator lost connection. He walked past Yao Feiling, not responding anymore, heading towards the direction where Li Rushan had left on the highway. He needed to go meet up with Old Li. He hoped that high-risk Black Disaster wouldn¡¯t be encountered by Old Li halfway. As he moved further away from the camp, the fog gradually enveloped the surroundings entirely. Yu Hong moved forward, sometimes even unable to distinguish his direction, needing the surrounding black lizards to guide the way. The black lizards were unaffected by the fog. Although everything was black and white, the scenes were exceptionally clear. Rustle. Rustle. The dry leaves underfoot cracked, seemingly becoming the only tone in this mountain forest. Fragments of gray leaves fell with the wind from above, In the dim forest, Yu Hong¡¯s fast-moving figure seemed insignificant compared to the tall trees around, like a black ant crawling slowly in a giant bonsai. His black outfit matched the surrounding darkness strangely well. The fog spread out, sometimes even making it impossible to see his silhouette clearly. "Young man¡­ come here¡­ come over here¡­¡± "I¡¯m in so much pain, can you help me¡­ I broke my leg passing by here¡­¡± "It¡¯s so scary here¡­ Mom, Dad¡­ where are you?¡± "Yu Hong, why are you here? Come with me, it¡¯s not safe here.¡± Voices rang out, men and women, young and old, as strange figures appeared and disappeared behind the trees on both sides. They were like fish in the fog, rising and falling, using eyes filled with deep malice to watch Yu Hong advance forward. But he remained unmoved. The black lizards didn¡¯t drive away these shadows because there were just too many of them¡­ With only three black lizards, it was impossible to deal with so many shadows. They couldn¡¯t be killed completely;once dead, they quickly revived. Taking action only wasted his own energy. So Yu Hong chose to turn a blind eye. He gradually quickened his pace, and before long, a figure covered by a luminous stone blanket appeared ahead, lying on the ground. He paused for a moment, stepping forward, the Inner Qi in his right leg withheld. Until he was within a little over a meter of distance, the other side still didn¡¯t move. Only then did Yu Hong glance at the open Red Value Detector. It was still the environmental red value, with no changes. ¡®Red Value: 46.315.¡¯ He approached again, removing the Wolf Fang Club from his back, gently lifting the luminous stone blanket. Woosh. Under the blanket, a somewhat familiar face was revealed. "Ding Shao?¡± Yu Hong recognized her and called out softly. ¡°¡­. Is that you¡­!?¡± Ding Shao was still conscious. Her lips were cracked, holding a water bag in her hand, apparently toughing it out with that. But even as a reinforced human, heavily injured, having gone without good food or rest for days, she was at her limit. "I¡­ apologize¡­.¡± Ding Shao weakly squeezed out two words. Yu Hong looked down at her, recalling the first complete reinforced human he had encountered. That guy¡¯s body¡¯s recovery ability was quite freakish, and he thought it was due to Evil Shadow¡¯s pollution. Now it seemed¡­ it wasn¡¯t certain. He thought his final kick would have killed a regular person on the spot, severely wounding a reinforced human, yet both were only half-dead. It seemed that they had been able to move alone outdoors for so long because they were indeed skilled among reinforced humans. "I have things to do. Previously, you attacked me, I fought back. We owe each other nothing now.¡± He paused, ¡°*If you¡¯re still alive when I return, and if you¡¯re willing, I can take you back.*¡± Ding Shao¡¯s eyes were hazy, and her vision was somewhat unclear. Hearing the voice, she realized it wasn¡¯t an illusion, wasn¡¯t a trick created by the shadows. She recognized Yu Hong¡¯s voice. She didn¡¯t hate him, as he said, it was just an attack and a counterattack, nothing more. She regretted¡­ regretted fleeing with Yao Feiling¡­ back then, with so many sisters from the organization, and with her connections, she had so many friends she could have chosen¡­ Why did she lose her mind and choose that guy Yao Feiling as her escape partner¡­ *It was all fate,* Ding Shao said softly. If it weren¡¯t for Yao Feiling always holding her back, maybe alone she wouldn¡¯t have ended up in this state¡­ Even now, half of her injuries were caused by Yao¡¯s grenade. Yu Hong took a tube of nutritional gel from his lower back, squeezed it into Ding Shao¡¯s mouth, then gave her an anti-inflammatory pill, refilling her water bag. After doing this, he stood up, covering her back with the luminous stone blanket. He didn¡¯t look back, continuing onward on his own. Old Li could encounter the high-risk Black Disaster at any moment;he needed to quickly fetch him back. There was no way he could return for Ding Shao to waste time, especially when daylight hours were so short now. *As for why he gave Ding Shao a chance at living,* *It was simply because¡­ the number of living people kept decreasing¡­ If in the end, he was the only one left in this world, that wasn¡¯t what he wanted.* *Just imagining that kind of world felt despairing¡­* He looked up at a small patch of sky between the trees. Yu Hong could only see a palm-sized gray and white sky in an irregular shape. The fog covered everything, leaving nothing visible. He lowered his head, continuing forward with quickened steps. * * * On a gray and white highway, cracks and web-like patterns covered the road surface, some places even collapsing, leaving various strange footprints. Buzz. A faint sound of wheels rolling traveled along the highway. A pitch-black jeep army vehicle, clearly modified, was barreling towards the vicinity of Black Wind Camp with solar panels on top. The vehicle made almost no engine noise, just the slight friction of the wheels grinding against the road. Inside the car, Li Rushan¡¯s chest was wrapped in bandages, with faint bloodstains seeping through the white fabric. But even though his body hurt, his spirits were rather light. *¡±Little Swallow, oh Little Swallow~~ Where is your springtime~¡± he hummed a song, gripping the steering wheel steadily.* This trip, he not only found a rune that the camp didn¡¯t have, but also managed to get a microwave, a mini fridge, both in perfect condition, along with some miscellaneous medicines from a small group hiding in a hospital basement. Using the Vortex Talisman Plate given by Yu Hong, he effortlessly traded for a bunch of supplies. He even kept the more powerful Radiation Hand Grenades for himself, knowing that without them, the luminous stone secret room effect of the car wouldn¡¯t be enough to escape those Evil Shadows. Before long, a burnt-out bus appeared on the road ahead. Seeing the bus, Li Rushan knew he was close to the destination, as it was the bus he and Yu Hong had set ablaze together. Buzz. As his vehicle passed the bus, Li Rushan felt an inexplicable chill run through him. He didn¡¯t dare get too close, speeding through hurriedly. Hiss! Just in that brief passing moment, The luminous stone talisman plate hanging on the bus door swiftly changed color to gray and white, waited two seconds, then cracked and fell. Seeing this, Li Rushan¡¯s heart went cold, quickly hanging a new luminous stone talisman plate to restore the effect of the pyroxene secret room. "Just getting close is this dangerous, this bus didn¡¯t seem this strong before,¡± he said with a serious expression, not looking at the bus anymore, and continued forward rapidly, soon arriving at the other jeep parking location closest to the camp. He parked next to two other solar-powered jeep army vehicles and breathed a sigh of relief. "This is the agreed upon location;now I¡¯ll wait for the boss to come help,¡± he said, opening the radio and waiting for a notification from the other side. The car engine stopped, and the surroundings fell into complete silence. Old Li sat in the driver¡¯s seat, reclining the chair slightly to rest his old back. Then he lay back, letting his view only see the car interior. On the roof, door, windows, the luminous stone runes painted on various places had been partially consumed during the journey, the resulting gaps were patched with his luminous stone talisman plates to ensure the complete effect of the pyroxene secret room. *¡±In such times, such environments, don¡¯t look at what shouldn¡¯t be seen, those who don¡¯t know the code are not real¡­ I¡¯ll just hum a song,¡± Old Li had long since concluded from experience.* Humming Little Swallow under his breath, his mind began wandering to the peaceful scene of reuniting with his daughter Nana back home. *He had even brought a mysterious gift from an abandoned mall for Nana.* ¡®And also a dozen pairs of shoes for Old Zhou, enough for him to have a good variety,¡¯ The spacious interior of the car allowed for such extravagance. Shortly after he lay down. Beside the jeep, at the edge of the highway, in the fog, a figure in a white dress slowly appeared. It was a long-haired woman wearing a pale yellow top and a pure white knee-length skirt. Her body was exceptionally clean, neat, as if completely detached from the current era. In the faint fog, she quietly moved along the highway, apart from her stiff movements and her face obscured by black hair, she appeared to be a normal person from afar. ¡®What¡¯s that noise?¡¯ In the car, Old Li heard footsteps and listened carefully with closed eyes. ¡®Footsteps¡­? Could it be the boss?¡± He pushed back with his hand, wanting to sit up and look outside. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But suddenly, he paused. ¡®Better wait, for the boss¡¯s code¡­.¡¯ *Even though the pyroxene secret room ensured nothing detected him, occasionally shadows tried to trick him with sounds.* Highly vigilant, he slowly lay back down, relaxed his breathing, and listened to the footsteps outside. Chapter 154: Air 152 Drip. Drip. Drip. The footsteps gradually became softer, smaller, and seemed to be moving away. Old Li¡¯s heart chilled, knowing it wasn¡¯t the boss but something else. In such an environment, anything could show up outside. He kept waiting, motionless. Approximately five minutes later. Pat pat pat. A series of urgent, heavy footsteps quickly approached. Then the car door was knocked loudly. "Black Wind Mountain atop the Black Wind Ridge¡­¡± a code phrase swiftly arose from outside the window. Li Rushan immediately got up and responded in turn. Through the car window, standing outside was a figure in a familiar gray lizard costume. The burly shape wore a helmet, face unseen, but the specially tailored and modified gray lizard costume allowed Old Li to recognize the visitor instantly. "Boss!¡± He clicked open the car door, a smile appearing on his face. Yu Hong stood by the car, glancing inside where it was filled with stuff;even the passenger seat was packed. There was no room to sit down. He shook his head in silence, inwardly. "This load, no wonder your car is moving so slowly. Charging is originally time-consuming, and with such a heavy load, the power depletion is even greater¡­.¡± "I was thinking, since it¡¯s rare that I go out, why not take more at once, otherwise, wouldn¡¯t that be a loss?¡± Old Li climbed out of the car, laughing. "How do we bring it back?¡± He patted the car, ¡°Shall we move the most important things back first?¡± "No need.¡± Yu Hong thought for a moment, then turned his head back, looking at the path he had come from. "We¡¯ll drive back.¡± His voice was grave. "Eh??¡± Li Rushan blinked, looking in the direction Yu Hong was watching. It was a steep slope path by the side of the road;the incline was steep, and the entire path was only one or two meters wide, not enough for a car to drive up. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Moreover, the way was blocked by trees and underbrush, simply impassable. "Let¡¯s try.¡± Yu Hong said gravely. ¡°I remember last time Xu Fan and the others came, they managed to drive the car up to the road near Baiqiu Village. It¡¯s much closer to this place.¡± "But that¡¯s a long way round¡­ Boss, you this¡­.¡± Li Rushan hadn¡¯t finished his sentence when he saw Yu Hong take a large tool off his back. It was a sharp axe for chopping wood. "I¡¯ve long felt that this place was too far from the camp, inconvenient, so¡­.¡± Yu Hong walked up to the slope, gripped the axe handle, and with a burst of strength swung at a large tree. Thud thud thud thud. In four consecutive swings, a large tree as thick as an adult¡¯s waist was effortlessly cut down by him, falling over. And he did it leaving only a bit of the stump, which couldn¡¯t stop the high chassis of a jeep at all. "Let¡¯s go;I¡¯ll lead the way. Running back and forth is too dangerous at this time, driving straight back is the fastest.¡± Yu Hong turned his head to look at Old Li. ¡°¡­..¡± Li Rushan swallowed hard, he had long suspected the boss was a top-enhanced person, but now it seemed¡­ This wasn¡¯t an enhanced person, this was a mutant! Soon, the car followed Yu Hong up the slope and was quickly jostled by the uneven road, nearly overturning. Yu Hong rushed forward, pressing down on the car, unleashing his inner Qi without releasing it, forcibly bringing the unbalanced car back to stability, to Li Rushan¡¯s utter astonishment. Boom. The car landed back on all fours and continued forward on this road. "We¡¯ll need to come back and clean this up later, level the road so it¡¯ll be convenient in the future.¡± Yu Hong muttered. He walked ahead, guiding the jeep deeper into the woods. Before long, several more large trees were chopped down with a crack and fell to the ground. The fallen trees, still warm from Yu Hong¡¯s energy, were tossed to the sides to make crude roadside barriers to prevent rainwater from washing mud onto the road and making it uneven. He walked in front, and wherever the ground was uneven, he just gave it a kick. With his inner Qi amplification, his already formidable strength was exaggerated. Under Thunderbolt Leg, mounds of earth and chunks of rock were easily shattered and flattened. Inside the jeep, Li Rushan was shocked at first, but after seeing so much of it, he became numb, feeling that the boss was the epitome of badass. Driving the jeep, he always felt that the previously safe vehicle, if it encountered the boss¡¯s exaggerated bulk, would be dismantled in no time¡­ After a while. Yu Hong suddenly looked up at the sky;his expression a bit unsightly. "It¡¯s getting dark.¡± "Eh? What time is it?¡± Li Rushan also felt something was off, but his detector was out of battery, and he couldn¡¯t see the time. "Half past twelve.¡± Yu Hong glanced at the time on his own detector, ¡°It¡¯s earlier again¡­ we need to speed up, otherwise it¡¯ll be dangerous at night.¡± "According to this pace, I¡¯m afraid there won¡¯t be daylight soon¡­¡± Li Rushan heaved a sigh. ¡°Boss, do you have a way to move at night? The luminous stone blanket can only hide oneself.¡± "Not for now.¡± Yu Hong replied. ¡°But¡­ we could use the principle of the luminous stone blanket to make a few sets of similar costumes.¡± "That¡¯s doable.¡± Old Li smiled. The two chatted casually and lightly, the closer they got to the camp, the more relaxed they felt. As they made their way slowly back to the camp. The sound of chopping trees seemed to have attracted something. On the highway behind them, a figure in a white dress appeared abruptly and silently in the mist, stepping onto the slope path that had just been cleared. The figure observed the clear wheel tracks on the muddy path, paused, then stepped forward, following the tracks. Plop. She had only taken a few steps. Suddenly, a jet of black liquid sprayed out from the shadows, hitting the figure squarely. Hiss! The liquid hadn¡¯t even touched the figure¡¯s clothes;it evaporated in mid-air, turning into black smoke, and vanished. The figure paused, turning her head toward the direction from which the black liquid came. Plop. She vanished from the spot instantly. Seconds later. She returned to the newly blazed trail, step by step, and continued forward. * * * In the woodland, Another huge tree crashed down heavily. Yu Hong abruptly paused in his steps, glancing back at the fog-shrouded forest behind. "Something¡¯s catching up,¡± he said in a deep voice. Li Rushan rolled down the car window, hearing the words, he too looked back, but could only see fog. "Then we¡¯ve got to speed up, and make it to camp fast,¡± he said, trusting Yu Hong though he couldn¡¯t see anything himself. Yu Hong sensed that one of his Black Lizards had suddenly gone missing. This was not something a shadow could have done. The Black Lizard¡¯s camouflage and concealment abilities were strong, and in these dark, foggy woods, it was a top-tier scout. There had been no losses during previous patrol sniping operations against shadows¡ªat worst, they were injured. The two immediately moved forward and, in short order, returned to where Ding Shao was lying. Without wasting words, Yu Hong went to check and found her still alive, merely fallen into a deep sleep after consuming the nutrition paste;he wrapped her in a luminous stone blanket, squeezed her into the car, and headed back to the camp together. Old Li, seeing this, didn¡¯t ask who it was. With one hand clutching a Radiation Hand Grenade and the other steering the vehicle, he silently drove on. The difficult journey continued for more than ten minutes. Ahead in the fog, the outline of the camp¡¯s lights gradually loomed. "We¡¯re here!¡± Old Li¡¯s face showed a glint of joy. At that moment, a figure in a yellow dress appeared out of the fog behind him. Bang! An explosive sound ripped through the air, and the ground burst open. Yu Hong darted to the side of the car, opened the door, grabbed the person, and rushed back. All in one fluid motion. With a person in each hand, he activated his Inner Qi at his feet and leaped over ten meters in a second, landing lightly within the outer courtyard. After setting them down, he didn¡¯t look back, but threw five Radiation Hand Grenades behind him. Bang bang bang bang bang! The grenades silently exploded, emitting invisible negative radiation that covered the area near the car in an instant with more than seven thousand Red Value radiation. The intense negative radiation spread unseen by the naked eye, covering several dozen meters around. It seemed the explosion of the Radiation Hand Grenades made the woman in the dress halt in her tracks. She stood in the fog, her outline flickering in and out of sight, watching the camp from afar. The negative radiation that had just erupted made her figure seem like a reflection on rippling water, constantly distorting and blurring. Yu Hong stood erect, watching her, with no further movement. On both sides, time stalled, a silent standoff ensuing. One minute. Five minutes. A full ten-plus minutes passed. Then the woman in the dress began to slowly retreat until she disappeared into the fog completely. Yu Hong glanced at the detector, making sure its readings had returned to normal before calming turning around. At this moment, Old Li and Ding Shao were still lying on the ground, motionless. Ding Shao had passed out, and Old Li¡­ did not dare to get up on his own. Not far away, Zhou Xueguang, hearing the commotion, peered in their direction but did not rashly approach. Both he and Old Li were particularly cautious individuals;without an order from Yu Hong, they would not take action on their own. "It¡¯s okay now. No trouble for the time being,¡± Yu Hong exhaled and picked up Ding Shao;together with Li Rushan, who was getting up, they entered the walled inner courtyard. "That was tough. They really tried to catch up at the end!¡± Old Li cursed under his breath, spitting out dirt. "Daddy!!¡± Aisena lunged into Old Li¡¯s arms, causing a sharp pain in his chest wound. "Ouch.¡± He fell backward, yet his face showed a mixture of pain and happiness. Seeing the bandages and blood on him, Nana panicked, apologized quickly, and then stood up to allow Doctor Xu, who had also risen, to check the wound. As the bandages were unraveled, a ferocious, centipede-like dark red wound was revealed. The wound stretched from the chest to the shoulder, as long as a forearm. "It¡¯s a bit infected!¡± Doctor Xu said gravely, ¡°There¡¯s some iodophor left, I¡¯ll use it on you, then we¡¯ll cut away the necrotic tissue, and apply powdered antibiotics to it. It¡¯s going to hurt, so bear with it.¡± "No problem¡­ I¡¯m a tough guy, don¡¯t worry¡­ ah!!¡± Before Li Rushan could finish his sentence, he let out a scream like a pig being slaughtered. Yu Hong, unable to bear the sight, sat down cross-legged and closed his eyes, directing the Black Lizards to patrol the surroundings. Particularly the few dozen meters between the camp and the car. Eight Black Lizards shuttled back and forth, circling the car several times, yet they did not find the woman in the dress again. "It should be fine now,¡± he said, sighing. "Having you take it so seriously, could it be a high-threat Black Disaster?¡± Zhou Xueguang stood beside him, also looking into the fog, but could see nothing. "Mhm, encountered it on the way back. The Red Value suddenly spiked to over ten thousand, and that was without fully closing in,¡± Yu Hong said gravely. "Can we determine which of the three types it is?¡± Zhou Xueguang asked seriously. "Certainly not the second type, the tick ball;the figure was human-shaped, either a Speed Man or an Insect Man¡­¡± Yu Hong replied. ¡°Of course, the possibility of other types of high-threat Black Disasters emerging is not excluded. Unexpected things always happen.¡± "It seems to have disappeared now,¡± Zhou Xueguang conjectured. "Right, I¡¯ll go and drive the car into the outer courtyard. Don¡¯t come out,¡± Yu Hong remained cautious, not daring to make rash moves. The staggering radiation levels he had encountered without even getting close were not something he could combat with his Inner Qi alone. Inner Qi indeed caused damage to Black Disasters, but he wasn¡¯t sure if his own Inner Qi could harm a high-threat Black Disaster. ¡®I need to test the actual damage value of my Inner Qi¡­ I have to clearly understand my barehanded killing power against a Black Disaster, to know both myself and my enemy, and not foolishly charge into battle unprepared.¡¯ With subsequent arrangements in mind, Yu Hong quietly exited the outer courtyard and quickly returned to the car. Click. Without a word, he opened the door and threw in a Radiation Hand Grenade. Buzz! A burst of invisible negative radiation instantly exploded in the enclosed space, neutralizing any possible hidden dangers. Only then did Yu Hong sit in the vehicle, which now felt cramped to him, especially wearing a suit that made him bulkier than normal. The vehicle started and slowly approached the gate of the outer courtyard. Chapter 155: Attack is Coming 153 Several kilometers away from Black Wind Camp. Luminous stone mining area. Each mine shaft under the dim sky resembled unblinking eyes on the mountainside, pitch-black and deep. In the mountain forest at the entrance of the mining area, the figure of a man with a stiff body was quietly walking out. The man wore a tattered gray windbreaker, a white round hat, and a similarly gray-white mask that covered most of his face, with black sunglasses shielding his eyes. He was about one meter eighty tall, and the brown leather boots on his feet were full of holes and white mold spots. Click. Click. The man stopped in front of a mine shaft, and after pausing for a while, he stiffly pulled something out of his coat pocket, grasped it in his palm, Slowly, he stepped forward, and walked into one of the mine shafts, disappearing from sight. Before long, the man walked out of the mine shaft again, his figure merging with the fog and quickly vanishing. Behind him, the murky gray mist in the air swiftly surged into the mine shaft, while the luminous stone ore originally exposed on the surface turned rapidly from white to black. Not only that, at this moment, all the negative radiation within the entire mining area began to diminish rapidly. As if flowers were on the verge of wilting. * * * Buzz. The car slowly drove into the outer courtyard, and Old Zhou quickly stepped forward to close the gate and fasten it. Click. The car door opened, and Yu Hong stepped out, patting the wrinkled leather suit. "Be careful these next few days, pay attention to any movement outside, and don¡¯t go out. We have water and electricity in the camp, and we¡¯re not short on food for now. As long as we don¡¯t run into any issues, staying in the camp for a few months will be fine.¡± His voice rose, reminding everyone. "Got it.¡± Old Li was the first to raise his hand. ¡°Boss, I won¡¯t be able to sleep unless we sort things out. Can I start with the items from the car?¡± "Alright, how¡¯s your injury? Nothing serious, right?¡± Yu Hong waved his hand, indicating that he could do as he wished. "Not too bad, not too bad. It¡¯s gotten a lot better with the medication. I¡¯m just a bit tired.¡± Li Rushan chuckled twice. He quickly walked to the car, skillfully opened the door, and swiftly pulled out a pile of things. Various sized boxes, a microwave, a small fridge, and the like were placed one by one under the lights. "Yo, it¡¯s a Laurel brand. That¡¯s good stuff.¡± Old Zhou patted the microwave. ¡°My family used to have this brand, it lasted for decades without breaking.¡± "That¡¯s right. I took a long time picking these out, and here are your shoes too.¡± Old Li smiled, feeling as if he had returned to spring from the cold winter snow upon arriving back at camp. Safe, comfortable, with the boss¡¯s walls and protective technology, the safety level was through the roof. "Boss, this is the rune you wanted.¡± He quickly found a small box hidden at the very bottom. The box was made of purple metal, an unknown material. On the surface, with engraved, or rather indented, script, it read: Obtained from the ninth shaft, April 2001¡ªZhen Zhiran. Yu Hong ignored this name, tried to slide it open, and swiftly opened the box, revealing a gray-white stone wrapped in yellow silk. Unfolding the yellow silk, the stone inside was only the size of a chicken egg, but its surface was engraved with a distorted, serpent-like irregular symbol. This wasn¡¯t a compound rune, but a simple symbol. At most, it had only a few strokes making up the bizarre, archaic symbol. Yu Hong picked up the stone and observed it carefully. "I¡¯ll place the electrical wires outside, as usual, using the ventilation holes to extend them for everyone¡¯s use. As for the arrangement, we can put everything in the breeding cave to avoid rain damage and allow everyone to share. I¡¯ll go back first to study this thing.¡± "Wait, boss, where are we going to sleep? There aren¡¯t enough huts.¡± Old Li hurriedly said. Three wooden huts, two large and one small¡ªthere were Dr. Xu, Li Rushan, Zhou Xueguang, Aisena¡ªfour people needing accommodation. They could just about manage to distribute. "One hut for Dr. Xu, Old Li and Nana share one, and the remaining one for Old Zhou alone. No problem,¡± Yu Hong said with some surprise. "That¡¯s barely enough, but if more people arrive later, it might not be sufficient. Many items need to be kept damp-proof.¡± Li Rushan nodded. "Tomorrow we¡¯ll start excavating new caves. Compared to wooden huts, stone caves are safer,¡± Yu Hong considered for a moment. Wooden huts were built quickly for temporary accommodation, but in terms of safety, stone caves were better. "Great!¡± Immediately, everyone busied themselves, some moving items, cooking food, adjusting household appliances, trying on shoes. The camp was bustling with activity, and even the mentally ill Dr. Xu had a constant smile on his face. Ding Shao was arranged to stay with Yao Feiling. Yu Hong built a temporary triangular wooden canopy for them with his bare hands to provide shelter from wind and rain, and threw in a couple of luminous stone blankets for them, considering it sufficient accommodation. Ding Shao was far from being considered part of the camp, unless she made amends for her previous actions. The outer courtyard was constantly patrolled by black lizards, which also served as surveillance. Yu Hong didn¡¯t pay attention to what Ding Shao and Yao Feiling¡¯s reunion might be like;full of anticipation, he took the new symbol and returned to his cave. Boom. Closing the door, he pulled out a chair to sit down and placed the rune stone in his hand on the table before picking up the ink made from Large Pyroxene Stone powder. Dipping a wooden stick pen into the ink, he gently touched it and began to simulate new symbols and practice drawing them. Soon, a new symbol that appeared quite proper emerged on a piece of white paper. "I must have drawn countless runes by now, but at least it honed my skill in simulating power,¡± Yu Hong mused with some satisfaction as he looked at the symbol on the paper. He picked up a detector and checked it. No reaction, the readings remained the same as always. "It seems it¡¯s not the type of Pyroxene Symbol. Let¡¯s try writing with Inner Qi next,¡± he thought. He dipped the pen into the ink again, started channeling his Inner Qi, and infused it into the wooden pen, waiting for the state to stabilize. Then, with another stroke of the pen, a new, mysterious symbol quickly appeared on the paper. This time, the instant the symbol was completed, the entire sheet of paper underwent a strange transformation. "Eh¡­ what is this!?¡± Yu Hong¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment as he looked at the sheet. He picked up the paper, turning it over carefully to inspect it. But no matter how he looked at it, the paper¡­ gave him a peculiar feeling. It was as if¡­ he wasn¡¯t holding anything at all. Despite clearly holding and pinching the paper right in front of him, strangely, every few seconds, he would naturally overlook the sensation of the paper in his hand, his attention diverted from the sheet to something else. "Interesting¡­ it seems this symbol likely has an effect of concealing and reducing presence,¡± Yu Hong summarized, ¡°If it also works against the Black Disaster, it could totally enhance the Pyroxene Secret Room¡¯s effectiveness, making the encampment even more inconspicuous, even safer!¡± As the Black Disaster grew stronger and the world more desperate, he increasingly felt that hiding was more convenient and safer than direct confrontation in dealing with the disaster. The appearance of this new symbol gave him the chance to fortify the Pyroxene Secret Room. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Although he had previously been able to enhance the luminous stone mats, they were sufficient as they were, and other aspects needed the Black Mark more urgently, thus he had not considered this direction. But now, with this new symbol, he was entirely able to bolster the hiding aspect. "The most convenient part is that this enhancement does not require the involvement of the Black Mark;I can do it just using my Inner Qi,¡± Yu Hong¡¯s mood instantly improved. The bad mood affected by Guan Cao¡¯s incident also found some relief. "Then, let¡¯s name it. Since it has a concealing effect, let¡¯s call it the Concealing Symbol.¡± Pyroxene Symbol, Vortex Symbol, Concealing Symbol¡ªthese three were the runes he now possessed that could have a significant effect against the Black Disaster. Among them, the structure of the Concealing Symbol was the simplest. Right away, Yu Hong began using his Inner Qi, stepping out of the wooden door with the ink and wooden pen, and started drawing this new symbol on the exteriors of the wooden huts around the encampment. After inquiring about the symbol¡¯s effect, Old Li and the others showed even more relieved expressions. "I just knew our boss was no ordinary person! Symbols that even the Silver Tower couldn¡¯t figure out, in his hands, won¡¯t last ten minutes!¡± Zhou Xueguang had started to transform into a dedicated fan of Yu Hong. Especially as an elite non-commissioned officer who had seen the research forces at the front lines, he had an even deeper appreciation of Hong¡¯s research abilities. That¡¯s what comparisons do. "The specific effects are still unclear, but at least they will make you more secure inside your houses,¡± Yu Hong quickly said, and he didn¡¯t forget to draw it on Ding Shao and the other two¡¯s wooden shed as well. He still had some expectations for Ding Shao¡ªunlike Yao, Ding Shao had been quite normal from the start. Upon subsequent encounters, she was also very rational and clear-headed. If she could be fully rehabilitated, it would indeed be a great help to the encampment, which was short on hands. He already had some ideas about her arrangement. After quickly finishing drawing on all the wooden huts and cave exteriors, Yu Hong looked out at the completely darkened sky outside, although it was only just past four in the afternoon. He headed toward Ding Shao and the other person, followed by the rest of the encampment still happily trying out new electronics. The bustling noise was in stark contrast to the quiet inside this wooden shed. Inside the shed, Ding Shao held a cup of hot water, leaning against the inner wall of the shed, quietly sipping it. The wounds on her body were obviously treated by Doctor Xu. Seeing Yu Hong coming, a shade of embarrassment crossed her face. "I didn¡¯t expect that my wounds would be handled by the mad doctor we initially looked down upon. Mr. Yu, if you have time, I hope you can apologize to Doctor Xu on my behalf.¡± "She¡¯s always around the encampment and will come over soon. Apologize to her in person,¡± Yu Hong said. ¡°I came here to talk to you about your situation.¡± He noticed that Yao Feiling a few meters away was pretending to be asleep, in fact eavesdropping. At his level, following a qualitative change in his body, his five senses could perceive many things around him much more clearly. Moreover, the frequency of breathing and heartbeat when one is asleep is entirely different from when they are awake, making it easy to distinguish. So Yao Feiling couldn¡¯t hide from him, but he didn¡¯t mind. He was willing to give Ding Shao a chance because she was relatively normal, but Yao was not. "I know it¡¯s not easy to join the encampment, but what do you need me to do?¡± Ding Shao had matured a lot in her thinking, and being a steady person by nature, she caught on to Yu Hong¡¯s intentions. "I have a friend,¡± Yu Hong said. ¡°She is currently missing out there. I will supply you with provisions, equipment, weapons, and so on. Once your injuries heal, I¡¯ll hire you to go to a place for me, to look for her. Bring her back here, to the encampment.¡± He paused for a moment. "If you succeed in finding her, all past issues will be erased, and I will be more than happy to welcome you to join Black Wind Camp.¡± His words slightly moved Ding Shao. "Okay, but with the collapse of the frontline, many dangerous Black Disasters have come in. It¡¯s too dangerous to go out now¡­ The logistical materials you provide, to what extent can you supply? I must understand clearly;otherwise, this is a mission of certain death.¡± Chapter 156: Attack of 154 II ¡°`html "The Enhanced Red Value Detector can detect the vast majority of Black Disasters, more advanced than the official ones. It can counteract and repel Radiation Hand Grenades with danger levels of four or even higher, a solar-powered jeep that serves as a Pyroxene Secret Room. A special enhanced suit that can withstand most bullets, and in terms of weapons, guns and knives¡­¡± As Yu Hong continued speaking, Ding Shao¡¯s expression grew increasingly astonished. *Repelling forth-level and even higher Black Disasters with just weapons and tools? Isn¡¯t that a bit exaggerated?* *Is this camp storing an entire alliance army¡¯s arsenal? Such high intensity.* "It¡¯s more than enough, far beyond my imagination. If what you¡¯ve said is true¡­ then¡­ going out to find people, as long as we avoid head-on encounters with high-risk Black Disasters, the safety level will be quite high¡­.¡± Ding Shao swallowed, feeling her throat dry. "But aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll run off with all the stuff?¡± she asked again. "Just think about that yourself,¡± Yu Hong didn¡¯t answer. ¡°If you agree, I¡¯ll provide you with some high-risk Black Disaster intelligence that I have. You need to be cautious and avoid them on your own.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± *Intelligence to avoid high-risk Black Disasters?*?! Ding Shao felt numb. Yao Feiling, eavesdropping on the side, also felt numb. If everything Yu Hong said was true, coupled with his high personal strength, and the camp having water and electricity, it would mean that the Black Wind Camp could be the safest camp they¡¯d encountered, except for Hope City. There was no comparison! And such a camp, who wouldn¡¯t want to join¡­ So Ding Shao readily agreed. Once her injuries healed, their transaction could officially begin. Stepping out of the wooden shed, Yu Hong sighed. The outside was becoming increasingly dangerous, and even someone like him with the assistance of the Black Mark could only barely be self-sufficient¡­ *He hoped Stammering Yiyi was safe and could hold out until Ding Shao arrived for rescue¡­* Returning to the cave, he refused Li Rushan¡¯s organized temporary celebration party, went into the basement alone, and continued cultivating Inner Qi and nurturing the black lizard. Within the camp, everyone celebrated Lao Li¡¯s safe return, drinking the beer he brought back from outside, eating the jerky and mushroom soup they were long tired of. Among the items Lao Li brought back was also a large quantity of salt. Even with sparing use, the ten-plus bags of salt could last for a long time. This guy, taking advantage of the large vehicle size, crammed in whatever supplies were lacking. If not for such gathering, he wouldn¡¯t have taken so long to return from outside. Adding salt to the monotonous mushroom soup completely changed the taste, making it much more palatable. At this time, outside the outer courtyard of the camp, within the secondary safety zone patrolled by the black lizard. Figures with dirty, ragged clothes slowly emerged from the mist, densely approaching the camp. Behind them, a female figure in a yellow dress and white skirt quietly gazed at the camp, waiting for something. As they approached the camp, the large group of figures entering the secondary safety zone was quickly discovered by the patrolling black lizard. Thud thud thud. Globules of black saliva shot out, hitting the figures and dissolving them into puddles of black water within seconds. But there were too many figures. Layers upon layers, they moved toward the camp, the mist obscuring any sight of an end. "The Black Disaster is here!!¡± Yu Hong, the first to notice something amiss, stopped practicing and rushed out of the cave, loudly warning everyone. "Everyone to the wooden house!¡± he shouted sternly. The few who were celebrating paused immediately, turned to look at Yu Hong, and upon confirming he wasn¡¯t joking, Li Rushan quickly took command. "Leave the stuff, get to the wooden house immediately!¡± "Keep the Radiation Hand Grenades ready, pull them when necessary, don¡¯t throw them. At critical moments, detonate them on your body, and it will blast Black Disasters away from a radius of over ten meters!¡± Lao Li clearly had experience using the Radiation Hand Grenades. "Close the door, don¡¯t look outside. Some Black Disasters will cause problems just by making eye contact!¡± Zhou Xueguang quickly reminded, refusing to be left out. In less than ten seconds. The previously bustling scene in the camp plunged into emptiness and silence. The blackened ground after the decay of the luminous stone grass was shrouded only by the swaying white lights in the wind. The lights piercing through the mist vaguely illuminated the large crowd slowly encroaching from outside the outer courtyard. "So many¡­.¡± Yu Hong gasped. He could discern that the crowd consisted entirely of shadows, but normally such a large gathering of shadows shouldn¡¯t happen. "Something is driving them over,¡± Li Rushan emerged to stand with him, also donning enhanced suits. "You¡¯re still hurt, why are you out?¡± Yu Hong frowned. "It¡¯s nothing, I¡¯ve gained a lot of experience from this trip outside. Do you have grenades? I¡¯m pretty accurate.¡± Lao Li smiled. Without a word, Yu Hong dragged out a crate of Radiation Hand Grenades from the cave. "Conserve them. I suspect more large threats are coming,¡± he advised. "Understood!¡± Li Rushan nodded. ¡°Lao Zhou wanted to come out too, but I have him looking after everyone else. Don¡¯t take it the wrong way.¡± "Mm, I know.¡± Yu Hong understood this explanation was meant to avoid any misinterpreted cowardice on Zhou Xueguang¡¯s part. Very soon, the crowd of shadows was near the outer courtyard fence. They squeezed together, wearing tattered clothes, some with smiles, others with expressionless faces, all with pitch-black eyes lacking sclera. A few individuals among them even had decaying skin, with large bloody wounds exposed, looking even more grotesque. "Hold on.¡± Yu Hong quickly restrained Li Rushan from throwing grenades. ¡°I¡¯ve buried new special equipment underground in the camp, let¡¯s see its effects first.¡± Li Rushan glanced at him in surprise, nodded, and lowered his hand. Although accustomed to the boss¡¯s endless new technologies, seeing so many shadows¡­ he couldn¡¯t help but think the boss might be overconfident¡­ If this continued, those two women¡¯s wooden shed at the outer courtyard would be overrun by shadows, risking catastrophe if anything went wrong. "Don¡¯t rush¡­.¡± Yu Hong spoke in a deep voice, his eyes under the helmet focused intently on the approaching layers of shadows. Five meters. Three meters. One meter. As the first male shadow¡¯s pale and decomposing hand entered the half-meter range of the outer courtyard fence area. Hiss!! A powerful, invisible, silent negative radiation erupted like a fountain from the ground. The radiation sprayed over two meters high like a fountain, then exploded like fireworks in the sky, instantly encompassing several meters around. Furthermore, throughout the area beyond the fence, negative radiation fountains erupted one after another, with the ensuing intense radiation engulfing all nearby shadows within several meters. In an instant, many shadows caught in the spread began to fade and dissipate into black smoke completely. The Black Wind Protection Array had automatically triggered and activated! "Holy shit¡­this tech¡­.!!¡± Li Rushan couldn¡¯t see the fountain-fireworks-like array effect but could see the masses of shadows abruptly disappearing. Obviously, he wasn¡¯t an idiot, realizing this was a protective mechanism set up by Boss Yu Hong. "Boss, you¡¯re so badass!! Universe number one!!!¡± Li Rushan exclaimed breathlessly, giving a thumbs up. "Stay focused, this is just an appetizer!¡± Yu Hong remained calm, feeling the light dots marking the Black Wind Protection Array in his mind. The light of the array was rapidly dimming, despite automatically replenishing at a fast pace;it struggled against the overwhelming influx of shadows. "Throw the grenades,¡± Yu Hong suddenly instructed. Lao Li immediately tossed them with force. Two grenades tumbled through the night sky in parabolic arcs, crossing over thirty meters. Under normal circumstances, grenade throwing distance was usually between 30 to 50 meters, though radiation grenades being relatively lighter allowed Lao Li, even injured, to throw such distances, demonstrating his significant physical prowess. Thud thud!! The grenades fell outside the fence, exploding in massive ripples of negative radiation of 7000. The astonishingly powerful negative radiation instantly cleared two large circular areas over ten meters in diameter. All shadows in those areas were thoroughly turned to ash. "Awesome! More!!¡± Lao Li laughed heartily. "Less talk! Watch out for verbal loitering!¡± Yu Hong chided with a frown. Lao Li immediately fell silent. The two managed, under Yu Hong¡¯s guidance, to continually ease the burden on the array, maintaining a delicate balance. As long as the Black Wind Protection Array remained intact, the camp interior stayed absolutely safe. Inside the wooden house, Lao Zhou peeked out, his eyes widened at the camp¡¯s hidden, astonishing array¡¯s effects. "Amazing! Absolutely amazing!!¡± He thought meeting Yu Hong midway must have been a stroke of luck born from unknowable fortune accumulated over a lifetime or more. Given this level of protection, other strongholds would have long been overrun. Near the wooden shed area. As dense shadows encroached, Ding Shao and Yao Feiling both believed they were doomed. Both, numb-faced, thought there was no escape and were prepared for death. Especially Ding Shao, after just making a deal with Yu Hong and seeing hope, to now¡­ Just then, the approaching shadows abruptly scattered. It seemed like some invisible, silent attacks continuously bombarded the shadows, ceaselessly clearing them. Both women, half-reclined, saw one empty gap after another cleared amidst the shadow crowd. Then occasionally within the camp, grenade-like objects would fly into the shadow crowd. These were even more exaggerated, clearing vast areas of shadows at a single explosion. One thrown would clear over a ten-meter radius. "This¡­couldn¡¯t be what he mentioned¡­ Radiation Hand Grenades¡­ right?¡± Ding Shao marveled, feeling she truly witnessed something spectacular for the first time. If all of this was true, seeing the shadows unable to breach even the camp perimeter. Ding Shao felt the external mission she thought was a lifeline looked surprisingly promising¡­ Seeing such a massive swarm of shadows failing to penetrate even the outer layer of the camp highlighted the enormous technological prowess within Black Wind Camp. Across from her, leaning against the shed, Yao Feiling wore a complex expression, gazing outside without a word, moved at first but quickly silent. Time elapsed continuously. Ten minutes. Twenty minutes¡­ More than half an hour¡­. The influx of shadows gradually thinned, who knows how many the array had eliminated;their numbers were starting to dwindle. Since around ten minutes prior, Yu Hong and Li Rushan hadn¡¯t even used grenades for assistance, as the array¡¯s self-restoring capabilities alone sufficed against the current density of shadows. So both just quietly monitored the situation, ensuring no significant changes occurred. But then, from behind the shadow crowd, a distinct black shape slowly emerged. The moment it appeared, it suddenly accelerated and charged into the outer courtyard of the camp. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Bang!! The fence shattered into pieces, flying, and in the light, a massive form was revealed. It was an elephant worm towering six meters tall and over ten meters in length!! Chapter 157: Storm 155 Ssss! The elephant worm¡¯s massive body left behind two rows of deep footprints as it moved across the ground. It made a hissing sound like air being blown, as it charged into the outer courtyard, brushing past the wooden shed where Ding Shao and her companion stayed. The new Concealing Symbols on the exterior of the shed clearly had an effect, leading the elephant worm to disregard the two women and the rest of the wooden huts, charging straight toward Yu Hong. "Perhaps they were targeting me all along¡­¡± Yu Hong realized at that moment. His expression was cool and composed as he surveyed the fan-shaped area outside the camp¡¯s front yard, where the eyes of all the shadows seemed to converge on him. This involuntary connected to the rules of Speed Man in his mind. "The Black Disaster must have locked onto me after that woman in the white dress!¡± he said somberly. "Here it comes!¡± Li Rushan said tensely. The two of them watched as the enormous elephant worm charged into the outer courtyard, nearing the inner courtyard. Boom. Boom. Boom. In the midst of the heavy footsteps, the elephant worm¡¯s charging sounded utterly different from the usual quiet. It roared, lowering its head like a giant bulldozer, and charged toward the inner courtyard wall covered in pitch black. Pfft, pfft, pfft. Sprays of radiation from the Array Fountain shot up from beneath, impacting its underside, but it blocked them all forcefully;they didn¡¯t spread out and were neutralized by the red radiation emanating from its body. Seeing this, Yu Hong and his companion immediately threw the Radiation Hand Grenades they had been holding for several seconds. The grenades tumbled down toward the elephant worm, exploding violently above it. Boom! A silent flash of radiation enveloped most of the creature¡¯s body. The radiation, with a negative value exceeding seven thousand, was far more powerful than the Black Wind Protection Array, and immediately blasted two bathtub-sized holes in the elephant worm¡¯s back. Streams of black smoke rose from the wounds, as if the blood of the elephant worm were boiling. It came to an abrupt halt, its front limbs collapsing to the ground, and before it could rise again to continue its charge, two more Radiation Hand Grenades were thrown toward it, landing above its wounds. Boom!! The two grenades exploded simultaneously, and a huge amount of negative radiation poured into the wounds, instantly raising a large cloud of black smoke. Ssss! The elephant worm shrieked, raising its head as its body rapidly deflated before their eyes, shriveling up. In just a few seconds, it completely collapsed into a thin layer of black skin on the ground. Two seconds later, the negative radiation from the sprays torn the black skin to shreds, neutralizing it into black smoke that vanished without a trace. With that, an elephant worm was thoroughly vanquished, and it would now require a lengthy revival period before it could come back to life. But its desperate struggle had left a mark;at the least, the outer courtyard¡¯s fence had been breached, and the energy of the Black Wind Protection Array had been considerably depleted, now holding at only about half of its capacity. Yu Hong and his companion exhaled in relief, as they watched the balance of the offense and defense battle restore. Together, they gazed into the deeper darkness beyond, where nothing was to be seen, only a murky grey fog. They waited another ten minutes or so. At last, outside the outer courtyard fence, the final wave of shadows rushed into the Array and were annihilated. From that moment on, no new shadows appeared from within the mist. "Get ready¡­ it¡¯s about to come,¡± Yu Hong said gravely. Li Rushan nodded, his face serious, as he grabbed six grenades, readying himself. There weren¡¯t many grenades left in the box, only about a third. But he knew this was not a time to be conservative. The two of them waited silently. The distant dark mist was quiet, as if the onslaught had completely ended. But inexplicably, an invisible pressure gradually covered both Li Rushan and Yu Hong, as well as everyone inside the camp. "I feel¡­ a heaviness in my chest¡­ like low air pressure¡­¡± Li Rushan murmured, ¡°The big one might be coming.¡± Yu Hong nodded, not uttering a word, instead focusing intently on the area in front of the camp, shifting his gaze continually to be ready to identify the attacker¡¯s direction at the first opportunity. The atmosphere within the camp felt as if it were being suppressed by a massive boulder, heavy and tense. Heeheeheehee¡­ Suddenly, a high-pitched, strange, and jubilant laugh echoed above the entire camp. All at once, Yu Hong turned his head to look left. Over there, in that direction! Outside the fence. A woman in a yellow coat and white dress appeared out of nowhere, standing just a meter outside the fence. She stood quietly, pausing for two seconds, then began to move forward, step by step. She made contact with the fence, which instantly and silently disintegrated into nothingness, as if it had never been there;even the holes fixed in the ground vanished. Heeheeheehee~~~ The eerie laughter circled overhead. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In a sudden flash, the woman¡¯s figure moved. Incredibly, she crossed over ten meters in a single leap, bypassing the entire outer courtyard and arriving in front of the inner courtyard wall. Pfft, pfft, pfft! The Black Wind Protection Array beneath the ground madly gathered energy, emitting jets of negative radiation, but all the radiation fountains seemed to be sucked into a black hole, disappearing without a trace as they approached. Beep!! A sharp alarm from the detector sounded feverishly as if to accompany the enemy¡¯s approach with music. Yu Hong¡¯s gaze was fixed on the woman, glancing only briefly at the detector¡¯s reading with the corner of his eye. ¡®Red Value: 17494.331¡¯ The number was increasing rapidly, soon surpassing twenty thousand. "So much red value even before she gets close!?¡± Li Rushan¡¯s voice rang in shock beside him, but Yu Hong dared not take his eyes away. If this was Speed Man, then the attack mechanism would be to see twice, and experience fear. And he was the one seen twice! Moreover, he noticed that the Black Wind Protection Array beneath the woman¡¯s feet kept erupting in fountains, attempting to strike her, but it was all in vain. All the radiation was completely neutralized. ¡®It seems the Black Wind Protection Array can only deal with regular Black Disasters.¡¯ He reached a conclusion in his mind, feeling the camp¡¯s Array imprint in his mind grow weaker and dimmer, and stopped observing. "Throw!¡± he shouted, tossing six grenades outward. Pfft, pfft, pfft¡­ A series of invisible radiations burst forth. Negative radiation far stronger than the Array¡¯s fountains exploded above the woman in the white dress. Bursts of radiation with negative values exceeding seven thousand finally caused waves to ripple around her. Like before, the air next to her seemed to twist, obscuring her figure. Ripples like those from stones thrown into a lake spread from her, creating waves as if the grenades were stones splashing into water, stirring up countless ripples. Hee hee hee hee! The eerie laughter sounded again. The woman¡¯s footsteps halted as if forcibly obstructed by the grenade. "It¡¯s effective!¡± Li Rushan also threw grenades together, his voice trembling with tension at this point. Previously, as a postman, he had witnessed high-risk Black Disasters, but that was within the base at Hope City, alongside a large team with plenty of support from modern weapons. But now¡­ just their little camp¡­ relying on him and the boss as the main force¡­ they were actually facing a high-risk Black Disaster that only Hope City had encountered before¡­! "Damn¡­ this is thrilling!¡± Old Li couldn¡¯t help but swear as he watched the white-dressed woman ripple with disturbed waves. "She¡¯s slowing down!¡± Suddenly, he spotted the key clue. ¡°The air¡¯s Red Value has dropped to negative twenty thousand! The grenades are working!!¡± "Throw more!¡± Yu Hong also perked up, noticing the key point. Grenades burst incessantly above the woman, brutally dragging down the Red Value of the area. Soon, the number on the detector plummeted to negative thirty thousand! Snap. Suddenly, Yu Hong grasped at air. He and Old Li simultaneously glanced over with the corners of their eyes. Gone!? "We¡¯re done for¡­!¡± Old Li¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°Boss, what do we do now!?¡± Before Yu Hong could respond, that strange laughter echoed through the air again. The white-dressed woman took a step forward, her body moving once again. Pfft! In an instant, her silhouette flashed, disappearing outright. When she reappeared, she was already within the inner courtyard, underneath the central electric lamppost. "Dodge!¡± Yu Hong roared lowly, grabbing Old Li and throwing him to the right, right into the doorway of a wooden cabin. He himself dared not take his eyes away, staring intently at the woman. Strangely, there was no fear or panic in his heart, only calmness¡ªas serene as the surface of a lake. Snap. He reached behind and pulled out a stack of Vortex Talisman Plates, silently counting in his mind. ¡®1.¡¯ ¡®2.¡¯ ¡®3!¡¯ Right then, the white-dressed woman¡¯s footsteps paused once more. Beneath her feet, the entire ground of the inner courtyard began to slowly light up with huge, complicated patterns of white light. One by one, patterns emerged on the ground, spreading and lighting up, turning from dim to bright in a flash, bright enough to rival the illumination of the lamps, corresponding exactly with Yu Hong¡¯s count to three. Buzz!! In a flash, a massive amount of negative radiation burst forth from the second set of Arrays underground. Unlike the continuous output of the Black Wind Protection Array before, this was an exaggerated, one-time explosion. In that instant, invisible negative radiation surged from the ground, concentratedly bombarding the white-dressed woman. The Red Value around her plummeted past negative fifty thousand in the blink of an eye. Her clothes began to rapidly get dirtier, older. The skin on her fair and delicate arms started to show cracks, like porcelain about to shatter. The surrounding air twisted and blurred further;even someone standing ten meters away couldn¡¯t see clearly. "DIE!!¡± At that moment. Yu Hong¡¯s body surged with Inner Qi, exploding, as the first channel of Inner Qi in his body burst open, uniformly covering the insides of his legs. He bent down, the ground behind him suddenly exploding, hurling him towards the woman like a fierce wind. ¡®Thunderbolt!¡¯ He roared in his mind. Powered by the full amplification of Inner Qi, the Thunderbolt Leg Technique tore through the air, creating overlapping distorted airwaves, and he swung out a roundhouse kick towards the woman¡¯s head. Rumble!! The ground of the camp seemed to be struck by thunder. Accompanying the thunderous sound was the weird laughter mixed within, but this laughter completely differed from the playful laughter the woman had previously emitted. If the previous laughter was eerie, sharp, and sinister, then the strange laughter now felt exaggerated, terrifying, and wild. In a blink, Yu Hong¡¯s right leg turned into a blurry shadow and landed on the side of the woman¡¯s head and neck. Boom!!! The immense suppression from the negative radiation made the woman¡¯s movements sluggish, unable to avoid the kick. Perhaps she didn¡¯t intend to dodge at all. Sudden distortions erupted between them, causing the surrounding cabins to creak and sway slightly. The skin on the woman¡¯s head quickly showed cracks, and chunks of her fair skin, like pieces of porcelain, fell away, turning into black smoke in mid-air and dissipating into nothing. Beneath the skin was a sticky substance like black oil. ¡®Thunderbolt! Type two!¡¯ Yu Hong¡¯s expression turned fierce as the second channel of Inner Qi burst forth. The frantic, bizarre laughter rang out once more as he drew back his leg for a second explosive strike. His right leg broke through the air again in an instant, creating ripples in the air and slamming against the woman¡¯s neck. "Type three!¡± Not waiting for the opponent to move, Yu Hong kicked out his third leg. The third channel of Inner Qi erupted, magnifying his terrifying lethality at this moment. It was as if the explosion of thunder spread again. This time, much of the woman¡¯s skin shattered, cracked, and fell off. Her body revealed a black, slimy substance that made up her inner flesh. She struggled to slowly lift her head, her black hair parting to either side, seemingly about to face Yu Hong with the face she had always hidden. This movement elicited an indescribable terror in Yu Hong¡¯s heart. As if just seeing the woman¡¯s face would result in something unimaginably horrifying. He roared, and the fourth channel of Inner Qi burst open with force. With the sound of thunder, accompanied by the noise of him crushing a stack of Vortex Talisman Plates in his hands, the sounds overlapped and spread. "Type four!!!¡± He twisted his body to the side, concentrating all his power into this kick. The tip of his leg shot out, tearing through the air with a high-pitched screech. Boom! The thunderous sound of the Thunderbolt Leg went silent, disappearing in an instant. Yu Hong¡¯s leg struck harshly against the left side of the woman¡¯s head. Everything paused for a moment. Pffft!!! Suddenly, the woman¡¯s body exploded like a water balloon, with masses of black substance gushing from within. As soon as the black substance splattered out, it was negated by the massive amount of negative Red Value radiation in the air, suppressed. In an instant, all the black substance turned to smoke and vanished into nothing. Chapter 158: Assault of 156 ¡°¡­It¡¯s over,¡± Yu Hong panted heavily. He could feel that his last kick must have had an overflow of attack power. Unlike the first three kicks, which felt solid, this one had a strangely weightless feeling as if he had kicked through air. But no matter what, he had repelled this high-risk Black Disaster! He wasn¡¯t sure how long it would take for it to revive next time, but at least it wouldn¡¯t return here for a while. According to the common knowledge he had obtained from Zhang Kaijun, the higher the level of Black Disaster, the slower it was to revive, with the exception of a very few special cases. Ninety-nine percent of them took a long time. They needed to gather a massive amount of Red Value radiation to slowly reconstitute their bodies. On the other hand, Black Disasters like ordinary Shadow Black Bugs could revive very quickly. Huff¡­ huff¡­ Standing in the middle of the inner courtyard, he breathed heavily and tested his right leg, finding it a bit weak. This was the first time he had consecutively unleashed four bursts of Inner Qi. The exaggerated power made his right leg feel as if it didn¡¯t belong to him. If not for the suit providing resistance and cushioning, his right leg might have been dislocated or injured by now. "Is it gone?¡± Li Rushan¡¯s voice drifted over cautiously from one side. "It should be¡­¡± Yu Hong looked around while panting, and no new shadows emerged from the mist outside the courtyard. "What a pity¡­ the second Array was one-time-only¡­ After it fully unleashed its power, it was depleted¡­¡± he lamented. Plop. At that moment, Li Rushan sat down on the ground with an expression that showed he had narrowly escaped death. "That thing, it had to be at least level six or seven, right? With such momentum, being bombarded by our Radiation Hand Grenades for so long and still so fierce¡­¡± His face was pale. He hadn¡¯t entered the building just now, but had stood at the doorway, gripping several Vortex Talisman Plates, ready to rush out and provide support at any moment. Fortunately, Yu Hong hadn¡¯t left any loose ends. He made a direct blast and took down the incoming high-risk Black Disaster. "It must have been a level eight Speed Man¡­¡± Yu Hong now felt his leg had recovered. Glancing at his right leg, where the reinforced suit had burst open and was thoroughly damaged, he knew it was due for repairs. It was just the right time. The current reinforced suit was barely keeping up with the strength he required, so it was essential to enhance it. New symbols could be added during the repair to imbue new functions. "Level eight?!¡± Li Rushan exclaimed with an exaggerated expression, giving two thumbs up, his grin growing uncontrollably wide. One by one, the wooden cottages opened up. Old Zhou, sweating profusely, hurried over to Yu Hong, accompanied by Doctor Xu. The two quickly checked Yu Hong for injuries, finally letting out a sigh of relief when they confirmed he was unharmed. Together, they surveyed the mess in the campsite, recalling the surreal scene of the recent siege. For a moment, they were at a loss for words, as if waking from a dream, unable to distinguish reality from illusion. ¡°¡­¡± Yu Hong walked over to where the Black Disaster woman had disappeared and looked down to inspect the spot. Finally, he spotted a black bone on the ground, shiny like a piece of jade. He bent down to pick it up and examined it. The bone was as long as an adult¡¯s index finger, smooth, cold, and delicate to the touch. It was also roughly the same thickness, slightly finer, and it wasn¡¯t perfectly straight, possessing a subtle wave-like curve. "Boss¡­¡± Zhou Xueguang¡¯s voice came from behind. Yu Hong turned around to face him. "What is it? It should be safe now, go and rest,¡± he said. Old Zhou opened his mouth, his lips trembling slightly¡ªhe too was frightened by what had just transpired. The Black Disaster had breached the heart of the camp, and the fragile wooden houses were no match for an attack of such magnitude. They had been a hair¡¯s breadth from death. And yet, at the very last moment, Yu Hong had burst forth and literally kicked the Black Disaster woman to pieces. The dramatic turnaround, dancing on the line of death, involuntarily reminded him of life on the front lines. "If there¡¯s anything I can do to help, just say the word!¡± Old Zhou said earnestly. "Go, do your own thing. That¡¯s the best help you could give me,¡± Yu Hong replied. Now was not the time, but once things were more stable, he planned to use the Black Mark to strengthen some equipment and weapons that he could control and distribute to others to fight off the Black Disasters. But it was too soon to talk about that. Although he had just managed to defeat that high-risk Black Disaster, its incredible resilience and the ability to control Shadow Elephant Worms made him feel even more urgency. After all, there wasn¡¯t just one high-risk Black Disaster¡­ "Everyone go back to rest,¡± he called out loudly, ¡°I have equipment monitoring the security outside. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Everyone nodded in agreement and went back to their respective houses. As the doors closed one after another, calm returned to the camp. Only in the mists outside, patrolling black lizards began to maintain post-battle security. Inside the wooden shelter. Ding Shao hugged her knees, leaning back against the wooden panel, recalling the sight of Yu Hong kicking the Black Disaster to pieces. It was a display of terrifying power, even more extreme than that of people with full body enhancements. Although the destructive force hadn¡¯t been shown against other things, the wave of air and the strange laugh he had produced as he kicked were something she had never seen in any other enhanced person. This indicated that Yu Hong¡¯s strength and speed were far beyond those of other fully enhanced people. Coupled with the various technological weapons against Black Disasters he had just shown, it was clear that this camp was much more complex than they had previously thought. Ding Shao hung her head low and suddenly understood why Yu Hong wasn¡¯t worried about her leaving with the belongings. Such a camp, if missed, would never be encountered again. Cough cough¡­ Beside her, Yao Feiling let out a cough. Her injuries were worse than Ding Shao¡¯s, and the grenade had been closer to her own body. The extensive burns and Ding Shao¡¯s internal injuries from being thrown by the explosion were not at the same level. "Sister¡­¡± she suddenly called out. "I¡¯m not your sister,¡± Ding Shao replied calmly. ¡°¡­..¡± Yao Feiling fell silent. The shed became gradually quiet for a time as both of them stopped talking. That night, nobody slept well. Despite Yu Hong¡¯s assurances, everyone was still worried about a possible Shadow Black Bug attack from the outside. Even Yu Hong, in silence, practiced his Inner Qi Thunderbolt Leg Technique alone in the basement all night, staying vigilant. The next morning. His Inner Qi was fully restored, and he had successfully condensed the fifth thread of Inner Qi. Every layer of the Thunderbolt Leg Technique mastered granted a slight whole-body strengthening. And when all six layers were perfected, one would achieve a powerful move called the Thunderbolt Transformation. According to the secret texts, its might was formidable, capable of greatly enhancing the strength and speed of one¡¯s legs in a moment. Furthermore, the enhanced and combined Thunderbolt Leg Technique, in the state of Thunderbolt Transformation, definitely possessed an extremely potent radiation lethality. Initially, Yu Hong felt no urgency since the camp had become self-sufficient and safer, but the perilous Black Disaster attacks and the sudden pale arms reaching out from the communicator had kindled within him a desire for even stronger security. Now the camp had only the Black Wind Protection Array left as its trump card;the luminous stone array that had served as their protection had already been expended. The Radiation Hand Grenades were now used up, and only a little bit of the Vortex Talisman Plate remained. If they were to face another high-risk Black Disaster attack now¡­ the consequences were unimaginable. So, it wasn¡¯t until the next morning, when daylight came, his Inner Qi fully replenished, the Black Wind Protection Array recharged itself, and Hong had fashioned over a dozen more Radiation Hand Grenades, That Yu Hong finally felt somewhat secure. Fortunately, it seemed like the battle the previous night had drained a significant amount of Shadows in the vicinity, and on the second, third, and fourth days, No Shadows approached the camp. The occasional Black Bug Blood Tide that appeared did not have any elephant worms amongst them, and there were only Big Skins passing by, halted by the lights and the Black Wind Protection Array, daring not to enter. Such a situation allowed everyone in the camp to breathe a sigh of relief. They began helping Yu Hong in digging up stones on the side beneath his cave. But contrary to what Yu Hong had in mind, Li Rushan and Zhou Xueguang proposed a new idea: to build a small stone castle in the center of the camp. This, compared to a cave linked to the mountain, had a better location for the stone castle, which could be expanded later and connected to where Yu Hong was. As for how to connect them, all they needed was to construct a stone corridor and link the doors on both ends. But Yu Hong pointed out that the ground could not be dug deep due to the Shadow Black Bugs lurking underneath. And the equipment (Array) he had installed underground would definitely affect the stability of the stone castle. These problems were all taken up by Old Li in one go. He surprisingly knew architecture and, upon receiving Yu Hong¡¯s permission, began drawing up the design plans himself. Just like that, another week passed. Cough cough cough¡­ Early in the morning, the precious sunlight pierced through the mist and shone down from the woodland sky above. Yu Hong opened the door and immediately heard a fit of violent coughing from a distance. Frowning, he followed the sound, stepped out of the inner yard, and quickly arrived in front of the outer yard¡¯s shed. Inside the shed, Ding Shao was kneeling beside Yao Feiling, looking at her once-close friend with a complex expression. Ever since that night when Yu Hong displayed terrifying strength and literally shattered the woman in white, Yao Feiling became as if she had lost her soul, simply staring blankly into the sky. In the following days, her mental condition deteriorated further, and she began to cough incessantly. Until today, when Ding Shao couldn¡¯t resist and still went over to assist Doctor Xu in checking on her. After examining, Doctor Xu merely shook his head, said nothing, sighed, and then stood up and left. Leaving Ding Shao alone, watching the dazed Yao Feiling. "I really wish¡­ I really wish all of this¡­ was just a dream¡­¡± Yao Feiling didn¡¯t look at the approaching Yu Hong but kept her gaze fixated above. "I wish¡­ I was still in Baihe¡­ Daddy¡­ would give me a lot of, pocket money¡­ Mommy would make me¡­ my favorite, crab yellow tofu¡­¡± She murmured softly, her lips turning white, her complexion turning blue. "All of this, it¡¯s just a dream¡­ I didn¡¯t betray you¡­ as long as I wake up¡­ wake up, sister¡­ you¡¯ll still be, my sister¡­¡± She stretched out her hand with difficulty, reaching for Ding Shao¡¯s hand. Ding Shao recoiled a bit but couldn¡¯t bear it and gently reached forward, touching her fingertips. "Sister¡­ I¡¯m just¡­ dreaming¡­¡± Yao Feiling¡¯s voice gradually weakened and, before long, went completely silent. However, her hand still clung tightly to Ding Shao¡¯s, not letting go. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°¡­.¡± Yu Hong silently watched the two of them, saying nothing. After a while, he turned around and headed back towards the cave. Yao shouldn¡¯t have died;she simply lost the courage to keep living, facing an increasingly hopeless world, facing a reality she didn¡¯t want to confront. Putting those thoughts aside, Yu Hong quickened his pace. The new stone castle still needed his strength as well;without him, based on Old Li and their progress, the efficiency of chiseling stones would be more than ten times worse. Compared to him, with his enduring Inner Qi, what he least lacked was stamina. Chapter 159: Pollution ¡°`html Clang, clang, clang. The constant sound of knocking echoed throughout the camp, adding a touch of human activity to the otherwise silent forest. These days, it seemed the high-risk Black Disaster was repelled;the concentration of Red Value in the surrounding air environment had also dropped a bit, and there were far fewer shadows. It seemed the Red Value concentration alone couldn¡¯t support the revival of so many Black Disasters at once. Peace and tranquility descended upon the Black Wind Camp. Yu Hong carved out large, square blocks over a meter in length and width from the mountain wall, moving away from the edge of his cave. These stone blocks were about fifteen centimeters thick, not very regular or even, weighing about half a ton each. But to Yu Hong, they were like ordinary small stones. He grabbed two at once and stacked them all in the center of the camp. To avoid the underground array structure, Old Zhou and Old Li had already dug the foundation in advance, exposing the Black Wind Array below. The two were squatting by the edge of the large foundation pit, observing the Black Wind Array structure buried underground. In the pit of black soil, a silvery-gray network resembling plant roots was exposed. This network spread throughout the pit, sparse in some places and dense in others, as if it had naturally grown. Yet, the linear structure of the network was similar in material to metal or rock, clearly a man-made product. The two had been squatting there for a while, discussing after seeing the base of the Black Wind Protective Array. This artificial creation sparked their great interest. Seeing Yu Hong approaching, the two stood up. "Boss, the stone material for the stone castle is almost enough,¡± Li Rushan said, pointing to the large pile of over a hundred square stones stacked to one side. "Next, we need to grind and level the stones and use adhesives like cement or seam glue.¡± "I can¡¯t help with the adhesives,¡± Yu Hong shook his head. "Then we¡¯ll use dry masonry method,¡± Old Li nodded. ¡°The next phase is a big project, but we can¡¯t build too large a stone castle with dry masonry.¡± "No problem, we¡¯ll slowly improve it later,¡± Yu Hong nodded. Once confirmed, Li Rushan took Old Zhou, and the two started measuring data with their tools. Yu Hong wasn¡¯t skilled at this technical work, so he stood further away, looking toward the outer courtyard where Doctor Xu was playing on a swing with Nana. A few days ago, at his daughter¡¯s request, Old Li built a wooden frame in the yard, hung two ropes, tied a wooden plank, and made a super-simple swing. The whole thing took less than twenty minutes. This guy was really good with his hands. He worked quickly, even while injured. A cough¡­ cough¡­ Suddenly, a faint coughing sound could be heard. It was Doctor Xu. Yu Hong frowned, looking at Xu Ruoying, who was pushing Aisena on the swing. Her face looked pale. She covered her mouth with one hand, coughing repeatedly. "The weather is getting colder. We must increase warmth equipment, or we¡¯ll risk getting sick,¡± Ding Shao approached and said in a low voice. She buried Yao Feiling outside the perimeter of the secondary safety zone, under the largest, thickest old tree, carving a name into the trunk as a tombstone. After days of recovery, she could now slowly walk around the camp¡¯s outer courtyard. But because she wasn¡¯t a formal member, she still had to live in the wooden shed. Warmth equipment¡­ Yu Hong had already made preliminary arrangements. He said nothing, instead looking toward the inner camp. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. *He thought of utilizing the water cooled from the nuclear engine to encircle the camp with warmth and form a temperature regulation structure. However, the release of heat might induce other Black Disasters. Once the stone castle was initially built, coated with an insulating layer, and marked with Concealing Symbols, it should be fine.* Listening to Doctor Xu¡¯s coughing, his gaze shifted toward the second cave housing the breeding room. *Perhaps I could introduce the cooling water into the second cave first to ensure the temperature of the breeding boxes and then bury it underground in the inner camp to maintain a basic temperature.* Mushrooms and cockroach lizards required temperature maintenance;too cold, and their yields would plummet. After all, cockroaches and lizards weren¡¯t self-heating, warm-blooded creatures. With this plan in mind, Yu Hong reinforced the Radiation Hand Grenade supplementation over the past few days, and now the Black Mark could start a new strengthening task. Having settled his thoughts, he looked at Ding Shao. "How much longer do you need to recover?¡± "The medicine here is quite effective. I should be good in about a week,¡± Ding Shao replied honestly. Yu Hong looked at her abdomen with slight surprise. He hadn¡¯t held back when he kicked her. To think she only needed a few weeks to recover¡­ It was clear to Yu Hong that Ding Shao was quite a remarkable type even among those with enhancements. "Alright, I¡¯ll prepare what you need by then,¡± he said solemnly. Stammering Yiyi¡¯s appearance was recognizable enough. That wasn¡¯t an issue;the main concern was her current whereabouts. "Okay,¡± Ding Shao nodded. She knew staying in the camp for so long without conditions was already a grace period Yu Hong considered for her recovery. If she delayed any longer, she might indeed be kicked out. After arranging tasks, Yu Hong returned to the cave and closed the door. He placed his hand on the wall, closed his eyes. *Strengthen the cave safehouse, reinforce the cooling water pipes of the nuclear engine¡¯s outflow into a network of root structures;the direction is¡­* Yu Hong imagined in his mind the cooling water pipes bending, branching into finer tubes. The pipes extended downward, covering the cave walls and the adjacent second breeding cave and then the empty space in the inner courtyard underground. *Strengthen the cave safehouse?* came the inquiry from the Black Mark. Black lines shot out, and soon a dark red countdown appeared on the wall. *16:42.* The timing was acceptable. "Yes.¡± With the countdown started, Yu Hong entered into a cultivation of the Thunderbolt Leg state. Cough, cough, cough¡­ From outside the courtyard, a cough could be heard again, but this time it wasn¡¯t from Doctor Xu, it was from Old Zhou. Yu Hong¡¯s brows furrowed, a sense of urgency slowly creeping in. He glanced at the detector beside him, which showed the temperature: 3 degrees. *Once the temperature rises, things should be fine,* he thought to himself. Time slowly passed. The next morning. At the moment the Black Mark strengthening ended, At a depth of more than ten centimeters underground throughout the inner camp, the soil suddenly blurred for an instant. In the next moment, there appeared some thin black pipes. Each pipe was only as thick as a pinkie finger, evenly laid out under the inner courtyard. Hot water from the nuclear engine cooling system began flowing continuously through the new pipes, releasing a large amount of heat into the cave and the inner camp. Slowly, the temperature began to inch upwards. Yu Hong walked to the door and looked outside through the observation window. Before long, one of the workers, Old Li, who was working outside, was the first to feel the warmth, and Li Rushan¡¯s eyes lit up as if he realized something and quickly ran over. "Boss? It¡¯s getting warm outside?¡± His expression carried a hint of exploration and speculation. "Yes, it¡¯s my doing. I used engineering robots to work underground, laying some cooling water pipes to disperse the heat from the nuclear engine and keep everyone warm,¡± Yu Hong answered, nodding. "Engineering robots?!¡± Old Li¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Can we¡­?¡± "No, they have wear and tear. For what we can do ourselves, let¡¯s do it ourselves. Otherwise, once they¡¯re worn out and gone, we¡¯ll struggle when we need them later,¡± Yu Hong casually made up a reason. "Alright¡­¡± Old Li figured he was truly wise to stay with Yu Hong. Just listen, engineering robots! Such advanced technology! In his entire life, he had only heard about such high-tech gadgets in the news from Silver Tower. Old Li carried this news to others, immediately causing a cheer among everyone. The drop in temperature had been a major issue recently that everyone was very concerned about. It was so cold that people were increasingly reluctant to go out, staying in their houses, relying on windbreaks and blankets to keep warm. Now things were better;the camp was gradually warming up, and they didn¡¯t have to worry about getting chilled to the point of illness. They could move about freely again. This major issue was resolved, so there shouldn¡¯t be any problem for the time being. Yu Hong believed so, and Old Li did too. But¡­the second and third days, everyone in the camp, except Yu Hong himself, started to cough. "Something¡¯s not right!¡± Just after condensing the sixth strand of Inner Qi, Yu Hong didn¡¯t have time to celebrate before the sporadic coughing sounds furrowed his brow. He left the cave, walked along the ground of the inner courtyard, and felt the temperature of the camp was significantly higher. "Boss.¡± Li Rushan and Zhou Xueguang were discussing something under the lamppost. Seeing him come out, they quickly approached. "Boss, we might have trouble,¡± Li Rushan said gravely, unable to resist coughing a few more times after speaking. "Isn¡¯t it just a cold?¡± Yu Hong asked. "No, it¡¯s pure pharyngitis. Doctor Xu concluded it¡¯s likely an air issue,¡± Li Rushan replied. "Air¡­ Do we have an air purifier in the camp?¡± Yu Hong asked in a deep voice. Last time Old Li had brought back so many small appliances, he let them divide among themselves without further inquiry. "No, the crucial part is replacing the materials. Without the materials, just having a machine is useless, so I didn¡¯t take it,¡± Li Rushan somewhat regretted. "And we can¡¯t currently operate in an isolated space. Even with an air purifier, we can¡¯t say if it will filter out the source causing the coughing,¡± Zhou Xueguang added after coughing. ¡°¡­Old Li, speed up the construction of the stone castle. Once it¡¯s built, we can take shelter inside to filter the air. Assuming this cough is indeed caused by the air,¡± Yu Hong continued. He suddenly felt very tired. *This world¡­ Originally, it seemed like it was just the Black Disaster;as long as we kept growing stronger, we could hold back the Black Disaster and settle down. Now, it seems even the air is problematic¡­* *Layer upon layer¡­* *And he suddenly wondered what the future of humanity in this ever-desperate environmental change would be.* *Just surviving requires one to give their all.* "First, we need to determine what¡¯s in the air causing the cough. I¡¯ll conduct a test,¡± Yu Hong sighed. "Sigh¡­¡± Old Zhou sighed without saying anything further. "Doctor Xu used a breathing valve, and the coughing was significantly reduced after filtering the breath, so she confirmed there¡¯s something airborne in the air causing our coughing,¡± Li Rushan explained. "Then let¡¯s all use the breathing valve. I¡¯ll cross-check the rest and, once confirmed, we¡¯ll fast-track building the stone castle,¡± Yu Hong nodded. Chapter 160: Pollution 158 ¡°`html With the stone castle, a large isolation space could be created, and the external air, once filtered and replaced inside, would avoid the huge problems caused by air pollution. Yu Hong estimated that the main reason he hadn¡¯t been coughing was probably because he had been staying in the cave for a long time, and his physical condition was far superior to others. Time was of the essence;to solve the air monitoring problem, he needed to find some air detection devices first. They certainly weren¡¯t available in the camp. Just as well, he also planned to go out and test the specific radiation lethality of Inner Qi and see if the camp¡¯s array would fail again like the luminous grass once he left. Not wasting any more time, Yu Hong returned to the cave, put on his gear and weapons, and left the camp immediately without notifying Old Zhou and the others. He sped ahead, rushing toward the nearest town. The town had long been abandoned, with no living person in sight;everyone had migrated to the original Baihe City, but most of Baihe City¡¯s population also relocated, only to have the city overrun before they could fully evacuate. *He wondered how many of those who went to the town were still alive.* Yu Hong chose not to drive but to run on foot. His speed now was not slower than an average driving speed. Maintaining a steady pace of sixty to seventy kilometers per hour, he quickly made his way through the woods to the nearest highway lane. By then, he was already roughly a kilometer away from the camp. Thud. Yu Hong¡¯s boots made contact on the road surface as he glanced at the two jeeps parked by the roadside. A thin white frost had faintly formed on the surface of the vehicles. He walked up to them and wiped with his hand, instantly covering his glove in white powder. The powder soon melted under his body heat. Sigh. Yu Hong exhaled, his breath jetting out from the sides of his breathing valve. He looked at the road, determining the direction to the town. Then¡­ Thud. Suddenly, he put on a burst of speed and sprinted on the road surface. In the sound of his pounding footsteps, he quickly disappeared into the fog, rushing toward the direction away from the camp. Soon enough, as Yu Hong kept running, he suddenly felt the Black Mark on the back of his hand tremble. In his mind, the two marks connecting him to the camp severed abruptly, vanishing without a trace. The two marks respectively represented the Black Wind protective array and the Black Lizard Sentinel. *He wondered if the arrays and the Black Lizard on the other side would maintain their previous operations without these connections.* *Thankfully, they had just repelled the high-risk Black Disaster, and the camp¡¯s surroundings were relatively safe. They had the Concealing Symbol and the Pyroxene Secret Room effect to evade threats, so if they were cautious, it shouldn¡¯t be a big issue. All he needed to do was return quickly.* Having determined the impact of distance on the marks, Yu Hong quickly turned around and sped back toward the camp. This time, he accelerated, and it wasn¡¯t long before he was sprinting all the way back to the vicinity of the camp. He quickly briefed Old Zhou about the precautions after his departure. "Did anything change when I left the camp just now?¡± he asked. "Changes? Uh¡­ didn¡¯t notice, though two shadows appeared around, which weren¡¯t there before, but were driven off by the whirlpool talisman array in the camp¡¯s log cabin. Boss, you remember you made that whirlpool talisman array over the windows and doors there, right?¡± Li Rushan replied. "As long as there isn¡¯t an issue, that¡¯s fine. While I¡¯m away, try to stay inside the house, and we can talk when I return. Many devices in the camp require me to maintain their operation. Remember that,¡± Yu Hong understood. Clearly, it was because the bonded marks stopped functioning after he left, allowing shadows to start entering the camp. Previously, shadows couldn¡¯t even approach the secondary safe zone as they would be taken down by the Black Lizard. It was impossible for them to enter the inner courtyard of the camp. "Understood!¡± Old Li nodded, ¡°Boss, make it fast;Old Zhou¡¯s hand has almost healed enough to do some work. We¡¯ll start by looking for flat stones together. Cough, cough¡­¡± He coughed a bit more, with a slight phlegm sound in his voice. "Alright.¡± Yu Hong frowned, realizing the urgency. *Otherwise, who knows what problems air pollution might cause in the future.* "I can help, too.¡± Ding Shao came over, coughing softly twice. "Alright, follow Old Li¡¯s arrangements,¡± Yu Hong thought it shouldn¡¯t be a big issue for Old Li to handle Ding Shao. Moreover, since he didn¡¯t open the cave, it wouldn¡¯t matter if problems arose;he¡¯d correct them upon returning. "Be careful on your way.¡± With their reminders, he quickly turned and left the camp, venturing into layers upon layers of gray fog. This time, without hesitation, he controlled the Black Lizard accompanying him, running toward the town at its maximum speed of about sixty kilometers per hour. Thud, thud, thud. In the woods, his footsteps gradually faded until they completely disappeared into the mist, barely audible. * * * More than ten kilometers away from the Black Wind Camp. Inside a military multi-purpose troop carrier driving along the highway, the sound of incessant coughing filled the vehicle. Xue Ningning sat in the driver¡¯s seat, driving the vehicle along its path. The others were in the back seat, with Fang Shijun ready to take over driving while resting with his eyes closed. Chen Qiaosheng compared maps, occasionally giving directions. Without satellite navigation, someone had to monitor the map to ensure they stayed on course. Of course, the downside was the lack of navigation, but the upside was they could reverse on the highway without fearing accidents if they took a wrong turn. "Cough¡­ cough¡­¡± Ou Li sat in the middle of the vehicle, weaving new trousers from dry grass while glancing at Stammering Yiyi, who was dozing off. "Why is it that everyone¡¯s coughing except you?¡± she couldn¡¯t understand. Although reinforced people¡¯s bodies were better, even Captain Xue and Fang Shijun were coughing, progressing similarly to ordinary people. Everyone started with mild coughs, then severe ones, and now there¡¯s phlegm present in their voices. "I¡­ don¡¯t¡­ know¡­¡± Stammering Yiyi shook her head. "The air detectors indicated that particulate matter has increased significantly lately, so we need to get ready to use air purification machines and find a sealed safe house,¡± Xue Ningning said, enduring the irritation in her throat. "Then let¡¯s head to the nearest abandoned town;the air conditioning store there should have air purifiers,¡± Fang Shijun suggested. "I¡¯m fine¡­ you guys, go find the, machines. I¡¯ll go, check on, Yu Hong,¡± Stammering Yiyi said, brokenly. *She had always been worried about Yu Hong and intended to go back and check on him this time, to see how he was doing. If he wasn¡¯t doing well, she¡¯d take him along. If he was okay, she¡¯d feel at ease going to investigate the clues at Black Tree Village.* "It¡¯s too dangerous for you to go alone, cough, cough¡­ I¡¯ll come¡­ with you,¡± Chen Xinji, one of the only two males in the group, offered. "I¡¯ll go too,¡± Chen Qiaosheng added. "You might as well stay back;going there might mean Yiyi would have to protect you,¡± Ou Li quipped sarcastically. ¡°I support Yiyi going to find that Yu Hong;the last time we handed in the reinforced detector, it was something Yu Hong modified. If we could get another from him, it would be a huge help in going to Black Tree Village.¡± They had all agreed to go with Yiyi to Black Tree Village to investigate the secret of her grandfather and father¡¯s disappearance. *Most importantly, An¡¯an had discovered that the first outbreak of Black Disaster in the country was at Black Tree Village.* "I¡¯ll go¡­ alone, it¡¯s fine,¡± Yiyi said softly. ¡°Actually, as long as I don¡¯t¡­ make a sound, I won¡¯t¡­ encounter any, danger.¡± At these words, everyone fell silent. A few days ago, they had witnessed Yiyi hiding in a corner. When she remained completely still, a shadow passed her by without attacking her. "In that case, Yiyi going alone does seem most appropriate;let¡¯s gather supplies and gear, cough, cough¡­ and prepare them for her,¡± Xue Ningning decided. ¡°She should make a quick trip back and forth.¡± "Alright!¡± Everyone agreed, knowing this was the best arrangement. "Once the vehicle reaches the spot closest to Baiqiu Village, Yiyi will get off,¡± Captain Xue stated firmly. ¡°We¡¯ll wait for you there in the vehicle.¡± "Alright!¡± Yiyi nodded strongly. * * * On the long, winding highway. Distorted cracks spread across the gray-white surface. The sky was dim. A hulking gray-black silhouette ran quickly along the road, stepping rhythmically with his boots against the ground. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Soon, the figure gradually slowed down and came to a stop. "That place¡­ is even darker¡­¡± Yu Hong looked at Huafeng City, which he had passed by before. The buildings, skyscrapers there were now completely covered in a layer of pitch-black slime. Strings of black, web-like slime connected the buildings to one another. The entire city lay in silence without human voices or monsters;even the fog seemed swallowed and absorbed, leaving the surrounding air exceptionally clear. Yu Hong continued forward, and soon arrived at the place where he had previously dealt with that fully transformed reinforced person. The traces of battle left by that guy were still there, the pits, cracks, and impact marks on the ground remained untouched. Sigh¡­ Yu Hong exhaled white mist from the sides of his breathing valve. He withdrew his gaze and rushed forward again. More than twenty minutes later. Abandoned residential buildings began appearing on both sides of the road, built by rural residents. The two or three-story small buildings stood isolated and dilapidated on the roadside, projecting eeriness and deathly silence. The overgrown weeds in fields on both sides were even more plentiful and taller than before. Yu Hong did not stop, glancing at the sky, he rushed forward faster. Soon, the buildings along the roadside became denser, leading him to a sloping street. Shops and small buildings stood silent on either side. After a while, he stopped next to a building, glancing at the entrance. The steps still bore some leftover firearms and weapons, along with two sets of women¡¯s empty clothes. *This was the spot where he encountered those robbers last time.* He continued forward and soon crossed a stone bridge. Then he suddenly halted. In front of him, gray mist covered the road, where dozens of bulletproof suits lay scattered. The suits, helmets, weapons, and waist packs were intact, sprawled on the ground like living beings. But¡­ Yu Hong kicked a nearby suit and the helmet rolled away, revealing an empty interior. Suddenly his eyes narrowed when he noticed a familiar suit and weapon¡­ He quickly moved closer and recognized the weapon. *It belonged to Langfeng¡¯s team.* Yu Hong crouched down, picking up the suit and shaking it. Inside he found a small brown wallet. Opening it, he saw a clear photograph of Langfeng and a red-haired girl. The rest were silver coins and a United Military officer identification card. Standing up, Yu Hong sighed. He could now confirm that Langfeng, who had supplied him with substantial resources last time, and his team had probably¡­ Chapter 161: Pollution ¡°`html After the nuclear energy motor incident and resolving the Black Crow, Captain Lang Feng gifted him a lot of intelligence and supplies, among which the food was synthesized into nutritional paste, enough to last for half a year¡­ Now¡­ Yu Hong searched again and quickly found the equipment set called ¡°Little Wind Assistant¡± next to Lang Feng. This made him certain that the personnel at this stronghold had been completely wiped out. With regret, he quickly packed up the leftover gear. Most of it was ordinary stuff, but among them were five sets that were top-of-the-line on the market. He stacked them all together, ready to take them back. Upon reaching this point, Yu Hong didn¡¯t continue further but decided to go back and aimlessly wander around the other streets. Soon, he found a shop that used to specialize in air purifiers. Above the blue shop, a white sign with a Cloud Sea pattern hung, featuring four deep blue printed characters in the middle: ¡°Cloud Sea Purification.¡± The shop was closed with a silver roller shutter. Yu Hong walked to the shop front and pried his fingers into the shutter. Plop. He poked a few holes in the shutter and pulled it upward. With a crash. Half of the shutter was pulled up all at once, revealing the interior of the shop. Rows of brand-new white desktop air conditioners and air purifiers were quietly placed in a square inside the shop. In the center was a square glass counter. Inside the counter, there was a cash register and a black leather computer chair. On the chair sat a person, a slim woman with black hair tied in a high ponytail, facing away from Yu Hong. She wore a blue uniform and was motionless, as if staring at the screen of the cash register. The screen was pitch black, showing nothing. "Hey?¡± Yu Hong quietly called out. Though the ponytail woman sat on the leather chair with her back to him, from behind, he could see that her neck¡¯s skin was that of a living person¡ªwhite, delicate, with a faint pink tint. The ponytail woman remained motionless as if she hadn¡¯t heard him. Yu Hong furrowed his brows, moved closer, and gently tapped on the glass counter. Knock, knock. The sound echoed in the shop. But still, the woman did not react. He glanced at the Red Value Detector embedded in the collar of his suit, which showed a red value of only thirty to forty, not much. *With the possibility of encountering a new Black Disaster, Yu Hong didn¡¯t speak further, instead pulling in his Inner Qi without releasing it. He quickly moved to the side of the ponytail woman to see her face.* *He needed to confirm if she was alive.* However, strangely, even though he circled halfway around her, the ponytail woman remained facing away from him. Still sitting on the leather chair, her back was completely turned to him, motionless. ¡°¡­..¡± Yu Hong squinted, pulling out a Radiation Hand Grenade and gently opening the pin. He tossed it forward. *When in doubt, throw a grenade first.* Buzz!! In an instant, the grenade exploded with invisible radiation light, covering an area of over ten meters around. The invisible radiation¡¯s negative value sent the detector¡¯s reading soaring to negative seven thousand. The air distorted slightly, but astonishingly, the ponytail woman remained unmoved, sitting there, unaffected by anything. Yu Hong immediately ignored her, his peripheral vision quickly locking onto a high-powered air purifier in the shop. This purifier resembled a large desktop air conditioner, with fan blades above and below for airflow, an LCD screen in the middle, and a small Cloud Sea icon on the top right corner with the words ¡°Cloud Sea¡± beside it. Other details included energy efficiency ratings and national quality supervision standards. Yu Hong wrapped his arm around this machine and started moving toward the shop exit. This 1.5-meter-tall desktop unit was enough to purify an area of two to three hundred square meters. With a little Black Mark enhancement, it was more than adequate. He had just turned, machine in hand, to walk out. Suddenly, he stopped, standing still. The ponytail woman was now somehow blocking the shop¡¯s exit. She was still on the black leather chair, facing away from Yu Hong, motionless, as if gazing outside. ¡°¡­..¡± Yu Hong squinted and glanced at her previous position. The place was empty. He stood for a while, ensuring she made no further moves, then simply ignored her and swiftly carried the machine out from one side of the shop. Plop! As he stepped out of the shop, a wave of dizziness hit Yu Hong, accompanied by an indescribably intense discomfort flooding from his abdomen, engulfing his entire body. *He suddenly felt his strength rapidly draining. His limbs became weak and limp, and the machine in his hands felt heavier.* *It was as if he had stayed awake for several days, unbearably sleepy, exhausted, wanting to fall asleep.* *Everything in his vision started to sway, tilting left and right.* The previously clear scene rapidly blurred. Buzz!!! In an instant, a surge of Inner Qi exploded within him, filling his legs. The intense burst of Inner Qi replenished his dwindling energy, causing it to leap upward immensely. Catching this burst. Yu Hong pushed off strongly with his legs, rocketing out of the shop with the machine, leaping over ten meters in an instant. Bang!! His shin struck a toppled electric scooter by the roadside. The sound snapped him out of that wretched state. Hiss!!! S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He took a deep breath, realizing something was wrong. The second wave of Inner Qi burst again. The explosive fury accelerated the blood flow in his legs, causing his muscles to swell and tense. Plop!! Another muffled sound, and in a blink, he surged forward another ten meters, further away from the Cloud Sea Purification shop. This time, as the distance widened, Yu Hong¡¯s mind quickly cleared. His vision sharpened, and the weakness in his body began to return to normal. The discomfort surging from his abdomen lingered but was much better than before. *¡¯What the hell is that thing!!¡¯* Yu Hong felt a chill in his heart, refraining from turning back, and instead pulled out another Radiation Hand Grenade with a backward motion. Buzz!!! The grenade exploded in his arms, releasing a wave of invisible negative value radiation. BEEP!! This time, Yu Hong¡¯s ears heard a sharp alarm. At that moment, he realized the Red Value Detector on his collar was blaring the alarm. The displayed value read: 2441.523. *Not a negative value! It¡¯s a positive Red Value!!* *¡¯Even after detonating a Radiation Grenade, it¡¯s still over two thousand!!¡¯* Yu Hong decisively pulled out two more grenades and pulled the pins. Buzz!!! Two Radiation Hand Grenades exploded simultaneously, and the invisible negative value radiation finally forced the detector down to negative a hundred and something. *Just barely over negative a hundred!! Moreover, it only just dipped before some invisible force yanked it upward, as if a powerful radiation source nearby constantly counteracted the Radiation Grenades.* *¡¯So over the top!?¡¯* A sense of dread filled Yu Hong as he accelerated, machine in hand, sprinting madly into the distance without looking back, pulling two more Radiation Hand Grenades with one hand and detonating them in his arms. Buzz buzz! The invisible negative value radiation burst. After sprinting another two hundred meters. The eerie force that had lingered around finally began to disappear. The detector also returned to normal, with readings stabilizing at around thirty to forty. Whew¡­. Yu Hong exhaled deeply. He then paused in the middle of the street, turning to look in the direction he had come from. From a distance, at the entrance of the Cloud Sea Purification shop, the ponytail woman sitting on the black leather chair still had her back to him, sitting quietly at the entrance, completely still. *Although she was turned away from Yu Hong, he clearly felt that she was watching him¡­.* *¡¯¡­Is this yet another new Black Disaster? Compared to the blatant face-to-face assault of the Speed Man, this was a sudden sneak attack¡­.¡¯* *He couldn¡¯t quite understand what just happened, whether it was an Illusion or if he had truly seen that ponytail woman.* *She possessed an exceptionally strong ability to manipulate senses.* *If it weren¡¯t for the explosive surge of Inner Qi, he wouldn¡¯t have even made it out of the shop¡¯s door.* *¡¯This is another high-risk Black Disaster. Let¡¯s tentatively call it¡­ Back-Watcher.¡¯* Yu Hong silently noted it down in his heart. By Red Value categorization, this entity¡¯s danger level was at least Level Five. Moreover, it couldn¡¯t be initially detected by the Red Value, and its method of sneaky attacks was elusive, making it particularly troublesome. Now he understood why Lang Feng and his team were completely wiped out here¡­ With a Black Disaster of this caliber appearing, this town was indeed no longer as safe as before¡­ He marked this town as high-risk in his mind, choosing not to attempt to expel or eliminate this Back-Watcher, but instead turned and carried the machine, quickly returning along the path away from the town. He began to sprint, ensuring he returned to the camp before the Blood Tide broke out. Sprinting all the way. As the sky gradually became completely dark. Despite Yu Hong¡¯s efforts to make haste, halfway along the road, he encountered the Blood Tide. He wrapped himself entirely in the luminous stone blanket he carried, then crouched on the slope by the roadside, quietly observing countless black insects pouring like a tide over the road below. One after another, Big Skin insects, swaying in the Black Tide, floated downstream, with no clear destination. Yu Hong crouched on the slope, quietly observing the Black Tide below. The moonlight illuminated the mist and reflected a faint glow from the Black Tide. This river, shimmering with Black Light, seemed endless, gushing from one side into the mist, flowing into the other side. Yu Hong quietly waited, using this time to rest and adjust his body. After waiting for more than three hours, gradually, the number of black insects in the Black Tide began to decrease, and the density thinned. He exhaled and glanced at the sky. Deciding to travel under the night. After all, being away from the camp for long without the Black Lizard and Black Wind Protection Array would pose significant danger. Jumping off the slope, Yu Hong filled his legs with Inner Qi, stepping toward the camp. His body leaped forward, zooming over ten meters, lightly jumping to avoid all the black insects on the road. By this time, the density of the black insects had significantly decreased, leaving enough gaps to move through. * * * The Black Wind Camp, secondary safe zone. A petite figure, draped in a luminous stone blanket, slowly approached the previously safe area. A swarm of black insects continuously passed by the figure yet didn¡¯t attack or bite. The figure lifted her head, gazing somewhat bewildered at the vast camp before her. The place had expanded enormously compared to when she left. She hadn¡¯t seen wooden fences here before, And the number of shadows nearby had become alarmingly sparse. As she drew closer, they became even fewer. The figure, wrapped in the luminous stone blanket, continued to walk forward, observing everything carefully under the moonlight. Before long, she reached the outer fence of the camp. Chapter 162: Pollution 4 ¡°`html The black insects were still crawling around here, but their numbers were much less than on the outskirts. It was only here that the silhouette cautiously lifted the luminous stone blanket, revealing a small, dirty face. Lin Yiyi moved her lame leg around. The lump on her back had become tight and prickly due to the long journey, but she had long since gotten used to that. Compared to these burdens, she was more curious about Yu Hong¡¯s camp. Even through the fence, she could see there was another circle of stone walls inside. The walls weren¡¯t high;with her height, she could barely see the scenery inside. Three small wooden cabins surrounded a wooden pole with an electric lamp hanging from it. The bright white light radiated from the top of the pole, offering a faint sense of safety and warmth. Even though she knew that this bit of light couldn¡¯t really provide warmth, the warmth in her heart surged uncontrollably. The light was also a key reason for suppressing the number of black insects nearby. Stammering Yiyi continued forward, flipped over the fence, entered the outer courtyard, and slowly walked toward the inner courtyard. She didn¡¯t disturb anyone, just stopped at the side of the inner courtyard wall without going further. Here, she could already hear the voices of the camp members inside the cabins. An old man was teaching a little girl how to pronounce words. Doctor Xu was gently stroking her belly, singing softly and tenderly, Rushan was boasting to a young woman about the feats of his boss in the past. From his words, Stammering Yiyi learned that Yu Hong was the boss. Standing by the courtyard wall, she bathed in the light, standing there for a good while. Her purpose in coming back this trip was actually already achieved, and that was to confirm that Yu Hong was okay¡­ as long as he was okay. Stammering Yiyi knew that in such a desperate environment, trying to persistently investigate and find out the whereabouts of her father and grandfather, investigating the truth about her mother¡¯s death, and finding the murderer, would be extremely dangerous. So from the start, she only planned to quietly check the situation from outside. If Yu Hong was in great danger, she would take him away. If he was safe¡­ she would quietly leave on her own. Searching for clues about her relatives was her own business;she didn¡¯t want to involve Yu Hong. She wouldn¡¯t think about more complicated ideas. In fact, she couldn¡¯t think of them. She only had one simple thought, and that was¡­ not to implicate Yu Hong. Just a look, then leave. This simple idea supported Stammering Yiyi as she stood by the courtyard wall for a good while. Unfortunately¡­ she heard voices from inside the cabin saying that Yu Hong had gone out and hadn¡¯t returned yet¡­ "Went out?¡± Stammering Yiyi thought to herself, She took one last look at the camp, glanced at the bright white light, and turned around with a hint of a blessing, slowly leaving in the direction she came from. She couldn¡¯t let her teammates wait long;she needed to hurry back, as staying in one place for too long was inherently dangerous. Especially since they didn¡¯t know much about the Black Disaster situation nearby and couldn¡¯t immediately and accurately find the gaps in the Black Disaster based on the Red Value concentration. * * * In the darkness of the night. Yu Hong sprinted along the highway, and the black insects on the road became fewer and fewer. Before long, he saw the burnt and charred bus again. *Almost there.* He sighed with relief in his heart. No matter what, the outside world never gave him the same sense of security his camp did. Passing the bus, he ran forward a bit more and then saw the remaining two jeeps. Then, making a turn to the side, he immediately followed a small slanted path he had cleared earlier, veering into the woodland. In the dim forest, there were more insects than outside, but upon reaching here, Yu Hong relaxed because at this distance, the Black Wind Protection Array was already able to connect, starting up, and the black lizards were also moving into action. They all seemed to have entered dormancy earlier, pausing all work. Following the forest mountain path, Yu Hong returned all the way when suddenly, he halted his steps. A black lizard gave a warning reminder;it had discovered that some non-black insect individual was moving rapidly in the nearby woods. The direction of the movement was moving away from the camp. *At this hour¡­ could something really dare to move within the Black Tide??* He felt a tinge of curiosity but didn¡¯t intend to interfere much. As long as this thing didn¡¯t affect the camp or attack him, with so many variants of Black Disaster, he couldn¡¯t possibly test and investigate each one. After all, the supplies and equipment were limited. Watching the shadow grow further away in the black lizard¡¯s black-and-white vision, Yu Hong accelerated, quickly heading back toward the camp. He really wanted to go back to take a hot shower, have a hearty meal, and relax with a good sleep. Compared to the camp cave, it was extremely mentally exhausting to have to remain on high alert outside constantly. *Wait!* Suddenly, Yu Hong stopped. *That figure just now¡­* He recalled the shape of the silhouette that the black lizard saw. The person seemed to run with a limp and appeared to be covered with a blanket, likely a luminous stone blanket. A familiar feeling surged in his heart;the figure made him subconsciously think of someone. *Is it the trickery of the shadow? Or is it¡­.* He narrowed his eyes slightly. But then he thought, shadows always moved forward;there had never been a time where a shadow would use deception and then run away. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Yu Hong decisively turned around and rushed toward the direction the black lizard indicated. "No matter what, I must go have a look.¡± The familiar figure suggested it might not be a shadow¡¯s trick, not with their style of never showing the face. So it¡¯s likely a living person, and if it¡¯s a living person¡­ A guess flashed through his mind, and Yu Hong hurried along the direction the figure disappeared into, guided by the black lizard¡¯s perspective. Strangely, though, within just a few minutes of pursuing, he lost track of the individual. That person seemed to vanish all of a sudden, as if sensing the black lizard tracking them, disappearing quickly into the woodland mist. Splat. Yu Hong stopped beneath the big tree that person had just passed and crouched down to gently touch the small footprints left behind on the ground. He lost the trail. He stood up and, for the first time, felt that perhaps he should learn some tracking skills. All along, he¡¯d been relying on his physical speed, thinking he could solve any problem that way, but reality had taught him a lesson. Checking the black lizard¡¯s vision on the spot, there really were no traces of that person anymore. Neither he nor the black lizard could find that person¡¯s tracks. With disappointment, Yu Hong had to return to the camp. "Yu, Hong!!¡± He had just turned around when suddenly a familiar voice called from behind him. Yu Hong spun around, looking into the depths of the mist. There, a small figure wrapped in a luminous stone blanket stood quietly on the fallen leaves, looking up at him. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "You¡­.!?¡± Yu Hong subconsciously took a few steps forward, immediately pulling a Radiation Hand Grenade from his pocket. Buzz! The invisible negative-value radiation exploded, covering a ten-meter area around them. In an instant, large areas of black insects dissolved and disappeared, the negative value in the environment dropping to over seven thousand, then slowly rising. Centered around them, a temporary circular vacuum area formed. "Yiyi?!¡± Yu Hong stepped closer and finally saw clearly, under the moonlight, the pair of black eyes clear as gems. "I¡­ thought it was someone else chasing me!¡± Stammering Yiyi wiped the sweat off her forehead and said helplessly. "You are really Yiyi??¡± Yu Hong became slightly excited, stepping forward and placing his hands on her shoulders. Then. Splat. He lifted her high, turning her this way and that in the moonlight, examining her closely. "This lump, this face, it really is you! Not an illusion.¡± A smile unconsciously spread across his face beneath the helmet. "Seeing you safe is good enough.¡± Lin Yiyi flailed and tried to get down, but was surprised to find that her strength seemed a bit less than Yu Hong¡¯s??? What was going on?? How long had it been? What had happened to Yu Hong¡¯s body?? What had he been eating?? Could it be that he too had undergone full-body enhancement?? Lin Yiyi was a bit dazed. Being turned and examined thoroughly made her temporarily forget to speak. "Looks like you still have all your limbs.¡± After checking her over, Yu Hong nodded and smiled. ¡°I was planning to hire people to find you, but you came back on your own. It¡¯s perfect. Now that you¡¯re back, don¡¯t leave. I¡¯ve got everything set up nicely here¡ªwater, electricity;we¡¯re never in want of food. We can live very safely.¡± "I need to¡­ find my family.¡± Lin Yiyi struggled free and jumped down, speaking seriously. ¡°I need to find my father¡­ my grandfather! And, the one who murdered my mom!¡± She stressed earnestly, particularly enunciating the last two words forcefully. ¡°¡­.¡± Yu Hong¡¯s smile froze on his face. He was silent for a moment. "Where will you search? How can you search alone in such a dangerous place? Come back to the camp. We can hire people to investigate outside. If we find more people, it¡¯ll be much faster than you going alone.¡± The outside was increasingly dangerous, and he didn¡¯t want his best friend to take that risk. "I¡¯m working on research now, creating a lot of good things. We can use those to trade with people, hiring many people to investigate.¡± He urged her. ¡°¡­. This is my affair!¡± Lin Yiyi said seriously and loudly. "My affair!¡± She raised her head to look at Yu Hong. "I want to! Find my dad! Grandpa! Mom!¡± "Yiyi¡­¡± Yu Hong spoke again. "I¡¯m not afraid!¡± Lin Yiyi repeated. ¡°If you want to help me, then¡­ don¡¯t try to dissuade me!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Yu Hong fell silent. He recognized her determination. He had seen it when she saved him alone¡ªthat she was someone who, once determined, would see it through. Wasn¡¯t that why she¡¯d saved him back then, because of this very character? "If you stay, I might come up with a cure for your ailments.¡± he said softly. "I want to go!¡± Lin Yiyi stubbornly replied. ¡°If I don¡¯t go now, it might be too late! The air¡­ is getting worse.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Yu Hong was left without a word. He finally understood how Doctor Xu felt back then. Knowing full well the danger her actions would bring upon herself, but no matter how he tried to persuade, she wouldn¡¯t listen. Doctor Xu¡¯s approach at the time was to support Yu, albeit reluctantly. And now¡­. He reached out, removing the Radiation Hand Grenades from his body, handing them over all at once. "Alright, I won¡¯t persuade you, but I have these small things. I hope you can take them before you go, as they might be of some good help.¡± "Also¡­ my place is relatively safe. If you need any supplies, you can come to this camp to resupply. Say what you will, if you encounter danger, I can help you resist most of it here.¡± "Will that work?¡± he asked in a low tone. Chapter 163: Bad Situation One ¡°`html More than ten minutes later. Late night. Yu Hong stood outside the campsite, watching Lin Yiyi gradually disappear into the distance. There was an indescribable expression on his face beneath his helmet. Most of the radiation hand grenades, vortex talisman plates, and two detectors, along with a pile of newly collected bulletproof gear, were all given to Stammering Yiyi. Additionally, to ensure her safety, Yu Hong also handed over his fortified sunshine paint, which he had originally prepared for his vehicle. Compared to himself in the campsite, Stammering Yiyi, who was going out to search for her family, needed this more. He could go back and fetch more later to enhance his supplies. But if the sunshine paint improved Stammering Yiyi¡¯s concealment abilities, it might save her life at a critical moment. This item was merely a luxury for Yu Hong, but for Stammering Yiyi, it could be a lifesaver. Watching as Stammering Yiyi¡¯s figure disappeared into the mist with her large and small bags, Yu Hong turned around and headed into the inner courtyard of the campsite. Li Rushan and the others had come out and were inside the courtyard wall, seeing her off. They had helped carry a lot of the items just now. "Going out at a time like this, isn¡¯t it just courting death?¡± Old Li sighed helplessly. He had arrived later and wasn¡¯t as familiar with Stammering Yiyi. "There are always people who value certain things more than their own lives,¡± Zhou Xueguang said quietly, looking melancholy as if he were reminded of something. "By the way, the luminous stone in the camp is running low. Are you going to get it this time, or should I?¡± Li Rushan asked. The last batch was partially dug out by Ding Shao and another person, but they didn¡¯t mine much. Additionally, facing the Level Eight Black Disaster speed man earlier consumed a significant amount of radiation hand grenades. Even if Yu Hong had the black mark, he had to make enhancements based on large pyroxene stone graphite powder. The foundation of large pyroxene stone graphite powder was enhanced from ordinary luminous stone powder. Therefore, the quantity of luminous stones determined the safety of the campsite. According to Zhou Xueguang¡¯s set standard, this quantity must be maintained above a certain level to prepare for potential situations where they couldn¡¯t venture out. "I¡¯ll go,¡± Zhou Xueguang said as he moved his arms, feeling mostly recovered. With good food, good sleep, no worries, and ample nutrition, his injuries naturally healed quickly. He glanced at Yu Hong but didn¡¯t disturb him. Instead, he fetched his tools and gathered his set of safety equipment and weapons, preparing to leave at dawn the next morning. Doctor Xu stood in the empty space of the inner courtyard, holding her stomach, and gazed in the direction Stammering Yiyi had left, seeming lost in thought. She had just prepared quite a bit of homemade medicinal powder for Stammering Yiyi. Now, with sunshine becoming scarce, producing the powder became increasingly difficult. Barring that the main ingredient for the anti-diarrhea medicine was soil, the raw materials for anti-inflammatory medicine required herbs. But now¡­ "Go back and rest. She¡¯ll be okay,¡± Yu Hong said softly as he passed by her. "Mm¡­ I hope she can come back in time to see my child¡­¡± Doctor Xu said gently. ¡°They might become good friends¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Yu Hong didn¡¯t say anything, turning to walk through the inner courtyard into the cave. Bang. The door closed. He took out the large pyroxene stone graphite powder again and began processing new radiation hand grenades. The air purifier was set in one corner. Besides that, all the gains from the outing were given to Stammering Yiyi. She didn¡¯t want them, but he had forced them upon her. *Despite this, every time he thought about the Level Eight Black Disaster speed man they had just fought against, heavy concern welled up in his heart.* *Even they had fought so hard against it. What would happen if Stammering Yiyi¡¯s team encountered such a thing? Would they even have a chance at survival?* *Could ordinary folks really survive if they came across one of these?* He sighed and focused on crafting a new radiation hand grenade, clearing his mind of distractions, and concentrated on his training. *Time flowed on relentlessly.* An entire night passed by in the blink of an eye. The next morning, after breakfast, Yu Hong discovered that there was little nutritional paste left in the basement. Thump thump. In the basement, he patted the container holding the nutritional paste and estimated there were about twenty-five tubes left inside. *¡±Five people in the camp, and I need to consume two tubes a day to be satisfied. That means six tubes a day, and there are only four days¡¯ worth left¡­.¡±* Yu Hong closed the lid of the nutritional paste with a blank expression. Initially, he could have managed for a bit longer, but he had given some of the nutritional paste to Stammering Yiyi yesterday, leaving him with only these. He wasn¡¯t overly concerned and walked to the side to look at another box. Inside, dried mushrooms, dried cockroaches, dried lizards, and some wild grass roots were sorted and sealed inside plastic bags. These were the foodstuffs he had instructed Old Zhou to collect and process. The stock here was roughly enough to sustain six people for a month. Reaching out, he separated some to keep as backup and placed his hand on the surface of the plastic bags, silently chanting in his heart. *¡±Fortify the nutritional paste, direction: increase calories, enhance human absorption rate, transform into a long-preserving strategic food.¡±* Based on his past experience, as long as he envisioned what something should become, enhancing it would forcibly guide it in that direction. So, all he needed was the desire for nutritional paste, and these items before him could be fortified into nutritional paste. Soon, a black line suddenly shot from the back of his hand into the food in the plastic bags. A mechanical voice from the black mark inquired, and Yu Hong affirmatively responded before letting go, watching the countdown appear: 7 days, 2 hours, 17 minutes. *¡±Not bad.¡±* He could wait seven days. It just so happened that building the stone castle would also take time. After confirming the countdown, Yu Hong headed up a level to get some dirty clothes to scrub, as there was no washing machine or detergent of any kind. He could only use hot water to wash them by hand, so it was hard to get rid of the stench of sweat. But thankfully, with the hot water system completed, the air in the cave became quite dry, letting the clothes dry quickly when hung up. In ten minutes, he rapidly scrubbed his clothes and took care of his personal hygiene issues. He was just about to start training when the wooden door of the cave was knocked heavily. Knock knock knock knock. "Boss, something¡¯s happened!¡± It was Old Zhou¡¯s voice. Yu Hong furrowed his brow, quickened his steps, and opened the door. "What¡¯s the matter?¡± Outside the door, Zhou Xueguang was panting heavily, his forehead covered in sweat, lips pale, and even trembling slightly. His eyes were filled with terror, his muscles taut like steel wires about to snap. "It¡¯s the mine! The pyroxene mine!¡± Zhou Xueguang shouted, ¡°Boss, the mine is depleted!¡± No more mines!? Yu Hong¡¯s eyes narrowed. The foundation of him establishing the camp here mainly rested on the nearby pyroxene mine, where they could mine and produce large pyroxene stone graphite powder any time. Currently, all the defensive weapons in the camp came from large pyroxene powder. But now, Zhou Xueguang was telling him that the pyroxene mine was depleted!? Yu Hong looked to the others in the courtyard. Li Rushan had a grave expression, speaking quietly with his daughter, Aisena, and he was already equipped for going out. Doctor Xu stood dumbfounded by the inner courtyard wall, looking off into the distance, with Ding Shao beside her, speaking softly. Usually, Doctor Xu¡¯s mental state was far better than Ding Shao¡¯s, so most of the time, she was the one consoling Ding. But this time, the roles seemed reversed. Ding Shao was using a calm and composed demeanor to quietly comfort Doctor Xu. "Let¡¯s go check it out!¡± Yu Hong said grimly, quickly donning his weapons and equipment, and let Old Zhou lead the way to the pyroxene mine. He and Old Zhou jogged along, breaking up several lurking shadows, and soon they reached the entrance of the pyroxene mine. Standing before the mine entrance, Yu Hong looked into the familiar openings one by one. Before, when he entered, the edges of these openings would litter with some whitish pyroxene mine sand. But now¡­ He approached and squatted at the entrance, reaching out to grab a handful of fine sand. What was once white pyroxene sand had now completely turned black. With a gentle squeeze, the sand disintegrated and fell through his fingers. The expression beneath Yu Hong¡¯s helmet turned exceedingly dark. With one hand, he grabbed a radiation hand grenade and entered the mine. Originally, there were quite a few patches of less pure pyroxene on the walls of the cave, but now, these pyroxene deposits all turned black. Yu Hong continued forward, taking out his atomic lamp and illuminating the way deeper into the mine. But no matter how far they ventured in, they didn¡¯t see a single piece of pyroxene. The two quickly exited the mine and attempted to check several other mines, yielding the same results. No pyroxene, not even low-purity pyroxene ores. The two stood in front of the mine, staring at the various-sized openings, unmoving for a long time. The expression under Yu Hong¡¯s helmet was exceptionally grim. *Without pyroxene, how much of the camp¡¯s defenses would remain?* He speculated slightly about this possibility: without pyroxene, there would be no more pyroxene talisman plates, no more vortex talisman plates, and no more concealing symbols. All required large pyroxene stone graphite powder to be effective. And what remained in the camp was the Black Wind Protection Array, which could still operate. The Black Lizard, too, could self-sustain by absorbing red value radiation to compensate for consumption. But the weapons were all gone. No radiation hand grenades, no pyroxene talisman plates;at that time, all external weapons and defensive tools would be completely restricted. Even with his inner qi and Thunderbolt Leg Technique, he dared not venture out to scavenge for supplies without radiation hand grenades. "What do we do now?¡± Zhou Xueguang¡¯s face revealed a faint trace of despair. Without pyroxene, it was almost a death sentence for ordinary people. He didn¡¯t know that the Black Wind Protection Array could self-recover by absorbing red values, or that the Black Lizard didn¡¯t require pyroxene consumption, nor was he aware that Yu Hong possessed inner qi, which could moderately counter the Black Disaster. All he knew was that without pyroxene, all weapons would fail, even sunlight materials were extracted from the inner substances of pyroxene¡­ "Let¡¯s head back first!¡± Yu Hong took a deep breath, feeling extremely grateful now that he had previously used the black mark to fortify the Black Lizard and the Black Wind Protection Array, as well as the wooden house structured with vortex talisman arrays. Otherwise, even the foundational security of the camp would be in question now. "Don¡¯t worry, the equipment I set up previously doesn¡¯t really need further pyroxene investment anymore. Only radiation hand grenades and talisman plates will be affected,¡± Yu Hong¡¯s words slightly reassured Zhou Xueguang. The two quickly returned, not making a sound along the way. They soon reached the camp, and Old Zhou went to explain to the others what he had seen, also summarizing Yu Hong¡¯s recent words. But despite his words, both Li Rushan and Ding Shao felt a looming sense of doom. The two coordinated with Yu Hong, quickly starting to grind stones and build the stone castle as instructed. "Boss, are you sure it won¡¯t affect the camp?¡± Old Li asked in a low voice after working for a while, unable to suppress his doubts. "It won¡¯t. It will only affect going out. Rest assured on that front¡­¡± Yu Hong stated with confidence. His composure clearly relieved the others. This sense of steadiness quickly spread to the remaining people, calming the worried camp once again. But only Yu Hong knew. *Relying solely on the Black Wind Protection Array and the Black Lizard was inadequate to fend off high-risk Black Disasters¡­ Without pyroxene and radiation hand grenades, the camp¡¯s defensive capabilities had substantially dropped.* *Yet he had no choice, so he had to at least keep everyone reassured for now.* sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. So, he kept working and fortifying the radiation hand grenades. In the following days, he continued to use up his stock of luminous stones, replenishing the unfortified radiation grenades back to a hundred and then stopped. The remaining pyroxene would be entirely fortified into large pyroxene stone graphite powder once the food was enhanced and stored away. After completing everything the previous night, Yu Hong focused all his energy on training and building the stone castle. The progress of the stone castle was swift with his full participation, and they had now erected the basic four walls. Using a dry-lay method, the stone castle¡¯s structure was centered around the array, layered in opposing rectangular blocks. The top used several meters-long and wide thick stone slabs, placed as a frame, then coated with wet mud for waterproofing, and a layer of thinner, beveled stone tiles was laid on top to prevent water from collecting in one spot for too long. And thus, the roof was complete. The final step in construction was completed by Yu Hong. Chapter 164: Bad Behavior At twelve o¡¯clock noon, the sky was dim. He carried a freshly polished thick stone slab to the front of the stone castle door, gently set it down, and erected it fitting snugly into the doorway. "This is the gate wall in front of the main entrance.¡± He patted the seven to eight-meter-tall thick stone slab, the bottom of which was inserted into the foundation, and on either side. Old Li and Old Zhou had timely brought stones to stabilize and secure it, instantly making it firm. The stone castle was now completely finished. It was a rectangular grey-white stone castle that appeared somewhat ancient and primitive on the outside but, due to the use of solid pieces of stone, was very robust. Additionally, each of the bearing columns inside was made by Yu Hong himself. He first chiseled out a large, thick stone slab, then cut it into columns, and then dragged them over by hand to stand them up, filling the gaps in between with small stones and mud. Of course, these were just auxiliary pillars¡ªthe biggest bearing column inside the stone castle was more than two meters wide, seven to eight meters high, built up dry-stone by stone block. This was the craftsmanship of Old Zhou and Old Li. "It¡¯s done! Next is the sealing work, you guys handle that, make two more wooden ladders to use alternately. I am going to handle the air purification.¡± Yu Hong stepped back, assessing the newly constructed stone castle. The stone castle was over eight meters high, and both its length and width reached more than ten meters, resembling a large block standing upright in the middle of the inner yard, occupying most of the area. The wooden houses originally in the yard were demolished and integrated into the inside of the stone castle, where new wooden rooms were built. Because some parts relied on rebuilt stone walls, there were surplus materials from the wooden houses, and Old Li and others even built two more rooms, totaling five rooms. Inside the stone castle, apart from the bearing columns, there was nothing else but the two-story hall. The second-floor hall had bedrooms, and these wooden rooms occupied almost half the space, leaving a small area as a common space. The first floor was entirely left open to arrange for breeding rooms, toilets, exercise rooms, and other functional rooms. Yu Hong, who had previously accumulated light bulbs, found a place to use them¡ªevery layer of the common areas was equipped with hanging electric lamps. Water pipes were also temporarily public, and Old Li even considered a drainage system design. Yu Hong admired the stone castle for a while, watching the rest of the people momentarily lighten their negative moods brought by the abandonment of the luminous stone mine. He returned to the cave, glanced at the countdown for the food reinforcement, and saw there was one more day before it finished. He simply sat cross-legged in the basement, quietly thinking about the next steps of development. "After the Radiation Hand Grenades and the air purifier are reinforced, I need to further enhance the defense array against Black Lizards and Black Wind¡­''¡± S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "This time, it is a good opportunity to test my previous idea, using synthetic addition of new materials to continuously stack reinforcements on an object.¡± Theoretically, the Black Mark couldn¡¯t reinforce an already reinforced object, but by adding new materials and changing it to synthetics, it could bypass this mechanism. This time, to greatly enhance defense capability, Yu Hong planned a maximum reinforcement. Maximum reinforcement meant using all his physical energy and focus to push reinforcement to its limits, as had been done previously with the silver talisman array. As for which to reinforce first between the Black Lizard and the Black Wind defense array, he hesitated. "If the Black Lizard is enhanced, flexibility, mobility, and even the entire camp¡¯s safe area could be expanded. However, Black Lizard is not suitable when facing large numbers of opponents. Last time, when Speed Man attacked the camp, it proved ineffective.¡± "Enhancing the Black Wind defense array, on the other hand, would solidify the absolute safety of the current camp. This array is highly targeted against the dense type of Black Disaster and played a key role when dealing with the large number of shadows driven by Speed Man last time.¡± After thinking for a while, Yu Hong decided to reinforce the array first. First, ensure basic safety, then consider other things. Extreme reinforcement was bound to take a long time, and the only support during this period would come from the Radiation Hand Grenades, the existing Black Lizards, and himself with his Inner Qi. At such a time of significantly reduced defensive power, Yu Hong¡¯s only hope was that no new severe Black Disaster would strike! Otherwise, the current camp would be in trouble. * * * The sky was overcast and grey. The grey was not a pure hue, but like an old rag repeatedly stained with innumerable impurities, perpetually dirty and uncleanable. In the northern part of Donghe, on the vast Qin Chuan Plateau, the broad expanse of loess was similarly tinted with a thin layer of grey by the sky. Amidst the earth¡¯s wrinkled skin-like layers stood a huge fortress entirely constructed of grey concrete. The top of the fortress was covered with high-strength synthetic glass to block rain and snow. Inside were grey buildings constructed connected to each other. Buzz. Along with a humming sound, a giant door slowly emerged and rose on one side of the fortress. A group of survivors, wrapped in luminous stone blankets, using wooden sticks as walking sticks, slowly and laboriously walked into the gate, undergoing checks by the fully armed protective personnel layer by layer inside. At the far end of the checkpoint, on the rooftop of a five-story building, stood two tall men looking down. Both men were wearing full-body bulletproof suits, a model not available on the market, with the corner marked with the logo of the Aurora laboratory. Their faces were hidden inside thick dark red helmets, invisible to others. Only their bear-like, bulky, and heavy suits conveyed a strong sense of oppression. "Has communication not been restored yet?¡± the slightly shorter man asked in a low voice. ¡°We don¡¯t have much time left, and according to the satellite observation cloud map, of the four high-risk Black Disasters, two are already moving this way.¡± "Commander, the scope of the bad code¡¯s impact is too large. Although we have temporarily recovered, other bases might be caught off guard and attacked¡­¡± the other person respectfully answered. "How many Donghe strongholds can we confirm still exist?¡± the person called the commander asked again. "Before the high-risk Black Disaster outbreak, there were seventy-four. Now, according to the special unmanned drone radar scans, only forty-two remain. The main issue was the mass migration to the new Aurora City of the upper levels, which took too many various resources and weapons, causing the defense lines to collapse prematurely, with too many casualties,¡± another person replied. "Based on my last communication results, have we located the underground nuclear base where Guan Cao is?¡± the commander spoke up again. "We have located it. According to the detection, the Red Value radiation concentration inside has already reached over eight hundred. With this concentration, it¡¯s impossible for anyone to have survived¡­¡± This response silenced the commander. He had few friends. As people around him grew more fearful of him, as his rank became higher, and as the mutations in his body became more serious¡ªeven surpassing the laboratory¡¯s speculative progress. Now, no one at the stronghold dared to look up and talk to him. Guan Cao, Wei Song, were his only friends and now, one of the two had vanished. "What about Yu Hong? We¡¯ve confirmed the location of Baiqiu Village, can we make contact?¡± he paused, then asked. "This¡­ I¡¯m afraid not. That area is currently under the domain of a high-risk Black Disaster Speed Man. Moreover, there¡¯s also a highly dangerous Insect man nearby. As you know, Insect men are among the most dangerous types at level eight¡ªthey often live in groups, similar to Multi-eyed Birds,¡± the other hurriedly replied. "Make it quick. Yu Hong at Baiqiu Village possesses a lot of valuable information and is a top-level research talent akin to myself. Have the lab increase the production of expulsion fluid. If that doesn¡¯t work, we¡¯ll just have to force our way through, even if it means more people will die,¡± the commander said solemnly. "But, the current output from the bait material extraction has already reached its limit¡­If we increase it more¡­I¡¯m afraid it won¡¯t hold up¡­¡± the other person said, troubled. "No matter. If it¡¯s not enough, we¡¯ll just capture more. In this world, as long as people can survive, many are willing to do anything¡­¡± the commander suddenly raised his head, looking towards the distant city outskirts. On the distant yellow-gray land, a group of survivors riding motorcycles, with tattered cloaks of luminous stone flapping against the fierce wind, were making loud noises. This was a group of about twenty survivors. They had luminous stone cloaks, weapons, gear, food, and water. Clearly, these were people who had just escaped from a stronghold. But they were running for their lives now. Two human-shaped figures composed entirely of gray-black small insects were rapidly chasing them from behind. Suddenly, one of the figures dashed forward, its body dispersing into a cloud of insects, and in an instant, swooped over two people on motorcycles. The two screamed, their bodies inflating rapidly like balloons, growing larger, and then¡ª Boom!! In just a few seconds, their bodies exploded, releasing large numbers of black-gray small insects. These small insects quickly formed a new Insect man. "Insect men are here, close the gate,¡± the commander said calmly. ¡°Send out Blood Induction Team Nine with expulsion fluid to lead them away.¡± "Team Nine has already been wiped out, commander.¡± "Then send Team Eight, and later you¡¯ll reorganize Team Nine from the newcomers,¡± the commander stated calmly, ¡°To get food, water, and medicine, they¡¯ll have to gamble with their lives.¡± * * * Yu Hong carefully watched the countdown on the food box nearing its end. Inside the wooden box used to store dried meat and wild vegetables, a dark red countdown timer was just about one minute away from ending. Cough, cough¡­ Yu Hong himself suddenly couldn¡¯t help but cough twice. His throat suddenly felt itchy, which made him frown, feeling something was wrong. ¡®Even I can¡¯t withstand it anymore? This air¡­¡¯ He thought he wouldn¡¯t need a breathing valve, but now¡­ Just then, the wooden box suddenly blurred for a moment. When it cleared up, the food inside had completely changed. Tubes of nutrition paste, just like before, were stored in the wooden box, wrapped in light blue plastic sealed packaging. The usual instruction label was placed on the surface. Yu Hong picked it up and read. "Nutrition Paste: Also known as comprehensive multi-functional meal replacement paste. An adult only needs to consume one tube daily to supplement all necessary nutritional elements.¡± "It worked¡­¡± he sighed with relief, quickly counted, and found exactly six hundred tubes in the box, a neat number sufficient for six adults to consume for three months. Calculating the output boost from before, one month¡¯s food was enhanced to last for three months. ¡®Next is the air purifier.¡¯ After confirming the nutrition paste was fine¡ªprobably another copy from Black Mark¡ªYu Hong quickly moved to the purifier. The stone castle was built, the food crisis temporarily resolved, now to deal with the air problem. He extended his hand and pressed it on the purifier. ¡®Enhance purification system, target: filter and detect airborne substances harmful to the human body, specifically targeting the special substances causing coughs in the current outside air¡­¡¯ Yu Hong didn¡¯t know what was causing the coughs, but he decided to try pointing the Black Mark directly at it. As long as he could promptly resolve the air issue, he could begin his extreme enhancement plan. After all, the array was the key to the camp¡¯s security. Chapter 165: Harsh Conditions ¡°`html As Yu Hong¡¯s consciousness took control, Quickly, the black line flowed out and entered the purifier. The questioning voice of the Black Mark rang out, and he promptly confirmed it. Sss¡­ A countdown emerged. ¡°3 days 8 hours 09 minutes.¡± Three days? Yu Hong sighed in relief. *¡±Not bad, it¡¯s acceptable.¡±* He coughed softly, let go of the handle, went up to the first floor, and found a breathing valve helmet to wear, using the valve to help him breathe. After a while, his coughing noticeably lessened. *¡±It¡¯s indeed the air that¡¯s problematic¡­¡±* Having confirmed the enhancement time for the air purifier, according to previous judgments, the fact that the Black Mark could enhance it meant this problem could be solved. Yu Hong decided to exit the cave and went to the inner courtyard. In the inner courtyard, everyone was no longer active outside and had all entered the new stone castle to work inside. The massive stone castle blocked the light from the cave, but Yu Hong didn¡¯t mind, as there was hardly any light now, with only a little bit of sunshine each day, which was indifferent. He came to the wooden door of the stone castle. The stone castle door was round, like a plug, very thick and secure. Knock knock knock. He knocked on the door. The wooden door was pushed open from the inside, revealing Old Zhou¡¯s face wearing a breathing valve. "Boss, I was just thinking about when to find you,¡± Zhou Xueguang said with some surprise. "I¡¯m here to inform everyone that the air purifier is seeing progress. It should be operational in about three days to improve everyone¡¯s air. We should finalize the last passage,¡± Yu Hong said solemnly, ¡°the one linking the lab to the stone castle.¡± With only one air purifier, he didn¡¯t intend to enhance multiple machines. Sharing the purified air was the most economical use, especially now that it was necessary to quickly enhance the camp¡¯s array. Zhou Xueguang nodded, unhesitatingly affirming, "That won¡¯t be a problem. We¡¯re ready to start anytime.¡± "That¡¯s good. Now let¡¯s talk about your business. What did you want to discuss with me?¡± Yu Hong asked. "I¡­,¡± Zhou Xueguang hesitated, lowered his head, and sighed. ¡°Boss, I¡¯ve talked with Old Li and the others. The camp can¡¯t be without luminous stones, so I hope to go out and check other luminous stone mining locations.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Yu Hong frowned, scrutinizing him closely. After a few seconds of silence, he slowly spoke. "You were one of those who escaped from the front lines. You know what it¡¯s like out there, and there¡¯s a real chance you might not come back. So, are you sure?¡± Searching for other luminous stone mines was an idea he had considered too, but only if the Black Mark¡¯s enhancement of the array¡¯s effect was unsatisfactory. He hadn¡¯t expected Old Zhou and the others to also be discussing it, let alone deciding to explore. *This surprised him.* Zhou Xueguang said helplessly, ¡°The truth is¡­ there¡¯s also partly a personal reason¡­ I want to visit my hometown and see my family¡­¡± Yu Hong immediately understood. "I remember when I first met you, you said only those who survive have the right to think about other things. So, have you made up your mind?¡± S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At that time, on the highway, he had saved Old Zhou from Du Chengtao, a fully enhanced human. Not much time had passed. It seemed that seeing Li Rushan return thriving from a trip stirred something in his heart. "Boss, you¡¯ve never asked about my family¡¯s situation, have you?¡± Zhou Xueguang said. "Mm¡­ come out to talk,¡± Yu Hong sighed. From Old Zhou¡¯s eyes, he saw that the latter had considered it for a long time before making this decision. The two of them left the entrance of the stone castle and went to one side of the wall, leaning against the tall, thick rock wall to stand. Yu Hong felt the relentless effort of the black lizards, continuously driving away and killing the approaching shadows, before looking at the deeply troubled Old Zhou. "Here is fine,¡± he said. "Mm¡­.¡± Zhou Xueguang nodded, resting his back against the stone wall decorated with Concealing Symbols and luminous stone talismans. "I have two children, twins, and they¡¯re eight years old this year. My wife and mother are taking care of them. Before I went to the front line, they were settled near our local big Hope City as military family members, but later, when the front line collapsed, I¡¯m not sure how they are now¡­¡± He paused, ¡°I want¡­ to go back and see. While searching for other luminous stone mines, just along the way¡­¡± He seemed afraid that Yu Hong would disagree, so he mentioned the luminous stone mines first, with a hint of caution in his tone. "Go then,¡± Yu Hong said calmly. ¡°I have no reason to stop you. Hand over the matters at the camp properly, and if there¡¯s no problem, just drive out. Just remember that the sunlight is getting shorter, leaving little time for solar charging, which might require more time to return.¡± "Boss¡­.¡± Zhou Xueguang was a bit surprised. He had been prepared to present more reasons, not expecting Yu Hong to agree so easily. "When are you leaving?¡± Yu Hong asked. "As soon as possible.¡± ¡°¡­. Is it because of the air?¡± "Mm¡­. partly, and also because of the luminous stones.¡± Old Zhou nodded. Yu Hong fell silent. *The air was getting worse, the luminous stone mines were depleting, the sunlight was shortening¡­ all these steps marked the world decaying further.* *Hope was diminishing, becoming increasingly dim.* Under immense pressure, perhaps Old Zhou had long been ready to face death, or maybe he just wanted to fulfill his only regret¡ªto see his family, in the end. Even Yu Hong was speechless at this moment. For even with the Black Mark, he couldn¡¯t be sure he would survive this calamity. After all, the Black Disaster was not just Level Nine¡­ there were even higher War Level terrors. The camp now was simply too small to attract those high-level Black Disasters. Once, if they accidentally crossed paths with a high-level Black Disaster passing by, before the camp matured, One careless step, and he, along with everyone in the camp, could die. After agreeing with Old Zhou, he quickly packed his things, bringing along equipment, firearms, tools, resources, and enough boiled water. He handed over the camp¡¯s situation to Old Li. Originally, he intended to finish the linking passage before leaving, but Yu Hong waved him off to leave quickly. Building the passage, an extra hand like Old Zhou¡¯s wasn¡¯t of much help anyway. The next morning, Under Li Rushan¡¯s father and daughter¡¯s watch, Zhou Xueguang drove away from the camp, following the forest path Yu Hong had just cleared, heading outwards. All over the car¡¯s exterior were new Concealing Symbols, something Yu Hong had strengthened overnight for him. These symbols covered the whole car, substantially reducing its presence. Along with the electric car¡¯s naturally low sound, safety was significantly increased. Besides, he also promised that if Zhou Xueguang found his family, he was allowed to bring them back to the camp. At the outer courtyard barrier, Ding Shao and Doctor Xu also watched the car leave. "Wish him a safe journey,¡± Ding Shao said softly. Doctor Xu didn¡¯t speak, simply caressing her growing belly, within which, hiding beneath clothing, a blurry human face had quietly emerged. The face¡¯s lips moved, also watching the direction of the departing car. Soon, it turned slightly to Yu Hong¡¯s direction, lingered for a few seconds, and then slowly faded, returning to the belly¡¯s depths. Both of them were completely unaware of this. * * * Several dozen kilometers away from Black Wind Camp, in an abandoned small village, The rare large sun broke through the fog and shone upon the village¡¯s sole open space. The stone-paved open space currently hosted a burly, large military transport vehicle. The vehicle was draped in camouflage, with light machine guns mounted on both sides, and layers of patched luminous stone blankets covered the surroundings. From afar, it resembled a worn-out vehicle wearing raggedy, patched black clothes. Inside the vehicle, Xue Ningning and her group were dumbfounded, watching the recently returned Stammering Yiyi. This short, five-foot-tall figure was piled with items up to six feet. She had a tall, large canvas bag strapped to her back, seven or eight big bags hanging in front, a paint bucket in her left hand, and a large bucket of water in her right. Additionally, she had a large bundle of rope-tied bulletproof vests on her head, with weapons and a helmet hanging from either side. ¡°¡­¡± Xue Ningning looked at Lin Yiyi, who had squeezed into the vehicle, momentarily pointing speechlessly at her. "Lin Yiyi, did you go on a looting spree?¡± Ou Li blurted out what everyone wanted to say. "Yu¡­ Hong, force¡­, stuff¡­ me, I don¡¯t want, still forced¡­ hang¡­ hang on me, up!¡± Lin Yiyi, through the breathing valve, spoke in a muffled voice, her face full of helplessness. Everyone in the vehicle was silent. "Hehe¡­ your friend is doing well, huh¡­¡± Ou Li laughed dryly, ¡°So much stuff still shoved onto you, really nice.¡± Xue Ningning and Fang Shijun exchanged glances, understanding that in times like these, someone willing to vehemently load Stammering Yiyi with so many things was undoubtedly a true friend to her. Without a doubt, having such a friend was something anyone would fiercely envy. Especially when that friend was a capable individual. Looking at these supplies, it was clear this Yu Hong was no simple character. Those bundles of bulletproof vests had bloodstains, and those food supplies;such excellent items weren¡¯t something an ordinary person could casually give away. The group fell silent for a moment, quickly elevating the importance of Stammering Yiyi in their minds once again. If before they were kind to her because she¡¯d saved everyone, now, besides that gratitude, it seemed there was another layer of regard for her. "Come¡­ share, with everyone!¡± Stammering Yiyi didn¡¯t know what they were thinking. She was mentally challenged;she could understand simple things, but not complicated ones. "Okay, let me inventory it,¡± Chen Qiaosheng coughed twice, stepped forward, and said softly. That¡¯s about all he could help with, some manageable chores. As he began checking the items, while occasionally asking Stammering Yiyi for corresponding information, gradually, the other people inside the vehicle began to be astonished again¡­. "Sunshine Paint!?? And enhanced Sunshine Paint!? So much in one bucket!?¡± Xue Ningning pressed a hand to the paint bucket, utterly incredulous. Other than military research institutes, how did anyone manage to get Sunshine Paint materials from a base in the wild these days!?! And it¡¯s enhanced!?!! What kind of mythical story is this!? Even less prestigious research institutions can¡¯t easily obtain this, barely qualifying for the old model is already rare. Now, Stammering Yiyi told them these were Yu Hong¡¯s self-researched and modified formulas¡­. Is it fake? That was the first thought Xue Ningning and others had. But even if it were fake, the rest of it¡­ The few looked at the items Stammering Yiyi laid on the vehicle floor. Enhanced detectors, a large bundle of bulletproof vests, nutritional paste meat jerky, and drinkable water, alongside things resembling grenades, called Radiation Hand Grenades. There were also other miscellaneous drugs, tools, luminous stone boards, and so on. "Yu Hong even wanted to, to give, give me, such a big, large bundle¡­¡± she gestured with a very large motion, ¡°I¡­ didn¡¯t take.¡± She panted. "Couldn¡¯t carry, really, couldn¡¯t carry, anymore.¡± She wiped sweat from her brow, sighing. ¡°¡­..¡± Everyone. Is this the equivalent of a humblebrag? Chapter 166: Awful Behavior The group of people had nothing to say. "There¡¯s also a pamphlet here, it¡¯s intelligence! Black Disaster intelligence!¡± Chen Qiaosheng suddenly exclaimed. Intelligence! In this world, perhaps the most important thing was the intelligence on the Black Disaster. Who would have thought that even this was considered by Yu Hong! Everyone¡¯s hearts skipped a beat, and they all crowded around, looking at the pamphlet that Chen Qiaosheng had flipped through. Stammering Yiyi was squeezed in the middle, with everyone¡¯s big heads hovering next to her. They all wore the breathing valves they had just been given, their eyes piercingly focused on the pamphlet. The big heads pressed together created an inexplicable oppressive feeling. Swish. The first page of the pamphlet was flipped open. "I am Yu Hong, and this is a record, primarily based on my personal experience, of all the Black Disaster information I have faced. From low-level to high-level, from Blood Tide Blood Ticks to elephant worms, all the Black Disasters I have experienced will be presented here¡­.¡± As the pages continued to turn, Blood Ticks, Big Skin, Small Multi-eyed Birds, Large Multi-eyed Birds, elephant worms, shadows, speech people, Speed People, back-to-back people, intermittent people¡­ The information about various Black Disasters was detailed in the pamphlet, and it also included a rough estimation of the Red Value strength range. Ssss¡­ The group gasped occasionally as they read. They were not only amazed by the pamphlet¡¯s content but also grateful for their luck and fortune in encountering certain Black Disasters in the past¡­. *Looking back, it seemed that they had all been dancing on the edge of a knife, with mere moments separating life and death.* "Yu Hong, said, in the future, could, go to, him, there¡­ resupply, shelter, exchange¡­¡± Stammering Yiyi stuttered and added. "What a boss¡­.¡± Slap. Xue Ningning gave Ou Li a hard slap on the thigh. "Why did you hit me!?¡± Ou Li cried out in pain, snapping out of her shock. "I thought it was my leg,¡± Xue Ningning sighed. Ou Li¡¯s face twisted, not just in pain, but also in frustration. She dared to get angry with Stammering Yiyi, but not with the captain¡­. "It¡¯s true, good people are rewarded, Yiyi, you¡¯re actually the most successful among us.¡± Xue Ningning lightly patted Stammering Yiyi on the arm. The force of the slap was much lighter than the previous one. Ou Li: ¡°¡­.¡± She wanted to get angry with Stammering Yiyi, but when she looked at the pile of things laid out on the ground¡­. Slap. She turned and slapped Chen Qiaosheng. "Hey, why did you hit me!?¡± Chen Qiaosheng cried out in pain. "I thought it was my hand,¡± Ou Li said with a blank face. "Alright, you two, time to get to work;let¡¯s paint the car with this paint first!¡± Xue Ningning started giving orders. "Stammering Yiyi and I will¡­¡± Ou Li habitually began to speak. Slap. Her forehead received a hard slap. Looking up, she saw that it was Fang Shijun who hit her. "What Stammering Yiyi? Call her Boss!¡± Fang Shijun said solemnly. "No, call her Sister Yiyi!¡± Chen Xinji, standing beside Fang Shijun, laughed. "From now on, call her Sister Yiyi!¡± Xue Ningning declared with a wave of her hand, setting it in stone. Bringing back so many good things from a trip, she¡¯s not just a sister;she¡¯s a beam of light! The dawn of salvation!! Everyone was laughing joyously, except for Stammering Yiyi, who felt a bit confused, unsure of what they were laughing at. But when she saw everyone laughing, she laughed too. An¡¯an, watching the scene from the side, sighed silently. * * * Three days later¡­. Boom! A massive tremor, like an earthquake, came continuously from a distant place. Yu Hong was startled awake inside the mountain cave. Pff. He suddenly opened his eyes, sat up, and looked around vigilantly. He quickly realized that the entire cave was trembling, shaking slightly. *What¡¯s going on!?* He furrowed his brows, wriggled out of his sleeping bag, quickly put on his enhanced suit, and dashed out of the cave. In the inner courtyard of the camp, Li Rushan, his daughter, Doctor Xu, and Ding Shao all came out of their rooms one after another. Ding Shao was about to knock on the door to remind him when he saw Yu Hong coming out. "Did an earthquake occur?¡± Yu Hong asked in a deep voice. They all shook their heads and looked up at the sky. Yu Hong followed their gaze, looking in the same direction. This look took him by surprise. It was just past five in the morning, a time when it usually remained dark, yet at this moment, a white light lit up the distant horizon. Most of the sky was still dark, with only the direction facing the camp showing a line of faint white light. The white light illuminated the black clouds at the horizon, painting them the same pale white. For a moment, the light forcibly transformed the sky into what it would look like at sunrise. "What is that!?¡± Ding Shao murmured softly. This question was not just hers but also asked by the others in the camp. But no one knew¡ªeven the worldly and experienced Old Li couldn¡¯t explain the scene. The white light in the sky persisted for more than half a minute before slowly fading and disappearing. The sky returned to its previous darkness. Yu Hong felt the ground shake calming down, yet a sense of unease lingered in his heart. He wasn¡¯t sure why he felt this way, but¡­. he had a vague sense it might be related to the white light and the tremor just now. "Everyone, go back to sleep. It¡¯s not daylight yet,¡± he instructed in a deep voice. "I remembered something¡­¡± Li Rushan suddenly spoke, catching everyone¡¯s attention immediately. "I remembered what that light and tremor might be¡­.¡± he said with a grave expression. The others focused their attention on him, waiting for his answer. Yu Hong was also staring at him. "Does it affect our camp?¡± he asked earnestly. "It might, or it might not,¡± Li Rushan couldn¡¯t give a definitive answer. He paused. "That¡¯s Vleka¡¯s Giant God Bomb¡­. I¡¯ve seen that kind of light and tremor at the post office once before¡­.¡± "What¡¯s a Giant God Bomb?¡± Yu Hong asked. He knew about Vleka, the world¡¯s strongest nation alongside the East River. The initial outbreak of the Black Disaster first occurred in Vleka. The first generation of Aurora City and the now-destroyed Silver Tower were also established within Vleka. "It¡¯s a hydrogen bomb. A super powerful hydrogen bomb¡­.¡± Li Rushan replied. Yu Hong fell silent. He looked again in the direction of where the white light had appeared. After a long silence, he slowly opened his mouth to speak. "This suggests that there might still be many people alive in that direction. The United Forces might also still be around. But who knows what kind of Black Disaster requires a Giant God Bomb, the ultimate human weapon.¡± Hydrogen bombs were known as man-made suns, wielding the power of the sun. He couldn¡¯t fathom what kind of Black Disaster would necessitate such a weapon. However, this explosion further heightened Yu Hong¡¯s concerns about the camp¡¯s safety. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Returning to the cave, he focused and continued practicing the Thunderbolt Leg Technique for a while. Naturally, the seventh stream of Inner Qi quietly converged successfully. These days, he had been diligently practicing Inner Qi. After optimizing with the Infinite Qi Condensing Technique, the cultivation speed of the Thunderbolt Leg Technique had increased significantly. He was now unknowingly close to breaking through to the Third Layer. Nonetheless, the progress in his own cultivation still lagged far behind the increasing danger outside. It was only the arrays and mysterious symbols that could quickly form combat power that Yu Hong truly relied on. After gathering the seventh stream of Inner Qi in the Second Layer, Yu Hong did not linger. He headed to the basement to check the almost-complete enhancement of the air purifier. On the purifier¡¯s white surface, the dark red countdown numbers showed only five minutes remaining. He simply sat cross-legged nearby, patiently waiting. *This time, I must enhance the Black Wind Protection Array as much as possible to ensure the basic safety of the camp¡­. It¡¯s best to incorporate the newly acquired Concealing Symbol. Combine it with the inner courtyard wall, integrating the wall into the array¡­.* Watching the countdown, he pondered the details for the upcoming enhancement in his mind. Not long after, five minutes had passed. The air purifier flashed momentarily, blurring. When it cleared up again, the object had transformed significantly. The previously white body had deformed and shrunk into a cylindrical single-tub washing machine shape. The LCD on the side of the machine was still there, displaying various indicators at the moment. Yu Hong moved closer, carefully reading these indicators. *Dust particle detection, toxic gas detection, radiation detection, oxygen level detection, humidity, temperature, pressure value, purification time, airflow¡­.* He picked up the power cord and plugged it into the outlet on the wall. Ding dong. A light sound indicated the new purifier began operating on its own, conducting tests, with the LCD screen lighting up in a glaring red light. Both the dust particle and toxic gas detections displayed critical pollution warnings. The machine began purifying automatically. A whooshing airflow was expelled from the top of the machine, spreading around the room. The air suddenly took on a fresh, forest-like scent. "Not bad,¡± Yu Hong nodded slightly, no longer paying attention to it. As long as it resolved the air quality issue, it was fine. The key next was the array. Leaving the machine running, he headed up to the first floor, grabbed a large stack of Concealing Symbol plates, opened the door, and stepped outside, arriving in the empty inner courtyard. No one was in the inner courtyard;everyone else continued resting, with only one external lamp hanging outside, casting faint white light to deter any possible Blood Tide Black Insects. Yu Hong crouched down, gently pressing on the ground. *Enhance the Black Wind Protection Array.* In his mind, he regarded the surrounding wall and the newly crafted Concealing Symbol plates as a whole, simultaneously strengthening them. *Direction: Increase damage against Black Disasters, enhance array¡¯s energy storage capacity, expand array¡¯s coverage area, extreme reinforcement.* Power, quantity, and size determined how strong the array¡¯s opponents could be, how many there were, and the buffer zone it created. *Enhance the Black Wind Protection Array?* The inquiry from the Black Mark arrived. Yu Hong took a deep breath, prepping himself. *Yes!* He firmly responded. Hiss!! Instantly, the Black Mark on his hand back swirled like a vortex, forcibly drawing all his energy and spirit. A massive amount of effort flooded into the Black Mark, incessantly, at rapid speed. Eventually, Yu Hong could barely hold on, releasing a stream of Inner Qi instantly rejuvenating himself, only to be absorbed once again. Repeating this process continuously. Until the last seventh stream of Inner Qi was completely exhausted. With a thud, Yu Hong sat on the ground, panting, dizzy, and the Black Mark¡¯s devouring ended. A dark red countdown timer surfaced on the ground, only visible to him. *17 days, 9 hours, and 17 minutes.* Getting up, Yu Hong reached out to steady himself against the stone wall. *Single array reinforcements will only become increasingly difficult, and consumption increasingly substantial. After this, I probably should consider strategies involving multiple overlapping arrays¡­.* *For instance, using the Black Wind Protection Array as the main offensive, supported by slowing arrays, weakening arrays, illusion arrays¡­. If only I could develop something akin to automatic defense towers¡­. myriad tower defense games I¡¯d played in the past¡­* Chapter 167: Planning Seventeen days of intensive training felt incredibly long. But Yu Hong knew he had no choice. Without replenishments from the luminous stone mines, if he couldn¡¯t find new sustainable resources to combat the Black Disaster, all he could rely on was the Black Mark to blindly devise stronger methods. Otherwise, everyone in the camp would die. Perhaps ultimately, only he could barely escape with his Inner Qi. But in such harsh conditions, should he encounter any dangerous Black Disaster while escaping without the camp¡¯s protection, his death was certain. The camp provided a warm domicile, clean and nutritious food, and there was no need to live in fear and sleep restlessly every day. Also, because of the ample energy at Black Wind Camp, they could use light to repel the troublesome Blood Tide Blood Ticks. ¡®Looking back, the Blood Ticks and Blood Tide that we initially encountered seemed like harmless stones¡­ compared to the later Black Disasters, they are insignificant¡­¡¯ Yu Hong, weakened, leaned against the stone wall, gasping for air, and thought to himself. Taking advantage of the time his Inner Qi was recovering, he got up, took a sip of water, and went upstairs. He glanced outside. The sky beyond the wooden door was pitch black, with no moonlight visible. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He sat down at the wooden table, picked up a newly enhanced nutrition paste, and tore it open to eat. The chilly nutrition paste tasted somewhat like seafood meat porridge, and it was pretty good, fresh and tasty. After swallowing a few bites, Yu Hong rinsed his mouth with water and his gaze involuntarily fell on the communicator. He thought for a moment, got up, and went down to the basement to take a large portion of the enhanced nutrition paste out, delivered them to Old Li¡¯s place, then quickly returned and sat back at the wooden table. He lightly touched the communicator, a hint of hesitation showing on his face. ¡®Is it only my area¡¯s luminous stone mine that has problems, or are other places also¡­¡¯ This doubt continuously lingered in his mind. As time slowly passed, and after his Inner Qi had completely recovered, Yu Hong decisively took a Radiation Hand Grenade to one side and finally pressed the power button of the communicator. Snap. Instantly, a faint sound of electricity hissing came from the speaker. Yu Hong rotated the frequency tuning knob, attentively listening for any slight noise that might emerge. Before long, suddenly a voice of someone speaking flashed through the speaker. Yu Hong hurriedly rotated it back. ¡°¡­If this continues daily, our manpower won¡¯t last much longer. Fewer people are willing to become blood attractors, some have even started to desperately resist¡­¡± a familiar female voice was heard. It was Wei Song! Yu Hong instantly remembered, followed by the sound of another male voice. The moment the male voice spoke, he recognized it as Zhang Kaijun. Zhang Kaijun¡¯s voice was highly distinctive, detached, indifferent, harsh, like a clump of icy dregs, devoid of emotion. "Then use them to make the extraction fluid matrix.¡± He spoke indifferently, ¡°This round of Black Disaster has already formed a general fixed range. High-level Black Disasters won¡¯t move their domains at random. Before forming, my researchers found that they could be guided in advance to fix their territories in farther, more remote places. If these people aren¡¯t willing to make sacrifices to explore routes even at such a crucial time, they will be of no use afterward and turning them all into matrices is their only end.¡± "That¡¯s too extreme¡­¡± Wei Song sighed. "Extraordinary times require extraordinary measures. This topic can stop now. Besides, long time no see, Yu Hong.¡± Zhang Kaijun¡¯s voice changed, greeting Yu Hong who just connected. ¡°¡­Indeed, it has been a long time. Previously, I attempted to access the channel but encountered a Black Disaster that could invade and attack from the communicator¡­¡± Being able to contact others, Yu Hong felt a great sense of relief. Zhang Kaijun and the others were his only channels to understand the external world in this isolated era. And Guan Cao¡­ "Guan Cao is now¡­¡± he began to speak. "His underground base has already been abandoned. The red radiation value inside severely exceeds standards. It¡¯s impossible for anyone to survive.¡± Zhang Kaijun replied. He paused for a moment, then continued. "Yu Hong, how¡¯s the situation over there?¡± "It¡¯s troublesome. I¡¯ve encountered a very dangerous situation here,¡± Yu Hong said solemnly. ¡°My base is built near a luminous stone mine, but now¡­I went mining the other day, and I found that the entire luminous stone mine had completely¡­completely turned black. It¡¯s gone!¡± "Those disgusting rats have been there!¡± Wei Song couldn¡¯t help raising his tone, ¡°It was the Meisha family! I knew it! Damn! These bastards, I¡¯ll catch them someday and flay them¡­¡± She suddenly became furious, and a myriad of curses and filthy words burst from her mouth. "All the luminous stone mines in the East River are mostly gone,¡± said Zhang Kaijun, relatively calm. ¡°Fortunately, I established a large fortress early and collected a large amount of luminous stone in advance. The stockpile should last me for decades.¡± He paused to give Yu Hong time to digest the information. "Yu Hong, you are talented. Why don¡¯t you come here? Without luminous stone, your camp cannot hold, and you will eventually have to relocate. Here, aside from luminous stone, we also have an extraction fluid that has effects comparable to those of luminous stone.¡± "Extraction fluid?¡± Yu Hong frowned, puzzled. ¡°What is that?¡± "It¡¯s the main material developed here to deal with the Black Disaster,¡± Zhang Kaijun replied. ¡°Humans can absorb Red Value. Why does the Black Disaster chase living people? Have you considered this question? I guess not. I recruited more than ten high-level researchers from Silver Tower, who, through research and extraction, found a key substance in the human body that attracts the Black Disaster. They extracted this substance at a high concentration. Just a small amount can make the Black Disaster mistake it for a living person, thus luring it elsewhere.¡± "Additionally, based on the extraction fluid, we have also developed an expulsion fluid, which was completed based on a major project before the collapse of Silver Tower. Similarly, the expulsion fluid is derived from the negative radiation of luminous stone. It utilizes trace components of luminous stone to extract the content most repugnant to the Black Disaster. This expulsion fluid works well on all Black Disasters with Red Value under one thousand. If sprayed on oneself in advance, it can make the Black Disaster mistake a person for a large luminous stone, and hence stay away from the human body. The advantage of the expulsion fluid is that it doesn¡¯t consume much luminous stone. It just needs to mimic the radiation fluctuations of luminous stone and simultaneously mask the body¡¯s own fluctuations to achieve the effect of repelling the Black Disaster, and its use time is extremely long.¡± Extraction fluid and expulsion fluid¡­! Listening to Zhang Kaijun¡¯s descriptions, Yu Hong was genuinely impressed. Both substances were not developed for direct confrontation. It seemed that the existing survivor strongholds also understood that hiding and repelling were better choices than fighting. "Why isn¡¯t it effective on high-risk Black Disasters above one thousand?¡± Yu Hong asked. "Because we suspect that high-risk Black Disasters have developed a certain primary intelligence,¡± Zhang Kaijun¡¯s reply was blunt and straightforward. ¡°What do you think? Want to come over? Your place is currently covered by clouds of radiation from Speed Men and Insect Men. If you can hold on during this period, I can send someone to pick you up.¡± "No need. Given the distance, no one can guarantee that there won¡¯t be any problems.¡± Yu Hong flatly refused, as he naturally couldn¡¯t just abandon the camp he¡¯d been buildin for so long. "That¡¯s alright, since you managed to open communication now, it means you can still stand your ground,¡± Zhang Kaijun said calmly. ¡°Considering the Black Disaster intelligence you provided earlier, I will also offer you the intelligence on the Black Disaster malcodes for free.¡± He cleared his throat. "No matter what method you used to contact us, isolating malcodes is actually simple. It uses the principle of the Pyroxene Secret Room, which places the communicator into a similar high-concentration negative radiation environment like the Pyroxene Secret Room. The denser the negative radiation surrounding the communicator, the less it will be attacked by malcodes. Moreover, I also have some intelligence on Insect Men¡­¡± He continued to describe the communal nature of Insect Men as well as their various abilities. Yu Hong similarly shared his own intelligence on Speed Men. The two sides achieved mutual assistance in terms of intelligence sharing. Witnessing this, Wei Song also offered some Black Disaster intelligence she had encountered, although far from as valuable as the others, it still filled in some gaps. "By the way, the relocation of Aurora City is complete, and the national broadcast has resumed synchronization,¡± Zhang Kaijun reminded. ¡°After you finish with us here, Yu Hong, you might want to tune in and listen.¡± "Alright, is the frequency still am500?¡± Yu Hong asked. "Yes, it hasn¡¯t changed, now is still in a 24-hour loop,¡± Zhang Kaijun answered. "The senior officials are nothing but cowards! They prematurely withdrew so many troops, causing so many deaths!¡± Wei Song clenched her teeth. "So there was a coup inside Aurora City, now the commander of the East River United Forces is someone else pushed forward by another group,¡± Zhang Kaijun said. ¡°The cowards from before were mostly killed. The coup almost burst out just as Aurora City was closing, likely premeditated.¡± ¡°¡­I understand, the current situation only allows us to concentrate our forces to preserve the seed, but¡­¡± Wei Song¡¯s voice trailed off. "Before the Black Disaster outbreak, East River had 1.9 billion people, how many are left now? Maybe not even tens of millions¡­ With such a dire situation, they still thought about gathering troops to protect themselves and escape first, really¡­ Don¡¯t they know that soldiers have families too?¡± Zhang Kaijun unusually showed a hint of scornful emotion. "Maybe they¡¯re just too scared,¡± Yu Hong added faintly. The relocation of Aurora City cost so many lives in Baihe City, although he had no personal or close relationship with that area, he still empathized with the demise of innocent lives and felt the same disgust towards those so-called high-level officials. The three of them, via the communicator, exchanged some more intelligence on air contamination. Wei Song shared her experience in creating air filter patches, using wood and some special soil and stones, combined with water to cleanse and reuse the polluted breathing valve filter patches in repeated use. These were all proven experiences, and Yu Hong took notes meticulously, gaining a great deal. Especially regarding the dangers his camp might face going forward, he learned from Zhang Kaijun that Insect Men attacks were most likely. As for the radiation strength of Speed Men, it was still slowly increasing but fixed in one location. However, Insect Men were quickly approaching from three directions. Two hours passed in the blink of an eye, and even when the channel closed, Yu Hong was still reluctant to end the conversation. He put down his pen and stretched his hands. Recalling Zhang Kaijun¡¯s earlier suggestion, he quickly stood up and gathered a pile of reconfigurable Vortex Talisman Plates. These were the talisman plates he redesigned after learning that the luminous stone mine was gone. Chapter 168: Planning 166 He picked up a piece, the talisman plate was only the size of a palm, circular, with a folding line at the center, allowing it to be folded. This type of talisman array, in its complete state, would absorb Red Value for storage;in its folded state, it would release negative radiation, making it a reusable great item. Apart from needing to visit him a few times to reapply the ink lines, there were no other drawbacks. Picking up these improved Vortex Talisman Plates, Yu Hong folded one first. Puff. Instantly, a wave of negative radiation swept over the communicator, completely enveloping it. Yu Hong watched the ever-active Red Value detector, keeping an eye on the changes in the negative radiation, then used one hand to adjust the communicator¡¯s knob, jumping to AM500. Soon, a clear male broadcast voice emanated from the speaker. "As long as a negative radiation environment is created within a short time, it can confirm whether the channel tuned on the communicator will suffer from a malicious code attack¡­¡± Yu Hong folded and released another Vortex Talisman Plate, letting the powerful negative radiation cover the surroundings and the communicator. Then, he focused his attention on the national broadcast¡¯s male voice. "This is the Eastern River People¡¯s Broadcasting Station, according to the new prediction provided by the Aurora City Research Center, it is predicted that in the next three months, the sun will no longer rise. Daylight will no longer be upon us¡­¡± "According to the peaks and troughs of the Red Value concentration, the Research Center has divided a day into two parts: Black Time and Gray Time. When the sun ceases to rise entirely, all survivors are urged to remember the time division to take targeted actions.¡± "Black Time starts at midnight and goes until about 14:00 the next afternoon. The likelihood of encountering a Black Disaster during this time is very high, and more dangerous Black Disasters prefer to strike in this environment.¡± "Gray Time is between 16:00 and 17:00 each day, approximately one hour and is relatively safer than Black Time. Research indicates that most Black Disasters choose not to strike at this time. The rest of the time is disordered, safer than Black Time but not as safe as Gray Time.¡± Yu Hong listened quietly, noting down this information, which did not yet seem useful, but if combined and verified later, could still be effective, signifying positive changes for Aurora City, at least continuing to aid in everyone¡¯s survival. "Regarding the weather forecast, that is all for now. Moving on to the national announcement from Aurora City: all current secure locations willing to accept survivors can apply for airdropped supply support through the following methods, and join the trade network of trade airdrops¡­¡± The broadcast sounded promising, but how could one contact Aurora City? It was a one-way broadcast;how many would have two-way communication devices? And under these circumstances, who would truly trust the broadcast from this station? Airdropped supplies? Would Aurora City be so altruistic, not seeking anything in return? It seemed impossible. These days, venturing outside was fraught with life-threatening dangers¡­ Turning off the communicator, Yu Hong stood up, and after his Inner Qi was restored, he went out to the stone castle, about to push the door open. Suddenly, he saw Ding Shao still jumping in place in the outer courtyard, apparently exercising. He thought for a moment, walked over, and left the outer courtyard. "How¡¯s your recovery?¡± "Pretty good, boss, when can I start the mission?¡± Ding Shao was still living outside the stone castle, not qualified to rest inside;the wooden shack was her only residence. In essence, Yu Hong had not yet accepted her. "I¡¯ve already met my friend, so the mission¡¯s content needs to be changed,¡± Yu Hong said calmly. "You say,¡± Ding Shao replied calmly, clearly having anticipated this. "Find new mysterious symbols,¡± Yu Hong reinstated the original request as the mission. "I¡¯ll give you a detector;you can take it, along with supplies and equipment, to other relics to search for more unique symbols.¡± ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t that too far?¡± Ding Shao frowned. "I can give you the location information of other strongholds and can provide weapons and equipment. I know the mission is difficult, but no one in the camp is more suitable than you.¡± Yu Hong was right;Ding Shao was a Speed Man, the second fastest strong individual in the camp after Yu Hong. Her speed was evident in her instantaneous reactions and sustained running endurance. Indeed, she was the best candidate for this mission. "Will finding new symbols solve the intermittent problem with the luminous stone mines?¡± Ding Shao asked. "Maybe, maybe not, I don¡¯t know. What I can assure you is that Black Wind Camp will persist, even without luminous stones, I have other ways to stabilize this place,¡± Yu Hong said calmly. If possible, he would actually prefer to go himself, but he couldn¡¯t;leaving would surely compromise the safety of the camp. "Think it over,¡± he patted Ding Shao¡¯s shoulder and turned to leave. Next, Yu Hong shared the information from the communicator with the others, and amid their stunned reactions, they all began rushing to go out and stockpile materials. Dr. Xu made medical powders, Li Rushan gathered wild vegetables and special soils, and Aisena also learned to weave small bags out of dry grass, doing what she could. Days passed. Each day, as Yu Hong awaited the end of his enhancement process, he continued to focus on practicing the Thunderbolt Leg Technique. Soon, the eighth Inner Qi also consolidated, just one step away from a minor physical transformation that would allow him entry to the third layer. After another two days, as Yu Hong began to look forward to breaking through to the third layer of the Thunderbolt Leg Technique, there was a stir in the secondary safety zone outside the camp. * * * In the gloomy forest. Three figures in black-gray cloaks, covering their entire bodies, were jogging, dodging something in the woods. They dared not make a sound, only their heavy breaths uncontrollably escaping. They occasionally looked back. It was extremely fast, covering ten meters in an instant, quickly catching up with the last person. The luminous stone cloak that the person wore was torn apart, revealing the sturdy black bulletproof suit underneath. But the suit seemed completely useless. The black human figure suddenly blurred and disappeared on the spot. Boom! At the same time, the person it caught up with groaned in pain as if hit by a car, losing balance and flying forward. He couldn¡¯t help screaming, flew more than ten meters, and fell to the ground. Plop. Only a helmet suit remained on the ground, nothing else was left. The moment this person hit the ground, his internal body completely dispersed and eerily vanished. And strangely, the part of the bulletproof suit that got hit had no dent whatsoever. Soon, the other two who were escaping were also caught up with one by one by the human figure, their luminous stone cloaks equally useless, and the robust bulletproof suits did nothing to stop it. All three bodies disappeared immediately after falling, with no blood or any other traces, as if the three suits had been laid on the ground from the start, never worn. Hiss. Soon after hunting the three people, the mysterious human figure reassembled and stood in the woodland. Behind it, two smaller black human figures silently formed. The three surveyed their surroundings, seeming to sense something. After confirming there were no living people around, they turned to leave. Suddenly, a woman in a yellow dress and white skirt slowly emerged from the dark woodland. With black hair covering her face and slightly bowing her head, she stopped and stood still about twenty meters away. Hiss! The three mysterious figures slightly opened their mouths, revealing densely packed tiny black insects crawling inside. It seemed like a threat. The woman in the yellow dress and white skirt stood quietly for a few seconds, then began to slowly retreat. She changed direction, trying to bypass the three figures, but they quickly blocked her, preventing her from moving forward. After repeating this four times, the woman in the yellow dress and white skirt finally slowly retreated and gradually disappeared into the mist, no longer attempting to pass. Meanwhile, the three black human figures in the surrounding woodland suddenly dispersed, transformed into countless black insects, and vanished on the spot. This seemed to signify that they now dominated this region. The swarm of black insects gathered and flew through the woods, soon spotting the Black Wind Camp illuminated by lights. Most of the swarm was unaffected by the Concealing Symbol outside the stone castle and continued to fly into the distance. But a few quietly landed and formed into a black human figure. The figure stood outside the outer courtyard, quietly observing the interior environment. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Watching the rough wooden fence of the outer courtyard, the figure slowly walked forward, heading inside. * * * Yu Hong abruptly closed his eyes, sensing the black lizard mark in his mind. In the mark, one of the patrolling black lizards had spotted a strange black shadow person in the outer courtyard. This person was about 1.67 meters tall, completely naked, covered in utter blackness, with nothing else visible. The most critical thing was¡­ Yu Hong looked at the constantly running detector inside the room. The numbers on it were rapidly jumping. From over three hundred to over eight hundred, then to over five thousand, the increases were incredibly rapid. Quickly, in just a few seconds, it reached over eight thousand;fortunately, it slowed down at this point. "Even mightier than Speed Man¡­ according to Zhang Kaijun¡¯s intelligence, that guy, it must be the Insect Man¡­¡± Apart from the Insect Man, he couldn¡¯t think of any other Black Disaster that could elevate the surrounding Red Value so high from such a distance! Considering that from here to the outer courtyard was a distance of over thirty meters. A distance of over thirty meters, and the Red Value detector surged to over eight thousand¡­ This was even more exaggerated than when Speed Man had invaded. ¡®Can¡¯t block it! The current Array is still strengthening, its power insufficient, unable to block it! Couldn¡¯t even block a slightly inferior Speed Man, let alone the Insect Man!!¡¯ Yu Hong, through the black lizard, watched as the black human figure approached the camp step by step. His expression was tense, thoughts racing in his mind, searching for a solution. Quickly, he noticed that the black human figure didn¡¯t seem very resolute, its forward steps not that fast or firm, taking a step, then pausing. Yu Hong suddenly remembered, he had added Concealing Symbols both in the stone castle and the cave to hide his presence. ¡®That means! It probably isn¡¯t sure there are living people here!!¡¯ A spark of insight flashed in Yu Hong¡¯s mind. He had a plan! He calmly controlled a black lizard. Plop. Suddenly, from the darkness on the right, a blob of black phlegm flew out. The phlegm landed precisely on the right cheek of the black human figure, slowly sliding down. ¡°¡­.¡±The figure slowly turned its head to look toward the black lizard. Chapter 169: Threat 1 Pfft! The black humanoid suddenly lunged forward like a hungry tiger pouncing on its prey, blinking across the distance and landing on the black lizard. With a bang, the lizard was struck by a tremendous force and sent tumbling backwards, rolling over a dozen times before gradually coming to a stop, lying limp on the ground. After a few seconds, the lizard¡¯s body suddenly exploded into countless small black insects that reformed into the humanoid figure. Just as the figure was about to turn and continue towards the nearby camp, Another glob of spit flew onto its face. Hiss! Enraged, the humanoid turned and lunged towards the second black lizard in the distance. This cycle repeated four times until, finally, when the black figure reformed again, there was no longer any trace of the camp in sight. It seemed to have forgotten about the camp and moved straight ahead in the existing direction, leaving. Before long, the figure vanished into the dark mist, disappearing completely. It seemed to have followed the direction its comrades had left in. In the darkness, another black lizard slowly emerged from the grass, watching the direction the humanoid had left in before fading back into invisibility. Inside the cave, Yu Hong heaved a long sigh, sensing only five remaining black lizards and shook his head with a sense of helplessness. "Before the array has been fully enhanced, this is the only way to cope. Fortunately, the black lizards can incubate and fully recover in just three days.¡± The exchange of information with Zhang Kaijun inspired him with some ideas to deal with the Black Disaster. It wasn¡¯t necessary to confront every Black Disaster head-on since they would revive and never die;it was better to find opportunities and methods to lure them away. This operation with the black lizards was also an attempt. Having averted a crisis, Yu Hong instructed the remaining black lizards to continue surveillance while he retreated to the basement to strenuously practice the Thunderbolt Leg Technique. Life in the camp gradually returned to normal. Time passed day by day, and it seemed that the explosion of the Giant God Bomb had triggered a series of chain reactions in the Black Disaster. Soon a week went by without encountering any Black Disasters more troublesome than Big Skin;the Black Wind Protective Array and the black lizards were sufficient to handle all troubles. Everything was calm. It appeared as Zhang Kaijun had said: after the high-risk Black Disasters staked out their territories, they settled down, and the most dangerous period was about to pass. However, Yu Hong maintained high vigilance for the Insect men he¡¯d encountered before. Through the black lizards¡¯ vision, he often saw Insect men repeatedly entering and exiting the secondary safety zone outside the camp. They seemed to be continuously driving out and expanding their territories. Every day, their range of activity crept closer to the camp¡ªnot quickly, but steadily. Pfft! In the forest, a massive elephant worm was struck by a shadow, quickly swelling with numerous fine particles all over its body. Then, with a muffled sound, the elephant worm exploded completely, turning into a large swarm of black insects. The insects scattered before condensing into a black humanoid figure in a clearing ten meters away. This clearing was now occupied by more than one humanoid;three additional figures rapidly took shape and stood behind the first. From afar, in the bushes, a black lizard witnessed this scene, quietly retracting its head and melding back into the darkness. This lizard was a sentinel Yu Hong had sent to monitor the Insect men, as the proximity had become so close that he didn¡¯t need to move himself;using the black lizard¡¯s two-kilometer extreme control range, he could observe the Insect men anytime, anywhere. "This is getting troublesome¡­¡± Inside the cave. Yu Hong drew a circle with his hand on a piece of paper on the table. This circle was not alone on the paper;there were four others drawn earlier. The circle he drew this time was the smallest of all, representing the shrinking safety perimeter around the camp. "It¡¯s smaller than a few days ago, closer to the camp¡­ about thirty or forty meters left¡­¡± Yu Hong frowned, finding the situation troublesome. "Based on observations these past days, there are a total of four Insect men outside, each individually slightly weaker than Speed Man, but together, they far exceed him.¡± S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "The most troublesome part isn¡¯t just their strength but their speed. They ignore surface defenses and can directly burrow inside to parasitize swiftly. As good as instant injury upon contact, and certain death upon injury.¡± Standing up, Yu Hong pondered how to deal with this kind of Black Disaster. He paced back and forth in the cave, his mind cycling through the options at his disposal. "The best way is to avoid contact altogether. Against this kind of Black Disaster, Protective Suits are utterly useless, and so are the enhanced humans. They are no different from ordinary people in front of it.¡± He had asked Zhang Kaijun and Wei Song about it in these days, knowing that they had also encountered Insect men. Faced with this Black Disaster, luminous stone bullets, firearms, fire, strong acids and bases, and various other methods were useless. Only luminous stone bombs were somewhat effective, but not greatly so, because the Insect men were too fast and would disperse and burrow underground before the bombs could explode. More disgustingly, unless he could completely exterminate the Insect men, as long as one live insect remained, it could quickly regroup and become whole again. This Black Disaster, though not as terrifying as the Evil Shadow, posed a far greater threat of death. Tough¡­ Yu Hong controlled the black lizards to monitor the Insect men¡¯s progress while he dived back into the basement to commence new Qi Cultivation. At this juncture, his Thunderbolt Leg Technique¡¯s second layer was nearing completion, with the ninth Inner Qi about to condense successfully. The speed increase from the Infinite Qi Condensing Technique was indeed extraordinary. Before he had refined this technique, his Qi Cultivation speed was as slow as a crawl, but now it was much faster. "Forget it, I¡¯ll think about it after breaking through the second layer. Perhaps the increased speed and enhanced power of Inner Qi will have a better effect when supplementing the Array.¡± Inner Qi could help during the recovery of imprints;Yu Hong had tried this before. The black lizards were indeed cultivated with the assistance of Inner Qi. Arrays were probably similar. In the basement enveloped in white light. Yu Hong stood in the center, focusing his mind and stabilizing his Qi, visualizing the Thunderbolt Leg Technique¡¯s visualization chart in his heart, while directing his Inner Qi and lightly tiptoeing on his feet. Swoosh! In an instant, he lifted his right leg for a high sweep, slicing through the air with a piercing whine. As quickly as a flash of lightning, the moves of the Thunderbolt Leg Technique were executed one after another, and the basement gradually echoed with strange, manic laughter. A layer of transparent air began to surround him, distorting the light. As time passed, Yu Hong¡¯s figure became more and more blurry, mysterious particles in the surrounding air being rapidly absorbed into his body, adhering to the nearly complete ninth strand of Inner Qi. He lost track of how much time had gone by. Puff! In an instant, Yu Hong¡¯s actions came to a halt;he stood in place. His skin turned red all over, and the layer of transparent air that was shrouding his body didn¡¯t disappear when he stopped moving. Instead, it flowed like water, congregating into a transparent whirl of air in front of him. The whirl of air was the size of a palm, condensed and suspended in front of Yu Hong¡¯s right shin, giving him the sense that he could easily kick it away with a casual flick. Without hesitation, Yu Hong fiercely kicked toward the Polar Bear Suit hanging on the far wall. Whoosh! The transparent whirl of air suddenly turned into a shadowy figure and shot out like a bullet, crashing into the Polar Bear Suit. Bang! The Polar Bear Suit, as if struck by a heavy punch, emitted a dull sound against the wall and shook violently. ¡°¡­.Breakthrough¡­¡± Yu Hong took a deep breath, walking over to check the part of the suit where the whirl of air had struck;there was no trace. ¡®Almost like the power of an ordinary person¡¯s punch¡­not great, but at least now I have some sort of ranged attack,¡¯ thought Yu Hong with satisfaction. First, he relied on the normal leg technique to accumulate airflow and then, when needed, sweep it out to produce a whirl of air. ¡°This is only the third layer, and I can create a whirl of this level. If I fully master the Thunderbolt Leg Technique, the whirls I produce will probably be even more powerful and perhaps more numerous!¡± He speculated in his mind. He sat cross-legged on the spot, feeling the changes in the Inner Qi inside his body. To his surprise, the nine strands of Inner Qi did not disappear and were still in the Dantian. ¡®Before, I would have used it all up and had to start accumulating Inner Qi from scratch¡­but this time¡­.¡¯ He was somewhat astonished and quickly pulled out the pamphlet for the Thunderbolt Leg Technique to check it. There was no explanation of this aspect on it. ¡®Never mind that, I¡¯ll just consolidate what I¡¯ve achieved for now.¡¯ By this time, the nine strands of Inner Qi within him flowed in a continuous circle, forming a loop that had already begun to slowly radiate warm streams of air outward. These streams once again caused Yu Hong to feel an itch over his entire body. He knew that it was time to start strengthening his body¡¯s durability again, something that had also happened once before during his second-layer breakthrough. Each breakthrough in the Thunderbolt Leg Technique granted the Cultivator a small enhancement. The strengthening lasted for over three hours before it finally stabilized. In the basement, covered in profuse sweat, Yu Hong rubbed his hands together, and a layer of transparent skin, thin like paper, peeled off from his hands. He was startled and quickly rubbed vigorously at other parts of his body, soon shedding a large layer of skin. The skin beneath, now uncovered, became pale and hard, like marble, complete with evenly distributed natural lines. ¡®Time to test this.¡¯ He approached the rarely-worn Polar Bear Suit, extended his hand, grabbed at the wrist area of the suit, and squeezed hard. Crack. A slight noise came from inside the suit, as the bulletproof metal plates bent. Yu Hong withdrew his hand and saw a shallow impression of his fingertips on the surface of the suit, feeling a wave of satisfaction. ¡®To have trained to this extent, finally, I can cause damage to a bulletproof vest to some degree using my bare flesh. This is my reinforced Polar Bear Suit, which is of high durability. If it were a normal bulletproof suit¡­.¡¯ He walked to the other side, where several sets of ordinary bulletproof suits that he had collected were still remaining. He casually picked one up and squeezed it single-handedly. Creak. The steel plates inside were easily bent out of shape, crumpled together at the wrist, and could no longer be worn. ¡®Not bad¡­.¡¯ Yu Hong glanced around;the area was too small for speed testing, so he simply put on the reinforced Grey Lizard Suit and stepped out of the cave. Outside, a rough stone passageway had been constructed between the stone castle and the cave, with enhanced air purifiers placed within the passage. To the left of the joint passageway, a wooden door had been installed as an entrance and exit to the communal area. Yu Hong first exited the cave¡¯s main door, then crossed the corridor of the passage and walked through the wooden door before he was truly back in the inner courtyard. He strolled around the inner courtyard several times, very pleased with the current renovations. With this setup, there was no longer a need to risk exposure to external long-range attacks when moving between the stone castle and the cave;safe passage was now assured. With air purifiers in place, everyone could stay inside the stone castle continuously, only venturing out to collect raw materials when absolutely necessary. Click. He exited the inner courtyard gate and closed it behind him. Yu Hong glanced at the detector;the Red Value remained in the forties and was not fluctuating. The situation had become even more stable. Insect men were expanding their territory right next to the camp, driving away various sizes of Black Disaster threats. Even shadow figures hadn¡¯t been seen in days. Click. Click. Yu Hong cautiously maneuvered through the woods, his Inner Qi ready but not released, prepared to burst into motion at any moment. This expedition was meant to test his own speed, not to seek out insect men and ask for trouble. Therefore, caution was of the utmost importance. Fortunately, the territory of the insect men was to the left of the camp, while he had chosen to go right for his speed test, in the direction of the highway. He had also cleared a sloped driveway here for solar-powered vehicles to pass. Chapter 170: Threat 168 Standing at the start of the lane, with his back against the outer courtyard fence, Yu Hong glanced at the murky gray mist ahead, took a deep breath, and confirmed the time. ¡°10:12 a.m.¡± Under normal circumstances, it would take him at least two minutes to run from here to the highway;this was after the road had been cleared and made passable. By regular walking, it would usually take a good ten minutes or so. The road¡¯s uneven lifts and falls, the possibility of encountering Black Disasters, and some steep slopes made it difficult to navigate. But now¡­ Yu Hong looked ahead through his goggles, concentrating and calming his mind. Thunderbolt Inner Qi filled and swelled within his legs. Hiss! In an instant, the ground behind him exploded into a small pit, and he was already gone from his original spot. A gusty wind howled past his ears while Yu Hong kept his eyes fixed forward, the mist rapidly thinning and splitting to reveal the clear forest floor. The ground and everything to the sides blurred into one, with only the path directly ahead remaining clear. The dense trees rapidly parted, retreating and being left behind. Soon enough, the path ahead suddenly cleared, and the road sloped downward. Swoosh! He took a small jump, landed softly, surged forward a few meters to release the force, and crouched to a halt on the cracked highway. Huff¡­ Two trails of hot white breath sprayed out from the sides of his respirator. Yu Hong stood up and glanced at the time on his detector: ¡°10:13 a.m.¡± "One minute, maybe even less,¡± he thought with satisfaction. He knew that his greatest improvement this time was his movement speed: in such a dangerous world, running fast meant a significantly higher chance of survival. He looked around. The highway was even more broken than before, with no sight of any flat surface. The ashen-white road surface was like shattered porcelain, covered in cracks and footprints. The whereabouts of those two solar-powered jeeps parked by the road were unknown, whether moved by someone or flung away by a Black Disaster. Yu Hong scanned his surroundings and could faintly make out a charred bus on the distant road. He decided to walk toward the direction of the bus. The sky still held some sunlight;it was the brightest time of the day. The pervasive fog on the mountains and fields was grayish-white, not the grayish-black of night. Yu Hong approached the side of the bus and stopped about seven or eight meters away. The readings on his detector began soaring, jumping from dozens to the five or six hundred range. "Before confronting an Insect man, it¡¯s better to take care of these potential hazards first¡­¡± Yu Hong looked at the bus, at the charred windows, and at the remains of the melted plastic on the windowsills. Swipe! Suddenly, a blurred white face popped up in one of the windows. The appearance of the face was extremely abrupt: there was nothing one second, and the next, it appeared at the window like a flash. Boom!! In an instant, Yu Hong stepped forward and delivered a powerful front kick. The impact exploded on the spot, his leg striking the waist of the bus, the enormous force accompanied by the crash speed, instantly twisting the bus¡¯s metal body, tipping it to the side, and making it roll. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!! Propelled by the giant impact, the bus rolled over several times on the side of the road and then fell down the slope next to the highway. As the bus continued to roll, there soon came another loud noise. The bus had hit a tree. Everything came to a halt. Yu Hong stood on the road, feeling a burst of Inner Qi being consumed from within, and a flush of exertion crossed his face. He hadn¡¯t expected his own strength to be so great. That sudden appearance of a face had startled him. Without thinking, he just kicked out at it straight away. With the burst of Inner Qi, that kick flipped the whole bus into a rolling motion. "Such a bus weighs at least five tons¡­ even if it was burned out and lightened, it should still be three or four tons.¡± To overturn something weighing three or four tons with a single kick, without any discomfort in his legs¡­ Yu Hong now finally had a sense of his own decent strength. Thump. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Thump. Thump. Suddenly, a series of heavy footsteps came from behind, echoing off the road. It appeared that the loud noise had attracted something, and out of the grayish-white fog behind him, a massive creature six or seven meters tall slowly emerged from the mist, revealing its colossal form. "Elephant worm¡­¡± Yu Hong turned to look and recognized the creature. His mind stirred, and he readied his Inner Qi without releasing it. Hiss! He turned into a shadow and dashed toward the elephant worm. At the same time, the elephant worm lifted its spike-like long leg and violently stabbed down at him. Crack. Before the elephant worm¡¯s long leg could fully come down, still in mid-air, Yu Hong¡¯s kick had already snapped it. Not just that, he also swept past and broke off a row of legs on its right side. Before it could roar and rise, a human-shaped shadow leaped from behind, rolled into the air, and a battle axe-like kick thundered down. Boom!!! The elephant worm¡¯s body sank sharply, its back shell collapsing and bursting on impact. Its massive body slammed into the ground with a grating and unpleasant metallic crushing noise. Before it could let out a roar. A blurry human form appeared once again beside its head. One kick. Thud. The elephant worm¡¯s triangular head was instantly kicked off, flying into the air. Its enormous body also, at this moment, completely shattered, turning into countless wisps of black smoke that dissipated into nothingness. "Three strikes.¡± Yu Hong felt the three strands of Inner Qi that were expended from within his body. Looking at the massive creature before him, silence now larger than Big Skin, silently disintegrate, vanish from sight. The fear he had in his heart for the Black Disaster diminished yet another layer. "Elephant worm, if not using Inner Qi, requires a long time to deplete, to break its carapace;with Inner Qi, only three moves are needed.¡± Elephant worm is a third-level Black Disaster¡­ For other enhanced humans, level three represented the very limit of what they could wrestle against unarmed, even when working together. "Theoretically, I could have dealt with the elephant worm before, as I did with the Multi-eyed Bird, but it definitely wouldn¡¯t have been as effortless as now.¡± He turned around and heard a steady stream of noises approaching from a distance. Without hesitation, he flashed toward the direction of the camp and swiftly sprinted away. The third layer Thunderbolt Leg Technique gave him a feeling like his body had become much lighter;a casual step would send him darting a great distance. In the mountain forest, Yu Hong moved lightly like a shadow, quickly traversing through the mist. Before long, a fuzzy black human-shaped figure appeared about ten meters from his side. The black figure was lying on top of a Big Skin, seemingly feasting. Suddenly, it raised its head to look in Yu Hong¡¯s direction. Insect man! Yu Hong came to a halt, also stopping to face the other. He had previously witnessed the speed of insect men through encounters with black lizards, and knew their pace was comparable to his own. This would be a good opportunity to understand¡­ the specific capabilities of this terrifying Black Disaster. A hundred meters away from the camp, Yu Hong took a light breath, regathering a fresh surge of Inner Qi, infusing it into his legs. He kept his gaze fixed on the insect man ten meters away, while a corner of his eye scanned the detector. "Red Value: 133,891.522.¡± One hundred thirty-three thousand¡­! Yu Hong¡¯s scalp tingled, knowing he absolutely couldn¡¯t let the creature touch him. Trying to counter this foe with a Radiation Hand Grenade would be impossible. Unless he simultaneously threw dozens of them in overlaying blasts, and even then, the insect man would need to stay in one spot for it to work. Considering the insect man¡¯s speed¡­ the idea was pure fantasy. In an instant, Yu Hong and the insect man both moved. Both turned into blurs, one advancing, the other retreating, sprinting fast in the direction away from the camp. In this chase, Yu Hong could clearly perceive the difference. In wide open spaces without obstructions, his speed was clearly faster than the insect man¡¯s. But the forest always had trees blocking the way. In such circumstances, he needed to dodge and weave, while the insect man could simply disperse into flying insects, crossing over obstacles and reforming without impedance;thus the terrain favored the insect man. After running wildly, Yu Hong simply took to the highway. With the insect man in tow, he dashed away from the camp, covering ten or so kilometers. He calculated the distance and suddenly threw out a Radiation Hand Grenade. Boom! The grenade with over seven thousand negative radiation units hit the pursuing insect man squarely. But aside from blasting some black fragments from the insect man¡¯s body, the Radiation Hand Grenade was useless for anything else. Seeing this, Yu Hong¡¯s heart chilled, knowing he couldn¡¯t confront this thing head-on. He was unsure if an outburst of Inner Qi could block the creature, and if it couldn¡¯t, he would be gambling with his life. Now, having roughly estimated the insect man¡¯s maximum speed, an idea formed in his mind about how to shake it off. Looking around, Yu Hong quickly remembered Huafeng City, half-seen along the way, completely covered in black slime. Without hesitation, he headed toward Huafeng City. With his current speed of at least a hundred yards, it wouldn¡¯t take long to get there. Time trickled by. Soon, the mist ahead grew thinner. The vast, black-painted buildings of Huafeng City came into view within Yu Hong¡¯s line of sight. He suddenly paused, slowing his steps, and looked back. The inky humanoid shape of the insect man had also stopped thirty or so meters away, staring far ahead at Huafeng City, no longer advancing. "Sure enough!¡± Yu Hong¡¯s expression was calm, confirming his own judgment. "High-risk Black Disasters indeed have their own territories. The insect man stopping could very likely be due to an encounter with a high-risk Black Disaster within Huafeng City, setting territorial boundaries¡­¡± Watching the halted insect man, Yu Hong slightly smiled, continued to distance himself until it completely vanished from his vision, and then took a detour, returning to the camp from another direction. The Thunderbolt Leg of the third layer enabled him to leap two or three meters lightly without making much of a commotion. Although he could previously do that, it was by sheer force, but now it was different. Quickly, in just twenty minutes, he was back outside the camp, confirming that the insect man from before hadn¡¯t returned. Back in the cave, Yu Hong finally had a sense of his rough level amidst the Black Disasters. "I can handle Black Disasters alone that are still above level four;I haven¡¯t encountered higher levels to test against. But judging from the elephant worm¡¯s backlash, the maximum won¡¯t exceed level five.¡± "The danger rating doesn¡¯t reflect the strength of the Black Disasters, but using it as a crude division works well enough.¡± "Next, I need to train the Thunderbolt Leg to higher levels as fast as possible;to be faster, stronger, and with more Inner Qi. This way, once the Array is strengthened and my Inner Qi is more ample, it will be able to support the Array for longer.¡± Afterward, Yu Hong and everyone in the camp stayed indoors, only moving around inside the stone castle and the cave. With the purifier, everyone gradually recovered from their coughing fits. Li Rushan began expanding the scale of the breeding boxes, taking advantage of the space in the stone castle to create ten more mushroom boxes, leading to a slow increase in food production. Time once again slipped by. Having confirmed his speed was slightly faster than the insect men¡¯s, Yu Hong personally led away the insect men that approached the camp twice more, each time drawing them to the vicinity of Huafeng City and its dominating presence. After trapping the insect men, he looped back to the camp. Using this method to bide time, and as Yu Hong¡¯s Inner Qi in the third layer was close to forming a second strand, the fortification of the Array was nearly finished. Old Zhou, who had been gone for a long time, also returned successfully. Yet contrary to what was expected, he hadn¡¯t found any luminous stone mines, nor his family. Instead, he scavenged a collection of assorted food and daily necessities. What was thought to have been a failed outing due to its seemingly meager rewards turned out to be unfounded, as Old Zhou returned smiling, unflustered. Once inside the stone castle, he called everyone together for a meeting. Chapter 171: Threat 3 ¡°`html Second floor of the stone castle. In the spacious small hall with a pointed roof, bright lights shone on everyone present. Old Zhou¡¯s bulletproof outfit was tattered, a large piece of white porcelain exposed from his back, slashed by something unknown. He seemed unconcerned, holding nutrition paste in one hand and a cup of water in the other, gobbling down food. Everyone else in the camp was there. Li Rushan was sitting in a corner with Aisena in his arms, Doctor Xu was sitting against the wall holding his stomach, Yu Hong had his arms crossed, standing by the window watching Old Zhou, waiting for his response. After eating for over ten minutes, Old Zhou finally seemed a bit comfortable and looked a bit energized. He set down the water and nutrition paste, raising his head to glance around at everyone. "The luminous stone mine, I checked it,¡± he said. ¡°The one I went to is also gone. It¡¯s all turned black. I suspect something unexpected happened that caused¡­¡± "It¡¯s the Meisha family,¡± Yu Hong interrupted, ¡°I learned from other points on the communicator that a small family force called Meisha is secretly using unknown methods to destroy the luminous stone mines. Everyone has passed the word around. If anyone encounters Meisha¡¯s people, they are to be killed on sight.¡± Meisha¡­ The hearts of everyone sank. They memorized the name, but it didn¡¯t mean much. Without a face for identification, a name alone couldn¡¯t lead them to these people. "Are they not human!? Even the most disgusting people wouldn¡¯t intentionally destroy luminous stone mines! Without luminous stones, we all can¡¯t survive!¡± Old Zhou said, his emotions rising. He had thought it was a natural disaster, but now Yu Hong told him it was man-made!? "Who knows what they¡¯re thinking. What kind of people aren¡¯t there in this world? Boss, since the communicator can contact other points, how are conditions elsewhere? Can you tell us?¡± Li Rushan asked. It was a question everyone else cared about too. All eyes turned to Yu Hong, who didn¡¯t hold back, truthfully explaining the situation of the Wei Song and Zhang Kaijun points. When they heard that newcomers have to take on various dangerous tasks outside for food and medicine¡­ Everyone felt fortunate they joined Black Wind Camp. "Alright, I¡¯ve said what needed to be said. Old Zhou, back to you¡ªbesides those small appliances in your car, what else did you find?¡± Yu Hong turned his gaze back to Zhou Xueguang. "I¡­ hey.¡± Zhou Xueguang, realizing the conversation was back to him, showed a slightly smug expression. He scanned everyone, stood up, unfastened his suit belt, and reached into his crotch, pulling out a neatly folded white sheet of paper. "This is my biggest find this trip!¡± He held up the paper, exclaiming. Yu Hong stepped forward, took the paper, looked at the confident Old Zhou, and opened it with some curiosity. Rustle. The paper was unfolded, revealing a color photocopy of Baihe City¡¯s map. The focus wasn¡¯t on the map itself but rather¡­ A series of black lines drawn on it with a pen. "What¡¯s this??¡± Yu Hong frowned. "This is a Black Disaster safe route!¡± Old Zhou cried out, ¡°On my trip out, I discovered a buffer zone between high-risk Black Disasters that never cross each other. Meaning, between two high-risk Black Disasters, they¡¯ve voluntarily isolated a narrow buffer demarcation line. As long as I¡¯m within this line, I won¡¯t be attacked by the Black Disasters on either side.¡± He paused, looked at the shocked faces, and continued. "More importantly, because both sides are high-risk Black Disasters, ordinary Black Disasters don¡¯t dare approach, so in this buffer zone, there¡¯s not even a shadow, nor any Blood Tide bugs! It¡¯s absolutely safe!¡± Silence¡­! No one spoke, as everyone was absorbed in the impact of his words. Several seconds later. "Old Zhou, can you be sure it¡¯s absolutely safe!?¡± Li Rushan couldn¡¯t help but ask first. "I can¡¯t!¡± Zhou Xueguang admitted, ¡°I can only guarantee that I personally experienced it without high-risk Black Disasters attacking me. That¡¯s all. This is a gamble of a route. If you also want to go out, you can use it as a reference. Our vehicle is already highly stealthy, and using the buffer zone makes even less noise;the safety is much better than before.¡± His words brought a quiet among them. Yu Hong, too, silently pondered. Old Zhou¡¯s response was more direct than Zhang Kaijun¡¯s information;he even came up with a specific route map. The outside environment was harsh and changing rapidly. Although it¡¯s uncertain how long this route would be valid, as long as they could identify this pattern, they could adapt accordingly. "Old Zhou, did you find the buffer zone with a detector?¡± Yu Hong asked. "You really are the boss. The enhanced detector you modified is excellent. Using it to detect the environmental Red Value, I could slowly determine the stable route of the buffer zone.¡± "This means we might be able to make contact with other points!¡± Li Rushan said with a hint of excitement. Not only him, but others in the camp also felt a surge of excitement, as it had been long since they saw other people. The outside was always a gray, dangerous, and profound place. "Besides these, I met a group of survivors heading to the airport, led by someone named Tang Shanzhong. I traded some supplies with them and chatted about the situation we each knew,¡± Zhou Xueguang¡¯s tone calmed down. He glanced at Yu Hong involuntarily and continued. "Captain Tang is a good person. He¡¯s been striving to rescue others along the way. He was originally a warehouse manager, and combined with good luck, he wasn¡¯t short of food and drink. Plus, there were several elite warriors helping him, including Xu Fan, the butcher you mentioned, in their team.¡± Yu Hong raised an eyebrow, surprised that Xu Fan had made it this long and was still alive. But he said nothing, signaling Old Zhou to continue. Zhou Xueguang nodded, ¡°They intend to take an air route to the supposedly safest New Aurora City number two. You won¡¯t believe where this new Aurora City is located¡­.¡± He smiled and continued. "From Captain Tang¡¯s group, I met several older folks, all of whom had escaped from Baihe City. They were surprised to learn I was from a camp near Baiqiu Village and shared some rumors about the Lin family from Baiqiu Village.¡± "The Lin family?¡± Yu Hong was alerted, immediately thinking of Stammering Yiyi, Lin Yiyi. "Yes, the one you¡¯re thinking of. Those two older folks said that Baiqiu Village used to be quite populated, but when the Black Disaster broke out, the environment worsened, and people gradually moved out. The Lin family was the only household in the village skilled in crafting White Stone. Back then, people still referred to luminous stone as White Stone.¡± Zhou Xueguang paused, then continued. "They shared some legends about the Lin family. It¡¯s said that at the very beginning of the Black Disaster outbreak, Donghe secretly summoned all experts with a high competence in the arcane to the capital and then gathered them to the initial point of outbreak. At that time, all the men from the Lin family went, leaving behind only two orphaned mothers and daughters.¡± "You mean to say that before the Black Disaster outbreak, people were already dealing with White Stone¡ªwhich is luminous stone?¡± Yu Hong suddenly asked. "Apparently so. Those two older men told me that not a single expert from that summoned group returned. After the Black Disaster outbreak, many in the official quarters died, and later, as the Black Disaster spread globally, a united coalition was formed by all countries, but no one knew where the experts went, as the rest is common knowledge now.¡± "Did they say where the initial Black Disaster outbreak was?¡± Yu Hong asked. "This I know. Within Donghe, it was in a place called Black Tree Village. All over the world, the outbreak sites share a commonality: initially, Black Wells appear.¡± Li Rushan said solemnly, ¡°At first, it all started with the discovery of ancient wells of unknown depth. Over time, these Black Wells multiplied, from which flowed the initial Blood Tide, namely blood ticks.¡± "Black Wells¡­.¡± Yu Hong silently noted the name. ¡°So, all men from the Lin family went to Black Tree Village?¡± "That¡¯s very possible. Given there were mid-situation developments that no one knew of, the nationwide recruitment probably aimed to target Black Tree Village initially.¡± Old Zhou nodded. Yu Hong formed an assessment. Considering how early it was, the two from the Lin family were probably long dead from the Black Disaster. Why was Yiyi still so determined to find them? Even if found, what then? Everything was irreversible. The specific reasons were probably known only to Lin Yiyi herself. As he pondered silently, Old Li and Old Zhou had already begun passionately discussing the viability of the safe route. A fixed, known safe route¡ªboth understood its implications clearly. After some excitement, everyone went back to rest. In the days that followed, everyone returned to their previous state, each taking on their own tasks, yet with a lighter, more active mood than before. Ding Shao took control of the vehicle, beginning preparations for the journey out. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yu Hong didn¡¯t plan for her to leave immediately, instead intending to modify the vehicle after the Black Mark enhancement concluded. The sunlight duration was too short, and solely relying on solar energy couldn¡¯t sustain the vehicle¡¯s power. Of course, the deadline he gave Ding Shao was within two months since, according to the broadcast, in three months, the sky would forever fall into darkness. By then, without solar power, the vehicle would become a burden instead. In the blink of an eye, several days later¡­ On the rooftop of the fort in the camp. A new waterproof pointed roof had been added, forming a small triangular structure. At that moment, above the pointed roof, Yu Hong sat quietly leaning against a section of the roof, gazing at the misty and grand mountain forest in the distance. Beams of golden sunlight pierced the gray mist like spikes, illuminating the entire forest. Croak. In the distant sky, several small dots hovered, emitting frog-like calls. Further in the mountains, a large black bug was slowly pushing aside trees, making its way into the distance. To the left of the giant insect, on the nearby hillside, Baiqiu Village bathed in sunlight gleamed with faint white light. Occasionally, vague silhouettes appeared and disappeared within the village. Thin clouds floated above, the pure and azure sky like a gem, with the gray mist as a veil over its surface. Roar! In the extreme distance, a faint roar drifted over. Through the mist, a gigantic bird-like shadow larger than the entire Baiqiu Village cleaved through the mist, gliding over the edge of the forest, flying off into the distance. *¡­This world¡­* Yu Hong watched as the immense shadow flew away, feeling an inexplicable sorrow rise within. *Is there really still hope?* Sitting quietly on the rooftop, he remained motionless for a long time. At that moment, under the surveillance of the Black Lizard, the area around the Black Wind Camp was already entirely encircled by the territory of the Insect men. Though they hadn¡¯t discovered the camp yet, the Insect men¡¯s territory was getting closer to this area. No escape, nowhere to hide. Chapter 172: Threat 4 "Even if I manage to block the insect man, there will be more Black Disasters, stronger Black Disasters attacking. Can I really keep this up?¡± Yu Hong felt a tinge of doubt in his heart. He felt that he must determine a direction for the future development of the entire camp. "We must achieve complete self-sufficiency! Not relying on external resources, implementing a closed-loop system within ourselves, and further strengthening external defensive capabilities.¡± "In that case, an absolutely sturdy and safe camp defense is essential, and the internal self-circulating self-sufficiency system must also be established¡­ Others may not be able to, but I have the Black Mark, which is not impossible to achieve.¡± He sighed, Yu Hong stood up and gazed into the distance. The sunlight was gradually dimming, and the fog was thickening, becoming denser. That gloomy fog was gradually blocking out the sun from afar, spreading towards here. It looked like a large mass of gray-black cotton, as well as a large patch of gray clouds casting faint shadows on the mountains and forest floor. The shadows moved quickly, drawing nearer, covering the mountains and forests, covering Baiqiu Village, covering the camp. Until Yu Hong on the stone castle¡¯s roof was completely enveloped. He looked up again at the sun. At that moment, the glaring sunlight completely disappeared, never to be seen again. "Phew.¡± Yu Hong lightly leaped, with one hand on the outer wall of the stone castle, slid down, and then firmly jumped off the ten-meter-high roof, rolling on the spot to unloaded the force, and stood up. Taking one last look at the sky, he entered the cave and began his arduous cultivation. Several days later. As the Array neared completion, Ding Shao decided to leave early without taking the vehicle for the mission. She quietly went out once, checking the safe route named Black Disaster Rift summarized by Old Zhou. She decided to take advantage of the route still being effective and leave immediately. Yu Hong had condensed the third layer of Inner Qi, but even so, he had no good solution for the insect man. Everyone together bid Ding Shao farewell within the camp. "You really don¡¯t need to rush like this,¡± Yu Hong said. He handed her a set of women¡¯s bulletproof vest marked with Concealing Symbols which he had drawn during his spare time in the past few days. This was the last set of women¡¯s bulletproof outfit left, with only two men¡¯s sets remaining. Moreover, with the exhaustion of luminous stones, the new symbols could only be drawn using the stored Large Pyroxene Stone ink powder. Whether runes would still be effective in the future remained uncertain. "I think, I want to check out the larger strongholds,¡± Ding Shao spoke softly. "You are honest,¡± Yu Hong chuckled, ¡°Decide for yourself. You can also stay there if you wish, but if you find new symbols and want to return, you¡¯re welcome here.¡± He gave Ding Shao the addresses and directions of both Zhang Kaijun and Wei Song¡¯s strongholds. She had to decide everything on her own. "Since you want to see what¡¯s at the large stronghold and possibly detach, I can¡¯t give you too much material. I hope you understand,¡± Yu Hong continued. This was also fair for other camp members. Since Ding Shao harbored thoughts of leaving the camp, they couldn¡¯t allow her to take too many supplies. At most, because of her previous help and contributions to the camp, they would provide some resources. "I understand, I¡¯m grateful for having been sheltered for so long,¡± Ding Shao solemnly said. ¡°I don¡¯t need the car either, just some basic supplies would be good.¡± "Ding, are you really determined to go?¡± Old Li felt reluctant. It was rare to have a beautiful woman in the camp, and now she was leaving. "Take care, Brother Li. Don¡¯t keep taking the boss¡¯s matters upon yourself,¡± Ding Shao smiled. "Sister, you¡¯re going to regret this,¡± Aisena suddenly spoke. ¡°¡­.¡± Ding Shao paused, then showed a cryptic smile and ruffled Aisena¡¯s hair. Old Zhou kept silent and didn¡¯t mind Ding Shao¡¯s departure. Soon, Yu Hong prepared a portion of food and water for her, along with some foldable Vortex Talisman Plates for self-protection. Then he watched her leave. Ding Shao didn¡¯t take the Radiation Hand Grenade, signifying she indeed intended to go to other strongholds. Perhaps the lack of luminous stone supply was the key reason truly influencing her decision to leave the place. Yu Hong noticed that Old Li seemed to be staring at Ding Shao¡¯s disappearing figure for a long time. "Don¡¯t worry everyone, I¡¯m enhancing the camp¡¯s defensive abilities. There won¡¯t be any problems in the future, even if we run out of luminous stones, I have newly designed protective measures,¡± Yu Hong reassured. He was pondering, after stabilizing the situation, he might find Black Mark to strengthen a basic Cultivation Technique that would allow ordinary people to cultivate Inner Qi. The effect didn¡¯t need to be very strong, but it had to be sufficiently prevalent to enhance the survival capability of camp members. Of course, to prevent it from leaking out and becoming a method for enemies to attack and seize the camp, this Cultivation Technique ideally could differentiate between friend and foe. In case it was used against oneself, it would automatically fail, resulting in a permanent loss of Inner Strength. Yu Hong did not doubt the Black Mark¡¯s ability to strengthen something like this. The key was time¡­ There were too many things that needed the Black Mark¡¯s enhancement. Soon, Ding Shao¡¯s figure disappeared into the fog, and everyone dispersed. As Yu Hong was returning, he paused for a moment. In his mind, he had already controlled a black lizard to spit on a nearby insect man. Seconds later. Three black lizards died, successfully diverting another insect man approaching the camp. These days, spitting to divert had gradually become less effective. The distance it could divert was increasingly shortening. The insect men seemed to be adapting to this method, making it increasingly ineffective. Initially, it could divert distances over a hundred meters, but now at most, it could divert thirty to forty meters. "Quickly¡­ it¡¯s about time,¡± Yu Hong checked the countdown of the Array Patterns on the ground of the inner courtyard before entering the public passageway. ¡°16 hours 7 minutes.¡± He shifted his gaze, waited for everyone to enter, then shut the door and locked it. Then he followed into the cave entrance. In these last dozen or so hours, he had to stay vigilant at all times, keeping an eye on the movements of the insect men outside. If he were to perish right before dawn, it wouldn¡¯t be worth it at all. Yu Hong sat at the entrance without resting or practicing his cultivation techniques, monitoring the situation outside the camp at all times through the mark and the black lizards. One hour passed. Two hours. Five hours. He ate some nutrient paste and water, took a hot shower, and went to the toilet. He carried out a large container of waste to dump into a big pit outside the camp. Outside, it was completely dark except for the light from the camp, and there were no other sources of illumination. Faintly, he thought he could hear the soft buzz of insects flying outside, rustling, very many of them. "Not blood ticks¡­ blood ticks can¡¯t fly¡­ maybe it¡¯s the insect men.¡± On high alert, Yu Hong turned around, went through the corridor, and returned to the cave to continue waiting. Time slowly passed. The sounds of insects outside the camp grew closer. Meanwhile, in the inner courtyard, the dark red countdown had entered the final few minutes. Yu Hong, carrying all of the Radiation Hand Grenades, walked out of the cave and through the corridor to wait on alert in the inner courtyard space. Five minutes went by. No movement. Ten minutes went by. Still no movement outside the camp. Finally. Thud. The countdown for the last minute abruptly vanished. The entire inner courtyard camp flickered slightly, blurred, and then there was no other movement. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But Yu Hong breathed a long sigh of relief. From the mark in his mind, the Black Wind Protection Array buried underground had been successfully enhanced. Because on the ground in front of him, an instruction manual had magically appeared. He walked over, picked up the sheet, and examined it closely. "Black Wind Protection Array: Also known as the Wind and Fire Slaughter Spirit Array, it targets any Black Disaster entering and conducts a dual sustained attack with wind and fire. The Black Wind Erosion is 2000 radiation units per second, coupled with slight resistance to prevent the enemy from entering. The Black Fire Erosion is 3000 units per second, with sustained burning damage that increases over time, with a maximum ceiling of 10000 units per second, ceasing once out of the array. Usually, it can absorb surrounding Red Value radiation during dormancy and store it until needed for release. Storage time is 30 minutes. Additionally, the range of the array has doubled from the original.¡± Looking at the contents of the manual, Yu Hong really breathed a sigh of relief. "The combination of wind and fire erosion means it¡¯s five thousand ongoing damage per second, ten thousand in two seconds. Compared to Speed Man¡¯s kind which easily reaches hundreds of thousand of Red Value radiation, it¡¯s really not much, but the array¡¯s range has also doubled, covering the entire outer courtyard.¡± Yu Hong walked to the outer courtyard and felt the coverage of the array under his feet. Even as the owner of the Black Mark, stepping on the array, he could feel a subtle tingling sensation. "If the Black Disaster stays within the array longer, the damage will increase¡­ If it reaches the maximum of twelve thousand per second, in ten seconds, that¡¯s one hundred twenty thousand. Combined with the Radiation Hand Grenade¡­¡± Initially pleased that the array had been enhanced, Yu Hong, doing the math, suddenly felt that relying solely on the array might still be insufficient. The insect man¡¯s speed meant they could charge through the array in less than two seconds;was this slight damage meant just to scratch them? "It seems the strengthened large-scale array can only handle mid to low-level Black Disasters, and for those with high radiation values¡­ other methods must be considered¡­ The array can, however, be used to buy some time.¡± Yu Hong returned to an idea he previously had. He designed a new array that could delay and entangle the movement speed of the Black Disaster, causing it to be immediately affected upon entering the range of the camp¡¯s array. Yu Hong carefully considered the few symbols and runes he currently mastered. "Luminous stone rune, Vortex Rune, Concealing Symbol. What could slow down the Black Disaster?¡± His thought process returned to the expulsion fluid and extraction fluid suggested by Zhang Kaijun. "No, this isn¡¯t the right direction to think from!¡± All of a sudden, Yu Hong realized something ¡ª since the newly appeared array itself already possessed some capability to hinder the Black Disaster, why not continue to enhance this aspect? The Black Wind Erosion function could perhaps be separately enhanced! Yu Hong¡¯s eyes lit up, and he immediately sensed the mark in his mind. Through the mark, he could see every detail of the new array from above. Soon, he noticed something unusual. "Wait¡­ this array pattern, why does it look a bit like the visualization in my Thunderbolt Leg Technique manual??¡± Suddenly, he discovered that some patterns within the array actually overlapped with the Thunderbolt Leg Technique. "Could it be¡­ that this array also integrates some mysteries of the Thunderbolt Leg Technique!?¡± "This being the case, I might also be able to explore further strengthening methods through martial arts.¡± Immediately, Yu Hong returned to the cave, reorganized the visualization of the Thunderbolt Leg Technique, and then combined it with some special patterns from the new array, he directly hand-drew both based on his feelings. This drawing, he actually felt it made some sense. He discovered that, as he drew, his Inner Qi unconsciously flowed into the array patterns, and then this newly drawn pattern really subtly started to affect the flow of Qi. "The imitated visualization is okay, no activity, but this imitation of the new array¡¯s pattern, drawn with Inner Qi, actually has some effect¡­ This is interesting¡­¡± This was the first time Yu Hong had discovered a pattern similar to a new symbol on his own. If he managed to summarize it successfully, he might master a new ability rune similar to the Vortex Rune or the Luminous Stone Rune. In that case, the new array would have found its place. Chapter 173: Strengthening Chapter One As time passed day by day, Yu Hong continually adjusted and experimented. By imitating the Array Patterns he had drawn and combining them with the Black Mark to attempt enhancement, he finally received feedback from the Black Mark on the fifteenth day that the enhancement had been successfully authorized. Over the span of fifteen days, two weeks, his Inner Qi had also reached the sixth strand of the third layer of the Thunderbolt Leg Technique. The speed of his progress was much faster than before. During this period, other than strengthening a batch of nutritional paste, the Black Mark was not used for any other purpose, dedicating its entire capacity to assisting Yu Hong with his experiments. Using the Black Mark, which could enhance only fundamentally complete objects, Yu Hong continually adjusted and simulated the symbol designs until he copied a section of symbol details from the new Wind and Fire Slaughter Spirit Array, finally obtaining confirmation from the Black Mark. A complete, basic airflow obstruction Array was thus obtained. Inside the cave. Yu Hong wiped the sweat off his forehead as he looked at the hand-drawn Array in front of him. Concentrating on the drawing while also expending Inner Qi was a very exhausting task. But fortunately, with an existing Array to learn from, and by incrementally adding and testing, he finally created a complete version. ¡®This version definitely isn¡¯t the most streamlined, but as long as it fulfills the basic functionality, it¡¯s enough for the Black Mark to enhance.¡¯ He sat cross-legged on the basement floor, eyeing the Array patterns on the plank of wood. A notion suddenly struck him, and he took out two spoils of war from a wooden frame in the corner. One was a ruby-like crystal from a mutated crow. The other was a black jade-like bone from Speed Man. ¡®There¡¯s not much variety anyway, and the Black Mark¡¯s enhancement principle is to substitute synthesis for multiple enhancements¡­ It can only proceed with a second enhancement if new elements are added each time, so let¡¯s try adding these two¡­¡¯ He didn¡¯t know what these two items were good for;he just relied on the Black Mark to guide the direction. After placing the two items on the plank, Yu Hong picked it up and walked out of the cave to a wall in the inner courtyard. Snap. He placed the plank on the ground, indifferent to whether there were people around. After all, others couldn¡¯t see the Black Mark or the countdown of the enhancement. Stretching his hand to press on the ground, his current action resembled someone checking the quality of the soil. The luminous stone grass on the ground of the inner courtyard had withered long ago, and now it was a bed of transplanted, lush wild vegetables. But with the days of sunlight growing shorter, he wasn¡¯t sure how much longer these vegetables would last. Yu Hong¡¯s hand pressed against the ground. ¡®Black Wind Protection Array enhancement, direction: merge the slowdown Array and two other Black Disaster materials. Enhance the obstruction and slowdown effect against Black Disaster.¡¯ His enhancement attempt aimed to include the large Array, his own drawn Array on the wooden board, and the two leftover items all together. To reduce construction work, Yu Hong directly allowed the Black Mark to proceed with the enhancement. Although it required more time, it saved much more time in the end as it eliminated the need to dig up the foundation and restore it. And most importantly, since the enhancement occurred underground, there was no worry about it being discovered by others. ¡®I could actually continue to enhance the Black Wind Protection Array¡¯s functionality, but the current form of the Array is too large. The time consumption for enhancing would be huge. By solely enhancing the slowdown Array, it should take less time, and I could use the separately researched slowdown Array in other places.¡¯ This was the path Yu Hong had initially envisioned: learn new things from the enhanced products, comprehend them, add new elements, and enhance again, step by step perfecting the camp. As it was with Inner Qi, now it was the same with the Arrays. Soon the Black Mark provided feedback. The countdown timer appeared: 17 hours 01 minute. Yu Hong breathed a sigh of relief, knowing his guess was correct, enhancing just one functionality didn¡¯t require much time. Standing up, he took the wooden board with the slowdown Array and began contemplating the combination of various Array Patterns and symbols. The symbols he now controlled included the luminous stone Array Patterns, vortex Array Patterns, Concealing Symbol, and now the slowdown Array Patterns. In the basement, Yu Hong looked at these four types of symbols on the paper and already had a plan in his heart. He spent so much time and was willing to let the Black Mark idle, without enhancing other things, to coordinate with himself and test meticulously to paint a complete slowdown talisman array, all for this moment. ¡®These four kinds of runes are already sufficient to form a simple compound Array¡­¡¯ Yu Hong pondered in his heart. ¡®The essence of the luminous stone rune is enhancement, strengthening the efficacy of the luminous stone itself. So, it should be called an enhancement rune.¡¯ ¡®The vortex itself represents storage and release, while Concealing is for hiding the presence, reducing and stabilizing the activity of radiation. This can serve as a safety valve.¡¯ ¡®The last, the slowdown, can be used to control the flow rate of energy, combined with Inner Qi to depict Large Pyroxene Stone powder as a link for conduction pathways.¡¯ "With this, a basic personal compound Array structure is ready.¡± Yu Hong¡¯s heart leapt with joy. Completing a basic compound structure meant that it could be repeatedly and infinitely nested. Observing the four types of symbols, he began to consider which direction to try first. After a moment, he decided to start with the slowdown Array. ¡®Use the vortex talisman array as the power source to absorb and release energy, then tailor it for the purpose of deceleration, apply the Concealing Symbol to stabilize the structure and eliminate the fluctuation of presence, and use the enhancement rune to strengthen the functionality of deceleration¡­¡¯ Yu Hong made a simple attempt to draw the four types of symbols onto a board, connecting them with simple Large Pyroxene Stone graphite powder lines, and combined them in sequence. Taking advantage of the simulation structure of the Wind and Fire Slaughter Spirit Array. Very quickly¡­ After just over an hour. A brand-new Array wooden board appeared before him. The wooden board, about the size of a washbasin, began rapidly absorbing the surrounding Red Value to store as energy. And Yu Hong had also made it foldable, saving on the graphite powder. ¡®Now, we wait¡­¡¯ Satisfied, he put down the board and went up to the first floor to eat something. ¡®If this attempt is successful, then I can completely utilize the combination of Array Patterns to enhance other functionalities¡­ For instance, enhance the erosive abilities of the black wind and black fire in the Wind and Fire Slaughter Spirit Array!¡¯ Yu Hong, tasting the sweetness of success, felt that he had finally found the correct way to use the Black Mark. Researching and absorbing the attributes of enhanced objects, then summarizing the experiences and inspirations, adding a touch of something new, you could enhance and create newer and stronger objects¡­ In this way, the abilities he controlled became more numerous and versatile, capable of dealing with many complex situations, while the items enhanced by the Black Mark also grew stronger, creating a positive feedback loop. Just like how he deduced his own Inner Qi basics from the enhanced Cultivation Technique, then directly enhanced his Inner Strength with the Infinite Qi Condensing Technique, which in turn accelerated his Thunderbolt Leg Technique. Time slowly trickled by. The sky gradually brightened as the night passed, and the solitary two hours of daylight arrived quietly. Yu Hong hadn¡¯t slept all night, constantly trialing the various combinations of symbols. By dawn, he had a drink of water and lay down to rest for a while. Inside the stone castle. Old Li and Old Zhou both got up and started their daily preparations: maintaining humidity in the breeding tanks, checking temperatures, adding compost, and arranging the feces of cockroaches and lizards, among other tasks. They also needed to exercise to keep their bodies in shape and prepare breakfast. As the main combat forces aside from Yu Hong, Old Li and Old Zhou had to practice fighting skills and simulated shooting every day. The two discussed the types of Black Disaster they encountered outside and debated the best ways to deal with them. While everyone went about their daily routine. Outside the camp, a swarm of black insects gathered and condensed into a humanoid form. It was an Insect man. It mechanically edged along the perimeter of the camp, drawing closer and closer. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Puff. Soon, a black lizard in the corner spat saliva, which stuck to the side of its face. But this time, the spitting attack, usually infallible in its ability to humiliate, surprisingly did not provoke any reaction from the Insect man. It remained motionless and continued to move forward. Slowly making its way towards a corner of the camp. Inside the cave. Yu Hong sat up abruptly, observing the Insect man through the eyes of the black lizard. He didn¡¯t rashly go outside to avoid triggering any aggressive impulses in the other party. ¡®Essentially, the stone castle is concealed with Concealing Symbols, hiding its aura fluctuations. In the eyes of the Black Disaster, it should only appear as a strange camp with a faint scent of living humans. As long as there are more repulsive elements than attractions in the camp, we can achieve eviction¡­ So, we must ensure that no living person goes outside the camp, which would increase the scent of life and its attractiveness.¡¯ Watching the Insect man closely, Yu Hong this time chose not to personally lead it away. He also wanted to test the specific power of the newly enhanced Wind and Fire Slaughter Spirit Array. Puff. Puff. The Insect man slowly approached the camp¡¯s fence. It seemed to gaze at the inside of the camp from where its eyes should be. One step, two steps¡­ Puff! In an instant, its entire body turned into a swarm and flew straight over the fence, lunging towards the stone castle. But the moment it flew into the fence, The expanded Array immediately took effect. A stream of transparent air erupted from the ground, hitting the swarm of insects that the Insect man had become. The stream of air, like a pillar, enveloped the Insect man, continually striking it. At the same time, streaks of black sparks appeared inside the swarm, attempting to ignite the Insect man. Suddenly, the speed of flight for the swarm of insects drastically reduced, becoming much slower. However, even so, the short thirty-meter distance from the outer yard wasn¡¯t enough for it to fly across. Just as it was about to reach the walls of the stone castle, Suddenly a figure burst out from the inner yard and threw a Radiation Hand Grenade at it. Bang! With a negative Red Value of seven thousand, the radiation explosion burst forth, an insult more than anything to the Insect man. It was also attracted by the strong scent of living humans, and swiftly turned towards the figure, lunging at it. But with a bang, the figure started to run circles around the outer yard with a speed not any slower than the Insect man. In open areas, the Insect man was naturally not as fast as Yu Hong, and with the Array¡¯s hindrance, it was even slower. Thus, one chased and the other ran, quickly completing a full lap. Then two laps. Three laps. Four laps¡­ The black sparks on the Insect man turned into black flames, layers of black insects burning to death and falling like gravel. As it continued to circle, it had already stayed within the Array for more than ten seconds. While running, Yu Hong occasionally slowed down to wait for it. Seeing the Insect man¡¯s body visibly shrinking in size, he felt relieved. ¡®Now it should have reached the Array¡¯s damage limit, twelve thousand units of damage per second. Even if it is an Insect man, with a radiation total Red Value of over a hundred thousand, it cannot withstand such rapid burning.¡¯ As expected. After a few more laps, The Insect man¡¯s size had shrunk by half compared to when it arrived. Now only one meter forty in height, like a dwarf, it sensed something was wrong and immediately turned to flee towards the outside of the Array. Seeing this, Yu Hong stopped in his tracks, attempting to tempt it to continue the chase. But this Insect man clearly had some intelligence and, without looking back, maintained its humanoid form and dashed out of the camp, disappearing into the foggy forest in a blink. Yu Hong chased after it and stood in the outer yard of the camp, looking out. He dared not pursue further because, apart from Arrays and items, he didn¡¯t dare physically engage with an Insect man. Standing inside the fence, his expression finally relaxed a bit. ¡®The Array will need to be strengthened, but the damage is indeed very high. Except for the speed of Insect men, which are like an eighth-level Black Disaster, all other Black Disasters pose no threat to the camp.¡¯ Chapter 174: Strengthening Generally, a shadow would have just tens of ¡°Red Value,¡± and the Withered Woman Evil Shadow initially had only hundreds. Language People are stronger, initially in the thousands. Approaching the current campsite array meant instant elimination. The combination of black wind and black fire initially caused five thousand damage per second. Basically, entering meant death. "Once the slowing array is enhanced and the slow effect becomes more pronounced, perhaps I won¡¯t even need to lure the Insect Man myself.¡± At this point, Yu Hong finally felt a bit of safety. The high damage of the Wind and Fire Slaughter Spirit Array initially gave him the confidence to stabilize the camp. Now, the problem was that continuing to strengthen the array would definitely take more time. Strengthening just the slowing effect, on the other hand, would take much less Black Mark time. Thus, the focus should just be on continuously enhancing the slowing effect. At that moment inside the stone castle, Li Rushan and others, who had already sensed something, quietly opened the door and peeped out. "Boss? Is it over?¡± Li Rushan asked cautiously. "It¡¯s fine now, but in the future, you all should come out less, and even if you do, try to bring a luminous stone blanket to reduce your own aura,¡± Yu Hong advised. "Yes, definitely, definitely,¡± Old Li nodded repeatedly. Just now, he had seen an Insect Man through the gap in the window, and although he didn¡¯t know how the boss had driven it away, the outcome was bearable. "Boss, did the Insect Man enter the camp just now?¡± Dr. Xu squeezed out of the door and asked cautiously. "Mm¡­ It was too fast;the camp isn¡¯t deep enough¡­ But as long as we hide inside the stone castle, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem,¡± Yu Hong reassured. He had just led the Insect Man around in many circles;hiding the truth was impossible. So he simply told the truth outright. Regardless, hearing that the Insect Man had entered the camp, everyone¡¯s faces slightly changed. The atmosphere suddenly turned a bit gloomy. "That¡¯s all, don¡¯t worry,¡± Yu Hong spoke loudly. ¡°I¡¯ve already started making enhancements in response to the recent situation.¡± "We naturally trust the boss¡­ but there¡¯s another issue,¡± Li Rushan said with hesitation, then after pausing, he continued. "It¡¯s about Xu Ruoying, she needs a targeted check-up now. She¡¯s noticed something wrong with her belly, probably needs some medication to stabilize the pregnancy¡­ but we have no equipment here, nor do we understand obstetrics¡­¡± "You mean¡­¡± Yu Hong had a premonition. "I need to go to the city, find a doctor, find equipment;we¡¯re lacking many things here,¡± Dr. Xu said helplessly. As the fetus grew, her mental state had improved so much that she was no different from a normal person. "Didn¡¯t Ding Shao borrow a car? We could use it to go to a bigger base,¡± Li Rushan said gravely. Yu Hong paused, then nodded in understanding. "I have no objections. For the sake of the child, we need to go to a larger base where the conditions are much better.¡± He couldn¡¯t possibly spend Black Mark enhancement time on strengthening a bunch of equipment just for childbirth. Even if he could enhance them, who would operate them? Have Dr. Xu deliver by herself? If there was a difficult labor, would she perform a cesarean section on herself? Thus, Yu Hong understood Xu Ruoying¡¯s predicament and sympathized. "So, you plan to go with her?¡± he looked towards Li Rushan. "With her being pregnant and less mobile, someone must accompany her. I plan to go with Nana and her.¡± "Where to?¡± "First to Old Zhou¡¯s mentioned Old Hope City in Mandy, which he has visited. That area isn¡¯t a high-risk Black Disaster invasion zone. After the city was broken, it gathered many refugees, and they established a small refuge there, currently housing about a few hundred people,¡± Li Rushan explained earnestly. ¡°¡­¡± Yu Hong fell silent, then showed a smile. ¡°Alright, be careful on the road.¡± Li Rushan nodded and looked down, unable to meet the other¡¯s gaze, until he heard Yu Hong¡¯s footsteps fade away, followed by the heavy sound of the cave door closing. He sighed quietly and turned to help Dr. Xu through the door. His daughter Nana stood by the doorframe, watching him. "Dad, didn¡¯t you say that you would always be with Uncle Yu?¡± Nana asked bluntly. "I¡­ will send you and Dr. Xu to a safe place, then come back,¡± Li Rushan responded. "Oh,¡± Aisena nodded. But the upcoming Old Zhou was not so easily fooled;he exchanged a look with Li Rushan. The two quickly settled Nana and Dr. Xu, then went alone to the breeding room and closed the door. Old Zhou leaned against the door, staring at Li Rushan. "You¡¯re planning to leave?¡± he asked. Although phrased as a question, it carried a certain affirmation. "The Black Disaster has reached the inner courtyard of the camp;the boss had to deal with an Insect Man personally;it¡¯s not just one Insect Man out there, these creatures move in groups¡­¡± Li Rushan did not answer directly. "It looks like you¡¯re leaving,¡± Old Zhou exhaled lengthily. ¡°It makes sense, we joined Black Wind Camp looking for safety. Now that safety is gone, it could collapse at any moment. You have a child;of course, you can¡¯t risk your life with the boss.¡± He paused. "Even if the boss once saved your life.¡± This seemed like a taunt. With Li Rushan¡¯s temperament, normally he would have retorted right away. But now¡­ "I¡¯m not alone,¡± he lowered his head and closed his eyes. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Nana, I wouldn¡¯t mind sacrificing my life for the boss;I, Li Rushan, am not afraid of death. But if I die¡­ what will happen to Nana?¡± He opened his eyes, guilt and resolution flashing through them. "I promised Carine to protect Nana as she grows up.¡± "Heh heh¡­¡± Zhou Xueguang laughed twice. "What are you laughing about? You¡¯re not planning to go?¡± Li Rushan asked in return. "Go? Although the boss saved me too, I¡¯m originally a deserter. Having escaped once, escaping a second time doesn¡¯t weigh on me much,¡± Old Zhou said indifferently. ¡°Honestly speaking, the boss has really been good to us. It¡¯s a pity¡­ in this world, perhaps good people really don¡¯t last long¡­¡± "That¡¯s right¡­ in any other camp, we would just be cannon fodder. Here, we have free access to food and medicine. If it weren¡¯t for¡­¡± Li Rushan nodded and sighed again. "You¡¯re planning to go;another reason must be the exhausted luminous stone mine, right?¡± Zhou Xueguang asked again. ¡°¡­¡± Li Rushan did not utter a word, but his silence was consent. "Hey, now we¡¯re all gone. I wonder what expression the boss will have when he finds out,¡± Zhou Xueguang said with self-mockery. ¡°He¡¯s probably going to curse us out big time.¡± "I¡¯ve packed everything up. This time, I¡¯m planning to head to Gray City, which Commander Zhang Kaijun mentioned. Where are you going?¡± Li Rushan spoke again. "Is that little bit of stuff enough for your journey?¡± Zhou Xueguang noticed that Li Rushan had packed, but the quantity was quite small. "It¡¯s all the boss¡¯s stuff. We¡¯ve already betrayed his kindness;we shouldn¡¯t go to extremes in everything,¡± Li Rushan said lightly. ¡°At least I, Li Rushan, come from a mailman background;finding some supplies en route is something I can handle.¡± "In that case, I suggest you don¡¯t be shy. If not for yourself, think about Nana. This little bit of food means hardly anything to the boss. If you care, find a way to make it up to the boss later,¡± Zhou Xueguang suggested earnestly. "Mmm¡­¡± Li Rushan nodded. But making it up¡­ also depends on whether the boss survives this insect man attack¡­ * * * Deep into the night. The sky was pitch-black, yet there was no Blood Tide, and there were still hours until dawn. The solar car¡¯s motor quietly started. Four people sat inside, taking supplies, and drove out along an unblocked mountain forest road. Yu Hong stood in front of the stone castle window, watching the dark car leave, his face expressionless. "Everyone¡¯s gone, better this way¡­ Now, I don¡¯t have to keep hiding¡­¡± He muttered softly, turning to look at the empty stone castle. The stone castle, which used to have a fair amount of activity, now felt empty and chilly. On the grayish-white stone wall to the left, there were graffiti scribbled by Aisena with a charcoal pencil. The graffiti depicted two adults holding hands with a ponytailed little girl, each with a floral wreath above their heads. They were holding hands in a circle, with upturned mouth corners, all smiling. "Go on, everyone, go,¡± Yu Hong sighed again. Before leaving, he had actively stuffed Nana with plenty of nutritional paste and some Radiation Hand Grenades, fearing she might get hungry on the way. After all, the journey was long, and in case of an emergency, even though the car had concealment runes and the additional concealment effect of the Pyroxene Secret Room, people still need to eat and drink. When leaving, he could see Nana¡¯s reluctance and Li Rushan¡¯s guilt and helplessness. He could understand why they made this decision, only¡­ understanding is just understanding, but next time, he didn¡¯t want to encounter such a situation again. He didn¡¯t want to at all. ¡®I can¡¯t change others, so I must change myself.¡¯ He thought the camp rules he had were too simple before, letting just anyone come in and providing them with food and water. Perhaps he should strictly adopt the system from Zhang Kaijun¡¯s Gray City, establishing a perfect contribution point system. According to the contribution, exchange it for food, water, and a safe residence. Fair exchange was the right way to operate in this era. After all, even if his own food and water were easily obtained, what did that have to do with outsiders? I got it easily, should I just give it away casually? Bang. Yu Hong forcefully closed the window, set the wooden latch, and left the stone castle. The slowdown part of the Wind and Fire Slaughter Spirit Array was almost over. Standing next to the inner courtyard wall, he looked down at the dark red countdown. ¡¯03 minutes.¡¯ With three minutes left, he simply sat down cross-legged, quietly cultivating his Inner Qi and waiting. Before long. A soft sound spread to his ears. Yu Hong, with closed eyes, quickly checked the aerial view of the Array in his mind. The entire camp originally displayed a large circle of grayish-white luminescence in the Array. At this moment, parts of the red patterns inside the Array were distinctly marked. This was the independently enhanced slowdown function. Yu Hong opened his eyes and saw a new instruction sheet appear on the ground. He picked it up and read. ¡®Black Wind Protection Array: also known as the modified Wind and Fire Slaughter Spirit Array, while maintaining the original lethality, enhances the air resistance slowdown effect. Each hostile individual entering the Array will continuously endure ordinary resistance, impeding their progress.¡¯ The Array change had no other content except this resistance, changing from minor to ordinary. Yu Hong thought about the previous reduction in the speed of the insect man, feeling slightly hopeful. ¡®I wonder to what extent this slowdown can reach.¡¯ he thought. After enhancing the slowdown Array, he looked again at the Black Mark. ¡®Now, it¡¯s time to enhance the Black Lizard¡­ A mere scout is no longer useful to me. I need a type of soldier with strong combat capabilities to address the issue of protecting substitution after the depletion of luminous stone. If I let the Black Lizard deal with the insect man and expand the safety zone around it regularly, safety will be higher.¡¯ S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 175: Road One In the woods. Mist permeated the air like a thin veil, enveloping the sparse trees. Plop. Outside the camp, a glob of black spit shot out, precisely hitting a white rock on the ground. Hiss. The black spit slowly reacted with the rock, emitting white smoke. A small hole formed from the corrosion. The hole deepened until the black spit was completely consumed, and then it stopped. Amidst the crackling footsteps, Yu Hong, in a full suit, walked over and crouched to inspect it. He extended his index finger, poking it into the hole, reaching roughly the second joint. "Test over. The saliva of this black lizard has a strong corrosive effect on everything.¡± Yu Hong stood up, turning his head to look at the docile black lizard lying down. Grown black lizards were about the size of a regular cat. Entirely black, they could be mistaken for a piece of dead wood if their eyes were closed. Looking at the black lizard, Yu Hong mulled over what aspect to enhance. "First off, speed is a must. Otherwise, it¡¯s pointless as a scout without sufficient reconnaissance ability.¡± "Then comes lethality¡­ Fast, high-lethality assassin-type scouts are the sort of sentinel I need. But it¡¯s useless if it¡¯s too weak defensively and gets knocked down by one shot from a gun¡­¡± After much consideration, Yu Hong crouched down and rubbed the black lizard¡¯s forehead. "Speed, lethality, defensive abilities¡­ Isn¡¯t that comprehensive enhancement?¡± Somewhat helplessly, his thoughts quickly shifted as he turned and walked back to the camp, urging the black lizard to follow. Before long, he used Large Pyroxene Stone powder to sketch Concealing Symbols on the black lizard¡¯s body in the camp. Then, he thought for a moment and dragged out some unused metal tools and weapons from the cave. He lumped these together with the black lizard. Yu Hong glanced outside at the darkening sky. He placed his hand lightly on the black lizard, encompassing the pile of metal and weapons in his consciousness. "Enhance black lizard, direction: speed, lethality, defensive abilities.¡± He naturally visualized his ideal black lizard in his mind. It would be a sentinel creature with fast speed, strong concealment, a robust physique with astonishing defensive power, and sufficient strength to drag most things, convenient for carrying trophies back. Soon, a black line flickered on the back of his hand, sinking into the black lizard. "Confirm enhancement mark: Black lizard?¡± The Black Mark inquired. Also, a countdown appeared on the black lizard. ¡°3 days 09 hours 14 minutes.¡± "Yes!¡± Yu Hong firmly replied. The countdown flashed instantly and began timing. He exhaled in relief. "After this enhancement, I¡¯ll enhance the entire camp again, reinforce the stone castle well, and strive to establish a closed, self-circulating system.¡± The outside world¡¯s Black Disaster was bizarre and various dangers existed. Avoiding contact was the utmost safety measure. "Three days¡¯ time, now with fewer people in the camp, the attraction to the Black Disaster has greatly reduced¡­ maybe it¡¯s safer than before¡­¡± He released the black lizard, controlling it to hide within the camp, not knowing what would happen if something being enhanced suddenly got damaged or died, but it was best not to test that. The three days rapidly passed. Yu Hong constantly monitored the changes of insects outside;over these days, the insects seemed to lose interest in the camp, not even approaching like usual, hardly any human figures in sight. The surrounding woods of the camp seemed to have instantly returned to the state before the Black Disaster, tranquil and silent, with nothing around. Not even shadows, all driven away by the insects. During these days, Yu Hong consolidated a new Inner Qi, reaching the seventh root of the third layer. The improvement of Thunderbolt Leg, though not enough for him to confront insects face-on, still gave him a significant sense of safety due to its speed. At noon, the sky gradually darkened and light rain began to rustle down, falling on the trees in the forest, the dry leaves, and into the muddy ground, producing a soft sound. Yu Hong left the cave and approached the edge of the Array in the outer courtyard, dressed in the enhanced black lizard suit, unfazed by the rain but slightly tensed, sensing the black lizard about to complete its enhancement outside the fence. The countdown had six minutes left. He leaned casually against the fence, quietly focusing on his Qi Cultivation. Buzz. Suddenly, a faint electric motor sound came from the driveway leading to the public road in the outer courtyard, along with the noise of tires crunching on the wet ground. Yu Hong abruptly opened his eyes, gazing in that direction. In the field of vision of the scouting black lizard outside, a familiar car was slowly approaching the camp. "Is that¡­!?¡± He couldn¡¯t help but straighten up, peering intently in the direction of the sound. Shortly after. A black car covered in gray runes slowly stopped by the fence outside the camp. Click. The car door opened, and a familiar figure jumped out. "Boss, haven¡¯t seen you in a few days, did you miss me?¡± Zhou Xueguang, with a smile on his face, patted the car door. "Didn¡¯t you leave? Why did you come back?¡± Yu Hong¡¯s expression remained unchanged. "They went to accompany Doctor Xu for childbirth, having Li is enough, what would I be there for?¡± Zhou Xueguang answered with a laugh. He looked back at the misty rain-soaked woods. "By the way, boss, what are you doing standing here? You didn¡¯t already know I was coming back, did you?¡± "Just passing time, observing the Black Disaster, gathering detailed information,¡± Yu Hong casually replied. Old Zhou¡¯s return was somewhat unexpected to Yu Hong but also brought a bit of solace, and it rekindled a sense of life in the otherwise desolate camp. "Go back and rest for a bit, I still have to observe for a while,¡± Yu Hong calmly said. "Understood!¡± Old Zhou nodded, opened the fence, drove in, then closed the gate and returned to the stone castle. Yu Hong continued to stand in the same place, listening to the faint sounds coming from the stone castle behind him, the corners of his mouth involuntarily curling up. Distracted by Old Zhou, he momentarily didn¡¯t notice that the enhancement of the black lizard had finished. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At that moment, Yu Hong regained his senses and once again sensed the Black Mark in his mind. After a few breaths, he took a step forward, flipped over the fence, and walked into the mist. After several meters, he stopped in front of a withered tree and watched as a brand-new black lizard slowly crawled out from behind the trunk. Pfft, pfft, pfft. The half-human-tall black lizard, resembling the world¡¯s largest Komodo dragon, had grown significantly in size. Its eyes were like murky black glass beads, its body swollen and thick, about two meters long, clad in black scales as tough as old tree bark. Yu Hong stepped forward, reached out, and knocked on the lizard¡¯s forehead. Thunk, thunk, thunk, the sound as dull as knocking on wood. "Come on, spit,¡± Yu Hong commanded, pointing at a nearby tree trunk. Pfft. The black lizard immediately spat out a glob of black phlegm, which was at least three times bigger than before, quickly covering the waist-thick trunk. Shortly after the hissing sound, the tree trunk was corroded severely, causing the tree to sway and was about to fall at any moment. "Not bad,¡± Yu Hong nodded slightly before his thoughts shifted. He directed the new black lizard toward a large moss-covered boulder. Bang. The black lizard took a few running steps and rammed into it. The boulder, easily weighing a hundred kilograms and as big as a small millstone, was sent rolling away, turning a few times before stopping. "The strength has also increased quite a lot,¡± Yu Hong noted and then drew a dagger from his back, walking forward to scratch the lizard¡¯s scales. Hiss, hiss, hiss, hiss. Using only the strength of a normal person, the tip of the knife could only scratch white marks on the back of the black lizard, unable to harm it. "I¡¯ve incorporated some metal elements, so its defense is also decent. All in all, it can now be considered a strong sentinel. Besides dealing with low-level Black Disasters, it can also handle some hostile entities.¡± "Finally, the speed.¡± He sheathed his knife, mentally controlled the black lizard, and urged it to sprint at full speed along the roadway toward the highway. "Three.¡± "Two.¡± "One! Run!¡± He simultaneously glanced at the timer on a detector and began timing. The black lizard sprinted off in silence, swiftly disappearing into the gray fog. About half a minute later. Hiss! The vision of the black lizard abruptly stabilized and stopped. Yu Hong, seeing through the mark, noticed it had reached the road surface. ¡°36 seconds.¡± He had estimated that the distance from the camp to the highway was slightly over a kilometer, and the black lizard only needed half a minute to cover it¡­ This speed was indeed much faster than before. "With this, the area across the highway can now be included in my patrol range¡­. Let¡¯s test the maximum radius.¡± Yu Hong continued to control the lizard to sprint further, crossing the highway and passing through a slope. It wasn¡¯t long before the lizard exceeded the two-kilometer range, but this time, it surprisingly did not lose connection and still maintained contact. This invigorated Yu Hong. He continued to control the lizard to run farther, and quickly, when it reached three kilometers, the lizard¡¯s vision suddenly went dark. "Lost connection.¡± Yu Hong exhaled. "Three kilometers, the control limit has increased. It seems that the enhancement of the mark depends on continuous strengthening. The stronger the marked creature, the stronger the overall data will be.¡± Soon, the black lizard automatically returned within three kilometers, and its vision returned to Yu Hong. He started directing the black lizard to return while having the other black lizards automatically patrol around the camp. Now that the array was enhanced and the black lizards were strengthened, he decided to find a way to completely solve the problem with the insect man and prevent them from staying near the camp and treating it as their own territory. * * * Gray City. The massive, robust gray city walls stood amid the endless yellow, hilly terrain. In front of the city gates, the thick metal gates, over ten centimeters thick, slowly and sequentially rose, opening a passageway for entry and exit. Outside, the survivors from various places, dressed in tattered clothes and showing signs of malnutrition, surged forward, trying to rush into the city. "Everyone line up, undergo the city entry inspection one by one, check the notice on the right immediately after entering the city, and strictly follow all the procedures listed. Violators will be expelled from the city.¡± Inside the gates, teams of black-clad security personnel, in full-body bulletproof suits, holding firearms, and wearing brown goggles that fully covered their faces, remained silent as pre-recorded messages played over the loudspeakers. The speakers, hanging on either side of the city gate, continuously repeated the message. Among the armed personnel responsible for inspections, one was checking the data cards filled out by those entering. Suddenly, the inspector held down a card he had just seen. "Former postman? Baiqiu Village? Black Wind Camp?¡± he muttered hesitantly, raising his head to look at three people in the distance undergoing the third round of body searches. Li Rushan, raising his hands, seemed to hear the sound and immediately turned toward them with a sincere smile. Aisena was behind him, while Dr. Xu, prominently pregnant, entered a separate tent for inspection at the end. "Take these two down, drag them out and kill them,¡± the inspector released the card and casually waved his hand. Crash, three people from the black-clad team immediately stepped forward and approached Li Rushan. "Wait! We haven¡¯t done anything! What are you trying to do? Why are you killing us!?¡± Li Rushan¡¯s face changed instantly. This was neither logical nor reasonable! Normally, they would have heard that he was a former postman and immediately given him special treatment. After all, a postman is a skilled and valuable asset anywhere. But this Gray City¡­!! Before he could struggle, two steel-like arms instantly clamped his arms, and a tremendous force pinned him down, rendering him immobile. Of the three who had emerged, two were enhanced humans!? Chapter 176: Road 174 ¡°`html Li Rushan was dumbfounded. He saw the third person grab Aisena and walk toward the city gates first. "Wait! Is there some kind of misunderstanding? We¡¯re just ordinary people seeking help!!¡± Li Rushan panicked and shouted loudly. "No misunderstanding.¡± A cold, mechanical voice synthesized from the helmet of the armed squad leader resonated. It was obviously designed as a method to avoid Black Disaster incidents like those that affected language people. "Baiqiu Village is at least a hundred kilometers away from here, and it¡¯s an area dominated by high-risk Black Disaster insect men. You three weaklings, not even enhanced humans, managed to escape from there? And each of you ran over a hundred kilometers without a scratch? Do you really take us inspection teams for fools!?¡± The captain brushed off any further talk with a wave of his hand. "Take them away, quickly.¡± "I¡¯m a former mailman! Why is it impossible!!?¡± Li Rushan was sweating profusely from anxiety, struggling to shout. "Mailman or not, you¡¯re still considered suspicious¡­.¡± The captain didn¡¯t finish his sentence. Meanwhile, Aisena yelled out loudly. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I¡¯m a mutant! I can¡¯t be attacked by the Black Disaster!¡± "Hmm?¡± The captain immediately raised his hand, signaling his subordinates to stop. He stood up and walked over to Aisena, who barely reached his waist, looking down. Behind the brown goggles were a pair of cold, merciless gray eyes. "Mutant¡­ interesting. Then drag them all to the isolation zone. If you survive, it proves your worth.¡± He waved his hand again. At once, three armed personnel dragged the two of them and marched briskly toward the city gates. Li Rushan wanted to shout again, but someone struck him hard at the back of the head, rendering him powerless. "Whenever we encounter suspicious-looking individuals, throw them all into the isolation zone immediately,¡± the captain instructed the other team members. "Understood.¡± Everyone replied simultaneously with electronic-synthesized voices. "This is Gray City! Only the last human elite are qualified to enter this bastion. The worthless and mediocre must serve as the shield for Gray City by using their lives in the isolation zone!¡± The captain took the opportunity to scan the long line of people entering the city. To survive until now, there wasn¡¯t a single good one among them. So he had to thoroughly filter out all the bad seeds. Even if one slipped through, he had to suppress them strongly enough to keep them in check. "The isolation zone is an established comprehensive defense system against the Black Disaster. When there¡¯s trouble in the isolation zone, Gray City receives feedback immediately and devises countermeasures. There, you can only receive basic water and food.¡± "So, if you don¡¯t want to be relegated to the isolation zone, then give your all to demonstrate your abilities! Prove what use you have to Gray City!¡± By this time, Li Rushan, who had been dragged far away, felt his heart sink when he heard those words. "Dad, are we going to die?¡± Aisena asked from behind. "We won¡¯t. We¡¯re different from ordinary people;we¡¯re talented individuals. Gray City won¡¯t kill us easily.¡± Li Rushan forced a smile to comfort his daughter. "Once in the isolation zone, you are not allowed to leave without permission, or you¡¯ll be shot. There are fixed meal collection points and resting spots every day. You must sleep in your designated spot and cannot wander around,¡± their escort advised in an electronic voice. "If a Black Disaster attack occurs, gather as much intelligence as possible. High contributions may offer a chance to enter Gray City and become a Gray City citizen.¡± Li Rushan sighed. If he wanted to resist, he could break free, but this was Gray City. He wasn¡¯t facing just one person;around him were at least thirty heavily armed Gray City soldiers. "Dad, do you regret this decision?¡± Aisena asked inexpressively from behind. Li Rushan replied helplessly, ¡°No regrets. At least here we have a chance to live. Going back would mean certain death sooner or later. I just didn¡¯t expect the rules here to be so strict.¡± "Dad, did you think everyone was like Uncle Yu?¡± Aisena responded speechlessly. "Heh¡­. Once we establish ourselves here, with your dad¡¯s abilities and knowledge, I¡¯ll climb up the ranks and rescue your Uncle Yu from the fire pit,¡± Li Rushan said dreamily. "Do your best, Dad.¡± Aisena encouraged him expressionlessly. "Li Rushan? Nana?? Why are you here too?¡± Suddenly, a familiar voice came from not far away. Li Rushan quickly turned to look. Amidst the dingy tents of the isolation zone, there stood Ding Shao in the crowd, covered in dirt, her face almost unrecognizable, glancing over at them. * * * Black Wind Camp. Before the array was reinforced, the insect men kept coming, but after Yu Hong finished reinforcing it, they barely approached anymore. After enhancing the black lizard, Yu Hong continued to enhance a batch of food and anti-inflammatory drugs, then instructed Black Mark to continue fortifying and reinforcing the entire cave, incorporating the newly discovered Concealing Symbol. Strengthening the whole cave required quite a bit of time, with a countdown of eight days. Yu Hong didn¡¯t mind. He was wholly focused on waiting for the insect men to cause trouble, ready to wipe them out completely. Yet even after five consecutive days, there was no sign of them. "Boss, speaking of which, what about your family? You don¡¯t seem to mention them.¡± Inside the stone castle, Zhou Xueguang lounged on a wooden chair, lazily twirling a nutrient bar in his hand and asked. "They¡¯re far, far away,¡± Yu Hong replied, ¡°in a place without the Black Disaster.¡± ¡°¡­.Sorry.¡± Zhou Xueguang paused in silence. "It¡¯s alright. To be honest, you¡¯re the first to ask me that question,¡± Yu Hong chuckled. "When I last went looking for my family, I found out they¡¯d moved, not in Great Hope City anymore. Luckily, they¡¯re safe and left me a letter.¡± Old Zhou also laughed. He leaned over, pulling out a small pendant from his collar. It was a black, teardrop-shaped pendant the size of a walnut. With a press of his thumb, it snapped open, revealing a colorful photo inside. "Look, this is my daughter, son! And my wife.¡± He said proudly. "Cute, huh?¡± Yu Hong leaned in to look. The photo showed a plump young woman holding two chubby, pudgy diapered children, smiling brightly at the camera. All three wore matching white T-shirts emblazoned with a large pink character for ¡°family¡± on their chests. The background was an old-fashioned bedroom, the white walls slightly yellowed, with a white baby crib, a standing clothes rack, and toys like rattles and a small brown toy car scattered on the floor. "Adorable. Lots of flesh,¡± Yu Hong smiled and commented. "Of course¡­ my Zhou family, when they were little, they were all chubby! Healthy bodies! Not a single one with poor eyesight, all good soldier material!¡± Zhou Xueguang said with a tinge of pride. "Nowadays, you wouldn¡¯t believe it. Among a class of thirty to forty kids, only a few graduate elementary school without needing glasses. Too many electronic devices;they¡¯re awful for the eyes¡­.¡± He sighed. "Indeed¡­. So the country is also advocating for more outdoor activ¡­¡± Yu Hong continued. The two of them suddenly fell silent. Now, well, there¡¯s no more elementary school. No¡­. there¡¯re no more students. Old Zhou closed the lid, tucked the pendant back into his collar. "Speaking of which, Boss, do you really not plan to leave?¡± "Hmm, not leaving. I¡¯ve invested too much energy, too much time here. I don¡¯t plan on leaving.¡± Yu Hong said calmly. "Makes sense.¡± Old Zhou chuckled, ¡°In that case, if you survive this ordeal, I suggest setting up rules and regulations for the camp. Don¡¯t give out water and food too freely.¡± "Contribution exchange, huh?¡± Yu Hong was somewhat familiar with the concept. "More or less. Some people, if things come too easily, they won¡¯t cherish them, assuming a lot is their entitlement. Once you can¡¯t guarantee resources, any slip becomes your fault. So it¡¯s better to set rules from the beginning;more contributions mean more returns. With the data right there, no one can argue.¡± Zhou Xueguang had clearly given it some thought. ¡°If you trust me, Boss, I can draft the details.¡± "Alright. After all, it¡¯s just the two of us here now, either you or me.¡± Yu Hong also leaned back into the wooden chair. The cooling water constantly flowed through the pipes, bringing plenty of heat, making the entire stone castle comfortably warm, with dryness being the only issue. The warmth made him feel a bit sleepy. "First, the camp could be divided into official members, probationary members, and visitors, three categories.¡± Old Zhou began to speak. "Official members enjoy all sorts of camp benefits, but there¡¯s a fixed quota. It¡¯s not a free-for-all;distributions are proportional to contributions. The number of members must be controlled to avoid overwhelming the camp.¡± "Secondly, probationary members are those contributing and aiming to become official members but haven¡¯t met the standards yet. They can also exchange limited resources with the camp but at prices less favorable than official members. This categorizes them and confines their residence to the outer yard or secondary safety zones.¡± "Then there are the visitors, who approach the camp temporarily for communication, trade, or visits. They too have trade rights, but at even higher prices than probationary members. Each person also has limits.¡± "For all three groups, the lists of exchangeable items differ. Just because the camp possesses something doesn¡¯t mean everything is exchangeable. If anyone leaves the camp, they must start accumulating contributions from scratch to requalify as official members.¡± Old Zhou clearly had experience, discussing and refining the camp regulations with Yu Hong, item by item. Without rules, nothing can be accomplished. Previously, the Black Wind Camp was managed according to Yu Hong¡¯s mood, eventually resulting in complete chaos. Now, laying out the regulations, the two of them carefully wrote their agreed-upon plans on white paper, discussing amongst themselves. By the time they had finished the initial draft, the sky was almost bright. The detector showed it was already nine forty-five in the morning. Old Zhou could barely keep his eyes open, covering himself with a thin blanket, he drifted off to sleep in a daze. In the safety of the second floor of the stone castle, the warm heat made one almost forget the cold winds outside. The whistling sound of the wind squeezed through the wooden window gaps, moaning. Though it sounded somewhat eerie, to Yu Hong, it felt a bit warm and cozy right then. He stood up, without any sign of exhaustion on his face. Despite staying up all night, with his current physique and inner energy, he was as refreshed as if he had just gotten up. *He thought to himself,* ¡®It¡¯s time to start preparing the controlled inner qi manual¡­.¡¯ *Seeing Old Zhou sleeping like a log, Yu Hong shook his head wordlessly within,* turning downstairs to check on the breeding boxes. Whoosh! Suddenly, a warning image from the black lizard forcefully entered his mind. Four black humanoid figures suddenly appeared outside the camp¡¯s outer yard fence, all facing the camp, standing silently. Swish! In an instant, the four figures simultaneously rushed into the camp, transforming into four swarms of black insects, lunging toward the stone castle! Chapter 177: Road 175 "So fast!?¡± Yu Hong¡¯s heart chilled;he hadn¡¯t expected these insect men to be so swift. They hadn¡¯t attacked before, and now they burst forth in a major assault, four of them charging at once. There was no time to think further;he quickly commanded the black lizards to strike at full speed. The speed of the four black lizards, enhanced, was in no way inferior to that of the insect men, rapidly bursting through the mist. Spit, spit, spit, spit! Four globs of black phlegm shot out, flying towards the four insect men that had entered the array. Under normal circumstances, it would be impossible for the rapidly moving insect men to be easily hit, but just as they entered the outer courtyard, they felt a thick layer of transparent airflow rise from the ground, blocking them. Boom. They forcefully exerted themselves, shattering completely this layer of transparent airflow;but as soon as it dispersed, new streams of airflow rose again. In an instant, within the outer courtyard, the forms of the four insect men were visibly slowed down. From their previous pace of a hundred yards, it had suddenly dropped to thirty yards. Thus, the four globs of black phlegm hit their targets perfectly. Hiss! The grating sound of corrosion rang out as black smoke began to seep from the faces and bodies of the four insect men. They opened their mouths to let out silent screams, clearly incensed, trying to accelerate forward. But just then, the same transparent airflow that had hindered them before, strengthened once more. The airflow condensed and morphed, astonishingly transforming into four crow-sized black birds. The crows circled the insect men, continuously striking them;with each hit, the insect men¡¯s entire bodies shook, their speed further reduced. ¡®This is¡­?¡¯ Yu Hong, through the eyes of the black lizards, saw this unfold and was suddenly intrigued. The tension he had just felt eased upon seeing the insect men restricted. At this point, the insect men could at best move thirty yards. It would take at least four seconds to cross the outer courtyard and another seven or eight seconds to reach him through the inner courtyard. That time was enough for the black lizards to attract all the enmity. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡®It seems that the Crow Ruby and the bones of Speed Man that I had previously fused in have some additional extra effects.¡¯ Yu Hong carefully observed the newly-appeared airflow crows and discovered they looked exactly like the mutant crows he had previously killed. Also, their speed was clearly abnormal, identical to the previous Speed Man, flickering in and out as they covered distances in an instant to attack, obviously inheriting some of the abilities of Speed Man. Most crucially, each time the crows struck the insect men, the insects¡¯ speed decreased even further. By now, the four insect men had only charged halfway through the outer courtyard and their speed had reduced to that of a leisurely human walk. ¡®Interesting.¡¯ Yu Hong¡¯s anxiety vanished entirely;after a quick calculation, with their current pace, it seemed unlikely the four insect men could withstand the duration of the array. It should be known that the array was scheduled by duration, and fully charged, it lasted thirty minutes. This represented thirty minutes of full-power operation. If the power was intermittently lowered, starting and stopping while absorbing and replenishing the Red Value, as long as expenditure and absorption remained even, then the duration of the array could be said to be nearly limitless. Hiss! The speed of the four insect men slowed increasingly, furiously trying to charge forward. However, with each of their impacts, the black smoke rising from their bodies grew more abundant, and their surfaces began to burn with black flames. This was the black fire of the array, an attack that would increase in damage over time. Not long after, just a step away from the inner courtyard walls, the four insect men were completely immobilized. Hiss!! The airflow crows and the black fire continued to harm them unceasingly, causing their bodies to shrink smaller and thinner. When they had halved in size, the insect men seemed to attempt retreat. But by then, it was too late. Their movements had been drastically slowed by the array, every action painfully sluggish. Finally. After another five or six seconds. Outside the inner courtyard wall, a ¡®tsk¡¯ sound as four black flames ignited. The black fire lasted a few seconds and then slowly extinguished, and the four insect men that had so domineeringly approached Yu Hong were completely dissolved and burnt to death. ¡°¡­.¡± Even though he had somewhat anticipated this outcome, seeing it firsthand still filled Yu Hong with a profound sense of shock. ¡®Such is the power of a fully enhanced array¡­¡¯ he mused. Four insect men, ah! They had been burnt alive before he had even taken action. Even knowing the insect men would still recover, his current mood was extremely shaken. From start to finish, he didn¡¯t even need the black lizards to lure them;the array had resolved everything on its own. ¡®While the insect men¡¯s strength isn¡¯t considered powerful, and their impact force is not high, their most dangerous aspect is their instant-kill ability. But with such effects from the array, the camp¡¯s security is sufficiently ensured¡­.¡¯ Now that he had truly seen the four insect men be dealt with, Yu Hong finally felt a strong sense of security rising within him. ¡®Even eighth-level insect men can be dealt with¡­ It seems the camp can indeed be initially assured of safety¡­.¡¯ He clenched his fist, looked towards Old Zhou¡¯s room, where faces with gaping mouths were just visible at the windows. Old Zhou, having been woken up at some point, was staring blankly at the spot in the courtyard where the insect men had vanished, frozen in place for a long time. At this moment, Yu Hong had no idea what was going through his mind. Without further ado, Yu Hong walked out of the stone castle and down the passageway to where the insect men had disappeared. On the ground, there remained four burnt patches resembling the residue of burnt plastic, which he picked up one by one. ¡®The threat of the insect men is finally resolved¡­. It should be safe out there now¡­.¡¯ The thought had just flickered through his mind when Yu Hong¡¯s expression subtly changed. Through the mist surrounding the camp, he could barely make out the figure of a person in yellow clothing and a white skirt. His gaze sharpened, realizing the Speed Man had come back to life again. The Insect man had only just disappeared and this guy had already popped up. It was obvious that like the other Black Disasters, he had already revived, only being suppressed by the Insect man, unable to approach. Taking a deep breath, Yu Hong stopped looking outside;after all, the other party couldn¡¯t get in. He turned back to the tunnel and headed for the cave. After discovering the Speed Man blocking the entrance, Yu Hong lost the interest to go out and simply decided to focus on Cultivation within the safety of the camp. His days were spent either cultivating or chatting with Zhang Kaijun and Wei Song through the communications, and occasionally with Old Zhou. However, this guy seemed to be preparing something. He was constantly clanking away, and it was unclear what he was working on. Besides these activities, Yu Hong also began to attempt strengthening a secret manual for an Inner Strength that suited his needs. But time after time, the attempts ended in failure. "Insufficient basic information, unable to strengthen.¡± The Black Mark¡¯s feedback made Yu Hong¡¯s brows furrow as he lifted his right palm from the paper. He closely examined the basic content of the Inner Strength he had written. He had simplified everything that he could think of and extracted the most fundamental methods of Inner Qi Cultivation. But to no avail. Every time he tried to add something that would make cultivation possible for ordinary people, the Black Mark would indicate that the information was incomplete and the foundation inadequate. "I need a successful foundational structure that allows ordinary people to cultivate Inner Qi¡­ But where the hell do I get a template for ordinary people practicing Qi Cultivation?¡± Yu Hong was at a loss for words. This had been many attempts already, and obviously, the Black Mark had not been able to obtain information about ordinary people¡¯s Inner Qi, which made it incomplete unless he could directly get a set of the Inner Qi foundation that anyone could cultivate. Otherwise¡­ Inside the cave, Yu Hong moved various items around, placing them neatly. Microwave, refrigerator, fully automatic washing machine, induction cooker, all kinds of kitchenware ¨C everything was there. After several outings, whether it was Old Zhou or Old Li, they had brought a lot of various household items. They even brought back a smart toilet seat. Now the camp lacked nothing in terms of appliances. They simply had to be installed for use. After the Array had been strengthened and the Insect man crisis resolved, Yu Hong began to arrange the various appliances, planning to put them into use. While he was organizing, he pondered the situation with the Inner Strength. "Maybe I should change the approach. Since I can¡¯t create an Inner Strength that everyone can practice, I¡¯ll take mine as the base. I¡¯ll share a part of my power, using my own Inner Qi to control and influence others¡­¡± Unable to produce an Inner Qi Technique, he didn¡¯t want the Black Mark to remain idle, so he simply got up, walked to the entrance of the cave, and stepped outside. Standing in the tunnel and looking through the door, a thought crossed his mind. Suddenly, in the mist outside the camp, the shadow of a black lizard flickered by. The black lizard left the vicinity of the camp, accelerated through the mist, and approached the luminous stone mining area. Although its body had grown in size, it had talisman Array Patterns for camouflage integrated into it, further supplemented by the Black Mark, which had enhanced its movement speed. In its current state of motion, it was like a silent shadow gliding through the misty woods. Soon, the black lizard arrived at the original luminous stone mining area. The three-kilometer control distance was enough for it to leave the camp and come here. Pausing outside a mine, the black lizard chose one at random before charging forward, entering the mine. Before long, it returned to the camp with its mouth full of something large and hurried back toward the camp. Minutes later, Yu Hong, stepping into the yard, reached out his hand and scooped out a large clump of black soil from the black lizard¡¯s mouth, bagging it in plastic. This was the original earth from the mine where the luminous stones had grown. Now that the luminous stones had been depleted, Yu Hong planned to use the Black Mark to attempt to strengthen and produce original luminous stones. Since the mine had been able to produce luminous stones, this indicated that the mine itself had the basic conditions to create them. Thus, it made sense for him to use the basis of the mine to strengthen and synthesize the original luminous stones. "If successful, it could alleviate the material supply of luminous stones to some extent. After all, I don¡¯t need much, mainly for setting up Arrays.¡± Yu Hong took the original earth from the mine and headed back to the tunnel. Whether it would work or not, he still had to try. But¡­ Boom. A deep rumble of thunder resounded outside, and seconds later, heavy rain poured down. The curtain of rain immediately blurred the woodland, even more indistinct than when shrouded in mist. Yu Hong glanced at the rain curtain and suddenly had an ominous feeling. He returned to the cave and turned on the communicator. He had now enhanced the communicator with a vortex talisman array using the Black Mark, which automatically emitted negative radiations continuously when activated. He had turned the explosive release of the vortex talisman array into a slow release. With the deceleration Array Patterns, he could easily achieve many effects that were not possible before. Click. The communicator turned on, and after a brief static noise, the channel remained on the national broadcast station. Immediately, the sound of broadcasting came through. "To repel a War Level Black Disaster, Frilka without any notification on November 23, suddenly detonated 13 Giant God Bombs in its own Mo¡¯er Region. The blasts successfully obliterated a vast area of Black Disaster hollow virus, while the shockwave and strong radiation also resulted in over three million civilians in the Mo¡¯er Region not surviving.¡± "According to Frilka¡¯s War Committee, the action was to completely eradicate the double-digit number of Black Wells that had newly emerged in the Mo¡¯er Region, not just for the virus. Zheng Yingguo from the new Aurora City Joint Military criticized the move, stating that Frilka¡¯s actions completely disregarded civilian casualties, violated the International Nuclear Energy Convention, and caused massive civilian casualties. The Donghe Joint Military expressed serious protest and announced from the 25th, they would completely break away from the Frilka Joint Military.¡± "November, huh¡­¡± Yu Hong was somewhat taken aback, realizing it was Frilka¡¯s hydrogen bombs before. "They¡¯ve gone mad¡­¡± The fear must have been overwhelming to resort to a hydrogen bomb that killed millions at once. The hollow virus was evidently a highly contagious Black Disaster. ¡®What if this place also gets bombed because of the Black Disaster?¡¯ Suddenly, this possibility sprang to his mind. Chapter 178: The Way of 176 "Survivors are extremely rare here, and the surrounding areas are almost all affected by the Black Disaster. If a War Level Black Disaster really emerges, there¡¯s a chance the Eastern River upper echelon might resort to using nuclear weapons, simply erasing this whole region¡­ Compared to the ruthlessness of Ferlica, dropping a few nukes in an almost uninhabited area is practically without obstacles¡­¡± As he thought about this, he suddenly understood why everyone, like Old Li, was in such a hurry to flee to more populated places. "No! It¡¯s still too unsafe here! I must continue to fortify!¡± An immediate sense of urgency rose within Yu Hong. He stood up and placed his hand on the wall. "Strengthen the Black Wind Camp.¡± The range of reinforcement was still within this cave;the stone castle outside was too vast and not cost-effective. Prioritizing an absolutely safe zone was the best solution for conserving the Black Mark¡¯s time. "Direction: Strengthen the outer defenses to withstand large-scale nuclear blasts.¡± As he silently made the wish, a black line flowed from the back of Yu Hong¡¯s hand, but it quickly retreated. "Unable to strengthen,¡± a cold mechanical voice announced. Yu Hong wasn¡¯t surprised;the request was too ambitious, and the response was somewhat expected. He had only tried as a test. He repeated the strengthening request in his mind. "Direction: Enhance the external defense of the safe house against explosive damage.¡± After all, he had no other urgent needs for strengthening. He decided to give it a try and observe the effect;the trials with the native soil were not pressing, and he still had plenty of Large Pyroxene Stone graphite powder on hand. Since he had stopped making Radiation Hand Grenades, his consumption had decreased significantly. The black line flashed, and this time it didn¡¯t refuse. "Strengthen Black Wind Camp?¡± A countdown appeared: 7 days, 20 hours, 9 minutes. Yu Hong looked at it and found it acceptable, so he affirmed the decision. For now, the Black Disaster could be temporarily stabilized. However, when it came to explosions, it was evident the safe house fell far short. He needed to quickly address this weakness. The communicator kept repeating the news;it was clear that Aurora City intended to use Ferlica as a negative example, contrasting how much more benevolent and just they were. The countdown began to tick away. Yu Hong breathed a sigh of relief and continued to adjust the dial, tuning the communicator back to the chat channel with Zhang Kaijun and Wei Song. "Is there any other way?¡± As soon as he switched over, Wei Song¡¯s anxious voice immediately came through. "No, given your limited conditions, if you don¡¯t have extract as bait to simulate a living person, relying solely on what you have now, you¡¯re unlikely to survive this,¡± Zhang Kaijun replied calmly. "What happened?¡± Yu Hong asked quickly. It seemed that Wei Song was in trouble. "You¡¯ve come at just the right time, Yu Hong!¡± Wei Song¡¯s voice rose, ¡°Members of my camp suddenly started disappearing. At first, we thought they were killed by the Black Disaster while out, but then, for three consecutive days, someone disappeared every day. Not many, just one at a time, but¡­ No matter how we check and cross-check, we can¡¯t find the cause! I suspect there¡¯s a new type of Black Disaster we haven¡¯t previously recorded¡ªlike the Turn-Away Man you described! Do you have any solutions?¡± "Have you tried everything?¡± Yu Hong asked, feeling heavy-hearted. "Pyroxene Secret Room, detector distribution, sunlight material isolation, Pyroxene spray to increase air concentration, isolating corpses, and replacing spoken words with electronic sound¡­ I¡¯ve done everything I could!¡± Wei Song was clearly panicked. "How many have died now?¡± Yu Hong continued to ask. He used death as a substitute for disappearance. "Thirteen! Most importantly, they are all core internal members who live in the most central area of the underground base! This means that the core area is completely unable to block the Black Disaster and cannot guarantee absolute safety!¡± Wei Song replied hastily. "Did you investigate if there¡¯s any commonality in all the victims¡¯ deaths?¡± Zhang Kaijun asked. "Yes, they all disappeared when they were alone,¡± Wei Song answered. As a leader, of course, she was no good-for-nothing. "Then make everyone operate in pairs of two, never allowing anyone to be alone. Continue observing.¡± Zhang Kaijun instructed. "I have an enhanced version of the Red Value detector that might be of help. You know the address, Wei Song, you can come and get it,¡± Yu Hong added, lacking a better idea. "That¡¯s too far¡­ Sending someone would mean traveling over a thousand kilometers¡­¡± Wei Song said with a sense of helplessness. "Aurora City is establishing an airborne trade fleet, using large silent unmanned drones to carry goods, flying along Black Disaster safe rifts. They¡¯ve achieved some initial success. If you must, you can apply to them for help, though I¡¯m not sure they¡¯ll pay you any mind,¡± Zhang Kaijun said gravely. ¡°After all, if I were them, I¡¯d just drop a big one on your location and completely eliminate the threat.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Wei Song had no response. She logged off, as she couldn¡¯t expect to get help online at a time like this, and naturally wouldn¡¯t carry on chatting as usual. "Yu Hong.¡± Zhang Kaijun said calmly, ¡°I¡¯ve established a preliminary short-range small-scale trade network here. I¡¯ve managed to link up with about six different sized survivor settlements around us. I¡¯ve organized the trade myself, using safe routes between the Black Disaster Rifts to exchange materials and equipment. Do you want to join?¡± "Trading materials and equipment? What do you have that I need? Are you selling luminous stones?¡± Yu Hong asked. Luminous stones were the only thing he was lacking now. "I can. I¡¯ve stored enough to last for decades, so giving you some is no big deal. I need your Vortex Talisman Plates and some high-end equipment and weapons. Can you do repairs? I¡¯m strong in the biomedical field, but lacking in other areas.¡± "I can. What will be the price?¡± Yu Hong asked. "One standard-size Vortex Talisman Plate for one kilogram of standard density luminous stones¡­¡± sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "That¡¯s too cheap¡­¡± Yu Hong began to haggle with the other party. He was very interested in the various materials Zhang Kaijun had to offer, and the luminous stones could serve as a backup if research on the native soil yielded no results. After a period of verbal fencing, they reached a consensus. "Right, a few people came from your place to join us here in Gray City, including a kid named Aisena who claims they can¡¯t be attacked by the Black Disaster. They want to join Gray City. You know about this?¡± Zhang Kaijun suddenly changed the subject, speaking in a grave tone. ¡°¡­.So it¡¯s them¡­¡± Yu Hong was taken aback. ¡°Follow the rules,¡± he said indifferently. Since the other party had made their choice, he wasn¡¯t going to interfere. "Of course, we¡¯ll follow the rules, safety is paramount, even if you begged it wouldn¡¯t matter,¡± Zhang Kaijun said with a smile. "By the way,¡± he reminded, ¡°according to satellite observation, there might be heavy continuous rainfall soon, so prepare well.¡± "Don¡¯t worry.¡± Yu Hong had no intention of going out now. After the black lizard was enhanced, a three-kilometer radius was enough for him to rely on the black lizard to collect various things. Once the communication ended, Yu Hong took out four pieces of black-plastic-like items left by the insect man. Listening to the unceasing heavy rain outside, he was lost in thought. In the days that followed. He continued to rigorously practice the Thunderbolt Leg Technique, and his Inner Qi soon rushed to the eighth strand of the third layer. Including the second layer¡¯s Inner Qi that hadn¡¯t disappeared, he now had seventeen strands of Inner Qi, which could be said to be astonishingly enduring. But whenever he relaxed even a bit, he would remember the insect man who he didn¡¯t even dare to touch. And there were the huge bird-like Black Disasters that passed far away, the giant oceanic Black Disasters that had obliterated Baihe City. Compared to these terrifying creatures, his strength was still far too inferior. Seven days quickly passed, and the Black Mark enhancement was complete. There weren¡¯t many changes to the cave this time, only that the walls and wooden door were covertly thickened by a large layer, indiscernible unless one looked closely. Old Zhou was still rattling away every day, and who knows what doing, but aside from occasionally bringing over dried meat and mushrooms, his figure was rarely seen. With the Black Mark idle, Yu Hong began to experiment with strengthening the mine¡¯s original earth. Trying it with just the earth always resulted in failures according to the Black Mark, so he began to try adding various other things to it for synthesis. As time went by day after day, his ninth strand of Inner Qi for the third layer of the Thunderbolt Leg Technique was also about to successfully condense. Hiss¡­ Inside the stone castle. Yu Hong wrote the date on a wooden board with a charcoal pencil: December 17th of the 22nd year. The black pencil tip scraped across the brown wooden board, shedding powder. Thud thud thud thud. Suddenly, from outside in the courtyard fence, a clear sound of wood knocking came. Old Zhou, who was digging drainage ditches in the yard, heard the noise, put down his shovel, took a Radiation Hand Grenade from underneath his raincoat, and carefully approached the direction of the sound. The torrential rain outside was still falling, and everywhere inside and outside the camp was a watery marsh. Before long, Old Zhou pushed open the main gate of the common passage, shaking the water off his raincoat before taking it off and striding toward the stone castle. On the second floor of the stone castle, he pushed open the wooden door, holding up his bundle. "Boss, can you believe a courier showed up? The postal service is operating again!?¡± His face revealed a strange mix of shock and joy. "A courier?¡± Yu Hong was also slightly surprised. "Yeah, it¡¯s a speed-enhanced person who runs very fast, surname Chen, named Chen Jiazhe. He said that now the high-risk Black Disasters are basically fixed, the Black Disaster Rifts have solidified and been mapped, and it is now possible to travel relatively safely,¡± Old Zhou said with some excitement. "That¡¯s good news¡­¡± Yu Hong smiled, as he had already gotten the news from Zhang Kaijun, but hadn¡¯t expected that so soon after, a courier would come knocking at his door. This surprised him somewhat. After all, even if the insect men outside were wiped out and had not revived yet, there were still Speed Men around. One wrong move in running and it would be betting one¡¯s life. "But honestly, that Chen Jiazhe, he seemed a bit¡­ simple-minded,¡± Old Zhou whispered, shaking his head slightly. "No sane person would want to go out at this time anyway,¡± Yu Hong said calmly. "Isn¡¯t this taking advantage of those fully-enhanced people?¡± Old Zhou sighed. Yu Hong didn¡¯t say anything but took the package. The package was wrapped in thick waterproof plastic bags, layer upon layer, wrapped up tight. With a slice of his fingernail, applying a bit of force, he easily slit the outer layer of plastic bags open. Inside was a black rectangular metal box. Upon opening the lid, it was stuffed with foam pieces. Among the white plastic, there was a luminescent stone wrapped again in thick plastic, with a letter pressed underneath it. Yu Hong¡¯s curiosity was piqued. In such harsh conditions, was there actually someone sending him a letter? He took out the luminescent stone and looked at it first. Through the transparent plastic, he paused slightly, noticing that this stone slightly resembled the symbols found in the luminous stone relics. Moreover, this symbol was apparently something he had never seen before. Setting the stone aside, he picked up the envelope. The envelope was a light yellow color, with the front bearing two lines of crooked writing. ¡®To Yu Hong personally.¡¯ ¡®Sender: Lin Yiyi.¡¯ Chapter 179: Adventurous One ¡°`html In the shadowy forest, gray mist pervaded. A long-haired figure wrapped in a black cloak quietly moved through the woods. She was filthy all over, the cloak and the clothes beneath coated in thick black slime. Her black hair was a tangled mess down her back, the untrimmed fringe covering most of her face. Snap. Snap. After a few steps, she suddenly paused, spotting a cluster of brown mushrooms at the base of a withered tree. With a burst of speed, she rushed over, crouched down, and carefully plucked the mushrooms one by one, placing them into a cloth bag hidden under her cloak. The bag looked filthy, specks of dried black mud clinging to it, making its original color unrecognizable. After filling the bag with all the mushrooms, the figure slowly stood up, looked around, and then cautiously continued onward. "Shanshan¡­.¡± A familiar voice suddenly came from behind her. She halted abruptly, standing still without turning around, only managing to tilt her neck slightly back. Then, with a trembling gaze, she peered behind her out of the corner of her eye. Behind her, amidst the hazy gray and white woods, dry yellow leaves occasionally drifted down on the wet ground, recently rained upon. Somehow, a familiar woman dressed in black had appeared. "Shanshan, it¡¯s Mom¡­¡± The woman¡¯s face was gentle, her eyes, which should have been sharp, now carried a hint of heartache as she looked at the figure in the cloak. "Come here¡­ come to Mom¡­¡± The woman said softly, beckoning gently. The cloaked figure trembled all over, took a step forward, but didn¡¯t turn back, as if she hadn¡¯t heard a thing. "Shanshan¡­ where are you going?¡± Her mother¡¯s voice continued from behind. But she dared not look back at all. She just bit her lip and kept moving forward, head down. Thankfully, this was the Black Disaster Rift, so the other party did not approach, only continuing to stand still, silently watching her. "Shanshan¡­. your dad has occupied a small stronghold again, and he asked me to find you and bring you back. You¡¯ve suffered so much these days¡­¡± The familiar female voice slowed her steps, progressively becoming slower. Tears trickled from her face, creating two trails of lighter color. Ignoring the voice behind her, she pressed onward, step by step. Soon, there was no more sound behind her. She exhaled in relief and quickened her pace, quickly reaching a rudimentary encampment enclosed by a fence. Inside the camp, several small black tents were set up, and some people, draped in luminous stone cloaks like refugees, huddled inside, not daring to move freely. They either squatted or lay down as if half-alive, most of them remaining motionless. More or less, all bore various injuries on their bodies, some wounds even festering, yet they remained apathetically here. This was a safe zone they unexpectedly discovered, precisely located between two Black Disaster areas, where the shadow dared not intrude. "Sister Xu¡­ I brought today¡¯s mushrooms.¡± The figure tidied the messy hair on her face, raising her voice. The revealed face, though marred with grime and mud, faintly showed Wei Shanshan¡¯s original features. The voice echoed through the forest, but strangely, no one responded. Everyone maintained their original posture, unmoving, as if they hadn¡¯t heard a thing. ¡°¡­.Sister Xu?¡± Wei Shanshan¡¯s nerves tensed again. She looked around and realized that for five seconds straight, the others in the camp still hadn¡¯t moved a bit, keeping their original positions! Cold sweat broke out again, her vision, blurred from long-term malnutrition, found it hard to see clearly, yet even through the haze, she sensed something amiss. "Sister Xu??!¡± Wei Shanshan slowly began to retreat, recalling what Sister Xu had said when she saved her¡ªthe area should be safe for a short time, and encountering any anomaly would mean that the balance of the Black Disaster on both sides had been disrupted¡­. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In such a case, the first thing to do upon detecting something wrong was to run away immediately! The farther away, the better! The map of the Black Disaster Rift, she remembered, everyone had to remember. Wei Shanshan accelerated her retreat, quickly recalling other escape routes in her mind. *Wait, the others who went mushroom picking haven¡¯t returned¡­. And Sister Xu is missing too!* *Sister Xu, who saved her, had also gone out to gather firewood¡ªif she didn¡¯t notice upon her return¡­.* *Wei Shanshan wanted so badly to stay and warn Sister Xu, but the intense fear made it impossible for her to stand still.* *Her legs seemed to flee on their own, rapidly moving in the direction away from the camp.* Without knowing why, tears welled up again, blurring her vision. Wei Shanshan increased her speed, running toward the distance. Thump thump thump thump. Her chaotic footsteps echoed through the forest, making it feel even more desolate. Suddenly, in her blurred vision, right ahead, a hazy gray figure in long clothes appeared. The figure stood there, its obscure face vaguely smiling at her. Sss. Sss. Sss. The figure stepped closer to her, one step at a time. "Who!?¡± Wei Shanshan halted abruptly, quickly stopping, and used her relatively clean forearm to rub her eyes, wiping away the tears. But then, in a bizarre turn, the figure vanished. Wei Shanshan quickly glanced left and right, without finding any other traces, Once assured there was nothing, she reached for the only Large Pyroxene Stone she had in her arms, confirmed the route in her memory, and again fled toward the distance. *She didn¡¯t know where she was going, only that she had to survive¡­ to fight tooth and nail to live.* * * * Black Wind Camp. Inside the stone castle. Yu Hong put down the envelope in his hand, quietly gazing at the distant mountains and forest through the window. The letter from Yiyi meticulously described their current situation. On their continuous trek toward Black Tree Village, they encountered several types of Black Disaster they had never seen before. Fortunately, by relying on a reinforced detector, they detected the Black Disaster early before it erupted, promptly locating the Black Disaster Rift, and evacuated the danger zone. Later, they explored a luminous stone mining area, but unfortunately, the stones there had also been exhausted. After a thorough search and investigation, Lin Yiyi found a new stone talisman required by Yu Hong and sent it over with a mailman she rescued along the way. "A letter from a friend?¡± Old Zhou entered, washing his hands, and plopped down to rest. He had just been out to maintain the outer courtyard fence, repairing the damaged areas. "The rain has been so heavy, it¡¯s been pouring for ages, and the ground¡¯s nearly flooded. Quite a bit of the fence has slackened from soaking, and the symbols on the walls have worn away, needing repair.¡± "Yes, let¡¯s wait until the rain stops.¡± Yu Hong toyed with the new stone talisman in his hand. The Black Mark wasn¡¯t over yet, and he didn¡¯t know what effect this talisman had. He needed time to test it. "By the way, Old Zhou, have you heard of a type of Black Disaster that causes people to disappear without any warning?¡± In Stammering Yiyi¡¯s letter, Yu Hong had read about such a Black Disaster, which they encountered at a small chance stronghold while exchanging supplies. They discovered the stronghold to be under threat from a mysterious Black Disaster, so they fled overnight. "No warning at all? Are you sure?¡± Old Zhou frowned. Being in a safe environment at the camp, he really didn¡¯t want to think about those terrifying Black Disasters. But since the boss was asking, he made an effort to recall. "Yes, the only commonality was that those who vanished had been alone for some time before disappearing,¡± Yu Hong explained. This type of Black Disaster, Wei Song had also encountered, and it was now mentioned in Yiyi¡¯s letter. Capable of threatening Wei Song¡¯s elite-gathering underground outpost, this was evidently a highly dangerous Black Disaster. "Among the Black Disasters I encountered on the frontlines, two matched this description somewhat,¡± Zhou Xueguang, an experienced soldier, quickly identified the key points. "Please, go on,¡± Yu Hong¡¯s expression became serious. "One is the gray shadow. The attack¡¯s specifics aren¡¯t clear, but the aftermath is precisely as you described: no evidence or warning, people just vanish. Gray Shadow is a Level Six Black Disaster, difficult to defend against, but the lethality isn¡¯t high. Compared to other Black Disasters that kill dozens to hundreds at once, it kills one by one, quite slowly.¡± "The second kind is the Land Lake, a War Level Black Disaster. Its manifestation is that people drown out of nowhere in a large lake, unable to breathe or float, and their bodies sink forever into the mysterious lake, leaving only their gear and clothes. The Land Lake affects vast areas simultaneously, causing massive casualties that easily reach triple digits.¡± "Gray shadow¡­. Land lake¡­¡± Yu Hong stood and looked out at the sky, where rain started falling again. "What was your response at the time?¡± he asked. "We ignored the Gray Shadow;isolating the dead sufficed. On battlefields where thousands died daily, losing so few wasn¡¯t an issue, and it disappeared after some time. For the Land Lake, we bombarded the initial site extensively, creating a massive pit, and¡­ it vanished,¡± Zhou Xueguang shrugged, indicating his own lack of understanding. ¡°Apparently, specialists from Silver Tower were involved, but I don¡¯t know the specifics.¡± "I see¡­¡± Yu Hong mused, ¡°by the way, what have you been up to these days?¡± "Getting some gear ready, preparing for future excursions,¡± Zhou Xueguang laughed, ¡°I was just about to tell you¡ªI plan on going out to search for my family. I can still feel they¡¯re alive, waiting for me¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.How long?¡± Yu Hong was startled, not expecting the other to leave. "Maybe another two weeks, tops. I¡¯ll ration my own provisions, don¡¯t worry,¡± Zhou Xueguang said casually, ¡°this time, I¡¯m also going to continue mapping out the Black Disaster Rift, filling in the routes around. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll bring good stuff back.¡± Yu Hong didn¡¯t stop him;Old Zhou was a mature and obviously very shrewd guy. "By the way, the outside¡¯s been a lot calmer lately, as if the Black Disasters have quieted down. Where do they come from? What do they intend on doing?? Are they just claiming territories here?¡± he asked softly. "No one knows. The initial rumors said Black Disasters emerged from the Gate of Despair, which originated from the Black Well. The Black Well came from the ruins, adjacent to the luminous stone mines. It¡¯s hard to call it coincidence since all the ruins are identical,¡± Zhou Xueguang acknowledged. "And what of the Gate of Despair? Did anyone enter it?¡± Yu Hong wondered. "We couldn¡¯t even approach it, let alone enter. Even the precise location of the Gate of Despair is unknown. Defending against the Black Disaster incursions already exhausts our strength,¡± Zhou Xueguang smiled bitterly. Yu Hong sighed, turning toward the public corridor of the stone castle. "I¡¯ll go study this new stone talisman. You should rest early.¡± "Thanks for working so hard, boss.¡± Zhou Xueguang smiled as he watched Yu Hong thoroughly leave, his smile gradually fading. Reaching for the pendant around his neck, he opened it to see his smiling family, took a deep breath, and pressed a kiss onto the photograph. Chapter 180: Thrilling Moments On the other side, Yu Hong returned to the cave, opened the communicator, took the stone talisman, and started attempting to infuse Inner Qi using ink powder¡ªan effect generated via this method previously. Soon, Zhang Kaijun¡¯s slightly weary voice transmitted from the communicator. "Arrived? I¡¯ve surveyed the route;the safety of the Black Disaster Rift is confirmed, you decide on the first batch of trading materials.¡± "Get me a set of leg guards, made of the highest strength alloy. Also, some laundry liquid, laundry powder, and all other possible chemical products like soap,¡± Yu Hong casually said. For the first trade to test the route, naturally, one wouldn¡¯t carry the best goods. "Then, I need a retractable Vortex Talisman Plate from your side, prepare more,¡± Zhang Kaijun said in a grave tone. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "What about Wei Song?¡± Yu Hong asked. "She hasn¡¯t come online. I spoke with her before;more and more people are dying on her side, no results from the investigation, they¡¯ve decided to just relocate,¡± replied Zhang Kaijun. ¡°She suspects a high-risk Black Disaster has intruded, but can¡¯t detect it herself.¡± "Can only wish her good luck then,¡± Yu Hong said. "By the way, I heard from those who came from your side that your physical strengthening exceeds ordinary enhanced people, can you trade techniques?¡± Zhang Kaijun was clearly eyeing the Cultivation Techniques of Yu Hong. From the people who came from Yu Hong¡¯s side, he knew this guy seemed unusually strong physically, quite abnormally strong, and could even physically confront some Black Disasters, making him suspect Yu Hong might possess some confidential techniques. "My methods are unsuitable for anyone other than myself;otherwise, I would¡¯ve already enhanced the strength of others. But unfortunately,¡± Yu Hong replied. "Are you free now?¡± asked Zhang Kaijun. ¡°If I want to employ you for help, what¡¯s the price? You need to take action personally.¡± "I don¡¯t want to go out for now,¡± Yu Hong flatly refused. His Thunderbolt Leg progress was good, but without an Array, his personal strength was only comparable to a level five or six Black Disaster. Before finding a solution to the contact issue, meeting an insect-like instant kill Black Disaster meant he would have to flee immediately. Zhang Kaijun was about to speak when he immediately saw Wei Song come online. "Wei Song, how is it?¡± ¡°¡­Things are very bad, I¡¯ve requested aerial support, but Aurora City declined. They¡¯re only willing to offer drone support services, and it¡¯s very expensive,¡± Wei Song¡¯s voice bore deep fatigue. "Have you confirmed what Black Disaster it is?¡± Yu Hong asked. "Over thirty people have died, confirmed to be a new variant of Black Disaster, no records available, its lethality isn¡¯t even the most troubling part, the most troubling is¡­ other aspects¡­¡± Wei Song said tiredly, ¡°especially the way this Black Disaster appears.¡± "What way?¡± Yu Hong immediately thought of Lin Yiyi, his brows instantly furrowing. "Shadow,¡± Wei Song answered. ¡°It uses shadows as carriers, suddenly appearing. Or rather, its form in the early stages closely resembles ordinary shadows, easily causing people to relax their guard and making it hard to detect until it¡¯s too late.¡± "How do you plan to handle it?¡± Yu Hong asked with a frown. "Blood lure¡­¡± Wei Song said helplessly. * * * Hundreds of kilometers away from Black Wind Camp. On a dilapidated lakeside road. Buzz. A fully armed black armored vehicle was madly speeding along the road. The vehicle wobbled, like a drunken driver, swerving curves on the path. Inside the car. Xue Ningning¡¯s face was stern as she drove with one hand, holding down the wildly struggling Chen Qiaosheng with her other hand. "Let go of me! It¡¯s not safe here;we can¡¯t stay in the car, can¡¯t stay!¡± At this moment, Chen Qiaosheng had lost his usual shy demeanor, his muscles bulged, and veins protruded as he twisted madly even though he was tied up. The other passengers, An¡¯an, Ou Li, Lin Yiyi, Fang Shijun, Chen Xinji, all sat motionless in their seats, eyes closed, silent. "Get ready, someone replace me!¡± Xue Ningning kept her eyes wide open, unblinking as she stared ahead. "It¡¯s my turn now!¡± Chen Xinji said in a deep voice, standing up and groping his way to the passenger seat. "Ready.¡± Xue Ningning, her eyes filled with bloodshot veins, tears continuously sliding down her cheeks, yet she dared not blink. Snap. In an instant, she stood up, closed her eyes. Simultaneously, another figure rushed over, took the driver¡¯s seat, and opened his eyes to take the steering wheel. The seamless handover had Xue Ningning quickly sitting where Chen Xinji had been, eyes shut tight. Chen Qiaosheng¡¯s struggling noises continued to fill the car, now it was Chen Xinji holding him down. "His strength is getting stronger!¡± As soon as Chen Xinji took over, he felt something was off. The strength of Chen Qiaosheng¡¯s struggle faintly seemed to surpass his. "He¡¯s completely fallen into a hallucination¡­¡± Xue Ningning spoke gravely. "Is it really just a hallucination?¡± An¡¯an interjected. "Just keep holding him, as long as someone with open eyes touches him, he won¡¯t disappear!¡± Xue Ningning was unwavering. "I can¡¯t hold him down much longer!¡± Chen Xinji¡¯s hand clearly felt weak. He drove, sweat dripped down into his eyes, forcing him to involuntarily blink. At that moment, suddenly he felt something was wrong in his grip, quickly turned his head, and glanced at the person he was holding. That glance made goosebumps explode all over his body. The person he was holding was no longer Chen Qiaosheng, but instead a stranger in a gray outfit, long hair, standing in the car. The stranger¡¯s hair parted, revealing a blurred but familiar face with a smile¡­ That face¡­ was unmistakably Chen Qiaosheng!! Ah! Chen Xinji¡¯s skin burst with dense, tiny bumps, he screamed, his eyes quickly whitening, and the vehicle he controlled swerved sharply. Squeal, a sharp screech of brakes sounded. An armored vehicle smashed into a roadside concrete barrier and came to a sudden halt with a loud bang. The door opened quickly, and shadows burst out, sprinting towards the distance to escape. "Yiyi, run!!¡± Ou Li looked back as he ran but saw Lin Yiyi actually grabbing Chen Xinji, who was convulsing, trying to drag him out of the vehicle. And Chen Qiaosheng, who had just been with them, had completely disappeared. Ou Li panicked and shouted urgently, "That guy is contagious! Don¡¯t go near him!!¡± "Xin¡­ji¡­ isn¡¯t, dead yet!!¡± Lin Yiyi shouted back loudly. She exploded with brute force, lifted Chen Xinji straight up, and jumped out of the vehicle. "Yiyi!! Let me go¡­¡± Chen Xinji frothed at the mouth, ¡°As soon as you touch me, you absolutely must not¡­ close your eyes¡­ otherwise¡­ you¡­¡± "I know, I¡¯ll get infected, just, touch you, and keep, my eyes, open,¡± Lin Yiyi gritted her teeth. "I said¡­ let me go!! Dying here isn¡¯t so bad¡­ living in this world is just torture¡­¡± Chen Xinji struggled to break free from the grip, but before he could finish speaking, he began convulsing violently like one with epileptic seizures. "Let me¡­ go!! Ahh!!¡± Suddenly, Chen Xinji got up, struggled free with all his might, ran a good distance, and leaped into the roadside lake. Boom!! Mid-air, his entire body was covered in flames and exploded, scattering his body parts into the water. Everyone was stunned¡­ "F*ck!¡± Xue Ningning smashed her fist onto the ground. Chen Xinji could have lasted a while, just needed to get through the initial infection phase, but he chose to kill himself with his own grenade. "Chen Xinji¡­ you damn¡­!!¡± Fang Shijun¡¯s eyes reddened. She had joined the team with Chen Xinji and never expected that they would just encounter an unknown Black Disaster along the way and¡­ "He must have blinked¡­¡± An¡¯an clenched her teeth. ¡°According to our previous speculation, the next attack should have been one day later¡­ We must figure out a way to deal with this, otherwise¡­¡± They hadn¡¯t even reached Black Tree Village, and they had already lost two team members¡­ Even though they had mentally prepared themselves¡­ "Radiation hand grenades work, but we have to catch the moment he appears. This guy is like a Language Person, doesn¡¯t show up until the very end. And once he does, the attack is incredibly quick!¡± Ou Li stated simply. Even if she and the others weren¡¯t close, she still felt a sense of dread and fear of death. "Even a Speed Man follows several attack rules, I don¡¯t believe encountering this Black Disaster means certain death!! We must have overlooked something, didn¡¯t find where it began accumulating evidence!!¡± Xue Ningning clenched her teeth. "Right! If it truly were a guaranteed death upon encounter, this Black Disaster would have been nationally reported and famous by now! Its level would definitely be at the War Level!¡± Ou Li agreed. "Should we¡­ head to Black Wind Camp? They must have lots of radiation hand grenades there, it¡¯d be definitely safe!¡± An¡¯an suddenly suggested. ¡°Didn¡¯t Hong tell Yiyi that we could seek refuge there if we face danger? One day should be enough to get there!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lin Yiyi fell silent. She didn¡¯t want to risk implicating Hong, but to just watch as her teammates died to the Black Disaster was painfully hard for her. "If this continues, we¡¯re all going to die! Think carefully, how were we infected when we first encountered that thing!?¡± Xue Ningning raised her voice. ¡°Who was infected first!? Why!?¡± "No matter what, let¡¯s first head to Black Wind Camp for supplies, our radiation hand grenades might not be enough! To take down that thing, we need these!!¡± An¡¯an continued. "Based on the detector¡¯s readings, this creature is at least a level six Black Disaster, without finding exact mechanics for precision strike, we need to rely on massive negative value radiation saturation strike! I don¡¯t think Black Wind Camp can achieve this!¡± Fang Shijun also didn¡¯t want to implicate others. "Then just trade for radiation hand grenades, and then we leave!¡± Xue Ningning decided. ¡°Absolutely not implicating anyone else! Yiyi, this is the only way out!¡± She looked towards Lin Yiyi, still silent. Lin Yiyi looked at team leader Xue, knowing they had no other options, and nodded. "Let¡¯s go! Back to the car!!¡± Xue Ningning commanded sternly. * * * Black Wind Camp. "Three people disappeared today, two of them were power enhancers¡­ we still haven¡¯t figured out the killing mechanism¡­¡± Through the communicator, Wei Song¡¯s voice was hoarse. "Isn¡¯t pairing them up enough?¡± Zhang Kaijun asked solemnly. "Mm, both of them went together.¡± "What about the Pyroxene Secret Room?¡± "It couldn¡¯t block them, they would mysteriously open the door themselves and then disappear. Later I tied people up, and indeed nothing happened temporarily, but as soon as they were untied, they immediately disappeared¡­¡± "This situation isn¡¯t something a low-level Black Disaster can achieve¡­¡± Hong suggested. ¡°It¡¯s probably a new mutation of the Black Disaster.¡± "I¡¯ve got it here too,¡± Zhang Kaijun spoke calmly, ¡°ISOLATED dozens in the containment strip, after setting off several luminous stone bombs, there wasn¡¯t much noise¡­¡± "May not be successful, be cautious with the follow-up, if it¡¯s like a Language Person, you¡¯ll need to constantly monitor the Red Value,¡± Hong advised. These past few days, his Inner Qi had reached the ninth root, the Thunderbolt Leg Technique third layer achieved, and his body once again began another round of enhancement. The Inner Qi did not dissipate, but continued accumulating, moving into the fourth layer. "Up till now, I¡¯ve also encountered a mutated Black Disaster once, environmental conditions are deteriorating too fast. I¡¯m worried it might further¡­¡± Zhang Kaijun began to say, but suddenly paused, stopping. Not just him, Wei Song as well, both of them simultaneously fell surprisingly silent. Not only them but everyone who could see the sky at that moment, Old Zhou, everyone in Gray City, Yiyi¡¯s traveling team, countless people from other outposts. Right at this moment, they all slowly raised their heads, looking towards the sky. The sky that was just bright and grayish-white was now visibly darkening at a rate noticeable to the naked eye. In less than ten seconds¡­ The bright sky had completely fallen into darkness. And the time was still only ten-thirty in the morning¡­ Chapter 181: Mind "It¡¯s earlier again¡­.¡± Yu Hong stood up, walked to the door, and looked through the observation window at the hallway outside. The hallway also had a window facing the outside, which was made of wooden lattice. At this moment, the sky beyond the lattice window was completely dark. "How long was daybreak this time?¡± Zhang Kaijun¡¯s voice came from the communicator. ¡°¡­.Half an hour¡­ maybe even less, the actual time the sun was up wasn¡¯t much, and it never got fully bright.¡± Yu Hong answered in a grave tone. "We should prepare¡­.¡± After a moment of silence, Zhang Kaijun cut off the communication and logged off. Boom¡­ Thunder rolled, and fine raindrops fell once again, hitting the ground and trees with rustling sounds. Yu Hong turned off the communicator and switched on the electric lights. He threw his dirty clothes into the fully-automatic washing machine, let it wash, then opened the door and went out, meeting Zhou Xueguang who also came to the common hallway. "Boss¡­ the daylight¡­ it¡¯s early,¡± Zhou Xueguang looked equally troubled. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it supposed to last three months? How long has it been??¡± "Get ready¡­¡± Yu Hong didn¡¯t say much. ¡°For the safety around the camp, I¡¯m planning to deal with the level eight Speed Man wandering outside in the next few days, don¡¯t go out unless it¡¯s necessary. Even the direction of the vehicle track, don¡¯t go.¡± "Okay. I promise not to drag you down, boss.¡± Old Zhou nodded seriously. However, upon hearing the boss talk about a level eight Black Disaster as casually as if he were going out to chop wood, he couldn¡¯t help but recall the tragic scene of those four Insect men dying miserably in the camp. At that time, the boss strolled over and picked up the belongings left behind by the others. From beginning to end, the Insect men couldn¡¯t even get close to the boss¡­ That scene had a profound impact on him. He had no doubt that even if the Insect men really got in front of the boss, they would be nonchalantly slapped in the face and squashed on the spot. No doubt about it, the boss was that kind of person. Strong and muscular, with a large build, an expressionless face, killing people like hemp¡­ Old Zhou took a deep breath and decided that he must be even more respectful when speaking with the boss in the future, in case the boss accidentally put too much strength into a joke, wouldn¡¯t he be¡­. "What are you thinking about?¡± Yu Hong saw his weird expression and casually asked. "Nothing¡­ just thinking about what rules and regulations need to be improved and supplemented,¡± Old Zhou said quickly. "Okay, now that the daylight is even shorter, don¡¯t go too far when you¡¯re outside¡­¡± Yu Hong reminded him. "Boss, are you clearing out the Black Disaster outside to gather some wild vegetables and herbs for the last time?¡± "No, just to ensure the safety passageways are clear. You reminded me, we must ensure that plants like wild vegetables are replenished for nutrients¡­¡± Yu Hong frowned. "I can take care of that. After the boss has dealt with it, I¡¯ll go out and transplant some non-toxic dark-light wild vegetables back here, with the camp¡¯s illumination, they can barely survive. But they need specific light tubes since the wavelength of light they absorb is different from regular light,¡± Old Zhou seemed to know a bit in this aspect and spoke with authority. "Then I¡¯ll leave it to you,¡± Yu Hong nodded. He walked out of the stone castle and left through the main gate of the corridor. He had already changed into a full set of reinforced gray lizard suits, with white vapor continuously spewing from the sides of the breathing valve. Click. Click. Step by step, he walked out of the inner courtyard, out of the outer courtyard, and arrived at the secondary safety zone. Yu Hong looked around, scanning for signs of Speed Man with his naked eyes while also searching with the black lizard suit in operation. Nine newly enhanced black lizards, with him as the center and a radius of three kilometers, began to inspect and search rapidly. One by one, the shadows were casually corroded and vanished by the black phlegm, and due to the high-risk Black Disaster driving them out, there were only the lowest level shadows here, and not many of them. Before long, Yu Hong closed his eyes slightly. ¡®Found it!¡¯ He inhaled gently, his vision entering one of the black lizards. Whoosh! The view instantly crossed over forests and grasslands, rocks and soil, and quickly stopped in front of a dead black tree. In front of the dead tree, a slim figure in yellow clothes and a white skirt was moving slowly forward. She seemed to wander aimlessly, walking non-stop, as slow as an ordinary person taking a stroll in the woods. Her overly clean and neat clothes, juxtaposed with the wet environment from the falling Light Rain, created an inexplicable sense of discordance. Long hair fell over the Speed Man¡¯s face, concealing it as she walked silently forward. Suddenly. Pfft. A mouthful of black phlegm flew out and hit the side of her skirt. The large blob of black phlegm stuck to the hem of her skirt, heavy and thick, already beginning to slide down the fabric. The Speed Man stopped. She turned around, ignoring the black phlegm, chose a different direction, and continued forward. But she didn¡¯t get far. Pfft! Another mouthful of black phlegm shot out, hitting her right in the chest, the large area of black phlegm partially soiling her pristine chin. Crack. The Speed Man¡¯s hands slowly clenched into fists. She seemed to be getting angry, extremely angry! Yet! She changed direction again, this time trying to hurry, speeding up and walking tens of meters in a few strides. This direction was completely away from the camp, opposite to it. Pfft! Unfortunately¡­ another mouthful of black phlegm, striking the side of her face. The black viscous phlegm slowly slid down, from her hair, her barely visible cheek, trickling down¡­ Silence¡­ Seconds of silence passed. Suddenly. Hiss!!! Piercing laughter filled with anger abruptly resonated through the surrounding air. Speed Man¡¯s body suddenly emitted a circle of invisible radiation, which instantly neutralized the black phlegm. She spun around and dashed directly towards the Black Wind Camp! Before long, she once again saw the outline of the Black Wind Camp directly ahead. Outside the camp stood a nearly two-meter tall, burly humanoid figure. It was Yu Hong. "Why does this guy look so angry?¡± he wondered, somewhat puzzled as he watched Speed Man rapidly approaching. He seemed to sense her fury. "Could it be that even high-risk Black Disaster entities can have human-like emotions? Thinking about it, what exactly is the origin of these Black Disasters, and why do they take human form?¡± These questions suddenly flashed through his mind. "Let¡¯s give it a try¡­¡± Once he made up his mind, ideas quickly swirled in Yu Hong¡¯s head. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Pfft! In an instant, nine gobs of black phlegm flew at high speed from all around, all of them striking Speed Man who was rapidly closing in. Now, her entire body was covered in thick, black phlegm. The heavy sour stench amalgamated into one, instantly transforming her into a concentrated source of noxious fumes. Speed Man froze, stopping in her tracks. Silence. Ahhhhhhhhh!!! Suddenly, an ear-piercing and exaggerated shriek burst forth from her body. Her speed explosively increased, and she fiercely charged towards Yu Hong. Yu Hong¡¯s face remained expressionless, as he held back the Inner Qi in his Thunderbolt Leg. He exerted his strength, retreating with astonishing velocity. His body blinked into the outer yard, entering the range of the Array. "Judging from the other party¡¯s reaction, Speed Man should possess basic simple cognitive abilities, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be coming for me;she should be dealing with the nine spitting black lizards instead.¡± He calmly continued to back away while his eyes, through the helmet, observed Speed Man carefully. Pfft! Just as Speed Man entered the outer yard. A flock of transparent Black Crows materialized out of thin air, with black sparks attached to them. The crows began to dive repeatedly at Speed Man. Pfft, pfft, pfft. Just three seconds. Speed Man¡¯s advances had already significantly slowed down, a fate worse than the Insect Man. At least the Insect Man initially had an astonishing speed, far surpassing that of ordinary humans. But she was different;her speed from the start was that of an average person walking. Even in a rage, her speed was at best akin to a person running. Thus, five seconds later¡­ Speed Man got stuck in the middle of the outer yard, motionless. One leg was raised, moving forward, but she couldn¡¯t seem to step down at all. Pfft, pfft, pfft, pfft!!! At this moment, a dense mass of black phlegm rained down like a storm, spraying from all directions and sticking to her. And she could do nothing about it. Hiss. Her figure flickered a few times, attempting to teleport, but, regrettably, the suppression from the Array was too potent, rapidly neutralizing her Red Value radiation. Her teleport seemed to require an instant¡¯s consumption of a portion of the Red Value to expand and release throughout her body. However, being restrained by the Array, the Red Value radiation had no chance to expand before being neutralized. As such, this Rank 8 Speed Man could only stand stiffly outside the camp yard, utterly unable to move. Countless globs of phlegm soon submerged her into a black mess, while the Array¡¯s erosion and burning also rapidly reduced her size. Not half a minute passed. Speed Man grew smaller and smaller until she finally dissolved completely, becoming a puddle of black phlegm on the ground. The black smoke slowly dissipated, the phlegm steaming away, leaving no trace behind. From beginning to end, she couldn¡¯t even emit a final scream. "No bones this time?¡± Yu Hong walked to where she disappeared and crouched down to inspect carefully. But there was nothing on the ground, which left him somewhat disappointed. Last time, the materials from Speed Man were integrated into the Array, yielding quite impressive results, granting those slowing Black Crows the ability to teleport short distances. He had hoped he could get more this time, but unfortunately¡­ Standing up, he took a breath of relief. "The biggest trouble, Speed Man, is dealt with. Now I just need to use the black lizards to clear the surroundings.¡± * * * In the desolate mountain forest. Mist shrouded everything. Wei Shanshan stumbled forwards as she ran, with no shadow, no insects, nothing around her. Her body still wore the luminous stone blanket, but it was torn in places. Her white T-shirt and jeans were already dirty and turned to a grey-black color, the original patterns indistinguishable. "Shanshan¡­ come here¡­ come to mommy¡­¡± The voice of her mother, Qiu Yanxi, suddenly called out from behind. Wei Shanshan¡¯s body shivered, and her pace quickened even more. She ran frantically in the opposite direction, so desperately that she didn¡¯t notice the delicate, eerie, purple-tinged patterns that had surfaced on the exposed skin of her arms and neck. They resembled veins, but they were far too numerous and dense. Unknowingly, a black mountain wall loomed up in the forest ahead of her. A crude fence circled outside of the cliff. Several black silhouettes with guns and talismans moved back and forth, patrolling. "Help¡­ help me!¡± Wei Shanshan saw people, as if they were saviors, and immediately yelled out, dragging her weary body towards them. "I have an enhancer detector that can detect Black Disaster Rifts! Save me!!¡± Wei Shanshan shouted. "I know how to use the detector! Please¡­ save me!!¡± Chapter 182: Soul 2 ¡°`html A few people hesitated for a moment, and one of them raised the talisman plate in this direction. There was still no change in the old-style luminous stone talisman plate in their hands, which made them feel much more at ease. One of them looked around and, with the light from outside the cave, saw Wei Shanshan. "Still just a kid¡­. not very old,¡± he said softly, ¡°Check if there¡¯s no problem, then let her go rest and heal in the buffer zone first.¡± "She must have escaped from one of the nearby camps, sigh¡­.¡± Another person sighed, ¡°My daughter is about this age too¡­¡± Thud. Wei Shanshan collapsed in front of them;she was crying and trembling, wanting to speak, but the oppressive space and the cold air made her unable to utter a sound for the moment. Without realizing it, her vision blurred. In the blur, she saw those two people lift her up, check that she had no weapons, and then place her inside a shed within the fence. In the blur, she turned her head and saw behind her a gray figure with neurotic bloodshot eyes standing outside the camp, smiling at her. Click. Vaguely, she seemed to see that gray figure flash gently and enter inside the fence. And the guards didn¡¯t notice at all. "Shanshan¡­ you did well¡­. good child¡­ you really are your parents¡¯ good child¡­.¡± * * * The cave fortifications had noticeably thickened the defenses everywhere. This time, the fortifications included parts of the outer rock layer of the cave. Through this clever method, a bit of the outer rock that didn¡¯t belong to the cave was incorporated, essentially bypassing the strengthening rules of the Black Mark. Yu Hong felt that the door was much heavier and sturdier when pushing open the wooden door now. It seemed as if a lot of the stone¡¯s nutrients had been absorbed into the wooden door. After a round of fortification, his sense of security was slightly satisfied, and then he ordered the Black Lizard to clear all Black Disasters within a three-kilometer range. He himself stayed in the cave¡¯s safe house, studying the new stone talisman he had received from Stammering Yiyi. It was still raining outside, and in the woods, a waterway had formed, rushing down from the direction of Baiqiu Village and flowing to lower ground. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The turbid stream carved out a black road that resembled something man-made. Within the camp, with Old Zhou constantly inspecting, digging drainage channels every day, there wasn¡¯t much going on. Whish, whish. Inside the cave at the wooden table, Yu Hong, under the soft yellow light of a desk lamp, was mimicking and drawing the new stone talisman¡¯s patterns. Holding a gray-black charcoal pencil that had been honed and trimmed, he continuously drew one slender line after another. The entire desktop was covered with wooden boards he used to practice drawing the runes. Soon enough, finally, Yu Hong stopped his pencil, admiring the runes he had just drawn carefully. "This time, it should be fine.¡± After practicing dozens of times, he was almost proficient with this new rune. Next, it was time to¡­ He put away the charcoal pencil, opened the drawer, and took out the feather pen and large pyroxene stone ink powder inside, preparing some in a small iron dish, mixing it with water, and dipping the ink. This time Yu Hong took a relatively sturdy wooden board, operated Inner Qi, poured it into the feather pen, and lightly started drawing. Half a minute later, a pretty beautiful new array pattern appeared on the wooden board. Just at the split second when the final stroke formed and closed. A faint attraction started budding from the array pattern. ¡®Hmm? Attraction?¡¯ Yu Hong was taken aback, as he had been watching this array pattern and naturally noticed that fleeting special attraction. ¡®This force of attraction¡­¡¯ He extended his hand, lightly placing it on the surface of the array pattern. At the same time, his other hand continued to inject new Inner Qi into the array pattern. Snap. In an instant, this new array pattern wooden board burst forth with a very distinct force of attraction, sticking itself firmly to Yu Hong¡¯s palm. ¡®It really is attraction! Not the type of radiation attraction that the vortex talisman array absorbs only the Red Value but a direct traction on objects!!¡¯ Yu Hong opened his eyes wide. He also discovered that the Inner Qi he injected into the talisman plate had disappeared directly right after that moment! ¡®A traction rune driven by Inner Qi?¡¯ He speculated. ¡®This is a very useful rune¡­ Previously, the array¡¯s deceleration relied on the airflow crow. If I added this array, it would definitely significantly increase the hindrance.¡¯ Letting go, he picked up this talisman plate. ¡®Aside from the talisman array¡­. this rune has a wide application range¡­ it could even be used in my Inner Qi cultivation, with this rune as the structure, mass-producing to form a vortex, highly compressing the Inner Qi concentration¡­. this could completely create a new foundational Inner Qi.¡¯ ¡®Just in time, I need to reinforce an Inner Qi Technique to control and expand the camp.¡¯ Holding the new talisman plate that Yiyi sent, and after testing the array and confirming it indeed had this effect, Yu Hong simply named it. "Since it produces a traction force rune, let¡¯s call it the Traction Rune.¡± Afterward, he devoted almost all his time to researching the cultivation of luminous stone and creating a method to share control over Inner Qi¡­ Both of these could only rely on the Black Mark¡¯s constant experimentation, which was a tedious repetitive process. But regardless of how tedious, it had to be done. Time went by day by day, and it continued to rain outside, occasionally pausing for at most half a day, then resuming for most of the time. The fourth layer of Thunderbolt Leg¡¯s Inner Qi was continuously condensing bit by bit, while the Black Mark, with nothing better to do, reinforced the entire Black Wind Camp, making its exterior sturdier and also completely solidified the drawn concealment runes into it. In the camp, besides maintaining the drainage, Old Zhou also created an external cargo frame that could be attached to a car, further increasing the car¡¯s total capacity. He also pulled out the car¡¯s charging circuit, modifying it into a type that allowed for manual adjustment of charging methods. So the solar car now could be charged with solar power or directly plugged in. After doing all this, Old Zhou packed his gear, took the accumulated food and water, and bid farewell to Yu Hong. "You¡¯re heading out in this weather?¡± Yu Hong asked with a frown. "I¡¯ve got to find them anyway. I thought I could convince myself¡­. Unfortunately¡­¡± Zhou Xueguang laughed heartily, standing by the fence as he patted the prepared car. "These past days, I¡¯ve been dreaming every day, seeing my wife holding the kid, just standing in the house, looking at me.¡± "It¡¯s too dangerous to go out in this weather¡­.¡± Yu Hong said with a frown, ¡°Better to go once the rain stops.¡± "What if the rain doesn¡¯t stop?¡± Old Zhou smiled. He bent down, picked up the large backpack on the ground. "I¡¯m already at this age¡­. There aren¡¯t many important things in life. I¡¯m afraid if I wait any longer, some things might be too late.¡± "Then when will you be back?¡± Yu Hong knew he couldn¡¯t talk him out of it. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t as dangerous outside now, as the discovery of the Black Disaster Rift had established a safe basis for traveling between outposts. "According to the clues I found last time, I¡¯m planning to head further north this time.¡± Old Zhou took off the tested backpack, opened the car door, and got in. "I don¡¯t know the exact time, but no matter what, as long as I¡¯m alive, I¡¯ll definitely come back.¡± He sat in the driver¡¯s seat, moved the backpack to the passenger seat. "This time out, I¡¯ll try to bring back some stone talismans. Don¡¯t worry.¡± He waved his hand. "Don¡¯t die out there. At least bring the car back to me,¡± Yu Hong said. "Understood! Rest assured, with the boss¡¯s magic car, nothing will happen! I¡¯m going to find the generator and fuel first so that there¡¯s electricity even without sunshine.¡± The car door closed, Old Zhou started the car, and drove out gently from the open fence. ¡°¡­¡± Yu Hong silently watched the car leave, driving away until it vanished into the rain curtain. He sighed. Shutting the gate of the fence. He turned back to glance at the brightly lit stone castle, then turned around and left. * * * On the highway. A menacing black armored vehicle was increasing its speed, heading towards the Black Wind Camp. "Everyone stay together;someone must keep their eyes open at all times, no blinking! At this time, even a split-second blink could result in that guy attacking!¡± Inside the vehicle. Xue Ningning, covered in blood, her face pale, shouted loudly. The rest of the team was also covered in blood spots, looking exhausted. After deciding to call for help from Yu Hong, they turned the car around. Having mapped out the Black Disaster Rift along the way, the drive initially went smoothly, but heavy rain flooded most sections and landslides blocked the route, forcing them to detour. The detours led to their running out of fuel¡­ Yes, after the modifications, the armored car was powered by a hybrid of solar and diesel power. With no sun, they had to rely on diesel, but halfway through, they ran out of diesel, forcing them to get out and find some in a nearby ruined city. Just when they finally found some, An¡¯an showed signs of infection. At a critical moment, Xue Ningning discovered a prerequisite condition for the Black Disaster attack. It was that touching an infected person while in the eye-closed state would contaminate them. And post-infection, even in the early stages, accumulating ten minutes of eye-closed time would trigger a full infection attack. Leveraging this discovery, they compelled An¡¯an to absolutely not sleep with her eyes closed. Upon finding the diesel, they pressed on toward Black Wind Camp in the car. "How much further now?! Captain!¡± Ou Li asked loudly, his eyes swollen. "About ten kilometers more, we¡¯re close! Hold on An¡¯an!!¡± Xue Ningning shouted. On their return, they came across two other outposts. One was relatively large, and they initially planned to trade some supplies. However, once the others noticed they had unknowable Black Disaster symptoms, both outposts refused their trade. If not for that, they wouldn¡¯t have had to find diesel in the ruined city themselves. "My breathing valve got clogged with blood again¡­¡± An¡¯an said painfully, her skin continuously swelling with various sized lumps, some as large as fists, and others as small as soybeans. Aiding her was Lin Yiyi, who was constantly opening and closing the portable vortex talisman plate to maintain a negative radiation environment inside the car, suppressing her body¡¯s abnormalities. "We¡¯re close now! Once we reach the camp, they¡¯ll surely have plenty of talisman plates. At that point, we can grab the chance to buy a lot of plates to increase the radiation levels, definitely suppressing that creature!¡± Fang Shijun shouted. At this moment, the corner of her eye had already caught sight of Stammering Yiyi, showing signs of swelling on her body, subtly moving. That was the mark of infection. Although it took contact in an eye-closed state to transmit, Lin Yiyi had been holding Chen Xinji the entire time;blinking was inevitable. As soon as she blinked, the eye-closed condition was fulfilled, and infection was almost certain. Nonetheless, the radiation hand grenades and vortex talisman plates held back this timeframe. Time ticked by, and the lumps on An¡¯an grew more numerous and larger, with her consciousness also beginning to blur. "After crossing this bridge, only five kilometers left! We¡¯re almost there, almost there!!¡± "Stay strong, An¡¯an and Yiyi!!¡± Xue Ningning yelled assertively, ¡°If it comes down to the last moment, hold onto her, and don¡¯t close your eyes! Even a blink could make her disappear!¡± The armored vehicle was forcibly driven like a sports car by Xue Ningning. Roar! The vehicle sped past a flooded section of the road, splashing a large spray of water. Just then, a vast entity loomed ahead, sprawled across the highway, blocking it. It was a massive black worm, ten meters long, five to six meters high. "Elephant worm!!??¡± Xue Ningning charged out of the fog and immediately spotted the creature, her eyes welling with despair. Under ordinary circumstances, they could have relied on various weapons to temporarily drive it back, but now¡­. in this state¡­. "I¡¯ll distract it!¡± Fang Shijun grabbed a grenade launcher, opened the door, and jumped out. "You guys go!!¡± She adjusted her helmet¡¯s breathing valve and fired grenades at the elephant worm. Boom. In the explosion and flames, an indentation appeared on the elephant worm, angering it and prompting it to pursue Fang Shijun. Xue Ningning gritted her teeth and kept driving. "I¡¯ll come back to pick you up!¡± she yelled through the window. But all she saw was Fang Shijun holding a gun in one hand, waving the other hand goodbye. The mist closed, quickly blocking any view. Nothing could be seen anymore. Chapter 183: "Everyone must take responsibility for their choices, whether they are right or wrong.¡± Inside the communicator, Zhang Kaijun¡¯s voice was cold and cruel. "As leaders, our responsibility is to keep the flame alive and ensure the survival of the majority. The fate of individuals is irrelevant,¡± he continued. Upon learning of Yu Hong¡¯s handling of some people in the camp earlier, he immediately gave a negative evaluation. "What about yourself?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°The leader is also a person, an individual.¡± "The same applies. If I no longer serve the survival of the group, then I can also be discarded. Of course, I won¡¯t let myself end up in that situation,¡± Zhang Kaijun said calmly. "You are a cold person,¡± Yu Hong paused for a moment, then replied. "Many people say that,¡± Zhang Kaijun said indifferently, showing no anger. Inside the communicator, for a moment, there was only the sound of their light breathing. Currently, in the communication channel, only the two of them were online for long periods. Wei Song had logged on a few days ago, saying he was moving and needed to conserve energy, so he couldn¡¯t come online temporarily. Since then, there had been no activity. After a pause. "The trading team is about to arrive. I¡¯m using a contracting system, where outsiders bid monthly to form a trade caravan. I only want fixed returns;profits and losses don¡¯t concern me. So, there¡¯s no need to cut me any deals on the trading prices,¡± Zhang Kaijun explained. "I didn¡¯t plan to cut you any deals,¡± Yu Hong replied. From the beginning until now, his relationship with the other party was only a normal exchange relationship. "But you manage so strictly;are there still people in the city daring to form caravans?¡± he suddenly asked, puzzled. "They¡¯re all outsourced individuals. The elites in the city won¡¯t, and don¡¯t have the time to do such risky things. They¡¯re formed entirely by leftover outposts outside, and I only take the materials,¡± Zhang Kaijun said. ¡°The small outposts outside here basically survive on the remnants of the previous Hope City. Too many people died in a short time, leading to vast amounts of supplies left untouched, with some cities having enough stored food for thousands of people to eat for years. But those places harbor various dangers. I won¡¯t sacrifice my elites in vain to search them;outsourcing only to receive the results is the best choice.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Yu Hong was at a loss for words. The communication was silently cut off after a while. He stood up and heard it was still raining outside, with rolling thunder. The rainfall not only hadn¡¯t stopped but seemed to be getting heavier. Sigh¡­ He sighed. He made himself a pot of yam and meatball soup. The yam was dried, one of the supplies Old Zhou scavenged last time he came back. In addition, there were some assorted snacks and frozen smoked meat, all piled up in the basement. With so many deaths, in many places, entire warehouses of supplies have been left untouched. In some places, even if people obtained supplies, they didn¡¯t have time to consume them. When the Black Disaster hit, everything was gone. After eating, he picked up a book and lay on the bed to rest. Long hours of cultivating Inner Qi had caused a vague, indescribable irritation to rise in his heart. But at this moment, outside the heavy rain poured, the cold was biting, while inside the cave it was warm like spring, brightly lit. Having eaten and drunk his fill, he turned the pages of a book he had just gotten his hands on and hadn¡¯t read yet. Yu Hong felt an inexplicable trace of tranquility arise in his heart, and with this trace of peace, the irritation slowly faded away, dissipating. After reading the book for a while, this randomly found, previously dull political logic now surprisingly captivated him. Feeling more relaxed, Yu Hong got up again and went to the basement to practice the Thunderbolt Leg Technique. He stood in the center, slowly assuming the Thunderbolt Leg stance, one leg in front of the other, front toe raised, body slightly bent, arms raised in a defensive posture. Swish! Suddenly, a white phantom flashed by. It was Yu Hong¡¯s right leg sweeping out, its shadow slicing through the air, producing a piercing whistle. Not only that, at the moment of the sweep, his right leg was filled with amplified Inner Qi, causing a thin translucent layer of airflow to surround it. This layer of airflow appeared and was immediately noticed by Yu Hong. He had sensed it before but hadn¡¯t paid much attention. It was just that today, the practice seemed to have reached a qualitative change, and this layer of airflow faintly had a texture resembling a solid form. Swish swish swish! In just a few seconds, his consecutive kicks unleashed several dozen leg strikes. Bang! In an instant, a transparent air current flew from the tip of his leg and slammed into the wall with a muffled sound. This was the previously achieved air current long-range attack. At the same time, Yu Hong felt the airflow layer on his legs growing thicker, like wearing an extra thick leg armor. However, the Inner Qi still hadn¡¯t reached an explosive state. ¡®It seems the Thunderbolt Leg Technique has improved again.¡¯ He rejoiced in his heart. This martial art, with a total of six layers, had helped him greatly, primarily due to its astonishing speed and explosive power. Of course, the Thunderbolt Leg wasn¡¯t without its weaknesses;its lack of protection was one of them. So he relied on strengthening suits to protect his legs. Otherwise, if his legs got injured, his speed would plummet, and he wouldn¡¯t even be able to escape. Thinking back to those martial arts films he had watched, whenever a master of leg techniques appeared, they were incredibly impressive. But when they got injured, their combat power diminished almost instantaneously. After all, with injured legs, they couldn¡¯t even walk, let alone fight. So, to avoid this, he planned to train his legs to become his strongest asset. And now, the Thunderbolt Leg seemed to be showing signs of compensating for this aspect. ¡®This layer of airflow should be the protective effect inherent to the leg technique¡­. Viewing it like this, the technique, after reaching the Fourth Layer, finally possesses true defensive power, greatly enhancing its combat capability. Previously, I only relied on the protective suit to temporarily make up for the shortcoming;now it¡¯s truly improved.¡¯ In the basement, the more Yu Hong practiced, the smoother he became. The piercing whistle soon turned into eerie, maniacal laughter, which, as his leg speed increased, grew more hysterically frenzied. * * * "We can¡¯t¡­ can¡¯t go on¡­!¡± Xue Ningning slammed on the brakes, her face pale beneath the helmet. Outside the car window, right in front. A landslide of rocks, mud, and trees had completely blocked the road ahead. The original highway had suddenly turned into a dead end here. With the torrential rain, even the fog was beaten away by the downpour, and with the moonlight shining through, the entire world seemed to turn into a desolate gray. "Get out!¡± Xue Ningning commanded decisively. Being a person who acted as a captain, she was quick in making decisions. A few people immediately made up their minds, opened the doors, grabbed their belongings, donned their luminous stone cloaks, and rushed along the edge of the landslide. Due to the urgency of the situation, there was no time to close their eyes. Yiyi and An¡¯an didn¡¯t even wear protective suits, only carrying a breathing valve. Ou Li held a Radiation Hand Grenade, covering the rear. The cold and moisture continuously seeped into their bodies. Xue Ningning glanced at the detector, which already showed the temperature reaching 2 degrees. Such low temperatures made her feel cold all over, even in her suit. Not to mention Lin Yiyi and An¡¯an, who were behind her in regular clothing. "Stay close! Yiyi, I¡¯m not familiar with the way, you lead!¡± Xue Ningning shouted. "Okay!¡± Lin Yiyi¡¯s face was firm. On this outing, her teammates had died because she led the investigation into Black Tree Village, filling her heart with pain and guilt. *If only I had never agreed to go with the captain in the first place.* *Unfortunately, it¡¯s too late to say anything now¡­* The group abandoned the car and ran forward like crazy. An¡¯an remained dazed, so Lin Yiyi simply carried her. At eighty or ninety pounds, she was weightless in Lin Yiyi¡¯s hands. Amidst the sound of rain, Fang Shijun¡¯s gunfire faded, becoming faint, until it finally went silent. As they ran, all three couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang in their hearts. The cessation of gunfire perhaps meant that Fang Shijun was likely already¡­ "Damn!!¡± Xue Ningning screamed angrily. They ran with all their might. After running for who knows how long, they saw the road leading out of Black Wind Camp ahead. Suddenly, they vaguely spotted a red abandoned car on the left side of the road. Rain battered the car window, and in the blur, they could make out someone sitting in the driver¡¯s seat. * * * Yu Hong finished his exercises, exhaled, and felt the newly gathered Inner Qi inside him, and his heart grew increasingly calm. He wiped off some sweat, then took a hot shower and changed into clean clothes. He left the room, passed through the stone passage, and arrived at the stone castle. The two-story stone castle was also lit everywhere. He first went to the breeding room to check the humidity and temperature: 72%, 14 degrees Celsius. ¡®The increasingly damp air outside nicely offsets the dryness inside. The chilled water pipes and air purification keep humidity down, which works out just fine.¡¯ He inspected each breeding box one by one, found no issues, and then checked for any damage or defects in the rune on the inner wall. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After finishing these tasks, Yu Hong returned to the cave and piled up predefined amounts of jerky, wild vegetables, and dried insects to strengthen. These quantities had been pre-calculated, allowing the Black Mark to continuously produce fortified nutrient paste while he slept. The strengthening process would finish just at the end of his sleep, with a margin of error not exceeding ten minutes. Finally, he relied on the Black Lizard to check the surroundings of the camp. "The Black Lizard is incredibly useful¡­. Without leaving the house, I can monitor the surrounding environment while ensuring a certain level of safety. Once I resolve my Inner Qi issues, I can consider further enhancing the Black Lizard.¡± Lying on the wooden bed, Yu Hong¡¯s mind began planning how to reinforce it. *Now, the individual strength of a Black Lizard is essentially sufficient. To make it capable of countering high-risk Black Disasters would be immensely challenging, and it would probably require a great deal of time¡­. But if I simply increase the number¡­. it might save a lot.* Yu Hong pondered. ¡®The number of Black Lizards is determined by the mark. Since I can enhance the strength of the Black Lizards, perhaps I can also increase their numbers.¡¯ He closed his eyes and began to sense the Black Lizard mark. The mark was still the same as before, like two extra arms growing inside his mind, which he could control to float around at any time. As his Inner Qi grew, and his physique strengthened, Yu Hong found himself increasingly able to see them clearly. They were two black spheres, with white dots of light enclosed inside. If his consciousness focused on the light dots, he could quickly see the faint images emerging within. Looking closely, he could further magnify them. ¡®How can I increase the number of creatures controlled by the mark?¡¯ Yu Hong¡¯s mind once again entertained this thought. Suddenly, he noticed something. The two marked black spheres seemed slightly larger than when he had first discovered their functions. ¡®I remember, initially, the marks appeared to be much smaller¡­. the light points inside occupied more space within the spheres at that time.¡¯ He observed carefully. He found that in the two black spheres, the array contained only one light point, while the Black Lizard had nine light points within it. ¡®The array has only one, while the Black Lizard has nine, which matches. Now, the Black Lizard¡¯s light points don¡¯t occupy much of the black sphere¡¯s space, and there seems to be more room. Does this imply that I can try to increase the number of Black Lizards?¡¯ Yu Hong¡¯s mind flashed with this thought. ¡®Previously, I only nurtured up to the ninth Black Lizard and stopped increasing. The initial attempt¡¯s outcome seemed to limit my thinking. This inertia led me to stop trying to increase numbers¡­. But maybe¡­¡¯ He decided without hesitation, immediately injecting a strand of Inner Qi into one of the Black Lizard light points. The reproduction of Black Lizards required Inner Qi. And now he had nearly twenty strands of Inner Qi, so using one temporarily was no problem;it would quickly replenish. Chapter 184: Minds Core Alliance Hierarch Just as Inner Qi flowed in, a dim light point swiftly split off from that beam, also floating inside the black sphere. The tenth black lizard! Successfully produced! Yu Hong felt a surge of elation. He then glanced at the space within the black sphere and roughly estimated that there was still room for more light points, so he injected another stream of Inner Qi. Quickly, the eleventh, then the twelfth black lizards were simultaneously born. But it seemed that twelve was the limit for the black sphere at that time;there needed to be a certain gap between each lizard¡¯s light point. The twelve points, evenly distributed, once again filled the entire black sphere. Yu Hong, seeing the increase in numbers, suddenly felt very pleased. ¡®Not bad, it looks like the black sphere and my own strength are closely related. Just not sure if it¡¯s connected to Inner Qi or physical and mental constitution. I can test this out later.¡¯ Confirming that it was possible to add more light points within the imprint gave Yu Hong an added sense of security. Finally, he observed the Array imprint¡¯s black sphere once more;it had grown significantly, but the newly expanded space was still insufficient to add a second Array. ¡®It¡¯ll need to increase by at least half its volume to work.¡¯ Yu Hong shook his head inwardly and simply exited his mental realm, preparing to rest. With nine active black lizards patrolling outside, an Array ready to alert them to any dangers, and the Black Disaster of a lower tier that enters dying instantly¡ªnot to mention the luminous stone effect of the Pyroxene Secret Room and the Concealing Symbol¡¯s efficacy of the stone castle and the cave itself. All these assured that the Black Wind Camp had very strong guarantees against the safety from the Black Disaster. Exiting the observation of the imprint, Yu Hong locked his door, took a last sip of water, lay down, found a comfortable position, closed his eyes, and quickly fell asleep. Regular sleep was key to ensuring the speed of his cultivation. BOOM!! A sudden muffled explosion, different from the sound of thunder, came from outside the cave. The muffled sound was so clear that not even the heavy rain could drown it out, instantly making Yu Hong leap from the wooden bed. "Bomb!¡± His face hardened. "That was the sound of a bomb!¡± If there was a bomb, it meant people were nearby. Otherwise, the sound wouldn¡¯t have reached him. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Immediately, he sensed his black lizards, controlling one to radiate and inspect the surroundings. No matter who was out there, he had to first ascertain their identity and whether they posed a threat to the camp. But he had only checked a few times. Yu Hong¡¯s expression suddenly changed, and he sprang to his feet, put on a Strengthened Suit, grabbed a few Radiation Hand Grenades, and dashed out the door. Through the black lizards¡¯ vision, he saw far away through the curtain of rain, Yiyi and a few others were running at full speed toward him. And shockingly, there were two differently powered black smoke vortices accompanying them. The smoke vortices continuously belched smoke upward, the smoke twisting like tentacled creatures, eerily indescribable. "Damn it! How many times have we cleared them out, and they still dare to come in? And they dare to touch my people!¡± A surge of rage burst forth in Yu Hong¡¯s heart. "You¡¯re looking for death!!!¡± BANG!! In the darkness of the night, a vague air burst explosively beneath him, scattering rainwater and propelling him like an arrow toward the distant forests. * * * BOOM! The sudden explosion of fire and noise from behind startled Ou Li. Thud. Her legs gave way, and by accident, she tripped over a thick tree root and fell to the ground. Thankfully, the Protective Suit did its job, and she was unhurt. She quickly got up and continued to try to keep up, but she noticed that Xue Ningning and the others had also stopped. Drip. Drip. Drip. The headlights of the red sedan began to flicker, pulsing on and off, emitting a faint noise. Even through the heavy rain, the sound was crystal clear. The amber headlights cut through the veil of rain, projecting two distinct beams of light. In normal circumstances, encountering a car¡¯s flashing headlights on the road would be quite ordinary. But now¡­ In these desperate times, on a stretch of highway clearly blocked by a landslide and in torrential rain, The flickering headlights of the red sedan sent chills up the spine of the three women. "Run past it!!¡± Xue Ningning yelled loudly. The rain was too loud;without shouting, one couldn¡¯t be heard from behind. Without a second word, the three of them dashed past the side of the sedan, splashing through the water as they went. Fortunately, the red sedan remained stationary, not moving an inch as they ran past. Desperate, the three women ran for over ten more minutes, until finally, Ou Li couldn¡¯t hold on any longer and stumbled, crashing onto the road. She tried to get up but felt too weak, her eyes seeing stars, too exhausted to rise. Xue Ningning turned back and picked her up, carrying someone on her shoulder just like Yiyi. "Almost there! We¡¯re¡­ just, about to make it!!¡± At that moment, Lin Yiyi¡¯s only hope was to quickly reach Yu Hong¡¯s camp and then save the last three of her teammates. Ahead on the road, they could faintly see two jeeps parked by the side. The water nearly submerged a thin layer of the highway, sloping from right to left, flowing continuously, and then streaming around the bottom of the jeeps and off the roadside slope. "Just a bit more, hold on!¡± Seeing the two jeeps, Yiyi¡¯s spirits lifted, knowing they were near the camp. If they could get enough Radiation Hand Grenades or a Vortex Talisman Plate, they could keep suppressing the weird Black Disaster afflicting them, as long as they saved An¡¯an¡­ Yiyi had been ready to die on the way since the moment they left. The two quickened their pace, soon finding the temporary trail leading up the mountainside, about to charge up. Drip. Drip. Drip. Suddenly, a pair of bright yellow headlight beams shot at them from directly ahead. It was that red sedan! It had reappeared in front of them silently, without any sound at all. Following that, amidst the clamor of crashing sounds, A massive mixture of rocks, soil, and tree trunks washed down from the slope of the mountain. The dark yellow muddy water, carrying thick trunks, fiercely rushed towards the group. Xue Ningning and Yiyi tried to retreat together, but found their legs were as if pulled by something, unable to move at all. They looked down. Beneath their feet, black-green water-weeds had appeared at some point, entangling their legs like a thick mass of hair. And at the other end of the water-weeds was the bottom of a red sedan. Buzz. The sedan started, its engine noise unusually distinct amidst the heavy rain. The car moved slowly, quickly passing by them, but its undercarriage¡¯s water-weeds wrapped around Xue Ningning and Yiyi, pulling them back fiercely. An irresistible force dragged the two of them backward. Thump thump, they fell to the ground, dragged by the car, slowly returning in the direction they came from. They struggled frantically, but to no avail, unable to break free from the water-weeds¡ªneither tearing nor cutting worked, only causing more water-weeds to entangle their arms. The group was already near exhaustion, Yiyi being the only one with a bit of strength left, but with her legs entangled, she couldn¡¯t break free. She had to use one hand to keep hold of An¡¯an, not letting herself be separated from her, or else An¡¯an would instantly die, replaced by the Black Disaster. Rainwater poured into Yiyi¡¯s eyes, but she dared not blink, the stinging sensation on the surface of her eyes caused her tears to flow wildly. Yet, she endured, gripping An¡¯an with determination. Through her blurred vision, she saw An¡¯an¡¯s clothes starting to change color. From a light green top, it gradually turned into a gray long sleeve, the skirt also changing into worn gray trousers. Long hair grew increasingly longer, gradually covering her face. "An¡¯an!!¡± she yelled. Yiyi hazily saw a figure in gray attire with black hair slowly emerge behind An¡¯an. The figure reached forward with both hands, gently wrapping them around An¡¯an. It was the Black Disaster!! The entity that had been following them, claiming two lives in a row!! Suddenly, the figure in gray looked towards Yiyi¡¯s back. There, a red sedan with its headlights on, countless black water-weeds tightly entangling Xue Ningning and Yiyi. The vague figure inside the car also looked toward them. The two figures locked eyes in an instant. Invisible radiation twisted into an almost tangible force, distorting the rain around them, forming two rainless spherical spaces. Toot!! The sedan suddenly honked. Whoosh! The figure¡¯s clothes in gray trembled and fluttered, making a ripping sound. "You¡¯re seeking death!!¡± At an impasse between the two, A white light burst from the forest, bringing a terrifying shriek as it meteor-like slammed down on top of the red sedan. Boom!!! A cruel, mocking laugh erupted as the white light hit the rooftop of the red sedan in an instant. Enormous force crushed the car¡¯s roof on the spot. The whole car, like a cardboard box squashed at the waist, its middle pressed down to the chassis. The headlights went out, and the sedan was lifted into the air by a burly humanoid figure who had stabbed his hands into the car top. Upper Knee Strike! Bang!!! Car fragments flew, a vague scream accompanying the explosion of black smoke, dissipating in a blink of an eye by the counter-impact of a transparent airstream. "Such rubbish dares to touch my people!!¡± The burly figure grabbed half of the car and violently flung it towards the direction of the figure in gray. Amidst the whooshing sound, the half-car¡¯s surface covered with invisible Inner Qi, tearing through the air and hitting the figure behind An¡¯an in gray. Boom! The figure in gray shouldn¡¯t have been hit by a solid object, but was now actually smashed and sent flying by the half-car. In mid-air, Yu Hong appeared at the figure¡¯s side. ¡®Thunderbolt! Type Nine!!!¡¯ His left leg sent an Upper Knee Strike from below, lifting the figure. Then he turned and brought down an ax kick. Yu Hong¡¯s right leg burst open with a mass of white gas, the air around his leg circulating at ultra-high speed, emitting a piercing screech like a scream. That was not laughing anymore;it was pure, frantic screaming. Ahhhh!!! In an instant, his right leg crashed down. Boom!!! The figure in gray reached out to block, but its arms instantly shattered, followed by its body. It was still mid-air, not yet falling, When its body, less than two meters above the ground, exploded on the spot. The violent Inner Qi turned into countless fine, sand-like bullets, thoroughly crushing all of its black smoke. Silence. Everything quieted down. After three seconds. The rain fell again, recovering the distorted space. The water-weeds on the ground vanished, the bulges wriggling on Yiyi and her companion¡¯s bodies dissipated. Everything seemed like an illusion. Yu Hong, steam rising from his body like white smoke, walked up to Yiyi. Whoosh. He stretched out his hand, hovering it in front of her. Surrounded by a curtain of rain, in the distance, shapes of black lizards rapidly circled, drawing protective circles. Chapter 185: In the Darkness 1 Under the bright white light inside the stone castle, The warm and clean interior air made Lin Yiyi and her companions feel like they had fallen into a dream. Xue Ningning, An¡¯an, Ou Li, and Lin Yiyi ¡ª they were all who remained of the team. Three fewer than when they had set out, nearly halved in number. The four stood in the cozy stone castle, listening to the relentless downpour outside, momentarily lapsing into silence. "Right, Xiao Jun, she¡­!!¡± Xue Ningning suddenly exclaimed. "I¡¯ve checked.¡± Yu Hong, having removed his suit, revealed a well-proportioned, rock-solid physique. ¡°Killed an elephant worm, found no one else.¡± Silence. Xue Ningning¡¯s eyes reddened further as she stood by the doorway, back against the stone wall, fists clenched tight. Too cruel. She wanted to say something, but found herself speechless. She had thought she was accustomed to loss and separation, yet, faced with it again, she was overwhelmed with oppression. "Actually, when I got there, most of the elephant worm¡¯s legs had been blasted off,¡± Yu Hong added. ¡°Your teammate¡¯s sacrifice wasn¡¯t in vain.¡± He regarded the four before him. Two were in suits, two only had breath valves on. They looked exceptionally ragged, with visible damage to their suits and wounds on their bodies. Apart from that, they all emitted a strong, sour smell. Clearly, they hadn¡¯t bathed for a long time, a fact made obvious as they were now soaked by rain. Yu Hong¡¯s gaze ignored the others, focusing solely on Lin Yiyi. "Yiyi, don¡¯t go out again after coming back this time. The environment outside is no longer suitable for casual excursions.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lin Yiyi didn¡¯t respond, only remaining silent. "Mr. Yu, you¡¯re so strong¡­ can you teach us?¡± An¡¯an, standing beside her, spoke up. ¡°To be able to directly defeat the Black Disaster¡­ I¡¯ve never seen an enhancer as powerful as you!¡± Hope shone in her eyes, along with an unmistakable pain and fear. "So far, I haven¡¯t found a way to teach others to be like me¡­ I¡¯m an anomaly¡­¡± Yu Hong said calmly, his gaze still fixed on Lin Yiyi. "Anyway, now that you¡¯re back, take some time to rest up, adjust your condition. It¡¯s safe here, unlike other places.¡± "Thank you, Mr. Yu!¡± Xue Ningning collected her emotions, giving a bow in antique fashion. ¡°No matter what, we¡¯ll remember the favor you¡¯ve done by saving our lives!¡± "I¡¯m sorry, according to the camp rules, only Yiyi is a formal member and can enjoy complimentary food, shelter, and medicine. The rest of you will have to trade for what you need. And you won¡¯t be staying here;you¡¯ll have to go to the secondary security zone outside the outer courtyard,¡± Yu Hong stated matter-of-factly. ¡°¡­¡± Xue Ningning¡¯s gratitude faltered a bit, but she quickly recovered, saying, ¡°As it should be.¡± "Hm. You can leave now,¡± said Yu Hong tersely. Once again choked up, Xue Ningning glanced at the others, and with no other choice, she turned and left first. An¡¯an and Ou Li followed, casting one last look at Yiyi before they walked out the wooden door, closing it behind themselves. In an instant, the only people remaining in the grand hall of the stone castle were Yu Hong and Yiyi. "Are you hurt anywhere?¡± Yu Hong asked. "I¡¯m, okay ¡­¡± Lin Yiyi shook her head. "Go take a bath, get a good night¡¯s sleep. With me here, it¡¯s very safe,¡± Yu Hong reiterated the safety, softening his voice. ¡°¡­¡± Lin Yiyi removed her breath valve, glanced at him with a somewhat wooden expression, and nodded. She was soon led by Yu Hong to the stone castle¡¯s bathing room. Hot water cascaded down, and soon after, soft, suppressed sobs could be heard from within. Yu Hong let out a sigh and stepped out of the stone castle to the outer courtyard¡¯s fence. Xue Ningning and the other two were already setting up their shelter. Seeing him approach, Xue Ningning took the initiative to come forward. "Our vehicle broke down far away, we¡¯ll go get our things when the rain eases up. Mr. Yu, can you give us a list of what we can trade? How do we exchange for clean, safe drinking water and food? And medicine ¡ª as you¡¯ve seen, we¡¯re all in poor shape and also need some dry, warm blankets,¡± she said, her expression weary, mustering the energy to communicate with Yu Hong. "You can map out for me the situations of the Black Disaster you encountered on the way, as well as the routes of the Black Disaster Rifts you¡¯ve charted. I can provide free hot water and ensure safety in the nearby area, considering Yiyi¡¯s connection. I¡¯ll allow you to set up camp here,¡± Yu Hong, no longer as impatient as before, said. The hot water was a byproduct of the nuclear reactor¡¯s cooling system, a matter that was easy for him to arrange with a word. "Thank you very much, Mr. Yu.¡± Xue Ningning nodded, expressing her gratitude sincerely. No matter what, even if he had acted to save them for Yiyi¡¯s sake, their lives had been saved. That favor was to be acknowledged. The rules were only fair. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Having arranged all this, Yu Hong brought over a long hose, connected it to the hot water, and left it at that. He returned to the cave, brought Yiyi some nutrients and medicine, and instructed her on how to use them, then went back to rest in the cave. Meanwhile, Xue Ningning and the others entered the tent, and Ou Li couldn¡¯t help but squat down and cry. "I thought I was a goner¡­ really¡­ Why do I have to live like this!? Why¡­¡± Her emotions were somewhat collapsing, and she shivered. The recent fall and being chased by the Black Disaster left her feeling terrified even in retrospect. "Xiao Jun is dead, so is Xiao Ji, and A¡¯sheng.¡± Xue Ningning said in a low voice, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Mr. Yu¡¯s intervention, we would all be dead. That¡¯s the way the world is now.¡± The three of them stopped talking, and for a while only Ou Li¡¯s suppressed crying could be heard. After crying for a long time, An¡¯an spoke again. "Mr. Yu¡¯s power is so strong that even the Black Disaster can be blown up;it¡¯s simply terrifying. He¡¯s obviously gone far beyond the realm of enhanced humans¡­ If we could stay here at the camp, perhaps we would have significant assurance in terms of safety.¡± "Do you want to stay?¡± Xue Ningning looked at her. "No, I mean you and Ou Li, you don¡¯t need to follow Yiyi and me to investigate anymore. We are doing this to look for our own relatives, you don¡¯t have to.¡± An¡¯an¡¯s demeanor was calm. "You still plan to go!?¡± Xue Ningning asked in astonishment. "I stopped caring about life and death a long time ago. In a world like this, even if one survives, there really isn¡¯t much point.¡± An¡¯an continued, ¡°I believe my dad wouldn¡¯t die so easily, so I will find him! Yiyi certainly feels the same.¡± "What if you don¡¯t find him?¡± "Then we¡¯ll keep looking, and if we die, we die on the road.¡± An¡¯an answered, ¡°So we are different from your team.¡± Xue Ningning fell silent;she sensed a hint of self-destruction in An¡¯an¡¯s words. "Find a way to stay, join the camp, Mr. Yu¡¯s¡­ strength is incomprehensible¡­ but in this environment, strength is the guarantee of safety.¡± An¡¯an spoke softly. She recalled, the precedent when Yu Hong defeated the two Black Disasters, that exaggerated burst of power, destructive force, no matter how many times she thought about it, was always shocking to her. The night passed without words. Early the next day, as dawn broke, Xue Ningning and the others, who had rested for the night, quickly dressed in dried luminous stone capes and braved the rain to return to their vehicle¡¯s location. The Black Disaster had been dealt with, the surroundings were relatively safe, they could handle ordinary shadows, and with daylight coming, the chance of encountering Big Skin Elephant Worms greatly decreased, making this the safest time of the day. Even though daylight lasted less than an hour now¡­ Yu Hong didn¡¯t help;he just sent a black lizard to follow Yiyi from afar, monitoring her to ensure she wouldn¡¯t encounter danger. Soon, as daylight faded, Xue Ningning and the others returned to the outskirts of the camp, expanded their tents, brought back numerous pots and pans, and efficiently set up a makeshift small camp. As the sky darkened again, it wasn¡¯t long before Xue Ningning stood by the fence with a drawn map and a notebook filled with intel. She didn¡¯t know how to contact Yu Hong. They were over sixty meters away from the cave, visibility was extremely low amidst the fog, and it was impossible to see what was happening around the cave. "In the future, just knock on the fence, I can hear it.¡± Yu Hong¡¯s shadow appeared from within the yard. He was still in that enhanced suit, only washed clean by the rain, its surface reflecting a bright luster in the light. "Okay, here¡¯s the information you wanted.¡± Xue Ningning handed over the items she was holding, while the other hand held a large umbrella to keep the notebook from getting wet. Yu Hong took the map and notebook, flipping through them quickly. "The map records many places we¡¯ve explored along the way, as well as resource storage points that haven¡¯t been relocated yet. It includes a noodle warehouse, a dry noodle warehouse, and a smoked meat warehouse, all marked on it,¡± Xue Ningning¡¯s voice spoke in front of him. "And the intel?¡± Yu Hong asked without looking up. "It¡¯s in the notebook. Also, on our recent outing¡­ we found something very wrong¡­¡± Xue Ningning spoke gravely. "What do you mean?¡± Yu Hong looked up at her. "It¡¯s like this, once when we had to drive for a long time at night, we came across a situation,¡± Xue Ningning said, her expression somber and tired. ¡°At the edge of a mountainous area, we encountered a group of unique buildings that were completely different from modern society, perhaps a village or maybe ruins, we couldn¡¯t tell. But¡­ The place mysteriously disappeared when we passed by a second time! No matter what, we couldn¡¯t find it.¡± ¡°¡­Are you sure the entire place disappeared?¡± asked Yu Hong. Although anything could appear within the Black Disaster, whole places experiencing anomalies were fewer. To date, he had only discovered Huafeng City, that eerie city covered in massive black mucus. "Yes. We checked over and over. Everyone in the car saw it;it wasn¡¯t an illusion,¡± nodded Xue Ningning. "I¡¯ll be on the lookout.¡± Yu Hong said solemnly. ¡°Anything else?¡± "There¡¯s some Black Disaster intel¡­¡± Xue Ningning briefly mentioned the types and noted that they were all recorded in the notebook. As part of the trade, Yu Hong gave them some anti-inflammatory medicines, then turned and returned to the cave. The heavy rain continued without any sign of stopping. The group within the Black Wind Camp finally experienced a sense of safety and peace they hadn¡¯t felt in a long time. There weren¡¯t even any shadows here ¨C at most, they would climb trees to avoid Blood Tide. Time passed slowly as they healed day by day. Yiyi, within the camp, rested for the first two days well, but later on, couldn¡¯t sit still any longer. She wanted to do something but realized she couldn¡¯t do anything. The breeding box work was too complicated, and she couldn¡¯t manage, so she could only stand idly by. Apart from strength and her unique physique, it seemed she had nothing else. Thus, after five days, she made the decision to leave again, heading towards Black Tree Village. Chapter 186: Midnight 2 "Still going!?¡± Yu Hong couldn¡¯t comprehend it. Three had already died, yet this Stammering Yiyi still refused to give up and insisted on going. "This time, An¡¯an and I are going,¡± Lin Yiyi said calmly. Behind her stood An¡¯an, clearly part of the plan. Both had already packed their bags and belongings, standing together outside the fence. There was a moment of silence. "Did you bring enough food and water?¡± Yu Hong saw the look on her face and knew there was no point in trying to dissuade her further. "We just need to replenish water, and that¡¯s enough,¡± Yiyi responded in a low voice. The heaviness of losing teammates because of her made even her words carry the weight. "Radiation hand grenades.¡± Yu Hong quickly filled half a bag of radiation hand grenades and shoved them into her hand. "I know I can¡¯t dissuade you, take care.¡± He saw the determination in Stammering Yiyi¡¯s eyes. It seemed she was not merely on a family search mission;there was something else mixed in her gaze. "If I encounter any talisman plates, I¡¯ll keep them for you,¡± Yiyi said one last time. She turned around, waved to Xue Ningning and Ou Li, swung her large backpack onto her back, and headed out of the safe zone. Xue Ningning and Ou Li didn¡¯t follow this time, instead watching the two leave, gradually disappearing into the night fog. Watching them leave, Yu Hong didn¡¯t pay any attention to Xue Ningning or Ou Li. Instead, he squinted his eyes and went back into the cave, turning on the communicator. Sure enough, as soon as he turned it on, Zhang Kaijun¡¯s voice came through. "Long time no see, Yu Hong.¡± This guy seemed to always be online. "I have some intel to exchange,¡± Yu Hong said in a deep voice. "Go ahead.¡± "Have your men encountered any mysterious buildings appearing and disappearing at night recently?¡± "Buildings?¡± Zhang Kaijun¡¯s voice rose, and after a pause, he seemed to inquire further. Soon, his voice came through again. "I had a subordinate team report this before. I thought it was an illusion caused by worsening air toxins, given the Black Disaster, anything could happen.¡± "It doesn¡¯t seem like an illusion. I¡¯m planning to investigate a little,¡± Yu Hong replied. "That isn¡¯t important. I have new intel on the Meisha family from over at Frika,¡± Zhang Kaijun paused and then shifted the subject. "Proceed.¡± Yu Hong quickly answered. "The united army over at Frika has tentatively confirmed that there are sixteen members of the Meisha family. They each used unknown means to travel to various luminous stone mines, thoroughly contaminating and destroying almost all of them. After long-distance bombardment, the military encircled and killed two of them while rescuing a luminous stone mine in time. They also got some related intel from families associated with the Meisha family,¡± Zhang Kaijun detailed swiftly. "Do you know what the family¡¯s goal is?¡± Yu Hong frowned. "Not sure, but some leads have surfaced. After all, as long as they¡¯re human, they have physiological needs. Now that the Black Disaster Rift has stabilized, travel has become significantly safer, the situation is relatively stable, making it an opportune time to handle this,¡± Zhang Kaijun replied. ¡°Also, the outsourced trading teams are almost there, so keep an eye on the surroundings.¡± "Got it¡­¡± Yu Hong answered, but for some reason, he felt the intel from Xue Ningning and the others wasn¡¯t that simple. Mysterious buildings of an unseen style appearing at night¡­ Standing up as the communication ended, he placed one hand on the wall, reinforcing the cave¡¯s defenses once more with the Black Mark. After arranging everything, he put his doubts at rest and continued Qi cultivation in the basement. This stable period exceeded Yu Hong¡¯s expectations. The rain continued for another three days before stopping. No other high-risk Black Disasters approached, the strength of the Blood Tide remained constant, and Black Wind Camp experienced its first period of peace since its construction. Yu Hong quietly practiced Thunderbolt Leg Inner Qi, occasionally maintaining the breeding boxes and checking on the camp, assigning tasks to the two outside to scavenge nearby abandoned urban warehouses. Other than that, there wasn¡¯t much else. Xue Ningning and Ou Li accepted the tasks, occasionally finding some odd food items and tool materials nearby. Time passed slowly, everyone gradually adapted to navigating along the Black Disaster Rift. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yu Hong¡¯s Inner Qi successfully cultivated to the Fifth Layer. Beyond this is the final Sixth Layer, after which the Thunderbolt Leg Technique would be fully perfected. In fact, his speed was already sufficient by now. During this time, Yu Hong had been continually using the Black Mark to reinforce the entire cave. As the reinforced wood door¡¯s material gradually transformed into an unfamiliar gray-brown substance, the walls, doors, and windows reached a hardness that only left a faint mark when Yu Hong slashed down. Thus, he began focusing on the Black Disaster, increasing the number of black lizards. With the breakthrough in Inner Qi, the number of black lizards increased again, reaching thirteen. So, he started using the black lizards to constantly monitor changes in the surroundings. With more lizards, he gained better control over the surrounding environment. Although having thirteen black lizards within a three-kilometer radius wasn¡¯t much, places he previously couldn¡¯t oversee began to reveal themselves under Yu Hong¡¯s thorough search. Finally, when inspecting the wastelands south of the camp, some unusual changes appeared in Yu Hong¡¯s view. * * * His boots pressed into the ground, as if stepping on a soft carpet. The forest floor was like a water-saturated sponge, sinking slightly with every step, oozing black-brown sewage. The sky was barely light. Yu Hong crossed the small hill where the cave was located and reached the southern edge of the camp, where he had never been. Beyond the hill lay a stretch of rolling hills. The once lush hilly area had become a barren wasteland of dead trees, with muddy black rivers rushing between the hills, carrying freshly washed in black mud, debris, and driftwood. Assessing his position roughly, Yu Hong continued moving forward. The black lizards moved around him constantly. This time, he brought five, distributed within a hundred meters around him, scanning for any suspicious targets. He moved forward along the way. Soon, he reached the riverbank amidst the hills, standing on the stony shore, observing the surroundings. This river seemed to have formed temporarily due to the pouring rain. Across the river was another barren hill covered in dried vines and moss. Yu Hong looked up at the sky. Instead of moving, he carefully memorized the environment. Then he stood motionless, seemingly waiting. Time gradually passed. Quickly, the sky dimmed, sparse light shrouded by darkness, and the mist gradually turned black. The world once more slipped into darkness. "Even the moonlight is gone?¡± Yu Hong looked up. The sky above resembled a basin of murky black water, with only thickening mist in sight. Nothing else was visible. Another ten minutes passed. Yu Hong extended his hand into the darkness, unable to see his palm even up close. No light at all, he found himself enveloped in blackness, eyes open or closed made no difference. "This level of darkness is beyond what night can encompass¡­¡± he felt a chill in his heart. Fumbling through, he retrieved a metal rod from his waist pocket, a hollow black metal tube with perforated holes covering its surface. A faint green glow emerged from the mesh within. This was an enhanced Atomic Lamp, its brightness much improved, nearly comparable to a dim flashlight. Yu Hong grasped the enhanced Atomic Lamp, stepped forward, and raised the lamp towards the flowing river. Suddenly. A bridge appeared directly ahead. The previously empty, murky river now held a decayed black wooden bridge. The bridge was just over a meter wide, without railings, only decayed wooden piles nailed into the riverbed for support. Under the green glow, the holes in the bridge gave view to the black river slowly flowing beneath. Yu Hong gazed at the wooden bridge but didn¡¯t advance. He simply held the Atomic Lamp, reaching out to touch the nearest wooden pile anchor. Cold, somewhat hard wood texture met his touch. Withdrawing his hand, Yu Hong moved the Atomic Lamp to the side. The view ahead plunged back into darkness. Then, he reached forward again. This time, his fingers found nothing. Same place, same action, just like before. Yet this time, he touched nothing, not a trace of the wooden pile. "Such changes¡­¡± beneath Yu Hong¡¯s helmet, his eyes turned subtly cold. *¡±It¡¯s as if something is silently descending with the deepening night¡­¡±* He felt an ominous foreboding. It was like the instinctive discomfort people felt when encountering extremely dangerous or repulsive things. Withdrawing his hand, he raised the Atomic Lamp again, lighting the way ahead. This time, the decayed bridge reappeared. But¡­ there was a difference. Just a moment ago, the wooden bridge was empty. Now, directly in front of Yu Hong, less than a meter away, stood a figure! The figure was far too close to him! One meter! There was only a meter between them. That distance, just a stretch away, was enough to make contact. His heart pounded;he never saw when the figure appeared! Instinctively, he stepped back. But he quickly steadied himself, his Inner Qi ready but restrained, fixing a cold gaze on the figure. *¡±Black Disaster? Or Blood Tide??!¡±* he swiftly analyzed, but regardless of the answer, he needed to stay calm. He had to quickly determine the attack mechanism of this entity. For a moment, silence enveloped the surroundings. On the bridge, under the green glow of the Atomic Lamp, Yu Hong saw that the figure wore tattered black long clothes, long hair hanging low, gender indistinguishable, only standing silently in front of him with a bowed head. He slowly reached behind him, pulling out a Vortex Talisman Plate, and gently folded it. Poof! A layer of negative radiation spread out from him, scattering abruptly in all directions. The radiation level was only six or seven hundred, but it was perfect for testing the figure. But at that moment! The Atomic Lamp suddenly began to flicker. It was unthinkable for an Atomic Lamp designed to resist radiation to be flickering now. The green light erupted intermittently, now bright, now dim. Yu Hong felt alarmed, instinctively stepping back. When the light shone for the third time. He was shocked to find that he wasn¡¯t retreating as he thought, but advancing! Moreover, one of his feet was already on the wooden bridge. Only centimeters separated him from the figure! The scent of decaying flesh and a thick seaweed-like stench emanated from the entity. Chapter 187: Night 185 Crack. Yu Hong could hear the sound of his bones trembling like steel cables under the pressure of his taut muscles. The figure before him resembled other shadows in many ways. However, a substantial difference emanated continuously from the figure¡¯s body. It was an intangible pricking sensation. It was also like facing a pile of scorching, dangerous flames. He held his breath lightly and quickly pulled out a Radiation Hand Grenade, giving it a squeeze. Bang! The radiation with a negative value exceeding seven thousand exploded in his hand. The intense radiation¡¯s invisible light instantly enveloped an area of several meters around him. Instantly, the figure opposite fluctuated slightly as if ripples on water disturbed, creating layers of fine ripples. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Yu Hong fiercely retreated, his boots leaving a series of small pits in the ground. This time, under the atomic lamp¡¯s light, the black figure finally sped away and disappeared. Thump. Yu Hong hit something behind him, seemingly a tree trunk. Blocked by it, he stopped and caught his breath lightly. With the atomic lamp in hand, darkness enveloped him, so intense he could not see his own hand in front of him. Yu Hong did not know his exact location, but he guessed with high probability that he was still on the southern side of the camp. With that retreat, he had moved back at least several dozen meters. Whoosh! He exhaled, and the black lizards quickly surrounded him, but even their vision could not penetrate the darkness. Such darkness seemed to have gone beyond the category of simple night. Yu Hong stood alone in the darkness, as if immersed in ink, seeing nothing, hearing nothing. Apart from the atomic lamp steadily illuminating less than a meter around him, no other light source could be seen. ¡®That wooden bridge is absolutely problematic;can¡¯t haphazardly test it again. First, try some more with the black lizards. Safety comes first.¡¯ Thinking this, Yu Hong directed the black lizards to spread out and search for the camp¡¯s location. The black lizards circled out from him as the center, forming rings. Soon, the direction of the camp was determined. But. ¡®No¡­ How did the location of the camp end up behind me??!¡¯ He remembered clearly exploring along the southern edge of the camp. Yet¡­ And through the black lizards, he noticed that the camp was already over a kilometer away. ¡®Is this something interfering with my perception of direction and distance?¡¯ He was unsure if it was the work of the figure on the bridge, but that individual seemed different from those he had encountered before. The figure had not pursued him. Holding the atomic lamp, he quickly left in the direction pointed out by the black lizards. Along the way, as if wrapped in darkness, all around him was dense, impenetrable blackness. No stars, no moon;it was as if the whole world contained only this small lamp in his hand. Spurt. Suddenly, Yu Hong¡¯s steps faltered. A black lizard was missing. He did not know how it disappeared, but without waiting for him to react, a second black lizard suddenly broke off contact. Then a third! He couldn¡¯t even see where the enemy was! Yu Hong immediately accelerated, activating the Thunderbolt Leg Technique, and dashed towards the camp. Before long. Faintly, a gray mass appeared in the darkness. It was as if a bed had been curtained with a mosquito net, or a bedroom separated by thick curtains. Behind the gray, a blurry white light flickered. That was the camp! Spurt! Yu Hong made a small jump, lightly crossing the fence to enter the outer enclosure of the camp. He landed, crouched, then stood up. Looking back. Outside was still engulfed in darkness, and all of the black lizards he had taken out had lost contact. ¡®There¡¯s a problem! This night¡­ is not just like before!¡¯ Yu Hong¡¯s face looked extremely grim beneath his helmet. His black lizards had been silently wiped out, and he couldn¡¯t even see the opponent. ¡®Could this be what the broadcast warned about¡­ the Black Disaster??¡¯ Yu Hong speculated. The Black Disaster was extremely dangerous, and the Gray Time was the relatively safe period of the day. Other times were chaotic;they could be dangerous or safe, it was uncertain. ¡®I must clarify this situation, otherwise, I won¡¯t even know what I am facing, nor will I know which direction to strengthen the Black Mark!¡¯ Yu Hong again crouched down to see that the Array on the ground outside had been activated without him knowing when. Intangible streams of radiation carried tiny black sparks continuously emerging from the ground, reaching a height of several centimeters before quickly disappearing. It was as if the Array was constantly resisting something invisible coming in from the outside. ¡®Right, where are Xue Ningning and Ou Li?¡¯ he suddenly thought and turned his head towards where their tents were. The distance was a bit far, and the heavy mist hid them from view. He walked a few more steps in that direction. Soon, he reached where the two women¡¯s tents were located. Peering out through the fence. He discovered that their tents were tattered and torn. The two women, however, were still alive, crouching by the fence, their faces pale as if hiding from something. It seemed they were relying on the slightly overflown range of the Array near the fence to resist some unknown entity from outside. Close by, as the two women saw Yu Hong approaching, they were first taken aback and then quickly gestured anxiously with their hands waving downward. Making a motion as if pressing down with their palms continuously. Their mouths opened and closed rapidly as if afraid to make any sound. "What¡¯s the matter?¡± Yu Hong frowned, ¡°Does it mean¡­I should¡­¡± "Crouch down?¡± He was puzzled. Suddenly. To the right, outside the camp. In the darkness, a gray, fridge-sized human hand suddenly tore through the mist, reaching straight for Yu Hong. The man¡¯s hands were decaying, his fingertips were full of embedded black mud. No sooner had he appeared than he moved with extreme speed, reaching Yu Hong in the blink of an eye. Puff! The ground array erupted with a loud bang, shooting up a massive invisible current, which condensed into energy crows, and forcefully collided with the gray hands. The energy crows, spewing black sparks all over their bodies, dissipated and exploded the moment they hit the gray hands. They also directly reduced the speed of the gray hands by a great deal. Soon, the black wind and black fire damage erupted simultaneously, and the gray hands, like a paper model set aflame, quickly turned to charring, disintegrating, and vanished into a multitude of black ash. Yu Hong had by now moved from his original spot, drawing a bit closer to the camp¡¯s inner yard. Although the gray hands couldn¡¯t catch him, no one knew how much Red Value that thing could have before the array neutralized it. "It doesn¡¯t seem too strong, you guys¡­¡± Yu Hong let out a sigh of relief and continued to speak. Boom!! Just then. From outside, in the mist, a dense mass of gray hands burst through, advancing deep into the camp. At a glance, there were at least a hundred hands, like a hundred gray pillars, rushing toward Yu Hong who was standing. From afar, it looked like a white wall bearing down. The camp¡¯s defensive formations were operating intensely, desperately shooting up streams of negative-energy crows. But it was too late, the array¡¯s power was already at its limit, and there was only so much negative energy it could output per unit of time. The damage, spread thin, could not control so many hands. Arrays rely on absorbing Red Value radiation in advance, storing it as negative value for later use. But at this moment, with hundreds of gray hands, each one carrying at least ten thousand Red Values¡­ A single hand could easily be slowed down and destroyed by an array, but with numbers this high¡­ Puff, puff, puff! After more than a dozen hands were annihilated into black ash, the array¡­ failed. Apart from the continuously converted and absorbed negative radiation, which was still forming and slowing down the hands. The other wind and fire offensive capabilities had completely vanished in an instant. "Damn!¡± Yu Hong¡¯s heart raced with fear, recalling Xue Ningning and their actions and warnings. He suddenly rolled to the left, kneeling on the ground, not daring to stand up. And just as he crouched and rolled, kneeling motionless. Something eerie happened. The large swath of huge gray hands that had just filled the sky now vanished in an instant. They all disappeared! As if they had never existed, merely phantoms. Huff¡­ huff¡­ Yu Hong breathed heavily, looking at his detector¡¯s screen. ¡®1882371.441¡¯ "Is everyone still alive?¡± he suddenly shouted loudly. No one responded. Kneeling on the ground, he looked around. Inside the camp, the lights were still bright. However, the originally safe white lights now gave him an inexplicable sense of pallor. ¡®A Black Disaster that decides whether or not to attack based on height?¡¯ Yu Hong had a vague guess about the attack threshold of those hands just now. He waited a moment, then swiftly moved towards the outer yard¡¯s fence. Soon, Xue Ningning and Ou Li appeared at the fence. Seeing that he was unharmed, they both looked relieved. Seeing that they were okay, Yu Hong felt reassured. Suddenly, he raised his hand, up, moving it bit by bit. With every few centimeters his palm rose, he paused to wait for an external reaction. Before long, as his arm reached about a meter three or four. A gray hand suddenly broke through the mist from outside, reaching for him in an instant. Boom! The hand¡¯s speed, reduced by the somewhat recovered array, plummeted, only equivalent to an ordinary person sprinting. Yu Hong was prepared;he raised his hand, launching a Radiation Hand Grenade. Bang!! The invisible negative-value radiation exploded, corroding the gray hand and speeding up its charring. Assisted by the array, it quickly turned to black smoke and scattered into nothingness. ¡®Attack threshold is over one meter four, including about one meter four.¡¯ Yu Hong noted in his mind and withdrew his hand. He thought back to the scale of those hands, such a level of ambush¡ªif one was unprepared, it would likely be a devastating blow to many strongholds¡­ It was only because he had the array¡¯s slowing effect here;otherwise, the speed of those hands would have been comparable to seventy to eighty miles per hour in a car, impossible for ordinary people to react to. ¡®I checked around before, and there were no such gray hands;why did they suddenly appear!?¡¯ Yu Hong puzzled in his mind. Thinking it over, he moved closer to Xue Ningning and Ou Li, planning to ask for more details. As daylight neared its end, new entities were gradually emerging from the darkness, descending. He had to grasp more intelligence to ensure his and the camp¡¯s safety. * * * Gray City, Isolation Zone. The continuous coughing sounded nonstop, darkness enveloped the entire isolation zone, setting it subtly apart from the central Gray City area. Ding Shao was as usual, carrying a basin of water, hiding in her tent, using the dim light of a candle to dampen her washing cloth in the water before wringing it out to gently wipe the corners of her eyes. Gray City also had groundwater, and there was plenty of it. With the frequent heavy rains, accessing water wasn¡¯t hard;the difficulty lay in filtering and boiling it. Fortunately, she still had the filter from before;the water wasn¡¯t drinkable, but suited for washing up. Bowing her head, she let go of the face cloth, and simply scooped the water with her hands, repeatedly splashing it onto her face, occasionally massaging her skin with her palms to wash off the disguising muck. The swashing sounds weren¡¯t unusual in the Isolation Zone, many were engaged in their evening ablutions. After a few washes, Ding Shao lifted her head, eyes closed, about to pat her face dry with the cloth. Suddenly, she shivered. A feeling of unease, with goosebumps crawling over her skin, rapidly spread throughout her body. "Who¡¯s there!?¡± She sharply called out, freezing in place. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Life on constant high alert had attuned her to instantly discern. Someone was behind her! Chapter 188: Dark Night 4 Ignoring the dampness, Ding Shao forced her eyes open, enduring the discomfort of her eyelashes sticking to her eyeballs, and quickly turned around to look behind. There was nothing. She surveyed the other parts of the tent. Still, no one was there, and the luminous stone talisman arrays hanging around her showed no signs of depletion. Everything was the same as before. After being on guard for a while, Ding Shao determined there were no problems, no dangers, and thought it might have been a false perception. She breathed a sigh of relief, picked up a towel, and quickly wiped the water off her face. But just as the towel covered her eyes, That eerie feeling appeared once again! Whoosh! She quickly dropped the towel and tensely looked around her. Nothing! There was absolutely nothing. It seemed like that sensation would only appear when her eyes were closed! S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ding Shao¡¯s breathing became rapid. She quickly backed up, grabbed her backpack which was always ready, and was about to run to the tent entrance. Just as she rushed to the entrance, she blinked unconsciously. Whoosh! A gust of wind blew. The figure at the tent entrance disappeared, and all was calm once more. Outside the tent, in the isolation zone, the other various-sized tents were also deathly silent. Just a few minutes ago, the lively sounds of activity were vibrant;now, they had all been paused and vanished entirely. * * * The next day. Inside a cave at Black Wind Camp. "Last night, over a hundred people disappeared in the isolation zone! Of the twenty city defense teams patrolling outside the city, thirteen went missing,¡± Zhang Kaijun¡¯s voice, heavy and filled with unspeakable weariness, came through the communicator. "What caused it?¡± Yu Hong immediately understood that it wasn¡¯t just him who had encountered an attack. "Based on the traces and information from the survivors, this Black Disaster is named the ¡®Close-Eye People¡¯. Its danger level is between 5 and the highest 9, and we can¡¯t rule out the possibility of it being War Level,¡± Zhang Kaijun said quickly. ¡°The specific attack rule is that it appears next to the victim as soon as they close their eyes. Specifically, closing your eyes for the third time means certain death!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Yu Hong was left speechless. How can one sleep without closing their eyes? "The Pyroxene Secret Room cannot block it. This is a sign of a high-risk Black Disaster. We just can¡¯t confirm how many people it needs to kill before it temporarily recedes,¡± continued Zhang Kaijun. ¡°The key point is, this Black Disaster popped up out of nowhere last night, without any signs beforehand.¡± "Same here,¡± Yu Hong quickly described the gray hands he encountered. Compared to what the other was facing, his situation was still a lot lighter. Grey City had gathered thousands of official members, and the isolation zone also had thousands of people. Now, with several hundred dead in an instant¡ªalthough most were from the isolation zone¡ªit was like losing a limb. He thought about Li Rushan and the other two, and about Nana¡¯s chubby little face. He wanted to ask about their situation, but the person on the other end seemed to have anticipated this and spoke first. "The few people who came from your side, only one, Ding Shao, is missing;the others are relatively safe,¡± Zhang Kaijun reported. ¡°Can we just call those gray hands the ¡®Black Disaster¡¯? I¡¯ll test the exact scope of the attack further, thanks for that.¡± This high level of attack had a clear first-encounter lethality;those unaware of it could potentially lead to widespread casualties upon first encounter. Compared to the Close-Eye People, Zhang Kaijun was more afraid of this type of Black Disaster. "Stay in touch. My team of experts told me that dramatic changes might occur next. I have confirmed the situation you asked me to test before. Indeed, during the Black Hour, the night outside occasionally brings unique phenomena not originally from the area.¡± "The danger intensity has increased dramatically, and this is still before the night has fully come. I suspect that when there is no daylight at all, the troubles outside may escalate even more,¡± said Yu Hong. "There¡¯s a high probability of that happening, too bad for my trading team,¡± Zhang Kaijun lamented softly. In such situations, the trading teams searching for the Black Disaster Rift halfway were definitely out of luck. The two quickly discussed how to determine if one was infected. Gray City had developed a multitude of special weapons pressed from luminous stone powder, such as luminous stone bullets, bombs, composite strong acid liquid sprays, high-density luminous stone nets, and more. Coupled with new substances like extracts, their Blood Attraction Force had always kept casualties low. And this time could be said to be the greatest loss Gray City had suffered since its creation. After quickly finishing their discussion, they disconnected the communication, and Yu Hong looked at the heavy rain falling outside again. He remembered the gray giant hands. ¡®When the night falls completely, does that mean high-risk Black Disasters will appear in clusters¡­?¡¯ Those hands, each capable of causing detectors to spike to tens of thousands of Red Value, were apparently part of a swarm. Bang, bang, bang, bang. Sudden rapid thumps came from outside. Yu Hong quickly went out the door, walked through the tunnel, crossed the inner courtyard, and looked towards the outside of the fence in the outer yard. Xue Ningning and Ou Li were desperately hitting the fence with sticks. Both of them looked back from time to time. Yu Hong followed their gaze towards the forest. Even though it was daytime, It was still white as day. But in the forest, countless indistinguishable shadows stood densely packed. They were scattered throughout the woodland, one after another, each standing silently, their bodies impeccably clean, without a single speck of dirt. Yu Hong glanced over. Through the mist, he could see hundreds of people densely packed within his field of vision. All of their faces were blurred, standing outside the array, only about five or six meters away from the fence. Everyone quietly faced the campsite, in absolute silence. "Mr¡­ Mr. Yu!¡± Ou Li couldn¡¯t help but raise her hand, ¡°Can we, let us in first¡­just to the outer courtyard is fine!¡± Her face was filled with terror, her face smeared with tears, snot, and saliva, clearly having been scared out of her wits before Yu Hong had arrived. Whoosh! The moment she spoke, all the shadows outside the campsite turned their gaze towards Ou Li. They did not move forward, nor did they retreat, just like zoo visitors watching animals, they stood quietly outside the array, their gaze following the movements of the people inside. Yu Hong inhaled a breath of cold air as he saw that among the crowd was the speed lady in a yellow coat and white dress he had killed earlier. He knew that if he left those two outside the courtyard now, they would certainly face certain death. So he hurriedly beckoned them. "Get to the outer courtyard first!¡± Only then did the two of them quickly climb over the fence and sit on the ground, gasping for air. They had previously witnessed the strange effects of the array, where transparent crows would appear along its edges, blocking the entry of the Black Disaster. Though they didn¡¯t know what technique or method Yu Hong was using, as long as they could survive, anything was acceptable! Without paying attention to the two of them, Yu Hong kept a close watch on the crowd outside. In the mist, at a glance, it was full of people. Despite so many people being there, not a single one made a sound, which was completely different from the previous shadows. And the moment he had made a noise, he immediately attracted the gaze of a large portion of the crowd. The detector inside his suit was going crazy with its readings, already reaching more than five hundred thousand. Yu Hong closed the door and used the imprints in his mind to sense the status of the outer array, thankfully it was already replenished. He quickly returned to the safety of the cave dwelling, where the densely packed runes on the inner walls gave him an added sense of security. ¡®I must think of a way¡­ If this is the Black Time, the danger is too high¡­ If even I feel this dangerous, isn¡¯t everyone else doomed to die¡­.¡¯ Bang bang bang bang. Suddenly, there was the sound of wood knocking from outside. All the black lizards had died, so Yu Hong could not see the situation outside, he could only go to the observation window in the passageway to look out. Outside, the densely packed crowd was now all pounding the outer courtyard¡¯s fence with sticks! They¡­ seemed to be mimicking the actions of Xue Ningning and the others just now! The fence was shaking, and both Xue Ningning and Ou Li kept retreating, their faces pale. "Fuck!¡± Yu Hong could no longer hold back, he took out all the remaining radiation hand grenades, placed them beside him, then clutched two, fixating his gaze on the eerie crowd outside. He didn¡¯t know what kind of creatures they were, but a look at the detector told him that they were certainly much stronger than the shadow entities. He tightly gripped a radiation hand grenade, eyes locked on the shaking fence outside. Fortunately¡­ as time slowly passed, the fence did not fall, and the crowd outside gradually thinned out. Until the Black Time slowly subsided. Outside the fence, there was no one left, as if everything that had happened before was just an illusion. Yu Hong sighed in relief. Looking at Xue Ningning, who were equally exhausted, he said nothing and turned to go back. He needed to quickly cultivate black lizards to replenish their numbers, and at the same time, the array needed to be strengthened. Moreover, the changes like this in the Black Disaster gave him a feeling that it was constantly growing stronger. Why were these changes occurring? When would such a deteriorating environment come to an end? Could everything ever return to how it once was? Questions rose in Yu Hong¡¯s mind. Inside the cave, he practiced new traction runes with a charcoal pencil while deciding to increase the radiation storage capacity of the array. And he also planned to reinforce a second array as a double layer of protection for the campsite. Thump thump thump. The knocking sound echoed once again, Yu Hong heard the sound of wood knocking once more. He stood up and walked out of the cave, only to find that it was Xue Ningning and the others in the outer courtyard. "We need to talk.¡± Xue Ningning¡¯s expression was extremely serious. Yu Hong scanned the surroundings to ensure that there were no other issues and then approached them. "What do you want to talk about?¡± "We can¡¯t keep going on like this, why have things outside gotten worse again?? Just passively enduring everything, there will come a day when we can¡¯t hold on any longer! Every stronghold and city has a limit to its defenses!¡± Xue Ningning said gravely. ¡°¡­.What, do you want to do?¡± Yu Hong thought that as before, the other party wanted to enter further into the campsite to seek refuge. But he hadn¡¯t expected¡­ "If things continue this way, everyone will die! You, me, Yiyi, everyone else in the city!¡± Xue Ningning pointed at herself, with remnants of fear still visible in her pupils. "What do you think¡­?¡± Yu Hong said. "We must investigate, otherwise, there is only one outcome. To be honest, I am very scared, but fear solves nothing!¡± Xue Ningning gritted her teeth, ¡°So, I hope you can provide us with technical support, I want to take advantage of Gray Time, to find out why these things are happening!¡± "If you can really do what you say, and it¡¯s not a ploy to steal supplies, I can support you.¡± Yu Hong narrowed his eyes, comparing her with the others before, Xue Ningning, an officer with formal military training, seemed to have much greater willpower. "In this situation, going out is a matter of life and death, supplies are only useful when people are alive.¡± Xue Ningning stated decisively. "I don¡¯t want to die in such a cowardly way in the gutter! If it comes to it, I¡¯ll die fighting those monsters!!¡± Chapter 189: Deterioration Xue Ningning forcibly dragged Ou Li away. They took the enhanced detector sponsored by Yu Hong to determine whether the departure time was still during the ¡°grey hour.¡± This exploration aimed to clarify why there had been such significant environmental changes around them, and to ascertain whether the Black Disaster Rift could still guarantee safety. As dawn broke the next day, the two women took the detector Yu Hong had loaned them and went out. They draped themselves with a luminous stone blanket enhanced with a Vortex Rune, their faces expressionless as they left the camp. Xue Ningning was determined, while Ou Li looked clearly terrified and somewhat bewildered. She had been dragged out by Xue Ningning. Yu Hong, meanwhile, remained at the campsite, regenerating new black lizards since their sudden demise had greatly inconvenienced his exploration of the surroundings. So when Xue Ningning and Ou Li went out to investigate during the grey hour each day, he stayed in the cave, replenishing the black lizards and strengthening the new talisman arrays. Inside the cave, under the bright white light. The warmth brought by the cooling tubes maintained a constant room temperature of around ten degrees in the entire cave stronghold. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Carved on the thick cave door was a dense array of various rune combinations. Each type of rune had an effective range, and by exploiting this, multiple runes were stacked together to form a quite complex blending rune. This rune had the dual properties of concealing, like the Pyroxene Secret Room, and storing negative radiation, continuously releasing weak negative radiation. It was a structure akin to a slow-release device that he created by combining Deceleration and Traction Runes. This achievement relied not on the Black Mark but merely on his own testing results. He had now updated the entire cave with such achievements. "The most original version of the array, which releases negative radiation that repels the Black Disaster, is still necessary. Maintaining this repulsion without preventing the talisman array from accumulating radiation requires careful management,¡± he thought. Yu Hong sat on a wooden chair, leaning back, feeling the current defense system. The cave¡¯s inner walls, including the door, constituted a core layer of defense. Beyond that was the more external inner and outer courtyard arrays, which were modifications of the Wind and Fire Slaughter Spirit Array strengthened by the Black Mark. What were originally further outer layers of defense, the black lizards, were now in the process of recovery. "Three layers of defense, but the black lizards are still too weak¡­¡± Yu Hong sighed, looking around the cave. The double-layered cave bunker remained in a rather safe state. Multiple layers of arrays protected it, making it virtually undetectable to the Black Disaster outside. The repeatedly reinforced cave walls had a physical strength beyond his imagination. They had been tested against bullets, which barely made a dent. The hardness had been increased by several times. But when he thought of those clusters of people and shadows¡­ such protection might still be inadequate¡­ After resting for a while, he got up without exiting the cave to first check the mine soil being cultivated by the Black Mark. This was his fourth attempt using the Black Mark. The goal was to quickly cultivate luminous stone ore. Now that the mines had vanished and the Radiation Hand Grenades could not be replenished, the supply of Large Pyroxene graphite powder was critical to many defensive systems at the camp. If the luminous stone couldn¡¯t be replenished long-term, and since the trading group was blocked by the Black Disaster and couldn¡¯t come, he could only rely on his attempts to produce luminous stone. Inside the basement. The countdown on the native soil still showed it as grey-black without any changes, although it had dried out a bit. Yu Hong glanced at the remaining time¡ª12 minutes. Soon. He then picked up the stones resulting from the previous three enhancements lying beside him. Three nail-size stones, all grey-white similar to luminous stones. Their surfaces were marked with numbers using a charcoal pencil, 123. Yu Hong took the detector, coming close to check them again. #1: ¡°11.241¡± #2: ¡°9.245¡± #3: ¡°5.117¡± The three enhanced white stones emitted red-value radiation, though gradually changing towards negative values, they were still far from being luminous stones. Yu Hong waited a while until the countdown for the fourth attempt ended. Hiss. The original soil blurred for an instant, suddenly transforming into a new nail-sized white stone. He quickly picked it up and attached the detector for testing. ¡°0.214¡± Seeing this value, a hint of relaxation finally appeared on Yu Hong¡¯s face. "It seems I¡¯m on the right track, adding the Vortex Rune indeed had an effect.¡± During his enhancements, while he clearly aimed for the properties of luminous stone, the stones produced were not luminous stones. "In theory, luminous stone mines automatically emit negative radiation, but the white stones I synthesized¡­seem to still be lacking something¡­ The Vortex Rune can absorb red values but does not emit negative radiation.¡± Yu Hong pondered, pulling out the previously recorded testing data. He wasn¡¯t sure if the white stones he developed were usable. But comparing data from before and after, he noticed the radiation from all three white stones decreased in red value. The decrease in red values suggested they were moving towards a negative value. In an environment where radiation levels had around thirty to forty units of red value, the cave, although weak with red value, had recently also reached nearly ten units. That the three white stones changed suggested there was hope. "Wait, could it be¡ªthe difference lies in¡­time?¡± Suddenly, he had a thought. His own white stones did have some suppressive effect on surrounding red values but were very weak compared to original luminous stones. Holding the three white stones, Yu Hong rapidly thought it through in his mind. "Luminous stone mines have always been soaked in red value radiation. How come they still exist instead of dissolving automatically like ice cubes in hot water?¡± "Clearly, luminous stone mines probably also have some special replenishment channel. Luminous stones must inherently have the capacity to store negative radiation, otherwise it¡¯s impossible to explain why there is such a big difference between ordinary luminous stones and luminous stone marrow.¡± Thinking of this, Yu Hong seemed to confirm that his enhancement direction was correct. "It seems that the problem isn¡¯t with the enhancement of the Black Mark. The effect on the white stones I enhanced is so weak because they lack a long-term soaking and charging process. The old mine definitely had a constant channel for charging negative radiation, filling the luminous stone mines over time.¡± Thinking of this, he quickly fetched his tools and drew Vortex Runes activated by Inner Qi on three white stones using large pyroxene graphite powder. Then, he waited for the results. After completing this, the Black Mark was free. The resurrection of the shadow lizards didn¡¯t occupy the Black Mark. Yu Hong went down to the first floor, picked up a talisman array he had tried to assemble from the wooden table. The wooden board messily bore the characters for ¡®two,¡¯ representing the second Array. "With the newly acquired Traction Rune as the main body, and the Vortex Rune as the core, supplement it to the outside Wind and Fire Slaughter Spirit Array as the second auxiliary array, to enhance the total radiation storage of the main array. This idea doesn¡¯t seem problematic.¡± He recalled the scene when he had encountered a large number of grey figures before. The destructive power of the Array was sufficient;it was just that the total amount of radiation was too little and was quickly depleted by the numerical advantage of the Black Disaster. Taking the wooden board of the second Array, Yu Hong walked out of the cave, exited the passage, and stood in the empty inner courtyard. Under the white lights, it was still pitch dark outside the outer courtyard fence. It was now gray hour, and Xue Ningning and Ou Li were still investigating the surroundings. The camp was deserted. Crouching down, Yu Hong placed the board on the ground with one hand. "Enhance the Black Wind Protection Array, direction¡­¡± Yu Hong envisioned the coverage, range, intensity of the second auxiliary Array in his mind, linking and stacking it at the edge of the main Array. Soon, his own design received the basic approval from the Black Mark, deeming it capable of fundamentally supplementing the total radiation storage. Thus, it gave permission for further enhancement. "Enhance the Black Wind Protection Array?¡± "Yes.¡± A countdown appeared, with the time: 1 day, 7 hours, 53 minutes. Yu Hong stood up and breathed a sigh of relief. Now, all that was left was to wait, see the results after the enhancement ended, and if possible, he planned to enhance several more auxiliary arrays linked to the main array as backup energy packs. After completing these, He continued towards the inner courtyard and started expanding the size of the breeding room cave right next to the mountain cave. Which is simply known as mining. Because the stone castle had been built, this temporarily used mountain cave breeding room had been shelighted. This time, he planned to further expend the camp chambers to make at least a temporary shelter within the Array that could provide protection from wind and rain. Such a dwelling could house visitors and preliminary members among the formal members. The outer courtyard was still too dangerous;whenever the Array and Black Disaster clashed, it would impact potential members like Xue Ningning. Shortly after he started digging, subtle footsteps came from the outer courtyard amid torrential rain, as two figures draped in thick luminous stone cloaks entered through the fence gate, drenched in rain. They quickly entered a wooden shed in the outer courtyard, shook off the rainwater from their bodies, placed down some items they had found, and then approached where Yu Hong was. Soon, the two entered the brightest area illuminated by the lights, revealing two young faces wearing breathing valves. It was Xue Ningning and Ou Li. "Mr. Yu, we have completed the verification this time,¡± Xue Ningning approached and quickly said, ¡°The Black Disaster Rift remains unchanged;the changes manifested during the black hour and the new Black Disasters don¡¯t impact the distribution of the existing Black Disasters at other times. It¡¯s like they exist in two different realms, two different spaces, without interfering with each other.¡± "Yes, when we went out during the gray hour, at the same places and areas, we encountered the same as before. But during the black hour, these locations are replaced with a whole different set of Black Disasters. The danger level is far beyond previous encounters,¡± Ou Li said gravely. "So, does the black hour turn originally safe places into extremely dangerous areas? Then during other times, would originally dangerous areas possibly become safer during the black hour?¡± Yu Hong put down the chisel and hammer he was holding and asked solemnly. "That¡¯s unclear. Plus, regarding the wooden bridge in the back of the camp that appears only when illuminated, we¡¯ve also discovered it, but we did not experience any inaccuracies in distance or direction,¡± Xue Ningning continued. "How did you do it?¡± Yu Hong asked curiously. "By shining a flashlight from a distance, we could faintly see the bridge¡¯s existence, probably because the distance was too great, and no Black Disasters attacked,¡± Xue Ningning answered. Knowing the exact locations of the Black Disasters significantly secured their safety. "We¡¯ve confirmed that there¡¯s no issue with the Black Disaster Rift, and next, we plan to investigate the cause of the change in the Black Disaster¡¯s intensity,¡± Xue Ningning continued. "What is your plan?¡± Yu Hong asked. "Based on earlier intelligence, the initial outbreak site of the Black Disaster must still bear traces of why it erupted. Plus, the Meisha family definitely holds crucial secrets. We plan to first investigate the origin site and then track down the Meisha family.¡± Xue Ningning¡¯s words, to Yu Hong, sounded like a far-fetched fairy tale. Given the dangerous outside world, just the two of them benefiting from enhancement, not fully enhanced individuals, their strength barely stronger than ordinary people¡¯s, they actually intended to travel that far, chasing after the investigation source. He fell silent. For he felt that the two of them were bound to die. After a moment of inner contemplation, "Just going like this¡­¡± Yu Hong said. ¡°You will die.¡± "There must be someone to do this. If I can investigate useful intelligence before I die, it can also reduce the burden for those who come after,¡± Xue Ningning said calmly with steady eyes. ¡°That way, at least I won¡¯t die meaninglessly.¡± "But I¡­ don¡¯t want to¡­¡± Ou Li couldn¡¯t help but contort her face, but didn¡¯t dare to speak too loudly, thus was ignored by Xue Ningning. Yu Hong thought for a moment. "Wait a moment.¡± He quickly turned around and entered the cave. He turned on the communicator. "Zhang Kaijun, are you there?¡± "Of course, to make contact with more intelligence from various places, I¡¯m always here,¡± Zhang Kaijun¡¯s voice came from the other side. Chapter 190: Deterioration 188 "The intensity of the Black Disaster is rising once again. You mentioned earlier that we couldn¡¯t sit idle, right?¡± Yu Hong quickly said. "Of course, I¡¯ve already assembled a specialized Blood Attraction Force to investigate the ruins at various source points. Hmm¡­ the third team has already set out,¡± Zhang Kaijun replied coldly. "I have two people here. Combined with your team, could we break through the Black Disaster Rift? We¡¯ll advance together and meet at the midpoint,¡± Yu Hong suggested. "Sure. Once we open it up, if we have your technical support, our success rate will be even higher,¡± Zhang Kaijun stated calmly, ¡°The current intensity of the Black Disaster has left only two surviving outposts around us. I¡¯m starting to have no choice but to recruit people from the isolation zone for reinforcement. If the Black Disaster escalates further, Gray City certainly won¡¯t be able to hold. It¡¯s surprising that you¡¯re still fine up till now.¡± ¡°¡­.. All right, let¡¯s determine the meeting point now.¡± Yu Hong quickly unfolded the map, starting to discuss while deliberately skipping his own safety. This time, he planned to buy extraction liquid, sunlight materials, and other supplies from Gray City. Once fortified with Black Marks, they might become more effective consumables, enhancing adaptability in the Black Disaster. For instance, if he let the Black Lizard carry the extraction liquid and leave, it should attract a significant amount of the Black Disaster away from its original location. Compared to sacrificing the Blood Attraction Force, the Black Lizard could constantly regenerate. Of course, the most crucial point was that the increasing intensity of the Black Disaster had begun to feel dangerous to him. If this trend continued, perhaps only he would be able to rely on the Black Mark to survive in the future world. And such a world was not what he wanted. He wouldn¡¯t sacrifice his core interests for others, but he could support the investigation team through transactions. Soon, they pinpointed the meeting spot on the map. After closing the communication, Yu Hong left the cave and informed Xue Ningning of the mission. "Gray City¡¯s biotechnology can divert Black Disaster attacks, with a higher survival rate. They¡¯re also organizing investigation teams to explore the reason for the Black Disaster¡¯s increasing intensity. So, you can fully cooperate with them to avoid redundant investigations and waste of manpower,¡± Yu Hong advised. "Okay.¡± Xue Ningning was not a stubborn person and agreed immediately, taking the map to verify the location. That night, after enduring the Black Hour, the two women set out the next morning, carrying the detectors and food supplies borrowed from Yu Hong, and headed toward the direction of the map¡¯s meeting point. As for himself, he donned the suit again. Taking advantage of the Black Mark¡¯s ongoing fortification and armed with the Wolf Fang Club, he left the camp. With so much time passed, the surrounding revived Black Disaster needed to be cleared out again. And what was the deal with the Speed Man blending in with so many shadows before? Could it be that high-risk Black Disasters had started to collude with ordinary shadows? These needed investigating. In the gray-black mist, the trees of the mountains became faintly visible, and visibility was about five or six meters. Yu Hong, dressed in the heavy White Bear suit, took a step forward, leaping more than ten meters as if flying low over the ground. He was circling the camp, expanding his travel radius. Before long, the fog in front of him cleared, revealing a man in a white suit. The man tilted his head, glanced at the approaching Yu Hong, and grinned with an eerie smile, about to speak. Poof. With a light sound, the man¡¯s entire upper body suddenly vanished. The remaining body turned into black smoke and disintegrated. Yu Hong increased his speed, and shadowy figures of wandering shades began appearing in the mountain forest mist ahead. Poof, poof, poof, poof. His figure flickered, suddenly flashing past these shadows. The Wolf Fang Club, imbued with Inner Qi, lightly touched them, smashing their bodies. Soon, ten minutes passed. Yu Hong paused, looking at a woman in a yellow dress beneath a large tree ahead. ¡®Level Eight Speed Man, that¡¯s her!¡¯ He took a deep breath. This was his first time encountering a Speed Man alone outside. Before, relying on an array, the opponent was nowhere near his level. But now, without the array as the main force¡­ Swish! The ground suddenly burst open with a small pit as Yu Hong charged forward. With Inner Qi exploding, it instantly saturated his legs and the Wolf Fang Club. Boom!! The tree trunk shattered as the Speed Man¡¯s laughter mixed with a ghastly snicker sounded at the same time. Half a minute later. Sweating all over, Yu Hong remained calm, dragging his body with only three strands of Inner Qi left, quickly returning to the camp. Of the Radiation Hand Grenades on him, only three remained. And the Black Disaster surrounding the camp had been completely cleared. After completing these, Yu Hong once again went to the south side of the camp, to the place where he found the wooden bridge before. Standing at the edge of the stream, he picked up the Atomic Lamp to shine it forward but found nothing. The stream remained a stream, with no wooden bridge or prior figures in sight. Exhaling softly, Yu Hong felt a sense of relief. *¡±It¡¯s better this way. Without the array fully handling the Black Hour, it¡¯s best not to add new troubles¡­.¡±* he thought. The figure on the wooden bridge gave him a particularly dangerous feeling. But the other side seemed to be blocked by something, unable to truly approach, and could only stay on the bridge. *¡±It seems it¡¯s only visible during the Black Hour, so as long as I don¡¯t get near, the danger isn¡¯t significant.¡±* Yu Hong concluded, turning back, since the camp¡¯s array was almost fortified. His next step was to strengthen the Black Lizard. Considering the Black Disaster¡¯s various mysterious abilities, he decided that avoiding close encounters and resolving battles from afar would be wise in the future. In this regard, the Black Lizard became extremely important. Leaving the stream, he hadn¡¯t gone far when he suddenly stopped. No, something was off! A thought struck his mind like a jolt of electricity. Quickly turning back, he rushed to the stream¡¯s edge, crouched down, and inspected the traces. Soon, an astonishing hypothesis formed in his mind. *¡±This stream has moved about ten meters closer to the camp compared to before!¡±* To ascertain this hypothesis, Yu Hong crossed the stream to check the other side and found traces of flowing water on the ground there. Standing by the stream, his expression turned serious. *¡±Hopefully, it¡¯s just a coincidence¡­.¡±* he pondered. With constant rain, watercourses changing direction was a possibility. Glancing at the detector, finding nothing else, Yu Hong took a last deep look at the temporarily formed stream and turned back to camp. * * * The next day. The array fortification completed, a slight flash emerged and blurred for a moment on the camp¡¯s ground before everything settled. Witnessing this, Yu Hong felt a slight sense of safety. He reached the outer courtyard, and with a thought, a cat-dog-sized black giant lizard jumped in from outside the fence. The Black Lizard lay on the damp grass, motionless. Yu Hong extended his hand, placing the leftover bones he picked up from the Insect Man on the Black Lizard¡¯s back, palm pressed against it, silently chanting in his mind. ¡®Strengthen the Black Lizard.¡¯ He didn¡¯t specify a direction because he was unsure of the effect of the Insect Man bones. If the direction he provided didn¡¯t meet the pre-requisite foundation requirements, the strengthening would fail. Thus, the quickest way was to let the Black Mark fortify randomly. Without providing a direction, the Black Mark would automatically strengthen based on the compound randomly. ¡®Whether to strengthen the Black Lizard?¡¯ The Black Mark asked as expected, a black line flashing. The countdown appeared: 2 days 11 hours 9 minutes. ¡®Yes.¡¯ Yu Hong glanced at the countdown. The length of the countdown indicated the extent of the fortification. A duration of just over two days was acceptable. If it was too long, it would delay his other plans. Soon, the Black Lizard flashed slightly, motionless on the spot, its back¡¯s dark red countdown beginning automatically. Having done all this, Yu Hong swiftly returned to the cave, closed the heavy and sturdy door, and awaited the Black Hour. He planned to test if, after enhancing the total reserves, those gray soldiers could still breach the array. Utilizing the waiting time, he continued training the Thunderbolt Leg Technique in the basement. The technique was at the Fifth Layer, soon reaching the final Sixth Layer. Achieving Perfection in the Sixth Layer would grant a special Thunderbolt Transformation state. He was eagerly anticipating this. Amidst the rapidly escalating Black Disaster intensity outside and the decreasing number of survivors, possibly only the most robustly fortified outposts might remain. Like Gray City, like the New Aurora City¡ªother outposts might perish. He believed he could currently keep up with the protection measures of large outposts, but if the Black Disaster further intensified,¡­ The needed defensive strength would be even greater. After practicing a cultivation technique for a while, gathering two strands of Inner Qi, he took a shower and returned to the first layer to activate the communicator. Keeping in touch with Zhang Kaijun daily was crucial for him to stay informed about the external situation. "Your people have been found at the meeting point,¡± Zhang Kaijun was direct when Yu Hong came online. "The source of the East River is at Black Tree Village, correct?¡± Yu Hong asked. "Yes. I dispatched three teams to Black Tree Village. Not just me, both New Aurora Cities have sent elite squads for investigation. Utilizing the Black Hour¡¯s safe rift routes, they¡¯re faster than us, primarily taking aerial routes straight there by helicopter,¡± Zhang Kaijun stated calmly. "Once we converge and consolidate our routes, when can we trade?¡± Yu Hong inquired. If the Black Lizard had extraction liquid, it could significantly extend his exploration range. When confronting numerous Black Disasters, he wouldn¡¯t need to engage head-on, increasing consumption. Instead, just sacrificing a Black Lizard could divert them. "The freelance merchants I sent out have already set off and should arrive tomorrow if all goes well. I brought a batch of luminous stones that you urgently need, and I need to trade for Vortex Talisman Plates, preferably with Radiation Hand Grenades,¡± Zhang Kaijun replied. "Agreed,¡± Yu Hong responded. ¡°How¡¯s it on your end now?¡± "A sudden ambush by the Black Disaster, codename gray soldiers. Over a hundred people died two nights ago, but after instituting new regulations, we managed to avoid further incidents,¡± Zhang Kaijun recounted coldly, ¡°I bombed the area around the city walls with luminous stone bombs, forming a negative-value isolation zone, then moved everyone inside to the underground Pyroxene Secret Room. Outside, we used drones to fly extraction liquid far away, luring away the majority of the Black Disaster. It¡¯s safe now.¡± "The people from the isolation zone¡­?¡± Yu Hong asked. "No idea,¡± Zhang Kaijun coldly replied. ¡°Maybe they¡¯re all dead.¡± Disconnecting the communication left Yu Hong feeling inexplicably heavy. He suddenly had a premonition that Zhang Kaijun¡¯s side might not hold out much longer¡­ S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Thinking of Li Rushan and his daughter over there, Ding Shao, Doctor Xu, and the still-missing Stammering Yiyi. He softly exhaled. *¡±All forces sending people to investigate this time¡­ hopefully, there will be results.¡±* If nothing came from this investigation, the remaining cities would be in grave danger¡­. Thud. Thud. Thud! Suddenly, heavy footsteps sounded distantly outside. Yu Hong¡¯s expression changed slightly. He quickly rushed to the passage entrance, opened the observation window, and looked outside. It was pitch black outside, nothing visible. The only thing heard was the enormous heavy footsteps, one after another, from far to near, and gradually from near to far. Finally, it disappeared completely in the thick darkness. *¡±Has a super-large high-risk Black Disaster finally appeared?!¡±* Yu Hong felt his mood weighed down. He suddenly realized that the stone castle outside might shatter like tofu under a crash from such a super-large Black Disaster. Only the multiply fortified cave safehouse might hold out for a while. Chapter 191: Hope One Returning to the cave, the communicator also clearly picked up some activity. "It¡¯s the Black Giant Worm, a high-position Black Disaster within the Blood Tide, a Level 9 danger,¡± Zhang Kaijun stated calmly. ¡°¡­.¡± For a moment, Yu Hong didn¡¯t know what to say. "Don¡¯t worry, compared with the Evil Shadow System, the entities of the Black Disaster within the Blood Tide are more substantial. Although they are huge in size, they are actually easier to deal with,¡± Zhang Kaijun explained. ¡°If nothing unexpected happens, the second wave of attacks might erupt tonight during the ¡®black hour,¡¯ according to the satellite cloud map. The intensity of the Red Value radiation cloud above my location has already peaked, at least an order of magnitude higher than the surrounding areas.¡± "Can we withstand it?¡± Yu Hong asked gravely. "We should be able to, but the losses might be substantial,¡± Zhang Kaijun paused. ¡°If something happens to me this time¡­ wait a second.¡± He suddenly paused again, and his tone fluctuated slightly. "Someone is connecting!¡± Yu Hong¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Someone connecting at this time, and still able to connect, could only be either the Black Disaster or it has to be one of the major strongholds! After waiting for a while. Soon, a faint rustling sound came from the communicator. "Commander Zhang Kaijun of Gray City?¡± a gentle middle-aged woman¡¯s voice came from the communicator. "It¡¯s me. Who is this?¡± "I¡¯m Xin Zhilei from the second Aurora City, current Head of the United Army¡¯s Security Division. It wasn¡¯t easy getting in touch with you,¡± the woman¡¯s voice let out a slight sigh of relief. ¡°¡­. I¡¯ve heard that the signals around Aurora City have been severely disrupted. Indeed, it was not easy,¡± Zhang Kaijun paused for a moment before confirming. "The investigation team sent out by Gray City has developed an extraction fluid of great practical value. I managed to contact you because I was hoping we could cooperate with each other,¡± Xin Zhilei stated seriously. ¡°There are not many people left alive in the entire Eastern River region. Only through genuine collaboration can we carve out a chance for survival amid the Black Disaster!¡± "We can,¡± Zhang Kaijun replied indifferently. ¡°What are the terms of the exchange?¡± "Let¡¯s discuss that in private,¡± Xin Zhilei said gravely. ¡°The other person who is connected is Mr. Yu Hong from Black Wind Camp, correct?¡± "It¡¯s me,¡± Yu Hong quickly said. "At this critical juncture, it is a key moment for the survival of all of us, and I also hope Mr. Yu can offer as much technical support as possible. We¡¯ve made new progress with the drones and batteries here. If you need anything, it can be delivered to Gray City first and then transferred from there,¡± Xin Zhilei said seriously. "Affirmative,¡± Yu Hong nodded. "The vortex rune boards developed by Mr. Yu are indeed very effective;our intelligence personnel speak highly of them, but unfortunately, they cannot be replicated,¡± Xin Zhilei said. ¡°I wonder if you could trade the mass-production technology for these rune boards?¡± "I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯d like to, but the technology of the rune boards itself originates from my own uniqueness;aside from me, nobody else can replicate it,¡± Yu Hong exhaled and replied. "Is that so? I believe Mr. Yu is not one to be shortsighted;it¡¯s a pity¡­.¡± Xin Zhilei sighed. ¡°My time here is limited;I need to have a private talk with Commander Zhang next. I hope there will be an opportunity to meet Mr. Yu in person.¡± "There will be an opportunity, I¡¯ll sign off now,¡± understanding her implication, Yu Hong directly disconnected the communicator. The conversation was swift and decisive. This Minister named Xin Zhilei clearly had a style similar to Zhang Kaijun¡¯s, but she seemed more mild-mannered, more like a senior official from the orthodox United Army. There was a gentle authority in her demeanor. Sitting by the communicator, he organized his thoughts. Pulling out a card, he quickly took note of the key points and wrote down the name Xin Zhilei and second Aurora City. He sighed deeply. ¡®I have to start fighting my battle too¡­¡¯ Whether it was Gray City or Aurora City, those were places far away from him. What truly concerned his own survival was the camp. ¡®According to what Zhang Kaijun said, tonight there could be a second wave of attacks. It¡¯s a perfect time to test the effects of the recently enhanced Array. Having just added a new energy pack as a sub-array, the effect should greatly increase.¡¯ The black lizards were still enhancing;future outcomes were uncertain. Naturally, Yu Hong couldn¡¯t wait another two days to test, now that this wave of attacks was timely. He walked to the wooden door. Looking through the peephole, he observed the stone castle outside. ¡®If the Array can¡¯t hold up, then it¡¯s up to the effectiveness of the safe room here in the cave. The chamber inscribed within the safe room should provide a considerable concealment effect.¡¯ He took out an Enhanced Red Value Detector, always checking. Through the peephole, half of the view was blocked by the stone passage connecting to the stone castle, the other half gave a clear sight of the camp¡¯s left side. The ashy-black ground of the camp was pitted and scarred, residues from previous Black Disaster attacks. The inside courtyard¡¯s wall, like a ring of gray-white bones, uneven and no higher than two meters, was covered with fine Array Patterns, absorbing the surrounding air¡¯s Red Value radiation. The outer courtyard beyond that. On the black soil of the outer courtyard, a mess of wild vegetables grew stubbornly, drawing from the weak light of the camp, and among them, a lonely little wooden shack stood in a corner. Further away, at the edge of the outer courtyard, were the gray-black wooden fences. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Beyond the last fence was a roiling Black Fog. The thick Black Fog seemed alive, moving and opaque, hiding everything from view. Time quietly slipped away. After cultivating his Inner Qi for a while, Yu Hong opened his eyes to check the time on the detector. ¡¯22:47.¡¯ ¡®The specific start time of the black hour is 24:00.¡¯ He remembered the announcement broadcasted. It was a precise answer given by the research institutions of Aurora City. Closing his eyes, he continued to refine his Inner Qi. His Thunderbolt Leg was nearing the completion of the sixth layer, and right now, he urgently needed to strengthen his basis of power. The more Inner Qi he had, the more trump cards to his name. At least if he couldn¡¯t overpower the enemy, he could rely on an explosive release of Inner Qi to escape. Time slowly moved on¡­ Soon, the numbers on the detector jumped one after another. By the time Yu Hong opened his eyes for the second time, the time had reached 23:56. Click. He opened the door, stepping into the yard. He stood at the edge of the inner courtyard, leaning against the stone castle¡¯s gate and gazing out at the outer courtyard. Quickly, four minutes passed in a flash. As the time finally turned to 24:00. Yu Hong looked up sharply, seeing the fog beyond the outer fence begin to churn. The original black fog was gradually getting darker, becoming pitch-black like ink. Even the white lights of the camp stopped abruptly at the fence, unable to illuminate the ground outside. "Here it comes¡­¡± Yu Hong¡¯s heart grew tense;outside looked just like this when that group attacked with their hands previously. He squinted his eyes and found a step to sit down on with a thump. After waiting for a while longer, he tentatively raised his hand upwards, little by little. One breath. Two breaths. Whoosh!! The moment his fingers surpassed 1.4 meters, a pale gray human hand suddenly stretched out from the black fog beyond the fence! The hand appeared like it belonged to a refrigerator, its surface rotting, nails sharp and embedded with black mud. It was a severed hand, the point of breakage just beyond the wrist, with no forearm attached. Therefore, rather than saying it reached out from the fog, it would be more accurate to say that the hand flew out of the fog, grabbing towards Yu Hong. Whoosh!! A huge gust of wind began to stir. The hand crossed the fence and instantly activated the ground array. Hiss! A burst of airflow shot upward from the ground, transforming into a crow the size of a human head. The crow spread its wings, sparking a trail of black embers as it collided with the joints of the hand¡¯s fingers. Boom! The airflow crow exploded. The hand¡¯s speed greatly reduced, slowing by more than half, from the speed of a racing car to that of a running person. Before it could continue, a second airflow crow shot up from the ground, striking the palm of the hand once again. Whoosh! Black fire ignited the hand, quickly reducing it to black ash. But that was just one hand. Yu Hong still maintained his original action, his raised hand growing higher and higher, far exceeding 1.4 meters. He could see the black fog outside roiling intensely. As if something, something in great numbers, was about to burst forth. He persevered, constantly monitoring the status of the array inside his seal. In his mind, the Black Wind Defense Array that had just obliterated a human hand was still in good condition. The supplementary capability brought by the secondary array gave the main array a lot of leeway. Previously, one human hand could consume about one-tenth of the array¡¯s stored energy. Now, with the two arrays working in tandem, a hand with tens of thousands of radiation values merely caused a brief flicker in the arrays, which quickly recovered to normal. "The secondary array also has the function of absorbing red value to replenish itself, so this is like having two arrays absorbing and defending simultaneously;the effect should be much better than simply increasing the total storage capacity,¡± Yu Hong thought to himself, still fixating his gaze beyond the fence. The churning black fog was clearly brewing an even bigger attack. After waiting for less than half a minute, finally¡­ Pupupupu!!! In an instant, a dense mass of pale gray hands broke through the black fog, forming a wall of white, bearing down on Yu Hong directly. The ferocious sound of wind reverberated in his ears, and at this moment, the entire camp was filled with the mighty sound of the rushing airflow. The wind, compressed, blew in every direction. The intense pressure seemed to suck away much of the camp¡¯s oxygen, making it difficult to breathe. Yu Hong stared dead at the oncoming wall of hands, still holding up his arm. He wanted to test the limits of the array thoroughly. So, he remained motionless, sitting on the inner courtyard¡¯s steps like a statue. Bang!!! The wall-like group of hands, easily a hundred of them, surged into the range of the array simultaneously. In an instant, the array lit up. From the black earth on the ground of both the inner and outer courtyards, intricate pale white array patterns emerged. Amongst the layered patterns, there were a large number of vortex-like eye-shaped holes from which airflow continuously spewed out. Bursts of released airflow condensed into multiple airflow crows in mid-air, rushing towards the massive hands like a wall. Pupupupu!! First, the decelerating effect took place instantaneously. Right after that, The crows, carrying black fire and Black Wind Erosion, continually annihilated the incoming hands. Two seconds later, twenty hands dissipated into black smoke. Three seconds after, forty hands again turned to black smoke. By this time, the wall of hands had thinned out significantly, resembling a piece of white cloth full of holes, still moving slowly towards Yu Hong. And the entire array¡¯s light suddenly dimmed, indicating a significant drop in power. It was evident that all reserves had been depleted. Fortunately, the two arrays were absorbing red value simultaneously, converting it into negative radiation value and keeping the output going. This state also caused the remaining hands¡¯ skin to slowly turn charred black. Their speed continued to decrease, now similar to that of a walking person. "The stored energy has reached its limit,¡± Yu Hong knew what had happened. With his hand raised, he quietly watched these hands fly towards him. Chapter 192: Hope 190 The sixth second. More than half of the hands had turned into black smoke and disappeared. The conversion speed of the secondary formation was very fast. Due to its single specialized function, it far exceeded the conversion speed of the main formation. This conversion itself absorbed the Red Value to weaken the nearby Black Disaster. Coupled with the conversion into array attacks, the process was further suppressing the manpower Black Disaster. The eighth second. The last few hands flew within a few meters of Yu Hong and could no longer sustain themselves, completely turning into silent black ash and disappearing. He quietly watched all this. Not until all the hands had been eliminated did he slowly lower his hand. *¡±Looks like the array still needs to be specialized and strengthened to achieve better combined effects. When a bunch of functions are mixed together, the enhancement of each function isn¡¯t very high.¡±* He walked over and, looking at the black ash scattered all over the ground, cautiously returned to the stone castle to find a plastic bag and carefully collected all the black ash. After benefiting from the remnants of the Black Disaster, he paid extra attention to such things. Having collected all the black ash and filled a large bag, he straightened up with satisfaction. Outside the fence, a dense crowd of phantom shadows appeared once again. Among them were men and women, old and young, most of them cleanly dressed and with expressions like living people, but devoid of any emotion. Yu Hong put down the bag and scanned the crowd, looking for the Speed Man he had seen last time. But he couldn¡¯t find any trace of him this time. Looking around, the entire camp exterior was densely packed with hundreds of phantom shadows. He thought for a moment, then drew the Wolf Fang Club from his back, letting Inner Qi climb over it and adhere to its surface. Then, he suddenly swung it forward. Whoosh!! The Wolf Fang Club whistled through the air, spinning as it carried a deep whooshing noise and smashed fiercely into the large crowd of phantom shadows directly ahead. Poof, poof, poof, poof!! In an instant, many phantom shadows shattered into black smoke, corroded away by the Inner Qi. Dozens of phantom shadows were completely dispersed while the Wolf Fang Club embedded itself in the ground outside the fence. Soon after, the phantom shadows converged around to fill the gap as if there had been no reduction in their numbers. They neither advanced nor retreated, just standing there. Yu Hong watched them, roughly estimating the consumption of Inner Qi and forming a simple plan in his mind. Since the phantom shadows didn¡¯t intend to invade, he decided not to bother with them. Standing up, he took two steps back and quickly receded into the cave. Observing the phantom shadows from inside the cave for some time, Yu Hong confirmed that they did not enter, merely stood there. The array continued consuming energy, clearly blocking something that was trying to creep in discreetly. *¡±Although it¡¯s blocking the manpower, it¡¯s still a bit strenuous. I need to supplement it with a secondary formation to serve as a reserve energy and converter for the main formation.¡±* Sitting back at the wooden table, Yu Hong once again drafted subsequent enhancement plans. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. *¡±Additionally, the Inner Qi I applied to the Wolf Fang Club is effective in dealing with phantom shadows, but it lacks a long-range weapon. The Wolf Fang Club is too close;it¡¯s difficult to keep a safe distance and maximize the Inner Qi¡¯s power. Full long-range attacks consume too much, as materials are limited. It¡¯s best to make a weapon that¡¯s sturdy enough and can reach a considerable distance for sustained use¡­¡±* All along, his Inner Qi cultivation had been used mainly to augment explosive power and speed endurance. There weren¡¯t many instances where it played a major role in real battles. After pondering for a while, Yu Hong quickly realized what kind of weapon he needed. Once the black lizard¡¯s enhancement was completed, he could utilize the Black Mark to process weapons. *¡±Next, test different materials for the conduction speed and loss of Inner Qi.¡±* The increasingly terrifying Black Disaster outside made him feel the urgency of returning to the original crisis state. Yu Hong dared not delay for a moment. He immediately began testing the properties of Inner Qi. He tried every material he had, including fur, plastic, stone, wood, earth, water, oil, and various alloys. Soon, Yu Hong concluded that metal was the best conductor. So he rummaged through miscellaneous items for metal objects but found the quantity and weight far short of his needs. While the black lizard was still being enhanced. The next morning, he waited for the phantom shadows to disperse outside, and for the darkness to pass. By two in the afternoon, the outside world entered a chaotic period. He left the camp directly, heading to the nearest highway at the camp¡¯s edge. Under the gray-white sky, He glanced at the sky. The fog obscured everything. As far as the eye could see, the sky and earth were the same gray. Sigh. Yu Hong exhaled long and hard, jumping down a slope to stand on the road surface. The gray-white pavement was more broken, with many remaining holes and scars. In one spot, there was even a basin-sized depression filled with black, dirty water. Yu Hong looked around. The gray fog limited his vision to only three or four meters. Based on his bearings, he quickened his pace toward the roadside. Soon, through the fog ahead, two jeeps slowly emerged. Both vehicles were overturned on the roadside slope, half-hanging as if they might roll down at any moment. Watching the cars hang there, Yu Hong found himself in a dilemma. "Troublesome.¡± He looked around. What if the car fell? After thinking for a bit, he turned sideways, reaching to grab the edge of one vehicle¡¯s chassis, tensing his muscles, and taking a deep breath. Lift!! He tried pulling upward with both hands. Bang!! In an instant, the jeep did a roll, unexpectedly lifted into mid-air, held aloft by Yu Hong. ¡°¡­¡± The scene fell silent for a moment. Yu Hong was a bit dazed, looking up at the car over his head, and then down at his feet sunk into the ground. Boom, boom. He lightly balanced the car, placing it gently on its side, setting it upright. Then he pulled his feet out and moved to the side of the second jeep, staring at it in deep thought. *¡±Was my strength already this great??¡±* He had previously only been able to drag or lift the vehicle, but now¡­ it felt like paper in his hands. Reaching out again, Yu Hong hugged the rear of the second jeep, hands squeezing toward the center. Crunch. The second jeep was lifted in his arms and placed gently on the roadside ground. Looking around to ensure no one was watching, he exhaled, lifted the vehicle again, and prepared to return to camp first. But after only two steps, the road underfoot cracked. Helplessly, he set the car down and changed to dragging the car head with his hand, running forward. Going back and forth twice like this, he finally managed to drag both vehicles back to the camp. Inside the camp, he quickly removed all the non-metal parts from the vehicles, leaving only the metal frames. He then stacked the two metal frames together. That way, the raw materials needed for the weapon should be sufficient. Then it was just a matter of waiting for the Black Mark to complete the black lizard¡¯s enhancement so he could synthesize the weapon. The next day, a communication from Zhang Kaijun reported another outbreak of Black Disaster from closed-eye people, which was even more terrifying than the gray hands assault. After losing more than thirty lives, the death zones were obliterated with a strong acid spray using luminous stones. Gray City had fewer than two thousand people remaining. According to Zhang Kaijun, many people had stolen equipment and weapons, and fled unnoticed during the gray period, their whereabouts unknown. Xin Zhilei also started preparing to battle the upcoming Black Giant and the Multi-eyed Bird flock. The only good news was that teams from the three sides successfully joined forces to compile a safe rift map. The team of twenty had only sacrificed five members while completing the rift map verification. After photographing the map, the remaining fifteen people printed three copies and hid them at the meeting point, waiting for subsequent personnel to retrieve them. Then they all headed toward the origin of the Black Disaster at Donghe¡ªthe Black Tree Village. Going around and around, Xue Ningning and two others still headed toward Yiyi and her group. In the Black Wind Camp. Yu Hong practiced Inner Qi while occasionally venturing out to observe the wooden bridge to the south of the cave. His Inner Qi had reached the third path of the Fifth Layer, and the wooden bridge was indeed getting closer to the cave. This cast a shadow over his heart. In the afternoon, after the gray period, entering the chaotic period, the Black Mark¡¯s enhancement on the black lizard was finally about to end. Inside the stone castle. Yu Hong crouched down, reaching out to gently stroke a black lizard before him. The back of the black lizard showed a dark red countdown: 2 minutes. Gulp. Yu Hong drank a cup of hot water, put down the cup, and exhaled a puff of white breath. Even with the insulated water pipes, the temperature inside the stone castle had dropped to around 7 degrees. Outside was even colder. The previous rain had left the ground covered in thin frost. The forest was draped with countless icicles everywhere. Poof. Just as Yu Hong slightly let his mind wander, the countdown ended. The cat-and-dog-sized black lizard before him suddenly trembled, its form becoming blurry. One second later. Its scales became blacker, its size increased by another circle, now as large as a big dog. When it stood up, it reached a human¡¯s waist, over four meters in length. It was a real big guy. At that exact moment, all the black lizards within the mark completed their enhancement. The black lizard in front of him, with its bright black eyes open, stared at Yu Hong, awaiting orders. Clap, clap. Yu Hong reached out and patted the scales on the black lizard¡¯s back. It felt a bit hard, so its defensive power should be good. But otherwise, there seemed to be no outward changes noticeable. *¡±Did it only grow in size?¡±* He stood up, circled the black lizard, and quickly found a yellow paper under its right claw. The yellow paper was about palm-sized, with ancient cloud patterns at the edges, its texture fine with a slight warmth. Yu Hong slid out the yellow paper, brushed off the dust, and examined it closely. Characters were written on it. "Black Lizard, also known as Earth Pond Dragon Lizard, possesses natural Copper Skin Iron Armor, moves as fast as the wind, excels in concealment, and feeds on Earth Evil Qi. It can emit Earth Fire to corrode enemies into pus water. It¡¯s one of the low-ranking Daoist Soldiers of the Infinite Demon Palace.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Again with the Wuji Palace, Yu Hong was at a loss for words. Were they targeting a fat sheep and squeezing it relentlessly or what? On the reverse, there were small characters. "In combination with Wuji Palace mental method Inner Qi, nine Earth Pond Dragon Lizards can form an Earth Pond Demon Nest. The Earth Pond Demon Nest will automatically spawn an Earth Pond Dragon Lizard every five days, controlled by the nest and not occupying a mark slot. A single mark can only convert into one demon nest, with no limit on the number of dragon lizards controlled by the nest.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± No wonder the enhanced effects of the Insect man¡¯s remnant are shown here. It¡¯s said that Insect men can rapidly increase their own individual numbers. Looking at this yellow paper, Yu Hong suddenly felt like he was an unofficial disciple of the Infinite Demon Palace. Although he had no idea where this faction actually was, it didn¡¯t stop him from speculating that they might be very close to where he was;otherwise, he couldn¡¯t explain why the Black Mark kept leeching off it. *¡±Looking at it this way, switching to an Earth Pond Demon Nest would be tough initially, but the accumulated results are quite substantial later on. One every five days, that¡¯s six in a month. In two months, it would catch up with the previous numbers. However, I still need to test the battle strength of these Earth Pond Dragon Lizards before deciding.¡±* Chapter 193: Hope 3 Yu Hong scrutinized the four-meter-long Earth Pond Dragon Lizard, and with a thought, The dragon lizard lunged forward and in the blink of an eye leapt from the stone castle window, disappearing into the mist. Its speed was actually faintly catching up to Yu Hong¡¯s. The change in movement was astonishingly explosive. Yu Hong stood still without moving, closing his eyes to see through the eyes of the dragon lizard via the mark. In the forest shrouded by Black Fog, the Earth Pond Dragon Lizard raced forward like a black line. Soon, a half-person-tall greenish-black rock appeared in front of it. Bang! S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The lizard smashed into the rock, shattering it into dust and rolling chunks to the side. Suddenly, a man with short hair dressed in a black suit appeared at the side of a tree trunk in front of the dragon lizard. The man¡¯s appearance was clean and tidy, his complexion pale and expressionless;he was obviously a Shadow. The Earth Pond Dragon Lizard lifted its head and opened its mouth. At a position seven or eight meters from the Shadow, it paused and spat out a black line of fire. The fire line moved incredibly fast, crossing the seven or eight meters in an instant, hitting the Shadow man accurately. Whoosh! The Shadow was ignited in a blink, turning into black smoke and vanishing. "Not bad in terms of power,¡± Yu Hong thought to himself, satisfied as he watched. He also noticed that, in the dense darkness outside, the Earth Pond Dragon Lizard could still see scenery up to a dozen meters away, though it was in black and white, which was already commendable. "Let¡¯s test the upper limit of its strength, and its resistance to hits,¡± he pondered in his mind, quickly finding a target. A Big Skin slowly moving in the forest. In the darkness, the Big Skin appeared unhurried and rather leisurely in the eyes of the Earth Pond Dragon Lizard. This strangely familiar feeling gave Yu Hong the illusion that it was just a strangely shaped wild animal. Splat¡­ Light Rain began to fall abruptly. Raindrops hit the ground, quickly re-wetting the black soil that had just dried up. Big Skin swung its legs in annoyance, shaking off the black mud, twitched its small triangular head, and was about to change direction. Hiss. Suddenly, a dark figure burst from the shadows and pounced. Boom!! The figure hit Big Skin¡¯s head apparatus, emitting a dull thud. Big Skin stumbled backward two steps, and several sharp teeth on its mouth apparatus were broken. Shaking its head furiously and roaring in anger, it intertwined and fought with the dark figure. The shadow was the enhanced Earth Pond Dragon Lizard. After several enhancements, it now possessed considerable physical strength. Facing Big Skin head-on, it was surprisingly not at a disadvantage. In the dark night, the dragon lizard¡¯s body was actually much smaller than Big Skin, the overall comparison resembling an egg to a walnut. But when the two collided head-on, creating thuds with each impact, the dragon lizard was only slightly weaker in strength but was much faster than Big Skin. Advance and withdraw, they fought evenly, neither gaining the upper hand. The two creatures, one ramming and the other responding, were like two rocks to see which would give up first. Observing this, Yu Hong nodded slightly. "The physical strength is roughly comparable to Big Skin;this enhancement was quite successful. The Black Lizard is finally playing a role.¡± He moved his thoughts, controlling the dragon lizard to swiftly retreat. Then, as Big Skin prepared to follow and bite, the dragon lizard viciously spit out a black line of fire. Whoosh!! A torrent of black flames burst forth, sticking to Big Skin like a viscous liquid, burning fiercely. Hiss! Big Skin screamed tragically, halting mid-charge and attempting to dodge to no avail ¨C its large body was already coated with black fire, burning intensely. As severe screams filled the air, black smoke began to billow from Big Skin, which started to shrink slowly. Under the flames, its size was gradually diminishing. The dragon lizard surged forward again, ramming violently. Bang! Big Skin was knocked to the ground, rolling in an attempt to quench the flames, but to no avail. It was engulfed once more by the black fire from the dragon lizard, igniting its abdomen completely. The black fire burned for a whole minute before completely reducing Big Skin to black smoke, disappearing without a trace. After the skirmish, the dragon lizard was left only slightly weary and tired, with a few minor injuries on its body, which seemed recoverable after some rest. "Not bad, not bad at all!¡± Yu Hong nodded repeatedly, quite amazed. The Earth Pond Dragon Lizard¡¯s battle abilities were stronger than those of Big Skin. It could win against one Big Skin, but probably not against two. "The power of the black fire is not very strong. Before Big Skin was burned to death, two could have battered one dragon lizard to death¡­ Overall, the Earth Pond Dragon Lizard is slightly stronger than Big Skin, but weaker than an elephant worm, ranking between danger levels two and three.¡± "Moreover, spitting black fire can definitely serve as a ranged attack, targeting high-risk Black Disasters. This can be considered for future testing when suitable shields are available to block.¡± Having confirmed the Earth Pond Dragon Lizard¡¯s combat capabilities, Yu Hong stepped out of the stone castle and into the inner courtyard. He took a stroll around the area and ultimately chose a new excavation next to his own cave as the location for the Earth Pond Dragon Lizard¡¯s nest. Walking into the new cave, "How should I construct the Earth Pond Dragon Lizard Nest?¡± Yu Hong frowned slightly, pondering. "The instructions mention that it requires the fusion of nine dragon lizards;I still don¡¯t have enough of them, so I need to gather more.¡± Outside, there were only two dragon lizards catalyzed by Inner Qi. An egg took three days to hatch, and a week to mature into an adult. The dragon lizards he had now were all newly bred with Inner Qi after the previous ones had perished. Inner Qi infused into the marks would cause a dragon lizard egg to appear at the location where the last black lizard had died, which would then hatch. "Two dragon lizards, one lays an egg, in three days that¡¯s four, those four lay more eggs, and in six days that¡¯s eight, in nine days the Earth Pond Dragon Lizard Nest can be established, with four extra dragon lizards as backup patrol.¡± Yu Hong did some quick calculations and suddenly felt confident. The dragon lizards now fully possessed the dual-strike capability against shadows and Blood Tide, and they also had significant killing power against human weapons. With that thought, Yu Hong quickly went back to the stone castle and brought out a regular handgun. In the inner courtyard, he raised the gun and fired a shot at the back of a dragon lizard that had lain down in preparation. Bang. The bullet created some black fragments, as if hitting old black tree bark. At the spot where the dragon lizard was hit in the back, there was a dent. Yu Hong walked over, reached out, and touched the dent. It was about the size of a fingernail, around one centimeter deep, and slightly warm to the touch. "Not bad,¡± he said, satisfied, and let the dragon lizard scurry outside the fence into the dark mist, disappearing from sight. "Next is to strengthen the weapons, bring out the power of Inner Qi, it¡¯s just a structural change, so the cost of Black Mark shouldn¡¯t take too long.¡± After Yu Hong used Inner Qi to make the two dragon lizards lay eggs, he turned and walked out of the inner courtyard wall, into the outer yard. On the ground in the outer yard, next to the wooden shed, there were two jeep frames parked. Yu Hong walked over and stood waiting for a while. Soon a dragon lizard emerged from the darkness, with a large Wolf Fang Club in its mouth, dragged it to the side of the vehicle, and then turned back into the dark. Then, Yu Hong reached out and placed his hand on the surface of the vehicle frame. "Enhance the weapons, direction¡­¡± The image of a weapon that perfectly met his needs appeared in his mind. Sturdy enough for close combat and ranged combat, easy to repair, and with strong killing power. Suddenly, an idea flashed through his mind. He stopped the enhancement, dashed back into the stone castle, and quickly came back out. In his hand, he placed a few freshly drawn Traction Talisman Plates and Vortex Talisman Plates into the vehicle frame. Then he enhanced it further. "Enhance weapons. Direction¡­¡± An image of a large spiked iron ball connected with thick chains appeared in Yu Hong¡¯s mind. Yes, that was exactly the weapon he wanted. An iron ball connected to a thick chain, with the other end attached to a sturdy belt around his waist. The long chain would allow the iron ball to fly out and strike opponents over ten meters away. Holding the ball with both hands could also turn it into a melee weapon with terrifying destructive power. Additionally, because the iron ball had a diameter of over a meter, wide enough, it could also temporarily serve as a shield to block powerful attacks. Lastly, Yu Hong let the Black Mark fuse the Traction Rune and Vortex Rune into it. Using the Vortex Rune as an energy source to strengthen the traction effect of the Traction Rune, giving the big iron ball the ability to attract and adhere to the enemy when close. This was the ideal weapon for Yu Hong. All things considered, its functions were quite perfect¡­ The Black Mark quickly gave feedback, affirming the direction he had chosen for enhancement. And it gave a countdown: 10 hours 15 minutes. "If the enhancement didn¡¯t include any runes and didn¡¯t improve material durability, it probably would¡¯ve taken a lot less time, but this way it¡¯s worth it!¡± Yu Hong was quite looking forward to it. With the right weapon, combined with the explosive speed of the Thunderbolt Leg Technique, his practical combat ability would be greatly enhanced. After confirming that the Black Mark had begun enhancing, he returned to the safety of the cave dwelling in high spirits, planning to continue his training and cultivation when he casually turned on the communicator. But suddenly, a thunderous boom resounded in the night sky. Roaring thunder. A streak of lightning illuminated the surrounding mountains and forests for an instant. From the doorway, through the peephole, Yu Hong caught a glimpse of the fleeting gray and white panorama outside. The mist-shrouded woods, whether it was Baiqiu Village, the surrounding slopes, or the forest below. Everywhere was covered with numerous shadowy figures, wandering slowly and aimlessly. At a glance, it was impossible to tell just how many there were. Ten thousand? A hundred thousand? Or more? All those killed by the shadow turned into new shadows, and so far, how many people from nearby cities had died? At least tens of millions! The thought of this number made Yu Hong¡¯s scalp tingle instantly. He felt that it was time to carefully consider his future plan of action. He couldn¡¯t just enhance things as needed without a target, spreading his progress too thinly. Whoosh. He closed the peephole with a swoop. He sat down next to the communicator. The soft white light, the warm circulating water pipes, a bookmarked book halfway through with a plastic bookmark, and a messy unsorted gray sleeping bag. The cave¡¯s atmosphere of life slowly calmed his somewhat tense nerves. To break into this place, they would first have to get past the dragon lizards, then the Array, and also the incredibly sturdy cave door. "This place is safe enough¡­ peaceful enough¡­ but this is based on the premise that the Array is strong enough. What if we encounter a Black Disaster capable of destroying the Array from a distance? In such a case, we would need to take the initiative to go out to destroy and drive them away, necessitating the need for mobile combat abilities, like those of the black lizard.¡± "So, establishing the Earth Pond Demon Nest would be very helpful for the later stage.¡± Yu Hong took a pen and wrote down on the wooden board: Array, dragon lizard, two key terms. Chapter 194: Hope Four "The outside world is getting more and more vicious, I must plan ahead, Since I¡¯ve determined that the key to ensuring my safety lies in these two, then next, after the weapon reinforcement is over, I will focus on strengthening these two.¡± "Array formation must achieve comprehensive protective effects, covering both underground and the sky, The scope also needs to be expanded, and a buffer space added to prevent Black Disasters moving too quickly from crossing the Array and breaking into the core area.¡± "The appearance of dragon lizards indicates that many remnants of the Black Disaster have good reinforcement effects, as do the air crows within the Array, So in the future, collecting these types of remnants for synthetic strengthening is also a key point.¡± "After establishing the dragon lizard¡¯s nest, we¡¯ll investigate whether further strengthening is possible, If it¡¯s not feasible, then we will research new synthetic creatures ¨C having one or two Black Marks suggests that perhaps three or four are possible, This area must be thoroughly explored in the future.¡± Yu Hong swiftly noted down all the key points. "Compared to Cultivation of Inner Strength, I now see clearly that direct strengthening of Array formations and Black Mark creatures offers much greater improvement, In such an increasingly dangerous environment, securing a safer living environment first, before dedicating oneself to the arduous increase of Inner Strength, is the best strategy.¡± After deciding to reinforce the Array and the dragon lizards and other movable creatures, Yu Hong had a goal in mind and felt much more at ease. Although he was still worried about Yiyi¡¯s situation, he had done all he could for now and could only silently pray for her. Yiyi herself seemed to have a special constitution, When she stayed still and quiet, she was ignored by the Black Disaster and thus not attacked, This kind of constitution already greatly increased her chances of survival compared to others. And with the equipment and supplies he had given her, as long as she was careful not to act recklessly and withdrew slowly when encountering dangerous Black Disasters, monitoring the fluctuations of the Red Value on the detector, she shouldn¡¯t have too many problems¡­ Yu Hong cooked something to eat, rested for a while, then continued his practice, The increase he gained from the fifth layer of Thunderbolt Leg had far exceeded his expectations, His movement speed and emergency response burst speed had both been greatly enhanced beyond that of an average person. "Having ensured my speed for escape, the next step is to improve my defensive capabilities¡­ Many cannot even bear to come into contact with Black Disaster, Once the fight begins, I would certainly be hamstrung, So, improving my own protection rises to the top of my agenda¡­ choosing an appropriate Cultivation Technique next time is key¡­¡± After pondering over the future, he finished his practice and refined his Inner Qi, then turned on the communicator. This time, the communicator seemed to be interfered with and did not connect to Zhang Kaijun¡¯s channel immediately, Instead, it emitted a hissing sound of static. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After a short wait. The communication returned to normal. The exhausted voice of Zhang Kaijun came from the speaker. "Sorry, something happened here, I¡¯m dealing with it,¡± Along with his words came bursts of gunfire. "Do you carry the communicator with you?¡± Yu Hong asked. "Yes, just a personal extension,¡± Zhang Kaijun replied, ¡°Two hours ago, I received unfortunate news that I need to inform you about.¡± "What is it?¡± Yu Hong paused, then asked, In these tumultuous times, good news was rare, and he had grown used to that. "The investigation team failed,¡± Zhang Kaijun said, ¡°They joined forces with the elite from Aurora City and took a helicopter there, It turned out that someone had entered Black Tree Village before them, Consequently, the investigation team decided to split up, part of them tracked the people ahead hoping to make contact and glean more information, The others followed the original plan, heading straight to the site of the initial outbreak of the Black Disaster in Black Tree Village, but¡­¡± "I have a question, Surely the state has also investigated the source relics before, why nothing was discovered then, and what guarantees the investigation can find any clues now?¡± This was something that Yu Hong had long wondered about. "According to information from an unknown source, Auroroa City first received a message that the Black Disaster originated from the Black Well, which in turn originated from a sealed relic, At first, due to lack of verification, it was unsupported, Later, as the situation worsened and there were no other options, the formation of the investigation team was seen as a last resort,¡± Zhang Kaijun answered. "So you¡¯re saying, Aurora City and you guys also don¡¯t know whether the investigation team¡¯s efforts will be fruitful?¡± Yu Hong understood. He heard that someone had gotten into Black Tree Village ahead of them and guessed that it was very likely Yiyi and An¡¯an, But he also didn¡¯t rule out the possibility of others. "Yes, the detailed information is all in New Aurora City, it is said that linguists there have decoded some of the unknown script from the relics, uncovering part of the cause of the Black Disaster outbreak, But at that time, without evidence of effectiveness, it was shelved ¨C now, the situation has changed,¡± Zhang Kaijun explained. Yu Hong finally understood completely. That is to say, initially the authorities did not take the information about sealing and such seriously, Later, when every other method had been tried and too many people had died, they had no other choice but to take a shot in the dark, deciding to try following these cryptic methods. "Also, the trader I sent should have arrived, Their journey following the Black Disaster Rift went smoothly,¡± Zhang Kaijun said. "Okay,¡± Yu Hong replied. Click, the communication cut off. He sat at the desk for a while, sighed, stood up, and continued to go down to the basement to practice. What else could he do now, apart from practice? Rather than venturing out, staying and continuously strengthening his camp was the best option. Time flew in his intense Cultivation. Just as Yu Hong was fully immersed in his Cultivation, one of the dragon lizards patrolling outside the camp suddenly sent him a prompt through the Black Mark. He had instructed them to report promptly about any disturbances aside from the Black Disaster. Yu Hong halted his Qi Cultivation, glanced outside through the dragon lizard¡¯s perspective, quickly put on his reinforced suit, exited the cave, and went to the enclosure of the outer yard. By this time, dawn was breaking in the gray sky. Outside the fence stood a short man draped in a thick black cloak. He hung his head low, his neck adorned with a heavily rusted helmet, from which came the occasional phlegm-ridden cough through the breathing valve. Compared to Yu Hong, he was only as tall as Yu Hong¡¯s chest, and his entire body was covered in gray-white luminous stone runes and stealth inscriptions. The stealth inscriptions were obviously ineffective;the unpowered lines were immediately recognized as useless by Yu Hong. "I am from Shu Cheng, entrusted by Commander Zhang of Gray City, to come to Black Wind Camp to trade for the necessary resources,¡± the man said with his head down, his voice humble and calm, completely devoid of the panicked and terror-filled tone of the refugees outside. "You traveled such a long distance by yourself?¡± Yu Hong was somewhat surprised, looking through the dense fog behind the man. Not a soul was in sight, and farther away, the view was obscured by the thick mist. "Not just me, there were three of us. For the safe transport of resources and goods, we have all undergone bodily modifications to a certain extent. Please forgive us, Mr. Yu,¡± the man who claimed to be from Shu Cheng continued. "Modifications?¡± "Yes¡­ Due to the appearance of high-risk Black Disasters, single-layer Pyroxene Secret Room designs proved ineffective. Thus, the expert group from Gray City proposed three safeguards: reducing the presence of live human scent, increasing the layers of Pyroxene Secret Rooms, and blending in to mask the scent,¡± Shu Cheng explained with a smile. "Reducing the presence of live human scent¡­ You all¡­¡± Yu Hong¡¯s gaze sharpened, but before he could finish his sentence, he was stunned by the man¡¯s right leg, which he had lifted slightly. Shu Cheng¡¯s right leg was not made of flesh and blood;it was a prosthetic limb. Subsequently, he lifted his left leg and then his left hand, all of which turned out to be dark metallic prosthetic limbs. "Additionally, the amount of living tissue on my body has been reduced to the minimum possible extent.¡± Shu Cheng removed his cloak¡¯s hood, revealing bald ears and a nose. His ears and nose had been cut off! "According to research, the Black Disaster targets living flesh and is a special group that conducts predation and erosion activities. As such, by greatly reducing the amount of living flesh on our bodies, we can significantly diminish our presence,¡± he explained. ¡°¡­..¡± Yu Hong was left speechless. "In addition, all the skin on my body has been tattooed with luminous stone powder, a layer of skin, a layer of inner armor, and a layer of coat¡ªthree layers in total. It¡¯s quite laborious to ensure protection without any slips during movement,¡± Shu Cheng said with a smile. "What about blending in and masking your scent?¡± Yu Hong inquired. ¡°How do you do that?¡± "Ah, that¡­,¡± Shu Cheng emitted a strange low chuckle. He put the hood back on and bowed his head, looking like a hunchbacked dwarf. "Based on laboratory tests and calculations, we implanted low-level Black Disaster radiated remnants into our bodies. As a researcher, you must know that sometimes low-level Black Disasters are not necessarily inferior to high-level ones. Some just have less lethal power and a smaller range, lacking in expressiveness. So¡­¡± He paused, then continued. ¡°¡­we implanted those types of Black Disaster remnants in our bodies to emit radiation with a Red Value slightly higher than the environment, confusing the scent of living beings¡­ Of course, the cost of this is that our lifespans are shortened to about five years. But that¡¯s all right¡­ Even so, many people are still willing to undergo this surgery¡­¡± Yu Hong was left speechless. He thought the survivors he had encountered before had done everything to the extreme to survive. But now, seeing Shu Cheng from Gray City, he realized what it truly meant to go to the extreme. "Well, let¡¯s proceed with the resource exchange quickly, shall we? The items you need, I have already brought some of them,¡± Shu Cheng said. "Right!¡± Yu Hong turned back and carried out Vortex Talisman Plates from a cave;these items were not like Radiation Hand Grenades that required a Black Mark to strengthen and refine the design before processing. These could be mass-produced with Inner Qi and were not considered precious. The and two hundred Vortex Talisman Plates, along with a Radiation Hand Grenade, were prepared to be studied by the other party for their structure and design, and afterwards, it was expected that Gray City would be able to mass-produce the Vortex Talisman Plates into Radiation Hand Grenades. This, in turn, would significantly increase the defense force there. As for the items Yu Hong was trading for, they were mainly luminous stone powder. After the disappearance of the luminous stone mines, the powder became a scarce resource. Two hundred Vortex Talisman Plates plus one grenade, consuming less than a pound of large pyroxene stone powder, could be exchanged for two hundred pounds of luminous stone powder. That amount would suffice for Yu Hong¡¯s use for a long time. Apart from the luminous stone powder, these items also brought him a barrel of Sunshine No. 7 special material paint. "Because in the current environment, luminous stone powder will be offset by the Red Value in the air, we did not dare bring much. Please understand. This is just a preliminary transaction. Here, I¡¯m including a simple surveillance system as a gift to you. It can be used with a standard electric plug,¡± said Shu Cheng, pulling out a white package from the bag he was carrying. The packaging was the size of a magazine and as thick as a dictionary. On its surface was an LCD screen surrounded by an advertisement featuring six miniature cameras. The side was embossed with the logo for Galaxy Technology. Chapter 195: Believe One "Thank you! This really helps a lot,¡± Yu Hong narrowed his eyes, thinking of strengthening the Black Mark for the first time. It¡¯s likely that this freebie comes with strings attached, but no matter. Once refreshed and strengthened by the Black Mark, it¡¯ll function even more powerfully and wipe all hidden dangers for personal use, much better than the surveillance mode of the dragon lizard. "Glad it helps.¡± After exchanging items, Shu Cheng gave a slight bow. ¡°Do you mind if I take some photos of the camp?¡± he asked. "Feel free.¡± Yu Hong was in a good mood and gestured with his hand. Shu Cheng took out a black cellphone and silently photographed the camp for a while, then bowed again to Yu Hong before turning and walking decisively into the mist, disappearing from sight. Soon, faint sounds of a car engine starting drifted from the outside, fading into the distance until entirely gone. Yu Hong was about to turn back when his steps suddenly halted. Where Shu Cheng had just stood, lying quietly on the dark soil outside the fence, was a small wad of paper. Previously obscured by the wooden fence barrier, its presence escaped notice. But now, with a change in his viewing angle, it came into his sight. Yu Hong walked over, bent down, and picked up the wad of paper. He unfolded it. On the white paper were neatly written words. "Returning Home Association Member Benefits Overview.¡± "Benefit 1: For those who sincerely join us, we offer the utmost survival assistance.¡± "Benefit 2: The Returning Home Association has a special ability to largely avoid the Black Disaster without harm;members who contribute enough will receive this blessing.¡± "Benefit 3: All members are brothers and sisters;we help each other, keep each other warm. Members with sufficient contributions can receive a one-time full mind and body rest. During this respite, your fear, guilt, pain, and sorrow will all drift away, and you will be reborn¡­ Only through rebirth can one be filled with strength anew, to set out on the desired journey home¡­¡± Rustle. Yu Hong crumpled the paper back into a ball. This resembled some kind of flyer from a cult seizing an opportunity for promotion¡­ The contents couldn¡¯t be trusted at all. Taking the luminous stone powder, he returned to the inner yard of the camp and moved all items into the mountain cave safe house, quickly starting to strengthen the Large Pyroxene graphite powder to make various runes. To save time, he used a portion of the enhancement and fetched more as needed. The mastery of Vortex Runes, Stealth Runes, Luminous Stone enhancement, Deceleration Runes, etc., allowed him to lay the groundwork for researching and combining compound arrays on his own. What he had to do now was to create a second set of arrays to further enhance the endurance of the protective arrays. The sound of rain continued unceasingly. Inside the cave, he crouched over a wooden table, quickly drawing different rune patterns with a pen. With an existing array to copy from, in less than an hour, a new array was designed. "The function of an array primarily consists of three actions: absorption, storage, transmission. That is, three Vortex Runes, one Deceleration Rune, and one Stealth Rune can form a basic storage unit.¡± "From the finished secondary array outside, I counted about thirty Vortex Runes arranged in a 3-1-1 design. If I proportionally add several more array units myself¡­ Should it significantly shorten the time needed for the Black Mark¡¯s enhancement?¡± Yu Hong pondered this in his mind. The time of enhancement by the Black Mark depended principally upon the number of steps needed to complete an item. He had already confirmed this. So by completing some work he could do on his own in advance, he could reduce the enhancement process. After producing the array units, he tested them with the Black Mark to ensure there were no issues and then continued replicating. Copying the arrays, then strengthening them with the Black Mark to integrate them, ultimately became a physically taxing task. Time passed unknowingly. Yu Hong busied himself in the cave all night until the darkness had fully passed, ushering in a new day. The murky light outside pulled him from his immersion in work. "Is anyone there?¡± Suddenly, a somewhat familiar voice floated from outside the camp. "Is anyone there?¡± The voice belonged to a woman, tinged with sobbing and a hint of despair hidden in her tone. Yu Hong frowned, stood up to stretch his back, and walked to the front door to pull open the peephole to look outside. But this angle did not reveal everything. "It seems I need to install the surveillance system to monitor all the blind spots around here.¡± He thought about it for a moment, hearing the voice again without haste. "Perhaps it¡¯s the Evil Shadow,¡± he thought. Assured that the array was functioning normally, Yu Hong put on his suit, still clinging to a sliver of hope, and walked out of the cave and through the tunnel to the yard. Standing in front of the stone castle in the inner yard, he looked out toward the outside. There, beyond the fence, stood a person. The dragon lizard had not attacked this individual, so they appeared to be alive. Yu Hong exhaled, checked first if the weapon enhancement was finished, and, confirming it was still ongoing, stepped toward the individual. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Reaching the outer yard where the fog was much thinner, the person¡¯s features became clearer. "Please¡­,¡± the person wrapped in a thick black cloak, trembling, lifted their head showing a pretty, clean face. Her lips were purple, skin pale, but oddly, underneath the cloak, she was wearing a clean, snug pink sweater accentuating her fuller curves. Dressed in a white knee-length silk skirt, her rounded legs were covered in thick white pantyhose, showing a few rips and runs, but it even more so made her seem like she had just escaped from another stronghold. "Help me¡­ I really have nowhere else to go,¡± the woman pleaded, unconsciously tugging at the hem of her white skirt, subtly revealing the area above her knees. "Are you¡­ Wei Shanshan??¡± Yu Hong had not expected, after all this time, to once again encounter Wei Hongye¡¯s daughter, Wei Shanshan, who had left a lasting impression on him before. "You weren¡¯t with your parents?¡± Yu Hong asked in surprise. He looked at the detector to confirm that the other party wasn¡¯t an Evil Shadow. It was a real person. ¡°¡­.!?!¡± Wei Shanshan¡¯s eyes faltered, seemingly recognizing Yu Hong¡¯s voice. The camp had changed so much that she hadn¡¯t recognized it as Yu Hong¡¯s original stronghold earlier. She was struck as if by lightning, her hand clutching her skirt loosened, and she stood there dazed. "Yu¡­ Yu Hong sir??!¡± a groan barely escaped Wei Shanshan¡¯s throat. Her pretty face turned even paler, a ghastly white akin to that of a dead person, devoid of any blood. "I¡­ I¡­!¡± Suddenly, she stepped back, turned around, and dashed into the fog. "Wait!¡± Yu Hong was stunned, quickly climbed over the fence, and chased after her. Being able to walk here alone, he wondered if Wei Shanshan either possessed special qualities or had found other Black Disaster Rift routes;either possibility was of great intelligence value. Since Black Disaster Rift routes are prone to change, double-checking was never too much. Pu. Yu Hong landed, entered the fog, and pursued her. But just as he entered the fog and the secondary safe area, a dragon lizard materialized and followed alongside. Ahead, Wei Shanshan¡¯s figure had already disappeared. "Wei Shanshan!¡± he yelled loudly. His voice echoed in the foggy mountains and woods, unanswered. Yu Hong, with a thought, commanded the dragon lizard to spread out and chase, but even after rushing two kilometers out, they found no trace of Wei Shanshan. Standing at the spot, Yu Hong¡¯s expression turned grave as he glanced around and then looked down at the spot where Wei Shanshan had just stood. But on the black soil, there were only his footprints. ¡®Shadows leave no footprints¡­¡¯ Yu Hong looked up and sighed. Thinking of her unusually clean dress, he¡¯d already formed a dire guess. He returned to the cave, engaged once again in the effort to replicate the replica array, but Wei Shanshan¡¯s image intermittently flashed before his eyes, making it hard for him to calm down. ¡®I wonder how Old Zhou is doing, and how Yiyi is holding up¡­¡¯ He sighed, put down his pen, turned, and went to the basement to practice his movement techniques to calm himself. Thunderbolt Leg was about to reach five channels of Inner Qi, and after the ninth, it would be complete at the sixth layer. Then he could learn other Cultivation Techniques to strengthen himself. * * * Gray City Isolation Zone. Tents, one after another, empty and enveloped by the gray fog, formed a large circle around Gray City. Originally, it was a flat open ground between the large circle of tents and the walls of Gray City. Now, however, there was a charred deep pit. The pit seemed like a boundary line, completely separating the isolation zone from the city walls. The sky was growing brighter. From a few tents, silhouettes quietly emerged. Li Rushan, with his daughter Nana, cautiously exited their tent and looked towards Gray City. "The Black Hour is over¡­ another safe day¡­¡± he sighed in relief, wiping away the dry salt of sweat from his cheeks, feeling extremely thirsty. Wetting his chapped lips, he took a water pouch from behind his waist, unscrewed it, and first let his daughter behind him drink. Aisena held the water sack and took big gulps, finishing half of it in one go. "Save some,¡± Li Rushan took it, sipped a little himself, and then screwed on the cap and put it away. "Dad, what do we do now?¡± Aisena¡¯s small face was haggard, dark circles under her eyes indicating she hadn¡¯t rested well for a long time. "We need to find a way into the city of Gray City, staying here only means waiting to die!¡± Li Rushan said solemnly, looking ahead at the city borders of Gray City, at the Shadow figures emerging one after another, his expression grave. "But what if Gray City won¡¯t let us in?¡± Nana asked again. ¡°¡­¡± Li Rushan gave a bitter smile, regretting not simply staying in Black Wind Camp. If they had continued to stay in the camp, even if they had died there, it would have been more comfortable than suffering now before dying¡­ Whoo. Suddenly, a chilly breeze blew in from between the tents behind. The cold made both father and daughter shiver. Li Rushan turned around and saw figures slowly emerging one by one from the tents. These figures were in clean clothes and smiling as if the dangerous isolation zone around them was just a pleasant outdoors camping spot. They continuously emerged from the tents, forming lines and groups, getting more numerous and denser. Li Rushan saw with his own eyes a severely injured man from a few days ago, who now stood up uninjured and with ease, his broken legs seemingly fine, a pair of pitch-black eyes staring their way. Those few people, including Li Rushan and his daughter, who saw this scene, realized what was happening. They slowly backed away, step by step, not too quickly so as not to agitate these newly appeared Shadows. But soon, in their retreat towards Gray City, a crowd of cleanly dressed people also appeared on the ground. Li Rushan¡¯s throat tightened, he opened his mouth, but didn¡¯t know what to say. The talismans and such that he had been carrying had been used up days ago. The remaining weapons and tools, just a barely useful luminous stone blanket, were all that were left. Chapter 196: Belief in the 194 "Daddy, will we die?¡± Aisena¡¯s weary and childish voice came from beside him. Li Rushan¡¯s expression was wooden as he held his daughter¡¯s hand. "Don¡¯t worry¡­ there won¡¯t be any trouble,¡± he said softly. "In a moment, when I tell you to run, you bolt toward Gray City without stopping, got it?¡± He swiftly removed the luminous stone blanket from his daughter, flipping it inside out, exposing the inner setup. "Daddy¡­ you¡¯re supposed to come with me¡­¡± Aisena felt something was wrong and clutched Li¡¯s hand tightly. "You go ahead, Daddy will follow,¡± Li Rushan forced a gentle smile. "Don¡¯t worry, who do you think your dad is? I¡¯m a former elite postman from the post office! I¡¯ve gotten through so many dangers and difficulties, this is nothing!¡± He pinched his daughter¡¯s cheek. "You go first, I can make my way over by myself. The main issue is you¡¯re slowing me down, once you¡¯re across, it¡¯ll be much easier for me alone!¡± Aisena¡¯s face was pale, and she wanted to ask more. But suddenly, she saw the group of shadows in front accelerating their approach. Turning back, the shadows behind the isolation zone were also quickening their pace toward them. "Run!!!¡± someone among the few survivors yelled. The crowd scattered in every direction, drawing the shadows in front to split up and give chase. At that moment, Li Rushan saw a gap open within the group of shadows and quickly removed the luminous stone blanket from his body, draping it over his daughter. "Nana, run!!¡± "Don¡¯t look back!!¡± Aisena covered her head and ran forward wildly. She didn¡¯t dare to look up, focusing only on the ground. "Nana, you can do it!!¡± Li Rushan cheered loudly. He raised his hand and surveyed the countless shadows converging toward them. Watching his daughter charge through the gap left by the shadows, climbing over a bombed crater, and running toward Gray City. But halfway through, Nana slowed down, trying to look back. "Daddy, hurry up!¡± she shouted. "Daddy is still here!¡± Just a few meters away from Li Rushan, the space had filled with encroaching shadows. He knew he definitely couldn¡¯t escape. "You go, Daddy has a way out.¡± Li Rushan raised his hand and saw his daughter start running again after hearing his voice. He wore a relieved smile on his face. Thump. A shadow suddenly pounced, biting into his shoulder and tearing off a large chunk of flesh. Li Rushan didn¡¯t resist but flung his blood towards where his daughter was running. Instantly, more shadows in that direction sped up and surged toward her. "Daddy!!¡± Aisena ran for a while and shouted again. "Daddy is here, keep going! Forward, don¡¯t stop!¡± Li Rushan¡¯s voice came from behind. Aisena bowed her head once more and continued running, just running. After a while, she screamed again. "Daddy?¡± "Run, Daddy is fine!¡± Li Rushan responded once more. Aisena, with her unique constitution and covered in two layers of luminous stone blankets, astonishingly had no shadows approach her for a short span. "Daddy!!¡± As she was about to reach the walls of Gray City, she yelled once more. Silence. Running turned to walking, and eventually, Aisena came to a stop. "Daddy¡­!¡± She started calling out again. But there was no answer from behind. The shadows in that area were temporarily drawn away toward the isolation zone, and a basket was swiftly lowered from the wall of Gray City. A person jumped out from the basket, rushed over, scooped Aisena up, and rushed back to the basket. Luminous stone bullets took down around a dozen shadows attempting to get close. The basket quickly ascended, Aisena was held tight by the person, her head buried into them, motionless and silent. Only her tears soaked through the other¡¯s jacket, spreading slowly, growing larger and larger. * * * Black Wind Camp. "There¡¯s news for you, and I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s good or bad.¡± Inside a cave, Zhang Kaijun¡¯s calm voice came through the communicator. "What?¡± Yu Hong had just powered on the device when he heard this statement. He contacted Zhang Kaijun daily, as a routine between them, to check-in. "I¡¯ve finalized the new investigation team representing Gray City, five people in total, including a youngster named Aisena,¡± continued Zhang Kaijun. ¡°I rarely see a child so mature. She doesn¡¯t look older than thirteen.¡± "Aisena¡­ then what?¡± Yu Hong furrowed his brow, knowing that Nana¡¯s unique constitution meant standard Black Disasters wouldn¡¯t attack her if she remained still. But something didn¡¯t add up. "How can such a young child join an investigation team? What can she do?¡± he couldn¡¯t help but question. "It seems you know her,¡± said Zhang Kaijun. ¡°It was the girl¡¯s own will. She insisted on joining the investigation team. Moreover, as a member, after communicating with me and knowing I could contact you, she wanted me to relay a message to you.¡± "What message?¡± Yu Hong suddenly had a bad feeling. "She said her dad regrets it,¡± stated Zhang Kaijun calmly. Silence. Yu Hong guessed what had happened to Li Rushan the moment he heard those words. If nothing had gone wrong, with Li¡¯s character, he¡¯d never allow his daughter to join the highly dangerous investigation team. "She¡¯s a good kid, with a special constitution, sensible, and resilient. Among the volunteers for this investigation team, she has the highest chance of survival,¡± Zhang Kaijun inferred something special from Yu Hong¡¯s silence. "Please tell her that if she wants to come back, she¡¯s welcome here,¡± Yu Hong said solemnly. "I will,¡± Zhang Kaijun replied. ¡°The inner side of the luminous stone blanket Aisena carried when she entered the city was marked with large characters, stating she¡¯s a mutant and that she won¡¯t be attacked by certain Black Disasters when she¡¯s calm. I¡¯ve conducted a specific test and indeed, it is so. Then I quickly reported to the new Aurora City, and Minister Xin rapidly reviewed the city¡¯s population and reshuffled the investigation team¡¯s candidates.¡± "So the candidates for this investigation team are likely to be mainly these types of mutants?¡± Yu Hong interpreted his meaning. "Yes. How are things on your end? Do you have any good suggestions regarding those who close their eyes?¡± Zhang Kaijun asked. "Everything is safe here, but the external environment is deteriorating very quickly. There¡¯s insufficient information on the closed-eyed ones, so I don¡¯t have any good solutions. If we could pinpoint the moment of their attack and the range of the Red Value they can unleash, we could target and counter this Evil Shadow effectively,¡± Yu Hong replied, collecting his thoughts and frowning slightly. "Your detector has arrived, and it¡¯s very useful with high precision. It¡¯s helped the city screen some potential Evil Shadow risks in advance. The Vortex Talisman Plate¡¯s reusability is also good, but we need to be careful of luminous stone disease. As for detecting the Red Value range¡­ the attacks of the closed-eyed ones are very sudden and secretive, even more so than the Language Persons¡ªthey show far more signs. But the closed-eyed ones need only to close their eyes three times,¡± Zhang Kaijun explained. "Is there no way to avoid them within the Pyroxene Secret Room environment?¡± Yu Hong asked. "With the current technological conditions, no method has been found to avoid the closed-eyed ones. The only method is to remain with eyes open after noticing something is wrong, letting the rest use negative radiation to isolate the space around the attacked person. This can temporarily contain their killing, but several cases of luminous stone disease have already been caused by this,¡± Zhang Kaijun said in a heavy tone. "By the way, the trader you sent earlier dropped a flyer. I¡¯m not sure if it was on purpose, but it had the Returning Home Association printed on it,¡± Yu Hong changed the subject. "Don¡¯t bother with it, under suppressed desperation, people naturally seek additional outlets for spiritual pressure. The Returning Home Association is just that,¡± Zhang Kaijun said casually. "Alright.¡± Yu Hong broke off the connection and thought of Aisena as he let out a soft sigh and stood up. He pushed open the door and stepped into the courtyard. There, in the outer yard, two vehicles that had undergone the Black Mark enhancement were now completed. What once had been the frame of a vehicle had vanished, and lying quietly on the ground was a large metal black sphere, about one meter in diameter. Spike protruded from the surface of the black sphere, resembling an enlarged Meteor Hammer head. At one end of the metal spiked sphere was a chain as thick as an arm, and at one end was a black object tied around the waist like a protective belt. Yu Hong walked over and wrapped his hands around the metal ball, lifting with force. Whoosh. His feet slightly sunk into the ground as he steadied his upper body and lifted the spiked black sphere. ¡®Not bad.¡¯ He tested the weight, about the same as an unmodified jeep. Yu Hong balanced the sphere with one hand, grabbed the chain with the other, and gave it a powerful swing. Whoosh! The giant iron ball spun around him with a whistle. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The chain pulled the sphere, circling around Yu Hong, starting small and growing larger and louder. Suddenly, Yu Hong released his grip, hurling the sphere towards the exterior of the camp. In the mist, a shadow flashed and then crashed heavily into the center of a thick tree. Boom!! The trunk of the tree snapped instantly, wood chips and debris exploded. Some of the roots also burst forth from the ground, shattered. Yu Hong accelerated forward, landing beside the iron ball;he grabbed it and wrapped the chain around his waist. Looking up at the sky, it was still a gray time. He channeled Inner Qi into his legs, intending to return to camp to use the newly-made Black Mark to reinforce the secondary formation. Since he completed most of the process himself, the reinforcement took much less time this round, only a bit over seven hours. In fact, most of those seven hours were just for installation. After ensuring the reinforcement was solid, Yu Hong, carrying the iron ball and filling his legs with Inner Qi, left the camp. He decided to go to the wooden bridge in the back to see if he could use the new weapon in combination with Inner Qi to completely destroy the location of the wooden bridge. With this big guy on him, if he didn¡¯t channel Inner Qi into his legs, he couldn¡¯t even walk;every step would sink deep into the ground. After all, the iron sphere with the chain and waist protector together weighed about four or five tons. This weight would crack the cement ground, let alone the black soil in the mountains and forests. Taking advantage of the gray time, Yu Hong quickly passed through the forest, soon arriving once again at the small river behind the cave. The water of the river had encroached a few dozen meters closer to the back of the cave. Standing by the river, engulfed in gray fog, Yu Hong slowly took the iron ball off his back, exhaling steam from both sides of the breathing valve. Hum. Inner Qi swiftly poured into the chain and iron ball. In an instant, the chain and iron ball were engulfed in a faint white glow. Whoosh! Yu Hong tossed the sphere upwards, pulling the chain to start swinging, spinning in circles. The whistling sound of cutting through the air amplified with each rotation. This was his first time using a weapon infused with Inner Qi, and its power would determine his main choice of attack method in the future. All of a sudden, Yu Hong swung his arm and hurled it forward. The large iron ball turned into a blur, flying overhead at high speed toward the wooden bridge on the river. Boom!! A loud explosion echoed. Stones on the riverbank scattered as if detonated. Black mud and water splashed up. Half-buried in the ground, the iron ball had created a near two-meter deep pit in the earth. With an expressionless face, Yu Hong drew the iron ball back, continuing to spiral and smash. Boom! Boom! Boom!! One by one, he smashed pits of various sizes along this stretch of the riverbank. Roar!! A massive Multi-eyed Bird flew overhead, attracted by the noise, swooping down towards Yu Hong. Snap. The bird hadn¡¯t even come close when it grazed the high-speed spinning iron sphere;it was instantly smashed, turning into a blood rain scattering down. The remaining half of the bird, terrified, desperately wobbled away, gliding to escape. Chapter 197: Believe 3 After repeatedly smashing the riverbank with the large iron ball, The sky gradually darkened, transitioning into a chaotic time. The riverside mud had completely turned into a rugged, broken terrain. Yu Hong stood still, shook the mud and water off the iron ball, and set it aside. He took out an atomic lamp from his lower back and held it high. Once again, he slowly approached the direction of the wooden bridge. Under the green light of the lamp, the previously smashed muddy area revealed the broken wooden bridge once more. ¡®Does it not affect it at all?¡¯ Yu Hong realized in his heart. But this time was different;he didn¡¯t see that strange man in black. The bridge was empty and quiet. The black planks of the bridge extended into the mist ahead, with no end in sight. Standing still, Yu Hong quietly stared at the wooden bridge. A sudden sense of despair rose in his heart. ¡®What¡¯s the point of living in such a world? Constantly struggling for survival, human hope diminishing more and more, not even a moment of leisure can be achieved¡­¡¯ A slight tendency toward self-destruction emerged in his mind. ¡®Wait!¡¯ Suddenly, his Inner Qi circulated and rushed into his brain, reviving Yu Hong¡¯s spirit. He took two steps back, his face showing a trace of lingering fear. ¡®Without the Black Disaster, it¡¯s just a bridge leading to negative thoughts of self-destruction! This place¡­is a bit sinister!¡¯ Yu Hong¡¯s expression shifted slightly as he looked at the empty wooden bridge, wanting to return to the camp. Warm, bright, dry, safe ¨C that was what he most desired. But¡­ This relentlessly approaching wooden bridge gave him considerable unease. ¡®I need to investigate thoroughly¡­otherwise, if it overlaps with the camp and some troubling changes occur, it would be disastrous.¡¯ Having made up his mind, Yu Hong took another two steps back. Suddenly, a shadow dashed out from beside him. It was a dragon lizard! It took the lead and rushed onto the bridge. With the light from the atomic lamp, Yu Hong saw firsthand the dragon lizard step onto the bridge and dash into the mist, disappearing. He quickly tapped into the dragon lizard¡¯s vision. Hiss. Continuous, clear sounds of friction came through;the dragon lizard was moving swiftly across the bridge. Seconds later, it suddenly stopped and reached the end of the wooden bridge. At the end of the bridge lay a wide, pitch-black river, not at all the small creek previously seen. The dark river churned with some unknown viscous masses. On the river, there rested a two-story tall black wooden ship. ¡®A big ship?¡¯ Yu Hong observed the ship through the vision of the dragon lizard. Its shape resembled an ingot, its sides raised and the middle sunken. The hull was black, covered in rotten, hollow traces, and the sails hanging from the mast were like fishing nets, mostly torn. Setting down the atomic lamp, Yu Hong once again looked toward the wooden bridge. It was still shrouded in darkness, nothing could be seen. ¡®Let¡¯s go up and take a look.¡¯ Yu Hong controlled the dragon lizard, which leaped out and easily entered the ship. Inside, the ship was empty. The deck was damaged and decayed, and a skeleton in gray-black clothes was leaning askew against the inner side of the ship, motionless. Zzz. Suddenly, for some unknown reason, the decaying black ship slowly began to move, breaking away from the dock of the wooden bridge, heading deeper into the mist. In no time, the entire black ship vanished, never to reappear. And the vision of the dragon lizard also went black, disconnecting. Yu Hong exhaled and lifted the atomic lamp forward. The wooden bridge ahead had disappeared. ¡®It seems related to the black ship¡­¡¯ He stood still, not moving, deciding to wait and see what would happen next;he didn¡¯t believe that the newly reinforced dragon lizard would just disappear so easily. After a short wait, a blurred vision surged into his mind again. Yu Hong staggered, nearly unable to stay upright. It was the dragon lizard. The dragon lizard was still alive! Swoosh! Quickly, from the darkness, a dragon lizard burst out of the mist, lightly glided past Yu Hong, and stopped on the muddy ground. The dragon lizard returned and stopped by Yu Hong¡¯s side, motionless. Yu Hong squatted down, examining the dragon lizard¡¯s body. ¡®No injuries, it seems the place the black ship went isn¡¯t dangerous.¡¯ After some thought, he ultimately decided not to go in personally. More investigation was needed regarding the black ship. Returning to the camp, he placed the large iron ball in the yard and rinsed it with a hose, restoring it to its previous cleanliness. Then he let the dragon lizard out to continue patrolling the surroundings before Yu Hong returned to the cave, retrieving the recently acquired sunlight paint and the monitoring system. ¡®Once the Array is fully reinforced, I¡¯ll install this.¡¯ Recalling the self-destructive thoughts he had earlier, Yu Hong quickly ate something and started a new round of practice with the Thunderbolt Leg Technique. Inner Qi surged, saving him once before, and evidently, Inner Qi mastery could counteract that mysterious influence. He decided to focus on completing the Thunderbolt Leg Technique mastery. Time slowly passed. Soon, another half day had gone. The second subsidiary Array was successfully integrated soon after. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Wind and Fire Slaughter Spirit Array was further supported, enhancing the safety of the entire camp. Once the Black Mark was free, Yu Hong immediately took out the monitoring system and placed it on the ground. With one hand on it. ¡®Enhance the monitoring system, direction¡­¡¯ Images of perfectly monitoring the surroundings of the camp formed in his mind. At the same time, the energy and nuclear engine connections were being overlaid, along with the change of camouflage color and the enhancement of clarity, as well as the ability to monitor every room in the stone castle and every corner of the camp¡­. Various surveillance system functions were requested by him to be reinforced by the Black Mark. Soon, a black line flashed. The inquiry from the Black Mark appeared, and a countdown was automatically generated. "Enhance the surveillance system?¡± Countdown: 6 days, 12 hours, 8 minutes. ¡°¡­..¡± This time¡­ isn¡¯t it a bit too long? Yu Hong remained silent. But considering the demand for the surveillance system. Plus, the Array had no issues now, and the dragon lizards naturally needed time to integrate into nests. To deal with the approaching trouble similar to the wooden bridge, he still confirmed the initiation of the enhancement. The cardboard box of the surveillance system flickered slightly, and immediately the countdown began. Yu Hong also continued to train hard in the basement. The increasingly dangerous outside world gave him an increasingly strong sense of urgency. One day. Two days. Four days. Six days¡­ The fifth layer of Inner Qi from the Thunderbolt Leg Technique refined forth, And without any surprise, the surveillance was successfully strengthened. Fortunately, during these six days, there hadn¡¯t been any troubling matters, and the surroundings of the camp were still the same as always, seemingly entering a new period of stability. With the continuous increase in Inner Qi, Yu Hong felt his body become more sensitive, and every movement became much more precise than before. Between movements, the changes and transitions became faster and faster. These days, he almost went to check the wooden bridge behind the camp every day, and the bridge was approaching the camp every day. Sometimes it approached quickly, sometimes slowly. By the end of the surveillance system¡¯s enhancement, the wooden bridge was just 200 meters away from reaching the rocky mountain behind the camp. Once it touched the mountain rock, the distance from the cave safe house was just about a dozen meters in a straight line. This was a very dangerous distance. Inside the cave, Yu Hong sat in the second basement level, observing the liquid crystal screens embedded in the wall, which displayed images from inside and outside the camp. "The surveillance provided by Zhang Kaijun inherently had infrared thermal imaging and Red Value radiation imaging capabilities, now with the enhancements, the effect is very good¡­¡± He watched the high-clarity liquid crystal video, quite satisfied. The entire surveillance system covered nearly thirty meters outside the Black Wind Camp as a secondary safety zone. Within this range, the mist couldn¡¯t obstruct the penetrating surveillance. Another surveillance installation was embedded in the mountain above the camp, looking downward. It revealed the entire Black Wind Camp built along the mountain, resembling a huge semicircle facing Baiqiu Village and the forest. Beyond the outer fenced area of the camp, sparse humanoid shadows occasionally appeared. These shadows, just as they appeared in the video, were immediately incinerated by the swiftly passing dragon lizards. Within the thirty meters outside the perimeter of the camp, the density of these shadows was kept quite sparse. Yu Hong expanded this screen with his hand to inspect the details. With the screen¡¯s high clarity, upon enlargement, one could see a dragon lizard breathing fire and killing two newly revived humanoid shadows, then quickly leaving for other areas. "Almost there, the number of dragon lizards can integrate into a nest now. Take advantage of the current stable situation outside.¡± Yu Hong nodded slightly. "Outside of the Black Period, the Earth Pond Dragon Lizards can maintain a large piece of peace in the secondary safety zone. Not bad¡­ Once the nest is established and the numbers rise, we should be able to wrestle a bit with the surrounding high-risk Black Disaster!¡± Inside the basement, a glint of cold light flashed through Yu Hong¡¯s eyes. Always being besieged and intimidated, living in fear, was only because he had no means of counterattack before. Now, with the emergence of the Earth Pond Demon Nest, he saw a glimmer of hope to turn the situation around. Your shadows can revive endlessly, and my demon nest¡¯s dragon lizards can also continuously spawn dragon lizards! When the time comes, we¡¯ll see whose strength is greater, who cleans up the other faster! Having confirmed the perfection of the surveillance. Yu Hong stood up, went to the first floor, left the cave, and followed the pathway all the way into the stone castle. He checked and maintained every breeding box before leaving the stone castle for the newly excavated new stone cave. In the stone cave, wires pulled from the wall connected to a light bulb. Under the bright white light, a total of nine dragon lizards, like nine long black bags, had already been lying on the ground, waiting for a long time. On the gray-white stone walls, various runes he had just engraved covered the surface. This place had already become a semi-hidden space combined with a Luminous Stone Secret Room and concealed runes;as long as the entrance was blocked with rune boards, it was a perfect, sealed hidden space. "Let¡¯s begin.¡± Yu Hong activated a marker for the dragon lizards in his mind. Inside the marker, nine white dots of the dragon lizards, swiftly collided and merged with one another as his consciousness moved them. And in the reality of the cave. The heads of the Earth Pond Dragon Lizards began to move toward the most central one, squeezing together. They quickly squeezed into a meatball. A massive meatball, at least as tall as a person, formed. Hiss. The surface of the meatball suddenly split open with a dark red fissure. Dim red firelight flickered and seeped out from the fissure. Whoosh! Simultaneously, the temperature in the cave began to climb rapidly. A faint burnt odor permeated the air. A noise, like numerous snakes hissing simultaneously, emanated from inside the meatball. Puff! Suddenly, the bottom of the meatball also split open. The opening wriggled and squeezed a few times, then ¡®puffed¡¯ out a white giant egg. The egg, the size of a basketball and covered with gray-black spots, was stained with a lot of transparent mucus. As soon as it came out, it cracked several times, and a black lizard over a meter long emerged from it. The black lizard turned its head a few times to eat the eggshell, shook its body, lay in front of Yu Hong, bowed its head to the ground, and then stopped moving. Chapter 198: Believe in Four "Yes!¡± Yu Hong touched the newly born dragon lizard, feeling its warm and soft scales, estimating it would still need a few more days to mature. This was a type of soldier in his imprinting that didn¡¯t require occupying a light spot, so the number could be limitless, not restricted by imprints. Currently, there were four dragon lizards left outside, freely patrolling and hunting, temporarily reducing the defense force of the camp. But, starting from today, the defensive power of the camp would continually grow. The Earth Pond Dragon Lizards, which were not restricted by numbers, would definitely become the strongest defensive power of the camp! ¡®Wait!¡¯ Suddenly, Yu Hong thought of a problem. ¡®Since the dragon lizards born from the nest are not restricted by the imprint anymore, does this mean this dragon lizard is also not restricted by distance??¡¯ The range limitation of imprinted creatures mainly resulted from the original starting point of the imprint being fixed and unmovable, But now¡­ Yu Hong thought about it and decided to test it. He picked up the little lizard, walked out of the cave, and arranged for an adult dragon lizard to escort it. Big and small, the two dragon lizards vanished into the Black Fog in the blink of an eye, disappearing from sight. In the shared vision, they rapidly moved away from the camp, quickly crossing the highway, rushing down the slope, and reaching the three-kilometer control limit. At that moment, the large Earth Pond Dragon Lizard stopped. The small new-born one, however, continued to move forward. It quickly passed the limit. One hundred meters. Two hundred meters. Four hundred meters! Yu Hong could still sense the new-born dragon lizard was alive;this was the feedback given to him by the magic nest in his imprint. He could vaguely sense the approximate distance of the new-born dragon lizard, but he was unable to directly control it, nor could he share its vision. Instead, he had to give orders indirectly through the magic nest. ¡®It¡¯s a bit inconvenient, but¡­ there¡¯s absolutely no distance limitation now!¡¯ Yu Hong breathed a sigh of relief in his heart. "With this, I can completely bring dragon lizards with me when I go out as guards to patrol the surroundings! This has given my combat strength a considerable boost!¡± Feeling great, Yu Hong returned to the cave, directly reinforced all the remaining luminous stone powder with the Black Mark. Once the enhancement of the luminous stone powder was finished, there were still sunlight materials waiting, and then he continued to strengthen the talisman arrays and dragon lizards. This was his plan. Having confirmed that the dragon lizards could move far from the camp without any trouble, Yu Hong felt much more lively in his thoughts. Once the number of dragon lizards rose, the security of the camp would be greatly assured. He could also free up the Black Mark to research why the Black Disaster couldn¡¯t be completely eradicated. "The Black Disaster can¡¯t be eradicated completely, that¡¯s the conclusion Silver Tower had come to after numerous research experiments,¡± Xin Zhilei, the minister from New Aurora City, replied in a deep voice during their routine communication. "Hasn¡¯t there been any exception?¡± Yu Hong didn¡¯t believe anything was absolute. "Indeed, many institutions are researching this topic,¡± answered Xin Zhilei. ¡°Here in the city, at least three institutions are still delving into this subject, hoping to come up with results. After all, if a way to completely eradicate the Black Disaster can be found, the Black Disasters in the world wouldn¡¯t keep increasing. With the power of human weapons, it¡¯s absolutely possible to quickly eradicate a large number of Black Disasters. But¡­¡± She paused, ¡°The reality is, there¡¯s really no way. The revival of the Black Disaster is completely unaffected by any external factors. We¡¯ve tried to lure Shadows into a sealed room to destroy them. Useless. Using negative radiation at far beyond their tolerance to destroy them, useless as well. We even completely soaked and covered the Shadows¡¯ revival points with luminous stone solution. Still useless. When their revival point was restricted, it just revived somewhere else.¡± "But our human resources are limited¡­¡± Yu Hong said gravely. "Exactly,¡± agreed Xin Zhilei. ¡°Of course, Mr. Yu, you are a very excellent top-notch research and invention expert. Your individual achievements surpass many research institutes¡¯ entire teams of dozens of people. The enhanced detectors and Vortex Talisman Plates and other tools you invented are very powerful. Maybe you could find a new approach, a new direction.¡± "I will try my best,¡± exhaled Yu Hong. ¡°How is the situation with the second survey team?¡± "They are still advancing and have already achieved certain results. We release drones every two days for serial relay connection. The engineering team has also gone to maintain the signal stations. Under stable conditions, as long as it¡¯s not a Black Hour, the signal can stay stable,¡± said Xin Zhilei. "The progress this time has been so rapid, and the physical constitution of the mutants has played a big part,¡± interjected Zhang Kaijun. ¡°During the quiet periods, as long as they stay hidden, they won¡¯t attract the attention and attacks of the Black Disaster. This has given the team a great security guarantee.¡± "According to the latest intelligence, the survey team has found traces left by the Meisha family members at the origin point ruins. The traces are very clear, and I already have photos as evidence,¡± Xin Zhilei said. "Are we certain it was the Meisha who triggered the Black Disaster?¡± Zhang Kaijun¡¯s voice grew colder. "Yes, according to the ancient text content we interpreted. The ruins in Black Tree Village are mainly considered the second node. The ruins¡¯ seal has three major nodes in total, and Flurika¡¯s survey team has already confirmed that one of their origin site ruins is the first node. It seems that the Meisha people thought of some way to break the seal of the ruins,¡± Xin Zhilei said. "Since it¡¯s possible to break it, should it also be possible to repair it?¡± Yu Hong asked. "Possibly, the expert group is already urgently studying it. Right now, the difficulty is that the expert group cannot go to the site to test and take samples. They only obtain samples indirectly through the mutant investigation team and operate remotely, which is very inefficient,¡± Xin Zhilei sighed. "After many failures, their current approach is trying to repair the seal by synthesizing the same materials found through the remnants on the ground and by repairing the ruins¡¯ talisman arrays and runes. But the success rate of this plan isn¡¯t high, so this time I came hoping to obtain your secret technique for hidden rune technology from Mr. Yu. Of course, rest assured, this will be compensated. Our problem with hidden runes is that no matter how precisely we replicate the pattern, we can¡¯t produce the same effect as you do.¡± "I¡¯m very willing to cooperate, but it¡¯s indeed not replicable. When making the hidden runes, besides using the same materials and steps as you, I also used my unique Inner Qi,¡± Yu Hong said frankly. He had not intended to keep secrets, for people were nearly extinct;keeping the secrets of Inner Qi was useless. Except for him, nobody else could cultivate it anyway. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Inner Qi?¡± Xin Zhilei and Zhang Kaijun exclaimed almost in unison. "Is it the Inner Qi mentioned in martial arts novels?¡± Zhang Kaijun was obviously quite surprised. "Yes, it¡¯s not much different,¡± Yu Hong confirmed. ¡°The concealment runes require my infusion of Inner Qi to take effect. The cultivation of Inner Qi is a long, repetitive process. The method I cultivate is only suitable for a part of me, and I¡¯m not sure if it can be replicated by others.¡± "If it¡¯s true, and Mr. Yu isn¡¯t joking, we would like to pay for the cultivation methods of Inner Qi. I wonder if you are willing¡­¡± Xin Zhilei said urgently. "I am, but I can¡¯t guarantee success,¡± Yu Hong held little hope for this. He had gradually discovered from his long practice that the most critical part in his Inner Strength cultivation was the conversion of the Black Mark. That is to say, he first converted the external energy through the Black Mark, then absorbed, contained, and refined it into Inner Qi that belonged to him alone. Moreover, this conversion was specific to the constitution and psyche of his body. Without the Black Mark, it would be difficult for ordinary people outside to cultivate Inner Qi. Soon, both parties, Yu Hong, Zhang Kaijun, and Xin Zhilei, had agreed on the terms of the trade. The two offered two sets of standardized Talisman Plate production lines and transported them over. The production lines¡¯ Talisman Plates could be designed by Yu Hong himself, and they also offered a total of one ton of luminous stone powder. Additionally, there was a full set of the latest technology computer mainframe and twenty pounds of Sunlight No. 9 paint. The supplies and instruments were actually secondary;the transportation was what mattered most. After confirming the details of the trade, since the Internal Cultivation Methods involved a visualization, Yu Hong and the two agreed to conduct a physical transaction in person. Perhaps the urgency of the two sped up the process, or perhaps the route through the Black Disaster Rift had become more stable. On the third day¡¯s grey hour, Shu Cheng came again with his people, bringing the agreed-upon trade items. At the same time, they took away the photo images of Inner Strength cultivation content that Yu Hong had provided. * * * New Aurora City. The gloomy sky was illuminated by the city¡¯s gigantic searchlights. Inside the city stood dilapidated and decaying tall buildings, their surfaces stained with unknown black and grey grime, not cleaned for who knows how long. At the top of the tallest silver-gray skyscraper, Inside a spacious office over five hundred square meters, A woman with silver-grey hair tied into a high ponytail was squinting, staring at the tablet in her hand. The tablet¡¯s screen displayed the Thunderbolt Leg Technique Internal Cultivation Methods recently obtained from Yu Hong. This was the first layer provided by Yu Hong, including the visualization. The text that originally said the Thunderbolt Leg Technique had six layers was removed and changed to a fully handwritten copy. "Still not working?¡± the woman asked in a deep, forceful voice, looking at the content on the screen. "Sorry, Minister, based on actual testing, ordinary people, enhanced people, fully enhanced people, and mutants have all been tried, and none have exhibited any so-called sensation of Qi,¡± an exhausted, elderly male voice responded from the computer¡¯s speakers. "Furthermore, apart from causing a bit of dizziness after looking at the other visualization for too long, there has been no other reaction.¡± "So you mean to say Yu Hong is fooling us with something made up?¡± The woman¡¯s voice turned cold. "We can¡¯t dismiss that possibility¡­¡± the elder responded. "Let it be for now. Continue monitoring the investigation team. Once the template for the compound substance found in the relics is printed out, the door-shaped pattern on that wall should be restorable. Now it depends on whether it will work after we send the repair pattern over,¡± the woman said. "Fortunately, Elder Yang and Professor Boerse teamed up to decipher those mysterious ancient texts, otherwise¡­ we might not even understand where the true source is,¡± the old man sighed. ¡°According to the translation of the ancient texts, as long as the sealing talisman array is completed, it should restore the relics node. My only concern is that I always feel things won¡¯t be that simple.¡± "With the mutants there, we¡¯ll try and see. As long as there¡¯s a glimmer of hope, we must not give up,¡± the woman said solemnly. "Understood!¡± The call ended. The woman set down the tablet and walked to the broken floor-to-ceiling window to overlook the entire city. The strong wind blew, lifting the ponytail hair behind her. She slipped the tablet into the coat pocket of her overcoat, watching the traffic and people below moving like ants. "Xin Zhilei, you shouldn¡¯t have disseminated the Yingshan culture privately.¡± Behind her, a blurry tall figure, wearing a black round hat, appeared in the office out of nowhere. Chapter 199: Key 1 "What? Not send it out and just wait to be engulfed by the Black Disaster, expecting us all to die together?¡± Xin Zhilei turned back, her face cold as she stared at the other. "But outsiders might crack the most crucial secret. That poses a threat to the existence of the association,¡± the shadow retorted discontentedly. "Threat? I have never feared threats. Could the association¡¯s threat possibly be greater than the Black Disaster?¡± Xin Zhilei responded nonchalantly. ¡°I warned you all long ago not to mess around, not to escalate matters! And what happened? You caused trouble and didn¡¯t clean it up! Now this mess has become like this, and you all bear responsibility!!¡± "You should know, your committee has always been watching us. With them in Donghe, we can¡¯t fully mobilize too much power,¡± the shadow replied. "Enough, I didn¡¯t come here to listen to all this nonsense, if there¡¯s something to say, just say it,¡± Xin Zhilei said impatiently. "Furika cleaned up four people on their side, and two escaped to Donghe, you are responsible for dispatching and handling them. Make sure the loose ends are tied up cleanly, any problem with that?¡± the shadow said. "Two?!¡± Xin Zhilei¡¯s expression was fierce, ¡°Are you trying to force me to die!?¡± "You should know, once exposed, none of us can escape,¡± the shadow said blandly. ¡°So, no matter what methods you think of, no matter what means you use, if you don¡¯t want to die, you must deal with it cleanly. Including that investigation team, they will definitely come into contact with the truth, use them thoroughly, then dispose of them.¡± "You guys¡­.!¡± Xin Zhilei wanted to say something, but the person had already turned and swiftly disappeared outside the door. His speed far surpassed that of ordinary people, definitely among the top speed-enhanced individuals. Smack. Xin Zhilei fiercely slapped her palm against the wall, her face looking extremely unpleasant. Her breathing was rapid, after calming herself down shortly after, she picked up a tablet and quickly opened the contact list to reach out to the subordinate units. "What¡¯s the location of the investigation team? How¡¯s the supply of materials?¡± she asked in a low voice. "Everything¡¯s normal, the latest batch of materials has been loaded, about to be transported there using unmanned equipment,¡± the logistic department¡¯s head replied succinctly. "I remember the latest batch included quite a few rune boards and hidden runic luminous stone carpets from Black Wind Camp, right?¡± Xin Zhilei asked. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Yes, a total of five items, and there are two hundred and twenty-one rune boards.¡± "Take half out, send them here. I need them.¡± "But¡­¡± "No buts, the committee has entrusted me with full authority over the investigation team¡¯s affairs, do as I say,¡± Xin Zhilei said sternly. ¡°Once I¡¯ve finished researching here, I¡¯ll send them back over. This is for the safety of everyone, if we can figure out how to replicate and mass-produce, it will provide positive feedback for the entire situation!¡± ¡°¡­Understood.¡± The call ended. Xin Zhilei exhaled. All that talk of research feedback was just her pretext, Black Wind Camp¡¯s goods were excellent, so naturally, she would divert some for her own stockpile first. Since the investigation team was going to die anyway, instead of wasting resources sending it to them, it¡¯s better to surreptitiously save some for herself to save her life. As long as it wasn¡¯t discovered by the committee, everything wouldn¡¯t be an issue. Currently, they were still overwhelmed dealing with the war, the Black Disaster, and the Gate of Despair. Having sacrificed too much elite combat power and equipment to close the Gate of Despair, they had no time to manage minor situations here. * * * Several days later. Behind Black Wind Camp. In the dimly lit forest, a towering figure with a huge spiked iron ball on his back stood beside a stream, quietly watching. The figure was clad in heavy bulletproof gear, with the helmet¡¯s breathing valve continuously exhaling white air. Two massive, pitch-black lizards lay quietly prostrate on the ground, motionless. "It¡¯s getting closer¡­¡± Yu Hong surveyed the surroundings. It was still gray time;the nearby forest had gradually withered and died, devoid of any greenery. Everything visible was scorched black. He looked left and right, and noted wherever this black stream passed, whether trees, rocks, or any landscape, all seemed to be engulfed as if by a gluttonous beast. Wherever the stream passed, everything would restore to its original state, reappearing behind it. He jumped forward using the daylight. The fog dispersed, whisking by his sides;his jump cleared over four or five meters, effortlessly crossing the stream formed by the heavy rain. The other side of the river was just ordinary mountain rocks and black soil. He stomped his feet, the soil underfoot not very hard. He bent down, crouched, and dug up a handful of black soil, soil like modeling clay, very moist, emitting a strong rotting smell. Jumping back to this side, he left a dragon lizard here to watch and hide, then quickly returned to the camp cavern. After completing the monitoring enhancement, in these days, he had continuously enhanced the sunlight paint, transporting the luminous stone. But just as he hadn¡¯t completely finished enhancing the luminous stone, that eerie wooden bridge behind finally approached the range of the cavern¡¯s array. The ensuing array activation also made Yu Hong pause his Cultivation Technique Inner Qi practice and come back again to assess the situation. Sitting in the cavern, Yu Hong closed his eyes and sensed the array marks in his mind. The marks were continuously releasing a faint white light, indicating that the entire array was in active state. The Array inside the mark was a white disk seen from above. On the disk, it clearly marked where the intrusion points were¡ªwherever there was an invasion point, it would flare up red. And at this moment, the red light spot Yu Hong saw was right behind the array. That is, the invasive array was startlingly the eerie wooden bridge that only appeared under the illumination of light. ¡®Trouble¡­ The invasion¡¯s intensity is comparable to about a thousand Red Values of Black Disaster per second¡­ This is like reducing the strength of the entire Array by a thousand every second.¡¯ The Red Value in the invasion range needed to be neutralized by the Array, which was a significant weakening to the entire Array. This didn¡¯t even account for that mysteriously powerful figure that appeared, should that person appear, it would undoubtedly have more than just this level of Red Value intensity. Sitting in front of the basement monitor screen, Yu Hong carefully checked the surrounding camp situation. Apart from sparse shadows occasionally appearing, there wasn¡¯t much trouble around the camp at the moment. High-risk Black Disasters had been dealt with by him previously. Having developed some primary intelligence, they seemingly knew to avoid the camp, not to contact this side, leaving this territory to him. "Perfect, we need to deal with this wooden bridge issue properly.¡± Yu Hong frowned as he stared at the monitor, having a bad feeling about the appearance of this wooden bridge¡­ It could just be the beginning¡ªif not dealt with promptly¡­ Thinking this, he quickly stood up and began gathering all sorts of equipment and weapons he would need for the investigation. Due to the plentiful supply of Large Pyroxene Stones, he was able to restock on Radiation Hand Grenades, making a hundred new ones and carrying a large bag of them on his back. Next, he prepared a large black cloak designed for concealment, supplied and initially enhanced by Zhang Kaijun. It was filled with embedded runes, capable of covering his entire body, masking him, and creating a Pyroxene Secret Room effect, while also being tough enough to provide puncture resistance. Then, he topped up the ammo in his enhanced handgun. He packed a large bag with plenty of drinking water and food, shouldering it too. After these preparations, three days had passed. Yu Hong¡¯s seventh Inner Qi had successfully condensed. Once the ninth was condensed, he would be able to attempt breaking through to the final, sixth layer with his Thunderbolt Leg Technique. Originally, he planned to investigate the mysterious wooden bridge only after his Inner Qi was fully developed, but now there was no time to wait. ¡®If the investigation team simply tries to seal off the Black Disaster without understanding its origin, we might not be able to address the core of the problem,¡¯ he contemplated. He grabbed his things, donned a white bear bulletproof suit, and threw on the thick cloak. Once again, he ventured behind the cave. It was a night dark as ink. No light, except for the white bulbs hung high on wooden poles within the camp, the only source of illumination around. But this light only lit up the camp.;beyond that, the endless Black Fog would swallow everything. There was a clear boundary between the camp¡¯s white light and the external Black Fog created by the Array. Yu Hong stood right at this boundary, holding an atomic lamp flashlight, shining it ahead. The Black Fog illuminated by the green light revealed a vague phantom of a black wooden bridge. Turning off the atomic lamp made the bridge disappear. Turning on the atomic lamp brought it back into view. Turning off the atomic lamp again. Then on again. Suddenly, a pale human face emerged abruptly in front of Yu Hong. The face opened its mouth as if to speak. Bang!! A massive black shadow struck his face, breaking through the face and crashing into the Black Fog. The face dissipated into black smoke and vanished. Yu Hong quickly reeled back in the heavy iron ball. Without the amplification of Inner Qi, even touching the shadow would be impossible. But with Inner Qi covering it, even the shadow crumbled instantly under the ball¡¯s heavy strike. ¡®However, that wasn¡¯t a regular shadow;Red Value showed more than just tens.¡¯ Yu Hong thought this briefly, but didn¡¯t dwell on it much. For him now, anything that could be killed with one iron ball wasn¡¯t a serious threat. Having reassured himself of his readiness, he took a deep breath, stepped forward, and clamped the atomic lamp onto the special hook at his suit¡¯s waist. With a gun in one hand and the iron ball¡¯s chain in the other, he stepped onto the wooden bridge. Creak. At the moment his boots touched the bridge, Yu Hong glanced at the detector. The Red Value was: 1211.541. His expression under the helmet grew slightly grim. He continued forward. Two dragon lizards, one ahead and one behind, guarded him on both sides. He hadn¡¯t walked far when he stopped, crouched down, and picked up a splintered piece of wood from the bridge. As soon as the wood piece was removed from the bridge, it disintegrated into countless wisps of black smoke. Yu Hong¡¯s expression under the helmet tightened slightly;he then took out a prepared wooden spoon, bent over, and scooped up a spoonful of dark black water. Hiss¡­ Similarly, the black river water also steamed into countless wisps of black smoke once removed, leaving the spoon wholly empty, as if it had held nothing from the start. Yu Hong¡¯s gaze grew even heavier. He stood up and continued forward, constantly readying his Inner Qi in his legs, prepared to leap back at any moment, Soon, led by the dragon lizards, a huge, dilapidated Black Ship emerged directly ahead. The ship, hung with torn and hole-riddled sails, fluttered weakly with the breeze, resembling incomplete human skin torn off. Yu Hong stood on the wooden bridge, staring intently at the Black Ship, the detector embedded in his high collar now showing values that were skyrocketing madly. From the initial thousand, it surged to tens, then hundreds of thousands, even reaching over a million! ¡®1273482.124¡¯ Finally, the Red Value stabilized, settling around one million two hundred seventy thousand. ¡®An aggregation of Black Disaster? This ship must be formed from many merged Black Disasters¡­¡¯ Yu Hong by now could vaguely distinguish between a fused body of Black Disaster and a strong individual Black Disaster. Like the previous Speed Man and Insect Man, a high-risk individual Black Disaster would radiate intense Red Value radiation from a distance and possess a powerful oppressive psychic field. However, if it was merely a large number collectively formed by Black Disaster, like the previous masses of shadows surrounding the camp at night, it wouldn¡¯t have such oppressive power. Now, the sensation the Black Ship gave him was similar to when the vast number of shadows had encircled the camp. And not too different from when the clusters of grey-white human hands had attacked the camp. Therefore, though he was tense, he wasn¡¯t fearful or retreating. Standing on the wooden bridge, he didn¡¯t board the ship but instead took a step back and let the Earth Pond Dragon Lizards advance. Chapter 200: Key 198 Hiss! The Dragon Lizard spewed black fire, charging toward the Black Ship. But when the black fire landed on the ship¡¯s body, it extinguished and disappeared in an instant, unable to ignite at all. Yu Hong summoned two more Dragon Lizards to breathe fire together. But it was useless;the black fire couldn¡¯t ignite the Black Ship, not even prolonging the burning. He thought for a moment, took out a Radiation Hand Grenade, pulled out the pin, and tossed it forward. The grenade landed precisely inside the Black Ship, exploding in a ring of strong negative-value radiation. But that ring of negative-value radiation dissipated like a splash of water in the ocean, vanishing in the blink of an eye. Yu Hong furrowed his brows and retreated from the wooden bridge. Returning within the array¡¯s range, he breathed a sigh of relief, his whole body seemingly relaxing from its tension. *¡±Let¡¯s not worry about it for now, see what happens next;if the array can¡¯t withstand it, then think of another solution¡­¡±* The Black Ship was clearly very dangerous. Someone as afraid of death as him would never easily risk his life. Having decided on a plan, Yu Hong circled around and returned to the cave. The empty camp had no other shadow but his own. After dinner, he routinely cultivated Qi, then lay down to rest for a while. Now that the nest had hatched two Dragon Lizards, in addition to the previous four, six Dragon Lizards patrolled around the camp. Coupled with the array¡¯s protection, security was not a major concern. So he slept soundly, feeling quite secure and peaceful. Beep beep beep¡­ He didn¡¯t know how much time had passed when a faint alarm woke him from his sleep. Yu Hong, who had been lying on his back, sat up abruptly, causing his blanket to slide off. Huff¡­ huff¡­ He gasped heavily, wiping the sweat from his forehead. With his eyes closed, more and more red appeared in the array¡¯s imprint in his mind. Yu Hong¡¯s expression became solemn. *¡±The burden on the wooden bridge is heavier!¡±* Previously, it had only been a thousand red values per second consumption, but after waking up, it had increased to sixteen hundred per second! The entire Wind and Fire Slaughter Spirit Array had a maximum output of only twelve thousand per second. But the key was that this was continuous! If not stopped in time, the entire array¡¯s recovery speed would be suppressed, leading to a continuously decreasing total amount. If the consumption rate was greater than the replenishment rate, eventually, all reserves of the array would be completely depleted. *¡±Is this consumption confrontation going to continue indefinitely?¡±* Yu Hong got out of bed, realizing the situation was dire. If the red value consumption was stable, that would be fine;he could slowly devise a solution. But in just a few hours, the red value consumption per second had surged by hundreds. If it kept rising like this until the array was depleted, the negative radiation of the cave safe house couldn¡¯t withstand the erosion of the Black Ship on the wooden bridge. *¡±I must solve this problem: either relocate the cave safe house or deal with the Black Ship, forcing it to change course!¡±* With this in mind, he quickly got up, donned his gear, armed himself, and brought two Dragon Lizards back to the rear of the cave. Standing at the edge of the array, on the black soil, Yu Hong glanced at the detector. *¡±Time: 7:12 AM.¡±* *¡±Red Value: 41.847* He opened the cover of the Atomic Lamp flashlight, and green light fanned out, illuminating the wooden bridge shrouded in the black fog ahead. Swish! On the wooden bridge stood a black shadow with long hair draped down, facing Yu Hong. The moment it was illuminated, circles of invisible waves spread from the shadow, instantly covering all surroundings within hundreds of meters. *¡±Kill him!¡±* Yu Hong commanded in his mind. Ssssshh!! One by one, the Earth Pond Dragon Lizards swiftly rushed over, spewing black fire from all directions. Lines of fire precisely landed on the shadow. But all the fire lines were blocked by an invisible barrier in front of the shadow, and that barrier, like crystal glass, perfectly shielded all the black fire, scattering black sparks. The shadow took a step forward, its figure suddenly flashed. When it reappeared, it was already in front of Yu Hong, reaching out to grab him. Yu Hong wanted to retreat, but oddly, he moved forward, charging toward the shadow. *¡±Again with this directional interference!¡±* His expression changed slightly, and he immediately took a step forward. But this time, strangely, there was no interference;moving forward was still moving forward. The two of them collided in the blink of an eye. Hee hee hee¡­ The shadow let out an eerie laugh of joy, as if pleased with the prospect of a significant gain. It spread its arms, shrouded in swirling black smoke. A faint, indistinct murmur resounded, its language unintelligible, though the tone of joy was clearly discernible. Puff! The two collided completely. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The shadow fully embraced Yu Hong. Countless black smoke rapidly contracted over Yu Hong¡¯s entire body. Huff¡­ In a daze, a faint sound of airflow emerged. Boom!! Followed by a thunderous boom echoing like thunder. Yu Hong jerked his head up, his expression fierce beneath his helmet, as a faint bright white flame ignited over his entire body. The bright and intense flame engulfed him, reaching upward, making him appear to be thoroughly ablaze! He grasped an iron ball with both hands and smashed it forward! Boom!!! The iron ball, burning with Inner Qi¡¯s white flame, carried a terrifying impact, crushing the shadow fiercely. The enormous explosive force compressed, twisted, and shattered half of the shadow¡¯s upper body within moments. The adhesive force of the iron ball prevented the remaining body of the shadow from escaping, drawing it upward, clinging to the ball, spiraling into the air. After several loops, with a crash, the iron ball, dragging the shadow along, flew out, crashing heavily into the distant ground. Amidst the clinking sounds of chains, Yu Hong retracted the iron ball, its surface vacant with nothing remaining. The white flames enveloping him gradually dimmed and disappeared. *¡±The Inner Qi burst consumed three paths¡­ not bad¡­¡±* Yu Hong had thought it would take several Radiation Hand Grenades to resolve the situation, but the Inner Qi burst¡¯s power unexpectedly shredded the opponent¡¯s form completely. Once the form was gone, the shadow seemed to vanish altogether. *¡±Aside from the radiation counterstrike, tearing apart the opponent¡¯s form with Inner Qi appears to be another solution.¡±* *¡±Moreover¡­ now nearing the Sixth Layer, has the Inner Qi burst evolved too?¡±* In the past, no anomalies occurred during an Inner Qi burst, yet now his entire body ignited with white flame. Stabilizing himself, Yu Hong once more looked toward the wooden bridge. This time, he inhaled deeply and sent two Dragon Lizards in. In no time, the two Dragon Lizards reached the Black Ship and charged onto it without hesitation. Before long, the Black Ship began moving slowly, heading into the depths of the black fog. Yu Hong seized the chance to rest and recover his Inner Qi, awaiting the outcome. Before long, in about an hour or so, the two Dragon Lizards swiftly returned from the wooden bridge to the array¡¯s range. They appeared unscathed, without a scratch on them. Yu Hong crouched down, examining them carefully. Soon, he noticed a clue. A thin layer of white dry ash was faintly covering the soles of the two Dragon Lizards. *¡±There was no white ash on the wooden bridge or the ship¡­this ash¡­ should have come from where the Black Ship¡¯s destination is.¡±* Reconfirming there was no danger, Yu Hong sensed the array¡¯s red value resistance;the resistance of the wooden bridge had increased, with several hundred red values per second more consumption in such a short time. *¡±I can¡¯t delay any longer!¡±* He took a deep breath, and with a thought, all the Dragon Lizards in the camp gathered around him. All six of them surrounded him. Sensing the perfected Inner Qi within him, Yu Hong reminisced about the feeling when he shattered the shadow earlier, believing his power was somewhat secure. Thus, he finally lifted his foot and stepped onto the wooden bridge once more. Clack clack clack¡­ Following the wooden bridge all the way forward, he soon saw the dilapidated Black Ship again. The detector¡¯s values spiked to over a million. This time, without hesitation, Yu Hong let the Dragon Lizards board first, then grabbed hold of the ship¡¯s planks, stepping aboard. The dilapidated deck was sturdier than he thought, not collapsing under the weight of his iron ball. Soon, all the Dragon Lizards were aboard. The Black Ship slowly moved forward, heading into the dense, unknown black fog, along the black river. Though the Black Ship wasn¡¯t fast, it seemed to be enveloped in a thick layer of distortion. Looking out through the distortion and the black fog yielded only a blur. Yu Hong mainly tested whether his self-destructive tendencies would intensify aboard the Black Ship. Fortunately, after staying on the ship for a while and confirming there was no issue, without increased burden, he had the Dragon Lizards scout the surroundings, ensuring no Black Disaster was present on the Black Ship. The Black Ship was evidently a vessel leading somewhere, and he needed to confirm whether this means of transportation could ensure safety. Otherwise, leaving with no way back posed an unmanageable risk. * * * The ruins of Black Tree Village. Within a dark, expansive cave, in front of a towering ten-meter-high stone wall. Two fully armed investigation teams had gathered, and someone was working together to use a long metal rod with clamps to press a printed synthetic material model onto the stone wall. This giant stone wall bore an old, massive arch door diagram. The arch door resembled an enormous sphere with countless radial runes intricately etched around it like the sun. Numerous black runes spread outward from the arch door like light. Inside the door were gray-white doors, also covered in countless symbol patterns. Some of these symbol patterns were incomplete or damaged, while others were intact but had surfaces covered with what looked like dried lichen or rock growth. Click. The 3D-printed reparative model piece from New Aurora City fit perfectly into the depiction on the stone wall doors, leaving only a singular circular void in the center. The investigators present couldn¡¯t help but let out faint cheers. Lin Yiyi, Xue Ningning, and Ou Li stood within the group, looking up at this key moment. "It¡¯s finally completed,¡± Xue Ningning sighed, ¡°so now we should be able to complete the sealing of this node.¡± They encountered Yiyi¡¯s second investigation team halfway and had relied on detectors to travel through crevices, shielding themselves with luminous stone blankets during danger, and lying low for hours. The arduous journey finally led them to the investigation team. Thanks to the weapons of the investigation team, they smoothly made it to the Black Tree Village ruins. "No, it¡¯s not right!¡± Yiyi suddenly furrowed her brow as she observed the repairs on the stone wall. Not just her, but a young girl not far away also voiced her dissent. The celebrating investigators slowly quieted down and looked at the two. "What do you mean, Yiyi?¡± The team leader, a tall, slender man named Wu Changsong, asked. He was also a mutant with a unique physique and strong decisiveness, which made him the team leader. "There¡¯s no change at all¡­ Captain, don¡¯t you feel it?¡± The young girl, Aisena, stepped forward. "There¡¯s clearly something crucial missing. I can feel it. That door is missing something key, like a key, to securely lock the gate,¡± Aisena said calmly. Just the day before yesterday, she had celebrated her fourteenth birthday alone¡ªa single candle and a piece of fried dough. If her father, Li Rushan, were still here, he would have prepared a delicious cake for her. Even without a cake, he would have made a pot of sumptuous stew and sung a birthday song for her. With Dad around¡­ She wouldn¡¯t have to think about anything or worry¡­ Regaining her composure, Aisena suppressed the sadness in her heart. "Indeed, something crucial is missing¡ªa key,¡± said a communication officer from the investigation team, his voice clear through his respirator valve. Based on information from Aurora City, after repairing the seal, a stone key taken by the Meisha family must be found and inserted into the center of the stone wall gate to complete the sealing of this node. "Key?¡± Everyone felt a weight in their hearts. "Aurora City¡¯s already tracked down the Meisha family members¡¯ movements near Donghe and mobilized troops to launch a crackdown.¡± Chapter 201: Backstage Squeak. Inside the stone castle of Black Wind Camp. Yu Hong sat by the window, feeling the cool breeze from outside as he carved a new rune board. A few days ago, he tested boarding the ship to ensure his body was fine, and then he returned to create new equipment. He was attempting to carve a three-dimensional rune board, which involved layering multiple runes on the same board to create a combined effect. This way, the different runes could produce a collaborative amplification effect, greatly enhancing the board¡¯s efficiency. He breathed in the fresh air from outside, although the air tainted with toxins left only the strong scent of the filter after passing through the breathing valve. However, Yu Hong *still felt that the air outside seemed fresher*. "Using the Vortex Rune as the core, the Deceleration Rune as an enclosing shell, and the Concealment Rune to further shrink the aura fluctuations to avoid any natural countering effect with the Red Value Radiation in the outside air. Finally¡­¡± He paused. "Finally, further compress the negative radiation inside using the Traction Rune. Enhance the concentration of the radiation energy absorbed and converted by the Vortex Rune to increase the explosion power¡­.¡± Clatter. The last wood chip fell, and the thick wooden board in Yu Hong¡¯s hand was successfully carved. Although it was just a test sample, at the moment of completion, the surface of this brown board, engraved with array patterns, flashed with a glimmer of Inner Qi¡¯s white light. The white light flickered so quickly it was almost as if one¡¯s eyes were playing tricks. Simultaneously, as the white light flashed, this new-type rune board began slowly absorbing and storing the surrounding air¡¯s Red Value. "Nine Vortex Talismen working in tandem, coupled with numerous amplified enhancement designs, this rune board¡¯s power, once fully charged, would likely far exceed that of a Radiation Hand Grenade.¡± "A Radiation Hand Grenade can achieve seven thousand negative radiation, but this one¡­ I wonder how much it can reach?¡± Yu Hong *felt a sense of anticipation*. "After making a few more, it will be time to formally explore the Black Ship.¡± Placing the rune board aside, he noted that it absorbed Red Value better outside, as the air in the cave had such a low concentration of it, resulting in slower replenishment, making it far inferior to the outside. Yu Hong stood up, eyeing the rune board. "With such a size, about as large as a notebook, let¡¯s just call it a Radiation Bomb.¡± These days, he spent his time in the stone castle, alone in the cave, and patrolling the sub-safe zone with the Dragon Lizards. *A sense of loneliness gradually rose in Yu Hong¡¯s heart;apart from the occasional use of the communicator, there was hardly any human voice to be heard most of the time. Sometimes he even felt like his ears were losing their ability to hear. Therefore, he would sometimes talk to himself to stimulate and maintain his hearing ability.* With the clattering footsteps, Yu Hong went downstairs to check the breeding box, taking out the matured mushrooms and lizards, and throwing them into the drying box to make dried mushrooms and jerky. The so-called drying box was actually a sealed wooden iron box connected to the hot water pipe, utilizing the heat from the cooling water pipe, which made the drying process very efficient. It could be completed in just two days. After finishing these tasks, he routinely went to the cave to practice and refine Inner Qi. Then, after preparing all the equipment and supplies, Yu Hong waited until nightfall, picking up his stuff and heading to the back of the cave again. Standing within the array area, close to the stone wall. Behind him was a grayish-white rocky wall, with a few withered, charred vine tendrils hanging down, long dead. Yu Hong stared at the black stream ahead, opening the panel of the atomic lamp on his waist. Swish. Instantly, green light shone out, immediately illuminating the familiar wooden bridge. Yu Hong stood still, his head slightly leaning to the side. Two Dragon Lizards dashed out from beside him, heading onto the wooden bridge. He followed closely behind, with four Dragon Lizards trailing him. This time, he decided to reboard the ship to find out where the Black Ship led and what its connection to the wooden bridge was. All of these needed thorough investigation. Well aware of the creaking sounds, Yu Hong walked slowly on the wooden bridge, periodically glancing tensely to the sides, ready to withdraw at any moment, with Inner Qi coiled around his legs. The pitch-black river water on both sides churned continuously, making sticky sounds, as if something dangerous could leap out at any moment. All the way forward. Fortunately, by the time he reached the Black Ship, no accidents had occurred. Whiz! An Earth Pond Dragon Lizard darted onto the Black Ship first, swiftly searching through it to confirm there was no danger before allowing Yu Hong to get on board. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Crunch. As soon as he stepped onto the ship¡¯s deck, Yu Hong felt an inexplicable mental jolt, with the previous self-destructive tendencies resurfacing in his mind, though instantly dissipated by the Inner Qi. The continuous stream of Inner Qi counteracted the omnipresent self-destructive suggestion in the surrounding environment. *¡±Could this be considered a form of mental pollution?¡± Yu Hong thought apprehensively, carefully estimating the rate of Inner Qi consumption. At the current pace, approximately one stream of Inner Qi could last an hour.* Fortunately, he had abundant Inner Qi, enough to last over a day, temporarily posing no significant issue. The deck of the Black Ship felt like slippery, thick moss underfoot, making it easy to slip if one wasn¡¯t careful. Yu Hong moved cautiously with each step. He surveyed his surroundings. The Black Ship was divided into the bow, midship, and stern. The bow housed a dark, square main control room, where through the broken wooden boards, one could see a rather primitive rotary wheel. The midship had a mast, with tattered black sails hanging from it, on which three indistinct characters could be vaguely seen, ones he didn¡¯t recognize at all. The stern¡¯s railing was already damaged, with black water occasionally splashing up, wetting the deck. A coarse wooden pile protruded upward, with a black anchor tied to it. Yu Hong first headed to the main control room, slightly ducking his head to enter. Besides the main control wheel inside, there were a few cabinets fixed to the floor. A round wooden stool had fallen and shattered on the ground, along with several broken brown pottery shards embedded into the wooden walls, unable to move. Yu Hong reached the cabinet, pulling off the iron lock hanging above it. The rotten wood broke with a tug, and one by one, the cabinets were opened, revealing a mess of rotting, blackened items inside. Rotting wooden meal boxes. A stack of black fabric clothes tied with rope. A pile of black tiny metal bottles of unknown purpose. Yu Hong patiently opened each cabinet, taking out the items inside. Soon, he paused as he extracted a thread-bound, blue leather book from beneath a pile of clothes in one of the cabinets. Opening it revealed densely packed twisted characters he couldn¡¯t recognize, which made him feel dizzy. Though the black print on white paper contained a lot of content¡ª with at least half of the thirty-plus pages written¡ªthe material seemed to have undergone special treatment, showing no signs of decay. Yu Hong decided to take it with him to decipher later. He wasn¡¯t adept in this field, but he knew someone who was. After taking the book, he tilted the metal bottles, finding nothing inside, unsure of their purpose, and once he confirmed there was nothing else worth taking, he tried moving the ship¡¯s wheel. Poof. The entire wheel broke with a gentle twist. ¡°¡­.¡± Yu Hong was speechless, turning to leave the main control room. By this time, the Black Ship had already started moving. The river water on both sides slapped rhythmically against the ship, creating a crisp sound. This sound, paired with the wind blowing over the deck, formed a strange, mournful wail. The wind was a cry, the splash a sob. Yu Hong stood by the ship¡¯s side, gazing at the distant scenery to the side. Shrouded in black mist, nothing could be seen of the distant shore, except a small area illuminated by the green light of the atomic lamp, where a faint black riverbank drifted by. Soon, after about ten minutes had passed. Squeak. The Black Ship slowly decelerated and stopped by a similarly dilapidated black wooden bridge dock. This dock, shorter than the previous one, was about seven or eight meters long. From the Black Ship, Yu Hong could vaguely see the situation on the shore. Yu Hong directed the atomic lamp to shine over, revealing a desolate white shore¡ªbeyond the bridge, the shore was covered with fine, pale gravel. The gravel reflected an even eerier green under the lamp¡¯s illumination. Whoosh. Following Yu Hong¡¯s command, a Dragon Lizard disembarked, darting across the bridge dock and onto the shore. The Dragon Lizard quickly vanished into the black mist, disappearing. Watching the Dragon Lizard disappear, Yu Hong swiftly shared its vision, switching to the Dragon Lizard¡¯s perspective. The pale gravel ground flashed past continuously, gradually turning gray, and darkening. Soon it became black soil. Dry blades of scraggly grass appeared around the Dragon Lizard. It pressed on, soon finding a small square black field ahead. Within the field, everything had decayed, with no crops remaining. Beyond the black field, the Dragon Lizard looked up into the distance, seeing successive patches of black fields stretching far ahead. Farther still, on a high slope, was a cluster of gray and white courtyards. The main gate of the courtyards bore ghastly white lanterns, faintly illuminating the surrounding area. ¡®This place¡­¡¯ Yu Hong frowned, scrutinizing it, *¡¯feels quite off.¡¯* He directed the Dragon Lizard to edge toward the courtyards, but soon after, the Black Ship resumed sailing, and the surroundings were once again enveloped in black mist, vanishing from sight. The shared vision with the Dragon Lizard also disappeared. Shortly after, Yu Hong¡¯s eyes beheld the familiar ruined bridge behind the camp once again. He realized he was back. ¡®Perfect, I¡¯ll test if the Dragon Lizards can stay there longer without anything happening.¡¯*¡¯ Yu Hong jumped off the Black Ship, carrying the book he scavenged, and retraced his steps back across the wooden bridge with the remaining five Dragon Lizards, returning to the array¡¯s range. Quickly back in the cave, Yu Hong took out the recently scavenged book from his bag, gently opening it, finding it completely blank. ¡®???!¡¯ He frowned deeply, attempting to recall the characters with a charcoal pencil, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn¡¯t remember the shapes or contents of the characters. *¡¯Unable to bring it out? How am I supposed to decipher it?¡¯* Checking the time, he swiftly reached the first floor of the cave and activated the communicator. Zhang Kaijun was indeed still online. "Got something?¡± he asked succinctly. "How did you know I had something?¡± Yu Hong felt speechless. "Because you wouldn¡¯t be online otherwise,¡± Zhang Kaijun replied. "There¡¯s a situation¡­.¡± Yu Hong pondered for a moment, deciding not to reveal his exploration of the wooden bridge and Black Ship. Besides him, others might not even be able to enter, as the self-destructive tendencies akin to mental pollution were likely to lead to immediate suicide without the Inner Qi to counteract. So he merely mentioned probing with Inner Qi without results, instead encountering danger. However, elsewhere a peculiar script system was obtained, which he wished to have deciphered. "How to decipher an unknown language? I don¡¯t have any ideas here, hold on, let me get an expert to talk to you.¡± Zhang Kaijun, being quite resourceful, immediately handed over the communicator. After a while, a somewhat weary middle-aged man¡¯s voice came through the communicator. "Hello, Mr. Yu, I am Chen Tingrong from Gray City, specializing in linguistics. Regarding your question, when faced with a completely unheard language system, the most crucial step to learning from scratch is the extensive collection of samples. This includes obtaining diverse samples from various scenarios. Next is identifying the writing system, whether it¡¯s logographic or phonetic, etc. Then, through frequently occurring characters and phrases, determine common vocabulary or grammatical elements¡­.¡± Chapter 202: Behind the Scenes A heap of method steps left Yu Hong¡¯s head spinning, but as a researcher, in order not to be exposed he still managed to seriously pretend he was taking the matter to heart. After the person opposite him had spoken at length, and finally getting to the end, Yu Hong decisively spoke up. "I think I¡¯ve got the general process down;this is a very time-consuming project, isn¡¯t it?¡± "Yes,¡± Chen Tingrong replied, not yet finished. In fact, he wanted to say that it was a rare opportunity to demonstrate one¡¯s value. "So does Gray City have a translation device? I would like to study one,¡± Yu Hong quickly changed the subject. What would he use a translation device for? Of course, for Black Mark Enhancement! "Of course, we have many models, but they¡¯re not much use;the translated languages probably don¡¯t include what you need,¡± Chen Tingrong said. "That¡¯s fine;I plan to modify one myself to make what I need. It so happens that we also have a computer available,¡± Yu Hong replied with an easy smile. ¡°¡­.You¡­¡± Chen Tingrong wanted to say that one person couldn¡¯t possibly handle such a work volume, but considering the other side was the miraculous Black Wind Camp, a place that could come up with unscientific things like Vortex Talisman Plates, maybe they really could pull off some other black tech. Soon, Yu Hong switched to talking with Zhang Kaijun, and the two agreed to purchase devices such as translation machines, recording pens, and a batch of new drones and master control devices. Yu Hong paid with fifty Radiation Hand Grenades. After the communication ended, he once again approached the previously delivered Symbol Production Machine Tool. The long, rectangular machine, under the light, glinted with a pale, oily sheen, featuring computer connection ports and power sockets. Yu Hong positioned the computer and the production line together and then reached out to press down on it. At this moment, the Black Mark had already enhanced some of the luminous stone. Now, whenever he didn¡¯t have a project to enhance, he would let the Black Mark work on the luminous stone. The traded luminous stones were piled up inside the stone castle, and to enhance them all at once would take a very long time. Hence, he planned to use a gradual approach, using his spare time to completely enhance the luminous stone. ¡®Once I solve the automation issue with the production line, I¡¯ll be able to easily produce all sorts of runes I need. By then, the only limitation I¡¯ll have is the amount of Large Pyroxene Stone.¡¯ Yu Hong pondered heavily. ¡®Enhance production line;direction: improve full-automatic function, idiot-proof operation, allowing Inner Qi infusion for simultaneous inscribing, designing new runes on the computer¡­¡¯ He mentally supplied the Black Mark with the features he imagined for the production line. Quickly, a black line flashed by, and a countdown appeared. ¡®7 days, 11 hours, 18 minutes¡¯ ¡®Do you want to enhance the production line?¡¯ the Black Mark asked. "Yes.¡± Yu Hong breathed a sigh of relief;as long as the Black Mark could perform the enhancement, nothing was a problem. Just when his mood relaxed slightly¡ª The array within the mark transformed again, and the Red Value invasion from the Wood Bridge ramped up. Yu Hong¡¯s expression changed slightly as he quickly observed the array;from the array¡¯s response, he could see that the Wood Bridge invasion had reached almost two thousand Red Value inputs per second. ¡®I can¡¯t wait for translation¡­ I must resolve the Wood Bridge issue as soon as possible!¡¯ He resolved in his heart. * * * Black Tree Village ruins. Armored vehicles were covered with thick layers of luminous stone camouflage tarps, slowly moving through the night. The convoy followed a strange route, now turning, now reversing, now stopping altogether. Inside the vehicles, all the investigation teams and the joint military elite had no doubts. This was the path of the Black Disaster Rift, a safe route risked by previous elite joint forces who had explored it. Inside the third armored personnel carrier in the middle. Xue Ningning, Ou Li, Yiyi, and Aisena had all gathered together. Besides them, there were also four other robust male soldiers, ready to deal with emergencies at any moment. Everyone was wearing thick new protective suits, sitting silently in their seats, strapped in with safety belts. Lin Yiyi was continuously flipping through a stack of colorful photos in her hands. They were peculiar traces she had found and photographed inside the ruins, around the village. These peculiar traces were left by her father and grandfather before the outbreak of the Black Disaster. "Where on earth are you¡­?¡± Yiyi whispered softly. "Yiyi, after this mission, I¡¯ll accompany you to the big outpost near the Black Tree Village survivors¡¯ concentration to investigate,¡± Xue Ningning said in a deep voice. "No¡­ it¡¯s okay, I can¡­ go by myself!¡± Lin Yiyi shook her head. "Anyway, we are now on a mission to capture Sean from the Meisha family. Although we¡¯re not the first investigation team, let¡¯s adjust our condition as much as we can. I¡¯ve heard that Sean Meisha is quite a handful. If you¡¯re this distracted, it could be very dangerous,¡± Xue Ningning murmured a warning. Beside her, Ou Li was holding his own chest, muttering under his breath, praying, or perhaps doing something else. "I¡­¡± Lin Yiyi wanted to say something more. Suddenly, from outside, a deep roar approached, like a wild beast. Boom!! The leading armored vehicle fired a grenade launcher;the explosion illuminated the surroundings momentarily. But, unfortunately, the opponent was too fast. A huge boom. The mysterious shadow harshly collided with the first armored vehicle, flipping it on its side. It rolled several times before crashing against the mountainside beside the road. The shadow turned around and charged toward the remaining armored vehicles. Boom! The armored vehicle carrying Yiyi and her companions was flipped over by a second impact. Everyone screamed as the world spun around them, rolling over a dozen times before coming to a jarring halt. The sound of heavy machine guns erupted outside, followed by continuous explosions. Inside the vehicle, Lin Yiyi quickly unbuckled her seatbelt, preparing to make her escape, but immediately the armored vehicle was lifted by a great force and harshly smashed back down to the ground. Boom! The body of the vehicle bent and caved inward, throwing Lin Yiyi and the others heavily against the inner walls. This collision was as severe as being struck by a high-speed vehicle. Yiyi felt dizzy, blood seeping from her nose and mouth. With difficulty, she crawled over to the others to help them release their seatbelts. The hissing of leaking fuel could be heard inside the vehicle;they had to escape immediately. Otherwise¡­ Once they managed to escape the armored vehicle with great difficulty, The outside world was already a wreck, filled with ceaseless gunfire and explosions, armed helicopters strafing with their searchlights at low altitude, and Radiation Hand Grenades being thrown intermittently, combined with the bombing of enhanced pyroxene explosives to target the eerie shadow. "Quick! Over here, someone¡¯s injured!¡± Yiyi collapsed on the ground, carrying Ou Li and Aisena on her back and shoulders, while Xue Ningning, also covered in blood with a blurred consciousness, followed behind. "It¡¯s a level seven Black Blood Rhino! Good thing Minister Xin realized something was wrong and called for support in time. Hurry, hurry! First, let¡¯s stop their bleeding, give them oxygen!¡± Voices surrounded the mutant humans, and Lin Yiyi, fading in and out of consciousness, could no longer hold on and slipped into unconsciousness. She was a mutant, with a strong constitution and a significant advantage against the Black Disaster, but this did not mean she could maintain that advantage in the face of human firearms. Before she fell asleep, she could continuously hear the soldiers of the Allied Forces thanking Minister Xin Zhilei. * * * Several days later. Black Wind Camp. Yu Hong looked grim as he watched the camp¡¯s defensive Array, its power now reduced to only about two thousand units of radiation damage per second due to counter-corrosion. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Red Value had invaded faster than he anticipated. ¡®If this continues, the Array¡¯s reserve of radiation energy will be depleted, and the entire camp will be unable to resist the Black Disaster from outside. Reliance on dragon lizards is pointless;there are only seven so far, far from enough.¡¯ He turned around, donned his full gear, and returned to the front of the wooden bridge. This time, he did not hesitate;he walked straight onto the Black Ship along the bridge. The Black Ship moved slowly away from the bridge, silent and noiseless. Yu Hong¡¯s face under the helmet regained its calm. ¡®In these days, I¡¯ve been replacing the dragon lizards to explore that region every day. The lizards are unharmed and have survived, so it seems there shouldn¡¯t be any significant problem if I go there myself. The key is to find a clue to remove the Red Value elevation from the wooden bridge.¡¯ Shu Cheng had sent a translator device, which was immediately enhanced upon arrival. The previously enhanced production line had also manufactured a batch of Radiation Hand Grenades in preparation. For this operation, he was wearing an enhanced White Bear suit that had been coated on the inside with Sunlight Paint, which effectively repelled the Black Disaster and cloaked his presence. These were all things he had desperately wanted before, but, after contacting the main stronghold, all he needed to do was make a request to naturally acquire them. Moreover, he even approached Gray City and the new Aurora City with a request to collect an entirely new set of rune symbols. There was definitely a complete set of new symbols from major ruins available in Aurora City, which were now en route. ¡®If I had a choice, I¡¯d like to make complete preparations and wait until my Inner Qi was complete before departing. But¡­¡¯ He stood on the ship¡¯s deck, and soon, the side of the ship became partly visible as the Black Fog began to dissipate in the light of the atomic lamp, revealing a mysterious and unfamiliar dock. The dock was filled with gray-white fine sand, and two black dragon lizards had already been waiting on the sand for some time. These were the dragon lizards that Yu Hong had previously left behind for experiments. Boom. The Black Ship docked, coming to a stop. Without a word, Yu Hong disembarked and steadily stepped onto the gray-white sand. Just as he left the camp and stepped into the mysterious area, In Black Wind Camp, Outside the fence, a series of blurry figures emerged within the Black Fog, encircling the entire camp. Behind the multitude of figures, a mysterious person wrapped in a black suit¡ªhis eyes also covered with dark red glasses¡ªstood between the branches of a tree, watching the camp. "This is the only surviving camp in the surrounding area¡­ quite intriguing. It¡¯s remarkable that a single person could have lasted this long amidst the layered Black Disaster¡­ This Yu Hong definitely possesses a secret that must not be divulged¡­¡± The mysterious person muttered to himself as if conversing with someone unseen. "Sister Lei suggests we probe a little to see what exactly he relies on to survive in the Black Disaster,¡± another person¡¯s voice came from within the Black Fog. "Based on the cloud map observations, negative radiation inside the camp has reduced a lot. It¡¯s a good chance to test his defense mechanisms,¡± the mysterious person laughed¡ªa neurotic kind of laughter. "You try first. If the area is too clean and ordinary shadow baits can¡¯t breach through, we¡¯ll join forces and lure something more dangerous over,¡± another person said. "It¡¯s no use. The protective effects of the serum can¡¯t deceive Black Disasters above level six. According to the records, this camp has previously resisted level eight Insect Men and Speed Men,¡± the mysterious person said unconcernedly, ¡°So our target should be to observe, collect data and intelligence to figure out what Yu Hong relies on to combat high-risk Black Disasters. And ultimately, use the collected intelligence to find a vulnerability.¡± "Why do we have to deal with this person? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to include such a high-skilled research talent directly into the Association?¡± the other person asked, puzzled. "You¡¯re not wrong, but if this person lacks nothing and can resist high-risk Black Disasters, then why would he need to join the Association?¡± The mysterious person smiled. ¡°That¡¯s why what we need to do is destroy his reliance, make him need the Association¡­ our help¡­¡± Chapter 203: Behind the Scenes 201 Mysterious dock. Yu Hong, guided by the atomic lamp, was escorted by dragon lizards from all directions as soon as he disembarked, quickly making his way to the mansion. In the darkness, there were fields of decay surrounding him. Between the abandoned, rotting fields, a grey path was lit up in a ghastly green hue, winding and twisting its way to the mansion¡¯s grand gates. Yu Hong was now walking on this path. He kept surveying his surroundings, peering into the fields of decay where he could faintly make out shadowy figures that stood silent among the overgrowth, unmoving, as if they were farmers at work. ¡®These figures weren¡¯t here when the dragon lizards came before¡­¡¯ Yu Hong¡¯s mind grew cautious. But he dared not slow down, for through calculation, the Black Ship¡¯s docking time was limited to twenty minutes. If he couldn¡¯t complete his exploration within twenty minutes, he would have to suffer staying in this enigmatic zone for twenty-four hours. This was something he couldn¡¯t tolerate. He ran along the path, and soon, a few dozen meters ahead would take him to the mansion. Suddenly, a figure in a black robe burst out from the fields of decay on his right. Hee hee hee¡­ The figure let out a sinister laugh, emitting an invisible disturbance. In an instant, the disturbance enveloped Yu Hong, reversing his forward momentum to retreat. "Hmm!?¡± Yu Hong¡¯s stride faltered. "The same Black Disaster as before, it wasn¡¯t an isolated event¡­¡± He realized his sense of direction was being interfered with, so he stood still instead, and reached over his shoulder to retrieve the large iron ball. The dragon lizards scattered into the fields, each entering the decay to guard the surrounding area, preventing any other Black Disasters from ambushing. Whoosh!! The iron ball started to rotate above Yu Hong¡¯s head, creating a whooshing sound as it cut through the air. Inner Qi covered the surface of the iron ball, emitting a faint pearlescent glow. Thud!! As the iron ball spun in circles, it naturally swept over every figure in the vicinity, and within a few rotations, it struck the figure in the black robe with extremely high speed. The enormous weight, amplified by Inner Qi, instantly shattered the figure into dust, which dissipated as black smoke. The wave of distortion affecting the direction disappeared at once. Yu Hong reeled in the iron ball and strode forward. ¡®Mixing up my sense of direction is no big deal, as long as I sweep over every area within my vicinity, standing still will also solve the problem.¡¯ This was the solution he had come up with. Crossing the last few dozen meters, Yu Hong finally stood before the gates of the white mansion. Outside the gates, two pale lanterns shed a foreboding white light. A couplet was hung on the door along with a horizontal inscription, but Yu Hong couldn¡¯t recognize the characters. Creak. As if sensing Yu Hong¡¯s arrival, the mansion gates slowly opened by themselves, revealing the scene inside. In the courtyard, a massive landscape garden was enclosed within the grey-white walls. Inside the garden were rockeries, streams, pavilions, and water wheels ¨C the scenery was exquisitely crafted. Aside from the landscape, what caught Yu Hong¡¯s keen attention was a black stone sculpture placed at the center of the courtyard. The sculpture resembled a dog, or perhaps a fox, pitch black with a few irregular, asymmetrical horns protruding from its forehead and squatting in the center of the courtyard, facing Yu Hong. Crack. The surface of the sculpture quickly fractured, splitting along lines as if something inside was attempting to break free. Whoosh! An iron ball, whistling through the air, smashed fiercely towards the sculpture. With a weight of over five tons combined with the impact force unleashed by Yu Hong, it thundered towards the upper part of the sculpture. At the same time, the upper body of the sculpture completely shattered, birthing a monstrous, blood-covered canine creature. The creature had barely pushed out its head and opened its mouth to howl when ¨C Boom!!! The iron ball crashed down, Inner Qi white light accelerated the impact, pressing down in an instant. The ground trembled violently, and a large pit appeared out of nowhere at the center of the courtyard. The monstrous canine was reduced to mincemeat, its sounds silenced, crushed beneath the iron ball and slowly steaming into black smoke, vanishing into nothing. Yu Hong, his expression calm, grabbed the chain and pulled back the iron ball. So, the people who wait for the enemy to finish transforming before they act in critical moments, just how foolish are they? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to strike while they¡¯re vulnerable? He stepped into the courtyard, Looking around. Hee hee hee¡­ Suddenly, a laugh came from a building on the left. Boom! The iron ball shot out, smashing through the building¡¯s railing and into the room from where the laughter emerged. The wall collapsed, the wooden door shattered, and black smoke billowed. Yu Hong yanked back the iron ball, his face expressionless. Hee hee¡­ Boom! Laughter came from the right building, which was cut off midway by the iron ball that crashed through the wall and into the room, instantly disappearing. It seemed that the enemy was provoked. From the depths of the mansion, a deep roar rose swiftly. Whoosh ¨C a sound of air being torn came from afar. Leaping from the depths of the mansion, a huge shadow suddenly sprang up. It was an individual swollen all over, clad in heavy, dark armor ¨C a chubby figure. He wore no helmet;his face was filled with stitched cuts, his flesh pale ¨C the visage of a waterlogged, swollen corpse. Standing three meters tall, his leap brought a wicked wind, thunderously bearing down on Yu Hong. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Hahaha!¡± The fat figure was no longer laughing playfully but roared with arrogant laughter. Its palms outstretched, sharp purple nails aimed at Yu Hong¡¯s head. Thump!!! What greeted him was a huge iron sphere with a diameter of one meter. The iron ball, whipped out at high speed like a cannonball, hit the fat man squarely in the chest mid-air. The immense impact force smashed him down on the spot, breaking his armor, and sending flesh and blood flying in every direction. His strange laughter abruptly ceased as his hefty body crashed down, breaking a section of the surrounding wall, and then all was silent. Whirr. Yu Hong grabbed the chain and retracted the iron ball. "So weak and yet you dare laugh in my face? Hmph.¡± He shook his head slightly, carrying the iron ball drenched with white blood and flesh, and walked towards the depths of the mansion. He hadn¡¯t walked far when a gaunt, three-meter-tall shadow that was thin as a stick and shrieking, burst out of a room and pounced towards him at top speed. With a muffled thud, the tall thin shadow was smashed back the way it came. The room he was in was instantly crushed, and even the wall where the room¡¯s door was located collapsed completely. ¡®With the strength of the Erosion Array at the wooden bridge, it¡¯s impossible that this place is full of such garbage¡­ Come out, don¡¯t hide¡­¡¯ Yu Hong muttered to himself. He walked straight towards the depths of the mansion, smashing an iron ball through any loft he encountered, and likewise, crushing any surrounding wall to pass through. He never took the indirect route. Anything that dared make a sound nearby was met with a devastating blow from the ball. At first, many things in the mansion made quite the commotion, but later it seemed they all understood that whoever made a noise would be going to their demise, and thus, silence prevailed. In less than ten minutes, Yu Hong had directly arrived at the deepest part of the mansion. A large garden overgrown with weeds. The black weeds were nearly half a person tall, hiding much of the garden¡¯s original layout. In the very center of the garden was an altar. A long altar that seemed to be used for conducting ceremonies, paying homage to the heavens and earth. On it were offerings, an incense burner, a short sword, some tied-up unknown grass roots, and a roll of cloth scriptures weighed down with a black stone. Out of these, the incense burner was continuously emitting a thin stream of black smoke. Before even getting close, the readings on Yu Hong¡¯s detection device skyrocketed. Since entering, the detector¡¯s readings had been jumping between several tens of thousands and over a hundred thousand. But at this moment, the numbers on the LCD screen quickly soared above three hundred thousand and continued to climb. Four hundred thousand. Five hundred thousand. Seven hundred thousand¡­ The detector finally stabilized around a Red Value of eight hundred sixty thousand. Yu Hong stopped in his tracks and stared intently at the altar without moving. ¡®Even a level eight Black Disaster only clocked in at around a hundred thousand Red Value, and this eight hundred sixty thousand Red Value is just from keeping my distance¡­ It seems that this thing is likely the core of this place¡­¡¯ During these days, he had conducted tests using dragon lizards and knew that this area was an isolated island. Surrounded by black river water that flowed unceasingly. The only thing of exploratory value on the island was this mansion. And now, he felt that he had probably found the source behind the Erosion Array that infiltrated the wooden bridge¡­ ¡®What to do?¡¯ He observed the altar, especially the incense burner, which looked very dangerous. ¡®Only eight minutes left, I must make a decision quickly.¡¯ Looking at the incense burner, Yu Hong pondered for a moment, then took down the iron ball, grabbed the chain, and started swinging it over his head, circling round and round. The iron ball¡¯s circling speed steadily increased. Faster and faster, more and more urgent. The whooshing gradually turned into a heavy wailing sound. Whoosh¡­ Whoosh¡­ A immense wailing sound, under the infusion of Inner Qi, slowly turned into a bizarre laugh. Tiny white flames began to burn on the surface of the sphere. Boom! In an instant, the speed of the iron ball peaked and it was hurled forward. Turned into a dark shadow, it smashed towards the altar¡¯s incense burner. The black smoke billowing from the incense burner suddenly condensed at that moment, turning into a giant hand, a hand measuring four to five meters in length and as thick as a bathtub, reaching out to catch the flying iron ball. The iron ball and the giant hand collided in midair. Hum!!! Amid the massive impact sound, a circle of gray transparent ripples spread out around them. The iron ball was sent flying back and caught by Yu Hong with both hands, but the tremendous force of the collision also propelled him backwards, slamming him hard into a white wall. As bricks and stones tumbled down, dust flew up. Yu Hong stood up straight from the rubble, inspecting the large iron ball with its spikes broken off. ¡®Very strong force, but it seems¡­ it hasn¡¯t managed to pose a threat to me¡­¡¯ He set down the iron ball, unscathed, with only his gloves gripping the ball twisted and distorted, with fragments of metal broken off like the ends of snapped sugarcane, full of spikes. He simply removed the gloves and discarded them. Inner Qi continuously surged through him. A white flame began to glow and burn on his shoulders, head, and arms, surging and leaping into the sky. The Thunderbolt Transformation of the Fifth Layer was running at full strength. A faint laughter, mad and unrestrained, emerged from the surrounding air, the kind that only manifested when the Thunderbolt Leg Technique was used with full force. Yet, it was abnormal that it had appeared now without being used. "Let¡¯s see if I can kill you¡­¡± Yu Hong crouched, once again embracing the iron ball. His eyes grew dark as if he were a predator about to hunt. Beep, beep, beep¡­ Just then, the detector on his collar suddenly emitted an alarm sound. The time had come!! The Black Ship was about to leave!! The alarm was set a few minutes ahead as a buffer for the return journey. Yu Hong¡¯s eyes swiftly lost their murderous intent, and the Inner Qi flames around him instantly dimmed and died. ¡®Such a pity¡­¡¯ He glanced at the giant dark hand one last time, then turned and left without hesitation. Along the way, the dragon lizards he controlled had already gathered the remains of the Black Disasters he had just crushed, their mouths bulging as they followed him in a quick retreat. After Yu Hong left, the massive dark hand dissolved once again into black smoke and returned to the incense burner. However, having been so fiercely smashed just now, the black smoke emanating from the incense burner seemed to have weakened slightly. Chapter 204: Behind the Scenes 202 Pfft pfft pfft! Inside the Black Wind Camp. Transparent air currents rose up like crows, constantly attacking the massive influx of shadows. The shadows fell one after another, as if something extremely tempting within the camp was luring them, each recklessly charging toward the stone castle. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. There were at least a thousand shadows surrounding it, layer upon layer, among which several huge figures called Big Skin joined the siege. Outside the camp, looking at the air current crows condensed by the Array. A mysterious figure stood on a tree branch, eyes wide with shock. "What the hell is that thing? Can it even condense into little birds? Is it some kind of naked-eye special effect or some light and shadow technology?¡± "It¡¯s not a special effect¡­ It should be a special attack deliberately shaped like crows. Just not sure what kind of attack it is¡­¡± Another voice also carried a hint of incomprehension and doubt. "This camp definitely has a problem! And a big one at that!¡± the mysterious person said gravely. ¡°It seems that Yu Hong is not here, which is convenient for us to make our move.¡± "If we¡¯re going to act, we need to do it quickly,¡± another agreed. Without another word, the mysterious figure swiftly retreated, vanishing for a while. A few minutes later, he reappeared on the tree branch, now with a dark, shoulder-mounted rocket-propelled grenade launcher on his shoulder. In other words, a man-portable rocket launcher. Aiming at the ground of the camp, the mysterious figure unlocked the safety, corrected the trajectory, and violently pressed the launch button. Swish! A streak of red light turned into a scarlet line, shooting out at a speed of hundreds of meters per second, flying into the mid-air of the camp, and crashing diagonally into the ground. Boom!!! A ball of fiery yellow flames burst open in an instant. But eerily, the instant the fireball exploded, it was met by a swarm of air current crows, which darted out and positioned themselves in front of the Array. The Array¡¯s automatically triggered air current crows, which were meant to slow things down, ironically became a shield to block the explosion. The wind component of the Wind and Fire Slaughter Spirit Array twisted the direction of the blast instantly. The fire component, which gifted the Array with a strong resistance to high temperatures, had no fear of the scorching heat. Thus, the explosion of the rocket-propelled grenade, where most of the lethal force was centered, became merely a force of impact. "Eh? This defense mechanism can even block a man-portable rocket?!¡± the mysterious person put down the emptied launcher tube, voice filled with surprise. "One more shot, this mechanism is almost done for. I saw something silver-white in the crater blasted by the explosion;it must be the base component of this defense system. Just destroy this part and it should be finished,¡± another person whispered in the dark. Hearing this, the mysterious individual carefully looked at the Array and indeed saw that the silver metallic components exposed in the crater, now slightly deformed and showing faint cracks. And the influx of shadows around them was becoming smoother. It was evident that the camp¡¯s defense mechanism had weakened considerably. "Then let¡¯s do this again.¡± The mysterious person chuckled. He reached into his backpack and pulled out another man-portable rocket, which was as long as a forearm, and loaded it into the launcher. Then shouldered it and aimed. "Wait! Yu Hong is back, we need to leave immediately! I¡¯ve detected his individual reaction!¡± Another voice suddenly urged. ¡°Shall we deal with him directly?¡± "No, it won¡¯t be good if we hurt him and mess up Sister Thunderbolt¡¯s plan. Let¡¯s go, retreat.¡± Without another word, the mysterious figure turned and walked away. In the blink of an eye, he jumped onto a tree branch behind him, somersaulted in the air, and disappeared into the depths of the Black Fog. "Wait, no, that¡¯s not right! Yu Hong is approaching, and his speed is¡­!!¡± Suddenly, the voice of the other person became distorted, the latter half unsaid. A burly figure abruptly appeared behind the mysterious person. "Thunderbolt.¡± Snap. A large hand grabbed the mysterious person¡¯s right ankle mid-air. The immense force made it impossible for him to break free. "Wait¡­ I am¡­!!¡± The person under the helmet had an extreme change in expression and started to shout urgently. In an instant, he was grabbed by one leg and slammed down violently. Bang!! The ground trembled slightly. The mysterious person¡¯s right leg was completely smashed, and he lay on the ground, his black bodysuit torn open in several places, his glasses shattered, revealing a pair of pale and pupil-less eerie eyes underneath. His broken right leg was fractured from the thigh, but no blood flowed out, only a pile of twisted and broken silver-black metallic parts. "I¡­¡± The mysterious person opened his mouth, wanting to say something else. But Yu Hong grabbed his hair with one hand and lifted him up. "Where¡¯s the other one?¡± he asked in a deep voice. "You, you can¡¯t do this to me¡­ We, we mean no harm to you!¡± the mysterious person said in a disjointed manner. "No harm?¡± Yu Hong glanced at the rocket launcher lying on the ground. "It was just a test, to see if you were qualified to join our ranks¡­¡± the mysterious person quickly said. "A test? Haha, you¡¯re so weak and still have the nerve to talk about a test?¡± Yu Hong couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°What makes you think I would want to join you? Because you¡¯re weak enough?¡± ¡°¡­¡± The mysterious person clenched his teeth;he was still somewhat bewildered. According to the intelligence, Yu Hong had decent combat skills, and with the right equipment and weapons, he was almost as strong as the top enhanced individuals. But now¡­ This was on par with the top enhanced individuals!? He suddenly realized that the association had a huge error in their intelligence on Yu Hong and Black Wind Camp. "Yu Hong, an individual¡¯s power is limited. You are stronger than us, but you can never ensure your absolute safety,¡± a second voice also rang out from the surroundings. "The Black Disaster is endless. As a researcher, you must know this. But we have a way to avoid it! Just join us!¡± the voice said. "So is that why you brought a rocket launcher to blow up my camp?¡± Yu Hong retorted. ¡°¡­¡± Both went silent. "This is actually a misunderstanding¡­¡± the mysterious person said with difficulty. ¡°We were just testing the limit of your camp¡¯s defensive capabilities¡­¡± Boom! Yu Hong slapped the person¡¯s face with a backhand. The immense force instantly broke his neck. Crack. A symphony of breaking bones. The mysterious man died on the spot. His head was limp, hanging by a layer of skin on the left side. "I was just testing the protective limits of your cervical spine,¡± Yu Hong said coldly. ¡°¡­¡± The other person had no words in response. Several seconds later, he spoke in a dry voice. "Yu Hong, you will regret this¡­ you have no idea what you¡¯ve missed¡­¡± Whoosh! Suddenly, Yu Hong turned his head to look to the front left, his body flaring with a white light, and disappeared on the spot. In the black forestland. A blurry human figure was frantically sprinting, attempting to escape into the distance. But as he ran desperately, a burly figure suddenly appeared on the open ground beside him. It was Yu Hong. "Being able to run around aimlessly, even with the Black Disaster all around, it seems like you have something to rely on,¡± Yu Hong said calmly as he ran. His breathing wasn¡¯t the least bit ragged from the sprinting. Only a speed far exceeding his current one would result in such calmness. Realizing he couldn¡¯t escape, the man finally slowed down abruptly and halted. "My speed has already reached the limits of the enhanced humans! How can you catch up so easily¡­¡± Beep beep beep¡­ Suddenly, Yu Hong¡¯s expression shifted, and in the blink of an eye, he backed away, retreating a dozen meters in an instant. Boom!! The mysterious man¡¯s body suddenly exploded, orange-yellow flames engulfing the area seven or eight meters around him. Flesh burst forth alongside the high-temperature flames, shattering the nearby mud, stones, and trees. Yu Hong raised a hand to shield his face, the bulletproof suit he wore slightly charred. As for the impact, it merely caused his body to sway a little. Lowering his hand, he looked at the deep crater created by the explosion, narrowing his eyes. ¡®In such a perilous situation, to encounter an organization that uses implanted bombs to control life and death?¡¯ If it were peacetime, he would believe it, but now, in an age close to the apocalypse, such an organization¡¯s threat of implanting bombs had little, if any, deterrence for people already facing death at any moment. ¡®If the bomb¡¯s deterrence isn¡¯t strong, then the purpose of this bomb is a bit interesting¡­¡¯ He moved forward and quickly cleaned up the remnants of the other person. Unfortunately, all items had been shattered by the explosion. Unrecognizable. Returning to the body of the other person he had come across earlier, to his surprise, that body had also exploded. There was just a charred pit left, with the edges of the surrounding trees ignited, glowing with specks of red light. * * * White Moth Mountain Range. Within the massive mountain range that spans the middle of Donghe territory. A line of ambulances, flashing red and green lights, were speedily returning in the direction of New Aurora City under the guard of armored vehicles, along the fissures. Due to the Black Disaster¡¯s attack on the investigative troops ahead, causing severe casualties, this batch of ambulances was specially tasked with transporting the wounded back for recuperation. Lin Yiyi and others were also aboard. She and Xue Ningning were transported separately because her constitution made her injuries relatively lighter, so her transport priority was later. It was the gray hour. The dark mountain roads amidst the pitch-black mountains had no moonlight, illuminated only by the lights of the vehicles. The convoy seemed to blindly navigate through a dark fog. Without the satellite navigation in the vehicles, they would not even know how to return. Lin Yiyi sat propped up in the ambulance bed, glancing sideways at the road rushing by outside. The severe dizziness from the violent impact still persisted in her mind. "Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ve driven this route many times;it¡¯s one of the most stable fissures. On either side, there are Level 9 group-living Black Disasters, equally matched, and neither side can cross this boundary,¡± the caring nurse assured her gently. "I¡­ don¡¯t want to go back¡­.¡± Yiyi shook her head. Her injuries were not too serious, and she did not need to go back for recuperation. Having just found a trace of her father and grandfather, she was impatient in her heart, eager to immediately pursue the next clue. "But no matter what you do, you need a healthy¡­¡± the nurse continued. Boom!!! Suddenly, a huge noise startled Lin Yiyi into a daze. She and the nurse both clutched their ears, pressing against the side of the vehicle. Outside the window, an armored vehicle in front was lifted off the ground, tumbling past the window. "Get out!¡± the nurse yelled sternly. She pulled Yiyi open the door and rolled out. Just as they had jumped out, a large, rotting, gray-white spider suddenly pounced from above the ambulance. The spider was over the height of a person, its eight legs spread out, like a giant long-legged washbasin atop the vehicle¡¯s roof. Its legs gently pierced into the vehicle as if searching for the living inside. Gunfire rang incessantly, and Lin Yiyi, in a daze, was pulled by the nurse into a frantic run, fleeing aimlessly in an unknown direction. Before they knew it, they had entered a pitch-black cave and hid behind a large rock, covering themselves with a luminous stone blanket, daring not to breathe too loudly. Outside, the continuous sounds of brutal screaming and explosions could be heard, as the nurse trembled all over, silently shedding tears. Yiyi could only tightly grasp her hand, trying to offer comfort. "That¡¯s a Blood-eating Dragon, they are most attracted to moving things and are unaffected by any shielding devices.¡± Just as the two were in extreme anxiety, from deeper within the cave, suddenly a despondent male voice was heard. Chapter 205: Exploration Inside the Black Wind Camp. Yu Hong scavenged the remnants of two corpses but, after some time, found nothing of value;everything had been scorched by high temperatures, making it impossible to identify the original items. He frowned and first approached the translation device being enhanced. The translator on the wooden table was a palm-sized, black, square metal box with a large LCD screen embedded on top, complete with full-color touch display. A camera and microphone were attached to the edges, enabling real-time translation of external speech. At this moment, the countdown on the translator¡¯s surface indicated that only a few minutes remained. Yu Hong wiped his forehead, sweat dripping from his body after returning from a workout;he decided to remove his clothes and take a quick shower. Sss. He opened the cooling water pipe;the hot water flowing out seemed slightly less than before. Yu Hong watched the water flow, recalling yesterday¡¯s flow was as thick as a banana, whereas today, it was only the thickness of a pen. "Is there a problem with the underground water?¡± he wondered, frowning. The underground water system relied solely on ordinary piped water covered with solar materials. Such protection was undoubtedly the camp¡¯s weakest link. He occasionally worried about potential issues, but the steady water supply had allowed him to overlook the problem temporarily. After all, the Black Mark kept him too busy. But now¡­ "Forget it;let¡¯s deal with the wooden bridge first.¡± After a quick rinse, Yu Hong changed into clean clothes and returned to the table on the first floor. The translator on the table had completely transformed in appearance. It had changed from a metal box into a single-sided earphone with a microphone attached. The earphone was entirely black with a matte finish, with a row of vague gray-white characters resembling alphabetic text on the side. Yu Hong picked it up and examined it but couldn¡¯t find any buttons. Soon, he noticed a very fine row of explanatory text in Chinese on the outside of the translator¡¯s earpiece. ¡®Translator: Also known as the Yuying Language Collector, it has the special ability to collect samples, analyze unknown languages, and ultimately provide translation content. Due to *** people being frustrated with prolonged contact with unknown civilizations, this high-cost-performance special translator was created in collaboration with ****.¡¯ ¡®Collection method: Remove the earpiece and gently glide its back over the sample to complete the collection. Upon completion, a voice progress percentage will be provided, with 100% indicating the translation of the unknown language is complete.¡¯ *Yu Hong could immediately tell that this was another one of those magical objects that the Black Mark somehow procured from somewhere.* *It appeared to be a mass-production item.* He clicked his tongue in admiration a few times and picked up the translator, inserting one earpiece into his ear. The microphone on the other side instantly attached to his cheek as if magnetically. Looking at the translator¡¯s LCD screen like a mirror, Yu Hong found that, from a distance, it appeared as if there was a black tattoo on his right cheek due to its thinness. "Activating Yuying¡­¡± As soon as he wore it, a sweet female voice in Chinese sprung from the earpiece. "This device requires no operation. Once worn correctly, it will automatically collect audio language, providing the required time and current progress during collection. If you require text translation, you may remove the device in a quiet place, scan the reverse, and then wear it again to receive audio-transmitted translation content.¡± "Please select the post-translation language: 1 Chinese, 2 English, 3 Donghe Language, 4 Flica Language.¡± *Not bad. It even had default built-in languages.* Yu Hong quickly selected 1. When he was enhancing it, he thought a bit, and the Black Mark thoughtfully added the corresponding content for him. After testing the translator for a while and ensuring there were no problems and he could operate it skillfully, he turned to other matters. *Next, he had to repair the Array. The defensive formation could be damaged by a rocket attack;it was clearly not sturdy enough¡­ It needed to be strengthened!* He walked out of the cave, placing one hand on the ground, silently invoking the Black Mark to repair. The repair time was quick, just over three hours. But Yu Hong was still thinking about further strengthening. Watching the countdown begin, he walked around the camp with his hands behind his back, pondering how to solve the problem of long-range bombing with thermal weapons. By this time, the Dragon Lizards had already burned away most of the shadows that had invaded the camp with their black flames. The remaining ones were soon easily exterminated by the Array. The interior of the Array was a mess. There was still a large crater on the outer courtyard from the previous rocket blast. Next to the crater, a Dragon Lizard guarded the spoils they had scavenged earlier¡ªa loaded, unfired, man-portable rocket launcher! Yu Hong walked over, picked it up, weighed it, and, given his current strength, it felt light. *The only solution to weapons¡¯ long-range bombardment was to set up long-range reconnaissance methods¡ªto discover threats early when they were far away, make judgments, and take targeted pre-emptive actions.* Yu Hong frowned. *Ground, air, and underground¡ªadvance preparation was necessary.* He thought of the defense means in modern warfare¡ªradar. If there was a wide-range scanning radar, suspicious objects in the vicinity could be spotted early. But keeping a large-area radar running continuously required a significant amount of energy. With his current miniature nuclear power generator¡¯s capacity, it might not be able to sustain it, nor was it necessary. *No need for a large radar;small ones could be set up to scan a few dozen kilometers around, with watchtowers placed in surrounding areas, combined with the Dragon Lizards patrolling in all directions. It should establish a relatively complete defense circle.* Having developed a plan, Yu Hong returned to the cave and drew it out on wooden boards, recording it for future revisions. Then, he activated the communicator. "Cough, cough, cough¡­¡± As soon as he powered on and entered the channel, he heard a burst of urgent coughing from the speaker¡ªit was Zhang Kaijun. "Old Zhang, are you alright?¡± Yu Hong was now quite familiar with him, and their terms of address had become much more casual. "I¡¯m okay. Recently, there¡¯s been some problem with the underground water. I¡¯ve sent someone to investigate and resolve it. The acidity in the drinking water suddenly spiked. I suspect there¡¯s a Black Disaster meddling in the underground river,¡± Zhang Kaijun said calmly. "There seems to be a bit of trouble on my side too, but it¡¯s not urgent. What about people with closed eyes? Are they still around?¡± Yu Hong asked. "They haven¡¯t expanded their territory further anymore. Based on the formation principles of high-risk Black Disaster rifts, we are continually bombarding fixed areas with luminous stones, following specific Red Value adjustments¡­¡± Zhang Kaijun, true to his technical background, immediately delved into a theoretical discussion as soon as he started talking about it. "Stick to the main points,¡± Yu Hong interrupted, not having the time to engage in idle talk. "The main point is, we are endeavoring to artificially create Black Disaster rifts because, through exploration, the countermeasures against high-risk Black Disasters are regularized¡­¡± Zhang Kaijun said. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Let me know when you succeed. I¡¯ve got some trouble I need advice on,¡± Yu Hong lowered his voice. "What trouble?¡± "There are living people, not Black Disasters, but living people. They suddenly launched a single-manned RPG at my camp while I was out. They claimed to belong to a mysterious organization and bragged about being able to walk freely amidst the Black Disasters,¡± Yu Hong described briefly. "A mysterious organization?¡± Zhang Kaijun clearly hesitated. ¡°Any distinctive characteristics? There are quite a few mysterious organizations at this point.¡± "None, just dressed in black and wearing protective goggles. At such times, the attire is quite normal, making it impractical as a distinctive mark for tracking,¡± Yu Hong admitted with frustration. "Of course, there wasn¡¯t a complete absence of marks. When I tried to search for clues, the two attackers suddenly self-destructed. I personally feel they didn¡¯t want to self-destruct but were controlled. You know what I mean, right?¡± "Understood. Being controlled to self-destruct already indicates the organization¡¯s level of control,¡± Zhang Kaijun responded. ¡°But this is something I can¡¯t help with. Most of my time and energy are spent maintaining stability around Gray City. Regarding various external mysterious organizations, Minister Xin Zhilei is definitely more informed than I am. You might want to ask her.¡± "No need, I¡¯ve heard,¡± Xin Zhilei¡¯s voice chimed in at the right moment. ¡°An organization capable of controlling members to suddenly self-destruct is not commonly seen in my records.¡± "Not commonly seen? Minister Xin knows something? Could you give me a hint?¡± Yu Hong quickly inquired. This time, Yu Hong was consulting not only about the mysterious organization Ascension Tower he had no clue about but also regarding a situation Zhang Kaijun had previously mentioned. Briskly explaining the moving wooden bridge situation, both Zhang Kaijun and Xin Zhilei fell silent. After a moment, Xin Zhilei¡¯s voice resumed. "This is the Black Migration phenomenon. After the night occupies 99% of the time, we have discovered certain special high-Red Value images that appear inexplicably and move toward certain directions.¡± "The Black Migration phenomenon generally doesn¡¯t occur with singular Black Disasters;the trajectory of movement is unpredictable, seemingly lacking in regularity. In September last year, Aurora City had encountered a similar situation. A house, which appeared out of nowhere, suddenly emerged in an abandoned wetland park outside the city, only to disappear soon after.¡± "So you¡¯re saying that things involved in the Black Migration phenomenon suddenly disappear?¡± Yu Hong caught the crux. "Yes. The Black Migration phenomenon observed so far does possess this characteristic. Now that the nighttime black phases have lengthened, the occurrence of Black Migration phenomena is reasonable. Just avoid their moving path, and you won¡¯t be in danger,¡± Xin Zhilei explained. "Got it.¡± Yu Hong thought of where the wooden bridge led, worrying about what would happen if he entered, and then the wooden bridge and Black Ship suddenly disappeared. *It seemed a swift strategy was needed¡ªto get in quickly and get out.* After acquiring the intelligence he needed, Yu Hong sincerely thanked Minister Xin Zhilei and inquired about the status of Stammering Yiyi. Chapter 206: Exploring 2 "The second investigation team is still fine;no major issues. We have located the whereabouts of one of the Meisha family members. The joint military has already dispatched a positioning drone to scout the area. After the blanket bombing is completed, the investigation team will go to check,¡± Xin Zhilei said with ease. "Understood,¡± Yu Hong relaxed a bit. Communication ended, the communicator disconnected. He took up a pen to record the intelligence he had just received and then went down to the basement to once again begin the arduous practice of the Thunderbolt Leg Technique. Just the final layer remained for him to reach completion and enter the overlaid state of the Thunderbolt Transformation. By then, his strength would definitely see a major enhancement and change. So he had to hurry. Today was the day of the Black Ship¡¯s arrival. Tomorrow, he planned to make thorough preparations to completely deal with that mysterious black hand. A night without words. Early the next day. The sky was dimly lit. But quickly, lasting only ten minutes, the sky that had just brightened swiftly dimmed again. Yu Hong wasn¡¯t surprised, just silently put on the enhanced suit, took his weapon and equipment, and walked out of the camp. Shortly, the sky turned pitch black. Once more, the surroundings plunged into the profound darkness where one could not see their own fingers. Yu Hong stood in front of the mountain wall behind the cave, the greenish light of the atomic lamp illuminating the wooden bridge in front. This time he only brought four dragon lizards, all the rest were scattered around defending the camp. After repairing the Array, the Black Mark was assigned to enhance the luminous stone. Everything around was settled, only the wooden bridge remained unusual. Yu Hong glanced at the detector screen and checked the Array markings again. Suddenly, his expression faltered. "The Red Value intrusion on the wooden bridge has stopped increasing?¡± The current rate of Red Value intrusion was the same as yesterday¡¯s, with no change whatsoever. ¡®Could it be¡­¡¯ Yu Hong thought about the chaos he caused on that solitary island yesterday, and that black hand¡­ He always felt that thing might be very much related to the wooden bridge and the Black Ship. Pausing briefly, he immediately stopped pondering whether his actions yesterday had had an effect. He would know if he tried again today. With that thought, he dropped his face mask, pressed his foot down, and suddenly darted out. He covered the distance of several dozen meters in a flash. In the blink of an eye, he was on the Black Ship at the end of the wooden bridge. Thump. A muffled sound, the deck shuddered slightly as he leapt onto it. But no sooner had he boarded the ship than Yu Hong swept his gaze and saw a black-haired humanoid figure in a black robe sitting in a corner. The figure was sitting with knees bent on the deck. Upon noticing Yu Hong¡¯s arrival, it stood up, a wave of invisible fluctuations spreading out from its body. Within a radius of several dozen meters around, all directions simultaneously shifted. Boom! Before it could even start its attack, a huge black iron sphere appeared above its head. It crashed down heavily. The humanoid figure shattered, turning into black smoke. Yu Hong¡¯s expression remained calm as he checked for any remnants before sitting down cross-legged, quietly waiting for the Black Ship to arrive. He had become very adept at dealing with these direction-confusing humanoid Black Disasters. * * * New Aurora City, the Joint Military Pu Cheng First Hospital. Xin Zhilei, in casual attire¡ªa purple blouse with fitted black trousers¡ªentered the hospital¡¯s nursing ward through a VIP passage, escorted by a group of security personnel. In the pristine hospital lobby, the hospital director, who had been waiting for a long time, greeted her quietly with a group of medical staff and led her through several clean corridors. Eventually, they reached an extremely quiet special intensive care unit. The elderly, white-haired director said nothing, merely nodding to Xin Zhilei before turning to quietly leave with his team. Leaving her alone. From this point on, the next fifteen minutes were absolutely undisturbed quiet time. Xin Zhilei slowly approached a room with transparent glass walls and looked through the glass at the person lying on the bed inside. It was a young bald boy, bearing a striking resemblance to her. She didn¡¯t speak or make any other movements, just quietly regarded the frail boy on the bed. One hand gently pressing against the glass wall, Xin Zhilei¡¯s silvery-gray pupils seemed to focus, yet also seemed to fall into some inexplicable trance. The fifteen minutes quickly passed. She lowered her hand, reluctantly turned away, and briskly walked out of the corridor. Her subordinates had already been waiting for a while outside. A guard quickly handed her an encrypted phone. Xin Zhilei glanced at the latest messages on the phone, her expression slightly furrowed. "The returning convoy was attacked?¡± "Yes, there have been two convoys that encountered attacks, one after the other. The number of dead and wounded has not been tallied yet. The rescue team has rushed over and temporarily repelled the Level 9 Black Disaster Blood-eating Dragon. Since it is a Blood Tide creature, it was relatively manageable,¡± the subordinate spoke softly yet with a low voice. "And the injured from the mutant investigation team? Were they attacked as well?¡± Xin Zhilei inquired. "Yes¡­¡± "What about the flies and worms?¡± "They encountered Yu Hong¡¯s counterattack while they were attempting to probe and failed to escape in time, so I detonated them,¡± the subordinate¡¯s voice sounded strange, despite wearing a black military uniform of the joint army, they managed to exude a weirdly slack demeanor. "How foolish,¡± Xin Zhilei had no words to respond. "So, about the attack on the investigation team¡¯s injured, do we need to notify Black Wind Camp?¡± the subordinate asked softly. "There¡¯s no need;mutants are not that easy to kill. Still, we need to find them quickly. The dangers outside are escalating. The only ones who can enjoy a bit of freedom right now are the mutants and you modified humans,¡± Xin Zhilei led the way out of the hospital and got into the bulletproof car, heading towards the military commission building. "Understood. According to signal feedback, the second investigation team¡¯s vital signs are stable;there¡¯s no danger to their lives,¡± said the subordinate in the car, nodding. "Keep a personal eye on this matter. Remember, the mutants cannot die. The newly reassembled Team Two must maintain its combat effectiveness and cannot have any issues, at least not until we deal with those two Meisha members,¡± Xin Zhilei¡¯s voice took on a slight edge. "I understand.¡± * S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. * * Creak. The gate to the courtyard swung open automatically. Yu Hong didn¡¯t stop for a moment, his burly figure darting into the yard like a black cat, agile and nimble, his legs glowing faintly with unreleased Inner Qi. This time, his approach prioritized stealth and agility. Boom! The wall in front of him was smashed through. Debris scattered, and through the dust cloud, Yu Hong¡¯s figure charged forward, heading for the second wall. Boom! Boom! Boom!! Three walls in a row were effortlessly breached. Yu Hong finally returned to the altar in the backyard garden at his fastest speed. Hiss! Just as he entered the garden, he skidded to a halt, the chains and iron ball he dragged behind him moved by inertia. With the force of his arms and the burst of his Inner Qi¡­ Whoosh!! The iron ball, like a cannonball under multiple forces, slammed into the incense burner on the altar. The incense burner¡¯s black smoke and lightning coalesced into a large hand, attempting to repeat its previous trick by reaching for the spiked ball. But this time, accompanying the iron ball was a chaotic assortment of Radiation Hand Grenades, the new radiation bombs. Boom! A loud noise resounded. As the iron ball collided with the dark hand, causing ripples to spread, those assorted radiation weapons also exploded at that moment. Hiss hiss hiss hiss!!! A dense array of explosion force fields suppressed the concentration of Red Value around the black hand, halving it instantly. With the concentration of Red Value suppressed, Yu Hong, already ablaze with white flames, charged at the ground with a stomp, rushing toward the mysterious incense burner beneath the black hand. Igniting his Inner Qi, he utilized the Thunderbolt Leg Technique at full power and reached for the body of the incense burner itself. He was using the speed of the Thunderbolt Leg to catch the black hand off guard ¨C a direct strike at the vital spot, maximizing his own advantages. The fifth layer of the Thunderbolt Leg Technique was starting to show off its exaggerated movement speed. With the ability to cover thirty or forty meters in a second, Yu Hong appeared within a meter of the incense burner in the blink of an eye. However, when he reached straight for the incense burner, he noticed something dark red writhing and spinning within the hollowed-out patterns of the burner. Even more bizarrely, the black hand seemed to completely ignore his dash towards the incense burner, continuing to suppress the iron ball and hovering in mid-air. In the split second of realization, Yu Hong¡¯s heart stirred, and he forcibly twisted his hand to the side. The explosive burst of the Thunderbolt Leg Technique granted him a strong high-speed adaptive reflex. Plop. Without realizing what he had grabbed, but certain it wasn¡¯t the incense burner, he hastily retracted his hand. Then his right leg, filled with Inner Qi flame, swept upward from below, erupting in a harsh laugh as he ferociously kicked the center of the altar. Crack!! The altar snapped in two on the spot. The incense burner was sent flying high. The black hand above quickly faded, dispersed, and vanished in the blink of an eye. All around, silence settled once again. Darkness enveloped the area as if something even more troublesome and dangerous was rapidly brewing, on the verge of eruption. Yu Hong, sensing something was amiss, grabbed onto the object, dragging the iron ball and ran. Bolting over a hundred meters away from the mansion, he only then looked back toward the altar. Plop. A black hand, identical to the one before, stretched out from the garden¡¯s ground. Not only one hand but another also emerged, pulling at the sides. Pushing upwards, they revealed a massive, pitch-black three-eyed figure. From a distance, the figure appeared in a black robe, its black hair twisted up in a Taoist bun, the expression dignified and solemn, as if it were somehow reminiscent of a Taoist statue. Ignoring Yu Hong, the figure looked down and reached for the ground, As if trying to grasp something. But the black hand shattered in the midst of its reach, the entire figure rapidly crumbling to countless black stone fragments, collapsing and scattering across the floor. With the thunderous sound of falling rubble, quietude soon returned to the surroundings. Only then did Yu Hong have the chance to see what he had actually grabbed. It was that scroll of sacred texts held down by a paperweight! Holding the text in hand, even through his gloves, gave him a cold, slimy sensation, like a piece of raw meat. On the surface of the text were five big characters, which Yu Hong did not recognize. What was strange, however, was that although he didn¡¯t recognize the characters, they gave him a sense of peace and tranquility. Despite the disgusting feel of the text itself, the characters seemed inviting, eliciting a desire to draw closer. This conflicting sensation instinctively made Yu Hong think of the defiled mixed with the sacred and pure. He controlled the dragon lizard while holding the sacred text, quickly turned around, and dashed toward the dock. Within half a minute, he was back on the boat. He had just sat down cross-legged for a few moments when the dock outside, the fields, and the mansion started to shake and twist slightly. Everything around him began to blur as if reflected in water or as illusory as foam, rippling and fading away. The boat was once again engulfed by the surrounding Black Fog. "Although fighting that thing might take ages, I need to be fast,¡± Yu Hong sighed with relief, inspecting the sacred text in his hand. The text was grey-white, with black vertical lines dividing columns of writing. Strangely enough, even though Yu Hong didn¡¯t recognize the writing, he immediately felt the book contained something special, perhaps a sacred text filled with softness, light, and tranquility. Chapter 207: Exploration "It¡¯s scripture, which involves religion, plus the shape of that altar, that place definitely hides no small secret,¡± Yu Hong sat cross-legged on the ship, set down the scripture, and gazed out at the world beyond. The Black Ship slowly sailed through the Black Fog, occasionally swaying gently as though it were in the real sea. Solitude. Quietness. Even the sound of the wind was almost inaudible. Roughly fifteen minutes later, the Black Ship gradually slowed down until it came to a stop. A dilapidated black wooden bridge appeared on the side of the ship¡¯s hull. Yu Hong stood up, carrying an iron ball with a light leap, he jumped down from the Black Ship and landed on the wooden bridge. The dragon lizards, one by one, leapt down in succession, dropping like dumplings, swiftly returning to the Black Wind Camp Array. Yu Hong looked at the wooden bridge, then turned back to the Black Ship. "Could this ship be bound to this wooden bridge?¡± This thought suddenly rose in his heart. Stepping off the wooden bridge, he immediately checked the scripture in his hand again. Sure enough. The scripture was completely blank, and all the text had entirely disappeared. "There definitely is a problem¡­ It seems the book I got hold of earlier can only be read in a special environment.¡± This time he went to the manor without bringing the translation device, worried that if he encountered a particularly tough opponent, it would be a pity to damage it in the fight. Thankfully the outcome was still good. Thinking it over, he stepped back several paces and returned to the wooden bridge. Instantly, lines of text reappeared on the scripture in his hand. "Indeed!¡± Yu Hong¡¯s face lit up with joy, this thing, along with a bunch of Black Disaster remnants that the dragon lizards brought back with their mouths, made his harvest this time far exceed any previous. Back in the cave, he quickly grabbed the translation device and again stood on the wooden bridge. This time, text appeared on both the scripture and the small booklet from before. Settling down inside the cave once more. Yu Hong first checked the Array, the repair of the Array continued, but it had vanished due to the erosion from the wooden bridge. Not just reduced, but completely gone. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Could it be that the wooden bridge itself isn¡¯t harmful, but what is truly dangerous is the place it connects to through the Black Ship?¡± Thinking this, Yu Hong¡¯s mood improved a lot. Had it not been to relieve the burden on the Array, he wouldn¡¯t have necessarily needed to embark on the Black Ship to explore the outside world. Wasn¡¯t staying within the Array and resting while doing Qi Cultivation delightful? Sitting back on the wooden bridge, he took out the translation device, placing its earpiece against the scripture, and lightly slid it across. "Scanning complete, unknown language detected, please name,¡± a sweet-sounding Mandarin female voice spoke up. "Night Text,¡± Yu Hong casually selected a name. A shorthand for the text discovered at night. "Naming successful, Night Text structure analysis underway¡­ beginning sample collection. Current progress 0.15%.¡± The sweet voice¡¯s feedback left Yu Hong somewhat disappointed. Immediately, he moved the earpiece across every face of the scripture until the progress increased to 6%, then he stopped. By this time, the entire scripture had been recorded, afterwards, he took out the small booklet from the Black Ship that he found earlier, opened it, and continued recording. "Same type of Night Text detected, beginning collection.¡± A few minutes later, Yu Hong set the booklet down again, hearing the translation device speak. "Current progress: 8%.¡± He got up annoyed, walked out of the wooden bridge, and returned inside the Array. ¡®To translate the content with this progress, it¡¯s probably going to take a long time;it¡¯s a shame, if there were a place with a lot of samples, the progress could be completed quickly.¡¯ He didn¡¯t bother with the wooden bridge anymore, returning instead to the front courtyard, in the stone castle¡¯s first-floor hall, he pried open the mouths of the dragon lizards, one by one, and extracted clumps of black mud-like substance. Plop. From one clump of the black mud, a piece of irregular purple-black bone suddenly fell out. The bone was covered with tiny dense holes, as if worm-eaten. Yu Hong reached out to pick it up, tapped off the black mud from the surface, and set it aside. Then he continued to look at the dragon lizards¡¯ finds. Under the white light, clumps of black mud were placed on the ground, occasionally with pieces of purple-black bone being set aside. Holding a detector, Yu Hong placed it on the surface of the black mud. The values on the detector¡¯s LCD screen fluctuated, settling at 86.523. He measured all the clumps of black mud one by one, all of them were around eighty-something. Each clump the size of a fist. Then the bones¡­ Thud! Thud! Thud!! Suddenly, heavy, massive impacts came from the darkness outside the camp. The ground shook slightly, from time to time the sound of trees snapping and falling. Yu Hong halted in his actions and quickly went to the monitoring basement of the cave to check the surveillance footage. In the furthest and highest camera, a huge blue silhouette could be seen, taking steps towards the distance. Blue indicated that the individual¡¯s temperature was lower than the surrounding environment, and this silhouette showed its height estimation data clearly in the monitoring system. Measuring height and width¡ªthat was one of the built-in functions of the surveillance, or rather, the original surveillance system had this capability. Yu Hong looked at the data displayed on the screen. ¡°183 to 192 meters in fluctuation.¡± His pupils contracted slightly, although this wasn¡¯t the first time he had encountered a passing gigantic Black Disaster creature, although he had already directly injured that previous Black Hand. But the main body of that Black Hand, the three-eyed Black Daoist, was only around thirty to forty meters tall. And this behemoth within the surveillance system was actually approaching two hundred meters¡­ Not to mention anything else, such a massive creature, with its sheer weight alone, was extraordinary. The durability of the skin layer that could withstand such a weight was also beyond imagination. Otherwise, the hardness of ordinary materials would probably crumble under half that weight;then the skin would crack, and the creature would collapse on the spot, let alone walk so effortlessly. The thumping sounds gradually faded away. Signifying that the large Black Disaster creature had already moved away into the distance. But even so, Yu Hong¡¯s expression remained grim. "Should a large Black Disaster suddenly decide to give our camp a kick¡­ That¡­¡± The primary defense target of the Black Wind Camp was the Black Disaster, particularly small and medium-sized creatures. If they had to face such a huge creature, one stomp from it, and the entire camp would collapse. After all, who would believe that such a giant would weigh less than several hundred thousand tons? How could any camp withstand a weight of several hundred thousand tons pressing down? "Too dangerous¡­¡± Yu Hong watched the direction in which the mysterious giant had vanished on the screen, where everything had returned to an impenetrable Black Fog. But the alarm bells in his heart continued to ring. "It¡¯s no good¡­ we can¡¯t just stay in one place;the large Black Disaster creatures are becoming more numerous nearby;the more problems and dangers the camp will likely encounter if we stay here¡­¡± This was a significant danger signal. Because the camp was stationary, it had always been passively subjected to dangers from the outside. "But, what if the camp could move?¡± This thought suddenly flashed through Yu Hong¡¯s mind. If he could transform a mountain cave safe house, along with the surrounding Arrays, into a mobile structure¡­ The idea would seem insane, and to those unaware, it would definitely be seen as madness. But Yu Hong was different. He had the Black Mark! "I can try to reduce the volume as much as possible, then transform the inner wall materials, and add some moving devices, like tracks¡­ or mechanical legs?¡± "Or perhaps I can construct an anti-gravity device¡­ and fly the safe house away directly!¡± Once his brain got going, Yu Hong¡¯s mind brimmed with numerous ideas. "If the camp¡¯s safe house could move, I could actively avoid many troubles and dangers. And find a better and more suitable environment to live in! Many problems would no longer be problems.¡± Exiting the surveillance bunker, he grabbed all the black mud and purple-black bones, put them in a barrel, and carried it to the mountain cave safe house. "Let¡¯s strengthen the safe house¡¯s defenses again;we can use all the remains of the Black Disaster, like the sunlight materials. The outer layer can be coated with these remains to camouflage and hide its presence, making it part of the Black Disaster;then, we can use materials containing elements of sunlight for expulsion and isolation in the middle layer. The innermost layer can use various runes I¡¯ve designed to absorb the Red Value essence, creating a relatively pure and safe environment.¡± Yu Hong set down the barrel and looked around the cave. Three bunkers, two large and one small, along with the main space on the first floor. It wasn¡¯t difficult to make the entire safe house mobile;the tricky part was bringing along the entire Array of the camp. "If only the camp¡¯s Array could be packed up¡­ made into a type that can expand and contract. Once a spot is decided, it would automatically deploy, burrow underground, and form an outer defense perimeter.¡± At the fence of the outer courtyard. Yu Hong took out all the remaining black mud and a barrel of sunlight material paint that he had obtained from Zhang Kaijun, placing them all on the ground. Then he quietly waited for the luminous stone enhancement to finish. An hour later, the Black Mark concluded its work, and he stopped his Qi Cultivation, placed his hand on the ground. "Enhancing the camp, direction¡­¡± In his mind, he envisioned a massive cubic platform, a tracked mobile one that encompassed the entire inner and outer courtyards. But immediately, the feedback from the Black Mark was a blow to his aspirations. "Completeness insufficient, unable to enhance.¡± "I knew it.¡± Yu Hong released his hand and sighed. ¡°It definitely isn¡¯t possible to achieve the goal in one go. I¡¯ll focus on strengthening the surrounding defenses for now.¡± He pressed his hand on the ground once more. "Enhancing the outer yard defense layer. Direction¡­¡± The so-called outer yard defense layer was the ring of wooden fences, which had started to soften and disintegrate due to prolonged water exposure. The recent incident reminded Yu Hong, and he decided to significantly strengthen this defensive layer. At this moment, he imagined the image of the fence enhancement in his mind. Combining the black mud, the sunlight materials, and the soil around the fence. He envisioned a tall black wall encompassing the camp. The walls, rising from the ground around the outer courtyard, were two meters thick, six meters tall, with extremely high material density, and featured various functions¡ªwaterproof, pest-resistant, fire-resistant, cold-resistant¡­ Yu Hong impulsively added a pile of features. Then¡­ "Fundamental information insufficient, unable to enhance.¡± The Black Mark ruthlessly rejected him. Releasing his hand, his brow furrowed. "Is it because there are too many conditions? Or is there another reason?¡± He glanced at the black mud. ¡°Could it be that this material doesn¡¯t have the functions I described?¡± He then attempted other enhancements with different requirements, but none of them were successful. As time passed and he made more attempts, the expression on Yu Hong¡¯s face gradually showed understanding. "I remember when I first strengthened the cave¡¯s gate;it was a wooden door, yet I was able to enhance it to an iron material¡­ Why wasn¡¯t I notified of insufficient foundational information for enhancement then? How did the wood turn into iron?¡± "If it worked then, why isn¡¯t it working now?¡± He touched the fence gently, its wood scarred with notches and indentations, bearing witness to the variety of dangers the camp had faced these past days. After pondering for a moment, he suddenly remembered something. Chapter 208: Exploration Four "At that time, I think I was using random enhancements from the ¡®Black Mark,¡¯ right? I just gave a general direction, toward enhancing sturdiness.¡± "Since I mastered the method of using my mind to imagine specific outlines for enhancement, the targets have become more accurate, but the requirements for basic information have also increased¡­¡± Yu Hong¡¯s face gradually showed a look of realization. "In that case, the most cost-effective way to enhance is still for the ¡®Black Mark¡¯ to decide on its own. I just give the general direction, without specifying exact details and shape. That¡¯s the most useful method.¡± Having understood the key point, Yu Hong reached out again and walked to the edge of the outer courtyard, pressing his hand on the fence. He circumscribed a range in his mind and added the contents for enhancement synthesis. Then¡­ "Enhance the camp¡¯s defense system, direction: increase sturdiness, increase concealment, leave a gate for entry and exit.¡± He did not imagine anything specific, just made simple and vague requests. Thus, a black line flowed out from the back of his hand, vanishing instantly into the fence. Very quickly. "Enhance the camp¡¯s defense system?¡± The ¡®Black Mark¡¯s¡¯ inquiry appeared. Yu Hong took a long breath and looked at the dark red countdown numbers emerging on the fence¡¯s surface. It displayed: 31 days, 18 hours, 07 minutes. ¡°¡­..A month!?¡± Yu Hong¡¯s expression stiffened. His right hand remained pressed against the fence, watching the exaggerated countdown, his lips pressed tightly together, revealing a thoughtful demeanor. "Even when I originally enhanced the inner courtyard walls, it wasn¡¯t this exaggerated¡­. But, the longer the time, the better the enhancement results will be¡­¡± He hesitated¡­ His eyes gazed toward the fence at that moment. Outside, a dragon lizard happened to be crawling through the forest, patrolling and moving away, making a slight rustling sound. The Black Fog surrounding the dragon lizard churned, devouring the faint white light emanating from inside the camp. The only light, seemingly the last hope to drive away the surrounding darkness. "If the enhanced defense system can really ensure basic safety¡­ then¡­¡± He considered the current state of the camp, finding nothing urgently needing enhancement. The effectiveness of radiation weapons was gradually decreasing for him, while the power of Inner Qi was beginning to show, especially when two streams of Inner Qi burst into flames together, their power was immense. It strongly protected his body from harm, increased the toughness and resilience of skin and bones, and could also damage the Black Disaster. The rest of the stockpiled food and water were also plentiful, enough to last him several months alone. "Let¡¯s do it!¡± Thinking this, Yu Hong instantly responded to the ¡®Black Mark¡¯s¡¯ inquiry in his mind. "Yes!¡± Hiss! Instantly, a very fast blur covered the entire fence of the outer courtyard for a moment. Following that, the countdown in front of Yu Hong began to flicker slightly, signifying that the enhancement had officially started. Whew! He exhaled deeply and stood up. The black, wet mud caked his boots, making a splashing, muddy sound. He glanced at the vanished black mud and purple-black bones, turned around carrying a wooden bucket, and returned to the stone castle. The whirring air purifiers were still working hard in the corridor. Yu Hong entered the passageway, closed the door behind him, locked it, and headed toward the direction of the right-side cave. Upon reaching the cave entrance, he turned his head back to look at the passage leading to the stone castle. In the gray-white passage, the electric lamps on the wall continued to release steady white light. But this light, at this moment, hinted at a faint emptiness. This mere ten-meter-long stone passageway inexplicably gave a deep sense of isolation. "Right, how long has Old Zhou been gone?¡± Yu Hong suddenly thought of this. "It feels like it¡¯s been a very long time¡­¡± He was somewhat distracted and pushed open the large cave door, walking inside. Boom. The heavy door closed firmly, the only light visible was a slight flicker seen through the dense air holes at the bottom. * * * Days passed one by one. The Black Wind Camp remained unaltered, standing quietly in the increasingly cold mountain forest. Rainwater and moisture condensed into frost, gradually covering the surrounding mountain forests, and also climbing onto every inch of the camp¡¯s exterior, thoroughly turning it gray-white. But this change in color could only be seen briefly each day during the short moments of dark and gray time. Before long, more than ten days had passed. Outside the camp, in the secondary security zone. A burly humanoid figure in all black stood quietly on the ground. With a whoosh, translucent white flames ignited on the humanoid¡¯s body, its body slightly swelling, and its right leg abruptly lifting and kicking upward. Hiss! A sharp sound of cutting through the air exploded. The humanoid didn¡¯t stop, its right leg chopped down, swept across, and it performed a series of aerial, side-kicks. Mid-air Upper Knee Strike, side push, and then spiraling down smash. Various dazzling leg maneuvers were rapidly displayed by it. Accompanied by the afterimages left by the white flames, every move was fast, yet clear for anyone to see. Because the residual flames of the move layer upon layer, the full process of the moves was thoroughly displayed. After a while, the humanoid figure made its final spinning sweep, landed, and stood still, completely motionless. "Just one last bit, it¡¯s the sixth layer¡­¡± The figure pulled off its goggles, revealing Yu Hong¡¯s somewhat tired eyes. He took out an atomic lamp, and the sickly green light illuminated the ground around him. "It¡¯s just this last bit¡­ I always feel like there¡¯s something missing¡­¡± Yu Hong said, shining the light as he slowly walked back towards the camp¡¯s outer courtyard. Behind him, in the Black Fog, dragon lizards flashed by, leaving the vicinity to patrol elsewhere. Yu Hong didn¡¯t pay them any attention, pushed open the fence gate, entered the outer courtyard, and the sound of his boots crunching on ice echoed as he stepped on the ground. "The weather is getting colder and colder¡­¡± he said, looking up at the sky. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The night sky was pitch black, like a great spill of ink. No stars, no moon, only darkness, endless and profound. Yu Hong averted his gaze, came to the inner courtyard where various odd items of different sizes were piled on the ground. Some items were black soil, some were irregular minerals like rubies, and there were also greyish-white bones, and items as smooth as glass spheres. More than a dozen items in total, neatly arranged from left to right. All placed in small wooden bowls. The side of each bowl was marked with numbers using a black charcoal pencil, from 1 to 14. Yu Hong took out a detector, closely checking each item in the bowls again. ¡®61.341¡¯. ¡®77.928¡¯. A series of numbers displayed continuously and then cleared. His expression unchanged, he continued testing until the last item. ¡®412.512¡¯ It was the only one exceeding a hundred. Yu Hong put away the detector, pulled out a rolled-up brown notebook from his back pocket, opened to the middle page, and began recording meticulously with the charcoal pencil. "Experimental records over a week, the remnants inside the Black Disaster do not show any Red Value fluctuation over time.¡± He closed the notebook, murmuring to himself. "Based on the Red Values of the remnants, combined with the implant surgeries in Aurora City and Gray City, it¡¯s confirmed that remnants with a Red Value below one hundred are safe and can be considered normal types for implantation in the human body.¡± "Those exceeding a Red Value of one hundred can be named as rare, and they significantly affect the human body;they are generally only used in enhancement surgeries. This was matured even before the front lines collapsed.¡± "The Red Value of the remnants themselves has no direct correlation to the danger level of the Black Disaster. A high-danger Black Disaster might only leave behind regular-level remnants, or more often than not, no remnants at all.¡± Yu Hong exhaled a breath of white air, ignored the remnants on the ground, turned, and walked toward the passageway entrance. He pushed open the passage door. He quickly took off his suit, threw it carelessly in the passageway, then headed back to the cave. Entering the cave, shutting the door, he took off his underwear and stood in the basement¡¯s shower room. With a swift motion, he pulled the curtain shut and turned on the faucet. Warm water cascaded down from above. A faint, nose-tickling scent spread through the water, similar to that of disinfectant. Yu Hong, enduring the discomfort, quickly washed his hair and body, then dried off and changed into dry clothing. He went to the first floor, drying his increasingly long hair with a towel, and sat down, turning on his communicator. A slightly noisy commotion emanated from the speaker. "Is there still no solution to the water problem?¡± Yu Hong recognized Wei Song and Zhang Kaijun arguing and asked. "We¡¯ve already sent three teams;we can¡¯t spare more manpower. The Black Disaster underwater, especially at the groundwater level, isn¡¯t something we can handle right now,¡± Wei Song said, slightly incensed. "Problems don¡¯t disappear just because we avoid or delay dealing with them,¡± Zhang Kaijun retorted coldly, ¡°No matter how many people die, we must solve this problem. Especially now, with the temperature steadily dropping, the external air temperature has stabilized below zero for a long time, lacking sufficient water sources, there will be serious problems with drinking water.¡± "Can¡¯t we use ice and snow?¡± "We¡¯ve tried, but it¡¯s far from enough.¡± "What about Aurora City? Is it only Gray City and my location having groundwater issues?¡± Yu Hong asked. "It¡¯s the same problem there, but not as severe as ours, possibly because the portion of their groundwater pumping uses sunlight materials far superior to ours,¡± Zhang Kaijun replied. "Then why don¡¯t we relocate there, merge into the city?¡± Yu Hong questioned, ¡°Wei Song, things aren¡¯t going well on your end, right?¡± Wei Song had just re-established contact a few days ago after her relocation stabilized, only to immediately suffer an attack from the Blood Tide Monsters. Compared to the shadow and the Evil Shadow, the Blood Tide Monsters didn¡¯t seem as terrifying, but when problems actually arose, the quantity of these creatures far exceeded that of the shadow and the Evil Shadow¡­ What Wei Song encountered was a Blood Tide creature known as the rotten spider. Initially, those who named the Blood Tide obviously intended to distinguish it actively from the shadow. The focus on ¡°Tide¡± underscores the endless nature of these creatures, like a tide¡­ The biggest issue with the rotten spider is that it carries a strange bacterium, which if contacted, causes people to develop high fever, froth at the mouth, and become extremely weakened. Wei Song didn¡¯t notice initially, which cost her dearly. "Aurora City is also entirely problematic, the second Aurora City has now become popular with a type of mushroom powder called ¡®Marlica,¡¯ inhaling it gives a strong hallucinogenic and euphoric sensation. It¡¯s recurrently banned yet persists,¡± Zhang Kaijun added, ¡°With this kind of management capacity, rather than entering the city and losing command, entrusting our lives to others, it¡¯s better to control our own destiny.¡± "I hadn¡¯t heard about that;I¡¯ve traded with the second Aurora City twice, both times recently, and the rift channels seem to be more stable. The situation has stabilized quite a bit. Just not sure about the situation with the investigation team?¡± Yu Hong said. "Apparently, the investigation teams have all been deployed to contain the Meisha family;speaking of which, a while back, Team Two encountered a member of the Meisha family. Strangely, they weren¡¯t attacked,¡± Wei Song whispered. "I¡¯ve heard about that too;Aurora City has sealed off the news, but there¡¯s a leak in their management,¡± Zhang Kaijun said, ¡°It¡¯s said that the mutants seem to hold some kind of secret, hence the Black Disaster doesn¡¯t actively attack them when they are stationary. Similarly, members of the Meisha family don¡¯t attack them, likely for the same reason.¡± "A secret about the mutants?¡± Yu Hong thought of Aisena;she and Yiyi seemed to have something in common. "Yes. According to the statistics from my expert team, all mutants are transformed at a later stage, not from birth,¡± Zhang Kaijun answered. Yu Hong looked thoughtful upon hearing this. He paused for a few seconds, about to ask for more details. Beep beep. Suddenly, from outside the camp, a clear horn sound came. His expression changed abruptly, and he quickly got up and went to the door to look outside. Outside the outer courtyard fence, a large black armored vehicle was slowly stopping, turning off two large, bright yellow headlights. Chapter 209: Confusion 1 He walked out of the passage. Yu Hong hastened his steps and stopped by the fence. The headlights flickered a few times and went out. The car door opened, and a somewhat familiar figure jumped out. "Mr. Yu, it¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve seen each other. I¡¯m pleased to see you still in good health,¡± said Shu Cheng, wearing a fully enclosed metal helmet, as he pulled up the visor to reveal a familiar and submissive smile. He bowed slightly toward Yu Hong. "This time, according to your additional requests, we have brought all the collected relic runes. We have not compared them to see if there are duplicates;you¡¯ll need to check them yourself.¡± "Where¡¯s the dictionary for translating the relic texts?¡± Yu Hong¡¯s translator urgently needed this item;he was unsure if the Night Text was the Yingshan Script mentioned by Aurora City, but he decided to try it first. After all, even if it wasn¡¯t the Night Text, having the translator master the Yingshan Script would add a capability, avoiding inconvenience when needed. "We have collected everything, all the photocopy materials are here, you can read them on your computer,¡± Shu Cheng said as he pulled out a dual-port USB drive from his pocket, one end for the computer, the other for the phone. "And here¡¯s the list of supplies.¡± He patted the back of the armored vehicle. "Hold on, I¡¯ll unload.¡± Yu Hong took the USB, went forward, and opened the van, inside of which lay several black containers. He casually opened a few to check;inside were various types of food, medicinal herbs, metal blocks, and so on. "Not bad, wait for me for a moment.¡± Yu Hong, with a box in each hand¡ªbig boxes that weighed several hundred pounds but felt as light as cardboard boxes¡ªeasily carried them back to the camp and set them down. The ground bore deep footprints, causing a slight stiffness in the smile on Shu Cheng¡¯s face. "Though I¡¯ve seen it several times, each time I am still amazed by Mr. Yu¡¯s superhuman strength,¡± he couldn¡¯t help but remark. "Have you tried the Inner Qi scriptures?¡± Yu Hong asked. "Of course, but as you know, the people at the institute think that there really isn¡¯t any Inner Qi;it¡¯s all just your illusion. You mistake your natural talent as the effect of Inner Qi. The so-called Inner Qi scriptures and visualization charts are essentially tapping into abilities you already possess,¡± Shu Cheng responded. "I figured as much,¡± Yu Hong shook his head internally. The exclusive Inner Strength techniques from Black Mark weren¡¯t easy to master;otherwise, the world wouldn¡¯t be totally unaware of the existence of masters of Inner Qi. "Actually, before the Black Disaster, everyone also watched martial arts novels and TV series, but in real life, no one really saw masters of Inner Qi like you,¡± Shu Cheng explained gently. "Alright, this is for you,¡± Yu Hong said as he moved a large box of Radiation Hand Grenades from the stone castle. ¡°With the production line, these are much quicker to make. Here are the three hundred agreed upon.¡± The production line, after dissecting and optimizing the initial designs from Black Mark for the Radiation Hand Grenades, had managed to replicate the designs exactly. Thus, the Radiation Hand Grenades Yu Hong produced here no longer needed Black Mark¡¯s involvement, except for the luminous stone dust process. Shu Cheng opened the box, took out one, and pulled it near a detector. Puff. Invisible radiation burst forth;the detector displayed a value over six thousand. "Good quality. The transaction is complete, good luck to you,¡± Shu Cheng bowed slightly, placed the box back into the vehicle, closed the van, and sat in the driver¡¯s seat. The vehicle started up again. "Wait, here¡¯s another parcel for Lin Yiyi¡¯s Team Two, a personal gift from me. Please give it to Minister Xin;I¡¯ve already told her it would be brought over,¡± said Yu Hong as he carried out a smaller wooden box. "No problem. Thank you for your generous support to the investigation team,¡± Shu Cheng saluted him from the driver¡¯s seat. "That¡¯s all I can do,¡± Yu Hong said, setting the box on the vehicle. The car slowly turned and drove along a cleared path through the woods, heading toward the distant Black Fog. Dragon lizards acted like guards on both sides, occasionally dispatching a newly revived shadow. The Black Fog churned, and soon, the vehicle vanished from sight. Yu Hong sighed, turned, and walked back to the stone castle. Inside the warm upstairs hall. He took tools and opened each box. Clicking sounds continuously resonated. Four boxes in total were laid out in a row before him, from left to right. The first black metal box contained densely packed dried fruits and vegetables, all packaged in bags, sealed well for easy usage. The second box contained various dried medicinal herbs¡ªginseng, ganoderma, licorice, eucommia, and a plethora of other items, each box filled with rare and valuable medicinal materials. The third box held various square metal blocks of gold, silver, copper, iron, aluminum, titanium alloy, and more, each a separate sample. The fourth box contained a radar. Its shape was like a large black bullet head, as thick as a large watermelon and as tall as an adult¡¯s leg;it was stuffed with ample white foam paper around to prevent shaking and damage. "Now that I have everything, once the Black Mark reinforcement ends, I can install the radar to detect anything within a few dozen kilometers! Gray City already utilizes satellite detection;mine detects just dozens of kilometers around, primitive in comparison.¡± Content inside, Yu Hong cared not if anything was amiss, such as a computer potentially having various hidden backdoors;a sweep with Black Mark would clear everything. He closed the boxes and stored everything in the underground cellar of the cave. Then, taking the newly acquired USB, he went to the main control computer of the production line in the basement. He turned on the computer, inserted the USB. A square screen quickly popped up with a prompt for removable storage. Click-clicking the mouse. Soon, photos of the relic Yingshan Script appeared one after the other. The photo file contained over a hundred images, and Yu Hong noticed that each was several hundred megabytes in size. The clarity was very high. He immediately took off the translator he was wearing and began to move it across the screen from the back, directly sampling. "Do you want to add a new language for unknown text samples?¡± the sweet female voice of the translator gently sounded in the basement. "Huh?¡± Yu Hong furrowed his brow. ¡°Isn¡¯t it Night Text?¡± He carefully examined the script style of the symbols, wanting to compare them with the Night Text, but he had no recollection of the Night Text from his memory. After thinking, he responded directly. "Add new language, name it: ¡®Ancient Mountain Script.''¡± "Added, sample scanning is in progress¡­ please wait.¡± The translator began working rapidly. Yu Hong mechanically entered each image one by one. He continued to listen to the progress updates given by the translator. "Current progress 12%.¡± "Current progress 24%.¡± "Current progress 47%.¡± The prompts repeatedly resounded. Finally, when the scanning of the images reached halfway, the progress hit one hundred. "Current progress complete, the text portion of Ancient Mountain Script has been mastered. Please supplement the voice part.¡± Yu Hong picked up the translator and put it on. He then continued to look at the images of relic script on the screen. Something miraculous happened: everywhere his gaze fell on the Ancient Mountain Script, a sweet female voice automatically sounded in his ears translating it into Chinese. "Rule 43 of the Sealing Base: one, do not use raw stones during the seal reinforcement period.¡± "Two, no loud noise within the base.¡± "Three, when night and day alternate, the sealing effect is weakest and defenses must be strengthened.¡± "Four, no fighting or bloodshed in the base.¡± Yu Hong slowly scanned the images. With the translation, he suddenly understood most of the content in these photos. The reason it was only most was that many photos had text that was already incomplete¡ªbroken and fragmented, irrelevant to the translation. From gray dusk to the black night, and then to the next morning around 7 a.m., Yu Hong had been sitting in front of the computer, carefully reading all the photo content. With the help of the translator, he perhaps understood the content depicted in the photos even better than the experts in Aurora City. The photos consisted of regulations for the Sealing Base, praise poems for some sealers, as well as the construction history and reasons for the base itself. Of these, the last category was most helpful to Hong. "No wonder it¡¯s called Ancient Mountain Script¡­ It appears that before the present world¡¯s human civilization, there was a human era known as the Ancient Mountain Civilization. They too encountered the Black Disaster but used their military power to resist it for a long time. They even built a large number of various sealing bases to contain the worsening Black Disaster.¡± Yu Hong quickly flipped to the rune images. "The core of Ancient Mountain Civilization was the energy rune system, the Ancient Mountain Array.¡± The new rune photos contained more than ten images from different perspectives;most were symbols he had already mastered, but there were four he had not. Yu Hong carefully sketched them with a charcoal pencil, preparing to test their effects later. "But the Ancient Mountain Civilization eventually disappeared, unable to withstand the invasion of the Black Disaster. Aside from a few remaining relics, all other traces were completely erased. And now, it is our turn, the current human civilization, to face the Black Disaster¡­.¡± After viewing the last photo, he did not look at the subsequent photocopied dictionary as the translator no longer needed it. Turning off the photos, Yu Hong, with his simulation of the four new runes, left the basement. He returned to the first level of the cave. He pulled out the mysterious Daoist Scripture and the little booklet from the Black Ship. ¡®If the script on this is not Ancient Mountain Script, does that mean that the civilizations destroyed by the Black Disaster were not only the Ancient Mountain Civilization but also the civilization of Night Text?¡¯ "What exactly is the Black Disaster, and what does it signify?¡± Doubts and mysteries rose in his mind. Mastery of the Ancient Mountain Script informed him where these symbols originated, but since the Ancient Mountain Civilization itself left little information about the Black Disaster, it increased the mysteries in his mind. Mastering Ancient Mountain Script hadn¡¯t brought much change to his life. It was instead the practice of Thunderbolt Leg Technique, finally reaching the last layer, that led to a new breakthrough. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Days later, a Sub-Safety Zone. The surrounding forest area of the camp had mostly been destroyed by previous battles and explosions. The originally dense mountain forest was now largely a scorched and barren slope. No grass, no bushes, only black soil. Yu Hong, wearing a breathing valve, stood alone outside the fence, motionless. After being stuck on the fifth layer of Thunderbolt Leg Technique for several days, finally, this morning after breakfast, just as he was about to go out for a bathroom break and was halfway there, he suddenly remembered that he had wanted to integrate the traction rune into his Inner Qi practice but had been unable to try because of one thing after another. Now that his cultivation was stuck, it was a good opportunity to test its effects. Thinking so, he did it. After using the bathroom, he quickly went to the sub-safety zone, put the atomic lamp aside, and began to weave the shape of the traction rune within the Dantian with his Inner Qi. The traction rune, unlike other runes, is one of the few fully enclosed symbols without any loose ends. Chapter 210: Confusing 208 Yu Hong manipulated Inner Qi, quickly forming a clear three-dimensional traction rune within his body. As time passed, one after another traction rune formed. Inside the Dantian, all Inner Qi soon turned into white disk-shaped traction runes. With the runes exerting their effects, they started to attract each other like magnets, sticking together, forming a mass that grew larger. Yu Hong quietly observed as all the Inner Qi converged into a sphere. The sphere quickly continued to shrink as if the internal forces were still actively working. From the size of a fist, it gradually shrank to the size of an egg. At this point, the ball of Inner Qi had become flawlessly white, constantly releasing a dazzling bright light. "It seems about right, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Yu Hong estimated in his mind. Just as he was about to manipulate the Inner Qi to test it, Suddenly his body felt hot and burning, his skin rapidly turned red, and his body temperature soared from thirty-seven degrees, swiftly exceeding forty degrees. The Inner Qi ball, emitting blinding white light, seemed to go mad, its surface beginning to boil and burn. Visualization flashed rapidly and automatically in Yu Hong¡¯s mind. Inside the Dantian, all Inner Qi moved along the trajectory of the traction runes, flowing rapidly, circulating, then further compressing. Soon, the egg-sized ball of Inner Qi shrank again, becoming the size of a date. Then, as if the concentration of Inner Qi triggered something, the visualization of the sixth layer of Thunderbolt Leg Technique naturally emerged in Yu Hong¡¯s mind. Everything seemed to fall into place naturally. At the bottom of the Inner Qi sphere, a tiny spiral hole appeared. From this hole, a thread of silvery-white fluid slowly began to seep out. As soon as the fluid flowed out, it dispersed into the surroundings, vanishing into the Dantian. At the same time, Yu Hong stood on the open ground;in the darkness, his whole body¡¯s skin slowly started glowing with a faint white light. Streams of Black Disaster radiation, extremely repulsive, radiated from his body in waves. The surrounding air¡¯s Red Value radiation was also continuously absorbed into his skin. Two types of radiation, which should have neutralized each other, were instead going in and out without conflict. The abnormality of his body glowing with white light lasted for more than half an hour before it gradually faded. Yu Hong stood still, raised his hand, clenched his fist, and felt something different in his body. He exhaled, and his hot breath instantly turned into white mist, shooting more than a meter away from the breathing valves on either side. "Did I succeed?¡± he wondered. The method for cultivating the sixth layer of Thunderbolt Transformation flashed through his mind. "Reverse the flow of Inner Qi, pressurize ten streams of Inner Qi on both sides of the legs. Then perform the Thunder Trace Step, form the Heaven Mountain Seal, and detonate the flow throughout the body.¡± Yu Hong once again manipulated his Inner Qi;twenty streams flowed smoothly out of the Inner Qi ball in the Dantian, which in turn shrunk to half its size. Inner Qi entered his legs, and then he followed the content recorded in the secret manual, walking forward step by step. Thunder Trace Step was a set of steps that looked like ordinary walking, but each step used different force and matched different visualization. Nine steps, one step per platform. Then his hands formed a seal, fingers shaped like a complex ¡®mountain¡¯ character. Even though he walked on flat ground, Yu Hong felt as if he were rising. "An illusion?¡± he looked around. The surrounding sparse trees seemed thinner, the Black Fog also lightened, becoming sparse. Not far away, the two dragon lizards lying down also seemed to have shrunk significantly, looking like toys that he could grab and play with by hand. Suddenly, Yu Hong finally realized something. He turned back and looked towards the camp. The stone castle, which originally was two stories high, had also shrunk significantly. He reached out his hand, gently touched the second-floor window ledge of the stone castle, and picked up a filter cup from the table beside the window. "So it¡¯s not an illusion;I have really grown¡­¡± Seeing the miniature cup in his hand, Yu Hong finally experienced an epiphany. * * * Miles away from Aurora City on a highway, Amid the buzzing sound of an engine, a black armored vehicle, with bright yellow headlights, sped along the road. It was pitch dark, and suddenly a slightly smaller transport vehicle appeared on the otherwise empty road. The military green transport vehicle strangely stopped at the side, instead of aligning with the road. Next to the vehicle, two fully armed tall figures were whispering beside the body of the vehicle. Seeing the approaching armored vehicle, they moved forward, waving their hands, signaling it to stop. The vehicle slowed down;Shu Cheng confirmed through a whispered password from behind the driving window that it was people from Aurora City and then got out of the car. "What¡¯s the situation?¡± he asked softly. "Coming from Black Wind Camp? Following the minister¡¯s orders, the goods are to be transferred to me for delivery to another laboratory for testing. After ensuring there¡¯s no issue, it will then be taken to the troops,¡± one of the tall figures spoke solemnly. "I need to confirm,¡± Shu Cheng said firmly. "Here¡¯s the ID,¡± the other person produced a credential. "That¡¯s fine,¡± Shu Cheng examined the ID, confirmed it was legitimate, and nodded in agreement. "There are two boxes;the big one is the trading goods, the small one is personal items that Yu Hong asked me to transfer to Lin Yiyi of Investigation Team Two.¡± "Let me take them all,¡± the tall figure said calmly. ¡°For safety responsibility, anything sent forward or to the battlefield must go through a security check.¡± "Understood,¡± Shu Cheng nodded. Once the two unloaded the goods, he turned the car in another direction and left. The remaining two also turned their vehicle around, heading back towards Aurora City. "Does Shu Cheng not know?¡± the shorter driver asked softly. "No, he¡¯s just a middleman. It¡¯s wise for the Shu family caravan to survive by making an alliance,¡± the taller figure responded indifferently. "What about the goods? How will they be sent?¡± "Grenades, as agreed, none less, all to be sent for inspection. Then distributed to the top brass. Of course, the numbers can¡¯t be short, but anything has a yield rate, splitting one third to swap with those produced by Lei herself.¡± "Who gets the other box for Team Two?¡± "Team Two is currently unaccounted for. Who would I deliver it to? Sister Thunder already said it counts as mid-route Black Disaster incurred battle damage.¡± "That¡¯s ruthless!¡± "Can¡¯t help it with association affairs,¡± the tall one took off his breathing valve and lit a cigarette, taking a deep drag. "So, are we splitting it ourselves?¡± the short one smiled. "Split my ass! If you want to die, just say it straight, it¡¯s all Sister Thunder¡¯s. She said we need to destroy Black Wind soon. Once Meisha has dealt with those two, Team Two can¡¯t stay. This Hong had been unappreciative before, can¡¯t keep him.¡± "Should we bring out the big guns?¡± "Pretty much, we¡¯ll take them down from over the horizon. After all, we can¡¯t suppress it this time, and all of us will have to retreat with Sister Thunder. The Joint Military Council has already got their eyes on us. Yang behaves like a wild dog, charges wherever he smells something, and the modified ones are all a bunch of lunatics who don¡¯t care about dying!¡± The car gradually accelerated, slowly disappearing into the Black Fog. * * * Bang! Bang! Bang! The heavy and immense footsteps once again startled Yu Hong from his sleep. With a swish, he threw off the blanket, got up, and looked around. He was sleeping in the basement, the surroundings illuminated by the soft glow of a night light. The walls were trembling, the ground was trembling, and the wooden bed was emitting a shrill creaking noise. He quickly got up, climbed the stairs to the first floor, put on his gear, and stepped out with his weapon. Outside, The sky was still pitch black as ink. The camp¡¯s lights were holding back the densely flowing mass of black bugs. ¡®The surge period is today¡­¡¯ Yu Hong thought, his heart chilling. At this point, the surge period of the Blood Tide was no longer dangerous for him. The hordes of black blood ticks could not penetrate even the camp¡¯s light;they were the weakest Black Disaster. The bigger creatures, Big Skin and elephant worms, were firmly blocked outside by the Array ¡ª some even burned to death by the fire spat by dragon lizards before they got close. Now, there were over a dozen dragon lizards stationed around the camp, forming a solid defensive line. They acted like assassins, targeting only the larger and more dangerous Black Disaster individuals. Right now, Yu Hong¡¯s focus was not on Big Skin and elephant worms. But rather, the owner of the huge footsteps hidden further beyond beneath the dense Black Fog. ¡®Should I go check it out?¡¯ The recently achieved mastery of the Thunderbolt Leg Technique had inflated Yu Hong¡¯s confidence significantly. Up to this point, without a clear reference, he didn¡¯t know the extent of his own strength. He only knew¡­ the sixth layer of the Thunderbolt Transformation was very strong! As for how strong, he didn¡¯t know. As for whether he could win, he felt that even if he couldn¡¯t beat them, he could definitely run away. As he hesitated, Suddenly the footsteps in the distance started to get louder! Bang! Bang! Bang!! The footsteps were getting closer and closer, heavier and heavier. Each step made Yu Hong¡¯s heart shrink. ¡®No, this guy is heading towards the camp! This time it¡¯s not just passing by;it¡¯s going through the camp!!¡¯ Yu Hong instantly assessed the situation. At that moment, his mind raced, and the dragon lizards surged out, spreading around to encompass the direction of the footsteps. He himself also picked up his weapon and ran swiftly in the direction of the sound. Entering the sixth layer, he stepped out, and his speed increased substantially. Feeling the wind whistling beside his ears, he couldn¡¯t hear anything else. Ahead, the Black Fog rapidly divided to both sides. Bursting out of the camp, he turned on his atomic lamp, shining a green light forward. At the same time, the shared vision from the surrounding dragon lizards came streaming in. Soon, a clear black-and-white image emerged in Yu Hong¡¯s eyes. In the dark forest shrouded in fog, A giant human figure of a small mountain, entirely black, was running wildly towards the camp. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Around the figure were towering dead trees, but those only reached its calves. The tallest stone castle in Black Wind Camp was like a child¡¯s toy block in front of it, barely reaching its ankles. ¡®¡­So big!!¡¯ Watching the figure charge straight towards the camp, Yu Hong felt a chilling terror rise, his body breaking out in goosebumps, his mind blanking out. ¡®What do I do, what do I do, what do I do!!?!¡¯ In an instant, desperate thoughts flashed through his mind. Quickly estimating the distance, it would take about seven or eight seconds to reach the camp. Hoping that the other party would take bigger steps and not step on the camp was clearly unrealistic. The opponent was a Black Disaster, uncommunicable, and naturally stood in opposition. ¡®I have to divert it, make it turn!!¡¯ A thought flashed in Yu Hong¡¯s mind. ¡®How do I lure it?¡¯ Facing such a massive Black Disaster monster, even the rockets that had previously damaged the camp didn¡¯t work effectively. For a moment, Yu Hong¡¯s mind spun rapidly, considering all the methods and weapons at his disposal. Suddenly, an unprecedented thought rose from his mind. Chapter 211: Confusion 209 Boom! Boom! Heavy footsteps steadily approached. Yu Hong turned off the atomic lamp, relying on the dragon lizard¡¯s night vision, he watched the giant from a higher vantage point in the distance. Whoosh! He quickly retrieved a shoulder-fired rocket from the camp that he had previously captured. In the time it took him to fetch the weapon, the giant had covered a great distance, now only three seconds away from the camp. "Calm down¡­ take a deep breath¡­¡± Yu Hong focused intently on the giant in the darkness. Inner Qi circulated, flowing into the rocket in his hands, turning the entire launcher a pale white color. Swoosh! He suddenly sprinted towards the left side of the camp. Thunderbolt Leg Technique at full speed. At nearly sixty meters a second, in the blink of an eye, he appeared on the edge of the camp within the charred forest. Lifting the rocket launcher, Yu Hong continuously poured Inner Qi into it, nearly five streams of Inner Qi by now. The rocket launcher in the darkness shone like a bulb, bright enough to be almost blinding. ¡®Go!¡¯ Just as the giant was about to reach the camp, about to lift one foot and step over it. Hiss!!! In the dark. A streak of light shot diagonally into the sky. The rocket, like a flare, streaked out at a hundred meters per second and hit the giant¡¯s lifted right foot at the last moment. In the dark. The giant¡¯s right leg faltered slightly, a dazzling and blinding red light exploding in mid-air. Boom!!!! A red fireball with white edges burst open on the giant¡¯s leg. The fireball covered most of the giant¡¯s lower leg. The violent explosion and impact far exceeded the rocket¡¯s own force. The light even briefly illuminated the surrounding hundred meters as if it were day. Yu Hong stood below, watching the fireball knock the giant¡¯s right leg slightly off track, causing it to miss its step. The foot didn¡¯t land directly on top of the camp but instead hit the edge region. Boom! The ground shook violently. The giant steadied itself and turned to look in Yu Hong¡¯s direction. Then it took large strides towards him. Swoosh! Yu Hong turned and ran, using the Thunderbolt Leg Technique to its fullest as he leapt and dashed through the wooded mountain, quickly moving hundreds of meters to dodge a massive descending foot. Boom! The massive footprint grazed him as it smashed to the ground. The rush of air seemed to try to drag him back forcibly. But Yu Hong¡¯s body ignited in white flames, erupting once more, he changed direction and shot toward the distance. Boom, boom, boom. Under his lead, the Black Giant gradually left the camp behind, heading towards Huafeng City. That mysterious Huafeng City, the entire city covered in a massive black slime, the Black Disaster, Yu Hong planned to draw the Black Giant there, hoping to inflict mutual damage. In the darkness, relying on the dragon lizard¡¯s guidance, he quickly led the giant towards the set direction. Finally, after not much time, Yu Hong gauged that they had crossed three kilometers, beyond the range of the large formation. Only then did he suddenly extinguish the Inner Qi flame and turn again. Boom. Boom. Boom. The Black Giant, having lost sight of the small lit figure, looked around in bewilderment. Sadly, he was now far from the Black Wind Camp, and no matter how the giant looked or searched in the darkness, it was impossible to easily find Yu Hong, who had concealed himself. Huff! Suddenly, a dragon lizard spewed a line of fire, hitting the giant¡¯s right foot, aiming precisely at the small wound created by the rocket blast. A silent radiation bomb also detonated. Roar!! The Black Giant let out a heavy, suppressed roar. He rushed towards the direction from which the dragon lizard had attacked, stomping away. Behind him, Yu Hong and the other dragon lizards in the dark watched the Black Giant. Not until the Black Giant completely disappeared from the dragon lizards¡¯ sight did Yu Hong breathe a sigh of relief. ¡®Thank goodness it worked¡­ The Inner Qi-amplified rocket could only cause a slight injury on its skin. If we really clashed with that thing¡­¡¯ Standing in the woods, Yu Hong¡¯s suspended heart slowly settled. However. Just at that moment, behind him. A huge and pale male face suddenly emerged from the darkness, smiling as it looked this way. The face alone towered over Yu Hong¡¯s height. Swoosh!! A pale hand, several meters in diameter, shot out like a white stone column from behind, smashing towards Yu Hong. By coincidence, none of the surrounding dragon lizards noticed;they were all looking in the direction where the Black Giant had left. Black Fog obscured everything. Woooo! The sound of the wind howled. By the time Yu Hong realized something was wrong, turned his head, and saw it, a massive white hand covering more than ten meters around him pressed down from above. The imposing hand blocked his entire field of vision. It was already within reach! Yu Hong¡¯s pupils constricted. In an instant, white flames erupted from his body, catapulting him into the air. The powerful burst propelled him to dodge fully to the right. Booming!!! But it was too late, the hand struck Yu Hong¡¯s body. With tremendous force and high speed, the hand descended like a high-speed train, crashing down upon Yu Hong. The palm opened from above, pressing down! Hum!!! The massive air current exploded outward, swirling into snake-like tendrils that struck the dried trees, producing a muffled roar. There was now a circular crater in the ground. At the center of the crater. A pale, huge hand hung suspended in mid-air, barely less than a meter away from the ground, failing to completely press down! From beneath the palm of this hand, streams of hot, bright white flames were escaping, illuminating the surroundings. "You¡­ fucker!!!¡± In the center of the flames, a hunched figure on his knees, struggling with both hands against the burly shape above, was trembling as he slowly stood upright. The massive pressuring force couldn¡¯t stop him from erupting with strength, propping up his body. "Want to¡­ kill me¡­¡± "Who do you think you are!!!¡± Yu Hong¡¯s body was ablaze with white fire, his muscles bulging, his hair completely dyed white by the flames as he burst upward. His face was twisted with effort as he struggled to lift his head. "Thunder¡­ bolt!!!¡± At the same time, five streams of Inner Qi burst forth. The wild force momentarily pushed the giant hand upward, creating a small gap. Then. He dashed forward, taking steps as he formed the Heaven Mountain Seal with both hands in front of him. Whoosh!! Below the white flames, his silhouette drew a clear, straight line in the darkness, rushing out of the crater, out of the woods. Turning around. Yu Hong¡¯s back rapidly sprouted countless strands of white light. A multitude of these filaments rapidly wove together behind him to form a giant half-body figure of pure white. The figure was solemn, its eyes flickering with white light, conspicuously Yu Hong¡¯s own face, only magnified. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The entire half-body figure was a good four meters tall, with a robust build, wearing antique armor of white light. As soon as the figure appeared, it raised its fist and flexed its bulging muscles before unleashing a punch backward. "Thunder!! Bolt!!!¡± Yu Hong¡¯s body, connected by the white light filaments, also raised his right hand, his features twisted with aggression as he threw a punch. This was the ultimate skill of the Thunderbolt Leg Technique¡ªThunderbolt Transformation. It was also a punch thrown with all his Inner Qi concentrated and unleashed in frenzy. The large and small fists overlapped and fused in an instant, meeting the pale giant hand that followed behind. The fist collided with the giant hand in the blink of an eye. Boom!!! White flames and pale debris exploded upon impact, turning into a circle of white ripples. The ripples sliced through the ground, through the surrounding tree trunks, leaving behind a deep black trench. Yu Hong¡¯s right fist pressed against the palm of the pale giant hand. The terrifying force of the punch pierced the air in an instant, passing through the back of the pale hand and creating a gray-white luminous stream. The stream whooshed out, blasting a near-vacuum temporary passage through the mountains and forest behind, and finally landed on a pale giant over ten meters tall. The luminous stream exploded, briefly revealing the giant¡¯s entire form. This was a smaller version of the Black Giant seen earlier. Its height was only a bit over ten meters, and it was shrouded in an extremely dense Black Fog, so dense that even the dragon lizard had not noticed its approach. Even more exaggerated was. The position of this smaller Black Giant was at least twenty meters away from Yu Hong. And yet, it reached out with its right arm, stretching like putty over twenty meters in the blink of an eye, crossing the distance to slam its palm onto the unassuming Yu Hong. The giant¡¯s head leaped from its neck into the air, and its thick neck swiftly stretched thin, snaking towards Yu Hong like a serpent. ¡®Can¡¯t beat the big one, and yet you damn well won¡¯t kill this little one!?¡¯ Yu Hong was scared by the life and death moment just now, with intense fear and anger burning crazily in his heart like flames. His Inner Qi was still exploding, coupled with reaching the ultimate limit of the Thunderbolt Leg Technique, Thunderbolt Transformation. At this moment, his whole body was like a fountain, like a balloon, with violent power continuously surging out from within. The clash of palms ended. His figure flashed, instantly leaving traces of white light as he charged head-on towards the massive flying head. His legs burst into white flames, with his right leg shooting out like a cannonball, delivering a blasting upward kick. ¡®Thunderbolt Leg, Fifth Form!!¡¯ Boom!! His right leg¡¯s instep struck the chin of the incoming head squarely. Sharp, raging currents roared like crazed laughter, mixing into the surrounding mountains and forests. This kick, from bottom to top, gathered all of Yu Hong¡¯s strength, augmented by the burst of Inner Qi. It immediately twisted and distorted the head, kicking it skyward, sending it flying high into the night sky. This leg¡¯s power was heavier than the previous punch, much heavier! Before the head could fly far, Yu Hong¡¯s bodily flames surged more than a meter high, his form turning into a shooting star, crossing over twenty meters to appear at the side of the giant. Bending his knee, he sidestepped and delivered a whipping kick! It struck the giant on its calf. Bang!!! There was a huge explosion. Once more, without waiting for the giant to lose balance and completely fall, Yu Hong¡¯s figure flashed again to the opposite side. This time, it was another heavy sidekick that forcibly kicked it up. In this way, the cycle continued. His incredible speed allowed him to unleash dozens of heavy kicks in just a few short seconds. His form kept appearing and vanishing at the giant¡¯s side. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom!! Amidst the sounds like heavy artillery fire, The giant¡¯s pale skin began to crack, covered in fissures. It tried to resist but couldn¡¯t escape from the disparity in speed. After only taking two steps, it was hit by another heavy leg strike and knocked back. Crack. The giant¡¯s right leg was kicked off, its body tilting and crashing to the ground. Still in mid-air, not yet completely landed. Crack. Another crisp sound, this time it was the shoulder bone breaking. Then the breastbone. The arm, the tailbone. Finally, the cervical vertebra. Crack!! Yu Hong¡¯s flickering form abruptly stilled at that moment, landing. He tapped his toes lightly on the ground and stood firmly. Chapter 212: Confusion Four The white Inner Qi flames rapidly dimmed and went out. Yu Hong stood in place, watching the giant body slowly crash down. Boom! A heavy sound spread as the giant broke two dead trees and fell face down on the ground, motionless. White blood slowly flowed from beneath it, then evaporated into black smoke. "So, what meaning does your existence hold?¡± Yu Hong exhaled, and the white half-human figure behind him silently dispersed, turning into countless fine threads that burrowed back into his back. His expression returned to calm, he turned around, no longer looking at the scene, and in a flash, he disappeared from the spot, heading back to the camp. Minutes later. Inside the camp cave. Yu Hong took off his shirt to inspect the multiple ruptured wounds on his body, swiftly applying iodine. A loud roar suddenly echoed from a distance. It sounded somewhat like a Multi-eyed Bird but thicker and louder than most. Yu Hong paused in wiping his wounds. The dragon lizard he had left at the previous battlefield had died. After the small Black Giant died, most of it dissolved into black smoke, and since he had to wait too long for it to evaporate, he decided to leave the dragon lizard to watch the corpse while he retreated first. As expected, something went wrong. "There¡¯s something that killed the dragon lizard. It must be one of the small Black Giant¡¯s kind,¡± Yu Hong guessed in his mind. Despite the aftermath, he was very calm at the moment. The power boost Thunderbolt Transformation gave him was immense, before the activation, he could easily lift a car weighing several tons with his bare hands. With such strength, fully kicking with maximum speed, considering his body weight, speed, force exertion, and a perfect vertical angle, he could produce a momentary impact force of a hundred to two hundred tons. Such power would be unbelievably exaggerated to an ordinary person. But against a slightly bigger Blood Tide Monster, it was quite ordinary. Technically, Yu Hong could still enhance further;it wasn¡¯t a matter of speed, but that his own bones and flesh couldn¡¯t tolerate more. Just like an ordinary person going all out: if they punched a wall, the one getting injured would definitely be their fist, not the wall. What often determined the upper limit of impact force was the body¡¯s own tolerance. Just moments ago, after activating Thunderbolt Transformation, his bones and flesh significantly hardened and his speed also increased, combining the two, his momentary destructive power linearly improved. Defeating that small giant was therefore nothing unexpected. After all, that fellow was only about ten meters tall and had no special abilities. Hmm, having elongated necks and arms or such, were completely useless abilities for Yu Hong;they were as good as none. Putting his thoughts aside, Yu Hong decided to test his limit strength when he had time. Stepping out of the cave, the air outside was chilly, and the ground was covered with white frost. He stood in the inner courtyard close to the stone castle walls, quietly waiting. Soon after. Swoosh! A black dragon lizard abruptly jumped out of the darkness, crawled in front of him, and spat out a gray-white stone orb covered with cloud patterns. The stone orb was only the size of a fist. It looked a bit like¡­ "Could this be¡­ the small giant¡¯s eyeball??¡± Yu Hong suddenly remembered what it was. He had noticed during the encounter that the small Black Giant¡¯s eyes were not like human eyes but made of this stone-like material. "This didn¡¯t evaporate and disappear? Looks like it left behind something good.¡± Yu Hong had left four dragon lizards there. The purpose was to collect any leftovers from the corpses. After all, remnants from the Black Disaster were quite helpful to him. Using them for Black Mark synthesis might bring some unexpected surprises. It didn¡¯t matter if the guarding dragon lizards died;bringing back the leftovers was what mattered. Picking up the eyeball, Yu Hong turned it over to observe. ¡®The giant¡¯s eyeball is evidently different in size from its body;it must have shrunk.¡¯ Stowing away the giant¡¯s eyeball, he, bare-chested and with lingering warmth from his boiling blood, thus surveyed the outer courtyard. Before long, near the vehicle entrance, he discovered a huge footprint. From an aerial view, the footprint was clearly human-shaped. About thirty meters long and over nine meters wide, broader at the front and narrower at the back, with five toes. The footprint had landed just right at the camp¡¯s right side, crushing part of the fence;its length was nearly half of the entire outer yard, which was about as long as the camp fence itself. Combining the whole outer and inner yard, it was around sixty meters in square dimensions. Walking out of the camp, Yu Hong squatted by the deep pit made by the footprint. The pit, over ten meters deep, resembled a dried-up pond in the night, deep enough to kill someone if they jumped down. "Maybe I should consider building a spaceship to get away sooner.¡± Looking at the footprint pit, Yu Hong couldn¡¯t help shaking his head in resignation. He had no desire to confront such a level of monster head-on. Now, with his full-speed burst, combining Thunderbolt Transformation with his body¡¯s strength, he might momentarily produce a thousand tons of impact force. Impact force itself can¡¯t traditionally be measured in weight, but converting it to weight makes it more comprehensible. A thousand tons sounds impressive, but that¡¯s just a burst, not sustained force. "The key is¡­ with the speed and mass combined, how powerful is the impact when this thing hits?¡± Yu Hong couldn¡¯t imagine. He had speed, but so did they. An enormous creature weighing hundreds of thousands of tons, when it stomped down at full speed¡ªthe impact¡­ They weren¡¯t going to just stand still and let him hit them. So¡­ Whoosh. Yu Hong stood up. "Better to run.¡± He turned around and returned to the camp, arriving at a slightly crushed fence and carefully checked the countdown of the reinforcement. Soon, he found the countdown display on another fence. This thing was still intact, as if the reinforcement process had nothing to do with the items being reinforced. This sense of dj vu intensified Yu Hong¡¯s belief that the Black Mark might have been a stolen finished product directly from somewhere. This could also explain why the more precise the request, the more difficult it was to enhance the Black Mark, and why it always indicated insufficient foundational information. But once switched to free play, any enhancement was possible. The only difference would be the time and energy consumed. "Temporary crisis averted, but more Black Giants are passing by lately¡­ The camp must stay hidden. We can¡¯t be flaunting lights. Also, where are these Black Giants heading? To the new Aurora City?¡± He knew there were only two Aurora Cities in the entire Eastern River region. Had these elite cores of the contemporary Eastern River congregated there? Maybe that¡¯s where the Black Giants were headed? Thinking this, Yu Hong turned off the camp¡¯s public lights. Relied solely on the Wind and Fire Slaughter Spirit Array to fend off the Blood Tide Black Insects. Though this placed a heavier load on the array, it was less conspicuous and much safer. The passing hulking giants truly frightened him. "They say after you fight the little ones, the big ones come next. Hopefully, the small one I killed hasn¡¯t been discovered.¡± Yu Hong took one last look at the darkened camp, then he firmly closed the door, locking the bright white lights inside the corridor. Amid the whirring sound of the air purification units, inside and outside the door, darkness and light were like two different worlds. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. * * * First Aurora City, the frontline. Dozens of two-hundred-meter tall Black Giants raced across the expansive black plain towards a massive city fortified with white light. Boom, boom, boom! The continuous firing of heavy grenade cannons echoed. Some shells landed, exploding on the ground to create pits tens of meters wide and deep. Others exploded on the bodies of the Black Giants, their supersonic projectiles penetrating with terrifying force, leaving uneven white flesh wounds. Beneath the feet of the Black Giants, a tide-like mass of black Blood Tide Insects surged. Mixed within this sea of insects were numerous Big Skins and Elephant Worms, resembling armored vehicles and siege engines, relentlessly charging at the black fortified city, only to crash into the thick brown alloy city walls. The walls, which had once been smooth and flawless, were now pockmarked and rough as a toad¡¯s skin. Machine guns peppered the walls, ceaselessly strafing. Burning projectiles enhanced with incendiaries were continuously thrown down, igniting massive fires that reduced the wave of insects to countless plumes of black smoke. In the sky. Countless hairless Multi-eyed Birds and indistinguishable species of bizarre Black Disaster birds, swirled around airliner-sized grey-white creatures, diving towards the city fortress above. These airliner-sized gray-white creatures, composed of viscous cement-like fluid, had wide wings, lizard-like tails, long necks resembling that of a plesiosaurs, and their heads bore enormous, twisted, and decaying human faces, which emitted piercing screams downward. Anti-air missiles, dense like fireworks, soared to intercept the Black Disaster creatures above, exploding into bright yet brutal fireworks. A thick concrete protective layer was also constructed above the entire city. This was another Aurora City located outside Xin Zhilei¡¯s control, and it was on the most dangerous frontlines. Inside the city, residents were instructed to stay indoors and wait out the Black Disaster attack. At this moment, in a polygonal black building at the center of Aurora City. Outside its entrance hung a sign for the Aurora Military Commission. Hum. On the empty street, a heavy armored military vehicle quickly drove into the iron gate of the building, stopping at the entrance. Fully armed guards came forward to check credentials and then stepped back to salute. The vehicle door opened. A tall, robust man with tired, graying hair dressed in a black military uniform stepped out. His uniform bore the simple insignia of five golden suns. "General, Yang Chijun¡¯s team has caught a small lead on the Eternal Life Association.¡± An elderly, stooped man with white hair, wearing a white researcher¡¯s robe, approached and whispered. "Let¡¯s talk inside,¡± the man nodded. ¡°No matter what, we must resolve the aftermath this time, and eradicate internal problems root and branch.¡± "Yes!¡± "Also, Minister Xin Zhilei has requested control over the medium-range nuclear missiles, and the specific location has been reported.¡± "Send the verification team to check if it¡¯s necessary. Misuse of large-yield hydrogen bombs by Flicka has already caused instability in the earth¡¯s crust there,¡± the general spoke with a focused expression. "Minister Ouyang has new progress in his investigation into Minister Xin, and it looks like there indeed is a problem. Chapter 213: Blue 1 The blackout at the camp brought Yu Hong an unexpected peace. The lights kept weak Blood Tide Monsters at bay, but they also attracted the powerful Black Disaster. All things considered, it was a win. In the basement of the cave. Yu Hong operated the main control computer of the production line, setting it to automate the production of Radiation Hand Grenades. The materials were semi-finished products he had processed. Then he sat down on a bench to observe the outside world through the dragon lizard¡¯s eyes. During this time, a large number of high-risk Black Disasters continuously passed by the camp, but this time, they were not Evil Shadows, but Blood Tide Monsters. ¡®The Black Giants are ranked between Level 9 and War Level. According to Zhang Kaijun, it¡¯s illogical that such formidable giants are still a bit short of War Level.¡¯ Yu Hong sighed inwardly. He picked up a charcoal pen and began to etch one of the four runes he had recently acquired onto a blank wooden board. After careful study and test-engraving with Inner Qi, only two of the four runes proved useful. The other two, for some reason, were completely ineffective. Through Yingshan Rune translations, Yu Hong learned that these two runes were Solidify and Separate. These two runes were clearly for special purposes and played an irreplaceable role in certain areas. ¡®First, I can use Separation to purify, and then Solidify the materials, allowing me to produce the resources I need continuously.¡¯ Yu Hong quickly thought of how to use these two runes. They were also the most basic two links in the Yingshan Rune System. Inside the cave, Yu Hong was engrossed in etching a talisman array on the wooden board, unlike any structure he had created before. Time slipped by unnoticed. When the wall-mounted detector showed it was 7:16 in the morning, Yu Hong set down the pen and examined the slightly complex compound array in front of him for any mistakes. ¡®Previously, the Yingshan Rune System mainly helped me with weapons, gear, and the camp¡¯s security. I didn¡¯t expect it would also have an effect on Inner Qi cultivation.¡¯ He picked up the wooden board and blew off the nonexistent dust. ¡®Now that the Rune System is mostly complete, I might as well try to extract the mysterious power from luminous stones to create a lasting weapon against the Black Disaster with higher purity and greater power.¡¯ This was his test, his experiment, but it wasn¡¯t particularly urgent. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After putting down the wooden board, he picked up the experiment logbook and recorded his current progress. Then he went to the shower room to take a bath. Hiss. The water from the pipes had dwindled even more. If it weren¡¯t for the further drop in temperature outside, causing the water drawn to be cooler as well, the nuclear generator¡¯s cooling might also be in jeopardy. After the shower, Yu Hong looked at the water stream that had thinned to the width of a finger, frowning deeply. He reached out, scooped up a handful of water, and sniffed it, detecting a faint acrid smell. Discarding the water, Yu Hong quickly went outside to check on the reinforcement progress. There were still seven days left until the Black Mark was strengthened, a full week. He switched on the communicator. After a short wait, "Have you noticed it too?¡± Zhang Kaijun¡¯s voice sounded increasingly weary. "Yeah, it seems we have a serious groundwater issue. You weren¡¯t online yesterday, but I heard Aurora City is trying to deal with it. They¡¯re digging tunnels,¡± Yu Hong¡¯s information came from Xin Zhilei. ¡°Hopefully, they¡¯ll succeed. The situation with the investigation team isn¡¯t great either. The Meisha family holds the key, and that¡¯s been confirmed. But we can¡¯t find the two members of the Meisha family who entered East River Territory before.¡± "How are you dealing with the Blood Ticks in the strata?¡± Zhang Kaijun asked. "Just keep shining the large spotlight on them, and it¡¯ll be fine once we dig through the Black Worm layer,¡± replied Yu Hong. ¡°It¡¯s getting colder outside, and now we have a water issue. I feel like something bad might happen.¡± "How much worse can it get?¡± said Zhang Kaijun. Thump! Thump! Thump!! Suddenly, there was a series of heavy footsteps approaching from outside, which then quickly grew distant again. Yu Hong, having already spotted the Black Giant through the dragon lizard¡¯s surveillance, noted that the giant was just passing by and not heading towards the camp, which is why he had remained still. "Yu Hong, do you think we still have hope for the future?¡± Zhang Kaijun suddenly asked. Yu Hong was surprised;he never expected the usually cold Zhang Kaijun to suddenly ask such a question. "I don¡¯t know,¡± he answered. ¡°That¡¯s why Aurora City is striving to deal with the Black Disaster while also seeking the key. If the key is useful, maybe the Black Disaster can be contained.¡± "Do you believe it?¡± "Do we have a choice?¡± replied Yu Hong. Silence. Both men lapsed into silence simultaneously. The communication ended, with Wei Song and Xin Zhilei never having appeared. Yu Hong returned to the bathroom, turned on the tap, and as the water came out slightly black, he sighed and gently shut it off. ¡®I can¡¯t rely on Aurora City to solve the problem. Even if they succeed, my position is too far to resolve the water-supply issue. I need to deal with the water source quickly while we still have sufficient reserves.¡¯ He made up his mind. Then, putting on his gear, he left the camp and headed to the back. The atomic lamp turned on, illuminating the eerie grey-black wooden bridge at the back of the camp. The bridge extended silently into the dense Black Fog, secret and unnoticeable. Yu Hong closed his eyes and checked the array. Then he took out a detector and extended it in the direction of the wooden bridge. Swiftly, the numbers on the detector changed rapidly, skyrocketing from dozens to over a thousand. ¡®The erosion of the array has begun again. Seems there¡¯s trouble at the Black Ship¡­¡¯ He exhaled, lowered his face mask. ¡®I¡¯ll deal with the wooden bridge first and on the way, complete the Night Text translations in the machine. Then I¡¯ll come back to sort out the water issue. By that time, the Black Mark¡¯s reinforcement of the fence should also be complete.¡¯ Compared to the water source, the array was degrading faster, so priorities had to be set. Familiar with the route, he now carried a large iron ball as he strode onto the wooden bridge. Surging with inner Qi, the potent Red Value radiation surrounding him was steadily neutralized by the negative radiation emitted from his Qi. The Thunderbolt Leg Technique was specifically augmented with a Black Mark integration to counter the Black Disaster, boasting a strong specificity. So far, the effects had been quite satisfactory. But now, having cultivated the Thunderbolt Transformation to the sixth layer, he was closing in on completion. His current focus was on strengthening his body¡¯s adaptability, allowing the Thunderbolt Transformation to gradually adapt to his physique, while also speeding up activation, stepping and forming hand signs, trying to minimize the duration. Once he had sufficiently practiced these techniques, it would be time to reinforce a new martial art. With these thoughts flickering through his mind, Yu Hong soon caught sight of the massive Black Ship moored at the end of the wooden bridge. Whoosh. Several dragon lizards swiftly leaped aboard, checking for safety. Shortly after, plumes of black smoke rose slowly, signaling safety from the dragon lizards. Yu Hong leaped aboard, his single hand bracing against the railing as he lightly landed. With a creaking sound, the Black Ship began to move, heading slowly into the depths of the Black Fog. "Hope to complete the Night Text and make clear the content of that Daoist Scripture.¡± Standing on the deck, Yu Hong looked towards the bow, although he could see only the thick Black Fog. Still, his heart was filled with anticipation. Intuition told him that whether it was Aurora City or Gray City, or any other large strongholds, they had all turned into stagnant waters. Just dealing with the successive Black Disasters was enough to overwhelm them, leaving no capacity to delve into the truth of the Black Disaster. And without a stable defense line, there was simply no chance of delving deeper to understand the situation. After about ten minutes of sailing, the Black Ship slowly came to a halt. Thump. The vessel gently brushed against something hard, causing a slight shudder. Yu Hong walked over to the port side and looked down. The Black Fog began to dissipate. A rudimentary wooden jetty, resembling the wooden bridge, appeared before him. The jetty stretched straight into the distance: ten meters, twenty meters, fifty meters¡­ "Hm??¡± Suddenly, Yu Hong paused in confusion. ¡°No Black Fog?? There¡¯s actually no Black Fog here??!¡± He looked along the bridge into the distance. The scenery was clearly visible for a long way. The long black wooden bridge, solid and straight, ended at a jumble of dark red rocks. In the rocks, there was a black metal sign, inscribed with unfamiliar Night Text. Yu Hong activated the translation device on his cheek. For his first exploration, he intended to primarily probe and explore, not planning to take much action. So, he wore the translation device to collect samples. "Sample collected, scene recording, current progress 8%,¡± a sweet female voice rang in his ear. Whoosh whoosh. Two dragon lizards were the first to leap off the Black Ship, with Yu Hong following suit, stepping onto the wooden bridge and quickly walking towards the stone beach. Clack. The moment his boots touched the stones. Dong¡­ A prolonged tolling of a bell unexpectedly sounded gently near Yu Hong¡¯s ear. The bell sound seemed like a spring, washing over him from head to toe in an instant. Strangely, a sense of peculiar relief slowly arose from deep within his heart. Yu Hong raised his head. Directly before him, Under the dark, lightless sky, stood a sharp, knife-like grey-white mountain peak, rising to the heavens. At the summit, there was a sky-blue, vertical pupil-like crevice. Through the crevice shone a pure, bright light, a pure blue halo that seemed like the lingering color of a sky that once existed. ¡®This place¡­¡¯ Yu Hong¡¯s heart skipped a beat, sensing the Black Ship might have brought him to an extraordinary place. He surveyed his surroundings;behind him was the Black Water River, enveloped in Black Fog, and the wooden jetty. On both sides, endless grayish-white mountains stretched, but beyond a certain distance, farther away, they were also submerged in Black Fog. Only this mountain in front of him seemed protected by some strange force, preventing the Black Fog from approaching. Crunch. Crunch. He lifted his foot and took steps towards the mountain peak. The blue vertical pupil crevice at the top of the peak, like a magnet, continually drew him closer. Dragon lizards kept guard around him, always alert to potential threats. Before long, he arrived at the base of the mountain. In between the bare gray-white stones, clusters of bizarre rocks and pillars formed a stone forest hiding a winding staircase leading upwards. The stairway was only a little more than a meter wide, and on a strange rock at its entrance, blue Night Text was carved. After recording it with the translation device, Yu Hong approached the stairs. Looking up. The unobstructed stairway had small platforms at intervals. The platforms wound upwards, twisting and turning, seemingly connecting to the unseen end of the peak. At this moment, Yu Hong was surprised to see a person on the first platform ahead. The figure wore a tattered black and gray robe, hair draped over the shoulders, prostrate on the ground, head quietly bowed to the earth, completely still. ¡®Is that¡­ a Daoist robe?¡¯ Yu Hong found the attire somewhat familiar. After a moment¡¯s thought, he stepped onto the stairway. Step by step, warily scanning his surroundings, he climbed. The dragon lizards scrambled ahead of him, approaching the figure. But there was no response, just the silent figure kneeling statically. Chapter 214: Blue 212 Soon after, Yu Hong also walked up to the person step by step. He casually picked up a long stone from the ground and poked the person with it. Puff puff. The stone jabbed into the person¡¯s body, hard and stiff, without any softness of flesh and blood. "A corpse?¡± A trace of surprise showed on Yu Hong¡¯s face under his helmet. "To think a corpse would appear here¡­ It seems there really isn¡¯t a Black Disaster here. Black Disaster devours corpses, leaving only objects behind. That¡¯s a fact recognized by everyone. The presence of a corpse here means that this place might be the complete opposite of the Black Disaster. From the outset, when the Black Fog dissipated, he had this suspicion. He sighed, glanced at the detector on his collar. The LCD displayed: -172.313. "As I thought¡­¡± He took a deep breath and continued upwards. Tap. Tap. Tap. On the hard stone steps, only his footsteps echoed. Around the mountains, densely packed stone forests emitted a cold breath, yet there wasn¡¯t the slightest hint of gloomy dreariness. Bright cerulean halos lit up the entire mountain peak with a righteous aura. Yu Hong kept climbing and soon reached the second small platform. This time, there were three people dressed in garments similar to Daoist robes, also kneeling on the ground, their faces twisted in pain, eyes tightly shut, their bodies long frozen stiff, devoid of signs of life. Yu Hong continued upwards. On the third platform, there were still two kneeling corpses. These two were slightly different from the previous ones;their garb was a bit more lavish, with delicate accessories added. Yu Hong attempted to search their bodies, but found that their clothes were frozen together with the corpses, inseparable. Considering he had just arrived, to avoid triggering any unforeseen events, he did not attempt to forcefully search the bodies. He continued upwards. On platform after platform, there were more or fewer kneeling frozen corpses. As he climbed the steps, Yu Hong suddenly noticed some Night Text inscriptions on the stone columns to the right of the staircase in the stone forest. He had the translator record them one by one, and the progress was pushed to 9%. He didn¡¯t know how much time had passed. Finally, a great rocky platform appeared at the end of the staircase. Crack. Yu Hong stepped onto it. Looking around, This was a gigantic circular white platform, about the size of a soccer field. The ground was smooth, covered in a thick layer of ice. Through the ice, one could see an extremely intricate set of blue giant Array Patterns beneath. Whoo. A cold wind blew, lifting the thick cloak behind Yu Hong. The detector¡¯s temperature display began to emit a beeping alarm. Yu Hong glanced at it. ¡°-27 degrees.¡± He silenced the alarm and looked around. Directly in front of the platform was a glowing crack resembling a vertical cerulean pupil. To the left and right, were sheer icy cliffs without any railings. With a thought, Yu Hong commanded a dragon lizard toward that crack. Swoosh. As the dragon lizard darted across the platform and turned into a black streak, it quickly disappeared into the crack. Then¡­ The view was cut off, everything returned to calm. ¡°¡­.??¡± Yu Hong frowned, staring at the crack. "Send another one.¡± He commanded. The second dragon lizard also rushed toward the crack. But this time, under Yu Hong¡¯s control, it stopped at the entrance of the crack and then slowly, bit by bit, crawled inside. With no change occurring, Yu Hong watched with his own eyes as the second dragon lizard entered the crack;the lizard was fine and continued forward, but his connection with it was severed. "A place with strong isolation?¡± Assured of no danger, Yu Hong too stepped onto the large platform and quickly approached the crack. But as he drew nearer, a faint noise began to sound in his ears. It was as if countless people were talking at once, dense and buzzing like a swarm of bees, causing him irritation. He reached the crack. Yu Hong hesitated for a moment but still lifted his foot and stepped forward. No change. He confirmed there was nothing abnormal with his body before continuing forward. Slowly walking into the crack. Inside the crack was extremely bright;it was a massive elliptical cavern. At the center of the cavern stood a tall blue crystal column, and atop the column, a blue-robed old man sat quietly with his back to Yu Hong, seemingly holding something in front of him that emitted an intensely dazzling blue halo. The old man¡¯s garments were also similar to a Daoist robe, embroidered with large complex patterns. Some of these patterns occasionally lit up silver, flashing briefly. The old man¡¯s long hair had already turned snow-white, neatly draped behind him. He wore a silver coronet resembling a flame on his head. On the back of his robe was a peculiar pattern. It was a sun-shaped golden circle, with a pointer in the center dividing it vertically from bottom to top. At the very bottom, it was decorated with auspicious clouds and twisted patterns. All the light in the cavern emanated from the central seated old man. Yu Hong estimated the distance, he was at least a hundred meters away from the old man. But the blue light from that person was like a miniature sun, making even his eyes sting. This was even after the protection of goggles. He scanned ahead and quickly spotted his two dragon lizards lying motionless on the ground not far in front of him, not knowing what was wrong. Crack. Suddenly, a sound like that of ice splitting open emanated from the old man. He slowly rose to his feet, blue powder starting to fall from his body. Rings of transparent ripples spread out from him, transforming into wind, brushing around the cave, then rebounding and merging into a chaotic gust. Yu Hong felt something was amiss and began to step back. "Sample collection in progress¡­ Scene recorded, current progress 11%,¡± the translator¡¯s prompt suddenly popped up. But Yu Hong had no idea where it had heard the sample from;he had an ominous feeling, a very bad one. Watching as the old man had completely risen to his feet. He immediately didn¡¯t care about anything else and turned around to execute the Thunderbolt Leg Technique at full speed. Hiss! With a single stride, he shot out of the crevice like an arrow released from a bow, crossing the large platform, and rushing down the steps. "Wumengxinghe!¡± An incomprehensible ancient voice cried out from the mountaintop as Yu Hong retreated wildly. "Xing!¡± "Xing!¡± "Xing!¡± As the aged voice resonated, it was also accompanied by the sounds of countless people speaking or chanting something. The voice repeated, sounding like a cry, its tone resembling the Chinese word for ¡°star.¡± Without pausing for a moment, Yu Hong sped down the mountain and rushed towards the wooden bridge on the rocky beach. In a burst of speed, he glanced back behind him. At that moment, the peak of the large mountain was emitting a blindingly brilliant blue light, like the sun. Wherever the blue light touched, the surrounding mountains and the ground began to rapidly form large patches of frost. At the same time, the thick Black Fog in the distant surroundings violently rolled, seemingly stimulated, and began sweeping toward this location. The moment the Black Fog neared, the blue light fiercely blocked it from the outside, continuously piercing and scattering it. Crack, crack¡­ The wooden bridge was also frozen, extending up to the Black Ship. Yu Hong had already jumped onto the Black Ship, standing at the rail and gazing at the mountain peak. "Wehcqk¡­.¡± That ancient voice still echoed slowly by his ear. However, he couldn¡¯t understand the language, only perceiving a strange mechanical feel from the voice. The voice continuously repeated, repeating a segment of incomprehensible Night Text, not trying to converse with him. This was also why he had turned and fled. Because the old man might have already lost consciousness, simply reacting reflexively. ¡®Too bad¡­. Didn¡¯t manage to gain anything,¡¯ Yu Hong sighed. Feeling the Black Ship begin to slowly move away from the dock, he felt somewhat regretful. "Sample collected successfully, current scene recorded. Current progress 24%,¡± the translator¡¯s prompt sounded again. ¡®Why has it recorded again??¡¯ Yu Hong furrowed his brow, he was already on the ship, wasn¡¯t he? What was happening?? Surrounded by Black Fog, there was nothing to be seen, how could the translator have recorded it?? Suddenly, Yu Hong sensed something was wrong and quickly looked around. Wait! The furnishings on the Black Ship were not right!! The masts on the ship were not like this! He abruptly realized something was amiss. The moment he sensed the discrepancy, the Black Ship around him distorted like water ripples, as if a burning scroll, edges burning away, turning to ashes and dissipating from his view. Everything in front of him turned white. His vision blurred, and by the time his eyes cleared, Everything around him plunged him into an icy abyss. He was still in that massive blue light crevice! He had never left from the very beginning! Directly in front of him, the seated old man was slowly straightening up, turning around once more. The old man¡¯s face was serene, like a statue, his eyes tightly closed, holding a brilliantly blue horsetail whisk in his hand. The piercing light shrouded everything, obscuring the details of the horsetail whisk. "Sample collected, current progress 35%,¡± the translator¡¯s prompt came again. Yu Hong saw the old man¡¯s lips slightly move, and a series of unintelligible sounds reached his ears. Finally, he understood where the translator¡¯s progress came from. ¡®Trouble¡­¡¯ He had no idea how to deal with this type of illusion-based opponent. Among his current methods, not one was designed to handle illusion-based attacks. Especially since the old man¡¯s methods were not Black Disaster, but all his techniques were developed to counter Black Disaster. The old man mechanically repeated the unknown words, then gently stepped forward. Swoosh! In an instant, he moved a hundred meters, appearing in front of Yu Hong. He pointed a finger. Before his finger was Yu Hong¡¯s raised spiked iron ball. Clang!! The iron ball loudly distorted, caving in the center, then explosively shattered, scattering like a burst balloon. "Xing!¡± The deafening old voice still echoed around. The old man¡¯s finger continued forward, aiming for Yu Hong¡¯s chest. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Boom!! Inner Qi erupted, and Yu Hong¡¯s body ignited with white light, his right leg kicking forward at the opponent¡¯s lower leg. Simultaneously, he leaned his upper body backward, deftly dodging the finger. Hiss! The old man¡¯s finger grazed above him, nicking the tip of his nose, drawing a streak of blood. While Yu Hong¡¯s right leg also hit the old man¡¯s left leg bone. With a muffled thud, the two rapidly separated. Yu Hong only felt his right leg as if he had kicked a chunk of steel, painfully throbbing. ¡®Such strong defense!¡¯ He thought to himself that even an armored vehicle could have been instantly kicked apart, his explosive strength reaching at least a thousand tons. Even real steel should have bent. But the opponent seemed to have¡­ No! Suddenly, Yu Hong noticed, the blue light on the old man¡¯s horsetail whisk had dimmed slightly. Chapter 215: Blue Three Blue light¡­ Yu Hong squinted his eyes and tore off the helmet that had been slashed in two, that last strike had cleanly bisected his bulletproof helmet and all. He exhaled sharply and abruptly moved to the left, dodging the elder¡¯s next finger thrust. Thunderbolt Inner Qi erupted as he spun around with a swift, turning back kick. Thud! The kick was blocked by the elder¡¯s single hand;his withered fingers clasped like five sharp spikes, fiercely stabbing towards Yu Hong¡¯s leg. Fortunately, the speed of the Thunderbolt Leg was extremely fast, and he quickly retracted his leg, widening the distance. Yu Hong jumped slightly, easing the stinging pain in his legs. Once again, he noticed the blue light on the elder¡¯s horsetail whisk had dimmed a bit more. Understanding flashed in his eyes. ¡®Again!¡¯ Immediately utilizing his speed as an advantage, he circled the elder rapidly, darting in and out with kicks. The opponent¡¯s speed was fast in a straight line, but couldn¡¯t match the mobility of the Thunderbolt Leg Technique. With this strategy, Yu Hong quickly gained a significant advantage in a short amount of time. Like the time he had taken down the giant, his silhouette flickered constantly at the elder¡¯s side, launching kicks. The Thunderbolt Leg Technique, now with a vast reserve of Inner Qi, could sustain a continuous eruption for an extended period, enough to hold up during this battle. Bang bang bang bang! A series of heavy impacts sounded as Yu Hong clashed with the elder, fracturing space, shattering steps along the way, and retreating to a stony beach. As the blue light faded gradually, everything seemed to be drawing to a close. Rumble rumble¡­ Not far away, the area covered by the blue light began to shrink, and the Black Fog started to encroach. One by one, mountains were enveloped by the Black Fog, gradually disintegrating, collapsing like sand dunes. Boom!! Another powerful kick landed on the elder¡¯s left shoulder, and Yu Hong leveraged the force to jump back and land. Looking at the changes happening around him, a frown appeared on his face. A nameless agitation started to rise quietly within him. Crack. The elder raised his horsetail whisk, about to continue his attack, but suddenly jerked to a halt. It was as if a robot had lost power, completely freezing in place. Buzz! In that instant, countless overlapping voices echoed through the surroundings. It was as if they were chanting, singing, shouting. ¡°Sample has been recorded, current progress 40%.¡± ¡°¡­..current progress 51%.¡± ¡°¡­68%.¡± At that moment, the myriad voices of the translation devices rose up simultaneously. Yu Hong now knew why the progress of the translation device had increased so rapidly. The chaotic sounds around him obviously played a significant role. His eyebrows knitted tightly as he was about to step forward to check on the elder. All of a sudden, he noticed a change in the elder¡¯s eyes, which went from being mechanical and lifeless to suddenly lively and gentle. That was¡­ The light of consciousness! He realized it in a flash. ¡°You¡­!!¡± ¡°ahqck¡­¡± The elder put away his horsetail whisk and revealed a serene smile on his face, uttering a string of Night Text that was completely unintelligible. Crack. In that instant, his body shattered like broken glass, and countless fragments of blue crystals drifted out from him, dissipating into the air. As he disintegrated, the Black Fog in the distance approached even more rapidly. The blue light was fading rapidly, vanishing, its brightness plummeting swiftly. ¡°Current progress 86%,¡± the translation device prompted again. The elder opened his mouth, looking at Yu Hong and spoke again. Sadly, not a word was intelligible. He seemed to realize this too, a tinge of regret in his eyes, then he turned his head to watch the quickly encroaching Black Fog, his face expressing resignation and calm. Not long after, the elder sat down cross-legged, resting the horsetail whisk across his knees, his demeanor peaceful, as he closed his eyes. Buzz!!! A brilliant blue light burst forth from him, expanding in all directions, momentarily holding back the Black Fog. Then, he raised his hand, waving at Yu Hong, signaling him to leave quickly. Yu Hong watched him, feeling a sudden sense of regret welling up inside for no apparent reason. But he didn¡¯t hesitate, turned around, and sprinted, leaping aboard the Black Ship in just a few bounds. The overlapping voices continued to resonate in his ears. The progress updates from the translation device kept speeding up. Click. The Black Ship slowly started moving, retreating, leaving the stony beach. On the beach, the elder, still enveloped in the blue light, sat cross-legged, beginning to recite something loudly. As he chanted, the progress updates from the translation device accelerated even more. Watching the progress bar almost hit 100%, the Black Fog completely swallowed the blue light. The Black Ship also completely departed from the pure blue area. Yu Hong looked in that direction when suddenly, a point of blue light pierced through the blackness, shooting toward him like a meteor. He reached out and grabbed it. Snap. The blue light fell into the palm of his hand. He looked down to see. It was an ancient tome with a sky-blue cover. The tome was surrounded by a faint blue glow, with countless blood-vessel-like blue threads prominent on the cover, appearing almost alive and extraordinarily uncommon. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°sdhqf¡­¡± The last thread of a fine and vague voice drifted from afar through the Black Fog. All returned to utter silence. ¡°Current progress, 100%, Night Text analysis complete, wishing you a pleasant usage,¡± the translator¡¯s notification sound seemed to be the final piece completed, collecting all of the sample data. Yu Hong¡¯s spirits lifted as he looked at the book in his hand, the characters of the Night Text in his eyes quickly translated into a sweet Chinese female voice by his ear. ¡®The Last Scribbles.¡¯ This was the text on the cover. Having finally completed the translation of the Night Text, Yu Hong hastily flipped to the first page. ¡®¡­I do not know how much longer I can hold out, its power is too great, too terrifying, omnipresent. It¡¯s as if, when I close my eyes, it¡¯s all there in my mind.¡¯ ¡®Countries have long since decayed, dilapidated, the Black Fog shrouding everything, all beings succumb to the Black Disaster without exception. After extensive joint studies by various peers, only the extreme cold of True Origin Divine Light can withstand the invasion. But True Origin Divine Light is not a power from within us¡­¡¯ ¡®It is not easy to change one¡¯s cultivation path, the Masters transformed themselves, buying time for us, the younger generation, to advance our cultivation.¡¯ ¡®In the Year 3014 of the Common Era, the Black Fog engulfed everything, and eternal night fell.¡¯ ¡®The Grandmasters transformed themselves as well, perhaps, it will soon be our turn.¡¯ ¡®Mountains are collapsing, the earth quakes, and cracks, the world seems to be disappearing. I can hear the wails carried in the wind.¡¯ ¡®In 3017, everyone¡¯s True Origin Divine Light converged here on me, I did not expect that I would still be among the living as the most suitable. Alas¡­¡¯ Yu Hong turned the pages one by one, reading. This seemed to be the diary entries left by that old man. There might be a substantial amount of useful content related to the Black Disaster within. ¡®The convergence of the Divine Light is complete, I was left at the heart of Array Formation Mountain, guarding everything. Being the last guardian of all, seeing my peers enter and exit the Divine Light area, protected by the Divine Light from the Black Disaster¡¯s assault, there is always a little comfort in my heart.¡¯ ¡®People are dwindling¡­ That thing has begun to pollute once more, even the Divine Light can only protect Cultivators. It cannot shield others when radiating outward, why is this so? The Sect Leader Brother came to sit in meditation with me, it¡¯s apparent, he is very tired¡­.¡¯ ¡®Ten years, I see no hope. We cannot escape, only to continue depleting endlessly¡­.¡¯ ¡®The Sect Leader Brother and most of the others voted to converge all of their cultivation onto me, they do not want to sit waiting for death any longer, they wish to transfer their powers and then go out to fight for one last hope.¡¯ ¡®I don¡¯t understand¡­ Apart from protecting the core, there is nothing else I can do.¡¯ On the edge of this page, there was a faint trace of blood left. Yu Hong sighed softly and continued to turn the pages. The following pages were all records of landscapes, the dwindling of people around him, and everyday mundane matters of life. After flipping through many pages, finally, there was a new change. ¡°The last group of people decided to go out, following the path trodden by our predecessors, continuing their quest outward, in search of hope¡­ but there was no one left around.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how many years have passed, I became the conduit of the True Origin Divine Light in this realm, the blue light still sheltering a certain range around me. But the food is gone¡­.¡± ¡°It seemed like I saw survivors outside, I waved at them, only to realize they were waving back at me¡­ It turns out it was only my shadow¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s as if there¡¯s music in the wind, and I want to go see, but I can¡¯t go out¡­. Going out would sever the Divine Light. I promised my master and the others I would guard the last bit of hope for everyone.¡± ¡°Today a survivor came, he saw me and knelt on the ground, begging for my protection. I told him I am not a god, but he didn¡¯t believe¡­¡± ¡°Soon more survivors came, they broke out of the Black Fog and came here, thinking this was a haven beyond the world, they begged me to save their relatives, but unfortunately¡­ I couldn¡¯t do anything.¡± ¡°People slowly started to increase¡­ but they say they all saw the star. What is the star?¡± ¡°There isn¡¯t enough food¡­. people began to fight over it¡­. someone died. Someone rushed into the Black Fog, never to return¡­ I¡¯m getting a little weary¡­¡± ¡°Someone within the Divine Light turned into the Black Disaster! What¡¯s happening!? I want to investigate, but I can¡¯t go out!¡± ¡°The voices outside have stopped¡­. all is quiet. I want to go out and see what¡¯s happening¡­¡± ¡°Some people are kneeling outside, but why won¡¯t they come in?¡± ¡°I want to go out¡­¡± ¡°I am the last hope of humanity¡­. The Divine Light is the last haven¡­¡± ¡°I want to go out.¡± ¡°Before my master died, he entrusted me¡­ to guard the last haven¡­¡± ¡°My seniors gave me all their cultivation¡­.¡± ¡°I am the last hope of humanity¡­ the last light.¡± ¡°The last hope, the final light.¡± The following pages are filled with such text. Page after page, dense and scribbled, the handwriting getting more and more careless. Until the very last page. ¡°I am the last hope¡­ the final light¡­. I am¡­ who am I?¡± ¡°I can barely hold on¡­ I can only reduce the pain of the Divine Light connection by hibernating, I can feel it, my consciousness is also aging, decaying¡­¡± ¡°True Origin Divine Light, True Origin¡­ perhaps, I can create a method to transmit all my cultivation before I completely collapse¡­ to leave the last spark of humanity. If¡­ someone else can enter¡­¡± This was the last sentence. The booklet ends here entirely. Yu Hong closed the booklet, looked at the pure blue light diffusing from it, and sighed softly. ¡°If the person who entered that rift at the end wasn¡¯t me, but another who understood Night Text, maybe they could have woken him up in time, communicated with him, kept him from leaving the cave, thus preventing the collapse of this haven, perhaps even inheriting that something Divine Light.¡± Flipping through the entire booklet, Yu Hong found a line of neat small script in the back corner: Recorded by Star River Taoist Xu Zhengyuan. A haven that had lasted so long seemed to have triggered a chain collapse due to his intervention. Although Yu Hong understood that the old man called Xu Zhengyuan did not blame him when he sat down with his legs crossed at the end, he still felt extremely regretful. The other party was clearly a survivor who had experienced the complete Black Disaster of the Night Text civilization, and if he could have communicated with him in detail, it would have been of great help in combating the Black Disaster. And now, although he held this seemingly extraordinary booklet, he didn¡¯t know how to use it. The fact that the other party threw the booklet out to him at the end couldn¡¯t have been just to leave behind his own story. Chapter 216: Blue 214 Bang. As he pondered, the Black Ship gently reached the shore and returned to the camp¡¯s wooden bridge. Yu Hong jumped off the Black Ship, dragging the chain that was now without its large iron ball, and entered the array. At this point, the array inside the mark was no longer eroded by the wooden bridge, and everything had returned to normal. ¡®Next, while it¡¯s stable, before the enhancement ends, study the booklet and the new runes, and try to solve the groundwater issue!¡¯ Yu Hong set his plan. After carefully stowing the booklet, he rested for a while, had something to eat, then turned on the communicator, ready to exchange information with the outside world. Unexpectedly, as soon as he turned it on, voices of Wei Song and Zhang Kaijun discussing hurriedly came from the communicator. Seeing Yu Hong online, Zhang Kaijun quickly shifted focus. ¡°Yu Hong, there¡¯s been a problem!¡± he exclaimed. ¡°What happened?¡± Yu Hong was stunned. ¡°The groundwater here is cut off, your detector shows strong radiation from the Black Disaster in the water. No matter how we filter it, it¡¯s unusable, our only option now is to collect snowwater. But that won¡¯t support us for long,¡± Zhang Kaijun explained. ¡°Cut off??¡± Yu Hong quickly stood up and ran to the water pipe to turn it on. Click, click¡­ After a burst of noise, there indeed wasn¡¯t a single drop of water coming from the tap! ¡°!!!¡± Although Yu Hong had anticipated that something like this might happen, when it actually came to pass, his heart started to race again. Not to mention ordinary people, even he couldn¡¯t survive long without water. Although he had stockpiled water for several months, that was water without a source;it diminished with each use. He went back to the communicator. ¡°Hasn¡¯t Aurora City found a solution?¡± he asked intently. ¡°They found the Black Disaster affecting the groundwater behind the scenes,¡± Wei Song said helplessly. ¡°Due to its extreme danger, Aurora City rated it as Level 9, just below War Level. It¡¯s a horrifying disaster called the Dissolving Leech.¡± ¡°Dissolving Leech? Is it Blood Tide or Evil Shadow?¡± Yu Hong asked quickly. ¡°Blood Tide. It¡¯s a kind of Black Disaster that can disintegrate itself into particles invisible to the naked eye. It can dissolve in water and hide in any liquid. Once you drink it, it instantly dehydrates you completely, then reproduces more Dissolving Leeches. Several hundreds from Aurora City have already died, all selected elites, but no one has been able to solve this problem,¡± Wei Song explained. ¡°Bombs? Even bombs with additives are useless?¡± Yu Hong was somewhat incredulous. ¡°We tried bombing. It¡¯s useless because you never know where the Dissolving Leeches are, or in what liquid they¡¯ve dissolved. Groundwater is flowing;we can¡¯t just explode and evaporate all of it, that would be pointless even if we won,¡± Zhang Kaijun replied. ¡°So the only solution is to find a new water source. Also, the temperature outside has dropped again, after the Black Fog, it might turn into extremely cold weather. Without sunlight, the temperature drops too severely.¡± Yu Hong glanced at the temperature inside the cave: -3 degrees. Even the cave was only three degrees below zero, not to mention the outside. He discussed with the two how to find a new water source, and they all agreed that only rainwater and condensed air water were reliable. But these two sources were greatly unstable. After the communication ended, Yu Hong stood up and walked into the passage, looking at the dark camp outside with a thin layer of light frost already covering the ground. He opened the door and put the detector outside, and shortly, the detector displayed stable temperature data: -28 degrees. Yu Hong frowned deeply. ¡®This kind of weather is really lethal¡­¡¯ In the time that followed, he studied the new booklet and runes while maintaining high-frequency communication with the outside world. But despite Wei Song, Zhang Kaijun, and Xin Zhilei from Aurora City implementing many emergency measures, a large number of survivors were still silently freezing to death at night. Due to the lack of water and the low temperatures, a large number of people caught colds and fevers, were isolated, and left to fate. Every day, many people were frozen alive in Gray City and Wei Song¡¯s camp. Xin Zhilei from Aurora City seemed to have some issues and had also rarely been online recently. It was just the three of them frequently on the channel. Before he knew it, the day for the enhancement of the Black Mark¡¯s fences arrived. Yu Hong was prepared to seamlessly integrate the enhancement into his new Cultivation Technique. After having received the booklet from Daoist Star River Xu Zhengyuan, and seeing the powerful effects of the True Origin Divine Light, he thought about whether he could integrate that into his new Cultivation Technique. If not, he would take the modular cultivation approach. The so-called modular cultivation is cultivating a specific Cultivation Technique in a single field to reach rapid completion and cover weaknesses. This route was one he had painfully thought out. For example, if you need defensive power, you would start cultivating a specialized martial art like Iron Shirt, although it would definitely be very basic and low-level at first, the cultivation would be fast. The Thunderbolt Leg Technique could have been fast too, had it not been for constant merging of new things. This stage-wise cultivation¡¯s biggest benefit was its immediate usability. Of course, the main reason was that Black Mark couldn¡¯t enhance a miraculous ultimate Martial Art all at once. After all, you can¡¯t raise something too high without a foundation. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t keep merging things like I did with the Thunderbolt Leg Technique, spending too long in one direction makes my weak points very obvious. Encountering a Blood Tide Monster is manageable, but facing something like Evil Shadow, I don¡¯t even dare to touch¡­ The type is too singular and extreme, being too heavily countered¡­ Now that there¡¯s a shortage of water, if I could enhance a Cold Ice Palm that can condense water, wouldn¡¯t I naturally not lack water to drink?¡¯ ¡®And the air, if I could cultivate a Martial Art that enhances detoxification, making me immune to all poisons, maybe I can completely avoid the pollution and toxicity of the air?¡¯ Faced with the choice of a new Cultivation Technique, Yu Hong had new ideas. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Currently, his Martial Arts still involved going head-to-head using his flesh, without any protection, at most his skin was a bit thicker, his bones a bit harder. Although covered in a white light, that wasn¡¯t a protective layer but was used to enhance his flesh and bones. His flesh and blood body was the one that actually took the hits. ¡®I¡¯m still within the realm of martial arts now, if I could strengthen to the realm of Mystical Martial Arts, to be able to send out an Energy Palm Print through the air, wouldn¡¯t I be able to easily deal with an Evil Shadow?¡¯ There were too many inspirations about Cultivation Techniques¡­ Yu Hong quickly reined in his thoughts, reminding himself to first take the path of completeness cost-effectiveness, and then think of upgrading to Mystical Martial Arts later. Otherwise, he might bite off more than he could chew. * * * Hundreds of kilometers away from Aurora City, in a dark and arid stone forest, Hiss! In the darkness, a pair of dark red luminescent vertical pupils swept around the stone forest, inspecting all the possible hidden corners. The owner of the vertical pupils was a giant black lizard, fifteen meters long and four meters tall. Its lizard head resembled a rhinoceros, encased in thick black metallic armor, with a sharp horn growing from its forehead. Its body constantly dripped black, sticky, foul-smelling poisonous liquid¡ª This was a level 8 dangerous Toxic Rhino Dragon. This creature was also one of the Blood Tide Monsters that the joint military disliked dealing with the most. Because not only did this thing have extremely fast self-healing capabilities, but it also exploded upon death. The explosion was tremendously powerful, and the splattered poison was instantly lethal. The range and destructiveness were both extremely horrifying. Behind a stone pillar, Lin Yiyi crouched, cautiously hiding. After their convoy was attacked, she and a nurse had fled the scene, and luckily encountered a kind stranger who warned them. They had just exchanged a few words when a new Black Disaster chased after them. Thus, Yiyi forcibly pulled the man along to escape. The three of them ran wildly, but the nurse couldn¡¯t keep up and found a place to hide and rest, while Lin Yiyi went to look for the rescue convoy. Unfortunately, despite searching for a long time, she found nothing. In the darkness, the rescue convoy didn¡¯t dare to make their presence loudly known. Behind the stone pillar, Lin Yiyi avoided the Toxic Rhino Dragon and quickly jogged through the stone forest, soon entering a narrow and hidden dark cave. The cave wasn¡¯t big, roughly a hundred square meters in space. The nurse, groggy, leaned against the wall and fell asleep, her forehead burning up while her body felt cold. Even giving her his own coat didn¡¯t help. ¡°She¡¯s not going to make it,¡± another person in the cave said softly. It was a man, wearing a gray shirt with a black vest and tattered trousers, his brown hair messy. His deep blue eyes quietly stared at the ground, beside him a small atomic lamp flashlight, the sole source of light here. The faint green light cast a dismal green over the three people in the cave. ¡°I went, saw, outside that, that creature¡­ still blocking, unwilling to leave!¡± Lin Yiyi said with effort, gesturing as she spoke. ¡°Did you use the method I gave you?¡± the brown-haired, blue-eyed man asked, looking up. ¡°Used, it. Very effective, but it, still won¡¯t leave,¡± Lin Yiyi said helplessly. ¡°Logically, you should have positioning chips in you, but since no one has come to pick you up yet, it means they can¡¯t break through the Black Disaster¡¯s blockade, or maybe, you¡¯ve been abandoned.¡± The man analyzed calmly. Lin Yiyi found it strange too. It had been so many days, and nobody from Aurora City had come to find them. Even if they were blocked, they could have sent a signal flare at night¡­ ¡°No, it can¡¯t be¡­¡± she shook her head. With Xue Ningning and Yu Hong around, someone would definitely come to rescue her. ¡°You trust others so much?¡± the man exclaimed in surprise. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid they might harm you?¡± Just like when she had first met him, this girl just pulled him along without even knowing who he was, his name, what his nature was, whether he was good or bad. ¡°I, trust, them,¡± Lin Yiyi said carefully as she picked up the nurse to keep her warm. ¡°You¡¯re interesting,¡± the man chuckled, seemingly intrigued. ¡°The temperature has dropped again. If we don¡¯t start a fire soon, you¡¯ll all freeze to death.¡± ¡°I must, find, the transmitter¡­¡± Lin Yiyi still remembered the contact numbers for Aurora City and Gray City. If they could connect to the satellite communications, they might be rescued. ¡°There are no towns nearby,¡± the man coughed a few times, his face turning pale. ¡°Here.¡± Lin Yiyi fished out a capsule from her pocket, an enhanced anti-inflammatory drug Yu Hong had prepared for her. ¡°Medicine.¡± The man paused, looking at the hand extended before him, silent. A flash of indescribable irritation swept across his eyes, quickly suppressed. ¡°You¡¯re, very strange¡­¡± he muttered, taking the medicine and stuffing it into his mouth, chewing and swallowing. This feeling was novel;he was used to people fearing him. Suddenly, someone na?ve ran up, worried he was sick, and gave him her most precious medicine. This pure kindness seemingly stirred a long-forgotten memory in him. ¡°Thanks for the medicine, I feel much better already,¡± the man said softly before the medicine could have taken effect. ¡°Oh, what¡¯s your name? Whenever I find some medicine later, I¡¯ll repay you immediately,¡± he asked earnestly. ¡°Yiyi, Lin Yiyi,¡± Yiyi pointed to her face, then to her hunched back. ¡°Easy, to remember.¡± ¡°Remember, to repay me. Not much left,¡± she added another sentence. Chapter 217: Scars of the Past Whoo¡­ Black Fog surged, and the cold wind howled. Inside Black Wind Camp. Yu Hong stood in front of the outer courtyard fence, waiting for the completion of the Black Mark enhancement. He didn¡¯t wear a helmet, just a simple breathing valve, his gaze fixed on the fence. One minute. Five minutes. Ten minutes. The countdown abruptly zeroed out. Swoosh! In an instant, the entire perimeter of the camp blurred, the fence disappearing all at once. Following that, in the next moment, a three-meter-high, more than one-meter-thick, stout heavy stone wall rapidly materialized where the fence had been. The stone wall, like the fence, circled and was constructed around the camp. Its surface shimmered with layer upon layer of dense and intricate rune white light. The white light flickered only once before quickly dimming and receding into hiding. Soon, the stone wall completely solidified, leaving a thick stone gate at the position facing the driveway. At the top of the wall body, a row of sharp stone spikes grew. The gray-black wall body had a surface that was smooth and flat. The runes that had just appeared were nowhere to be seen, all concealed within the inner layers. Buzz. At the same moment the stone wall took shape, strands of invisible fluctuations diffused from inside the wall, spreading outwards. Yu Hong felt a stir in his heart and with a light tip of his toes, he easily jumped out over the three-meter-high stone wall, landing outside. He then turned back to look. The black stone wall almost completely blocked the view of the entire camp inside, only the stone castle was too high to be obstructed. But apart from the stone castle and the poles for hanging lamps, everything else inside was out of sight. Yu Hong stepped back a bit, looking from afar. At a glance, the stone castle merged with the wall, resembling a small mountain side. Without careful observation, no one could tell it was artificially made. Just like a desolate mountain side, and nothing more. ¡°Not bad!¡± He took out a detector and approached the wall to test it. The detector¡¯s values fluctuated constantly, matching exactly with those of the air around, perfectly canceling each other out. ¡°This has completely restored the non-radiation environment within the camp¡­¡± Yu Hong was satisfied. He didn¡¯t know how this dynamic cancellation was achieved, but that didn¡¯t matter as long as the Black Mark worked. ¡°Now is not the time to delve into the principles¡­¡± After putting away the detector, Yu Hong brought out a dragon lizard to face the wall, and fiercely rammed its head against it. Bang! The dragon lizard was sent reeling from the impact, collapsing to the ground. But there wasn¡¯t even a mark on the stone wall, only some pieces of the dragon lizard¡¯s own scales were left behind. Yu Hong took out a reinforced pistol and shot at a slant against the stone wall. Bang! A slanted notch appeared on the wall, scraped out by the bullet. He approached, placed his hands against the wall, and tried to push inwards. But even with half his strength, he couldn¡¯t budge it. It was only when he exerted more than half his power that the ground slipped, and the wall finally began to shake and tilt. ¡°Not bad, at least the common Big Skins won¡¯t be getting in. The extent of this improvement is large, and it perfectly meets the requirements.¡± He stopped pushing and entered through the main gate. The mechanism to open and close the gate was also by lifting a stone gate up and down, and even Yu Hong couldn¡¯t move that stone gate¡¯s weight without using full strength and Inner Qi¡ªit must have been over twenty tons. Although he couldn¡¯t move it by himself, with the help of the mechanical transmission mechanism on one side, he was able to easily lift it by exerting very little force. Bang! The heavy black stone gate smashed down, blocking out all the various dangers and threats outside. Standing in the courtyard, Yu Hong saw this scene and suddenly felt a great sense of safety welling up in his heart. In the camp shrouded in darkness, he looked over the breeding boxes with satisfaction for the last time, harvested the mature ones, planted new seeds, and then went back to his cave to rest. ¡°Next, the water shortage must be resolved immediately, but since Night Text has been completed, I can first translate the Black Ship pamphlet and the mysterious Daoist Scripture I acquired earlier. Perhaps I can find some inspiration in them to solve the water supply issue.¡± Thinking about how he always needed to ensure a water supply wherever he went, Yu Hong came up with a method. That was, since the Thunderbolt Leg could kick out a whirlwind with substantial force, perhaps there might be other martial arts techniques that could create effects like frost and water streams. Thus, so long as he practiced such martial arts, he would never lack water again. Pfft. He sat down at the desk and pulled open the drawer to take out paper and pen, ready to start writing his own newly-invented cultivation technique. Suddenly, a strange thought flashed through his mind. ¡°Hold on¡­ The purpose of martial arts is to cultivate one¡¯s own flesh and body, to elevate it, to reach another level, another strength, which is essentially the evolution of life, the evolution of the cells inherent in the human body. So¡­ given that, why not use the Black Mark to create a drug that evolves myself? No¡­ Or rather, bring forth an evolved bloodline!¡± ¡°Martial arts are a way to slowly dig into oneself, to strengthen oneself, to evolve oneself, but I can totally just skip straight to the goal¡­¡± This inspiration came from those modified humans. Humans, no matter how much they cultivated, could never turn themselves into men of steel, but those modified humans needed only one operation to achieve it. It was evident that direct modification was much faster than cultivation. ¡°I need time the most right now, the pace of cultivation is too slow, the speed of modification is fast, but it likely leads to problems with adaptation. If I combine both¡­¡± The moment this idea emerged, it swirled around unceasingly in Yu Hong¡¯s mind like a curse. The chaotic bloodlines from his past life, zombies, immortals, demons, blood clans, werewolves, dragons, phoenixes, and so on, if he could directly enhance and transform his bloodline¡­ Inside the cave, Yu Hong became more and more excited the more he thought about it. But soon, a most critical issue arose. ¡°The main point now is, how do I take the first step?¡± ¡°The Black Mark requires a starting point, a foundation, so what should be the starting point for bloodline transformation? How can I get it?¡± Yu Hong pondered in his mind but couldn¡¯t yet find a starting point. ¡°Maybe I should contact Aurora City and Gray City to see if they can get a sample, which would save me a lot of time.¡± ¡°Moreover, the enhanced humans and mutants, they should be considered a type of bloodline, right? A bloodline mutated by the negative radiation of luminous stones¡­ If I used that as a basis for enhancement¡­¡± Ideas in Yu Hong¡¯s mind gushed out like a spring. Stopping his train of thought, he took a deep breath and pulled out the Black Ship pamphlet he had acquired earlier. Now that the translator had completed collecting samples, he could finally take a close look at its contents. He turned to the first page of the pamphlet. ¡°The Nautical Logbook of the Fan Ming¡ªCaptain Chen Zhilong.¡± Yu Hong frowned slightly, as his expectations lowered¡ªjust a nautical log, which probably only provided informational gains. He continued to flip through the pages. ¡°Finally got it¡­ my first ship in life!¡± ¡°Borrowed a huge sum of money from my master, a huge sum from my brother, and added to my own savings over the years. Now, I have finally done it. At thirty-five, I own my very own Black Ship!¡± ¡°Even though the situation seems a bit unstable, the Daoist priests from the True Origin Sect along the coast and the experts from the Seven Leaves Sect frequently clash. But with the court in place, the unrest will be subdued sooner or later. When that time comes, it will be our shipowners¡¯ time to become rich and powerful!¡± The True Origin Sect? Yu Hong couldn¡¯t help but think of the blue-light booklet he had just gotten, which recorded the mentioned True Origin Divine Light, and it seemed there was some connection here. He noted this in his heart and kept reading. Page after page detailed how this Chen Zhilong conducted trade, acquired goods, and sold to the territories of the two major factions of the True Origin Sect and the Seven Leaves Sect, colluding with their internal powers to make a fortune. Yu Hong quickly skimmed through these unimportant bits and got to the useful part after flipping more than ten pages. ¡°Today, another group of guests came on board, among them a merchant girl just back from the Western Capital, claiming that plague has started to spread there, truly frightening.¡± ¡°On the way back, I saw a very strange person at the departing dock talking to the official in charge. He had a very strange smile on his face, seemingly a special inspector from the imperial court. Odd, this place actually has an inspector¡­¡± Then there were more records of running a business, boasting, and chasing women. Yu Hong continued to flip through. ¡°I¡¯ve encountered that weirdly smiling inspector again, he just so happens to be taking my ship back. He initiated a chat with me, talking about the limitations of life and the endlessness of all ages, how so many truths float between heaven and earth, and yet we are like summer insects that cannot see the beauty of winter. He also said I have good potential and as long as I offered all my family wealth, he would take me as his disciple. Haha, what use is that to me? I just want a beautiful wife, marry ten or eight concubines, and now he wants all my family wealth? Does he think I¡¯m a fool?¡± ¡°Bad luck¡­ ran into that guy again. He¡¯s shedding flakes of skin all over his face and body, just disgusting, like those with dandruff. This time, he didn¡¯t talk to me about those useless things. He just kept smiling at me.¡± ¡°The imperial policy is becoming more and more bizarre recently¡­ The Holy Emperor and the ministers have actually begun advocating for the entire population to practice Fasting, using hunger to refine the essence of the inner heart. They¡¯re crazy! Can people live without eating? Without strength, what¡¯s the use of spirit?¡± ¡°The prices of foodstuffs on the market are getting lower, and there¡¯s more meat, not bad at all, life is getting tastier!¡± ¡°I heard that in the North County, the crops are rotting in the fields, unharvested, offered for free. If someone wants it, they can come and cut it themselves. This is just too¡­¡± sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°The Seven Leaves Sect has disappeared, those Daoist priests from the True Origin Sect are really fierce¡­ If I could join the True Origin Sect that would be great. They look thin and frail, but could punch a hole through my Black Ship with one slap! Totally awesome!¡± ¡°Today¡¯s old man on board is actually a madman, what the hell! He says in the Western Capital¡¯s court, some people haven¡¯t eaten for twenty days and are still spirited. What nonsense is that!?! What a mess of eating qi, that¡¯s just drinking the northwest wind isn¡¯t it! The man¡¯s got a screw loose!¡± The following parts were again records of regular shipments, either dealing with daily conflicts or women, or swindling a passenger out of a hefty ship fare, until he came across something valuable on one of the last few pages. ¡°They are all freaking crazy! Farmers are not farming;breeders are not raising pigs;fishermen are not going to sea! Burning grain silos for ¡®resolute purpose¡¯, what the hell is that!?! What on earth are they doing!?! Fasting, eating qi! Look at those madmen¡¯s faces, they¡¯re all freaking flaking skin!¡± ¡°An old man from the Western Capital said that the court hasn¡¯t bought grains, oil, rice, or flour for three months! The devil! If this continues, could there still be living people inside?! You can spout nonsense, but not like this, right??!¡± Chapter 218: Scars 216 ¡°We pulled a lot of people today, all from the Western Capital, they said a lot of black smoke floated out above the court of Western Capital, condensing into Black Fog that never dissipates. Now, the Western Capital is almost submerged, and nothing can be seen clearly¡­ This world feels like it¡¯s about to face disaster¡­ No! I have to get my master and eldest brother onto the ship and make a run for it overseas.¡± ¡°The last trip and then it¡¯s time to completely shut down business. With the money from this trip, I¡¯ve booked enough grain and oil to last a few years on the island. Though, I¡¯ve encountered that supervisor again, and he seems to have returned to normal¡­¡± ¡°He asked me a bunch of things about astronomy, but what the hell do I know? Why don¡¯t they ask people from Haiwen Si? I¡¯m just a shipmaster, only know a bit about finding directions at sea!¡± ¡°Master is sick¡­ he¡¯s seriously ill. He¡¯s been ill all along, hiding it because he was afraid I would worry! Damn it all! I was supposed to care for him in his old age! How could he do this to me!!?¡± ¡°My eldest brother sought out a great physician, but it was no use¡­ It¡¯s all my fault, I shouldn¡¯t have visited Master so infrequently¡­ If only I had noticed sooner¡­ If only I had¡­¡± ¡°Today, I found a divine healer who said he could cure Master¡¯s illness if it could be transferred to me. I gave him ten taels as a deposit;if he fails, he can¡¯t blame me for being ruthless!¡± ¡°It¡¯s useless¡­ Master has lost consciousness¡­ Master is going to die¡­¡± At this point, Yu Hong noticed that the last page here had obvious creases and tears, clearly torn by someone¡¯s hands in desperation. ¡°My eldest brother is preparing to have a Daoist perform a ritual¡­ but I feel sure that Master will get better. He¡¯s always been so robust. Maybe this time, he¡¯s just trying to trick me¡­¡± ¡°Master coughed up blood¡­ I gathered a lot of cotton, but it was all soaked through¡­ It was all blood! All blood!! I cried in front of him, and he woke up for a moment, telling me not to be afraid. But he is the only family member I have in this world!! What do I do if he dies!?¡± The paper here was spotted with many drops of blood, dark red and distinct. ¡°The supervisor¡­ the supervisor said he has a way¡­ I asked him what way, what the price would be. He shook his head, saying it didn¡¯t require payment from me, everything depended on whether Master sincerely wished it¡­ He also said, as long as I find that brilliant, unique¡­ neither I nor Master would ever fall ill!¡± The writing ended here. Yu Hong flipped through the remainder, but the booklet was made by stitching single pages together, so there was nothing more;this was the last page. ¡°Fan Ming¡­,¡± Yu Hong whispered the ship¡¯s name. From this booklet, he had seen quite a bit. The True Origin Sect, the Seven Leaves Faction, the anomalies of the Western Capital court, the mysterious supervisor, the owner of the Black Ship, Chen Zhilong trying to save his dearest master, surely made a significant decision, one that might be the ultimate reason for the ship¡¯s current state. Yu Hong closed the booklet. Besides the main story, he had also seen the appearance of the Black Fog. ¡°The court practices fasting, using no smoke, and three months later, black smoke drifted into the air, gathering into Black Fog, enveloping the Western Capital and causing the people to flee in panic.¡± ¡°Only, I don¡¯t know if this Black Fog is the same as the one here in reality. And the supervisor that gave shipmaster Chen Zhilong hope, what method did he use to revive a dying master¡­?¡± Setting the booklet aside, Yu Hong took out that mysterious Daoist Scripture he had acquired earlier. Thanks to the translator, he now understood the name written on the cover of the scripture. ¡°Pure Elemental Spirit Calming Scripture.¡± ¡°This scripture was snatched from the depths of that mansion¡¯s divine altar, and it must be greatly related to the statue of the Three-eyed Taoist.¡± He gently pinched the cover and turned to the first page. ¡°Cleanse the lake of the heart, retain useful thoughts, build primary and secondary structures, to form a divine palace. The palace spirit is mysterious;apparitions come and go, all are like me, each with their inherent nature¡­¡± A passage that seemed to describe meditative practices was ringing in Yu Hong¡¯s ears. The translator¡¯s voice was clear, with well-defined cadence. It was pleasant to hear, but that wasn¡¯t important. What mattered was that the scripture seemed completely unremarkable. Rustle. Rustle. He flipped through the pages, and what followed were similar mantras, neatly arranged with dark script. Without realizing it, he had gone through all eighteen pages, and the recitation in his ears gradually stopped. He looked at the scripture with an unfathomable gaze, feeling as though his body had been thoroughly cleansed, just like when he first entered the place cloaked in the True Origin Divine Light. ¡°This scripture must be a treasure intended for certain special circumstances,¡± Yu Hong thought to himself. Reflecting back, the scripture was placed next to the short sword by the incense burner. Its core function was likely to suppress the incense burner. ¡°And that statue of the Three-eyed Taoist¡­ now it seems to have been intended to work in conjunction with the scripture to suppress something inside the burner¡­¡± Yu Hong closed the scripture, deep in thought. ¡°Whether it¡¯s the bell sound of the True Origin Divine Light or this volume of Pure Elemental Spirit Calming Scripture, they seem to be targeting something that¡¯s not recorded.¡± Vaguely, Yu Hong felt as if he saw a dark shadow behind all these things, a dark presence influencing everything. ¡°Never mind, I¡¯ll just get stronger first. No matter what it is, as long as I¡¯m strong enough, it won¡¯t be a problem!¡± He put away the scripture and placed it together with the blue-light booklet from the True Origin Sect. Picking up a charcoal pencil, he began to summarize his personal insights. Having practiced the Thunderbolt Leg Technique to this stage, he had gained a deep understanding of Inner Qi. It wasn¡¯t difficult to devise a Basic Technique now;the challenge was how to make the technique produce water. After pondering for a while without any ideas, he got up to practice the Thunderbolt Leg Technique. Letting the Black Mark continue to work, enhancing the pyroxene and turning it into Large Pyroxene Stone. Time passed day by day. Yu Hong immersed himself in creating a new Inner Strength technique. He integrated the rune system of the Yingshan civilization, inspired by the newly obtained Solidification Rune and Separation Rune, soon he had an idea. The Separation Rune would separate moisture from the air, from all things, and then solidify it into the clear water he needed. This process was his own idea. While cultivating and creating, Thunderbolt Leg Technique¡¯s sixth layer had finally reached completion. Completion meant that the Thunderbolt Transformation was perfected;the entire Thunderbolt Leg Technique had no new realms of cultivation to explore, it had all come to an end. * * * Wind howling, ice and snow covering the land, Yu Hong stood quietly in the secondary safe zone, his legs buried in the black soil, his eyes tightly shut, motionless. Minutes later, suddenly, his eyes burst open. Streams of white Inner Qi rapidly circulated within his body and then flowed back into the Inner Qi cluster in his Dantian. Until, after about ten seconds, all Inner Qi had returned. By Yu Hong¡¯s ear, an uncommonly heard feedback sound from the Black Mark abruptly rang out. ¡®Thunderbolt Leg Technique has reached its zenith. You have gained the Cultivation Technique completion trait: Tao Breath Circulation.¡¯ ¡®What the hell!?¡¯ Yu Hong was startled, nearly shaken from his tranquil state. Fortunately, he stabilized himself in time, regulated his breathing for a moment, and after completely concluding his cultivation, he carefully sensed his entire body. He soon discovered the key. He pressed his hand onto the pattern of the Black Mark, and suddenly, like the mark itself, there were two more marks floating in his mind. Beneath them, a new white circular complex pattern appeared. He inexplicably knew the meaning of the pattern at a glance. Those were four words: ¡®Tao Breath Circulation¡¯. ¡®What¡¯s the use of this thing?¡¯ His heart skipped a beat, feeling like he might have discovered some new benefit. Like the mark itself, he imagined his thoughts moving forward, touching the white circular pattern. Instantly, a stream of clear information flowed from the Black Mark. ¡®Tao Breath Circulation: Thunderbolt Leg Technique completion trait, allows a life form to automatically practice any other Martial Arts in their sleep or rest, producing 55% of the effectiveness of active cultivation. (Excluding techniques like Fasting, which necessarily require practice during rest or sleep).¡¯ ¡®!!¡¯ Seeing this, Yu Hong¡¯s eyes instantly widened. His Inner Qi had been slow simply because there wasn¡¯t enough time for Qi Cultivation! He could only practice so little each day, as exceeding the limit would exhaust his spirit, leaving him unable to do anything else. Moreover, once interrupted to do other things, naturally, he would have to stop cultivating Qi. But with this trait, from now on, whatever Martial Arts he practiced, the speed would definitely increase several fold!! S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Although it was just over half as effective, it would still be continuous, without stopping!! Yu Hong was overjoyed. ¡®Indeed, my previous idea was correct! Taking a Cultivation Technique to its limit truly yields unexpected gains!¡¯ This trait was truly formidable. He immediately tested it, exhausting all his Inner Qi in one go, then without actively practicing Qi Cultivation, merely allowed his body to recover on its own. Sure enough, in just two short hours, all Inner Qi was fully replenished. This was still just repair, the simplest function;the real test for this trait would come when cultivating Martial Arts. Immediately, Yu Hong threw himself completely into researching the creation of Basic Techniques. The next morning. He, with dark circles under his eyes, spread open a small yellow duck notebook on the desk. On the notebook¡¯s pages was clearly written an essay he had attempted, combining the principle of localized air conditioning condensation with the Separation Rune and Solidification Rune, joined with his own understanding and sense of Inner Qi, to try out a simple Basic Technique. This technique was very simple, with really only one function. To cultivate a kind of Inner Qi that could condense water. Aside from this, it had no other function. Meaning this Basic Martial Arts¡¯ Inner Qi, aside from being able to gather water, had no effects at all, not even the ability to injure when released. ¡®Condensation is just supplemental;the core is still in using the previously obtained visualization chart, along with the Infinite Qi Condensing Technique from Wuji Palace, and my sensation of countless tiny energy particles around me¡­ to draw in and identify the particles most coherent with water, then incorporate them into my body, merging them with my own. Ultimately, I¡¯ve finished this piece of the Basic Technique.¡¯ Yu Hong was quite satisfied with this process;the energy particles in the surrounding void couldn¡¯t just be absorbed at will. The Condensing Technique from Wuji Palace mentioned that in the vacuum there are 9,672 types of particles, some of which the human body can absorb. But after entering the body, they wouldn¡¯t have any special effect;without a corresponding accumulation and cultivation method, they would soon dissipate. And not all of these energy particles necessarily suited one¡¯s physical and mental state, so a careful selection was needed. Fortunately, over these days, Yu Hong had eventually found a type of rare hydrophilic vacuum particle and collected it into his body. Although the Inner Qi developed from these particles, apart from condensing water, was of no other use, there was still the Black Mark, right? Chapter 219: Scars 3 Gray City. The empty city wall passage was dotted with soldiers in full protective gear, who like strings of black ants, patrolled wearily and tensely. From time to time, one could see heaps of pale red foam on the ground. These foams were everywhere, as if they had been sprayed randomly and discarded by the roadside. The piles of foam varied in size, some even taking on a human shape. They were like a pale red growth, proliferating across the entire surface of Gray City. Zhang Kaijun was dressed in protective clothing, his eyes peering through the goggles at this scene. ¡°How is the quarantine foam working?¡± he asked. ¡°Quite well,¡± a towering, burly personal guard behind him replied. ¡°It can isolate any source of infection at the fastest speed, preventing the further expansion of most infectious elements of the Black Disaster.¡± ¡°Credit the research department for their achievements,¡± Zhang Kaijun said indistinctly. ¡°How much longer can we hold out on water?¡± ¡°About five days,¡± another person answered. ¡°According to the instructions of the engineering department, all water is being used for the nuclear power plant cooling cycle to avoid excessively high temperatures that could burn out nuclear reaction facilities.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t we delay it by collecting snow and ice from outside?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, the quantity is too little.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying¡­,¡± Zhang Kaijun walked to the edge of the city wall, looking at Gray City under the bright lights. ¡°If we can¡¯t come up with a solution within five days, we¡¯ll face the decision to leave due to the loss of energy and water, having to relocate in search of water?¡± Too many people had already died inside the city. Scattered individuals sat in the central square below, sitting under the lights, next to the cooling water pipes, wrapped in thick quilts, stiff and motionless, unclear whether they were dead or alive. Several older teens, leading smaller children, seemed to be searching for relatives everywhere. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s the case,¡± his subordinate responded. ¡°Only a little over two thousand three hundred people left alive in the city. And that¡¯s after we¡¯ve recently taken in quite a few people from outside. But without water, no one can survive.¡± ¡°There¡¯s still plenty of reserve water in Aurora City;those who want to leave can go,¡± Zhang Kaijun said calmly. ¡°What about the supplies?¡± ¡°Keep half, distribute a standard external unit to every person for the rest.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± The subordinate left. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Zhang Kaijun stood in place, by the city wall, turned around, and looked outside the city. Outside, the Black Fog rolled and tumbled with no stars or moons, no distant sights, the thick Black Fog like a giant wall blocking the entire face of Gray City. The cold wind howled, and suddenly a snowflake slowly fell, landing on his shoulder. ¡°How can we survive¡­?¡± He murmured softly to himself and extended his hand, gently catching a snowflake. ¡°Jun, come out and play, it¡¯s snowing!¡± Suddenly, a familiar female voice came from within the Black Fog outside. ¡°We¡¯re all waiting for you outside, what¡¯s the use of hiding in the city and deceiving yourself?¡± ¡°The city is just an illusion;you won¡¯t know until you come out. The Black Disaster is a lie, there is no Black Disaster;you¡¯re just hallucinating.¡± Familiar voices kept coming from outside the city;these were sounds that only Zhang Kaijun could hear. Everyone heard a unique voice from the shadows in the Black Fog, one that didn¡¯t overlap with others. Only Zhang Kaijun could hear such voices, which others could not and would not be able to hear. Zhang Kaijun¡¯s face remained calm;his right hand slipped into his pocket, gripping a hard gun handle. He turned around and walked back. Just then, a patrol passed by and saluted him, brushing past. Bang. Suddenly a gunshot sounded from behind. Zhang Kaijun tensed and turned to look back. Among the patrol members who had just passed, a female member had shot herself in the face. Her bulletproof helmet had already been pulled back;the inside was plastered with blood and was unrecognizable. She lay twitching on the ground as the surrounding team members quickly dragged her aside, their hands trembling. It was suicide. Zhang Kaijun walked over, squatted down, and silently observed the young face with a gaping bullet hole in her forehead. One of the team members took out a small red bottle and began spraying the still-twitching corpse. Pink foam was quickly sprayed out, covering the entire body and all her equipment. This was to prevent the potential outbreak of the Black Disaster from her body. * * * Black Wind Camp. The white snow blanketed every corner of the camp. Inside a cave. The edges of a black communicator reflected a faint, worn luster. A layer of brown undercoat peeked through where the black paint had worn off. A pale, rough man¡¯s hand stretched over it, steadying the communicator. The other hand was tweaking a frequency knob, slowly searching for a channel. Yu Hong sat at the edge of the table, frowning slightly. Ten minutes had passed. No matter how he adjusted the search, there was no voice coming from the communicator. Hiss¡­ The continuous tiny sound of electric current, clearly audible, only added to the sense of solitude. ¡°Cannot get in touch with Minister Xin Zhilei, and now even Wei Song and Old Zhang are unreachable?!¡± Yu Hong¡¯s joy at having recently reached the completion of the Cultivation Technique and gained its characteristics had by now completely disappeared. He had intended to contact Aurora City and Gray City, hoping to get some information on mutated individuals and enhanced blood samples. But¡­ Click. He turned off the communicator and stood up. ¡®Something must have happened.¡¯ He was clear in his mind;Zhang Kaijun¡¯s character was extremely cold and stable. Unless something unexpected occurred, he would never forgo their daily communication. After all, the exchange of information and intelligence could often save many lives. Standing up, Yu Hong walked to the basement and sat down cross-legged in the center of the training room. On the ground lay a basic Cultivation Technique of the Condensing Water Technique that he had written earlier. ¡°Just having the function of condensing water sources is enough to call it the Condensing Water Technique.¡± He picked up the piece of paper that had been torn down, briefly scanned it for a check, confirmed there were no issues, and then took a deep breath. ¡®Enhance the Condensing Water Technique, direction: increase the water discharge rate, enhance endurance.¡¯ Those were the only two requirements, and he didn¡¯t care about the rest. The main purpose of this technique was actually to solve the water supply issue and provide a means of long-range attack. Therefore, increasing the water discharge rate could simulate weapons such as high-pressure water guns, and enhancing endurance was to ensure it could be used as a replenishing water source when needed. Soon, a black line flashed, flowing from the back of his hand into the paper. ¡®Enhance the Condensing Water Technique?¡¯ ¡°Success!¡± Yu Hong felt relieved, knowing that he had finally completed the creation of a basic Cultivation Technique on his own. Although the threshold for this technique was quite high, requiring one to sense the many particles in the surrounding vacuum and filter out the hydrophilic energy particles needed. But this technique was meant for his personal use anyway. Creating a widespread cultivation technique was beyond his current abilities. Having confirmed that he could enhance it, Yu Hong didn¡¯t start immediately but reached out and picked up a blue light booklet from the ground nearby, which he had obtained from the Star River Daoist of the True Origin Sect. After thinking for a moment, he put down the booklet and picked up another one that had been prepared earlier. That was the mysterious Daoist Scripture: Pure Yuan Channeling Scripture. Similarly, after hesitating, he decided not to add it to the enhancement. ¡®What I need now is to quickly master a Condensing Water Technique for use, not to enhance a powerful and uniquely functional advanced Cultivation Technique. Such a technique would not be something I can master in a short time anyway. I can add it later when I strengthen it,¡¯ he thought to himself. Resisting the temptation, Yu Hong put both booklets down. ¡®I¡¯ll modify them later¡­ There will be opportunities for enhancement synthesis in the future¡­¡¯ he comforted himself. Once again, he stretched out his hand, placed it on the paper, and started the enhancement process anew. This time, the black line flashed, a countdown appeared, and the enhancement officially began. ¡¯12 hours 8 minutes.¡¯ Not a long time. Yu Hong breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°The simpler the Cultivation Technique, the better. The faster the training speed, the better.¡± Thump. Thump. Thump. The sound of the Black Giant passing by came from a distance. Yu Hong had grown accustomed to it. He stood up and left the basement to check on the mini nuclear reactor. The temperature inside the reactor chamber was very high, with the outside around negative thirty degrees, but here it was over thirty degrees and still slowly rising. Yu Hong confirmed that there were no issues with the reactor, although he didn¡¯t know how to inspect it. As long as the temperature didn¡¯t exceed the gauge limits and there was no radiation leak, everything was fine. Having nothing else to do, he had his meal and then connected the radar he had received to the power source to try it out. The radar had an integrated color display to prevent signal obstruction, and Yu Hong moved it to the second floor of the stone castle. After some fiddling. Buzz! The screen lit up. It was pitch black with a silver needle continuously rotating clockwise. Yu Hong lifted the cover beneath the radar to reveal a row of operation switches. From left to right, the first black switch was the power. The second switch was for temperature. The third was for precision. The fourth was¡­ for Blood Tide Monsters. The fifth was for shadows! ¡°This is an improved version¡­ It makes sense, who would still produce the old version of the radar at a time like this?¡± Yu Hong looked at the radar screen, about the size of a human head, and flipped the switch for temperature. Click. The switch was turned on. Instantly, the radar screen turned blue, and three dark blue dots moved rapidly from left to right. Yu Hong had a thought, combined with the outside view of the black lizard, and determined that the nearest dark blue dot was the Black Giant that had just passed by the camp. Then, he turned off the temperature and turned on the Blood Tide switch. Snap. Whoosh! Dozens of red dots appeared on the black screen, scattered evenly but none was approaching the camp. The entire area of the camp was like a bare circle. Satisfied, Yu Hong turned it off and then activated the last switch for Evil Shadows. Hiss! In an instant, the entire screen turned a vivid red. Countless bright red dots surrounded a small piece of black in the middle of the camp like a small black island in a red sea. ¡°So many!?¡± Yu Hong was startled. But soon he realized something wasn¡¯t right. ¡°No, if there were really so many, how could the transport team have come in? From this view, there is no crack around!¡± ¡°No¡­ it shouldn¡¯t be like this! The radar should detect Evil Shadows based on the concentration of Red Value, and the reason it¡¯s so red around the camp may still be due to the wooden bridge and Black Ship behind it¡­ after all, they¡¯re the product of over a million Red Value combined.¡± Upon closer inspection, Yu Hong didn¡¯t find any specific dots representing individual Evil Shadows on the radar. He stood up and hurried to check the wooden bridge again, noting there were no changes, and the bridge hadn¡¯t eroded the Array but was embedded in the camp as if it were part of it. Back in the stone castle, a thought rose in his mind. ¡°Could it be possible to assimilate this wooden bridge pier and the Black Ship into the camp as part of it?¡± He had already experienced the purpose of the Black Ship, which could take him to various mysterious places. It was also very durable and hard to damage. Chapter 220: Scars of the Past 218 To verify the viability of his idea, Yu Hong went fully armed with weapons and equipment to patrol and inspect the wooden bridge for quite some time. He confirmed there was no danger when the Black Ship wasn¡¯t connected to certain locations. Thus, he left the campsite to gather some deadwood and began adding guardrails to the wooden bridge. Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump. A round of hammering ensued. Soon, two rows of wooden fences, meant to prevent people from falling into the dark water, were added alongside the previously bare posts of the wooden bridge. Because the material of the bridge itself was extremely tough, making it impossible to hammer in nails, Yu Hong had to use glue and ropes for binding. After completing these tasks, he returned to the cave, and after eating dinner, it was nearly time for the end of the strengthening technique for the Black Mark. So, to get the technique as soon as possible, Yu Hong just like before simply waited in the basement. The buzzing air purifier kept sounding continuously. Inside the basement. Yu Hong¡¯s eyes were fixed on the countdown above, watching the last minute jump down to zero. Whoosh! Instantly, the paper in front of him with the technique transformed into a thin sky-blue booklet. Written in Chinese on the cover of the booklet was: Condensing Water Technique. Yu Hong¡¯s heart relaxed a bit, he picked up the booklet, and flipped open the cover. Generally, the first page would record the technique¡¯s original name. Yu Hong was already accustomed to this, so he looked with sharp focus and careful attention. ¡®The original name of this technique was Cloud Water Techniques, it is one of the auxiliary methods of the Cloud Sky Nine Palaces sect, with nine layers in total, simple to practice, with almost no requirements for talent, and when fully mastered, one can control up to one hundred and seventy-two types of water sources. However, it¡¯s limited to ordinary control, thus the method is used by disciples of the sect to become proficient in water manipulation skills.¡¯ ¡®Warning: The Cloud Sky Nine Palaces sect brought disaster upon living beings by using the Source Disaster in their cultivation, leading to the extinction of numerous beings and environments, and suffered annihilation twelve epochs ago.¡¯ ¡°What does this mean? Wiped out is wiped out, why the need for a separate warning?¡± Yu Hong was somewhat puzzled. ¡°Could it be that if I practice this technique now, someone might beat me to death later if they recognize it?¡± And what¡¯s this twelve epochs as a time unit? After thinking for a while, Yu Hong couldn¡¯t be bothered with the warning. Survival was already difficult, why worry about the future? He would deal with it if and when he survived. He continued flipping through the subsequent pages. ¡®Water, a liquid, exists within all things;as a liquid, it flows, and flowing is its source, its change. Therefore, water is the external manifestation of the changes in all things, the most basic state of its source¡­¡¯ The opening of the first level was extremely simple, after explaining the grand principle, it provided a visualization, combined with a handprint technique, requiring first to practice control over the most common type of room temperature water flow around oneself. Such control requires Inner Qi to drive, so the first assumption of this technique is that the cultivator already possesses a certain amount of Inner Qi to practice it. Yu Hong finished reading the first layer and felt it was very simple. So, he got up, found a bucket of stored water, and poured out a cupful. In the white paper cup, the tranquil clear water gently rested on the ground in front of Yu Hong. He gazed at the cup of water, quieted his thoughts, and slowly recalled the visualization of the first layer. His hands formed a delicate handprint, with his fingers interlaced like soft orchids. A strand of Inner Qi emerged from the Dantian, rising into his hands, automatically circulating through the handprint. Very soon. The clear water in the cup began to tremble slightly. As if something was intensely shaking it. ¡®What is the principle behind this!?¡¯ Yu Hong¡¯s curiosity surged in his mind, inadvertently causing him to exit the visualization state. The water in the cup quickly returned to calm. He exhaled sharply and quickly re-entered the visualization. Soon, within a few minutes, the water in the cup began trembling again. Inner Qi consumption accelerated, and once a stream of Inner Qi was exhausted, Yu Hong hurriedly called for the next. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After the water in the cup continuously trembled for over half an hour, finally. A small ball of transparent water gradually separated itself from the cup, rising and floating upwards. Yu Hong¡¯s face turned red, his eyes fixed on the ball of water, striving to maintain the state. Time continued to pass. As streams of Inner Qi were increasingly depleted. More than ten hours later, when Yu Hong walked out of the basement with bloodshot eyes, he was already holding a ping pong ball-sized water sphere in the air. The water sphere was only a few centimeters away from the palm of his hand, but it didn¡¯t fall. The Black Mark had already been cast into the enhanced pyroxene, and during those ten-plus hours, he had easily reached the standards of the first layer. While maintaining the floating water sphere in his palm. ¡°The second layer¡­ control the water sphere to change into various shapes, from simple to complex,¡± Yu Hong flipped through the content of the technique with one hand. Yu Hong wholeheartedly began to immerse himself in practicing the Condensing Water Technique, because his Inner Qi had the nature of Tao Breath Circulation, even when sleeping he would automatically practice Qi Cultivation, and so¡­ Three days later¡­ In the inner courtyard of the camp. Yu Hong stood on the snow, floating a water sphere in his hand, controlling it to transform into a rope, encircling himself once before returning to its original form. Then he controlled the water sphere to transform into a human face, a water pot, and a flower. Although the transformations were very rough, like doodles made by a child, such progress was already quite impressive. After completing his daily training, he let go of the water sphere and let it hover beside his shoulder. The characteristic of Tao Breath Circulation meant he didn¡¯t have to worry about running out of Inner Qi, and likewise, after he had become familiar with the first two layers of the Condensing Water Technique, it had already started to circulate these techniques for him constantly. As a result, Yu Hong discovered that even without forming handprints or using visualization, the characteristic of Tao Breath Circulation maintained the control of the water sphere for him. ¡®Tsk tsk tsk¡­ such a bargain!!¡¯ He poked the water sphere with his finger, creating ripples that quickly faded and disappeared. And not a drop of water stained his hand. Every single drop of this water was under the control of Inner Qi Technique, unable to break free. ¡°With this progress, in at most three more days, I¡¯ll begin the third-layer training!¡± Yu Hong recalled the content of the third layer. If the first two layers were just superficial control, then the third layer was a significant enhancement in the control of water flow. The third layer emphasizes microscopic control, that is, separating water from other objects. ¡®To achieve this step, several factors come into play,¡¯ Yu Hong recalled and analyzed. ¡®One is the object¡¯s own binding force to its internal moisture. For example, it is quite easy to control and separate the water in a cup or a pouch. But if it¡¯s a piece of damp flesh, the water inside is much harder to manipulate, and the Inner Qi required would also vary greatly.¡¯ ¡®The distance of Inner Qi manipulation also affects the control range of water¡­ However, once the third layer is cultivated, one could basically condense moisture from the air¡­¡¯ This wasn¡¯t about the principle of condensation like a dehumidifier, but about the aggregation of hygroscopic energy particles with water vapor, like a magnet attracting iron filings. Thinking of this, a strong sense of anticipation and motivation surged in Yu Hong¡¯s heart. Once the third layer was reached, the issue of water sources would be largely resolved. He looked at the tall stone walls of the outer courtyard;the black, solid walls had the effect of repelling lower-level Black Disasters and the capacity to absorb Red Value reserves. The moment they were destroyed, they could unleash a massive negative radiation explosion, which would definitely cause damage even to high-risk Black Disasters. The three-meter-high Black Walls, even when bumped by Big Skin a few days ago, remained unharmed. Several elephant worms he let in hit the Black Wall a few times, causing only a slight tremble, and did not move an inch. ¡®It¡¯s probably only the Black Giant that can destroy the current Black Wall¡­¡¯ Yu Hong thought, his sense of safety reaching its peak. Rip. Suddenly, from the small mountain cave behind him, a newly born dragon lizard crawled out slowly and then quickly accelerated, climbed over the Black Wall, and disappeared into the Black Fog. The number of dragon lizards was increasing. Currently, there were still more than a dozen, a number reduced due to several deaths before. ¡®As long as this continues, with time flowing, the area around will become the territory of the dragon lizards¡­¡¯ ¡®Only the Black Giant¡­ Later on, only higher-level Evil Shadows and the Black Giant could pose a threat to the camp¡­ but with the dragon lizards and monitoring radar, I could be alerted at the fastest speed.¡¯ With his mind at ease, Yu Hong returned to the cave and continued with his Cultivation Technique training. The Dao Breath Circulation could only guarantee a bit more than half of the training effect;it was still much faster for him to do it himself. Rare stable times passed day by day. Finally. On the fourth day at noon. The sky remained pitch black. Yu Hong grabbed a clump of black soil in one hand, gently loosened his grip, and let the soil fall to the ground. The black soil, previously moist and dark, instantly transformed into dry powder as it fell. Yu Hong opened his palm to reveal a small cluster of transparent water floating in the center, a happy smile spread across his face. ¡°At last, I¡¯ve done it!!¡± He took a deep breath, Inner Qi swirling inside him, and fiercely struck the snowy ground with his palm. Hiss¡­ In an instant, countless white snow particles dissolved, melting into spheres of water under the influence of Inner Qi, and began to float upward. At the same time, the deeper layers of black soil within a three-meter radius of Yu Hong also began to dry rapidly as transparent, small water spheres rose from them. Dozens of water spheres of various sizes floated alongside Yu Hong, slowly starting to spin. Plop plop plop. Then, all the water spheres plunged one by one into the prepared wooden barrel, filling it more than halfway. Yu Hong ended his training, the smile in his eyes growing even denser. ¡°Next, the fourth layer, time to switch to a second type of water stream, to train my control over other liquids. So, the second water stream I¡¯ll choose is¡­¡± For a moment, he found himself in a dilemma. Where in this icy, snowy landscape was he supposed to find a second type of liquid? Lava? Chemical solutions? Or¡­ the Black Water under the wooden bridge behind? Suddenly, an idea flashed through Yu Hong¡¯s mind like lightning. ¡®Since that river water is also a liquid, why can¡¯t I attempt to control that substance?¡¯ ¡®If I could control that Black Water, perhaps I could use it as a kind of attack method!¡¯ After all, he had perused the subsequent content;the Cultivation Technique stated that whatever liquid was controlled, the body would gradually develop various special effects related to that liquid. For example, with ordinary water flow, reaching great accomplishment would lead to effects such as breathing underwater. Thus, this supplementary Cultivation Technique of the Cloud Water Techniques Sect was indeed worthy of a world-destroying, top-tier power, even as a supplementary technique, it had formidable effects. Chapter 221: Estimation 219 By the wooden bridge¡¯s edge. Black Fog churned on both sides, and the mysterious black water below was equally turbulent. Yu Hong crouched at the edge of the bridge, staring intently at the flowing black water. He slowly formed the Water Control Hand Seal with his hands, Inner Qi swirling within, aimed at the black water. He began to carefully absorb the flowing black water using Hydrophilic Energy Particles. As long as this substance was still water, it could definitely be absorbed. Maintaining his stance, Yu Hong remained motionless, and quickly, ten minutes had passed. The black water still showed no sign of movement. He persisted, continuing to hold his position. Before long, more than half an hour had gone by. The black water remained immovable as ever. Sweat started to form on Yu Hong¡¯s forehead;he had expended six streams of Inner Qi, but there seemed to be no effect. ¡®Should I give up and try another method?¡¯ ¡®No¡­ The Hydrophilic Particles can feel the subtle force of absorption, which means this black water is indeed a liquid and not some other disguised substance. As long as it¡¯s a liquid, there¡¯s a chance that the Condensing Water Technique can take control.¡¯ Yu Hong made up his mind and continued to stand firm. Quickly, another hour passed¡­ Suddenly, Yu Hong saw a small water tentacle protruding from the swift current inside the black water. His spirits soared, knowing there were finally signs of success, he hurriedly maintained the output of his Inner Qi. This was possible only because of the Tao Breath Circulation within him;otherwise, such continuous expenditure of Inner Qi would become unsustainable over time. But now, replenishing while using, the two counteracted each other, significantly extending the duration he could maintain this. Another half an hour passed, and Yu Hong finally held up a ball of black water in his palm. The water sphere was pitch black as ink and began to rapidly evaporate into smoke as soon as it left the river, but Yu Hong forcefully controlled it using the Condensing Water Technique and kept it absorbed. Holding the black water sphere, he cautiously moved out of the range of the wooden bridge. Snap. His footing slipped as he stepped on a small stone, causing his palm to tilt slightly. Instantly, a bit of black water escaped his control and evaporated into black smoke in the blink of an eye, disappearing without a trace. The detector on his collar immediately sounded an alarm, the numbers skyrocketed insanely to over a hundred thousand, then quickly descended and stabilized at around forty. ¡®Could this black water be a high concentration of liquidized Black Fog?¡¯ Yu Hong had a thought, seemingly onto something. Holding the black water sphere, he returned to the inner courtyard of Black Wind Camp, carefully examining the object, then began to practice refining his manipulation. The next step was to repeat the first and second layers, enhancing his meticulous control over the black water. An hour later, Yu Hong accidentally lost focus due to fatigue, and in an instant, the black water sphere evaporated away, causing the Red Value inside the camp to spike significantly. Fortunately, the Array was powerful, quickly neutralizing and offsetting the levels. Yu Hong exhaled and checked the enhancement level of the Black Mark;with the enhancement by luminous stone powder completed, he went to find some remnants of the Black Disaster along with a radar to begin a new synthesis enhancement. He did not specify a particular direction for the enhancement but let the Black Mark upgrade randomly. The countdown revealed it would take close to two days. After completing these tasks, he immersed himself again in the practice and tempering relating to the black water. The outside world was unreachable, as communicators seemed to be disrupted once more, even the national broadcast stations could not be received. In the entire camp, only he was present, and due to concerns about the Black Giant, Yu Hong could only drown himself in continuous practice and enhancement. Looking at the constantly strengthening camp, looking at the constantly improving state of his cultivation, he felt an ever-increasing sense of security. * * * S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°The food¡­ It¡¯s not enough anymore,¡± said a man in a cave. A foreign man sat quietly against the stone wall, leaning back with his knees bent apart, lighting a cigarette in his hand and taking a drag. Exhale. He blew a smoke ring and watched Lin Yiyi and the little nurse across from him, both looking haggard. ¡°The nearest place around here is the one I mentioned to you before, where the local hunters deposit emergency supplies for the winter. That¡¯s all there is,¡± he said. ¡°We must¡­ go back,¡± Lin Yiyi gritted her teeth, touching the nurse¡¯s forehead, which was burning hot. ¡°What¡¯s the point of venturing out if you can¡¯t see anything in this darkness without guidance equipment?¡± the man said calmly. ¡°Are we just¡­ supposed to wait here¡­ and die?¡± Lin Yiyi said helplessly. ¡°You¡¯re a good girl,¡± the man took another drag of his cigarette, ¡°but these are tough times¡­¡± ¡°How come¡­ you don¡¯t eat¡­ and it doesn¡¯t affect you?¡± Lin Yiyi asked curiously, looking at the man. Since meeting him, she had never seen him eat anything, yet his consciousness was clear without any sign of fatigue or pain. ¡°It¡¯s related to a secret,¡± the man said with a smile, ¡°Encountering me was both unlucky and fortunate for you.¡± ¡°What kind of secret?¡± ¡°A secret that would surely kill you if you knew.¡± ¡°Worse than¡­ the Black Disaster?¡± ¡°In a sense, yes.¡± The man looked at Lin Yiyi¡¯s skeptical face and couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°Forget it, if you don¡¯t believe it, that¡¯s fine. Are you hungry? I¡¯ll take you to find something to eat. Since you¡¯ve already bumped into me, just don¡¯t tell anyone afterward.¡± It had been a long time since he had encountered normal people. A long time ago, he was just an ordinary man himself, but¡­ things were different now¡­ ¡°Okay!¡± Lin Yiyi looked at the nurse, quickly got up, and knew that saving the nurse was the priority. * * * Black Wind Camp. On the perimeter. In the darkness, Yu Hong advanced toward Huafeng City, escorted by four dragon lizards on all sides. He had led a Black Giant there last time and was unsure of the current situation, so he decided to get closer and take a look. The core reason, of course, was that after perfecting the Thunderbolt Leg Technique, he was able to condense pure water using the Condensing Water Technique, resolving the drinking water issue. So, Yu Hong planned to find a few Black Disasters to test his own strength. Only by knowing oneself and the enemy could one be victorious in every battle, and to know oneself meant to clearly understand one¡¯s own limits. Only by doing so could he avoid overestimating himself and retreat in time when encountering an opponent beyond his limits. The Black Giant would be a good reference. After all, with the dragon lizard there, if he couldn¡¯t beat the enemy, he could let the dragon lizard lead them away. Amid the crisp sound of crunching snow, Yu Hong took one step at a time forward. The surroundings were so dark he couldn¡¯t even see his own hand stretched out before him, and the only source of light was the atomic lamp flashlight in his hand. The flashlight¡¯s light formed a cylinder, projecting forward and illuminating the ground several meters away. The highly condensed light from the improved lamp could now penetrate the nearby parts of the Black Fog. ¡®Being complete in my cultivation, I still have not made a formal move. This time, I want to see what effect I can achieve when fighting. After all, given the frequency of my encounters, the Black Giant is a threshold I must face.¡¯ Soon, the woods in front began to thin and then disappear. A broken highway appeared in front of Yu Hong. The gray asphalt was covered with various-sized footprints;clearly, Black Giants of different sizes had passed by here, thoroughly crushing the road. Some of the road surfaces protruded above the horizontal line, curving upward, revealing the black rock layer below. Hiss. The light from Yu Hong¡¯s flashlight just happened to hit the road surface, and it illuminated a black rhino about the size of a small car. The rhino was dripping with black blood, its skin appeared as if it had been flayed, with blood pouring down. Hiss, huff, hiss, huff. The rhino¡¯s heavy breathing sounded nonstop, like a giant bellows. It had a pair of amber-colored, diamond-shaped pupils, which contracted slightly when they caught sight of Yu Hong¡¯s flashlight, looking in his direction. ¡°No Black Giant found, but I ran into a Black Blood Rhino instead?¡± Yu Hong passed the flashlight to a dragon lizard beside him, wedging it between the row of spines on top of the dragon lizard¡¯s head. ¡°Elephant worms are only Level 3, while Black Giants are between Level 9 and War Level. I haven¡¯t encountered a Level 7 creature of this size before,¡± Yu Hong recalled. Although Level 8 Insect men are higher, they are not the same type;Insect men belong to the black disasters with unique abilities. ¡°Let¡¯s try this out.¡± He became interested;he had come out on this trip to start a fight and test his Power, and the Black Blood Rhino was just perfect. Puff. Puff. Puff. Yu Hong took the repaired huge spiked meteor hammer from his back and approached the Black Blood Rhino step by step. The enormous iron ball and his expectant smile under the green light complemented each other. * * * Swoosh!! In an instant, a tracer shot out from the darkness, striking a Black Blood Rhino hiding among the stone forest. Boom! The explosion¡¯s firelight instantly illuminated the surroundings for a moment. The raging flames stuck to the rhino¡¯s body, burning continuously. The Black Blood Rhino was slightly pushed back by the explosion, with half of its side blown away, creating a basin-sized hole. It shook its head, and its eyes revealed a surge of rage. Moo!! With an angry roar, the Black Blood Rhino turned and charged towards the defensive line from where the anti-tank rockets were launched. Dadadadada! The heavy machine gun fire burst out, and rows of bullets flew across the mid-air, striking the rhino¡¯s body and shredding its flesh. But as soon as these wounds appeared, they were quickly covered and enveloped by black flesh, healing in an instant. Including the huge hole blown open by the rocket, which was also rapidly healing at a speed visible to the naked eye. Boom! Boom! Boom! An incessant barrage of artillery fire fell, exploding around the rhino, causing it to sway side to side. Yet, no matter the bombardment, the Black Blood Rhino would get back up and charge towards the artillery position. A Level 7 Black Disaster! Far from being as easy to deal with as a Level 3 elephant worm. Rumble! Suddenly, a loud noise erupted as the ground exploded into a huge burst of orange and white flames. The terrifying landmine explosion sent the Black Blood Rhino flying heavily into the air, tumbling over a dozen times. After shedding half a ton of flesh and blood, the rhino fell, breaking two stone pillars in the stone forest before collapsing to the ground. With a splash, the rhino transformed into a large pool of black blood, dissolved, evaporated, and dispersed into black smoke. But then, massive amounts of black smoke quickly condensed on the spot, and within two seconds, a brand-new Black Blood Rhino charged out from the smoke. ¡°Second phase now!! Quick, quick, quick!! Watch the trajectory!!¡± In the distance, amidst the darkness, someone was shouting anxiously. ¡°There are three phases! Hold on, everyone!!¡± ¡°The second phase will be faster, and the third phase will have a significant increase in defense. Pay attention to the diversionary Array!¡± Shouts from the enhanced humans echoed all around. The sound of artillery fire rose again. It lasted for more than ten minutes. When the Black Blood Rhino stood for the third time and then was blown to pieces, everything finally ended. In the darkness, series of bright yellow lights came on, illuminating the full scope of the ambush force. Five Chi Yun light tanks, more than a dozen enhanced humans with portable rocket launchers, three armored vehicles with mounted machine guns. In the distance, there was a standard artillery squad of fifteen soldiers, each three-man team operating a portable grenade launcher. Apart from these, not far off, there were two Dong River mass-produced Wu Yun heavy tanks acting as shields blocking the front, dented in by the Black Blood Rhino¡¯s direct charge, now appearing to be unusable. Additionally, a supporting combat team of twenty people had mostly fallen in the deep darkness, failing to evade when charged by the Black Blood Rhino, and dying on the spot. The faces under the helmets of the group of enhanced humans were pale, watching the Black Blood Rhino¡¯s body gradually turn into black smoke, they finally regained some spirit from the shock they had just experienced. Chapter 222: Testing Two ¡°Let¡¯s go, confirm the positioning direction,¡± the commanding officer sat in the largest armored vehicle, his expression cold, standing beside him were a few people including Xue Ningning and An¡¯an. ¡°The interference around us is getting stronger, without enough power support, even we can¡¯t easily receive messages,¡± the commander said coldly. ¡°¡­¡± Xue Ningning wanted to say something, but felt that no matter what she said, it wasn¡¯t as serious as the current atmosphere. To find Yiyi, this team had dealt with many Black Disasters along the way, but there had also been numerous casualties. Just for one person¡­ Xue Ningning hadn¡¯t expected that after their report, such a high-level rescue squad would be summoned. ¡°Our ammunition reserve is running low, we can¡¯t afford to encounter a second Black Blood Rhino. This type of Black Disaster is too tough, capable of reviving three times in a row, each time stronger than the last. According to the positioning locator sensed nearby, Lin Yiyi¡¯s position should be around here, right?¡± the commander asked. The assistant operating the war vehicle¡¯s radar at the back nodded upon hearing this. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s around here, precise location is hard to ascertain.¡± ¡°Release the drones and the new type of mechanical spiders, search slowly within a resistance remote control range of five hundred meters,¡± commanded the officer, ¡°Now that another member of the Meisha family has been located and positioned by the main investigation team, once we find Lin Yiyi, we will immediately regroup and assist the second team in tracking.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± the assistant nodded. ¡°The one that attacked Yiyi¡¯s returning team was the Black Blood Rhino. After this clearing, it should last us a while, right?¡± Xue Ningning asked quietly. ¡°Naive. The Black Blood Rhino is a newly appeared level seven Black Disaster from the Blood Tide branch. Its biggest strength is its thick blood and rapid revival. We cleared one last time, and it could completely revive in less than half a day.¡± ¡°So we only have half a day? Twelve hours?¡± asked Xue Ningning, her complexion changing. ¡°No, only ten hours left. If we don¡¯t find her, we¡¯ll have to retreat and beat the Black Blood Rhino again,¡± the commander spoke coldly. He stealthily glanced at the assistant beside him, their eyes communicating. If it were just for the rescue, naturally, they wouldn¡¯t mobilize so many elite troops just for Lin Yiyi. The key lay in the intermittent signals sent back by Lin Yiyi¡¯s locator, indicating that another member of the Meisha family might be with Lin Yiyi. Their real orders were to find the target and send everything around them to the sky! *** *** *** On the highway. Yu Hong walked step by step towards the Black Blood Rhino, dragging a huge, heavy, spiked iron ball behind him. The hissing friction sound was especially clear in the silent dark night. ¡°Moo!!¡± The Black Blood Rhino couldn¡¯t hold back any longer, lowered its head, aimed its sharp horn at Yu Hong, and charged fiercely. Bang bang bang bang! Among the dull footsteps, the rhino, like a heavy battle tank, rushed towards Yu Hong at a speed of at least one hundred fifty yards. The ground trembled, and cement chips flew. Yu Hong didn¡¯t retreat. He swung the iron ball, spinning it rapidly over his head. Around and around. The speed increased more and more. Watching as the rhino was about to reach him. Suddenly, Yu Hong¡¯s eyes widened fiercely, he let go of the iron ball allowing it to soar into the air, and then he covered his legs in white light and kicked straight ahead! Boom!!! With an explosion of Inner Qi, his kick carried several hundred tons of force, striking the rhino¡¯s chin and sending it flying upwards. Yu Hong pulled on the chain, catching the rhino with the iron ball in mid-air. Then he pulled down with all his might. The iron ball instantly crashed onto the rhino, the spikes digging into its flesh, attaching it tightly, and together they smashed downwards with added gravity. With a thunderous crash. The highway¡¯s cement surface collapsed into a fall, creating a hole more than a meter deep. ¡°Fairly easy.¡± Yu Hong walked forward, looking down at the hole where the Black Blood Rhino lay battered and immobile. He grabbed the chain, pulling the iron ball up, ready to check for any remnants. Suddenly, the rhino¡¯s wounds quickly enveloped in black smoke. ¡°Moo!!¡± The next second, an unscathed Black Blood Rhino burst out from the hole, slamming heavily into Yu Hong. Thump!! The enraged rhino kept hitting, and after emerging from the hole, it slammed Yu Hong against a mountainside. The echoed bangs vibrated, the rhino roared, pushing against the mountainside with more force. Debris scattered, lime drifting. A pair of large hands suddenly embraced the two sides of the rhino¡¯s head. ¡°Lift!¡± The entire Black Blood Rhino was entirely lifted up, its tail facing the sky. Despite its frenzied struggles and wildly flailing hooves, it couldn¡¯t escape the grip of the hands. ¡°Thunderbolt!¡± Yu Hong, unharmed, walked out from the stone wall, hefting the rhino up with force and tossing it. With a swoosh, the Black Blood Rhino the size of a small sedan was rolled up into the air five meters high. ¡°Type Five!!¡± As the rhino fell, not quite hitting the ground, a lightning-fast figure leaped high, intercepting and cleaving down in a Battle Axe Style. Boom! Under the tremendous noise, the rhino¡¯s waist was almost broken, collapsing inward significantly. Its entire body then thunderously crashed down near the mountain wall, smashing into another deep, giant meteoric crater. As the dust settled. Yu Hong appeared at the edge of the crater in a flash, hands lifting the spiked iron ball, swinging it high over his head, spinning rapidly. The spinning speed of the iron ball became faster and more urgent. Eventually, it was almost just a blur. The shrill howling sound, accompanied by the adhesion of Inner Qi, grew even sharper. Moo!! Just then, black smoke billowed out of the pit, and the rhino¡¯s angry roar sounded again. Almost simultaneously, a huge spiked iron ball crashed down, lightning-fast, into the stone pit. Boom! Countless fragments of rock and soil splashed, bursting out from the force of the impact. The rhino in the pit went silent. ¡°It¡¯s over,¡± Yu Hong looked at the detector, the Red Value began to decrease rapidly. A dragon lizard automatically came to his side, allowing him to pick up an atomic lamp and shine it below. Inside the pit, copious amounts of black smoke billowed up, and the rhino¡¯s body was already disappearing and evaporating. Only a black, bone-like relic was left behind. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yu Hong had the dragon lizard collect the relic and estimated his current strength. ¡®Three bursts of Inner Qi in ten seconds, dealing with a level-seven Blood Tide Monster, I¡¯m noticeably stronger than before. I didn¡¯t even use the Burning State or the Thunderbolt Transformation.¡¯ However, reflecting on the recent battle, Yu Hong felt there was a sense of power not being efficiently used. ¡°The Meteor Hammer is indeed only suitable for a finishing blow, for use at the end of a battle, using the Wolf Fang Club in the meantime feels more substantial, the power delivery smoother,¡± he pondered, then suddenly thought of a method. ¡°I can actually use the Meteor Hammer as a melee weapon¡­ the chain has its own weight limit, often needing accumulated force, slow and troublesome. But if I just grab the iron ball to smash, using the chain to retrieve the weapon, wouldn¡¯t that be much more convenient?¡± With this thought, Yu Hong dragged the slightly deformed Meteor Hammer, shook his head slightly, and continued towards Huafeng City. About ten more minutes passed. He paused his steps briefly and looked to the left. On the left side of the highway, a white car was parked on the side of the road, in the driver¡¯s seat sat a black-haired woman in a white dress. Seemingly noticing Yu Hong too, the black-haired woman in the white dress slightly moved. Hiss!! A large number of black seaweed-like threads rapidly crawled out from under the car. The dense black threads quickly covered the highway, rushing towards Yu Hong. Boom!! In an instant, a spiked iron ball whistled out, hitting right at the driver¡¯s seat of the white sedan. The car was instantly flattened, flew backward, and fell into a cliff beside the road, disappearing into the darkness. Along with those emerging black threads, they were also dragged far away, disappearing without a trace. ¡®Looks like it¡¯s quite convenient,¡¯ Yu Hong, satisfied, retracted the iron ball and stood by the road, quietly watching the distance, waiting for dawn. According to his estimate, this was likely the closest highway to Huafeng City. Time slowly passed, and he continuously manipulated a pea-sized black droplet on his shoulder. Even while out testing, he hadn¡¯t forgotten to practice the Condensing Water Technique using the properties of Tao Breath Circulation. Woo¡­ Suddenly, a bone-chilling wind swept by. Yu Hong shivered slightly, even he felt a bit cold, so he quickly looked in the direction from which the wind came. Hum¡­ On the highway, a dilapidated bus was shaking and driving along the battered road towards him. The bus¡¯s exterior was mainly green and white, with the words ¡°Yuanpeng Motors¡± printed on the side. In the dark, illuminated by the faint green light of the atomic lamp, Yu Hong could only see the rough outline of the bus¡¯s exterior. Beyond that, he could see nothing. Among the wooing engine sounds, the bus gradually approached. Only then did Yu Hong see that both the driver¡¯s seat and side windows were pitch black, with no lights inside. The bus slowly drove past him, without stopping, and quickly disappeared into the darkness. Yu Hong retracted his gaze and gradually dissipated the Inner Qi in his body. He had faintly sensed that the bus seemed similar to the Black Ship. The value on the Red Value detector had approached nearly a million at that moment. But this strange existence seemed not to intentionally harm living beings. After retracting his gaze, he once again looked towards the direction of Huafeng City. A few more minutes passed. The sky finally began to brighten gradually. The black fog slowly lightened, turning into gray fog. The thin gray fog also revealed vague distant scenery. Yu Hong, savoring this rare daylight, let his gaze fall upon the city still covered in black slime. Hiss¡­ Seeing that city, his expression changed slightly. In the middle of the towering black city, a black giant as tall as a skyscraper was half-kneeling, motionless. Numerous tentacle-like black slimes were constantly moving in and out of its back, seemingly hollowing out the insides of the giant. ¡®This damn¡­ even the Black Giant has fallen!!?¡¯ Yu Hong¡¯s expression grew solemn, knowing that the Black Disaster of Huafeng City had definitely reached War Level. He immediately turned and walked back the way he came. Being so close to a War Level Black Disaster, the sense of safety he had just felt plummeted again. Returning to the camp, Yu Hong focused his mind and fully committed himself to intense cultivation. Once the Black Mark had enhanced the radar, it immediately enhanced the Array, tossing all the relics he had into the great Array. He designated the direction to enhance the killing power of the Array, which also involved something similar to an eyeball obtained from the small Black Giant. While he was intensely focused on enhancing his own abilities in various ways. Several days later. His control over the black water improved, and his Condensing Water Technique successfully moved to the next level. At this time, a convoy from Aurora City once again arrived at the camp. Chapter 223: Source of Water Inside the vehicle was Shu Cheng. He arrived by car with a young girl, around eighteen or nineteen years old. In the thirty degrees below zero weather, the two were wrapped up tightly, and through their goggles, one could see frost on their eyelashes. Once inside the secondary security zone of the camp. Shu Cheng immediately delivered important news to Yu Hong. ¡°What?! Yiyi has already been separated from the Investigation Team 2?¡± Yu Hong had a black snake lying on his shoulder, and upon hearing Shu Cheng¡¯s relay, his expression instantly changed. The snake on his shoulder rapidly evaporated and disappeared. ¡°Yes, to be precise, Lin Yiyi was attacked and went missing on her way back two weeks ago,¡± Shu Cheng said seriously, squinting as he noticed the disappearing black snake. ¡°And Xin Zhilei?! Why hasn¡¯t she told me!¡± Yu Hong suppressed the turmoil in his heart. ¡°Minister Xin probably worried that you would hence refuse to provide resources to the investigation team, so she intentionally concealed this matter. She asked me to reassure you, as Yiyi has a tracker on her, and they can confirm she is still alive. Moreover, backup forces are about to locate her,¡± Shu Cheng quickly stated. ¡°Additionally, in the merchandise being exchanged this time, there are details about this matter for you to review later.¡± He lowered his head, a strange gleam flickering briefly in his eyes. The goods this time were specifically hidden with a considerable amount of remote-controlled bombs. As soon as the goods entered the camp¡­ the entire camp could be blown to the sky in an instant. ¡°Heh heh¡­¡± Yu Hong¡¯s face looked awful;his trust in Xin Zhilei had dropped to zero. All her words lost meaning. Clearly, her purpose in hiding this from him was to continue exploiting the name of Yiyi to freeload his goods. ¡°Bring it here!¡± he extended his hand. ¡°The exchanged goods are all in the vehicle;please check them carefully. In addition, about the supplies previously given to Lin Yiyi, Minister Xin intends not to take them for free;she will compensate you double later. Please trust the Allied Forces, everything is for the future of humanity,¡± Shu Cheng seemed to hint at something as he respectfully bowed, then left with the young girl. The young girl seemed to want to say something to Shu Cheng, but she remained silent until they left. The vehicle, accompanied by the buzzing of its motor, left the camp and soon vanished in the Black Fog. Only several black shipping containers, similar to the ones before, were left on-site. Yu Hong examined the containers and ordered the dragon lizards to open each one. He found nothing unusual. But recalling Shu Cheng¡¯s peculiar expression and warnings, he decided to place these containers outside the secondary security zone, farther from the camp, to observe the situation first. The dragon lizards, sticking out their tongues, pushed the containers to a remote area. Yu Hong practiced his skills in the inner courtyard while pondering Shu Cheng¡¯s peculiar behavior. ¡®Gray City and Aurora City seem to be experiencing issues;the water source problem is urgent. Shu Cheng comes from Aurora City, and such an indication suggests something new has occurred at New Aurora City. My communicator can¡¯t reach¡­. So¡­ should I go there in person to see the situation?¡¯ Gray City was surrounded by Blind Men, with only two fissures for entry and exit. New Aurora City was even more distant, and without a few days¡¯ time, he wouldn¡¯t expect to find it, including the calculation of Yu Hong¡¯s current speed. Yu Hong hesitated;Gray City and Aurora City were his only sources for obtaining drugs related to enhanced human surgery. If he wanted to pursue the path of bloodline transformation, he had to have a fundamental start. Relying on himself alone, unknowledgeable as he was, he didn¡¯t know how long it might take to enhance. But to rashly leave the camp, Black Wind Camp¡¯s Array would automatically close, and although the dragon lizards could still move, the dragon lizards¡¯ nest would lose control and stop hatching. Summing it up, this trip would bring considerable loss and risk. After a moment of thought, Yu Hong decided to go to Gray City and clarify the situation with Yiyi. Moreover, the water source issue was a major problem;he had resolved it on his side, but Gray City might not manage. Having been in frequent contact with Old Zhang, he had become almost an acquaintance. In times when humanity was diminishing, he didn¡¯t want familiar faces around him to keep reducing. Thinking this, Yu Hong quickly began to pack his things. He still needed to take his enhanced suit, which had an important breathing valve and integrated detector crucial for effectively blocking some toxic substances from contacting his skin directly. His weapons would still be the enhanced pistol and meteor balls. Just like that, he left. At four in the afternoon, the sky was still pitch black. Yu Hong donned his enhanced suit and took out the fissure map to Gray City. Taking four dragon lizards, he swiftly exited the camp and walked into the Black Fog outside. The Black Fog churned;this time, Yu Hong didn¡¯t bring an atomic lamp but a bright rechargeable flashlight. This was similar to the brightness of a miner¡¯s lamp, worn on his shoulder, could penetrate the Black Fog directly, projecting out more than ten meters. Usually, he relied on the dragon lizards¡¯ black and white vision to determine danger, only using the high-brightness flashlight when needed. Following the map given earlier by Shu Cheng the next day at past six in the evening. Yu Hong emerged from the continuous mountains and entered a vast plain. The undulating loess plain was sparsely covered with gray-white snow powder. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Blood Tide Black Insects couldn¡¯t come close under the coverage of his Inner Qi, with a single step he could leap high, bursting a great distance forward. Puff, puff, puff. Yu Hong sped through the snow at a speed similar to a car hitting a hundred yards, moving forward steadily. Inner Qi wrapped around his legs, seemingly tireless. Continuing like this, run-pause-run, before long, Yu Hong slowed down, landing on top of a protruding piece of withered yellow big rock, and took out the map to check his position. ¡®Without satellite maps to navigate, it¡¯s too difficult to determine direction under the Black Fog¡­¡¯ He frowned deeply, sighing in his heart. In front and behind, to the left and right, all were walls of black fog, invisible. He roughly estimated a direction and accelerated forward. ¡°The highway was buried by the heavy snow, and there was no way to find a direction¡­ we could only rely on our instincts.¡± * * * Gray City. The sparse crowd slowly dispersed as the desperate individuals walked in groups out of the city gates toward the exploration of the Black Fog. Carrying the last of their cooling water, they went in search of the last hope. Zhang Kaijun and the last dozens of city security team¡¯s experts stood high on the city wall, quietly watching the scene, without stopping them. The city was dim, the nuclear generator had run out of energy, was completely burned out, causing the energy district to be fiercely hot, and the intense radioactive liquid made it impossible for living people to even get close. What still shone was mostly the previously charged lighting. The reason the communications had broken down was also because the whole city was out of power. ¡°You should all leave as well, the radiation leaks from here are getting bigger, and according to detection, avoiding the Dissolving Leeches¡¯ distribution area, about thirty miles from here, you could still barely manage to get some groundwater. Staying in the city now only means waiting for death,¡± Zhang Kaijun calmly said. ¡°How far can we run by always fleeing?¡± the deputy tiredly said, ¡°Humanity no longer has a way out, continuing to hold on is just struggling on in agony.¡± ¡°How do you know that the last moment won¡¯t bring hope if you don¡¯t hold on?¡± Zhang Kaijun retorted. ¡°Then let it be for others, I¡¯m too tired,¡± the deputy sighed. ¡°Without luminous stone mines, even if we have many in storage, it will be death sooner or later, the difference is merely dying sooner or later,¡± another person indifferently said. ¡°A Black Disaster above level three requires specially made weapons to temporarily defeat, and the Evil Shadow still needs accurate analysis of its working mechanisms, otherwise, using weapons to bombard is just a waste. Such a world¡­¡± the deputy said. Zhang Kaijun stopped talking and, instead, looked toward the logistics department building in the dim light. People came out of there consecutively. Among them was a pregnant Doctor Xu. Seeing Doctor Xu, he thought of the Black Wind Camp¡­ He had intended to send people over, but before communication was cut, they hadn¡¯t solved their water problem there. He figured sending people over would also lead to death, better to save the effort than to suffer on the way. Silence fell for a while. Zhang Kaijun slowly spoke. ¡°Is the detonating device ready?¡± ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll wait for the people who want to leave to leave, and then together, we will completely detonate all the stored luminous stones, address the encirclement of those blinded people around us. Rather than letting the Red Value in the environment slowly degrade us, better to blow up everything, we might even kill some of the high-ranked Black Disasters around and push them into a recovery phase, earning a survival chance for those who escape,¡± the deputy replied. ¡°Still unable to withstand the Black Disaster¡­¡± Zhang Kaijun spoke somberly. Looking out at the dim land outside the city, a trace of sorrow flashed through his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s a pity, the research department just found a universal method for human enhancement¡­ wait another month, no, perhaps half a month, and we could produce a high-purity potion that strengthens the entire body without reducing life expectancy¡­¡± People turned around one after another and descended from the top of the city wall. Waiting for the final moment. As the last group of people walked out of the city gates. The gates slowly fell, completely isolating the inside from the outside. Ten minutes later, in the luminous stone storage warehouse. Zhang Kaijun, with the last thirty-plus people who had stayed behind, all stood on the open area. Everyone watched, at the deep part of the warehouse, boxes of luminous stone fragments. Near these luminous stone fragments, large amounts of black explosives were placed. A thin fuse, connected to the explosives, trailed out several meters, resting at Zhang Kaijun¡¯s feet now. The Black Fog surged, it had already occupied most of the area outside the warehouse. Without lights, without power, although many places still resisted with sun-resistant material coatings, large Blood Tide Monsters quietly entered the city. Even though the lights had the effect of suppressing the Blood Tide Monsters. ¡°Because this is the luminous stone warehouse, the negative radiation concentration is extremely high, Black Disasters can¡¯t enter. It¡¯s temporarily safe.¡± ¡°Gentlemen.¡± Zhang Kaijun looked at the people present, among those standing there were members of the security team, research department, and logistics department, the people who had been standing behind him just now had changed. Facing death, not everyone can be so calm. ¡°Instead of dying under the terror and lies of the Black Disaster, it¡¯s better to detonate everything, to end everything all at once. The speed of the explosion will allow us to only feel a moment of pain, then end everything¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s time to return to our original homeland,¡± someone muttered softly. Thump. Thump. Thump. Heavy footsteps came from outside the warehouse. Accompanied by deep roars, the calls of the Multi-eyed Bird also got closer. With no defense on the city walls, the Black Disasters entered the fortress city unrestrained, searching for living humans as food. ¡°Old Zhang, open up, I¡¯m Yu Hong, I¡¯ve come to save you!¡± Suddenly a voice came from outside. ¡°This time, I won¡¯t run again.¡± Zhang Kaijun listened to the outside sounds, his expression calm, not paying attention, continuing to swipe the match in his hand. The bean-sized yellow flame, flickering in his hand with the wind, trembled. Chapter 224: Source of Water 2 ¡°Old Zhang, are you in there? I¡¯ve figured out a way to solve the water problem¡ªopen the door! I walked around, and this place is the only one lit up;I knew you all were here!¡± Yu Hong¡¯s voice rang out again. Zhang Kaijun ignored him, crouched down, and gently lit the fuse. Hiss. The gray-white fuse burned, emitting a faint sound. ¡°Thanks for a death without pain.¡± A member of the Returning Home Association murmured softly. ¡°May everyone return to the homeland in their hearts¡­¡± ¡°May everyone find their way home.¡± Voices continued to rise. Boom!! Boom!! Suddenly, a massive entity began to slam against the warehouse door. Everyone instinctively trembled, but their eyes remained fixated on the burning fuse. Boom! The door began to bulge and deform. ¡°Goodbye.¡± Zhang Kaijun closed his eyes, the fatigue on his face seemingly eased at that moment. He seemed to let everything go, dropping all the burdens he had carried. Boom!!! Suddenly, a loud noise. The huge iron door was smashed, twisted, and a large hole burst inward at the center. Through the hole, a massive black creature, like a toad, with a body five or six meters long, ferociously rushed into the hole, sweeping over everyone¡¯s heads, and landed right on the lit fuse. Puff! Dust flew into the air, and a wisp of smoke rose. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The fuse went out. A wild wind raged, causing everyone¡¯s protective suits to shake violently. Everyone was startled, frozen for a moment. Click. Just as everyone regained their senses and were about to draw their guns to shoot, they found that the black toad¡¯s body was rapidly disintegrating, evaporating into black smoke. ¡°Old Zhang, I¡¯ve been shouting outside for ages, why didn¡¯t you respond??¡± A burly black humanoid, dragging a massive iron ball a meter in diameter, stepped into the hole. That toad was actually him¡­ smashed in forcefully¡­ ¡°¡­.¡± Zhang Kaijun lifted his head and shifted his gaze from the toad, looking toward Yu Hong who entered. ¡°Is this a new type of humanoid disguise for the Black Disaster? Its strength is even above that of the elephant worm.¡± He swiftly pulled out the pistol from his waist, turning and firing at the pile of explosives behind him. Whoosh! In a flash, a figure darted, his wrist holding the gun ached, and before he could pull the trigger, the barrel was gripped by a large hand and gently bent. ¡°Zhang Kaijun! Have you lost your mind!?¡± Yu Hong gripped his wrist with one hand, his eyebrows tightly furrowed. ¡°Being a part of the Black Disaster, your biggest giveaway is that Yu Hong and I have never met, so we couldn¡¯t possibly recognize each other at first sight.¡± Zhang Kaijun¡¯s expression was cold, and his other hand fiercely pulled out a black grenade, biting toward the pin. Snap. The grenade was knocked away, bouncing against the warehouse wall and falling to the ground. ¡°I can¡¯t recognize him, but there¡¯s a tag on your chest!¡± Yu Hong pointed at the name tag hanging over his heart. Zhang Kaijun¡¯s body stiffened, and he slowly lowered his head. Indeed, he saw a white tag on his chest labeled ¡®Gray City Military Commander Zhang Kaijun¡¯¡­ ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°Get it now?¡± Yu Hong was at a loss for words. ¡°Sorry¡­ what are you here for?¡± Zhang Kaijun masked his embarrassment with coldness. But soon he got over it¡ªhe was ready to die anyway;what embarrassment was there to fear?? The embarrassment on his face vanished instantly. And that exaggerated strength¡­what was up with this guy? ¡°I came to see what help I could provide;also, can you get me some enhancement serum for enhanced humans? The kind that makes you stronger and causes genetic mutations after you take it.¡± Yu Hong detailed. ¡°¡­.. You¡¯ve been watching too many movies, haven¡¯t you?¡± Zhang Kaijun was speechless. ¡°Commander¡­ are we still going through with the suicide?¡± The adjutant, not far away, couldn¡¯t help but speak. ¡°The warehouse door is broken, and something has come inside. We must detonate it soon.¡± He pointed at the doorway where a huge, hairless gray-white bird was slowly squeezing in its head. ¡°Don¡¯t keep talking about dying;let¡¯s make a trade. I have a way to solve the water issue;you help me with the enhancement serum, how about it?¡± Yu Hong released Zhang Kaijun. ¡°If you truly are Yu Hong, perhaps you do have a way to deal with the Black Disaster outside. But the real problem isn¡¯t them, it¡¯s the water.¡± Zhang Kaijun said. ¡°You don¡¯t believe me?¡± Yu Hong raised an eyebrow. He looked around, seeing the numb expressions of the others. Clearly, no one believed he could solve the water issue. Even Aurora City was struggling, let alone Black Wind Camp, a small outpost. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t believe you, but it¡¯s just not possible. The danger level of the Dissolving Leeches is too high;it¡¯s not something that can be resolved with ordinary methods.¡± A white-haired old man from the science department calmly stated. ¡°My son, my grandson, they both died by its hand. I¡¯ve got nothing left to lose. I went all in to research it deeply but still couldn¡¯t find any solution.¡± ¡°Outside there are approximately three Multi-eyed Birds, two elephant worms, and several unknown Evil Shadows, which seem to be the vibrations of the Insect man. Even if the water source is solved, there¡¯s no one left in the city;we won¡¯t last much longer.¡± The adjutant said coldly. ¡°There¡¯s no hope left. Maybe your enhancement magnitude far exceeds others, but¡­it¡¯s not just a matter of fighting to solve these issues.¡± Someone shouted loudly. ¡°Yu Hong, this guy is still the same as before¡­.¡± Dr. Xu calmly held her stomach, leaning against the wall, murmuring softly. She quietly watched everything. Recalling that time when Yiyi was with him, starting to build a safe house outside, he was the same back then, saying things others couldn¡¯t understand. Standing at the edge of the explosives, Yu Hong scanned the people present. Among the thirty or so people there, most had cold, numb eyes, having long lost hope. In their eyes, apart from numbness, the most prevalent was exhaustion. ¡°Sorry¡­.¡± Yu Hong¡¯s face became solemn. ¡°Maybe the method I am using is somewhat different from what you imagine, but¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Yu, thank you for risking your life to come into the city and rescue us at this time. But,¡± the elderly scientist from the research department took off his glasses and gently wiped them with his clothing. ¡°It¡¯s meaningless¡­ Without water, a normal adult can¡¯t survive for more than five days.¡± ¡°I understand, that¡¯s exactly why¡­.¡± Yu Hong began. ¡°You should leave. There¡¯s no hope here anymore, quickly!!¡± Zhang Kaijun suddenly changed his expression and drew a gun, which was already off safety. ¡°There¡¯s no need for this.¡± Yu Hong stretched out his hand, palm facing upwards, ready to condense the moisture in the air to show him. ¡°ARGH!¡± Suddenly, the large warehouse door was violently smashed open by a giant Multi-eyed Bird. The sharp beak of the Multi-eyed Bird, like a drill, fiercely penetrated the door, completely tearing the already damaged warehouse door into several pieces, scattering them on the ground. ¡°ARGH!¡± The giant Multi-eyed Bird flapped its wings again, and its legs powered a furious dash to the nearest man, who was two meters tall. BANG! A heavy gunshot sounded. The giant Multi-eyed Bird¡¯s entire body was blown apart instantaneously, from head to tail. ¡°Nice shooting!¡± Yu Hong couldn¡¯t help but exclaim when he saw this. Merely enhancing physical combat, it was already impressive if one could handle a second-level Black Disaster alone. But with the specialized luminous stone thermal weapons, a shot to a vital spot could take down a fourth-level Multi-eyed Bird in one go. ¡°Alright, everyone look at me!¡± He raised his hand, and a large number of water droplets had already begun to condense in his palm. ¡°I can¡­.¡± BOOM!! In a flash, the left wall of the warehouse burst open from a huge dark figure that charged out and fiercely slammed into Yu Hong, who was raising his hand. BANG!!! Unprepared, Yu Hong was sent flying, smashing through the wall and disappearing into the Black Fog. ¡°ROAR!!!¡± The dark figure stood six meters high, twelve meters long, nearly filling the warehouse, shaped like a pitch-black leopard. On its head were a pair of silver horns resembling those of a goat, with dark red flames burning in its eyes. ¡®Level Eight Black Disaster, Black Sheep Leopard King.¡¯ ¡°FIRE!¡± Zhang Kaijun looked up and calmly watched the towering giant leopard. Among those present, those who had guns began shifting their aim, targeting the explosives. Everyone¡¯s hands were trembling. Zhang Kaijun walked step by step towards the Leopard King. He gently brought his hands together in front of him. ¡°May each of us be able to return to our desired homeland¡­.¡± ¡°ROAR!¡± The Leopard King stood upright and slammed its massive body ferociously down onto Zhang Kaijun. AAAAHHHH!!!! A loud booming sound accompanied by a terrifyingly angry roar. BOOM! The wall behind the Leopard King burst apart. A figure surrounded by flames charged into the warehouse, striking fiercely at the Leopard King¡¯s head from the left. BANG!!! The terrifying force of thousands of tons instantly kicked in the Leopard King¡¯s black head, caving it in. The enormous body of the Leopard King was kicked upward, floating off the ground. ¡°Thunderbolt Final Form!!¡± Yu Hong hung suspended in the air, suddenly turning around, his right leg whipping down like a cleaver. ¡°Descending Slash!!¡± BOOM!!! He and the Leopard King together plummeted meteor-like, crashing into the warehouse floor, knocking several slower individuals flying. But even those who were sent flying scrambled to their feet, eyes peering through their helmets in disbelief at the scene before them. ¡°!!!!!!?¡± ¡°I¡¯m dreaming, right?!¡± The deputy fiercely pinched his own thigh, eyes dry and stinging from being kept wide open, yet he dared not close them. An enhanced human had just kicked an eighth-level Blood Tide Black Disaster into defeat!? Flipped it over!!? ¡°My god¡­.¡± ¡°My heavens¡­.¡± ¡°That¡¯s got to be fake, right?!¡± The people there almost couldn¡¯t believe their eyes. Humans could defeat Black Disasters of even War Level, but that was with weapons. Yet relying purely on physical combat, no one could withstand beyond a third-level. An eighth-level Black Disaster meant it feared almost no thermal weapons, killing enhanced humans and ordinary humans with no distinction. A tank was like paper in front of it, small explosives like mere firecrackers. Without several times supersonic heavy artillery or large quantities of buried explosives, it was almost impossible to kill such a Black Disaster. But now¡­. ¡°Hurry up and detonate the explosives, if we don¡¯t act soon we won¡¯t¡­.¡± Zhang Kaijun suddenly shouted harshly. BANG!! Unfortunately, before he could finish, a figure flashed next to him, a punch landing right on his jaw. ¡°SHUT UP!!¡± Yu Hong fiercely punched Zhang Kaijun, sending him floating into the air, then grabbed him by the hair. ¡°Will you all damn let me finish my sentence!! Ah!!?¡± ¡°I said, water! I can solve it! Everyone just damn stop moving!!!¡± Chapter 225: Trouble 1 Yu Hong¡¯s body was ablaze with white Inner Qi flames, his hair shooting upward like spikes. Amplified by Inner Qi, his voice boomed like thunder, causing the entire warehouse to vibrate with humming resonance. Everyone present felt their eardrums buzzing, completely subdued by him in that moment. The strength of one man had actually managed to overpower a War Level Black Disaster, rendering it unable to retaliate. What kind of new weapon was this?! Seeing this, Yu Hong finally relaxed and spoke again. ¡°Roar!!¡± Suddenly, the Leopard King behind him rose up and roared in fury, swinging a paw at him. ¡°Shut up!!¡± Yu Hong released Old Zhang, spun around, and sprinted, delivering a direct kick to the Leopard King¡¯s abdomen. Boom!! The tremendous explosive force instantly caved in the massive belly of the Leopard King, bursting open a large hole in its back. Its enormous body, like a giant skin ball, zipped diagonally through a hole in the rear wall and disappeared into the Black Fog. The noise quickly died down. The warehouse returned to silence. Everyone stared blankly at Yu Hong, watching the unreal, special-effect-like white flames of Inner Qi on his body. ¡°The Language Person was right¡­ This damn thing is really just a fake game!!¡± Suddenly, someone laughed loudly, lifted a gun, and shot at the dynamite. Bang! A large piece of stone fell from the wall, smashed forward by Yu Hong, accurately blocking the bullet in front of it, sparks scattering off the surface of the stone. Yu Hong¡¯s figure flashed, he grabbed the person¡¯s gun barrel and snapped it, then slapped the man, knocking him unconscious. ¡°Old Zhang, are you awake now?¡± Afterwards, he dispersed the flames on his body and walked up to Zhang Kaijun. ¡°¡­..¡± With half of his face swollen like a bun, Zhang Kaijun remained silent, but beneath his goggles, his eyes still held an indescribable shock. ¡°I can get pure water sources, enough for everyone present here to drink. So don¡¯t give up, there¡¯s still hope,¡± Yu Hong said earnestly, looking down. He extended his hand, and in his palm, a clear water ball quietly floated and spun. ¡°¡­.¡± Seeing this incredibly fantastical sight, Zhang Kaijun¡¯s pupils constricted once more, and he was completely still. ¡°Free?¡± Suddenly, he spoke. ¡°Get real,¡± Yu Hong lifted the water ball for others to see, scoffed coldly a few times. ¡°It¡¯s a trade, no free meals for anyone!¡± Seeing the water in his hand, everyone¡¯s eyes filled with disbelief. Some people came closer, trying to discern if it was real, but given Yu Hong¡¯s exaggerated violence, they didn¡¯t dare to continue. Most people¡¯s minds were muddled, after all, in this scientific era, suddenly encountering someone completely unscientific. Inner Qi, flames, and even controlling water! This man named Yu Hong, from the beginning, seemed to be entirely different from everyone else! Yet, this different style also rekindled a glimmer of hope in the hearts of the once-despairing elites present. ¡®If there¡¯s water¡­ maybe, we can still hold on!?¡¯ * * * Inside the cave. Lin Yiyi gently set down the nurse¡¯s cold wrist, silent. Under the dim green light of the atomic lamp, the nurse¡¯s pale face remained serene and tired as if she were still unconscious. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± After a while, she softly uttered two words. ¡°It¡¯s been five days, she passed away quite cleanly, sparing her further suffering,¡± The foreign man nearby said calmly. Over five days, Lin Yiyi and he had together visited a hunter¡¯s cabin near where the Black Disaster roamed, successfully using a diversion to get some supplies. Unfortunately, as the temperature dropped, by the time they returned from their final supply trip, the nurse had long lost her breath. ¡°Martin, who¡­ exactly are you?¡± Lin Yiyi had been working with him to secure supplies for the past few days and had learned his name. She was gradually able to discern that he wasn¡¯t a bad person. After all, a bad person wouldn¡¯t risk leading the Black Disaster away for no reason. ¡°Me?¡­ A confused person who doesn¡¯t know what he can do,¡± Martin said indifferently, the nurse¡¯s death seemingly common in his eyes. ¡°But you, you¡¯re interesting¡­¡± His gaze rested on Lin Yiyi, ¡°Your body bears traces of a late-stage human fusion with Black Disaster¡­ meaning, you have both the traits of a mutated person and aspects of the Black Disaster. This is similar to what the Eternal Life Association initially wanted¡­¡± ¡°Retaining human intellect and desires, while acquiring partial immortality from the Black Disaster and being unattackable by lower-level Black Disasters¡­¡± ¡°¡­ I, don¡¯t under, stand¡­¡± Lin Yiyi frowned. ¡°Not understanding is correct, most people in this world don¡¯t understand,¡± Martin smiled. ¡°Like me, my family and I have always guarded a big secret, about why this world has fallen to this state. It¡¯s a secret about certain people, certain powers, who, for their impossible wishes, have committed unimaginably cruel evil deeds. Do you want to know?¡± ¡°¡­. Yes.¡± Lin Yiyi had a vague guess, and her expression grew serious. ¡°You¡¯re a good girl¡­ though a bit slow-witted, I¡­.¡± Martin paused, suddenly frowning, ¡°Wait, something¡¯s coming in¡­ Let¡¯s deal with it first.¡± His expression turned grave, and he stood up, looking towards the cave entrance. Lin Yiyi also stood up, looking outside. Under the flashlight beam. At the cave entrance, a figure cloaked in a black cape stood motionless. Behind the figure, the cold whistling wind blew, and snowflakes fluttered down. But below his feet, groups of black shadows moved like living things, continuously flowing and shifting. ¡°Parasitic Man! Rated as War Level¡­¡± Martin¡¯s expression became serious, ¡°Be careful.¡± He stepped forward, emerging into the open. Suddenly his eyes widened, and around his eyes, numerous thin, dark red tendrils like hair burst forth. The tendrils kept growing from around his eyes, quickly covering his entire face. Hiss! He opened his mouth, and his tongue too was like a set of dark red tendrils, similar to a snake¡¯s. Swish! In an instant, Martin lunged, moving at a speed almost imperceptible to Lin Yiyi, toward the cloaked Parasitic Man. Boom!! A large cloud of black smoke enveloped the cave entrance, obscuring all vision for a time. After several minutes. The Black Fog cleared, and the cloaked figure quietly retreated away from the cave entrance and disappeared into the Black Fog. Martin stood still on the spot, gasping for breath, with a huge bloody hole suddenly appearing in his chest where his heart should have been. Yet, he didn¡¯t seem to care. Turning around, Martin looked at Yiyi with his dark red eyes full of brutality and bloodlust, the hole in his chest rapidly healing itself. Despite the fatal injury, his gaze remained fixed on Yiyi¡¯s eyes, unchanged. One second. Two seconds. Boom!! In an instant, Martin took a step forward and charged like an arrow toward Lin Yiyi. With one swipe, his right hand ferociously clawed towards Yiyi¡¯s head. His sharp fingernails, each one like a bayonet and over ten centimeters long, were straight and sharp. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Crack! ¡°Wait¡­!!!¡± Lin Yiyi, terrified, tried to resist, but she was too slow. By the time she managed to react, her hair and the protective suit on her back were already caught by his claws. In an instant, a tremendous force yanked her from the ground. Whoosh!! She felt the world spinning around her, and she was tossed out of the cave like a ball by a tremendous force. Just as she flew out of the cave, in the dark night sky, a series of orange fire lines streaked downwards, densely entering the interior of the cave. Boom!! A massive explosion sounded, accompanied by ballooning fireballs that erupted in the cave at the same time. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom!! The fire lines continued to descend. Ten streaks. Twenty streaks. Thirty streaks! Until the bombardment continued for dozens of seconds. The cave was completely turned into ruins, charred black. The bombing then ceased. Where the cave had been, along with the mountainside and the ground, was now a huge crater. The high temperature had reddened the rocks, and dark red magma was faintly visible at the bottom of the crater, with thick smoke billowing. Lin Yiyi, in severe pain all over, crawled up and stared blankly at the scene before her. She had just thought Martin couldn¡¯t control himself and wanted to attack her. But¡­ ¡°Martin¡­¡± she lowered her head and saw something on the ground in front of her that had been thrown out with her. She walked forward and picked it up. It was a black rectangular USB drive, as long as an adult¡¯s index finger. Attached to it was a red cord made of braided hawthorn branches. Yiyi remembered, this was also something Martin had stuffed to her and thrown out with her. ¡°Why¡­.¡± Lin Yiyi murmured softly as she looked at the still smoking crater. She now realized that when Martin grabbed her and threw her out, he was actually trying to protect her¡­ from the incoming barrage of rockets. Just then, from the depths of the black fog, a faint sound of engines approached. There were people! Someone was coming near!! Instinctively, Yiyi stuffed the USB drive into her pocket and turned toward the direction of the sounds. ¡°Yiyi!? Is that really you?¡± From afar, a searchlight shone on her. It was Xue Ningning¡¯s voice!! * * * Gray City. Trucks loaded with boxes drove out of the city gate and into the black fog. In the thick fog where visibility was almost zero, the headlights were like two orange arrows piercing the mist, illuminating an area more than ten meters ahead. In the leading vehicle, Zhang Kaijun and Yu Hong sat side by side. Zhang was driving, Yu Hong in the passenger seat. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to come to my place? Given our acquaintance, I could offer you a reserve member status,¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°No thanks. Your area is surrounded by high-risk Black Disasters. According to satellite cloud imaging, it¡¯s one of the two areas with the highest Red Value concentration nearby. Right next to it is a War Level Black Disaster, dying there is even quicker,¡± Zhang Kaijun replied coldly with his usual biting tone. ¡°What do you mean ¡®dying quicker¡¯? Haven¡¯t I managed just fine on my own until now?¡± Yu Hong argued. ¡°One grain of rice and a bowl of rice, the level of attraction to a starving person is different,¡± Zhang Kaijun stated. ¡°¡­¡± Yu Hong was at a loss, knowing the other was right. ¡°So, what¡¯s your plan?¡± ¡°Close to your location, find an area with a lower concentration of Red Value radiation. This way, I can easily transport water from your place while avoiding potential high-risk Black Disasters,¡± Zhang Kaijun said coolly. ¡°Speaking of which, with your place being so dangerous, why haven¡¯t you moved earlier?¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯m.. eh, waiting for an opportunity¡­,¡± Yu Hong squeezed out an excuse. ¡°Got reasons you can¡¯t talk about?¡± ¡°Pretty much.¡± ¡°Then a piece of advice, try to limit the number of people. Once the count exceeds ten, the attraction to the Black Disasters will skyrocket.¡± ¡°¡­Ten people, huh? Okay¡­¡± Zzzt. Suddenly, up ahead in the street, a group of raggedy barrier people appeared out of nowhere. They looked wan and worn, covered in bloodstains, their eyes filled with panic, as if they had just escaped from a place of extreme horror. ¡°Survivors.¡± Zhang Kaijun pulled out his gun, checked the luminous stone bullets inside, and shut off the alarm-triggering enhanced detector. ¡°Level five Black Disaster Evil Shadows often appear on the roads, disguised as survivors to block passing vehicles. Their mode of attack is possession;once they come within three meters, passengers and drivers in the vehicle will be possessed, lose consciousness, and become puppets, creating vehicular accidents.¡± Chapter 226: Trouble 2 ¡°The response method is divided into three steps. The first step is to use the whirlwind talisman array to break and release a negative-value radiation pulse as soon as one enters within a three-meter distance. The second step is to take the luminous stone blanket¡­¡± Zhang Kaijun¡¯s words were cut off. Click. The car door opened. Yu Hong jumped down from the passenger seat, and strode towards the survivors. Whoosh! A towering white flame ignited on his body. Intense airflow and negative radiation pulsed from him as the center, rapidly expanding in all directions, circle after circle. Ahh!!! The survivors screamed like innocent people encountering a thug as they saw Yu Hong approaching. They retreated in panic, their screams resembling those of rubber chickens. In just a few steps, they were jostling against each other, stumbling and dispersing into the Black Fog, quickly disappearing from sight. Yu Hong retracted his Inner Qi and turned back to the car, closing the door. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Heh, it¡¯s the end of the world, and they still dare to swindle?¡± He chuckled coldly, grabbed a stick of nutrition paste, and bit into it. Zhang Kaijun silently watched the whole process of Yu Hong driving away the Black Disaster. ¡°Now I understand why you can live so well by yourself in dangerous areas,¡± he said somberly. ¡°Good that you know,¡± Yu Hong nodded. ¡°¡­That power called Inner Qi, can it really not be passed on to others for use?¡± Zhang Kaijun asked again. ¡°Want to try?¡± Yu Hong reached out a finger, touching it to the back of Zhang Kaijun¡¯s hand. Hiss. A strand of Inner Qi, as fine as a hair, flowed from his fingertip into the skin on the back of his hand. Instantly, a hideous red blood mark appeared swiftly on the back of Zhang Kaijun¡¯s hand. It was as if the subcutaneous tissue was bleeding inexplicably, creating a new wound. Pop! The blood mark then burst open, spraying out a small stream of blood and splattering the steering wheel and dashboard with droplets of blood. Zhang Kaijun maintained a calm expression, quickly opened the car drawer, and took out medicine, gauze, bandages, skillfully bandaging and stemming the bleeding in under ten seconds. ¡°It seems that it won¡¯t work,¡± he said with regret. ¡°It¡¯s probably not compatible. According to my experience and understanding, every person¡¯s Essence Qi and physique are unique, so the Inner Qi cultivated by each person is also bound to be unique. The moment someone else¡¯s Inner Qi enters another¡¯s body, it causes a rejection reaction, similar to organ transplantation,¡± Yu Hong explained. Hum. The convoy started up and continued forward. ¡°A very clear explanation, although rejection isn¡¯t quite like that,¡± Zhang Kaijun nodded. ¡°Then, is it possible to analyze the commonalities among them and then cultivate a seed for each person to cultivate Inner Qi?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Yu Hong raised an eyebrow. ¡°The emergence of Inner Qi must have had an initial stimulus, an initial starting environment. If we reproduce this environment, this stimulus, could we¡­ reproduce Inner Qi?¡± Zhang Kaijun answered. ¡°Sorry, I can¡¯t do that,¡± Yu Hong shook his head. The cultivation of Inner Qi started with transformation through the Black Mark, only then was it successful. And the Black Mark, could not be exposed or moved, let alone lent to others. He had experimented before;others couldn¡¯t even see the patterns of the Black Mark, let alone touch it. ¡°Is that so¡­ Not enough sacrifice?¡± Zhang Kaijun asked. ¡°It¡¯s not about sacrifice, but about the impossibility,¡± Yu Hong corrected. The two fell into silence again. The convoy also accelerated continuously along the highway. Whenever they encountered Black Disaster blocking the road, Yu Hong would get out of the car and take a stroll;to the Black Disasters large and small, currently below level six, in Yu Hong¡¯s presence, they were merely a slap away. The journey went from morning to afternoon. At last, the convoy drove into a city district called Qingrong County, and moved into a backup base that Zhang Kaijun had prepared in advance. Once everything was organized and settled down, talisman arrays densely covered and formed the Pyroxene Secret Room. The defensive lines were also set up layer by layer. A few members of the research department, under the lead of Old Xu Yingsheng, clung to Yu Hong¡¯s hand and did not want to let go. Having witnessed the exaggerated effects of Inner Qi on the way, their desire for Inner Qi and their urge to research it had reached a peak. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Unfortunately, Yu Hong couldn¡¯t possibly stay here to cooperate with their research;his own camp would be very dangerous without the protection of the Array after being away for too long. A few dragon lizards alone definitely couldn¡¯t hold up. Therefore, he and Zhang Kaijun made an agreement, asking them to research drugs that could enhance and transform humans. In exchange, he would periodically provide them with enough clean drinking water for their use. Before leaving, Yu Hong used the Condensing Water Technique to gather nearly two tons of water, filling the base¡¯s water storage tank completely, before leaving on his own. For him, condensing water was just a matter of spending some Inner Qi and time. As long as he maintained a balance where consumption equaled replenishment, he could condense about ten kilograms of water in a minute. Two tons, or two thousand kilograms, meant the problem could be solved in about two hundred minutes. Used sparingly, this water would last them quite a long time. Eight o¡¯clock in the evening. Yu Hong was escorted to the exit of the underground base by Zhang Kaijun and others. The base was located under the underground parking lot of an office building, with the exit being the garage entrance and exit of the parking lot. ¡°This is far enough, everyone go back,¡± Yu Hong, carrying a box of enhancement drugs given by the research department to boost the human physique, turned back and waved to the group seeing him off. ¡°Remember the enhancement drugs for human transformation I want. Make sure to get them for me next time.¡± ¡°Mr. Yu, can¡¯t you really take us with you?¡± Two beautiful women in the crowd couldn¡¯t help but ask again. ¡°Heh, next time for sure,¡± Yu Hong chuckled, waved his hand, and turned to leave. The two women wanted to follow, but were stopped by an older woman nearby. Although Black Wind Camp was located in an extremely dangerous area, the presence of Yu Hong, who possessed Inner Qi, still made it quite attractive. Of course, when the two women communicated, they meant they wanted to become official members as soon as they entered. The cost was helping the other party with chores and various needs, but alas¡­ At the garage exit. Zhang Kaijun and Old Xu from the research department watched as the green beam from Yu Hong¡¯s atomic lamp gradually disappeared as he left. ¡°He¡¯s really a miraculous person,¡± Old Xu couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°Compared to all the strange and bizarre abilities from the Black Disaster, it¡¯s nothing,¡± Zhang Kaijun said. ¡°But have you ever seen anyone like him, or even someone with similar enhanced abilities?¡± Old Xu asked. ¡°¡­Indeed, I haven¡¯t,¡± Zhang Kaijun shook his head. The abilities of enhanced humans were varied and many, but they generally revolved around strength, protection, speed, and disease resistance, among other physical aspects. Like Yu Hong, they had not seen even one. ¡°Why not apply to join his side?¡± Old Xu asked. ¡°This is the most suitable arrangement for us now,¡± Zhang Kaijun slightly shook his head, ¡°He can withstand harsh enough environments;we cannot. While ensuring our own safety, we can still enjoy some of the resources he can provide. This is our best option.¡± * * * Aurora City. In the pristine white corridor of the hospital. Xin Zhilei lowered her hand from the glass wall, retracting her gaze from inside the hospital room. ¡°Have you found the person?¡± she asked softly. Her subordinate smiled. ¡°It¡¯s been taken care of. The second remnant of the Meisha family was completely obliterated through close-range saturation bombing by the tracker. However¡­¡± ¡°However, what?¡± Xin Zhilei frowned slightly. ¡°However, Lin Yiyi who was with him didn¡¯t die. We couldn¡¯t act when we saw her during the follow-up cleanup of the scene, especially since there were people from the Military Committees in the team,¡± the subordinate said in a low voice. ¡°That girl has been with the Meisha family for so long, she might have already learned some truth about the matter,¡± Xin Zhilei said. She rotated her wrist. ¡°Where is she now?¡± ¡°On her way back.¡± ¡°Once she enters the city, we¡¯ll deal with her together. How are the preparations within the city? When we make our move, don¡¯t let that Yang surname escape.¡± ¡°Absolutely not. He¡¯s tied up with the repairs of the water reservoir.¡± ¡°Do you think that the list on the USB might be in Sean¡¯s hands?¡± Xin Zhilei sighed. ¡°Hard to say, no one expected the Meisha family to have held back a move. Once that list gets out, the commotion it would cause would be too great,¡± the subordinate answered in a strange and indolent tone. ¡°Since Frerika wasn¡¯t found, it could only be in our region, and only two Meishas have entered this area, so there¡¯s a fifty-fifty chance. Too bad, it would have been better if it could have been destroyed by the bombing,¡± Xin Zhilei said, looking somewhat weary. ¡°Lists can be copied, ma¡¯am. Also, with the rescuing team, with many mouths comes chatter, our people are in the minority. In case Lin Yiyi says something she shouldn¡¯t, and it¡¯s overheard by others¡­¡± the subordinate reminded. ¡°Fine, that¡¯s enough. Once Lin Yiyi returns to Aurora City, control everyone immediately. Don¡¯t worry about the committee members for now. Use Black Disaster contamination as a reason to swiftly isolate and deal with everyone except for our own. I¡¯ll come up with an excuse for the committee afterward.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± * * * Yu Hong returned to the camp first with a box of medicinal liquid. Outside, the temperature kept dropping, and the medicinal liquid froze, forming dark brown ice pillars in the box. He had run wildly towards Aurora City, taking three days, only to end up losing his direction and nearly getting lost, which forced him to return the way he had come back to the camp. Unable to get a message from Yiyi and unable to find a route to Aurora City, Yu Hong could only ask Old Zhang to set up the equipment and then provide satellite cloud map support. After returning, he replenished the camp with some cooling water and set down the medicinal liquid. Then Yu Hong headed out to the yard. Looking at the pitch-black fog outside. ¡®After this round of enhancement, I must enhance an item that can guide direction, like that previous map.¡¯ He held a ball of black water in his right hand the size of a fist, churning and twisting continuously, forming the character for ¡®black¡¯ one moment and ¡®water¡¯ the next. ¡®Having chosen the second liquid, I¡¯ve almost got the hang of controlling the Black Water. Next, it¡¯s time for contact and adaptation of the two liquids to the body.¡¯ The fourth layer involved choosing the second liquid, and the following Fifth and Sixth Layers mainly involved integrating the liquid into oneself, producing enhancements beneficial to the body. Of course, it wasn¡¯t something that could be achieved in a short time. Yu Hong wasn¡¯t in a hurry;the main purpose of practicing the Condensing Water Technique was to resolve the water problem. Now that it was temporarily solved, there was no rush. ¡°Let¡¯s take a look at the enhancement drugs now.¡± He reached out, opened the box, and took out a vial of medicine that was said to slightly increase muscle strength and activity. According to Old Xu, if an ordinary person drank the medicine every day for a year, their physical strength should increase by twenty to thirty percent. However, it was only limited to the first year, and drinking it any further would be futile. Other medicinal liquids had similar effects;they were all based on samples from enhanced humans¡¯ research materials and were the resulting concoctions. ¡®Enhancement drugs, direction¡­¡¯ Yu Hong pondered. He skipped giving a direction and simply let the Black Mark enhance on its own. Auto-enhancement generally meant improving one grade on the existing basis, like upgrading a water cup to a filtering water cup. That was without adding any other synthetic substances. If other things were added, the results of enhancement would be significantly influenced. ¡®Should we enhance the transformation drugs?¡¯ Black Mark inquired. ¡®Hold on,¡¯ Yu Hong suddenly paused, as if he had thought of something, and chose to postpone. He relaxed his grip and then clenched again. ¡®Enhancement drugs, direction: similar to Superman-like strength!¡¯ Chapter 227: Trouble Three With anticipation, Yu Hong immediately heard the feedback. ¡°Insufficient basic information.¡± Then he didn¡¯t care, and began throwing all sorts of formidable names he could think of into the mix to try. He went through all sorts of divine beings one by one. It wasn¡¯t that he was fooling around;he was using the Black Mark to verify whether these beings from the legends truly existed in reality. If the Black Mark suddenly offered an enhancement, it would mean that maybe one of these so-called divine beings and legends might actually have existed. In the blink of an eye, more than ten minutes passed. Finally. Finally, there was a direction that was no longer insufficient in basic information! ¡°Enhancing potion, direction: The complete power of the body of the West Sea Dragon King.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Yu Hong¡¯s mouth hung open slightly, not expecting his random fiddling to actually churn out something strange. ¡°Could the West Sea Dragon King really exist??¡± Before long, a countdown from the Black Mark emerged. On the potion vial, clear red numbers were printed: ¡°128 years, July 25, 9:54 AM.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± What was there to see now? Yu Hong was completely speechless but, at least, had gained something. It was confirmed that the Sea Dragon King might actually exist. But oddly enough, when he then tried the East Sea Dragon King and the other two Sea Dragon Kings, he couldn¡¯t succeed. He guessed that it might be due to the limitations of the components of the potion itself. After experimenting for a while, he attempted to enhance the map of the new Aurora City. Regrettably, Aurora City had always been reached via direct aerial routes to Gray City, and the communication aspect was not helped by the map. After messing around for quite some time, the Black Mark kept giving the feedback of insufficient basic information. In the end, it was Old Zhang¡¯s side, being closer, who re-established communication and had someone send over a detailed hand-drawn map. It recorded the address of the second new Aurora City. There were a total of three new Aurora Cities, the one Xin Zhilei was in was number two, known for being the safest as its surroundings had very few Black Disasters. It was nestled in a closed canyon, with no ground communication routes to the outside world. After a simple ten minutes of enhancing the maps, Yu Hong finally obtained the address of the second new Aurora City. Then he didn¡¯t let the Black Mark idle, and immediately chose an enhancing physique potion, without fine-tuning the direction, only specifying the requirement for a guarantee of a successful intake rate under extreme enhancement. The directionless extreme enhancement began a countdown after absorbing all his Inner Qi and physical strength. ¡°12 days, 7:09 AM.¡± Phut. Yu Hong plopped onto the white snow, his massive weight creating a pit in the powder. He exhaled. ¡°Let¡¯s just keep enhancing like this and handle other matters.¡± The complete exhaustion of Inner Qi and physical strength in such a short time was almost too much to bear, even for him now. Fortunately, the properties of the Tao Breath Circulation warmed his body, as Inner Qi automatically circulated, absorbing energy particles from the surrounding vacuum and continuously converting them into new Inner Qi. Huff¡­ puff¡­ After resting in the snow for about ten minutes, Yu Hong got up, his complexion looking much healthier as he regained some color. He looked up at the pitch-black night sky, where snowflakes were fluttering down, and the Black Fog seemed to thin a bit with the falling snow, increasing the visibility. ¡°This time, something seems off with Yiyi¡¯s end. Xin Zhilei¡¯s meddling could be explained away with greed, but problematic cargo is another story. If it were just ordinary concealment, Xin Zhilei wouldn¡¯t have gone so far as to try to harm me.¡± He had a premonition that this trip would probably not be as peaceful as he imagined. ¡°Things are less clear from a distance. It seems I can only wait to find people to talk to.¡± Returning to the cave, he quickly packed up his supplies, took his weapons and equipment, short-distance communicators, and made sure all the electronics were fully charged. Yu Hong also took two dragon lizards with him as ears and eyes for the night. The remaining dozen or so dragon lizards were still left near the camp, patrolling and eliminating revived shadows and lower-level Black Disasters. Before long, during the night, after leaving orders to guard the camp and not allow anyone to enter, Yu Hong took the two dragon lizards and left the camp again, rushing in the direction of the second new Aurora City according to the map. ¡°The second new Aurora City was further than Gray City, located deep in the Hundred Lines Mountains thousands of kilometers away.¡± ¡°With my speed, even if I rushed at full speed without stops, it would take at least two days, not to mention the potential of getting lost on the way or encountering Black Disasters, among other situations.¡± In the darkness, Yu Hong ran while holding the map to estimate the time. ¡°It¡¯s impossible to go in a straight line on the ground. Once encountering high-risk Black Disasters, Level 9 or even War Level, that would be a big problem. So the exact arrival time would only be clear after running the route.¡± Quickly leaving the woods, he reached the road surface. Yu Hong turned on the atomic lamp to illuminate the path ahead and sped along the road, kicking the snow on the ground fiercely with his feet as he ran. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Although he had just kicked it away, behind him the snowflakes slowly began to fill back the tracks. These tracks, at least, could last for some time, and more of them would make his return journey easier. The Dao Breath Circulation continued to work according to the Condensing Water Technique, constantly practicing controlling a sesame-sized black water. He stretched this bit of black water long and thin, to the point of being invisible to the naked eye, swirling around his body. This was Yu Hong¡¯s method of practicing refined control. As he groped his way through the dark, his Condensing Water Technique, continuously rotating with the flow of Dao Breath, became more profound and adept as he advanced toward the fifth layer. *** *** *** Tens of kilometers away from the second Aurora City, within a small military flight base. The rescue team lined up beside the runway, waiting for the large silent flying vehicle that was about to glide over. Humm. The gray-black silent flyer with four circular rotor blades, much like an oversized drone, glistened with a metallic sheen under the illumination of the red atomic lamps. Whoosh. Landing soundlessly, the vehicle lit up an orange searchlight from its underside, illuminating the people waiting to board. ¡°Let¡¯s go, our ride is here. Whatever issues we have can wait until we get back to the city,¡± the commander said calmly, leading the way towards the open cabin. Lin Yiyi followed with a few team members, and then came Xue Ningning and An¡¯an. ¡°Wait a second, why was the advance communication skipped this time? Without enough review procedures, what if Language Persons or malicious codes find a way in?¡± Suddenly, a middle-aged man in the line stopped and asked the question with solemnity. His halt caused an instant pause, with a group of people stopping along with him. ¡°And why have we switched to this smaller capacity model when there were enough of us for a large drone on the way over?¡± There was a hint of caution in the eyes beneath the middle-aged man¡¯s face mask. ¡°This is because there has been a temporary turmoil in the city lately over water sources, and no one is willing to respond. The appearance of the Dissolving Leeches has also caused a water source problem for the military, but luckily someone promptly proposed a countermeasure,¡± the commander carefully explained from ahead. ¡°What countermeasure?¡± the middle-aged man asked. ¡°By using specially manufactured materials to make a filtration coating and constructing a huge cylinder underground that has filtration capabilities, then placing the water pump inside this cylinder,¡± the commander replied. ¡°The plan¡¯s implementation was successful, but it has consumed a significant amount of sunlight material and luminous stone marrow, depleting most of our reserves.¡± ¡°There are also flaws in this plan, right?¡± Xue Ningning couldn¡¯t help but interject. ¡°Of course, the drawback is that pumping water is very slow. We have to wait for the cylinder to filter the water before it can be pumped up. So now the city mainly relies on the backup reservoirs,¡± the commander said with a smile. ¡°I see¡­¡± Xue Ningning nodded, her expression showing enlightenment. She moved forward to grasp Yiyi¡¯s hand, intending to speak. All of a sudden, she bent over, clutching her stomach, and let out a pained groan. ¡°I can¡¯t stand it¡­ my stomach hurts all of a sudden, Yiyi¡­ help me, take me to the restroom¡­ can you?¡± Lin Yiyi, not understanding the situation and a bit concerned by her rather poor performance, still naively nodded in response to the request. ¡°Okay¡­¡± ¡°I need to use the restroom, too,¡± An¡¯an quickly said from behind. ¡°Wait.¡± The commander¡¯s expression suddenly darkened, his hand swiftly moving towards the gun at his waist. ¡°Now!¡± Out of nowhere, Xue Ningning shouted loudly and rushed forward, swinging a fierce kick at the back of the commander¡¯s hand. An¡¯an and two other prepared teammates also took action, clashing and scuffling on the ground. Before the remaining team members could react, the four near the plane immediately started fighting in a melee. Thankfully, there were some clear-headed individuals in the team who, after hesitating for a few seconds, also moved towards the commander to intervene. But then, three armed soldiers rushed out from inside the airplane, raising their guns and opening fire on everyone. On reflex, the group immediately returned fire. Bang bang bang bang! The scene was utter chaos. Xue Ningning, who had once been a captain of an elite squad, quickly subdued the commander, grabbing Yiyi and An¡¯an and running. The three swiftly vanished into the Black Fog and disappeared. Most of the rescue team, realizing something was wrong, blocked the soldiers emerging from the plane, covering for the escape of the three. ¡°Li Han! Fall back! Something¡¯s off about these people!¡± one of the deputy commanders suddenly shouted. He noticed the abnormal physical prowess of the strange people rushing out from the plane and loudly called for his companions to retreat. Unfazed by bullets, the creatures closed the distance rapidly and with a single pounce, used their hands to fatally pierce a man. In just a few seconds, five team members lay dead on the ground, their foreheads brutally penetrated by bare hands. Boom! A deputy commander timely threw two grenades, intercepting two leaping figures in mid-air. The exploding flames swept the area, creating a shockwave that knocked everyone to the ground. The gunfire and explosions caught the attention of the Multi-eyed Birds in the distant night sky. Aroo! The dense cries of the Multi-eyed Birds rapidly approached. ¡°What in hell¡¯s name are these monsters! We need to retreat quickly!¡± The two deputy commanders, with the majority of the rescue team, used their firepower to suppress the assailants emerging from the plane. Unable to kill their opponents, they were forced to retreat while fighting, quickly reaching the vehicles outside the airport. The vehicles started and quickly left the airport, disappearing into the Black Fog. They left behind the commander and others who were unable to lift their heads from the assault, furiously roaring at the departing vehicles in frustration. Their protective suits were already tattered, some bullets penetrating their flesh leaving bloodied holes, yet they seemed completely indifferent to their wounds as if they felt no pain. ¡°Report to sister Lei immediately! The target has escaped unexpectedly;we need external help from the association!¡± the commander gritted his teeth. ¡°Useless!¡± one of them glared fiercely at the commander before turning to dash towards the plane. Chapter 228: Trouble with the Number Four In the darkness. All around, silent and still. Yu Hong moved quietly and directly forward along the winding road. Ahead was an extreme blackness, pierced only by the faint white glow of Inner Qi that enshrouded him, emitting a minimal negative radiation to disperse any black insects that might be lurking around. The training in Thunderbolt Leg Technique allowed him to maintain a speed of fifty percent while minimizing the sound of his footsteps. Despite the fact that he was now much heavier than before. On the dark road surface, on either side, a dragon lizard followed alongside Yu Hong. Occasionally relying on their vision, Yu Hong could discern the direction of the road ahead. Puff. Puff. Puff. Among the barely audible footsteps. Yu Hong took out a map and pulled open the cover of the atomic lamp flashlight on his shoulder, revealing a thin slit. A faint green light shone on the map. ¡®I¡¯ve traveled about one-fifth of the way¡­¡¯ Yu Hong estimated in his mind. On the map, from the ground to Aurora City, one needed to pass through three key points. These three nodes were Meisha Village, Xinpeng City, and Yufei City. On the map, these three dots flickered with a faint red light, while the dot representing Yu Hong himself was green, only a few kilometers away from the nearest Meisha Village. The Black Disaster Rift caused the land route to be far from straight but winding and several times longer than the direct distance. But this path was important for safety. Whoosh. Folding up the reinforced map. Yu Hong tightened the large iron ball chain behind him and continued to step forward. Gradually. Ahead, the snow lightly dusting the road surface began to diminish, and numerous untidy marks of various sizes appeared, punching many holes in the powder. Yu Hong narrowed his eyes and looked forward, the dragon lizards¡¯ vision only allowing them to see about fifteen or sixteen meters ahead in the Black Fog. It was unclear whether there was danger beyond that. On the abandoned road, as he moved forward, a vertical road sign suddenly appeared on the right side. Its shape was that of a peeling grey-white metal pole sticking out of the ground, slightly tilted, holding up a rectangular sign. On it, in black letters against a white background read: Welcome to Meisha Village. Below that, a smaller inscription: Fruit wholesaling to Meisha, the nation¡¯s largest fruit trading market welcomes you. And further down, a red arrow pointing forward. Sigh. Yu Hong exhaled through his breathing valve and, following the direction indicated by the arrow, continued on his way. In the dragon lizards¡¯ black and white vision, the road ahead was open and empty, with nothing in sight. But as time went on. Gradually, Yu Hong heard, coming from the distant sides, a faint and strange noise. It sounded somewhat like the wind, yet also like some rough friction. He looked to the right with the help of the dragon lizards. On the right side of the highway, ordinary grey-white single-story houses started to appear sparsely. In front of these common rural homes, there was often a sizable cement courtyard. Some had clotheslines hung up, others had agricultural goods laid out to dry. They looked as though people still lived there. Creak. Suddenly. Yu Hong¡¯s footsteps halted. Through the dragon lizards¡¯ vision, he saw a dark figure step out from one of the two-story houses on the right, slowly crossing the balcony on the second floor and quickly disappearing into another shadow. Swipe. Yu Hong glanced at the detector on his collar, which showed the Red Value had soared to over a hundred thousand. He pursed his lips as he personally experienced what the Shu Cheng caravan had always gone through. Traveling back and forth on such paths, even the sanest person could lose their mind. Puff. He continued to move forward, the dragon lizards also shifting ahead in silence. The three of them hurried along the road. Soon, more and more rural houses and cottages began to appear on the roadside. Several winding dirt paths also began to emerge on both sides of the highway. These paths were muddy roads leading into pitch-black fields, extending into the deep Black Fog, with no end in sight. In the courtyards in front of these houses and cottages, silhouettes stood silently, unmoving, facing Yu Hong with blurred faces, indistinguishable whether they were watching him or just naturally in that posture. The detector values sometimes spiked rapidly and other times abruptly dropped back to normal. Yu Hong did not provoke them but followed the route on the map calmly. Gradually, the houses on both sides began to thin out, and after half an hour, he passed through Meisha Village and sped away towards the wild countryside. Thump. Suddenly, from the road ahead, came the sound of a heavy object falling. Thump. One after another. Yu Hong narrowed his eyes and stopped in his tracks, staring intently into the fog ahead. Soon, to the front and right on the road, emerged a huge spider over a meter tall. But the spider had not eight jointed legs, but rather eight pale human legs. Between those human legs, where one might expect the back of a spider, was the pale face of a human, eyes closed, smiling faintly. The skin of the face was porcelain-like, smooth and fine, with not a single pore to be seen. Thump. Thump. Thump. This strange spider paid no attention to Yu Hong and slowly passed beside him, soon disappearing into the black fog behind him. ¡°Level 4 Black Disaster, hibernating human spider¡­¡± Yu Hong thought of the information related to this kind of Black Disaster. He had no intention of disturbing it, knowing that when facing the Black Disaster, he would not invite trouble unless it attacked first. Because the Black Disaster could revive endlessly, no matter how many times it was killed it could not be eradicated. So instead of wasting energy, it was better to conserve it for potentially more dangerous, high-risk Black Disasters. He continued forward. Beep! Suddenly, a crisp electronic bell sounded from a distance to the left. Then came waves of children¡¯s noisy laughter and chatter, faintly spreading through the air. Yu Hong halted his steps and looked in that direction. The black fog there was rolling, and a dirt road split off from the highway, extending into the mist. Beep beep beep! This time, it was the detector embedded in his collar that was sounding an alarm. On the LCD screen, the values flashed erratically, one moment negative, the next in the millions, tens of millions, or even billions, before suddenly resetting to zero, blank. Snap snap. Yu Hong reached out to tap the detector, switching off the alarm. ¡°It¡¯s broken?¡± He never expected the detector to sense every danger, but to start malfunctioning so soon after he¡¯d started out was¡­ Just then. A line of small figures with backpacks appeared on the path to the left, marching toward him in a neat line. These figures were grey and indistinct, barely recognizable as elementary school children with backpacks. They were smiling, their skin deathly pale, and with varying degrees of wounds and bloodstains on their bodies. These children seemed not to have noticed Yu Hong, and they filed past the highway, one after another, right in front of him. One by one. They jumped off the side of the road one after another and disappeared into the black fog¡­ Until the last one. The last figure with short hair and a small backpack suddenly stopped and turned its head to look at Yu Hong. He stood there immobile, as if instantly transformed from living flesh to statue. Yu Hong hesitated for a moment but continued to move forward as planned. ¡°I¡¯m on top of a Black Disaster Rift, they won¡¯t easily make a move and spark conflict. So¡­ as long as the Black Disaster doesn¡¯t attack me, I won¡¯t act.¡± Step by step, he and the dragon lizard slowly moved away from the schoolchild¡¯s figure, who kept his face turned toward Yu Hong as he moved. Only when the distance grew and the figure was thoroughly engulfed by the black fog did the detector¡¯s erratic value phenomenon stop and disappear. ¡°In this world¡­ apart from Aurora City and the very few large strongholds, I¡¯m afraid there won¡¯t be any more living people¡­¡± Yu Hong felt suddenly weighted down. He speculated that he might be the only survivor outside of the major strongholds. In silence, he quickened his pace. * * * ¡°Escaped??!¡± Inside a heavy-armored vehicle headed to a military airport. Xin Zhilei stared coldly at the subordinate officer reporting to her. ¡°I sent so many people down there, and we had the surrounding area surrounded by Black Disasters to lure them in, and you¡¯re telling me they escaped??!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not my fault. Your men were discovered prematurely, they acted out before boarding the plane, which then incited the committee people to revolt,¡± replied the subordinate officer, unfazed and still smiling. He slightly raised his head, his face obscured by a black metal mask that smiled, hiding his true countenance. ¡°Don¡¯t think this is just my problem!¡± Xin Zhilei exclaimed angrily, ¡°If the contents of that USB drive were exposed, no one in the Association could avoid the fallout! Do you think you could escape? Aurora City hasn¡¯t collapsed yet.¡± ¡°Actually, there¡¯s a lot of conflict within the Association even now. The Meisha family¡¯s list, while devastating to some, is¡­ you understand, less so to others. Therefore, mobilizing the Association¡¯s resources isn¡¯t quite as you imagine, not everyone will cooperate¡­¡± said the man in the black mask, still smiling. ¡°Heh¡­ what¡¯s your price?¡± Although Xin Zhilei knew she was being exploited, she had to suppress her anger and ask, as she was not yet in full control of the situation in the second Aurora City. Exposure could instantly destroy her good standing. However, if the destruction of evidence was successful, with the support of the main forces of the allied army, if she achieved more water sources through the Association¡¯s power and the merit of resolving the Meisha family issue, her reputation and power in the second Aurora City would peak. At that point, not even the chairman of the committee could command her! ¡°Given the current situation, searching for these people around the city would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. There are too many Black Disasters, many of which are high-risk and not lured by the Association¡¯s bait,¡± the man in the black mask analyzed. ¡°So¡­ the only option is to deploy the Black Blood People, the Association¡¯s elite task force that can move freely even near high-risk Black Disasters, ensuring the mission¡¯s success.¡± ¡°Black Blood People¡­¡± Xin Zhilei¡¯s expression shifted slightly. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the only way¡­ of course, deploying Black Blood People comes with risks. You should understand, even though they¡¯re called ¡®people,¡¯ in truth¡­¡± said the man in the black mask, still smiling. ¡°If we had been more resolute from the beginning, and killed all of the Meisha family outright¡­ there wouldn¡¯t be so many troubles now!¡± Xin Zhilei slammed her fist on the metal table in front of her. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Additionally, a reminder, according to the records of the Yingshan civilization, we¡¯ve reached the limits of the basic Black Disaster situation. The Association has obtained all it can. Coming up in about half a year, the Gate of Despair corresponding to the Cold Disaster will naturally open. I hope you¡¯re prepared in advance.¡± ¡°Thank you for the reminder!¡± Xin Zhilei gritted her teeth;she took a deep breath, ¡°I¡¯ll allocate one-fifth of my resources to hire a Black Blood Person!¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± The man in the black mask slighty smiled and stepped back, then swiftly vanished into the shadows. The interior of the armored vehicle transitioned from silent to filled with a multitude of external sounds. Only Xin Zhilei remained, sitting in her seat with a severe expression, her gaze fierce. Chapter 229: Closing In Xinpeng City. This was the second node on the map. During the brief daylight hours, Yu Hong rapidly sprinted through the city streets, occasionally leaping over vehicles clogging the road. The road surface was littered with trash and dust;some areas seemed to have been trampled by a massive weight, leaving behind footprints and pits of various sizes. On the roadside stood office buildings of uneven heights. The upper floors of buildings that were often ten or twenty stories tall had almost all turned to a shade of gray due to the accumulated ash. Between the city¡¯s buildings, Yu Hong and two dragon lizards swiftly darted through the streets. Thump. He stepped on a jeep that had already been flattened and looked up at the sky. ¡°Something¡¯s not right about this place¡­¡± Yu Hong glanced at his detector and the values on it were also wildly fluctuating, from millions to tens of millions in crazy variations. He shifted his gaze back to the front, where the endless dark windows of the buildings on both sides seemed as if unknown dangers could burst forth at any moment. By now, Yu Hong had a clear understanding of his own perception. Standing on the roof of the car for a while, he waved his hand for the dragon lizards to lead the way with him following closely behind. He jumped off the car, leaping over one vehicle after another. Suddenly, he paused, spotting through the window of a white sedan to his right a woman in black holding a child. The woman was slumped over in her seat, motionless, with only the child¡¯s black, short hair visible, curled up in her arms, equally still. In the sub-zero temperatures of twenty or thirty degrees below zero, for the two to be sitting in such a vehicle meant no good¡­ Yu Hong reached out and gently tapped on the car window. No response. The two seemed as if they were asleep. Yu Hong¡¯s increasingly powerful perception also sensed that the interior of the car was ice-cold, long without the slightest sound. He silently withdrew his hand. ¡®Escaped the Black Disaster, but couldn¡¯t escape the extreme cold, huh¡­¡¯ The sky gradually darkened, and night was about to descend once more. Yu Hong moved away from the sedan and hurried forward. Minutes later, he arrived in an area near the center of Xinpeng City. There was a shopping plaza here, resembling a European-style structure with gray columns encircling a large, semi-open circular marketplace. In the plaza, large deflated inflatable toys could occasionally be spotted on the ground. Passing by a milk tea shop, the hard plastic bear standing outside the store was wearing a warm smile, except its originally white fur was already stained with dark red blood spots. Yu Hong narrowed his eyes at the promotional advertisement stuck on the exterior wall of the shop. A cartoonish pure white bear was on it, contentedly drinking a cup of bubble milk tea. Puff. Suddenly, his vision blurred. The cartoon bear on the advertisement actually winked at him. ¡®¡­.¡¯ Yu Hong quickly glanced at his detector, the readings still showing gibberish. He took a few steps closer, reached out his hand, and gently touched the advertisement. Just as his hand got close, Bang!!! A large black iron ball violently struck the wall, shredding the advertisement along with it. Whoosh. As the iron ball retracted, it pulled out a shower of debris and powdered cement. As for the advertisement, it was already smashed into many tiny pieces. Yu Hong retracted the iron ball, frowning. ¡®I should have been on my way. Why did I strangely stop here to look at some inexplicable advertisement? Dare to tempt me?¡¯ At that moment when he passed by here, a spontaneous impulse had risen in his heart¡ªhe just wanted to take a look. And the result¡­ ¡°This place is too dangerous¡­ can¡¯t leave it to continue harming people.¡± Reflecting on what had just happened, Yu Hong also found it quite chilling. That something could influence his movements without his awareness indicated that if paired with high-powered bombs, such an ability¡­ would definitely be a huge ambush weapon! So, he raised the iron ball, letting the black spiked iron ball whirl rapidly above his head. The heavy whirring sound of slicing through the air was incessant. Boom! The milk tea shop was the first to be completely flattened. More store after store on its side followed suit. In an instant, the area was filled with flying dust, stones scattering everywhere, walls collapsing into powder, and several small buildings quickly imploding. By the time the sky turned completely dark, the entire shopping plaza where the milk tea shop stood had been mostly reduced to ruins. ¡®That should do.¡¯ Putting down the iron ball, Yu Hong wiped his helmet¡¯s visor clean of dust. While he was smashing, he thought he had heard some noise from the buildings. But because of his swift actions, he did not pay attention to it, and since the noise was fleeting, he simply chose to ignore it. Moan!! Just then, from the black fog overhead, the familiar cry of a bird approached rapidly. ¡®Multi-eyed Bird?¡¯ Yu Hong looked up, but apart from the black fog, he couldn¡¯t see anything else. ¡®Seems to be quite a few of them¡­¡¯ Whoosh! Suddenly, the iron ball in his hand shot out, striking towards the sky. Thud! The iron ball hit something, was rapidly pulled back, and landed. Yu Hong hurriedly went over to inspect. Impaled on the spikes of the iron ball was a large, hairless gray-white bird over three meters long. The bird possessed a long beak akin to a spike and its face was covered with dense pairs of tiny red eyes. ¡®According to the characteristics of high-risk Black Disaster areas, most high-risk Black Disasters do not allow lower-level Black Disasters to roam freely in their territory, so the presence of Multi-eyed Birds, which are lower-level Black Disasters, implies that the surroundings are relatively safe.¡¯ Moan!! At this moment, the Multi-eyed Bird tried to break free from the iron ball, attempting to flap its wings and take off again. But Yu Hong stepped forward and grabbed its beak with one hand. Under the suppression of great force, the Multi-eyed Birds could only frantically flap their wings. But such actions were futile. Dragging the Multi-eyed Bird, Yu Hong continued on his journey and began to attempt extracting water from within the Multi-eyed Bird¡¯s body using the Condensing Water Technique. He speculated that if he could apply the water-extraction capability of the Condensing Water Technique in battle, its power would be immense. * * * Outside the second Aurora City. Inside the eerily black circular mountain range. A row of armored vehicles formed a ¡®¿Ú¡¯ shape, creating a rudimentary camp. A bonfire rose in the middle of the camp. The firelight, not very bright, was mingled with burned Large Pyroxene Stone powder, which was currently the main method to block the Blood Tide of the Black Disaster. Xue Ningning, An¡¯an, and Lin Yiyi, along with two deputy commanders of the rescue team they had just escaped with, were sitting by the fire, roasting the ground potatoes they had just dug out. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying you don¡¯t know why the commanders want to harm you?¡± Xue Ningning asked with a frown. ¡°Indeed, we have no idea. Just now, Yiyi said she encountered a very mysterious foreigner outside who saved her life, only to be blasted by a rocket. If the identification is correct, the rocket that hit them must have been launched by our side,¡± a deputy commander quickly said. ¡°It looks like¡­ the investigation team has always been under Minister Xin¡¯s responsibility. They were able to pinpoint Yiyi¡¯s location but had us fire rockets toward Yiyi¡¯s position¡­ this¡­¡± Xue Ningning¡¯s expression turned solemn. Before she could finish, suddenly, outside the armored vehicles, a rescue team soldier responsible for the guard duty let out a scream. ¡°Alert!¡± Everyone quickly stood up and drew their guns to check the detectors. Bang! Suddenly, an armored vehicle was violently rammed from the outside, the body crushed inward, hitting the three people. ¡°An¡¯an!¡± Xue Ningning saw An¡¯an had been hit and rushed forward to help. Yiyi also hurriedly followed, lending a hand to move the armored vehicle aside and extricate someone from the compressed area. Bang bang bang bang! At this moment, the sound of gunfire rose again in the camp. A tall humanoid figure, wrapped in black bandages, was withstanding a hail of bullets, swiftly weaving through the crowd. With each lift of his hand, he could easily kill a nearby team member. There was no need to hit a vital spot;just a scrape of skin was enough for a team member to quickly turn purple all over, gasp for breath, and fall to the ground, unable to get up. ¡°What the hell kind of Black Disaster is this?!¡± Someone roared in anger and fear. But it did little to stop the bandaged man¡¯s cold butchery. The bullets were ineffective against him, and even the more powerful specially-made grenades that exploded violently only pushed him back a few steps. He quickly advanced again, the burns on his body healing quickly, reverting to their original state. ¡°Run!¡± Lin Yiyi suddenly shouted. She pulled Xue Ningning and An¡¯an and turned to run into the Black Fog. Once they left the bonfire, the outside temperature of minus thirty-some degrees immediately stiffened their movements. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But they had no choice¡­ The bandaged man was of enormous strength, with incredibly fast regenerative healing. His flesh could even withstand a barrage of bullets and seemed to carry potent venom. Other than scattered flight, they could think of no better strategy. * * * The Black Fog tumbled. Yu Hong twisted the neck of the Multi-eyed Bird, tossing it far away. The dead Multi-eyed Bird rapidly disintegrated, turning into black smoke that dissipated into thin air. Meanwhile, in Yu Hong¡¯s palm, a small ball of pitch-black liquid formed. The liquid shaped into a sphere and quietly floated and spun. ¡®Could it really have drawn water out?!¡¯ As he continued on his way, he carefully observed the water ball. On the surface, this black ball seemed no different from the water of the Black River, but on closer inspection, one could see that the black water ball, originating from the Multi-eyed Bird, was constantly trying to escape his control, wanting to fly off into the distance. It appeared to have a will of its own. Having quickly returned to the highway outside the city, Yu Hong looked back at Xinpeng City shrouded in mist. There was something wrong with this place, but fortunately, he had traveled the Black Disaster Rift route, so aside from encountering the pass-through Multi-eyed Bird, he hadn¡¯t met any danger. ¡°Covered most of the journey, I hope the camp is alright.¡± Holding the water ball, Yu Hong couldn¡¯t help but think of the Black Wind Camp, where his special Constitution Potion was intensifying. If not for the fear of it being very easily smashed by accident, he actually would have preferred to carry it with him. Collecting his emotions, he integrated the dragon lizard¡¯s vision and continued following the map. This time, thankfully, he didn¡¯t encounter any trouble and after four long, tedious hours of travel, the final node at last appeared ahead¡ªYufei City. Yufei City, completely different in style from Xinpeng City before it. Walking through the streets. Yu Hong¡¯s alertness was raised to its highest. The buildings and houses around him, their doors and windows were all gone. In their place, countless black strands sealed the entrances and exits. The black strands were visible everywhere on the ground, scattered and broken. On street lamps, on steps by the roadside, inside abandoned shops. The black hair was omnipresent. Whoosh. Yu Hong, dragging the black water ball single-handedly, involuntarily quickened his step. Amid the faint footsteps, the entire city seemed increasingly cold and empty. Yu Hong had to increase the burning of his Inner Qi a bit to combat the incessant chill invading from the outside. Hiss¡­ Suddenly, the black hair to his right began to creep. They gathered and stitched together, quickly forming a woman in a black cloak holding a black lantern. The woman bent her head low, revealing only her pale, rotting chin. Her lantern suddenly lit up with a red flame, illuminating a small area around her. But it seemed because Yu Hong was walking in the rift, she did not attack. Chapter 230: Yu Hong stepped past her, only to find that the black hair on the left side of the rift also began to wriggle and coalesce. Soon, large black cubes were formed one after another. Rolling midair, they were roughly five meters in length and width, wholly stitched together with black hair. Yu Hong didn¡¯t utter a word and continued to move forward. As he delved deeper into the city district, lantern-bearing women and black floating cubes on both sides became increasingly numerous. Fortunately, the Black Disaster Rift was reliable;although the path twisted and turned, no Black Disaster had blocked his way. Until at last, as he was about to exit the city district¡­ Snap. The lantern-bearing woman on his right finally took a step forward, blocking Yu Hong¡¯s path. ¡®Silently¡­¡¯ Yu Hong took out his map, double-checked it, and confirmed that she was blocking the path of the Black Disaster Rift. ¡®Has the rift changed?¡¯ He put away the map and looked at the lantern-bearing woman blocking his way. ¡®It makes sense. The Black Disaster Rift is not constant. Occasional minor changes are normal.¡¯ Whoosh. He reached back and took down the giant iron sphere he was carrying. ¡°Since there¡¯s no path, there¡¯s no choice but to force through it¡­¡± Hiss. The white glow on his body suddenly flared brightly, like the only source of light in the darkness, illuminating the surroundings. And right in front of him, rows upon rows of lantern-bearing women blocked the path, their lantern flames turning darker red, resembling blood plasma¡ªthick and heavy. As the flames changed, more lantern-bearing women emerged from the darkness behind them, densely packed. At a glance, red lights flickered;there were at least a hundred red lights from the lanterns. ¡®Seven-level group-living Evil Shadows¡­the Lantern Shadows¡­¡¯ Yu Hong tensed, information about the enemy flashing through his mind. ¡®Firearms are ineffective against them;specially-made explosives can only be effective at the moment of their attack. They are extremely difficult to crush.¡¯ ¡°Too bad¡­ I¡¯m not a fool waiting for your first move.¡± He muttered softly. ¡®Thunderbolt.¡¯ Inner Qi burst forth from two paths simultaneously, white flames igniting atop his body. The flames spread rapidly to the iron sphere. Hugging the iron sphere with both arms, he gathered strength in his legs. harsh white light continuously exploded and burned. Boom! In an instant, his figure shot forth like a cannonball, erupting into a sprint. Bang! The first lantern-bearing woman five meters away was struck by the iron sphere¡¯s spikes, her body crumbling to pieces within the Inner Qi¡¯s bright light, destroyed in an instant. Then came the second, the third¡­ The masses of lantern-bearing women in front attempted to block him, but not one could stop this brutal charge. Many didn¡¯t even have time to attack before their bodies were pierced. Their characteristic of lacking physical form unless attacking spared some of the lantern-bearing women. But that was all. Struck by the Inner Qi, their bodies still tore apart into shreds. Through the city district, a white light traced a thin line, surging straight forward, dimming slowly as it collided with more and more obstructions. Just as the white light was about to burst out of the city, Suddenly, inauspicious black hair converged in front of him, forming a giant black-haired woman over ten meters tall. The woman, dressed in black clothes and a black skirt, bowed her head and smiled, her long hair floating around like seaweed. Hee hee hee hee¡­ A sinister laugh suddenly echoed throughout the city district. The black boxes, quietly retreating to avoid the black-haired woman, evidently reached a new equilibrium. The problem was that the previous Black Disaster Rift could no longer be used to this point. ¡®A new form? Level 8, or Level 9?¡¯ Yu Hong¡¯s expression grew grave. He slowed his pace to a stop and set down the iron sphere. He stood about fifty meters away from her, exactly at the entrance of a street corner. A broken traffic light hung above him, coated in dust. ¡®It seems my luck isn¡¯t so good¡­¡¯ Shu Cheng had made several trips without incident, yet trouble arose on his first try. ¡®But fortunately¡­¡¯ The white flame around his body shone even brighter, and strands of white filaments emerged one after another from his back, condensing into a gigantic half-body figure. ¡®As long as I kill you, all my luck will be good¡­¡¯ Whoosh. The half-body figure abruptly opened its eyes, revealing a solemn face remarkably similar to Yu Hong¡¯s. The figure, over four meters tall and with arms crossed, muscle-bound body ablaze with white flames, emitted waves of intense negative radiation. ¡°Kill!!¡± ¡°Hehehe¡­¡± In an instant, two figures, one black and one white, accelerated toward each other. * * * Second Aurora City. A silent helicopter slowly descended from the air, landing on a concealed helipad within the city. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As the helicopter¡¯s door opened, a group of robust soldiers in purple-black military uniforms jumped out and fanned out to stand guard. Two tall and slender senior officers, a man and a woman, were the last to disembark. Seeing them come down, a waiting crowd immediately came forward. ¡°Welcome, Special Envoys, for your guidance. Regarding the previous investigation, we have already gathered quite a bit of evidence. However, in terms of execution, we still lack sufficient strength.¡± Among the greeters, a tall and sturdy man with a square face and clear eyes, shook hands with them and said gravely. ¡°Given the current situation, every Aurora City has become an enclosed environment. The power from the outside world is blocked by the Black Disaster and can hardly be conveyed inside, so¡­¡± the female Special Envoy quickly said. ¡°I understand,¡± the muscular man nodded. ¡°Commissioner Yang, the arrest order for Xin Zhilei has been issued,¡± said the male Special Envoy simply, ¡°but we can¡¯t send any more forces over. The actual arrest operation will depend on how many people you can persuade with righteousness.¡± ¡°There are a total of five commissioners in the second Aurora City, and I¡¯ve already won over two of them,¡± Commissioner Yang nodded confidently, ¡°enough to remove Xin Zhilei from her position in the meeting room.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± The group moved quickly out of the helipad, ready to board the reception vehicle. Suddenly, searchlights in the distance lit up, the intense blinding white light made it impossible for everyone to distinguish anything at the other end. ¡°Don¡¯t let them touch you! Everything here has been contaminated by the Black Disaster;you absolutely cannot believe a word they say!¡± Shouting could be heard from the direction of the lights. ¡°But Commissioner Yang is inside too!¡± ¡°Under the contamination of the Black Disaster, there are no commissioners!¡± someone said coldly. The surrounded people were bewildered. How had they suddenly become contaminated? Commissioner Yang was about to explain loudly, but shooting had already started around them. After a flurry of gunfire, all was quiet once again. Medical staff in white protective suits, holding detectors, checked around the fallen bodies to confirm that everyone had been infected. These medical personnel had no idea how the contamination had happened. In the darkness in the distance. A dark shadow stood quietly on a tree branch, watching the group. ¡®Finally, Yang¡¯s side is dealt with. Once Sister Thunderbolt resolves the water issue, the second Aurora City will be hers for the taking.¡¯ In times of severe water scarcity, whoever could secure water would hold the greatest sway. To think that just a few Special Envoys and undercover agents in the city could secretly usurp power¡­ The shadow chuckled lightly, jumped down from the tree, and walked away. * * * Boom!! The half-figure of the Thunderbolt Transformation collided head-on with the black-haired woman over ten meters tall. Yu Hong smashed down with a heavy iron ball in his bare hands. The black-haired woman, holding a lantern, shook it and then smashed down as well. When the two spheres collided, the ground erupted underneath them, revealing a dense web of cracks. The great wave of dust and air quickly spread outwards, causing lighter stones to roll and loosen. Yu Hong¡¯s feet flickered and he soared into the air, appearing at the side of the woman with lightning speed. He lifted the iron ball and struck down hard on the woman¡¯s forehead. Boosted by Inner Qi, the strike made the woman stagger and almost fall. She shook her lantern again, and the red flame inside suddenly turned into a streak of fire, shooting out. Not stopping there, the flames shot out one after another, chasing after Yu Hong, and in a blink of an eye, more than a dozen streaks had flown out. But despite the multitude of flames, they couldn¡¯t keep up with Yu Hong¡¯s speed of movement. With the Thunderbolt Leg Technique at full power, he dashed through the gaps between the flames. Another ball struck the back of the black woman¡¯s head. Bang!! The black woman swayed, turned to grab, but caught air. Bang!! Another muffled sound, and the left forearm of her lantern-holding hand broke, black blood spurting from the wound. Then, a succession of loud bangs kept on coming. The giant body of the black woman became a target, utterly unable to capture Yu Hong¡¯s speed. And the characteristic of only being touchable during attacks did nothing to stop her being overwhelmed. Minutes later. Yu Hong landed lightly, observing the giant black woman who had fallen with an unchanged expression. Maybe I could have taken her down without the Thunderbolt Transformation. His power was nearly equal to hers, but his speed was much faster. It was a complete overpowering match;the mastery of the Thunderbolt Leg Technique had finally revealed its full advantage. At that moment, although the black woman had fallen, her massive body began to tremble violently, as something in her abdomen seemed desperate to break out, pushing up various bulges. Clearly, there¡¯s a second form, but I don¡¯t have the time to linger here. Yu Hong retracted the Thunderbolt Transformation, and with a blink of his body, he rushed forward at great speed with two dragon lizards. Bang!! With a single palm, he smashed heavily into the black woman¡¯s abdomen. The tremendous force of the impact pushed the bulges back. Simultaneously, the Condensing Water Technique activated, starting to continuously extract water from the black woman¡¯s body. Soon, a steady stream of black droplets rose from her abdomen, gathering in Yu Hong¡¯s palm. As he collected and extracted the water, surprisingly, the violent movements of the black woman quickly calmed down, and her body began to slowly disintegrate, turning into countless puffs of smoke that dissipated. Two now. Yu Hong raised his hand, with two black water spheres of different auras floating above his palm. The smaller one, the size of a green bean, was from a Multi-eyed Bird. The larger one, the size of a walnut, was from the black woman he had just dealt with. Maybe I can incorporate them into the Black Mark for enhancement¡­ see what I can enhance¡­ The Black Mark¡¯s random enhancement was an interesting ability. These relics of the Black Disaster might also be useful for enhancement like an Array, potentially receiving a positive direction of enhancement. Tucking away the water spheres, Yu Hong followed the road leading out of the city, quickly approaching the direction of the second Aurora City. Three checkpoints passed, the rest of the journey wouldn¡¯t take more than a few minutes;the key was to consider how to enter the city. Second New Aurora City had no ground-level entrance or exit. This was Yu Hong¡¯s first time entering a large human settlement, and he was slightly curious. Since arriving in this world, he had always stayed in small places, hiding. The most people he had encountered were in small towns and county cities. This was the first time. To find out the truth about Yiyi, he decided to go into the city. Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures;after entering the city, I¡¯ll take down Xin Zhilei first, ask for the reality, and then look around to verify the situation with people. He wasn¡¯t sure how his strength rated in the entire human collective;this would be a good opportunity to experience it firsthand. Maybe he could find a few mutated powerhouses to practice with. Given that the Black Disaster was so bizarre, it¡¯d be normal for a few stronger mutants to exist, right? Chapter 231: Puzzle 229 Inside the Second Aurora City. Xin Zhilei and four other United Army committee members stood at the five corners of the conference hall. Each of them was protected by individual barriers, with circles of guards stationed further outside. This was the Life Conference Hall, where, after the Black Disaster outbreak, the leaders of the United Army met face-to-face with representatives from the lower and middle classes to listen to public opinions. In Donghe, this was a unique form of communication, also known as the Mobile Conference. The five committee members of the Second Aurora City were Chen Xiguang, responsible for the three major corps of the United Army;Zhao Xiang, in charge of medical health and epidemic prevention;Liu Chengpeng, responsible for construction and renovation design;Xin Zhilei, handling Black Disaster exploration and investigation;and Adili Muhe, overseeing internal affairs and scientific research. Chen Xiguang, as the most important committee member of the New Second Aurora City, had been responsible for the Black Disaster security defenses of the surrounding cities. According to the division of labor, he managed the main force of the army, while a select few elite investigation units were led by Xin Zhilei. However, Chen Xiguang was getting old, now nearly seventy, and his physical strength and energy were far less than when he was young, so often he did not concern himself much with the investigation units. Just dealing with various Black Disasters was enough to make him overwhelmed. At this moment, this tired old man was standing seriously in his position, reading his prepared speech. His voice, full of rhythm and cadence, echoed throughout the quiet conference hall. ¡°¡­.Based on feedback from the clearance operation, three high-risk Black Disaster clusters around the city were lured further away using induction liquid technology. Thanks to the sacrifices made by the Seventh Battalion of the Ninth Brigade of the Third Corps, it was your effort and fearlessness that maintained the final peace of the Second Aurora City. For this, I announce the award of¡­.¡± Listening to Chen Xiguang¡¯s voice, Adili Muhe, also a committee member, suddenly frowned as a report came through his earpiece. ¡°Committee Member Adili, from our monitoring markers outside the city, we¡¯ve discovered that group of mysterious black-armored individuals again. They¡¯re attacking another group that appears to be a reconnaissance unit.¡± Adili raised his hand, covering his mouth with the pretense of rubbing his face, and spoke in a low voice. ¡°No response from Xin Zhilei¡¯s direct units?¡± ¡°None.¡± ¡°That¡¯s odd¡­.¡± Adili was puzzled. In the current situation, each committee member who could stand their ground within the city had their own armed forces, regardless of the field they were in charge of. As someone overseeing logistics and research, he naturally also had his own armed forces and sources of information. Recently, through his informants, he noticed that Xin Zhilei¡¯s investigation units suddenly had a lot of small actions. This piqued his curiosity somewhat. The Black Disaster investigation was of great importance, and Xin Zhilei managed to take on this role mainly because she previously provided a lot of confidential information. Her investigation units, from the start, had her own direct subordinates as the main force. After the Black Disaster outbreak, she continuously provided a large amount of top-secret information, preventing multiple major casualties of the United Army, and thus made significant contributions, leading to her rapid promotions. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This ultimately resulted in Xin Zhilei being the youngest among the city¡¯s five committee members, only in her thirties, while the others were all over fifty. ¡°Keep observing, report at any time if necessary,¡± Adili instructed. ¡°Understood, the second piece of news, starting from yesterday, the rechargeable micro-sensors we deployed outside the city detected a living being moving toward Aurora City from 30 kilometers away, following the standard Rift route.¡± ¡°Are there still survivors? How many people? Maybe they can bring us more Black Disaster intel.¡± Adili showed interest. Now that the Black Disaster Investigation Team encountered issues and all external exploration had paused, even though Xin Zhilei provided some intel again, anyone could see it was merely going through the motions. *How to suppress the Black Disaster, securing more survival resources for humanity, had become a vexing problem for everyone.* And the biggest key to suppressing the Black Disaster was still information. ¡°It¡¯s one person, no vehicles detected, initially estimated to be a strength-enhanced individual, traveling while carrying a lot of luggage. In this environment, to struggle alone and find the Rift, breaking through the Black Disaster¡¯s encirclement, shows extreme courage and skill. Send someone to meet them, see if we can recruit them into our origin units,¡± Adili said softly. ¡°Understood.¡± Being the one among the five committee members with the widest detection range, he also used such methods to recruit the most enhanced individuals. It was precisely because of this that he couldn¡¯t figure out how Xin Zhilei suddenly had so many enhanced individuals under her command. Recalling what Committee Member Yang from City No. 1 said when she came over, Adili was half-doubtful in his heart. *Even if Xin Zhilei really had issues, the people she saved with the information she provided were still there, and they were all her staunch supporters.* *Together, there were tens of thousands of them, including many direct relatives of various officials, and this network of connections meant anyone thinking of moving against her had to weigh their own capabilities first.* * * * The black-crushing Baihang Mountain Range lay like a giant caterpillar crawling in the dark night. Its edges were lined with dense, charred forests. These forests, once lush before the Black Disaster, had long withered due to insufficient sunlight. The fallen leaves left nothing but claw-like bare branches, a scene of desolation. At the edge of the mountain range were scattered small, unmanned sentry posts. These posts were standard templates, consisting of a helipad and a small box-shaped house. The bright lights at night were once the only refuge for nearby survivors. But as the Black Disaster deepened, there were no more survivors outside. Sentry posts held only isolated white lights, situated amidst the thick black fog. Yu Hong stood in front of a sentry post, peering inside through the barbed wire. He had already unlatched the iron ball and hidden it in the outer forest. After all, ordinary people couldn¡¯t take it, and there were no living people outside anyway. He had also tidied himself up, making himself look more like a survivor seeking shelter. *After all, his main purpose in coming here was to investigate the real situation inside Aurora City.* *If he made his intentions known directly, given Xin Zhilei¡¯s power, if she truly had major issues, a remote bombardment would not be impossible.* *He wasn¡¯t afraid of trouble, but he didn¡¯t want to cause unnecessary casualties.* *So, he needed to assume a different identity first¡­* With this in mind, he tossed a bag of nutritional paste into his mouth, biting through it and sucking out the contents before spitting it out. ¡®From now on, I¡¯ll be called Lin Lan.¡¯ Lin was taken from Stammering Yiyi¡¯s surname, and Lan¡­ Red and Blue, simply a homophonic switch. Reaching out, he patted the barbed wire in front of him, glanced around, and soon found a surveillance camera slowly rotating under the eaves of the only gray-white small flat-roofed house. He waved at it. The camera clattered and made a noise. Soon, a surprised voice followed. ¡°Haven¡¯t seen scattered survivors for a long time, where did you come from?¡± ¡°From near Baihe City, I¡¯m called Lin Lan. Where exactly is the New Aurora City? I can¡¯t find it,¡± Yu Hong replied. ¡°Someone has to pick you up to get in, you can¡¯t come in.¡± The person replied, ¡°You¡¯re really lucky, in this temperature, this environment, still able to walk that far alone¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always been lucky.¡± Yu Hong nodded in agreement. ¡°Along the way, I came across a car, and there was fuel inside, so I drove here¡­. It was just the last stretch that the car ran out of fuel, so I had to walk.¡± ¡°Wait a moment.¡± The surveillance voice went quiet. After waiting for over ten minutes, a faint hum could be heard in the night sky. Soon, a rectangular drone over two meters long descended from the night sky. Underneath the drone hung a black plastic seat equipped with a safety buckle. ¡°Hop on, this will take you into the city. One word of caution, entering the city requires going through several procedures. If you¡¯re unable to pass¡­.¡± The voice from the drone spoke. ¡°I understand.¡± Yu Hong nodded and sat on it abruptly. The entire drone dipped heavily. ¡°¡­.You¡¯re too heavy¡­. Wait, I¡¯ll switch to another one,¡± the voice said helplessly. After fiddling around for over half an hour, finally, under the suspension of a new large drone, Yu Hong slowly took off, flying into the night sky shrouded in black fog. He was tense all over, worried that the drone might lose control and crash. But fortunately, the technology of Aurora City was quite reliable, with no malfunctions occurring along the way. After flying through the black fog for several minutes. Soon, the aircraft began to decelerate and descend. The mist ahead started thinning, and gradually, a massive circular city appeared in Yu Hong¡¯s sight. The city seemed to be surrounded by towering mountains, forming a giant basin. Its top was covered by a thick, transparent glass dome. Through the dome, one could see bright lights illuminating the buildings within. Distinct spotlights with special functions emanated from inside the dome, sporadically lighting up the surrounding black fog. The aircraft landed Yu Hong on a gray landing pad extending outward like a tongue on the outer side of the transparent dome. ¡°Now, after you descend, there are five detection gates ahead. Walk through each one;if all the gates light up green, you may enter,¡± the electronic voice said again. Yu Hong acknowledged, unbuckling the safety harness and stepping down to stretch. Looking around, there wasn¡¯t a single person, only the lone passage ahead. The passage featured five round arched mechanical gates, each adorned with various runes and patterns. The five silver metal gates seemed to welcome all outsiders. He walked through without hesitation, one by one, passing through all the gates, all lit up green. At the end of the passage was a square glass door. Inside the door could be seen two figures in white protective suits, waiting with weapons in hand. ¡°Alright, congratulations, you¡¯ve passed the most troublesome review. Now please disarm all weapons and walk to the door,¡± the electronic eye spoke again. Yu Hong readily took off a single dagger;the rest of his weapons had already been hidden with the iron ball. All he had on him now were some Vortex Talisman Plates and radiation bombs. These were for use against Black Disasters, not harmful to people. The only thing he was a bit worried about were the two black water balls he had just taken in, fearing they might be detected by the gates. But it seemed everything was fine for now. Hiss¡­ As he reached the glass door, it automatically slid upward, and the two figures inside quickly came out. Both were over two meters tall, and judging by their muscular build through the protective suits, it was apparent they were quite burly. But when they stood in front of Yu Hong, even with their over two-meter height, they were still slightly shorter than him. Moreover, their body width was noticeably thinner. Chapter 232: The Labyrinth 230 ¡°Here comes a big guy!¡± a man familiarly slapped Yu Hong¡¯s arm. ¡°Brother, you¡¯re in luck, your kind of build is most popular in the city now!¡± He smiled and winked at Yu Hong ambiguously. Even with a transparent helmet cover in between, it was still clear that this guy was quite frivolous. ¡°It has to be said, making it all the way to Aurora City, lucky you.¡± Another man spoke with more gravity, his chin adorned with sparsely placed black beard. ¡°Come in. The city is undergoing major construction now, no idle hands allowed. Let me give you an introduction, you can think about what kind of work you want to look for. This place has gathered all the highest technologies from the entire East River, and even rescued a lot of unimaginable tech from the collapsed Silver Tower, so you don¡¯t have to worry about food. What you need to consider is what job you can find to survive here. After all, board and lodging aren¡¯t free.¡± ¡°Mm!¡± Yu Hong nodded. His calm demeanor surprised both men. But no one doubted this, under the Black Disaster outbreak, many people had been through life-and-death trials, their emotions becoming numb and severely lacking fluctuations. Yu Hong wasn¡¯t an exception. The three entered through the glass door, and an inclined automatic escalator was before them. Below the escalator was an extremely large, circular area. Many grey-black buildings were built within the area. Ten or more stories of residential buildings, office buildings, densely packed together, like chopsticks kneaded into one stick, slender and straight. Between the buildings were dark green strips of greenery and neatly planned grey-white roads. Countless people flowed between these buildings, coming and going in the green belts. ¡°There are five main systems inside the city, and you¡¯re free to apply to any of them. They are departments governed by the five committee members, respectively handling medical services, construction, administration, exploration, and the most important, the joint military.¡± ¡°Then may I ask, which department is Minister Xin Zhilei in charge of?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°The Exploration Department. Why? Do you want to join? That¡¯s one of the most dangerous departments, with a high mortality rate, but the benefits are the highest too,¡± the bearded man said with surprise. ¡°Just asking¡­¡± Yu Hong gave an awkward smile, seemingly scared off. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Heh¡­ Once you¡¯re in the city, you¡¯ll get a temporary residence offer, but it¡¯s just ten square meters, very small. If you want to live, and live well, then you¡¯ve got to work, to contribute.¡± The two escorted Yu Hong off the escalator, and at a round, white reception desk, they received their ID cards and keys to their temporary accommodations. ¡°Brother Lin, I believe with your physique and strength, you¡¯ll make a name for yourself sooner or later. Keep it up!¡± Half an hour later, the two led Yu Hong to the front of a residential building, gave him some final advice, and then left on their own. Yu Hong watched their retreating figures, then glanced around at the hustle and bustle of the flux of people. Towers rose high, mobile vendor carts sat beneath the buildings, and groups of ordinary people gathered in threes or twos to shop. The noisy hum of voices and traffic invaded his ears, this familiar sound evoking a profoundly surreal feeling in him. It was as if he had returned to the familiar safety of a peaceful society. Aside from the predominance of grey and black in people¡¯s attire, with very little color, the rest seemed no different from the society of old. Holding the key and ID card, he stood at the entrance of the building, people constantly moving in and out beside him, most shorter than him, some his height, and even a few enhanced humans taller than him. That seemed to be the primary difference between now and then. ¡°Hey.¡± Suddenly, a cautious female voice came from beside him. Yu Hong turned to look. He saw a ponytailed girl with a good-looking face, dressed in a simple black jacket and jeans, standing two meters away, looking at him warily. ¡°Hello, are you a survivor who just came in from outside?¡± The girl seemed to be in her early twenties, her eyes somewhat weary with dark circles, her chest surprisingly full and convex, which seemed out of place with her slender stature. ¡°Mm. I am.¡± Yu Hong, who had been bewildered about where to start, found a breakthrough with her approach. ¡°I¡¯m Li Ziyun, the building manager. If you need something, you can call me with the phone in your room,¡± the girl said with a polite smile, handing him a white business card from her pocket. Yu Hong took it, noting not only the name but also a phone number. * * * In another corner of Aurora City, Sector Two. Dozens of miles away from Yu Hong, inside a crowded building, A group sat in a room on the thirteenth floor with a heavy atmosphere. No one spoke. ¡°Soon, the Science and Logistics Department will find out I used a backup drone to enter the city;you can only hide for a couple of days at most.¡± A bespectacled military officer from the joint forces said in a low tone. ¡°By then, I¡¯ll be taken away for investigation by my superiors, and you¡¯ll need to consider what to do next, whether to expose Xin Zhilei right away or¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s useless!¡± Xue Ningning sat aside, letting Lin Yiyi wipe an alcohol-soaked cloth over her arm wound. ¡°Xin Zhilei has found a temporary solution for the water supply, and now no one will believe our word.¡± ¡°Indeed. I¡¯ve just been out to inquire, and they¡¯ve already issued warrants claiming you¡¯ve been infected by the Black Disaster and even show abnormalities. As soon as you go outside, you could be discovered and captured,¡± the bespectacled officer said gravely. ¡°Though the most dangerous place can be the safest, the blocker isn¡¯t omnipotent, and if they don¡¯t find you outside, they¡¯ll suspect the city eventually.¡± ¡°The biggest advantage of the city is the crowd. As long as we have the blockers, we can blend into the crowd and avoid capture,¡± Xue Ningning said. ¡°Now, the key is to find evidence to prove Xin Zhilei is problematic. Plus we need to figure out why she sent someone after us!¡± ¡°And those guys who bullets can¡¯t kill, who exactly are they! Their speed and strength aren¡¯t strong, the key is that their wounds heal too fast. Even if shot in the head, they healed up quickly like it was nothing¡­. This is incredible¡­ I wouldn¡¯t believe it if I hadn¡¯t seen it with my own eyes!¡± Li Han, the deputy commander, said angrily. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for that surprise attack, so many of our brothers wouldn¡¯t have¡­¡± His eyes were red, and during the previous attack, nearly half of his team had been killed in an instant. In the end, it was another deputy commander who sacrificed himself to draw away their pursuers, giving them the chance to escape. ¡°I¡­¡± Yiyi finished treating her wound and raised her hand, wanting to speak. ¡°What is it, Yiyi?¡± Xue Ningning asked. ¡°I, I suspect¡­ this¡­¡± Lin Yiyi took out the small, mysterious USB drive from a tiny pocket sewn into her underwear. She detailed stutteringly the origin of the USB drive, immediately drawing the attention of everyone present. The sixteen people still here were all directly affiliated elites from the investigation department, but now the head of the department, their superior¡¯s superior, had actually declared that they were contaminated by the Black Disaster. Adding to that was the sudden attack on their commanders and others at the outpost. Everyone immediately concluded that perhaps their team was involved in some major secret, and this secret could not be disclosed within Aurora City. Thus, the action akin to silencing them mid-route had occurred. At this moment, the USB drive that Yiyi suddenly produced seemed to provide everyone with a clear clue. So someone immediately got up to borrow a computer. Although they had been declared contaminated by the Black Disaster, they could still cover their faces, pool together some silver dollars they carried, and find someone else to help buy a laptop. Soon, two members of the team brought back a silver-gray laptop. They started the computer, had Yiyi insert the USB drive, and began retrieving the information. A group of people gathered around the computer screen, waiting to see what secret was so significant it had led them to face so much danger and attack. Whoosh. The screen displayed the contents of the USB drive, showing a list of twelve individual text files. All files were named with simple designations like ¡°One,¡± ¡°Two,¡± ¡°Three,¡± and so on. Tap tap. Xue Ningning opened file one. *** *** *** Click. Yu Hong pushed open the door, removed the key, and surveyed the small room before him. In a tiny room of just ten square meters, there was surprisingly even an en suite bathroom. A square window let in bright white light from outside. The room was furnished with a bed, a closet, a desk, two chairs, and a lamp. That was all. Thud thud thud. Yu Hong was just about to step in for a look around when the sound of footsteps came from behind again. He turned around to see a squad of joint military soldiers clad in full-body body armor and carrying short-barreled submachine guns, walking up to the door and knocking. ¡°Mr. Lin Lan?¡± the person in the lead buzzed. ¡°I am. Is there something I can help you with?¡± Yu Hong said. ¡°We are the armed collectors from the Scientific Research Department. As you are the only survivor who entered the city from the outside world this past week, we hope you can accompany us to the Scientific Research Department to collect some real-time data on the Black Disaster.¡± ¡°No problem!¡± Yu Hong nodded. ¡°Additionally, if I may ask, Mr. Lin, are you an enhanced individual?¡± the lead person inquired. ¡°No,¡± Yu Hong shook his head;he showed no signs of being an enhanced individual, something that would be easily verifiable with a check. Without utilizing his Inner Qi, he would not emit the negative radiation like enhanced individuals. ¡°Not an enhanced individual?¡± The other person seemed somewhat surprised. ¡°Then Mr. Lin must certainly be a master of Fighting Skill?¡± ¡°Yes, I know a bit,¡± Yu Hong nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go then, we can talk on the way,¡± the person said, sounding more relaxed upon hearing that he wasn¡¯t an enhanced individual. Yu Hong followed them and climbed aboard the military vehicle downstairs. Inside the vehicle. The team leader leading the group pulled off his helmet and sighed with relief. ¡°Honestly, the last thing we regular soldiers want to deal with are enhanced individuals.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± Yu Hong asked, surprised. He found everything about this city, called humanity¡¯s last bastion¡ªAurora City¡ªnew and unfamiliar. ¡°Mainly because the temperament of enhanced individuals is so unpredictable. They are very unstable;incredibly pleasant when good, and violently irritable when not,¡± the team leader sighed. ¡°I had two team members who were beaten severely by an enhanced individual. They¡¯re still lying in a hospital bed.¡± ¡°But enhanced individuals should be the main force investigating the Black Disaster now, right?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°That¡¯s true. The front line depends on us regular individuals, but for deeper investigations, it¡¯s indeed up to them. That¡¯s where our conflict lies¡­ after all, without the use of firearms, we really stand no chance against them,¡± the team leader sighed. ¡°I understand,¡± Yu Hong nodded. ¡°To cross the Black Disaster Rift alone, Mr. Lin¡¯s strength must be quite formidable, right?¡± another team member asked. ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­ I was mostly just lucky,¡± Yu Hong said earnestly. Chapter 233: Maze 231 ¡°The Research Department means that since you were able to pass through the Black Disaster Rift alone for so long, you must have very rich experience. If the test goes smoothly, the higher-ups intend to invite you personally to join the elite force directly under the Research Department and enjoy senior benefits. So when you arrive there, there might be some enhanced humans who have been demoted who are not convinced, so please, Mr. Lin, bear with it and try not to get into conflicts with them,¡± the captain said. Yu Hong raised an eyebrow. This statement was quite interesting, hinting that in the city, the term ¡®enhanced human¡¯ had become synonymous with instability and irascibility. ¡°Among the enhanced humans now, are there any famous figures? How powerful can they be?¡± he asked curiously. ¡°There¡¯s an internal testing leaderboard at the institute, generated from test data, but it doesn¡¯t represent actual combat,¡± the captain replied succinctly. ¡°The one with the highest speed is nicknamed Cobra, a fully enhanced human specializing in speed, who can sprint a hundred meters in four seconds starting from zero, excelling in short-range high-speed direction changes. His speed is quite exaggerated.¡± ¡°The strongest in terms of strength is nicknamed King of Strength, a fully enhanced human who can lift a car weighing three tons with his bare hands. Besides these, the body density of these enhanced humans is extremely high;ordinary people can¡¯t even stab them with a knife no matter how hard they try. They are entirely not the same species as us.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡± These data¡­ Yu Hong glanced at the outside buildings and suddenly felt humanity was doomed¡­ His expression could not show any anomaly, but the perceptive captain still perceived a hint of worry. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this for now;once we reach the institute, if the information you provide, Brother Lin, is valuable, you might make a fortune,¡± he said with an envious smile. ¡°Thank you for your kind words,¡± Yu Hong smiled. Soon, no one spoke in the car. Outside the car window, passing through district after district, winding here and there, the surrounding buildings gradually became less frequent. After more than ten minutes. Squeak. The car stopped, leaving thin black marks from the tires on the ground. Several people got out of the car in turns. Yu Hong followed behind and arrived at a place resembling an ancient mansion, painted black. Outside, the guard verified their identities and let them in. Upon entering, Yu Hong observed with a scrutinizing attitude, looking left and right. Directly inside was a huge white sand training ground, where pairs of black-clad people in tight clothes, possessing abnormal physiques, were sparring. Unlike others, these individuals were surrounded by researchers in white coats who were taking notes and occasionally commenting. After a while, Yu Hong was taken to a single-story black building. The room was divided into two sections by a partition of reinforced glass. He was on the right side undergoing verification;on the left, there were people standing and talking, occasionally glancing this way. ¡°What am I doing now?¡± Yu Hong looked at the captain waiting beside him. ¡°You¡¯re waiting to finish your verification depositions and to collect intelligence. A professional will come to talk to you;just explain what you know,¡± the captain replied adeptly. ¡°How long will it take?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°About half an hour, possibly longer if you have much to say, but the rewards and benefits will also be better,¡± the captain said with a smile. ¡°Alright.¡± Yu Hong fell silent, letting the medical staff start collecting his fingerprints, checking his blood pressure, breathing, Red Value radiation levels, etc. ¡°I heard you¡¯re new here? To get senior benefits straight away!?¡± As he sat in the room for his exam, an irritable male voice quickly floated in from outside. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Soon, accompanied by footsteps, two burly men with floral turbans and White Tiger tattoos all over their arms entered one after another. They immediately noticed Yu Hong, who was undergoing the examination. ¡°Fuck! I¡¯ve been working my ass off for two months! Couldn¡¯t secure a single spot for senior benefits! Why does this kid get them the moment he arrives, huh!?¡± The man at the front, almost as tall as Yu Hong with a height over two meters, walked up to Yu Hong. Without any courtesy, he reached out and grabbed Yu Hong by the collar. ¡°I¡¯m an enhanced human, too! Why should I be inferior to you, you loafer, huh!?¡± He shouted loudly. Ah seemed to be his catchphrase;he had to add it after every sentence. ¡°Chen Qidong! Stop causing trouble! He¡¯s just returned from the outside, bringing back important Black Disaster information,¡± the captain who had brought Yu Hong here said, standing up to scold. ¡°Mind your own fucking business!!¡± The man turned to yell at the captain, ¡°Think you can boss me around just because you have a gun!? Believe it or not, I¡¯ll kill you and your superiors won¡¯t do a thing to me!¡± This belligerent man named Chen Qidong cursed loudly at the captain, causing the captain¡¯s face to turn grim, his grip on his gun creaking. ¡°So you¡¯re saying, if you¡¯re strong, you get privileges?¡± Yu Hong asked while sitting. ¡°What about it!? I just saw it;your Red Value is zero! You¡¯re just a lucky piece of trash!¡± Chen Qidong, stimulated by Yu Hong¡¯s calm appearance, got even angrier. He pointed at Yu Hong. ¡°I could kill you just as easily¡­¡± Bang!! Suddenly, a palm strike swept swiftly and landed on his right cheek. With a muffled thud, Chen Qidong was sent flying out the door, sliding across the training ground and leaving a trail over ten meters long. He lay on the ground, head dizzy, attempting to prop himself up with his hands, but failed and fell down again. Inside the room, the nurse conducting the check held the pulse oximeter in her hands, motionless, forgetting what to do next. The captain and two other team members stayed frozen in place, their guns offering no sense of security as they looked at Yu Hong, who was still sitting, feeling tingles in their scalps. That was the strength-type enhanced human, Chen Qidong, and the door was made of thick hardwood, engineered for high strength, which had previously withstood numerous brawls among enhanced humans¡­ ¡°What just¡­ happened??¡± The captain asked, bewildered, looking at the shattered wooden door, wondering if he had just hallucinated. ¡°I said I was lucky as a joke, but he actually believed it,¡± Yu Hong retracted his raised palm and placed it in front of the nurse again. ¡°May I continue?¡± ¡°¡­Oh¡­¡± The nurse trembled, her face turning pale as she quickly clipped the oximeter onto his finger. ¡°Brother!!¡± At that moment, another bulky person who had entered the room with Chen Qidong realized what happened, let out a scream, and hurriedly rushed out to help Chen Qidong and check his injuries. The enhanced individuals who were originally training outside now stopped and gathered around. ¡°Brother, you still say you¡¯re not an enhanced individual¡­?!¡± The captain looked at the unchanging face of Yu Hong as he swallowed saliva. ¡°Even if you¡¯re strong, you shouldn¡¯t have hit an enhanced person here¡­ they¡­ usually stick together¡­ look outside¡­¡± By then, the enhanced individuals outside had already gathered around Chen Qidong to check on him. Some squatted down to look at his injuries, some took out their phones to make calls, and some frowned as they looked toward Yu Hong inside the room. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not that strong,¡± Yu Hong said as he checked his blood oxygen level, stood up, and moved his arm. ¡°I¡¯m just a little stronger than them here.¡± He gestured a tiny bit with his fingers. ¡°Hehe¡­ a tiny bit stronger¡­ Chen Qidong might have been at fault, but all he did was spew some rude words, nothing uncivil. Was it necessary to give him a concussion?¡± At that moment, a woman about one meter ninety tall, with extremely well-defined muscles and dressed in a tight black protective suit, without a helmet, pushed through the crowd and walked toward Yu Hong. This woman¡¯s muscular lines were extremely exaggerated, even larger than Yu Hong¡¯s. ¡°Friend, isn¡¯t that going a bit too far?¡± ¡°This point, indeed, was my mistake,¡± Yu Hong nodded. He walked out of the room and stood a meter away from her. ¡°I went a bit too hard, excessively so.¡± His tone was sincere and his demeanor calm, immediately making the enhanced individuals present ease their expressions. ¡°I am here to apologize to him.¡± Yu Hong turned sideways, slightly bowing to Chen Qidong, who still couldn¡¯t get up, his expression one of regret. After finishing the gesture, he then looked toward the muscular woman. ¡°However, the severity of my action is my own affair;this is a conflict between Chen Qidong and me. Do you really need to meddle?¡± ¡°I¡­ If you¡¯re excessive, why shouldn¡¯t I intervene?¡± The woman¡¯s face turned red. Unlike second-level enhanced individuals like Chen Qidong, she was one of the four strongest individuals in this research institute division, naturally qualified¡­ Bang!!! Again, the same palm strike harshly landed on the woman¡¯s left cheek. She tried to resist, but she was horrified to find that the force was so mighty that even with all her strength, she couldn¡¯t stabilize her body or block that simple slap. The tremendous force flung her like Chen Qidong, rolling over a dozen times on the ground and viciously crashing into the inner wall of the fence, motionless. Seeing this scene, the crowd finally erupted in shock. Before, a slap giving Chen Qidong a concussion was nothing special;several people here could do that. But now, a slap knocking out the muscular woman, that level of strength was terrifying. It¡¯s important to remember her strength and weight were more than double Chen Qidong¡¯s. ¡°Power¡­ King of Strength!?¡± Someone couldn¡¯t help but whisper speculation. ¡°Impossible! The King of Strength just went to the front line of the military department to clear the Black Disaster two days ago!¡± ¡°Then who is it¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s another King of Strength then!¡± Pairs of shocked and awe-filled eyes converged on Yu Hong. ¡°So you mean this is what you said about being just a little stronger than them??¡± The captain, with a stunned expression, slowly walked out of the room. ¡°The investigation has ended. Who is the highest authority here? Can someone please come out and meet?¡± Yu Hong did not answer the question but instead posed another request. His time was limited;he was willing to cooperate with the inspection because his true intention was to make contact with the research department¡¯s officers and, from them, the higher echelons. From the rough understanding on the way here, the second Aurora City¡¯s five commissioners each represented one of the five forces. The research department was represented by Minister Adili Muhe. So, causing a disturbance, displaying strength and value, drew senior attention, thereby gaining the opportunity for contact and asking for related intelligence. * * * Inside a deserted high-rise office building in Aurora City. A tall figure wearing a black metal human mask stood silently at a high level of the building. ¡°Ran away? Can¡¯t find them?¡± At that moment, this figure was communicating over a long distance through a wristwatch. ¡°They have someone using a jammer to block the positioning, and some people deliberately led the pursuers away. By the time we arrived, they had vanished,¡± a helpless female voice floated from the other side of the watch. ¡°There¡¯s not much time left. Mr. Yang on the other side has been dealt with, and the specially dispatched teams have all been handled. Now it¡¯s just your side left. If they happen to contact the other branches¡­ it¡¯s going to be a big problem,¡± the masked person spoke solemnly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the association now controls most of the security points within the city. Even if we¡¯re discovered, with the power we hold, no one can save them,¡± the voice from the watch confidently responded. Chapter 234: Puzzle 232 ¡°Among the mutants, there are some with actual strength. The other members each sensed something afoot with their forces. Especially Chen Xiguang¡ªhis three top subordinates have all started moving. Moreover, in the science department, they just let someone into the city. Based on the appearance provided by our inside source, it should be Yu Hong who¡¯s behind Lin Yiyi that has arrived.¡± The masked person continued. ¡°With the Black Blood People here, no one can stop us from completing the mission. Not to mention, the trend is now set. Even if the members have some suspicions, they wouldn¡¯t dare make a move against the minister. After all, no one besides the minister can suppress the Black Disaster and secure the water source. As for this Yu Hong who¡¯s entered the city, even the other members wouldn¡¯t dare to take action. What kind of disturbance can a slightly stronger mutant cause? You should have more confidence in our association¡¯s executors.¡± The woman on the other side of the wristwatch spoke in a deep voice. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°At times like this, you sure are confident.¡± The masked person laughed. ¡°The reality is as such. You¡¯re not unaware of the association¡¯s strength,¡± the woman laughed too. ¡°Even if the situation turns sour, our executors can join forces with the Black Blood People to forcefully eliminate all obstacles and complete the mission.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. There are our people in the other departments too. If they really consolidate their forces, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem to take complete control with a sudden strike,¡± the masked person responded. ¡°The issue now is that we have searched the area several times¡­ how could we¡­ wait a moment!¡± Suddenly, the voice of someone else came from the woman¡¯s side. After a short conversation, the woman¡¯s tone became urgent again. ¡°We¡¯ve found them! They¡¯ve entered the city! Detected several hidden drones! According to the flight records, they must have entered the city earlier!! Well done! They¡¯ve really played me for a fool!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll report to Sister Lei immediately and apply for a temporary city lockdown!¡± the masked person said swiftly. ¡°You go into the city and catch them!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± * * * Science Department. ¡°Nice to meet you, I¡¯m Yan Yuqiu, the person in charge of this division.¡± In the silver-white enclosed metal room. Yu Hong was brought in and immediately saw an elderly man in a gray coat wearing glasses. The old man had a ponytail, snowy white hair, and an air of an artist about him with a smiling and amiable face. He reached out for a handshake as soon as they met. ¡°I¡¯m Lin Lan,¡± Yu Hong shook his hand with the other party. ¡°Lin Lan? Should I say Yu Hong? We have your specific characteristics sent over from Gray City. Although there are some differences in features, the overall hasn¡¯t changed. We could make it out.¡± Yan Yuqiu smiled. ¡°You can recognize from that?¡± Yu Hong said in surprise. ¡°Yes, a little bit of integrated domain technology.¡± The old man gestured for a seat to talk. ¡°Mr. Yu, I went through the information and have been paying attention to you for a while. I remember you¡¯ve always stayed at your Black Wind Camp. Rushing such a long way to Aurora City, are you planning to settle here or¡­¡± ¡°I sensed someone trying to harm me,¡± Yu Hong said gravely, ¡°I hope to meet my friend Lin Yiyi who is here.¡± ¡°Lin Yiyi from the Investigation Department, eh? She¡¯s also had her physiological data analyzed here¡ªa kind and good child. But it is said she went missing while out on an investigation not long ago.¡± Yan Yuqiu frowned. ¡°Doesn¡¯t the other departments know anything about the Investigation Department?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°They are not clear. The separation between the major departments is very strong now. Only when there is a problem that requires accountability will it be brought up for resolution and discussion at the council.¡± Yan Yuqiu nodded. ¡°So if you have any issues, you should go directly to the Investigation Department and contact the various levels of officials under Minister Xin Zhilei.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too complicated. I came to the Science Department because I suspect Xin Zhilei herself is part of the problem!¡± Yu Hong frowned. ¡°I¡¯ve come here, to Aurora City, with two demands.¡± He raised his finger. ¡°First, find my friend Lin Yiyi. If she is alive, I want to see her;if she¡¯s dead, I want to see her body.¡± ¡°Second, I want to find out why I was attacked earlier and why there was a problem with the goods Xin Zhilei provided!¡± Yan Yuqiu fell silent for a moment, then he was about to speak. Suddenly, a deep electronic sound came from his body. ¡°Yan, I think I should come personally.¡± Yan Yuqiu immediately stood up, took out a white square communicator from his pocket, and placed it on the table. ¡°Alright, Adili.¡± He gestured to Yu Hong to look at the communicator then stepped back out of the room, carefully closing the door. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to talk to you like this, Mr. Yu Hong.¡± Inside the communicator, Adili¡¯s synthesized voice sounded quite sincere. ¡°But as a minister, I bear a heavy responsibility and must avoid any potential risks or threats. I hope you can understand.¡± ¡°Minister Adili¡­ Finally, someone who can make decisions,¡± Yu Hong stood up. ¡°I hope my two demands can be resolved, no problem, right?¡± ¡°Human nature, I understand your demands. But¡­ the current situation is not something I can decide on. Matters of the Investigation Department are always resolved internally. Only when it involves the other four departments will it be brought out for joint consultation and discussion. So, I have no authority to interfere with Minister Xin Zhilei¡¯s jurisdiction,¡± Adili answered. ¡°Meaning you can¡¯t resolve it?¡± Yu Hong raised an eyebrow. ¡°The situation now is, even if it can be resolved, it should not be done. Because¡­ Minister Xin Zhilei holds the method to solve the water supply. Without her, the entire Aurora City would face water shortages.¡± ¡°So? Do I just have to bear it, unable to resolve my demands?¡± Yu Hong understood the implication. ¡°Not at all. When the timing isn¡¯t so critical, these matters can be resolved later,¡± Adili persuaded. ¡°You are well aware, the water demand for the entire Second Aurora City is enormous. If the supply is cut off, the hundreds of thousands of city residents will face grave problems.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Yu Hong fell silent. Before he came, he thought he could directly find the root of the issue and resolve the problem swiftly. Going to the Science Department was merely to ascertain Xin Zhilei¡¯s location and ensure he could have contact, but now it seems¡­ the situation is more complex than he imagined. ¡°Mr. Yu, such matters can¡¯t be hurried and need a long-term strategy,¡± Adili patiently counseled. * * * While Yu Hong was secretly discussing in the research department. Somewhere in a secluded apartment building in Aurora City. Xue Ningning and Deputy Commander Li Han, among others, watched the contents of the USB drive that Lin Yiyi had brought back. The first file they clicked on opened to reveal a somewhat blurry video. The video seemed to be shot inside a very spacious cave. The dimly lit cave had rows of lit candles as the sole source of light. An elderly woman with a pale face in a black robe stood in front of a huge white stone wall, holding an exquisite gold dagger in her hand. The video was recorded from the side;it was impossible to see what was on the stone wall clearly, but one could see that the old woman was well-maintained, wearing expensive sapphire earrings and a complex, ornate gold ornament around her neck. It was an ancient-looking ornament that, at first glance, differed from the typical golden necklace, which generally has a linear structure. But this ornament had multiple layers, at least ten chains woven into a net, with various peculiar gold symbols or characters as decorative accents. ¡°As number one, and the first, I volunteer to begin the ceremony and set an example for everyone.¡± The elderly woman raised the gold dagger and gently made a small cut on the skin under her neck. Blood immediately began to seep from the small cut. She dipped her fingers in the blood and started to write something on the stone wall. At the same time, she muttered something, as if chanting. ¡°No! You can¡¯t do this!!¡± suddenly, a panic-stricken male voice interrupted the video. ¡°Hold him down! Don¡¯t let him disrupt the ceremony!!¡± someone yelled. Immediately, a commotion of scuffling and angry shouts erupted. Bang. With a gunshot, everything fell silent. ¡°You Meisha family have been guarding this secret for generations but never learned to utilize it, to grow your own power. Such a waste!¡± The old woman stopped chanting, her eyes cold as she seemed to be talking to someone. ¡°So that¡¯s why we need reform.¡± Off-screen, a calm male voice gently rose. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my people won¡¯t kill indiscriminately, just quieting him down,¡± the old woman said indifferently. ¡°It¡¯s okay. There¡¯s always some opposition within the family that I can¡¯t eliminate. Having them disappear as collateral is not a bad thing,¡± the male voice seemed to be in a good mood, completely indifferent to the life and death of his family members. ¡°Next, number two.¡± The elderly woman turned around, extended the gold dagger, and handed it to a person standing in the shadow behind her. Snap. The video ended there. In the room, Xue Ningning swallowed hard. ¡°That old woman¡­ I think¡­ I recognize her¡­¡± No one responded. Like her, they were in a state of profound shock. Because they recognized that old woman, too. ¡°That looks like¡­ the Prime Minister of Willance¡­ Mrs. Eheraf!¡± Li Han¡¯s voice was hoarse. Willance Kingdom and the Free Federation are two of the strongest powers in the world, second only to the two mightiest nations, the East River and Fulika. If Willance and the Free Federation were to join forces, even East River or Fulika alone would not dare to take them lightly in a head-to-head confrontation. Both in terms of land area and population as well as overall technological and military capabilities, these two nations were only slightly less powerful than the top two. And if this video held any truth, it meant that¡­ the current Prime Minister of Willance, Mrs. Eheraf, had long been plotting with the Meisha family. ¡°Mrs. Eheraf is still the sole head of the new Aurora City in Willance, right¡­?¡± a female team member couldn¡¯t help but quietly remind everyone. The shadow in everyone¡¯s hearts grew heavier. ¡°Quick, look at the other files! With so many files, we have to figure out what exactly they¡¯ve done! Who was involved!¡± Li Han suddenly came to his senses. ¡°Okay!¡± Xue Ningning quickly clicked on the second file. Meanwhile, at that very moment, a squad of armed troopers clothed in black stealthily entered the ground floor of the apartment building. ¡°Based on the surveillance footage reviewed, we estimate they¡¯re in this building,¡± the leader of the squad murmured softly. ¡°Which room specifically?¡± another team leader asked. ¡°Can¡¯t confirm.¡± ¡°Then search each home. If you find anyone, shoot them on the spot. Remember, act fast to avoid making too much noise. And if the USB drive is found, it must be immediately isolated and taken away.¡± Swoosh! Over twenty people in black quickly spread out, some heading through the elevator, others climbing through the stairwells, beginning their house-to-house search, converging on the sixth floor where Lin Yiyi and the others were. Chapter 235: Resistance at 233 Research Department. ¡°It seems that at the end of the day, water source is the core issue, right?¡± Yu Hong sighed, lightly tapping his fingers on the desk. ¡°That¡¯s exactly it. Hundreds of thousands of people in Aurora City need a large amount of water every day to sustain their livelihoods. We¡¯ve somehow noticed some issues with Xin Zhilei, but as long as she can ensure the water supply, we can only turn a blind eye.¡± Adili said helplessly. ¡°The three Aurora Cities in the East River, don¡¯t the other Aurora Cities have corresponding methods?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°The other Aurora Cities are too far from here, never close to the Black Disaster that pollutes the water sources. Only our number two Aurora City completely relies on groundwater to supply the city,¡± Adili explained. Yu Hong pondered thoughtfully. He indeed could create water, but this wasn¡¯t a small outpost that needed only a few thousand liters of water to solve the problem;the daily water usage for drinking alone for hundreds of thousands of people far exceeded the total amount of water he could condense. After all, he couldn¡¯t possibly stay here all day creating water. Therefore, finding a real solution to the water source was crucial. ¡°What method does Xin Zhilei use, do you know?¡± Yu Hong thought and asked. ¡°We¡¯ve investigated, but there are no leads, we only know that whenever she goes down to the pumping system, it can normally supply water for a week. After she leaves, we¡¯ve dispatched a large number of manpower and experts, but they can¡¯t find the real reason.¡± ¡°The difficulty with the water source lies in the Black Disaster¡¯s Dissolving Leeches. If a way could be found to counter this type of Black Disaster¡­¡± Yu Hong frowned. ¡°I¡¯ve heard Mr. Yu is adept at dealing with the Black Disaster, do you have any thoughts in this area?¡± Adili asked gravely. ¡°¡­.¡± Yu Hong didn¡¯t immediately reply but rapidly flicked through a stream of thoughts in his mind. ¡®Under what circumstances would the Black Disaster move on its own, leave?¡¯ ¡®The answer is when it gets displaced and killed.¡¯ ¡®So how do you kill the Dissolving Leech?¡¯ Yu Hong thought of using the Black Mark to concoct a special poison targeted specifically at this kind of Black Disaster, but since the Black Mark was undergoing strengthening now, so¡­. The Condensing Water Technique, maybe he could try¡­ to see if it could separate. ¡°In that case, Minister Adili, do you have a water sample contaminated by the Black Disaster¡¯s Dissolving Leeches?¡± ¡°¡­.Yes.¡± Adili seemed to guess that Yu Hong had a plan. Soon, Old Man Yan Yuqiu brought in a cup of pale gray water that looked like it had lime mixed into it. In the transparent glass beaker, the water inside swayed slightly, looking no different from slightly dirty water. ¡°This is the contaminated water;it¡¯s fine as long as it¡¯s not ingested, but once it enters a human body, it quickly breeds a large amount of Dissolving Leeches. Then the person parasitized by these leeches would quickly turn into a human bomb with immense explosive power. Moreover, the bits of flesh and blood blown out also carry massive amounts of Dissolving Leech eggs, polluting any surrounding liquid,¡± Yan Yuqiu explained helplessly. He placed the cup of water on the table next to Yu Hong. ¡°Do you have any ideas, Mr. Yu?¡± ¡°Mm¡­ a little.¡± Yu Hong nodded. He didn¡¯t hide it;he extended his right hand, hovering it over the cup. ¡°If you have seen my information, you should be clear that I am the only remaining master of Inner Strength in existence today, so I want to try to use Inner Qi to see if it can resolve this Black Disaster.¡± Yan Yuqiu opened his mouth to speak, then stopped, but seeing Yu Hong starting to focus, he too shut his mouth and waited for the result. Buzz. Soon a faint white light lit up in Yu Hong¡¯s hand. This fantastical scene suddenly caused Yan Yuqiu and Adili to catch their breath. This was not one of those terrifying natural disasters like the Black Disaster, but a force produced by a person, a living, non-enhanced person, on his own. Enhanced people and mutants, while still within their scientific understanding, but this glowing Inner Qi completely exceeded their comprehension. Like a rune system, unfamiliar and mysterious. As time passed. Gradually, the gray water in the cup began to separate, with the top layer turning clear and the bottom remaining gray-black. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yu Hong silently operated the Condensing Water Technique, but at this moment, he clearly felt the difficulty of extracting with the Condensing Water Technique had increased significantly. Compared to directly extracting from the Multi-eyed Bird, it was much harder. After more than ten minutes. Yu Hong finally withdrew his hand, a trace of flush crossing his face. By this time, the water in the cup had all appeared in his palm, slowly rotating in suspension. Only a layer of gray-black writhing mud remained in the cup. ¡°I¡­.¡± Yu Hong began to speak but suddenly, the Inner Qi in his body abruptly stopped, and a great amount of Inner Qi began to gather and swirl in his Dantian, then a complex twisted pattern emerged on the sphere of Inner Qi. Success! Yu Hong was pleased with himself, then he broke off what he was about to say. He understood that this was the Condensing Water Technique finally breaking through to the fifth layer and obtaining the first characteristic after reaching the fifth layer complete. ¡°Wait a moment.¡± He closed his eyes, sitting quietly as the Inner Qi sphere inside his body slowly released an invisible sort of wave, covering his entire body. A mysterious change made his body start to itch and ache. Quickly, a magical feeling allowed him to suddenly realize. He seemed to have gained a certain characteristic from the Condensing Water Technique, by controlling regular water through practice. At this moment, the feedback sound of the Black Mark rang out again. ¡®Characteristic acquired: Underwater Breathing.¡¯ Hiss¡­ Yu Hong took a long breath. Last time he obtained a trait, it was when he refined the Thunderbolt Leg Technique to its peak, obtaining the Dao Breath Circulation. Now, to obtain a second trait so quickly, there was no doubt it was also thanks to that first trait. ¡®Just like the traits obtained by disciples of the Yunshui Jiugong sect recorded before, the most common and easiest trait to obtain from ordinary clear water, is underwater breathing. It seems I¡¯m no different from the ordinary disciples in this aspect. Then there¡¯s the other type of water from the Black River¡­¡¯ He chose two types of liquid control, one was clear water, and the other was the mysterious Black River water. For the second type, he was quite excited about what trait he could acquire. ¡®Theoretically, mastering the Condensing Water Technique could allow one to control hundreds of liquids, but traits could only be obtained from the initial two chosen. I estimate that after breaking through to the sixth layer, I should be able to obtain¡­¡¯ Yu Hong was still unsure what effect the underwater breathing trait had, at this time his priority was to address the situation outside. ¡°Just now, about the method to deal with this Black Disaster,¡± he said as his other hand clutched a cup, channeling his Inner Qi. Instantly, the Dissolving Leech in the cup turned into black smoke in the blink of an eye, evaporating into the air and disappearing. ¡°I can handle some of the contaminated water, but it requires time and consumption of Inner Qi. For solving the drinking water for the entire city, it¡¯s not very useful. Thus, I personally think the best method is to obtain the secret of purifying water sources from Xin Zhilei,¡± he stated earnestly. ¡°Why would anyone willingly share such a secret?¡± Adili sighed, somewhat disappointed. ¡°At a time of such human crisis, is she really going to keep the secret of safe water usage to herself, for her own selfish desires?¡± Yu Hong exclaimed with a shocked expression. ¡°¡­¡± Yan Yuqiu and Adili had no words in response. ¡°At such a crisis situation, for the sake of the majority¡¯s safety, personal secrets shouldn¡¯t remain hidden. Minister Zhilei still holding onto such a secret is suspicious¡­¡± Yu Hong furrowed his brows as he continued analyzing. ¡°People are selfish¡­ it¡¯s understandable,¡± Adili said a bit awkwardly. He felt a bit strange. Are you the minister, or am I? What era are we in? How can you say such conscience-betraying words? Except for a few with ulterior motives who oppress others by high-sounding talk, most countries would not rob someone¡¯s secret wealth in this way, and even if there were, they certainly wouldn¡¯t say it openly. Because this undermines the cohesion at the core of any organization. In the information age, once such news spreads, an organization like this would soon lose all its cohesion and fall apart. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s discuss what that gray-black substance you just separated out was,¡± Adili whispered. * * * In the city, beneath a residential building. Bang! A muffled blast exploded. Between floors, a resident¡¯s security door was blown open. Followed by a burst of rapid gunfire. Outside the window of this residence, a long rope was thrown down, and figures quickly slid down it. Xue Ningning and others hurried downstairs, not even touching the ground before they jumped down and knocked over several black-clad men waiting outside. Taking the lead, a few enhanced individuals forcibly engaged in close combat, breaking the arms of the black-clad men, then took Lin Yiyi along with an important USB drive and dashed towards the street outside. Bang. At that moment, the windows upstairs were smashed, several black-clad men poked their heads out, saw Xue Ningning and others escaping, instantly fired a few shots but missed, and could only likewise leap to grab the rope and slide down. But only halfway down. Bang! A gunshot. The rope was severed, and a string of black-clad men fell heavily from the fourth floor, crashing to the ground and groaning in pain. ¡°Damn, my shooting is still so awesome!¡± Xue Ningning laughed as she pretended to blow smoke from the nonexistent barrel of her gun, then, along with an admiring An¡¯an and Lin Yiyi, she holstered her weapon and continued to blend into the crowd. As for the others like Li Han, they had already dispersed and changed jackets, disguising themselves as ordinary pedestrians blending into the street scene. The group quickly left, evading pursuit, and soon regrouped in a temporarily halted factory within the city. ¡°What do we do now? How did those black-clad men find us?¡± Xue Ningning asked gravely. Currently, they were divided into two teams, one led by her including An¡¯an and Yiyi, the investigative trio. The other team was led by Li Han, comprised of eight members of the investigative volunteer team. Although they were all from the investigation department, they weren¡¯t exactly die-hard followers of Xin Zhilei. ¡°Now with this evidence, we can completely go to Commissioner Chen Xiguang! We can expose and denounce Xin Zhilei!¡± As the deputy commander, Li Han naturally had some connections in the city. He seemed a bit confident in his statement. ¡°How do we expose her? Even Commissioner Chen wouldn¡¯t dare take action against Xin Zhilei now, she holds the secret method to extracting clean water sources,¡± Xue Ningning shook her head. ¡°But if the secret in this USB drive is¡­ if it¡¯s true¡­¡± Li Han¡¯s expression became grave. This implied that the fact everyone believed the Meisha family had unleashed the Black Disaster might be partially overturned. The Meisha family might be culpable, but they were likely just participants, not the orchestrators. Behind them, there was a bigger power lurking¡­ Snap. Snap. Snap. Suddenly, the clear sound of footsteps, the sound of leather boots, slowly approached from the shadows of the factory. Everyone¡¯s hearts tightened, they quickly drew their guns and spread out, looking in the direction of the sound. Lin Yiyi, holding the USB drive, stayed in the back, ready to run if necessary. Chapter 236: Resistance Two ¡°Interesting,¡± said a slim, bald man, just over 1.7 meters tall, as he slowly approached the group from the shadows. The lower half of the man¡¯s face was covered by a black mask, and his eyes were pitch black, with no whites visible. His hands hanging at his sides, his fingertips sharp as knives, he wore a fitted black leather jacket. Pinned to the collar of the jacket, on one side, was a communicator. It was this communicator that was making the noise. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the USB stick with the names to actually be in your hands¡­¡± said a voice through the speaker, synthesized and gender-neutral, but clearly relieved. ¡°That¡¯s him!¡± Li Han¡¯s eyes reddened the moment he saw the man. It was this man who had killed most of his brothers before! sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Good, now that you¡¯re all gathered, it spares me the trouble of looking further. Hong Lin, kill everyone,¡± came the voice from the communicator. On hearing this, the bald man with black eyes charged forward with unnatural speed, a claw aimed straight for Li Han standing in front. Bang bang bang bang! But a flurry of gunfire stopped him in his tracks. From a distance, Xue Ningning, another cyber-enhanced individual and who had undergone specialized training, drew her gun and fired four shots with lightning speed. Her close-range shooting and combat skills were far superior to those of regular enhanced individuals. ¡°He¡¯s alone, let¡¯s take him down together!¡± she shouted while shooting, alerting everyone to join in. Immediately, Li Han and the others drew their guns and fired as well. * * * Scientific Research Department. ¡°This is the core of the Black Disaster that I¡¯ve isolated, which is actually the main body of the Dissolving Leech, but only a part of it. Even if it¡¯s wiped out, it won¡¯t make much difference,¡± Yu Hong shook his head. ¡°In fact, I¡¯ve exchanged information regarding Xin Zhilei with the other directors, but given our water supply issues¡­ Even if we do get any evidence, we still can¡¯t¡­ Wait, hang on.¡± Adili suddenly paused. ¡°I¡¯ve just received new information. The military committee¡¯s jurisdiction under Chen has reported an anomaly: a mysterious force is pursuing someone. Surveillance footage and monitoring records, as well as the investigation division¡¯s direct command force, Echo Troop, are deploying and cooperating.¡± ¡°¡­ Who are they pursuing?¡± Yu Hong furrowed his brows, waiting for more. ¡°Yes, the person being pursued seems to know Mr. Yu, so you might be interested,¡± said Adili with a smile. ¡°According to the Security Management Law, the use of high-powered firearms is prohibited in the city. Both the pursuers and the pursued have used them, so Buck Force from the military committee is already on the move. It shouldn¡¯t be long before they resolve it. Shall we go and have a look?¡± ¡°¡­ It seems it does involve me after all,¡± Yu Hong stood up. ¡°The pursued might be from the Second Investigation Team. It¡¯s possible that Lin Yiyi and her group are involved. As for the pursuers, their composition is a bit complicated, not quite clear,¡± Adili replied. From Yu Hong¡¯s reaction just now, he had clearly elevated the importance and priority of the other party to the highest level. Not to mention, the power of Inner Qi to suppress and eliminate the Black Disaster was of extreme interest to him. You should know that nowadays, most luminous stone mines are exhausted. Although several mines in Aurora City were protected in advance, the prolonged warfare could not be sustained for much more time. Therefore, Yu Hong¡¯s miraculous Inner Qi seemed particularly important. ¡°It seems you¡¯re quite confident?¡± Yu Hong asked. He did not feel that Xin Zhilei¡¯s actions were that easy to counter. ¡°Buck Force is one of Chen¡¯s three strongest elite units, composed entirely of speed-enhanced individuals, equipped with powerful personal weaponry, and extremely battle-effective,¡± explained Adili. ¡°Of course, just in case, the other two departments and I have also dispatched elite squads to assist. Each elite squad is led by a captain ranked in the top ten for all enhanced individual parameters. With luminous stone-powered weaponry, unless faced with a special entity like Evil Shadow, even a rank six or seven Blood Tide Monster wouldn¡¯t survive ten minutes.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go have a look,¡± Yu Hong responded neutrally. He could see that the other party was keen to demonstrate the strength of Aurora City to him. Displaying their capabilities and suggesting a solution to the Black Disaster carried an implicit message. It was an attempt to increase his confidence in the safety of Aurora City so that he might join them when facing the insurmountable Black Disaster. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, with several of our best units acting together, there will be no problems. It is curious, though, why Echo Troop would openly violate discipline and use firearms in the city without permission. Perhaps there¡¯s some directive from Xin Zhilei herself,¡± said Adili. ¡°How will we get there?¡± asked Yu Hong. ¡°I¡¯ve arranged a car. Buck Force is always highly efficient;we need to move quickly to see the conclusion of the operation. When we get there, you can have a good talk with an acquaintance and consider staying. After all, the world outside is increasingly dangerous and getting colder,¡± Adili urged. * * * Inside the factory. Ding ding ding ding! Bullets rained down on the bald man with black eyes, ripping holes in his leather jacket and revealing a layer of shiny black metal underneath. ¡°This guy!!?¡± Exclaimed Xue Ningning as she saw sparks fly off the metal surface from the bullet impacts, her eyes widening with shock. With one hand steadying her aim, she drew another special pistol from behind her back with the other hand. Boom!! She fired the special gun as soon as she drew it, the massive recoil knocking her wrist backward. The power of this shot far exceeded the rest;it blasted half of the black-eyed man¡¯s face into a mess of blood and tissue. However, the man¡¯s facial wounds miraculously began to heal at a visible rate, returning to their original state. ¡°He¡¯s not human! Use luminous stone weapons!¡± Xue Ningning shouted the moment she saw the rapid healing. But it was already too late. Braving the hail of bullets, the black-eyed man raised his hand and slashed through the air. One of Li Han¡¯s comrades was suddenly knocked backward by an unseen force, smashing into the factory machinery and falling motionless. The black-eyed man swung his hands again. Immediately, two more team members were flung through the air and slammed against a wall. They fell to the ground, crying out in pain and spitting blood. ¡°Kill!¡± Li Han exploded in fury, discarding his submachine gun that had run out of bullets, and drawing his scimitar, he gripped it with both hands and charged forward, slashing downward with all his might. He was a strength-enhanced human, and this slash, powered by his entire body¡¯s strength, had enough force to cleave through the skull of a rhinoceros or an elephant head-on. Clang! But the black-eyed man merely lifted his left hand and caught the blade of the scimitar with ease. ¡°Foolish,¡± came the synthesized voice from the communicator. The black-eyed man¡¯s other hand thrust forward, aiming for Li Han¡¯s abdomen. Boom! Another gunshot rang out. Xue Ningning accurately intercepted the thrust, disrupting it. Despite her help, Li Han was still struck by an invisible colossal force in his abdomen, flung backward, and followed in the footsteps of his subordinates. She sensed trouble, hastily pulled Yiyi with her as they rapidly retreated while throwing a Radiation Hand Grenade forward. Bang!! The invisible radiation explosion enveloped a range of several tens of meters around them. Yet it did nothing to hinder the black-eyed man¡¯s advance. Bang bang bang! Li Han, who stood nearby, rose again and charged over, joining Xue Ningning in close combat to resist the black-eyed man¡¯s claw attacks. But after just a few exchanges, both were flung away by an immense force, smashing into the wall and falling to the ground, vomiting blood. The black-eyed man swiftly charged toward Lin Yiyi, or more precisely, toward the USB drive she was protecting. ¡°Duck!¡± Just then, a loud shout came from outside. Everyone instinctively ducked their heads in the factory. Boom! A massive explosion erupted from outside. A factory window shattered instantly, and a long, sharp-pointed bullet rushed through the window at nearly triple the speed of sound, generating rings of transparent ripples as it flew a distance, striking the black-eyed man precisely in the back of the head. Pfff. The back of the black-eyed man¡¯s head burst open like an exploding watermelon. But horrifically, he seemed utterly unaffected, his headless body staggered, but he continued his charge toward Lin Yiyi. ¡°It¡¯s Yuan Qingfei¡¯s voice! Buck Force from Commissioner Chen Xiguang has arrived!¡± Li Han exclaimed in delight. But before he could rejoice, he saw the headless black-eyed man continuing the assault and his face contorted in shock. ¡°Yiyi, hide!¡± he shouted. But it was already too late. The black-eyed man had reached Lin Yiyi and smashed a claw toward her head. Boom! Boom! Boom!! Three loud explosions erupted in succession. Three large holes were blasted through the side wall, and three anti-material sniper bullets shot in, hitting the black-eyed man squarely in the right shoulder. The tremendous kinetic energy sent him flying to the left, crashing violently against the edge of a lathe. The corner of the lathe broke off, and the black-eyed man¡¯s body was smashed, his spine fractured, leaving him twisted in a grotesque position. But soon, his body shook, he straightened up, and his wounds began healing at an astonishing speed, with countless blood tendrils sprouting from his neck and coalescing into a new head. Roar! Suddenly, large amounts of black blood poured from the black-eyed man¡¯s eyes, nose, and mouth. He let out an enraged roar in the direction of the Buck snipers, as black blood spread across his face and rapidly covered his entire body. In no time, his frame began to inflate and grow, becoming taller and bigger. In just a few seconds, a two-meter tall black figure stood before everyone. The figure was entirely engulfed in black blood, clothing and all, resembling a shapeshifter congealed from black blood. ¡°The intensity of Black Disaster is rising, prepare the bomb, activate density neutralizers!¡± Outside the factory, voices from Buck Squad could be heard one after another. Then came another round of explosive gunfire as anti-material heavy snipers fired shot after shot into the factory, forcing the Black Blood People to retreat, although they could no longer penetrate his body. By this time, a fleet of vehicles had arrived at the factory¡¯s perimeter. Chen Yaofeng, the Deputy Minister and son of Commissioner Chen Xiguang from the United Forces, along with Deputy Minister Zhan Yongwen from the Medical Department, and Yan Yuqiu, the Branch Director from the Scientific Research Department, all high-ranking officials, had personally arrived on site. Squads of heavily armed elite soldiers surrounded the factory. As Yu Hong got out of the car, people from Echo Troop were in the midst of a heated argument with a Colonel from the United Forces. He was accompanying Yan Yuqiu and now walked behind him. Adili¡¯s communicator was now clipped to his collar. Outside the factory, optimal sniping positions had already been set up. Burly soldiers bearing the Buck insignia and clad in full sets of advanced Grizzly bulletproof vests, indistinguishable between men and women, continuously fired shots into the factory. ¡°Hearing Mr. Yu had arrived with the innovation of the enhancement detector, and not being able to welcome you in time was an oversight on our Aurora City¡¯s part,¡± Chen Yaofeng, a mild-mannered middle-aged man in his forties, said. Though his father Commissioner Chen Xiguang wielded significant power, he showed none of the arrogance characteristic of a second-generation elite. ¡°This visit by Mr. Yu is a perfect occasion to observe our second Aurora City¡¯s absolute security and defense,¡± Chen Yaofeng said with a confident smile, extending his hand to shake Yu Hong¡¯s gently. ¡°I appreciate the attention from Minister Chen. I¡¯m just an ordinary researcher;there¡¯s no need for such a grand reception,¡± Yu Hong said, worried about the situation inside, ¡°Shall we check inside first?¡± Chapter 237: Resistance at 235 Three teams arranged for the strength-enhanced individuals to hold transparent ballistic shields, blocking in front of Chen Yaofeng, Yan Yuqiu, and Zhan Yongwen. As the highest-ranking official present, Chen Yaofeng was very friendly towards Hong, voluntarily standing together with Yu Hong and Yan Yuqiu, and using real-time monitoring to observe the situation inside the factory. There was no need for the people to enter, standing a hundred meters away from the factory on an open ground, they could completely see the inside of the factory on a large portable tablet screen. The computer displayed five square small screens, showing the situation inside from five different angles. Yu Hong glanced and immediately spotted Lin Yiyi, who was cautiously hiding in a corner. His heart tightened slightly, but he didn¡¯t act immediately, still standing next to the three officials without moving. ¡°Mr. Yu¡¯s good friend Lin Yiyi is also here, it seems she is safe and sound,¡± Chen Yaofeng remarked sharply, noticing a slight fluctuation on Yu Hong¡¯s face, and smiled. He had received intelligence from the internal department of scientific research as soon as he arrived. The incident of Yu Hong knocking out a level three strength-enhanced individual had already spread. Putting aside Yu Hong¡¯s more important tag as a scientific researcher, just this individual martial strength alone was worth him taking the risk to come and recruit. Now, with his father¡¯s health deteriorating, he, as the heir, did not feel optimistic about the future situation. To stabilize the situation in Aurora City No. 2, he had to try everything to combat the Black Disaster and the increasingly dire situation. And this required gathering more outstanding talents under his command. ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s also luck to see her safe and sound;it gives me peace of mind,¡± Yu Hong nodded. ¡°But what about that figure draped in black blood? A new type of Black Disaster humanoid?¡± He had also never seen the form of the Black Blood People. Now, confirming Lin Yiyi was safe, his attention rapidly shifted to the Black Blood People. ¡°We¡¯re not sure, the Red Value detectors did not respond, and even the enhancement detectors invented by Mr. Yu showed no data fluctuations, it doesn¡¯t seem like a Black Disaster,¡± Chen Yaofeng shook his head. He then turned to look at the old man Yan Yuqiu from the scientific research department. ¡°Old Yan, what do you think? Does anything in your department¡¯s database match this category?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Yan Yuqiu frowned deeply, staring at the Black Blood People being targeted by the hunters. ¡°It looks quite strong, though¡­¡± Chen Yaofeng marveled. Bang bang bang bang! By now, the intense anti-material gunfire could barely suppress the actions of the Black Blood People. He continued growling lowly, waving his arms wildly, trying to block the armor-piercing bullets flying from all directions. Though unable to block them, his body healed at an astonishing speed each time he was shot through. Outside the factory, soldiers with a deer insignia had quietly approached, preparing to rendezvous with Xue Ningning, Li Han, and the others. Roar! Suddenly, the Black Blood People dove forward, exploding into pieces mid-air. Not torn by the bullets, but his body actively splitting into five. This bizarre change threw off the hunters¡¯ tactics. The five pieces dodged the gunfire, soared over a distance of more than ten meters, caught up with Xue Ningning, Li Han, and the others, and suddenly merged back into the Black Blood People mid-air. Boom! He dove down, fiercely knocking down a soldier named Li Han who was blocking the front. Then he dashed forward, seizing a Radiation Hand Grenade thrown by a deer soldier. Boom! The grenade burst out a circle of negative radiation and simultaneously blew out a strange layer of white powder. ¡°Get down!¡± Someone shouted. Xue Ningning and others reflexively threw themselves down, and along with them, they also pressed down Lin Yiyi and An¡¯an with one hand each. Bang! A gunshot sounded outside. The powder on the Black Blood People was instantly ignited, bursting into an enormous orange-red flame. Boom! A huge explosion. All the windows and doors inside the factory were blasted open by the massive airflow. Xue Ningning and the others were thrown ten meters away by the blast wave, unable to get up for a while. Lin Yiyi, being protected underneath, was relatively unharmed, stood up, and helped the two move further away. The deer soldiers approached again from a distance, prepared for the rendezvous. Roar!! The Black Blood People, incredibly still alive, rushed out from the flames, pouncing towards the group. Outside the factory. Yu Hong¡¯s body tensed slightly, ready to move in. But Chen Yaofeng patted his arm. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The strength of the deer is not just this. Moreover, there are other elite squads watching all the time, nothing big can happen.¡± Yu Hong was watching the monitor, about to speak, when he suddenly saw a blurry white figure rush into the monitoring area and deliver a heavy punch directly to the Black Blood People. Bang!!! The factory floor trembled slightly. The white figure withdrew its arm, fighting the Black Blood People to a standstill. He bent and sidestepped, avoiding a claw strike aimed at his head from the Black Blood People, stretched out his hand and scattered a large amount of white powder, which immediately stuck to the Black Blood People. As soon as the powder touched its surface, thick white smoke rapidly billowed from the Black Blood People¡¯s body, it staggered, its body starting to shrink rapidly. Before the surveillance, seeing the situation, Yu Hong¡¯s tense body slowly relaxed. ¡°What is that?¡± he asked. ¡°According to the real-time data analysis from the expert group, the main method this humanoid monster uses to repair itself involves fluid movement. Thus, if we find a way to restrict this liquidity, we could successfully terminate its exaggerated regenerative power,¡± Yan Yuqiu explained in detail. ¡°Afterwards, by utilizing luminous stone weapons and materials powered by sunlight, we can completely destroy it, achieving a fatal blow while doubling the efficiency.¡± ¡°Impressive!¡± Yu Hong exclaimed. ¡°It¡¯s just that, apart from the Evil Shadow which follows bizarre rules of the Black Disaster, other threats can only cause us minor inconvenience at most,¡± Chen Yaofeng sighed. Yu Hong nodded in agreement. He had heard before that enhanced humans only had so much enhancement data and found it quite dangerous. After all, what was the extent of the Black Disaster outside? This little data might not even qualify them to stand in front of certain Black Disasters. But now, it seemed that the battle mode of the enhanced humans was not based entirely on physical fitness and Martial Arts but on various technological weapons and comprehensive tactics determined by the expert group. He glanced at the three officials, none of whom showed any signs of surprise, which meant they had high confidence in the person taking action at this moment. ¡°Enhanced humans, complemented by various modern weapons, indeed produce significant amplifying effects,¡± he nodded approvingly. ¡°That¡¯s right. In modern warfare, strength is mostly used for bearing weight so one can wear thicker, safer protective gear. Speed is for rapid movement, entering and exiting the battlefield to react swiftly and move freely. Vitality ensures completing mission objectives in various harsh environments. The qualities of enhanced humans, when combined with firepower equipment, are greatly enhanced,¡± Yan Yuqiu nodded. ¡°Essentially, in modern warfare, the limitation of weapon equipment power mainly depends on the person;the emergence of enhanced humans has greatly lifted this limitation.¡± He pointed to the surveillance screen. Yu Hong followed his direction. He was slightly startled. At that moment inside the factory, apart from the white shadow, another person had entered. This person was incredibly burly, wearing heavy protective clothing, and carried a massive silver canister on his back, holding a milky white hose in his hand. Hiss! In an instant, a thick red and white flame sprayed from the hose. The flame covered the entire body of the Black Blood People, even enveloping its surroundings, making it impossible to escape the pursuit of the flame no matter how it moved or dodged. ¡°The ones taking action now are the captain of the Moose Squad, Ou Nanyun, and the vice-captain, Li Kai. Both of them are top-ranked fighters within the city,¡± Chen Yaofeng said with a smile and a hint of pride. ¡°Ou Nanyun ranks fourth in strength and second in speed in the city, possessing a rare dual-enhanced physique. Combined, his explosive power is extremely exaggerated. And Li Kai is the second strongest in terms of strength, second only to the strength king. The equipment and weapons he is wearing now weigh nearly 800 kilograms, which no ordinary person can bear.¡± ¡°That is a high-temperature sprayer, a new type of weapon made by integrating the Rune System with some special artifacts left over from the Black Disaster,¡± Yan Yuqiu explained. Yu Hong raised an eyebrow. ¡°Black Disaster artifacts? You¡¯ve also discovered the use of these things?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Yan Yuqiu nodded. ¡°This high-temperature sprayer can spout a flame pillar 3.6 meters long and 0.3 meters in diameter. The temperature of the flame pillar ranges from 2000 to 2400 degrees Celsius. This temperature can melt most materials that exist in reality, such as stones, steel, and any common items people can see.¡± Yu Hong nodded, seeing in the surveillance feed that the Black Blood People had been submerged by the flame pillar, turning more and more into char. After a little more than ten seconds, the Black Blood People collapsed backward, curled up, and completely stopped moving. The ground around it was scorched and melted, forming a shallow disk-shaped pit. ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± The two from Moose squad exchanged glances, turned off the sprayer, and the captain Ou Nanyun stepped forward. He pulled out a retractable short stick from the back of his waist, stretched it into a metal grip, and began to check on the Black Blood People. Even now, they maintained a safe distance from the Black Blood People to prevent any high-speed regenerating species from suddenly attacking. Just then. Puff! The Black Blood People, which had already been burnt to a lump, suddenly split open, and a stream of black blood flew out, hitting the nearby Ou Nanyun! He quickly backed away, but it was too late;his frontal protective suit was stained and began to emit a hissing corrosion sound. It was only because Ou Nanyun managed to take off his protective suit in time, or he might have been corroded to death inside it. Huff! The fallen protective suit was once again covered by the high temperature of the sprayer and burned intensely. This close call made everyone at the scene tense up. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°It seems that it has truly ended now,¡± Chen Yaofeng had leaned forward during the unexpected moment, looking slightly nervous. ¡°See if there are any remaining artifacts,¡± Yu Hong nodded and spoke in a low voice. The encounter with the Black Blood People had inexplicably given him a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. * * * In a cylindrical black building located in a corner of Aurora City No. 2. Inside a dim, spacious office. Xin Zhilei stood with her arms crossed, leaning against the desk, watching a live feed of the factory projected on the wall. ¡°You all have been too sloppy in handling this;the situation has become troublesome. It¡¯s all because of your initial actions that weren¡¯t decisive enough,¡± she observed, as the faces of Chen Yaofeng and others nearby grew increasingly grim. ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s our fault. The executors didn¡¯t expect these people to cause so much trouble, nor did they expect the reinforcements from the other three sectors to arrive so quickly,¡± a burly figure wearing a black metal mask slowly emerged from the shadows. Unlike the previous lazy masked man, this burly figure spoke with a dominating tone, and even in apologizing to Xin Zhilei, he didn¡¯t fall short. ¡°This situation was caused by you;you are responsible for resolving it,¡± Xin Zhilei turned back and looked at the person. ¡°¡­The personnel from the three sectors have already gathered. The association says that the USB list must absolutely not be leaked, all possibly informed individuals must be eliminated,¡± the burly masked man spoke calmly. ¡°You¡¯re saying¡­¡± Xin Zhilei¡¯s eyelids twitched. She had thought that some madmen in the association were crazy, but she didn¡¯t expect them to dare to be this crazy! Understanding the other party¡¯s intention in a flash, she fell silent. ¡°I disagree, and I do not permit it.¡± Chapter 238: Resistance to 236 ¡°There¡¯s no second option now. Once those people are rescued, the list will definitely leak, so we can only fully eradicate everyone present to meet the association¡¯s needs,¡± the brawny masked figure said solemnly. ¡°Do such a thing, and I¡¯ll be utterly unable to establish myself in the city! All departments will target me! You are sacrificing my interests to stabilize the overall situation!¡± Xin Zhilei gritted her teeth. ¡°Minister Xin, have you forgotten that you have had no choice for a very long time?¡± the brawny masked figure reminded her calmly. Xin Zhilei fell silent. It was quite a while before she spoke again, her voice dry. ¡°I understand. I will arrange for Echo Troop to cooperate with you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± nodded the brawny silhouette. ¡°Chen Yaofeng is Chen Xiguang¡¯s son, the most crucial identity among those present. After we begin, I will activate the Black Blood People¡¯s final and complete form, and then kill everyone completely. The whole process will be completed in about two minutes. After that, your people need to completely seal off the surrounding area and spread the Black Disaster fake body powder, temporarily contaminating everyone inside into carriers of the Black Disaster scent. Not letting a single person escape.¡± Xin Zhilei was silent. After more than ten seconds, she responded in a low voice. ¡°What if the Black Blood People¡¯s complete form becomes uncontrollable?¡± she asked at last. ¡°No worries, after it kills enough people, it will stop on its own,¡± the brawny masked figure replied. * * * High-temperature columns of flame were continuously scorching the Black Blood People on the ground. The protective suits contaminated with black blood were melting in the flames, turning into a gooey mixture of charred objects and thick molten rock. ¡°Let¡¯s go, it¡¯s over, we should go down and check the situation,¡± Yan Yuqiu said, relaxing. He held a complex silver device in his hand, its meters still shaking and changing. Chen Yaofeng nodded and looked towards Yu Hong. ¡°Mr. Yu coming along?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Yu Hong wanted to take a closer look at the bizarre Black Disaster. At the same time, his gaze also fell on Lin Yiyi in the surveillance. Even though Yiyi didn¡¯t seem to have any injuries, he felt, despite the victory, Lin Yiyi and Xue Ningning seemed to still be in a strange tension. They seemed¡­ to be concerned about more than just the present¡­ and had not relaxed despite the battle being over¡­ Boom! Just then, Li Kai, the deputy leader of the stag group inspecting the Black Blood People in the factory, was suddenly struck in the waist by a black tentacle emerging from the flames. The enormous impact burst out at the speed of a bullet, instantly breaking his spine into several segments. The protective suit was shattered and pierced, and even the toughened skin, muscles, and bones of a top-tier reinforced human proved futile. With just one hit, the black tentacle sent Li Kai flying over ten meters, leaving a mark on the ground where he landed. Roar! A mass of black tentacles surged out of the flames, quickly coalescing into form, and once again taking the shape of the Black Blood People. As soon as it formed, it let out a wild roar. Swoosh. The figure disappeared, this time the Black Blood People moved much faster than before. In a blink, it appeared in front of Ou Nanyun. Swinging a claw. Clang Clang Clang Clang!! The two exchanged more than ten blows in quick succession, with Ou Nanyun¡¯s reactions gradually unable to keep up, being continuously suppressed and at a disadvantage. Xue Ningning, not far away, kept putting in cold shots, helping Ou Nanyun to regain the upper hand. Before long, two more stag group experts joined to surround it, while another two dragged away deputy leader Li Kai for a quick evacuation. At this moment, Yu Hong, along with Chen Yaofeng and others, had already reached the factory entrance and were about to go in when they suddenly saw Li Kai being carried out by brute force. His heart tightened, and he immediately wanted to go in. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Lin Yiyi and the others have already been evacuated from the back door. Now only the stag group and this Black Disaster monster are left in the warehouse,¡± Yan Yuqiu stopped him. ¡°Leave this to the professionals. We researchers should try not to cause trouble.¡± Boom!! A big chunk of the wall right in front of the group bulged out, cracking, with large chunks of cement falling to the ground. Yu Hong looked at Yan Yuqiu whose complexion had changed. ¡°Do we have an emergency plan for this kind of situation?¡± he asked. ¡°¡­.¡± Yan Yuqiu¡¯s face turned grim. ¡°Commander, this area is no longer safe. You must withdraw immediately and head to the emergency command shelter,¡± several nearby guards hurriedly said. ¡°Alright!¡± Chen Yaofeng¡¯s complexion was also not great. He had intended to showcase the local strong capability to resist the Black Disaster in front of Yu Hong to attract him to move and settle here. But he hadn¡¯t anticipated¡­ the current situation seemed to have taken an unexpected turn. Under protective escort, the group quickly retreated, only getting about a dozen meters away. Boom Boom Boom!!! The entire factory¡¯s walls exploded in succession, a massive fire engulfing everything, completely collapsing the factory. The huge factory roof came crashing down, covering everything. Dust and stones burst out, with thick white smoke accompanying the flames, completely covering and burying the original location of the factory. Yu Hong suddenly understood why Yan Yuqiu hadn¡¯t let him go in. It turned out they had already planned to use concentrated explosives to completely resolve the humanoid Black Disaster. After making sure Yiyi was safe, he had no intention of unnecessarily confronting the Black Disaster himself, especially not the bizarre and powerful humanoid Black Disaster. If others went to exhaust and probe it, he would naturally be happy to let them. ¡°The thermal radiation reaction is gone, this time it¡¯s definitely resolved,¡± Yan Yuqiu breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°What¡¯s going on? How come the Black Disaster can¡¯t be suppressed even with the combined use of Sunshine Material bullets and luminous stone bombs?¡± Chen Yaofeng was extremely dissatisfied, quietly asking a stag group liaison nearby. The show of strength this time, with the Buck¡¯s performance, was extremely dissatisfactory to him, with a series of mishaps making him look quite awkward in front of Yu Hong. For such an important research talent, a stable environment is more critical than anything. Even though Yu Hong is also a decently capable enhanced person, compared to his research talent attribute, the label of an enhanced person means very little. Roar! At that moment, a beastly roar that changed the color of anyone who heard it burst forth from the ruins after the factory explosion. Swoosh! A dark shadow burst through the dust cloud, colliding heavily with Ou Nanyun who had just retreated. The latter was struck by the tremendous force, spat out blood, was thrown flying, and fell to the ground motionless. The dark shadow moved at a breakneck speed, more than twice as fast as before, weaving through the soldiers and quickly eliciting a series of screams. ¡°Retreat, retreat, retreat! Keep your distance!¡± a sergeant bellowed loudly. The soldiers instinctively began a well-trained retreat, but it was too late. The shadow was too fast. ¡°How could it not be killed by the joint bomb!? Impossible!¡± Yan Yuqiu stared in disbelief at the shadow. Not far away, another official, the deputy director of the medical department Zhan Yongwen, had already boarded an armored vehicle with an ugly expression on his face and started leaving. ¡°Mr. Yu, we should go first! They will handle the aftermath and the blockade!¡± Chen Yaofeng urgently urged Yu Hong to leave with him. ¡°Are we just leaving this place?!¡± Yu Hong asked in astonishment. There were so many people present. Although there seemed to be many, if they were really blocked off by the Black Disaster, these hundreds of people wouldn¡¯t last two minutes. ¡°We can only enact the ultimate isolation. This level of Black Disaster, as soon as we exit its hunting attack range, will stop on its own. Compared to the elite enhanced soldiers, us staying here is just a hindrance!¡± explained Chen Yaofeng hastily. He had already boarded an armored vehicle and was waving at Yu Hong. ¡°Exit the range?¡± Yu Hong looked back. He saw that among the ruins, the dark shadow continuously darted back and forth among the crowd, leading to exploding bullets and fire wherever it went. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The soldiers tried to stop it, but it was of little use. The enhanced people¡¯s eyesight indeed could capture it, but bullets and bombs eventually run out. Once out, the casualties among the present soldiers would undoubtedly be severe. Very strong. His expression grew slightly grave. The opponent¡¯s speed was too fast;even though he specialized in the Thunderbolt Leg Technique, his speed was only slightly better than the opponent¡¯s. When the speed is on a similar level, it¡¯s extremely difficult for any one person to catch another. ¡°Wait, something¡¯s blocking the way outside, we can¡¯t get out!!¡± Suddenly, the armored vehicle that Zhan Yongwen had just driven away came back. Several guards yelled loudly from the side of the vehicle. Gunfire and explosions came from outside, with a few soldiers attempting to use bullets and small explosives to breach. It was then that the people near the factory realized that, unbeknownst to them, a layer of grayish-white thick fog had encircled them, cutting off the buildings of Aurora City from the outside. They tried to charge in, but quickly found themselves circling back out. It was as if there was a huge maze inside. ¡°We¡¯ve been sealed off outside!¡± someone screamed. Several elite troops did not panic;some continued to suppress the Black Disaster, some quickly studied the rules of the fog blockade to attempt a breakout. Another part was responsible for protecting the officials present. ¡°Where¡¯s Echo Troop!? They¡¯ve disappeared!¡± A soldier noticed the issue and reported immediately. Soon, Chen Yaofeng and others were aware of the disappearance of Echo Troop, and seeing the thick fog around, everyone speculated that this mist was very likely not natural but man-made. ¡°Xin Zhilei definitely has a problem!¡± Chen Yaofeng clenched his fist and slammed it hard against the door of the armored vehicle, his expression ugly. ¡°If this keeps up, none of us will get out;we¡¯ll all be killed by the Black Disaster. We must find a way to trap the Black Disaster, to buy some time!¡± Yan Yuqiu spoke urgently. ¡°Mr. Yan, do you have any ideas!?¡± Chen Yaofeng quickly asked. ¡°What was the Black Disaster¡¯s initial target, do you remember?¡± Yan Yuqiu quickly said. ¡°Was it¡­ that investigation team¡¯s people!?¡± Chen Yaofeng reacted. ¡°Are you saying those people were bait? They purposely lured us here into a trap and then kill us all together!?¡± ¡°It couldn¡¯t be a trap!¡± Yu Hong suddenly spoke up, interrupting their conversation. ¡°Why are you so sure, Mr. Yu?¡± Chen Yaofeng retorted. ¡°Because¡­¡± Yu Hong¡¯s expression turned cold. He turned his head to look at the Black Blood People approaching against the bullets toward them. ¡°With me here, no one can kill them!¡± As soon as the words ended. He vanished from his spot. Boom¡ªa huge explosion. Yu Hong charged head-on at full speed towards the Black Blood People, turning into a dark shadow. He bent his knees, and surged upward! Boom!!! A terrifying force exploded violently between them. The Black Blood People were struck by the sudden knee strike into the chest, crushed by the corrosive power of the Inner Qi in an instant, blowing a huge hole in the back. Its hands reached for Yu Hong, only to find that its arms couldn¡¯t move for the moment. Its hands were also grasped by Yu Hong¡¯s arms. ¡°Thunderbolt.¡± Yu Hong¡¯s eyes ignited with white light, as immense force grabbed the Black Blood People, and his right leg suddenly turned into a phantom, cracking like thunder on its abdomen. Boom boom boom boom!! A terrifying succession of explosions roared continuously;the Black Blood People¡¯s body looked like a broken doll, its body shattered limb by limb from the whipping kicks. Its legs, abdomen, the entire lower half of the body, were all kicked into a bloody mess. Chapter 239: Action 237 ¡°This¡­ What is this?!¡± Beside the armored vehicle. Chen Yaofeng and a group of guards were stunned as they watched the scene unfold inside. For a moment, they were too shocked to speak any more. Despite being in his fifties, Chen Yaofeng had grown much calmer over the years, but¡­ He had not expected Yu Hong to suddenly explode¡ªnor that it would be so exaggerated! ¡°Is Mr. Yu¡¯s strength really this exaggerated¡­?¡± He turned to look at Yan Yuqiu next to him and found his expression was just as shocked. The two men silently watched the one-sided brutalizing amidst the ruins, unsure of how to react. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The situation, which had been critically dangerous moments before, was suddenly reversed by the power of one man. This type of scenario had not been witnessed by them for many years. The military represents collective strength, especially in modern warfare. The influence of an individual is as weak as an ant. Against the threat of modern weapons, it¡¯s insignificant. After the Black Disaster, the Gate of Despair appeared, leading to the emergence of several enhanced humans. The rise of enhanced humans slightly bridged the huge gap in lethality between humans and weapons. But only slightly. Yet this scene before them¡­ ¡°Mr. Yu Hong has been able to hold a stronghold alone for so long outside¡­ It seems now¡­ there really is a reason¡­¡± Yan Yuqiu said seriously. ¡°This is the most powerful enhanced human I¡¯ve ever seen¡­¡± Chen Yaofeng nodded gravely. ¡°With such a powerhouse, if equipped with the most advanced gear and weaponry¡­ It¡¯s fortunate he¡¯s not against us.¡± ¡°But Mr. Yu said he¡¯s not an enhanced human.¡± He suddenly frowned. ¡°Do you believe him?¡± Yan Yuqiu countered. The two men fell silent, simply watching the fierce battle unfolding below. * * * Lin Yiyi and Xue Ningning, along with Li Han and other investigative team members, were picked up and seated in the armored vehicles behind the factory. Just as they got on, explosions and gunfire erupted inside the factory, and everyone initially relaxed, thinking the reinforcements had arrived and the Black Disaster was being handled. But what happened next tightened their nerves again. The Black Blood People kept regenerating and reviving, seemingly impossible to kill, continuously draining the troops¡¯ weapons and energy. Eventually, when the Black Blood People became nearly unstoppable, they immediately moved towards their location. This made them realize the Black Blood People were likely being controlled by someone, as there was no other explanation for their focus on attacking them specifically. Seeing even the elite coalition forces unable to hold them back, they panicked and urged the vehicle to hurry away. Then Yu Hong took to the field. A massive leg whip and explosion brought silence to the surrounding ruins. It wasn¡¯t just them who got scared;even the members of the Deer Squad who came for support fell silent. ¡°This is the first time,¡± Xue Ningning sat on the stretcher in the vehicle, her gaze through the window fixed on the factory ruins, ¡°the first time after being targeted by the Black Disaster that I have felt such a deep sense of security¡­¡± She had recognized Yu Hong. Although they had only met once and she had stayed near the camp for a while without getting to know him well, she had asked about him again before coming and was already aware of the big shot behind Lin Yiyi. When the investigation team was on regular missions, she had also learned a lot about the situation. At this moment, her gaze carried a mix of shock and more profoundly, a philosophical reflection, as ingrained perceptions were strongly challenged and subverted. ¡°So, people can really be this powerful¡­¡± After all, this wasn¡¯t just any ordinary Black Disaster;it was a super-strong Black Disaster that even the military couldn¡¯t kill! An¡¯an voiced what everyone there was feeling. ¡°I¡¯ve seen enhanced humans before, and most that could kill Black Disasters could only take on the lowest level Shadow Black Bugs, and even then, they didn¡¯t handle it this easily or overwhelmingly¡­¡± Li Han tensed up, leaning against the ambulance door. ¡°This really was an eye-opener like no other¡­¡± He shook his head, ¡°Seeing the expression and gestures of this big shot, he must have dealt with Black Disasters many times. He¡¯s very experienced.¡± The Black Disaster is terrifying, bizarre, undying, and elusive. Having even a slight contact with it poses a huge menace. So no one ever thought someone could eliminate a Black Disaster so easily and exaggeratedly. Lin Yiyi didn¡¯t speak;she simply stared intently at Yu Hong, watching as he finished dealing with the situation in the ruins. She didn¡¯t know why Yu Hong had come here, her limited intelligence not enough to understand this step. She only knew that Yu Hong never left his small base, but now, he was here. And last time, Yu Hong had given her so many supplies, so much support¡­ ¡°USB drive¡­¡± she suddenly spoke up. ¡°We won¡¯t mention this¡­ we must make the USB drive¡­ public!¡± Immediately, everyone snapped back to attention. Yes, the USB drive was the most crucial matter now. The contents were serious, potentially involving many important figures! ¡°The Deer Squad is directly subordinate to Commissioner Chen Xiguang of the coalition forces, the ultimate armed force maintaining Aurora City, definitely trustworthy. The USB can be handed over to Commissioner Chen!¡± Li Han quickly said. ¡°Whether we hand it over or not, we are now all in the know;everyone be careful from now on!¡± Xue Ningning spoke solemnly. ¡°Yiyi.¡± She looked at Lin Yiyi. ¡°You must alert Yu Hong who supports you, this matter is too big for us.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Lin Yiyi nodded vigorously. * * * Department of Investigation building. Xin Zhilei abruptly rose from her seat. She stared intently at the projection screen, watching Yu Hong furiously beat the Black Blood People. ¡°How is that possible? How can there be a person with such a high level of enhancement?!¡± She couldn¡¯t believe that humans still possessed such exaggerated individual strength. ¡°What is that white light, what is going on?!¡± Her fist clenched, she thought everything had settled, but now a big problem had arisen. ¡°Who is this person?¡± A burly man in a metallic mask stepped out from the darkness behind and asked in a deep voice. His gaze was also tightly fixed on Yu Hong, his voice grave. ¡°Black Wind Camp¡¯s owner, Yu Hong. He was once rescued by the mutant Lin Yiyi from the investigation team and later started from scratch, building the prototype of Black Wind Camp near Baiqiu Village, expanding it several times to form the camp as it is now. And with a small team, he has survived the Black Disaster so far.¡± Xin Zhilei quickly recited all of Yu Hong¡¯s information. ¡°This man is not weak in combat, I know, and he also has strong scientific research capabilities. The Radiation Hand Grenade and radiation bombs, along with the vortex talisman array, they are all his own inventions. They are very effective against low to mid-level Black Disaster.¡± She paused. ¡°I had heard before that he repelled the Black Disaster, but I never imagined he could directly repel Black Blood People, a higher-level Black Disaster!¡± ¡°Black Blood People are not Black Disaster,¡± corrected the burly masked man, ¡°To be precise, Black Blood People are a combination of enhanced humans and Black Disaster, leaning more towards enhanced humans. They just possess the super regenerative abilities of the Black Disaster. Thus, they don¡¯t fear any negative radiation weapons until they are completely crushed.¡± ¡°No difference,¡± Xin Zhilei turned back to look at the man, ¡°The problem now is, if the Black Blood People can¡¯t be totally eliminated, all my people are exposed in advance, how do we handle this!¡± ¡°Seize power,¡± the burly masked man said coolly, ¡°Directly seize power, kill Chen Xiguang, can you do it?¡± ¡°This is Donghe, not a small gang where by killing the leader, everyone else will listen to you!¡± Xin Zhilei said sharply. ¡°Then withdraw. Abandon this place, return to headquarters for modification,¡± the burly masked man replied. ¡°An unforeseen complication has arisen that neither of us can control, making any hasty decisions in response would be irrational.¡± ¡°What about my losses?¡± Xin Zhilei shouted angrily. ¡°So, you have only two choices;either, fight to the death and try to seize power. Or, leave immediately and abandon everything, I have already arranged a way out,¡± the burly masked man responded. ¡°I¡¯ve contributed so much resource and information to the association, and this is the result?!¡± Xin Zhilei glared fiercely at the man. ¡°You should know the situation of the association. It was you who approached them initially because you wanted something,¡± the burly masked man turned and quietly disappeared into the shadow. Leaving Xin Zhilei trembling with anger, but helpless, she quickly began issuing a series of commands. After confirming the deployment was complete, she quickly left headquarters, escorted by a group of guards, heading toward the hospital. The big moves from Echo Troop couldn¡¯t be hidden, and coupled with the water situation, once the second Aurora City took action, the committees wouldn¡¯t hesitate at all. No movement means stability, but any action would shatter the heavens and the earth. So, if she wanted to escape, she had to appear as if she were about to seize power immediately, to settle the minds of the forces backing her, buying time for her withdrawal. Additionally, she needed to consider the follow-up treatment and security for her son after he left. * * * In the factory ruins. The scene of Yu Hong crushing the Black Blood People was very impressive, certainly more powerful than the bullets and explosions just now. Every kick he made was comparable to an extremely concentrated, high-power targeted explosion. Boom! Boom! Boom! In the ruins, repeated bomb-like leg whips made the Black Blood Person¡¯s body tissue lesser and lesser. He frantically tried to heal and repair himself, but before he could repair much, he was immediately kicked apart again. His arms were firmly grasped, unable to break free, and he fell into a desperate consumption battle with Yu Hong, unable to extricate himself. Boom! The final blow. Inner Qi white light in Yu Hong¡¯s legs heavily struck the lower body of the Black Blood Person. This time¡¯s release of Inner Qi was several times more than before. Yes, Yu Hong had become a bit impatient and activated three channels of Inner Qi in his legs. Thus, this kick completely blew the Black Blood Person¡¯s body apart, splattering blood rain everywhere. Only the two arms, still firmly held by Yu Hong, remained somewhat intact. Clatter. He dropped the arms, letting them roll on the ground, spilling black blood. He looked around at the scattered remains of flesh and blood. ¡°Your speed is indeed good, but as long as I prevent you from performing, it¡¯s all over.¡± The opponent¡¯s strength was just at the level of a typical top-notch enhanced human, not even a match for his normal state, let alone in an Inner Qi burst state. Sizzle¡­ Suddenly the blood and flesh on the ground began writhing again, seeming to want to reassemble and revive. But Yu Hong knelt on one knee, slamming a palm on the ground. Hiss! Condensing Water Technique activated, rapidly draining all the moisture within thirty meters towards the ground under his right hand. With the disappearance of moisture elsewhere, the still-writhing flesh quickly turned black and dried up, completely losing its vitality. Standing up, Yu Hong integrated the water flow deep into the ground, then casually took out a large radiation bomb and threw it on the ground. Puff. The bomb exploded, negative radiation covering tens of meters around. Immediately, all flesh and blood disintegrated into black smoke, vanishing into the air. Chapter 240: Action 238 ¡°This is the end.¡± Yu Hong checked his surroundings to make sure there were no remnants of the Black Disaster left, somewhat disappointed as he left the ruins and headed back toward where Chen Yaofeng and the others had been. But before he had walked very far, Chen Yaofeng took the initiative to step out from the protective team and approach Yu Hong. ¡°Indeed, well deserved reputation!¡± Chen Yaofeng¡¯s face was filled with a sincere smile. ¡°Honestly, even though we in Aurora City hold high positions, this is the first time we¡¯ve seen someone as powerful as Mr. Yu alive!¡± He reached out and firmly shook hands with Yu Hong again, ignoring the extreme nervousness of the guards by his side. Regardless, from Yu Hong¡¯s recent actions, at this distance, if he wanted, he could kill Chen Yaofeng in an instant. But Chen Yaofeng didn¡¯t seem to care or be worried;instead, he sincerely gazed at Yu Hong, holding his hand. ¡°Mr. Yu, your strength is wasted staying at Black Wind Camp. Why not come to Aurora City? There¡¯s a bigger platform here where you can apply your capabilities and talents! For many basic tasks that waste time, you can just issue commands. That way, you can also save significant time and energy for scientific research and self-improvement.¡± ¡°Human beings are social creatures;those with talents shouldn¡¯t waste their time and energy on ordinary life chorese,¡± he earnestly and sincerely persuaded. Compared to the ever-concealed Minister Adili, Chen Yaofeng clearly had more boldness. His trait was evident in this close-contact interaction with Yu Hong. ¡°We can discuss these matters later. For now, let¡¯s see what this mist seal outside is about. And how that humanoid Black Disaster appeared?¡± Yu Hong solemnly said. ¡°Of course!¡± Chen Yaofeng solemnly responded. Along with Yan Yuqiu and Zhan Yongwen, the two quickly went to the ambulance where Xue Ningning, Li Han, and Lin Yiyi were. While Xue Ningning and the others were publicized as contaminated by the Black Disaster, perhaps due to respect for Yu Hong¡¯s presence, or maybe knowing some insider information, the rescue team arranged by the authorities didn¡¯t treat them like contaminated subjects. Instead, they treated them as normal casualties. At this time, guarded by security, Yu Hong and the others reached the ambulance. After many days, Yu Hong finally saw Lin Yiyi again. Lin Yiyi had lost weight;her exposed face and hands had many new scars. However, her eyes were brighter than before. She sat inside an ambulance on a simple folding chair, listening intently to Li Han and the others discussing their next moves. Suddenly, hearing the noise outside, she looked out through the window. Then she saw Yu Hong approaching. ¡°Yiyi!¡± Yu Hong stood five or six meters away from the ambulance, watching Lin Yiyi step out and slowly walk towards him. ¡°When I heard you were missing, along with the investigation department¡¯s Xin Zhilei secretly withholding the supplies I sent you, I decided to come out to look and investigate the actual situation,¡± he said sternly. ¡°Thank you¡­¡± Lin Yiyi bowed deeply to Yu Hong with utmost sincerity. She didn¡¯t know how to express her gratitude, but regardless, Yu Hong had truly saved her and everyone around her just moments ago. The type of blockade used indicated that the people behind it clearly intended to deal with everyone present. ¡°What¡¯s there to thank for? When I was setting up the camp, didn¡¯t you also give me a great deal of help? And you saved my life.¡± Yu Hong rarely smiled. But seeing Lin Yiyi, a relaxed smile still appeared from his heart. ¡°Speaking of which, why did that Black Disaster chase you?¡± he continued to ask. ¡°Maybe, it¡¯s¡­ because of¡­ this.¡± Lin Yiyi pulled a small rectangular USB drive from around her neck. ¡°This¡­ contains big, secrets!¡± She struggled to explain, then handed the USB drive over. ¡°They said to give it to Commissioner Chen Xi. But they didn¡¯t ask my opinion,¡± Lin Yiyi earnestly said. ¡°I want to give it to you!¡± Her expression was very serious, not joking at all. Yu Hong saw the profound trust in her words, and gladly accepted the USB drive. ¡°Come back with me. Return to Black Wind Camp;it¡¯s too complicated and dangerous outside,¡± he once again persuaded. ¡°¡­No, I have my own things to do,¡± Yiyi shook her head. Anticipating that he wouldn¡¯t be able to dissuade her, Yu Hong didn¡¯t say more but instead focused on the USB drive Lin Yiyi had given him. He slipped the USB drive into his pocket and turned to look toward Chen Yaofeng. ¡°Actually, you and their ideas aren¡¯t conflicting. After all, the information on the USB drive could be copied multiple times, and everyone could look at it together.¡± ¡°Disperse, disperse!¡± At this moment, someone yelled from the perimeter. Yu Hong looked up and saw the gray-white mist slowly fading and dispersing. Having confirmed Lin Yiyi¡¯s safety, his next step was to find out what was going on with Xin Zhilei, especially since he needed to reclaim the supplies he had sent to Yiyi. Plus, he needed to investigate the origins of those who had attacked his camp. Quickly returning to where Chen Yaofeng was talking, they had already gotten firsthand intelligence by questioning other reconnaissance team members. ¡°There¡¯s something wrong with the investigation department. I¡¯ve already applied to the joint military forces to seal off Echo Troop¡¯s station right after the blockade was lifted, but Echo Troop is missing, and the people from the investigation department refuse to cooperate with the blockade. We can¡¯t find the group that initially chased Lin Yiyi and the others,¡± Chen Yaofeng said gravely. ¡°If the content in the USB drive is really about the person Li Han mentioned¡­ it means that the Eternal Life Association has long infiltrated the higher echelons of our society, and the strength of this organization is incredibly vast, no exaggeration or concern would be too great,¡± Yan Yuqiu said seriously. ¡°These squabbles at such a time, do these people want humanity to die off even more?¡± Zhan Yongwen from the medical department unexpectedly turned out to be a hot-tempered person. ¡°The previous seniors thought differently from us,¡± Chen Yaofeng murmured. Hearing this, Yu Hong suddenly remembered that the current Aurora City executives seemed to have seized power after relocating and were not those who had always occupied a high position. ¡°Regardless, let¡¯s look at the USB drive first. My father has already arranged for someone to locate Xin Zhilei. Her backing is powerful, and she controls the safe acquisition of water sources;we need very thorough evidence to act against her, otherwise, it won¡¯t be convincing enough,¡± Chen Yaofeng continued. ¡°Can¡¯t we just send in the military to suppress the investigation?¡± Yu Hong frowned. ¡°The water source is critical to the life of the entire city. Now that Xin Zhilei controls the water source is something everyone knows, some orders, even if we issue them, might not be fully implemented by the people below.¡± Chen Yaofeng patiently explained. ¡°People always have their own agendas, leaking information and such is very common.¡± Yan Yuqiu added from the side. The four of them got into an armored vehicle, which headed directly to the joint military headquarters. Along the way, Chen Yaofeng, Zhan Yongwen, and Yan Yuqiu reported the situation to other ministers including Adili via communicators. Yu Hong sat in the back seat of the vehicle, took the laptop passed by a guard, inserted the USB drive into it, and swiftly started playing internal files. The first file opened was File No. 1, which was the same one Lin Yiyi and others had seen. ¡°The current situation is that we don¡¯t have enough evidence, we can¡¯t just take action against the investigation department!¡± ¡°Black Hawk, Dragon Wing, Three-Headed Bird, these elite generals all disagree with taking action against the investigation department. If we cannot control the method to obtain the water source, no one can bear the responsibility for endangering the lifeline of the entire city, and moving fewer people also makes it impossible to handle the investigation department!¡± ¡°What did Commissioner Chen say?¡± ¡°Commissioner Chen¡¯s idea is to not tear faces for now. We must first stabilize Xin Zhilei, secretly find the evidence, and discover the fundamental method to obtain water. Otherwise, once there¡¯s no water, chaos will surely ensue in the city!¡± The people inside the vehicle were concerned about this and that, making Yu Hong¡¯s head buzz with noise. He checked the content of the USB drive and then looked up to remind the others. ¡°The USB drive has been accessed. It seems to contain something like a personnel list;each person has recorded a separate video clip. I don¡¯t recognize the people in it.¡± Upon hearing this, the arguing group quickly stopped, instructing the technician to project the image onto the back of the seats in the vehicle. ¡°It really is Ms. Ehrlave from Willance!¡± ¡°What the hell¡­ what is going on with this world!?!¡± ¡°These beasts! How dare they!!¡± The group simultaneously cursed out loud. Seeing the person appearing on the screen, confirming it was that person¡¯s voice, they quickly verified with the technician that the file had not been modified, and each was seized with outrage. But after the cursing, they resumed their previous arguments and tangles. Yu Hong¡¯s headache intensified. He waited another two minutes. Finally, he could bear it no longer. Bang! He broke the left armrest of his seat with a slap. ¡°Enough!¡± His low roar reverberated through the vehicle, immediately silencing Chen Yaofeng and the others, momentarily stunned. ¡°Does Mr. Yu have a plan?¡± Chen Yaofeng asked in a low voice. ¡°How much reserve water do we still have?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°Only enough for the entire city to use for three days,¡± replied Yan Yuqiu. ¡°Then let¡¯s go arrest some people!¡± Yu Hong said coldly, ¡°Violence can¡¯t solve everything, Mr. Yu!¡± Zhan Yongwen loudly protested, ¡°Once we move against Xin Zhilei and have no water source, everyone¡¯s lives in the city will be jeopardized because of you! Can you bear this responsibility?¡± ¡°I agree with arresting people!¡± Chen Yaofeng slapped the armrest and shouted angrily, ¡°Can we really rely on her, Xin Zhilei, to dutifully supply water? Maybe the Black Disaster that polluted the water was orchestrated by her!¡± ¡°That¡¯s you fantasizing! We can¡¯t bear this responsibility!¡± Zhan Yongwen didn¡¯t back down, continuing to shout. ¡°Then don¡¯t do it under official pretense!¡± Yu Hong stood up, ¡°I have a personal grudge with Xin Zhilei. Now I¡¯m going to the Investigation Department headquarters to seek revenge, investigating several crates of embezzled supplies. Anyone who dares stop me is against me.¡± He glanced over the others. ¡°This way, even if Xin Zhilei wants to cause trouble, it has nothing to do with the officials, it¡¯s all my personal affair. Whoever stops me, I¡¯ll kill!¡± ¡°Mr. Yu!¡± Chen Yaofeng¡¯s expression changed, ¡°This isn¡¯t fair to you! Let me take the responsibility! I can give up this position if necessary! If I get removed, the old man will still have an excuse to bring me back later!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The other two who were also about to speak heatedly upon hearing this, suddenly fell silent. Upon reflection, that was indeed a possibility¡­. ¡°Found it! File number thirty-four!¡± Suddenly a technician exclaimed. ¡°Leaders, look at the projection quickly!¡± Everyone in the room immediately turned to the screen. On the screen, Xin Zhilei was clearly seen holding a golden dagger, standing in front of a rock wall, mouthing words, then making a cut above her chest. ¡°I pray that my son may have a sound body, regain full consciousness¡­ no sickness, no worries¡­ eternal life¡­ no disasters or difficulties¡­¡± She dipped her hand in her blood and gently wrote something on the rock wall. ¡°Does this count as evidence?¡± Yu Hong suddenly asked. ¡°¡­.Yes!¡± Chen Yaofeng gritted his teeth and nodded. Bang!! The armored vehicle¡¯s window suddenly shattered, and Yu Hong had already disappeared from his original spot. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 241: Operation 239 Joint Military Headquarters. Chen Xiguang, leaning on his cane, stood in front of a series of three-dimensional large screens, surrounded by a circle of school-ranked officers. ¡°Yu Hong¡­? Is this person¡­ worth trusting?¡± he asked in a low voice. ¡°This person is very skilled in rune technology and also possesses great personal strength. He has helped Lin Yiyi on numerous occasions and values loyalty and righteousness;we should try our best to win him over to our side.¡± A female officer standing beside him responded affirmatively. ¡°Lin Yiyi is not beautiful, has no background, and yet she received Yu Hong¡¯s help. All she did was save him once initially. Such camaraderie is quite rare in these times,¡± Chen Xiguang sighed. ¡°You heard their exchange in the car just now, what do you think?¡± ¡°If we let Yu Hong take this responsibility on his own, it would indeed be an appropriate move, but such an action would be unjust,¡± the female officer declared solemnly. ¡°Justice¡­¡± Chen Xiguang heard the word that had become increasingly rare over time. His eyes filled with emotion. It was for this reason that he brought the female officer to his side. Not for anything else, but simply because she still possessed that rare purity of this era. Bringing her to his side was not only to train her but also to protect her. ¡°Whatever you want to do, go ahead and do it. If there¡¯s trouble with Xin Zhilei, I¡¯ll take the blame,¡± Chen Xiguang said indifferently. ¡°I¡¯m already of this age and do not have long to live. Instead of maintaining my current life without any quality, it¡¯s better to pave the way for the young¡­ Aurora City¡¯s future might just depend on them.¡± ¡°Councilor¡­ you¡­¡± ¡°No need to say more, go and do it. Help Yu Hong deal with any potential situations,¡± Chen Xiguang instructed. ¡°Yes!¡± * * * United Army Pucheng First Hospital. Having changed into a camouflage uniform, Xin Zhilei accompanied the transport team carrying her son¡¯s containment box, and boarded the vehicle heading to a secret airstrip. ¡°Madam, the Association¡¯s aircraft is already waiting on the top of the headquarters building,¡± a person wearing a black metal mask quietly reported inside the vehicle. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t break your word. Otherwise¡­ I have my own ways of retaliation,¡± Xin Zhilei said coldly. ¡°Such threats are too weak, Madam,¡± the masked person replied calmly. ¡°Ineffective threats only show your weakness at this moment.¡± ¡°Weakness¡­ heh,¡± Xin Zhilei could not be bothered to argue with the opponent. Indeed, she was a person of weakness, who only forced herself to be strong for the sake of her son. Perhaps she was just an ordinary married woman from the start. ¡°Madam,¡± the commander of Echo Troop¡¯s voice came through the earpiece. ¡°A United Army investigation team is approaching the headquarters, asking us to clear the area and cooperate with the investigation!¡± ¡°Refuse them, block their way,¡± Xin Zhilei said quickly. ¡°There¡¯s also radar detection that Chen Yaofeng and others who have just broken out are driving towards the investigation department. Do you want to come back to oversee the situation?¡± The Echo Troop had no idea she was leaving;they just guessed that her power might be greatly affected by it. But everyone knew that Xin Zhilei held the secret technique of water extraction. As long as this remained unchanged, the rest were not a problem. Other council members, even knowing she had some issues, dared not move against her lightly. She hung up the phone. ¡°Once we reach the headquarters, go straight to the top floor to leave,¡± she instructed, turning to her side. ¡°Surveillance shows someone is breaking through the main entrance,¡± the masked person replied. ¡°Then deal with him. I¡¯ll enter through the side door and go straight to the elevator.¡± Soon, the motorcade entered the nearby investigation department¡¯s headquarters building, and Xin Zhilei, along with the box carrying her son, went directly into the elevator that went to the top floor. Boom! Suddenly, a dull thump came from outside, as if something had been heavily hit. ¡°I¡¯ll handle it.¡± A colonel who had come to meet the Echo Troop turned and led people towards the direction of the sound. ¡°Are the jamming systems ready?¡± Xin Zhilei asked with an indifferent expression. ¡°They¡¯re ready to be activated at any time,¡± the masked person nodded. ¡°The executioner troop must ensure my and my son¡¯s safety all the way to the headquarters,¡± Xin Zhilei continued. ¡°Naturally.¡± Xin Zhilei nodded, no longer speaking, just tilting her head back, looking through the transparent elevator shell towards the dense, broad buildings in the distance of Aurora City. This was the city she had contributed to, built from scratch. Regardless of whether it was a facade or not, the time and energy she had expended were real. And now, she was about to leave¡­ * * * Boom! The Y-shaped iron gate was kicked open by Yu Hong. The alarm blared shrilly. Inside, the guards¡¯ faces turned pale and they raised their guns at Yu Hong, shouting commands loudly. A series of safety catches clicked open. The dark muzzles of the guns and the automatic machine guns in the corner aimed at him. ¡°Where is Xin Zhilei?¡± Yu Hong asked, ignoring all the gun barrels. Bang, bang, bang, bang!! The reply came in the form of dozens of submachine guns and handguns firing simultaneously. The dense bullets, like raindrops, blanketed every direction around him in an instant. Dang, dang, dang, dang! But all bullets were blocked by the bulletproof Protective Suit, and the few that penetrated were significantly weakened, unable to harm even the skin of Yu Hong now. ¡°It seems you are all accomplices.¡± Yu Hong did not want to waste words, and Thunderbolt Leg Technique exploded, his figure vanishing from the spot in an instant. Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang! A swift shadow darted through the firing soldiers;they were like blocks thrown up in the air¡ªlight and weightless¡ªand crashed heavily to the ground, motionless. Yu Hong did not stop and, like a missile, he charged at the main entrance of the building. Boom!!! The bulletproof door caved in violently and then splintered with dense cracks. Yu Hong withdrew the left leg he had kicked out and side-kicked again. Boom!! The metal door collapsed inward. Swoosh! His figure turned into a blur as he rushed into the lobby. A series of automatic gunfire was a step too late, hitting behind him and leaving a trail of clear bullet holes on the marble floor. The camera systems were too slow to identify him. The computer reacted extremely quickly, but identification was the bottleneck. Yu Hong rushed into the stairwell and looked upwards. Suddenly he grabbed the railing with one hand and his muscles bulged and burst with power. Whoosh! He leapt up, shooting up like a cannonball, reaching the height of five stories. Just when he could have surged even higher. A blaze of fire erupted from the right wall, and a massive explosion ripped through the wall, spewing out a cloud of red dust, completely engulfing him mid-air. Dust rolled, thick smoke spread, and the explosion ignited flames that set various items stored in the stairwell ablaze. ¡°With me, You Hong, around, don¡¯t even think of threatening the minister.¡± A two-meter-tall humanoid with a body reforged into black metal walked briskly into the stairwell, holding a hook in one hand and a buzzing giant chainsaw in the other. Pattern after pattern of rune glinted in the light on his chainsaw and body. ¡°Cyborg?¡± As the smoke cleared, Yu Hong¡¯s Protective Suit was in tatters. He simply tore off the suit to reveal the strong, towering pale muscles underneath. ¡°An eyesore.¡± White light began to faintly radiate from Yu Hong¡¯s body. With strength alone, he couldn¡¯t withstand bombs and sniper bullets. ¡°Let¡¯s see who the real eyesore is!¡± The cyborg You Hong sneered coldly, raising the hook and violently aiming it at Yu Hong. Surprisingly, with a loud thud, the hook was launched at high speed toward Yu Hong. Boom. The hook embedded into the wall, striking nothing. Yu Hong had already vanished from his original spot. ¡®Left!¡¯ You Hong was shocked and quickly swung his chainsaw to the left. But it was too late. A leg, studded with silver spikes, hit him squarely in the chest before his chainsaw could get close. The terrifying force, vast as a torrential flood, erupted instantly. You Hong¡¯s weapon flew from his grasp as he was blasted backward, crashing heavily into the wall. Boom! The wall collapsed and crumbled, trapping him at the center. ¡°Die with me!¡± His eyes flashed a crazed ferocity as a blinding red light shone from his chest. Bang! Another leg landed squarely on the bomb near his heart, forcibly stomping out the ignited red light. Yu Hong withdrew his leg and surged upward again. He ascended two more flights but couldn¡¯t continue;the top was sealed off, blocking direct access to the highest point. He turned and entered through a white metal door on the left. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Fist through the metal door, he tore it off and threw it aside. Yu Hong entered. Inside was a rectangular white hall, roughly over a hundred square meters in size. The surroundings were empty. Except the middle had a black iron chair, with a person wearing a black metal mask seated on it. The person was clad in a black suit, wearing a black bowler hat, legs crossed, leaning leisurely against the backrest. ¡°Mr. Yu Hong, I must say your strength is indeed great. I originally estimated you would need more time to break through the first two obstacles, but you only took¡­¡± Boom! Yu Hong didn¡¯t wait for him to finish speaking and had already appeared in front of him. Leg raised. A straight kick! The great force hit the masked man squarely in the chest, sending him flying backward. But the man and the chair disintegrated mid-air, revealing only a metal block with a communication speaker. Yu Hong then realized the metal door behind him had been blocked by an even thicker white wall at some point. He could see no sign of an exit on the surrounding walls. ¡°A trap?¡± he raised an eyebrow. Buzz¡­ Bang! At that moment, sounds of complete sealing came from all four walls. Following that, some small holes appeared in the walls, emitting a light blue gas. ¡°Resorting to poison gas when unable to beat me in a fight?¡± Yu Hong¡¯s expression unchanged, walked to the wall opposite him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, if only you were a little more willing to communicate, we might not have fully intended to kill you.¡± The same man¡¯s voice rang out again. ¡°Too bad, it¡¯s you who have thrown away your own chance at life.¡± Whoosh! Yu Hong¡¯s right leg ignited with white light and suddenly he delivered a side kick, in the style of a whip. He kicked with such full force that his Inner Qi produced multiple leg-shaped afterimages in mid-air. ¡®Thunderbolt Leg Technique¡ªThird Style!¡¯ Boom!!! The wall in front of him shook heavily, and after being slammed by the kick, it fell silent for a moment. Crack. Then, a black crack spread from where the wall was kicked. Next came indentation and distortion. This alloy wall, thick enough to withstand a heavy tank bombardment, couldn¡¯t withstand a single kick from Yu Hong¡¯s Thunderbolt Leg. Boom! The wall shattered outwards, blasting a large hole and revealing the room behind it. Yu Hong calmly retracted his leg, and entered the room. ¡°Where¡¯s Xin Zhilei?¡± In the room, the man in the suit and black mask appeared again. Standing in the middle, holding a remote, he stared at Yu Hong, seemingly not yet recovered from the previous shock. To think that just now, even several Black Blood People at their strongest couldn¡¯t have broken free from that wall. And now¡­ ¡°How could an ant imagine the vastness of a Peng.¡± Yu Hong walked step by step towards him. Chapter 242: Action 240 ¡°It¡¯s really¡­ too exaggerated¡­ I didn¡¯t expect that just temporarily helping out at No. 34, I would encounter such interesting people and events¡­¡± Masked Man relaxed and threw away the remote control in his hand. ¡°I have a premonition, Yu Hong. We will meet again in the future¡­¡± ¡°No need for the future.¡± Yu Hong instantly crossed the distance and appeared in front of him. He raised his leg for a high kick. Boom!! Just then, a red light shone from within the man¡¯s body. The red light rapidly expanded and turned into a fireball. Another human bomb! Yu Hong quickly retracted his leg, stepping back, but still got engulfed by the flames. Seconds later, when the firelight dissipated, he was shrouded in a white light, only his hair was charred black by the explosion. In that instant, he had condensed a layer of water to cover his entire body, forming a protective water film. But¡­ ¡°My clothes¡­¡± Dada dada¡­ Suddenly, a faint sound of propellers came from above. Yu Hong tore off his scorched outer clothes, revealing his unscathed upper body, and looked up. Bang!! In an instant, he bent his knees and leaped upwards, throwing a fierce punch at the ceiling above. The ceiling shattered on impact, falling apart, as the inner layer of steel and concrete was also smashed to smithereens. One floor was forcefully penetrated by his leap, and he jumped up. Above was a firearm shooting range. Yu Hong didn¡¯t stop, continuing upwards. Boom boom boom!! After three consecutive times, he finally saw the sky of Aurora City illuminated by white searchlights. He jumped onto the rooftop. The first thing Yu Hong saw was Xin Zhilei, who had already boarded a large helicopter and was a distance off the ground. The helicopter was grey-green with various runes inscribed on it. Two white missiles were mounted on the front and were now turning towards the rooftop. ¡°Kill him.¡± Xin Zhilei indifferently glanced at Yu Hong, then turned back to continue looking at the box containing her son. If it weren¡¯t for Yu Hong ruining the Black Blood People¡¯s massacre plan, she wouldn¡¯t have needed to flee! But now, it was all too late! The deed was done, and staying was only a waste of effort and time. Better to leave. Swoosh. A missile launched from the front of the helicopter, its tail on fire, curving towards Yu Hong. Boom!!! The missile was exceedingly fast, and Yu Hong only managed to dodge a bit to the side before being engulfed by an even more exaggerated white flame. The entire rooftop was completely covered by a sea of white fire, the ground collapsed, and the building shook slightly, with similarly flaming black smoke rolling out of the windows all around the top floor. ¡°Is he dead?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not dead.¡± The burly, metal-masked man on the plane replied, ¡°The previous explosion couldn¡¯t kill that man, so naturally, this one couldn¡¯t either.¡± ¡°He¡¯s tough,¡± Xin Zhilei said coldly. ¡°No matter, now that we know his identity and the location of his camp, once we safely arrive at headquarters, using bait to lure the Black Disaster over will make killing him much easier than here. This is Aurora City, where many methods can¡¯t be applied.¡± The burly-masked man consoled. ¡°And that Lin Yiyi¡­ That group ruined my plans¡­¡± Xin Zhilei gritted her teeth, ¡°The Black Blood People can¡¯t resolve the situation;I need to apply for higher-level Black Disaster bait!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk after we get back. The Cold Disaster is imminent;we need to prepare for it as well.¡± The burly-masked man said indifferently. Xin Zhilei sat on the plane, looking at the flame-engulfed rooftop, her eyes filled with hatred. If it weren¡¯t for Yu Hong¡¯s intervention, the Black Blood People could have killed everyone present. But there are no what-ifs in this world! ¡°You¡¯re dead for sure, Yu Hong!¡± Xin Zhilei took one last look at the rooftop, her hand pressing firmly on top of her son¡¯s box. Whoosh! At that moment. Right in the center of the rooftop, a circle of transparent airflow turned into a ring, spreading in all directions, blowing away the flames. Yu Hong at the center was revealed. His body blazed with white flames reaching the sky, his arms spread wide, palms facing upward, each suspending a black liquid sphere. ¡°To think you can escape from my grasp with such a short distance¡­¡± He looked up at the helicopter, his gaze meeting directly with Xin Zhilei¡¯s eyes. ¡°Too naive¡­¡± sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He murmured softly. Bang! With a sudden move, he bent down and thrust his hands into the ground. A large chunk of gray-white concrete was dug up. The concrete, as large as a sedan, was lifted high up by him, and the black water in his palms dyed the concrete completely gray-black like ink. Gathering strength, he bent down. Yu Hong¡¯s white flames surged even more fiercely for a moment. Boom!!! In an instant, his muscles twisted and erupted, hurling the chunk of concrete. The gray-black concrete disappeared into the sky in the blink of an eye, turning into a gray-black blur, flying over hundreds of meters in the air, and under the stunned gaze of Xin Zhilei and others, it hit the helicopter on the side. Boom!! The helicopter was smashed and thrown a distance away, hitting a transparent glass shield. The shield shattered, with a gap broken through it, the Black Fog poured in, and the helicopter, following its momentum, flew out of the Aurora City shield, plummeting down into the dark land beyond. Patting his hands, Yu Hong dissipated the white flames on his body and walked to the edge of the building. ¡°It¡¯s a pity, I didn¡¯t have time to find a way to gather water.¡± But he suspected that the Dissolving Leeches here were most likely lured by Xin Zhilei. After all, Aurora City had been continually using methods to drive away and eliminate the Black Disaster. Without any incentive to do so, the Dissolving Leeches shouldn¡¯t be desperately converging and invading the underground rivers within the city. They also needed time to revive, but here, it seemed like the Dissolving Leeches were inexhaustible. Endless, unceasing. Whoosh. Yu Hong jumped straight off the top of the building, landing lightly on the ground in a manner defying the laws of physics, right in front of Chen Yaofeng¡¯s rapidly arriving team. The elite task force of the joint military were startled by his sudden descent from the sky, and when they realized it was him, they all relaxed, only to then realize that he had apparently just jumped from the rooftop¡­ Instantly a group of people were shocked, staring blankly, unable to react for a moment. ¡°Yu Hong, where are they!?¡± Chen Yaofeng demanded, not bothering with pleasantries. ¡°They got on the plane, but I knocked it down with a rock. It¡¯s now crashed outside on the ground, you need to send people to search. Be careful not to provoke the Black Disaster.¡± Yu Hong quickly replied. ¡°??¡± What does ¡®knocked down with a rock¡¯ mean?? ¡°You mean to say Xin Zhilei, as well as so many people from the investigation department, aren¡¯t here??¡± Chen Yaofeng couldn¡¯t comprehend. ¡°I don¡¯t know, as I came over I just focused on rushing in. Anyone in my way was killed. I didn¡¯t see anyone else.¡± Yu Hong responded. ¡°This is my duty, I invited you to take action, I will bear all responsibilities. What about the water source??¡± Chen Yaofeng urgently asked. ¡°It wasn¡¯t found. It was too late, by the time I got there she had already flown some distance on the plane.¡± Yu Hong shook his head. ¡°But this vendetta is my own doing¡­¡± ¡°Sorry, now is not the time to argue about whose responsibility it is.¡± Yan Yuqiu quickly said from the side. ¡°We¡¯ve just received a notification;Commissioner Chen Xiguang has announced Xin Zhilei¡¯s betrayal to the entire city, revealing Chen Yaofeng¡¯s findings about her covert activities and secret identity within the Eternal Life Association. According to the announcement¡­ all our actions are directly ordered and overseen by Commissioner Chen Xiguang.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chen Yaofeng¡¯s eyes reddened instantly. He understood why his father had done this. ¡°Minister Chen, don¡¯t let down the First Commissioner¡¯s instruction and high hopes¡­¡± Zhan Yongwen also stepped out of the vehicle then, lamenting. ¡°First, let¡¯s go look for the crash site. We¡¯ll talk after finding the wreckage. While a crash means certain death for ordinary people, with the Eternal Life Association, it¡¯s still wise to be cautious.¡± Yu Hong reminded them. Seeing the actions of the Chen family, he finally gained a bit of confidence in this dark world. At least he saw that when faced with natural disasters and darkness, there were still some humans who, in search of hope and righteousness, were willing to take on responsibilities without reservation. In such a desperate world, there were selfish high-level figures like Xin Zhilei, as well as high-level figures like Chen Xiguang who looked after the overall situation. The multifaceted nature of humanity was laid bare at this moment. Like Chen Xiguang, Yu Hong did not believe he was truly an altruistic good person, but at this very moment, his actions were undoubtedly meant to clear the burdens for the younger generations, clearing the obstacles. ¡°I¡¯ll dispatch people to search immediately!¡± Chen Yaofeng snapped back into action. ¡°We must find a solution for the water source, otherwise¡­¡± A group of people hastily dispatched elite enhanced individuals, forming teams, heading out of the city. Yu Hong followed them, leading the way out of the city, rushing towards the helicopter¡¯s crash site. Minutes later. Outside the city, in a pitch-black area by an outpost, the wreckage of an armed helicopter was burning, emitting thick smoke. But the people inside had long since vanished. ¡°He¡¯s not dead, as expected.¡± Yu Hong said, his expression unsurprised. ¡°But even if not dead, unless Xin Zhilei also has strong self-healing capabilities as an enhanced individual, she must be seriously injured.¡± ¡°Can you track the route they left by?¡± Accompanying him was the elite Three-eyed Bird Troop designated by Chen Yaofeng. The one speaking was the Three-eyed Bird Troop commander, Yu Penghu. ¡°I¡¯m not good at tracking, that¡¯s what you need to do.¡± Yu Hong shook his head. ¡°Let¡¯s get to work, brothers!¡± Yu Penghu did not say more, waving his hand to command his men to move forward. Whoo! Just then, a black streak suddenly burst from the wreckage and lunged at one of the soldiers. The black streak approached at high speed, about to strike its target. Unexpectedly, a white streak also flew in extremely rapidly from the side, hitting it accurately. Boom!! The black streak flew sideways, fell to the ground, and revealed its true form. It was yet another of the Black Blood People, composed entirely of sticky fluid! ¡°You guys continue, I¡¯ll deal with this.¡± Yu Hong¡¯s right palm was lowered, the Condensing Water Technique escalating with the surge of Inner Qi. Suddenly, he lunged forward, turning into a phantom, and appeared in front of the Black Blood Person in the blink of an eye. One palm. Boom! The Condensing Water Technique was fully activated. The Black Blood Person took a hit to the chest, tried to retaliate, but it was too late. A hole exploded in its chest, countless water molecules inside were rapidly extracted, dried up, and the creature shrunk rapidly like a deflating balloon, shrinking, and then collapsing with a clatter, like a model made of sand. Yu Hong retracted his hand, closed his eyes, and sensed the surrounding Red Value auras. Now aware of this creature¡¯s fatal weakness, he naturally would not waste time as before. ¡°Continue your search, I¡¯ll clear the nearby Black Disaster.¡± His figure flashed, and he vanished in an instant. Leaving Yu Penghu and the others looking at each other, with numb bodies and a strong sense of security flooding their hearts. ¡°Strong¡­ too strong!!¡± ¡°Mr. Yu should be considered one of the strongest humans now, right?!¡± ¡°Definitely!¡± ¡°Is this level of power¡­ really attainable by enhanced individuals? That white light¡­¡± ¡°Get to work! Move fast! We can¡¯t let Mr. Yu look down on us!!¡± Yu Penghu exclaimed loudly. Roar!! Suddenly, from afar came the cries of the Multi-eyed Birds. Then came a series of loud thuds as heavy objects hit the ground, sending shivers down everyone¡¯s spines. ¡°Mr. Yu¡­ from now on, he¡¯s my idol!!¡± Yu Penghu felt a rush of excitement, slapping a bare tree hard. ¡°Captain, you said the same thing when you met Xu Fan last time.¡± one of the soldiers muttered. ¡°That¡¯s different, this time it¡¯s my own family!¡± Yu Penghu laughed. Chapter 243: Attack 1 In the darkness. Yu Hong stood silently in front of a pile of gray and black wreckage, not uttering a word. There were still many fresh bloodstains on the debris, clearly there had been people here just moments ago. ¡°Are you hiding from me?¡± he asked in a low voice. ¡°What a pity¡­ Even if you escape my pursuit, how long can you survive?¡± Turning around, he stopped searching and quickly left. If he couldn¡¯t find her, then so be it. He couldn¡¯t afford to waste time here with Xin Zhilei forever, especially knowing the extent of her injuries. Sigh¡­ Hidden in the shadows, Xin Zhilei suddenly exhaled, relaxed her muscles, and covered her mouth as a trickle of blood flowed from the corner of her lips. She had been severely injured by a hit during the plane crash, and it was only thanks to the muscular member of the association that she had survived, otherwise she would have undoubtedly perished. But even so, she wouldn¡¯t live much longer¡­ ¡°Really, I can¡¯t accept this¡­¡± she muttered, looking down at the bloody mess on her stomach. Beside her on the ground, her son remained unconscious, lying motionless. The extreme cold caused his hands, feet, and face to stiffen and lose their suppleness. ¡°Number seventeen¡­ I entrust him to you, in exchange, I will give you what you most desire,¡± Xin Zhilei said weakly. ¡°¡­Do you trust me?¡± a burly masked man appeared quietly from behind, surprised. ¡°I don¡¯t have anyone else to trust. If you don¡¯t want to take care of him, then¡­ open the box and set him free¡­¡± ¡°Can he move on his own with his illness?¡± the burly masked man asked in surprise. ¡°In time, you will know¡­¡± Xin Zhilei reclined at the base of a tree, her breathing growing more labored. ¡°Tell him¡­ to live well¡­¡± Her breathing slowly weakened, and her eyes slowly closed in the cold air. ¡°What a pity, you were just one step away. Even if he survives, he would only become a Black Disaster and couldn¡¯t possibly remember you,¡± the burly masked man sighed. ¡°Perhaps¡­ yeah¡­¡± Xin Zhilei closed her eyes for the last time, raised her hand, and gently touched the transparent cover of the box that contained her son. Her hand finally came to rest on the lid, slowing down until it no longer moved. Blood flowed from the large hole in her stomach, freezing into red ice not far away. * * * The next day. The search team found Xin Zhilei¡¯s body in the woods nearby. There was nothing around her, and all her belongings had been taken, clearly someone had discovered her first. The joint military took her body back into the city for burial. Regardless of what she planned for the future, at the very least, she had contributed tremendously to the establishment of Aurora City No. 2. A grand funeral was indeed justified. Later, Yu Hong and Chen Xiguang met and confirmed compensation for Black Wind Camp and discovered the gradual retreat of water contamination by Black Disaster. According to the testimonies of captured Echo Troop members, the Dissolving Leeches spreading the Black Disaster were supposedly dispersed by someone sent by Xin Zhilei as bait, gathering in large numbers under Aurora City. A natural convergence of this density was unlikely. After Xin Zhilei¡¯s death, the Dissolving Leeches in the groundwater finally began to disperse slowly. In some areas, groundwater could be partially extracted for emergencies. Thus, although there was still insufficient water overall, at least the public wouldn¡¯t face unrest due to water issues. ¡°Are you planning to leave already?¡± Chen Yaofeng said in surprise. In a square within the city, many people burned paper money in the corners, sending blessings to their deceased relatives. The flames resembled vibrant, cold ribbons. A few guards accompanied Chen Yaofeng and Yu Hong as they met in a corner of the square. ¡°I¡¯ve been out long enough and need to get back. There are matters to handle at the camp,¡± Yu Hong was still concerned about the Constitution Potion he was strengthening, the one he had obtained from Zhang Kaijun in Gray City. After more than ten days of strengthening, it was uncertain what level it would reach. ¡°Really don¡¯t want to stay? We have sufficient food and social interactions here, and you¡¯ve been single for so long, don¡¯t you feel lonely?¡± Chen Yaofeng showed some of his privileged background, only in such moments could one see his potential as a committee member¡¯s son. ¡°It¡¯s a matter of habit,¡± Yu Hong smiled, not believing any woman could endure him. Besides, such matters were best left to nature. ¡°Alright then, I have news about the Eternal Life Association and will inform you immediately. Be careful in Black Wind Camp, don¡¯t become a target;after all, strong as you are, you¡¯re just one man,¡± Chen Yaofeng genuinely wanted to befriend Yu Hong. ¡°Please take care of Yiyi,¡± Yu Hong said seriously. Lin Yiyi¡¯s fundamental reason for not returning was her desire to investigate her parents and grandfather¡¯s mysterious deaths. Now that his relationship with Chen Yaofeng had improved, the latter had agreed to help investigate the case of the Black Tree Village disappearance. This way, Lin Yiyi¡¯s safety was in more protective hands. Yu Hong should feel relieved now. ¡°Additionally, we¡¯ll attempt to correct the deformities on Yiyi¡¯s body with surgery. We will also look for ways to treat her stuttering problem, rest assured!¡± Chen Yaofeng sincerely said. ¡°Thank you!¡± Yu Hong earnestly shook his hand. Two hours later. Yu Hong had added the title of Aurora City Research Consultant to his name, then once again visited Lin Yiyi and Xue Ningning outside the hospital before he quietly left Aurora City. The supplies that Xin Zhilei had taken away were already untraceable, so the joint military compensated him with even more supplies. Dragging a tightly bound crate, Yu Hong sprinted all the way back, taking only half the time to easily reach the vicinity of Black Wind Camp. The camp was peaceful;without the attraction of human presence, shadows and the like had no interest in this place, and with the negative value emitting array, the Black Disaster found it extremely repulsive. The entire stone castle at the camp remained the same as when Yu Hong had left. The only difference was that the ground and the roofs now had increasingly more snow. * * * Whooo¡­ The bone-chilling wind kept blowing outside the cave. Under the warm light, inside the cave, Yu Hong slowly turned over and yawned as he swung his legs off the stone bed. Pulling back the blanket, he glanced at the wall-mounted detector. ¡®Outdoor temperature: -52 degrees Celsius.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s getting colder¡­¡± Yu Hong sighed. If the previous weather and the density of Black Disaster might have allowed some survivors to pass by the camp, the current conditions outside made it utterly impossible for anyone to venture out. With temperatures this low, loitering meant certain death. After putting on a piece of clothing, he stood and walked over to the enhanced potion in front of him. He casually switched on the communicator. Amidst a hissing noise, Chen Yaofeng took over from Xin Zhilei and became the third person in the conversation with Zhang Kaijun. ¡°The situation outside is getting more and more severe.¡± Zhang Kaijun said solemnly, ¡°The cold is one aspect. Recently, a new type of Black Disaster has emerged in the outside world, a small white creature resembling a snake. Its attack mode involves burrowing through the snow and attacking from below to inject poison.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the worst part, things are tough here. Even with the large enclosed system for protection, the fatal issue is still the low temperature.¡± Chen Yaofeng sighed, ¡°In the last two days, more than thirty people have been found frozen to death in their homes.¡± ¡°Enhanced people are okay, right?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°There¡¯s no problem with that;enhanced people are physically robust and don¡¯t get sick that easily,¡± Chen Yaofeng replied. ¡°It¡¯s just that I¡¯m worried if this temperature continues to drop, even enhanced humans might not be able to withstand it. Going outside then will be a huge problem.¡± ¡°How¡¯s the investigation by the Eternal Life Association going?¡± Yu Hong asked. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Nowhere yet, it¡¯s too dangerous outside, our investigation team had to return not long after they went out. It¡¯s too cold,¡± Chen Yaofeng said. ¡°Who¡¯s handling the investigation team now?¡± ¡°Yan Yuqiu, the elder Yan. There¡¯s no way to investigate;if there isn¡¯t proper warming, they can¡¯t go far.¡± ¡°Is the content of the USB drive confirmed?¡± ¡°Yes, copies have already been sent to all existing Aurora Cities. Whether they believe it or not is up to them¡­¡± Chen Yaofeng and Yu Hong quickly communicated, leaving Zhang Kaijun somewhat bewildered by the sidelines. ¡°In fact, we had some awareness before, but this time we brought the Eternal Life Association out into the open. Now that the information is public, other places are probably still self-auditing. But it won¡¯t be long before everything settles.¡± ¡°Have you done any calculations on the various technologies controlled by the Eternal Life Association?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°You mean asking about the specific retaliations we might face, right?¡± Chen Yaofeng understood, ¡°The main methods include, luring Black Disaster, Black Blood People, highly regenerative body modifications, and the most critical¡­ longevity.¡± ¡°That¡¯s troublesome. Plus, if the temperature keeps dropping this low, we must be fully prepared,¡± Yu Hong said. ¡°Flames, heating pipes, enclosed warm houses, if it really gets cold, there won¡¯t be a big problem. The trouble is that going out will be extremely difficult once it gets colder,¡± Chen Yaofeng sighed, ¡°I just received a message from Flicka. They found out how to close the Gate of Despair. It was a clue got at the risk of life by a historian named Vilrotman.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the method? What will happen when the Gate of Despair is closed? Can it completely resolve the Black Disaster?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°The Gate of Despair is the source of the Black Disaster;each country¡¯s initial Black Well led to the Blood Tide, and then the Gate of Despair appeared, causing a significant rise in the air Red Value. The high-risk monstrous creatures and Evil Shades emerged from the Gate of Despair,¡± Zhang Kaijun explained. ¡°That¡¯s right, Xiao Zhang is correct,¡± Chen Yaofeng confirmed, ¡°In Dong River alone, we have three Gates of Despair, Flicka has five, and other countries mostly have one or two. So, if we can close the Gate of Despair, it would prevent the number of Black Disaster from increasing further and stop the environmental degradation.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the closing method?¡± Yu Hong understood the significance and took it seriously. ¡°Find the first Black Disaster that emerged from the Gate of Despair and shove it back in,¡± Chen Yaofeng quickly explained, ¡°The historian from Flicka used this method to successfully close one of the Gates of Despair.¡± ¡°That¡¯s amazing!¡± Yu Hong praised. ¡°Can ordinary people do this?¡± ¡°Of course not. So, that historian is surely not an ordinary person,¡± Zhang Kaijun said. ¡°Yes, he is a mutated human. And he has some marital ties with the Meisha family,¡± Chen Yaofeng said. ¡°According to the expert group¡¯s calculations, the external temperature will continue to drop in the next half year, possibly reaching as low as ninety degrees below zero. If we can¡¯t find a way to stop it, we¡¯ll just have to completely prohibit going outside. We¡¯ll forever hide in our caves¡­¡± In the communicator, the three discussed for a while, but couldn¡¯t find a good solution. They were all very aware, excessive low temperatures brought fatal threats to ordinary, marginal, and lower-class people;as it continued, the already sparse population would become even scarcer. Chapter 244: Attack 242 Disconnecting communication, Yu Hong sighed as he looked at the deserted camp. The light from the windows cast into the vast snowy expanse, reflecting a faint white glow. The howling wind outside shook the peephole in the gate as though trying to shatter it. Returning to the wooden desk, there were still over four hours left for the enhanced Constitution Potion to complete. The excited anticipation he had felt previously had diminished upon hearing the news from Chen Yaofeng. Hiss. Suddenly, a dragon lizard outside let out a soft roar like an arrow shooting up from the snow-covered ground, charging into the distance. There was no light in the darkness, only Yu Hong could see the fast-moving light points of the dragon lizard through the mark in his mind. He quickly switched to a black and white field of vision and spotted a small, dwarf-like figure, dressed in black with the lower half of its face covered, fleeing swiftly ahead. The dragon lizard was rapidly cornering and pursuing it. The dragon lizards in the camp had already broken through the twenty major thresholds. At the moment they were stimulated, they quickly surrounded the Evil Shadow from all directions, trapping it in the middle. Boom!! In an instant, the Evil Shadow exploded violently, turning into a dazzling red fireball, swallowing up more than ten meters of the surrounding snowy ground in the blink of an eye. A dragon lizard that had been too close was caught in the blast, rolled over a dozen times, its body charred and severely burned. Yu Hong was about to check the injuries but then noticed that at the core of the explosion, many powder-like substances the color of snowflakes were dancing in the air. Whoo¡­ Roar! Bang, bang, bang! A cacophony of massive noises rapidly approached from every direction. Yu Hong¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change as he swiftly ordered the dragon lizards to retreat. ¡®Finally, they¡¯re here¡­¡¯ he thought, his mindset firm. Just as the dragon lizards withdrew behind the outer courtyard¡¯s tall walls, it took only a few minutes. The tremors and noise from outside grew closer and louder. Teeheehee¡­ A weird, sharp laughter sounded. One by one, pale-faced Evil Shadows, encircled by tentacle-like black smoke, advanced towards the camp from three directions. Not only that, behind them, over a dozen large Multi-eyed Birds circled above in the sky. Even further in the distance, numerous Withered Women with the forms of little girls flickered in and out of visibility within the Black Fog. As these high-risk Black Disasters appeared, a large number of Big Skins and elephant worms, escorted by a swarm of black bugs, rushed towards the camp. ¡°Bait, huh?¡± Yu Hong instantly thought of the Eternal Life Association¡¯s tactics. They had managed to lure the Black Disasters together for a long time;it wasn¡¯t difficult for them now. Perhaps that person had only intended to drop the bait and run but ended up being discovered by the dragon lizards and, left with no choice, had to self-destruct. ¡°But do you really think this is enough to breach the camp¡¯s defenses?¡± Yu Hong ordered all dragon lizards to climb atop the outer courtyard walls, standing by for orders. Twenty dragon lizards evenly distributed and took defensive positions on top of the high wall. Yu Hong stood on the open ground beside the stone castle, calmly awaiting the aerial assault. Rumble¡­ The ground began to tremble slightly. It was the sound of some large Black Disasters sprinting. Black Fog enveloped the camp, and beyond was nothing but visibility, filled only with roars from all around. Yu Hong took a deep breath and grabbed a large iron ball. Boom!!! In an instant, the entire outer courtyard wall resounded with a loud bang and shook violently. Elephant worms one after another struck against the wall, causing the structure to tremble and fragments to explode outward. Fortunately, the reinforced walls were incredibly sturdy and managed to withstand the impact of this first collision. The dragon lizards on the wall didn¡¯t wait for the elephant worms to fall back for another hit;they opened fire. Streams of black and red flames burst forth, raining down upon the elephant worms. The highly corrosive flames instantly set the elephant worms ablaze, and the surrounding ordinary bugs caught fire as well. The dragon lizards were like flamethrowers, ceaselessly sweeping and spraying fire below. Big Skins and black bugs from the Blood Tide were burned in large numbers, turning into black smoke. Only the elephant worms fared slightly better, but they too were scorched with pockmarks all over their bodies, rotten and in agony. The assault from the Blood Tide was temporarily contained, but the attack from the Evil Shadows and strange shadows had arrived. Amidst the eerie laughter, Evil Shadows from all directions closed in on the camp. Yu Hong stood still, waiting. Soon, the first invader, seemingly a Speed Woman dressed in black, breached the tall wall and stepped onto the outer courtyard ground. Hiss!! In an instant, a stream of transparent air coalesced into the shape of a crow and violently struck towards the woman in black. The Array had been activated. Accompanying the bizarre laughter, one after another, Evil Shadows stepped into the range of the Array. The ground rose with streams of air crows, each carrying sparks, diving at the intruders who had entered. The strengthened Array, after many optimizations and increased capacity, was now far more formidable than it had been. Yu Hong stood his ground, unmoving, awaiting the enemy¡¯s next move. If the Eternal Life Association had made a move, they would certainly have more than this. After all, Yu Hong had previously fended off a similar Black Disaster, so there must be other tactics up their sleeve. Roar!! Suddenly, a loud call from a Multi-eyed Bird echoed from the sky. Yu Hong sharply looked up. Through the rolling Black Fog, he saw a gigantic creature, as if made up of countless pieces of gray concrete, twisting a long neck that resembled a human head. The beast, as large as an airliner, was over a hundred meters in length with spread wings, and its head had two eyes and a mouth in the form of three massive holes, a face bearing an expression much like a Crying Angel. ¡°Crying Angel¡­¡± Yu Hong recognized this type of Black Disaster. Level 9 Black Disaster, the Crying Angels in the sky, usually liked to cluster with flocks of Multi-eyed Birds. Plop. In an instant, a Crying Angel dripped down a clump of gray, mud-like slime. A millstone-sized glob of gray slime slammed heavily onto the top of the stone castle, instantly corroding a large hole into it. ¡°We¡¯re in trouble¡­¡± Yu Hong estimated the Crying Angel¡¯s altitude, at least a hundred meters. Fortunately, the Array was quite powerful. The slime continued to drip down and as it neared the ground, was met by transparent crows that surged out from the Array, igniting and turning into countless black ashes that dissipated into nothingness. Buzz!! Just then, Yu Hong hurled his beloved iron sphere weapon upward with all his might. The gigantic iron sphere whirled and tumbled as it rushed towards the sky, quickly crossing a hundred meters to strike the Crying Angel. However, due to the distance, by the time the iron sphere reached, its force had been greatly diminished by gravity. It could only lightly strike the Crying Angel, bringing down a large clump of gray slime. Hiss. The iron sphere corroded quickly, softened, and had lost half its volume before hitting the ground. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Thump. Yu Hong caught the iron sphere with both hands, and upon closer inspection, saw that it was half its original size, looking like a cherry that had been bitten into. He frowned at the clumps of gray slime dripping down. What he¡¯d always feared had finally happened. The stone castle was defenseless against Black Disasters from such high above. ¡°I must find a way to deal with high-altitude opponents¡­¡± With no other choice, he retreated back into the cave. With the mountain providing cover and the outer shell being strengthened by the Black Mark several times, it was far sturdier than the stone castle. Standing at the entrance of the cave, Yu Hong could only watch through the peephole as the Crying Angel smashed his stone castle into rubble. Gray slime, like snot, corroded the stones and adhered to them, creating one hole after another. Fortunately, he had moved the breeding boxes into the second cave next to the mountain earlier. The collapse of the stone castle didn¡¯t affect him much. ¡°What a pity¡­ It took me quite some time and effort to fix it up¡­¡± Looking at the collapsed stone castle, Yu Hong was in a rather foul mood. His gaze passed over the dragon lizard, looking out at the densely packed Black Disasters that were still attacking the walls. ¡°After the enhancement is over, I¡¯ll strengthen my means to deal with airborne threats¡­¡± The attack from the Crying Angel lasted for more than ten minutes before slowly dissipating. The ground-based Black Disasters could never break into the Array. During this time, Yu Hong had tried several times to use his Inner Qi to attack the sky. Unfortunately, his attacks were useless against the massive Crying Angel. The greater the distance, the less the damage. Half an hour later. The ground-based Black Disasters also slowly retreated. Yu Hong walked out the door with an ugly expression, looking around at the wrecked surroundings. ¡°I must find a way to completely resolve this human cancer that is the Eternal Life Association!¡± It wasn¡¯t possible for him to go around the world looking for trouble with this association. If he did, what about his development? His training? Training required a lot of food and nutrition, which couldn¡¯t be resolved with a feast-or-famine approach. So¡­ The only way was to make others help him investigate. Either assist the elites from Aurora City or assemble his own team. A thought that had occurred to Yu Hong long ago rose in his mind once more. ¡°I must cultivate some subordinates who can act freely and be controlled by me to hunt down the Eternal Life Association!¡± His expression icy, he returned to the cave and had the dragon lizard stand guard outside. In the blink of an eye, several more hours passed. The time reached the deep night, around three to four o¡¯clock. Yu Hong quietly waited beside the wooden table for the Black Mark to finish enhancing the Constitution Potion. Before long, the tube on the table flickered suddenly, becoming blurred for a moment. The next second, a sinister, crimson, viscous liquid with a foreboding air was contained in a transparent test tube in front of Yu Hong. This liquid had countless tiny black particles floating inside, and the inner walls of the tube had dense, moss-green, root-like secretions clinging to the glass. The test tube was sealed with a simple wooden stopper, and beneath it was a note written in print. ¡°Diluted, inferior Moon God¡¯s Blood.¡± ¡°Usage: Divide into two equal portions. One half is to be consumed by yourself, which can enhance part of your constitution and randomly acquire a rare Moon God trait. The other half is for external consumption, to be digested and offered in sacrifice, which can obtain Moon¡¯s Call.¡± ¡°The Moon God of the Veiled Moon possesses seventy-two special traits, some possibly beneficial and some harmful, depending on luck.¡± ¡°Moon¡¯s Call: The once-glorious eternal Moon who fell in the struggle against the Source Disaster, whose flesh, bones, and organs were polluted and transformed into Source Disaster¡¯s imprints, carrying the residual will to oppose the Source Disaster. Using this ability can summon the Moon God¡¯s deployments to fight for you.¡± ¡°Note: The Moon God¡¯s deployments have already been polluted by the Source Disaster. The summon is merely a qualification;there might be certain risks, so please use it with caution.¡± ¡°This thing¡­ is quite interesting¡­¡± After a moment of thought, Yu Hong picked up the test tube and removed the wooden stopper. Immediately, an unpleasant, pungent blood stench filled the cave. He pinched his nose and hesitated for a moment but chose to trust the Black Mark. Gulp! He tilted his head back and drank half in one gulp. The thick blood, like rotten jelly, slid down his throat and into his stomach. Instantly, a burning, stinging pain surged from his esophagus. Yu Hong replaced the stopper on the remaining half quickly and found some water to ease his throat, which made him feel a bit better. ¡°Now, to find a sacrifice and test the effect.¡± He pinched the test tube and walked out of the cave. Chapter 245: Attack 243 Soon, desperate squeals of elephant worms echoed through the forest shrouded in Black Fog. Ten minutes later. Yu Hong stood in the thick mist, his body enveloped in a white halo of Inner Qi, watching the massive elephant worms in front of him mysteriously vanish, his expression curious. The elephant worms seemed as if they were being erased out of thin air, their bodies disappearing piece by piece. Until finally, their heads. Puff. All fell silent. Soon, a pale crescent moon with a silvery edge appeared on the back of Yu Hong¡¯s other hand. ¡®Try summoning.¡¯ With considerable anticipation, he lifted the back of his left hand, which bore the crescent moon. ¡®How do I summon?¡¯ After thinking, he tried sending a mental command to the crescent moon. Instantly, a strand of Inner Qi automatically separated from his Dantian and surged into the crescent moon. The surface of the crescent moon emitted a faint silvery glow. Hiss¡­ In a moment, clusters of black smoke appeared out of thin air in front of Yu Hong, then began to condense into an oval vortex over a meter high. The Black Fog inside the vortex flowed, faint and peculiar hisses emanating from within. ¡®The Empire¡¯s Human Spearman has responded to your call,¡¯ the crescent moon relayed the information faintly. Spearman? Yu Hong was intrigued;if he could summon a sentient human, he might gain a wealth of information through communication. Hiss¡­ In the vortex of black smoke, slowly, a burly figure began to emerge from the mist. Bang! Dark-red muscular thighs stepped out of the vortex first, setting down on the black earth and leaving a deep indentation. Following that were another pair of thighs as thick as an adult¡¯s waist. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Then the upper body¡ªa mass of flesh as large as a balloon. This creature was a misshapen dark-red muscle monster, struggling to squeeze itself out of the vortex. The monster¡¯s body was covered in numerous muscles, but those muscles were abnormal, covered in countless grape-like protrusions. Overall, it looked like a dark-red muscular tumor with two legs! ¡°Gun¡­ lead the way¡­!¡± The face of this muscle tumor, embedded among numerous muscles, contorted into a strange, horrifying smile aimed at Yu Hong. His face, too, was all dark-red muscle lines, eerie and terrifying. Under the skin, countless worm-like filaments could be seen constantly moving and protruding. Hiss! A black spike spear extended from its wide-open mouth, coated with a wet, disgusting mucus. ¡°¡­..¡± The hope gradually faded from Yu Hong¡¯s face. He suddenly remembered that the Moon God had also been contaminated by the Source Disaster, which he had initially thought was just the Black Disaster, but now it seemed a bit different. ¡°What can you do?¡± Taming his thoughts, Yu Hong figured since he had already summoned it, he might as well see what it could do. ¡°Gun leads the way¡­!¡± The Spearman repeated the same phrase, using a language Yu Hong hadn¡¯t heard before, but somehow he understood its meaning. ¡°Smash it,¡± Yu Hong changed his approach, pointing at a charred dead tree nearby. Bang. The Spearman¡¯s back suddenly bulged, revealing six blocks of muscle, each sprouting a dark-red tentacle spike. The tentacles shot out, like actual spears, piercing the dead tree simultaneously. After a series of back and forth thrusts, the tree was instantly perforated, filled with holes, and fell to the ground broken. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Yu Hong observed the dead tree, feeling that this creature seemed slightly stronger than a dragon lizard. ¡°Let¡¯s see how long the summoning can last, it¡¯s a good time to test its strength around here.¡± He ordered the creature to follow him, then took it on a rampage around the camp. Along the way, they encountered Big Skin, shadow, and elephant worms, all easily impaled and killed by the Spearman. Until they met a lone Level 7 Black Blood Rhino from Blood Tide Monster. Moo!! On a road five kilometers from the Black Wind Camp. The Spearman and the Black Blood Rhino collided like two meteors, constantly smashing into each other. Collision, retreat, accelerate, collide again!! After numerous hits, the Spearman finally couldn¡¯t hold on, gradually falling into a weak state. Even so, the muscle spikes it swung left deep, indelible wounds on the Black Blood Rhino. Bang! With one final blow, the Spearman was pierced through the chest by the Black Blood Rhino¡¯s horn, crying out in agony as it dissolved into a pool of dark-red blood, quickly evaporating into a red mist and vanishing. ¡°Does it exist until it dies in battle?¡± Yu Hong noted the information in his mind. He raised his left hand again, commanding the crescent moon on the back of his hand to continue summoning, but there was no response. ¡®Is there an interval?¡¯ He pondered. ¡®I still need to carefully explore the details.¡¯ Without a glance at the severely wounded Black Blood Rhino, his figure flashed, and he pulled a dagger from his pocket. The dagger, glowing white, slashed across the rhino¡¯s neck. He then tucked it away gently. Boom. The massive Black Blood Rhino collapsed on the spot, writhing in pain on the ground, and within seconds, its entire body withered, shrunk, and turned into black smoke, dispersing. A single black unicorn horn was left behind, which Yu Hong picked up. Back at the camp, Yu Hong continued to explore the crescent, also known as Moon¡¯s Call, but he didn¡¯t notice that, over time, his skin gradually started to shimmer with a silvery gleam. To be precise, small silver spots appeared, adorning his skin. The Moon God¡¯s Blood was taking effect. The slight toxicity in the air began to place less and less burden on his body. Snap. Inside the courtyard, Yu Hong suddenly tore off his breathing valve and took a few deep breaths, feeling something stirring. The cold dry air rushed through his nose and mouth, carrying away the excess moisture from his respiratory tract. But before the moisture could evaporate far, it was harshly pulled back by the Condensing Water Technique and automatically inhaled through his nose and mouth. Specifically, this was manifested when Yu Hong exhaled white vapor that circled around him before being inhaled back into his nostrils. ¡°The external toxic gases seem to have no effect anymore. It seems to be either a physical enhancement or acquiring some unknown property. The recovery cycle of Moon Summoning is about once a day, with a summon possible only the day after death. Additionally, only one unit can be consistently summoned, namely the rifleman. Perhaps my qualifications are insufficient, or for some other reason, further testing is necessary.¡± Near the camp, Yu Hong summoned the rifleman again. During the summoning process, he focused intently on the crescent to sense its response. This time, he discovered that aside from the rifleman, there were several other presences trying to respond to the summoning but seemed to be restricted and unable to connect. Although unable to summon them, he obtained several theoretically summonable special names from the feedback from the crescent. ¡°Swordsman with Shield¡± ¡°Elite Archer¡± ¡°Rotten Knight¡± ¡°Rotten Knight Commander¡± ¡°Gaze Scholar¡± ¡°Gazing Scholar¡± ¡°King of White Coral¡± ¡°Priest of Shadia¡± ¡°High Priest Knudis¡± ¡°Divine Blood Mengdu¡± ¡°Demigod Helsimora¡± ¡°Eternal Faye¡± Yu Hong noted the names he faintly heard, listing them from weakest to strongest based on the intensity of the called aura. ¡°This enhanced Moon God¡¯s Blood, though a diluted version of a defective product, still somewhat grants me this basic summoning qualification, which isn¡¯t too bad.¡± Yu Hong flicked the carbon powder off the paper. The earlier names were okay, but with the subsequent names, just receiving their name could feel a subtle pressure oozing onto the paper, suggesting their extraordinary strength. Although the feedback from the crescent indicated these were holy and pure subordinates of the Moon God, mostly beautiful and noble with unwavering faith, needing only more Moon God¡¯s Blood to increase blood concentration to qualify for calling higher beings. However, from the rifleman, it was evident that these subordinates of the Moon God might have already fallen completely. Summoning them might bring forth some unpredictable entities. In the afternoon of the third day. Yu Hong sat cross-legged in the cave. According to the list, he tried inputting more Inner Qi into the crescent, attempting to call other named beings. But without exception, all attempts met with no response. The only being he could summon was the rifleman. Disappointed, he stood up. These past few days, his obsession with the efficacy of the Moon God¡¯s Blood had almost driven him mad. ¡®If I could summon a large number of powerful subordinates, we could significantly alleviate or even directly eliminate the problems caused by the Eternal Life Association and the Black Disaster. Unfortunately¡­¡¯ Yu Hong felt somewhat upset. The rifleman was neither very strong nor weak, capable of handling danger level 7. But to say it was helpful to him was debatable. Now, he had assigned the rifleman to go out and patrol the surroundings with the dragon lizards. With level 7 strength, it could suppress most of the Black Disaster head-on, indeed reducing the burden on the dragon lizards. But that was it. He boiled a pot of water with an electric kettle and took out two nutrition pastes to prepare for dinner. Suddenly, a huge vibration quickly approached from outside the camp. Thump thump thump thump! It seemed to be footsteps. Yu Hong¡¯s expression changed immediately, and he thought of the Black Giant. He quickly rushed out of the cave and, using the dragon lizards¡¯ vision, looked outside. All he saw in the distance, through the Black Fog, was a gigantic humanoid figure at least a hundred meters tall, passing near the camp and quickly moving farther away. ¡®Just passing by¡­ thank goodness.¡¯ Yu Hong was currently most afraid of creatures like the Black Giant. Unlike the ominous danger of the Evil Shadow, the Black Giant was purely brute strength¡ªterrifying gravity crushing down, smashing everything. However, just when he thought it was merely passing by, there was a sudden explosion in front of the Black Giant. The explosion spread out, sending forth a large white halo. Boom! The Black Giant abruptly stopped, turned its head, and looked in the direction from which the white light had appeared. Suddenly, without a second word, it turned and charged directly towards Black Wind Camp. ¡°¡­.!!¡± Yu Hong watched the scene from a distance, his expression grim, immediately recalling the similarly white powder from before. White powder, white halo¡ªboth were white! ¡°¡­Eternal Life Association!¡± He knew who was causing trouble. Unexpectedly, even a level 9 Black Giant could be lured and misdirected. This power of the Eternal Life Association was somewhat underestimated¡­. Huge footsteps quickly approached. Yu Hong took a deep breath. He simply took off his shirt, bared his upper body, and walked out of the camp, directly towards the Black Giant. It was just the right time to test his own limits and see if he could handle the Black Giant! Chapter 246: Attack 244 Somewhere along the borderline between Donghe and Flica. Amidst the ghastly pale snowscape, a decrepit, grey-white ancient castle stood silently in the deep of the night. Openings in the form of massive round archways pierced all sides of the castle, allowing the wind to pass through at will. Most of the walls were broken, with mottled signs of wear betraying its exceedingly long history. By one of the main gates, there was a commemorative stone slab, its edges marked with three red-painted characters: ¡°Ning Lan Castle.¡± Below it were some informational descriptions intended for tourists. Regrettably, what was once a site rich in historical and cultural heritage had long since stopped seeing visitors, with only remnants of its past remaining. At this moment, inside the castle, in the vast hall over ten meters high. A scattering of figures in hooded black robes and black metal masks stood under the flickering, feeble candlelight. ¡°This incident has caught the association off guard since the list was published by Donghe, resulting in substantial damage to many of our powers. Number thirty-four must take the greatest responsibility,¡± a shadow voiced in dissatisfaction. ¡°Number thirty-four is already dead,¡± another spoke. ¡°Is her son still around, can debts incurred by the dead be forgiven?¡± ¡°We have all reviewed the intelligence;number seventeen¡¯s plan was quite perfect. The key issue was the unexpected appearance of the Black Wind Camp¡¯s leader, a strengthened person named Yu Hong, who surprisingly defeated the Black Blood People, leading to one collapse after another in a continuous chain,¡± someone said in a grave tone. ¡°With our current strength, there is no need to hide within the city anymore. Why not take advantage of the situation to break away from the flock and build a new world power for ourselves?¡± another loudly suggested. ¡°Based on the records we have, I¡¯m quite interested in this master of the Black Wind Camp.¡± At the topmost part of the hall, a mysterious person seated on a gray high-backed stone chair said with a smile. ¡°His combat strength is now comparable to a Level 8 Blood Tide Black Disaster which, compared to other strengthened people, is an extremely exaggerated explosive growth,¡± he stated calmly. ¡°So, Chairman, did you dispatch subordinates to release advanced bait beforehand? Just to reconfirm that Yu Hong¡¯s strength is indeed as formidable as the reports indicate?¡± asked a giant man donning a metal mask and a black cloak. ¡°Advanced bait?¡± The mysterious Chairman was taken aback, ¡°I did prepare some advanced bait, but it¡¯s extremely difficult to produce, and our quantity is limited. To waste it on mere tests¡ªthat would be too extravagant.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t you?¡± the towering figure paused, ¡°The information I¡¯ve received indicates that Black Wind Camp has been under siege by Black Disasters attracted by the bait for several days. Just recently, a Black Giant headed straight for the camp.¡± ¡°But I haven¡¯t released any bait,¡± the Chairman stated seriously. ¡°I was prepared to, but I haven¡¯t yet made a move.¡± He paused for a moment. ¡°Furthermore, advanced bait can only lure Level 7 or 8 Black Disasters at best. In the face of a Level 9 Black Giant, its effect is virtually nonexistent.¡± ¡°Then¡­ if not you, who else could lead a Level 9 Black Giant?¡± The towering figure¡¯s tone grew more serious. ¡°Not sure,¡± the Chairman fell silent, then answered. ¡°I indeed had plans to deal with Yu Hong, but¡­ I haven¡¯t put them into action yet. There are other more pressing matters that need to be handled first.¡± ¡°¡­I thought the Chairman had developed a new type of powerful Black Disaster bait¡­¡± someone whispered. ¡°But if not the Chairman, then who is guiding the Black Disasters towards Black Wind Camp?¡± a voice murmured. The group exchanged glances, unable to respond. ¡°Interesting¡­ it seems someone is trying to imitate our methods. The technique of baiting Black Disasters does not belong solely to us,¡± the Chairman¡¯s voice betrayed a hint of mirth. ¡°Seventeen, you will take over number thirty-four¡¯s territory. Make sure to find out what¡¯s going on. No problems with that?¡± ¡°According to number thirty-four¡¯s last recording, her estate is to be inherited by me. I will uncover the truth,¡± the hulking figure in the metal mask bowed his head in response. ¡°I hope you find something of value¡­¡± the Chairman was the first to stand up and depart through a side entrance. Leaving the hall, a young woman accompanying the Chairman couldn¡¯t help but whisper, ¡°Sir, was it really not you?¡± ¡°Of course, advanced bait doesn¡¯t affect a Level 9 Black Disaster,¡± the Chairman nodded. ¡°But, if one knows what a Level 9 Black Disaster hunts for the most, one can use that knowledge to guide it. Aside from us, who else holds such technology?¡± The two people beside him pondered this. ¡°You mean, the Meisha family?¡± ¡°Of course, I also have operatives working in tandem with me. Yu Hong of the Black Wind Camp is strong enough;he can be used to pre-emptively deal with some of the trickier Black Disasters. Once he inflicts heavy damage on them, our subsequent control and guidance will be much easier,¡± the Chairman casually stroked his black metal mask, voice growing more composed. ¡°You mean¡­ the Black Giant and Snow Demon?¡± One person caught on. ¡°But the uncontrollability of the Snow Demon is too strong¡­ Even the power of rituals has difficulty binding it¡­ The most powerful binding ritual from the Yingshan civilization is of the Communion level, and they still failed to constrain a Black Disaster on the level of the Snow Demon. Their failure was due to this,¡± voiced another, somewhat frightened. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the Yingshan civilization only had its own means, whereas we also have modern science to combine with it. The Eternal Life Tree, solidified by a Communion ritual, coupled with scientific microscopic refinement studies, can yield more fruits of longevity¡­¡± the Chairman said meaningfully. The two fell silent for a while. Just as the Chairman had previously stated in an association meeting, he did not acknowledge that advanced bait could lure a Level 9 Black Disaster. Yet now, he admitted that he had a way to indirectly lead a Level 9 Black Disaster. As for whether he had actually taken action against Black Wind Camp, only he knew. Was it really the Meisha family? The same Meisha family that had been relentlessly pursued and hunted down to the point of desperation? No one cared. ¡°With the Black Giant now involved, it¡¯s the perfect opportunity to see just how much substance this strongest of strengthened persons has,¡± the Chairman declared confidently. ¡°But what if the Snow Demon becomes uncontrollable?¡± ¡°There are no ¡®what-ifs¡¯.¡± The Chairman suddenly lost his mirth, ¡°With a sufficient price paid, anything can be hoped to succeed.¡± He stretched out his finger, a slender and impeccably white index lightly brushing over the frost-covered fence outside the castle. ¡°If it was simply for the fruit of longevity, why would anyone in the association take the huge risk of joining this venture?¡± ¡°So, if the matter cannot be resolved, it just means the price paid wasn¡¯t high enough¡­ nothing more.¡± * * * Black Fog surged. In the forest, numerous Black Disasters were trampled down by a massive foot;with the lifting of the foot, there was a ground left steaming with black smoke, as it rapidly moved forward. Boom. Boom. Boom! In an instant, a white beam of light in the form of a human figure burst forth from the dense Black Fog directly ahead. The figure was incredibly fast. Before the Black Giant could set foot again, he struck its shin like a speeding arrow. Boom! The white light pushed through the layers of air. Yu Hong¡¯s charge, fueled by his burning Inner Qi, unleashed a force that far surpassed any top-tier enhancer. The tremendous impact caused one of the Black Giant¡¯s shins to skew and fall with a heavy thud. Thump! The foot still came down, but its landing spot was significantly off from before. The Black Giant, discontented, attempted to step forward again, only to be slammed into once more by Yu Hong, now a white comet, right on its leg. This time, both were prepared. The Black Giant stepped out, sending Yu Hong bouncing away. Both staggered back a few steps. Hum! The Black Giant seemed enraged and lifted its leg to head towards Black Wind Camp again. And so, it met a third fierce collision. The comet kept circling and striking it repeatedly, soon followed by a fourth, fifth, sixth time¡­ Yu Hong¡¯s body burned with white flames, forming a giant half-human figure behind him. His power surged with each rush, and his tactics to repel the Black Giant grew more adept. Unfortunately, despite unleashing the full power of the Thunderbolt Leg Technique, the strikes against the Black Giant were like a rubber ball bouncing off a rock. As time passed, the Black Giant relentlessly moved forward, impeded just as relentlessly by Yu Hong. The standoff lasted for over four hours. Finally, the Black Giant growled in dissatisfaction and turned to walk in another direction. With its massive footsteps, it quickly moved off and soon disappeared into the thick fog, out of sight. Huff¡­ huff¡­ huff¡­ Yu Hong stood amidst the Black Fog, sweating profusely, exhaling hot white breaths. Looking in the direction where the Black Giant had vanished, he tried to swiftly ease the pain in his breathing. ¡°I¡¯m still too weak¡­ The Black Giant, a top existence among the Blood Tide Monsters, is all pure strength and defense compared to something like Evil Shadow.¡± ¡°Such a size of Black Disaster, compared to a Level 8 Black Disaster, is like a tenfold to a hundredfold difference.¡± Yu Hong reflected on how his full-force strike could only leave superficial grazes on the Black Giant¡¯s body. And such minor wounds, for those towering two to three hundred meters tall, were almost negligible. After repelling the Black Giant and returning to camp, Yu Hong immediately used the Black Mark to enhance his complete tracking skills manual. The enhancement method was simple: write some tracking methods first, then let the Black Mark strengthen them. The enhancement took only four days. Yu Hong decided to cultivate the final layer of the Condensing Water Technique while waiting for the enhancement period to end. Boom! On the third day, a muffled sound in the sky jolted Yu Hong awake from his sleep. Rushing to the control room, he saw the camp once again besieged by a large number of Black Disasters. Two hundred meters above, Crying Angels dropped toxic mucus, Dragon lizards fought desperately against the Black Disasters on the outer walls, the Array running at full power, firmly blocking all external threats. Yu Hong sat in front of the surveillance, contemplative. Suddenly, a spearman walked out of the shadows by his side. ¡°The spear¡­ points¡­¡± This deformed Moon God underling seemed devoid of its own will, only knowing to obey commands. Examining this creature that he had summoned, Yu Hong pressed on the muscled outer skin of the spearman. It was hard, like sun-dried tires, with an underlying resilience. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Can you make yourself smaller?¡± Yu Hong attempted to communicate. The spearman¡¯s body writhed, then suddenly contracted inward. Hiss¡­ Within seconds, it shrank down and condensed into a dark red bead the size of an egg. The bead fell to the ground, pulsating as if it had a heartbeat, hopping on its own. Yu Hong picked up the bead, a method of use naturally occurring to him. Simply crushing the bead would call the spearman to appear for combat. ¡°I wonder if this could be used by others¡­¡± Crushing it would equate to having a bodyguard with the strength of a Level 6 or 7 Blood Tide fighter. The Moon God¡¯s Blood gave him more and more surprises. Although it was just a diluted inferior version. After waiting more than ten minutes and regaining his senses, the siege outside had ended. The Black Disasters around the perimeter retreated again, leaving behind various remnants. However, what irritated Yu Hong was that the wooden bridge at the back of the camp was having issues again. The bridge was causing a rapid increase in the Array¡¯s load, and if they still had to deal with these sporadic sieges, the burden on the Array would be too great. ¡°But what if I leave for the Black Ship and the camp is attacked?¡± Going too far from the camp would render the Array and the Dragon Lizard Nest ineffective, after all, they were controlled directly by the imprint;the camp¡¯s own Array Patterns, though less effective, wouldn¡¯t fail. But that level of lethality, against purposely lured groups of Black Disasters, was almost negligible. Chapter 247: Train of Thought One Several days later. Snow had blanketed the entire Black Wind Camp once again. ¡°The temperature is too low.¡± Inside the cave, Yu Hong stood at the entrance, looking outside through the observation window. The ruptured pipe of the nuclear heating system had long since frozen, and the circulating hot water pipes inside the cave no longer risked overheating due to the declining external temperatures. Roar! In the night sky outside, another loud roar of the Multi-eyed Birds echoed. Dark masses of the Black Disaster surged forward like a tide towards them once more. The high walls surrounding the camp stood firm, staunchly blocking the large groups of monsters that rushed towards them with great speed. The Array operated over its capacity, releasing dense flocks of air crows that pounced on the invaders. All the monsters that entered the Array were either directly extinguished by the crows, or if they weren¡¯t immediately destroyed, they would be ignited and forced to slow down by the crows. Yu Hong watched the lively confrontation outside. ¡°This is the third time¡­ It has only been a few days and they have already come three times¡­ Are they that impatient?¡± The outer walls of the courtyard were severely damaged and could collapse at any moment. The dragon lizards were no longer able to stay on top of the walls to breathe fire;instead, they were on the ground grappling with the incoming Black Disaster. With the help of the Array¡¯s slowing and continuous damage effects, the dragon lizards relentlessly killed the high-risk Black Disaster creatures entering the camp. Spear-men appeared and disappeared within the Black Fog, their spears continuously thrusting out from behind, making it impossible for any slower Black Disaster creatures to avoid them. Together with the Array, they significantly relieved the dragon lizards of their burden. Puff! In the darkness, six muscular spears shot through the fog and pierced two ape-like, blood-soaked creatures, shredding them into pieces. The muscular spears quickly retracted, and the Black Disaster creatures attempting to pursue were immediately cut down by streaks of black fire. The spear-men maximized their killing potential. ¡°Very useful weapons¡­¡±, Yu Hong withdrew his gaze from the door and returned to the wooden table. On the table lay a sheet of white paper documenting his summary of tracking techniques, most of which he had learned from Chen Yaofeng and Zhang Kaijun. Now, this paper was about to be enhanced. He had had enough of the unknown opponents who frequently disrupted the camp. A few minutes later. The white paper instantly blurred, transforming into a small notebook with a dark red plastic cover. There was no text on the cover of the notebook, but its edges had a worn, aged look. Yu Hong exhaled and picked up the notebook. The notebook was only the size of a palm and about as thick as a human hand. He flipped open the first page. ¡°Flashback Studies.¡± The clear and neat handwriting appeared before Yu Hong. He leafed through it meticulously, discovering it was a collection of special tracking techniques left by a master hunter from an unknown era. The techniques ranged from basic to advanced, extremely comprehensive and complex. ¡°It won¡¯t be possible to master them thoroughly in a short time, but I can learn gradually. It¡¯s much better than being clueless like before.¡± Yu Hong set down the booklet, not worried about someone stealing it since all the text was in Chinese, which no one but him could understand. Listening to the constant sounds of combat outside, he looked at the crescent mark on the back of his hand. ¡°Speaking of which, the summoning targets of the Moon¡¯s Call itself are problematic. Even if I later increase the density of the Moon God¡¯s bloodline and qualify to summon, there could still be backlash issues. Maybe I should extract only the valuable aspect of the Moon¡¯s Call¡¯s capability¡­¡± ¡°Since everything but me can be enhanced, then¡­ can the ability of the Moon¡¯s Call be enhanced again?¡± He instantly thought of a method. ¡°The crescent is already an enhanced product, to enhance it further, I must add other new items.¡± Thinking this, he rose from his seat and headed to the corner where miscellaneous items were stored. In the wooden frames here, he had accumulated various remains of the Black Disaster from his hunting outside. Most abundant were nearly half a basket of ordinary black broken bones. Next were some stone-like oval and round objects. Finally, there were several model-like severed hands and feet, wooden pieces with patterns, and more. The days of combat had allowed Yu Hong to amass quite a collection of various remains. He approached, bent down, and rummaged inside. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°In the calling ability, what I need most is the pure summoning. How can I enhance the summoning alone and stably decide on the target autonomously?¡± ¡°Since there¡¯s a problem with the Moon God¡¯s subordinates, then I should strip away that section.¡± Yu Hong quickly sorted out a peanut-sized red gemstone, then grabbed a handful of black bone fragments, mixed them together, and placed them on the crescent mark on his left hand. ¡°If I can enhance a stable and reliable summoning ability, then I can solve the problem of not being able to leave the base for long periods. The power of the dragon lizards is too weak, and although it can be enhanced, the higher in level the longer it takes, and the resulting abilities might not necessarily meet my needs, lacking specificity.¡± Yu Hong contemplated for a moment, his right hand resting over the crescent on the back of his left hand. His consciousness included a pile of remnants, thinking about strengthening the crescent. ¡®Strengthen Moon¡¯s Call, direction: enhance calling ability, optimize the unstable Moon God system.¡¯ He didn¡¯t impose many restrictions, just suggested a general direction. Soon, the Black Mark exuded black lines, which flew from his fingertips and entered the crescent. ¡®Would you like to strengthen Moon¡¯s Call?¡¯ The feedback from the Black Mark sounded instantly. Similarly, a dark red countdown appeared on the back of the left hand where the crescent was located. ¡¯17 hours 51 minutes.¡¯ ¡®That short?¡¯ Yu Hong was stunned, but he immediately realized. He guessed that perhaps the optimization of Moon¡¯s Call was extremely simple, or there were many ready-made templates available. After all, considering the previously strengthened Unlimited Demon Palace Array from the Black Mark¡­ If there was a ready-made template, it might just be transferred over, without even changing the original creator. He confirmed the start of the strengthening. The countdown began. Yu Hong raised his hand, curiously observing the ticking countdown. ¡®I hope it works. If I can obtain a decent summoning ability, combined with the increasing numbers of dragon lizards, the effect will grow stronger!¡¯ He closed his eyes and sensed the imprint in his mind. The burden of the Array¡¯s imprint was growing heavier, and the erosion from the wooden bridge was intensifying. ¡®At most by tomorrow¡­ If I don¡¯t resolve the burden from the Black Ship at the wooden bridge, the Array will definitely be damaged.¡¯ Boom! Suddenly, an explosion shook the area from outside. Bright red flames lit up the Black Fog-engulfed, freezing forest, illuminating the surrounding mist. Yu Hong¡¯s expression turned cold in an instant, his figure flashed, appearing in front of the main gate. The door flung open, and he was already rushing out of the cave, heading towards the tall outer wall. Within tens of meters in the blink of an eye. On a piece of land blackened and smoking, the bodies of two dragon lizards were blown apart, heads gone, as if cut off by some sharp blade in an instant. They were deader than dead, their bodies slowly dissolving into a viscous black liquid, evaporating and dispersing. ¡®The same way of dying as the Black Disaster¡­¡¯ Yu Hong crouched beside the two dragon lizards, his expression grim. He looked around. More than ten meters away, there was a track clearly yet to be closed by the mist, a pathway made by some flying object breaking through, creating a unique path through the fog. Yu Hong stood up and circled around, but he didn¡¯t find more traces. Hiss! With a burst of strength, he rushed into a large swarm of Black Disasters not far away. Bizarre and grotesque giant bugs, faint and visible various shadows, Evil Shadows, under the burning of Inner Qi, shone with white light, all dispersing into black smoke. Returning to the camp, the Black Disaster outside also began to retreat. Yu Hong entered the inner courtyard and discovered that another dragon lizard was missing. Along with the increased erosion from the wooden bridge, the troubles at both ends made his resentment towards the Eternal Life Association grow stronger. ¡®Disperse, secretly patrol all around for any suspicious living people.¡¯ He ordered in his mind, sending the remaining dragon lizards to scour the surroundings. Although he knew the search was unlikely to yield results, he still returned to the basement. Through radar scanning coordinated with thorough searching by the dragon lizards, he kept busy for well over half an hour. Except for finding a pile of charred mechanical wreckage a few hundred meters away in an open field, nothing else turned up. ¡°It¡¯s highly likely a simple AI carried out its commands then self-destructed.¡± Hours later. Yu Hong discussed this matter with Zhang Kaijun through the communicator, and Zhang Kaijun immediately conjectured. ¡°The Eternal Life Association¡¯s intelligence leaks aren¡¯t going smoothly. You should¡¯ve heard from Brother Chen Yaofeng, right?¡± continued Zhang Kaijun. ¡°My camp has been under constant attack these past few days, the intensity much greater than before,¡± Yu Hong said, ¡°The temperature keeps dropping. Isn¡¯t the Eternal Life Association affected at all?¡± ¡°They are affected, but much less so than us,¡± Chen Yaofeng¡¯s voice sounded through the communicator, heavy with fatigue. ¡°The three major Aurora Cities are now East River¡¯s last force. We¡¯ve formed a joint action team and recently annihilated a temporary stronghold of the Eternal Life Association, uncovering their early preparations for the Cold Disaster.¡± ¡°This means they likely knew the Cold Disaster was coming long ago!¡± Yu Hong said. ¡°Exactly. Also, our support team sent to the mushroom area vanished en route. I suspect they had a hand in it. Right now, we are unclear about the exact strength and influence of the Eternal Life Association, how they operate, where their armed forces are stationed, or why their actions aren¡¯t hindered by the Cold Disaster or Black Disaster,¡± explained Chen Yaofeng. ¡°Is it Shu Cheng¡¯s team?¡± Yu Hong frowned. Initially, Shu Cheng hinted that the goods he transported had problems, which was actually an indirect reminder. Regardless of the motives, Yu Hong recognized this favor. ¡°It wasn¡¯t led by him personally. It¡¯s one of the trade teams under Shu family from Shu Cheng. The Shu family has developed quickly, with over ten fearless trade teams earning desperate money,¡± clarified Chen Yaofeng. ¡°This can¡¯t go on;we¡¯re too passive,¡± Zhang Kaijun added, ¡°The temperature keeps dropping because of the Cold Disaster, and I¡¯ve had several people freeze to death. So we either resolve this quickly or temporarily ignore it, waiting till we figure out how to handle the Cold Disaster before proceeding.¡± ¡°Yu Hong, you just mentioned your camp has recently been frequently attacked, right?¡± asked Chen Yaofeng. ¡°Yes¡­ what are you getting at?¡± Yu Hong was about to ask when he suddenly realized, ¡°Are you saying the Eternal Life Association is also worried about the Cold Disaster continuing to drop in temperature?¡± ¡°That¡¯s very possible. Otherwise, if the Cold Disaster had no effect on them, why wouldn¡¯t they simply wait for it to get colder, when our burden would be greater, before they act?¡± analyzed Chen Yaofeng. ¡°That makes sense. Since they are also struggling, they hope to resolve the situation at Yu Hong¡¯s side quickly. Yu Hong disrupted Xin Zhilei¡¯s arrangement and thwarted their plan to erode the second Aurora City. Retaliation was inevitable,¡± agreed Zhang Kaijun. Chapter 248: Pathway 246 Thoughts Two ¡°Simple revenge doesn¡¯t quite fit their style,¡± said Chen Yaofeng. ¡°According to the investigation, the Eternal Life Association does not take care of its internal members to the extent of avenging them at such lengths. My side, No.1 Aurora City, has escorted an expert from Frilica who¡¯s said to know a lot about the Eternal Life Association. Once they arrive, we¡¯ll share any clues promptly.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll also try to capture some traces of their activity,¡± said Yu Hong. After the three agreed, they disconnected the communication. Yu Hong originally wanted to lie down and rest for a while, but he was worried about new attacks possibly occurring in the vicinity. With the increasing burden on the Array, if another siege happened, the situation could become quite dire. Creak. The door swung open. He donned his reinforced gray lizard Protective Suit. Leaving the large iron ball behind, he strapped on a reinforced handgun and stepped out beyond the high walls. Outside the wall, silence enveloped the mist-shrouded mountains and forests in a haze. The cold wind, like knives, pricked at the damage in the suit, causing Yu Hong¡¯s skin to ache faintly. He glanced at the detector. ¡®-62 degrees.¡¯ ¡°It dropped again!¡± Yu Hong couldn¡¯t help but curse. Even he felt cold, let alone ordinary people. He stepped into the snow, leaving footprints over ten centimeters deep with each step. ¡®With this kind of low temperature, who knows how many will die on this trip.¡¯ He felt a pang of emotion as he trudged through the snow, slowly circling the camp. Along the way, not a single shadow crossed his path, most likely due to the exhaustion from the previous assault. It was probable that the Blood Tide¡¯s shadows within a few hundred meters had been cleared out. After a while, seeing no ghosts, Yu Hong headed back toward the high wall. He had only taken a few steps when he suddenly stopped, looking up ahead to the right. Behind an imposing, gnarled old tree to the right, there was a small figure quietly curled up, hidden in the shadows. ¡°Yu Hong¡­ Sir¡­¡± a somewhat familiar voice floated over. Yu Hong¡¯s vision was obscured by the fog, and at this distance, he could only discern a slight silhouette. So, he did not answer, as many Evil Shadows had triggered responses. He just took a few steps forward, trying to get a clearer view of the other person. The mist thinned as he drew closer. Gradually, the figure behind the tree trunk became more distinct. It was a long-haired girl dressed in black shorts and a black T-shirt. Her face was dirty, her bare arms white as lotus root, her legs wrapped in thick black stockings with several tears on the side, and her feet in black ankle boots. Following the face turned upwards, Yu Hong recognized the person. ¡°Wei Shanshan?!¡± Tears brimmed in the girl¡¯s eyes as she slowly walked out from behind the tree. ¡°It¡¯s me¡­¡± Seeing Yu Hong, she seemed a bit agitated, stepping towards him. ¡°I have nowhere to go¡­ My parents are dead¡­ just me alone¡­ Everything around is so dark¡­ I can¡¯t see anything¡­¡± She was shivering, her lips pale and bloodless. ¡°I saw a light from far away, so I, I came over here¡­¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want to bother you¡­ I just couldn¡¯t hold on any longer¡­¡± She trembled, her eyes pleading as she looked at Yu Hong. ¡°How long have you been out here?¡± Yu Hong asked after a moment of silence. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know,¡± Wei Shanshan shook her head gently. Yu Hong silently sighed and pulled out a tube of nutrient paste from his lower back waistband, tossing it to her. ¡°Catch.¡± Thump. Wei Shanshan clumsily caught the nutrient paste. Seeing what it was, with instructions written on it, her face brightened with surprise and she quickly tore it open to consume it hungrily. ¡°Eat up. If you really have nowhere to go, you can rest outside my camp, but if you want to come in, you¡¯ll need to follow the rules,¡± Yu Hong said. ¡°Mhm!¡± Wei Shanshan nodded earnestly. ¡°However, you also need to be careful coming to me. Recently, some bad people are stirring up trouble near my camp. Getting close now could get you involved,¡± Yu Hong cautioned. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid!¡± Wei Shanshan said hastily after swallowing the nutrient paste. ¡°That¡¯s good, let¡¯s go,¡± Yu Hong turned and continued towards the camp. But after walking more than ten meters, there was still no sound of following footsteps behind him. He stopped and turned around. Wei Shanshan had vanished;not a soul was in the place where she stood, not even a trace in the snow behind the tree trunk. On the snowdrift lay an untouched tube of nutrient paste, sticking out of the powdery snow, motionless. It was exactly the same one that Yu Hong had thrown just moments ago. Seeing the nutrient paste, Yu Hong folded back, picked it up, and gave it a squeeze. The nutrient paste wasn¡¯t even opened. He checked it carefully and slid it back into his waist pouch. He sighed and headed back to the camp. Five hours later. Swoosh! A figure shrouded in white light leaped dozens of meters in an instant, landing in the woods in front of a sneaky silhouette holding a delicate, transparent glass bottle. Clearly visible inside the glass bottle were fine white granules. As the figure landed, it was also spotted by the sneaky silhouette. Without any hesitation, the sneaky figure paused, and then a glaring red light illuminated from his chest. Boom!! Yu Hong had only reached out a hand when he was caught in the explosion. The fire swept over the surrounding area, igniting the leaves and branches not covered by snow. The intense heat pushed back the cold for a moment, but it was fleeting, revealing the slightly charred figure of Yu Hong. He rushed to the site of the explosion and bent down to inspect it. Regrettably, aside from some shattered metal components, there was nothing else left. ¡°I refuse to believe this!¡± Yu Hong stood up and returned to the camp, waiting for the second wave. In the blink of an eye, another hour had passed, and a flash of white light in the forest was followed by a thunderous bang. Yu Hong walked out of the mist in his slightly scorched enhanced suit. His expression was ugly;just now, he had not delayed when he spotted a suspicious target. He went straight for the opponent¡¯s head, intending to knock them out first. But it turned out that the opponent was a completely mechanical being, which immediately self-destructed. Despite wearing his protective suit, this point-blank self-destruction still left some of his skin damaged. After all, the suit had sustained quite a bit of damage that he¡¯d forgotten to repair. The explosive force this time had exceeded the maximum power of the previous self-destructs. It had reached a level incomparable to that of a standard high-explosive grenade. ¡®The enemy is learning¡­¡¯ With a thought from Yu Hong, a shadow of a spearman emerged in the darkness. Taking his place, the spearsman began a rapid patrol of the surrounding area. Yu Hong quickly returned to the cave, crossed his legs to meditate, and began to replenish his consumed Inner Qi, while also calming his mind. The relentless attacks were a truly disgusting move by the Eternal Life Association. Two hours later, another explosion occurred outside. Yu Hong didn¡¯t move;he simply used the vision of the dragon lizards and saw the situation at the scene. The spearsman had one third of its body blown away. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t a living being. After resting for a while, its body returned to normal. Then, every two to three hours, an assailant would approach the camp, carrying special items. The spearsman tracked them down one by one, and they would self-destruct as soon as they were discovered. In the blink of an eye, three dragon lizards had been blown to death, and in the most recent explosion, the spearsman didn¡¯t make it. Its upper body was blown to shreds, completely dissolving away. It seemed the Eternal Life Association intended to completely crush Black Wind Camp, which had only one person left, with this method. Fortunately, the enhancement of the Black Mark also came to an end amidst these events. * * * Inside the cave. Yu Hong listened to the explosions outside with an unpleasant expression. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In the most recent explosion, another dragon lizard had perished. Now, only about ten remained. The radar could not detect them, and the dragon lizards were also encountering problems with their search. After all, dragon lizards bred too slowly. He simply ordered all the remaining dragon lizards to contract their patrol range. This move proved effective immediately. The dragon lizards, with their patrol range reduced, quickly picked up some traces. Only then did they manage to barely keep the mechanical bombs of the Eternal Life Association at bay. Inside the cave¡¯s basement. Yu Hong stared quietly at his left hand, where the crescent mark on the back of his hand still shimmered with a faint silver edge. Swoosh! The countdown instantly hit zero. The crescent mark on the back of his hand vanished, and seconds later, the crescent reappeared, turning completely silver. Beyond that, there were no other changes. Immediately afterward, a string of new instructions entered his mind. ¡®Moon¡¯s Call: also known as the Infinite River Technique, is one of the unique and superb skills that can only be learned by true disciples of Wuji Palace.¡¯ ¡®Secret Technique effects: After successful cultivation, the technique will endow the Cultivator with an illusory river flowing with their own Spiritual Energy. After filling the river with vast Inner Qi, derivative effects can be produced.¡¯ ¡®Effect one: The Spiritual Energy river can instantly strike the opponent¡¯s consciousness. The more Inner Qi in the river, the greater the power.¡¯ ¡®Effect two: The Cultivator can selectively merge the spirits of the opponents they have killed into the river. When needed, these opponents can be summoned to fight for the Cultivator. The number of opponents that can be merged depends directly on the strength and size of the river itself.¡¯ ¡°This is basically the original Infinite River Technique, aside from the name ¡®Moon¡¯s Call¡¯¡­¡± Yu Hong was lost for words. This Secret Technique, obtained directly by enhancing the Moon God bloodline¡¯s summoning privilege, came already initiated automatically. It actually saved Yu Hong a great deal of energy and time. With a thought, in front of him in the middle of the cave, a transparent, strange fluctuation slowly emerged in the air. It had no shape, invisible contours, and Yu Hong could only sense a slight presence. He reached out and touched it, feeling an icy, ribbon-like stream of water. He didn¡¯t know from where it flowed, nor where it was headed. He could only feel it appearing in the air before him, flowing ceaselessly. ¡®Now, to infuse it with Inner Qi.¡¯ At the thought from Yu Hong, Inner Qi from within him surged into the stream like a breached dam. The Inner Qi kept flowing without end. Ten minutes, twenty minutes, over half an hour. Gradually, Yu Hong began to sense a frigid stream coursing before him, circulating. One end of the stream linked to the void behind him, moving with him. The other end connected to the silver crescent on his left hand, also moving with his actions. As the Inner Qi poured madly into it, Yu Hong infused all of his Inner Qi. His Dantian was empty, not a trace left inside. Finally, after another ten minutes or so, an odd sensation emerged in his mind. He suddenly realized that his Heavenly River had stabilized and he could now merge a chosen opponent into it. The Black Mark promptly provided a timely reminder. ¡®Note: After merging slain opponents, the Heavenly River will continuously consume Inner Qi. More merged opponents will require more sustaining Inner Qi. Conversely, the more opponents you call on, the more power you will have. Note: The strength of the summoned opponent¡¯s power depends on your comprehensive understanding of them. The more you know, the closer the strength to its original level.¡¯ ¡°With only one quota, I¡¯ll have to choose carefully¡­¡± Yu Hong somewhat understood the mechanism of this Secret Technique and became excited. This Secret Technique perfectly complemented the lack of elite units in the Wuji Palace¡¯s nest system. The combination meant that just one Wuji Palace disciple could build a terrifyingly powerful army. Chapter 249: Secret Gray City Base. In the vast space beneath the parking lot, a group of figures wearing thick protective suits stood silently before three bodies lying on the ground. In the dim space, gray and black concrete walls surrounded them. The only light source was the safety lamps hung on the walls at intervals. Green safety lights, the stiffness of the corpses, the cold air moving with a faint stench. Together, they painted the reality of the base¡¯s looming demise. The crowd placed their hands over their hearts, mourning in silence. ¡°The temperature is too low¡­ We¡¯re barely holding on with just the standard warming measures,¡± someone spoke somberly. ¡°If we continue, even breathing will become a serious problem;some of the gases in the air will freeze and liquefy¡­¡± another person said, ¡°Yesterday, when I went out for the inspection patrol, I already felt some difficulty breathing.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no sun, the extreme cold, and the inevitable decrease of oxygen,¡± the person in the front spoke out. His voice was clear, cold, and detached;it was Zhang Kaijun. ¡°Does the research department have any solutions? We won¡¯t survive if this continues!¡± someone exclaimed in desperation. ¡°We have produced the oxygen equipment, but we can¡¯t achieve portability;there are too many missing components, making production difficult,¡± Zhang Kaijun replied. ¡°Can¡¯t we just put together a plastic bag or something?¡± the previous person said helplessly. ¡°We could, but plastic bags won¡¯t work,¡± Zhang Kaijun answered. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a clump of transparent plastic bags, giving them a gentle rub. Crack. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The once flexible plastic bags were easily crumbled into pieces by his gentle touch. Suddenly, the crowd fell silent. ¡°Starting now, we must strictly follow the low-temperature response plan provided by the research department. Every isolation room must maintain its electric heating pads running twenty-four hours. The nuclear power engine¡¯s cooling water pipes are insufficient to fight off the low temperatures across all areas,¡± Zhang Kaijun ordered. ¡°What if we seek refuge elsewhere?¡± a woman couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°In Aurora City, the number of people freezing to death daily is in the hundreds;they¡¯re also trying their best to implement warming measures. If we wanted to seek refuge in other places, most of us would die on the way from the Black Disaster,¡± Zhang Kaijun replied. ¡°What about Mr. Yu at the Black Wind Camp?¡± ¡°The Black Wind Camp has been under siege recently;the Eternal Life Association has targeted them. The stone castle within the camp has been destroyed, and the living environment can no longer guarantee safety,¡± Zhang Kaijun continued. ¡°But if we keep this up, we won¡¯t last much longer,¡± the woman¡¯s voice carried a trace of despair. ¡°The Black Disaster keeps invading, and now even our weapons are becoming unusable. If the temperature drops even lower¡­¡± ¡°If we can¡¯t change the external, then let¡¯s try to change ourselves,¡± Zhang Kaijun said calmly. He turned around to face everyone. ¡°We will systematically transform into strengthened humans in batches. Only if we all become strengthened humans will our resistance to temperature greatly increase. At the same time, we will completely seal the only passage to the outside. The supplies we¡¯ve stockpiled in advance should be enough to sustain our current consumption for at least ten years.¡± His words stunned everyone present. It was known that becoming a strengthened human would reduce one¡¯s lifespan and alter one¡¯s temperament. But now, if they didn¡¯t adapt, they might not even survive to see the next month. In this light, becoming a strengthened human might indeed be the only solution. For a moment, everyone fell silent. * * * January 2023, Yu Hong gently marked the current time with his hand. It had been well over half a year since he arrived in this world. He set down his notebook and glanced at the silver crescent mark on his left hand, the newly strengthened Moon¡¯s Call, which granted him the privilege to select a summoning entity of his choice. This was a powerful Secret Technique obtained from purifying the original Moon¡¯s Call with the Black Mark, a technique from the Infinite Demon Palace. ¡®Less than half an hour has passed since the last attack;it¡¯s nearly time to head to the wooden bridge and quickly deal with this Black Ship invasion.¡¯ He suited up, rose to his feet, and scanned the entire layout of the cave. ¡®To deal with the lure attacks from the Eternal Life Association on the camp, there are a few methods. One is to enhance the camp¡¯s concealment and defense so that the Black Disaster can¡¯t detect it, and the Association can¡¯t pinpoint this location, followed by relocating afterward. The second is to deal with the Association individuals who deploy the lures beforehand. The third is to neutralize and counter the lures.¡¯ He opened the door with a snap. He stepped out of the cave, closing it behind him with a backward swing. Taking a deep breath, his feet explosively cleared a pile of snow beneath him. Seconds later, he was already on the other side of the cave, turning on the atomic lamp to illuminate the misty wooden bridge behind him. The wooden bridge was still old and grey, but the handrails on both sides had been improved by Yu Hong, giving it a much more formal appearance, akin to a dock or pier. With a breath, White steam spewed from the sides of Yu Hong¡¯s breathing valve as he stepped onto the bridge, walking deeper into its depths. He walked through the Black Fog and soon arrived again in front of the large, decrepit Black Ship. With a leap, he landed on the deck. The Black Ship slowly pulled away from the dock and sped away through the wide, black river, disappearing into the distant Black Fog. The ship rocked and swayed in the black waters. After traveling for over ten minutes, the fog ahead finally cleared. A grey and white stone dock loomed into view. Behind the dock stretched a vast expanse of grey and white rocky terrain, resembling an island composed entirely of stone. Quiet, with fog enveloping it, surrounded by black waters, it lay empty without a soul in sight. Thump. The Black Ship gently docked, bumping against the wooden piles. Yu Hong deftly jumped down from the Black Ship, landing on the dock¡¯s hard rocky surface. He knelt and touched the ground. The surface was jagged and coarse, like countless grains of sand cemented in place, immovable;it was somewhat abrasive to the touch. He stood and took a few steps forward. To his right, there was a sign in the ground. ¡®Prison Island¡¯ The sign was metallic, with a yellowish background, its edges missing large chunks of flaking paint, revealing a brown undercoat. The three characters of Night Text emitted from the translator, causing Yu Hong to pause mid-step. ¡°Prison? A place where something is detained?¡± He frowned slightly. Continued walking forward. The fog ahead dispersed. More than ten meters away on the island, a massive gray-black high wall blocked his path. To the sides of the high wall, it extended into the fog, with no visible end. Above, the top was equally out of sight, as if limitless. Yu Hong carefully sensed his surroundings to confirm the absence of any living creatures, then approached the high wall. Walking up to the wall, he stretched out his hand and gently touched its surface. Rough, cold, hard¡ªa very ordinary feeling of stone relayed back to his mind. He lifted his hand then brought it to his nose to sniff, but there was no smell. Thump. Suddenly, Yu Hong clenched his fist and punched the wall. His fist struck the wall forcefully, knocking loose a scattering of stone debris, but that was all. The hardness of the wall far exceeded his expectations;besides leaving a shallow fist imprint, there was no other change. ¡°We must find the origin, resolve the core of this island, otherwise the erosion of the bridge by the Array won¡¯t stop.¡± Yu Hong looked left and right, then forcefully pushed off his feet, accelerating quickly to the left. The sound of rushing wind continuously buzzed in his ears. Ahead in the thin fog, the high wall kept stretching, as if it had no end. After running non-stop for five minutes, Yu Hong paused. ¡°If I keep running like this, and if I still can¡¯t find an edge, it will be troublesome returning¡­¡± He scanned the surroundings once more, verifying the emptiness and silence, then refocused his attention on the high wall. His gaze wandered along the wall, searching for clues. Soon, he noticed a small black window situated more than thirty meters up the wall. The window was round, looking from below upwards, it was hard to see clearly what was inside. Yu Hong looked around, then grabbed the rough surface of the high wall with his palm, and the spikes on the heels of his boots shot out with a hiss, piercing slightly into the wall. Then, he slowly climbed upwards, inching closer to the window. Although it seemed possible to reach it with a single jump, Yu Hong still chose to approach slowly and observe. Bits of stone powder were clawed out by his fingers, falling downwards. Two minutes later, Yu Hong reached just below the round window. Snap. He grabbed the edge of the window with his right hand, leveraging himself upward, slowly shifting his view to look inside. Within the window, a thick, blurred piece of glass was installed. Inside the glass, already covered with white ash and grime, he could barely make out a room. A simple, prison-like room. Dark, empty, a row of rusted black metal bars formed the prison door. The door faced the window directly. Through the prison door, one could see a gloomy, horizontal prison corridor. Thud-thud. Yu Hong reached out and knocked on the glass, attempting to smash it with force. However, strangely enough, his powerful current strength, even when increased, could not break the glass. After several consecutive strikes, even using his Inner Qi and confirming that it couldn¡¯t be shattered, he turned to check elsewhere. Thud-thud. Suddenly, someone inside the window was also knocking on the glass. Yu Hong was taken aback and moved closer again, looking through the glass. A pale face with disheveled hair appeared on the inside of the window, exhibiting an expression of urgency. The other person was also knocking on the glass, seemingly mouthing something, but no sound could be heard. Yu Hong touched his translator, but this time, the translator gave no response. He ran his hand along the edges of the glass window, trying to find a gap, but unfortunately, the window¡¯s edges were tightly sealed, seamlessly integrated. ¡°Hey, can you hear me?¡± Yu Hong shouted against the glass. But the person on the opposite side shook their head, pointing to their own ears showing they couldn¡¯t hear anything. Yu Hong glanced at the detector on his collar;the value was only a couple hundred, clearly inadequate for the bridge that could erode the base¡¯s Array. If the Red Value was so low, the Array wouldn¡¯t be eroded so easily. Obviously, this person was not the source. He thought for a moment, then continued to climb upward. Passing the round window, all the way up. The knocking sounds were quickly left behind. Upward, upward, upward. Yu Hong didn¡¯t stop for a second, his speed increasing, ascending higher and higher. He didn¡¯t know how much he had climbed, only feeling that looking down to the fog beneath revealed an endless sea of black clouds. Continuing to climb. He refused to believe this wall had no end at all. After climbing several hundred meters more, finally, another window appeared on the wall to the right and above. The window was the same circular shape. Yu Hong moved over to it, checking the detector. ¡°-1232.441¡± The Red Value was over a thousand. This signaled to him that his direction was correct. Reaching the window, he peered through the grimy, dirty glass and looked inside. Chapter 250: Secret 248 Within the window, there was a narrow bedroom. Gray bedding, pale yellow wooden cabinets, a wall adorned with wilted flower baskets. A long-haired girl in a black dress sat on the bed, hugging her knees and burying her face into them, motionless. Thump, thump, thump. Yu Hong knocked on the glass. The girl remained motionless, without any reaction. So, he knocked harder. Thump, thump, thump. Still, the girl did not react. Yu Hong took a deep breath and circulated his Inner Qi through his right arm. He clenched his fist and smashed it forward. Bang!! This strike, imbued with the burst of Inner Qi, sent the impact force soaring to several dozen tons. The glass window emitted a dull thud but, eerily, not even a single crack appeared. Yu Hong exhaled and stopped looking at the window where the girl was. He continued to look upward. Boom!! Just then, the glass window violently shook, and inside it a pale, delicate face of a girl appeared. She was smiling, pressed against the glass, her deep green eyes filled with humor as she gazed at Yu Hong. The immense pressure slowly began to distort her face, but the girl kept her gaze fixed on Yu Hong, unmoving. Such a stare made Yu Hong feel a hint of discomfort. He observed the girl¡¯s twisted face and suddenly raised his fist and struck again. Bang!! The tremendous impact harshly collided with the window, causing the glass to tremble fiercely and pushing the girl¡¯s face slightly back. After doing this, Yu Hong no longer paid attention to her but quickly continued to climb upward. Soon, he saw another window with an empty room inside, no one there. As he kept elevating, windows kept passing by him. Most of these windows held individuals who looked normal, but their mental consciousness seemed off. He tried communicating with them multiple times, but ultimately, it was all in vain. This repetition continued until, after passing the sixteenth window, an old crack appeared in the wall above him. Yu Hong stopped. He was well aware of the astonishing hardness of this tall wall, so he understood how difficult it must be to leave a crack on it. A piece of paper was stuck within the crack. Yellowed and creased paper. As it rustled, Yu Hong reached out to pry it out and unfolded it. On it was a line of sloppy writing in Night Text. ¡°Find the star, and you will answer everything, obtain everything¡­ and completely escape from the Black Disaster, escape from despair¡­.¡± ¡°I have found half, but there¡¯s no time left for the rest¡­¡± Below were some jumbled characters, indecipherable as actual text or random doodles. At the bottom, there was a line of small text. ¡°Beyond this wall is another world facing the same despair;I thought I had found redemption, found hope, but unfortunately¡­ everyone¡¯s plans failed, there was never a chance of success from the beginning¡­. all, everything, was doomed to destruction, to disappearance¡­.¡± Yu Hong frowned as he read the paper through a translator, comparing it to the information he had acquired before. He suddenly felt that the handwriting on the paper seemed to contain a faint, familiar aura. This aura, he had felt it a little from the Daoist Scriptures of the True Origin Sect before. ¡®These two seem to have the same origin¡­.¡¯ ¡®The Black Ship¡¯s wooden bridge seems to be their handiwork, so it makes sense that their message appears here. As I could come here through the Black Ship, they must have been here too. But¡­.¡¯ Yu Hong¡¯s brow furrowed, he pocketed the paper, and continued climbing upward. He needed to hurry before the Black Ship might leave;otherwise, waiting for another round to return would be necessary. Yu Hong realized there are clues about that mysterious star here, and also discovered traces of the True Origin Sect. He was very interested in the True Origin Sect. As it was the first force he had seen that could confront the Black Disaster for a long time without itself wavering. Although the Yishan civilization left behind things like luminous stones to counter, compared to the True Origin Divine Light of the True Origin Sect, which could stabilize and support a safe space for many years even after all the people died. This showed its might. Additionally, it seemed that the Black Ship¡¯s wooden bridge was also associated with them. Yu Hong pondered if he could find the method to control the Black Ship, the threat of Black Wind Camp could be dealt with easily. The Array would be unburdened. He continued to climb upward, but this time he hadn¡¯t climbed for long before he faintly heard a deep growl emanating from the wall above. Yu Hong slowed down, adjusted his breathing, and looked upward. Black Fog was dispersing above, only allowing him to see about twenty meters higher. Yu Hong focused his gaze, filled his body with Inner Qi, and heightened his perception to the maximum. Whoosh! Suddenly, a massive black shadow pounced down from directly above. The shadow charged at Yu Hong like a high-speed train, aiming to knock him straight down. In the nick of time, Yu Hong leaped to the left, releasing his hands and shifting several meters sideways, then re-anchored his feet into the wall, avoiding the collision. Hiss! He quickly turned back and finally saw clearly what was attacking him. It was a creature, half clinging to the wall like a gecko, black and massive. The monster¡¯s body was covered in various pustules, with only one golden eye on its head, and its limbs were sharp black spikes. It clung to the wall like a large patch of black slime. ¡°Not bad speed¡­ but not quite enough to get me!¡± Yu Hong took a breath, the Thunderbolt Leg Technique activated, and he suddenly let go from the wall and dropped. The sound of the wind whistled rapidly past his ears. The detector he carried also began to change rapidly. As the monster actually followed closely behind, speeding down the stone wall after him. Accompanying the monster¡¯s rapid movement, its body, over thirty meters long, eerily transformed into a black smoky mass, insubstantially rushing towards Yu Hong. Puff. Yu Hong managed to grab onto the stone wall in time, his Inner Qi covering his whole body and lighting up with white light, and he swung his fist upward. Bang!! His fist, enveloped in white light, hit the monster transformed into Black Fog. The two collided with a muffled sound. Yu Hong, who had faced Black Disaster before, had found his Inner Qi nearly invincible in enhancing his strength. But this time, the sensation of his punch connecting was very bizarre. As soon as his fist touched the opponent, a series of noisy, deafening voices abruptly filled his ears. ¡°Agrius!¡± ¡°Dragon of Xianglv, the Divine Decay Bloodline!¡± ¡°The Great Immortal, undying and eternal, forever as one!¡± ¡°Immortal Strong Wall Warden¡ªAgrius!¡± Countless voices repeated this chant, as if singing a hymn. Crack. In an instant, streaks of golden lightning flashed from the Black Fog transformed monster, striking Yu Hong as he threw his punch. Hiss hiss hiss! The dense lightning instantly turned him into a golden light bulb. The electric current stimulated his Inner Qi to automatically defend, and pure white Inner Qi flames shot up into the sky, directly confronting this sudden burst of golden lightning. Boom!! Yu Hong plummeted rapidly, enduring the electric shocks with difficulty and continuously grasping the walls to decelerate. At last. Boom! On the island¡¯s ground, the rocks violently collapsed and shattered. Yu Hong crashed heavily into a deep pit, and then¡­ ¡®Kill!!¡¯ Suddenly, a streak of white light like a shooting star surged from the deep pit, charging towards the approaching Black Fog monster. The white flames and the golden lightning collided, rapidly consuming each other. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A few moments later, the Black Fog solidified, transforming back into the monster. It was unscathed except for a bloodied, shredded wound on one of its front claws. Yu Hong stepped back several paces, his body emerging from the white flames. His expression was grave as he stared intently at the opponent. ¡®Power was strangely countered by something¡­ Plus, that golden lightning consumes too much Inner Qi.¡¯ He recalled the voices he had heard, the Immortal Strong Wall Warden, Agrius¡­ ¡®If those voices were real, then maybe defeating this guy could solve the core problem of this place!¡¯ Feeling certain, Yu Hong took a deep breath, the white flames on his body suddenly surged. ¡®Try again!¡¯ He vanished in an instant, delivering a fierce kick to the side of the monster. The Thunderbolt Leg Technique, like a battle-axe, slashed horizontally across the monster¡¯s waist. Boom! As he watched this leg strike release hundreds of tons of force, poised to hit Monster Agrius. At that moment, a faint layer of golden lightning rapidly appeared on Agrius¡¯s surface. The golden light swiftly annihilated the Inner Qi and also significantly weakened the exaggerated impact force exerted by Yu Hong. Yu Hong, naturally exerting hundreds of tons of force, was now reduced to a tenth, merely a few dozen tons. A light kick on the monster merely burst a few blackish-yellow pustules leaking revolting viscous fluid, then had no further effect. Instead, the monster¡¯s tail swung like a giant python¡¯s, creating a sonic boom that struck Yu Hong¡¯s waist in a flash. Boom!! Yu Hong felt as though he was thrown up into the clouds, tumbling through the air. Everything in his sight was spinning, trembling. Waves of intense pain came from his body, strength seeming to rapidly drain from the sore spots. ¡°That hit hard!¡± He gritted his teeth and reached out to grab the ground. Both palms carved deep gullies, creating resistance. Rolling over to stand up, Yu Hong barely steadied himself before he sensed a dark shadow pouncing directly at him. Boom! His entire body¡¯s Inner Qi burst into flames, his hands rapidly forming seals, using Thunderbolt Transformation instantly. Brilliant white Inner Qi quickly wove behind him into a four-meter-tall half-human form. Roaring flames of Inner Qi covered the figure¡¯s surface. Kill!! Yu Hong roared, and the Condensing Water Technique operated at the same time, covering his hands, and together with the figure, he punched at Monster Agrius. The punch hit the monster¡¯s swinging right claw. Golden lightning flashed, Inner Qi flames on Yu Hong¡¯s hand were instantly torn apart, his entire body¡¯s Inner Qi began to be frenziedly consumed, and the erupted thousands of tons of force seemed to be unloaded by something, leaving only a tenth to hit Agrius. Puff! Yu Hong¡¯s arm instantly broke, and the rebounding force hurled him backward, rolling in mid-air before heavily landing on the rocky surface in front of the dock. He barely had time to be shocked by his defeat but quickly propped himself up with one hand, his right leg burst out with all its remaining Inner Qi, launching a heavy white light kick forward. ¡°Thunderbolt Five Forms!!¡± He bellowed as his right leg smashed to the ground like lightning. The ground exploded, creating a wide pit several meters across. With the huge reactive force rebounding from the pit, Yu Hong was blown backward, skillfully using the momentum to land on the hard deck of the Black Ship by the dock. Thud, Yu Hong knelt on one knee, rising to face the rapidly approaching Monster Agrius on the dock. Watching it rush to the edge of the Black Ship, almost boarding it as well, Yu Hong¡¯s tension peaked. Fortunately, Agrius did not board the ship but instead crawled back and forth a few times, then transformed into Black Fog and returned the way it came. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Yu Hong heaved a deep breath, relaxing for the first time and only then feeling intense stabbing pain in his right arm and left leg. ¡®Indeed, no one can guarantee a win every time¡­ I¡¯ll need some time to recover. Just not sure if the Daoist Scripture Array was slowed down.¡¯ He thought back to the recent encounter with the monster, feeling that the golden electricity on the monster greatly countered his own Inner Qi. ¡®Next time, I¡¯ll need to find a way to handle that golden arc¡­ The weakening effect was too drastic¡­¡¯ Chapter 251: The Secret The Black Ship slowly left Prison Island. Yu Hong sat on the deck, his Inner Qi continuously flourished along with the Dao Breath Circulation, rapidly generating new blood, flesh, and bone cells as white light emanated from his Inner Qi, forcing itself on the damaged parts of his body. Soon, he felt much better but upon lifting his hand to look, he realized it was just an illusion. His arm healed incorrectly due to the accelerated healing by Inner Qi, resulting in disjointed bones. It looked somewhat deformed. ¡°Agrius¡­Prison Island¡­ It seems this place needs a thorough investigation. What exactly is that golden lightning?¡± Yu Hong sat cross-legged on the deck, silently pondering solutions. However, with severely limited information, any method seemed futile. ¡°The last time I activated the Condensing Water Technique, I didn¡¯t extract any liquid from that creature. Either it truly has no liquids inside, or my power is insufficient to forcibly extract it.¡± Suddenly, he remembered the people he had seen inside the windows he had previously climbed past. They seemed somewhat neurotic, but with the right guidance, perhaps some information could be gleaned. ¡°I can¡¯t hear sounds, but if they¡¯re still rational, writing shouldn¡¯t be an issue¡­¡± Yu Hong had a plan forming in his mind. ¡°Initially, Agrius didn¡¯t appear;it showed up later, possibly because I climbed too high. Initially, I could have communicated with the people at the lower windows through writing to gather information.¡± Thump. The Black Ship returned, arriving at the timber bridge camp. Yu Hong limped off the boat and followed the timber bridge back to the camp¡¯s rear, sensing the Array¡¯s imprints in his mind. Sure enough, the load on the Array had lightened somewhat. If the previous load was ten, it was now only seven. ¡°It seems my earlier actions drained some of Agrius¡¯s power on Prison Island. Although not much¡­but it will need at least a few days to recover, which gives me some time to heal.¡± Enduring the pain, he returned to the camp¡¯s cave. Yu Hong firmly closed the door and exhaled. He flopped onto a chair and removed his suit. The reinforced lizard suit was tattered and worn, hardly making a difference whether worn or not. He threw the suit on the ground, took off the rest of his clothes except for his shorts, stood up, and inspected his injuries. Both legs had fractures of varying degrees, especially the right leg, which had a noticeable indent in the shin. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Although I lack medical knowledge, if healing continues like this, I¡¯m sure to have bodily balance issues¡­¡± Yu Hong looked at the fractures on his legs, pondered for a moment, then sat down on the ground. Using his only uninjured left hand, he drew two lines on the ground with a charcoal pencil. Then, he began to gently probe the injured areas with his palm. Having circulated his Inner Qi for so long, he was quite familiar with the structure of his bones and muscles. Feeling the flow of Inner Qi, he soon identified the areas where the Inner Qi was blocked or delayed. Then¡­ Crack. He suddenly tore apart the recently healed fracture, endured the severe pain, aligned and fitted the two bone ends together like assembling blocks. After fixing that, he proceeded with the other leg and his right arm. Fortunately, his bones were hard and resilient, and the fractures were not comminuted, requiring no debris removal. By the time he finished with all his injuries, he was drenched in sweat and his face was pale. Sweat soaked a large patch of ground beneath him, leaving a clear imprint. Boom! Boom! Heavy thudding sounds came from outside again;the Black Disaster had begun anew. But by now, Yu Hong had neither the energy nor the spirit to check;he just glanced at the two imprints in his mind. The Array had been activated, starting to counter the invading Black Disaster. The lair continued diligently breeding dragon lizards. After checking, he collapsed onto the ground, falling into a deep, groggy sleep. Outside the gate, noises from elephant worms, Multi-eyed Birds, Withered Women, and various other creatures of the Black Disaster mingled together, relentlessly approaching the camp¡¯s Array. The Array, transformed into transparent crows rising from the ground, relentlessly slowed, ignited, and obliterated the Black Disaster. The enhanced version of the Wind and Fire Slaughter Spirit Array, seemingly precarious, was now exhibiting unimaginable resilience, continually recovering and attacking. * * * As Yu Hong fell into a deep sleep, outside Black Wind Camp, within the dark Black Fog. A human-shaped creature, entirely black, was silently approaching the camp. The creature held a bag that seemed to contain white powder. ¡°This batch of bait should attract enough Black Disaster creatures to lure the Snow Demon to feed.¡± An electronic whisper emitted from the belly of the human-shaped creature. ¡°Personally, I think it might be better to have the executive department transfer this plan to Aurora City, their military power far surpasses that here,¡± a silent drone hovering in mid-air behind the creature suggested in a cold electronic voice. ¡°We were set for a comprehensive test anyway. Frica already tried once. Snow Demons aren¡¯t afraid of sunlight materials or luminous stones. After the Black Disaster, the Cold Disaster will be a completely different classification, requiring completely different countermeasures. I guess all of Aurora City¡¯s preparations will be useless against the Snow Demon and the upcoming stronger Cold Disaster,¡± replied the human-shaped figure. ¡°But the power of Inner Qi demonstrated here at Black Wind Camp appears to be a unique avenue, separate from technology, so the association asked us to lure Snow Demons here to try. The ceremonial uses of the Yingshan civilization are diminishing, and we must find replacements.¡± ¡°What if it¡¯s effective? What if it¡¯s not?¡± asked the drone. ¡°If effective, we¡¯ll capture the people and collaborate with the association for experiments, until the association grasps the true power of Inner Qi.¡± ¡°As for being ineffective¡­ do I even need to ask?¡± The drone remained silent. Indeed, if it had been ineffective, the Snow Demon would have already wiped out the camp. They continued moving forward, and soon, less than a hundred meters ahead, they could see the Black Disaster creatures that were besieging the camp. Clusters of crawling Shadow Black Bugs, flickering Evil Shadows, huge Multi-eyed Birds circling in mid-air, and some unknown flying creatures that resembled the Black Disaster. Large swarms of the Black Disaster surged like thick black tides, wave after wave, into the Array. Then, the Array burned them to ashes, annihilated them, and turned them into black smoke. The human-shaped being and the drone stopped, lifted the bags they were carrying, and then aimed towards the camp direction. ¡°Whooo¡­.¡± Suddenly, a pitiful cry came from behind them. The human-shaped being and the drone shuddered slightly as if disturbed by something, their bodies involuntarily put down the bags and turned to look behind them. Lines of Shadow Black Bugs brushed past their sides, seemingly unnoticed. Yet strangely, only they seemed affected by the sound. The human-shaped being¡¯s gaze sharpened, looking in the direction of the crying. Slowly, the fog dissipated there, revealing a beautiful girl crouching under a large tree. The girl had long hair reaching her waist, wore simple black shorts and ultra-short shorts with slightly torn black pantyhose. She was hugging her knees, sitting pitifully by the tree. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong. I clearly used a special secret medicine to reduce my activity, and most of my body has been modified. I shouldn¡¯t still be targeted by the Black Disaster¡¯s Evil Shadows!¡± the human-shaped being said gravely. ¡°This Evil Shadow seems a bit special¡­.¡± A confused voice came from the drone. ¡°Are you kind-hearted people passing by¡­.¡± The girl lifted her head, tears sliding down her pretty face to drip on the ground. ¡°I am so scared¡­. Save me¡­ I don¡¯t want to die¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s so cold here¡­.¡± ¡°Perhaps she¡¯s a modified person who wandered away from the camp,¡± the human-shaped being said hesitantly. ¡°My detector didn¡¯t go off.¡± ¡°That¡¯s possible. She must be a modified person with special cold-resistance abilities,¡± the drone concurred. ¡°Let¡¯s take her back. I want this girl for myself;she¡¯s quite pretty and would make a good private pet.¡± The human-shaped being nodded and led the way towards the girl, with the drone following behind. The two left the lure powder in their bags behind, taking the girl with them as they slowly walked toward the distant Black Fog and left. They disappeared into the darkness after a short while. About half an hour later, the girl¡¯s figure reappeared under the same tree, still sitting with her knees hugged, her pretty face wet with tears, looking pitiful. ¡°Who will come, who will save me¡­.¡± * * * On the LCD screen of the detector, the time displayed was 9:12. Inside the cave, Yu Hong slowly woke from his grogginess. He felt pain all over his body even in places that weren¡¯t injured, causing bursts of sharp pain. He sat up and looked down at himself. His abdomen, thighs, and arms, areas he thought were intact, were all covered in dense red scars. Like subdermal bleeding, these dark red fine scars covered his entire body. ¡°I¡¯m so badly injured¡­.¡± Yu Hong had slept, feeling refreshed. He tried moving his limbs and faced no issues, but there was still some pain, clearly requiring some time to heal properly. He slowly leaned against the wall to stand up, the Black Mark-enhanced White Bear suit he had set up before leaving already completed. The intact White Bear suit was resting near a wall by the furnace. ¡®Agrius is quite powerful. If I can¡¯t handle it soon, the Array might continue to suffer from erosion.¡¯ Yu Hong sat down on a chair and tore open two tubes of nutrient paste to consume. ¡®It looks like I should prepare a fallback plan.¡¯ He thought for a moment, squatting with one hand on the ground. ¡®Enhance the Black Wind Camp.¡¯ At that moment, he confirmed the coverage area in his mind, encompassing the entire camp. The cave, inner courtyard, outer courtyard, all the ground Arrays and the layer of soil beneath them. This was the full extent of Black Wind Camp in Yu Hong¡¯s mind. ¡®Direction: Add mobility feature!¡¯ Yu Hong silently recited. Suddenly, a black line flashed, surging from the Black Mark into the ground. Soon, a feedback appeared. ¡®Do you want to enhance Black Wind Camp?¡¯ A countdown automatically appeared beneath Yu Hong¡¯s feet, showing a dark red value the size of a washbasin: ¡¯27 days 17 hours 9 minutes¡¯ ¡°¡­..¡± Yu Hong silently released his right hand from the ground. A month was too long. If he wasn¡¯t currently facing any issues and was in a stable transition period, he might consider enduring a month. But¡­ the erosion of the wooden bridge could at most last a few more days before consuming all of the Array¡¯s defensive power. And once the Array¡¯s protective power was gone, the Black Disaster outside would enter unobstructed. Chapter 252: Secrets of the Hidden Four ¡°Still thinking about how to deal with Agrius¡­¡± Yu Hong silently shifted his focus. After some thought, he felt the current dragon lizard nest was not very practical. Although the regular dragon lizards had been diligently ensuring the safety of the camp, their individual strength was truly not enough and their numbers were also insufficient. ¡°Either improve the quality of individuals or increase the breeding rate to boost the total number¡­¡± ¡°And there¡¯s Moon¡¯s Call, oh no, it¡¯s Infinite River Technique, as long as I can handle a powerful enough summoning creature, perhaps I can resolve Agrius.¡± With this thought, Yu Hong stood up again, first went down to the basement, and took some bone-strengthening and blood-enriching medicines from the boxes he had exchanged before. Then he placed his hand on them. ¡°Enhance the healing medicines, focus on replenishing blood and helping bone healing.¡± Black lines flowed out, and soon a new countdown emerged on the surface of the medicines. ¡°2 hours 11 minutes.¡± Yu Hong did not add any extra requirements;he merely used these medicines as a foundation, setting the most basic requirement to extract effective medicinal properties and eliminate ineffective and side effects. With low requirements and no enhancement of medicinal properties, the time given by the Black Mark was quite cost-effective. After confirming the enhancement could be done, Yu Hong nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Indeed, this method works. Just treating the Black Mark like a foolproof, all-purpose alchemy furnace.¡± ¡°As long as the requirements are low enough, the enhancement time can be controlled within an acceptable range.¡± After confirming the enhancement, he got up and took a shower. When he changed his clothes and came back. Click. Suddenly, a slight explosive sound came from outside, as if something had burst. Yu Hong frowned, put on his strengthened polar bear suit, and opened the door. Whoosh! Just as he opened the door, a gust of extremely cold wind and snow immediately rushed in. Beep beep beep¡­ The temperature alarm of the detector went off, the temperature display plummeted from the indoor teens, plunged below zero, and quickly reached minus thirties, continuing to drop. Yu Hong stepped out and forcefully pulled the door shut. Outside, both the inner and outer courtyards had once again turned into a white expanse of snow and ice. He glanced at the detector on his collar. Temperature display: -79 degrees. ¡°¡­Old Zhou is probably not coming back¡­¡± This temperature was nearing the boiling point of carbon dioxide in the air. Any lower, and the carbon dioxide would solidify, likely cutting off the little oxygenation that was happening. The slight amount of sunlight each day would become useless too. Yu Hong sighed and began to inspect the courtyard. Soon, he discovered that the cooling hot water pipes that connected to the outside from the cave had burst due to freezing. The extremely low temperature had caused most materials to become brittle. And as the hot water inside the pipes lost heat and began to freeze, expanding in volume¡­ The combination of these factors meant the pipes had held up until now because of the Black Mark enhancement work had much to do. Although he found the cause, he couldn¡¯t fix it and had to wait until the Black Mark enhancement was complete before repairing it. At this time, the Black Disaster outside was also gradually dissipating, entering a period of easing. Yu Hong glanced at the Black Fog outside. It was somewhat strange that the Black Disaster had receded so soon, but its premature retreat was good, and he was too lazy to guess why. Returning to the cave, he rested briefly and started practicing the Condensing Water Technique. Two hours passed in a blink of an eye. Soon, the medicines on the table flashed faintly, blurred, and turned into a dark red elixir with a soft gloss. A palm-sized instruction manual was pressed underneath, which Yu Hong picked up and scanned. ¡°Bone Restoration Yuan Elixir: An essential medicine for Wuji Palace disciples when recovering from broken bones. Accelerates bone healing when taken, one per day, shortening the natural healing period by two-thirds.¡± Again, Wuji Palace, Yu Hong silently took the elixir, popped it into his mouth, chewed, and swallowed. It tasted almost like chocolate beans, sweetened with sugar. After taking the medicine, in less than five minutes, he felt a tingling sensation in his wounds, then hurriedly used the Black Mark to repair the water pipes for about fifteen minutes. Once he confirmed there were no issues with the pipes, Yu Hong then went to the separate small cave where the dragon lizard nest was located. ¡°The accumulation of dragon lizards is too slow. I need to strengthen this aspect. Since I can¡¯t ease the pressure from the Black Ship, I have to alleviate the pressure on the Array from other aspects. The more dragon lizards we have, the stronger the combat power against the Black Disaster, and the less Black Disaster the Array needs to handle.¡± Since resolving Agrius in the short term was out of reach, he had to delay to extend time. Standing in front of a dragon lizard nest that was taller than a person. The nest was a black flesh mass with a dark red crack in the middle, inside which faint firelight flickered. Yu Hong thought for a moment, then extended his hand and pressed it against the surface of the nest. ¡°Strengthen the Earth Pond Dragon Lizard Nest;directive: accelerate breeding.¡± A black line flashed and disappeared into the nest. Soon, the Black Mark inquired, and a countdown appeared: ¡°19 days, 5 hours, 9 minutes.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Yu Hong was at a loss for words;such a long time¡ªby then, the camp would probably have been destroyed. ¡°Change of plan¡­ Since the nest¡¯s breeding speed is too slow, could I add another nest, or maybe two, or three?¡± ¡°What are the limitations of the nest?¡± Yu Hong closed his eyes and sensed the imprints inside his mind. The second imprint was that of the Dragon Lizard Nest;the entire nest appeared as a huge white light spot, the largest formed by the fusion of Nine-Headed Dragon Lizards. ¡°The original dragon lizards left light spots in my imprint first, then I used nine light spots to form the nest. But now, the current dragon lizards have no light spots left. So, if I want to add more nests, do I have to repeat the previous process?¡± Yu Hong pondered. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The dragon lizards were initially created through direct control using the Black Mark;hence they had light spots. ¡°Then, can I directly use the existing dragon lizards to fuse into a nest?¡± With a thought, he controlled the nest and summoned the Nine-Headed Dragon Lizards. Then, through the nest, he indirectly ordered them to fuse. Hiss¡­ Suddenly, inside the cave, the Nine-Headed Dragon Lizards huddled together into a sphere, and soon their flesh began to melt and fuse together, gradually forming a familiar black mass. In the middle of the mass, a dark red fissure tore open, with faint flickers of fire visible inside. It turned out to be another Earth Dragon Nest! ¡°It actually works!?¡± Yu Hong¡¯s eyes shone brightly as he suddenly realized he had not fully tapped into the real potential of the Earth Dragons. After a few minutes, The new nest took shape, and a dragon lizard egg emerged from below with a ¡°plop.¡± The eggshell cracked and a small, mucous-covered dragon lizard crawled out. However, what felt wrong to Yu Hong was that this nest was now completely out of his control;he could no longer command it directly but only relay orders through the original nest. This back and forth increased the time required;a single command took more than ten seconds to execute, much less responsive than before. ¡°If each Nine-Headed Dragon Lizard can form a nest, it could quickly form a large army of dragon lizards. Command delays and roughness are acceptable. I knew it, Wuji Palace, a major force like that, wouldn¡¯t choose such an ordinary creature as a Daoist Soldier¡­ I simply hadn¡¯t figured out the right method before.¡± Yu Hong was in high spirits, and the pain from his recent injury seemed to diminish greatly. In response, the two nests bred together, producing two dragon lizards every five days¡ªmuch faster than before. After optimizing the breeding method for dragon lizards, Yu Hong boldly enhanced the previously produced lots of radiation bombs using the Black Mark. Although the radiation bombs were single-use items, as long as they could withstand the attacks during this period, and once the number of dragon lizards increased forming a quantity suppression, they could completely stabilize the camp and ensure the safety of the surrounding area. * * * At the Flirika and East River border castle. Inside the Eternal Life Association¡¯s conference hall, members in black robes appeared one by one. ¡°Today¡¯s meeting topic is about how to adjust the indirect guidance route for the Snow Demons,¡± announced the chairwoman¡¯s assistant on the main seat side, two masked black-robed women. ¡°Flirika, East River, Weylans, Free Alliance¡ªguidance routes for luring Snow Demons have already been planned;on average, each Aurora City lures two Snow Demons.¡± ¡°The specific routes require members to dispatch hands to maintain precision.¡± The two women reported progress alternately. ¡°The biggest problem with Snow Demons is that they spread easily and are very difficult to control;maintaining routes requires great sacrifice, doesn¡¯t the association have resources to compensate?¡± a small-statured old woman slowly spoke. ¡°There is no compensation,¡± the chairman responded. ¡°The Snow Demon serves as a test for Aurora City to determine which city could truly threaten the Cold Disaster and can genuinely support our future destined new city plan.¡± He paused, then continued. ¡°It¡¯s a test of potential¡ªBlack Disasters we can just barely guide, but the Cold Disaster is something we must face alongside ordinary people. If you all can¡¯t shift your thinking, the future will surely bring great losses.¡± ¡°The key issue is, once the Snow Demons are provoked and go out of control, they become unpredictable. We aim to create a new world, build a city that belongs solely to us, the new humanity. If everyone dies, what¡¯s the point of this so-called new city?¡± a burly man stepped forward and said. ¡°This is a destined sacrifice,¡± the chairman stated calmly. ¡°Everything demands a price;the greater the aspiration, the greater the cost.¡± He slightly tilted his head, looking towards a burly man in a black robe on his right. ¡°Seventeen, how are your preparations?¡± ¡°Almost done, the preliminary work for guiding the Snow Demons is complete, but two of my subordinates mysteriously disappeared;I suspect Black Wind Camp might have noticed something. They may have acted prematurely,¡± Number Seventeen replied. ¡°After all, the only Inner Qi Cultivator in the world, just like that multiple-enhanced individual from the Free Alliance side, both are unique globally, possessing some abilities we cannot predict,¡± the chairman nodded. ¡°So, shall I begin?¡± Number Seventeen asked. ¡°Yes, officially start tomorrow, let¡¯s see how much lethality Inner Qi has against Snow Demons,¡± the chairman nodded. ¡°Understood, directing from where the Snow Demons currently are, it should take about seven days, please witness this,¡± Number Seventeen spoke somberly. ¡°Snow Demons¡­ if we cannot counter the Cold Disaster¡­ we too will face the ultimate predicament, everyone¡­ for the future of the new city, for the future of humanity¡¯s evolution, for everyone¡¯s ultimate wish before coming here¡­ to survive the Cold Disaster, to find the final star,¡± the chairman spoke solemnly. ¡°Don¡¯t be stingy with resources, find more effective ways to combat the Cold Disaster as soon as possible.¡± He gently gripped his cane, leaning forward. ¡°Our time¡­ is running out¡­.¡± Chapter 253: Future Three days later¡­ Boom!! Outside the Black Wind Camp, another explosion resounded. Yu Hong sat in front of the surveillance monitors with an icy expression, watching the radar¡¯s depiction of the surrounding area. The screen was empty, and the heat signature from the recent explosion was quickly dissipating, reverting to its original state. ¡°Unable to detect what caused the explosion¡­ Does the Eternal Life Association have unlimited resources? They waste them so recklessly¡­¡± Yu Hong felt incredibly frustrated. He had been unable to catch the Eternal Life Association in the act;they consistently staged suicide attacks to lure the Black Disaster toward his position. The intensity of these lures was stable, yet strangely, despite knowing they couldn¡¯t breach the camp¡¯s defenses, the Eternal Life Association continued to incessantly summon the Black Disaster. They seemed to be accumulating something, waiting for something. Yu Hong got up from the surveillance room and continued to take the recovery elixirs he had enhanced. His injuries had healed considerably, so he visited the Dragon Lizard Nest once again. Another set of Nine-Headed Dragon Lizards had been assembled, and once more, he gathered a mass of the Dragon Lizard Nest. Now there were no dragon lizards outside, only three nests stood quietly in the cave, continuously absorbing the invisible energy from the outside world and gestating dragon lizard eggs. Watching the three nests, Yu Hong¡¯s face showed a glimmer of hope for the future. ¡°Just hold on, hold on for a while longer, and we can accumulate a large number of dragon lizards to sweep through the surrounding areas.¡± Despite the promising future, the continuous thumping and roaring from outside still soured his mood. ¡°Just a little longer.¡± He took a deep breath, returned to the first level of the cave, and switched on the communicator. After a series of fuzzy static, dialogue emerged from the speaker. Chen Yaofeng and Zhang Kaijun were exchanging information. ¡°Minus eighty degrees, carbon dioxide solidification, extensive pipeline cracking, the range of heating equipment in the city has significantly narrowed. I¡¯ve already reduced a large part of the city area¡­¡± said Chen Yaofeng with a deep voice. ¡°The groundwater has frozen solid, we need heat to melt it, but the natural dissipation of heat from the current nuclear-powered generators is simply not enough,¡± Zhang Kaijun continued. ¡°We must change our approach, otherwise, we all will die.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not even the most dangerous part. I¡¯ve also discovered a special gas in the outside air. The expert team has named it ¡®Blue Gas.¡¯ This gas is highly toxic, and those without breathing valves would, upon inhaling even a whiff, experience symptoms within ten to twenty minutes such as difficulty breathing, sluggish movement, and heart palpitations. Without immediate high-concentration oxygen rescue, it would lead to the cessation of bodily functions within a few minutes,¡± Chen Yaofeng explained. ¡°Yu Hong, have you joined us?¡± Zhang Kaijun noted the presence of Yu Hong on the channel. ¡°I¡¯ve been under constant attack here. I suspect it¡¯s a trap set by the Eternal Life Association to keep luring the Black Disaster to besiege my camp,¡± Yu Hong reported. ¡°There¡¯s no need to doubt;that¡¯s exactly what it is,¡± said Chen Yaofeng. ¡°According to the information from Flicka, Aurora City has experienced a similar situation. These Black Disasters being lured here are just bait deliberately orchestrated by the Eternal Life Association,¡± Chen Yaofeng explained. ¡°What¡¯s their purpose?¡± Yu Hong asked urgently, his heart chilling. ¡°To draw in a type of Black Disaster that¡¯s extremely difficult to deal with. I¡¯m unclear about their intentions, but combining all intelligence, it seems they are conducting some kind of test,¡± said Zhang Kaijun. ¡°The joint investigation team here in the East River has reassembled, pooling the best anti-cold equipment and weapons, preparing for another targeted operation against the Eternal Life Association,¡± Chen Yaofeng said. ¡°Yu Hong, do you want in? Your Lin Yiyi is also involved. The Eternal Life Association seems to be linked to her parents¡¯ deaths, and she¡¯s determined to investigate it thoroughly.¡± ¡°Can you handle the Black Blood People?¡± Yu Hong frowned, not answering directly but instead asking a question. ¡°It¡¯s not a problem to stay hidden for now. Someone from the Free Alliance has found the first of the Black Disasters that emerged from the Gate of Despair. They¡¯ve already begun preparations to close that particular Gate of Despair. We¡¯ve also found related clues and caught a slip from the Eternal Life Association about one of their headquarters¡¯ locations. The Black Blood People can¡¯t stop us,¡± Chen Yaofeng stated confidently. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Yu Hong¡¯s interest was piqued. ¡°Confident. Also, Yu Hong, you should be careful just like Aurora City with the Free Alliance,¡± Chen Yaofeng added. ¡°I will. Something doesn¡¯t feel right¡­ If the investigation team has time, remember to stop by here,¡± Yu Hong reminded them, indicating his support if they truly did uncover a lead on the Eternal Life Association. These repulsive individuals had recently compromised the safety of his camp significantly. Boom! Another explosive boom resonated from outside, the camp¡¯s Array was a head short of dragon lizard assistance, as air crows surged out in a frenzy, striking the monsters at the outer perimeter. But by now, the Array could no longer prevent the Black Disasters from entering the camp. Bang! Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The tall wall finally collapsed;the newly repaired outer courtyard wall couldn¡¯t withstand the pressure and had a section toppled. A mass of shadow creatures swarmed in, rapidly occupying a large portion of the outer courtyard. While the Array tirelessly resisted at full capacity, the dual burden of wooden bridge erosion and Black Disaster siege was too much to bear. He inhaled sharply, picked up a basket, and opened the door. ¡°It¡¯s started again here, we¡¯ll talk later.¡± The communicator shut off. He quickly stepped out, seeing the Black Disasters about to rush into the inner courtyard, and grabbed a radiation bomb from the basket, channeling Inner Qi into it. White light enveloped the bomb as the safety was removed and he threw it forward. The disk-like bomb landed precisely in the middle of the Black Disasters. Then¡­ Hiss!! In an instant, the invisible negative radiation erupted explosively, like a miniature sun, blanketing the surrounding area of over ten meters in the blink of an eye. The air twisted and warped. All the covering Black Disasters constantly evaporated, turning into a black pus that rapidly disappeared. In an instant, countless Black Disasters vanished like a piece of chocolate cookie nibbled away, leaving an empty area behind. ¡°The effect is quite good,¡± Yu Hong took out another radiation bomb. He channeled his Inner Qi and a white light lit up, as he casually tossed it out. Hiss! Another soft sound, and the radiation bomb exploded, a faint white glow lit up, becoming the only source of light within the camp. Yu Hong quietly watched it all. The freed-up Black Marks could strengthen many such radiation bombs, as long as they could gain time during the dragon lizards¡¯ breeding season, the situation could improve more and more. But¡­ The Black Disaster and Cold Disaster followed one after another, and the human living environment grew increasingly worse. The air even had an added type of deadly blue gas¡­ In the future, the future world, people might only be able to forever hide in underground environments with sealed and filtered air. ¡°Really¡­ I can¡¯t see a speck of hope¡­¡± He gazed at the Black Disaster surging in from outside, and a sudden inexplicable weariness filled his heart. ¡°Why¡­ Why has it come to this?¡± ¡°Am I not working hard enough? Why am I still living so tiredly every day¡­¡± ¡°Why does the world continue to deteriorate, thinking it has reached its limit, yet¡­ tomorrow gets even worse¡­¡± Yu Hong kept throwing one radiation bomb after another, easing the burden on the Array. ¡°Where¡¯s the hope for the future? Why am I living so hard, what¡¯s the meaning?¡± Yu Hong asked himself. ¡°The Eternal Life Association may know more secrets¡­ Otherwise, why are they still able to move freely outside now?¡± Watching the Black Disaster, feeling the extremely cold temperature from outside. Suddenly, a flame ignited in Yu Hong¡¯s heart. ¡°This disgusting world, this meaningless world, since I can¡¯t see any hope, why should I be so passive here defending the camp?¡± ¡°Why should I stay so stifled in the camp, waiting for others to attack me first before I defend myself?¡± ¡°I¡¯m different from the others. The world is not normal¡­ I can feel it¡­ I can do more¡­¡± The flame in Yu Hong¡¯s heart grew stronger. The bewilderment in his eyes slowly dissipated. ¡°The root of all this stems from the Eternal Life Association. From everything that could pose a threat, the Black Disaster, the Cold Disaster, the shadow, the Blood Tide¡­ They can¡¯t be completely eradicated, hence the war continues to worsen¡­¡± Gradually, he reached a critical realization. The changes in the Black Disaster and the Cold Disaster originated from the Gate of Despair and the Black Well, and the Black Well could very likely have been opened by the Eternal Life Association, so they were the original sin of it all. They may hold most of the world¡¯s secrets. ¡°It¡¯s all their fault¡­ Waiting for news from Chen Yaofeng, if we really get hold of the headquarters¡¯ intelligence of the Eternal Life Association¡­¡± He threw the last radiation bomb. The Black Disaster outside was mostly annihilated, scattered remnants were finally cleared by the Array, leaving just a sparse residue on the ground. Yu Hong glanced at the residue on the ground, put down the wooden basket, returned to the cave to change into his reinforced suit, and with steady steps, headed towards the wooden bridge in the back. His injuries had healed, and what he needed to do was to go back to Prison Island, to buy time. On the way, on the Black Ship, he mulled over how to use the Black Mark to strengthen a Cultivation Technique that could completely annihilate the Black Disaster. One inspiration after another kept surging in his mind. But each idea needed to be tested in turn. ¡°The most terrifying thing in this world is not the suffering, but not knowing when the suffering will end because the unknown also signifies infinity.¡± Yu Hong stood at the ship¡¯s rail, watching the gradual approach of the grey-white rocky terrain, and the metallic sign of Prison Island standing erect. ¡°I¡¯m in the third party¡¯s suffering, unable to foresee the future, not knowing how much further suffering awaits, passively responding to everything¡­ Only by living as others have designed can I survive, can I live on¡­¡± ¡°But¡­ that¡¯s not right¡­¡± Yu Hong¡¯s heart became ever more clear and lucid. ¡°I have the Black Mark, I have my own strongest trump card and reliance, so why should I live passively according to someone else¡¯s script¡­ Why¡­¡± ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I act according to my own thoughts¡­¡± Swoosh. He jumped down from the ship¡¯s rail, landing on the ground. ¡°Since¡­ Since the suffering of this hopeless future is destined to be without hope¡­ Since I can¡¯t see the hope anyway¡­ why not turn it into something I¡¯m more in control of and can predict, a kind of suffering I can bear and affect¡­¡± At this moment, Yu Hong¡¯s mind was clearer than ever, and with each step he took on the rocky ground, the solid, rough surface resonated and touched his feet. It also made him feel an unrestrained sense of elation. The Black Mark was very dangerous¡­ This he had known for a long time. Since it could strengthen techniques to protect himself, it could naturally also strengthen techniques that consumed and destroyed everything¡­ The difference only depended on how the individual chose to use it. Chapter 254: Future 252 Soon, Yu Hong stood in front of the gray-black wall, gazing up silently. Swoosh. He suddenly leaped, precisely landing in front of the window he had discovered last time. Through the round window, that man with the disheveled short hair and pale face was still on the other side. Seeing him appear, the man immediately became excited, beating on the window incessantly with his hands. Without hesitation, Yu Hong took out a sheet of paper and with a charcoal pencil, swiftly wrote a line of Night Text characters. He couldn¡¯t write, but he was able to copy directly from the translator machine. ¡°My name is Hong, and I am a traveler who strayed into this place by mistake. Who are you, and why are you imprisoned here?¡± The man seemed to understand and quickly searched the ground, soon finding an irregular piece of yellow wood. He found a red pencil and began writing rapidly on it. The wooden piece was quickly held up, facing Yu Hong. ¡°My name is Yang Chenhe, I am the incense master of the thirteenth division of the True Origin Sect. Can you tell me what the situation is like outside? How is the war between the Court and our Sect? Where is our Sect Leader? Has he returned? Did we win?¡± The man¡¯s last word was followed by three consecutive question marks, signifying his agitated emotions. Yu Hong was momentarily startled;he knew nothing of any war between the Court and the True Origin Sect. But more than being dazed, he was overjoyed! For it had been so difficult to find someone with whom he could communicate normally. In this strange world, most of the people one met in the black night were shadow or Evil Shadow. Dangers lurked everywhere, unpredictable and unpreventable. Regaining his composure, he quickly picked up the charcoal pencil and began writing on the paper. ¡°I do not know the situation outside, but I have been to a place¡­¡± He relayed the process of how he had previously obtained the Pure Yuan Spirit Stabilizing Scripture and the Annals of the Star River Taoist. As the man read on, his initially joyful expression slowly turned somber, then wooden. After reading Yu Hong¡¯s text, he was silent for a good while before, being urged, he continued writing. ¡°There is no defeat,¡± he wrote earnestly, ¡°The Star River Taoist gave you his annals, which is to give you hope¡­ You have inherited the Black Ship, which is the Savior Ship fully created by our Sect¡­. It can take you to any place where there may be hope. When the apocalypse comes, the Black Ship will lead you to a new land of hope. You may encounter danger, but occasionally you will also find hope.¡± ¡°What counts as hope?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ The Black Ship is a tool painstakingly created by our Sect. At that time, many major powers were looking for a way out in their own ways;our Sect was just one of them,¡± explained Yang Chenhe. ¡°What exactly is the True Origin Divine Light?¡± Yu Hong asked again. ¡°Do you know the Source Disaster?¡± Yang Chenhe countered. ¡°No¡­¡± Yu Hong shook his head. ¡°True Origin Divine Light is one type of Source Disaster¡­¡± said Yang Chenhe, ¡°Our Sect¡¯s founder, in an accident, communicated with the True Origin Divine Light Source Disaster¡­ Discovering that it could be used as a foundation for his own cultivation, he began to establish the Sect.¡± ¡°Divine Light is extremely dangerous, and the slightest carelessness could expand contamination, eroding everything around. Therefore, our Sect¡¯s founders pondered deeply and created a variety of Cultivation Techniques to restrain the Divine Light. Yes¡­ all of our Sect¡¯s Cultivation Techniques are for restraining the True Origin Divine Light, to suppress its overly powerful contaminating force.¡± ¡°So why are you imprisoned here¡­¡± Yu Hong calculated the time and realized it was almost too late, so he quickly asked his most pressing question. ¡°Because this is the Endless Strong Wall Prison¡­. To control the Black Ship comes with a price¡­¡± Yang Chenhe smiled. ¡°A price??¡± Yu Hong¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°Yes¡­ everyone in this prison was once a captain of the Black Ship. Each captain, after controlling the Black Ship for a hundred years, if they fail to find hope and stop, they will be imprisoned here forever¡­ The Dragon of Xianglv, as the warden, will forever guard this place¡­¡± Yang Chenhe replied with a wry smile. ¡°The Black Ship¡­ since it is so dangerous, why did you insist on becoming captains?¡± Yu Hong took a deep breath and asked. ¡°Because of hope,¡± Yang Chenhe answered frankly. ¡°Before the world was destroyed, we had no choice¡­ The Black Ship would randomly find different survivors within the Source Disaster, and both the Court and our Sect found new bases this way.¡± Yu Hong glanced at the time. ¡°One last question. How does one become a captain?¡± ¡°Kill the Dragon of Xianglv once,¡± answered Yang Chenhe. He watched Yu Hong intently, ¡°It seems your world has also reached a dead end¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Yu Hong didn¡¯t respond;he had already gathered the information he needed from this man. The last minute. He looked up, towards the approaching indistinct shadow in the black fog above. Agrius was nearing. ¡°Does that mean, all of you captains succeeded by defeating this thing?¡± he suddenly wrote quickly. ¡°What do you think?¡± Yang Chenhe smiled. ¡°How to defeat it? What is that golden lightning?¡± Yu Hong continued to ask. ¡°That is divine power,¡± wrote Yang Chenhe, ¡°Divine power can weaken 99% of all attacks, reducing them to one-tenth of their original power. It can penetrate 99% of all defenses, directly harming the main body. If you want to kill Agrius, you need to find a way to block divine power. If you can¡¯t find one, you can channel Divine Light Power, which is infinite and extremely dangerous;be very careful¡­¡± ¡°By the way, is there only one Black Ship?¡± Yu Hong suddenly asked. ¡°Of course not. Originally, seventy-two were crafted, but many were destroyed later, and the rest have gone missing.¡± ¡°One more question,¡± Yu Hong wrote quickly, checking the time. ¡°Do you know what a ¡®star¡¯ is?¡± ¡°Star?¡± Yang Chenhe was taken aback at first, not immediately realizing what this referred to, but soon, via the pronunciation, he seemed to think of something, and his expression changed drastically. ¡°Don¡¯t try to probe, don¡¯t try to understand, don¡¯t attempt to touch it! It was the source of the destruction of my world! It is the strongest plague, the most terrifying nightmare, and natural disaster!¡± He rapidly wrote frantically on the wooden piece. ¡°Forget it! Forget everything related to it!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Yu Hong didn¡¯t reply but nodded his head, then let himself fall. Buzz!! In an instant, the massive black Dragon of Xianglv appeared before him, claws raised high and slamming down with full force. Bang!!! Yu Hong raised his hands high, forcefully blocking the blow. Golden sparks arrived as expected, piercing through his polar bear suit and leaving red scars directly on his body. ¡°Kill!!¡± Behind Yu Hong, a half-human figure, over four meters tall, formed and ferociously smashed its fist toward Agrius. The second battle had begun anew. Ten seconds later. Yu Hong was thrown back, blood spurting from his body, landing precisely on the Black Ship¡¯s deck, gasping for breath. At the dock, Agrius lay on the ground, roaring angrily at the Black Ship. Howl!! Hiss! In an instant, water from the Black River rose up, condensed into a blade, and shot out, fiercely smashing towards Agrius. But it missed, as Agrius easily dodged by tilting its head to the side. Yu Hong propped himself up from the deck, leaning on the ship¡¯s railing, and stared coldly at the large lizard. ¡°Divinity¡­.¡± He recalled his conversation with Yang Chenhe and his understanding of the True Origin Sect had greatly improved. And the True Origin Divine Light, turns out to be such a special and terrifying power¡­ No wonder it has been able to resist the Black Disaster for so many years. ¡®There¡¯s also the final layer of the Condensing Water Technique, after completion, maybe I can consider cultivating the True Origin Sect¡¯s techniques¡­ Since the True Origin Divine Light is so powerful, maybe¡­¡¯ He had to admit, at this moment, Yu Hong was truly tempted. The Black Ship was a product of the True Origin Sect, and although he didn¡¯t obtain the cultivation technique of that sect, he could completely consult with Yang Chenhe, then use the memoir given by Star River Taoist to superimpose and strengthen it. Creating a cultivation technique wouldn¡¯t be difficult. Back at the camp, Yu Hong checked the Array. After this fight, a bit of Agrius¡¯s strength was consumed, and the Array¡¯s integrity had returned to about seventy percent of what it was before. It could last a few more days. So, every few days, he went to Prison Island to spar with Agrius, always returning with injuries all over his body. Delaying the time till the Array would be at full load. And now, three nests had started to hatch three dragon lizards at a time. On his third return from Prison Island, S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. while Yu Hong was healing, he turned on his communicator and received devastating news. ¡°Aurora City Number Three has collapsed¡­.¡± Chen Yaofeng¡¯s voice was somber. ¡°The canopy collapsed, the nuclear reactor exploded for unknown reasons, and I¡¯ve completely lost all contact with that place¡­.¡± ¡°The current temperature outside is negative 89 degrees¡­.¡± Zhang Kaijun said. At such temperatures, even if people wore the warmest, thickest clothes, without heating facilities, they wouldn¡¯t survive a day. And from Aurora City Number Three to the other two, it would take at least ten days by the swiftest light travel. They were doomed¡­. Snap. Chen Yaofeng turned off the communicator. Zhang Kaijun also exited the channel. Only Yu Hong remained, not exiting. He just sat there, the tens of thousands of people in Aurora City Number Three, all dead just like that. In such desperate circumstances, life seemed to have become nothing but simple numbers. He sat quietly. His Dao Breath Circulation trait automatically cultivated the Condensing Water Technique for him. One hour. Two hours. Three hours¡­ Pfft. Suddenly, a black, eerie pattern emerged on Yu Hong¡¯s body. The pattern flashed and was gone, lasting only two seconds before it vanished on its own. ¡®Condensing Water Technique has reached completion, trait acquired: night moth.¡¯ ¡®Night Moth (Regeneration increases by 75% at night, resistance to toxins increases by 100%).¡¯ The moment the notification sounded, Yu Hong¡¯s injuries began to visibly twitch, recover, and heal. He stood up, his palm opening, as black mist from the surrounding air gathered and spiraled, condensing into a diamond-shaped ball of qi that slowly rotated. The greatest takeaway wasn¡¯t the traits of the Condensing Water Technique, but the control over the black mist itself, which was his biggest surprise. At this very moment, his senses became acutely aware of the Black Fog particles all around in the air. They too were a vaporized form of the Black River water, another physical manifestation of the Red Value. Combined with his original Thunderbolt Inner Qi, which was a modified version from the Black Mark capable of absorbing Red Value to condense Inner Qi, Yu Hong now operated the Condensing Water Technique, manipulating a vast amount of high-purity black mist around his body. The Thunderbolt Leg Technique frantically absorbed the black mist, transforming it into Inner Qi, endless and boundless. Right now, the only thing that could limit his Inner Qi was the physique of his body. ¡®This is perfect¡­.¡¯ Yu Hong walked out the door. Lifting his hand towards the Black Fog outside. Hum. A faint white light swirled and lit up in the palm of his hand. Endless Inner Qi, as if costing nothing, furiously converged in his palm. Then, the Condensing Water Technique was activated. Inner Qi was rapidly consumed, starting to cycle. Red Value was absorbed, transformed into Inner Qi, prompting the Condensing Water Technique, further increasing the density of the surrounding Black Fog, and accelerating the absorption of the Red Value. This cycle made the Inner Qi within Yu Hong grow more and more abundant, more concentrated. His entire body began to emit white flames. Without even unleashing Inner Qi, just in its natural state, it ignited into white flames. Slowly, black cloud-like patterns began to appear on his chest and back. Countless Inner Qi furiously compressed and condensed, gradually forming into a liquid of higher concentration within his body. The liquid¡¯s flow accelerated, quickly burning into flames. From the inside out, it began to refine Yu Hong¡¯s entire body. The aura on his body began to strengthen bit by bit, and as time passed, it gradually began to emit a vast negative radiation. Chapter 255: Future 253 Snowflakes scattered. Yu Hong stood quietly in his spot, melting the surrounding area of over ten meters into water with the heat he emitted. Over ten minutes later, he slowly moved his body, the flames on his body disappeared, and the cloud patterns dissipated. It seemed as if nothing had happened. But that was just on the surface, in reality, he knew he had changed. The Condensing Water Technique had purified the red-valued Black River water around him, accelerating the transformation of his Inner Qi by more than ten times. This meant that as long as his body could handle it, his Inner Qi would be endless, and as long as the output of Inner Qi didn¡¯t exceed ten times that of before, he could have infinite Inner Qi at his disposal. ¡®Previously, the divinity almost completely negated my Inner Qi, forcing me to retreat. This time¡­ my Inner Qi has massively increased, and I almost can¡¯t use it up¡­ Agrius¡­ this time I want to see if I can deal with you!¡¯ Yu Hong felt extremely relaxed now. He was eager to face off against that big lizard. After changing his thoughts, he realized that the root cause of his misery was that he had been too kind-hearted before, so from now on, he decided to make them adapt to him, instead of him adapting to them. The control of the Black Ship was on that big lizard. Once he gained control, maybe the encroachment on the camp by the wooden bridge would be easily resolved. He could also control the Heavenly River and obtain his first summon. ¡®Another thing¡­ The Heavenly River is formed by injecting Inner Qi, and now, I can continuously pour my Inner Qi into it, making it grow ever stronger!¡¯ Feeling refreshed, Yu Hong immediately began to inject the excess Inner Qi into his own portable Heavenly River. The amount of Inner Qi his body could hold was limited, but the transformation was endless. Thus, the excess Inner Qi could continuously be poured into the Heavenly River, enlarging its volume. Now the Heavenly River could only accommodate one summon, but after growing more, two, three, four¡­ having more wasn¡¯t a problem. Pfft. Yu Hong, with surging spirits, quickly walked to the back of the cave and lit up the wooden bridge with an atomic lamp. He confidently walked onto the wooden bridge, and with a wave of his hand, the Black River water around him soared into the air and condensed into cloud vapors, circling and flying around him. He jumped onto the Black Ship, letting the ship carry him towards Prison Island. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After his breakthrough in strength, he couldn¡¯t wait to personally experience Agrius¡¯s divine attacks. Soon, Prison Island came into view. The gray and white rocky ground was still peaceful and tranquil. A mist spread around, and the surroundings were cold. Yu Hong took a deep breath, dropped an atomic lamp on the ground as a marker, and then moved forward with another lamp. Before long, he arrived once again in front of the endless walls. This time, he grabbed onto the wall and climbed rapidly upwards, passing by the windows without stopping, going straight up, accelerating. Ao! Suddenly, a shadow swooped down from above, slamming crazily towards him. Shua! The shadow flashed past Yu Hong, rushing out a great distance. ¡°Come on!¡± Yu Hong let go, dropping to the ground in free fall. He had just landed when a rapid surge of white silk threads shot out behind him, weaving into a four-meter-tall half-body figure. Black water rings wrapped around its arms, and it suddenly raised an arm, throwing a punch at Agrius. At the same time, Agrius didn¡¯t hesitate, landed, turned, and charged towards him. With a swipe of its claw aimed at Yu Hong. Boom!! The two arms, one large and one small, collided head-on. Before their fists even made direct contact, golden sparks and pure white airflow compressed against each other, making contact, and collided first. High-density Inner Qi and golden currents fiercely consumed each other. But this time, Yu Hong wasn¡¯t penetrated. Though a unit of golden current could negate more than twice his Inner Qi, It didn¡¯t matter. What he had plenty of now was Inner Qi! ¡®Heavenly River!¡¯ With a thought from Yu Hong, a semi-transparent river of Inner Qi, like a ribbon, shot out from behind him, tightly entangling Agrius. He seized the opportunity to throw another punch with his other hand. Boom! Agrius was bound by the Heavenly River for a moment, then got hit directly in the face. A huge amount of white Inner Qi struck its left side of the head, exploding like a cloud of white vapor. But the force of the white Inner Qi that was supposed to explode was instantly weakened to one-tenth. The huge impact was also reduced to one-tenth, hitting the dragon lizard. Thud! Agrius was violently shaken and was about to counterattack with a tail whip. But it didn¡¯t expect that the punch wasn¡¯t over. Inner Qi from Yu Hong¡¯s hand continuously exploded, crazily pouring into it, covering and suppressing the golden lightning on its body. Buzz! Amidst a huge trembling noise, the golden lightning on Agrius¡¯s body crackled and struggled. For a time, a man and a lizard were stuck in absolute deadlock. White and gold fiercely resisted each other, turning the physical fight into an energy drain, which was exactly what Yu Hong had planned. ¡®From the previous time I visited, each probe to the arrays on the wooden bridge weakened it once. Agrius¡¯s power recovery speed is definitely much slower than mine. After draining its power, the recovery time for the wooden bridge¡¯s encroachment should correspond to its power recovery time.¡¯ Ideas flashed through Yu Hong¡¯s mind like lightning, and he immediately applied more force, continuously draining the opponent¡¯s Inner Qi. Time slowly passed. He wasn¡¯t planning to return anymore, just to endure and deplete here. The Black Ship quickly left. One hour, two hours, five hours, ten hours¡­ Gradually, the once vigorous golden lightning began to weaken slowly. Ao! Agrius began trying to break free from the depletion. But Yu Hong grabbed its side of the head with both hands, holding on, unable to struggle free. Despite not being able to struggle free, its strength was still immense, as it started crazily ramming and rolling around Prison Island with Yu Hong in tow. Boom! Boom! Boom! The ground¡¯s rocks shattered, smashing into pits of varying sizes. The walls too were dented with shallow pits. Agrius struggled frantically, seemingly sensing its dire situation, its movements becoming increasingly agitated. Until thirteen hours later¡­ Boom!! The last golden lightning on Agrius¡¯s body was completely submerged by Inner Qi. It let out a painful roar and fell to the ground, unable to rise, covered by the invisible Heavenly River in an instant, then quickly faded, became transparent, and disappeared. At the same time. Yu Hong released his hand, his whole body ached, and he stood gasping for breath, leaning on his knees, feeling hollowed out. ¡°Finally¡­ done!¡± He mentally relaxed and was about to sit down to rest for a bit. Suddenly, the entire island trembled slightly, and a gray-white stone platform slowly rose from the ground in front of him. The stone platform had no decoration, it was just made of rough ordinary rocks, the edges weren¡¯t even polished. The platform was only one meter high, with a round groove on top in which a black boat-shaped Jade Pendant was placed. The Jade Pendant was strung with a black cord to create a pendant. Yu Hong reached out to grab the pendant and took a look. ¡®Prompt: Additional mental contract obtained, integrate into the Black Mark?¡¯ The feedback from Black Mark sounded. ¡®Integrate,¡¯ Yu Hong answered without hesitation. Facing such mysterious supernatural means, having Black Mark screen it first was naturally the most reassuring. Suddenly, the back of his right hand heated up, lasting two seconds before everything disappeared. The Jade Pendant also vanished. ¡®Integration complete, Black Ship Contract has been integrated into the Black Mark, automatic integration completed, transformed into Black Mark Imprint Three.¡¯ Suddenly, a new white spot of light emerged naturally in Yu Hong¡¯s mind. Now there were three spots of light in his mind. The first was an Array, the Wind and Fire Slaughter Spirit Array. The second was a Nest, the Dragon Lizard Nest. The third was the newly acquired Black Ship Contract. Filled with curiosity, Yu Hong quickly reached out mentally to touch the Black Ship Contract light cluster. Quickly, messages emerged in his mind like innate memories. ¡®Black Ship Contract: one of the Savior Ships built by the Orthodoxy, possesses the feature of randomly docking at different lands of vitality.¡¯ Savior Ship? Yu Hong sent out a mental command to summon it, intrigued. Soon. In the Black Fog at the dock, a huge, dilapidated Black Ship silently moved through Black River and with a bang hit the wooden piles, coming to a stop. ¡°This time it¡¯s much more convenient,¡± Yu Hong felt relieved. He tried several times to let it depart. Instantly, the Black Ship quietly left. After several repetitions, Yu Hong began to examine the Infinite River Technique. The Heavenly River still surrounded him, invisible to others under normal circumstances. Whenever needed, it could easily materialize to aid in combat. At this moment, Yu Hong could feel a super micro Agrius swimming slowly in his Heavenly River. ¡®It seems it was successful!?¡¯ He felt a bit surprised. He stretched out his hand and pointed at the ground not far away. Sss! Instantly, an invisible ripple flashed by, and the thirty-meter-long Agrius suddenly appeared in the empty space. Ao! Its body, like black viscous liquid, roared lowly at Yu Hong and then lay down, not moving again. ¡®Go.¡¯ Yu Hong issued a command in his mind. Agrius suddenly charged towards the high wall and slammed into it. Boom!! The high wall burst open a shallow pit, and stone chips flew. Agrius itself was also struck, scattering many black scales. ¡°Impressive!¡± Yu Hong stepped forward and carefully touched the other¡¯s scales. The hard, cold scales glistened as if wet with water. ¡°This is powerful! With Agrius, spearman, and combined with Dragon Lizard, we can completely suppress those previous Black Disasters in a short time.¡± The urgency in Yu Hong¡¯s heart lessened by a great deal. He felt the continuous drain of Inner Qi after summoning Agrius. It felt manageable, he could sustain even three more. He checked the time, until the Black Ship arrives there was¡­ ¡®Wait, I can now summon the Black Ship myself, why am I still waiting?¡¯ He suddenly realized. Once again facing the endless solid walls, Yu Hong recalled Agrius and climbed up. In a while, he arrived at Yang Chenhe¡¯s window. ¡°Congratulations, I saw everything,¡± Yang Chenhe wrote on the wooden board, his face showing a hint of complexity. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to actually accomplish it in the end,¡± Yu Hong nodded. ¡°I¡¯m now the captain, can I let you all out?¡± ¡°No¡­ Agrius is indeed the warden here, but what you took was just one of its avatars, an avatar is a test for newcomers, for captains, so¡­¡± Yang Chenhe shook his head as he wrote. ¡°An avatar!?¡± Yu Hong was taken aback, the slight joy that had just risen quickly faded. ¡°The captains detained on Prison Island, each has killed Agrius in a direct confrontation. So many powerful beings detained, and you think they¡¯d let someone weaker than them oversee everything? Do you think it¡¯s possible?¡± Yang Chenhe¡¯s reminder was very precise and pulled Yu Hong back from his good mood. ¡°I have a question,¡± Yu Hong said. ¡°Go ahead,¡± Yang Chenhe seemed in quite good spirits. ¡°Has anyone truly escaped the Source Disaster?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°The Source Disaster is an overwhelming force, unstoppable, wherever it goes, everything is doomed to destruction, extinction, oblivion. You can¡¯t escape¡­¡± Yang Chenhe shook his head. Chapter 256: Future 254 ¡°No hope left?¡± Yu Hong realized and his mood immediately turned heavy again. ¡°You can go up and have a look. The higher you go, the stronger the ship captains become. Maybe they¡¯ll give you a different answer,¡± Yang Chenhe said with a bitter smile. ¡°Okay.¡± Yu Hong took a breath, looked up, and channeled Inner Qi into his hands. Hiss hiss hiss! He climbed at an extremely fast pace, quickly heading upwards. One hundred meters, five hundred meters, one thousand meters! Five thousand meters! He soon reached the window of that neurotic girl¡¯s room again. The girl was still sitting on the bed, motionless, completely ignoring him. Continuing upward, Yu Hong passed window after window of varying sizes, only to see captains who had lost their sanity. Some were pacing back and forth, repeating the same action. Some lay on the floor muttering to themselves while others shook all over, foaming at the mouth, as if stricken with some disease. There were others who had suffocated themselves, long dead in their beds. As Yu Hong climbed, the windows he passed gradually contained no more living people. The rooms visible through the windows were left with only mummified corpses. One by one, male and female, most were lying on their beds, heads facing the window, as if they had still been hoping to leave this place before they died. After climbing for another ten minutes or so, Yu Hong gradually stopped seeing new windows. He paused and looked up. The endless wall still plunged into the Black Fog with no end in sight. ¡®How high have I climbed? Ten kilometers? Twenty kilometers?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t remember. Letting go with one hand, Yu Hong turned to look behind him. Behind him was the cold, rolling abyss of endless Black Fog, and beyond that, nothing. He didn¡¯t know how much longer he would need to climb to reach the top, but he couldn¡¯t possibly keep climbing indefinitely. Immediately, he let go and allowed his body to start falling downward. Thud. Every now and then, Yu Hong would reach out and fiercely grab at the stone wall to slow his descent. Descending was much faster than climbing. Soon, he was back at the lower levels, back to the window of Yang Chenhe. ¡°I¡¯m leaving. Is there anything you want to say to me?¡± he wrote on a piece of paper. ¡°All I want to say is, if you find a way out of this hopeless situation, remember to come back and tell me,¡± Yang Chenhe managed a grim smile. ¡°¡­If I can still come back, I will,¡± Yu Hong felt that the other had no intention of going out at all. He released his hold, landed gently, took one last look at the window, then turned and hurried towards the dock. This time, having mastered the Condensing Water Technique to completion, having resolved the issue with Agrius, and the erosion of the wooden bridge, the crisis at the camp was completely lifted. By rights, Yu Hong should have felt a huge relief. But after boarding the ship and looking back at the endless high wall, The gray-black wall bore countless mottled traces, and he could vaguely see Yang Chenhe at the window, waving gently at him. Yang Chenhe¡¯s waving hand suddenly clenched a dagger, and he lightly sliced across his own neck with one stroke. Thud. Blood surged out, soaking his collar and the front of his shirt. ¡°Teacher¡­ it turns out that hope was already gone¡­¡± He leaned quietly against the window, his body slumped against the wall, watching the departing Black Ship in the distance, without closing his eyes, his pupils just gradually losing focus. In the end, there was no pain on his face, only emptiness, an emptiness of lost hope. The faith he thought still existed had perished unknown years ago¡­ All turned to naught. ¡°This disgusting world¡­ this disgusting dead end¡­¡± Aboard the Black Ship. Yu Hong was expressionless. ¡°Perhaps, this world never intended to leave us any way out¡­¡± He watched as the island slowly receded, slowly disappearing into the Black Fog. The cold wind blew, and snowflakes scattered. He turned and walked to another side of the ship, waiting for the camp to arrive. * * * ¡°There¡¯s no more hope,¡± he declared. At Gray City Base, Zhang Kaijun, wrapped up heavily with a group of team members, stood in front of the base entrance. The base¡¯s heavy doors, thick enough to withstand tank cannon fire, kept falling with a rumbling noise, dividing the inside from the outside into two different worlds. ¡°Humanity has no more hope¡­¡± Zhang Kaijun said calmly, ¡°To barely survive until the supplies run out, that¡¯s the end of it all.¡± ¡°What about Aurora City? Aren¡¯t they able to do anything?¡± his deputy challenged unwillingly. Zhang Kaijun did not answer, but turned and walked towards the depths of the underground base, his heavy boots stepping with a thud. Beside him, lining the corridor, were the bodies of base members who had passed away, leaning against the wall motionless. Extreme cold didn¡¯t defeat them;what defeated them was a sudden outbreak of a new type of poisonous air different from before. Caught off guard, over half of the base personnel couldn¡¯t survive more than three hours. Some tried to flee the base crazily, seeking rescue from the outside. Trying to find Aurora City. But they didn¡¯t get far before they disappeared into the Black Fog, losing contact. * * * Aurora City number two. At the edge of an outpost outside the city, an invisible, blurry figure, silent with the snow, passed the outpost and darted towards the gathering mass of various Black Disasters in the distance. Evil Shadows, Blood Tide worms, and all sorts of Black Disasters were the prey of this blurry figure. It approached rapidly, but halfway there, it silently disintegrated and disappeared. Seconds later, within the mass of Black Disasters, an Insect man suddenly pounced on an elephant worm, tearing it apart in a frenzy. Not only that, all the surrounding Black Disaster swarmed the Insect man and elephant worm at that moment. Soon, the Insect man was overwhelmed and perished, but the turmoil didn¡¯t end;instead, the target of the Black Disaster¡¯s assault shifted to other entities. In less than several minutes, the Black Disaster group, numbering over a thousand, had slaughtered each other until only a few remained. The last few Insect men devoured each other, quickly disintegrating and turning into black smoke that dissipated and billowed up. After all was settled, an invisible distortion rose from the underground of the area, assembling into a transparent human shape. The human shape continued toward the next gathering place of the Black Disaster. And that place was closer to the district of Aurora City. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. * * * Black Wind Camp. Yu Hong stood in the center of the camp, the erosion on the wooden bridge had disappeared completely. The Array had returned to its original complete state. And they had gained a powerful summon like Agrius. Now, Black Wind Camp had drastically increased its strength. But there wasn¡¯t a trace of joy on his face. At this moment, the detector on his collar showed the temperature had plummeted to -92 degrees. The gas he exhaled quickly merged with other substances in the air, condensing into white powder that scattered and settled on the ground. ¡°This hopeless world should not exist¡­¡± He turned and went back into the cave. He activated the communicator, but the other two still hadn¡¯t come online, or perhaps they couldn¡¯t anymore. Such low temperatures put a great strain on materials. Most known materials and defense systems would fail at such low temperatures. And nearly all electrical equipment would freeze and stop functioning. He took out pen and paper and once again recorded his current experience with Inner Qi cultivation and the route of cultivation, creating a basic Inner Qi circulation system. Then, he placed the Pure Yuan Spirit Calming Scripture and the Star River Taoist¡¯s record book together on top of it, stacking them. Then he reached out. ¡°Strengthen Cultivation Technique, aim: to completely destroy Black Disaster, destroy Cold Disaster.¡± Yu Hong silently recited in his mind. All along, he had been strengthening techniques to protect himself, to preserve his own life. But he had never thought about taking the initiative to change, to attack proactively, to destroy everything. But now, he had come to understand a principle. ¡°Defending all the time only keeps one in a constant state of tension and fatigue, only by resolving all dangers in one breath and then resting at ease, can one truly preserve oneself with a Secret Technique.¡± ¡°Attack, attack, and attack again!!¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s humans, monsters, or Black Disaster! Those who dare obstruct my advancement shall be completely destroyed!¡± Looking at the stacked blue-glowing booklets, Yu Hong heard the feedback from the Black Mark. ¡°Do you wish to strengthen the Cultivation Technique?¡± ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s feasible¡­¡± He realized in his heart. Essentially, this was a test to see if True Origin Divine Light truly had the potential to destroy Black Disaster. And the result was affirmative. ¡°Countdown: 11 days 2 hours 9 minutes.¡± ¡°Confirmed,¡± Yu Hong calmly resolved in his mind. The countdown began, and he checked the time, before slowly walking towards the Dragon Lizard Nest cave. Boom!! Suddenly, there was another explosion from outside, obviously a suicide drone from the Eternal Life Association being intercepted by the dragon lizard mid-flight. Yu Hong paid it no heed, merely watching the rapidly breeding Dragon Lizard Nest in silence. Next, all he had to do was wait. The steadily increasing number of dragon lizards and the forthcoming True Origin Divine Light Technique might bring a glimmer of last hope to this world on the brink of destruction. Yu Hong simply sat down cross-legged inside the cave, settling on the ground. One day. Two days. Five days. Eight days. Ten days. The dragon lizards outside gradually regained their numbers. Beep beep. Suddenly, a series of horn sounds came from beyond the high wall. Yu Hong returned from his resting meditation and walked out of the cave. Outside the wall, a large armored vehicle, over ten meters in length and covered in camouflage, was parked on the roadway. Click. The armored vehicle door opened. A wave of heat emerged. Two thickly armored figures jumped out and approached. ¡°Mr. Yu! We¡¯re here as promised!¡± Xue Ningning¡¯s voice came from the first figure¡¯s helmet. ¡°Yu, Hong!¡± Lin Yiyi¡¯s voice was the second. ¡°It¡¯s been a while,¡± Yu Hong¡¯s stern face softened. ¡°Looks like you¡¯re doing well.¡± ¡°We are, indeed. We came out this time to chase down clues about the Eternal Life Association. Those bastards actually lured a War Level Black Disaster to attack the city!! Not just our East River, but Frica, the Free Alliance, all of Aurora City were attacked by War Level Snow Demons they enticed. Many died or were injured! Those madmen might not even be human, just wanting to wipe out all of humanity.¡± Xue Ningning¡¯s tone was angry and emotional at the mention of the Eternal Life Association. ¡°Are you certain you¡¯ve found clues?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°Definitely, to be precise, we¡¯ve discovered an automated factory supplying them with materials, and through the transportation routes, we determined the location of their headquarters,¡± said Xue Ningning. ¡°Can¡¯t we just drop a nuclear bomb on them?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°The launch device is frozen¡­ stuck¡­¡± Xue Ningning said with resignation. ¡°Besides, the Eternal Life Association holds too many secrets. The intent from all the major cities of Aurora is to join forces to conquer it, then capture and interrogate for secrets.¡± ¡°If you find their spot, remember to inform me,¡± Yu Hong nodded. He glanced at Yiyi. Yiyi, who had undergone corrective surgery, no longer had a hunched back. Her body was upright, her cheeks in the helmet were rosy like red apples. At this look, she was just a normal, even slightly pretty, young girl. ¡°Yiyi,¡± Yu Hong said. ¡°Give me your hand.¡± Lin Yiyi, puzzled, extended her right hand, which Yu Hong grabbed, turning palm upward, placing something there. ¡°When you encounter an opponent you can¡¯t handle, take it out and crush it,¡± Yu Hong said earnestly. ¡°Okay!¡± Lin Yiyi nodded seriously. ¡°Is that it? No other support?¡± Xue Ningning seemed somewhat dissatisfied at the side. ¡°It¡¯s enough,¡± Yu Hong smiled. If their investigative team had truly uncovered the Association¡¯s clues, then this time would be the end for that disgusting lot. As long as the address was confirmed, he wouldn¡¯t mind making a personal visit, to eliminate future troubles. Chapter 257: Searching for One Yiyi and the others soon left. They simply split from the main group, taking the chance to check on Yu Hong and leaving him with the latest version of the Black Disaster Rift map. Standing in the camp, watching the lights of the vehicle fade into the distance, Yu Hong gently pulled off his helmet and took a deep breath. The toxins in the air no longer had any effect on him. ¡®It seems the night moth trait is at work,¡¯ Yu Hong thought. He put his helmet back on, its primary purpose now being to act as a barrier. Direct contact with unknown substances versus contact through the suit, which provided some protection first, had naturally different safety outcomes. ¡°Almost there¡­.¡± Yu Hong glanced at the time. Whoosh! In an instant, his figure flashed, bolting out of the camp and into the surrounding Black Fog. Shadow figures began to appear, one after another, from the forest within the fog. Pffft pffft pffft!! But as soon as they revealed themselves, they were struck by jets of fire from the dragon lizard, ignited on the spot, and quickly turned into black smoke. Expressionless, Yu Hong completed a round about the camp, assisting the dragon lizard in clearing the surrounding dozens of shadows. Then, he changed direction and headed further away. Moo! A beast resembling a wild boar, covered in black armor, charged out of the darkness toward him. The creature, over five meters long and three meters tall, looked like a speeding minivan, loudly stirring the airflow as it lunged at Yu Hong. ¡°Agrius.¡± Yu Hong remained expressionless as a colossal shadow suddenly sprang up beside him. Boom!! The over thirty-meter-long Dragon of Xianglv thundered out, toppling the beast with a head-on collision. Aoow!! The Dragon of Xianglv smashed the creature, leaving a clear dent in its body. With a flash of golden lightning, the beast became paralyzed, unable to move, and could only issue pained cries. With a tear, the Dragon of Xianglv lowered its head, biting off a large chunk of flesh from the creature¡¯s body and swallowing it. Bite by bite, amidst the giant¡¯s wailing, the monster was completely devoured by the Dragon of Xianglv in less than ten seconds. Yu Hong took a step and leaped up, landing on top of Agrius¡¯s head, using it as a foothold as he advanced through the deeper Black Fog. Within the forest, hordes of oddly-shaped Blood Tide bugs and clusters of drawn Evil Shadows were annihilated under the powerful divine lightning of the Dragon of Xianglv. Pockets of Black Disaster were shattered by the golden arcs and turned into black smoke. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, the Black Fog teemed with countless Black Disasters, and after more than an hour, even Agrius, who had released divine lightning without restraint, began to dim. Yu Hong¡¯s thoughts stirred, and he immediately withdrew Agrius into the Heavenly River, then released it anew. Instantly, the divine lightning on Agrius¡¯s body returned to its former brilliance. Thump. Thump. Thump. Deep within the Black Fog, at last, a stalwart adversary emerged. Familiar, heavy footsteps approached from a distance. ¡°Black Giant,¡± Yu Hong said, turning his head toward the sound. ¡°Tear it apart. Agrius,¡± he commanded, standing still. The massive Dragon of Xianglv behind him roared and surged as black mist, rushing toward the direction of the sound. Yu Hong, left standing, had a slight chill in his eyes. ¡°Eliminating all threats is the ultimate safety¡­¡± He walked step by step in that direction. Boom!!! Suddenly, a loud explosion resounded. The Black Fog was blown away by the fierce wind generated by the collision, revealing the scene not far away. A Black Giant, as tall as a skyscraper with dark scales and an auburn scar on its forehead, was being charged head-on in the abdomen by Agrius, who had ambushed it. The Black Giant, over two hundred meters tall, dwarfed the thirty-meter-long body of Agrius. But at the moment of collision, it was the Black Giant who seemed to suffer more despite the apparent size difference. Its body was overrun with golden lightning that spread, climbed, and eventually covered it entirely. Black smoke billowed from its body. Aoow!! Agrius, in a furious roar, seemed to turn golden as countless divine arcs spread from its body. Charging headlong, it pushed the Black Giant back. But soon, the pained Black Giant managed to grab Agrius by the waist with a giant hand, lifted it high, and smashed it down. Pu! The moment Agrius hit the ground, it turned into a large cloud of black mist, slipped out of the grasp, reconvened, and once again lunged at the Black Giant. Blizzard winds howled, and snowflakes danced. The two colossal creatures collided and wrestled again and again. Even though Agrius seemed no bigger than a house cat to a grown man compared to the Black Giant, its release of a massive amount of divine lightning viciously sapped and suppressed the Giant¡¯s attack and defense. The divine arcs weakened incoming attacks, reducing them to a tenth of their strength. The offensive force, however, could penetrate any shield or defense and strike directly at the body. The Black Giant¡¯s scales were useless;each strike of the golden arcs left it wailing in agony. Pure strength and weight were meaningless against the vaporous Agrius. Instead, it was as if facing an opponent like Yu Hong, wearing it down with a massive expenditure of energy, that proved to be the turning point. Time ticked away. After roughly ten minutes. ¡°¡± The divine lightning on Agrius¡¯s body gradually weakened;after all, the Black Giant¡¯s physique was too large. Its attack was strong, but the damage dealt to the opponent was inherently limited. The disproportion in their consumption made it normal for one to falter at this point. But¡­ With a thought from Yu Hong, Agrius instantly turned into Black Fog, flying back to his side and entering the Heavenly River. Within the Heavenly River, Inner Qi frantically vanished, transformed, and replenished Agrius¡¯s body. The next instant, It pounced again, rushing towards the distant Black Giant in its prime state. Yu Hong stood silently atop a huge dead tree, watching the battle unfold. A continuous stream of Inner Qi transformed and replenished the Heavenly River. The combination of Cloud Sky Nine Palaces¡¯ Condensing Water Technique and Wuji Palace¡¯s Infinite River Technique indeed produced extraordinary effects¡­ ¡°It truly is worthy of being the top demonic force that once brought forth the Source Disaster and devastated the world. The combination of the two forces¡¯ Cultivation Techniques amplifies the effect far beyond my previous expectations¡­¡± Yu Hong watched as Agrius, restored to its prime, engaged in combat with the Black Giant once more. After repeated tremors, about ten minutes later, Agrius once again appeared weakened. So it returned to Yu Hong, refreshing its state. It went back and forth like this, time and time again. The golden electric light inflicted cumulative damage on the Black Giant, growing more and more significant. Finally¡­ After the eighth restoration to its prime and subsequent assault, The massive Black Giant could no longer hold on. It staggered, swatted at Agrius as if shooing away flies, pushing it away, then began retreating step by step, trying to escape the battlefield and leave the area. ¡°Kill him,¡± Yu Hong said in a low voice. The Dragon of Xianglv roared, turned into a clump of Black Fog, leaped up, and scaled the massive body as if climbing a high wall. In a few movements, it reached the Giant¡¯s face. Crack. It fiercely bit into the Black Giant¡¯s visage. The sharp serrated teeth penetrated the scales and flesh, tearing the Black Giant¡¯s facial scales and flesh, brutally ripping off a large piece. Agh!! The Black Giant roared in agony, fiercely punching its own face. Bang! The punch failed to hit Agrius, instead crashing into its face. The tremendous force, like a heavy artillery shell, made the Giant stagger and daze. Blood rained down like droplets. Yu Hong stood silently below, spreading his Inner Qi like an umbrella, pushing aside the black and red blood water. He watched as Agrius tore and bit at the Black Giant repeatedly until the behemoth crashed heavily to the ground. The wounds grew more severe on the Black Giant¡¯s body;its legs had bone shattered by the bites. Unable to escape, it could only thrash around on the spot, smashing the surrounding trees with its hands. Agrius returned to the Heavenly River for another recovery before continuing its assault. This time would be the last. Minutes later, The unfortunate Black Giant finally took its last breath and didn¡¯t rise again. Pfft! Its entire body softened at the moment of its death, turning into countless black fluids and evaporating into a black mist. Agrius frantically devoured the Black Giant¡¯s flesh and blood. But Yu Hong, witnessing this scene, was thinking of something else¡­ ¡°I wonder if the Heavenly River can control the Black Giant¡­¡± With a thought, the Heavenly River flew out, coiling around the whole body of the Black Giant. But soon, the Heavenly River¡¯s volume began to shrink rapidly, becoming thinner. And only one-fifth of the Black Giant¡¯s body had turned transparent. ¡°It¡¯s too small¡­ The Heavenly River is too small to contain it,¡± Yu Hong sighed with some regret, recalling the Heavenly River. If he could summon the Black Giant, it might give a tremendous advantage in many situations. After all, with its thick skin and strong flesh, it was an excellent super meat shield. It had a very effective attack against cities and large monsters. Black smoke billowed and evaporated, and soon, the corpse of the Black Giant completely vanished, leaving only a huge pit in the distance. Inside the pit was a ghastly pale skull, large enough to be encircled by a person¡¯s arms. It was a humanoid skull, identical in shape to the Black Giant¡¯s. Yu Hong stepped forward and gently touched the relic. ¡°Aurora City and the Black Disaster have fought for a long time, surely leaving many relics like this behind;too bad, I forgot to trade for such things with them¡­¡± He lifted the skull with one hand, stood on Agrius, and headed back towards the camp. Still on his return journey, Suddenly, a loud orange firelight burst forth from the direction of the camp. Orange-yellow flames formed a mushroom cloud, slowly rising. The huge firelight illuminated the area for dozens of meters around. The Black Fog was dispersed temporarily, as if everything had reverted to the moment before the Black Disaster spread. Yu Hong¡¯s expression changed slightly. He recalled Agrius, his figure like a lightning bolt, and in an instant, he reached the camp¡¯s outskirts. At that moment, the camp was a mess, blown up by the explosion, and in the center, the ground was left with a deep pit more than ten meters in diameter. Thick smoke billowed, and the melted rock and earth on the walls of the pit glowed faintly red, as if smeared with tomato sauce. The Array had been destroyed. Yu Hong looked at the damaged Wind and Fire Slaughter Spirit Array in the camp without saying anything. He just turned around and closed his eyes. Dragon lizards dispersed, providing shared vision, giving him clues from all around. Swoosh! Yu Hong suddenly sprinted, turning into a white shadow that vanished into the Black Fog. Chapter 258: Searching for Two In the forest shrouded in the Black Fog. Two tall figures wearing silver metallic masks were silently gazing at the orange light emanating from the direction of Black Wind Camp. ¡°The Cold Disaster is getting more severe, location transmission is too strongly interfered with, even the Association¡¯s technology can¡¯t completely eliminate the interference. We can only launch it from a close distance,¡± one of them said with a sense of helplessness. ¡°This time, the bait is definitely sufficient, and it will also blow up the resistance mechanism of Black Wind Camp, which should reveal Yu Hong¡¯s Inner Qi resistance methods,¡± the other said. ¡°Let¡¯s go, after this, it might be difficult for us to come out again. The protective methods against the Black Disaster are useless against the Cold Disaster¡­ This might be our last free action before establishing the new city,¡± the first person sighed. ¡°Brother Hao, speaking of which, why did you want to join the Association in the first place?¡± the latter asked casually. ¡°For my dad. The Association offered the only heart transplant organ.¡± ¡°Me too, for my little brother¡­ Fortunately, everything is moving in a good direction. Although it is tough for us outside, they are living happily in the underground new city,¡± the latter said with a laugh. ¡°Yes. To live a peaceful and quiet life in these times, only the Association can make it happen,¡± Brother Hao said softly, ¡°So, as the Chairman said, everything we¡¯re doing now is a necessary sacrifice, for the future, for a better life¡­ we have no other choice.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He turned around and walked towards the distant Black Fog. ¡°Return to headquarters to report.¡± Swoosh! Just then, a beam of white light flashed by. Pfft! The person behind Brother Hao was instantly held by a powerful force by the neck, immobilized against a withered tree. ¡°Who¡¯s there!?¡± Brother Hao turned abruptly, reflexively throwing out a large cloud of black powder with his right hand. Whoosh! A strong wind blew, sending the powder billowing back onto him. Pff, pff, pff. The powder ignited, glowing red. He tried to pat it off in a hurry, but before he could see clearly, a burly figure had already appeared in front of him. ¡°Found you¡­ finally.¡± sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The figure reached out, snapping both of Brother Hao¡¯s arms in an instant. Crack, crack came two crisp sounds. Brother Hao grunted in pain, kicking up his leg in an attempt to fight back. His kick landed on the other¡¯s knee but made a blunt sound like kicking a rock. He immediately realized. ¡°You are¡­ Yu Hong!?¡± ¡°What exactly does the Eternal Life Association want to do?¡± Yu Hong grasped his forehead with one hand, also feeling a sense of relief. He had finally caught the Association¡¯s slip-up. If he hadn¡¯t cleared the surrounding Black Disaster beforehand, allowing these two to blend in with the Black Disaster horde, he really wouldn¡¯t have been able to find them. Now that the surrounding Black Disaster had disappeared and had not yet recovered, the appearance of these two was as visible as fireflies in the night to Yu Hong. ¡°Also, tell me the address of the Eternal Life Association, and I¡¯ll spare your life,¡± Yu Hong added. ¡°Uh¡­ The Association wants to conduct a selection. Only those who can hold out to the end have the right to enter the new world, to become the new humankind¡­¡± Brother Hao replied with a dry laugh. He had heard of Yu Hong¡¯s combat strength from the documents, so he simply did not resist. He was not one of those remote-controlled modified people;he was alive, and dead meant losing everything. ¡°New humankind? What makes the Association confident it can survive the Black Disaster?¡± Yu Hong was surprised. ¡°The Association has special weapons inherited from the ancient Yingshan civilization that can seal and resolve most of the Black Disaster,¡± Brother Hao revealed the secret without hesitation. ¡°Yingshan civilization¡­¡± Yu Hong narrowed his eyes, ¡°Can the Eternal Life Association truly achieve eternal life?¡± ¡°Every formal member gets one wish-granting opportunity. The more life sacrificed, the more they can receive,¡± Brother Hao quickly answered, fearing that a slow reply would mean certain death for him. ¡°By sacrificing others¡¯ lives, each member has used their own methods to sacrifice a large number of lives in rituals. Thus, the effectiveness of their wish-granting opportunity varies. But such a qualification is only available to those of high status and power. We are just subordinates, not qualified.¡± ¡°One last question,¡± Yu Hong¡¯s inner doubts were partly resolved, ¡°Where is the Association¡¯s headquarters?¡± ¡°Do you want the chance to make a wish? I¡¯ve seen them make wishes, and anything can be achieved, even bringing back the dead. Regaining youth, obtaining superhuman strength, etc., all can be done,¡± Brother Hao continued, ¡°I can refer you.¡± ¡°Give me the location,¡± Yu Hong¡¯s voice grew colder. ¡°Alright¡­ I¡¯ll tell you, it¡¯s at¡­¡± Brother Hao chuckled dryly, starting to speak. ¡°East¡­¡± Beep!!! Suddenly, a sharp, piercing noise erupted from him. A red light flashed instantly, followed by a loud bang. Boom!!! A red flame burst from within Brother Hao, expanding violently into a huge fireball over seven to eight meters in diameter, engulfing Yu Hong nearby. Rings of explosive waves stirred the air, spreading in all directions, turning into strong winds, scattering the snow powder on the ground, revealing the dark earth below. Bang! At that moment, the flame was dispersed by a burst of white from within. The white, incandescent light swirled out, quickly dissipating the red ashy flames. Yu Hong¡¯s body blazed with sky-reaching white flames as he looked at the remains of Brother Hao in his hand, now reduced to mere char. Then he turned his head toward the other man. That person had already been blown to countless pieces of flesh, dead beyond doubt. The hard-earned clue was cut off at the crucial moment. His face contorted fiercely as he swung back his palm and pressed down hard. Whoosh!! A stream of white Inner Qi transformed into a powerful wind, pushed against the ground, instantly extinguishing the flames and clearing a wide circular area over ten meters in diameter. He quickly came to an understanding. These two were likely sent on purpose to give him partial information. The Eternal Life Association had rituals that could fulfill almost any wish, as long as the price was high enough, as long as enough lives of others were given. Then everything would be possible. Such a ritual, leveraging others as the price to harvest one¡¯s wishes. What could be more tempting than this? Every person has desires, and when a wishing machine that requires someone else to pay the price instead of oneself appears before them, the vast majority would be tempted. Even Yu Hong was somewhat swayed at this moment. He wanted to leave this desperate world, to return to the ordinary world he once knew, to live an average, unremarkable life. Not like now, always ready to fight for survival, constantly training hard in his cultivation technique, where occasional rest was the greatest luxury. Returning to the camp. Yu Hong quickly activated his communication device, ready to share the recent situation. But as soon as he turned on the device, Chen Yaofeng¡¯s voice came through in broken fragments. ¡°Yu Hong! The investigation team found¡­ the Association¡¯s headquarters!¡± ¡°So soon!?¡± Yu Hong was startled, skepticism rising before joy. ¡°It¡¯s not quick, to be precise, someone deliberately notified us of the secret,¡± Chen Yaofeng swiftly added. The interference in the communicator was very strong at the moment. ¡°Who?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°Basasi Meisha.¡± ¡°A person from the Meisha family!?¡± It seemed to dawn on Yu Hong. The Eternal Life Association and the Meisha family, from the video in that USB drive, seemed not to be entirely on the same side. ¡°It¡¯s from the data in the USB drive that we made significant strategic changes towards the Meisha family, and finally got in touch with a surviving member of the Meisha family within the East River territory. That¡¯s Basasi. He inadvertently discovered some clues left by a traitorous member of the Meisha family from the past while gathering information for our allied forces, and from that, he deduced the specific location of the Eternal Life Association headquarters,¡± Chen Yaofeng quickly explained. ¡°Then we rapidly assembled an investigation team;as you know, with this kind of weather and climate, forming an investigation team to go outside for investigation is like a desperate gamble, without substantial confidence, our several Aurora Cities wouldn¡¯t dare to act so recklessly.¡± ¡°The investigation team, after covert detection, confirmed they discovered an underground transportation tunnel of the Eternal Life Association, leading directly to the underground headquarters!¡± ¡°Let me know the specific location as soon as it¡¯s found, send me the coordinates!¡± Yu Hong quickly ordered. ¡°The initial tracking of the tunnels must begin with infiltrating the transportation tunnels, following their goods, and once at the headquarters, they will send the signal for location. We¡¯re also waiting,¡± Chen Yaofeng said. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for this day for a long time¡­¡± Yu Hong licked his lips;the people from the Eternal Life Association had been constantly seducing, harassing, attacking him. Just now, even the array had been remotely bombarded, resulting in damage. The Black Mark still needed who knows how long to repair¡­ This account had to be settled with them, no matter what. With that thought, Yu Hong suddenly asked. ¡°Where is the investigation team now? Send me the location.¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Chen Yaofeng agreed readily. Shortly, a detailed set of latitude and longitude coordinates were transmitted from the communicator. Yu Hong noted them, took out a map to calculate the position and direction from his own location. Then he stepped out of the cavern. ¡°Agrius.¡± He whispered quietly. Silently, the huge Dragon of Xianglv emerged from behind him and appeared. ¡°Go there, follow her.¡± He sent the command through his mind. Whoosh! Agrius instantly turned into Black Fog, shooting out, and disappeared into the Black Fog in the blink of an eye. Leaving Yu Hong alone, standing in the courtyard. ¡°One more day.¡± He turned and headed back to the cave. In one more day, a new cultivation technique to counter the Black Disaster, born from the True Origin Divine Light, was about to be unveiled. * * * Near a gloomy village, in the abandoned vast rice fields. Covered with snow, the rice fields had long since frozen solid, incredibly firm. Camouflaged armored vehicles and rocket cars were neatly lined up, all parked on this patch of land. Four vehicles from the two major East River Aurora Cities were dispatched for the investigation team. Each was equipped with a small nuclear engine to ensure the functionality and heating of the vehicle¡¯s interior. The region of Furlica had also sent three similar modified vehicles. A total of five vehicles gathered in this vacant field, ready to follow the discovered underground tunnel and infiltrate the Association¡¯s headquarters. ¡°According to the people from the Meisha family, that is an underground city named New City. Many years ago, the Eternal Life Association had already begun secretly moving the populace there from the surface,¡± the investigation team from the East River gathered, changing into specially made warm suits, each wrapped up looking like astronauts, clumsy as a flock of grey and black penguins. The speaker was the East River investigation team leader, known as the Power King, Han Zhen. As one of the strongest enhanced beings from Aurora City, his physique and strength were in proportion;ordinary bullets at close range could only pierce a bit of his skin. Unless it was specialized firearms and bullets, conventional firearms were no longer very effective against him. ¡°This time we must completely blast the entire Association base from the inside, neutralize it! Once they lose material resources and logistical support, what they have left is just a few individuals with some ability. They won¡¯t pose a big threat.¡± While Han Zhen spoke, he was busy checking the various devices, weapons, and medicines on him. ¡°Yiyi, are you still thinking about your grandfather?¡± Xue Ningning quietly asked in the team, gently holding Lin Yiyi¡¯s hand. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, according to the clues provided by Commissioner Chen, it¡¯s preliminarily confirmed that your grandfather and father¡¯s situation is related to one of the Eternal Life Association¡¯s initial setups. The first outbreak of the Black Disaster within East River was due to those trash from the Association,¡± Ningning explained. ¡°¡­Yeah, I, I know.¡± Lin Yiyi, after so many experiences and tough training in the city, had long since changed in temperament. In terms of combat, whether it was marksmanship or hand-to-hand combat, she was already far stronger than she had been before. At that moment, from the Black Fog in the distance, a faint black mist suddenly approached, soundlessly merging into her back and lurking motionlessly, turning into a small lizard-like black pattern. And amidst the team, no detector reacted, nor could the specialized radar perceive it. Chapter 259: Searching for Three The rare daylight slowly brightened from the horizon. White light rapidly dyed the entire sky bright, turning the Black Fog into a light gray. Yu Hong stood quietly outside the high wall of the courtyard, not wearing a breathing valve. He was testing the limit of his night moth traits, and the result of the test was that the toxins in the air no longer posed any danger to him. With a swish. He suddenly opened his eyes. He looked up at the bright sky. ¡®The time is about right¡­¡¯ he turned around and swiftly entered the cave, coming to the new cultivation technique he had been strengthening. This time, the cultivation technique itself had developed from the True Origin Divine Light, and he could imagine it was definitely centered around the True Origin Divine Light. Standing by the wooden table, he quietly waited for the countdown to slowly reach zero. One minute. Five minutes. Ten minutes¡­ Seventeen minutes¡­ With a hiss. The three books on the table completely vanished in an instant, turning into a slightly thicker blue leather-bound book. Two simple Chinese characters were printed on the cover of the book. ¡®Cultivation Technique.¡¯ Yu Hong was unconcerned with what was on the cover, reached out, picked up the book, and flipped open the first page. ¡®This technique is also known as the Taiyuan True Method, the core cultivation technique of the Taiyuan Orthodox Sect. The technique is divided into nine layers: 1 Dawn, 2 Morning Glow, 3 Blue Sun, 4 Dusk, 5 Evening Glow, 6 Mixed Yuan, 7 Resurrection, 8 Eternal Day, 9 Divine Enlightenment.¡¯ ¡®Twenty-eight cycles ago, due to an unexpected change, the Taiyuan Orthodox Sect triggered one of the Source Disasters, the Light Disaster, and was tragically annihilated, leaving only this cultivation technique.¡¯ ¡°¡­..¡± Yu Hong felt silent at heart, knowing that the Black Mark could get it done in such a short time, there must be a problem, and now it seems that indeed it was stolen from somewhere again. He continued flipping to the next page. ¡®Warning 1: This cultivation technique originates from the Cosmic Divine Light. If there is a slight mistake in cultivation, it will lead to pollution by the Light Disaster, causing rapid deterioration of the surrounding environment, please cultivate cautiously.¡¯ ¡®Warning 2: The True Origin Divine Light, also known as the Cosmic Divine Light, has an infinite source, spreading primarily by allowing those bathed in it to feel an indescribable warmth and security. If one basks in the Cosmic Divine Light for more than three days, a mild addiction will begin to manifest. The addiction will grow over time until they forever become a slave to the Cosmic Divine Light, completely losing themselves and eventually dissolving within the scope of the Divine Light, merging with it, and enhancing the power of the Cosmic Divine Light.¡¯ Yu Hong carefully reviewed the introduction to the cultivation technique. From beginning to end, this so-called Taiyuan True Method was about how to control the Cosmic Divine Light. From the first layer of cautious contact, to gradual control and deepening, until finally merging with it. It was a very long process. And everywhere there were warnings of high danger. He decisively looked at the method of cultivation for the first layer. ¡®1: Dawn.¡¯ ¡®Capture a strand of the Cosmic Divine Light to make contact with the body surface, primarily using an amount that the body can accept and adapt to. When contacting, it is necessary to take medications such as *** (Black Mark has simplified this step, no medication needed).¡¯ Below there was a blue visualization diagram, densely filled with twists and grains, which made Yu Hong¡¯s head hurt. He immediately began trying the new cultivation technique as he had mastered the Condensing Water Technique and the Thunderbolt Leg to the limit. With one hand raised flat, he followed the visualization diagram, closed his eyes, and meditated internally. At the same time, the back of his hand gently rested on the surface of this booklet. Essentially, this booklet was a primer;without it, no one could get started. Under the soft white light, Yu Hong simulated the visualization in his mind. The visualization gradually transformed into a lake flickering with blue light, appearing at the bottom of his heart. The lake¡¯s surface shimmered with light, glittering brilliantly. He stood by the lake, looking down. He saw the lake reflecting a vast expanse of pure blue sky. Then he looked up. Above, somehow, the sky had turned into a boundless blue. At the center of the sky, A piercingly bright giant blue sun burned fiercely, releasing endless light and chill. ¡®Ultimate Sun: Fusion.¡¯ Looking at this sun, the name naturally emerged in Yu Hong¡¯s heart. He knew this was the original source of the Cosmic Divine Light, as well as the true origin of the Light Disaster. In a trance, he could see inside the sun, countless faces with expressions of agony densely packed together. According to the cultivation technique records, these were the numerous beings devoured by the Cosmic Divine Light, including many strong disciples of the Taiyuan Orthodox Sect. If one could not reach the final ninth layer and merge with the Ultimate Sun to become the Ancient Ultimate Sun God¡ªZhou¡ªin their lifetime, The cultivator¡¯s entire essence would be integrated into the Ultimate Sun, eternally tormented, enduring perpetual agony. This might also be why the Taiyuan Orthodox Sect ultimately lost control and was destroyed. Swish! In an instant, his vision blurred, and he had already exited the meditative space. The booklet in his hand spontaneously combusted, quickly turning to ashes and dissipating. During the burning process, the text and drawings in the booklet, like living creatures, emitted a faint blue light, climbing from his palm, wrist, and arm to his shoulder, rapidly entering his ears, nose, and mouth. Yu Hong inexplicably remembered all the content in the booklet. This feeling was very strange, as though it was not him actively learning from the booklet, but the content of the booklet eagerly cramming itself into his mind. Immediately after, the first layer¡¯s Dawn visualization automatically began cultivation under the effect of the Dao Breath Circulation. First visualizing the pattern, and touching the lake of blue light in his heart with his consciousness. Until he could slowly approach the lake, then touch the water, then enter the water, and finally submerge his entire body. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The first layer was completed. Sitting by the wooden table, Yu Hong closed his eyes and cultivated quietly, and soon his skin began to emit thin blue threads. On the back of his hand, the Black Mark continuously absorbed the blue threads, then, as if purifying them, expelled them back into Yu Hong¡¯s body. The blue threads quickly merged into Yu Hong¡¯s Inner Qi liquid mass, turning its original white light into blue light. About half an hour later, Yu Hong opened his eyes. ¡°Is this the entrance to the first layer already?¡± He hadn¡¯t expected it to be so quick. The first layer, Dawn, according to the booklet, was supposed to be very dangerous. The process of contacting the Cosmic Divine Light was cumbersome, and a slight carelessness could lead to the contamination of consciousness, forgetting one¡¯s identity, and immersing in the illusory warmth and reassurance until one could never wake up. But he didn¡¯t seem to feel this at all. ¡®It looks like the Black Mark deserves the credit,¡¯ Yu Hong faintly realized. The Cultivation Technique enhanced by the Black Mark, though seemingly transferred intact, was actually slightly modified each time, becoming perfectly suited to his physical and mental state. ¡®Not sure about the other cultivators of the True Origin Divine Sect, but from this, it seems the first layer is easy to train, which is probably why disciples at this level are definitely the most numerous.¡¯ He raised his right palm. In the first layer, Dawn, there¡¯s a very simple offensive move designed to coordinate attack and defense. Now that Dawn was achieved, he quickly prepared to refine his own defensive system. Buzz. Slightly exerting his power, Yu Hong¡¯s eyes suddenly widened. The Inner Qi within him erupted like a fountain, crazily surging out without cost. The speed was much faster than any previous outburst. Feeling something was wrong, he quickly suppressed it, rushed to the door, opened it, and descended into the courtyard. He had just landed when he lost control. He slammed his right palm violently to the ground. Boom! The ground immediately stilled as if frozen, with not even a speck of snow being disturbed. Hiss hiss hiss hiss hiss!! In an instant, dense blue light streams burst from the ground in front of him, like blue light columns, diagonally piercing forward. The blue light streams quickly impacted the Black Fog in the yard, rapidly nullifying each other, balanced in power. Yu Hong stood up. But before he could stabilize himself, he felt the blue Inner Qi continuously surging within him, far exceeding his previous state. If originally he needed to absorb the Red Value to convert into Inner Qi, now, he didn¡¯t even need to absorb Red Value, as his body continually spewed out massive amounts of blue Inner Qi. Hiss hiss hiss hiss! Instantly, a vast amount of blue Inner Qi surged beneath his feet. Inner Qi turned into blue light beams, bursting from the ground all around. The most outrageous part was that wherever these blue Inner Qi beams went left behind a faint blue tint. As if directly dyeing the soil and everything else blue. The blue and the surrounding Black Fog furiously neutralized each other, with a faint hissing sound at the contact points. From afar, the Black Fog transformed into countless black insects, gnawing at the blue, while the blue gathered into numerous hair-like strands, repeatedly piercing the Black Fog. ¡®Open it¡­¡¯ A strange voice, neither male nor female, echoed in Yu Hong¡¯s mind. ¡®Open it¡­ the Ultimate Gate¡­¡¯ Yu Hong was expressionless. This was the danger of the Cosmic Divine Light. Apart from the Cosmic Divine Light¡¯s own sinister harm, there was another more terrifying aspect, which was originally the root cause that led the Taiyuan Orthodox Sect to annihilate itself. That is¡­ anyone who slightly entered into the Taiyuan True Method naturally mastered a move named the Ultimate Gate. And opening the Ultimate Gate was very simple. One only needed to let go of self-control and suppression, to follow the instinct, allowing the blue Inner Qi to disperse and condense on its own. Very soon, it would condense into a terrifying gate that could continually automatically release Cosmic Divine Light. ¡®The booklet recorded that the original Taiyuan Orthodox Sect had a special Law Enforcement Hall, which would suppress and seal the instinct of the Ultimate Gate before initiation¡­ but my copy seems to not have the preemptive suppression version.¡¯ At this moment, Yu Hong, listening to the enticing voice echoing continuously, truly experienced the sinister aspect of the Source Disaster Skills. Crack. Crack. Crack. He stepped toward the dilapidated courtyard gate. Looking outside, numerous misty shapes in the dark fog, with human silhouettes flashing in and out, were immediately dealt with by the dragon lizards¡¯ flames. ¡®Just right¡­¡¯ Yu Hong exhaled lightly, ¡®Just right for this already rotten world.¡¯ He extended his hand, palm facing down. ¡°Let me add a little surprise to this world.¡± Hiss. A dazzling blue light lit up in his palm. Large amounts of blue Inner Qi automatically gathered like living things into his palm. Boom! A blue light column surged from his palm straight down to the ground. The moment the blue light touched the ground, the black ground abruptly changed color, rose, and soon formed a gray-blue rocky door over two meters wide. The door was covered with numerous rough cloud patterns and strange characters engraved on it. Strands of dazzling blue light leaked from the gaps in the door, turning into wisps and waves of blue mist, and drifted into the air. Chapter 260: In Search of the Four Yu Hong stood at the edge of the door, staring at what seemed to be a very ordinary door. ¡°Is this the Ultimate Gate?¡± He watched as a continuous stream of blue light and fog flowed out from the crevice of the door, dispersing and constantly interacting with, reacting to, and neutralizing the surrounding black fog. Before long, the situation in the camp, which had been enveloped in black fog due to a damaged Array, began to drastically improve. The surrounding black fog was being diluted, and visibility in all directions of the camp was swiftly improving. The air became clearer and more transparent. Light blue light fog gradually became more abundant and spread to the entire inner and outer courtyards. The ground began to form a layer of pale blue ice, covering the previous white snow and frost. Boom. Suddenly, something inside the Ultimate Gate struck it. Boom! Boom! Boom!! Then, the consecutive thumping quickly spread. Right in front of Yu Hong, the door of the Ultimate Gate began to slowly open from the other side, creating a bigger gap. Yu Hong watched quietly, without making any move. He recalled the records of the Taiyuan True Method in his mind. ¡°The Ultimate Gate will unleash the endless Spiritual Tide from the Cosmic Divine Light, which will instinctively erode all things not of the Cosmic Divine Light system, regardless of life and death.¡± sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Cultivators cannot stop the Spiritual Tide or the Ultimate Gate;once released, one can only observe. The only thing that can be done is to ensure one¡¯s own safety.¡± ¡°Indeed, dangerous enough¡­¡± As Yu Hong watched the unknown entity continuously striking the door, he couldn¡¯t help but associate it with the Black Disaster and the Gate of Despair. This pattern¡­ really felt familiar. Boom! Finally, the Ultimate Gate was forced open a crack. A creature enveloped in blue light, resembling a giant python, burst out from it. The creature had a withered, decayed, white old man¡¯s head and white hair flying around;its body was a thick blue-light-emanating net-patterned python, half a meter thick, continuously bursting forth from the gap. After bolting forth for more than twenty meters, this old man-headed python fully emerged from the door. It did not even glance at Yu Hong and charged straight towards the world shrouded in black fog. ¡°Can¡¯t be controlled, only can observe¡­¡± Yu Hong watched the creature leave;it likely had power similar to Big Skin. His gaze returned to the Ultimate Gate. From the larger opened crack in the door, numerous dense blue light butterflies now began to swarm out. These palm-sized blue butterflies, upon closer observation, didn¡¯t look like butterflies at all, but rather blue human fingers with butterfly wings attached. They bent and flew out of the crack, dispersing in all directions, rapidly entering the black fog where their bodies corroded with a faint noise. The stream of finger butterflies rapidly flew out continuously. Yu Hong stopped watching. Clearly, a Light Disaster wasn¡¯t anything good either, but since things were already bad, instead of letting the world be destroyed by others, better he take charge. At least that way, he could guide the disaster and leave some hope for humanity. He returned to the cave and quietly began further cultivation. The practice of the Taiyuan True Method required a continuous stream of Cosmic Divine Light, and the entry-level of the first layer also stemmed from the Cosmic Divine Light intrinsically present within the technique¡¯s own manual. ¡°So it¡¯s said that if the Ultimate Gate isn¡¯t opened, the subsequent Cultivation Techniques can¡¯t continue either.¡± Yu Hong suddenly realized. He felt the surrounding air getting denser with Cosmic Divine Light particles, which actively rushed into his body, autonomously solidifying into high-density liquid, merging into his Inner Qi. The Inner Qi continuously reciprocated power, nurturing and transforming his body and spirit. The power was gradually increasing. The Heavenly River was also undergoing new changes under the improved quality of Inner Qi. A huge amount of blue Inner Qi rapidly flowed into it, accelerating the expansion of the Heavenly River¡¯s capacity, progressing toward accommodating a second summons stage. ¡°In theory, once the Nine-layered Taiyuan Technique is achieved, I could reach the level of merging with the legendary Ultimate Sun, but that might take a very, very long time.¡± Yu Hong sat inside the cave, watching the Ultimate Gate continuously spewing out finger butterflies. Countless blue lights from the cloud patterns on his body lit up and then vanished. With the illumination of the blue light, the surrounding air¡¯s Red Value was also quietly neutralized by him, transforming it into the warmth and safety of the Cosmic Divine Light. Similarly, Inner Qi tainted by blue light affected the three major seals, also turning blue from the Cosmic Divine Light. Arrays, nests, Black Ship all showed faint blue patterns on their surfaces. Even the dragon lizards patrolling outside bore blue patterns on their bodies. ¡°No worries,¡­ in the future, I will have more and more time¡­ enough time to transform everything into what I envision.¡± Yu Hong slowly closed his eyes, immersing himself in the cultivation of the Taiyuan True Method. ¡°From now on, whatever I do, I am saving.¡± ¡°So, those who stand in my way are evil.¡± * * * Underground tunnel. The automated black metal mining cart, deep in the abandoned underground mine, headed toward its depths. Cartloads of black ore were piled inside the cart. Members of the investigation team were scattered in hiding within the carts, armed with guns and bombs, quietly waiting for the cart to reach its position. Rumble¡­ Each mining cart was over three meters long, more than two meters wide, and over a meter deep, fully sufficient to hide several people. The precise automatic wheels, powered by some unknown force, overcame the minus ninety degrees Celsius low temperature and continued to move uniformly deeper into the tunnel. Xue Ningning and Captain Li Wang along with another Aurora City captain quietly discussed their plan. Lin Yiyi and two other team members hid in a mining cart, carefully checking their equipment and weapons. Firearms, grenades, directional bombs, rapid incendiary rounds, poison gas grenades, negative value radiation bombs¡­ and short knives made from the latest sunlight materials. All sorts of weapons and equipment weighed more than a hundred kilograms on each person. Such a weight would be unbearable for an ordinary person, but at this time, for enhanced humans, this was just the basic limit of physical capacity. ¡°Ou Li whispered, ¡°I heard the captain has special weapons specifically for Black Blood People, not sure if they¡¯re effective¡­ If they aren¡¯t, we might all end up staying here¡­¡± ¡°Yiyi, are you scared?¡± she asked. ¡°Commissioner Chen, he told me, my dad¡­ might not have died,¡± Yiyi whispered. ¡°Not dead?!¡± Ou Li was stunned, ¡°That¡¯s impossible¡­ If he wasn¡¯t dead, why hasn¡¯t he come home, why hasn¡¯t he come to find you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ know.¡± Lin Yiyi¡¯s expression dimmed, and she gripped the special firearm R7 Restriction Gun in her hand. ¡°Could it be that¡­ your dad is involved with the Eternal Life Association??¡± Ou Li suddenly thought. ¡°¡­¡± Lin Yiyi didn¡¯t respond, just shaking her head. ¡°It¡¯s too complicated¡­¡± Ou Li also shook her head, ¡°Hopefully, we can find some clues this time, so you don¡¯t have to run around anymore. After finding out the truth, just go back and marry Yu Hong, have lots of kids and play at home every day.¡± ¡°¡­What are you¡­ talking about, ah!!¡± Lin Yiyi¡¯s face turned red with shame, and she turned her head, pressing her forehead against the inner wall of the mining cart, not looking at her. ¡°Hehe, still shy! But honestly, I always feel like Yu Hong treats you more like a family member;getting married to him might be a challenge¡­¡± Ou Li teased. ¡°How dare you!¡± Yiyi, blushing, softly slapped Ou Li on the shoulder. Bang!! The outer shell of the latter¡¯s protective suit cracked, her face contorting in pain, nearly knocked down by the slap. The two women did not notice that just above them, a camera disguised as a rocky outcrop in the tunnel wall was quietly monitoring them. Inside the stone castle of the Eternal Life Association. Members in dark robes silently gathered together, watching the projected images of the investigation team on the wall. ¡°Are we just letting them come in? Not blowing up the tunnel midway to intercept?¡± One of the robed figures said impatiently. ¡°They¡¯re just minor characters, they won¡¯t affect the bigger picture,¡± said another robed figure marked with a number two, her voice sounding young. ¡°The final curtain call also needs some audience¡­¡± The President, his face masked with metal, said. ¡°There are five levels of external protection at the headquarters;there¡¯s no way these people can get in. No need to worry.¡± ¡°The President is always so reliable,¡± an obese old woman laughed. ¡°The praises are too much. After waiting so long, the time has finally come for us all to achieve our common dream¡­ Our bets, now finally revealing their realization¡­¡± The President stood up, his voice growing louder as he leaned on his cane. ¡°In the face of the Night Pool¡¯s emergence, at the cost of the Gate of Despair, anyone who opens the Gate of Despair just needs to take the final step, and our wishes will be fulfilled.¡± ¡°Wait! There are only a few Gates of Despair;that¡¯s not what was initially said!¡± A burly figure in the crowd stood up shouting, ¡°No one said we had to open the Gate of Despair to make wishes! President, you need to give us a reasonable explanation!¡± ¡°Explanation?¡± The President lowered his head, his breathing becoming erratic as if he were a patient about to succumb to an asthma attack. He seemed to be breathing, yet again, it sounded like laughter. ¡°Yes, indeed, everyone has made significant contributions¡­ Since so many contributions have been made¡­ why not¡­¡± ¡°How about making a little more now!?¡± He tapped his cane lightly. Bang. In an instant, dark red phantasms flickered out from the shadows of the stone castle, appearing behind the members of the association. Shhh, shhh, shhh! Blood splattered continuously as the once enigmatic and powerful members of the association were slaughtered by the dark red phantasms;most were powerless to resist. They fell one by one, decapitated, dying with their eyes wide open, never imagining the President would suddenly take such action. They couldn¡¯t understand. It shouldn¡¯t be! The association had developed to this extent;there was no reason to suddenly strike at its own members. But this was what happened. Soon, only seven people, including the President, remained in the large hall. Blood slowly flowed across the floor, staining everything red. ¡°One gate corresponds to one wish¡­ Those fools thought wishes were so cheap¡­¡± an old woman sneered. ¡°They¡¯re not stupid, just without any other choice,¡± another person laughed. ¡°Should we really not bother about the investigation team?¡± the old woman asked, looking toward the President. ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯ve already made arrangements. They will certainly receive an unexpected surprise¡­¡± The President smiled. ¡°How benevolent, always sparing the investigation team,¡± a deep-voiced middle-aged man couldn¡¯t help but say. ¡°Having a certain degree of freedom is precisely the benefit of being the President,¡± the President smiled. Chapter 261: Final Game 1 Surging blue mist began to spread in the air. Yu Hong squat down near the edge of the Ultimate Gate, closely observing the ancient symbols that were emerging on the gate. The symbols themselves didn¡¯t seem carved, but rather naturally grown and condensed. Yu Hong reached out and gently touched them. The symbols on the gate were ice-cold to the touch, the material hard. As soon as he made contact, a massive surge of True Origin Divine Light flowed into his arm and then into his body, joining the Inner Qi within his Dantian. ¡°This feeling, it¡¯s as if the True Origin Divine Light itself is trying to accelerate my cultivation, to make it stronger.¡± Yu Hong furrowed his brow;he didn¡¯t like elements beyond his control. There was no doubting that the True Origin Divine Light was one such element now. Standing up, he took out a piece of charcoal and sketched all the symbols onto a plank of wood, preparing to study them on his own. Awooo! Suddenly, a distant and faint beast roar came from afar. It seemed as if some creatures were in conflict, colliding with one another. The blue light in the surrounding air started to vibrate slightly, then rushed towards the source of the sound the next second. Yu Hong glanced in that direction, his view obstructed by a farther Black Fog, obscured from clear sight. He couldn¡¯t be bothered to pay attention to it, considering all the chaotic Spiritual Tides and local inhabitants, conflicts were inevitable. Compared to the changes in the Ultimate Gate, which he couldn¡¯t control anyway, he¡¯d rather stick to his own pace. Standing in the courtyard, he looked at the large pit blasted into the ground, knelt on one knee, and gently placed his right palm on the surface. ¡°Strengthen.¡± In an instant, his mind wrapped the entire Array of the inner and outer courtyard underground. Wrapped with them were a pile of confiscated relics of the Black Disaster as well as the huge skull he had obtained from slaying the Black Giant. Rather than a brief repair, it was better to merge and strengthen directly. This time, he intended to perfect the entire Array according to his previous idea. ¡°Strengthen the Slaughter Spirit Array, direction: retractable to cover the exterior of the safe house cave, extendable to cover the surrounding area, forming a buffer zone.¡± Yu Hong seriously planned to leave the place, mobilizing the entire camp to avoid becoming a target for other factions. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Soon, a black line flashed, and the feedback from the Black Mark sounded. ¡°Strengthen the Slaughter Spirit Array?¡± A countdown surfaced on the ground: 5 days 11 hours 2 minutes. ¡°It¡¯s a bit long, but¡­ perhaps it¡¯s due to the excessive number of relics thrown in¡­¡± With so many relics, Yu Hong was somewhat expectant about the strength of the Array after the enhancement. ¡°Yes!¡± He affirmed resolutely. Aaang!! The Multi-eyed Bird¡¯s roar came from a distance once again. He ignored it and, after confirming the strengthening, got up and entered the cave, sitting at a wooden table with the sketched symbols and patterns. ¡°First, let¡¯s try injecting Inner Qi to see, one by one¡­¡± There were twelve types of symbols on the gate, and he planned to test each carefully. Taking them out one at a time, injecting Inner Qi, and feeling the changes. This was Yu Hong¡¯s most rudimentary research method for now. One after another, the symbols were ruled out as useless, but soon, a hook-like symbol underwent a strange change when injected with Inner Qi. Droplets of water began to surface slowly on the surface of the plank with the injection of Inner Qi. ¡°Water droplets?¡± Yu Hong was puzzled and quickly wiped them dry with a paper towel, then tested again. Why would a symbol that condenses water droplets appear on the Ultimate Gate of a Light Disaster? Were these symbols truly formed naturally? If not, who had carved them? Yu Hong vaguely sensed many secrets hidden within the True Origin Divine Light. He stopped his motions and stared at the symbol for a long time but did not continue to delve deeper. Instead, he recorded the function, input the amount of Inner Qi, and after a rough repeat test to ensure no issues, he began the next one. Practicing Tao Breath Circulation, he integrated the study of symbols and patterns into his Yishan civilization glyph system. The combination of runes could do many things, greatly enhancing environmental adaptability. In a sense, the glyph system could even create Arrays on its own. It¡¯s just that Yu Hong felt he was not yet powerful enough to do this step. * * * With a rumble, the underground minecart continued to drive deeper into the tunnel. Li Wang and fourteen others formed an inspection group, currently hiding within the minecart, quietly awaiting their destination. They had maintained this posture for over an hour. As Li Wang and the others were about to sneakily activate an electronic device to check the surroundings¡­ Finally, the automatic speed of the minecart slowed down. ¡°Welcome to the new world,¡± a sweet female voice resonated from the surrounding walls. ¡°All minecart and escort personnel, please undergo the first inspection and protection protocol of the new city,¡± the female voice sounded again. Inspection protection? Li Wang¡¯s heart tightened as he quickly gripped the grenade gun in his hand. He stealthily peeked over the edge of the minecart. ¡°Target detected!¡± The female voice instantly sounded. Bang bang bang bang!! In an instant, a barrage of machine-gun bullets erupted, spraying on the sides of the carts. ¡°Screw them!¡± Li Wang roared fiercely as he stood up, bracing against the machine-gun bullets and returning fire. Boom! A grenade flew out, exploding into flames that shook the entire underground space with reverberating sound waves. Ordinary people couldn¡¯t last a second in such an environment, likely going deaf immediately. But the enhanced humans had no such concerns. Li Wang led the way, and the others stood up one by one, firing back towards the direction of the machine gunshots. Tat-tat-tat-tat! Bullets flew, ricocheting, shattering chunks of the stone walls. The investigation team¡¯s marksmanship was precise, and a minute later, the gunfire quieted down. Dozens of automatic gun points and surveillance points around them had all been removed. The heavy armored suit on Power King was now full of dense dents, showing how many times he¡¯d been targeted. Click. He replaced a magazine and reloaded with grenades. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Since we¡¯ve been discovered, make it fast!¡± Xue Ningning and Ou Li, along with Yiyi, regrouped in threes like the others, following closely behind Power King as they charged deeper into the tunnel. They traversed nearly a hundred meters of tunnel. Suddenly, the path opened up to reveal a hemispherical rock hall. The walls of the large hall were gray and black, with giant black bats hanging upside down from the ceiling. Each bat was the size of a human head, and their eyes glowed faintly red, with devices that seemed to be explosives strapped to their backs. ¡°Please present your pass.¡± The sweet female voice rang out again, clearly, this one was an idiot. Boom. Xue Ningning shot the hidden speaker from where the female voice emanated. At the same time, everyone opened fire, aiming precisely at the bats. Before the bats could get close, they were accurately shot and exploded by the barrels of the guns. ¡°Charge, charge, charge!!¡± Power King continued to rush into the tunnel. Yiyi and the others followed closely behind. The third attack came swiftly, as a Black Blood Person guarding the passage suddenly lunged out of the darkness. After killing three team members, it was finally subdued when Power King used a special white foam gun, firing a large quantity of foam to suppress the Black Blood Person¡¯s regenerative abilities. Someone immediately stepped forward to wrap the Black Blood Person with specially made bandages. ¡°This thing can¡¯t be killed, only suppressed with inhibitors for now, keep going! We only have an hour, hoping to resolve this within the hour!¡± Power King yelled. The group¡¯s objective was to at least capture a member of the Eternal Life Association as evidence for interrogation. After rushing through the third hall, simple decorations began to appear around the stone walls. Symbols representing the App Mountain civilization also began to emerge on the walls here. Inside the fourth hall. Surrounding the minecart tunnel in the middle, two bizarre black winged humanoid statues were built on either side. Both statues were sitting cross-legged on stone platforms, with their black wings drooping behind, covering their naked bodies. The group had just entered. Suddenly, the winged statues began to tremble violently, and fine cracks spread across them. ¡°Be on guard!¡± Power King shouted. Everyone immediately spread out, automatically forming an array with their guns aimed at the statues. Bang!! In an instant, the statues exploded, and a swarm of dark, oppressive worms poured out. Each worm resembled an enlarged maggot. Their wrinkled bodies, formed in circular sections, writhed on the ground like earthworms. Each one was as long as a grown person¡¯s arm and had begun scurrying rapidly toward the people as soon as they hit the ground. Tat-tat-tat-tat! The sound of gunfire erupted as everyone aimed and fired as accurately as possible at the maggots. However, the thickness of the maggots¡¯ skin was beyond their expectations, requiring at least five shots each to kill. This was with bullets made from a mix of luminous stone materials. Regular bullets had no effect on them and passed through as if through an illusion, hitting the ground. Hiss. Rings of black maggots gradually surrounded everyone, herding them toward the center. Radiation Hand Grenades were thrown out one by one, exploding invisible negative radiation charge, which also shattered some of the maggots. But it did little good as thousands of maggots closed in. Everyone fired desperately, using continuous shifts of shooters to maintain a steady stream of fire. ¡°Suppression guns!¡± Power King shouted. At once, everyone pulled out suppression guns and pulled the triggers at the maggots. Hiss. A mass of sticky foam gushed out, rapidly solidifying upon contact with air, submerging and adhering the wriggling maggots. The situation was momentarily at a standstill. Just as everyone thought they could suppress the maggots with suppression guns and continue forward, Boom. Boom. Suddenly, a tall figure stepped out of the darkness ahead, quickly closing in on the group. Then the shadow accelerated, sprinting. Its heavy footsteps cracked the ground, blowing open deep pits. Lin Yiyi was the first to spot the newcomer, and she immediately shifted her gun to aim at him. Bang-bang-bang!! Three continuous shots. All three bullets struck the figure, sparking off harmlessly. Luckily, the rest of the team reacted, turning their suppression guns toward the figure, using their super-speed dynamic vision to achieve precise hits. The suppressant quickly took effect. The figure, mired in copious foam, began to slow down but still lumbered step by step towards them. Swoosh. A whistling object flashed by. The figure suddenly threw a fist-sized rock, striking the closest team member. The team member¡¯s chest caved in, and he was thrown backward, breathless from the impact. Chapter 262: Final Episode 2 ¡°Fuck! I¡¯m on it!¡± King of Strength leaped off the mining cart as his muscles swelled up all over, his skin on both arms covered in various patterns drawn with luminous stone marrow. He charged towards the shadow as soon as he alighted from the cart. The two shadows made no pause, rapidly drawing closer, colliding head-on. Bang! King of Strength was knocked over, rolling onto the ground. Before he could get up, the shadow dashed forward, pulling its legs free of the foam, and delivered a kick right to King of Strength¡¯s jaw. Bang! The kick sent King of Strength flying into the wall. He couldn¡¯t get up for a while. As they got closer, everyone finally saw what this guy was. The shape was not a living person but a black-haired Sheepman with the head of a mountain goat! The Sheepman stood two meters tall, with no muscles;under its black fur were dull, shriveled bones. Its arms were like two giant black scythes that could produce a piercing sonic boom with a casual swing. Swoosh! The figure of the Sheepman flashed, and with a vicious slash, it knocked down two nearby team members. Boom! The grenades exploded, and the heavy-duty bulletproof suits on the two men were torn open with huge gashes. They were down on the ground, unable to get up for quite some time. Swoosh! The Sheepman swung its blade again, flashed, and another two team members were sent flying, as if struck by a sledgehammer, crashing their oxygen tanks against the stone wall and flattening them. Seeing the unfavorable situation, the speed-type enhanced humans quickly picked up the pace, attempting to engage the creature in a quick combat. But to no avail. The Sheepman was far faster than them. The three attacked together, their short knives made of sunlight materials slashing frequently, but they could only shear off some of the Sheepman¡¯s black hair, proving otherwise ineffective. Bang. Bang. Bang. At this moment, from the deeper part of the channel, a second Sheepman slowly emerged. ¡°Yiyi!¡± Xue Ningning gave a low shout, the first to rush forward. Lin Yiyi followed, along with another male team member, closing in on the second Sheepman. The three together started to gang up on the Sheepman. But the fur on the Sheepman was exceptionally sturdy, and its speed was so fast that of their many attacks, only one could possibly hit the enemy. As time went on. More and more injuries appeared on everyone, and many of the team members who had managed to get up couldn¡¯t continue on because their oxygen tanks were damaged. ¡°Think of something! We can¡¯t hold on much longer!¡± Xue Ningning shouted loudly to King of Strength. King of Strength seized the Sheepman¡¯s right arm, the strength throughout his body bursting forth, as he lifted it high and slammed it down. But the next second he was sent flying by a slash of the Sheepman¡¯s left arm. ¡°Retreat first! I¡¯ll cover the rear!¡± He had never anticipated that aside from the Black Blood People, the Eternal Life Association also controlled a kind of powerful and peculiar creature from the Black Disaster. This Sheepman¡¯s comprehensive strength was comparable to a Level 5 Black Disaster. Even if they were all top-tier enhanced humans, they couldn¡¯t break through the defense of the two Sheepmen. ¡°Okay!¡± Everyone started to retreat en masse, propping up the wounded on the ground, and falling back in the direction they had come from. And then, at that moment. The two Sheepmen suddenly roared in unison, freeing themselves from entanglement and rushing towards each other. Boom. The two collided, instantly turning into a ball of black smoke that merged into one entity. ¡°Shit! Run!¡± King of Strength grabbed two team members and pulled them back. But it was already too late. Boom!! Suddenly, the ball of black-red smoke exploded violently. A massive shockwave instantly covered the entire hall, blasting all the investigating team members still standing, flipping them over on the ground, immobilized. Lin Yiyi was thrown high into the air by the blast and slammed into the cave wall, rolling down to the ground. Blood gushed from her mouth, spitting it into her helmet. Groggy, she looked towards the others and was horrified to discover that every team member was down on the ground, unable to move. Including King of Strength, the strongest team leader, who could barely prop his body up with his hands. ¡®The gap is too big!¡¯ Their preparation against the Black Blood People was utterly ineffective against these Sheepmen. The enemy was too fast, too strong, there was no way to aim properly. Now everyone was knocked down by the blast, and even if they wanted to retreat, it was entirely too late. ¡®What do I do!?¡¯ Lin Yiyi bit her lip, trying to stand, but the intense pain throughout her body made it impossible to support her weight. ¡®Is all the preparation up to this point for nothing, to end here without even seeing a member of the Association?¡¯ The Sheepmen¡¯s explosion was too fast, too sudden, preventing them from even deploying other specialty weapons. All of them were incapacitated. But how could the higher-ups not have anticipated such a situation before coming? If there were Black Blood People, it was very likely that there could be a second, a third¡­ Some of the team members already had doubts swirling in their minds again. At this time, the eyes of King of Strength and Xue Ningning met, and both instantly thought of a possibility¡­ that is¡­ Thud. Their bodies collapsed heavily back onto the ground. ¡®What do I do!!?¡¯ Lin Yiyi¡¯s somewhat dazed brain was frantically congested with the blood rushing to it, pondering, turning. ¡®Right, there¡¯s still that thing Yu Hong gave me!¡¯ She hurriedly searched and pulled out the round bead. ¡®But this thing is supposed to be for contacting Yu Hong¡­ But what good is contacting him in this situation? Even if he set off now, it would already be too late¡­¡¯ Lin Yiyi clenched the bead, her heart filled with despair, but she still forcefully crushed it as Yu Hong had instructed. ¡®What do I do what do I do what do I do!!?¡¯ Thud! The two Sheepmen had already walked over to a member each, raising their scythes. One of the team members was surprisingly Ou Li, who had a lame leg. She lay on the ground, clutching a suppression gun, trembling as she aimed it at the Sheepman. It looked like she knew she was about to die;tears welled up in the corners of her eyes but without a sound. Though crying, her gaze was extraordinarily calm. ¡°Monster!¡± Suddenly there was a loud shout from the sidelines, attracting the attention of the Sheepman, as well as everyone else¡¯s. ¡°Come kill me!¡± Lin Yiyi stood up, her face flushed, teeth gritted, supporting her body. The two Sheepmen paused, actually turned around, and looked at her, stepping closer to her. Thud, thud, thud! Suddenly, Yiyi threw a bunch of random stuff at the Sheepman, then turned to run. Boom! Her petite body slammed against the wall, bounced back, and fell to the ground, sitting down. ¡°Uh? Wasn¡¯t there open space behind me¡­?!¡± Yiyi struggled to remember, still sitting on the ground, her head spinning as she tried to lift her dizzy head. Behind her, a humanoid wall had appeared at some unknown time, over two meters tall and dark red, silently looking down at her. In the middle of the wall, a muscular, fierce human face showed a dazed, yet gentle smile. ¡°The Spear¡­ is pointed!¡± The face murmured in an incomprehensible language. ¡°What is¡­ this?!¡± Lin Yiyi was stunned. Not only her, but the nearby survey team members were also frozen in shock. Excluding those who had fainted, the rest were staring agape at the colossal, deformed creature that seemed to sprout from the ground behind Lin Yiyi, growing from small to large like a seed germinating. The Power King grabbed the guided bombs with both hands and suddenly realized what was happening. ¡°Run! Fast!!¡± he roared furiously. He saw two Sheepmen suddenly speed up, charging toward Yiyi as if intending to pierce through her body and dash toward the newly emerged monster. At that moment, Yiyi had not noticed this at all;she was still staring blankly at the creature behind her. Click! Xue Ningning raised her suppression gun, aiming at the Sheepman, her finger on the trigger. Boom!! Just then. The Spearman¡¯s muscles suddenly swelled. He stepped forward, sprinted, and charged past Lin Yiyi like a tank, heading straight for the two rushing Sheepmen. Bang! Bang! Bang! The heavy footsteps merged into one sound at this moment. The Spearman and the two Sheepmen collided like three high-speed vehicles smashing together. A thunderous crash echoed. Behind the Spearman, six flesh tendrils burst forth, entwining and tightly binding the Sheepmen in layers. After being trapped, the Sheepmen tried to break free, but the disparity in strength was too great. Instead, they were grasped and harshly slammed into the ground. Bang!! Moo! They bellowed in rage, still struggling on the ground. But with the penetration of a black spike, one of the Sheepmen fell silent. The Spearman opened his mouth and a thick black spiky tongue shot out, piercing into the forehead of a Sheepman. Hanging the Sheepman high in the air, it drank from the body like sipping a beverage, sucking out an unknown fluid. Moo! The other Sheepman continued to struggle. With a crisp snap, its entire chest was crushed by an immense force on the spot, caving in and completely quieting down. Hiss!! After killing the two Sheepmen, the Spearman¡¯s muscles flowed like water, quickly covering the bodies of the Sheepmen. Soon, the Sheepmen¡¯s corpses disappeared as if digested and absorbed by the muscles, becoming part of the Spearman. Its own frame grew from two to two and a half meters. Its muscles became even more robust and twisted than before. ¡°Yiyi, go now!¡± The Power King stood up and bellowed. He was already holding a large directional explosive pack, blood covering his face inside his helmet, as he ran over. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Everyone who can move, get the hell out! I¡¯ll cover the rear!¡± the Power King shouted angrily. He had just stood up when he saw the Spearman¡¯s terrifying form and immediately mistook it for a new Black Disaster monster. ¡°Yiyi! Keep your distance from it!!¡± Xue Ningning also shouted, recovering, standing up, and aiming her gun at the Spearman. No one saw how the Spearman appeared, only feeling that in the blink of an eye, the monster was already there. But alas, it was already too late. The Spearman had turned around to face Lin Yiyi. Hiss! It spread its arms wide, a peaceful smile on its face. In an instant, its body shrank, defying the laws of physics, and in two seconds, it had shrunk into a dark red bead the size of a marble. Plop. The bead fell to the ground, rolled a bit, and came to a stop by Yiyi¡¯s feet. Lin Yiyi bent over, picked it up, and looked around dully at her teammates, who were staring back at her in the same dumbfounded manner. The Power King was half-way running with the explosives. Xue Ningning was about to pull the trigger. ¡°This¡­ seems like something Yu Hong gave me!¡± she said, holding up the bead, bewildered. *** *** *** Meanwhile, Black Wind Camp. Yu Hong, sitting cross-legged and motionless, suddenly opened his eyes. The Moon Trace Mark, which had evolved into the Infinite River Technique, had been triggered a moment ago. ¡°The Spearman has been summoned¡­ it seems they¡¯ve encountered some difficulties. They must be close to the Eternal Life Association headquarters by now¡­¡± Through logical deduction, that area didn¡¯t have a high Red Value concentration but had encountered a Black Disaster capable of halting the survey team, leading to the summoning of the Spearman. This meant that all other methods of the survey team were exhausted and ineffective, prompting the summoning. Of course, it could also have been an accidental rupture that caused the summoning. ¡®No matter the situation, it¡¯s time for me to depart¡­¡¯ Yu Hong stood up, his cheek briefly flashing with a blue cloud pattern. The first layer of the Taiyuan True Method had further enhanced the strength of his flesh body again. At this moment, not only was his Inner Qi boundless within his body, but his physical strength had also reached unprecedented new heights. Leaving the cave, Yu Hong roughly determined the direction of the mark. With a single thought, Multiple dragon lizards materialized behind him. ¡°Go.¡± He gestured in that direction. Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh! In an instant, the dragon lizards darted out from the darkness, sprinting at full speed toward that location. As for Yu Hong, he remained in place, gazing up at the night sky before vanishing from the spot in a whoosh. The Eternal Life Association may very well have the means to stop the Black Disaster, holding more secrets about the Source Disaster and the Cold Disaster, so¡­ whether it was for Yiyi or to uncover deeper secrets of the Source Disaster, he was determined to make the journey. Chapter 263: Final Destination ¡°It¡¯s all over now.¡± In the great hall of the stone castle. A person in a black mask, holding a cane, slowly sauntered out from the shadows, looking at the surveillance projection on the wall. The projection seemed to be delayed;the screen kept flickering and blurring, clearly interfered with. The screen had also frozen a minute prior, where a Sheepman charged towards Yiyi, with everyone else lying on the ground, bathed in blood¡ªthe situation had been settled. ¡°Let¡¯s go, it¡¯s time for the next step.¡± The Eternal Life President moved forward, followed by three mysterious figures also clad in black robes, wearing black metal masks, slowly emerging. ¡°The fourth level of defense, making it this far isn¡¯t too bad, but that¡¯s all it is.¡± A short, fat old woman chuckled. ¡°No problems here, let¡¯s see how the investigation team of the Free Alliance is doing,¡± another burly man said in a deep voice. ¡°The situation in Eastern River is set. As soon as Felica and the Free Alliance confirm the situation, it will be time for us to formally establish the new city. The surfacing of the Night Pool, having gathered most of the sacrifices, has already started to speed up;it should take a little over an hour,¡± explained the Eternal Life President. He reached out and gestured in the air. The projection flickered and changed to another underground passage. The investigation team from Felica was led by a sturdy blonde woman with blue eyes, who at that moment had been impaled in the chest by a Sheepman, pinned against the wall, struggling feebly. The rest of the team members lay scattered nearby, already lifeless. ¡°Let¡¯s see how the Free Alliance is doing.¡± The President said with a smile, continuing to switch the views. Suddenly the screen flickered again. In the same underground passageway, a slender figure with red short hair was pulling out a scimitar with one hand, with one of the Black Disaster fusion elites¡ªBlack Sheepman¡ªimpaled underneath the scimitar. Seemingly aware of the surveillance. The red-haired woman looked up, revealing a resolute expression filled with bloodshed towards the camera. ¡°How is this possible¡­!? Just an enhanced human with multiple modifications!? How did she manage to kill the Black Sheepman!?¡± The members of the Association paused, stunned by the scene on the screen. ¡°Interesting¡­¡± The President laughed instead. ¡°Doesn¡¯t this make things even more interesting??¡± He seemed to be reminded of something amusing and couldn¡¯t help but throw back his head, laughing even more heartily. ¡°Could it be Mesa¡¯s people involved¡­!?¡± Suddenly, the eyes of the other five converged on a black-robed person who had been silent all along in the corner. ¡°It¡¯s just a minor trouble. The President must think this adds a bit of fun to our plans, am I right, Mr. President?¡± The black-robed person spoke out, his voice carrying an unusual calmness that was almost eerie. ¡°Indeed¡­ after all, everything is progressing according to my predictions,¡± the President said, lowering his head and stepping down from the platform, taking the lead out of the great hall towards a dark underground passage. * * * Aurora City. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chen Yaofeng tapped gently on the door, standing in a dark red corridor. The surroundings were unusually quiet, with thick black carpets on the floor silencing any footsteps. A row of stiff guards with guns stood evenly spaced along both sides of the corridor, wearing full-body black reinforcement suits and thick breathing valve helmets, rendering their expressions indecipherable, projecting an icy, solemn atmosphere. ¡°Come in,¡± the voice of his father, Chen Xiguang, came from inside. Chen Yaofeng pushed open the door to find the room empty, save for the silver-haired Chen Xiguang sitting in a wheelchair by the window, gazing out at the simulated sunlight. ¡°There¡¯s been an incident with the investigation team,¡± Chen Yaofeng said somberly. Silence. Chen Xiguang did not respond, not even turning his head. He continued to watch the scenery outside, observing the buildings bathed in simulated sunlight. After several seconds. He turned to look at his son. ¡°I¡¯ve just talked to the other members of Aurora City,¡± he said. ¡°All of them?¡± Chen Yaofeng blinked, quickly coming to grips with the situation. ¡°Yes,¡± nodded Chen Xiguang. He slowly stood up, using the chair¡¯s armrests for support as he straightened his back. ¡°In fact, from the beginning, our investigation team was merely a smokescreen to cover for the real investigation team¡¯s entry.¡± ¡°I noticed,¡± Chen Yaofeng fell silent for a moment, then nodded. ¡°Yes, although it was just a smokescreen, we did every step as thoroughly as possible. Although we all knew that those efforts alone could not possibly deal with the mysterious Eternal Life Association,¡± Chen Xiguang continued. ¡°But we still did it.¡± ¡°There are too many spies within the Eternal Life Association;I understand the reasoning,¡± Chen Yaofeng said. ¡°Exactly because of that, the real investigation team doesn¡¯t belong to any Aurora City. Instead, it is independently infiltrated by an external team,¡± explained Chen Xiguang. ¡°What about our people?¡± Chen Yaofeng asked somberly. ¡°Ill-prepared and even unaware, facing the Eternal Life Association head-on¡­¡± His fists gradually clenched, his voice slowly rising. ¡°We will do our best to preserve them¡­ to save their lives,¡± Chen Xiguang stated gravely. ¡°They are elite! They are the best among our reinforced humans!¡± Chen Yaofeng said. ¡°Even if they are to be sacrificed, they at least deserve the right to be informed and choose!!¡± ¡°To deceive the enemy, you must first deceive yourself. All the more so with an organization full of spies like the Eternal Life Association,¡± Chen Xiguang said calmly. He looked at his son. ¡°From a father¡¯s perspective, I can understand you. From a personal perspective, I can also understand how unfair this operation is to individuals. But¡­¡± He paused. ¡°We have no choice¡­ Is it to respect the individual and fail overall, or to potentially sacrifice a few for the greater good? If you were to choose, what would you do?¡± ¡°I¡­!¡± Chen Yaofeng clenched his fists, having felt this way once before. That time, he lost his best friend. And this time¡­ Snap. Chen Xiguang gently placed his hand on his son¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s all right¡­ every decision was made by me. It¡¯s all right¡­¡± His voice was laden with heavy weariness. In the pitch-black night, a piercing cold wind howled. Heavy snow covered everything. Yu Hong¡¯s figure darted forward across the snowy ground like a streak of white lightning. The snowflakes beside him all turned into slanted rain of knives. The sheer speed made it so that when the snowflakes hit, the impact was enough to slash gaping wounds on ordinary people. At this moment, the snowflakes truly resembled knives. Behind him, Streams of blue mist emanated from his back, reacting with the surrounding Black Fog, canceling each other out. Light and dark, they seemed like natural archenemies. Inside Yu Hong at this time, the endless True Origin Divine Light within him was frantically trying to burst through the surface of his body, countering the encroachment of the surrounding Black Fog. This antagonistic neutralization even affected Yu Hong¡¯s original absorption of Red Value, converting it into Inner Qi. The Red Value radiation had just reached him and had yet to be absorbed when it was canceled out by the blue light. ¡®The effects of the Cosmic Divine Light have started to take hold¡­¡¯ He looked back in the direction of the encampment. There, a faint blue light had already started illuminating a small patch of the sky. In stark contrast to the everywhere-pervasive pitch-black mist, this small illuminated area seemed particularly glaring. He did not know whether what he was doing was right or wrong, but as long as he had the Black Mark, he believed that his own growth would definitely be able to control the development of the situation. Turning back, he continued to check the direction of the marks, hastening toward Yiyi. And behind him, In the far distance, within the encampment, silhouettes of blue were lining up, emerging one by one from the crack of the Ultimate Gate. They were figures in blue robes, ethereal and semi-transparent. They wore hoods, heads bowed, hands crossed and hidden within the wide sleeves. No distinction of gender, if one looked at their hooded faces, they would see nothing but blue robes within. Only a faint blue light circulated ceaselessly. Thump! Thump! Suddenly, the gate¡¯s doors were struck open further. A floating crystal mass flew out from inside. The thing looked like it was cobbled together from countless blue crystals. Through the crystals, one could see that at the center was a pale, round eyeball, constantly looking around. The moment this thing appeared, The Black Fog within a hundred meters around it instantly faded in unison. All Black Disasters below level seven felt an inexplicable sense of oppression at this moment. This signified that high-level entities with a concentration of power at eight levels or above had formally entered this world¡­ In the underground tunnels, The elite of the Freedom Alliance¡¯s investigation department was advancing rapidly through the passageways. The red-haired woman in the lead had a short blade that flitted about like butterfly wings, working in perfect harmony with her rapid movements, making short work of any adversary she faced. Within the tunnel, immense swarms of Black Disasters, beings shrouded in black smoke and twisted in shape like rats in numbers, sprinted forth, attacking any individual that neared. ¡°Be careful, Leiya, your strength, physique, and speed have all been enhanced to the limit, except for toxin resistance, which is still lacking. The Eternal Life Association is likely to target this weakness.¡± A deep voice from a hazy black shadow reminded from behind the woman. ¡°You should say that, aside from this one aspect, everything else about me has been enhanced to the limit.¡± Leiya sheathed her blade, landed, and shook off the black ash from her sleeves. ¡°How are the arrangements?¡± she asked in a low voice, awaiting her team to catch up. ¡°Everyone has arrived.¡± The black shadow halted beside her and replied. Under the bright white illumination of lights, the person¡¯s face was revealed. He was a grotesquely disfigured, tall and thin man with burned features. He wore a black top hat, his attire all in black, but his eyes sparkled like stars, as if glowing. ¡°Having come this far, I have to ask you again,¡± the disfigured man spoke. ¡°Are you really willing to continue?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my fate,¡± replied Leiya calmly, ¡°Even if I do not seek them out, they are destined to come after me. Inescapable, unavoidable.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad I found you,¡± the man said. ¡°Indeed¡­ without you, perhaps I would be like Lin Yiyi by now, powerless, being manipulated without any awareness.¡± Leiya sighed slightly. ¡°You truly are one of a kind, Leiya. From the first moment I found you, I made that judgment. In some ways, I am lucky, and you are too¡­ We were fortunate to find each other.¡± The man expressed his sentiment as well. ¡°So, as long as we take down the Night Pool, we can interrupt the Black Disaster from worsening further, and then by resolving the original source, the Black Well, we can cut off the root source of the Black Disaster, right?¡± Leiya asked. ¡°Yes, the Night Pool has always been hidden, untouchable. Only at the moment of its emergence, when it can be truly touched, can it be completely destroyed. This is our only chance.¡± ¡°This is also what he hopes for¡­ so ultimately, it still comes down to who has the stronger fist.¡± Leiya stepped forward, continuing deeper into the tunnel. Soon, a massive black metal door loomed ahead. The door was exceedingly heavy. At its surface center, there was a carving of a ferocious goat¡¯s head. Chapter 264: Endgame 4 ¡°The other Lin Yiyi probably already has no way to escape his control, now it¡¯s all down to you,¡± the disfigured man said from behind, his voice low and deep. ¡°If you fail, if you don¡¯t defeat him, and destroy the Night Pool, the whole world will from then on reach a turning point.¡± ¡°You mean to say the world is finished, right?¡± Leiya said. ¡°You could think of it that way. Because the real identity of the Eternal Life President is actually not human,¡± the disfigured man explained. ¡°Not human, a Black Disaster?¡± Leiya was taken aback, put her hand on the gate, and turned her head to look at the man. ¡°To be exact, a combined will entity driven to madness by the Black Disaster¡¯s deception¡­ He might have once been a normal person, but now, he¡¯s completely fooled by the Black Disaster¡¯s illusion, falling into extreme idealism. The magnified selfishness is enough to drown all reason, leaving nothing but desire.¡± ¡°He must have taken control of the other person by now, and as long as he captures you too, killing both of you in the ritual, he could truly make the Night Pool turn from illusion to reality. The time difference between killing the two of you must not exceed five minutes, or else the ritual will certainly fail. That¡¯s also why he has yet to make a move until now. The Eternal Life President has been waiting for you. And the President himself, has long been infested by the Black Disaster¡¯s will, no longer of a normal human constitution and might even be stronger than a typical Level 9 Black Disaster. ¡°So, the only one who can now stop everything, is you, the holder of the original luminous stone,¡± the man looked towards Leiya. ¡°Only by gathering the two of us, can we summon the Night Pool, and those who summon the Night Pool get a wish for each count of the Gate of Despair¡­ What kind of wishing is this? It¡¯s nothing but the devil¡¯s temptation. It¡¯s amazing how your family has resisted this temptation for so many years,¡± Leiya said mockingly. Her hand suddenly exerted force. Boom! The center of the gate shattered, cracking open a huge hole. The two of them stepped through the gate, followed closely by the other team members, who began to install remote bombs everywhere. * * * Pu. In the dark night, on the vast expanse of the Dark Plain. Yu Hong suddenly halted, looking up at a cluster of translucent, illusionary figures blocking the path ahead. Around the figure, lay numerous Black Disasters that had just fallen to the ground. Steam rose from the bodies of the Black Disasters, which were now all being drawn in and consumed by the figure, leaving none remaining. Snow Demon. He recognized the intelligence on the opponent. This information had come from other strongholds. A War Level Snow Demon, according to the frontline feedback, none of the methods against Black Disasters worked against it because the creature itself was born from a Cold Disaster. ¡°War Level, huh?¡± Yu Hong steadily walked toward it. As he walked, each footprint he left in the snow lit up with a slow blue glow in the dark night. As he drew closer, the Snow Demon noticed Yu Hong. It lifted its hand, reaching out towards him from afar with an open palm. Whoosh! In an instant, its entire body disintegrated, vanishing without a trace as if it had merged with the cold wind. And at that moment. Everything in Yu Hong¡¯s vision began to change. From the snowy ground around him, the figures of black-haired Withered Women in white dresses quickly rose. They surrounded him, heads bowed, emitting sharp and sorrowful laughter. Hee hee hee¡­ The echoing laughter was like spikes, crazily piercing into Yu Hong¡¯s ears. Yu Hong charged forward in silence, his right hand slamming down onto the head of one of the Withered Women. Thump!! He forcefully halted, standing still, somewhat stunned. The Withered Woman disappeared, and his palm did indeed strike something. But, there was a slight pain in his left shoulder as if he had been struck hard by a hand. At the same time, a familiar Cosmic Divine Light Inner Qi, like a drill, burst into his shoulder, trying to cause destruction. But it was quickly enveloped by other Cosmic Divine Light Inner Qi within his body, neutralizing the impact force, returning to his core. ¡°Is it an illusion? It can even affect my control over my body¡¯s nerves?¡± Yu Hong finally understood how the Snow Demon had attained War Level¡­ Such illusionary control over nervous signals could affect even him, let alone ordinary people. Against such a creature. Ordinary people might end up committing suicide with a gun before they even blink an eye. Not knowing what happened, everything would be over. He tried to approach another Withered Woman, lifting his finger towards her. Blue Inner Qi burst forth, enveloping her completely. The Withered Woman did not say a word, dissolving into black smoke and disappearing. This time, it was real! ¡®False and true, reality mixed with fiction¡­ Impressive!¡¯ Yu Hong couldn¡¯t help but praise inwardly. He looked around, unable to find any trace of the Snow Demon. Unable to locate its core, constantly under the influence of illusions, unable to distinguish the real from the fake around him. This kind of Black Disaster, simply impossible to fight. It¡¯s a wonder how Aurora City managed to fend off such a creature. ¡°Such a powerful ability¡­¡± Yu Hong stood in the snow, simply choosing to stand still. ¡°If it were me a few days ago, I might have been powerless to face it.¡± He lifted his hands, arms spread open. ¡°But now¡­¡± He closed his eyes. Completely relaxed his body and mind, stopping the operation of the Tao Breath Circulation and the Cultivation Technique. ¡°You can try to come consume me¡­¡± In the dark night. The cold wind surrounding him seemed to pause for a moment. An invisible entity was quietly approaching, even closer. Ten meters. Five meters. Three meters. One meter! A transparent human shape emerged silently behind Yu Hong, its arms reaching out to embrace him. Just then, the figure suddenly halted. An unprecedented sense of warmth, of comfort, surged in its heart. This feeling¡­ The Snow Demon had never felt such warmth;it stood frozen in place, immobile, bathed in a hazy blue light that filled its heart with an indescribable sense of safety. ¡°Sleep¡­¡± ¡°Sleep¡­¡± A muffled voice echoed in its mind. But soon, the instincts of a War Level Black Disaster forcibly pulled it out of the illusion. By the time it regained its senses, Yu Hong was already emanating a brilliant blue light from his body. That comforting, safe-feeling blue light eerily froze everything around it into segments of blue ice sculptures. The white snowy ground was covered, turned into a pale blue. Stones, dirt, the falling snowflakes, everything and anything the blue light touched, turned blue in an instant. Even the Snow Demon itself. Its lower half was also frozen into a blue ice sculpture. Bang! The Snow Demon struggled with all its might, not caring about its shattered legs, as its body once again transformed into an invisible cold wind, fleeing swiftly into the distance. In the blink of an eye, it disappeared into the endless Black Fog. Only then did Yu Hong manage to control his Cultivation Technique and resume its circulation, reigning in the freely released Cosmic Divine Light. ¡°Indeed, the War Level Black Disaster has developed rudimentary intelligence.¡± He looked around;a vast expanse of land had turned into blue frost. ¡°If it were any other Cultivation Technique, it might have been restrained by the Snow Demon, struggling in vain. But the Taiyuan True Method is different¡­¡± Other ordinary Cultivation Techniques are practiced to accumulate Inner Strength, to enhance physical and mental willpower. This so-called Taiyuan True Method, however, goes against the norm, created specifically to restrain Cosmic Divine Light. Once unleashed, the unrestrained Cosmic Divine Light would indiscriminately erode everything around it, be it living beings or inanimate objects. Hence, all Yu Hong had to do was do nothing and stop the circulation of his technique, and the Snow Demon¡¯s illusion attack would be resolved. Because the Snow Demon could influence his neural signals, but it couldn¡¯t affect Cosmic Divine Light. Having defeated the Snow Demon, Yu Hong continued to sense the direction of the mark and darted off into the distance. In his current state, rather than being human, he was more like a moving natural disaster capable of destruction at any moment. If his will lost control, the Cosmic Divine Light within him would likewise lose control and spontaneously erupt, contaminating and eroding everything around. * * * Underground tunnels. The King of Strength and Xue Ningning struggled to support their bodies, helping one another towards the exit. Although everyone was moving, they all stayed far away from Lin Yiyi, afraid of being affected by the mysterious bead on her. The monster that emerged from the bead had directly devoured two Black Sheepmen. This creature, more bizarre than the Black Disaster, was a gift from the mysterious Inner Strength master Yu Hong. Had it not been for everyone having read martial arts novels before, they might truly believe that this was something conjured by martial arts Inner Qi. Alas, they were no fools. Lin Yiyi walked dazedly at the end of the group, not understanding why everyone was keeping their distance from her. She too was somewhat afraid that the monster might suddenly appear again and devour her. But thinking that it was given by Yu Hong, she firmly believed that he would not harm her, thus she carried the bead with her. The group retraced their steps in silence. Just as they were halfway along the path, a slender figure clad in a black robe and mask suddenly appeared in the tunnel. The black metal mask worn by the figure was clearly engraved with the number three on one side. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, you may stop now.¡± He lifted his head, his voice emitting an indescribable strange tranquility. Despite the unclear situation of friends and enemies, he seemed as relaxed as if he were meeting acquaintances during an afternoon walk, greeting them with ease. ¡°Who are you?¡± the King of Strength stepped forward, shielding everyone behind him. Tough-skinned and robust, he had suffered only superficial wounds in the recent scuffle and had already recovered somewhat after resting. Behind him, the team members each readied themselves, with those holding guns aiming them, those with grenades grasping them, and others looking for positions to take cover. However, no one noticed that at the back of the group, Lin Yiyi, upon seeing the figure in the black robe and hearing his voice, revealed an indescribable expression behind her helmet. That voice¡­ ¡°Dad!!¡± Suddenly, she blurted out the word. She could never mistake that voice. Absolutely not! It was the voice that had repeated countless times in her dreams, one of the driving forces of her search! She still remembered the scenes of her father playing the game of spinning her in circles when she was a child¡­ Such warmth¡­ ¡°Yiyi¡­¡± The figure also saw Lin Yiyi at the back. His voice carried a hint of amusement. ¡°You¡¯ve grown so much¡­¡± ¡°Are you¡­ Lin Handong!?¡± Xue Ningning, who was quite familiar with Yiyi¡¯s background, was shocked to hear that this black-robed person, evidently a member of the Eternal Life Association, actually acknowledged himself as Yiyi¡¯s father. Immediately she, along with Ou Li and others, showed an extremely shocked expression. Although Ou Li had previously joked that Yiyi¡¯s biological father might be a member of the Eternal Life Association, they had never imagined¡­ this guess would come true¡­ S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lin Handong gently removed the mask from his face, revealing a pale complexion very similar to Lin Yiyi¡¯s. ¡°Actually, when I heard about you, I could hardly believe it. You, a child with inherent intellectual difficulties, dared to leave the small village, venturing out alone in the wide world, even daring to look for us¡­¡± ¡°Dad¡­¡± Lin Yiyi took a few steps forward, yet did not continue to approach. She faintly sensed something was off. ¡°Though I knew you wouldn¡¯t die, there were times when I still had to be distracted to secretly save you,¡± Lin Handong expressed an annoyed look. ¡°Do you know how many experiments you have disrupted, how many projects you have delayed? Constantly saving people is quite troublesome¡­¡± Chapter 265: Endgame Blowing snow slanted across the sky. Beneath the enveloping darkness of night, Yu Hong¡¯s figure stretched into a white line, shooting towards the distance. Suddenly, he halted, stopping on an abandoned highway and looking ahead. A colossal translucent whale with blood-red eyes, devoid of anything but gaping holes, slowly leaped from the ground. The whale, akin to a mobile skyscraper, hundreds of meters in length, soared dozens of meters into the air before gently crashing back down into the earth. It vanished into the concrete surface of the highway. Soon, bizarre shapes of the Black Disaster densely populated the surface of the highway out of thin air. There were spider-like giants with human heads and headless Black Giants several meters tall, including the familiar level-eight Insect man, Speed Man. ¡°Have they already evolved a means of free movement?¡± Yu Hong sighed slightly. In such a world, the odds for humanity were getting slimmer. ¡°Indeed, it was right to think of using external forces to transform everything. As long as I can control the entry pace and degree of external forces, there will definitely be no trouble.¡± At his location, less than a hundred meters from those swarms of Black Disaster, they had already spotted him and turned towards him, releasing thick black smoke. The black smoke condensed, trying to form Black Fog again, but was immediately met by the blue mist emanating from behind Yu Hong, canceling each other out and hissing. Yu Hong took a step forward, ready to activate his Inner Qi and break through the group of Black Disasters. These Black Disasters were highly dangerous, and numerous. Even though he had reached a new level, he wasn¡¯t arrogant enough to take them all on alone. For any danger, he adhered to an absolute safety principle. Zero tolerance to any danger was his first rule for survival. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. So¡­ ¡°Just blast through in one breath.¡± He inhaled lightly, his body aglow with white light. Snap. His boot stepped forward. Suddenly, he stopped and turned around. A mysterious, eerie moaning sound was faintly emanating from behind. As Yu Hong turned, his eyes also widened sharply. In the night sky behind him, a giant blue butterfly, its body enormously vast, was slowly overtaking it. The butterfly¡¯s wings were like mist, seemingly intangible, covered in countless mysterious blue and white patterns. As the butterfly spread its wings, each one obscured half of the night sky. Together, the two wings completely covered the night sky. For a moment, the entire sky lit up. The brilliant blue light illuminated the vast mountain ranges and plains. Buzz!! It was then that the masses of Black Disaster in front of Yu Hong roared, emitting more black smoke. All highly dangerous Black Disasters charged like an army, crazily towards the giant blue butterfly. As if driven by some force, they brushed past Yu Hong, ignoring him completely, and directly lunged at the blue butterfly. ¡°It¡¯s starting¡­.¡± Yu Hong realized. Suddenly, he remembered the Ultimate Gate he had activated in the camp. ¡°To release such a formidable beast so quickly¡­ It seems¡­¡± Panic seized him, knowing he could no longer delay, he must speedily resolve the situation outside, and return to guard the Ultimate Gate at the camp. His Cultivation Technique required massive amounts of Cosmic Divine Light to practice. Being near the gate would also allow the fastest speed and make it convenient to monitor what monsters might come out of it at any time. With this in mind, he accelerated, moving upstream from the swarm of Black Disaster, continuing towards the headquarters of the Eternal Life Association. * * * ¡°How¡­ how can¡­ this be?!¡± Lin Yiyi stared dumbfounded at her father, Lin Handong. She had imagined what it might be like to see her father again, what might happen. But¡­ no matter how much she imagined, she could not conceive that their actual encounter would be like this moment. ¡°Why is it like this!? Why would you treat Yiyi this way? Do you know how much she has suffered to find you?!¡± Ou Li, who had just had his leg broken in a fierce battle, couldn¡¯t help but yell at Lin Handong. ¡°She is your own daughter, isn¡¯t she!?¡± Xue Ningning could no longer restrain herself and shouted angrily. Seeing Yiyi stammer and unable to speak, she felt an inexplicable heartache. Having been with her for so long, they had become as close as sisters. They knew how much this girl had suffered since her family left. ¡°She was very young when you two disappeared. Only her mother was there to take care of her! Then one day, her mother also fell ill and couldn¡¯t do anything. Once the Black Disaster erupted, her mother left alone and never returned. From that time on, she lived alone, facing so many dangers outside! Rats, insects, tree bark, mud, in sheer hunger she ate it all!¡± Xue Ningning stepped closer, raising her gun towards him. ¡°Eventually, it upset her stomach, her belly began to swell, lumps grew on her back, and her mind dulled from failing to wear and remove clothes properly, without timely treatment of a high fever¡­¡± ¡°And then because her father said he would come home at dusk, she disregarded the dangers of the Black Disaster and waited outside the village every day¡­¡± ¡°Is she really your own daughter!?¡± Xue Ningning opened the gun¡¯s safety, speaking harshly. ¡°Are you even human!? How can you bear to treat her like this!?¡± ¡°Daughter? Of course¡­.¡± Lin Handong¡¯s face calmed down, ¡°not.¡± Suddenly, his face revealed a hint of indifferent mockery. Not so!? The voice of these two words wasn¡¯t loud, but in the underground tunnel at that moment, it kept echoing repeatedly. It wasn¡¯t that the voice was loud enough, but upon hearing this statement, everyone suddenly went quiet. Not so!? Lin Yiyi¡¯s eyes widened as she stared intently at Lin Handong. ¡°Dad¡­!!¡± She gasped heavily, trying to speak, but could only utter one word before she seemed to be choking, unable to move. Xue Ningning, Ou Li, and the others were equally dumbfounded, never expecting Lin Handong to give such an answer. ¡°Fuck! Are you even a man at all!?¡± Li Wang couldn¡¯t help but roar. He didn¡¯t know the full story, but just by looking at the similar faces of these two, and hearing that after Lin Yiyi had suffered so much and finally found her father, to then be rejected by him, a fire of anger surged within him. ¡°I¡¯m not talking nonsense¡­¡± Lin Handong revealed a faint smile. He looked at everyone. ¡°Lin Yiyi was never my daughter from the beginning. After all, I never even married, so how could a daughter suddenly emerge out of nowhere?¡± This answer stunned Xue Ningning and the others. Lin Yiyi¡¯s complexion gradually turned pale, losing all color. She looked blankly at her father, her mind buzzing. It seemed as if her entire existence had lost its meaning, on the verge of collapse. ¡°Why!?¡± Xue Ningning rushed forward, grabbed Lin Handong by the collar, and pressed the muzzle of a gun under his chin. ¡°What the hell are you talking about! Ah!!!?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple.¡± Lin Handong was not at all disturbed by being grabbed or threatened by the gun. ¡°Because Lin Yiyi had her face altered to look like mine when she was a child.¡± His tone was calm as if speaking about an unrelated person¡¯s matters. ¡°From the beginning, she was just an abandoned infant with unknown origins, whom we found in a trash pile and raised until a certain age, even arranging a father, a mother, and a grandfather for her to create a seemingly normal family.¡± ¡°Later, I grew tired of it and left first. Her grandfather also left under the guise of a mission because, after all, staying in a run-down village was really dull.¡± ¡°It turned out that the fake mother actually developed feelings for her, foolishly cared for her for many years,¡± Lin Handong said, revealing a nostalgic smile. ¡°Later, when she tried to interfere with our original plan and tried to tell her the truth, the disobedient pawn naturally had to be dealt with.¡± ¡°Mom¡­mom¡­!¡± Lin Yiyi¡¯s vision blurred with tears upon hearing this. She remembered. She remembered everything from her childhood. Those years filled with intense fear and panic. Yes, most of the time, it was her mother holding her, comforting her. But¡­ in her memories, there were also moments when her father and grandfather taught and comforted her. Why¡­ Why¡­ Could it be that all of that, everything, was fake? ¡°I never took care of you,¡± Lin Handong said, knowing what Yiyi was thinking and smiled. ¡°Everything you remember about me and your grandfather was implanted¡­ There is a kind of Black Disaster called memory traces which makes implanting false memories quite convenient.¡± Bang!! Suddenly Xue Ningning punched him hard on the side of his face. ¡°Fuck you!!¡± Xue Ningning shouted angrily as she threw a punch. But Lin Handong merely had his head tilted by the force of the punch then lightly turned it back. ¡°Talking so much, I actually want to tell you that picking you up from the trash and raising you for so long was already a great favor. Now, it¡¯s time for you to repay us¡­¡± ¡°Repay your mom!!¡± Xue Ningning punched him in the face again. However, her punch was effortlessly caught by his hand. Lin Handong¡¯s strength easily suppressed the enraged enhanced human, Xue Ningning, with one hand! He held her fist, his smile slowly fading. ¡°Shut up!¡± With a casual throw, his arm suddenly stretched out, grabbed Xue Ningning, and flung her over ten meters, pressing her hard against the stone wall. Bang! The stone wall shattered, trapping Xue Ningning completely unable to move. ¡°Yiyi, let¡¯s go.¡± Lin Handong looked at Lin Yiyi, and with another hand, he casually snapped his fingers. Snap. By then, Lin Yiyi, already plunged into a complete collapse of her world view, shuddered, stood up blankly, and slowly walked towards Lin Handong. Clearly, Lin Handong and others had long since placed some kind of control mechanism on her. Anyone who had suffered so much, hoping to find their biological parents and grandfather, only to discover that the truth was all a lie. All that was beautiful was just a lie. She was nothing but an abandoned infant thrown away in a trash pile¡­ Even the warm memories of her parents in her mind at this moment were implanted¡­ Such an ending nearly negated all meaning in her life. Lin Handong led her, step by step, turning around and walking deeper into the tunnel. Li Wang and the others tried to launch a surprise attack, but in the moment they raised their guns, they lost sight of the two figures. Chapter 266: Endgame Six ¡°Send two to rescue! The others, report to headquarters immediately! Something has changed! They took Lin Yiyi away for a specific reason!¡± Li Wang shouted sternly. Like waking from a dream, a group of people hurriedly accelerated out of the tunnel to find a suitable location to set up a temporary signal amplifier. After Xue Ningning was pulled down, she didn¡¯t wait for their response and ran towards the depths of the tunnel on her own. Ou Li shouted from behind her, ¡°I¡¯m going too.¡± Then, after rushing out a few meters, he circled back. ¡°Yiyi!¡± Her body trembled, and she slumped to the ground, gasping heavily. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I¡¯m too weak¡­ and I¡¯m injured¡­ I really¡­ really¡­¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± snapped Li Wang, ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll take you with me! None of my team members will be left behind! You guys withdraw first!¡± He quickly picked up Ou Li and chased after Xue Ningning. ¡°Wait¡­!!¡± In desperation, Ou Li tried to speak. But the air rushing into her mouth only made her swallow gas, and she couldn¡¯t make a sound. She just felt a large hand grab the collar of her neck, and before she knew it, she was whisked shakily toward the depths of the tunnel. * * * Underground in the ancient castle. Depth: 1355 meters. A vast octagonal black pool stood silently in the large cavern. The cavern walls were carved with countless talisman arrays from the Yingshan civilization. Large and small, various types of talisman arrays were interwoven, all converging towards the empty black pool below. Drip. Drip. Drip. The crisp sound of a clock¡¯s second hand ticked continually in the cavern. The pool occupied all the ground space of the cavern, with only the pool¡¯s rim marked with ridges where someone could stand. This massive pool measured over three hundred meters both in length and width, with prominences on the pool walls forming the ridges which etched out numerous runes. If Yu Hong were here, he would recognize that these runes mainly symbolized condensation, guidance, compression, and focus. The Eternal Life Association¡¯s seven members, including the president, stood at the pool¡¯s center. From number one to number seven, these were the real spots reserved for those who could make wishes at the Night Pool. ¡°Number eight was unfortunate¡­ having his Gate of Despair forcibly shut. Otherwise, he should have been here too.¡± ¡°He lacked the strength and someone exploited that weakness¡ªit¡¯s indisputable,¡± said the second member, a mature and elegant female voice. ¡°Get ready. Once the other arrives, we can officially start,¡± the president said with a smile. He seemed in good spirits as his gaze rested on a petite figure carried on number three¡¯s shoulder. That was the recently kidnapped Lin Yiyi. She was unconscious, bound, and carried like an object on number three¡¯s shoulder. ¡°The fruit has finally ripened¡­ Our years of preparation have paid off,¡± the president said excitedly, reaching out towards number three. Number three brought Lin Yiyi over and laid her on the ground before the president. With a flick of his right hand, the president released his cane and easily grabbed Lin Yiyi¡¯s neck, lifting her into the air. His left hand reached out from his sleeve, holding a pure silver short dagger, its handle engraved with numerous Yingshan characters. ¡°It¡¯s about to¡­ begin¡­¡± The president¡¯s voice was filled with unparalleled anticipation. He clutched the dagger and aimed it at Yiyi¡¯s chest. Suddenly, he paused, the dagger hanging in mid-air. ¡°Let¡¯s wait until the others have arrived¡ªthe timing must be synchronized¡­ otherwise, it¡¯ll be troublesome if it¡¯s too late¡­¡± He withdrew the dagger. Just then, a part of the stone wall beside the dry pool was burst open with great force. Bang! Dust flew about. Two figures, mingled with the dust, swiftly entered through the breach and landed firmly at the bottom of the pool. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived;this is the place!¡± Leading them was the red-haired, muscular Leiya. She was dressed in a black leather outfit, holding a translucent dagger in one hand, with two different-length black guns strapped to her back. Her exposed skin was pale, her face hidden behind a black mask, revealing only her eyes. Behind her was a man dressed in a black suit, his face disfigured. ¡°We¡¯ve found it. It¡¯s definitely here.¡± The disfigured man looked up and immediately locked eyes with the burly fifth member among the seven. ¡°Saren, it¡¯s been a while. I didn¡¯t expect you to still be alive,¡± the fifth member said coldly. ¡°My family betrayed by you, my kin dead or mutated, living a life that¡¯s neither human nor ghost,¡± the disfigured man replied icily. ¡°Interesting,¡± the fifth member laughed, ¡°Keeping such a secret, breakouts from the family were inevitable even without me. Do you really think you could have avoided it? Rather than letting outsiders take the chance to make a wish, I might as well do it myself. What wrong did I do!?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ you¡¯re not wrong, and neither are we. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here today, to kill you¡ªit¡¯s only natural, right and proper,¡± the disfigured man declared coldly. ¡°Haha.¡± The fifth member was noncommittal and too lazy to respond. ¡°Now, all the main characters are here¡­¡± The president, still grasping Lin Yiyi and clutching the dagger tightly, looked towards Leiya. ¡°Capture her.¡± Suddenly, the other six members moved forward in unison. Their robes fluttered open, revealing their eerie bodies full of dark, hollow voids below. Each had countless circular holes, as if they were pierced through with cylindrical metal rods. At a glance, each person had at least a hundred on their body. Such injuries would normally be fatal. But these six were able to talk and move freely. ¡°Partial fusion with the Black Disaster?¡± Leiya¡¯s expression grew solemn. If it was a common Black Disaster, she wouldn¡¯t care, but these were the top ranks of the Eternal Life Association. The Black Disaster they fused with wasn¡¯t likely to be trash. * * * * Bang! At the entrance of the tunnel. The camouflaged passageway was suddenly grabbed by Yu Hong with one hand and flipped aside. On the lamp racks erected on both sides, two temporarily charged lamps emitted bright white light. This light dispersed much of the Black Fog surrounding the area. ¡°This is the place¡­¡± Yu Hong looked down at the dark tunnel below, had a thought, and immediately several dragon lizards went in first to scout the path. After quickly confirming there were no problems, he gently leaped and jumped into the tunnel. Whoosh! The moment he entered the tunnel, the blue mist on his body rapidly spread out, counteracting and neutralizing the dense Black Fog inside. ¡°This is the direction¡­¡± Yu Hong briefly judged, then his figure suddenly turned into a white line, rushing into the tunnel at high speed and disappearing from sight. * * * Inside a dry pool. The torn chests of two association members rapidly healed, returning to their original state, then joined the other four in surrounding Leiya and her companion. At the very center, Leiya was covered in blood with uneven marks all around her on the ground. Not far off were also charred remains of explosions. She knelt on the ground, her mind somewhat dizzy. She had thought that after her multiple enhancements, her body and consciousness had reached their peak, but just after engaging, she found herself completely outmatched in speed, power, and healing. Within mere seconds, her pride in her strength was effortlessly crushed by the crude fighting skills of these men. ¡°Leiya, you are the one I released¡­ and the one I created. From the beginning, I have always guarded against you¡­¡± the President said with a smile. ¡°Even though I didn¡¯t expect the enhanced person to be you, I have grasped everything about you;what do you think you have to win against me?¡± ¡°You really think you¡¯ve already won!?¡± Leiya slowly stood up, her injuries laboriously sealing the wounds, which were usually quick to heal but now struggled even to close. Shh. She pulled a thin, translucent white dagger from the outer side of her thigh. The dagger had serpentine, horned creatures wrapped around the handle, slightly wriggling as if they were alive. ¡°Primordial luminous stone?¡± the President exclaimed in surprise, ¡°You still have this!?¡± His brow furrowed beneath his mask. ¡°I thought I had destroyed all of it¡­ every last residue!¡± ¡°The Meisha family¡¯s uncles and aunts helped me¡­ I finally found one,¡± Leiya gripped the dagger tightly and suddenly charged at the people surrounding her. This time, they were extremely wary of the dagger, no longer confronting her head-on. ¡°Not a bad plan¡­ caught my only loophole,¡± the President spoke solemnly, ¡°but, relying just on a dagger to turn the tables¡­¡± He suddenly whispered an incantation. Dark Fog rose buoyantly from the talisman arrays carved around, streaming into the pool. Suddenly, the Black Fog enveloped the other six, lifting them into the cloud, speeding them up significantly. Like black lines in the pool, they darted back and forth. Leiya, already hard-pressed, now faced even greater pressure. A lapse in attention and a kick to the flank sent her flying, struggling to right herself and stabilize. ¡°Now! Take her heart!¡± the President suddenly shouted urgently. Six figures pounced toward Leiya, extending their claw-transformed hands. And at that moment. A black figure rushed from the side. It was the disfigured man, Saren Meisha. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. His body expanded rapidly, ballooning out like an airbag, protecting Leiya, blocking all attacks. ¡°Go!¡± he roared. Thump thump thump thump!! In the continuous sound of massive collisions, he spat blood profusely, with strange bulges continuously wriggling on his body since merging with the Black Disaster. Seizing the opportunity, Leiya leaped through a gap on the left, like a red streak, swooping low, darting underneath six figures to charge at the President holding Lin Yiyi. The primordial luminous stone dagger in her hand suddenly lit up with a blinding white light. Boom! The light exploded, covering the entire pool cave. In the white light, intense fighting sounds erupted intermittently. After several minutes. The light slowly dissipated. Leiya lay on her back, her face and body covered with dense bloodstains. In front of her, the Eternal Life President held a silver dagger, his chest sporting a large black cavity, through which the pool¡¯s back wall was visible. Puh. The President spat out a mouthful of black blood. ¡°To destroy the primordial luminous stone at the cost of disrupting the ritual¡­ did you think¡­ I wasn¡¯t prepared?¡± He laughed softly again. ¡°Saren, Leiya¡­ I¡¯ve known for years that you were the real threats, the real trouble. So my preparations against you began several years ago¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m very aware that in this world, the only ones who could possibly hinder me are you two.¡± He walked to one side and picked up the lying Lin Yiyi. ¡°So, although I wasn¡¯t sure if there was any residual primordial luminous stone left, I had long collected a special drug targeted against it¡­¡± ¡°If the primordial luminous stone could be concealed by mineral veins, I found the surrounding rock layers that seal it, extracted key components¡­ and regularly ingested them¡­ until now¡­ my resistance to the primordial luminous stone has reached levels you couldn¡¯t imagine!¡± His laughter gradually grew louder, as he watched Leiya¡¯s unwilling angry expressions and heard Saren¡¯s desperate roars as he struggled helplessly. ¡°Now¡­ everything comes to an end¡­ your hearts are mine¡­¡± ¡°Next, is my era!¡± The President gripped the dagger and stabbed it toward Yiyi¡¯s chest. Ding! A clear ringing sound. Chapter 267: Final Chapter Seven Clang! The piercing sound of the collision made everyone¡¯s eardrums ache. A long-distance bullet, flying with deadly precision, struck the side of the president¡¯s dagger, forcefully deflecting it to one side. The president¡¯s wrist twisted, nearly dislocated by the immense impact. He turned his head toward the direction from which the bullet came. Xue Ningning, Ou Li, and Li Wang had appeared at some point on the edge of the pool¡¯s wall, looking down from above. The one holding the gun was none other than Xue Ningning. She cradled a black anti-material sniper rifle in her hands, its muzzle still smoking. Bang! Without any superfluous words, the second shot was fired. The bullet instantly covered hundreds of meters, hitting the president squarely in the forehead. Boom! His head jerked to the side, surprisingly not penetrated by the bullet, just knocked askew. ¡°You insects! Stop interfering!¡± he exclaimed furiously. With a violent swing of his knife toward the direction of the three, he released a Black Fog. The Black Fog took the form of a dark bird and flew towards them. The piercing cry of the bird detonated, and even before the bird reached them, an invisible oppressive force descended upon the trio from mid-air, immobilizing them. Ah! Li Wang roared, his muscles swelling and blood filling his veins as he laboriously took a step forward to shield the other two, lifting a metallic Shield in his hands. Boom! The Shield was struck by the Black Fog bird, as if hit by a speeding car, sending the three flying backward, crashing into the stone wall behind them, blood spewing from their mouths, embedded in the wall, unable to move. ¡°Yiyi! Wake up! Wake up!!¡± Xue Ningning yelled, her words slurred. ¡°Dare you still shout!¡± the president swung his dagger fiercely in that direction again. This time, no one could stop the second strike of the Black Fog bird;the three would surely die if struck. But¡­ With a squelch, a thick arm of dark red flesh suddenly appeared in front of the president¡¯s dagger, the palm blocking the sharp tip, preventing it from advancing even an inch. That dark red body of flesh rang out with the clash of metal upon impact. The president looked up in mild shock at his opponent. The one who had blocked him was a two-meter-tall, blood-red-muscled, twisted humanoid monster. ¡°Where did this ugly thing come from?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t¡­move, my¡­friend!!¡± Lin Yiyi, whom he had by the neck, suddenly opened her blood-red eyes, and with a fierce grip, seized his arm. Crack crack¡­ She clasped the president¡¯s arm tightly, causing the muscles to twist and tear as she rotated with immense strength, severing the muscle fibers. ¡°??!¡± The president, with his other fist clenched, struck at Lin Yiyi¡¯s head. But the blow was caught by the Spear-Hand. Their powerful forces clashed violently, trembling fiercely in mid-air, neither able to move. Spear-Hand, usually displaying a rigid smiling face, now seemed to express another emotion. That appeared to be anger¡­ ¡°Dare say, I¡¯m ugly!??¡± Buzz! Behind him, six blood-flesh spears burst forth from his skin, extending and wrapping around like six curved beams of light, stabbing the president from all sides at lightning speed. The immense piercing power and completely unpredictable attack method left the president with no time to respond accurately;merely trying to retreat and dodge, he was impaled by the blood-flesh spears. Pupupupupu! The spear pierced through his body, plunging into the ground and pinning him in place, unable to move. Seizing the opportunity, Lin Yiyi broke free and with a powerful punch¡ªa release of all her strength and fury¡ªher fist cut through the air, letting out a sharp screech as it slammed heavily into the president¡¯s face. Boom! The loud noise echoed, and rings of black flesh, like shattered stone, splashed outward. The sudden turn of events stunned the other six members of the association. The Spear-Hand that had appeared so suddenly had ambushed the president in an instant, his body pierced like a rag doll, followed by Lin Yiyi unleashing all her strength in a punch. The punch gruesomely smashed half of the president¡¯s intact head. Could it be that everything was over just like that? Leiya and Saren momentarily paused their fierce battle with the six members. As they hesitated, unsure of whether to continue or not, The president¡¯s body suddenly exploded, breaking into masses of Black Fog which quickly reassembled in another spot, forming an unscathed body. ¡°Strange creature. Not a Black Disaster¡­¡± The mask on his face broke away, revealing a sullen, weathered countenance. His forehead and the corners of his eyes were covered in dense wrinkle patterns, like tree bark. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to reveal my true form¡­ But now it seems¡­¡± He swiftly dodged the attack from the Spear-Hand, lightly tapped the ground with his foot, and leapt into the air. ¡°Now you will see the strongest power I¡¯ve gained through the Gate of Despair! The power of the strongest human!!¡± He outstretched his arms. Black Fog gushed out of all the cavities on his body, enveloping him. The Black Fog completely submerged him, then rapidly expanded, quickly covering dozens of meters around. Seeing this, Lin Yiyi swiftly retreated, avoiding the Black Fog¡¯s reach, climbing along the stone wall to save Xue Ningning and the others from the pool¡¯s edge. The other association members also withdrew, watching silently with Leiya, pausing the struggle to see what would unfold. Not just Lin Yiyi, but even they felt an ominous premonition. Thump! Suddenly, from beneath the Black Fog, a black foot, over a meter long, stretched out. The foot heavily stepped on the ground, gathering strength, and stepped out of the Black Fog. What appeared before everyone¡¯s eyes was astonishingly a smaller version of a Black Giant slowly emerging from the Black Fog! ¡°However, in place of features, the Black Giant¡¯s face was embedded with the entire body of the chairman.¡± ¡°This towering black figure, resembling a small mountain over ten meters high, stood before everyone.¡± He suddenly swung his arm, snatching the approaching spearman in his grasp and squeezing tightly. Boom!! With immense force, blood oozed from the spearman¡¯s compressed body as he screamed continuously. ¡°So weak¡­¡± the chairman chuckled softly, ¡°You should take pride in having forced me into this form¡­ Now, let¡¯s not waste any more time.¡± He glanced at Lin Yiyi and casually tossed aside the spearman. ¡°I had thought this was a sure victory, but an unexpected turn has occurred, it seems we must fight swiftly.¡± Whoosh! In an instant, he bent over and pushed off the ground. Despite the massive frame, he moved with the speed of the wind and appeared in front of Lin Yiyi and the others. His huge face suddenly loomed before them, in the air less than four meters away. With a lightning-fast grab, A tremendous roar echoed as his massive palm caught Lin Yiyi, who couldn¡¯t dodge in time, once again in his grip. Without hesitation, his other hand extended a nail, thrusting rapidly toward Yiyi¡¯s heart. This time he would not waste time ¨C he aimed to carve out a heart first. ¡°Yiyi!!¡± Xue Ningning and the others shouted. But it was already too late. The sharp, knife-like fingertip pierced the skin, drawing blood. Lin Yiyi¡¯s body shuddered, losing the strength to resist. She weakly lifted her hands, trying to push away the giant finger, but her feeble strength was meaningless to the Black Giant, like mosquitoes to a giant. ¡°Yiyi.¡± It seemed she heard someone calling her name. The voice was so tender, Like that of a mother. ¡°Mom¡­ Mom¡­¡± At that moment, she saw the black finger growing larger, filling her entire vision, and also a mysterious figure in a white dress, with decaying, long hair, suddenly appearing in front of her. The figure stood with its back to her, arms outstretched, taking her place to be pierced by the finger through the chest. ¡°Yiyi¡­ live on¡­¡± Her mother¡¯s gentle voice echoed. The long-haired figure turned slightly, and though the face was rotting, it still reminded Yiyi of her mother¡¯s beautiful visage. Rip! In an instant, the figure was torn apart by the massive black hand, scattering into pieces. Yiyi reached out, wanting to embrace her mother, but her hand froze in midair. The flicker of hope and warmth she had just felt before her heart could be filled was cruelly shattered. She watched her mother¡¯s face, those gentle eyes, torn into pieces by the unsympathetic force, then turning into Black Fog and being utterly destroyed. ¡°Ahhh!!!!¡± A torrent of indescribable pain, grievance, and anger flooded out along with her tears. Amidst the bellowing cries, The tattoo on Lin Yiyi¡¯s back suddenly brightened, a dazzling golden light burst forth, stirring up gusts of wind. Roar!!! A massive, gold lightning-bathed lizard-like beast, its exaggerated thirty-meter length, surged out from the golden light. The terrifying size of the giant lizard dwarfed the Black Giant, resembling an adult to a child;as soon as it burst forth, it lunged over Yiyi, crashing into the Black Giant midair. Boom!! The two enormous creatures smashed into the earth, shattering the surface of the pool and causing large fragments of stone to explode everywhere. The golden light clashed with the Black Fog, counteracting each other. The two giants began to brawl wildly, occasionally crashing into the surrounding stone walls, creating dents and cracks. The Black Giant tried to struggle to his feet with swinging fists, but to his horror, he found his strength paling in comparison to the mysterious giant lizard. The force of his punches seemed to be halved by something, barely causing any pain, while a single casual swipe of the creature¡¯s claw could tear his flesh;had it not been for the Black Fog healing his wounds continuously, he feared he would have been killed instantly. ¡°What is this thing! What is it!!?¡± he roared furiously, struggling to comprehend. Not just him, all present shared the same bewilderment, Including Lin Yiyi, dazed on the ground. She had no idea where the thirty-meter-long exaggerated beast had come from. But more than that, she cared about her mother. With tears soaking her cheeks, she knelt on the ground, trying to pick up the pieces of her mother¡¯s torn body. But those pieces were vanishing swiftly, turning into black smoke, blending into the Black Fog. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°So it¡¯s true, you¡¯ve always been there, always by my side¡­¡± At that moment, her stammer seemed to have vanished. Kneeling on the ground, her hands reached out for an embrace, but there was nothing to hold. Whimper! She cried out again, her body trembling uncontrollably. At that moment, she keenly felt something disappear from within her¡­ Something was missing¡­ and would never return¡­ ¡°What is that¡­ exactly?¡± Leiya and Saren stood together, still some distance away, watching the epic struggle of the enormous Agrius in amazement. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Saren was equally perplexed, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a Black Disaster like this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably not a Black Disaster¡­ That golden light¡­¡± Leiya took out emergency medication and put it in her mouth, trying to recover her strength and vitality while the situation had eased a bit. ¡°Eternal Life Association¡­ this time they might have truly capsized. I have a feeling they¡¯ve messed with some mysterious power beyond their control¡­¡± Leiya swallowed the pill with a gulp. ¡°Just now, I was ready to help you activate the last chip, to unleash all your body¡¯s potential, all the injections¡­ I never expected¡­¡± Saren mused. ¡°Perhaps, there¡¯s no need for a desperate fight¡­ If it ends like this, it¡¯s good;maybe we won¡¯t have to die and can finally experience what normal life is like for once,¡± Leiya said with a forced smile. Elsewhere, The remaining six members of the Association were silent, watching their chairman being completely overwhelmed. ¡°Folks, it seems the chairman is in a bad situation,¡± said the second-ranking elderly woman with a grave voice. Chapter 268: Endgame ¡°No matter what, we have reached this point;we have no other choice,¡± Number Three Lin Handong said coldly. ¡°The Night Pool doesn¡¯t require the President to summon it. We will do it ourselves!¡± ¡°But if we summon it like this, without the two hearts merging into the original key, the Black Disaster, the Night Pool can¡¯t physically manifest! What about our wishes?¡± the burly man hesitated. ¡°Do we have a choice!? Survive first! There will be another chance!¡± Lin Handong said. The few of them looked at the excessively large Agrius, and for a moment, they all fell silent. Beneath the shimmering gold light, the President was at this moment being brutally beaten. He was already less powerful than his opponent. The punches he threw seemed to have their power halved upon impact, almost as if he were giving the opponent a massage. To anyone, this looked like a fight he was bound to lose. ¡°Begin now! We can¡¯t delay!¡± Lin Handong shouted. ¡°Let¡¯s do it!¡± Number Two made the decision. The others nodded in agreement. The six of them closed their eyes simultaneously, arms wide open. They began to chant the summoning incantations for the Night Pool from the Mountain Civilization. The oddly modulating and bizarre tones rose evenly in the cave¡¯s pond, but in the midst of the two colossal creatures¡¯ ferocious battle, they were barely noticeable, completely drowned out by the thunderous noises. As they chanted the mysterious incantations, Swathes of thick Black Fog began to emanate from their bodies, clinging to the runes carved into the surrounding stone walls. One by one, the still intact runes became even darker and more profound. In the vast and empty pond, it seemed as though something blurred and illusory was slowly emerging, descending. With the descent of this unknown entity, the Eternal Life President, who had been suppressed and torn apart by claws to the point of being covered in wounds, finally gained the power to retaliate. The rate of wound regeneration on his body began to drastically increase. Injuries that appeared one second would instantaneously heal the next. This kind of healing power drove him to ecstatic madness. But soon, he began to connect the dots. ¡°No¡­ the Night Pool has come too soon¡­ My wish!! My wish!!¡± His expression quickly morphed from joy into anger. ¡°You¡¯ve ruined my wish!!!¡± he bellowed. Enraged to the point of insanity, he abandoned all attempts to dodge and began to exchange punch for punch with Agrius. More Black Fog, following his movements and fueled by his anger, was drawn in, continuously joining the effort to counteract the golden lightning. Just as Yu Hong had done before, the President now also started to use massive amounts of energy to offset the formidable power of the golden lightning. As the hissing rose in intensity, vast quantities of Black Fog, seemingly infinite, began to slowly suppress the golden lightning on Agrius¡¯s body. Agrius, while still overwhelmed the President, was slowly starting to become injured. Roar!! Once again suppressed and wounded by the same method, Agrius, too, became furious. It increased its strength in a frenzy, biting down on the President¡¯s neck and viciously flinging him against the stone wall. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Boom!! The wall shattered and collapsed, crushing the President to the point where his bones fractured and his back turned to pulp. But in the next moment, not two seconds later, all of his injuries healed as if nothing had happened. ¡°I am invincible!!¡± The Eternal Life President roared, gripping Agrius¡¯s head, digging his fingers into its eyes, the eyeballs bursting into blood and flesh. Blinded by this strike, Agrius became even more enraged, biting the President and thrashing about wildly. For a time, the pond was filled with the roar of tremendous noises. The President¡¯s body kept cycling between full-body fractures and instantaneous healing. The immense pain drove him into further madness. Several minutes passed¡­ Boom! Agrius¡¯s colossal body heavily crashed to the ground, drained of strength. It began to slowly turn transparent, unreal, until it completely lost its outline. Huff¡­ huff¡­ The Eternal Life President sat amidst the rubble, panting heavily, his head splitting with pain, scarcely able to move. Under the blessing of the Night Pool, his body¡¯s ability to repair itself was indeed limitless, but such repair was not without cost. Each time came with the toll of mental and spiritual strain and injury, and now¡­ he had exerted every ounce of his strength to completely vanquish that monstrous dragon lizard. ¡°Truly¡­ truly formidable¡­¡± he chuckled dryly, clutching his forehead, enduring wave after wave of excruciating pain. ¡°Died over thirty times¡­ just to resolve this¡­¡± Intense dizziness and nausea assaulted his spirit wave after wave. He felt like he was porcelain on the brink of shattering, as if just a little more time spent fighting, and he might not need that creature to act¡ªhe would collapse on his own, becoming a pile of rotting flesh, losing all consciousness. Puh. He struggled to prop himself up one last time, moving toward Lin Yiyi and the others, their faces filled with terror and despair. ¡°I said¡­ I would establish a world that is absolutely fair and just, where everyone has equal power to decide their own fate¡­¡± he said, as his vision swam and the view of the pond seemed to constantly shake and spin. Even simple walking felt as though he was bearing immense weights, an arduous effort. ¡°I said¡­¡± the Eternal Life President gritted his teeth, ¡°that all the injustices of this world¡­ are because of power¡­¡± ¡°Let those with power establish a new world¡­ Let everyone have strength to influence the tide and everything will be equal!¡± ¡°I said¡­ the world selects the weak¡­ and leaves the strong¡­ leaves the strongest survivors, as it is the natural instinct of the universe in pursuit of a new world. I am merely¡­ merely accelerating it all¡­ speeding toward the endpoint of nature!¡± He took step by step toward Lin Yiyi and the others. Extended his hand. ¡°For the endpoint of natural evolution!¡± His fingers violently clawed downwards. Hiss¡­ At this moment, his massive Black Giant body could no longer maintain itself. His hand, still in mid-air, dissolved into black smoke that dissipated into nothingness. Within the Black Fog, the Eternal Life President gently landed, returning to normal human size, standing in front of Lin Yiyi and the others. ¡°Can¡¯t maintain it any longer? That¡¯s alright¡­ Now, it all ends.¡± He reached out again, grabbing for the similarly exhausted and weak Lin Yiyi. Xue Ningning, Power King Ou Li, and the others wanted to speak out, but they had also suffered severe injuries, with broken bones all over their bodies, and after struggling a few times they had no more movements. In the distance, Leiya and the others wanted to rush over but were intercepted by six people, again plunging into a bitter fight. ¡°Yiyi! Run!!¡± Xue Ningning croaked desperately. Lin Yiyi let out an angry roar and threw a punch forward. But her fist was easily blocked by the President, who brushed it aside. She launched a kick, which was just as easily blocked with a knee-on-knee collision by the opponent. ¡°Ah!¡± She mustered all her strength in a mad flail at the adversary. Bang bang bang bang! Sadly, the gap in strength between her and her opponent was too great. All her attacks were effortlessly deflected. But¡­ Boom! Even the sure-footed horse could stumble, let alone the strangely debilitated Eternal Life President. As he blocked attack after attack, he eventually missed one. His left cheek was smashed with a heavy punch that sent his head reeling back and blood spilling from his mouth. Though the injuries vanished in an instant under the Black Fog¡¯s healing powers, the severe pain in his head only intensified. ¡°Resistance is futile!¡± Knowing he was nearly at his limit, he rallied all his consciousness, increased his power recklessly, and reached for Yiyi¡¯s neck. This time he decided not to delay any longer. His arm swollen and enlarged in an instant, displayed half of the Black Giant¡¯s strength and speed as it forcefully broke through Yiyi¡¯s defense and grabbed her. Whoosh. But this time, he grasped at thin air! The Eternal Life President¡¯s vision had started to double. ¡®Am I seeing things¡­?¡¯ He shook his head with difficulty. He continued reaching forward, grabbing for Lin Yiyi. ¡°You look,¡± ¡°quite weak, don¡¯t you?¡± Suddenly, a stranger¡¯s voice sounded from behind the President. He shuddered, hearing what seemed like leiya and others gasp in shock, hearing Number Two and Number Three emit involuntary exclamations. At the same time, he saw the anger and despair on the faces of Lin Yiyi and others turn into bewilderment, confusion, and a mysterious sense of joy. He struggled to turn his head. To look behind him. There¡­ A perfectly unharmed Agrius, covered in golden sparks, stood silently behind him. Atop the thirty-meter-long black beast, a towering figure stood with blue runes flickering across his cheeks. From his elevated position, he was watching this scene. It was Yu Hong, who had long since arrived. ¡°It seems you have no other cards to play.¡± His voice was calm, the slight echoes carrying in the vast underground space. ¡°Now, I can safely finish you off.¡± ¡°¡­.Heh¡­¡± The Eternal Life President, looking at the huge, unscathed creature bathed in golden light, was completely dumbfounded. His mind went blank, as if he had lost the ability to think. In the last moment, He saw Agrius lift its massive claw, bringing it thundering down on him. A great shadow pressed down in an instant. Boom!! The rock walls burst, cracked, and caved in. Lin Yiyi and the others were flung through the air by the tremendous impact, and while still midair, they were caught by black dragon lizards shooting out, one after another, and gently placed on the ground. And the body of the Eternal Life President was completely pulverized under the weight of the claw. Hiss¡­ The pulverized flesh tried to wriggle and reform. But Yu Hong pointed from afar. A blue beam burst from the ground, hitting the mass with precision. The blue light froze the pulp as the Condensing Water Technique absorbed and drained the water within it. Three seconds later. The pulp managed to vaguely form a face, looking at Yu Hong with difficulty opening its mouth. ¡°¡­.The source, disaster¡­ Yu Hong¡­ you¡­ will one day¡­ be like me¡­¡± ¡°What is the greatest difference between humankind and insects?¡± Yu Hong asked calmly. ¡°You¡­?¡± ¡°Desire.¡± Yu Hong¡¯s eyes moved, another blue light surged from the ground, covering the face and freezing it completely, then snap¡ªa sound as it shattered. The fragments turned into countless points of light, disappearing from sight. It was only then that Yu Hong turned back to look at Lin Yiyi and the others on the ground. The massive form of Agrius turned into a wraith and vanished;the dragon lizards also retreated into the shadows on their own. He descended gently and approached Lin Yiyi. He reached out and tenderly rubbed her face, wiping away her tears. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I saw that you could still hold on, so I hid for a bit longer.¡± Lin Yiyi stared blankly at him, and in her once desolate eyes, the image of Yu Hong was gradually reflected. ¡°Don¡¯t blame me,¡± Yu Hong said. ¡°After all, I¡¯m too afraid to die.¡± Chapter 269: To Think Its One Actually, Yu Hong had arrived very early, and he had simply been observing, watching whether the Eternal Life President still had any dangerous cards up his sleeve. He continued observing until the last moment, when he saw that the other party could barely stand up, he finally set his mind at ease and took decisive action. And, indeed, as he had anticipated, after a fierce fight from Agrius, the Eternal Life President, comparable between Level 9 and War Level, had finally reached a dead end. Although his remaining strength still easily suppressed Lin Yiyi and others, in front of a powerful being like Yu Hong, he was weak and vulnerable, unable to withstand a single blow. ¡°Thank you¡­ thank you¡­¡± Lin Yiyi¡¯s tears still flowed like a fountain, streaming uncontrollably downward. Like a faucet turned on, twin trails of tears streamed down to her chin, dropping to the ground. It was then that she understood that the huge dragon lizard, whose body sparkled with golden arcs, was the force that Yu Hong had dispatched. It was Yu Hong who had been protecting her from the shadows all along. ¡°Take a rest for now. Your mother has been transformed into a Black Disaster, and it¡¯s not so easy for her to die, although recovery takes time. I will handle the rest of the situation here,¡± Yu Hong said, patting her shoulder and then turning to look at the others. As soon as he spoke, Yiyi shivered suddenly. Yes, has anyone ever seen a completely vanished Black Disaster? From the outbreak of the Black Disaster until now, not a single one has been thoroughly exterminated. At most, the recovery time was merely extended. With this thought, hope flickered once again in her eyes. Not far away, Xue Ningning and two others were unable to move, apparently severely injured. Even though they were suspended in mid-air by the dragon lizard, the injuries they had sustained earlier were already severe, and at this moment, their conditions merely remained unchanged. Yu Hong approached, and gave each one of them a rapid-action hemostatic pill to control their wounds. These were originally provided by Aurora City, and now they were aptly used on their own people. ¡°Yu Hong,¡± Xue Ningning called out weakly, her mouth bloody, ¡°Yiyi¡¯s background is all fake! Don¡¯t let Lin Handong go! Kill him!¡± ¡°Lin Handong?¡± Yu Hong was startled, and looked toward Yiyi, who shivered and inadvertently looked toward one of the six people, Number Three. Number Three, Lin Handong, had a gloomy expression. When Yu Hong appeared and defeated the President, he had already retreated in advance amidst the shock of the crowd, and was now almost at the entrance. Hearing Xue Ningning¡¯s loud shout, anger flickered across Lin Handong¡¯s face, and he immediately rushed out of the entrance stone gate, disappearing from sight. Yu Hong remained calm, glanced at Leiya and the others, and then vanished abruptly, leaving only a fading trace of white light. Seconds later, a darkness was thrown high from the exit, crashing onto the floor of the pool area, tumbling over and over. The darkness was none other than Lin Handong who had just attempted to flee. ¡°Yu Hong! With your current power, you don¡¯t have to cooperate with Aurora City! You can completely collaborate with us, we can become kings of the world!! You want beauties, new cities, and Aurora City have countless people you can choose from!! Want anything else, you can be satisfied with everything!!¡± Lin Handong got up, his face twisted, shouting in pain. ¡°Wretched vermin,¡± Yu Hong appeared a few meters in front of him, flexed his wrist, and slowly approached him. ¡°Wait, wait! We can serve you as the lord! You can become the sole king of the world! As long as we cooperate, even Aurora City cannot stop us. Now that nuclear and hydrogen bombs can¡¯t be launched, with your power, no one can stop you!¡± Lin Handong kept backing away, his face pale. ¡°Think about it, isn¡¯t that what life is all about? With just a thought, you could live a life you could never achieve again! I can control the thought scars to alter anyone¡¯s memory, you can go into the city and pick anyone to make her your slave! Imagine, how beautiful that life would be¡­.¡± Bang!! Lin Handong hadn¡¯t finished speaking when his face was struck by a punch, and he flew sideways, tumbling over a dozen times on the ground. While he was still dazed, Yu Hong quickly learned more about the situation from Xue Ningning. As the narrative unfolded, his anger grew. ¡°Tell me, why did you originally choose Yiyi, why did you pretend to be her family?¡± He walked up to Lin Handong, looking down at him from above. ¡°Hehe¡­ hehehe¡­¡± Seemingly knowing he was doomed, Lin Handong simply collapsed to the ground, spread-eagled, with a careless expression. ¡°It¡¯s simple, because she and Leiya, together, were once the first Black Disaster to enter the world, known as the Key Black Disaster.¡± Black Disaster?!! Lin Yiyi is a Black Disaster!? Leiya is a Black Disaster!? At that moment, none of those present had expected such an answer. ¡°Impossible! iVar.statusTOOl They are clearly human, how could they be Black Disasters!?¡± Saren ¡¤ Meisha couldn¡¯t help but speak sharply. ¡°They are containers, merely vessels for the Key Black Disaster that split into two,¡± Lin Handong smiled, ¡°Did you think we originally dug Lin Yiyi out of a garbage heap for no reason? Leiya had been dead for two days, how could she suddenly come back to life? Everything was supposed to be under our control¡­ but¡­¡± His following words were left unsaid. But everyone understood. In reality, if not for Yu Hong¡¯s later intervention, Lin Yiyi had been trapped in a setup by the Eternal Life Association from the start, unable to extricate herself. Her entire life, from beginning to end, was one giant lie. Even her consciousness was implanted with a hypnotic backdoor, leaving her completely unable to resist. The only one out of their control was Leiya, who had been hidden away by the Meisha family, possessing indescribable multi-enhanced talents, and was seen by them as the only hope for revenge. Unfortunately¡­ Lin Yiyi, who was originally supposed to be a disposable tool, met Yu Hong. Her destiny was changed from that moment. ¡°So, where are Lin Yiyi¡¯s birth parents? Who are they?¡± Yu Hong asked in a deep voice. ¡°Where did you pick her up?¡± He paused. ¡°And the consciousness backdoor, how can it be removed?¡± ¡°Come, kill me!¡± Lin Handong laughed twistedly, pointing to his heart. ¡°Come kill me! I can¡¯t wait not to live!¡± ¡°As long as you kill me, you will never be able to remove the thought backdoor! Just a snap of a finger, combined with a specific action, can easily control her, making her a slave to anyone!¡± Lin Handong laughed. ¡°You!¡± Xue Ningning, furious, tried to get up and charge at him, but only managed to kneel on the ground again as she spat out a mouthful of blood. Lin Handong stared at Yu Hong, his smile turning more frenzied. ¡°Come on! Kill me! If you dare, kill me!! Hahaha!! I¡¯ve always been in charge of controlling Lin Yiyi, if I die¡­¡± Bang!! Before he could finish, a heavy iron fist struck his jaw head-on. Blood splattered, dark droplets scattering across the ground. Lin Handong¡¯s body violently crashed to the floor and bounced a few times. Yet, he was still laughing, his face smeared with blood, but smiling nonetheless. ¡°Continue. Continue to beat me to death! If I die, no one will ever be able to release Lin Yiyi¡¯s hidden gates! Keep going!¡± Bang! Another kick, fiercely landing on his stomach. The immense force caused his body to cave in and spurt out a mist of blood. Yu Hong grabbed his hair with one hand, lifting him into the air. ¡°Do you think I wouldn¡¯t dare to kill you?¡± His voice was calm as he stared into the man¡¯s eyes. ¡°You dare! Why wouldn¡¯t you!?¡± Lin Handong laughed. ¡°Kill me! Kill me!!¡± Plop. A large hand suddenly clenched around his neck. ¡°Kill me!!¡± Lin Handong squeezed out a whisper, still smiling. ¡°Kill¡­ me¡­¡± Yu Hong held him aloft, looking toward Lin Yiyi. She slowly walked toward them. Unexpectedly, Lin Yiyi walked past Lin Handong and straight to Yu Hong, opening her arms and gently embracing him. ¡°I¡­ am so, tired¡­¡± She whispered softly, holding Yu Hong and closing her eyes, not moving anymore. ¡°Kill me¡­¡± Lin Handong was still shouting. Click. A crisp sound. His frenzied expression froze, almost disbelieving that Yu Hong had actually made a move. His body hung limp in mid-air, his smile stiffening and quickly turning to panic. His neck had been snapped. ¡°The contents of your head are still of some value, but the rest of your body is not,¡± Yu Hong stated calmly. ¡°So, I only need to keep your head.¡± His precision was immaculate, breaking the spine without damaging the windpipe. Given that Lin Handong¡¯s body wasn¡¯t human anymore, harboring no major arteries, his spine snapped without much blood loss. Plop. Yu Hong let go, allowing the body to crash to the ground, letting out a desperate howl. His hand gently returned to rest on Yiyi¡¯s back. Compared to the petite Lin Yiyi, his palm nearly covered her entire back. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about escaping!¡± Leiya shouted at someone else. Yu Hong looked toward the remaining five members of the Eternal Life Association. They had already dispersed, and only one remained entangled with Leiya and Saren by the exit. ¡°Agrius.¡± He called softly. Golden light flared, a massive form emerging behind him. ¡°Catch them.¡± Swoosh! In an instant, a golden light flashed, and the Jailor of the Stronghold silently morphed into Black Fog, lunging toward the exit. No longer concerned with the chase unfolding elsewhere, Yu Hong turned his attention to the now darkened, expansive pool around him. The pool¡¯s walls, covered in numerous talisman arrays and despite being damaged by the recent fierce battle, continued to release vast amounts of Black Fog. This fog grew denser, gradually condensing into droplets in the pool. Now, black droplets were starting to form on the ground and walls. Through a hazy veil, a massive black water pool apparition slowly emerged from the illusionary to the tangible, gradually overlapping with the real, vast pool. It was the Night Pool. Yu Hong had some understanding of this artifact;now as he looked around, he saw the air growing thicker and darker with blackness. He casually extended his hand, activated the Condensing Water Technique, and a glob of black liquid swiftly formed in his palm. The characteristics of the night moth were also engaging with unprecedented intensity. If it were only simple black liquid, it would have been fine, but as he manipulated the black water, he sharply sensed that within the Night Pool, there seemed to be something extremely dangerous lurking, waiting eagerly for the opportunity to manifest. ¡°This is troubling¡­¡± He pondered. ¡°The Night Pool has started to emerge, and it will definitely bring forth a stronger Black Disaster¡­¡± S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Black Well, Gate of Despair, and now the Night Pool, these are the three stages our intelligence has identified,¡± the Strength King spoke. ¡°Each stage, once materialized, signifies that a new, stronger Black Disaster is about to emerge. Therefore, if we cannot stop the Night Pool¡¯s advent¡­¡± He didn¡¯t finish his sentence, but given the current situation, the world was nearly finished. If a higher stage of the Night Pool were to materialize¡­ bringing forth a Black Disaster worse than the War-Level, Despair-Level disasters¡­ then everything might really be over¡­ Chapter 270: Believed to be Two Yu Hong didn¡¯t respond, only lifted his head and gazed at the huge black pool gradually forming in mid-air. The pool¡¯s phantom almost resembled the real rock pool. Same size, same decoration, the only difference was that in the phantom, there were countless oppressive and heavy black waters swirling within. ¡°Everyone, leave here,¡± Yu Hong made a decision. He planned to try it out, for if successful, it might suppress the further evolution of the Black Disaster. Leiya and another had already given chase. Xue Ningning and two others didn¡¯t express any objections and were quickly picked up by a dragon lizard, one by one, and taken out. Lin Yiyi was also fetched by a dragon lizard called by Yu Hong, holding her on the dragon lizard¡¯s back and carrying her out. Soon, in the entire pool, only he stood still. ¡°Now¡­ let¡¯s see¡­ which is stronger, the Light Disaster or the Black Disaster¡­¡± Yu Hong took a deep breath, looking up at the gradually descending pool¡¯s phantom. Swoosh. He spread his arms, releasing the restriction of his Cultivation Technique on the Cosmic Divine Light. Hum¡­ Faint blue light started to emerge on his body, growing larger and denser. The soft blue light gradually became bright, dazzling, glaring. ¡°Come on!!¡± Yu Hong rapidly circulated his Inner Qi, using Condensing Water Technique to absorb the surrounding black water, turning it into Inner Qi, and continuously protecting himself from the mutual annihilation of the two great forces. Thunderbolt Inner Qi and the two powers were not from the same system, but Inner Qi could freely blend into Cosmic Divine Light and also merge into the black water of the Black Disaster. It was a versatile power. Hum!! The blue light inside Yu Hong¡¯s body wildly stimulated the surrounding massive amount of Black Fog. Countless Black Fogs started to spin around him as the center, flying, forming a huge circular vortex. As a large amount of Black Fog was consumed, the descent of the Night Pool also faced a concentration shortage, slowly decelerating. Boom! At the underground passage exit. A dragon lizard shot out, gently placing the person it was carrying in its mouth onto the snow. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In addition, there were five members in black robes ruined by Agrius. They too were bound by Leiya and another person, carried, and crawled out of the passage. The moment everyone just climbed out, they saw Lin Yiyi carried by a dragon lizard, crawling out of the passage as well. ¡°We finally¡­ won!¡± Leiya looked at Lin Yiyi with complex eyes. She had prepared for many years, put in so much effort, hardship, all for revenge, for herself, and for those uncles and aunts of the Meisha family who became neither human nor ghost because of the consequences. But now¡­ although she had won, the feeling it gave her was like punching fiercely into cotton, a hollow feeling. ¡°Quick, look! What is that!?¡± Suddenly, Ou Li¡¯s voice startled everyone present. Leiya, Saren, Xue Ningning, Li Wang, all the still conscious people, turned to look in the direction Ou Li was pointing. But just as they turned their heads, the eyes of everyone stunned. Light! In that direction, at the horizon where the earth meets the sky. A faint blue light was shining, lighting up. The blue light, like water ripples, was enveloped by dense Black Fog, as if separated by a layer of black veil, not very clear. But even so, everyone could clearly sense that the blue light was slowly, gently, becoming brighter and larger. ¡°Could it be¡­ another new Black Disaster?!¡± Ou Li speculated. ¡°No¡­ no, that¡¯s not right!¡± Leiya frowned and observed, recalling the words of the Eternal Life President before his death. And that blue light gave a completely opposite feeling to the Black Disaster. ¡°Perhaps¡­ it¡¯s not the Black Disaster¡­¡± ¡°What is it then!?¡± Ou Li said. ¡°Whatever it is, it can¡¯t be worse. The world is already like this anyway,¡± Leiya replied. ¡°Have you noticed something wrong?¡± Xue Ningning also voiced. ¡°What?¡± Leiya was startled, then she observed intently, suddenly remembering. ¡°Wait! The surrounding Black Fog¡­ it¡¯s thinning!!¡± Now that she mentioned it, everyone indeed noticed that the black haze around them seemed truly to have become thinner. At least now one could see objects several tens of meters away. Hum!! Just then, the ground buzzed, as if something had exploded underneath. The vibrating hum persisted for a few minutes, then ceased. Shortly after, a fleet of helicopters beaming searchlights approached from this side. Also coming were numerous armored vehicles covered in spikes, like rolling fortresses. Aurora City¡¯s heavy troops had arrived. According to the agreement, once the headquarters of the Eternal Life Association had been confirmed, if the first objective could not be met, these troops would be the suicide squad, among whom large yield hydrogen bombs transported would be manually detonated, perishing together with the Eternal Life Association. This was the last precaution. But luckily, everything ended smoothly. Click. Suddenly, a light noise came from the passage behind. Everyone turned around and saw Yu Hong stepping forward, his cheeks adorned with faint blue fluorescent, eerie patterns. ¡°There¡¯s no more trouble¡­ The Night Pool couldn¡¯t descend, everything is thoroughly concluded,¡± Yu Hong said. ¡°Also, there is the association¡¯s hidden main base, the underground new city, that Aurora City needs to handle.¡± ¡°On that point, please rest assured, Mr. Yu Hong, we will properly deal with all the survivors of the new city.¡± The loudspeaker¡¯s sound rang out. A helicopter slowly descended and landed. The cabin door opened, a familiar figure with white hair and a cane, slowly walked out. The figure lifted his head, and within the transparent visor of the helmet, a male face very similar to Chen Yaofeng appeared before Yu Hong and others. ¡°Commissioner Chen Xiguang¡­¡± Yu Hong said, surprised. He hadn¡¯t expected such an elderly, frail commissioner to personally take a plane here to command on the frontline. Not just him, Xue Ningning and others also hadn¡¯t expected Commissioner Chen Xiguang to personally join the battle;they were all momentarily stunned. His body was weak and ill;even being on the frontline, he couldn¡¯t really do anything. But he still came. Considering what they had guessed before, that they were merely bait, a team meant to attract the main force¡¯s firepower. Thinking about another completely annihilated team they saw on the way back¡­ Their faces all turned grim. ¡°When the mansion is about to collapse, there will always be someone to turn the tide,¡± Chen Xiguang looked at Yu Hong, his expression one of sigh. ¡°This time, I must thank Consultant Yu for his full support again.¡± Yu Hong had served as the military consultant of Aurora City, so this title wasn¡¯t incorrect. ¡°Eliminating the Eternal Life Association is a common desire of us all. Besides, I only came to save people,¡± Yu Hong said calmly. His gaze fell on the armored vehicles lined up one by one;from these vehicles, he keenly sensed an extremely terrifying, massive power hidden within them. If it erupted, this power could instantly destroy dozens of kilometers around. ¡®Nuclear weapons??¡¯ Yu Hong thought anxiously. Even now, being so close to humanity¡¯s ultimate weapon of mass destruction, his whole body bristled, and goosebumps erupted uncontrollably. If it exploded, even with his body¡¯s strength, he would undoubtedly die. While he was thinking this, Chen Xiguang had already walked in front of Li Wang and others, bowing deeply. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, all the decisions were made by me,¡± he said somberly. ¡°I won¡¯t ask for your forgiveness, nor do I regret making such choices. I just¡­¡± He straightened up, supported by the guards, looking toward the distant blue horizon. ¡°Had no choice¡­¡± ¡°If you had failed, the 5-million-ton hydrogen bomb I brought would manually detonate here. Within a 40-kilometer radius, everything would be reduced to ashes instantaneously;light radiation, high temperature, penetrating radiation, shockwaves would destroy everything within a hundred kilometers.¡± ¡°I was already prepared to be buried here with everything¡­¡± Chen Xiguang¡¯s aged gaze swept over everyone. ¡°But¡­ you succeeded!¡± A relieved smile appeared on his face, a joyous, hopeful smile from the depths of his heart. ¡°Congratulations,¡± he said smilingly. Watching this scene, everyone¡¯s nerves unconsciously relaxed. Yu Hong¡¯s gaze landed on the fortress-like armored vehicles, silently contemplating. Everything was finally over. Yiyi¡¯s origins were completely unveiled. The Eternal Life Association was eradicated, finally dissolving the greatest internal malignancy of humanity. From now on, there was no need to worry that while combating the Black Disaster, someone would stab them in the back. He looked at the eased atmosphere around everyone and also sensed Chen Xiguang¡¯s readiness for death. ¡°Speaking of which¡­ should we hurry back and secure the hydrogen bomb¡­ being this close, just in case it accidentally detonates¡­¡± Ou Li couldn¡¯t help but say anxiously. ¡°It¡¯s okay, detonating it would actually be a very troublesome affair. A hydrogen bomb isn¡¯t an ordinary bomb,¡± Chen Xiguang responded calmly. * * * The turmoil belonging to the Eternal Life Association was completely over. The ending was marked with the president¡¯s death, with Lin Handong, representative of the six high-ranking members of the association, during the arrest process, three committed suicide from guilt, three were captured, and began undergoing professional interrogation to disclose more intelligence about the Black and Cold Disasters. And Aurora City Commissioner Chen Xiguang, after personally escorting the hydrogen bomb, on the second day upon returning to the city, committed suicide with a gun in his office. Leaving behind a confession before dying, he took all the past negative policies, harsh policies upon himself. Endorsed by the remaining commissioners, his son Chen Yaofeng took over the position of the first commissioner, smoothly transitioning through power handover. Yu Hong, from the few high-level members of the Eternal Life Association, learned much about the Black Disaster from the Source Disaster and obtained the Twelve Rituals left by the Yingshan civilization. Besides, on Lin Yiyi¡¯s side. Knowing that everything was false, Lin Yiyi, who had lost her support in life, yet in the end, revived her desire for life and found meaning to continue living thanks to her mother¡¯s self-sacrifice. Although the memories were false, she still had her mother, friends, and friends like Xue Ningning, who had gone through life-and-death trials for her! So, after talking with Yu Hong, she decided to join her friends and cooperate with Leiya to completely eradicate the Black and Cold Disasters and continue their journey. The dust had settled. Yu Hong, carrying the dragon lizard, Agrius, also finally decided to return to camp, heading back to the Ultimate Gate. Chapter 271: Vitality One Outside Aurora City. The once pitch-black mountain and forest were now partially illuminated by the distant blue light, no longer completely devoid of any brightness. Lin Yiyi stood alone with Yu Hong on a cliff, not far from a group of people from Aurora City. Xue Ningning, Ou Li, along with Chen Yaofeng and associated guards¡ªanyone with slight relevance was present. They had come to see Yu Hong off on his journey. ¡°Are you really not considering coming back with me?¡± Yu Hong asked again. ¡°Go back and just stay in one place, doing nothing?¡± Lin Yiyi typed on her electronic writing pad and then propped it up to read. This was a custom typing pad made especially for her. With the matching input method, it allowed her to communicate at the speed of normal speech. ¡°The Night Pool did not descend, everything should not be a big problem. The intensity of the Black Disaster won¡¯t increase anymore. After thoroughly understanding the existing data of the Black Disaster, the danger should be largely reduced¡­¡± Yu Hong said, ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t come back with me. But, your mother¡­¡± ¡°She has always been here.¡± Lin Yiyi raised her hand and pointed to her heart, her face revealing a gentle smile. ¡°I will go search, find a way to restore her human form¡­¡± she continued typing. ¡°I understand¡­¡± Yu Hong nodded. He turned his head back, behind him the golden Agrius stood quietly in the distance, waiting for him. ¡°If one day you feel tired, you can come find me¡­¡± Lin Yiyi did not speak, just silently stared. She watched as Yu Hong turned his back to her, waved his hand, then his figure flashed, appearing directly above the massive head of Agrius. The huge beast turned its head and carried him away slowly towards the distance, as if without any reluctance. But only Yiyi knew that the bead from that spearman was still in her clothing pocket. ¡°Yiyi, you didn¡¯t ask what the blue light from Black Wind Camp was?¡± Xue Ningning approached from behind and spoke with a complex expression. ¡°No¡­¡± Yiyi shook her head. ¡°What a pity, I think if it were you who asked, Yu Hong would definitely reveal some secrets to you.¡± Xue Ningning said helplessly. ¡°If he wanted to tell me, he wouldn¡¯t have waited until now without saying anything. I trust him,¡± Yiyi typed. ¡°Do you think, Yu Hong living alone, not interacting with others, not sheltering women, haha, and having no other interests, what does he truly want? Even the tempting lures from Lin Handong couldn¡¯t succeed¡­ What kind of person is he really?¡± Xue Ningning sighed, slightly frowning. ¡°No, idea¡­¡± Yiyi shook her head, just watching Yu Hong¡¯s figure gradually disappearing into the mist, feeling an inexplicable emptiness in her heart. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°But, I know¡­ he is, in this world, the, kindest, person to me.¡± She stated earnestly. ¡°Yeah, indeed, after all, he saved you so many times¡­¡± Xue Ningning couldn¡¯t help but laugh. * * * On the way back. Yu Hong stood atop Agrius, looking around. As the mist dissipated from the blue light, the closer he got to the camp, the thinner the black fog in the air, and the higher the transparency. Yu Hong noticed that the Black Disaster around him was almost invisible. He guessed it might be due to it being neutralized by the Light Disaster;this neutralization slowed down the revival speed of the Black Disaster significantly. Until he reached the camp unobstructed, only a little more than two days had passed. Click. Inside the camp. Yu Hong put down the ice block in his hand and looked at the Ultimate Gate that he had isolated by himself. He had constructed a circle of ice walls around the entire Ultimate Gate to block the outside view. The gate of the Ultimate Gate was half-open, and inside was still a faint shimmering blue light. This way, the blue light released from the gate was confined to one direction, and light pollution was greatly reduced. Sizzle. At that moment, a blue butterfly flew out of the crack of the gate and disappeared into the outside black fog in the blink of an eye. Yu Hong didn¡¯t mind;he had seen this scene many times since his return. He looked up at the distant sky. Outside was still dark, with an additional hint of blue. ¡®The trouble with the Eternal Life Association is resolved, next is to ensure that we can safely survive the Cold Disaster¡­¡¯ Some of the Association¡¯s intelligence and data were examined. Regarding the Cold Disaster, although what Lin Handong¡¯s group knew was certainly not as much as the chairman¡¯s knowledge, it was enough to alert everyone about what might follow. Yu Hong sighed, opened the door, returned to the cave, took off his coat, and shook off the snowflakes. He sat in front of the communicator and gently turned on the switch. After a slight hissing noise, the speaker quieted down. Yu Hong practiced his Righteous Skill while waiting. About ten minutes later. Finally, a familiar male voice came through the communicator. ¡°It seems that the Eternal Life Association issue was handled smoothly,¡± Zhang Kaijun said. ¡°Any valuable intelligence?¡± ¡°A lot,¡± Yu Hong said, ¡°The main part is about the Black Disaster, about the Cold Disaster.¡± ¡°Free?¡± Zhang Kaijun paused before squeezing out two words. ¡°Free,¡± Yu Hong exhaled, ¡°According to the captured intelligence from the Eternal Life Association, the Black Disaster is just the first step of the Source Disaster. After it follow the Cold Disaster, Drought Disaster, Wind Disaster, and so on¡­ According to the legacy of the Yingshan civilization, this disaster known as the Source Disaster will continue in cycles, non-stop.¡± ¡°Non-stop¡­¡± Zhang Kaijun was clearly stunned by this news. ¡°Why¡­ Is the intelligence reliable?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. But from what we can see now, the Eternal Life Association had already anticipated the Black Disaster and the Cold Disaster,¡± Yu Hong said. ¡°According to the information, they described that the stage where our human civilization emerged was an extremely short and accidental gap in the history of the whole world. For the vast majority of the remaining time, the Source Disaster was the norm¡­¡± ¡°The only good news is that the Eternal Life Association has ended, and their Night Pool can no longer descend, so the intensity of the Black Disaster cannot increase further,¡± Yu Hong continued. ¡°But even without the next stage of the Black Disaster, the current stage is not easy to deal with.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The communicator fell silent. Both of them understood that although the Eternal Life Association was the instigator and the starting point, these things were no longer important. What mattered was that the arrival of the Black Disaster and the Cold Disaster had become a fact. ¡°Now Aurora City is doing all it can to research ways to completely kill the Black Disaster,¡± Yu Hong said. ¡°How are things on your side?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve completely sealed off the passages to the surface. The food we have in storage is enough to last us for many years,¡± Zhang Kaijun said. Yu Hong said nothing more. Although he had unleashed the Light Disaster, that mere Ultimate Gate only had the upper hand at the start, due to issues with concentration and density. After he returned, the surrounding black mist continuously neutralized the blue light, once again suppressing the Cosmic Divine Light within a small area. The continuously emerging Spiritual Tide was also kept at bay, although the condition of the creatures from the Light Disaster was unknown, it was inevitable that they kept getting attacked by the Black Disaster. After a long silence, the two disconnected the communicator. At this point, there really wasn¡¯t much left to say. After the release of the Light Disaster, one improvement was that the communication signals had been restored somewhat. Yu Hong stretched out his hand and gently touched the surface of the communicator. His eyes squinted slightly. Sitting in his seat, he did not move for a long time. Until more than half an hour later, he stood up, walked to the door, and through the observation window, he stared at the Ultimate Gate outside releasing blue light. He watched the blue light moth-like entities continually flying out of the gate, without shifting his gaze. Just like that. Life once again returned to the way it was when he was alone. No contact, no living people, and this time not even a shadow. His only companions were the occasional blue light butterflies flying out. And the slowly but steadily improving cultivation of the Taiyuan True Method. Two days later. The Black Mark enhancement finished. Yu Hong stood in the ruins of the courtyard, looking down at the Array embedded in the ground. Silently, the Array Patterns underground blurred for a moment and then vanished. When they reappeared, they were directly overlaid on the outer layer of the mountain cave, appearing on the outermost surface of the safe house cave. From Yu Hong¡¯s perspective, he could only see the densely embedded silver Array Patterns appearing on the stone walls beside the cave¡¯s door. He stood in the snowy ground, looked down at the ground, then crouched down and began to dig rapidly through the earth with his hands. Before long, the snow was dug open to reveal black soil, and as he continued, the black soil was removed, leaving an empty space devoid of any traces of the Array. He stood up, brushed the snow off his hands, and let out a sigh of relief. With closed eyes, he checked the first imprint in his mind. Within the white light of the imprint, the pattern belonging to the Array now took on a shape like a shrinking bud. As soon as his consciousness touched it, he received a blurry message. ¡®Wind and Fire Slaughter Spirit Array (Contracted State): Can be deployed anytime to cover the surrounding area, establishing an isolation Array. State transitions do not affect its integrity.¡¯ ¡°It worked!¡± With a thought, Yu Hong issued a command for it to unfold. Instantly, a flash of silver light occurred, and the Array Patterns on the surface of the cave disappeared. At his feet, however, the ground lit up with patches of silvery, net-like Array Patterns. The Array Patterns extended all the way to the area more than sixty meters outside the camp, where they then stopped. At the same time, the outer high walls also followed, rising from the ground and regenerating. The previous outer courtyard walls had been quite damaged, but now, with a contraction and expansion, the walls were automatically repaired wherever they had been broken. Yu Hong checked and confirmed there were no problems, and it was no different from the previous large Array. Only then did he satisfyingly retract the Array. ¡°These five days of strengthening really had a good effect.¡± He glanced at the detector he was wearing. ¡®Temperature: -98.7 degrees.¡¯ Seeing this, Yu Hong suddenly understood Zhang Kaijun¡¯s choice. The bigger threat now was no longer the Black Disaster, but the Cold Disaster. He fell silent for a moment, recalling the information about the Twelve Rituals of the Eternal Life Association and the Source Disaster. ¡®Indeed, there will be continuous disasters one after another in the future. We can¡¯t always stay in one place. We must strengthen the camp¡¯s ability to move.¡¯ Running was the only correct approach. He felt this world was beyond salvation, but it was still possible to create a self-sufficient, closed-loop space. Without hesitation, he crouched down again and gently placed his right hand on the ground. ¡®Strengthen Black Wind Camp.¡¯ In this moment, his consciousness quickly encompassed the entire camp cave, as well as the wooden bridge and the Black Ship behind it, wrapping them all in. After gaining control of the Black Ship, he had long wanted to integrate it into the camp, making it a special method of moving the camp. Now that the Black Mark had finished strengthening, and there were no external disasters threatening him. The Eternal Life Association had also been eradicated. Next, it was time to take the necessary time and solve this matter. Chapter 272: Vitality Two Thinking of this, Yu Hong¡¯s resolution grew even firmer, and his consciousness moved again. ¡°Enhance the camp, direction: Merge with Wooden Bridge Dock, Black Ship, acquire the same mode of movement.¡± Sss! This time, the Black Mark on the back of his hand shot out black lines, which quickly submerged into the ground. After several seconds. The synthetic mechanical sound of the Black Mark finally rang out. ¡°Do you want to enhance the camp? Because the Black Ship is not a single entity, it contains a large number of active entities, and is badly damaged, the enhancement time could be overly long, please check carefully.¡± Accompanying the mechanical sound was a huge dark red countdown number, generated right beneath Yu Hong¡¯s feet. ¡°142 days 21 hours 9 minutes.¡± ¡°!!?¡± Yu Hong had not expected it would take so long¡­ That was almost five months!! It was the first time he saw such a long period since using the Black Mark. But according to the rules of the Black Mark, the longer the enhancement time, the better the finished product would undoubtedly be. Yu Hong calmed his emotions and began to consider if there was anywhere else he currently needed the Black Mark for. Assuring himself there was no urgent need for it at the moment, he stared at the exaggerated countdown on the ground, and finally gritted his teeth. ¡°Yes!¡± He affirmed in his mind. Soon, a faint glow flashed on the surface of the Black Mark, and the countdown on the ground solidified. Whew¡­ Yu Hong took a long breath, and as he exhaled, the breath turned into tiny ice crystals and fell in the cold winter. Having confirmed the start of the enhancement, he felt more settled in his heart. Every day, apart from cultivating the Taiyuan True Method, he was observing the changes in the surrounding environment. Quickly, seven days later, as the temperature dropped to negative one hundred degrees, communication was cut off again. This time it wasn¡¯t a signal problem, nor was there an issue on his side, but when he turned on the communicator, he simply couldn¡¯t find any place that could be contacted. Whether Aurora City or Zhang Kaijun¡¯s side, both had completely vanished. ¡°Perhaps the device is malfunctioning.¡± Yu Hong turned off the communicator, looking at the scenery outside the window that was completely frozen over by ice and snow. The dim blue light of the Ultimate Gate was always faintly releasing, illuminating a certain range of the open area around it. Watching the increasingly harsh environment outside, Yu Hong fell silent for a moment, feeling the Taiyuan True Method inside him progressing towards the Second Layer. ¡°At this rate, even I won¡¯t be able to find food from the outside¡­¡± he realized internally. Water could be tackled with the Condensing Water Technique, but what about food? Without living creatures, once his stored food ran out, no matter how strong he was, he would face the predicament of running out of food and starving. He hadn¡¯t reached the level where he could sustain his life without eating at all. Staying in the cave that was warm as spring, he carefully thought about countermeasures. The Black Disaster had the Light Disaster to counterbalance;the current situation was still okay. Everything was stable. But there was no way with the Cold Disaster, the extreme cold outside was totally unsuitable for human activity. ¡°Old Zhou probably really can¡¯t come back anymore¡­¡± Yu Hong suddenly sighed. Old Zhou had gone out to find his own family, and had never returned since he left. ¡°Perhaps, while I still have some leeway, I should collect more materials and then strengthen reserves, looking for another way out.¡± He thought of a function possessed by the Black Ship, which would randomly dock at the land of vitality¡ªan inherent feature of the Savior Ship. ¡°Once the enhancement completes, I¡¯ll try transferring the camp to a better location, where there is enough material to build an internal ecological cycle,¡± he began to consider establishing a small regional ecosystem, at least ensuring the food supply for himself or a few others shouldn¡¯t be a problem. ¡°But the premise is, the Ultimate Gate needs to maintain its current state. To keep a balance with the Black Disaster.¡± After setting his thoughts straight, after eating lunch in the afternoon, Yu Hong returned to the cave, continuing to cultivate. When the night turns dark. A slight feeling of discomfort suddenly emerged from the depth of his mind, from the mark of the Black Ship. Yu Hong, who was meditating in the basement, suddenly frowned and opened his eyes. Sensing the mark of the Black Ship carefully, he immediately saw a blurry image in front of him. A tumultuous black river was constantly battering a huge Black Ship, causing it to tilt violently. From a distance, it seemed like it could be knocked over at any moment. The Black Ship began to experience increasingly strong pulling forces, a propulsive force generated by the black river¡¯s battering, seemingly intending to drag the Black Ship to flow down the river. ¡°No wonder the Black Ship moves to another place periodically, now it seems¡­ it must be due to the periodic torrents generated by the Black River.¡± Yu Hong suddenly realized. As clear as it was, whether to go or not was still a question. But this question, when he noticed the mark of the Black Ship starting to slowly weaken, becoming blurry and fragmented, he no longer hesitated. Because the current had already begun to affect and damage the Black Ship. Immediately, he stood up, called over three Dragon Lizards, and quickly arranged the Secret Technique Infinite River Technique within the Heavenly River¡¯s Agrius. The Imperial Spearman had died once, and was already repaired in the Heavenly River. Now, given to Yiyi for protection. Agrius was also in good condition, but too large to be casually released. Yu Hong thought for a moment, tried to put the three Dragon Lizards into the Heavenly River, but failed. Helplessly, he brought the Dragon Lizards onto the Black Ship behind. One Dragon Lizard carried supplies and water, one brought spare clothes, and another was responsible for watching the surroundings and maintaining vigilance to supplement Yu Hong¡¯s own safety preparations. Standing on the Black Ship, Yu Hong leaned on the railing, watching the tumultuous black river below. He gently released his control over the pulling force of the Black Ship. Creak creak¡­ After a faint sound of noise, the body of the ship started to flow down the black river. Under the extreme cold, the Black Ship also seemed to be affected, its body becoming more brittle, losing any toughness. The originally extremely hard hull, under the battering of the black water, occasionally showed signs of debris falling. Standing by the railing, Yu Hong simply decided to wait quietly here. ¡°Come to think of it, since I merged with the Black Ship and turned it into my own mark of possession, this is the first time I¡¯m taking a trip out in the ship.¡± His gaze continuously wandered through the black mist and Black River on both sides. Not long after, about half an hour later. The black fog in front of the Black Ship gradually dispersed, revealing an elliptical gray island. The surroundings of the island clearly had traces of human modification, with gray-black stone beaches sporting rusted dock posts painted with white paint. Pole by pole, they were inserted into the shallow water, connected by long silver metal chains. Beside the dock¡¯s stone beach, there was a dilapidated, abandoned white-painted wooden water house. The house was cubic, only five or six meters in length and width, and the outer wall was written with red paint, seemingly cautionary signs. Yu Hong touched the translator he wore on his ear, quickly recorded the inscriptions, and stored them, waiting to accumulate more for analysis and translation. Soon, the Black Ship entered the shallow water area in front of the poles and slowly came to a stop, motionless. Yu Hong thought for a moment, then appropriately picked up the anchor from the deck, threw it into the water, and stabilized the ship. Then he went to the side of the ship, bringing along three Dragon Lizards and leaped down one by one. Plop. He executed the Thunderbolt Leg Technique, leaping out, and his substantial weight only left two shallow pits upon landing. ¡°This place¡­.¡± Yu Hong glanced at the detector on his collar, and suddenly his expression became serious. Although he was no longer wearing the suit, he still detached the detector and pinned it on the collar of his shirt, convenient for checking at any time. The temperature at this moment was: -4 degrees. ¡°What¡¯s going on??¡± Yu Hong thought he read it wrong, carefully wiped the LCD screen, and looked again. It indeed was minus four degrees! ¡°A Cold Disaster outbreak, even if in distant other Aurora Cities the temperature is minus one hundred degrees, the sea frozen solid, all life withered, a vision of desolation, perhaps some places due to special terrain could raise the temperature to minus ninety degrees or even higher and warmer. But¡­¡± Yu Hong looked around. This island wasn¡¯t big, and only now he realized, upon stepping onto the island, that there was actually no black fog here. The cold night wind blew, bringing a burst of sea smell. Wait, the smell of the sea!?! S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yu Hong seemed to realize something, standing on the gray-black stone beach, suddenly turned his head. In an instant, his pupils contracted, as if he saw something unbelievable. At this moment, the Black Ship behind him, was actually not parked in a black river, but in a vast dark blue ocean. Beyond the Black Ship, further out at sea there was no black mist, only distant, faintly twinkling yellow lights from ships at night. The ship lights slowly moved, just departing towards the distance, and then new ship lights appeared from other directions. Yu Hong rubbed his eyes and looked again carefully. The wind that carried the smell of the sea, the waves washing the gray-black stones on the beach, and the occasional white seagulls passing by, all proved he wasn¡¯t hallucinating. Hum. Suddenly, in the black sky, a large passenger plane slowly glided by, carrying flashing yellow navigation lights, heading towards the far horizon. Yu Hong looked up, watched this familiar scene, and suddenly felt a block in his heart. An indescribable feeling surged within him. How long had it been since he last saw such a plane¡­ He watched the airplane fly further away until it completely disappeared into the night sky, then reluctantly withdrew his gaze. He turned his attention back to the small island. Yu Hong then realized that something seemed off about this place. The dock connected to two rows of simple white painted houses. The paint on the houses was peeling off, exposing the gray-black wood underneath, which looked quite old. Some shop signs still featured models in fiery hot, super short skirts with black hair. Yu Hong scanned the surroundings and saw no trace of any living person. He thought for a moment, waved to let the three Dragon Lizards go back to the ship, and took off his bulletproof suit, examined the models¡¯ attire on the billboards to make sure he was unproblematic, then changed into a plain white long-sleeved T-shirt and black jeans, and stretched his limbs. Step by step, he walked onto the island like an ordinary person, following the white-gray road connected to the dock. Between the abandoned houses on either side, he gradually slowed his pace, allowing the translator to collect as many local words and corresponding use scenarios as possible. After about ten minutes, The translator made a soft prompt sound. ¡°Unknown script recorded, by comparing and referencing similar language systems, translation progress accelerated to completion, please name it.¡± ¡°Second Night Language,¡± Yu Hong casually said. ¡°Confirmed as Second Night Language, would you like to start real-time voice translation?¡± ¡°Start.¡± Instantly, the shop signs were all verbally translated. Plaques and signs, in Yu Hong¡¯s eyes, all changed. Grilled squid, sweet rice ball shops, seafood fresh grilled, dried seafood, tourist information, and all kinds of shop signs were available. Walking to the end of the road between the two rows of houses, the largest billboard appeared in front of him. ¡®Welcome to Holiday Tourism, this is the first-class scenic area of Huangsong Island.¡¯ Besides the text, there was also a collage picture of many people engaging in various water activities. Swimming, fishing, surfing, sailing, and more. Yu Hong moved his gaze from the sign and looked beneath. From here, the road split into two directions. To the left was a white stone road heading to a deeper part of the island up a slope. To the right led to another beach. ¡°This way, this way!¡± ¡°Why are there so few people here?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this said to be a first-class scenic area? There isn¡¯t even a snack stand to buy from, only an idiot could live here, such a poor experience, next time I will pick the location.¡± ¡°We¡¯re here already, let¡¯s explore a bit anyway. Don¡¯t you all think this place is thrilling?¡± A burst of conversation from young men and women came drifting from afar. Chapter 273: islands 1 Hearing the voices, Yu Hong¡¯s spirit was lifted, and through the translator, he quickly understood what these people were saying. If this were not an illusion or a false scenario that had been somehow fabricated, then just by these meanings alone, he could deduce that perhaps his previous judgment was not wrong! This place, this island, was highly likely no longer the location where Yiyi and the others were! It was very possible that there was no Cold Disaster here, no black fog, and even living people daring to wander around casually! Just thinking about the possibility that could emerge, even someone as composed as Yu Hong couldn¡¯t help but get excited. If they could migrate over here¡­ wouldn¡¯t this be the land of vitality represented by the Black Ship? It had been so long since he had encountered a civilized society that he had almost forgotten what a peaceful world looked like¡­ ¡®So, is it an illusion, or is it real¡­ Going to have a look will tell¡­¡¯ He unconsciously took steps towards the direction from which the voices came. After a short while, he saw several fashionably dressed young men and women on the cement road ahead. There were five of these people in total, two men and two women. The two men were wearing floral shirts, beach shorts, and flip-flops. They looked handsome, each wearing a mechanical watch that appeared quite exquisite at a glance, but one was somewhat haughty while the other appeared calm and natural, much more normal. Among the three women, one wore brown yoga pants and a white T-shirt, a white cap, and shoulder-length hair, heavily made-up, flamboyant, and with a bountiful chest. The other two wore standard red and blue hoodies with white jeans, their tight jeans outlining full figures, with one having delicate features while the other had an ordinary, common face. The two walked very closely, seemingly purposefully maintaining a distance from the heavily made-up woman. As the five of them walked and talked along the roadside and moved forward, suddenly, ahead of them, a dark shadow loomed. ¡°Wait, there¡¯s someone ahead!¡± The young man with the normal demeanor suddenly frowned, stopped, and pointed ahead. Hearing him, the group looked and indeed saw a strong, tall figure on the road ahead. The shadow also seemed to notice them, standing still. Only when they got closer did the five realize that the figure was very sturdy. Dressed in a white T-shirt and jeans, the contours of robust muscles made the normally loose T-shirt seem tight. Getting even closer, the five noticed that this was a young man in his twenties, with stubble on his face as if he had not shaved for a long time, pale skin, and common features, neither handsome nor ugly. ¡°Buddy? Are you also here to explore Huangsong Island?¡± The male with a more flamboyant demeanor took the initiative to step forward and greet the other. As they approached, they saw the other man¡¯s evident robust build, which, combined with a two-meter height, stood like a wall before them, causing his breathing to pause and a feeling of being overwhelmed. The person being approached, naturally, was Yu Hong, who did not understand what they said, just sized up the group, pointed to his mouth, and shook his hand. The translator converted the spoken language into text, but had not recorded the corresponding pronunciation, so he needed time to match the pronunciations to understand the language here. ¡°You can¡¯t speak?¡± The man laughed, looked at the other¡¯s old, wrinkled clothes, then compared his own expensive watch and the simple but valuable clean beach shorts and short sleeves, and immediately felt a resurgence of confidence. ¡°No worries, as long as you can understand,¡± he said with a smile. ¡°We just got to the island too, came here to film a show with friends, also to vacation. I¡¯m Gao Wen. Buddy, did you find anything fun or interesting on the island? Ever since the incident a few years back, Huangsong Island has been deserted, but I heard there are a lot of thrilling things here.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Yu Hong looked baffled and pointed to his mouth again, indicating he could not understand. Gao Wen frowned a bit upon seeing this, wanting to continue speaking. But one of the three women behind him, the one with delicate features wearing jeans, stepped forward and spoke to Yu Hong in a different language, similar to French. ¡°@[email protected]!¡± Still not understood. Yu Hong continued pointing to his mouth, shaking his head. Then the woman swiftly switched languages three times until¡­ ¡°Hello, how about this time? Can you understand now?¡± Her companions behind her looked on admiringly and with a hint of pride. Having a friend who was a language genius was a face-giving matter in any circle. This time, Yu Hong really did understand. His eyes narrowed slightly, concealing the surprise in them. It was the Second Night Language! What the girl was speaking now was none other than the Second Night Language that he had just grasped not long ago! ¡°Hello, I can understand this,¡± he replied. He had learned quite a bit of the Second Night Language and had studied it with the translator for a while, so now he could manage basic communication, albeit awkwardly. ¡°You¡¯re Antonian, right? That¡¯s good. My name is Song Siyu, and these are my friends. We¡¯re here to film a show on the island and take a vacation along the way. We haven¡¯t found even a small store since we started walking, not to mention hotels. We can only wander around looking for a place to rest.¡± The girl was relieved to be able to communicate and quickly introduced herself. ¡°My name is Yu Hong, and I came to this island by accident. Seeing that there was nobody around, I found it strange and came up to look around and see what was going on,¡± Yu Hong replied. ¡°So you¡¯re also from outside. Yes, it¡¯s very weird. Officially, they¡¯ve debunked it, saying that the previous incident on Huangsong Island was closed, that it was just a mentally ill criminal creating trouble, and they caught and executed him. But now there¡¯s still no one around¡­ it always feels so strange,¡± Song Siyu nodded and said. She quickly translated the situation briefly to her companions behind, then continued to talk to Yu Hong. ¡°And there¡¯s not even a single base station on this island, and the satellite signal is bad, you can¡¯t even connect to the internet with a cellphone. The weather forecast also mentioned a storm is coming¡­. Mr. Yu, did you see anywhere that could provide shelter when you arrived?¡± Yu Hong shook his head, just about to reply when suddenly he remembered the little houses he saw when he was on his way here. He shared this discovery with the others. Song Siyu and her companions were instantly delighted, clamoring to go and check out the abandoned houses. Yu Hong turned around to lead the way, while his translator device continuously collected the content of their conversations as material to quickly complete the voice pack for the Second Night Language. In just a few minutes of casual chatting with Song Siyu. He quickly learned that the girl was a small-time social media influencer, mainly producing shows about exploration and unsolved mysteries. She came to Huangsong Island because, three years ago, there had been a vicious murder case here. A mentally disturbed fat man on the island attacked and killed three members of his own family, then went out and killed seven more people in a spree, injuring over ten, before finally being captured. During interrogation, however, he could only cry loudly, not uttering a word, only able to scream in fear. This was the famous Huangsong Island serial killing case that shocked the nation at the time. Song Siyu came here for this very reason, bringing friends along for an adventure. Another girl dressed like her, in jeans, was named Zhao Sisi. Although she had an ordinary face, her legs had nice curves;a little dressing up, and she could be considered a beauty. The third girl, with heavy makeup, was named Qi Siyan, she was Gao Wen¡¯s ostentatious girlfriend and wasn¡¯t very familiar with the rest. Gao Wen was her friend, a college classmate. The last cool-headed young man¡¯s name was Wei Chengjun;he was her childhood friend who took the initiative to come here to protect her after hearing the news about Huangsong Island. In sum, it was an adventure vacation for Song Siyu and her friends. Yu Hong made small talk while subtly probing for information from them. By the time they reached the small pier with two rows of houses and shops, he had successfully activated the voice function of the language pack. He could now understand their normal conversations. ¡°Alright, since I¡¯ve brought you to this place, thank you, Brother Yu,¡± Song Siyu gave him a smile. ¡°It¡¯s no big deal. What are you planning to do next? Settle down here?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°Yeah, there might be a storm coming soon, we need to find a suitable place to stay first. We¡¯ll start filming when things get better tomorrow morning,¡± Song Siyu said. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Yu Hong was about to say that he would also find a place to stay, but suddenly he paused mid-sentence, turning his head to look in the depth of the island, his brow furrowed slightly. ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave now;I plan to look around deeper inside the island.¡± ¡°Okay, see you tomorrow, Brother Yu,¡± Song Siyu nodded with a smile. Yu Hong glanced at Gao Wen, who kept staring at him;this rich second generation, despite having a girlfriend, couldn¡¯t help but show hostility towards him. It was obvious that he had a bit of a crush on Song Siyu;even with his girlfriend by his side, he couldn¡¯t hide his protective instincts. On the other hand, the childhood friend Wei Chengjun seemed quite mature, simply observing Yu Hong without saying a word from beginning to end. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yu Hong gave the group a once-over, waved goodbye, and turned toward the direction he had sensed something earlier. Just a moment before, he faintly felt a strange presence flicker somewhere deep within the island. That presence was somewhat like the Black Disaster shadow, but also quite different¡ªonly a small part of it seemed similar. After getting preliminary information from Song Siyu, he decided to investigate the source of that presence. This group looked like ordinary people;they wouldn¡¯t leave for the time being, so there would be opportunities for further contact. Before long, he disappeared into the night, completely out of sight. Song Siyu and the other four watched him leave, and Gao Wen asked, ¡°What does that guy do, Xiaoyu?¡± ¡°He¡¯s here for adventure on the island, just like us. He said it was an accident that brought him here. Judging by his clothes and the fact that he didn¡¯t bring any backpacks, it seems true. He just didn¡¯t specify what the accident was,¡± Song Siyu replied. ¡°Still, it¡¯s better to be cautious. Better to have less contact with him. With his build, we would not stand a chance if there were any conflicts,¡± her friend Zhao Sisi couldn¡¯t help saying. ¡°What¡¯s the use of muscles? When we go back to the boat, I¡¯ll get Ah Biao and the others to come over. If any trouble arises, one shot will bring him down, you know? Ah Biao and his crew have gun permits,¡± Gao Wen said nonchalantly. The rest fell silent. This trip, they¡¯d taken Gao Wen¡¯s father¡¯s yacht. For wealth and power, indeed he was formidable. The group quickly began searching for a house, and in less than fifteen minutes, they found two relatively intact cottages. After tidying up and putting down their backpacks, they started setting up tents inside the cottages. With the tents set up, the five gathered around a campfire in one of the cottages, listening to the wind and rain outside growing more intense, feeling a strange sense of security. They chatted about their college days, talked about some online current affairs and gossip, while Wei Chengjun took care of boiling water and cooking food. Thud, thud, thud. Suddenly, someone knocked on the door from outside. Chapter 274: Island 272 Second ¡°Who is it?¡± Wei Chengjun instinctively stood up and looked towards the doorway. ¡°It¡¯s me, Old Yang.¡± An aged voice came from outside. This was the elderly man who had come to meet them when they first arrived on the island. He appeared to be over seventy years old then, with white hair, a stooped back, and always had a stern expression. The door creaked open. Old Yang, wearing a black raincoat, stood at the doorway, sized up the people inside, and nodded. ¡°You outsiders just arrived on the island, let me give you a warning. There are two places on the island you should avoid: one is the white signal tower at the highest point on the island, where a murder case occurred in the past. The other is a deep mountain area on the island, where there¡¯s an old altar in the stone forest that was used by the island¡¯s residents to pray to the Sea Dragon King for good weather. After a disappearance case, that place was abandoned. You can have your fun, but just don¡¯t tamper with the sealed altar;it took me a lot of effort to seal it back up.¡± An altar? Sounds like a place that could stir up trouble. Everyone looked serious and appeared very earnest, but they all harbored a bit of curiosity. Song Siyu immediately assured that they would definitely not disrupt the altar, stating that they were just there to look around. Old Yang seriously glanced over each person. ¡°Good to remember;that altar is where that idiot killed someone and chopped them up into pieces, and then stuffed the body inside. It¡¯s full of malevolent energy, and I barely managed to seal it using ancestral methods. If it gets uncovered, bad things will happen.¡± He pointed his fingers at them. ¡°Also, if you must go, visit during the day, take a look from a distance, it¡¯s fine, but don¡¯t go there at night. Some things prefer to appear in the dark.¡± The chilling tone of his words scared everyone, and they remained silent for a moment. By the time they regained their composure, Old Yang had already vanished from the doorway. Silence followed for a while. Gao Wen laughed carelessly. ¡°Spoken really well, check out those lines, Siyu, where did you find such an interesting person!¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t me who found him,¡± Song Siyu replied helplessly. ¡°Right, right¡­ this old man, it was clearly just a case of psychotic murder before, but he made it sound all mystical and dangerous. The atmosphere is pretty good though!¡± Gao Wen chuckled. ¡°As long as we are careful, it should be fine,¡± sighed Song Siyu. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. They quickly changed the subject and resumed chatting casually. Zhao Sisi even brought out some cards, and after eating, they played cards together. Creak. Suddenly, the noise of another door opening and closing came from outside. Wei Chengjun stood up to check the doorway. ¡°It¡¯s Yu Hong from before,¡± he turned around and told everyone at the doorway. ¡°He seems to have not found another place to stay,¡± Zhao Sisi smiled, ¡°It¡¯s good we have hot water and food here. Jun, ask him if he wants to join us.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Wei Chengjun didn¡¯t hesitate, he opened the door and walked out. It wasn¡¯t long before he returned into the well-lit room, with Yu Hong¡¯s significantly bulkier figure following him. Song Siyu and the others made room for Yu Hong to sit by the fire. ¡°There are only a few of us on this island, Yu Hong, you might as well find a nearby cabin to rest,¡± suggested Song Siyu. ¡°Hmm,¡± Yu Hong nodded;he just came back from exploring deep into the island where he unexpectedly found a faint trace of black mist. Other than that, he discovered nothing else. After searching carefully, he couldn¡¯t locate the source of the black mist. Seeing that the storm outside was intensifying, he decided to return to this place to meet Song Siyu and the others to continue gathering information. Unexpectedly, just as he sat down, he heard them talking about an old man, Old Yang, who warned them not to tamper with the cover of the altar. ¡°Old Yang? Resentment?¡± Yu Hong was somewhat surprised. ¡°It sounded very grave and mystical,¡± nodded Song Siyu, ¡°I don¡¯t really believe in these things, it¡¯s mainly because Old Yang always has this mysterious and serious demeanor, it kind of gets to me.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t see any Old Yang when I came,¡± Yu Hong said. ¡°Probably missed him then, I always feel like Old Yang seems a bit mentally unstable,¡± Song Siyu whispered. She then talked about a murder case that happened on the island three years ago. Yu Hong took the opportunity to chat with her, inquiring about many aspects of the outside world. Gradually, he learned that this place was not completely untouched by the Black Disaster. There had already been news of wells emitting black mist emerging worldwide. After double-checking, he faintly felt that Song Siyu and the others¡¯ location seemed to be at the stage where a Black Well had just appeared and the Black Disaster had yet to erupt. However, unlike where Yiyi was, the local forces here quickly resolved and suppressed the newly emerged Black Well. Not a ripple of disturbance had spread from it. When the Black Well first appeared, it even made the news for a while. After it was sealed off, the public lost interest as the fervor dwindled. Thus, Song Siyu and the others could speak confidently about it. The ease with which the Black Well was sealed made Yu Hong wonder for a while if these were fake Black Wells. However, the details Song Siyu and the others provided completely corresponded with the information Yu Hong knew about the Black Wells. Thus, he became very interested in the local forces that managed to seal the Black Wells. He kept up the topic and chatted with Song Siyu for a long time. The night deepened. After chatting for a while, Yu Hong reluctantly stood up to return, also finding a nearby cabin to stay. After roughly settling in, someone knocked on his door. Thump, thump, thump. ¡°Come in.¡± Yu Hong casually said. The room door was pulled open, with Gao Wen standing alone in front of it, a cigarette hanging from his mouth and smoke billowing from his nostrils, braving the rain and looking at Yu Hong. ¡°Brother, can we talk?¡± Yu Hong stood up in surprise, pointing to his ears, indicating that he didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Stop pretending, I can tell you understand,¡± Gao Wen said impatiently. ¡°Come on dude, where are you from? Introduce yourself.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Yu Hong asked somewhat awkwardly in Second Night Language. ¡°Let¡¯s put it this way, Song Siyu may not dress stylishly, but her family¡¯s financial situation is no worse than mine. It¡¯s best to keep your little schemes to yourself,¡± Gao Wen said indifferently, staring at the phone in Yu Hong¡¯s hand. ¡°Schemes?¡± Yu Hong understood the other person¡¯s implication. ¡°Dude, at your age, you should understand some things. Girls like Song Siyu, you can¡¯t afford them. Going out for a meal costs thousands, maybe tens of thousands;does your monthly salary match that?¡± He took the cigarette out and tapped it. ¡°Have you bought a house? A car? Are you a fitness trainer or an athlete? It¡¯s quite leisurely to vacation here, but sometimes you need to think clearly. Got it?¡± It seemed he took him for a regular college student traveling to shake things up. Yu Hong nodded. ¡°What you said is correct. The gap in spending is too large;indeed, it would be hard to live together.¡± ¡°Glad you understand,¡± Gao Wen¡¯s expression lightened a bit. ¡°Since we met on the island, it¡¯s fated. Where did you graduate from? Being so sensible, when you leave the island, you can come work at my family¡¯s company. With your physique, working as a long-term trainer, I¡¯ll offer you thirty thousand a month. How about it? As a trade-off, starting today you hang with me, help Song Siyu out on the island, no problem, right?¡± Seeing the other person¡¯s confident and lavish demeanor, Yu Hong felt a sense of strong nostalgia. After the Black Disaster erupted, it had been a long time since he¡¯d encountered such a genuinely wealthy second-generation¡­ What he¡¯d mostly seen were ordinary people, full of tears and snot, frantically fleeing for their lives. ¡°Gao Wen, is your family very wealthy?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°Pretty good, don¡¯t gamble or invest, enough for several lifetimes,¡± Gao Wen said nonchalantly. ¡°Do your parents have other daughters or sons?¡± Yu Hong continued to inquire. ¡°No, why the hell are you asking all these random questions? None of your damn business!¡± Gao Wen became impatient. ¡°So you¡¯re an only child, your parents must really treasure you, and care about you?¡± Yu Hong continued. ¡°So what if they do?¡± Gao Wen grew even more annoyed. ¡°That¡¯s good, then go rest,¡± Yu Hong smiled and stopped speaking. ¡°What do you mean? Are you agreeing or not?¡± Gao Wen frowned, upset. ¡°I¡¯m just a regular worker, not a fitness trainer or an athlete, and I¡¯m not interested in working for your family¡¯s company. Exercising is just a hobby of mine,¡± Yu Hong thought it over and still gave him an answer. He planned to try it out, to see if he could get an identity to have some contact with the other¡¯s world. Before this place, he had discovered traces of the Black Disaster¡¯s black fog, but given his lack of identity, it was hard for him to intervene. Thus, he set his sights on this small group of five people. ¡®But the premise is, I need to be sure I can stay in this place for a long time.¡¯ Black Ship discovered the land of vitality, something he had never stayed on for long. This time, a living land of vitality had suddenly appeared, and it was even a part of another complete world. This led Yu Hong to many speculations. ¡°Alright, you¡¯re quite interesting,¡± Gao Wen caught the hint in Yu Hong¡¯s response. He initially wanted to burst out in anger, feeling that he should yell after being rejected. But seeing that Yu Hong¡¯s arm was almost as thick as his own thigh, he thought it¡¯s better to keep peace. Especially when his underlings weren¡¯t around. So he hummed twice, turned around, and left the doorway, even pulling the door closed as he went. Yu Hong was left sitting in the chair, unable to hide a smile on his face. A quiet night passed. The next morning came. Yu Hong got up very early. He stood outside the door, gazing at the slowly brightening sky, feeling indescribably moved. How long had it been since he had seen a real sun? Since being engulfed by the black fog, the sun had also gradually been obscured. Even if it was daylight, only a lit piece of fog could be seen. Not like now¡­ Quickly, while he was moved, the rest of the five also woke up. Stretching their arms, yawning, they saw Yu Hong standing motionless outside like a statue. The group exchanged looks, feeling somewhat odd. Watching this everyday sun so mesmerizingly¡­ Could there be something off with his brain? After Song Siyu washed up and discussed with a friend, seeing Yu Hong, she walked over proactively. ¡°Big Brother Yu, where is your hometown?¡± she asked with a gentle smile. ¡°It¡¯s a small city;you definitely haven¡¯t heard of it,¡± Yu Hong, uncertain of his own home, just brushed off with a response. ¡°Has big brother graduated? Are you working? Are you married?¡± Song Siyu continued to inquire. ¡°I¡¯ve graduated, still job hunting. Not married yet,¡± Yu Hong replied simply, sensing her implication. ¡°Someone like Brother Yu who provides such a sense of security, should definitely find a good girl easily,¡± Song Siyu comforted. Yu Hong was also in a good mood at this moment. ¡°I¡¯m just an ordinary university graduate, an ordinary person who likes to exercise. Nothing special about me, I look average, but thanks for your goodwill.¡± ¡°Brother Yu is being modest. With your qualifications, making money is actually easy,¡± Song Siyu said, ¡°Just like now¡­ the few of us want to hire you part-time as a shooting assistant, a thousand per day, I don¡¯t know if Brother Yu¡­.¡± Chapter 275: Black Disaster? One Song Siyu¡¯s words made Yu Hong somewhat amused yet exasperated, but also evoked a sense of closeness in his heart. Indeed, in a world after the outbreak of the Black Disaster, normal social order was long gone, and it had been a while since he had encountered such a normal modern person¡­ ¡°Let¡¯s forget about being an assistant. I was planning to walk around this island anyway. It¡¯s rare to have a holiday, so I don¡¯t intend to work.¡± Yu Hong made up an excuse to decline. He still planned to thoroughly inspect the island and find the source of the black fog. Song Siyu was somewhat disappointed as she left and told the others about this. The group was a bit upset. Song Siyu offered such a high salary, yet that guy refused. Gao Wen grumbled that Yu Hong was trying to hike up his price, thinking that they had no other options since there were so few people on the island. ¡°We should hurry up and finish shooting and leave this place. It feels too desolate here, nothing is convenient,¡± Wei Chengjun frowned as he spoke. He rarely spoke, but when he did, it meant he had been holding back for a long time and was close to his limit. ¡°Indeed, we have the boat scheduled for this afternoon. We finish our tasks quickly in the morning, play around and rest a bit at noon, and head home in the afternoon! If we complete this successfully, I¡¯ll treat everyone to a great time back home!¡± Song Siyu said with a smile. ¡°Generous, Siyu!¡± Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I want to go to Rice City!¡± ¡°Book a big room! Bring all the alcohol!!¡± Gao Wen and Zhao Sisi shouted excitedly. The group, carrying their equipment, started heading towards the two locations of resentful energy as Old Yang had mentioned before. One of these resentful energy locations was the signal white tower at the highest point of the island. The other was the altar at the deepest part. They discussed it briefly and unanimously decided to head to the signal tower first. It was higher and offered better scenery. The morning sea breeze was fishy and dryly cold, devoid of any moisture. Everyone put on extra clothes and followed the abandoned road. After over twenty minutes, they climbed to the highest point in front of the signal tower. Standing at the high point, they overlooked the entire island, with the white, rust-streaked tall signal tower behind them. The towering, over ten-meter tall white iron tower was like a sharp cone, backward planted at the summit of the small hill of the island. They took commemorative photos, then tuned their equipment and began filming. Song Siyu repeatedly introduced her lines, then stopped, checked, and continued. Any unsatisfactory parts had to be re-edited. She and Zhao Sisi were in charge of the main work. Both Gao Wen and Wei Chengjun, who secretly harbored affection for her, eagerly helped and showed off at the side. Only Qi Siyan, Gao Wen¡¯s girlfriend, was quite upset with her boyfriend¡¯s behavior, watching as her boyfriend unabashedly flirted with Song Siyu right in front of her. A difficult-to-describe sense of humiliation surged through her heart. She first watched the recording from a distance for a while, but unable to hold back, she went over to call her boyfriend a few times. Instead, he impatiently waved her off like swatting a fly. Qi Siyan finally couldn¡¯t suppress her frustration. She angrily picked up her denim backpack and walked down the hill. On this bare hill on the island, there was only one path leading downhill, a white cement paved road for vehicles. The road was full of cracks and potholes, having been neglected for many years. After walking for a while, Qi Siyan realized that no one noticed or cared about her, and her irritation grew stronger. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you, Gao, having some stinking money¡­¡± she couldn¡¯t help but mutter under her breath, quickening her steps and walking down along the roadside. As she walked¡­ Suddenly, she saw ahead on the roadside, a fat man in a dark yellow hoodie sitting on a concrete bollard meant to prevent vehicles from running off the road. The fat man was sitting with his head down, continually fiddling with something in his hands. With his back to her, Qi Siyan couldn¡¯t see what he was doing. She slowed her pace and lowered her movements, passing behind him. Honestly, encountering a fat man sitting by the roadside on a deserted island, meddling with something by himself, did send a bit of a chill down her spine. ¡°Didn¡¯t Old Yang say¡­ he was the only one living on the island? Why is there someone else here?¡± Qi Siyan slowed her steps, quietly passing by the fat man¡¯s side to avoid startling him. Soon, after she passed that section, and as the fat man got further away, she gradually quickened her steps downhill, beginning to relax. A few more minutes passed. Suddenly, Qi Siyan¡¯s body stiffened, and she came to a halt. Ahead of her, on the roadside, another fat man sat on a concrete bollard. Wearing the same dark yellow hoodie and large blue jeans, with a large fountain whale printed on the back of the hoodie. It was still the same fat man. He still had his back to Qi Siyan, engrossed in tampering with the object in his hands. Heh heh¡­ heh heh heh¡­ From time to time, a faint silly laugh could be heard. Qi Siyan, nervously swallowing, stuck close to the hillside and quickly moved past the fat man. Only when she completely lost sight of the fat man did she finally breathe a sigh of relief and continually quicken her pace. But two minutes later¡­ Puff. Qi Siyan blankly stopped, looking at the familiar fat man sitting on the concrete bollard ahead, her heavily made-up face now covered in dense beads of sweat. ¡°This¡­ what in the world is¡­¡± Smack. Her backpack fell to the ground, but at this moment, she couldn¡¯t care less, her eyes fixed on the fat man as she broke into a run. Circling the winding downhill road, Qi Siyan kept running. Finally, the downhill slope ended, and far ahead, she could see the flat surface of the island connected to the slope. There was also a rusted road sign standing there. Qi Siyan, panting heavily and having lost one of her shoes, finally reached the road sign and leaned over, gasping for breath. Bang. Suddenly, a black rusted axe harshly cleaved into the back of her head. Excruciating pain instantly spread throughout her body. Qi Siyan¡¯s vision blackened, and she lost consciousness. At the last moment, she seemed to hear that fat man¡¯s silly, happy laughter. * * * On the shadow-covered beach located on the secluded part of the island, Yu Hong was crouching on the ground, moving aside the black rocks little by little. Some rocks were fixed to the ground by a mixture of water and sand, hard to budge. Yet, with brute force, they were stubbornly pulled out and tossed aside. He carefully kept removing the rocks, and before long, yellow mud pits of varying sizes appeared on the ground. As the pits deepened and expanded, thin strips of black mist started seeping out from the depths of the mud pits. Gurgling sounds were heard. In one of the pits, black fog bubbled up through the mud-water at the bottom of the pit. When the bubbles burst, wisps of black fog drifted up. ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s here¡­ this is the source of the black fog.¡± Yu Hong continued to dig deeper, and soon, with a splash, something black, resembling a starfish, was extracted from the mud-water. The thin strips of black mist were emanating and evaporating from the surface of the starfish-like object. ¡°What is this¡­¡± Yu Hong picked up the object, turning it over to examine. It resembled a black version of a starfish, rough in texture with a dense granular feel. He reached out to cover the surface of the starfish with his hand, feeling the black mist emanate. The Condensing Water Technique activated quickly, working in tandem with the constantly operating Taiyuan True Method, trying to absorb the radiation from the black mist. Unexpectedly, he failed. The Taiyuan True Method, rooted in the Thunderbolt Leg Technique, was completely ineffective against the black fog. Yu Hong felt a chill in his heart and quickly took out a detector and turned it on. Unexpectedly. A beep sounded, and the LCD display showed the current Red Value: 2.341. ¡®No way!¡¯ Yu Hong stood up, holding the mysterious black starfish, ¡®There¡¯s almost no Red Value here??¡¯ You should know, the Black Ship had followed the Black River to get here, and he hadn¡¯t come here by choice, but because if the Black Ship didn¡¯t come here, it would be destroyed by the special waves from the Black River carried over. So he had to come here, to find the source of the Red Value Radiation, only¡­ He looked at the black mist rising from the surface of the starfish, puzzled. If this thing wasn¡¯t the source of the Black Disaster fog and had no Red Value Radiation, then what exactly was it? Why was it connected to the Black Ship and Black River? Standing up, Yu Hong looked at the starfish in his hand, noticing the black mist drifting slightly in one direction. He looked in that direction, then with a powerful stride, suddenly dashed towards it. If this place could truly serve as a refuge and relocation point, he had to resolve any potential threats on the island first. * * * ¡°Hey? Where¡¯s Siyan??¡± After helping with moving things, Gao Wen suddenly realized that his girlfriend, Qi Siyan, was nowhere to be found. He called around the signal tower loudly, but no one responded. The rest of the team was still filming ahead, the sound of the wind was loud, and their filming was noisy;they didn¡¯t notice Gao Wen¡¯s shouts at all. Gao Wen gradually expanded his search area, feeling that something was off, constantly moving in and out of the signal tower. Eventually, he discovered that Qi Siyan¡¯s bag was also taken. ¡°She probably got impatient and went down the mountain,¡± Gao Wen thought to himself, he didn¡¯t really care about Qi Siyan, who was just a casual fling he brought along. But since he brought her, he felt obligated to ensure her safety. He followed the slope down the mountain. Sure enough, she wasn¡¯t there. He turned back, a bit angrily. Bang! Just as he turned around. A dark, rusty axe swung directly towards his head. Clang! A figure suddenly appeared beside him, raising a wrench to block the axe. Gao Wen was terrified, froze for a moment, and then quickly scrambled to run away. Ahhhhhhhh! As he ran, he screamed like a pig being slaughtered. Glancing back, he saw that the figure who had saved him was none other than Old Yang, the elder who had warned them earlier. Old Yang, wearing a faded thick shirt, held the wrench firmly against the axe. And the one wielding the axe, surprisingly, was a fat man with a flat head and a silly smile on his face. This fat man seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, suddenly showing up beside Gao Wen. ¡°Go find the others, get down the mountain and leave this place!¡± Old Yang shouted through gritted teeth. ¡°Don¡¯t provoke them here!¡± Thud. He swung hard, knocking the axe away, and threw a piece of talisman paper, black with red lettering, forward. The talisman, only palm-sized, instantly ignited upon impacting the fat man holding the axe. Without a sound, the fat man gripping the axe stepped back several steps, then raised the axe again, preparing to strike down. Chapter 276: Black Disaster? Two Sigh. A strong gust of wind blew by. Old Yang was so scared that he shut his eyes tightly and shuddered all over. But the axe didn¡¯t continue to fall;instead, it disappeared without a trace. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. When he opened his eyes again, he saw that the fat man who had just been in front of him was now nowhere to be seen. Only a pile of grey powder was left on the ground, being scattered by the wind. ¡°Solved one! Let¡¯s go! Hurry and call your companions!¡± Old Yang breathed a sigh of relief, rushed over, grabbed Gao Wen and started running towards the direction where the others were. * * * Carrying the black sea star, Yu Hong returned to the place where he disembarked and stood by the sea, looking out at the vast blue-black ocean. He sent out a command in his mind to the Black Ship mark. Sigh¡­ Soon, a breeze blew by, and the black fog on the sea¡¯s surface began to thicken. Right in front of him, a huge Black Ship emerged from the mist. ¡®Thank goodness, it¡¯s unaffected and can be directly summoned.¡¯ Now that he was sure there was a way to retreat, he planned to focus on uncovering the secrets of this place. It would be even better if he could leave here and join those people he had encountered earlier, to go to other regions where they were from. Yu Hong picked up the black sea star and examined it closely. Suddenly, he raised his head and looked towards the direction of the only hill on the island. ¡®The aura of a Black Disaster!? ¡®He had just sensed an aura similar to a shadow but more intense than the usual ones. ¡®What¡¯s going on? The Red Value isn¡¯t dense, but there¡¯s a Black Disaster roaming around¡­¡¯ Suddenly, he remembered that the people he had bumped into were heading towards the mountain. ¡®Wait, I can¡¯t let those people run into trouble. What if they¡¯re all wiped out by the Black Disaster, making it difficult to carry out my subsequent plans?¡¯ Yu Hong immediately pocketed the black sea star and turned to hurry towards the hill. But after only a few dozen meters, the Red Value aura he had sensed completely vanished. ¡°Hmm??¡± Yu Hong stopped in his tracks, his face showing a look of surprise and uncertainty. He sensed carefully again, then used his detector to test once more. The detector¡¯s reading showed: 0. ¡®There¡¯s no mistake, my perception is completely accurate, the Black Disaster has disappeared, and so has the Red Value¡­¡¯ Yu Hong¡¯s brows furrowed. He had never seen this situation before;even when he had encountered the Black Disaster or shadows before, and eliminated them, the Red Value didn¡¯t drop to zero but would still show a reading. Especially since the detector he was using was a special model enhanced by himself, its precision far surpassed that of standard detectors. But this time, the number displayed on the LCD screen was a clear zero. And his own perception also matched this number exactly. As his strength and body continued to grow stronger, Yu Hong¡¯s own Perception was also becoming increasingly sharp. ¡®It¡¯s not wrong¡­ the Black Disaster has completely disappeared¡­ According to the rule that a Black Disaster cannot be vanquished, it must have left instantly and moved a great distance away¡­¡¯ Yu Hong speculated in his mind. This place had black fog, but it didn¡¯t seem to be caused by Red Value Radiation. There were signs of a Black Disaster, yet it didn¡¯t make the noise one would expect, appearing and disappearing unpredictably. With these thoughts, he quickened his pace towards the direction of the others. Huangsong Island wasn¡¯t large;at his speed, it took less than half a minute to hear Song Siyu and the others¡¯ voices. Rushing onto the winding mountain road and hearing their voices, Yu Hong immediately slowed his steps to appear like a normal person. He arrived just in time to see Song Siyu and her group, along with a white-haired old man, quickly descending the mountain. As they approached each other, he heard Old Yang and Gao Wen speaking urgently to the others. ¡°We¡¯re not lying to you, truly! We really saw a fat man wielding an axe trying to chop me!¡± Gao Wen was sweating profusely in his urgency. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Old Yang¡¯s intervention, I wouldn¡¯t be seeing any of you right now!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t stay here any longer;you must leave immediately. I¡¯m not sure why, but now you¡¯ve been targeted by them, and if you don¡¯t leave, you¡¯ll never be able to leave again!¡± Old Yang also sternly warned. However, the words of the two men only caused Song Siyu and the others to frown deeply. ¡°But my recording is almost done;if we leave now, all our efforts will have been in vain.¡± Song Siyu hesitated, she actually didn¡¯t believe what Gao Wen had said. Because it wasn¡¯t the first time Gao Wen had tried to scare people with similar tactics. He had played such tricks several times before. That¡¯s just the way he is, once he¡¯s determined, he¡¯ll do everything possible to achieve his goal, claiming afterward it was all just a joke or something. But because his family background was significant and influential, others didn¡¯t dare say anything even though they had been teased. She just didn¡¯t expect that this time, to convince everyone to leave the island, he would even bring up such supernatural nonsense. ¡°I think you¡¯re having hallucinations from drugs taken during the day.¡± Zhao Sisi couldn¡¯t help but speak out, aware of Gao Wen¡¯s background with drugs. ¡°I¡¯m not! Siyan just disappeared, so I went out looking for her and that¡¯s when I encountered the axe-wielding fat man. If not for Old Yang¡­¡± Gao Wen argued urgently. ¡°Where¡¯s that fat guy?¡± Zhao Sisi counter-asked. ¡°He was slapped with a piece of paper by Old Yang and then turned into ash! I saw it with my own eyes!¡± Gao Wen swore with an earnest expression. ¡°Where¡¯s the ash then?¡± Wei Chengjun also asked, frowning. ¡°The ash was blown away by the wind, I swear I¡¯m not lying to you guys!!¡± Gao Wen didn¡¯t want to stay on the island for a second longer. No matter what he said, the three of them didn¡¯t believe him at all. The departure of Qi Siyan, however, did worry them somewhat. Just then, they ran into Yu Hong who was coming up the mountain. They quickly gathered around him. ¡°Brother Yu,¡± Song Siyu said sweetly, ¡°did you see a young woman wearing a very short skirt and with long hair, quite a looker, when you were going up the mountain?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Yu Hong shook his head, scanning over everyone before his gaze settled on Gao Wen and Old Yang. Especially Old Yang, who was filthy all over, wrapped in a grey robe that resembled an overcoat, with a ponderous expression, constantly looking around as if he was on the alert for something. ¡°What are you guys planning to¡­?¡± Yu Hong shifted his gaze back to Song Siyu and asked. ¡°Gao Wen wants to leave the island;he seems to have been scared by something, probably hallucinating from drugs, and insists on dragging us along,¡± Song Siyu explained with a helpless look in her eyes, showing a hint of annoyance. If it wasn¡¯t for the deep connections Gao Wen¡¯s family had, if it wasn¡¯t for the fact that the boat they came on belonged to Gao Wen, if it wasn¡¯t for the poor signal on the island, with only one vessel waiting, she wouldn¡¯t bother with this guy either. But the situation now was that if Gao Wen wanted to go back, they could only go back on a yacht owned by his family. And if he left, the rest wouldn¡¯t be able to return, so they had no choice but to go with him. This completely messed up Song Siyu¡¯s plans. ¡°I¡¯m not lying to you, this place is evil! If that fat guy catches up with us, none of us will be able to run away!!¡± Hearing this, Gao Wen became even more anxious. ¡°The fat guy? What fat guy?¡± Yu Hong asked, his eyes flashing with intensity. ¡°Let¡¯s walk and talk, hurry, we can¡¯t stay here!¡± Gao Wen urged. He kept dragging everyone down the mountain. On the way, Song Siyu relayed Gao Wen¡¯s story to Yu Hong. Along the way, Gao Wen kept adding details, describing the fat guy¡¯s appearance and face. ¡°Wait! Isn¡¯t that the mentally ill fat guy who committed murders here before?¡± Wei Chengjun was the first to realize, speaking gravely. Song Siyu quickly took out her phone to check the information she had gathered before;her videos were about supernatural adventures, and she needed to collect such background information about danger and mystery to pique viewers¡¯ interest. She had thus prepared quite a bit of information in advance. When she found a photo and showed it to Gao Wen. ¡°That¡¯s him, that¡¯s the guy!!¡± As soon as Gao Wen saw the photo, he became even more agitated. ¡°But this guy¡¯s been executed by firing squad three years ago!¡± Song Siyu frowned. Yu Hong listened to their conversation, learned about the cause of the mentally ill fat man¡¯s murders, then slowed his pace, walking behind the group with Old Yang. ¡°Mr. Yang?¡± He whispered to the other man. ¡°What is it? You don¡¯t believe it either?¡± Old Yang frowned and glanced at him. ¡°I believe what you said is true.¡± Yu Hong spoke earnestly, ¡°But there¡¯s a key question;if this island is so dangerous, why does Mr. Yang refuse to leave and stay here alone?¡± ¡°That¡¯s my business, nothing to do with you. You better leave this place quickly,¡± Old Yang replied coldly. Leaving the island as soon as possible was just what Yu Hong wanted. He had seen plenty of the Black Disaster, but the world beyond this island intrigued him more. As long as these people were alive and well, able to take him away, while also helping to cover his identity, all would be well. ¡°May I ask, Mr. Yang, where are you from that you can directly confront such dangerous things?¡± Yu Hong continued to inquire, not bothered by the other¡¯s attitude. ¡°I¡¯m from Yunchong Mountain, considered a lay disciple,¡± Old Yang said, somewhat surprised, briefly introducing himself. He sized up Yu Hong, feeling this man was somewhat different. The way he took what Gao Wen had said seriously, the natural tone indicated it wasn¡¯t wrong. Yunchong Mountain? Yu Hong, sensing the importance of the place from Old Yang¡¯s tone, made a mental note of it. Zhao Sisi, on the other hand, was startled upon hearing this. ¡°Yunchong Mountain, could it be Mr. Yang is a Taoist from the Heavenly Master Mansion??¡± She exclaimed in surprise. ¡°There are the Upper Primordial Heavenly Master Mansion and the Lower Primordial Heavenly Master Mansion on Yunchong Mountain, which side does Mr. Yang hail from?¡± Zhao Sisi seemed to have some knowledge of this and asked with interest. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business,¡± Old Yang replied curtly before going silent. But when Yu Hong heard about the Heavenly Master Mansion and the Taoist, his heart trembled slightly. The term Heavenly Master had an extraordinary meaning whether in his original world or Yiyi¡¯s: in the legend, they are the supreme experts who can easily fight and resolve evil spirits and demons. Most importantly, the Heavenly Master is an official title in the earthly Taoist hierarchy, as well as an official post in the mythological Heaven. Holding this title means there¡¯s a whole vast Taoist system behind it. He had heard that many people in Yiyi¡¯s world put their hopes in the Taoist and Buddhist Sects to fight against the Black Disaster. But unfortunately, in Yiyi¡¯s world, not a single religion was useful ¨C all just blunt spears. And here¡­ Thinking back to the Black Disaster aura he had sensed earlier, Yu Hong began to feel a bit uneasy. ¡®If this guy is really from the Taoist lineage, from the Heavenly Master Mansion, does this mean this world possesses a mature and powerful force that can confront the Black Disaster?¡¯ Chapter 277: Questions Part One At this moment, Yu Hong¡¯s suspicions exploded in his mind, increasing rapidly. His anticipation also grew. He confirmed that the direction of the Black Sea Star originated from the Black Ship, perhaps because the Black Sea Star was contaminated by the black fog brought by the Black Ship and Black River. Does this mean that there is no other source of the Black Disaster here? ¡®If that¡¯s the case, this place might be very safe¡­¡¯ Yu Hong made his calculations. At this time, a group of people arrived at the rocky beach on one side of the island, facing the sea. On the sea, a white double-deck luxury yacht with ¡®Gao¡¯ printed on its side was quietly swaying with the waves, waiting for everyone. The yacht was about twenty meters from the shore, and it was necessary to use a lifeboat to transfer over. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived! Hurry up!¡± Gao Wen saw the yacht as if he had seen a lifesaver, quickly took out a walkie-talkie, turned it on, and called for the people above to come and meet them. He cursed in a dialect while tapping on the walkie-talkie, seemingly unable to contact the other side. ¡°The island does seem off, I believe Mr. Gao isn¡¯t lying or hallucinating. At least up until now, Mr. Gao¡¯s logic is very clear, so I also don¡¯t want to stay on the island. I¡¯m supposed to have a boat pick me up tomorrow, but if possible, could I also take your boat back?¡± Yu Hong seized the opportunity to speak. Gao Wen, who wasn¡¯t very recognized, became slightly excited when he heard Yu Hong say this and patted him on the arm. ¡°No problem! This island is indeed weird! Your insight is too accurate! If it weren¡¯t for me going to find Siyan¡­ Wait!¡± Suddenly his expression changed. ¡°Siyan hasn¡¯t come yet!¡± The sudden change frightened everyone else. ¡°Yes, maybe Siyan went to our temporary residence. We still have some miscellaneous luggage there.¡± Song Siyu said softly. ¡°Shall we go back and look for her?¡± Gao Wen held the walkie-talkie, his forehead covered in sweat, squeezing the walkie-talkie until it clicked. He hesitated. After hesitating for a while, he finally let go of the walkie-talkie. ¡°She¡­ she came with me! I have to take her back!!¡± Finally, his conscience made him grit his teeth and nod. ¡°Old Yang! You are a capable person, help me! Just tell me whatever you need!¡± He looked at Old Yang and said loudly. ¡°Another person hasn¡¯t come?¡± Old Yang frowned. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll accompany you on another trip later.¡± ¡°No, you misunderstood, I¡¯m not going, I would only be a burden if I went, I will just wait for you on the boat,¡± Gao Wen hurriedly said. ¡°!!?¡± Everyone. It turned out he won¡¯t go himself and was asking Old Yang to save the person alone. This made everyone somewhat speechless. Yu Hong was somewhat amused, but his interest in Old Yang and the Heavenly Master Mansion behind him grew even stronger. This time, it seemed the Black Ship led him to a place with great potential. If it¡¯s confirmed that this place can combat the Black Disaster, he could start planning to move there, bringing anyone he could take to live a secure life. Old Yang was also somewhat speechless, but truthfully, this was indeed the best arrangement since Gao Wen wouldn¡¯t be helpful if he went. ¡°One million! Old Yang, if you bring Siyan back, I¡¯ll give you one million!¡± Gao Wen quivered his lips, holding up a finger. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Really?¡± Zhao Sisi couldn¡¯t help but lick her lips. Upon hearing this, she even wanted to volunteer to look for Siyan. She was probably the poorest among those present. ¡°Let¡¯s do this, I¡¯ll go back with Old Yang, I still have some stuff to retrieve,¡± Wei Chengjun was much calmer compared to Gao Wen. Or rather, he, Zhao Sisi, and Song Siyu all believed that Old Yang was a swindler who had used some tricks to deceive Gao Wen, making him deeply believe in paranormal events and even willing to spend a million to solve bad luck and save someone. Going back with him was also to catch any of his faults and expose him. Do they really think that because they are young, they are gullible? Old Yang seemed to perceive their skepticism, shook his head slightly, said no more, and turned to walk towards the deeper part of the island. No one tried to stop him;they only watched him leave. ¡°I¡¯ll also have a look;I left some stuff on the island too,¡± Yu Hong was quite interested in Old Yang and followed him. Without waiting for the others to speak, he quickly followed Old Yang, walking into the distance. Wei Chengjun thought for a moment and followed at the end. As the three of them¡±:[{¡°collapsed¡±:false,¡±text¡±:¡±left, Song Siyu, Gao Wen, and Zhao Sisi remained on the rocky beach, unsure what to do for a moment. Whoo! Suddenly, they felt a chill brush against their bodies, causing an involuntary shiver. But when they came to their senses, there signs of that chill had disappeared, even the cold sea wind was blocked by their coats. It seemed like their earlier sensations had been an illusion. ¡°Quick, get in touch with the boat!¡± Seeing people leave, Gao Wen quickly picked up the walkie-talkie again, switched it on, and started calling out. However, to his dismay, there was no sign of connection on the other end of the walkie-talkie. ¡°Ah Biao!¡± he simply put away the walkie-talkie and started waving his hands towards the yacht, shouting. ¡°Ah Biao, here! Look this way!!¡± he yelled. ¡°What about the satellite phone?¡± Zhao Sisi asked. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of interference here, the satellite phone was tried before, it¡¯s useless.¡± Song Siyu shook her head. If it weren¡¯t for these strange phenomena, she wouldn¡¯t have chosen this place as her program adventure site. But though it¡¯s an adventure, she honestly didn¡¯t believe there was anything wrong with this place. Having ventured so many times, she had never encountered any strange occurrences;in the end, they were all man-made. On the other side. Yu Hong, along with two others, joined together. Old Yang walked silently at the forefront, with Yu Hong and Wei Chengjun following behind. ¡°Where did you put your things? I¡¯ll go with you to fetch them first,¡± Wei Chengjun quietly asked. He felt that something was blatantly eerie about Old Yang and that he must have been constantly thinking about how to deceive others along the way. In contrast, Yu Hong seemed much more normal. Yu Hong shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s fine, we can go separately. You go get your stuff, and I¡¯ll fetch my items alone and meet up by the stone beach we were at just now.¡± ¡°That works,¡± Wei Chengjun, sensing that Yu Hong preferred not to walk together, nodded in agreement. Soon, the three of them had taken a roundabout route to a cluster of cabins on the island and parted ways. Old Yang began searching everywhere for Qi Siyan. Wei Chengjun went back to fetch his luggage. Yu Hong, under the pretext of retrieving his items, had actually hastened to another stone beach to summon the Black Ship. His reason for coming here was different from the others. The Black Ship was being affected by some force present here. If left unaddressed, like before, the ship would be influenced and suffer erosion damage. Thus, addressing the source of this unknown erosive force was his primary goal. Now, after encountering Song Siyu and others, he found a second purpose. Standing on the stone beach, above the sea in front of Yu Hong, a mist formed, and an old, dark ship silently emerged within the fog, docking before him. Yu Hong boarded the ship symbolically to fetch some clothes, then disembarked with them as luggage. After disembarking, the Black Ship left, and the black mist also quickly dispersed, vanishing without a trace. He executed a swift movement technique, transforming into a white silhouette, and quietly returned to the cluster of abandoned cottages. Between the two rows of dilapidated cottages, in the house where Wei Chengjun and the others had stayed, Old Yang and Wei Chengjun continuously called out for Qi Siyan. Their voices echoed intermittently in the sea breeze, at times strong, at times weak. But no matter how much they shouted, there was no response. Besides the sea breeze, there was no other sound around. After shouting for a while, Old Yang, shaking his head, walked out of the house. ¡°There¡¯s no one here named Qi Siyan. Did you notice anything?¡± Wei Chengjun, putting down three large backpacks at the door, also frowned and shook his head. The two looked towards Yu Hong, who also shook his head;he had not searched at all just now, so naturally, he noticed nothing. It was approaching noon, already past eleven in the morning. The area with the abandoned cottages on the island was utterly silent, with only the cold wind blowing in and out. Despite the direct sunlight and clear skies, the place was starkly pale. Wherever one looked, there was nothing but desolation, decay, rust, and desolation. Each cottage resembled a randomly placed box-like coffin arranged on either side of the road. ¡°Something¡¯s not right,¡± Old Yang said, his brow furrowed into a deep crease. With one hand, he quickly formed a handprint and flicked his fingers as if calculating something. ¡°This presence¡­ she¡¯s indeed not here,¡± he declared with confidence after a moment. ¡°The island is not that big;if she¡¯s not here, where could she go?¡± Wei Chengjun asked doubtfully. ¡°Let¡¯s just go back and regroup,¡± Yu Hong suggested. He could sense something was off in the surroundings but was unable to pinpoint what exactly it was. Seeing Old Yang¡¯s mysterious and confident demeanor, he grew even more curious about the powers he possessed. Immediately, the three of them started heading back toward the stone beach where the yacht was located. Along the way, Yu Hong began to cautiously inquire about Old Yang¡¯s situation. ¡°Old Yang, could you talk about how you deal with those dangerous, horrifying, filthy things?¡± ¡°Why? Do you believe me?¡± Old Yang glanced at him slyly. ¡°I do. Since childhood, I¡¯ve always believed there are countless unknown entities in the world and the universe. Science is just one system, and there will always be phenomena that science cannot explain,¡± Yu Hong earnestly said. ¡°You¡¯re pretty honest. Let me advise you¡ªonce we get back, just follow the yacht and leave this island. This place is not meant for irrelevant people like you,¡± Old Yang said indifferently. ¡°What exactly is here?¡± Yu Hong lowered his voice and asked. ¡°Ghosts?¡± ¡°No,¡± Old Yang shook his head, ¡°You watch too many movies?¡± ¡°Then what is it?¡± ¡°A natural phenomenon, very troublesome, unexplainable by science, and untraceable. Overall, this type of natural phenomenon has existed since ancient times and has persisted,¡± he paused, ¡°We call them resentful marks.¡± ¡°Resentful marks?¡± Yu Hong narrowed his eyes. Another new term. ¡°Yes, in ancient times, it was also called Black Disaster, meaning a disaster that appears only during the night,¡± Old Yang explained. Black Disaster! Indeed, Yu Hong felt a sudden chill, immediately making the connection. ¡°Since it existed in ancient times and we have lived so long, there must surely be developed methods to counter it, right?¡± he quickly asked. ¡°Correct,¡± Old Yang nodded, ¡°Utilizing some related research, we¡¯ve discovered many special items that can resist or neutralize resentful marks. Compared to the strangeness and dominance of resentful marks, we humans are actually quite fragile and have many physical limitations. Hence, by using various external objects summarized from research, we have developed Daoist Skills and Arrays to combat them.¡± Chapter 278: Questions Two Humans are fragile? Yu Hong keenly grasped the key point. Does this mean that even those who practice cultivation here are still fragile? ¡°Can¡¯t Daoist Skills and Arrays strengthen the body?¡± He asked calmly, without showing any change in expression. ¡°They can, but the best way to strengthen the human body is written in the Fighting Skill schools. The so-called Daoist Skills, Arrays, and so on, are merely our methods of using our own bodies in combination with external objects to exert targeted power to restrain resentful marks. This is about utilizing, not training and strengthening oneself,¡± explained Old Yang. ¡°So you¡¯re saying, to learn Daoist Skills, one must also learn Fighting Skills?¡± Yu Hong said. ¡°Of course. In the martial arts of fighting schools, there are many methods to cultivate and refine Essence Qi, and studying well will enable one to use them,¡± Old Yang nodded. ¡°Then¡­ after learning Daoist Skills and Arrays, can one defeat a powerful martial artist?¡± Yu Hong clearly felt he¡¯d touched on a crucial point. As soon as these words came out, Old Yang looked at him as if he were looking at a fool. ¡°Nonsense!¡± ¡°What?¡± Yu Hong blinked. ¡°Of course, you can¡¯t beat them.¡± Old Yang said exasperatedly, ¡°A person¡¯s energy is limited, if half of their spirit and time are spent on training fighting abilities, to confront a martial artist who has wholeheartedly trained their fighting abilities is simply suicide.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Now Yu Hong understood what Old Yang meant by Daoist Skills. The three made their way back to the seaside where their yacht was anchored. What they saw, however, were Song Siyu and the others with disappointed expressions. ¡°What happened?¡± Wei Chengjun stepped forward and asked first;he¡¯d been listening to Yu Hong discussing all sorts of chaotic matters along the way, completely uninterested. ¡°The people on the yacht are just not answering their phones!¡± Gao Wen¡¯s hair was soaked with sweat, sticking to his forehead. ¡°We were just about to swim over to the boat to check.¡± ¡°I advise you not to do that.¡± Old Yang looked at the yacht from a distance, sniffed the sea breeze, and calculated with his fingers, his expression turning serious. ¡°There¡¯s no one on the boat anymore.¡± No one?? Everyone looked intently at the yacht, and indeed, after watching for a good while, they did not see anyone moving about on it. ¡°Ah Biao, and Aliang and the others are all¡­ on the boat, right?¡± Gao Wen¡¯s complexion turned pale. Old Yang shook his head without speaking and turned to walk towards the island. The rest of the group also felt something was not quite right. If they couldn¡¯t return to the yacht, wouldn¡¯t they be stuck on the island? ¡°Don¡¯t panic;according to the investigation before we came here, there will be a coast guard boat patrolling this sea area tomorrow. Then we can call for help,¡± assured Song Siyu in a solemn voice. Hearing about the coast guard boat, everyone calmed down. Gao Wen still wanted to swim to the boat, but Old Yang persuaded him against it. The group returned to their previous quarters. With the yacht having issues, Song Siyu also felt something was off and was in no mood to continue filming videos. The four of them got together and searched for Qi Siyan again, but still failed to see anyone, and then it was confirmed that Qi Siyan had indeed disappeared. Nighttime came. Yu Hong walked out of the room where he was resting and looked at the sky outside. ¡®The second day¡­ This is my first time staying on a place sent by the Black Ship for two days¡­¡¯ Inexplicably, he felt the Black Ship mark in his mind emitting a faint sense of restlessness. As if the Black Ship itself had simple instincts. He turned his head and saw Gao Wen and Old Yang whispering and discussing something. Before long, the two began to wrap red thread, winding it around the house they were living in. And Old Yang had found a brush from somewhere, dipped it in an inky unknown ink, and drew a huge circular pattern on the ground around the house. He added various complex-looking text and symbols within the pattern. Yu Hong saw that Song Siyu and the others were looking weirdly at the ongoing work from inside the house, not helping. Eventually, Old Yang surrounded the entire house with the red thread, hanging it mid-air to form a barrier that would block anyone going in or out. ¡°Tonight, I need to verify the safety and stability elsewhere;you all stay here. Remember, starting from midnight, nobody should leave the area defined by this red thread circle. This thread circle is to hide your presence. Once someone goes out and is discovered, this thread circle will lose its function. Remember, remember!¡± Old Yang admonished. ¡°Rest assured, Old Yang! We will definitely follow the rules! For this assistance, I will give you two million after we get out!¡± Gao Wen nodded seriously. Old Yang tugged at the corner of his mouth but did not refuse. Although he was a Taoist expert, even experts need money. Yu Hong, standing not far away, understood that money must be of no small help to someone like Old Yang. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have taken the initiative for Gao Wen¡¯s request and spent so much time and effort. With that thought, he turned his gaze once again towards the island. He hadn¡¯t found the source that was eroding the Black Ship, yet he had already spent nearly two days here. This was also a test. Without saying a word, he quietly watched as Old Yang left, leaving the others cooped up in the house, sealed by the array. Using the excuse of resting, he too found a room to enter and was also given an extra spare tent. Lying in the yellow tent, Yu Hong waited in silence. It was a strange occurrence to come to this small island, meet this group of living people, join them bizarrely, and even come into contact with a unique and larger world. This gave him a somewhat unreal feeling. But beyond the unreality was more excitement. Awaiting the passage of time. As the sky grew darker, the sound of the waves outside gradually weakened. Yu Hong lay in the tent, waiting for midnight to come. At this moment, the Black Ship mark in his mind had already begun to flash continuously, emitting an unstable and mysterious aura. ¡®As expected¡­ my premonition was right¡­¡¯ he lifted his hand and saw his arm starting to flicker, slowly becoming transparent. ¡®The Black Ship possesses the ability to search for lands of vitality, but this capability is limited. It¡¯s possible that it can¡¯t stay long in the outer world, and now it seems that it can¡¯t stay for more than two days.¡¯ Yu Hong quietly sat cross-legged, waiting for changes to occur around him. Soon, after a few minutes. His vision suddenly went dark. When the light returned, he found himself sitting on the deck of the Black Ship, as if he had been seated there from the beginning. The surrounding was the sound of sea water lashing against the hull, a dense black mist like a solid wall, enveloping the Black Ship tightly. ¡®Forced to return?? Or, have I actually never left from the start?¡¯ Yu Hong pondered this question. He felt it was the former. Standing up, he walked to the ship¡¯s side and saw Huangsong Island gradually receding, disappearing into the black mist. With the creaking sound of the deck beneath him, he watched the island gradually vanish, drifting away. ¡®A whole new world? Or¡­ merely a fleeting, accidental adventure?¡¯ He was uncertain. Before long, the ocean surrounding the Black Ship had turned into the Black River, and as the fog ahead cleared, the wooden pier of Black Wind Camp came into view. Thump. The hull bumped against the wooden piles of the pier and came to a halt. At that moment, an invisible breath spread from the wooden pier, climbing up as if infusing something into the Black Ship. Yu Hong surmised that it was likely recharging the ship¡¯s power. He jumped off the boat, and the three Dragon Lizards followed, bringing their haul with them. After making a round trip, Yu Hong returned to the front of the camp and glanced at the detector: -100.412. One hundred degrees below zero¡­ He looked at the Dragon Lizards, which were clearly starting to slow down, and knew that this temperature was close to the limit they could stand. This meant that the Dragon Lizards couldn¡¯t freely venture out too far from the camp. Otherwise, if the temperature dropped further, they would all be frozen solid in the outside world. After eating and drinking water back in the cave, Yu Hong simply sat down cross-legged at the camp to cultivate, while also waiting for the situation with the Black Ship. The Black Ship seemed to be performing a charging action, docked at the wooden pier without moving, allowing the mysterious energy to keep spreading and climbing over it, with no response for a good while. ¡®There¡¯s a problem ¡ª if I get rid of the source of influence on Huangsong Island, will I still be able to get there next time?¡¯ Yu Hong thought about this issue. Among the falling white snowflakes, he weighed the potential consequences of his various decisions. The Taiyuan True Method kept absorbing the Cosmic Divine Light, and the Thunderbolt Leg Technique continuously absorbed Red Value Radiation, transforming it into Inner Qi. Each clearly distinct from the other. Eventually, Inner Qi merged with the Cosmic Divine Light to form a unique blue light Inner Qi inside Yu Hong¡¯s body. Time slowly passed, and the energy recharge of the Black Ship was still not complete. ¡®I hope that by the time I finish recharging here, those people over there can hold on.¡¯ ¡®Besides, to prevent the Black Ship from heading to its next destination after dealing with the source there, I can¡¯t entirely eliminate the source on Huangsong Island;I must leave some roots so that I can continue to reach that place later on¡­¡¯ Yu Hong made his decision. * * * Huangsong Island. At night, the sea breeze howled, dark clouds hung heavy, and thunder rumbled. In a two-story abandoned shop by the seaside. Gao Wensong, Song Siyu, and the others each returned to their rooms and rested in tents. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Rumble¡­ The thunder outside rolled continuously. Zhao Sisi turned on a small charging night light inside her tent, its warm yellow light illuminating the small space. She took off her jacket, pants, had a drink of water, and prepared to crawl into her sleeping bag to rest. Suddenly, she felt her left wrist. ¡°Wait! Where is my bracelet?¡± Zhao Sisi was startled. She had saved up to buy a gold bracelet not long ago, and it had been on her way back;now, it had disappeared. ¡°Could it have been dropped near Siyu¡¯s place?¡± She quickly got up and unzipped the tent. Outside was a dirty and dusty bedroom shrouded in cobwebs. On the wall hung a cracked picture of a couple ¡ª a pretty, cute girl with twin ponytails holding a bespectacled chubby boy about ten years old. The girl had a sunny, cheerful smile, while the little chubby boy appeared shy and adorable;reaching an arm out wanting to wrap it around the girl¡¯s shoulder, but due to being shorter, it only reached her back instead. The stark contrast between the tall and the short made the picture particularly memorable. ¡®This house¡­ could it really be that mentally ill chubby boy¡¯s home?¡¯ Zhao Sisi furrowed her brows but didn¡¯t think too much about it. She glanced outside the window, where the dark street and sea breeze were causing the weeds to sway and tilt. These weeds, sprouting from the crevices between the cobblestones, were visible everywhere at the moment, rustling softly as the wind stirred them. And just as she looked outside, in a spot below the window she couldn¡¯t see. A chubby boy with dirt all over his clothes squatted by the wall, head lowered, fiddling with something in his hands. The height at which the chubby boy sat was just below the windowsill, and without sticking his head out, he would be completely invisible. Facing the wall, the exposed skin of his neck and the side of his face had a chalky, deathly pallor. Chapter 279: Trap 277 One Buzz¡­ Black Wind Camp. A slight vibration disturbed Yu Hong, who was meditating in the camp, causing him to suddenly open his eyes. His brows furrowed, feeling a slight tingling in his temples. The imprint of the Black Ship in his mind was releasing tiny currents of electricity like signals. It was this stimulus that jolted him out of his meditation, causing the pain. He moved his body slightly, brushing off the snow powder from his body, and stood up. Behind him, a beam of pure white light shone through the viewing window of the cave, falling on the snow and illuminating an area of more than ten meters around. Using this light, he scanned the fan-shaped area in front of him. Outside the camp, there were no more Dragon Lizards patrolling, but the space was still empty, not even a Shadow Black Bug in sight. The Ultimate Gate was still releasing blue mist ceaselessly, but no Spiritual Tides such as finger butterflies appeared anymore. At this moment, both the Black Disaster and Light Disaster seemed to have entered a relatively stable stalemate phase. Yu Hong looked up at the sky. The black mist in the sky was gradually turning gray-black, not as deep as before. It seemed that the changes brought by the Ultimate Gate had continued to transform the sky in this area. He thought for a moment, sensing the continual stimulations and reminders from the Black Ship, then turned around and walked back to the cave. Quickly packing up, he put on his protective suit and breathing valve. Yu Hong directly came to the wooden bridge behind the camp, illuminated the bridge with an Atomic Lamp, and then¡­ He walked straight onto it. Moving forward continuously, he soon stood at the end of the pier of the wooden bridge, facing a surging black river. The Black Ship was moored on the river, constantly shaking and bumping against the pier, making noises. Yu Hong tried to order the Black Ship to prepare to set off. But as soon as the command was issued, the whole ship vibrated, and the hull began to forcibly move, only to have large pieces of black ship skin gradually fall off. ¡°Stop, come back!¡± Seeing this, Yu Hong could only order it to return and rest at the pier again. Standing on the wooden bridge, he watched the surging water ahead, a hint of contemplation on his face. After a good ten minutes or so. Suddenly. He took a step forward. Plop. A light sound. He actually jumped directly into the Black River. Like a plummet, his body splashed a little water, then submerged into the waters of the Black River. Bubbles gurgled up from beside him. He quietly sank, adjusting his posture underwater to a standard head-down-foot-up stance. The traits of the Condensing Water Technique: underwater breathing and ¡°night moth,¡± were activated simultaneously. Black water around him was automatically controlled by the Cultivation Technique, condensing into an ultra-thin film of black water on the surface of his body. It looked like he was soaked in black water, but in fact, using the Condensing Water Technique, there was still a layer of thin air between him and the Black River. Holding his breath, Yu Hong stared intently at the movements in the Black River. ¡®Since the Black Ship can traverse the Black River to various mysterious locations, and lands of vitality, does that mean that by entering here myself, I too can locate these lands of vitality?¡¯ ¡®This Black River¡­ what secrets does it conceal? Besides the lands of vitality, what else is there?¡¯ With these questions in mind, he continued to sink, sinking deeper. All around was pitch black, and he could see nothing;he could only deduce direction by sensing the concentration of Red Value. The direction with low Red Value was above towards the surface, and high was downwards. The imprint in his mind could also remind him which direction was towards the camp. As Yu Hong carefully moved in the Black River, he suddenly felt a cold sensation in his arms. He quickly took out a black starfish from the outer pocket of his protective suit. ¡®It was dug up on Huangsong Island¡­.¡¯ Looking at this starfish, Yu Hong could clearly see its surface slowly emitting wisps of gray smoke. ¡®It emitted black smoke on Huangsong Island, but here it changes to gray smoke?¡¯ Yu Hong noted this change, observing that the smoke emitted by the starfish uniformly curved towards the lower right direction. His heart stirred, and he manipulated the black water, consuming Inner Qi, and used the Condensing Water Technique to support himself as he delved in the direction where the gray smoke drifted. Soon, there were stirrings in the surroundings. Many tiny black bugs began to swim past him. He randomly enveloped one with the Condensing Water Technique and examined it closely. The bug bore eight legs, with an oval body resembling a sunflower seed, and its head formed a small triangle. ¡°Black ticks¡­ this is the smallest creature unit of the Black Disaster¡­ could this place possibly be the main base of the Black Disaster?¡± Releasing the black tick, he continued to descend. Whoosh! Suddenly, a huge dark shadow quickly flashed past him. Yu Hong was startled, but due to the darkness, he could not see what flashed past. It seemed like a fish. He steadied his nerves and continued to descend. But as he sank deeper. The shadows passing by him became more frequent. He also occasionally encountered familiar faces. Such as Big Skin, elephant worm, Withered Woman, Speedster, Insect man¡­ As the depth increased, the strength of the Black Disaster appearing around him also intensified. A continuous mix of strange laughter, bubbling sounds, sounds of swallowing food, singing, and more, intermittently emerged, blending together, reaching his ears. Yu Hong¡¯s expression remained unchanged, controlling the Condensing Water Technique, letting the Black River water morph into a serpentine form camouflaging as a member of the Black Disaster. Because he continuously absorbed Red Value, causing the Red Value Radiation concentration around him to be higher, it inadvertently masked other scents. He simply disguised himself as a black snake, letting it drag him in the direction the gray smoke was flying. Finally. About seven or eight minutes later, the black water gradually lightened, allowing a glimpse of the scenery a little further away. Just then, right in front of him, a massive vertical black wall appeared. In the deep, strange waters of the Black River, the appearance of a vast, wide, smooth black wall was undoubtedly a very peculiar occurrence. On the wall, a circular light spot over two meters in diameter was quietly embedded in the middle. The light spot was greyish-white, blooming a striking and unique white light amid the dark river water. At this moment, the edges of this white light had attracted quite a number of unknown entities. And around the perimeter, apart from Yu Hong, there was a large mass of oddly shaped shadows, all clustered together, swimming near the light spot. The shadows writhed, devouring each other, but none wanted to leave the vicinity of the light spot. Even if some were being swallowed, they did not move. Yu Hong controlled himself, stopping when he was still about twenty meters away from the light spot. He controlled the Condensing Water Technique, continuing to condense the black snake and completely enveloping himself within the belly of the snake. Despite the high-speed consumption of his Inner Qi, the surrounding Red Value also skyrocketed, absorbing into his body and converting to Inner Qi, basically achieving a balanced cycle. This allowed him not to worry about depletion. But¡­ Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He watched as the grey smoke drifting from the starfish in his hand permeated through the black water¡¯s thin membrane, slowly floating toward the light spot, forming a suspicion in his mind. ¡®Could the place with the light spot be where Huangsong Island is located?¡¯ he guessed. He never expected the starfish he picked up during the day to have this function. After observing the light spot for a while, Yu Hong saw that the number of shadows gathering around it was extremely numerous. He decided to return and leave. If he directly approached under these circumstances, he would undoubtedly be discovered by the countless Black Disasters surrounding it. Swoosh! Suddenly, in the black water to Yu Hong¡¯s right, numerous currents transformed into hair-like fine strands, converging into a five-meter-tall humanoid with a white glowing edge. The humanoid had two red lights glowing from its head, extending a hand to grasp the surface of the water snake Yu Hong had condensed. Through the surface, its red eyes stared intently at Yu Hong hidden inside. The humanoid was about the same size as the water snake, holding it with one hand yet exuding an indescribably immense power. Yu Hong felt that this power was extraordinarily exaggerated, comparable to the Black Giant. The control of the Condensing Water Technique by the black snake was quickly overwhelmed, his expression drastically changed, and he immediately abandoned the snake, retracting backward from the tail of the snake. Swoosh! He was like an egg, flying out from the tail of the water snake formed by the Condensing Water Technique, quickly covering a hundred meters. Plop! Just as he had left the water snake for less than two seconds. A muffled sound erupted from where he was, and Yu Hong completely lost control of the water snake. The water snake exploded. Ah!! He heard a series of sharp screams in his ears, as the Condensing Water Technique recaptured the surrounding black water, re-condensing a black fish, carrying him back the way they came. But this time, the return journey was not as calm as before. The black fish was continuously confronted by huge, pale human faces. Their mouths opened and closed silently in the water as if speaking. Each face was at least a hundred meters wide. Yu Hong passed by them, floating like sesame seeds between gigantic basins. Using Inner Qi to control the Condensing Water Technique black fish, he acutely sensed the enormity of these faces. He also sensed that they all seemed to be converging towards the direction of the light spot, approaching it. ¡°xing¡­.¡± ¡°xing¡­..¡± A series of deep, distorted voices of both men and women mixed together, simultaneously calling out a syllable. This sound, originating from an unknown source, made one¡¯s ears itch, Yu Hong skillfully maneuvered the black fish to dodge the collisions of the pale human faces. He skillfully passed between the faces, swimming towards the camp direction. The detector on the protective suit had already lost its value, the readings far exceeding the limits, stuck on a garbled interface. Finally, after an unknown amount of time. Plop! Yu Hong¡¯s head popped out from the surface of the Black River. He leaped out, leaving the black water and landed steadily on the wooden bridge dock of the camp. Looking back at the Black River, he recalled the scene he had just witnessed, and a vague guess formed in his heart. ¡®If the light spot is indeed the location of Huangsong Island, then that light spot might represent a point of leakage. The Black Disaster is slowly infiltrating the area where Huangsong Island is located through the location of the light spot.¡¯ Recalling his time in the Black River, that feeling of pitch-black darkness all around. Gloomy, despairing, oppressive. Yu Hong suddenly understood why the monsters in the Black River were so frantically chasing the light spot. Standing on the wooden bridge. He suddenly looked up, and in the area where he had just emerged from the water, a humanoid shadow with a white glowing edge was slowly rising from the Black River. By the time he saw it, the humanoid had already emerged more than half. ¡®Followed me back!?¡¯ Yu Hong immediately came to a conclusion. He pressed the reset on the detector. Beep. A piercing alarm sounded in a blink of an eye, the Red Value on the detector skyrocketed, exceeding the safety threshold, reaching one hundred thousand, five hundred thousand, a million¡­ And it was still climbing. As the Black Ship could also affect the detection results, Yu Hong pressed off the detector, removing it and throwing it away. ¡®This thing is no longer useful¡­¡¯ He watched the white-light humanoid stepping on the water¡¯s surface, its five-meter-tall body towering over him. ¡°Agrius.¡± He took a step back, golden electric arcs lighting up behind him, from which a huge black lizard fiercely pounced. The thirty-meter-long Agrius leaped over a large distance of the Black River in a blink, its claw striking towards the white-light humanoid on the water¡¯s surface. Chapter 280: Trap 278 Two Bang! Water splashed in all directions as a human figure instantaneously appeared behind Agrius, gently pointing a finger. Its fingertip immediately burst forth with countless black threads. These numerous threads poked into Agrius¡¯s back scales, causing it so much pain that it angrily roared. Golden arcs of electricity suddenly surged, severing the black threads and turning them into nothing. The man and the lizard began a frenzied struggle. The figure made of white light constantly flickered, attacking Agrius¡¯s body with large amounts of black threads from every blind spot. Agrius, on the other hand, charged and broke through with golden electric light weakening every attack, and any wound it suffered would heal automatically. Whereas its golden arcs, upon contact with its opponent¡¯s body, would directly remove large chunks of black flesh. For a moment, the two fought to a standstill. Yu Hong stood on the wooden bridge, with an unusually solemn expression. Not for any other reason, but because further away under the waters of the Black River, shapes of white light bordered with black human figures began to vaguely emerge;the second, the third, the fourth¡­ their contours already visible¡­ ¡®Come back!¡¯ he commanded Agrius to return. Instantly, a flash of golden light, the giant lizard flew back to Heavenly River, and Yu Hong retracted his aura, controlling the waters of Black River to fly up, forming an elliptical water membrane around himself again. The black water flowed, hiding his and Agrius¡¯s presence quickly, leaving only the residual traces of their aura from before. Once the aura was cut off, the white light figures also began to aimlessly search around. Seizing the moment, Yu Hong jumped onto the Black Ship, and sensing that it was fully charged, he quickly controlled it to leave the spot, rushing in the direction of Huangsong Island. As for the camp, as long as there¡¯s no one inside, it wouldn¡¯t attract the Black Disaster. It would be safer instead. And if that patch of light is indeed the region of Huangsong Island, then the moment the light fully opens, the creatures lurking in the Black River, eying it covetously, will certainly swarm in. ¡®Those creatures are much stronger than the initial ¡®shadow¡¯ Black Disaster¡­ At that depth, they must be at least Level Eight or Nine Black Disaster¡­ If we don¡¯t want the region there to be destroyed by the Black Disaster, we must quickly find the location of that light patch, as well as determine if there are other similar light exits and entrances.¡¯ Yu Hong didn¡¯t want the land of vitality he had just discovered to be completely destroyed by the Black Disaster. * * * Huangsong Island. ¡°What strong wind.¡± Inside an abandoned house. Zhao Sisi withdrew her gaze from the window, feeling a bit cold, she then remembered she was only wearing a thin undershirt, so quickly she opened the door and stepped out. She went to the room next door, belonging to Song Siyu, and gently knocked on the door. ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me, Sisi,¡± Zhao Sisi replied, ¡°I¡¯m here to see if I left anything in here?¡± She pushed the door open and saw the tent inside the room was opened, with Song Siyu holding a notebook as if she was keeping a journal. Seeing her enter, Song Siyu quickly closed and put it away. ¡°What are you looking for? Come and search yourself,¡± Song Siyu said, now dressed in close-fitting autumn clothes and wearing fluffy pink cat-ear headphones on her head. Zhao Sisi quickly crawled into the tent to search carefully but, after a while, she did not find her gold bracelet. ¡°Could I have dropped it on the way back?¡± she couldn¡¯t help guessing. Right away, she planned to go back to her room to get dressed and go out to look for it. ¡°It¡¯s so late, go look for it tomorrow, you won¡¯t be able to see anything in the dark,¡± Song Siyu reminded. ¡°If we have to leave tomorrow morning, it¡¯s better to find it earlier,¡± Zhao Sisi shook her head. ¡°But Mr. Yang told us not to leave the area surrounded by the red line tonight,¡± Song Siyu frowned. ¡°Do you really believe that? That old man named Yang obviously just wants to scam money, only Gao Wen would actually believe him. So gullible,¡± Zhao Sisi scoffed. ¡°Although I don¡¯t really believe in it either, when it comes to these things, it¡¯s better to be safe than sorry. It¡¯s so late now, and it¡¯s unlikely that anyone on the island would happen to pick up your necklace. Take my advice, go out and look for it tomorrow,¡± Song Siyu persuaded. ¡°Alright, alright¡­¡± Zhao Sisi hesitated for a moment, feeling the darkness and cold outside, she realized she might not find anything anyway if she went out at this time. So she nodded and gave up. After saying goodbye to her best friend, she went back to the tent in her room and lay down to rest. But as she slept, she always felt as if something was missing from her wrist. Different from the others, her family was just of a common worker background, not any kind of second-generation rich, nowhere near as wealthy as Song Siyu, Gao Wen, and Wei Chengjun. She had saved up for a long time to buy that gold bracelet and wore it out this time just to save face in front of her friends. If it was lost¡­ With this thought, Zhao Sisi eventually could not resist, and quietly got up. She remembered having promised her best friend, so she didn¡¯t feel it was right to ask for her company now. She mustered her resolve, dressed, took her flashlight, and silently walked along the dark corridor of the house to the exit security door. Click. The door opened. Bursts of cold wind poured in through the gaps. Shivering from the chill, she looked at the pitch-black streets outside, bit her lip, and stepped out. Outside, there were a total of three red lines, hanging tautly in mid-air, forming three giant circles that encircled the house. Zhao Sisi approached cautiously, only to find that the red line left no gaps for entry and exit. So she bent over and stepped over the lowest red line, then leaned forward and wriggled through the gaps between the lines to get out. Snap. She effortlessly drilled out, dusted off her hands, and hurriedly followed the previous path with her flashlight in hand. Just as she left the range of the red lines. Deep on the island, Old Yang, who was investigating the situation in a pitch-black valley, suddenly changed his expression. ¡°Not good! Someone has come out!¡± Before he left, he repeatedly cautioned Gao Wen and the others to be attentive, to not leave the protected area of the red lines, to avoid being discovered. But now those few completely disregarded his advice. ¡°We must go back immediately! Otherwise, everyone there will die!¡± Old Yang turned around, intending to leave. Snap. Suddenly, a pale, decaying arm grabbed his left shoulder. That was a shadowy figure in white with long hair, who appeared instantly behind him, holding him down firmly. If Yu Hong were here, he could instantly recognize the true nature of this figure. Shadow. This was an extremely standard shadow, looking like a living person, its face hidden under long hair with a strange smile. Its body was also subtly emitting a faint Red Value Radiation. ¡°Here we go!¡± Old Yang was touched by the shadow but did not disappear instantly;instead, his touched shoulder hissed as if searing meat. Black smoke arose, and a look of pain crossed his face. He immediately struck with one hand, sending a yellow talisman paper accurately into the shadow¡¯s abdomen. Puff! The shadow instantly turned into black ash, scattering all over the ground. Even the Red Value Radiation that it carried was instantly dispersed by the purifying self-combustion of the talisman paper, as if it had never appeared. Old Yang quickly turned around, wanting to return the way he came, but unexpectedly, there were already three or four pale figures standing behind him. ¡°This is troublesome¡­ I don¡¯t have enough talisman papers¡­.¡± Old Yang¡¯s face changed slightly, as he began to look left and right for gaps to break through. * * * Whoosh. On the side of the double-layered shop, a figure flickered and arrived at the side of the building, stepped lightly, and leaped gently with the aid of the wall, entering one of the room¡¯s windows. After steadying himself, the figure was illuminated by the soft moonlight on one side;it was none other than Yu Hong who had just come down from the Black Ship. He exhaled, hearing the intermittent breathing sounds from the surrounding rooms, Gao Wen was even snoring. ¡®It seems no one noticed.¡¯ He glanced at the detector¡¯s time, ¡®The Black Ship¡¯s recharge took over two hours. It seems like I have to leave for two hours of recharge every two days. On my own, without the Black Ship, I can¡¯t come to Huangsong Island. That spot of light definitely won¡¯t work, if I break something by coming in and let the high-risk Black Disaster in as well, that would be trouble¡­¡¯ Recalling the hundreds or thousands of high-risk Black Disasters surrounding that spot of light, Yu Hong felt a slight tingling in his heart. Those depths were almost populated by Level Eight or Nine Black Disasters, even if he could block them temporarily, if a Breakthrough Level War Level one¡­ Without the help of an Array, he didn¡¯t think he could fend off everything. ¡®The sea star can guide the way, but it only points towards the light spot. For the time being, I can only travel via the Black Ship.¡¯ Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yu Hong took off his clothes and crawled into the tent, inhaling the fresh scent of women¡¯s perfume in the tent, the same scent that Song Siyu wore. Clearly, this tent was previously used by Song Siyu herself. Gradually, Yu Hong relaxed his body, immersed his mind, and entered into the cultivation state of the Taiyuan True Method. According to the current pace, his Second Layer of the Dawn Realm would probably make a breakthrough soon. At the earliest, one month;at the latest, three months. The peculiar aspect of this Cultivation Technique is that often, Yu Hong could feel that the technique itself, the Cosmic Divine Light itself, seemed more eager to enter the next layer than he was. Combining the fact that this Magic Skill originated from the Taiyuan Orthodox Sect, which was annihilated due to guiding in the Source Disaster, maybe its abnormality is the norm. Therefore, he proceeded with extreme caution at every step. The cultivation of the Taiyuan True Method involves collecting some Cosmic Divine Light and then integrating and refining it within the body. So, one doesn¡¯t need to stay by the Ultimate Gate at all times;it¡¯s only necessary to visit occasionally to ensure the progress of the Cultivation Technique. And right as Yu Hong concentrated on cultivating, a pale figure flashed past just outside the rings of red lines around the house. Squeak. The locked security door suddenly clicked open, the door panel moved automatically without wind, slowly opening to a small gap. A vague white figure stepped over the red line circle and slowly walked into the corridor. Swoosh. ¡°Here it is¡­ finally found it!¡± Outside the house, on a mountain path, Zhao Sisi bent over with a flashlight and picked up a rabbit-shaped gold bracelet from the ground, sighing in relief. ¡°Now that it¡¯s found, hurry back, it¡¯s too cold¡­ Is it going to rain?¡± She looked up at the sky with some concern and quickly walked back toward the double-layered shop. All around was dark, with only about ten meters visible ahead and behind her on the long mountain path. Beyond that was pitch darkness. Zhao Sisi, though not a believer in superstitions, started to get scared. Thereupon, she took a deep breath. Patter, patter, patter. She broke into a run. ¡°Just run a bit to warm up.¡± The moment she started running, a pale hand reached out from behind her but grabbed nothing. Chapter 281: Trap Three On the dim mountain path. Old Yang was running breathlessly. He was dashing for his two million, with that money, his investigation on this island could become easier. The funds from the government had long dried up, and without some replenishment, he wouldn¡¯t even have enough for making talisman paper array plates. Accelerating along the road, he looked back at the three white figures following him from a distance. ¡°The numbers have increased again¡­ if it doesn¡¯t work this time, I must report this and can no longer keep it a secret.¡± Old Yang gritted his teeth and made a decision. Finding his direction, he saw the two-story shop by the seaside from a distance. In his eyes, the shop building wrapped in a circle of red glow had now been breached with a human-shaped opening. At the breach, ghastly pale figures slowly walked into the shop, like predators smelling blood. ¡°Damn it!¡± His face changed. He accelerated even more. * * * ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Yu Hong abruptly opened his eyes from his practice, letting the Taiyuan True Method run automatically with Tao Breath Circulation. He sat up in the tent, furrowed his brows, and looked outside the room. Tap. Tap. Tap. A series of subtle footsteps slowly passed outside the room. The footsteps were slow, with a fixed rhythm, one step every two seconds, completely unlike Song Siyu or the others getting up at night. *There was no sound of breathing¡­* Yu Hong¡¯s immense perception could detect that the owner of the footsteps in the corridor outside had no breathing sound. At this distance, if he concentrated, he could even sense heartbeat pulses. *With his current acuity of the five senses, it would be impossible not to notice.* *Something¡¯s wrong.* Yu Hong slowly got up, opened the tent zipper, and slipped out. Strangely, he didn¡¯t sense any Red Value Radiation, otherwise, being extremely sensitive to the Black Disaster, he would have been alerted long ago. *Not a Black Disaster, but also not Song Siyu and the others, so¡­* He stood up, flexed his wrist a bit, and walked to the door. Click. The door was pulled open. The footsteps outside the hallway instantly disappeared, leaving a dead silence. Yu Hong stepped out, looked around, and saw an empty corridor with only the exit door open, allowing the cold wind to howl in. He quickly walked over, closed the security door, and turned back. To see a long-haired woman in a black dress standing at the door of the room he had just exited. The woman¡¯s face was unclear, facing him, her hair disheveled, her hands hanging down, barefoot. ¡°Who are you¡­?¡± Yu Hong¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, and he spoke. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He could sense something was amiss with her, that she didn¡¯t seem human. But at this moment, he wasn¡¯t a sole survivor at Black Wind Camp capable of taking down Level Nine Black Disaster by himself, just an ordinary college student on a tour on Huangsong Island, who enjoyed fitness and nothing more. So he shouldn¡¯t act outside of his character to avoid suspicion. Just as he spoke, the woman turned around and slowly walked into the bedroom he just came out of. Yu Hong rushed over in one step, stood at the room entrance, and saw nothing inside. It was empty. *Not a Black Disaster;that¡¯s definite now. At such a close distance, there was no Red Value Radiation at all¡­ but didn¡¯t Old Yang mention there was Black Disaster here since ancient times? Could it just be a coincidence, or¡­ has the Black Disaster mutated with something else, causing a blend?* Yu Hong¡¯s body faintly exuded a very subtle wisp of Inner Qi, enveloping his body protectively. *Is the way of attack unknown, just simply scaring people to cause mental instability?* He carefully checked the room, confirmed it was fine, and turned back to the corridor. Just as he turned. Someone was standing behind him. A young woman with a black dress and black hair, her face bluish. She was almost pressed against Yu Hong¡¯s back, her face only a hand¡¯s width away, wearing a bizarrely neurotic smile. At such a close distance, Yu Hong hadn¡¯t noticed her, and the shock made him slap forward instantly. Inner Qi moved, and his palm glowed white, with a sharp whooshing sound. Bam!! This slap was as unexpected by Yu Hong as it was by the woman. Whoosh!! His palm hit nothing, generating a strong whirlwind, echoing through the corridor. The woman vanished as if she had never been there, seemingly an illusion. ¡°¡­Instantaneous Movement? Or existing in some special aspect, unable to touch?¡± He had a vague sense that the woman in the black dress indeed had some significant issues. *Unable to perceive, Inner Qi ineffective;despite my reflexes and speed when striking, she managed to escape¡­ no, it seemed more like unattainable contact, she vanished instantly upon touch.* Yu Hong carefully recalled that scene. He couldn¡¯t believe any random Black Disaster here could be this formidable. If that were the case, how did someone like Old Yang survive until now? Ah!! At this moment, a deafening scream came from Gao Wen¡¯s room. Yu Hong rushed without a word, kicking open the room. With a slam, the scene inside the room appeared before him. A short, stout man wielding a rusty machete stood in front of Gao Wen¡¯s tent, raising the blade, ready to slash down. Gao Wen was hiding in the tent, screaming in terror, curling up in a ball. Poof. In an instant, the man, who was about to slash down, suddenly disappeared. Gao Wen continued to scream in agony, struggling to bury himself deeper in the tent, not daring to glance outside. Yu Hong withdrew his hand, with a slight frown. Earlier, he had flicked a wisp of Inner Qi, hitting the man, causing him to disappear instantly, although he didn¡¯t think the problem was solved, more like temporarily repelling with Inner Qi. *I remember now, my Inner Qi was specifically strengthened as a Special Attack for Black Disasters, so it¡¯s normal it doesn¡¯t work on other risks¡­* Yu Hong suddenly recalled the past scene. Ah! Just then, a screech rang out again. It was Song Siyu! He turned and quickly ran to another room. Inside the room. A short-haired man in a shirt and trousers held Song Siyu up high, suspending her in mid-air, clutching her throat, seemingly about to strangle her. Without hesitation, Yu Hong grabbed a chair and swung it at the man. Inner Qi silently coated the chair, crashing into the back of the man¡¯s head. Whoosh! The man vanished instantly, as if he was an illusion. Song Siyu, released, fell to the ground, coughing violently, unable to move for the time being. ¡°Die!!¡± At this moment, another shout from Wei Chengjun echoed down the corridor. Yu Hong dashed out once more. Seeing Wei Chengjun¡¯s reddened eyes, holding a short-handled military knife used for chopping wood, ferociously advancing. ¡°Die for me!¡± He seemed deranged, slicing toward Yu Hong. Bam. The slash was deftly dodged by Yu Hong, but the blade nicked the nearby wall, leaving a deep gash. The cement wall crumbled, the blade momentarily stuck there. Yu Hong took the chance to back away, observing the surroundings carefully. The earlier slash was extremely fast and powerful, far beyond a normal human¡¯s capabilities, comparable to a top athlete¡ªeven then, only Yu Hong might evade it, anyone else would surely be hit. ¡°Get back, he¡¯s possessed! You can¡¯t block him alone!!¡± A frantic voice suddenly cried from behind. It was Old Yang! Yu Hong stayed calm, identifying who it was, but didn¡¯t retreat;instead, he poised the tip of his right foot. ¡°Run away!!¡± Old Yang¡¯s shouting echoed again from the back. Yu Hong ignored it, watching Wei Chengjun as he pulled the knife out of the wall, slashing toward him again. Whoosh! With no Inner Qi, purely relying on his physical body¡¯s strength. Yu Hong¡¯s right leg swung like a giant python, roaring with a sonic boom, his instep explosively kicked Wei Chengjun¡¯s side arm. Bam!!! Wei Chengjun flew sideways like a ragdoll, slammed heavily against the left wall. With a loud thud, he rolled to the corridor floor, remaining still. ¡°Holy shit¡­¡± Old Yang, who had stepped into the corridor, clenched a piece of talisman paper, ready to charge, witnessing the scene. Immediately, his mouth hung open¡­ Looking at the possessed Wei Chengjun, then at Yu Hong, standing there, unfazed. ¡°Nice!¡± After a few seconds, he found a fitting adjective and blurted out. Whew¡­ Old Yang exhaled a sigh of relief, quickly closing in to check Wei Chengjun¡¯s nose. ¡°Thank God, only a slight loss of Essence Qi, a bit of rest will do. That kick of yours was precise!¡± ¡°Practiced a few years, just messing around,¡± Yu Hong humbly replied. ¡°A few years?¡± Old Yang said nothing, knowing that can¡¯t be learned in just a few years. Of course, saying that was pointless, people wouldn¡¯t admit to it. At this moment, Song Siyu and Gao Wen rushed out, and seeing the scene, assumed Old Yang had resolved everything, bursting into tears, clinging to Old Yang¡¯s arms desperately. After crying out their fears, Song Siyu suddenly came to. ¡°Wait a minute, where¡¯s Sisi?? Sisi¡¯s missing!?¡± ¡°I came back because someone broke the red line circle outside, creating a breach! The aura leaked, attracting the trouble!¡± Old Yang snapped impatiently. ¡°When I passed by, I saw there were only you guys here, no one else. Probably Sisi¡¯s doing!¡± His words instantly reminded Song Siyu of what her friend Sisi had said about looking for a gold bracelet. Her face turned pale immediately. Living over twenty years, she had delved into many mysterious places, but never encountered a situation as extreme as tonight. You could say that everything that happened tonight, everything she had seen, thoroughly upended all her previous understanding. Even now, her mind was still blank. Thinking of Sisi, she again began to worry, anxious for her friend¡¯s safety. ¡°No¡­ it can¡¯t be, I persuaded her earlier, she promised me she¡¯d wait till tomorrow to look for her bracelet, she¡¯s never lied to me, it definitely wasn¡¯t her!¡± Upon hearing Old Yang¡¯s words, she hurriedly defended her friend. ¡°We¡¯ll know once we find her.¡± Old Yang said coldly, quickly checking Gao Wen¡¯s condition, relieved only when confirming the guy was okay. After all, he was his money maker;if something went wrong, there would be no place to get his money. Chapter 282: Traps Four At this moment, things calmed down, and everyone turned their attention back to Yu Hong. ¡°Thank you, brother!¡± Gao Wen expressed his gratitude to Yu Hong. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you rushing in just now, I would have been doomed! You saved my life! From now on, you are my brother!¡± ¡°Thank you, Brother Yu Hong¡­¡± Song Siyu gratefully squeezed out a smile towards Yu Hong, ¡°After we return, if there¡¯s anything I can help with, just say the word, I won¡¯t hesitate!¡± ¡°I just did what any normal person would do.¡± Yu Hong shook his head, ¡°I was really scared just now, I thought someone was robbing and killing. But then¡­¡± He showed a face full of fear afterward and wiped the cold sweat that had formed on his forehead. Everyone showed a look of understanding. But Song Siyu, looking at Yu Hong¡¯s face, vaguely felt something was off, but couldn¡¯t pinpoint what it was. Soon, Song Siyu was left behind to take care of Wei Chengjun, while Yu Hong, Old Yang, and Gao Wen went to look for the missing Zhao Sisi. Old Yang hastily drew a crude Blood Talisman on Song Siyu¡¯s hand, bit his finger, and then hurried off with the others. Having calmed down after the danger, Song Siyu began to think back on the recent events. ¡®Me, Gao Wen, Ah Jun, we were all saved by Yu Hong¡¯s timely appearance. How could this be such a coincidence? The timing was too perfect?¡¯ Gradually, she began to harbor doubts. ¡®Could it be¡­ that these ghostly entities were actually released by Yu Hong, and he deliberately did it so that he could save us in time and gain our trust??¡¯ This thought crept into Song Siyu¡¯s mind, and then she couldn¡¯t help but think more and more. The more she thought about Yu Hong, the more doubts she had. Unexpectedly meeting with us, then also unexpectedly saying he wanted to join us on the ship¡­ And just now, he conveniently saved everyone at the right moment¡­ In this world, there are not so many coincidences, so-called coincidences are made up of inevitabilities. Song Siyu became more convinced that there was something wrong with Yu Hong. ¡®First, deal with this person appropriately, and when I return, I will immediately ask my father for help and contact the police to investigate the situation.¡¯ Having made up her mind, she sighed in relief, then lowered her head to check on Wei Chengjun¡¯s condition. Unexpectedly, Wei Chengjun had already woken up, his eyes wide open, staring stiffly upward, unmoving, foaming at the mouth. Wait, upward!? Song Siyu¡¯s body trembled, an unexplainable terror swiftly enveloping her whole body. Slowly, little by little, she raised her head to look at the ceiling. There, a piece of composite board had been removed, revealing the pale and expressionless face of a boy. Puh! The boy pounced down from the cavity in the ceiling. He smashed right onto Song Siyu. Ah!!! She screamed in fear, the Blood Talisman on her hand suddenly lit up with red light, spreading upward, as she instinctively dodged to the left. In the critical moment, just before the boy landed, he grabbed her arm, and immediately made contact with the red light. In an instant, both the red light and the boy disappeared, the Blood Talisman vanished as if it had never been there, and the boy seemed like an illusion, completely gone. Only Song Siyu¡¯s screams continued to reverberate through the corridor. Her nightgown had been torn open from the struggle, exposing most of her upper body, but at that moment she could care less. Leaving Wei Chengjun behind, she staggered and ranafter Old Yang and Yu Hong. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At that moment, all the conspiracy theories in her mind instantly vanished. If Yu Hong had indeed orchestrated everything, he should have also arrived in time just now to chase the boy away! But just now, Yu Hong wasn¡¯t by her side at all! He didn¡¯t even appear! If it weren¡¯t for her own quick reflexes, she would have really died! Would have died!!! Song Siyu, looking at the three blood scratches that had appeared on her arm, showed an expression of extreme fear. She suddenly understood, her previous thoughts were nonsense. Yu Hong truly saved her and the other two;there was no scheme! In a flash, she was driven to tears by her own previous thoughts. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ don¡¯t leave me behind!!¡± She screamed as she ran out of the room, rushing towards the three men who hadn¡¯t gone far. ¡°I¡¯m coming with you!!¡± She clutched her chest, quickly pulling up her nightgown. ¡°You were attacked again!?¡± Old Yang immediately saw what had happened, his expression growing even uglier. ¡°Yes¡­ yes! You had just left, and then something, I don¡¯t know what, tried to pounce on me¡­¡± Song Siyu¡¯s hair was blown messily, describing the incident in utter panic. Seeing Yu Hong nearby, she quickly stepped forward and grabbed his arm, trembling all over like a quail. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll come with you!¡± she hurriedly said. ¡°Where is Wei Chengjun?¡± Old Yang asked, noting that the Blood Talisman on her hand had disappeared. ¡°¡­¡± Song Siyu fell silent. ¡°Let¡¯s go, stop looking, let¡¯s head back!¡± Old Yang cursed, turned, and led the way back towards the house. And just as the group turned to return, from a mountain rock corner about forty meters away, Zhao Sisi was affixed to the mountain wall in a spreadeagled position, stuck tightly by some kind of transparent, sticky gel, unable to move. Her mouth was also filled with this gel, making it impossible for her to shout. All she could do was struggle weakly and shake her head, like a fly stuck on flypaper. Tears flowed from her eyes, streaming down her cheeks, and before reaching her chin, were blown askew by the wind, falling to the ground. Zhao Sisi was slowly being engulfed by the rock wall, little by little. At this point, the back part of her body had already merged several centimeters into the stone, disappearing from sight. ¡°Help¡­ save me¡­!¡± She tried to call for help, but couldn¡¯t make any sound. It was only then that she realized everything Old Yang had said was true. The red thread loop was also real, it was indeed meant to mask their scent, to protect them from mishaps. But she didn¡¯t believe it¡­ not only did she destroy the red thread loop, but she also foolishly ran out alone¡­ and now¡­ Zhao Sisi was opening and closing her mouth in despair, but could only silently shed tears of regret. Gradually, with the passage of time, her entire body was swallowed bit by bit by the mountainside, disappearing without a trace. Meanwhile, Yu Hong, who was on his way back, furrowed his brows slightly and glanced over in this direction. He felt as if he had sensed something, but perception was not his forte;he relied on instinct. Although he sensed the disturbance, he did not think it was caused by a person¡ªwind, animals, insects, all could make this level of noise. Under normal circumstances, he might have gone back to check, but now he didn¡¯t have the leisure. * * * More than ten minutes later. This time, with Old Yang personally overseeing, nothing else happened in the house. The group gathered together, sitting until dawn. Upon learning that Wei Chengjun was actually kicked flying by Yu Hong, rendered unconscious. Everyone¡¯s gaze at Yu Hong became somewhat odd. All night, Song Siyu clung tightly to Yu Hong, unwilling to let go. It seemed as if she felt extremely insecure without him. After dawn. Old Yang got up and went outside, removed the red thread loop around the house, and then took the group out to look for Zhao Sisi. He no longer had the time to continue protecting these people. Due to their arrival, the dormant dangers of the island began to slowly awaken. At this time, Wei Chengjun came to his senses. His eyes were ringed black, and he kept expressing his gratitude towards Yu Hong and Old Yang. His body also seemed to have lost heat, frighteningly cold, and he was hard to move. The sunlight was cold and clear. Strong winds blew across Huangsong Island, causing trees to bend and sand to scatter, leaving only large boulders capable of withstanding the wind to remain in visible places. But some fine sand and even soil were blown into every nook and cranny. Apart from Wei Chengjun, the four others searched all over the island, but no matter how hard they tried, they couldn¡¯t find the mysteriously missing Zhao Sisi and Qi Siyan. Buzz¡­ Around noon, the sound of an engine came from the sea outside. A coast guard boat slowly passed by near Huangsong Island. ¡°Hey!! Over here!!¡± Gao Wen loudly called for help towards the coast guard boat. The others behind him lit a pile of smoke to create a thick smoke column to attract attention. Soon, the coast guard boat approached, and two coast guards in blue shirts and pants disembarked, looking somewhat bewildered at the several distressed, tearfully disheveled people, but they still efficiently got everyone aboard. In the midst of Gao Wen¡¯s cheering. Yu Hong stood by the railing, watching Huangsong Island which they were leaving behind, his face expressionless. ¡°Sisi is gone, Siyan is also missing, there is really something wrong with this island! I¡¯ve already contacted my family and requested more coast guards to search the island. They will probably arrive tomorrow morning,¡± Song Siyu changed into clean clothes, walking beside Yu Hong, her cheeks still showing clear pallor and panic. ¡°Brother Yu, thank you so much for this time. I will repay you handsomely when we get back!¡± ¡°It was just a coincidence,¡± Yu Hong said lowly, ¡°This island is indeed too bizarre¡­¡± His words were heartfelt. While Huangsong Island clearly had the aura of the Black Disaster, the manifestations did not entail Red Value Radiation. The most crucial fact was that last night, after he dispersed several resentful marks in one go, the aggression from the Black Ship also quickly weakened. ¡°Brother Yu, when we get back, please do me the favor of having a good rest in Taizhou! You saved me and Xiaoyu, if you ever need anything in Taizhou, just mention it!¡± Gao Wen approached from behind. ¡°You all are exaggerating. I only did what anyone would instinctively do,¡± Yu Hong replied lightly. ¡°Everyone can talk, but acting is different,¡± Gao Wen earnestly said. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you, we all might have been killed by Zhao Sisi!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it was Sisi¡­¡± Song Siyu shook her head, ¡°I had persuaded her, she¡­¡± ¡°Whether it was her or not, let¡¯s find the people first,¡± Gao Wen shook his head. For a moment, all three fell silent, just quietly watching the island growing distant outside. Although they seemed calm, they were still filled with anxious concern. Soon, the coast guard ship passed beside Gao Wen¡¯s yacht. Through the yacht¡¯s windows, they clearly saw that the two upper floors of the boat were entirely empty, not a single person visible. Gao Wen¡¯s bodyguards, including Ah Biao, had all mysteriously disappeared. The entire yacht was like a giant coffin, emanating a creepy vibe. ¡°I can¡¯t handle this island anymore,¡± Old Yang sighed, ¡°With two more people missing, we must report this to the authorities.¡± ¡°Old Yang, if there¡¯s anything you need help with, just ask,¡± Gao Wen hastily said. ¡°Just send money, many of the materials I need have to be purchased,¡± Old Yang quickly replied. Gao Wen immediately slapped his chest and said it was all on him. If nothing else, he had plenty of spending money! Then, they began to inquire Old Yang about the detailed situation of the resentful marks. Old Yang did not hide anything, answering and explaining everything one by one. Having learned the details about the resentful marks, their emotions roller-coastered, peaking and troughing. Now that they were informed, their fears were slightly appeased, and though exhausted, they were finally willing to rest individually in the cabins of the coast guard ship. Only Yu Hong and Old Yang stood quietly at the railing, gazing at the increasingly distant Huangsong Island. Chapter 283: way 1 ¡°Speaking of¡­ Young man, you did well last night.¡± Old Yang said, patting Yu Hong on the back while being blown by the sea breeze, but his palm was rebounded painfully, which somewhat surprised him with the hardness of those muscles. ¡°It was only natural.¡± Yu Hong sighed, ¡°It¡¯s just a pity that two people still vanished¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re overacting a bit there.¡± Old Yang shook his head, scoffing, ¡°You have no familial ties with them, even if they went missing, that expression isn¡¯t appropriate.¡± ¡°¡­Is it wrong to be naturally kind?¡± Yu Hong choked on his words, frowning unhappily. ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± Old Yang lowered his head, lit a cigarette, and took a pleasurable drag. ¡°I don¡¯t care what skills you¡¯ve hidden, but there¡¯s a faint Yin Energy emanating from you. The resentful mark is not so easy to utilize, a slight carelessness and you could be devoured by it, your life lost to the netherworld.¡± He seemed to treat Yu Hong as someone who intended to utilize the resentful mark. ¡°What do you mean by this, Elder Yang?¡± Yu Hong appeared perplexed. ¡°What is Yin Energy?¡± ¡°Pretending, huh? The aura carried by a resentful mark is called Yin Energy. Lad, it¡¯s a pity you met me too late. If it had been sooner, I could have led you onto the righteous path, but now it¡¯s indeed too late¡­¡± Old Yang sighed, ¡°From now on, stay away from the Taoist temples of the Innate Nine Sects to avoid misunderstandings and being targeted.¡± ¡°¡­.???¡± Yu Hong was utterly confused. ¡°Just go online and look it up when you get back.¡± Old Yang couldn¡¯t be bothered to explain further, yawned, and turned to find a place to rest. Leaving Yu Hong lost in thought. Old Yang said he had Yin Energy on him, but he wasn¡¯t clear where this sense originated from. Was it from the Taiyuan True Method? Or the Thunderbolt Leg that absorbs Red Value? Or the newly formed Heavenly River? Or perhaps, his greatest secret ¡ª the Black Mark? Standing by the ship¡¯s railing, he was motionless for a moment, his mind brimming with various speculations. The coast guard boat traveled onward, taking more than half an hour before finally arriving at a small desolate harbor. The harbor was U-shaped with a large five-layer luxury yacht parked on one side and the rest occupied by ordinary fishing and transport ships. The buildings and architecture onshore also looked more like those from the mainland in the 1990s, with conservative and plain color schemes. The people coming and going were dressed more liberally;women in short skirts, stockings, and big wavy hair were everywhere, and men in suits, shirts, denim jackets, and leather jackets were quite common. Motorcycles buzzed back and forth, and most cars were painted in dark red or black, with bicycles accompanying on the side. From a distance, Yu Hong almost thought he had returned to China in the 1990s. Only when seeing some shop signs, he realized it wasn¡¯t China. ¡®Yasong Melon Seeds Sea Trade International.¡¯ ¡®Yasong¡¯s Exclusive Foreign Hospitability Hotel.¡¯ ¡®Yasong International Mutual Aid Association Taizhou Branch.¡¯ Signs bearing the name Yasong were everywhere. This made Yu Hong realize, the name of this country might be Yasong, and this little port area must be Taizhou. Hum¡­ At that moment, the coast guard boat carrying a few people slowly approached the shore, where vehicles and people were already waiting. There were many waiting, including pairs of well-dressed men and women, their eyes filled with apparent anxiety and anticipation. ¡°Wenwen!¡± An elderly man with graying hair walked briskly towards Gao Wen, escorted by a few bodyguards. ¡°Dad!¡± Gao Wen, in tears, also approached, hugging his father tightly. On another side, Song Siyu met with a pair of elegant-looking middle-aged couple, also tearfully embracing the woman. Wei Chengjun walked over to a black SUV nearby and spoke softly with a couple by the car. Old Yang clapped his hands. ¡°It looks like everything is fine. I¡¯m off now. If you need anything, you can report it in my Taoist name at Heavenly Master Mansion. Don¡¯t enter unannounced, and we can negotiate the price.¡± ¡°Hold on, Elder Yang, what is your Taoist name?¡± Yu Hong hurriedly called out to him. ¡°Ah? Didn¡¯t I tell you?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Yu Hong was speechless. ¡°Mu Yangzi.¡± ¡°Mu Yangzi¡­ what a fitting Taoist name!¡± Yu Hong suddenly understood. Old Yang smiled, waived at Gao Wen and Song Siyu, and strode away. While walking, he checked his phone and some police approached to stop him, but after a few words, they let him go. Soon, the group went to the police station for a brief record taking. Gao Wen, Song Siyu, Wei Chengjun, all left their phone numbers and addresses with Yu Hong. Their parents were very polite, sincerely thanked Yu Hong, and made some vague promises, the usefulness of which was unclear. Quickly, the record taking was completed and they left. Leaving Yu Hong alone, sitting in the police station office. In the small room, there was a long wooden table and four metal chairs. Yu Hong sat on the left side;two police officers, a male and a female, sat on the right. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but after careful verification, we couldn¡¯t find any identity record of you in our internal database,¡± the policewoman said, holding Yu Hong¡¯s personal information form, somewhat helpless. ¡°Tell us, Mr. Yu Hong, you must have smuggled here from somewhere, right?¡± ¡°I really lost my ID card and wanted to replace it. I don¡¯t have a passport either.¡± Yu Hong was getting better at speaking the local language. He sat nonchalantly in the chair, looking at the two people opposite him. The name tags on their chests read: Wang Chundong and Chen Xi. ¡°Sigh¡­.¡± Chen Xi felt helpless, faced with yet another case of someone who smuggled his way in, shredded his passport and lost his ID, then fabricated a place of origin as a black person. They¡¯d seen plenty of that. However, among these black people, there were indeed very few as composed as the one they were dealing with now, Yu Hong. ¡°Could it have been possible that there was a mistake during the data entry? Or maybe it was missed?¡± Yu casually said. ¡°It¡¯s possible¡­.¡± Wang Chundong yawned, wanting to finish work early, ¡°In that case, are you sure the place you live is Huangsong Island?¡± ¡°Yes, for sure.¡± Yu Hong nodded earnestly, ¡°This time when I returned, I found only a few people left on the island. The old house also leaks and is uninhabitable, so I had to come out and find work.¡± Both of them exchanged a glance, then decided to just leave him be. Wang Chundong signaled with his eyes, meaning to follow the usual procedure. Chen Xi hesitated for a moment, also wanting to go home early, then nodded in agreement. ¡°In that case, we¡¯ll re-enter your information into the system and reissue an ID card for you. Come back in a few days to collect it, and be careful not to lose it again, understand?¡± Chen Xi advised. She knew the man was probably a smuggler, but for the sake of simplicity, she didn¡¯t bother to expose him. After all, such cases are common nationwide, and everyone dealt with passport shredders and ID losers the same way, her contribution wouldn¡¯t be missed. After the re-registration, Yu Hong left the police station by late afternoon. He looked up at the bright and cloud-filled sky. A breeze brushed against his neck and sleeves, ticklish, carrying with it the aroma of someone else¡¯s braised seafood. Standing at the entrance to the police station, Yu Hong suddenly had a fleeting moment, feeling as if he woke up from a big dream. It was as if he had returned to the place, the world of his birth¡­ There, there were no Black Disasters, no Source Disasters, only a quiet and peaceful ordinary life. He hadn¡¯t experienced anything;it was all just a dream. It took him a while before he lowered his head. ¡®First hide myself, try contacting the Heavenly Master Mansion and other forces with special powers, see if I can find a specific way to deal with the Source Disaster. This place has managed to resist the Black Disaster from ancient to modern times, it¡¯s absolutely extraordinary.¡¯ He had previously heard from old Yang about the Black Disaster appearing here during ancient times. This meant that the erosion of the Black Disaster in this place had started very early on. Yet it had never successfully prevailed. So, this world might be much deeper than he imagined. ¡®Since I¡¯m here, I might as well find a place to stay first.¡¯ Thinking this, Yu Hong started to leisurely walk along the right side of the police station¡¯s main entrance, his gaze sweeping around, pondering where he would sleep tonight. Soon, he found a small inn with neon lights in an alley¡ªRed Plum Inn. Holding the temporary ID document given by the police, he reached into his pockets only to find them empty, informing him that he didn¡¯t have money to stay at the inn. ¡°Miscalculation¡­¡± Yu Hong stood in front of the inn, his brows slightly furrowed. ¡°Do you need a place to stay, big brother?¡± Suddenly, a girl with shoulder-length hair stood up beside him and smiled sweetly at him. One side of the girl¡¯s face bore a dark red burn scar the size of an egg, although it was partially covered by her hair, it was still a bit scary to see when she smiled. The burn scar, like peeled raw flesh, was bright red and moved with her expressions. ¡°Um¡­ I was handling matters at the police station and forgot to bring money¡­ Is it possible to run a tab? I¡¯ll pay in a few days.¡± Yu Hong replied earnestly. ¡°Ah¡­.¡± The girl hesitated, ¡°I¡¯ll go ask my grandfather.¡± She turned and ran into the inn, then quickly came back out. ¡°Big brother, come on in. It¡¯s chilly outside.¡± Yu Hong nodded, climbed a couple of steps, and entered the inn. Inside the somewhat dim lobby on the first floor, white walls, white floors, and behind the dark red counter was a bald old man yawning. He rubbed his eyes and sized up Yu Hong. ¡°How long will you be staying?¡± ¡°Uncertain, probably a few days,¡± Yu Hong replied, ¡°Ran into some issues here, lost all my luggage, even my ID was just reissued.¡± He handed over the temporary ID for the old man to see. After looking at it, the old man handed it back. ¡°It¡¯s tough for everyone, how about we charge you for two days first, forty per day, how does that sound? Twenty for a meal.¡± ¡°Fine! My family has already sent me some money. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Yu Hong actually didn¡¯t expect to meet a kind person. This way he wouldn¡¯t have to sleep on the streets, otherwise he would have to run to the harbor and summon the Black Ship to return to his base. ¡°Big brother, dinner starts at six o¡¯clock. Remember to come downstairs,¡± the girl reminded with a smile. ¡°Yes, thank you,¡± Yu Hong thanked her. ¡°Ring, did you finish your homework?¡± the old man suddenly asked. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Just a bit left, I¡¯ll go do it now!¡± The girl quickly turned around and ran upstairs. Yu Hong watched her back, momentarily seeing another version of Yiyi. Soon after, the old man led him upstairs into a room, gave him the keys, and after a few more instructions, he left. To his surprise, the room even had a TV and a phone, and a small balcony with bright light, where a breeze blew in through the open window, causing the milky-white curtains to sway gently. Chapter 284: Route 2 Sitting at the foot of the bed, Yu Hong sighed. ¡®Still, I have to go back once¡­ It¡¯s too inconvenient here without money¡­¡¯ He tossed the keys and walked to the terrace, looking down. Below directly faced the harbor, where ships were constantly moving back and forth, occasionally emitting loud horns. The sunset in the afternoon barely peeked through the thick clouds, a hint of red glow flickering. A group of seagulls continuously flew around the harbor, as if attending some collective ritual. ¡°How wonderful¡­.¡± Yu Hong took a deep breath, greedily smelling the air filled with the aroma of various dinners being cooked¡­ He really, really wanted to stay in this place forever¡­ But¡­ Suppressing the regrets in his heart, he pocketed the keys, turned around, opened the door, and left the room. He soon left the inn. He began to jog slowly, like those fitness enthusiasts, running toward the direction outside the harbor. About twenty or so minutes later. He followed the highway to a completely deserted and desolate beach. The beach was rocky and steep, dangerous, and the fierce sea kept crashing against the rocks, splashing. Yu Hong leaped lightly and jumped onto a large black rock, calling out for the Black Ship in his mind. Soon, a black fog slowly emerged ahead, and after a while, a decrepit Black Ship appeared before him. Jumping onto the ship, Yu Hong looked back at the rocky beach, with a hint of unwillingness to leave in his eyes. The Black Ship slowly carried him, completely submerging into the black fog, returning in the direction they came from. After more than ten minutes. The black fog ahead parted, revealing the camp¡¯s wooden bridge. Below the bridge, the waters of the Black River were still raging furiously. The air temperature had also returned to well over minus one hundred degrees. Bang. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yu Hong jumped off the ship and strode toward the front of the camp. Upon reaching the front, he checked the Ultimate Gate;this gate was protected by walls on three sides, only revealing one side emitting a ghostly blue halo. From time to time, streams of inexplicable blue light would burst out from the gate, then a large crowd of Black Disasters from outside swarmed towards it, clashing with the blue light. ¡®How can I make money quickly over there?¡¯ Yu Hong pondered for a moment, ¡®It¡¯s best if it¡¯s legal.¡¯ Not long after, he returned to the cave to check the communicator, found it still had no contacts, so he simply put on a suit, left the camp, and headed towards the nearest town. Not long after. In Baishi Town. Yu Hong walked along the street covered in thick snow. On both sides of the street, some houses had collapsed or were buried, silent and empty. Soon, Yu Hong paused in his steps and spotted his target. Swish. With a blink, he appeared in front of the shop, activated his Inner Qi, and instantly, a massive amount of snow powder around the shop erupted. The large amount of snow powder blasted to the sides, revealing a large deep pit on the spot. At the bottom of the pit was the entrance to the shop. ¡®Dazzling Gold¡¯ That was the sign of the shop. Yu Hong forcibly opened the door and bent down to walk in. Inside, the counter had signs of being smashed, but most of the gold ornaments were still there. Yu Hong stepped forward, casually selecting a few easy-to-carry Golden Bracelets and gold rings, removed the tags, and checked for any marks. There were none. He pocketed the gold, then turned and left the shop. ¡®As start-up capital, it¡¯s enough. Other legal incomes are easy for me.¡¯ Carrying the gold ornaments, he quickly called for the Black Ship, changed clothes, and returned to the Huangsong Island world. He simply found a roadside gold recycling shop, sold the Golden Bracelets and rings cheaply, and then he had over fifty thousand in cash. Returning to the inn, Yu Hong paid off the money, just in time for dinner, so he changed into a black shirt and jeans, and went downstairs. There were four people eating. An old man and a girl, Yu Hong, and another middle-aged woman with a haggard face. In the small hall, a simple overhead table was set with three dishes and one soup. Green pepper pork stir-fry, tomato and egg stir-fry, boiled fish slices, and kelp and dried scallop soup. ¡°Come on, don¡¯t be shy. I made enough for six people, eat up!¡± the old man warmly invited. Yu Hong looked at the dishes served in four basins on the table and also took a bowl to serve himself some rice. Everyone served themselves and began eating, and the old man started rambling about the gossip and local news he heard while walking outside today. As he spoke, he turned to the middle-aged woman. ¡°Sister, how is your son doing? Can he get out?¡± ¡°I¡¯m still not sure¡­ They said it¡¯s still in process and asked me to wait¡­¡± The woman lowered her head, her voice filled with sorrow. ¡°I¡¯ve already apologized and offered compensation, even knelt before them, but¡­¡± ¡°Sigh¡­ Just before I came back, I heard about another case similar to yours in the southern part of the city. The neighbors said it seemed like a group of young people had planned a trip to a rural village. They went there as three, but only one returned.¡± ¡°My son¡­ he wouldn¡¯t even dare to touch a chicken at home, how could he possibly commit murder!?¡± The woman began to sob quietly, covering her face. ¡°Recently, there have been several cases like this, all of them bizarre and unexplainable,¡± the old man sighed. ¡°Some say that it¡¯s the work of unclean entities. I don¡¯t believe it though.¡± He then rambled on about several other cases, complaining about the police¡¯s inadequate investigations, and how local people could see through the flimsy excuses, even though no one dared to speak outright about it. Yu Hong listened quietly from the side, without uttering a word. From the old man¡¯s words, he vaguely felt that something might have already infiltrated this place, and it had begun. After finishing a meal, he expressed his satisfaction to the old man, complimenting how long it had been since he had such normal food, making everything seem as sumptuous as a feast of rare delicates. After the meal, he went for a walk and quickly found a local internet cafe. He went inside, paid, and booted up a computer. The old computer buzzed softly and its fan furiously spat out heat. Soon, a massive logo flashed past. Followed by a somewhat familiar operating system interface. ¡°It¡¯s quite similar to the computers I¡¯ve used before.¡± He felt relieved that he didn¡¯t have to adapt all over again. Expertly, he opened a browser and typed in ¡°Heavenly Master Mansion¡±. Quickly, a clear list of entries appeared. He soon found the official website of the Heavenly Master Mansion and clicked on it. Instantly, the screen flickered, and a photo of the Taoist Palace gate at sunset, used as a background image, appeared before his eyes. The gate, decorated primarily in gold and red, bore a large Tai Chi Diagram. Above, marked in blue watermark, were words like ¡°Yasong Taoist United General Assembly¡±, ¡°Innate Nine Sects¡±, ¡°Heavenly Master Mansion Global United General Gate¡±, and others. ¡°Very official¡­¡± Yu Hong continued to browse through the next page. The website structure was quite standard for an institutional website, with dropdown options which, upon clicking, unfolded into mind-map-like structures of links. Soon, he found detailed information about the Innate Nine Sects. ¡°The Innate Nine Sects are founded on tracing the origins of hundreds of major and minor Taoist sects, defining nine major lineages. Each of the Nine Sects represents an unbroken lineage passed down from antiquity.¡± ¡°Members of the Nine Sects: Yunchong Mountain Upper Primordial Heavenly Master Mansion, Lower Primordial Heavenly Master Mansion, Jinxiao Temple, Yunshen Temple, Mo Wen Palace, Dayunluo Temple, Zihe Palace, Qingxia Palace, Supreme Ningxu Palace.¡± Yu Hong memorized these nine names and then opened a new webpage to look up ¡®resentful mark¡¯. However, he mostly found ancient texts and mythological legends;nothing modern. He then searched for ¡®Black Disaster¡¯. Still nothing. Changing the query to ¡®Black Fog¡¯. This time a high number of entries came up¡­ Tens of thousands of entries appeared;many were related to games and novels. Yu Hong patiently clicked through one by one. Finally, after more than an hour, he stopped his mouse, his gaze fixed on the screen. ¡°April 1942, the Mo Wen Palace¡¯s master accompanied the Northern Military District on a special mission, successfully sealing three dangerous Black Fog Cave entrances.¡± This was an excerpt from a biography laced with memories. Yu Hong continued his search. Soon, he found similar text in a travel memoir. ¡°Over forty years ago at Qiheng Mountain, although picturesque, it was fraught with danger due to the presence of the Black Fog Cave, leaving those who entered unable to find their way out. Later, a Heavenly Master from the Upper Primordial Heavenly Master Mansion conducted a ritual ceremony, and miraculously, post-ceremony, the Black Fog Cave also disappeared. Since then, this place has become a perpetually famous tourist destination.¡± Not only that, he continued discovering mentions of the Black Fog Cave in various travel memoirs. The description of the cave emitting black fog was commonly used by everyone. ¡°As I thought¡­ The Black Disaster might have started corrupting here a long time ago, but the Innate Nine Sects of this world kept it sealed and suppressed, prolonging and blocking it till now.¡± Yu Hong found out that the current year was 2012, closely correlating with Earth¡¯s calendrical time, both counting over two thousand years. Records of Black Fog Cave spanned beyond the Yasong region to several other countries as well. He spent the entire day sitting in front of the computer, ceaselessly searching records on webpages in various languages. Here, there were no firewalls, allowing free access to international websites. Thus, his translator worked at full power, rapidly recording through network lexicons, phonetics, characters, and articles. By eleven o¡¯clock at night, Yu Hong¡¯s translator had mastered the pronunciation of over fourteen languages from this place. Except for a few languages with different syntactic order, most could achieve simultaneous translation. He had also found more than eighty official records of Black Fog Cave incidences. Outside the Innate Nine Sects, two major factions from the Buddhist Sect¡ªVajra Sect and Shura Sect¡ªhad also shown their traces in sealing the Black Fog Cave. Yu Hong recalled the high-risk Black Disasters he saw at the edge of the light spot, numbering thousands, and looked back at the numerous Black Fog Caves being sealed here incessantly. ¡°If the Black Fog Cave is indeed the light spot, then¡­ this place¡­ managing to delay and avoid destruction by the Black Disaster, is truly¡­ very strong!¡± Yu Hong was somewhat excited. This was the first time he encountered a force capable of confronting the Source Disaster head-on, ensuring self-preservation. Previous experiences, be it with the Taiyuan Orthodox Sect, True Origin Sect, or his own Cultivation Technique¡¯s background forces, all were tremendously powerful but ultimately¡­ Either they were destroyed, or they brought destruction to their own worlds, as recorded by the Black Mark¡¯s owner¡¯s manual. At this moment, Yu Hong truly encountered a major force that could confront the Black Disaster directly. Chapter 285: Route 283, 3 "I need to find a way to learn the true power system of the Innate Nine Sects! If I can spread it, I might stand a better chance against the Source Disaster in the future, have an extra ounce of self-protection. If I can bring it back, it would make things so much better for Yiyi!" With that thought, Yu Hong immediately began searching "how to join the Innate Nine Sects." Any power that advertises surely needs new blood. So, all he had to do was to find their recruitment approach. After some rapid-fire typing and clicking, Yu Hong started with the top-ranked Primordial Heavenly Master Mansion. Although it was said that rankings did not matter, that was just empty talk. In organizations like this, with military power, being ranked number one is a very delicate position, definitely not insignificant. A few minutes later. The recruitment requirements of the Primordial Heavenly Master Mansion appeared before Yu Hong. "The Heavenly Master Mansion does not recruit externally, only accepting outstanding graduates from the Primordial Taoist Advanced High School." Ha, so they cultivate their own from high school. The corner of Yu Hong¡¯s mouth twitched as he continued to search, "How to join this high school." "Primordial Taoist Advanced High School, in principle, only enrolls graduates from the Primordial Taoist Junior High School. No external admissions." "..." Yu Hong closed the webpage and went on to the next one. He surely couldn¡¯t be expected to go back through junior high school, could he? Quickly, the requirements from the Secondary Heavenly Master Mansion turned out to be the same. They also cultivate students from a young age in elementary school all the way to university before directly advancing to the Heavenly Master Mansion for further study. No chance at all. Yu Hong went on to search the other Innate Nine Sects, only to find that almost all followed a similar pattern. "Troublesome. And I¡¯m facing another problem. I need to stay close to the coast as much as possible, or recharging the Black Ship every two days will be very inconvenient." Thinking it over, he changed his approach and typed a new line of text into the search box. This time, the content he wanted finally appeared on the screen. Looking at these entries, Yu Hong carefully memorized them, one by one. * * * Past midnight. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Red Plum Inn. The old man dozing off on the counter turned over, letting out faint snores. Just then, a short figure silently approached from behind. The figure gradually revealed its lower half, showing black school uniform trousers. Under the dim light, the figure moved forward, revealing a sharp boning knife in hand. "Grandpa!" Suddenly, a voice called out from outside, accompanied by the jingle of a bell. The old man jolted awake, straightened up, and looked around. "Ah!" He loudly responded, standing up and walking towards the direction of his granddaughter¡¯s voice. Meanwhile, the figure with the sharp knife slowly retreated, silently vanishing into the shadows. Before long, the old man returned, exhaled, and started watching TV while cracking sunflower seeds. After resting for a while, footsteps could be heard outside. Around one o¡¯clock, a tall silhouette hurried into the inn. "Staying for the night?" the old man looked up and asked. Only when he got a good look did he recognize him as the tall guy who had recently checked in. "What brings you out so late?" "Hmm, went for some web surfing," Yu Hong responded, glancing at the old man. Suddenly, despite the normal appearance, Yu Hong noticed that the old man¡¯s face seemed particularly pale, as if devoid of color. "Boss, you don¡¯t look so well. Are you sick?" "I¡¯m okay, probably just the lighting at night. Your complexion also looks quite pale," the old man replied nonchalantly. "Alright then." Yu Hong scanned the surroundings. The lobby of the inn at the ground floor, at this moment, only had the old man cracking seeds cheerfully at the counter. The rest of the place was dark, and the shadows in the corners seemed to hide something. It gave off a sense of insecurity. He focused and sensed around but detected nothing. ¡¯My perception seems ineffective against the resentful mark here. It seems I¡¯ll have to enhance it for this place once the Black Mark is strengthened.¡¯ As he went upstairs to rest, he couldn¡¯t help but glance at the old man again, noticing no anomalies;the old man was still happily watching TV and enjoying his seeds. Yu Hong then returned to his room to rest. In the following days. Yu Hong began to selectively screen the other branches within the Innate Nine Sects. Since the main Nine Sects had strict selection, the slightly less prestigious Taoist branches couldn¡¯t be as strict. Moreover, he took Yang¡¯s reminder into account, the supposed Yin Energy on himself. If there were misunderstandings with the Yin Energy Nine Sects, that could lead to trouble. Confrontation would not be wise under these circumstances where the strength and power of the other party were completely unknown. Through rigorous and continuous screening, he quickly found one Taoist Sect that met the criteria. It was very close, also by the seaside. Thus, on the afternoon of the same day he found it, Yu Hong took a taxi to the registered address of this branch¡ªthe Qingchen Temple. "Ah, our Qingchen Temple is the famous True Temple of Taoism known far and wide around here! Whether you are praying for children, wealth, or worshiping the Buddha... ah, I mean worshiping the gods, it¡¯s all a very cost-effective place!" The welcoming Taoist at the gate was bald, and even though he covered his head with a black Taoist hat, his slip of the tongue made Yu Hong suspect he might have just switched from a Buddhist temple. Under his guide, Yu Hong entered the gates of the Taoist Temple. To his surprise, Qingchen Temple appeared to be an open touristic spot. The Taoist Temple wasn¡¯t large, with only a main hall in the center and three rooms on each side. Plus the entrance gate, they precisely enclosed a square courtyard. The welcoming Taoist took Yu Hong into the main hall and began introducing it immediately. "Over here, depending on the wish our customer has, we have incense of different prices. You see, for praying for children, the standard amount is three sticks, five yuan each. For seeking wealth, you need more, as you know this is like a small gamble to win big, so one set is nine sticks, three yuan each. Also, there¡¯s for changing fortune..." Yu Hong listened while checking out the deity statue presiding over the main hall. There was only one statue. It was a robust male figure, holding a steel whip, looking fierce and wrathful, dressed in luxurious purple and red Daoist robes. "May I ask which deity does your temple enshrine..." "It¡¯s the Nine Palace Soul Devouring Venerable!" the Taoist replied, "He is one of the three major Heavenly Venerates of our Taoist Sect. Out of ten temples, eight enshrine him." "I see." Yu Hong observed the bustling scene in the temple, "Actually, I¡¯m not here to burn incense. I heard that your temple¡¯s Taoist Yu Mo is holding an open recruitment, ready to accept disciples of a wide age range..." "Oh, you¡¯re talking about that matter, right? It is indeed happening. This way, please!" Hearing this, the welcoming Taoist¡¯s smile brightened even more. Soon, he led Yu Hong away from the bustling main hall to the back. There was a small open space where two rows of brown wooden tables and chairs were arranged, with five or six people sitting scattered around. Another Taoist was speaking aloud, seeming to be giving a lecture to these five or six. At a glance, Yu Hong noticed half of them were dozing off, not listening at all. "Right this way." The welcoming Taoist guided Yu Hong to a young female Taoist standing guard on the right. "Yu Lin, this is Mr. Yu Hong, who admires the great reputation of our Qingchen Temple and has come to be an apprentice." "Oh, it¡¯s from Taoist Yu Mo¡¯s side, isn¡¯t it? The Golden Jade class, right?" Taoist Yu Lin yawned and squeezed out a smile at Yu Hong. "That¡¯s right, that¡¯s the one. Yu Lin, please take him to complete the enrollment procedures," the welcoming Taoist said quickly. Yu Hong was well aware of what both of them meant. But his goal was just that. The so-called Golden Jade class was actually a gold-plated class used for collecting money. Or rather, it shouldn¡¯t be called gold-plating but rather a protective class. Qingchen Temple and other minor Taoist Sects, for the sake of livelihood, would occasionally organize such classes, taking in a bunch of disciples regardless of age or background, only caring about the money. After Taoist Yu Lin took over, she led Yu Hong to a room on the side to complete the enrollment process. Just the initial fee to become a disciple was thirty thousand yuan, and further offerings were to be continued. This was sustenance for the master, also a special protection fee to get priority support in times of danger. After the payment was made, Yu Hong was quickly taken out of the Taoist Temple and into a courtyard close by. After receiving the standard Daoist robe and a booklet of matters needing attention, Yu Hong was given a Taoist name: Ding Rou. Then he officially became a disciple of the Qingchen Temple¡¯s Ding generation. Even though it was only a bought position, Yu Lin also informed that there would be classes held behind the main hall every day. If he wanted to learn, he could go;if not, he could do other things. Having established his identity, Yu Hong took a cab back to the inn. Qingchen Temple was just outside Taizhou, and the drive took just over an hour;it was the nearest registered Taoist institution. His purpose was only to study the system here. With the Black Mark as a foundation, as long as he got a complete structure, he could use the Black Mark to strengthen it into a type he could use. So instead of putting a lot of effort into entering the Nine Sects and contacting big shots, it was better to get something from a slightly lower place first and slowly investigate the attitudes and real intentions of the Nine Sects. In between, Yu Hong returned to the camp twice, bringing some Gold, which he converted into cash. Realizing that this was not sustainable, he made use of his ability to breathe underwater, dived into the sea, caught some large shrimp and crabs, and sold them on the street. After a few trips, he had over a hundred thousand yuan in cash on hand. He then rented a house with a courtyard nearby, settling down in this place. Time passed slowly with the regular routine of life. Day by day, Yu Hong slowly settled in Taizhou, getting familiar with the environment here. * * * Qingchen Temple. "Today is the day the temple is closed for private meditation. As usual, the list of advanced study disciples for this batch has been sent up, and Taoist Yu Mo will be coming over shortly. He will give one-on-one guidance to everyone, don¡¯t miss this opportunity. This is a rare chance for close-up instruction!" A Taoist with a goatee stood in front of the courtyard announcing loudly. There were two groups of people standing in the courtyard. To the left, four individuals wore gray and white Daoist robes with jade buckled leather belts, looking cool and aloof. The group, two men and two women, showed a clear sense of distance from the others, not talking to those on the other side, and not even glancing over there. They didn¡¯t socialize with each other much;if they weren¡¯t meditating with eyes closed, they stood upright, whispering something quietly. To the right were six individuals, four men and two women, all in their twenties, with sophisticated attire that once seen makes it clear they were not from common households. They were casual in demeanor, whispering among themselves. Yu Hong also stood among the six, belonging to this ¡¯Golden Jade second generation¡¯ who had paid to sign up. Chapter 286: route Four "I heard that as long as you attend the first three classes properly, you can get an effective amulet from the temple. Then when returning home, you can have something to show to your grandfather." "An amulet, really? What¡¯s important is the name association. It offers priority when seeking help in times of need." "By studying here, there¡¯s another benefit. It trains us to differentiate issues on our own initially, instead of bothering the master in the temple for every little thing. We try to handle it with bulk talismans first;if that doesn¡¯t work, then we call the master. This also saves a lot of time and energy." Yu Hong and the several people beside him were discussing the purpose of this training session. He listened quietly, yet somewhat furrowed his brows. "So¡­ we don¡¯t actually teach real Daoist skills?" "They will teach, but..." A bespectacled male student, who had been curious about Yu Hong¡¯s robust build, hastily chimed in. "Dude, you¡¯re not seriously here to learn Daoist skills, are you?" "I am considering it." Yu Hong nodded. "Is there a problem?" "Of course not, but at our age it¡¯s already too late to start training. Moreover, the Golden Jade class just nonchalantly teaches, similar to practicing Inner Qi Gong to regulate the body and nerves, making one slightly more energetic and stronger than the average person. It all sounds quite profound though," the bespectacled student whispered. "No way, so how do we handle hauntings or similar issues?" A young girl with purple lipstick couldn¡¯t help but ask. "There are no such hauntings;just hire a bodyguard." The bespectacled guy laughed. "Honestly, my grandfather made me come here, said I had to get a diploma before I could go home. You don¡¯t really think everyone is here to learn Daoist skills, do you?" "No, haven¡¯t you experienced it?" Another chubby bystander, listening to their conversation, couldn¡¯t help but interject. "What?" asked the spectacled student. "Like those missing person cases that even the police can¡¯t solve. Recently, these cases have been on the rise, and a friend of my dad at the City Police Station said there¡¯s no pattern to the crimes. Several culprits were randomly selected from other criminals." The chubby one sighed, "If the world wasn¡¯t becoming more incomprehensible, who would spend so much time and money to fuss over this place?" "So, are you saying there are many missing cases now?" Yu Hong naturally inserted. "A lot. Some have been solved, due to people taking advantage of the situation, but most are just untraceable," the chubby student replied, glancing at Yu Hong who was much taller than him and noting his strong muscular contours. "Dude, you¡¯ve got an impressive build!" Yu Hong just smiled;his stature and build were indeed very noticeable among the group. From the chubby student¡¯s response, he could deduce that the Black Disaster¡¯s infiltration into this world was accelerating and intensifying. But since the Nine Sects had been holding on for so long here, he presumed that a targeted countermeasure would eventually appear. Otherwise, this place would have ended up much like where Yiyi was. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. While he listened to the rich heirs¡¯ casual conversation, On the other side among four people, the one who stood at the forefront, a cold and quiet young man, seemed to be disturbed by the noise, frowned slightly, and whispered, "How is this arranged? Sharing lessons with those idlers is a waste of time for us and meaningless for them." "I¡¯ve already suggested that these gilded second-generations should be handed over to the external training staff. They wouldn¡¯t take the teachings seriously anyway," another man, with slightly high cheekbones, responded. "Just bear with it for now," the cold young man closed his eyes, exhaled, and continued murmuring something. About two minutes later, The wooden gate in the yard was pushed open. An old Taoist, with white hair and one prosthetic eye, entered, flanked by four Taoists. The old Taoist gestured for the four to stop and quickly walked up to the people inside the yard. "I am Yu Mo, and the class starts now," He seated himself cross-legged. "The induction into the teachings, primarily for the new kids of the Golden Jade class. As darkness encroaches and chaos approaches, cultivate diligently. Not only can it keep you away from unclean entities, but it also enables you to protect your family and buy enough time for someone from our Taoist Sect to come to your aid." "May I ask Master Yu Mo, are there really so-called unclean entities in this world?" Yu Hong suddenly raised his hand to ask. "Believe it, then there is;disbelieve, then there is not." Yu Mo looked at him, his gaze briefly flickering over the strong muscles on his body. "These unclean entities include the evil and distracting thoughts that rise in your mind, among other things." "I see," Yu Hong showed an enlightened expression. He wasn¡¯t intentionally causing trouble, but from this old man, he truly couldn¡¯t sense anything different from an ordinary person. Weak, powerless, he could even faintly hear a phlegmy sound in his breath, clearly, the old man had a cold. Next, was Master Yu Mo¡¯s time for chanting scriptures. Seeing no further questions, he suggested leading everyone in chanting the Daoist Scripture, Universal Splendor Scripture. A tedious chanting session lasted for over half an hour, making several people from the Golden Jade class increasingly impatient and yawn one after another. Only Yu Hong solemnly chanted along with the Universal Splendor Scripture. "This guy is somewhat interesting. Could he actually be here to learn?" On the other side, one female disciple noticed this and couldn¡¯t help but whisper quietly. "Being able to recite such a tedious scripture, his Determination is strong," another female disciple nodded in agreement. "Maybe he¡¯s just pretending," the man with slightly high cheekbones speculated. "Zheng Ming, brother, what do you think?" He looked towards the reserved Taoist who had remained silent. "It¡¯s none of your concern, pay attention to the class. If it¡¯s genuine, he will naturally continue. If it¡¯s fake, he¡¯ll soon give up," the cold Taoist Zheng Ming replied indifferently. As he spoke, the other three immediately didn¡¯t dare to say more. Among the disciples inside the temple, he was one of only two who had a minor accomplishment in Daoist Skills, and his authority among the young disciples was considerable. After Zheng Ming finished speaking, he glanced at Yu Hong, whose robust and strong physique was particularly eye-catching among a group of wealthy second-generation youths. In reality, not all these second-generation youths coming here just for the name were useless;occasionally, one or two individuals with perseverance and potential would emerge. However, at such an old age, no matter how talented or determined he was, it was already too late. Starting halfway would inevitably lead to a limited journey. Thus, after a few more glances, he continued to listen to Yu Mo¡¯s teaching of the Universal Splendor Scripture. The day¡¯s teaching quickly came to an end, and everyone respectfully saw off Daoist Yu Mo before dispersing. "Yu Hong, you¡¯re not a local, right? From your accent, it seems you haven¡¯t been in Taizhou long. Do you want to join us for a meal and have some fun?" asked the chubby second-generation youth who took the initiative to invite Yu Hong. "No thanks, I really want to seriously learn some Daoist Skills, planning to go back and delve into the Universal Splendor Scripture," Yu Hong declined. "Awesome! Really dedicated, huh? Keep it up!" The chubby youth gave a thumbs up, admiringly. "Looking forward to you working hard on your cultivation, making those in the Dao Seed Class take notice!" Yu Hong smiled and looked towards the other four young Daoists, his perception naturally allowing him to hear their private conversation. He understood that they looked down on the few people on the side of the Golden Jade Class. But that was alright, some things would reveal their true nature through the test of time. Turning around, he walked alone towards the outside of the Taoist Temple. In the days to follow. Yu Hong came to the temple every day diligently, while initially there were five people from the Golden Jade Class, after three days, only three remained, and after another four days, only two were left: Yu Hong and the man with glasses. The other four had all ditched classes, finding them boring. The daily lessons were all about memorizing various Daoist Scriptures, boring and incomprehensible, a complete waste of time in everyone¡¯s eyes. Only Yu Hong and the man with glasses persisted. After some time, he got to know the man with glasses, Guo Shangdong, whose family owned a chain bookstore locally. What they didn¡¯t know was, their perseverance had also sparked a divide among the transmission Daoists inside the temple. Three weeks later. Inside Qingchen Temple, at 5:30 in the morning, the monthly routine small meeting was convened as usual. "Regarding the Dao transmission application for the two from the Golden Jade Class, I plan to officially approve it," said Daoist Yu Mo, sitting cross-legged on a meditation mat, lazily basking in the sun. "Golden Jade Class? Those young people who came in paying money have any good seedlings? Are you joking, junior brother?" Temple Master Yu Hen, with a chubby and pale face, was counting money, moistening his fingers with his mouth. "Don¡¯t mess it up, our Qingchen Temple is different from other Taoist Sects, we are all about money. Two transmission Official Disciples need us to spend money and resources to cultivate, isn¡¯t this a waste?" "That Guo Shangdong can be dismissed, but the other one, Yu Hong, I think he is very determined and wholeheartedly devoted to Daoist Skills. I¡¯ve talked to him a few times;he seems to be someone who has been through hardship, hence his eagerness for Daoist Skills," explained Yu Mo. "That still won¡¯t do. Every additional person means less income for us. Our temple¡¯s income is already not ample, junior brother, you are unaware of the family expenses, Golden Jade Class Golden Jade Class, what does Golden Jade mean? It¡¯s meant for making money! You¡¯re misunderstanding it," Temple Master Yu Hen continuously shook his head. "Ah, I was just saying, senior brother, don¡¯t get worked up," Yu Mo laughed helplessly. "How about this, I¡¯ll talk to him, let him bear the cost of Daoist Skills consumption himself, see if that works." "Hey! That¡¯s more like it! Since he yearns for Daoist Skills, he naturally won¡¯t mind bearing the costs of cultivation. If he even minds this little expense, then I¡¯d have to doubt his sincerity," exclaimed Temple Master Yu Hen, slapping his thigh. Yu Mo shook his head silently, watching his demeanor, the other old Daoists inside the temple also held back their laughs. Although Qingchen Temple wasn¡¯t as pure as before, it had money now. Ever since Temple Master Yu Hen took over, everyone¡¯s life had improved ¨C buying houses, cars, and villas;things once dreamt of were now owned by everyone. Life was rich and flavorful. As for Daoist Skills? That was just a business for making money. What¡¯s the use of sticking to traditions? If one couldn¡¯t even satisfy hunger, couldn¡¯t afford the necessary resources and medicinal ingredients for cultivation, wouldn¡¯t it still end up dwindling and dying out? Yu Mo watched as the other old Daoists enthusiastically discussed with the Temple Master how to expand business channels, including the newly emergent online streaming and more. He sighed softly. Since driving away those obstinate members of the Ascetic Sect, the temple indeed wasn¡¯t short of money anymore, life had greatly improved, everyone¡¯s thin faces had become rosy. However, gradually, he also noticed something wasn¡¯t right. The Daoists¡¯ dedication to cultivating Daoist Skills was increasingly lax, spending a lot of time with families, traveling, and indulging in leisure. If the mentors were like this, the younger generation followed suit even more, having little skill but not lagging in self-pride at all. Chapter 287: 1 "Teacher, are you worried?" Xun Yang, the young disciple standing behind Yu Mo, asked in a low voice. She seemed to have noticed something. "Fairly well... it¡¯s just... I¡¯m feeling a little uneasy," Yu Mo sighed. He knew that nowadays, Qingchen Temple, in the eyes of other Taoist Sects, had completely become an ordinary force known only for amassing wealth. "Actually, Temple Master is not unwilling to spare just an Official Disciple spot. The fear is that if you ask for one, then the rest of the senior teachers will each want one too, and if this precedent is set, it will be a great burden on the Temple," the young disciple Xun Yang quietly moved closer and explained. "You¡¯re quite the clever one," Yu Mo laughed, having naturally also thought of this. After some thought, he reviewed the development of the Taoist Temple over the past few years. "It¡¯s rare for the Dao Seed Class to produce a promising seed, and although he¡¯s old, and his Daoist Skills definitely can¡¯t progress as fast as Zheng Ming and the other three, hope should still be given." Pondering, Yu Mo spoke softly. "In the future, let Yu Hong and Guo Shangdong join Zheng Lin and the others for combined classes. For the resources that are lacking, we¡¯ll stick to the old rule¡ªthe first year, I will cover it. After all, their stages of cultivation are low, so not much is needed. Let¡¯s try it out first and see, give them a chance. There¡¯s no need to inform the senior brothers about this." "Yes, and what about the transmission of Magic Skills and resolving doubts? Will it be done together as before?" "Together. Only with comparison can both sides have a clearer understanding. Let Yu Hong and the others understand that it¡¯s not favoritism on our part, but rather that age is a great obstacle to cultivation. And for Zheng Ming and them, it can also serve as a warning, making them realize that once you¡¯re past a certain age, there¡¯s no chance to remedy it." While speaking, Yu Mo looked at the other senior brothers fighting over interests, squabbling like the aunties in a supermarket. He previously could not understand the elders¡¯ pursuit of pure Daoist Skills, but now, he seemed to have some understanding. Within a Taoist Sect, there always had to be some who persist in purity and carry the burden forward, otherwise¡­ That was also why he was secretly using his own resources to train disciples with perseverance. Perhaps it was because his conscience hadn¡¯t completely faded, or perhaps because of an inexplicable anxiety about the future, he felt that he should try to change the current situation a bit. Of course, if he was really asked to give up his comfortable life now, that was impossible. After all, understanding is one thing, but enjoyment is still necessary. At most, share a little in private to help potential disciples and add depth to our own Sect. As for the contempt and disdain from other Taoist Sects, just endure it during the big meetings¡ªit¡¯s only for a few days in a year anyway. This is called enduring a moment for calm seas and gentle winds. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. * * * Qingchen Temple¡¯s application was granted as wished, and Yu Hong also began his routine Cultivation career. After chanting scriptures for a month, one morning just after six o¡¯clock, he was already seated in the courtyard behind the great hall, with the four from the Dao Seed Class and Guo Shangdong who came along, seriously beginning to recite the Daoist Scripture. At seven o¡¯clock, a Taoist came to call them for breakfast. The breakfast spot was in a steamed bun shop next door. By the small wooden table, Yu Hong and Guo Shangdong sat opposite each other, with two small steamer baskets of buns in front of them, each with a cup of sweet soy milk, a cooked chicken egg, and a raw cucumber. "Speaking of which, Xiao Dong, why do you still come to class with such persistence? Didn¡¯t others take the Amulet and go back?" Yu Hong asked while biting into a bun. He was sure that the other was just an ordinary person, yet he could persist as long as he did, which was definitely a good seedling. It was indeed surprising that a wealthy second-generation could have such strong perseverance. "Ah..." Guo Shangdong shook his head and sighed, "If you also had a grandfather at home who whipped you with a stick all the time, you¡¯d probably be even more diligent than me... I don¡¯t want to either... but when I go home my grandfather actually checks on my Daoist Scripture recitations! Who the hell can stand it??" "You really have it tough..." Yu Hong reacted with a chuckle. "Brother Guo is still the same as before, with that old-fashioned look, I didn¡¯t expect you to be the same now..." From one side of the two, a figure of a Taoist walked over, resting a hand on the edge of the table. It turned out to be their master, Taoist Yu Mo. This old man sat down on the bench next to the table. "You don¡¯t mind if I join, do you? Speaking of which, the prices these days have risen quite a bit, haven¡¯t they? Last year, the breakfast we contracted with the shop here only cost two-thirds of the current price, and it has gone up quite a lot this year." He complained while shaking his head as he picked up a bun and stuffed it into his mouth. "Ding Rou | Ding Jing, greeting Teacher." Yu Hong and Guo Shangdong quickly got up and bowed. "Let¡¯s not be so formal;we¡¯re not in class right now, we¡¯re just eating and drinking here, let¡¯s not disturb the atmosphere," the Taoist Yu Mo chuckled and waved his hand. "Yes." The two promptly sat down again. The three of them gathered around a table, eating breakfast together. Taoist Yu Mo casually asked a few questions about the Daoist Scripture, which Yu Hong and Guo Shangdong both answered well, to his satisfaction. "Actually, among the Dao Seed Class, you two have the best perseverance and the ability to persist, which everyone has witnessed. So, I was thinking, to see if you¡¯re willing to take a step further. To formally begin Cultivation and enter the practice of Daoist Skills," Taoist Yu Mo asked with a smile. "Is that possible??" Yu Hong was stunned;he had thought it would take more time and didn¡¯t expect to catch the other¡¯s eye so soon. "Of course, it¡¯s possible. In reality, Daoist Skills aren¡¯t that important. What¡¯s needed is persistence. No matter how strong the talent, one must persist like water wearing down a stone," Yu Mo nodded, "But, because you are older, it¡¯s impossible to reshape the meridians, and you have also seen the situation of my Qingchen Temple, so this subsequent Cultivation might be far inferior to the Dao Seed Class. Of course, don¡¯t be discouraged by such events, as long as you persist, it¡¯s enough to prolong life, and dealing with some minor problems will not be difficult." "These are all small matters. We are idealistic people. We come to pursue cultivation and join the class not for these things, but because we admire the Taoist way." Yu Hong stated earnestly. "Exactly! The disciple isn¡¯t someone ignorant of what¡¯s good for him. To still want to outdo those who started cultivating from a young age at this old age, it indeed reflects naivety." Guo Shangdong quickly added. At the same time, he couldn¡¯t help but steal a glance at Yu Hong because the words he had just said required a considerable amount of nerve to utter. "Good, it¡¯s best if you can think this way." Yu Mo nodded with satisfaction. Then, he took out two sheets of paper from the pocket of his Daoist robe and handed them respectively to the two Yu Hongs. "Here, this is the fundamental magic skill of Qingchen Temple. Take it and study it well, memorize it. Recite it silently in your heart three hundred times every day. When you reach the set progress, you will naturally feel a strand of Inner Strength spontaneously emerge within you." "Master, does Inner Strength really exist in this world? Could it be that all those stories about experts with internal mastery in novels are true?" Guo Shangdong couldn¡¯t help asking curiously. "Of course, it¡¯s true. Inner Strength naturally exists," Yu Mo said, nodding with a smile. "Inner Strength, as the name suggests, it¡¯s the power within the human body, it¡¯s the term opposite to external strength, but the term was specifically coined by the ancients for the sake of convenience in description." Internal power?? "..." "..." Yu Hong and Guo Shangdong had never thought that the explanation would be so simple, and both were dumbfounded for a moment. "The power of the muscles in various parts of the internal organs is also considered Inner Strength. There¡¯s actually another interpretation for Inner Strength, which refers to the force that affects one¡¯s own internal systems. Its effect is to temper one¡¯s own physique, strengthen the body¡¯s energy, and Inner Strength training is to work on the inside. Do you understand?" Yu Mo explained with a smile. It was clear that these two had misunderstood from reading novels. He patted Yu Hong on the arm. "Look at the muscles on your body, these big muscles that have been built through fitness, are ¡¯dead strength¡¯, not flexible enough. The muscles built through external exercises can only work on large muscle groups. In contrast, Inner Strength training focuses on smaller muscle groups, as well as the tempering of the spirit. The latter is key." He poked open a carton of soy milk with a straw and took a sip. "Tempering the spirit can allow a person to unlock all his potential and strength. When facing some things that ordinary people cannot comprehend, one can remain unbeaten without revealing any flaws. Only when one stands invincible oneself, then is there room to find the opponent¡¯s flaws." "Amazing! Worthy of being our master!" Guo Shangdong immediately gave a thumbs up. "Did you hear that? All the muscles on your body are ¡¯dead muscles¡¯;you need to properly cultivate Inner Strength." He also patted Yu Hong on the arm as he spoke. Yu Hong: "..." After breakfast, the two received the official Daoist Skills, which were the fundamental methods of Qingchen Temple¡ªthe Guanwu Skill. They also received a one-year qualification period from Yu Mo, during which the temple would provide for their cultivation needs for free;they only needed to pay for basic tuition and miscellaneous fees. Holding the document, Yu Hong quickly looked it over on the way back. This magic skill was very simple, just a set of somewhat tongue-twisting scriptures, and the scripture didn¡¯t seem to carry any meaning, being just a mixture of discrete phrases. He took it home and immediately began reciting it silently in his heart. Right now, the Black Mark was still in the enhancement camp and couldn¡¯t be used, so he planned to try practicing on his own first. The practice of Guanwu Skill quickly got on the right track. Yu Hong persistently recited it silently morning and night, soon committing it to memory. By now, he no longer needed a translator, he had no trouble with the Second Night Language whether it was listening, speaking, reading, or writing. After chatting with them that day, Yu Mo never had another private interaction with them. He appeared once a week, and the rest of the time, he was either traveling domestically or internationally or living it up with beauties at dinners and on vacations. Life was rich and varied. After joining the Dao Seed Class, Yu Hong and his companion could often feel the disregarding attitude of the four-person Dao Seed team. Indeed, neglect. The Dao Seed Class seemed to consider it normal to ignore them, students of the Golden Jade refining class;they didn¡¯t even bother to speak to them after class, and would just stand up and leave. The foremost among them, Taoist Zheng Ming, was rumored to be a famous genius within the temple, and his attitude was even more apparent. But with the Daoist Skills in hand, Yu Hong also had no time to engage in any student relationships. Because of his specialty, Dao Breath Circulation, he also included Guanwu Skill into his automatic cultivation routine. "...! I¡¯ve... entered the door (initial success)?" Inside the rental. Yu Hong woke up from sleep and was astonished to find a cool breath circulating slowly in his head, like a loop, flowing from the left temple to the right and cycling back and forth. Looking at his own temples slightly bulging in the mirror. He suddenly had the illusion that he himself was a genius. "If it wasn¡¯t for the assistance from the specialty Dao Breath Circulation, I might have really believed I was a genius..." Feeling the circulating breath in his head, Yu Hong wasn¡¯t clear about the standards of Qingchen Temple, but from Yu Mo¡¯s words, he could infer that normally, it was impossible to achieve results in just a few days. ¡¯So, next, shall I experience what it feels like to be a genius?¡¯ He stroked his chin. After entry, he hadn¡¯t received any follow-up cultivation methods, so he could only go to see Yu Mo unless he intended to deliberately delay to hide his progress. However, the Black Disaster was urgent, and he couldn¡¯t afford to wastefully relax. Demonstrating his talent through normal channels to gain influence was also a method. After sorting himself out in the rental, Yu Hong first went to Qingchen Temple. He found Yu Mo¡¯s Daoist apprentice Xun Yang. Xun Yang was playing cards with two other little Daoist apprentices. When she heard what Yu Hong whispered, the cards in her hand slipped due to lack of strength, and she stood up abruptly. "Really?!" She stared at Yu Hong with wide eyes. "This kind of thing cannot be spoken lightly;practicing subsequent cultivation techniques in advance could lead to mental derangement and cause mental illness!" "It¡¯s true! You can ask about the details." Yu Hong nodded in confirmation. Chapter 288: Trends 2 Xun Yang immediately pulled him aside to a corner, asking another child to take her place. The two of them walked behind a large circular pillar and stood firm. "It¡¯s been less than a week... Ding Rou, have you practiced similar Daoist Skills before? Otherwise, how could you advance so quickly!?" Her small eyes were still wide with amazement. Such a pace, she had only seen it in Child¡¯s Skill before, it is said that the two geniuses of the temple back then, entered the beginner level within a week. "I¡¯m not sure... I might have, I practiced some mental training Magic Skills before." Yu Hong said hesitantly. He wasn¡¯t sure if the visualization he practiced before counted as similar. "That makes sense." Xun Yang sighed in relief, "You scared me to death, I thought you had cultivated incorrectly... because it completely defies logic. But since you have some prior foundation, and you naturally have strong perseverance, it¡¯s not impossible to advance quickly." She patted her modest chest, exhaling in relief, and quickly pulled out a blue thread-bound booklet with no words on the cover from her pocket. "This is the follow-up Cultivation Technique for the Guanwu Skill;this Magic Skill has nine layers, and our Taoist Sect mostly goes up to nine, as this number is considered the ultimate. Our Guanwu Skill is a bit unique, after each layer is cultivated, the spirit strength doubles compared to before. Nine layers to Perfection, theoretically, the strength will increase a thousand times over the original. But that¡¯s just theoretical state, take a look yourself. Remember not to spread it outside. The authentic Magic Skills of our Taoist Sect are only suitable for us to cultivate, and also require matching medicines, Calming Incense, it¡¯s extremely dangerous for outsiders as it will cause mental disarray, this is to protect them." Yu Hong took the booklet, flipping it open to glance. Indeed, the first page read: ¡¯Internal material, strictly confidential.¡¯ Continuing to flip through, from the First Layer to the Ninth Layer, everything was complete. "Give them all to me?" He was a bit surprised. "Of course, if any related negative symptoms occur while practicing, remember to get medicine for conditioning in time, otherwise don¡¯t blame me for not reminding you. To get medicine, go to the pharmacy, it¡¯s the flat house to the right of the Taoist Temple gate, just look for the sign." Xun Yang instructed. "Alright, all is well, I¡¯m going back to play cards. I thought so, at this age, it¡¯s impossible to achieve that kind of speed..." Muttering, she turned and walked back to the card table. Yu Hong was speechless with the booklet in hand;he had prepared himself to be a prodigy, but they didn¡¯t care at all... Carrying the booklet back to his rented place, he continued to read through the recorded content along the way. Reading through the Guanwu Skill, it felt purely like a Cultivation Technique for mental training. From the First Layer to the Ninth Layer, using nine different kinds of personal deepest fears, it trains the will. The nine-layer Magic Skill provided nine different scriptures. Just by reciting them, it would automatically utilize one¡¯s mental imagination to conjure a corresponding Fear Illusion. By defeating it, one can advance their spirit further and step into the next layer. The steps were very simple. Nine layers mean nine kinds of Fear Illusions. "No wonder Qingchen Temple isn¡¯t too concerned about the spreading of the Magic Skill;for ordinary people with insufficient willpower, developing mental illness is indeed very common." Yu Hong sighed as he closed the booklet, understanding Xun Yang¡¯s explanation. "But if one views it according to this Magic Skill, wouldn¡¯t it mean that the old Taoists at Qingchen Temple all have unbending wills? But from what I¡¯ve seen over this period of time, it doesn¡¯t seem like it." Those old Taoists who were experts in all kinds of worldly pleasures didn¡¯t seem like the type cultivated through this Magic Skill. ¡¯But it might be a degeneration too. Even if the Magic Skill is cultivated, once the spiritual will wavers, the realm will definitely degrade. Truly a Magic Skill highly dependent on the state of mind.¡¯ Taking the complete set of Magic Skills back, he followed the steps and content recorded. Yu Hong, sitting cross-legged in the small courtyard of his rented house under the starlit sky, quietly began reciting the First Layer scripture. During the night. As time passed, one hour, two hours, three hours... Suddenly, a series of soft footsteps came from behind Yu Hong. He silently opened his eyes and turned to look behind him. At the doorway of the inner room, a figure stood in the shadowy darkness. A pale face, a dirty white robe, and a strangely smiling expression. "My first Fear, is it the first shadow I encountered when I just went to Yiyi¡¯s place?" Standing up, Yu Hong looked at the other party, his expression somewhat nostalgic. "Yes, back then I was extremely weak, powerless, only able to rely on Yiyi to survive in that brutal world." He walked step by step towards the shadow. Standing in front of the other party. The two were less than a meter apart, he looked down at him from above. "And now." Yu Hong stretched out his hand, grabbing the other¡¯s neck. "My fear is no longer you." "But the powerless and weak me back then." In an instant, Yu Hong¡¯s face contorted ferociously, grabbed the shadow, and with his other hand like a heavy hammer, fiercely smashed down onto the other¡¯s head. Bang!! The shadow¡¯s head exploded, turning into countless white light spots, slowly dispersing. "I¡¯m no longer afraid! Not afraid anymore!!" Yu Hong clenched his fist, in an instant he kicked out a side kick, his leg shadow rained down like droplets, in a second a flurry of rain-like phantoms kicked out. Swish swish swish!! The light spots were hit one by one, exploding again, completely vanishing. Just as the light spots were completely shattered, Yu Hong felt countless cool threads emerge from inside his head, converging at the center of his forehead. The surroundings twisted in an instant. His vision blurred, and he was still sitting cross-legged in the middle of the courtyard, completely unmoved. "The First Layer... I¡¯ve cultivated it." Yu Hong breathed rapidly, tilting his head to look at the sky. Pale blue starlight twinkled, crystal clear like a washed piece of glass, with a crescent moon peacefully hanging in the sky. At this moment, he distinctly felt as if he himself had been cleansed like a mirror, many stray thoughts and negative emotions in his heart being swept away in an instant. The deepest oppressions in his heart also vanished. More crucially, the Heavenly River. This special summoning Secret Technique that belonged to the Infinite River Technique was now noticeably strengthened. The Heavenly River, which always hovered around him, began to show tiny silver particles inside it, a secret scene visible only to Yu Hong himself. A miniature version of Agrius swam slowly within, apparently very pleased with the silver particles, continuously opening its mouth to devour them. ¡¯This Qingchen Temple¡¯s Cultivation Technique... it actually helps the Secret Techniques of the Wuji Sect... no, maybe my original shortfall was precisely in my spiritual will.¡¯ Now recalling this, Yu Hong suddenly realized, ever since encountering the Black Disaster, he had always been in a state of anxious running;it was quite normal that his mental state wasn¡¯t elevated. After all, he had never pursued it;what he pursued were physical and Inner Qi powers¡ªthe tangible destructive power. "This is good..." Yu Hong exhaled deeply, sensing the changes in the Heavenly River. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Suddenly, a trace of joy appeared on his face. Because the feedback from the Heavenly River made him feel that he could stuff in a new slot. Having placed the Dragon of Xianglv, Agrius, the Heavenly River was previously full, but now with the elevation of his spirit, unexpectedly, another slot became available. ¡¯Sure enough, coming here was the right choice!¡¯ Yu Hong immediately felt invigorated;though the Taiyuan True Method had not made a breakthrough, the enhancement of the Heavenly River enabled him to incorporate another entity he had slain. If he chose well, it could significantly enhance his own combat power. Of course, now being in a peaceful environment, he temporarily neither needed nor could use this ability, but in the future..... * * * Huangsong Island. Several coast guard boats had been docked here for several days. The island had been searched back and forth several times;all possible places had been searched but still, the missing two people were not found. In front of the small two-story building where Song Siyu and others had stayed before. Old Yang had changed into a light yellow Daoist robe and sighed while watching two Taoists walking slowly off the boat in the distance. "Brother Ku Chai, Brother Ku Ling, thank you for your trouble this time." Among the two Taoists who came, one was white-haired and about his age, with a square face, and a displeasing expression, too indifferent to mind him. The other was quite young, in his twenties, with handsome features and a gentle demeanor, looking at the tired-faced Old Yang and gently shaking his head. "Brother Mu Yang, you really went too far this time. The situation here has become a bit serious, but to avoid responsibility, it was hidden. Dragging it to this point, you indeed bear a lot of the responsibility." "Brother Ku Chan...I had no choice..." Mu Yang helplessly said, "I was just careless at the beginning, patched the wrong breach...mistaking the auxiliary for the main breach. By the time I realized it was too late...and I had no spare Array Plates." "You have a weak Daoist Realm;never mind, I came here to patch it up as soon as possible. Fortunately, it didn¡¯t turn into a big disaster," the gentle man comforted. "Just don¡¯t think about the annual assessment at the mansion." "I know..." Mu Yang sighed again. "Also, your junior brothers and sisters from the Heavenly Master Mansion are on their way here, you should think about how to deal with them when the time comes," Ku Chan advised. ... Mu Yang sighed heavily upon hearing this. "Thank goodness Brother Ku Chai is willing to lend a helping hand, otherwise, this old Taoist would really have caused a serious disaster." "Don¡¯t mention it. The Heavenly Master Mansion and our Zihe Palace stem from the same Taoist Sect;we are naturally obliged to help each other," Ku Chai said with a smile. After he finished, he carefully asked about the location of the last patch, then turned around and hurried off with his companions. About an hour later, a thin mist enveloping Huangsong Island began to dissipate. A small boat carrying Ku Chan and Mu Yang, among others, also left the island smoothly, heading towards Taizhou. * * * At the same time. In the courtyard where Yu Hong was silently reciting scriptures, he suddenly shivered and opened his eyes. ¡¯The erosion from the Black Ship mark is completely gone!?¡¯ He had stayed here this long and often felt the restlessness of the Black Ship being eroded by some unknown force. Each time this happened, he would ride the Black Ship back to camp to ¡¯recharge¡¯. After recharging, the Black Ship could resist for a while without issues. But it generally only lasted a day, the second day he would feel the Black Ship being eroded again. This situation had cycled many times, but unexpectedly, this time the erosion vanished completely. ¡¯Wait, I won¡¯t be directly forced to return, will I?¡¯ Yu Hong suddenly thought of something and hurriedly stood up to carefully survey his surroundings. Assured that this was land and there were no places to moor any ships nearby, he finally relaxed. ¡¯The Black Disaster couldn¡¯t vanish on its own;something must have happened at Huangsong Island that suddenly caused the Black Disaster to disappear...¡¯ Connecting it with what Old Yang had mentioned about going to shake people down, Yu Hong immediately made the connection. ¡¯It seems that people from the Innate Nine Sects have arrived.¡¯ He pondered for a moment but decided not to return to check the island. His daily cultivation of the Guanwu Skill was progressing smoothly, and soon he would be able to conjure the haunting entity of the Second Layer. His progress seemed to be much faster than Guo Shangdong¡¯s, perhaps due to the Tao Breath Circulation. But without more references, he didn¡¯t know how fast he was;regardless, as long as he didn¡¯t exhibit symptoms requiring medication, he just had to keep practicing. Chapter 289: Peace 1 "The appearance of the Black Ship here relies on the seawater, unlike the camp over there where the appearance of the dock and wooden bridge only requires light. Could this be because there is the Black Disaster and Black River over there, creating this difference?" Yu Hong stood up, feeling it necessary to inquire about the news at the Taoist Temple. Thinking it over, he realized that he had few connections within the temple and had no idea whom to ask for information. The only person he was somewhat familiar with, Guo Shangdong, was just as new as himself and surely had no clue about this matter. Hesitating for a moment, he finally slapped his thigh decisively. "Let¡¯s go directly to Old Yu Mo!" After changing his clothes, Yu Hong quickly left home and headed straight for Elder Yu Mo¡¯s private villa. Having become one of the special disciples under close scrutiny, both Yu Hong and Guo Shangdong deepened their connection with Yu Mo. So, it was quite normal for them to know one of his residences. Moonwatch Villa District is a well-known high-end residential area in Taizhou, where the lowest price for a property starts at three million. In Taizhou, where housing prices are relatively low, this is already an astronomical figure. Yu Hong hailed a taxi and headed straight for the entrance of the villa district. Sitting in the taxi, he pondered how to ask his questions and phrase them. Suddenly, he felt a chill as the car passed a street, and he hurriedly turned to look out the window. Outside the car window, the neon sign of the Red Plum Inn was still flashing at the entrance of the alley. The typically deserted entrance of the inn now had quite a few people standing around, with police cars and motorcycles parked by the roadside, and several officers talking softly into their radios. "Master, please stop the car. I¡¯ll get off here," Yu Hong frowned, catching a glimpse of the scarred face of the girl who was standing at the inn¡¯s entrance as he passed by the alley. She stood at the doorway, holding her schoolbag, staring blankly inside, her eyes lifeless. "Okay. The fare..." The driver immediately pulled over to stop the car. "Keep the change," Yu Hong handed him a ten yuan note without asking for the change, then got out of the car. Walking down the alley, he approached the entrance of the inn. It was only upon entering that he saw more than a dozen people already there, all crowding and looking towards the inside of the inn. Yu Hong also joined to look inside. The entrance of the Red Plum Inn was blocked by yellow police tape, and through the open door, one could see the dried, dark red bloodstains on the floor of the small hall on the first level. He looked around and heard several people whispering about the incident, quickly approaching a young man with glasses and gently tapped him. "Excuse me, could you tell me what happened here?" "Someone¡¯s dead," the man sighed. "The owner of the inn, an old man in his seventies or eighties, was suddenly stabbed from the back with a sharp knife last night, his gut spilling out on the floor. They say he crawled for a while, trying to get out for help, but ended up dying at the doorway." The owner of the inn, the old man? S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A chill went through Yu Hong¡¯s heart;he remembered the always smiling old man who let him run a tab when he stayed there. He had just moved out not long ago, and now something happened to the inn? In fact, one night when he returned from the internet, he felt something was off, just didn¡¯t know what. At that time, the old man¡¯s face also seemed very pale, very strange. The old man said that Yu Hong¡¯s face was just as pale. So Yu Hong didn¡¯t take it seriously, but now.... ¡¯It seems my feeling at the time was correct;there was indeed a problem, just that I couldn¡¯t detect it due to different power systems.¡¯ After thanking the young man, Yu Hong approached the girl with the scar. "Lingling?" The girl stiffly turned her head, and upon seeing him, did not reply but continued to twist her head, looking towards the inn. Seeing her like this, with no other family members around, standing alone to the side, Yu Hong guessed her situation might be difficult. "If you need help, you can come find me here." He still felt indebted to the old man who allowed him to run a tab. Lingling did not respond, just stood there dazedly, as if she hadn¡¯t heard him. Yu Hong, looking at the busy police officers, watched for a while before he finally turned and left. He was certain that there were no traces of the Black Mist or Black Disaster at the scene. This meant it might just be a homicide. Or perhaps, it was something native to this world. As for Lingling, he was neither kin nor a close friend, but out of gratitude for the tab the old man gave him, he was willing to lend a hand, and that should be good enough. With the police involved, the largest national organization in charge of maintaining order, he did not believe they were completely unaware of the mysterious aspects. Thus, having the authorities handle it was the best course of action. After leaving, as Yu Hong stepped out of the alley, he happened to encounter several strangers in black collared long sleeves, huddled together, chatting and laughing softly. These men were pale, with distinct black tattoos visible on their necks. Noticing Yu Hong coming out of the alley because of his conspicuous physique, they glanced over this way for a moment longer. When they realized Yu Hong was looking at them as well, they quickly averted their gazes. Yu Hong heard them speaking in an unfamiliar dialect that even the translator couldn¡¯t help him understand, despite his ability to understand more than a dozen languages now. But from their chatting demeanor, they seemed to be in a state of contentment and joy. ¡¯Happy at the site of a deathly incident?¡¯ A hint of doubt flashed through Yu Hong¡¯s mind. But he was in a hurry and had no time for nosiness. It was not realistic to just go punching everyone into unconsciousness just because they seemed pleased. Quickly hailing another taxi, he got in and continued towards Elder Yu Mo¡¯s residence. Over ten minutes later... Outside the Moonview Villa. Yu Hong walked out of the complex feeling somewhat disappointed. The old Taoist was out again, traveling to who knows where. With nobody around and no way to gather information, Yu Hong simply decided to go back and continue his training. He would wait until classes started to see if he could find an opportunity to inquire about the situation. On his way back, he bought himself a mobile phone and collected his ID from the police station, officially becoming a citizen of Yasong Country. After inserting the newly issued SIM card and powering on the phone, he entered the contact numbers of the few people he met on Huangsong Island and sent them a message notifying them of his new number. Next were the folks from the Taoist Temple, as well as Guo Shangdong. Having done all this, Yu Hong continued his recitation in silent meditation on the Second Layer. To condense the second Fear Illusion required much longer recitation time than before. However, with the assistance of Tao Breath Circulation, it was as if Yu Hong was reciting and meditating non-stop, twenty-four hours a day. Soon, on the morning of the fourth day, just after he had gone out to buy some meat buns for breakfast and returned home, He saw a person standing in his yard as soon as he entered. A transparent figure that looked as if it was made of liquid glue¡ªa special humanoid. "The second one... it¡¯s you..." Yu Hong recognized it. A fully-formed Language Being. Back then, when it hadn¡¯t fully emerged, he delivered a fatal blow. Now, it seemed that deep in his heart, he still held a profound wariness towards these Evil Shadows, which made it hard to distinguish between reality and illusion. Such Evil Shadows were not something that could be immunized against with mere physical strength. It was an attack on cognitive perception, not something that could be resolved through physical force. Setting down the groceries, Yu Hong looked up again only to see the figure had disappeared, no longer standing where it was. At the same time, his ears began to pick up whispers of talking. It was as if he were a person lying unconscious in a hospital bed, with the voice of a deeply familiar woman beside him, softly narrating some story. In reality, the various noises from the outside world gradually became vague and distorted, while the woman¡¯s storytelling became increasingly clear and real. Yu Hong¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he covered his body with Inner Qi, emitting a faint white glow. Whoosh! In an instant, an invisible burst of Qi exploded from his body, blowing away the debris around him¡ªhis Inner Qi was now intermixed with a significant amount of Cosmic Divine Light, which, upon release, transformed into wind. Instantly, every corner of the yard was thoroughly swept by this invisible Qi. At once, the Language Being that had just vanished was enveloped by this formless Inner Qi and revealed itself in a corner of the yard. Its entire body was sprouting clusters of bright red human mouths, which were now incessantly talking and producing noise. Upon being discovered, it suddenly had all the voices synchronize into an angry roar. Ahh!!! That was a shrill, soprano-like scream, turning into a cylindrical, transparent shockwave, which crossed the yard in the blink of an eye and hit Yu Hong. Puff. The shockwave hit the thin layer of Inner Qi around Yu Hong¡¯s body. Despite its impressive force, it failed to break through the eggshell-thin protective layer of Inner Qi. Yu Hong took a step forward and unleashed the Thunderbolt Leg. He instantly flashed in front of the Language Being, grabbed its head with one hand, and threw it upwards. His immense strength instantly lifted the Language Being, which tumbled and soared into the air. Following that, he leaped up and delivered a Battle Axe Style kick. His leg heavily struck the midline of the Language Being¡¯s body. Boom! The Language Being was kicked apart without any resistance¡ªit exploded, turning into countless light points. Likewise, Yu Hong swiftly shattered all the light points with kicks. Instantly, a refreshing and comfortable feeling surged into his mind. The silver particles inside the Heavenly River once again greatly multiplied. At the same time, the progress of the Taiyuan True Method also surged forward significantly. The Taiyuan True Method was currently at the Second Layer state, still in the stage of refining and integrating the Cosmic Divine Light into the body. It seemed that due to the substantial increase in spirit, the Second Layer¡¯s dawn light, which was supposed to break through, suddenly leaped forward quite a bit. Standing in place, Yu Hong slightly closed his eyes;when he opened them again, he realized he was still standing at the doorstep of the courtyard, unmoving, as if he had maintained the position from the moment he walked through the door. ¡¯The Second Layer of the Guanwu Skill is not difficult either, and it even aided my Taiyuan True Method. The meaning of the Second Layer¡¯s dawn is to integrate enough Cosmic Divine Light, increase its concentration, and attain a dawn-like color when released. That would mark success.¡¯ Yu Hong raised his hand, and a strand of faint Cosmic Divine Light seeped from his palm. The deep-blue light, like a dancing flame, quietly floated above his hand. In the very center of this deep blue, one could vaguely see a touch of brilliant red¡ªlike the dawn¡¯s glow, beautiful and pure. "Now that I¡¯ve passed the Second Layer, it¡¯s time for the Third Layer." After inspecting the progress of the Taiyuan True Method, and since this cultivation technique wasn¡¯t appropriate to be displayed here for fear of being detected by a master, he quickly ended his practice. He then practiced the Guanwu Skill of the Third Layer, and thus, the Tao Breath Circulation would automatically incorporate it into the cultivation, running it non-stop, twenty-four hours a day. Chapter 290: Anning 2 As evening approached, Yu Hong went out again in search of food and unexpectedly received reply messages from Song Siyu, Gao Wen, and Wei Chengjun. They said they had taken down his phone number and would contact him when they had the chance. This surprised him a bit since his relationship with the three was not particularly close;he had only saved them once on Huangsong Island. Although they owed him a big favor, their relationship was not well-established. However, the replies from the three of them provided Yu Hong with another channel for gathering information. So, during his beef soup noodle lunch that afternoon, Yu Hong sent out his questions to the three people while inside the restaurant. The responses came quickly. Wei Chengjun: "I¡¯m not very clear on the situation on the island. It seems that the maritime police department has requested the help of Taoist Sect experts to perform rites, and now it¡¯s completely locked down. No one is allowed to enter." Gao Wen: "The maritime police have sealed off the island. I heard that Zihe Palace¡¯s experts were called upon to take action, this one¡¯s definitely settled! Rest easy, by the way, do you have time to come to my company? With your skills and physique, you could easily take part in some competitions and then join in on the training. You¡¯d definitely make money!" Song Siyu: "It was Elder Yang who invited the Taoist Ku Chan from Zihe Palace, a top-tier talent known as the Dragon of Xianglv among the Innate Nine Sects. He¡¯s rumored to be cultivated as the future Palace Master of Zihe Palace. To put it simply, a big player has stepped up, an elite has taken action, so we don¡¯t need to worry anymore!" It was clear that Song Siyu, with the most powerful family influence, had the most reliable information and the most detailed updates. Yu Hong continued eating his noodles while separately sending messages of thanks to each of the three. ¡¯It seems that the Nine Sects have indeed intervened and dealt with the hidden danger on Huangsong Island. To be able to resolve a threat capable of eroding the Black Ship, indeed, the waters here are deeper than I imagined.¡¯ What was the last monster to corrode the Black Ship? It was Agrius, the Dragon of Xianglv from Prison Island! Strictly speaking, Agrius could be considered a Level Nine Black Disaster, with both its dangerousness and threat level approaching the strongest below War Level. ¡¯Of course, I can¡¯t be so certain, given that the land of vitality found by the Black Ship has unpredictable levels of danger. There are creatures like Agrius, as well as those of about Level Five or Six as seen before.¡¯ After dinner, Yu Hong walked out of the beef soup restaurant and continued to inquire about things like the Red Plum Inn using his mobile phone. Now that he knew Song Siyu had the most reliable information, he skipped the mass messages and contacted only Song directly. Before long, a swift response came after he sent his questions. Song Siyu called directly. "Yu Big Brother, can you hear me?" Song Siyu¡¯s clear and earnest voice came through the speaker. "Yes, I can hear you. Go ahead," Yu Hong replied. "In Taizhou, I didn¡¯t pay attention to these things before. But after encountering danger this time, my parents sought an expert in the field to explain the current situation to me in detail." "Mm, what¡¯s up?" "There¡¯s been a significant increase in missing and murder cases in Taizhou. This is related to the terror organization and cult called the Mud Doll Sect." "Mud Doll Sect?" "Yes, this force has been around for quite some time, but they¡¯ve always kept themselves well-hidden. With the situation on Huangsong Island, some suspect they¡¯re behind it." Song Siyu hadn¡¯t slacked off in learning during these past days. "Does the Mud Doll Sect have any distinctive features?" Yu Hong abruptly recalled the several people he saw in the alley before, including glimpses of the black tattoos on their necks. "I haven¡¯t heard of any such thing. Right now, my dad has grounded me, even confiscating all my live broadcast equipment... sigh..." Song Siyu said, resigned. Yu Hong offered a few words of comfort, then hung up the phone. Having confirmed his suspicions about Huangsong Island and assured that the Nine Sects did indeed have strong experts at hand, he felt more at ease. At least in this place, if the sky fell, there would be someone tall to hold it up. Unlike at the camp, where he supposed there was no one stronger than him in the world, he was the tall one. Now the Taiyuan True Method was advancing rapidly, and the practice of the Guanwu Skill had begun reaching the Third Layer. Everything was developing in a positive direction. As for something like the Mud Doll Sect, he was already not the tall one to deal with it. * * * In a secluded bar in the suburbs of Taizhou, The pale green lights turned the entire bar into a sea of green. In a booth directly opposite the bar counter, Three young men and women with dyed purple-black hair sat facing each other, casually snacking on fruits and veggies on the low table. "The Taoist Ku Chan from Zihe Palace of the Taoist Sect has arrived, everyone keep a low profile, don¡¯t make any big moves," a handsome short-haired man with purple earrings advised, holding a phone in one hand without lifting his head. "You already reminded us yesterday," the purple-haired girl said impatiently. "Say it again, to reinforce it," the handsome man put down his phone and glanced at her. "Can we do something big after Ku Chan leaves?" the girl asked. "It¡¯s better not to;staying discreet is preferable," the man answered. "Are you worried about the local Qingchen Temple?" "No, Qingchen Temple is just a bunch of fake Daoists who only care about money, they have no real skills, their Daoist Skills are long neglected and in disrepair, they¡¯d be easy to get rid of. If it weren¡¯t for the fear of the Nine Sects finding out, Taizhou would have been our turf long ago." The man shook his head. "What is it then?" The girl frowned. "Two Special Envoys have come from the province, very skilled at investigating. They¡¯ve already reached our peripheral low-level members and caught over ten people. It¡¯s a thorny issue." "Then just kill them." "It¡¯s not that simple. They¡¯re protected by people from the Special Mission Bureau." "This won¡¯t do, that won¡¯t do, so annoying!" The girl couldn¡¯t help leaning back on the sofa, flailing her hands in the air. "The Sect Hierarch means that we need to find an opportunity to control them, we can¡¯t kill. Killing will definitely draw the people from the Nine Sects. This has to be handled delicately." The man said gravely. "It¡¯s from there that there¡¯s been contact with the Sect Hierarch again, right?" The previously silent man spoke up. "Perhaps. I¡¯m not sure, but right now everyone is waiting for the right moment." The handsome man replied. "What a hassle...." The voices quieted down, and the three stopped talking. * * * Early October. Taizhou was entering autumn, leaves were falling along the streets, a vision of withered yellow. Inside Qingchen Temple, a new group of Golden Jade class students had once again formed. Yu Hong and Guo Shangdong, not far away, watched a new batch of newcomers receive their introductory guidance while dressed in their Daoist robes. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At this moment, the autumn air was clear and refreshing, with the sun seeming bright but carrying little warmth. It slanted from above the courtyard of the Taoist temple, casting a bright light everywhere. "Brother Yu, how is your practice with the Guanwu Skill coming along?" Guo Shangdong whispered as he watched. "Not good... I find this Daoist Skill very challenging," Yu Hong shook his head, a troubled look on his face. He has been here for two months now, and the initial layers were quite simple. But he¡¯s been stuck on the Fifth Layer for a week already. Still, not a single move forward. "Master said it¡¯s normal to feel it¡¯s difficult. In the process of cultivating the Guanwu Skill, the most important thing is not to be impatient," sighed Guo Shangdong. "From what I¡¯ve gathered, the stronger a person¡¯s willpower is, the easier it is for them to complete the first step of Condensing. Once the Condensing is complete, as long as you successfully defeat it, you can break through. But an elder told me, the Fear Illusion that is condensed, its physical condition surpasses one¡¯s own... Defeating it is anything but easy." He had barely managed to enter the gateway in these past few days, Condensing out the illusion of the First Layer, only to be miserably defeated by it. "Have you heard about any Magic outside of the Daoist Skills?" Yu Hong asked softly. "Magic? Like handprints, dog blood, chicken blood, Hundred-year-old Peach Wood Sword, that sort of thing?" Guo Shangdong blinked. "I did ask about that, but the elder said without a foundation in Daoist Skills, using Magic is useless. It won¡¯t have any effect even if you use it." "Are you guys talking about Magic?" Xun Yang joined in from the side, smiling eagerly. "Xun Yang senior sister, come and give us two new juniors a lecture," Guo Shangdong promptly invited her to join the casual conversation. "If it¡¯s good, we¡¯ll treat you to a meal at Hualing Restaurant!" "You said it!" Xun Yang immediately got excited. "If you want to learn Magic, you must at least have mastered the first level of Daoist Skills because all types of Magic ultimately aim to facilitate calling forth the Fear Illusion we¡¯ve overcome in the face of danger and commanding it to crush the threat. In short, use my fear to make the opponent also fearful, thus losing their will to fight." "That¡¯s so mysterious?" Guo Shangdong exclaimed, "Senior sister, can the Fear Illusion really be summoned?" "Yes, but others can¡¯t see it, only you can. Simply put, it¡¯s you practicing until you hallucinate, and then using that illusion to overcome unknown threats. Of course, in practical application, it¡¯s mainly against those ethereal threats. If you expect it to block knives and bullets for you, forget about it," Xun Yang said with a laugh. "You can explain it like this?" Guo Shangdong was surprised. "Of course, an illusion you can control at will is called Daoist Skills. An illusion you can¡¯t control, that attacks you and affects your mental state, is called a mental illness," summarized Xun Yang. "..." Yu Hong looked slightly odd from the side. Having practiced up to the Fifth Layer, he indeed felt just as Xun Yang described ¨C his condition was roughly the same. "So this way, we can¡¯t run up walls and fly across rooftops like martial arts masters?" Guo Shangdong continued to inquire. "We¡¯re not training in martial arts, but it¡¯s still necessary to exercise. Didn¡¯t they teach us a set of Seven Feather Fist during the morning exercises? That¡¯s to promote blood circulation and stretch tendons and muscles. What era is it now that you still want to train in martial arts? Have you heard the saying, ¡¯No matter how high your martial arts are, a gun brings you down." Xun Yang said with a mischievous smile. "Ah... and here I was fantasizing for a long time," Guo Shangdong sighed. "So that means, all Daoist Skills are about training the mind?" Yu Hong couldn¡¯t help but cut in. "Definitely. With guns around, why use a knife? Wouldn¡¯t you be scared of a beyond-visual-range blast that could blow you away?" Xun Yang energetically waved her little fists as if it were obvious. "That¡¯s also true." Yu Hong nodded understandingly. "Our temple¡¯s Daoist Skills are still quite good. The Daoist Skills of the Nine Sects are really outrageous. Those who train to the higher levels, each one looks a bit inhuman. That aura, simply standing anywhere with their power released, feels like they could cleanse someone¡¯s body and soul completely, seriously outrageous!" Xun Yang used ¡¯outrageous¡¯ twice to express her shock. "Then in our temple, who has the highest level of Guanwu Skill?" Yu Hong asked again. "Who knows about that, just focus on your own practice. Unless you say it, no one will know at what level you are. If your practice goes awry, just get medicine to save yourself. The elders don¡¯t usually ask either. I only know that Official Disciples must at least complete one layer. The rest, I¡¯m not sure about," Xun Yang whispered. One layer... Yu Hong shook his head inwardly, isn¡¯t that something anyone can achieve with just hands? Chapter 291: internal comparison one "It¡¯s too hard..." Guo Shangdong couldn¡¯t help but sigh. "It feels like defeating the illusion is an endless journey..." "It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s always like this in the beginning." Xun Yang understood and patted his shoulder, "You¡¯re already doing very well, many people can¡¯t reach your level in a year. There are also those who regress in their Daoist Skills after their mindset falls." "....." Yu Hong didn¡¯t know what to say. He just felt that standing together with the two of them didn¡¯t seem quite right. Moreover, from Xun Yang¡¯s words, he felt that the corruption in Qingchen Temple seemed to be more serious than he imagined. The Guanwu Skill, a Daoist Skill that demands a strict mindset, could generally be judged by one¡¯s mental state when practiced well. And it¡¯s very likely that many mentors in the temple are no longer able to maintain their initial mental resolve. A decline in Daoist Skills seems to be the norm. Soon after, four members of the Dao Seed Class, led by Zheng Ming, also arrived. Four young Taoists, dressed neatly and with a detached demeanor, attracting quite a few glances as they entered. Then, the remaining senior disciples of the Golden Jade Class also gradually arrived. Finally, there were many pilgrims gathered around to watch the excitement. "Although I informed everyone in advance, only half of the Golden Jade Class could come, but even half is quite a lot," Guo Shangdong whispered to Yu Hong. "Indeed quite a few..." Yu Hong looked around at the now dozen or so people beside him, noting that the Golden Jade Class had accumulated quite a number of disciples over the years. When the number of people from the Golden Jade Class increased to twenty-one, it looked like a dense crowd. The temple¡¯s backyard became more and more lively. These people appeared to have diverse dispositions, seemingly from all sorts of professions, ranging in age from teenagers to those in their forties. Everyone changed into gray Daoist robes, forming small groups and quietly discussing topics of interest. The Disciples had almost all arrived, followed by the middle-level managers, the managing Taoists. They were divided into various roles like Chanting Taoists, Discipline Taoists, Music Taoists, and Registry Taoists. After waiting for more than ten minutes, the mentors entered, "Real People Yu Mo, Yu Fang, and Yu Zhong have arrived." The Chanting Taoist began his job loudly, holding a small Emperor Bell in his hand, which he gently tapped. Ding. At the sound of the bell, everyone¡¯s spirit was lifted. Three old Taoists, supported by young Taoist apprentices, slowly entered and took their respective seats. Everyone hurriedly paid their respects to the three. "Qingchen Temple, the regular internal competition, officially begins!" Among the old Taoists, Taoist Yu Mo stood up and recited the opening words loudly. "On this occasion of welcoming the new class, this internal competition not only showcases the style of Qingchen Temple¡¯s younger generation but also allows everyone to have a clear understanding and comparison of their own abilities." "Actually, this internal ranking is equivalent to the commission ranking outside..." Guo Shangdong whispered to Yu Hong below. "It can be like that?" Yu Hong was speechless, was everything really just about money, deliberately holding an internal competition to showcase one¡¯s strength and then setting public prices to earn extra money for the Disciples? Next, were the Magic demonstrations by the Dao Seed Class, led by the so-called two geniuses, including the always cold-faced, handsome Taoist who seemed to consider talking to anyone a waste of his time. He quickly went up, and soon a patient, allegedly possessed by evil, was brought to the scene. "I¡¯m in so much pain, who, who is cutting my flesh... Who is it!? Get out!!" The patient was tied to a metal stretcher, still struggling frantically as he was brought in, his eyes bloodshot and tears streaming down. "Don¡¯t worry, your pain will soon be relieved..." Zheng Ming took a few steps forward, standing beside his stretcher and placed his hand on the patient¡¯s forehead. Like an electric shock, the patient suddenly stiffened, then slowly closed his eyes, his expression softened, and then... he just fell asleep. Right in front of at least forty or fifty people, he fell asleep. Whirr. To a thundering round of applause. The watching crowd of pilgrims, mostly older folks, applauded enthusiastically giving him face. After witnessing the treatment, they loudly praised and commended it. Some even called out Zheng Ming¡¯s nickname. "As expected of the Jade-faced Taoist Lord Zheng Ming! Truly remarkable!!" Zheng Ming¡¯s face slightly reddened, pretending not to hear, but his gaze became even colder, he bowed to the surrounding crowd and the mentors and then stepped back. "The case stage ends, next is the internal ranking. This time, we start with the junior disciples of the Golden Jade Class. The assessment method will be a display of Daoist Skills, and our sect¡¯s Daoist Skills, due to special reasons, have a very unique assessment method," the assessing Taoist said loudly. He stepped back, opening the door to a large room. "The method is, after entering the combat room, to engage in one-on-one free-hand combat. Teaching the junior disciples the Seven Feather Fist in attack and defense. The winner proceeds to the next round." Upon hearing this, the members of the Golden Jade Class looked at each other. "Did I hear that our way of Cultivation involves assessment by literally fighting each other now?" a female disciple from the Golden Jade Class, clearly a newcomer, couldn¡¯t help but ask quietly. No one responded, even though many shared the same confusion, but since the sect¡¯s rules had set it this way, they would follow suit. "Ding Rou, watch me this time." Guo Shangdong felt confident upon hearing this assessment method. He patted Yu Hong¡¯s arm, "Your muscles are all show, they look big but are actually useless, if you can¡¯t handle it later, just shout to give up, got it? I¡¯ll go up and avenge you after." ".....Yeah." Yu Hong had no words to respond, just nodded to manage the other¡¯s mood, as after all, it was meant kindly. Although he didn¡¯t know why it was like this, but... it seemed that Daoist cultivation couldn¡¯t be assessed, it had to be observed through other means, for a simple judgment. After all, a person¡¯s spiritual willpower couldn¡¯t truly be measured without an extreme environment. Before long. Taoist Yu Mo and the other two old Taoists took their seats in the main area and began watching the combat. "The Golden Jade Class will first determine the top three winners and rank them, before the top three challenge the Dao Seed Class. Alright, begin now." Yu Mo gently sipped his wolfberry tea and gave the order. "The challenge officially begins. The top three from Golden Jade Class will receive an Anzai Talisman each and an Amulet each. The overall top three will receive a custom-made Dao Artifact each," the announcing Taoist explained loudly. Soon, the registering Taoist called up competitors according to the rankings of the Golden Jade Class, one by one. "The first match, Ding Shan versus Ding Hai." Two young men and women, completely lacking the temperament of Taoists, entered. The two were of different heights, the taller one had a face full of freckles, fierce in demeanor. The shorter one, looking confused, had twin ponytails. As soon as they entered, the door was closed. The freckled man suddenly made a move, taking the opportunity to launch a sneak attack, aiming a punch at the back of the twin ponytails. Snap. His punch was dodged, parried to the side by twin ponytails, hitting the air. Though the punch did not succeed, it did manage to annoy the surrounding audience. People began to cheer from behind the latticed windows, hoping for the freckled man to be defeated soon. Soon after, the two distanced themselves and each performed the Seven Feather Fist. The Seven Feather Fist, when performed slowly, made beautiful and soothing movements, like seven different styles of flying birds fluttering their arms. But now, in real combat, performed quickly, it appeared as graceful as a dance, with an additional mystical feel of a ritual. The audience enjoyed it immensely. Eventually, after a two-minute chase, twin ponytails won, knocking the freckled man to the ground with a punch. As she raised her hands, out of breath, and exited, the crowd applauded her. Though Yu Hong also clapped, he felt something... "No wonder it was rehearsed, indeed good, this effect." Xun Yang muttered nearby, and it was heard by him directly. Yu Hong, with a peculiar expression, looked at the excited onlookers outside and suddenly understood something. "Second match, Ding Qun versus Ding Yan." sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Soon, the announcer¡¯s voice rang out again. The second pair of Taoists entered the large room, this time two attractive women from the Golden Jade Class, one voluptuous and the other pure. The fight garnered even more interest from the audience outside. More and more onlookers gathered. Especially when there were accidental flashes of spring views during the fight, the cheers surged wave after wave. Yu Hong, seeing Guo Shangdong equally engrossed, shook his head, understanding what was going on. As time passed, match after match proceeded, not all were staged¡ªsome real confrontations were mixed in. Until the eighth match began. "Eighth match, Ding Rou versus Ding Zhong." Amidst the chanting, Yu Hong slowly entered the room, waving his hand at Guo Shangdong who was cheering for him behind. Squeak¡ªa sound, the door closed. He walked to the spot marked on the floor for confrontation, turned around and looked at his opponent. It was Ding Zhong standing there, a well-built, broad-shouldered, and flat-headed middle-aged man. His physique was robust and muscular, clearly someone who exercised regularly, evident even through his Daoist robe. "Greetings." The opponent raised his palm in a salute. "Greetings." Yu Hong returned the gesture. Apparently, for the sake of visual balance, they had arranged two disciples who appeared similarly built together. But as for his classmates in the Golden Jade Class, even if they were senior students who joined the class earlier, Yu Hong was less enthusiastic. No matter how powerful the Guanwu Skill and Seven Feather Fist were, what could practicing for just a short time achieve? "Let¡¯s end it quickly." He was too lazy to act. Puff. The door closed, marking the start of the fight. At the moment when the wooden door shut, Yu Hong stepped forward, making only the faintest of sounds, and in the blink of an eye, appeared beside Ding Zhong. A side palm strike hitting the waist. Bang. The attack came too quickly, so much so that Ding Zhong didn¡¯t manage to react. It was clear he had some training, but... "Ah!" He screamed, fell to the ground clutching his waist, unable to get up. "Ding Rou wins!" The announcing Taoist declared. "It¡¯s another sneak attack!" "It¡¯s not proper martial-ethics, shouldn¡¯t they have assumed a stance first?" "This man lacks martial ethics, despite having such a big stature." Yu Hong, listening to the noisy complaints of the audience outside, was at a loss for words. Was that really a sneak attack? He had already slowed down his speed considerably, but the opponent just couldn¡¯t react¡ªwhat could he do? After exiting the room, he returned to the side of Guo Shangdong, who looked reticent and odd, and quietly stood there, continuing to watch the fights. Chapter 292: Neibi 2 "One battle settled it all, and soon, it was time for the second round of selection battles, where all the winners from the Golden Jade Class would continue to fight each other to decide the final top three. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Guo Shangdong admitted defeat helplessly after being kicked in the abdomen by a female Disciple who looked pitifully delicate in the first round. Afterward, he kept insisting that he let her win because he was swayed by her beauty and fell victim to the Illusion Technique. He claimed that her Daoist Skills were too strong, scaring him stiff, and soon after he went to ask the girl for her contact information. Yu Hong had no comment to that. After a few uninteresting fights, Yu Hong entered his second match, deliberately slowing down his pace, waiting for his opponent to get ready before making a move. But he was still accused of sneak attacking, simply because, even at a slower pace, he was still much faster than the opponent, instantly running behind them and kicking, ending the battle in a flash, utterly lacking any spectacle. "When you slowed down you were still a bit too fast," Guo Shangdong couldn¡¯t help but finally speak out when Yu Hong came off the stage. "These are dead muscles;the speed of burst is also dead, not good," Yu Hong shook his head, sighing. "Ah? Even speed can be ¡¯dead¡¯?" Guo Shangdong looked perplexed, Not far away, Yu Mo, who was next to Xun Yang, lowered her head and couldn¡¯t help but shrug her shoulders a few times, seemingly laughing. Obviously, she had heard their conversation. But after only a few chuckles, she was stopped by Yu Mo. Yu Mo looked at Yu Hong, but her expression remained unchanged and quite calm. The ranking of the Golden Jade Class was quickly determined. Yu Hong deservedly ranked first, as he finished his fights the fastest and won every match. The ones who followed were Ding Zhong and Ding Yun. Ding Zhong was the person who had fought him in the beginning, another muscular man;while Ding Yun looked like a tomboyish short-haired girl, with military-like vigor in every move of her fists. "Next, after settling the ranks of the Golden Jade Class, we will begin with the top three challenging the four Dao Seeds of the Dao Seed Class, starting with the fourth Dao Seed, Zheng Hong. Will the three challengers take the challenge?" "Yes," Yu Hong nodded firmly. He had long been wanting to see for himself just how strong these Daoist Sect elites, raised from a young age, really were. After all, this is the same world that has always suppressed the Black Disaster from erupting, and in this respect, it might be much stronger than Yiyi¡¯s side. Therefore, he was also very curious about the strength of these elites. After confirming the battle, there was a break in the middle of the venue. The three Taoists, including Yu Mo, also started discussing quietly. "Ding Rou must have trained well in combat sports, strong and pretty impressive when moving. Pure combat skills give her an advantage," Yu Mo whispered. "But just being good at combat is not enough. You have to express the Essence Qi and mental strength of Seven Feather Fist, and your willpower, otherwise, facing evil resentful marks, no matter how capable you are, you might be possessed and turned into a puppet," Yu Fang, the Taoist next to her, gently shook his head. "Indeed, and Zheng Hong from the Dao Seed Class has also undergone specialized training. His physical fitness is strong, and he has engaged in practical battles against resentful marks. His moves are in a different league from the others;this time, Ding Rou will likely lose quickly," Yu Zhong, another Taoist, analyzed. "Indeed, sparring is not just mere fighting, but also about mastering Seven Feather Fist. If the mastery is poor, you¡¯ll be intimidated before throwing a punch, creating a heart of fear. By then, you may only be able to exert half of your full strength," Yu Mo nodded in agreement. He felt that he was not wrong;Yu Hong was just lucky at the beginning with a good timing for a sneak attack, those muscles were indeed dead, very strong but not flexible. Once he encounters an opponent that¡¯s sufficiently agile, their shortcomings will be fully revealed. On the other side, the three from the Dao Seed Class also started discussing quietly. "Ding Rou indeed has some skills, not sure if Zheng Hong can finish the battle quickly as always," a female Disciple whispered. "No need to worry, Ding Rou¡¯s muscles are big but they are rigid. He is strong in a straight line, but with a slight redirection, his weaknesses will be exposed. With Zheng Hong¡¯s strength, all he needs is a slight dodge to easily defeat him," Zheng Ming, currently the top of the Dao Seed Class, also gave his comments. "That makes sense." "Big brother still has a keen insight, instantly spotting the biggest difference between the two," the other two kept agreeing. At this moment, Yu Hong and the other side¡¯s Zheng Hong have started to enter the stage. Daoist Zheng Hong had a well-proportioned body with clear muscle lines, and his steps were light and powerful, exuding a clear and lofty temperament like high mountains and flowing water, naturally appealing to others. Yu Hong, on the other hand, was a massive man two meters tall. His muscles stretched the Daoist robe tight over his body, his face not as handsome as his opponent¡¯s, with a freshly-buzzed crew cut and a face full of tough flesh, exuding a suffocating aura like a raw, muscular devil. Both stood at their respective positions, waiting for the Taoist announcing the fight to introduce them. "Like you, spending so much time and effort in the gym to build up muscles, it¡¯s actually pointless," Zheng Hong said to Yu Hong. "As for us who practice diligently every day, training all over the body with pile standing skills to make the muscles groups flexible, and having the agility to create distance, only then can we unleash greater destructive power when the distance allows us to accelerate. Today, since everyone is here and the teacher has also asked me to demonstrate to the Golden Jade Class the proper way to practice and fight with true Seven Feather Fist." "....." Yu Hong. Seeing that Yu Hong didn¡¯t react, Zheng Hong paused and continued. "Looking at your previous moves, they were straightforward. Fast, yet lacking in fluidity and the agility of a bird soaring, if you don¡¯t believe it, let¡¯s test it now." He beckoned to Yu Hong. "The gap between us is actually much bigger than you think. So, to demonstrate the difference in level, I¡¯ll stand right here, you throw a punch at me with all your might, and do you believe that I can defuse that punch and then easily bump you flying out?" "This... Could this be too dangerous..." Yu Hong wanted to say more but hesitated. "Don¡¯t worry, let alone you beginners, once when I was in a state of deep contemplation and movement, I went to a nearby boxing gym to have some fun. I encountered a provincial champion from 2009. I let him punch me with all his might, and he agreed. As a result, when he threw the punch, I caught it single-handed in mid-air and stopped it before he could even finish the punch," Zheng Hong said confidently. "Then punch after punch, they were all intercepted just like that. Afterwards, he was convinced. He kneeled on the spot and wanted to become my disciple, to learn the orthodox Seven Feather Fist. I didn¡¯t agree. After all, our Taoist Sect¡¯s secret fist technique requires a serious and sincere trial, to become a disciple and exhibit enough sincerity." "Alright, we can start now. Zheng Hong, be mindful to restrain your strength;don¡¯t injure Disciple Ding Rou. When disciples spar, they should stop at a touch," Yu Mo spoke indifferently. "Yes, Master, no need to worry," Zheng Hong nodded, "Previously, a wrestler bigger than Disciple Ding Rou tried to throw me, but I could stand on one leg and remain unmoved. As for the Disciple¡¯s strength and speed, they are far from that wrestler. It¡¯s probably difficult for him even to make me take a step back." He pondered for a moment. "Given the huge gap in our strength and the worry of bullying the weak, I¡¯ll just stand still. If Disciple can make me take one step back, I¡¯ll count it as a loss. How about that?" "...." Yu Hong didn¡¯t know what to say. "The contest officially begins." The Taoist¡¯s voice rang out loudly. Inside the big room. Zheng Hong stood tall and motionless, his hands hanging down, his knees slightly bent, and his eyes seemingly closed, quietly standing in place. "Come on, Disciple, throw a punch at my chest;don¡¯t worry about accidents," he said calmly and forcefully, with a convincing quality to his voice. "Then... I won¡¯t hold back?" Yu Hong hesitated for a moment but decided to trust the other party, thinking that being able to resist Black Disaster for so long meant that he must have some substantial skills. "Don¡¯t worry..." Bang!! A shadow flashed, and Zheng Hong fell backwards. His body heavily hit the floor, bounced once, and then completely lay flat, unresponsive. Both eyes wide open, limbs sprawled out, not moving, with pupils dilated showing he was knocked out. Silence. A quiet silence. Yu Hong slowly withdrew his fist... staring at the fallen opponent;for a moment, he was a bit stunned. Did he just knock out his opponent with a single punch?! Outside the big room, the spectating Golden Jade Class, Dao Seed Class, and three teachers from the Yu Generation were all staring wide-eyed at this scene. Not only them, even the onlookers who were there for the excitement had their chatter cease suddenly at this point. Everyone was completely unprepared for the situation to develop in such a... such a dramatic manner... "It¡¯s not my fault;he told me to punch!" Yu Hong said speechlessly. He really, truly only used a tiny bit of strength, just the amount he would use when scrubbing off dead skin in a bath... Thinking to test the waters first, then gradually apply more force, but... "Quick, save him!!" "Brother Zheng Hong!" "He seems to be not breathing!" "And more, quickly perform CPR, press on the chest!! Hurry, emergency resuscitation!" "Quick, grab a hot towel, call for emergency services, what are you waiting for?" A bunch of people hurriedly scrambled into the room, surrounding Zheng Hong with various operations. Yu Mo and the three other teachers from the Yu Generation watched Zheng Hong for a while, then turned their gaze to Yu Hong, who wore a helpless face. "What¡¯s... what¡¯s all this about!" Yu Mo banged on the armrest of his chair, his face showing a headache. "Disciple Ding Rou¡¯s physique, is it really that strong? Just one punch and the person is knocked out...?" One of the Taoists, Yu Fang, couldn¡¯t help saying. "Isn¡¯t it? I¡¯ve seen Zheng Hong in action before, his strength is actually one of the best among the disciples. It¡¯s just that... I didn¡¯t expect him to encounter someone this tough this time," the third Taoist, Yu Zhong, agreed, his face also full of speechlessness. "Looking at it, Golden Jade Class still has some substance. Although the overall quality is not as good as Dao Seed Class, occasionally there is a good seedling like Ding Rou," Yu Fang nodded. It seemed incredible to him that Golden Jade Class could produce a seed that could knock down someone from Dao Seed Class. "Sigh...It can¡¯t be said that way, it should be that Zheng Hong was careless and didn¡¯t use his powers, the true strength and quality of Dao Seed Class hasn¡¯t been shown," Yu Mo quickly gave face to Dao Seed Class. As he said that, he also glanced at Yu Hong, not expecting the young man to move so fast. Zheng Hong didn¡¯t even get the chance to use his skills before being hit. Logically speaking, with those bulky muscles, he shouldn¡¯t be so agile, right? He was dumbfounded. Zheng Ming and the other three from Dao Seed Class were even more dumbstruck by that punch. Watching the hectic rescue scene on the field, the three were dazed for a moment. "Zheng Hong, what happened!?" Zheng Ming said with an ugly expression, "Could it be that he was not careful with his Essence Qi, and got the wind knocked out of him temporarily? His Seven Feather Fist has reached the Feather Robe Realm capable of naturally dodging and deflecting, how could he be knocked out with one punch..." Chapter 293: Technique 291 One "It¡¯s possible he was short of breath. Zheng Hong talks too much, and I guess he was still trying to catch his breath when he got ambushed. This time, he made a fool of himself, got knocked out by a junior from the Golden Jade Class, and will be laughed at forever," Zheng Xia sneered. "He was too careless." Zheng Ming nodded, accepting this guess, "Don¡¯t be careless later. As soon as you get on stage, take it seriously. Win back the face we lost." "Okay. Leave it to me, Zheng Hong was too careless," Zheng Xia nodded. "I¡¯m not as careless as he is." Soon, Zheng Hong was sent to the hospital, and Yu Hong stepped up to face the second seed from the Dao Seed Class, Zheng Xia. "First of all, I¡¯m not as easy to ambush as Zheng Hong. You just got lucky with him. But now, your luck has run out," Zheng Xia said loudly, assuming a fighting stance. Yu Hong: "...." *He was already too tired to argue. The strength of the Dao Seed Class really gave him a bit of a headache... It was better to finish this quickly.* "Let me show you, one of the true secret techniques when the Seven Feather Fist is mastered!" At this moment, Zheng Xia¡¯s body began to shake slightly. This shaking stabilized again after two seconds, as if it hadn¡¯t continued. However, Yu Hong, with his keen eyesight, could see that her shaking hadn¡¯t stopped but had increased in speed and frequency, making it look as if she wasn¡¯t moving at all from a distance. "See, this is the Feather Robe Realm. Once I start moving, any approaching attack will be evaded first. If it can¡¯t be evaded, most of the force will be disarmed, making it easily deflectable," Zheng Xia said proudly. "Zheng Hong was just too careless, allowing you to get close with your speed and knocked out with one punch. But I...." BAM! Before she could finish speaking, her right cheek was struck squarely by a punch. The Feather Robe Realm¡¯s dodge tremor, although desperately trying to lessen the force, still... The force remaining wasn¡¯t something Zheng Xia could withstand. A dull thud sounded. Her facial muscles were squeezed and twisted, her whole body trembling violently as she was knocked down to the ground, her head feeling a bit dizzy. "You... this isn¡¯t even the Seven Feather Fist!!" she screamed shrilly. "....." Yu Hong did not argue. Indeed, while others¡¯ Seven Feather Fist was like fluttering wings, graceful and fairylike, his Seven Feather Fist was like seven dump trucks swinging their doors, looking down on the ground to see who ran fastest. If they were slow, a door would be slammed down. The style difference was extremely apparent. "Sigh...." On the main seat, Yu Mo and the other two were stunned again. This time, they were truly speechless, only able to sigh deeply. *Before the fight, who could have predicted Ding Rou¡¯s combat strength would be this formidable in power and speed?* "Was¡­ was that really the Seven Feather Fist he used?" Yu Zhong asked in a low voice. "Haven¡¯t you seen it after all these years of training?" Yu Fang rolled his eyes at him in disbelief, "It¡¯s the Seven Feather Fist. The moves are correct;it¡¯s just that his speed is fast, and he¡¯s immensely strong... Yu Mo, your disciple is something. Was he professionally trained in combat before?" Yu Mo: "...." *He thought back to when he was patting Yu Hong¡¯s arm, calling it muscle of death¡­ Now, looking at the disciples knocked to the ground one after another, his face felt like it was burning with embarrassment.* "Yu Mo, this won¡¯t do if it continues. The Dao Seed Class can¡¯t keep losing. If they lose completely, where will our Qingchen Temple¡¯s face go? If word spreads that our elite disciples, nurtured since childhood, were easily defeated by an outsider who just joined and is apparently good at fighting, it would challenge our ranking and valuation," Yu Fang explained in a low voice to Yu Mo. "What do you think we should do?" Yu Mo understood this well too. "Tell Ding Rou to lose the next match," Yu Fang whispered even lower. "Otherwise, look at a few of the important patrons who previously supported Zheng Xia." Upon hearing this, Yu Mo looked over and saw that those patrons had unpleasant expressions and were still whispering among themselves. "Got it?" Yu Fang continued, "If this happens among our long-trained Dao Seed Class members, no problem, no one would object. But now? Ding Rou, a newcomer of only three months without much training, is defeating our elites with just speed and strength. Won¡¯t outsiders think that Qingchen Temple is weak rather than Ding Rou being strong?" Yu Mo and Yu Zhong nodded slightly, understanding the point. "So now, there¡¯s only one solution: on one hand, elevate Ding Rou, recognizing him as a genius, while on the other hand, elevate the Dao Seed to make sure they win the next match beautifully to restore face," Yu Fang spoke solemnly. The other two nodded deeply upon hearing his words. At this time, Yu Hong was ready to begin the third challenge. He was offstage resting, drinking water, eating sweets, and sitting on a wooden chair. "Ding Rou... you actually won again!?" Guo Shangdong approached with a peculiar expression, hands behind his back. "I find it strange too, didn¡¯t expect to win so easily..." Yu Hong shook his head, showing a confused expression. *He wondered how such weak strength could have dealt with those terrifying and strange resentful marks incidents? Could it be that it was all talk?* "Indeed, logically, the Dao Seed Class shouldn¡¯t perform this poorly¡­" Guo Shangdong nodded, agreeing with this. It wasn¡¯t just them;everyone else from the Golden Jade Class was getting a bit uneasy. They initially joined in hopes of protection, believing that Qingchen Temple had strength to offer. Now.... Ding Rou, a new recruit of just under three months, had easily defeated two Dao Seed Class elites... If the elites were this weak, what protection could they realistically offer them? Was there any point in having the "prestigious" Golden Jade Class status even? S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "You see the atmosphere¡¯s a bit off...." Guo Shangdong whispered softly. Yu Hong nodded, sensing the same thing. *But actually, he felt that Zheng Xia still showcased something.* Her whole body trembled seemingly for no reason, but in truth, his punches slipped off very slightly. It was just so minor, he barely noticed. *But if it were an ordinary person... maybe...* "I think the Dao Seed Class still has something. Just now...." Yu Hong was about to explain when he suddenly saw Xun Yang walking over to him. The other person moved Guo Shangdong and the others away, then whispered as he got close. "Ding Rou, Master Yu Mo asked me to deliver a message: lose the next round for the sake of appearances;there will be adequate compensation afterward." "....." Yu Hong was speechless. According to the Cultivation Technique, Qingchen Temple definitely had real skills, but.... *After a moment of silence and under the increasingly tense gazes from Xun Yang and the three from the Yu generation, he finally nodded.* Xun Yang breathed a sigh of relief, turned back to report. Leaving Yu Hong and Guo Shangdong standing there with complex expressions. Dang. "Third Dao Seed challenge, Ding Rou vs. Zheng Shi! Prepare to enter!" the Taoist announced loudly, catching everyone¡¯s attention. Yu Hong and Zheng Shi, the second in the Dao Seed Class, entered the large room together. "Please." Zheng Shi glanced over at Master Yu Mo, exchanged looks, and having received prior advice, felt much more at ease. *Watching Yu Hong¡¯s continuous performances, especially in his previous fight against Zheng Xia where he broke the Feather Robe Realm with a single punch, really scared him.* *He was just a bit stronger than Zheng Xia, not much difference, but he too was in the Feather Robe Realm.* *If they were to really fight... he didn¡¯t think he¡¯d stand a chance.* But now.... The room doors closed quietly. Right away, Yu Hong advanced again, quickly throwing punches. Zheng Shi met the move, countered, but was blocked. The two exchanged blows at a breathtaking speed, making it look like a fierce, evenly-matched battle. Zheng Shi only felt this speed was hitting his ultimate limit;just a bit faster, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to withstand it. Furthermore, his attacks were just right, at the angles and timing most convenient for him to intercept. It was rather enjoyable to fight like this. He didn¡¯t have to worry about much, only about making his moves look good, fast, and powerful. During a minute of intense sparring sounds, Yu Hong, momentarily inattentive and gasping for breath, was out of stamina, and got hit on the shoulder, stumbling and admitting defeat. Zheng Shi extended his hand, helped him up, and together they smiled and saluted the crowd. Though Yu Hong lost, the attention he received afterward far exceeded what he had before. Many eyes continuously turned to him, from both Qingchen Temple and the outside audience and patrons. The last match had Zheng Shi facing the strongest genius, Zheng Ming, and Zheng Shi was effortlessly knocked to the ground by a punch and couldn¡¯t get up. The two fully demonstrated the strength and demeanor of Zheng Ming, the top genius in the Dao Seed. Through this internal competition, the Dao Seed Class managed to save face to some extent. When dispersing, everyone was extremely focused on the dark horse Yu Hong who suddenly emerged. As they each left, they whispered and discussed with great interest. Yu Hong, meanwhile, was called to the Quiet Room in the backyard by Xun Yang. Creaaakk. The wooden door softly creaked as it closed gently after Yu Hong entered. Inside the Quiet Room, not only were Yu Mo, Yu Zhong, and Yu Fang present but also the first genius, Zheng Ming, who had just cemented his position in the final battle. The four of them looked over the moment Yu Hong walked in, their gazes fixed on him at the entrance. "He¡¯s here;you can discuss what to do among yourselves," Yu Fang said sternly. *What do they mean?* Yu Hong squinted at them, noticing that Zheng Ming looked a bit unpleasant, while Master Yu Mo and the other two appeared displeased as if a bit angered. "Master, two Shishu, and Senior Zheng Ming, why was Ding Rou called here? Is there something going on?" he asked respectfully. "Junior Brother Ding Rou, the earlier comparison outdoors doesn¡¯t count. Here, in front of the three masters, you and I will have a solo match. Can we?" Zheng Ming asked earnestly. "Well...." Yu Hong immediately looked at Yu Mo. The latter shook his head. "Mere combat and grappling abilities don¡¯t prove anything. When faced with something like a resentful mark, relying on fists isn¡¯t effective. Fighting ability is just part of the puzzle, not the whole;Zheng Ming, there¡¯s no need to be overly concerned about this," Yu Mo explained. "Exactly, Zheng Ming, you¡¯re too fixated." "The reason we hold internal competitions is because Daoist Skills can¡¯t prominently display differences through external indicators. If you can pretend, you can claim to be at any level, as the Fear Illusion of the Guanwu Skill is only visible to you. But this practical combat ability is very direct and allows the outside patrons to clearly see our Qingchen Temple¡¯s strength," Yu Zhong explained. "Yes, indeed. Driving away resentful marks is still reliant on Daoist Skills. I just happen to be a bit good at fighting, but when it comes to resentful marks, I¡¯m far behind you, Senior Brother," Yu Hong also chimed in. Chapter 294: Technique 293 II "However..." Zheng Ming wanted to speak again, but Yu Mo interrupted him. "There are no ¡¯buts¡¯, Zheng Ming. In reality, when considering pure combat abilities, our judgment is that you two should be evenly matched. But the current issue is, if you can¡¯t win swiftly, it will damage the reputation of the temple and hurt the business of our shops everywhere. Thus, you and Ding Rou cannot act. Even if you do, Ding Rou must lose," Yu Mo quickly said. "....." Zheng Ming¡¯s face turned red with embarrassment as he looked towards Yu Hong. Yu Hong nodded at him in agreement. "That¡¯s the way it is." "Don¡¯t you care about your own victory or defeat?" Zheng Ming couldn¡¯t help but ask. "I have compensation, so why should I care? I¡¯m not here just to practice fighting but to learn the real deal. Victory or defeat doesn¡¯t matter," Yu Hong said, waving his hand casually. "....." Even the person concerned didn¡¯t care, which left Zheng Ming somewhat at a loss. In the end, he stood frozen in place for a moment, then let out a long sigh and disconsolately walked out of the Quiet Room. Leaving Yu Hong and three masters inside. "Alright, now that he¡¯s gone, Ding Rou, you cooperated well this time;your performance was very good. As your master, not being able to provide you with enough fairness during critical moments is my mistake," Yu Mo sighed, "But for the sake of the bigger picture, for the whole Qingchen Temple, we have no choice." S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Master, you¡¯re taking it too seriously;it was what Ding Rou should do," Yu Hong earnestly said. "Fortunately, even though fairness is hard to achieve, as your master, I can still manage enough compensation," Yu Mo said, pinching his beard with a smile on his face. "Tell me, what compensation or reward do you want? We¡¯ll try our best to fulfill it." Although he felt a bit embarrassed about the harsh words he had said earlier, after all, it was his own disciple. To randomly invest resources and, by chance, come across a good seedling, he could develop it as the temple¡¯s face during ordinary times. After all, most ordinary people can¡¯t see how powerful your Daoist cultivation is, but fighting abilities and practical combat capabilities are rather self-evident. Now that a promising young talent has emerged from the Golden Jade Class, it also reflects well on Yu Mo, so his attitude towards him is quite accommodating. "As for the compensation..." Yu Hong pondered a while, "Disciple would like to get an early exposure to the application of Daoist magic. After all, disciple came here for this." "Magic... have you entered the threshold of Daoist Skills?" Yu Mo¡¯s expression changed slightly, and he suddenly asked. Not just him, but the other two, Yu Zhong and Yu Fang, who had been relaxing and ready to start eating the fruits and seeds in front of them, all paused their movements and looked over upon hearing this. "I have entered the threshold... It felt quite easy at the beginning, but then I hit a wall and couldn¡¯t make it past. I was actually hoping to consult my masters on how to break through," Yu Hong earnestly said. "You¡¯ve entered the threshold... with just that, your talent is considered average, but if we add your formidable combat prowess¡­ you¡¯re a truly good seedling!" Yu Mo exclaimed, his face visibly showing pleasure, and his eyes seemed to start shining. The other two were nodding in agreement. "That¡¯s impressive..." "Not bad, not bad, it indeed is great fortune for our Qingchen Temple this year to have another promising talent!" "Alright, Ding Rou, tell us, what exactly are you stuck on? The three of us here can solve a thing or two for you easily," Yu Mo said with a relaxed smile. "Yes..." Yu Hong nodded, "It¡¯s about when I chant and silently recite scriptures, the issue of overlapping phonetic sounds arises. The annotations say that two sounds need to be produced simultaneously, and in some parts, even three sounds at once. Disciple doesn¡¯t know how to resolve this?" "Producing two sounds simultaneously and three sounds simultaneously, that¡¯s easy. You just need to find the appropriate Dao Artifact, and while silently reciting, lightly tap it, and you can...." Suddenly Yu Mo¡¯s voice stopped abruptly. His smile rapidly froze, and his eyes turned to Yu Hong¡¯s cheek. "Wait, isn¡¯t this content from the Fifth Layer??" The other two old Taoists also realized this by now. They looked at Yu Hong with odd expressions on their faces. "This is Guanwu Skill¡¯s Fifth Layer phenomena of producing two sounds simultaneously. Ding Rou, in practicing cultivation, one must not overreach;otherwise, if the foundation is not solid, facing great tribulations in the future, it can be harmful to oneself and others," Yu Zhong couldn¡¯t help advising. "But Disciple really feels like I have cultivated to the Fifth Layer... I just need to condense and defeat the Fear Illusion, layer by layer. It was quite easy at the beginning," Yu Hong said seriously. The Quiet Room quietened down for a moment. Yu Mo and the two others exchanged glances, falling into silence. The testing of Daoist Skills is often not quantifiable, unless a resentful mark appears for him to try. Otherwise, others can¡¯t see how many illusions Ding Rou can summon. Furthermore, theoretically speaking, it¡¯s indeed possible for someone like Yu Hong, who not only has exceptional talent but also has an immensely tenacious willpower, to quickly progress through the Guanwu Skill, theoretically making it possible to burst through four layers and get stuck on the Fifth Layer. But...the chances of that...are incredibly slim. More likely, another explanation had a much higher probability... "Breaking through the Fifth Layer¡ªYu Zhong, you have more experience in this area;why don¡¯t you have a look?" Yu Mo couldn¡¯t help but turn to his junior brother, Yu Zhong. "..." Yu Zhong couldn¡¯t remember when he broke through the Fifth Layer¡ªit was many years ago. His highest cultivation reached the Seventh Layer, which was also the record in the temple, but now, after years of diminishing willpower, he had regressed layer by layer and was no longer able to control the Fear Illusions of the Seventh Layer. At most, he could summon the Sixth Layer. "Never mind, I¡¯ll do it." Seeing him like that, Yu Mo knew he must have largely forgotten about this area. Left with no choice, he had to personally inquire about the details. Time slowly passed by, and after more than half an hour. In the Quiet Room, the three old Taoists looked at each other, all silent as they stared at Yu Hong. "It all matches up...." Yu Mo said in a low voice. "It seems, it¡¯s real...." Yu Zhong rubbed his hands, feeling a bit hot. "Even the details are there... this..." Yu Fang fondled the Jade Pendant on his neck, his lips dry. The three of them faced Yu Hong, and although all the details matched, theoretically, if someone had prepared by memorizing and meticulously pondering in advance, it was still possible to achieve such a disguise. "If only Yu Han were here¡­" Yu Mo murmured to himself. Yu Han was a devout Taoist who had always maintained his cultivation at the Seventh Layer, but had recently been expelled by the current Temple Master due to differing opinions. It¡¯s safe to say that when it came to Guanwu Skill, he was the top expert within the temple. If he were here, he could certainly discern whether Yu Hong was genuine or a fraud. Alas... "Do I invest or not?" Yu Mo felt that it was worth taking a gamble. He observed Yu Hong¡¯s eyes and felt that the man did not seem to be psychotic. After all, there was once a disciple who was delusional, fantasizing that he had reached the pinnacle of Guanwu Skill, with the same resolute look and coherent speech. But Yu Hong was different;his resolute gaze was clear, lacking the chaos and murkiness of insanity. Yu Zhong looked over at Yu Fang. After the tests, both had a foundation in their minds. "Invest!" "We can invest!" The two nodded together. "Fine! At worst, we¡¯ll just lose some resources, but our Qingchen Temple is not short on anything else¡ªwe have plenty of money! We can afford to gamble!" Yu Mo decisively slapped his thigh. Despite Yu Hong¡¯s unknown background, and the fact that he was not a local, his advanced age, and his recent induction, none of that could outweigh one factor¡ªtalent. If Yu Hong¡¯s talent proves true, how would they cope if they slighted him and pushed him into joining another Taoist Sect? Especially considering how understanding Yu Hong was, taking initiative to maintain the Taoist Temple¡¯s reputation and cooperating with the mentors. It had been years since they encountered such a promising candidate with such awareness of the big picture. Investing resources in him, given his initiative, would not be a loss. "Ding Rou, from today on, you will formally join the Dao Seed Class, becoming the fifth Dao Seed, enjoying the equivalent treatment of the other Dao Seeds. Additionally, concerning the Resentment Technique which you wish to understand, the temple will open all its records to you. You may also attempt to practice our exclusive Qi Condensation and Shadow Transformation Technique." Yu Mo said solemnly. "The difficulty of Qi Condensation and Shadow Transformation Technique is immense, and it requires substantial mastery of Daoist skills. When you practice, make sure that the Fear Illusions you summon are under your control. Otherwise, once the Technique is used and the illusion is out of control, it can cause great harm to you first." Yu Hong was overjoyed and nodded quickly. "Disciple understands!" With this, his true goal had been achieved. Guanwu Skill and Qi Condensation and Shadow Transformation Technique should represent the core essence of Qingchen Temple. Next, using Qingchen Temple as a stepping stone to enter the Taoist Sect and come into contact with the high-end powers of the Nine Sects would be naturally forthcoming. The power that has been sealing the entrance to the Black Disaster and suppressing it for many years... Yu Hong was very curious about this. After the decision by the three real people of Yu Mo to jointly invest fully in Yu Hong, they, of course, informed the Temple Master and other high-ranking officials promptly. Following discussions, Yu Hong¡¯s status as the fifth Dao Seed was swiftly confirmed. Starting from that day, Yu Hong¡¯s status had completely changed. His requests for resources were responded to promptly and with high quotas. Any materials he needed were delivered to his residence by a Taoist as soon as possible. In theory, aside from specially powered talismans that he couldn¡¯t obtain, he could freely use anything else, as long as it wasn¡¯t too outrageous. Moreover, after confirming the situation, Yu Mo also gifted him a three-bedroom apartment in the city center. He was also provided a thirty-something-year-old Taoist as an assistant. Not only was he exempt from paying, but he also received an additional salary of twenty thousand yuan a month for living expenses. His only mandatory obligation was to participate in the sect¡¯s fixed promotional activities. Of course, these were of little concern to Yu Hong, who was truly focused on how to break through the Fifth Layer of Guanwu Skill. Especially after acquiring the Qi Condensation and Shadow Transformation Technique, his desire grew even stronger. * * * Black Wind Camp. The frigid wind and snow were howling outside the sturdy gate. The sky looked blue with a hint of dark gray, the thick clouds obscuring the stars and moon. Yu Hong stood behind the door, peering through the viewing window outwards. The Ultimate Gate of Cosmic Divine Light had been mostly frozen over, the surroundings akin to a fortress of ice, with only the front continuously releasing blue mist. This mist kept rising and converging into the sky, becoming the fundamental source of light for this sky. "Guanwu Skill... coupling with Dao Artifact..." Yu Hong stood behind the door, in a room as warm as spring, and then looked out at the bitter cold temperatures of well below minus one hundred degrees Celsius. He became lost in thought for a moment. In his hand, he held a standard Dao Artifact from Qingchen Temple. It was a black bell engraved with runes, but this bell could not be rung. According to Master Yu Mo, it required using fingers with a special sealing method to strike the surface. Only by striking to produce a simultaneous dual tone could the Fear Illusion cohesion of the Fifth Layer be truly completed. "It¡¯s difficult, but given time, I should be able to overcome it. However, this Qi Condensation and Shadow Transformation Technique... is quite interesting..." Yu Hong took out a dark blue, thread-bound booklet and began to flip through. ¡¯Using one¡¯s own Essence Qi to fill the illusion can amplify its effects. At the highest level of training, one can influence reality to a certain degree. The so-called Qi Condensation and Shadow Transformation is about reaching a level where one can turn Fear Illusions into a part of one¡¯s own shadow, manifesting thousands of shadows at the thought. According to the records, it has a powerful targeted effect against resentful marks.¡¯ The Qi Condensation and Shadow Transformation Technique consisted of four techniques, perfect for him to try out here once he masters them, to see if they could affect the Black Disaster. Chapter 295: Road One The four techniques of Qi Condensation and Shadow Transformation Technique are extremely complex. Yu Hong studied them bit by bit according to the secret manual, sought help from Yu Mo occasionally to resolve his confusions, and then barely understood how to practice them. This Technique is the fundamental Magic Skill of Qingchen Temple, emphasizing the guidance of emotions and sentiments to drive the Essence Qi inside the body, combined with Fear Illusions to enhance and then harness them. Because emotions are involved, each practice session unconsciously incorporates the practitioner¡¯s personal temperament and character. As a result, the Fear Shadows thus conjured naturally vary in strength and reality. The stronger the emotions, the more enhancement the Fear Shadows receive. Fortunately, with Yu Hong¡¯s wholehearted dedication to diligent study and practice, along with the help of the Tao Breath Circulation characteristic of the Cultivation Technique, he managed to master these four techniques after more than a month. Inside Black Wind Camp. Yu Hong stood in the center of the courtyard, with one hand erect in front of him, close to his chest, his eyes slightly closed. After standing quietly for several seconds, he suddenly brought his index and middle fingers together, forming a sword finger pointing forward towards the snowy ground. "First Technique¡ªDress Damage!" Hiss! A faint sound, audible only to himself, exploded. An indistinct humanoid figure, pale all over, with a bizarre smile, flashed out of nowhere and appeared above the snow. The figure was exactly the same as the first Fear Illusion he conquered. "Go." Yu Hong watched this Fear Shadow, changed the Seal in his hand, and issued a command in his heart. The shadow immediately rushed forward, vanishing into the snowy ground outside the camp in the blink of an eye. Yu Hong observed carefully, and under the blue light, he noticed that the Fear Shadow was not running but flying swiftly through the air. It crossed several tens of meters in an instant and continued to fly further. Soon, after flying out over a hundred meters, the Fear Shadow suddenly dissipated, then reappeared on the snowy ground in the courtyard. "Control distance over a hundred meters? Not bad," Yu Hong noted this distance. "Next, let¡¯s see the actual effects." He moved forward actively, running out of the camp with the Fear Shadow, moving through the forest. Soon, as they ran, the camp was left behind, the blue light above his head gradually dimmed, and the surrounding light became eerily darker. The reach of the Light Disaster¡¯s Ultimate Gate was quite weak here. Zzzzt. Yu Hong stopped, finding himself in an unfamiliar wilderness surrounded by completely iced-over dead trees that appeared like ghosts in the dark, gnashing their teeth fiercely. Black mist began to disperse around, decreasing the visibility to a mere dozen meters. Shapes of humanoid shadows, indistinct and soundless, moved within the black mist, their faces unclear. "Go." Yu Hong commanded the Fear Shadow to charge forward into the group of shadows. "Kill them," Yu Hong ordered in his mind. The Fear Shadow hesitated briefly, approached a male shadow, suddenly reached out, and tightly grasped the shadow¡¯s neck, its nails piercing deeply into the skin like spikes. Immediately, the shadow struggled with both hands, frantically scratching him. In the mist, the Fear Shadow¡¯s strength was clearly superior, easily tearing the shadow into pieces, turning it into grey-black mist that dissolved into nothingness. His own body sustained no significant damage. Following that, Yu Hong controlled it to eliminate more than ten additional shadows around. After dealing with so many shadows, the form of the Fear Shadow slightly faded, apparently much consumed. What surprised Yu Hong was that the Fear Shadow seemed to be considered a kindred spirit by the shadows and was not attacked en masse. Once they fought, it was just one-on-one duels. He noted this characteristic, then stayed around waiting. Time slowly passed. One hour. Two hours. Three hours... No shadow appeared around. Yu Hong¡¯s expression became solemn. "Could it really..pletely solve the shadow regeneration phenomenon!?" This world had been persistently retreating precisely because the Black Disaster continuously and endlessly resurrected. If the resurrection issue could be resolved, the peril of Black Disaster would dramatically decrease. "Further observation is needed... perhaps recreation doesn¡¯t always happen at a fixed location." S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yu Hong analyzed in his mind, but regardless, he faintly saw a glimpse of hope. "If the recreation can indeed be resolved, then it¡¯s understandable that the Nine Sects have always been able to handle Black Disaster, keeping it at bay." With a wave of his hand, dispersing the Seal, Yu Hong saw the Fear Shadow fly back and merge into his own shadow beneath him. "Next, let¡¯s try the others." He continued traversing through the black mist, and soon, in the darkness ahead, a figure with long black hair hung from a rope in the trees, swaying with the wind, dripping drops of black blood. Seeing that figure, the Red Value Detector on Yu Hong¡¯s shoulder spiked instantly, the number rushing up to ten thousand. "A new type not seen before..." Yu Hong pinched a Seal, and suddenly a phantom flew out of his shadow below, coalescing into the previous Fear Shadow form on the snowy ground, rushing towards it. Puff! Unfortunately, before the Fear Shadow could get close, it was fixed in mid-air by an invisible force, then exploded like a balloon, completely dispersing. Yu Hong only felt a slight prick in his head, not painful, just uncomfortable. ¡¯Try a stronger one.¡¯ He pinched a Seal again. The snow rapidly condensed into a blurry, transparent human form. This time, it was an Evil Shadow Language Person! As soon as the Language Person appeared, its body sprouted dense, bright red mouths. A large number of eerie sound waves were sent towards the opposite, suspended human form. Simultaneously, as the sound waves spread, the legs of the suspended human form slowly turned into the same transparent, jelly-like texture as the Language Person. This was Yu Hong¡¯s first direct observation of how a Language Person attacks an unknown entity. Ah!! In an instant, the suspended human form burst into black gas, rippling like waves. It opened its mouth to emit a sharp scream, and the black gas rushed towards the Language Person, clashing with the invisible sound waves in mid-air, forming a clear demarcation line. The black gas was buffeted by an invisible wall, tumbling around. Clearly, both sides were wrestling directly. ¡¯Second Technique¡ªNayuan!¡¯ Seeing this, Yu Hong quickly employed the Qi Condensation and Shadow Transformation Technique. Instantly, he felt a slight tremor in his body, and a bit of his strength disappeared. Then the Language Person¡¯s body swelled, its entire form grew in size, and the sound waves it emitted quickly suppressed the opponent¡¯s black gas. Soon, the sound waves dispersed the black gas, striking the suspended human form and sending it flying backwards, crashing into an Ice Sculpture Tree and shattering into pieces like tattered cloth. The fragments scattered in the air, continuing to try to rush towards the Language Person, but while still mid-air, the fragments were swiftly transformed into transparent, jelly-like substance, falling to the ground and quickly crawling onto the Language Person, merging with it. ¡¯Not bad.¡¯ Yu Hong nodded in satisfaction. Next, he conducted over ten tests, searching for different intensities of shadows, Evil Shadows, and Blood Tide Monsters, finally testing out the results. The Fear Shadow summoned by the Qi Condensation and Shadow Transformation Technique was stronger than the actual entity of the Black Disaster. In the combat, he was also able to use the latter three Techniques to enhance and restore it. This style of combat, similar to summoning, was quite novel. But Yu Hong already possessed the Infinite River Technique and had experience with the Dragon Lizard Nest, so he adapted quite quickly. Soon, after completing the tests, he began to make his way back the same route. Halfway through, passing the location where he had dealt with the suspended human form, Yu Hong checked the detector. ¡¯-47.214¡¯ "No regeneration?" A hint of anticipation began to form in his heart. Continuing on his way back, he kept his eye on the locations where he had previously dealt with the shadows. For the sake of comparison, he had also manually dealt with some shadows before. Now, these shadows had revived and stood in the black fog, staring at him motionlessly from a distance. Only those shadows dealt with by the Fear Shadow had not reappeared. By the time he returned to the camp, Yu Hong could almost confirm that the Qi Condensation and Shadow Transformation Technique indeed had the effect of completely resolving the Black Disaster! Realizing this, he was immediately overjoyed and rushed to the nearest Gray City Base. If this universally applicable cultivation method could be mastered, perhaps, this world could have a bit more hope. Of course, to avoid a repeat of the Eternal Life Association situation and to prevent easy access leading to it being undervalued, he needed to impose some restrictions, to sift through and find the right people to whom he could pass on the Magic Skill. After all, the disasters that can be brought about by a corrupt heart can sometimes be greater than the Black Disaster itself. The Black Mark was about to finish its enhancement, which would be perfect for solidifying a Magic Skill that could control and ensure loyalty, preventing another scenario like the Eternal Life Association. Under the whistling snow, atop the ruins of a collapsed building. Yu Hong held a bright flashlight, searching for the entrance to the underground base. Before long, he halted his steps, and stomped down hard with his right foot. Bang!! The rubble of cement and rocks suddenly collapsed, exploding into a five-meter wide pit. ¡¯The Taiyuan True Method¡¯s Second Layer has greatly enhanced the physical body... the power has increased, yet the body weight is even lighter than before.¡¯ Yu Hong compared his current strength to his previous capabilities and made an estimation. He stomped again. Bang!! Another pit within a pit appeared beneath his feet. Snow and lime dust mixed together, scattering in all directions. After waiting for over ten seconds, a thick, dark gray cement door emerged in front of Yu Hong. "It¡¯s completely sealed off..." Zhang Kaijun had cut off contact with the outside and decided to eat the food inside, then die in the base. But that was under the premise of seeing no hope;now that Yu Hong had hope in his hands, considering their friendship, he decided to give him a hand. "You still owe me the Biological Transformation Potion, I can open it and then seal it back." He walked lightly to the stone gate and placed one hand firmly on its surface. Streams of Inner Qi rapidly circulated and surged into the interior of the stone gate. Hiss. In an instant, his fingers deeply pierced into the stone of the door, and then his Inner Qi rapidly strengthened the structure of the large gate. Then he forcefully lifted upward. Bang!! The stone gate, which had been frozen to the ground, suddenly broke off. The stone gate, weighing hundreds of tons, was lifted, revealing a dark gap. Yu Hong took the opportunity to flash his body through. Bang. The stone gate slammed back down, sealing off completely. Chapter 296: Road 294 Second Behind the door. Yu Hong was met with darkness, and in front of him was a stairway leading underground. The passageway was grey-black in color, with dark red bloodstains covering the walls. The safety lights tainted with blood cast a faint green glow, making the place all the more gloomy. Yu Hong¡¯s expression darkened as he looked down the passage;there was no sound from below. "Zhang Kaijun!?" He called out. No one responded. Yu Hong glanced at the Red Value Detector;the value displayed on the LCD screen had already reached four digits: -1187.234. Suppressing the unease in his heart, he moved quickly into the passageway. Step by step, he proceeded along the corridor. On the ground around him, on the walls, the bloodstains grew more and more abundant. The entire corridor seemed to have completely turned into a sea of blood. Seeing this, a hint of despondency flashed across Yu Hong¡¯s face. He seemed to have guessed what had happened here. He continued to walk inside. Soon, the passageway leveled out, leading into a square black hall with ventilation fans still spinning. In the hall, bodies covered in white frost and frozen stiff were densely piled together. At a glance, the ground was covered with corpses. They were wearing protective suits, with no obvious wounds, but underneath them flowed copious amounts of blood, frozen into red crystals that blanketed the entire floor. "Zhang Kaijun?" Yu Hong called out again. Still, no one replied. Yu Hong checked the bodies but confirmed that he did not see the other party. He continued towards the other passages connected to the hall. Room after room passed by him, with doors open or closed, but inside and outside on the ground were bodies in blood-soaked waters. There were no shadowy figures, no Evil Shadows, not even a Blood Tide, only bodies and silence. Before long, a silver-gray metal door appeared in front of Yu Hong. He pushed it open and entered. In this large room filled with various supply boxes, right in the center, a figure in a blood-stained protective suit was struggling to crawl out of one of the boxes. Thud. The person lay down on the ground, face up, the transparent visor of the helmet filled with white mist. "Yu Hong?" the shadow asked weakly. "It¡¯s me," Yu Hong responded. Recognizing the voice. "Old Zhang... was it the Evil Shadow?" "Yes... a new type of Evil Shadow... I was too naive... the materials from the sun had no effect on it..." Zhang Kaijun chuckled weakly. "The Talisman Array only had a little effect¡­ they seem to be evolving, developing a resistance to the luminous stone..." "Is there anyone else alive in the base, aside from you?" Yu Hong sighed. "428..." Zhang Kaijun spoke in a solemn tone. "What?" "4, 2, 8... the hidden Talisman Array compartment on the wall... it¡¯s up to you..." Zhang Kaijun¡¯s voice trailed off. "I¡¯m too tired, let me rest for a while..." Yu Hong wanted to speak, but suddenly the scene before him blurred, just for a blink of an eye. The Zhang Kaijun before him vanished instantly. There was no sign of the figure in the protective suit on the ground, nor any trace of anyone having lain there, nothing at all. "Zhang Kaijun??" Yu Hong¡¯s heart sank and he called out again. There was no response. He quickly went to the supply box from which Zhang Kaijun had emerged and lifted the lid with his hand. It was empty inside. Now he finally noticed that on one side of the room, there were lines in the wall resembling drawer cuts. At intervals, there were numbers marked on the wall. Shortly thereafter, Yu Hong saw the number Zhang Kaijun had mentioned. 428. It corresponded to a number for a hidden compartment drawer on the wall. He reached out, lightly touching to find a small recess. Hooking his fingers into it, he forcefully pulled it outwards. Swoosh. A large drawer suddenly opened on the wall. Inside the silver-gray metal drawer was a somewhat familiar black-haired girl, curled up. The girl was wearing a silver protective suit, with a line of markings on the side of the helmet: Comprehensive Experiment Subject No. 428. Through the glass visor, Yu Hong seemed to recognize why he found her familiar. Because the girl¡¯s face... bore some features of Zhang Kaijun, stern, with distinct features and contours that were very similar. He gently reached out, pressing his hand against the side of the girl¡¯s neck to feel for a pulse. ¡¯Still alive.¡¯ Yu Hong quickly lifted her out with one hand, then went checking through the other drawers. Unfortunately, there were no more miracles. Inside were other people, but all were dead, breathless. Zhang Kaijun, who had just been talking, had also disappeared without a trace. In a completely sealed underground base, he had vanished as if evaporated from the world. This made Yu Hong involuntarily focus his gaze on the No. 428 he was holding. With the only living person in hand, he quickly searched for a while, but ultimately exited the base and headed back to Black Wind Camp. Half an hour later. Within the camp, in another sealed cavern right next to the safety house cave. Yu Hong used black cloth to thoroughly seal the crevice at the cave entrance, preventing any light from shining in. Then he turned around, looking at the black-haired girl who had awakened and was slowly sitting up. The girl looked to be about seventeen or eighteen years old, youthful and delicate, with an unusual silver-gray color in her eyes, instead of the common black, blue, or other colors. "You and Zhang Kaijun, what is your relationship?" Yu Hong asked her directly. "Daddy." The girl answered calmly. "He¡¯s my dad." "...." Yu Hong was at a loss for words, he remembered that Zhang Kaijun wasn¡¯t even married, so where did this grown daughter come from? And how old was he himself? But no matter what, the girl¡¯s face indeed resembled Zhang Kaijun¡¯s. "What¡¯s your name?" "Zhang Kajing." The girl replied. "Did you save me, Uncle Yu Hong?" "Yes... What are your plans for the future?" Yu Hong asked. "I don¡¯t know... My dad told me to follow you," the girl responded. "I¡¯m not obligated to take care of you, and there are neither the conditions nor environment here to do so," Yu Hong frowned. "Go to Hope City, I¡¯ll send you there." "Hope City, too, is doomed. There is no hope in this world," Zhang Kajing said calmly. Yu Hong watched her, feeling that there was something off about the girl. Whether it was the way she appeared or her demeanor and manner of speaking, it all conveyed an unnatural stiffness to him. "So you want to follow me?" "Yes. Dad said if there¡¯s anyone in this world who could survive to the end, it would be you," Zhang Kajing said solemnly. "That does sound like something he would say," Yu Hong nodded slightly. Looking at this child, no matter how he felt she was hiding many things, he wasn¡¯t willing to manipulate a child, considering Zhang Kaijun¡¯s situation, nor did he deem it necessary. "Your father and the others at the base, they all died, aren¡¯t you sad?" he asked suddenly. ".... I¡¯m very sad, but I¡¯m numb now, I just want to live according to my father¡¯s last wishes," Zhang Kajing answered, her pretty face tranquil, showing no sign of sorrow. "...." Yu Hong was at a loss again. Is that expression meant to be sad? He instructed her not to leave the cave at will, as all her daily activities had to be confined within, otherwise, she¡¯d be confused by the Light Disaster¡¯s rays as soon as she went out and dissolve into part of the Cosmic Divine Light. He stuffed a pile of food and drink for her and brought a hot water pipe from the safety house cave to increase the temperature inside her cave. Only then did he leave, returning to the base to search for clues. Inside Gray City Base, with a more thorough search, he finally found a large number of records of Zhang Kaijun gathering researchers to perform frantic human experiments. Then Yu Hong understood why that guy had been so determined to seal off the entire base. He had been attempting to mutate a special type of cell that could fully adapt to the Black Mist and the toxic air. Many places conducted such experiments, but his was different;he found a case of someone mutating into the Black Disaster, and after sacrificing more than a dozen people, he successfully obtained part of the target¡¯s body tissue cells. The reason Zhang Kajing was number 428 was that she was the four hundred and twenty-eighth human subject experimented on. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. And the previously unsuccessful experiments finally made a breakthrough this time. Thus, thrilled by the progress, Zhang Kaijun named her Zhang Kajing. With the sound of flipping pages, Yu Hong sat in the cave reading all the experiment records, which abruptly ended here;all subsequent records were gone, either destroyed or taken away. "Zhang Kajing..." Yu Hong closed the documents. "Forget it, let¡¯s start the game over there first, then come back and solve the issues here." He stood up, left the cave, and went to another cave where the Dragon Lizard Nest was stored. Swish. The moment he entered, numerous red eyes suddenly opened in the darkness. These were the black Dragon Lizards that had accumulated over several months. This time, he planned to take most of the Dragon Lizards to another world to deal with potential trouble. After all, left here with slow movements in the cold, these Dragon Lizards wouldn¡¯t be of much use. When he came back next time, if the Black Mark strengthening was almost over, and he managed to control the situation with the Magic Skill, he would go to Hope City to select and impart Daoist Skills to the chosen seeds. He couldn¡¯t deny his self-interest;he didn¡¯t want the Cultivation Method he passed on to be used against him in the end. So he had to set up advanced restrictive measures. It¡¯s fine to use them against the Black Disaster, but not against him. * * * Huangsong Island world. Taizhou City, Wangyue Villa District. Inside the private villa of Yu Mo, the old Daoist. Yu Mo, Yu Fang, Yu Zhong, the three old men looked at Yu Hong, who had just completed demonstrating the four techniques of the Qi Condensation and Shadow Transformation Technique. Their hands trembled as they held their teacups, their eyes slightly unfocused. Fast. Too fast!! Just now, Yu Hong had demonstrated all four techniques of the Qi Condensation and Shadow Transformation Technique to them, showing off his proficiency. "It¡¯s been such a short time... Truly, truly it¡¯s..." "With all-out cultivation, with Ding Rou here, our Qingchen Temple is bound to achieve great things in the future!" "What does the Temple Master say?" "The Temple Master asked us to confirm whether the situation is true, and if it is, to spare no expense, everyone should step aside for Ding Rou. As long as he can surge up in Cultivation, our Qingchen Temple will definitely be able to turn the tables at the year-end Taoist Sect competition! Ding Rou is absolutely the most talented person in a hundred years of our Qingchen Temple!! Without a doubt, the strongest!! If he can perfect the Daoist Skills and the Qi Condensation and Shadow Transformation Technique, who in the Taoist Sect would dare to say in our faces that our Qingchen Temple is in decline!?" "Exactly!! Cheers! This is truly a blessing from heaven! A golden opportunity!" Yu Hong listened to the emotionally charged words of the three old Daoists, his face still showing a faint smile, calm and composed. The forty Dragon Lizards he brought had already been distributed around Taizhou. Having confirmed that the Secret Technique here could completely destroy the Black Disaster, he was also very interested in the other Magic Skills of the Taoist Sect. At the same time, he was more interested in their methods of sealing and blocking the entrance to the Black Disaster. And to gain access to these, he needed to truly ascend to the upper echelons of the Taoist Sect. So... Starting as a genius, step by step to the top, quickly reaching the upper levels of the Nine Sects through the competition is the most orthodox and quick method. And the Dragon Lizards could act as his eyes and subordinates to do some things he was not convenient to handle personally. Chapter 297: Dao Artifacts Part 1 Qingchen Temple¡¯s separate courtyard. The vast Qingchen Temple has over a hundred disciples;naturally, it¡¯s not possible to have only one Taoist Temple point. There are thirty-six different-sized separate courtyards in total, serving as both warehouses and research bases. "Yes, you heard right, research bases." Inside the separate courtyard, Zheng Xia, who was responsible for guiding, explained somewhat irritably, "We are researching the improvements of the fundamental Technique Qi Condensation and Shadow Transformation Technique. As well as the optimization of the Daoist Skills Guanwu Skill." She and Yu Hong were currently standing inside a separate courtyard near a small county town in Taizhou, visiting the research projects here. Through the observation window, one could see old Taoists with white hair, holding scriptures and notebooks, operating various instruments in enclosed labs, testing volunteer disciples, and recording data, rapidly calculating something. "It looks very impressive..." Yu Hong had not expected that Qingchen Temple was so progressive and sincerely admired it. "Otherwise what did you think? That we took so much money just to enjoy ourselves? A significant reason is for the elders who were injured and couldn¡¯t continue to eliminate malevolent spirits;without money, they wouldn¡¯t receive proper care. Now with enough funds, not only do these elders receive excellent treatment with their injuries being healed to the greatest extent, but they can also fully utilize their experience to develop new technologies, materials, and methods beneficial for the entire Taoist Temple." Zheng Xia spoke about this and stood straight with a proud look on her face. "That makes sense." Yu Hong nodded in agreement, having only known that Qingchen Temple was eager for money, but he hadn¡¯t realized such deep logic and reasons behind it. "That¡¯s right;therefore, everyone in the temple supports the current Temple Master taking charge of the situation," Zheng Xia sighed. Seeing Yu Hong¡¯s genuinely admiring look, she felt a little less resistant in her heart. She felt this person was not as hypocritical as before. "Let¡¯s go, this time it¡¯s specially instructed by the masters, to clear the way for all resources given to you. They spent a high price to purchase the raw materials and managed to refine a batch of Heart Changing Pills, three pills in a batch, this time they said they would give you one.... tsk tsk¡­" Zheng Xia didn¡¯t know what else to say. Just from a hint of minor news from her master, she understood that this disciple Ding Rou in front of her must have exceptional talent;otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t allocate a Heart Changing Pill, which msters fight over every year, to him. "Heart Changing Pill?" Yu Hong asked with curiosity, "What are the effects of this elixir?" "It forcibly stabilizes your Daoist Realm, rapidly advancing your Daoist cultivation by one level. However, one can only consume one pill every two years, and it is ineffective for advancing to the Ninth Layer. Because the Daoist cultivation can regress, often these pills are used... you know." Zheng Xia explained. "....." Yu Hong was shocked internally, Qingchen Temple looked unassuming, yet it housed such great items!? "Shocked, aren¡¯t you?" Zheng Xia smiled, "There are more surprises hidden in the future. Did you really think we people of Qingchen Temple are fools? Giving up fame and so much just for money? Money, aside from providing comfort, holds no purpose if it¡¯s not spent properly, to produce the most top-tier effects." "Then, doesn¡¯t that mean there are many high-level Daoist practitioners in the temple? These could entirely be achieved with the aid of elixirs," Yu Hong asked. "You think the masters wouldn¡¯t want that? But it¡¯s not possible because the materials needed for these elixirs are extremely rare and hard to come by, and the failure rate is also very high. This batch of elixirs was accumulated over many years and was only successfully refined into a few pills due to good luck;giving you one is already incredibly significant," Zheng Xia replied. "So that¡¯s how it is! Senior sister Zheng Xia knows a lot, I have learned much." Yu Hong sincerely performs a palm-to-palm salute. "You don¡¯t need to be this formal..." Zheng Xia blushed a bit from such a formal gesture, quickly turning her head away. "Daoist cultivation does not advance but regress;don¡¯t depend on this pill forever. Once regression starts, it can happen within just a few days, even faster, in some extreme cases it can lead to immediate collapse of the Dao Heart, resulting in complete control loss over the Technique, suffering backlash. It¡¯s exactly because of this, our Taoist Sect pursues a balanced and stable approach as the most important." "I understand this point." Yu Hong nodded. For a moment, the atmosphere became a bit awkward, and they both fell silent. They passed through two small courtyards inside the separate courtyard and approached a three-story building at the far end. A thin, elderly man with a goatee was already waiting at the door for a long time. After some pleasantries, the elder took out a black box, already prepared earlier, and handed it to Zheng Xia. Zheng Xia opened the box, checked it, then handed it over to Yu Hong. Yu Hong took the box, inside was a pale golden pill about the size of a marble. The pill was packed around with various bits of cotton, straw leaves, etc. "Close it up, take it directly when needed. Next, I¡¯ll take you to see a Dao Artifact," Zheng Xia glanced at the black bell on Yu Hong¡¯s waist. "The Dao Artifact, your Emperor Bell is just among the standard, considered superior. The master asked me to take you to the Inheritance Hall." "Inheritance Hall?" "Yes, that¡¯s the most important place in our Qingchen Temple, where the personal Dao Artifacts of past temple elders are stored. Some Dao Artifacts, simply because they have been used for a long time, have a very strong aura imbued in them, and they can significantly enhance Daoist skills and techniques," Zheng Xia explained. "That¡¯s incredible!" Yu Hong exclaimed. "Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll take you to see." Zheng Xia held her head high, leading Yu Hong away from this separate courtyard, toward the Inheritance Hall. Inheritance Hall is located underground of a museum in the city area of Taizhou. On the surface, it appears as an exhibition museum, but beneath lies another universe. Before the two arrived here, Yu Mo and Temple Master Yu Hen, the Taoist, were already waiting. On a sunny day, under the shade of trees, they stood side by side, watching various tourists coming in and out of the museum. "If Yu Hong passes this test at the Inheritance Hall, he will henceforth be one of the mere three core disciples of Qingchen Temple, receiving treatment on par with Zheng Ming and Zheng Ying," the Temple Master said earnestly, without his usual frivolity. "I do think there shouldn¡¯t be any issue. However, isn¡¯t this a bit too soon for Hong?" Yu Mo hesitated a little. "It¡¯s not too soon. Didn¡¯t Zheng Ming and Zheng Ying also go through this at the same time? Moreover, if Yu Hong¡¯s Daoist Skills are indeed at the Fifth Layer, then using Inheritance Hall to test him at the Sixth Layer will be ineffective," Yu Hen said sternly. "By using the Inheritance Dao Artifact¡¯s ancestral spirits to check whether he holds malicious intentions and to verify whether his talents are as strong as he claims, this might be our only method." "We could take him to deal with the resentful marks as a test," Yu Mo suggested. "That could only show that his Daoist cultivation and Technique cultivation are strong, but it can¡¯t reveal his true intentions. Enough about this, if Yu Hong harbors no ill intent, then the Inheritance Hall will be greatly beneficial for him. If he can obtain one or two Inheritance Dao Artifacts, he will possess a great self-defense against the resentful marks and the Black Disaster," Yu Hen smiled. "That¡¯s true," Yu Mo nodded. Their conversation shifted to other affairs related to the temple¡¯s industries. Soon, the wide-open doors of the museum saw a white luxury car slowly pulling up. The car door opened, and Zheng Xia escorted Yu Hong out, exchanged some greetings with the Taoist at the door, and then walked briskly towards them. "Zheng Xia | Ding Rou, we greet the teacher and Temple Master," both of them bowed to Yu Mo and Yu Hen. "Rise. This time, qualification for the Inheritance Hall is both a test for Ding Rou and a reward for you. All official disciples of the Dao Seed Class have been here, yet only Zheng Ming and Zheng Ying received recognition from the Inheritance Dao Artifacts and took one from here. So, if you can also take one, it will greatly aid your future," the benevolent Yu Hen smiled. "Disciple understands." Yu Hong had already got the gist from Zheng Xia on the road here. He was also very curious about this Inheritance Hall. "Speaking of which, the Inheritance Hall was also neglected for a long time previously, its secrets undiscovered. Later, when the temple had funds, we repaired the ancestral spirit tablets and then discovered a whole new world. This could be considered a great gift left by our ancestors to our descendants, only that we were too poor before...." the Temple Master sighed deeply, leading them along a small path in the museum to a corner where a hidden elevator was located. He pressed for the third basement floor, and the elevator began to rapidly descend. "Outside people always say I, Yu Hen, am greedy for money, but without money, the Inheritance Dao Artifacts can¡¯t shine, and the inheritance can¡¯t arrange self-transferring ceremonies. Without proper maintenance, many Inheritance Dao Artifacts might even degrade over time. Is this the price we have to pay for preserving tradition? No, I, Yu Hen, do not condone this!" The Temple Master became impassioned, caught in self-admiration. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "After I took over as Temple Master, I devoted myself to improving our financial situation, torturing my mind endlessly...." The rest was a bunch of nonsense about his own achievements. Yu Hong outwardly showed respect, but his ears automatically filtered out this part of the conversation. *Ding.* The elevator reached its destination. He followed his two seniors out of the doors, and in front of them was a fan-shaped gray stone hall. Facing them, the hall had three doors, each round-shaped and styled like the Tai Chi Diagram, with inscription on them. Respectively, they are: Avoidance, Defense, Intimidation. "Ah, this is the Inheritance Hall. The three doors are for escaping, protecting, and attacking;you choose yourself," the Temple Master straightforwardly interpreted, pointing at the three doors. "Can¡¯t you be more elegant, brother?" Yu Mo couldn¡¯t help but quip. "But that¡¯s precisely what they are. I¡¯m only worried Ding Rou wouldn¡¯t understand," Yu Hen confidently retorted, not admitting his lack of culture. Yu Hong, with a suppressed smile from Zheng Xia, stepped forward, sensing the different auras from the three doors. Actually, he didn¡¯t think this Inheritance Dao Artifact would be of much help, considering his own strength, and having trained to his current powerful physique, Dao Artifacts didn¡¯t seem very necessary. "Ding Rou, do you feel that an Inheritance Dao Artifact can help much? It all depends on one¡¯s own cultivation after all. Being a supreme talent, you probably have such thoughts, right?" Taoist Yu Mo behind him precisely touched upon his thoughts, smiling as he spoke. "Uh..." Yu Hong straightened his face, "Disciple indeed was a bit arrogant... I apologize, Master." "It¡¯s not arrogance. Every genius before entering here has such thoughts. Just like you, both Zheng Ming and Zheng Ying felt the same," Yu Mo smiled and continued. "But... That¡¯s because you are unaware of the power of the Inheritance Dao Artifacts. Essentially, the Dao Artifacts here were crafted by our ancestors using many now-lost materials, similar to storing spiritual thoughts." "Storing? Spiritual thoughts?" Yu Hong narrowed his eyes, "Master, what is this spiritual thought?" Chapter 298: Dao Artifacts Part 2 "Spiritual intent is the potential existence of a soul;to this day, no one can be sure, no one can truly observe the essence of a soul. The deities worshiped by our Taoist faith, and the wild gods spoken of in folk tales, most are spiritual intents. You can think of them as harmless resentful marks," Yu Mo explained. "Why not just say it¡¯s a soul?" Yu Hong asked again. This showed Yu Mo¡¯s world had a fundamental understanding of souls and many other things, a rare chance to understand the mysterious system here. Naturally, he wouldn¡¯t let it slip away. "Because spiritual intent only possesses some of the characteristics of the souls found in legends. They follow certain fixed patterns of behavior, give feedback, but do not possess true, complete free consciousness. They are quite sensitive and flexible within their own domain, but quite rigid in other respects," Yu Mo answered. "Everything has a spirit. Modern scientific research has found that we humans are made up of countless cells working together. Since countless simple consciousnesses in cells can construct us humans, why can¡¯t they construct other similar entities?" Master Yu Hen chuckled as he interjected his explanation. His words completely overturned his usual image of foolishness and greed for wealth, making Yu Hong look at him with newfound respect. "So, the Inheritance Dao Artifacts store the spiritual intents of generation after generation of our Qingchen Temple¡¯s ancestral masters. They have become very powerful and can vaguely connect with Heaven, endowed with Divine Intent," Yu Mo said. "If you can obtain one, facing resentful marks and the like, your strength could instantly skyrocket." Heaven???! Yu Hong felt a chill in his heart. Finally, he was hearing about the top power structures of this place. "What is Heaven?" he asked, showing curiosity. "We¡¯re not sure;we only know that it is a special space that one can ascend to only after one¡¯s spiritual intent becomes exceedingly strong. It¡¯s full of all kinds of extremely powerful Divine Intents. Not all are friendly, most don¡¯t distinguish between good and evil. Whoever can harness these forces will descend to our world and offer power. What people call Divine Intent is the terrifying power formed when spiritual intent is strengthened to its limit and sublimates. Such power can directly intervene in reality;this isn¡¯t something you need to consider right now. For the moment, let¡¯s stay grounded and focus on properly connecting with the Inheritance Hall," Yu Mo said with a smile. "Yes, Disciple understands," Yu Hong said, uncertain if this Heaven was the same one he had heard of in his previous life, but feeling that what Yu Mo described was different. He pushed aside these thoughts for now. His gaze turned to the three Tai Chi Diagram doors. ¡¯It seems that this Inheritance Dao Artifact could be very helpful to me.¡¯ Revising his previous lack of enthusiasm, he thought and took the initiative to walk towards the door marked with a golden turtle. ¡¯My speed is sufficient for now. Facing a Source Disaster, it¡¯s impossible to claim a quick victory and solve the problem in a short time, so first I need to ensure my own invincibility. Therefore, defense first!¡¯ Seeing him heading towards the golden turtle, Yu Mo and Yu Hen behind him both showed admiration. "Prudent in thought, measured in action, a clear understanding of oneself, excellent," Yu Hen nodded in satisfaction. "It seems this time in the Taoist Sect competition, it might be Qingchen Temple¡¯s turn to rise!" Yu Mo also nodded, stroking his beard. Snap. Yu Hong reached out and touched the stone surface of the golden turtle door. Hiss. The stone gate, following the seams of the Tai Chi Diagram, opened to both sides, revealing a small yellow-lit room inside. Yu Hong entered the room, scanning all around. The black racks against the walls were all made of black jade, each with a groove carved out, and within each groove, there lay all sorts of items. Among these items were Emperor Bells, Daoist robes, Treasure Swords, Scimitars, as well as teapots, chairs, Shields, and more. Each item had a label underneath indicating which ancestral masters had used them before. Some had a long list of names, while others only a few. Yu Hong slowly walked along the jade racks, and before long, stopped in front of a dark red Horse-cutting Saber, two and a half meters long. ¡¯The bigger it is, the heavier, the stronger. I need to fully leverage my advantage of having great physical strength. This suits me.¡¯ Yu Hong glanced at the Horse-cutting Saber;this item was the biggest and heaviest here. Below it, there were only two names recorded, showing that not many ancestral masters were able to use this weapon freely. The label on the Horse-cutting Saber also had a detailed description of its function. ¡¯Time-sharing Blade: Can amplify Daoist Skills by one layer, Techniques by two layers. Those recognized can briefly connect with Heaven¡¯s Four Seasons realm Divine Intent and gain the assistance of the Four Seasons Saber Spirit in combat. The connection time depends on the individual¡¯s Daoist cultivation level;the higher the cultivation, the stronger the Fear Shadow as the carrier, the longer the Four Seasons Saber Spirit will manifest.¡¯ Four Seasons Saber Spirit... It sounded very formidable. Yu Hong did not immediately choose this item because here, it was not he who chose the Dao Artifact, but the Dao Artifact that chose him. After making a round, he also found a Meteor Hammer quite fitting - it also amplified Daoist Skills, Techniques, and was able to connect with the Divine Intent descending from Heaven. The Dao Artifacts here were obviously much stronger than the plain bell he had before which, besides being made of sturdy material and aiding in practicing Daoist Skills, had no other functions. There was also a headpiece, a Dao Crown, with a very simple design like leaping flames. The label on this Dao Artifact indicated it only amplified Techniques, but the amplification was significant, directly strengthening the power by more than fifty percent. For those with weaker Daoist Skills and unable to perfectly control the Fear Shadow, it could become an immediate death omen. ¡¯This suits disciples who aren¡¯t skilled in Techniques but have high Daoist cultivation.¡¯ Yu Hong had his eyes opened this time. After carefully examining each Dao Artifact, he finally returned to the front of the door. As the Temple Master had said, he closed his eyes and slowly started his Daoist practice. Cool breaths began to circulate back and forth between his temples. Oddly, as he began to practice his Daoist Skills, all the Dao Artifacts in the room seemed to be activated, releasing a similar breath. In Yu Hong¡¯s perception, originally everything was dark and hazy. But as each Dao Artifact released its own breath, the shapes and forms of the Dao Artifacts began to illuminate within the darkness he perceived. Around them swirled many chain-like runes glowing with a faint white light in the dark. Vaguely, silhouettes began to emerge within the white light, overlapping. The blurred faces of Taoists appeared one by one in the white glow, looking towards Yu Hong. Countless cool breaths mixed together, forming imposing and terrifying pressures that bore down on Yu Hong. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yu Hong¡¯s previously relaxed attitude gradually became solemn. He had thought that even if the Inheritance Dao Artifacts here were powerful, they wouldn¡¯t be too strong. But now it seemed... the system here entirely focused on the spiritual aspect. If the presence of his current Fifth Layer Daoist cultivation was to be defined as a numerical value of 1, Then the presence of each Dao Artifact before him was erupting with a strength of at least 10. This was a force stronger than his own being, capable of generating a unique sense of spiritual threat. He could sense that the presence of these Dao Artifacts was like living beings, tentatively touching him, observing him. They carried with them a hazy sense of doubt, hesitation, and... shock. ¡¯Are you worried that I harbor ill intentions?¡¯ Yu Hong found this point and showed a slight smile on his face. He spread his arms and said confidently, ¡¯Everything I wish to do has never meant to harm anyone.¡¯ He covered his heart with one hand. ¡¯Do you feel it? The goodwill in my heart.¡¯ * * * Outside the door. Yu Mo and Master Yu Hen of Qingchen Temple stood in silence, somewhat expectant yet also worried. "If his mind is impure and his nature vile, solely relying on deceit to fool us, then the Inheritance Dao Artifacts would have retaliated instantly upon entry. But there¡¯s been no fluster so far, which clearly means Ding Rou is fine," Master Yu Hen said gravely. "I¡¯m not worried about that. I¡¯m worried about whether he can bring out an Inheritance Dao Artifact," Yu Mo frowned and said. "Alas... my Qingchen Temple is now weak in disciples, with only Zheng Ming and Zheng Ying successfully bringing out two each, but both belong to the most basic Yellow Level Dao Artifacts in the hierarchy of Heaven and Earth¡¯s mysteries, with minimal enhancement and not very strong summons, at most capable of invoking Divine Intent one level stronger than oneself," Master Yu Hen nodded, "Ding Rou could be the most talented disciple in my temple in a hundred years, reaching the Fifth Layer of Daoist cultivation in mere months, mastering the Qi Condensation and Shadow Transformation Technique completely. With such talent, surely our ancestors would care to favor him somewhat?" "Hopefully..." Yu Mo sighed. In the hierarchy of Heaven and Earth¡¯s mysteries, each level¡¯s power could be differentiated with numerical values: for Yellow it¡¯s 1, then Profound is at 100, Earth at 10,000, and Heaven at a million! The gap in between is as wide as the heavens and the earth. "With Ding Rou¡¯s talent, if he could be guarded by a fine Dao Artifact, his path ahead will be much safer," Yu Mo said solemnly. Behind the two of them, Zheng Xia also had a complicated expression on her face, not stating what was on her mind. Although initially defeated by Yu Hong with a single strike, humiliating her and causing deep resentment towards him, hoping he wouldn¡¯t obtain a good Dao Artifact, best if he couldn¡¯t get any Inheritance Dao Artifact at all, Yet, as a disciple of Qingchen Temple, she hoped that he would get an excellent one. While their thoughts fluctuated, Buzz. The Stone Gate of the golden tortoise slowly parted, and a burly figure walked out slowly. It was Yu Hong. He held nothing in his hands, simply walking out in his gray-white Daoist robe. Had he failed? Just as this speculation crossed their minds, Suddenly, their gaze landed on a blue-purple crescent moon jade pendant on Yu Hong¡¯s chest. The pendant was shaped like a crescent moon, surrounded by cloud patterns with hidden faces and even some mysterious twisted monstrous figures within. As Yu Hong moved, the patterns refracted from different angles on the pendant also showed different images. "Is this... did he get a Dao Artifact? Or... is this something he brought in with him?" Master Yu Hen tentatively asked. "Ding Rou." Yu Mo was more direct, asking aloud, "Did you... get an Inheritance Dao Artifact?" A deep sense of anticipation showed on his face. Not just him, Master Yu Hen and Zheng Xia also had the same look in their eyes. A good Inheritance Dao Artifact, if it has powerful innate Divine Intent, could instantly add a practical expert to the Sect. In the current declining state of Qingchen Temple, with no strong experts to rely on, and only these old-timers arranging formations to barely defend themselves, everyone, all the disciples who witnessed the Sect¡¯s grand competition, hoped for a true powerhouse to emerge. And the Inheritance Dao Artifact was the only shortcut to becoming a powerful expert in haste. Yu Hong stepped out of the Stone Gate, looked up at the three, and revealed a composed smile. "Mission accomplished," he declared, pinching the blue-purple crescent pendant on his chest, lifting it up. "This is the Dao Artifact that has acknowledged and accepted me." "Guang Han." Guang Han? Master Yu Hen and Yu Mo closely observed the pendant. "What level of Dao Artifact is it?" "It¡¯s Profound Level. It enhances Daoist Skills by two levels, increases the power of Techniques by thirty percent, and can summon a Divine Intent named Chang¡¯e that devours all things," Yu Hong explained the Dao Artifact, his own eyes twitching slightly. Did he not know the story of Chang¡¯e flying to the moon? After coming to this place, it turned into Chang¡¯e... always hungry, huh? Chapter 299: Dao Artifacts Three "Profound Level!" Yu Mo and the others immediately felt relieved that there was no failure, but a trace of disappointment also welled up. Yu Hong¡¯s talent was already so formidable;could it really not secure the best Dao Artifact? "With Ding Rou¡¯s talent, she can only gain recognition at the Profound Level. How outstanding must Ku Chan of Zihe Palace¡¯s talent be to receive the unique Emperor¡¯s Weapon from a sect above the Heavenly Level?" Yu Hen sighed. "Temple Master, the Profound Level is already very good. Perhaps it¡¯s not Ding Rou¡¯s fault, but that he has cultivated for too short a time. His Daoist cultivation and foundation are not strong. Maybe we should have brought him here later," Yu Mo consoled. A cultivator can only choose one Inheritance Dao Artifact, and coming again is pointless as it wouldn¡¯t gain recognition from Heaven. "Such is fate... Nevertheless, the Profound Level is not bad," Yu Hen stepped forward to comfort Yu Hong. "Mm, thank you, Temple Master," Yu Hong was actually quite satisfied on his own. He knew his own situation. Fundamentally, his talent wasn¡¯t the highest. The rapid progress in his Daoist cultivation was most likely due to the special trait of Tao Breath Circulation. It must be said that the trait developed from the Thunderbolt Leg is simply like an AFK cultivation cheat. Walking, sitting, lying down, sleeping¡ªalways cultivating without a break. The efficiency, with one day equating to two or three days for others. Although he had only practiced for a little over three months, essentially it was as if he had practiced for half a year. The shock of those Inheritance Dao Artifacts was more due to the vast and chaotic aura on him. He suspected that the Inheritance Dao Artifacts might have sensed the terrifying aura from the Cosmic Divine Light in him. After all, it was one of the representative forces that could obliterate the world, the Source Disaster. Hence, he accepted the evaluation from Inheritance Hall. After all, others rely on talent, but he has an external cheat. ¡¯But Guang Han... the Moon Palace?¡¯ Yu Hong thought unconsciously of his own thin Moon God Bloodline... Another name for the Infinite River Technique could still be Moon¡¯s Call. His selection by Guang Han, it¡¯s hard to say there¡¯s no connection. "By the way, what level is the Emperor¡¯s Weapon exactly? And Ku Chan of Zihe Palace..." he asked again. "Zihe Palace, one of the Innate Nine Sects in the Taoist Sect, ranks just below the upper and lower Heavenly Master Mansion in terms of power and strength within the entire Taoist community. The contemporary number one Dao Seed of Zihe Palace, a supreme talent named Ku Chan Taoist. Only in his late twenties, he has already practiced the Zihe Palace Daoist Skills, the Purple Cloud Nine Strategies, to the topmost Ninth Layer. He is versed and adept in all seventy-three Techniques passed down by the palace. In addition, he has inherited their sect¡¯s Emperor¡¯s Weapon, the Chi Xiao Sword;his current strength... likely only some of the older generation top experts of the Nine Sects can barely suppress him," Yu Hen explained. "Luckily, Ku Chan is amiable and courteous, and will undoubtedly be the pillar of our Taoist Sect¡¯s future," Yu Mo added. "Master, you haven¡¯t described what an Emperor¡¯s Weapon is?" Yu Hong pressed on. "Mm, I¡¯m not clear on that either, but according to the contemporary Taoist Sect leader, Left Heavenly Master, if Dao Artifacts are rated by a value of one million, then Emperor¡¯s Weapon would be at least a hundred million in magnitude," Yu Mo said seriously, stroking his beard. "I only learned elementary school mathematics, so don¡¯t blame me if I can¡¯t describe it clearly." "..." Yu Hong. "However, because a sect usually can only cultivate one Emperor¡¯s Weapon, in essence, it is still considered to be of the Heavenly Level. It is just the strongest piece that emerged from the intra-level competition," Yu Hen added. "Then, other than Ku Chan, has anyone else received an Emperor¡¯s Weapon?" Zheng Xia, who had never heard these secrets, couldn¡¯t help but interject. "No, even for the current leader of the Taoist Sect, Left Heavenly Master, it¡¯s only a Heavenly Level Dao Artifact. Only Ku Chan has inherited an Emperor¡¯s Weapon," Yu Hen shook his head, "It is rumored that when Chi Xiao is unsheathed, heaven and earth burn. Such powerful flames can even affect reality, not just burn away resentful marks, but also turn the surrounding reality into a vast sea of fire. Such might... is truly unimaginable..." "That powerful..." Yu Hong narrowed his eyes, gently holding his Guang Han crescent pendant. "Then isn¡¯t Ku Chan practically invincible?" "One cannot rely solely on Dao Artifacts. In the competition of Daoist Skills, although Dao Artifacts are important, personal Daoist Skills and Techniques are more so. The time a Dao Artifact¡¯s divinity lasts also depends entirely on how long one¡¯s Daoist cultivation can be sustained," Yu Mo then laughed. "Didn¡¯t you say that Ku Chan Taoist has already practiced his sect¡¯s Purple Cloud Nine Strategies to the utmost?" Yu Hong asked. "Er..." Yu Mo¡¯s smile faltered, and he stroked his beard, "But the contemporary Taoist Sect leader, Left Heavenly Master, has practiced his own Daoist Skills to a breakthrough limit, and he cultivates a variety of Daoist Skills while the effect of Dao Artifacts on reality is not significant. I think, even if Chi Xiao is strong, using it against actual practitioners might be equivalent to the explosive power of an incendiary grenade..." "Can you withstand an incendiary grenade?" Yu Hen asked sardonically. "..." Yu Mo was at a loss for words. Yu Hong and Zheng Xia also started laughing. "Alright, with the Inheritance Dao Artifact in hand, next you¡¯ll focus all your effort on Daoist Skills! Whatever other needs you have, we will take care of them!!" Yu Hen declared, deciding to build up Qingchen Temple¡¯s rise to power centered around Yu Hong! Although it was somewhat disappointing only to get the Profound Level, Yu Hong was still Qingchen Temple¡¯s strongest talent! Channeling resources towards him was a given. "Ku Chan took twelve years to grow. Our target need not be too ambitious;we aim to reverse Qingchen Temple¡¯s last-place ranking within five years!" These words released a trace of expectation on the faces of Yu Hen and Yu Mo. To the side, Zheng Xia, seeing how much importance both of them placed on Yu Hong, flickered with a hint of a daze. For this was the scene she had dreamt of countless times: her elders no longer disappointed by her cultivation progress, but showing excitement and pride in their words. Unfortunately... such a scene did not belong to her. After leaving the Inheritance Hall and exiting the museum. Yu Hong¡¯s treatment noticeably stepped up a notch, with undercover armed bodyguards arranged to be around his living quarters at all times. Police patrol cars would idly cruise around him, and any sound within a hundred meters that could potentially disturb his cultivation, such as karaoke venues, were all halted. The property deed for the small courtyard Yu Hong was renting was delivered to his house the very next day. "From today onwards, this courtyard is yours, Brother Ding Rou," Zheng Xia explained softly, accompanied by two Taoists at the door. "The temple, in order to allow you to cultivate in peace without disturbance, has decided to gift you the property rights to this courtyard." "In addition, to ensure you are not affected by external factors and minimize all distractions, we have arranged a professional medicinal diet chef to prepare three meals a day for you and deliver them to your home. Here is the menu." She handed over a laminated printed sheet. "This...." Yu Hong took the property deed, took the menu, still somewhat dazed. On it were things like Silver Deer Antler and Water Chestnut Blood Tonic Soup, Chinese Yam and Poria Cocos Phoenix Soup, Hundred-Year-Old Turtle Steamed, Braised Thousand-Year Ganoderma Lucidum Yellow Croaker... What kind of bizarre dishes are these??? "Moreover, the Temple Master strongly recommends arranging a personal assistant for you, to take care of your special physiological needs and prevent any incidents of seeking external seeds." Zheng Xia said this with a slight blush on her face. She stepped aside, allowing the person behind her to slowly step forward. A sweet-looking girl in a black leotard, gently stepped forward, her permed black hair tied up in a single ponytail. Wearing pure white delicate dance leggings, she stood in front of Yu Hong and waved lightly. "Hello, Mr. Yu, I¡¯m your special personal assistant, Xiao Bai. From today on, I¡¯ll be living in the yard next to yours, at your service whenever you need." "....." Decadence. Such decadence! Only now did Yu Hong understand why everyone at Qingchen Temple wholeheartedly supported the current Temple Master Yu Hen¡¯s ascension. Considering this level of corrupting power, even he couldn¡¯t help but be somewhat tempted. "Alright, you can call me directly if you need anything. I¡¯ll be responsible for your affairs here onwards," Zheng Xia said earnestly. "Wouldn¡¯t this delay your cultivation?" Yu Hong asked in surprise. Zheng Xia was also a Dao Seed Class Disciple;how come she ended up taking care of his chores? This did not make sense. "I requested it myself," Zheng Xia said solemnly, her gaze complex as she looked at Yu Hong. "My Daoist cultivation hasn¡¯t made any breakthroughs for a long time. Holding onto the resources and privileges given for enjoyment, I feel guilty towards my master, so doing what I can also counts as repayment." In fact, she had an unspoken thought. That was she wanted to secretly observe the differences between Yu Hong¡¯s cultivation and her own. She considered herself a genius as well;the gap shouldn¡¯t be this big. Both being human, she believed that even if her aptitude was somewhat lacking, diligence might help bridge part of that gap. She had been stuck at the Third Layer for a long time. But hearing about Yu Hong reaching the Fifth Layer as soon as he arrived... that kind of shock... really made her lose all motivation to cultivate. She was eager to find out, how a genius like Yu Hong cultivated. Additionally, she faintly felt that her master was hinting at the possibility of her getting together with Yu Hong. If the two prominent Dao Seeds could unite and create offspring, it would be a good phenomenon for the entire Qingchen Temple. After all, a family with a wife and children is a strong bond. "I understand, if sister has any inquiries, Ding Rou will not keep anything secret," Yu Hong sincerely said. His Daoist skills came purely through hard practice;he truly had no secrets. The rapid progress was entirely because of his resilient will, likely forged in the Black Disaster. Honestly, he suspected that any person from the camp could reach the level of a Daoist genius in terms of will. "I¡¯ll have to trouble junior brother then," Zheng Xia said as she clasped her hands and bowed. "As I should," Yu Hong nodded and returned the bow. *** *** *** Thousands of kilometers away from Huangsong Island, in a vast desolate deep blue sea. A small dolphin, flapping its tail, chased after a school of little silverfish in the water. Beneath it, a mass of rich black color swiftly surfaced. The blackness rapidly expanded, growing wider, and in the blink of an eye, it covered a diameter of several hundred meters around it. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The dolphin curiously looked down at the blackness, emitting a series of chirps. But it didn¡¯t notice at all that its body was being ensnared by countless hair-like black threads rising silently from the black water below. Whoosh! All of a sudden, a faint sound of water erupted. The figure of the small dolphin disappeared in the blink of an eye, as if it had vanished into thin air from this sea area. Not just it ¨C at the very same moment, all living creatures in this sea area, whether fish, turtles, shrimps, crabs, corals, all disappeared instantaneously. Only numerous lines of black smoke rose from the water¡¯s surface, drifting into the sky and gradually forming a huge column of grey-black smoke. In the distance, a black ship was quickly departing from this area. A middle-aged man draped in a black feather cloak stood at the stern of the ship, gazing at the rising black smoke column with a satisfied curve at the corner of his mouth. "This seal has been opened. Next is the following location," he turned around and declared loudly. Chapter 300: Dao Artifacts Four "Don¡¯t get too excited just yet;the opening of a single Gate of Despair is far from enough," the masked woman in black tight-fitting clothes said indifferently at the bow of the ship. "I¡¯m aware of the Night Pool," the man in the large cloak said with a smile. "I¡¯m quite curious, where exactly do you acquire all this knowledge?" His gaze rested on the woman. "That¡¯s none of your business. We are merely cooperating for now;nothing else matters," the woman responded, still indifferent. She was well aware that she was making a deal with the devil. The man before her was Long Qingzi, the most notorious villain in the contemporary Taoist Sect, without a peer in infamy. Long Qingzi originated from the Primordial Heavenly Master Mansion and possessed exceptional talent. He was once close to being appointed as the next Heavenly Master Seed for training. Later, he was discovered to have a cruel nature, with a monstrous fondness for torturing living creatures, and when discovered, he had already made his move on more than a dozen innocent tourists, heinous to the core. Consequently, he was exiled from the Taoist Sect and hunted down. However, in the decade that followed, not only was he never captured, but he retaliated and killed many of the skilled members of the pursuit teams. Thus becoming the number one wanted criminal in the entire Cultivation World. "Never mind then, it doesn¡¯t matter." Long Qingzi withdrew his interested gaze, looking back to the towering column of grey-black smoke. "With this seal broken, the Nine Sects will undoubtedly send someone to investigate. According to their dispatching habits, they tend to first assign the strongest top experts from nearby to lead the team. This way, we can take advantage of the void created in the dispatched area." "Hm. I will only provide information and methods, the rest will be up to your Seven Evil Alliance to decide," the woman said calmly. "Is that so?" A smile appeared on Long Qingzi¡¯s face, "Then, let me personally usher in a new era. An era where the law of the jungle reigns supreme..." * * * Qingchen Temple. A routine summary meeting. A circle of high-ranking Taoists from the Yu Generation were seated, their expressions somber, not a word uttered. Previously, the recent meetings had been full of cheer and relaxation due to Yu Hong¡¯s display of talent. But now... A message had arrived, leaving all eight of the Yu Generation without response. "The seal has been broken, two in a row within the Yasong region, and it¡¯s obviously the work of someone. Now, the resentful mark has surged with Yin Energy, forming the Yin Qi Sky Pillar, and the Nine Sects from the main council of the Taoist Sect are preparing to form an investigation team to conduct a special probe into this matter," Master Yu Hen broke the silence. "So... what does this investigation team mean? Does each family have to send someone?" An old, bald, white-bearded, and burly man asked in a low voice. "One from each family to join the investigation team. And not only that, but they will also need to send someone to the sealing team, responsible for re-sealing the broken locations," Yu Hen nodded, "Let¡¯s make it clear, the Yin Qi Sky Pillar is already formed, and a large number of high-level resentful marks have emerged. Although the Nine Sects and the country are leading the charge, our branches of the Taoist Sect will definitely have to contribute. Hence, the danger for those who set out is not low." "Who will go?" He scanned the crowd. The Yu Generation might avoid joining the investigation team, but the sealing team must have representatives from them, as the younger generation does not possess the capability to be part of the resentful mark sealing team. The other seven exchanged glances;those playing with mobile phones continued, those pretending to nap did so, and those looking up at the sky kept their gaze, not one person responding. "If we don¡¯t put in the effort when the Nine Sects are sending elites, we will receive less in the internal distribution within the Taoist Sect afterward," Yu Hen tried to persuade. Still, no one spoke. Seeing this, Yu Hen helplessly shook his head and played his trump card. "The one who goes will be rewarded with a Refining God Pill." "I¡¯ll go!" "I¡¯m more suitable!" "I can do it, I¡¯m the youngest!" "My Techniques are the strongest, it¡¯s not appropriate for you all!" Suddenly, the old Taoists quickly changed their tune, each voicing their reasons. Yu Hen was speechless, massaged his temples, and randomly picked the strongest one to send out. He couldn¡¯t help but think of Ding Rou. In the past, when he saw such a scene, he worried about the next generation and whether Zheng Ming and Zheng Ying could take on their responsibilities. But now... he was no longer worried but rather looked forward to the future with anticipation. Ding Rou¡¯s aptitude and talent had been confirmed, hailed as Qingchen Temple¡¯s number one in a century! This was an opportunity to rise! A great opportunity for them to turn the tide and soar to the heavens! So before Ding Rou rose to prominence, everything else must remain stable to avoid unnecessary troubles that might hinder Ding Rou¡¯s growth. * * * Time passed, and a month flew by. Yu Hong was still practicing his Daoist Skills in his courtyard, never slacking off. Despite having the assistance of his life assistant Xiao Bai, the huge disparity in physical constitution led him to abandon the idea of indulgence after some consideration. Right now, he weighed four hundred kilograms, reduced after his cultivation. His strength could instantly burst out with hundreds to thousands of tons of force. With such weight and such violence, if he were to get excited and carelessly apply a tiny bit too much strength... That girl¡¯s body would instantaneously turn into mush. Thus, apart from having Xiao Bai clean and help him bathe, he did nothing more to her. Another month of secluded cultivation led to the breakthrough of his Daoist Skills, the Guanwu Skill, successfully reaching the Sixth Layer. And there was even more pleasing news regarding the Taiyuan True Method. This unorthodox Cultivation Technique officially stepped into the Third Layer¡ªBlue Sun. The simultaneous breakthroughs of the two Cultivation Techniques significantly strengthened both Yu Hong¡¯s physique and spirit. Especially the Blue Sun... On the ground of the courtyard. Yu Hong sat cross-legged on the ground, a blue illusory sun that only he could see slowly emerged and condensed in front of him. This sun was the size of a basketball, like a burning blue fireball, constantly emitting a strange, wave-like blue light. ¡¯Is this a trace of the Ultimate Sun¡¯s aura summoned by the Third Layer?¡¯ Yu Hong scrutinized the blue fireball. Around the fireball, the air was continuously being frozen, with tiny white snowflakes emerging. As the blue light released by the sun shone upon him, Yu Hong felt his body undergoing some kind of rapid change. It was a change he couldn¡¯t quite put into words. Aside from this change, he also discovered that once the Inner Qi, now integrated with the Cultivation Technique, was infused into the Dao Artifact Guang Han, it would instantly enhance Guang Han significantly. Due to the endlessness of Cosmic Divine Light, the power Guang Han could unleash after enhancement far exceeded his expectations. This point had already been confirmed in the camp¡¯s world. Lost in thought. Suddenly, Zheng Ming with Zheng Hong entered through the gate and greeted him. "Ding Rou, no, now you should be called Zheng Rou. The masters have changed your generation in the sect;now you are the fifth Dao Seed of our sect, and the strongest one at that." Zheng Ming cupped his fists from afar and came closer. "Let¡¯s have a sparring session today. In a few days, you will be almost ready to tackle a resentful mark incident in actual combat. If you don¡¯t actually put your hands to the test, there will surely be slips." Zheng Ming was arranged to come and ¡¯feed¡¯ moves to Yu Hong. Of course, it¡¯s said as such, but in truth, he took the initiative to volunteer. He had always been brooding over not having had a fair fight with Yu Hong. Therefore, this invitation to battle was not the first or the second time. Different from feeding moves, which focus on Daoist Magic Technique, the core of his invitation to battle is in the combat aspect. "I happen to have a Profound Level Dao Artifact;I fear I might take advantage of you, senior brother." Yu Hong said helplessly. "No worries, there is a gap between our Daoist Skills and techniques. I can also perform the Qi Condensation and Shadow Transformation Technique, and I understand more of the other techniques;my main practice is the Soaring Jade Void Skill, which isn¡¯t unique to Qingchen Temple, but when combined with other skills, its power is greatly enhanced. Therefore, there¡¯s no need to worry." Zheng Ming, truly a top genius who has practiced diligently for many years, had far surpassed Yu Hong in terms of magic technique mastery. Upon this, Yu Hong no longer declined. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. To put it simply, he also wanted to test his own strength after acquiring the Dao Artifact Guang Han. Ever since he arrived in this world, he has always had a certain worry in his heart. Worried that the Black Disaster would also invade this place. Just as it invaded the previous world. After all, no place where the Black Ship goes is safe. But now, he could finally officially come into contact with what is known as a resentful mark. Whoosh. Yu Hong slowly stood up and signaled for people around to step back and give them space. "Speaking of which, this is my first time competing in magic against someone. When both sides can¡¯t see each other¡¯s Fear Illusion, how should we compete?" Seeing that Yu Hong accepted, Zheng Ming immediately showed a hint of relief on his face. "The method is simple. Although we can¡¯t see specific illusions, Daoist Magic Technique can affect resentful marks and cause permanent damage. So, we use this fact to come up with this method for comparing techniques." He stretched out his hand and a small silver bottle appeared in his palm. The bottle was a glass pharmaceutical type, with a silver lid, and egg-sized, allowing a clear view of a small bottle full of silver powder inside. "This is one-time-use Resentment Sand, which can be affected by techniques. Commonly used for sparring and competition, we can¡¯t compete in Daoist Skills, but mastery of techniques can be compared through this. As for winning and losing, whoever shatters the opponent¡¯s technique is the winner, how about it?" "Resentment Sand..." Yu Hong squinted his eyes and nodded. "Since it has come to this, it seems senior brother has been preparing for a long time, should we start now?" "Of course." Zheng Ming stepped back several paces, creating a distance, placed the Resentment Sand on the ground, and opened the bottle. Then, he stepped back several more paces. "Junior brother, are you ready?" His eyes intense, Zheng Ming looked at Yu Hong. Yu Hong had also backed up a few steps, curiously watching the Resentment Sand. "Ready." "Then... be careful!" Zheng Ming quickly raised his hand, forming Hand Seals and murmuring a Mantra, as if chanting something. In an instant, a silver mist burst out from within the Resentment Sand bottle, transforming into a flock of silver birds that circled and soared around Zheng Ming. Each of these birds was only as long as a palm, flying at incredibly high speed with sharp white light shining in their eyes. "Go!" With a single point from Zheng Ming¡¯s hand, a group of at least thirty silver birds all swooped towards Yu Hong. At this moment, Yu Hong¡¯s mind moved, he formed a handprint and executed Dress Damage. Instantly, the shadow figure from the First Layer appeared before him. The figure, made of silver mist, was clearly derived from the Resentment Sand as well. It now showed a distinct silver-white appearance. As soon as it appeared, the figure dashed towards the flock of birds. Puff puff puff puff. Remarkably strong, the figure grabbed one bird after another without defending, only attacking. Within just a dozen seconds, the birds were one by one pinched and exploded, while the figure itself got pecked full of holes. Puff. Both sides turned into silver mist and flew back into the Resentment Sand bottle. "This time, let¡¯s call it a draw," Zheng Ming let out a breath, feeling somewhat stifled already. Although it was a draw, it effectively meant he had lost. How many years had he been practicing diligently? And what about Yu Hong? Chapter 301: From 299 initially one A draw? "Alright." Yu Hong was also somewhat surprised that the opponent could match him to a draw. Although his first Fear Shadow was the weakest, who was his opponent? Zheng Ming was merely a Disciple from a fringe school of the Taoist Sect, although elite, there were many more masters above him... Perhaps this world could really withstand the invasion of the Black Disaster... Seeing this, Yu Hong seemed to regain a bit of confidence. If it truly could be withstood, he planned to bring people over to settle and live a normal life. After all, since he arrived here, he had not had a single day of normal life. Second round. Zheng Ming¡¯s hands swiftly formed seals, with his temples slightly pulsing, he pointed bare-handed at the resentful sand. Hiss! In an instant, a trail of silver smoke rose and coalesced into a semi-transparent, burning human shape in front of him. The humanoid had four arms, its hair soared to the skies, its face indistinct, standing over two meters tall, floating in front of Zheng Ming. "Go!" Zheng Ming ordered directly, while looking up at the opposite side. At this look, his expression suddenly paused. In front of Yu Hong, similarly stood a humanoid figure, that was a petite and eerie woman with black hair cascading down. The woman¡¯s face was obscured by her flowing black hair, hard to see clearly, but from the white dress she wore and the spots of bloodstains on the hem, it was clear that this was no good entity. Of course, what really astounded Zheng Ming was not anything else, but why Yu Hong¡¯s Fear Shadow was again some weird vibe thing? Was his influenced by shadow puppetry he saw as a child, but where did the other side get their influence from? Hiss! The four-armed humanoid and the newly appeared Withered Woman approached each other, one constantly swinging its four arms to attack rapidly. While the other one flickered in and out of visibility, each touch making the touched area wither and darken. A dozen breaths later. The Withered Woman grabbed the face of the four-armed humanoid with one hand, turning it dry and shriveled until it completely dispersed. Zheng Ming¡¯s expression was ugly. "It seems I was too careless... This time, I¡¯ll use the ultimate and strongest Fear Shadow... if..." "Senior Brother Zheng Ming, it¡¯s enough," Zheng Xia had appeared behind him without knowing when. "You didn¡¯t use your true trump card, and neither did [Yu Hong]. As brethren, there¡¯s no need to fight to the end. The highest level Fear Shadows consume too much energy and can easily backfire. Use it cautiously." These words suddenly silenced Zheng Ming. Yes. He was very clear that, in fact, the competition had already been lost to him. Because how many years had he been cultivating? How many years had Yu Hong been cultivating? The accumulated experience between them was worlds apart. And yet, he couldn¡¯t suppress the other party and even slightly lost. After a moment of silence, he forced a smile. "I¡¯ve lost, Junior Brother [Yu Hong]..." "It¡¯s just an internal competition. In a real battle, I wouldn¡¯t be as good as you, Senior Brother," Yu Hong sincerely said. "..." Although he knew the other party was comforting him, hearing this made Zheng Ming¡¯s face look slightly better. He turned around and looked at Zheng Xia. "What are you doing here?" "Master received a message;the Resentful Mark Yin Qi Heavenly Pillar has erupted, causing small-scale disturbances across various places. The official team is organizing a suppression and seal, investigating the actual situation, and we need people to join," Zheng Xia reported. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I see, where¡¯s Zheng Ying?" "She¡¯s leading a team on another mission. This time, the troubles are nearby. Master suggested we take Junior Brother [Yu Hong] with us to try it out." "Near Taizhou... I understand," Zheng Ming nodded. He also glanced at Yu Hong who nodded back. "Then let¡¯s set off." "Don¡¯t we need to prepare anything?" Yu Hong hastily asked. "Prepare? There won¡¯t be anything during the day," Zheng Ming shook his head. During the day? Yu Hong was a bit puzzled. But this puzzle quickly disappeared as half an hour later, they arrived at a villa located in the woods. The windows of the villa were tightly covered with dark curtains, and on a large white bed lay a red-haired young boy bound tightly by iron chains. The boy had a ferocious expression, continuously howling and roaring through his gagged mouth, his limbs tied to the bed¡¯s steel frame. Despite this, his whole body seemed like bubble gum, constantly swelling and then smashing down. "Ever since last week, my child suddenly started secretly eating raw meat in the kitchen at night, and the nanny discovered it and was bitten on the neck. My wife and I called many doctors, but none could cure it... this time, we had no other choice but to..." The master of the house was a cultured middle-aged successful man, wearing glasses and dressed in a dark purple robe similar to a Tang suit, holding a wooden dragon-headed cane. "It¡¯s tainted with Yin Energy, no... it should be the stronger Resentful Energy." Zheng Ming led the team, with Zheng Xia and Yu Hong following him as he spoke out. "It¡¯s not a big deal." He approached the large bed, under the gaze of everyone around, suddenly moved like lightning, and quickly slapped the forehead of the boy. In an instant, a silver flying bird condensed behind him, pouncing on the young boy, pecking a faint grayish-black breath from his shoulder. As soon as the breath was released, the boy calmed down immediately, his eyes rolled back, and then he fainted and lay motionless. "It¡¯s done," Zheng Ming said in a deep voice. "That¡¯s it?" The man was somewhat taken aback. He had invited countless doctors and sorcerers, all of whom admitted defeat, before someone recommended Qingchen Temple locally. And so... "Yes, it was just a touch of breath, the fee is two hundred thousand, just transfer it to the person following you," Zheng Ming said indifferently. "Uh... okay, alright," the man nodded repeatedly. He planned to observe and confirm everything was fine before paying. Yu Hong saw everything clearly from behind. That wisp of breath, invisible to ordinary people, as was the silver flying bird. He hadn¡¯t expected that the silver flying birds he easily defeated would be so useful. "You would find it just as easy. But definitely not as effortless and convenient as Senior Brother Zheng Ming¡¯s technique," Zheng Xia whispered. "His Silver Sparrow Technique can be split into many small techniques to be used individually, with very little consumption, just a fraction of what we use in our techniques." "I see," Yu Hong nodded. Soon, the three of them left for the next household. The second place was a somewhat old apartment building. The issue involved a young office woman, who looked haggard with deeply sunken eyes. Every night she struggled to sleep, and once she did, she felt as though a large rock pressed on her chest, suffocating her. Zheng Ming gave her a talisman he drew himself, instructed her to burn it and mix the ashes in water to drink, and that was that. The sinister hint of yin energy in the apartment dissipated swiftly. Then, Yu Hong followed Zheng Ming on four other cases¡ªsome in cooperation with the police, some requested by temple pilgrims, and others where wealthy people paid them to visit their homes. However, in these cases, without exception, they never saw an actual resentful mark, let alone one congealing into solid form like the Black Disaster, even not as apparent as the chubby man from Huangsong Island. The more Yu Hong followed, the more puzzled he became, and finally, as it got dark, he couldn¡¯t help but ask. "The resentful marks are too weak??" Zheng Xia was taken aback. Sitting in the car on the way back, she looked at the genuinely puzzled Yu Hong, suddenly showing a deep sense of powerlessness in her eyes. "Is this the world of top geniuses?" she muttered softly, feeling suddenly as if she and he were never in the same world from the start. "Not weak? It¡¯s all just removing yin energy and resentment. Finally, when encountering something slightly active, it got scattered by a Senior Brother¡¯s silver flying bird," Yu Hong said earnestly. "Did you ever consider that maybe they are not weak..." Zheng Xia looked at Yu Hong, and seeing Zheng Ming¡¯s helpless head shaking, she had to explain. "You mean, we are too strong?" Yu Hong continued. "That¡¯s right... if this world had resentful marks of the degree you speak of every day, the folk would¡¯ve been in chaos long ago. A place like Huangsong Island is a legendary land of extreme misfortune, not commonly encountered." Zheng Xia helplessly explained. "Ordinarily, it¡¯s all about these small cases of dispelling yin energy and minor resentful marks... otherwise, how would those ordinary disciples make a living?" Yu Hong nodded, understanding. "So it is. I¡¯ve learned something." "Once you have more experience, you¡¯ll understand. This world is not as dangerous as you imagine," Zheng Xia said weakly. "Understood," Yu Hong nodded again. For the next few days, he tried handling cases on his own. * * * In a villa by the sea, flanked by yellow walls. In the white bedroom. Zheng Ming, Zheng Xia, and Yu Hong were all present. Yu Hong stood by the right wall, looking at a child¡¯s drawing hanging there. The drawing depicted a ghastly figure, pitch black with bloody red eyes and blood also dripping from its mouth. The ghastly figure had no hair, standing in front of a two-story villa, looking back out of the drawing. "Although I know it¡¯s drawn by a girl under ten... I must say..." Yu Hong reached out and gently touched the canvas. "It¡¯s quite well drawn." "Now, how should I handle it?" he looked back at the others. "Operate your Daoist Skills, sense the aura, then find the focal point, and have your Fear Shadow strike to capture it," Zheng Ming instructed solemnly. "Understood," Yu Hong nodded, withdrew his hand, blinked, and formed the Handprint of Service Damage. Hiss! The weakest shadow, a figure in white, appeared behind him, raising its hand with him, touching the face of the ghastly figure on the canvas. Hiss! Instantly, a smell of charred flesh wafted from the canvas. Yu Hong¡¯s fingertips, sticky like adhesive tape, pulled out a wisp of grayish-black smoke. The smoke furiously writhed and struggled on his hand, trying to break free. Pop. Yu Hong clenched his hand into a fist, and the shadow did the same, crushing the wisp of smoke completely. "What follows is for others to handle;they need to investigate where this resentment comes from. We only need to show up at the end to resolve the trouble," Zheng Xia explained. "That quick and it¡¯s two hundred thousand... It¡¯s my first time feeling that making money is really simple," Yu Hong exclaimed. Chapter 302: The beginning of 300, two "It¡¯s simple for us, but extremely difficult for others," Zheng Xia said. "The fee is quite reasonable. We are actually offering a transparent and affordable price." "I understand." Yu Hong walked to the window of the room, looking out. Below was a square swimming pool, where a few young men and women in swimwear were sitting, seemingly the younger members of the owner¡¯s family. The sea breeze was blowing, the temperature was warming up, it must be around twenty degrees. Suddenly, Yu Hong recognized someone sitting by the pool, someone who looked familiar. On closer inspection, it was Song Siyu whom he had encountered on Huangsong Island. He recognized her, but this time she did not recognize him. Because his appearance had changed quite a bit, dressed in a white Daoist robe, hair cascading over his shoulders, most of his muscular physique concealed, his temperament had shifted from that of a fitness coach to a slightly conspicuous, sturdy Taoist. The change was significant, and coupled with his rather ordinary facial features, a common face with no distinguishing characteristics, it was normal not to be recognized. "Let¡¯s go, it¡¯s time to head back," said Zheng Xia. "Just received a text, there¡¯s a case at Baishong Street, number 122. It¡¯s a big one." "A big one?" Yu Hong had followed some cases and naturally knew what ¡¯big¡¯ implied. Minor cases generally involved exposure to resentful or Yin energy, whereas a ¡¯big one¡¯ indicated a homicide. "Let¡¯s go, take a look," Zheng Ming let out a breath. "When the Yin Qi Sky Pillar appears, the number of cases surges." The three quickly left the villa, leaving follow-up work to the regular staff of Qingchen Temple. Yu Hong did not greet Song Siyu;after all, they really belonged to two different worlds. After a ten-minute drive, led by a guiding Taoist, they arrived at the entrance of a nighttime bar decorated with a black butterfly pattern. The bar was already cordoned off with police tape, with the police maintaining order. Zheng Ming led the way, but as he was about to enter the bar, his steps halted at the sight of a terra-cotta colored stone mask hanging by the door frame. "When did this mask appear? It wasn¡¯t here before, right?" he asked a police officer beside him. "No. Huh? It wasn¡¯t there when we put up the tape. Who sneaked in and hung it up?" said the officer, slightly puzzled as he looked at the terra-cotta colored mask. Zheng Ming¡¯s expression darkened, he held back Yu Hong who was about to go in and take a look. "We can¡¯t take this case... Sorry, but could you please pass a message to Director Xie." "?? This...." The officer was somewhat baffled. But before he could speak, Zheng Ming pulled Zheng Xia and Yu Hong away and returned to the car. "Let¡¯s leave, I¡¯ll explain later," he whispered. Suppressing his own questions, Yu Hong remained silent, quietly waiting. They drove back to Qingchen Temple, and once inside the Taoist Temple gates, Zheng Ming took them to a room on the right, flipping a small switch on the wall. Immediately, a faint humming sound began to spread. "Now we can talk," he said, catching his breath. "What¡¯s the matter, Senior Brother? Don¡¯t tell me there¡¯s some powerful resentful mark we can¡¯t resolve?" Yu Hong, who had been holding back for a while, quickly asked. "No," Zheng Ming shook his head. He glanced at Zheng Xia, who also seemed to have realized something. "Zheng Rou, do you know, besides my Qingchen Temple, are there similar powers in Taizhou?" Zheng Ming asked. "I¡¯m not sure¡­" Yu Hong shook his head. "Then I¡¯ll tell you now," Zheng Ming said with a solemn look. "In the areas surrounding Taizhou, besides Qingchen Temple, there is another very formidable special organization ¨C the Mud Doll Sect." The Mud Doll Sect? Yu Hong seemed to have heard the name before. "Very strong? Strong enough to make you, Senior Brother, retreat?" "Very strong. After many conflicts, we and the Mud Doll Sect have formed an unspoken truce: as long as they do not cross the line, we also step back when we encounter a case they have marked," Zheng Ming explained. "This was the decision of our masters?" Yu Hong asked, frowning. "It¡¯s a decision made by all our senior masters. Although there have been minor conflicts in the past, we¡¯ve discovered that the Mud Doll Sect¡¯s strength is much greater than what our intelligence suggested," Zheng Xia added. "Understood. I¡¯ll take note. The marker is that terra-cotta colored mask, right?" Yu Hong didn¡¯t really care;the growth and strengthening of an organization naturally cannot be fearless from the start, confronting whoever they disagree with. "Besides that, my Qingchen Temple has enough prestige in Taizhou and the surrounding areas, so there¡¯s no need to worry," added Zheng Xia. Yu Hong glanced at Zheng Ming and seeing that he didn¡¯t look too pleased, also excused himself to rest and bid farewell. He left the Taoist Temple. Driving home, he was more concerned about the strength enhancement ending at his camp today than Zheng Ming¡¯s displeasure with the Mud Doll Sect. After today, the Black Mark could begin the next enhancement project. But before returning, he had one thing to do. An hour later. At the villa of Taoist Yu Mo. Wrapped in clothing, Yu Mo was surprised to see Yu Hong, who had shown up unexpectedly for a visit. "Why have you finished so early today? Weren¡¯t you dealing with cases with Zheng Ming and the others?" He looked up at the sky;it was only early afternoon. The sun was just turning red, not yet set. "That¡¯s the thing..." Yu Hong described the situation with the Mud Doll Sect and what Zheng Ming had said. "Oh, that. It¡¯s normal. We¡¯ve coexisted peacefully with the Mud Doll Sect for many years, always keeping to our own waters. Just give them face on this one, and we¡¯ll steer clear," said Yu Mo, who didn¡¯t regard it as anything serious. "That¡¯s good. There¡¯s another matter, Disciple hopes to consult with his master," said Yu Hong, who didn¡¯t see a big issue either. He hadn¡¯t been here long and without full understanding, of course, wouldn¡¯t mind these things. "Hmm, go ahead," said Yu Mo, who had been outwardly vacationing and partying with people like Temple Master Yu Hen for the past few days, but in reality, everyone was secretly keeping an eye on Yu Hong¡¯s performance. Upon finding his performance very normal and his use of strength quite impressive, the Yu Generation in Qingchen Temple all breathed a sigh of relief. Now that Yu Hong had taken the initiative to meet and make a request, Yu Mo felt not only unbothered but pleased. Due to the life assistant sent over, Yu Hong doesn¡¯t touch. On ordinary days, he also doesn¡¯t care about food and delicacies. Every day he is either following study cases or staying at home, diligently practicing ascetic cultivation. This kind of ascetic life was initially somewhat pleasing to Yu Mo and the others;after all, what mentor wouldn¡¯t want to see their disciple diligently and earnestly cultivating? But as time passed, everyone started to feel somewhat disheartened. A person without any hobbies aside from cultivation must be pressed by an even greater power, urging him to carry out the monotonous cultivation each day, forcing him to give up all entertainment and relaxation, to endlessly suffer in his practice. So, what was this formidable power? They were not clear on that. But now that Yu Hong had opened his mouth to make requests, it somewhat allowed everyone to relax. A person who still has desires ultimately won¡¯t have thoughts so profound. "It¡¯s like this, Disciple would like to ask if I encounter someone outside who is very suitable for the Daoist Skills of Qingchen Temple, could I transmit the Daoist Skills to them and take them under my wing?" Yu Hong asked solemnly. "That depends on whether you¡¯ve already completed your apprenticeship." Yu Mo smiled, "Actually, our Temple¡¯s Daoist Skills aren¡¯t guarded for our own sake but are kept confidential for the sake of ordinary people outside. As for the reason, you know it well, so there¡¯s no need to say more." He paused a moment. "There¡¯s another method," without asking whether Yu Hong could bring somebody into the Taoist Temple, he continued speaking. "That is to take them as your lineage, that is, to take them as your own disciples. With your strength, this is feasible. In theory, anyone can take on a disciple;we have no restrictions on this. After transmitting the Daoist Skills, the disciple you take on naturally counts as a registered name in a branch lineage of our Qingchen Temple. But while the Daoist Skills may be transmitted, the techniques may not. They must be formally registered in the Taoist Temple and become an Official Disciple to be bestowed with the techniques." "Understood..." Yu Hong comprehended;he was inquiring about the situation for the other world¡¯s Hope City. "So you¡¯re thinking of taking disciples?" Yu Mo asked with a bit of amusement. "Somewhat;after all, seeing good talent, it¡¯s somewhat irresistible." Yu Hong feigned ignorance with a laugh. "With what you¡¯re capable of... it¡¯s just a matter of time, but remember not to affect your own cultivation," Yu Mo chuckled in caution. "Understood, definitely not." Yu Hong nodded. * * * Black Wind Camp. The cold wind howled, white snow covered the entire camp, nearly obliterating any traces of the original stone castle ruins. Surrounding the safe house cave, a blue light shone, continuously transforming into smog rushing into the sky. In front of the safe house door. A slender figure in a white protective suit quietly observed the interior through the viewing window. The blue light shone on the snowy ground, reflecting an even more uniform scattered light, illuminating the surroundings. The figure stretched out a hand, gently touching the material of the door. Then retracted her hand and turned to look at the Ultimate Gate. After watching for a while, she slowly walked towards the Dragon Lizard Nest¡¯s cave. But before she could get there, she was stopped in her tracks by a set of bright crimson eyes, not going forward any further. Standing at the entrance of the Dragon Lizard cave for a long time, the figure still did not enter;instead, she turned and walked out of the camp. Soon, she exited the inner and outer courtyard and entered the mixed area where blue light and black fog intermingled. Various shadowy figures appeared beside her but strangely did not attack her at all. As she drew further away from the camp, the figure suddenly stopped, looked up, and gazed ahead. In the distance, an unclear silhouette of an Insect man appeared right in front of her. The Insect man, being a Level Eight high-risk Black Disaster, completely ignored her presence and brushed past her, lunging towards the Ultimate Gate. Soon, it was met by a blue-robed hooded person, both incredibly swift;one with a wave of a hand could coat the area in frost. They fought fiercely back and forth. The figure watched for a while, seemingly finding it boring, and then continued forward. Suddenly she paused in her steps, as if sensing something, turned, and headed back toward the camp. Ten minutes later... Crash. Yu Hong pushed away the rocks blocking the cave entrance and looked inside at Zhang Kajing, who was sitting obediently and hugging his knees. "It seems you¡¯re doing alright, good that you¡¯re not sick." S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The extreme sub-zero temperatures outside had damaged many things. It would be uncomfortable for the other party to go out as well. Yu Hong glanced at the supplies put inside, originally thinking the place would be dirty after not visiting for a few days. But unexpectedly... It was quite clean. "Come with me, I¡¯ll take you somewhere," he said to Zhang Kajing in a deep voice. "Where to?" Zhang Kajing slowly stood up, eyes calmly fixed on Yu Hong. "Just follow me," Yu Hong exhaled, the Black Mark there still had about ten minutes until the enhancement would be finished. To avoid being discovered by this little one, he planned to take the person out first. For some reason, he always felt that Zhang Kajing faced everything too calmly and composedly. Soon, the two of them left the cave. As they passed by the safe house cave, Yu Hong suddenly glanced and saw two footprints by the door of his safe house that had not yet disappeared. His gaze sharpened, knowing someone had been here. Judging from the size of the footprints, the person wasn¡¯t very tall or large, and the only one nearby with that possibility was Zhang Kajing. But the rock he used to block the door weighed three to four hundred pounds... and was frozen to the ground along with the ice and snow... How did she get out, and how did she go back as if nothing happened, restoring everything to its original state? Chapter 303: No. 1 Yu Hong noticed the footprints but remained outwardly undisturbed. If it were the most elite enhanced mutant, perhaps it would be possible. Zhang Kajing might also possess such quality. Following the camp¡¯s exit, he escorted the person to the post office area, found some materials, and lit a bunch of fire for warmth. Then he returned to the camp, waiting for the Black Mark enhancement to be completed. Nearly five months of enhancement, and now it was finally nearing completion. Upon returning, standing at the entrance of the safehouse in the cave, Yu Hong bathed in the blizzard, silently gazing at the cave door. One minute. Two minutes. Four minutes... Whoosh! In an instant, the entire cave door blurred momentarily. Then quickly, a faint layer of gray-black color seeped into the door and around its perimeter. Yu Hong noticed that the fine cracks that were previously present had now vanished, with the door merging into one with the surrounding rock. He glanced at the Black Mark on the back of his hand, proceeded to unlock the door with the key, but discovered the key had transformed into something else¡ªa cylindrical object with a top embedded with multi-colored crystal fragments resembling tiny gems. Inserting the key into the lock and twisting it. Click. Yu Hong pulled open the cave door, looking forward to the long-awaited safehouse inside. As the door opened wider, Yu Hong could also see the inside. The layout on the first floor remained unchanged, but the walls and floor had all become smooth and clean, as if coated with an additional layer of silver semi-transparent paint. He entered, closing the door behind him. Click. Hum. With the closing of the door. The entire cave automatically emitted a sound of heavy chains and gears in motion. Then, with a puff, the door closed even more tightly. Yu Hong observed the door that seemed unchanged, then swiftly descended to the basement. The three basements were now interconnected, merged into one. At this moment, at the right end of the basement wall, stood a black stone pillar with a black wooden ship¡¯s helm embedded on it. "Isn¡¯t this an object from the Black Ship?" Yu Hong instantly recognized it. Not just that. Above the helm, he also saw an oval transparent glass window. Through the glass, one could see the endless black river waters outside... Wait! River water? Black?? Yu Hong froze, feeling that something was amiss. "This is a basement. Shouldn¡¯t it be parallel to the underground outside? Why is it the Black River??" A thought began to arise in his mind, he quickly approached, held the helm, and looked out the window. The black river water churned and surged, its surface shrouded in black mist. This was indeed the scenery around the Black Ship. Only before, he saw it at the dock just after boarding, but now, it was inside the basement of his own camp. ¡¯It looks like it was a success!¡¯ Yu Hong felt extremely content. He successfully integrated the Black Ship into the camp¡¯s safehouse system. This meant that he could now use the camp as a larger vessel, carrying him around to different places. Letting go of the helm, Yu Hong looked towards the other end of the basement. The merged basement was as large as two floors combined, such a vast area. The Black Ship¡¯s helm and window were located in the right corner of the basement. Meanwhile, in the left corner of the basement, a similar silver-gray steel steering wheel was embedded in the wall, resembling a car¡¯s steering wheel. Also, above the steering wheel on the stone wall, was another oval window leading outside. Through the transparent glass, Yu Hong could see the desolate sky and mountains shrouded in blue light mist outside. This was indeed the scenery outside the cave. He also saw Baiqiu Village, covered in snow, with only a few rooftops visible. After thinking for a moment, he stepped forward and gripped the steering wheel. A gentle twist. Snap. A piece of paper filled with small print dropped out from beneath the wheel. He picked it up and unfolded it to see that it was an instruction manual for operating the current camp safehouse. After quickly scanning through, he pressed a button underneath the steering wheel. Click. A crisp sound, and the entire camp suddenly resounded with a deep humming. ¡¯What sort of power has been directly transferred here? The mere nuclear engine from before is definitely far from sufficient.¡¯ Yu Hong, clueless, looked around, trying to locate the source of the sound. Soon, he discovered a significantly enhanced nuclear engine in another corner of the basement. The exterior of the nuclear engine was covered in vine-like patterns that resembled black threads. ¡¯It seems to have merged with the power core of the Black Ship... no wonder it took so long... this does seem to be well worth it.¡¯ Yu Hong nodded, satisfied. He returned to the steering wheel and looked outside through the window. The humming gradually faded, replaced by the safehouse cave starting to shake slightly. Then. Whoo... With a sound likened to a ship¡¯s horn. The cave safehouse abruptly stopped, and then the scenery outside began to move, clearly entering movement mode. At this moment, outside the camp. The entire mountain area of the Black Wind Camp began to emit slight vibrations. Hum... It didn¡¯t take long for a large, irregular-shaped stone to slowly split off the mountain. Then, this stone piece protruded four huge wheels from beneath and began to move slowly towards the distance, leaving. The camp moved away about several tens of meters, then quickly returned to its original location, seamlessly fitting back into place. Everything was restored to how it was before, to the point where, without careful examination, one could not see any trace of movement. Within less than two minutes, the wind and snow completely buried any crevices. Underground. Yu Hong was in high spirits as he sat in front of the steering wheel. "Finally, we can leave. However, the Ultimate Gate is still here;I can¡¯t go too far away... Otherwise, it would greatly inconvenience my cultivation." He pressed another button as instructed by the manual. Click. To the right of the stone wall in front of him, suddenly, a fissure opened to reveal a computer screen the size of a human face. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The screen automatically displayed the entire situation of the camp. Against a black background, a spherical white house slowly floated and rotated. On the surface of the house, a small cutaway section was revealed, like an animated cross-sectional demonstration. Inside the cutaway, three layers of protection were indicated with dotted lines. ¡¯1¡ªOuter protection: Wind and Fire Slaughter Spirit Array modified (partially malfunctioning due to extremely low temperatures).¡¯ ¡¯2¡ªMiddle protection: Yingshan Civilization Rune Array (effective only against the Black Disaster).¡¯ ¡¯3¡ªInner protection: Walls made of multiple reinforced materials.¡¯ The three layers of protection were clearly marked out in white, grey, and black colors. Yu Hong quickly clicked on the outermost layer, and the semi-transparent Wind and Fire Slaughter Spirit Array instantly magnified, looking like a three-dimensional network. "Good, it¡¯s just a bit low on endurance, but it doesn¡¯t affect the overall functionality." "With the base movement sorted out, next up is the Secret Technique." Returning to the first floor, he sat back at the desk and turned on the communicator. Listening to the rustling noise coming from it actually gave him a sense of security. Taking up the pen, he wrote out the Qingchen Temple¡¯s Guanwu Daoist Skills on a white sheet of paper, and then, he placed his hand on it. ¡¯Enhance the Guanwu Skill, aim: to add control over Cultivators of Daoist Skills, requiring all those who practice this Technique not to betray me. Once betrayal occurs, the Technique will completely fail.¡¯ Hiss. As soon as the requirement was broadcasted. A black line flashed on the back of his hand, swiftly flowing into the paper. ¡¯Do you want to enhance the Guanwu Skill?¡¯ The Black Mark question appeared. At the same time, a countdown emerged: 7 days 11 hours 42 minutes. "Yes." After nearly five months of enhancement, Yu Hong now considered a few more days to be a trifle. Instantly, the countdown on the white paper twitched and began its tally. Having completed these tasks, Yu Hong returned to the underground chamber, sat in front of the helm of the Black Ship, and watched the Black River outside the wall windows churning relentlessly. ¡¯Now, let¡¯s try returning to the world of Huangsong Island.¡¯ He fumbled for a moment, and indeed, he found another button beneath the ship¡¯s helm. Gently, he pressed it. Hiss! Instantaneously, a black mist flashed across the glass window. The entire cave trembled slightly and began to sway gently as though actually on a real ship. Subsequently, the black river water visible through the window began to flow backward slowly, meaning that the cave was moving within the Black River. ¡¯In such a situation, what would the camp¡¯s cave look like in reality?¡¯ Suddenly, an inkling of curiosity rose in Yu Hong¡¯s heart. Right away, he let go of the helm and swiftly returned to the first floor and peered out through the doorway¡¯s observation window. But outside, darkness reigned;shrouded in blackness, nothing was visible, as if soaked in the gloomy waters of the Black River. Faintly, the sound of flowing water could be heard, along with the whispering voices of shadows. ¡¯Has it become something like a submarine structure?¡¯ Yu Hong pondered in his mind. Standing at the doorway, he waited a while. Very soon. Thump. The entire cave trembled slightly, and complex white patterns lit up across the inner wall¡ªthese were various Array Talismans unique to the Yingshan Civilization. Yu Hong quickly checked the underground chamber. From the window, he saw the cave stop entirely. Amidst the surrounding mist, he could faintly make out a desolate wild beach. That was the secluded beach he had been using recently, situated along a section of the coastline southwest of Taizhou City. ¡¯Back!¡¯ Yu Hong felt relieved internally. ¡¯As long as I can travel back and forth normally, nothing else is a big issue.¡¯ Returning to the first floor, he opened the door. A breath of warm air rushed in, carrying the scent of the sea breeze. Stepping out of the door, he stood on a protruding rock, just large enough for one person to stand. With a leap, he floated lightly down onto the beach, then looked back. At sea, amidst the swirling black fog, a peculiar object with a spherical top and rectangular bottom quietly floated on the Black River. The object was covered in greyish-white unknown materials, its surface constantly lit up with white lines and symbols shining brightly against the surrounding black mist. "This thing... It¡¯s been strengthened, but... Why does it feel a bit like a cup lid?" Yu Hong found it indefinable. Now sure that he could return to the world of Huangsong Island, he hopped back into the cave and took the Black Ship back to the camp. He then fetched Zhang Kajing back for a rest. Seven days later. On the first level of the cave, Yu Hong¡¯s figure reappeared in front of the wooden table. He stretched out his hand and picked up a dark blue booklet that had just emerged on the table. ¡¯A bit late, the enhancement has already finished.¡¯ Yu Hong looked around the table and confirmed that the booklet in his hand was definitely the result of his casually written Guanwu Skill enhancement. He glanced over the booklet, its cover emblazoned with the large characters of Guanwu Skill. Swish. He quickly turned to the first page. ¡¯This book is also named Guanwu Jade Spirit Skill, rooted in and enhanced from the Guanwu Skill with an integration of Wuji Palace¡¯s Spirit-controlling Decision. Cultivators must acknowledge the first practitioner¡ªthe original cultivator. Thereafter, any cultivator practicing this Technique shall not act against the original. Any breach will lead to a complete failure of the cultivated Technique, self-induced chaos in their Power, with the only recourse being Dissolve the Skill. Note: Any subsequent cultivator practicing this Technique will contribute toward the condensation of Spirit Light for the original practitioner. The more Spirit Light accumulated, the more protection and enhancement the cultivator gains.¡¯ Chapter 304: people 2 Yu Hong exhaled. ¡¯Exactly, this is what I want!¡¯ A satisfied expression appeared on his face as he continued to read on. This Cultivation Technique revolves around cultivating a special energy called Spirit Light after practicing. This energy can attach and merge with anyone who practices the Guanwu Jade Spirit Skill Daoist Skills. Thus, it accelerates their cultivation speed and provides certain protection and physical enhancement to the cultivator themselves. Then, each cultivator will develop a strand of Spirit Light, which strengthens this energy. Every once in a while, the Spirit Light of all cultivators will return to the first cultivator, merge, purify, and then enhance the intensity of everyone¡¯s Spirit Light. Theoretically, this new modified Cultivation Technique grows more powerful the more people practice it. Regarding other aspects, it resembles the Guanwu Skill, which involves summoning the Fear Shadow, overcoming it, defeating it, and then controlling it. There are still nine levels;after completing each level, the cultivator¡¯s mental strength doubles. Overall, it¡¯s an enhanced version of the ordinary Guanwu Skill. Having obtained the secrets of the technique, Yu Hong didn¡¯t hesitate and immediately went into the basement to start practicing the technique anew. * * * Hope City. High-power lamps simulating sunlight woke this disaster-ridden city from its early morning slumber. The sound of radio gymnastics began to play, serving as the sole accompaniment of the morning. "Previously, everyone here used to sleep later and later, until it was discovered that lack of sleep severely affected people¡¯s memory and comprehension. Hence, my father collaborated with other committee members to establish the current regimen for the public¡¯s rest, mandating specific times for sleep, morning exercises, and noon naps." Now the first commissioner, Chen Yaofeng, accompanied Yu Hong to the highest point in Hope City, closest to the simulated sun, overlooking everything. "It¡¯s a good policy, but the actual effect depends on people¡¯s willingness. You can¡¯t force someone to sleep or rest," Yu Hong said from a slightly behind position, arms crossed, gazing into the distance. The two had no guards around them;for everyone, being beside Yu Hong was currently the safest place. "Come on, Yu Hong, you don¡¯t visit for no reason;you wouldn¡¯t be here just to hang out," Chen Yaofeng said with a smile. "You know me well," Yu Hong returned with a wry smile, stretching out his hand to pull out a self-copied book of Guanwu Jade Spirit Technique. This book was naturally abridged. The new Guanwu Jade Spirit Skill was simpler than he imagined;it was just like the original but with an extra little Secret Technique added at the last breakthrough. Hence, he had mastered the Spirit Light immediately. "I¡¯ve been diligently researching and pondering how to entirely solve the issue of the continual resurrection of the Black Disaster, which you know well. Although the Cold Disaster has now become the biggest trouble, the Black Disaster still exists, with fewer low-level shadows, yet the high-risk Black Disaster remains fearless of the Cold Disaster and even harnesses its power to become even more terrifying," Yu Hong said gravely. "You¡¯re right¡­" Chen Yaofeng¡¯s expression turned serious and he nodded. "So, you have thought of a method?" he asked with a hint of anticipation, looking at the booklet in Yu Hong¡¯s hand. "Indeed¡­" Yu Hong nodded. "This Guanwu Jade Spirit Technique is a special spell I¡¯ve restored from some Ancient Books and combined with my own situation, which enhances a person¡¯s spiritual power. Through spiritual power, it combats the Black Disaster, thereby preventing it from regenerating." "¡­" Chen Yaofeng stared at him, suddenly bursting into laughter. "What holiday is it today that you¡¯ve come all this way to joke around?" "Do you think I¡¯m someone who likes to joke?" Yu Hong retorted. Seeing his expression, the smile on Chen Yaofeng¡¯s face slowly faded, turning solemn, and then serious, mixed with a bit of hope and apprehension. "Have you¡­ tested it?" "Of course, I¡¯ve already tried it with normal shadows, and indeed, they didn¡¯t resurrect," Yu Hong responded solemnly. "¡­" Chen Yaofeng looked at the booklet in Yu Hong¡¯s hand, his gaze suddenly changing. "I need to test it further;if it really works¡­" He did not finish his sentence. But Yu Hong understood the implication. The spread of the Guanwu Jade Spirit Technique was the hope he found for the remaining humans in Hope City. It was also something that could strengthen his own trump card. "If it succeeds, start having everyone test the cultivation as soon as possible. Time waits for no one," Yu Hong said somberly. "I understand. Yu Hong¡­ if this succeeds, perhaps everyone will remember you forever," Chen Yaofeng said gravely. A little over ten minutes later. Yu Hong left Hope City, heading back towards the camp. He moved extremely fast;as he sprinted, a dim array-like circle of silver patterns naturally lit up beneath him. Within the pattern flowed chain-like runes, which, like living creatures, kept intertwining, overlaying, and emitting faint sounds only Yu Hong could hear. ¡¯Is this the amplification of Spirit Light?¡¯ Yu Hong carefully observed its enhancement on himself. ¡¯The speed is unaffected, the physical enhancement is slight, very weak, just like wearing an extra layer of denim. A bit thicker skin. No other changes. It must be because I¡¯m the only one practicing. Perhaps it will gradually strengthen as more people join.¡¯ Yu Hong speculated. The amplification wasn¡¯t important to him;he only cared about ensuring it didn¡¯t backfire on himself, nothing more. * * * Black Wind Camp. Zhang Kajing stood quietly beside the Ultimate Gate, where the bewitching Cosmic Divine Light that could completely melt all living beings had no effect on her. She reached out her hand, gently touching the outer wall of the Ultimate Gate. Frozen ice slowly formed traces under her fingertips. "Is this it?" she murmured softly in a strange language that had never appeared in this world, as if talking to herself or conversing with something. "Change, origin, comes from him, I can discover, the secret he hides... needs time... slowly..." Zhang Kajing spoke in a low voice, gradually closing her mouth as her voice faded into silence. After a while, she drew back her hand, the tips of her fingers already covered and spreading with a blue layer of ice, completely frozen solid. Tsk. A crisp sound. Her fingers shattered completely, turning into blue light particles that scattered on the ground, merging with the Cosmic Divine Light. Visibly, a new segment of finger silently and suddenly grew from where the old one broke off, restoring it to its original form. "What a strange world..." She moved her fingers and turned towards the entrance of the cave she lived in. But halfway there, she suddenly paused, turning her head to look far outside the camp. There, on a patch of blue snow, stood a pale little boy whose body was dark, with only his eyes bloodshot. "Land of vitality..." The boy, not even as tall as a suitcase, stood eerily straight in the snow, wearing simple white clothing with a squirrel pattern. His exposed skin on his face and hands was covered in dark red blood vessels reminiscent of centipedes. "This... is the land of vitality..." the boy said softly in the same language. "..." Zhang Kajing gently raised her hand, pointing towards the distance. Understanding her gesture, the boy¡¯s face showed a hint of fear as he quickly turned and left towards the distance. Tsk. In an instant, after just a few steps, his body disappeared as if through Instantaneous Movement. Watching him completely leave, Zhang Kajing then hurried towards the camp. Similarly, she hadn¡¯t taken many steps before she disappeared in a blink of an eye. The next moment, she appeared directly inside the cave of the camp, as if she had never left. Just then, the stone at the cave entrance was slowly pushed open, and Yu Hong¡¯s face appeared from outside. "Sorry for leaving you alone here for so long. Have you decided? Do you want to go live with more people by the Hope City River? Staying here doesn¡¯t really serve any purpose," he asked seriously. Zhang Kajing shook her head, her expression resolutely declining. "Alright, if you change your mind, just tell me when I¡¯m here," Yu Hong instructed. "Okay..." Zhang Kajing nodded. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I need to go out for a bit, do whatever you want, I¡¯ll leave you some books to read, and you can tidy up the breeding boxes," Yu Hong quickly moved some books and several breeding boxes for her to handle. Then he went off on his own back to the basement. Not long after, the entire cave, now a safe house, trembled faintly. Yu Hong had already disappeared from the spot. After another ten minutes or so. Zhang Kajing slowly walked out of her own cave entrance, looking towards the safe house cave. It still looked the same as before, with no visible changes. But... Zhang Kajing walked up to the door, stretched out her hand, and gently touched it. "Something has... left..." she murmured softly. * * * World of Huangsong Island. Qingchen Temple and Jiufang Temple, together, host a Daoist Skills exchange meeting. Taoist Yu Mo, accompanying Yu Hong, and Master Yu Hen, along with Zheng Ming, participated in this meeting. Officially, it claimed to be an exchange of experiences in removing resentful marks which have appeared frequently lately. But in reality, it was a covert power struggle. Qingchen Temple dominates Taizhou, while Jiufang Temple controls the nearby Hui State, with the two areas closely neighboring each other, often conflicting. If not for upper-tier Taoist Sect interventions, there might have been visible signs of conflict. Now with Yu Hong, a top disciple who had obtained a Profound Level Inheritance Dao Artifact, and capable of self-defense, Yu Mo and Yu Hen could no longer hold back, deciding to slowly start building up Yu Hong¡¯s reputation step by step. After all, reputation isn¡¯t built in a day, but requires initial groundwork, then yearly, step-by-step activities to gradually gain recognized status, eventually winning the Taoist Sect¡¯s endorsement to boost the Qingchen Temple¡¯s regional influence and authority. "Weren¡¯t you supposed to focus on cultivating Daoist Skills? Why actively bring you here to the meeting?" Zheng Xia queried with some confusion. At that moment, she and Yu Hong were sitting in the meeting hall, watching the other members of the Dao Seed Class talk with a few disciples from the opposite side. "It makes sense," Yu Hong replied, holding a glass of apple juice and taking a slow sip. "While focusing on cultivation, it¡¯s still necessary to participate in some important promotional activities. This meeting is officially an exchange event, but in reality, it arose because one of our disciples committed an action at the border of Jiufang Temple¡¯s territory, swindling a substantial amount of money from a local major household." Yu Hong had already inquired about the reasons. "Isn¡¯t that unreasonable on our part?" Zheng Xia asked. "Yes, so that disciple was beaten to a pulp by people from Jiufang Temple and sent back to us. According to our Temple Master, although we were at fault, it shouldn¡¯t have been up to them to decide the punishment unilaterally. They overstepped their bounds, breaking the rules," Yu Hong explained. "So this meeting is basically to properly contest and compare skills, deciding the winner?" Zheng Xia understood. "Right," Yu Hong nodded, looking toward the corner sofa where another Taoist sat. His demeanor was stern, eyebrows sharply angled, physically robust, likely around his mid-twenties. He was the top contemporary disciple of Jiufang Temple¡ªTaoist Yuan Hua. "What will the contest be? Fighting? Techniques?" Zheng Xia asked quietly, noticing the other¡¯s gaze. "Dealing with resentful marks, naturally it will be a contest of Techniques," Yu Mo approached from the side, chuckling and stroking his beard. Chapter 305: Three Just as Qingchen Temple was planning to slowly start making Yu Hong famous. Near Taizhou, in front of a teahouse. Standing beneath a wooden sign inscribed with "Tranquility and Nature," a young man wearing a Qingchen Temple Daoist robe quietly awaited a woman with golden-wavy hair to walk out. The two stood at the entrance, exchanging glances. "The alliance has decided to make a move the day after tomorrow, you should coordinate internally, disrupt the Array and verify the information." The woman tossed out a dark object with a wave of her hand. The man caught it and took a look. "Alright. Who will make a move then?" "The seven sons of the Primordial Embryo are coming, they should be enough to handle it. Over there, it¡¯s mostly the old, weak, sick, and disabled. Although it¡¯s a Taoist Sect, for the sake of making money and enjoying life, they¡¯ve long lost any combat strength. With the Technique, we should be able to clear it out within a day," the woman said casually. "This is just the beginning, our main opponents are the expert teams sent by the Taoist Sect later on." "Got it. Why was the decision made to start early all of a sudden? I¡¯ve only been infiltrating for two years, I originally thought it would take four or five years." The man asked. "Who knows?" The blonde woman responded lazily. "But it¡¯s good too, chanting sutras all day long, one almost forgets who they are." The man said indifferently, putting away the item and turning to leave. * * * At the small competition venue. "Let the competition begin." Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Yu Hong and the Taoist Yuan Hua from Jiufang Temple were finally about to duel. Yu Mo and another person were making unrelated, forced conversations, trying to steer it towards the young disciple. How could Jiufang Temple not know their intentions? Anyway, they were quite confident about their Dao Seed, so they readily agreed. After all, this matter wasn¡¯t too big or small, and if they acted directly, the impact would be too great. Instead, having the disciple make a move made it easier to control the extent of victory or defeat. And thus, it turned into what it was now. The old Taoists from Jiufang Temple and Yu Mo sat together, looking all smiles and laughter, but in reality, everyone¡¯s attention was focused here. Yu Hong was representing the face of Qingchen Temple;originally, Zheng Ming should have gone up, but thinking of his previous loss to Yu Hong, he recommended letting Yu Hong go. "Stop before causing any harm, remember not to injure the opponent. Just a friendly sparring," Yu Mo Taoist called out loudly and seriously. "Yes, Uncle!" Zheng Ming quickly replied loudly, not waiting for a response. This set the tone first. Though Jiufang Temple was dissatisfied, they did not retort and silently agreed. Yu Hong glanced around at those watching. The two of the Yu generation, Zheng Ming and the other four were all present, along with some invited local dignitaries, numbering about five or six. Including the dozen or so from Jiufang Temple, it looked like quite a crowd. "The match is about to begin, counting down from three, ready," announced a Taoist from Jiufang Temple, temporarily acting as the announcer, raising his right hand with three fingers up. "Three." "Two." Yu Hong and Taoist Yuan Hua simultaneously raised their hands, ready to form their handprints. The resentment sand had already been placed on the ground between the two. It was quite extravagant this time, one bottle each. "One!" Swish! A milky white, slender-necked porcelain bottle appeared in Yuan Hua Taoist¡¯s hand. He gently tapped it. Immediately, an invisible force surged from the bottle and flew towards Yu Hong. The invisible force attracted the resentment sand in mid-air and quickly turned into a half-human-sized silvery, blurry human face mask. The mask opened its mouth and sprayed out a silver thread as thin as hair, targeting Yu Hong. "Go." Yu Hong released his first Fear Shadow¡ªthe shadow in a white robe. The man in white charged forward fearlessly. Thump, thump, thump!! A large area of silver threads pierced the white-robed man¡¯s body, slowing his steps considerably. But that was all;the tiny holes on the white-robed man¡¯s body quickly healed and disappeared. It lunged forward, closing the distance, and grabbed the silver mask. Thud. With a hard tear, the mask was ripped apart on the spot. At the same time, the fragmented mask released a mass of black mist, enveloping the white-robed man. They tangled there. On the other side, Yu Hong and Taoist Yuan Hua simultaneously chose to shift the battlefield again. Both summoned another Withered Woman and a second antlered mask. The Withered Woman was visibly restrained by the antlered mask, but due to its unique blinking ability, the two ground against each other for several minutes without a winner. Next, the third battle began. Taoist Yuan Hua¡¯s expression became serious. "Seeing that Zheng Ming wasn¡¯t the one going up, I thought there was some issue;now it seems it¡¯s just that you¡¯re stronger, right?" he said in a low voice. The two battles had taken a significant toll on his mental strength regarding Daoist Skills. Yet Yu Hong opposite him remained calm, his complexion unchanged, as if there was no consumption at all. This was a bit exaggerated. "Actually, it¡¯s Brother Zheng Ming who gave me this opportunity for training," Yu Hong explained, "My own skills aren¡¯t strong, I¡¯m still much behind my senior brother." "Hehe," Taoist Yuan Hua glanced at the expressionless Zheng Ming and internally cursed the Qingchen Temple for their hypocrisy. But outwardly, he could only put on a stern face and remain silent. Raising his hand, he made a handprint and shook his porcelain bottle again. Soon, a new force surged rapidly, quickly sucked by the resentment sand, manifesting as a ferocious devil-like horned mask. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. On Yu Hong¡¯s side, a new Fear Shadow emerged as well, a hazy, semi-transparent humanoid form. That was the spoken figure! As soon as it formed its outline, it released circles of almost tangible air currents, swirling around. Immediately, the people of Jiufang Temple were slightly moved in expression. They had seen Qingchen Temple¡¯s Fear Shadow before, but this was the first time they witnessed such an eerily styled one. With this sinister Fear Shadow appearing, Yu Mo and the others couldn¡¯t help but glance sideways, leaning forward with somewhat serious expressions. Taoist Yuan Hua sensed something amiss but it was too late to change tactics. Moreover, this devil mask was his most powerful Technique;if it still didn¡¯t work.... Bang! In an instant, as the spoken figure formed, the devil mask directly crashed into it. With a muffled sound, the devil mask was forcibly bounced several meters away. The spoken figure still stood in place, its jelly-like texture slowly disappearing, becoming simply translucent. Its aura also subdued, remaining unmoving. "The difference is evident. The devil mask couldn¡¯t even move Zheng Rou¡¯s Fear Shadow!" Zheng Xia murmured, eyes somewhat shocked. "It¡¯s only been such a short time of cultivation, and he¡¯s already caught up to Taoist Yuan Hua¡¯s many years...." "This is talent;it doesn¡¯t follow logic...." Zheng Ming shook his head. "But what is that thing Zheng Rou summoned? I¡¯ve never seen such a thing. Have you, Junior Sister?" Zheng Xia shook her head. "Never seen it, maybe the masters know." The two looked towards Yu Mo and Yu Hen, noticing they were also focused on the spoken figure, some furrowing their brows, others just plainly curious. Yu Mo and Master Yu Hen, the two old Taoists, were speculating about the origin of the spoken figure. "That thing...is very dangerous...and has many details. It¡¯s either a long-term imagined terror form or the depiction of some folk deity," Yu Mo said in a deep voice. "I feel...it looks like....the real one," Master Yu Hen frowned. "The real one? If it¡¯s at that level and true....then....?" Yu Mo suddenly thought of Yu Hong¡¯s background search, related to the Huangsong Island case. "It should be....a blessing in disguise..." Master Yu Hen nodded. As soon as the spoken figure appeared, it clearly was not a common character. Meanwhile, the shadow in the white robe had already suppressed the opposite mask and was holding it in its grip. "Impressive! Now the next move...how will you counter this!" Taoist Yuan Hua was getting frustrated, immediately pressing a black and gold pendant on his chest. Buzz! In the instant he grabbed the pendant, an invisible wave of spiritual fluctuation rapidly spread across the entire hall from him as the center. This time, everyone sensed something different. A sense of suppression slowly emerged. "It¡¯s the Dao Artifact! The Inheritance Dao Artifact!" Yu Mo leaned forward again, "Zheng Rou has just acquired the Dao Artifact;I wonder if he can handle it!" "Let¡¯s watch first;if it¡¯s unmanageable, he¡¯ll yield." Master Yu Hen shook his head. Not far away, the four of Zheng Ming also showed concern. "Even using the Inheritance Dao Artifact, it¡¯s really risking it all." Zheng Ming frowned tightly, "The usage of Dao Artifacts isn¡¯t grasped quickly;Zheng Rou is somewhat at a disadvantage here." "I think Zheng Rou might still have some assurance," Zheng Xia, who had been following Yu Hong these days, vaguely observed his temperament. Seeing him unmoved on the field, she knew the situation had not exceeded his control. The local representational figures, however, were applauding and cheering at such a magical duel, relishing the spectacle. Without realizing the heavy atmosphere beneath it. Back in the field. Taoist Yuan Hua grasped the pendant, and resentment sand rapidly condensed behind him, forming a three-meter-tall silvery bull-headed figure. The bull-headed figure wielded a large silver axe, lifting its foot and rushed towards Yu Hong. Thump, thump, thump!! With each step it ran, semi-transparent gel dripped continuously from its body. The spoken figure was silently exercising its ability, causing it sustained damage. But such damage proved useless, having no effect on the bull-headed figure. In an instant, it arrived in front of the spoken figure, swinging the axe. Swish! The axe landed on the head of the spoken figure in a split second, and at that moment, the scream erupted. Ah!!! With a bang, the spoken figure shattered like jelly, bursting apart and splattering everywhere, completely disappearing. While a small part of the bull-headed figure¡¯s front was fully gelled, dripping like wax on the ground. The surrounding was in an uproar. Taoist Yuan Hua had even utilized the Inheritance Dao Artifact, yet was still injured by the spoken figure¡¯s retaliation. One must understand, once the Inheritance Dao Artifact was used, the user¡¯s strength could be greatly amplified;the trade-off was the rapid consumption of spiritual power. It was essentially a trump card move, yet, at this moment.... "Yellow Level Dao Artifact;it¡¯s okay, Zheng Rou is at Profound Level. Even if not proficient, there should be a slight advantage. Next, it becomes the crucial moment to determine victory or defeat," Zheng Ming said in a deep voice, staring intently at Yu Hong. The last sparring session, he wanted to know what Inheritance Dao Artifact Yu Hong acquired and its function. Unable to find out last time, this time, Taoist Yuan Hua might force out Yu Hong¡¯s trump card. Not only him;at this moment, the old Yu Mo also looked at Yu Hong with anticipation. Master Yu Hen held a teacup at his lips and never put it down, as though frozen in motion. Chapter 306: Four Puff puff puff! The man in the ox-head mask has already gripped his axe tightly again, charging towards Yu Hong himself. As the distance grew closer and closer. In an instant, a pile of silver sand condensed into a giant humanoid figure five meters tall, standing in front of Yu Hong. Its head reached the ceiling, with a body all black and only a single crimson eye on its face. Its size completely blocked Yu Hong from view. This tall?? The surrounding crowd burst into an uproar. This figure was somewhat excessively exaggerated. Yu Mo and Yu Hen stood up slightly, their faces showing surprise. "Is this the power of the Inheritance Dao Artifact from Guang Han?" Yu Mo exclaimed in shock. "Such a large size, it¡¯s truly remarkable that Zheng Rou could condense it! The consumption must be huge," Yu Hen praised. "It seems that this Inheritance Dao Artifact is indeed more effective than the ones Zheng Ming and his group have," Yu Mo nodded. Seeing this scene, Zheng Ming and his group all took a slight breath, the oppressive feeling from the five-meter-tall humanoid was indeed too strong. Even though they weren¡¯t the main opponents in the duel, they could still feel the immense pressure in the arena. Not to mention the opposing Taoist Yuan Hua. His expression turned extremely ugly. But at this moment, there was no time to think further;he formed a handprint and controlled the ox-headed-masked man to swing his axe, striking at the five-meter giant first. Bang. Unfortunately, the great axe was caught in one hand by the opponent, gently snapped with a crack, breaking on the spot. The ox-headed-masked man tried to throw a punch, but his fist was grasped, and he was slightly lifted into the air, suspended, and slammed down with a knee. Bang!!! The ox-headed-masked man immediately scattered, disappearing. Leaving the Taoist Yuan Hua standing there stunned, his face pale, motionless for a long time. "The competition ends, Qingchen Temple¡¯s Zheng Rou wins!" a Taoist announced loudly. Yu Hong smiled faintly, controlling the Black Giant to return, dispersing into silver sand, flying back into the Resentment Sand Bottle. Everything became utterly quiet. He bowed to the surrounding people, wearing a smile. The terrifying shadow of that Black Giant was actually his Fifth Layer Fear Shadow, not the power of the Inheritance Dao Artifact Guang Han. It was just that the power seemed a bit too great, and it appeared to the surrounding people to be from an Inheritance Dao Artifact. He did not explain, merely smiling and responding to those who greeted him. This competition probably also clarified the level of the top disciples of the Daoist Sects for him;the strengths of Taoist Yuan Hua and Brother Zheng Ming should be quite close. Being able to burst forth with the power to confront a small Black Giant using an Inheritance Dao Artifact was indeed impressive. Indeed, the Fifth Layer Fear Shadow he condensed just now was the small Black Giant he encountered earlier. He was genuinely startled by it from behind at that time. Unexpectedly, it had now condensed into the Fifth Layer Fear Shadow. ¡¯A small Black Giant is probably around a Level Eight Black Disaster;the one I condensed might be stronger by a notch, possibly at Level Nine. With that in mind, the fighting power against Black Disasters here is indeed very good. Although it¡¯s purely in the spiritual aspect.¡¯ He roughly estimated, gaining a sense of the strength hierarchy of the Daoist Sects. ¡¯A leading disciple from a small faction within a Daoist Sect has near-Level Nine Black Disaster targeting spiritual power;the stronger Nine Sects must definitely have War Level, or even stronger spiritual power entities... With this, the place indeed has the capability to withstand and suppress a Black Disaster...¡¯ As the competition concluded, Taoist Yuan Hua¡¯s expression turned cold, and he left with his master. They exchanged a few perfunctory remarks before leaving, just for the sake of saving face, and then everything ended. Elated, Yu Mo and Yu Hen invited everyone for a big meal. A group of people spiritedly boarded the chartered bus, right as the vehicle started moving. Everyone settled into their seats when suddenly Yu Hen¡¯s phone rang. "Bro, answer the phone, come on, fast~~~" a coquettish, almost whining female voice resonated through the bus. The driver was startled, shivering as he turned his head to see whose voice it was. "....." Zheng Ming, Zheng Xia, and others immediately focused their gaze on the Temple Master. Yu Mo shook his head looking towards his brother Yu Hen, then coughed twice. "What are you looking at? I am just immersing in desires to forge my will, gathering strength for breaking through a higher realm," Yu Hen said calmly, pinching his white beard. He was not embarrassed, took out a latest model smartphone, flipped it open and put it to his ear. "Hello." He had just uttered a word when the content from the other end changed his expression drastically. The initial relaxedness was swiftly replaced by seriousness. "Take it easy, calm down, speak slowly." The atmosphere inside the bus quickly turned tense. A moment later, Yu Hen put down his phone and looked at everyone inside the bus. "It looks like we can¡¯t have our big meal;let¡¯s quickly eat and take care of two cases." "Troublesome?" Yu Mo squinted at him. "Yes, two disciples from the Golden Jade class had accidents at their homes," Yu Hen said gravely. Golden Jade class! Everyone immediately understood what that meant. The Golden Jade class represented the face of Qingchen Temple;its disciples, although seeming like regular students, actually paid protection fees to be on an exclusive list. Normally, the families of these names on the list are given talismans by the temple, and Taoists specially monitor them to ensure safety. "Both Golden Jade class disciples¡¯ families had accidents, there were deaths, and the disciples we were responsible for observing and protecting have disappeared and can¡¯t be contacted," Yu Hen spoke gravely. This made everyone gulp;even their own temple¡¯s disciples had disappeared, indicating this was not an ordinary case. "With this, I have the addresses. Zheng Hong, Zheng Ming, you go handle them separately, cautiously gather information first, don¡¯t act rashly. Use the Spirit Testing Talisman to assess the situation first," Taoist Yu Hen commanded. "Yes!" "Disciple obeys." The two swiftly stood up and bowed. "Get one team each from the security team to follow each of you;two cases happening simultaneously, I suspect there could be a problem. Having firearms for protection can also prevent a lot of trouble," Taoist Yu Mo interjected. "Understood," Zheng Ming nodded. "The rest, return to the Taoist Temple first;I need to contact the authorities and see if there¡¯s any special situation," Yu Hen stated solemnly. "Temple Master, what about us?" Zheng Xia asked quickly. "Come back with us, we need to confirm if there is a problem first," Yu Hen replied. He looked at the distance between Zheng Xia and Yu Hong, shaking his head in disappointment. "You must take good care of Zheng Rou. He lacks experience and often doesn¡¯t know what to do. You¡¯ll need to help him a lot." "Uh...Yes!" Zheng Xia nodded. Yu Hong, seeing everyone¡¯s serious expressions, also understood that the situation was quite serious. Since they were not letting him take action, he decided to obey the arrangements and honestly wait at the Taoist Temple for news. Qingchen Temple had survived for so long because it had its own systems for dealing with issues. Since he was unfamiliar with them, it was better not to interfere, as he might just complicate matters. On the bus, Zheng Ming and Zheng Hong quickly got off and entered separate cars to leave. The rest of the people waited a few minutes before finally boarding the bus, which slowly started and headed back in the direction of Qingchen Temple. Inside the car. Zheng Hong sat in the backseat, holding a special mobile phone, typing quickly and silently. His expression was calm as he occasionally glanced at the driver in the front seat. Then he continued to type in the information about the recent competition. "Zheng Rou¡¯s strength should be comparable to Zheng Ming¡¯s, and considering Qingchen Temple also has Yu Mo and Yu Hen, both who possess Inheritance Dao Artifacts, despite being old and frail, their Daoist Realm is higher. Considering other members of the Yu Generation, sending just two Primordial Embryos here won¡¯t suffice to handle it all." Tap. The key was pressed, and the message was being sent. Zheng Hong turned off the screen and looked out of the window. Soon, his phone vibrated, the screen lit up, showing a message: Received, arriving the day after tomorrow. * * * The sudden major case put the entire Qingchen Temple on high alert. Yu Hong, being highly valued, was brought to stay within the Taoist Temple, not allowed to go out. He was just thinking about what to enhance next. Inside the room of the Taoist Temple. Yu Hong held the Guang Han Dao Artifact in his hand, half-leaning on the bed, observing it closely. "I still can¡¯t use the Dao Artifact;before I fully understand this so-called Divine Intent, it¡¯s better to first focus on fortifying the safety of the camp on our side, to leave a way out." He carefully reviewed the Cultivation Techniques he was currently practicing. "It¡¯s a bit messy;aside from the Guanwu Skill, it would be best to integrate the rest into one. Also, the problem with Taiyuan True Method needs to be addressed." With that thought, Yu Hong recalled the Cultivation Techniques he had practiced item by item. Guanwu Skill, Taiyuan True Method, Infinite River Technique. His brow furrowed. "So, how should I enhance the secret Technique I initially practiced?" The initial enhancement of the Technique used a handwritten copy, but he didn¡¯t have the original at hand now, and the rules for Black Mark enhancement required adding something new. "Unless I can fully rewrite the original, it¡¯s really not easy to handle here." "So, without using the Black Mark, why not try by myself?" He calmed down and began to carefully observe and feel the state of his Inner Strength. After integrating the Cosmic Divine Light, his Inner Qi had turned into a blue glowing liquid orb, continuously circulating within his body. And the Daoist Breath of the Guanwu Skill circulated back and forth between his temples. The two only intersect slightly when the Inner Qi flowed upward through the brain. Yu Hong observed carefully and suddenly noticed that the paths of the Guanwu Skill and Taiyuan True Method only overlapped a little;most parts were separate. "The Guanwu Skill, once strengthened, greatly aids the progress of the Taiyuan True Method. Clearly, these two can be integrated." He thought for a moment, then placed a hand on the external skin corresponding to his Inner Qi Group. "Strengthen Guanwu Jade Spirit Skill, Taiyuan True Method. Direction: integration to reduce side effects." He didn¡¯t dare add any other requirements;the previous enhancement duration of the Taiyuan True Method was still vivid in his memory. Now, when he practiced daily, spending too much time on individual enhancement wasn¡¯t advisable. Perhaps after mastering the Technique to its peak, he might still obtain the unique traits of the Technique, which would help greatly with Tao Breath Circulation. Strengthening the energy of the Cultivation Technique inside his own body, or this conceptual framework, was something Yu Hong had never tried before. But since it worked with the original booklets, it should also work on his body. Especially since Black Mark enhancements seemed to focus on conceptual objects. Hiss. After a two-second pause. Just when Yu Hong thought it had failed, suddenly there was a soft sound. A black line flowed from the back of his hand into his abdomen. "Do you want to strengthen the Guanwu Jade Spirit Skill and Taiyuan True Method?" A countdown appeared outside his abdominal Daoist robe. ¡¯17 days, 4 hours, 9 minutes.¡¯ Seeing this, Yu Hong let out a sigh of relief. "Good, it worked, and it¡¯s not too long." As his own Cultivation Technique level continuously rose, the time needed for Black Mark enhancement also corresponded. This time, only a few days could resolve the issue with the chaotic Techniques, which was already very cost-effective. "Then, this Dao Artifact..." Yu Hong clenched the crescent pendant, lost in thought. He always felt there was something off about this object... sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Perhaps, I should try using it somewhere..." * * * At the same moment. During the nighttime. On the quiet street outside Qingchen Temple, a black sedan slowly approached, decelerating and stopping in front of the temple gate. The car door opened. Three figures in black trench coats and wearing black masks, tall and thin, stepped down from the car. "This is the place..." The man in the front, with dark red eyes and dark purple short hair, wore purple floral earrings in his ears, his bright and clear eyes possessing a gender-neutral beauty. Chapter 307: Night 305 Deep one "Let¡¯s go. As long as we take out a few from the Yu Generation, we¡¯ll have full control. Let¡¯s try to finish this within a day, we still have other tasks ahead," the androgynous man said in a heavy tone. The other two nodded slightly and followed him towards the main gate of the Taoist Temple. The gate was wide open, and the night lights shone down, where an old Taoist sat dozing off by the door. The old Taoist had no reaction to the trio¡¯s approach, and the alarm system, which resembled a security device at the door, remained silent as well. The three of them passed over the high threshold like ghosts, stepping into the temple. No sooner had they entered than they felt the originally clear consciousness in their heads suddenly become weighed down by a heavy burden. "Array... I didn¡¯t expect that Qingchen Temple still retained the old Arrays for suppression," the leading androgynous man frowned slightly. He looked back at the two. "How do you feel?" "Manageable. Spiritual power suppressed by about thirty percent," one replied. "That¡¯s already quite a lot. Pay attention to maintaining the Technique, and let¡¯s find the Array Core first," the androgynous man ordered. "Yes." The two responded together. * * * In the backyard of the Taoist Temple. Seven elders of the Yu Generation, including Yu Mo and Yu Hen, gathered together, along with two Special Envoys who arrived temporarily. Everyone¡¯s gaze was focused on Master Yu Hen, waiting for the news he would give. Excluding the elderly of the Yu Generation, the other Disciples were kept away from the secrets and sent to other rooms and halls for temporary rest. Zheng Xia and Yu Hong were also told to return to their own rooms to rest. "Two Special Envoys, we received a last-minute notice and apologize for not welcoming you from far away," Master Yu Hen apologized with a very humble attitude. The two Special Envoys from the Capital Yasong were a man and a woman;the tall, strong man was in his thirties and named Zhao Shibing. The woman looked a bit older, in her forties, dressed in a black suit that made her appear efficient and sharp. Her identification named her as Yang Chi. Both were from the Capital Rongjing and spoke with a strong local accent. "We received a message saying there¡¯s a special force targeting Qingchen Temple, so we came over early to check," Zhao Shibing extended his hand to shake with Master Yu Hen, explaining. "So late at night, could it be that now..." Before Master Yu Hen could finish his sentence, his expression suddenly darkened, and the polite smile on his face froze. "Somebody has come in, and they¡¯re not ordinary people." He turned towards the direction of the temple¡¯s main gate. "So brazen to enter through the front door!" The other few elders of the Yu Generation tightened their faces, sensing something, and looked towards the main gate direction. Only the two Special Envoys were unaware of what was happening. "The two of you can go rest for a bit, please be assured. This is Qingchen¡¯s main Temple, protected by an Array;ordinary trouble won¡¯t find its way here." Taoist Yu Mo stepped forward to reassure them. In the midst of the conversation, Boom! The door at the main hall in the front courtyard was busted open, making a loud noise. "Have the ordinary Disciples hide well;don¡¯t come out," Master Yu Hen said solemnly. "Don¡¯t worry, with the Array¡¯s suppression, they won¡¯t be able to cause trouble." As soon as he finished speaking, Crack. Suddenly, the invisible oppressive force that had been enveloping the inside of the Taoist Temple burst like a popped balloon, dissipating into nothingness. Yu Hen, Yu Mo, and the others¡¯ expressions changed dramatically. "What¡¯s going on!? Who tampered with the Array Plate!?" Among the others of the Yu Generation, aside from Yu Fang and Yu Zhong, the rest had an unnatural flash in their eyes. Boom! Another loud noise. The back courtyard gate was kicked open, and three figures in black trench coats entered one by one, standing in front of everyone. "Master Yu Hen?" The leading medium-height man asked indifferently. "Sir, for barging into Qingchen Temple, what is your business here? If it¡¯s a matter of wealth, we can sit down and talk;any terms are negotiable," Master Yu Hen said with a gentle tone. "Such filthy smoke and miasma;for the sake of money, you¡¯d even forsake your own dignity," the androgynous man said impatiently, suddenly raising his hand. Strips of pallid cloth with blood-colored symbols flew out from behind the trio, aiming at the group of old Taoists of the Yu Generation. Almost at the same time, Master Yu Hen, who had been smiling and welcoming just before, changed his face in an instant, stepping back to summon a dual-headed black rhinoceros in front of him. Moo! The rhinoceros charged forward, its head lowered, aiming at the androgynous man. The rhinoceros¡¯ horns and the cloth clashed, creating an intense tearing noise. But the rhinoceros was forcibly held in place by a powerful force, struggling in vain. "I can¡¯t hold on! Use the Inheritance Dao Artifact!" Master Yu Hen¡¯s face reddened, clearly feeling the rapid depletion of Daoist power inside him. With his Daoist skills deteriorating and his current state being poor, he was unable to hold on for long. Upon contact, he felt his own Daoist power draining away like a torrential flood. Not only him, but the other few Yu Generation elders also activated their Techniques simultaneously, using the Qi Condensation and Shadow Transformation Technique to summon six Fear Shadows, all pouncing at the trio. But at that moment, three of the Fear Shadows suddenly turned and attacked Yu Hen and Yu Mo! "You!!?" Both shouted in surprise, quickly slapping the Jade Pendants at their waists. Boom! Two silver blinding flashes of light exploded at the same time. Forced to deploy their Inheritance Dao Artifacts, they confronted the sneak attack. * * * Inside the room. Yu Hong and Zheng Xia, hearing the commotion, both came out of their rooms and gathered together, rushing towards the backyard. No sooner had they come out than they saw the gates and the main hall being knocked open one by one. Hum! At this moment, a series of sounds vaguely like a flock of birds chirping came from the backyard, accompanied by frequent loud crashing noises. Waves of special vibrations, perceivable only by those with equally powerful spiritual powers, continuously spread out from the backyard. "You guys go quickly! Master instructed me to lead you to a different place! We¡¯ll return after dealing with the formidable enemy!" The two were intending to head to the backyard, but they were intercepted at the side of the main hall. A middle-aged Taoist led several young disciples towards them. "The intruders are very powerful, and by staying here we would only be a hindrance, providing no assistance. Now that the Array has been broken, we must quickly find a place to hide, so as not to become a burden to our masters." He looked at them, and said that the Dao Seed Class is the ultimate hope of the Temple, which cannot afford any loss ¨C these were the exact words Master had entrusted to them. "Follow me!" He led the two towards a hidden side door. Accompanying them were many other disciples who had approached from nearby. Some tried to call the police, but to their dismay, found that the phone signal was extremely chaotic and the call couldn¡¯t go through. Some wanted to turn back to assist their masters, but they were firmly held back by their companions. "Let¡¯s go, trust in our masters." Zheng Xia looked at Yu Hong and nodded, taking the initiative to follow. There were seven elders of the Yu Generation inside, and even if any expert intruder came in, all seven of them were from the Dao Seed Class. Despite the decline in Daoist Skills, if they all employed the Inheritance Dao Artifacts together, there should be no problem in defending themselves, even against a formidable opponent. The real encumbrance was them, the disciples;they must quickly leave so that if the enemy, upon finding their plan thwarted, tried to use them as a threat. Yu Hong nodded in understanding and followed the middle-aged Taoist out. The group quickly left the Taoist Temple through the side, moving along a dark path towards a bus parked in an open parking lot. Bang!! In an instant, an explosion-like loud noise came from the Taoist Temple behind them. Yu Hong abruptly turned around, sensing a colossal spiritual power, surpassing Level Nine, erupting from the backyard and shooting up into the sky. The perception of spiritual power is a strange sensation;it can¡¯t be seen or touched, but if one uses their own spiritual power to feel it, one can perceive an invisible pressure coming head-on. Different levels of spiritual power are clearly perceptible in terms of strength and weakness. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The strong would instinctively feel fear towards such pressure, while the weak would feel they could easily pierce through it. At this moment, Yu Hong, perceiving the burst of spiritual power, felt as if a gust of wind swept over him. He made a quick estimate in his heart. Even with his current Guanwu Skill at the Sixth Layer, he could not reach this level. And the gap was not small. ¡¯To unleash such power simply based on spiritual power...¡¯ Compared to these old Taoists who had cultivated painstakingly for years, although his talent was not bad and his will strong, he indeed lagged behind in terms of the Daoist Realm. However, due to the special nature of the Qingchen Temple¡¯s Cultivation Technique, this gap in realm wasn¡¯t significant. The main difference lay in the mastery and immersion in the Inheritance Dao Artifacts. He roughly estimated the gap between Zheng Ming and the elder Taoists of the Yu Generation. He figured that if Zheng Ming went all out, he might only be one level weaker than the Yu Generation elders. ¡¯It¡¯s really like the Daoist version of fearing youth and strength...¡¯ Yu Hong continued to run towards the bus as part of the group. However, based on the outburst of spiritual power, it was obvious that Taoist Yu Mo had the upper hand, so he wasn¡¯t too worried. The high-level ranks of Qingchen Temple were all present here;dealing with the attack wouldn¡¯t be a big problem, and it was very likely that the attackers simply wanted to hold them back, to keep them here. * * * In the backyard. Master Yu Hen, Yu Mo, and two others, joining forces, had already formed an Array, standing back to back to face the seemingly endless blood-red symbols on white cloth. In that bizarre white cloth, weird human faces occasionally bulged out, emitting terrifying laughter. The Divine Intent of the inherited Dao Artifacts summoned by the old Taoists, after being augmented on the Fear Shadows, greatly increased their powers, Creatures of odd shapes and forms, radiating silver light on their bodies, surrounded and stood with them, also forming an Array, to counter the pressure from the combined attack of the three outsiders. Apart from these, they also had to deal with sneak attacks from the three betraying traitors. "Damn it! It was supposed to be seven against three, and now it¡¯s turned into four against six! Have you gone mad, Yu Chong and the rest!?" Master Yu Hen angrily shouted. No one responded;the three traitors had looks of guilt but acted with even more resolve. Clearly, they believed that by killing these people, no one would know of their betrayal. "Once you die, they can naturally take your place easily, secure the Taoist Sect, and Qingchen Temple will still shine as before, perhaps even developing better," the androgynous man laughed loudly. "Bastards!" Yu Fang cursed in anger. "You can only talk tough now, a bunch of old and dying waste," the androgynous man snickered. "Who are you people!? How dare you brazenly attack our Taoist Sect, this is a severe provocation against the entire Taoist Sects of Yasong!!" Master Yu Hen shouted sternly. At this point, even though the situation was still a stalemate, or even slightly in their favor, he... could barely hold on anymore!! "I am the eldest of the Primordial Embryo¡¯s seven sons, you may address me as Yuan Ming, rather similar to your Chief Dao Seed¡¯s name containing a ¡¯Ming¡¯ as well," the androgynous man replied with a smile, not concealing his identity at all. The Primordial Embryo¡¯s seven sons!? The four of them were shaken, simultaneously thinking of a certain force! "Is it the Mud Doll Sect!? Have you all gone mad!?" Yu Mo was the first to react. Chapter 308: Night 306, Part 2 "Mad? We might not be mad, but you definitely are about to lose your minds," Yuan Ming said with a smile. With a sudden movement, he clasped his hands together, forming seals rapidly. In an instant, layers of white cloth enveloped Yu Hen and the others, quickly forming into a huge cocoon. To be honest, the strength of these old men was a bit beyond his expectations, but no matter, just hold on a little longer. Their Daoist Skills were not what they used to be. Using the Inheritance Dao Artifacts put a tremendous strain on them, and with their physical conditions, they could last at most ten minutes. "By the way, you don¡¯t seriously believe that by sending away the Dao Seed Disciples, they can be unharmed, do you?" "Heh, so what if I know?" Yu Hen sneered coldly. "It so happens that Ku Chan of Zihe Palace is nearby. Once he receives the call for help and arrives, you will all die!" "Ku Chan is formidable indeed, but do you think you can last until his arrival?" Yuan Ming and his companions couldn¡¯t help but laugh. "All signals nearby are blocked by us, mobile phones cannot communicate. As for the disciples who ran away, do you think... there are people from the Yu Generation among us, would there be none among the disciples?" With those words, a sense of foreboding suddenly rose within Yu Hen and the others. "You...!!" Bang! A large vase smashed heavily onto the back of Yu Hong¡¯s head, shattering on impact. He was just about to get into the car, one foot on the step by the door, the other still on the ground, not yet lifted. As a result... His head was hit hard. He stood quietly in place. Blood, slowly dripping onto the brown concrete floor, sticky and fishy. But this blood wasn¡¯t Yu Hong¡¯s. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It was from the hands of the bewildered Taoist behind him who was holding the broken vase. The shards of the vase had sliced through his hand, creating a deep gash and blood was flowing. However, this Taoist guy, seeing that Yu Hong was hit yet turned around as if nothing happened, felt more panic in his heart than pain in his hand. "Is... is your head made of iron?!" he couldn¡¯t help but shout, stepping back. "Speaking of which, where did you get that vase from?" Yu Hong calmly looked at him. "....." The Taoist stepped back a few steps, joining the others. "Attack!" All of a sudden, they pulled out black guns from behind their waists, aimed at Yu Hong and his companions. Click. The sound of safeties being switched off echoed. Just then, a figure flashed by, and Yu Hong suddenly leaped several meters. In the time before they could even pull their triggers, he delivered a sidekick. Boom!! The kick landed squarely on the waist of the gun-wielding Taoist. With a dull roar, an immense and terrifying force exploded instantaneously. The Taoist was sent flying without as much as a grunt, toppling five people in a row before crashing heavily against the side of another bus. The side of the bus caved in violently, and the Taoist instantly lost his life, blood oozing from his mouth, nose, eyes, and ears. Not just him, the other several armed individuals were also struck by this kick, losing their ability to fight, collapsing with broken bones, screaming in agony. Only at this moment did Zheng Xia and the rest come back to their senses, staring dumbfoundedly at Yu Hong. From the beginning when Yu Hong was ambushed, to the counter-kill that happened in just a few moments. The altercation was over in an instant. By the time they recovered, the armed Taoists were already on the ground, powerless to resist. They had not even begun to be shocked by Yu Hong¡¯s terrifying strength. "Zheng Rou, what are you...!?" Zheng Xia quickly called out. Then, an irritating clapping sound drifted over from not too far away. The clapping was incredibly distinct;one second it was far away, the next it was just a dozen meters away. "Nice moves." A refreshing young male voice came from the entrance of the parking area. Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw a towering, burly man with long brown hair approaching step by step. With his square face and dark, deep-set eyes, he advanced towards them. "In just a few months, Qingchen Temple probably hasn¡¯t given you much sense of belonging, Yu Hong. Why not leave Qingchen Temple and join us? With your talent and ability, you should be able to surpass your current level soon," the muscular man said with a smile. Clap clap clap clap. Meanwhile, as the man continued to approach, everyone finally saw that following him out of the darkness were similarly tall and sturdy figures in black. "It¡¯s... Copper Soldiers! These people are from the Mud Doll Sect, those are Copper Corpses, everyone be careful!" Zheng Xia was the first to recognize the origins of the newcomers, fear evident on her face. Copper Corpses?? Yu Hong frowned, shocked to find such things in this place! "They are after me, you guys go first!" he gestured with his hand, signaling Zheng Xia to take the others and leave. "But..." "There are no ¡¯buts,¡¯ go! I can¡¯t look after all of you alone!" Yu Hong said sternly. Zheng Xia, recalling how she was easily defeated earlier, knew that if they engaged in pure Daoist Magic Technique battles, she might be of some use. But in this kind of real combat that integrated with reality, she fell far short. Thinking back to the dramatic scene she had just witnessed, Yu Hong¡¯s combat power seemed even stronger than when he confronted her before. Immediately, she led the group of young Taoists and retreated quickly. "Once we get out of the signal blocking area, we¡¯ll immediately inform Ku Chan from Zihe Palace. Zheng Rou, you must hold on, prioritizing buying time!" "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine." Yu Hong didn¡¯t even turn his head, just waved his hand. "Go." Zheng Xia said no more, turned, and led the group off at a quick pace. The burly man was just about to speak when he saw Yu Hong too starting to run swiftly in another direction. "Thinking of running!" He was one of the Primordial Embryo¡¯s seven sons, known for the strongest tracking skills, which was why he was sent to handle this matter. "If you get away from me like this, I won¡¯t be able to show my face in the sect anymore!" Bang. In an instant, he and the group of Copper Soldiers beside him turned into dark shadows, chasing tightly after Yu Hong. The two figures¡ªone chasing, one fleeing¡ªdisappeared into the distance. Not until he reached the roller skating plaza in front of a shopping mall did Yu Hong stop. At this late, quiet hour of the night, the plaza was deserted except for the dim lights and the occasional passing car. Yu Hong paused, standing at the edge of the green belt. He steadied himself against a trimmed plane tree by the roadside and turned to face the other person. "Do we really have to be this ruthless?" "We¡¯ve tolerated your Qingchen Temple for so many years, we¡¯ve done everything we could. This isn¡¯t ruthlessness;starting tonight, Qingchen Temple will peacefully merge into our Mud Doll Sect," the burly man said with a smile. "Furthermore," he paused and looked to the right of Yu Hong, "did you think you would be safe by fleeing here?" From the shadows to the right, a similarly burly and tall woman with dirty dreadlocks, holding a familiar young Taoist in one hand, approached and stepped into the light. The young Taoist, swaying to reveal his face, was none other than Zheng Ming, who had been sent earlier to deal with the case! "Yuan He, haven¡¯t you dealt with it yet? You¡¯re too slow," the dreadlocked woman said discontentedly. The burly man chuckled. "I just wanted to try persuading through education, after all, this one only joined Qingchen Temple a few months ago. Maybe we could sincerely convince him to join us. A twist against the natural course is bound to be ungracious." "Heh, Yuan Ming, the boss, is waiting;hurry up," the dreadlocked woman scoffed with a disdainful laugh. She moved her feet, subtly positioning Yu Hong between the two of them. "What do you say? One last question, Yu Hong, do you want to renounce darkness for light and join us?" the burly man Yuan He asked gently again. "To be honest," Yu Hong lowered his hand, flexing his fingers, "I¡¯m actually very willing." A strange smile suddenly appeared on his face. "The premise is, if you can survive...." Before he finished speaking. Before the two had time to understand what he meant. Whoosh! Around the plaza, from the shadows, pairs of dark red eyes lit up one after another. Tens of pairs of greedy, hunger-only eyes locked onto the two from all directions. "!!!" "!!" Expressions on both their faces froze instantly, and after a second of hesitation. Yuan He immediately reached for his mobile phone at his waist, but it was already too late. Nearby, Dragon Lizards had already lunged forward, closing in. Hiss!! Streaks of dark red flame shot out, hitting him in the back in the blink of an eye, engulfing him. On the other side, the dreadlocked woman rolled on the ground, releasing Zheng Ming, and vigilantly avoided the flames¡¯ assault. "What the hell are these!!?" She kept dodging, evading the onslaught of Dragon Lizards, demonstrating extremely agile maneuvers. In the world of Hope City, she could have held her own against a moderately strong enhanced person. But such struggles were futile. Because there were simply too many Dragon Lizards attacking. Forty Dragon Lizards attacked at the same time, each one much faster than her. Such a battle was almost without suspense. Just as the woman was about to be overwhelmed by the massive dark red flames, She raised her right hand high, from which a flicker of purple-black light that only those knowledgeable in Daoist Skills could see shone intensely. "Heaven and Earth Summon..." Boom!! A dull thud. In the purple-black light, the massive spiritual power fluctuation, comparable to a Level Eight Black Disaster, had barely caused a ripple before it instantly went out. A Dragon Lizard brutally hit her in the small of her back, accompanied by the crisp sound of breaking bones. The woman let out a pained cry, sliding forward several meters, and began to vomit blood profusely. Plop. The item in her hand fell to the ground, rolling a few meters away. "My...!!" The woman struggled to reach out, crawling forward, trying to grasp the object again. But a black boot gently stepped on it. Yu Hong bent down to pick it up and examined it. It was a palm-sized, purple-black carved stone of a coiled snake, which looked exquisite and delicate, with even the snake¡¯s scales and pupils carved out. "That¡¯s why I hate variables that were not part of the plan." He looked down at the woman. "Qingchen Temple was my chosen optimal starting point." He placed the stone carving back in her hand. "You wanted to disrupt my intended starting point, which means disrupting my plan, and for the future of the world, I can only ask you to die." "You...!!" The dreadlocked woman¡¯s pupils shrank, and by now, she had clearly realized something was wrong. This so-called righteous and gentle Taoist in front of her, feared to be like the undercover agent they had sent, also with a special purpose to join the Qingchen Temple. Moreover, this man hid deeper and more brutally! With such terrifying strength, he was at least on the same level as their leader Yuan Ming and yet pretended to be a disciple. Looking at it this way, his aim... probably wasn¡¯t Qingchen Temple at all! But to use it as a springboard to climb the entire Taoist Sect!! But realizing this at this moment was already too late. Boom. A great expanse of dark red viscous flames surged from all directions, completely drowning the woman. Chapter 309: Retaliation 1 Powerful corrosive flames completely dissolve everything. The contour of the woman¡¯s body, along with her clothes, gradually becomes indiscernible. Yu Hong watches all of this, his face showing neither grief nor joy. "To possess strong spiritual power, yet to dwell only within a weak physical body, no... it should be said that in pursuit of formidable spiritual power, it instead overexploits the body, causing such a deformed imbalance to emerge.... This place¡¯s system..." He glances at the burly man¡¯s direction, the so-called copper corpse and the man¡¯s body are both engulfed by dark red flames. This man is obviously in a worse state, lacking in agility and speed, he was submerged by the flames almost instantly. Yu Hong left two copper corpses untouched, intending to get closer and examine them in detail. Suddenly, the crescent pendant on his chest begins to tremble slightly, sending out threads of piercing pain. "?? What¡¯s happening?" Yu Hong reaches for Guang Han, thinks for a moment, and slightly infuses it with a wisp of Daoist energy. Hiss! In an instant, a wisp of moon-white smoke shoots out from Guang Han. The smoke, upon touching the ground, transforms into a jade disc about three meters in diameter. An S-shaped crack at the center of the disc slowly opens, revealing a pitch-black vortex. "Hungry..." "Hungry..." A deep and overlapping voice, resembling the crying of a woman, drifts out from the void. Yu Hong narrows his eyes at the hole, the first time he has summoned this so-called Guang Han. Regarding the Inheritance Dao Artifact from Heaven, he actually harbors distrust in his heart. But distrust aside, as long as the power can be used by him, he does not care about the entity¡¯s nature... "Hungry!" All of a sudden, a grisly human face full of pits bursts out from the vortex. This face is over two meters wide, its eyes are narrow as if squinting, resembling a fat woman with excessively thick makeup, a large mouth filled with sharp serrated teeth, taking up more than half of the face. "So hungry!!!" A neck as thick as the huge face followed, resembling the body of a python. The head was covered with numerous tentacle-like, writhing lines as hair. No sooner had she lunged out than she twisted her head and pounced towards Yu Hong, her massive mouth opening to expose nine layers of dense, sharp teeth, biting towards his head. Boom!!! A huge hand, like lightning, slaps her on the side of her face, sending the face flying sideways. The face, like a cannonball, crashes into the square¡¯s floor, creating a brown ravine that fades from deep to shallow. Dust flies, stones scatter, and at the end of the more than ten-meter-long ravine, the brown face, dragging behind a neck like a giant python, rises again from the ground and howls skyward. Hungry!!! Rings of invisible spiritual power, like ripples, spread out in all directions. Yu Hong gazes intently at the foe, carefully assessing her approximate strength. ¡¯So this is Chang¡¯e? Using my Fear Shadow as a vessel, summoning Divine Intent from Heaven, and what shows up is this thing? Level Nine strength it does possess, but... it¡¯s not enough.¡¯ Hungry! Suddenly, the huge face twists again, and in a python-like strike, lunges again towards Yu Hong. Opening her wide mouth, she releases a powerful swirling suction force. In a blink, she crosses more than ten meters and appears right before Yu Hong. "My summoned entity dares to rebel against me??!" Yu Hong¡¯s face reveals deep blue lines, terrifyingly fierce. His Inner Qi surges as he swiftly extends his right arm. Boom! Another hefty slap lands on Chang¡¯e¡¯s right face, causing her head to twist, spitting out black blood, her whole body trembling, half of her face¡¯s flesh splitting open and crumbling away. Boom! Before she could regain her senses, another lightning-fast slap struck her left cheek. Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! In just a few seconds, Chang¡¯e¡¯s face is slapped repeatedly more than a dozen times, sending chunks of flesh flying and black blood splattering on the ground. Finally, after a miserable scream, she wanted to flee but was caught by Yu Hong, who indiscriminately kicked her right leg. Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! In just over a dozen seconds of the heavy assault, her body was like a torn sack, and her face nearly split in two from the force of the kicks. "Hungry..." She still makes sounds, but compared to the beginning, the noise now is nothing more than moaning and whimpering. "Get lost," Yu Hong, wiping the blood off his hands, tosses her away impatiently. Chang¡¯e doesn¡¯t dare to make another sound and obediently, with her battered face, trembles as she flies back into the vortex. Soon, with a soft click, the vortex slowly disappears. The crescent pendant also trembles slightly, returning to calm. ¡¯With just a trace of Daoist energy input, the summoned Chang¡¯e possesses Level Nine strength, tough as the Black Giant. What if I input more Daoist energy, or even Inner Qi tainted with Cosmic Divine Light... what would happen then?¡¯ Moreover, Cosmic Divine Light is theoretically infinite, but Inner Qi is finite. What if Cosmic Divine Light is directly introduced? The only problem is that Chang¡¯e seems not so easily controlled, prone to backfire. As Yu Hong ponders, he orders the Dragon Lizards to handle the aftermath. The remaining copper corpses, without their controller, merely stand still, making them easy to deal with. The Dragon Lizards forcibly twist off their limbs and drag them into the shadows. After clearing the scene, Yu Hong thinks for a moment, lifts the unconscious Zheng Ming, and still turns to head for Qingchen Temple. He still needs to use Qingchen Temple as a stepping stone to reach higher contacts;this path cannot be cut off arbitrarily. After all, he has already invested so much time and effort. Another thing, Yu Mo and the other high-ranking members of Qingchen Temple treated him well, they had established a good interpersonal relationship, and there was no need to start over. Judging by the tone of those two just now, there were far more than just a few of them, so it was better to go back and check to avoid any worries. In the whooshing sounds. The surrounding Dragon Lizards disappeared into the shadows one after another, going back into hiding. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. These Dragon Lizards, being Wuji Palace Daoist Soldiers, were able to enter a hibernation-like state when inactive, dramatically reducing consumption. They could occasionally wake up to hunt fish and shrimp in the sea to sustain themselves, which was very maintenance-free. Yu Hong thought for a moment, dispersing a few to the surroundings to keep guard. He himself picked up his pace towards Qingchen Temple. He had thought it through;once he arrived, if he needed to take action, he would primarily use Daoist Magic Techniques, minimizing the exposure of his other Cultivation Techniques to avoid suspicion. Judging by Guang Han¡¯s performance just now, if he input a bit more Daoist essence, his strength might even increase. There shouldn¡¯t be any problem... If this was still not enough, then he would have to input Inner Qi, or... input Cosmic Divine Light. At least the Cosmic Divine Light was endless, and he could use it freely. But that was the last resort. Of course, if even using Cosmic Divine Light didn¡¯t suffice, the last option would be to utilize the strength of his true form, and the Dragon of Xianglv, etc. However, he didn¡¯t believe anyone here could force him to do that. In the back courtyard of Qingchen Temple. Yuan Ming abruptly narrowed his eyes and turned his head toward the distance. His vast spiritual power used Daoist Magic Techniques to leave marks on the other two. But at that moment, the marks dispersed. "Both marks have dispersed... Chasing a group of Disciple Level Magicians... Could it be that both Primordial Embryos have failed?" The unexpected complication in the plan split Yuan Ming¡¯s focus, causing the magic that was suppressing the old Taoists to weaken. In the backyard, large swathes of white cloth formed into a cocoon, which was now being pushed up from the inside by unevenly sized bulges. Clearly, people inside were frantically trying to breakout. Ssst! Suddenly, a tear appeared on the side of the cocoon. This tear made Yuan Ming groan, and a cut appeared on the back of his hand. The power of this Technique was so formidable because he had fused it with his own skin, continually refining and strengthening it with his Essence Qi and spiritual essence. While others could only cultivate for a few hours a day, he could passively enhance it continuously for twenty-four hours. But such an approach came with drawbacks;once such a Technique was broken, the backlash was much greater than that of an ordinary Technique. "Boss?!" The other two Primordial Embryos, who were responsible for assisting in the suppression, turned their heads toward Yuan Ming upon seeing the trouble. Yuan Ming stayed silent for a moment. ¡¯It seems that not only has there been an unexpected event there, but my estimation here was also mistaken. These old Taoists are stronger than I thought...¡¯ He glanced at his watch and made a swift decision. "We¡¯re running out of time;we didn¡¯t manage to seal them off, and Ku Chan may arrive at any time, retreat!" He decisively waved his hand, canceling the Technique. Transforming into a shadowy figure, he retreated in the blink of an eye, entering the shadows and disappearing from sight. The other two Primordial Embryos also hurriedly followed suit, whereas the three betraying old Taoists of the Yu Generation panicked. "Wait! You can¡¯t do this!! We had an agreement!!" "How can we manage if you all leave!?" These three had long been corroded by indulgence, their strength had regressed to the point where they might not even beat Zheng Ming, and knowing they were done for as the main force fled, their faces immediately showed visible panic. But Yuan Ming and the other two didn¡¯t pay any attention to them;with their lousy strength and weak wills, such trash didn¡¯t even qualify to be their outer circle. The three disappeared in the blink of an eye. With a crisp rip. The white cloth cocoon, with no one to maintain the follow-up Techniques, also collapsed on its own, fading and disappearing. Revealing inside four old Taoists panting for breath, covered in sweat. The youngest of the four was in his sixties, and the eldest was over eighty. After a fierce battle, they were nearly exhausted. "Where are they?!" Yu Hen, worthy of being the Temple Master and best maintained, immediately swept around fiercely as soon as he emerged. Despite claiming he was on the verge of collapsing, he was the one who lasted the longest and was in the best condition. When he realized Yuan Ming and the others were gone and only the half-escaped old traitor was left, "You still want to escape?!" He roared angrily and immediately rushed up, kicking one of them squarely in the backside. The man let out a yelp as he tumbled to the ground, unable to rise again. "Damn it! I provided you with everything, food, drink, and play. I gave you anything you asked for, and this is how you treat me?!" "I bust my ass every day trying to earn money to support you, and this is how you repay me?!" He climbed onto the back of the old man, curling his fists and landing a flurry of punches. "We were wrong, we were wrong. Please forgive us this once!!" The old Taoist on the ground pleaded as he was being beaten. Not just him, but the other two were also being beaten up by Yu Mo and two others. A few old men, panting heavily and kicking wildly like youngsters. When Yu Hong walked in, this was the scene he entered. He let out a sigh of relief, placed Zheng Ming down by the courtyard wall, and walked inside. "Master! Temple Master! Are you alright?" He naturally displayed an expression of tiredness and urgency, rushing forward to help up the old Taoist Yu Mo. Chapter 310: Revenge 2 "Eh?? How come you¡¯re back!?" Yu Mo was shocked to see Yu Hong, and immediately grew anxious. "Weren¡¯t you supposed to run away first?" "Someone was trying to assassinate us on the way, and somehow those chasing us got into trouble with something, and were attacked by a group of giant lizard-like monsters that surrounded them. Seeing the situation was dire, we took the chance to escape." Yu Hong explained. He had thought about completely hiding the presence of the Dragon Lizards, but the place was a plaza, and it was improbable that no one was around. Even during the late hours, it was highly likely that passing vehicles and pedestrians would discover traces. So completely concealing the truth was unrealistic;it was better to just be clear from the start. After all, as long as he himself didn¡¯t say the Dragon Lizards were his, no one would know. "Monsters? Like giant lizards??" Yu Mo was a bit stupefied;what kind of bizarre interruption was this? He¡¯d been in Taizhou for decades and heard about resentful marks and the more advanced Black Disaster, but this was the first time he heard of giant lizard-like monsters. "Anyway, those two were held up, so we ran. Zheng Xia and the others are bringing people to seek help from the Ku Chan Taoist of Zihe Palace, and I thought of coming back secretly to see if there could be a chance to lend a hand!" Yu Hong said sincerely. "!!!" Hearing this, the four old Taoists Yu Mo and Yu Hen instantly showed clear shock on their faces. What kind of quality was this!? In such dangerous times of being attacked, and at the critical moment after escaping with their lives, Yu Hong could still think of coming back in an attempt to rescue this group of old men. Such character, such a disciple, coupled with his exceptional talent, keen senses, and the fast pace of his Daoist skills cultivation. He was simply the perfect disciple any teacher would dream of!! "Zheng Rou!!" Moved in his heart, Yu Mo tightly grasped Yu Hong¡¯s hand. "True hearts are revealed in adversity;having a disciple like you is my fortune!" "Master, you are too kind." Yu Hong¡¯s hand was grasped, and he felt a wave of goosebumps, but he still maintained his composure. "Alright, Zheng Rou¡¯s character we¡¯ve all witnessed;he will never be treated unfairly in the future! The key now is that we need to take care of the aftermath of this attack immediately. Where are the two Special Envoys?" Yu Hen by then had come to his senses, tied up the three traitors with ropes, preparing to deal with the aftermath. It was then that he noticed Zheng Ming, who was supported on one side and hurried to his aid. Yu Hong watched as everyone got busily involved and shook his head internally, but in order to maintain the image he¡¯d shown, he could only follow and assist. Half an hour later. Zheng Xia and the others escorted a young Taoist with a square face and a gentle fa?ade into the Taoist Temple. Inside the grand hall. Yu Hen, Yu Mo, and the other old Taoists showed great deference and saluted the Taoist with a bow. "In times of crisis, we appreciate the True Man Ku Chan making the trip." Yu Hen said. "Those who attacked earlier retreated for some unknown reason, and we are investigating the cause. True Man, rest assured, though Qingchen Temple is but a small branch of the Taoist Sect, we will not lack the due respects!" The so-called respects naturally mean the appearance fee that Ku Chan Taoist should have. Do you really think someone of this level could be casually called upon? Otherwise, wouldn¡¯t they be running around all day every day? Therefore, in the Taoist Sect, each level of magician or Taoist has a corresponding appearance fee. Just like Yu Hong and Zheng Ming going out to take cases, their fee for one intervention is at least two hundred thousand each. At their level, it¡¯s two hundred thousand a pop, so for Ku Chan at his rank, it¡¯s at least ten times higher. And even then, it depends on his mood and schedule. To come, is a favor. Not coming, is more the norm. As the saying goes, money is needed everywhere, which was why Qingchen Temple didn¡¯t develop well initially. That¡¯s why Yu Hen values money so heavily now. Ku Chan was only in his twenties and could already be called a True Man. Yu Hong observed from a distance this Taoist known as the top talent of the Yasong Taoist Sect and the future Palace Master of Zihe Palace. Indeed, as Zheng Xia had said, just standing within ten meters of him, one could feel an invisible pressure constantly bearing down on one¡¯s mind. The pressure felt like there was a weight in the tens of kilograms pushing one outward. This force wasn¡¯t physical to endure, but rather an inner sensation;if one did not pay attention, they¡¯d naturally be pushed backwards and would become unstable in their stance. What was eerie was that as soon as one lowered their head and stopped looking at the other person, this pushing force would dissipate on its own. Yu Hong carefully felt this sensation inside him. He was strong in physical strength, but in terms of spiritual cultivation, he was only at the sixth level of the Guanwu Skill, currently barely stronger than Zheng Ming. Far inferior to this man. Within Qingchen Temple, even the Temple Master and his master Yu Mo, when keenly sensed, seemed to have stronger spiritual cultivation than himself. But only by a limited extent, nowhere near the special feeling when facing Ku Chan. Shortly, after exchanging a few words with the people of the Yu Generation and Ku Chan, this invisible force of spiritual pressure quietly vanished. Clearly, Ku Chan had retracted it deliberately. The previous release was likely a manner of asserting his strength and status. "I have carefully sensed it just now;using a technique to detect, there indeed were magicians from the Seven Evil Alliance here. They have already left now, and no disguised inside helpers have been detected within a two-hundred-meter radius. You all can rest assured," Ku Chan said in his gentle voice. Hearing this, everyone at Qingchen Temple breathed a sigh of relief. But Yu Hong¡¯s mind stirred. A detection and discrimination technique with a radius of two hundred meters... He gained a new appreciation for the capabilities of top Magicians. "Since there¡¯s no issue here, I will take my leave. There are many more calls for help at the Taoist Sect;they all stem from the Seven Evil Alliance¡¯s actions, and I must hasten to their aid," said Ku Chan in a gentle voice. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Other branches of the Taoist Sect have also been attacked!? The Seven Evil Alliance is so bold?!" This revelation shocked Yu Hen and the others. "Yes, the person leading the Seven Evil Alliance is none other than Long Qingzi. This individual¡¯s demeanor is eccentric, and his mood swings unpredictable. In the past, he was pursued and wounded numerous times by a joint effort of the two Heavenly Master Mansions, yet he always managed to escape. Now that he has resurfaced, his intentions are surely malevolent," sighed Ku Chan. "Real Person, you¡¯ve worked hard. We won¡¯t delay your journey any longer," said Yu Hen, clapping his hands. A female Taoist behind him hurried forward, holding a tray. A stack of six small gold bars lay on the tray, cushioned by a red silk cloth. "This is a token of our gratitude. We wish the Real Person a safe journey." "Thank you." Ku Chan nodded, glanced over everyone at Qingchen Temple, and suddenly formed a Seal with one hand and pushed it forward. Hum!! In an instant, a ring of transparent light burst forth from him. The light shone on all of Qingchen Temple¡¯s Disciples, dissipating the fear and panic in their hearts at once. Those with injuries felt their pain lessen, and those who were mentally exhausted felt as refreshed as if they had had a good night¡¯s sleep. "Before parting, I offer my aid to all my fellow Taoists," declared Ku Chan in a solemn voice. "Thank you, Real Person!" Everyone bowed in unison. Yu Hong was among the crowd, feeling the soft power continually seeping into his body. The power was like water, like a breeze¡ªwarm and gentle¡ªand even for someone with such a robust physique as him, it felt incredibly comfortable. By the time everyone snapped out of their daze, Ku Chan¡¯s figure had vanished. "Zheng Xia, Zheng Ming, come here," Yu Mo, the old Taoist, called out to Yu Hong. Yu Hen and the others began arranging for the Disciples to coordinate with the Special Envoy and the arriving police officers to report the situation. Yu Mo led the two to a Quiet Room. "Now that Qingchen Temple has been dealt a blow, Mud Doll Sect, a member of the Seven Evil Alliance, has started the full-scale war. Hence, starting today, we will cooperate with the official armed forces to eradicate the major strongholds of the Mud Doll Sect in the vicinity. You two can use this opportunity for training," explained Yu Mo. "Can we really do it?" Zheng Ming, who had just awoken from unconsciousness, was evidently having doubts. After consecutive setbacks, his confidence in his own abilities, which used to be firm, had now shrunk. "We are from the Taoist Sect;we must step forward and cooperate. Moreover, the government also has its trained Magicians for protection and support, what¡¯s there to fear!?" Yu Mo said impatiently. "Don¡¯t worry. Even within the Mud Doll Sect, there is only one among the Primordial Embryos¡¯ seven children that¡¯s a cause for concern. Aside from that, we only have the Iron Soldiers and the Copper Soldiers, which are somewhat troublesome, but we elders will handle them." "Master, I have a question," interjected Yu Hong. "Go ahead." "It¡¯s about whether techniques would be affected when facing guns and artillery?" inquired Yu Hong somberly. "Ordinary techniques are of little use;they¡¯re mostly developed specifically for dealing with resentful marks and Black Disasters," answered Yu Mo. "But some malicious forces have developed special techniques that can indeed affect reality. For example, techniques similar to hypnotism can not only hypnotize others but also oneself, to become more robust, faster, less afraid of pain, and fearless." He sighed. "After all, our spiritual power is much stronger than ordinary people¡¯s. With just a little development of a special function, we can easily affect reality and achieve effects akin to cheating." "No wonder those from the Mud Doll Sect are so confident," Yu Hong realized. "Next, the Disciples from Qingchen Temple will be dispersed to assist the armed forces. We will set off tomorrow, and before we depart, we will provide you with a set number of talismans and single-use Dao Artifacts," Yu Mo said. "This time, we were caught off guard and took a hit, but once we are fully prepared, it will be their turn to worry!" Zheng Ming and Yu Hong exchanged looks and both agreed. Not long after, they came out and headed back to their rooms to rest. On the way, Zheng Ming stopped Yu Hong. "Zheng Xia! Can I talk to you for a moment?" Outside the grand hall, in a quiet corner by the iron tree planters, they stopped. "Of course, go ahead," said Yu Hong, looking at him. "I heard from Master and the others that it was you who saved me. Thank you for this time!" Zheng Ming earnestly bowed to him. "There¡¯s no need for formalities between members of the same sect," Yu Hong shook his head, "But after this, you¡¯ll need to pay a bit more attention to your physical strength;otherwise, techniques won¡¯t be sufficient to deal with those Magicians from the Mud Doll Sect." "Understood," nodded Zheng Ming. "Speaking of which, I have a question," Yu Hong suddenly thought of something. "Go ahead." "That is, why did the people from the Mud Doll Sect choose to use techniques against us rather than engaging in close-quarter combat or mainly using gunfire? Wouldn¡¯t close combat and firearms be more efficient and less conspicuous than techniques?" Yu Hong voiced his confusion. "Well... I guess it¡¯s because techniques are quicker to deploy and more covert. If you win, the loser will definitely suffer mental exhaustion and fall unconscious, which is more convenient for achieving their goal," Zheng Ming responded tentatively. He thought for a moment and added. "Anyway, in our circle, it¡¯s common to first compete with techniques. Not many people think like you;this kind of thinking is more in line with military strategy and is something the official side should consider." Chapter 311: revenge three "I understand." Yu Hong realized that these sorcerers had entered a state of inertial thinking. Of course, this was just speculation;in fact, other necessary conditions might exist that led to this situation. He just didn¡¯t know them yet. "Actually, there¡¯s another point." Zheng Ming suddenly said. "What?" "That is, the outcome of a battle between techniques decides the final victory or defeat. Once you win, that seals the fate, leaving no chance for surprises. And if you rely on physical combat and close-range surprise attacks, if the opponent reacts in time and hasn¡¯t exhausted their spiritual power, and they manage to activate some secret technique or Dao Artifact in an instant, you might end up suffering a huge loss instead. I think this might be the reason everyone chooses to directly engage in a battle of techniques." Hearing this, Yu Hong nodded slightly. His strength was in his physical prowess and speed, but once he faced targeted attacks on his spiritual power, it could be troublesome. Although he hadn¡¯t encountered such situations, it didn¡¯t mean he wouldn¡¯t in the future. The reason he hadn¡¯t encountered it was only because Qingchen Temple was weak, but the Nine Sects above them were not, able to face head-on with the forces of the Black Disaster, and to treat it as weak was to be delusional. This was also why he had previously acted without hesitation, interrupting others¡¯ techniques with lightning speed. It didn¡¯t matter whether he could withstand their attacks or not¡ªthe important thing was to make sure they couldn¡¯t. That was his principle. At this moment, he was extremely grateful that he had chosen to specialize in the Thunderbolt Leg Technique with its focus on speed. A silent night passed, and everyone rested. The next day, Qingchen Temple entered a frenzied process of revenge. Squads of disciples followed the government¡¯s armed transport vehicles towards the previously investigated hideouts of the Mud Doll Sect. Boom! In a district of small bungalows. Squads of armed soldiers kicked open doors and stormed into each house. Although the daylight was bright and sunny, the houses here exuded an obvious scent of decay and dampness. Yu Hong entered one after another with another government sorcerer, surveying the whole scene. "It¡¯s over there." The sorcerer pointed at the right side of the wall. Bang bang bang bang! A barrage of bullets was fired instantly, blasting the wall to pieces. After the wall was breached, it revealed a number of rotting corpses hidden inside. "These Mud Doll Sect members are truly filthy and disgusting, even stealing corpses from graveyards," the government-appointed female mage Cheng Shu said, covering her nose and stepping back two paces. She was Cheng Shu, one of the action mages who applied to be transferred here upon hearing of Yu Hong¡¯s prodigious reputation. This time, because the Mud Doll Sect made significant moves, increasing the number of cases in the Taizhou area, with hundreds of civilian casualties, it had crossed the government¡¯s red line, leading to this joint operation. "Can you spot where the people are?" Yu Hong asked. "To the right front, about fifteen meters in the corner, hiding two people. They have guns, be careful!" Cheng Shu quickly said. Boom boom! Two loud gunshots later, the wall was penetrated, and the two figures hiding in the corner were instantly killed. They didn¡¯t need to act themselves;a sniper took care of it from a distance, a headshot. This was the power of the government. "What strong reconnaissance skills!" Yu Hong couldn¡¯t help but take another look at her. Cheng Shu seemed to be from outside the Taoist Sects. She had a beautiful face, dressed simply in a waist-tightened white blouse, paired with black pants, her hair draped loosely, and she wore a black round hat with white trim decoration at the back. Overall, she looked more like she was on holiday than participating in a special operation. "I was actually on a vacation, abruptly reassigned here, and now my luggage is full of summer clothes... I had planned on taking a month-long tropical retreat..." Cheng Shu sighed deeply. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She glanced at Yu Hong;she hadn¡¯t heard of any famous magical forces or notable figures in Taizhou. Hearing that Yu Hong came from an insignificant branch of the Taoist sects, and considering his age, she judged that his strength would be at the average disciple level of those sects. At this level, in such an intense revenge operation, he could really only be a scout. But the problem was, when they actually worked together, it turned out his reconnaissance ability wasn¡¯t even as good as hers! What the hell! Cheng Shu¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, but her heart was speechless. Although she also came from a lesser sect outside the Taoist Sects, she was after all an expert in her own right within her sect. And now... Was she here to play the babysitter? "What is Sister Cheng Shu thinking about?" Yu Hong saw her face turn red then pale and asked curiously. She was approaching thirty, a bit older than him, so it didn¡¯t seem wrong to address her this way. Of course, that¡¯s what he thought. "...." Cheng Shu looked at him with his unshaven beard and felt even worse upon hearing him call her sister. "I¡¯m thinking, it would be nice if a few bastards came out now so I could give them a good thrashing!" She took a deep breath. Boom! She punched down on a wooden table nearby. The table caved in, the wood splintered, with splinters sticking out and a fist mark imprinted on it. Seeing this punch, Yu Hong¡¯s eyes lit up, having rarely encountered someone who cultivated their physique, he was about to start a conversation. Ah! Just then, someone from the soldiers who had rushed in ahead of them let out a scream. Followed by bursts of gunfire. Without a second word, Cheng Shu darted into the fray. In the dark, cramped backroom of the wooden house, there was a similarly dim alley. At that moment, an armed soldier was desperately screaming, clutching his eyes, while another tried to soothe him, to no effect. Blood kept streaming down the edges of his eyes, leaking through the gaps in his fingers. Cheng Shu rushed over, heading straight for the end of the alley, where a blurry figure was trying to escape. "Stop!" Her movements were quick, and with a single hand, she flicked out a watermelon knife about the length of her forearm, roaring as she charged at the person. Yu Hong followed behind, checking on the injured soldier, pulled out a talisman from his waist pouch, infused a bit of Daoist Skills into it, and pressed it to the side of the soldier¡¯s face. Sizzle. The talisman paper lit up with a faint glow only visible to sorcerers, and then it quickly disappeared. The blood on the soldier¡¯s face stopped immediately, the pain eased significantly, and he was quickly set down and rushed outside by someone following behind. Seeing this, Yu Hong continued forward. Soon they arrived at the end of the alleyway, where two emaciated men dressed in black robes lay on the ground, covered in blood and unable to move. Yu Hong briefly sensed their conditions;one of them was only exhaling without inhaling. Cheng Shu turned her head back, casting him a dissatisfied glance. "Too slow." Yu Hong was happy to have others help complete the task, saving time for his cultivation. "I¡¯ll definitely be faster next time." He smiled. Why not save effort if he could? He wasn¡¯t foolish. Wasn¡¯t it better to use the saved time for cultivation? The next day, the retaliation continued. On the third day, the scale of retaliation increased significantly, both in scope and in the number of people involved. On the fifth day, the operation reached its peak. On the tenth day. Through a series of combined operations, Qingchen Temple joined forces with the officials to eradicate over thirty hidden Mud Doll Sect bases, large and small. The collaboration between Yu Hong and Cheng Shu became increasingly skilled with each operation. * * * In a county town near Taizhou, in the urban area. Rows of coconut trees were neatly planted beside the houses. The house was a three-story building with white walls above and red below. Bang! At this moment, armed soldiers kicked in the front door and rushed in. "Hands in the air, kneel on the ground!" "Drop your weapons!! Drop them!!" Bang bang!! Gunshots rang out. Inside the building, chaos ensued with people screaming, things being overturned and smashed, and soldiers yelling angrily. Cheng Shu and Yu Hong quickly followed the captain of this squad inside. "To the left." Cheng Shu slid out a watermelon knife, placing a yellow talisman paper onto the blade with one hand. The talisman paper instantly ignited, turning into a streak of white light that attached itself to the blade. After dealing with so many bases, she had long become familiar with the tricks used by the Mud Doll Sect followers. The two walked past the main hall and arrived at the central courtyard of the building. Ao! A burly figure covered in blood suddenly leaped at them. Gunshots sounded in time, as the captain beside them instantly drew his gun and fired. But the shadow disappeared in a blink, evading the shots. "No, it¡¯s resentful sand, resentful mark!" Cheng Shu quickly realized and stepped forward with a slash of her knife. The enemy deliberately used resentful sand to make the resentful mark visible, attracting the bullets. But by the time they realized, it was already too late. The shadow reappeared behind the captain, its arms transformed into scythe-like blades, crossing in a swift sweep. Hiss! In the nick of time, a large hand grabbed the captain and jerked him forward. This jerk narrowly avoided the shadow¡¯s sudden attack. It was Yu Hong. His expression was calm as his other hand pressed a talisman onto the chest of the shadow. Boom! The talisman ignited, and the shadow also burst into red flames, turning into black ash within two seconds, scattering to the ground. At that moment, further inside, the armed soldiers let out screams, not just one or two, but a series of agonizing shouts. "This is bad!!" Cheng Shu¡¯s eyes hardened as she lifted her knife and rushed towards the deeper rooms across the courtyard. Seeing her charge in, Yu Hong wasn¡¯t in a hurry, but quickly took out some talisman paper, gave the captain a few instructions, stuck one on him, and then followed closely towards the inside. He had only taken a few steps. Crash! A crisp sound. A figure flew out from the window of a room inside. The window glass shattered onto the ground, and the person also lay on the ground, groaning. It was Cheng Shu! Her arms were bleeding, and several sharp cuts appeared on her body. Her chest clothing was sliced open by a transverse cut, narrowly avoiding being disemboweled. However, because of this cut, her entire upper body was almost entirely exposed, unshielded by underwear. "Fuck!" Cheng Shu got up, covering her chest with her injured hand and holding the knife in the other. A faint, bizarre, and cool aura swirled and emerged around her. In the semi-visible space where only techniques could perceive, behind Cheng Shu, a circular Array Plate composed entirely of water flow appeared. Within the Array Plate, tiny silver symbols flickered and flowed. "Go!" Cheng Shu pointed her knife tip towards the window from which she had just been ejected. The Array Plate behind her suddenly surged forward, bursting into silver light and snaking through the window. It looked like a huge silver pancake. Boom! Simultaneously, a massive explosion shook the room. That wasn¡¯t a sound, but a huge mental shockwave. Yu Hong witnessed streaks of silver light burst from the window, as if a flashbang had detonated inside. Chapter 312: Revenge 310, Four "Called you damn smug!!" Cheng Shu roared, charging in once again. Boom! The next second. She was sent flying backward again, this time spouting a gush of blood mid-air. Yu Hong quickly stepped forward to catch her, gently easing her down. Only then did he realize Cheng Shu was almost completely drained, her body appearing as if it had been sliced by countless fine blades. Not only were her clothes completely torn, but her skin was also covered in tiny cuts, her entire body a bloody red. ".....Don¡¯t look!!" Cheng Shu, realizing her clothes were gone and almost completely naked while leaning on Yu Hong¡¯s hand, immediately tried to cover her private parts, feeling immensely embarrassed. "....I can¡¯t see anything anyway...." Yu Hong was at a loss for words. She was covered in blood, nothing could be seen on her body. "Sigh...." Cheng Shu let out a sigh of relief, her expression suddenly changing. "That¡¯s not right, run!! There¡¯s a big guy inside!!" "Now you mention it, isn¡¯t it a little too late... They won¡¯t wait for you to timidly hesitate and be shy...." Yu Hong lifted his head, staring at a three-meter tall black-robed figure just two meters directly ahead. The figure was slender, like a bamboo pole, with long, whip-like arms that trailed the ground, covered in hundreds and thousands of black glass shards. It wore a black top hat like those seen at formal events, its face covered with black cloth, only barely revealing a semblance of human facial features. "We¡¯re in trouble now...." Cheng Shu straightened up, standing up from Yu Hong¡¯s hold. "This guy is a Glazed Embryo resentful mark of the Mud Doll Sect.... Divine Embryo, Golden Embryo, Glazed Embryo, and the highest Mud Embryo, this guy is already the second resentful mark these cult members are capable of summoning..." After so many battles, she had gathered enough intelligence to know roughly what Techniques the Mud Doll Sect employed. "I¡¯ll cover our retreat, you get out immediately and call for backup, they can summon Glazed Embryo, there must be important Mud Doll Sect people here!" S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She took a step forward and charged, lifting her sword against the Glazed Embryo¡¯s downward slicing arm. Just now, it was this move;although she had blocked it, the myriad of fine glass shards, like countless blades, had mercilessly slashed her. After losing so much blood just now, if she gets hit again... ¡¯I¡¯m only twenty-eight years old!! I haven¡¯t enjoyed life yet, am I going to die here!??¡¯ Her heart roared in anger, but Cheng Shu¡¯s hands did not stop moving, because she knew if she didn¡¯t stop this creature, everyone present, including the over thirty people with Yu Hong, would all die. What the Mud Doll Sect is best at is mass hypnosis, and creatures like the Glazed Embryo resentful mark inherently carry hypnotic auras, almost invincible against ordinary people. So... Bang!! In that moment. Cheng Shu¡¯s sword clashed with the Glazed Embryo¡¯s right arm. And then. There was no ¡¯and then.¡¯ She suddenly widened her eyes to see the struggling Glazed Embryo in front of her. The towering Glazed Embryo, as if eroded by some potent poison. Its entire body was becoming translucent, turning into globs of thick gelatinous substance, dripping onto the floor. Ah!!! A strange scream that was unclear whether male or female burst out from behind Cheng Shu. This scared her so much that her whole body shuddered, and she quickly leaped to the side before turning to look back. There, floating exactly where she had been standing, was a bizarre humanoid figure made entirely of transparent gelatinous material. The figure had numerous densely packed dark red lips all over its body, and at the moment, all of them were open, letting out strange shrieks. Following the direction of the strange figure, Cheng Shu saw Yu Hong, who was at the back, forming a handprint. An invisible air current stirred Yu Hong¡¯s Daoist robe, his long hair slightly moving, his expression calm. With one hand forming a Seal and the other grasping a brown talisman paper, blue light clearly shimmered along the paper¡¯s pattern. Bang!! In an instant, the Glazed Embryo burst apart, turning into countless black smoke, scattering into nothingness. And the transparent gelatinous humanoid figure also shot into the room, pursuing the controlling Magician. "Fuck! You, how strong are you to only take action now!!? Are you messing with me!?" Cheng Shu exploded with anger, rushing up, trying to grab at Yu Hong¡¯s collar. "The more Mud Doll Sect thugs we take down, the greater the Contribution we earn, I thought Sister Cheng wanted to earn more points for a grand wedding," Yu Hong said, helpless. "Damn it!" Cheng Shu was speechless. "Every time you¡¯re the first to rush in, when do I even have a chance to show what I can do?" Yu Hong continued. "....Then why don¡¯t you rush in??" Cheng Shu gritted her teeth. "If someone else is doing it, why would I bother?" Yu Hong replied. "....!!" Cheng Shu¡¯s fist emitted a faint creaking noise. She really wanted to punch someone, but it was clear that she couldn¡¯t beat this guy. To strike would be to get beaten up. At that moment, a frenzied scream erupted from within the room, only to cease quickly, silenced completely. Soon after, two armed soldiers carried out the desiccated corpse of a skinny woman in a black robe. "Alright, this is the main suspect. Onto the next case." Yu Hong sensed the presence, confirmed it was this individual, and nodded immediately. "I need to heal up. Let¡¯s talk in a few days." Cheng Shu said, expressionless. She moved closer to examine the corpse and noticed three silver lines embroidered on the edge of the robe. "She was a higher-up in the Mud Doll Sect, presumably one of the Illusion Soldiers just below the Seven Primordial Embryos¡ªGuo Chengfei." Her eyes grew complex as she turned to look at Yu Hong. "Now you¡¯re going to become famous." "What? Was this person really that powerful?" Yu Hong asked in surprise. "In the past few days, it was this person who caused over fifty casualties across different places, and nearly succeeded in assassinating the deputy mayor in Bing State." Cheng Shu explained. "In terms of strength, she was strong enough to annihilate smaller factions that are not part of any Taoist Sect." "It looks like the Mud Doll Sect is getting desperate, daring to send out such a good operative to her death." Yu Hong understood. "To her death? Only an elite genius like you would say something like that." Cheng Shu said, without a voice. "Speaking of which, what do you wild mages outside the Taoist Sects think of us?" Yu Hong was somewhat interested in the world of mages outside of the Taoist Sects. Since he had the chance, he decided to ask in detail. "The Taoist Sect is the strongest force of magicians in the world, without equal. Next is the Buddhist Sect, what else could we think about it? Our techniques primarily focus on utility, but we have done no research on cultivation and nourishment;it¡¯s all about who can demonstrate the most power. However, soon the body deteriorates, the spirit wanes, and the power of the techniques drops dramatically. Typically, after the age of thirty, there¡¯s a steep decline." While applying techniques to stop her bleeding, Cheng Shu explained. "So that¡¯s why you joined the official forces in such a hurry, and you¡¯ve been fighting so hard, just to save up some resources for the future?" Yu Hong asked. "That¡¯s right. Because of various flaws, magicians outside of the Taoist and Buddhist Sects mostly pass down their lineages within the family, with many generations missing and new creations being frequent. The quality varies, so many join the official forces. After all, that¡¯s also a way out." Cheng Shu sighed. "That sounds quite tragic..." Yu Hong sighed similarly. "You¡¯d be better off finding an ordinary job and living as a normal person, perhaps you¡¯d have a better life." "No choice, magicians outside of the major forces mostly inherit abilities naturally. We¡¯re born with the ability to see resentful marks, techniques, and all sorts of odd and terrifying things. Without learning techniques, people like us usually wouldn¡¯t live past twenty." At this point, Cheng Shu¡¯s attitude towards Yu Hong had clearly changed. In her eyes initially, Yu Hong was just an ordinary disciple on the fringe of the Taoist Sects, and she took responsibility to help a teammate. After all, ordinary disciples had limited potential and were not of much help. But now, upon realizing Yu Hong¡¯s unique strength and skills, her attitude had clearly shifted. Because even if Yu Hong was simply a fringe sect disciple, as an elite, he could still have quite a network of connections, able to help loose cultivators like her obtain various Secret Medicines for body maintenance. Even some sects with multiple techniques could periodically help rejuvenate the body, healing the injuries they had previously sustained. This was worth making a connection with. "That is indeed very difficult." Yu Hong¡¯s thoughts flickered internally, but his expression remained unchanged, even as he passed a jar of ointment to Cheng Shu for external application. "Yu Hong, with your abilities, you should have some reputation in Taizhou, right? How come I¡¯ve never heard other magicians mention you here?" Cheng Shu asked curiously. The wounds on her body actually began to seal up at that moment. Clearly, the techniques here, though not suitable for physical combat, still had some strange and unique abilities. "I prefer to keep a low profile;I don¡¯t usually like to show off or fight." Yu Hong briefly explained without going into details. However, he started to take a keener interest in the community of wild mages. Recently, while collecting information, he had confirmed that the Black Disaster was gradually beginning to unfold in this world. But its progression had been slow due to the complete suppression by the Taoist Sects. However, slow progress was still progress! Yu Hong keenly noticed that the air had begun to contain extremely minute concentrations of Red Value! Even though it was only in the single digits, he understood what this implied. If the Taoist Sects had no contingency plans, they might soon be unable to contain the Black Disaster. ¡¯If the Black Ships advance through the waves of the Black Disaster, seeking each isolated land of vitality capable of standing firm and resisting, then from the moment I discovered it, this world has been undergoing a slow but inevitable decline.¡¯ ¡¯This retaliatory action is a perfect opportunity for me to make a name for myself in Taizhou. Showcasing rapid growth of strength in real combat aligns perfectly with the trajectory of a genius... and then, naturally, through grand competitions, winning and obtaining higher-ranked Daoist Magic Techniques and thereby gaining access to the upper echelons of the Taoist Sect¡¯s power.¡¯ ¡¯This path is very orthodox;every year, the prizes that are given as rewards, including Daoist Skills, techniques, and treasures, are all of the highest caliber. But the only flaw is the slow pace.¡¯ After unexpectedly encountering Cheng Shu, Yu Hong began to concoct another idea. ¡¯Although wild mages are weak, they have undoubtedly accumulated some unique and wonderful ideas. If I could integrate all wild mages and fuse all their Daoist Skills, perhaps... I could reap immense benefits.¡¯ He initially came here for the Daoist Skills, and now that he had acquired them, his initial thoughts had shifted somewhat. This world was peaceful and beautiful, and he hoped to settle here long-term, averse to seeing it destroyed. Thus, in order to avoid a tragedy like that of the Eternal Life Association in the previous world, Yu Hong knew all too well that his own power was extremely limited. So, if he could widely disseminate the Guanwu Jade Spirit Skill with its power, and by doing so strengthen his own Spirit Light, while, at the same time, establishing an entirely new power base belonging to him. Perhaps... he could set off on a completely different path from the last time. Chapter 313: Reputation 1 The operation ended. While Cheng Shu went back to recover from his injuries, Yu Hong also returned to his residence, casually ordered takeout, and after having dinner, he sat in the courtyard, basking in the sunset¡¯s red glow, feeling the evening breeze, and smelling the aromatic smoke of someone else¡¯s cooking. With a single lift of his hand. Instantly, a vague halo of white light appeared at his fingertips. Within the halo, silver continuously flowed. This was Spirit Light, a completely different special kind of halo from the Cosmic Divine Light. "It¡¯s difficult to detect;it seems afterwards, I should consider making a Universal Detector. Otherwise, many energy levels can¡¯t be quantified, which makes it inconvenient to determine strength." He felt the amplification of the Spirit Light. ¡¯My physique has slightly increased, very weakly. It¡¯s like wearing a layer of bulletproof protective clothing around me, somewhat thick, much stronger than before. It seems the Cultivators in Hope City are really going all out... their progress is also very fast. These are truly people who have experienced grim darkness!¡¯ Yu Hong sighed inwardly. ¡¯Once the Cultivation Technique I¡¯m integrating comes out, I might try using Spirit Light...¡¯ Suddenly, his expression paused. It seemed he discovered something extraordinary. ¡¯Wait... this Spirit Light...¡¯ With a gentle flick, the strand of Spirit Light at his fingertip actually flew out, landing on a sparrow not far away in the blink of an eye. The sparrow trembled, its eyes clearly gaining a touch of silver. It looked around, then continued to peck at stones on the ground. But this time, the stones, which it couldn¡¯t move just earlier. Pop. Were instantly pecked apart by it. The sparrow panicked, flapping its wings to take off. Swoosh!! In a blink, it soared into the sky like a skylark, nearly flying out with a sharp breaking sound into the air. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "...." Seeing this, Yu Hong gained a new understanding of the uses of Spirit Light. "So, it turns out, this Spirit Light can be lent out...." He had a thought, and his fingers retracted. Suddenly, a strand of white light shot back from the sky, entering his fingertip and disappearing. Yu Hong clearly felt that this strand of Spirit Light was a bit stronger than before it was lent out. Although it was just a very subtle increase, he still felt it. Thump. Something suddenly crashed down from mid-air. That thing fell stiffly to the ground, splattering blood all around. Yu Hong¡¯s expression tightened, and upon closer examination, he found that it was the very sparrow he had imbued with Spirit Light earlier. ¡¯This Spirit Light... there¡¯s something wrong with it...¡¯ Yu Hong suddenly remembered, this Spirit Light came from the integration of the Spirit-controlling Decision from Wuji Palace, and Wuji Palace had previously been marked by the Black Mark as the Infinite Demon Palace in the user manual.... He pondered for a moment, closing his eyes to sense the condition of the Spirit Light. Suddenly he spread his hand, and a strand of white Spirit Light rose again in his palm, containing silver threads. As his thoughts moved, the silver threads in the Spirit Light slightly transformed;though just lines, they were actually composed of countless tiny silver runes. At this moment, if one looked closely, one could discover that these tiny silver runes were undergoing some unknown transformation. After a short time, the transformation ended. Yu Hong looked at the sparrows approaching again around him. A row of little sparrows stood on the wall, hopping and chirping merrily. "Go." He flicked his hand. Immediately, the Spirit Light in his hand flew out, instantly attaching itself to a brown sparrow. The sparrow, oblivious, hopped a few times and still stood chirping on the wall. Yu Hong raised his hand again and emitted a strand of Inner Qi. Bam!! The Inner Qi struck the brown sparrow hard, making it cry out miserably and get knocked back a great distance. But quickly, the sparrow returned chirping and cursing, completely unharmed. Yu Hong narrowed his eyes and, with the same force, flicked towards the wall. Bang! Immediately, a fist-sized dent appeared in the wall. ¡¯As expected... the effects of Spirit Light can be adjusted. When I shifted it to enhance protection entirely, the protective aspect was greatly enhanced.¡¯ Yu Hong had a clear understanding. This way, he could completely customize for different people, filling in their defects. In a way, it substantially enhances their strength. This discovery gave him a new appreciation for the value contained within the Infinite Demon Palace and also brought him new thoughts about the forces of Wild Mages and Loose Cultivators. * * * Yasong Taoist Sect Ancestor Court¡ªYunshu Mountain. Deep in the mountains, a somewhat old gray Taoist Palace is situated. A main hall, three auxiliary halls, and a row of connecting rooms on each side, enclosing a large stone plaza at the center. This is Yunshu Taoist Palace. At this moment, on the gray-white stone plaza, which is roughly the size of a soccer field, stands sparsely a crowd of male and female Taoists in robes of various colors. Among the Taoists, each holds a sign with different place names written on them: Wushan, Thunder Lion, Xuzhou, Songzhou, etc. "Please, representatives of the Taoist Sect, enter the hall;the meeting has essentially concluded," a voice booms from an old Taoist stepping out from the main hall. The teams glance at each other and file into the main hall one by one. Inside the chilly, spacious hall, a giant Taoist Lord statue made of pure gold, holding a horsetail whisk, wearing a complicated purple gold crown, calmly sits with a serene expression at the center. Behind the statue, a circular light emanates a faint silver color, as if there¡¯s a self-illuminating light bulb installed inside. Beneath it lies a small garden, where countless tiny animal, human, and Taoist statues are freely positioned. To the right of the Taoist Lord statue, on an open space, numerous cushions are laid out with representatives from various provinces of the Taoist Sect seated on them. Among them are people from the Nine Sects. "The Seven Evil Alliance has acted swiftly, causing over two hundred billion in various damages in just three days. The authorities are very concerned and demand that we absolutely stabilize the situation within a week," states an old Taoist seated in the principal seat, the only one of his kind, with white hair and beard grown down to his chest. The old Taoist is dressed in a pure white Daoist robe, holding a gold-handled silver-threaded horsetail whisk. His face is thin, eyes dark and bright, and even the mere squinting can convey a fierce and menacing feeling. This person is the most prominent figure in today¡¯s Taoist Sect, the head of the Upper Primordial Heavenly Master Mansion, one of the two great Heavenly Masters of the current era¡ªWu Ran Taoist, Zuo Yunfeng. "Why doesn¡¯t Zuo Heavenly Master delegate more responsibilities to Xu Heavenly Master? Our sect is full of talented individuals;it seems unnecessary to burden the old Heavenly Master so heavily," a muscular and rugged man with disheveled red hair, gently laughing, holding a jade cup, speaks from the old Taoist¡¯s left. "It¡¯s amusing that Mo Temple Master, who can¡¯t even manage his own temple, has the leisure to meddle in the affairs of the Heavenly Master Mansion," retorts a Red Robed Taoist coldly from the side. "Not at all, the troubles of Jinxiao Temple are nothing compared to those of Yunshen Temple," Mo Temple Master responds with a chuckle. "Enough, let¡¯s speak less. Zuo Heavenly Master has been governing the world for decades, growing stronger with age. Even Xu Heavenly Master himself holds Zuo Heavenly Master in higher regard to preside over the grand scheme. Such remarks should better be reserved for later," a handsome middle-aged Taoist seated to the right softly speaks. This man is Ku Chan¡¯s biological father, the current Palace Master of Zihe Palace, Yu Qin Taoist. In his youth, he was famously handsome within the Taoist Sect, with numerous admirers. Among them, he chose a woman of ordinary looks and background as his partner. At that time, the marriage was a topic of amusement. However, it stunned everyone eventually. The seemingly ordinary woman, after marriage, not only bore Yu Qin a peerlessly talented son, Ku Chan, but also helped her husband manage the Taoist Palace to prosper. She even operated businesses externally, and within just twenty years, propelled Zihe Palace from the fifth rank directly to the third, only behind the two great Heavenly Master Mansions. Since then, the reputation of Yu Qin Taoist marrying a wise wife spread, and his fame soared. But outside, although he had a great reputation, within the Taoist Sect, he was quite a famous good person. "Enough about that, the battle reports from each province have been delivered, compiled here, everyone can take a look first." Yu Qin the Taoist spoke seriously, he was responsible for the summary work from various places, in the Taoist Sect, he was akin to the office director. Administering the internal structure and job transfer of the Taoist Sect¡¯s Ancestor Court. He clapped his hands, and a Daoist boy behind him came forward with a stack of printed papers, distributing them to representatives of the Nine Sects. The other eight each took a sheet and looked down to read carefully. "The Seven Evil Alliance¡¯s actions this time are huge, they simultaneously detonated their various ambushes that had been lying dormant for many years, with astonishing effects, leaving Yunan Province and Fucang Province in dire situations, necessitating the support of experts," explained Yu Qin. "If I remember correctly, these two places should be under the jurisdiction of Qingxia Palace, right?" Mo, the Temple Master of Jinxiao Temple, chuckled twice. "It is my poor duty. Inside, there was some trouble," said an old white-haired Taoist nun sitting at the end of the left side, sighing. "Two core Dao Seeds betraying the sect and joining the Seven Evil Alliance, this is not a small trouble..." Mo¡¯s laughter turned cold. The old Taoist nun remained silent, only lowering her head with a somber expression. "If I remember correctly, one of the defectors is the biological daughter of Sister Su Ling, right?" the Red Robed Taoist of Yunshen Temple asked, frowning. "Yes," replied the old Taoist nun Su Ling. Everyone was suddenly speechless, not knowing what to say. "Let¡¯s dispatch support as soon as possible. Assigning two teams from the permanents here in the Ancestor Court should be able to suppress them," said the Left Heavenly Master indifferently. "Yes." The rest agreed in unison. "Apart from the two most critical provinces, there are also many small sects on the edge of the Taoist Sect that have been annihilated. The all-out attack strategy by the Seven Evil Alliance has put us in a difficult, very passive position," continued Yu Qin, "In desperation, I have already dispatched my son Ku Chan to extinguish fires everywhere, alleviating many local troubles." "Zihe Palace has done great good with this matter, and it should be noted, even if it is on the edge of the Taoist Sect, we ought to assist," nodded the Left Heavenly Master approvingly. "Now I will report a summary of the specific damages and losses from various places, please provide your corrections," said Yu Qin. Yu Qin took out a list, cleared his throat, and began to read it word for word. Minutes later, after finishing the list, he continued. "Apart from the losses, the sudden attack by the Seven Evil Alliance also presents a rare opportunity, allowing many talents who previously showed average performance to shine. I have also compiled a list of talented individuals from the Taoist Sect, totaling forty-nine people." He switched to another printed paper, signaling the Daoist boy to distribute the rest. After receiving the new printed papers, the nine individuals carefully examined them. "Of these forty-nine individuals, most are still under thirty years old. It can be said that they are the future supporting force of our Taoist Sect. I suggest rewarding these forty-nine individuals based on their specific performances," Yu Qin continued. "It¡¯s feasible. The annual grand competition is approaching, and these rewards can be arranged right after the competition," proposed the Red Robed Taoist of Yunshen Temple. "Agreed," nodded the Left Heavenly Master, putting down the printed paper, letting it rest on the flat ground in front of him. Printed on the paper were lines of text. Near the end, one line struck out clearly: Taizhou Qingchen Temple¡¯s Zheng Rou ¡ª within a few days, successively eradicated eight strongholds of the Seven Evil Alliance, directly defeated the Seven Evils Alliance¡¯s cadre, and pursued the escaping criminal Illusion Soldier Guo Chengfei. Chapter 314: Repute 2 Taizhou, Qingchen Temple. Yu Mo, Yu Hen, and other senior Taoists were sitting upright in the great hall, watching the Dao Seed Disciples entering and taking their seats one by one. Zheng Ming, Zheng Hong, and Zheng Xia were all among them. There was also the newly added Zheng Rou, who was Yu Hong. And with them, a tall and cold woman, Zheng Ying, whose demeanor was sharp. Zheng Ming seemed to have lost his former sharpness, his expression was somber, his head hanging slightly, one hand wrapped in bandages, clearly injured in the past few days of action. Zheng Hong had a calm expression on his face;he was not injured, but it was said that he had repeatedly fled in fear during operations, and the magicians on the official side had reported him to the temple, now well known among many. Zheng Xia¡¯s expression was solemn, she was looking down at a hospital report, lost in thought. The last one, Zheng Rou, Yu Hong, sitting on a meditation cushion, appeared calm and collected, seemingly the most normal one. "Zheng Rou, did you really repel the Illusion Soldier Guo Chengfei head-on?" Temple Master Yu Hen had already asked once, but now he asked again. "It wasn¡¯t a repulsion, but a defeat!" Yu Mo hurriedly corrected loudly. The people in the hall looked at each other in silence, just turning their gaze to Yu Hong. Illusion Soldier Guo Chengfei was different from the Seven Primordial Embryo sons. He was a rare specialist magician skilled in modern warfare. His personal strength was formidable, having defeated small-scale armed forces encirclements multiple times, even killing quite a few people. He was one of the noted fierce figures with outstanding combat achievements. However, unexpectedly, he had been beaten by Yu Hong. "It was like this, everyone knows I¡¯m good at close combat, I was just lucky, being close to her, then I quickly approached her, took advantage of her not having enough time to use many techniques, and incapacitated her in one fell swoop," Yu Hong answered earnestly, "In fact, it was also my luck that the Illusion Soldier had her techniques depleted a lot by my partner before. So, I had the opportunity to take advantage." "I see..." Yu Hen revealed a look of understanding. The other Yu Generation members also nodded one after another. "It makes sense now;Zheng Rou took up the arts under a mentor and is adept at close combat, understandable." "It¡¯s also because of Zheng Rou¡¯s own exceptional talent, being able to seize the best opportunity." "That¡¯s true, an ordinary person wouldn¡¯t be able to seize it even if the opportunity was right in front of them;it would slip by in an instant." Yu Shi, Yu Zhong, and Yu Fang all agreed in quick succession, adding their comments, effectively filling in all the details for Yu Hong¡¯s account. The recently returned Zheng Ying had never seen such a display before, feeling that she had only gone on a mission, and when she returned, everything in the Taoist Temple had changed. She felt as if she had become an outsider... sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Not only did they lose three mentors and uncles, but the atmosphere inside the temple also revolved entirely around the new member Zheng Rou. And all these changes originated from this robust Zheng Rou. For a moment, she became more curious about this new junior brother. "Alright, let¡¯s not talk about that now, next, the Mud Doll Sect will seek revenge after having so many strongholds uprooted. We can¡¯t know for sure which site they will target for retaliation. The only thing we can do is to reduce the dispersion of our forces, gather everyone together, to avoid being defeated one by one," Yu Hen said. "That¡¯s reasonable;we don¡¯t need to be so dispersed from now on;all the small strongholds have fallen, leaving only the large ones," Yu Mo nodded. Both were now the chief commanders of Qingchen Temple. Scanning around, all the capable fighters in the temple were present. Those who could match up with the officials, after field tests, there were the five of them, the old guards, plus Zheng Ying, Zheng Ming, and the newly demonstrated Zheng Rou, just eight people in total. Their power, when facing the Mud Doll Sect... was still a bit... Both furrowed their brows slightly, uncertain. Having operated in Taizhou for years, how could they not know what the Mud Doll Sect was like? They had coexisted peacefully over the years because both sides stepped back a bit, each wary of the other. Now that they were truly fighting, they realized how much of a gap there was between Qingchen Temple and the Mud Doll Sect. "Don¡¯t worry, considering the situation in Taizhou, I have already submitted a request for reinforcements to the Taoist Sect. Reinforcements will arrive shortly, this time it¡¯s from our old friends, the experts from Zihe Palace. Everyone, please welcome them warmly when they arrive," Yu Hen mentioned, checking his phone. "Mm... they should arrive by plane tomorrow morning. Zheng Xia, would you take people to pick them up? Is that okay?" Zheng Xia was like a brick;moving wherever needed. Zheng Xia glanced at Yu Hong. "Temple Master, may I ask if the newcomer is male or female?" "This time it¡¯s a female, just call her Sister. She is one of the Dragon Mountain Four Swords of Zihe Palace, Feixia Sword Meng Chengshuang," Yu Hen responded, stroking his beard with a nostalgic expression. "Now that I think about it, being able to invite her over is also because I grew up with her father from childhood, our relationship is very close. I even helped take care of the kid when she was little, changing her diapers, and in the blink of an eye, that little girl has grown so much... time really is..." "Temple Master, are you talking about that little girl who came to the temple more than twenty years ago?" Yu Zhong by his side also showed a nostalgic expression, "Is it the one who used to love pulling our beards?" "....Exactly." Yu Hen nodded, slapping his thigh. Thus, a group of old fellows began to reminisce about the past. Yu Hong and the others were listening below, almost dozing off, but no matter what, with an elder in the family, the complex web of relationships forged over time, it was unclear when they could pull out some unexpected move. Just like the previous Taoist Ku Chan, the prospective Palace Master of Zihe Palace was easily invited over, although it was just on his way, it still reveals the deep roots behind the old Taoists. Having spent over half an hour recalling, Yu Hen adjusted Yu Hong¡¯s seat. According to their combat abilities, the position was arranged just behind Zheng Ming and Zheng Ying. From then on, Yu Hong¡¯s status soared, and his reputation in actual combat was quickly spread through the change in seating order. Aside from Qingchen Temple, Taizhou also has some circles of scattered magicians. The number of magicians in these circles far exceeds the number of people in Qingchen Temple;in essence, the only ones called magicians in Qingchen Temple are actually just those few from the Dao Seed Class. The Golden Jade Class is basically just small fry gilded with gold, and others who rely on talismans to get by even less so. Scattered magicians, however, are different;they have easier entry, lower difficulty in cultivation, and lower thresholds. And because they have fewer techniques to learn¡ªmany even only learn one¡ªthey can enter some areas faster than the Taoist Sect, with lower requirements for aptitude. Shortly after Yu Hong¡¯s position was adjusted, the news quickly spread from within the temple. As the saying goes, word spreads from one to ten and ten to a hundred. Taizhou, being a port, has a lot of merchant ships coming in and out, all employing wild mages for protection on their voyages. After all, as time goes by, the frequency of mysterious incidents occurring everywhere is getting higher, and everyone¡¯s awareness of safety is growing. This growing market has also inversely led to the proliferation of wild mages. Compared with the expensive Dao Seed Disciples, wild mages are much cheaper. So now, Taizhou has a considerable number of magicians. At this moment, in a small bar on the entertainment street of the Taizhou suburbs, Cheng Shu, who had just come from the hospital, was sitting in her usual spot, gazing through the window at the variety of passersby, with a distant look in her eyes. The skin wound she received a few days ago had almost healed by now. She was wearing a black lace dress, revealing a large expanse of pristine skin on her chest, not a scar in sight. To an outsider, she looked like a voluptuous young woman blessed with a generous figure. But no one knew that she hadn¡¯t even been married and was still a virgin. The lighting in the bar was dim, with the soft music barely audible, giving a sense of tranquility and peace. The good soundproofing meant that neither the outside noise nor the sound of the sea could penetrate. Cheng Shu picked up her drink and took a sip. The sharpness of the spirits combined with the refreshing sweetness of strawberry juice revitalized her somewhat groggy mind. "Cheng Shu? You¡¯re here early?" Two stylishly dressed young people approached and pulled up chairs to sit down. The two weren¡¯t old, quite a bit younger than Cheng Shu;one was a pretty girl who looked like a high school student, wearing a milk-colored dress and carrying a small leather handbag. The other was a yellow-haired young man in black and white striped bell-bottom pants and a black shirt. He looked to be in his early twenties and immediately gestured to call the waiter to order food as soon as he sat down. "How¡¯s it going? Are there many jobs here? Is it easy to work? Sister, why don¡¯t you introduce us, I¡¯m tight on cash again recently," the yellow-haired man said with a grin and in a low voice as he sat down. "When did you siblings arrive here?" Cheng Shu was surprised to see the two who were not expected to be here. These two siblings, the brother He Yuchong, and the sister He Yuling, come from a small family known for their feng shui services. Both had some aptitude since childhood, able to see various resentful marks and techniques. To protect themselves, they dropped out of school early and painstakingly studied their family¡¯s secret arts. Five years ago, the two of them began to mix in the circles, and now they have some reputation. In the circles, they are known as the Wind Bell twins, meaning they have sharp wits and high alertness¡ªany small movement and they would ring like wind bells. "We¡¯ve been here for some time. Originally we were on vacation but... you know how it is, we always get a bunch of freeloaders¡¯ tasks from the Association," Cheng Shu replied. "You¡¯re still in that official association?" He Yuchong asked in surprise. "That association doesn¡¯t give out any benefits, what¡¯s the point of staying there?" "You¡¯ve both left?" Cheng Shu inquired. The Association they referred to is an official association exclusively for wild mages - the Yasong Folklore Research Association. Originally, the Association was an attempt by the government to gather folk magicians, but after realizing that their power was much less than that of the orthodox Taoist Sect and Buddhist Sect, the government let them develop freely. Now, all of their benefits have been cut, turning it into a semi-idle organization. "We left a long time ago. Now we¡¯ve all set up our own associations, big or small. Nobody wants to be subordinate to others, right?" He Yuchong said with a smile. "Alright, that¡¯s good too. You¡¯re both young;maybe in the future, you¡¯ll be able to make a name for yourselves on your own," Cheng Shu nodded and didn¡¯t ask further. "Cheng Shu, since you arrived in this place first, tell us about the local situation?" He Yuling sweetly flashed a pleasing smile. Both of them weren¡¯t good at combative techniques and were more supportive, so in the face of chaotic situations, their reliance on intelligence was even greater. "Here, the main thing is that the Mud Doll Sect, a subordinate force of the Seven Evil Alliance, is clashing hard with the Qingchen Temple, a subordinate force of the Taoist Sect, with the officials backing the Taoist Sect. It¡¯s fierce right now, don¡¯t get involved," Cheng Shu said succinctly. "Are there any famous experts? Give us some warnings and names so we won¡¯t accidentally offend someone important," He Yuling skillfully took out a red envelope and discreetly stuffed it into Cheng Shu¡¯s hand. Chapter 315: Reputation 3 Cheng Shu did not refuse such inquiries. Wild Mages like the other party are actually the most numerous in the circle. They are the lowest layer here, with numerous members, many of whom are ordinary people who have a crude understanding of the mysterious, having come into it by luck. Some have gained their skills through self-study, slowly accumulating inherited knowledge. The number of Wild Mages far exceeds that of the regular army, and a large part of the reason for this is their classification. In fact, as long as one knows a simple secret technique, they can be considered a Wild Mage. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Such a crude classification naturally results in a huge number. Recently, Cheng Shu has been coordinating with officials to investigate members of the Seven Evil Alliance and incidentally clarified the number in the Wild Mage circle of Taizhou. Just in Taizhou alone, there are over a hundred Wild Mages. Most of them practice professions like fortune telling, Wizards, Witch, and Feng Shui Masters. Few keep their magic hidden, living comfortably within society through their abilities. This bar is one that Wild Mages particularly favor because the powerful soundproofing is the result of special Techniques mastered by the bar owner, offering excellent secrecy. "Are there any masters?" Cheng Shu couldn¡¯t help but think of someone. That person should be considered a decent pillar in today¡¯s Taizhou, right? "The masters mainly include the Mud Doll Sect¡¯s Primordial Embryo Seven, Copper Soldiers, Iron Soldiers. Go back and check the official wanted list;it has photos." She paused, then continued. "From our Taoist Sect, Qingchen Temple primarily, Dao Seeds Zheng Ying, Zheng Ming, and Zheng Rou, all are quite skilled masters." "As for the official Magicians.... Sister Cheng Shu definitely has a place!" He Yuchong complimented her with a smile. "Heh." Cheng Shu shook her head, nobody would be pleased to be exploited or risk their life in dangerous missions. "I¡¯m nothing special, there are two master Magicians officially;Red Snake and Headless Sword, you better run far if you encounter them. Both have a very bad temper." "Got it, we¡¯ll go back and print the photos right away!" The siblings, having gotten the information, happily paid and left. Cheng Shu sat alone in her original spot, with tranquility restored around her, sipping her drink while overhearing others nearby discussing the current masters of Taizhou. There was talk of Zheng Ying single-handedly defeating a Copper Soldier within a minute. And there were tales of Zheng Hong fleeing from battle, tripping halfway, and becoming a laughingstock. There was also discussion about the Red Snake¡¯s utter cruelty, tearing a disciple of the Mud Doll Sect to dozens of pieces on the spot. And even, she heard talks of Zheng Rou squarely defeating an Illusion Soldier. She picked up her drink and took another light sip. It was then that she somewhat felt that Yu Hong, that fellow, seemed to have truly made a name for himself in one battle. From an ordinary Dao Seed of Qingchen Temple, he had leaped to a small fame. Here in Taizhou, he was now a notable figure. * * * Days later... Yu Hong returned to his own residence, bringing back a complete tome on how to make talismans. He had long been enamored with the various talismans that performed well in real battles. Now, he had finally grinded his way to owning it. And coincidentally, the Black Mark enhancement was also approaching its final phase. The fusion of two Cultivation Techniques and reducing side effects, what it would turn out to be in the end, Yu Hong was quite looking forward. In the quiet of the night. In the courtyard, he walked to the center backhands, his fingers twitching slightly. Instantly, a Dragon Lizard flashed in the shadows, scouting for any possible trouble around. Before long, with the Dragon Lizard confirming that everything was fine, Yu Hong calmed down, sat cross-legged, and began actively engaging in Tao Breath Circulation practice. The progress of Guanwu Jade Spirit Skill was accelerating. It almost reached the stage to condense a new Fear Shadow. ¡¯Estimate it will be these few days... After condensing and shattering it, I can begin the Seventh Layer.¡¯ The Seventh Layer, this is a rather special stage because, in the entire Qingchen Temple¡¯s cultivation, the Seventh Layer is the highest level many teachers can attain. This level of Daoist Skills would enter a new phase, while the state and realm would also become more refined, causing a significant increase in Technique boosting. However, likewise, the Seventh Layer is extremely unstable, teachers within the temple who have reached this layer have mostly degenerated. Only one Taoist from the Yu Generation who was expelled years ago continued to maintain this pure realm and is now missing. ¡¯Generally breaking through to the Seventh Layer signifies the peak of Qingchen Temple;from this step forward, there¡¯s no retreat, otherwise, if one ever regresses, they will never advance further. The Fear Shadow of the Seventh Layer will forever lock one¡¯s Daoist Skills.¡¯ Yu Hong pondered with open eyes. Just a few months near the highest realm record of Qingchen Temple, he couldn¡¯t help but feel that the Cultivation Techniques here were quite insistent on the supremacy of the mind. As long as the spirit can keep up, the rise in Daoist Skills is rapid. Just grasping a bit of the Seventh Layer, maintaining the Sixth Layer cultivation and reciting the scriptures. Around 2 a.m., the countdown ended. Suddenly, Yu Hong¡¯s body trembled. He keenly felt changes in the Daoist Skills and Cosmic Divine Light in his whole body. All Daoist Skills¡¯ breaths and Cosmic Divine Light, including the part that merged into Inner Strength, were perfectly stripped away and mixed together. The entire stripping process took less than two seconds. Then came the fusion. All powers merged together to form a new silver-blue energy mass. The energy mass hovered in the center of Yu Hong¡¯s chest and abdomen for a while before slowly dispersing, with part going back in between the temples, replacing the previous Daoist breath position. Another part dispersed throughout the body, replacing Cosmic Divine Light to continue strengthening the body. And another part merged back into Inner Strength. These three were neatly divided. Snap. Suddenly, an A4 sheet appeared on the ground in front of Yu Hong, not knowing when it had fallen, with a large print of clear text on it. He picked it up to see, the first line was about the fusion Cultivation Technique. ¡¯Fusion successful, new technique automatically named Taiyuan Guanwu Jade Spirit Skill.¡¯ "Quite straightforward..." Yu Hong was speechless and continued reading. ¡¯The technique is divided into nine layers, this fusion enhancement: 1. Completes the flaw that the spirituality of Taiyuan True Method is easily corrupted and twisted. 2. Completes the flaw that Guanwu Jade Spirit Skill only cultivates spiritual will. 3. Corrects the partial erosion flaws of Cosmic Divine Light on the body¡¯s will, altered to visualize Light Disaster as the ultimate Fear Shadow image. 4. Enhances the cultivator¡¯s resistance to portions of Cosmic Divine Light erosion. 5. Repairs the potential defect of higher-level Fear Shadow backlash.¡¯ ¡¯Warning 1: The nature of Cosmic Divine Light, which erodes and corrupts all things, is primarily to preserve and eternalize individual entities, and spiritual will be absorbed into the Ultimate Sun as nutrients. This nature overlaps with the nature of evolution and cannot be completely eliminated, only offset. The offsetting source comes from two other types of Source Disasters: Spirit Disaster and Wind Disaster.¡¯ ¡¯Warning 2: Due to the integration of part of the Infinite Demon Palace¡¯s techniques and the unique aspects of Guanwu Skill in Guanwu Jade Spirit Skill, involving two different Source Disasters, namely Spirit Disaster and Wind Disaster. To offset the pulling force of Ultimate Sun, these two are introduced;be cautious during cultivation to absorb corresponding particles to avoid triggering the respective Source Disasters.¡¯ "..." Yu Hong felt numb reading up to this point. He just wanted to eliminate some side effects of the two techniques, but the result... turned out like this?? ¡¯So, the side effect of Ultimate Sun can only be offset by the power of other Source Disasters?¡¯ He understood the implication of Black Mark. The function of this technique is to fuse the powers of all major Source Disasters, allowing them to mutually restrain and oppose each other, thus forming a special balance. ¡¯If this balance fails... does that mean the corresponding Source Disaster will erupt??¡¯ Yu Hong was speechless, but he believed Black Mark wouldn¡¯t be that detrimental. At least since he awakened Black Mark, he has never encountered a case of being harmed by Black Mark. He continued reading. This technique, briefly called Tai Ling Skill, has a very simple structure. It¡¯s simply using Taiyuan True Method as the main body, with Guanwu Jade Spirit Skill as a supplement, simply merged together with only minor adjustments made to some key parts. Essentially the framework hasn¡¯t changed from before, the only major change is with Fear Shadow. The Fear Shadow of Tai Ling Skill, due to the contamination by Cosmic Divine Light, when summoned, according to the directions, is no longer purely a spirit will¡¯s illusion but can freely switch between illusion and entity. And because of the infinite essence of Cosmic Divine Light, once Fear Shadow is summoned, it naturally possesses an Undying Body, no matter how many times it is killed, it can quickly recover. Only by defeating its spiritual core can it be thoroughly defeated. And each Fear Shadow¡¯s spiritual core is actually the fear emotion that once arose in Yu Hong¡¯s heart. ¡¯This change isn¡¯t significant, against magicians, getting killed is still the same as not, what improved is its real-world interaction and physical disruption. Fear Shadow¡¯s real-world destructive ability has increased a lot.¡¯ Yu Hong understood in his mind. If the Daoist Skills in this world mostly focus on the spiritual will, then this improved Tai Ling Skill has covered this weakness, allowing it also to interact with reality. He continued reading further. The subsequent changes focused on eliminating the instability of realms, such as the degradation of the Seventh Layer of Guanwu Skill, Taiyuan True Method needing to periodically retrieve Cosmic Divine Light, and other such drawbacks. Tai Ling Skill not only has no instability of realms but also can condense a constantly emerging Cosmic Divine Light Well within the body in the later stages of practice. This is akin to a miniaturized mobile Ultimate Gate. Of course, apart from the Light Well, Spirit Well and Wind Well are also needed later. Yu Hong breathed a sigh of relief knowing all the modifications to the technique. ¡¯Why does it feel like it became more dangerous after the changes...¡¯ He flipped the A4 paper, and the back was densely filled with lots of black tiny characters, these characters like fine sand, each only the size of a rice grain. Mixed among them were slowly crawling visualization images. These images, crawling slowly among the sandy characters, gave off an impression of profound emptiness as if their bodies weren¡¯t just patterns but were gaping holes connected to unknown depths. Yu Hong started reading earnestly from the first line. Hiss. Suddenly, all the characters and images on the paper, like insects, quickly climbed up along his fingers, passed over the back of his hand, and burrowed into his sleeve. In no time, all the text and images on the paper entered through Yu Hong¡¯s mouth, nose, and ears. Seconds later, the paper turned completely blank, no text to be seen. Chapter 316: Reputation 4 Yu Hong sat cross-legged, motionless. His body¡¯s cultivation techniques, at this moment, all fused again into a silver-blue ball of light. The ball of light quickly absorbed all the characters and visualization maps, then automatically resumed its original form, turning back into three breaths that returned to the area between his temples, his chest and abdomen¡¯s Dantian, and into the muscles, blood vessels, and bones throughout his body. After closing his eyes and contemplating for a while, Yu Hong stood up. ¡¯According to the progress of Tai Ling Skill, I am still only on the Second Layer, considering the development in terms of Cosmic Divine Light. The Guanwu Skill progress is not complete;it requires completion before I can continue.¡¯ ¡¯I could continue practicing them separately, but the Guanwu Skill itself has significant innate weaknesses, and it¡¯s estimated to be difficult to excel in fully. But if I can manage to excel first, it would be of great help in making up for the deficiencies in Tai Ling Skill.¡¯ After a short consideration, he decided to stick to the status quo, practicing Tai Ling Skill as per usual while continuing to cultivate Guanwu Skill and see if he could reach the top first. If he managed the breakthrough, it would be much easier to make up for the inadequacies in the Tai Ling Skill. After filtering through Black Mark, Tai Ling Skill is truly a cultivation technique without side effects or defects. Although it seemed dangerous, he chose to believe. ¡¯The only problem is that it contradicts my original plan, and will require practical adjustments.¡¯ Standing in the courtyard, Yu Hong sensed the fleeting resentful mark aura from a building in the distance and the movements of Qingchen Temple Disciples deploying Fear Shadow. He sighed softly, then turned around and went back to his bedroom to rest. Two days later, in a secluded mountain villa area on the outskirts of Taizhou. Dadadadada. The intense automatic gunfire continuously shot, pocking the black villa¡¯s gate with a large spread of bullet holes. Several cultists behind the door were shot dead on the spot and did not get up again;the rest of their companions scrambled away in fright, leaving from behind the door. Boom. Armed soldiers kicked down the gate, spread out, and charged in. A series of gunfire followed immediately afterwards. Outside, Cheng Shu and Yu Hong walked slowly in, one after the other. Behind them, Zheng Hong and his official partner also followed closely, keeping a wary eye on the surroundings. This was a joint tactical assault on a major stronghold, This secluded mountain villa area had been frequently rumored about people disappearing, and the authorities had not managed to investigate the outcome. Now, in a more in-depth investigation, it was discovered that this was actually a fairly large congregation point for the Mud Doll Sect. "Throughout Taizhou, the Mud Doll Sect only has three such large strongholds which they call Mud Altars." Cheng Shu introduced as she walked. Ever since being seen through by Yu Hong, she made no attempt to hide her true nature in front of him, doing whatever she wanted and not caring about exposing herself. This woman was open by nature, bold and straightforward, and now with a slight affection for Yu Hong, she began to dress herself up in an understated way, attempting to strike up a relationship with him. "Why are you dressed like that? Won¡¯t it affect your ability to fight?" Yu Hong looked at his partner and asked speechlessly. "What¡¯s wrong with my outfit? Doesn¡¯t it look pretty good?" Cheng Shu patted her chest;she had changed into an extremely form-fitting yoga outfit that outlined every curve of her body in fine detail, with the contours of some sensitive areas becoming faintly visible as she moved. The yoga outfit was a pale green that looked like sportswear, with patterns resembling bellflowers on the front and back. There was also a fine line of special patterns at the bottom. "And this clothing of mine is secretly made;it¡¯s integrated with an Array that provides a degree of impact protection. It can resist small-scale Spiritual Shock damage." Cheng Shu said with a hint of pride. "How much?" Yu Hong didn¡¯t expect there to be such technology available here. "It¡¯s issued by the official Magicians, we all have them, doesn¡¯t cost a thing." Cheng Shu said with a smile. "That¡¯s quite generous for once." "Isn¡¯t it?" Cheng Shu glanced at Yu Hong, "How about you go in first later, and I¡¯ll follow behind, what do you say?" "Sure." Yu Hong nodded, "Is your injury fully healed?" "Absolutely no problem. Want to feel?" Cheng Shu provocatively pushed out her chest. "Heh heh..." Yu Hong still preferred someone more demure. He was somewhat aware of her underlying meaning, but he didn¡¯t care much for it. For him, matters of men and women were mere embellishments. By this stage, he could adjust his body at will, avoiding harm to himself. Thus, he didn¡¯t refuse such matters, only worried whether others could withstand him... Behind the two of them, Zheng Hong and the other official Female Mage showed a flicker of expression, noticing the unusual atmosphere between Yu Hong and Cheng Shu. Their relationship seemed to be more than just partners. This was also what Cheng Shu wanted others to interpret. She wanted to leverage Yu Hong¡¯s presence to gain more benefits for herself. Even if she couldn¡¯t get into a relationship with him in the end, she could at least enjoy some of the perks beforehand. Both groups entered the villa courtyard. The previously armed soldiers had already moved deeper, engaging in search and destroy missions. Bursts of gunfire, explosions, and shouting orders continued to drift from ahead. It was clear they had encountered tough resistance and were engaged in intense gunfire. The four passed through the courtyard and approached the main house. Inside the main house¡¯s ground-floor hall, a tall, gray-black figure was rampaging and pursuing the armed soldiers who entered. Bullets fired at him were like hitting a steel plate, bouncing off and exploding. But whenever he approached the soldiers, he would be blasted back by a wave of invisible explosive force. Yu Hong noticed that the weapons repelling the black figure were similar to brown tube-like cannons. Clearly, these were officially developed weapons designed for a specific purpose. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "You go first." Cheng Shu saw the figure and instinctively wanted to rush forward, but she repressed her urge and turned to Yu Hong. "Fine." Yu Hong did not refuse and stepped forward towards that person. He raised his hand. At the same time, the gunfire around him also stopped, to avoid injuring him. Inside the hall, the black silhouette¡¯s face twisted, as if burned by a great fire, and it turned to stare at Yu Hong approaching. "Disciples of Qingchen Temple!! What kind of skill is it to bully with numbers! Dare to face me in a duel!!" the silhouette roared in a deep voice. "What¡¯s your name?" Yu Hong realized that this guy must be one of the expendables pushed to the front by the Mud Doll Sect. The reason is that, up to now, there has only been this one Magician present, which is impossible for a major stronghold. The only possibility is that they had relocated most of their forces from here in advance. And the ones who are left, naturally, are just expendables. "Copper Soldier Zhao Mengsi!" "My name is Yu Hong, my Taoist name is Zheng Rou." Yu Hong introduced himself willingly. This implicitly accepted the other party¡¯s request for a duel. "You¡¯ve got guts!" Zhao Mengsi took two steps in one stride, stomped down heavily, and the stone tiles on the ground instantly shattered. He used the rebound to charge toward Yu Hong in a blink of an eye. One punch. This punch went straight toward Yu Hong¡¯s chest, making a piercing sonic boom, as if tearing cloth. Whoosh¡­ But the punch stopped. Zhao Mengsi¡¯s fist was only a palm¡¯s distance from Yu Hong, but it seemed that he couldn¡¯t bridge that distance no matter what. It wasn¡¯t blocked, but rather, he stopped the punch himself, no longer moving it forward. He stood in place, maintaining the pose of a punch, trembling violently. His eyes were wide open with bloodshot veins, and sweat rapidly seeped out of his forehead, forming droplets. Several seconds later. Ah!!! He suddenly roared, retracted his hand to cover his ears, and shook his head violently. Thud. He fell to the ground and rolled around in madness, shouting. If someone could see his pupils at that moment, they would notice a fleeting flash of blue light in his eyes. Just as everyone was unsure what had happened and turned their eyes toward him. Suddenly, Zhao Mengsi started punching his own forehead in a frenzied self-attack. Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud!! Each blow was with full force. After dozens of hits, Zhao Mengsi¡¯s strength weakened, and then, tilting his head, he fell to the ground, motionless. Blood slowly flowed out of his mouth, nose, and ears. Yet, his face did not show pain but rather a look of relief and ease. Silence fell around. Everyone was stunned by this abrupt scene. The soldiers, as well as Zheng Hong and the Female Mage who had followed in, involuntarily swallowed and looked at the body on the ground. "He... he just hammered himself to death??" Cheng Shu looked at Zhao Mengsi with a mix of horror, then lifted her gaze to the calm Yu Hong. "It seems so." Yu Hong replied, "Maybe he had a sudden illness, and his body couldn¡¯t withstand his own collapse." No one could believe these words. But everything that had just happened was witnessed right before everyone¡¯s eyes. Cheng Shu looked at the calm Yu Hong and knew in her heart it was his doing, but not even the hypnotism of the Mud Doll Sect could achieve this extent. The Mud Doll Sect could only hypnotize ordinary people, and it was practically useless against Magicians. After all, everyone possessed high-intensity spiritual power. What was this scene, then? Yu Hong actually hypnotized that Zhao Mengsi in front of everyone?? Such a technique;she could neither understand nor fathom. "Let¡¯s go, this stronghold has long been abandoned." Yu Hong clapped his hands, the sound making everyone snap back from the shock. A shadow flickered behind him, disappearing swiftly. And then he went forward to check the body. Naturally, if he had the intention to recruit the unaffiliated Wild Mages, he also needed to display sufficient strength and deterrence. Otherwise, hoping to win over such unruly people with other means would be purely wishful thinking. Therefore, Cosmic Divine Light showcasing strength was intentional this time. After integrating his powers into one, all of Yu Hong¡¯s Techniques, including Fear Shadow, had been significantly enhanced. This was just a minor demonstration. Zheng Hong, observing this scene, felt his eyelids twitch involuntarily, his expression turning grave without control. He had been secretly communicating with the sect, planning to set up an ambush here and eliminate Yu Hong in one fell swoop. However, upon witnessing the scene just now, he signaled to stop the ambush in time. Zhao Mengsi, who was expected to entangle Yu Hong for a long time, died in such a bizarre, nonsensical manner through suicide, in front of so many. What was more terrifying was that they couldn¡¯t discern any Technique used by Yu Hong. And if even the cadre Zhao Mengsi couldn¡¯t withstand a single round, the other three cadres lying in ambush, even if they showed up, fearing that they probably... "Let¡¯s go, it seems this place has been cleared out." Yu Hong stood up. No one spoke;the scene from just a moment ago still lingered in everyone¡¯s minds. Danger, the unknown, uncontestable! Only Yu Hong chuckled, leisurely stepping away following the path he came from. Chapter 317: Grade 315 Level 1 After the battle at the deep mountain villa, the reputation of Qingchen Temple¡¯s Yu Hong for the first time surpassed that of Zheng Ming, Zheng Ying, and the rest of the Dao Seed practitioners, spreading widely among the magician community. The reason for this was the kind of bizarre and dangerous technique he used when he killed Zhao Mengsi. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Facing his opponent, he made them hammer themselves to death with a relaxed and relieved expression before dying. Such a scenario would cause shivers down any magician¡¯s spine. Those who heard about the incident were all guessing what technique he had used. The people of Qingchen Temple, on the other hand, speculated that this ability was related to one of his Fear Shadows. After killing the Illusion Soldier and Copper Soldier Zhao Mengsi, two executives from the Mud Doll Sect, Yu Hong¡¯s strength was considered to be the closest to the Temple Master level among top talents. Coupling this with the fact that he had only been cultivating for a few months, a rising star suddenly emerged in Taizhou¡¯s magician circles. Additionally, with the arrival of the Feixia Sword from Zihe Palace in Taizhou, the overall situation in the city showed signs of improvement. Magicians even began discussing the aftermath of the Mud Doll Sect¡¯s annihilation. At this time, within the Mud Doll Sect, a fierce debate was also taking place. "This Zheng Rou¡¯s rise in strength is too fast. I¡¯ve seen fast cultivation in techniques, but someone as rapid as him, this is my first time witnessing it." Yuan Ming, the leader of the Primordial Embryo Seven Sons, with his arms crossed, leaned against the wall in the hall, his brows tightly knitted as he looked at the projector displaying the photo of Yu Hong. "Zheng Ying and Zheng Ming of Qingchen Temple are far from being as exaggerated as he is. To reach such power in technique within a few short months, we must find a way to completely take him down!" Yuan Ming continued. "The ranks of the Primordial Embryo Seven Sons have been refilled with two new members, and the Iron Soldier, Copper Soldier, and Illusion Soldier roles have also been replenished with new people;our combat strength is basically restored. This Yu Hong indeed has already affected our specific process, and we can take action to solve him." A scholarly short-haired man wearing glasses sat on the sofa in the hall. He looked to be around forty-something, with a well-proportioned figure and dressed in a shirt and pants, emanating the gentle temperament of a university professor. "Indeed, the other branches are still in a deadlock, with you winning one battle and I winning another, and even when we lose, the executives just get injured and escape. But with him, every encounter ends in death, with collapses happening in less than five minutes," a white-haired old crone holding a remote control appraised the projected image of Yu Hong¡¯s face. "This time, I will take action myself and remove this person first," the old crone said with a heavy tone. "Since the Vice Sect Hierarch is willing to take action personally, it¡¯s certainly foolproof!" Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming and the other man both showed a look of relief. * * * After taking out Copper Soldier Zhao Mengsi, Yu Hong went home to recuperate. He also took the opportunity to visit Zhang Kajing, who seemed quite content living alone in a cave. The cave was equipped with hot water pipes, and with a fire for heating, the temperature was maintained at about ten degrees. Then, Zhang Kajing had planted a pot of greenery from an unknown source and tended to two breeding boxes. When resting, she would pull out the game console that Yu Hong had given her and quietly play games by herself. With Yu Hong taking care of all her food and drinks, her lifestyle actually seemed quite stable. After checking on her and seeing that she was healthy, Yu Hong left to take care of his business in Hope City. He suspected that this Zhang Kajing might be problematic, but he didn¡¯t care. At present, there was no direct conflict between them, and the more pressing matter was the imminent large-scale outbreak of the Black Disaster on Huangsong Island. With the Red Value reaching single digits, it meant that Black Disaster events could occur at any time in the surrounding areas. But because of the repression by the Taoist Sects and Buddhist Sect, the manifestations on Huangsong Island¡¯s world were far less rampant than in Hope City. Yu Hong also understood that the main reason was that the Taoist Sects could solve the revived Fear Shadows thoroughly in one go, while in Hope City, multiple killings had no effect, and the numbers would only increase. That was the biggest difference. Things in Hope City, as he expected, were developing quite rapidly. Click. The door was gently closed. After entering, Yu Hong slowly walked to the side of Chen Yaofeng, the first commissioner of Hope City, and they stood shoulder to shoulder in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, looking down at the crowd formation in the square below. Directly opposite the office was a greyish-white cement square the size of a soccer field. On the square, at this moment, more than fifteen hundred Daoist cultivators were seated cross-legged. "You¡¯re here?" Chen Yaofeng, now in full control of power and with concentrated authority, had matured quickly while enjoying his rights. Because with power came responsibility. To cope with the constant outbreaks of Cold Disasters and Black Disasters, his temples were now grey, making him look not like a middle-aged man but more like an elderly official in his sixties or seventies. His sharp, lustrous black officer¡¯s uniform was his last defiance. As he put it himself: Although he was waning, as long as he could stand for a day, he would keep his back straight for a day. Until he could no longer support the entirety of Hope City. "Mm, you look tired. Has there been another Cold Disaster outbreak recently?" Yu Hong asked softly. "The Cold Disaster has stabilized. The outside temperature is around minus one hundred and twenty degrees, and it¡¯s not dropping further for now. The main problem is the Black Disaster mixed with the Cold Disaster striking the outer city. Many materials fracture on their own at this temperature, greatly weakening in strength. The scientific research department is now urgently developing special materials for extremely low temperatures," Chen Yaofeng said, helpless. "But there¡¯s also good news." "What is it?" Yu Hong withdrew his gaze and looked at him. "This extremely low temperature environment, combined with the very few materials we¡¯ve harvested from the bodies of the Black Disaster and Cold Disaster, has allowed the scientific research department to initially discover signs of low-temperature superconductivity," Chen Yaofeng said. Low-temperature superconductivity? As an imposter scientific researcher, Yu Hong naturally knew the significance of this concept. Superconductivity implies the long-distance transmission of energy, reaching a degree of near zero loss. This has immense benefits for the large-scale application and dispatching of energy. "Indeed, it¡¯s good news," Yu Hong nodded. "Actually, there¡¯s another piece of good news," Chen Yaofeng continued, finally showing a hint of a smile. "What?" "The Daoist Skills you imparted have now been formally mastered by over twenty thousand people in Hope City. They¡¯ve completed the First Layer and can now adeptly control the First Layer Fear Shadow they¡¯ve defeated. Oh, and guess what the Fear Shadow is for the majority of these people?" Chen Yaofeng said with a smile. "Shadow?" Yu Hong raised an eyebrow. "No... it¡¯s blood ticks," Chen Yaofeng shook his head. "I would never have imagined that..." Yu Hong thought the Shadow was the most terrifying, but it turned out that for most people, those ubiquitous blood ticks were the real dread. "These twenty thousand people can now be considered your disciples. Among them, a few have already condensed the Second Layer Fear Shadow and are currently attempting to overcome it," Chen Yaofeng sighed. "Especially after using the Fear Shadow to truly and completely eliminate some Shadows, everyone is going crazy, practicing frantically from dawn until dusk, trying to cultivate without even sleeping." He paused. "If it hadn¡¯t been for the two who literally worked themselves to death, the others might have continued non-stop." "..." Yu Hong was speechless, no wonder he felt the Spirit Light strengthening faster and faster. The progress here is so exaggerated?? At this rate, his own cultivation speed might only be considered average among the people of Hope City. "By the way, Lin Yiyi has matured a lot compared to before, and her speaking issues have improved quite a bit. Her speed in cultivating Daoist Skills is moderate. Do you want to meet her?" Chen Yaofeng brought it up. "Where is she now?" "She¡¯s in another new Hope City. The situation there is much more severe than here. She left a few days ago to transfer the Daoist Skills first." "Is that so?" Yu Hong felt somewhat emotional comparing the people here to the disciples of Qingchen Temple on Huangsong Island. The people here were truly fighting with their lives. "Last time you said you wanted to impart the Daoist Skills to anyone who needed it. So, we are also trying to continuously contact other potential survivors. But unfortunately..munication equipment no longer works," Chen Yaofeng mentioned, his expression dimming. "It¡¯ll be alright." Standing here, Yu Hong truly felt the continual increase of Spirit Light and its special connection to the people of this city. "There¡¯s another thing," Yu Hong continued, "in the camp where I stayed before, there was a Doctor whose surname is Xu..." He quickly talked about Doctor Xu¡¯s pregnancy. "Pregnant? That Doctor Xu is indeed here with us, but she has already given birth, hasn¡¯t she?" Chen Yaofeng quickly replied. "How¡¯s it going?" "It was a stillbirth. She was devastated when she knew, and her emotions have been very unstable, so we had to admit her into a psychiatric hospital for care." "..." Yu Hong was at a loss for words. * * * Returning to Qingchen Temple, Yu Hong spent a day having the Black Mark strengthen a universal detection chart and then let it reinforce the entire safety house¡¯s exterior walls. After adding a bit of Black Disaster material, he obtained a fortification period of nearly two months before returning to full-time arduous cultivation. In the time to come, he planned to let the Black Mark reinforce the safe house as long as it was functioning. Not until the safe house was fortified to be an absolutely impregnable top-tier base, capable of ensuring his absolute safety in any environment, would he consider his task complete. Life was taken care of by others, so without worries, he planned to fully focus on advancing the Guanwu Skill. Meanwhile, the situation in Taizhou stabilized quickly thanks to the arrival of Meng Chengshuang of Zihe Palace with the Feixia Sword. Inside Qingchen Temple. At the center of the main hall, Yu Hen and Yu Mo sat facing each other. Two rows below them sat several Dao Seed Class disciples, with Meng Chengshuang among them, seated beside Zheng Xia, carrying a slender sword with a dazzling red sheath behind her back. Meng Chengshuang had an imposing aura, an ordinary appearance, and a figure that approached masculinity, strong and powerful. This was her first time attending an internal meeting of Qingchen Temple, so her eyes were evaluating every notable and named expert within the temple. But unfortunately. Even at a glance, she couldn¡¯t find a single promising young successor capable of bearing a heavy burden here. She came in haste this time, partly out of consideration for her father¡¯s old friendship with Elder Yu Hen. But even though it was a gesture of friendship, she still hoped for additional support. However, the power of Qingchen Temple left her at a loss for words. Inside a Taoist Sect Temple, to her surprise, there was not a single young person worthy of notice. Although there were no specific rules within the Taoist Sect, in the circle of Magicians, according to actual combat achievements, there was a simple division of strength. Ordinary, minor elites, and those on the level of Temple Masters who could hold down a situation. Reaching the Temple Master Level was considered a dividing line;above this level, one belonged to the famous masters and grandmasters. Further up were the higher-ups of the Nine Sects. And at the highest level, the Heavenly Masters, each Sect Leader of the Nine Sects, was a category unto themselves, far surpassing those below. Chapter 318: grade 2 Meng Chengshuang originally came here thinking that at the very least Qingchen Temple would have a few Temple Master Level experts to assist her. But it turns out... Qingchen Temple doesn¡¯t have a single Temple Master Level expert, Yu Hen and Yu Mo used to be, but their Daoist Skills have long since deteriorated. Among the numerous disciples of Qingchen Temple, the highest level is merely that of a junior elite. They are considered capable in the civilian Magician circles, but in the eyes of the Nine Sects and the Seven Evil Alliance, they really aren¡¯t enough. Even the recently famous Zheng Rou Taoist, who has begun to distinguish herself, Meng Chengshuang inspected and found that the two so-called high-level experts from the Mud Doll Sect who were defeated by Zheng Rou actually did not reach the Temple Master Level. It¡¯s just that Zheng Rou¡¯s way of dealing with them was rather shocking and sparked a lot of speculation, which is why her reputation has spread. Of course, Zheng Rou, with such achievements, is considered one of the few capable people in Qingchen Temple and ranks first in the Dao Seed Class. "The Mud Doll Sect will definitely be planning a bigger counterattack, so this time, I hope all of us can split into two groups," Meng Chengshuang, who is now the nominal commander-in-chief, said. As a top expert among those at the Temple Master Level, her spiritual power is much stronger than that of old Taoists like Yu Mo and Yu Hen. Merely sitting there, she exudes a faintly dazzling brilliance. "Please speak, Feixia," Yu Hen immediately said. "You are the strongest, and apart from those left to defend the Taoist Temple, all the other Dao Seed Class disciples will follow your deployment." "..." Meng Chengshuang was speechless¡ªsuch a small number of people, even if all followed her, it wouldn¡¯t make any difference... Gathering her emotions, she continued, "According to the latest intelligence, most of the Mud Doll Sect¡¯s forces have gathered at the edge of Taizhou in a village called Five Star Town, perhaps trying to stage their last counterattack. Therefore, I plan to lead a team to encircle and suppress them. Meanwhile, the authorities have informed us that a large number of Mud Doll Sect members have gathered at nearby Seagull Beach, and I need you to lead a team there to resolve the situation." "Split into two groups? I think it¡¯s feasible," old Taoist Yu Mo quickly nodded. Now, Meng Chengshuang is indeed the strongest in Qingchen Temple;wherever she says to strike, they naturally strike. "And for this group, the leader..." Meng Chengshuang¡¯s gaze moved back and forth between Zheng Ying and Zheng Rou. Without a doubt, Zheng Ying is more suited for the role, given her rich experience and stable performance in actual combat. While Zheng Rou has also had explosive achievements, her time in cultivation is indeed too short. "It will be Zheng Ying in charge," Meng Chengshuang stated seriously. "Leave it to me!" Zheng Ying felt a sense of relief, clearly sensing Zheng Rou¡¯s threat to her position, although this threat did not cause any actual harm but merely loss of reputation. But, to feel threatened by a newcomer who had only cultivated for a few months elicited a somewhat sour feeling in her heart. Especially since the attention of their seniors often focused on Zheng Rou rather than her as before¡ªwhenever she returned, everyone¡¯s attention used to be on her. This shift made Zheng Ying feel frustrated;she just wanted an opportunity to prove that she was still there, and even if Zheng Rou was exceptionally talented, when it really came down to it, she was still more reliable! Thinking this, she accepted the command and, unable to help herself, glanced coldly at Yu Hong. This glance, unbeknownst to her,contained a trace of subtle relaxation¡ªclearly, Meng Chengshuang¡¯s final decision proved that she was still more trustworthy. Yet, her look was met with a gentle smile from Yu Hong. There was no dissatisfaction, annoyance, or anger that she had anticipated, but rather a casual indifference mixed with gentleness. This made Zheng Ying feel an even greater burn within her. The things she cared about, seemingly did not matter at all to the other party! After the meeting, everyone returned to prepare. Zheng Ying¡¯s emotions were noticed by Meng Chengshuang, so she was also asked by Meng Chengshuang to stay for a while. Inside the Quiet Room. The two sat face to face, and incense rose straight up beside them, like a white line. "This time, your task might be quite challenging, Junior Sister Zheng Ying. I hope you understand, we are now facing the Mud Doll Sect, which has at least three high-level experts of the same level as me. In such a situation, you must not let your personal emotions interfere. When encountering the enemy, you must join hands with your fellow disciples to form an array and not underestimate them." Meng Chengshuang specifically instructed. "I understand..." Zheng Ying lowered her head. "No, you don¡¯t understand," seeing her reaction, Meng Chengshuang immediately knew that she was merely paying lip service. "You don¡¯t realize the strength of my level. Let¡¯s do this." She quickly took out her smartphone, opened a separate group chat she had created earlier in the messaging app. The group included only her, Zheng Ying, Zheng Rou, and Zheng Ming¡ªfour individuals. These three members of the Zheng generation were the ones she reluctantly acknowledged as capable helpers;others were directly ignored. "Let¡¯s do a real combat simulation," she said decisively, first notifying Zheng Ming and Zheng Rou, then sending a message to Yu Mo and Yu Hen. With a rustle, She stood up, pulling Zheng Ying out of the room to the backyard open space. Ever since the last fierce battle, the backyard, simply expanded on the ruins, had been turned into a basic cultivation field. Surrounded by a simple rubber fence to prevent falling, the ground was also covered with a thick layer of non-slip material. Meng Chengshuang walked to one end of the cultivation field and stood firm. "I know you all have not been very clear on why Uncle Yu Hen invited me to help. You also doubt the strength of the four swords of Zihe Palace. So this time, I will let you truly see clearly." Clang. She smoothly drew her sword with a backhand, the tip pointing downwards toward the ground. Standing opposite her, Zheng Ying paused slightly at this sight and also quickly formed a starting hand Seal. She indeed wasn¡¯t clear how strong Meng Chengshuang was. In fact, with Qingchen Temple¡¯s disciples being secluded in Taizhou, they lacked proper awareness of Temple Master Level experts. Especially as the Yu Generation elders like Yu Hen and Yu Mo had diminished in strength, this lack of awareness became even more entrenched. Zheng Ying¡¯s current power, if truly matching Yu Mo or Yu Hen, is only slightly inferior. As long as she isn¡¯t swiftly crushed by spiritual power, she might, under one-on-one circumstances, be able to drag her seniors down by leveraging her faster recovery due to youth, thus achieving victory. In such a scenario where she can barely catch up to her seniors, those in the Dao Seed Class really had no chance to face a Temple Master Level expert. Even in major competitions, they would have no opportunity to encounter one, given the vast difference between them. And now, this was a good opportunity to come into contact with that level. As the two confronted each other. Yu Hong¡¯s figure suddenly appeared by the courtyard. Not only him, Zheng Ming had also arrived, and together with the five individuals from the Yu Generation, everyone was present. Right after the meeting at Qingchen Temple dispersed, most of its force had gathered here again. "Three counts, start." Seeing that everyone had arrived, Meng Chengshuang spoke in a cold tone. "One." "Two." "Three!" In that instant, the two of them made their move simultaneously. Zheng Ying quickly formed a seal, and in the blink of an eye, a pure white mummy engulfed in black flames appeared beside her. The mummy¡¯s eyes were blood-red, and as soon as it appeared, it ferociously charged at Meng Chengshuang. This was one of the strongest Fear Shadows in Zheng Ying¡¯s collection, and given that her opponent was a renowned expert, she decisively used nearly her full power at the outset. Invoking the Guanwu Skill generally meant calling upon the most difficult Fear Shadow, which was akin to risking one¡¯s life due to the potential backlash. Thus, a standard full-force attempt would involve summoning the second strongest Fear Shadow. That was exactly what Zheng Ying was doing at the moment. As the mummy moved swiftly, the black flames trailing behind it formed a dark passage, its momentum formidable. Yu Hong was somewhat curious and focused closely on how Meng Chengshuang would respond. To him, this mummy¡¯s spiritual power was almost comparable to his Third Layer Fear Shadow. It was only weaker than a language speaker. Subsequent supernatural entities like the small Black Giant were uniquely powerful and beyond comparison. "Watch closely." Meng Chengshuang held a long sword and stepped forward. Swoosh! She suddenly swung, casting a silvery sword shadow in front of her. The sword shadow transformed from ethereal to solid, quickly turning a deep sunset red and forming a hemispherical protective shield around her. At this moment, the mummy had reached her and swung its hand to strike. Puff. Numerous white bandages on the mummy¡¯s arm automatically detached, resembling numerous ropes that wrapped around Meng Chengshuang¡¯s body. This was the true ability of this Fear Shadow. The bandages not only possessed a strong binding force to instantly seal away most of the victim¡¯s spiritual power, but also carried a subtle curse named Fog Disperse. This curse could make someone feel drowsy and unable to concentrate enough to release techniques. In the past, once the mummy got close to her opponents, Zheng Ying almost always secured the victory. But at this moment, her expression did not relax at all. Because... Whoosh! The mummy¡¯s arm slammed down, hitting the crimson hemispherical shield, but it was like hitting a tremendously tough bulletproof glass wall. Not only did the protective shield remain intact, the mummy¡¯s own arm started emitting wisps of black smoke, and the area in contact with the shield suffered extensive damage. The white cursing bandages that shot out were even more ineffective, catching fire upon touching the shield, burning into black ash and vanishing. "See? This is Daoist Skills¡¯ Sharpness. Only after reaching the Seventh Layer of your Guanwu Skill can you grasp this intrinsic trait," Meng Chengshuang said seriously. She looked at Zheng Ying, who was shocked, and continued. "Actually, I can totally ignore your attacking techniques because even if you were to strike me directly, your Fear Shadow couldn¡¯t harm me. With Sharpness, the more you attack me, the more severe your injuries become." She sheathed her long sword and spread her arms. "Don¡¯t believe it? Try again." Swoosh! The mummy lunged forward again, its arms blurring into afterimages, wildly smashing onto her body. But without exception, with each strike, the mummy¡¯s arms became further charred. Until... Puff. The mummy¡¯s arms and even half of its body turned into charred remains, and it suddenly froze. Two seconds later, it silently turned into black ash and completely dissipated. Snap. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Zheng Ying staggered, half-kneeling on the ground, clutching her head, and incredulously watching the scene unfold before her. "She really didn¡¯t move at all..." Yu Hong couldn¡¯t help but whisper. He had watched from beginning to end, missing nothing, so he could be sure that Meng Chengshuang hadn¡¯t used any techniques afterwards. She simply stood there, allowing Zheng Ying to attack. "The interaction between spiritual wills means that once they contact, they influence each other;the stronger will naturally erodes and influences the weaker, and the weaker cannot resist. This is a natural law," Meng Chengshuang spoke lightly, "All of your techniques are ineffective against me because of this." "A true willpower adept, even if the whole world scorns him, spits on him, he remains indifferent. A sufficiently strong personal will can keep him unshaken by any weaker wills. In the study of psyche, this is known as the principle of Absolute Boundary." She stepped towards Zheng Ying. "That is, once you cross the Absolute Boundary, the strong-willed are immune to all spiritual attacks below that level." Chapter 319: grades Three "Absolute Boundary..." Zheng Ying¡¯s eyes lost focus as she knelt halfway on the ground, her face slightly lifted, looking at Meng Chengshuang nearby. She didn¡¯t know what to say;after the Fear Shadow she had placed great hopes on was rebounded and killed by the opponent, her reason had already collapsed. She had thought that even if there was a gap, it wouldn¡¯t be this huge... But reality dealt her a cruel blow. Not just her, even old Daoists like Yu Hen and Yu Mo, who had not seen a Temple Master Level expert act for many years, also sighed slightly, their expressions filled with nostalgia. Meanwhile, Yu Hong was staring thoughtfully at the crimson protective shield in front of Meng Chengshuang. Absolute Boundary;this seemed to be a definition in this world for a qualitative change in the realm of spiritual will. He was sure that he hadn¡¯t reached it;in terms of spiritual cultivation, he definitely was no match for Meng Chengshuang. But... the now enhanced Fear Shadow, summonable as either insubstantial or substantial, how much strength it could truly exert, and how much resistance it had against spiritual will intrusion, without actually fighting, he really couldn¡¯t be certain. But if he couldn¡¯t overcome in insubstantial form, he could completely switch to a physical form to attack. Clap clap clap clap. The simulated battle ended, and the people around gave applause. "Truly, time spares no one;I once taught you small techniques of Daoist Magic, but now you have completely surpassed me¡­ Sigh," Yu Hen sighed. "Uncle Master, why say this? Without your risky protection back then, my father and I wouldn¡¯t have today," Meng Chengshuang earnestly said. Her words suggested that perhaps back then, when she and her father faced a low point, they were secretly saved by old Daoist Yu Hen. Then there was a round of mutual flattering, a dull moment. "Do you guys want to try as well?" Yu Mo suggested from one side. "I want to try!" Zheng Ming quickly spoke. "Then I¡¯ll go after." Yu Hong nodded too. He wanted to see what it would be like when he really faced an Absolute Boundary-level Temple Master expert. Soon, Zheng Ming went up to substitute the dazed Zheng Ying. As soon as he went up, he was like facing a great enemy. Taking out the Inheritance Dao Artifact, holding it in his hand, his mouth murmuring, clearly already preparing to fight desperately. "Not bad." Meng Chengshuang nodded approvingly, "Starting with a Dao Artifact is correct. Although the Absolute Boundary has the trait of absolute sharpness, if supplemented with an Inheritance Dao Artifact, it can still pose a certain threat. Because the Inheritance Dao Artifact itself carries a trace of Divine Intent from Heaven, making the enhanced attacks it emits not entirely belong to the Magician himself, but a special technique integrating Divine Intent." "So that¡¯s how it is¡­ Which means, below the level of Temple Master, the only chance to turn the tables is through the Inheritance Dao Artifact?" Yu Hong suddenly realized. Isn¡¯t this just a special attack attribute? "Exactly, but not everyone is qualified to acquire an Inheritance Dao Artifact," Yu Mo said indifferently from the side. "Indeed." Yu Hong nodded. At this moment, the battle had already started. Zheng Ming didn¡¯t hesitate, waving his hand, and behind him appeared a bizarre humanoid figure with a bird¡¯s head and a human body. The figure was covered in black feathers, bare-chested, and wearing crimson luxurious gloves dripping with fresh blood. Song! It raised its head and let out a roar similar to that of an elephant. "It¡¯s the Elephant Hawk Man! Known for its speed and strength, one of Heaven¡¯s Star Gods. Not bad," Meng Chengshuang nodded across, her sword tip pointing downward. "The Elephant Hawk Man is one of the Divine Intents often communicated with by many sects¡¯ Inheritance Dao Artifacts;it possesses the ability to greatly enhance the speed and strength of techniques or Fear Shadows," Zheng Ying now regained her senses, explained softly to Yu Hong as she looked towards the center. "What about your Inheritance Dao Artifact? Why not use it?" Yu Hong asked. "No need. I¡¯ve seen the vast gap between her and me, like an abyss. Using it would only make me look more pathetic, nothing else," Zheng Ying said much calmer. "You just said, many Inheritance Dao Artifacts can communicate and summon the Divine Intents from Heaven?" Yu Hong pondered. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Yes, Divine Intents have always been in Heaven, as long as you have the ability to communicate and summon them, regardless of who it is, anyone can call and utilize them," Zheng Ying nodded, "Essentially, they are neither good nor evil, indifferent to what you summon them for." "Understood," Yu Hong nodded. This was completely different from the Heaven he had heard about in stories since childhood. As they spoke, the stage had already started fighting. The Elephant Hawk Man was extremely fast, by Yu Hong¡¯s estimate, it could reach roughly twenty meters per second, clearly well beyond the human limit. More troubling, this creature could ignore physical inertia, rushing full-speed one second, and the next second shifting left or right with the same speed without pausing. Therefore, the onlookers saw the Elephant Hawk Man turn into a twisted black line, constantly circling around Meng Chengshuang, swinging out its sharp claws. Puff puff puff puff puff!! This time, Meng Chengshuang didn¡¯t take it head-on but swung forward a slash of crimson protective shield. Then, with continuous attacks, the shield¡¯s surface color became lighter and thinner. Until after five seconds. Boom!!! In an instant, the protective shield shattered like glass. Numerous bright red shards flew in all directions, instantly penetrating the Elephant Hawk Man trying to dodge. Dozens of shards instantly turned the Elephant Hawk Man into a sieve. This just-summoned Divine Intent thus roared unwillingly, slowly fading away, disappearing. Puff. Zheng Ming knelt on the ground, his head splitting with pain, his complexion pale. This was a symptom of excessive spiritual power depletion. "Thank you, Sister Feixia, for the guidance," he forced himself through the pain and said a final word before being supported down by Zheng Ying. "Next, it¡¯s your turn. Do you dare to come?" Meng Chengshuang looked towards Yu Hong. This Zheng Rong was the only young person she placed some importance on in the entire Qingchen Temple. Although his current strength was not strong, his rate of improvement was remarkably fast and his future promising. Thus, her tone of voice unconsciously softened when she spoke at this moment. This is a different treatment for talents. "Of course! I too want to test where my limits truly lie," Yu Hong earnestly said. He straightened his Daoist robe and stepped forward to Zheng Ming¡¯s position, facing the latter. "Very good," Meng Chengshuang nodded in approval. "So, do you plan to, like Zheng Ming, burst out with full force? Don¡¯t worry, I can still stand still." "Thank you, but no need," Yu Hong¡¯s voice deepened. "Let¡¯s try first, and if it doesn¡¯t work, then I¡¯ll use the Dao Artifact." Whoosh! In an instant, he swiftly formed the Handprint of Service Damage. The first layer of shadow shot out from behind him, pouncing towards Meng Chengshuang. But the shadow was ultimately too weak;even augmented by the Tai Ling Skill, it barely reached the strength of a Level Two Black Disaster. As soon as it approached, Meng cut it in two with a casual swing of her sword, completely dissipating it. Her sword blade seemed to contain an extremely powerful special force;merely touching the shadow, it immediately suppressed the hidden regenerative power within. However, the speed of the shadow also made Meng Chengshuang¡¯s eyes slightly narrow, though of course, she would definitely not lose the verbal sparring. "Is that all?" "Of course not," Yu Hong formed another handprint. A figure in a yellow robe and white dress with long hair silently appeared behind Meng Chengshuang. It was precisely the speed character that Yu Hong had repelled initially! Normally, the speed character¡¯s attack mechanism requires seeing it twice and being stricken with fear, but under Yu Hong¡¯s simulated Fear Shadow, no mechanism limitation was needed, and it could attack directly. After being enhanced by Tai Ling Skill and optimized for virtual and real switching, his simulation at this moment could compete with the original speed character. It was not merely a spiritual attack. Of course, here it still wasn¡¯t enough to make him use the virtual and real switching trump card. Hee hee hee hee!! The eerie laughter of the speed character suddenly rang beside Meng Chengshuang¡¯s ear. Her expression changed, and her long sword swiftly stabbed out behind her. The tip of the sword lit up with a brilliant red light, and in the blink of an eye, it targeted the center of the speed character¡¯s chest. "Heaven and Earth Sealing Order! Red Cloud!" Hiss hiss hiss!! Almost simultaneously, the speed character and Meng Chengshuang launched attacks at each other. The black hair on the speed character¡¯s face automatically parted, revealing a pale, blurred female face. Seeing the face would mean death;that was the speed character¡¯s killing mechanism. At this moment, however, it faced Meng Chengshuang whose spiritual will reached the Absolute Boundary. Instantaneously, the intensity of the speed character¡¯s spiritual shock surged like a cresting wave, rocketing upwards to a Level Nine standard. That is to say, during that brief half-second when the speed character¡¯s face was exposed, the spiritual shock it released already matched the strength of a Level Nine Black Disaster. As a Fear Shadow in Yu Hong¡¯s hands, stronger than a spoken character but weaker than a small Black Giant, the speed character had left a profound impression on him. Realizing the sudden enhancement in spiritual shock, Yu Hong felt somewhat relieved;thankfully, he hadn¡¯t let this character approach and part its hair back then. If he had seen the face of the speed character at that moment, he would probably be thoroughly doomed by now. At the scene now. Meng Chengshuang¡¯s situation was precisely the full version of what he should have experienced initially. The spiritual shock of Level Nine Black Disaster had evidently reached the Absolute Boundary. In that instant, a circle of transparent ripples explosively burst between her and the speed character. Invisible ripples spread in all directions, brushing against the Daoist robes of those nearby. This was the clash of Absolute Boundary and Level Nine Black Disaster¡¯s spiritual shock. "Cloud Mist!" Suddenly, she flicked her sword backwards. The blade seemed to lift a light red mist in the blink of an eye. That mist instantly enveloped the speed character completely, turning into a humanoid cloud mist and obscuring the face. After the face was obscured, the intense spiritual shock also abruptly ceased. Ah!!! A scream later, the speed character dissolved directly in the cloud mist, dispersing on its own. "Only power for one strike?" Meng Chengshuang exclaimed. The speed character¡¯s attack had genuinely impressed her. But after its attack, it collapsed on its own, indicating that it was probably a one-time shot. "Even if it¡¯s one-time, it¡¯s quite amazing," she praised, looking at Yu Hong. "Your Fear Shadow is very special, very good. At that final peak moment, it was already touching the lower limit of Absolute Boundary." "Just the lower limit?" Yu Hong said gravely. A Level Nine spiritual attack and it only just touched the opponent¡¯s lower limit;he now understood more about why the Black Disaster hadn¡¯t completely eroded this world. Although the opponent had less than a Level Three enhanced human¡¯s physical strength, in terms of spirit, she could focus and display combat power beyond Level Nine. After all, even if you have a strong body, if your spirit is annihilated, all that is left is merely a living corpse. This is truly a glass cannon... Frighteningly high attack power and equally fragile defense. These descriptions involuntarily arose in Yu Hong¡¯s mind. Chapter 320: Grade 318, four "Should we continue? I heard that your Inheritance Dao Artifact takes the form of a huge Black Giant. Do you want to try summoning it?" Meng Chengshuang asked with apparent interest. "No need, the gap is too great;summoning it would only lead to its death. My Inheritance Dao Artifact can only sustain the peak attack intensity for that instant moment;since even that instant was not enough to harm Senior Sister, the Inheritance Dao Artifact would be useless as well," Yu Hong shook his head. He could tell that Meng Chengshuang was very relaxed, which allowed him to infer just how strong a real Temple Master Level expert must be. So these are the true masters of this world... The Feixia Sword, one of the four swords of Zihe Palace. And Zihe Palace is the third-ranked major power among the Nine Sects of the Taoist Sect. Now it seems that Meng Chengshuang should be considered high-end power within the Nine Sects. "You are already very strong." Hearing Yu Hong¡¯s description, Meng Chengshuang¡¯s eyes brightened, "You can actually maintain that level of intensity? In that case, you are infinitely close to those at the Absolute Boundary, just below it. If you were to release your Inheritance Dao Artifact, in the whole Taizhou, only those three from the Mud Doll Sect would certainly be able to defeat you, and they would definitely not ignore you." Hearing this assessment, the Yu Generation old Taoists watching the battle murmured among themselves in astonishment. Yu Hen and Yu Mo, although they had guessed as much before, were nearly unable to hide their joy upon hearing Meng Chengshuang¡¯s remarks in person. This is our Qingchen Temple¡¯s expert! Although Meng Chengshuang is strong, after all, she is a guest. Yu Hong, although slightly weaker, truly belongs to Qingchen Temple. And to think, not even a year into his practice and he¡¯s already infinitely close to the Temple Master level. In a few years... wouldn¡¯t he be... Several old Taoists suddenly became flushed with excitement, their emotions uncontrollably heightened. Zheng Ming looked down, lost in thought, not knowing what he was pondering. Zheng Ying bit her lower lip, her breathing becoming slightly heavier. Such a gap was already causing her to feel an indescribable sense of suffocation. To watch a latecomer disciple, in such a short period of time, go from being far weaker than herself to par with her, and then surpassing her... That feeling of suffocating helplessness... it was enough to make her question life, to doubt whether she truly had any aptitude for practicing Daoist Skills and Techniques at all. The competition did not continue. Being one of the four swords of Zihe Palace, Meng Chengshuang¡¯s comments carried weight within the Taoist Sect. And after finding out that Yu Hong¡¯s strength exceeded her expectations, Meng Chengshuang¡¯s mood greatly improved. At the very least, there was a person in Qingchen Temple with immediate combat capabilities that could be put to good use. Once the strength levels had been determined, Yu Hong naturally became the strongest representative among the Dao Seeds. The next morning. Qingchen Temple was about to join the armed forces, coordinating with official Magicians to begin clearing out the last stronghold of the Mud Doll Sect. After confirming the intelligence, the team would be split into two. One would be led by Feixia Sword Meng Chengshuang, heading to the number one stronghold, Five Star Town. The other, led by Yu Hong and coordinating with official Magicians, would go to the less threatening Seagull Beach. In front of the Taoist temple, rows of black military vehicles filled with fully armed soldiers lined up. The vehicles formed a long convoy, while two trucks carrying field cannons followed for support. Official Magicians, grouped in twos and threes, stood by the roadside waiting, chatting leisurely. Cheng Shu stood with Liu Shanhe, the overall commander of the official Magicians, listening to the command brief about the key points and steps of the surprise operation. She glanced towards Qingchen Temple from time to time, trying to spot Yu Hong among the nearby Taoists, while perfunctorily listening to the commander¡¯s instructions. But for the moment, she didn¡¯t notice him. Also standing with her were two of the top experts among the official Magicians. One was nicknamed Red Snake. With her red hair billowing in the wind and wearing a tight-fitting red leather outfit that emphasized her attractive figure, she was a seductively dangerous-looking mature woman. Her inside was as dangerous as her appearance suggested;rumors had it that if one glanced at her with even a slightly improper gaze, she would gouge out their eyes. Of course, these were just rumors;at least Cheng Shu had never seen her gouge out anyone¡¯s eyes. The other was Headless Sword Xia Chunling, a name that sounded feminine but belonged to a taciturn man with a dark face. He didn¡¯t like to talk;his movements were extremely brutal, preferring to behead his enemies as trophies, which led people to concoct many dangerous stories about him. "What are you looking at?" Red Snake asked softly, drawing closer. As the strongest three among the official Magicians, they were all listening to the commander explain the key points and steps for the operation. "My partner." Cheng Shu stepped back awkwardly to avoid the overly intimate gesture. She wasn¡¯t on such familiar terms with Red Snake yet, and this proximity made her uncomfortable. "Your partner? That Qingchen disciple Zheng Rou who killed Copper Soldier Zhao Mengsi?" Red Snake raised an eyebrow. "Yes." S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "He¡¯s quite strong... Zhao Mengsi¡¯s body was impervious to bullets as he merged his Technique into his body, making it very sturdy, yet he was defeated and his Technique broken with a single strike." "Yes." "Not like my partner, who only knows how to run away when trouble arises, and fights like a frightened chicken¡ªpale-faced and trembling." Red Snake sneered. "Is it that Zheng Hong?" Cheng Shu thought of the person in Qingchen Temple who fit this description. "That¡¯s him. I really don¡¯t understand why such a coward would even bother coming out?" Red Snake laughed. "How about we trade?" "Heh." Cheng Shu gave her a glance, wanting to say something more. But then she immediately noticed Yu Hong leading the way, accompanied by Zheng Hong, Zheng Xia, and Zheng Ming, emerging from the temple and approaching their direction. "Here they come!" She smoothed out the wrinkles on her clothes, waving at Yu Hong. The latter returned the gesture with a nod and approached to greet Liu Shanhe, the overall commander. Then he went over to the two Special Envoys, listening to the conversation between the Yu Generation Taoist and the Special Envoys. Next was Feixia Sword Meng Chengshuang, stepping out of the Taoist Temple, leading armed soldiers and Magicians by herself, boarding another military vehicle. Before leaving, she waved goodbye to the Yu Generation Taoists from the vehicle, and surprisingly, she also waved specifically at Yu Hong. Her attitude was no longer the same as before, completely disregarding all the Zheng Generation Dao Seeds, but instead treating Yu Hong with respect, subtly treating him as a figure of utmost importance. The official Magicians around naturally noticed this change. Anyone who could mix in as an official Magician was no fool. They were all shrewd and noticed Meng Chengshuang¡¯s change in attitude. "It seems as if something changed within their ranks..." Red Snake murmured with narrowed eyes. "Looks like your partner is being treated differently." "...." Cheng Shu did not respond, only looking at Yu Hong who was speaking with others. "Inside Qingchen Temple, looking at the formation, it seems like they are all following Zheng Rou.... If I¡¯m not mistaken, he¡¯s only been practicing Daoist Magic Technique for less than a year, right?" Red Snake said in surprise. It wasn¡¯t just her;Headless Sword and the overall commander also noticed this change, their faces showing astonishment. If previously Yu Hong was treated like any other Dao Seed, now it seemed he was almost on par with the Yu Generation masters. Right now, as he began to speak, Zheng Ming, Zheng Xia, and others did not protest or speak out, just seriously listening as if he were an elder. This was somewhat eerie. "It looks like.... Qingchen Temple is about to produce a top figure...." Headless Sword spoke with a deep voice. "Alright, what happens within other factions is none of our concern. Now let¡¯s assign routes. Red Snake, Cheng Shu, you follow Taoist Zheng Rou¡¯s group. Headless Sword, you coordinate with Madam Meng of the Feixia Sword." "Tsk tsk, so you¡¯re saying, we¡¯re relying on numbers on our side?" Red Snake realized. Undoubtedly, Meng Chengshuang was currently the strongest Magician in Taizhou, without equal. They had been guessing about how Meng would respond to the two urgent strongholds that required resolution. Now it looked like she was planning to tackle both at once.... "Correct, your task is to cooperate with the Dao Seeds led by Zheng Rou, to contain the situation at Seagull Beach," explained Liu Shanhe, the overall commander. "I¡¯ve communicated with Madam Meng. Qingchen Temple will form a battle array using the Inheritance Dao Artifact to blockade the beach stronghold. Once Madam Meng resolves her opponent, she will rush to the beach as soon as possible to resolve the situation together." "The Yu Generation Taoists aren¡¯t going?" Red Snake asked. "No, they are not. The importance of Seagull Beach itself is much lower than that of Five Star Town. It¡¯s very possible that the Mud Doll Sect won¡¯t send many experts to hold it. The real trouble is Five Star Town. There is an external Mud Pit of the Mud Doll Sect that helps its disciples remodel their bodies, achieving bodily enhancement and elimination of pain perception," Liu Shanhe said. "So, our pressure is much less?" Cheng Shu asked. "Yes, but it doesn¡¯t rule out the possibility of encountering Mud Doll Sect experts, which is why most of our forces are being sent to your side," Liu Shanhe nodded. Dudu. The horn of the military vehicle sounded, with Qingchen Temple¡¯s people already splitting into groups and boarding vehicles. Cheng Shu, Red Snake, and the other official Magicians also hurriedly separated and boarded. The entire convoy naturally divided into two, driving off in two different directions. Yu Hong sat cross-legged in the vehicle, gazing at the passing street scenes outside, still pondering the best way to confront if he were to encounter an expert beyond the Absolute Boundary. ¡¯Normally, as long as the opponent¡¯s spiritual power can¡¯t instantly erase my consciousness completely, I should be able to destroy their physical body in an instant.¡¯ ¡¯Strong spirit versus strong body, when the two confront, it might just be a matter of who acts first.¡¯ ¡¯It seems, no matter what, I must strike first....¡¯ Yu Hong made up his mind. Although he didn¡¯t think anyone could instantly shatter his consciousness, it¡¯s always better to be cautious. The Technique of the Taoist Sect harnesses spiritual power to summon various external forces to combat the Black Disaster. What concerned him was not these external forces, but rather direct assaults of pure spiritual power. * * * Several dozen miles from Qingchen Temple, in a county town. Rows of people dressed in black quickly boarded a bus, the vehicle starting off towards Seagull Beach. At the front seat of the leading vehicle. An elderly woman with white hair held a black iron crutch and wore bifocals, quietly watching the road conditions out of the front window. Behind her sat the Primordial Embryo Seven Sons, Copper Soldier, Iron Soldier, and more than ten other Mud Doll Sect experts in total. "According to the intelligence from our inside source, Qingchen Temple has split into two groups, one heading to Five Star Town and the other to Seagull Beach," said Yuan Ming. "Where is Feixia Sword heading?" the old woman asked softly. "Five Star Town," responded Yuan Ming quickly. "The strength of this girl is formidable. I am not her match alone;even with all of you, we can only hope to contend," the old woman frowned, "so this time we concentrate our forces to resolve the other side." "Does the Vice Sect Hierarch mean, we first deal with all the Dao Seeds from Qingchen Temple at the beach? But if no one holds back Meng Chengshuang, I¡¯m afraid...." Yuan Ming also frowned. "No need to worry. The Sect Hierarch and your father, Yuan Ruhai, will take action together on that side. With the help of the alliance¡¯s experts, we should be able to keep them all in Taizhou this time!" A cold light flashed in the old woman¡¯s eyes. "This... there are people from the alliance coming too!?" Yuan Ming said with surprise. "Consider it their bad luck. That girl Meng won¡¯t die easy, but will at least shed a layer of skin. Once we fully deal with the live forces from Qingchen Temple here, we will then strangle their headquarters, and the situation in Taizhou will be set with one battle," the old woman exhaled deeply. Chapter 321: Kill Zone 1 "Vice Sect Master Lin, that Yu Hong has exceptional talent. Should we try again to see if we can recruit him into the sect?" Yuan Ming, thinking of Yu Hong¡¯s terrifying talent, was still somewhat tempted. "No need." The old crone sneered, "Back in my day, I encountered geniuses with even greater talents than him, but what does that represent? No genius can have smooth sailing throughout their lives, and a genius who doesn¡¯t experience enough hardship will bring greater disasters unpredictably, even if they possess strong abilities. It¡¯s meaningless." ... Yuan Ming and the others dared not speak out, as they all remembered that this Vice Sect Master Lin seemed to have had a major opportunity stolen from her by a genius, which led to her indignant defection to join the Mud Doll Sect. Indeed, the three Temple Master Level masters of the Mud Doll Sect, the Sect Hierarch and the two Vice Sect Hierarchs, all had similar backgrounds. That¡¯s why it¡¯s understandable why this big shot is so disdainful of Yu Hong. It¡¯s not jealousy, it¡¯s hatred! "In that case, how about I fight Yu Hong first to see, which would also make it easier for Vice Sect Master Lin to assess him?" Yuan Ming suggested again. "On account of your father, it¡¯s possible," the old crone chuckled and agreed. Yuan Ming¡¯s father is Yuan Ruhai, who is another Vice Sect Master at the same level as her. And within the Mud Doll Sect, as the leader of the Primordial Embryo¡¯s seven sons, Yuan Ming is the closest to their three leaders, without equal. This is also why she is willing to give Yuan Ming some face. * * * Five Star Town. A line of military vehicles stopped at the outskirts of the town, unloading troops. Groups of soldiers spread out like a long snake, heading towards the town from all directions. The magicians, responsible for dealing with special forces, followed the assault teams and entered the town from the front. The entire Five Star Town was like a giant pentagram, with every street being one edge of the pentagram. Feixia Sword Meng Chengshuang and Headless Sword Xia Chunling were sitting in a small military jeep, each already starting to prepare their Seals and apply medicinal oil in advance. A hazy fog enveloped the whole town, and the sky became gloomier as a result. If Yu Hong were here, he would be able to tell at a glance that this kind of gray fog is the precursor to a Black Disaster outbreak, exactly like the early days of the Hope City World. Buildings in the town kept whizzing past both sides of the car. But not a single person was in sight. "Be careful, something¡¯s not right here," Meng Chengshuang whispered a warning. "Got it." Headless Sword Xia Chunling responded simply, gripping the sword hilt tightly, quickly raising her vigilance to the highest level. Squeak! Just then, a sudden hard brake from the vehicle in the assault team ahead almost caused it to be hit by the vehicle behind. Without waiting for the people behind to ask. Boom! The vehicle ahead abruptly exploded. Flames burst out from the ground, immediately enveloping the vehicle completely. Meng Chengshuang and Headless Sword reacted extremely quickly, simultaneously leaping out of the car window, jumping out of the car! Boom! A huge flame also exploded under their vehicle, completely engulfing the car. Da da da da! The sound of machine guns rang out, and the soldiers began to quickly return fire. Continuous roaring grenade explosions followed. They were fighting against a group of black-clad masked men. They were carrying guns and rocket launchers, quickly appearing on the rooftops on both sides of the town. It was as if they appeared there in an instant, completely unseen before, and unnoticed by anyone. By the time they were discovered, more than half the convoy had already suffered devastating attacks. "Not good!" Meng Chengshuang suddenly froze, a strange feeling rising in her heart. With one hand, she pulled out a luminescent-white talisman paper, murmured a spell, and stuck it on her forehead. The talisman paper ignited without fire and disappeared in the blink of an eye, turning to ash and scattering. At the same time, her perception instantly elevated to another level. In her current perception, within a hundred meters around her, wave after wave of invisible ripples kept sweeping over the entire convoy of soldiers and magicians, altering all their sensory signals. "This is... a Neural Interference Technique!" She instantly recognized this extremely rare and powerful Taboo Technique. "What!?" Headless Sword nearby also heard the conversation and was greatly startled. This kind of technique could only be used by someone at the Temple Master Level. It wasn¡¯t particularly harmful to magicians, but for ordinary people, it represented the pinnacle of hypnotism;even if there were a large number of them, once encountering a magician who mastered such magic, they would be like lambs to the slaughter, unable to resist. Only long-range sniping and indiscriminate bombing could break such a troublesome technique. And what was even more troublesome was that such a technique should have perished long ago. The last cult that mastered such techniques had been completely eradicated by the government in cooperation with the Taoist Sects more than thirty years ago, not a single one left. But now... "Order everyone else to retreat!" Meng Chengshuang had not expected the Mud Doll Sect to still possess such forbidden magic. She quickly yelled to Headless Sword. This kind of technique, this range, the scale... the opponent this time from the Mud Doll Sect was even stronger than she was in total spiritual power. "Can you handle it alone!?" Headless Sword drew her sword, sending a flash of silver light cutting through a black bird flying towards her. The body of the black bird fell to the ground and turned into a puddle of black mud, disappearing without a trace. Clearly, this was not a real entity but a product of a technique. "Leave it to me!" Meng Chengshuang¡¯s eyes were fierce, and she likewise drew her sword and quickly slashed, cutting down more than a dozen black birds that pounced at her. "Even if I can¡¯t win, I can still retreat freely..." Boom! Meng Chengshuang¡¯s words were cut short as her body suddenly stiffened, hit in the chest by a sniper bullet from an unknown source. The bullet pierced through the chest cavity, exiting from the back and bringing with it a mist of blood. Her eyes widened as her body was propelled backward and crashed heavily to the ground. "Why... wasn¡¯t there... any warning...!?" She couldn¡¯t understand. Experts of the Temple Master Level, due to their extremely strong spiritual power, would automatically develop a sense of danger when faced with threats. Any sniper attempting to assassinate them would find it extremely difficult. Because the moment they were targeted, these experts would automatically develop a sense of the danger, thereby knowing from which direction the threat came, and would start to dodge and evade on their own. But that shot just now... Meng Chengshuang didn¡¯t receive any danger warning at all... Her spiritual power alert had actually failed! * * * Seagull Beach. The second, larger convoy stopped at the periphery of the beach and began to unload the troops. The area had already been evacuated, devoid of people. The entire beach, while called a beach, is actually a continuous stretch of pale yellow coastline several hundred meters long, belonging to a large area where many beaches are connected. There are scattered seaside buildings on it, none of them tall, all white little buildings. On ordinary days, tourists come to play, mainly served by the residents living in these buildings. Some of them are vendors selling food and groceries, some provide maritime projects by resort villagers, there are also members of the nearby village committees, fishers who live by the sea all year round, and so on. And the official target, that is, the seemingly normal but actually early joined cult followers of the Mud Doll Sect. Yu Hong got out of the car first, stood on the road, and looked around;the surroundings were open, with sparse palm trees neatly lined up along the beach. Further away is the real entrance to Seagull Beach. The entire stretch of beach was enclosed by a wire fence, with only this entrance guarded by two small stone towers with an iron gate between them. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A white sign with the opening times hung on the gate. "This is the place." Cheng Shu took a step forward, stood beside Yu Hong, and spoke softly. "How do we move?" Yu Hong asked. "Follow the commander¡¯s lead," Cheng Shu replied, "Actually, it¡¯s still the usual¡ªsmall teams go in to clear the area;we step in to break through when there¡¯s trouble." "Okay." Yu Hong nodded and gestured to a few Zheng Generation members behind him. Immediately, several people dispersed and took up positions in a strangely shaped polygonal array. At the same time, everyone pulled out their respective Inheritance Dao Artifacts, and those without Inheritance Dao Artifacts took out ordinary Dao Artifacts. Boom! Just then, a loud explosion came from afar. A wave of invisible spiritual power, like a gentle breeze, spread towards them. "Indeed, there are masters here too! Form the array!" Zheng Ying immediately commanded. She just remembered that she was the actual commander of this Taoist Temple operation, not Zheng Rou. But as soon as she finished speaking, Zheng Ming and Zheng Xia instinctively looked at Yu Hong to see if he acknowledged Zheng Ying¡¯s command authority. "Quick!" Yu Hong nodded, also holding the Guang Han Dao Artifact to his chest, and began chanting the scripture to stimulate the Array. Although Qingchen Temple is weak and ranked at the bottom among the Taoist Sects, it still has basic protective formations. The most complete inheritance within the Temple was the very formation they were about to use now¡ªLittle Mountain Observation Array. As the name suggests, this defensive formation was created by one of the ancestors, a genius who got an epiphany while observing mountain ranges, and left it behind. Its effect is to protect everyone within the formation, raising their resistance to spiritual attacks by one level. Used here, it means that all the magicians could temporarily resist spiritual area attacks of the Temple Master Level. As for physical attacks, they would rely on the firearms of the officials and soldiers. Generally speaking, no matter how strong a magician is, being hit by bullets or artillery means certain death. Therefore, no magician would ever ignore the threat of firearms. Hum. As several people began the chant holding their Dao Artifacts, a transparent and invisible ripple spread from them, quickly enveloping a hundred-meter radius. This ripple was like a giant hemisphere resting on the ground. All the officers and soldiers entering and leaving this hemisphere naturally took on an invisible membrane. This membrane would provide them with a shield to resist a spiritual shock once within ten minutes. At this moment, in the small buildings on the beach, people had already started exchanging gunfire with the officials and soldiers. Most of them used homemade guns, with much less power and accuracy than those of the officials and soldiers, so they were naturally forced to retreat steadily. Until... Two beach vehicles with roaring engines came careening out, charging towards the magician formation. Bullets continued to explode sand around the vehicles, but failed to hit them. It was as if every turn they made was precisely predicting the next point of fire. Sssst. Very quickly, the two vehicles screeched to a halt, and the people on them leaped to the ground, sprinting rapidly and precisely dodging all the bullets, closing in on the side of the magician formation in the blink of an eye. Before making full contact, everyone had already sensed the enormous and dangerous cold spiritual power from the two individuals. Only spiritual power filled with killing intent could give off a sense of coldness. One of them was like a vortex of spiritual power, continuously spinning and releasing invisible pulling forces, pulling at the consciousness of everyone nearby. Chapter 322: kill 2 Approaching closer, the crowd finally saw clearly that one of these two individuals was a young man, handsome and androgynous in appearance, while the other had purple hair and a delicate physique like that of a beautiful child. "It¡¯s Yuan Ming!! The other one is from the Primordial Embryo Seventh Son!" Zheng Ying was the first to shout out, her expression suddenly solemn. Yuan Ming was once capable of single-handedly challenging an entire generation of Yu teachers. Such a master, even if not at the Temple Master Level, was scarcely different. He was an extremely dangerous expert from the Mud Doll Sect! "Do not fear, we have the Array to protect us!" Zheng Ying quickly shouted loudly, "Once they enter the Array, their Daoist Magic Techniques will be weakened by more than thirty percent!" Crack. The words had just been spoken. Suddenly a figure burst out from beside Zheng Ying. It was Zheng Hong. He sneered and unleashed his Dao Artifact, striking Zheng Ying¡¯s arm and knocking the Inheritance Dao Artifact she held out of her grasp. Simultaneously, two Dao Artifacts were disabled, and in that moment, the entire Qingchen Mountain Array dimmed and vanished completely, collapsing altogether. And that wasn¡¯t all;just as Zheng Hong left, a pungent and foul smell spread from where he had been. Those who smelled this scent all changed their expressions dramatically, their bodies beginning to feel weak and limp. "Poison!! Spread out!!" Zheng Ying quickly shouted, but it was already too late. Zheng Ming and Zheng Xia¡¯s faces turned pale, and they stumbled and fell after running a few steps. Among the official magicians present, Cheng Shu and two others reacted the fastest, and since they didn¡¯t approach this area, they managed to preserve their strength successfully. However, they could never have anticipated that Zheng Hong would turn out to be a traitor! Especially Red Snake, seeing this scene, she was utterly numbed. That move just now, if it had been executed while she was partnered with him, she would undoubtedly have died. But soon they had no time to ponder other things, as the other person who had appeared with Yuan Ming launched an attack on them. From the enemy¡¯s initial appearance, approaching, to Zheng Hong¡¯s betrayal and poisoning. A series of disruptions left many people somewhat dazed. When they snapped back to reality, the poison had already spread with the wind, nearby soldiers also collapsed in large numbers, and the Array was completely broken. Zheng Hong ran towards the direction of the enemy. "Thinking of running!!" Yu Hong initially intended to strike at Yuan Ming, but realizing something was wrong, he quickly judged the situation, changed direction, and activated a Seal, calling out a Speed Figure to pounce towards Zheng Hong. The poison had no effect on him;his tremendously strong physique allowed him to ignore most deadly toxins. But as soon as the Speed Figure approached, it was instantly bound by strips of white bandages. "Acting wildly in front of me??" Yuan Ming, not knowing when, appeared next to Zheng Hong, his hands forming the seal of a Magic. "Try it?" Yu Hong¡¯s eyes narrowed. Without hesitation, he summoned a Special Power Figure to launch a sneak attack. Under the special force, the vast expanse of white bandages rapidly turned into a translucent gel. The Speed Figure in yellow and white robes emitted a strange giggling sound, and in an instant, appeared just three meters behind Zheng Hong, tossing back her long hair. "Seal!" Yuan Ming took action again, and swathes of white cloth appeared from nowhere, enveloping the Speed Figure from all directions, instantly encapsulating it into a large white cocoon. Faces eerily protruded from the cocoon, moving in all directions. "Four Corners!" Yuan Ming extended his hand again, pointing towards Yu Hong. Immediately hundreds of pieces of white cloth surged forward, charging towards Yu Hong from behind him. The sheer mass of white cloth obscured everyone¡¯s vision, like a mini tidal wave, its momentum terrifying. Although it hadn¡¯t reached the Absolute Boundary, with such momentum, it was already very close to that level;aside from traits of Sharpness, facing Yuan Ming as a normal magician at this moment was nearly indistinguishable from the Temple Master Level. But... Bang!!! A loud boom. Roar! Amid the deep roar, Behind Yu Hong, a black giant over five meters tall burst forth. The giant, bent over in a furious sprint, charged wildly forward, slamming into the sea of white cloth. Giant and white cloth collided and wrestled, exploding into a massive wave of invisible divine energy. ¡¯Blocked.¡¯ Seeing this, Yu Hong¡¯s expression slightly changed, grasping the Guang Han. Instantly, Daoist Power flowed into it. A moon-white vortex appeared in the air beside him, tearing slightly, instantly expanding to a diameter of five meters! S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Pfft! A four-meter-tall ugly grey face burst out of the vortex, with a thick neck like a giant python, lunging towards Yuan Ming. "Hungry!! So hungry!!" The real Inheritance Dao Artifact, God¡¯s Will Constant Hunger, appeared. It roared, carrying rings of invisible, potent divine pressure, flying towards Yuan Ming. Yuan Ming¡¯s body stiffened, actually frozen by the special roaring of Constant Hunger for a second. By the time he reacted, it was too late. The enormously enlarged Constant Hunger tore through the sea of white cloth in one bite, bursting through and pouncing towards him again. Boom!! In an instant, Yuan Ming was struck as if hit by a truck, flying backwards and crashing into the sea, quieting down for a moment. Yu Hong¡¯s expression unchanged, manipulated the Seal, not pursuing further, but directing Constant Hunger towards the lingering snitch Zheng Hong. "Insolence!!" Suddenly, a sharp shout. Constant Hunger¡¯s huge body was struck by a sudden burst of red light from afar, booming like a cannonball explosion, violently thrown backwards for a distance. His ugly large face was missing a large chunk of gray flesh, looking battered and severely damaged. "Who¡¯s there!?" Yu Hong squinted towards the direction of the red light. The dust slowly dissipated, revealing a somewhat hunched figure. This person held an iron staff, had snow-white hair, a face full of wrinkles, and wore reading glasses, looking exactly like one of the many old ladies commonly seen on the streets. But such an appearance was quite abnormal here. Hiss! The moment the elderly person appeared, an invisible wave spread out from her body, turning into pressure that pushed away the surrounding dust, forming a large hollow circle. As the dust cleared, she finally looked up at Yu Hong. "I am Lin Shan, Vice Sect Hierarch of the Mud Doll Sect." "Lin Shan...." Yu Hong¡¯s expression darkened, summoning God¡¯s Will Constant Hunger back to his side, floating and waiting. The aura emanating from the other party was distinctly similar to the special pressure he felt from Feixia Sword Meng Chengshuang;clearly, this was a real Temple Master level expert! Meng had mentioned that the Mud Doll Sect in Taizhou had only three peers at the same level, and this person might hold one of those positions. "Vice Hierarch! Can I evacuate first?" Zheng Hong, only now recovering from his intense fear, gasped for breath before asking loudly. He didn¡¯t want to stay here another moment. Just earlier, he had been on the brink of death, almost devoured mentally. Yu Hong¡¯s trump cards one after another and the successive duels with Yuan Ming had instilled fear in him, making him want to escape farther away as soon as possible. "Go. Go help Yuan Ming and resolve the remaining Dao Seeds. Leave this place to me," Lin Shan said indifferently, positioning herself between Yu Hong and Zheng Hong, blocking their line of sight. Yu Hong looked at Zheng Hong;due to the Eternal Life Association, the thing he most loathed now was a snitch, and Zheng Hong, this guy, had tampered right under his watch, causing the Array to fail. Such a disgusting person... if he managed to escape again, Yu Hong himself wouldn¡¯t be able to overcome the mental barrier. "You are very confident..." He looked at Vice Sect Hierarch Lin Shan. "Say whatever you want to say, quickly." Lin Shan gripped the iron staff with one hand and pulled it upward with the other. The iron staff unexpectedly pulled out a sharp, straight silver blade. Snap. The sword sheath disguised as an iron staff was thrown aside. Lin Shan¡¯s back slowly straightened, her originally wrinkled skin quickly plumped up, and her muscles slightly swelled. In those few seconds, she seemed to reverse time, rejuvenating by forty years, returning to her prime. Had it not been for the wrinkles still on her face, remaining with an old woman¡¯s appearance, no one would associate her with the old woman from before. At this moment, she was about 1.8 meters tall with a burly build, holding the sword with both hands. Her previously oversized black robe now seemed to fit just right. "Otherwise, there will be no chance... because next, I will deliver one sword stroke after another..." Swoosh!! Before she finished speaking, suddenly a dark shadow appeared beside her. The shadow swung its right fist, carrying a terrifying force that created a piercing scream and a mass of white bluster. That wasn¡¯t a spiritual illusion;it was a genuine, physical shock wave formed by an air explosion!! The fist aimed at her face, and she reflexively lifted her sword to pierce the fist from below. But the moment she struck, Lin Shan¡¯s mind alarm bells rang. "No, this isn¡¯t a Technique attack! It¡¯s physical!!" In that moment, she changed tactics, lowered her head, and raised her hands to block, but it was already too late. Boom!!! A circle of gray air blasts exploded for real. This wasn¡¯t a Technique, nor a spiritual image, but a real, physical impact. The massive terrifying force immediately sent Lin Shan flying horizontally, skimming the ground for over ten meters and heavily crashing into the sea. With a splash, white waves surged upward, mixed with strands of blood. Everything returned to calm. Yu Hong retracted his right fist, watching Lin Shan, who had completely disappeared, revealing a faint trace of regret in his eyes. "What a pity... If it weren¡¯t for today, I might have been interested in a proper exchange with you to test strengths beyond the Absolute Boundary... but now..." He turned to look at Zheng Hong, whose face was blank, legs already trembling. "You....!!!" Zheng Hong pointed at him, his whole body also starting to shake. "Who are you exactly!!?" By now, he too had realized that someone with such formidable close-combat skills couldn¡¯t have been just an ordinary person good at fighting before becoming a disciple. Such terrifying close-quarter combat strengths were definitely not something Qingchen Temple was qualified to possess. This person must have had some ulterior motives for entering Qingchen Temple! And they, or the Mud Doll Sect, had just happened to expose his disguise and stepped on a landmine. "I like expressions like yours," Yu Hong didn¡¯t reveal his identity. "Because, when you ask such a naive question, with such an out-of-control expression, it means you..." "Have no trump cards left..." In an instant, he appeared beside Zheng Hong, pausing momentarily. Brushing past. Splash!!! A spray of blood spurted from Zheng Hong, pulling a long line of blood across the beach. The blood water stained the gravel red, slowly soaking through. Zheng Hong dumbly covered his abdomen, his waist and lower abdomen, in just a split second, completely sliced open a vast gash. It was as if his arm, acting like a cutting machine at high speed, had horrifically sliced open. Because of the excessive speed, his body couldn¡¯t react in time, and his abdomen was already hollowed out by a hit. Bones, muscles, skin, along with clothes, everything shattered, mixed together into a long line of bloody debris behind him. "I.... regret...." Zheng Hong struggled to speak. But his body was already too weak to support him, slowly falling backward. Thump. He fell backward onto the ground, eyes wide open, gradually ceasing to breathe, and losing the ability to think. Chapter 323: kills three "Regretting now is utterly meaningless." S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yu Hong brushed off the remnants on his hand, and suddenly, like a bolt of lightning, raised his hand and struck a silent red shadow flying in from the right. The red shadow burst out from the seawater with extreme speed, already comparable to Yu Hong¡¯s full-force strike, but it lacked substance. When it was hit by the palm, it instantly exploded into red dots of light that dissipated into the air. It was clearly of the type of a spiritual technique. At that moment, a suppressed female voice filled with anger drifted from behind. "Not confirming your opponent¡¯s death immediately was the biggest mistake of your life!" It was Lin Shan! She actually wasn¡¯t dead!! Yu Hong turned around, his face showing a look of astonishment. He remembered clearly that he had already struck his opponent¡¯s head on the side with full force just now. With his strength, even without invoking new Inner Qi and Spirit Light, without employing the Thunderbolt Transformation, and just relying on his pure physical strength of several tens of tons, the opponent¡¯s head should have exploded. But now... "I¡¯m going to kill you!! Skin you alive! Soak you in salt water for three days and three nights, gouge out your eyes, cut off your tongue... I will make you suffer eternally without release!!" Lin Shan¡¯s voice was filled with venom. "What gave you the confidence to spew such vicious threats?" Yu Hong raised an eyebrow, "That weak surprise attack just now?" "Weak!?! The trash that only talks big! I will devour you!!!" Lin Shan screamed furiously. Hiss! Beneath the sea surface, a red shadow shot out again, this time without a tangible form, and without disturbing the water, the red shadow burst forth like an illusion, attacking Yu Hong¡¯s face with a speed slightly faster than his full-speed physical body. At the same time, a faint aura similar to that of Chang¡¯e spread out from her body. Divine Intent!? Yu Hong instantly understood that Lin Shan was temporarily fusing her own will and spirit with an Inheritance Dao Artifact, bursting forth in one fell swoop. This was a true desperate deathblow. A Temple Master-level expert fighting desperately... Obviously, the previous strike had inflicted a fatal blow on Lin Shan, forcing her to choose this desperate measure. ¡¯So, is she trying to quickly finish the fight and then leave to heal herself?¡¯ Yu Hong speculated, but his hands didn¡¯t slow down. Although the opponent was faster, he needed to move less distance to raise his hand, naturally he could block in time. Covering his arm with Inner Qi, Yu Hong raised his hand and blocked the incoming red shadow with his palm. Bang! His silver-blue Inner Qi and the red shadow exploded at the same time. The muscles and nerves on the outside of Yu Hong¡¯s arm twitched, a faint blackness appeared as if the skin was corroded and damaged. ¡¯So there¡¯s some physical substance in it? Seems like some kind of poison fog or similar acting as a carrier.¡¯ Yu Hong¡¯s guess flashed in his eyes. But since it was confirmed that the opponent was seriously injured, he just needed to buy time. And the subsequent developments fully confirmed his guess. Lin Shan madly released one red shadow after another, which seemed to be a special kind of maggot. Because of their extreme speed, they appeared as mere red shadows from afar. Yu Hong shattered the continuous maggots with repeated strikes, albeit each time it damaged his skin. This was the first time since arriving in this world that something had hurt him, which greatly surprised him. After all, the strength of his body now should be capable of withstanding bullets. Seeing that he could still be injured like this showed that the Divine Intent in the attack indeed had some substance. However, injury aside, the slight wound was quickly healed by the flowing and abundant Inner Qi. Of course, this also meant that a Temple Master-level expert was now qualified to hurt him without him erupting in Inner Qi flame... To him, this was already quite remarkable. After all, the strength of his body now, enhanced by the Cosmic Divine Light, was much stronger than before. And logically, the opponent was merely driving some external force with pure spiritual will for the attacks. Physical blows should be very weak. But now, it seemed that high-level experts here were already meddling with reality to some extent, just on a smaller scale, resulting in less threat than actual weaponry. Lin Shan was such an example, so was the previously mentioned Taoist Ku Chan. By this time, Lin Shan, with each delay, grew weaker and weaker. Clearly, she could no longer control her injuries, and Yu Hong¡¯s sudden assault had inflicted a massive and irreversible fatal wound on her. Now she was ferociously making her efforts in the desperate hope of getting a chance to escape the battle and leave to heal. But Yu Hong didn¡¯t grant her that opportunity, keeping a close watch on her. As time went on. In desperation, she attempted to flee but was held back by Yu Hong controlling Chang¡¯e and a group of Fear Shadows to delay her. Five minutes later, suffocating from her last effort, she released one final red maggot shadow, which Yu Hong easily burst with a casual strike. The water was quiet again. Splash. Yu Hong walked forward and approached, only to see through the clear water at the bottom of the shallow sea, the body of the Vice Sect Hierarch of the Mud Doll Sect. Her eyes were wide open, one side of her temple deeply caved in, like a tin can flattened by a hammer, with brain matter spilling out. "You had such a resilient life force, truly troublesome that you held on for so long." Yu Hong disdainfully bent down, searching the body, and quickly found a dark green pouch, resembling a sachet. Inside the pouch were small black seed-like objects, seemingly worm eggs. Yu Hong frowned, remembering the many strange insects released by the Vice Hierarch, and thinking they might be of use, he took it, sealed the opening, and hung it at his waist on his Daoist robe. "Being able to persist so long after taking a fatal strike from my surprise attack, there must be something worthwhile on you. I¡¯ll keep it for now." After checking the spoils of the battle, he turned to look toward the beach. Not far away, another of the Primordial Embryo Septuplets fighting against Cheng Shu and the others had already run far away, with Cheng Shu and others in pursuit. Evidently, this person had sharp eyesight and, upon realizing something was wrong, immediately disengaged from the scene without hesitation. Yu Hong paid no attention to them, instead, he looked toward Zheng Ying and the others collapsed on the ground, unable to muster any strength to move. Just now, his action had been witnessed by them. At this moment, even though several Dao Seeds lay on the ground, the pressure exuded a kind of indescribable complexity. "....Zheng Rou...you...." Zheng Ming could not help but speak up in a low voice. Despite the howling sea breeze, his voice still reached Yu Hong¡¯s ears. "Didn¡¯t I say it? I¡¯ve just practiced a bit of close combat." Yu Hong nodded naturally. Just a bit... Are you kidding me by calling blowing someone up with a punch and piercing through a Technique ¡¯just a bit¡¯??? Their faces contorted. "But that..." "That was the amplification given to me by my Inheritance Dao Artifact. I don¡¯t know why, but suddenly my speed and power increased, and then I flew over, and then... you all saw what happened." Yu Hong spread his hands. "....." Zheng Ming really wanted to say are you freaking kidding me??? But he dared not. He watched with his own eyes as that arrogant Vice Sect Hierarch had his head blown up by Yu Hong¡¯s punch and his body smashed into the sea, dead on the spot. So, right now, he truly did not dare. Beside him, Zheng Ying barely managed to prop herself up, wanting to speak, but was surrounded by rapidly arriving medics. Not just her, the others were treated the same way, with a medic squatting down beside each injured person to check their bodies and determine how to move them. Tatatata. The helicopter flew overhead, firing two black missiles towards the distance. The missiles left two black trails, hitting the side of a three-story building. Boom!!! A massive explosion resounded. The shockwave pushed back any urge Zheng Ying and Zheng Xia had to speak. All they could do was watch Yu Hong standing amid the blast wave, immovable, like a black monolith that couldn¡¯t be shaken by the waves. And all the others were yelling to take cover and get down. This scene, like an engraving, was instantly and deeply imprinted in their minds, indelible. * * * Five Star Town. Meng Chengshuang coughed up a mouthful of blood while lowering her head. In front of her lay a chaotic street, littered with explosion craters. Houses and shops had collapsed, and a large number of soldiers surrounded the area, with many guns aimed in this direction. The ground was strewn with bodies of Mud Doll Sect followers, while some soldiers¡¯ corpses were also being moved away. Meng Chengshuang snapped back to reality and saw a figure slowly emerging from the mist in front of her, taking a deep breath. Just now, a person had rushed out from the mist and attacked her. After a clash of Techniques, that person was defeated and injured. Just as she was about to continue the pursuit, a new person appeared. And then came the hard battle. "Quite a splendid Technique, taking the dawn and dusk as the theme, Condensing it into one¡¯s spirit, borrowing the name of Zihe Palace¡¯s renowned Feixia Sword to transform into a special Technique." The person finally stepped out of the mist. Bang! Suddenly, a gunshot. It was the snipers from the military acting. But even before the sound of the gunshot reached, that person suddenly sidestepped to the left. This step neatly avoided the bullet that whizzed past his side. "I originally wanted to have a proper exchange with you to see the mysterious aspects of Zihe Palace¡¯s Techniques, but unfortunately, the timing is not right," the person walked forward again and finally revealed his full appearance. He was a bald, ugly man with eyes and nose each misplaced. By misplaced is meant his features not located where they should be. One eye was not on the same horizontal line as the other, and his nose was not at the center of his face but tilted to the left. His mouth shifted to the right, not aligning vertically with his nose. "Do you think you¡¯ve already won?" Meng Chengshuang straightened her body, the tip of her sword once again brightening with a red light. The Feixia Sword was her Inheritance Dao Artifact, and now, with great exhaustion and serious injuries, she finally decided to invoke the Divine Intent of the Inheritance Dao Artifact. "Divine Intent descending? I can do that too." The odd man chuckled lightly, also holding a dark yellow stone pendant worn on his chest. Buzz! At the same moment, two massive and exaggerated spiritual pressures emerged upon them both. Bystanders felt a flicker in their vision, seeing dark yellow mud pour out rapidly from the side of the monstrous man, completely enveloping him. On Meng Chengshuang¡¯s side, a surge of red and purple clouds also enveloped her. The mud and clouds quickly spread, covering several streets in the blink of an eye, even engulfing several buildings. Intermittent sounds of clashing metal rang out from within. "All snipers, attention!!" The military commander at the rear picked up the radio, his expression solemn. "Take out all the snipers on the opposite side! Miss Meng being shot is our negligence! No further mistakes can be allowed after this!" When Meng Chengshuang was shot just now, it almost made his heart leap out of his chest. Fortunately, the bullet only passed through the thoracic cavity and did not hit the heart. From Meng Chengshuang¡¯s performance, it seemed that she had no intention of retreating. Whether it¡¯s a victory or defeat now relied on the outcome of the battle. "Issue an order, if it¡¯s judged that Miss Meng has lost, immediately bring up the artillery for saturation strikes!" the commander-in-chief ordered sternly. Chapter 324: kills 4 Yu Hong sat in the military jeep with a hint of regret on his face, heading towards Five Star Town. Just now, the communication from Five Star Town had suddenly been cut off, and he immediately decided to check it out. Although he had slightly exposed some of his abilities, he was still able to somewhat cover it up with the special capabilities of the Inheritance Dao Artifact;at least from Cheng Shu and their expressions, they were half-doubtful. The more he spoke, it seemed Zheng Ying and Zheng Ming also started to believe a bit. Of course, that was only on the surface;what they actually thought in their hearts, he didn¡¯t care, nor would anyone speak of it. The car¡¯s engine buzzed, driven by a somewhat recovered Zheng Xia. Sitting in the passenger seat was his partner, Cheng Shu. Both of them were less affected and had inhaled less poison gas. Now, they actively accompanied Yu Hong to investigate the situation in Five Star Town. In reality, if it was the Yu Hong from before, they wouldn¡¯t have agreed to proactively head to the more dangerous Five Star Town. But after Yu Hong¡¯s outbreak and resolution of Vice Sect Hierarch Lin Shan, everyone was momentarily speechless and had no objections to his subsequent decisions. This was the change brought about by strength. "By the way, the search just now didn¡¯t find Yuan Ming¡¯s body. He probably isn¡¯t dead and has fled first." Zheng Xia spoke while driving. "It doesn¡¯t matter, he was hit by my Inheritance Dao Artifact. It¡¯s basically no different from an ordinary person being hit by a truck, heavily traumatized mentally. Even if he isn¡¯t dead, he won¡¯t have the spirit to cause trouble." Yu Hong comforted nonchalantly. "But..." "Don¡¯t worry, I have everything under control." Yu Hong interrupted her. Naturally, he wouldn¡¯t say that he had already dispatched droves of Dragon Lizards to find the unconscious Yuan Ming in the sea and had him directly torn apart to feed to the sharks. Taking action without leaving troubles behind, this was the experience he summed up for himself now. "Alright, let¡¯s not talk about these unpleasant things. How much longer do we need to drive to reach Five Star Town?" Yu Hong changed the topic. "About half an hour more." Cheng Shu quickly responded. "I¡¯ll take a nap, wake me when we arrive." Yu Hong instructed. "Okay." Both of them answered simultaneously. Cheng Shu and Zheng Xia exchanged glances, keeping their mouths shut. ¡¯From today on, the Magician circle in Taizhou... might undergo a transformation...¡¯ Both sensed this implication from each other¡¯s eyes. Yu Hong¡¯s sudden outbreak, managing to defeat Yuan Ming, the leader of the Primordial Embryo¡¯s seven sons, and effortlessly defeating the Vice Sect Hierarch of the Mud Doll Sect that appeared subsequently. His aura was so strong, the mental pressure so intense, it was unintelligible to them. Moreover... ¡¯That kind of extreme speed close-range strike earlier, really came from an Inheritance Dao Artifact?¡¯ Cheng Shu was half-skeptical even though Yu Hong¡¯s explanation sounded logical and made sense. But the key point was, such a technique that could enhance a human body to such an exaggerated strength has never appeared in this world. Even the Mud Doll Sect¡¯s Copper Soldiers and Iron Soldiers, able to withstand bullets shots, are achieved by merging modern technology with techniques that bind metal powder on the surface of the body, forming a variant. Its principle is essentially wearing a layer of extremely strong bulletproof armor all around the body. Truly enhancing the physical body to such an extent, not a single Magician exists. The interference of techniques with material has its limits. That limit is what¡¯s called the interference boundary with reality. The most famous case displaying this boundary is the strongest person from Zihe Palace, the top prodigy of Daoist Sect, Ku Chan, using his Fusion Strike. Ku Chan combined the Inheritance Dao Artifact, Chi Xiao Sword, to launch one strike. Due to the overwhelming fluctuation of the technique, it partially interfered with reality and completely evaporated a small section of the lake. That one strike covered an area of over thirty meters, the flames surged nearly a hundred meters high. People several kilometers away all heard the explosion and saw the small patch of night sky tinged with red. Such power might seem immense, but for the military, it¡¯s just the explosive force of a large incendiary bomb. This is the interference limit of techniques with physical matter. And the interference with living beings by techniques is even lesser. Many experts have tried using techniques to enhance their own physical qualities to withstand gunfire. But all have failed. Because the enhancement boundary of techniques on the body is just slightly stronger than that of a top athlete, nothing more. For instance, if the extreme limit of a top athlete in sprinting is nine seconds for a hundred meters, then a Magician, after strenuous efforts and time to enhance the body, can achieve seven seconds for a hundred meters. That¡¯s all. Even such minor enhancements are still the best results achieved by expending countless resources. Therefore, many Magicians now seek to combine science with Daoist Skills, and the Copper Soldiers and Iron Soldiers of the Mud Doll Sect are such cases. The speed Yu Hong displayed just now was absolutely, definitely faster than seven seconds for hundred meters. Cheng Shu¡¯s mind was a bit chaotic, but she believed that the people from Qingchen Temple were even more bewildered. Yu Hong was not simple, definitely not as simple as he appeared on the surface. ¡¯The only thing to be thankful for is, he at least stands on our side.¡¯ Cheng Shu sighed inwardly. She looked towards Zheng Xia who was driving;her delicate and tired face still carried a hint of confusion. Obviously still puzzled by Yu Hong¡¯s performance just now. * * * Qingchen Temple ¡¤ Main Hall. Taoist Yu Hen put down his mobile phone, his expression wooden, staring ahead with a somewhat unfocused gaze. "How is it?? What¡¯s the situation over there!? Start with the beach, Meng Girl is at Five Star Town, there should be no problem! Hurry up and tell me." Yu Mo and Yu Shi along with a few other elders gathered around, formed an Array, and sat cross-legged on the ground. Seeing the Temple Master pick up the phone, they immediately became impatient and urged loudly. "Meng Girl is still fighting, got a bit hurt, but it¡¯s under control. However, the situation on the other side is a bit... off," Yu Hen said with a complex expression, shaking his head. "What¡¯s off? Just say it!" Yu Mo urged, patting the ground. "It¡¯s Zheng Rou...." Yu Hen looked at his anxious fellow disciples. "What happened to Zheng Rou!?" Yu Mo became even more anxious hearing about his disciple. "He...." Yu Hen didn¡¯t know how to explain, "He seems like..." "Is he hurt!?? Is he hurt!!??" Yu Mo exclaimed, suddenly standing up. "I told you not to let him go, he¡¯s just a kid!? He hasn¡¯t even practiced Daoist Skills for a year, but you insisted on his strong abilities, saying missing him would significantly impact the fight. Now what? He¡¯s hurt, right? What if Qingchen Temple loses a supreme genius, do you understand how big of a loss that would be? Do you know I¡¯ve been unable to eat or sleep...." "Brother, they¡¯ve only been gone for two hours." Yu Zhong couldn¡¯t help interjecting softly. "It¡¯s not even mealtime yet...." "I was using a metaphor! Don¡¯t you understand a metaphor!? Huh!?" Yu Mo shouted back angrily. "Little brother, let me explain first," Yu Hen hastily raised his hand to calm him, showing a bitter smile. "I¡¯m listening, just say it!" Yu Mo grumpily sat back down. "I¡¯m just trying to figure out how to phrase it...." Yu Hen seemed helpless. "Hurry up! Don¡¯t drag it out, just say it!!" Yu Mo fired up again. "Don¡¯t rush...." "How can I not rush!? Do you know how I¡¯ve been coping recently?? Usually, at this time, I¡¯d be browsing beautiful women¡¯s images, but now I can¡¯t even look at those pictures, do you understand how much harm that does to me? My Daoist Realm was already barely holding on, and now with the wrong mindset, I fear I might have to..." Yu Mo began to rage again. Bang!! A loud noise. Yu Hen could no longer hold back and slammed his palm on the floor. "It¡¯s fine! Zheng Rou is fine, not only that, but he also killed Yuan Ming, the first of the Primordial Embryo Sevens, and even managed to kill Lin Shan, the Vice Sect Hierarch of the Mud Doll Sect!! According to reports, the technique he used at the end didn¡¯t seem like Daoist Skills but pure close combat. The speed and strength of his movements were terrifyingly strong! Unfathomable!" Yu Hen blurted out all the information in one breath and exhaled. "That¡¯s the thing! Unfathomable speed and strength, during a Daoist Skills matchup nearly at a disadvantage, he directly exploded that Vice Sect Hierarch Lin Shan! Lin Shan¡¯s strength had also crossed the Absolute Boundary... can you understand my feelings now? Huh!?" He yelled loudly, hitting the floor. Inside the main hall, there was silence. Taoists of the Yu generation were stunned by the information revealed in these words. Eyes wide open with shock, mouths slightly open, stuck in place, those using phones had their fingers halfway through pressing the buttons. "I think... maybe, like the novels described, Zheng Rou suddenly burst forth in a desperate situation, his realm increased dramatically... his strength significantly rose..." Yu Fang dryly tried to rationalize. No one responded. Qingchen Temple had struggled to produce a true genius, they very much desired a real rising star, a genuine talent to stabilize the foundation of the sect. And now, Yu Hong had given them hope. But at this moment, this hope seemed a tad illusory. "Or it might be the Inheritance Dao Artifact, Zheng Rou¡¯s Dao Artifact is of Profound Level, but it¡¯s never been heard that someone matched with this type before;maybe it¡¯s just the type that significantly enhances physical strength, who knows?" Yu Mo also spoke up, his voice parched, hardly believing his words. "Ku Chan and the two Heavenly Masters also tried to enhance their bodies, but there is a limit... If it were them, at this level, I would believe. But before this, Zheng Rou was just a normal person..." Yu Hen said solemnly. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Everyone fell silent again. For over ten minutes, no one spoke again, instead they carefully contemplated the implications behind these events, and how, going forward, the entire Qingchen Temple should handle Yu Hong. "Regardless! Zheng Rou practiced the Daoist Skills of our Qingchen Temple!" Yu Mo suddenly said, raising his voice. "He was also recognized by the Inheritance Hall, approved by the spiritual imprints of the ancestral masters, and what he holds is also our Qingchen Temple¡¯s Inheritance Dao Artifact! He¡¯s now fighting for the Taoist Temple and for Taizhou. Even if he hides some unsavory past, so what!?" He slowly stood up, his voice growing from weak to louder and more resonant. "So what are we hesitating for here!?" Yu Mo looked at the others. This speech, like a large bell, thoroughly woke everyone present up. "Indeed... as long as he hasn¡¯t done anything harmful to the Taoist Temple, why should we delve into his past? As long as he is still a member of our Qingchen Temple, that¡¯s enough!" Yu Hen also saw the light, his face clearing of all doubts. "The Temple Master is absolutely right!" "That¡¯s exactly it! A rare rise in a century, how can we allow such trivial internal strife to delay us?" "We should be united, striving diligently to move forward bravely!!" "Well said!" Yu Mo shouted, "When Zheng Rou returns, I will talk to him face to face, don¡¯t worry, there will be no issue!" Snap. He swung his large hand down, striking the wooden floor heavily, the sound loud, signifying his resolve. Chapter 325: nights One Five Star Town. The jeep passed through several temporary checkpoints and entered the outer layers of the town shrouded in grey mist. The dilapidated streets, the raging fires, the run-down shop buildings. The street scenes passed by the jeep all showcased how fierce the previous battle had been. Yu Hong rolled down the window and observed the ruined scenery outside, his brows slightly furrowing. "This place just experienced a major battle, the residual spiritual power from the techniques is very strong." After the collapse of a technique, some traces might remain depending on the situation. These residual traces mainly depend on the external force originally triggered by the technique. In this world, the magicians use two main types of techniques. One type is built on spiritual power where the technique is directly used, like the Daoist Skills Guanwu Skill, which summons Fear Shadows, essentially pure and strong condensations of spiritual power. The second type involves using external forces combined in Inheritance Dao Artifacts like those of the Mud Doll Sect, and various secret techniques used by Wild Mages which involve all sorts of external chaotic materials to create bizarre abilities. Chang¡¯e, Copper Soldiers and Iron Soldiers, Feixia Sword, Chi Xiao Sword, Yuan Ming¡¯s white cloth are all such examples. But what made Yu Hong frown was that the traces left here were mainly pure spiritual power. "Spiritual power residues are quite special;this is the first time I¡¯ve felt such a strong essence of residue. Normally, spiritual power should dissipate quickly after losing its host," Yu Hong said. "That¡¯s not necessarily so, strong spiritual techniques leave behind spiritual power because the psychic field permeates into the environmental materials, which is why it can¡¯t dissipate for a long time," Zheng Xia explained. "I have seen similar situations in many Daoist Scriptures. Normally, such permeation takes a long time to form, like when people enter a Taoist Temple¡¯s main hall and feel solemn and dignified;this is due to our years of chanting and worshipping, which leaves spiritual power that permeates the surrounding environment, forming a special fixed psychic field." "I see... So, that means Sister Meng Chengshuang must have encountered a formidable enemy, causing her to burst out with an exaggerated amount of spiritual power, leading to so many residues here," Yu Hong understood. This was his first time sensing such residual power. The sensation felt like standing in front of an open fridge, feeling a chill on the skin and goosebumps naturally rising on the body. But in reality, the temperature hasn¡¯t changed at all;it was just an internal reaction triggered by his own mind. Thinking this, Yu Hong quickly took out the enhanced detector he had just modified, a palm-sized black box detector that looked like a jewelry box. It was a simple radiation detector that he had enhanced to measure spiritual power. Originally, he had planned to enhance Black Mark into a pair of glasses for better disguise. But the reality is that it would take too long, at least two months, and he couldn¡¯t accept spending so much time just to enhance a multifunctional detector, so he chose this one that only took a few hours. He pressed the switch. Beep Beep Beep... Instantly, the LCD screen lit up green, displaying fluctuating numbers. The number shown was similar to Red Value, representing the strength of the environmental spiritual power. 1 represents the brainwave activity when a person sits quietly alone, without pondering any issues. The number currently displayed was 14, indicating that the surrounding environment was filled with spiritual power nearly fourteen times the intensity of an adult. Yu Hong¡¯s expression became serious;he then placed the device against his temple, stimulated his Daoist Skills, and pressed the detection button again. After three beeps. The number displayed was: 67. "It¡¯s manageable." He put down the device, leaving it in the vehicle to prevent damage. At this time, the jeep had already driven into the inner part of the town. As the vehicle moved forward, numerous soldiers holding guns sat motionlessly on the ground on both sides of the road, their eyes vacant as if they had lost control. Noticing the anomaly, Zheng Xia and Cheng Shu quickly grew serious, pulling out their mobile phones trying to contact the outside world, but their phones had no signal. "There¡¯s a jammer!" Zheng Xia instinctively looked towards Yu Hong to see what he would do next. "Get out, you two check the condition of the people around and be careful. I¡¯ll have a look further inside," Yu Hong said sternly. "Okay!" "Yes!" Both responded in unison. The car pulled to the side slowly, the doors opened. Dressed in Daoist robes with bulletproof vests underneath, the three quickly disembarked from the car and split up. Yu Hong then, sensing the direction where the spiritual aura was strongest, quickened his steps and hurried towards that direction. * * * Center of Five Star Town. A strange figure in black robes, wearing a grey-white child¡¯s mask, continuously summoned creepy mud dolls. These mud dolls, amidst the yellow and red mist-filled streets, frantically chased after the Feixia Sword Meng Chengshuang. Each mud doll was only 1.2 meters tall, with the appearance of a child, cute faces, and a spot of cinnabar on their foreheads. Only, their bodies and faces had minor cracks. These were like porcelain that had cracked. The dolls, one after the other, clashed and counteracted with the red lines slashed by the Feixia Sword. The two sides were caught in a stalemate. Not far from where the two were fighting, two people also stood. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. One, with a pale face and blood at the corners of his mouth, was Yuan Ruhai, the Vice Sect Hierarch of the Mud Doll Sect. He had acted in haste and was almost instantly killed by Meng Chengshuang. Although he was eventually saved, he still suffered severe injuries. Regarding the other person, he was clad in a black robe with silver edges, his arms adorned with dark golden ornate armguards, his face covered with a silver phoenix-patterned mask. "You Mud Doll Sect seem unable to suppress the Feixia Sword. The Inheritance Dao Artifact of Zihe Palace indeed lives up to its reputation;it is at least an Earth Level Dao Artifact," the man in the phoenix mask spoke in a deep voice. "Senior Qing Huang, could you lend a hand to the Sect Hierarch to speed up the battle? If the fight drags on, I¡¯m afraid unforeseen changes might occur," Yuan Ruhai gritted his teeth and said with a bow. With the signal jammed here, he was unclear about the situation at Seagull Beach, but somehow, he had an ominous premonition that something bad might be happening there. For someone at the Temple Master level like him, possessing powerful spiritual power that transcended the Absolute Boundary came with a partial warning ability. And at this moment, this ability was being triggered. Qing Huang, a genuine expert sent by the Seven Evil Alliance to support the battle situation, had a mysterious identity. After arriving in Taizhou, he had several probing skirmishes with the Sect Hierarch and resolved matters lightly each time. According to Yuan Ruhai¡¯s estimation, Qing Huang might be even stronger than the Sect Hierarch. It should be understood that even among those above Absolute Boundary, the disparity on this level itself is immense. The total amount of spiritual power, the intensity level, the explosive power when techniques and Daoist Skills overlap, and most crucially, the strength of the Inheritance Dao Artifact. These are all factors that significantly influence strength when combined. Especially the latter, as the physique difference among people is not large¡ªeveryone is the same species with similar structures. Even if there is a variation in spiritual power, the discrepancy is minimal. At this level, none of the practitioners skilled in Daoist Skills are weak. There are some differences in techniques, although some are not adept at slaughtering, but the ones used in response wouldn¡¯t be weak either, so the gap remains minimal. What truly creates a difference is the Inheritance Dao Artifact! A strong Inheritance Dao Artifact can raise the level of Daoist Skills by a significant boundary, and even enhance the power of techniques by more than twice. Moreover, the level difference between Inheritance Dao Artifacts is calculated by hundreds. Every level differentiation is a disparity of hundreds of times. With multiple layers adding up, the gap could reach a despairing extent. It could be like an adult against a chick, kicking one with each step. "Being both controllers of Earth Level Dao Artifacts, it seems Sect Leader Ning is slightly outmatched," Qing Huang commented, seemingly inattentive to Yuan Ruhai¡¯s request, and focused on observing the battle situation. Despite a fog serving as a barrier, he could still discern the battle¡¯s leaning from the entanglement of spiritual fluctuations. "Senior Qing Huang! You..." Yuan Ruhai sensed the shift too. "Don¡¯t be hasty..." Qing Huang replied, lifting his head as his gaze under the mask made its way through the fog towards a certain direction. "Maintaining a large-scale Neurological Technique isn¡¯t easy for me either." "I was too impatient," Yuan Ruhai took a deep breath and lowered his head. "Moreover." Qing Huang gently moved his hands. "An interesting young man has also arrived." "Interesting?" Yuan Ruhai was puzzled. What young man in Taizhou could catch the eye of Senior Qing Huang? "It¡¯s rare to encounter a young man who lets me exercise my muscles," Qing Huang stepped forward toward the right side of the battlefield and walked at a relaxed pace. Right in front of him, a vague, towering figure about two meters tall emerged from the mist ¡ª it was Yu Hong! Separated by hundreds of meters, their gazes met instantly. A speck of blue light quietly illuminated from the tips of Qing Huang¡¯s fingers. Just then. Boom! Suddenly, a massive explosion sounded from the distance. The powerful shock caused the ground of Five Star Town to tremble slightly. The signal jam engulfing the airspace here dissolved in the blink of an eye. Simultaneously, the widespread Neurological Technique also silently disappeared. "The foundation of the formation has been destroyed..." Qing Huang lamented, looking back at Yu Hong while slightly shaking his head. "I intended to greet you, lucky young man..." His voice faded, and his figure abruptly turned into blue light, disappearing on the spot. At the same time, the very spot he had stood was engulfed by a fierce explosion. Boom! Orange flames instantly swept across the ground, blasting a deep crater several meters in diameter. Not only that, but the place where the Sect Hierarch and Vice Sect Hierarch of Mud Doll Sect were located also experienced intense bombardment. Within the short seconds of the disruption of the Neurological Technique, the army¡¯s magicians and artillery reacted, instantly aiming and firing. Deafening explosions continued for three to four minutes. A row of buildings collapsed in flames, and streets and squares were engulfed in fire and rolling smoke. Until half of Five Star Town had been reduced to ruins. Dust and flames soared into the sky, the air filled with the stench of various things being scorched. Finally, the bombardment ceased. Yu Hong stood still, sensing the spiritual presence within the town, feeling three substantially strong spiritual entities, two of which quickly weakened. The third, however, remained intact as before. "The Sect Hierarch and Vice Sect Hierarch of Mud Doll Sect have been severely injured by the bombardment," Swoosh, Feixia Sword Meng Chengshuang leapt out, landing lightly next to Yu Hong, half-kneeling and saying in a deep voice. "Military magicians coordinated with artillery, striking the two precisely. Without the influence of Neurological Technique, their strengths were completely suppressed by the bombardment, they could only retreat," she quickly said. "How are you?" Yu Hong looked at the large bloodstain on her chest, slightly worried. Chapter 326: nights 2 "Thankfully... it avoided the lung lobes and just passed through the gaps. It was the stretching force of the bullet that created an internal cavity;otherwise, the injury wouldn¡¯t have been so severe." Meng Chengshuang shook her head. "I was careless this time;I did not expect the Seven Evil Alliance would dare to employ such high-level experts. The Neurological Technique used was so extensive, it¡¯s not something ordinary people could achieve." "You mean, besides these two, there were other experts? Sent by the Seven Evil Alliance?" Yu Hong frowned, recalling the person he had just made eye contact with. That person wearing the Phoenix Silver Mask, judging by the exposed skin on his hands, was definitely not young, most likely an elderly man. "Definitely, the Mud Doll Sect couldn¡¯t have deployed a Neurological Technique of such scale. This isn¡¯t just a Taboo Technique;the drain on one¡¯s own Daoist Skills is also terrifying." Meng Chengshuang nodded, "But there¡¯s no need to worry now. The Mud Doll Sect has been severely damaged, and what follows is just a simple cleanup operation." "What about those experts?" Yu Hong asked, surprised. "The structure of the Seven Evil Alliance is very loose. The opponent likely hired mercenaries with a lot of money from the Mud Doll Sect;they wouldn¡¯t die for the Mud Doll Sect. After all, the core of the Seven Evil Alliance is the Seven Evils Seven Organizations, and within it, the Mud Doll Sect is just a minor power." Meng Chengshuang coughed a few times, then suddenly spat out a large mouthful of blood and casually continued. "Sister, I think you should go and rest.... I¡¯ll keep watch here." Yu Hong said helplessly. "It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s just a congealed... blood spurt!" Meng Chengshuang bent her head and sprayed out a large cloud of bright red blood mist, her nose and mouth completely muddled, then immediately her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed backwards. Yu Hong supported her with one hand, exhaled a Dao Breath, and instantly sensed extreme weakness throughout her body, with blood vessels blocked by injuries everywhere. If delayed further, she would need emergency ICU care... After all, with blood vessel blockage and internal organs lacking airflow, they would quickly be deprived of nutrition and oxygen and begin to necrotize. "Everyone likes to act tough." Without a word, he picked up this tough woman and headed towards the military convoy where an ambulance was already waiting. As for those three from the Mud Doll Sect, he was just a regular Dao Seed Disciple. Even if somewhat talented, directly knocking down three Mud Doll Sect senior experts was a bit of an exaggeration. Relying on the Inheritance Dao Artifact for his previous achievements was already terrifying, doing it one more time would not just be terrifying, but frightening. After all, compared to that at the beach, here Meng Chengshuang was an Earth Level Dao Artifact holder. The person who had injured her this badly, his strength must far exceed Vice Sect Master Lin Shan from the beach. Having transported the casualty to the ambulance, the fog over the ruins of the township slowly began to dissipate. The fire blazed fiercely, and the plastic and wood materials in houses released pungent smoke while burning. At a glance, everything was black and red. "Elder Brother Zheng Rou, Master¡¯s call." Zheng Xia walked over and handed her cellphone to Yu Hong. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Why didn¡¯t he call me directly?" Yu Hong took it and asked. "Your phone wouldn¡¯t connect." Yu Mo¡¯s voice came through from the other end. Yu Hong quickly fished out, indeed pulling a pack of smashed phone pieces from his pocket;it was clear it had been broken at some unknown time. "How is the situation?" Yu Mo quickly asked. "Sister Meng has been taken to the ambulance." Yu Hong replied. ".....even she was injured so badly!?" Yu Mo was shocked, suddenly making a loud noise on the phone, clearly hitting something in surprise. "How is she? Is she in danger?!" "She¡¯s alright, just lost a lot of blood, needs to rest, no fatal wounds or anything." Yu Hong answered. This time he had planned to come and reveal a bit more of his power to solve the issue with the Mud Doll Sect. Unexpectedly, Meng Chengshuang herself endured the enemy, and the official artillery support was very effective, directly bombing the Array foundations and blasting the two high experts away. When he arrived, it was basically all over. "That¡¯s good.... glad to hear, it¡¯s been quite tragic, even Meng Chengshuang got hurt so badly.... if it was just us alone against them, it would be unimaginable¡­" Yu Mo thought about it and felt chilled. "About Zheng Hong¡­" Yu Hong began to explain. "No need to say, I already know. Zheng Xia and the others reported to me in person, all of us old folks are aware. You did well." "I didn¡¯t really want this either." Yu Hong sighed, "Why do people always like to act as traitors and disrupt everything?" "People have their own aspirations;since they chose another path, then let them bear the consequences themselves." Yu Mo scoffed. "For such traitors, if they¡¯re still alive, they should be disciplined according to the rules when they return. I wish I could cut off their limbs and make them example poles to deter others!" Zheng Hong¡¯s betrayal nearly killed the entire team. Had it not been for Yu Hong¡¯s sudden burst of strength rising to the challenge, this time their entire Dao Seed Class might have been wiped off. After a few more words, he hung up the phone, and Yu Hong saw Commander Liu Shanhe approaching. "Commander Liu." He greeted proactively, "We owe you a lot this time." "I was just treating a dead horse as if it were alive, following the military Magician¡¯s suggestion for targeted demolition." Liu Shanhe shook his head, "Lucky we gambled right, otherwise¡­" He didn¡¯t finish his sentence. After a pause, he scrutinized Yu Hong who had arrived just in time for support. "In this round, we¡¯ve almost wiped out all the bases of the Mud Doll Sect. But they have not been eradicated;the Sect Hierarch and the Vice Sect Hierarch are still alive, albeit severely injured, but we need to continue strict monitoring going forward." "So, this means our Qingchen Temple¡¯s involvement is pretty much concluded?" Yu Hong understood. The pursuit was handled jointly by the Taoist Sect and the officials. "Pretty much, we¡¯ll handle the aftermath, there¡¯s still a lot to do here..." Liu Shanhe looked towards the vehicle collecting the corpses, sighing deeply. Seeing his somber mood, Yu Hong didn¡¯t speak further, turned his head, and looked at the Dao Seed Disciples gathered together talking. Several Dao Seed Disciples all arrived together, Zheng Ming and Zheng Ying were injured and poisoned, weak and feeble. Zheng Xia looked tired and haggard, her Daoist robe also had several tears, probably injured by the blast. Zheng Hong was gone. There was also Zheng Yun the reserved quiet one, following behind with a pale face. One of his arms drooped powerless at his side, it¡¯s unclear whether it was broken or something else had happened. Qingchen Temple had mobilized just these few people;the rest were primarily officials and official magicians. "Taoist Zheng Rou, in the future, if Taizhou faces any tough situations, we may need the Taoist¡¯s substantial assistance," Liu Shanhe said courteously. "Of course, I am also a part of Taizhou and should naturally assist," Yu Hong stated with resolution. Pleasantries were of course offered first, but whether or not he would help would depend on the specifics of the situation. "After this battle, within Qingchen Temple, perhaps Taoist should be regarded as the strongest," Liu Shanhe sighed. "General Liu flatters me," Yu Hong shook his head. Not far away, Cheng Shu, Red Snake, and Headless Sword gathered once again, watching as body after body was carried out. The three of them stood in silence. After a few minutes of silence, Headless Sword finally spoke softly. "Are you sure, this isn¡¯t some kind of joke?" "No one has the time to joke at a time like this," Red Snake answered gravely. "We saw it with our own eyes, Taoist Zheng Rou suddenly appeared next to the Vice Sect Master of the Mud Doll Sect, and with one punch, he was gone." "That speed... it¡¯s too exaggerated, the strength too. The Techniques were shattered instantly, and the man was thrown dozens of meters away into the sea!" Red Snake still felt tingles down his spine thinking about it. A difference of over ten meters, a moment, an appearance, then one punch, and the battle was over. Such an action could already be considered an instant kill. "If you didn¡¯t have any illusions, then from now on, in the whole of Taizhou, perhaps Zheng Rou will be number one..." Headless Sword spoke again, then looked towards Cheng Shu. "If what you said is true, does what you said before still stand?" "Of course it does." Cheng Shu nodded. "Taoist Zheng Rou is very interested in the secret techniques of us wild mages, hoping to exchange with us using the Techniques of his own Sect." "Qingchen Temple will agree to this?" Red Snake asked. "Not before, but after today, I guess as long as it¡¯s not a core Technique, there won¡¯t be any problems," Cheng Shu sighed. It felt like a dream to her now, so unreal. It had only been a few days, but Zheng Rou had soared to become the top expert of the Taoist Sect in Taizhou. "Think about it," Cheng Shu said softly. "This is a rare opportunity, you know, it¡¯s only at this stage where Zheng Rou, who hasn¡¯t cultivated for long, is interested in loose cultivator Techniques. It won¡¯t be long before his accumulation catches up and his interest in loose Techniques fades..." The other two understood her words. Loose Techniques, though powerful, actually come with severe side effects. But look at the speed and strength of that Taoist Zheng Rou, others might covet their Techniques. But this one, perhaps was truly only interested. * * * One hour later. Qingchen Temple. Inside the grand hall, the old Daoists of the Yu generation stood up, welcoming Yu Hong and other Dao Seed Disciples as they crossed the threshold. Silence. The old Daoists approached but stopped a few meters away, scrutinizing them closely. Especially Yu Hong, they looked very intently. Yu Mo, at the forefront, had a complex expression mixed with a trace of worry. "Zheng Rou, did you... really win head-on against Lin Shan and Yuan Ming!?" "It was just luck," Yu Hong revealed an expression of lingering fear, "At that time, my Daoist Magic Techniques had run out of options, utterly defeated, I had no choice but to take a different path and rush forward to deliver a fierce punch while they were unobservant. I didn¡¯t expect it to work!" He shook his head. "Thinking back, there was a lot of luck involved. That punch was the peak performance of all my punches, irreproducible! It really felt like heaven and earth were helping me...." "....." Behind him, Zheng Ming, Zheng Ying, and others had strange expressions on their faces, internally marveling at how thick-skinned Yu Hong was to lie so blatantly in front of so many witnesses without batting an eye. They intended to clarify but remembering Yu Hong¡¯s ferocious punch that blew up Lin Shan of the Mud Doll Sect, their words retreated to the tip of their tongues. "No matter the method or approach, you won... that¡¯s the result," Yu Mo shook his head, not addressing those so-called excuses. "That¡¯s true," Yu Hong quickly nodded. "Sigh... what Level has your Dao Practice reached now?" Yu Mo asked again. "I am Condensing the Seventh Layer Horror Shadow," Yu Hong confessed. The Seventh Layer!! The surrounding disciples and the old Daoists of the Yu generation all gasped. It hadn¡¯t been long, but he was already starting to challenge the boundary of the Absolute Boundary. Success in cultivating the Seventh Layer meant crossing the Absolute Boundary, with spiritual power undergoing a fundamental transformation, becoming a Temple Master Level master. This marked the entry into mastery, the threshold to becoming a true expert! Chapter 327: Situation One "Moreover, does your Dao Artifact have the effect of strengthening the body?" Yu Mo asked again. "Yes, the strengthening extent is considerable. I am also lucky to have this advantage," Yu Hong lied with eyes wide open. In fact, the power of Chang¡¯e was far beyond this, but he neither wanted to nor was willing to fully input Dao Breath to support Guang Han. In other words, Chang¡¯e had always been relying on the power of the Dao Artifact itself to fight. The inputted Dao Breath was only enough to get started;to be able to fight like this was already quite impressive, truly worthy of a Profound Level Dao Artifact. "Good¡­ good," Yu Mo said the word "good" twice consecutively. From Yu Hong¡¯s attitude, they could see that he still acknowledged himself as a disciple of Qingchen Temple;even if his strength surpassed these old folks, he was still not arrogant. Slap. Master Yu Hen clapped his hands. "With Zhengrou¡¯s strength, he now surpasses everyone in our sect. In this case, would it be ok for us to squeeze out another Heart Changing Pill to aid him?" he asked. He looked towards the group of old Taoists. A Heart Changing Pill could forcibly help someone break through a level, but it can only be taken once every two years and is ineffective on the Ninth Layer. Yu Hong had one before, and now to have another meant that in four years, he would reach the eighth level of Daoist Skills and start cultivating the Ninth Layer! "If Zhengrou can stabilize smoothly¡­ in four years, he will achieve the highest Daoist Skills of Qingchen Temple," Master Yu Hen said solemnly. "But forcibly elevated Daoist Realm can easily regress. We used it because we had reached that stage before¡­" Yu Mo argued. "This is exactly what I want;with Zhengrou¡¯s talent, let him experience a higher level of Daoist Realm first, then breaking through should be much easier!" Master Yu Hen earnestly said. "Additionally," he looked to the other old Taoists, "how about we give him a spot at the Five Spirits Spring?" Suddenly, the old Taoists fell silent. The Five Spirits Spring accumulates enough for one person¡¯s use every ten years;it¡¯s the greatest foundation of Qingchen Temple. Soaking in the Five Spirits Spring allows a Magician¡¯s physique and spirit to greatly improve, primarily in terms of Techniques. After soaking in the Five Spirits Spring, a Magician cultivating the Guanwu Skill will gain a special innate ability when releasing Magic. This ability allows a Magician to summon multiple Fear Shadows at the same time. As long as there is sufficient Dao Breath, the Magician can repeatedly summon up to ten strongest Fear Shadows, as long as they can withstand the consumption. Seconds later. "Agreed," Yu Mo was the first to speak. "Agreed." "Okay!" Voices continuously arose, all old Taoists of the Yu Generation were firm in their resolve, determined at all costs to push Zhengrou to the greatest heights ever in the history of Qingchen Temple! * * * Under the night sky, in front of Yu Hong¡¯s small courtyard. Several blurry figures quietly gathered here. The leader was none other than Cheng Shu, who had just rushed over from the hospital. Exchanging traditional Techniques for Secret Technique without side effects, such a trade, has far exceeded Cheng Shu¡¯s expectations in terms of allure to ordinary Loose Cultivators. She glanced behind at the dozen people who had arrived overnight, feeling inexplicably emotional. ¡¯It was me who misjudged;for us, who are considered experts among Loose Cultivators, the attraction of traditional Technique cultivation is strong, but it¡¯s not enough to make us blindly give up everything. But for them¡­their grasp of Techniques is inferior to mine;if they could also exchange for traditional Technique cultivation¡­ it indeed represents a tremendous opportunity.¡¯ Cheng Shu sighed and gently knocked on the door. Knock, knock. Before long, light footsteps approached, followed by the turning of the door lock. Click. The door opened. Yu Hong¡¯s face, wearing a smile, appeared before everyone. "Thanks for waiting for so long, welcome everyone, please come in first," he moved aside to open a pathway, gesturing inside. The courtyard was large, after Qingchen Temple had purchased this property, they expanded the yard a second time. Together with Cheng Shu, a total of sixteen people entered the yard successively, with the last person closing the door. "Today, since everyone has come here, it means you are somewhat prepared for our transaction," he said, smiling and clapping his hands. "To be clear, I don¡¯t have many Techniques to offer, but the effects will definitely satisfy everyone." "Brother Zhengrou, with so many of us here, are you sure you can guarantee all of us will be satisfied? Aren¡¯t you being a bit too confident?" a bald, muscular man wearing sunglasses among the crowd spoke up. Wearing sunglasses at night, it was unclear if he was blind or had some other special reason. "If I dare to say this, I naturally have confidence," Yu Hong replied with a smile, "In fact, I believe everyone has guessed that before joining Qingchen Temple, I, Zhengrou, was not just some ignorant person;I have also cultivated for many years." He took the initiative to throw this statement out to gain everyone¡¯s trust. Indeed, as soon as these words came out, everyone present began to feel somewhat restless. "We want to exchange not for the personal Techniques you cultivated, but for the Techniques collected by Qingchen Temple," another woman with short hair spoke sternly. "I can guarantee there are no side effects, of course, if you completely distrust me, then let¡¯s forget it," Yu Hong replied nonchalantly. Everyone fell silent, then Cheng Shu spoke up. "Can you tell us what kind of Techniques are available for trade?" Yu Hong raised his hand, his fingertips lit up with a white light tinged with silver. "Of course, that¡¯s possible." A moment later. One by one, the people left the yard, each with an exaggerated expression of ecstatic joy. Cheng Shu was the last to leave. Unable to resist, she turned back to glance at Yu Hong. He had walked her to the door and stood in the shade of the streetlight, his face obscured, unmoving by the door¡¯s side. ¡¯Such Techniques... to think they could perfectly mend each person¡¯s unique flaws.¡¯ Cheng Shu thought, still incredulous. But the price... Cheng Shu mulled over the conditions Yu Hong had just mentioned. The Techniques could be shared for cultivation, but a corresponding price must be paid. The so-called price was actually joining an alliance Yu Hong was forming, the Mutual Assistance Alliance. No superior or inferior, just mutual connection, mutual trust, mutual assistance in times of adversity. That was the exact wording Yu Hong had used. Of course, no one would be naive enough to truly believe these words. Just... ¡¯What is his purpose?¡¯ Cheng Shu couldn¡¯t comprehend. The conditions for the trade, is it just this simple? Joining this so-called Mutual Assistance Alliance verbally, and obtaining such incredibly effective, special Techniques? She didn¡¯t know what Yu Hong really intended to do, nor what he could use to bind everyone. As a member of the Wild Mages, she well knew what these people were like. Among them, there were undoubtedly some good ones, but the majority were those who couldn¡¯t control their desires, neutrally evil who have misused their magic. Facing such a group, she didn¡¯t believe mere verbal commitment would be effective. Turning back, Cheng Shu boarded her car with doubts. "How did it go?" Red Snake and Headless Sword had been waiting inside. "It went well, unnervingly well," Cheng Shu shook her head. "What¡¯s with that expression then?" asked Red Snake in surprise. "Because it¡¯s too generous." Cheng Shu extended her finger, and a white light tinged with silver, a special force, suddenly lit up at her fingertip. That force, visible only to Magicians, moved like a living thing, continuously swirling around her fingertip. "This is the special Technique he traded to us¡ªFluid Spirit Light." "What¡¯s its use?" Red Snake¡¯s gaze instantly fixed on it. "Its function is to automatically compensate for our various flaws. For example, what I wanted to mend was the deficiency in physical strength and power. So this Fluid Spirit Light I cultivated is constantly attached to my body, enhancing my physical strength," explained Cheng Shu. "How much does it enhance?" Headless Sword¡¯s interest was piqued. "Significantly," Cheng Shu said gravely, "I estimate that now, purely in terms of strength, I am at least seventy percent stronger than before." "¡­So exaggerated!?" Headless Sword¡¯s eyes widened, "You just got the Technique, how..." "Yes... just got it, and I already cultivated it, and the enhancement is so substantial, are there such easy-to-master peerless Techniques in this world??" Cheng Shu also asked herself. "Did you ask him?" Red Snake asked seriously. "I did, he responded by saying, this is the real purpose of the Mutual Assistance Alliance... because, this Fluid Spirit Light, essentially, is cultivated by all of us practicing this light together. Every so often, we gather, and the Spirit Lights will automatically interact, mutually balancing and strengthening each other. The more people cultivating it, the stronger the Spirit Light becomes." "¡­This¡­" Red Snake and Headless Sword were instantly tempted. "Are you sure there¡¯s no side effect?" Red Snake asked again. "I¡¯ve checked thoroughly, the Spirit Light not only does no harm to my body, but it also constantly nourishes it, my Essence Qi is much stronger than before," Cheng Shu shook her head. "Then what are we waiting for!" Red Snake burst out, pushing open the car door. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Headless Sword sat in silence. "I don¡¯t believe there is such a cost-free magic in this world." "Actually... there is another price," Cheng Shu suddenly said. "Tell me," Headless Sword looked at her intently. "That is, Yu Hong said that actually, this Spirit Light grows differently on each person, the Mutual Assistance Alliance is unjust for those talented individuals who grow faster, forcing them to evenly distribute their gains to others at intervals." Cheng Shu relayed Yu Hong¡¯s original words. "How is that a price?" Headless Sword scoffed, "If the talented do not help others, would they grow faster than others? Everyone exchanging and sharing knowledge together, compared to one person cultivating alone, will naturally have an advantage." "I thought so too," Cheng Shu nodded. After a silence, Headless Sword also stepped out of the car. "However it is, even if we don¡¯t want this Spirit Light, just this Mutual Assistance Alliance alone is a natural good opportunity..." With the Spirit Light Technique as a tie, gathering a group of Magicians regularly, wasn¡¯t this naturally a Magician¡¯s alliance? Moreover... for the Wild Mages who manage to come here, many of them are already desperate, daring to accept such harsh employment conditions, daring to risk their lives, what¡¯s a possibly hidden cost considered? "Let¡¯s do it!" Headless Sword stepped out of the car, quickly catching up to Red Snake, heading towards Yu Hong¡¯s courtyard. Chapter 328: Situation 326 Part 2 One hour later... Yu Hong closed the courtyard gate, sending off the last Wild Mage who had come to visit. The emergence of the Mutual Assistance Alliance was a stroke of his genius. The power of the Magic wielded by these Wild Mages was not weak, and those who came to visit were all aging Magicians on the cusp of rapid decline, facing the dilemma of their bodies quickly deteriorating and completely losing their ability to cast spells. At this age, which Magician didn¡¯t have enemies from past grudges? Once they lost control of their Magic, their future lives were bound to be very difficult. This also led to Wild Mages acting extremely ruthlessly, often cutting the weeds and digging up the roots, merciless and heavy-handed. Many of them weren¡¯t inherently bad, but they dared not show mercy. And facing such a group on the brink of the end, Yu Hong¡¯s Spirit Light offered them a glimmer of hope. The Spirit Light of the Tai Ling Skill could not only be bestowed upon others but could also slowly absorb their Life Force and spiritual power from their bodies to mend their deficiencies. He passed on the Spirit Light to these people, then separated out a small part of the Tai Ling Skill that was only about cultivating and strengthening the Spirit Light. His aim was to selflessly assist others, help everyone, help this world. It was definitely not to cultivate the Spirit Light for his own enlargement. Because these Wild Mages were like fragile porcelain vases on the verge of shattering, covered in cracks. The Spirit Light was akin to first mending the cracks, then slowly absorbing a bit of water from inside the vase as a price. As long as they did not leave the Alliance, did not commit malicious deeds, Yu Hong would not withdraw the Spirit Light. As long as he did not completely take back the Spirit Light, no harm would come to them. The Alliance could thus continue to thrive and grow rapidly. "In this way, when needed, everyone can have a bright future, and the whole world can have a stronger power of self-preservation...." Yu Hong sighed softly. The Wild Mages with their deficiencies mended were actually not much different from orthodox Magicians anymore, the only difference probably lying in the possession of Inheritance Dao Artifacts and the accumulation of a large number of resources. Turning around, he lifted his foot intending to return to the inner room to rest. Suddenly, his steps paused, and he turned his head towards a shadowy corner of the right side of the courtyard. "Who¡¯s there?!" From the shadow, a tall figure quietly emerged, walked into the light, and stood still. It was none other than the elderly man wearing the Phoenix Silver Mask that he had seen in Five Star Town before. The Dark Gold Armor on his hands was gone, exposing his skinny, wrinkled hands that hung by his sides. "Truly selfless indeed... Sharing your powerful Magic with so many people, rescuing them in their time of crisis, while you only give without expecting any return..." the old man remarked with a concealed hint of sarcasm in his tone. "You saw all that?" Yu Hong was surprised by the other¡¯s ability to conceal himself, gaining more insight into the powerful Magicians of this world. To be exact, he also gained a new understanding of his own shortcomings and deficiencies. It was necessary to make up for the weakness in his perception... "I saw it, that exquisite Fluid Spirit Light, very impressive," the old man nodded. He watched Yu Hong, the burly young man who now stood backlit, his face obscured by shadows, unclear. "But I don¡¯t believe you are so selfless." "...I naturally have my own goals, but I can assure you, everything I do is with a clear conscience!" Yu Hong said firmly. "Never mind what you want to do, Killing Lin Shan and Yuan Ming, the Mud Doll Sect paid a great price to hire me to take care of you once and for all. Do you have any last words?" the old man said calmly. "Do you know this place is being monitored and protected all the time?" Yu Hong countered. "I know, but it¡¯s meaningless to me," the old man said indifferently, "In their eyes at this moment, what they see of me is just a shadow. Nothing more..." "A Hypnosis Technique?" Yu Hong¡¯s eyes went cold. "Who the hell are you?" "What does it matter who I am once you know?" the old man replied. "No, it¡¯s just that I feel better asking clearly before I strike you down." Whoosh! In a flash, Yu Hong¡¯s figure instantly traversed more than ten meters, appearing beside the old man. A punch. Boom! The fist produced a sharp whooshing sound as it cut through the air. But it hit nothing. The old man¡¯s figure shattered like a bubble. At the same time, a black spike suddenly rose from the ground, aiming for Yu Hong¡¯s foot. Bang!! The spike was crushed underfoot, turning into countless illusory fragments of shadow. "Shadow Viewing," the old man¡¯s voice quietly sounded. In an instant, the air throughout the yard stirred up, twisting and blurring as if a giant mass of transparent gel had completely filled every corner of the yard. Missing with his first strike, Yu Hong¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he rapidly retreated, dodging the attack, and his figure flashed like lightning over the high walls of the courtyard, disappearing into the streets of the night. At the same time, a gloomy shadow followed him, leaping over the wall, closely pursuing him, disappearing at the end of the street. This was the old man¡¯s unique way of moving. The whistling sound of the wind continuously buzzed in his ears as Yu Hong moved at high speed, breaking out of Taizhou City in no time, entering the desolate highway lined with palm trees. ¡¯This way.¡¯ He suddenly made a turn and dashed rapidly toward the seaside on the right. Passing through the palm trees, on the black sandy beach at night, another old man wearing the Phoenix Silver Mask was slowly getting up, looking this way. "Impressive," the old man said softly as he clapped, "You realized right away that the body of mine over there was just a construct of Magic, and then you directly chased after the real body based on the sensation..." Thump. His body was once again dispersed by a punch, turning into a shadow, reassembling a dozen meters away. Then another punch. The newly reassembled body was once again caught up to by Yu Hong and directly dispersed. Bang! Bang! Bang! Time and time again, the old man¡¯s body was continuously dismantled and reassembled, as if he was not a living person and took no damage whatsoever. Finally. With a whoosh, Yu Hong came to a stop, standing on the beach, quietly observing the old man taking shape again. "What kind of magic is this?" he asked, frowning. "Undying Triple Body." The old man answered, his voice calm and serious. There was silence. "And you, what kind of movement technique is that??" The old man also asked. "Thunderbolt Leg." Yu Hong replied with equal seriousness. For a moment, neither of them moved. Yu Hong was subdued by the opponent¡¯s continuously condensing magic. The old man was frightened by Yu Hong¡¯s physique, which allowed him to strike so many times at such speed. With such speed, fortunately, he had not truly taken action in Five Star Town, otherwise... back then, without using Undying Triple Body, he would probably have been blown into severe injuries in an instant! Both sides developed a deep wariness of the other. "With your strength, why would you stoop to stay in the mere Qingchen Temple? Why not directly join the Seven Evil Alliance? I can recommend you for the position of Dark Sky Master. Only the Alliance Hierarch and the Seven Evils stand above you, and the rest of us interact as equals. How about that?" the old man persuaded. "What is your identity? With your level of strength as a magician, what is your status in the Seven Evil Alliance?" Yu Hong countered. "I am the Dark Sky Master. Currently, there are three Dark Sky Masters in the alliance, and I, Qing Huang, am one of them." The old man stated indifferently. "Did you create the Yin Qi Sky Pillar?" Yu Hong asked again. "Heh heh... That was the Alliance Hierarch¡¯s doing. The Alliance Hierarch has a deep enmity with the orthodox Taoist Sects, well aware that the world order has long been rigid, with incapable beings dwelling in high positions, cruelly destroying and suppressing the capable ones below. To achieve fairness, the only way is to disrupt everything, reshape the world, and then we can have clear skies!" Qing Huang said solemnly. "I don¡¯t care about that. All I care about is that you unleashed the Yin Qi Sky Pillar, and that¡¯s enough." Yu Hong¡¯s eyes darkened. The Black Disaster descended, causing countless deaths. It was not merely a trampling of order but an indiscriminate slaughter against all people. Those who dared to do such a thing had never cared for the world¡¯s most numerous innocent people. And he, Yu Hong, was once such an innocent person, struggling desperately in the midst of the Black Disaster... "Wait, think about it carefully. The upper echelons of the Taoist Sects are extremely rigid. Even if you have talent, have the ability, you will never receive the same treatment you get at Qingchen Temple. They will do everything they can to suppress you, exploit you, making you like a dog continually paying the price for them..." "It¡¯s okay." Yu Hong stepped forward, "When the time comes, I¡¯ll just kill them." Swoosh! He suddenly surged forward, closing in on Qing Huang¡¯s side. For the first time, his right fist was covered with shimmering white Inner Qi. Boom! He swung his fist. The air was blasted away, forming a circle of white ripples. Qing Huang¡¯s figure shattered and dissipated again. "It¡¯s useless;no matter how you disperse it, it has no impact on my true body..." Qing Huang¡¯s voice was deep. But before his voice fell, he suddenly saw Yu Hong rushing to the left. Not to his newly condensed body, but to an unrelated empty space on another part of the beach. "Form a circle!" Qing Huang¡¯s expression drastically changed, quickly forming hand seals. Invisibly, a massive and sharp transparent Spiritual Fluctuation, like a long spear, shot through the air in an instant, flying from behind toward Yu Hong. The over ten-meter-long spiritual power spear crossed tens of meters in the blink of an eye, reaching Yu Hong¡¯s back of the head. This pure Spiritual Technique, with its incredibly fast speed, far exceeded special techniques that condensed external forces. Aside from having no effect on material reality, such techniques are very effective against living beings. This was Qing Huang¡¯s fatal weakness. He primarily cultivated Spiritual Techniques and couldn¡¯t affect material reality. That is to say, once his true body was found, even an ordinary fruit knife, in the hands of an ordinary person, could kill him with a single cut. That¡¯s why he used all sorts of techniques to conceal and hide himself. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But at this moment, somehow, Yu Hong had managed to find the place where his real body was hiding! Pfft! The spiritual power spear collided with Yu Hong in the blink of an eye. But at that moment, the spear¡¯s tip seemed to encounter some tough barrier and was blocked by a thin layer of shimmering white light. At first glance, the light was white, but on closer inspection, the thicker parts appeared silver. That was Spirit Light! Crack. The spear¡¯s tip exploded with terrifying spiritual power, a consciousness far stronger than Yu Hong¡¯s penetrating the Spirit Light and continuing inward. But beneath the Spirit Light, a new layer of silver-blue light emerged automatically. This layer of silver-blue light was like a net, perfectly covering the whole back of his head. Bang! The spear¡¯s tip collided with the silver-blue light, forcefully stabbing it inward. But just then. The spear stopped abruptly, completely still, hanging in mid-air. Yu Hong stopped as well. He was crouched on the sand, his right hand gripping the neck of a gaunt masked old man ¡ª with just a little force, he could break the other party¡¯s neck. "Looks like I was quicker." Yu Hong¡¯s breath was calm, as if the outburst had just now not cost him anything at all. "You...!!" Qing Huang breathed heavily, his eyes under the mask staring intensely at him. "Your true body is pitifully weak, so you¡¯ve put a lot of effort into studying concealment and hypnotism, haven¡¯t you?" Yu Hong didn¡¯t kill him right away but continued to speak. "I can give you the techniques I have mastered, but these are taboos. Once you learn them, you¡¯ll be labeled as a devil!" Qing Huang said breathlessly. "It doesn¡¯t matter, power, does not differentiate between right and wrong, only the person using the power does." Yu Hong said earnestly. "And I am that ¡¯right¡¯." "Good... I agree to this," Qing Huang quickly said, his face twitching. "Additionally, as compensation, I can help you complete your biggest weakness." Yu Hong said in a low voice. "Do you want a physical body as powerful as mine..." His words at that moment were like the temptation of a devil, causing Qing Huang to momentarily forget the threat of death, his heart beating rapidly. Chapter 329: The 327 situation, Three More than ten minutes later. Yu Hong returned alone from the beachside. There was no sign of combat on his body, not only because the previous fight ended too quickly, but also because, afterwards, there was no need to fight anymore. A thin booklet was pinched in his hands, with the words "Heavy Image Skill" written on the cover. This was the special technique given by the old Taoist Qing Huang, a skill that supposedly could only be activated with his unique Daoist skills. But Yu Hong didn¡¯t care and took it anyway. He planned to use the Black Mark to strengthen and modify it, perhaps turning it into a type he could use. Shortly after Yu Hong left. A figure donning a phoenix mask also quickly emerged on the beach, swiftly moving toward another direction and soon got into a passing sedan, disappearing on the highway. Inside the car. Qing Huang exhaled deeply, trying his best to relax from the recent oppressive feelings. "Head back to headquarters now, no more staying in Taizhou," he instructed. The driver¡¯s hand trembled slightly. "Teacher, haven¡¯t the arrangements in Taizhou been completed yet?" The driver was a man in his thirties with a buzz cut, dull features, and ordinary looks, obviously in disguise. "No need, let the headquarters send someone else. There¡¯s too much trouble here and I¡¯m overtaxed," Qing Huang recalled Yu Hong¡¯s exaggerated physique and the two layers of mysterious spiritual protection on him, and couldn¡¯t help feeling a chill in his heart. His formidable multi-layered Hypnosis Technique had been seen through, and even his full-force Spirit Spear couldn¡¯t penetrate the other¡¯s defense. That was a bit too exaggerated. How old was he? To have such formidable spiritual protective Passive Technique? The so-called Passive Technique was a special Technique that remained active 24 hours, automatically initiating protection. It was one of the main categories of High-level Techniques that only notable figures from various places would master. Such Techniques were generally extremely complex and difficult to maintain, requiring a lot of resources and Dao Breath. In his alliance, only those of the Seven Fierce Level mastered it, but Yu Hong... could it be, he¡¯s actually not some young man, but appears young and is in fact an old fellow of seventy or eighty? Qing Huang¡¯s mind stirred. "That¡¯s right... This would explain the current situation." He carefully sensed the changes in his body;the Spirit Light he had just obtained was like countless roots evenly spreading through every muscle and membrane. He tried moving his fingers, finding that his body, which was originally aging and weak, was now as vigorous and strong as during his youthful prime, full of energy and with extremely agile reactions. ¡¯No... this state is even more exaggerated than when I was young...¡¯ Qing Huang stretched out his hand, gently pinching the edge of a pair of Dark Gold Armor placed inside the car. Applying force. Silently, the edge of the armor actually began to twist slowly... His pupils slightly contracted. He was astonished by his own strength at that moment. ¡¯With such power, speed, and burst, now I... can use techniques I couldn¡¯t before and won¡¯t be as cautious in close combat as before...¡¯ After testing his body¡¯s changes, his wariness of Yu Hong rose to a new level. Recalling that scene, the sea fish that had been imbued with Spirit Light and died after being drained. He sighed in his heart, not wanting to think further. Whether it¡¯s the Mutual Assistance Alliance or the Seven Evil Alliance, where isn¡¯t life just life? The victor becomes king, the defeated an outlaw, that¡¯s all. Of course, now the most important thing was his greatest weakness had been compensated for, and next... some accounts needed to be settled properly! Thinking this, a hint of ferocity flashed in Qing Huang¡¯s eyes. * * * S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After the battle at Five Star Town. The Mud Doll Sect¡¯s greatest force was utterly crushed, all the followers in Taizhou were completely scattered, losing their leader. In the days that followed, multiple raiding and arresting operations were organized by the officials, quickly eliminating the hidden threats from the cultists in the urban area. As for Yu Hong, because of the renown gained from the battle, his fame quickly spread among the circles of Magicians. Visitors to Qingchen Temple broke through the previous years of coldness, becoming more and more frequent. Every day brought Magicians from different places coming to visit. On the surface, these Magicians were just coming to see what kind of talent Qingchen Temple¡¯s true gentle nature was that could become the strongest of a sect at such a young age. But in reality, nearly all of them were there because of the Mutual Assistance Alliance. Magicians covertly joining the Mutual Assistance Alliance in just over ten days broke through into the hundreds. A large amount of Spirit Light was separated out and bestowed upon these new Magicians. Similarly, the intensity of the Spirit Light also began to grow stronger and more exaggerated. At night, in a desolate factory on the outskirts. Many Magicians of the Mutual Assistance Alliance were holding their first official meeting at this moment to exchange Spirit Light. The door was left open, with people clothed in black cloths, wearing hats and black masks constantly entering. Occasionally, someone with a distinctive physique who couldn¡¯t hide would simply walk in openly, stand against the wall, and wait for the start. Some were not so quiet, recognizing an enemy among them, and verbal confrontations began, with conflict likely to break out at any moment. But no one dared to actually start a fight. "At the beginning, when there were not many people here, the atmosphere was relatively relaxed, but now..." In a corner, Red Snake, Headless Sword, and Cheng Shu, all dressed in black robes in a Halloween ghost-like fashion, wore pale ghostly plastic masks on their faces, observing the surroundings. "There are too many people..." Cheng Shu said softly, "I didn¡¯t expect that in such a short time, so many people would gather!" Her eyes were solemn, and her mood was somewhat heavy. "What exactly does Zheng Rou want to do? Even if it¡¯s called the Mutual Assistance Alliance, being able to gather so many Magicians with just a word, that¡¯s already a considerable force." "Do you think all these people are convinced by him?" Headless Sword said, "Just because so many people have gathered doesn¡¯t mean everyone will listen to him. The power of Spirit Light has been felt by everyone recently. It enhances speed, physique, strength, recovery, defense - a tailor-made, comprehensive enhancement to the body." He paused, looking around. "If I¡¯m not wrong, there are definitely people here aiming to get the spell for fusing with Spirit Light from Zheng Rou. No one wants to be controlled by others, and if one can obtain the Fusion Technique, they could raise an army just as large. Once the greed of humans arises, it won¡¯t easily subside..." "Old Xia is right," Red Snake nodded. "Although we are wearing masks, I¡¯ve already seen several familiar faces, and it seems like they¡¯ve brought weapons, ready to strike unexpectedly." "Guns?!" Cheng Shu exclaimed in shock. "We must notify Zheng Rou at once!" "Do you really think that someone daring enough to create such an event like Zheng Rou, the Taoist, wouldn¡¯t have already considered this?" Headless Sword retorted. "That¡¯s indeed no ordinary person..." Red Snake nodded, about to say more, but she was interrupted by the sudden silence around them. She quickly looked up towards the entrance. In the warehouse lit by bright yellow light. Hundreds of Magicians turned to look at the entrance all at the same time. At that moment, at the threshold, a tall and robust male figure slowly stepped over and entered. The man looked up, revealing a calm and mild young face, not particularly handsome, but not unsightly either. Neither sharp nor timid, he faced the hundreds of Magicians as if facing hundreds of wildflowers swaying in the breeze, relaxed and carefree. This man was none other than Zheng Rou, the Taoist Yu Hong, who had just arrived from his residence. After entering, Yu Hong closed the door behind him with a click, and locked it. "It seems everyone has arrived," he said with a smile. "No one is missing, which I find comforting. Everyone¡¯s focus on Spirit Light shows that each of you has tasted its sweetness and experienced its power." "Zheng Rou, the Taoist, none of us are simple folks. Let¡¯s be forthright - you spreading Spirit Light to so many people must have a purpose. Since everyone¡¯s here today, why not make it clear?" said a middle-aged man with a fierce face and only one ear, standing up. He was one of the few Magicians who hadn¡¯t concealed himself. "May I ask who you are?" Yu Hong looked at him. "Xue He, Zhao Zhinian!" the man said, bowing his hands slightly and replying loudly. "Xue He? That¡¯s an interesting name," Yu Hong smiled. "As for the purpose, I¡¯ve already mentioned it: to create an alliance that can enhance Spirit Light rapidly and benefit everyone who joins, myself included, of course." "Since it¡¯s a Mutual Assistance Alliance, why are you the only one who can master the Magic Skill of fusing with Spirit Light? Why not share it for everyone to evaluate, see who¡¯s more qualified to master it, and also help the alliance develop faster? What do you think about this, Brother Zheng Rou?" Xue He raised his eyebrows and said. "That¡¯s an excellent idea," Yu Hong clapped his hands and laughed. "I wonder, who else here would like to master this Magic Skill? Please, come forward." The warehouse went quiet for a moment. The crowd dispersed, leaving an open space. "I will!" A woman with long braids flipped over from a discarded shipping container and entered the open space. "I am Mao Rong, the Wind Seeker!" Her eyes were fierce as she looked at Yu Hong. A stir went through the crowd at the sound of her name. "An A-level fugitive! There¡¯s trouble!" Cheng Shu didn¡¯t recognize the person, but the name she had heard of: this Mao Rong had previously murdered three families to seize a thousand-year-old Secret Medicine, exterminating over twenty people. After fleeing for over a year under official reward, she had surfaced here. She had anticipated that Spirit Light might attract danger and trouble, but had not expected it to happen so soon! Not only her, all the Magicians who weren¡¯t too preoccupied with deep thoughts, ambition, or greed, now all turned their attention to Yu Hong. Watching how he would handle this danger. Though his victory over the Mud Doll Sect had established Yu Hong¡¯s reputation as the top expert in Taizhou, Taizhou was only one city, and in the context of hundreds of cities nationwide, it was too insignificant. Now with Mao Rong stepping forward, if Yu Hong couldn¡¯t handle it, the entire Mutual Assistance Alliance would fall into chaos. At that moment, everyone¡¯s gaze was fixed on Yu Hong. "Anyone else?" Yu Hong said softly, looking around. No one responded, clearly all wanting to see Mao Rong as the test case and what the consequences would be. "Then let me deal with you first." He smiled slightly and stretched out his hand, gesturing toward Mao Rong. "Are you going to make a move?" Mao Rong¡¯s expression darkened as she too prepared her Seal. Hiss! In an instant, before she could even activate her Seal, her body convulsed violently. Strands of white Spirit Light with silver threads shot out from her mouth and nostrils, swiftly turning into a beam, bypassing the crowd, and landing in the palm of Yu Hong. During the slight hissing sound, the expelled Spirit Light continued for more than ten seconds before it finally stopped. After it ceased, Mao Rong¡¯s body, which had been full of life and vigor, now turned into a blackened, dried-up mummy. Chapter 330: Situation 328, Four Thump. Mao Rong¡¯s corpse fell to the ground, lifeless. And in the entire warehouse, over a hundred magicians were stunned at this moment. Countless gazes converged on the mummified body, a mixture of horror, fear, shock, disbelief, and other emotions, filling this small warehouse at this instant. Everyone¡¯s breathing came to a halt as they looked at the corpse on the ground, then remembered the previous spirit light;the connection was so obvious, that no one could fail to realize it. Spirit light, actually concealed such an evil backdoor... Their life and death had always been in the palm of Zheng Rou¡¯s hands... Just a simple action like that could reduce someone to a mummified corpse instantly... Bang. Suddenly, a gunshot rang out. Someone had fired! But the bullet hit the metal wall beside Yu Hong, making a crisp sound. Similarly, another white spirit light shot out from the crowd, converging into Yu Hong¡¯s hand. He wore a smile, calmly absorbing the second spirit light, then withdrew his hand, looking at the utterly quiet crowd. "It seems that I am still one step ahead," he said with a smile, "Don¡¯t you think?" After a long while... Cheng Shu, who was equally stunned, looked around at the pale-faced magicians, and took the initiative to step forward. "Zheng Rou, what exactly do you want to do? Spreading the spirit light over such a large area... Once it spreads, the Taoist Sect and the officials will hunt you down with full force!" She was completely baffled. "They have no time to care about me," Yu Hong shook his head, "Moreover, what I am doing is preparing everyone." He spread his arms. "A massive natural disaster is coming, whether it¡¯s the Taoist Sect or the officials, they will soon be overwhelmed and have no strength to worry about these small matters." "And I, I just want to gather a portion of everyone¡¯s power in the future catastrophe." S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He looked at the crowd;nobody dared to speak again. Many were still immersed in the information that one would die if their spirit light was withdrawn, and their hearts were filled with immense panic. "Don¡¯t worry, as long as you don¡¯t actively oppose me, I will not withdraw your spirit light. And now, the purpose of our gathering here is not to scare everyone, but to merge everyone¡¯s spirit light, enhancing the power of all. Right?" Without further ado, he raised his right hand high. The Tai Ling Skill was rapidly activated. Hiss! Hiss hiss hiss hiss!! In an instant, invisible transparent light threads flew out from everyone¡¯s body. Each thread eventually converged into Yu Hong¡¯s palm, continuously drilling into his body. Instantly, a surge of refreshing sensation flooded into Yu Hong¡¯s heart. He could clearly see, and sense, the inner strength of his Tai Ling Skill growing rapidly stronger and thicker in his body. The nine layers of the Tai Ling Skill were still named after the Taiyuan True Method. After all, this cultivation technique was essentially based on the Taiyuan True Method, supplemented and modified with other techniques. At this moment, Yu Hong¡¯s originally cultivated Third Layer Blue Sun was also met with a surge of spirit light, impacting and merging with it. The cluster of inner strength carrying the aura of the Ultimate Sun began to grow rapidly. Seconds later. A pale blue illusory sun slowly emerged in front of Yu Hong. Then, the phantom sun quickly disappeared, replaced by a dim yellowish-red halo that completely enveloped Yu Hong. Another few seconds later, the halo dissipated. Yu Hong collected his hand with a refreshed expression as the special transformation of the Tai Ling Skill Fourth Layer Dusk automatically emerged in his mind. Yes, the Tai Ling Skill, which was supposed to take several more months to break through, had, under the integration of a large amount of spirit light, achieved a breakthrough, starting the cultivation of the Fourth Layer Dusk. Complex enhancements started to take place inside Yu Hong. As soon as the Tai Ling Skill¡¯s inner strength broke through, it began a new round of transformation for him from the root. A hint of icy chill wafted lightly from Yu Hong¡¯s body. The ultimate goal of this cultivation technique was to completely merge oneself with the Ultimate Sun, becoming its sole will. Therefore, each breakthrough of the cultivation technique meant that Yu Hong¡¯s body was gradually being reformed to adapt to the extreme environment within the Ultimate Sun. The icy chill caused the other magicians standing beside him to retreat one after another. Some sharp-eyed ones even saw the frost slowly condensing under Yu Hong¡¯s feet. Just as they worried that losing their spirit light might turn them into mummified corpses. Hiss hiss hiss! Dense spirit light threads shot out from Yu Hong again, returning to each magician. Seconds later. The spirit light vanished. The abnormalities on Yu Hong disappeared as well. Everyone¡¯s expression changed dramatically, sensing new changes within their bodies. Cheng Shu, Red Snake, and Headless Sword felt the same. A layer of pearly white spirit light naturally emerged from them, protecting every part of their bodies like close-fitting armor. "I feel like the amplification of the spirit light has become much stronger!" Red Snake exclaimed in shock. "This magic... is too wicked!" Headless Sword said with a deep voice. "But we¡¯re already on board;I thought how could there be such a great deal in the world, to get so many benefits for such a small price and risk. Now, it¡¯s normal..." Red Snake seemed to have figured it out. "Aren¡¯t you afraid?" Cheng Shu looked towards her. "What¡¯s there to fear? At any rate, I wouldn¡¯t live more than a few years even under normal circumstances, so I might as well take a gamble with this person!" Red Snake whispered. She moved her fingers, feeling the amplification brought by the Spirit Light, and a joyous smile appeared on her face. "My injuries have been completely suppressed!" She had previously sustained serious internal injuries to her body while practicing magic, and her organs could fail at any moment. That¡¯s why she chose to join the officials and become an official Magician, so she could use the official resources to prolong her life. But now... things were different. Previously, the Spirit Light could only alleviate her internal injuries, but this time, it actually completely suppressed the internal injuries, almost making her feel as if there were no issues at all! Not just her. Cheng Shu also felt the change, the newly returned Spirit Light was significantly stronger. Not only could it automatically form a protective layer around the body, but the amplified strength had also increased by at least half. Previously, she could only use her own magic techniques consecutively five times before her organs would be injured, and she would have to stop. After obtaining the Spirit Light the last time, she had tested and found that she could use her magic continuously more than ten times. And now, after the enhancement of the Spirit Light. "Perhaps when I release magic techniques in the future, I won¡¯t get injured anymore...." Having reached this conclusion, Cheng Shu¡¯s expression was one of shock. She knew very well what this meant for Wild Mages. Not just her, but the other Wild Mages of the Mutual Assistance Alliance also showed signs of astonishment. No side effects meant that they and the Magicians from the orthodox sects were now on the same starting line. They would not be inferior to the sect Magicians from now on! "It seems everyone has felt the benefits of the Spirit Light. Please rest assured, as long as we all work together, the Spirit Light can become stronger and stronger, until finally, we can create a better tomorrow!" Yu Hong sincerely and loudly said. "...." No one dared to refute;those who dared to speak up were already dead. They lay on the ground, turning into mummies. "I also understand that everyone is worried about me extracting your Spirit Light, bringing danger. But here, I can assure everyone that as long as you don¡¯t do anything that goes against heaven and harms reason, I, Yu Hong, will never lightly use such magic! After all, everyone present here is a part of strengthening the Spirit Light, and each person can contribute their part," Yu Hong loudly said. Seeing that still nobody responded. He exhaled, and his tone changed. "Of course, I¡¯m not so selfless. I founded the Mutual Assistance Alliance also for my own personal reasons..." The moment these words came out, the crowd inexplicably felt a relief in their hearts. It¡¯s better that he has his own agenda! Everyone was afraid of the constant noble excuses, without knowing what he really wanted to do. Yu Hong keenly sensed this change in the air. "My personal desire is to borrow everyone¡¯s strength to build a powerful alliance that doesn¡¯t fear anyone, and that no force can interfere with or obstruct!" "I have said that a disaster is imminent, and only the power of unity can stop everything, protect everything! Additionally, I was once a member of the Wild Mages, deeply suffering from the constraints of the sect¡¯s Daoist Skills. Hence, establishing this alliance, I also hope to unite everyone¡¯s strength to gather and obtain top-tier Daoist Magic Techniques! Thereby establishing our own Taoist Sect!" After Yu Hong shared his thoughts, the Magicians in the warehouse began to relax. Several Magicians with ideas in mind gradually stood up, querying Yu Hong on the implementation details of this goal. Yu Hong also answered each question seriously. The atmosphere of the Alliance gradually became friendlier. More and more Magicians stood up daring to ask questions. Until an hour later. The Mutual Assistance Alliance finally completed its initial framework. With Yu Hong as the Alliance Hierarch and Cheng Shu as the assistant, the strongest two Magicians were unanimously selected as liaisons and messengers. Everyone exchanged contact details and agreed to continue developing new members offline. The more members, the better! This was Yu Hong¡¯s policy, as well as the direction for the Mutual Assistance Alliance¡¯s future expansion and development. * * * Ancestor Court Yunshu Mountain¡ªTaoist Sect headquarters. Inside the resplendent great hall. During the deep night, a gaunt figure quietly leaned against the side of the door, apparently waiting for something. The figure¡¯s face was hidden in the shadows, unrecognizable, only the purple Jade Bead Bracelet on the right wrist glinting under the moonlight. Time slowly passed. Suddenly, the figure lifted its head slightly, looking towards the outer right side of the hall. There on the ground, at some unknown time, a red figure appeared floating in mid-air. "Why so late today?" the figure asked in a deep voice. "Something held me up, my apologies." the red figure quickly replied. "How is the situation at Zihe Palace?" the figure asked. "Everything is proceeding smoothly here. The basic layout has been completed. Everything follows your instructions," the red figure answered. "Make sure not to leave any traces;throw it all onto the Seven Evil Alliance¡ªotherwise, if the Heavenly Master notices, it will be troublesome when they start to investigate. Someone has already begun looking into the previous cases," the figure cautioned. "Any traces?" "Any and all. Everyone involved in this matter must be taken care of," the figure said indifferently. "Understood. Then the next target is...?" "Next is Lu Zhenshun from the Heavenly Master Mansion;resolve him first. He might have noticed something from the last time when he cooperated with activating the Yin Qi Sky Pillar." "Yes. I¡¯ll make arrangements right away." Chapter 331: Plotting One Mid-November. Late autumn. Zihe Palace. The vast Ziying Lake, shimmering with scales of light, was slowly coated with a layer of brilliant golden-red under the sunlight. In the center of the lake, a wooden bridge runs through it. The bridge is narrow, its surface paved with black and white stones. In the middle, the ground is embedded with a one-meter-diameter Tai Chi Diagram. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At this time, in the Tai Chi Diagram, a long-haired woman wearing a purple skirt is sitting on a small wooden stool under an umbrella, intently staring at the float on the lake surface. She holds a brown bamboo fishing rod, her beautiful and exquisite face filled with serenity and anticipation. Suddenly, her expression shifts, turning to look not far to the side. A handsome man in a purple Daoist robe is slowly approaching along the wooden bridge. The man has a tall posture, a square face, broad shoulders and a wide body, his black hair falls like a waterfall behind him, and a small black mustache lingers on his lips. "Did you come back early today?" The woman withdrew her gaze, continuing to watch her float. "You¡¯re fishing for my purple-gold carp again." The man showed a helpless expression, walked to her side, and stood still. "You didn¡¯t say I couldn¡¯t." The woman raised her eyebrows. "Sigh¡­" The man helplessly, closed his eyes, massaged one of his temples. Suddenly, he feels a faint fragrance approaching, followed by a cold finger gently massaging the other temple. He reached out and held that hand. "You¡¯re so cold, yet still sitting in the center of the lake, be careful of catching a cold." "Do I, your senior sister, still need your concern?" The hand forcefully withdrew and instead grabbed his. "Little junior brother, haven¡¯t seen you for a few days, didn¡¯t trim your beard, looking quite mature, huh?" The man opened his eyes, gazing at the beautiful face close to him, couldn¡¯t help but stretch his hand around her waist. The woman did not struggle, just rolled her eyes at him and put aside the umbrella. "If I get tanned, you owe me." "I¡¯ll apply sunscreen for you." The man smiled. "Still thinking of taking advantage?" The woman said, yet her body gently leaned into the man¡¯s embrace. "Ku Chan, I¡¯ve been thinking about a question these past few days." "What?" "Do you think we should have two or three kids in the future?" "¡­You decide is fine." "Such a big matter definitely needs discussion by both of us. I asked our parents, and they indeed hoped for more, wishing for prosperity." "Then let¡¯s have more, but won¡¯t too many affect your health?" "Let¡¯s have one first, see how it goes? If it¡¯s good, we can have more. I like lively." The woman pondered, "My dream when I was a child was to give birth to a National Grand Theater, where everyone can play my favorite music, sing the national anthem, sing together. That scene would surely be impressive." "¡­Your hobby¡­" Ku Chan¡¯s lips twitched, unable to imagine that scenario. "A National Grand Theater can seat tens of thousands of people;it seems I won¡¯t fulfill this dream in my lifetime." The woman said helplessly. Ku Chan smiled helplessly, lifted her delicate and fair chin, their eyes met. "How about, we first have one and see?" "Here?? Wait! Ku Chan you¡­!" The woman¡¯s face changed, a flash of panic in her eyes. "Spiritual Technique." "Heavenly River Reversal." Swish! In an instant, centered around his body, a tremendous terrifying spiritual pressure spread and shook. Centered around the two, a large expanse of lake water was pulled up by an invisible force, forming a huge sphere around them. The sphere completely enveloped the two, the surface emitting a faint purple light, covering everything. The sound of rushing water completely covered the subtle noises inside. From a distance, atop the majestic purple-red Taoist Palace. A woman in a white dress looked over here, shaking her head helplessly. "Jin Zhi is being reckless again." "What¡¯s there to fear, since he and Ying¡¯er have been engaged for a long time, planning to marry successfully next year, and it¡¯s about time to have children, and also respond to the national call for not delaying marriage and childbearing." Behind, the Palace Master of Zihe Palace, Yu Qin, indifferently maintained her beloved qin. The guqin made from jade and paulownia wood, even under the sunlight, displayed a cool light blue hue. "Speaking of which, Jin Zhi has also worked hard recently, just give them a vacation to rest well," Yu Qin softly said. "There are many matters in the palace now, can it be done?" The woman in the white dress said in surprise. "I¡¯m here, no problem. Such a big Zihe Palace can¡¯t always rely on Jin Zhi to handle everything. We have so many disciples and elders, they can¡¯t just be idling." Yu Qin laughed. "That¡¯s a good decision," the woman nodded. "Speaking of which, Jin Zhi¡¯s Daoist Skills have already reached the highest realm, taking another step forward, he could only break through the Sect¡¯s restrictions like the old Heavenly Masters, and carve out his own path. I wonder how long this step will take for him." Yu Qin sighed. "He¡¯s not even thirty yet, still very young, no rush," the woman comforted. "Yes, at this age, indeed no need to hurry, the old Heavenly Masters were also in their fifties or sixties before they found their direction. Compared to them, my son is much stronger." Yu Qin said with a slight pride. "Right, the Feixia Sword went to Taizhou and came back injured. It seems that the situation in Taizhou is quite serious," the woman reminded. "Yu Cheng has already gone to check. It was Qing Huang from the Seven Evil Alliance, who concealed Feixia¡¯s perception and then sniped from a distance with a sniper rifle. It was almost a goner," Yu Qin said gravely. "The Seven Evil Alliance really is like a persistent ghost, lurking everywhere. Poor little Feixia, encountering such great danger," the woman also expressed her discontent. "We will properly compensate Feixia. Qing Huang, seems like he is one of their self-proclaimed Dark Sky Masters? Quite arrogant to name their leader and those so-called experts under the Seven Evils as Heavenly Masters, it¡¯s an insult to our two great Heavenly Masters of the Taoist Sect," Yu Qin nodded. "Alright, let¡¯s not bother with these trifles. With two great Heavenly Masters backing us, even if the sky collapses it won¡¯t be your turn to handle it. Let¡¯s think about how to distribute the responsibilities when the grandson comes out. Let me make it clear, I want to sleep with my grandson tonight!" the woman changed the subject. "Hehe... do you think I¡¯m a fool? The cutest time for kids is exactly this stage! No way!" Yu Qin decisively refused. "Then name your terms." "No terms will do!" "Then shall I invite Bai Yu to the palace for a discussion?" "Bai Yu... this... really?" The Zihe Palace Master immediately thought of his own moonlight crush, hesitating. "Seriously, you¡¯ve been married to me for so many years, and you still can¡¯t forget that Bai Yu!!" The woman in the white dress immediately got furious and charged towards him. "Wait, I was just thinking about what we are eating for dinner tonight? It¡¯s white fish tofu soup, right!?" Yu Qin quickly got up and ran. "You still want to have Bai Yu tofu! You shameless! How old are you? Always looking at videos of beautiful women on your phone! Are you not embarrassed?!" At the top platform of Zihe Palace, for a time, the painful cries of the Palace Master kept drifting out. The Taoists passing by below were used to this and went about their own business, considering this a natural phenomenon that occurred every so often at Zihe Palace. * * * Taizhou. Inside a separate courtyard of Qingchen Temple. Yu Hong and a group of Elders gradually entered the courtyard¡¯s main gate, and then the last person closed it by hand. Everyone took their seats on the wooden chairs that were already set up in the yard. All the chairs were arranged around a black chair, forming a huge circle. In the middle of the circle on the ground, densely packed with scriptures and symbols. At this time, the sunlight was nearing midday;since it was autumn, even at noon, the sunlight wasn¡¯t too strong. Only half of the Elders were illuminated, bathing in the light. Snap. Yu Hong sat on the central chair. "Everything is ready. Zhong Rou, this time we will assist you in taking the elixir to stabilize your breakthrough in the Daoist Realm. Although using elixirs for breakthroughs makes it easy to fall back, with us old folks forming the array to help, we should substantially extend this timeframe," Yu Mo solemnly instructed Yu Hong. "The disciple understands," Yu Hong nodded seriously. "Understood, then adjust your state," Yu Mo waved his hand, and immediately including himself, all the Elders raised their hands at the same time, forming the same seal, and chanting the true scriptures aloud. Yu Hong sat in the center, faintly feeling strands of not very strong but very resilient spiritual power. These strands of spiritual power, swirling around him like birds constantly circling. Time ticked away bit by bit. Approximately half an hour later, all the Elders of the Yu Generation paused at the same time, completely stopping their chanting. At that moment. Hissing sounds! All the spiritual power birds suddenly pounced towards Yu Hong. They surged in succession, constantly rushing into Yu Hong¡¯s body. Within a few minutes, all the birds completely disappeared. Yu Hong sat alone, feeling the temporarily entered spiritual power birds swiftly dispersing inside his body. "Get up quickly! Go inside and take the elixir!! It must be taken within ten minutes, otherwise, it will be ineffective! Then immediately go into seclusion. Starting today, you retreat in deep meditation until your Daoist skills stabilize before coming out!" Yu Hen loudly instructed. "Yes!" Yu Hong immediately got up and rushed towards the inside in a few steps. The door was already open;Yu Hong entered and immediately sat cross-legged on a cushion on the ground, then entered meditation. Two minutes later, after regulating his breathing, he reached into his waist pouch and took out a black gourd-shaped small bottle. Upon opening the bottle cap, a strong fragrance of the medicine immediately burst out. Yu Hong immediately poured out a yellowish-brown pill and tossed it into his mouth. Instantly, a sweet taste of mandarin candy surged into his mouth and slid down his throat several times. This was the purpose of today, taking the elixir. The Heart Changing Pill was one of the two major foundations of Qingchen Temple, now giving him two pills at once, aiming for him to break through his limits more quickly. Once the elixir was ingested, Yu Hong felt a scorching wave of heat, rushing up from his stomach violently. His entire body trembled slightly under this strong stimulus. Hiss... In his ears, Yu Hong seemed to hear an inexplicable hissing sound, like a venomous snake, like something scraping on the ground. Grating and continuously unbroken. Amid these sounds, his spiritual power at this moment was unconsciously skyrocketing rapidly. At the same time, the spiritual power fluctuations detected by the device he carried skyrocketed from sixty-something to over a hundred. Simultaneously, the most dangerous aspect of Guanwu Skill also followed. Chapter 332: Plot Two Inside the Quiet Room. On the empty ground, behind Yu Hong, a massive and towering black mass of energy slowly began to condense. The mass, restricted by the height of the room¡¯s ceiling, unsuccessfully tried to form several times before shooting out the window at high speed. Before long, the mass found a desolate beach and crashed down, rooting itself there. Then a gigantic black shadow, over a hundred meters tall, slowly emerged and condensed on the seashore. This was an odd sight that only Magicians could see. The hundred-meter-tall shadow kept solidifying until, after more than ten seconds, its entire body was fully formed, standing on the beach like a small black mountain. The Seventh Layer Horror Shadow, the Black Giant, appeared. As soon as the Black Giant appeared, it rapidly became transparent, dissipating as if everything that had just happened on the beach was merely an illusion. There were no idle Magicians looking this way, fortunately, so no one noticed. Inside the Quiet Room. Yu Hong opened his eyes, feeling the temporarily stabilized Seventh Layer Daoist Skills within him. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The spicy sensation from the Elixir continued to stimulate his body, creating Spiritual Power. This Spiritual Power forcibly elevated his total amount of Dao Breath by a large margin. Yu Hong also noticed that the medicinal power of the Heart Changing Pill could even purify and generate ordinary Spiritual Power. ¡¯Next is to defeat the Fear Shadow to completely stabilize. So, where is the Seventh Layer Fear Shadow?¡¯ Yu Hong looked around and found nothing inside the room. He walked to the window, puzzled, and looked out. He also found nothing unusual. Returning to his cushion, he carefully investigated his own Spiritual Power. Before the Sixth Layer, the continually generated Spiritual Power in his body was like a gentle and clear stream. But after the Seventh Layer, the Spiritual Power he now generated was like sesame paste. Frightfully thick. ¡¯No wonder this realm can achieve Sharpness, immune to attacks from lower-level Techniques while standing still. This intensity and concentration are truly extraordinary!¡¯ He carefully experienced his current state. ¡¯To completely replace the new Spiritual Power with the old will take time, and during this time, any problem could lead to regression to the Sixth Layer.¡¯ He could feel that his current ability to produce Seventh Layer spiritual power was mainly due to the fusion of the elixir¡¯s power and stimulation. "The main purpose of this elixir¡¯s power is to stimulate the body in advance, to condense a new Fear Shadow, and to gain the powerful and sharp Spiritual Power that the body will generate after defeating the Fear Shadow. But if the Fear Shadow is not defeated, the Daoist Skills will rapidly decline, and once the power of the elixir is exhausted, the Fear Shadow will also backlash." Having figured out the principle of the Heart Changing Pill, Yu Hong began to study how to use the new sharp Spiritual Power to replace the operation of various previous Techniques. This process was tedious, as each Technique needed to be readjusted when the nature of its foundational Spiritual Power changed significantly. Otherwise, the Technique¡¯s released power would be incorrect, or it might explode and backlash. Meanwhile, to increase his chances of success, he took out the booklet given by Qing Huang, the Heavy Image Skill, planning to take a look at it during this retreat. ¡¯When Guanwu Skill reaches the Seventh Layer, if I can stabilize it and break through the last layer, I will gain a new trait!¡¯ Yu Hong was full of anticipation;the Dao Breath Circulation trait he originally acquired was from the constant enhancements he received from the Thunderbolt Leg Technique. Now, the actual power of the Guanwu Skill was on par with the Thunderbolt Leg, focusing only on the spiritual aspect. Once he reaches Perfection, the traits obtained will surely be extraordinary. Just as Yu Hong entered the Quiet Room for his retreat. Outside, the elderly Taoists of the Yu Generation got up one after another, each stretching their waist with groans and sighs. "Truly unbearable, back in the day, I chased a resentful mark for seven days and nights without sleep, spanning over a thousand kilometers, until I finally caught it in a small mountain hollow. But now, just by moving a little bit and activating some Dao Breath, I am this exhausted..." Yu Fang sighed. "Same here, I have severe back pain;the doctor said it¡¯s a herniated disc, quite serious, and I need surgery." "I have it too. What are the severe symptoms?" "It hurts whether sitting or standing;I can only feel comfortable lying on my stomach with a pillow under my waist." "My cervical spine is not good. My blood sugar is also a bit high..." One by one, the old men began to exchange tips on self-care. After a while, assuring that there was no problem with Yu Hong, they each left in their cars. Only Yu Mo remained, waiting quietly outside the door. Days went by. Taoist Yu Mo sat cross-legged in meditation, and after guarding for three days, he was replaced by other members of the Yu Generation. The Array that suppressed the decline of Daoist Skills was activated by their combined effort, so only these participants could sense if anything happened to Yu Hong at any time. At this moment, Yu Hong was slowly substituting the previous Spiritual Power in his body, converting all Spiritual Power into Sharpness Spiritual Power with the characteristics of an Absolute Boundary. Apart from eating and sleeping, he was wholly devoted to the adjustment of Techniques and cultivation. * * * Huangsong Island. On the desolate and silent shores of the small island, a tiny fishing boat quietly approached and came to a stop. Two figures leaped from the boat, landed, and surveyed the abandoned island. "Why have we come here? This is a seal personally set by Ku Chan, with our current condition, it¡¯s simply impossible to shake it even slightly," one of them said helplessly. "What do you mean by ¡¯current condition¡¯? Even at our peak, we wouldn¡¯t be able to open it," the other replied matter-of-factly. "Then why are we still here?" "That¡¯s because, while we can¡¯t open it, others have ways to!" The other person laughed. "Who? Could it be one of the Seven Evils??" "No one like that. It¡¯s¡­" Boom!! Just then, a huge mass of grey-black clouds surged up from the distant sea. The clouds split the waves, rising like a phantom unto the heavens, continuously forming a colossal grey-black pillar. Centred around this pillar, rings of spiritual fluctuations and Yin Energy only detectable by magicians spread in all directions. "This... there¡¯s actually another Yin Qi Sky Pillar!!?" "Our actions were merely a distraction, the real target is not Huangsong Island, but over there¡­" The person speaking took a deep breath, looked up, and revealed an excited middle-aged face. "Sect Hierarch... Are you saying that from the very beginning, we were just pawns??" The other person, who also looked up, showed the pale face of Yuan Ruhai from the Mud Doll Sect. At this moment, his face was twisted - because of this battle, he had lost even his son Yuan Ming! Furthermore, his followers suffered numerous casualties and property losses. Originally, he thought he could wait for support from the Seven Evil Alliance, but now the Sect Hierarch had told him that they were all expendable, just tools to divert attention, trash. "The success of the Yin Qi Sky Pillar signifies that at least one gate of the Gate of Despair has been opened. The entirety of Taizhou will soon fall into a human hell! Ruhai, now that only the two of us are left in the Sect, you should come with me to the Seven Evil Alliance, you¡¯ll certainly be heavily relied upon. As for your son, just have another one!" Sect Hierarch Ning Ruofei said unconcernedly. "Sect Hierarch, why can¡¯t we just live a good honest life in Taizhou? Why... why must we do this!?" Yuan Ruhai¡¯s voice trembled. "Live a good life? You think I don¡¯t want that? But the reality is, peaceful days are numbered, and I have no choice but to make an earlier decision," Ning Ruofei¡¯s voice turned cold. ".....Then, what¡¯s next...?" "Next, the intensity of the resentful mark will far exceed before, Qingchen Temple and the authorities will definitely be in over their heads. Before we leave, we can take the chance for revenge! The Feixia Sword from Zihe Palace is gone, and now there¡¯s no one in Taizhou who can stop us joining forces!" Ning Ruofei sneered coldly. "What about Zheng Rou? I¡¯ve heard his name has been quite prominent lately." "Luckily defeating that waste Lin Shan, he thinks he can overcome me?" Ning Ruofei wasn¡¯t concerned, "Moreover, we don¡¯t need to act ourselves;we just wait for the opportunity. As more powerful resentful marks from the Gate of Despair emerge, they will naturally become more stretched thin, and then... the chance for a sneak attack will arrive." Yuan Ruhai fell silent. Gazing at the Yin Qi Sky Pillar that soared into the sky in the distance, he suddenly didn¡¯t want to speak a word. * * * Two weeks after Yu Hong¡¯s retreat... In the Yanxia Bay neighborhood of Taizhou. Inside a semi-detached villa. A businessman surnamed Li, dressed in a suit like a successful entrepreneur, urgently led a young Taoist into the hall. "I won¡¯t lie to you, Taoist, this house has been having flickering lights and foul smells, and sometimes at night, I could see the shadow of an unfamiliar person flash by," said the businessman with a heavy local accent. "I originally thought it was my son¡¯s imagination from watching too many horror films, who would have expected that last night he came to knock on my door, and when I got up, I couldn¡¯t find him anywhere! We¡¯ve searched everywhere in the house and still can¡¯t find him, and there¡¯s nothing on the surveillance showing anyone entering or leaving!" "There¡¯s very strong Yin Energy here," the Taoist said with a slight frown, his black hair simply tied into a Topknot, dressed in a clean and neat pale blue Daoist robe, his face cool - it was Zheng Ming, who had just recovered a few days ago. "Do you see anything, Taoist?!" The businessman was startled and promptly questioned. "Don¡¯t rush, I need to check slowly, or else errors can happen," Zheng Ming said earnestly, having become more collected than before after consecutive defeats at the hands of Yu Hong. "Please, Taoist, please!" Zheng Ming didn¡¯t hesitate;he raised his hand, signalling the others not to follow, and went upstairs alone. Soon, at the end of the second-floor corridor, he saw a painting. A painting depicting an ancient house and old street at dusk. The quality of the painting was good, and the workmanship as well, appearing quite lifelike and vivid, almost like a photograph. In the old street¡¯s ancient house, the brown door was half-opened, inside which one could faintly see an old lady sitting and knitting a sweater with needle and thread in hand. The sunset glow dyed the old lady¡¯s white hair into a golden-red. The scene was serene and peaceful. Zheng Ming stared at the painting, clearly sensing the dense Yin Energy attached to it. Tap tap tap. Suddenly, a series of crisp footsteps, like little leather shoes tapping on a wooden floorboard, reached his ears. Zheng Ming swiftly turned his head and looked to the right. On the right side of the corridor, a room that was originally closed now had its door wide open. A glossy black leather shoe stood at the doorway, only revealing a bit of the heel. Chapter 333: Mutation 331 Part 1 "Li Zhaoran?" Zheng Ming called out the name of the wealthy businessman¡¯s son. There was no response. The little leather shoes slowly retreated into the room and disappeared. He instinctively felt something was wrong. Quickly, he formed a handprint spell, a vague Fear Shadow flickered behind him, then swiftly hid itself. Zheng Ming stepped closer to the room, one step at a time. He wanted to release the Fear Shadow to test, but he worried about harming the businessman¡¯s son. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Although the Fear Shadow¡¯s physical impact was weak, it still had some effect on children¡¯s spirits. Slam. Finally, he entered the room. Inside, a boy in a white tracksuit, about eleven or twelve years old, was standing with his back to him, watching the window. "Li Zhaoran? What are you looking at?" Although Zheng Ming found the boy, an inexplicable discomfort rose in his heart. "Grandma." The boy answered. "Grandma??" Zheng Ming also looked out the window, but there was nothing outside except a dense bamboo forest. "Taoist Zheng Ming?" At the stairway entrance, the businessman surnamed Li saw no one come down after a long time, so he walked up slowly while calling out. But strangely, the entire second floor was empty, not a single person. The Taoist who had just gone up mysteriously disappeared like his son! The businessman searched for a long time and even brought the nanny along to look, but they found nothing. Immediately, they left the villa in panic, reported to the police, and rushed to Qingchen Temple. * * * Inside the courtyard. Just a few minutes after Zheng Ming disappeared. Yu Hong, who was in seclusion, suddenly opened his eyes. *"The environment... feels off...*" He looked around, the Quiet Room was silent, with only his own heartbeat and breathing. *He then thought for a moment and took out the enhanced Universal Detector.* Bleep. The black box-like multimeter silently displayed the current environment Red Value7.229¡¯ *"The Red Value is higher...."* Yu Hong frowned. He clearly understood what this meant. *"The Black Well¡¯s opening has increased, or the Taoist Sect hasn¡¯t resolved the issue of the Yin Qi Sky Pillar¡¯s Red Value leakage. I must accelerate my progress here."* He quickly checked his own status, confirmed there was no problem, and began to take out the bizarre talisman paper with a five-colored circle drawn on it. This was given by the old Taoist Yu Mo, and once the elixir¡¯s power was absorbed and the Daoist Skills elevated to the Seventh Layer, it could be directly activated. Yu Hong steadied his mind, exhaled a trace of Dao Breath, and integrated it into the talisman paper. Sizzle! The talisman paper ignited without flame, and its orange flame split into five at the same time, transforming into five different colored mysterious energy bodies. The five energy bodies were red, yellow, blue, green, and purple. Once they appeared, they transformed into five streams of light, spiraling around Yu Hong in continual flight. *"Let¡¯s begin."* Yu Hong watched the five streams of light and slowly closed his eyes. Purely based on spiritual power Daoist magic, he was still below the Temple Master Level, and his spiritual power sharpness was not fully complete. The technique was not entirely restored, even if his true power erupted, he should reach the pinnacle level in this world. But the massive mental gap could lead to a significant fatal weakness when facing top experts. Therefore, the Heavenly Pillar talent obtained from the Five Spirits Spring was extremely valuable to him. *"The Black Disaster is about to descend, it seems my time is running out."* A thought flashed through his mind as Yu Hong resumed his secluded cultivation state. * * * "What? Zheng Ming is missing!?" At Qingchen Temple, the old Taoist Yu Mo was sipping wellness tea from a thermos when he suddenly heard the news brought by the Taoist child outside. There were already few Dao Seeds in Qingchen Temple, and Zheng Ming was among the outstanding ones. If something happened to him, then.... His expression became grave, he put down the cup and stood up. "Explain clearly!" The Taoist child, Xun Yang, was sweating profusely as he recounted Zheng Ming¡¯s investigation into the businessman¡¯s son disappearance. "By the time that family sent the message back, Senior Brother Zheng Ming had already been missing for over three hours!" she added. "Notify Zheng Ying immediately, I¡¯ll go find the Temple Master. Have the police sent any personnel?" Yu Mo asked calmly. "Yes, they¡¯re already on their way to the villa." "Good, I¡¯ll prepare to phone the police station and set off immediately!" Yu Mo knew this was serious. Zheng Ming¡¯s ability wasn¡¯t weak, only slightly inferior to his own. If even he couldn¡¯t solve the case, it was unlikely for him to handle it alone. Therefore, this matter required collective effort. With this in mind, he immediately walked towards the main hall where the Temple Master was located. Crossing the threshold, Temple Master Yu Hen was sitting with several old Taoists, looking at a letter. Seeing Yu Mo enter, Yu Hen raised his head. "I was just about to find you, it¡¯s the Taoist Sect¡¯s notification letter, take a look as well." He handed over the letter envelope in his hand. Yu Mo stepped forward to take it, unfolded the letter, and glanced at the densely packed lines of bright red text. Just reading a few lines, Yu Mo¡¯s expression changed. "How could there be so many!?" His hands started to tremble, disbelief in his eyes. "I¡¯m equally puzzled, why are there so many, the Taoist Sect has been continuously acting, always suppressing the eruption points of the Yin Qi Sky Pillars across the regions. It¡¯s always been this way, so how have four Sky Pillars appeared all at once now!?" Yu Hen spoke solemnly. "The key is that one of them is very close to us!" Yu Zhong interjected. "No wonder recently the situation in Taizhou has worsened, resentful marks are increasing, and the talismans we¡¯re making barely suffice, the consumption every day is significant, and the visitors are demanding many as well...." Yu Mo said with a grim expression. "A troublesome autumn.... By the way, Yu Mo, did you come over for a specific reason?" Yu Hen asked. "Zheng Ming, it¡¯s about Zheng Ming, he disappeared while investigating a case!" Yu Mo quickly said. "Disappeared??!" The few old Taoists were all shocked. "Even Zheng Ming.... Should we notify Zheng Rou?" someone couldn¡¯t help but ask. "No! Zheng Rou is at a crucial moment now, the mental transformation sharpness cannot be interrupted, or it would be a wasted effort. We must first handle these matters ourselves, we¡¯ll join forces!" Yu Hen raised his hand to stop the others¡¯ words, making a decisive decision. Before long, at Qingchen Temple, a white SUV quickly drove off, speeding towards the villa where Zheng Ming went missing. More than half an hour later, the car stopped outside Yanxia Bay neighborhood, no longer going inside. The entire neighborhood was empty now. Even the gatekeepers and cleaners had left early, especially after Zheng Ming¡¯s disappearance. Not only had people disappeared from the Li family¡¯s villa, but several villas around had also experienced varying levels of people missing. Panic had quickly spread. By the time Qingchen Temple¡¯s vehicle arrived, the official police vehicles had already reached the scene, accompanied by two official magicians. But when Yu Mo and others got out of the car, they saw the two with very grim expressions. "Taoist Yu Mo, there¡¯s no time for pleasantries, there¡¯s a resentful mark in this neighborhood, and it¡¯s not ordinary, extremely dangerous!" the official magician, a scholarly man wearing glasses, stepped forward and said. "How¡¯s the talisman response?" Yu Mo asked. "It ignites upon entry, very weak in effect," the magician replied. "Let¡¯s go in and take a look." Without further ado, Yu Mo waved to Zheng Ying and others behind him, and was the first to lead them into the neighborhood. At the same time, a long-tailed creature resembling a lizard-man suddenly appeared behind him. The rest from Qingchen Temple also followed, forming the Handprint of Service Damage, summoning Fear Shadows to protect themselves. An hour later. Boom!! A sudden explosion occurred inside the villa. There were no flames or red light, just an invisible shockwave blasting out from inside. Glass and wooden doors shattered in an instant. On the spiritual level, a massive creature with an upper body of a grandmother¡¯s image and a lower body of a blood-colored spider charged out of the villa. As soon as it burst out, it was decapitated by a huge cleaver from behind. With a pounding sound, the monster vanished in the blink of an eye, transforming into countless black smoke. Yu Hen, Yu Mo, and others also exited the villa, all looking exhausted. A disciple was carrying the unconscious figure of Zheng Ming on his back. "Mission accomplished!" Yu Mo said solemnly to the two official magicians. "Thank you for your hard work!" The two, feeling the dense Yin Energy emanating from them, couldn¡¯t help but step back two paces, almost suffocating. Zheng Ming was taken back to recuperate for two days before a new case came to Qingchen Temple. Zheng Ying led the team to handle it, but unexpectedly got entangled in a tough battle. In an emergency request for assistance, Yu Mo and others brought the stockpile to aid them, barely managing to rescue the people from the resentful marks. But the cost was that two members of the Yu Generation sustained minor injuries. They were elderly, and their Daoist Magic Techniques had significantly regressed, not adept in combat. Suddenly starting to work beyond their limits, they quickly became overwhelmed. Despite everyone at Qingchen Temple¡¯s best efforts, cases continued to pour in from various parts of Taizhou for them to solve. The Zheng Generation disciples were solving cases everywhere, and the Yu Generation members also had to join in. Except for Yu Hen, the Temple Master, everyone at Qingchen Temple became busy. Fortunately, most subsequent cases were relatively low-risk, handled by ordinary disciples armed with talismans, although the number spiked dramatically. Meanwhile, Yu Hong was in a critical phase of soaking in the Five Spirits Spring. In the Qingchen Temple¡¯s other courtyard. He sat cross-legged in the Quiet Room, surrounded by five streams of spiritual power in different colors. This was the Five Spirits Spring. It was not tangible but a special spiritual power crafted through complex processes. These five streams of spiritual power needed periodic nourishment from the offerings of numerous visitors for maintenance. Moreover, accumulating enough for one Five Spirits Spring requires ten years of continuous scripture chanting and sincere praying, infusing pure spiritual power into its vessel. Essentially, the primary accumulators of this Five Spirits Spring were still the old Taoists of the Yu Generation. Despite their playful demeanor, they never neglected their duties. One by one, the streams of five-colored spiritual power continuously passed through Yu Hong¡¯s body like phantoms. Every passage caused a subtle yet determined change in some of his nerves. As he received the Five Spirits Spring enhancements, the Spirit Light he possessed naturally also grew stronger slowly but surely. This indicated that the Magic Skill of cultivating the Spirit Light was spreading, and the more people practiced it, the faster the Spirit Light grew stronger. Unknown how much time passed. Suddenly, Yu Hong opened his eyes. He stood up, turned his head to look behind him, and in the dim Quiet Room, a faint dark mist appeared without him knowing. In the black mist, a simple brown wooden bridge appeared before him. Chapter 334: Mutation II The wooden bridge stretched into the depths of the fog, where faint sounds of water lapping seemed to echo. Yu Hong stepped forward, and before long, vanished into the black mist with the Five-Colored Spiritual Power. But soon, he reappeared, returning to his original position and sitting back down. The black mist also faded away, as if nothing had ever happened. This was the current method of the Black Ship¡¯s movement. After being reinforced in conjunction with the safe house, the Black Ship could now appear anytime, anywhere, in this world. Just like in the Hope City World, the Black Ship also followed the appearance of the black mist, not limited to whether it was at sea. Time continued to pass, and Yu Hong continued his seclusion, undergoing the transformation of the Five Spirits Spring. In the blink of an eye, another three days went by. Suddenly, Yu Hong opened his eyes and looked outside the room. Outside, there was someone standing very close, in the courtyard, without any clear intention. He split a bit of his focus, waiting for the other¡¯s reaction. In the courtyard, Zheng Xia looked rather helplessly at the room where Yu Hong was in seclusion. *Should she disturb him or not? This hesitation churned in her heart.* Before leaving, Master Yu Mo and the Temple Master had repeatedly advised her not to interrupt Yu Hong¡¯s absorption and transformation. The Five Spirits Spring, which took ten years to collect, and the process of the spiritual power sharpness transformation were crucial. If interrupted and failed, a decade¡¯s efforts would go to waste. Zheng Xia understood these principles. Once, she had been jealous of Zheng Rou for receiving such tremendous benefits. But now, truly facing adversity, she realized how important it was to have someone in the sect capable of stabilizing people¡¯s hearts. "Senior Sister, should we go in and speak?" a young Taoist boy asked softly from behind her. Zheng Xia was silent for several minutes before finally turning around. "Let¡¯s go, hold on a little longer...." Everyone in the temple was running on overdrive, utterly exhausted, and even adding Yu Hong wouldn¡¯t actually resolve much. After she left, Yu Hong inside the room closed his eyes again, continuing to immerse himself in the transformation. By then, half of his spiritual consciousness had been transformed. From here on, as long as he followed the steps, he could perfectly obtain the special gift of the Five Spirits Spring. *Zheng Xia came, perhaps something has occurred?* This thought flashed through his mind before he completely immersed himself again. After a few seconds of silence. "Agrius." Buzz! Behind him, a massive black giant lizard appeared out of thin air behind Yu Hong. The form of the Dragon of Xianglv seemed largely like black mist and wasn¡¯t fully solidified. Otherwise, this room wouldn¡¯t have been able to contain it. "Go see what¡¯s going on," Yu Hong couldn¡¯t step away, but something else could. Swish! Agrius silently transformed into black mist, dispersing into several strands and flying out through the cracks in the door and window. Cooperating with it were the forty Dragon Lizards brought along in hibernation. "Go, don¡¯t let anyone disturb me. If there¡¯s any trouble, take care of it directly," Yu Hong instructed, closing his eyes. * * * The Taizhou border, Minnan Mountain. Zheng Ying of Qingchen Temple held a flashlight, trudging through the dim, unlit forest land. Behind her were fellow ordinary Taoists Qing Yun and Qing Ding, who were accompanying her on the mission. Both were young and vigorous fellows, but because their cultivation achievements were mediocre, they had switched to fieldwork to freely obtain some talismans and pay to support themselves. There were many such Taoists in Qingchen Temple. They were nearly all the backbone of various chores, the silent, behind-the-scenes workers. Cleaning the temple, transporting goods, conveying information, looking after the elder Taoists, and more were managed by them. Whereas the Dao Seeds and the Yu Generation elders only took care of the most essential duty: driving away resentful marks. "This time, the Golden Jade member has been missing for two days. The police from the nearby township have searched for two days but still haven¡¯t found anything. I¡¯m afraid he might have already...." Qing Ding said, looking at the pitch darkness around them. Even the treetops blocked the light, giving him a chill. Despite being over six feet tall and robust, facing such supernatural tasks still made him feel paralyzed with fear like a child. "Even if he is already missing, we must uncover the truth and give the family a proper explanation. Boss Feng has donated for the maintenance of our temple for over ten years and has never sought much in return. Now that he¡¯s in trouble, we must do something no matter what," Zheng Ying said sternly. "But why is this place so dark? Why don¡¯t we bring more people with us?" Qing Yun¡¯s legs also trembled a bit. "Ordinary people would only die if they came," Zheng Ying replied, "Keep an eye on the Resentment Talisman, and let me know the moment there¡¯s a reaction!" "Yes, Senior Sister!" The two stiffened and answered in unison. In the dark forest, the three ventured for over an hour. Finally, following a beaten path, they arrived before a small estate encircled by a wire fence. The wire fence of the estate was already overgrown with vines. Through the clean, silver large iron gate, one could see the three-story building inside, adorned with many curves and patterns, resembling the aristocratic style popular abroad. Between the iron gate and the building, there was a vast stretch of grass. In the middle of the grassy area stood a white fountain pool, with a dolphin statue perched inside it. Zheng Ying shone the flashlight inside. The bright flashlight beam was the only source of light in the estate, causing a pale reflection wherever it touched. Evidently, all building surfaces here had undergone special moisture-proof treatment. "There¡¯s no light here, it seems deserted," Qing Ding couldn¡¯t help but say. "Shouldn¡¯t we stay outside?" Zheng Ying ignored him and shone the flashlight at the large lock hanging on the iron gate. She took a key from her waist, inserted it into the lock, and gave it a gentle twist. Click. The large lock opened. "The last message left by Boss Feng said he was coming here to recuperate, away from the city¡¯s hustle, to enjoy peace. If we don¡¯t go inside, where are we going to look for him?" Zheng Ying spoke calmly, "So many cases have already happened here, and you¡¯re still afraid?" "Of course I¡¯m scared. We don¡¯t have any Daoist skills. If something happens, we only have talismans, but even those have their limits...," Qing Ding muttered. Zheng Ying ignored him, pushed open the large iron gate, and stepped inside. Suddenly, her flashlight seemed to catch sight of a figure standing by the fountain pool. Her heart skipped a beat as she quickly swung the light back to the perimeter of the fountain. The white beam cut through the night like a pillar, falling straight on the white surface of the fountain, casting a bright reflection. *Was it an illusion?* She touched the Resentment Talisman in her pocket, found no response, and redirected the flashlight toward the main building¡ªa well-maintained three-story house. Before long, the three steadily crossed the grassy area, reached the entrance of the building, took out the key, and pushed the door open. The white light from their flashlights was gradually blocked by the inner walls, plunging the lawn back into darkness. Click-clack. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Outside the large iron gate, two tall figures clad in black robes silently emerged from the forest, looking at the eerie estate, yet they did not enter. "They went inside," one whispered. "Even I don¡¯t dare enter this place lightly;the things inside are bizarre, not simple resentful marks but mixed with something else... something vicious," the other said in a deep voice. "So they¡¯re definitely done for?" "Not necessarily, but since they¡¯re here, let¡¯s start with them. We¡¯ll first eliminate the elite of the Dao Seed Class, then lure out the Yu Generation elders. If we do it discreetly, no one can tell if it¡¯s us or the resentful marks doing it." "The Sect Hierarch is wise." "I¡¯m no longer a Sect Hierarch. After we finish our revenge on Qingchen Temple, we¡¯ll head to the Alliance and start fresh," this person sighed, "In the past, such matters never required our personal intervention... it¡¯s really...." One after the other, the two gently pushed open the iron gate and entered. Shortly after they entered, a massive, dark, fuzzy silhouette silently appeared in front of the gate. In a blink, the silhouette disintegrated, turning into black smoke that vanished without a trace. * * * Inside the estate¡¯s building. Zheng Ying wandered step by step in the first-floor corridor, searching each room she encountered. Click. Qing Ding toggled the light switch, but there was no response. "Doesn¡¯t seem like there¡¯s electricity," he said, curling up even more, increasingly scared. "Senior Sister?" Qing Yun, who was exploring the other end of the corridor, suddenly called out. "Come quickly, there¡¯s something over here!" Startled, Zheng Ying and Qing Ding quickly moved toward Qing Yun. Soon, the three gathered before a room that appeared to be the master bedroom. The door to the master bedroom was a smooth, clean black composite wood, with a silver metal handle featuring delicate cherry blossom patterns, looking simple yet elegant. But now, this door, which should have been pristine, had a line of text and drawings carved into its surface with something sharp. Zheng Ying reached out, gently tracing the carvings with her fingers, reading the inscriptions aloud with a furrowed brow. "I was wrong... She was not my wife... not...." Beneath the text was a grotesque depiction of a hideous woman¡¯s face. "If I remember correctly, wasn¡¯t Boss Feng a member of the city¡¯s painting association?" Zheng Ying asked softly. "Yes... yes, he was," Qing Ding verified, taking out a document. "Then this drawing is just awful... has there been any response from the Resentment Talisman?" Zheng Ying asked again. "No..." Qing Yun replied, his voice trembling slightly, "Senior Sister, I have a bad feeling about this...." "Don¡¯t say anything ominous." Zheng Ying slapped him lightly in annoyance. "Wait... Senior Sister, over there... it looks like someone is there!" All of a sudden, Qing Yun stared blankly, eyes locked on something to Zheng Ying¡¯s right. It was the corridor connected to the living room, the path they had just walked through. Zheng Ying quickly turned her head to look, clutching the Resentment Talisman. Her flashlight illuminated the area, but nothing could be seen. Frowning, she turned the flashlight back, then her breath caught, and she hastily stepped back. Because in that moment, the text and drawings inscribed on the door had completely vanished! Zheng Ying swiftly took out a Resentment Talisman from her belt, a more advanced talisman than the Yin Energy Talisman, equivalent to a moderate blow from her own power unleashed medium Fear Shadow! Outside, giving it saved strength was the best substitute. Strangely, however, the most sensitive Resentment Talisman didn¡¯t react at all at that moment. Instead, the Inheritance Dao Artifact hanging on Zheng Ying¡¯s chest trembled slightly as if influenced by something. Spa. Suddenly, there was a light sound, and Zheng Ying turned her head to discover that Qing Yun, who had been beside her, had vanished. "Qing Yun?!" The truth was petrifying;she called out softly. But no one answered. "Qing Yun?" Qing Ding quickly called after, sweat streaming from his face like a broken line. It trickled relentlessly down his neck. Zheng Ying gritted her teeth;the Fear Shadow behind her surged forward into the dark living room. Splat. The Fear Shadow instantly merged with the darkness, severing the connection. The abrupt severance of connection with her summoning caused a sharp pain in Zheng Ying¡¯s head. She groaned, clutching her forehead, and shook her head vigorously. When she looked up again. "Qing Ding?!" She was shocked to find that Qing Ding, who had just been beside her, had also disappeared! Swish. At that moment, just as a profound sense of powerlessness washed over her, a special yellow talisman paper hidden deep within her talisman pouch suddenly grew hot and spontaneously combusted. Zheng Ying sensed something was wrong and quickly pulled out the talisman paper. And at the moment she saw the talisman paper, her expression changed dramatically. It became extremely grim. "This is... the Catastrophe Spirit Talisman!!?" "Could it be that this isn¡¯t a resentful mark, nor the Black Disaster... this is...." Zheng Ying¡¯s voice quivered slightly, and a vague, white human figure slowly emerged behind her. "Spirit Disaster!!?" A legendary, truly terrifying Spirit Disaster that only existed in tales and storybooks!! No wonder the Resentment Talisman was ineffective! No wonder the Yin Energy Talisman was useless too! Chapter 335: Mutant 333 Three In the annex of Qingchen Temple. Yu Hong sensed his spiritual power, which had already changed dramatically, also discovered something amiss. The multimeter in front of him had begun indicating extraordinary values. The multimeter was now able to measure several parameters simultaneously: Red Value, spiritual power, radiation, temperature, atmospheric pressure, humidity, etc. Among the supernatural ones, Red Value and spiritual power were the focus, and at this very moment, Red Value remained unchanged, but the other, spiritual power, fluctuated wildly like a roller coaster¡ªa moment hitting double digits, and then suddenly plunging back to single digits. ¡¯What¡¯s going on!?¡¯ Yu Hong had never seen this before, but he was unable to move at the moment. His spiritual power was still undergoing Sharpness and transformation. He could not use his magic or even utilize his Inner Strength, which also contained spiritual power, for fear of disrupting the transformation process. Restricted in every way, he couldn¡¯t tell what was happening outside. He took out his mobile phone, the powerful spiritual power from the Five Spirits Spring distorted all signals around it, showing zero cell phone reception with an ¡¯x¡¯ blatantly displayed. ¡¯Dragon Lizard.¡¯ He tried to initiate the shared vision with the Dragon Lizard, but the ability to connect anywhere in Hope City World seemed to be severely interfered with here, utterly unreachable, barely sensing their presence. ¡¯Something¡¯s not right...¡¯ Yu Hong¡¯s face became solemn. The Black Disaster outbreak here seemed somewhat different from that in Hope City World. After some thought, he picked up his phone and tried to step out of the room and into the courtyard. But the phone signal was still absent. Outside, the ¡¯Yu Generation¡¯ elder, Yu Zhong, was on guard. Seeing him emerge, Yu Zhong hurried to his feet. "Don¡¯t act recklessly!" "Great-uncle, I am in seclusion, and I suddenly feel unease, as if something has happened outside... Do you know...?" Yu Hong asked in a low voice. "It¡¯s just that there have been more cases around here recently, other than that, it¡¯s fine. We can handle these issues. You are now the hope of our Qingchen, do not let minor things impact your cultivation. Remember to follow the steps we agreed on before. We will not wake you, do not stop!" Yu Zhong said solemnly. Yu Hong could see his resolve. He pondered for a moment and then nodded. "I understand. In that case, please inform me promptly if there¡¯s anything." "Remember! Go back now," Yu Zhong said with a touch of relief in his eyes, waving his hand. "Okay." Yu Hong returned to the Quiet Room, sat down again, and immersed himself in the transformation of his spiritual power. He found that actively sensing and observing this process could speed up the transformation. * * * Inside a villa in the deep mountains. Zheng Ying¡¯s face was pale, and her body trembled. This... this wasn¡¯t a resentful mark;it wasn¡¯t a monster formed from spiritual power, but a pure natural evolved special Spirit Disaster. Such Spirit Disasters can¡¯t be fought or fled from;one can only follow its rules, seeking loopholes for survival. Because they are not living things, but some kind of special terrifying phenomenon... Immediately, she looked left and right before bolting outside. Regardless, escaping this environment came first;then she could find an opportunity to rescue others! Meanwhile, outside on the lawn, two members of the Mud Doll Sect also seemed to sense something, looking up towards the main building. "Is that... wait, is that the fluctuation of a Spirit Disaster!!?" Sect Hierarch Ning Ruofei¡¯s expression turned serious. "Isn¡¯t the Yin Qi Sky Pillar the Black Disaster that broke open the Gate of Despair?" Yuan Ruhai beside him was also startled. "What should come out of the Gate of Despair should be the Black Disaster... But how could this happen here...." Ning Ruofei also sensed that something was terribly wrong. "What do we do now?" Yuan Ruhai asked. "Even if a Spirit Disaster occurs, it can¡¯t be extremely strong at the onset," Ning Ruofei pondered. "We have prepared everything;proceed as planned. Take out the three inside and leave." Both were the strongest of the Mud Doll Sect;even with unhealed injuries, they believed they could handle a more mundane Spirit Disaster. Immediately, the two strode forward, entering through the open gate. Shortly after they entered, Black Dragon Lizards silently infiltrated the estate, the largest one quietly approached the house¡¯s door, ready to fully enter. But the Dragon Lizard at the door suddenly stopped. It paused for a few seconds, seemingly having lost its target. The scent inside the house was chaotic, as if an uncountable number of people had lived there, making it seem impossible to find the person they had been tracking from their memory. Dozens of Dragon Lizards hesitated, their simple cognition barely working, and then they left the building, forming layers of encirclement outside. Agrius, who was in charge of leading, lay in ambush further away, waiting for the opportunity. Yu Hong¡¯s order was to remain concealed, protecting several Dao Seeds and ¡¯Yu Generation¡¯ elders of Qingchen Temple. At this moment, the house¡¯s energy was in disarray, indistinguishable. Thus, they followed the first directive: conceal themselves first, then identify and protect the target. As soon as the target left the house again, they would be able to discern who it was. At present, Zheng Ying had already made it to the first-floor living room. In the dim living room, which was as big as a mini basketball court, two figures in Daoist robes sat motionless beside a big solid wood round table. She looked closer and realized it was Qing Yun and Qing Ding, who had just vanished. The two sat with their backs to her, unmoving, backs ramrod straight. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The surrounds were dark and gloomy, with a faint musty smell in the air. This intensified the unease and anxiety in Zheng Ying¡¯s heart. "Qing Yun!?" she whispered the name, trying to get their attention. No one knows exactly what kind of disaster the Spirit Disaster is, as ancient books are also vague about it. All that is known is that this disaster was highly detrimental, causing a significant decrease in population when it erupted in ancient times. Qing Yun sat motionless at the table¡¯s edge. Conversely, it was Qing Ding on the side who began to tremble. Slowly turning around, he looked towards Zheng Ying. A rigid, pale face with eyes closed appeared before Zheng Ying. "Qing Ding?" Zheng Ying pulled out a Soul-reviving Charm, a special treatment symbol for many abnormal states of unconsciousness. It also had a bit of effect in expelling abnormal spiritual power. Holding the talisman paper, surrounded by a cold wind, Zheng Ying cautiously moved toward them step by step. A Fear Shadow emerged behind her, condensing into a pure white Mummy burning with black flames. This was her most powerful Fear Shadow beyond desperation, and it was close to reaching the pinnacle of Spiritual Sharpness. Its name was¡ªBai Jiang. The just-emerged Fear Shadow vanished in an instant, signifying the tricky degree of trouble here. Just then. A sharp sound of something slicing through the air came from the hidden side. Zheng Ying quickly twisted her body, tilted her head back, and dodged. The slicing noise crashed into the ground, then there was silence. Boom! Zheng Ying rolled on the ground in one fluid motion, then stood up. She looked forward;Fear Shadow Bai Jiang was barking furiously at a black figure standing in the shadows. That silhouette slowly deformed, its body elongated, and soon became a giant monster with the upper body of a human and the lower body of a spider. Pfft! The monster lunged with a fierce charge aimed at Zheng Ying. "Heaven and earth are clear, spirits merge seamlessly!" Zheng Ying quickly recited in a low voice, and the size of Bai Jiang behind her ballooned rapidly. Numerous white ribbons detached from it, its aura surged, and it clashed with the half-human, half-spider creature. Boom!! The two monstrous beings collided viciously, the wave of compressed spiritual power exploding like a storm, blowing everything on the table¡ªcups, dust, and more¡ªto the ground. Amidst the sharp crashing sounds, taking advantage of the battle between the Fear Shadow and the monster, Zheng Ying hurried towards the main hall¡¯s doorway. However, sudden threads appeared at the entrance, firmly blocking her way forward. Behind the threads, the blurred figure of the half-human, half-spider creature slowly emerged again. Hiss. It lowered its head and let out a strange hiss. Zheng Ying paused for a moment, took a deep breath, and reached into her waist talisman bag to pinch a particularly important talisman paper. "I won¡¯t die here... absolutely not!" Her eyes resolute, she suddenly pulled, and the talisman paper slapped onto something ahead. Moments later. The living room was a mess, two half-human, half-spider monsters lying on the ground. They wailed as they turned into black mud, utterly motionless. Zheng Ying¡¯s Fear Shadow behind her was also riddled with holes, barely floating translucently in mid-air. Tss. Finally, it could no longer hold itself together and dissipated. Zheng Ying was covered in blood, fine cuts all over her hands and legs, not knowing how she got them. Her face was as white as a sheet, and a large cut stretched across her face. Although the wound had been treated, blood continued to ooze out from half of the cut. Pat, pat, pat, pat... Just as she thought she could settle down for a moment, From the spiral staircase leading to the second floor came a soft clapping sound. "Remarkable! By yourself, you¡¯ve taken down two Spirit Disaster Yin Spirits..." Mud Doll Sect Hierarch Ning Ruofei, along with Yuan Ruhai, walked down the stairs together. Both were cloaked in black robes, their faces partially visible, each wearing a pale porcelain mask. "Who are you...?" Zheng Ying, gasping for breath, backed against the wall, her gaze fixed on the two. "Don¡¯t worry about who we are. Just remember, this is all something that Qingchen Temple has brought upon itself..." Ning Ruofei said softly. Yuan Ruhai silently formed a handprint next to him and pushed forward. A black bandage appeared out of nowhere, soaring from behind towards Zheng Ying. Boom. Unexpectedly, the bandage pierced through Zheng Ying¡¯s chest. Suddenly popping like a bubble, she dispersed and vanished. Zheng Ying had already prepared an evasive spell, and by now, her whereabouts were unknown. The two people at the staircase remained expressionless;Yuan Ruhai pointed, and the black bandage immediately turned into a mist, shooting rapidly toward the corridor on the right. "You can¡¯t escape!" Bang bang bang bang!! Objects within the room were swept and shredded by the bandage, as sharp as knife blades. Zheng Ying had already reached a bedroom on the first floor. Using her ultimate Fear Shadow ability, she had forcibly swapped places, narrowly escaping the pressing threat of those two. Now hiding in the room, she recalled the natural, powerful spiritual pressure that emanated from those two people. Especially the one who spoke, his whole body naturally radiated a heavy oppressive sensation, surely the spiritual anomaly that only a Temple Master Level could emit! Chapter 336: Variation Four "The current situation in Taizhou is hostile towards Qingchen Temple, and even with Senior Brother Zheng Ruyi¡¯s reputation, the people daring to make a move against me... are likely from the Mud Doll Sect and Seven Evil Alliance!" Having guessed the identity of her adversaries, Zheng Ying felt an even heavier sense of oppression. She must escape immediately! This thought swiftly rose in her heart. Zheng Ying quickly rushed to the window, about to open it. But then, she suddenly remembered Qing Yun and Qing Ding. Both of them had followed her here. Images of Qing Ding¡¯s sister entrusting her came to mind... recalling Qing Yun¡¯s parents pleading with her. Zheng Ying¡¯s hand, which was about to forcefully open the window, suddenly relaxed its grip. "This place is the epicenter of a Spirit Disaster, and even the experts from the Mud Doll Sect wouldn¡¯t dare to act recklessly here, for fear of provoking greater danger. Hence, it will be far more dangerous out in the courtyard with a wide view and no cover.... It¡¯s better to wait here, possibly for an opportunity to arise while they are entangled with the Spirit Disaster!" She gritted her teeth and let go of the window. Staying inside the house could provide some visual cover, while going out into the open grassland will make her more vulnerable to danger. That was her judgment. "I still have one last strike..." she reached for her Inheritance Dao Artifact pendant, turned back into the room, and listened closely to the door. In the corridor, the bandages turned into black fog that entered, disturbing a half-human, half-spider shadow spirit and the two entangled in combat again. The shadow spirit seemed to be able to easily nibble on the black fog as if it was cotton candy, forcing the fog to transform back into bandages and engage in a physical confrontation. Throughout the estate, the complicated and twisted bizarre vibrations interfered with Ning Ruofei¡¯s Spiritual Technique surveillance, making it impossible for them to locate Zheng Ying precisely. Zheng Ying took the opportunity to quietly move to the second floor from another staircase. The second floor was a massive circular structure with an empty crystal chandelier in the center of the ring. Around the circle were various functional rooms: bedrooms, studies, playrooms, home theatres, etc. Zheng Ying moved forward without making any footsteps, taking off her shoes, but... Hiss!! Suddenly, a black bandage shot out from the ground beneath her, grazing her calf and shearing off a chunk of flesh. "Found you!" The voice of Yuan Ruhai, cold with hatred. Following this, more bandages burst from the ground, continuously stabbing at Zheng Ying, who was dodging swiftly. As she sprinted forward, a hazy white halo suddenly emerged around her. Within the halo, one could see countless minute silver particles twirling and dancing as if a swarm of tiny bugs. "Thousand Insects! Go!" With her low shout, the halo left her body and flew towards the black bandages rising from the floor. The halo and the black bandages entangled for a few moments before rapidly dispersing, torn apart. The disparity was too great;even the Divine Intent of the Fear Shadow of the Inheritance Dao Artifact could only hold on for a few short seconds. The black bandages once again lunged at Zheng Ying, striking directly upon the white halo that had reappeared on her body. Boom! Her entire body was struck as if hit by lightning. She spat out a mouthful of blood, flew backward, crashing through a wooden door of a room, and heavily fell onto the carpet inside. As she lay dazed from the fall, black bandages shot into the room, unexpectedly crashing into a long-armed, long-legged black human-shaped monster clinging to the ceiling. Roar! The monster roared in anger, plunging down, its hands transforming into scythes, swiftly slashing at the black bandages. Clang clang clang clang! Yuan Ruhai and the newly-appeared Spirit Disaster Monster clashed once again. Zheng Ying took advantage of the situation to drag her badly wounded body, struggling to crawl to the window of the room. "This is it, I have to leave here, or there¡¯s no doubt I¡¯ll die!" At this point, after a few encounters, she realized the vast gulf between herself and her adversary, shattered her illusions, and decided to decisively leave and seek help. She stretched out her hand, grabbed the window handle, turned it down, and then pulled it to the right. Bang! Suddenly, an immense invisible force firmly grabbed the back of her collar. Heeheehee. A sinister giggle like that of a baby sounded. Zheng Ying¡¯s body went numb, and she looked back. She saw a clay-yellow baby over a meter tall, wearing a ghastly white diaper, its skin covered in bloody wounds, standing not far behind her. The baby seemed like an infant magnified many times over in size. One of its eyes was a hollow blood socket, and the corners of its mouth bore stitched, bloody scars. The chubby hands were even missing skin in some areas, revealing the bloody red flesh beneath. "I told you, you can¡¯t escape." The voice of the Mud Doll Sect Hierarch Ning Ruofei, cruelly resounded within the room. Zheng Ying¡¯s mouth gaped open, wanting to scream. But an immense invisible force instantly sealed her mouth and nose and dragged her away from the window, toward the terrifying baby. The vast disparity between Temple Master Level and lower tiers left Zheng Ying completely stripped of the power to resist. She hung limply in mid-air, her mouth desperately trying to open, the corners splitting as she let out her final, silent scream. Ah!!!!! The will to live, at this moment, heightened her mental resolve to the highest peak it had ever been. In that instant, the waves of her desperate Spiritual Fluctuations broke through the house¡¯s interference, reaching the outside of the window. Silence... As if in a trance, the entire second floor suddenly became quiet. It seemed as though all sound at that moment was muffled, becoming distant and indistinct, and the volume was also weak and deep. Ning Ruofei and Yuan Ruhai, at the same moment, seemed to sense something. Boom! "" In an instant, the window of this room, along with the entire wall it was set in, exploded like a crushed biscuit. "Agrius!! The invincible Dragon of Xianglv!!" "Immutable as eternity! The immortal Dragon!!" The air was filled with chants of praise, echoing like the sounds of Buddhist mantras. The shattered walls burst inward, exploding into pieces. At the center, a black behemoth, like a dump truck, roared in, colliding with the room. This monster was covered in pus-filled boils, with a single golden eye on its head and sharp black blades as limbs. Its enormous body stretched over thirty meters long, with only a small part charging into the room, heading straight for Ning Ruofei. Its massive head was like the front of a train, with a width of four to five meters. Even the seemingly fragile golden eye dripped with a thick, highly corrosive transparent liquid. The wild gust of air instantly disrupted the balance of every living being in the room. Be it the long-limbed Spirit Disaster Monster, Yuan Ruhai, Ning Ruofei, or that bizarre infant-like creature taller than a person. In the violent shaking of the house, every individual struggled to keep their footing. "I....!!!???" Ning Ruofei was shocked, raising his hand by instinct to shield himself, barely managing to react before being hit head-on by the Dragon of Xianglv. Boom!!! A hazy yellow light barrier radiated from his body, blocking the impact for a moment. The barrier shattered instantly, followed by Ning Ruofei¡¯s hand, which broke instantly under the force of the assault, like withered branches. Agrius, who could once confront Yu Hong head-on, released a terrifying force of several hundred tons in its full-power assault. This strike was almost fatal for Ning Ruofei, whose body was just slightly more durable than that of an ordinary person, roughly at the level of a Level Two or Three enhanced human. Not to mention, Ning Ruofei was already injured and had not fully recovered. Thud!!! Ning Ruofei was sent crashing through the door behind him, breaking the corridor railing, flying through the ornate chandelier, and slamming into the opposite wall of the house, deeply embedded in it. In the blink of an eye, he was motionless. Ah!!! The gigantic bizarre infant exploded, releasing a terrifying transparent Spiritual Shock. Agrius also rolled in pain, bursting instantly, turning into a surge of black mist that quickly dissipated. ¡¯What... in the world was that?!¡¯ Yuan Ruhai knew well how strong the Temple Master Level Sharpness spiritual power was, and because he was so familiar, he was even more aware of how astonishing it was for the creature that had just appeared to send Ning Ruofei flying with a single hit. Because the spiritual premonition of a Temple Master Level was very strong, even being targeted by a sniper rifle would trigger an automatic sensing response. But that creature just now... Did the Sect Hierarch not get any pre-warning before the impact? Or was the creature itself special? He couldn¡¯t understand. Seizing the opportunity, Yuan Ruhai didn¡¯t dare to entertain any other plans and turned pale as he turned to run. He stepped through the broken wall, landing steadily on the soft grass outside. Pfft. As soon as he steadied himself, dozens of dark red flame streams shot from all directions, instantly engulfing him in a torrent of fire. Moments later. When the flames had dispersed, only a patch of charred ash remained in his place, nothing else. Inside the house. Zheng Ying, still shaken, struggled to stand up and looked at the gigantic holes that had almost pierced through the entire second floor of the building. For a moment, her mind was in disarray. "I... I¡¯m going to kill you!! I¡¯ll kill you!!" Ning Ruofei¡¯s voice echoed with venomous hatred. He was actually still alive! His body, embedded in the wall, had been flattened like a pancake. But the immense and exaggerated spiritual power allowed his spirit to leave his body, relying on his own techniques to survive temporarily. Zheng Ying hurriedly climbed down from the hole in the wall and escaped to the empty grassland outside. Behind her, the black monster that had just appeared unexpectedly was nowhere to be seen. Only Ning Ruofei¡¯s crazed screaming kept echoing and spreading, but there was no target to found. The voice continued for over ten seconds, then gradually weakened. It seemed to trigger the Spirit Disaster Power residing in the rest of the building. One by one, eerie and vast cold Spiritual Fluctuations rose slowly, covering and burying Ning Ruofei¡¯s spirit, and then... devouring it. Zheng Ying watched the scene in a daze, finally not daring to stay, she turned and hobbled towards the iron gate outside. She didn¡¯t know what had happened, but she knew if she didn¡¯t take this chance to run now, she would assuredly die. As she reached the manor¡¯s iron gate with a splitting headache, One by one, half-human, half-spider monsters silently emerged, letting out a shrill laugh, blocking her way. "...still coming..." Zheng Ying took a step back. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Behind her, dozens and dozens of red eyes slowly lit up. Those were Dragon Lizards silently confronting the threat. Black mist gradually enveloped the deep mountain estate, and the intense Spiritual Fluctuations inside slowly calmed to a halt. Soon, as the mist dispersed, so did everything else, Zheng Ying, the Dragon Lizards, all disappeared without a trace. The previously destroyed holes in the building began to silently absorb black particles from the air, repairing the damage. In less than ten minutes, all traces were wiped clean. The entire manor was restored to its original state. Even the footprints of Zheng Ying and the others had completely vanished. Chapter 337: outbreak 1 December in Yasong. Silent new cases, different from before, erupted all across Yasong. Most of these new cases were disappearances, and many of the criminal investigators who went to investigate also went missing. After losing a considerable number of criminal investigators, the Yasong Government had no choice but to dispatch elite members from the official Magician Research Association for investigation. After thorough investigation, the Association came to a shocking conclusion. ¡¯The opening of the Yin Qi Sky Pillar does not bring about only the various creatures from the Black Disaster as before. This time, the creatures from the Black Disaster are only a small part, the majority are not from the Black Disaster, but another type of extremely strange and powerful entities.¡¯ ¡¯These entities primarily use their twisted and powerful bodies as their main method of attack, while also possessing terrifying abilities to possess others;those possessed often become incredibly strong and speedy, impervious to conventional spiritual techniques, and possess a strong capability to corrupt and assimilate spiritual power.¡¯ The leadership of the Taoist Sect-Buddhist Pulse United Magician Research Association issued the latest disaster report together. Naming this disaster officially as¡ªSpirit Disaster. Three days later. The gate of a secluded villa thunderously opened on its own. A blood-soaked figure emerged with great difficulty. The figure was badly mangled, only half of his face was vaguely recognizable¡ªit was Ning Ruofei, the Sect Hierarch of the Mud Doll Sect. But now, he was in a state far more miserable than before he entered, appearing almost on the brink of death, each step he took was extremely labored. His body, which was almost flattened, had somehow healed slightly. Soon, he left without expression through the gate and disappeared into the forest. Shortly thereafter. A young woman dressed in a Qingchen Temple Daoist robe staggered through the iron gate;her right arm was completely severed at the shoulder, the wound charred black, evidently cauterized. Raising her head, revealing a face cracked and white from dehydration, it was Zheng Ying, who had previously gone missing. "Finally... I¡¯m out!!" She gazed at the normal scenery outside, a look of relief finally apparent in her eyes, then she staggered to pull out her phone, only to find it shattered into pieces. "Qing Yun... Qing Ding..." Clenching her teeth, she glanced back, a flash of unwillingness and sorrow crossing her face. Then she continued walking towards the distant mountain path. Not far out, she encountered the search team from the Taoist Temple and official police. "Over here! We¡¯ve found someone, over here!!" An officer with a dog quickly shouted loudly. They approached and helped Zheng Ying. Half an hour later. Inside Qingchen Temple. "Zheng Ying has been found!" Yu Fang hustled into the main hall, loudly informing Yu Mo and Yu Hen who were chanting scriptures. Chanting was not only to stabilize one¡¯s own Daoist Skills but also to strengthen the effectiveness of newly made talismans. Both were startled by the interruption and turned to look at Yu Fang. "How is she?" "Her right hand is gone... She encountered a ferocious monster likely from the Spirit Disaster;Fear Shadow couldn¡¯t defeat it, the disparity too large. She could only slowly figure out the monster¡¯s pattern then used it to buy time, and after several near-death escapes, she finally found a chance to flee," reported Yu Fang quickly. "Her right hand..." Yu Mo¡¯s expression changed slightly. A lost hand meant significantly fewer techniques could be wielded, and more critically, the already stretched Qingchen Temple had to face the loss of a key member. "Additionally, she mentioned that while struggling for survival inside, she encountered a group of mysterious monsters that seemingly and inadvertently helped her," Yu Fang added. "Monsters... perhaps they weren¡¯t helping her, but were just hostile towards the other creatures there," guessed Yu Mo. How could monsters possibly help a human? Even if it did happen, it would surely be by coincidence. "It seems we indeed faced the legendary Spirit Disaster! I have read about this being in books before. Now we are in trouble... Lately, more and more people have been coming to the temple to offer incense and prayers. We..." Yu Hen couldn¡¯t finish his sentence, as suddenly there came a burst of noisy commotion from outside. A Daoist disciple rushed in hastily. "Temple Master, masters, people from Jiufang Temple have come from Hui State, only three were left, the rest... all gone!!" The disciple¡¯s face was pale, his body trembling, as if terrified. "What!?" The expressions of several people in the hall drastically changed as they stood up. "Is this true!? Watch your words carefully!" Yu Hen sternly addressed the disciple. "Disciples dare not, the car is outside, the three people who came down have all suffered heavy injuries, the entire Taoist Sect in Hui State has completely fallen, out of the more than two hundred people from Jiufang Temple, only these three have escaped!" the Taoist boy urgently said, "Master, you all better go and see!" Several elderly Taoists were shaken and quickly walked out of the great hall, crossed the courtyard, and arrived at the front of the Taoist Temple. At the gate, Taoists had already carried out the stretchers, placing the three Taoists who came out of the car on them. Among these three, there is Yuan Hua, a genius disciple who had once sparred with Yu Hong! All three of them had an ashen complexion, their bodies shaking, constantly foaming at the mouth. Coming out of the Taoist Temple, upon seeing the three, Yu Hen and Yu Mo felt a piercing cold spiritual pressure rushing towards them like a cold wind. The two, having the highest Daoist cultivation among those around them, involuntarily stepped back. Arriving with these three was Zheng Ying, who was being supported by others leaning against a stone pillar. Her dreadful state was even more apparent;one of her arms was broken and was tightly bandaged, conspicuously eye-catching. She feebly tried to come forward to greet them, but she was so haggard that she could hardly stand. "This... What should we do!?" Seeing this, Yu Mo couldn¡¯t help but panic. Jiufang Temple¡¯s strength was even stronger than that of Qingchen Temple. They were not Daoist Sect members who only cared about money;many were austere and devoted Taoists. Even they have been reduced to such a tragic state... If Qingchen Temple encountered this, they would probably be unable to resist it as well. The mood among them was heavy, they quickly settled Zheng Ying and the three from Jiufang Temple, using Arrays to suppress the disordered Dao Breath in their bodies, and clumsily employed unfamiliar methods to expel the Spirit Disaster, releasing Techniques, barely managing to dispel the abnormalities in the three. Since the Techniques were continuously aimed at Black Disaster, they were completely ineffective against the Spirit Disaster this time, wasting most of their spiritual power and time after much struggle. Having confirmed that a small part of the Techniques were effective, Yu Hen and the others finally breathed a sigh of relief. From what the three coherent survivors from Jiufang Temple recounted, they found out that one day, Jiufang Temple received an investigation case about a folk tale regarding "Tree Bark Granny." The reporter had contacted them through the police, saying his son often saw an old granny knitting outside the window at night, waving at him. After several occurrences, they began to doubtfully record videos secretly at night. But they were horrified to discover that every night, the son would get up at a fixed time, seemingly awakened by some noise, then stand at the window, looking outside as if talking to someone. But there was nothing outside. At first, they thought it was sleepwalking, but later... the son suddenly disappeared. Thus, the people from Jiufang Temple began to investigate the situation concerning Tree Bark Granny. However, the first group of Taoists who investigated also suddenly disappeared three days later. Jiufang Temple then dispatched people to check the situation again, but the second, stronger group also disappeared within two days, vanishing without a trace. Therefore, out of caution, Jiufang Temple began reporting to the Taoist Sect, and for the third time deployed all their strength to investigate. Then... It ended up that the entire third team, just these three, returned alive... "Tree Bark Granny..." Zheng Ming, who was listening by the side, his face changed slightly;he felt somewhat familiar when he heard the description of Tree Bark Granny from the people of Jiufang Temple. "...Tree Bark Granny, her face resembling old tree bark covered in wrinkles, holding yarn and knitting needles, always knitting something when she appears... But while knitting, she mostly doesn¡¯t look at her hands, instead, she smiles while watching the nearby people." Zheng Ming¡¯s expression became increasingly ugly as he listened. He suddenly remembered an oil painting he had seen while investigating a case previously... "Lian Kongyan, the Senior Brother, couldn¡¯t resist either?!" Yu Hen asked, his face looking dreadful. Kong Yan was currently the strongest in Daoist Skills and Techniques at Jiufang Temple, almost reaching the level of a Temple Master, and he also served as the chairman of the Hui State Daoist Skills Association, communicating frequently with him as an old rival. "The Mystic Copper Mask Technique from Teacher Kong Yan had just been activated when he was torn apart by that monster through the air!" Disciple Yuan Hua sobbed. "I don¡¯t know how it was done;that monster was at least a hundred meters away from teacher, but just..." "Even the method of attack is unclear?!" Yu Hen¡¯s face became even more dreadful. He and Kong Yan had been rivals for many decades, almost equally matched, with Kong Yan slightly superior. But now, hearing that Kong Yan didn¡¯t even know how he died, a sense of panic rose in his heart. This mindset initially being wrong immediately began affecting his Daoist Realm;the special aspect of Guanwu Skill lay here. The strong could swiftly reach high levels in a short time, but once the mind was lost, the collapse of their Daoist Skills was like a sudden flood, uncontrollable and unstoppable. At this moment, Yu Hen was experiencing this, his Daoist Realm in the Sixth Layer once again beginning to disorder. "Temple Master, the most urgent matter now is to apply for support from the Taoist Sect immediately!" Yu Mo, thinking of Zheng Ying¡¯s severed arm, had an even graver look. "I¡¯ll contact them right away!" Yu Hen nodded. A few of them went together to the hospital to visit Zheng Ying, trying to learn more details and the truth from her. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Zheng Ying, are you feeling better now? Could you talk about the specific details of the Spirit Disaster you encountered? Qing Ding and Qing Yun are gone, if we don¡¯t ascertain more information about the Spirit Disaster, more young people might be in danger later on. We must make the most of every moment." "I... I don¡¯t know." Zheng Ying weakly shook her head, "I¡¯ve talked many times about the incident I encountered with those two from the Mud Doll Sect, after that I couldn¡¯t leave the manor and just kept hiding inside, dodging those half-human and half-spider monsters. Several times I nearly faced danger, it was always a shadow that suddenly flew from the side, distracting the monsters." "The monsters chasing you were diverted by the shadow several times?" Everyone was stunned, not expecting the situation to be like this. Chapter 338: Outbreak No. 2 "Yes, I don¡¯t recognize what the shadow is, but it indeed saved me at least four times or more. And according to the rules of the Spirit Disaster, it seems like surviving a designated number of executions allows one to leave freely. That¡¯s why I was able to come out." Zheng Ying quickly said. "In that case, I¡¯m going to send out a request for assistance to the Taoist Sect right now. During this period, everyone should reduce their staffing and focus all efforts on defending the Taoist Temple. Don¡¯t worry about other places for the time being, and if any Golden Jade patrons call for help, we can allow them to bring their families here for refuge." Yu Hen said urgently. "Alright. I¡¯ll go notify them now." Yu Mo nodded. "What about Zheng Rou?" Zheng Ming asked with a grave voice. "Call him, inform him of the situation here, and warn him that he must not go out. We can talk about it after avoiding this period." "The call won¡¯t go through! The local signal station is malfunctioning and undergoing repairs," a young Taoist apprentice hurried to say. "I¡¯ll go in person," Xun Yang, Yu Mo¡¯s Taoist apprentice, offered proactively, having a good relationship with Yu Hong and being considered close to him. "Good." Yu Hen nodded. Xun Yang quickly ran out of the Quiet Room, crossing the courtyard toward the main gate. At this moment, the entrance to the Taoist Temple was crammed with a long line of patrons waiting to worship the gods. At the sight of her, many patrons hurriedly greeted her with anxious pleas. "Taoist Xun Yang, can you let us in first? There¡¯s an emergency at home, we¡¯re really running out of time!" "My father fainted from fright;he urgently needs a talisman to be saved!" "Please, let my daughter in quickly, she really can¡¯t hold on much longer...." One plea after another caused Xun Yang¡¯s steps to involuntarily slow down. But knowing she couldn¡¯t bear the responsibility, she dared not agree to any requests and could only lower her head and quickly got into the car for another courtyard, escorted by the protection of two other Taoists. However, the car had barely driven two hundred meters. Suddenly, the view blurred in front of Xun Yang¡¯s eyes, she looked ahead in astonishment. Outside the car window, the scenery once again morphed and she, along with the driver and the car, shockingly found themselves back on the street near the Taoist Temple. "Is this...did you take a wrong turn!?" Xun Yang asked urgently. "That¡¯s impossible, I was driving in one direction!" The driver also broke out in a sweat and tugged at the amulet hanging inside the car. "Drive again!" Xun Yang shouted. Immediately, the driver floored the gas pedal, choosing a different direction to drive off. In a short while, their vision blurred again, and they reappeared on the street near the Taoist Temple. This time, both of their faces turned pale, having witnessed the entire process with their own eyes. "We...can¡¯t get out!?" Xun Yang asked tremblingly. ".....try one more time!" The driver said through clenched teeth. The third time. The pair drove once more, heading away from the Taoist Temple. And as they attempted again, an elderly woman with white hair, dressed in a gray robe, and a kindly face, appeared within the crowded queue at Qingchen Temple, holding a knitted bag and walking towards the temple with a relaxed demeanor that contrasted with the anxious crowd around her. Abruptly, the old woman halted her steps, slightly turning her gaze toward a small corner shadow on the right side of the temple gate pillar. Faint tendrils of black smoke swirled there, coalescing into the massive silhouette of a dragon lizard¡¯s head. It was Agrius, who had just returned from the estate. It had been only wounded and was now nearly recovered, continuing to carry out Yu Hong¡¯s orders. Hiss. A flash of golden electricity momentarily surrounded the dragon lizard¡¯s head. The old woman lifted her hand, reaching out from afar towards the dragon lizard. Buzz!! A terrifying surge of spiritual power, transcending even the level of a Temple Master, arrived in an instant, freezing a small area of space around the lizard. The spiritual power swiftly penetrated the dragon lizard¡¯s brain, beginning to forcibly obliterate its consciousness. Agrius¡¯s consciousness was rapidly extinguished. The spiritual power, still unsatisfied, continued to trace the consciousness, extending deeper, seeking to find the ultimate source of control. But soon, a small spark of electricity flickered on the back of her aged hand. At the same time, a chant seemed to arise around them, as if through a hazy mist. "Agrius!" "Dragon of Xianglv, divine bloodline in decay!!" "You, the profoundly immortal, eternally unchanging, undead and indestructible!" "Guardian of the Immortal Strong Wall, Prison Warden Agrius!" With the rising chants, strands of golden electricity began to spread from the back of the old woman¡¯s hand, extending towards her body. Buzz!! sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A mighty gaze from an unknown distant height shone down upon this place from afar. At the same time, from the old woman¡¯s pitch-black eyes, akin to bottomless abysses, a massive amount of cold, distorted strangeness in spiritual power surged forth, forcefully withstanding that mighty gaze. * * * Inside a separate residence, in a Quiet Room. "Agrius, has unexpectedly lost contact... Four dragon lizards missing..." Yu Hong suddenly opened his eyes, frowning deeply. He was surprised to sense his returning subordinates. The dragon lizards¡¯ present strength, having grown over time, when converted¡ªroughly equated to the level of top-tier enhanced humans, impervious to bullets or blades, with ordinary firearms unable to penetrate their skin. Except for their slower speed, their other qualities practically reached the upper limits of an enhanced human. With the advantage in numbers, the sudden disappearance of four is an extremely rare occurrence. Moreover, how could Agrius lose contact? As his most meritorious and number one subordinate all along, even if there are now higher-level Fear Shadows replacing its function, Yu Hong still attaches great importance to it. This is not only because he is someone who cherishes the past, but also because Agrius¡¯s strength was at least Level Nine to begin with, and now it has been continuously reviving and condensing under the enhancement of Tianhe, perhaps even capable of contending with War Level Black Disasters. War Level and Temple Master Level represent the two extremes of physical physical assault and spiritual magic assault, respectively. Both possess the tremendous destructive power to annihilate the opponent in a moment. ¡¯So, if Agrius encounters a Temple Master Level powerhouse, it¡¯s about who acts first and who gets hit first.¡¯ Yu Hong pondered in his heart. He tried to call it back, but there was no response;Agrius seemed to be stuck, like it had crashed, completely motionless. No response, unable to return, there¡¯s no way to restore Agrius again. Because even to restore it, the residual consciousness of Agrius itself would be needed. The remaining Dragon Lizards did give a response and started to return. "And also, the person guarding the door at the Taoist Temple didn¡¯t come today." Yu Hong got up, walked to the door, pushed the movable wooden plank below the door, and from the ground outside the doorway, brought in a metallic silver food container. Opening the food container, inside was freshly prepared food. Braised pork, stir-fried greens, cucumber with scrambled eggs, two catties of sweet potato rice, plus a cup of clear water, made up his meal. "Little An." Yu Hong took out a spoon, started to eat, and called out. "What¡¯s up?" A somewhat youthful voice of a young girl came from outside the door. Her name was An Susu, the daughter of the owner of a nearby restaurant that specializes in delivering food and drink to him. She is the one mostly responsible for bringing Yu Hong food and drink. "Recently, is there any situation over at the Taoist Temple?" Yu Hong asked. "How come the person guarding the door didn¡¯t come today? Do you know what¡¯s going on?" Usually, every day an elder Taoist from the Yu Generation would come to guard, but yesterday and today, no one came. The girl sat on the long bench outside the door, also a bit puzzled by the question. "Nobody came yesterday either, I don¡¯t know." "Oh yes, do you know why there has been no mobile phone signal these past few days?" Yu Hong asked again. "I know this, they said there¡¯s a problem with the nearby signal tower, and the maintenance people are delaying it and not attending to it, just dragging it on." An Susu quickly answered. Yu Hong¡¯s brows tightened, he began to contact the Dragon Lizards that had arrived nearby, attempting to share their vision. But intense spiritual interference made it impossible for him to initiate the Dragon Lizards¡¯ vision sharing. This pure spiritual interference has a significant impact on his Tianhe-summoned creatures. Even previously with Agrius, he could only vaguely sense its specific location. Yu Hong felt the Dao Breath between his temples, which is the special spiritual power from cultivating the Guanwu Skill. The so-called Dao Breath is in fact more like a special and uniquely altered spiritual power. At this moment, the Dao Breath was just a tiny bit away from completing its Sharpness. After spiritual power Sharpness is complete, he would fully step into the Temple Master level. By then, even in this world, in terms of pure spiritual aspect, he would be considered a bit of a master. No need to cheat by relying on physical strength every time he couldn¡¯t win. Yu Hong estimated the time he still needed. Spiritual power Sharpness would probably take another two days to complete. The fusion and qualitative change of Five Spirits Spring would need at least four days. Quickly finishing his meal, he glanced at the small booklet on the table. This was the hypnotic range Technique provided by Qing Huang, which was being strengthened by the Black Mark, with a countdown of a little over four days remaining. ¡¯Should I wait four more days before coming out of seclusion, or should I go to the Taoist Temple now?¡¯ Yu Hong hesitated. Five streams of colorful spiritual power were still continuously circling and soaring around him, occasionally rushing into his body and leaving behind a little bit of spiritual power fusion. This fusion of the Five Spirits Spring definitely cannot disturb the five streams of spiritual power. Once startled, it would disrupt the process, and the five streams of spiritual power would also conflict with each other, leading to chaos. Then ten years of accumulation would be in vain. "Forget it, let the Dragon Lizards go near the Taoist Temple to check out the situation. If the Dragon Lizards disappear and there¡¯s a problem, come out of seclusion immediately. If the Dragon Lizards are fine, it should be fine, then I will wait to go out after four days." Although previously Yu Zhong said that he must complete Sharpness before leaving seclusion, and if anything happened, they would inform him. But the sudden loss of contact with Agrius raised a hint of worry in Yu Hong¡¯s heart. Moreover, it is said that when spiritual power is strong to a certain extent, it will also produce a special forewarning towards people and things associated with oneself. After determining the plan, Yu Hong issued the order for the Dragon Lizard to head towards Qingchen Temple. Right now, he couldn¡¯t even use Fear Shadow and could only rely on the summoned creatures stored inside Tianhe, with severely limited strength. Because whether it¡¯s Fear Shadow or Inheritance Dao Artifact, they are all formed from the condensation of spiritual power Technique. Only the summoned creatures from within Tianhe, are those he captured from the outside world earlier on. So besides Tianhe-summoned creatures and physical strength, he couldn¡¯t do anything else. ¡¯No... not right. I still have a force that I can call upon...¡¯ Suddenly, Yu Hong thought of something, and his gaze deepened. He had forgotten, during this time. The intensity of the Spirit Light was growing stronger... This implies that more and more Magicians were cultivating Spirit Light. This dispersed force, although, contains many masters as well, such as the obscuring Qing Huang. Qing Huang, now replenished with Spirit Light, will be far stronger than before. If used properly, it wouldn¡¯t be worse than Agrius or the Dragon Lizards. Pondering for a moment, Yu Hong knocked on the door again. "An Su, are you still there?" "Mhm, what is it?" An Susu hurriedly responded. She remembered her father saying that the person resting inside was a big shot from Taizhou, and she must provide welcoming and respectful treatment without any neglect. "Could you help me deliver a message? Send a small note to someone nearby." Yu Hong spoke softly. To contact the people of Mutual Aid Alliance, he needed to reach out to Cheng Shu and the other two, and he had set up a secret code and fixed contact points with them, just near the Taoist Temple. "No problem, just tell me." Chapter 339: outbreak Three Before the gates of Qingchen Temple. A crowd numbering in the hundreds gathered here. Everyone was trying to squeeze into the temple to take refuge. Most of them brought their families, with the cries of children rising and falling, painting a scenario of extreme hardship. A few Taoists at the entrance tried to persuade the crowd with all their might, hoping everyone would seek help from the police station. However, the appearance of a few police officers in the crowd made them lose the intent to keep persuading. "The police station...has also encountered troubles...the chief has fled to the provincial city, and now there are only a few barely maintaining order in the station. The rest are either missing or already here..." A middle-aged police officer with deep-set eyes looked utterly exhausted, having not rested in a long time, and spoke with a sense of helplessness. "We are police officers, that¡¯s true, but we are also human, with families of our own..." Zheng Xia stood at the entrance of the Taoist temple, blocking the surging crowd along with a few other Taoists. Watching this scene, her heart was also heavy. Taizhou was her hometown, the place where she grew up, and she would never wish for such calamities to occur. Taking advantage of the moment the Taoists negotiated with the crowd, she lifted her head to survey the distant urban area. The city had become eerily quiet at some unknown time, with hardly any open shops in sight, and a pitiful lack of pedestrians and vehicles on the streets. "The situation erupted last night, with many people in the city falling ill and developing fevers for no apparent reason, along with inexplicable convulsions and foaming at the mouth. The hospital checks turned up nothing," a middle-aged female Taoist whispered beside her. "What about the other senior brothers and junior disciples?" Zheng Xia asked. "No cell signal, others are unclear too. Senior sister Zheng Ying has only just returned, you can see the situation for yourself," the female Taoist replied. "Zheng Ming was seriously injured and hasn¡¯t recovered yet. Zheng Rou is in closed-door cultivation, which is very important and cannot be disturbed. But now it seems that he has been notified too. The rest, even if they come out, wouldn¡¯t be able to handle much." "..." Zheng Xia was speechless, as those inside the Taoist temple sketching talismans were almost smoked out from the frantically hard work. But it was still not enough to meet the huge demand from outside. "Do you know what exactly happened?" she asked. "Not sure...according to the hospital¡¯s tests, everything appears normal, but...the only thing of some use now is the Spirit Avoidance Charm, which can alleviate the pain of the people outside and calm them down. Other talismans are almost ineffective," the female Taoist replied. Zheng Xia wanted to ask more, but suddenly saw Temple Master Yu Hen, along with a few elderly Taoists from the Yu Generation, hurrying out of the main hall and approaching the gate. She promptly stopped and made way. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yu Hen and the others looked solemn as they walked quickly to the gate and looked up into the distance. "The Array has detected very strong Spiritual Fluctuations attempting to interfere with the entire Taoist temple!" Yu Hen spoke in a grave voice, not even glancing at the throngs at the gate. "Have you found out where it is?" Yu Mo asked quietly from the side. "Not clear, but we¡¯re certain it¡¯s in that direction, even though we¡¯re unable to observe it," Yu Hen answered in a low voice. To the eyes of all the magicians present, a massive grey column of smoke was seen rising into the sky in that direction, reaching up to the heavens and grounding to the earth¡ª The Yin Qi Sky Pillar. It was also the sort of thing the Seven Evil Alliance had been trying to open in various places. It was like a volcanic vent bursting through the crust;unless enough pressure was released inside, the pillar would not dissipate or cease. This Heavenly Pillar had materialized for several days now, and everyone was suspecting that it was the source of the problems. "Temple Master!" Suddenly, Yu Zhong seemed to have discovered something;he took a few steps forward, crouched down by the entrance, and gently wiped the ground. "Something happened here before..." He sniffed his finger under his nose. "More than half an hour ago, this place should have held potent spiritual remnants that ordinary people can¡¯t see." "Here? Right at the entrance?!" Yu Hen and the others looked incredulously at Yu Fang. "My Fear Shadow Detection ability is strong, I wouldn¡¯t be mistaken," Yu Fang nodded. "Here, under our noses, at least two massive spiritual forces, far exceeding any usual bounds, fought a short but fierce battle against each other without our noticing," Yu Fang said with an ugly look on his face. "The good news is, nothing¡¯s wrong now, which means they either bore no ill will or didn¡¯t have the inclination to pay attention to us," Yu Hen said reassuringly. "No...Temple Master, one of the Spiritual Fluctuations has clearly entered our threshold but was then forcibly pushed out by another force," Yu Fang replied. He looked more closely at the spot. "No...not pushed out, but rather, both forces disappeared right here. Another force came crashing down from above, forcefully offsetting the former with such precise control...it was so strong that it kept us from noticing until everything was over." "...Anyway, as long as we¡¯re safe now, it means we¡¯re fortunate, right? With the Yin Qi Sky Pillar opened, any bizarre and troublesome events could happen," Yu Hen said, taking a deep breath and managing a weak smile. But his expression turned even uglier upon recalling the recent response from the Taoist Sect. Right now, the only ones left to fight were these old bones;Zheng Ying and Zheng Ming were both injured and couldn¡¯t carry on. There weren¡¯t many disciples left capable of shouldering the burden. Under such circumstances, the Taoist Sect actually denied his request for reinforcements, stating that the entire region of Yasong was faced with situations that needed support. "Look, what¡¯s that in the sky?!" Suddenly, someone in the crowd shouted urgently, pointing at the distant horizon. "Is that a black cloud?!" "Why is it falling down?!" Some of the temple¡¯s magicians realized something was amiss. "Good heavens...!" "It looks like locusts!! I¡¯ve seen this before when I was a kid!" "Why are there so many?!" The crowd began to stir violently, everyone looked up to see the black swarm, thick as mist, descending like clouds of locusts. Although in the eyes of ordinary people it was just black clouds, the abnormality of its descent was enough to frighten anyone. The sky above the entire neighborhood around the Taoist temple was quickly obscured. "Seek cover, careful!!" Yu Hen suddenly shouted at the top of his lungs. He spread his arms wide, and a giant bird of flame soared from behind him, transforming into a phoenix-like red glow, charging towards the swarm of locusts. That was an Array! A large-scale offensive Array belonging to the entire Qingchen Temple¡ªthe Red Phoenix Spirit Charge Formation. A red phoenix soared into the sky, shooting flames that only magicians could see into the locust swarm. Whoosh. Great flames collided with the black cloud of locusts. The locusts turned into black smoke as they burned away, but more swarmed in from all around. The red phoenix rapidly weakened, shrinking, and was on the verge of failing to hold on. "Quick, into the Taoist Temple!" Yu Hen took the opportunity to usher everyone into the Taoist Temple. Ordinary people didn¡¯t know what was happening;they couldn¡¯t see the red phoenix or the locusts, only a black mist suspended in the sky that stood still and did not descend. At this moment, being called upon, everyone panicked, jostling each other, suddenly pouring into the Taoist Temple. Over three hundred people, like a stream of water, swiftly entered the Taoist Temple. Bang! The heavy doors closed and were locked. By now, the red phoenix in the sky had completely dissipated, and countless locusts finally dove down again, like arrows, pouncing towards the Taoist Temple. Strangely enough, this black cloud of locusts attacked only the Taoist Temple, leaving the surrounding houses completely untouched. * * * On the sea, headquarters of the Seven Evil Alliance, the Floating Island. A navy blue behemoth of a ship, much larger than ordinary cargo ships, was the core headquarters of the entire Seven Evil Alliance. At this moment, the Alliance Hierarch Long Qingzi was smiling as he watched the Yin Qi Sky Pillar he had released. "It doesn¡¯t seem like Black Disaster is coming out..." He turned his head to look at the female masked in black tight clothing, who had a distressed expression. "Impossible... I clearly provided the Black Disaster Calling Ritual Disc! The sealing point that was activated was also the Black Disaster..." The woman muttered to herself, appearing somewhat mentally disturbed. She merely wanted to unleash the Black Disaster, deplete the spiritual power of the Taoist Sect, and avenge her family. But now... As the stir created by the Yin Qi Sky Pillar grew greater, she suddenly realized that what she might have unleashed was not just the Black Disaster... "This doesn¡¯t seem like the Yin Qi Sky Pillar of the Black Disaster..." The woman gazed at the sky pillar, increasingly certain of her judgment. "Ah, you¡¯re not wrong in your feeling. Indeed, it¡¯s not the Black Disaster," Long Qingzi raised an eyebrow, "I saw the Spirit Disaster ritual disc and thought it might be a bit more interesting, so I switched it." He smiled with a hint of amusement, looking at the woman. "How does it feel? Quite surprising, isn¡¯t it?" "...." The woman stiffened. Spirit Disaster... No wonder she felt something was amiss. She only intended to take revenge on the Taoist Sect, not to destroy the world!! "Why would you do this? Have you gone mad? The outbreak of a Spirit Disaster is far more dangerous than a Black Disaster!" The woman couldn¡¯t help but cry out loud. "Isn¡¯t it interesting?" Long Qingzi laughed, "This world, like a calm deep pool, is often too tranquil. We could use some waves now and then." "Interesting... Do you have any idea how many people will die if a Spirit Disaster occurs!?" The woman clenched her teeth, her body turning cold. Merely for the sake of amusement, a more troublesome Spirit Disaster had been released... Her previous arrangements had all been tailored against the Black Disaster, and now, with the predominance of the Spirit Disaster, most of her arrangements became ineffective, and over a decade of preparation turned useless overnight. Now she, like everyone else, had to struggle for survival unprepared in the face of the Spirit Disaster! "See, isn¡¯t your reaction right now quite interesting?" Long Qingzi spoke again, "Life shouldn¡¯t be too dull. Splendid and grand¡ªthat¡¯s when you see the extraordinary in each person... only then is there enough thrill to make everything more exciting." "You madman!!" The woman gritted her teeth. "Thanks for the compliment, normality is about conformity, but as for me, what I enjoy the most is breaking the rules." Long Qingzi spread his arms, as streaks of invisible sharp currents continuously spun and howled around him. "What is madness?? It is excitement, brilliance, it is dazzling and colorful..." * * * Two days later. Qingchen Temple¡¯s branch. Yu Hong was sitting cross-legged in the Quiet Room. Suddenly, he opened his eyes. At this moment, his spiritual power was on the brink of a crucial transformation, and in just a bit more than one day, the final change could be completed. And at this moment, the changes in the environment of the city district also made him feel that something was off. The readings on the multimeter, Red Value and Spiritual Fluctuation, had both reached double digits. This indicted that the surrounding environment had entered an extremely dangerous state. ¡¯The Dragon Lizard sent out has returned, everything normal?¡¯ Yu Hong narrowed his eyes. Had it not been for the multimeter¡¯s readings, he might have been deceived by the Dragon Lizard¡¯s feedback. But now, looking at the readings, the Dragon Lizard¡¯s feedback was very problematic. "What is it...interfering with my judgment...and also cloaking the entire Qingchen Temple?" Suddenly, he stood up and walked to the door. Thump thump. Someone was gently knocking on the door outside. Chapter 340: outbreak Four "Alliance Hierarch. We have arrived," Cheng Shu¡¯s voice came from outside the door. "Sorry to call you all here at this time," Yu Hong said softly. "We are the Mutual Aid Alliance after all. You shouldn¡¯t be so formal," Red Snake hurriedly replied. "How many brothers and sisters have arrived?" Yu Hong asked. "Only the nearby Magicians, a total of thirty-six people," Cheng Shu replied quickly. "What¡¯s the strength of the brothers and sisters who have come?" Yu Hong asked. "Including the enhancement from Spirit Light, it¡¯s hard to calculate since we have never fought to the limit," Cheng Shu replied promptly. "In that case, it really is difficult to assign roles," Yu Hong pondered for a moment, then in a tone as if he just thought of something, he said, "It just so happens that Qingchen Temple might be facing some trouble, could I ask everyone to go and check it out?" "Of course..." Cheng Shu and Red Snake outside the door dared not say a word of objection. Especially Cheng Shu, who used to think she understood Yu Hong, but as Spirit Light was extracted and disobedient people started dying one by one. Seeing Yu Hong¡¯s expression unchanged, as indifferent to the death of a person as if he were looking at an ant, not moved at all. At that moment, she realized that everything she had understood about Yu Hong before was just an illusion. "By the way, can you dial this number for me? There¡¯s a problem with the local base station and I can¡¯t make contact," Yu Hong continued. "Of course," Cheng Shu quickly said. Yu Hong reported a number and after confirming it repeatedly, he watched the two leave. Only after the two had completely left the courtyard did he turn around and looked at the thin and sparse rays of five-colored Spirit Light in the mid-air;the Five Spirits Spring was nearing its end. ¡¯Using only physical strength to launch a surprise attack, and maintaining mental consciousness without moving should not be a big problem.¡¯ Whoosh. In an instant, his figure silently disappeared inside the Quiet Room. The various anomalies had already indicated that something unusual seemed to have occurred outside. Moments later. After leaving the courtyard, Cheng Shu, holding a mobile phone, drove a long distance away and only got a signal at the edge of a field in the outskirts. Cheng Shu started to input the number on her cellphone. "Do you really want to go to Qingchen Temple? Something feels off there, like it¡¯s shrouded in a gloomy fog," Red Snake couldn¡¯t help but ask beside her. "You think we can choose not to go? You dare not go?" Cheng Shu retorted. "..." Red Snake was instantly silenced. "I sensed a very strong Yin Energy from there, and a Yin Qi Sky Pillar has suddenly erupted nearby. I suspect... Qingchen Temple might be facing a serious problem. Despite our increase in strength through Spirit Light, I¡¯m afraid we are still..." Cheng Shu fell silent;indeed, what Red Snake said was true. Although these people¡¯s strengths were enhanced by Spirit Light, and their own strength had greatly improved compared to before, in comparison to the previous Dao Seed Disciples of Qingchen Temple, they were similar, and even when compared to the strongest Dao Seed elite, they might still be lacking. Their only advantage was their numbers. Such strength against the Black Disaster that even Qingchen Temple couldn¡¯t handle would likely not hold up. "It¡¯s a death either way, we might as well run away," Red Snake whispered. Cheng Shu said nothing but dialed the entered phone number. Dial... the phone started to ring. She parked the car by the golden field, waiting for it to connect. Soon, after two more rings, the phone connected. "Who?" The voice of an old man with some age to it came through. "The Mutual Aid Alliance Hierarch gave me this number and asked me to call you to resolve the trouble at Qingchen Temple," Cheng Shu said quickly. "..." There was silence on the other end. "I understand." Click. The call ended. Cheng Shu frowned, the other person¡¯s attitude displeasing her, but considering that Yu Hong had to call this person alone, the person on the other end was definitely not an ordinary character. "Hope it helps..." She sighed. The two turned around and rushed towards Qingchen Temple in the city area. Before long, they arrived at the entrance of the Taoist Temple, where many Magicians from the Mutual Aid Alliance had already arrived. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But to their surprise, the entire Taoist Temple was empty, with closed doors. Someone stepped forward to knock on the door, but there was no response. Cheng Shu checked the time. Just past three in the afternoon. She looked around, and the streets were sparsely populated, with very few people and vehicles. This part of the city seemed to be very off. "Assistant, should we break down the door?" a strong Magician asked Cheng Shu. Everyone there had seen each other not long ago, and each of them had a significant increase in Spiritual Fluctuation. Clearly, the replenishment of Spirit Light had healed their bodies tormented by side effects and also rapidly enhanced their Daoist Skills. Among them, two even seemed to be nearly as strong as Cheng Shu herself. She was, after all, one of the strongest Wild Mages that had come together initially. "Knock again and send half to the back and side doors to check," Cheng Shu contemplated. The group rapidly divided to head to the other doors. But those doors were also shut tight. Thud. Eventually, a Magician raised his fist and smashed open the main door of the Taoist Temple and entered. The others followed suit into the courtyard. However, the courtyard remained empty, not a soul in sight. "Something¡¯s wrong here..." Cheng Shu frowned, looking around. "Indeed, something¡¯s wrong..." Suddenly, an elderly voice sounded from behind the group. "Here, just over twenty minutes ago, there was residual Spiritual Fluctuation of living people." The voice seemed to move instantly, appearing once again in front of the crowd. Hum. All the Magicians were startled and gripped their Techniques, ready to act at any moment. Their eyes were all focused on the black-robed old man standing by the incense burner. The old man wore a pure white mask, with only his eyes exposed and nothing else. "It is normal for you to be weaker and not perceive it," the voice of the old man was calm as he raised his right hand. "Let me open it... to witness this legendary Spiritual Domain." Boom. Suddenly, he opened his hand quickly and clenched his fist, a circle of black ripples exploded from the core of the fist. Wherever the ripples passed, the ground beneath, incense burner, surrounding walls, and the entire Taoist Temple, all underwent a drastic change in an instant. * * * Elsewhere in the courtyard. Yu Hong suddenly felt a premonition. "The Qing Huang is coming...." His expression softened. Within the Mutual Aid Alliance, Qing Huang had completed her Spirit Light, arguably the strongest master in the entire alliance. Originally, she was already stronger than the Sect Hierarchs of the Mud Doll Sect and other top Temple Master Level experts. Now, having restored her Spirit Light, her biggest weakness was entirely covered. The increase in her strength was almost unimaginable. "Hopefully, she won¡¯t disappoint me...." He closed his eyes gently once more, immersing himself in the final phase of transformation. Moreover, the spiritual hypnosis Cultivation Technique strengthened by the Black Mark was also completed. The transformation sharpened his natural talent. With the enhancement period over, his strength would soon soar to new heights, leaving no shortcomings in terms of spiritual power. * * * Within Qingchen Temple, an isolated Spiritual Domain. Screams, cries of agony, wailing, begging¡ª amidst the cacophony, people were dodging the swarms of locusts dive-bombing from the sky. But there were too many locusts;they fell like raindrops, tracing black lines through the air. Even if some hit the ground, they could swiftly flutter their wings to take off again, continuing their assault on anything alive. The dark mass of locusts created chaos throughout the Taoist Temple. The few remaining Taoists were gathered around the Temple Master and others, forming an Array. A strong spiritual fluctuation converged, creating a protective Technique that shielded the scarce dozen or so individuals. Zheng Ying, Zheng Ming, and Zheng Yun were all there, supporting each other, faces pale as they watched the catastrophe unfold. "Still can¡¯t contact the outside??" Yu Hen shouted loudly. "No way, it seems like something is blocking us here, we¡¯re getting no response to our signals! Even the satellite equipment is useless!" Two middle-aged Taoists wearing glasses quickly answered from behind. "Is this the Spirit Disaster??" Zheng Ming dazedly watched as the massive crowd outside the Array barrier was consumed by locusts that entered their bodies and subsequently collapsed. Qingchen Temple¡¯s Array could not protect so many people;even they could only fend for themselves, let alone care for the rest. The dense screams made this place seem like hell on Earth... Bodies littered the ground¡ªold people, adults, children¡ªregardless of status, attire, or prestige, at this moment, perhaps it was the most egalitarian moment in human existence. Crack. Just then, their Array, the transparent barrier stopping the locusts, cracked open with two fissures. Several elders of the Yu Generation paled and simultaneously spat out a mouthful of blood. "It¡¯s not just locusts, something else attacked us just now!!" Yu Hen was the first to realize something was amiss. His gaze pierced through the chaotic courtyard to a figure slowly approaching in the near distance. The person¡¯s body was a blur of flesh and blood, hair disheveled, with only half a clean face still visible. "It¡¯s him! The Mud Doll Sect expert who chased after me before!!" Zheng Ying immediately recognized the figure. "He wasn¡¯t rushed to death?!" She stared incredulously, as if trying to discern whether she was seeing things incorrectly. No matter how she checked, she was certain this was the guy previously killed by a monster. "Ning Ruofei... you are Ning Ruofei!" Ni Hen identified the person¡¯s identity, face filled with shock. Regardless, Ning Ruofei, as the Sect Hierarch of the Mud Doll Sect, was a true Temple Master Level Magician beyond the bounds. And now... Without replying, Ning Ruofei just maintained a stiff smile, lifted his hand, and pointed at the transparent barrier formed by the Array. Waah!~~~ Suddenly, a piercing baby¡¯s cry erupted from behind the barrier. Temple Master Level overwhelming spiritual power, like a pressing wind, instantly spread over everything. It also encompassed the position of Qingchen Temple¡¯s Taoists. The spiritual force forcibly compressed their consciousness, causing a momentary cessation in their thoughts. This was short-term consciousness shock, resulting from a vast gap in spiritual power. Though it lasted for only a second, it was enough to create a huge flaw in the Array barrier. At the same time, a giant mud-colored baby, seemingly molded from earth, appeared outside the Array boundary and took advantage of the situation to smash its palm against the barrier. Far surpassing the spiritual fluctuation levels of an ordinary Temple Master, the force was concentrated in this palm strike, transformed into a semi-transparent, shapeless wave of force, aimed directly at Yu Hen, Yu Mo, and the other senior Taoists inside the barrier. Regaining their senses from the mental shock, they came to¡ªbut it was too late when they saw the massive palm closing in. The baby¡¯s meter-wide mud-colored hand brutally smashed into the surface of the barrier. Boom!!! The barrier shattered. The small hand fell straight down. Boom! A large explosion erupted among the Taoists, a savage force carrying some sort of malignant contamination, the spiritual fluctuation like a bomb, all at once enveloping every Taoist inside the Array. Zheng Ming, Zheng Ying, Yu Hen, Yu Mo, and all the others were engulfed in its reach. One by one, their heads burst open like watermelons, red and white splattering everywhere. And so, the strongest remaining force in the entire Taoist Temple was, in an instant, completely annihilated. Ning Ruofei¡¯s smile became even more distinct as he dispersed the gigantic baby, turning his sight towards the other ordinary people hiding in corners. Turning around, he didn¡¯t pay any attention to the living;he started walking slowly in the direction of his departure. Pat. Pat. Abruptly, his step halted, and he stopped. Looking down at his chest. Unknowingly, a huge gaping hole had silently appeared in his left chest. Within the hole, where his heart should have been, there was nothing at all. "How is this... possible!?" Ning Ruofei uttered in a hoarse whisper. Clutching his left chest, his entire body began to weaken as he dropped to his knees. With the heart gone, this body also lost its support and energy core. Thump. He fell forwards, consciousness gradually blurring. In a haze, the world before his eyes began to rapidly change, like ashes in a fire, the scene shattered into fine black particles that whisked away like smoke, revealing the true sight beneath. The empty courtyard of the Taoist Temple reappeared once more. At the center of the courtyard. "It¡¯s been a long time." A figure of an old man wearing a white mask, his back to Ning Ruofei, stood just meters ahead. "Ning Ruofei, you have weakened...." Chapter 341: Induction 1 "You...." Ning Ruofei wanted to speak, but with his heart already removed, he had lost the strength to talk. He tried to say something else, but his body suddenly swelled up and within a second, it exploded like a balloon. Boom!! His entire body burst into countless wisps of black smoke, dispersing into the air. This black smoke didn¡¯t fly away;instead, it, along with all the surrounding locusts, converged into a single point above the Taoist Temple. Hiss. Numerous locusts turned into strips of black smoke, frantically merging into this point in mid-air. Qing Huang raised his head slightly in surprise, squinting as he looked toward the sky. "You all should leave here first," he said. In front of him, Yu Mo, Yu Hen, and the others were still holding up the array barrier, completely unharmed. Clearly, everything that just happened was merely an illusion from Ning Ruofei¡¯s last moments of consciousness. Yu Hen wanted to say something else but was immediately pulled back by Yu Mo. At a time like this, regardless of the opponent¡¯s identity, they had to leave first and talk later. The group bowed to Qing Huang together. "We are indebted for your rescue today and will certainly repay it!!" Qing Huang waved his hand and simply turned around, walking toward the point in the sky. Whoosh. In an instant, the black point shattered, and a figure landed firmly on the ground, it was Ning Ruofei, who had just lost his heart. At this moment, he had no wounds on his body, his skin was deathly pale, covered with dark red patterns resembling roots. "It¡¯s you.... Senior Qing Huang... I didn¡¯t expect there to be a day when you and I would stand on opposite sides...." Ning Ruofei seemed to restore consciousness, a harmonious smile on his face as he looked at Qing Huang. "What gave you the audacity to speak to me like this?" Qing Huang¡¯s eyes flashed with a hint of surprise. "And now, what do you amount to?" Ning Ruofei chuckled. "Now... I feel very comfortable.... I can feel an endless power surging from my body...." "Endless??" Qing Huang sneered. Boom!! In an instant, a sea of gray-black spiritual power rose behind him, rushing out toward Ning Ruofei. Hidden within that black sea, there seemed to be countless densely packed white Spirit Light Threads. He had actually, in a short period, discovered a deeper usage of the Spirit Light, directly using it to substantiate and enhance his own spiritual power. With both tactics combined, his momentum and power now were at least a level stronger than before! "Spiritual Technique: All Phenomena Are Shadows." Qing Huang formed a seal with one hand, spiritual power far surpassing before surged and enveloped his entire body, his eyes behind the mask glowing with a hazy white light. The vast black sea completely covered the entire Taoist Temple, bringing up a giant shadow, like a titanic black wall, crashing toward Ning Ruofei. * * * In Taizhou City, on the street. Yu Hong stood quietly in front of Qingchen Temple, the Taoist temple before his eyes seemed enveloped in a transparent gel-like substance, unable to break free. ¡¯As expected.¡¯ He glanced at the passersby around, and no one seemed to notice the anomaly here. Just like no one saw that gray Yin Qi Sky Pillar in the distance. ¡¯It seems the situation is inevitably deteriorating... And this disaster doesn¡¯t seem like the Black Disaster....¡¯ He stood before the anomaly, yet the Red Value on his universal meter hadn¡¯t significantly increased. Instead, the spiritual fluctuation value suddenly soared by about five to six hundred. This represented that the peak internal spiritual fluctuation could reach this degree. And the peak spiritual power of an elite Dao Seed magician was only about fifty to sixty. ¡¯Moreover, Cheng Shu and the others who went in earlier are also nowhere to be found... It seems this place has already been isolated by some power.¡¯ Yu Hong focused on the Taoist Temple, contemplating a way to break the stalemate without using magic or Inner Qi. A few days ago, the situation was still stable. Suddenly, the Yin Qi Sky Pillar erupted recently, leading to a surge in various cases, and even attacks on the Taoist Temple. Clearly, someone was targeting him, especially during the time he was in seclusion. Otherwise, there wouldn¡¯t be such coincidences in the world. ¡¯It seems it needs to be reported to the Taoist Sect in advance.... The Black Disaster is a horrifying calamity capable of destroying the entire world, and this must be informed in advance.¡¯ Although Yu Hong didn¡¯t consider himself a benevolent person, if something didn¡¯t harm his own interests and could help others, he wouldn¡¯t refuse to do it. Slowly walking to the temple gate, he reached out, bending over to pick up a small, black piece resembling a plastic shard from the ground. "So it was here." A realization dawned on his face. He held the black piece in his palm, clenched it, then opened his hand again. The piece had disappeared without a trace. At the same time, within the invisible Heavenly River beside him, a black fragment quickly appeared. The fragment, like a seed, absorbed the river water and grew as the wind blew. In just a few seconds, the fragment reformed into a massive black one-eyed lizard, swimming slowly in the Heavenly River. In the seemingly endless Heavenly River, it took only a few seconds, and Agrius, who was previously reduced to debris, was fully restored as before. However, sensing the newly restored Dragon of Xianglv, Yu Hong suddenly felt something was different;it seemed this creature looked somewhat different from before. It was the eyes.... Suddenly, Yu Hong noticed the difference. Previously, Agrius¡¯s eyes were dull and lifeless. Now, the massive lizard moved like a real living creature, exuding a sense of ease and comfort as it swam. Yu Hong squinted his eyes, extending his hand. His fingertips pierced into the Heavenly River in front of him and touched the slowly swimming Agrius. A foggy, pure will immediately transmitted from its body. The will was indistinct, and at the moment of contact, it seemed to convey some inexplicable emotions. ¡¯Come.... here..e....¡¯ The emotions conveyed by Agrius contained no words or text, just such vague thoughts and ideas. Yu Hong withdrew his hand, and with a thought, black smoke quickly permeated from under his feet, dispersing and releasing the just restored Agrius once again. He let it hide nearby in its black smoke form. Meanwhile, he circled around and entered through the side door of the temple. The temple was empty and even the side door was not fully closed, just slightly ajar. The prior Taoists, novices, and hosts were all gone. However, to his surprise, there was still a worshipper in the courtyard. It was a middle-aged man with tea-colored sunglasses and graying hair. He wore a white suit, with glossy black leather shoes, and his well-groomed beard conveyed the aura of a successful individual. Seemingly hearing Yu Hong¡¯s footsteps, the man turned his head and looked in his direction. "Are you the Taoist here?" he asked softly. "There¡¯s no one here, if you came for incense, you might need to come later." Yu Hong, having entered here, vaguely sensed the Spirit Light from Qing Huang and the others, knowing they were safe, his heart calmed down. Upon hearing the inquiry, he answered normally. At this time, he was still wearing the standard robes of a Dao Seed disciple, so it was normal for others to identify his status. "Coming later, I¡¯m worried there might not be anyone..." the middle-aged man said. Yu Hong squinted his eyes, detecting certain undertones in his words. "The guest seems to know something?" "The little Taoist is quite perceptive." The man smiled. "Just returned from outside?" "Yes, how did you know?" By now, as Yu Hong sensed closer, he had already vaguely felt the spiritual fluctuations from Yu Mo, Yu Hen, and others, and his heart settled. Determining everyone¡¯s safety, he focused his attention on the middle-aged man before him. "Besides, the temple isn¡¯t open for guests, and you entered without permission. Isn¡¯t that inappropriate?" "I never knock wherever I go." The man laughed. "The little Taoist is interesting." "May I ask what brings the guest here?" Yu Hong continued to ask, ignoring the man¡¯s arrogant demeanor. By this point, both knew each other wasn¡¯t simple. Entering here at such an apt time and remaining so calm and composed, such a person couldn¡¯t be considered normal. "I followed a friend here and accidentally discovered something." The middle-aged man raised an eyebrow with a smile. "Do you think I should reveal what I found, or keep it to myself?" He seemed to be referring to the changes in Qing Huang. In a short time, Qing Huang could leap from being a top-tier Temple Master Level with significant flaws to a higher level, sparking interest with this secret nobody could resist. Yu Hong remained silent, already forming a guess. "What benefit is there for you to reveal it? Not revealing it might bring more benefits." "Oh? So sure I would be swayed by benefits?" the middle-aged man expressed interest. "To be precise, up to now, I have never seen anyone not tempted by this kind of benefit...." Yu Hong revealed a slight smile. "Interesting." The middle-aged man also smiled. "Then I should have a good look." Suddenly, he looked toward the center of the courtyard in the temple. "Looks like it¡¯s for another time, I should leave." Snap. Suddenly, he raised his hand, catching a small paper ball thrown his way. Unfolding it, he saw a series of phone numbers written on it. "No matter what you¡¯re here for, when you face insurmountable troubles, you can call this number." Yu Hong¡¯s voice floated from a short distance away. "Interesting, it¡¯s been many years since anyone dared to be so elusive in front of me." The middle-aged man¡¯s eyes revealed a hint of fresh curiosity. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He gave Yu Hong one last deep glance, then turned and slowly walked out of the temple. Before long, his figure exploded like a bubble and disappeared into thin air outside the temple gate. At the same time, the air in the courtyard blurred and distorted. An unexpected black figure appeared, wearing a white mask, his aura surging, causing the air around him to twist and rotate rapidly due to intense spiritual fluctuations, forming an invisible airflow. This person was Qing Huang. There was a faint trace of blood seeping from his left shoulder, a slight scent of blood permeating his robe. Upon appearing, he immediately saw Yu Hong in the courtyard and quickly lowered his head. "Alliance Hierarch!" "You¡¯ve worked hard.... It seems you faced a troublesome opponent?" Yu Hong asked with curiosity. "I have a preliminary confirmation now, the Spirit Disaster can occupy and strengthen the bodies of any creature it kills. Earlier inside, I encountered the Mud Doll Sect¡¯s Sect Hierarch, Ning Ruofei..." Qing Huang briefly explained the recent situation. Yu Hong also described the person he encountered earlier. "It was him!?" Qing Huang¡¯s expression changed slightly upon hearing this. "If it¡¯s him, it¡¯s no surprise he would say such things." "Oh?" Yu Hong asked, surprised, "What¡¯s his identity?" "The Alliance Hierarch should know that the strongest in our Seven Evil Alliance is Long Qingzi, the Alliance Hierarch, and the Seven Evils, correct?" Qing Huang spoke in a low voice. "So, he¡¯s one of the Seven Evils?" Yu Hong realized. Chapter 342: Induction II "Indeed, this man is named Zhao Yanjun. He appears young, but in reality, he is a ninety-seven-year-old man," explained Qing Huang. "Zhao Yanjun is nicknamed Heaven¡¯s Hand, his Daoist Skills are similar to Supreme Forgetfulness, modeling after the celestial heart. On the surface, he seems gentle and humane, but in fact, he is extremely cold-hearted, selfish, and profit-oriented." "Then, their appearance here... What does it mean?" Yu Hong asked. "I fear that I came too hastily, which aroused their suspicions," Qing Huang said, now completely considering himself one of their own as his life and death rested in Yu Hong¡¯s hands. After a pause, Yu Hong understood;among the Seven Evils, Zhao Yanjun¡¯s uncertainty about how dangerous Yu Hong was led him to refrain from rash actions and thus, retreat. "Let¡¯s not worry about him. You¡¯ve had a tough time," Yu Hong said gravely. "How¡¯s the situation inside?" "The Spiritual Domain is dissipating, there shouldn¡¯t be much trouble left, just that... many ordinary people have died," Qing Huang said cautiously. "You¡¯ve had a hard time, and you are injured too;go back and rest first," Yu Hong nodded, understanding that casualties among ordinary people were inevitable in such disasters. He turned to look in the direction where Zhao Yanjun had left, sensing a massive hidden spiritual power there. It seemed to notice his watchful gaze, and then moved away to the far distance. The opponent¡¯s spiritual power was extremely exaggerated, and his Daoist Skills might be very high. Yu Hong didn¡¯t feel he had exerted any spiritual power, but it seemed that Zhao Yanjun had still sensed something amiss. Indeed, Yu Hong had already been ready to directly take action to deal with him;surprisingly, the other party was unexpectedly agreeable. He was unwilling to sever the refinement process of the Five Spirits Spring. Thinking this, Yu Hong turned back, looking at the Mutual Aid Alliance members continuously appearing in the yard and the many corpses brutally disfigured... "Zheng Rou!!" called out his weak teacher, Yu Mo. "Master!" Yu Hong¡¯s expression tightened, and he quickly moved forward. * * * A few hundred meters away from Qingchen Temple, at a breakfast baozi shop. Zhao Yanjun, one of the Seven Evils and known as Heaven¡¯s Hand, pushed open the glass door designed to keep out the cold wind, walked past a few tables where customers were eating baozi and rice porridge, and sat down at a small square table at the very back. Someone was already sitting there, currently engrossed in eating food. "How did it go? Did you notice anything unusual? How did Qingchen Temple eliminate the Mud Doll Sect?" The man raised his head slightly upon hearing footsteps, revealing a strange appearance with buckteeth, a flat nose, and skewed eyes. For the situation in Taizhou, the Seven Evil Alliance had calculated that even with the support of high-level experts from Zihe Palace, Qingchen Temple should not have been able to resolve the Mud Doll Sect so quickly. Moreover, they even had the Dark Sky Master, Qing Huang, make a move afterwards. Yet, the result was a complete defeat. If not for the success of their previous strategy to deceive the public, the plans in Taizhou could have ended in failure. "There was foreign interference." Zhao Yanjun pulled out a chair and sat down. His lips didn¡¯t move, but his voice strangely reached the other person¡¯s ears. "Did you see the person?" The ugly-faced man continued to eat his rice porridge baozi. His voice also transmitted through the air. "..." Zhao Yanjun didn¡¯t speak, only picking up the teapot and pouring himself a cup of hot tea. However, his hand trembled slightly as he poured the tea, the fingertips tightly pressing against the handle of the teapot, turning somewhat white. He was actually trembling! One of the top seven of the Seven Evils, second only to Long Qingzi, with a status and strength comparable to the Nine Sects¡¯ Sect Masters. Such a top-level Magician, who could have been revered as a True Monarch in ancient times, was actually trembling in fear from just one meeting... The ugly man was stunned, watching Zhao Yanjun¡¯s trembling hands, and even stopped chewing for a moment. "What... did you encounter!?" Zhao Yanjun calmly placed his hand on the table after pouring the water. "Just an ordinary-looking young Taoist." He paused. "On him... I saw something extremely, extremely terrifying. Endless light, endless darkness, and some kind of twisted and evil mystic fluctuation, which made me hallucinate at the first glance." "Self-induced spiritual vibration, activated by the instinct to seek benefits and avoid harm¡ªhallucination?" The ugly man¡¯s voice also turned solemn. "Yes..." nodded Zhao Yanjun. "I was originally just tracking Qing Huang to see what he was up to, but then... suddenly this happened halfway, and I immediately broke into a cold sweat." "Luckily, that creature, that monster, I managed to manipulate him first, playing a role-playing game with him, and he also pretended to be an ordinary person talking to me." He pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat from his forehead. "After acting along with him for a while, I tried my best to appear natural, and when I found an opportunity, I immediately got away." "Among us seven, you, Old Zhao, are the most level-headed. If I had gone first, I definitely couldn¡¯t have been as natural as you," praised the ugly man. "It was a sudden inspiration," Zhao Yanjun sighed. "That monster, it felt like a huge time bomb to me, a little provocation could directly explode, destroying the entire city, no... the danger I felt, might be even greater!" "How could such a monster exist in this world? Could it be one of those beings from ancient times??" The ugly man didn¡¯t doubt his companion¡¯s words;they had decades of friendship, and he knew Zhao Yanjun very well. "Anyway, we still need some solid evidence to confirm the situation here, otherwise, it¡¯ll be difficult to report back to the Alliance Hierarch," he said gravely. "I don¡¯t want to deal with that guy a second time. Now that the Yin Qi Sky Pillar here has been opened, since that creature didn¡¯t intervene, let¡¯s just leave it be. Let¡¯s just report back and pretend nothing happened." Zhao Yanjun directly refused to continue. "That works, but if the Alliance Hierarch asks..." "Just tell the truth. The Alliance Hierarch is a monster, that guy is a monster, let them fight it out themselves. I actually think that with the Alliance Hierarch¡¯s mental state, he might find it interesting." Zhao Yanjun said with a laugh. "Alright then." The ugly man also thought of something and began to laugh. He was actually curious about the creature his companion mentioned, thinking that if he could just take a glance from afar, it might be more convincing. * * * Two days later... Qingchen Temple¡¯s annex. Yu Hong was sitting cross-legged in the Quiet Room, with Five-Colored Spiritual Power flowing into him like a phantom, completely merging into his body. This signified that the Five Spirits Spring had finally accomplished its intended effect, completing the last step of awakening his talents. Yu Hong sat still, eyes tightly shut, as earth-shaking transformations were taking place inside his body. As the Five Spirits Spring¡¯s final integration completed, a layer of five-colored fluorescence suddenly appeared on the surface of countless cells. Subsequently, the activity of the cells surged like crazy, skyrocketing like a rocket. The self-healing activity inside the cells accelerated to ten times its normal speed, astounding in its swiftness. A feeling of refreshed clarity, as if one had just woken up from sleep, rapidly filled Yu Hong¡¯s brain. He opened his eyes, about to stand up. Suddenly, a stream of information flowed out from the Black Mark on the back of his hand. ¡¯Bathed in the Five Spirits Spring, special trait acquired: Extreme Summoning.¡¯ ¡¯Extreme Summoning¡ªWhen using any summoning technique, the number of summons can be decided autonomously, multiple summons are allowed within the bounds of the Daoist Skills (only applicable within the Qingchen¡¯s Guanwu Skill system).¡¯ "It worked!!" Yu Hong hadn¡¯t expected that the Five Spirits Spring would trigger a prompt from the Black Mark, nor did he expect this talent to be a special trait. At the same time, his spiritual power sharpened, and this moment marked its complete culmination. Though there had been some delays due to external distractions, everything went smoothly without any interruptions. Whoosh. Imperceptibly, a thin circle of spiritual power radiated outward from Yu Hong like a gentle breeze. He stood up, feeling his consciousness and thoughts clearer than ever. Memories from long ago could be vividly recalled. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡¯Special trait acquired: Spiritual Sharpness.¡¯ ¡¯Spiritual Sharpness¡ªCalculated against the normal mental strength and density of an adult male as 1, when the density and strength of spiritual power reach 100, it undergoes a qualitative change, immune to all influences from techniques with a spiritual value below 100.¡¯ Yu Hong felt a wave of relief, his days of rigorous cultivation had finally paid off. He now possessed five special traits, and even without Inner Strength or any other abilities, his traits alone could exert extraordinarily formidable power. Creak. He pushed open the door, and the people of Qingchen Temple had long been waiting outside. The Taoist Temple had been attacked before, and although it was rescued by Qing Huang, there were still considerable casualties among the ordinary adherents. Fortunately, with timely rescue and assistance from the Mutual Aid Alliance, the situation in Taizhou¡¯s urban district was relatively stabilized. After the defeat of Ning Ruofei, who had been possessed, the massive swarm of locusts began to slowly disperse. The residual parts were also purified through the collective efforts of everyone. Now, Yu Hong finally emerged from seclusion, as the current strongest talent of Qingchen Temple, his status was already quite special. Moreover, this retreat was to break the limit of spiritual power and step into the Seventh Level Temple Master Level. Therefore, it brought greater expectations to everyone. At this moment, out in the small courtyard, Yu Hen, Yu Mo, Zheng Ming, Zheng Ying, Cheng Shu, and all others were present. Everyone eagerly watched Yu Hong as he walked up to Yu Mo. "Teacher, I have fulfilled my duty!" he said, bowing with a fist in hand. "....!!!" Yu Mo opened his mouth, wanting to respond, but could not utter a word. Only those who had truly experienced it knew the importance of strength in this era, especially during these challenging times, a stronger force was desperately needed. He reached out and firmly patted Yu Hong on the shoulder. Qingchen Temple, from now on, finally has its own Temple Master level practitioner! "We¡¯ve succeeded... We¡¯ve finally succeeded!!" Yu Hen suddenly opened his arms and laughed loudly at the side. Others thought he was happy because of the breakthrough to Temple Master level, but actually, the elders of the Yu Generation knew it wasn¡¯t just for that, but also because the key Five Spirits Spring had been successfully absorbed and integrated! These two achievements combined signified that from today onwards, Qingchen Temple would welcome a top genius with unprecedented talent! In this era of frequent disasters and worsening environments, the emergence of such a talented disciple might just be the turning point for the rise of Qingchen Temple! Zheng Ming, Zheng Ying, and other disciples watched this scene without jealousy, feeling a faint sense of pride. When the gap becomes large enough, jealousy turns into recognition and admiration. And indeed, the current situation desperately needed a highly skilled Magician capable of stabilizing the situation. Chapter 343: Reconnaissance 1 Everyone stepped forward to congratulate him. Cheng Shu and the others from the Mutual Aid Alliance stood a little farther away. Their support was mainly on the grounds that Yu Hong had joined the Mutual Aid Alliance, and they came to provide assistance. When questioned by the Temple Master and others, their responses were vague, just slurring over. They said everything would wait for Yu Hong himself to explain. When Yu Hong was asked, he excused himself by saying that he would elaborate after he completely finished his Spiritual Sharpness enhancement. At this moment, he had finally completed the enhancement and merged with the Five Spirits Spring. After a round of congratulations, Yu Mo looked at him and finally lowered his voice to inquire about the Mutual Aid Alliance. "Zheng Rou, be honest with me, what is this Mutual Aid Alliance for? Why are they willing to risk their lives and rush here to save us? Friendship alone is not enough." The smile on Yu Hong¡¯s face slowly settled. "Actually, this relates to a secret technique I inadvertently discovered in a ruinous cave." He had also considered imparting the Spirit Light to Qingchen Temple, but now, in such an adverse environment, any increase in strength matters. As long as he does not disengage or extract the Spirit Light, it can perfectly amplify anyone¡¯s external power. "Then there¡¯s no need to say more." Yu Mo interrupted him, "Your own stuff doesn¡¯t need to be explained clearly." "What¡¯s more pressing now is to clean up all the big and small cases that have erupted throughout Taizhou." Yu Hen quickly added from the side. "Furthermore." His gaze turned towards Yu Hong, his expression solemn. "Zheng Rou, whether in strength, talent, or temperament, you are now truly among the top of our sect. Your power has now surpassed us old folks in one fell swoop, hence... I intend to, right here, pass on the position of Temple Master to you." "Ah!?" As soon as these words were spoken, it was not the elders who reacted, but rather the disciples and people like Cheng Shu from the Mutual Aid Alliance who exclaimed in surprise. Clearly, the elders had already discussed this but had not revealed this secretive news. Yu Hong was not moved but seriously considered the current situation. His original purpose was to infiltrate the upper levels of the Taoist Sect and obtain the method to completely solve the Black Disaster¡¯s resurrecting ability, which he had now achieved. In other words, it no longer mattered whether he entered the upper echelons of the Taoist Sect. The only thing he wanted to do now was to warn the Taoist Sect about the horrific nature of the Black and Spirit Disasters. Fundamentally, the people of this world had not realized that the Black and Spirit Disasters could completely destroy everything. They only considered Black Disaster and Spirit Disaster as a kind of natural catastrophe with a wider range in classical books. They assumed that even if left untreated, it would eventually pass over time, entirely unaware of the extent of damage the Source Disaster could cause. "How about it, Zheng Rou, do you dare to accept it!?" Yu Hen said in a deep voice, his gaze fixed on Yu Hong. To appoint a disciple who joined less than a year ago as the Temple Master, despite the many trials and tribulations the candidate may have faced, was quite a bold move. "...." Yu Hong fell silent, looking around the circle of people. "What¡¯s there not to dare!?" Now, his only remaining purpose was to stop the Black Disaster and Spirit Disaster from destroying this place and to leave a thought, a possibility to relocate here and live, for everyone in Hope City and himself. Being able to succeed as the Temple Master means he has made his mark within the Taoist Sect, and he would also be qualified for direct dialogue with the higher-ups. Isn¡¯t this exactly what he wanted? "Good!" Immediately, he nodded firmly. * * * After Qingchen Temple suffered a Spiritual Domain attack, it was greatly injured for a time. While no one died, everyone had consumed a huge amount of energy and more or less sustained injuries. However, to everyone¡¯s surprise, the other ordinary people around the Taoist Temple who were not affected did not suffer any injuries¡ªit was just a scare. Many people who were sick also gradually got better, as if nothing had happened. Only those who were unfortunately wrapped in the Spiritual Domain earlier had died, a small portion of them. The survivors were greatly frightened. Fortunately, with the full support of the Taoist Temple, those frightened people recovered to their normal state in just a short week. But once the calm was restored, everyone was greatly puzzled as to why the outbreak of the Spiritual Domain seemed to have only endangered Qingchen Temple in the surrounding area. Inside the Quiet Room. Yu Hong quietly took over the Purple Gold Lotus Crown representing the position of Temple Master and placed it gently on his head. At this moment, he was dressed in a white and gold-threaded Daoist robe, with a large black and white Tai Chi Diagram on his back. His long hair like a waterfall and his burly stature like a bear made the normally loose Daoist robe look quite snug. Around him, Dao Seed Disciples of Qingchen Temple, a few disciples who had cultivated Daoist Skills to the Golden Jade level, and many managing Taoists and ordinary Taoists, gathered together to witness the occasion. Beyond that, at a further distance, stood the high-ranks of the Taoist Association of Taizhou and local government officials. To show respect, the government sent its second in command, the Mayor of Taizhou City, Mr. Liu Qingwen, to attend the ceremony. The two special commissioners had returned and left early. After passing the status-symbolizing Purple Gold Crown, Yu Hen recited a blessing and words of encouragement according to the ritual, before letting Yu Hong bow deeply to the ancestral masters and the enshrined Nine Palace Soul Devouring Venerable. "Next, please welcome Mr. Liu Qingwen, the Mayor of Taizhou City, to the stage for his speech." Liu Qingwen was a pale-faced, weary-looking middle-aged man. On the day when the Spiritual Domain erupted into chaos, he was the first to flee the city with his family. Although he has returned, he is still listless from the shock. After going on stage, he barely managed a few words before stepping down to buy talismans from the old Temple Master Yu Hen. The rest of the people from the Taoist Association did the same;the so-called association was actually mostly composed of the Qingchen Temple and a few official Magicians. The official Magicians, despite not being affected by the unveiling of the Spiritual Domain, were also quite frightened. Yu Hong surveyed the crowd and sorted them into different factions. Government officials, civilian Magicians, the Mutual Aid Alliance, members of Qingchen Temple, and the recording Taoists sent by the Taoist Sect to bear witness. An hour or so later, various cumbersome procedures were barely completed. Guests slowly dispersed and returned, each carrying a Spirit Talisman gifted by Qingchen Temple. The only certain effective ones now are three types of talismans: the Spirit Testing Talisman, the Catastrophe Spirit Talisman, and the Spirit Avoidance Charm. These talismans each have different effects. The Spirit Testing Talisman can detect anomalies related to the Spirit Disaster. The Catastrophe Spirit Talisman can identify the Spiritual Domain. The last one, the Spirit Avoidance Charm, helps alleviate effects and slows down the condition after being affected. The one given to people here is the Spirit Testing Talisman, which can detect irregularities and allow immediate escape to Qingchen Temple. In the afternoon. Most of the people had dispersed, leaving only those from Qingchen Temple. People from the Mutual Aid Alliance had also left early, quietly waiting for instructions. Yu Hong took off his Temple Master attire, keeping only the small Taiji Gold Seal ring. According to what the old Taoist Yu Hen had said, this ring is a medium that can open many secret vaults within the temple, very important. "Now within Qingchen Temple, there are a total of four secret vaults, corresponding to talismans, Dao Artifacts, gold, and grains and oils. These are wartime reserve supplies, and can only be accessed by the Temple Master¡¯s authority when urgently needed." Yu Hen walked alongside Yu Hong, carefully explaining the old foundation of today¡¯s Qingchen Temple. "On the bank account, the temple still has around 4.3 billion in liquid funds. According to the earnings from various shops and mines, the monthly income is over 400 million, with expenses of 360 million, leaving little surplus. The incense money from the Golden Jade patrons amounts to 4 million monthly. Occasionally, there will be large donations at the end of the year, but it¡¯s also possible to have none, so we don¡¯t count on it." "The overall management is overseen by Yu Fang. The financial management is overseen by Yu Zhong. The preservation of strategic supplies is the responsibility of your master Yu Mo, and he also oversees the transmission of skills to the disciples." "In terms of personnel: there are four Dao Seed Disciples, 236 Golden Jade Disciples, 72 officiating Taoists, and 194 escort staff, all of whom require monthly salary and provisions. They form the key pillars supporting the entire operation of the Taoist Temple. There have been many accidents during this period, and we have incurred significant funeral and resettlement expenses, which may require some deficit spending," Yu Hen sighed. "I understand," Yu Hong nodded. "Don¡¯t worry about the money. What about the experts?" "According to the Seventh Layer of Guanwu Skill as Temple Master Level, apart from you, there are five people close to Temple Master Level in the temple, which are us old folks. Two elite Dao Seed individuals, Zheng Ming and Zheng Ying. Although Zheng Ying has lost an arm, her Daoist Skills unexpectedly benefited from a misfortune, making a breakthrough to a new level, and her Fear Shadow has significantly increased in strength. I estimate she has a chance of trying for Spiritual Sharpness within two years." "That¡¯s too few," Yu Hong shook his head. This amount of strength is easily crushed by real experts. Without the temple¡¯s main array, these people would have been wiped out countless times by now. "We know it¡¯s not enough and there¡¯s nothing we can do..." Yu Hen said helplessly. "The Inheritance Dao Artifacts are not something anyone can take, and our Daoist Realms fluctuate so much, they¡¯re utterly unstable... In fact, Qingchen Temple does have experts... Among the Yu Generation who left before, three of them could breakthrough to Temple Master Level at any moment. But they were expelled due to ideological differences," Yu Hen admitted somewhat embarrassedly. "Where are they now?" Yu Hong asked. "I heard they are acting as reclusive Taoists in some villages in the north, in Fuqing Province, helping people with geomancy and healing," Yu Hen replied. "Is there a chance of inviting them back?" asked Yu Hong. "It¡¯s difficult..." Yu Hen showed a troubled expression. Yu Hong pondered;if these experts who could breakthrough at any moment had the addition of Spirit Light, then they would be three solid Temple Master Level experts. "In fact, my master once said that at Temple Master Level, his personal experience was that the main competition at this level lies in the profundity of Techniques and the strength of will. As for Dao Breath, actually, everyone is more or less on the same level, not much difference. This is also why the three of them left;they believed that my reforms to Qingchen Temple were not conducive to cultivating the will of the disciples, leading to a decline in the quality of successive generations," Yu Hen said helplessly. "Your grandmaster does have a point," Yu Hong agreed. "You all don¡¯t know shit, what can you do without money? Without these funds, Qingchen Temple would already be finished," Yu Hen suddenly bristled. "Uh-huh, your methods make sense as well, elder," Yu Hong nodded again in agreement. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Whose side are you on exactly!?" "I support both sides," Yu Hong said. "But trying to earn money means no time to temper oneself, and tempering oneself leaves no time to make money, what to do?" Yu Hen said helplessly. "Actually, there is a way," Yu Hong pondered. Chapter 344: Exploration 2 "What?" "How did the Daoist Sect of the Heavenly Master Mansion achieve both strength and stability while also making money?" Yu Hong asked. "Are you saying....." Yu Hen¡¯s eyes lit up as he thought of something. "Yes, exactly that." Yu Hong said with a smile and a nod. "Indeed, I had forgotten that we now have the strength to collect protection fees ourselves!!" Yu Hen said excitedly, slapping his thigh. "...." Yu Hong¡¯s smile faltered;he never said anything about collecting protection fees. "Wait, Master Uncle, why should we collect protection fees?" "Isn¡¯t it you who said we should learn from the Heavenly Master Mansion of the Daoist Sect?" "But I didn¡¯t mean to collect protection fees?" "But that is exactly what they do, isn¡¯t it? They demand tributes from everywhere to support the entire Daoist Sect, isn¡¯t that protection fees?" "....." Yu Hong was left speechless. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "So, what do you want to do then? Where will the money come from if we don¡¯t collect?" Yu Hen could tell that Yu Hong had objections. "There¡¯s no need to be so disagreeable;since we can make money from talismans, why not strengthen that aspect and delve deeper into it?" Yu Hong said in a low voice as he strolled. "Talismans can only go so far, there¡¯s only so much we can produce, we cannot increase it anymore...." Yu Hen furrowed his brows. "If we want to raise the price, with that little efficiency, people won¡¯t buy them if we raise it. Simple talismans are something both the Daoist Sect and other magicians can make. The complex and difficult ones, ordinary people can¡¯t use them, requiring the Dao Breath to ignite." "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll handle this." Yu Hong narrowed his eyes, having a vague plan in mind. Yu Hen opened his mouth to ask, but seeing that Yu Hong didn¡¯t seem like he wanted to continue, he didn¡¯t inquire further. "I¡¯ll leave the various matters to you, Masters Uncle. I plan to go check the Yin Qi Sky Pillar later to inspect the situation." Yu Hong said. "The Yin Qi Sky Pillar..." Yu Hen had been intentionally avoiding this key point. In truth, it was impossible even for those at the Temple Master level to get close to the Yin Qi Sky Pillar. Its vast radiating Yin Energy was enough to extinguish all Daoist Magic Techniques like trying to ignite fire underwater, instantly snuffed out. Thus, in such a close-range environment, magicians below the Temple Master level were no different from ordinary people. Approaching meant waiting for death. This was also why Qingchen Temple had been inactive after the outbreak of the Yin Qi Sky Pillar. It wasn¡¯t for want of trying, but rather the inability to act. But now... Yu Hong had broken through to the Temple Master level, and his Spiritual Sharpness could resist the corrosion of the high concentrations of Yin Energy, meaning he should be able to get close and observe something. "Be very careful!" Yu Hen said in a deep voice. "You are the greatest hope of Qingchen Temple for hundreds of years. If you encounter danger, make sure to prioritize your own safety first!" "Rest assured, I understand!" Yu Hong nodded. He had long intended to investigate the Yin Qi Sky Pillar, mainly because the disaster that had erupted was not the Black Disaster he expected, but a Spirit Disaster. There must have been some unusual changes that occurred, so he had to investigate in order to determine the subsequent developments and prepare in advance. And before he went to investigate, he needed to make some preparations, just in case. * * * Hope City World. Inside the safety house, Yu Hong coughed a few times, somewhat unaccustomed to the toxic air here. But his strong body quickly adjusted his lung function, and the coughing stopped. He glanced at the familiar first floor of the safe house. The fireplace system, the boxes of supplies, the large communicator on the table, dried cockroaches, dried lizards, dried vegetables, and the kettle with half of its water still boiling. As well as beyond these, the faint humming of the enhanced nuclear power machine in the air. The warm and soft white glow made the entire safe house seem exceptionally quiet and peaceful. Yu Hong walked up to the door and pulled open the peephole. Through the reinforced glass, he could see the white ruins of the stone castle, frozen into mounds, and not far away, the Ultimate Gate continuously emitting blue light. Several creatures that he couldn¡¯t identify, resembling large dogs covered in ice-blue spiky fur, were crouching by the Ultimate Gate, busy gnawing on something, uttering whimpering sounds from time to time. "Sigh...." Yu Hong sighed involuntarily and opened the door. He stepped out just like that. The sub-hundred-degree below zero temperatures instantly made his body tense up, but he quickly adapted. Only his hair and eyebrows were instantly frosted. That was a trace of moisture in the air freezing into frost. Crunch, crunch. Yu Hong stepped steadily towards another side cave next to the safety house. There were three side caves in the camp altogether. One was used for storage boxes and other miscellaneous items. One was where Zhang Kajing lived. And the last one... was his target for this visit. Standing in front of this side cave, Yu Hong glanced at Zhang Kajing¡¯s door. No movements. There was also no sound of breathing or heartbeat inside, obviously, the mysterious girl had gone out to do something. Yu Hong turned away and reached out, pressing his hand on the stone door of the cave in front of him. With force. Crack. The place where the stone and the crack of the door were frozen emitted a faint sound of ice layers fracturing. A pungent acid smell wafted out from inside. Boom. Yu Hong pushed the large stone aside and looked inside. "....." A massive cluster of densely packed Dragon Lizards had completely blocked the cave, motionless. All the Dragon Lizards were like sculptures, intertwined with each other, forming a solid block over three meters tall and of unknown thickness. Yu Hong could not recall how many Dragon Lizards this nest had produced, as he hadn¡¯t visited for a while. Seeing that the cave was almost too full, he suddenly realized that if the environment was suitable, these Dragon Lizards could potentially become a weapon of mass destruction... "It¡¯s time to use you..." Yu Hong stretched out a finger and lightly touched the surface of the solidified Dragon Lizards. Invisible Spirit Light quickly flowed into all the Dragon Lizards, helping them enhance their resistance to cold. Crack... A layer of transparent ice shattered from the surface of the outermost Dragon Lizard and fell off. Thud. The first Dragon Lizard landed lightly, shook its head, and lay down in front of Yu Hong as a sign of submission. Followed by the second, the third... More and more densely packed Dragon Lizards were waking up. In just a few minutes, over three hundred Dragon Lizards had squeezed out of the cave. Yu Hong exhaled a cloud of white breath, opened the door of his security shelter, and had the Dragon Lizards line up to quickly enter it. He had already positioned the dock of the Black Ship within his cave. The Dragon Lizards lined up, quickly crawling into the mist inside the cave, crossing the short mist-wooden bridge, and speedily boarding the Black Ship stationed in the Black River. Boom. As the last Dragon Lizard crawled into the cave, Yu Hong shut the door, took a final glance at the Ultimate Gate outside, then stepped forward into the mist. Soon, the mist dissipated, and the interior of the cave returned to its previous appearance as a layer of security shelter. There were still more Dragon Lizards left, but Yu Hong only planned to bring three hundred this time. The rest were left behind to protect the camp. At the Primordial Heavenly Master Mansion. Mo Wen, the Temple Master of Jinxiao Temple, with his wild and messy red hair draped over his shoulders and carrying a freshly-bought large pot of honey wine, knocked vigorously on the wooden gate of an annex within the Heavenly Master Mansion. "Lu, open up! You¡¯ve been secluding for so long;everyone¡¯s going to go dumb from isolation!" He reeked of alcohol, his face flushed and ears red, yawning from time to time, clearly having stayed up drinking again. Bang bang bang. No matter how much he knocked, there was no response from inside the courtyard. "Lu!" Mo Wen called out again, now starting to pound the door. "Temple Master Mo... My master went out two days ago to clean up resentful marks..." A teenage Taoist, approaching from not far behind, cautiously reminded him. "He went out?" Mo Wen raised his eyebrows, "Strange, I had an appointment with him. We agreed to drink together at this time. Even if he went out, Lu usually calls to notify me." "About that... The disciple is not sure either. But my master left in a hurry;it seems he received a very troublesome and urgent notification. The place he went to is also quite remote, probably with poor cell phone signal," the young Taoist explained. "Fine, what a bother," Mo Wen said impatiently, waving his hand and turning away with the wine pot. The young Taoist watched as the other man disappeared from view. "Mo Wen and Lu Zhenshun have a profound friendship;persuading him would be challenging. It might be best to eliminate him too," a voice rang in the young Taoist¡¯s ear. "Not just him, there¡¯s also Kong Jun of Yunshen Temple, Su Ling of Qingxia Palace. Their Daoist Magic Techniques pose significant obstacles to our plan," the young Taoist¡¯s lips stayed still, but an aged voice sounded beside him. "Additionally, Zihe Palace, along with Night Pool and the Pool of Ten Thousand Spirits, both are indispensable. With the limitless power of the Night Pool supporting it, devouring the latter is the only way to truly achieve immortality. The Spiritual Techniques of Zihe Palace have a significant restraining effect on Spirit Disasters. I¡¯ve calculated it;they might become the biggest variable," the voice continued. "Zihe Palace isn¡¯t that easy to provoke," the young Taoist frowned. "No matter, I will create an opportunity..." the voice slowly faded and drifted away. Off the coast of Taizhou. The blue-black sea heaved and roared with waves. Hum. A white speedboat, trailing a thin white line, headed towards a vast grey Yin Qi Sky Pillar that connected heaven and earth. Standing alone on the speedboat, dressed in a white Daoist robe with gold edges and a large black and white Tai Chi Diagram on his back, was Yu Hong, a burly figure like a bear or tiger, who had departed from Qingchen Temple. His towering stature of over two meters was commanding among people, but when compared to the boundless ocean around him, he appeared almost insignificant and frail. Gazing at the thick grey Heavenly Pillar, Yu Hong estimated its diameter. "That thing... at least hundreds of meters thick... truly magnificent..." He had never seen such a thing in Hope City World. The speedboat raced across the sea, and about ten minutes later, started to slow down. Now, the Yin Qi Sky Pillar was close at hand, towering above the blue-black sea surface. It seemed ethereal, rising from the bottom of the sea, with endless currents of Qi surging upward. Yu Hong flipped off the speedboat engine and let it come to a stop. Then, standing on the boat, he observed the entire Heavenly Pillar. He was only a few meters away from the Heavenly Pillar, almost within touching distance. The sea gently rocked the yacht, as if at any moment he could be swayed into collision with the Heavenly Pillar. The entire pillar was composed of grey smoke. The swirling smoke within was turbulent, and nothing within could be seen. Yu Hong narrowed his eyes and reached out with his Perception, but it was as if it was blocked by a curtain, allowing only a vague sense that inside there seemed to be many, many living things. They were like insects drowned and solidified in resin, fixed within the Heavenly Pillar, unable to move. Chapter 345: suppression one Yu Hong took out the enhanced multimeter and pressed the switch. Beep... He first tested himself, placing it close to his temple. The value on the LCD display suddenly soared, breaking through one hundred and then continuously fluctuating around one hundred and thirty. ¡¯Not bad.¡¯ He put down the multimeter, then explored with his Inner Qi, which tethered it like a rope and threw it towards the nearby Yin Qi Sky Pillar. Pfft. The white Inner Qi, like a white rope, quickly threw the multimeter into the gray pillar. After hovering tensely for a few seconds. Yu Hong used the Inner Qi to press the record button, then pulled it back. The multimeter quickly retracted, landing precisely in his palm. He picked it up and saw. ¡¯12383.571¡¯ ¡¯As expected...¡¯ Yu Hong sighed, this was the value of Spiritual Fluctuation, he then switched to Red Value test mode and repeated the action. The value displayed on the retrieved multimeter was 0. This meant that there were absolutely no Red Values here... Not leaving yet, Yu Hong thought to himself. From the sea nearby, a Dragon Lizard slowly surfaced and swiftly swam towards the Yin Qi Sky Pillar. ¡¯Go see what¡¯s inside...¡¯ he instructed. The Dragon Lizard unhesitatingly plunged into the gray mist. But in the next instant, its connection with Yu Hong was severed. ¡¯It seems the Spirit Disaster mainly targets the spiritual aspect, which severely restricts my summoned creatures...¡¯ Yu Hong realized something. Bang! Instantaneously, a bloody, mangled sphere burst out of the mist, crashing heavily into the seawater beside Yu Hong. It was the Dragon Lizard! Yu Hong instantly reconnected and sensed it, his expression slightly changed as he recognized that the sphere of flesh was the Dragon Lizard that had just entered the mist. It was dead. Suddenly, he looked up into the pillar. Within the gray mist, a towering figure in silver-gray armor was seated on a cloud of golden mist, slowly becoming clearer from the blur. Once the figure was completely clear, it was visible as a creature with a dragon¡¯s head and a human¡¯s body. Its head had shaggy white hair and lion-like golden mane, with three white dragon horns on its head, and a third eye on its forehead emitting a soft golden light. "Kneel..." "Kneel..." "Kneel..." A series of immense, invisible sound waves vibrated around Yu Hong¡¯s ears. "Why do you not kneel before the True God!?" the sound waves transformed into a massive spiritual pressure, instantly enveloping Yu Hong, trying to make him kneel. Crack, crack... His bones made a slight sound as the yacht was pressed down into the water. "True God?" Yu Hong squinted, "So, could it be that this Spirit Disaster... is really connected to the place linked by the Inheritance Dao Artifact?" He was about to raise his hand to release his Inner Strength to counteract the pressure. Relying solely on spiritual power, he definitely couldn¡¯t match his opponent. But at that moment, the so-called True God paused suddenly, and the layered pressure retracted like a tide. "It appears to be a remnant of the Moon." Buzz. The dragon-headed True God slowly retreated, disappearing into the mist in a blink, no longer appearing. "Moon remnants?" Yu Hong quickly realized, "Could it be referring to the thin tainted Moon God Bloodline within me?" No conflict ensued, which was also good for him, but... Moon remnants, whether it referred to the bloodline in his body or... Thinking thus, Yu Hong gently grasped the Inheritance Dao Artifact Guang Han hanging on his chest. This Spirit Disaster seemed deeply intertwined with the world itself... If that dragon-headed figure really started fighting, he wasn¡¯t sure he could withstand the opponent¡¯s Spiritual Shock. Although he had now acquired Spiritual Sharpness, the gap in spiritual power between them was still too large... he would likely need to use the Inner Qi merged with the Cosmic Divine Light. And such creatures were definitely not the only ones inside. ¡¯Looks like Temple Master Level is just the beginning... just barely out of the weak stage.¡¯ Yu Hong thought, if he didn¡¯t have his physical strength and other trump cards, relying solely on Temple Master Level spiritual power, he probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to beat the Feixia Sword from Zihe Palace that came to support earlier. "Still need to work hard." He tentatively instructed Agrius to approach the Heavenly Pillar. Hiss. A black smoke shot out from behind him, heading straight for the Heavenly Pillar. After Agrius turned into smoke, he plunged into it without hesitation. Then, there was silence. After waiting for about half a minute. Suddenly a black shadow shot out from the pillar, swiftly disappearing into the invisible Heavenly River beside Yu Hong. It was Agrius! Yu Hong took a moment to sense the situation inside the Heavenly River. He then saw that only the front half of Agrius¡¯s body remained, clutching in his mouth a black and purple stone resembling jade. The stone appeared to have a character engraved on it. But Yu Hong didn¡¯t have time to take it out for inspection. Because inside the front Heavenly Pillar, intense turbulence began to occur. Terrifying waves of Spiritual Fluctuation spread out from the pillar. One after another, figures with dragon heads and human bodies in armor stepped onto clouds and appeared. They filled the space as far as the eye could see, numbering no less than a thousand. The formidable spiritual fluctuations converged, forming an invisible whirlwind over the surrounding sea, which accelerated around the Heavenly Pillar. The seawater was also forcibly distorted by the spiritual power, continuously twisting and turning, forming a massive vortex around the Heavenly Pillar. Yu Hong, seeing the unfavorable situation, noticed that the readings on his multimeter had already skyrocketed to over a million! So he quickly turned the yacht and forced his way out of the vicinity. Strangely enough, the massive vortex seemed to pay no heed to him, nor did it attack him. It just spun on its own, spreading spiritual fluctuations as if searching for something. After a few minutes, when the fluctuation found nothing, it quickly converged, and all the armored figures with dragon heads and human bodies slowly blurred and vanished. By then, Yu Hong had already pulled away, standing hundreds of meters away on the sea surface, looking at the Yin Qi Sky Pillar with lingering fear. "That¡¯s exaggerated.... It rivals the Black Disaster from before...." The first time he explored a large number of Black Disasters, the value had also directly soared to over a million, which had truly frightened him. Perhaps it was a fluctuation produced by the accumulation of tens of thousands of entities, rather than a single entity with a value of millions. "But even a spiritual value of tens of thousands is terrifying." He could sense that inside the Heavenly Pillar, there was something even more exaggerated, lying dormant, not awakened. Looking at the Heavenly Pillar, Yu Hong breathed a sigh of relief, quickly turned around, and headed back to Taizhou. Halfway there, standing in the yacht, he reached out and retrieved something from inside Tianhe that Agrius had found. It was an egg-sized black-purple stone, with a vague and unclear text engraved on its surface. Yu Hong carefully identified it, and it seemed to be from the Second Night Language... "Star!?" He unconsciously read it aloud. Just as he spoke, he realized something was amiss. ¡¯Could it be Star??!¡¯ Instantly, he linked this discovery to the clue related to the Star found in the Black Disaster. In the Spirit Disaster too, clues about Star had unexpectedly appeared. Does this mean that these two types of disasters have some unknown connection between them? Holding the stone, Yu Hong gently squeezed it. Crack. Suddenly, the stone crumbled like tofu. Immediately afterward, the stone turned into a cloud of purple-black powder, instantly flying into the Inheritance Dao Artifact, Guang Han, he wore on his chest, thickly coating it. A few breaths later, Guang Han returned to normal, and the layer of powder on the surface was absorbed and disappeared like water. Meanwhile, Guang Han itself seemed to become brighter and more lustrous. Observing this change, Yu Hong did not have time to stop it from happening, and he had no intention of intervening. It seemed to be a good thing. He tentatively input a bit of Dao Breath. ¡¯Hungry....¡¯ ¡¯So hungry....¡¯ A spiritual fluctuation much stronger than before emanated from Guang Han, that was Chang¡¯e. The aura and fluctuation of Chang¡¯e were at least twice as strong as before. ¡¯Indeed, it¡¯s a good thing.¡¯ Yu Hong thoughtfully assumed that perhaps the initial material for the Inheritance Dao Artifact might have been obtained from the Spirit Disaster by the predecessors. That is to say, the world¡¯s magicians had started interacting with the Spirit Disaster quite early. They might be able to fight the Black Disaster because they have the power of the Spirit Disaster, using it to suppress the unlimited resurrection ability of the Black Disaster. Holding Guang Han and withdrawing that trace of Dao Breath, Yu Hong turned around and sped off into the distance. The next day. A letter personally written by the new Temple Master Zheng Rou of the Qingchen Temple was sent from Taizhou, heading to the Daoist Sect Ancestor Court at Yunshu Mountain. The letter described in detail his exploration of the Yin Qi Sky Pillar, omitting parts about Guang Han and the multimeter, with most of the information written truthfully. Since it was not possible to make phone calls to the Ancestor Court recently, letters had to suffice. As Yu Hong waited for a response, he also began formally eradicating all cases in Taizhou. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As the new Temple Master, he intended to bring a style unlike Yu Hen¡¯s, which was solely for making money. After all, given the current situation, what Qingchen Temple needed was not this style. * * * At night, in a park in the city area. Two Qingchen Temple Taoists were holding talismans, running Techniques, struggling to fight against a strong monster with a pig¡¯s head and human body hiding in the shadows. The monster, which intermittently appeared and disappeared, was muscular and dressed in tattered black robes, wielding a butcher¡¯s knife, like a butcher specializing in slaughtering pigs. Not far away, two Taoists had fallen unconscious. Zheng Ming¡¯s face was pale as paper;he sat cross-legged on the ground, attempting to gather Dao Breath to summon a new Fear Shadow. His previous Fear Shadowibilidade had been forcefully torn apart by the monster. "Just hold on a little longer, support is almost here!" He loudly reassured the two Taoists in front. But reassurance was futile in the face of absolute power differential. The pig-headed man possessed extraordinary strength, and whenever his eyes turned red, his speed increased significantly. His combination of speed and power easily disrupted the Techniques embodied in the talismans released by the two Taoists. Bang! Suddenly, the pig-headed man flung his butcher knife forcefully, letting it spin and fly towards one of the Taoist. As the Taoist was unable to dodge in time and was about to be struck, attacks from Spirit Disasters concentrate entirely on the spiritual, meaning that instead of the body, it¡¯s the mental consciousness that gets damaged. Even so, the healing time required for a spiritual injury isn¡¯t any less than that for physical injuries. It might even be more severe, potentially leaving a lifetime of permanent trauma. At that moment, a gigantic six-meter-tall black figure suddenly materialized and condensed, precisely blocking the trajectory of the flying cleaver. Bang. The cleaver spun and hit the black figure in the chest like striking a steel plate, bouncing off and landing on the ground motionless. The blade had not inflicted even a minor scratch on the gigantic figure. Chapter 346: Subdue No. 344 "Are you okay?" A towering figure in a white Daoist robe suddenly appeared next to the huge humanoid form. "Temple Master!" "It¡¯s the Temple Master!!" Two people exclaimed in surprise and relief, as if their tension had found support and immediately relaxed. "Zheng Ming, you¡¯ve worked hard." Yu Hong looked towards Zheng Ming, who seemed about to faint at any moment, and nodded slightly. "No... no problem...." Zheng Ming began to speak, but suddenly saw the pig-headed Spirit Disaster Monster appear instantly behind him, as if it possessed the ability of Instantaneous Movement, directly appearing behind Yu Hong. "Be careful!" He yelled out desperately. Boom!! But his shout was cut off halfway as it left his throat. Because the pig-headed monster¡¯s arm, raised halfway and still in mid-air, was stopped by the six-meter-tall Black Giant with a slap¡ª Directly pressing it to the ground from above. Boom! With a terrifying force, in an instant, the pig-head was completely crushed. Yes. Completely crushed. Like a lump of putty, it was flattened by a giant palm and smashed into a deep pit on the ground. At the edge of the deep pit, thick blood and flesh oozed out, squeezed by the pressure. The pig-headed monster that had troubled them for so long was instantly killed by the Temple Master in a single move. "Go back and rest well;I have other places to handle. I won¡¯t see you off." Yu Hong instructed, then turned and hurried towards the distant darkness. The Black Giant behind him followed closely, striding toward the distance. Looking into the distance, it was like a moving small mountain, extremely exaggerated. Zheng Ming looked at the towering Black Giant, a strong sense of reliability rising uncontrollably in his heart. "Is this... the feeling of having a sect to rely on...?" He had never experienced this feeling before. The old Taoists like Yu Hen and Yu Mo were never able to provide such strong support. As Dao Seed elites, what they could do was mostly to support each other. The elders had poor physical strength, and their power was also limited;naturally, their support was pitifully weak. Not like now... "Damn! If the Temple Master could have come earlier... we wouldn¡¯t have had to..." someone couldn¡¯t help but say in a low voice. "You don¡¯t know shit. The Temple Master just rushed over from another case site. Recently, the Taoist Temple has been able to only protect itself, so there have been too many accumulated cases, which are now being rapidly reduced," another person cursed. "..." The first person was left speechless by the scolding. "But that feeling when all your troubles are solved in an instant... Damn, it¡¯s so fucking good!" exclaimed a Taoist, slapping his thigh. Zheng Ming didn¡¯t speak because he felt it was awesome too... * * * In front of a girls¡¯ school teaching building. Zheng Ying and two Taoists were together, driving the Fear Shadow Black Fire Mummy and entangling with a rhino-headed monster over three meters tall. The adversary was not just a Spirit Disaster, but a real embodied monster after possession. In the plaza of the teaching building, the surrounding area had a police cordon set up. Only Qingchen Temple and Warlocks from the Mutual Aid Alliance were here, arranging Techniques, and combining forces to suppress the rhino-headed monster. The Black Fire Mummy had lost the strong momentum it had when it first appeared, and instead, like a mouse, was chased around frantically everywhere. Occasionally, if it was a bit slow, it would be hit and immediately a large chunk of its body would be torn off. Then Zheng Ying, who was driving it, would also vomit a small mouthful of blood in synchronization. Only because there were other Magicians around releasing Magic in time to cover and delay, otherwise, she couldn¡¯t have lasted this long;she would have been torn to shreds, vomiting blood and passing out. "This thing... at least in terms of attack power, has reached the Temple Master Level... no wonder the armed police couldn¡¯t subdue it when they came before!" Zheng Ying wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth and spoke solemnly. Compared to Temple Master Level Magicians whose physical damage was very weak, these possessed Spirit Disaster Monsters could inflict much stronger damage. Boom! In a moment of inattention, the Mummy failed to dodge in time and was rammed into the wall of the teaching building by the rhino-headed monster. The wall burst open, cracking widely. The rhino monster picked up the Mummy, tilted its head back, and let out a silent roar. Like a sonic wave, a spiritual shock exploded in a circle, causing the nearby Magicians¡¯ heads to ache terribly. "Scatter!" Zheng Ying was about to release a Technique to strengthen the Fear Shadow, but the shockwave had delayed her action for a moment. Boom! The Mummy was smashed heavily to the ground, most of its body was shattered, and it disappeared into black smoke. This meant that a large part of Zheng Ying¡¯s spiritual power was also scattered. Blood suddenly flowed from her nostrils, and the severe headache forced her to half kneel on the ground. Fortunately, this was tens of meters away from the battlefield, in a hidden corner. Otherwise, if discovered by that monster, the consequences would be unimaginable. "Prepare artillery support!" Seeing this, the observing paramilitary commander immediately ordered. He couldn¡¯t see the Black Fire Mummy and Fear Shadow, but he could see the rhino-headed monster. He could judge from its movements that something was entangling it. Now, with Zheng Ying¡¯s condition, he knew that thing couldn¡¯t hold on much longer. "No need," a deep voice suddenly emerged from behind the crowd. Yu Hong¡¯s towering figure of over two meters walked out from the shadows cast by the street lamps. "I¡¯ll handle this." "Temple Master!" "Senior Brother!" All the Taoists and Magicians from the Mutual Aid Alliance called out together, only Zheng Ying still called him Senior Brother. But no matter who it was, at this moment, seeing Yu Hong arrive brought a sense of relief to everyone¡¯s heart. After all, Yu Hong was currently the focus of Qingchen Temple, a Temple Master Level powerhouse, the strongest person in the Taizhou Warlock World! Second to none. Yu Hong didn¡¯t care about the multitude of eyes converging on him. Instead, his gaze fell on the rhino-headed monster. The other party had already sensed his arrival, cast aside the Mummy, turned around and lowered its head to let out an angry roar. "To think it can possess a body to this extent?" He raised his hand, with invisible spiritual power technique flowing and weaving into shape in his palm. "If that¡¯s the case... then I won¡¯t be polite either." Hum!! In an instant, a vast expanse of red eyes started to rise up beside the rhino-headed monster. Amidst the hissing snake-like noises, One after another, black Dragon Lizards, three to four meters long, crawled out from the shadows, their mouths faintly emitting dark red flames, their murky eyes fixated on the rhino-headed monster. In a flash, countless Dragon Lizards surrounded the entire playground, also simultaneously trapping the rhino-headed monster within an encirclement. This scene instantly made the armed police and Magicians surrounding the area shiver all over. Whether they were Taoists from Qingchen Temple or Magicians from the Mutual Aid Alliance, seeing this number of Dragon Lizards sent a chill through their hearts. "How... how can there be so many!?" An external Taoist from Qingchen Temple couldn¡¯t help but feel their scalp tingle, their body breaking out in goosebumps. Even if they guessed that these giant lizards were Fear Shadows summoned by their own Temple Master, they still felt their skin crawl, just standing there made them feel uneasy from the bottom of their heart. Fearing that these monster lizards would turn and pounce upon them. Just by seeing the flames still escaping from the Dragon Lizards¡¯ mouths, one knew these monsters were not to be trifled with. "Is this the Alliance Hierarch¡¯s true strength!?" Several Magicians from the Mutual Aid Alliance were also scared by this sight, knowing that the Alliance Hierarch had yet to utilize his hidden Spirit Light trump card, and achieved this solely with his own strength. This was simply... Zheng Ying was the most shocked among them. Others might not understand the value behind this, but she did. The Qingchen Temple¡¯s Secret Technique talent Five Spirits Spring, she knew its effects, which maximized the number of Fear Shadows one could summon. She prided herself that if she were to receive the Five Spirits Spring qualification, perhaps she could summon five Mummies at once, which would be the limit. Moreover, if the Mummies were summoned and destroyed, it would cause a fivefold mental injury to oneself. So-called benefits come with drawbacks, this talent was not absolutely invincible. But this scene before her... What the hell was this!!? She roughly counted, and just from the ones visible to the eye, there were more than thirty Dragon Lizards. Not to mention in the corners of the dark, her Spiritual Sensing hinted at faint outlines. "Is this the gap between an unparalleled genius and ordinary people?" Zheng Ying felt a bit dazed, and also a tremendous sense of loss. At this moment, she once again confronted reality, recognizing that she was not the so-called genius. The world did not revolve around her. But soon, what took its place was an intense sense of relief. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Relieved that such a genius powerhouse was on her side. If these monsters were aligned against her, she didn¡¯t dare imagine what she would be facing. At this moment, the rhino-headed monster clearly felt the enormous threat;it retreated several steps, looking left and right, trying to find a possible gap to escape through. But there were too many Dragon Lizards. Each one was mature, with scales strong enough to withstand small caliber bullets. Their speed wasn¡¯t slow either, reaching nearly two hundred yards at their fastest, and their strength exceeded several tons. It could be said that a single Dragon Lizard could already defeat a fully armed elite small squad. And now, there were more than fifty such Dragon Lizards here. "Kill it," Yu Hong¡¯s deep voice spread across the playground. Ao!! The rhino-headed monster seemed to realize something;it lowered its head, took a step, sprinted, and tried to flee in the direction opposite Yu Hong. But after only two steps, it was completely engulfed by dozens of dark red fire columns all around. Hiss hiss hiss!!! The dense barrage of fiery lines, like glue, jetted onto its body, instantly engulfing it into a fire person. Loud screams echoed one after another, and in less than ten seconds, this huge monster dissolved, collapsed to the ground, being burned to a pile of black ash powder. Only a faint wisp of black smoke lingered and rose. "Go and handle all similar monsters throughout Taizhou," Yu Hong commanded. Swoosh. All the Dragon Lizards suddenly dispersed, sprinting rapidly in all directions, quickly vanishing into the night. The current version of Dragon Lizards no longer had any distance restrictions. Only the original first batch of Dragon Lizards, although restricted by distance, were also very handy to control. The second batch, that is, the Dragon Lizards hatched from nests where the first batch fused, had no restrictions at all. They were wilder and did not have the trained soldier feeling of the first batch. The Dragon Lizards Yu Hong brought were of the second batch. Their advantage lay in the absence of distance restrictions;the downside was that their command execution was rough. They could only receive simple instructions, and their strength was slightly weaker. But that didn¡¯t matter;their strength could be forcibly enhanced with Spirit Light. Chapter 347: Crackdown on Town 345 Dark Affinity Level 3 "Temple Master... those... could they all be Fear Shadows!?" Zheng Ying retracted the mummy, struggling to support his body as he looked at Yu Hong. "I only summoned slightly lower-level Fear Shadows, so it looks like there are a few more of them, but there¡¯s no need to worry," Yu Hong reassured. That was just a few more!!? That was an insanely large number, alright!!? Zheng Ying and the surrounding magicians looked at each other, silently cursing in their hearts. Even if it was the lowest level Fear Shadows, Zheng Ying could barely summon six. Moreover, such Fear Shadows would probably be too weak to be effective, unlike those Dragon Lizards just now that could easily handle monster creatures as strong as rhino-headed beings. "Temple Master, the most troublesome case left is the murder case at Rongxing Gymnasium. If those giant lizards you summoned can really help with the other minor cases, then there won¡¯t be a big problem," Zheng Ying said in a low voice as he approached. "That¡¯s good," Yu Hong scanned the crowd, "You all go back to rest and heal. Starting tonight, I want all magicians in Taizhou to come to Qingchen Temple for registration. We¡¯ll manage entries and exits. Anyone who doesn¡¯t come will be considered part of the Seven Evil Alliance and will be eradicated." "This...." Zheng Ying and the others¡¯ expressions changed. "Temple Master, isn¡¯t this too tyrannical!?" an external Taoist couldn¡¯t help but voice. "I can¡¯t manage other places," Yu Hong said indifferently, "but in Taizhou, if you have any objections, you can come to Qingchen Temple to see me." "Any rebels will be executed on the spot." Yu Hong turned and stepped into the shadows, quickly disappearing. The danger within the Heavenly Pillar could explode at any moment, and he had no time to play a slow game of catching traitors with the Seven Evil Alliance. Slicing through the chaos with a quick and decisive approach to clean up. He might not protect other places, but in Taizhou, before disaster fully erupted, there was still some hope. * * * Bam! A Qingchen Temple disciple was thrown heavily into the Taoist temple¡¯s gate, falling to the ground and screaming in pain in front of numerous incense-worshippers. Seven or eight fierce-looking men in suits marched into the temple courtyard. The leading man had a flush face, straight eyebrows, and eyes wide open like copper bells. As soon as he entered, he pointed at the Taoists inside the temple and cursed. "Damn it! Is your Qingchen Temple looking for trouble!? All those who don¡¯t register will be dealt with!? There are so many Taoist Sects, and I¡¯ve never seen a more tyrannical one than yours!" "Looking for trouble? Fine, I¡¯ve specifically come today to cause trouble! If you have the guts, kill me today;I, Xu Yeshan of the Two-headed Scorpion, won¡¯t change my name or my surname!" The commotion quickly caused the incense-worshippers to back away, clearing a space. Some Taoists who were attending to the incense-worshippers were also frightened by these men and retreated to a distance, while some quickly took out their phones to notify the external Taoists. Such disturbances were typically first handled by external Taoists. Outside the Taoist temple, at a breakfast shop across the street. A few magicians sitting and watching the spectacle had already gotten the news and came here early to watch the show. "I told you, this Zheng Rou from Qingchen Temple, newly appointed, wants to stir things up and cause trouble, right? See, trouble now?" a man with a delicate face and long hair said mockingly in a low voice. He was dressed ambiguously, looking like he was in male attire, but in some places, he wore accessories typically worn by women. Though he had makeup on his face, his chin still had a stubble of black beard, making him look quite quirky. "Indeed, Qingchen Temple is somewhat tyrannical. Although we know that this Zheng Rou Taoist Master is the most extraordinary genius in Qingchen Temple¡¯s history, issuing such a notice right after taking office is truly underestimating magicians worldwide. While many of us independent magicians may have limited power, a few ruthless characters always emerge. This Two-headed Scorpion is one such person." Among those sitting nearby, a particular brother and sister stood out. It was the sister who spoke. The two siblings, the brother with yellow hair and the sister in a schoolgirl mini-skirt, seemed out of place among the older magicians. These two were the Wind Bell Twins, He Yuchong and He Yuling, who had previously inquired for information from Cheng Shu. "I didn¡¯t want to register before, and I was held by people from Qingchen Temple, not allowed to leave. They said, if I didn¡¯t register, I¡¯d have to leave Taizhou. Who do they think they are? I come and go as I please;it¡¯s none of their business!" A tall woman wrapped in a thick black coat said softly next to the siblings. "That¡¯s right, so now they¡¯ve caused trouble, right? Perfect for watching the show. This Two-headed Scorpion isn¡¯t just any independent magician;her brother is a certified master from the Taoist Yuxuan Temple. Among them, some relatives are also connected with other sects. I¡¯m curious to see how Zheng Rou will handle this..." the androgynous long-haired man mocked. But before he could finish. A ripple of invisible spiritual fluctuation suddenly expanded from the main hall of Qingchen Temple. Bong!! In a trance, the Two-headed Scorpion and her group at the entrance seemed to hear a deafening toll of a giant bell echo by their ears. Their faces turned pale, legs weak, bodies powerless, and before they could even slouch to the ground. An invisible shockwave burst forth from the main hall with a thunderous explosion. Bam bam bam bam!! The group was smacked head-on by the shockwave, their spirits overwhelmed to the point they couldn¡¯t muster even a thought of resistance, and they were forcefully flung out. All the troublemakers, including the Two-headed Scorpion, collapsed to the ground, unable to move. Clap clap clap clap! "What a fine Qingchen Temple, what a fine Zheng Rou Taoist!" Outside the temple, a tall elderly man with white hair slowly approached, clapping his hands. "Qingchen Temple, a mere Taoist temple, actually dares to take on the work of a national institution? Registering all magicians entering Taizhou, who gave you such audacity!?" He stepped closer to the Taoist temple, emanating a dense and tangible spiritual fluctuation. That was the special sharpness trait only at the Temple Master-level. Among independent magicians, excluding the Seven Evil Alliance, there indeed were Temple Master-level experts, but it was unlikely for one to coincidentally appear in Taizhou at this time. Clearly, this expert had another identity and motive. "He¡¯s here! Isn¡¯t that the Vajra..." the long-haired man in the breakfast shop across the street snapped out of his shock at the swift defeat of the Two-headed Scorpion, recognizing the newcomer¡¯s face. "That¡¯s indeed the exiled independent mage of the Vajra Sect¡ªIron Arhat You Qingzong. Although he claims to be an expelled independent magician, who doesn¡¯t know he¡¯s the black glove of the Vajra Sect, specifically handling tasks for others outside?" said the straightforward He siblings. "The Vajra Sect is a bit distant from Taizhou, but not too far;this person coming over... doesn¡¯t he have some designs on this territory?" the long-haired man asked in a low voice. "Impossible. If he had any designs, why didn¡¯t he come earlier? Taizhou, this small place, isn¡¯t even on the radar of the Buddhist Sect¡¯s major schools. He probably just heard of Zheng Rou¡¯s legendary genius and came to test the waters more than anything," He Yuling replied softly. "Now it gets interesting¡ªthis brings trouble with other Taoist Sect factions and then gets noticed by the Buddhist Sect." All the magicians nodded in agreement. "Indeed, one Taoist genius after another from the Taoist Sect, yet the Buddhist Sect gets one Buddha Son Yu Xiao in decades. I¡¯ve heard of this before. Whenever there¡¯s a Taoist genius, the Buddhist Sect sends someone to probe. Daoist Ku Chan was picked on back then too: first fight, then recruit, and if that doesn¡¯t work, they send a Secret Sect Heavenly Woman to try and leave offspring¡ªsuch varied tactics they have," a bald magician explained while rubbing the remaining scar marks on his head. Clearly, he was very familiar with the situations concerning the Buddhist Sect. "The Vajra Sect isn¡¯t an ordinary force. How do you think this Zheng Rou, the master of Qingchen Temple, will handle it?" He Yuchong smiled. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "How else can he handle it? By giving in, of course. His issued notice couldn¡¯t possibly be enforced. Although the civilian magicians aren¡¯t one solid group, each family¡¯s glove is still there, with deep waters in between. He¡¯s just a temple master of a small Taoist branch and would dare bully those of us without backgrounds, but when it comes to tough characters, he¡¯d instantly give in." The bald magician sneered. "After all, Zheng Rou has just broken through;it¡¯s normal to get intimidated by such an experienced expert. Do you really think the old Taoists of Qingchen Temple didn¡¯t want to revive the sect and say whatever they liked? Was it because they didn¡¯t want to? They simply couldn¡¯t do it," He Yuling smirked alongside. Clearly, the compulsory registration and the threat of expulsion if unregistered had everyone against the independent magicians. Though they surrendered at the time, it was due to the strength of Qingchen Temple. Now, seeing someone coming to pick a fight, they were all gleeful. Hoping Qingchen Temple would end up humiliated. "Iron Arhat You Qingzong?" Inside the main hall of the temple, Yu Hong¡¯s voice echoed from within. "That¡¯s right, it¡¯s I," the white-haired elder said with a sly narrow glance. He wore a black robe with golden patterns and held a thick black iron staff, walking up to the entrance of Qingchen Temple. His powerful spiritual fluctuations directly confronted the spiritual waves radiating from Yu Hong inside the main hall. The two Temple Master-level spiritual fluctuations collided like streams of air currents, clashing and neutralizing each other in midair. "Qingchen Temple has been rooted in Taizhou for hundreds of years, even uprooting the Mud Doll Sect. You¡¯re not a magician from Taizhou, and yet you dare cause trouble here? If you come, you¡¯d better abide by Taizhou¡¯s rules!" Yu Hong spoke loudly. There were many observers around, including magicians, incense-worshippers, and temple Taoists. However, the bigger crowd was ordinary people watching the spectacle on the streets. They couldn¡¯t feel the spiritual clash of Temple Master-level shocks, only noticing that the confrontation seemed intensely serious, as if watching a big blockbuster movie. Their dialogue drew more and more onlookers. "Ridiculous. Just because you¡¯ve lived in one place for a long time, it becomes your Qingchen Temple¡¯s place? Is there such logic in this world? Then, if I move to the capital and live there for decades, does the capital become my territory too?!" Iron Arhat laughed heartily. "If you can indeed protect an area from storms, naturally you¡¯d also have that qualification. The question is, do you have the ability to shield the capital?" Yu Hong said coldly. "Ha, boastful, dare to speak such words as a newcomer who just broke through. Aren¡¯t you afraid the wind might cut your tongue short?!" You Qingzong¡¯s eyes grew cold as well. Both his hands formed a tight seal, and at once, chains of Buddhist talismans shimmering with golden light appeared around him. The chains spiraled and continually danced around him, instantly amplifying his emitted spiritual fluctuations by several magnitudes. A golden Buddhist light soared behind him, a special phenomenon visible only to magicians. The released spiritual waves, in an instant, overwhelmed those of Yu Hong. "Interesting." Yu Hong¡¯s expression turned icy;he was waiting for a troublemaker to set an example and deter others. This You Qingzong arrived just in time! Immediately, he formed the Dress Damage Seal Decision. A massive six-meter-tall black shadow emerged behind him. "Cripple him." Yu Hong commanded coldly. Boom! The small black giant bent low and struck the ground. It suddenly dashed out of the temple, crossing dozens of meters in a straight line toward You Qingzong. Simultaneously charging through the golden Buddhist light and spiritual waves released by You Qingzong. Like a black dagger, penetrating all obstacles straight to You Qingzong¡¯s face. Chapter 348: Crush the four in town 346 "Condense!! Nanwubaojiafadiaan...." Facing the Black Giant, Yu Qingzong pinched a seal with one hand and chanted an incantation, while his other hand raised, shining with golden light, to provide a barrier in front of him, buying time. Boom!!! The Black Giant delivered a punch that landed squarely on the golden light barrier in front of him. The punch, as large as a washbasin, was surprisingly blocked by what seemed to be a thin layer of golden light. Despite being shaken to the point that his head buzzed, Yu Qingzong had no choice but to step back several times to create distance. However, the punch was indeed blocked. "Interesting, he was actually able to block my move..." Yu Hong was somewhat surprised. Where did this expert come from? He did not show up to save people when the Yin Qi Sky Pillar erupted before, but now suddenly pops up to cause trouble after he had stabilized the situation. Although it was only a strike from the Sixth Layer¡¯s Black Giant that was blocked, his Horror Shadow was inherently stronger than others, born with an attack power that was one cut above the rest. This seemed to be a special change due to experiencing, encountering, and closely observing these figures in person. The fact that he could block this indicates that his strength was indeed extraordinary. "It seems that registering all the Magicians really blew up a lot of big fish all at once..." He immediately realized the likely identity and purpose of the other party. This guy must be a secret agent of the Buddhist Sect within the Taoist Sects, a hidden stake. By this count, there possibly weren¡¯t a few of these spies like him;his registration may have offended many forces. However, since he had already offended them, he might as well go all the way. He came here not intending to honestly and slowly develop his influence and make a name for himself in the Taoist Sects. Realizing this, Yu Hong became even less merciful. A few trump cards flashed through his mind, followed instantly by a mental motion. Another Black Giant appeared beside him. Boom! A second Black Giant rushed out, punching at extreme speed, coordinating with the first to assault Yu Qingzong. Unexpectedly, the old man pinched handprints and took out another delicate white Buddha statue, murmuring sutras and pinching seals. Immediately, a five-meter-tall Buddha¡¯s shadow rose from behind him, blocking the two Black Giants. "Do you really think you from Qingchen Temple are the only ones with Secret Techniques?" Yu Qingzong sneered, "Today, let this old man teach you, what it means to respect your elders!!" Clearly, he had gathered information about Yu Hong before coming and knew about his talents merged from Qingchen Temple¡¯s Five Spirits Spring. While talent is strong, facing an experienced practitioner who built up their strength over time, it¡¯s not easy to win. The so-called genius is merely someone who accumulates quicker than ordinary people. Against the old generation who have built up their strength over the years, their advantage is not apparent. "I refuse to believe this!" Yu Hong pinched another seal;two more Black Giants condensed behind him and charged towards Yu Qingzong. This time, Yu Qingzong¡¯s eyelids twitched. Four Black Giants¡¯ Horror Shadows already significantly exceeded the range of ordinary genius. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If it hadn¡¯t been for the Vajra Sect¡¯s techniques having a considerable restraining effect on the Qingchen Temple¡¯s Horror Shadows, he would have already contemplated turning around and fleeing. "Buddha Mother of Myriad Transformations!" He quickly changed his handprints, urgently weaving spiritual power, calling forth. Suddenly, a more than ten-meter-tall vast white Buddha Mother figure loomed in the sky. The Buddha Mother had a kind face, draped in white Buddhist silk, and wore a Golden Lotus Wheel on her head. A point of crimson on her brow shone with blood light, clearly visible. She chanted sutras in a low voice and with a swipe of her hand, a white light palm several meters wide shot straight toward the two Black Giants. Puff puff. The two Black Giants were easily crushed. A mild backlash rushed into Yu Hong¡¯s mind, causing a slight pain at his temples. Without allowing him time to react, the Buddha Mother extended her hand again and effortlessly crushed the remaining two Black Giants as if squashing ants. The Black Giants, which were of decent strength below the Temple Master Level, were now unable to withstand a single blow in the face of a higher level technique. "I don¡¯t believe this!" The intense and relentless look in Yu Hong¡¯s eyes was accustomed to slaughter, death, and fear. He couldn¡¯t believe that the talent he had spent so much time merging and the Daoist Skills he had broken through could not handle an old man that sprang out of nowhere! As the Buddha Mother approached, he rapidly pinched a Dress Damage handprint, his Qi Condensation and Shadow Transformation Technique now also reaching its complete form. Right there and then, the Seventh Layer Horror Shadow began to be summoned for the first time at this location. This was the first time he called upon a Temple Master Level Horror Shadow since his Spiritual Sharpness. For a moment, humming vibrations appeared in the surrounding air, sounds only audible through Spiritual Sensing. Behind Yu Hong, a colossal shadow, as dark as a mountain and large as life, slowly condensed from the void, revealing its outline. That was the true weapon of Black Disaster, a complete Black Giant standing two hundred meters tall. At this moment, this monster comparable to a sixty or seventy-story building¡¯s immense structure was about to emerge behind Yu Hong. Only... As the Black Giant¡¯s nebulous body began to materialize, Yu Hong¡¯s spiritual power abruptly spiked, and he couldn¡¯t continue the summoning. Moreover, his spiritual power was rapidly depleting, clearly insufficient to complete the summoning. He pinched another seal, attempting to continue. But to no avail. Clearly, relying on taking shortcuts with elixirs to reach the Temple Master Level seemed to carry significant side effects. Without sufficient spiritual power, the summoning remained incomplete. "But this should be enough!!" Yu Hong¡¯s expression turned fierce. He changed the seal and used the Black Giant to swipe its palm toward the Buddha Mother. During this time, the Magicians, initially frightened by the Black Giant¡¯s enormous size, also spotted the clue. "That guy looks intimidating mostly because of his size, scared me to death. Master Yu truly is a genius to be able to summon such an exaggerated horror shadow!" "It seems it consumes a lot and can¡¯t manifest in full form. But it¡¯s still unknown how powerful this behemoth is. I bet with such a massive size;it¡¯s bound to win if it slams down!" "It should be not that simple! The Vajra Sect¡¯s techniques are quite effective at restraining the likes of Qingchen techniques that rely on summoning entities with spiritual power. The outcome is still uncertain." One after another, the Magicians stood up and pulled back to avoid being affected by the battle. Ordinary people who couldn¡¯t see would be alright and not affected by the aftermath. But for these Magicians who could see, if they weren¡¯t careful, they could become collateral damage, with their spirits suffering. A spiritual shock is like the sun;as long as one doesn¡¯t look directly at it, as long as they¡¯re not the main target, they generally won¡¯t feel much. Buzz!!! At that moment, huge spiritual ripples exploded one after another, instantly covering a radius of several hundred meters around. The Black Giant¡¯s massive hand reached down and collided head-on with the white-robed Buddha Mother. Beneath the exaggerated size of the giant hand, the Buddha Mother¡¯s already sizable body seemed extremely fragile. But.... Bang!! The seemingly colossal shadow of the Black Giant crumbled from its palm upon impact. It shattered in succession, exploding into numerous wisps of black, smoke-like spiritual power that scattered away. One second. Two seconds. Less than three seconds later, the entire vast presence of the Black Giant burst like a soap bubble, dissipating into nothingness. Beneath the shattered Black Giant... Yu Hong stood in a daze, looking at the dissipating black smoke. He rarely zoned out, but this time, the Seventh Layer Horror Shadow he thought so powerful... just like that!? Even if the opposing magic was his counter. Even if he had forcefully enhanced his power through medications. Even if his spiritual power was insufficient for a complete summoning. But that was a Black Giant, almost at War Level!! Watching his opponent, Iron Arhat You Qingzong, whose expression shifted from shock to realization to scornful laughter. Yu Hong¡¯s expression suddenly calmed. Hum!! In an instant, blue and white fluorescence ignited around him. Layer upon layer of afterimages abruptly surfaced behind him. He bent forward. Stamped the ground. In a flash! Boom!!! Yu Hong vanished on the spot. Reappearing just two meters behind You Qingzong. He stood upright, withdrew his hands, and without looking back, walked straight away into the distance. Behind him, You Qingzong, who still had a sneer on his face, stood frozen in place. The white Buddha Mother before him, just like him, stood rigid, motionless. Two seconds later. The Buddha Mother silently crumbled, turning into white light points that disappeared without a trace. You Qingzong "wah" spat out a mouthful of blood mist, his eyes rolled back, and he fell to the ground, losing consciousness. ¡¯Really now... I practice martial arts to identify and mend my shortcomings;how could I suddenly have a brain lapse and compete with someone in spiritual power...¡¯ Sensing the commotion behind him, Yu Hong shook his head inwardly. He had an epiphany that he, a rough martial artist, had stupidly engaged in a contest of magic, his weaker skill. Wasn¡¯t that him being an idiot? The purpose of his magic training was merely to counter the revival of the Black Disaster and nothing more. If it came to fighting, this less-than-a-year-old magic training was no match for the explosive power of the Tai Ling Skill. At this moment, Yu Hong became completely calm. It was to compensate for his weaknesses that he consumed medications to accelerate his cultivation. Having taken medications, why should he compete honestly in magic? Better to take them out in one move and save time. Wasting time. After he left. The surrounding magicians and people from Qingchen Temple like Zheng Ming, the Dao Seed, all quieted down. That moment just now, even ordinary people who couldn¡¯t see anything would have noticed the afterimages Yu Hong left, his instantaneous disappearance, and his reappearance as You Qingzong lay unconscious, spitting blood. Such exaggerated speed, power, and precision left everyone dumbfounded, unsure of how to react. A full ten seconds later. As You Qingzong¡¯s blood almost stretched into a two-meter-long red streak, the people finally came to their senses. Whoa!! Everyone who reacted had exaggerated expressions. Most people¡¯s mouths were agape, the shape roughly forming a silent "what the hell". A few had foreheads creased with several lines, eyes so wide they forget to blink. The long-haired man from the breakfast shop, along with the siblings from the He family, now stood in front of a chain supermarket a hundred meters away from the Taoist Temple to avoid the fight, all silent. After a moment. The long-haired man finally spoke with a dry voice. "Just now, did anyone, see clearly?" "....." No one responded. All were silent. Watching in the distance as the Taoist from Qingchen Temple came out to carry You Qingzong away for emergency treatment, nobody felt like talking. From that one battle, it was clear to everyone that the newly appointed Temple Master Yu¡¯s spiritual cultivation was limited. Although his magic seemed strong, capable of summoning such an exaggerated Horror Shadow. But... his Daoist Skills were still weak, unable to fully summon, and as the Horror Shadow dissipated like foam, it was nothing more than all bark and no bite. However, despite the various issues and deficiencies with the new Temple Master¡¯s magic, His hand-to-hand combat was solid. Unable to win with summons, he straightforwardly resorted to close combat. Afraid of the hand-to-hand fight? Fists the size of a casserole, one punch could gift a baby-like beautiful slumber. If luck has it, one could additionally experience a rare near-death blood-vomiting sensation. Chapter 349: Suppression of the May Fifth Movement The atmosphere became somewhat awkward. "I think that for Primordial Heavenly Master Mansion to have a grandmaster like Master Yu presiding over Taizhou is a true blessing for the entire Taizhou," He Yuling broke the silence with a chuckle, pulling at her miniskirt. "It¡¯s true. During the incident with the Yin Qi Sky Pillar, it was Qingchen Temple that turned the tide, managing the situation until a high-level practitioner from the Taoist Sect arrived to sever the Heavenly Pillar." "Indeed, Master Yu is genuinely talented, and his combat prowess is unmatched." "It is said that Master Yu was skilled in martial arts even before he formally entered the Daoist path, and then he combined his martial arts skills with Magic to develop even stronger combat techniques. Nowadays, it appears that he has reached the peak of his abilities and stands above many... Truly a rare genius that the Taoist Sect has seen in recent years!" A Magician quickly caught the drift and shifted the direction of his compliments. Not far away, several Magicians from the Mutual Aid Alliance also overheard and revealed cold smiles, no longer monitoring them. Today¡¯s battle has decisively crushed the covert resistance of various forces¡¯ pawns in Taizhou. Even the strongest contender from Vajra Sect, You Qingzong, was beaten down, and the other Magicians were nothing but cats big and small, easily dispatched. *** *** *** This widespread registration and purging of Taizhou¡¯s Magicians finished in less than five days. One of the first things Yu Hong did upon taking office was to firmly secure Primordial Heavenly Master Mansion¡¯s position throughout Taizhou. He also rescued ordinary people who were afflicted by the Spirit Disaster caused by the dispersing Yin Qi from the Sky Pillar, regaining the public¡¯s trust in them. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. And originally the enfeebled Qingchen Temple, under his and the Mutual Aid Alliance¡¯s enhancement, had their power unprecedentedly strengthened. Mid-December. Inside the great hall, the statue of the Nine Palace Soul Devouring Venerable stood tall and unwavering. Yu Hong was seated below, right in the shadow of the statue. The surrounding candlelight flickered, quiet and solemn. With one hand holding a brush and the other holding paper, he carefully transcribed sections related to talismans. Three types of talismans that are highly effective against Spirit Disasters were quickly copied out by him, and he personally drew sample diagrams beside them. After finishing this, Yu Hong placed the papers on the floor, looked up at the statue, and pressed his hand on the paper. ¡¯Enhance talisman, direction: Increase potency, reduce production difficulty.¡¯ Black lines quickly flowed out from the Black Mark on the back of his hand, and a query echoed in his ear. Yu Hong confirmed his answer, and a countdown appeared, beginning the count. ¡¯Three days, not bad,¡¯ Yu Hong glanced at the numbers and set aside the paper. To stabilize the industry of Qingchen Temple, it was essential to have their unique specialty product. Therefore, these three types of effective talismans, once enhanced, could absolutely be marketed as exclusive items of the sect. Of course, this was just a temporary measure;after all, who knows when the Source Disaster would sweep across the world. If the apocalypse came, the importance of money would cease to exist. ¡¯Additionally...¡¯ Yu Hong raised his hand, and a faint silver Spirit Light emerged in his palm. The Spirit Light had completely transformed into silver. It was also significantly stronger than before. Without specific comparison, the extent of the enhancement was unknown. Thud, thud, thud. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door from the gate behind him. "Temple Master, the City Police Station sent a message. The nearby communication towers were confirmed to be sabotaged. They have now traced some clues and hope we can dispatch someone to assist, in case of a special situation." The Taoist, known as Fu Bai, was none other than the beautiful woman who had previously been assigned to give Yu Hong massages. The woman had changed into a Daoist robe now, her voluptuous figure completely hidden under it, making her seem delicate and lovely, as if she¡¯d become a different person altogether. "Understood," Yu Hong responded softly with his back to her. "Tell Zheng Ying to come see me." "Yes," Fu Bai bowed her head, quickly retreating. Yu Hong sighed quietly. On his second day as the Temple Master, he had already hinted to the Dao Seed Class that he had ways to enhance their powers and heal their injuries. Now, it was time to start implementing his plan. After all, with the current manpower of Qingchen Temple, it was far from enough to achieve his goals. After sitting quietly for a few minutes, soon, Zheng Ying, who had lost an arm, quickly entered from outside the great hall. Standing behind, she bowed respectfully to Yu Hong. "Elder Brother, I am here." "Fu Bai, close the door," instructed Yu Hong. Fu Bai paused, glancing at Zheng Ying and then at Yu Hong, her eyes revealing understanding. She gave a meaningful silent smile, quietly closed the door, and then undid one side of her Daoist robe by herself, revealing the delicate lace of white stockings on her legs. "You go out as well," Yu Hong turned around, glanced at her, and said wordlessly. Fu Bai blinked, trying to hide her discontent as she refastened her buttons and silently left. It wasn¡¯t that she was promiscuous, but the more she understood the current situation, the clearer it became that clinging to Qingchen Temple was the best direction. And within Qingchen Temple, it was Yu Hong, the new Temple Master, who shined the brightest. Being an ordinary person without Daoist Skills, the only way she could qualify to stay by Yu Hong¡¯s side was to rely on some improper special means. After all, since following Yu Hong, the benefits she had received from Yu Hen, overtly and covertly, had far exceeded her expectations. After Fu Bai left, Zheng Ying twitched her mouth, looking towards Yu Hong¡¯s broad and strong figure. "This... Elder Brother, I feel like... it might be a bit inappropriate between us." "Rest assured." Yu Hong glanced at Zheng Ying¡¯s robust physique and shook his head. He wasn¡¯t desperate enough to lay hands on a masculinized junior sister like Zheng Ying. "I¡¯ve called you here because of the injury you sustained." "My injury won¡¯t affect my strength too much, senior brother, you really don¡¯t have to worry so much, I assure you, I¡¯ve already found a new way to fight by preparing talismans in advance..." Once the injury was mentioned, Zheng Ying, as if triggered, hurriedly started to justify herself, trying to prove her overall strength wasn¡¯t compromised, that she could still perform! "Don¡¯t misunderstand me." Yu Hong sighed, "Although you lost a hand, I have a way to truly and thoroughly compensate for your loss of strength. However, this method might require a certain sacrifice." "....!" Zheng Ying was stunned upon hearing this, but in less than two seconds, her expression hardened. "No matter the sacrifice, senior brother! I can handle it!" Yu Hong nodded, seeing the determination in her. Then, he extended his hand, palm up. A faint silver light condensed in the center of his palm. "I have a Secret Technique that can remedy any imperfection in your physique, and although it can¡¯t regenerate limbs, it should be able to greatly make up for your future weaknesses." Zheng Ying stared at the silver light, opened her mouth to say something, but found herself momentarily speechless. She was actually familiar with this Spirit Light;having fought alongside the experts from the Mutual Aid Alliance, she had witnessed it many times. Now, seeing it from Yu Hong¡¯s hand connected all the dots from before. "So, this is it..." Yu Hong seriously explained the pros and cons to her and let her decide for herself. Without much hesitation, Zheng Ying agreed right away. And so, the change began. Ten minutes later. The grand hall doors burst open. Zheng Ying walked out slowly with a rosy complexion and sharp eyes;she had just found out who those monsters from the Spiritual Domain that saved her were. This was also why she didn¡¯t hesitate to accept the Spirit Light. And now... ¡¯I am... terrifyingly strong now...¡¯ She felt the surging and powerful Spirit Light force within her. She turned this force entirely into defensive power. It was both the defensive power against Fear Shadows and her own personal defense. This formidable defense gave her a feeling of immense security as if she were sheltered behind a city wall. "Zheng Ying, the mission to visit Master Yu Tan is yours. Do your best to persuade them to come back. The present Qingchen Temple needs to unite all the forces we can, individual strength is nothing against a disaster," Yu Hong¡¯s voice came from inside the hall. "But, if Master Yu Tan and the others don¡¯t wish to return..." Zheng Ying hesitated. "They will come back, if they want to protect those they hold dear," Yu Hong said indifferently. "Yes." Zheng Ying bowed respectfully, her face showing understanding. She left quickly, her figure disappearing into the night. Yu Hong then took out his phone, unlocked it, and glanced at its contents. A new message appeared, a reply from the Taoist Sect. The restoration of the signal base stations had been a matter of the last couple of days, while the Taoist Sect¡¯s message had reached the Ancestor Court some time ago. Now it was up to the Ancestor Court to respond. Yu Hong opened the message. ¡¯Thank you, Master Qing Hongzi, for the secret message. We have received your warning about the heavenly disaster and will send a special envoy shortly to verify, please keep an eye on the Taoist Sect official website for announcements.¡¯ ¡¯I hope you really take it seriously...¡¯ Yu Hong sighed with a hint of helplessness. Closing his eyes, he once again entered a state of spiritual cultivation. Guanwu Skill had reached the Seventh Layer, and just two more levels would grant him the special traits of the Cultivation Technique. With the impending Spirit Disaster, he had to strive hard, not wasting a single second. Three days later. Which also happened to be the day the Black Mark enhancement was completed. Yu Hong stood inside the Quiet Room of the Taoist Temple, cultivating while waiting for the result of the Black Mark enhancement talisman. The countdown was about to end in a bit more than ten minutes around noon. Knock knock knock. "Temple Master, the people from the Taoist Sect have arrived," Fu Bai¡¯s voice came from outside the door. "Got it," Yu Hong replied. These past few days, the Dao Seed Disciples had each been summoned by him alone and bestowed with the new Spirit Light. To increase the survival rate of Dao Seed Disciples, he made the Spirit Light he gave them, like Zheng Ying¡¯s, purely to strengthen defense. The current strength of the Spirit Light, all put towards defensive power, was so formidable it could be compared to the strength of his previously enhanced Grey Lizard suit. Ordinary bullets couldn¡¯t penetrate it, and as for Spiritual Shocks, that would need actual combat to test. With the Spirit Disaster looming, there was no hurry;opportunities would only increase. Although it was a bit regrettable that he couldn¡¯t see the full results of the enhancement, since people had arrived, he still had to entertain them first. Yu Hong donned his Daoist robe, took up the horsetail whisk and the Purple Gold Lotus Crown that represented the Temple Master. He opened the door and headed towards the Taoist Temple. Yu Fang, an old taoist responsible for miscellaneous affairs, had already welcomed the visitor inside, surrounded by many taoists, ushering in a blue-robed old Taoist with a crane hair and youthful face, heading in the direction of the grand hall. Upon encountering Yu Hong, the old Taoist¡¯s eyes lifted and they scrutinized him carefully. "Temple Master Yu, I am Qing Hongzi, from the Primordial Heavenly Master Mansion," the old Taoist greeted with one hand held in a Taoist salute. Chapter 350: repression June "So it is the revered Senior Qing Hongzi, one of the Four Colors of the Primordial Heavenly Master Mansion. Your esteemed name has long been heard, and it is an honor to finally meet you in person. I have long admired you!" Yu Hong said with a harmonious smile on his face, lowering his posture as he approached. "Master Yu is young and promising. To have entered the pivotal stage of Daoist quality transformation at such an age is indeed cause for celebration. It seems the Qingchen Temple¡¯s standings in the grand competition are due to rise." Qing Hongzi smiled modestly, also offering compliments. "I thank the senior for your auspicious words," Yu Hong said with a smile. The two walked side by side into the reception hall in the backyard. "Since the senior has come, I assume you have some understanding of the Yin Qi Sky Pillar, right?" After taking their seats, only Yu Hong and Master Yu Hen, who had hurried over, accompanied Qing Hongzi at the Qingchen Temple. After exchanging a few polite words, Yu Hong could sense that Qing Hongzi, no matter what he spoke of, always carried a hint of faint arrogance. The spiritual fluctuations emanating from him were incredibly strong and profound, even more so than Qing Huang, whom Yu Hong had encountered before. Such cultivation skills were likely to have reached the thousands in height¡ªa no wonder as one of the Four Colors of the Primordial Heavenly Master Mansion. The Primordial Heavenly Master Mansion has four colors and eight Temple Master Level experts, the strongest lineup second only to the Heavenly Master. Even among these eight, there are distinctions of rank and power. Qing Hongzi was one with moderate strength among the eight. The trio discussed the recent frequent occurrence of natural disasters before naturally turning the conversation to the Yin Qi Sky Pillar near Taizhou. "I have come for this Yin Qi Sky Pillar," Qing Hongzi stated lightly. "How does the senior plan to deal with it? The junior has inspected the Heavenly Pillar and found it to be quite troublesome," Yu Hong said gravely. "Master Yu is still young and has not seen enough of the world, not having experienced the several eras of the past. It¡¯s understandable that you¡¯re frightened to such an extent," Qing Hongzi replied bluntly. "More than thirty years ago, a Yin Qi Sky Pillar also appeared. Fifteen years ago, I resolved one as well. To date, I have dealt with no fewer than nine such cases." He smiled, unconcerned with the matter. "That Heavenly Pillar may seem powerful and terrifying, but in reality, all monsters within cannot leave it, not even a step. Once they move slightly away, their power significantly diminishes. Furthermore, these types of monsters are limited by the density of the environmental contamination;they cannot completely leave the vicinity of the Heavenly Pillar. Thus, thoroughly dealing with the Heavenly Pillar and those stray monsters will be like fish out of water¡ªthey will soon wither and die, disappearing on their own." Yu Hong looked at Master Yu Hen, seeking with his eyes confirmation of the other¡¯s claim. Master Yu Hen shook his head, indicating his ignorance on the subject. In the past, it was not he who served as the Temple Master, and the Qingchen Temple was too weak in terms of power and influence. Previously, they wouldn¡¯t have even qualified to be privy to such confidential matters. Were it not for the Heavenly Pillar appearing near Taizhou this time, even if the Nine Sects solved it again, their side might remain utterly unaware. "The two of you need not worry. What time is it now?" Qing Hongzi confidently asked. "It is 4:50 PM now," Yu Hong replied after checking his phone. "How long does it take to get to the Sky Lake from here?" Qing Hongzi asked further. "About half an hour," Yu Hong answered. "Then let¡¯s go. We aim to return before nightfall," Qing Hongzi stood up as he looked again at Yu Hong and Master Yu Hen. "I¡¯ll emphasize once more: the Heavenly Pillar is not to be feared. The troublesome part is the Seven Evil Alliance, those who continuously open the Heavenly Pillars to create chaos. The so-called Black Disaster Spirit Disaster is merely a tool in their hands to create chaos and achieve their goals. Remember not to confuse the primary with the secondary," he reminded. "Although the Seven Evil Alliance is annoying, I feel that the Spirit Disaster and Black Disaster are even more dangerous..." Yu Hong spoke again, only he who had witnessed the apocalyptic scenes firsthand truly understood how much destruction would ensue once the dangers of the Black Disaster and Spirit Disaster were fully unleashed. "Enough, no need to mention it again. The Black Disaster erupted many times in ancient times as well;it was just minor trouble. Even if left unattended, it will wreak havoc for a while and then dissipate on its own. The Spirit Disaster, while marginally stronger, will just last slightly longer than the Black Disaster. The real bone-gnawing maggots are the Seven Evil Alliance," Qing Hongzi reiterated and then, seeing that Yu Hong still wanted to say something, he abruptly turned his head away, showing an impatient look as if it were impossible to reason with him. Yu Hong was at a loss for words and looked at the old Temple Master, Yu Hen. Before meeting, he could never have imagined that such top-level experts within the Taoist Sect would be so indifferent to the Black Disaster and Spirit Disaster. That inexplicable arrogance, even though hidden behind the strict etiquette of the Taoist Sect, was still vividly apparent. Master Yu Hen simply shrugged his shoulders, indicating there was nothing he could do. In truth, he cared not who was right or wrong;as long as he could preserve the Taoist Temple, either would do. Because only Temple Master Level individuals could approach the Heavenly Pillar, Yu Hong personally accompanied Qing Hongzi to the site of the Yin Qi Sky Pillar. As Qing Hongzi said, he intended to resolve the Heavenly Pillar quickly and then move on to the next location. There were no small number of Heavenly Pillars activated by the Seven Evil Alliance now. The faster they acted, the more they could mitigate the direct and indirect economic losses. Half an hour later, the setting sun dipped halfway below the horizon seaboard. Qing Hongzi and Yu Hong stood on a speedboat, directly heading toward the massive Yin Qi Sky Pillar in the distance. Both wore small communication earpieces for short-distance conversation. Yu Hong has long been familiar with the language and script of the Yasong, with no need for a translator¡¯s assistance. Thus, this communicator had replaced the position of the previous translator. "Senior, it¡¯s just ahead," Yu Hong said gravely. "Please be extremely careful;there are exceedingly terrifying entities hidden within the Heavenly Pillar!" "Don¡¯t worry," Qing Hongzi smiled and drew out from his large sleeve, a green-blue gold-edged disc. The disc was densely covered with countless golden line runes. In the center of the disc was a lacquered black, hollow, vertical-pupil in the shape of a human eye. "This is the Sky Stabilizing Plate, a Mountain River Dao Artifact forged out by our Taoist Sect¡¯s gathering of thirty-six of the strongest magicians, over the course of nine days and nights," he said as he gently caressed the disc, his eyes filled with pride. "You have never seen with your own eyes the true power of the Sky Stabilizing Plate when it was used to suppress the entry point of the Black Disaster, the Gate of Despair. That¡¯s why you¡¯re so panic-stricken by this mere Heavenly Pillar." He tossed the Sky Stabilizing Plate forward. "Take a good look! The real foundation of our Taoist Sect!!" Whoosh. That palm-sized turquoise plate, spinning, rapidly approached the gigantic Yin Qi Sky Pillar. With a plop, the plate completely disappeared into the Heavenly Pillar, vanishing from sight. One second. Two seconds. Three seconds. Buzz!! Right at that moment. The entire Yin Qi Sky Pillar let out a roar as it began to rapidly shrink and thin. As time passed, the diameter of the Heavenly Pillar became smaller and smaller, thinner and thinner, and its color became increasingly faint. Then, on the thirtieth second, under Yu Hong¡¯s astonished watch, the entire Heavenly Pillar burst apart. Boom!! The gray mist instantly vanished without a trace. The vast Yin Qi Sky Pillar, which had been so immense just moments ago, was now nothing but smoke in mere thirty seconds. In midair, only that turquoise Sky Stabilizing Plate remained, idly rotating afloat and emitting bright golden light. "Retrieve." Qing Hongzi extended his hand, and as if pulling a fine thread, he drew the Sky Stabilizing Plate back from midair. With a snap, the plate landed in his hand and was carefully stowed away in his large sleeve. "That¡¯s settled. This Sky Stabilizing Plate once closed the widely opened gate to the Black Disaster;what¡¯s more, this faintly manifested Yin Qi Sky Pillar." "Elder, is it..pletely resolved now?" Yu Hong, looking at the original location of the Heavenly Pillar, suddenly noticed that there seemed to be a subtle disturbance in the sea at that spot, and faint gray fog was continuously emanating upwards from below the waters. The fog was dissipating very slowly, barely noticeable. "It¡¯s done, just some residual remains, nothing to be concerned about. It will disappear on its own after a while." Qing Hongzi spoke nonchalantly. "Could we thoroughly deal with these hidden dangers before we leave?" Yu Hong cautiously suggested. "I¡¯ll try." Qing Hongzi threw out the Sky Stabilizing Plate again. But this time the plate seemed unresponsive and no longer emitted golden light. "It seems this small scale is not enough to trigger the activation of the Sky Stabilizing Plate, but this also indicates that the threat here has been completely eliminated. Even the Sky Stabilizing Plate doesn¡¯t bother with such a weak intensity. So no need to worry, Master Yu. After returning, you can put up a notice advising people to avoid this sea area for the next ten years or so." "Is that so? I understand." Yu Hong nodded seriously. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He was now somewhat able to understand why the people of the Taoist Sect didn¡¯t take the Black Disaster Spirit Disaster seriously. With the Sky Stabilizing Plate¡¯s exaggerated effect¡ªthe way it shut down that huge Yin Qi Sky Pillar in thirty seconds flat. No wonder the people of the Taoist Sect were so confident;their pride was not without reason. "Let¡¯s go, time to head back." Qing Hongzi smiled. He took the lead in turning the motorboat around to return the way they had come. However, as Yu Hong followed to leave, he couldn¡¯t help but look back once more at the sea where the Heavenly Pillar had been. Beneath the surface of the sea, the strands of gray fog that lingered seemed... to be denser than the fog from the previous Heavenly Pillar... "Elder, do you plan to thoroughly cleanse all the Yin Qi Sky Pillars like this?" Yu Hong asked again. "How could that be possible." Qing Hongzi laughed, "The Sky Stabilizing Plate also has its consumption. The entire Ancestor Court of our Taoist Sect has only nine Sky Stabilizing Plates, with each of the Nine Sects possessing one." He took out the small disc, playing with it in his hand. "In fact, we only need to ensure the safety of the key cities. As for the more remote places, just let them be;they will collapse on their own before long." He paused for a moment, then continued. "Don¡¯t be fooled by the power of the Sky Stabilizing Plate in my hand¡ªthat it can suppress such a large Heavenly Pillar so easily. In reality, this is just a subsidiary vessel of my Primordial Heavenly Master Mansion¡¯s Sky Stabilizing Plate. It can only be used once or twice before it needs to be recharged. The true intact Sky Stabilizing Plate is always kept in the most hidden location of our Sect." "So that¡¯s how it is!" Yu Hong had an epiphany;the Taoist Sect had already made meticulous arrangements against disasters like the Black Disaster and Spirit Disaster. These nine Sky Stabilizing Plates were their ultimate trump cards for suppressing everything. "But, the Heavenly Pillars in those remote areas... won¡¯t they proliferate even further?" he recalled the dire situation in Hope City World, wondering if doing nothing would truly lead to self-collapse? Or was it because the worlds were different, so were the circumstances? He remained skeptical. "If it really comes to that, with two Heavenly Masters in place to activate the Sky Stabilizing Plate¡¯s main body, we can certainly suppress all evil. Don¡¯t worry." Qing Hongzi smiled. Chapter 351: Signs 1 "In truth, these secrets are not meant for the ordinary, they are considered confidential within our Taoist Sect," Qing Hongzi twirled his beard, "But you are different. With your talent, it might not be long before I see you at the Nine Sects Conference." The Nine Sects Conference is not solely participated by the Nine Sects but also includes the leaders of the foremost branches of Taoist Sects. These are the real pillars of the Taoist Sects, the essence of their strength, depth, and foundation. And for someone like Yu Hen, with insignificant power, they simply don¡¯t possess the qualifications to be privy to these secrets of the Taoist Sects. "I appreciate your sharing, senior." Yu Hong understood the goodwill behind the other¡¯s actions. The two quickly returned to Taizhou. Qing Hongzi had received the thirty million travel expenses from Yu Hong before he set off back home. As for the next Heavenly Pillar he spoke of, he did not go there, seemingly because the price negotiations fell through. His stationed faction, Mount Immaculate, is a much stronger medium-sized faction compared to Qingchen Temple and Jiufang Temple¡ªits influence spans three major markets, with three masters at the level of the Temple Master, and even its leader is rumored to have mastered Passive Techniques, regarded as a significant figure in the southern circle of Magicians. Perhaps believing in their own strength to suppress the cases brought by the Heavenly Pillar, they refused to pay the fee. After all, thirty million may not be much in the eyes of someone like Yu Hong with a whole world behind him, but for a normal faction, that is a considerable operational expense. However, having witnessed the entire process of the Sky Stabilizing Plate¡¯s suppression, Yu Hong always felt... the Sky Stabilizing Plate¡¯s suppression of the Heavenly Pillar was not as effortless as Qing Hongzi claimed... Yunshu Mountain. At the towering peak, a white platform paved with jade stones. A small bamboo-woven cushion was placed here, and on it sat an old man with a strong build, horizontally striped face, and grizzled hair. The old man held a horsetail whisk in one hand, while the other flipped through a document on the ground in front of him. The light blue document cover, made of soft plastic, was constantly flickered by the mountain wind, making a crisp sound. "Is this all the intelligence sent by Chong Zhenzi?" The old man asked somewhat dissatisfaction after reading the document. "Yes, my lord, all the reports from the Late Qing Province are here." From behind amidst the mists, a blurred, ingot-shaped attendant quietly emerged, bowing in response. "Is there anything else? How many Yin Qi Sky Pillars have been sealed?" The flat-faced elder continued his inquiry. "Thirty-four have been sealed so far, with three remaining. They pose minimal threat and need not be attended to for now." The attendant answered. "Bring me all the replies to go through." The elder insisted. "Yes." Soon, the attendant brought a new stack of documents, carefully placing them beside the old man. On a closer look, one could see the attendant¡¯s skin was snow-white, clad in a black undershirt, standing only one meter forty-five tall, with the eyeballs bizarrely rotating continuously. Not moving side to side, but spinning evenly within the eyelids like two spheres. After browsing for a while, the elder suddenly picked out four documents. "These have issues. Highlight them for close observation. Long Qing is far too devious with his schemes. Warn everyone to stay vigilant." "Yes..." The attendant stepped forward and took the four documents one by one. On one of the revealed documents, it was clearly noted with handwriting: Sealed the eleventh Yin Qi Sky Pillar, encountered the new Temple Master of Qingchen Temple in Taizhou, Yu Hong. His origins are unclear, his attention to the Black Disaster Spirit Disaster is unusually keen, the Fear Shadow called forth in his cultivation technique diverges from the norm, and he was unaffected by the Spirit Disaster fluctuations near the Heavenly Pillar, suspiciously linked to the Spirit Disaster, attempting to draw external attention excessively to the Black Disaster Spirit Disaster in order to obscure other matters, please assign someone to closely monitor him. "Master, recently several skilled members of our Taoist Sect have gone missing without a trace, losing all contact. Heavenly Master Zuo suggests that our Lower Yuan Sect should investigate." "Ah..." The old man sighed, "The Taoist Sect appears united as iron, the Nine Sects commanding respect everywhere, yet within we have too much dross, with people holding positions without merit. Not just that, they always have their own ulterior motives." "So what does master suggest...?" "Send out invitations to the members of the last Qingyang action group, reassemble the group. There¡¯s too much chaff in the Taoist Sect, I cannot discern who is trustworthy. Later, once reformed, hand this matter over to the action group," the elder commanded. "Understood. I will notify them." The attendant turned to leave, then seemed to remember something abruptly. "Master, those who went to seal and suppress the Heavenly Pillar mentioned that during this suppression, there always seems to be some residue left, as if the Sky Stabilizing Plate wasn¡¯t able to completely cleanse. Should we be concerned about this?" "Don¡¯t worry about it. When the Sky Stabilizing Plate itself presides over the situation, any significant activity would cause disturbances. As long as the Plate itself remains unstirred, these are all trivial issues. The Seven Evil Alliance is currently the bigger concern," the elder dismissed carelessly with a wave of his hand. "Yes." ¡¯The warning to the Taoist Sect didn¡¯t seem to receive much attention.¡¯ Yu Hong sat cross-legged in a slightly smaller temple behind the main hall. As he watched over the core of the entire Taoist Temple¡¯s array on the ground, his mind was pondering. With the arrival of Qing Hongzi, who hastily dealt with the Yin Qi Sky Pillar, he promptly left. The power of the Sky Stabilizing Plate was indeed potent, yet... the lingering traces always left Yu Hong with a knot in his throat¡ªan indescribable discomfort. For some reason, he had a bad premonition. Especially after seeing the environmental spiritual fluctuation readings on the multimeter approaching 1, his concern grew even more severe. Yu Hong flipped through the three types of talismans he had acquired after the enhancement process, his expression grave. After a while, he set down the talismans and picked up the multimeter. "This is a special detection tool I had custom-made overseas that can detect the spiritual fluctuation readings in the surrounding environment." He briefly explained the functionality of the multimeter, then turned to face the Yu Generation elder Taoists sitting in meditation behind him. "The data measured recently all show that the surrounding environment readings have been consistently stable around 0.6. Do you masters and senior brothers know what this means?" "What does it mean?" A group of elder Taoists looked perplexed. "It means that if there¡¯s even a slight problem with the spiritual fluctuations in this environment, it can easily affect the thought processes of a normal adult." Yu Hong spoke earnestly. "Are you suggesting mass hypnosis? Or a Neurological Technique?" Yu Hen quickly caught on. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Exactly." Yu Hong nodded. "Disciple suspects that the Spirit Disaster triggered by the Heavenly Pillar may not have been so simply suppressed, but our letters to the Taoist Sect have not been taken seriously." "So, what do you plan to do?" Yu Mo asked. "Now that you¡¯re the Temple Master, tell us, and we will cooperate accordingly." "No matter what, whether the Spirit Disaster continues to erupt or becomes even more severe, I plan to make all preparations. I want to strengthen the emergency response forces of our Qingchen Temple;after all, better safe than sorry." Yu Hong spoke with resolve. His words prompted a chorus of nods from the group of old men. "That¡¯s reasonable. Just tell us straight, what do you need us to do?" Yu Hen said straightforwardly. "It¡¯s quite simple. I have mastered a special secret technique that can harness the collective power of everyone for joint enhancement. After the enhancement, the benefits can be shared among all..." Yu Hong began to expound on the many strengths and advantages of his Spirit Light, which seemed flawless. After hearing his pitch, the elder Taoists were left dizzy and overwhelmed, readily agreeing to him, opening the gates of Qingchen Temple for the wide-scale recruitment of external disciples. It didn¡¯t matter if the external disciples couldn¡¯t master the Guanwu Skill;as long as they could practice the Spirit Light Secret Skill. After discussing the Spirit Light Secret Skill, Yu Hong brought out the three types of talismans he had obtained after their enhancement. "Moreover, disciple has also developed three special talismans specifically for dealing with the Spirit Disaster, which can be used for everyone¡¯s cultivation." He handed out the paper with the talismans transcribed on it. Yu Hen and a few others huddled together to look. They saw three types of bizarre runes they had never seen before. ¡¯Spirit Detection Talisman: Can detect all abnormal spiritual traces within a hundred meters.¡¯ ¡¯Catastrophe Spirit Talisman: When encountering a Spiritual Domain coverage, this talisman can protect the user for about ten seconds to break free from influence. The actual duration depends on the burning speed of the talisman.¡¯ ¡¯Spirit Avoidance Talisman: Causes abnormal spiritual entities to completely ignore the user, with the duration depending on the burning of the talisman.¡¯ The three talismans were all enhanced versions of their predecessors, with the difficulty of their inscription also being optimized and reduced. The only problem is... All these talismans require the addition of Spirit Light for their production. "So that¡¯s it, that¡¯s the true reason you need everyone to practice the Spirit Light Secret Skill," Yu Hen realized suddenly. "Indeed..." Yu Hong sighed and nodded. "Disciple also thought, if everyone can possess such talismans, it would be good if the Spirit Disaster doesn¡¯t erupt, but if it does worsen and explode, we would not encounter any mishaps! Additionally, these three talismans have a very long shelf life and can serve as vital personal protection against spiritual entities on a daily basis." "That makes sense!!" The crowd voiced their agreement. "Let¡¯s do this, Zhengrou. How do we need to cooperate?" Elder Yu Mo gave a hearty slap on his thigh and smiled. "Quite simple. I would just like to ask the senior instructors here to take turns serving as the Transmission Taoists teaching the Spirit Light Secret Skill," Yu Hong said solemnly. "Transmission Taoists? That¡¯s easy." Yu Mo laughed, as this was his specialty. After arranging tasks for the elder Taoists, Yu Hong once again approached the vicinity of the Yin Qi Sky Pillar alone. The grey breath there was denser, continuously spilling forth from the seabed unceasingly. Although this grey mist had not formed a new Yin Qi Sky Pillar, the environmental spiritual fluctuation readings were becoming increasingly concentrated. This reminded Yu Hong of the omens before the onset of the Black Disaster. It was the same back then. At the same time, each time he approached this place, he felt an indescribable immense psychic pressure. There seemed to be nothing there, but his heart felt as if it was pressed down by a stone, making it difficult to breathe. The sea was calm at this moment, and the weather overcast. Yu Hong stood on the speedboat, took a breath, pulled his gaze back, and looked in another direction. There, without knowing when, an extra figure in a black robe had appeared. The figure stood silently on the water, motionless. "When did you arrive?" Yu Hong asked. Across the span of dozens of meters, his voice, through spiritual fluctuations, reached the other person¡¯s ears precisely. "Just now," the figure replied. At the same time, the person lifted their head and removed the hood to reveal the familiar face of Qing Huang, who had left previously. "What¡¯s the situation with the Seven Evil Alliance? On your return this time, have you found out any information regarding the Black Disaster and the Spirit Disaster?" Yu Hong inquired again. Chapter 352: signs 2 "No..." Qing Huang shook her head, "The Alliance is busy planning the next major assault on the Taoist Sects and no one is paying attention to the Black Disaster Spirit Disaster." "..." Yu Hong frowned, "Why? Hasn¡¯t the Spirit Disaster already caused so much harm? Why doesn¡¯t even the Seven Evil Alliance take it seriously?" "The Alliance Hierarch and the Seven Evils don¡¯t see the Black Disaster Spirit Disaster as a problem. Their attitude is that even if it fully unleashes, they are confident that they can quickly suppress it again. Whether it¡¯s the Black Disaster or the Spirit Disaster, they are merely tools and weapons used to disrupt the Taoist Sects, nothing more," Qing Huang replied. "...." True to the lineage, Yu Hong didn¡¯t know what to say. Clearly, the magicians of this world have not suffered the pain of the Source Disaster;regardless of good or evil, they all underestimate the Source Disaster. In their view, the opponent behind the Source Disaster is the real key. As long as they solve the opponent, things like the Source Disaster can be easily suppressed in a flash and everything can be restored. "To be honest." Qing Huang also showed a hint of confusion, "Alliance Hierarch, with the Black Disaster Spirit Disaster under control and monitored by the Sky Stabilizing Plate, they can¡¯t make any big waves. Why do you still pay such close attention? Why expend energy and spirit to probe it?" "That¡¯s because you don¡¯t understand how terrible they are...." Yu Hong sighed. Ever since he arrived in this world, he has felt that the environment has been deteriorating, without pause. Even though the Sky Stabilizing Plate previously sealed the Yin Qi Sky Pillar here, the environmental spiritual fluctuation values are still on the rise. "I...." He tried to describe in detail the terror of the Black Disaster. Suddenly, in front of the two, a white wave on the sea rose abruptly. With a splash. Within the wave, a white shadow burst through the foam, hiding in the white waves and shooting into the sky, disappearing into the clouds in a blink of an eye. "What just came out?!" Yu Hong asked with a grave expression. "...It seems, like a fish?" Qing Huang answered uncertainly. Yu Hong picked up the multimeter and turned it on. Beep.... The data "1.264" suddenly appeared on the liquid crystal display screen. "It¡¯s over 1...." Yu Hong¡¯s expression turned grave. He looked up in the direction where that thing had flown away. Deciding in his heart, when he returned he would speed up the cultivation of the Guanwu Skill. As soon as possible, he will get the special characteristics of the Cultivation Technique, and also use the Black Mark to strengthen Qingchen Temple, to see if he could create a local Taizhou protective array. To ensure more people survive. One month later. Facing Taozhou City, Qingchen Temple issued a new recruitment announcement. It offered extremely lenient conditions for recruiting scattered magicians, which caused quite a stir among the magician circles. Normally, any magician sect¡¯s recruitment is based on whether one can cultivate its signature Cultivation Technique as a basic requirement. This Cultivation Technique often has a high threshold, serving as a significant filter. But this time, Yu Hong, as the Temple Master, set aside the recruitment Cultivation Technique Guanwu Skill, instead offering another Cultivation Technique called the Spirit Light Secret Skill. Anyone willing could try to cultivate it and this Cultivation Technique has a very low threshold. Many magicians, with the attitude of giving it a try, went to test it. Unexpectedly, five went and all five passed! One even had very poor Daoist Skills aptitude, a magician who barely managed to produce Dao Breath in the past. Even with such aptitude, they were able to practice the Spirit Light Secret Skill and manifest Spirit Light. Suddenly, the entire magician community of Taizhou went crazy. Who wouldn¡¯t want to become a disciple of a prestigious sect? Who wouldn¡¯t want to proudly proclaim themselves as a true disciple of the Taoist Sects? Isn¡¯t it just because they lack the aptitude and can¡¯t meet the standards? Haven¡¯t you seen how many disciples Qingchen Temple had before? Only a few from the Dao Seed Class, right? And now, Yu Hong has opened this opportunity. Qingchen Temple also bought a large piece of wasteland in the suburbs at a high price. Then they gathered construction teams to begin rapid construction. The number of external disciples joining increased day by day, with nearly a dozen people joining daily for preservation of life, and then receiving the Spirit Light Secret Skill from a few old Taoists of the Yu Generation. With the title and resources of a Taoist Sect disciple as an inducement, Qingchen Temple absorbed over three hundred magicians from various places in just half a month. A small part of these magicians were from Taizhou itself, but the vast majority were from other areas. Once they confirmed that the title of external disciple was real and the Spirit Light Secret Skill they were cultivating was genuine, they packed up their families and migrated. After all, no magician wants to see their condition plummet quickly after thirty, with a significant loss of power and lifespan. When it concerns the crucial matter of survival, Qingchen Temple¡¯s move was too attractive. Meanwhile, Yu Hong was diligently cultivating the Guanwu Skill on the one hand, and on the other, he began gathering the elixir Taoists within the temple, trying to concoct a special potion that could increase the speed of cultivation. At this time, in one of the pavilions. He stayed in the laboratory with three old Taoists, discussing how to improve the medicinal soup previously used in the Taoist Temple. In terms of elixirs, it was Yu Zhong who was particularly skilled, and he had always been in charge of this area. In fact, he is also one of the three old Taoists. Hearing Yu Hong¡¯s request, he showed a troubled expression. "Shi nephew Zheng Rou, it¡¯s not that we don¡¯t want to work on it, but your request is actually very difficult to achieve," he sighed. "Medicinal soup that increases the speed of cultivation¡ªif that were possible, we would have done it already. Actually, because of the Cultivation Technique, our sect does not have much need for materials;instead, we have very high requirements for spiritual willpower. And there has never been any medicinal soup known to strengthen spiritual willpower." "I can understand. So, the medicines that supplement nutrition and boost alertness can be prepared, right?" Yu Hong asked as a second option. "There are indeed ready-made ones for that. Even people in our temple occasionally use them, such as the Concentrating Soup and the Gathering Heart Pills. These two are quite effective," Yu Zhong explained. "Give me these two ready-made medicines;I¡¯ll try their effects," Yu Hong ordered. "Alright." Soon, an assistant brought over a portion of each of the two medicines. Both were stored in brown light-proof glass bottles, and they were still cold to the touch, obviously refrigerated. "I will try these first and then think of other ways," Yu Hong took the two bottles of medicine and instructed them to research safe supplements that replenish Essence Qi and spirit, before turning to leave. Spiritual cultivation requires the consumption of Essence Qi and spirit, so nourishing them will become a key focus in the Taoist Temple. Moreover, through the Enhancing Potions, he had obtained a trace of inferior Moon God Bloodline, which gave him an idea. Since the effects of the Black Mark Enhancing Potion were so good, he could certainly use this function to directly aid in the Cultivation of the Tai Ling Skill! Thinking leads to action. He quickly returned to his residence with the potions. He placed the potions on the table inside his house. Then he reached out to touch them. ¡¯Enhancing Potion, maximum enhancement, direction: to aid in the Cultivation of the Tai Ling Skill, no side effects.¡¯ Hiss. Black lines flew out and streamed into the two bottles of potions. Soon a countdown appeared: 72 days 11 hours 9 minutes. "...So long..." Yu Hong was at a loss for words. After hesitating, he still responded affirmatively. Hiss. The potions flickered slightly, and the Black Mark began to absorb a large amount of Inner Strength from the Tai Ling Skill within his body. Only after sweeping away all his Power and consuming more than half of his mental and physical strength, making Yu Hong feel dizzy and blurred, did it stop. Only then did the countdown on the surface of the two bottles of potions begin to tick down. ¡¯According to the rule that the longer the time, the stronger the effect, I hope it will not disappoint me when the time comes...¡¯ Yu Hong placed the two bottles of potions into the safe and locked it. * * * Thousands of nautical miles away from Yasong. Over a deep and cold azure sea, a large fishing vessel measuring hundreds of meters in length was anchored. On the side of the fishing boat, two white-haired old Taoists from the Yunshu Mountain Taoist Sect were carefully observing the condition of the sea waves. One came from the Dayunluo Temple by the Fa Ming Taoist name. The other came from the Supreme Ningxu Palace by the Taoist name Yuan Chun. Their relationship was indestructible, and they had agreed to handle this mission together. However, upon arriving at their destination, they realized that the area was desolate, without even an island in sight, and they didn¡¯t know how to swim;they couldn¡¯t go down at all... "Didn¡¯t the mission state that there used to be an isolated island here? Where is the island now?" Fa Ming said, resigned. "The mission description is incorrect. Let¡¯s go back. We can¡¯t proceed like this," Yuan Chun said, his expression equally helpless. "Just received a satellite phone call;Xu Heavenly Master has finally come around and wants to reorganize the action group. Our old comrades can finally get together again. After so many years, it¡¯s not easy." "From the original thirty-plus people, after decades, only about a dozen are left who have broken through and stepped into Temple Master Level. Time spares no one;we were all geniuses back then..." Yuan Chun sighed. "Do you know why Xu Heavenly Master suddenly agreed to reorganize the action group?" Fa Ming asked in a low voice. "I¡¯m not sure, but it might be related to the recent events. You know, over the years, the situation within the Taoist Sect has been feeling increasingly off," Yuan Chun said, frowning. "To be honest, I didn¡¯t agree with disbanding in the first place. At that time, I vaguely felt that there was a strong and hidden force within the Taoist Sect that we failed to capture. But by then, everyone was tired, and my voice didn¡¯t carry much weight, so I had to go with the flow," Fa Ming said, "until recently, I felt that this force seemed to have surfaced again..." "I¡¯ve had the same feeling as you. The Seven Evil Alliance, how could it rampage outside for so many years... Whenever Xu Heavenly Master acts, the other side seems to know the plans in advance. If not for a mole inside, it would have been..." Yuan Chun¡¯s words were cut off when suddenly, his eyes narrowed as he saw a black boat far away on the sea, quickly approaching. "This is the open sea, right?" he asked instinctively. "Yes..." Fa Ming, who also noticed the boat, became solemn. "Be careful, something is wrong!" Whoosh! Suddenly, a figure leaped from the small black boat in the distance. The figure plunged into the sea with a splash and disappeared. "Wait, something¡¯s wrong! This is an illusion!" Fa Ming suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With a single hand, he formed a Seal, instantly releasing a Technique. A wave of blue light rippled around them like water waves. Soon, they discovered that the small black boat, which appeared to be very far away just moments ago, was now shockingly only a hundred meters away from them in mere seconds. Their sense of distance had been severely disrupted. "This kind of special Technique for controlling distance... Not good! Could it be Xuan Jing Zi!" Fa Ming¡¯s face changed dramatically. Chapter 353: signs Three "Where did the man who just dived go!?" At this moment on the fishing boat, Yuan Chun also felt something was wrong and hurriedly grabbed the pendant of the Inheritance Dao Artifact on his chest. From such a close distance, the opponent could dive and swim for a bit and then... Puff! S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Suddenly, a pale blue scimitar engraved with dense runes fiercely pierced through Yuan Chun¡¯s chest from behind. This scimitar not only penetrated him but also pierced through the Inheritance Dao Artifact that he was gripping tightly in his hand. He stood frozen in place, vomiting a mouthful of blood. "No!! Yuan Chun!!" Fa Ming, who was beside him, stunned for a moment, then roared furiously and instantly activated the Inheritance Dao Artifact. A massive blue whale phantom quickly appeared above them and crashed down with a thunderous bang. Boom!!! The entire fishing boat seemed to be enveloped in blue jelly, and all magicians onboard except for the two men would be attacked by the whale. But... The next second. Hiss! The entire head of the whale was severed from top to bottom by an invisible blade in an instant. Roar!! The whale screamed miserably, the Divine Intent from the Inheritance Dao Artifact quickly dissipated, and collapsed. The fishing boat, unscathed, was revealed. On the deck of the fishing boat, Yuan Chun and Fa Ming, two senior Magicians of the Temple Master Level from the Nine Sects, were now both lying in a pool of blood, lifeless. A man in a black cloak with long black hair, bearing a giant character for "evil" on his back, was now standing beside the two bodies. "Got rid of two more, can¡¯t let Xu Chong reorganize the action team again." The man dissolved the pale blue scimitar in his hand, letting it turn into blue light spots. "Xuan Jing Senior, your Passive Technique is cracked," said another woman in a black cloak, softly walking up beside him. "It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll fix it in a bit." The man chuckled, "But it¡¯s rare for us to act together, does your Green Jade Sect want to join us for a joint operation?" "You want to feed your Magic Blade with blood?" The woman revealed a hint of sarcasm. "We¡¯re all colleagues here, and the Alliance Hierarch is watching, how could I dare?" The man laughed playfully. "You¡¯re the leader of the Seven Evils, what is there you can¡¯t do?" The woman spoke coldly. "Enough jokes, let¡¯s quickly make arrangements and head back, this place is cold and dull, there¡¯s no one around, it¡¯s boring." The man kicked the corpse in front of him. "Okay." The woman took out a black disc, covered in various symbols and patterns carved with purple-red lines, with a white human eye pattern at the center. It was completely the opposite style of the Sky Stabilizing Plate. She quietly chanted a few spell words and then threw the disc out. "Go." The disc gently plummeted into the sea surface, quickly sinking with a splash. The two waited quietly nearby, no longer speaking. After a few minutes. Wisps of gray mist emerged steaming from the seawater. "It¡¯s done." The woman took out a black talisman, looked at the illuminated patterns on it, and nodded. "Then let¡¯s go." The man smiled, turned around, and was about to return to the small boat they came from. Suddenly his expression changed, as if sensing something, he turned back to look at the sea. "What¡¯s wrong?" The woman looked at him puzzled. "Nothing... It must be an illusion." The man shook his head. For a moment, he seemed to sense an extremely exaggerated and terrifying spiritual fluctuation flash by. But soon he was back to his senses;how could such a powerful spiritual force exist in this world? That kind of terrifying pressure, like a mountain range, would require at least a hundred times his spiritual power to converge. Even the Alliance Hierarch couldn¡¯t possibly be that strong. "Let¡¯s go." He shook his head, slightly chuckled, and with a leap, landed lightly on the small boat as if performing light footwork. The woman followed suit and stood on the small boat, and soon they started the engine, turned the bow, and rapidly left the way they had come. Leaving behind the original large fishing boat, still quietly floating on the sea surface, with all living people aboard killed during their boarding. The sea wind howled, and the waves surged. In a few moments, over ten minutes had passed. Hiss. Suddenly a massive fish-shaped white light flashed by. It glided over the sea surface and vanished in a blink of an eye. This white light appeared mysteriously and disappeared without a trace, with incredible speed. After the white light, the previously large fishing boat also mysteriously disappeared from the sea surface, leaving no trace, as if it had never existed from the beginning. * * * Hope City World. Yu Hong stepped out from the black mist and returned to his own safehouse. He took a deep breath, having not stayed here for a long time;returning now, he unexpectedly felt an indescribable sense of nostalgia. ¡¯This trip to Hope City, to extract Spirit Light once, should be enough to enhance its intensity further.¡¯ He contemplated inwardly, it had to be said, the strengthening ability of Spirit Light was bizarrely powerful. The Tai Ling Skill had created something special that, much like a virus, as long as enough people practiced it, its intensity could crazily stack up. Thud. He opened the door. Outside, the Ultimate Gate was wide open, a half-transparent hand resembling a sculpture of ice was stretching out, trying to grasp something. The hand emitted a soft blue light, illuminating its surroundings, covering all the nearby ground with a thick layer of blue ice. Yu Hong paid no mind to these. Lately, the Ultimate Gate always occasionally bursts out with some monstrously powerful creatures. But because he possessed a trace of the Ultimate Sun¡¯s power, not only did these creatures not attack him, but they also regarded him as one of their own. Rather it was Zhang Kajing. Yu Hong looked towards her dwelling cave, securely sealed, and he could faintly sense a vague spiritual fluctuation still alive inside. Confirming she was alive, Yu Hong did not dwell on it, he looked up at the direction, leapt high into the air, and with a sudden whoosh, he charged towards Hope City. Hours later. His figure returned to Black Wind Camp. But this time, two physically robust armed warriors followed behind him. Both warriors were dressed in the latest enhanced version of the Heavenly Destiny Suit. This suit could extremely effectively transmit Spirit Light, and even amplify the effects of Spirit Light. Thus, many users in Hope City had given it a common nickname¡ªSpiritual Equipment. "I¡¯ll have to trouble you to patrol here. I will come out every once in a while;other times, I need to focus on research," Yu Hong stood at the door of the safehouse, turned back and instructed the two. "It¡¯s our duty, no need for the Alliance Hierarch to be polite," both persons responded respectfully, bending forwards. "With Spiritual Equipment on, maintaining 24-hour security here should not be affected by various dangers. However, due to physical constitution issues, you still need to go back and switch every once in a while," Yu Hong said. "We understand that, but regarding the other safe location mentioned by the Alliance Hierarch, not sure where it is¡­" one of them couldn¡¯t help but ask again. "I am already handling it, it still needs time. There are other dangers and troubles there, no less severe than the Black Disaster and Cold Disaster," Yu Hong sighed, feeling a headache coming on just thinking about the Spirit Disaster in the other world. He was acquainting Hope City with various travel routes back and forth, also to facilitate his own convenience, so he wouldn¡¯t need to keep running over there. Now, the enhancement of Spirit Light has significantly improved the survival rate of warriors in Hope City. Blended with Cosmic Divine Light, these individuals wouldn¡¯t be actively harmed by creatures from the Ultimate Gate. This meant that the Ultimate Gate¡¯s area of influence, conversely, became a safe zone for humans. This time was also a trial;if it was confirmed that the Ultimate Gate held no impact on Spirit Light, then Hope City planned to relocate again, moving closer to establish a new base here! "The test time is roughly three weeks;if you two have no problems here over this period, then we will implement the next plan," Yu Hong said. "Yes," the two responded respectfully. Now, Hope City, for Yu Hong, was already as esteemed as a deity. Spirit Light significantly increased the residents¡¯ survival rate, no worries about being frozen by the Cold Disaster, no worries about being killed by ordinary Black Disaster shadows. Only when encountering high-level Black Disaster Blood Tide would there be danger. Apart from the potential side effects not yet observed, Spirit Light has almost given the residents of Hope City a second life. After settling the two in the yard, Yu Hong watched as they started to skillfully set up portable warming tents on their own, performing quite well even moderated by the warm reinforced Spiritual Equipment. He turned his gaze, looking towards Zhang Kajing. Indeed, the activity here caught Zhang Kajing¡¯s attention. A crack was moved in the stone door of the cave, a pair of eyes carefully observing from it. "¡­" Watching those eyes, a sudden thought struck Yu Hong. He waved his hand towards her. "?" Zhang Kajing looked at him puzzled, paused, then forcefully pushed open the stone door and walked out from the cave. She was wrapped up like a bear, wearing who knows how many clothes. The cave was a mess with all sorts of random items picked from outside. There was also an electric stove boiling hot pot on the ground, steaming and fragrant. Yu Hong sniffed, it even smelled quite delicious. He watched her walk up to him and stand quietly in front. This girl had not been afraid of the cold even back in the base, obviously a culmination of research by people like Zhang Kaijun, and her background was rather mysterious, Yu Hong always felt she wasn¡¯t as simple as she appeared on the surface. "Is it very boring staying here alone? Want uncle to take you to a nice place?" He spoke softly, a gentle smile appearing on his face. The world of the Taoist Sect now felt somewhat wrong. A foreboding feeling in his heart grew stronger;contacting Hope City this time was to borrow all possible power to stabilize a safe territory on the other side. And the existing power, relying solely on the magicians from Taizhou might not be enough. In Hope City, among the residents practicing Daoist Skills, there are now a thousand who have reached the Fifth Layer of Guanwu Skill. With the Qi Condensation and Shadow Transformation Technique passed down, instantly thousands of top-tier Dao Seed masters would emerge. He even suspected, in another half to a full year¡¯s time, coming over, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising to even see Temple Master Level figures. The willpower of people here was horrifyingly firm. Many warriors and soldiers hovering between life and death, their cultivation of Daoist Skills advanced explosively, to a point even more exaggerated than him, the teacher. Chapter 354: signs four "A good place?" Zhang Kajing revealed a puzzled look. "What good place? Can it offer delicious food and fun games?" She originally planned to observe the Ultimate Gate and Yu Hong, who opens the Ultimate Gate. However, as time passed, she became bored and began trying various foods and playing various games that Yu Hong introduced to her. Initially, these indulgences were merely ways to kill time, but now... she felt her previous life was incredibly foolish. She used to just sit dumbly in the dark, her mind blank, waiting for the right moment to emerge and cause a great disturbance. Such days, how boring! "There are lots of eating and playing options, and you can also bring all your gaming devices," Yu Hong said gently. He felt a strong sense of crisis at the moment. If it weren¡¯t for the Light Disaster creatures that might cause new calamities in the world of the Taoist Sect, which were beyond his control, he would even consider taking the creatures coming through the Ultimate Gate to Taizhou. As for Zhang Kajing, he knew that this youngster was not simple. Now that the Spirit Light was developing, rather than letting her roam here freely all the time, he preferred to take her with him to observe her actions and behaviors and to provide her with a layer of protection through the Spirit Light. "I want to go! This place is too small, the outside is cold, empty, and there¡¯s nothing to do," Zhang Kajing said calmly. She seemed to always have a lack of expressions and emotions, always appearing so cold and detached. "Alright, but before going there, there¡¯s something you need to do," Yu Hong said stretching out his hand, a faint silver halo suddenly arose in the palm of his hand. "What is it?" Zhang Kajing also saw the silver light and looked down at the palm. "Accept it, then follow me and practice the Spirit Light Secret Skill," Yu Hong answered earnestly. Zhang Kajing squinted her eyes, watching the strand of silver Spirit Light. Normally, she should appear naive, but now, she suddenly fell silent. She stared at the Spirit Light, seemingly seeing some unknown dangers within it. "Must it be this way?" she asked, looking up. "You know, I am very saddened by what happened to your father, and I promised him that I would take good care of you. Now, if you accept it, your safety will be profoundly secured," Yu Hong said earnestly and sincerely. Right. He was using the Spirit Light to test Zhang Kajing. It was known that the Spirit Light had integrated aspects of the Cosmic Divine Light from the Light Disaster. Fully accepting it meant allowing it to integrate into her life cycle, marking herself with traces of Light Disaster energies. And the Light Disaster, naturally opposed to the Black Disaster. If Zhang Kajing had any connection to the Black Disaster, then this test posed a significant threat to her. After a silence of over a minute. Zhang Kajing finally nodded her head. "I can." "Are you sure?" Yu Hong asked again. "Yes." Zhang Kajing quickly stretched out her hand, swiftly grasped the strand of silver Spirit Light from Yu Hong¡¯s palm. Hiss. In an instant, the Spirit Light, like water to a sponge, permeated into her body. The next second. A layer of silver luminescence surfaced on her body, clearly the Spirit Light that had just merged. "Is this sufficient?" Zhang Kajing asked. Yu Hong narrowed his eyes watching the silver light on her, confirming that it was indeed Spirit Light. He was silent for a moment, then a new smile appeared on his face. "It is." No matter what her background was, as long as the Spirit Light was there, the continually strengthening Spirit Light Secret Skill under the control of Tai Ling Skill served as a secured shackle. He reached out, gently touching her long hair. "No matter what you want to do, remember... I promised your father, I would take care of you... Zhang Kajing. May I call you Xiao Jing?" "Of course, you may," Zhang Kajing lowered her head, a shadow flashing in her eyes. She understood Yu Hong¡¯s implication¡ªif she remained Zhang Kajing, then everything could remain as it is now. This was a tacit agreement for her, who still couldn¡¯t see through Yu Hong. Unspoken understanding¡ªthe other party was suspecting her origin now. "There¡¯s no rush now, I need to prepare a bit more. When the time comes, I¡¯ll call you," Yu Hong continued. If the environmental concentration on the side of the Taoist Sect worsened to a point of no return, he would decide to gather all available forces. *** *** *** Late January. Qingchen Temple began setting up eight sites around the Taoist Temple as the core to detect fluctuations in spiritual disasters in all directions. A large amount of manpower and resources was mobilized, and money was spent like water. In just half a month, eight small sites were constructed. These were eight office buildings refurbished. The surface was covered with several layers of special materials, all developed by the veteran monks of Qingchen Temple combined with the results brought from Hope City, to create a shielding coating. It maximized the shielding and weakening effects on the spiritual disasters¡¯ notice and influence on the unfolding Spiritual Domain. The eight sites, named "Spirit Stations" by Yu Hong, officially began operation in early February. At this moment, Zheng Ying, who went to solicit the masters of the Yu Generation who had spread their reputation, finally found the secluded dwelling of a few individuals. Green mountains and rivers, blue skies and white clouds. Emerald birds circling, the bamboo forest swaying making a quiet sound. Zheng Ying dressed in a black Daoist robe, holding a horsetail whisk, wearing a black mask that covered the lower half of her face, revealing only her eyes. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She walked through the rustling cold bamboo forest, stepping on thick fallen leaves, and came to the front of a two-story bamboo building with a yellow hue. The yellow bamboo leaves fluttered with the wind, falling around her like threads of rain. "Qingchen Temple¡¯s Zheng Ying, here to visit Master Yu Shan, please come out for a chat." Zheng Ying faced the bamboo building and called out with a raised voice. There were a few creaks from the bamboo building, and a gaunt old Daoist with a goat beard slowly walked out. The old Daoist was thin and haggard, but his eyes were like jewels, bright and clear. He also held a horsetail whisk in his hand, but it had very few bristles left. Compared to the one in Zheng Ying¡¯s hand, it was like the difference between trash and high-quality new products. "Zheng Ying? A Dao Seed? Go back, we are no longer people of the Qingchen Temple," the old Daoist sighed. It seemed he hadn¡¯t heard of Zheng Ying, clearly indicating that he must have left Qingchen Temple before her initiation. "Master Yu Shan, my master Yu Hen once had differences in principles and owes you, now he regrets it after many years and has specially sent his disciple to invite the masters back into the sect. Please forgive him," Zheng Ying sincerely bowed to the old Daoist. "I told you, I am no longer a person from Qingchen Temple, you can go back," Yu Shan reiterated with a frown. "Master, nowadays, natural disasters occur frequently, and the Black Disaster and Spirit Disaster that appeared in ancient times are happening together. We, the people of the Taoist Sect, should indeed take on the responsibility to protect and keep order, if only for self-cultivation and seclusion here, then what is the meaning of your many years of practicing Daoist Magic Techniques?" Zheng Ying persuaded. "That¡¯s my business, it has nothing to do with you. I can also protect a place of peace here," Yu Shan said irritably. "Master, do you know who the current Temple Master is?" Zheng Ying changed her approach. "Isn¡¯t it Yu Hen?" Yu Shan said surprised. "Of course not. If it really was him, he wouldn¡¯t have..." Zheng Ying nodded. "Indeed, if it really was him, he would never stoop to beg us to return," Yu Shan interrupted. "You¡¯re right, the current Temple Master is the number one expert of Qingchen Temple, the First Mage of Taizhou, Zheng Rou elder brother." "Elder brother!?" Yu Shan was startled, "You call him elder brother?" "Of course..." Zheng Ying quickly recounted a series of deeds by Yu Hong to him. "A genius in his twenties??" Yu Shan¡¯s face twitched, a bit incredulous. "Our Qingchen Temple, can nurture such a genius?" he couldn¡¯t help questioning. "You can come back with me and see," Zheng Ying took the opportunity to suggest. "Since he¡¯s so powerful, he surely doesn¡¯t need us old folks. Go back, young lady, I will not return there," Yu Shan adamantly refused. "Master..." Zheng Ying was getting anxious. She wanted to try saying something more. But the other party turned and walked back into the bamboo building, refusing to communicate. "Master...!" Zheng Ying took a deep breath, touching the mask on her face. "I am here on orders, please don¡¯t make it difficult for me!" Seeing that gentleness was ineffective, she recalled Yu Hong¡¯s reminder before departing. Her eyes suddenly becoming sharp. "Hehe, what, are you going to force me?" Yu Shan turned and walked out the door, looking at her. "Before the Temple Master left, he specifically instructed that we must bring a few back to the Taoist Temple," Zheng Ying¡¯s tone turned colder. "After all, the outside world is becoming increasingly dangerous, Black Disaster occurs frequently, Spirit Disaster intensifies, and the Seven Evil Alliance is ominously watching. If you few still remain alone outside, I fear..." "What do you fear?" Yu Shan¡¯s gaze also turned cold. "I fear, the important people around you might encounter some misfortunes... After all, the Seven Evils Alliance isn¡¯t as reasonable as our Taoist Sect," Zheng Ying¡¯s tone carried an implicit threat. "....." Yu Shan¡¯s face slowly started to turn red, he couldn¡¯t believe that a young junior of the Zheng generation, who had only practiced Daoist Magic Techniques for a few years, actually dared to threaten him! "Good... very good... It seems the new Temple Master has set a good example for you, I don¡¯t remember Qingchen Temple being this domineering before?" "Don¡¯t you understand? The Temple Master is doing this for your own good, this is not a threat, but protection. He is protecting everyone¡¯s safety," Zheng Ying spoke solemnly. "Hehehe, what¡¯s the point in talking about this now?" Yu Shan scoffed, "I was somewhat moved, considering going back to check the situation, but after hearing what you said, I really won¡¯t return now!!" "Master Yu Shan, you are making it difficult for me..." Zheng Ying stared at him, her voice growing colder. "Then what? What do you want to do? I¡¯m making it difficult for you, so what?" Yu Shan said loudly. "Heh¡­" Zheng Ying stopped talking, just stood with her right hand in front of her, forming a seal. A mummy with a Fear Shadow, burning with black fire, appeared by her side. "Then please forgive my impoliteness." The black fire around the mummy suddenly covered with a faint silver light. In an instant, the silver light completely enveloped the mummy, which transformed into a silver mummy as if crafted from metal. Boom! In an instant, the mummy charged toward the bamboo building. "Good audacity!" Yu Shan also promptly formed the Damage Seal Decision, summoning a black elephant-headed figure, wielding a dark golden sword and shield, rushing headlong towards the mummy. Chapter 355: Outbreak Number One In front of the bamboo forest, on an open ground. Two Fear Shadows simultaneously rushed out for over ten meters, leaping up and colliding in mid-air. Bang!! The elephant-headed man from Yu Mountain looked bigger, but instead, it was the one who got repelled a step back. Moo! It roared furiously, raising its knife and chopping down lightning-fast onto the mummy¡¯s shoulder. But with a clang, the knife couldn¡¯t even leave a scratch on the mummy¡¯s silver skin, only leaving a shallow white mark on the surface. "Huh??!" Yu Mountain¡¯s expression slightly changed, as he altered his spell again, and behind him, a golden lion with wings emerged. The three-meter-tall majestic lion shook its mane and with a beating of its wings, dashed towards Zheng Ying. Its speed was extremely fast, almost like a blur, the distance of several tens of meters passed in a flash. By the time it was noticed, the lion had already bitten towards Zheng Ying¡¯s head. Ao!! The enormous roar of the lion on the mental level exploded at this moment. Crack. The lion bit down completely over Zheng Ying¡¯s upper body. But... Accompanied by a series of strange noises, the lion emitted distressed whimpers. It seemed what it had bitten into was not a living being but something extremely hard. With a puff, a silver dagger stabbed upward through the underbelly of the lion. The entire lion¡¯s head whimpered and burst into pieces like glass pottery, shattering into countless fragments. As the debris scattered, Zheng Ying stood in the same spot, completely unharmed, holding the dagger. "It¡¯s useless, Elder Uncle. This power and secret technique were bestowed upon us by Senior Brother. With your current strength, you can¡¯t harm me," she said. She lowered her dagger, slowly taking step by step towards Yu Mountain. "Don¡¯t forego the wine of respect and be forced to drink the wine of penalty. Be good and come back with your junior...." She always remembered the Temple Master¡¯s command¡ªmake it clear that staying alone in the wilderness meant no way out. Intimidate by threatening the important people of the opponent and bring them back first. "What kind of secret technique is this....!!?" Yu Mountain, bearing the headache from the backlash, finally became grave. He had never seen such a secret technique before, at least not around Qingchen Temple or Taizhou. It appears this was either something new concocted by Yu Hen or Zheng Ying. "Every secret technique has its limits;I want to see just how much my attacks your technique can withstand!" Yu Mountain¡¯s heart turned ruthless as he manipulated another spell. This time, he used his hidden trump card¡ªthe Sixth Layer Fear Shadow. A pitch-black armored figure with eight arms, over three meters tall, emerged behind him. Circle after circle of black ripples constantly emanated from the armored figure. The intense Spiritual Fluctuation carried a slight interference effect, which could slow down the reaction speed of any Magician who saw this armored figure on the spot. "Eight Darkness, Bright Weapon," Yu Mountain shouted in a low voice. Instantly, black and red spears with patterns appeared in the hands of the eight-armed armored figure. Sssss!! In an instant, the eight spears propelled by immense force were thrown out one after another towards Zheng Ying, not far away. At this moment, Zheng Ying¡¯s Black Fire Mummy was still entangled by the elephant-headed man and had no power to call back. In such intense combat, the gap between her and the seasoned expert from Qingchen Temple became apparent. Under high-intensity combat conditions, she could only summon one Fear Shadow, while the opponent could summon two at the same time. This was not a talent forged from the integration of the Five Spirits Spring, but a limit ability cultivated by self-training with the mind-in-two-places technique. As the eight Black Spears shot out at this moment, they struck Zheng Ying¡¯s torso like lightning. She had no time to dodge and only felt darkness before her eyes as she was hit. Bang bang bang bang!!! One after another, the Black Spears continuously struck the layer of silver Spirit Light on her body. The Black Spears shattered constantly, turning into specks of light. But, until the last Black Spear burst and completely disappeared, turning into Spiritual Fluctuation. The layer of silver Spirit Light still had a thin translucent remnant, protecting Zheng Ying¡¯s safety. Moreover, as the Black Spears ceased, in less than two seconds, this translucent remnant, like being inflated, quickly deepened in color, restoring to the regular thickness of the silver Spirit Light. "It¡¯s useless," Zheng Ying said gravely, steadily approaching step by step. "Elder Uncle Yu Mountain, I¡¯m standing right here, and you can¡¯t even interrupt my advance...." "How... is that possible!?" Yu Mountain watched as his trump card failed to break through the opponent¡¯s defensive Technique, and in that moment, his eyes widened in disbelief, his complexion turning deathly pale. The Fear Shadow he had painstakingly cultivated for decades, his full-strength strike... In the end, turned out to be.... "Elder Uncle, in your current state, who can you protect?" By then, Zheng Ying had already approached him. With calm eyes, she stared directly at him. Bam! One punch. She struck a heavy blow to Yu Mountain¡¯s face. This strike shattered Yu Mountain¡¯s pride and also disrupted his control over the Fear Shadow Technique. The Fear Shadow dissipated in an instant, his head spinning, he fell backward onto the ground, suffering from backlash. "Take him," Zheng Ying walked up to him and gestured with a wave of her hand. Immediately, two Taoists, also bearing faint silver Spirit Light, rushed out of the bamboo forest, lifted Yu Mountain, tied him up and carried him towards a vehicle parked outside. "Sister Zheng Ying, what about the things here?" a Taoist asked softly as he came from behind. "Seal them properly, and allow no one to disturb them. Once Elder Uncle Yu Mountain regains consciousness, he will come back to sort them out," Zheng Ying replied calmly. "Then, who shall we go to next...?" the Taoist continued to ask. "Yu Shan, Yu Long, Yu Guang, go to Yu Long¡¯s place again;the strongest, Yu Guang, will be left for last," Zheng Ying replied. "Understood. Speaking of which, it¡¯s impressive how Senior Sister just now was able to withstand Master Yu¡¯s Fear Shadow attack all by herself. You¡¯re really too strong!" The Taoist spoke with a hint of excitement and compliment. "You¡¯re wrong..." Zheng Ying sighed, "Do you think I¡¯m happy?" She turned around, gazing into the opponent¡¯s youthful eyes, "I only feel sadness." "Sadness?" "Yes. If Senior Brother Zheng Rou hadn¡¯t led us forward together, perhaps we would have been like Master Yu Shan, immersed in our own world, basking in the power we understood from the past, thinking highly of ourselves... unable to keep up with the times." "The times are advancing, and we are merely walking on what we believe to be the right path. But this ¡¯right¡¯ is just what we think it is." "Senior Sister... I don¡¯t quite understand," the young Taoist, who was new to the path, scratched his head and said with embarrassment. "..." Zheng Ying didn¡¯t say anything more, only sighing. If she hadn¡¯t witnessed Yu Hong¡¯s growth with her own eyes, she might not have believed that someone could achieve such heights in such a short time. "Let¡¯s go. The next task must be thoroughly resolved within two days." * * * Primordial Heavenly Master Mansion. The Heavenly Master Mansion, stretching for several kilometers, is located in the deepest part of Yunchong Mountain Range. It comprises a total of nineteen structures, surrounded by three towns providing supplies, making it a well-known tourist attraction in all of Yasong. Unlike the more open Lower Heavenly Master Mansion, the tourist area open to the public in the Primordial Heavenly Master Mansion only occupies half of the Taoist Palace. At present, in the other half of the Taoist Palace. Inside a dark hall that has been sealed for a long time. A massive black disc, over one meter in height, was silently floating in the middle of the hall. The disc had holes around it, through which eight thick yellow ropes were threaded and hung, firmly suspended. Vaguely, in the center of the disc, a white bizarre human eye pattern could be seen. This place is Dingtian Hall, also the fixed location where the Sky Stabilizing Plate of the Primordial Heavenly Master Mansion is stored. Under normal circumstances, this place is sealed off all year round and off-limits to anyone. Only after obtaining permission can one soak a secondary body of the Sky Stabilizing Plate in the connected pool outside the hall for charging. Aside from this, even opening the door is not allowed. Since the last suppression of the Gate of Despair, this place has not been opened for at least decades. Rumble... At this moment, the sky outside was covered with dark clouds, and thunder roared. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Crack. Suddenly, a bolt of silver lightning struck down fiercely, hitting the top end of the hall outside. Heavy rain immediately poured down. Inside the hall, the Sky Stabilizing Plate silently hovered. Without warning, a crack silently appeared on the surface of the plate. An extremely fine crack, almost impossible to detect. Whether from long use or some other reason, this powerful Dao Artifact, which had suppressed the Black Disaster for hundreds of years, inexplicably developed a crack without showing signs of decay. And at this time, inside the Primordial Heavenly Master Mansion, no one was aware of this. Everyone was immersed in the peace brought by the belief that the Sky Stabilizing Plate suppressed the world and the land remained stable... * * * On the beaches of the Taizhou marine area, suburb. The setting sun was tilting to the west. "Master Yu, look, this is what the City Environmental Bureau discovered," A somewhat bald middle-aged man, wearing a dusty suit, knelt on the beach, scooped up a handful of sand, and spoke to Yu Hong. "The sand smells fishy;this is a pollution-free beach, but all the shellfish, fish, shrimp, and crabs that should be living in it have all died." He opened his hand, and the sand was yellow on the outside but black on the inside, with a strong pungent fishy stench erupting all at once. "Are you certain there are no pollutants?" Yu Hong looked around, using Spiritual Sensing to determine whether other supernatural factors could be the cause. "Yes, all the detectable items have been tested, but small marine life continues to die in large numbers," the middle-aged man said helplessly. "I specially formed a joint investigation team, pulling together experts from various departments to investigate, but even after a week, we still haven¡¯t found anything." He was Xu Jianfeng, the deputy mayor in charge of environmental sanitation in Taozhou City. After ruling out all possible causes, he had no choice but to seek out Yu Hong. "Now we can only hope Master Yu can investigate from your mystic perspective and see if you can find the reason," Xu Jianfeng said helplessly. Yu Hong nodded. Not far from where the two men stood, many people from the city were waiting for his investigation results. Yu Hong walked slowly along the beach, bending down and checking every point he passed. Suddenly, he stamped his foot down. His boot heel sank into the ground, and with an upward flick, a shallow pit appeared on the beach. In the pit, a still-living black crab was completely exposed to the sunlight. The palm-sized black crab emitted a strong foul stench, reminiscent of decayed protein left for too long. Hiss! Suddenly. The black crab leaped up as if a bullet, rushing towards Yu Hong¡¯s face. Its speed was so fast that an ordinary person couldn¡¯t possibly react in time. But Yu Hong was different. He tilted his head to avoid the crab¡¯s lunge and then flicked his fingers. A blue-white Inner Strength shot out, instantly hitting the crab mid-air, engulfing it completely. Then he spread his hand open. The crab naturally flew through the air, landing in his hand, motionless. Chapter 356: explosion Two This scene, observed by Deputy Mayor Xu Jianfeng, immediately caused him to breathe lightly, his face revealing a shocked expression. He had seen confrontations of techniques before, but those were magical attacks. He had never actually seen a magician with the ability to control physical objects from a distance like Yu Hong. Without the aid of resentful sand, the performances of magicians usually were just so-so, stronger than ordinary people, but not by much. Of course, the top magicians were extremely lethal, but it was not as visibly evident as this. "How is it?" He waited for a while before asking quietly. "This crab has been dead for a while." Yu Hong shook his head and frowned, "It¡¯s been dead for at least three days, and it¡¯s already starting to smell foul. But just now... it still tried to attack me..." "Yes... It suddenly jumped up so high. Only Master Yu could have dealt with it, anyone else might have gotten injured." Xu Jianfeng nodded, swallowing his unease. Yu Hong pondered for a moment, discarded the still crab, and turned to face him. "Mayor Xu, I need to compile real-time statistics on the current state of the flora and fauna around Taizhou." "What kind of real-time statistics?" "I mean, things like their numbers, whether they are diseased, their range of activity, and other detailed data." "Will this affect our investigation?" Xu Jianfeng asked in return. "It has a major impact." Yu Hong nodded. He needed a complete understanding of the Spirit Disaster¡¯s impact on the natural environment. He was familiar with the Black Disaster and the Cold Disaster was simple, but this Spirit Disaster raised the environmental spiritual fluctuation index silently every day. Up to now, the environmental spiritual index had already broken through two. Yu Hong felt a sense of alarm at the rate of increase, but everything around him seemed normal. He had no clear idea what was being affected. He agreed when Mayor Xu found a situation and came asking for his assistance, going with the flow. "It might take some time, I¡¯ll go back and have the investigation team cooperate, check the entire timetable. After all, dispatching people to collect data in real-time from various places can be much slower." Xu Jianfeng frowned. "No problem, as soon as possible is fine." Yu Hong nodded. Leaving the beach, Yu Hong returned to Qingchen Temple, ready to go back to his room for cultivation. However, halfway there, he overheard the idle chatter of the temple¡¯s new disciples. "...so many people died?" "It seems that¡¯s not all, mainly because that woman cheated on her husband, even transferred assets, the man couldn¡¯t bear it in the moment, took a knife and went to their house, seven dead, three injured, sigh... blood all over the place." "And last night on Jin Song Road, a madman wielding a steel skewer from a barbecue stall stabbed three people, reportedly after an argument with his family, he went out to take revenge on society..." "What does arguing with your family have to do with other people? Why didn¡¯t he just go home and kill his own family? Really f*cking insane!" "Exactly." "....." Yu Hong slowly walked into the Quiet Room and opened the window to let in fresh air. Outside the window was a quiet street on the side of the Taoist Temple. People were coming and going on the street. Working men and women, young mothers with their children, senior citizens taking walks, small vendors calling out continuously. There was an inexplicable weariness and dejection on everyone¡¯s face. Yu Hong narrowed his eyes and suddenly noticed that everyone in his sight, regardless of age or gender, had bloodshot eyes. It seemed like no one had a good night¡¯s rest. A driver stuck in traffic leaned out to swear loudly, honking the horn incessantly. A man pushing a baby stroller wobbled along, looking dazed. A shopkeeper and a customer shoved each other over a discrepancy of a dime in change. Everything became a bit more irritable and restless. Yu Hong closed the window and lit a stick of incense to calm and clear the mind. He sat down cross-legged. Closing his eyes, he began again to immerse himself in the cultivation of the Guanwu Skill. Ever since his breakthrough aided by elixirs, his spiritual power had indeed increased significantly, but the Fear Shadow Black Giant, which should have been summoned, remained indistinct and unclear. It seemed innately insufficient. Although the elixirs allowed him to summon the Black Giant for combat without defeating the Fear Shadow, the strength of the summoning was much weaker than he had anticipated. "It seems that for actual combat, I still have to rely on Spirit Light. For Daoist Skills, I must first bring the Guanwu Skill to its pinnacle, and acquire the special trait of the cultivation technique then see. A good special trait is really a huge help for me." His current level of the Guanwu Skill had already stabilized at the Seventh Layer. To break through, it was estimated that without several years, he shouldn¡¯t even think about it. "Daoist Skills determine endurance and qualifications, while magical attacks determine combat power. The Daoist Skills that were enhanced by elixirs are innately insufficient, and I must compensate for this area before I can continue to make breakthroughs." Yu Hong thought for a moment, by himself, significant breakthroughs will be difficult in a short period of time, now he¡¯s just waiting for the enhancement medication for the Black Mark, to see if it could assist the promotion of the Guanwu Skill. It was already February. By early March, the enhancement for the Black Mark would be finished, and then the results would be known. Setting his mind, he quickly immersed himself into the cultivation of the Guanwu Skill, the innately insufficient Seventh Layer, was slowly being compensated for under such devoted cultivation. But this kind of compensation required years of continuous effort to complete. And during this time, the trait of Tao Breath Circulation provided great help to Yu Hong. If it weren¡¯t for Tao Breath Circulation, he might only be able to enter like the old Taoists of the Yu Generation, only to regress and fall in realm shortly after. Time slowly passed by. In the blink of an eye, more than two hours had passed. Knock knock. The door was knocked upon. "What is it?" Yu Hong opened his eyes and asked softly. "A letter has been sent from the Ancestor Court of the Taoist Sect;it¡¯s regarding the end-of-year competition," the Taoist boy Fu Bai said softly outside the door. "The letter is delivered personally by a special envoy from the Primordial Heavenly Master Mansion, and you are required to personally sign for its receipt." A special envoy from the Primordial Heavenly Master Mansion? Yu Hong frowned;his Qingchen Temple was only a fringe force and had never been accorded such a treatment before, with a special envoy from the Ancestor Court delivering a letter in person. Clearly, this time it was either a special treatment or... something big had happened! "I understand, I¡¯ll come out immediately," he said in a low voice. He changed into a new Daoist robe, quickly left the Quiet Room, and arrived at the main hall. Inside the hall, Cheng Shu was quietly briefing the envoy on the various situations of Qingchen Temple. The rest were waiting around, the atmosphere solemn. The envoy was not young with graying hair, looking no younger than sixty at a glance. His figure was upright with a green long sword on his back, his actions and deportment exuding a sense of straight and sharp quality. "I am Tang He from the Primordial Heavenly Master Mansion, I have come to see Master Yu," the envoy said, taking the initiative to greet with a salute upon seeing Yu Hong approaching. "So, it is the renowned Fei Peng Taoist Tang He. I¡¯ve long admired your reputation!" Yu Hong hurriedly returned the salute. This man was a famous expert from the renowned Heavenly Master Mansion. "The situation is urgent, so I¡¯ll get straight to the point. This is the official letter from the Ancestor Court, please take it!" Tang He took out a black metallic envelope from his large sleeve and handed it over with both hands. Yu Hong also received it with both hands. "May I ask Mr. Tang He, has something significant happened on the side of the Taoist Sect?" "Last night, around three twenty in the morning, the Seven Evil Alliance organized over a hundred Magicians to launch a surprise attack on the Buddhist Sect¡¯s Vajra Sect, and not a single one of the seventy-four people in the sect survived!" "This morning at seven fifty, the Seven Evil Alliance dispatched at least three top Magicians to attack the Nine Sects¡¯ Supreme Ningxu Palace, assassinating three Elder Taoists of the Taoist Palace, and Palace Master Huang Song of the Ningxu Palace was seriously injured;an invaluable treasure kept in the palace was destroyed..." "Just half an hour ago, when I was boarding the plane, I received news that the Three Evils of the Seven Evil Alliance jointly tried to assassinate Master Mo of the Jinxiao Temple, who was severely injured. If it weren¡¯t for Xu Heavenly Master arriving in time, I¡¯m afraid..." As he spoke, Tang He looked at the shocked listeners of Qingchen Temple around him and continued. "The Taoist Sect and the Seven Evil Alliance have now gone into full-scale war. You must follow the instructions written in the official letter, make all necessary preparations. With this letter in hand, in a critical moment, you can release the unique Magic and activate the powerful Technique set within it to obtain about half an hour of protection time to save your life." "The situation is that serious?" Yu Hong was startled and asked. "Several small branches of the Taoist Sect have already been eradicated. This time... it seems the Seven Evil Alliance is determined to have a head-on confrontation with us... Long Qingzi must have gained some exceptional confidence to dare to challenge both Left Heavenly Master and Xu Heavenly Master directly," Tang He said with a sigh. "Alright, I have other tasks at hand, Master Yu, now that the letter is delivered, I will take my leave!" He said no more, bowed to the surrounding Taoists, and then briskly left the main hall to sit in the sedan outside. Yu Hong, clenched the official letter and gently opened it, to find a not-so-short letter inside. The main content was about the cancellation of the end-of-year competition, all Sects to raise their alertness, cooperate with official departments in joint defense, and prevent any terrorist attacks that endangered public safety. "Senior Brother, what do we do now?" Zheng Ming, who was listening on the side and was scared out of his wits, was the first to ask. At this point, he was extremely grateful that their Taoist Temple had produced such a powerful top genius like Zheng Rou. Otherwise, under the tide of the Seven Evil Alliance, the entire Qingchen Temple would probably be completely sunk by a single wave. "Don¡¯t be afraid. With the support of brothers and sisters from the Mutual Aid Alliance, and with our own Spirit Light Secret Skill, even the Seven Evil Alliance would not achieve much unless they send their main force," Yu Hong said calmly. His understanding of the Seven Evil Alliance wasn¡¯t extensive, mainly coming from Qing Huang. "The strongest of the Seven Evil Alliance is the Alliance Hierarch Long Qingzi and the Seven Evils;each of the Seven Evils are top Magicians and renowned experts, second only to the two Heavenly Masters in strength. But though they¡¯re strong, our Taoist Sect is stronger." S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He looked around and saw the unease on the faces of the disciples in the main hall. "There are top Magician experts like that in every one of the Nine Sects, one to two of them. We have an absolute advantage in terms of the number of top experts, so there is nothing to fear. In order to win, the Seven Evil Alliance would not likely disperse their forces to target small branches like ours. Instead, it¡¯s the Nine Sects that are in greater danger because they are the main targets of the Seven Evil Alliance." With these words, the faces of the Taoists, led by Zheng Ming, relaxed a lot, "Well said!" Yu Hen and Yu Mo, along with a group of old Taoists from the Yu Generation, walked into the main hall. "The danger of the Seven Evil Alliance is still far away;now, the trouble we need to solve is closer!" Yu Hen said with a grave expression, looking toward Yu Hong. "Elder, what trouble?" Yu Hong felt a bad premonition seeing the expressions on the faces of several old Taoists. "Zheng Rou, Lushan Village near Taizhou has been covered by a Spiritual Domain, and a total of three hundred and seventy-two people have disappeared completely. I¡¯ve just received a call from the stationed military district, asking us to set off immediately to assist in the investigation!" Yu Hen said in a heavy tone. Chapter 357: outburst three "All gone missing? Have government Magicians checked it?" Yu Hong¡¯s expression slightly changed as he quickly asked. "They checked, confirming it¡¯s residue of the Spiritual Domain, and not of a common level. Two Magicians were backlash-hit, and perished instantly," Yu Hen replied. "The Seven Evil Alliance and Spirit Disaster are erupting together;it seems that it¡¯s not a coincidence. Moreover, I suspect that this isn¡¯t the only incident in the vicinity," Yu Hong stated seriously. "What are you planning to do?" the elderly Yu Mo looked at his disciple. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He had already grown somewhat familiar with Yu Hong¡¯s approach. "To prevent the unexpected, have everyone immediately use the Spirit Station as a point, connect into a line, blockade the inner area, and ensure the safety of everyone inside. Divide into four teams to patrol the surroundings continuously day and night. If they encounter unbeatable forces, immediately retreat into the Spirit Station and use the Array there to counter the enemies. Could you arrange this, Master Uncle?" Yu Hong looked at Yu Hen. "Of course. Isn¡¯t the Spirit Station meant for times like this? To become a refuge for ordinary people and Magicians in the surrounding area is indeed a wise move!" Yu Hen now thought that Yu Hong¡¯s approach was precisely about taking precautions before anything happened, preparing everything possible in advance. Truly visionary. "Notify the government there, call Mayor Xu directly, tell him, within the Eight Diagram Array linked by the Spirit Station, some protection can be provided. If they encounter incomprehensible strange incidents, they should retreat into the range of the Spirit Station Array immediately!" Yu Hong continued. From the moment he heard the news of the Seven Evil Alliance¡¯s attack, his heart had been wildly pounding, as if something from the sky was pressing down on everything. Pressing down on his every nerve. If his premonition wasn¡¯t wrong, starting today, perhaps the Spirit Disaster would truly erupt!! This world might soon face the real apocalypse... After making all arrangements, Yu Hong did not go to Lushan Village, instead letting Zheng Ming, who possessed the Spirit Light amplification, lead the team there. These Dao Seeds are already capable and of good nature;with some training, they might well become usable main forces in the future. The current key issue is that the local Taoist Sect lacks sufficient attention to the Source Disaster, only focusing on dealing with the Seven Evil Alliance. After everyone had left, Yu Hong stood alone in the temple hall, looking up at the huge statue of Heavenly Venerate. "It seems I can only rely on myself... No matter where, one cannot escape the internal struggles of humanity." Countless thoughts flashed through his mind, eventually settling on a crazy idea that he had been hesitant about. * * * Two days later. The case in Lushan Village was declared to be completely buried due to mudslides and landslides. However, those who had seen the site knew that there could not be any mudslides, and landslides in the vicinity were even less likely. Zheng Ming led a team to assist in the investigation but found nothing;they only found that all living beings there, including livestock, seemed to have vanished in an instant. Meanwhile, in Qingchen Temple, Yu Hong officially received the investigative report sent by Deputy Mayor Xu Jianfeng. Following the report¡¯s locations, he immediately led a team to inspect them. North of Taizhou, Seven Peaks Mountain. At the foot of the mountain, large stretches of grass and woods appeared faintly gray-black, lifeless on the surface without any sounds of birds or insects. The whole area seemed to have entered a silence mode suddenly. Rustling. In the woods, Yu Hong bent down with a small spade to scoop up some soil and examined it closely. "The roots in the soil are all withered," he sighed. "That¡¯s right, the death of this soil and woodland only occurred in the past few weeks, and it¡¯s not just that. Only two rivers in Taizhou, Wu River and Sanding River, are found with dead fish and shrimps floating, with the water emitting a foul smell." A member of the environmental testing department explained from behind him. "Is there anything else?" asked Yu Hong. "There¡¯s one more thing, I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s related," said the professor from Taizhou University, specializing in environmental studies, hesitantly. "Say it, I¡¯ll judge," Yu Hong said. "Lately, I¡¯ve always felt that the frequency of having nightmares while sleeping at night has increased a lot," the old professor whispered. "Nightmares? What kind, can you talk about it?" Yu Hong suddenly remembered the bloodshot eyes of the passers-by he had seen on the street. "There¡¯s all kinds of content, but no matter what the dream, once dreamed, it always turns into a nightmare," the old professor said helplessly, rubbing his temples. "Speaking of which, it¡¯s strange, but I feel much more comfortable and reassured being near you, Taoist." Yu Hong nodded, knowing this was the effect of integrating Cosmic Divine Light, Spirit Light, and Inner Strength. "Anything else besides these?" he asked again. "That¡¯s all for now," the professor answered. "Alright, let¡¯s head back and discuss further," Yu Hong said solemnly. The two turned and left the woods, heading toward the bulletproof car waiting for them outside. By the black bulletproof SUV, stood a fully-armed, double-gunned camouflaged soldier. This was a bodyguard arranged by Xu Jianfeng due to concerns for their safety. The professor was mostly walking toward the car, elaborately narrating to Yu Hong the details of the animal corpses they had previously come across to investigate. At that moment, Yu Hong raised his head and glanced at the camouflaged soldier. "Li, are you feeling unwell?" The soldier was lowering his head, standing straight but breathing rapidly, with sweat-drenched forehead hair, appearing quite distressed. "No, I¡¯m fine, just, a bit, hot...hot," the soldier replied softly. "That¡¯s good. Let¡¯s head back first," the professor nodded, opening the car door, about to get in. Just then, he suddenly heard a series of gunshots. Bang bang bang bang!!! The soldier¡¯s submachine gun began firing continuously. At this moment, the old professor turned his head and saw the jet-black muzzle of a gun being raised and aimed at him. His mind went blank, his entire body tensed up, and he was completely stunned. Bang! Just then, a large hand reached out from the side, suddenly grabbing the muzzle of the gun and pulling it upwards. Bang bang bang bang!! A series of gunshots rang out, and this time all the bullets were shot into the sky. It was Yu Hong! The old professor came to his senses and saw Yu Hong, who had just had a calm expression, now with dark eyes and his right arm muscles bulging menacingly, protruding from his Daoist robe, gripping the soldier¡¯s gun barrel. "Get in the car first!" Yu Hong¡¯s voice sounded. The old professor had no time to react when he felt an invisible force pushing him, and he stumbled into the car. Bang. The car door closed. Outside the car. Yu Hong tore off the submachine gun that was out of bullets and pushed away the shaky camouflaged soldier with one hand. "Xiao Li!" As he called out to the other party, he quickly took out three Spirit Talismans, but unfortunately, none of them worked. Soldier Xiao Li sat on the ground in a daze, sweating profusely all over. "So hot... hot..." While Yu Hong was examining the Spirit Talismans, Xiao Li suddenly reached down, pulled the pin from the grenade at his waist. Click. Boom!! A deafening fireball instantly enveloped Yu Hong and half of the car. The orange flames swept around, burning the dead grassland to a charred black in an instant. The dirt flew, creating a significant hole in the ground. Pfft. The flames dispersed. Yu Hong, with a silver light shining on him, wore a grim expression, looking at the dead beyond dead camouflaged soldier in front of him. "It seems like this is the real impact of the Spirit Disaster on the environment..." He quickly checked the car;the side of the door was dented inwards, and two tires were burned and deformed, obviously inoperable. Bang. He forcibly pulled open the car door, pulling out the professor, who was dizzy from the explosion. "We need to leave now!" "How... how do we leave!?" the old professor almost went mad. "The car is unusable;let¡¯s call another one on the roadside." Yu Hong grabbed the professor and quickly left the SUV, passing through several fields and reaching the highway leading to the city. A gray sedan was coming evenly from behind. Yu Hong stood by the roadside, waving his hands to signal it to stop. Hum! But instead of stopping, the car accelerated. Amid the humming sound, the car charged straight towards the two. Bang!! Yu Hong stood still, a silver Spirit Light emerged in front of him, blocking the impact of the three-ton sedan. Under his feet, a circular depression suddenly formed, the Spirit Light dispersing the impact force of the car. The silver Spirit Light stably shielded him and the old professor, leaving them completely unharmed. The sedan, in contrast, had its front lifted, the metal bar dented, and the engine hood emitting thick smoke, stopping right there, leaving the professor dumbfounded. "Ah!! Hahaha!! I¡¯ll crash into you!! I¡¯ll kill you all!! Hahahaha!!" Although the airbag had deployed in the driver¡¯s seat, the driver still showed a crazed expression, frantically stepping on the gas pedal and shouting hysterically. Yu Hong glanced at him;the driver was a young man in a gray shirt, appearing to be an office worker, wearing black-framed glasses which normally suggested a gentle demeanor, but now his ferocious yelling completely shattered that image. With a flick of his hand, the Inner Qi shot out, shattered the car window, and wrapped around the man like ropes. Bang. The man was thrown out of the window, landing heavily on the highway. "Kill! Kill kill kill!!!" Even so, the man still shouted aggressively with bloodshot eyes. Yu Hong cautiously sensed his spiritual power fluctuations. In front of the bewildered professor, he took out a multimeter, pressed it closely to the man¡¯s forehead, and measured. Beep. The LCD display showed a value: 2.785. "He¡¯s completely abnormal now," Yu Hong sighed. The normal adult male¡¯s spiritual power fluctuations are fixed at 1 on a multimeter. Now, this man¡¯s spiritual power fluctuations had reached more than double, meaning the extra part of the spiritual power in his body was either overdrawn or simply not his own... Doo-doo-doo-doo... The phone ringtone rang. Yu Hong quickly took it out and answered the call. "Temple Master! It¡¯s bad, the city¡¯s streets are in chaos!! Cars are crashing everywhere, there are crazy people running around stabbing with knives!!" Zheng Xia¡¯s panicked voice came through the phone. Chapter 358: outbreak, four "Madman?" Yu Hong¡¯s expression slightly changed, "Explain the situation clearly to me." Zheng Xia described the chaos she witnessed in a haphazard manner. Multiple homicides on the streets, cars ramming around, the situation was in total disarray, as if it was the end of the world. "Don¡¯t panic, contact Mayor Xu immediately to see if we need to coordinate in maintaining order. Have all the people who are still relatively normal retreat to the inside of the Array connected to the Spirit Station," Yu Hong calmly instructed. After the true outbreak of the Spirit Disaster, the weight on his heart seemed to lighten significantly. At this moment, his mood and spirit also calmed down. "Yes...! I understand!" Seemingly infected by Yu Hong¡¯s composure, Zheng Xia also quickly calmed down and replied through the phone. "There are still many visitors in the temple, all seeking refuge with the talismans we distributed. There¡¯s quite a number of them..." She seemed to want to say more. "Any of the eight Spirit Stations can accommodate them. Let Master Yu Hen decide!" Yu Hong quickly said. "Yes!" The phone call ended. Yu Hong, carrying the professor, decisively stepped towards the city center to return. * * * A few kilometers from Zihe Palace. Atop a small abandoned building in the mountains. Rundown and tangled vines covered the outside of the building, spreading across the rooftop platform. A woman, cloaked in black with a white character of ¡¯ominous¡¯ on her back, stood on the building¡¯s edge, holding a lit cigarette, overlooking the magnificent Zihe Palace. "Where is Xuan Jing?" Without turning her head, the woman asked in a low voice. "Leader, have you forgotten? He went to Shangyuan," another woman, slightly petite, replied from behind. The responding woman was clad in tight-fitting black leather, with dense rows of black needles strapped along her thighs, her figure sultry and her demeanor respectful. "I¡¯m getting old;my memory is not what it used to be," the long-haired woman exhaled and casually snuffed out her cigarette, discarding it. She dusted off her hands, pulling out from the inside of her cloak two soft, rubbery golden spheres. "Let¡¯s get started. To be honest, I have quite a fondness for Ku Chan, after all, he¡¯s the rare top-level Taoist genius in recent years. But what a pity... he¡¯s in our way." The long-haired woman casually tossed one of the spheres forward. Letting it fall from the building, it ¡¯plop¡¯ into a deep landslide in the forest below. Boom!! In an instant. A massive column of grey smoke burst skyward from where the sphere fell. The smoke spun rapidly, expanding, thickening. In less than ten seconds, it formed a gigantic column of air hundreds of meters in diameter. The column quickly enveloped the nearest abandoned building. Within the column, indistinct figures with dragon heads and human bodies in Golden Armor slowly emerged;their vast and terrifying spiritual fluctuations scattered all around like money didn¡¯t matter, quickly covering the periphery. By this time, the two women had already agilely left the building, escaping the column¡¯s range. Finding a new location, they dropped another sphere. Instantly, a second column of grey smoke rose to the sky. "It¡¯s about time," the long-haired woman moved back, watching the birth of two Yin Qi Sky Pillars. "Leader, just doing this, it¡¯s not enough to pose a threat to Zihe Palace, is it?" the woman in the tight outfit was puzzled. "Of course, it¡¯s not enough. But... this time, the two Spirit Disaster gates were fortified with extra ingredients, after much effort to collect them. Additionally, this area was their Black Disaster containment site decades ago," the long-haired woman smiled. "So look, isn¡¯t that why... the big one is coming right now..." The tight-clothed woman looked towards the Yin Qi Sky Pillar that had just unfurled;within the column, a colossal dragon-headed human, larger than usual, slowly emerged atop white clouds from the pillar. "Mortals... Bow down!!" The immense, overlapping waves of sound, along with massive spiritual fluctuations, exploded and spread out from the center of the tremendous dragon-headed figure like raging waves. "Wow... what kind of monster is this... It looks very strong..." The long-haired woman clicked her tongue in admiration a few times, "Zihe Palace now has something to deal with." At that moment, the second Yin Qi Sky Pillar also began to form the shadow of a gigantic entity tens of meters tall. It was unclear what enormous creature was about to emerge. The two women did not linger, quickly leaving the area and disappearing into the distant forests. Leaving Zihe Palace, where alarms were sounding, a large group of Magicians swiftly approached. Foremost among them was none other than the Palace Master Yu Qin, holding the Sky Stabilizing Plate. * * * End of February. Taozhou City experienced several dozen malicious terrorist attacks. However, with the joint enforcement by Qingchen Temple and the local police, the situation quickly stabilized. Later investigations found that these were young people excessively fatigued and severely sleep-deprived, suddenly unable to distinguish dreams from reality, leading to spontaneous mental illness and indiscriminate attacks on strangers. But just two days after the announcement was made. The explosion of a chemical plant in the suburbs in the middle of the night, as if a signal, thoroughly unleashed the prelude to the Spirit Disaster. Boom!! In the dead of night. Yu Hong stood on the top floor of the Taoist Temple, looking towards the direction of the chemical plant that had just experienced a secondary explosion. The fire, accompanied by thick smoke, billowed up into the sky, almost illuminating half of the night sky. The thick smoke spread, seemingly starting to shroud the entire city in a faint haze. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Temple Master... what... what exactly happened!?" Cheng Shu and the others stood behind him, similarly gazing at the fiery explosion, their expressions haggard. These past few days, none of them had rested well, all worried about the changes in the outside environment. But they were powerless. Even Yu Hong at this moment, could not stop the invisible force of contamination. "Has everyone been notified?" Yu Hong asked. "Yes, they¡¯re all in place," Red Snake quickly replied. "Are we certain this is unrelated to the Seven Evil Alliance?" Yu Hong asked again. "We¡¯re certain. If the magicians of the Seven Evil Alliance entered Taizhou, we would definitely notice. Right now, all of Taizhou is our people," Headless Sword said with a dry voice. "But, Alliance Hierarch, when can this disaster be contained? I¡¯ve noticed that ordinary people on the outer ring of the Spirit Station have started to act strangely. That¡¯s a population of hundreds of thousands. If something goes wrong... the consequences are unimaginable!" Yu Hong sighed. "I have already submitted a request to the Ancestor Court of the Taoist Sect, rest assured, nothing will happen." He was actually very anxious, the request had been sent out a long time ago, and the phone call should have been quick. But... so many days have passed, and there has been no response. He did not know the reason, but it was highly likely related to the Seven Evil Alliance. A great disaster is coming, yet these magicians still have the leisure to fight each other, it¡¯s just... Yu Hong didn¡¯t know what to say. "From the current statistics, the outbreak of the Spirit Disaster mainly encompasses several aspects. First, biological mutations. Second, air pollution. Third, contamination of the soil and waterways." "These three aspects cause different ranges of impact, especially the air, spreading extremely fast and posing a great danger to ordinary people. Our three types of talismans are ineffective against it, we can only deal with the completely mutated people afterward." "Temple Master, I¡¯ve made contact, not just our Taizhou, but all surrounding areas have similar outbreaks. A certain number of ordinary people in the crowds suddenly show drastic personality changes, causing terror attacks," Red Snake explained. "The officials are overwhelmed, severely understaffed, and have already called us back to help." Thud. The door to the top floor was pushed open. Yu Mo and the other senior Taoists also came in. Accompanying them was Yu Shan and Yu Guang, who had only just been persuaded to return by Zheng Ying. As soon as these three senior Taoists returned, they faced the explosion at the chemical plant, and on top of that, the chaotic scenes they had seen on the streets, with blood everywhere, attackers acting like madmen. The three old men were scared senseless. "The three of you, do you see now? If you choose to live in seclusion, how would you deal with such a situation in the future?" Yu Hong turned to look at the three men, sighing. "..." Both Yu Shan and Yu Guang were silent. They had originally thought the situation was not as bad as Zheng Ying had said, but reality appears to be much worse! If they were still living in the wilderness before, once injured, they would undoubtedly run out of medical supplies. On the other side, Master Yu Hen also wore a grave expression, ignoring the inner turmoil of the three men. "I had intended to contact Zihe Palace for assistance, but... they¡¯re unreachable now!" Yu Hong fell silent for a moment, suspecting in his heart that something major had happened on the Taoist Sect¡¯s side. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t even return a phone call. "Where are the documents I organized before?" "Here," Fu Bai, the young Taoist, came from behind, carrying a stack of freshly printed pages. "One for each person," Yu Hong gestured for her to distribute them. Yu Shan glanced at the people around him, took one of the sheets, and focused on it. Neat handwriting stated on it. ¡¯Spirit Disaster ¡ª Overview.¡¯ "This is the information I¡¯ve collected and personally investigated about the Spirit Disaster and the Black Disaster. You may take a look," Yu Hong said. He was very clear about the Black Disaster, but the Spirit Disaster was different. It needed to be verified from scratch. Now it was the end of February, and in just over a week, the enhancement of the Black Mark medicine would be complete. Once he took the medicine and practiced cultivation, he might be able to advance further. This would give him more of a grasp on the Spirit Disaster. In the face of an unknown disaster, he believed that any possible preparation was necessary. Because no one knew how powerful the Spirit Disaster could be or when it would end. So what he needed now was to mobilize everyone¡¯s strength as much as possible to make it clear what they were facing. Not to blindly rush in and die. And to be able to exert force and stabilize the situation when needed. Yu Shan didn¡¯t speak out, but in his heart, he started to appreciate Yu Hong¡¯s efforts. He continued reading. ¡¯I¡¯ve classified the Spirit Disaster into several levels based on the approximate range of spiritual fluctuation values and the distinct states after an outbreak.¡¯ ¡¯One: Ghost Body.¡¯ ¡¯The most basic unit of the Spirit Disaster, according to statistical data, it is believed that they lack cognitive ability and only repeat actions along fixed rule trajectories. Such a Spirit Disaster usually has only one rule of killing. If you carefully figure it out, even ordinary people can have a chance to escape it.¡¯ ¡¯Two: Yin Spirits.¡¯ ¡¯Yin Spirits are one level higher than Ghost Bodies, starting to initially show patterned killing rules. For example, the Tree Bark Grandmother whom Zheng Ming encountered before is such, using two or more rules to achieve her purpose of killing and consuming spirits. The rules woven by Yin Spirits are stronger, more numerous, and harder to find loopholes in. They pose a great danger because you never know when you might trigger its killing rule.¡¯ Chapter 359: eruption five "Three: Evil Spirit." "The initial discovery of the Evil Spirit originated from the Mountain Manor visited by Zheng Ying. The most distinctive feature of this level of Spirit Disaster is the Spiritual Domain. An Evil Spirit can twist reality with Spiritual Fluctuations, creating a special and mysterious space. It drags living beings from the outside into it. Within the Spiritual Domain, one might encounter rules of murder far surpassing the number of Yin Spirits, with danger and traps at every turn. A moment of carelessness can lead to instant death. And to exit the Spiritual Domain, one must satisfy certain hidden rules;otherwise, one would sink within it forever, until killed by the rules of murder." "This summary of the three types is what I¡¯ve compiled from all the surrounding case data. I hope everyone takes it seriously." Yu Hong said, "Another thing I must remind everyone of is the highly explosive nature of the Spirit Disaster¡¯s rules. This means that even the lowest-level Ghost Body, once its conditions for the rules of murder are met, can unleash a terrifying force far beyond its normal state, in an attempt to strangle you." "In other words, once you trigger the rules of murder, you¡¯re likely doomed." S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Temple Master, I remember... the Ancient Books also mentioned that there should be another layer of Spirit Disaster, the Demon Spirit, which can twist reality on a large scale and create massive Spiritual Domains..." Zheng Ying, who had just come in from the back, said solemnly. "If we encounter this level of creature, covering the areas we live in and dragging everyone into the Spiritual Domain, what should we do then?" "Fear not... I¡¯ve also considered this possibility, hence... to deal with this potential danger, I¡¯ve decided..." Yu Hong looked around at everyone and paused. "To convene the first ever Spirit Light Conference in Taizhou City!" At this statement, a look of hope immediately appeared on the faces of those who guessed what the Spirit Light Conference meant. "Right, if we could merge with the Spirit Light again, everyone would gain stronger protection. Even with the turmoil of a Spirit Disaster, our group here could hold our ground." Cheng Shu perked up and nodded. "Besides this, we need to fight for more support from the Taoist Sect;the stronger the force against Spirit Disasters, the better. We also need to find a way to communicate with the Seven Evil Alliance;we can¡¯t let them continue causing trouble like this." Yu Hong sighed. "We¡¯ve already contacted the Heavenly Master Mansion. After spending a considerable sum, we finally reached two servants of Left Heavenly Master. As you, Zheng Ying, instructed, we delivered a letter of persuasion. But now... it¡¯s been two days without any news. I suspect there is too much information being sent, and the Heavenly Master hasn¡¯t taken notice." Yu Mo shook her head. "What about the Seven Evil Alliance?" Yu Hong looked toward the door. For a moment, no one knew who he was asking. But soon. A blurry figure suddenly appeared at the door of the room, startling everyone. So many experts in Daoist Skills, yet not one had detected the approach of this person. This was simply... If this person had malicious intentions, it¡¯s feared that in just that instant, he could have wiped out the entire high-level of Qingchen Temple. Yu Hen and the others, thinking of this, felt a chill sweat on their backs. But soon, they recognized the person. It was the mysterious expert, Mr. Qing, who had come in time to support them last time and rescued them from the Spiritual Domain. "Alliance Hierarch, I¡¯m sorry... I tried to persuade them, but..." Qing Huang still wore his mask, looking helplessly towards Yu Hong, bowing his head. "What is the Seven Evils¡¯ opinion?" Yu Hong asked. "I didn¡¯t see everyone;in the short term, I only found three and tried to persuade them, but no one cared. Then I went to find the Vice Alliance Hierarch and left a message outside his retreat, but got no response." Qing Huang shook his head, "I believe, instead of seeking approval from the Seven Evil Alliance, it¡¯s better to first rally the medium and small Magician groups. These groups are naturally receptive to Spirit Light Secret Skills and progress quickly in cultivation. They are also the largest group directly affected by the Spirit Disasters. The forces previously destroyed by the Spirit Disasters were also mostly medium and small groups." "That¡¯s a good suggestion." Yu Hong nodded, "Yasong has a broad territory with many Magicians. Excluding the Nine Sects, how many are worth rallying, do you have a plan?" "I¡¯ve prepared some, and already have a rough plan." Qing Huang nodded, having now eliminated several of his old enemies, his status within the Seven Evil Alliance had risen, tasting the spoils, he now couldn¡¯t wait for the Spirit Light to get stronger. Thus, he was the most active in promoting this cause, as for whether he believed the Source Disaster would end the world, that is a matter of perspective. In any case, this excuse would allow him to use the Spirit Light Secret Skill to absorb all medium and small Magician groups. Even if danger arose, Yu Hong would be in front, so he wasn¡¯t the least bit worried. "But such a grand action will surely attract the attention of the Taoist Sect and the Seven Evil Alliance... with our current strength..." Yu Hen couldn¡¯t help but voice his doubts. "As long as we can find enough experts and gather strong enough forces, I¡¯ll handle that." Yu Hong said. In critical times, whoever tries to stop him would become his enemy. Whether the Taoist Sect or the Seven Evil Alliance, he wouldn¡¯t mind truly employing his full strength in a clash when the time came. Up until now, since arriving in this world, he had never fully unleashed his power in battle. One reason was a lack of necessity. The second was the absence of a worthy opponent;the destructiveness he could cause at full strength was just too great. When he fought against the Black Giant, in just over ten minutes, nearly half of a small city was almost destroyed. Not to mention now that his Power has grown even stronger. "We trust in that, with the enhancement of Spirit Light, the strength of our Alliance Hierarch definitely far exceeds our imagination," Qing Huang nodded, "But... if the Alliance Hierarch is detained and trouble arises elsewhere, how should we deal with it? After all, whether it¡¯s the Taoist Sect, the Seven Evil Alliance, or the Spirit Disasters, none of them are in a one-on-one duel." "So, do you have any suggestions?" Yu Hong, organizing such a vast force for the first time and with little experience, took the initiative to seek advice. "My suggestion is, first, we must appoint one to three Vice Alliance Hierarchs to handle various situations when the Alliance Hierarch is unavailable. Choosing one or three individuals will facilitate unifying the decision-making power at critical moments. Either a sole decision-maker or a vote among three would be feasible." Qing Huang clearly had his proposals prepared in advance and responded swiftly. "Next, we should establish a tiered system. Within the Mutual Aid Alliance, the high-level experts¡¯ strengths are not clearly distinguished. We must establish specific boundaries to differentiate the experts from ordinary skilled individuals and common Magicians, to prevent the misallocation of sending common Magicians to deal with high-risk Spirit Disasters. It is crucial to match strong hands against high risks to prevent ineffective damage." "This makes sense," nodded Yu Hong. "But while your suggestions are good, we still have too few masters within the Mutual Aid Alliance..." "This requires recruiting more powerful Magicians to join," said Qing Huang earnestly. "Do you have targets in mind?" Yu Hong¡¯s eyes lit up. "I have this list." Qing Huang skillfully pulled out a document from his sleeve and handed it over. He couldn¡¯t see through Yu Hong, but now, having noticed the rapid increase in the strength of Spirit Light, he had clearly placed all his bets on the side of the Mutual Aid Alliance. Yu Hong took it and casually flipped through it. The document clearly listed all the Magician experts deemed worthy by Qing Huang from five different factions: Taoist Sect, Buddhist Sect, Seven Evil Alliance, officials, and civilians. "The experts I¡¯ve listed here are of the same caliber as me, even stronger than what I was before. They are few in number, but each is exceedingly powerful. With the current boost from Spirit Light, they would undoubtedly have significant effectiveness in actual combat," Qing Huang asserted earnestly. "I have another suggestion," suddenly interjected Yu Shan, an old Daoist who had just arrived. "Since your Spirit Light Secret Skills are so potent, there will inevitably be those who master the secret technique but aren¡¯t willing to rush to the front lines to combat Spirit Disasters once it is widely dispersed. How will you handle this situation? You must realize that if such individuals become numerous, it will definitely dampen the morale of the front lines, as no one wants to fight to the death while others safely reap the benefits without risks." "That¡¯s an excellent question." Qing Huang clapped his hands and laughed. "I too had concerns in this area. Even if the Alliance Hierarch can threaten to withdraw Spirit Light to compel such people to act, in reality, it isn¡¯t very effective. Their complacency might even lead to more dangerous crises." Yu Hong nodded and began to reflect on how Hope City had resolved this issue. Suddenly, an idea flashed through his mind. Everyone in the world is driven by self-interest;irrespective of their nature, individuals will always be motivated by personal gain. So... "I understand now. We can use an incentive mechanism to divide contributions into levels. The more one contributes, the more Spirit Light and benefits one will receive, and naturally, the more powerful one will become," Yu Hong spoke up. "Until now, the distribution of Spirit Light has been even, but I can change that to an unequal distribution in the future. Give more to those with strong contributions, less to those with weak contributions, withhold from those without contributions, and for those causing reverse damage, deprive them of some Spirit Light based on the severity." "This is a good point!" All in agreement, they nodded their heads. Then they began to discuss the details of the organizational structure, each pitching in. But while everyone was engrossed in the heated discussion, Qing Huang, who had initiated the conversation, harbored other thoughts. He quietly leaned against the wall, gradually shifting from posing questions and offering suggestions to listening to others. Seizing the spare moments, he observed Yu Hong, deeply engrossed in thought, several times, finally confirming a suspicion he had. ¡¯Indeed...¡¯ Qing Huang was certain in his heart. ¡¯Zheng Ying doesn¡¯t care at all about the top Magician experts listed on my document. The core of any well-established organization is the leader and the dominant figures in the suppression structure. The core of the Mutual Aid Alliance is Zheng Ying himself. Once he is defeated or killed, the entire Alliance would collapse instantly.¡¯ ¡¯Yet... Zheng Ying appears entirely unconcerned with this problem;instead, he is discussing various organizational details with everyone. His ability to settle his mind and devote time and energy to these details indicates...¡¯ A faint gleam flashed in Qing Huang¡¯s eyes. ¡¯He has absolute confidence.¡¯ ¡¯Confidence that he will never be defeated!¡¯ ¡¯Even when facing the Seven Evil Alliance and the Taoist Sect, he maintains such composure and self-assurance. As expected... Zheng Ying, before joining the Qingchen Temple, could not have possibly been just an ordinary person!¡¯ By this time, the group had essentially outlined the framework of the Mutual Aid Alliance. Yu Hong would serve as the Alliance Hierarch, with three Vice Alliance Hierarchs responsible for taking over the Hierarch¡¯s duties at crucial moments and managing the organization¡¯s day-to-day operations. The Vice Alliance Hierarchs need not possess great strength, but they must have a strong ability to operate the organization. Next topic was the Alliance¡¯s combat force. The administrative and combat operations were to be separated. The combat level system, as mentioned by Yu Hong, ranged from low to high: Enhanced Level One to Nine, followed by Evil Level, War Level, Nightmare Level, and Despair Level. The first nine levels indicate situations that can be resolved with conventional firearms and weaponry. The Evil Level is a higher tier, essentially the limit that an ordinary Magician can reach. As for the War Level, it corresponds to the Temple Master Level. The higher Nightmare Level and Despair Level are as of yet just names, to be determined after actual contact. Clearly, Yu Hong had directly adopted the classification system from Hope City. Chapter 360: outbreak 6 The division of combat power has ended, and the Mutual Aid Alliance has established a points-based incentive system that distributes Spirit Light in varying amounts based on merit at fixed intervals. Thus, in just over an hour, the true foundation of the Mutual Aid Alliance was established, right here in this small Taoist temple room. "To have leaders charge and lead the team at critical moments, the alliance needs to set up exemplary generals. These are battle leaders, not administrative positions like the Vice Alliance Hierarch," Qing Huang stated again. "That makes sense," Yu Hong nodded, "Then do you have any suitable candidates?" "Not at the moment," Qing Huang smiled, "The Alliance Hierarch can take a look at the list. Taoist Sect Jinxiao Temple¡¯s Temple Master... is currently severely injured, what do you think about leveraging the efficacy of Spirit Light to have him join us..." "Is that... feasible?" Yu Hong¡¯s eyes lit up, what a thought¡ªspecifically seeking out elderly individuals who were once incredibly powerful but are currently incapacitated, and enhancing them with Spirit Light. The advantage of this is that Spirit Light gives them a second spring, a second chance and hope. Such people would highly appreciate the Mutual Aid Alliance. "Of course it¡¯s feasible. Internal strife within Jinxiao Temple over the Temple Master position has already started becoming visible," Qing Huang said with a smile. Yu Hong nodded. Looking down at the list, the names Qing Huang provided clearly recorded Taoist Magicians of his level or even higher¡ªjust those remembered and known of, totaling thirteen. There were only three from the Buddhist Sect. Eight from the Seven Evil Alliance. One from the officials. Two from the public. In total, these top experts from Yasong, clear at a glance. Including those Qing Huang didn¡¯t know about, the total was probably only twenty or thirty people. "This matter, I¡¯ll leave it to you to handle, how about that?" Yu Hong looked towards Qing Huang. "I¡¯m not in a convenient position to contact the Taoist Sect, they are very cautious," Qing Huang shook his head, "But other places are possible." "Then I will take care of the Taoist Sect," Yu Hen, an elder, decisively spoke out. He had been listening on the side and now took the initiative. Qingchen Temple is now almost fully integrated with the Mutual Aid Alliance. The stronger the Mutual Aid Alliance, the stronger everyone¡¯s Spirit Light will be, and the more experts there will be¡ªit¡¯s a snowballing momentum. He couldn¡¯t help but want to contribute. "Master Uncle, speaking of which, are you able to reach out to the old masters in the Taoist Sect, the ones who retired due to injuries?" Yu Hong pondered and asked. "Heh heh, do you think your Master Uncle has spent these years just indulging in pleasures?" Yu Hen pinched his beard and laughed confidently. "I can¡¯t guarantee other things, but regarding buddies to hang out with... heh heh, have you heard of the Yasong Senior Activities Association?" He lowered his voice. "Despite my humble role, I am one of the directors of the Association. The peak masters definitely wouldn¡¯t think much of me, but among old friends who play together, many were once high-class powerhouses, now suffering from illnesses and can only enjoy life." Suddenly, his expression became serious. "However, Zheng Ying, are you really sure that the Spirit Light Secret Technique can restore their health? Don¡¯t give them hope only to plunge them into despair. That... might turn them into enemies! Think it through clearly!" "I¡¯m certain!" Yu Hong nodded. No one knew better than him the effect of Spirit Light;even broken limbs could be forcibly reconnected if the time gap wasn¡¯t too long, just like the original. "You¡¯re sure!?" Yu Hen asked again. "I absolutely guarantee it!" Yu Hong affirmed earnestly. "Good! I can contact those top experts who might need Spirit Light. Just the retired Nine Sects¡¯ Sect Masters from the previous generation, there are three!" Sss...!! Once this statement was made, everyone present felt a chill in their scalp, and their views on Elder Yu Hen changed. These connections, no wonder he was able to protect those two from Zihe Palace back then. Looking at it now, it definitely wasn¡¯t just luck... "Heh, although I am just a runner in their eyes, I can still pass on messages. Besides that, if the effect of Spirit Light is strong enough, the one who needs it most is actually Supreme Taoist Temple Master Quan He from Dayunluo Temple!" Yu Hen¡¯s expression turned solemn, his tone naturally carrying a hint of respect when mentioning this name. "Wait!" Others might not have reacted much, but Qing Huang, along with Yu Mo and the other elders, suddenly looked shocked. Qing Huang licked his lips, his gaze intensely fixed on Elder Yu Hen. "Elder Yu Hen, the Quan He you¡¯re talking about, is it the former Temple Master of Dayunluo Temple among the Nine Sects, Monarch Quan He!?" Even as a high-level expert himself, the mention of this name made his voice tremble slightly, as if suppressing his excitement. "Indeed, it is Monarch Quan He from ninety years ago." Yu Hen nodded solemnly. "This venerable lady is currently one hundred and forty-two years old, and might pass away at any moment. Outsiders believe she has long since departed this world, but only us old folks know that Elder Quan He was severely injured during that past turmoil. She practiced the Sleep River Technique and combined it with technological methods to maintain her life over twenty years ago." "....." Once he revealed this, everyone present felt a chill. "Judging by the name, she must be very strong, but given her age... even if Spirit Light restores her physical state, how much strength can remain?" Zheng Ying said in a deep voice. "You guys simply don¡¯t understand the renown of Monarch Quan He;I grew up hearing her name. Let me put it this way," Qing Huang smiled, "Currently, two Heavenly Masters from both Heavenly Master Mansions are the strongest in the Taoist Sect, but even they can¡¯t dominate an entire era by themselves. They are opposed by Long Qingzi and the Seven Evils." He paused, then continued. "In Monarch Quan He¡¯s era, the Heavenly Masters from both Heavenly Master Mansions were suppressed by her. Of course, because the two Heavenly Masters from that time weren¡¯t compared with the current two contemporary Heavenly Masters, I can¡¯t assure that Monarch Quan He is definitely stronger than the left Heavenly Master. However, regardless, they are all top-tier powerhouses of the same level!" "How is it? Can Spirit Light heal her!?" Yu Hen looked intensely at Yu Hong at this moment. "Shall we try?" Yu Hong could not guarantee either, given her advanced age, even if Spirit Light could prolong life, the specific effect was still untested by him. "I will arrange it! Now that Quan He Monarch has fallen out of favor, she often falls unconscious and has lost her value. Dayunluo Temple only occasionally sends someone to check on her, all out of old loyalty. Thus, the maintenance of the life-sustaining system and caretaking, it¡¯s all handled by our Association." Yu Hen spoke out. "And many things of the Association are handled by me." As he said this, Yu Mo and the other old Daoists simultaneously gave him a thumbs up, their faces full of admiration. This network is simply sky-high... Seeing this, the three old men from Yu Shan were truly convinced. With such connections, no wonder they couldn¡¯t outdo Yu Hen back then... If Yu Hen had been a bit more ruthless back then, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to leave Taizhou. *** *** *** Three days later. The situation in Taizhou stabilized relatively, with Spirit Station¡¯s suppression quickly restoring normal order across the city. Similar unrest appeared in the surrounding cities due to the absence of suppressing forces like Spirit Station and Qingchen Temple, leading to a gradual normalization of chaos. The government continuously issued notices, urging the public to reduce nighttime outings and deploying more police forces to maintain broad social order. However, despite the government¡¯s best efforts, order was still slowly but steadily slipping toward the abyss... S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As the values of Spiritual Fluctuation in the air increased, more and more resentful mark cases were occurring around the city. Meanwhile. Yu Hong and his group, led by Yu Hen, had left Taizhou and reached the Qian¡¯an Nursing Home where Quan He Monarch was recuperating via highway. Hiss. Inside the nursing home, Yu Hen led Yu Hong, following nurse Xiaofang, moving forward along the clean white hallway. The hallway felt warm and comfortable, with temperature and humidity sensors installed at intervals around the walls which were also made of sound-absorbing materials to prevent noise. The trio passed through layers of thermal doors and came to a separate round hall on the second basement level. The hall was overall gray and white, with banners of red characters on the walls. Corners were filled with stacks of empty gift boxes. "This is it. Besides Elder Quan He, there are also two others here relying on life-sustaining systems, all former personages. Sadly..." Yu Hen sighed and continued. "Sadly, their inheritances have been mostly divided, and it¡¯s likely they are also forgotten here." Yu Hong didn¡¯t speak, just frowned slightly. From the moment he entered, he faintly felt an invisible oppressive force, similar to what he experienced before the Spirit Disaster struck, pervading every corner of this place. He and Yu Hen followed the nurse and quickly arrived in front of the furthest right iron door. "This is it;it¡¯s not yet Ms. Quan He¡¯s waking time, so you can look through the observation window but can¡¯t go in," the nurse cautioned responsibly. "Okay, you may go now;I¡¯ll ring the bell when we need you again. Thanks, Xiaofang." Yu Hen gave the nurse¡¯s hand a gentle squeeze, signaling with his eyes. The nurse licked her lips ambiguously and left alone. Beside him, Yu Hong: "....." Regaining his composure, he walked up to the iron door and slid open the observation window above. Looking inside. Inside was a white coffin-like rectangular box where a white-haired, emaciated old person lay. The old person¡¯s face was covered with a breathing valve, with various monitoring devices beside her continuously displaying fluctuating graphs. "I can feel it... an intangible, spiritual fluctuation..." Yu Hong whispered. "Why can¡¯t I feel it?" Yu Hen frowned and looked around, making sure he really couldn¡¯t feel anything. "Master... people only react to what they can see," Yu Hong tactfully explained. This sentence had a somewhat cryptic dual significance. "Hehe..." Yu Hen glared at him for a moment. He then went forward and knocked on the iron door. Dang, dang, dang. "Elder, it¡¯s Yu Hen, I¡¯ve come to see you!" he shouted loudly. "Is it little Hen...?" Suddenly a gentle voice naturally resonated inside both their heads. "!?" Yu Hong widened his eyes suddenly and looked up at the patient room where Quan He was. Just now still with eyes closed, Quan He Monarch had now surprisingly opened them. A pair of deep, pitch-black pupils were watching their side. Chapter 361: if 1 Zihe Palace. Dark clouds surged, thunder rolled. Streaks of lightning occasionally slashed the clouds, illuminating the land below for an instant. Zihe Palace, originally situated within the mountains, was now completely shrouded in a dense gray mist. The gray mist thoroughly enveloped the Taoist Palace complex, coiling around the mountain range like a living entity, it didn¡¯t disperse in the wind and even slightly wriggled, as if it was devouring and digesting something. Hiss. Suddenly, a beam of purple light punctured the gray mist, like a purple blade, flying towards the distant horizon. The purple light continued unabated, crossing dozens of miles in a blink of an eye before gently falling into a small black stone basin outside a villa on the outskirts of a city. Plop. The purple light settled into the basin in the villa courtyard, trembling slightly then becoming still. Only now did the purple light reveal its full form ¨C it turned out to be a purple metal talisman with two mechanical wings. The talisman was covered in shimmering purple light, adorned with countless densely packed runes. At the rear, it also had two propellers resembling fans. After a brief moment, a gray-robed Taoist walked out of the villa, wearing black-rimmed glasses, and took the talisman out of the stone basin to examine it. "It¡¯s an emergency drone from Zihe Palace." He turned his head and called into the villa. "Zihe Palace... report this immediately!" Following his call, a young female Mage came out of the villa, her expression changing at the news. The two quickly removed a small box from the bottom of the drone and turned to enter the villa. Before long, an invisible electromagnetic wave traveled across vast distances, directly reaching the Ancestor Court on Yunshu Mountain. Inside the Yun Light Main Hall of the Ancestral Court Taoist Palace. The Left Heavenly Master Fang Xiu stifled a yawn as he picked up the emergency communication document that had just been delivered, then walked towards the interior of the great hall. Not long after, he briskly returned with a reply document and handed it over to a Taoist who was waiting outside the hall. "The Heavenly Master orders a swift reply." "Understood!" The Taoist nodded respectfully. Turning around, he walked quickly down the steps, but after only a few steps, a female cultivator on his right stopped him. "Cheng Kong, how did the Heavenly Master reply?" This female cultivator, named Zi Ling, was a Taoist from the Heavenly Master Mansion who had always been on good terms with Zihe Palace, and upon hearing the trouble at Zihe Palace, she decisively came to ask. "The Heavenly Master has started gathering experts to provide support, but it will take time," the Taoist replied, the document not encrypted, and with few words, its content was quickly apparent. He handed over the document for her to glance at. The female cultivator scanned the document and nodded. "This is a reply after the fact;the mobilization must have already started. What exactly happened that even Zihe Palace had to seek help from the Ancestor Court? With so many Limit-breaking Taoism experts within the palace, not to mention the Sky Stabilizing Plate..." she said, disbelief written all over her face. "Perhaps the Seven Evil Alliance has damaged the Sky Stabilizing Plate, causing it to crack and rendering it unusable..." the Taoist replied with a grave expression, "Regardless, we¡¯ll know the truth once the reinforcements arrive." "What about Ku Chan? If even Ku Chan is besieged, the situation is probably dire," she asked again. "Taoist Ku Chan is not there;he should still be at Lijia Suo carrying out a suppression mission. But now that he has received the message, he should be on his way back," the Taoist sighed. "Alright, I won¡¯t delay you any further. Send the reply quickly. Don¡¯t keep the friends from Zihe Palace waiting," the female cultivator instructed. "Yes," the Taoist said, taking the document and hurrying away. The message was transmitted back to the villa near Zihe Palace at lightning speed via electromagnetic waves. Then, carried by the purple talisman drone, it soared back to the blocked area around Zihe Palace. Within the vast gray mist. The drone pierced through the mist and soon arrived above a group of Taoist Palace ruins that had mostly collapsed. Here, the beautiful houses, solemn palaces, and lavish decorative fences belonging to Zihe Palace had mostly been toppled and crushed by some immense creature. Strewn across the ruins, the corpses of Taoists lay indiscriminately scattered on the ground. Their limbs were twisted, eyes wide open as if they had experienced extreme anger and fear in their final moments. The drone passed over a small lake littered with broken wooden pieces and quickly arrived at the center, at the only palace that was still intact. The palace was shaped like a pair of bull horns, with its peak crowned by two purple horns intricately carved with numerous runes. It was these two horns that were fending off the intermittently appearing massive gray mist enemy from outside. A large group of Taoists gathered within the palace was now forming a circular Array, pumping their internal Dao Breath, continuously infusing it into the underground rune pathways to supply power to the palace horns. Hiss! The purple talisman drone suddenly shot out from the crowd of Taoists and landed steadily in front of Palace Master Yu Qin, who was at the innermost layer. Yu Qin¡¯s face was pale as she reached out to grab the drone and removed the attached box. Opening it, she pulled out a small rolled-up document. After a few glances, her expression relaxed. "Everyone, hold on! The Ancestor Court has already mobilized people to come to our aid! Left Heavenly Master is already aware of our plight and will be here soon. And my son Ku Chan is also on his way back!" A sigh of relief came from the crowd of Zihe Palace Taoists. "As long as the message gets out, we¡¯re safe. In no more than two hours, experts from the Ancestor Court will come to support us!" An elder from Zihe Palace said as he wiped the blood from his mouth, his spirit lifting. "Master, is there a reply from junior brother?" A beautiful young female cultivator couldn¡¯t help but ask aloud. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Mm, Ku Chan said he¡¯s rushing back at full speed, rest assured!" Yu Qin saw through the other¡¯s concerns. "That¡¯s good... that¡¯s good..." The female cultivator¡¯s face relaxed, gently pressing on her lower abdomen. This action caused Yu Qin¡¯s expression to change, and then with a single hand forming a seal, a stream of Dao Breath transformed into magic, invoking a certain power around, encircling the female cultivator to meticulously inspect her. A few moments later, his face changed dramatically. "Wait... Ying¡¯er, you... are you, pregnant!!?" These words were not spoken softly, and everyone around who were still resisting heard them. The heavy mood of everyone was inexplicably lifted upon hearing this. "Mm... it should be... I missed my period this month..." Ying¡¯er lowered her head, replied softly. Yu Qin exchanged a glance with his wife, both seeing surprise and a touch of joy in each other¡¯s eyes. "Jin Zhi will be very happy when he knows. It¡¯s just a pity... such happy news, yet so many disciples will never see it..." Bang! An elder fiercely punched a stone pillar. "Seven Evil Alliance... previously, as an old man from the same Taoist Sect, I had no intention of pursuing and killing them, but now... once I survive this calamity, I will immediately join the Sweeping Team and make them face a fate worse than death!" "Count me in!" one of the Four Swords, a red-haired female cultivator, called out angrily. "I¡¯m in as well! My poor disciple had just established their foundation, only to be..." "Damn Seven Evil Alliance! If we escape this calamity, I will exhaust all strength to exterminate these thieves!" Hearing that support was on the way, the morale within Zihe Palace was significantly boosted. After cursing for a while, they continued to stabilize the great Array of the Taoist Palace, waiting for support. Feixia Sword Meng Chengshuang was also among them. She didn¡¯t speak, only silently channeling Dao Breath into the great Array. At this moment, for some reason, she found herself unexpectedly thinking of the time back in Taizhou. She remembered the young and talented Taoist from Qingchen Temple. For some reason, she always felt, if Zheng Rou were here, perhaps there would be a way to break out. That young Taoist, who was always composed and confident in any situation, had left a deeply profound impression on her. "What¡¯s wrong, Shuang Shuang?" Her close friend Xiao Ling asked softly, noticing her being distracted. "Nothing, just remembered someone..." Meng Chengshuang shook her head. She was still recovering from injuries;otherwise, as one of the Four Swords, she wouldn¡¯t have been standing in this corner. The Four Swords were the main pillars of combat strength in Zihe Palace. At this moment, the other three were in the center of the Array, while only she was injured and placed in an inner position with lighter responsibilities. "What? Is it your sweetheart?" Xiao Ling wiped blood from the corner of her mouth and teased through the pain. "You think too much, it¡¯s just... I suddenly remembered what he used to say..." Feixia Sword sighed, "Long ago, he preached that the Spirit Disaster would become a great affliction, but no one believed him. Everyone thought he was suffering from persecution delusions after being traumatized. But now... I suddenly feel like, what he said seems to make some sense..." Right then, she couldn¡¯t help but look toward the outside. Outside the Taoist Palace Hall. Within the grey fog, large silhouettes of dragon-headed humanoids intermittently appeared and disappeared. They would sometimes become grey clouds, sometimes solidify into matter, looming over the glowing purple light emanating from the Taoist Palace with an icy gaze. If anyone could see them, they would hear overlapping commands and kneels. If one¡¯s spiritual power was stronger, they could also receive an intense and overwhelming Spiritual Shock in a blink of an eye, causing their mind to collapse, their body to be crushed, and fall dead on the spot. The initial collapse of Zihe Palace had happened for this reason. Meanwhile, dragon-headed humanoids were encircling the Taoist Palace, closing in, slowly extending their hands. "Where are the Heavenly Soldiers..." A deep call echoed through the grey clouds. Soon. Beneath them, the fallen disciples of the palace started to twitch, climbing up slowly. On their skin, fine, tree root-like grey patterns slowly emerged. * * * In the sanatorium, underground. "Little Hen, isn¡¯t it not time for visiting yet? Why have you come early this time?" Quan He¡¯s voice was soft and peaceful, like a breeze that, despite resonating directly in Yu Hong¡¯s mind, caused him no sense of hostility or alertness. Her voice was as if she was speaking beside him, yet it also seemed to fill the entire underground hall, omnipresent, resonating. "I just missed you, didn¡¯t I?" Yu Hen, the white-bearded old Taoist, for once showed a clear twinge of shyness and admiration, much to the chagrin of Yu Hong watching. "You¡¯re always thoughtful. So many children, out of an entire class of over a hundred people, it¡¯s only you few who remember to visit me every so often..." "However, it seems you didn¡¯t just come to see me, what about this child?" Quan He asked softly. "This is the most talented disciple in the history of Qingchen Temple, Zheng Rou. Little Hen brought him over, actually, there¡¯s also some selfish reason... Zheng Rou is extremely gifted. Being young, he has already reached a limit-breaking level with only about a year of cultivating Taoist Skills. And that¡¯s not all. The key point is, he once accidentally obtained a secret technique called the Spirit Light Secret Skill, which has a wondrous effect on the body¡¯s functions and old injuries..." Yu Hen explained respectfully. "Spirit Light..." Quan He mused. At that moment, within the entire underground hall, the originally intangible massive spiritual power began to slowly converge, focusing on Yu Hong, seemingly examining him. Chapter 362: If 2 "You have put in the effort. However, this young friend, the power within you is not so simple. Apart from the Guanwu Skill of Qingchen Temple, there is another force that is warm and soft yet resilient, which should be the Spirit Light you mentioned. Besides that, there¡¯s also... a kind of inexplicable aura similar to the original Spirit Disaster..." Quan He said softly. "Senior, your insight is brilliant!" Yu Hong quickly bowed his head respectfully and said, "Indeed, Junior has taken an unknown potion before, and since then, I¡¯ve had a hint of Spirit Disaster aura. Someone told Junior that possessing such an aura, if I do not practice Daoist Skills, I will certainly encounter great disasters in the future. Hence, after experiencing many things, I sought out mentors everywhere. But the other Taoist sects refused me for various reasons, and only Qingchen Temple was willing to give me a chance." Yu Hong fabricated a half-true, half-false story. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. His story was nodded along to continuously by Yu Hen who was standing beside him. But the truth was exactly so, as most of the Nine Sects originally did not accept someone like Yu Hong who took up the path halfway through. Only Qingchen Temple was willing to broaden its gates and give outsiders a chance. "So, the purpose of your visit is simply to try and see if the Spirit Light Secret Skill can heal my wounds?" Quan He asked back. "Of course, this is the main purpose. If Senior Quan He can return to a state of full health and cultivation, and emerge from seclusion at full strength, it would definitely be a strong stimulant for the current situation of the Daoist Sects!" Yu Hong replied quickly. "No one does not wish to be rejuvenated, to return to their former¡­ I can see the situation outside, but I am powerless to change it¡­" Quan He sighed. "Senior may as well give it a try, and there is also a slight hope with the Spirit Light Secret Skill. But there are some side effects, which Junior needs to clarify in advance for Senior to prevent any misunderstanding." Yu Hong immediately explained the side effect that the integrated Spirit Light could not be extracted. Once extracted, it would lead to damage to one¡¯s life force and instant death. After hearing this, Quan He fell silent for a while. "Since you have been able to find this place, you must have some confidence. Since this is the case, what does an old timer like me, already on the brink of death, have to fear. Come on, don¡¯t be afraid. If it doesn¡¯t work, it¡¯s just leaving a bit earlier." Although she had tried countless methods over the years, none of them were able to forestall the approaching end that was near at hand. But... this time, from the moment Yu Hong walked in the door, she felt a trace of abnormality. Spirit Disaster, Black Disaster, and some special warm power, all mixed together¡­ This young man holds no small secret. Perhaps, there is a glimmer of hope.... "Don¡¯t worry, Senior, there will be no such harm. At most, the Spirit Light will be ineffective;it has no harm in itself." Yu Hong quickly explained. "Then what¡¯s there to worry about?" Quan He smiled. "How may I assist you?" "Please accept it, and do not resist or guard against it," Yu Hong said, feeling relieved. He had just secretly glanced at a multi-purpose meter;this old relic of a senior had a Spiritual Value of over four hundred thousand in strength, which was terrifying. This was the first time he had felt such a frightening oppressive aura, similar to that of high-risk creatures of the Black Disaster, in a human being. This also gave him a great expectation for Quan He¡¯s recovery. Such a terrifying magician expert, who still has such spiritual strength even in her old age, if she were to return to her prime¡­ It was almost unthinkable. "Come on. Don¡¯t worry," Quan He saw his anticipation and there was a hint of the same expectation in her voice. Whoosh. In an instant, a soft silver light lit up in the palm of Yu Hong¡¯s hand. He stretched out his hand and flicked lightly. The silver light transformed into a thread of silk, snaking through the gap of the observation window, and like something alive, softly flew to Quan He¡¯s side. It paused. Swoosh! Suddenly, the silver light thread drilled into Quan He¡¯s palm, disappearing in an instant like snow melting into water. "This power¡­ how marvelous!!" Quan He¡¯s shocked voice immediately resonated in both of their minds. But soon, she had no time to marvel anymore. The thread of Spirit Light that had merged in quickly turned into countless silver threads, spreading throughout her already aged body. Organs, muscles, bones, skin, every single part was forcibly penetrated by the silver threads. In the next second. The Spirit Light threads actually began to forcibly absorb her already scant life vitality, then reshaping themselves into various bodily tissues, replacing the previously withered and injured tissues, and thus forcibly propping up this body that should have decayed long ago. This process was extremely complex and vast. Because the body was too decayed and old, Yu Hong transformed all the Spirit Light into body strengthening and recovery without the ability to make Quan He rapidly recover in a short period of time. "It¡¯s working!" The delighted voice of Quan He echoed in their minds, "But it¡¯s slow. My body is on the verge of death, and the Spirit Light is struggling and tugging against death himself. It keeps replacing my damaged body parts, but because there are so many parts to replace, the recovery is slow... But even though it¡¯s slow, I can tell it¡¯s indeed very helpful!" "Congratulations, Senior!!" Yu Hen, hearing this, was overjoyed and quickly bowed his hands in salute. Just like him, Yu Hong also showed a happy expression. "However, Senior might still need to wait some time. The repair of the Spirit Light is indeed effective, but it will need at least a few days to complete the recovery." "I never would have thought¡­ at this age, I¡¯d still have the chance to go out again¡­" Quan He sighed, "Tell me, what do you need my help with?" At her age, she was naturally very clear that there is no such thing as a free lunch, and these two kind people in front of her would not help her, an old immortal, recover her body for no reason at all. Upon hearing her words, Yu Hong immediately straightened his expression, stepped forward, and deeply bowed. "For the tranquility of the world, for the peace of the world, please, Senior, for the sake of the clear skies and numerous beings, come forth to suppress the calamities and eliminate the evil spirits!" "Other than this, Junior has no other intentions!" His words were resolute and his expression determined. "You¡­!!" Feeling Yu Hong¡¯s utterly steadfast Spiritual Fluctuation, Quan He¡¯s previous assumptions fell through almost entirely at this moment. She originally thought the other party would harbor various personal desires, hoping to utilize her power to achieve them, but at this moment... Facing such determined eyes, such pure will. Quan He was deeply moved... Not only him, but Yu Hen, who was beside him, also felt goosebumps all over his body after hearing these words. He hadn¡¯t expected Yu Hong¡¯s resentment towards the Spirit Disaster and the Black Disaster to be so immense. This passion, even he was moved at this moment. "You... good child!" Quan He didn¡¯t know how to describe his feelings at this time. But without any doubt, the sight of Yu Hong before him, with his unwavering expression and eyes, uncontrollably brought back memories of some hard-to-settle friends of long ago. They were the same, with the determination to burn purely for their ideals and will. "Senior, the hardships and difficulties we¡¯ll face on this road will definitely exceed your imagination. I¡¯m not exaggerating, so if we encounter obstacles along the way, please be absolutely determined and cut down anyone who dares to hinder us." Yu Hong continued. "Those who try to unleash disasters, indifferent to the lives of others, must not be given the slightest chance to struggle. We must eradicate them complete!" These words were full of murderous intent, carrying an indescribable determination, making Quan He and Yu Hen involuntarily feel a chill in their hearts. It was hard for them to imagine what kind of ordeal had led the young Yu Hong before them to possess such a strong intent to kill. "I understand..." Quan He sighed. "If everything is as you say, I will help you!" "Three days." Yu Hong¡¯s eyes revealed a hint of relief, "In about three days, the Spirit Light should be able to completely heal your life force, allowing you to get up and move freely. The Spirit Light is now forcibly reconstructing your body as a replacement, so there may be some exaggerated changes, please don¡¯t be alarmed." "I¡¯m old;I¡¯ve seen everything, you have nothing to worry about." Quan He said with a smile. "Alright, you guys go ahead, I need to get some good sleep... My body is starting to itch and hurt, it seems the reconstruction and repair are intensifying, it¡¯s too uncomfortable to stay awake like this." "Yes!" "Junior takes his leave." Yu Hen and Yu Hong quickly bowed in response. After they left the underground healing hall, the two looked at each other and couldn¡¯t help but burst into laughter. "Master Uncle! Next, please lead the way to the other seniors¡¯ locations!" Yu Hong bowed and said. "Good! Our power will become stronger than ever before! When the time comes, let the Seven Evil Alliance, let the Buddhist Sect, all kneel down!" Yu Hen waved his old hand, a sense of bold spirit that had been missing for so long rising within him. He felt like he was doing something that could change the world, change everything. It seemed like he was creating history, creating a vast new organization! He was walking on an unprecedented historical path. "Maybe, many years later, someone will remember an old man with lowly Daoist Skills like me, for the little contribution made towards the stability of the world...." Yu Hen couldn¡¯t help but sigh. "They will." Yu Hong said seriously. "If someone forgets, I¡¯ll make them remember." "Really?" Yu Hen smiled. "That¡¯s good..." He clenched his fist, took a deep breath, and closed his eyes. As if on the Daoist Sect history books many years later, he saw a trace of himself, no matter how insignificant. At this moment, the smile on his face was unprecedentedly solemn and sincere. * * * To the east of Yasong, in Jinghai City. Buzz! A black heavy motorcycle with dazzling white light, like a sharp arrow, pierced through the grey-black mist in front of it. The highway was deserted, with no people or vehicles. On both sides, there were barren black-green mountains, rolling silently and lifelessly. In this entire world, it seemed the only sound was that of the motorcycle¡¯s engine. The rider on the bike was hunched over, wearing a helmet, and his tight, black racing suit outlined his strong physique. He had a slender sword blade wrapped with numerous bandages on his back. "Hey, Ku Chan, where are you now?" The rider heard a slightly distorted inquiry through his earpiece. "I¡¯ve already arrived at Jinghai, and in about forty minutes, I can return to Zihe Palace." The rider quickly replied. "How¡¯s the situation at home?" "It¡¯s bad!" the voice from the earpiece answered, "The grey mist is too thick, it has completely enveloped the Taoist Palace surroundings, we¡¯ve sent many teams in, used drones, all useless!" "What about the Technique? Have we figured out what it is yet!?" Ku Chan asked with a cold tone. "What we can investigate so far is just the remnants of the Seven Evils¡¯ Ghost Bell¡¯s Daoist traces on the outer edge. Her Nine Lives and Nine Deaths Rebirth Technique can temporarily seal the Spirit Disaster Black Disaster passage and forcefully transfer it. Therefore, apart from the original two Black Disaster portals at Zihe Palace, there are two additional Spirit Disaster portals that she¡¯s transferred over. The Yin Qi Sky Pillar has now evolved into the Yin Qi Spiritual Domain, entering the second phase!" Chapter 363: if three "Are there two passages each for the Gate of Despair and the Gate of Ten Thousand Spirits, right?" Ku Chan coldly asked, his eyes filled with increasing murderous intent. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Yes! The Taoist Sect should now be gathering experts to send for reinforcements. The notice they sent from above commands Zihe Palace to hold out for two hours. When you arrive, don¡¯t act recklessly, wait outside for the main forces to advance together!" The voice from the headset advised. "I know what to do," Ku Chan responded calmly. "Hold on, Ku Chan, don¡¯t be rash!" The person in the headset seemed to sense his intent and hurriedly advised. "I am not being rash, sorry.... there¡¯s trouble here.... I¡¯ll contact you later." As Ku Chan¡¯s voice fell, he rose swiftly, leaping off the motorcycle, flipping in the air to land. Chi! Boom!! At the same time, the motorcycle was hit by a red fire line, shooting out several tens of meters and exploding violently. Under the illumination of the firelight, Ku Chan swiftly moved left, dodging several sniper bullets, and plunged into the dense woods by the roadside. But upon entering the dense woods. A tall figure in a black cloak, with a stark white character for ¡¯evil¡¯ emblazoned on the back, had already been waiting for a long time, turned around, and looked at him. Hum!! In an instant, as Ku Chan landed, a large area of ghastly pale phosphorescence lit up on the ground around him. Clouds of black, putrid, poisonous gas emerged from the ground like smoke and fog. "I am Xian Kongzi, greetings to young friend Ku Chan," the figure said as it raised its head, revealing a horrific face covered in burn scars, with only one blood-red eye remaining. "The renowned Second of the Seven Evils... Sect Master of the Blood Eye Sect, resorting to such despicable ambush tactics against a junior like me, aren¡¯t you afraid of being ridiculed?" Ku Chan¡¯s voice was icy cold. "Mockery and derision are to me like passing clouds..." Xian Kongzi said indifferently, "If they mock to my face, I cut off their tongues. If they mock behind my back, I do not see, nor hear;hence, it does not exist." "What a way to deceive oneself... It seems the Seven Evil Alliance planned this a while ago.... So, who told you about my return route?" Ku Chan already had a suspicion in his mind, but he still asked. "If you have guessed it, why bother asking?" Xian Kongzi said. Snap. Ku Chan crushed the headset in one hand and threw it away, his heart growing colder. Hiss. He drew the long sword from his back with a reverse grip. "I have long heard of the Seven Evils¡¯ infamy. Today, it is perfect to witness for myself, to see whether you, a long-renowned senior, are stronger, or my Chi Xiao Sword in my hand is sharper!" * * * Outside Yasong. International waters. Accompanied by a rapidly rising Spiritual Fluctuation in the air. Under the deep blue sea, a vast shadow spanning several kilometers slowly changed from gray to black. Wisps and strands of black mist rose from the seawater and gathered midway into the sky, condensing into a hazv black cloud. Crack. A black lightning arc suddenly flashed across the black cloud. Shortly after, fine arcs of electricity slowly multiplied, becoming denser and denser. Ding. Momentarily. A deep and ancient bell sound resonated slowly. Within the black cloud, a black gate carved with flora and fauna, mountains and lands, gradually appeared. The gate, standing four to five hundred meters high and three hundred meters wide, hovered like a skyscraper among the clouds. At its center was a black beast head metal knocker, whose eyes were now slowly opening, emitting a red light. Crack.... Suddenly, a fine crack opened from inside to outside in the middle of the gate. "Dan...." Waves of deep, distant sounds drifted out from within. "Human Pill...." "All beings ah.... all are mere fuel, and all spirits return to the origin...." Boom!! Suddenly, the crack in the gate was violently burst open from the inside. The door quivered, spreading vast currents outward. The currents stirred the seawater below causing hundreds of meters high waves. Golden light shone from inside the gate, as a figure in a luxurious purple robe and a feathered crown, with white hair, slowly floated out. Behind the Taoist, a golden halo turned slowly while fine golden rune chains appeared and disappeared intermittently, fluttering slowly. Most striking was the Taoist¡¯s face. It was not a human face but a flat surface, appearing to be made of various colored patches pieced together into a colorful glass mirror. The Taoist hovered above the sea surface, his terrifying Spiritual Value exceeding a million rippling outwards like ripples in water. Suddenly, he stretched a hand forward. Boom! In an instant, from behind the door, a wave of Golden Light surged out, releasing hordes of giants in Golden Armor with dragon heads. The figure clad in dragon-headed golden armor was followed by innumerable floating golden light spots, bursting forth together. Tens of thousands, hundred-thousands of golden dots, surrounded hundreds of dragon-headed figures, fleeing towards the nearest land¡ªYasong. * * * After Quan He, Yu Hen brought Yu Hong to another separate courtyard of the sanatorium¡ªNingxiang Courtyard. In this small quadrangle, among the four residents, three were once prominent, now aged and injured former Sect Leaders of the Nine Sects. The morning sunlight was crisp and cold. When the two arrived at Ningxiang Courtyard, it was already past nine-forty. The courtyard door was wide open, two cleaning aunties were inside sweeping and doing chores such as cooking and laundry. Creak. Yu Hen pushed open the door of a room on the left side and carefully called inside, "Brother Chen, are you awake?" "Mm-hmm." A muffled response came from inside. "Good you¡¯re awake. I¡¯ve brought the kid to see you!" Yu Hen gave Yu Hong a significant look, entered the room, and pulled aside the partition curtain to reveal a large grey and white square bed. On the bed laid a gaunt old man without hair or teeth. The old man¡¯s eyes were bright, but with no tongue in his open mouth, his speech was indistinct. "Brother Chen, it¡¯s been a long time, hasn¡¯t it? You seem to be in good spirits recently." Yu Hen approached with a smile and tucked the old man¡¯s blanket. "Ah ah~~" The old man responded a few times with his mouth, then picked up an erasable sketching board next to him and scribbled a line. "You brought your kid?" "He¡¯s my nephew disciple, and now I have passed down my small Taoist Temple to him. He is the Temple Master, and I am under him now." Yu Hen smiled, "On this visit, we found a new treatment method that we can try for you, Brother Chen, to possibly restore your ability to walk and talk. Let¡¯s see if you¡¯re willing..." "Heh, do I not know you?" Brother Chen wrote back, "Tell me, how much does it cost?" "Do I look like that kind of person?" Yu Hen widened his eyes. "You aren¡¯t like that;you¡¯re precisely that, what else could you look like!" Brother Chen showed a helpless expression. "Alright, alright, no joking. Brother Chen, I¡¯m serious this time! I¡¯m not fooling you. By chance, my nephew disciple acquired a secret technique that can repair many irreparable injuries of the human body. Your legs, your voice, and tongue might all have a chance!" Yu Hen¡¯s expression quickly turned solemn, speaking earnestly. His serious attitude made Brother Chen slightly surprised, but soon, realizing Yu Hen was not joking, his expression grew solemn too. "My legs aren¡¯t just a simple nerve problem, but filled with the Evil Cloud True Skill Breath that Yunhua Demon Lord infused before his death. You should know this, it¡¯s not something that treatment alone can solve." He quickly wrote. "Of course, I know." Yu Hen nodded. "But...do you know who we just went to see?" "Who?" "Senior Quan He!" "....!" Brother Chen shuddered, surmising something, "Effective?" "Of course, or else why would we come directly to you? Next, we plan to visit Senior Golden Light and Senior Lian Yun too." Yu Hen spoke seriously. "What¡¯s the cost?" Brother Chen wrote after a pause, silently. "The cost is that everyone who has undergone this secret technique treatment will become one family, helping each other, all members of my Spirit Light Mutual Aid Alliance. Your life and death will be controlled by the Alliance Hierarch." Yu Hong spoke directly. He chose to be forthright, not hiding anything. Just as with Quan He, he had learned that with these mentally strong figures, being sincere and honest was the best way to communicate. "And I am the Alliance Hierarch." He said solemnly. "...." Brother Chen showed no surprise or anger, but looked at him seriously. After a few moments, he wrote again. "What are you doing this for?" "To survive!" Yu Hong said, "A disaster is coming, and neither good nor evil is aware. I am just an ordinary person trying to carve out a path of survival for those following me, for everyone who wants to live, in the upcoming doomsday!" "...." Perhaps it was this sincerity that made Brother Chen not immediately question such talk of doomsday. Instead, he looked intently into Yu Hong¡¯s eyes. Half a minute later, under Yu Hen¡¯s somewhat anxious gaze, he lowered his head and wrote another sentence. "I really want to recover, but I¡¯m worried about being used. But since Senior Quan He chose to believe, so will I. If it turns out to be wrong, I¡¯ll just end myself." "So you agree, Brother Chen?" Yu Hen didn¡¯t expect it to go so smoothly, seeing the atmosphere had stiffened, he thought this trip had failed. After all, Brother Chen was known for his fiery temper when he was young. Unexpectedly... "Disagreeing would be foolish. Anyway, let¡¯s see if I can move again;as for the conditions and the cost, those are matters for later." Brother Chen smiled. "That¡¯s a good way to put it." Yu Hong also smiled. He stretched out his hand, a point of silver light brightened in his palm, and under the watch of the other two, silver threads flew out, suddenly entering Brother Chen¡¯s right leg covered by the blanket. The formidable Spirit Light Threads, enhanced by the Cosmic Divine Light, began to forcefully tear open a coagulated malignancy in Brother Chen¡¯s leg. That force was like a squirming dark red maggot, completely filling and occupying Brother Chen¡¯s right leg. As the Spirit Light charged in, the two forces immediately clashed. Yet, in less than ten breaths, the coagulated malignant force melted like winter snow upon fire. Under the onslaught of the Spirit Light, it was instantly crushed, defeated in disarray. Several minutes later. The two stepped out of the room and gently closed the door. "Brother Chen needs time to rest, can he recover in two days?" Yu Hen asked. "No problem. But what¡¯s Brothe... Chapter 364: if four "Hmm...that¡¯s pretty badass..." Yu Hong nodded. He had just sneakily measured with a multimeter and found the Spiritual Fluctuation Value to be over fifty thousand. Yep, definitely a big shot. For someone like him, whose Spiritual Value is barely over a hundred, all these are top-level powerhouses. The strongest Spiritual Fluctuation under him right now is Qing Huang, with a strength of just a few thousand. That¡¯s after the Spirit Light made up for the shortcoming in power. "Let¡¯s not talk about that. Next, we¡¯re going to the Qingxia Palace¡¯s previous Palace Master, Golden Light Taoist. This one is very powerful. In his era, he was considered just second to Predecessor Quan He, but because he was too powerful, he was ambushed by three other powerhouses of the same level, got severely injured, and has been lying here for several years before regaining consciousness." "That¡¯s impressive!" Yu Hong nodded. "After Golden Light is Predecessor Lian Yun, who is equally powerful. Remember to be polite when you get there," Yu Hen reminded. "Understood." "These three, plus Predecessor Quan He, these four people are the main forces we need to focus on. If they can recover all their strength, then... our Mutual Aid Alliance... can rise to become a formidable force that is only slightly weaker than the Seven Evil Alliance and the Taoist Sect!" "Predecessor Quan He is on par with Long Qingzi and Heavenly Master Yu. The other three are on the level of the Seven Evils and the Nine Sects¡¯ Sect Masters. Add on the extensive connections within the Taoist Sect, when the time comes, our Mutual Aid Alliance will definitely have a strong foothold." Yu Hen talked about the future with great anticipation. "Tell me, what are the basics about Predecessor Golden Light and Predecessor Lian Yun?" Yu Hong asked seriously. Yu Hen didn¡¯t beat around the bush and immediately recited clearly the information he had prepared the day before. During this Spirit Light rescue action, Yu Hong and Yu Hen spent over a day at the Qian¡¯an Sanatorium before reluctantly returning. In this one day, aside from visiting the three former sect leaders, they met with nine other once high-level Xuanmen experts who were now weak and injured. Out of these nine, four declined their offer, expressing no desire to leave and instead wishing to quietly await the end of their lives here. The other five, with a try-and-see attitude, agreed to Yu Hong¡¯s Spirit Light integration. And their Spiritual Fluctuation Values were all in the thousands... in other words, at Qing Huang¡¯s Daoist Realm level. Not to talk about combat effectiveness, after all, that also depends on whether the techniques you master are strong enough, whether you have rich combat experience, etc. But at least just from the standpoint of Daoist Skills. The people here are all old brands that have completed their Passive Techniques. Put a few decades back, each of them could easily make the news in the Magician circles. But now, due to injuries and aging, they can only wait here to die, no longer having half the value they once did. Fortunately, the initial trials with Spirit Light did not disappoint. But the integration and restoration take time, and the illnesses and injuries borne by these old comrades are not easy to deal with. Otherwise, with such status, they wouldn¡¯t just be staying here for retirement... Seeds were sown quickly, and what follows is waiting, waiting for a few days later for rooting, sprouting, blooming, and bearing fruit. After spreading the Spirit Light and leaving behind the secret technique, the two quickly returned to Taizhou to officially convene the first Spirit Light Conference. The conference was declared to be simple: as long as everyone arrived, that was enough. The location chosen was Taizhou¡¯s largest open-air stadium. The conference proceedings didn¡¯t need Yu Hong¡¯s management;there were plenty of people to organize it below. He didn¡¯t even need to stay throughout the event;all he had to do was wait for everyone¡¯s Spirit Light to merge and then come back to complete the last step, merging his own before sending out the Spirit Light again. The next morning. Within the colossal Taizhou Stadium. Presiding over the conference was the former Qingchen Temple Master Yu Hen, microphone in hand. He stood on a circular stage, in a well-fitting, slender Daoist robe, with white hair fluttering and an air of immortal grace, quite imposing. Surveying his surroundings, he was intently watched by hundreds of eyes yet remained completely unflustered. "I, Yu Hen, today, here, on behalf of my nephew Zheng Rou, have come to witness with all of you the growth of our Mutual Aid Alliance!" Yu Hen declared loudly. "According to the mutual discussions of the management layer of the Mutual Aid Alliance, to let everyone directly see how powerful our Spirit Light secret technique is, so..." He paused for a moment. "We¡¯ve prepared some demonstrations here in advance, hoping everyone can get a clear understanding of the strength of Spirit Light, and understand where that strength lies." This Spirit Light Conference, in addition to Magicians, also had many local officials and civilian magicians who fled from unstable areas. The instability elsewhere increasingly highlighted the value of peace and security in Taizhou. These words were also spoken for that part of the audience. Following that, Yu Hen began inviting various Cultivators who had trained to take the stage. Then they prepared various weapons and props, beginning their tests. After more than ten minutes, those Cultivators on stage were subjected to different experiences: some faced a flamethrower firing at them, others directly faced a small sedan charging at full speed, and some were shot at close range with firearms of varying calibers. Boom! A loud noise. The front hood of the sedan had been dented and lifted from the impact. The car slammed into the magician standing still, flinging him over ten meters away. But soon, the magician naturally got up, patted himself off, and, incredibly, not even his clothes were torn, completely unharmed. All the impact force was absorbed by the thin layer of silver Spirit Light on his body. "Did everyone see that? With our Spirit Light, once cultivated, each can withstand cars, be unafraid of fire, high temperatures, bullets, and deadly poisons," Yu Hen introduced, extending his hand from the stage. "In terms of firearms, the armed department has kindly provided us with some weapons. Those who are skeptical can come up now and test it out. See how strong the average Spirit Light intensity is? This is also for safety¡¯s sake!" Yu Hen raised his hand, loudly declaring. "We promise, ah, we promise, that every friend who joins our Mutual Aid Alliance will receive Spirit Light protection of the same level! Such a powerful secret technique, such exaggerated safety, who can compare?? Throughout all of Taizhou, our Mutual Aid Alliance¡¯s Spirit Light is one of a kind! Now, next up is the poison gas test. We¡¯ve arranged a gas chamber, it¡¯s fully sealed, airtight, and we will release into it a special chemical poisonous gas from Mid. A normal adult, if they inhale even one breath, will rapidly succumb to nerve decay, lose control of their entire body, and quickly die from physiological dysfunction¡­" Yu Hong was among the audience, watching this old Temple Master who was energetically performing, feeling as if he was truly enjoying this, ignited with passion, making it seem like some sort of live prize giveaway. However, this was also his intention, considering that the more people there were, the stronger the Spirit Light would become. Therefore, he had already decided to devote this secret technique to the government authorities. In the venue, half of the guests in the VIP seating area were officials from the province and surrounding cities. At this moment, everyone who saw this spectacle was in a daze, as if believing that Yu Hen was still performing. Soon after, the volunteer magician who had been in the poison gas chamber emerged. He walked around several times, confirming he was completely fine, before slightly bowing to Yu Hen and leaving. Conversations and discussions among the audience grew louder and louder. Mostly, these were from ordinary people and other magicians watching the conference. Members of the Mutual Aid Alliance who already possessed Spirit Light were not surprised by these tests and sat quietly, eagerly anticipating the merging segment that was to come. After a while, two men dressed as government department secretaries approached to speak with Yu Hen, but with a casual gesture from him, they were directed to other Mutual Aid Alliance members nearby who were responsible for explaining the details. Yu Hong observed all this while waiting for the final Spirit Light merging segment. As he sat in the gym¡¯s backstage resting area awaiting his turn, His mentor, Yu Mo, the old Taoist, approached with a grave expression and quickly stepped backstage toward him. "Zheng Rou, disaster has struck!" "Master, the conference is in session now, no matter the issue, unless it¡¯s extremely severe, we must wait until the conference ends to discuss it," Yu Hong stood up and said. "It will not affect the conference, but... we need to heighten our vigilance," Yu Mo handed over a letter he had just received to Yu Hong. Yu Hong was taken aback, choosing an ancient form of correspondence over a direct phone call at such a time gave him an ominous feeling. Standing in the open-air resting area, he took the pale yellow envelope with the letter, pulled out the letter from the torn edge, unfolded it, and began to read. As he read attentively, his expression turned grave and unsightly. Whir. The letter was folded back up. Yu Hong looked up at Yu Mo. "Teacher, is this message real?" "Absolutely real. All the phones there are being tapped right now, which is why someone would write the content and send it out discreetly. The situation is terrible!" Yu Mo¡¯s expression was extremely grim as well. "We¡¯ve always known that there is some corruption inside the Taoist Sect Ancestor Court, but I would never have imagined that, in the face of such a catastrophe, there would be those who dare entertain such thoughts!! They truly deserve to die!!" His voice was low, filled with the exhaustion that comes after anger and agitation. Clearly, he had already been enraged upon first receiving the news. "When did this happen?" Yu Hong asked. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Yesterday, the day you all went to the sanatorium. At that time, Zihe Palace sought help from the Ancestor Court. They sent an urgent drone message, and the Ancestor Court replied, asking them to hold out for two hours." Yu Mo replied solemnly. "The result was after two hours, there was no support, not one. Zihe Palace sent out another drone for help and was told to hold on for another three hours. Then, they continued to endure..." "What about Ku Chan?" Yu Hong asked directly. "Ku Chan is said to have rushed back early, but he has yet to be seen," Yu Mo shook his head. "That means... the vast Zihe Palace, with so many Temple Master Level experts, just like that, gone!?" Yu Hong inhaled sharply. "Yes... It is said that Ghost Bell, one of the Seven Evils of the Seven Evil Alliance, activated two Black Disaster Gates of Despair, then released two Spirit Disasters from the Gate of Ten Thousand Spirits, causing the situation to mutate..." Yu Mo nodded, his expression grave. "These people..." Yu Hong closed his eyes, seemingly trying to calm his emotions. Even in Hope City from his previous world, the Eternal Life Association wasn¡¯t this despicable. "They really deserve to die¡­" With four outlets of Source Disaster, such a calamity could clearly be envisioned;the nearby towns and villages are likely now completely devoid of life. "Now, aside from Zihe Palace, in the entirety of Taizhou yesterday, thirteen Gates of Ten Thousand Spirits were opened. Some parts of the Sky Stabilizing Plate previously sealed were broken open again. We are right next to two Yin Qi Sky Pillars, and the Seven Evil Alliance might decide to send someone here to break the seal, so we must prepare as soon as possible," Yu Mo stated in a low voice. He, together with Yu Hen and Qing Huang, are the three Vice Alliance Hierarchs of the entire Mutual Aid Alliance, holding administrative power, which is why this message was relayed to Yu Hong by him. Chapter 365: calculations One "Yes... Once the seal is broken, the monsters from the Spirit Disaster and Black Disaster could erupt at any moment. We indeed can¡¯t wait any longer." Yu Hong nodded. The crisis was about to erupt, but fortunately, the day after tomorrow would mark the end of the strengthening of the Black Mark and also the day when the elder Quan He would approximately have his body remolded. As long as they could hold on during this period, they would have plenty of strong reinforcements by then. "In that case." Yu Hong pondered for a moment, "I¡¯ll immediately go out and start the Spirit Light integration and redistribution. Afterwards, I¡¯ll directly go to Zihe Palace to check, and let Mr. Qing take care of things here first." "No, it¡¯s too dangerous. Even though you are strong and talented, the entire Zihe Palace there is also..." Yu Mo firmly refused. "Master, listen to me, I am just going to confirm the disaster situation there from a distance. This will allow us to make specific arrangements based on our judgment! Only then can we know if our preparations have any effect and whether they can hold up!" Yu Hong earnestly said. "But this... it¡¯s too dangerous, even Zihe Palace has fallen into it... Ku Chan has disappeared without a trace... you..!" Yu Mo still wanted to persuade, but was stopped by Yu Hong raising his hand. "Master, do you think I am the kind of person who would take risks for people I am not familiar with? Although Zihe Palace has helped us, it¡¯s not worth such a sacrifice from me." Yu Hong solemnly said. "Sigh... hurry back soon!" Seeing that he couldn¡¯t persuade Yu Hong, Yu Mo fell silent for a moment and could only reluctantly instruct. "Rest assured..." Yu Hong patted his Daoist robe and walked towards the exit. Soon, he stepped onto the platform from the side, whispered a few words to Master Yu Hen, who was continuously introducing the future prospects of the Spirit Light Mutual Aid Alliance, and then took over the microphone from Yu Hen¡¯s hand. The meeting was interrupted midway, hundreds of people looked here with some confusion. Holding the microphone, Yu Hong scanned the surroundings. "Ladies and gentlemen... I am Zheng Rou, the Alliance Hierarch of the Mutual Aid Alliance and the current Temple Master of Qingchen Temple, Yu Hong. Master Yu Hen has just about finished introducing the benefits of the Spirit Light Secret Technique. Now, I will talk about the drawbacks. After discussing the drawbacks, everyone can decide for themselves whether to join us and become one family!" He then straightforwardly spoke about the serious side effect of being completely bound after practicing the Spirit Light Secret Technique. Then, without waiting for the uproar from the ordinary people around, he raised his hand again. "Due to unforeseen circumstances, I have decided to proceed directly to the last item of the meeting, the Spirit Light Integration. This time, the integration of Spirit Light will bring specific tiered enhancements to everyone. For specific tiers, you may inquire in detail from the alliance¡¯s representatives..." Hiss. A stream of silver Spirit Light suddenly shone from his raised right hand. "Now, please connect your wills with mine once again... we help each other, united as one!" "Heaven does not help me, I help myself!" Yu Hong declared loudly. Buzz!! Instantly, silver Spirit Light slowly lit up from most of the magicians sitting in the surrounding stadium. Hiss!! At the same time, under the astonished gaze of the audience, a silk thread of silver Spirit Light from everyone flew out, converging towards Yu Hong from all directions. The silver threads from all sides quickly condensed into a glaringly brilliant silver light source in the palm of Yu Hong. The light source was like a miniature sun, too dazzling to look directly at. At this moment, the progress of everyone¡¯s Spirit Light cultivation was stacked together, merged into one, causing the overall strength of Spirit Light to climb once more. If there were specific numerical values, this integration would have increased the intensity of the Spirit Light in Yu Hong¡¯s hand by eighty percent. "Go." Yu Hong whispered softly. Instantly, the small silver sun in his hand abruptly dispersed, turning into countless silver threads, silently returning the original path, flying back into the bodies of their original owners. In that instant, some magicians began to feel slightly perplexed. Because they only felt a slight enhancement of Spirit Light, different from what they had expected, but others experienced massive increases, far beyond their previous expectations. "For specific details on the tiered enhancement of Spirit Light, please inquire individually. I have an urgent matter, so I will leave the venue first." Yu Hong left a message, then hastily exited the stage. Before leaving, he saw Master Yu Hen already animatedly discussing the sharing of the Spirit Light Secret Technique with leaders from various places. It seemed that the disaster at Zihe Palace had not yet spread widely;otherwise, these people wouldn¡¯t be so unhurried. Yu Hong quickly left the stadium, and Qing Huang had already pulled up in the car waiting outside. "Alliance Hierarch, I will accompany you to take a look." Qing Huang spoke sternly. "No need, you need to stay here and hold down Taizhou, our main base." Yu Hong refused. "The area where Zihe Palace is located is relatively remote. Although it hasn¡¯t yet affected the populous cities for the time being, the situation is not optimistic. Our location is also close to two previous Yin Qi Sky Pillars, so the situation is not too favorable." "But Alliance Hierarch, if we encounter people from the Seven Evil Alliance..." Qing Huang hesitated. "Speak frankly!" Yu Hong frowned. "It¡¯s like this, one of the Seven Evils, Wu Shaoyuan, has shown favor to me, so, if we encounter him, could you possibly..." Qing Huang pleaded reluctantly. Only he, who had genuinely crossed fists and been instantly defeated, knew what terrifying things Yu Hong hid in his arsenal. He didn¡¯t believe that the Seven Evils could defeat Yu Hong in a solo fight. Unless Sect Leader Long Qingzi personally arrived, otherwise... "Depending on the situation, if he doesn¡¯t cause much trouble, I might consider your request." Yu Hong nodded. "Alright, get out of the car." "Sure!" Qing Huang quickly exited the driver¡¯s seat. Yu Hong took the driver¡¯s seat, started the car, and the vehicle accelerated, swiftly speeding away into the distance. Qing Huang watched him leave until the tail lights were out of sight. Suddenly, he heard a commotion from behind him in the stadium. One after another, phones began ringing. On the other end of the line, there was either anxious pleading, crying, or solemn admonitions and reminders. Every magician who answered the phone first responded with disbelief, but as the contents of the calls received by people around were largely similar, gradually, their expressions began to change. And all the calls had only one content... Which was... Zihe Palace was in trouble, and the surrounding mountain ranges, including four Earth Level city areas, experienced large-scale wild animal riots and attacks. Many wild creatures panicked and fled from the deep mountains, causing accidental injuries to human settlements on the outskirts. According to official Magician inspections, it was discovered that around the former site of Zihe Palace, within a radius of forty kilometers, was completely shrouded in grey-black mist. Electromagnetic signals could neither enter nor leave. The military had already dispatched, together with official Magicians and Magicians sent by Taoist Sect, to establish a large-scale blockade. All these circumstances indicate one fact. That is... the third-ranked Zihe Palace among the Nine Sects.... may have already.... * * * In the mist. On the mountainside of the ruins of Zihe Palace. A figure drenched in blood, laboriously stepping towards the mountain. The figure was wearing a tight biker outfit, which was torn everywhere, and fresh blood was seeping through. In his hand, he held a dark red long sword engraved with simple yet elegant patterns. The guard was also carved with the delicate head of a golden-red phoenix, and the blade extended from the phoenix¡¯s open beak. "I¡¯m here.... finally... here. Dad... Mom.... Ying¡¯er.... you all... wait for me!" The figure raised his head, revealing Ku Chan¡¯s indomitable visage, blurred with flesh and blood. He was ambushed by the Sect Leader of the Blood Eye Sect, one of the Seven Evils, with a Talisman Array and they fought fiercely for more than ten hours. After both sides exhausted their aces, he finally managed to inflict severe injuries and repel them. But facing such a high-level opponent, he couldn¡¯t possibly come out unscathed, as he too suffered serious injuries. If it were only that, but on the way back, after entering the mist-locked mountains, he continually encountered a large number of unconscious bodies roaming everywhere. These bodies were invulnerable to blades and guns, extremely fast, and carried lethal poisons, similar to zombies. After dealing with a large number of bodies, Ku Chan encountered three consecutive humanoid golden armored Spirit Disasters with dragon heads. Relying on the power of the Dao Artifact, Chi Xiao Sword, he forcibly crushed the Spirit Disasters, but his injuries had also reached an unbearable level.... Ku Chan took a deep breath, summoned his Dao Breath, quickened his steps, using the Chi Xiao Sword as a mountaineering staff, to support his body and continue climbing upwards. Another ten or so minutes passed. He finally reached the large door of the Taoist Palace groups of Zihe Palace, a place he was once incredibly familiar with and had seen countless times since childhood. The familiar grey-white square door had already shattered into pieces, scattered on the ground. The entrance was wide open, and from the outside looking in, one could see bloodstains everywhere, broken walls and ruins, desolate. Ku Chan bit his lip, his body trembling as he saw this scene. He paused for a moment, sped up forward, and stepped into the gateway. "Dad...." "Mom...." "Ying¡¯er...?" His steps quickened more and more, becoming more urgent. He crossed the damaged corridors, passed through the collapsed Taoist Palace, and walked over a small lake filled with broken floating debris. Eventually, he reached the last stand of Zihe Palace¡ªthe Bull Horn Taoist Palace. This Taoist Palace, shaped like a bull¡¯s head, was now completely silent, with bodies lying haphazardly everywhere inside. Ku Chan¡¯s trembling intensified. He forcefully suppressed the immense pain in his heart, step by step, moving forward. The first person he saw was his father, the Taoist Yu Qin. Yu Qin was bisected at the waist, his upper body holding a sword, eyes wide open with anger, collapsed to the ground. Blood mixed with viscera flowed from his waist, already cold. Ku Chan¡¯s body shook, and his eyes blurred for a moment. Despite anticipating what he would find, seeing it now was still.... He opened his mouth, immense sorrow washed over him like an ocean, completely filling his chest, making it almost impossible to breathe. He stepped forward, reached out, gently smoothed and closed his father¡¯s wide eyes. Then he stood up and continued forward. Next, he saw his mother. Her body was trampled into a mash, with only her head remaining, full of anger, lying to the side, eyes glaring, as if she were screaming something. He went over and closed her eyes too. By now his tears had wet his face, dripping onto the hem of his tattered Daoist robe. His body also began to shake slightly. Then there was... Ying¡¯er. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ying¡¯er knelt on the ground, her corpse still relatively intact, only the torso had a giant hole the size of a human head. Ku Chan slowly walked up to the body. He bowed his head, the sword blade drooping, the powerless sword tip piercing the ground. He reached out again to touch.... "Wait, no! This isn¡¯t Ying¡¯er! This is the Purple Cloud Substitute Technique!" Suddenly his expression changed, and with a gentle push, Ying¡¯er¡¯s corpse instantly shattered, like porcelain, turning into ash and scattering across the ground. Chapter 366: calculation II "She¡¯s still alive! She¡¯s not dead yet!!" At this moment, the huge change in emotions from sorrow to a glimpse of hope made Ku Chan¡¯s face flush red with surging blood. He quickly examined the traces and realized that it was likely a technique unleashed by his father, Yu Qin, before his death that protected and sent Ying¡¯er away. "Ying¡¯er...." Ku Chan straightened his body and followed the traces left by the Dao Breath, hastening his steps towards the distance. * * * On the outskirts of the Zihe Palace mountain ranges. Rings of military defense lines encircled the massive gray clouds within. Helicopters patrolled non-stop, monitoring round the clock. Teams were periodically sent into the interior, trying to gather intelligence in a strategic manner. The logistics teams continuously transported debris and animal carcasses, forming continuous orange lines. Yu Hong observed the exterior situation from afar, choosing not to directly contact the official Taoist Sect. From his previous experiences, he felt there were significant issues in how the Taoist Sect handled the Source Disaster. Rather than that, he decided to continue building the Mutual Aid Alliance, undermining the Taoist Sect, and creating a new sect! A few kilometers away from the encirclement, he parked his car in the wilderness and proceeded on foot. On the gray serpentine road, Yu Hong stood halfway up the mountain, looking at the gray clouds inside the encirclement. The gray clouds resembled a gigantic living creature, seemingly writhing and devouring everything inside Zihe Palace. Yu Hong did not rush in but instead activated his mind. Whoosh!! In an instant, numerous black Dragon Lizards appeared in the shadows behind him. "Go inside and have a look," he instructed. With a swooshing sound, more than twenty Dragon Lizards rapidly charged towards the area enveloped by the gray clouds. ¡¯This time, I need to test the limit of my strength against the Spirit Disaster. How strong can I be after several enhancements of Spirit Light, I must clarify this, otherwise, I might overestimate myself later,¡¯ Yu Hong pondered. This was also the reason he had to come here alone. He had many secrets to keep. If he unleashed them one by one, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to keep them secret with someone else around. Soon, with the shared vision capability of the Dragon Lizards, he slowly moved forward and stepped off the edge of the road cliff. Puff. His body fell free, slowly descending towards the lower levels. Acceleration from slow to fast. Hundreds of meters in mid-air, the wind whistled louder and louder beside Yu Hong. He breathed softly. Buzz! His body suddenly lit up with a white phosphorescent glow. "Agrius." Boom! A giant black shadow flashed from behind him, precisely catching his body, then landed on the cliff, clinging to the cliff face, and quickly crawled towards the distant gray clouds. In no time, Yu Hong quietly bypassed the official encirclement using Agrius¡¯s cover, making it seem like only a patch of grayish-black mist had drifted by. Finally, he successfully sneaked into the inner part of the Zihe Palace mountains. Puff! In a dense forest, Yu Hong stood on Agrius¡¯s back, silently landing, standing in front of a vast expanse of gray clouds. The gray clouds were rolling turbulently, less than one meter away from him. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yu Hong gazed at the gray clouds, slowly extending his hand to touch them. Sizzle! The moment the gray clouds touched, they clung to his hand like living worms. But they were quickly countered and neutralized by the white light on Yu Hong¡¯s body. "Let¡¯s go." Yu Hong commanded in a low voice and actively stepped forward into the gray mist. The Dragon Lizards had already entered before him, but they couldn¡¯t share their vision. ¡¯It seems I have to check it out myself.¡¯ Agrius carried Yu Hong quickly through the gray fog. Surrounding them was a gray and dead silence with no insect sounds or birds chirping, only the rustling noise of the wind stirring the leaves. After rushing deeper for a few hundred meters, Agrius suddenly stopped and looked forward. Ahead, a thin figure holding a firewood knife stood silently on the withered, yellow grassland. Despite the cover of gray fog, it was clear the figure was a woodcutter, but curiously, his upper body was bare, and his skin showed visible gray markings. Yu Hong¡¯s mind acted. A Dragon Lizard silently pounced from the side, spitting out a dark red line of fire. Puff, the woodcutter did not dodge and was hit directly by the fire line. Fire corroded and sizzled. But this seemed to startle the other party. "Roar!!" The woodcutter roared lowly, like a wild beast, rushing towards the Dragon Lizard. Flames were still burning on his body as if pain didn¡¯t affect him, swiftly sprinting to the Dragon Lizard¡¯s face to slash. Ding! The knife struck the Dragon Lizard¡¯s face, sparking flames. Its scales could resist gunfire and paid no mind to such attacks. Yet, not minding the attack, the Dragon Lizard also roared lowly, swinging its tail instinctively forward. Bang! The firewood-cutting woodcutter was harshly hit on the neck, his cervical bone snapping instantly. He flew more than ten meters away, rolling on the ground several times, but soon, he got up again. Ignoring his broken neck, he continued approaching the Dragon Lizard upright. ¡¯A living dead?¡¯ Yu Hong frowned. Immediately, he left a Dragon Lizard to entangle with the opponent while he took the rest of the team to rush deeper inside. Passing through a small patch of forest, large patches of land appeared like bald spots burnt black. On these grounds, everything including grass and trees was burnt to black ash by high temperatures. Yu Hong took out the multimeter and saw the spiritual value fluctuating around seventeen. His vigilance increased. He continued forward. The forest started to thin out, and traces of human habitation, such as log cabins, gradually became more common. Some even had signs for tourist resorts. Soon, he encountered the same type of grey-patterned skinned dead people as before. A group of soldiers in armed police uniforms, holding firearms, hazily charged towards Yu Hong. Similarly, black Dragon Lizards leaped out from behind Yu Hong, blocking these living dead. Agrius, on the other hand, set his sights on a three-meter-tall humanoid snake-headed monster in silver armor behind the group. This monster held a silver spear, wore a silver mask, and had a single red, upward-bending facial tendril that swayed with its movements. Thump. Thump. Thump. As the snake-headed humanoid¡¯s heavy footsteps approached, the value on Yu Hong¡¯s multimeter shot from double digits to triple digits. It quickly fluctuated around three hundred eighty, equivalent to the spiritual strength of a seasoned Temple Master. "Agrius, tear him apart." Yu Hong patted the enormous lizard by his side. With a thunderous boom, Agrius, over thirty meters long, charged towards the opponent like a train. A flash of golden electricity. The monster raised its spear in an attempt to block horizontally, but the disparity in size and weight was too great;it happened in the blink of an eye. Boom!! The monster vanished from Yu Hong¡¯s sight. It was forcefully slammed by Agrius into the vast forest behind them. Golden electric light flared up in the mist, emitting a piercing crackling sound. After about half a minute, Agrius turned into black mist and returned to Yu Hong¡¯s side, re-condensing. The snake-headed humanoid did not reappear. It was clearly defeated. Yu Hong noticed a slight bulge in Agrius¡¯ abdomen and wondered if it had eaten the creature. "Continue." He mentally noted that Agrius had effortlessly handled a spirit disaster monster with Temple Master level spiritual fluctuations. This outing was not only to verify his own strength but also to test the limits of the power he could wield. The living dead nearby were quickly dealt with one by one by the Dragon Lizards. Yu Hong let the Dragon Lizards hunt freely while Agrius was also released to slowly explore towards Zihe Palace. He then strolled at the rear, gradually moving forward. Soon, after encountering the snake-headed humanoid three more times, a stronger dragon-headed humanoid in golden armor appeared before Yu Hong. It had already started fighting Agrius ahead. This creature, also over three meters tall, emitted fluctuations far weaker than the first dragon-headed humanoid Yu Hong encountered. Yet, its strength was much greater than the previous snake-headed humanoids. It also bore numerous wounds and dents. Agrius was also covered in scars, but unlike the humanoid, its injuries automatically healed and disappeared with a flash of black mist. This was Yu Hong using the Heavenly River to heal it. Hiss!! Roar!! The two monsters charged at each other again in front of Yu Hong. Boom¡ªA massive collision. They clashed and wrestled on the ground. Their strengths seemed comparable, with Agrius having a slight edge in brute force but lacking the agility of the opponent. They seemed evenly matched, locked in a stalemate. Yu Hong took out the multimeter and checked the spiritual fluctuations. ¡¯812.732.¡¯ He looked up at Agrius, surrounded by golden electric arcs;it seemed it had used all available means but still couldn¡¯t defeat the dragon-headed golden armor. "It seems this is your limit for now." He put away the multimeter, shaking his head slightly. He wasn¡¯t sure what class the dragon-headed golden armor was among spirit disasters, but Agrius¡¯ limit was now clear. It hadn¡¯t reached a thousand. Staring at the roaring, struggling dragon-headed humanoid. Yu Hong¡¯s gaze narrowed slightly. "It seems I need to take action myself..." Without utilizing techniques¡ªsince using techniques here with his mere hundred-plus Dao Breath spiritual value would be a waste and equivalent to feeding the enemy. Daoist Skills, from the beginning, were his way to find a complete solution to the Black Disaster to compensate his weak points. Now, they were best used just for protection. So... Yu Hong raised his right hand, forming it into a blade. "Test item one: cover with ten percent Inner Strength." White light flowed over the surface of the hand blade like ripples. He took steps towards the opponent. Then... Whoosh!! In an instant, Yu Hong had vanished from the spot. When he reappeared, he was already behind the dragon-headed humanoid. Without turning around, he lowered his hand, flicking off a drop of golden blood from his fingertips. He moved away forward. Behind him, right in the middle of the dragon-headed man¡¯s chest, there was a thump, and it explosively burst open, forming a hideous, large gash. This gash burst forth with large amounts of golden blood, completely splitting its body in two, severing it horizontally! Roar!! Amidst the howling, the body of the dragon-headed humanoid shattered, turning into countless wisps of gray mist that dissipated into nothing. Chapter 367: Estimation of 365, three Between the dense forest lands, gray mist pervaded, with stooped black silhouettes slowly swaying as they walked about. These figures were carrying pitch-black pouches, bending their bodies, emitting bursts of wails unconsciously, reminiscent of an old man¡¯s groans. Hoo! In an instant, a breeze blew by. Suddenly, there appeared a burly figure in the woods. Yu Hong frowned as he looked at the figures in front of him. ¡¯The Dragon Lizard has disappeared again¡­ entering here, it vanished in a flash, losing contact¡­ It seems to be the Spiritual Domain. And it¡¯s very likely a wide expanse His expression grew increasingly grim, unable to connect with Agrius¡¯s senses either. ¡¯It seems I can only rely on myself now.¡¯ Along the forest land, he took steps further in. Different from the previous Spirit Disaster Monsters, these stooped figures completely ignored him even as he approached within ten meters. Yu Hong walked up to one of the figures carrying a pouch, taking a careful look. This was an elderly man with white hair whose skin was festering all over, his face covered in densely packed pustules, and his features indistinguishable. The aging skin exposed on his arms and lower legs beneath his trousers further indicated his age. If it were just that, at most he would be an old man looking to be in agonizing pain from illness. But the black cloth bag on his back changed everything. Who knows what was inside that pouch, bulging as if something alive was squirming and heaving within. The old man gripped the neck of the pouch tightly with both hands, shuffling forward step by step, his movements arduous and slow. When Yu Hong got close, he could smell an indescribable foul stench, strange and unnatural, evoking thoughts of dryness, dust, and darkness. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The other didn¡¯t attack him, and he didn¡¯t bother doing anything himself;after observing for a bit, he walked past this group of old men carrying black pouches. The further he walked in, the denser the number of the pouch carriers became. Yu Hong ventured in for over ten minutes, and the number of pouch carriers he saw had exceeded over a thousand. Moreover, the environmental data on the multimeter had skyrocketed to over a hundred in intensity. This had reached his current limit of spiritual height. Here, this was merely the environmental value of the spiritual fluctuations disseminated by the Spirit Disaster Monsters. This made his heart grow heavier. Crossing hill after hill. Gradually the number of pouch carriers began to decrease. In their place were densely packed black meat pouches covering the ground. Each of these pouches was the size of a washbasin, their surfaces gleaming as if they were balloons, expanding and contracting as if breathing. They grew on the ground, with large root systems beneath, seemingly absorbing nutrients from the earth. Yu Hong tried to approach one of the meat pouches, squatting down to reach out and touch. Without the Dragon Lizard and Agrius, he seemed to be not seen as an enemy here. His hand lightly brushed over the thin membrane on the surface of the meat pouch. Cool to the touch, like rubbing a ballooned bladder. Even through the membrane, he could feel countless tiny insects scurrying about inside. Yu Hong took out the multimeter, attached it, and took a measurement. ¡¯1234.138.¡¯ The spiritual fluctuation data inside was clearly compounded together;such a high value indicated a large number of small entities hidden within. Without disturbing these creatures, he stood up and continued deeper. Several hundreds of meters into the depths, he could gradually see the extensive ruins of the Zihe Palace. However, around these gray-white buildings, there were quite a few clusters of silver-armored snake-headed entities patrolling. Among them, a few golden-armored dragon-headed entities were mixed. ¡¯They¡¯ve actually formed an organization This was the first time Yu Hong had seen the Source Disaster exhibit such strong organization. This gave him an extremely ominous premonition. After carefully observing the existing number of Spirit Disaster entities and making sure, he slowly walked out of the forest and directly towards the Taoist Palace. Swoosh! In the blink of an eye, hundreds of the silver-armored snake-headed entities all turned their heads in unison to look in his direction. Dense spiritual fluctuations, like a barrage of arrows, locked onto Yu Hong instantly. The data on his multimeter soared to tens of thousands! Putting away the meter. "This is a test." Yu Hong extended his right hand, palm shaped like a blade, covered in a layer of white luminescent Inner Strength. "Still Inner Strength, at ten percent." Using mere physical strength would not hit these creatures;only by combining it with Inner Strength could he actually strike and harm them. Swoosh! As soon as Yu Hong¡¯s words fell, he turned into a white streak, rushing like lightning into the midst of the Spirit Disaster crowd. His hand blade casually cleaved through, and with a single slash through the crowd, Spirit Disaster bodies were cut open and exploded. Boom boom boom boom! After a few seconds. Hundreds of the snake-headed entities present had all exploded, turning into countless wisps of gray fog and vanishing. The golden-armored dragon-headed entities, on the other hand, held long spears and began to rush towards Yu Hong. "Kneel down!" "Kneel down!" "Kneel down!!" Waves of spiritual fluctuations impacted Yu Hong¡¯s mind. But they were blocked by his own spiritual power combined with Inner Strength. His own spiritual power, combined with the amplification of the Inheritance Dao Artifact Guang Han, had already reached over three hundred. Although it was still a small amount, when added to his Inner Strength and a strand of Divine Intent within the Dao Artifact, it seemed not difficult to block such a distance spiritual shock. Inner Strength can indeed block spiritual shocks, but when not deploying Inner Strength, one is extremely vulnerable. Now that Yu Hong had activated his Inner Strength, he was like a child wearing heavy armor;the Inner Strength was the armor. However, he could not keep burning Inner Strength all the time, remaining in that explosive state. His Inner Strength was not so plentiful as to sustain burning continuously. Therefore, increasing his own spiritual strength had become the only choice. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t really test how much spiritual shock he could withstand, but promptly covered his entire body with Inner Qi to isolate the shock. This was like adding an extra layer of necessarily tough shell outside his body. As long as his Inner Strength wasn¡¯t exhausted, he would be fine. Gazing at the dozen or so Golden Armor dragon-headed men charging at him. Yu Hong raised his hand, wielding only ten percent of his strength, and took the initiative to meet the attack. Bang! The first dragon-headed man brushed past him, its body instantly exploded into countless golden dots, followed by the dots turning into gray mist, completely vanishing. Then came the second one. Yu Hong ducked to avoid a thrusting spear, raising his hand and sweeping it forward. Swoosh. The chests of two dragon-headed men were torn open on the spot, spouting golden blood and retreating with agonized screams. Then came three spear tips stabbing toward Yu Hong from three directions. This time, it was too late to change tactics;Yu Hong simply stopped dodging, tensed his muscles throughout his body, and covered himself with Inner Strength. Clang clang clang! Three crisp sounds rang out, as all three spear tips stabbed onto his body without sparks;instead, an indescribable sense of dizziness surged into his mind. ¡¯Is this dizziness purely spiritual piercing?¡¯ He understood in his heart, and his hand wielding the hand sword swung forward to slash. But this time, he peculiarly found something wrong. The speed of his slash seemed to have slowed down... Soon, three more dragon-headed men were sliced apart, exploding into pieces. And Yu Hong was stabbed two more times. This time, the change he felt was even greater. His speed at striking and slashing was significantly slower than at the beginning. ¡¯Hit once, there is a slight dizziness and a reduction in speed?¡¯ Yu Hong realized. The rules of dragon-headed men seemed to be just that. Moreover, with their own strength and speed both fast, moving at least a hundred yards and able to ignore physical inertia for swift direction changes, Such monsters, if replaced by an average Magician, even the Great Mages with strong spiritual power like Qing Huang, would likely be in danger. He carefully observed the patterns of the dragon-headed men. After about several minutes. He roughly figured out their metrics. ¡¯Their stationary burst strength is about thirty tons, sprint speed unknown, but due to the lack of physical inertia, the strength should be similar, not much variation.¡¯ ¡¯Their protective strength is strong;the Golden Armor is not for show and should withstand ordinary gunshots.¡¯ ¡¯Their bodies are physical entities but can harm spiritual power, and, after charging for a while, they can temporarily transform into a gray cloud form, immune to physical attacks.¡¯ Yu Hong¡¯s hand sword cut a dragon-headed man that had dissolved into a gray cloud in the head area. The hand sword hit nothing. He retracted his hand without surprise, feeling he was hit in the back by spears twice more. By now, his speed had noticeably dropped quite a lot. From the initial two hundred yards or so, it had dropped to less than a hundred, which was slower than these surrounding dragon-headed men. In front of the Zihe Palace. On the spacious forest clearing, after realizing that he could not catch up with the enemy, Yu Hong simply stopped and stood still, letting the spears hit his body. "One tenth of strength seems not enough to completely avoid multiple dragon-headed men, so..." He stretched out his hand, and the Inner Strength on the back of his hand shone even brighter. "Now, it¡¯s two tenths." Boom! With a single hand, he accurately grabbed a spear coming at him and pulled forcefully. The colossal strength enhanced by Inner Strength instantly pulled the towering dragon-headed man closer. Boom! Another muffled sound, and with his free left hand, he punched the dragon-headed man¡¯s head, shattering it. Golden blood rained down on the ground, emitting a faint white smoke. The dragon-headed man collapsed to the ground, turning into gray mist, and his body along with its equipment all disintegrated and vanished. Not only that, all the spears coming at him were caught by his bare hands, pulled closer, and he burst their heads one after another. Within a mere ten seconds, the last of the dragon-headed men in the field had all disappeared under Yu Hong¡¯s fists. As all the dragon-headed men collapsed into mist. The sensation of being slowed and weighted down on Yu Hong¡¯s body also quickly dissipated. "Have to kill off an entire group to lift this slowdown state? That¡¯s quite difficult..." Yu Hong guessed whether these dragon-headed men had already formed a small-scale Spiritual Domain, which made it so challenging. Having cleared the entrance of the Taoist Palace. He glanced at the broken gate on the ground and stepped inside. In fact, coming here this time, he had harbored a sliver of hope for rescuing the Feixia Sword that had once supported Qingchen Temple. But unfortunately... only upon really arriving here did he realize how laughable his previous thoughts were. The entire Zihe Palace, as far as the eye could see, was in shambles, barely a single building intact. Some ground still bore huge footprints akin to those of Black Giants;some buildings were stacked on one another, as if grabbed and used as tools by some giant to smash. Other houses were completely flattened into a large patchwork carpet, seemingly crushed into the ground by something extremely heavy. Chapter 368: calculation Four Yu Hong single-handedly covered his Inner Strength, walking slowly inside. As he walked, he also positioned the recently encountered squad of Dragon-men in his mind. He did this to dispatch forces accordingly, instead of solving everything by himself. ¡¯A squad of about fifteen Dragon-men should be able to handle the Black Giants in the Black Disaster. These guys are agile, fast, have high defenses, can switch to a physical immunity state, and can also enforce decreed slow-down and dizziness interrupts... If this kind of dizziness and slow-down works on the Black Giants, then given their large size, once targeted, they are likely to be continuously interrupted and dizzied until they slow down to a state of complete immobility....¡¯ From this, Yu Hong could generally judge the Dragon-men squad as War Level. Because the Black Giant, in itself, actually belongs to the pinnacle of Level Nine, just a bit short of War Level. "Have I already encountered War Level monsters without even meeting the main character?" he sighed slightly, arriving by a small lake filled with floating objects. The lake water bobbed with a variety of objects: some were clothes, some were pots and pans, and there were also wooden beams from houses. From afar, it looked colorful, chaotic, and filthy. The lake water had turned a faint brownish-red, it was unclear whether it was because too much blood had flowed into it, or.... Yu Hong reached the lakeside and smelled a faint scent of blood. Without thinking, he knew where the red color in the lake came from. He looked up. The main buildings of Zihe Palace in the distance had also collapsed significantly, with only a bull-shaped main hall remaining in the innermost area, less damaged and relatively intact. "That should be the last stand..." He took steps towards that direction. However, he hadn¡¯t walked far. Suddenly, a violent tremor came from ahead. Boom!!! Silently, a footprint several meters in diameter appeared on the ground. Immediately after, a gust of foul wind howled towards him. It was as if an invisible giant object in the air was rapidly approaching him. Yu Hong¡¯s expression changed slightly, his hand forming a Seal, and the improved Catastrophe Spirit Talisman Magic was activated instantly. Sss! A ring of white light exploded around his eyes. This was a refined talisman Technique capable of detecting the Spiritual Domain. Essentially, it was also a Magic that could be released through a Technique. The next moment, he saw it. A golden spear as thick as a water bucket descended from the sky, slanting down with a crash. The spear was engraved with white dragon patterns all over, and the tip of the spear faintly emitted a soft colorful light;this burst of speed had already exceeded Yu Hong¡¯s limit to dodge. The opponent was too fast, not that it was faster than his Thunderbolt Leg, but that the incident happened too suddenly, leaving him too little time to react. There was too little space and time, it was too late! In an instant, Yu Hong¡¯s right hand shone brightly with white light, raised to block. Boom!! Successive rings of transparent airwaves exploded between him and the spear. Yu Hong¡¯s legs sank deep into the ground up to his waist, but his right hand firmly blocked the descending golden spear tip. "Forty percent effort..." He estimated the power spent, only forty percent of his Inner Strength combined with his physical strength managed to block this spear. "Very strong!" Yu Hong looked up at the owner of the spear. "Is it actually someone familiar?" When he saw the opponent, he was slightly stunned. The opponent was also a Dragon-man, but much bigger than the previous ones, over ten meters tall, sitting on a cloud like a small mountain, looking down here. It held the golden spear with both hands;the attack just now was a sudden sneak attack it launched. Apart from these, there were also gold-colored mane like a lion¡¯s, a third eye on its forehead, and three white dragon horns on its head, indicating that this guy was not in the same league as the other golden-armored Dragon-men. "Seeing a True God, why don¡¯t you kneel!!?" Upon seeing the opponent, a deafening familiar roar exploded in Yu Hong¡¯s mind. Immense spiritual pressure surged over him, attempting to force him to kneel. "Fifty percent." Yu Hong¡¯s expression remained calm, the white light in his right hand brightened further. Boom! The immense Inner Strength of the Tai Ling Skill fiercely surged upwards, breaking through that spiritual pressure trying to force him to kneel. The two forces canceled each other out, the Inner Strength obviously a bit stronger, the excess energy escaped from Yu Hong¡¯s body, turning into a gentle white light stream, flying back towards the opponent. But the Dragon-man waved it off with a hand, dispersing it in the air into countless white light spots. "Descendant of the Moon... I spared your life last time, and you dare to steal my Star Stone... a crime of the utmost severity!!" "Die!! Die!! Die!!!" This special Three-eyed Dragon Man stood up from the cloud and leaped down. Even though its massive body over ten meters tall landed, there was not a single sound or motion;it landed silently half-kneeling and then stood up. "Instant virtualization and then materialization?" Yu Hong saw the opponent¡¯s tactic. This guy virtualized into a cloud of mist as it landed to eliminate the weight impact, then turned back into solid form. Because this sequence of changes was extremely quick, it was hard to notice without careful observation. "Since we can communicate, may I ask a few questions?" This was the first time he had encountered a Spirit Disaster that could speak so much. Maybe before fighting, he could extract some information from it. "Star Stone thief, you must die!!" The Three-eyed Dragon Man didn¡¯t heed him at all;its golden spear swung rapidly, forming a light wheel, then paused abruptly. The spear burst forth with a blinding golden light. Sss! At the same time, the entire massive body of the Three-eyed Dragon Man suddenly disappeared, leaving only a virtual image of the golden spear in its place. Yu Hong¡¯s face tensed, he immediately turned around, raising his hand to grab. Boom!! The golden spear appeared behind him unknowingly, and swung down on his head again. A terrifying force of thousands of tons smashed down like mountains. Yu Hong¡¯s body was also smashed into the ground like a nail, completely disappearing from sight. The ground was also smashed, bursting open with large cracks. Rubble flew, and dust filled the sky. The Three-eyed Dragon Man, having successfully struck, was about to jump again. But this jump was still slow. Boom!! The ground under its feet burst instantly, and under the flying sand and rocks, Yu Hong¡¯s body was covered with white light as he burst out of the ground, his hands precisely grabbing the shaft of the spear. "Get up!!!" Yu Hong¡¯s muscles bulged and with the amplification of Inner Strength, he suddenly unleashed a massive force, astonishingly lifting the entire Three-eyed Dragon Man through the golden spear. Whooshing through the air, the golden spear, along with the Three-eyed Dragon Man, traced a perfect arc in the mid-air, crashing down like a cannonball onto a pile of already-collapsed building ruins. Boom! The ruins were smashed into even smaller pieces. Countless pieces of rubble flew like bullets, even splashing white waves on a nearby small lake. "Thief!!" Moo!! Accompanied by a dragon¡¯s roar, the Three-eyed Dragon Man climbed up from the ruins, its body rapidly shrinking, transforming into a three-meter-tall stature similar to other Dragon-men. Hissing, it roared upwards, its speed exploding in an instant, vanishing from its spot. This surge in speed caught Yu Hong off guard. The enhanced speed was too dramatic, causing a significant disparity in his focused response. The next second. A colossal force, at least exceeding three thousand tons, completely weighed down on Yu Hong¡¯s arms. More troubling, beyond the massive force, there was an irrational, unknown power that abruptly paused Yu Hong¡¯s thoughts. By the time he regained his senses, he had already been hit. Inner Strength automatically protected his body, with over eighty percent of his Inner Strength instantly filling his arms, firmly blocking the incoming golden spear! Bang!! Yu Hong¡¯s body flew backward, crashing into a pile of Taoist Palace ruins behind him. Like the Three-eyed Dragon Man, he also caused a lot of rubble to explode, dust flying everywhere. Boom!! The next moment, the ruins burst apart. Yu Hong walked out from it, his body glowing with a faint white Inner Strength. His hair ignited into white flames, standing on end. His muscles had swelled significantly compared to before. His height reached 2.5 meters, only slightly shorter than the opponent. "The moment of impact causes a pause in thought? Is this one of your rules?" This level of Spirit Disaster was definitely not a regular character, certainly a special monster with its own Spiritual Domain. Strong in body, strong in spiritual shock, and possessing unforeseen Spiritual Domain rules, this hexagonal warrior is incredibly powerful! "Thief! Damn!" The Three-eyed Dragon Man seems only capable of a few simple responses. It swung the Golden Spear, transforming it back into a golden disc. Then it abruptly paused. The Golden Spear stiffened, leaving behind a dazzling afterimage. It disappeared from its spot. Appearing once again behind Yu Hong, the Golden Spear swung down. But this time, it was preempted by Yu Hong turning and kicking. Bang!! In that instant, the air itself was whipped into an explosion by the kick. Yu Hong¡¯s leg struck the Three-eyed Dragon Man¡¯s waist just as the Golden Spear was falling. "Since there¡¯s no capacity to think, no need for thought then." A massive roar erupted between the two. The two figures flew backward simultaneously, crashing hard into the ground behind them, slicing the earth with two long, slender black slashes like daggers. Yu Hong quickly got up, his white light brightening, Inner Strength blazing, he charged towards his foe. In this state, his defense, speed, and strength were all significantly enhanced. After discovering the opponent¡¯s two rules, he now perceived a third... ¡¯Continuously forcing the opponent to block or getting hit multiple times will inevitably lead to some significant change!¡¯ On Yu Hong¡¯s right arm, golden daffodil-like patterns began to appear. Even Inner Strength infused with Cosmic Divine Light could only slowly erode and neutralize these patterns. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Just moments ago, when he saw the golden patterns on his body, a sharp intuition surged in his heart. Then recalling the changes from the appearance of the patterns until now, Yu Hong guessed that this was also one of the Spiritual Domain rules mastered by the Three-eyed Dragon Man. Thus, he made a decisive move, activating Inner Qi, covering his whole body, burning at full capacity! "Come again!" The white flame on his body rose even higher. With this complete unleashing of power, in the ruins of Zihe Palace, the Three-eyed Dragon Man, holding the Golden Spear, found its speed and strength completely suppressed. For a time, it could only stand there, continuously thrusting around, but every spear completely missed. Only streaks of white lines were seen, rapidly weaving around it, like arrows repeatedly piercing through its body. After confirming that the Three-eyed Dragon Man had no other rules, Yu Hong never let it touch him again. Even if the opponent turned into a grey cloud, he could use Inner Strength to forcibly disperse it even further. After half a minute. Following a painful dragon¡¯s roar, The Three-eyed Dragon Man looked up and roared, its body riddled with wounds, and exploded with a bang, turning into a vast grey mist, completely covering hundreds of meters around. Swoosh! Yu Hong gently landed, standing on a broken stone pillar, the golden patterns on his body also fading and disappearing with the vanishing of the Three-eyed Dragon Man. Chapter 369: Wave 367 One "Three-eyed Dragon-Man: Absolutely War Level already... With one spear thrust, this guy can forcefully immobilize an opponent momentarily, which is even more unreasonable than causing dizziness, not to mention Instantaneous Movement, Virtualization, and potentially unknown methods after multiple hits. Fast and frighteningly strong...." He exhaled. Yu Hong lightly jumped down from the stone column;most of his Daoist robe had already been damaged during the recent battle. He simply tore off the upper half of the robe, tied the remnants around his waist, revealing his rock-like muscles, and headed towards the final Bull Horn Hall. But after just a few steps, he suddenly halted. He looked up towards the sky to his right. Whoosh... A slight breeze blew, picking up some sand and dust. BOOM!!! Suddenly, An overwhelming terrifying pressure, like a tidal wave, covered all areas around him, rushing and submerging onto Yu Hong. Even though he was burning with Inner Strength, under such conditions, he was still being pressed so much that his bones creaked. His mind went blank, with even his thoughts immobilized. The Tai Ling Skill¡¯s Inner Strength within his body instinctively erupted with maximum strength, fighting against the external pressure. Boom! Yu Hong¡¯s body ignited with even more intense white flames. This time, it was a double Inner Strength burn. His overall strength and quality surged dramatically under the double-boosted burning. Under such resistance, Yu Hong gradually recovered his immobilized thoughts, coming back to his senses. He quickly looked down at his multifunction watch: ¡¯729238.124.¡¯ The exaggerated numbers made his breathing pause slightly. He lifted his head and looked in the direction of the pressure. There, in midair, stood a figure in a white Daoist robe, holding a horsetail whisk, his head surrounded by a Colorful Mirror, floating cross-legged, as if observing something below. Around the Taoist, whether it be the clouds above or the mountains and ground around, all formed a huge invisible spherical shape centered on him, as if the massive pressure emanating from him had forcibly squeezed out a spherical cavity. "Wow, definitely a top-tier monster... Afraid that without Thunderbolt Transformation, I wouldn¡¯t even have the qualifications to get close..." Yu Hong¡¯s heart chilled;the opponent was definitely more than just War Level, at least ten times stronger than the Three-eyed Dragon-Man just now... From such a distance, he could still measure a Spiritual Wave Radiation Value of over seven hundred thousand. Ahh!!! Suddenly, a furious human roar came drifting from afar. Yu Hong focused his gaze, but the view was blocked and he couldn¡¯t see anything. He only felt a familiar aura, which soared intensely for a moment, then turned into a Purple Fire Meteor, charging towards the Cai Jing Taoist in mid-air. But the Purple Fire Meteor only got within ten meters of the Taoist before it collapsed spontaneously in mid-air. From within the meteor, a charred figure fell from high above and landed below with a puff, disappearing from sight. "Ku Chan!?" Yu Hong recognized the owner of the Purple Fire Meteor¡¯s aura and his expression changed instantly. He was eager to go to the rescue, but the monster Taoist¡¯s mental strength was too exaggerated. He felt that if he went now, he might end up having to fight the guy. Although his Thunderbolt Transformation was powerful, honestly, this was the first time he felt he had no chance of winning. Was it worth it to save a Ku Chan? While Yu Hong was still weighing the options in his mind, Ku Chan¡¯s purple aura flashed by and rose again, turning into a meteor that blasted off into the distance. The guy actually escaped unharmed, and his speed increased explosively, disappearing from Yu Hong¡¯s sight within a few moments. ¡¯Wow... can even fly!?¡¯ He choked for a few seconds, then speechlessly looked away. The Cai Jing Taoist still sat cross-legged in the void, not caring, just gently waving his horsetail whisk. Ss-ss-ss-ss! In an instant, countless whisk threads fell from his hand, like beams of light. As each thread touched the ground, it inflated like a balloon and instantly turned into Spirit Disaster Monsters, identical to the Three-eyed Dragon-Man from before. The dense and overwhelming aura, like a pot lid, layered on top of each other, pushed the multifunction watch¡¯s data to over ten million in an instant. At the same time, the vast area of the ground around also began to lift up countless white light spots. These light spots bore the blurred outlines of animals, insects, and even humans. They differed in size, with humans being the largest, animals second, and insects the smallest. All the light spots soared upwards, converging towards the flowing colorful light around the Cai Jing Taoist¡¯s head. This scene was as if the Taoist was devouring the souls of myriad spirits... "...!!" Yu Hong saw this from afar, his scalp tingling, and without another word, he turned around and left! No handling this, no dealing with it;he¡¯d consider returning after mastering the Ultimate Sun. Now... going there would be suicidal. Didn¡¯t he see that even with Ku Chan unleashing full strength, he couldn¡¯t even get close to that Cai Jing Taoist? Since he had confirmed that Zihe Palace had no survivors, staying was pointless. Yu Hong sprinted back in one breath, quickly returning to where he had parked earlier and without hesitation, he turned around and left. Sitting in the car, he put on a Daoist robe again and quickly called Yu Hen. The woo-woo of the car window¡¯s airflow blowing into the car made his violently beating heart gradually cool down. The situation just now, had he hesitated even a bit, getting surrounded would have meant certain death. He might be able to easily deal with the Three-eyed Dragon-Man using Thunderbolt Transformation, but that number... at least a hundred or more, coming at him all at once, giving him no chance to react, would keep him immobilized until death. Beep, waiting for the call to be answered. Soon, the call was picked up on the other end. "Zheng Rou, how is it going? What¡¯s happening at Zihe Palace?" "Everyone¡­ everyone is dead... only Ku Chan escaped." Yu Hong sighed, "I went inside to look, it¡¯s too tragic, the place is in ruins, and dead bodies have turned into monsters because of the Spirit Disaster.... They are invulnerable to traditional weapons and their speed and strength are formidable. And they can infect others. In addition, there are many monsters that are absolutely beyond the War Level, very dangerous." "The entire Zihe Palace... The third among the Nine Sects, such a large Sect...." Upon hearing the words, Yu Hen fell silent for quite some time before finally speaking up again. "Really, just like that, gone!?" "Not only gone, but there also appeared a terrifying Spirit Disaster Monster. I saw Ku Chan burst out with all his power, and he couldn¡¯t even get close to that thing!" Yu Hong said seriously. ".....It can¡¯t be true... What about the Sky Stabilizing Plate!? Would it allow such a monster to come in?" Yu Hen questioned. "I¡¯m not sure, but..." At this moment, Yu Hong recalled the Cai Jing Taoist monster he saw just now and still felt a chill down his spine. Just one glance from afar had instinctively put his body on high alert¡ªthis was the kind of intense sense of crisis one got when facing an extremely menacing foe. "However, that creature is too terrifying;I need to notify the higher-ups of the Taoist Sect and the Seven Evil Alliance immediately! Help me contact the Taoist Sect, I need to have a direct conversation with their high echelons, it¡¯s urgent! Your esteemed connections run wide, please help!" "I have wide connections, not wide capabilities! Do you think I¡¯m the contemporary Heavenly Master, just contact high-ups as you wish!" Yu Hen said irritably. "Think of a way. Our Qingchen Temple¡¯s reputation with Spirit Light should no longer be the same as before, our influence now should definitely be greater than before, could you please try again?" Yu Hong urged in a grave tone. "You... I could let go of the Taoist Sect, but the Seven Evil Alliance..." Yu Hen hesitated. "The Seven Evil Alliance are not good people, that¡¯s true, but no matter what, I¡¯m afraid that the monster seems to be devouring souls, and if it keeps getting stronger and more troublesome after consuming them, that¡¯s going to be problematic! Moreover, I suspect that the Seven Evil Alliance is not aware that fully unleashing the Black Disaster and Spirit Disaster could bring upon an apocalypse. Notifying them in time is also about preserving more vitality for future battles against humans and Spirit Disasters!" Yu Hong answered earnestly. "You...." Yu Hen was left speechless. "Alright, Master, please make the contact now. We don¡¯t have much time, I will notify the encirclement surrounding the Zihe Palace mountains first, let them start to...." Yu Hong wanted to say to start retreating. But he suddenly realized that if the encirclement was withdrawn, what could the millions of city residents do in the face of such a staggering calamity? Wait to die? Screech. Suddenly, the car made an emergency stop and came to a halt. He sat in the driver¡¯s seat, gripping the steering wheel tightly, lost in thought. Beep beep... A text message arrived, from the Elder Taoist Yu Hen, providing two phone numbers, internal ones, with direct lines to two Heavenly Masters of the Taoist Sect, saying he might have to call several times. Regarding the encirclement, he said he would notify and contact them, informing them of the situation under the name of the Spirit Light Mutual Aid Alliance, and the decision would be left to the officials. Yu Hong quickly dialed the first number of the Taoist Sect. Beep... The long wait began. Once, no answer. Twice, thrice, four times.... He clicked open the door and stepped out of the car, dragging it aside to avoid blocking the road. Then he walked to the edge of the cliff, looking in the direction of the encirclement surrounding Zihe Palace. The military vehicles there had indeed begun to slowly evacuate. Evidently, Elder Taoist Yu Hen was resourceful, using some means to make the soldiers and magicians there immediately set off and leave. Feeling a bit relieved, Yu Hong focused on repeatedly dialing the numbers. After a while with no one picking up, he then sent a message to Qing Huang, asking for a direct contact method to Long Qingzi. He decided to talk to these top tiers himself to ascertain their stance on the Spirit Disaster Black Disaster. And he tried to convince them with his own true facts. * * * Amid the continuous mountain forests. Far from Zihe Palace, on the way to Yunshu Mountain, the home of Taoist Sect ancestors. A flash of purple light suddenly landed, and swiftly jumped onto a motorcycle, speeding towards the distance at full throttle. Within the purple light, Ku Chan, covered in blood, had half of his face, including the eye, nose and ear, all charred by some strong corrosive liquid, leaving only black charred remnants, still emitting white smoke and hissing. One of his arms hung limply at his side, while his other arm tightly embraced his unconscious fianc¨¦e Ying¡¯er, barely managing to steer the motorcycle. Blood was flowing down from where the two of them were in close contact, flung into indiscernible droplets by the high-speed motion. Ying¡¯er¡¯s face had long since lost all color, deathly pale. Rushing wildly, not knowing how much time had passed. Suddenly, Ying¡¯er¡¯s eyelids tremble, and she slowly opens a crack. "Jin Zhi... is it you¡­?" "It¡¯s me... I¡¯m here, I¡¯m by your side!" Ku Chan¡¯s spirits lifted, and he hurriedly responded. "I... haven¡¯t had the chance... to tell you..." Ying¡¯er struggled to breathe, squeezing out words, "I¡¯m carrying... your, child..." "I...." Ku Chan¡¯s expression trembled, but feeling his fianc¨¦e growing colder by the moment, tears burst forth from his eyes. "I¡¯m almost at the Ancestor Court! Yunshu Mountain has many Daoist Skills and magic, there must be a way to save you! Hang in there!! You must hang in there!!" Ku Chan hugged Ying¡¯er tightly, his voice almost begging. "Mom and dad, they¡¯re very happy..." Ying¡¯er seemed not to hear him anymore, mumbling on her own. "They even said, they were going to have a big... wedding..." S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I... promise you... I definitely will..." As soon as he thought of his parents already dead, Ku Chan¡¯s tears once again blurred his vision. Chapter 370: Wave Two The immense grief, like waves, surged and battered against his mental defenses. "Dad... just now, you cast a spell, told me to hide... I¡¯m a bit worried... how are mom and dad?" Ying¡¯er was still asking. "They, they¡¯re... alright..." Ku Chan¡¯s face was covered with tears and snot, blown away by the strong wind behind him. He choked on his response. "You need to hold on, get well soon, then, we can all be together as a family.... all together..." Suddenly, there was a bright spot before his eyes. On the road ahead, a white five-seater sedan was coming towards him. On the side of the sedan, there was the dark golden lettering of Yunshu Mountain Daoist Sect and Nine Sects. He recognized this kind of car;it was the sort of exclusive luxury vehicle typically reserved for high-ranking members of the Daoist Sect. Such high-ranking officials would definitely carry life-saving rapid remedy drugs and emergency talismans! "Save me!!" Ku Chan suddenly screamed, slowed the motorbike, and swerved to block the other¡¯s way. The sedan hastily braked just in time to avoid a crash. Click. The car door opened, and a mysterious figure dressed in a black, fitted Daoist robe and wearing a golden eagle mask stepped out. "Quickly save my wife!! She¡¯s badly injured, by high-level beings from the Spirit Disaster..." Hiss! In an instant, a golden phantom rapidly approached Ku Chan, hitting him squarely in the chest. Boom!!! Like the ancient sound of a gong, a spiritual shockwave abruptly loosened his entire consciousness. Immediately following that, his heart fiercely pained. By the time he regained his senses. Ku Chan saw himself being thrown backward into the air, arching his body and floating mid-air. A large amount of blood gushed from his chest and fell downwards. And his wife, Ying¡¯er, had already rolled to the ground, helplessly falling in front of the man with the golden eagle mask. Swoosh. The masked man swiftly drew his sword from behind, and a cold light flashed. The blade slashed across Ying¡¯er¡¯s neck, severing it in two. Her head rolled away and blood sprayed out, everything seeming to freeze for a moment. "No!!!! Ying¡¯er....!!!" Ku Chan¡¯s eyes widened, the pain in his heart incomparable to the agony and despair of watching his fianc¨¦e and unborn child being killed right before his eyes. "Chi Xiao Sword, it was a waste in your hands." The man in the golden eagle mask coldly voiced, reaching out towards Ku Chan from afar. Clang! The red Chi Xiao Sword flew out through the air, landing steadily in his palm. This world-renowned No. 1 Inheritance Dao Artifact of the occult sect now obediently fell into the hands of this mysterious golden-masked man. This kind of sect-exclusive Inheritance Dao Artifact, in his hands, could be directed as if it was part of his arm! This completely overturned the basic knowledge Ku Chan had learned since childhood. Thump. Ku Chan fell off the cliff, crashing directly into the river below, causing a large splash. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The golden-masked man also kicked Ying¡¯er¡¯s corpse off the cliff. "No need to finish him off?" Another golden-masked person got out of the car and asked in a deep voice. "His heart was pierced by me, he will surely die," the golden eagle masked man coldly replied. "Let us go, the Chi Xiao Sword is now ours." The two quickly got into the car, drove past the motorbike, and sped into the distance. Now at the bottom of the cliff, in the river, Ku Chan¡¯s heart had been pierced, but his profound Daoist Realm and technique cultivation, garnered from continuous self-discipline, prevented him from dying instantly. He opened his eyes wide, slowly sinking towards the dark murky bottom. His tattered Daoist robe bled out threads of dark red blood in the water. Everything at this moment seemed quiet. Only he, staring quietly at the pale blue water surface churned above. In the broken light there, seemingly replaying all the moments of his life from childhood. He kept sinking, sinking... Like a motionless statue. Until. Plop. Another body slowly descended from above. It was Ying¡¯er¡¯s headless corpse. Her head, swept away by the fast current, was lost to sight. Ku Chan slowly looked up at the once very familiar body of his wife. Gradually, tremendous waves of desolation, despair, and dark spiritual fluctuations emanated from him. At this dark depths of the water, the enduring quest of Ku Chan¡¯s for a breakthrough beyond the limits of his sect¡¯s Daoist Skills, to forge a unique path for himself, seemed to fully crystallize all at once... Buzz. At Ku Chan¡¯s neck, a small purple luminescence suddenly appeared under his skin. It was a purple metallic shard about the size of a fingernail, implanted by his parents when he was a child. Back then, he didn¡¯t know what it was, but now, Ku Chan understood... This was a minuscule life-saving technique put into him by his father, who had expended massive resources. Underwater, increasingly majestic spiritual fluctuations emanated from Ku Chan as a center, spreading outwards. The injury on his heart, under the life-saving technique¡¯s healing, rapidly closed, forcibly stopping the bleeding. Silently, Ku Chan reached upward, catching Ying¡¯er¡¯s descending corpse. The massive spiritual fluctuations began to fiercely contract, like a black hole, as if capable of swallowing and absorbing any nearby conscious thought. This kind of extreme outward dispersal turning into inward contraction had a unified honorific in the occult world. Its name was: Heavenly Master. *** *** *** Roadside. Yu Hong was continuously dialing numbers on his cellphone. Buzz. A white sedan sped past him, seemingly engraved with the mark of the Taoist Sect. Yu Hong intended to take a closer look, but just then his phone connected, so he didn¡¯t pay further attention. "Hello, is this Master Zuo? This is Zheng Rou, the Temple Master of Qingchen Temple under the Taoist Sect." "I¡¯m Dao Boy Hong Ming. The Heavenly Master is currently unavailable. Tell me what you need, and I¡¯ll relay it to him," a lazy young female voice came from the other end. "I have an urgent matter. Can you get Master Zuo on the phone directly?" Yu Hong frowned. Click. The caller on the other end hung up. Anger flared in Yu Hong¡¯s heart, and he dialed the number again. But this time, the other party didn¡¯t even connect and simply ignored him. After more than ten tries, furious, he left a voice message and then simply changed to another number. This time he was trying to reach Xu Chong from the Primordial Heavenly Master Mansion. Luckily, after three tries this time, a mild telephone operator told him that Master Xu had gone out and never carries a cellphone. Messages could be left if needed. After leaving a message. He received a phone number from Qing Huang. "This is the number Alliance Hierarch has been using these days. It will expire soon," Qing Huang sent another message. Yu Hong immediately dialed the number. Click. The call was answered instantly. "May I ask if this is Elder Long Qingzi from the Seven Evil Alliance?" Yu Hong inquired. "Wrong number," the voice on the other end replied impatiently. Click, it was hung up again. Yu Hong held his phone, not even sure if he should continue calling. After a moment of silence and calming his emotions, he sent a text to all three numbers, thoroughly explaining the severity of the Spirit Disaster he witnessed. Having done that, he took a deep breath and got back into his car. Suddenly, he seemed to notice something and looked towards the distant cliffs below. There seemed to be something there, emitting a momentary intense fluctuation. But then, it completely ceased. "..." Yu Hong hesitated, but decided not to investigate further, turning his car around to head back towards Taizhou. The situation was dangerous;he must hurry back to his headquarters. *** *** *** The fall of Zihe Palace has been utterly confirmed. One of the top three Taoist temples among the Nine Sects, having existed for centuries, vanished completely in such a short time. Even the person heralded as the foremost Daoist genius, Ku Chan, is missing and presumed dead. The news exploded like a bomb, shocking the entire Yasong Mage Realm. But before everyone could recover, one explosive news after another followed. All over Yasong, in a single night, at least thirty incidents occurred where massive infectious diseases spread among animals, attacking humans. Some remote villages in forested mountains began to experience thick fog and lost all external communication, with mobile signals uncontactable. The explosion of these consecutive cases sent the Yasong Government into a sudden panic, and they immediately summoned members from both the Taoist and Buddhist Sects to the capital for a meeting. After consolidating all the information, the enormous state machine began its operation, completely sealing off all areas affected by the disaster fog, forbidding any traffic in or out. Simultaneously, the Taoist Sects and official forces from the Nine Sects collaborated on a nationwide manhunt. Finally, nine hours later, the ringleader, the Alliance Hierarch of the Seven Evil Alliance, was found. To prevent the Seven Evil Alliance from further escalating the disaster, masters from the Nine Sects and the two Heavenly Masters joined forces¡ªforming a team to intercept Long Qingzi! Chongyun Province¡¤Fushou Mountain. As the most renowned mountain in Yasong, always prominently featured in ancient sacrificial ceremonies of various dynasties, Fushou Mountain was chosen. During the actions of the Seven Evil Alliance, over six Yin Qi Sky Pillars were set up in its vicinity. At this moment, six gray Heavenly Pillars, connecting heaven and earth, had swirling gray clouds, encircling Fushou Mountain at its center, resembling a natural Array ritual. Atop Fushou Mountain. Gale winds howled, dark clouds thick, with gloomy daylight, a middle-aged Daoist in black, with a sinister expression, stood quietly by the cliff¡¯s edge. The Daoist, with his hands behind his back, gazed upward at the sky cloaked in Yin clouds. "Standing here makes one feel as if just by reaching out, one could touch the sky." The Daoist spoke with a smile. "That¡¯s why I chose this place for the ritual. The Sealing and Sacrifice Platform, historically a place where emperors performed rituals, is a convergence point for the spiritual essence of landscapes, and the most flourishing spot in Yasong. I quite like it." "Long Qingzi. It¡¯s been a while. I didn¡¯t expect you to be so reckless, causing such trouble!" From behind on the mountain ridge, a flash of red light zipped past, an old Daoist with a stern face and graying hair, holding a silver horsetail whisk, walked slowly to the mountain top, his eyes filled with contempt, staring intently at the middle-aged Daoist. "Master Xu, I hope you are well. It seems you are still vigorous and in good health," Long Qingzi turned around and greeted the newcomer with a smile. "I should never have guided you!" Xu Chong shouted angrily. "I was blind!" "You¡¯re too arrogant, Senior." Long Qingzi showed no concern. "You don¡¯t think that without your guidance, I couldn¡¯t have taken this last step? "Do you think you can escape today?" Xu Chong said coldly. "Both of us gathered here, and the other Seven Evils are being handled by the various Sect Leaders. Today, you will die!" As soon as the words fell, another white-robed Daoist appeared behind him. The Daoist had long snow-white hair, piercing eyes, and held a white horsetail whisk, his figure lean. It was the current foremost figure in the Taoist realms, the strongest under the heavens, Zhu Yunfeng from the Primordial Heavenly Master Mansion. Chapter 371: Wave 369 Three "Turns out it¡¯s Master Wu Ran himself, truly it has been many years, joyous and congratulatory." Long Qingzi saw the visitor, yet remained composed and relaxed, showing no sign of tension. "Long Qing, do you remember the oath you swore to me when I took you in as my disciple forty years ago?" Zuo Yunfeng looked at this once disciple, his voice calm without any fluctuation. "I remember, of course I remember." Long Qingzi smiled even more joyously. "That¡¯s good." Zuo Yunfeng nodded. "Brother Zuo, please make it quick. The Spirit Disaster has surged, the Sky Stabilizing Plate has failed under the Seven Evil Alliance¡¯s interference, and we must restore order and reseal the sects quickly!" Xu Chong said solemnly. "No worries, as long as everything settles down, the Spirit Disaster and Black Disaster can be easily dismissed." Zuo Yunfeng said indifferently. "But..." Xu Chong wanted to say more. Pfft. Suddenly, the Zuo Yunfeng before his eyes turned into a phantom and slowly dissipated. And the real Zuo Yunfeng, for some reason, had appeared behind him. A bronze short sword, already in his hand, its blade ignited with hundreds of dense magic runes, and it thrust lightning-fast towards the center of his back. "You!!??" Xu Chong¡¯s eyes narrowed, his body¡¯s passive techniques lit up with red light, transforming into a three-dimensional array, rapidly rotating around him. But such a response was still too hasty. With a crisp crackling sound. The short sword pierced through several layers of passive techniques, harshly stabbing into Xu Chong¡¯s right chest and lungs. Blood, mixed with air, poured into the lungs at a rapid pace. Xu Chong grabbed the hilt of the sword, looking up at Zuo Yunfeng with eyes filled with incredulous anger and disbelief. "Zuo Yunfeng!!!" "What are you doing!!!?" "What do you think?" Zuo Yunfeng¡¯s expression was calm as he pulled out the short sword. A large amount of blood spattered to the ground. Xu Chong staggered back a few steps, but suddenly saw the strange smile on Long Qingzi¡¯s face. His mind exploded suddenly, as if realizing something. * * * Taizhou. Sea surface. The Yin Qi Sky Pillar surged tremendously, a large amount of grey mist shot into the sky, showing a tendency to expand outward. Yu Hong, Yu Hen, Yu Mo, and Qing Huang, four people were standing on a nearby observation ship. Looking towards the Heavenly Pillar. "Two nearby Heavenly Pillars suddenly erupted three hours ago. Our people were originally observing here, but after finishing their phone call, they completely lost contact. Initial speculation is that they fell prey to the Spirit Disaster," Yu Mo said heavily. "Any observation data? Records of Spirit Disaster Monsters?" Yu Hong quickly asked, having just hurried back to Taizhou, only to be informed that something had happened to the two nearby pillars. Though he had anticipated trouble, the unsealing of these two pillars still caused him a headache. Most annoying was that the Taoist Sect didn¡¯t care, only focusing on the Seven Evil Alliance, with no understanding of what they were doing. The Seven Evil Alliance, unaware of the consequences, kept causing trouble. Both sides fiercely tearing at each other with an attitude of indifference to everything else. Now it seemed like in the whole world only they, along with official government workers, were firefighting everywhere. "Within thirteen minutes, the range of the two pillars¡¯ grey mist doubled. At the same time, the mist made the fish that swam out aggressive and attack on sight. Local fishermen were caught off-guard, and many were injured or killed, I¡¯ve been notified with precise statistics from officials," Yu Hen answered. "What about coastal defense?" Yu Hong asked. "The nearby coastal defense, along with stationed magicians, lost contact three days ago. Our people went to check and found the naval base empty, with ships gone and surrounding areas showing signs of destruction," Yu Hen said. "That means we can only rely on ourselves now. Has the state become unable to support us?" Yu Hong said with a headache. "That¡¯s one way to put it, most of the official forces have been redirected to guard major cities now. Small cities like Taizhou won¡¯t receive any resources, so..." Yu Hen said gravely. "By the way, the data on Spirit Disaster monsters that Zheng Rou brought back, our comparison team has sent a message," Yu Mo interjected. "How is it?" The other three looked at him. "According to the memories of magicians patrolling nearby, besides those ground monsters that grow like pus-filled blisters, all types of monsters have appeared here. But since our people only observe from a great distance, they could only roughly investigate based on appearance, unable to verify authenticity," Yu Mo said. "That¡¯s enough," Yu Hong nodded. The strength of the Spirit Disaster¡¯s monsters was much stronger than the initial Black Disaster, although perhaps it was because he hadn¡¯t participated in combating the peak of the Black Disaster. After all, at that time, there were quite a few War Level Black Disasters, such as the Black Withered Woman and so on. "Sea battles are not easy to deal with, let¡¯s first retreat from the frontline and try to leave as much territory as possible to solve it on land," he pondered. "Then, everyone should try to use the Spirit Station as a defense line and construct defenses. If you encounter those wearing Golden Armor, with dragon heads, you must notify us immediately." "Are those monsters very strong?" Qing Huang raised an eyebrow. Now that he has filled his own shortcomings, he feels he is progressing every moment. If it weren¡¯t for the congenital deficiency in his body, he wouldn¡¯t need to crazily exhaust his thoughts to hide his safe location. But now, the feeling of frailty has left him, and with a heart in Perfection, his Daoist Skills have advanced by leaps and bounds, entering a second spring. Thus, he has grown increasingly confident, and his tone of voice has begun to enlarge. "Do you want to try?" Yu Hong glanced at him. "With Spirit Light, you indeed can give it a try." Previously, when exploring without utilizing Spirit Light, the Thunderbolt Transformation overlaid with Spirit Light was his first trump card. As for the second trump card, that involved recalling the Spirit Light to himself. However, this move could not be used lightly, as forcibly recalling most of the Spirit Light from everyone around, if something goes awry, it could very likely lead to the collapse of the Mutual Aid Alliance. "But now there might not be a chance for a while," Yu Hong said. "What do you mean?" Qing Huang narrowed his eyes, a puzzled look on his face, but suddenly, his expression sharpened, and he turned his head towards the sea where the Yin Qi Sky Pillar was. Over the murky sea, at this moment, there are large swathes of clouds carrying groups of Silver Armored Snake-Headed People, flying towards this location. These Silver Armored Snake-Headed People, holding long spears, wearing red and black hats, with long whiskers curled high back like antennae, seemingly as some sort of symbol of status and power. "I have already given you the information about this type of Snake-Headed People. Want to give it a try?" Yu Hong looked towards Qing Huang. "Uh...." Qing Huang, looking at the army formation of the Snake-Headed People, which seemed to number in the thousands, had a stiff expression, no longer boastful. One-on-one, he dared, but with such an army, he didn¡¯t think the Spirit Disaster would give him the opportunity for a one-on-one confrontation. "Let¡¯s retreat," Yu Hong sighed. "This is just the vanguard, there are more behind, like the Golden Armored Dragon-Headed People, Three-Eyed Dragon-Headed People, and as for stronger ones, I¡¯m not sure if there are any here, that side is where four Taoist sects mix mutated and appeared in a big formation. Here there are only two gates, one of which is Black Disaster. It should be much weaker, but the specific situation still needs to be observed." "Okay!" The group hurriedly turned around and returned to the shores of Taizhou. Those Silver Armored Snake-Headed People did not pursue, but just drifted at their own pace towards Taizhou. Their expansion speed seemed to be determined based on the speed of the vast grey clouds emitted from the Yin Qi Sky Pillar. Based on the speed assessment, it would take quite a few days to reach the port of Taizhou. When quickly returning to the port, The four people got off the boat at the shore and saw some fishermen who had been banned from fishing, gathering together, pressing the government officials about when they will lift the ban. Although the government officials kept explaining, the crowd below was agitated and noisy and no one wanted to listen to explanations. It seemed that as long as there was commotion, a strong enough commotion, big enough, all problems could be solved. Yu Hong sat in the car back to the Taoist Temple, through the glass, able to see the rush of vehicles back and forth. With fewer pedestrians than before on the roads, the eerie contradictions decreased. Instead, there was quietness. A dead silence-like quiet. On the way, almost all encountered cars were traveling in the opposite direction to the Taoist temple car. They all drove towards the expressway leaving Taizhou, with very few, like Yu Hong¡¯s group, heading back. "Now the news has already spread, about Taizhou being nearby to two Yin Qi Sky Pillars, leaked by insiders to their family friends, and then their family friends passed it on to their own, and so it completely spread in circles." Yu Hen sighed, "Now many common people know too, especially as there have been so many cases breaking out nearby, everyone becoming more and more abnormal." "How about inside the Spirit Station defense circle? What¡¯s the situation?" Yu Hong asked. "It¡¯s a bit better there. We are about to get there, you can observe carefully." Yu Hen nodded. Yu Hong no longer spoke. The other three also felt heavy-hearted, watching the exodus of vehicles fleeing Taizhou, silent. About ten minutes later, the four people¡¯s car slowly stopped in front of a hastily constructed black wall. The wall was made of a quick-drying material, seemingly a special kind of cement mix, which had been built overnight, forming a circular wall encompassing the entire area of the Taizhou Spirit Station with Qingchen Temple at the center in a radius of five hundred meters. It was built with assistance from the Taizhou Military Area," Yu Hen explained. The car slowly drove to the entrance gate in the black wall. The gate was made of black alloy mesh, using thick metal materials, cold and very sturdy. Squeak. After checking the pass that Yu Hen showed through the window, the guards inside slowly opened the gate, letting the car in. "Is no one guarding this gate trying to get in to hide?" Qing Huang suddenly asked. "No, basically from when the cases increased and news leaked, those who could run gathered towards major cities nearby." Yu Hen shook his head. "Rongjing City, right?" Qing Huang guessed. "Yes. The order has come down from above, each province centers around the capital city to establish a defense circle. Now general places can¡¯t build a defense circle, lacking resources and infrastructure. It¡¯s understandable." Yu Hen nodded. "From when unrest began among the people, the cases significantly increased, to the evacuation of people, how long did it take?" Yu Hong suddenly asked. "About the two days we went to the sanitarium. The situation worsened suddenly," Yu Hen sighed. "A large number of deaths nearby, either bodies not intact or people disappearing directly. Then some originally thought to be dead, suddenly came back to life and started attacking the living. Although all were dealt with by the authorities in time, it still caused panic." S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 372: Tide 370 Wave 4 At this moment, the guards standing outside the car window saluted the passengers and allowed them to pass. Yu Hong noticed that one of them had three Spirit Talismans on his chest that Yu Hong himself had enhanced. It seems that these three types of Spirit Talismans had become quite widespread. The car slowly passed through the Black Wall defense line, which effectively linked the Spirit Station buildings into a ring. Passing through here meant entering the defensive range of the Spirit Station. As soon as they entered, the four people inside the car could clearly feel the difference. The gray fog in the air was much lighter than outside. If the gray fog around the Heavenly Pillar above the sea was a ten, then the fog in other areas of Taizhou was a three. And the fog within the defensive range of the Spirit Station was only at one. "What is the principle behind this?!" Qing Huang, noticing such a stark difference for the first time, asked in disbelief. "There are quite a few magicians gathered inside the Spirit Station, all experts from our Spirit Light Mutual Aid Alliance. The convergence of Spirit Light, resonating with one another, creates an unseen influence field. This field restrains the encroachment of the gray fog from the Spirit Disaster," Yu Hong explained simply. Of course, he didn¡¯t say that within the Spirit Light was an element of the Light Disaster¡ªthe Cosmic Divine Light¡ªthat when concentrated, also emits slight radiation from the Light Disaster, which is fundamentally at odds with the Black Disaster and also seems to have a certain resistance against the Spirit Disaster. "Now it seems, Spirit Light secret techniques are not some evil, secretive skills;they are actually life-saving medicine!" Yu Hen sighed. The car continued on its way. Along the way, they encountered more pedestrians, both patrolmen and ordinary people, bustling about the streets¡ªalmost resembling Taizhou before the outbreak of the Spirit Disaster. Yu Hong also saw many people gathered near the military¡¯s temporary command center by the Taoist Temple, fervently discussing something with the representatives in charge. "Some people over there want to go out and bring their relatives in. But the rule here is that once you are in, you are not allowed to leave at will. Everything is distributed by the military on a quota basis. This is a common occurrence," Yu Hen informed them. Yu Hong nodded but said nothing. Through the car window, he unexpectedly spotted Gao Wen and Song Siyu, two acquaintances he had met since arriving in this world. Both of them stood beside their parents, in the crowd, negotiating with military personnel. They were just part of the crowd, which had gathered at least thirty to forty people, but fortunately, everyone was just talking and didn¡¯t resort to violent actions. Yu Hong didn¡¯t greet them;he had no time for that now. Entering the Taoist Temple, the steadfast Zheng Ming quickly came out to greet them with his men. Along with him were Vice Mayor Xu Jianfeng, military representative Chen Ning, and Liu Shanhe, the chief commander of the military magicians. "Master Yu, you¡¯re finally back. The situation is grave;we must be ready to shrink our defensive line!" Vice Mayor Xu Jianfeng, with a serious look on his face, hurriedly approached as soon as the car door opened. "Let¡¯s talk inside," Yu Hong said, noticing his expression and the ashen faces of Liu Shanhe and the others, already having a rough idea of the situation. He was the first to get out of the car, leading everyone into the courtyard of the Taoist Temple. In the courtyard, the incense burner had been moved aside to make room for a makeshift command tent. Inside the tent, a projector was on, casting a map of the entire Taizhou region from a satellite onto the screen. Walking in, Xu Jianfeng picked up a command rod and pointed to three locations on the map. "After we received the Spirit Disaster information you risked gathering, we immediately sent people to verify it. We¡¯ve confirmed that three places¡ªJinqiao Town, Dragon Mountain Town, and a third location¡ªare infested with the Gold Armor Dragon-Headed monsters you described." "How many are there?" Yu Hong asked as he sat down. "At least a thousand at each site." "What?!" Yu Hong was shocked, his eyes widening as he abruptly stood up again. "Yes, you heard right. We¡¯ve lost many magicians just to get an accurate count. There are no fewer than a thousand Gold Armor Dragon-Heads, and at least five thousand Silver Armor Snake-Heads. As for the number of Carriers and Walking Corpses, there are too many to count. Right now, the area in these three directions has been sealed off, and the military is only keeping a few highways to the outside world open." "How could there be so many?!" Yu Hong couldn¡¯t understand. Apart from Huangsong Island, the other two directions shouldn¡¯t have that many Dragon-Headed creatures. "It must be because other cities nearby have collapsed, and their monsters have migrated here..." Liu Shanhe, the military magician representative, sighed. "Several of my magicians have just returned from other provinces. Now their airports have stopped operating, and only two railways are still functioning. The fog has curtailed most means of transportation. Many places have lost communication signals. It¡¯s complete chaos out there. Taoist Sects are overwhelmed with their own troubles, with each branch trying to protect itself. But many small forces can¡¯t withstand the Spirit Disaster at all and have suffered devastating casualties..." "It¡¯s exactly that. Currently, Luancheng is in disarray, and everyone is contracting their forces to defend their small territories," military representative Chen Ning confirmed with a nod. "Commander Chen, has there been any specific directive from above?" Yu Hong frowned and looked at him. He was unaware of the Taoist Sects¡¯ situation, but the military hierarchy couldn¡¯t possibly be inactive. Chen Ning represented the stationed sixty thousand Yasong National Defense Army in Taizhou, including both the navy and the army. There had to be directives for so many troops. "There is an order, but it¡¯s just for us to stay put and wait for further commands. And this order came more than ten days ago;there hasn¡¯t been any additional directive," Chen Ning shook his head. "I¡¯ve tried multiple times to contact higher authorities, but I can¡¯t get through." "The Capital is a primary target area for the Seven Evil Alliance, surrounded by twelve Yin Qi Sky Pillars... They¡¯re too overwhelmed to care about you all," Qing Huang abruptly interjected with an explanation. "....!" Twelve Yin Qi Sky Pillars. Several people looked at each other in dismay, no one spoke again;if this was true, the chaos everywhere could be understood.... Clearly, the danger and trouble the national core seemed to face was much greater than they had imagined. "This many... our Spirit Stations can¡¯t hold." Yu Hong was carefully looking at the projected map at this moment. Comparing the defensive forces with the number of Spirit Disaster Monsters in his mind. "Master, about the sanatorium..." He turned to Yu Hen. "We¡¯ve lost contact, can¡¯t get through for now, but it should be soon;according to the schedule, by tomorrow, we should be able to...." Yu Hen replied. Yu Hong stood up and paced back and forth a few steps. "Excluding possible support from the Taoist Sect, how much power do we have on hand now?" "Against the Spirit Disaster, ordinary weapons are useless, firearms are only a bit effective against the Walking Corpses. So, not counting the soldiers, the real power we can use comes from over three hundred people from the Mutual Aid Alliance plus the Taoist Temples." Yu Hen answered. "These three hundred people are now spread out across the entire black wall defense circle of the Spirit Stations, guarding all vehicle and pedestrian traffic in and out." "How is the grading system coming along?" Yu Hong asked. "Based on the classification and levels you provided, plus past combat achievements, we¡¯ve preliminarily sorted them into danger levels one to nine, including five people in Level Nine, forty-three in Level Eight, sixty-six in Level Seven, and the rest are Level Six and below." "For War Level, which corresponds to Temple Master Level, we only have Mr. Qing and Zheng Rou, the two of you. Our strength in high-end powers is too weak. If multiple War Level powers attack, the situation could collapse." "Have you included Spirit Light in the calculations?" Yu Hong asked. "No, we need specific test data to...." Yu Hong fell silent for a few seconds. "Based on the amplification of Spirit Light, adjust everyone¡¯s average assessment level up by one." "Okay." Yu Hen nodded, "Additionally, regarding supplies, thanks to your early warning, I¡¯ve stocked up quite a lot, so there are no major issues. Commander Chen has also prepared over a dozen large warehouses, more than enough to last for several months. The only key issue now is, when we actually come into contact and clash, whether the black wall defense circle of the Spirit Stations can hold." "Relying on these three hundred plus Magicians, even if all of them are Spirit Light Magicians, it¡¯s going to be hard." Yu Hong shook his head. "But you need to consider that they aren¡¯t only focusing their attack on one place. The power of the Spirit Disaster is dispersed, so what we need to counter is not all of it, but rather just one part of it." As they were talking, someone suddenly rushed in from outside at a quick pace. "Trouble¡¯s here!!" It was Cheng Shu, who wore a fitted military uniform, her complexion pale, forehead sweaty, as she loudly announced while lifting the tent flap. "The Spirit Disaster at Jinqiao Town has started moving towards the city district! It¡¯ll collide with our northern Spirit Station¡¯s black wall defense circle in about five minutes!" "Shall we all go take a look?" Yu Hong said in a deep voice. He had done as much as possible to enhance the local Magicians¡¯ strength;now, it was time to test whether his preparations worked. It would be sufficient just to hold back the mid- and low-level creature wave;the higher-level ones couldn¡¯t rely on these measures. As for how to deal with those top-tier troublemaker monsters, he already had a plan in mind. Since the Seven Evil Alliance was causing trouble, it was time to wipe them out in one fell swoop, show themselves to stop the loss. While these people were busy clashing heads with the Taoist Sect, a surprise attack from behind would do the trick. Then, go finish off the Taoist Sect¡¯s high-ranked fools who have crap for brains, infect them all with Spirit Light, and forcefully take control. He was thoroughly fed up with this world that clearly had the strength but always took things lightly. "Let¡¯s go." Leaving Yu Hen and Chen Ning to coordinate the overall situation, the rest quickly drove to the northern Spirit Station. By the time the car arrived, many civilians had already gathered here. They came by car, on foot, and were all looking for high ground, trying to look out beyond the black wall. However, the over five-meter-tall black wall completely blocked everything from the outside. Only a very few could climb onto nearby buildings, but these climbers weren¡¯t Magicians and could only see densely packed Walking Corpses with grey patterns stumbling towards the black wall across the scorched flat ground outside. These Walking Corpses alone were enough to cause cries of alarm from the people inside the black wall, their faces ashen, with many women breaking down in tears on the spot. Yu Hong and his group quickly climbed to the third floor of the Spirit Station under the saluting soldiers at the wall and looked outside through the reinforced windows. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "This area outside used to be a wooden bungalow district, which was decisively ordered to be burnt down by Mayor Xu, only then repelling an attack by the Walking Corpses." Chen Ning explained, obviously not his first encounter with these Walking Corpses. Looking at the horde of Walking Corpses outside, his expression was not good. "These Walking Corpses, referred to as Heavenly Soldiers in the illusions of their higher-level monsters, seem slow from afar, but their speed increases explosively when they get close. They¡¯re very strong, averaging around two to three times the strength of an adult male. Normal bullets don¡¯t do much to them, unless you completely blow their bodies apart, they can still get up and charge." "Let¡¯s not hurry;let our brothers and sisters from the Mutual Aid Alliance give it a try." Yu Hong said. Yu Hen beside him nodded, whispered a few instructions to the stationed Magicians from the Mutual Aid Alliance here. Soon after, a group of black-clothed Magicians leaped down from the top of the black wall. Chapter 373: Operation 371 One These Magicians heading into battle wore uniform black military uniforms, which appeared to be modified combat garbs similar to Daoist robes, and donned helmets. They formed small arrays in groups of three and advanced toward the densely packed undead army, whose exact numbers were unknown. "The ones from the Mutual Aid Alliance going into battle now are the lowest-tier Level One Magicians, six groups comprising eighteen individuals," explained the person in charge at Spirit Station. "They were originally peripheral Magicians who had mastered only one type of Magic, the closest tier to ordinary people. But now, with the amplification of Spirit Light, their defensive strength is impressively formidable. The boost to their strength and stamina is also quite exaggerated." The moment the words fell, the first wave of three Magician groups shone with silver Spirit Light and charged headfirst into the undead army. Among them, a man at the forefront clenched a Seal in his hand, muttering incantations, while a sawtooth-patterned white ring appeared floating beside him. As soon as the ring came into contact with the undead, it spun rapidly, crazily slicing through everything it touched. It seemed that the cutting wasn¡¯t physical, as the bodies of the undead remained unharmed, but they would fall to the ground on the spot, as if something invisible inside them had been injured. The other Magician groups also cast their spells one after another, covering themselves in Spirit Light and bravely charging into the ranks of the undead. The undead swung their hands at them, only rippling the Spirit Light, rendering their attacks useless. "It seems okay, but they won¡¯t be able to hold on for long like this," Yu Hong spoke out. "There are other groups ready to rotate in afterwards, while other areas rely on incendiary bombs for containment and repulsion," a Magician from Spirit Station replied. "There are too few of these groups. If we could increase their number tenfold, we might be able to hold off the Spirit Disaster on the outskirts," Yu Hong sighed. "Alliance Hierarch need not worry, Spirit Light has greatly enhanced our stamina and physical strength. With this kind of combat, enduring for several hours is no problem. When it¡¯s time to rotate other groups in, there won¡¯t be an issue. Over three hundred people can protect this small block of land," the Spirit Station Magician in charge responded. "Indeed," Liu Shanhe, as the commander-in-chief of the military Magicians, had a clear understanding of the overall situation and nodded in agreement with this statement. "Let¡¯s go see the conditions outside the other black walls," Yu Hong suggested. "Alright. Please follow me." The person in charge of Spirit Station led the way. The group left Spirit Station and moved along the spacious black wall toward other positions. As expected, only a little more than a hundred meters out, the number of Spirit Disaster Monsters attacking outside the black wall had reduced a lot. There were only one or two Magician groups performing cleanup and containment outside. The situation seemed manageable. But without walking much further, a blast suddenly erupted from a distance behind them. Boom!! Flames soared into the sky, dyeing that part of the sky a pale red. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yu Hong and the others turned around rapidly, and at first glance, they saw several silver-armored snake-headed beings leaping onto the black wall and engaging the defending Magicians in a brawl. The Magicians glowed with silver Spirit Light, resembling turrets with tortoise shells on their backs, rotating in groups of three and continuously unleashing Techniques. The Techniques, carried with tails of different colors on the spiritual plane, flew toward the snake-headed beings. Some froze and slowed them down, some corroded and burned them, others were razor-sharp blades that pierced into their bodies, causing paralysis on the spot. The Magicians had a variety of backgrounds and mastered inconsistent levels of Magic. The effects they produced looked messy and chaotic¡ªspectacular to a Magician¡¯s eyes but completely invisible to ordinary people. Bang! A snake-headed being smashed its spear with great force onto the forehead of a petite Female Mage. The spear collided with the silver Spirit Light, splintering into numerous silver shards. The Female Mage was flung backward, rolling on the ground over a dozen times and smashing into the wall of the Spirit Station before coming to a stop. Yet she actually got up, unscathed and promptly rushed back into her original position to continue the battle. The only damage the spear had inflicted was slightly thinning and dimming the silver Spirit Light on her. That was all. And such scenes were not just happening here alone. The Magician¡¯s Magic couldn¡¯t stop the Spirit Disaster Monsters;they could only barely delay the time. But as long as they took the forefront and absorbed the hatred, the monsters couldn¡¯t breach the black wall and enter the interior. "The effect seems not bad. But there¡¯s more trouble in the distance," Yu Hong said, glancing at the somewhat relaxed few people around him and speaking in a solemn tone. "For the Golden Armor Dragon-men, we have also arranged high-level Technique groups to engage them," Liu Shanhe replied. "Here they come," Yu Hong raised his eyes to the distant mist outside the black wall. There, swathes of white clouds slowly drifted closer, with Golden Armor Dragon-man Spirit Disasters seated cross-legged atop them. Unexpectedly for Yu Hong, Liu Shanhe¡¯s idea of engagement was entirely different from what he had imagined. Soon, several movable white-painted cannons were rolled out onto the black wall. Next to the cannons stood the Mutual Aid Alliance Magicians, clad in a shell of silver Spirit Light. They nervously directed the gunners on the cannons, simultaneously loading them with Spirit Light Bombs, which had already been enchanted. Boom boom boom boom!! In an instant, a series of cannon fires roared. Flames surged as dozens of cannons lit up simultaneously, like dozens of golden blades descending from the sky, instantly ripping through the approaching ranks of Golden Armor Dragon-men. The Golden Armor Dragon-men hadn¡¯t even had time to dodge when they were blasted away by the supersonic speed cannons. Their Golden Armors shattered into specks of light;towering figures over three meters tall were continuously penetrated and shattered by the cannons. These Golden Armor Dragon-men, whom Yu Hong had previously clashed with ¡ª formidable in both speed and strength ¡ª were effortlessly repelled by rounds of Spirit Light Enchanted artillery. "Because Spirit Light can attach to inanimate objects for a short duration and directly contact and attack Spirit Disaster Monsters, we¡¯ve arranged for at least two Magicians beside each artillery gunner, forming teams to temporally affix Spirit Light to the shells," explained Liu Shanhe. Seeing his preparations effective, he couldn¡¯t help but relax a little. "Wait, something¡¯s not right!" Yu Hong¡¯s expression suddenly changed, sensing trouble. Hiss hiss hiss hiss! Streaks of Golden Light emerged from the smoke of the cannons. They rapidly closed in, taking shape above the dark walls, reforming into their original Dragon-man appearance. These Dragon-men plunged down from the sky, roaring with rage, crashing into the walls, and sent Magicians tumbling everywhere in a somewhat comical scene. "It¡¯s Virtualization ability," Yu Hong shook his head speechlessly, turned to Liu Shanhe, "Any other plans? At this rate, defeat is certain." "This... of course, there is." Liu Shanhe¡¯s face turned red, quickly pressing a button on a remote control he held. Instantly, countless cyan-colored flying swords shot out from the Spirit Station, swimming like fish in the sea, swiftly swarming towards the surrounding Golden Armor Dragon-men. Pfft. A Golden Armor Dragon-man failed to dodge in time and was violently swept over, engulfed by the school of blue flying swords. A second later, the swords departed, leaving nothing but a puff of grey mist and tiny fragments of Golden Light. "Hm? What is this?" Yu Hong raised an eyebrow. "This is the Spirit Light Technique Flying Sword Swarm formed by Female Mages of Level Six or higher from the Mutual Aid Alliance, employing the Spirit Sword Technique that we provided for free. We¡¯ve unified the teaching and training, forming this Magic group," Liu Shanhe explained. "Consider it our trump card. It was intended for the Three-eyed Dragon Men, but now... it must be used." He showed a bitter smile. "... You won¡¯t be able to hold off the Three-eyed Dragon Men. Just the dispersal of their spiritual pressure is enough to knock down a swath of people." Yu Hong shook his head. "Haven¡¯t you forgotten the phenomenon of high-spirit entities exerting great spiritual power pressure on lower life forms?" "Of course not, that¡¯s why we rely on the Spirit Station to counter the Three-eyed Dragon Men. By connecting the spiritual power of all the Magicians inside the Spirit Station and amplifying it with Arrays, we can elevate to a higher level and resist the spiritual pressure," said Liu Shanhe. "This project was coordinated with President Liu himself," Yu Mo, the Taoist, added with a nod. Yu Hong nodded, then fell silent, continuing to watch. By his estimation, the Three-eyed Dragon Men should be the highest threat appearing here;a formidable being like Cai Jing Taoist was unlikely to show up. After all, only two gates had been opened here. Thinking of this, he couldn¡¯t help but recall the astonishing Sky Stabilizing Plate. If the Sky Stabilizing Plate were still usable, they wouldn¡¯t be so passive now! Those idiots from the Taoist Sect! "A divine object like the Sky Stabilizing Plate should never be in the hands of those who only warm their chairs ¡ª it should be controlled by a righteous person like me!" The more Yu Hong thought, the more aggrieved he felt. There was a treasure capable of resolving the root problem, yet all he could do was watch helplessly, unable to act! After watching the combat against the Spirit Disaster for a while longer, and after a change of defense had been made, he confirmed that the defenses could hold and the Three-eyed Dragon Men had indeed not appeared. Only then did he turn to lead his men down from the dark wall. "I¡¯ll keep an eye on things here;what are your next orders, Alliance Hierarch?" Inside the vehicle, everyone else busied themselves with their tasks, leaving only Yu Yuhong and Qing Huang in the car. Qing Huang¡¯s voice, mixed with the continuous sound of cannon fire, reached Yu Hong¡¯s ears. "I have done my best, but I do not accept this outcome," Yu Hong said in a deep voice. "You mean..." Qing Huang caught a hint of something amiss from his tone and immediately became more cautious. He had noticed that his new boss seemed to suffer from paranoid delusions, always expecting the worst in every situation. Moreover, his mood was very unstable, and he might make some extreme decisions that people couldn¡¯t understand at any moment. Just like now, he had a bad premonition. "The official side has not yet widely promoted the Spirit Light Secret Skill;they are still hesitant at this point. I¡¯ve decided not to wait any longer. Qing Huang, come with me;let¡¯s pay a visit to the headquarters of the Seven Evil Alliance," Yu Hong said with a serious demeanor. "This... right now they¡¯re in combat against the Taoist Sect under the leadership of Long Qingzi... Alliance Hierarch, if we get involved directly, does that mean... am I to betray the Alliance?" Qing Huang cautiously asked. "What? You¡¯re unwilling?" Yu Hong looked at him with a profound gaze. "..." Qing Huang¡¯s heart skipped a beat, his scalp tingling, and he quickly forced a smile, "How could I be? As a subordinate, it¡¯s my duty to complement the Alliance Hierarch¡¯s weaknesses. With the significant strength improvement, the barren land of the Seven Evils Alliance is naturally dispensable. It¡¯s just... the situation there might be very dangerous... if we get noticed by the Seven Evils..." "No worry, you just need to lead the way," said Yu Hong. "Actually, I¡¯ve wanted to act for a while now, but only now has the timing become just right. They need to be battling the Taoist Sect¡¯s high echelons to death before I can strike when they are most vulnerable. Let¡¯s see if the Seven Evil Alliance¡¯s warehouse doors are sturdy!" "..." Qing Huang felt an old complaint in his heart he didn¡¯t know whether to voice. To be able to talk so poetically about raiding and pillaging - it seemed only their Alliance Hierarch could manage such a feat. "I understand," he swallowed hard, nodding. At this moment, he realized he could no longer muddle through ¨C he had to choose between the Spirit Light Mutual Aid Alliance and the Seven Evil Alliance. And the choice was obvious. After all, when he joined the Seven Evil Alliance, it was merely for personal gain and partly to find warmth in numbers from the Taoist Sect¡¯s hunt. But now he was ¡¯cleaned up¡¯ ¨C different, so naturally, he no longer needed them. "So, Alliance Hierarch, when do we leave?" "Now," said Yu Hong. "Aren¡¯t we going to prepare?" Qing Huang hesitated. "You may not be aware, but even though they¡¯re called the Seven Evils, the headquarters is actually guarded by a Vice Alliance Hierarch, whose power is at least on par with a member of the Seven Evils..." Chapter 374: Action 372 Two "It doesn¡¯t matter, just lead the way. If we don¡¯t encounter them, so be it;if we do, we¡¯ll capture them all and bring them back to do the hard labor. Causing such a huge trouble, this is the perfect opportunity to redeem themselves for their wrongdoings." Yu Hong was indifferent. He had long been coveting the Taoist Sect and the Seven Evil Alliance. Previously, he had the grand plan and hoped to recruit people as a life force, but now that hope was completely dashed, and his mind became more clear. It was perfect timing that they were in the midst of battle, which gave him an opportunity. Moreover, since his side lacked a powerful expert to preside, and the Seven Evil Alliance were all ill-gotten gains, the saying goes ¡¯Heaven¡¯s gifts not taken are but a precursor to disaster.¡¯ This was like fat meat delivered to his door, not eating it would be a waste! The carriage turned and hurried in the opposite direction. Upon reaching the northwest corner of the Spirit Station defense line, the car stopped, and a helicopter was already waiting by the black wall. The helicopter blades had already begun to rotate. Qing Huang went up and gave a few instructions to the pilot, then took Yu Hong with him, lifted off, and sped away into the distance. At the summit of Fushou Mountain, at the Sealing and Sacrifice Platform. The fierce wind howled, and dark clouds covered the sky. Bolts of lightning slithered through the clouds, casting blue light. Xu Chong sat cross-legged on the ground, blood dripping from beneath him, his horsetail whisk in hand shimmered with blinding golden light, enveloping his entire body. That was his life-saving secret technique, a top-tier magic wrought from years of cultivation, combined with the Divine Intent of the Inheritance Dao Artifact, igniting the Spirit Communication Light. This light could, within one hour, forcefully suppress all injuries in the body, delaying the injuries to a later time one hour hence. Regardless of the injury, during that hour, he would maintain his peak condition. And any new injuries sustained within that hour would accumulate and erupt afterwards. "I knew it, at our level, the idea of killing you with a sneak attack is clearly unrealistic," Long Qingzi said, clapping and laughing, as he witnessed this scene. "Your performance was too poor," Zuo Yunfeng glanced at him. "I thought I was perfect. After all, for a madman who likes to have fits of insanity, shouldn¡¯t anything he does be accepted?" Long Qingzi raised his eyebrow and smiled. "But, I do think, you made your move too slowly... Teacher." His eyes were brimming with a deeper mirth. "You seem... to have gotten older..." "Then try to break free from me," Zuo Yunfeng said expressionlessly. "The disciple dares not. You are the world¡¯s strongest, the current most powerful Magician... My mediocre skills, I would not embarrass myself before you." "You madmen!" Xu Chong, sitting in the golden light and suppressing his injuries, slowly stood up. "I was blind! Zuo Yunfeng! You¡¯ve been behind all this mischief!" His eyes were bloodshot, his beard and hair moved with his rage, his body trembling slightly as he was obviously enraged to the extreme. "The so-called top Magician in the world, to do such filthy things! The millennium foundation of the Primordial Heavenly Master Mansion is going to be ruined by you, are you not afraid..." "I¡¯m going to die," Zuo Yunfeng interrupted him. "Xu Chong." He watched the other man, his eyes calm and sincere. "In one more year, I am going to die..." "I can feel it, the end is drawing near..." "So what!? At your level, yet you cannot see through life and death, what kind of Heavenly Master are you!? What kind of First Magician are you!!? A mere charlatan!!" Xu Chong angrily said. "I am different from you," Zuo Yunfeng said indifferently. "From a very young age, a hundred years ago, my purpose in cultivation was only one." "And that is, immortality." "One hundred years as if one day, consistent from beginning to end, truly admirable, Teacher, your Dao Heart is cold and firm," Long Qingzi clapped and laughed from the side. Zuo Yunfeng ignored his sarcasm and continued. "From that time, I understood a truth. Everything in this world has a cause and effect, to gain something, one must pay accordingly. And to gain eternal life, one must pay enough of a price, and my hundred years of arduous cultivation is still far from enough..." "So you¡¯ve caused all this, just for what you call eternal life!?" Xu Chong gritted his teeth. He knew the other was stalling for time, waiting for his secret technique to expire, but he couldn¡¯t help wanting to hear what the other had to say. The First Mage in the world, Zuo Yunfeng, that title had reigned over the entire world for decades! But now... in a single shocking change, everything, all was ruined. Long Qingzi and the Seven Evil Alliance were actually supported by Zuo Yunfeng from behind all this time? If this got out, the reputation of the entire Taoist Sect would be destroyed, crumbling to pieces. "You won¡¯t understand," Zuo Yunfeng sighed, "What kind of cause plants what kind of fruit, without enough nourishment, one cannot grow fruit sweet and delicious enough..." He flicked his horsetail whisk and put away the Short Sword. "I have spent nearly a hundred years cultivating causes, now, it is time to harvest..." "What do you mean?" Xu Chong suddenly felt a foreboding feeling. Zuo Yunfeng slightly smiled, lifting his gaze towards Yunshu Mountain, the direction of the Ancestor Court of the Taoist Sect. Boom!!! Suddenly, the earth trembled. A burst of brilliant golden light suddenly illuminated the sky in the direction of Yunshu Mountain. The golden light was incredibly thick, ten times larger than the Yin Qi Sky Pillar, enveloping the entire Heavenly Number Mountain underneath it. The golden light soared into the sky like a golden spear, piercing through the clouds, forming a huge hole. Then it continued upwards, breaking through the stratosphere, tearing a huge gash in the pale blue atmosphere. This was not a Spiritual Illusion, but an actual image visible to everyone. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Within the blinding pillar of golden light, a shadowy figure, black all over with huge wings on his back, slowly emerged. He held something like a small ink stone in his hands in front of his chest, floating motionless inside the golden pillar, seemingly just a statue. "The Night Pool... has descended..." Zuo Yunfeng admired the small pool held in the gigantic shadow¡¯s hands, his eyes filled with anticipation. "Teacher, we have the infinite energy source, next is to connect the Pool of Ten Thousand Spirits," Long Qingzi reminded with a smile. "The opening of the Pool of Ten Thousand Spirits, apart from requiring enough Gates of Ten Thousand Spirits, also needs one more thing," Zuo Yunfeng looked at him and said indifferently. "What?" Long Qingzi raised an eyebrow. "I will use the entire Yunshu Mountain as a collateral to temporarily set up a formation to bind the Night Pool and incorporate it into the great formation. Next, we need a suitable attraction to open the Pool of Ten Thousand Spirits on the same Yunshu Mountain," Zuo Yunfeng said. "So..." Long Qingzi said with a smile. "So." Zuo Yunfeng raised his hand and pointed. Buzz! A complex golden moth pattern suddenly lit up on Long Qingzi¡¯s chest. Boom!! With a muffled sound, a bloody gash suddenly burst open on Long Qingzi¡¯s chest, spraying out crimson blood, instantly freezing the smile on his face. "I have cultivated you for so many years, now it¡¯s time for you to repay me..." Zuo Yunfeng said indifferently. He tugged his finger once more. Instantly, an invisible force strengthened, drawing out more blood from Long Qingzi¡¯s body. The blood turned into thin lines, flying around, like red silk threads. "Zuo Yunfeng! Today, I shall act as the heavens¡¯ enforcer and exterminate you, the demon and heretic outsiders!" Beside them, Xu Chong finally recovered from the shock of the Ancestor Court of Yunshu Mountain being destroyed. Unable to hold back any longer, he pounced forward enveloped in golden light, with his horsetail whisk aimed directly at Zuo Yunfeng, clearly attempting to stop him. In this instant, Long Qingzi¡¯s body also exploded suddenly, turning into a burst of blood shadow, disrupting the blood extraction and charging straight at Zuo Yunfeng. "Teacher, you don¡¯t really believe that after all these years, your Secret Technique would still work, do you?" The two, one in front and one behind, strangely joined forces for a moment to confront Zuo Yunfeng. However, what the three of them did not notice was. Near them, within one of the rolling and surging Yin Qi Sky Pillars. A pitch-black, eye-shaped fissure was being quietly opened. Within it, the silhouette of the Cai Jing Taoist sitting upon clouds was vaguely visible through the crack, silently waiting. Behind this Taoist was a dense mass of at least a thousand golden-armored Dragon-men figures. If Yu Hong were here, he would recognize that many among them were individuals who had appeared at the Zihe Palace. Originally, they were just ordinary golden-armored Dragon-men, but at this moment, at least a third of them had inexplicably transformed into three-eyed golden-armored Dragon-men. Not only that, but even the spiritual pressure from the Cai Jing Taoist sitting on the clouds had significantly intensified compared to when he appeared at the Zihe Palace. If the combined spiritual pressure of Zuo Yunfeng and the other two was a hundred, then the spiritual pressure of the Cai Jing Taoist at this time was over a thousand. And still, the Cai Jing Taoist continued to hide, silently waiting for the moment when the three would fight each other and both suffer injuries. * * * Hundreds of kilometers away from Taizhou, within a secluded harbor. A massive black ship was slowly docking at the port. The ship bore no name, and only flew the flag of Yasong Country. Under the overcast clouds, two figures quietly appeared on the nearby beach. One was tall and strong, dressed in a white Daoist robe, his robust muscles taut against the fabric, none other than Master Yu Hong, who had hurried over. The other, in a black robe edged with silver and a silver phoenix mask, was Qing Huang, the guide for the group. "Alliance Hierarch, this is the place. I told them to meet me here;this is the closest hidden port. They must have just opened it," Qing Huang said in a low voice. "Not bad, well done. Let¡¯s go straight to the ship. Can you contact your subordinates?" Yu asked. "I can, but they are unlikely to defect with me," Qing Huang sighed. "Then you really are a failure in life," Yu Hong shook his head and took the lead. "Which way in? Where¡¯s the warehouse?" he asked as he walked. "I¡¯m not sure about the warehouse, but we can capture someone and ask," Qing Huang hesitated. "Forget it, this ship is nice, I¡¯ll take it for myself, is that alright?" Yu Hong said. "That... of course, there¡¯s no issue..." Qing Huang paused before replying. "That¡¯s good then..." Yu Hong smiled faintly. Swoosh! In an instant, his figure disappeared like an arrow, shooting straight towards the black ship. Seconds later. A figure lightly leaped onto the ship¡¯s side and landed on the deck. Before the guard personnel on the deck could aim their guns, he stood tall and a swarm of black Dragon Lizards surged out behind him. Over a hundred Dragon Lizards climbed up the ship from the shore in a flash, slaughtering anyone they encountered on the deck. The huge figure of Agrius materialized beside Yu Hong, his head lowered, golden arcs of electricity sizzling around him. "Go, kill everyone here. Leave no survivors," Yu Hong ordered indifferently. Roar! Agrius roared lowly, virtualized into black mist, and rushed towards the cabin entrance. Yu Hong himself pointed a finger to the ground. ¡¯Guanwu Skill: Fear Shadow ¡¤ Extreme Summoning.¡¯ Hiss, hiss, hiss! In an instant, more than twenty bipedal creatures, their bodies semi-transparent like mucus, appeared on the deck. Every one of these creatures, upon materializing, dispersed into invisible mucus and flowed into the cabins. Qing Huang climbed aboard in time to see the bloodshed, sighed softly, said nothing, and quietly followed Yu Hong towards the cabin entrance. Chapter 375: Operation 373 Three Boom. The cabin door was kicked open, its frame dented and broken, flying inward and striking with a loud noise. Yu Hong and Qing Huang entered one after another. Inside, it was already a bloody scene, with the corpses of black-robed masked men mixed with Dragon Lizard bodies lying on both sides of the passageway. Yu Hong glanced at the Dragon Lizards, sighed slightly, waved his hand for the other Dragon Lizards behind him to come forward, and swallowed the bodies of their companions one by one. He would not leave traces of the Dragon Lizards here, to avoid other kinds of risks. "This is the surface area, mainly used for meetings, research, and receptions. There are not many people, most here are reception staff," Qing Huang quickly explained from behind. "Can the Hypnotism Technique be deployed?" Yu Hong asked. "It¡¯s possible. However, for those above the Breaking Realm level, the Technique has no effect. Even for slightly stronger ordinary Magicians, my Hypnosis Technique is barely effective. It¡¯s mainly developed for ordinary people," Qing Huang replied. "That¡¯s enough," Yu Hong said unconcernedly, "Let¡¯s go." He quickened his pace and continued along the descending passage. Passing through a brightly lit corridor with red carpet, another partition door ahead was busted open. Behind the door, a burly human-shaped figure burned to a crisp lay on the ground, already lifeless. The surrounding walls were smeared with a lot of dark red flesh and blood, clearly, this place had experienced a fierce battle. The walls were indented everywhere. Yu Hong remained silent and kept moving forward. After passing through a spiral staircase, the space ahead suddenly opened up. A hall that seemed like a courtyard appeared before him, the entire hall dominated by black and purple tones, with sealed passageways leading to various cabin areas everywhere. At the center of the hall, there was also a large aquarium, decorated with colorful corals and seascapes. Now, there were already more than a dozen corpses of black-robed masked men floating in the aquarium. "Ah!" Suddenly, a passage door below to the right was violently smashed open, the thick metal door flew far out, smashing towards Yu Hong. Yu Hong¡¯s expression did not change, a Dragon Lizard beside him leaped forward, intercepting the door in midair and slamming it down. With the door no longer obstructing the view, his gaze turned toward the person who had broken through the door. It was a burly bald man wrapped in numerous black iron chains. Wearing a metal muzzle, his skin ghastly pale, the man over two meters tall entered the hall with a fierce and angry look in his eyes, staring at Yu Hong. "Did you do this!?" The man spoke in a foreign language that rolled off the tongue. Fixating his gaze on Yu Hong. "Alisonians?" Yu Hong remembered this language, as he had previously mastered dozens of the world¡¯s mainstream languages through a translator. Now, communication was completely unimpeded. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I¡¯m asking you!" The bald man roared furiously, then suddenly turned and threw a punch at the head of a huge black lizard that was pouncing out from the passageway behind him. Whoosh! A white, shockwave-like Spiritual Shock Technique burst out of his fist, instantly crossing over ten meters, striking the forehead of Agrius as it emerged. Agrius¡¯ massive body suddenly glowed with golden electricity, immunizing it from most of the damage. But the white shockwave continued to deplete the golden electricity, and after several seconds of stalemate. Poof! The golden electricity was exhausted, and Agrius was completely engulfed and devoured. The white shockwave dissipated quickly, and nothing was left in the passageway. Agrius was actually destroyed in a war of attrition!? "Oh? This kind of power..." Yu Hong was somewhat surprised. He had deployed Agrius mainly because the creature was very suitable for sneak attacks. Most Magicians in this world have high offensive power but low defensive ability, and if Agrius, at Level Nine, could land the first sneak attack, it could instantly kill most people with its physical impact. But now it seems, it¡¯s difficult to ambush a master with high spiritual power... "Qing Huang! You dare to betray the Taoist Sect!!?" The bald man turned around, spotting the old Qing Huang behind Yu Hong with a single glance. "Ouyang Chengtao, as fellow Dark Sky Masters, don¡¯t you find it a little amusing to say that?" Qing Huang answered calmly, and of course, his facial expression could not be seen under the mask, but his tone conveyed a dense impatience. "The momentum of the Taoist Sect is already set, and destruction is the only ultimate outcome. Apart from that, I can¡¯t think of any other force worth defecting from the organization for!" Ouyang Chengtao, the bald Dark Sky Master, said fiercely, "Defecting is one thing, but to dare bring someone to sneak attack the headquarters! You no longer wish to live? You could¡¯ve told me, I would have helped you on your journey, don¡¯t fucking drag me down!!" "Oh right, the Alliance Hierarch ordered you and the Vice Alliance Hierarch to guard the headquarters, and you made it very clear at the time. If something went wrong, you would bring your head to him!" Qing Huang began to laugh. "Why don¡¯t you cut off your head now, I¡¯ll help you deliver it to the Alliance Hierarch?" "You¡¯re seeking death!!" The bald man spoke no more, leaped up, and turned into a white phantom, rushing towards Yu Hong and Qing Huang. His speed exploded instantly, far exceeding human limitations;even the world¡¯s fastest sprinter couldn¡¯t imagine reaching such high speeds with the human body. The distance of more than a dozen meters passed in an instant. The bald man blinked as he rushed past Yu Hong¡¯s side, heading straight for Qing Huang. Compared to Yu Hong, an unknown opponent, he hated Qing Huang even more, the snitch. If not for his guidance, his own niece guarding the headquarters would not have been in trouble! Would not have been burnt to death by those unidentified giant lizards! He was the one! All because of him!! First, kill this trail-leading snitch, then crush the one with him into mincemeat!!! The rage in bald Ouyang Chengtao¡¯s heart was like a blazing flame, burning fiercely. Swoosh! Just then, a white-glowing arm suddenly appeared in front of him. The arm turned into a light-shadow and pressed down on his face, smashing downward. Boom!! The metallic floor of the hall caved in and then cracked further, exploding downwards, creating a twisted hole with a diameter of several meters. Yu Hong withdrew his hand, dissipated the Inner Strength from it, his gaze indifferent. "Not bad strength-wise;to gain something so soon after entering is quite good." Qing Huang glanced at Ouyang Chengtao lying on the floor below, his body covered in silver Spirit Light, being forcefully infiltrated. From this vantage point, Ouyang¡¯s bones had been broken by eighty percent in that single strike. Now, without the support of Spirit Light, he would likely die within two minutes. "Alliance Leader is awe-inspiring." Considering how Ouyang was known in the Seven Evil Alliance for his formidable physique, immense strength, and his ability to withstand bullets or even small caliber artillery shells with his Techniques, Qing Huang felt chills. He reassessed the strength of Alliance Leader Yu Hong. The extent of Alliance Leader Yu¡¯s power has always been a mystery;he slays experts as if slaughtering chickens, but he has never confronted anyone of Seven Fierce Level or above, so Qing Huang was also unclear about his true capabilities. "Let¡¯s go, look for the warehouse, and then see why your Vice Alliance Hierarch has yet to show up. With the situation like this, it¡¯s impossible he hasn¡¯t noticed." Yu Hong wasn¡¯t sure before, but he completely understood now that top spiritual power masters also possess extremely terrifying Perception, covering a broad range. It¡¯s impossible that they haven¡¯t noticed their intrusion. And the fact that he hasn¡¯t shown up by now clearly indicates another reason. "I suspect that the Vice Alliance Hierarch might have made a run for it in advance," Qing Huang speculated. "Is that possible? The Seven Evil Alliance¡¯s Vice Alliance Hierarch is so unreliable?" Yu Hong asked in surprise. "Alliance Leader is unaware;the Vice Alliance Hierarch of the Seven Evil Alliance is surnamed Zhao, with the given name Jingtan. This person has always been renowned for his strategic calculations. Although his strength is comparable to the Seven Evils, he prefers not to fight and likes to lay out plans in advance. If he truly wanted to make a move, he would either have already set a trap to wait for us, or he would have left early. There wouldn¡¯t be a third option," Qing Huang explained. "Then let¡¯s not bother with him and speed up," Yu Hong activated Perception sharing. Soon, he glanced down towards a spot on the floor. "Over there." In a flash, he appeared on a different spot on the floor and stomped with his right foot. Bang!! The floor collapsed, and he fell through an enormous hole created by his stomp. Seeing this, Qing Huang hurriedly propped up his Spirit Light and jumped down after him. He didn¡¯t possess such a powerful physique and without the support of Spirit Light, jumping from a height of five or six meters would likely sprain his feet. As soon as he landed, he saw another large hole in the floor and immediately let out a wail, continuing to jump down. The next layer down. In an oval-shaped brown grand arena. Groups of Dragon Lizards were battling fiercely with groups of black-robed masked individuals. Various Techniques and Magic burst forth, striking the Dragon Lizards and forcing them to retreat. But the silver Spirit Light on the Dragon Lizards shone like a turtle shell, leaving the group of masked individuals at a loss. As soon as Yu Hong and Qing Huang landed, a series of gunshots exploded. Rain-like, high-powered modified bullets shot towards him from multiple directions. Clang clang clang. The bullets created a few ripples of white light on Yu Hong¡¯s body and were then blocked by the Inner Strength covering him. "Go." Yu Hong looked towards the direction from which the bullets were coming;there were a few Magicians who looked like small leaders. The masks of the ordinary black-robed individuals were black, while theirs were white. As Yu Hong¡¯s voice fell, clusters of transparent figures emerged from thin air and pounced towards them. Within a few breaths, those gun-wielding Magicians were engulfed by the transparent figures and completely wrapped in a gel-like substance. The words and sounds they shouted were also twisted into different sound effects, and some even suffered severe coordination errors due to the mimicry of the figures, releasing completely opposite Techniques and canceling each other out in mid-air. Yu Hong didn¡¯t look further and stepped forward, stomping on the ground. Boom! The floor exploded again. He continued to fall downward. On the next layer, a large silver metal machine stood tall in the spacious cylindrical hall. No sooner had Yu Hong landed than dozens of black-flamed metal arrows appeared in front of him. The arrows were not just in front but also behind him. At least half of the arrows had Temple Master Level fluctuations. His eyes lit up, finally encountering the elites here. Immediately, his body shone with white light, turning into a translucent solid barrier. Clang clang clang clang!! All the arrows struck him but did no damage. Yu Hong looked around;there were several individuals standing on the cleared area in front and back, draped in black robes with silver masks. The patterns on their masks were somewhat similar to those of Qing Huang¡¯s, but the main animal represented was different. Lion, tiger, bear, eagle, leopard, wolf - six kinds. Three individuals stood in the front and three in the rear, forming two small Arrays. Chapter 376: Action 374 Four "Unharmed! How is that possible?!" Yu Hong heard someone exclaim in shock. He landed lightly, his body drifting like a falling leaf, nimbly vanishing from the spot. When he reappeared, he was already in front of the three silver-faced individuals. Leading them was a silver-faced lioness, a woman who bizarrely wore a male lion mask. She had a graceful figure, and her robe was loosely draped, revealing a large expanse of creamy white skin across her chest, utterly mismatched with the ferocity of a lion. She reacted extremely quickly, noticing Yu Hong¡¯s approach and clapping her hands together, unleashing a circle of black light around her that transformed into a tangible wave of Spiritual Shock, attempting to push Yu Hong back. But when the shock wave hit Yu Hong¡¯s white light, it was ineffectual, instantly neutralized. Snap. Her neck was seized by Yu Hong¡¯s hand, countless beams of Spirit Light surging into her body like it cost nothing. The woman¡¯s body trembled and convulsed, feeling as if her physical qualities were skyrocketing like a rocket. However, before she could comprehend what was happening, the silver Spirit Light was rapidly siphoned away, and along with it, her entire Life Force, Essence Qi, spirit... Hiss. Yu Hong held the silver-faced lioness by the neck, suspending her in the air, absorbing back the vast amounts of Spirit Light he had released. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If the output of Spirit Light was one, then the amount now being reabsorbed was ten. Having devoured the complete Essence Qi, blood, flesh, and Life Force of a Temple Master Level Magician, this strand of Spirit Light was now enhanced by more than tenfold. As the last wisp of Spirit Light was reabsorbed, Yu Hong loosened his grip, letting the now withered, emaciated corpse drop to the ground. Clang, clatter. The silver lion mask rolled away, revealing an aged, shriveled, white face beneath the mask. The face resembled a mummified corpse, dead from desiccation, its flesh completely devoid of luster and moisture. "!!!" The remaining five onlookers quickly widened the distance between themselves and Yu Hong, frightened. From the moment Yu Hong seized the silver-faced lioness to the instance he killed her, it all took just two seconds. It was like pouring water from one cup into another. They had just enough time to activate their defensive Techniques to protect themselves. Then it was all over. Puff. Yu Hong casually dispersed a black fireball aimed at his eyes with one hand. No matter what Technique, if it couldn¡¯t penetrate his Inner Strength defense, it was all in vain. "You have three seconds, surrender, or die." He scanned the remaining five, sensing the intense fear emanating from them. Snap. Without a second word, the five of them dropped their weapons onto the ground, and those without weapons raised their hands and knelt down immediately. "We surrender! We surrender!" Instantly kneeling! Qing Huang, who had just leapt down enveloped in silver Spirit Light, couldn¡¯t help but cover his face in speechlessness at the scene. Such a loss of honor. Before his arrival, he had taken great care to remind Yu Hong to be cautious... And yet, the disciples of the Seven Evil Alliance had surrendered so quickly. He landed steadily and rose to his feet, observing the five already kneeling neatly before Yu Hong. Yu Hong flicked a finger, sending a strand of Spirit Light to each person, which clung to their bodies, and in the blink of an eye transformed into silver threads that burrowed into their skin and disappeared from view. "You handle them." Without further words, Yu Hong stomped his foot again. Boom! The ground once more exploded open, and he continued to plummet downwards. Qing Huang hurriedly gave the five a few instructions before following suit. Jumping down three levels in succession. Finally, he saw Yu Hong¡¯s figure in a dark, oval-shaped chamber at the very bottom. At this moment, he was surrounded by numerous black and purple rune chains. At least hundreds of rune chains densely ensnared him, immobilizing him completely. On one side of the chamber¡¯s black walls stood a heavy, three-meter-tall silver metal door, firmly set in place. On the other walls, mysterious patterns of nine suns and nine moons were each engraved. Surrounding the nine suns and nine moons, four magnificently carved four-winged strange bird statues in black bronze were each knelt as if praying toward the sun and moon before them. Waves of immense spiritual fluctuations continuously spread out from them. Upon reaching this place, Qing Huang was shocked to discover that the collective spiritual power of these four statues, permeating this not-so-large space, was already far beyond his own spiritual power! It was an exaggerated spiritual strength that dwarfed his own by dozens of times, like an ocean. Faced with these densely packed strange bird statues, it felt like the terror and pressure he experienced when facing the Seven Evils. "What is this?" Yu Hong was also observing the statues and patterns, clearly interested. "Not sure. But it looks like it might have been personally arranged by Long Qingzi." Qing Huang speculated. "How can you tell?" Yu Hong looked toward him, awaiting an explanation. "Ever since Long Qingzi defected from the Primordial Heavenly Master Mansion, the Daoist Magic Techniques he practiced have been unpredictable. Inside the Seven Evil Alliance, one often sees strange four-winged black bird apparitions accompanying the release of his Magic. I suspect that this might be some kind of special totem." "Can you open this level of protection?" Yu Hong asked. "Don¡¯t joke about it." Qing Huang replied helplessly, "At my level, if I input the wrong code, the next second, I¡¯d be brain dead from the impact. Facing such a vast disparity of pure spiritual power, no Technique would work." Yu Hong stopped talking, simply staring at these statues. In terms of spiritual power, he couldn¡¯t even compare with Qing Huang, so certainly he couldn¡¯t manage. Therefore... Roar!!! Instantly, his body erupted with white light, his Inner Strength flaring up like flames reaching for the sky, burning fiercely. Facing the warehouse¡¯s metal door, he threw a fierce punch forward. As the punch traveled through the air, it was intercepted by a transparent force field emanated by the surrounding statues and patterns, solidifying his motions. But the transparent force field only held for an instant before it was forcibly shattered. Crack, crack, crack, crack! Following a series of crisp sounds, Yu Hong¡¯s punch struck the center of the silver metal door. Everything came to stillness. Boom!! The metal door burst inwardly, twisting and exploding, creating a circular hole. Inside the hole were stacks of blue plastic bins filled to the brim. The bins were labeled with various texts. ¡¯Dao Artifact¡¯, ¡¯Food¡¯, ¡¯Secret Medicine¡¯, ¡¯Array¡¯, ¡¯Ancient Books¡¯, ¡¯Exotic Items¡¯, and more. Aside from these items, there was also a person who walked out slowly from the right side, greeting Yu Hong with a stiff smile and a cupped-fist salute. "I was wondering who it might be, it turns out to be Master Yu, the Alliance Hierarch of the Spirit Light Mutual Aid Alliance in person. My apologies for not greeting you from afar, how disrespectful." The person had blue hair cascading down to their shoulders, wearing a moon-white robe with a Jade Pendant at their waist, carrying twin swords on their back. Like a combination of an ancient scholar and a knight-errant. Most crucially, this individual possessed delicate features, indistinguishable as male or female, and at a glance one could tell they must have undergone countless modifications. Their features were so refined they gave a terrifying, almost model-like impression. "So it is Vice Alliance Hierarch Zhao Jingtang." Qing Huang glanced at the dimming four-winged black bird statue and immediately understood who activated this Array. "Young Qing Huang, it was you who brought such a distinguished guest as Master Yu to visit? I have long heard about Spirit Light and had wanted to visit Taizhou personally, but alas, my inability to travel has been a great regret. Now to my surprise, you have actually done me a great favor." Despite the unwavering rigidity of his face, his tone shifted quickly. "You no longer need to feel regretful now." Yu Hong stretched out his hand, with a silver light glowing in his palm. "Come, I am now giving you the opportunity to join our alliance." "...." Zhao Jingtang¡¯s eyes sharpened, and he fell silent. Behind him, his hands were frantically forming Seals, calculating a way to survive. However, no matter how he calculated, he saw not a sliver of hope in front of him at this moment. To fight or not? That was a choice. After a few breaths. His body relaxed. "Since Master Yu has personally invited me, I am greatly honored!" He bowed slightly and stretched out his hand, palm facing upward. Hiss! A streak of silver light shot out from Yu Hong¡¯s palm, landing precisely in his hand, then merged into his body like a living thing. "Alright, now we are all one family. Please trouble you to introduce me to what resources are in the warehouse..." Yu Hong smiled slightly, feeling more relaxed in his heart. "After all, I also need to understand how much reserves are still left on my ship." "...." The other two were at a loss for words. It became his ship so quickly... this one is completely different from Long Qingzi... After a few breaths. The surviving Seven Evil Alliance experts who hadn¡¯t been killed were herded into the uppermost grand hall. Yu Hong casually scattered the Spirit Light into these people. Minutes later, the surviving hundred plus elite Magicians of the Seven Evil Alliance, including Vice Alliance Hierarch Zhao Jingtang and Dark Sky Master Ouyang Chengtao along with the five masked Magicians, all successfully completed the Spirit Light integration. From this point, the headquarters ship of the Seven Evil Alliance was thoroughly taken over. Yu Hong¡¯s plan to take advantage of their weakness was exceptionally successful. If Long Qingzi and the Seven Evils were still around, it wouldn¡¯t be so easy for him. An arduous and deadly battle would have been inevitable. And the outcome would not be certain, as nobody truly understood the specifics of Long Qingzi¡¯s capabilities. But now, with Qing Huang leading the way, everything was much easier. Next stop, Yu Hong headed straight for the convalescent clinic. Judging by the time, the progress there should mean that both Quan He Monarch and Taoists Golden Light and Lian Yun would have finished their bodily reconstruction. Quan He Monarch was the last one. Once all the experts at the clinic completed their transformations, the high-end power of the Mutual Aid Alliance would be greatly strengthened once more. For Quan He, one of the strongest at the top of the world, it was natural and appropriate for him, as the Alliance Hierarch and a junior, to go and receive them in person to show importance. * * * On Fushou Mountain, the Sealing and Sacrifice Platform. A streak of Golden Light suddenly plummeted, fiercely crashing into the ground, splitting the land, and the Golden Light began to slowly dim and disappear. Xu Chong, the Heavenly Master, looked pale and bloodless, holding a horsetail whisk, a Dao Artifact, and knelt on the ground, unable to suppress a coughing fit. Seeing the flickering dim Golden Light beside him, he knew his time was running short. "So be it...." He looked up at Zuo Yunfeng, who was fighting fiercely with Long Qing. Long Qing had used all his power, with a halo around him raging like the sun, with four black wings behind, fluttering continuously. Each sprint he made left behind a dense aura of shadowy afterimages. These afterimages would turn into four-winged black birds, charging at Zuo Yunfeng from every direction to self-destruct. The power of the self-destruction was no weaker than a formal Technique of Heavenly Master Level. Each explosion would tear open a terrifying wave in midair. Below the Temple Master Level, none who dared to stay within a hundred meters were untouched by this self-destructive force;their spirits would collapse in an instant, falling to the ground in a vegetative state. As for Zuo Yunfeng. Shadows of darkness, like ink, continuously spread behind him. The shadow grew larger and larger, and as time passed, it seemed to contaminate the surrounding world. He floated in midair, motionless, casually thwarting every attack flying towards him from Long Qing¨C Be it Techniques or fists or Inheritance Dao Artifacts before him were all treated the same. With just a bare hand. Everything would be corroded by the shadow, neutralized, dissipated. "Heaven¡¯s cycle is everlasting, my heart remains forever pure, staying clear, without a single mark." Zuo Yunfeng chanted a spell, his other hand swiftly forming Seals, then pointing to the sky. Hiss!! A Golden Light shot out from his fingertip, entering the sky. "Wait! What are you trying to do!?" Xu Chong suddenly remembered the function of this spell and roared with a drastic change in expression. "I am breaking the barriers of the old era." Zuo Yunfeng said softly, his eyes filled with clear anticipation. Crack. The sky turned rapidly dark. It was no longer just enveloped in fog, but utterly shifted from day to night. Streaks of white lightning crossed the canopy, thundering loudly. At this moment, within the Nine Sects¡¯ Taoist Sects, all of the remaining Sky Stabilizing Plates silently surfaced with extensive cracks. The cracks multiplied quickly, becoming dense. And then. Crash!! All the Sky Stabilizing Plates shattered simultaneously. Chapter 377: Resentment 375 Part One At the very moment all the Sky Stabilizing Plates shattered. The sky above the Sealing and Sacrifice Platform darkened. "Come forth, Pool of Ten Thousand Spirits!!" Zuo Yunfeng raised his hand high, his voice booming. In the sky above the three of them, new changes began to emerge once again. The instant the Sky Stabilizing Plates broke, an irregularly shaped pool flickering with colorful phosphorescence slowly emerged. The pool was only over ten meters in length and width, like a tiny dot from this distance. Yet the radiance it emitted was enough to illuminate the mountains and lands within dozens of kilometers below. Under the glow, numerous insects swarmed out from underground, swarming into the air, as if stimulated by the light, and rushed towards this place. "Now, it¡¯s just you left." Zuo Yunfeng lowered his head, looking at Long Qingzi floating in mid-air. "I¡¯ve let you loose for decades, it¡¯s time to come back, my catalyst." Long Qingzi was covered in wounds, and the purple light on his body also seemed much dimmer. But he showed no sign of panic, instead, his eyes madly looked up. "Teacher, do you really think your disciple has just been self-destructive all these years?" Below him, countless insects turned into a black cloud, swiftly approaching him, seemingly ready to devour him and become the harbinger of the Pool of Ten Thousand Spirits¡¯ descent. "But a mere Spirit Disaster, even without the Sky Stabilizing Plates, dare to act recklessly!" With a flap of the four wings on his back, he flew upwards a distance. Buzz! In an instant, his hands came together in prayer, and suddenly a red Jade Pendant appeared in his palms, brightening with a dazzling red light. "Spirit Domain¡¤Pocket World Jade!" This was a special Dao Artifact he had refined after decades of imitating the principles of the Sky Stabilizing Plate, drawing its power from a strand of Divine Intent from the Fen Tian Star Lord in Heaven. However, the usage of this Divine Intent differed from the Inheritance Dao Artifact;instead, it was to be completely incinerated as fuel in a one-time fashion, combined with his own magic, to release the strongest blaze of fire. Towering waves of red light shone downward, wave after wave, instantly incinerating all the ascending insects and causing them to fall. It was as if the souls within the insects were instantly annihilated under this red light, completely perishing. "You have no say in it." Zuo Yunfeng¡¯s hand reached behind him and unexpectedly drew a sword completely red and with a phoenix as its guard, directly out of thin air. It was actually the Chi Xiao Sword of Ku Chan from Zihe Palace! "Spirit Realm¡¤Mortal Shadow!" Instantly, a vast expanse of black shadows burst forth from his body, turning into phoenixes enwrapped in black flames, and rushed towards Long Qingzi. The black phoenix shadows and the red light were like two waves of different colors clashing in mid-air. The phoenixes were clearly much stronger, advancing rapidly forward, suppressing the red light. The two resumed their struggle. Despite Zuo Yunfeng being able to suppress Long Qingzi head-on, the latter was exceptionally elusive, always managing to use various means to avoid capture by the Pool¡¯s insects at critical moments. The situation suddenly became somewhat stalemate. But Xu Chong below, already rapidly weakening and coughing up blood, noticed something amiss. Lying on his back among the broken rocks on the mountaintop, his accumulated wounds began to erupt on a large scale. "Something¡¯s wrong with the Spirit Disaster!! Zuo Yunfeng... You shouldn¡¯t have destroyed the Sky Stabilizing Plate... This world... will suffer consequences..." He finally began to worry about the Source Disaster. "No need to worry, once my wish is fulfilled, I will deal with the Spirit Disaster Black Disaster, and restore everything to its original state," said Zuo Yunfeng coldly, "By then, I will achieve immortality, and with the life of eternity, I will reshape the glory of the Taoist Sect anew! Everything is under my control." "But before that, some necessary sacrifices are needed." "You¡¯re... insane..." Xu Chong uttered with blood, his eyes gradually dimming. "I just want to live the life I desire, where lies the wrong?" Zuo Yunfeng¡¯s expressionless face continued to watch Long Qingzi, whose avoidance was becoming increasingly difficult. Meanwhile, in a distant Yin Qi Sky Pillar unnoticed by the three of them. With the shattering of all the Sky Stabilizing Plates, a concealed black crack within the Heavenly Pillar began to rapidly spread, lengthening and widening. Within the crack, the giant Cai Jing Taoist slowly lifted his head, as if a certain suppressing bond had been released, and a gray halo slowly lit up behind him. That halo condensed into a ring, standing still. The already terrifying Spiritual Suppression on him climbed once more. If Yu Hong were here, he would see that the spiritual value on the multimeter from a distance had reached over two million. Not just that, the countless Golden Armor Dragon-men behind the Cai Jing Taoist also saw their aura rise layer by layer, faint golden flames igniting around their armor. Crack. Suddenly, the Cai Jing Taoist quietly stretched out a large hand, pulling at the edge of the crack. Leaning forward, his body began to slowly shift out. As soon as a small part of his body emerged from the crack. Ahh!!! Accompanied by a shrill scream like that of a baby. A wave of semi-transparent Spiritual Suppression burst forth from him, spreading from the crack, and with the crack as the center, it exploded violently. This suppressive force covered dozens of kilometers in the blink of an eye with the speed of light. Within a radius of dozens of kilometers, all creatures felt a sudden heaviness at that moment, ethereal heavenly music in their ears, and a strong, uncontrollable fear rose in their hearts, rendering them immobile. In the midst of the struggle, Zuo Yunfeng¡¯s expression shifted slightly, turning his head to look towards the direction of the crack. Long Qingzi also unwittingly stopped dodging, and the smile on his face became stagnant. "What is... that?" Both had never seen such exaggerated Spiritual Suppression before. Such intensity had far exceeded the limits of their imagination! "There¡¯s such a thing in the Spirit Disaster!?" Zuo Yunfeng furrowed his brows, slowly clenched his fists, his eyes showing for the first time a hint of shock and confusion over losing control of the situation. * * * Qian¡¯an Sanitarium. The underground life support hall. Yu Hong and Qing Huang, along with the newly joined former Vice Alliance Hierarch Zhao Jingtang of the Seven Evil Alliance, the three quietly stood in the center of the hall, waiting for the final moment. "It¡¯s coming!" Suddenly, Yu Hong sensed the fluctuations of Spirit Light beginning to stabilize and slow down, understanding that this signified the final stage of bodily repair. He squinted his eyes, a strong yearning flickering within. His body leaned forward as he cupped one hand in the other before his chest in salute. "Youngster Zheng Rou pays respect to the senior for returning to the peak, shining like the sun in the sky." "Congratulations to the senior!" The other two also hurriedly followed suit with the same gesture. Hoo... sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A gentle breeze appeared out of nowhere, brushing past the three of them. Qing Huang and Zhao Jingtang had not yet grasped what had happened when they heard a certain voice. Thump!! It sounded like the heavy beat of a war drum exploding in their minds. "My heartbeat..." A gentle young woman¡¯s voice echoed out of nowhere in their minds. "Has never felt so young..." Thump! The second heartbeat exploded anew. Rings of substantial shockwaves, with the underground Hall of Life as the center, instantaneously spread to the surroundings, rushing out of the sanatorium, rippling over large expanses of mountains, lakes, and highways like waves on water. Above the sanatorium, countless currents of air converged from nowhere, twisting and dancing, vaguely rolling up dust, and condensing into a massive yet indistinct crane. That crane stretched from heaven to earth, reaching heights beyond ten thousand meters. Its mere appearance set off a chorus, and as quickly as it emerged, it silently fragmented into countless strands of airflow that flew toward the sanatorium below. Countless strands of airflow slipped through every crack, quickly converging at the center of the underground hall. Thump! The third heartbeat. In an instant, everything within tens of kilometers returned to normal. The air currents dissipated, the life support system halted, and the doors of the room slowly opened. It was as though everything that had occurred was but an illusion. "In this world, gains must always be accompanied by losses." A pleasant female voice floated from inside the door. * * * Below the cliff, in the depths of a pool. A figure that had been soaking for a long time slowly opened their eyes. He was tightly embracing a headless female corpse, standing at the bottom of the pool in darkness, lifting his head. Boom!! A thunderous noise. The figure disappeared in place, a stream of white water surged upward, breaking through the water with a purple glow wrapping around it, stepping through the air, flying towards the direction where the Chi Xiao Sword beckoned. * * * Beneath the pitch-black sky. One by one, black rifts appeared in the sky, from which countless swarming black insects emerged, resembling grains of sand. Those were the Gates of Despair of the Black Disaster, which could hardly wait to enter this world the moment the Sky Stabilizing Plate shattered. As for the largest black rift within the Yin Qi Sky Pillar, it suddenly tore further open. The Cai Jing Taoist within the pillar slowly extended his upper body through the rift. By now, his stature had grown far larger than when he first appeared, with just the upper body alone rising tens of meters high. Accompanying his emergence was an incessant cacophony of sharp cries, resembling those of infants, that rang out wildly in the surroundings. "No matter what you are... Taoist Zuo Yunfeng has ascetically practiced for a hundred years, pursuing immortality. I absolutely cannot fail this final step!" Zuo Yunfeng witnessed this scene, his expression unshaken, his eyes flashing with resolve. He raised the Chi Xiao Sword upright, and his body suddenly transformed its Daoist Skills, switching to the inheritance skills of Zihe Palace. Rings of purple-red flames ignited from his right arm, spreading to the Chi Xiao Sword. After years of cultivation, in pursuit of immortality and to break through to new levels, he not only practiced the Daoist Skills of Zihe Palace but also mastered those of the other Eight Sects. Aaang! A resounding phoenix cry echoed. "Spiritual Domain¡¤Skyfire Interplay." Swoosh! He lifted the Chi Xiao Sword high, tremendous Dao Breath madly flooded into it, weaving a transparent net that covered the entire Chi Xiao Sword and his body. Boom!! Two seconds later. The Chi Xiao Sword flew out of his hand, shooting into the sky, transforming into a blindingly bright purple-red phoenix that shot straight towards the Cai Jing Taoist. Wherever it passed, purple flames expanded and sparks scattered, igniting everything in its path into a trail of purple fire. As the purple fire phoenix neared the Cai Jing Taoist, the flames on its body became increasingly tumultuous as the distance closed. However, when the phoenix was less than a hundred meters away. Thump thump thump thump thump! An intense drumming exploded. A tide of gold surged crazily from behind the Cai Jing Taoist. A large number of Golden Armor Dragon-men flew out in neat formation, charging towards the phoenix. They raised their banners high, each inscribed with an immense, twisted, ancient, blood-red character. Some beat drums from behind, some waved signal flags in the middle, others rode horses at the front. Clouds and fog enshrouded them, lifting the military array. A vast golden army, like a golden tide, crashed heavily against the incoming purple fire phoenix. Without a sound. The purple fire phoenix seemed to be swallowed whole, effortlessly torn apart by the army, dissipating into countless purple-red sparks. Chapter 378: Resentment II "What....!!?" Zuo Yunfeng witnessed this scene firsthand, never having seen such a Spirit Disaster before, neither in the Ancient Books nor during the decades he had presided over the Taoist Sect had any information mentioned such an exaggerated intensity of the Spirit Disaster! No... Still, there was someone... Suddenly, a piece of information he had previously read flashed through Zuo Yunfeng¡¯s mind. In the fringe Taoist Sect, there was a new Temple Master of Qingchen Temple, who had repeatedly written letters warning the Taoist Sect to be wary of the enormous destructive potential of Spirit Disaster and Black Disaster. The letters exaggeratedly claimed that if not taken seriously, both Black and Spirit Disasters would lead to uncontrollable catastrophic disasters. The level of those disasters could even reach the extent of world annihilation. At the time, Zuo Yunfeng had glanced at the letters and then discarded them aside - world annihilation? With the Sky Stabilizing Plate, with him present, what natural disaster could achieve world annihilation? Moreover, armed with so many large-scale lethal weapons... But now... Zuo Yunfeng suppressed a trace of regret in his heart, rapidly forming handprints with both hands, Dao Breath madly surged into the handprint, the shadow behind him violently wriggled, vaguely expanding and rapidly corrupting the surrounding large space, "Sealing Spirit Domain¡¤Sky Determining Law!" Several dark gold rune cylinders slowly emerged a few meters beside him. Nine dark golden rune cylinders altogether quickly formed a circular array around him. Crack. Fine golden electric arcs began to light up between the nine cylinders, intertwining. Zuo Yunfeng raised the horsetail whisk high, the tremendous Dao Breath split into nine in a blink of an eye, injecting into the surrounding cylinders. Dense golden electric lights seemed to be summoning something, and in the void, a cold and majestic terrifying will began to slowly emerge, pouring into this world. Countless golden electric lights converged on Zuo Yunfeng¡¯s forehead, gradually forming a golden vertical pupil. "Open!" He shouted fiercely and the golden vertical pupil shot towards the distant Cai Jing Taoist. Hiss!! A brilliant golden light burst from the vertical pupil, carrying an inexplicable divine and authoritative judgment will, its intensity several times greater than Zuo Yunfeng himself, and struck directly at Cai Jing Taoist. Puff! Cai Jing Taoist looked up, the colorful light on his head trembled, hit squarely by the golden light, spattering some fragments. But, that was it. Zuo Yunfeng¡¯s full-strength strike only resulted in a few fragments on his adversary, nothing more. "How is this possible!!?" Zuo Yunfeng widened his eyes, unable to imagine that his century of hard-earned Magic, invoking the Divine Intent of Heaven, could possibly... Ah!! Before he could recover, a sharp cry of a baby rang out explosively around him. Cai Jing Taoist gently pointed towards him. A speck of colorful light flew out from his fingertip, then disappeared into a black hole in mid-air. When it reappeared, it was already beside Zuo Yunfeng. Bang!! The colorful light hit the target squarely, completely enveloping Zuo Yunfeng. A second later. The colorful light dispersed. Zuo Yunfeng, covered in blood, fell helplessly from a height. "!!!" Long Qingzi and Xu Chong lying below looked at this scene in disbelief. Just a moment ago, Zuo Yunfeng, the strongest who had perfectly dominated and suppressed both of them unscathed, couldn¡¯t even block a casual flick from the adversary! "This is what you wanted! Is this the result you wanted!!?" Recovering, Xu Chong shouted angrily. "Ha, hahaha..." Long Qingzi, however, laughed bizarrely. He slowly landed, looking up at the just-fallen Zuo Yunfeng. "Look, isn¡¯t this perfect? Strength rules everything! No one truly holds everything! Even a master as strong as ours has human limits!" "You!!?" Xu Chong thought his opponent had gone mad. Before he could speak again. That Cai Jing Taoist pointed at Long Qingzi again. Colorful light burst out, disappearing into the black hole. When it reappeared, it was already behind Long Qingzi. Puff! He was markedly inferior to Zuo Yunfeng, frozen by immense spiritual suppression the moment the colorful light appeared, unable to move or dodge. The light covered half his body on the spot, with countless threads of colorful light drilling out like worms, trying to pierce his body. But they were forcefully blocked by the massive purple light that erupted from Long Qingzi. He threw back his head, laughing, his hands forming Seal. "Sealing Spirit Domain¡¤Red Ridge!" In an instant, centered around him, all space within dozens of meters manifested semi-transparent vague contours. A piece of red mountains appeared out of thin air in a miniaturized form, descending around him. This patch of red mountains appeared only for a moment, punctured by the colorful light threads in a blink, and collapsed. But this momentary blockage was enough for Long Qingzi to escape. His light wings vibrated at his back, transforming into purple light flying towards the distance. "Delighted, today is truly delightful!! Master, you wanted to achieve immortality, right? Look, true immortality has come, descended! You must be very happy, right?? Why not hurry up and surrender!?" He laughed loudly as he quickly fled into the distance. Zuo Yunfeng¡¯s body at this moment heavily smashed onto the ground, bizarrely shattering completely like porcelain. This scene was witnessed by Xu Chong. "Porcelain Substitution Technique...." Swoosh! Zuo Yunfeng¡¯s figure slowly materialized beside Xu Chong and quickly solidified. He looked down and spat out a mouthful of blood, his face pale, gasping heavily, and he looked up at the Cai Jing Taoist and the massive golden army array emerging behind him. "It seems I underestimated the hazards of the Spirit Disaster...." His eyes returned to their usually calm and undisturbed state. "But anyway, I only have less than a year of life left, you...." Before he could finish, he paused suddenly, seeing the Cai Jing Taoist and the golden army array floating away, heading towards Tongning City, which was closest to the Sealing and Sacrifice Platform. "I remember the Spirit Disaster, it can evolve itself by devouring souls... right??" he suddenly said. "...I have never encountered such a strong Spirit Disaster before... It should be..." Xu Chong sighed. "That direction, is that Tongning City? What¡¯s the population? Five hundred thousand? Seven hundred thousand?" Zuo Yunfeng asked. "Three million." Xu Chong replied, "Tongning City, with a permanent population of three million, and a floating population of one million...." His voice trembled. "..." Zuo Yunfeng slowly stood up straight, and a black shadow wriggled and emerged behind him, transforming into a black cloud, supporting his body. Whoosh! In an instant, he turned and ran, flying in the opposite direction of Tongning City and quickly disappearing into the sky. "Zuo Yunfeng! You won¡¯t die a good death!!" Xu Chong was stunned, then immediately burst into rage, mustering his remaining strength to shout. "Now the only way is to seize Long Qingzi, letting him be my catalyst, complete the ritual, descend into the Pool of Ten Thousand Spirits to elevate myself to strength sufficient to confront and resolve everything!" Zuo Yunfeng¡¯s indifferent voice rang out again. "If it weren¡¯t for you, I would have already completed the final ritual and achieved the Eternal Body! If it weren¡¯t for your disruption, things wouldn¡¯t have gotten to this point!!" "You¡¯re distorting the truth!!" Xu Chong spat out another mouthful of blood, his eyes gradually becoming vacant. He was too severely injured;the fact that he had held on till now was already due to his strong foundation, and now infuriated by Zuo Yunfeng, seeing him cause a great disaster and still unrepentantly blaming others for not cooperating with his rush to complete, such twisted logic. Xu Chong was so angry that his last breath was forcibly choked out. But by this time, Zuo Yunfeng¡¯s figure was no longer visible. This First Heavenly Master, who had caused such a great calamity, had turned and run at the first opportunity! * * * Qian¡¯an Sanatorium. The life-support system stopped running. The long-sealed room door was slowly opened. A slender arm as white as lotus root gently reached out, pushing the door open. Whoosh!! An immense spiritual pressure, invisible yet as overwhelming as the sun, covered the three outside for an instant, then swiftly retracted, as if afraid of harming them, completely disappearing. The three felt as if they were small boats in the ocean, at that moment, as if the other party could easily overturn their thoughts with a mere flicker of intention. Only Yu Hong, from beginning to end, covered his whole body with Inner Strength. Although shocked by Quan He Monarch¡¯s terrifying spiritual power, the Spirit Light combined with the Cosmic Divine Light and his Inner Strength gave him robust confidence. Now that the door was open, he was also quite curious about what Quan He Monarch, restored to her original peak state, had become. The door slowly opened wider. A woman with long hair wearing a moon-white Daoist robe quietly appeared before the three. Her black hair cascaded down like a waterfall, simply pinned up with a plain wooden hairpin, her wide Daoist robe fluttering, loosely enveloping her body, her face delicate and soft, with a gentle and kind smile. If she were not wearing a Daoist robe but casual home clothes, she would seem like the big sister next door, completely approachable. "Did I scare you?" Quan He Monarch smiled as she walked out of the room, barefoot, stepping softly on the polished floor. It seemed she was carefully experiencing a sensation she had not felt in many years. "Not at all!" Qing Huang hurriedly returned from their shock, bowing respectfully. "I have taught many people the Spirit Light Secret Skill, but among so many people, only Quan He Monarch... has transformed the most..." Yu Hong was also deeply shaken. This Spirit Light Secret Skill, in the hands of the person before him, was not merely about normal restoration... it was truly rejuvenation! This effect, those unaware would think he was offering some elixir of immortality. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I was also curious for a moment, slightly studied the essence of Spirit Light Secret Skill, and then added some of my own techniques into it." Quan He spoke softly. "The effect has changed from simply amplifying and restoring to also rejuvenating, of course, it¡¯s just a small modification, you don¡¯t mind, do you?" "..... Of course not." What could Yu Hong say? A Venerate of this stature even modifying a Black Mark-enhanced Spirit Light Secret Skill was simply too extraordinary. Quan He carefully examined herself. "This is my state when I was twenty-five, borrowing Spirit Light to return to this time really wasn¡¯t easy...." "....." Yu Hong was speechless;he felt he and the other were not practicing the same secret technique. "Don¡¯t mind it, if you wish to learn later, I can teach you." Quan He smiled, noticing his thoughts. "Thank you, senior!!" Yu Hong hurriedly bowed. "Don¡¯t always say ¡¯senior¡¯, look how young I am now, you should call me sister." Quan He sternly said. ".... Uh." Yu Hong felt that not only was the body rejuvenated, but the mindset had become younger as well. "Alright, sister." He saw her expression begin to harden slightly and quickly blurted out. "And these two. I haven¡¯t seen them before, but since they have also joined my Spirit Light Mutual Aid Alliance, we are one family. You both understand what the extraction of Spirit Light leads to." Quan He¡¯s gaze turned briefly to Qing Huang and Zhao Jingtang, who were trembling at the side. "But after all, they are also two capable individuals;making do with them will work." She saw the two squeezing out ingratiating smiles like quails in front of her, feeling suddenly uninterested. She then turned her head towards the entrance. Two massive presences were rapidly moving in this direction. "Great timing to stretch the legs, I didn¡¯t expect my teacher to come out of seclusion so quickly!" A robust male voice reached them before the figure. "Little Lian Yun and Little Golden Light?" Quan He smiled, pointing with her finger. Everyone instantly saw the surroundings blur, and suddenly they were no longer in the underground life-support hall but inside the ground-level sanatorium yard. "Ah." Before anyone could react to what was happening. They saw Quan He Monarch covering her mouth, an apologetic look on her face. "Sorry, habitually altered the perception to teleport here... An old bad habit, always hard to change..." Yu Hong looked around and then at the innocent-faced Quan He Monarch. He always felt something was off... Chapter 379: Breakthrough One "Moreover, may I ask, what does Teleportation mean? Sister, is this Daoist Magic Technique so powerful that it can move through space?" "Ah...it¡¯s quite simple." Quan He laughed, "First, temporarily suspend your cognition, then guide everyone to walk outside together, gathering in the external space, that¡¯s all. This is a Magic Model I had encapsulated before, designed to activate with a simple gesture. I just forgot to turn off the setting due to habit, sorry." "In this way, for us, it is as though in the blink of an eye, we have moved from one place to another, right?" Yu Hong¡¯s vision darkened as he understood, but precisely because he understood the essence, his vision darkened even more. "Don¡¯t worry about it, this was just an inferior product from my younger days when I attempted to create a spatial Teleportation Technique." Quan He said softly. How could we not worry about this!!? Yu Hong, Qing Huang, and Zhao Jingtang were speechless, their thoughts had been controlled and paused for several minutes before restarting. If the other party wanted to do something else to them... "The teacher still has the same bad taste as before..." A tall, robust old man, dressed in dark green shorts, his limbs wrapped in grey-white protective straps, strolled into the courtyard and paid his respects to Quan He. "Yaochen, your tongue is cured!?" Quan He exclaimed with astonishment. "Yes, it¡¯s completely healed. It¡¯s all thanks to Alliance Leader¡¯s Spirit Light Secret Skill, truly profound and unfathomable. I could even feel during the healing process that the Spirit Light seemed to contain an immense warm world. The massive gentle power washed through my heart making it incredibly peaceful..." Yaochen was Zhang Yaochen, the former Palace Master of Mo Wen Palace who Yu Hong had visited earlier. "How wonderful...to see our teacher¡¯s youthful appearance once again." Zhang Yaochen sighed. "..." Thinking of the characteristics of the Light Disaster, Yu Hong could not help but want to say something, but knew he should not. "Well said, when I was young, I secretly promised my friends that I would become the First Mage in the world and then marry my teacher. As a result, the teacher beat me up." An old man¡¯s resigned voice came from the distance. As soon as the voice fell, the figure flashed with golden light, appearing in the courtyard. This old man had a slender figure, dressed in a neat and exquisite white robe with gold trim, the cuffs and collar adorned with special Yin Yang Diagrams and purple chrysanthemum patterns. He held a horsetail whisk in one hand and a Jade Gourd in the other, his face full and flushed, clearly once a beautiful man. "Jin Guang/Yaochen, I pay my respects to Alliance Leader." Both bowed to Yu Hong with one hand. "You are too kind. As fellow upholders of righteousness, we should support and help each other." Yu Hong promptly returned the gesture. "Where¡¯s Lian Yun?" Quan He looked around. "Here I come!" That robust male voice sounded again. An unruly old daoist, his hair messy like a lion¡¯s or tiger¡¯s, boldly carrying a huge sword, strode in. "Teacher Quan He, still as impressive as ever!" The old daoist entered, his copper bell-like eyes showing a clear admiration. He bowed to Yu Hong. "And to Alliance Leader Yu, I owe a debt of rebirth I cannot repay, but as long as my body still holds some strength, I am at your command!" "Nowhere, we are all here to jointly fend off the heaven¡¯s calamity." Yu Hong quickly returned the respect. He looked around, with Quan He as the lead and the other three supporting, the rehabilitation center had already begun to form a brand new top-tier force. This also signified that from the moment Quan He Monarch awoke, the Spirit Light Mutual Aid Alliance had truly stepped into the highest echelons of power. "Since so many top mages are present, I, as a junior, have a question I hope to seek your wisdom on?" Yu Hong spoke up. He had avoided Long Qingzi and the Heavenly Masters precisely because he feared he couldn¡¯t withstand the mental pressure in an instant. And now that Quan He Monarch was present, whose strength was at least on par with the two great Heavenly Masters, or perhaps even higher, he felt encouraged to seek an answer. "What is the question, tell me." Quan He looked at Yu Hong, his demeanor gentle. "As a junior, I would like to ask;to what extent must one¡¯s magic develop to counter modern weapons by oneself?" Yu Hong earnestly asked. This question was indeed a roundabout inquiry about the degree to which magic can withstand bullets and shells, both defining the boundary line of top-tier magicians and establishing whether his physical body can withstand top-tier powerful attacks. Since most modern weaponry posed little threat to him. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "It¡¯s straightforward, after Breaking Realm, the human body undergoes a new phase of Daoist growth. After passing this period, one gradually reaches the limit of their spiritual power. During this phase, mages often begin to craft Passive Techniques to protect themselves, fostered by a strong sense of bodily vulnerability, preventing sudden unknown attacks from ending their lives. The creation of Passive Techniques requires a lot of resources, time, and energy. If you just simply choose a magic, then the Passive Technique serves no purpose, so generally only top-tier protective magics are chosen. Thus, before and after the creation of Passive Techniques, even mages with the same Daoist Realm differ greatly in strength. After all, suddenly possessing an instantly deployable powerful Technique makes a person completely different. Hence the presence or absence of Passive Techniques becomes a measure of one¡¯s strength. Generally, magicians lacking resource accumulation in Daoist Techniques cannot create Passive Techniques." Quan He explained. "After that comes Spiritual Technique. Everyone knows that after Techniques, the next step which is even more complete and stronger, is Spiritual Technique. Spiritual Technique is equivalent to the peak limit of mental willpower, capable of rivaling the Divine Intent of Heaven. Generally, being able to create one¡¯s own Spiritual Technique is enough to allow a Magician to establish a sect and stand on one¡¯s own mountain peak. And Spiritual Domain is even stronger." Quan He stretched out his hand, and silently in the palm of his hand appeared a white crane phantom. "Following that is the so-called Spiritual Domain, which is a technique area absolutely covered by a woven, instantly triggered Passive Technique." "Once deployed, it is equivalent to fully activating all one¡¯s own Passive Techniques, naturally reaching maximum power and protection, but the consumption also reaches its limit and often dissipates quickly. Therefore, Spiritual Domain is usually used only when a decisive strike is certain. Simply put, it¡¯s like a cannon with only one shell;once used, one must be careful as one may be weak and powerless afterward, susceptible to taking advantage in that state. To block bullets and shells normally also requires this level." "I see..." Yu Hong nodded. "However, the junior has seen techniques that integrate Daoist Magic Technique with modern materials science, creating powerful entities." "That¡¯s just taking science as the main and Daoist Skills as auxiliary, an alternative path with a very low ceiling, entirely dependent on material science," Zhao Jingtang naturally interjected in response. "Brother Zhao understands well?" Yu Hong looked at him. "Yes, I used to train such a unit before;actually, they are not very effective. These individuals are physically strong but mentally weak, making them unable to handle techniques from the spiritual side. Although they are strong, fast, and powerful, compared to masters of Techniques, it still depends on who discovers the opponent first and who strikes first. In fact, the powerful sense of a skilled Magician can detect their presence from far away, and top Magicians also have various types of Passive Techniques for dodging death, making them very hard to kill," Zhao Jingtang seemed to want to show off his knowledge, promptly and earnestly responding. Is this not just like himself? Yu Hong¡¯s heart shivered;if he hadn¡¯t merged the Cosmic Divine Light with the Tai Ling Skill, he would probably be the same. A standard fragile cannon. "In my view, both approaches advancing together is the most perfect method," Zhao Jingtang continued. "Use modern science to strengthen the body, and use Technique Daoist Skills to strengthen the spirit, eventually merging both to reach a flawless state." "Isn¡¯t this exactly how the Spirit Light Secret Skill came into being?" Yu Hong spoke up. Upon hearing this, everyone¡¯s eyes lit up;indeed, looking at it this way, the Spirit Light Secret Skill perfectly complements the natural physical weaknesses of Magicians. Possessing Spirit Light, the top Magicians are truly hexagon fighters! For a time, everyone in the courtyard heatedly discussed how to use Spirit Light more efficiently to enhance the physical body, how to devise stronger Passive Protective Techniques, and how higher level instant Technique could be achieved, sparking many new ideas and innovations. Yu Hong too listened as if intoxicated. Although his Daoist Skills are weak now, his extremely powerful physique, combined with the Passive cultivation trait of Tao Breath Circulation, is causing his spiritual power to grow rapidly every moment. Compared to other Magicians, he merely had too little time for cultivation and too little accumulation, that¡¯s all. Given enough time, with Tao Breath Circulation and his terrifying physical body, his spiritual power might reach an unprecedented and terrifying height. After discussing for a while. Yu Hong checked the time, and while the others were talking to Qing Huang about the current situation, he set off back to Taizhou first, planning to check on the potions that were supposed to be done strengthening today. The rest of the people, under arrangements by the alliance personnel at the sanatorium, took a car to meet up in Taizhou. After all, the area around the sanatorium could definitely not withstand a large-scale Spirit Disaster. Currently, there were no issues, only because there were no Yin Energy Sky Pillars around this area. The surrounding area already started martial law enforcement, and the military was everywhere blocking and patrolling. Regarding the potions. After seventy-two days of intense strengthening, two months of extreme enhancement, he wondered to what extent the two bottles of Essence Qi enhancing potions had been improved. Yu Hong was quite looking forward to this. Not driving, he directly started sprinting on foot;with Inner Strength amplification burning, his current straight-line speed limit had already reached nearly four hundred yards. At this speed, a second equaled hundreds of meters, the surroundings passing by in a blur, making it impossible to clearly see the road conditions just by vision. Compared to some top sports cars in Hope City World that easily reached four to five hundred yards, Yu Hong¡¯s speed, although similar in number, was more exaggerated. Because he wasn¡¯t on well-conditioned highways¡ªrather he was navigating complex mountainous terrains with many obstacles to avoid. When he arrived in Taizhou, the whole city area had already drastically changed. The broad city buildings, most of which had turned into ruins, only the small area surrounding Qingchen Temple was securely protected by a circle of black walls. Within the range of the black walls, most buildings had been demolished;densely packed refugees crowded inside, lining up to receive distributed fast food. Besides that, around the Spirit Station, there were teams of soldiers combined with Magicians constantly patrolling and on alert. Chapter 380: Breakthrough 378 Part 2 Swoosh. Yu Hong¡¯s figure landed on a six-story building outside the Black Wall, looking down. Inside the Black Wall, everything was in order and intact. Outside the Black Wall, there were fires everywhere, ruins, bomb craters, and corpses. The air was thick with the smell of gunpowder, along with the pungent scent of various items being burned and ignited. Yu Hong sighed softly, leapt down from the rooftop, landed lightly, and walked toward the entrance gate of a Spirit Station. Under the detection of Spirit Light, he simply raised his hand, showing his own silver Spirit Light, and was granted entry. Few people even recognized his identity;everyone just treated him as one of the members of the Mutual Aid Alliance. Every person he passed by gave him a look of gratitude and respect. His towering figure moved through the crowd, like a moving chariot, towering over the people around him. Passing through the Spirit Station, ahead was the martially law-enforced street. On both sides of the street were densely packed temporary aid shelters, all rebuilt on the spot with materials from dismantled buildings. At a glance, the short two-hundred-meter-long street was packed densely with thousands of people. Many people were wrapped up tightly, families gathered together sitting on uniformly distributed grey blankets, eating fast-food items like instant noodles, steamed buns, and dumplings. Such a disaster scenario involuntarily reminded Yu Hong of the apocalyptic scenes in Hope City. He couldn¡¯t help but quicken his pace, not wanting to see anymore. Walking a bit further, he faintly heard someone loudly explaining the cultivation standards for Spirit Light Secret Skills and the fixed locations for receiving Spirit Light through a loudspeaker... "Has it finally passed?" he thought to himself, knowing that the local government had no choice but to reluctantly implement the teaching of Spirit Light Secret Skills. If there was any other choice, even if the person in charge of Taizhou, Xu Jianfeng, was on good terms with Qingchen Temple, he would not entrust so many people¡¯s lives to Yu Hong alone. ¡¯Pity, I can give you choices, but the Spirit Disaster and Black Disaster will not.¡¯ Yu Hong quickly arrived at the central location of Qingchen Temple. Here, a large number of camouflaged soldiers were stationed, and multiple more-than-ten-story buildings were completely sealed off into military barracks and strongholds. Without disturbing Xu Jianfeng and others in the command post inside, Yu Hong¡¯s figure flashed, he blinked into the Taoist Temple, and returned to the door of his Quiet Room. He pushed the door open. Closed it behind him with a backhand. On the table, the two potions previously enhanced were still in their original place, without a trace of movement. Yu Hong glanced at the countdown displayed on them: 12 minutes. He checked the surrounding windows, ensuring everything inside the Taoist Temple was as original, with no cameras or such things. Only then did he sit cross-legged on the cushion by the table, quietly waiting for the final moments of the enhancement to end. Minutes later. Outside came the piercing sound of an alarm. "Here it comes again!" "Quick, line up! We¡¯re departing immediately, the invasion location is to the east, move, move, move!!" "Daddy, don¡¯t go!" "Be good, daddy is going to fight the bad guys, to protect everyone. With Spirit Light, the bad guys can¡¯t hurt daddy." "Team thirty-three, follow me! Team thirty-four, follow Old Xu! Move fast!!" Boom, boom, boom!! Barrages of cannon fire kept sounding. Mixed with the sharp whistles of bombers flying overhead. Yu Hong sat quietly inside, listening to the noisy commotion outside, his eyes fixated on the blood-red and clear countdown numbers on the side of the potion. Inside and outside the room, the stillness and motion created a strong contrast. That sense of the world being on the verge of an abyssal vortex stirred something inexplicable in his heart. Snap. Finally. The countdown reached zero. The two potions on the table became blurry and disappeared in an instant. The next second, two new potions reappeared. They were two ice blue test tubes sealed by a mechanical device, filled with a pale blue liquid with suspended specks of frost. Beneath the two potions, a light brown letter was pressed, with elegant Chinese characters written in silver ink. Yu Hong¡¯s eyes brightened immediately;he rose to his feet and picked up the letter underneath the potions to read it. ¡¯Mondisha virus infection essence.¡¯ ¡¯Coming from the primordial virus extracted from the destroyed Black Star Mondisha, it is a hundred percent compatible with the body¡¯s enhancement. After taking it, one may gain one of the following traits.¡¯ ¡¯One: Moon God Bloodline, upgrading from diluted inferior blood to lesser-quality blood.¡¯ ¡¯Two: Obtain all the fragments of illusionary images of countless stars accumulated by the ancestral virus over hundreds of millions of years. Greatly beneficial to the cultivation of the Tai Ling Skill.¡¯ ¡¯Three: Obtain the evolutionary bloodline of the Mondisha virus, further strengthening physique and regenerative abilities, with a chance to gain some unknown superpower.¡¯ ¡¯Warning: This product is suitable only for consumption by the individual¡¯s physique and mental state. Contact or ingestion by a third party will produce great danger. Please store with caution.¡¯ "Two potions, two chances..." After reading the letter, Yu Hong set it down and examined the two vials of virus essence. He picked up one potion and tried to twist the mechanical device on it. Click. A crisp sound, the mechanical device emitted a ring of cold white air, and the top automatically opened a circular mouth, revealing the pale blue liquid inside. Yu Hong picked up the test tube, tilted his head back, and drank it all in one gulp. Gulp. The icy liquid of the virus essence was downed in one breath, without leaving a half drop behind. Putting down the test tube, he picked up the second one and drank it in the same way. Two tubes of liquid flowed down into the stomach through the throat. It felt like drinking an iced beverage, a mixture of mango and pepper roast flavors. Snap. Putting down the test tube, Yu Hong sat back down to wait for it to take effect. The sounds of explosions, gunfire, and the roars of monsters layered upon one another, coming in waves from outside. Inside the room everything stood still, except for the two emptied mechanical test tubes on the table, tilted at the mouth, reflecting a faint cold blue light. Hiss! sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Suddenly, a layer of blue veins abruptly protruded all over Yu Hong¡¯s body. The veins emerged with extreme ferocity and suddenness. The dense blue veins seemed as if they were going to burst, raising from Yu Hong¡¯s skin surface, swelling, pulsating. At this moment, the Black Mark on the back of his hand quickly released feedback. ¡¯Acquired enhancement from the Moon God Bloodline.¡¯ ¡¯Current bloodline: Inferior Moon God¡¯s Blood.¡¯ ¡¯Acquired memory fragment of the Ancestor Virus¡¯s stellar hallucination.¡¯ Before Yu Hong could react, a thunderous noise erupted in his mind. All of his senses were completely engulfed in the endless stream of information and memories. Images, sounds, smells, tactile sensations, tastes, the five senses were thoroughly overwhelmed by the deluge of memories. When he came to his senses. He found himself floating in a dark and profound vast cosmos. Around him, colorful whirl-like galaxies slowly spun;they varied in size, some close, some far. Yu Hong looked down at himself. He was shocked to find that he had become a black meteorite, tumbling through space. The meteorite was like an irregular pebble found by the roadside, hurtling through the cosmos at high speed. Time here could not be measured, unknown how many days, how many years had passed. In this utterly lonely voyage, the space around the meteorite gradually began to brighten. Unconsciously, it was being drawn by the gravitational force of a gigantic star, slowly veering toward it. This star was much larger than any nearby planets, emitting not a golden light, but a bizarre blue light. ¡¯Is that the Ultimate Sun...?¡¯ Yu Hong conjectured in his heart. But soon he discarded this speculation. Because the light radiating from the star was not cold, but excruciatingly hot. The meteorite had been bound by the star for an indeterminable number of years;Yu Hong watched quietly, observing, as if he too had lost all sense of time. As time passed, the massive blue star began to dim, shrinking, with its temperature also decreasing. Yu Hong could feel it aging, heading toward its end. ¡¯What really is a sun?¡¯ Suddenly, a vague thought emerged deep within him. No one answered, all of this was merely memory fragments of the Ancestor Virus from countless years ago. Yu Hong watched as the blue star grew dimmer and darker until it completely shrank, turning into a small black hole from which not even light could escape. As the black hole shrank, the meteorite broke free from its binding and continued flying toward the distance. Yu Hong looked back, still gazing at the star that had become a black hole. ¡¯If every star has a lifespan, then what exactly is the Ultimate Sun?¡¯ The source of the Light Disaster, the Ultimate Sun, what exactly was it? Whoosh. Everything in front of him dimmed completely, and the surroundings returned to darkness again. Only Yu Hong remained, silently floating in the center. ¡¯The ultimate goal of the Tai Ling Skill is to merge with the Ultimate Sun, to completely control the Light Disaster. What made the Taiyuan Orthodox Sect believe that they could control the Ultimate Sun?¡¯ Yu Hong carefully recalled the records within the Tai Ling Skill, finding no description whatsoever of what the Ultimate Sun is. It seemed that without any thought, just by following this Cultivation Technique, one could eventually reach the outcome of merging with the Ultimate Sun. But if it were really that simple, then the Taiyuan Orthodox Sect wouldn¡¯t have so many people devoured as nourishment for the Ultimate Sun. Yu Hong repeatedly pondered the contents of the Tai Ling Skill, yet besides specific cultivation steps and visualization diagrams, there were no further explanations. After a while. The surrounding darkness gradually faded. He was back in the Quiet Room again, his body still seated cross-legged on the cushion, motionless. The protrusion of blue veins on his body had also disappeared. Only the Black Mark¡¯s feedback prompt slowly emerged in his mind. ¡¯Acquired the Inferior Moon God Bloodline, obtained a special trait¡ªDivinity.¡¯ ¡¯Divinity: Your life has officially entered another level of evolution. Divinity is a rank, once obtained, your strength and physique will be further enhanced. Most attacks and damages can only cause about half the normal effect on you.¡¯ ¡¯Note: Divinity is both an advantage and at times a weakness. It is also consumable.¡¯ "Isn¡¯t this Agrius¡¯s golden lightning?" Yu Hong immediately realized. Now he had it too, although just a little weaker. The enhancement from the Moon God Bloodline brought more than just that;there was also a strengthening of the Heavenly River. ¡¯I now have one more slot in the Infinite River Technique, with the previous enhancement, I can integrate two new slots. It¡¯s time to consider what to accommodate Putting these thoughts aside for the moment, Yu Hong checked the Tai Ling Skill. Against his expectations, there had been significant progress in the Tai Ling Skill. It seemed that viewing the virus¡¯s stellar memories and understanding the changes of a star greatly benefited the cultivation technique. He had been at the Fourth Layer Dusk before, and now silently he had broken through to the Fifth Layer Sunset. Within the Quiet Room, Yu Hong extended his hand, his palm silently turning red, emanating an evening glow of sullen purplish-red. Chapter 381: Departure at 379, one "It really is an evil skill... seizing even the slightest opportunity for a crazy breakthrough... even more active than a cultivator like me..." A breakthrough occurred almost inadvertently, this was the feeling Yu Hong had ever since he started practicing the Tai Ling Skill. Although he had gained more power, all the Inner Strength within his body had turned into a purple-red porridge-like mixture, significantly increasing in density. Without a doubt, the intensity of energy had also greatly increased. But this breakthrough had happened so suddenly and without his control, that it left him feeling unsettled. After all, there were only nine layers, and now, he was already at the Fifth Layer... "There must be a problem. If it were this simple to reach the Ninth Layer, the Taiyuan Orthodox Sect wouldn¡¯t have perished back then." But no matter what, at times like these, an increase in strength was a good thing. The Fifth Layer Sunset brought a change where his Inner Strength gained a new lethal effect. The essence of the Tai Ling Skill was the practice of Inner Strength. As one¡¯s realm continued to advance, the effects of Inner Strength also changed constantly. From initially just augmenting protection to bewildering minds to extracting the Essence Qi and vitality of other beings for one¡¯s own use;these were the natural progressions of effects gained. Now at the Fifth Layer Sunset, Inner Strength had acquired a new effect. It was akin to a power that induced aging and withering. As long as his Inner Strength touched something, all living things would rapidly enter their final stage of aging. This was recorded in the Tai Ling Skill, but Yu Hong wasn¡¯t certain about the specific effects. However, he didn¡¯t believe the Tai Ling Skill enhanced by the Black Mark would have any falsehoods. Seated in the Quiet Room. He extended his hand, a strand of purple-red light slowly emerging at his fingertips, pressing the light toward the ground. The ground was easily pierced like tofu, leaving a small hole with its walls and edges showing faint grey-black color. "There¡¯s also Divinity," Yu Hong thought, and instantly his fingertips were covered again with a hint of golden sparks, similar to the formidable sparks from Agrius that could weaken any attacks. "The precise power still needs careful testing. There¡¯s not much time now, I should see what else there is to strengthen next." Yu Hong pondered for a moment and quickly focused on strengthening the Guanwu Skill. The Tai Ling Skill gave him an abnormal feeling. For the new enhancement, he decided to tackle the characteristics of Guanwu Skill first. This time, he directly took the last remaining Heart Changing Pill. This elixir, after waiting another two years, would have allowed him to forcibly achieve a second breakthrough. But after taking it, Yu Hong felt the effects were not good. The shortcut to breakthrough the Guanwu Skill didn¡¯t even fully summon the Fear Shadow. The side effects were severe. Therefore, he placed it on the table, extended his hand, and lightly pressed on the surface of the bottle. "Maximized enhancement of the Heart Changing Pill, direction: increase Guanwu Skill without side effects." A black line from the Black Mark flashed and flowed into the bottle. Feedback immediately sounded. "Proceed with the enhancement?" Yu Hong glanced at the displayed countdown: 14 days, 1 hour, 09 minutes. Just two weeks. He felt his body¡¯s Essence Qi, vitality, and Inner Strength being sucked into the Black Mark. Moments later, his body felt hollowed out, and he nearly passed out from the sensation. Only because his physique was strong enough and recovered quickly, he replenished a large portion within seconds, and his spirit revived. After ingesting the medicine, he stood up and placed the enhanced Heart Changing Pill on the Black Ship. Then he walked out the door. However, just a few steps out, he saw the old Taoist Yu Hen and Mayor Xu Jianfeng hurriedly passing by from not far away, escorted and protected by soldiers and magicians, their expressions solemn and tense, indicating that something serious had occurred. Thinking of this, he accelerated, flashing forward to block the path ahead of the two men. "Master, Mayor Xu." The guards who were intercepted were tense for a moment, nearly opening fire, but they quickly recognized Yu Hong and lowered their guns. Both Yu Hen and Xu Jianfeng looked visibly relieved. "You¡¯re back just in time, Zheng Rou! Disaster has struck! Just now, all satellite signals were lost, all contact with the Capital has been severed, and all the roads around us have been cut off. Everyone is trying their best to reconnect with the outside world to figure out what happened." "All connections lost...?" Yu Hong¡¯s heart sank slightly;the situation was eerily similar to the full outbreak of the Black Disaster that had happened in Hope City. Fortunately, he had just tested it, and the Black Ship that could return to Hope City was still summonable. "How is the situation now?" he quickly asked. "Our situation is relatively stable for now, food and water aren¡¯t concerns, and our defensive line is strong. With the assistance of the Spirit Light Mutual Aid Alliance, the Spirit Disaster outside can¡¯t penetrate. But other places without Spirit Station defenses are not holding up," Mayor Xu spoke with a grave voice. "We¡¯ve sent people to take a look, and the footage shows that there are those Heavenly Soldiers-like undead everywhere. Ordinary people would die if they went out." "So, does that mean that only those within our Spirit Station are currently alive?" Yu Hong asked. Faced with the situation, he seemed notably calm. After all, in the previous Hope City World, he had already encountered too many similar incidents. This calmness made the few people standing before him feel a vague chill in their hearts. "No, there are still people about three kilometers away, at the Taizhou garrison station, which are the parts that haven¡¯t been transferred over yet," Xu Jianfeng replied, adjusting his emotions. "This Spirit Station can¡¯t accommodate so many people;we¡¯re currently expanding, but the number of magicians is limited, so it¡¯s quite difficult." His brows were tightly furrowed, his face gaunt, and his hair had turned significantly whiter than before;it was clear that this period had really exhausted him greatly. "How¡¯s the situation with the nationwide dissemination of the Spirit Light Secret Skill?" Yu Hong suddenly asked. "It¡¯s already being arranged. Because many people have started cultivating Spirit Light, that¡¯s why our defensive line can still hold up," Yu Hen replied. "Zheng Rou, how¡¯s the situation on the sanatorium side?" "It¡¯ll be soon;they will be here any moment now..." Yu Hong sighed with much relief at the mention of this. With the presence of the big shot Quan He, he could also free himself up to complete the strengthening of his own powers. There are still two quotas available at Heavenly River. Moreover, after the fortification with the Moon God Bloodline, the nourishing abilities of Heavenly River had also increased compared to before. Agrius seemed to grow in size a little within it, and his power has obviously been enhanced. "While the situation outside is temporarily stable, the future situation doesn¡¯t look good. There are more and more Spirit Disaster Monsters, and many Black Disaster Monsters have also appeared. The combination of the two is unpredictable and has caused many casualties. Now it depends on whether we can recruit more magic..." Xu Jianfeng didn¡¯t finish his words when suddenly, from outside the Black Wall defense circle in the distance, a clear and melodious crane cry sounded. The crane¡¯s cry was continuous, suppressing almost all other noise, until between heaven and earth, only this one sound echoed. Involuntarily, everyone raised their heads and looked towards the sky from where the crane¡¯s cry originated. Below the dark clouds, a huge immortal crane enveloped in a halo of silver-white light slowly flapped its wings, rushing towards them from the distant horizon. Astride the back of the immortal crane was a beautiful woman with black hair flowing loose over her white Daoist robe, brandishing a horsetail whisk, standing tall and proud. The crane itself, just in form, was at least a hundred meters in length. It looked fine from a distance, but as it drew closer, it seemed even bigger. The woman formed a sword-finger gesture with one hand, and behind her unfolded a fan-shaped spread of dense, semi-transparent, silver-white runes, like a peacock¡¯s tail. "Proficiency in myriad transformations, roaming the heavens and earth." The clear and pleasant female voice rang out from midair. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In an instant, countless semi-transparent silver-white runes, like swimming fish, shot out, moving towards the ground. Runes kept emerging from behind the woman in an endless stream, increasing in number, becoming denser and denser. Hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands! Until later, the entire sky was filled with silver-white runes and talismans fluttering and moving about. The Dragon-man monsters that were fighting with magicians were pierced one by one by the runes, as if stabbed by series of flying blades, their bodies trembling and stiffening. Within just ten seconds. At least hundreds of thousands of encircling monsters outside the Black Wall of the Spirit Station were consumed by this massive array of silver-white rune piercings, turning into ash and dispersing. The only ones that could barely escape were very few Three-eyed Dragon Men. But even as they escaped, they were riddled with wounds, with extremely heavy injuries. Midair, the white-robed woman withdrew her sword-finger gesture, and immediately, countless silver-white talismans were recalled. All runes and talismans converged like thousands of swords returning to their origin, rushing back into the fan-shaped rune array behind her. Until the last rune returned, the woman let go of her sword-finger stance, and the fan-shaped runes behind her naturally dispersed. She looked down, and soon a gentle smile appeared on her lips. She took a step forward, stepping out of midair. The giant immortal crane behind her silently dissipated into white points of light. She herself descended slowly like a falling leaf, light and graceful. As her Daoist robe fluttered, it was as if she was an ethereal immortal. Below, tens of thousands of civilians and magicians saw this scene. Unconsciously, a large number of civilians fell to their knees with devout faces, bowing to her. Some cried with tears streaming down their faces, others loudly prayed and lamented. Even many soldiers followed suit, kneeling down to pay their respects. Perhaps many had simply regarded her as an Immortal God descending to earth. Yu Hong also looked up at this scene, understanding the implications of Quan He¡¯s actions. In such a chaotic and dangerous situation, everyone needed a hope, a Stabilizer that could bring together everyone¡¯s morale, everyone¡¯s expectations. Her high-profile intervention was intended to provide that hope. And right now, in the Warlock World, she was the only one capable of doing this. Before long, Quan He descended, and with a wave of her hand, a blur filled the onlookers¡¯ vision, countless white feathers appearing out of nowhere. After they dissipated, three distinctively different elderly Taoists were revealed from within. It was the Golden Light Taoist Lian Yunzi and Zhang Yaochen among the three. The three were the predecessors of the Nine Sects¡¯ Sect Masters, but under Quan He¡¯s strange Teleportation Technique, they too felt extremely uncomfortable. Looking at their pale faces and white foam at the corners of their mouths, one could tell that they had definitely been subjected to teleportation more than once along the way. At this time, waves of cheering could also be heard from the distance. Evidently, the monsters had been cleared in a large area, boosting the morale of everyone, and thus, they started cheering. "It seems that this poor Taoist hasn¡¯t arrived too late," Quan He winked at Yu Hong. "The senior has arrived at just the right time," Yu Hong said, feeling immediately relieved upon seeing her. Just standing by her side, one could sense wave after wave of exaggerated invisible Spiritual Suppression spreading out like the tide. This time Quan He hadn¡¯t restrained herself, only avoiding those around her while releasing the suppression, but the horrific sensation of Spiritual Suppression sweeping past still felt intensely hair-raising. Chapter 382: departure two "This... who is this...?!" Mayor Xu Jianfeng couldn¡¯t help but ask. Being an ordinary person, the extravagant entrance obviously shocked him greatly. Although he mustered the courage to speak, his voice trembled slightly and his gaze was evasive, not daring to directly look at the other¡¯s face. But when his gaze moved lower, he saw the prominent curves of her chest, which made him feel it was impolite to stare. Looking even further down at the slender waist that could be grasped with a hand, his face turned red, and he hurriedly turned his gaze away to look at the Daoist Golden Light next to him. Daoist Golden Light: "???" Are you asking me? "I am Daoist Golden Light, I am..." "Um, I was asking about this lady..." Xu Jianfeng quickly corrected himself. "The child is very adorable." Quan He also chuckled lightly and gently patted Xu Jianfeng¡¯s head. Standing at a height of around 1.9 meters, she towered over Mayor Xu who was only 1.7 meters tall, completely overwhelming him. "..." Xu Jianfeng¡¯s face turned red, wanting to avoid the situation but feeling too embarrassed to move, which made Yu Hong unable to stand idly by. "This is our Spirit Light Mutual Aid Alliance guest elder, Quan He from Dayunluo Temple in the Taoist Sect, our number one for the past hundred years! Now over 140 years old, calling you a little friend is by no means disrespectful." He diligently reported all the titles one by one. Over 140 years old!!? Xu Jianfeng twitched slightly upon hearing this. Looking at the woman in her early twenties opposite him, he thought he might have misheard her age. Had it not been for the dramatic scene that had just been replaying in his mind, he would have definitely thought that she was an actress deliberately playing a prank on him. "Hm?" Quan He narrowed her eyes when she heard the word "senior," and looked at Yu Hong. "Did the Alliance Leader forget what he just called me?" "Um..." Just as Yu Hong was about to speak, suddenly he felt his Inner Strength surging out of nowhere, and his face flashed a purple-red color. Crash! A sound like shattering glass burst between them. "Eh?" Quan He looked at him surprisingly. She had only intended to joke with him, but now Yu Hong, who was previously capable of altering her cognizance, suddenly couldn¡¯t intrude into her mental surface. How much time had passed? An eerie and powerful force quickly enveloped around his body... chilly, vast, boundless, giving her a series of contradictory sensations. It was chilly yet carried a hint of warmth. That grandeur, it felt like an enhanced version of the power hidden within the Spirit Light. "A man should be treated differently after being apart for merely three days;I have been rude, Alliance Leader." Quan He suddenly smiled faintly and formally made a saluting gesture to Yu Hong. "You flatter me, Senior. Once you have joined the Spirit Alliance, we are all brothers and sisters, united only to oppose a common enemy," Yu Hong responded earnestly. "That makes sense." Quan He smiled, "If one is weaker, they are a sister;if stronger, a senior. The Alliance Leader is indeed quite flexible in this respect." Yu Hong smiled and pretended not to hear her comment as he turned to introduce Quan He and the others to Yu Hen Âð (and others). Upon learning that the four were among the most top-notch powerhouses of the Taoist Sect, both Xu Jianfeng and Yu Hen couldn¡¯t help but show exhilarated expressions. But before they could discuss how to expand the safe zone... A Daoist approached rapidly in a vehicle from a distance. "Alliance Leader! Urgent news from the Taoist Sect!! Urgent news!" The Daoist had a pale face and was panting heavily, he jumped down from the vehicle and rushed forward, quickly handing over a letter. "All the Sky Stabilizing Plates in the Nine Sects of the Taoist Sect are shattered, two Heavenly Masters and the Seven Evils Alliance Leader Long Qingzi have been fighting and are still missing to this day. An unprecedented Spirit Disaster Black Disaster has erupted at the battleground, the situation is currently unknown!" "What!? The Sky Stabilizing Plates are shattered!? Are you sure about this??" Yu Hong¡¯s expression changed, he was still thinking about heading to the Taoist Sect to snatch the Sky Stabilizing Plates but now... And what exactly is an unprecedented level?! "They are definitely shattered;based on the messages from there, the people from the Nine Sects have verified it several times, even trying various methods to conceal and repair them, but to no avail! Moreover, the person who came with the news from the Taoist Sect said it¡¯s hard to estimate the intensity of this Spirit Disaster Black Disaster;they have never seen such exaggerated strength! The entire sky went dark. At a glance, countless black bugs and dragon-human figures!" the messenger Daoist hurriedly said. Black bugs... the Black Disaster is finally here... Yu Hong¡¯s heart trembled, and he quickly looked at Quan He and the others. Their expressions were also grave, clearly recognizing the urgency of the situation. "Did the Taoist Sect mention how many Taoist doors there were?" Yu Hong asked. "I don¡¯t know, they just said far too many..." the messenger Daoist shook his head, breathing heavily. "Senior, would you like to visit Dayunluo Temple?" Yu Hong looked at Quan He, after all, Dayunluo Temple was the sect she originated from. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "The past is not worth reminiscing about;the people inside are no longer the ones I knew and loved from my early days," Quan He shook her head, "What are your plans? Speak frankly." "My intention is, we must understand exactly how many doors have been opened there. Also, the Taoist Sect cannot collapse completely;the large number of magicians there are a natural force against the Spirit Disaster Black Disaster. If endowed with Spirit Light, they can be transformed into elite combatants or even War Level combatants in no time. We should save as many as we can," Yu Hong said. "It¡¯s already too late to go now. From the moment the news was sent to us receiving it, several hours have passed. By now, everything there must have already ended," Daoist Golden Light interjected. "We really should go take a look, the contemporary Heavenly Masters Zuo Yunfeng and Xu Chong, although a bit weak, are not mediocre. I¡¯ve met them a few times when I was sick before, and they were quite promising young men. Recruiting them would greatly increase our chances of combating the Spirit Disaster," nodded Quan He. "That¡¯s also what I meant," Yu Hong said, "On this trip, encountering all potential talents, during such a critical time, should join our Spirit Light Alliance, to contribute their strength to the great cause of combating the Spirit Disaster Black Disaster." "....Alliance Leader, are you perhaps overly worried about the Spirit Disaster and Black Disaster?" Quan He quietly said. "As far as I know, these two types of disasters, although strange and troublesome, are not very strong. Even now, without using the Inheritance Dao Artifact, I could easily resolve them." "Senior...you don¡¯t understand the true dangers deep within the Spirit Disaster Black Disaster, the kind of terror... I¡¯ve deeply experienced it many times. Don¡¯t think that senior¡¯s strength has recovered now, but the Black Disaster I know of, should still be stronger than your current level," Yu Hong recalled his tragic experiences when he first arrived in the Hope City World, still feeling deeply resentful. "It is you who utterly fail to comprehend how powerful I am. Fine, this time let¡¯s see just how terrifying and dangerous the things you speak of really are." Quan He laughed dismissively. She was born a peerless genius, sweeping through her generation. She grasped all Daoist Skills and magic rapidly, reaching the peak in an extremely short time. Her Inheritance Dao Artifact was also an Emperor¡¯s Weapon¡ªthe highest level that transcends the heavenly and earthly hierarchy. Nowadays, the only person who could compare to her was Ku Chan, but his talent and aptitude fell far short of hers. So he could only be considered a watered-down version of Quan He. "Very well, this expedition shall see the decayed Taoist Sects, weakened Seven Evils, declined magic skills. When you first asked me to leave seclusion, wasn¡¯t it to reshape this world, to suppress the evil spirits, and eliminate natural disasters?" Quan He recalled the words Yu Hong had spoken before her, and straightened up with sincerity. "Do you still remember, senior?" Yu Hong was also moved at the moment. "Of course I remember, it¡¯s only been three days." Quan He smiled, "Moreover, this time, with the aid of Spirit Light, I won¡¯t suffer bodily harm as in the past. Winning the challenge or losing dignity." "Thank you, senior." Yu Hong said emotionally, "For this trip, our primary goal is to investigate the details of Spirit Disaster Black Disaster. Secondly, to eradicate the Taoist Sects and destroy the Seven Evils. Looking at the current situation, the only force that can turn around this decline is our Spirit Light Alliance!" "Are you willing to accompany me?" Quan He turned to look at the three Golden Light. "An invitation from the master, how could we refuse," Golden Light bowed and said. "We wish to accompany the master," the other two quickly replied in unison. "You all are good children." Quan He smiled and waved a single hand. Hiss Hiss Hiss Hiss!! With four soft sounds and a flash, she and the other three were instantly covered by numerous silver light and white feathers. Two seconds later, the feathers dispersed, and they disappeared without a trace. Even Yu Hong didn¡¯t know by what magic she achieved this, a technique similar to Instantaneous Movement... It seemed a bit different from before, as the previous white feathers were purely white, this time it seemed to involve the use of Spirit Light. This highly esteemed genius had mastered Spirit Light within three days, creating many tricks with it. Looking at it this way, it seems that true Instantaneous Movement could soon be created by someone. After all, whether it¡¯s the cosmic power of Cosmic Divine Light from the Light Disaster, or Black Disaster, Cold Disaster, Spirit Disaster, they all involve the principles of space. Otherwise, they would not be able to cross great distances to descend and destroy worlds. Suddenly, Yu Hong thought of something and quickly raised his hand to check his multitool, The number shown should be the range of Quan He Monarch¡¯s power at her current peak. ¡¯7236610.241¡¯ "..." Yu Hong pressed down on his temple again to check. Beep. The number instantly decreased: ¡¯323.127¡¯ "Well... it has at least doubled, a significant improvement..." he said expressionlessly. Much better than the mere hundreds from the beginning... After all, how long had he cultivated? Quan He Monarch had been cultivating for over a hundred years. A little disparity is expected... it¡¯s only right. Putting away the multitool, he looked towards Xu Jianfeng and Yu Hen, who were looking at him. "Uncle master, Mayor Xu, I¡¯ll also go check the situation. Since the situation here is easing, it should be alright. Please try your best to stabilize and slowly expand the safe zone. Don¡¯t be hasty, try to collect as much long-lasting food and beverages as possible." "That¡¯s nothing to worry about, we¡¯ll handle it. But..." Yu Hen seemed to guess something. "Indeed, I also plan to go and check things out. Without the Sky Stabilizing Plate, closing the doors to the Black Disaster Spirit Disaster would be too difficult." Yu Hong remembered that to close the Gate of Despair from Black Disaster, one must find the first monster that came through the gate, ensure its survival, and put it back where it came from. That would allow it to be closed. And for the Gate of Ten Thousand Spirits, even the method of closure is unknown. Only the mighty Ancient Mages of this world could craft a Sky Stabilizing Plate to forcibly suppress the gates of Black Disaster Spirit Disaster. Thinking this, Yu Hong disappeared on the spot with a flicker. Crossing the black wall of the safety area, he moved lightly as the wind, passing through a large barren battlefield that had been cleared. Shortly after, he continuously flipped in the air, crossing hundreds of meters, and landed gently. Snap. He stood precisely on a collapsed residential building. Taking two steps forward. Ahead was a slope leading downwards. At the bottom of the slope, filled with gray-black remnants of buildings, stood figures in Qingchen Temple Daoist robes wearing masks. These were elites recently subjugated from the headquarters of the Seven Evil Alliance. After being seeded with Spirit Light, they had become the best subordinates of the Magicians. Qing Huang and Zhao Jingtang were the temporary leaders of this group. They stood at the forefront, turning their heads to look toward Yu Hong. "Let¡¯s go," Yu Hong spoke out. "Those who retreat will be shown no mercy." His cold gaze swept over the crowd. "This journey will be your opportunity to redeem your sins. Seize it well." Agrius appeared behind him, stirring up a whirlwind, carrying him quickly towards the distance. The rest of the Magicians quietened down, dispersing to board the helicopters that had long been waiting on both sides, following Yu Hong. Chapter 383: departs at three Tongning City. The form of Cai Jing Taoist grew ever more gigantic, sitting atop the clouds as he flew forward, followed by a vast army of golden-armored dragon-men filling the sky. The sky was shrouded in black clouds, thunder booming endlessly. Inside Tongning City, everything and everyone, all vehicles, had come to a halt, as everyone looked towards the direction from which Cai Jing Taoist was approaching. Recently, there had been frequent incidents around the city that remained unresolved, and the magicians sent to investigate had vanished together, with no explanation from the authorities. This unbearable situation had already filled many hearts with ominous foreboding. And now was when these misgivings came true. Witnessing this phenomenon. Some people raised their phones to record, some cheered loudly, while others devoutly believed it to be an immortal god descending to earth and knelt in prayer. Yet only a handful of official magicians and stationed Taoists looked on in despair from high places as the golden army drew nearer. Shells continuously fired from behind them, bombing into the golden army, but all the shells passed through them as if they were vacant, unable to touch the Spirit Disaster army. Swarms of missiles took to the air from afar, shooting out, landing at supersonic speed, causing violent explosions, but afterward, only a few dragon-men were slightly repelled by the blasts of high-temperature fire. Such bombardment worked against them, but not much. The gaps blown open were soon filled by the advancing army. Gradually, as they drew closer, a strange, phantom-like celestial music naturally began to resonate around Cai Jing Taoist. It sounded like the prayers of immortal gods, easily inducing superstition and making people abandon resistance. He sat cross-legged on the clouds, pointing a single hand towards Tongning City. Instantly, a spot of multicolored light glowed at his fingertip. That light rapidly expanded, brightening, then exploded in an instant, shot out, and transformed into invisibility, vanishing midway into the air. Cai Jing Taoist stopped moving, withdrew his hand, and faced Tongning City. Then.... His head, enveloped in multicolored light, suddenly split open with a tear. At the same time, within the entire city below, all people suddenly froze, as if they were paused. Above countless people¡¯s heads, a white, semi-transparent glow began to float and rise slowly. The countless lights swarmed toward Cai Jing Taoist, and when they approached, they shrank automatically before drilling into the slit on his head. From afar, it looked as if he was feeding! "Has this world... gone mad?" In a forested mountain range at a distance. Zuo Yunfeng looked distantly at Tongning City that was being consumed, his expression icy cold. He lowered his head to his trembling hand, clenched it with force, and closed his eyes. "It¡¯s not my fault... I just want to live forever. From ancient times to the present, it has been the pursuit of countless generations. I¡¯m just like them...." "Teacher, you¡¯re still the same as before." Long Qingzi calmly walked out from the desolate woodland behind him. His body was also covered in bloodstains, showing that the cost of breaking through the encirclement was not light. Yet these injuries seemed not to dampen his spirits. On the contrary... "As long as I see you deceiving yourself, Teacher, it always inexplicably makes me happy...." "You¡¯re not escaping?" Zuo Yunfeng turned and looked at him. Sizzle sizzle sizzle! Once again, terrifying and immense spiritual pressure emanated from them at the moment they met, and the hidden Passive Techniques embedded within the pressures attacked like covert weapons. This state of Technique confrontation tangibly manifested itself as clusters of black halos appearing and dissipating in the air between them. The fist-sized halos bloomed and withered like bizarre, beautiful black flowers. A confrontation of Spiritual Techniques with values over a million shattered the thoughts and awareness of all life within a hundred meters, leaving them as instinctual shells. Worms in the ground stopped crawling, birds fell from the sky one by one. Leaves from the trees fell like raindrops, showering densely. Some nearby wandering Spirit Disaster walking corpses fell suddenly due to the proximity, the former becoming ordinary corpses, the latter disintegrating into gray mist. "Teacher, if even a first-rate master like you can¡¯t handle such monsters, do you think others stand a chance against such a crisis?" Long Qingzi laughed neurotically while battling. "When you fled the field, it was when that monster was at its weakest. Once it devours more souls and grows stronger, who could stop it then?" "Or are you afraid? You¡¯re the world¡¯s greatest warrior, yet you¡¯re scared of mere Spirit Disaster monsters that you could eliminate with a wave of your hand?" Long Qingzi¡¯s laughter cut like sharp knives into Zuo Yunfeng¡¯s heart, even emphasizing the word "mere." But his century-hardened visage did not falter, remaining expressionless as he continuously increased his suppressive force. Had it not been for the injury inflicted by Cai Jing Taoist¡¯s finger, how could he now be entangled with a mere Long Qingzi? "Had incidents not occurred so frequently, once I completed the ritual and forged eternity, mere Spirit Disasters could have been repelled with ease." He lifted and swung the Chi Xiao Sword forward. Swoosh! A flurry of black fire became countless birds, charging at Long Qingzi. At the same time, the air within a hundred meters around suddenly condensed. The invisible spiritual pressure surged tenfold through the Technique at that moment, momentarily stalling Long Qingzi. Long Qingzi formed seals with his hands, a pair of purple wings grew again on his back, and purple runes transformed into chains twirling around the wings. He flashed to the left, deftly avoiding the swarming black firebirds, moving more swiftly than before. "Do you really believe that, Teacher?" "....." Zuo Yunfeng said nothing more, merely swinging the Chi Xiao Sword in silence, continuously slashing out flocks of black firebirds. The two were in a state where they couldn¡¯t unleash powerful Magic, resorting to a war of attrition. "Hehehe... Teacher...." Snap. Suddenly, Long Qingzi dispersed all Techniques, the purple light on his body fading. He stood there, arms open, smiling. "Truly interesting...." he laughed. Puff! Puff puff puff puff!!! In an instant, countless black firebirds engulfed him. Flames covered the area where he stood, obscuring everything in sight, leaving only the roaring black fire. "I will watch you." Long Qingzi¡¯s voice echoed from within. "I leave this body to you, let me see how you turn the tide, I look forward to your performance....." * * * Ang!! Amidst the rolling storm clouds in the sky. A gigantic white crane, a hundred meters in size, carried four silhouettes swiftly towards Tongning City. The white crane flapped its wings, calling out, graceful like a myth. On the ground below, Yu Hong stood on Agrius¡¯s back, arms crossed, gazing forward. The thirty-meter-long Agrius charged straight ahead like a train. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Dark green and withered yellow forests swept past his sides. Ruined villages, small towns, county seats passed by not far from him. Agrius sometimes became virtualized, enveloping him as it leapt over mountains. At other times, it was tangible, running furiously on four legs, moving with silent speed faster than before. It was nearly reaching full speed at two hundred yards. Trees were smashed one by one in front of him, and wandering Walking Corpse Heavenly Soldiers were struck suddenly, thrown crashing to the ground, unable to rise again. Gradually, as he approached Tongning City. The sky grew darker and darker, the woodland withered black. Suddenly, Yu Hong¡¯s expression shifted slightly, halting Agrius¡¯s advance, and looked up. He pulled out a multimeter, switching it to red-value detection. Beep... With a faint beep, the red-value appeared: 21.682. "Trouble...." Yu Hong¡¯s face grew grave. He still remembered the early black disaster shadows he had encountered were at red values in the twenties. This environmental red-value concentration suggested that a massive black disaster had flooded this world, causing a rapid increase in the environmental red value. He took out his phone to try again, but it still had no signal. The phone¡¯s signal relied mainly on towers, which must have been destroyed, and satellite signals were also blocked. The phone was essentially just a charged brick now. He pondered for a moment, patted Agrius, instructing it to continue onward. No matter what, investigating how many Gate of Despair and Gate of Ten Thousand Spirits were opened was a task that had to be done. Then to rescue the Sky Stabilizing Plate fragments, even if it was shattered, if he could collect enough fragments, he might be able to use the Black Mark to restore it. Moving slower now, the helicopters following him also kept up. The helicopter carrying Qing Huang and Zhao Jingtang was closest to him, maintaining a distance of no more than two hundred meters back and forth. At this moment, Zhao Jingtang¡¯s voice faintly carried from the helicopter to Yu Hong¡¯s ears. "Hierarch, the Spirit Disaster and Black Disaster monsters ahead are increasing, and extremely dangerous monsters may appear, please be cautious." This guy was smart, beginning with concern to subtly point out his usefulness, sensing potential danger from afar and avoiding being used as cannon fodder by Yu Hong. "The direction beyond is Tongning City, Quan He Monarch has already led people there. We¡¯ll head straight for the Nine Sects to scavenge the Sky Stabilizing Plate fragments. In this situation, the magicians of the Nine Sects definitely can¡¯t hold out!" Yu Hong decided swiftly, redirecting the target. "Understood, one of the nearest Nine Sects is the Upper and Lower Yuan Heavenly Master Mansions, just over a hundred kilometers away!" Zhao Jingtang quickly replied. "But I must remind you, Long Qingzi assigned the Seven Evils to block the key paths to the Nine Sects, which we will certainly encounter, guarded by two of the Seven Evils." "What are their motives?" Yu Hong couldn¡¯t comprehend, "By releasing Spirit Disaster and Black Disaster, what are the Seven Evils after?" "You may not know, the Taoist Sect has suppressed the Seven Evil Alliance for too long, and what everyone desired most was to overthrow the Taoist Sect, to master their own destiny, to do as they please. Now, releasing Spirit Disaster and Black Disaster is the first step to overturn the table." Zhao Jingtang explained. "Foolish." Yu Hong said coldly, "No, rather than calling it foolishness, it¡¯s a group of antisocial madmen who delight in chaos, the more disorder, the happier they are." "The Hierarch is absolutely right, I used to pretend to get along with those people because I detested them too..." Zhao Jingtang quickly agreed. "I see." Yu Hong responded impatiently, "Then you lead the way!" Chapter 384: Depart at 382, Four "....this...." Zhao Jingtang still wanted to argue. But his Spirit Light suddenly trembled violently, faintly feeling as if it was trying to escape on its own. Frightened, he quickly shut his mouth, not daring to waste words. Silence reigned on the journey. About half an hour later. A town engulfed in burning black smoke emerged and drew closer. In the mountains beside this town, one could see a dense layering of Taoist-style buildings, sprawling from the mountainside all the way to the summit. "We¡¯ve arrived at Yunchong Mountain!" Zhao Jingtang reminded. Yu Hong didn¡¯t say a word, just maneuvered Agrius to climb atop a giant tree and stood at a high vantage point to look out. "Hmm??" The scene at the foot of Yunchong Mountain seemed somewhat different from what he had imagined. Within a bell-shaped white Shield at the base of the mountain, the blue and white-robed Magicians of the Taoist Sects were working hand in hand with a group of black-robed, masked Magicians from the Seven Evil Alliance, jointly releasing Dao Breath, channeling it into a huge brass Array Plate that stood rotating behind them. The Array Plate was guarded by three conspicuous figures. Among these three figures, two were in white Daoist robes, their backs adorned with the pattern of golden Yin-Yang fish. On their chests, respectively, were the emblems of the Primordial Heavenly Master Mansion and the Secondary Heavenly Master Mansion. These two were clearly the top Magicians dispatched by the two great Heavenly Master Mansions;in the absence of the Heavenly Master, the spiritual pressure emanating continuously from these two was at least on a level comparable to Zhao Jingtang. Truly deserving of the deep heritage of a Heavenly Master Mansion. The third person was cloaked in black, with a large ominous character on his back, and a gold-faced figure. "Isn¡¯t that Iron Dust Brush Wu Shaoyuan?" Zhao Jingtang¡¯s voice, full of shock, reached Yu Hong¡¯s ears. "One of the Seven Evils, Wu Shaoyuan?" Yu Hong immediately remembered;Qing Huang had pleaded with him before, hoping to spare this man if they ever crossed paths. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Unexpectedly, they encountered the very man right after arriving. "It¡¯s him, he should have come with Han Ying Xiao Jiu to intercept the experts from the two great Heavenly Master Mansions, but why..." Zhao Jingtang voiced his confusion. "The other person is missing, but this Wu Shaoyuan seems to be injured, and seriously at that," Yu Hong, with his extraordinary constitution and extremely acute vision, could see from afar Wu Shaoyuan¡¯s face pale as gold leaf, panting heavily, with bloodstains on his black robe on the right arm and right leg. "Go let them kneel and submit. If there are Rebels, deal with them personally!" Yu Hong said, his eyes resolute. "Alliance Hierarch, they seem to be jointly guarding against something;isn¡¯t it rash for us to approach like this?" Zhao Jingtang hesitated. "That¡¯s why I¡¯m sending you first," Yu Hong said. To test the waters and see if it would provoke any trouble. "....." Zhao Jingtang really wanted to curse, but the words were repressed at his lips. "Go. With the Spirit Light, they¡¯re no match for you." Yu Hong¡¯s gaze shifted beyond the Array Shield to the ruined small town, searching for what exactly they were guarding against. He had Agrius stop about three to four hundred meters away from the bell-shaped Shield. Then he watched as one by one, the elite Magicians from the Seven Evil Alliance who had been captured, jumped from the helicopter behind him and moved forward. Zhao Jingtang, Dark Sky Master Ouyang Chengtao, were the leaders of this group;behind them, a total of five masked Magicians, all of Temple Master Level. Having been implanted with Spirit Light, these people now shone with silver turtle-shell-like luminescence, cautiously approaching the Shield at the foot of the mountain. They had just approached when a familiar figure emerged from the ruins. Golden Armor, dragon head, three eyes, seated upon swirling clouds, and the sharply pointed golden spear laid flat in hand. It was the Three-eyed Dragon Man! And not just one! Right under everyone¡¯s nose, one by one, the Three-eyed Dragon Men emerged, each holding a long spear and eyeing the approaching Zhao Jingtang and the others like predators. But the biggest problem wasn¡¯t just that. Yu Hong¡¯s gaze moved to the side of the group of Three-eyed Dragon Men, to a clearing. There, a group of black-skirted, long-haired women appeared faintly visible in the shadows. Hee hee hee hee... The strange, sharp laughter echoed continuously in everyone¡¯s ears. Di di di di. The alarm on Yu Hong¡¯s multi-tool watch went off wildly. He took it out for a look, and the Red Value had already broken through two hundred thousand and was still rising. "Black Withered Woman..." Yu Hong, his teeth gritted, squeezed out the three words. A war-level Black Withered Woman, part of the Black Disaster, whom he had not encountered in Hope City, was now, for the first time, faced here! Much like the Evil Shadow Level, War Level was also a broad category, with large variations in strength. The Black Withered Woman, an evolved form of the Withered Woman, had far greater lethality. Capable of releasing a wide expanse of black miasma upon touch, if one came into contact with the black gas she emitted, it would instantly wither and die. In the ruins, the Three-eyed Dragon Men and Black Withered Women seemed to stand off against each other diplomatically. Between them, the dividing line was the already withered corpse of a black-robed, gold-faced man. Sensing something amiss, Zhao Jingtang and the others slowly halted their advance. But as soon as they stopped, they felt a knife-like gaze sweeping over them from behind. It was so piercing that it sent chills down their spines. "With the Spirit Light, what¡¯s there to fear! Advance!" Yu Hong roared. These Magicians of the Seven Evil Alliance were kept precisely for a time like this. Those who hesitated, even if they were spared now, would later be executed on the spot by him, their essence extracted to strengthen himself. Repeated encounters had made it clear to him that human treachery could at times be more harmful than the Source Disasters. Hearing the rebuke, Zhao Jingtang and the others had no choice but to continue forward, first making contact with the side of the Three-eyed Dragon Men. * * * In the woods. Swish. The black fire dissipated, and Long Qingzi¡¯s entire body had already been burned into a purple-red sphere. The sphere was only the size of a fist, inside of which countless tiny red dots, small as stars, flickered in and out of sight. Zuo Yunfeng was momentarily stunned that the other party had actually given up resisting, and after releasing his magic, he still stood there, dazed. Then, upon seeing that violet-red sphere solidify, his face lit up with joy, and he quickly rushed over, grabbing the floating sphere with one hand. "Primordial... the key, finally in my hands!!" Long Qingzi had actually forsaken his own body and most of his spiritual power, choosing to complete him. This madman really was insane. "Even if this guy has mastered the Divine Secret Technique, the main body still has at least more than half of its consciousness, giving up the main body means permanently reducing his strength by half. His thoughts will also be incomplete, causing various mental issues... Has Long Qingzi really gone mad?" He pinched the sphere, suddenly feeling the situation somewhat unreal. The ever-shifting final step was so suddenly served up to him on a silver platter. Thereupon, he glanced at the Cai Jing Taoist in Tongning City who was still devouring the consciousness of the crowd. Casually holding the sphere, he muttered to himself in a low voice. The remnants of his spiritual power began to encircle the sphere, condensing into black threads, weaving into a strange, ancient, intricate black net. Hiss!! The black net contracted, instantly slicing the sphere into countless pieces, then shooting skyward. A tremendous number of fragments turned into a slender purple light, flying upward into the sky towards the dark clouds, and in the blink of an eye, they merged into the bright, colorful-glowing Pool of Ten Thousand Spirits. At the same time, further away above the Ancestor Court of the Taoist Sect, the massive figure holding the Night Pool quivered slightly. From it flew numerous, dense black threads, heading towards the Pool of Ten Thousand Spirits. "It¡¯s starting... It¡¯s starting!!" Zuo Yunfeng watched from below, his blood boiling with excitement. His century-long dream was finally, finally about to come true!! Hiss!!! In an instant, a great many black lines from the Night Pool charged into the Pool of Ten Thousand Spirits, bridging the two across the sky, linking them straight together. "Declare your wish..." "Give me your wish..." "Limitless, boundless..." "The infinite of the night..." "The evolution of the ten thousand spirits..." At that moment, a multitude of phantom voices echoed around Zuo Yunfeng¡¯s ears. His face slowly contorted, his eyes revealing a frenzy of anticipation and ecstasy. "Make your wish..." "Make your wish..." The overlapping voices repeated themselves incessantly at this moment. "Using the wish from the Night Pool, in combination with the endless evolution acquired from the Pool of Ten Thousand Spirits. I make my wish!" Zuo Yunfeng spoke loudly. "I wish to obtain, eternal life! Never aging. Never sick!!" "Granted." A mechanical, cold, and rigid voice responded to him. In an instant, a column of golden light shot out from the Pool of Ten Thousand Spirits, accurately shining on him. Zuo Yunfeng¡¯s body began to gradually become transparent. A massive pulling force grabbed hold of his consciousness and pulled it upwards towards the sky. Rip! Above his head in the sky, a golden light crack naturally opened up, revealing the magnificent Immortal Palace of Heaven, with its buildings surrounded by mist and resplendent with gold and jade. That pulling force dragged him towards the golden crack. "No... this isn¡¯t right!! I didn¡¯t mean to go to Heaven, I wanted eternal life!!" Zuo Yunfeng felt something wrong and immediately tried to struggle. But it was useless. That immense power forcibly enveloped his entire body, along with his consciousness, bound and heading towards the golden crack. Whoosh! Below, in the forest, the body of a young woman who had not been dead for long, slowly rose to her feet, a flicker of strange purple light flashing in her eyes as she looked at Zuo Yunfeng being carried away towards the golden crack. "Teacher... becoming a member of the Immortal Gods in Heaven would grant you eternal life, wouldn¡¯t it?" He finished speaking and couldn¡¯t help but burst into laughter. "Spirit Disaster and Black Disaster really haven¡¯t lied to you, everything was your own choice..." Although his own body was now destroyed and his consciousness and spiritual power reduced to only a third of the original, it didn¡¯t matter... seeing his always confident and in-control teacher show such a look of despair, he felt incredibly content. Boom!! At that moment, Zuo Yunfeng in midair suddenly exploded, turning into countless black flames, severing the massive power that was leading him. The disc-shaped black fire, at the cost of the damage to the Chi Xiao Sword, took Zuo Yunfeng¡¯s place in facing one disaster. His consciousness returned to his body, and he fell heavily to the ground, covered in blood, half of his hair also torn off, revealing the white bone beneath his scalp. "No... This isn¡¯t right!! I¡¯ve checked... checked many times..." Zuo Yunfeng knelt on the ground, disheveled, like a deranged man. A huge loss turned into despair, creating a gaping hole in his heart. Bewildered, incomprehensible, in pain, disappointed. The intense negative emotions almost submerged his consciousness at that moment. "Teacher, why don¡¯t you quickly turn around and deal with the Spirit Disaster? Your disciple has been waiting here for you to show your divine might!" Long Qingzi laughed loudly from afar, full of mockery. "Didn¡¯t you say, you blamed us for not cooperating with you to achieve eternity? Now your disciple is cooperating with all his might, hurry up and turn the tide, suppress the Gate of Ten Thousand Spirits! Hahaha! It can¡¯t be that you are incapable, right??" "You are the strongest in the world! The mightiest Magician of our times? Heavenly Master, right!! For someone of your stature, my trivial tricks are nothing but opening the Gate of Despair and the Gate of Ten Thousand Spirits, they shouldn¡¯t even catch your notice, should they?" "Shut up!!" Zuo Yunfeng roared. With a ferocious look, he stared dead at Long Qingzi as if he wanted to completely devour him! Chapter 385: Dawn 1 "Teacher, you¡¯re losing your composure..." Long Qingzi laughed uproariously. At this moment, Zuo Yunfeng had already become deaf to all external sounds. He held his head with both hands, his teeth clenched. The weakness of his body, the fragility of his spirit, the immense disappointment¡ªall his efforts over a century turned to naught¡ªevery last bit of it plunged him into incomparable agony. Standing up, he looked towards Tongning City in the distance, where Cai Jing Taoist was consuming countless specks of light, then glanced at the Pool of Ten Thousand Spirits and the Night Pool floating in the sky. And further away, the rampaging Spirit Disaster Army on the land... After some time adjusting, he seemed to come to terms with his own failure. "...You¡¯ve gone to great lengths to open so many gates, all to break free from my control. Now, the control has ended... Your fate is in your own hands¡­" Zuo Yunfeng turned towards Long Qingzi;his expression twisted and restrained. "And then, what do you plan to do?" "Don¡¯t be like this. Opening the gates wasn¡¯t just the disciple¡¯s doing. The disciple merely added to the momentum, opening a few more," Long Qingzi said with a smile. "So now, it all ends. As you wished, I¡¯ve failed," Zuo Yunfeng spoke. "How do you plan to conclude this?" "Conclude... Why should there be a conclusion?" Long Qingzi took a step back and suddenly turned to leave. "Those who survive will naturally form a new order, and those who don¡¯t deserve to die! Hahaha!!!" His laughter echoed ceaselessly in the air. Pfft! Suddenly, a huge black foot descended from the sky and ruthlessly crushed Long Qingzi¡¯s body. Without any struggle, the gigantic foot, more than ten meters wide, crushed Long Qingzi precisely beneath it, silently snuffing out his existence. Zuo Yunfeng dully raised his eyes to look. Among those previously ignored black rifts in the sky, black one-eyed giants, each immensely large, were crawling out from the rifts one after another and leapt down heavily to the ground. Hiss! Suddenly, he darted to the left as a technique in black light activated on his body and he sprinted away at high speed. "Teacher, where do you plan to go?" Long Qingzi¡¯s voice came from another child¡¯s corpse. Zuo Yunfeng paid him no heed and accelerated towards the Night Pool suspended in the sky. He seemed to have another plan. He spoke of giving up, but his gaze was anything but that of resignation. But his running speed was no match for the Black Giants. With their two hundred-meter height, a single step could cover over a hundred meters. He couldn¡¯t compete with that. The next second, a giant foot, just like the one that crushed Long Qingzi, descended from the sky and viciously targeted Zuo Yunfeng. "Scram!!" Zuo Yunfeng mustered his spiritual power and surged towards the heavens. Over a million units of spiritual power influenced reality at that moment, transforming into a substantial thrust that violently collided with the great foot the Black Giant had stomped down. But... It was futile. The purely spiritual force¡¯s effect on reality, the strength it produced, wasn¡¯t even enough to massage the Black Giant and was easily shattered head-on. Fortunately, this was only a cover. His true killer move was a pure Spiritual Shock. Hiss! A spiritual technique pierced into the Black Giant¡¯s mind, causing its head to throb fiercely. Its foot, about to step down, suddenly froze mid-air as the giant body lost balance and toppled backward. Whoosh! Before it fully fell, the Black Giant disintegrated completely, turned into black smoke, and dispersed without a sound. A Level Nine pinnacle Black Disaster Black Giant was actually taken down in an instant! Zuo Yunfeng snorted coldly and sped towards the Night Pool in the distance. Killing a Black Giant was easy for him. But... his action of killing a Black Giant completely infuriated the rest of the Black Disaster. One after another, the Black Giants chased after him in groups, roaring, and each took a step attempting to crush Zuo Yunfeng. Zuo Yunfeng was not to be outdone. With one hand forming a seal, he rapidly released several attacks targeting mental consciousness. Accompanied by the heavy footsteps, giants continued to fall and turn into black smoke. In less than half a minute, more than a dozen Black Giants had fallen without a trace and showed no sign of regeneration. "Truly worthy of being the world¡¯s greatest expert!" Long Qingzi¡¯s voice rang out again from a bird flying in the distant sky. "But... teacher, you can kill ten, fifty, a hundred. But can you kill thousands, tens of thousands?!" He sneered sharply, and not far behind him, the rift in the sky above where Black Disaster was, was being slowly pried open, revealing countless Black Giant heads as far as the eye could see inside. They roared angrily, jostling each other, trying to drill into this world. Zuo Yunfeng¡¯s complexion turned ugly;within just half a minute, over half of his spiritual power was expended. He could kill these Black Giants, but after each kill, he had to expend a large amount of spiritual power to construct a technique that completely erased their imprints;otherwise, they would naturally regenerate unscathed. But this way, his power consumption would only increase more and more. Without further ado, he stopped attacking the chasing Black Giants and chose to swiftly dodge between their legs and jumped agilely. * * * In the ruins of the forest. Everywhere were trenches and gigantic footprints. The Chi Xiao Sword, twisted and cracked, was silently thrust slanted into the ground. Suddenly, a large hand gently grasped the hilt, wrapping the coarse and dirty fingers around the tassel. With force, it pulled. Hiss! The Chi Xiao Sword cleaved through the earth, revealing its bent and dull damaged blade. "My sword... that person, is here¡­" The person holding the sword was pale, with one arm wrapped around a headless female corpse that was beginning to rot, paying no mind to it. The arm that was previously broken had already healed. With one hand holding the sword and the other embracing the corpse, he closed his eyes, roughly judged the direction, and then took a step. Hiss! Suddenly, a golden light descended from the sky, and a Three-eyed Dragon Man riding on clouds flew in, wielding a Golden Spear and exuding an imposing, phantom aura, lunging in this direction. "Spiritual Domain." The sword-wielder lifted his head, the blade raising with lightning speed. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Heavenly Pill." Dazzling purple light flashed, enveloping an area of a hundred meters in radius. Soon, after more than ten seconds, the purple light faded. The Three-eyed Dragon Man had disappeared without a trace, and the sword-wielder coughed twice, stuffing a pale golden pellet into his mouth, apparently some kind of Elixir. As the Elixir was swallowed, his Essence Qi and spirit seemed to begin accelerating in growth. The purple light shone again, and the person leapt into the air, chasing towards the direction of Zuo Yunfeng in the distance. Yunchong Mountain. Zhao Jingtang led his men carefully towards the first wave of Spirit Disaster Three-eyed Dragon Men surrounding the Array. Behind him were the other members who had pledged their loyalty to the Seven Evil Alliance. About a dozen people formed a fan-shaped Array, holding Seals in their hands, ready to unleash Magic at maximum speed. That group of Three-eyed Dragon Men sat on clouds, flying back and forth around the inverted bowl-shaped Array, with no communication amongst themselves, nor any trace of individualized consciousness. Amidst the cloud cover, golden spears descended from the sky, ferociously smashing onto the surface of the Protective Shield. The approach of Zhao Jingtang and his men made them alert. Two Three-eyed Dragon Men turned and rushed towards Zhao Jingtang¡¯s direction. Buzz. One of the Three-eyed Dragon Men¡¯s Golden Spear shone with a blinding golden brilliance. Ssht! The next second, he appeared behind Zhao Jingtang. A spear smashed down. Its speed was so fast that it left no room for reaction. Zhao Jingtang was no ordinary person either. In the critical moment, he didn¡¯t have time to turn around, but the Seal he clutched loosened, and a wave of semi-transparent, invisible fluctuations burst forth from his body. The fluctuations turned into a round grey Array Pattern, enveloping the Three-eyed Dragon Man. At the same time, the Golden Spear struck Zhao Jingtang¡¯s back squarely. Boom!! A loud noise. The Three-eyed Dragon Man was repelled a distance. Zhao Jingtang also had silver light twinkling on his back, with Spirit Light covering him. Both were unscathed. Without waiting for the others to react, both charged towards each other again. "Spirit Realm¡¤Grey Sound!" Zhao Jingtang let out a low shout, and instantly, a vast expanse of semi-transparent rune ripples exploded around him. The ripples wrapped around the Three-eyed Dragon Man, and both disappeared from sight, as if they had detached from this space. At this moment, the other elite masters of the Seven Evil Alliance joined forces, forming an Array to resist the other Three-eyed Dragon Men. They were not as formidable as Zhao Jingtang, one by one releasing Techniques and bombarding the surroundings chaotically. But this was no match for the Three-eyed Dragon Men¡¯s instantaneous stillness rule brought on by a spear strike. Fortunately, the Spirit Light was formidable, adamantly blocking the Golden Spears, preventing the remaining Three-eyed Dragon Men from executing them instantly. The scene became chaotic, with Magicians being struck flying out, quickly getting up and dashing back into the battlefield. Yu Hong stood at a distance in the back, quietly observing the situation. These Three-eyed Dragon Men were very strong, but unable to break the Spirit Light in one shot. As long they couldn¡¯t break it in one try, it would quickly recover, reverting to its original state. Thus, a group of masked Magicians discovered the trick: taking turns to withstand the Golden Spears and holding the line. The rest unleashed Techniques, taking the opportunity to bombard the Dragon-men. Such strategy indeed allowed them to hold off the remaining several Three-eyed Dragon Men. "Apart from Zhao Jingtang, the rest... can only play a delaying role in such a level of battlefield," Qing Huang sighed standing beside Yu Hong. He was regarded as one of their own, naturally not to be sent upfront as cannon fodder. "It¡¯s not bad to be able to delay," Yu Hong responded indifferently. "If they can¡¯t even do that, then they have no value for me to spare their lives." His eyes were fixed tightly, watching each of the Three-eyed Dragon Men¡¯s conditions. Just then. The area where Zhao Jingtang was, a grey fluctuation suddenly emerged. He and a Three-eyed Dragon Man appeared together, crashing to the ground. The Three-eyed Dragon Man, which had been captured into the Spiritual Domain, now had bloody wounds all over its body, oozing golden blood. One of its legs seemed to have been forcibly broken, as it struggled to get up on one knee, trying to rise, but to no avail. "Spiritual Method¡¤Sinking Sky Finger!" Zhao Jingtang¡¯s right hand flicked out, pointing forward with lightning speed. Ssht! A grey arrow-like burst left his fingertip, shooting out and striking the third eye on the forehead of the Three-eyed Dragon Man. Boom!! Golden blood burst forth, and the Three-eyed Dragon Man fell on the spot, turning into a cloud of grey mist and vanishing into thin air. Seeing this, Yu Hong nodded slightly and then turned his gaze towards the remaining four Three-eyed Dragon Men. These were continuously wielding their spears like hitting a ball, smashing at the pledged Magicians. As the silver light on the bodies of those Magicians grew dimmer and dimmer, they were about to falter. Zhao Jingtang took action promptly, sharing the burden of another Three-eyed Dragon Man. Then came another Spiritual Domain lockdown, Spiritual Method ambush on vulnerability, precisely eliminating the second Three-eyed Dragon Man. Then the third, and the fourth... Finally, after the fifth Three-eyed Dragon Man was completely dealt with, Zhao Jingtang sat down on the ground with a pale face, gasping for air, almost unable to move. "There¡¯s still that side, continue," Yu Hong said blandly, pointing in the direction of the Black Withered Woman. Chapter 386: Dawn 2 Zhao Jingtang and a group of Seven Evil Alliance magicians changed their expressions dramatically, Just one battle had already drained their Dao Breath, leaving them barely able to rise, and now they were to rush off to confront another wave of high-tier Black Disaster... This was simply treating them as cannon fodder! "Go quickly." Yu Hong frowned, his body brimming with Spirit Light, causing the Seven Evil Alliance magicians around him to tremble with Spirit Light as well, ready to burst forth at any moment. Immediately, Zhao Jingtang heaved a long sigh and led his people towards the direction of the Black Withered Woman. A group of Black Withered Women, not settling down, quietly extended a black fog towards them while they fought. Zhao Jingtang once again unfolded the Spiritual Domain, enveloping all the Black Withered Women. At the same time, he had other masked magicians enter the Spiritual Domain together. Half a minute later, the Spiritual Domain collapsed, with Zhao Jingtang drenched in blood, almost unable to stand with the support of a few masked magicians. Before him, from the previous group of Black Withered Women, only two remained. Their bodies also emitted weaker Red Values, clearly hurt by the Spiritual Domain to their core. This kind of damage, stemming from pure spiritual systems, disabled them from recovering. Seeing this, Yu Hong lit up, finally understanding the best method to deal with the Black Disaster. "Alliance Hierarch, should we intervene to save them?" Qing Huang couldn¡¯t help but ask, feeling that Zhao Jingtang and the others might not hold on much longer. "No rush. It¡¯s still early." Yu Hong¡¯s expression remained unchanged. Qing Huang could only suppress his impatience. But as he held back, the Taoists and Seven Evil Alliance magicians hidden within the Protective Shield could not. They swarmed out, releasing various Techniques, and with bursts of colorful light, submerged the remaining two Black Withered Women. Following the noisy bursts of Technique explosions, the last two Black Withered Women erupted in black fog, resisting various Techniques for a while but ultimately failed to withstand the opposite side, getting hit by a barrage of colorful magicians. Amidst sharp screams, the two War Level Black Withered Women had no chance to show their terrifying aspect before being utterly dispersed. The group of magicians, vastly drained, panted heavily. Some even collapsed on the ground exhausted, disregarding their image. Including leading Taoists from the Heavenly Master Mansion, who were drenched in sweat with cracked lips. Zhao Jingtang and others fared even worse;two of them, despite still being protected by Spirit Light, had fallen unconscious. Yu Hong walked slowly towards them, kicked the two unconscious individuals. He noticed their skin becoming somewhat loose, their eye sockets deepened, their figures slightly hunched. In just a short while, they seemed to have aged ten years. Recalling the horrific state bodies showed after the sudden withdrawal of Spirit Light, Yu Hong immediately had a speculation. The power of Spirit Light couldn¡¯t possibly emerge out of nowhere, nor could it be transmitted from his side. As it must originate from somewhere, the most likely source was still from the owners themselves. ¡¯Spirit Light¡¯s consumption might be either lifespan or something similar to the fundamental Essence Qi.¡¯ He reined in his thoughts, looked towards the two groups of survivors, and declared, "Nowadays, as the Black Disaster and Spirit Disaster erupt, the world crumbles, Taoist Sects decay and fall, and Seven Evils commit grave sins. Only our Spirit Light Alliance holds the righteous path, sweeping across both disasters." With a flash, he appeared ten-some meters near everyone. "I offer you a chance to join our Spirit Light Alliance to atone for past mistakes." S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Who are you! What ridiculous Spirit Light Alliance dares to act wildly on my Yunchong Mountain!" An elder Taoist from the Primordial Heavenly Master Mansion shouted angrily. "I see you and the Seven Evils as one of the same! How dare you deceive us! We of the Heavenly Master Mansion would rather die than submit!" Swish! Yu Hong blinked right in front of him. Raised his hand with a fist. Boom!!! A loud explosion sounded, a circle of white Qi waves burst open from the elder Taoist¡¯s chest, a terrifying force of hundreds of tons concentrated at the small area of fist contact, instantly shattering his chest cavity. Blood mist scattered, the elder¡¯s entire upper body exploded from that punch, turning into blood foam, leaving only the lower half of his body standing stiffly. "Since you prefer death to submission, then go ahead and die." Yu Hong said calmly. "....!!!" The surrounding personnel from the Heavenly Master Mansion glared furiously. The leading two elder Taoists, faces filled with extreme anger, were about to raise their hands to gather Magic. But instantly, Yu Hong appeared between the two, arms outstretched, grasping both their wrists. Bang bang!! Two loud thuds, the two elder Taoists were heavily smashed onto the ground, their bodies sparking with white light, activating the Passive Techniques defense. Regrettably, the Passive Techniques had been triggered too many times in the battle already, and both were already at their limits. Their resistance merely made Yu Hong¡¯s hands twitch slightly, slowing his hand movement just a bit. That¡¯s all. After a loud noise,]=] Below the Taoist Sect and the Seven Evil Alliance, the people were hit by the silver light before they could dodge or had any strength left to dodge. Soon, the faces of all the magicians changed as they felt their physical condition rapidly improving and their bodies becoming stronger than ever before. Their spirits also received significant enhancement. A layer of silver light also emerged on their skin, forming a protective shield around them. "Go, it¡¯s time for you to redeem yourselves through deeds." Yu Hong gently landed. "What kind of evil technique is this? My body is being overdrawn of its Essence Qi! You¡¯re consuming my lifespan!!" Suddenly, the leading elderly Taoist from the Primordial Heavenly Master Mansion stood up and let out a terrified and furious roar. His roar instantly snapped everyone back to reality from their surprise and confusion. Everyone was shocked and angry, trying to dispel the Spirit Light. But it was to no avail. Once the Spirit Light was embedded in the body, it rooted into the mind and flesh, irremovable. Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t have been known as a Source Disaster called the Light Disaster. "Hmm?" Yu Hong¡¯s gaze pierced through the disturbed crowd to find the old Taoist who noticed something was amiss. He hadn¡¯t anticipated that a high-ranking expert from Heavenly Master Mansion could actually detect the true nature of Spirit Light so swiftly. "You are mistaken. The essence of the Spirit Light consists of two parts. One part indeed comprises your own life force Essence Qi and lifespan, but the other part is replenished and strengthened by the boundless, mysterious Light of Life. If you can comprehend further, you can use the light to nourish yourself and reverse aging." Yu Hong said indifferently. He wasn¡¯t talking recklessly because this was what Quan He Monarch had shared during their communication, and she had indeed succeeded in doing so. "Qing Huang, you organize them to clean up the monsters around, someone lead the way, take me to get the pieces of the Sky Stabilizing Plate! To close the door to the Black Disaster Spirit Disaster, we must start with the Sky Stabilizing Plate!" "I¡¯ll lead the way!" Among the many techniques of the lower Heavenly Master Mansion, a handsome young Taoist stood up and loudly volunteered. "Good! What¡¯s your name?" Yu Hong nodded. "I am Yu Chu, I have seen Master Yu!" The young Taoist actually recognized Yu Hong. "Oh? Interesting." Yu Hong raised an eyebrow. His reputation as Temple Master of Qingchen Temple shouldn¡¯t have reached the faraway Heavenly Master Mansion, so the only possibility was that they had been paying attention to him before. "Master Yu might not know, but our master Heavenly Master Xu Chong had a foreboding before his departure to battle the foes, and had listed all the potential individuals before leaving, entrusting his disciples to memorize them for later summoning. You were on that list, just didn¡¯t expect the situation to take such a drastic turn..." Yu Chu said sadly. "Xu Chong, Xu Heavenly Master?" Yu Hong asked. "Correct, my master." "I¡¯ve tried contacting Xu Heavenly Master multiple times in the past without any response, talking about these matters now is meaningless. Lead the way." Although he said so, the cooperation and understanding from the other party slightly softened Yu Hong¡¯s tone. "You¡¯re funny, kid;you don¡¯t weaken us, instead you actively help us heal." At this moment, not far away, Wu Shaoyuan from the Iron Dust Brush of the Seven Evils laughed eerily. "Aren¡¯t you afraid we will attack you?" Yu Hong¡¯s gaze shifted to him. Hiss!! Streams of silver Spirit Light began surging on Wu Shaoyuan¡¯s body, forcibly extracting all the life force, Essence Qi, and spirituality from within him. "F*ck!!" Wu Shaoyuan screamed in fright, immediately sitting cross-legged trying to suppress the Spirit Light. Unfortunately, his strength was far inferior to the Spirit Light. It was a qualitative difference, a severe mismatch. The terrifying force from the Light Disaster completely disregarded his resistance, At that moment, Wu Shaoyuan dared not speak anymore, only sitting cross-legged on the ground, struggling to suppress the escaping Spirit Light. Fortunately, Yu Hong merely attempted to extract the Spirit Light a bit and didn¡¯t seriously act. After the warning, he withdrew his gaze. Now the strength of the Spirit Light had become considerable, and as time passed, more and more practitioners are emerging. The Spirit Light shield could even withstand repeated blows from the Three-eyed Dragon-man without breaking. Compared to when he first arrived in this world, it was a world of difference. "Let¡¯s go." Yu Hong withdrew his gaze and scanned the rest who were silent as cicadas in winter, then finally turned his head towards the Taoist Yu Chu. "...Yes! Please, follow me." Yu Chu¡¯s whole body trembled, his scalp went numb, and he hurriedly ran towards the mountain. After running for a while, Yu Hong, finding it too slow, simply grabbed the back of Yu Chu¡¯s garment, leaped into the air, stepping on treetops, and flew directly towards the mountain summit. In less than half a minute, they reached the clusters of buildings of the lower Heavenly Master Mansion on the mountain summit. The Heavenly Master Mansion was empty, as almost everyone had gone out to resist the Seven Evils and the Black Disaster Spirit Disaster monsters. Only some general affairs personnel were left. Yu Chu, having his belly full of wind, coughed and led Yu Hong to the front of an ancient black Taoist Palace. "This is it, the Dingtian Hall, where we have always stored the Sky Stabilizing Plate. Normally, no one is allowed to enter. I don¡¯t know why, but it suddenly broke earlier. The sound was very loud, everyone in the Heavenly Master Mansion heard it. At the time it broke, only people patrolling for fire were around, and no one had entered.", Yu Chu quickly explained. "Where¡¯s the door." Yu Hong asked, but without waiting for a reply, "Never mind. I¡¯ll make one." He simply punched lightly at one wall of the Dingtian Hall. Boom!! The wall exploded internally, blasting out a large hole. He stepped inside, leaving behind the stunned Yu Chu. Chapter 387: Dawn 3 The interior of Dingtian Hall was empty, with thick copper chains engraved with black and red runes hanging around. Each chain linked to the center, seemingly once binding something there. But now, only blue-green metallic fragments remained on the floor. "Are these the fragments of the Sky Stabilizing Plate?" Yu Hong asked. "I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯ve never been here before, so I don¡¯t know what the real Sky Stabilizing Plate looks like," Yu Chu shook his head. Yu Hong stepped forward, estimated the number and size of the fragments, then pulled out a Ziploc bag from his pocket and stuffed the fragments in. The plate was not big and was quite thin, so he quickly packed them all. "I¡¯ll take this back and try to restore it. Time is pressing. Immediately organize everyone to gather and abandon all areas here;head to Taizhou. We definitely can¡¯t hold this place!" Yu Hong instructed. "Taizhou? But, we have a thousand-year-old Array set up by the Heavenly Master Mansion here... it might not be..." Yu Chu hesitated. "It¡¯s useless, there are too many Gates opened nearby..." Yu Hong said gravely. This place is very close to Tongning City and also near the Sealing and Sacrifice Platform. There are too many Gates of the Black Disaster Spirit Disaster around, implying an endless influx of both types of monsters. Under such circumstances, no Array could possibly withstand that. It would be completely overwhelmed by the tide-like surge of monsters. Seeing the current intensity, Yu Hong even questioned whether Taizhou itself could hold, and it might very likely be necessary to further contract the defensive line. "But..." Yu Chu still hesitated, obviously, his years of dependence made him distrustful that the Heavenly Master Mansion could fail. And even less so, he believed that an outsider could build a protective array more powerful and complete than the Heavenly Master Mansion. And to this point, Yu Hong couldn¡¯t tell him about his possession of the Black Mark. According to normal logic, this perspective was correct. Unfortunately, he was not normal. "Are there any other of the Seven Evils nearby? Where are the other Sect Leaders of the Nine Sects?" Yu Hong quickly asked. "They are fighting around the Sealing and Sacrifice Platform, the designated battlefield agreed upon by the Taoist Sect and the Seven Evil Alliance. The remaining five of the Seven Evils and the other six Sect Leaders of the Nine Sects are clashing," Yu Chu quickly responded. "Do you know the location?" "I do! We were all tasked to memorize the address, so we could provide support later," Yu Chu nodded affirmatively. "Lead the way!" Yu Hong turned and walked away. After breaking through to the Fifth Layer of the Tai Ling Skill, his Inner Strength within had become even more robust and strange, enough to passively block the mental assault from the Quan He Monarch. This indicates a huge improvement. He had never fully exerted his power directly, and this time, it was perfect to use the Seven Evils and the Nine Sects¡¯ Sect Masters as a test. And to see just how his full power stacked up against the levels here. Given the urgency of the situation, Yu Hong carried the Sky Stabilizing Plate in one hand, grabbed Yu Chu with the other, covering him with Spirit Light that spread like a tortoiseshell. Then he lifted his leg and kicked. Boom! The wall burst open, revealing a large hole. He bowed and leaped out, heavily stamping on the ground as he returned the way he came. * * * Meanwhile, around the Sealing and Sacrifice Platform, in a dark gorge. The five of the Seven Evils and six of the Nine Sects had gathered in this narrow space simultaneously. On both sides, each person was covered in mottled bloodstains;some faces pale as paper, some wrists severed, and others sitting cross-legged on the ground, taking medicine to treat injuries. Both sides gathered quite a few of their subordinates. The camp of the Seven Evil Alliance had about a hundred people, all core magicians in this attack. They wore black masks, tailored black robes, with some holding guns, some cold weapons, and even some carrying Gatling-like military heavy machine guns. Black armored masked people, resembling bodies, surrounded them, forming a protective guard. These were zombie puppets similar to Walking Corpses, concocted by the Seven Evil Alliance. The Taoist Sect camp, however, was entirely different. Among the six Sect Masters, two had already been injured in the fight, equating the levels since there were wounded like the Sect Master of the Blood Eye Sect on the opposite side. Their followers were even more numerous;densely packed three to four hundred people maintained a pale golden Array underfoot. Beyond the Array, rings of white haloes continuously spread outwards, their purpose unknown. "Up till now, you no longer have any chance of winning," the leader of the Seven Evils, Xuan Jing, who was not wearing a mask, revealed a slightly evil handsome face. "The Gates are all opened. Even if you stop us now, it¡¯s pointless. You¡¯d better go back and think of a way to suppress the Black Disaster Spirit Disaster, instead of exhausting yourselves here," he said relaxedly, with a hint of mockery. "Had it not been for your conspiracies, the Gate of Despair and the Gate of Ten Thousand Spirits would never have opened! Rather than stopping the Black Disaster Spirit Disaster, it¡¯s better to eradicate you here once and for all, to prevent future troubles!" The foremost of the Nine Sects¡¯ Sect Masters was an elderly, hunched man with an iron staff and white hair. The old Taoist wore grey-white long sleeves and trousers, not a Daoist robe, only embroidered with a daffodil symbol of the Mo Wen Palace at the left chest. "Not speaking Old Taoist, we¡¯ve been old rivals for many years now. The number of Gates opened this time is indeed substantial. If not suppressed in time, hehe, the number of casualties... for your Taoist Sect... I remember you still have special national funding and various privileges. If you can¡¯t suppress it, given it¡¯s just after Chinese New Year..." Xuan Jing bizarrely chuckled. "This is a decision made together with Brother Silent;today we encircle Long Qingzi with the two great Heavenly Masters, and we encircle the five of you, to completely resolve the whole Seven Evil Alliance in one fell swoop." The white-haired Taoist nun beside Silent Real Person coldly said. This person is Su Ling, the Taoist of Qingxia Palace. Previously, the Seven Evil Alliance schemed and turned her two core disciples, almost causing her to vomit blood with anger. Now that she finally caught the opportunity, she naturally hated them to the bone and must eradicate them completely. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Especially since one of the traitors was her own biological daughter, such an enormous vengeance was a lifelong shame for her as the Palace Master of Qingxia Palace! Apart from her, the rest had more or less some new and old grievances with the Seven Evil Alliance, but these weren¡¯t actually the key points. The key is that the recent actions of the Seven Evil Alliance have been too ruthless, completely annihilating the Zihe Palace, an entire sect. Even the top genius Ku Chan has gone missing. This has severely shaken the foundation of the Nine Sects¡¯ Taoist Sect. "Tsk tsk tsk....Such cruelty....letting out so many monsters, who knows how many ordinary citizens will be slaughtered...The big and small towns outside are probably already overrun by ghosts....This is the strongest Xuanmen Taoist Sect in Yasong? An eye-opener indeed." Xuan Jingzi softly clapped his hands. "With the disciples from Shura Sect coming to help, the situation around us can temporarily be stabilized. Once we eliminate you and reconvene with the Heavenly Masters, we will suppress the Black Disaster Spirit Disaster together! By then, the world will naturally be peaceful." Su Ling the Taoist said coldly. "Such a virtuous appearance." The second in command of the Seven Evils, Xian Kongzi, the Sect Master of Blood Eye Sect, couldn¡¯t help but frown. "Not as much as you guys slaughtering everyone indiscriminately!" The True Monarch but Yu did not speak resentfully. Both sides continued to badger each other, the situation was at a stalemate, all waiting for the Heavenly Masters to come up with the final verdict. Although the skies were densely clouded and completely dark, occasionally showing the Night Pool and the Pool of Ten Thousand Spirits, this area was inside a canyon and visibility was low due to many obstructions. Even no one noticed that there hadn¡¯t been any activity on the Sealing and Sacrifice Platform for a while. During the intense quarrel between the two groups, around the canyon, the wandering swarms of black insects, walking corpses, porter people, were being cleared by groups of Spirit Light Alliance magicians. Like a flame, the Spiritual Techniques burned through, porter people or black insects, all fell to the ground turning into black mists. The walking corpses lost their thoughts and reverted back to mere corpses. The magicians of the Spirit Light Alliance, each bearing a silver light and showing no intent to defend, pushed straight through any obstructing Black Disaster Spirit Disaster monsters. Leading them was Vice Alliance Hierarch Zhao Jingtang, followed by a sullen faced Wu Shaoyuan, one of the Seven Evils wielding the Iron Dust Brush. Plus two coeval old Daoists from the Heavenly Master Mansion, both straight-faced following behind. "What are these expressions! If the Alliance Hierarch sees your faces all soured like this..." Zhao Jingtang turned to scold. "It¡¯s really outrageous! In all my years, it¡¯s the first time encountering such demonic outsiders... ah." Wu Shaoyuan was midway through his words when a glance from the corner of his eye caught someone passing by his side, he immediately straightened his face, not daring to say more. Not just him, the others around also fell silent, bowing their heads, not daring to look more. Yu Hong and Qing Huang walked past the few people, standing in the forefront, looking up towards the glowing array with a golden light outside the canyon. "Is this the place?" Yu Hong looked towards the guide among the crowd, Yu Chu the Taoist. "Yes....the other places are empty, it seems like they have converged here for a decisive battle!" Yu Chu nodded solemnly. Yu Hong scanned the entrance of the canyon. The entire canyon was a straight line, with the entrance blocked by a golden light array, evidently to prevent outside interference. Examining the array, he turned back and looked at Wu Shaoyuan. "You go." Wu Shaoyuan¡¯s eyes widened instinctively wanting to curse, but seeing the reminding gaze from Qing Huang, he dared not babble, only managing a grunt, took a few steps forward, and approached the array. Standing in front of the golden light array, he clasped his hands and pressed out a series of blue light Seals, but apparently to little effect. Wu Shaoyuan was somewhat embarrassed, tried a different Technique, blue light flickered for a while, several runes and halos were emitted, but upon entering the array, they were utterly useless and instantly dispersed by the light. "You go too." Yu Hong looked towards Zhao Jingtang. The latter hurriedly smiled apologetically, followed up, and began analyzing the array. Strangely, the two of them together still couldn¡¯t figure out the array, continuously making numerous handprints but to no avail. After a short while, Zhao Jingtang turned to transmit a message back. "Alliance Hierarch, this array wasn¡¯t hastily arranged, but was pre-emptively set here, with at least two months of preparation, extremely complex. It seems to be a trap set by the Taoist Sect to ambush the Seven Evil Alliance. We can¡¯t break it in a short time." "How long at least?" Yu Hong frowned. "At least three hours." Zhao Jingtang replied cautiously. "That¡¯s too long." Yu Hong looked at Qing Huang next to him. The latter nodded and clapped her hands. Among the Spirit Light Alliance Magicians, someone immediately came forward from the rear, put down a backpack, and took out several fist-sized black objects. They were actually hand grenades! Seeing this, the recently joined Taoist Sect and Seven Evil Alliance magicians nearby, all got chills and backtracked. These few magicians came from official backgrounds, elite among the government magicians, and had no aversion to using modernized weapons flexibly. At this moment, they packed several dozen hand grenades together, then tied them up with a rope. Finally, tossed it lightly at the canyon entrance. One second, two seconds. Boom!! A gigantic fireball, over ten meters high, completely took over the canyon entrance. The explosion caused a great vibration, collapsing large pieces of moss and rubble from both sides. In the noise, that golden light array, due to the significant changes in the terrain, quickly dimmed. "Let¡¯s go." Yu Hong nodded his head, signaling Zhao Jingtang and Wu Shaoyuan to walk ahead. Chapter 388: Dawn Four "One by one, magicians from the Spirit Alliance continuously entered the interior of the canyon. After traveling a few hundred meters, soon, another array exuding Golden Light appeared ahead to block the way. This time, inside the array, magicians from the Taoist Sect could be seen standing in positions, channeling Dao Breath into it. Seeing the incoming members of the Spirit Alliance, the faces of these magicians drastically changed, and they loudly communicated with each other. In an instant, the Nine Sects¡¯ Sect Masters and five members from the Seven Evils looked past the array towards the Spirit Alliance group. Upon discovering that there were members from both parties left behind within the Spirit Alliance, both Xuan Jingzi and the Silent Truth-holder were stunned. The Taoist Sect and the people from the Seven Evil Alliance working together was something they struggled to comprehend. Both cast suspicious glances at what they considered their own people, but no one returned to their camp. Seizing this opportunity, Yu Hong quickly scanned both sides to confirm the number of people present. Then, with a swift movement, he appeared directly between the two camps. ¡¯I am Yu Hong, Alliance Hierarch of the Spirit Light Mutual Aid Alliance, with the Dao name ¡¯Zheng Rou¡¯. I have come requesting your help to close the Black Disaster Spirit Disaster, reset the situation, and save countless lives from dire straits!¡¯ His expression solemn, he announced loudly. ¡¯Youngster, you¡¯re bold, and even bolder in speech. Why should we assist you? Because of your brazen words that show no understanding of heaven and earth?¡¯ Xuan Jingzi said with a curious chuckle, sizing up Yu Hong. ¡¯So, you are unwilling?¡¯ Yu Hong¡¯s gaze shifted, looking at Xuan Jingzi. Xuan Jingzi laughed heartily. ¡¯We¡¯ve worked so hard to open so many gates, and now you come here saying you want to close them? Who do you think you are!?¡¯ ¡¯If you are unwilling to save the masses and also unwilling to assist me, then what use are you?¡¯ Right as Yu Hong¡¯s words fell, his figure blurred into a shadow, and he charged toward Xuan Jingzi. With each step, the ground beneath his feet burst open, creating explosive craters one and a half meters in diameter and half a meter deep. Boom, boom, boom, boom!! Heavy, urgent footsteps rapidly approached. Xuan Jingzi¡¯s complexion changed slightly;flicking his Seal, the distance between him and Yu Hong suddenly increased. But the increased distance was merely his Passive Technique, a temporary special Secret Technique that creates a perceptual illusion. Facing Yu Hong... Boom!! Xuan Jingzi¡¯s expression greatly changed, his hand hurriedly shimmering blue light, blocking his head;that was all he could manage to do. A loud bang. His head took a punch, the blue light shattered, and his body was flung backward, disappearing from everyone¡¯s sight, heavily embedded in the nearby canyon wall. ¡¯Youngster! You¡¯re courting death!!¡¯ Xuan Jingzi¡¯s roar emanated from the walls. A sky-blue scimitar, filled with runes, broke through the evasion, rapidly enlarging and flying towards Yu Hong. The surface of the scimitar had countless twisted white ghost faces, seemingly crying and laughing, continuously transforming, as if the whole scimitar itself was wriggling. Yu Hong raised his hand, pinched his fingers, and precisely caught the tip of the scimitar. Clang! The tip of the blade instantly shattered, exploding into layers of pale blue halos, which quickly spread up along his fingers. However, they were blocked by a naturally emerging layer of purple-red halo on his body. Both halos neutralized each other, disappearing in the blink of an eye. But just in that moment, Yu Hong¡¯s vision began to distort, elongating. Everything around him¡ªpeople, the canyon, forests, trees¡ªstrangely stretched. ¡¯A spiritual illusion?¡¯ Yu Hong¡¯s Inner Strength activated naturally, coating over his eyes. Clang! All the illusions disappeared instantly. He still stood in his original position, where a blurry figure appeared behind him, holding another black scimitar, fiercely stabbing towards his back. Clang. The scimitar got stuck, fixed in mid-air by a naturally emerging purple-red halo, leaving just a finger¡¯s space from Yu Hong¡¯s back¡ªit couldn¡¯t move forward any further. And the attacker behind, who was now revealed, was none other than Xuan Jingzi, the leader of the Seven Evils, who had just been sent flying. His appearance was ragged, hair disheveled, clearly, the Passive Technique he had applied earlier didn¡¯t protect him from Yu Hong¡¯s sudden punch. Though he reflexively launched three Passive Techniques at the moment he was struck, they were ultimately suppressed and neutralized by that strange purple-red power. Now, using his final Passive Technique to confuse the opponent and produce a visual illusion, aiming for a backstab kill. Even though his opponent had already been tricked and the blade was stabbed forward, it couldn¡¯t even pierce the opponent¡¯s protective Passive Technique! ¡¯You!!?¡¯ Xuan Jingzi¡¯s expression froze. His Dao Breath surged, unleashing the full power of the Earth Level Inheritance Dao Artifact, only to find it couldn¡¯t break through the opponent¡¯s protective Passive Technique! What kind of level was this Passive Technique!? ¡¯Not bad.¡¯ Yu Hong was also somewhat surprised;he had been worried that his punch had been too powerful and killed the opponent. But instead, after being hit, the opponent retaliated so fiercely. It appeared that this member of the Seven Evils truly had a few tricks. Snap. He suddenly extended his hand, his palm emanating purple-red Inner Strength, as if passing through clear water, penetrated the invisible Passive Technique protecting Xuan Jingzi. Then. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He grabbed him by the neck! Hiss!! Instantly, a silvery light spread rapidly from Yu Hong, covering Xuan Jingzi¡¯s entire body, almost wrapping him into a silver figure. ¡¯Let go!¡¯ Suddenly, a semi-transparent purple giant shadow over three meters tall appeared behind Yu Hong. It was a grotesque two-headed purple armored giant. The giant held a black Horse-cutting Saber, and with a lightning-fast movement, raised it high to strike. The saber was aimed right at Yu Hong¡¯s head." When the blade was raised high, it triggered a swirling airflow around, scorching the surroundings. The one who made the move was the one of the Seven Evils, Xian Kongzi, the Sect Master of the Blood Eye Sect. Clang! A two-headed giant slashed down, but above Yu Hong¡¯s head, it was blocked by a faint purple-red power, making a sound of metal clashing. "Weak." Yu Hong stood still, not even taking a step. He grabbed with his left hand, instantly seizing the blade of the Horse-cutting Saber. Bang! The blade shattered, turning into countless fragments, which darkened the body of the two-headed giant as the fragments splattered back and injured it. At that moment, a third person made a move. A masked woman in black tight clothing held a pistol in her hand, carved with runes and inlaid with tiny colorful gems, aiming at Yu Hong and pulling the trigger. Boom! It was just a pistol, but the bullet fired carried a huge buzzing sound, as if it was thunder. The bullet hit Yu Hong¡¯s forehead in a blink of an eye, then exploded into large black electric arcs. Countless dense, snake-like electric arcs burst out in an instant with an exaggerated spiritual fluctuation of over 500,000. This caused Yu Hong¡¯s whole body to almost light up with purple-red Inner Strength brilliance. "This one¡¯s not bad." Yu Hong finally felt a slight fluctuation in his Inner Strength. Clearly, this meant that the recent gunshot had the intensity to disrupt his Inner Strength. Swoosh! Taking advantage of his distraction, Xuan Jing¡¯s body exploded instantly into countless blue lights, and in a blink, it reformed dozens of meters away. By this time, the three members of the Seven Evils who had taken action finally began to seriously size up Yu Hong, who had suddenly entered the scene. From start to finish, Yu Hong had only made one move, but had put the chief of the Seven Evils, Xuan Jing, in a very sorry state, almost severely injured. Then, facing the joint surprise attack of the three great Seven Evils, he actually stood still, resisting all the assaults. Not by countering, but by standing still and enduring!! Such a performance was already enough to shock everyone from the Seven Evil Alliance and the Taoist Sect. "What kind of monster is this guy!?" The masked woman from the Seven Evil Alliance retreated, creating a larger distance, watching Yu Hong with extreme wariness. Just now, in the confrontation, she didn¡¯t feel much, but now her forehead and temples were even sweating slightly. Not just her, Xuan Jing, who had barely struggled free, was also touching the bruises on his neck, feeling terrified, and staring intensely at Yu Hong. If it weren¡¯t for the other two rescuing him just now, he might have really died in the opponent¡¯s grip in one face-to-face encounter. "It¡¯s Yu Hong of Qingchen Temple! The gentle Taoist Yu Hong!" At this time, one of the Seven Evils recognized Yu Hong¡¯s identity. This person was dressed in a white western outfit, wearing a white duckbill cap, his face stern and his hair graying, giving off the air of a successful person. He held a small slip of paper in his hand, on it was a name and a phone number. This was the contact information Yu Hong had given him at a previous meeting. "Zhao Yanjun... do you recognize him?" Xian Kongzi moved next to him and asked in a low voice. "When I was in Taizhou before, I met that monster¡­" Their side was shocked, but on the Taoist Sect¡¯s side, there was sheer ecstasy. When Heaven¡¯s Hand Zhao Yanjun first saw Yu Hong in Qingchen Temple, Taizhou, he had fallen into a massive spiritual self-tremor, an exaggerated scene like a vision. There, he saw endless light and heat;that Yu Hong was like a huge ticking bomb. Just a little stimulation, and it might BOOM ¨C completely explode. Explode everyone around, even the entire world within sight!! "That guy, just by looking at him, you can feel how terrifyingly strong he is," said Zhao Yanjun in a deep voice. "Was it when you and Xiao Jiu went?" Xian Kongzi asked, frowning. "Um¡­" Zhao Yanjun nodded, he was about to explain something when suddenly his eyes widened. "Be careful!!" He suddenly shouted. Just the moment before the shout. Yu Hong slightly smiled, the figure standing still carried a series of purple afterimages, silently appearing beside Xian Kongzi. His speed was too fast, in that instant burst, such short distance, almost no time to react. Sss! A hand chop, like a real saber, sliced horizontally across Xian Kongzi¡¯s waist. Layer upon layer of protective Purple Light Rune Technique automatically activated, then shattered in the next instant, like broken crystal glass. Blood blossomed, splattering from Xian Kongzi¡¯s waist. He stiffened, standing in place, no longer moving. Plop! In Zhao Yanjun¡¯s vision, specks of silver light burst from the wound at Xian Kongzi¡¯s waist, quickly spreading throughout his body. Even the Passive Technique with a spiritual value of over 500,000 could not block the Fifth Layer Sunset Inner Strength, not even for a second. Yu Hong¡¯s figure, carrying traces of afterimages, next appeared in front of the gun-wielding masked woman. With one large grab, purple light flashed, shattering layers of transparent barriers, and he seized the woman¡¯s hair. Boom! The third of the Seven Evils fell to the ground, unconscious. "And two more," Yu Hong stood in place, looking at Zhao Yanjun and the remaining woman in a black cloak. After experiencing it personally, he realized that if a Technique¡¯s magic couldn¡¯t break through his Inner Strength defense, then dealing with the Seven Evils was no different than dealing with a common magician for him. As long as he was fast, the opponent wouldn¡¯t even be able to use their grand Spiritual Domain before falling unconscious. "!!!" The two of them stiffened, standing in place, like the many subordinates of the Seven Evil Alliance behind them, daring not to move, silent as a graveyard. Not just them, but the people from the Taoist Sect opposite were also dumbstruck, even as the members of the Spirit Light Alliance neared the entrance, they remained completely unaware. Chapter 389: Battlefield 387 One In the canyon, hundreds were present, yet not a single person dared to utter a sound. Countless gazes converged upon Yu Hong at the center. Shock, confusion, fear, speculation¡ªall kinds of emotions intertwined within the hearts of the magicians on both sides at this moment. "This guy...!!? What¡¯s going on!? His Dao Breath was obviously so weak!" The masked cloak-wearing woman¡¯s voice was suppressed, her hands unconsciously clenching tight, cold sweat seeping from her palms. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "That¡¯s why I have been saying, he¡¯s a monster..." Zhao Yanjun communicated with a sigh. "Let¡¯s team up and try once, then run, how about that?" The woman fell silent for a moment;she noticed that Yu Hong was observing the others covered in silver light and seemed too preoccupied to pay attention to them. "No, we can¡¯t win!" Zhao Yanjun refused, "I¡¯ve been keeping an eye on the matters of the Spirit Light Alliance. If you want to run, then run. I plan to join. If we can¡¯t beat them, then join them;after all, when Long Qingzi pulled me into the fold, it was the same. Now it¡¯s just a matter of switching masters." "...I have no choice. I personally carried out the deployment of the sect at Zihe Palace," the woman paused and then spoke through transmission. "A living Seven Evils is more valuable than a vanished Zihe Palace," Zhao Yanjun tried to persuade her. "..." The woman hesitated. Elsewhere, Yu Hong was observing Xian Kongzi, who was slowly getting up, Xuan Jingzi, who remained silent, and the cloaked gunwoman, who, after firing a single shot, was stiff all over and didn¡¯t dare to move again. Among these three, Xian Kongzi and Xuan Jingzi already had Spirit Light implanted in them, leaving only the masked gunwoman and Zhao Yanjun and finally the cloaked woman. "I don¡¯t have that much time to waste here with you," he said bluntly. "Now, let me ask, those who want to join my Spirit Light Alliance, raise your hands." "What if we¡¯re not willing?" One of the Seven Evils, the cloaked woman, asked in a heavy voice. "Then you are not my friends. And if you¡¯re not friends, in such a dire situation as now, all unstable elements, I can only say sorry," Yu Hong replied without any intention of concealing his meaning. "Right." His gaze suddenly turned, looking towards the Taoist Sect members who were watching the drama unfold from aside. "The same goes for you. Either become friends, or die. Make your choice." He appeared more amiable when facing the Taoist Sect, although only in expression¡ªthe options remained unchanged. "..." On the side of the Taoist Sect, the Sect Leaders, most of whom had always been level-headed, like Master Yu, refrained from commenting on these provocative threats. "Master Yu, this doesn¡¯t seem right, does it? We are all from the Taoist Sect..." An old Taoist from the sect couldn¡¯t help but speak out. "Zihe Palace also thought you were their own. When they needed help, you were counted as one of them, but when they asked for assistance, you weren¡¯t. The standards of ¡¯our own¡¯ in the Taoist Sect are too flexible," Yu Hong said indifferently. Seeing that the people from the Taoist Sect remained silent, he couldn¡¯t be bothered with further talk and, with a wave of his hand, a shower of silver light flew out, precisely landing on everyone present, one point for each person. The majority instinctively wanted to dodge and reject the silver points, but restrained themselves under Yu Hong¡¯s glance. Some from the Taoist Sect tried to curry favor, but were blocked by several members of the Spirit Alliance. Master Yu observed the many Spirit Alliance experts entering the Array, clearly recognizing some of the familiar faces among them. Moreover, Yu Hong had just demonstrated his personal strength, confronting several Seven Evils alone. Although it had not yet reached the level of a Spiritual Domain confrontation, Yu Hong¡¯s speed, burst strength, and destructive power were unmatched. If one couldn¡¯t break through that purple-red protection, they couldn¡¯t even inflict minor injuries on him. Even Xuan Jingzi, who was well-known for his powerful Passive Techniques, couldn¡¯t last more than a few seconds against him. Multiple complex thoughts piled up. That led the Sect Leaders like Master Yu to make the decision to stand by and watch for changes. But as Yu Hong released the Spirit Light to everyone, that decision proved to be a mistake. The silver points of light scattered, and the remaining Sect Leaders intended to block them. But the instant activation of Passive Techniques only managed to ward off the light points that targeted themselves;too late for the other magicians, who were all quickly struck. "Master Yu, Qingchen Temple is also a branch of our Taoist Sect. You founded the Spirit Alliance and brought people here;if it¡¯s for assistance, we welcome you, but this attitude..." Master Yu¡¯s expression darkened as he saw the silver Spirit Light merge into the surfaces of many Taoist Sect magicians. "The Taoist Sect might have been a name without substance when they ignored Zihe Palace¡¯s call for help," Yu Hong said coolly, "Moreover..." He didn¡¯t finish his sentence, suddenly, in the distant sky, a massive, transparent ripple burst forth, spreading outwards in every direction. The ripple reached the canyon in an instant;it didn¡¯t disturb any material object, targeting solely the living people there, exploding an ancient and profound bell tone within their hearts. This bell tone instantly changed the expressions of the Nine Sects¡¯ Sect Masters and the Seven Evils. Their spiritual power was incredibly strong, and their innate warning systems were just as robust. When hit by this wave, both factions felt an ominous foreboding. Even someone with spiritual power like Yu Hong felt something was terribly wrong. He interrupted his speech and took out a multitool from his waist. Beep. The measurement sounded. Numbers appeared clearly on the LCD screen: 112.324. "Why has it increased so rapidly!?" Yu Hong¡¯s expression turned grim. This number measured the Red Value. Even in the Hope City World, such a significant jump had never occurred. There, the Red Value also increased gradually. And that place was riddled with Gates of Despair, from which the Black Disaster surged. How many gates were there here? With this thought, he quickly switched to testing the Spiritual Fluctuation Value of the Spirit Disaster. Beep. Environmental Value: 79.527. This number had also increased substantially. However, considering the surrounding top magicians with high spiritual power, an increase in the environmental value made sense. But after looking for less than two seconds, Yu Hong still felt something was off. So, he tested the Spiritual Value again. After a beep, First, the value read: 184.652. His expression hardened;he waited a few seconds, then tested again. This time, the value rocketed towards three hundred! By now, he could already be sure that something major must have changed at the main battlefield of the Spirit Disaster! Although the True Monarch Silent Word seemed to be still talking next to his ear, Yu Hong could barely hear him clearly. He turned his head to look in the direction of Tongning City. There, was the battlefield of the Heavenly Masters where Quan He Monarch had led his people. Although he did not know what exactly had happened. But, he hoped Quan He could make it in time... He couldn¡¯t care less about other things and turned back to look at True Monarch Silent Word who was speaking. "The Heavenly Masters might be in trouble, I plan to go take a look, do you dare to join me?" True Monarch Silent Word came to a halt, his many reasons to persuade the other party blocked by these words. "We still have more important matters..." He pondered for a moment, feeling it was too dangerous. Whoosh! Before he finished speaking, his vision blurred, and suddenly another person appeared in front of him. It was Yu Hong! Yu Hong, who had just been more than ten meters away, had in a moment arrived right in front of him. A crisp sound, whoosh! Layer upon layer of passive techniques in front of him shattered like glass crystals, bursting into countless grayish-white light spots. Yu Hong swung his right fist out, piercing through the passive techniques¡¯ defenses, and thunderously struck the face of True Monarch Silent Word. Boom!! True Monarch Silent Word was sent flying on the spot, crashing into the mountainside like a cannonball, and blasting a crater several meters tall and more than a meter deep into the rock. Debris scattered, dirt fell, and it all happened almost at the same time. The rest of the Nine Sects¡¯ Sect Masters simultaneously made their move, unleashing spiritual power of dao breaths, each with a strength of hundreds of thousands, firing various spiritual techniques and magic from behind at Yu Hong like a blanket from the sky. But all the magic was blocked in mid-air by his outstretched left hand with spread fingers. Bang!!! A ring of purple-red inner power exploded into brilliance from Yu Hong¡¯s left hand, forming a circular shield as tall as a man, staunchly blocking the various colored streams of magical spiritual techniques coming from behind. Ice, flames, water, deadly poisons, and all other materialized magical techniques, at this instant, were all blocked by the purple-red inner power without gaining an inch. Not just that, all magical techniques that made contact with the inner power were deadlocked for less than a second, before they started to blacken, become murky, and rapidly wane in their essence. As if living beings were rapidly aging and withering, in less than two seconds, their power had weakened by more than half. Puff. Yu Hong closed his left hand, condensed the inner power into a massive purple-red hand, likewise clenched, and crushed all the magical techniques. "Spirit Realm¡¤Heaven and Earth Dustless!" Suddenly, from inside the mountainside, True Monarch Silent Word, whose bones were largely broken, recited the True Word with furious voice. Sizzle! A ring of dark gray halo, with him as the center, suddenly exploded and spread outwards in all directions. This halo moved incredibly fast, almost at the speed of light, making it unavoidable. By the time Yu Hong had reacted, he had already been enveloped within the Spirit Realm. All the surrounding scenery had utterly changed. The original canyon walls, the withered yellow grass grounds, had now turned into an endless gray desert. The whole world was a swath of gray sand, nothing else visible. Only the surrounding stone sculptures within a radius of over ten meters stood clearly and oppressively. These stone sculptures encircled Yu Hong sitting cross-legged, each about five to six meters tall, with their eyes closed and faces all carved with baby features. They were dressed in daoist robes, wearing dao crowns, with a grayish-white vertical line on their foreheads, as if a third eye was beaming with white light. At the same time, a thread of clear spiritual fluctuation entered Yu Hong¡¯s mind. Automatically, the specific rules of this Spirit Realm also transmitted. "Spirit Realm Heaven and Earth Dustless, a special domain formed by invoking the will of the Heavenly Court¡¯s Sand Divine Intent. It lasts for thirty heartbeats, and after each heartbeat, the entrant will suffer a joint assault from the surrounding stone sculptures." "After thirty heartbeats, if one is still alive, the Spirit Realm collapses. The caster suffers backlash. If one does not survive, their consciousness will be dragged into the Heavenly Court¡¯s Constant Sand Realm, becoming one of the Nascent Soul stone sculptures, unable to ever break free." "This is the Spirit Realm?" This was Yu Hong¡¯s first time entering a top-tier Magician¡¯s Spirit Realm. This desperate ultimate move of a Magician seemed to have combined many characteristics of the Spirit Disaster Heavenly Court. Just from the half-real half-fake environmental changes, the Spirit Realm had already stepped outside the traditional realm of magic where Magicians used spiritual power to manipulate environmental forces. It had ascended to the level of the Spirit Disaster Heavenly Court¡¯s Divine Intent. What exactly Divine Intent was, and what exactly the Heavenly Court was ¨C whether it was the spiritual forms Magicians ascended to ¨C remained unknown. "Then let¡¯s see if your Spirit Realm can break my Protective Spirit Light!" Thud. Just at this moment, a huge heartbeat sound exploded in the heavens and the earth. At the same time, more than a dozen baby-faced Taoist stone sculptures surrounding Yu Hong opened their eyes and the vertical slits on their foreheads, all three eyes firing dense, fuzzy-gray beams of light onto Yu Hong¡¯s body. The beams of light were as swift as the blink of an eye, their speed extreme, almost light-speed, making them impossible to dodge. Ssss!!! Dense gray light hit Yu Hong¡¯s body, causing ripples to spread across his purple-red inner power. The intensity was at least several times stronger than before! At least the previous magical techniques only caused slight ripples, but now extensive ripples appeared. Despite the intense situation, the purple-red protective inner power remained unbreakable, steadily enveloping Yu Hong at its center, without a single harm. He had also covered himself with a layer of Spirit Light beneath the inner power, but he hadn¡¯t expected the Fifth Layer Tai Ling Skill to be so powerful. He laughed heartily. His whole body¡¯s purple-red inner power surged, covering his entire body, burning fiercely. "Fragile to the core!" Boom!! A huge purple flame emanated from his body, turning into a pillar of fire, shooting straight into the sky. Chapter 390: Battlefield 388 II Fierce purple flames burned and surged over ten meters high before rapidly dyeing the surrounding gray sand into purple-red. The colored sand began to rapidly darken, as if aging and withering. Along with it, the entire Spiritual Domain¡¯s atmosphere plummeted in a free fall, and the space cracked. Thump. The second heartbeat began. The beams were ineffective;the stone statues all raised their hands, forming translucent massive palms that struck towards Yu Hong. But all the palms still in midair, were set ablaze by the purple-red Inner Strength flames, and crumbled into nothing in the blink of an eye. The purple-red pillar of fire quickly spread while amidst Yu Hong¡¯s laughter, igniting the surroundings. Before long, before the third heartbeat could even resonate, this slice of heaven and earth surfaced with massive cracks, then with a crashing noise, everything nearby completely collapsed. Yu Hong returned to the canyon once more. And not far ahead of him, the silenced real person had crawled out of the stone wall again, his face pale, lying on the ground unable to move, his eyes and nostrils bleeding profusely. Yu Hong took out a utility meter from his waist, which had automatically detected that the Spiritual Fluctuation Value had already breached over a million! It was currently falling rapidly. "Given up?" Yu Hong looked towards him. "....." The silenced real person had a terrible complexion and remained silent. With a gaze as if looking at a monster, he stared fixedly at Yu Hong. From the moment the Spiritual Domain was broken, he understood that the current Yu Hong, regardless of his Spiritual Cultivation, his pure strength had already reached the pinnacle level of a Heavenly Master. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He was no longer someone he could contend with. Sizzle. A speck of silver light shot out, accurately entering the forehead of the silenced. Yu Hong looked towards the other Sect Leaders of the Nine Sects with difficult expressions. "Three seconds for you." Silence. Several Sect Leaders lowered their heads in silence. Not to mention several of them had been injured earlier and were participating in the battle by dragging their injured bodies. Even at their full peak, the strength of the silenced real person was second only to two Heavenly Masters among the Nine Sects. Yet, such strength, even after fully activating the Divine Intent of the Inheritance Dao Artifact and descending into the Spiritual Domain, ended up being forcibly torn apart internally by the opponent. This meant that the internal Divine Intent rules of the Spiritual Domain could not suppress the opponent, indicating that the Spiritual Domain itself, deemed impenetrable, simply couldn¡¯t trap the opponent. In the Warlock World, there was only one situation that could result in such an outcome. That was when the spiritual cultivation gap and the realms of Dao Breath between the two parties were too vast. The quality gap in Dao Breath was so vast that the one trapped could use the Dao Breath alone to forcefully burst the Spiritual Domain. "We... concede!" Jinxiao Temple¡¯s Mo, the Temple Master, spoke as he raised his hand. Since they were all from the Taoist Sect, surrendering to their own people wasn¡¯t shameful to him, especially to such a young supreme talent. He remembered his Master¡¯s teachings well, not to bargain with a genius who greatly surpassed oneself, because the gap in their levels was too vast, and would only grow in the future. The other Sect Leaders were speechless, their thoughts unknown. But Yu Hong was too lazy to care about these minor matters. He waved his hand, scattering a shower of silver Spirit Light. "Let down your defenses and integrate with it, then I will trust you." The silver light flew in front of these Sect Leaders, initially blocked by the Passive Technique. Hearing this, Jinxiao Temple¡¯s Mo, the Temple Master, without another word, dispersed his Technique and reached out to touch the Spirit Light. The silenced real person also closed his eyes, silently allowing the Spirit Light to penetrate his forehead and spread throughout his body. Soon, under his astonished and shocked sensation, the Spirit Light quickly repaired his body. The rest hesitated for a moment, but eventually had to follow suit. From the moment Yu Hong appeared, the display of his overwhelming strength by Qingchen Temple¡¯s Temple Master had been staggering. Whether it was the resistance of the Seven Evils or the Spiritual Domains of the Nine Sects, in his presence, they were like toys, easily broken with a wave of his hand. Just get through this for now, pretending to absorb it into the body. "From now on, the Taoist Sect... may change..." Su Ling, the Taoist, reached out to grab the Spirit Light, letting it merge into her skin as she sighed softly. "It¡¯s not just the Taoist Sect, but the entire Warlock World that¡¯s going to change...." Huang Song, the Taoist of the Supreme Ningxu Palace, had just woken up from unconsciousness not long ago, encountering such an event as soon as he came out, he too was sighing heavily. The other few were lost for words. Not until the last person also merged with the Spirit Light, did Yu Hong, satisfied that he could control the Spirit Light of everyone present, finally relaxed. The combined strength of the Seven Evils and the Sect Leaders of the Nine Sects, using the Inheritance Dao Artifact, could erupt a Spiritual Domain strength with a Spiritual Fluctuation Value reaching millions. Such powerhouses, under the protection and amplification of the Spirit Light, would definitely reach new heights. In the subsequent confrontation with the Spirit Disaster Black Disaster, they would assuredly serve as a formidable central combat strength. This was also one of the reasons why he had held back earlier, primarily using intimidation and threat. After managing this battlefield well, he turned his gaze towards the direction of Tongning City and hurriedly instructed Qing Huang and others to follow up. He then rushed alone towards Tongning City at full speed. However, at this moment, over Tongning City, a huge black cloud vortex had started to form in the dark sky. In the center of the vortex, deep within the lengthy black cloud passage, a luxurious tall arched gate made of white jade emerged. This white jade gate stood a hundred meters high and over fifty meters wide. The door was densely engraved with various mythological stories of Immortal Gods. Above the doorframe, a plaque radiating golden light was surrounded by countless silver lights. The plaque was inscribed with three boldly swirling characters. ¡¯South Heavenly Gate!¡¯ Crack. Silver lightning flashed sporadically within the dark clouds, resembling a spider web. As Yu Hong drew closer to Tongning City, he felt an indescribable oppressive sensation assaulting his spirit. Pfft. Suddenly, his multi-functional watch emitted smoke from his waist, evidently damaged by some force in the environment. In the gloomy forests, Yu Hong¡¯s body shone with a purple-red light, constantly leaping from tree crowns and branches. Crack. It was at this moment. A faint sound. The enormous South Heavenly Gate in the sky cracked open slightly. "Immortality!" "Immortality!" "To prove the divine seat, to act on behalf of heaven!" "Enter my heavenly gate, be immortal!" Solemn and dignified chants echoed in the sky. Accompanied by the vibration of the sound, the dark clouds in the entire sky began to rotate faster around the South Heavenly Gate. * * * Tongning City. Cai Jing Taoist¡¯s circular halo behind him glowed brighter, emanating golden light. As he devoured more and more spiritual power, his own aura grew increasingly formidable. Now surpassing the million level, like the sun, naturally radiating a terrifying pressure, illuminating all around. Moreover, Cai Jing Taoist sat cross-legged among the clouds, his hands forming seals, emitting invisible distortions that shot into the sky, entering the swirling black clouds. With continuous catalyzation of the seals, the crack in the South Heavenly Gate opened wider and larger. Inside, a terrifying aura similar to Cai Jing Taoist¡¯s slowly diffused out. In a trance, one could even see through the crack, inside the gate was a realm of white clouds and an ethereal immortal palace, with at least a dozen Cai Jing Taoists, riding the clouds, waiting on the other side of the crack. Further afield, behind these Cai Jing Taoists, was a dense sea of three-eyed golden armor Dragon-men. Crack. Another two minutes passed. The crack in the South Heavenly Gate once again widened. A pure white immortal light shone down from it, landing on Cai Jing Taoist. This immortal light, seemingly a reward, instantly made numerous light golden runes appear all over Cai Jing¡¯s body, almost dyeing him pure gold. And as the immortal light continued to shine, the aura of Cai Jing Taoist began to rise rapidly again. Crack. In the half-air around him, faint black cracks began to appear, as if even space itself was beginning to distort and crack under the intensely powerful spiritual fluctuations. Hiss, hiss, hiss! At that moment, from a distance, a dense series of missiles approached from the horizon, swooping towards where Cai Jing Taoist was, like a school of fish. Boom!!! Continuous massive explosions turned into a super fireball, engulfing Cai Jing completely. Not just that, the subsequent dense barrage of rockets from over ten kilometers away also similarly rained down on the army of golden armor Dragon-men. For a moment, the entire heavens and earth seemed to have fallen into an endless series of explosions. From a distance, the area looked like a hell of gunfire and missiles. The bombing continued for several minutes before slowly dissipating. However, above Tongning City in the sky, Cai Jing Taoist and the three-eyed golden armor Dragon-men were still in their original places;aside from a few Dragon-men who disappeared, the rest seemed completely unaffected by the attack, still quietly floating, waiting. Crack. The South Heavenly Gate then once again opened an even larger crack. Hiss, hiss, hiss!! A series of white immortal lights scattered down, this time, not focused on Cai Jing, but randomly shining on the three-eyed golden armor Dragon-men. As the Dragon-men were illuminated by the immortal light, their heads began to distort violently and then quickly melted like candles. Then, the white immortal light completely swallowed the Dragon-men, and two seconds later, as the light faded, inside reappeared new, smaller Cai Jing Taoists! Crack. Then, once again, the South Heavenly Gate opened a larger crack. This time wide enough to allow the creatures inside to fully squeeze out. The Spirit Alliance magicians, originally following Yu Hong, leaving the canyon to support the battlefield, now seeing this scene, displayed faces of despair. "How are we supposed to fight this!? There are so many monsters, going there now is just like delivering food!!" Zhao Jingtang, watching the immortal light continuously falling in the distant sky, had a pale face. He had originally thought that even if the Spirit Disaster Black Disaster was unleashed, it would wreak havoc for a while and then disperse and disappear on its own. After all, nature has a powerful self-healing ability. But now, seeing this momentum, if no one stops it, not just Yasong, but potentially... No... Not just Yasong, such monsters, no one on the entire planet could stop. Once they start rampaging, city by city, it won¡¯t take long to destroy all the urban areas on the surface. "This Spirit Disaster seems a bit different from what we anticipated..." Blood Eye Sect¡¯s Sect Master Xian Kongzi couldn¡¯t help but speak out, his complexion looking equally bad. Aside from those like Long Qingzi with mentally twisted perversions, no one else, even members of the Seven Evil Alliance, would want the world to be destroyed. Their goal was to overturn Taoist Sects, establish new Taoist Sects, and set the rules - not to completely annihilate everyone, including themselves. Unknowingly, everyone¡¯s pace began to slow down. Whether they were from Taoist Sects or members of the Seven Evil Alliance, all unconsciously slowed their steps. No one wanted to die in vain, especially at this moment, with the endless number of monsters in sight. Chapter 391: battlefield three Click. The heavens and earth suddenly made a light sound again. The sound was crisp and pleasant, as if accompanied by a musical instrument. The South Heavenly Gate finally, for the last time, completely opened. The massive gate, forced outward by two forces, one pushing and the other pulling, opened wider and wider. At the same time, more and more white Immortal Lights flew out from the gate, continuously transforming the Three-eyed Dragon-men below into new Cai Jing Taoists. Snap. Suddenly, a huge brass-colored arm stretched out from the South Heavenly Gate. The arm alone, in width, filled the entire entrance of the South Heavenly Gate. It reached out of the gate, gripping the dark clouds on the side, trying to leverage them to push the rest of its body out. The ancient copper patterns and faint green rust marks on the arm showed the long passage of time it had endured. Roar!! A huge roaring bellow erupted from within the gate, shaking the outside air and making the dark clouds tremble slightly. The sound waves, like shockwaves, hit the ground layer by layer, causing the glass in the high buildings of the city below to shatter and fall, with fierce winds and the earth trembling. Swoosh! Quan He Monarch, Jin Guang Taoist, Yaochen Taoist, and Lian Yunzi, four people appeared out of thin air on the rooftop of a ten-story building in the city district. They looked up towards the sky. The Cai Jing Taoists were still endlessly devouring the living beings¡¯ spiritual power within the city below. "What a massive scene, I¡¯ve only read about such events in ancient Classical Books. It seems it¡¯s trying to open the South Heavenly Gate to bring down even more troublesome and powerful Immortal Gods¡­" Quan He¡¯s expression became slightly serious. "Teacher, we¡¯ve also read Ancient Books, but we haven¡¯t seen this¡­ The scene makes me feel a bit panicked." Yaochen Taoist couldn¡¯t help but speak up. Next to his teacher, he no longer seemed like an old man in his forties, but rather the young Taoist pupil with adoring eyes from long ago. "The Classical Books I read were lost during that upheaval by the time it got to you all. Magicians from other countries entered our nation and stole secret strategies, destroying many Ancient Books. If it were not for that, the dispute would not have escalated to a life-and-death struggle." Quan He started to rapidly form Seal gestures with both hands while she explained. "That¡¯s true..." Jin Guang Taoist nodded, "We were still waiting for your next lecture back then, but the next day we heard you had been severely injured and unconscious, while the foreign Magicians¡¯ association suffered heavy losses, almost annihilated. Who would have thought there was such a hidden story." "You truly are the supreme role model for us Magicians!" Lian Yunzi said without hesitation, slapping his hand. "It¡¯s not as noble as you say¡­" Quan He¡¯s face showed a bit of modesty, "At that time, I and their chairman both had our eyes on a classical secret book at an auction, leading to a dispute. Later, when I didn¡¯t carry enough money and couldn¡¯t outbid them, I thought about borrowing it to have a look since we¡¯re all Magicians, a global family really, and looking wouldn¡¯t cause any harm, might even foster friendship? But that chairman claimed to be Thunder Emperor, with a terribly fiery temper, hard to talk to. Not only did he refuse to lend me the book, but he also struck me. As the world¡¯s number one expert, if I didn¡¯t retaliate when attacked, where would I put my face? So, I fought back, but he called for more and more people. Eventually, it escalated into a large-scale war¡­" Quan He completed her Seal gestures, and millions of Dao Breaths surged up, wildly rushing into a golden crane-shaped Jade Pendant at her chest, which was her Inheritance Dao Artifact. "Enough about that, I need to handle this situation now." She looked up at the increasingly dire situation in the sky. "After all, if we delay any further, the problem might really become too troublesome." "Teacher...the current situation... Disciple feels, it¡¯s already very troublesome¡­" Jin Guang Taoist clasped his hands nervously, trying to calm himself. Given the Magician system¡¯s emphasis on spiritual Dao Breath, he couldn¡¯t even perform at half his strength if he was not calm. "Actually, despite the massive scene¡­" Quan He¡¯s hands swiftly contracted her Sealing gestures into a Termination Seal, hanging in front of her chest. "Resolving it only takes a moment." "Spiritual Technique: Sky-reaching Earth-sealing!" Instantly, her hands formed layers of afterimages, blossoming like a flower, she pushed towards the sky. Moo!! A loud sound, like a cow¡¯s roar, spread from above her head. Boom!!! A loud crash. A terrifying white light suddenly lit up around Quan He¡¯s body. The white light, like the sun, even suppressed the light from the Cai Jing Taoists in the sky. The light soared into the sky, transforming into a column of light, shooting straight into the dark cloud vortex, striking right at the center of South Heavenly Gate. Thump!!! "Give it to me, close the gate!!" Quan He shouted angrily, her voice amplified like a thunderous roar. Boom! The South Heavenly Gate was firmly held by a tremendous force, then froze for a moment. Followed by a loud noise, it instantly closed. The copper-colored arm, losing its support, was forcibly severed, struggling as it faded into grey mist, disappearing into the sky. Below, Jin Guang Taoist and the others looked up at this spectacle, despite the bright light stinging their eyes, the shock and awe in their hearts made them reluctant to close their eyes to avoid the light. "Teacher, you¡¯re still so fierce¡­" Yaochen Taoist murmured. "You truly were the strongest last century;this is beyond my comprehension... Teacher, you¡¯re no longer human..." Jin Guang Taoist couldn¡¯t help but say. Snap. As soon as he finished speaking, a slap mark appeared on Jin Guang Taoist¡¯s forehead. He shivered, seeing Quan He looking vaguely towards him from within the white light column, hurriedly bowed his head in fear. "Teacher is the first throughout the ages! No one before and none to come! Suppressing the current era, unrivaled!!" Lian Yunzi learnt his lesson and just kept praising. "Even the divine beings of Heaven are no match for a single finger of our teacher! As it is said, exhale can break the Black Disaster, a single hand can suppress the Heavenly Gate, being able to listen to the Dao under our teacher is simply the merit of ten lifetimes of cultivation!! Long live the teacher!!" In terms of thick-skinned, Lian Yunzi could be the first among the three. However, it seems that the gentle Quan He Monarch fell for this. Immediately standing in the beam of white light, she nodded in satisfaction, showing a face indicating that she could teach. The white light quickly dispersed. She grabbed her golden Jade Pendant with one hand, pulled it off, and threw it forward. Following that, the golden Jade Pendant floated up, With a whoosh, it shot out a golden light in mid-air. The golden light cut a golden crack like a blade from top to bottom in the air. Crack. The crack opened, revealing brilliant golden ripples inside, constantly surging and pulsing. "Four Extremes Sky Phenomenon, Unlawful Heavenly Venerate. Merging the heart with the Dao, Nine Palace Soul Devouring!!" Quan He rapidly recited the True Words, her face also becoming tinged with gold. Just then. A golden light column suddenly burst out from the golden crack. The golden column soared into the sky, growing bigger and brighter in midair. In just a few seconds, it emitted a blinding light like the sun. Two seconds later, the column dispersed, revealing a gigantic ferocious Taoist inside. The Taoist, a hundred meters tall, wielding a steel whip, dressed in a golden Daoist robe with purple-red patterns, rushed towards the shut doors of South Heavenly Gate. In that moment, the world became suddenly still. Then there was a massive explosion, a mingling of gold and black in the sky. Black clouds mixed with golden beams spread out in concentric circles, forming massive rings. Seconds later, the explosion dissipates, everything calms, and the giant South Heavenly Gate no longer appeared, the black cloud vortex also blasted away and vanished. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Alright, the gate is blown up, next up, this guy." Quan He shifted her gaze, landing on the Cai Jing Taoist in mid-air. "Don¡¯t just look at him continuously devouring beings, as those devoured beings haven¡¯t perished, just kill this guy, and they can naturally return to their bodies. Afterwards, at most they might be sick for a few days, then recover." "I always said the teacher is beautiful and kind-hearted, how could she possibly ignore millions of people, so that¡¯s the reason." Yaochen Taoist hurriedly praised first. "Exactly right, that¡¯s our teacher, every action and movement has its deep meaning. If we find any issue in teacher¡¯s words and deeds, it must be our own lack of virtue and insufficient realm, unable to see the true Dao." Golden Light Taoist didn¡¯t want to be outdone. Lian Yunzi this time found himself out of praises to give, suddenly feeling a bit dumbfounded. But at this moment, Quan He no longer paid attention to the three, stomping her foot, she lightly floated up, flying toward Cai Jing Taoist. "This guy is already at the second phase, it¡¯s a bit troublesome, I¡¯ll deal with it and we can talk later." She left behind these words, leaping higher and faster, soon stirring the air around her, bringing up vapors, transforming into a huge white crane, crying out sharply, diving towards the Colorful Mirror and the army of Golden Armor Dragon-men. At this moment, Cai Jing Taoist had already digested the recent boost from the Immortal Light, the halo behind him completely turning into a divine form of external gold and internal white. Opening the South Heavenly Gate for him seemed to be only a task, in comparison, elevating and strengthening himself was a more important goal. This also resulted in no reaction from him when Quan He shut the gate just now, as he was taking the opportunity to digest the Immortal Light. Seeing the giant white crane Quan He had transformed into approaching, Cai Jing Taoist pinched a Seal, a black chain shooting from the halo around his head, flying towards the white crane. The chain split in half mid-flight, quickly turning into thousands of black chains, coming overwhelmingly towards the white crane. "Spiritual Technique: Mirror Heart." Quan He pinched a seal with one hand, uttering the True Words. Eyes closed. Sss! A ring of white light rapidly expanded from her body, heading towards all the chains. * * * Bang! Yu Hong exploded the two three-eyed Dragon-men blocking his path, disintegrating into mist and scattering away. His entire body glowed with a purplish-red fluorescence, swiftly flying through the woods. Everywhere were roving Golden Armor Dragon-men, Silver Armor Snake-people. Occasionally there were a few three-eyed Dragon-men patrolling. Golden light and silver light flickered in the mist, making this place feel less like the human world, more like a strange world dominated by demons. Suddenly he seemed to sense something, looking up. "Give me, close the gate!!" Quan He¡¯s furious shout faintly drifted from afar. Immediately after, he saw the South Heavenly Gate being hit by a massive force, slamming shut instantly. "It¡¯s Senior Quan He! She¡¯s finally here!" Yu Hong felt relieved. "Truly deserving of being the once number one in the world, so powerful!" Chapter 392: Battlefield 4 Watching the South Heavenly Gate being blasted apart by a subsequent Heavenly Venerate phantom, Yu Hong felt a profound sense of relief that he had not experienced since leaving the safe house. "Just from the situation just now, could I have resolved it?" he wondered to himself. To this, he had no answer, because his strongest state was to recall all the Spirit Light and transform into the ultimate Thunderbolt Transformation. But he had never used that form before and didn¡¯t know how strong it would be. After all, the cost was too great. Continuing forward, he suppressed his speculations and sped up. Although Quan He had the upper hand now, the endurance of a Magician could not compare to his. Essentially, his Tai Ling Skill was backed by an endless supply of Light Disaster, so what he feared least was a war of attrition. Thus, he worried that although Quan He was fine now, issues might still arise if the battle dragged on. Moreover, what puzzled him more was that the Sealing and Sacrifice Platform near Tongning City was where the Heavenly Master and Long Qingzi had their decisive battle. Yet, as the Spirit Disaster grew more and more exaggerated, the Heavenly Master had not appeared to suppress it. Could it be that both Heavenly Masters couldn¡¯t defeat a single Long Qingzi? He felt this possibility was too low. "So, something must have gone wrong over there!" Zzzt! Suddenly, Yu Hong¡¯s eyes sharpened, and he stopped in his tracks, looking directly at a black bird perched on a tree branch ahead. "What is this thing? A strange bird with human-like Dao Breath and spiritual power?" he guessed it might be a new species resulting from the Spirit Disaster. But the bird¡¯s aura was not weak, surpassing ordinary Three-eyed Dragon Men by a lot. This made him think that perhaps he could capture it and turn it into a summoning creature like Agrius in Heavenly River. "What¡¯s with that look? Kid?" the black bird suddenly spoke human language, its voice sharp and strange. "Can you actually talk?" Yu Hong¡¯s eyes brightened. "You really think I¡¯m a bird?" the black bird laughed weirdly. "Seeing your strong aura, are you planning to go to Tongning City to seek death? To play the savior?" "What I do is none of your business, what are you exactly?" Yu Hong retorted. "I am Long Qingzi, ah, now probably only one-third of Long Qingzi, the other two parts are gone," the black bird said nonchalantly. "You¡¯re Long Qingzi, and I¡¯m the current Heavenly Master then. Kid, you sure talk big," Yu Hong laughed. "You don¡¯t believe me?" the black bird asked back. "Convince me with one move." Yu Hong flashed, leaving an afterimage as he appeared beside the black bird, reaching out with one hand. Bang!! That grab missed completely, grabbing nothing but air. But as his right hand missed, Yu Hong spat out. A beam of purple light burst out, hitting the black bird on the ground not far away. Pfft! The black bird shrieked miserably, its black feathers scattered as it was blown rolling into a pit, motionless. "Is that one move? You cheater!" Long Qingzi roared furiously. "Anything I say, you would just believe? Aren¡¯t you a bit too gullible?" Yu Hong laughed. He was surprised to find that despite this black bird being hit by his Breath containing Inner Strength, it seemed mostly fine, only appearing disheveled without any actual injuries. "Pity your magic is still too weak, that bit of power can¡¯t hurt me," the black bird got up and said. "I was just worried about killing you, losing a pet," Yu Hong said. "Hehe, you young one, more interesting than the old Taoist Sect. Didn¡¯t expect Taoist Sect to have such a genius like you," the black bird laughed. "Still pretending to be Long Qing now?" Yu Hong also laughed. "No time to waste with you anymore." Swoosh! His body shone with purple light, and he shot forth, his hand igniting a purple Inner Strength flame, instantly grasping the black bird. With a series of popping sounds, it seemed like many techniques were being destroyed by the purple flame on the black bird¡¯s body. The black bird screamed again, trying to break free and escape, but Yu Hong shoved it towards the Heavenly River in front of him. Dang. The Heavenly River didn¡¯t take it in, instead, the black bird smashed into his own breastbone, almost breaking its neck. "I told you I¡¯m Long Qingzi! The Seven Evils Alliance high-ranking members are nearby, you dare to move against me, do you want to die!?" the black bird screamed angrily. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "You¡¯re this weak and yet dare to pretend to be the Seven Evils Alliance Leader??" Yu Hong picked up the black bird, shaking it a bit, somewhat speechless. "I¡¯m weak because this body can¡¯t perform Sealing, and also, I¡¯ve been fighting Zuo Yunfeng, that old guy, for a long time, I¡¯m too exhausted! Just help me get some recovery Elixirs, and I can return to my peak, by then, I¡¯ll surely return you thousands of resources," the black bird struggled to say. "Hehe. I might as well say I¡¯m Yuanshi Tianzun, just temporarily heavily injured by my enemies, descended in destitution, starving, just transfer me one hundred to my bank account and wait until I reach my peak, I¡¯ll definitely return thousands fold," Yu Hong joked. "What Yuanshi Tianzun, what are you talking about?" The Black Bird obviously didn¡¯t understand. The other party didn¡¯t understand the internet memes from Earth, it was like talking to a duck if you¡¯re a chicken. Yu Hong suddenly felt bored, grabbed the Black Bird, and continued on his way towards Tongning City. "Wait! Don¡¯t go there, at your level, you¡¯ll surely die if you go!" the Black Bird shrieked. Yu Hong turned a deaf ear and continued on his way. "Wait! Right, you are from the Taoist Sect, do you want to know the biggest secret within your sect!? Do you not feel that something is amiss, even though two Heavenly Masters joined hands to deal with me, there is still no news for so long?" the Black Bird hurriedly said. "Just stop and don¡¯t take me to my death, and I¡¯ll tell you the truth!" Yu Hong remained unmoved, continuing forward. "You can start talking, I¡¯ll decide whether to go or not after listening." "Alright, listen carefully, do you know that the so-called First Mage, the Heavenly Master Zuo Yunfeng, is actually the mastermind behind opening the Gate of Spirit Disaster Black Disaster!" The first sentence from the Black Bird made Yu Hong¡¯s expression tense up, and he slowed down. Seeing it take effect, the Black Bird quickly continued, "Not only are the Gates of Despair and the Gate of Ten Thousand Spirits being manipulated by him to open, but even the Taoist Sect experts sent to suppress them are often led into traps due to leaked information by him, mostly returning without success and even being framed and killed." "Furthermore, the reason why Zihe Palace was destroyed was because he suppressed the distress message himself and deliberately delayed the support troops, which ultimately led to Zihe Palace¡¯s unaided demise," the Black Bird continued. "If what you say is true, and there¡¯s something wrong with Heavenly Master Zuo Yunfeng, then wouldn¡¯t Xu Chong, the other Heavenly Master, be in great danger?" Yu Hong, feeling that the story was credible, quickly asked further. "Xu Chong is already dead," the Black Bird laughed, "He was backstabbed by Zuo Yunfeng, seriously injured, and then used a Secret Technique forcefully, overdrawn his body, and now his corpse is probably all stiff." "You just said that Zihe Palace was destroyed because Zuo Yunfeng deliberately suppressed the support messages?" Yu Hong asked. "Indeed, not only that, but the Heavenly Master also took the Chi Xiao Sword, the Emperor¡¯s Weapon from Ku Chan for himself. He probably ambushed Ku Chan along the way. Zihe Palace was nearly destroyed by his hands alone." The Black Bird spoke logically and clearly, making Yu Hong somewhat believe that he might indeed know some insider information. "I can¡¯t understand why Zuo Yunfeng would deliberately open the gate and destroy the entire world," Yu Hong frowned. "It¡¯s simple." The Black Bird smiled brilliantly, "Because he is about to die." "Don¡¯t be deceived by his usual virtuous appearance, the demeanor of a high person of the Taoist Sect, in reality, he is just a coward." "Afraid of death?" Yu Hong wanted to ask further, but suddenly sensed a strong Spiritual Fluctuation from a certain direction on the left. This fluctuation caught his attention due to its intensity. It was even much stronger than the group of Sect Leaders¡¯ experts just now, multiple times stronger. "Such an expert, not going out to fight against the disaster, but instead internal fighting here, what a waste!" A trace of dissatisfaction flashed through Yu Hong¡¯s eyes, and he immediately turned and rushed toward that direction. Currently, any Magician reinforcements are extremely precious, he was willing to provide a way out for both Xuan Jingzi and the Silent Taoist for the sake of manpower, let alone encountering such a strong Magician now? Instantly, he decided to catch the person along the way and go to support Quan He. At least from what it looks like, Quan He¡¯s situation is not too bad at the moment. "Hahaha!! This direction, it¡¯s that old fellow Zuo Yunfeng!" At this moment, the Black Bird suddenly burst into laughter. "Let¡¯s see who he has encountered? This Dao Breath.... Eh?? Isn¡¯t this Ku Chan?!" Ku Chan? Yu Hong was stunned, half-believing, and hastened his pace toward that direction. * * * In the dark forest. Two huge orbs of light overlapped partially, floating in mid-air, as if it was a model clipping through another in a video game. Each contains a bit of the other. The orbs were both black, but one was purely pitch-black, while the other had a hint of dark red. Below, two figures confronted each other standing. One held the Chi Xiao Sword, and the other arm embraced a headless female corpse, with blood-red tear stains at the corners of their eyes, extending down to the chin. It was Ku Chan, who had come back from near death in despair and had broken through his limits. The other person, with white hair and sharp eyes, clutched a burnt horsetail whisk, his expression solemn as he stared at Ku Chan across from him. It was the Heavenly Master Zuo Yunfeng, who had escaped from the pursuit of the Black Giant. "Are you Ku Chan? How did you end up like this? Also, don¡¯t you recognize me anymore? I am your Mentor Zuo, I even carried you when you were a child," Zuo Yunfeng said with tightly furrowed brows, his tone familiar. "Why was there no support?" Ku Chan asked calmly, "Why did you want to kill me and my sister..." "The support arrived too late..." Zuo Yunfeng sighed, looking up at the two opposing Spiritual Domains in midair. He never expected Ku Chan to have survived, let alone advanced further. He also never expected this man to have tracked him down and intercepted him at this time, unleashing his Spiritual Domain immediately and forcing him to also release his Spiritual Domain in defense. Otherwise, once trapped in it and delayed, the disappearance of the Night Pool would mean the vanishing of his last bit of hope. While releasing the Spiritual Domain is a massive drain for any Magician. Now, he just wanted to reach the Night Pool. Since he couldn¡¯t achieve immortality, he hoped to use one wish-granting ability of the Night Pool to extend his life and increase his strength. Once he gets past this period, with his power and realm, he would surely find new opportunities! With this thought, a look of genuine confusion showed on his face. Chapter 393: Battlefield 391 Five "As for killing you and your senior sister? What are you talking about, who has laid hands on you? With your current strength, who could face you and your senior sister together?" Zuo Yunfeng frowned. "Since you are being hunted, why did you not come to Taoist Sect, Zihe Palace is indeed gone, but your Uncle Zuo is still here, I will have your back no matter what!" "I smell it, the scent of Chi Xiao is on you..." Ku Chan¡¯s sword blade slanted toward the ground. "You....!" Zuo Yunfeng wanted to say something else. Suddenly, a dark red flame burst open in front of his eyes. His entire view was engulfed by the majestic and exaggerated flames at this moment. "Spiritual Technique: Serving God Heaven." Ku Chan swiftly drew a complex pattern with his long sword, activating the three Passive Techniques laid out on his body. The initially ordinary Passive Techniques were forcibly elevated to a new level by the Dao Breath of the Heavenly Master Realm, and they exploded together in unison. The surging dark red flames simultaneously targeted both mind and reality, submerging everything within two hundred meters around him in an instant, forming a gigantic dark red flame circle. Forests burned, the ground turned scorched, rocks semi-melted, with temperatures shooting up to thousands of degrees. The virtual and real overlapping flames roared and flickered violently, mixed with black and red thick smoke that sparkled with embers, vaguely morphing into a hazy faced, muscular figure in spiked black armor above. The figure had two swords on his back, a black sun radiating piercing golden light behind him, and three dark red flame patterns on his forehead, glowing red in the black smoke. Despite the black sun behind him, eye-piercing golden light surrounded it. Such a contradictory scene made Zuo Yunfeng¡¯s heart race. ¡¯Is that... the Black Flame Great Sun Exorcising Heavenly Venerate?!¡¯ As one of the Taoist Sect¡¯s venerated Heavenly Masters, he was naturally very familiar with it. And when a spiritual Technique manifests the apparition of a Heavenly Venerate, it indicates that its strength has surpassed the level of the Spiritual Domain, reaching a new transformative point. At this point, he had no time to dodge;the hundred-meter range around him was almost instantly ignited, and he could only stand his ground and release his own Technique to defend. Because it involved both virtual and real elements, he had to resist both the mental spiritual technique and the real-world invasion of thousands of degrees of high temperature. If he were in his prime, he would naturally not fear such a powerful Technique, but he was now severely injured, having fought continuously, with great exhaustion. Having lost most of his strength, he was powerless against such a top-tier Heavenly Master level technique, and he could only endure painfully, hoping that Ku Chan would not be able to maintain it and would dissipate on his own. After all, the consumption of such a level of Technique was also terrifyingly huge. The endless dark red flames washed over his black protective shield like waves. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The color of the black shield was constantly being washed away, becoming faint and semi-transparent. "Junior Ku Chan! I sincerely do not understand why you have become like this! If you have any grievances, we can stop and talk it over to resolve them, rather than starting a life-and-death struggle upon meeting!" Zuo Yunfeng transmitted his voice loudly. "....." Ku Chan remained silent, as the Chi Xiao Sword in his hand gave off a light chiming sound, standing erect in front of him. An ancient sun-pattern in golden color lit up on the sword blade. "Nephew! Are you really certain all of this is my doing?! And not someone deliberately framing me?! Think carefully, if we end up both injured from this battle, who stands to gain the most! Your father Yu Qin and I have always been on good terms, there¡¯s absolutely no reason for me to harm you like this!" "Even many times, your father Yu Qin has been criticized by the top echelons of Taoist Sect for supporting me! Why would I have any reason to take action against Zihe Palace??" Zuo Yunfeng analyzed with a sincere expression. "...Then why is there the scent of the Chi Xiao Sword on you?" Ku Chan said with a cold voice. "...Stop for a moment, the contest of Spiritual Domains consumes a lot, now is not a good time to talk!" Zuo Yunfeng said earnestly. "Remember not to do anything that would cause joy to enemies and pain to loved ones. We are not each other¡¯s enemies. I can even say that when I first received the news, I sent people to support you immediately, but what I got back was...." He let out a long sigh. "Afterward, I had people search everywhere for you, but to no avail. And now, I didn¡¯t expect you to be alive! And even become stronger!" He then showed a look of relief. "If your father saw your achievements now, I don¡¯t know how happy he would be! He always mentioned you in front of me, worried that you couldn¡¯t break through the final step...." These words caused Ku Chan to hesitate, and the glow on the Chi Xiao Sword in his hand slowly faded. He looked at the half-sky Spiritual Domain, "Let¡¯s withdraw our Spiritual Domains together." Zuo Yunfeng¡¯s voice came through. "Three." "Two." "One!" Ku Chan formed a Seal with one hand. The sphere of the Spiritual Domain dispersed. But to his shock, Zuo Yunfeng¡¯s Spiritual Domain didn¡¯t disperse. Not only that. This Spiritual Domain was even expanding faster. Hss!! In an instant, the black Spiritual Domain sphere rapidly expanded, swallowing him up completely. Hum!! The interior of the Spiritual Domain sphere violently bulged out, as if something was furiously struggling within, like a bird trapped in a huge balloon. Zuo Yunfeng breathed a sigh of relief below, his gaze complex as he looked at the Spiritual Domain sphere. "Spiritual Technique: Reverse Flow Mirror!" He formed seals with both hands, conjuring an intricate and exquisite oval bronze mirror. The bronze mirror spun several times and then suddenly shot into the Spiritual Domain. Boom! A loud noise. The Spiritual Domain slowly descended and dispersed. Revealing Ku Chan¡¯s body half-kneeling on the ground. His waist, back, arms, and even the side of his neck, all bore clear and deep gashes. Spurt. He lowered his head and vomited a large mouthful of blood. "You..." Ku Chan looked at Zuo Yunfeng in disbelief, completely not expecting that his momentary soft-heartedness, not pursuing his advantage, would lead to such an outcome. "Nephew Ku Chan... You¡¯re too dangerous right now. As a precaution, I will temporarily seal off your cultivation, in case you suddenly lose control and lash out at others." Zuo Yunfeng sighed. "I hope you can understand, after all, our Taoist Sect is too fragile now, we can¡¯t endure any more losses." He slowly moved forward, walking up to Ku Chan. "With such severe injuries, it was hard for you to travel this far. Your uncle has some urgent matters to attend to, so you just stay here for now. Once I¡¯ve taken care of everything, I will come over and help you," Zuo Yunfeng said earnestly. Whoosh! Suddenly, he struck out with his palm, hitting Ku Chan hard in the center of the forehead. The immense Dao Breath converged into an ice-spike-like technique, surging into Ku Chan¡¯s mind. Bang!! Waves of Passive Techniques exploded outward. Ku Chan groaned in pain, tumbling backward several meters, unable to get up for the moment. Blood trickled from his nostrils. "Goodbye... nephew..." Zuo Yunfeng didn¡¯t look at him again but turned his head to continue observing the Night Pool. He did not choose to fight to the death with Ku Chan, considering his current state, being able to achieve such a result was already sufficient. Ku Chan had now broken through to the Heavenly Master Level, and while merely inflicting heavy damage on him was not an issue, completely killing him would force a mental breakdown, and the threat of death could cause Ku Chan to further advance his power, unleashing a final burst. At that moment, it might backfire. So, he chose not to kill his opponent completely and turned to leave. Turning around, accelerating, he dashed towards the direction of the Night Pool, quickly disappearing into the foggy forest. He hadn¡¯t run very far. Suddenly, he came to a screeching halt next to a black, dead tree, looking ahead. Spurt. Ahead of him, a Three-eyed Dragon Man with a chest pierced from the back, his body burning with purple-red luminescence, slowly dissipated into fog. Amidst the mist. A two-meter-tall stalwart figure emerged from behind the Dragon-man. "I wonder which fellow Taoist is battling here, I am Zheng Rou, the Temple Master of Qingchen Temple in Taizhou, and the Leader of the Spirit Light Alliance, specifically here to mediate. With the heavens undergoing disaster, we magicians should join forces to fight the enemy and strive together for the reconstruction of stability and peace. If there are private grievances, please address them later." "Zheng Rou?" Zuo Yunfeng recalled carefully, quickly digging up information about Qingchen Temple in Taizhou from the depths of his memory, it seemed that this Zheng Rou had reported some intelligence information a while ago. Feeling the mysterious and immense power emanating from the other party. His face once again revealed an air of solemn righteousness. "Private grievances, not really. Just some misunderstandings, causing the other party to think that I am the mastermind behind the scenes, who wouldn¡¯t listen to explanations, so I had no choice but to fight," Zuo Yunfeng sighed. "Is that so?" Yu Hong showed a look of surprise. "Under a great disaster, it¡¯s inevitable that some would fish in troubled waters, taking advantage of the situation. If I, Zuo Yunfeng, find out who¡¯s causing mischief, I¡¯ll make sure they wish they were dead! Soul obliterated!!" Zuo Yunfeng solemnly declared. "Indeed! With such frequent natural disasters, even monsters cannot be eradicated, and yet there are those who try to fish in troubled waters, indeed they deserve to die!" Yu Hong showed a look of approval. "Since you, my friend, have the determination to kill the enemy, why fight alone? Why not join me in the Spirit Light Alliance, receive the protection of the Spirit Light, and fight the disaster together? How about it?" "This... I have always been a loner by nature, used to being on my own and not accustomed to acting with others," Zuo Yunfeng showed a troubled expression. "No worries, everyone adjusts from discomfort to comfort over time. In the current dire situation, with the concurrent outbreak of the Spirit Disaster and Black Disaster, knowing that we face a rotten and extremely dangerous situation and still allowing you, my friend, to fight the enemy alone and put yourself in jeopardy, would be the greatest irresponsibility on my part as the leader of the Spirit Alliance!" "But I..." "No buts." Yu Hong interrupted him, smiling. "You might have misunderstood." His right hand hanging down, he clenched it into a fist, and a purple-red flame of Inner Strength ignited on his fist. "I¡¯m not asking for your opinion." "..." Zuo Yunfeng¡¯s expression stiffened somewhat. "You¡¯re coercing me." "You¡¯re wrong, my friend," Yu Hong sighed, "What I am doing is merely trying to leave a glimmer of hope for this noble universe, for this difficult world." "One more person¡¯s strength is one more sliver of hope," he added. "There¡¯s really no room for discussion?" Zuo Yunfeng asked again. "What are you still hesitating for?" Yu Hong declared sternly, "I¡¯m doing this for your own good. If you fight solo, how many monsters can you defeat? But if you join forces with the brothers and sisters of our Spirit Alliance, when you¡¯re tired, someone can replace you, and if there¡¯s danger, someone can take turns. Why make things hard for yourself at a time of life and death?" Chapter 394: Battlefield Six "...." Zuo Yunfeng was rendered speechless, fell silent for a moment, and finally nodded. "Very well! Since the Taoist friend has warmly invited me, I shall go and see. If it¡¯s as good as you say, joining the Spirit Alliance won¡¯t be a problem!" he said earnestly. "You will not regret it!" Yu Hong nodded with a smile. He turned around and stretched out his hand. "Please follow me!" Zuo Yunfeng nodded and walked in the direction he pointed. With one hand behind his back, he quickly formed hand signs, quietly starting to activate the Spiritual Domain. The distance between the two grew closer and closer... Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Suddenly, Zuo Yunfeng¡¯s temples pulsed vigorously, as if signaling something. His expression remained unchanged, and he paused his steps. "Right, the one who just fought with me is still behind. I¡¯ll go back and call him over. If the Spirit Alliance is as good as you say, I think he¡¯d also be willing to come along." "That¡¯s good, I¡¯ll go with you," Yu Hong nodded. "No need, there are some private matters between us, not suitable for a third person to hear, this is a disgrace in my family, I apologize," sighed Zuo Yunfeng. "Is that so? Well then, I shall wait here for news from you," Yu Hong, hearing this and finding it reasonable, nodded in agreement. Then, Zuo Yunfeng widened the gap again and quickly walked back in the direction he came from. After walking more than ten meters, he glanced sideways and saw Yu Hong standing still, which greatly relieved him. How could he possibly go back to ask Ku Chan? With this departure, it was naturally urgent to run away first, circling around to head towards Night Pool from another direction. Amidst the crunching footsteps, Zuo Yunfeng gradually disappeared into the Gray Mist Mountain Forest until Yu Hong was no longer visible behind him. He silently let out a sigh of relief. His current state could be described as the worst since he began his cultivation journey. His strength had been consecutively challenged by Cai Jing Taoist, Long Qingzi, numerous Black Giants, and a breakthrough battle with Ku Chan. Now only one fifth of his Dao Breath, naturally restored, remained, which was barely enough for one use of Spiritual Domain, lasting only two minutes before being completely exhausted. ¡¯I still need to find a place to take medicine to restore Dao Breath and stabilize my injuries before proceeding. Otherwise, if another emergency arises... with my current strength...¡¯ As Zuo Yunfeng thought of the recent tension and threat alerts, a deep sense of frustration rose in his heart. Snap! Suddenly, a large hand grabbed his wrist from behind. "You move too slowly, Taoist friend. Let me take you there," Yu Hong¡¯s voice sounded alarmingly close from behind. The cold, firm grip, like a clamp, tightly pinched Zuo Yunfeng¡¯s wrist. His expression changed drastically, and he quickly chanted the True Word. A burst of Black Light exploded around him, transforming into a black Spiritual Domain and surged backward. Boom!!! A loud explosion erupted. The black Spiritual Domain collided head-on with a burst of purple-red firelight from the front. In an instant, the two violently clashed and canceled each other out. Feeling the impending doom, Zuo Yunfeng tried to free his right hand, but his wrist was immobile. A fierce light flashed in his eyes as he drew the Short Sword from his waist. Swoosh! He instantly sliced off his right hand from the forearm. Blood splattered, and was immediately contained by a Passive Technique. He retreated rapidly, leaving behind ripples of black Magic waves sealing off the surrounding light and line of sight, disappearing tens of meters from the spot in the blink of an eye. Enduring the severe pain, Zuo Yunfengdidn¡¯t look back, turning instead towards the direction where he sensed the most creatures. This series of actions was executed swiftly and fluidly, with extreme speed acknowledged even among Magicians for his mastery of Body Technique. Combined with the strengthening of the Passive Technique, even at his peak, these decisions would have confounded himself. Moreover... Zzzt! Zuo Yunfeng suddenly came to a halt, his gaze fixed ahead. Cold sweat slowly seeped from his temples. Right ahead, in the mountain forest, A large, burly figure silently awaited there, holding a piece of severed arm in hand ¡ª the very one he had ruthlessly cut off himself. "Keep running." Yu Hong scrutinized the severed limb. "Why stop now?" "Zuo Yunfeng, you¡¯ve met your day too! Hahaha!! Laughable!" A black bird cackled loudly from a branch above, unmistakably Long Qingzi who had split and possessed another body. Pfft! Suddenly, a purple-red stream of light struck him from the sky. The purple light exploded, and the black bird screamed in agony, its black feathers bursting apart, losing many more feathers. Yu Hong lowered his hand and turned to look at Zuo Yunfeng. "The great and top-ranking First Mage of the world has now fallen to such a state, why bother, why suffer?" "Youngster, you are too young to understand watching oneself age day by day, walking towards death, that feeling of powerlessness and fear..." Zuo Yunfeng was no longer pretending, he straightened his spine, his voice low. His words undeniably acknowledged his identity. And this also allowed Yu Hong to firmly ascertain that he indeed was the once universally eminent Heavenly Master, Zuo Yunfeng. "I don¡¯t understand, but I have experienced it¡ªevery day, constantly facing the possibility of death. Every second, every minute, worrying about when fear and danger might suddenly strike. Unable to sleep, living in constant fear. That deep-seated anxiety has ingrained in me a habit of light sleeping," Yu Hong said calmly. "Where... do you come from?" Zuo Yunfeng suddenly asked. "From a place far, far away, extremely dangerous," Yu Hong replied. "I originally came here in search of hope, but now it seems there is only a slim chance of survival left..." "....You¡¯ve been emphasizing repeatedly that the Spirit Disaster Black Disaster is an apocalypse-level cataclysm because you¡¯ve personally experienced it?" Zuo Yunfeng¡¯s words made Yu Hong slightly startle. "You know?" He looked at him with slight surprise. "I¡¯ve encountered others like you before. But they all vanished. They seemed to only be able to stay here for a very short time before having to leave. If you are truly like them, why have you been able to stay here for so long?" Zuo Yunfeng, ever the foremost Heavenly Master of his time, clearly knew much about many secrets. "I think I and the Heavenly Master would have much to discuss. But for now... let¡¯s focus on the matter at hand." Yu Hong turned around, looking toward a dark figure slowly approaching through the forest. The figure revealed a face marred beyond recognition, holding the Chi Xiao Sword upside-down in one hand, and cradling a headless female corpse in the other. It was none other than Ku Chan Taoist, who had just been gravely wounded in an ambush. "Brother Ku Chan, long time no see. You look like you could use a little help," Yu Hong looked at Zuo Yunfeng and Ku Chan, and also at a black bird, Long Qingzi, his expression ever more gentle. His hands radiated purple light, now overlaid with a layer of silver halo. "No matter how grave the vendetta between you, the situation is deteriorating. I urge everyone to prioritize the bigger picture." "The bigger picture? Hehe, didn¡¯t Zuo Yunfeng himself destroy the Sky Stabilizing Plate, causing this mess? And you expect him to think of the bigger picture?" Long Qingzi sharply laughed. "! The Sky Stabilizing Plate was destroyed by him?" Yu Hong was taken aback;he had always been very eager to obtain the intact Sky Stabilizing Plate. Learning that the treasure was inexplicably shattered, his heart ached. And now, hearing from Long Qingzi that it was Zuo Yunfeng who had wrecked it. His emotions surged forth. "This man acts in unrighteous, selfish ways;aren¡¯t you afraid that he might betray you at a critical moment with a bigger disaster?" Long Qingzi continued. "Are you provoking me to take action?" Yu Hong turned to Long Qingzi. "I am merely stating facts," Long Qingzi snickered. "I am guilty, but you, Long Qingzi, for your own selfish desires, also opened far more Spirit Disaster Black Disaster gates than planned. The current situation owes much to your contribution," Zuo Yunfeng coldly retorted. "Teacher, you¡¯re still so shameless. If it weren¡¯t for you..." Long Qingzi shouted sharply. But he was only halfway through his words when a figure suddenly appeared by his side. It was Yu Hong! With a single grab, he seized Long Qingzi and squeezed hard with his hand. Bang!! Blood and flesh flew as the black bird was literally crushed to death, scattering into a mush. From amidst the mush, a faint wave invisible to the ordinary eye shot out, heading towards the direction with the most corpses. On the other hand, the moment Yu Hong made his move, Zuo Yunfeng immediately retreated. But as he moved, Ku Chan also drew his sword. The dark red flames burst out violently, sweeping towards him overwhelmingly. "Ku Chan, you see! This person, so deep and mysterious in his identity, chooses this moment when we are both critically injured to reap everyone, he must have been scheming behind the scenes for a long time! The annihilation of Zihe Palace might very well have been his doing!" Zuo Yunfeng¡¯s voice hurriedly transmitted as he swiftly retreated backwards, avoiding the dark red flames. "Remember when I sent people to investigate Zihe Palace and found traces and aura left by this person. It¡¯s very possible that this person was one of the original schemers!" Zuo Yunfeng continued as he retreated. These words caused Ku Chan¡¯s offense to slow down momentarily. "I admit I¡¯m no saint, but the matter of Zihe Palace was not my doing. If I¡¯m lying, may thunder strike me!" Zuo Yunfeng quickly shouted, struggling to hold off the attack. Swoosh. Behind him, Yu Hong¡¯s figure appeared again. Yu Hong stretched out a massive hand of purple-red Inner Strength. The hand, over a meter in diameter like a huge grinding wheel, bore down on Zuo Yunfeng. As it approached, the layers of Passive Techniques covering Zuo Yunfeng shattered, and the black light scattered on the ground like lifeless flies. He even showed a look of despair in his eyes. Bang!! Another burst of dark red flames fiercely erupted upwards, blocking in front of Zuo Yunfeng. The purple-red giant hand collided head-on with the dark red flames, neutralizing each other and dissipating in the gray mist. Neither gained any advantage. Yu Hong¡¯s face shifted from calm to consternation as he looked towards Ku Chan. "Brother Ku Chan, what is this mean?" he asked. "We haven¡¯t clarified everything;the truth isn¡¯t clear. You can¡¯t kill him!" Ku Chan spoke with cold resolve. "..." Yu Hong was truly saddened by this fool. No wonder his entire family had been annihilated. Despite his excellent talent and diligent practice, leading to strong prowess, it now seemed there was a reason he ended up in such a state. "Brother, Zuo Yunfeng has made it clear, he¡¯s highly suspect, definitely one of the participants! In this situation, what we should do is, without hesitation, kill one first and then investigate slowly. Better to kill wrongly than to let go." Yu Hong patiently explained. "This time, considering your past visit to Taizhou to help, I won¡¯t move against you," he said seriously. "But next time... if you come again, don¡¯t blame me..." "He¡¯s trying to silence me!" Zuo Yunfeng hurriedly ran toward the distance, loudly transmitting his voice. As he was about to escape, Yu Hong leaped forward, his figure turned into a stream of purple-red light, darting straight through the woods, reaching out to grab him. At the same time, a high, strange roar exploded from behind. Ku Chan raised the Chi Xiao Sword high, the flames on his body rising into rolling black smoke, again conjuring a huge Sun Exorcist Heavenly Venerate illusion in the sky. With a heavy slash, the sword aimed right at the middle of Yu Hong¡¯s outstretched arm reaching for Zuo Yunfeng. Chapter 395: posture One Boom!! A deafening explosion erupted. Accompanied by the roaring phantom of the Heavenly Venerate, dark red flames instantly enveloped an area of a hundred meters. Trees ignited, the earth scorched, and the air grew extremely dry and hot. At the center of the flames. Yu Hong¡¯s right arm, struck by the Chi Xiao Sword, hit his forearm. The sharp blade had already pierced through most of the purple-red Inner Strength, about to reach the strong flesh beneath. Crack. Ku Chan exerted force again. The blade burst forth once more, finally completely penetrating the layer of Inner Strength and slicing into Yu Hong¡¯s arm. But at that moment. A golden electric light suddenly appeared out of nowhere, spreading over Yu Hong¡¯s skin. Also, a silver Spirit Light interwoven beneath the golden electric light, perfectly forming another layer of protection. At this moment, the blade of the Chi Xiao Sword first weakened by half by the golden electric light then made contact with the Spirit Light layer, emitting a soft ¡¯puff¡¯ sound. All went quiet. This powerful strike from Ku Chan, nearly at full strength, only managed to tear through Yu Hong¡¯s Daoist robe. "I take back my previous admiration for you, Ku Chan. You really are a fool!!" Yu Hong took a deep breath. His body ignited with interwoven golden and silver lights. Purple-red Inner Strength once again enveloped his body, causing him to rapidly expand and grow larger. Finally, after a long time, he once again entered the highest state of the Thunderbolt Leg Technique, the Thunderbolt Transformation!! "What they say, you believe, Ku Chan. Your parents and even the entire Zihe Palace died because of your stupidity!!" Hiss!!! Under Ku Chan¡¯s astounded gaze, his body grew from over two meters tall, swiftly stretching like growing flesh, reaching three meters. Meanwhile, rows of white silk threads floated out behind him, weaving into a massive white semi-human giant that was seven to eight meters tall behind him. The giant had a blurry face, with bulging muscles, dressed in a suit of Silver Armor, with arms ablaze with purple-red flames, and the exposed skin beneath the armor also had faint purple-red patterns. As soon as it appeared, it stirred up circles of purple waves around it. Those were the air constantly vibrating, dispersing, producing patterns like ripples on water. "This isn¡¯t a Magic Technique or Spiritual Technique!?" Ku Chan couldn¡¯t feel any fluctuations of Dao Breath. He stared at the circles of purple-red Inner Strength flames constantly stirring beside Yu Hong, even the ground several meters away being continuously scoured open by the purple-red flames, forming a clear, substantial circle. "You don¡¯t even look like a Magician...." Ku Chan¡¯s gaze grew deeper. He rapidly retreated several steps, sheathing his sword. "If it wasn¡¯t for your plotting, why the rush to silence him?" Chi Xiao Sword once again gathered layers of dark red firelight, the firelight like viscous lava dripping from the blade edges. "It¡¯s killing me, Hahaha!!" Long Qingzi¡¯s voice transmitted again. This time he turned into a small parakeet with yellow feathers and a white belly, screaming from a tree branch. "Zuo Yunfeng wanted to make a wish at the Night Pool and was deceived by the simple-minded Ku Chan who ended up getting his whole family killed, and even freely gave him time to delay. In terms of verbal skills, I, Long Qing, admit defeat!" In just a few words, he pointed out Zuo Yunfeng¡¯s purposes and strategies. Obviously, it was all targeted at no good intentions. "Do you have evidence!?" the flames on Ku Chan¡¯s shoulders dimmed slightly. "I am Long Qing. What evidence do I need? Oh right, by now the Taoist Sect probably has seen through Zuo Yunfeng¡¯s true face. If you want evidence, just go to the Taoist Sect and ask," Long Qing laughed. "Since that is the case, before I fully understand the situation, Zuo Yunfeng cannot die..." Ku Chan spoke coldly. "Forget it." Yu Hong waited on the side, hoping Long Qing¡¯s explanation would make him realize somewhat, but unexpectedly¡­ He raised his right hand. The semi-human figure behind him also raised its right hand. "Ku Chan, don¡¯t blame me." Boom!! Terrifying purple-red Inner Strength burst forth explosively from him, massive dazzling purple-red flames soared into the sky, reaching over ten meters into the air. "Blame your own stupidity." Yu Hong clenched his right fist, with glaring purple-red Inner Strength gathering on his fist. He bent his body, positioning his right fist at his side, aiming, gathering strength. "Thunderbolt." "Style!" Hiss!!! In an instant, a streak of purple lightning flashed by. It instantly passed through Ku Chan¡¯s body. Fast! Too fast!! The lightning flashed, almost a blur before the eyes, Ku Chan sensed it mentally, his eyes also saw it. Thus, he attempted to raise his hand, lift his sword, block. But he¡­ He couldn¡¯t keep up! He could see the opponent¡¯s movements, but his own body couldn¡¯t keep up with the rhythm, as the Chi Xiao Sword was raised less than halfway. That brilliant purple lightning had already pierced through his chest, flashing past him from behind. At that moment, the purple lightning seemed to steal all the surrounding flames¡¯ light, so much so that in the charred burning forest, only this streak of lightning seemed to shine. Puff. The Chi Xiao Sword dropped powerlessly, its blade slanting into the scorched earth, followed by the hilt, then Ku Chan¡¯s powerless body. Boom. He and the corpse of his senior sister fell to the ground together, with dark red blood quickly eroding his Daoist robe a second time. "This is... the end!? Am I... still so powerless... unable to change anything... unable to save anything..." Excruciating pain swept through Ku Chan¡¯s consciousness along with his body and soul. "Senior... sister..." He lay on the ground, reaching out a hand and laboriously grasping the arm of his senior sister¡¯s corpse. "This is the fate of the weak." Long Qingzi laughed loudly nearby. "What use is having power? Still so foolish! Better off dead, better off dead, even if you survive, you¡¯re just a waste consuming the power of your own faction! Hahaha!" Yu Hong dispersed the purple flames on his body, flicking two points of silver light that flew into the bodies of Long Qingzi and Ku Chan. Then, without another glance at them, he turned and dashed at high speed in the direction of Zuo Yunfeng¡¯s escape. The gap in speed between him and the other was too great, and within minutes of running. The figure of Zuo Yunfeng faintly appeared ahead. The number of Spirit Disaster Black Disaster monsters in the mountain woods increased. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Occasionally, some Black Disaster human forms could be seen gathering and gnawing on some corpses that had not been dead long. They had surprisingly little conflict with the Spirit Disaster, instead coexisting unobtrusively. Fortunately, explosive sounds and shouts began to arise from the surrounding area. Magicians from the Spirit Alliance and members of the Daoist Sect and Seven Evil Alliance arrived. Under the threat of the Spirit Light, many high-level magicians from both alliances formed arrays and cooperated to slaughter the Spirit Disaster Black Disaster creatures. "Zuo Yunfeng!" Yu Hong leaped up, his body bursting with purple light, plunging down like a predatory bird catching ground creatures. Zuo Yunfeng abruptly halted, turned around, and flung his horsetail whisk, with black light covering a swath of whisk threads, like a mass of black threadworms flying towards Yu Hong. "Spiritual Technique: Dark Heaven and Earth!" At the same time, a pure blackness like ink rose behind him, staining everything around it black. The pitch-black ink splattered up, following the black threadworms charging towards Yu Hong. This was not a killing technique, but a trapping technique. By this point, he knew he probably couldn¡¯t defeat the man before him. He had to buy time and reach the Night Pool to make a wish for full recovery. But all his plans were meaningless in front of Yu Hong at this moment. He probably already understood the extent of his power after the Thunderbolt Transformation. While still in mid-air, a flash of purple fire suddenly exploded all over his body. Thunderbolt Style erupted once again. Shh!!! A flash of purple lightning struck down. It instantly pierced through the large swath of pitch-blackness in front of Zuo Yunfeng. Sunset Inner Power dominantly neutralized all the chaotic energies brought about by spiritual power. In an instant, Yu Hong¡¯s speed exceeded his normal speed by at least several times. Although this was just a short-distance boost caused by the surge in Inner Strength, combined with the power and defensive enhancements of the Thunderbolt Transformation, he now truly possessed a decisive killing technique of his own. Boom!! Above the mountain woodlands, a burst of purple lightning appeared. Thunderbolt Transformation flashed by, and Yu Hong, along with the fist of a half-giant, punched through Zuo Yunfeng¡¯s side waist and landed heavily. Tens of thousands of tons of immense force exploded instantly, pouring into the ground. Boom! Soil and stones burst up like being detonated by a bomb, scattering around. The passive techniques on Zuo Yunfeng¡¯s body burst upon the first contact with the fist. He saw the opponent approach, get close, and then punch. Everything was vividly clear under his strong spiritual cultivation. But though he saw it, he could not evade. His body simply couldn¡¯t keep up with such terrifying speed. By the time he realized something was wrong, he had already been hit. Mid-air, Zuo Yunfeng¡¯s body was covered in purple-red Inner Strength, neutralizing a large amount of strange black energy that automatically surged within his body. He fell powerlessly, tumbling down to hit on a large tree¡¯s root and rolled several times before lying still on the ground, motionless. Shh! Yu Hong appeared beside him, the flames on his fist slowly dispersing. "So weak." He frowned looking at Zuo Yunfeng. "Your strength doesn¡¯t even match Ku Chan¡¯s." "..." Zuo Yunfeng had no reply, looking up at Yu Hong. They were already very close to the Night Pool. Just a little more, just need to think of another way... to stabilize this person in front of him. "Qingchen Temple¡¯s Master Yu, I never expected that at such a time, a peerless genius like you would emerge. I admit, I participated in the outbreak of the Black Disaster and Spirit Disaster. But now everything has failed, the Sky Stabilizing Plate is damaged, and in this era, there is no other magician capable of crafting the Sky Stabilizing Plate like me." He spoke quickly. "So?" Yu Hong looked at him. "So, crafting the Sky Stabilizing Plate requires many top-level magicians. If you kill me now, it will be difficult to find another magician of my level later," Zuo Yunfeng argued. "Now I have a better way. Now that the scale of the Spirit Disaster has increased and the Black Disaster is not to be outdone, if we don¡¯t intervene soon, a larger disaster might occur. So..." He paused. "So if you could join me to explore the situation of the Black Disaster at the center of the Gate of Despair, it would be of great help for refining the Sky Stabilizing Plate anew. Also, that loud roar just now, was it Quan He Monarch emerging?" Zuo Yunfeng quickly said, "If you don¡¯t believe me, with Quan He Monarch present, even if I had ill intentions, I wouldn¡¯t dare act rashly." "You make a lot of sense," Yu Hong nodded. Boom!! In an instant, a punch smashed down. Yu Hong¡¯s right hand directly hit the astonished Zuo Yunfeng squarely in the forehead. Under the immense force, his head burst open like a watermelon, red and white splattering everywhere. Chapter 396: posture 2 "So weak, yet daring to impersonate a Heavenly Master? Haha, you really thought I didn¡¯t know how powerful a Heavenly Master is??" Yu Hong didn¡¯t bother to respond to his nonsense;this guy had already shown his remarkable talent for trash-talk. Against such an opponent, the best course of action is to punch first, talk later. Originally, Yu Hong had planned on sparing this man¡¯s life to use him for other purposes, but given his scheming nature, along with the constraints of Spirit Light, trouble might still arise. Might as well kill him off to avoid him fooling anyone else like Ku Chan. Standing up, Yu Hong didn¡¯t delay any further, swiftly searched through his belongings, stuffed them into his own and turned to leave. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Because of Ku Chan and this man, he had already wasted quite a bit of time. One minute later. In the forest, a male corpse, already half-decayed, slowly rose from the ground looking around. "Is he gone?" The corpse relaxed almost imperceptibly. Boom!! A purple light shot from afar, accurately blowing the corpse¡¯s head to pieces. Yu Hong¡¯s figure appeared on the side, watching quietly as the headless body. "I was thinking earlier, just like Long Qingzi who can exchange bodies continually, you might also be able to do so... Seems I was right." This time, he waited a bit to confirm there was no other movement before departing once again. Minutes later. Yu Hong reappeared nearby, looking around, extending his senses to detect any suspicious activity. Again, he found no moving creatures. He flicked his finger. Suddenly, numerous heads of black Dragon Lizards emerged, beginning to sweep through and consume all the corpses around. Every corpse, whether human or Spirit Disaster, was devoured by them. Within a hundred meters, Yu Hong was clearing all the bodies in this area. Only half done, a male corpse dressed like a mountain hunter suddenly leaped up, a powerful Dao Breath exploded from his body, instantly dispersing the minds of two nearby Dragon Lizards, making them fall dead suddenly. "Yu Hong, are you truly intent on killing us all!?" The roar of Zuo Yunfeng echoed piercingly through the forest. "I am simply eliminating all unstable elements," Yu Hong¡¯s figure flickered, rapidly closing in with a faint purple trail. "And you, are one of those instabilities." In the blink of an eye, he was less than a meter from Zuo Yunfeng. Almost at arm¡¯s length. "Thunderbolt, one move." Boom!! Purple lightning flashed, Yu Hong¡¯s massive fist, like a cannonball, hit Zuo Yunfeng right in the chest. At the same time, purple Inner Strength formed a huge net, enveloping the surroundings into a cocoon. "Young man! You!" At this moment, Zuo Yunfeng truly felt the shadow of death. He thought he might die surrounded by multiple Taoist Sect Magicians or in a proper duel, killed by a supernaturally gifted newcomer. He never anticipated this kind of ending. He didn¡¯t even get a chance for a fair duel, instead, continually worn down in battle, ultimately killed by someone whose level wasn¡¯t even close to the Heavenly Master Realm. He could feel how meager, how lacking Yu Hong¡¯s spiritual power was compared to his own, not to mention any high-level member of a Taoist Sect, it was like comparing a firefly to the radiant moon. Yet in such a Dao Breath realm, somehow, under some unknown power¡¯s amplification, he was able to fight him this long and even gain the upper hand¡­ A strong sense of unwillingness arose from his heart, accumulated. Boom!! The cocoon exploded internally, instantly turning the body to shreds. This time, within a hundred meters, there was no other body for him to inhabit. The explosion ceased, the purple net retracted into his body. After waiting a few more minutes and ensuring no more disturbances, Yu Hong turned and swiftly left towards the distance. * * * Tongning City. Quan He was inside a gigantic crane, floating in the air, looking towards the enormous Cai Jing Taoist in the distance. "If you really manage to devour successfully, you could likely achieve the Immortal Buddha status on the spot." She pointed her sword downward with her hand. "Unfortunately, you met me." Sss!!! Instantly, pure white lightning converged onto the sword held in her hand. The light solidified slowly into an exaggeratedly long, ten-meter thin sword. Engraved with mysterious silver Spirit Light runes on the sword surface, these lit up one by one from the hilt to the tip. "Spiritual Domain: Clear Call." A circle composed of numerous crane feathers spread out from her, instantly covering the surrounding space. In just a second, it had completely enveloped the distant Cai Jing Taoist. The next second, both figures completely disappeared from the sky, traceless. After a few breaths. The figures of the two reappeared. The body of Cai Jing Taoist, which was intact moments ago, now had countless dense holes. Large amounts of golden blood leaked from these holes, dispersing into the surrounding air. Accompanied by the flow of blood, the celestial music in the air seemed to transform into a somber, mournful style. It was as if heaven and earth were mourning the severe injury of Cai Jing Taoist. "Nonsense." Quan He remained expressionless as she raised her hand again, the ten-meter-long thin sword in her hand glowing with silver runes once more. Crack. Suddenly, a blazing bolt of lightning flashed from the sky overhead. Thunder struck down violently, hitting the protective technique on her body. The massive, terrifying current instantly pierced through Quan He¡¯s two layers of techniques, but was thoroughly blocked by the third layer that melded with the Spirit Light in a passive technique. "Hmm?!" Quan He looked up at the sky. "What is that??" In the black clouds above, where the South Heavenly Gate had just dissipated, two figures in brocade robes topped with colorful lights were slowly drifting down towards this place. Shockingly, they were both Cai Jing Taoists, each with a golden halo at their backs. Even, the halos behind them were clearer and larger than the one in front of Quan He. "Fish that slipped through the net when we were busy??" Quan He¡¯s expression became serious. She gripped the sword handle tightly again. Hiss! Simultaneously, the three Cai Jing Taoists stretched out their hands and flicked their fingers at her. Three invisible streams of finger power crossed the distance and materialized in the air in front of Quan He, stabbing towards her face. With a "pfft," the finger power was blocked by the passive technique, dissipating into nothing. But... Boom!!! Almost simultaneously, three large hands from three different directions grasped towards Quan He. Boom! The first large hand accurately grasped Quan He, enveloping her. Then the second and third hands covered the outermost layer. One hand wrapped around another, the three hands layered like an onion, enveloping Quan He at the center. The other two Cai Jing Taoists simultaneously used instantaneous movement, appearing beside Quan He in mid-air, and then coordinated with the third to strike. "Divine Crane!!" Suddenly, a crane¡¯s clear call exploded from the center of the three large hands. Swipe. A series of pure white sword lights pierced through the backs of the hands, and within two seconds, the three large hands were forcibly burst apart, exploding into fragments. The Cai Jing Taoists quickly dispersed, pulling away to form a triangle enclosing Quan He, each forming a seal with one hand. Behind them, the halos like small suns emitted three golden beams of light, illuminating Quan He. At the same time, a massive black cauldron phantom appeared out of nowhere around Quan He. The cauldron shifted from ethereal to tangible, seemingly being summoned, gradually emitting stronger and stronger pressure. The next second, just as the cauldron was about to suppress Quan He inside, A flock of small white cranes burst out from the center of the three beams, one of the cranes flying out of the encirclement, diving down and transforming into the figure of Quan He. Her thin sword was broken, only half remaining, as she once again looked up at the three Cai Jing Taoists in mid-air. "Things are really getting troublesome now... Golden Light, go clear the perimeter, take out those newly evolved colorful light heads first! If two more of this caliber show up, it¡¯ll become even harder," she quickly transmitted her voice. "Understood!" The three Golden Light Taoists responded in unison, dispersing downstairs, each rushing towards the smaller-sized Cai Jing Taoists outside the city area. At this moment in Tongliao City, there were people everywhere unconscious, collapsed on the ground, not dead yet, still with faint signs of life. But if more time passed, there might indeed be massive casualties. After confirming her three subordinates were hunting down the remaining Cai Jing Taoists, Quan He again looked towards the three fully-formed Cai Jing Taoists coming from the sky. "This level... is very strong... it seems we can¡¯t quickly finish them off..." Her hands began quickly forming seals, a complicated white light array started to condense in the air beside her. Not only that, as soon as one array was formed, she continued with another. Layers of arrays continued to stack, continually thickening. Before long, she had set up over thirty different arrays by her side. The faint lights from the arrays, combined, were almost as dazzling as the light from the halos behind the Cai Jing Taoists. "To thoroughly grind them to death, at least fifteen minutes... can only refine them with arrays now..." Quan He sighed lightly, estimating the approximate time in her mind, then pointed with one hand. "Purple Transformation Thousand Lotus Array! Activate!!" Over seven million terrifying Dao Breaths surged into the Inheritance Dao Artifact, the golden Jade Pendant, at that moment. The Jade Pendant, like an amplifier, instantly enhanced the Dao Breath more than tenfold, then poured it into the surrounding arrays. A typical Inheritance Dao Artifact¡¯s amplifying effect is often cumulative and additive, meaning the Magician¡¯s own Divine Intent added to the Inheritance Dao Artifact is the total explosive Dao Breath. But with Quan He, it was a hard proportionate increase, strengthening amplification. Furthermore, not only that. At this moment, the array further amplified the Dao Breath emitted by the Inheritance Dao Artifact, transforming it into a kind of peculiar special force, prompting space. Boom! A pure white light abruptly appeared from within the array¡¯s space, swiftly rising to form a white column of light, breaking through the clouds above. Simultaneously, this white light also engulfed the three approaching Cai Jing Taoists, forcibly encasing them. The array¡¯s light column seemed to possess an unparalleled pulling force, forcibly binding the three Cai Jing Taoists inside, preventing their escape. "Solidify!" Quan He formed a sealing gesture below, maintaining the blockade of the light column. "Looks like it¡¯s time to endure again...." she sighed lightly. This level of Spirit Disaster, she had already tried in the Spiritual Domain. Even if she completely crushed and destroyed their spiritual bodies, they would regenerate quickly. According to Ancient Books from the Taoist Sect, dealing with Black Disaster involves eliminating their spiritual core to negate their revival ability. But the method for handling Spirit Disasters seems to be just one. From the Sky Stabilizing Plate, it is clear that facing high-level Spirit Disasters, what a Magician can do is only to seal. That is, first wear down their power, then take advantage of their weakness to lock them up. Chapter 397: gestures three Quan He despised this method but had no better solution. Destroying the spirit can limit the physical rebirth. So what can be destroyed to limit the spiritual rebirth? The Spirit Disaster is the rebirth of the spirit, extremely disgusting. Crack. As she maintained the Array, a faint sound like the shattering of porcelain suddenly came from the giant humanoid form supporting the Night Pool in the distant sky. Quan He cast a glance over. She saw that behind the Night Pool, the giant humanoid form was slowly starting to move. Its body was covered in cracks, yet it opened its mouth wide, with an endless flow of black mucus dripping from it. Deep within the gaping mouth, amidst the pitch-black darkness, A giant stone statue with three fat female heads was slowly crawling out of the shadows. Her body smeared with black mucus, the three heads wore smiles, their faces plump, their skin deathly pale. No sooner had it emerged, this monster set its gaze on the Night Pool not far in front. Ah!!!!! It suddenly lunged forward, bursting out of the large black mouth, floating in mid-air, and swiftly swelling in size. In just a few seconds, this three-headed goddess statue grew to over a hundred meters tall. It hugged the Night Pool with its hands as if lifting a bowl, tipping it into the center mouth. Hiss. A circle of dark clouds condensed into a black cloud ring, spreading rapidly in all directions from its center. Where the black cloud passed, the air seemed to be filled with an unknown deadly poison. The eerie whispering of a woman murmuring softly rose in the hearts of everyone who saw the three-headed goddess statue. In the surrounding area of Tongning City, over a span of several kilometers, the Red Value shot up rapidly at this moment. Strange phantom shadows flickered and appeared out of nowhere due to the increase in Red Value, twinkling and emitting eerie whispers. These were all shadows, one of the most basic forms of Black Disaster;even the most basic could still kill an ordinary person. On the ground, the army Array formed by numerous Dragon-men was also affected, growing restless. They, too, were attacked and influenced by shadows. Several newly evolved Cai Jing Taoists looked up at the three-headed goddess statue and promptly pinched a Seal, the Colorful Mirror above their heads emitting beams of multicolored light towards it. But to no avail. The skin of the three-headed goddess statue was too thick;she was merely floating in mid-air, letting the light beams hit her without any harm. The three Cai Jing Taoists, constrained by Quan He¡¯s Array, seemed to sense the arrival of the three-eyed goddess statue. In an instant, like a shot of chicken blood, they went berserk within the pillar of light, crashing left and right as if they wanted to come out and fight the opponent. "Black Disaster of the same tier, eh..." Quan He realized. Right, she thought, since so many portals had been opened, and the Spirit Disaster could evolve rapidly, naturally, the Black Disaster could as well. To put it more accurately, it was already very lucky that the Black Disaster managed to hold out without an incident until now. "Wait! I can¡¯t move from here, but wasn¡¯t there a fight between two Heavenly Masters and the Seven Evil Alliance over there? How could the situation have gotten to this point? Where are the contemporary Heavenly Masters!?" Quan He¡¯s eyes darkened, suddenly feeling something was amiss. From afar, in addition to sensing the three-headed goddess statue, not a single Magician could be felt! "This time, it seems truly dangerous..." Quan He¡¯s expression grew more solemn. Only a Taoist Sect Heavenly Master holding the Sky Stabilizing Plate could handle this situation, but now... both Heavenly Masters were nowhere to be seen! Feeling the Black Disaster¡¯s aura growing stronger over there, she was keenly aware that if no one intervened, the Black Disaster would open more portals on its own, further augmenting its strength. By then... "Senior Quan He." Suddenly, a burly figure appeared on the ground below. It was Yu Hong who had just arrived. "Do you need any help? That closing of the portal just now was truly majestic! How domineering!" Yu Hong exclaimed in praise. "What exactly is going on with the Heavenly Masters? Why isn¡¯t anyone containing the Black Disaster?" Quan He was not concerned about the praise and asked with a serious face. Yu Hong¡¯s relaxed expression faded instantly, as he quickly reported the events of the Taoist Sect in a brief telepathic message. "What!? No more Sky Stabilizing Plate!?" Quan He¡¯s complexion changed. "Without the Sky Stabilizing Plate, do we have any contingency plans?" Yu Hong saw her expression and felt a sinking feeling. He thought that perhaps Quan He had some method. But it seemed... "We can only endure, unable to close the portal." Quan He gritted her teeth. "Without recreating the Sky Stabilizing Plate, we can only face an endless onslaught of Spirit Disaster Black Disaster Monsters!" "Do you know how to recreate it?" Yu Hong asked again. "...I am not a Heavenly Master;such Magic Skills are only known to Heavenly Masters... It was originally a Heavenly Master who created the Sky Stabilizing Plate Array." Quan He showed helplessness on her face. Yu Hong remained silent. At this moment, on the ground, the battles between Magicians and monsters also began to reach a stalemate. Most Magicians were falling into a disadvantageous position, their Dao Breath being consumed excessively, gradually resorting to relying on the silver Spirit Light to tough it out on defense. Qing Huang, Zhao Jingtang, and other expert Magicians tried their best to attract more Spirit Disaster Monsters to their side. But the number of monsters was simply too great. They were only a few hundred people, but the monsters were as dense as a tide, numbering in the tens of thousands. They roamed the city devouring living beings, evolving rapidly. Some Spirit Disaster Monsters that were mere backpack-carrying people just ten minutes ago, after a slight delay, devoured living humans and evolved into Silver Armor Serpent-men. Moreover, many Golden Armor Dragon-men, after devouring a large number of humans, evolved into Three-eyed Dragon-men. Although it seems that some kind of element from the Immortal Light is needed to progress from Three-eyed Dragon-men to Cai Jing Taoists, just having Three-eyed Dragon-men was already enough to conduct territorial battles with elite magicians like Qing Huang and others. And now, the number of Three-eyed Dragon-men inside Tongning City had already surpassed a thousand! Every second, a large number of people were dying, and the entire city was being rapidly emptied. Yu Hong glanced around, seeing magicians being beaten around like balls everywhere. The city¡¯s buildings looked as if they had been bombarded, with all kinds of crashing and booming sounds incessant to the ear. The magician camp had already fallen into complete disadvantage. The slightly better scenario was that of the recently recovered Golden Light Taoist and the other two, who formed an Array with the power of the Inheritance Dao Artifact, transforming it into a combination Spiritual Domain, forcibly creating a small circular safe zone. Yu Hong let out a long sigh. He moved like lightning, swiftly weaving between the high-rise buildings. Wherever he passed, one after another, Three-eyed Dragon-men were blown into nothingness, dissolving into a mist of grey. After entering the double burning of Inner Strength, his power was slightly weaker than Thunderbolt Transformation but was a lot stronger than when he first tangled with the Three-eyed Dragon-men. Additionally, whether it was speed, strength, or defense, all had significantly increased under the amplification of the new Tai Ling Skill. "Why don¡¯t you give it a try?" Quan He¡¯s voice suddenly came from mid-air. Yu Hong¡¯s face stiffened, and he did not speak. At this time, anyone with clear eyes could see that the new three-headed god statue emerging from the Black Disaster was a terrifying entity that was absolutely comparable to the complete form of the Cai Jing Taoist here. Against such an individual, he had no confidence. Quan He¡¯s voice came again. "Your ability to defeat Heavenly Master Zuo Yunfeng face-to-face and triumph over Tian Shi Ku Chan of the same realm shows that your strength has reached the Heavenly Master Realm. The biggest characteristic of this realm is that the concentration of Dao Breath is extremely high;one part can be used as ten parts by ordinary magicians. Coupled with extremely high utilization efficiency, peak technique skill, and minimal waste, along with top inheritance Dao Artifacts, the gap has been vastly increased," Quan He explained. "Being able to defeat Heavenly Master-level experts face-to-face means that in the current situation, perhaps you... are the only one who can hold off the situation there." "Young one..." Yu Hong actually didn¡¯t want to go. He could feel the exaggerated strength of the Black Disaster Monster over there, which was no less terrifying than the full-bodied Cai Jing Taoist here. Against such a monster, even if he went all out with Thunderbolt Transformation, it might not be enough. Most importantly, he only wanted to carve out a pure land in this world, to move here and live permanently, not to fight desperately for the safety of this world without regard for his own life and death. Selfishly speaking, he didn¡¯t have such altruism. He wasn¡¯t even from this place;why should he take on life-threatening risks and stand alone against tremendous danger? "Senior, let me be upfront;I will only go try. If I can stall and delay time, I will;if it doesn¡¯t work out... don¡¯t blame the junior for a strategic retreat," Yu Hong thought it through and communicated directly. "After all, the junior is the Leader of the Spirit Alliance. If anything happens to me, the impact is too great;it¡¯s also considering the bigger picture for the future," Yu Hong said, suddenly feeling like he had become one of those he once despised. Yet... "It¡¯s my fault," said Quan He, who had seen through Yu Hong¡¯s worries with her centuries of experience. "Taking action that risks your life shouldn¡¯t be forced by external pressures, but instead, should be a choice that comes from deep within oneself after heartfelt consideration." She showed a hint of a smile. "It doesn¡¯t matter;you¡¯ve already done very well..." "Then... Junior, I take my leave." Yu Hong sighed lightly, cupped his fists, turned, and transformed into purple lightning, speeding away. "Take this!" Suddenly, a sound of piercing the air chased after Yu Hong. He caught a pure white square Jade Token with a backhand. Carved on the token was a lifelike Four-winged White Crane. "If you¡¯re in danger, crush it. This will trigger the full force of my Dao Artifact. It¡¯s very powerful, so use it with caution," Quan He¡¯s voice drifted from afar. Warmth rose in Yu Hong¡¯s heart. He turned back and saluted with a cupped fist, then once again hurried towards the direction of the Black Disaster. On his way, he happened to encounter Ku Chan and others rushing toward this side. Ku Chan¡¯s injuries had significantly improved under the healing of the Spirit Light;although he was still weak, at least his Heavenly Master Level Dao Breath had recovered. Meeting Yu Hong head-on in the forest, he tensed up, gripping the Chi Xiao Sword instinctively ready to attack. But immediately, the Spirit Light within him vibrated violently, as if it wanted to drag all the life from his body. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Such an anomaly made him dare not act rashly. "I will find out the truth!" Ku Chan sternly said to Yu Hong as he sped past. "I heard that Zihe Palace¡¯s Daoist Magic Techniques are most suitable for cleansing Spirit Disasters. Brother Ku Chan, Tongning City relies heavily on you. I¡¯m heading to face the Black Disaster, where a top-level monster similar to Cai Jing Taoist has appeared." Yu Hong was indifferent to his actions, left behind a message, and then accelerated towards the Black Disaster. "..." Upon hearing this, Ku Chan¡¯s hand holding the sword involuntarily softened a bit. "Great righteousness of the Leader!" "Thank you, Leader!" "Thank you!" "It¡¯s Master Yu! We¡¯re saved!" He heard magicians on the distant road continuously thanking him at the top of their voices, some with sobbing voices, excited, and ecstatic. Chapter 398: poses four "It really is..." Long Qingzi, who was standing on a tree branch, also heard these voices and opened his mouth wanting to make a few sarcastic remarks. But he just couldn¡¯t utter a word. He was afraid that if he said one more word, he would be blown up casually like before. He couldn¡¯t afford to be distracted anymore;any further distraction and his self-consciousness might really turn into a wild beast without any reason, losing himself. "Let¡¯s go!" Ku Chan said coldly, holding his senior sister and rushing towards Tongning City at full speed. He didn¡¯t know what he was going to do, nor did he know where he was headed in the future. Right now, all he wanted was to find enough people to uncover the truth. To find out who killed his parents and who was responsible for his wife¡¯s death! Zuo Yunfeng was a suspect, but... he didn¡¯t believe that one person alone could accomplish so many and such big things. There must be others within the Taoist Sect! And the Seven Evil Alliance... Ghost Bell, one of the Seven Evils who opened the gate in the first place... was also someone he vowed to kill! * * * Chengshui Lake. This suburban natural scenic lake was now right below the floating spot of the three-headed goddess statue of Black Disaster. Within a several tens of kilometers radius around the entire small lake, not a single living thing was left. Everything was completely submerged by the massive variety of monsters released by Black Disaster. When Yu Hong arrived at the lakeside, the surroundings had already turned into a gloomy, dark fog. Night enveloped the sky, and except for the absence of extreme cold, the environment was almost no different from what he had experienced in the Hope City World. He stood by the lake, looking up at the floating three-headed goddess statue high above. The huge, pale goddess statue with three heads and weird smiles was diving here and there as if hunting something. Its hundred-meter-tall body, compared to some of the two hundred meters tall Black Giants below, was not conspicuous. But the rings of dark clouds constantly shaking from its body made it impossible to ignore its presence. Because the things spreading out from these dark clouds were highly toxic! Yu Hong glanced at a few corpses on the ground next to him. The skin of the corpses was in a state of decay, with parts of the limbs already completely dissolving flesh and bones, emitting a faint hissing noise. "Let¡¯s give it a try..." Yu Hong sighed. His goal was to come here to buy time, to prevent it from opening the gate again, not really to take this creature down. So... Hee hee hee hee! At this moment, a group of shadowy figures discovered him and drifted rapidly towards his direction. Yu Hong¡¯s gaze turned cold. A thread of his purple Inner Strength silently split off and burst out, blinking into the midst of these shadows. Pfft!! In an instant, purple lightning exploded, immediately covering the area where the shadows were. The purple light flashed for a second, then quickly dimmed. The shadows all disappeared, leaving behind only piles of black ash on the ground. And the commotion here also attracted the attention of the three-headed goddess statue in mid-air. Its six eyes projected in this direction. Wuuu!!! The strange, piercing screams oppressed down from mid-air. The ground shook, and the trees trembled. A large number of Black Disaster Monsters around stirred, and the fog thickened, further reducing visibility. Within the fog, only the silhouette of the three-headed goddess statue was incredibly clear. As if no matter how far the distance, one could see it clearly. That overwhelmingly strong presence was as if it was directly projecting onto one¡¯s retina. Yu Hong took a step forward, his body lighting up with layers of purplish-red flame. His hair rose without wind, shooting upward. Purple-red lines crawled up his face. "Mommy... Mom, Mom..." Suddenly, from behind in the fog. A little girl in a white nightgown, holding a teddy bear and probably only about four or five years old, slowly took steps out of the fog, approaching Yu Hong. The little girl was still alive, not a shadow, not a monster. There was a clear and visible gash on her left face, deep enough to see the bone. Pale skin was covered with scars. Her eyes too were blank, as though she couldn¡¯t see. "Mom, Mom... Where are you?" The little girl tremblingly, cautiously called out. "Daddy, did you find him? Mommy, come back..." She stepped closer, and behind her in the fog, a Gremlin resembling creature stood over four meters tall, remaining hidden and motionless, wearing a strange smile, with long, sharp fingers pressing against the back of the little girl¡¯s head, gently pushing her forward. Yu Hong slightly turned his face, watching her. Without any surprises, or any traps. The little girl timidly walked up to him. "Protect her, she¡¯s so cute... so pitiful.... Can you bear to let her die here in such pain, torn apart and devoured by countless monsters?" A strange, seductive voice whispered in his ear. "..." Yu Hong remained silent, looking down at the little girl beside him. "Long time no see, has the Black Disaster here evolved to this extent?" He sighed slightly. He reached out and gently stroked the little girl¡¯s black hair. A bit of silver light entered it, protecting her body, and at the same time, made sure she was truly alive. "Is it the evolution after discovering human altruism and pity, targeting and designing it, or did someone consciously transform it into a higher-level Black Disaster?" At this moment of imminent confrontation, taking a little girl along would greatly affect his ability to perform. But if he ignored her, even with Spirit Light¡¯s protection, the little girl would undoubtedly die, facing so many monsters around her. "No matter what, what do you plan to do?" The whisper in the darkness, with a sinister pride, spoke softly. Yu Hong remained silent. He turned his head again, only a dozen meters above the surface of the lake in front of him. The three-headed goddess statue had already bent down, and its three huge faces approached this side, revealing a grim and pale, strange smile. "Rest in peace." Yu Hong suddenly used force with his hand. He closed his eyes. A crisp snap. The little girl stopped abruptly in his hand, blood slowly seeping from her mouth, nose, and eyes. Boom!! In an instant, the girl¡¯s body split into pieces, blossoming open like a flower. The entire trunk¡¯s center, where crimson flesh and blood intertwined, lashed out with a mass of tentacle-like bloody tendrils. The ends of the tentacles split into multiple bizarre small mouths, lunging to bite at Yu Hong. Pfft! As all the tendrils approached Yu Hong, they crashed directly into the purple Inner Strength flames before him, as if hitting bulletproof glass, causing massive self-collapses and explosions of the tendrils. The little girl was indeed still alive, but she was no longer living like a normal person... She had essentially become a by-product that depended on the monster to survive... "You are... still as disgusting as ever..." Yu Hong looked up, locking eyes with the three-headed goddess statue. "Since I¡¯ve promised the senior, let¡¯s try and see... to what extent I can achieve..." "Heeheeheehee~~~" The strange, neurotic cackle echoed everywhere. All around, who knows how many Evil Shadows of the Black Disaster were lurking, waiting, trying to launch a fatal strike this way. Hiss! Suddenly, a flash of silver light streaked through Yu Hong¡¯s pupils. He felt the Spirit Light within him getting stronger. "So, a Spirit Alliance Magician, gifted with Spirit Light, has also perished..." Besides actively retrieving it, Spirit Light would also fly back to its main body upon death. He hadn¡¯t retrieved it just now, so there was only one reason. "Come." He took a step forward, and the purple flames on his body surged upward, growing more violent. "Come try and kill me!! You mongrel!!" All at once, his body rapidly expanded, and countless purple threads mixed with silver Spirit Light emerged from his back, weaving together into a colossal half-body giant over ten meters tall. Boom!! Pillars of purple flames enveloped his entire body, turning him into a dazzling purple fireball. The fireball blazed intensely, radiating splendid purple light, illuminating all approaching monsters nearby. Hiss!! He leaped into the sky, like a shooting star, and with a thunderous crash, charged towards the three-headed goddess statue. The three-headed goddess statue also stretched out a huge hand, pressing down from the air towards this side. The gigantic hand, like a seal, descended from the sky towards the earth. One large and one small, the pallid enormous hand and the purple fireball, one-tenth of its size, collided with a bang. Hiss!! A ring of majestic, semi-transparent purplish-red flames exploded in the sky. Immediately after. Boom!!! A tremendous sound erupted completely. The purplish-red flames with their transparent explosive ripples covered a radius of over ten kilometers in the blink of an eye. The fog dispersed, and the violent wind raged. After the light in the sky dissipated, it seemed to solidify, not scattering at all, instead continuously emitting purplish-red light, illuminating the lakes and lands below. That light, slightly warm and holy, seemed to carry a calming and relaxing purification ability. Yet it also held a subtly eerie gentleness, irresistibly enticing people to completely indulge in it. * * * Tongning City. Quan He was maintaining the sealing Seal when she suddenly turned her head toward the direction of Night Pool at Black Disaster. There, in the night sky, a point of purplish-red light suddenly illuminated. She fell silent for a moment and then a relieved smile appeared on her lips. "He went after all. What a stubborn child..." She turned her head toward her own side. The Array that had sealed the full form of Cai Jing Taoist was still struggling intensely, twisting and warping. Without careful attention, it might break free. "If even the younger generation is so capable, I, as their senior, cannot be too far behind." With one hand, she maintained the Seal and Array, and with the other, she grasped the Inheritance Dao Artifact Golden Jade Pendant. Hiss. She directly drew the edge of the Jade Pendant across her exposed neck below the collarbone. An injury appeared at once, and fresh red blood slowly seeped out. "It¡¯s been many years since I last went all-out... I¡¯m already of such an age. Sigh..." Quan He sighed softly, watching the Jade Pendant continuously absorbing her blood and starting to emit an increasingly blinding Golden Light. At the same time. Her own complexion visibly paled. Shoo shoo! She let go of the Jade Pendant, her single hand quickly forming Seals. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Sealing Spirit Domain." As the Sealing began, the Golden Light released by the Jade Pendant faintly condensed into a huge Golden Lotus, enveloping her within. "Pure Lotus Divine Incense!" Quan He pushed the Seal forward. In an instant, the huge Golden Lotus spun, emitting a subtle, clear sound like the clashing of gold and iron, flying towards the Array above. Hiss!! The moment it touched the Array, the Golden Lotus burst instantly, blossoming with an unparalleled, terrifying brilliance like the sun. Hum!! One ripple of light after another spread out, covering the entire battlefield of Tongning City, where countless golden immortals cranes appeared and disappeared in the sky, their clear cries resounding. For a moment, in the sky, the two separate beams of light, golden and purple, those two dazzling radiances completely lit up the long-dimmed night. Many Spirit Disaster Black Disaster Monsters below were pressed down by some force field, moving slow as if burdened by weights. On the contrary, the Magicians and the resisting common people felt their energy rapidly replenished. "It¡¯s the Alliance Hierarch...!!" "And Quan He Monarch!!" The Spirit Alliance¡¯s Magicians all raised their heads, looking in the direction of the two great lights, shocked beyond measure. They couldn¡¯t imagine what kind of powerful Dao Breath was needed to trigger such a terrifying and exaggerated Technique!? Chapter 399: Repair One "This power....!!!!" Ku Chan suddenly turned his head back to look at the sky where two glaring lights shone. His eyes were filled with astonishment. He thought that after breaking through to the Heavenly Master Realm, he was among the top figures in this world. But now, with the continuous Black Disaster and Spirit Disaster, it seemed that many hidden top masters were being stimulated into action. "It¡¯s the Alliance Hierarch¡¯s power, I can feel it...." Among the many magicians who had joined them, Qing Huang said with admiration on his face. He and Zhao Jingtang were leading the Nine Sects¡¯ Sect Masters and the remaining Seven Evils from the Seven Evil Alliance, compelled to provide support. Yes, everyone was compelled;if not for the threat of the Spirit Light, they wouldn¡¯t have planned to wade into these troubled waters. At this moment, the gathered top masters looked at the exaggerated power fluctuations in the sky and fell silent. "Is this the confidence of the Spirit Alliance Leader?" Xian Kongzi, the second of the Seven Evils, sighed. "We, as the Seven Evils, seem to have been confined in our narrow views and underestimated the heroes of this world," Xuan Jingzi spoke somberly. "Wait! You are... Xuan Jingzi and Xian Kongzi from the Seven Evil Alliance!?" Suddenly, as they were on the move, Ku Chan¡¯s expression turned cold, and a furious murderous intent surged towards the two. "Where is Ghost Bell!?" He abruptly stopped, drawing his sword and pointing it at them. Before this gathering, he hadn¡¯t recognized that these magicians moving with the Taoist Sect Leader were from the Seven Evil Alliance. After all, these two factions were sworn enemies, so how could they possibly cooperate so peacefully and smoothly? But now, hearing their exchange and considering the special Spirit Light planted on himself, Ku Chan realized that bringing together the top masters and magicians from both camps using the Spirit Light Secret Technique was not so difficult. "Ku Chan, have you lost your mind!? How dare you defy the Alliance Hierarch!?" Qing Huang immediately reacted, looking at Ku Chan and speaking harshly. "Hmm!?" Ku Chan, being in the Heavenly Master realm, naturally let his Dao Breath spread, exerting a powerful spiritual pressure like light, instantly covering a range of hundreds of meters around him, causing all the magicians within range to feel heavy, as if they were carrying a weighty burden. "Would you dare to strike!?" Qing Huang¡¯s face remained unchanged as he marshaled the Dao Breath within him to fight against the heavy pressure. It was strenuous, but he managed not to be forced to bend over and lose face. "..." Ku Chan¡¯s gaze swept over the Seven Evils. Under the oppression of his Dao Breath, they appeared extremely relaxed, even hinting at retaliatory intentions in their Dao Breaths. The Seven Evils were already the strongest below the Heavenly Masters, with some even nearing the threshold of becoming Heavenly Masters. Facing a newly advanced Ku Chan, whose Dao Breath realm was not yet fully stable, and whose matching Passive Technique had not been upgraded to the stronger New Heavenly Master level, they looked solemn and wary but not necessarily afraid. "Ku Chan, you brat, the order to handle the Zihe Palace was given by Zuo Yunfeng. Ghost Bell was the executing hand, and we had nothing to do with it," Xuan Jingzi explained loudly. "You Seven Evils claim to be separate, but aren¡¯t you all part of the same alliance?" the silent Taoist from the Nine Sects scoffed. "Hey, we are not one entity;Ghost Bell is right there if you want to kill him, go ahead," Xuan Jingzi said to Ku Chan, casually releasing his Scimitar, spinning it around the surroundings, and in the blink of an eye, slicing off the heads of several Spirit Disaster Silver Armored Snake people that pounced. Ku Chan¡¯s grip on his sword tightened as his eyes focused on the stiff-bodied Ghost Bell among the Seven Evils. Indeed, once he made it clear that he would only target Ghost Bell, the rest of the Seven Evils distanced themselves, showing a posture that suggested they were uninvolved. He was tempted to strike, but glancing at the glaring purple light on the horizon, he ultimately decided to endure for the moment. Zhao Jingtang and others withdrew their gazes and looked again at the purple light in the sky. "I also grew up hearing about the renown of Quan He Monarch, but if even the Alliance Hierarch¡¯s true power is terrifying like this...." he said with admiration on his face. "If the Spirit Alliance emerges like this, in the future, even the Taoist Sect might be assimilated...." the silent Taoist sighed. "True Master Zheng Rou was a Taoist in origin, isn¡¯t sensitivity also a continuation of our Taoist Sect? Thinking this way is normal, right?" Su Ling, the female Taoist, explained. "It makes sense," the silent Taoist nodded and smiled. It doesn¡¯t matter who leads, the ones who should really worry are the two major Heavenly Master Mansions. They are basically just moving to a new place. It¡¯s the Spirit Light Secret Technique that¡¯s truly troublesome. He looked at the two groups of magicians from the Heavenly Master Mansion leading the group;the faces of the two old Taoists looked terrible but also helpless. * * * Chengshui Lake. In mid-air, rings of purplish-red flames solidified in the sky, illuminating everything below. At the center of the purplish-red flames, a burly humanoid form, engulfed in purple light, was furiously exchanging blows with a three-headed goddess statue. "Kill!!!!" Yu Hong¡¯s hair stood on end, resembling blazing flames, and his muscles, like rock metal, moved in unison with the half-bodied humanoid behind him, furiously venting his anger towards the three-headed goddess statue. Since his arrival in this world, he had accumulated too much fear, repression, and anger. Faced with the Black Disaster and the unstoppable disasters, he always fled, always tread carefully, enduring everything, every slight negligence frightened him, fearing that the next time he opened his eyes, it would be doomsday. And now, all these accumulated fears and anger were finally ignited. "This world!!" With a booming punch, he collided head-on with a massive palm. Amid the thunderous noise, he was blown backwards by the huge recoil force. The three-headed goddess statue also trembled all over, frozen in mid-air. "I don¡¯t believe it, that nothing can be changed!!!" Yu Hong tumbled downwards, but just before hitting the ground, with a hiss! He flashed purple again, drawing a zigzag line to the left, landing on his feet, blasting open a deep crater over ten meters wideAC, and rushing back up towards the three-headed goddess statue reaching towards the sky. Thunderbolt Transformation activated, covered by Spirit Light, Divinity stimulated. From now on, nothing else matters. Just do it! Yu Hong frantically channeled his Inner Strength, his entire body transforming into a purple meteor continuously shuttling beside the three-headed goddess statue. Repeatedly kicking and punching with all his might, striking the monster. Unfortunately. He and the three-headed goddess statue were extremely incompatible. The monster had no other peculiar abilities, except for one. That was its incredibly strong defense. Even the punches and kicks Yu Hong delivered with his Tai Ling Skill only created tiny pits on the monster¡¯s body. And these pits were quickly self-healing, disappearing. Conversely, when the three-headed goddess statue slapped Yu Hong, It was first greatly neutralized by the near-infinite Light Disaster power of the Tai Ling Skill, then weakened by half due to Divinity, and then encountered the Spirit Light protection on Yu Hong¡¯s body, As the main body of the Spirit Light Secret Skill, any other Spirit Light Cultivator would naturally return to him upon death, letting their power merge into his body. This led to his Spirit Light actually being stronger than anyone else¡¯s. Unless he was constantly holding Spirit Light Conferences, exchanging Spirit Light with everyone. Otherwise, the intensity of each person¡¯s Spirit Light would naturally vary with their cultivation progress. Boom!! Yu Hong was once again smashed to the ground, creating a huge crater with broken trees tumbling down and dragging some unable-to-escape Black Disaster shadows along, burning them into oblivion. The same thing applied to him, he was completely unharmed. Yes, he couldn¡¯t harm his opponent, and actually, his opponent couldn¡¯t harm him either... At this level, Tai Ling Skill had constructed micro Light Disaster pores within his body, these pores essentially opened Light Disaster channels, then added several layers of filters on top. Drawing in filtered power and fusing it into his own. Layer by layer, peeling off the filters, moving continuously closer to the Ultimate Sun, until ultimately making unobstructed contact with the Ultimate Sun, that was the ultimate goal of Tai Ling Skill. Approach it, become it, and then... Surpass it! Bang! Yu Hong stomped on the ground, once again sprung up and flew towards the three-headed goddess statue. The giant creature was already somewhat tired, she couldn¡¯t kill Yu Hong and even felt a repulsive aura from him. So, she decided to first devour the enormous female phantom that nurtured the Night Pool. But just as she turned and flew a distance, a purple firelight exploded on one of her heads. The explosive force of tens of thousands of tons, concentrated at one point, creating extremely terrifying pressure. The middle head of the three-headed goddess statue was forcefully staggered forward. The damage was minimal, but its insulting nature was extreme. Ah!!! All three heads simultaneously let out a piercing scream, and she once again turned around to fight Yu Hong. The two exchanged blows, punches for kicks, completely without dodging, just clashing forcefully. Despite the disparity in size, despite the three-headed goddess statue being much stronger than Yu Hong. The result was the same. Neither could harm the other. As time slowly passed, slowly dragged on... Gradually, strands of gray-black lines began to appear on Yu Hong¡¯s body, infiltrating his surface Tai Ling Skill Inner Strength, like living creatures, continuously disturbing his strength output. On the surface of the three-headed goddess statue, originally pale skin also began to show wrinkles and age spots. That was the Tai Ling Skill¡¯s Sunset effect accumulating over time, finally bursting forth. "Kill!!" Yu Hong spread his arms wide, his body once again ignited with dual Inner Strength. In the state of Thunderbolt Transformation, burning dual Inner Strength again, such terrifying consumption made his virtually unlimited Inner Strength start to struggle to replenish, slowly declining. Boom! In midair, the purple flame on his body expanded larger by a ring, around the flame¡¯s periphery, vaguely appeared faces of anger, solemnity, despair, and pain. That was the pores inside his body, in a long state of full-force exertion, starting to secrete a trace of more pure Ultimate Solar Power. This trace of Ultimate Solar Power, as soon as it appeared, began to trigger surrounding celestial phenomena. Sizzling!!! Countless blue light beams penetrated Yu Hong¡¯s purple flames, spreading crazily in all directions. Where the light touched, Black Disaster Monsters let out cries of agony and dissipated into black smoke. Not only that. Not just Black Disaster Monsters, but Spirit Disaster Monsters also melted like candles, turning into pools of gray slime. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In an instant, within a radius of more than ten kilometers centered on Yu Hong, all living creatures that could still move felt warmth indiscriminately under this dazzling blue light. Monsters melted, living people knelt one by one, faces showing a strange look of tranquility. "Shine..." "Merge with all things..." Muffled whispers, somewhat unclear, appeared faintly within this blue light, sometimes there and sometimes not. Chapter 400: repair 2 "Kill!!!" Yu Hong was already driven into madness at this moment, his entire body¡¯s Inner Strength boiling and burning. He once again leaped towards the three-headed goddess statue. This time, the three heads of the goddess statue showed clear signs of fear. She actually has sentience!! But it was already too late. She was also covered in a massive amount of blue light, her body soft and trapped in a bizarre sense of relief, unable to move. The strange blue light even made her feel like giving up resistance and dying to merge with it was the greatest and ultimate happiness. "We are the ultimate!" "We are the last hope!" "We are the greatest illumination! We are the sun, the very beginning and the ultimate end of all things¡¯ fantasies!" "Come... leave this painful world, merge with us, forever enjoy peace, warmth, happiness...." "There will be no more fear, danger, fright, or pain. There will be no more...." A series of seductive whispers echoed continuously around the three-headed goddess statue. Gradually, her body began to loosen, and the black clouds bursting around her began to fade. Hum! At this moment, behind her in the distance, several Gates of Despair connected to the dark depths of the Black Disaster. A pale-faced old woman¡¯s face slowly emerged from the darkness. Her eyes were deep and pitch-black without any pupils. Her hair was pale white like withered grass, neatly combed. Despite her pale complexion, her face was covered with a thick layer of white powder. She wore a strange smile, her gaze falling on Yu Hong. "Shh...." She stretched out a finger that looked like a withered gray twig, placing it before her lips. Hush. With her hushing sound, a gray-black wind silently crossed the distance between them, blowing onto Yu Hong. In an instant, the blue light dimmed;the flames shrank, weakened, and tended to extinguish. It revealed the shiny silver core of Yu Hong below. The fear on the three-headed goddess statue¡¯s face disappeared. She brought back her frenzied smile, clapped her hands together, and smashed towards Yu Hong in the air. Bang! Just then, in her eyes, Yu Hong lifted his head with arms spread wide. Behind him, a massive blue sun appeared out of nowhere. The sun blazed fiercely, and its surface displayed countless eerie faces. Crack. Almost at the same moment, the pale-faced old woman¡¯s face inside the Gate of Despair shattered like glass and disappeared. The blue sun behind Yu Hong also quietly shattered, soundlessly. He and the three-headed goddess statue both fell from mid-air and crashed into the lake. "Damn..." Yu Hong emerged from the water, shaking his head. Just now, in a short span, he suddenly felt his body getting frozen stiff, unable to move. Then warmth came from behind him thawing his body, and then he fell, unsure what exactly happened. The whole process was also unclear;he only remembered vaguely. Splashing, he treaded onto the shore, his body¡¯s Inner Strength vibrated, shaking off the water. Turning around, he saw the three-headed goddess statue also rising from the lake, bringing up a great amount of water and mud. All three of her heads clearly saw him. "Again!!" Yu Hong once again activated the Thunderbolt Transformation, forming a half-giant figure behind him, and lunged at her. "No need.... it¡¯s enough already." Suddenly a gentle female voice came up behind him. Yu Hong¡¯s heart relaxed, knowing who had arrived. He turned into a purple fire meteor, fiercely punching the right fist swung by the three-headed goddess statue. Boom! Both trembled, backing away from each other. Yu Hong rolled and flew out, making room behind him. Behind him, Quan He floated quietly, her white Daoist robe fluttering in the wind like a white skirt. "Only one head, good, good." Quan He looked at the three-headed goddess statue, took out a golden Jade Pendant in one hand, and tossed it forward. "Jade Pearl sets the order, all forms follow the heart." Hiss!!! Instantly the Jade Pendant lit up a bigger golden Array Pattern, layers upon layers rapidly expanding outward, becoming larger, just right to cover the three-headed goddess statue. "Alright, this only needs to be refined for five minutes." Quan He spoke faintly with a hint of weakness. The three-headed goddess statue roared in frustration as it was trapped by the golden Array, flailing its arms trying to break free, but to no avail. The punches it threw were absorbed into the inner wall of the Array, and in the blink of an eye, burst out from behind its own back, striking itself. With a loud thud. The three-headed goddess statue knocked itself dizzy, shaking its head. "Just wait for five minutes, let the Array heat up a bit," Quan He yawned. Yu Hong¡¯s flames retracted, Spirit Light dispersed, and he carefully stepped in mid-air, finding that there was a semi-transparent layer beneath his feet supporting him, then slowly walked over to Quan He¡¯s side. Sigh... He exhaled. "Good thing this guy has simple abilities, or else he would have been hard to deal with." He felt somewhat relieved, as this time the opponent had no special abilities, otherwise... "You¡¯ve worked hard;you¡¯ve done enough." Quan He sighed. She stared at the golden Array, watching it slowly shrink and diminish. "Next, leave it to me. Black Disaster is easier to deal with than Spirit Disaster. Our Techniques have a significant restraining effect on them." "The problem is not just that." Yu Hong watched the three-headed goddess struggle and roar within the golden Array, unable to even emit a sound, and Quan He Monarch¡¯s relaxed posture and expression. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He intuitively felt for the first time the gap between himself and the top powerhouses of this world. You should know that he had already used all his tricks except calling back the Spirit Light. "Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re still young, only in your twenties. I¡¯ve lived over a hundred years, so a little gap is normal." Quan He seemed to read his mind. "Alright, I understand," Yu Hong nodded. "But now, the tricky part is without the Sky Stabilizing Plate, how do we deal with the Gate of Despair and the Gate of Ten Thousand Spirits?" "People from the Seven Evils opened them, let them deal with it first." Quan He said, "We¡¯ll go to the Heavenly Master to get the method of refinement." "Zuo Yunfeng seems to be killed by me.... Xu Chong doesn¡¯t know yet, but supposedly he was ambushed and killed... Now both contemporary Heavenly Masters are gone. I don¡¯t know if the Heavenly Master Mansion has any records," Yu Hong frowned. "...What happened?" Quan He didn¡¯t expect so much to have happened after they split up. Yu Hong carefully explained the series of events that followed. "In that case, if it¡¯s really all Zuo Yunfeng¡¯s setup, he indeed deserved to be killed!" Quan He nodded. "Also, don¡¯t doubt whether you killed the wrong person. Zuo Yunfeng might have been weakened severely from previous fights." "Understood. Now, the remaining high-level Heavenly Masters only include Ku Chan. But that guy... is too easily fooled," Yu Hong said. "Let him oversee the Seven Evil Alliance people filling in the gaps;that should be very efficient," Quan He smiled lightly, gesturing towards the golden Array. Sss! In an instant, the entire Array completely shrank, and in the blink of an eye, it transformed into a golden ball, which spun around before shrinking again and flying into the golden Jade Pendant, disappearing. "...Just now, where did that big guy go?" Yu Hong watched the entire process, astonished to see the hefty creature vanish right under his eyes. "He was severely wounded and then sealed and sent back." Quan He sighed, "I don¡¯t have the energy to deal with him slowly, just resolved it quickly." Yu Hong looked downwards, the mountain ranges that used to be there were now shrouded in gray fog. Though the big fellow was resolved, the Gates of Despair were still there, endlessly emitting streams of Black Disaster and Spirit Disaster. "So, what about the gates?" Yu Hong asked. "Can¡¯t seal them, we can only..." Quan He didn¡¯t finish. Yu Hong looked at the numerous monsters and shadows emerging from the gray fog below, speechless for a moment. He clearly understood, if left unattended, given the current state of Black Disaster and Spirit Disaster, it wouldn¡¯t take long to cause massive casualties. The incidents in Tongning City could happen again. Spirit Disaster Gate constantly devours and evolves;Cai Jing Taoist might not get involved, but the Three-Eyed Golden Armored Dragon-man was definitely not something ordinary Magicians could handle. "Let¡¯s head back first," Quan He sighed. She stretched out her hand to grasp the Jade Pendant, hanging it back around her neck. With a wave of her hand, a huge white crane materialized beside them, enveloping them as they flew off towards the direction of Tongning City. * * * May 19th. After the Tongning City incident, Yasong Official immediately gathered national Magicians and the urgent disaster departments to research countermeasures for Black Disaster and Spirit Disaster. Half a month later, the military began distributing small amounts of specially targeted talismans. After the battle at the Sealing and Sacrifice Platform, both great Heavenly Masters and the leader of the Seven Evil Alliance went missing, and an outbreak of both Black Disaster and Spirit Disaster nearly impacted millions of civilians and military personnel in Tongning City. This malicious incident made the entire Yasong Official re-evaluate the terror and danger of Black Disaster and Spirit Disaster. With the Magicians¡¯ power, the officials began massively promoting targeted Daoist Skills and Magic, attempting to expand the number of Magicians. They also conducted large-scale checks on all cities south of Tongning City. And established the long Disaster Great Wall using Tongning City as the dividing line. And evacuated personnel from the vicinity of every Gate of Despair and Gate of Ten Thousand Spirits. Deploying elite experts from the Nine Sects in batches to assassinate the troublesome monsters. Maintaining a basic balance of the situation. After the battle at the Sealing and Sacrifice Platform. Quan He Monarch replaced the Heavenly Master, becoming the new leader of the Taoist community. She was invited to serve as the minister of the Disaster Countermeasures Department. Yu Hong, as the leader of the Spirit Alliance, displayed undeniably immense strength and was invited to serve as the deputy minister. However, he declined. The position of deputy minister was given to the Silent Taoist. He then focused on repairing the Sky Stabilizing Plate and started constantly enhancing his potions to progress his Guanwu Skill. This battle genuinely made him see his own limits. He belongs to a level surpassing ordinary Heavenly Master Level, but still significantly short from Quan He. In Taizhou, Qingchen Temple. Yu Hong sat cross-legged, his body glowing with a faint purple halo. Soon after, he opened his eyes and poured a prepared tube of silver potion into his mouth. The Sky Stabilizing Plate had been quickly repaired, but after the repair, everyone realized that the important aspect was not the device itself, but the potent Dao Breath stored in it by ancient top-level Magicians. These Dao Breaths are extremely powerful, even capable of absorbing external free energy to replenish their own consumption. Thus, after repairing the Sky Stabilizing Plate, Quan He and others, along with Magicians from all over the country, started researching how to inject suitable Dao Breath into it. While Yu Hong returned alone to accelerate his training in Guanwu Skill, drinking yet another enhanced potion targeted at Guanwu Skill. Produced by Black Mark, the effect was unquestionable. He had now safely broken through to the eighth layer of Guanwu Skill without any side effects, and his spiritual power was no longer the pitiful three digits but had soared to a four-digit number in the thousands. Chapter 401: Repair 3 Snap. He threw the metal test tube onto the ground. Yu Hong¡¯s throat pulsed a few times, and his long-untrimmed black hair faintly glowed with a bluish light. At the spot where he sat cross-legged, little by little, shadows emerged like sludge, seeping out past the meditation cushion. Soon, the shadows grew more and more abundant and dense, coalescing into a bizarre sphere covered with countless faces. Yu Hong opened his eyes, gazing at this strange ball formed at the Ninth Layer. "Indeed, the thing I¡¯ve always feared and worried about¡ªis this it?" He sighed. The Ultimate Sun, originating from the first source of the Light Disaster, is also its final endpoint. Although he had only seen it once, it left a deep, indelible impression in his heart. Standing up, Yu Hong waved his hand to disperse it. Instantly, the black imitation naturally dissipated. Completely gone. This was the special effect of the enhanced Black Mark medication. It allowed a breakthrough in the Guanwu Skill without side effects, and likewise, the summoned Fear Shadows were also significantly weaker. Fortunately, Yu Hong¡¯s goal from the beginning was not the Fear Shadows, but the qualities acquired at the final stage of the Guanwu Skill. He felt the Dao Breath within him becoming increasingly stable. His already colossal Dao Breath had just successfully broken through to a level he previously didn¡¯t dare to imagine. And as the Dao Breath gradually stabilized, the new prompt from the Black Mark silently appeared. ¡¯Guanwu Skill breakthrough to the Ninth Layer, new trait acquired: Ingrained Righteousness.¡¯ ¡¯Ingrained Righteousness (Fear breeds hesitation;hesitation leads to indecision;this trait can convert surrounding fears into spiritual power to replenish oneself, and increases resistance to mental interference and erosion by 40%.)¡¯ "Convert surrounding fears into spiritual power to replenish myself?" Yu Hong was a bit puzzled. The effects of this trait seemed somewhat complex. He stood up and walked to the door. Suddenly, a cool breath, thin as silk, quietly seeped in from outside the door, flew to the back of his hand, and slowly permeated. After this breath merged into his hand, Yu Hong immediately felt a faint nourishment for the mind and spirit. The sensation was very peculiar, like after working outside exhaustedly on a hot day, coming back home, and suddenly having his temples cooled with ice¡ªrefreshing and comfortable. But this comfort lasted less than two seconds before coming to an end. Moreover, after reaching the Ninth Layer, he felt that his spiritual power had begun growing anew. The continuous increase made him feel like a balloon, rapidly expanding and becoming larger. This sensation lasted for more than ten minutes before ceasing. Yu Hong took out the re-enhanced universal energy meter and switched it to the spiritual fluctuation mode. Beep. The test value fluctuated slightly, finally stabilizing at a level of over twelve thousand. "At last... from three digits to five, I¡¯m finally not a weak link anymore." Yu Hong¡¯s heart felt relieved;the Black Mark enhancement potion had shortened his progress by who knows how many years. This level of spiritual power, if he were to cultivate on his own, would take at least several decades to acquire. But here, he only needed to take two doses of the Enhancing Potion. Pushing the door open with his hand, he glanced around the Taoist Temple. It was empty inside, with only a few people responsible for cleaning bustling about. At the gate of the main hall, Assistant Fu Bai was casually chatting with an attendant. Seeing Yu Hong come out, she hurriedly trotted over. "Temple Master." "Where are the others?" asked Yu Hong. "Some went to support the Disaster Great Wall, and several elders from the Spirit Alliance have gone to help infuse Dao Breath into the Sky Stabilizing Plate," Fu Bai replied quickly. "Is it the temporary command center?" Yu Hong inquired. "Yes. After relieving the Capital, people from the government came to ask Monarch Quan He to go to the Capital and oversee the situation this morning. He refused. Now they have simply turned this temporary command center into the working center of the Disaster Countermeasures Department." "I¡¯ll go take a look. If you receive any important intelligence here, just send it to me via mobile phone," said Yu Hong. "Sure, Master," Fu Bai quickly nodded. Currently, within Taizhou¡¯s safe zone, many new signal towers had been built to forcibly extend the communications signals. However, because of the emergence of malicious codes within the Black Disaster Evil Shadows, only Magicians could use communicators. Sighing, Yu Hong quickly donned his coat, exited the Taoist Temple, and got into the Temple Master¡¯s car. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "The Temple Master has emerged from seclusion!?" "Thank you for your great compassion, Temple Master!" "It¡¯s Master Yu!" "Temple Master, my son is still outside. Please, let him in!" "When will this disaster end, Temple Master..." "Temple Master..." In a chorus of calls, the dense crowd outside the Taoist Temple, which had already filled the space, pleaded and inquired towards Yu Hong¡¯s car. Many of them were even close to touching the Temple Master¡¯s car. Numerous cool sensations, like dense silk threads, followed invisible pathways, converging into Yu Hong¡¯s mind. That was the fear-related spiritual power converted by Ingrained Righteousness. Yu Hong remained silent, well aware that professional matters should be left to professionals;if he spoke out now, he would waste substantial time on irrelevant questions. As the Temple Master, his duty was to do what he was supposed to do. The black sedan meandered slowly through the crowd. Soon, it arrived at the temporary command center building. This used to be a Spirit Station, now converted into the command center for the area¡¯s defense. Yu Hong had just arrived when the magicians from the Spirit Alliance came out to meet him. Qing Huang led the way, followed by Yu Hen, Yu Mo, and other seasoned Daoists. "Is Senior Quan He here?" Yu Hong got out of the car and greeted his masters before asking. "She¡¯s still inside," Qing Huang sighed. "The situation at the front is not good. The senior just got back;even though she¡¯s sweeping through the enemy, it¡¯s this kind of battle without visible hope that¡¯s the most troublesome." "I understand." Yu Hong nodded. "Is there still no way to use the Sky Stabilizing Plate?" "It¡¯s far from what we need. You¡¯ll see for yourself when you go there," Qing Huang said. Yu Hong said no more and looked up into the sky. The sky was still pitch black, with no light. Since the battle at Tongning City, the sky had never lit up again. No sun, no stars, just endless dark gray fog covering everything. He flicked his form and directly entered the building, disappearing in a blink into the elevator and pressing the button for the top floor. A few seconds later. The elevator doors opened. A spacious hall full of countless dark red runes was revealed before his eyes. Circular, bizarre runes were spread out over all four walls and the ceiling of the hall. The swirling, contorted runes formed circles that gave off an indescribably uncomfortable feeling. Quan He stood at the center, within the largest and most complex red circular array. Hearing the noise, she turned around and looked at Yu Hong. "You¡¯re finally here. It looks like you¡¯ve made quite the gains?" "Uh, a small breakthrough in Daoist skills," Yu Hong nodded, stepping out of the elevator to join her. "Senior, the Sky Stabilizing Plate¡­?" "The power I wield fits the criteria, but to fully charge the Sky Stabilizing Plate, we need at least nine magicians of the same caliber as myself to inject their Dao Breath simultaneously," Quan He sighed. "Nine..." Yu Hong was lost for words. "Does it have to be at the same time?" "Yes, only by combining forces simultaneously can we cultivate a higher level of Dao Breath. This array has already been simplified¡­ it utilizes a lower level of Dao Breath fused with the principle of sublimation," Quan He explained. "...What about the front? How are things?" Yu Hong changed the subject. "The Disaster Great Wall has suffered heavy casualties, but thanks to your Spirit Light secret technique and the bombarded shells mixed with extra components, we¡¯re barely holding the line. However, we can¡¯t continue like this. Black Disaster and Spirit Disaster monsters are still evolving amidst the casualties. I fear it won¡¯t be long before more fully-formed Colorful Mirrors are spawned," Quan He spoke troubledly. She paused. "You¡¯ve already done your best. Fixing the Sky Stabilizing Plate is an extremely difficult task... but we¡¯re facing too many problems now." "Actually, there is one way to close the Gate of Despair stemming from the Black Disaster," Yu Hong said after a moment of silence. "What?" "Find the very first Black Disaster Monster that emerged and push it back through. The Gate of Despair will close by itself." Yu Hong shared the strategy summarized by countless lives in the world of Hope City. "The first monster??" Quan He, gripping the Sky Stabilizing Plate, fell into deep thought. "Are you certain?" She asked again. "Certain. It¡¯s been confirmed by someone already," Yu Hong nodded. "Alright then. I¡¯ll give it a try, starting with the nearest Gate of Despair. If we can close off the Black Disaster, we can save half our efforts. I have plenty of locating techniques to sort out the time when they emerged, then it¡¯s just a matter of stuffing them back one by one," Quan He counted on her fingers, seemingly ascertained the feasibility with some secret technique, and immediately planned to take action. "If you need help from a junior, just say the word," Yu Hong quickly said. "As the leader of the Spirit Alliance, it¡¯s better for you to command the headquarters. We¡¯ll rely on you for direct reinforcements wherever needed, how about that?" Quan He suggested. "Agreed!" Yu Hong nodded. Looking at Quan He¡¯s resolute and calm face, he suddenly felt an inexplicable unease. At his level, with the strength of tens of thousands of spiritual power, each premonition could not be taken lightly. "Don¡¯t worry, I can sense it. The entire world is continuously sliding down, falling... but don¡¯t we still have a chance?" Quan He smiled. Clearly, she had sensed it long ago. "Humans are good at finding hope amidst suffering." "Senior¡¯s broad-mindedness is something I cannot compare to," Yu Hong said solemnly. "Go on, get busy. It¡¯s thanks to you that we have the experts from the Seven Evil Alliance filling in the lines. Many critical points are being held by them. Otherwise, the weakened forces of the Nine Sects wouldn¡¯t be enough," Quan He put down the Sky Stabilizing Plate and draped on the Daoist robe, walking to the window of the hall. "Rest assured, I¡¯ve been through worse situations than this. Everything will be alright." She smiled brightly, leaped out of the window, and turned into a white dove soaring toward the distant sky. Yu Hong watched as the window, buffeted by the howling winds, shook violently. Stepping forward, he gazed out into the night sky. Buzz! Suddenly, intense vibrations from a distance ceaselessly reached him. Not just him, not just the hall or this building, but the entire surrounding safe zone began to tremble. "So, it¡¯s finally come to this?" Yu Hong sighed. He sensed an energy as staggering as that of a star, bursting forth in the extreme distance. That was a nuclear weapon. And it was close by on the sea surface, likely targeting the Yin Qi Sky Pillar at the Gate of Despair. This scene was strikingly similar to what had once happened in the world of Hope City. Chapter 402: Repair Four Nuclear weapons, already humanity¡¯s last card on the table, but now, even this card isn¡¯t really effective. Yu Hong closed the window, without a reminder about radiation exposure or anything like that;to the Spirit Light gradually covering most people, it was nothing of concern. Right now, he had more pressing matters to attend to. To counteract the ominous premonition, he decided to continue to use the Black Mark to enhance his base safehouse. "Originally I was planning to bring people over... but now it seems, this place is no better than that one...." With a sigh, Yu Hong¡¯s mind stirred, and a black mist surged behind him, a wooden bridge extending from his back. He turned around, entered the black mist, walked onto the wooden bridge, and soon arrived in front of a dark river flowing through the mist of darkness. The Black Ship slowly emerged from the Black River and stopped in front of him. Yu Hong boarded the ship and sailed down the Black River for about ten minutes. Soon, the temperature around him began to drop significantly. Before long, the ship docked, stopping in front of a small pier that seemed to have been recently refurbished. Yu Hong jumped off the ship, and the black mist behind him dispersed. Once again, he returned to his absolutely safe Black Wind Camp safehouse. Without going out, he stood in the center of the safehouse, looking around at all the materials and instruments he had previously collected, illuminated by the soft light. Recalling the fight against the three-headed goddess-like monster. "Not enough." This time, when he looked at the safehouse¡¯s outer defensive array, it was obviously several versions behind. Taking a deep breath. He finally made a decision. He reached out and pressed his hand against the wall. ¡¯Enhance the entire safehouse, direction: extreme reinforcement of the outer defensive layer¡¯s strength.¡¯ A flash passed over the back of his hand and flowed into the wall. Soon, a Black Mark inquiry rose in his mind. ¡¯Do you wish to enhance the safehouse?¡¯ A countdown appeared alongside it: ¡¯17 days 19 hours 2 minutes.¡¯ "Yes!" Yu Hong answered in a deep voice. Hiss!! In that moment, all of the Essence Qi and spirit were sucked into the Black Mark wildly. Such a state continued for over half a minute. It was only because he replenished very quickly now, otherwise he couldn¡¯t support such an exaggerated devouring speed. Finally, the absorption ended. The countdown blurred for a while, then started the official timing. Yu Hong breathed a sigh of relief and withdrew his hand. Next, he began to work on a major upgrade to the safehouse. Not an upgrade of the Black Mark, but using the vast array knowledge he recently learned from the Qingchen Temple Taoist Sect and the Seven Evil Alliance, he started to strengthen and remodel it. This time, he planned to add various comprehensive functions to the safehouse, to serve as the foundation for future Black Mark enhancements. After all, a complete foundation is a necessary condition for the enhancement of the Black Mark. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Complete, has always been a necessary condition for strengthening the Black Mark. * * * Two days later. Near Taizhou, over international waters. The Yin Qi Sky Pillar stretched from heaven to earth, slowly turning, with countless Black Disaster Bugs continuously flying out, merging to the sea like black muddy water. Occasionally, streaks of Evil Shadows flashed by, carried by the Black Insect Tide, bursting forth from the Sky Pillar. Hiss! Suddenly in the dark sky, a flash of white light appeared as a White Light Crane arrived, with the Quan He Monarch holding a black pearl on the crane¡¯s back. "This is the original Black Disaster Monster. Let¡¯s give it a try." She looked forward with anticipation, gently tossing it forward. To capture without damaging the Black Disaster is difficult for others, but for someone proficient in sealing like her, it was too easy. Hiss! The black pearl shot into the Yin Qi Sky Pillar. Then everything fell silent. Quan He waited quietly. As time passed, the Sky Pillar visibly started to shrink. Discovering this, her eyes suddenly lit up. "No way, it actually worked? Yu Hong, that kid..." Even the Ancient Mages didn¡¯t know of such a method, yet this young man in his twenties did, which clearly indicated his extraordinary background. She was initially grasping at straws, yet it truly brought her a pleasant surprise. After several minutes. The Yin Qi Sky Pillar had shrunk to the thickness of a water bucket. Then with a puff, it completely dispersed and vanished. The Gate of Despair inside was now visible, a dark red vortex with a pitch-black frame. The vortex gradually became transparent, and within less than ten seconds, it quietly and completely dissipated. "It worked!" Quan He clapped her hands with sparkling eyes. She moved closer to conduct a thorough check, confirming that it was indeed completely closed. Unknown Evil Shadows attempted to approach, but with a casual flick of her sleeve, her immense spiritual power instantly turned into a transparent shockwave, directly dispersing them. Two hours later. Yu Hong, stationed at the Qingchen Temple and overseeing the Spirit Alliance, was disturbed by a knock on the door while cultivating the Tai Ling Skill. Opening his eyes, he thought that there must be another emergency on the battlefield requiring his deployment. These days, he has been called upon more than ten times a day for urgent support to solve the problematic monster invasions in the vicinity. Most were caused by Three-eyed Dragon Men, while a few were due to large numbers of Black Giants rampaging straightforwardly. With such frequent engagements, each time with extreme intensity, even with his nearly boundless Inner Strength and a Spiritual Cultivation reaching over ten thousand, he felt profoundly exhausted. But this place, it was the most hopeful he had seen yet in withstanding the pressure. With Quan He Monarch blocking in front, this time, there might really be a chance to stop the Black Disaster Spirit Disaster. Just delay the time, and the Spirit Light will be able to protect everyone, ensuring their survival to the greatest extent. Long-term high pressure was bound to breed geniuses with exceedingly strong Dao Breath. Given enough time, it wasn¡¯t impossible to restore the ancient glory of the Mages. By then, recreating the Sky Stabilizing Plate would not be difficult. "Who is it?" Yu Hong opened his eyes and looked towards the door. "Alliance Hierarch! Quan He Monarch has sent back a message. She has successfully closed the nearby Sea¡¯s Gate of Despair! She used the method you provided!" Fu Bai¡¯s voice conveyed excitement from outside. Although she had always been protected by the Taoist Temple, the increasingly dire situation outside had her feeling uneasy. Now, receiving good news finally allowed some semblance of stable hope to emerge. "Really!" Yu Hong immediately got up, considering how impossible it was to find so many Black Disaster Monsters outside, and how even more difficult it was to locate the first monster here compared to in Hope City. Because the monsters here were not immortal. Who knew if the first monster had already been killed. But unexpectedly, Quan He really did it! "Where is Quan He senior now?" Yu Hong stood up and quickly opened the door. "The True Monarch has already continued to search for other Gates of Despair!" Fu Bai replied. "I¡¯ll go see!" Yu Hong immediately left the Taoist Temple, without informing anyone, activated Thunderbolt Leg, and sped towards the seaside. He passed through the martial-law city district, leapt over the high walls, and casually eliminated any roaming Black Disaster Monsters along the way. Minutes later, he arrived at the beach. Agrius materialized out of thin air, supporting him, and they plunged into the sea, heading towards the direction of the Gate of Despair. At this time, the night was dark, and dense fog enveloped everything, making it impossible to see anything at sea. After over ten minutes. Yu Hong found the location where the Yin Qi Sky Pillar used to be, and indeed, the very conspicuous gigantic Heavenly Pillar had entirely disappeared. Along with it, the number of various Black Disaster Monsters in the surrounding seawater had also significantly decreased. His heart was overjoyed, and he immediately began to clear up the more dangerous Evil Shadow Black Tides in the vicinity. Time flew, and three days passed. In these three days. Quan He Monarch only rested for six hours each day, spending the rest battling tirelessly, with impressive achievements. In three days, she closed more than thirty Gates of Despair. There were still five gates estimated to be where the first beast had been killed early on and thus untraceable, preventing closure. Such efficiency greatly relieved the pressure on the Yasong Disaster Great Wall. It also allowed the Disaster Countermeasures Department to concentrate more forces on dealing with the Spirit Disaster Gate of Ten Thousand Spirits. Even more gratifying to Yu Hong was that the method also proved effective against the Gate of Ten Thousand Spirits. On her way, Quan He Monarch came across a Gate of Ten Thousand Spirits and tried it. Unexpectedly... It closed the gate of major Spirit Disaster. This time, the populace around the entire Disaster Great Wall boiled over with excitement. During this time, the Spirit Disasters and Black Disasters primarily initiated by the Seven Evil Alliance were concentrated in the southern and northern parts of Yasong. The civilians of these two areas were the main victims. Thanks to the vast territory, many of the monsters did not reach the other regional cities. With the Disaster Great Wall built in time, only about thirty or so cities were affected by the disaster. The rest of the regions were mainly impacted by the descending darkness and pervasive fog. After confirming that Quan He Monarch really closed a large number of Black Disaster Spirit Disaster gates, Yasong Official decreed that all forces should cooperate fully around her efforts. And Yu Hong also ordered the Spirit Alliance to take the opportunity to attack and destroy the monsters¡¯ living forces as much as possible. Under such circumstances, two weeks passed. Finally. At the ruins of Zihe Palace. Above the extensive ruins of the Taoist Palace, Quan He Monarch stood atop a gigantic, half-transparent immortal crane, looking ahead at the Yin Qi Sky Pillar that stretched from heaven to earth. "This is the last Gate of Ten Thousand Spirits," she said in a relaxed tone, filled with a sense of immense relief. Behind her, the high-ranking members of the Spirit Alliance and the leadership of the Taoist Sects had all gathered here. Even the remaining experts of the Seven Evil Alliance had convened. During this time, they were pulled to fill lines, plugged into wherever needed without any regard for their survival. With continuous attrition, the Seven Evil Alliance¡¯s personnel had been reduced by more than half, leaving only those with a fierce glint in their eyes, all deadly killing machines. Of the Seven Evils, Ghost Bell was nowhere to be found, reportedly killed in an ambush by Ku Chan. But no one cared. The rest of the Seven Evils did not care, the recovered Long Qingzi did not care, and Yu Hong cared even less. Compared to Ku Chan, the mere Ghost Bell was nothing;dead was dead. Ku Chan¡¯s value was evidently higher. After experiencing many plots and schemes, the now-enlightened Ku Chan finally got the knack of ambush. He was no longer as na?ve as before. At this moment, he stood beside Yu Hong, no longer clutching the corpse of his wife but wearing a black Daoist robe instead. His disfigured face was covered with a golden mask of a human figure, slightly feminine, clearly in the image of Ghost Bell. "After this gate closes, can everything finally end?" he asked softly. "Temporarily over," Yu Hong nodded. "But why hasn¡¯t this darkness passed? The last door is nearly closed," the silent Taoist in the distance voiced his confusion. "Perhaps once this last door is closed, it will slowly disperse," Yu Hong speculated. "No matter what, closing the doors is good for us!" A group of Magicians nodded in agreement, all looking up at Quan He Monarch in the sky. Chapter 403: 4.03 million souls, one People sparsely stood scattered among the ruins. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Many buildings were even cut off at the waist, completely losing their ceilings, resembling open boxes. Streams of black smoke drifted out from deep crevices from time to time. Everyone¡¯s gaze converged on that last Spirit Disaster Gate. As long as the Spirit Disaster was closed, the Black Disaster would actually not be too tough for Magicians to handle. The Yin Qi Sky Pillar constantly tumbled, rotated, and surged. Under Quan He¡¯s successive handprints, it was continuously constrained and bound. Hiss!! In an instant, a black pearl shot out, entering into the Heavenly Pillar. That was the initially sealed Spirit Disaster Monster, now precisely shot into the Heavenly Pillar. Silently, the pillar began to slowly contract, becoming thinner, visibly shrinking. One minute. Two minutes... Puff! The last wisp of smoke completely disappeared, and the pillar revealed its core, a dark red grotesque arched door wrapped in flesh and blood. That door also slowly closed. The door, over thirty meters tall, began to emit a creaking friction noise. The two door panels closed towards the center. Bang! Finally, the door completely closed. The entire Gate of Ten Thousand Spirits also completely faded, became transparent, and dissipated in mid-air. From then on, above the Zihe Palace ruins, there was no trace of the Spirit Disaster¡¯s presence. Silence... Everyone calmed down at this moment. Shortly after, a few seconds later. A huge cheer resounded through the heavens and the earth. Quan He looked relieved at the closed Gate of Ten Thousand Spirits, then turned to look at the many Magicians below on the ground. "Mission accomplished!" A gentle smile appeared on her face. "Next, only the Gate of Despair of the Black Disaster remains." In that moment, both the Spirit Alliance and the Disaster Countermeasures Department¡¯s Magicians were filled with joy. Ever since the Taoist Sect encountered trouble, the Seven Evil Alliance unleashed the Black Disaster Spirit Disaster, the elder sister began to continuously slide downward, moving toward the direction of abyss faster and faster. Until now. Quan He Monarch emerged, forcibly closing each gate with her own power. One could say she alone almost saved this world that was about to slip into the abyss. "It seems, as long as Quan He Monarch is around, this world should be able to maintain basic stability, I can probably start bringing people over..." Yu Hong also revealed a smile at this time. If even this method was useless and Quan He Monarch could not handle it, then his last resort would be to try and strengthen the Sky Stabilizing Plate, but such a terrifyingly large energy demand could not be met in a short time;for a Black Mark that even for strengthening medicine needed over ten days, the Sky Stabilizing Plate, a treasure of such potency, would likely need a very long time before it could be strengthened to a usable standard. After all, that would require the immense energy only attainable after the confluence and sublimation of nine Quan He. Thinking this, Yu Hong finally revealed a relaxed smile on his face. "Fortunate that, everything has ended..." He looked at the dazzling form of Quan He in the sky, feeling that rescuing her from her declining years was the most correct decision he made in his life. Click. Just then. Suddenly, a sound like glass cracking echoed through the sky. All the Magicians present with a certain level of spiritual power heard this sound. "What was that sound?" Yu Hong furrowed his brow, looked around, but could not discover anything. Suddenly, he hurriedly raised his head, looking towards Quan He. "Be careful!!" In that instant, his pupils shrank, he yelled loudly. But it was already too late. Behind Quan He Monarch, the just-closed Gate of Ten Thousand Spirits unexpectedly revealed its outline once again. The gate¡¯s door showed numerous cracks, then, in the instant Quan He turned her head, it explosively shattered. Hiss!!! A giant golden hand, in an instant, stretched out from the gate, and with a bang, precisely grabbed onto Quan He¡¯s body. The giant hand was engraved with countless runes, as if made of gold, similar to the previously severed brass hand, only more solidified and larger. After grabbing Quan He, the hand suddenly retracted, instantly entering the gate, disappearing from sight. This sudden change silenced the Magicians below, who had no time to react. It was too fast. The giant hand appeared, grabbed Quan He, and retracted back in less than one second. For that duration, at that distance, even Yu Hong was too slow to intervene and rescue. Boom!! Just then, an ear-splitting crane cry came out from inside the Gate of Ten Thousand Spirits, but abruptly stopped, and everything calmed down. At that moment, the sky was empty. In the dark night sky, where Quan He Monarch had just been radiating bright white light, she had now completely vanished without a trace. The Magicians present were all stunned. Not knowing how to react, some even thought they were seeing things, lowering their heads to rub their eyes. Some instinctively began to retreat backward, creating distance, ready to flee at any moment. But most people, they fixed their gaze in the direction where Quan He Monarch was captured. "How... How is this possible!!?" The Taoist of Golden Light¡¯s face stiffened, his eyes filled with disbelief. "Our teacher, her strength reaches heaven and penetrates earth... how... how could this be!?" Hisss! Ku Chan and the Silent Taoist both took off from the ground on one side, turning into two streaks of light, one red and one white, flying toward the Gate of Ten Thousand Spirits. Yu Hong was a bit slower, but also leapt up, aiming for the Gate of Ten Thousand Spirits. However, all three seemed to have passed through an illusion, directly moving through the middle of the Gate of Ten Thousand Spirits. Landing behind, they turned to look back. At this moment, the other Magicians below finally reacted, releasing their Magic, bombarding toward the Gate of Ten Thousand Spirits. One by one, spiritual summons of incorporeal beings, fire, ice, poison fog, beams of light, and more, thick and fast flew towards the Gate of Ten Thousand Spirits. But all of them passed right through the middle. "Senior!!" Yu Hong, with purple-red Inner Power flames igniting all over him, leapt up again, briefly hovering in front of the Gate of Ten Thousand Spirits. But he felt nothing. Within his spiritual senses, there was just emptiness, nothing at all... At this very moment, an indescribable panic arose in the hearts of the Magicians present. The formidable power of Quan He Monarch had deepened in their hearts during this period, a terrifying strength that completely set her apart from others. But at this moment, even she was grasped and taken away by that Gold hand inside the Gate of Ten Thousand Spirits... Even such a world-conquering powerhouse was powerless to resist... Then they... "Leader!! Quick, look at the sky!!" Suddenly, Qing Huang yelled out. Yu Hong hastily looked up, staring higher up. Boom Boom Boom Boom Boom Boom!!! At this time a series of dull sounds continuously transmitted from the high sky. One after another, ancient and ornate rounded arches appeared and opened. It was his first time seeing the Gate of Ten Thousand Spirits! Five gates. Ten gates. Twenty gates. Fifty gates... Eventually, Yu Hong stopped counting how many Gates of Ten Thousand Spirits there were. He only saw, filling the sky, a dense sea of Gates of Ten Thousand Spirits, nearly covering his entire field of vision. "What... what¡¯s happening!!?" His whole being was bewildered. Crack. Golden flashes of lightning streaked across the sky, rapidly followed by more and more, illuminating everything, dyeing the world gold. From inside the Gates of Ten Thousand Spirits, swarms of Golden Armor Dragon-men rushed out, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, even more, all in a three-eyed form. They lined up in battle formations, with Cai Jing Taoist in charge, having a gold-rimmed halo on his back, commanding from behind;ancient symbol-decorated white banners fluttered, one by one moving towards below. The golden-colored Spirit Disaster Army, like a tide of sea water, descended from over ten thousand meters above, thunderously crashing down towards the land below. Simultaneously. From all Gates of Ten Thousand Spirits, huge golden arms stretched out. Densely packed golden arms clasped together, then with a loud ¡¯pop,¡¯ exploded into countless golden light particles. Within the light particles, a hundred meters tall giant clad in pure white full body armor emerged, holding a Three-pronged Trident, with a crown of blazing white flames over his head, hovering mid-air. As the Armored Giant appeared, an enormous terrifying spiritual pressure spread out in all directions, inundating the surroundings. Within a ten kilometers radius. The entire ground instantly sank down significantly, pressed into a giant spherical imprint. The Magicians below on the ground, along with buildings, all uniformly sank down. That terrifying, exaggerated spiritual pressure distorted reality, transforming into over a ton of physical weight, instantly turning several physically weaker Magicians ghastly pale, with Spirit Light emerging on their bodies. A small number of Magicians who had not mastered Spirit Light Secret Skills were pressed to their knees on the ground, continuously vomiting blood, their bodies rapidly deforming, bones shattering, flesh slowly being compressed into a messed pancake. "I am the Immortal General of the Fore-Spirit Ten Thousand Mountains..." Golden eyes shone brightly and deeply under the white armor giant¡¯s helmet. "Mortals... all things shall wither, only the Immortal endures!" Within the echoing grand voice. The Silent Taoist was the first to react, grabbing a nearby apprentice and turning to run. Yu Hong glanced at the chaotic values on his multi-use meter, directly smashing it. This device was useless now, the enemy¡¯s spiritual value exceeded the detection limit, at least over a hundred million. Even the Quan He Monarch, who had mastered Spirit Light, was silently captured. He immediately stopped hesitating and turned to run. ¡¯This world... is absolutely not normal!¡¯ He had long felt that the world¡¯s Magicians were not right, their mastered Magic often involved summoning the Divine Intent of Heaven, but it seemed like the Immortal Gods of Heaven also stood behind the Spirit Disasters. Are the two systems the same? If so, why does the power of Heaven, frequently borrowed by the Magicians, not threaten this world? Every borrowing by the Magicians, isn¡¯t it just continuously opening small Gates of Ten Thousand Spirits? He always had this doubt. And now, watching the Gates of Ten Thousand Spirits, which should have been completely closed, being opened like a child¡¯s play, hundreds to thousands, filling the entire sky. It seemed to him that... This world might be too close to the Spirit Disasters... Thinking of the Spirit Disasters previously evolving by devouring human spiritual power. This world might essentially be the hunting ground for Spirit Disasters, coming to harvest periodically. That¡¯s why there were so many loopholes, making it so easy for Long Qing and others to open the Gates of Ten Thousand Spirits. Chapter 404: 4.04 million spirits Two Yu Hong dashed wildly across the land to escape. A ton of pressure might be formidable for others, but to him it felt like a drizzle. However, the key point was that he and his opponent were separated by at least a few thousand meters, yet he could already feel such intense pressure, if he got any closer... Perhaps just constantly feeling the pressure would equal tens or hundreds of tons. Then there was no point in fighting! "Monarch Quan He..." his mind still couldn¡¯t believe it, that such a formidable Quan He Monarch would be captured and disappear without any resistance. "Maybe... she¡¯s just temporarily trapped and can escape," Yu Hong comforted himself internally. But the spiritual premonition of acute unease made him realize, the likelihood of that result... was too low. He turned his head and saw some slower magicians already engulfed and devoured by the golden army of Three-eyed Dragon Men. Even Su Ling, one of the Nine Sects¡¯ Sect Masters, already seriously injured and not adept in speed magic, desperately became engulfed in the golden waves. She disappeared in the blink of an eye, and a group of close disciples and brothers screamed and broke off to save her, but it was too late, they too were engulfed. If it wasn¡¯t for these dragon-men needing to constantly maintain an array formation, besides Yu Hong, none of the magicians would have escaped. Yet even then, more than half of the magicians didn¡¯t manage to escape in time. They were overwhelmed and torn apart on the spot. Yu Hong felt a continuous stream of Spirit Light entering his body as people died. He couldn¡¯t help but turn his head to the sky. Above the ruins of Zihe Palace, the sky had already condensed into a massive expanse of grey fog. Like initially, the fog quickly spread in all directions, enveloping the ground. Recalling the number of Gate of Ten Thousand Spirits he had just seen. Yu Hong no longer hesitated. He understood. This world, was finished. Boom! Purple-red flames erupted again on his body, Inner Strength doubled burning, his speed surged to nearly four hundred yards. A speed of hundreds of meters per second turned him almost into the wind, madly sprinting onward. After more than ten minutes. Disaster Great Wall. Yu Hong was the first to leap over the thick black wall. Pressing the alarm button on the wall. Woo!! The shrill emergency alarm sound quickly rose. Teams of magicians paired with army soldiers rushed out from their places of rest. Everyone took their positions. Artillerists aimed and calibrated. Bombers took off, missile silos automatically opened, ready to launch at any time. Magicians began to stir Dao Breath, attaching magic to all weapons. Yu Hong generously modified three special-attack talismans into arrays, under the activation of a large number of magicians, they coated the entire Disaster Great Wall black wall with a layer of shining white Array Patterns. At this time, the rear magicians just kept rushing over, successively crossing the Disaster Great Wall, stopping to rest. Some chose not to stop and tried to run further away, but were held in place by Yu Hong using Spirit Light Secret Skill. He personally stood next to a missile silo. At this moment, the military commander stationed here quickly rushed over, walking up to him. "Alliance Hierarch Zheng Rou, what¡¯s happening!? Wasn¡¯t it said that the last Gate of Ten Thousand Spirits was about to be closed!? Why is there such a big deployment now!?" "Are you questioning me!?" Yu Hong retorted, his gaze toward the other. The commander, a middle-aged bald man with a small beard, stiffened under that stare, but still held his ground under the pressure and met Yu Hong¡¯s eyes. "The supernatural side is what you and the Disaster Countermeasures Department are in charge of! If I don¡¯t ask you, who should I ask!? Earlier you guys confidently told me you could finish everything soon! What exactly is going on now!? Why hit the highest alert button!? Where is Monarch Quan He!?" "Monarch..." Yu Hong gritted his teeth, recalling the skies filled with Gates of Ten Thousand Spirits, almost unable to speak. Seeing this, the commander¡¯s heart chilled instantly, understanding that the situation was grim. Although he was not a magician, he had some understanding of Quan He¡¯s high strength in the magic circle. But now, this era¡¯s strongest magician... was also... "They¡¯re coming!" Yu Hong suddenly turned his head, looking towards Zihe Palace. In the grey fog pouring out again from there, an endless golden wave surged out, thunderously charging towards the Disaster Great Wall. This exaggerated number made the already prepared army and magicians all stunned. But the next moment, everyone immediately began bombing. The dense sound of artillery fire merged into a single noise, shaking the ground. Thousands of shells at several times the speed of sound, thunderously plunged into the golden wave. Boom boom boom!! Explosions and flames constantly blocked the approaching wave. Yu Hong leaped into the missile silo, landed on top of a missile, continuously adding Spirit Light to it like it was free. Since Spirit Light could only temporarily attach to inanimate objects, he had to rush here immediately. Seeing this, the commander didn¡¯t hesitate, took out a walkie-talkie and ordered ignition. Hiss! Flames lit up below the missile. The entire silo vibrated and rumbled. As the flames grew brighter and smoke billowed out. Yu Hong jumped to the side of the well, watching the missile gradually ascend, accelerate, tilt, and rise higher. "Don¡¯t worry, it will rise to the highest point, then descend from the sky, accelerating to thirty times the speed of sound to bomb down. Just the impact force alone is a major weapon," the commander said solemnly. Yu Hong didn¡¯t reply, just turned around, watching the golden wave from the direction of Zihe Palace. At this moment, the Three-eyed Dragon Man army formed an array and released a pale golden transparent barrier, blocking the bombing of artillery fire, bombs, and landmines. Despite countless dragon-men being shredded by the added large-scale explosions and burning into ash, disappearing, they were far too many. Some army formations even performed short-distance collective Instantaneous Movements, thus avoiding slower burning shells. The deafening bombing and artillery sounds almost made Yu Hong unable to hear any other sounds. He quickly returned to the city wall, where the magicians who had just returned had already begun coordinating with the army to intercept the enormous incoming danger. "Alliance Hierarch... Cai Jing is here!!" Qing Huang, pale-faced, ran in, "Think of something!!" Cai Jing... Yu Hong fell silent. Those Cai Jing Taoists who had just appeared, each carrying a golden halo behind them, were all in their complete form. What could he use to fight them!? Last time, it took Quan He fifteen minutes to completely refine just three fully developed Cai Jing. Now, there were far more than three. "Alliance Hierarch!" The Taoist who kept silent also hurried over. "What should we do next??" At this moment, facing such a terrifying scene, even these veteran magicians didn¡¯t know what to do anymore. The gap in strength on the other side was too vast. They couldn¡¯t see any possibility of resistance. The only hope was to come to Yu Hong, second only to Quan He, to see if the mysterious him had any good ideas. "...." Yu Hong remained silent. What good ideas could he have? In this situation, even if he could immediately obtain another opportunity to access the Lighting Disaster Gate, it would be futile. There were too many Gates of Ten Thousand Spirits from the Spirit Disaster. Seeing his silence. The Taoist who kept silent and others seemed to understand something, their complexions turning even paler. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Some magicians who had just escaped returned also turned around and stealthily fled. Crack. A golden lightning suddenly streaked across the sky. Swoosh! Instantaneously, five Cai Jing Taoists, through instantaneous movement, appeared in the sky above the Disaster Great Wall. They towered high above, their hundred-meter-tall figures releasing faint colorful light, illuminating the surroundings, looking down upon everything. A faint divine sound emerged, an aura both majestic and holy surged into the hearts of everyone on the Great Wall. "It¡¯s over!!" The moment Yu Hong saw them, he understood that any resistance from others was completely meaningless... only he was here! Without the slightest hesitation, his body erupted with purple-red Inner Power flames, his body size expanded, countless fine threads behind him wove into a giant humanoid figure, then he stomped the ground and shot up into the sky. ¡¯Thunderbolt!¡¯ ¡¯Five Forms!¡¯ His body turned into a purple-red meteor, in a blink slamming into a Cai Jing Taoist in front of him. A sweeping leg kick! Boom!! This kick heavily struck the side of the Cai Jing Taoist¡¯s waist but was blocked by a layer of pale golden semi-transparent barrier. Two equally enormous terrifying forces crazily contradicted and depleted each other. But before Yu Hong could continue exerting force, the other Cai Jing Taoists on one side simultaneously pointed their fingers at him. "Moon God¡¯s remnants... those who defy, die!!" Amidst the resounding divine sounds, the Cai Jing Taoists issued a low roar like a judgment. Buzz! Four finger-tips emitted colorful lights, via instantaneous movement, they appeared right beside Yu Hong, instantly wrapping him. A second later. Sizzle sizzle sizzle!! The colorful light exploded, scattering, and Yu Hong¡¯s body encompassed with golden electric arcs and silver Spirit Light making chaotic sounds, staunchly withstanding the erosion of the colorful light. "Kill!!!" He roared ferociously, his right leg sweeping down like a Battle Axe. Boom!! The Cai Jing Taoist in front of him got hit directly in the neck by this leg, and the colorful light on its head was also struck, dropping colorful light scraps. The next instant, it like a meteor was smashed flying toward the distance, heavily landing. Bang! The ground shook, but less than a second later, this Cai Jing Taoist via instantaneous movement reappeared, pointing a finger on Yu Hong¡¯s back. Colorful light flared, and Yu Hong was once again wrapped in more dazzling light. After one second, the divinity electric light and silver Spirit Light on him also intensively depleted, barely blocking the colorful light. Just as he was about to counterattack. The other Cai Jing Taoists simultaneously appeared via flash, surrounding him exactly in the center, seemingly forming an Array, rapidly Sealing with their hands. Streaks of colorful light turned into threads, rapidly wrapping around Yu Hong. A terrifying mental pressure, at this moment, violently surged. Boom!! The next second, Yu Hong suddenly felt his body weight multiply by ten times! His body sank, all his muscles, bones, and organs started to endure tremendous internal pressure. The second second. His body weight once again increased ten times!! Two ten-fold increments directly shot up to hundreds of times his original body weight. As he originally weighed half a ton, it suddenly increased a hundredfold, instantly maximized his body load. The next second, the colorful light threads around again began to increase the amplification. Yu Hong couldn¡¯t move, his Inner Power burning within him, divinity Spirit Light desperately struggling, trying to escape the thread¡¯s restraints. If this happens again, he might have no choice but to recall his Spirit Light and transform into his complete form! "I¡¯m coming!!" Suddenly a cold voice sounded from below. A vast dark red flame shot into the sky, a towering figure with a blurry face wearing spiked black armor, carrying a black sun on his back, rapidly approached, slashing two swords at two Cai Jing Taoists. Although this force was not enough to injure the Cai Jing Taoists, it disrupted the Array they were releasing, causing some of the colorful threads to break. Ku Chan himself was pointed at by a casually pointed finger from a Cai Jing Taoist, his protective flame exploded on the spot, the Chi Xiao Sword once again surfaced with cracks, flying backward, crashing into a small building, his fate unknown. Yu Hong seized the opportunity to break free, his leg thunderously striking the head of one Cai Jing Taoist. With a pop, colorful light spots burst and shattered. This Cai Jing Taoist was instantly kicked, its aura dimming, injured by the Inner Power and flying out. Chapter 405: Spirit 3 of 4.05 million Yu Hong fell to the ground, his Inner Strength shaking off the enhanced pressure caused by the increased weight. Top Magician experts like the Golden Light Taoist were now, one after another, releasing long-range Magic to provide support. Various colored Spiritual Domains rapidly expanded, soaring into the sky desperately. But by now, it was already too late. The number of Three-eyed Dragon Men was too great;they had already begun Instantaneous Movement into the Great Wall, commencing a massacre. No Magician could withstand their instant skewering attacks. Spiritual Domains could only barely encompass single digits, while more crazily poured in ceaselessly. Even with Spirit Light enhancing protection, it could at most hold out for a few more moments;now, one after another, the Spirit Light shattered like smashed eggs. The Magicians couldn¡¯t hold them back, let alone ordinary people. Every second, Spirit Light was flying into Yu Hong¡¯s body. The color of the Spirit Light on him gradually overshadowed all other colors, bathing the whole person in dazzling silver. "Kill!!" He erupted from the ground once again, charging toward the Cai Jing Taoist, but hit nothing as the opponent Instantaneously Moved away, refusing to engage him in combat. They were no longer able to stand one-on-one against the current Yu Hong, whose overall qualities were quickly being strengthened by the large amounts of Spirit Light. Five Cai Jing Taoists spread out their formation, widening the distance, flashing rapidly around, preparing to form the Array and release the Colorful Mirror threads again. Further off, that huge humanoid figure in pure white armor, with white ribbons twining around its body and a blinding white flame burning over its head, was slowly drifting this way. With every bit of distance it moved, the ten kilometers around it seemed to become its unique field of intense pressure. Everywhere it reached, the earth collapsed, leaving clear indentations. All living things, trees, stones, were all crushed to dust. On Yu Hong¡¯s side, the number of Spirit Alliance members dying was increasing. More and more Spirit Light was shooting up and merging into his body. Once again, a trace of power from the Ultimate Sun appeared faintly behind him. As the Spirit Light continued to strengthen, his strength, speed, physical constitution, and defense were all rapidly soaring once more. The Cai Jing Taoists, who had been previously trying to lock him down with an Array, were now no longer able to entangle him. Instead, they were repeatedly ambushed by him, forced to retreat in defeat. Their Instantaneous Movement was not without a sign;there was a slight hand gesture of Sealing before it happened. It was this slight delay that, at close quarters, Yu Hong seized to launch lightning-fast assaults, scattering the Cai Jing Taoists¡¯ colorful aura with each strike. Boom!! At last, the halo behind one of the Cai Jing Taoists shattered, and his entire body was punched, exploding the head¡¯s colorful glow, disintegrating in an instant. But in the next second, a large amount of grey fog condensed not far away, once again revealing the figure of a Cai Jing Taoist. It had actually been reborn!! It was only now that Yu Hong finally understood why Quan He would choose Sealing...would choose an Array... At this very moment, the Immortal General in the distance was closing in. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Tens of thousands of Magicians and soldiers were dying every moment on the ground below. Even though the Spirit Light was still rapidly enhancing his all-around qualities, Yu Hong could not see a glimmer of hope. "Kill!!" From the manor house behind, most of the expert Magicians had fled. Only Ku Chan, once again clutching the Chi Xiao Sword, his face covered in blood, charged out. His eyes were dark red, his body enveloped in dark red flames. His Dao Breath soared, combined with the silver Spirit Light Threads, actually much stronger than before. Clearly, this guy was also a genius. After receiving guidance from Quan He, he had improved the application of Spirit Light to another level in a short time, integrating and enhancing his Magic power. Looking at the Immortal General approaching in the distance, feeling the Disaster Great Wall below almost submerged, Yu Hong gritted his teeth, let himself fall to the ground, stomped his foot, and rushed towards Ku Chan, grabbing him. "We¡¯ve been beaten, let¡¯s go!" He yelled angrily, carrying the person towards the empty space behind the Great Wall. With the speed currently greatly amplified by his Spirit Light, he was nearing two hundred meters per second. That was an astonishing speed nearing seven hundred yards. It was close to the speed of sound;the air in front of him almost turned into a thick sludge. In an instant, the scenery at his side turned to blurred shadows, and various messy things in front were pierced through;in a few leaps, he took the person several kilometers away. The Cai Jing Taoists lost interest in him after realizing he was gone, eagerly beginning to devour the glowing points of spiritual power rising from the humans below. Yu Hong sprinted, sensing the dwindling breaths of life left on the Great Wall behind him with his spiritual power, eventually closing his eyes, holding the blood-spewing Ku Chan, and racing toward Taizhou. But still on the way. The night-like sky suddenly began to clear of the grey fog. One by one, white meteors fell from the sky, plummeting diagonally toward the earth. The ground began to tremble. It wasn¡¯t a simple tremor caused by explosions, but an extremely violent shaking. Crack... The earth began to split, revealing crevasses like massive centipedes. Yu Hong turned back sharply. Seeing at the site of the Disaster Great Wall, the white armored Immortal General, with one hand raised high, holding a giant lance made of white electric light. Already smashing it fiercely into the ground. The lance turned into a straight pillar of light, thunderously striking the earth, piercing deep into the ground. Columns of white light continuously poured into the earth, their surroundings¡ªbuildings, terrain¡ªall shattered and deformed by the ripples surged up from the ground, turning into a uniformly fine and flat land. At this moment, two white intercontinental missiles visibly descended from the sky, hitting the White Armored Immortal General in mid-air. Hiss! Blinding light burst forth in an instant, forming two small suns overlapping each other. The surrounding night was directly dispersed, illuminated. Everything seemed to have returned to daylight. But that light lasted for less than a second before suddenly dimming. Yu Hong opened his eyes again, just in time to see white streamers on the body of the Immortal General automatically flying out, enveloping the two nuclear explosions of the small suns completely, sealing away all light and heat. The streamers fluttered violently, showing cracks on their surface, but ultimately they did not break, after a tense few seconds, all became completely tranquil. ".....!!" Seeing this, Yu Hong had completely lost all hope in his heart. He turned his head and sprinted away furiously. "We¡¯re leaving! What about the people at the Disaster Great Wall?" Ku Chan, being dragged along by him, still had the energy to speak. "There are no more living people at the Disaster Great Wall," Yu Hong replied solemnly. The exaggerated Golden Wave had already doomed those below when he had been entangled by Cai Jing Taoists. Ordinary people were the true prey of these Spirit Disasters. Ku Chan had no response, and fell silent. The two of them hurriedly made their way, encountering openings in the sky along the road, one Gate of Ten Thousand Spirits after another. Random doors appeared even in the sky above desolate wastelands. Clearly, the erosion of this world by the Spirit Disasters had not just begun. Opening so many gates in an instant, hidden dangers had been lurking for many years. Yu Hong, along the way, encountered a Magician from the Spirit Alliance driving a car to escape, and kept stepping in to save people. Fortunately, those who went to this final viewing were either top experts or slick old-timers with vast experience. Sensing something wrong, they escaped quickly. Some went directly from planes to cars, initially moving faster than Yu Hong. More than an hour later, Taizhou¡¯s temporary command center. Bang! The door to the command hall was busted open. Yu Hong was the first to enter, breathing slightly heavily, followed by Yu Hen, Yu Mo, Qing Huang, Silent, and others. As they entered, they immediately attracted the gaze of all mid-level Magicians inside. "The news is known to all of you, and now with time critical, we have no way out," Yu Hong stated as he stood on the podium, projecting his voice. "The Immortal General that emerged later seems to have triggered the shaking of the earth. Everywhere was experiencing earthquakes as I returned, the ground cracking open. The sky also has sparse openings of the Gate of Ten Thousand Spirits, with meteor-like falls containing all sorts of monsters. I suspect the higher layers had larger Gates of Ten Thousand Spirits opening. That¡¯s why monsters fell from the sky, turning into meteors." Yu Hong looked around at everyone. Of the Nine Sects, only four remained. Taoists from Golden Light and two others were there but injured. Long Qingzi, weakened, leaned against the wall;he had returned to his physical body, and his cultivation had only recovered for a few days with the help of Spirit Light before being dragged into frontline slaughter. He was unfortunately hit directly by the Golden Wave initially, severely wounded on the spot. Within the whole Seven Evil Alliance, he was the only survivor. The rest were all devoured in an instant because they were too close to the front. "Alliance Hierarch, is there really no hope at all?" Yaochen Taoist took a step forward, staring at Yu Hong. ".... Gathering wisdom may find us a way, and that¡¯s why I¡¯ve called everyone here," Yu Hong answered. He was well aware that Taizhou could not withstand the Golden Wave or the Immortal General from the First Spirit Mountain... All resistance was merely a powerless delay, nothing more. "For this particular situation, there is only one method!" Amidst the multitude of Magicians, it was Yu Hen, the unobtrusive Taoist, who now spoke up with gravity. "Master Uncle!?" Yu Hong looked at Yu Hen in surprise. Among the many Magicians present, Yu Hen¡¯s power was almost the weakest, but power doesn¡¯t seem to represent will. He still had hope in his eyes;he still had a plan? Conversely, the rest of the senior Magicians had lost their calm. "The best strategy now is to avoid the brunt of the edge, to hide!" Yu Hen said quickly. "But they move too fast, spreading their Array, I estimate in half an hour they could reach here. There¡¯s not enough time!" Yu Hong replied urgently. "All the underground nuclear shelters in Taizhou can accommodate people. Sound the alarm now, save as many as we can!" Yu Hen said. "But what after that? Enter the nuclear shelters only to be trapped and slain by the Spirit Disasters?" Long Qingzi retorted sarcastically. "Leave some people to draw them off. The rest hide away, conceal yourselves, and take a gamble. There are no other options now," Yu Hong said, giving him a look. Long Qingzi shuddered all over, falling silent. His face was extremely ugly;he already understood who would be chosen to cover the rear. "We have already set up multiple layers of concealed Arrays at the entry and exit of the nuclear shelters. It was to prepare for this day, didn¡¯t expect¡­," Yu Hen sighed. He had simply been too accustomed to calculating and liked to have several backup plans, hence he had casually ordered the arrangements. He hadn¡¯t expected that today, they would actually be needed. Chapter 406: Four million six hundred thousand spirits, four "Execute immediately, save as many as we can." The commanding representative from Yasong Official¡¯s side stood up, making a decisive decision and issuing the order with a slam of his hand. When it came to the ordinary people, it was he who made the decisions. As for the magicians, they all looked to Yu Hong. "There are twenty-six minutes left, which is roughly the time I estimated. If we don¡¯t send out that Immortal General and the Cai Jing Taoist, who are capable of continuously using instantaneous movement to rapidly approach this location," Yu Hong said, "Everyone, start guiding the civilians to evacuate immediately!!" "Lian Yunzi, if the Spirit Disaster Army attacks, you¡¯ll be responsible for buying time," he said to Lian Yunzi. "...Yes!" Lian Yunzi gritted his teeth and could only bow his head. "Let¡¯s begin. Gentlemen." Yu Hong said no more. He turned and left the command hall. Outside, airplanes continuously took off into the sky, departing towards distant places. It was clear that these were the high-ranking officials and wealthy merchants who had received the news in advance. However, several of these planes were struck by meteors from Feixia and exploded in mid-air. These meteors were not in straight lines;they could freely bend and move, each enclosing groups of three-eyed golden armored dragon-men, resembling spaceships descending from the sky. Yu Hong exited the command hall and first found his master, Yu Mo, to have him pack up and gather at the Taoist Temple. Then he alerted the higher-ups of the Spirit Alliance including Qing Huang, the remaining Nine Sects¡¯ Sect Masters, the Golden Light Taoist, and the others. Additionally, he individually notified Cheng Shu and various other magicians to get in place. Ten minutes later, nearly ninety percent of the people notified at Qingchen Temple had arrived. "Where is Ku Chan!?" Yu Hong entered the courtyard, only to find that Ku Chan was not there. As a top genius of the Heavenly Master level, his self-created Daoist Skills could even directly devour lower-level spirits of the Spirit Disaster to replenish himself, sustaining him in battle. Naturally, he hoped such a top-level talent wouldn¡¯t perish so easily. "He and Long Qingzi went together, saying they didn¡¯t want to flee the battle," Lian Yunzi said with a sigh. "Let him be," Yu Hong had no response, unable to forcibly command someone who no longer feared death, even with his mastery of Spirit Light. "His entire family died at the hands of the Spirit Disaster, and unlike us, hiding well and sustaining through battle is indeed better for him than hiding away," said the silent Taoist. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "All right." Yu Hong wasted no more words and scanned the people present. Lian Yun¡¯s group of three, the four Sect Leaders, and their close disciples totaled more than ten people. At Qingchen Temple, a group of old Taoists and disciples added up to over forty people. Then there were over thirty old members of the Spirit Light Alliance, such as Cheng Shu. All together, nearly a hundred people were present¡ªthese were the essence of the magicians remaining in the Yasong region of the world for the short term. "This place... there¡¯s no hope left..." Yu Hong waved his hand, releasing a technique to seal the whole Taoist Temple, preventing sound from leaking out. "I have an option, to take you away from here, to a place with extremely low temperature, but relatively safer than here. Who wants to come with me!?" he said solemnly. "Safe? Is there still such a place now!?" the silent Taoist questioned. "I can¡¯t take too many people, so only those of you present have the right to choose. To go or not, you have two minutes to consider," Yu Hong said, not heeding the doubt and continuing. "....." The crowd quieted down, seeing the serious look on Yu Hong¡¯s face, nobody thought he was joking. At this critical juncture, as the leader of the Spirit Alliance, he surely knew it was not a time for jokes, so this retreat, this so-called relatively safe place, was most likely real. "Can¡¯t we bring more people?" Yu Hen asked somberly. "...." Yu Hong shook his head. His Black Ship was only so big, and the space it could accommodate was extremely limited. An ineffable silence fell. Everyone seriously pondered over this choice. Whether to hide with everyone in the underground nuclear protection facilities, or to go with the Alliance Leader to a completely unknown so-called safe place. Not long after. Yu Hong spoke up. "Those who are unwilling can leave now." Silently, many from the Nine Sects walked out, including the surviving Sect Leaders and the silent Taoist, who did not have complete trust in Yu Hong. Instead of taking a wild gamble with him, it was better to hold on to what they could see. The leading silent Taoist cupped his fists towards Yu Hong in a salute and silently led the people away. As these ten or so people left, Lian Yun¡¯s group of three also set off and left. "I can probably guess what safe place you are talking about, Alliance Leader, but it¡¯s not our time to go yet. If all of us leave and Master manages to break out, no one will be there to receive him after all his struggling, and that would be terrible," the Golden Light Taoist said firmly, cupping his fists at Yu Hong. Together with Yaochen and Lian Yunzi, the three of them left the Taoist Temple. Suddenly, only those of the Qingchen line and the original members of the Spirit Alliance such as Cheng Shu remained on site. The top experts had chosen to stay behind. Yu Hong did not attempt to retain them, sensing from the Spiritual Sensing that those who stayed harbored a subtle willingness towards death. Be it due to the bonds they carried, out of hatred, or simply out of weariness, they were unwilling to keep fleeing. Those who were unafraid of even death, naturally paid no heed to his so-called threats of Spirit Light. However, the other¡¯s words reminded him¡ªhad the greatest share of Quan He¡¯s Spirit Light not returned yet? Was it locked away by Heaven, or... could it be that Quan He hadn¡¯t died? Was he just temporarily trapped!? This thought involuntarily also raised a faint hope in his heart. Looking at the last figure of Lian Yunzi leaving, the doors of the Taoist Temple slowly closed. "Now, is no one else leaving?" Yu Hong swept his gaze over the crowd. "Then release your Spirit Light, protect yourselves. Follow me!" He took the lead to turn around, heading towards the room where he practiced and retreated. Shortly after, he entered through the opened door. Yu Hen, Yu Mo, and the other senior Taoists nodded and promptly conjured their Spirit Light, following him inside. Cheng Shu and the others also released silver light with determined faces and followed suit. The remaining seventy-plus people filed in one by one, forming a long line as they streamed into the room. Strangely, as soon as everyone entered the room, they found themselves in a deep, dense Black Disaster Fog. "Is this... Black Disaster Fog?!" Qing Huang at the forefront, realized the situation and recognized it. He had surrendered his loyalty early and, with his consistent dedication, was already considered a high-level member of the Spirit Alliance. And there with him was the old slick, Zhao Jingtang. He surprisingly hadn¡¯t left either. "It indeed is the fog of the Black Disaster..." Zhao Jingtang quietly murmured while feeling and observing the surroundings, grabbing a wisp of fog in his hand. As a top-tier Magician of the Seven Fierce Level, he too was almost at the same level as the Nine Sects¡¯ Sect Masters, naturally having his own method of distinction. "Don¡¯t worry, just follow me." Yu Hong was still making his way through the black fog ahead, while the furnishings in the surrounding rooms were already completely blurred, obscured, and vanished by the fog. Though they knew they were inside a small bedroom, they felt as if they were moving across an endlessly vast plain of dense fog, experiencing a weird sense of absurdity. Before long, the sound of a flowing river started emerging from the front. Everyone looked intently ahead and saw a pitch-black river appear, with a crudely made dock of stone and wood perched over it. Yu Hong had already walked onto the small wooden bridge of the dock, proceeding deeper into the black fog. It was with some hesitation that the others followed. But Yu Hong, appearing to have anticipated this, had his own body glowing with thick silver Spirit Light, acting like a lighthouse guiding them. This light instantly brought a sense of calm to the crowd. The bright silver light also penetrated the surrounding fog quite a bit, reducing the previous thick sense of mystery and eeriness. Before long, a massive Black Ship moored at the riverbank materialized in front of Yu Hong. The ship was of an old model from ancient times, complete with a wooden mast and sails. Yu Hong leapt aboard, jumping onto the Black Ship and threw down a rope ladder from the deck. The crowd followed, cautiously climbing up the Black Ship using the rope ladder. Upon boarding, Yu Mo touched the side of the ship;the damp, slippery sensation made his scalp tingle, and standing at the edge of the ship, he looked down at the surging black river water outside, where seemingly strange and dangerous shadows peered at them through the flowing water. Creak. Quickly everyone was aboard, and the Black Ship slightly trembled, emitting the noise of being laden with weight for the first time. Then it automatically drifted away from the dock, slowly sailing into the depths of the black fog. "This ship, it seems to be constructed entirely from materials left by Black Disaster Monsters!" Zhao Jingtang suddenly exclaimed. He squatted on the deck, tapping lightly on the ground and listening to the sound it returned. "According to the latest classification by the Spirit Alliance, this deck, is made from at least Nightmare Level strength Black Disaster Monster bones, ground and processed... I have used this material before." "Nightmare Level, corresponds to which level of Spirit Disaster?" the elder Taoist Yu Hen asked. "The Cai Jing Taoist alone is roughly at Nightmare Level. I have studied this category;it spans a wide range, from ordinary Three-eyed Dragon Men, to incomplete Colorful Mirrors, then to complete Colorful Mirrors, with a tens-fold difference in the strength of their Dao Breath," Zhao Jingtang explained. He was well aware that among all the people on the ship, his status was probably the lowest, the least trustworthy, so making a good relationship with the senior Taoists like Yu Hen and Yu Mo was his first priority. "Colorful Mirror..." Everyone trembled at the word. Looking down at the black deck under their feet again, they suddenly felt it exuded mystery and danger from every part. "This ship was originally a private property of an ordinary ship owner, but later it was modified by a powerful force into a special ship capable of sailing through the Black Disaster, so don¡¯t panic, we are now safe...." Yu Hong stood at the bow, turning back to explain to everyone. But before he could finish speaking, a vast expanse of black fog behind him rapidly dispersed, and a huge Taoist wearing a golden crown silently emerged from the fog, his face half as big as the Black Ship. The Taoist, with an iron blue face devoid of expression, had two golden flames burning in his eyes, staring down at the people on the ship. Yu Hong, sensing something was wrong, saw the shocked and astonished expressions of the crowd and abruptly turned around. "munaendiyasangluo...." The immense face of the Taoist began to recite an unfamiliar Mantra and True Word. A great burst of grey fog rushed from his mouth and nose, forcibly invading the black fog, completely encircling the Black Ship. A force comparable to a complete Cai Jing Taoist¡¯s terrifying Spiritual Suppression crashed down, slamming hard onto the people on the ship. Crack. Fine cracks started to appear on the body of the Black Ship. Some old, decayed parts began to crumble away. The entire ship also started to slowly take on water. "What kind of Spirit Disaster is this?!" Pale-faced, Qing Huang braced his Spirit Light, struggling to look forward. Chapter 407: Hope 1 Massive swathes of dark and grey fog intertwined, cancelling each other out, while grey fog poured crazily from the mouth and nose of the Jin-crowned Taoist, counteracting the black fog. Yu Hong at the bow of the ship was ablaze with purplish-red flames, stubbornly holding back the majority of the spiritual suppression. This also made it much easier for the people behind him. "Form the Array!!" Qing Huang shouted loudly. Everyone hurriedly found their positions, took out portable Array Plates, and pressed them to the ground. Buzz! Rings of silver Spirit Light combined with Dao Breath surrounded everyone, forming a gigantic Yin Yang Diagram. The Yin Yang Diagram covered Yu Hong at the front, completely blocking off the immense pressure coming from ahead. "The ship is leaking!!" Zhao Jingtang yelled. "Find something to plug the leak!!" Yu Hong roared, his body¡¯s Dao Breath and Spirit Light madly pouring into the Array. Immediately, the Array expanded significantly, like a vast raincoat, wrapping the entire Black Ship within it. He didn¡¯t have much Dao Breath, which was only slightly more powerful than Qing Huang¡¯s, and not as strong as Zhao Jingtang¡¯s, but he had more Spirit Light. Quickly, the leaking of the Black Ship was alleviated, the ship stabilized itself, turned on its own, and steered away from the jin-crowned Taoist¡¯s head towards other directions. Fortunately, the Jin-crowned Taoist did not pursue them any further, just stood in the distance, watching them leave. But the next second. A pure gold hand descended from the sky, piercing through the black fog, and grasped towards the Black Ship. The hand opened so wide that it almost completely covered the sky above the Black Ship, and just by visual estimation, its length and width surpassed a hundred meters. Obviously, it was not the work of the Jin-crowned Taoist from before, but rather another unknown and terrifying Spirit Disaster Monster. For a moment, the black fog was forcibly pushed aside, and the grey fog of the Spirit Disaster invaded, while strains of Xian music reached everyone¡¯s ears. From afar, it seemed like someone was singing a high song. "The Golden Immortal¡¯s Dao forms lotuses as cultivation progresses, all is up to me and not to heaven!" "Is this freaking a Golden Immortal!!??" Yu Hong looked up, pressing against the Array, peering through the halo above. This completely overturned his impression of Golden Immortals from the legends. The giant gold hand¡¯s palm was engraved with numerous colorful images of Immortal Gods descending to the mortal world and worshipped by myriad people. But these images, as the hand drew nearer, began to animate, with the myriad worshippers turning into skeletons, their bodies emitting white light, merging into the bodies of the Immortal Gods. Then, countless faces emerged on the surface of the Immortal Gods, like a dense cluster of blister-like faces, seemingly all the myriad people they had devoured. Yu Hong desperately released the boundless inner strength of his Tai Ling Skill, but compared to the opponent¡¯s immense pressure, the speed at which he released his Inner Strength was far too slow. So much so that the Array enveloping the Black Ship began to deform and crack again, with the outer hull constantly shedding and falling. Crack. The silver Yin Yang Diagram that the Array formed showed cracks. Finally, two breaths later. All the Magicians on the ship vomited blood in unison, and the Array exploded with a bang. The giant hand grabbed directly onto the body of the Black Ship. Yu Hong could no longer contain himself, his entire body emitted blinding silver light, ready to completely recall all the Spirit Light. But... Roar!!! Just then, a loud and deep terrifying roar erupted from within the Black Ship. The entire ship stiffened violently, the black fog behind it rolling and surging, condensing into a Dragon Lizard the size of a hundred meters resembling Agrius. But compared to Agrius, this Dragon Lizard was entirely composed of black fog, its body almost as large as the Jin-crowned Taoist in front of it. As soon as it appeared, its body released blinding Golden Light, transforming into an exaggerated golden colossus, and struck a paw towards the golden hand. The gold hand, unable to crush the Black Ship in a short time, reached out towards the giant golden Dragon Lizard. Boom!! Giant hand against giant claw, the two colossal figures collided right above the Black Ship. Black River was stirred up with huge waves, the Black Ship swayed within them, constantly losing fragments, but it just would not break. An unknown force forcibly held the Black Ship together. "Is that... Agrius¡¯s actual projection!?" Yu Hong, crawling on the violently shaking deck, raised his head and guessed the identity of the giant golden Dragon Lizard. Agrius was the Prison Warden that guarded the Black Ship and its successive ship owners, and must have an intricate relationship with the Black Ship. Hiss. Yu Hong poured all his inner strength into the Black Ship beneath his feet, extravagantly burning vast amounts of Inner Strength to propel the ship forward, steering into the depths of the black fog. The battle between Agrius and the golden giant hand quickly receded into the background. The Black River was tumultuous, and the voyage had never been as intense as today. As the distance grew, gradually, the successive huge collisions behind them began to fade away. Minutes later. The people barely dared to stand up, hastily taking their own medicine to heal. Two more minutes passed. The temperature dropped further. "We¡¯re almost there! Everyone, quickly get dressed, it¡¯s tens of degrees below zero here, you could easily run into trouble if you¡¯re not careful!" Yu Hong hurriedly reminded. "There are cotton clothes prepared in the cabin, with all sizes available, everyone help yourselves!" The line of Magicians moved extremely fast, knowing that this was no time to dawdle, and in less than two minutes everyone was clothed. After experiencing the recent massive turmoil, everyone calmed down and noticed that there were quite a few people missing from the crowd. Many of the weaker Magicians from Qingchen Temple, and ordinary people, were all shaken off into the Black River outside during just now¡¯s fierce conflict. Spirit Alliance also had many people cast outwards. Yu Hong vividly sensed the delicate strands of Spirit Light rapidly returning to his body. This meant that the people who were thrown off had already died. He stood at the bow, looking back at the remaining magicians with an ugly expression on his face. Of the more than seventy people before, about half remained. The only consolation was that Master Yu Mo and others were still there. The ones not thrown off were their Taoist boys, disciples, relatives, and some lower-level members of the Spirit Alliance. Puh. Finally, the Black Ship slowly moored and came to a halt. Ahead of the bow, the fog dispersed, revealing the landscape outside the safe haven¡¯s cave and campground. The Array was still within the range polluted by the Light Disaster, covering and maintaining a small area. Yu Hong took the lead, jumping from the bow, followed by thirty or so others who entered the camp one after another. The sudden huge drop in temperature caused everyone¡¯s faces to change dramatically, with silver Spirit Light being stimulated all over their bodies to resist the cold. "This is where I used to live. Let¡¯s settle here for the time being." Yu Hong led the way, bypassing the Light Disaster Ultimate Gate, which kept releasing monsters, and arrived in front of the cave entrance. The Wind and Fire Slaughter Spirit Array operated steadily, releasing a faint silver light screen, blocking the even harsher outside environment. When Yu Hong arrived, inside the Array, the mysterious Zhang Kajing was hunched over planting vegetables in the snow, and it was unclear what kind of vegetables could survive in such low temperatures. Hearing the commotion, she stood up and turned to look into the camp. Her expression stalled momentarily. More than thirty people, all wrapped in thick black cotton clothes, abruptly emerged from behind the cave, standing together in the campsite in front of the cave. The light from the Ultimate Gate illuminated them, making Zhang Kajing even more curious about Yu Hong. There had been no one here before, and now suddenly so many had arrived. "This place...." Zhao Jingtang spat on the ground. The spit had turned into ice while still midair and shattered on the ground. All the magicians who entered the Array camp were somewhat befuddled. The place was bright all around, all white light, but the sun was not visible. Around them, there were metal walls over three meters high and very thick. Black Dragon Lizards, with silver light on their heads, patrolled the top of the wall slowly, walking back and forth. Aside from the extremely low temperature, there was no doubt this was a very safe place. Yu Hong didn¡¯t have time to attend to them. He gave the crowd some food and drinks, then let them set about building their own shelters against the cold. Soon, Yu Hong boarded the Black Ship again to pick up the second group of people. He needed to retrieve as many experts as possible;the more powerful individuals gathered, the better and faster they would be able to navigate the road ahead. Magicians, especially top-level magicians, were powerful cores that were scarce anywhere. Ten minutes later, another boatload of people was brought back. This time they encountered no monsters blocking their way, and everything was so smooth that he could hardly believe it. This time, the ones he brought back were mainly the other members of the Spirit Alliance Qingchen Temple. The third time. Yu Hong went again, but... * * * Taizhou. Crack. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Black fog surged out from the room. Yu Hong leaped out and, half-kneeling on the ground, got up and rushed out of the room to look around. "The remaining people...!" He had only said half of his sentence when he abruptly stopped and quieted down. Because outside the room, as far as the eye could see, were corpses. Taoist robes, casual clothes, a dense pile of bodies amassed together. Blood converged into streams, murmuring from the drainage ditch at the edge of the courtyard into the ground below. In the center of the main hall, the statue of Heavenly Venerate tilted to one side, broken off. An unknown monk sat cross-legged on the ground, head bowed facing the statue, beneath him a pool of dried dark red blood. Yu Hong silently moved about, recognizing them. These were the members of the Spirit Alliance Qingchen Temple who were busy deploying their forces to resist last time he was here. Now, they were utterly still. Many places around the Taoist Temple had collapsed, with charred spots left on the ground. Clearly, after his second departure, Spirit Disasters had already invaded here. The Dragon Lizards he left behind had long lost movement, and these charred marks were likely left by the Dragon Lizards¡¯ fire breath. Taking a deep breath, Yu Hong charged out from the half-open gates of the Taoist Temple. Outside, the street was also shrouded in grey fog. Countless sounds like prayers, reciting Daoist Scriptures, came faintly from afar. Within the ten or so meters visible on the street, walls were cracked, the ground sunken, and dirty clothes and shoes were scattered everywhere, but no people were seen. Several collided vehicles blocked the front of the Taoist Temple. The people inside had long lost their breath. Yu Hong took a deep breath, about to continue his investigation. Suddenly, a massive formidable pressure swept across the sky. Whoosh! The potent oppression instantaneously crushed the few remaining buildings in the vicinity. In a moment, dust billowed in the fog, debris flew, and the next second, everything was thoroughly subdued. Yu Hong excessively restrained his breath and waited for the pressure to leave before heading straight to the temporary command center. Minutes later, he arrived in front of the temporary command center building. The previous building, now only one-third left, was flattened like a cardboard box, the entire structure twisted eerily. The surface of the black walls was covered in patches of exposed concrete. Without looking, it was certain there were no survivors inside with the interior compressed to this state. Chapter 408: Hope 2 Yu Hong¡¯s mood grew heavier by the moment. He carefully made a round within the urban district. The entire Taizhou urban district, previously established as a safe zone, was now completely conquered and collapsed. He didn¡¯t see a single living person. Nor did he see a Spirit Disaster Black Disaster monster. Perhaps all the monsters had been attracted to other places where there were more people. Half an hour later. He stood on high ground at the edge of some ruins, taking one last look at this world once filled with hope... ¡¯Maybe, from the start, the Sky Stabilizing Plate was just a beautiful illusion...¡¯ Now Yu Hong realized, the erosion of the Spirit Disaster on this world was too deep;any random Magician could easily summon the Divine Intent from Heaven, does it mean that any Magician has the power to break through spatial communication? Clearly, that¡¯s impossible. "There is still time for hope to return..." Yu Hong raised his head, looking at the several slowly condensing and emerging Gate of Ten Thousand Spirits in the gray mist. He recalled the immense hope that shone in everyone¡¯s eyes when Quan He Monarch appeared. The relaxation and joy at the brink of success. "It¡¯s all a lie.... This world, is long bereft of hope." He murmured softly. Back at Qingchen Temple, he found an area of black ground that had been pressed down firmly, and with his fingers, he pierced deeply, leaving a message. ¡¯I will return, Senior Quan He, if you see this message, please take good care of yourself. If any destined one sees this, please go to the surrounding areas to hide well, and leave a hidden message here, to contact me when I return. Hang in there, hope exists...survival is the only possibility to see hope.¡¯ He didn¡¯t know what else to inscribe, and very likely, these words wouldn¡¯t last long before being destroyed by the Spirit Disaster. But there wasn¡¯t much else he could do... After engraving the message, he didn¡¯t go anywhere else, nor did he look for other people. Yu Hong returned to the grand hall of the Taoist Temple. He glanced at the unrecognizable monk¡¯s corpse, sighed, and then the sound of the Black River echoed as the black mist surged behind him. He turned around and walked towards the Black Ship. Pfft. Suddenly, a soft sound reached his ears. Yu Hong hurriedly looked in the direction of the sound, just in time to see a bloodied figure holding a Short Sword entering the side door of the Taoist Temple. The figure was faintly shimmering with Spirit Light, moving very slowly, step by step, with fresh blood continuously dripping from his feet. "Ku Chan!" Yu Hong was overjoyed;this guy actually returned! He quickly went forward, the Spirit Light spreading all over him, pouring into Ku Chan to bolster his recovery. Just then, a great amount of Spirit Light surged into Yu Hong¡¯s body. A huge amount of Spirit Light gathered behind him, even forming a silver vortex, slowly rotating as if about to condense something. The sudden return of the Spirit Light cast a heaviness on Yu Hong¡¯s face. Such intensity indicated yet another large group of Spirit Light Cultivators had perished. Countless tiny Spirit Light Threads kept linking up and breaking apart. This signified that each return of Spirit Light was small in quantity, but the numbers were extremely high. Yu Hong supported Ku Chan, clamped him under one arm, and together they walked into the black mist. Walking on the wooden bridge, about to board the ship, suddenly, Yu Hong had an impulse and turned to look in Qingchen Temple¡¯s direction. But that look caused him to freeze in his tracks. The entire area of Qingchen Temple, when looked at from within the black mist, was filled with dense black cracks in space. Crack. As time passed, these black cracks continued to expand. Deep within the cracks, one could vaguely see gray mist pouring out, as well as the mental pressure of the Spirit Disaster seeping through. "What does this mean!?" Ku Chan asked weakly. Obviously, despite being severely injured, he saw it too. "I don¡¯t know..." Yu Hong replied softly. He set the man down, and the two of them stood by the Black Ship, looking back at the increasingly cracked space of Qingchen Temple. The two watched the space of the Taoist Temple fissure further. Yu Hong eventually turned around, took Ku Chan, and boarded the Black Ship. "We... where are we going..." Ku Chan collapsed on the deck. "We are going to a safe place, at least, it is still relatively safe for now," Yu Hong answered softly. Standing on the ship, he suddenly thought of those isolated island-like places he had once encountered. And then thought of the black cracks he had just seen... An inexplicable sense of oppression in his heart intensified. * * * Days later. Black Wind Camp. A cluster of simple ice houses were sporadically arranged around the safe house, forming a small village. Beneath all the ice houses shimmered a large Array Pattern, casting a faint glow. Further outside, a new simple fence had been erected. Beyond the fence, the Ultimate Gate of the Light Disaster released a steady stream of blue mist, keeping the Black Disaster at bay. Ku Chan stood by the fence of the camp, looking at the blue mist flowing from the Ultimate Gate outside, his expression haggard. "How¡¯s the recovery?" Yu Hong¡¯s voice came from behind him. "Doing okay... thanks to the Spirit Light." Ku Chan replied, his tone monotone and vacant, as if he had lost all purpose, exuding an extreme emptiness. "That¡¯s good." Yu Hong walked up to his side, both gazing at the Ultimate Gate. "I thought you might not be used to the nutrient paste and dried cockroach meat." "Can we... go back?" Ku Chan asked softly. "I don¡¯t know," Yu Hong replied. "Then what¡¯s the point of surviving? Can¡¯t do anything, just lingering on in this place?" Ku Chan closed his eyes, his expression pained. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I don¡¯t know either," Yu Hong answered again. "You don¡¯t know? Then why did you save me?" Ku Chan turned his head, staring at Du Fu. "I¡¯ve lost everything, wouldn¡¯t it have been better to let me die there? Better dead than living in despair and pain, without having to care about anything!" "Because I haven¡¯t given up hope," Yu Hong replied, turning his face as well to look at him. "Just as in the end, you returned to Qingchen Temple." Ku Chan fell silent for a moment, then said, "Where is hope?" "I have explored in the Black Disaster, remember the boat you took? It¡¯s called the Vitality Ship, made by those who desperately fought against the Black Disaster Spirit Disaster and other Source Disasters. It can take me to the land of vitality," Yu Hong answered. "So that was also why you initially appeared on Huangsong Island?" Yu Hen, the elderly Taoist, approached slowly from behind, sighing. "Yes. The ship brought me to the land of hope, but unfortunately... I still couldn¡¯t grasp it," said Yu Hong softly. "Since one was found, could there be another?" Yu Hen inquired. "It¡¯s possible. But... from what I observe, each one is threatened by the Source Disaster," Yu Hong nodded. "Do you think that by simply searching like this, over and over, we can really defeat the Spirit Disaster? The Black Disaster?" Ku Chan asked. "I don¡¯t know," Yu Hong shook his head, "All I know is that if we don¡¯t search, hope will never appear." "Perhaps you¡¯re right," Ku Chan said after a pause. "Would you like to join me?" Yu Hong asked, "Become a member of my crew, and then search for hope together." "....." Ku Chan didn¡¯t speak. Instead, he turned around and walked away silently. Yu Hong sighed and looked towards Yu Hen. "Are you adapting well to the environment, Master?" "I have to adapt, since we can¡¯t go back anyway," Yu Hen sighed, "Everyone was very anxious at the beginning, but now that they¡¯ve settled down, they¡¯ve become quieter. This place, everything around is very quiet, the Black Disaster is weak. That light gate does not harm us;as long as we do not strike first, we can coexist peacefully. In fact, when you think about it, it¡¯s not much different from living in the polar regions. Only that the monsters are a bit stronger." He paused. "It¡¯s just Ku Chan, his Dao Breath has surged again after coming back. Even Zhao Jingtang and the others feel a clear discomfort when they encounter him;the growth of his Dao Breath is too rapid. This Daoist Skill is not normal, it¡¯s not possible to be so unrestrained without consequences." "In a few days, I¡¯ll take you to Hope City, a branch of Qingchen Temple that I have established here. The population might be a bit large," Yu Hong changed the subject. "I remember, you had specifically asked me and Yu Mo, you put your feelings into this place?" Yu Hen said helplessly. At this moment, recalling everything from the past and comparing it to the present, he felt an unreal sense of dreaminess. Who could have imagined, in just a few days, his situation had become so dire that he was left with only these few people around him. Living in the camp every day, with a blue light gate opened close by in the icy and snow-covered nothingness. Where the only food available were cockroaches, mushrooms, and lizards. "Hope City, on the other hand, might have a better environment, and there are many people. At least it won¡¯t be as lonely as here. You just need to learn the local language," Yu Hong hoped to turn Hope City into his main base. The power of Qingchen Temple merged into it, creating a strong complementary effect for both. "Hope... People who have lost their homes, wherever they are, will have no sense of belonging." Yu Hen sighed. It was clear that everyone in the camp was in a state of extreme anxiety. Yu Hong comforted his elder and master, and then immediately went to Hope City. After arranging transport, he boarded the Black Ship once more to head to Qingchen Temple. But this time... the Black Ship couldn¡¯t dock in the black fog. It had circled around in the same spot for a long time but hadn¡¯t returned to the place of origin. Back at the camp, Yu Hong didn¡¯t tell the others about this, but took a rest, and then went out again to look for the entrance to Huangsong Island. Originally, he had entered from Huangsong Island, but unfortunately, this time he couldn¡¯t even find the island. The Black Ship drifted, sailing towards an unknown distance. After drifting for a long time and encountering nothing, Yu Hong had no choice but to sail back. At Black Wind Camp, The survivors managed to make successful contact with Hope City, which accepted them. They could go there to live in a separate building within the city and were expected to integrate into the defense system. Most of the people present chose to go to Hope City. Only Ku Chan and Qing Huang chose to stay behind and follow Yu Hong. The three of them, together, took the boat out every day, searching for the world of Huangsong Island. But there was nothing left there. As more and more people left the camp, Yu Hong simply took Zhang Kajing on the ship as well, lest there was no one to watch over her and she might cause trouble. He, along with Qing Huang, Ku Chan, and Zhang Kajing, became the fixed crew members of the Black Ship. As time passed, and everyone gradually adapted to the extremely cold life here, compared to the horror of the Spirit Disaster, the Black Disaster here seemed like kindergarten, utterly safe. The long-lost sense of security allowed the fleeing Magicians to feel an unprecedented peace of mind. But this sense of peace did not last long, as the temperature began to fall again... and the air seemed to become unbreathable... And Yu Hong had to calm down and start thinking, where was the hope for the future? The power of the Black Disaster, the Spirit Disaster, far exceeded his estimates. Even Quan He, who was a level above him, was of unknown life or death. Now, the only method might lie in the Black Mark. As for how to use the Black Mark, to find a sliver of light in this desperate future, that was what he had to do next. Little by little, the enhancement of time was no longer enough to combat external pressure. What they needed was a true transformative change. The Black Mark, based on a complete foundation for enhancement, might find a way out within the existing foundation. Chapter 409: Hope 407 Three Inside the camp, within the safety house. Yu Hong sat alone in front of the mini nuclear reactor, silently calming the emotions in his heart. ¡¯How exactly can one live safely under the assault of the Source Disaster...¡¯ ¡¯What is the limit of the Source Disaster? Should we focus on avoidance or confrontation?¡¯ ¡¯Did any of the powers that once fought against the Source Disaster find hope?¡¯ Currently, the outside world is still stable, thanks to the fact that Magicians have set up warming Arrays to fight against the continuously falling temperatures. But this is not a long-term solution. The maintenance of an Array requires energy, and the Dao Breath of the Magicians is limited, far from being able to sustain such consumption. Hence, they use the power of Spirit Light. Only Yu Hong knows that the nature of Spirit Light Power is actually the Light Disaster. The Light Disaster is also a type of Source Disaster, with its own immense risks;it just hasn¡¯t erupted for now. Given enough time, it will definitely be eroded by the Light Disaster, and what results will emerge are unknown to him. ¡¯...Where is the hope?¡¯ A myriad of information streams flickered through Yu Hong¡¯s mind. He tried to find a way to break this situation from various angles. "The root of all this, first and foremost, I need to find out, why does the Source Disaster exist, where does it come from? Why are there so many types?" Yu Hong recalled the vast amount of intelligence information gathered by the members of Spirit Alliance over these days. Among them, documents from the Taoist Sect world unanimously indicated that in ancient times, the Spirit Disaster was a natural calamity that Magicians stumbled upon and began to fight. The Heaven in these records had a variety of Immortal Gods from very early on. As for the Black Disaster, the information compiled here suggests that it seems to come from a mysterious substance called xing. In addition, there are Wind Disaster and Light Disaster, also belonging to Source Disasters;these calamities seem to follow a rule of escalating intensity, getting stronger and stronger without an apparent upper limit. And the ultimate outcome... Is the suspected shattering of the entire world. Is the current Cold Disaster, with its ever-lowering temperatures, also destined to end in the complete destruction of the whole world? Suddenly, Yu Hong thought of the prison tower he had visited before. Prison Island, this island that had imprisoned many former captains, might hold a lot of information. But to get there, he might need a bit of luck. After all, he did not leave any markers on the island last time. As a captain, part of the reason he could come and go in the Taoist Sect world was because of the existence of Spirit Light, serving as a beacon. At once, he stood up and walked out of the safety house. Outside, Ku Chan was cramming golden Elixirs into his mouth as if they were candy, in a frenzy. Every day he would go out to hunt and refine Black Disaster Monsters, turning them into Elixirs to consume. His own strength was also skyrocketing at a tremendous pace. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But similarly, the side effects seemed to be starting to show, his complexion growing paler, his eyes becoming more fierce, looking at everyone as if ready to attack and kill at any moment. A slight verbal provocation would lead to his raging shouts. A few days ago, he even sent a Taoist apprentice, who had brought him food, flying. If not for the protection of Spirit Light, that person would have died on the spot. At this moment, Ku Chan was eating his meal head down, occasionally glancing at Zhang Kajing sitting opposite him. Zhang Kajing, expressionless, sat cross-legged on the ground, eating dried meat in the yard. She seemed somewhat displeased by Ku Chan¡¯s surveillance but didn¡¯t deliberately walk away. "I¡¯m planning to go out for a bit," Yu Hong said, "Ku Chan, I¡¯m counting on you to look after this place. Take good care of my master." Although this guy is a bit dumb-witted, he is genuinely good-natured and, among those present, he was the only one with the right combination of strength and temperament. The others from Qingchen Temple, although trustworthy, were just too far behind in terms of strength. "Okay." Ku Chan nodded. As Yu Hong turned around, he glanced at the calm-faced Zhang Kajing. He suddenly thought that perhaps the original Zhang Kaijun had created Zhang Kajing on the idea of integrating into the Black Disaster if he couldn¡¯t defeat it. If it were truly possible to assimilate into the Black Disaster and become a part of it, then at least the goal of living a stable life could be achieved. Unfortunately... the Zhang Kajing who lived on seems somewhat abnormal. Zhang Kajing, noticing Yu Hong looking at her, smiled at him. "..." On his return this time, Yu Hong distinctly felt that Zhang Kajing was not right. Her spiritual power had grown much too vast compared to before. Not to mention Ku Chan, whose spiritual power was even stronger. Perhaps many others had noticed the peculiarity of Zhang Kajing but kept silent for certain reasons. "Ku Chan, if you notice anything wrong with Zhang Kajing, please help me disable her first." Yu Hong whispered quietly. "Sure." Ku Chan answered without any change in expression. Only then did Yu Hong feel relieved to return to the safety house. Amidst the surging black fog, he boarded the Black Ship. * * * Prison Island. After dozens of attempts at relying on luck, finally, Yu Hong smashed through on one of them and arrived here. On the island, the mist was hazy, and the giant serpentine black walls stood silently in the mist, extending to both sides with no end in sight. Yu Hong stood in front of the grey-black wall, reaching out to gently touch its surface. "Agrius." He called in his mind. Immediately, countless black mists congealed, forming the massive body of the Prison Warden beside him. With a leap, he landed on the Prison Warden¡¯s back. "Take me to find the living." He whispered. This place, together with the black bridge and the Black Ship, is suspected to be the work of the True Origin Sect. Yu Hong suspected that the True Origin Sect might have uncovered deeper secrets about the Black Disaster. This was why he returned to search for clues. Swoosh! Agrius, a child returning home, effortlessly scaled the ninety-degree vertical walls with Yu Hong on his back. The speed was swift, the movement skilled, as if walking on flat ground. Yu Hong did not stop at the lower parts;he commanded Agrius to carry him and climb rapidly upwards. One hundred meters, five hundred meters, one thousand meters, five thousand meters... The higher they climbed, the thinner the air became, the temperature sharply plummeting. The temperature around the island, originally around ten degrees, quickly dropped to minus ten degrees or more. Yu Hong¡¯s complexion remained unchanged;such low temperatures were negligible to someone who had experienced the Cold Disaster. Keep climbing. This time he wanted to see just how tall the Immortal Strong Wall was, and if he could find the highest point at the top. Important clues about the exploration of the Black Disaster were hidden here;this time, he was determined to understand and clear things up completely! Time slowly passed by. Agrius carried Yu Hong non-stop, running for over two hours on the Strong Wall. The Black Ship had already departed after its scheduled docking time. Yu Hong didn¡¯t mind, as the Captain of the Black Ship, he had no worries about not being able to leave. ¡¯Right, I didn¡¯t see Yang Chenhe from the True Origin Sect who communicated with me last time.¡¯ He recalled the disheveled, haggard disciple of True Origin Sect who had provided him with a lot of information. He had intended to see if he could dig up something more. Unexpectedly, he hadn¡¯t seen the man this time. With this thought in mind. Suddenly, Agrius came to an abrupt halt, stopping in front of a shiny square black window. Yu Hong¡¯s eyes brightened;he had not climbed this high during his last visit. According to the rules of Prison Island, the higher the rank of a captain, the stronger they were. So... At this height, he would definitely be able to inquire about something. Inner Strength shone in his hand, he held onto the window edge with one hand and looked into the pitch-black square window from outside. The room had black iron bookshelves, a wooden white bed, and fine dust drifting in the air. On the wall hung chaotic crayon drawings like the scribbles of a child. A golden tiger with black stripes was humanly sitting beside a desk, eyes closed in tranquility, seemingly napping. A tiger?? Yu Hong looked carefully, confirmed repeatedly, and indeed, it was a tiger. He knocked hard on the glass window. Thump thump thump. Swoosh. Instantly, as if two searchlights were added to the room, the tiger opened its eyes, a blinding white light shining from them, then the light faded and dissipated. It slowly turned its head and looked out of the window. "Unexpectedly, someone could climb to such a height¡­" A calm male voice came from the room. Yu Hong, just about to pull out his handwritten notebook, suddenly startled by the voice in his mind, was then overjoyed. He remembered well that the windows here were designed to block out sound, making it difficult to communicate from inside to outside. Moreover, captains confined here were almost all mentally disturbed. Now to have found someone who seemed sane and could communicate was incredibly lucky. He had witnessed Prison Island¡¯s isolation effect, and for the other party to project their voice directly through the window hinted at their immense capability¡­ "Don¡¯t be surprised;you are also a captain, and to some extent, you are beginning to merge with this Strong Wall. As time goes by, a hundred years later, you will become one of us, having had a connection from the beginning, we have the basis for conversation." The tiger explained calmly. "I see," Yu Hong tried to reply in his mind. The other party used the Night language, and naturally, he responded in the same. "My name is Zhao Chenhu, one of the Captains of the Savior Ship. My friend, have you come here with doubts in your heart, seeking assistance?" The tiger asked Yu Hong with a smile. "Senior Zhao, after years of exploring the Black Disaster, do you know where it originates from? What is the upper limit of its destruction? What is the strongest Black Disaster Monster?" Yu Hong quickly asked. "You have many questions, I understand. But I can¡¯t answer the first;no one knows where the source of the Black Disaster is;everyone just knows the shape." "Next, a limit? There is no limit, until the entire planet is devoured, shattered, even the world consumed, ripped apart," the tiger replied simply. "You steer the Savior Ship;have you encountered many small islands? Do you know why they are islands? Do you know why the True Origin Sect built the Savior Ship instead of a flying device?" Yu Hong opened his mouth, about to reply. "Ha ha ha ha." Suddenly, the tiger laughed, "Give it up, newcomer, blinded by hope¡­ Rather than struggling to explore and then ending up imprisoned here, better to just enjoy life from the start." "..." Yu Hong looked at its somewhat neurotic smile;he had thought it was sane, but it turned out it was just well-concealed. "Why say that? Why do you not care even about others trying to explore?" He asked solemnly. Chapter 410: Hope 4 "You must not be a disciple of the True Origin Sect, right? Oh, that¡¯s right, a while back, the only True Origin Sect disciple here committed suicide, his name was Yang Chenhe." The tiger said with a laugh, "Have you ever met him? He was in a very low position." "Yang Chenhe... I¡¯ve met him." Yu Hong replied, his heart sinking. "Did he ever tell you that in this world, all things, everything, only the Source Disaster is the true orthodoxy! It is the main theme of everything, we living creatures... are merely the miraculous results of chance?" The tiger laughed heartily. "Life as such is just a fleeting bubble in the lengthy cycle of the Source Disasters, with only a tiny moment in time where the environment is suitable for our survival. For the vast majority of the time, it¡¯s an environment of Source Disaster completely inhospitable to any form of life." "Do you know what I used to do?" The tiger continued. "A Fate Master! I was a supreme Fate Master who specialized in calculating people¡¯s future destinies! After much effort and strategizing, enduring revulsion and the blood of hundreds of thousands as my base, I sought the hope for the future! Searching for a chance for our life to thrive, calculating how much longer the Source Disaster might persist..." The smile on its face gradually began to twist. "Do you know what I figured out?!" "..." Yu Hong stared at its almost completely distorted face, remaining silent. "Six billion years!!" The tiger shouted. "We have to wait six billion years before the Black Disaster might begin to weaken, but do you think it ends there? No!" "Haha, once the Black Disaster is over, there¡¯s the Cold Disaster, Wind Disaster, Flood Disaster, Light Disaster... cycles upon cycles of recurrence, our lives can only survive tenuously in the small intersection areas where various Source Disasters overlap, keeping a fragile balance. At all other times, all that awaits us... is consumption..." The tiger¡¯s piercing laughter echoed continuously in Yu Hong¡¯s ears, while he watched the other¡¯s face expressionlessly. "So, you¡¯re saying, there will be no more stable and peaceful places in the future?" "Hah, just as rocks occasionally emerge in the river, and the area behind the rocks where the water is blocked is calmer. I tried to find such places in the past. In the end, I found these regions were also occupied by other Source Disasters... So, in essence, there is no hope..." The tiger turned away, refusing to continue the conversation, still facing the wall, sitting at the desk, closing its eyes as if dozing. "What if I assimilate the power of the Source Disaster and used it for my own?" Yu Hong thought of Ku Chan¡¯s self-created Cultivation Technique and asked again. "Source Disaster represents singularity, purity, consciousness is a form of spirit, a foreign impure energy. If you consume it, and your method is strong, you¡¯ll survive at first, but soon after, you¡¯ll be quickly eroded, your consciousness will be treated as an abnormal force and expelled. Eventually becoming part of the Source Disaster, losing self-awareness. Only an empty shell remains." The tiger replied in a soft voice. "Because consciousness itself is a structured entity formed by the orderly arrangement of external forces. Once order is lost, consciousness will not arise. Ordinary consciousness is composed of brainwaves, while the stronger ones will use similar powerful transmitters to replace brain electricity. But all roots of order stem from order itself. Unfortunately, everything within the Source Disaster is chaotic, and chaos affects not just power, but consciousness as well." Hearing this, Yu Hong suddenly remembered many stories and novels he had read in the past, where someone wielded the power of chaos yet retained their own will. That in itself is a contradiction... Will is the crystallization of order, constructed by a large network of information built from brainwaves and similar energies. Without order, not even the most basic neural structure can be formed. Information that can¡¯t be transmitted and organized in an orderly manner manifests as confused consciousness or even an inability to preserve memories. Because memory too is a product of order. It is the orderly storage of information. "Have you tried it?" Yu Hong asked. But the tiger did not reply anymore, and the room fell silent, devoid of any further sound. No matter how much he asked, there were no more responses. Feeling helpless, Yu Hong had no choice but to return to riding on Agrius¡¯s back, contemplating their path ahead. ¡¯If the Source Disaster is truly as Zhao Chenhu said, then... the future might really be...¡¯ Snap. He suddenly slapped his arm fiercely, a faint sting jolting him awake from his sadness. "I just want to peacefully live on, what do the billions of years in the future have to do with me? I just need to ensure that my time alive is stable and wonderful..." Thinking this way, Yu Hong felt much better inside. "All things are ultimately unable to escape the fate of decline;cycles are only natural. I only need to find a stable place and live the life I want to live. In this way, I can just find any corner world and help sustain it for a few hundred years, just like the Ancient Mages of the Taoist Sect did, creating the Sky Stabilizing Plate and coexisting peacefully with the Spirit Disaster for over a thousand years." "As for what comes after, I¡¯ll leave it to future generations to handle." Thinking this, the oppression in Yu Hong¡¯s heart dissipated a great deal. ¡¯Find a new place to relocate!! I must do it as soon as possible!¡¯ Once he confirmed his thoughts, he immediately felt an urgency. The temperature in the Hope City World was still dropping;once it fell to minus one hundred and seventy or eighty degrees, even oxygen in the air would liquefy, and then we could only rely entirely on technology to produce oxygen. With the Black Disaster encroaching, the world¡¯s resources could not be massively mined and converted, only a dead end awaited. Leaving Prison Island, Yu Hong quickly pulled Ku Chan, Qing Huang, and Zhang Kajing to board a ship and began randomly exploring for lands of vitality. Three days later. The enhancement at Black Wind Camp ended. Layers upon layers of black walls, resembling both metal and stone, covered the shelter¡¯s outer shell once more, completing a new round of enhancement in strength and hardness. Over at Hope City, Chen Yaofeng took the lead, directing everyone to concentrate on building an immensely huge airship. They named it the Dawn Project. But Yu Hong held no hope for it. If the Source Disaster was so easy to evade, then so many formidable forces wouldn¡¯t have been easily wiped out. He didn¡¯t try to dissuade them;after all, even if it couldn¡¯t serve as a spaceship, it could still serve as a huge, fully enclosed base. * * * S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Whoosh. The roaring sound of the Black River¡¯s waves could be heard constantly outside the ship. Yu Hong stood at the bow, slightly fatigued, gazing at the thick fog continuously being split apart ahead. During these days, he had taken the Black Ship to explore numerous shattered islands, but they only contained some oddly shaped Black Disaster Monsters, without any useful clues found. Ku Chan was meditating on the aft deck. Qing Huang was flipping through foreign language learning materials collected from Hope City. Zhang Kajing leaned against the ship rail, holding a comic book in one hand, reading it with relish. Yu Hong glanced at her;she was holding a martial arts comic book. He had read it himself when he was bored. The characters could all casually destroy mountains and part seas, with their martial arts levels exaggerated to the extreme. At that time, he had fantasized that if he had the power of those characters, perhaps he could have resisted the Source Disaster and maintained the life he desired. But judging from their experiences in the Taoist Sect world this time, even such powerful figures might not see any hope... "What do you think, what kind of power can withstand the Spirit Disaster Black Disaster? Martial arts powerhouses in comics? Gods and Buddhas? Or the pinnacle of scientific development?" Yu Hong asked softly. "The martial arts powerhouses probably can¡¯t do it... Gods and Buddhas, isn¡¯t that what the Spirit Disaster is? According to ancient records, the Source Disaster is endless and rejuvenates. They have infinite energy and quantities. To confront them, we need to find an infinite power as well, but the only infinite thing in this world is the Source Disaster itself. So it comes back to using the Source Disaster to fight the Source Disaster, which is like walking a tightrope¡ªone misstep, and the entire game is lost. So..." Ku Chan shook his head and opened his eyes. "Only the power that can devour them! Turning them into a part of oneself, to weaken them, to empower oneself! In reverse, suppress them!" Clearly, he had this idea long ago, which is why he created a Daoist Skill with similar effects. "That makes sense, Ku Chan. Can you share your Daoist Skill with me? Perhaps I could strengthen and improve it..." Yu Hong nodded in agreement. Indeed, a true genius. After having a breakthrough, he caught on to the key point immediately. "Take it." Ku Chan flicked a booklet towards him. "This is the Cloud Transformation Technique I created myself. It¡¯s not perfect yet¡ªonly those whose Dao Breath is close to that of a Heavenly Master can use it. Ordinary people cannot even practice it. As an Alliance Hierarch, you shared the Spirit Light Secret Skill and saved so many people¡ªthis Cultivation Technique is nothing by comparison." He seemed to have gotten over his issues now, his essence qi spirit was much more vibrant than before, his eyes bright and resolute, and he started actively joining the efforts to investigate the Source Disaster. It seemed like he considered the Source Disaster as the only remaining enemy responsible for the death of his family and had found a new goal for surviving. Click. Yu Hong caught the booklet, flipped through it, and roughly understood Ku Chan¡¯s train of thought. Using one¡¯s own Dao Breath to condense an Array in the body, draw in the power of the Source Disaster into oneself, and by outnumbering them with an advantage, suppress and reduce the power of the Source Disaster. Then, bit by bit, clarify the chaos and reorganize it into a completely new structure of power that can integrate and coexist with oneself. This Cloud Transformation Technique could only be used against Source Disasters that weren¡¯t too opposite to one¡¯s own Dao Breath attributes. The idea was quite novel, and the method straightforward and brutal. If we ignore the aftereffects of integrating the Source Disaster¡¯s power into the body for the short term, there¡¯s no major issue. But... upon seeing that Ku Chan¡¯s eyes had already turned blood-red and new dense blisters had started to grow on his disfigured face, Yu Hong knew that the aftereffects had started to manifest. It¡¯s nothing but a stopgap measure... He sighed in his heart. Holding the booklet, he crossed his legs and sat down, silently reciting in his mind. "Strengthen the Cloud Transformation Technique, direction: eliminate the aftereffects." Hiss. A black line flowed out from the Black Mark, rapidly merging into the booklet. But the next moment, the black line returned to the Black Mark and provided feedback. ¡¯Unable to eliminate, Cultivation Technique¡¯s related functions incomplete.¡¯ "..." Yu Hong immediately understood that the Cultivation Technique needed at least a tiny bit of functionality to combat the aftereffects, but it seemed there was none at all. Perhaps Ku Chan never cared how long he would live. He thought for a moment and decided to try another approach. ¡¯Strengthen the Cloud Transformation Technique, direction: delay the manifestation of aftereffects by one hundred years.¡¯ Magicians don¡¯t have methods to extend their lifespan, with Quan He being the longest-lived. If Ku Chan¡¯s aftereffects could be postponed to manifest after one hundred years from now, wouldn¡¯t it be equivalent to having no aftereffects? After all, by that time, Ku Chan would probably have died of old age. This time, the black line flashed and flowed into the booklet, prompting a query for feedback. Yu Hong knew the enhancement was successful. After he confirmed the success, he saw a bright red countdown appear on the booklet¡¯s cover: 5 days 11 hours 05 minutes. Chapter 411: Resolution 409 "Just five days... not bad." Yu Hong was in a good mood, having solved the issue with Ku Chan. This Cultivation Technique could now be massively promoted to all magicians for their cultivation practices. Though there were side effects, they would only appear after a hundred years, which was pretty much no different from having none at all. Seemingly noticing his good spirits, Zhang Kajing put down her comic book, just about to speak. Suddenly, she looked up towards the front. The black mist ahead began to disperse slowly. A vast gray sea, hidden beneath thick black clouds, unfolded before them. "A new place!" Yu Hong¡¯s eyes sparkled with excitement as he hurriedly stood up and rushed to the bow to look ahead. Crack. In the distance ahead, streaks of blue lightning burst through the black clouds. The sound of thunder rolled in, and the sea below surged violently as if the entire world was continually twisting. The sound of the waves was almost drowning out everything else. The moist and wild sea breeze hit them head-on, lifting the corners of Yu Hong¡¯s Daoist robe. "This time! I will not repeat the past mistakes! I will consolidate all forces at the fastest speed! Those who follow me shall live, and those against me shall die!" His eyes shone with a renewed sense of hope. At this moment, Ku Chan and Qing Huang also stood up, their eyes filled with anticipation and excitement as they watched the sea ahead. Having learned of the Black Ship¡¯s capabilities, they had been half-doubtful, but now, when everything was laid out before their eyes, both of them were truly moved. "We can¡¯t let the tragedy happen again!" Ku Chan¡¯s expression turned ferocious as he spoke. "Sigh..." At this moment, Qing Huang could no longer distinguish who was righteous and who was the villain... But regardless, a brand new location, according to Yu Hong¡¯s explanation about the Black Ship, also meant an area that was absolutely safe for some time. At last, they would be able to catch their breath. * * * Beep~~~ The alarm clock on the table rang. Jiang Rong, looking haggard, picked up the alarm clock and turned it off. She looked at the messy kitchen¡ªdirt everywhere, dishes piled up in the sink unwashed. A foul-smelling soup residue was left in the pot. The food in the bowls had also dried up and discolored long ago. Lately, she had been waking up suddenly in the middle of the night, and after waking up, she always felt like there was someone in her wardrobe. And though she made sure to close the wardrobe doors before bed, they would always be slightly ajar when she woke up at night. Through the cracks, she could always feel something in the darkness quietly watching her. This feeling of fear was something she had never encountered since she left home to study in Fista. She wasn¡¯t afraid when she came to a foreign country to live and study alone. She wasn¡¯t afraid when she worked alone to earn her living and tuition. She even remained calm and hid in a corner during a robbery and shootout on the streets, still not afraid. But now... She felt herself trembling. She hastily disposed of the spoiled soup and washed the pot. Returning to her study, Jiang Rong turned on her computer, planning to check whether it was normal for wardrobe doors to open by themselves at night. At night, cars passed by the window outside, crows cawed from the dry trees, the cold wind howled, seeping in through the cracks of the window, producing eerie sounds. On her computer screen, in a group she had joined to find answers, recent famous cases from nearby areas kept popping up. "There was an unexplained fire on Tal Street, I went to have a look, there¡¯s definitely something wrong, the Church people arrived too. But there¡¯s nothing that can be done. The police just keep repeating to people to stay calm, to move houses, and nothing else!" ¡ª Clown. A user named Clown, a young person with a strong interest in paranormal cases, was venting their dissatisfaction with officials and the Church in the group. "My brother sought help from me many times before he left. I went to the headquarters of the Church in Alisma, hoping to find help, but nobody believed what I said. Now it seems, maybe it¡¯s not that nobody believes, but that nobody dares to believe..." ¡ª Old Records. This older user had always played the role of a comforter in the group. Because of her brother¡¯s death, she became antagonistic towards all things supernatural and claimed to have sworn to find a way to combat strange phenomena. "I know about the incident on Tal Street;I live nearby and looked through a telescope. That family moved in last month, and in less than half a month, they called the police, asked the Church, and even sought help from Phils. It was useless." ¡ª Qing Teng. Another person chimed in. "Phils? The paranormal expert who¡¯s been on TV interviews?" ¡ª Old Records. "Yes." ¡ª Qing Teng. "So you¡¯re saying, like us, they sought help from outsiders, and in the end, it was no use, right?" ¡ª Milk Chocolate. Jiang Rong typed a message;her username was Milk Chocolate. She was relatively new to this small group, having joined less than a week ago. "Yes... In order to find the truth and clarify clues, I¡¯ve almost traveled across several states and more than a dozen countries. I¡¯ve tried all kinds of popular countermeasures, but none worked." ¡ª Old Records. "The priest from the Church hinted to me that the best way is just to leave." ¡ª Qing Teng. "Leave..." As Jiang Rong thought about it, she couldn¡¯t help but turn her head to look at the wardrobe in her bedroom again. Sure enough, the door was still open with a black crack. The gap was only as wide as a finger, ominously dark, with no light, and it was directly facing her. In the dead of night, with silence all around, the only sounds were cars passing by outside. Jiang Rong looked at that narrow gap, her slight nervousness gradually intensifying. "I paid a visit to Phils Fista, hoping to find a way to save my brother as he had done before. He told me the only way apart from leaving is no way at all. In actuality, he is merely a gifted individual with a slightly stronger perception than the average person;beyond that, he also has no means to fight against such things." ¡ª Qing Teng. "In fact, the recent case in Yadivilla State makes it clear that the government and the Church can do nothing beyond covering up the news." ¡ª Old Record. "But..." Jiang Rong paused, looking at the reflection on the computer screen, where she could see the wardrobe behind her and the gap that was still clearly visible. "I don¡¯t know why, but I feel like these incidents have become more frequent in the past two years. Most cases used to be labeled as gas explosions or fires, and everyone would believe it. But now it happens so often that no one can be easily fooled." ¡ª Old Record. "Same here, my colleagues don¡¯t mention it openly, but in private, they¡¯ve all started looking for various kinds of amulets and such." ¡ª Qing Teng. "What about science? Are things like electric shock devices effective for self-defense?" ¡ª Milk Chocolate. Jiang Rong quickly typed her response. But before she could send it, she suddenly heard a slight noise. The wardrobe door, behind her back, was slowly sliding open. There was nobody in the room, she was alone. Yet the wardrobe door was opening on its own. Jiang Rong tensed up, seeing through the reflection on the computer screen, the wardrobe door opening by itself, widening bit by bit. Inside, winter coats and jackets were hanging. A creeping fear started to spread from the depths of her heart. Beep beep! Suddenly, the chat window on the computer flickered and someone sent her a message. Jiang Rong jolted, her vision blurred for a moment, only to see in the reflection that the wardrobe door was properly closed. It hadn¡¯t opened at all, not even a gap. Phew! She took a deep breath, almost as if she had been underwater, and then exhaled. Rustle. She stood up abruptly from the computer, glanced at the perfectly intact wardrobe, intending to flee the room. But just then, looking down from the window, she saw a car parked in front of the empty three-story building opposite. The car door opened, and several tall figures in black coats got out, looking up at the building. At that moment, the figure leading the way seemed to notice Jiang Rong watching, turning his head to look her way. Snap snap. As Jiang Rong made out the person¡¯s face, she involuntarily stepped back. The individual¡¯s face was covered with a silver plastic mask, with no features visible, just a pair of eyes, fierce like those of a hawk or a tiger, exerting a daunting oppression. Jiang Rong quickly turned back, took another look at the undisturbed wardrobe, and then looked again at the figures slowly entering the building opposite. She faintly felt that behind her, the wardrobe had receded on its own, possibly sensing the approach of those people. Because since the wardrobe started acting strangely, this was the first time, the first time the doors had closed completely on their own. No matter how she tried to close it before, it would always be forcibly opened a crack. "Is it due to these people!?" A guess, tinged with hope and anticipation, rose in Jiang Rong¡¯s mind. She had been suffering for a long time... If it really was them... then... She couldn¡¯t hold back any longer, grabbing her coat, throwing it on, and rushing out of the room. She changed her shoes and headed for the building opposite. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. * * * Inside the courtyard of the small building. Yu Hong surveyed the surrounding environment, nodding his head in satisfaction. "Act quickly." He looked at Qing Huang beside him. At times like these, Qing Huang¡¯s abilities were magnified significantly. His wide-range Hypnosis Technique, unchecked by any Magician, was a massive weapon in ordinary human society. After landing and arriving in this city named Mana, they had quickly controlled the local fishermen using hypnotism, then learned the local language rapidly from them. With the translator, it only took ten minutes to build up their vocabulary. Yu Hong then unilaterally mastered the ability to listen, speak, read, and write, albeit only with the help of the translator, unable to truly grasp it on his own. But it was sufficient for communication. "Okay." Qing Huang nodded, looking at the local tycoon who was following them. "Complete the transfer procedures for this building as soon as possible, and sort out our identities too. As for your family affairs, we will take care of them thoroughly," he directly implanted the thoughts through the Hypnosis Technique. "Thank you, sir." The tycoon smiled, turned around, and walked out of the courtyard, got into his car, and drove off. Although he was hypnotized, the reason he could be controlled for so long was due to his own needs. His wife was seriously ill and chained to the bed, not daring to let her out of the room. Over the years, he had hired all kinds of experts to no avail. Having encountered Yu Hong and his group on the road, the tycoon, despite being hypnotized, willingly cooperated after witnessing their miraculous abilities, eager to help in any way he could. Chapter 412: Resolution Two The iron gate in the yard slowly closed automatically. Yu Hong led the group and pushed open the main door of the small building;within was a giant purple crystal chandelier hanging in a spiral shape in the living room, resembling a cluster of giant wisteria. The living room was seven to eight meters tall, creating a significant visual impact upon entering. Yu Hong, Qing Huang, Ku Chan, and Zhang Kajing stood on the round purple carpet at the center of the hall and stopped. "This time we must act quickly and decisively, integrating all the effective forces here as soon as possible to form the strongest defense line, blocking the infiltration of the Source Disaster, and prolonging the support time for the safe area!" Yu Hong said. "I can feel that the concentration of the Red Value here is also slowly rising, indicating that this area is also on the edge of being invaded. Therefore, we must act quickly." "Understood!" Qing Huang nodded. Ku Chan also nodded silently. Seeing everyone nod, Zhang Kajing followed suit. "Since we need a quick resolution, dealing with the officials can¡¯t be through the slow communication method used before. It has to be fast, direct, and effective!" said Yu Hong. He looked out through a side window, watching the endless stream of cars passing by. "Qing Huang, I want you to repeatedly initiate the wide-ranging Hypnosis Technique here, hypnotizing everyone who passes by, then have them bring more people over for re-hypnosis. After the hypnosis, I will release Spirit Light Seeds onto each person." "Ah??" Qing Huang was momentarily stunned. Wasn¡¯t this action a bit too extreme? Even the villainous Seven Evil Alliance didn¡¯t dare to openly conduct such widespread hypnosis techniques in the city area casually, only daring to do so at the final battle. "In unusual times, unusual actions are necessary," Yu Hong said. "Your actions will inevitably draw official investigations and interference. I¡¯ll handle that when the time comes. Your hypnosis can¡¯t control people for a long time, only briefly. So if we can¡¯t quickly expand our scale and amplify our power, a lot of resources will go wasted once the Source Disaster breaks out." "I understand now. The more widely the Spirit Light is spread, the better. Should there be trouble, the Spirit Light can protect ordinary people to a certain extent. If they really can¡¯t be protected and die, their deaths will also contribute to strengthening our power," Qing Huang realized. "Now, the power of Spirit Light has already grown quite strong. Do we really need to do this? In doing so, how are we any different from demons?" Ku Chan frowned and asked. Ever since a large amount of Spirit Light returned to Yu Hong, the intensity of Spirit Light skyrocketed, to the point where an ordinary person could stand still under machine-gun fire without any harm. And for a magician expert, the amplifying effect was even more exaggerated. With the help of Spirit Light, Yu Hong could even stand against a fully-powered Cai Jing Taoist in a one-to-many conflict. His combat power surged to the peak of Quan He during his prime. This level was referred to as a Nightmare Level apex in the previous Spirit Alliance rankings. Shadow, Evil Shadow, War, Nightmare, Despair. Each level encompassed a vast range. Even within the same level, the disparity could be as vast as that between an elephant and a mouse. Compared to Cai Jing Taoist, the subsequent emergence of the Immortal General placed by Yu Hong was classified as Despair Level. This was also, so far, the strongest monster he had encountered. The Immortal General¡¯s golden arm that snatched away Quan He was classified at the same level. Hearing Ku Chan¡¯s question, "The difference is that we won¡¯t harm the safety of ordinary people, but demons will," Yu Hong came back to his senses and answered. "Don¡¯t worry, simple hypnosis won¡¯t cause much harm to people. Through hypnosis, we can also probe the special power system of this place and see how it really works," Qing Huang said, whose cultivation had also advanced significantly, combined with the amplification of Spirit Light, boosting his hypnotic ability substantially. Although not reaching Nightmare Level yet, his strength was now akin to fighting ten people with ease compared to before. "What method can we use to fastest spread Spirit Light across the entire world?" Yu Hong looked at everyone and asked. "Directly contact the power structure, engage in widespread basic activities, and forcibly spread it," Qing Huang answered. "That can only cover a portion. We can also utilize online platforms, control media giants, generate huge traffic, and achieve extensive long-term exposure to attract scattered crowds. As long as the actual effects are shown, there will be plenty of people coming to join!" Ku Chan unexpectedly gave a good suggestion. "Live streaming? We can do both, but we need to be careful not to provoke the Source Disaster before actually taking action. Try not to alert the enemy prematurely to avoid backfiring," Yu Hong nodded, recognizing the soundness of the idea. He might not know how to live stream, but as long as there are people who do, and he just needs to control those who can. Immediately, Qing Huang began to set up the Array, taking out various items that amplify Dao Breath. Before long, he was sitting cross-legged at the center of the Array, his hands rapidly forming Seals. Hiss. A layer of invisible hypnosis waves, like ripples, spread rapidly from him as the center. The ripples crossed the surrounding walls and outer courtyards and soon covered nearby houses up to a two-kilometer radius before slowing down and stabilizing. Since then, ripples of hypnosis waves continuously spread out from Qing Huang towards the surroundings. Beep beep beep. Nearby cars slowly reduced their speed, causing the following vehicles to honk frantically. But the cars within the hypnotized area wouldn¡¯t respond. Only after the cars behaved abnormally for more than ten seconds did faint, barely audible semi-transparent silver threads shoot out from the small building, entering those cars, then everything returned to normal. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Meanwhile, in the surrounding buildings, families one by one woodenly walked downstairs, moving towards where Yu Hong and others were located. They didn¡¯t enter the courtyard, but just paused outside the fence for a moment, then turned and left. Just during that pause, a faint spirit light thread had already penetrated their bodies. In just over ten minutes, more than a thousand people were endowed with spirit light. Yu Hong¡¯s face was cold and stern as he stood behind Qing Huang, his hand constantly flashing with silver spirit light. He was waiting, waiting for the supernatural powers system of this world to come and negotiate. Unfortunately, the implantation of spirit light lasted for over two hours without anyone nearby coming to negotiate with him. With no one intervening, he simply let the exhausted Qing Huang hypnotize a truck, and within the truck¡¯s cabin, he arranged an array to hypnotically affect all the people around it. The white truck slowly started, heading towards the city center. All of this had been witnessed by Jiang Rong, who was hiding in her own stairwell. She had originally run out of her house to ask for help, but stopping in the stairwell and witnessing this scene, she was surprisingly unaffected by the Hypnosis Technique. Instead, she covered her mouth in horror, watching the large crowds approach the opposite fence and stand there quietly with bowed heads, as if on a pilgrimage. "What... What is that?? A cult!?" Jiang Rong stared at the rigid-faced crowd, watching them stand motionless like zombies, a chill surge through her from deep within. Immediately, she didn¡¯t think twice and ran back home, closing all the doors and windows. She huddled in the blankets, shivering. * * * In another part of Mana City. Phils, dressed in a white suit, had just come out from a television station where he had completed a character interview show. It was already past eleven at night, and the recording, which had finally ended, made him heave a sigh of relief. Stepping out of the TV station building, he opened his car door and saw a bald, muscular priest sitting inside, which took him by surprise. "Father Tam, it¡¯s so late and you¡¯re still here, not resting?" "This year alone, four areas have been quarantined, and the number is increasing. Sooner or later, we won¡¯t be able to hide it anymore. The Church is severely short of people, too many dead and injured. When will you start the Spirit Exploring Association you promised us?" Father Tam asked seriously. "Really, is there no way to resist them?" Phils held on to the last shred of hope. "Holy water, amulets, Bible, the cross, none of them work?" "Every religion, at its core, is just an organization of people united by a single belief. It doesn¡¯t mean we possess supernatural abilities. We are just ordinary people who, because of faith, are more determined, more courageous, and not afraid of sacrifice, that¡¯s all," Father Tam explained earnestly. "...What about Sister Sara?" "Like you, she first had a spiritual physique able to sense evil spirits, then she became a nun. Her faith strengthened her will, making her spiritual senses more acute and powerful. But that¡¯s it, she can¡¯t fight against those things either," Father Tam answered. "Quarantine, quarantine, always quarantine. Apart from letting time pass and everything fade away, is there really no other solution?" Phils said. "..." Father Tam remained silent, having said all that needed to be said. "I understand," Phils looked up at the night sky, his face filled with sorrow. "If you understand, that¡¯s good. Huailin Mental Hospital, spiritual sensitives from all over the world have gone there to investigate, confirmed that it is the most severe ghost disaster area ever discovered by humanity. If it erupts, it might bring about one of the notorious Demon Gods¡ªThe Impure Serpent Fura¡¯er." "That¡¯s like a volcano that could erupt at any time, so we must go in and find a way to interfere with its arrival... This task, apart from spiritual sensitives, no one else can do," Father Tam continued. "How many people will die this time?" Phils covered his face with his hand, his voice weary and weak. "If successful, a few dozen. If not... I don¡¯t know," said Father Tam, "Perhaps the surrounding cities will be abandoned. Just like that time in history, a few million, tens of millions could die..." Humans have no way to fight against evil spirits and Demon Gods, only to interfere before they descend, and to quarantine and seal off once they have. Phils got into the car and started it. The car doors closed, and they quickly headed towards his home in the city. Yet neither of them realized that at this moment, in a rural corner of Mana City, strange, earth-shaking changes were occurring. A truck was slowly driving on the city¡¯s main arterial ring road, hypnotizing all the nearby people with each loop. Inside the truck, Yu Hong sat cross-legged beside Qing Huang, continuously releasing large patches of spirit light. Inspired by Ku Chan, he had also thought of a way to maximize the cost-effectiveness of using the Black Mark to enhance his targeted power against the Source Disaster. That is... to focus on intensifying the cultivation targeting an organ. Although the Black Mark couldn¡¯t directly strengthen his body, it could be used indirectly with potions and Cultivation Technique. And instead of enhancing the whole body, which would waste time¡ªsince there are so many types of Source Disasters¡ªhe thought of intensifying different organs individually, each geared towards a specific type of Source Disaster. Keep intensifying them¡ªperhaps only an eye or a finger. To keep strengthening it until it has power that can resist a specific type of Source Disaster. That way, because the parts needing intensification are small, the efficiency of the Black Mark¡¯s enhancement would be extremely high, and the required time would also significantly reduce. Sitting in the truck, Yu Hong felt more and more that it was feasible. Single organ extreme intensification, once confirmed to be viable, will definitely greatly enhance his adaptive and combative capabilities against different Source Disasters. Chapter 413: Operation 411 Part 1 Several days later. Merrie Town. Huailin Mental Hospital was situated here, once bringing a huge demand for material transportation to this small town. At its peak, this vast mental hospital that accommodated over six thousand people required a large number of various daily necessities and medical resources, which also heated up the messy and limited resource businesses in the town. "But that was all more than a decade ago. Now, there¡¯s nothing left in this place." Father Tam led the way, explaining the situation to the spiritual expert Phils following behind him. The two of them carried a variety of props of different sizes, some of which still had a faint smell of blood on them. "How many people have entered so far?" Phils asked in a low voice. "Over a hundred people have gone in consecutively in the span of five hours." "That¡¯s not too bad. How about the surroundings? Are all the equipment and instruments properly set up?" "They¡¯re all ready." Phils glanced at his watch. Taking a few more steps forward, he lightly hopped onto a large rock. Ahead of them was a barren plain of yellow sand, with a wide small town looming within the pale yellow sandstorm. In the deepest part of the town stood a greyish-yellow building resembling a square fortress. Engraved above the entrance of the building were the words: Huailin Mental Hospital. Both took a breath as they saw several buses parked in front of the gate. The shells of the white buses were dyed yellow by the surrounding sandstorm. "We¡¯re here... Be cautious. According to the Church¡¯s assessment, trouble begins within 500 meters of it," Father Tam warned. "I¡¯m fine," Phils shook his head and continued to walk toward the abandoned town. Soon, the two men arrived in front of the parked buses. Suddenly, the slow drip of red liquid from the bus caught their attention. Their expressions grew stern as they approached and found the bus door open, with a chaotic mess inside. Luggage, camera equipment, and various items were thrown about. "Where are the people?" Tam furrowed his brow, boarded the bus to take a look around twice, but found no trace of any living person. Thump. Suddenly, a dull thud came from inside the mental hospital. They both shuddered and quickly looked toward the sound, seeing through the high walls a kind of evil atmosphere continuously leaking out. Exchanging a glance, they pulled out large-caliber handguns from their waists, disengaged the safety, and slowly walked toward the gate. Click. The gate wasn¡¯t locked. With caution, Tam peeped through the crack of the door. Within the high walls was a dark red bloody lawn. The originally green grass was now splattered everywhere with something akin to blood-paint. With her back facing them, a grey-haired, dried-skinned woman stood in the distance, hands joined in front as if in prayer toward the deepest part of the mental hospital. Not far ahead of the woman, in the air, faint red threads were slowly being woven together. Tam looked carefully and realized those red threads were actually thin streams of blood floating up into the air. His scalp tingling, he signaled Phils with his hand and started to slowly back away. To hide first, then entice out, and finally isolate. This had been their long-standing resolution method. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Facing evil spirits, they neither had the means nor any methods to counter. Phils stepped forward and peered over to see the scene beyond the wall. As an inspirer, he saw more than the priest did. He saw blood threads in the air weaving together to form a door with strange patterns in front of the grey-haired woman. Bang! Suddenly, a whirlwind burst open in the air before the woman. The woman swiftly raised her head, twisted around, looking towards them. "Ah!" Phils, upon seeing the woman¡¯s face for a moment, couldn¡¯t help but turn pale, stepping back while exclaiming lowly. The grey-haired woman¡¯s face was an abyssal black hole that went straight down through her neck to her abdomen, making her whole body resemble a large pipe. Scared, he immediately grabbed the priest and retreated backwards, running wildly towards the bus they had arrived in. But... after only a few steps, he suddenly felt a lightness in his hand. Turning his head, he saw Father Tam stiffly freezing in place, bleeding profusely from all orifices, splashing onto the ground. Spurt. The priest half-knelt on the ground, his face contorted, struggling to wave at him. He appeared to be in such agony that he was completely unable to speak. Phils clenched his teeth, taking out a black stone-like object from his chest and pressing it onto the priest as his first reaction. "It¡¯s a riot, run... run fast!" the priest suddenly shouted with all his strength. Boom!! In an instant, his entire body exploded, turning into countless bits of flesh, splashing all over Phils. Phils¡¯ lips trembled. They had originally planned to probe the mental hospital before the outbreak occurred. Unexpectedly... the rebellion came sooner than anticipated! And there wasn¡¯t even time to set up a warning. Immediately, he didn¡¯t look back, forcibly holding back tears, and broke into a run. Behind him, the silhouette of a woman with grey hair materialized out of thin air at the location of the priest¡¯s explosion, squatting down and gently touching the blood-stained earth. In an instant, streams of blood rose from the soil, weaving themselves into another door adorned with eerie and extravagant patterns. As the door took shape, wisps and strands of black air escaped from the cracks, seeping into the body of the grey-haired woman, causing the suppressed force she exuded to grow increasingly powerful with the passage of time. * * * Four days after entering this New World. Almost the entire Mana City was contaminated with Spirit Light. Yu Hong and the others used the first small building they transferred to as the Spirit Alliance Headquarters in this place. "How¡¯s the situation outside now?" Sitting in the chair of the main hall, Yu Hong looked at Qing Huang and the others who were slowly entering. "Basically, in the entire Mana City district, we have completely spread it to ninety percent of the people. Next, we will expand to the surrounding cities. It¡¯s just..." Qing Huang couldn¡¯t help but glance at Yu Hong sitting in his seat. At this moment, with the increasing number of people spreading Spirit Light, whenever Yu Hong stopped moving, a semi-transparent blue sun¡¯s phantom would appear behind him. When he moved slightly, the phantom would disappear. It seemed that as more and more people spread Spirit Light, some kind of secret change was happening to Yu Hong, unknown to others. "Ku Chan has already located a nearby military base according to our targets. We¡¯ll begin by taking control of the local military force through special means, infecting everyone to enhance their resistance. Then there¡¯s my live broadcast..." Qing Huang looked at Yu Hong sitting in the seat. "My hypnotism is only short-term, not permanent, so if I want to affect someone for a long time, I have to rely on other methods." "Who is dealing with the cases that arise here?" Yu Hong asked. "Most are self-contained, a few rely on others to stall with their lives, and mainly it¡¯s the Church that sends priests and nuns to the scene," Qing Huang explained. "What about the Church here?" "They have no power;it seems to be just an organization made up of ordinary people. Their way of exorcising is mainly by using lives to lure it away," Qing Huang sighed. He looked at Yu Hong. "Should we make contact with the Church?" "No, there¡¯s no rush to confront the troubles here. We should expand as fast as possible;that¡¯s what we need to do," Yu Hong said. "From the reaction of the Spirit Disaster, if we can¡¯t completely seal it off with a quick strike, there might be a huge backlash later..." "Expand the scale, prepare everything we can, strengthen ourselves as much as possible, and then complete our goal in one fell swoop. This is our path." Yu Hong emphasized again. He was determined to swiftly establish a safe zone this time, using thunderous means. "What if we encounter promising seedlings here? Should we absorb them into our ranks?" Qing Huang asked. "What, you¡¯ve taken a liking to someone after just a few days?" Yu Hong said, surprised. "Sooner or later, we will have to face this issue," Qing Huang shook his head. "Decide for yourself, just don¡¯t mess up our plans," Yu Hong said calmly. "I¡¯m preparing to start migrating a large population here in the next few days. The more people from Hope City and the Spirit Alliance arrive, the faster our expansion will be. The territory has already been connected in the eastern part of Fista, on a piece of wasteland that has been abandoned for many years. There is a castle there that is about to fall into disuse." "Alliance Hierarch is wise!" Qing Huang truly marveled;Yu Hong¡¯s efficiency in action was astonishing. In just a few days, with just a few of them, they had stirred up so much. "However, our expansion seems to have attracted the attention of the National Security Bureau here. They¡¯ve sent some people to investigate us. Should I go and make contact?" Qing Huang continued to ask. "That¡¯s fine," Yu Hong nodded. Soon, several people left the main hall. Yu Hong then stood up, looking at Zhang Kajing, who was quietly reading a comic book in the corner. "Do you want to go out for a walk?" "No need, I¡¯ll just wait here for you. Go ahead," Zhang Kajing said without raising his head, still engrossed in his comic book. Yu Hong walked out of the main hall alone, looking up at the gloomy and overcast sky. He took out the booklet that Ku Chan had given him from his chest. The countdown on the booklet was left with just over ten hours. The time should end today. As he walked out of the courtyard alone, watching the ordinary people who had already been imbued with Spirit Light passing by, he felt a significant sense of security. In Mana City, at least millions of people had been infected by them in these few days. Such operational efficiency was countless times faster than the previous two incidents. "It¡¯s still not enough. Far from enough," Yu Hong reflected on the scene where Quan He was captured, understanding that the Spirit Light provided by ordinary people was actually limited. Only powerful masters practicing the Spirit Light Secret Skill could draw more power from Ultimate Sun and thus give him enough feedback. Walking slowly along the shaded path in the neighborhood, Yu Hong pulled out a Red Value Detector from his waist. Beep. The LCD display immediately showed the current environmental Red Value: 11.23. This device was not made by him, but produced by Hope City. Originally, they imitated the Red Value Detector he had enhanced, and others had also made similar devices, though not as precise. Now, some time had passed, and the machine had improved significantly. He hadn¡¯t walked far before he saw Ku Chan returning to the building through the neighborhood, surrounded by a group of people. Suddenly, Ku Chan caught sight of Yu Hong on this side and quickly turned and approached. "Why is there such a strong smell of blood on you?" As he got closer, Yu Hong frowned slightly and asked. Chapter 414: Action 412 Part 2 "To achieve our goal, some measures are necessary. If someone dares to obstruct me and delay our important affairs, I have dealt with them slightly." Ku Chan said indifferently. "How¡¯s the situation with the military?" Yu Hong didn¡¯t ask further. "It¡¯s almost done, but only the nearby army. I¡¯ve demonstrated a bit of magic, and the person in charge there has stopped resisting and instead warmly welcomes us in. I estimate it won¡¯t be long before the official authorities will come to contact us." Ku Chan said. "The National Security Bureau has already arrived." Yu Hong nodded. He glanced to the side, his gaze falling on a group of men in black suits entering the neighborhood not far away, approaching them. The people here appear similar to Caucasians, with occasional blacks and Asians, but it seems that Caucasians are the mainstream. The men in black suits approaching now were exactly that. There were eight of them in total, and walking at the forefront was a handsome middle-aged old man with salt-and-pepper hair and a meticulously groomed beard and hair. When the other party approached, he smiled and extended his hand towards Yu Hong, indicating a handshake. "Mr. Yu, I am very sorry for this impromptu visit. I am the Director of the Special Personnel Registration Office at the National Security Bureau, Child Roman." "So it¡¯s Director Roman. What can I do for you?" Yu Hong took the conversation naturally, as if he didn¡¯t know the purpose of the other party¡¯s visit. "I¡¯m here regarding the recent expansion of your organization, the Spirit Alliance, and the unauthorized contact with the Mana garrison..." Roman didn¡¯t finish his sentence before he was interrupted. "Director Roman, I think you should¡¯ve considered how to approach us before coming here." Yu Hong¡¯s expression turned from mild to cold. "Such words only exacerbate conflicts and are meaningless." "Exacerbate conflicts? Mr. Yu, I want to know on what basis do you people have the audacity to speak such ¡¯flowery language¡¯ to us, who represent the national departments. Suddenly coming to Mana, what exactly are your objectives?" Roman¡¯s expression became cold as he spoke. He had received intelligence a few days ago that someone had unauthorized contact with the local garrison commander and managed to get along well with the military, which was quite baffling. Later, after careful compilation, he quickly learned of a mysterious organization named Spirit Alliance, which was rapidly recruiting Mana¡¯s local elites. The Spirit Alliance initially only had four members, with Yu Hong here as the leader. Yet in just a few days, they moved as if unobstructed, easily entering various highly guarded areas and contacting anyone they wished. And the various people who had contact with them all strangely had a very good impression of them. This odd situation quickly caught the attention of the National Security Bureau. So Roman put aside all other matters and came here personally to investigate the situation with the Spirit Alliance. "In just four days, the Spirit Alliance¡¯s actions have impacted all levels of society in Mana. Two city council members, directors of the largest walrus corporation, the garrison commander, gang leaders, and principals of the two best private schools. Look at the people you¡¯ve contacted, spanning various fields, including many sensitive layers." He paused for a moment, his eyes sharp. "Mr. Yu, you¡¯d better be clear about what you are doing. Jeopardizing national security is not an empty threat. My personal visit here is your final warning;if you don¡¯t restrain yourselves this time, the consequences..." "Consequences?" Yu Hong laughed. "Director Roman, have you ever encountered unexplainable situations in your life?" He continued. "¡­I don¡¯t care why you¡¯ve come, but your actions are too big." Roman said gravely, pointing to some people who were currently standing quietly outside the buildings in the neighborhood. "Also, I really want to know how you managed to drag people out of their homes in the cold night and bring them here from so far away just to stand outside your house for a short while?" sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "So you¡¯re saying, you brought people here this late, standing in front of me, just to threaten me?" Yu Hong countered. "You can understand it that way." Roman¡¯s gaze was icy, with an authoritative air pressing against the opposite side. Hiss! In an instant, Ku Chan behind Yu Hong suddenly struck out with a punch. There was a flash of red light. Boom!! A surge of searing dark red flames burst out from Ku Chan¡¯s fist on the spot, engulfing Roman and his group behind him. In the night, this stream of flaming pillars, seven to eight meters in diameter, left a cylindrical charred mark on the ground. After the flames, several charred bodies lay twisted on the ground. But Yu Hong was slightly surprised as he looked toward the figure at the side of the flames. That person was none other than Director Roman, who should have been engulfed and killed by the flames! At this moment, Roman¡¯s face was red, and his face still bore the scars of being scorched by the flames. His mind was still muddled, unable to understand what had just happened. How can a man punch out flames?! Incomprehensible! "Body double?" Yu Hong raised his eyebrow. Snap. Suddenly, Qing Huang behind him snapped his fingers. A ripple of invisible Dao Breath spread out. Roman shivered, his eyes losing focus. But the next second, he quickly broke free from the stupor, unaffected, his gaze instantly becoming highly vigilant. He drew his gun with one hand, aiming at Yu Hong and the other immediately, and shouted sharply, "What did you do!?" "Don¡¯t be nervous..." Yu Hong looked towards Qing Huang, asking with his eyes if it was a problem with the magic. "It¡¯s not my issue;it¡¯s him... he¡¯s special." Qing Huang shook his head. Yu Hong nodded. "Then let¡¯s try again, if it really doesn¡¯t work, then don¡¯t bother with hypnosis." "I understand." Qing Huang said respectfully. Spirit Alliance had just arrived at this location and was in the midst of extensive construction and expansion. Therefore, everything had to be suppressed quickly, leaving no hidden dangers. Hence, watching Roman about to pull the trigger, he activated Dao Breath once more. A faint red light, invisible to ordinary people, flashed and accurately hit the pistol in the other¡¯s hand. Roman¡¯s hand trembled, and his gun was knocked away;he immediately rolled to the side, trying to evade. But when he got up, he found that Qing Huang was still standing in front of him, and he was still in his original position. Neither of them had moved in the slightest. His tumbling just now was as if he had never made that movement at all. "This...!!!" Sweat appeared on his forehead. If the flames just now could be barely explained by props, then this situation made him immediately think of evil spirits. Such a bizarre power could only be the work of an evil spirit. As the director of the National Security Bureau, he naturally had the privileges and access to understand the situation outside. But if it were an evil spirit, it wouldn¡¯t have any conversation with him at all! There¡¯s no record of evil spirits having normal communication. "Strange, I actually can¡¯t hypnotize you. I can only interfere." Qing Huang¡¯s somewhat astonished voice came from beside him. "What are you, exactly!? What are you trying to achieve!?" Roman¡¯s face was beaded with sweat. He now deeply regretted not calling the people from the Church over. No... he should even have called the special operations team to capture all these people first! "Come on, let¡¯s go here and have a good talk." Qing Huang grabbed him effortlessly like a doll and easily took him into a conference room inside the small building, slamming the door shut. While Yu Hong paid no more attention to these events and walked away alone, leaving the residential area, his immense Spiritual Fluctuation silently spread out, covering hundreds of meters around him. Walking on the street, there were only some small diners and bakeries on the roadside. He strolled leisurely at an unhurried pace, enjoying the long-lost peace and tranquility here. Wait until the wasteland he had purchased in the suburbs was secured, that was when he would start to move a large number of Spirit Alliance members over. This peace, as evidenced by the Red Value concentration, would not last long here. Before long, Qing Huang caught up to him again. "It¡¯s strange, I can¡¯t completely hypnotize that Roman." "Is there something special about him?" Yu Hong asked. "Based on our intelligence gathering in this area, I suspect that he might be a comparatively formidable psychic individual. And the psychic individuals here seem not to be simply more perceptive." Qing Huang answered. "Furthermore, I¡¯ve learned from him that none here, including the Church, have any means to counter disasters." "Are they all blood attractions?" Yu Hong sighed. "Then let¡¯s not concern ourselves with them for now. Once Mana is ready, we can further spread out to the surrounding areas." "The Fista Federation consists of thirteen large provinces, each with about twenty-something cities. The most populous are the capitals of these provinces. I¡¯ve already sent people to set up outposts in advance." Qing Huang said. "One city a week, no problem, right?" Yu Hong asked. "It¡¯s possible, but it¡¯s still too slow. We need a faster method. What do you think about live streaming, Alliance Hierarch?" "The capital pushers are ready?" "Yes, we¡¯ve persuaded three wealthy businessmen to commit significant funds for traffic boosting." Ku Chan interjected in response. "Then use the Spirit Light Secret Skill as the core of our propaganda, showing the functions of the Spirit Light Secret Skill without exaggerating too much, to begin with. Be progressive." Yu Hong instructed. "I understand." Both of them responded. After all, normal people wouldn¡¯t immediately believe it¡¯s real when they see someone in a video with a silver turtle shell get hit by a car and survive;they¡¯d think it¡¯s just computer effects. "Within a month, I want the number of Spirit Light users to reach thirty million." Yu Hong said. "This... I¡¯ll do my best." Hu. Yu Hong didn¡¯t speak again, just looked up ahead. * * * Fista National Security Bureau. Within the brightly lit underground base. Director Rania Visson looked at Roman, who had returned to report, with an ugly expression on his face. He had never expected that Roman would have all his weapons confiscated and his subordinates killed so quickly, then be taken away for more than ten hours of ideological education. Even at the end, Roman was delivered by those who claimed to be from the Spirit Alliance. "The current situation is headache-inducing enough... you bunch of incompetents..." He pulled over the mobile blackboard on his right and pointed on it with chalk. "Currently, the west side is the increasingly tense situation in Tangola Forest. To the north is the ticking time bomb that is Huailin Mental Hospital, and we just received a call from the Church, saying that their Father Tam also died inside." He paused, looking at the group of National Security Bureau officers sitting below. "The range of Huailin has visibly expanded again. Around its coverage, it seems we need to further move out for a quarantine of three kilometers." "There¡¯s still no progress with the Spirit Exploring Association, and now there¡¯s this Spirit Alliance." "We don¡¯t have much time left, Roman, now¡¯s not the time to play house." Rania said grimly. "Cases like Huailin - there are four known to the world, and observations show all four are expanding their coverage. If we can¡¯t think of countermeasures, we¡¯ll have to apply to relocate the surrounding cities entirely." Chapter 415: Operation 413 Chapter Three "The people from this so-called Spirit Alliance don¡¯t seem to be as irrational and cruel as the members of other cults," Deputy Director Rekus, a bald black man, spoke up. "They are more like special forces with clear objectives, their killing, actions, and efficiency are all very high." "Do you think we can recruit them?" Rania looked at her colleagues. "No, they¡¯ve already killed our team members, and on the contrary, I think that such rational criminals are, in a way, more dangerous than evil spirits during this critical period. After all, most evil spirits can¡¯t leave their birthplace too far," Regus explained. "So, let¡¯s make a decision now. Those in favor of recruiting the Spirit Alliance, raise your hands. Those in favor of completely suppressing and eradicating them, press the buzzer on the table." "Up to now, the core numbers of the Spirit Alliance have initially approached more than a hundred people. All of them voluntarily follow Qing Huang and contribute their own strength. To have grown to this extent in just four or five days... If given more time..." Augustus sighed. Everyone fell silent, looking at the rapidly drawn Spirit Alliance and Huailin Mental Hospital on the blackboard. Both sides were represented by text, circled with a large round circle. Two separate circles were drawn, indicating that the level of urgency for both sides was nearly equivalent. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Beep... Finally, the first person pressed the buzzer. Then the second, then the third. "Let the Tsunami Special handle this, quickly and decisively, arrest them on charges of endangering national security," Rania instructed. "I have a very strong sense of insecurity about this Spirit Alliance. I always feel like they¡¯re going to cause some major incident." "Do we need to request cooperation from the local garrison to take action?" Someone asked. "We can, but that takes too long. Mainly let Tsunami take action," Rania nodded. "Capture their core figures directly, that Yu, the Spirit Alliance Leader, and the whole Spirit Alliance will fall apart." "Understood!" Everyone nodded in agreement. But what no one noticed was that since Roman had returned, he had become as if a different person. Now, hearing the plan, he bowed his head, and his eyes revealed a vacant and strange expression for an instant. Even he seemed completely unaware of this bizarre gaze. * * * Sss... Night. Yu Hong sat alone in front of a coffee shop, holding a cup of milk coffee with steam wafting from it, looking at a booklet on the Cloud Transformation Technique shared by Ku Chan. The strengthening session had just ended, and now this originally simple booklet had turned into a small book entirely crafted and engraved from silver. The Silver Book... This booklet seemed to have no difference from the Cloud Transformation Technique anymore. On the surface of the cover, a large decaying face was engraved, surrounded by a ring of interlaced fingers that encased the face. "Can this thing really be used?" Yu Hong gently touched the Silver Book, without needing to sense carefully, he could feel an extremely thick aura of evil exuding from the book. He used to disbelieve that an aura could be termed evil, thinking that it was only the user who determined the morality of a power, and the power itself had no right or wrong. But after encountering this power... he truly understood that Evil Power really exists... The moment this power contacted him, it began to transform into various eerie whispers, trying to make him release his own repression and fetters, peel away reason, and unleash his instinctual desires. Do whatever you want. Satisfy all your cravings. ¡¯No matter what, if it really can devour Spirit Disaster Black Disaster for my own use, this Cultivation Technique is worth it.¡¯ Yu Hong, resisting the urge to strengthen once more, flipped open the Silver Book to the first page. ¡¯This book is modified from one of the Seven Alchemy Secret Techniques of Sky Wish Sect¡ªthe Red Food Method.¡¯ ¡¯The Red Food Method is divided into three levels. The first level: Raw Food. The second level: Fried Food. The third level: Refined Food.¡¯ ¡¯Sky Wish Sect was rebuilt on the ruins of the Infinite Demon Palace after its downfall, with the aim of devouring all things to perpetuate oneself. But later on, an accident occurred in the battle against the Source Disaster. By consuming too much, they were assimilated and became a part of the major Source Disasters, hence perished.¡¯ ¡¯The three levels of the Red Food Method, each level requires the mastery of a corresponding Array to alchemically transform all things into the All Things Pill Transformation. The ultimate state will give birth to three Head of Greeds, representing the aspiration to devour the world and people.¡¯ Below was the cultivation method for the first level. The beginning of the cultivation was very simple;it just needed spiritual power to outline an extremely complex red Array in the mind, nothing more. Yu Hong sipped on his coffee while carefully reading the Silver Book in his hands. The contents of the book were written in a language that others could not understand, so he did not bother to hide it. Soon after finishing the entire booklet, he closed his eyes and began to attempt constructing the first level Array. But what was strange was that despite his formidable cultivation, he could only construct a small part of it before it collapsed on its own. Moreover, this small part of the Array, bizarrely, did not disappear after his failure. He began to slowly absorb certain gray particles from the surrounding air, gradually solidifying the array patterns from a state of spiritual power. "Interesting." Yu Hong noticed that the array was absorbing the red value radiation from the surrounding air! "This cultivation technique has not just been modified... it has been completely replaced with something else!" Speechless, he memorized it, then borrowed some pen and paper from the cafs waitress to copy down the first layer and translate it into something Ku Chan could understand. Then, he stood up and returned to headquarters with the paper in hand. He needed to personally test it before passing it on to Ku Chan for monastic practice, given that, judging by the inertia of the Black Mark¡¯s foundational techniques, they were all reinforced based on his own physique and spirit, without consideration for their suitability for others. Additionally, he was also planning to start choosing an organ on his own body for one-way, long-term reinforcement against the Black Disaster. The organ he chose was his left eye. He had only just taken the booklet and was approaching the iron gate of the headquarters when Yu Hong suddenly glanced sideways toward a black van speeding towards him from the right. Not only that, but at the same time, people from several other directions rapidly raised a feeling of being watched and aimed at. "Take care of them," Yu Hong calmly ordered. A Spirit Alliance member guarding outside the iron gate nodded slightly, quickly drew a handgun from behind his waist, and walked head-on towards the direction of the van. These new members were mostly retired, disabled veterans from Mana City, who served Fista all their lives, only to find in the end that the so-called spirit of freedom offered them no security in their later years and even their personally purchased insurance delayed to age, resulting in financial distress and inability to maintain themselves. Now, it was the Spirit Alliance that gave them a chance at a new life with healthy bodies. So, for them, there was no moral burden in working for the Spirit Alliance. Yu Hong paid no attention to the ordinary people attacking outside. At his current level, such low-level attacks were meaningless to him, like child¡¯s play. What he was more concerned about was the development speed of the various aspects of the Spirit Alliance. "Alliance Leader, the live stream is about to start. Want to take a look?" Qing Huang came down from upstairs with a laptop, smiling at him. "What format are we using for live streaming?" Yu Hong was also curious about this emerging method and whether it could attract enough traffic to join the Spirit Alliance. "It¡¯s quite simple," Qing Huang said as he placed the laptop in front of Yu Hong and turned the screen. Immediately, the screen displayed an extremely sexy, pure girl dressed in a black three-point bikini covering her body. The long-haired girl twisted her body and held a white advertisement board promoting the Spirit Light Mutual Aid Alliance. The advertisement read: Spirit Light Mutual Aid Alliance welcomes you to join. Countless beauties are waiting for you. Let fate bring us together to meet, to know, and to love. Contact number... "..." Yu Hong watched the live stream that resembled an erotic website¡¯s promotion, his expression gradually losing its smile. "There¡¯s also this version," Qing Huang hurriedly switched pages. Suddenly, a muscular man wearing only briefs appeared, holding an advertisement board for the Spirit Alliance, boldly swaying and dancing to the music. "..." "I also have an elderly version, a chubby version, a skinny version, a traditional clothes version, and a disabled version. In total, over thirty variations suitable for all kinds of viewers. The promotional effect is top-notch!" Qing Huang said with a hint of pride, "According to the data, in just two days, the number of online viewers reached as much as six or seven million! We¡¯ve added servers several times." "Very well..." Yu Hong was speechless, but as long as it was effective. "The live stream is going smoothly, and, in the process of developing members these past days, we¡¯ve also discovered some unexpected information," Qing Huang continued. "What is it?" "It¡¯s about ¡¯xing¡¯." "What!?" Yu Hong¡¯s eyes widened, and he shifted his gaze from the screen to Qing Huang. "Based on my recent collection of information, this area is likely where the Black Disaster first began its infiltration. Neither Hope City nor Taoist Sect was actually the first. The Black Disaster had already left seeds on both sides. But not here." "Where did the information about ¡¯xing¡¯ come from?" Yu Hong asked. "A professor specializing in research on Church purification cases. After joining us, he hoped to use his research to improve his Spirit Light level. You know, the higher the Spirit Light level, the greater the enhancement gained." Qing Huang continued: "According to his research, the first person to discover traces of the Black Disaster in the Church claimed to have seen an entity known as ¡¯xing¡¯. And it was after his declaration that other cases began to emerge one after another, but ¡¯xing¡¯ never appeared again." Yu Hong pondered for a moment. "Don¡¯t act rashly for now, hold off on anything related to the Black Disaster. First, deal with parts of the plan. I suspect the Source Disaster has reached the higher echelons, and it¡¯s likely controlled by a certain intelligence level." "Understood," Qing Huang nodded. "Continue to promote Spirit Light with all your might..." Yu Hong instructed. "Also, have Ku Chan come over." "Okay." After Qing Huang left, Ku Chan came down from upstairs, where he had been focused on cultivating his secret techniques at a critical moment, and was called down. "Take a look at this cultivation technique;I¡¯ve modified it for you," Yu Hong handed the page he¡¯d copied to him. He had just concentrated and tried it out, only to find that there were no prompts suggesting it was meant only for his exclusive use. Chapter 416: Operation 414 Four "This is based on your Magic Skill, if we can confirm its effectiveness in cultivation, is it possible to pass it on to all other people?" Yu Hong continued. "....So soon!" Ku Chan caught the piece of paper, initially glancing over it casually, but his eyes lit up the moment they landed on the extremely complex Array Map. Being able to create his own Cultivation Technique naturally meant his understanding of Arrays far exceeded Yu Hong¡¯s. At a glance, he could tell that the Array on the booklet was cutting-edge and powerful. "Yes!" Ku Chan couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the paper, hastily responding, "This Secret Technique and the one I gave you are not on the same level at all, you can do whatever you want with it." "As long as it¡¯s useful." Watching Ku Chan¡¯s very happy expression, Yu Hong sighed and stood up to return to his room. He summoned the Black Ship and began officially relocating members of the Spirit Alliance from Hope City. Aboard the Black Ship. To not waste time, he also quickly organized the Eye Power Training Method from the Taoist Sect. In Taoism, among the magicians, there were many ways of training one¡¯s eyesight. Yu Hong randomly chose a Training Method that protected eyesight and sat cross-legged on the deck, directly pressing his hand on the Method. ¡¯Enhancing Hei Mu Method, direction: improve eyesight to see through the Source Disaster fog.¡¯ A black line flashed, but as soon as it entered the Training Method booklet, it quickly receded back. ¡¯Training Method lacks necessary base functions,¡¯ Black Mark provided feedback. "This is a bit tricky," Yu Hong thought. He did not possess any Magic Skills that could train the eyes to extraordinary capabilities. "Then let¡¯s change the approach. If I enhance an eye to the utmost limit, would special functions emerge along the way? Then, based on these new functions, carry out selective strengthening by pruning." Immediately, a direction became clear in Yu Hong¡¯s mind. ¡¯It seems that random enhancement is better to start with. Directed enhancement relies too much on base functions.¡¯ Then, he stretched out his hand again, gently pressing his fingertip on the Eye Power Training Method. ¡¯Enhance Training Method.¡¯ This time, he didn¡¯t specify a direction or aim for the ultimate enhancement, because the intermediary enhancements likely required continual research and adjustment, so he didn¡¯t add any qualifiers. The black line moved out again and entered the Training Method booklet. ¡¯Enhance Training Method?¡¯ This time it was indeed successful. Yu Hong looked at the countdown that appeared, 2 hours and 11 minutes. ¡¯Just a basic enhancement, it seems it won¡¯t take too much time.¡¯ He confirmed his agreement. Immediately, the countdown blurred slightly and began to count down bit by bit. Yu Hong kept his hands moving without stopping. When the Black Ship arrived at the camp, he started arranging for people to board the ship continuously. The first batch to pass through was the core members from the Spirit Alliance and Qingchen Temple. They rushed back as soon as they received the news. People like Yu Hen, Yu Mo, and Headless Sword, each with hopeful hearts, boarded the Black Ship, heading to the New World. Following closely were many elite representatives from Hope City. Upon receiving the news and after confirming that a place to migrate had indeed been found, Chen Yaofeng even sent people to verify it back and forth. He quickly released this great news, a sign of hope. Instantly, all of Hope City was boiling with excitement. The attack of the Cold Disaster had already caused Hope City to gradually begin to lose hope for the future, slowly entering a stage of decadent waiting for death. But now, this news was like a shot of adrenaline, instantly sweeping away the despondency of Hope City. To lay claim to new territory first, Chen Yaofeng carefully selected the city¡¯s most elite Enhanced Human Mages to form an exceedingly powerful Enhancement Technique troop and named it the Black Light. The meaning was simple and clear, representing light in the darkness! The Black Light Army totaled three thousand four hundred people, and the number was still increasing. After transporting members over from the Spirit Alliance Qingchen Temple and others, Yu Hong immediately rushed to Hope City and formally saw this newly-organized formidable troop. Snowflakes danced in the air, and around the entirety of Hope City, huge ice pillars hundreds of meters in diameter had been erected at some unknown time. The pillars were faintly merging with each other as if they intended to completely freeze and seal the entire city. At that moment, beneath one of the ice pillars on the open ground. The mountains that were previously surrounding the area now had a spacious entrance opened up. Troops wearing black, heavy-duty reinforced suits, their heads completely hidden within solid bulletproof helmets, were standing neatly lined up on the ground. Everyone was uniformly equipped with two hefty battle axes on their back, carrying square brown oxygen packs, with the surface of their suits engraved with traces of white stone Technique Arrays. Chen Yaofeng and Yu Hong were standing inside an armored vehicle, slowly inspecting these three thousand-plus men. "This is the last crystallization of our fervent hopes in Hope City! The strongest force!" Chen Yaofeng said proudly, pointing at these men. "According to the strength classification you provided, every member of the Black Light Army has close to two tons of physical explosive strength, nearly reaching the War Level Dao Breath, and on the magic side, each has skillfully mastered the basic hexagon series, that is, offensive, defensive, and evasive, two Techniques of each type within these three directions." "How is actual combat?" Yu Hong nodded, looking at this group of tall soldiers each standing two meters high. Even now, he still felt somewhat astonished. Because he could sense that every person here exuded a thick Dao Breath. That level of Dao Breath was basically at the Sixth Layer of Guanwu Skill, close to the Seventh Layer. The Seventh Layer is commonly known as the Temple Master Level, which is to say, among those present, there were over three thousand experts, nearly at the Reserve Temple Master Level like Zheng Ming and Zheng Ying! This isn¡¯t even considering their physical strength and the amplification of their Spirit Light. "Without counting Spirit Light, these soldiers possess several times their current strength when it¡¯s included. According to expert evaluations, they should be on par with those Dragon-men in Golden Armor you¡¯ve encountered during the Spirit Disaster, the ones that don¡¯t use their static abilities," Chen Yaofeng said proudly. "What about Temple Master Level? That is, War Level, how many do we have now?" Yu Hong nodded and asked again. "If by pure Dao Breath cultivation, there are currently no Temple Master Level experts within Hope City. The difficulty of reaching the Seventh Layer of Guanwu Skill is too high, and there hasn¡¯t been enough time for cultivating it. However, the current situation is already incredibly impressive, the remaining Black Disaster can no longer pose a threat to our surrounding safety. Even the Black Giants can be easily grinded to death through a group attack, without worrying about them regenerating," Chen Yaofeng excitedly talked about this topic. "How about Yiyi? How is she doing now?" Yu Hong inquired. "Her cultivation of the Guanwu Skill is slow;this Cultivation Technique requires strong comprehension ability. Now that there are many powerful Enhanced Human Mages, she doesn¡¯t need to go out on missions as often, so she¡¯s mainly staying in the city to learn various basic academic subjects," Chen Yaofeng explained. It was clear he had always been keeping an eye on Lin Yiyi. "Very good," Yu Hong nodded, "Prepare the Black Light Army to move out first, then send the Tactical Nuclear Force over. We need to establish a firm foothold as quickly as possible, then through negotiations, localized wars, and other means, establish our own security zone." "Understood! It is just a pity that your ship can only carry a hundred odd people at most. Moving at this pace, who knows when everyone can be transported," said Chen Yaofeng somewhat helplessly. "Don¡¯t worry. Once I am free, it¡¯ll just be half an hour back and forth, and twenty trips a day is no problem." "That¡¯s only two thousand people a day," Chen Yaofeng shook his head. "Twenty thousand in ten days, two hundred thousand in a hundred days, what more do you want?" Yu Hong was speechless. "Just joking, Master Yu, don¡¯t be angry," Chen Yaofeng said with a smile, patting his shoulder. "Still, we do need a bigger and faster means of transportation." Yu Hong also understood that such slow progress was a waste of time. "Our current plan is to establish a forward base as soon as the Black Light Army arrives. According to intelligence sent back from Fista, in Mana City there are only about eighty thousand regular army forces that could pose a threat to us, and now this army is already indirectly under our control. So all dangers are basically ruled out," Chen Yaofeng continued with his slightly excited analysis of the future arrangements. At this point, Yu Hong had already taken a step back and sat down on the leather chair, listening while he took out the Eye Power Training Method that was about to finish enhancing. There were only two minutes left on the countdown, so he quietly put it back and waited. About three minutes later. Without a sound, Yu Hong felt a cold sensation coming from his hand holding the piece of Training Method. The piece of paper he was pinching the second before seemed to have become another cold object the next. He gently took out the item for a look. It was a rolled-up black sheepskin scroll. He slowly unrolled the sheepskin, on which were written rows of slightly sloppy Chinese characters. The title on the top was simpleEagle Eye Training Skill.¡¯ Yu Hong skimmed through it, and found it was a special Training Method specifically for enhancing powerful eyesight. The origin was from an obscure ancient tribe called Tengfang. The method itself was simple, entailing five steps, each requiring a minute of focused gazing at a corresponding special pattern on the scroll. Repeat ten times daily, and after persevering for ten years, one would see significant improvement in eyesight. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡¯No wonder it¡¯s worth only two hours with such a long duration.¡¯ Yu Hong wasn¡¯t fazed;he started practicing gazing at the patterns according to the record, feeling the effectiveness was not bad, and his eyes seemed brighter. He then took out a blue bottle of eye drops he had prepared from his pocket. ¡¯Pearl Eye Moisturizing Liquid¡¯, the name was similar to the Pearl Brightening Eye Liquid he had used before, and the effect was to moisturize and brighten the eyes. It was also why he had randomly chosen this one when picking out eye drops. ¡¯The Cultivation Technique is ready;now for the medicine to accelerate cultivation.¡¯ He held the eye drops bottle in one hand. ¡¯Enhance eye drops, direction: Strengthen recovery from eye fatigue and damage.¡¯ A black line flashed, flowing into the bottle of eye drops, and a countdown slowly appeared: 24 minutes. At the prompt, Yu Hong affirmed his response, and the enhancement began promptly. Yu Hong then continued to practice the Eye Power Training Method. Before long, after the armored vehicle finished its patrol, Chen Yaofeng also led the team back towards Black Wind Camp. Halfway through, Yu Hong was still sitting in the vehicle, his eye drops completed enhancement before reaching the camp. While chatting with Chen Yaofeng, Yu Hong took out the eye drops to examine. ¡¯White Dragon¡¯s Tears.¡¯ The name of the eye drops had changed, turning into a palm-sized blue perfume bottle. There was an instruction sheet underneath. ¡¯Derived from a special scarce herbal ingredient named White Dragon, it works wonders on eye fatigue and injuries. The potion formula is from Sky Wish Sect¡¯s Nine Orifice Dragon King, a best-selling flagship product sold outside the Sect.¡¯ "...Changing from Infinite Demon Palace to ripping off Sky Wish Sect this time?" Yu Hong was at a loss for words. Chapter 417: Wave 415: One This has come from the Sky Wish Sect twice in a row;clearly, the Black Mark has shifted its target. Regardless, Yu Hong still has considerable trust in the quality assurance of the Black Mark. Right away, he began practicing the Eagle Eye Training Method while listening to Chen Yaofeng¡¯s incessant nagging. After completing a cycle, he opened the bottle of Eye Drops and put a drop into his eyes. Hiss! In an instant, the moment the Eye Drops made contact with his eyes, Yu Hong felt as if his entire eyeball had been immersed in the cool comfort of an expansive lake. Within the lake, a silver-white dragon-like creature swam quietly, approaching from afar, swiftly passing by him. Hiss! A slight white light emanated from Yu Hong¡¯s eyes. "Yu Hong, what¡¯s going on with your eyes??" Chen Yaofeng had been talking about how he had been overworking recently, to the point where even Dao Breath couldn¡¯t relieve his mental and physical stress, so he ended up marrying four wives in one go to relax. Then, in the blink of an eye, he saw Yu Hong sitting in the chair, his eyes inexplicably starting to glow. "It¡¯s nothing, just practicing a Magic Skill for the eyes," Yu Hong casually replied. "Is it that kind that can be popularized?" "I¡¯m afraid not, it takes too long." Yu Hong shook his head. "It takes at least ten years to master." "Then never mind." While speaking, Yu Hong slowly opened his eyes and suddenly felt that the whole field of vision in front of him had changed from before. The clarity was much higher than before. Most importantly, he glanced through the car window to the outside. The black fog still spread far and wide, but compared to before, he could now see at least a hundred meters out. ¡¯Is the effect this good?¡¯ Yu Hong was surprised and closed his eyes again, then reopened them. He then continued practicing the Eagle Eye Training Method. Whenever he felt tired, he would immediately put a drop of Eye Drops in his eyes. Half an hour later, the camp arrived. Yu Hong got up from his seat and stretched his back. He looked up again and dropped another Eye Drop into his eyes. A few seconds later. A stream of feedback suddenly flowed from the Black Mark on the back of his hand. ¡¯Eagle Eye Training Method has reached its peak, trait acquired: Eagle Eye.¡¯ ¡¯Eagle Eye: Increases the range of vision to a certain extent, effective for observing in low light and at long distances.¡¯ ¡¯This might be the fastest trait I¡¯ve ever acquired....¡¯ Yu Hong felt the brightness in his eyes had noticeably improved, filled with some emotion. ¡¯Then, moving on.¡¯ While helping with the Black Light Army¡¯s transportation, he took out pen and paper to draft the Eye Power Training Method. This time, after experimental verification affirmed that this method was effective. He decided to significantly add to the foundation of the Eagle Eye Training Method by integrating a variety of Eye Power Training Methods. Whether useful or not, just pack them in first. It¡¯s about achieving completeness, right? He simply loaded up a bunch of Training Methods;inevitably, a few would produce the desired effect, and enhancement would naturally sift through and strengthen them later. ¡¯Enhance.¡¯ Yu Hong placed a hand on the paper and thought a moment, "Direction: Enhancement of functions in response to the Black Disaster." He planned to try again. But the next second, the feedback from the Black Mark made him realize that shortcuts weren¡¯t so easily found. ¡¯Basic function missing, unable to enhance.¡¯ ¡¯Then let it be random enhancement.¡¯ Yu Hong sighed and thought again. This time, without a specified direction, the Black Mark normally began the countdown for enhancement. It just absorbed a bit more of his Tai Ling Skill Inner Strength than the last time. The crimson countdown quickly appeared on the newly written paper. ¡¯3 hours 11 minutes.¡¯ ¡¯This time it¡¯s longer.¡¯ Yu Hong slowly began to feel a sense of anticipation. Continuously enhancing Cultivation Techniques and then using potions to aid and expedite Cultivation, the eyes would eventually undergo a true transformation. Perhaps through this method, the Black Mark¡¯s enhancement could quickly explore if there¡¯s a limit. Initially, he had considered directly enhancing a special drug that would fortify the eyes, but there was no such drug as a foundation in reality, and compared to direct drug enhancement, Cultivation Techniques are easier to control in terms of detail and progress, and they allow for an adaptation process that¡¯s in harmony and coexistence with the whole body. After all, if a single organ is too strong or changes too dramatically, various incompatibilities with the body could arise. Gradually cultivating with Cultivation Techniques and allowing for longer adaptation times, of course, if one could later enhance a potion that alters over a longer duration, it could have the same effect. That would be something to explore in the future. "Master Yu, what kind of place is the New World, exactly?" During the last transport of the day, Chen Yaofeng voluntarily followed onto the Black Ship and stood on the deck, looking forward to the dark river ahead, and asked. "A place that is about to experience the Source Disaster as well, but it doesn¡¯t matter." Yu Hong said calmly, "This time, I will eliminate all unforeseen incidents. No one can stop us from establishing a home of our own." "I believe in you." Chen Yaofeng nodded, "Our power is now stronger than ever before. Nothing can stop us. But what about the native dwellers? How will we deal with them?" "They will understand. As human beings, now that they¡¯re helping us, we will repay them in the future." Yu Hong said indifferently. "After all, we¡¯re not enemies. In the face of the Source Disaster, we are all the same¡ªhelpless beings struggling to survive." * * * North of Mana City, Mozanna City. In a desolate street, inside a caf¨¦ named ¡¯Cold Stone.¡¯ Phils stood up from his table, tiredly rubbing his face, trying to rejuvenate himself a bit. But his heavy dark circles and drooping eye bags indicated that his condition was very poor. Rustle. The brown wooden chair opposite him was pulled out, and a large black man with a full beard, dressed in a black suit, his face equally tired, sat down. "I¡¯m sorry for Tam¡¯s death," the black man said in a deep voice. "Rekus, why are you here? You must be busy with lots of tasks after being promoted to Deputy Director, right?" Phils asked in a low voice. "It¡¯s Deputy Bureau Chief," Rekus corrected. "Sorry, I always confuse the difference between you and the National Security Department," Phils said with a wry smile. "Remember the distinction from now on." Rekus didn¡¯t immediately reply but just gestured for the waiter to come and take the order. After ordering an iced black coffee, he too rubbed his temples with his fingers, frowning. "Are you still busy with Huailin Mental Hospital? We can¡¯t spare any personnel for the moment, so we had to leave it to the Church to deal with." "Yeah," Phils smiled bitterly again. "Father Tam didn¡¯t even make it inside the door before he went to meet God. We¡¯ve only dared to hover around the edges and seek opportunities to probe for some inconsequential intelligence." "You¡¯re the most suitable for this job. Anyone else would have died countless times already," Rekus said. "But I¡¯m still hitting a wall. Huailin¡¯s malevolence is growing stronger, but we can only stay outside, unable to get in. The Church has suffered hundreds of casualties and is still just circling the periphery," Phils explained. He looked at his friend, whose fatigued face and haggard appearance made him unable to refrain from asking. "What about you? I heard you were busy with that suddenly emergent Spirit Alliance?" "Mmh, it¡¯s tricky," Rekus sighed, "The Spirit Alliance¡¯s strength is formidable. At first, we thought it was just common marketing. But slowly, over these days, we¡¯ve discovered that the organization¡¯s expansion speed is alarmingly fast, and there are many experts among them! It¡¯s a terrifying and colossal entity, unfathomably deep." "The situation here is the same, with little progress in exploration, making it impossible to approach. That mental hospital is even devouring inspirers as materials," Phils said helplessly. "There must be someone behind this orchestrating events. I remember the same figures cropping up in the last two incidents, right?" Rekus said. "We suspect that it might be Elza Blood Ability creating trouble, but we haven¡¯t found any proof," Phils nodded. A moment of silence fell between the two. Soon their coffee arrived, and they sipped it slowly. "Actually, you should come help me," Phils couldn¡¯t resist saying. "If we¡¯re short-handed here, it affects tens of millions of people. The Spirit Alliance¡¯s expansion speed is too fast, and although for now, we can¡¯t see what use their expansion serves, but..." "If I can¡¯t handle the situation here properly, several surrounding cities might just as easily be engulfed, with tens of millions easily consumed," said Rekus, expressionless. "I¡¯ve already requested approval for the Spirit Exploring Association;the initial personnel draft comprises five people," Phils said. "The core members are five?" "Mhm. There¡¯s no limit on the number of people on the periphery;I have their records. These five¡¯s spiritual abilities can play a significant role in our future confrontational investigations," Phils answered. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "When you¡¯re done over there, can I borrow them?" "If it¡¯s really handled, of course there¡¯s no problem... It¡¯s just..." Phils smiled wryly. "I reckon that even if you resolve it there, I still won¡¯t be able to handle things on my side." "No way... you don¡¯t understand the monster organization we¡¯re dealing with right now," Rekus sighed. "Compared to there, Huailin at least doesn¡¯t spread around freely, much less stressful, but this side really is..." "You¡¯re the one who doesn¡¯t understand the gravity of the situation here," Phils retorted. "What you¡¯re dealing with is just a human-made disaster, but if a real outbreak occurs here, we truly have no recourse but to wait for death! You haven¡¯t experienced that kind of despair, you simply don¡¯t have a clue..." "You..." Rekus was about to say more but suddenly recalled the confidentiality regulations and the terrifying extent of the Spirit Alliance. Without having truly encountered it firsthand, one could not understand, so he sighed again. "Forget it, when everything¡¯s over, I¡¯ll let you see the documents, then you¡¯ll understand. I¡¯m aware of the situation in Huailin, but you don¡¯t understand the gravity of the situation here..." "It¡¯s always like this with you, always thinking that only the difficulties you encounter are the most challenging, and only your troubles are actual troubles, while others are just trivial matters..." Phils was speechless. "You think the intelligence you¡¯ve seen is everything? Let me tell you the truth, we¡¯ve uncovered a clue that there¡¯s the shadow of the Blood Energy Group behind this. They are researching a certain special virus and have also conducted a large number of illegal human experiments! It¡¯s tied up with too much." "The two situations aren¡¯t on the same level;you don¡¯t understand some of the things I¡¯m facing, let¡¯s talk about this later." Rekus finished his coffee in one gulp, then stood up. "Alright, I need to work too. See you next month. That¡¯s if we can both make it back," he said softly. "You always..." Phils shook his head helplessly, picked up his coffee cup and likewise drank it all, suppressing the drowsiness rising in his mind. He still remembered, many years ago when they were all young, the three of them had always been close friends, but now... Chapter 418: Wave 416 two Huailin Mental Hospital. Arches of blood of varying sizes appeared on the open ground surrounding the mental hospital. These lonely doors stood erect, embedded in the ground, continuously oozing strands of dark red blood. All the blood gathered relentlessly into the interior of the mental hospital, onto a gray figure in the center of the open ground. The blood, like dye, slowly turned the gray figure red from bottom to top. By now, a simple wire fence had been erected around the entire mental hospital, blocking all living beings attempting to enter. The Church¡¯s monks jittered nervously as they patrolled the area with guns. But nobody noticed. Further away, on a hillside several kilometers from here, a team of fully armed soldiers in black quietly emerged from the grassy woodland. Behind the soldiers, two white-haired old men in camouflage bulletproof vests slowly walked out, took out long-range equipment, and observed the situation at Huailin Mental Hospital. "It¡¯s a perfect creation!" One of the old men wearing glasses looked at the gray figure on the long-range equipment screen, watching her continuously absorb blood and gradually turn red, his face filled with admiration and awe. "Stop marveling, the Church¡¯s obstruction is quite troublesome, and we still need to ensure we capture the most critical moment to obtain a sample of the Perfect Blood from her," the other old man impatiently said. "The Church? Just a bunch of fragile ordinary people. Just a few infected ones could easily take care of them," the bespectacled old man said carelessly, his gaze fixed on the gray figure without blinking. "Now is not the time to expose ourselves;we must wait a bit longer." The other old man frowned. "The ultimate plan has not yet been fully implemented, the big boss demands that everyone must be patient." "Once we have the sample of Perfect Blood, the final piece of the virus puzzle will also be completely in place. By then all of us executives could have the chance to be reborn. Become the evolved new humans! Why should we fear anything?" the bespectacled old man complained. "Just follow orders," the other old man clapped his hands, "Go, deal with the Church people around, and then present a generous gift to our Perfect Blood host. Be careful not to disturb her, according to estimates, the Perfect Blood host should possess unlimited evolutionary adaptability. Once awoken, nothing can stop her actions." "Yes." Around them, rows of black-clad soldiers swiftly and silently lunged forward. Their speed, like that of cheetahs, far surpassed ordinary soldiers. Their bodies remained eerily stable as they ran, and their eyes, under tactical goggles, glinted faintly with blue veins. In a short time, more than thirty Church soldiers surrounding the mental hospital were shot dead. Their bodies were all dragged and thrown into the mental hospital. Soon, less than two minutes later, all the bodies slowly dissolved, turning into threads of blood that flowed into the gray figure. Leaving only sets of Church uniforms spread on the ground. The blood on the gray figure¡¯s body increased, and the aura and pressure grew more intense. Snap. The ground within a meter beside her suddenly sank, then cracked open with fine breaks. At the same time, if a Magician was observing, they would notice a vague, blood-colored altar illusion gradually forming behind the gray figure. That altar, made of countless bones, emitted a clean fluorescent glow from within, shaped like a pyramid, with three curved black sharp horns arching upwards at the tip. Above the horns, three blood-colored orbs covered in mysterious patterns were suspended. As the gray figure continued to absorb blood, a bloody mist flowed from the three blood orbs, merging into her back. Just as the soldiers approached, the gray figure¡¯s eyes suddenly opened. * * * Spirit Alliance Headquarters. An overwhelming aura of Spirit Light ebbed and flowed like tidal waves, fluctuating with Yu Hong¡¯s breathing. He was seated on the black stone chair of the Alliance Hierarch, with a faint blue Ultimate Sun illusion filled with faces emerging behind him. "The number of people spreading the Spirit Light can no longer be estimated. Through the network, we¡¯ve disseminated Spirit Light, spreading it to at least hundreds of thousands more. Not to mention those possessing Spirit Light, who can¡¯t help but pass it on to their families and friends." In the hall below. Qing Huang held a handheld computer, reviewing data while reporting to Yu Hong. Seeing a hint of the Ultimate Sun illusion, he suppressed his inherent fear, bowed his head to look at the computer instead of facing the scene on Yu Hong¡¯s side. "After inspection, we have mostly settled in the abandoned castles in the suburbs, and the giant drilling machine has also been fully assembled. Using the factory as a cover, we¡¯ve begun underground operations," Black Light Army¡¯s commander Power King, previously the strongest enhanced man from Hope City, also respectfully reported the situation. "Summarize the data on the spread of Spirit Light;identify what is hindering further growth of the numbers..." Yu Hong spoke in a deep voice. "Remove the obstacles;I need more, more people to join us, to join the Spirit Alliance." "Alliance Hierarch, we¡¯ve rested enough, why not let us handle this? Brother Ku Chan and brother Qing Huang have been busy for a long time, it¡¯s not fair to leave everything to them, right?" Zhao Jingtang stepped forward to suggest. Standing behind him were the new talents of the Hope City Spirit Alliance, all genius magicians, with Guanwu Skill reaching the limit of the Sixth Layer, potentially stepping into the Seventh Layer any time. Not everyone is willing to join Black Light, and not all are soldiers. Zhao Jingtang gathered such people. He was tremendously strong, second only to Ku Chan and stronger than everyone else. After several internal practice bouts, he received many people¡¯s admiration and thus gathered a group to form his core team. As the former Vice Alliance Hierarch of the Seven Evil Alliance, he knew all too well that he needed enough capable people around him, otherwise, he could even fall behind in intelligence gathering. "Agreed." Yu Hong responded. "Moreover, the National Security Bureau sent special forces last time to assassinate the Alliance Hierarch, we must give a powerful response," Qing Huang continued. "They can¡¯t command local troops, so they can only resort to these surreptitious tactics," Zhao Jingtang said with a smile. "It¡¯s time for us to handle this. Just a small warning to the National Security Bureau will do." "How many people are needed?" Yu Hong asked. "No need, just sending a small team from Black Light will suffice," Zhao Jingtang replied. He smiled toward the commander of the Black Light, Power King. "In Spirit Alliance, we now rank the Black Light Army second to last, just slightly stronger than the ordinary magician members. Using them to show our strength is appropriate as a deterrent." "Get it done quickly," Yu Hong wasn¡¯t concerned, at his level, caring about how to handle ordinary powers was abnormal. Soon after confirming the action, everyone dispersed, and Yu Hong stood alone from his chair and took out the previously enhanced New Eagle Eye Training Method. Previously, the Training Method was handwritten on a piece of paper, and a bunch of messy Daoist Meridian Eye Training Techniques had been added. Now, after enhancement, the paper had completely changed its appearance. The original white paper had turned into a thick yellow paper with an aged feel. The lines of vertical writing and drawings on the paper were all recorded using Chinese characters. At the very top, the title was clearly enlarged. ¡¯Capturing God Skill.¡¯ Yu Hong softly read the beginning content of the Cultivation Technique. ¡¯This Cultivation Technique is divided into five layers: Ding, Accumulate, Nourish, Grinding, and Capturing. It can transform Essence Qi into Divine Intent, store thoughts to awe and capture the hearts. At the needed moment, a sudden release can capture the opponent¡¯s spirit. Against the strong-willed, it suppresses momentarily to gain advantage, and against the weak-willed, it can cause them to be utterly terror-stricken, and in severe cases, even make their Heart Meridian break and die.¡¯ "This incorporates the Daoist art of sight... just unsure where they got it from." At this moment, Yu Hong was in the state of the First Layer: Ding. He was temporarily still enhancing Eye Drops and couldn¡¯t speed up Cultivation, he could only rely on himself to slowly grind. Fortunately, he had Spirit Light to aid recovery and the speed wasn¡¯t bad. According to the manual, what normally took one year to achieve in the first layer Ding, he was almost reaching the level of complete mental concentration. While cultivating the Capturing God Skill, Yu Hong recalled the recent enhancement of the Black Mark, seemingly progressing towards traditional martial arts. ¡¯Is it the style of the Sky Wish Sect, or the Daoist manuscripts I provided that caused this?¡¯ He had no way of knowing. Hisss. Just then, a bright yet gentle flash of electricity passed before his eyes. "Here it comes, the daylight flash, the true sign of the First Layer Ding¡¯s completion!" He was delighted. After cultivating numerous martial arts, returning to train in such low-level martial skills felt not only simpler but also progressed rapidly. Perfectly aligning with his plan to utilize a vast amount of low-level martial arts to buffer traits. Having confirmed the completion of the first layer, Yu Hong rested briefly and continued starting the Second Layer. Similarly, his eyes, already strengthened to a high level, now trained to meet the fixed standards of the Capturing God Skill with ease. This stage progressed even faster, taking just three short hours to successfully complete the Accumulate step. Then came the Third Layer. Yu Hong was going nowhere, just staying at headquarters, quietly practicing martial arts. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After finishing meetings in the morning and breaking through the Second Layer, he hurriedly ate lunch, and in the afternoon, he continued back in his room to intensely train the Third Layer: Nourish. Conveniently, the previously enhanced Eye Drops also finished their countdown. Yu Hong seamlessly continued, allowing the Black Mark to further enhance new consumable support Cultivation potions. Eye Drops for external application, combined with consuming potions internally, added with continuous repair and enhancement by Spirit Light, along with the 24-hour automatic cultivation of martial arts through Dao Breath Circulation. With such fourfold acceleration, he successfully reached Perfection of the Third Layer early the next day, and then entered the Fourth Layer. The speed was indeed astonishing. Meanwhile, the slowly increasing Spirit Light suddenly stopped its growth. The Spirit Alliance¡¯s dispatched Black Light Team also mysteriously disappeared in a base of the National Security Bureau. And all of Spirit Alliance¡¯s promotional live streams were simultaneously taken down and banned. Clearly, this was the official making a comprehensive move against the Spirit Alliance. Chapter 419: The Wave of April 17, Part Three "Alliance Hierarch, it was my incompetence that led to the loss of Black Light Army personnel, please punish me!" In the grand hall. Zhao Jingtang bowed deeply towards Yu Hong, his face full of shame. "They¡¯re not dead," Yu Hong said calmly. "Their Spirit Light has not returned to me. Therefore, they must be trapped somewhere temporarily, or they have temporarily lost contact with the outside world. Spirit Light wielders can sense each other through Magic within a certain distance." "I understand. It was my fault that we lost them, and I will find them right away!" Zhao Jingtang said gravely. "If you can¡¯t handle it, let me do it," Qing Huang couldn¡¯t help interjecting. "My Magic is more suited to the current environment." "Furthermore, about the halt in the growth of our numbers¡­" Zhao Jingtang ignored Qing Huang and planned to continue. "Power King, you handle it. I want results," Yu Hong said seriously. "We don¡¯t have much time. Remember, the mobile launch base is now completed. If the authorities do not cooperate, find a place and launch a hydrogen bomb." "Yes!" Power King nodded vigorously. "Go. I want to see the numbers of Spirit Light holders start to grow again within three days. If this cannot be achieved, then there is no need for the current Fista government to remain in existence. We need a regime with a more agreeable attitude," Yu Hong said. "But... there are millions of active soldiers in Fista. Aren¡¯t we being too aggressive?" Qing Huang was somewhat apprehensive. "To us, these so-called soldiers are just innocent, weak civilians. They have no will of their own. Striking down their leadership with thunder, eventually they too will become our brothers and sisters," Yu Hong said, his expression unchanging. "What if they still mobilize troops¡­" Zhao Jingtang couldn¡¯t help asking. "Then we¡¯ll have to sacrifice some people," Yu Hong stated. "What we are doing is redemption, absolute justice, a necessary measure to save a crumbling world. Anyone who dares obstruct us is a demon!" Zhao Jingtang swallowed hard, looking at Ku Chan and Power King with faces full of agreement, feeling somewhat perturbed. "I...." He wanted to say something, but his mouth felt dry, unsure of how to begin. Before, the Seven Evil Alliance wanted to overthrow the Taoist Sects and become the Taoist Sects themselves. But they never thought about going head-to-head with a regular army... But now... * * * Bang! A muffled explosion. Hundreds of kilometers away from Mana, deep within a hidden underground base. The thick walls were punched through forcefully, the remaining wall continued to break apart like dismantling building blocks, scattering dust on the ground. A team of towering figures, over two meters tall and dressed in heavy metal combat suits, dark in color, slowly bent down and entered through the broken wall. Looking at the quiet underground base corridor inside. "We¡¯ve been circling around this place for several days now, completely cut off from outside contact. It¡¯s troublesome," said the deputy leader of the team, who walked on the left side, carrying a heavy Battle Axe and speaking in a low voice. "This base is called Hongya, a Virus Research Institute established by the official Fista government for the study of epidemics. But now it seems, this underground structure is not something that can be explained by viral research." The leader reached out his palm-sized hand and, through the metal glove, stroked a laser emitter left on the wall. Their forceful breaking of the walls had damaged the device¡¯s circuit, rendering it inactive. "Let¡¯s move. We¡¯ll look around first. With this degree of shielding interference, there is definitely a secret here. Also, let¡¯s see what kind of forces the National Security Bureau can mobilize without the cooperation of their stationed troops," his face beneath the helmet flashing a trace of coldness. Standing at the breached entrance, he grabbed the air with one hand, and the tiny Magic Array attached to his glove activated instantly. A cold blue light formed a small Array Pattern on the back of his hand and then spread outward. The blue light adhered to the inner walls of the corridor, forming a circle of light patterns like electric circuits, extending deep into the corridor. "Move out." The leader, carrying a Battle Axe, led the way deeper into the corridor. A nine-man squad, with three team members turning back conscious of their duty, took positions at the entrance breach, single-handedly holding their guns on guard. Meanwhile, deep within the National Security Bureau, Rania and Rekus were embroiled in a dispute. A line of high officials from the National Security Bureau, through remote monitors, observed the entry of the Black Light Team into the underground research facility. "First, we get a threat letter, then the cars we rode in were shot at, and now these people dare to directly invade our secret base. Are you sure they¡¯re from the Spirit Alliance?" said Rania, staring at the slowly advancing Black Light Team on the screen with an ugly expression. "It¡¯s confirmed, they indeed belong to a special security team called Black Light under their command," a National Security Bureau official nodded in confirmation. "These guys, at least they have a notable height," Rekus couldn¡¯t help but focus on something slightly off-topic. "What is the Spirit Alliance trying to do? Are they challenging the power of an entire nation?" Rania was somewhat heated. "Director, should we continue the full-scale blockade against the Spirit Alliance?" someone asked gravely. "Continue," Rania said coldly. "The Tsunami Squad suffered significant losses last time. This Spirit Alliance has openly attacked active-duty soldiers in defiance of government law enforcement and is now listed as a national terror organization. Why don¡¯t we just mobilize the stationed troops to surround and annihilate them?" An official asked. "Because... the Mana stationed troops have been shirking their responsibilities all along, not cooperating with the deployment at all," Rekus lamented. "The only forces we can mobilize are the Tsunami and the Sea Lion, two security teams. Now with the Tsunami severely damaged, only the Sea Lion remains, but they are in charge of the security work for the provincial council elections," Rania briefly explained. "So you¡¯re saying we are out of options now with them?" the official asked in surprise. "We still have the basic armed personnel, and perhaps we can pin them down for intruding into a military control zone and let the military handle it," Rekus proposed. "Alright, enough talk. Now we need to think about how to deal with this team," Rania ordered. "Looking at their equipment, it¡¯s likely that ordinary armed personnel are simply no match for them. The last attack by the Tsunami was repelled, which means this Spirit Alliance has become a problem we can¡¯t just send anyone to solve. We need a lot of armed support," Rekus said. "Not necessarily. The defense at the Spirit Alliance Headquarters is tight, but this outreach team only has nine members. We can fully utilize the number advantage to encircle and capture them, obtaining plenty of intelligence from them," another official suggested. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Are you suggesting that ordinary armed personnel should swarm these people?" Rania queried. "The appearance of the Spirit Alliance is unusually abrupt;if we can obtain intelligence from these small squads, it might be greatly helpful for future investigations," the official continued to explain. "We could try, after all, combat isn¡¯t a contest of who is bigger. Body armor also has armor-piercing bullets that can break through;it shouldn¡¯t be a problem," Rekus agreed. "Then notify the fourth to seventh Squadrons to go directly to that research institute to assemble. If capture proves too difficult, then execute them on the spot," Rania ordered. "Also, pay attention to their equipment, which may have a high level of technology. After the operation, if necessary, a few sets may be preserved as samples." "Right, did this group of people just smash through the wall at the beginning?" an official couldn¡¯t help but ask. "They likely used a gadget similar to a wrist-mounted glass breaker. You need to have basic common sense;even if this team has tall figures, it¡¯s quite foolish to smash a concrete wall with their fists." "That makes sense." "Alright, notify the squads to move out immediately," Rania said in a stern voice. * * * Yu Hong slowly opened his eyes and tipped his head back to administer another drop of eye drops. At the same time, he took a sip of warm water and swallowed a dark, pill-shaped Elixir that was on the table. Not long after taking it, he felt a cool and soothing sensation in his eyes, which were particularly relaxed. The fourth layer of the Capturing God Skill is Grinding, which, as the name suggests, is a process that requires a long time to integrate and develop the eyes into a cohesive whole. And with the dual support of medication, both internal and external, he was approaching the final stages. Soon, a faint hint of red light flickered in Yu Hong¡¯s eyes. That captivating red light was subtle, yet it gave an unavoidably glaring impression. "The fourth layer, the Captivating Red, has been successfully reached... this marks a complete success. Next is the final layer ¨C Capturing." Thump, thump, thump. Suddenly, there was a gentle knock on the room¡¯s door. "Enter." Yu Hong paused his cultivation and looked toward the door. The door opened and Power King walked in, head lowered. "Alliance Hierarch, we¡¯ve found the missing squad;they entered a signal jamming zone. Also, our informants found that the National Security Bureau has already started mobilizing troops from other locations, likely targeting our special operation." "Can we handle it?" Yu Hong looked at him. "According to the information from the local stationed forces, they seem to have made a big decision, with more than three thousand armed personnel gathering here," Power King said. "We haven¡¯t truly exchanged blows, and without air support, the specifics are unknown." "So, you need a real-time battle assessment? Let¡¯s have a try then," Yu Hong said calmly. "Understood. This jammed squad can serve as a test reference to preliminarily estimate the strength of the armed forces here," Power King nodded. "Also, inform Qing Huang to locate the senior officials of the National Security Bureau;no need to waste energy on the regular army," Yu Hong concurred. "Yes." Watching the door slowly close, Yu Hong once again closed his eyes, returning to his deep cultivation. * * * Inside the Virus Research Institute. At this moment, the quietly advancing Black Light Team was being stealthily surrounded by squads of deep green armed soldiers. More than thirty soldiers, wielding close-range automatic weapons loaded with armor-piercing rounds, were slowly approaching the Black Light Team in accordance with the surveillance signals. And the officials of the National Security Bureau, through the institute¡¯s covert surveillance, watched the detailed battle situation unfold. Whether it was the overhead view, first-person view, or the third-person slanted angle, they could comprehensively grasp the situation inside the research facility. Soon, just two minutes later. Fifteen of the thirty soldiers, the vanguard, stealthily ambushed in the hallway to the right of the Black Light Team¡¯s advance. Waiting for the right moment to strike. Chapter 420: Surge Four "The armor on their bodies is very thick;I¡¯m somewhat worried that the armor-piercing bullets might not be effective." In the hidden headquarters of the National Security Bureau, Rekus watched the monitor with a low voice. "It¡¯s not a big problem, this type of armor-piercing bullet can even pierce through tanks directly. They can¡¯t possibly be tougher than tanks, can they?" Rania spoke calmly, her voice exuding tremendous confidence. This time, the weapons issued to the soldiers were the highest armor-piercing effect Flying Dragon model armor-piercing bullets, arranged by him in advance. Paired with the latest model of close-range individual launch guns, which can only shoot three times before the gun is scrapped. Such power, such cost, even the legendary Alloy Robots could be shot straight through. "We¡¯re about to make contact!" At this moment on the screen, Black Light and the armed forces of the National Security Bureau were about to enter the same spacious hall. Everyone concentrated and held their breath, waiting for the moment of true combat. Click. The door to the underground dining hall was gently twisted open and then swung inwards. A Black Light operative, looking like a massive black can, stepped into the hall. And at that moment. Bang!! With a loud sound, An armor-piercing bullet with a circle of white vapor and a faint flash of fire burst out of the barrel, rotating at supersonic speed to hit the chest of the operative. The bullet instantly penetrated the thick armor, continued inward, and fiercely hit the pale yellow skin of the operative. But the next instant, silver Spirit Light spontaneously appeared. Clang. The bullet bent, cracked, the powerful kinetic energy stirred up layers of tiny ripples on the silver Spirit Light, and then came to a complete stop. The operative stood on the spot, looked down, and saw the slender armor-piercing bullet embedded in his chest. He reached out to grab the tail of the bullet and yanked it out forcefully. Then he looked in the direction the sound came from. He saw a number of National Security Bureau armed operatives in dark green combat suits, holding their guns, staring at him dumbfounded. Dead silence. For a moment, only the echo of the gunshot reverberated inside the room. "Enemy attack!!" The Black Light operative roared angrily, his heavy body pouncing toward the other side like a bear. His speed was extremely fast;with one leap, he covered seven or eight meters, wielding a heavy Battle Axe, and swung it at the two people in front. Swoosh! Amidst the roaring sound of the airstream, the two soldiers barely managed to fire a couple of shots before having half of their heads chopped off. The bullets hit the Black Light operative but only caused some silver ripples on the outer layer of silver light. They couldn¡¯t penetrate at all. "For the Spirit Alliance!!" Several other Black Light operatives also rushed in at this moment, charging straight into the ranks of the armed personnel, each performing standardized actions, chopping down one with an axe, knocking another away with their bodies, their movements well-trained, clean, and efficient. In less than three seconds. The fight was over. Fifteen armed operatives were all killed. The hall was filled with blood and gore;some didn¡¯t even get a chance to aim their guns and could only fire wildly in panic, being violently knocked against the walls where their bones shattered, leaving them on the brink of death. "It¡¯s the new soldiers who came in. They have external communication equipment." The Black Light Captain quickly collected the spoils of war. "First, let¡¯s deal with the others." The Deputy Captain rapidly performed the Sealing hand gestures and released magic. A faint red light rope flew first to the corpses on the ground, then soared up, shooting off toward a passage somewhere. "Follow." The operatives quickly wiped the blood off their axes and followed the red light rope, rushing towards the outskirts of the research facility. And at that moment. The higher-ups at the National Security Bureau watched the footage from the surveillance, falling into silence. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In the instant the encounter began. They saw the Black Light operative get hit, thinking he was doomed for sure. But then. The appearance of that silver Spirit Light was beyond their imagination;not only did the operative not die, but he also roared and charged like a wild beast, killing two people with one axe swing. Following the battle performance of the other Black Light operatives, it was also confirmed that it wasn¡¯t just that one operative with silver Spirit Light, but all of them had it. After watching the encounter that lasted less than five seconds, all the higher-ups fell silent. It was only when the monitor completely switched to the second team of fifteen people. Rekus suddenly snapped back to reality and stood up to give orders. "Command, Teams Six and Seven, retreat immediately, abort the mission! Retreat immediately, abort the mission!" His hand grasping the mike was so tense it turned white. Had he not witnessed the live footage, he would never have believed that such strong individual combat gear existed in this world, which even armor-piercing bullets couldn¡¯t penetrate. And just now, he had seen it with his own eyes... More than that, those Black Light warriors were like monsters. Immensely strong, astonishingly fast. Their own soldiers were as fragile as babies in front of them, easily getting flung over ten meters with just a push. "These... they¡¯re simply monsters!!" Rania also stood up, he didn¡¯t stop Rekus from giving orders directly over him. Instead, he stared at the bloody scene on the monitor, his lips trembling. "Is this a special effects movie?!" An official stood up, his face looking terrible. "How did the Spirit Alliance find such a group of monsters with strong physiques? Genetic Warriors? Enhanced cyborgs?? Or some other kind of science fiction gadgets??" another person said sternly. "I think we need to reconsider how to face the Spirit Alliance, and change our previous attitude towards them," another person said loudly, "Just imagine, if such advanced technology were in our hands, how powerful would we become??" "Such power really shouldn¡¯t be in private hands! Richard is right. Spirit Alliance is just a civilian organization;no matter how strong they may be, how can they possibly be stronger than a nation. I suggest a direct request for a joint strike by the army and air force. Eliminate part of their forces, then force negotiations, making them hand over such technology. Such uniformly elite soldiers can¡¯t possibly be innately so powerful;there must be related technology for enhancement training, and that silver light might also be a new type of protective technology! Like laser force field barriers, we must have such power in our hands!" Rania concluded. His gaze swept over everyone. "Moreover, we must act quickly, otherwise if other countries discover this first, taking the lead, it will be a huge loss for us!" "That¡¯s right, with this video, the president will definitely agree to deploy the air force to cooperate!" someone nodded in agreement. "Then, let¡¯s start the operation, gentlemen, issue a wanted order against the Spirit Alliance and its members, and let the artillery and rocket forces directly raze their research facilities to the ground," Rania said gravely. Everyone¡¯s heart tightened, knowing that the severity has officially escalated to the treatment of terrorists. The formidable technology displayed by the Spirit Alliance has reached a level so appealing that even national departments are interested. The current conflict is no longer on the small scale of eradicating local gangs, but has entered the realm of official warfare. "Yes!" Everyone stood up together, their expressions solemn. * * * Inside the research facility. The Black Light Team, based on the seized surveillance footage, retraced their way to the camera and destroyed the jamming device. They immediately reestablished contact with the Spirit Alliance. Spirit Alliance Headquarters building. Power King, Qing Huang, and Zhao Jingtang gathered together. They were responsible for handling this mission, while the other high-level members of the Spirit Alliance were in charge of advancing other projects. The dispersal of Spirit Light in Mana City was basically complete, and now the Spirit Alliance has begun to expand into several surrounding cities. "Can we confirm if these are active armed personnel from the National Security Bureau?" Power King asked with a frown as he watched the Black Light Captain in the communication feed. "Confirmed, our equipment currently has no satellite relay, no base station signal tower enhancement, and can only carry out short-distance communication, which is very troublesome. After being jammed, we could not maintain continuous contact with headquarters. After discussion, we decided to continue with the mission. And just now, we encountered armed soldiers with armor-piercing weapons targeting us, a total of thirty people, nearly all annihilated. Please advise on the next steps." "This has escalated to a higher intensity;armor-piercing weapons of this level are not allowed to be sold publicly, meaning even if we have already pacified the local garrison, it is still possible that the military may be involved," Power King said gravely. "We should notify the Alliance Hierarch now;the situation could spiral out of control at any moment," Zhao Jingtang, who always prefers stability, suggested. "No need. Since the Alliance Hierarch entrusted this to me, I will handle everything!" Power King said. Zhao Jingtang frowned, wanting to say something, but then suddenly heard a piercing whistling noise coming from the feed. "Wait! This is... artillery fire!! Evade immediately!!" Power King reacted instantly. They had only just come from a world close to doomsday, where the enduring war against the Black Disaster was constant high-intensity combat, and the sound of artillery was ingrained into their very bones. At this moment, upon hearing it, their conditioned reflex kicked in, and they shouted out loud. The images on the monitor shook violently, and the nine well-trained individuals swiftly scattered without panic, seeking cover on the spot. The communication images were quickly severed amidst a series of loud explosions. "The artillery has also been deployed," Power King said with a troubled expression. "We must notify the Alliance Hierarch now, the intensity is escalating. Fista might launch a full-scale encirclement on us at any moment," Zhao Jingtang quickly said. "No need. I already know." Swoosh! A figure suddenly appeared beside them. Aside from his robust physique, he was cloaked in a broad white Daoist robe indicative of the Temple Master of Qingchen Temple. A vast silver Tai Chi Diagram was depicted on the back of the robe, ancient and flowing. Yu Hong¡¯s eyes sparkled with a faint white light. Initially, he planned to enhance only one eye, but as there were neither any Cultivation Techniques nor medicines specific to training a single eye available, he had to proceed with both. "It seems our actions have been rather conspicuous. It¡¯s normal to provoke a strong retaliatory response," he said, calm. "Alliance Hierarch, what should we do now?" Power King asked respectfully with his head lowered. "If you ask me, we should just deal with it head-on! We do have anti-aircraft guns after all." "The difference in numbers is too great." Yu Hong slowly shook his head, looking at the disconnected screen with a hint of regret on his face. "Moreover, we are all human. An endless cycle of vengeance will only lead to ruin. This world is inevitably facing a cataclysmic disaster;any infighting now only weakens our future resistance against the Source Disaster." "But we can¡¯t just keep taking hits, can we?" Power King said, exasperated. "I¡¯ve said before, those who decide whether to engage in infighting are not the ordinary soldiers but their decision-makers behind the scenes. Hence, there¡¯s no need for all-out confrontation. Immediately make arrangements, issue a warning notice, then detonate a couple of hydrogen bombs nearby. They¡¯ll understand our commitment to peace then." "...." "....." "...." The conference room fell silent. "Are... Are we really going to do it??" Power King stammered. Looking at the Alliance Hierarch¡¯s composed face, he suddenly felt a bit dry-mouthed. "Didn¡¯t we move the launch device here? Isn¡¯t the silo ready? Or is it the fuel that hasn¡¯t been transported?" Yu Hong looked at him. "It¡¯s not... that. But it¡¯s a nuclear explosion. What if it triggers a chain reaction..." Power King clenched his teeth. "It¡¯s okay... Unless it¡¯s the near core area, Spirit Light can protect us from harm everywhere else. And the general populace of Mana City already have Spirit Light attachments. Although not yet powerful, it has enhanced their recovery abilities for now, but with a simple switch to enhance their defense, it should be enough to keep them safe," Yu Hong said. "Without satellite positioning, what if we miss our target when we launch?" Power King worried. "There¡¯s no need to cross state lines, and high precision isn¡¯t necessary. Launching in the style of a rocket artillery won¡¯t be a problem," Yu Hong said. "Go. Carry out the order." "...." Power King left the conference room with a look of concern, leaving behind two old men speechless, unsure of what to say. Qing Huang and Zhao Jingtang once thought that Yu Hong was a righteous man who might employ some unscrupulous means to save the world. But now... They suddenly felt that the term ¡¯simply good¡¯ was no longer sufficient to describe the Alliance Hierarch before them. The pressure and threat from the Source Disaster had already driven him slightly mad. Chapter 421: confrontation one Public Calendar, October 13, 2019. 8:10:21 AM. In Eastern Fista, 182 kilometers east of Mana City, Dura Desert. A line of heavy-duty military-green trucks leisurely turned off the main national highway and branched into the vast expanse of the barren desert. Soon after, the vehicles stopped at a wide open space with no cities or villages in sight. As the doors opened, Qing Huang with a black wooden sword in hand, stepped out slowly. He looked up at the sky, gave a slight nod, and moved aside. Quickly more than ten soldiers from the Black Light Army leapt off the trucks behind him. They swiftly unloaded the contents of the trucks and began to deploy a special Array around the perimeter. Within minutes, a three-layer disposable Array was set up. Qing Huang entered the Array, walking to its center. Hisss. He reached for the hilt and slowly began to draw the sword. The blade emerged from the black scabbard, revealing a blue blade etched with numerous runic Array Patterns. " We can start now," Yu Hong¡¯s voice came through the earpiece. "Yes," Qing Huang slightly nodded, stood the long sword upright, and began to perform a sword dance in place. The continuous sound of the swooshing, slicing through air kept on, gradually the runes on the blade started glowing with a white light. The gentle white glow, visible only to Magicians, rapidly spread outward, becoming fainter and more translucent quickly. Hiss! The invisible, transparent light spread faster and faster, encompassing all the living within a seventy-kilometer radius in a blink of an eye. The Array continuously amplified Qing Huang¡¯s Magic, combined with his self-made Dao Artifact and the augmentation of silver light. This time, it fully met the operational requirements. "Rise!" Qing Huang uttered in a low shout, the sword tip pointing downward, gently stabbing into the ground. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At the same moment, everyone within a seventy-kilometer radius shuddered slightly and their eyes glazed over. Whether it was villages, towns, or the scattered residences along the roadsides, at this moment everyone set aside their work, organized their belongings with perfect order, gathered their children, left their homes, and started heading farther away. This was an evacuation to clear the civilian population from the area to avoid accidental harm. Elsewhere, in Mana City, Power King surrounded the city broadcast station with his troops. Bang! The metal door was kicked open. A few guards stood up menacingly but seeing the towering stature and Battle Axe firearms of the Black Light Army soldiers, they immediately softened. Power King led his men onto the elevator, stationed guards on each floor, and made his way straight to the broadcast room. Before long, a female announcer, who was in the middle of broadcasting the morning news, was picked up single-handedly and brought out. While she was still baffled, Power King had already forced his way into the broadcast room and grabbed the microphone. "Hello, can you hear me?" He tapped the mic. The technicians responsible for the live program saw trouble brewing and tried to turn off the broadcast switch, but were watched closely by the Black Light soldiers behind them, breaking out in a cold sweat, daring not to make any more moves. These towering giants, over two meters tall and clad in thick black full metal armor, wielding heavy Battle Axes, were intimidating just by their appearance. "Who... who are you!? I warn you, I¡¯ve already called the police!!" The station head rushed over, puffing up his chest and shouted at the Black Light soldiers guarding the outside. Click. The mouth of a gun pressed against his neck, and immediately the station head dared not to be reckless. "Have everyone cooperate with the broadcast," a Black Light soldier said sternly. "Okay... okay," the station head¡¯s courage, which he had finally mustered, deflated in an instant, and he no longer dared to shout. A few minutes later. Power King¡¯s voice quickly spread from the broadcast station to the entire Mana City, and even over a dozen surrounding cities. "I am Power King, from the Spirit Alliance¡¯s Hope City, to prove our no ill intentions towards Fista, we have decided to detonate a hydrogen bomb on the eastern side of Dura Desert." "....!!!" Instantly, the broadcast room staff, who were already nervous, were dumbstruck. Almost everyone thought they had heard wrong. But in the next moment. "A hydrogen bomb is a type of nuclear weapon;I¡¯m not sure if you have any here, but either way, it¡¯s a nuke, so just watch," he said. After speaking, Power King released the microphone and turned to leave the room. Although his self-taught local language wasn¡¯t very standard, he had practiced these few sentences enough times for people to understand clearly. The news that the Spirit Light Alliance was about to launch a nuclear bomb with the target being Dura Desert spread like a virus. Outside the broadcasting station, the public paid no mind, thinking it was just a joke or part of some talk show format. But the National Security Bureau and Fista¡¯s official departments were not as outwardly composed. "Are you sure it¡¯s a nuclear weapon?! Where is the inspection team? Take the equipment there to check!" Inside the covert headquarters of the National Security Bureau. Rania¡¯s originally tired face twisted again. To oversee the comprehensive encirclement of the Spirit Alliance and facilitate later threats to obtain their technology, he hadn¡¯t slept for two days. Now his eyes were bloodshot, disheveled, nearly unrecognizable as the bureau chief. "It has been confirmed, through radiation residue detection, that it is very likely a nuclear weapon, but we cannot calculate the specific yield," an official from the National Security Bureau said, wiping sweat from his forehead. "Where did they get nuclear weapons from!? There has been no loss in our national nuclear arsenal, and no other nuclear powers have reported any missing," Rania gritted her teeth. "The key question now is, what does the Spirit Alliance want to achieve!? Publicly declaring that they will deploy nuclear weapons in front of the public? They are the most radical terrorists in the world!" Rekus, who is always calm, now had an extremely awful look on his face. "Connect me to the president immediately." "No, what if it¡¯s just a farce, can you bear the blame?" Rekus said. "The president has other means to verify the truth. All we need to do now is report the situation upwards!" Rania said sternly. "But..." "No need! I already know." In the conference room, a deep and magnetic male voice suddenly sounded. The voice came from behind the two, from the large screen. "Mr. President, we have already conducted specific verification and handling of the Spirit Alliance matter. We hadn¡¯t planned to inform you so soon, but..." Rania had not finished speaking when, the next second. Boom! The conference room shook violently. The entire underground conference room quivered as if it were a box of building blocks, being shaken and vibrated. The light fixtures overhead were jolted down, hanging halfway in the air. Computers and water cups on the table smashed to the ground, sparks erupted and lit up on the screen walls. The lights flickered on and off, the alarm sounded shrilly, and the fire sprinkler system started to spray water randomly. "What¡¯s happening!!?" Rekus shouted, ducking under the table. But no one answered because his voice was completely drowned out by a huge vibration. Boom! The terrifying trembling continuously shook this underground space. And in Mana City. Countless people living and working normally suddenly felt as if the sky had brightened. In the eastern sky, it seemed as if an extra sun had suddenly appeared. The intense white light almost overshadowed the real sun. Moments later, the ground shook, followed by a blast of white shockwaves sweeping in from the distance, crashing into the city¡¯s downtown area like waves, and then quickly dissipated by the buildings. All the people in Mana City lit up with fine silver Spirit Light, counteracting the impact, and then quickly strengthened their lungs to clear out the dust. In the presidential office of Fista. The current President Vineta Kleyman stood up solemnly. She looked at the live broadcast footage projected in front of her. In the Dura Desert, a huge mushroom cloud shot up, the blinding white light was processed to be less intense, and the plump mushroom cloud looked less terrifying. But Vineta knew that this thing was an absolutely high-yield nuclear weapon... "Oh God... with just one year left in office, why did this happen during my term..." Vineta watched as a high-yield nuclear bomb suddenly exploded on her country¡¯s soil. It wasn¡¯t an official military nuclear test, and she clearly understood what that meant. Watching the footage, Vineta¡¯s heart nearly leapt from her chest;she breathed rapidly, covering her chest with her hand. It took her a while to recover, to confirm that it was not a fabricated image but a real live feed. Suddenly, a deep exhaustion swept over her. "Convene a cabinet meeting, I need a detailed report from the National Land Security Bureau and the National Security Bureau. All information about this nuclear blast!" "Get the FBI and the Central Intelligence Agency moving as well, I need all the information on the Spirit Alliance from this broadcast!" "Yes, Mr. President." The president¡¯s secretary in the office was also awakened by the noise, coming to his senses and quickly went out with a pale face. Leaving behind a weary President Vineta, who slumped in the leather chair, massaging her temples. * * * The impact of the nuclear blast was much greater than Yu Hong had imagined. But he was unconcerned. One minute after ordering the detonation, he knew that there would inevitably be a series of conflicts and attacks following one after another. No one would tolerate a terrorist organization possessing nuclear weapons operating within their own country. He ordered the Black Light Army and the major members of the Spirit Alliance to scatter and head straight for the President¡¯s location¡ªthe Ares Palace, a symbol of Fista¡¯s free will. At this moment, the Spirit Alliance truly entered everyone¡¯s field of vision. Rather than, as it was at the beginning, only having some reputation in Mana City and nearby towns or treated as some entertainment companies on the internet. Around four-thirty in the afternoon. Yu Hong put on a custom-made white Daoist robe with a silver Yin Yang Diagram visible on the back. He got into an arranged bulletproof business sedan. A procession of white sedans escorted him front and back, heading out of the city along the main road. On the streets, people were still discussing the huge white light and the explosion they had just witnessed. Because miraculously no one was injured, the vibrations became a topic of lively conversation. Sitting in the car, Yu Hong was practicing the last level of the Capturing God Skill, while quietly listening to the detailed investigation reported by the old Daoist Yu Hen. Chapter 422: confrontation 2 "We spent two days conducting a comprehensive evaluation and verification across Fista. With the technical support of Hope City hackers, we successfully identified the residences, whereabouts, and prospective agendas of seventy-nine senior officials with real powers in Fista," Yu Hen stated succinctly. "Send people to negotiate in person, most of these officials are older, right?" Yu Hong asked gravely. "Yes, the youngest of them is over fifty years old," Yu Hen nodded. "I understand. Moving forward, we¡¯ll primarily use incentives to persuade. No one can resist the life-prolonging effects of Spirit Light." He spoke, before feeling his chin covered in dark blue stubble with a sense of sentiment. Before receiving the Spirit Light, this stubble was white, now it has astonishingly turned youthful again! "But before that, we still need to display our strength. The nuclear explosion demonstrates our capability to threaten them. The ability to confront them signifying they cannot resolve us completely. The combination of both is the foundation for peaceful dialogue between both parties," Yu Hong stated. "Reasonable," Yu Hen nodded in agreement. "Send the order," Yu Hong suddenly said, "transmit my vehicle¡¯s trajectory in real-time to the Fista officials." "Understood!" The Black Light driver immediately showed a look of admiration. Moments later. "Transmission complete. They will likely verify it first before taking action." "Open the car windows and the sunroof, let them confirm," Yu Hong¡¯s expression grew even calmer. Hiss. Instantly, all windows opened. The cold wind rushed in, fluttering their robes, but no one cared. Accustomed to the Cold Disaster environment thanks to Spirit Light enhancement, they easily ignored the chill. The convoy continued forward without stopping along the highway. Ten minutes later, a car in front decelerated as two members of the Black Light Army exited, grabbed the Battle Axes, and strode forward. Directly ahead, the road was blocked by barricades, behind which, brown shipping containers and large black battlefield tanks were positioned. Above the tanks, seven or eight armed helicopters aimed their machine guns this way. Further away, fighter jets and bombers roared overhead, producing a thunderous rumbling noise. "Are they looking to negotiate?" A Black Light member walking in front walked back, seeking confirmation. Boom! But in the next second, the tanks¡¯ cannons recoiled and burst open with a bright yellow light. Shells struck right where he was standing. The shells, moving at over five times the speed of sound and packed with high explosives, instantly blew up the two Black Light members and a white sedan nearby. The explosion of flames and dust sent the two flying, their armor and Spirit Light resisting, but still, they were harshly cast to the left into a hillside, motionless. "As precise as a sniper rifle, and even more powerful??" Another Black Light member who had dismounted exclaimed in surprise. "The computer¡¯s aiming must be more accurate than human eyes, and how could the power of shells be weaker than a rifle¡¯s? Go check if they¡¯re dead," the team leader got out of the car discontentedly. "I saw it;they just spat blood, probably just unconscious," a group of Black Light members were indifferent. Ever since the strength of Spirit Light increased, they had hardly been injured, so they exhibited a nonchalant attitude towards their comrades¡¯ safety. "Clear the roadblocks ahead, don¡¯t keep the Alliance Hierarch waiting!" The team leader signaled. About ten Black Light members instantly dispersed, moving as lightly as birds and rushed towards the tank formations at high speed. Almost simultaneously, a swath of tank shells once again focused fire, targeting their previous gathering spot. But this time, their rapid movement meant not one was hit. Streams of Black Light rushed into the tank formations, the Battle Axes fiercely chopping down infantry coordinating with the tanks. Then, they stuffed explosives into the cumbersome tank hatches. Boom boom boom! Following a series of explosions, Black Light members entered through the blasted tank hatches, and shortly after, screams emerged as the members dragged out personnel with broken limbs. Meanwhile, another group of Black Light clashed with the armed helicopters mid-air. They casually grabbed stones from the ground and furiously pelted them at the helicopters. The immense power from short-range impacts immediately brought four helicopters crashing down, exploding on impact. It was only at this moment that the bomber managed to drop cluster bombs. Mid-air, the bombs suddenly dispersed, turning into a dense mass, cascading down onto the area below. Boom boom boom boom boom! In the intense explosions, several Black Light members were injured while the rest released Spiritual Techniques, enhancing their muscular reaction speeds, and picked up ground heavy machine guns to fire into the sky. However, the bombers¡¯ altitude was too high, and the bullets drifted aimlessly before reaching them. In an instant, more Black Light vehicles were continuously destroyed, and the group, due to insufficient equipment, was entirely suppressed. "I¡¯ll handle this." A robust woman, resembling a team leader, stepped forward and looked up to the sky, rapidly forming Sealing signs with her hands. Instantly, behind her, a black balloon with a grotesque human face emerged. The balloon ascended, imperceptible to ordinary people, only faintly sensing something being released. Boom! The balloon¡¯s Fear Shadow successfully influenced a passing fighter jet. The plane veered off course, crashing downwards. The balloon continued upwards, heading towards the bombers. Shortly after, a gray-white bomber twisted and smashed into the ground. Bang! The bomber exploded, transforming into a fireball in the distance. Other warplanes were frightened and retreated hastily. A group of Black Light members quickly returned to their vehicles, driving forward. Those without vehicles returned the way they came. Yu Hong sat in the car, waiting quietly. The journey from here to the Capital would take about ten more hours. But Fista¡¯s officials would not let him charge directly to the capital so easily;this section of the road was where both sides would demonstrate their strength. "Fista will not give up so easily, this is just the beginning," Yu Hen spoke gravely from inside the vehicle. He was somewhat worried and looked towards Yu Hong. "Zheng Rou, are we being a bit too reckless? After all... we are facing the power of a whole nation." "It¡¯s alright, I¡¯m here," Yu Hong replied, closing his eyes to continue refining the last level of the Capturing God Skill. "We no longer have time to develop slowly. The world is heading towards the brink of shattering... waiting for us to step in and save it..." His words made Yu Hen take a deep breath, reminding himself once again that they were already standing on the edge of a cliff. The Source Disaster was no child¡¯s play, having destroyed everything in two worlds. If they do not make a concerted effort now... "Also, master, rest assured, Qing Huang, Zhao Jingtang have already gone ahead to the front. The journey hereafter might be somewhat quieter," Yu Hong said. "Mhm. I hope so." Yu Hen nodded slowly. * * * Furthest ahead of the convoy, between rugged hills. Power King patted the dust off his hands, looking ahead at the approaching mass of war tanks and mobile artillery vehicles. "Prepare to begin." He spoke gravely. "We¡¯ve only brought a small portion of our equipment;it looks like we¡¯ll mainly have to rely on melee combat." Behind him, teams of Black Light Armored Warriors steadily emerged from behind the hills, revealing their forms. "No problem," a burly female captain replied nonchalantly. "Do we need to deploy combined magic? Ordinary soldiers, even with armored vehicle protection, are just fragile lambs." "No need, just be careful not to be targeted by artillery fire. There was a few foolish guys on the Hierarch¡¯s side who got bombarded and are still unconscious," Power King said dryly. "Understood." Power King, wasting no more words, waved his hand downward. Hiss hiss hiss!! Instantly, all the Black Light warriors leapt high from the top of the hills, sprinting and scattering towards the opposing army formation. Seconds later. The front line of armored vehicles and tanks opened fire, heavy machine guns, flamethrowers, and tank shells densely transforming the area upfront into a sea of fire. Under thick smoke billowing, a few unlucky Black Light warriors were directly hit in the forehead, blasted away, and knocked unconscious, while hundreds stormed into the military formation. Immediately, tanks were overturned, vehicles dented, and one artillery gun barrel was even forcibly bent by a single person. Heavy machine guns were seized and turned to spray bullets towards Fista¡¯s own forces. Half a minute into the close combat, the third armored division nineteenth regiment of Fista, over five thousand men, were wiped out. From the Black Light Army, three hundred strong, only five were knocked unconscious or lightly wounded, taken back to rest. The rest were unscathed. At this time, elsewhere. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Not far from Mana City outside Futu Town, the fifth army¡¯s seventh and eighth divisions of Fista, a total of thirteen thousand men, were engaged in a fierce battle with Ku Chan leading six hundred Black Lights. "For the Spirit Alliance!!" One by one, Black Light warriors roared, braving dense showers of bullets and shells, charging towards the enemy formation. Bullets struck them, but even sniper rifles only slightly slowed them down. These charging Black Lights were mainly selected strength-enhanced individuals. Their strength well exceeded other Black Lights, reaching around five tons of normal thrust. At this moment, about a hundred of these strength-enhanced individuals began a plain charge, appearing like agile heavy battle tanks. Two leading captains protected the core commanders also charging, coordinating the entire battle formation charge. Every Fista military formation was easily dispersed, no weapon able to halt their advance. Some Fista forces even used battle vehicles lined up as temporary barriers to evade, which were also straightforwardly smashed and overturned by them. Explosions continuously erupted behind them, unable to keep up with their moving trajectories. Behind them, Ku Chan walked forward at a steady pace, holding the damaged, serrated Chi Xiao Sword, gazing under his mask towards the sky ahead. There, hundreds of dense bombers were rapidly approaching. "Magic." He swiftly raised the sword in his hand, the blade tip rapidly sketching runes in the air. "Night Mansion Sky Court." Runes quickly lit up around him in a dark red glow, the next second. All runes combined into a circular array, shooting skyward. Boom!! As the dark red rune magic ascended, massive Dao Breath exploded in the sky, triggering an unknown mysterious energy resonance in space. In the blink of an eye, Ku Chan¡¯s spiritual pressure suddenly went full force. Originally covering only several kilometers around, under the influence of this Spiritual Technique, it quickly shifted and gained a slight boost. In an instant, it moved to cover a large area of the sky above Ku Chan. Approaching bombers, as soon as they entered within a ten-kilometer radius around him, pilots suddenly felt a heaviness in their chests, illusions appearing before their eyes, breathing becoming difficult, bodies seemingly burdened with hundreds of pounds of weight. Instantly, the trajectories of the warplanes began to skew, distort, and the formation rapidly dispersed, some directly plummeting down, bursting into fireballs. Most struggled to return to base, only gradually recovering to normal after leaving the range of the Spiritual Technique. Ku Chan watched the warplanes leave, his gaze calm, observing the Black Light Army crushing the Fista forces, no longer taking action. After all, such opponents were somewhat uninteresting. Once the Magician¡¯s weakest physical flaw was supplemented by the Spirit Light, there were no more shortcomings left. Chapter 423: Fight Against 421 Three Fista President Conference Hall. All heads of major military agencies had connected via remote signal. Each one at their designated position, with individual encrypted computers showing the faces of department heads from their secret bases. National Land Security Bureau, National Security Bureau, Central Intelligence Agency, FBI, and other leaders, along with three top generals from the Army, Navy, and Air Force, were all present in the meeting. "It has been confirmed that the explosion was indeed a nuclear bomb, with a yield of about ten million tons of TNT equivalent. Preliminary assessment suggests that the radiation intensity is low, which likely indicates an improved type of nuclear bomb. This kind of technology is currently only possessed by us and Bai Luote." The Director of CIA, a thin, blond woman in her sixties with a stern, cold gaze, and a harsh and fierce visage, entirely lacked the softness typical of a woman, looking more like a man. "Based on specific data calculations, the direct blast affected an area with a radius of fourteen kilometers, and the indirect high-temperature destruction radius is forty-six kilometers. All buildings within the fourteen-kilometer range are completely destroyed. No life can survive. After the explosion, according to expert estimates, radioactive dust could continuously affect all areas within a radius of over three hundred kilometers. It would cause irreversible catastrophic damage to the surrounding four states." the Director of CIA continued. "The key point now is that this Spirit Alliance is already a destructive threat to the entire Fista. We need to ascertain whether they have the capability for a second nuclear strike and deployment." The Air Force Commander spoke gravely. "That¡¯s a question for the National Security Bureau¡¯s Rania," the Director of CIA looked toward Rania. His face tightened, noticing that everyone, including the President, had turned their gaze towards him. He took a deep breath. "Regardless of whether they have a secondary deployment capability, their unique single-soldier defense technology employing an energy field barrier is black technology that has never been seen before on this planet. We must acquire that technology at all costs. In terms of nuclear weapons, we were simply caught off guard. As long as we deploy a large electronic interference network and missile interception system around the Spirit Alliance, ordinary nuclear bombs, even if they still have the capability to deploy, won¡¯t even be able to launch." "That makes sense. From the alert to the launch and explosion, there wasn¡¯t more than twenty minutes in between. It was too fast." The Director of CIA nodded. "I was dealing with several cases of espionage by Bai Luote involving the theft of biochemical technology. When I received word that this case had become serious, I immediately dropped everything and rushed over, but it was still too late." "Are you sure we can stop them?" the President asked somberly, his gaze intense as he focused on the Director of CIA and Rania. "That¡¯s something for the Army Commander Bar to comment on." Rania looked towards the Army Commander. "If timely deployment and alerts are made, and there are no more than twenty missiles that aren¡¯t scattering MIRV warheads with controllable trajectories and no erratic patterns, the interception rate can be 100 percent." Commander Bar solemnly answered. "Isn¡¯t that a lot of conditions?" the President frowned. "Is our interception and jamming technology that bad?" "There¡¯s no helping it, the distance is too close, and they gave us too little time to react. Other nuclear weapons also require several minutes to respond. I still can¡¯t imagine how they dared to deploy nuclear weapons at such a close distance. Aren¡¯t they afraid of being completely annihilated themselves?" Commander Bar said gravely. "In fact, their energy field technology was very effective. Mana City, tens of kilometers away, didn¡¯t have a single injury, just various small videos after the dust cloud passed through, which are now all over social media. We¡¯ve already ordered major media to delete the related videos." The Director of CIA said. President Vineta Kleinman stood up and paced back and forth. "What¡¯s the situation with the Army division¡¯s encirclement?" he stopped, looking at Bar. "It¡¯s bad," Bar shrugged his shoulders, "personally, I think they have technology weapons from an era different than ours, rather than confrontation, we should choose cooperation." "After so many casualties, talking about cooperation now is already a compromise of national will." the President shook his head. "It¡¯s better than being beaten into submission." Bar said casually. "A mere terrorist organization of a few thousand people, and you speak like this?" The President frowned, staring at him. "Bar, you should think about what you promised me when I appointed you." "This is not mere." The tone of Bar¡¯s voice grew low, "Mr. President, of the fifteen thousand men I dispatched, only two thousand have returned in defeat, with scarcely any survivors left. In total, the enemy had no more than a thousand. Bullets can¡¯t penetrate them, and artillery shelling only knocks them unconscious. No matter how our men try to hide or sneak, once they get close, they are discovered and killed on the spot. Such an opponent, I don¡¯t think should be described as mere." "What about you?" the President looked towards the Air Force and Navy Commanders. The latter two remained silent. The Air Force had been involved, but after dozens of bombers were shot down head-on, they didn¡¯t dare to speak anymore. "Why not use long-range strategic missiles for a ground sweep while they are still relatively concentrated." After a while, the Air Force Commander spoke up. "What about the fish that slip through the net? Conventional weapons are basically ineffective against them, and if they disperse and start assassinating, what do we have to counter?" The Director of CIA frowned. "Enough. Let¡¯s not discuss this any further. It seems that conventional military force is not very effective against them. Only ¡¯that¡¯ can be deployed now." President Vineta stopped in his tracks. "That?" Rania was the first to react, his expression tensing, seemingly thinking of something. "Indeed, if it¡¯s them, perhaps it can be effective." His expression slightly eased. "Call Charles, tell him, there¡¯s work for Supersonic." the President looked at his secretary, speaking in a low tone. "Understood, Mr. President!" * * * On the way from Mana City to the Festa Capital. The white convoy moved forward at a constant speed. Yu Hong sat inside the vehicle, with Daoist Yu Hen beside him, continuously summarizing the battle reports from front, back, left, and right. Ku Chan, Power King, Zhao Jingtang, and others were all intercepting the Fista armed forces that came to encircle them. "Where is Chen Yaofeng?" he asked. "He¡¯s still at the headquarters, in about thirteen minutes, there will be a new wave of airstrikes approaching. This time it is long-distance missile bombing, and due to the high altitude and limited equipment, Hope City¡¯s Black Light cannot intercept." Yu Hen answered. "They haven¡¯t given up resisting, it seems they still believe they have a chance to win. The airstrikes have been proven to be completely ineffective. From the time the missiles are shot and approaching to the time they hit the ground, we have enough time for our people to evade in advance. So, they must still have some cards up their sleeve," Yu Hong said. "That must be the case. What I¡¯m worried about now is that they will also launch nuclear weapons against us," Daoist Yu Hen said with a worried look. "I will be forewarned. As long as we¡¯re not directly hit in the center, it¡¯s not a big issue," Yu Hong was unconcerned. "But..." Yu Hen was about to say something else. Suddenly, he saw Yu Hong raise his hand. "Stop the car," Yu Hong uttered slowly. The convoy came to a swift halt and then lined up on the mountainside road, forming a formation to protect the central vehicle. But Yu Hong didn¡¯t seem to care. He opened the door and got out. His eyes flashed a faint red, surveying his surroundings, and he gestured with his hand for the Black Light soldiers who had gotten out to disperse. Everyone around held their breath, nervously observing their surroundings. But there was nothing around, only the mountain wind causing Yu Hong¡¯s Daoist robe to swish softly. "Interesting, not even the psychic perception of Magic could detect it." Yu Hong stepped forward, walking out of the protection circle. "The elite forces of Fista, huh." He spread his arms, "Come, I¡¯ll just stand here. Since you¡¯ve managed to get past our defenses and close to me, you¡¯re clearly after me." "Now, I¡¯ll give you a chance." He pointed to the center of his forehead. "Come, kill me." As soon as he finished speaking, A ring of golden fire appeared around Yu Hong in an instant. "I¡¯ve got him!" a young man¡¯s voice shouted, a blurry figure vaguely appearing a few meters behind Yu Hong. "Run now!!" another woman¡¯s voice shouted. "I can¡¯t move him! How... How can he be so heavy?!" the man panicked. "Damn!" In an instant, several translucent human figures appeared beside Yu Hong. The woman in white hair and a black tight suit lunged forward, and her body quickly transformed, turning into a white-haired giant bear over three meters tall in the blink of an eye. Roar! The giant bear opened its maw with fangs bared, roaring as it swiped its massive claws downward at Yu Hong. Buzz! The bear¡¯s paw hit Yu Hong, but was blocked by a thin layer of silver Spirit Light. A bell-like vibration spread from their sides. "Transformation, teleportation?" Yu Hong stood still, not moving an inch, just slightly looking up at the giant bear. "So tough!!?" The giant bear spoke human words, its eyes showing evident shock. It flexed its muscles again, roaring, and with both arms combined, it smashed down hard. Boom!!! A massive dull thud exploded. It let out a pitiful howl, the sound of bones breaking resounded from its hands. At that moment, a blurry figure holding a golden dagger appeared behind Yu Hong and stabbed Yu Hong¡¯s shadow below. "I¡¯ve stabbed him!! Quick! Help me!!" the figure shouted, with a clear female voice. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I¡¯m on it!" A fourth figure materialized, a muscular man with short black hair;he appeared two meters above Yu Hong. With his arms open, he gathered a stream of yellow luminescent airflow in his embrace and then released it downward. The airflow descended silently, circling Yu Hong, forming a large cage of yellow light. Ah!!! The two exerted force from above and below, veins on their foreheads near bursting. Puff! In an instant, the surface of the yellow cage was pierced by an arm. Yu Hong¡¯s right hand reached forward, casually tearing the yellow light cage apart as if it were paper. And the figure that had pierced the shadow was tossed aside like a rag dragged by a truck, flung away by a tremendous force. At this moment, Yu Hong¡¯s Spirit Light strength was approaching the level of Quan He from the Taoist Sect world. Rip. The entire yellow light cage was torn from the middle, revealing an unblemished figure of Yu Hong in a white Daoist robe. "Such a level of constraint;ordinary Black Light soldiers really wouldn¡¯t be your match. It seems you¡¯re Fista¡¯s ultimate weapon, then?" Yu Hong¡¯s eyes lit up with a red glow, clearly seeing the four people surrounding him. Two men and two women, all dressed in black tight combat suits, with gold lark patterns embroidered on their shoulders and the flag of Fista on their chests. "What kind of monster are you!? How can there be someone so heavy in this world!?" The young man who appeared with the golden light ring showed an incredulous expression. He looked very young, perhaps only seventeen or eighteen, with faintly visible light stubble on his lips. Chapter 424: confrontation four "Your abilities are quite impressive," Yu Hong said calmly. "Are you interested in working under me? Whatever you desire, I can provide." Originally, I thought there was nothing special about this world, but it turns out there is still some supernatural essence. "Nevermind me, use that!" The young man completely ignored him, lunged forward, and a new golden ring of light exploded from his body, making him even more transparent. The golden ring of light once again surrounded Yu Hong, stacking with the previous one, suddenly increasing the binding force, tightly restraining Yu Hong. The other three people then roared again, rushing towards Yu Hong. The White Bear pounced and bit, golden daggers dazzling, and the yellow airflow transformed into ribbons and ropes binding him. But... In that instant. A silver Spirit Light suddenly emerged on Yu Hong. Clank clank clank! Everyone¡¯s attacks were perfectly blocked by the Spirit Light. Without exception. "Stubborn fools." Yu Hong raised his right hand, disappeared from his spot like lightning, and in the next moment, he had already grabbed the White Bear in front of him. The silver Spirit Light was forcefully infused into the White Bear¡¯s body. Immediately following, the next moment, Yu Hong¡¯s palm moved upwards, as if pulling something out from inside the White Bear. Instantly, a brilliant silver light shot out from the eyes, ears, mouth, and nose of the White Bear, merging into his palm. Hiss!! A continuous flow of silver light rapidly entered the palm of Yu Hong¡¯s hand. This scene lasted for two seconds. By the time the others regained their senses, the White Bear¡¯s cry had abruptly ended, leaving only a large piece of white fur on its body. "Mary!!" Someone among the three screamed in anguish. But it was already too late. Yu Hong discarded the white fur in his hand and stepped forward. Boom!! Centered around his foot, a burst of dark red Tai Ling Skill Inner Strength explosively spread. Dark red Inner Strength covered the entire mountain path, spreading to the cliff walls as well. The other three, caught off guard, were submerged by the Inner Strength, immediately convulsed all over as if electrocuted, falling to the ground unconscious. "Take them away," Yu Hong said calmly. "Yes!" Immediately, soldiers of Black Light respectfully stepped forward and dragged the three away to bind them. He glanced straight ahead. "The path ahead, I should walk alone. You all disperse." Saying this without waiting for any reaction. He stepped down, the ground cracked, and he suddenly vanished, reappearing hundreds of meters away. Sss! At the same time, Ku Chan¡¯s figure appeared beside him. "Alliance Leader, I failed to intercept." "It¡¯s alright, we can walk together." Yu Hong didn¡¯t mind, noticing he had changed into a Daoist robe, not white but the purple of Zihe Palace. "Do I need to completely change to the style of Zihe Palace?" "No need." Ku Chan was silent for a moment, his one hand touching the elevated collar where a silver-lined purple character was embroidered. "I just want, to never forget." "It¡¯s alright, you can rebuild Zihe Palace. Spirit Alliance is just an alliance, not a dictatorship," Yu Hong said gently. "No... just keeping it as a memento..." Ku Chan closed his eyes, "Also I need to apologize to you in advance." "Why?" "I am guilty..." Ku Chan lowered his head, "I shouldn¡¯t have killed all the tens of thousands of resistance forces of the Festa army... This goes against the Spirit Alliance Leader¡¯s principle of only targeting high-level figures where possible." Hearing this, Yu Hong also fell silent. Staring at Ku Chan, he did not speak for a long time. Until the sharp whistling of bombers gradually approached from the distant sky, he then softly spoke. "From now on, just stay by my side." "Yes," Ku Chan bowed his head. Affected deeply by the Source Disaster, his entire family perished, and his pregnant fianc¨¦e died tragically before his eyes. Maintaining any goodness now was already a result of incredibly high moral standards. Yu Hong knew, he must keep a close eye on Ku Chan now, as his nature was gradually heading towards another extreme. "Let¡¯s go." As soon as he spoke. Both of them almost simultaneously vanished from their spot. A second later. A dense barrage of missiles rained down. Boom!! The mountain path was immediately engulfed in an inferno of yellow and white flames. * * * In the presidential conference hall. Underneath the live satellite surveillance feed. Several high-level Festa officials were staring unblinkingly at the projection screen. "Supersonic speed, and yet it still failed..." the president spoke somberly, his eyes flashing with disbelief. Supersonic, as Festa¡¯s last and strongest single-operative assassination squad, had dozens of experiences targeting imperial leaders. Yet, when facing the Spirit Alliance Leader... "That guy, he¡¯s simply a monster!" Rania also watched the entire live broadcast. Spirit Alliance openly allowed them to monitor. But the more it was so, the more intense the frustration and repression in their hearts. Because such an attitude represented condescension, represented looking down on them. "Let¡¯s just carpet bomb. We don¡¯t have many choices left...." President Venita sighed. "If it¡¯s still ineffective??" Commander Bar asked in a deep voice. The president didn¡¯t answer, instead he just looked at the projection screen, silently for a long time. Soon, the live broadcast of the bombing reappeared on the screen. The Air Force, in coordination with the Navy and Army, launched over two thousand five hundred ground-to-surface missiles. Covering the entire several kilometers¡¯ route that Yu Hong and his companion were advancing on. Such a scale was usually reserved for conflict with a nation, but now, it was being used against a mere terrorist organization.... Yet, as Yu Hong and his companion walked out unharmed, even without a scratch, from the raging fire ignited by missiles and rockets, Finally, the mentality of everyone in the presidential conference room collapsed. Bang! Rania suddenly stood up. "Mr. President! I suggest we launch nuclear weapons immediately!" "What if nuclear weapons are also useless!?" Bar countered. "That¡¯s impossible!! No one can withstand the ultimate weapon!" Rania retorted fiercely. "Rashness won¡¯t solve any problems." The Director of CIA said coldly. "At this point, you should realize, we have no power to stop them from approaching. Isn¡¯t their very public approach meant to force us to declare our stance, to give up resistance?" "Yes, they came with an attitude to negotiate right from the start, whereas we have been aggressively attacking them." the middle-aged director of the National Land Security Bureau stated as he touched his bald head. "....." Rania, realizing the changed attitudes of those who had just spoken differently, knew that everything was over. He clenched his hands tight, his nails almost piercing into his palms. "The First Army Group has already been deployed on their path now..." "I will notify them to lay down their arms and stop resisting." Bar said somberly. "I don¡¯t want my soldiers to sacrifice their lives in vain. Facing an unknown, irresistible force, surrendering is not our fault." "Heh... heh..." Rania shook his head, no longer speaking. He knew that anything he said now would be meaningless. Looking at the expressionless, weary-eyed president, the strangely serious looking commanders of the Navy and Air Force, and the other leaders, He suddenly had a premonition, a sense of crisis welled up in his heart. "Sorry, Rania, no matter what, someone has to take responsibility for this." The president¡¯s voice, with a hint of helplessness, echoed in the office. "I understand...." Rania closed his eyes, stepped forward, but was grabbed by a guard who appeared out of nowhere. "For the sake of your family, this is the best outcome." President Venita said. Rania¡¯s face trembled, unable to utter a word, and was escorted down by the guard. He had anticipated a day like this for himself, but he hadn¡¯t expected that it would come at the hands of a small terrorist organization of no more than two thousand people. The director of the National Security Bureau, responsible for suppressing terrorist organizations, was actually brought down by a terrorist organization. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. What an irony! Two hours later. Rania was under house arrest, sitting alone in his cell, still pondering how the Spirit Alliance would deal with him. Death, he wasn¡¯t afraid of. From the moment he chose this path, he had been prepared. But the Spirit Alliance, every aspect of the organization was permeated with a sense of eeriness and malevolence. He didn¡¯t believe that anyone would genuinely promote that eerie Spirit Light for free as advertising. Nothing good comes without a reason, or is delivered straight to your mouth. He understood this principle since he was seven years old. Sitting neatly in the white, personal prison cell, Rania sat at the desk, flipping through a book on political tactics. Compromise, once scorned by him, but now.... Suddenly. He, sitting underground, slightly tilted his head up, looking towards the ceiling. Looking at the pristine white ceiling. Above there, on the upper surface, something seemed to be happening. * * * Above the capital of Festa¡ªWeilanser City. Two large figures wearing broad Daoist robes looked down imperiously at the high-rises and busy traffic below. The countless flow of people and vehicles moved like ants, seamlessly flowing between boxed buildings. "From this angle, a capital of humanity actually seems as fragile as a sandbox." Yu Hong sighed. "Since no one has come to greet us yet, how about I send them a greeting?" Ku Chan mentioned coldly from behind. Yu Hong smiled. "No worries, I¡¯ll handle it myself. Sometimes showing power requires a certain finesse and art. Mere violence only invokes fear, and fear leads to flee and resistance." "...." Ku Chan didn¡¯t speak, but his face clearly disagreed. Yu Hong stopped talking, just extended his right hand and lifted his index finger. The tip rapidly lit up with a silver light. The light quickly condensed into a fist-sized sphere, dazzlingly bright. "Only by offering hope." Yu Hong raised his right hand over his head. The light sphere was also lifted up. "Can life be balanced." Hiss!!! In an instant, the silver light from his fingertip intensified, suddenly surging, swelling. In a blink, it transformed into a horrifying silver light sphere several meters in diameter. "Go." Behind Yu Hong, a massive blue Ultimate Sun Illusion appeared, with numerous eerie, contorting faces surfacing and writhing on the sun¡¯s surface. Hiss hiss hiss hiss! The next instant, the enormous silver light sphere above him started rapidly shooting out strands of silver light. Countless strands like raindrops fell, thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, targeting every living person in the capital. Chapter 425: Concentration 423 One Below the city of Weilanser, drivers and passengers in the traffic, pedestrians on the sidewalks, shoppers in the malls, office workers in the buildings¡ªall noticed at this very moment the incredibly bright and dazzling orb above them. And in the next second, the orb suddenly split apart, scattering a multitude of silver filaments that streamed downwards. A silver thread precisely struck each person¡¯s head. After the thread entered the body, there was no sensation, just a slight mysterious chill, and then it was all over. "What is that!?" Jiang Rong, holding a cup of coffee and shopping with her friend Winnie, suddenly stared up blankly at the sky filled with falling silver rain. "Uh? A new type of light show?" Winnie speculated. "It looks so real." "I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not any kind of show, I guess..." In order to avoid the dangerous situation at home, and to evade the group of mysterious strangers nearby, Jiang Rong decisively moved again the very next day. Moving, taking leave, accepting a close friend¡¯s invitation to visit the Capital. Everything was just to stay away from the weirdness around her. But... who would have thought that even in the Capital, the safest place in the country, she would encounter trouble. "I think we¡¯d better go home sooner," Jiang Rong suggested. "I..." Winnie had not yet replied when suddenly, the urgent and piercing sound of the air raid alarm echoed from the sky. A large swarm of anti-air intercept missiles rose into the sky, heading towards the orb in mid-air. "Futile struggle." A cold, young male voice faintly came from the sky. Following that, Jiang Rong could vaguely make out that there were two figures floating in the sky, right below the orb. One of them, a young man draped in a purple robe, merely moved his lips in the face of the incoming missiles. Hiss!! In an instant, a ring of translucent ripples spread out rapidly in all directions from him, swiftly enveloping the approaching missiles. The next second, all the missiles exploded. Boom!! All hundreds of missiles detonated simultaneously, their sounds merged together to form a massive sonic shockwave, pressing downwards. The glass on top of the buildings shattered in unison, several large billboards collapsed under the shock, crashing down, causing the crowd below to scatter and flee. There would normally be screams, crash sounds. But now, every sound in the world had vanished. Jiang Rong and Winnie stood dumbfounded, watching this scene unfold in the sky, and before they could react, they were swept up by the surging crowd in front, rapidly moving in the opposite direction of before. Not just them. At this moment, inside the presidential conference room, a group of Fista¡¯s high command was equally silent, staring at the monitor screens. The last image frozen on the screen was of Yu Hong raising his hand to create the giant silver orb. Everyone¡¯s faces showed shock, and all reactions in their minds froze for a moment. Faced with mysterious powers far beyond their comprehension, everyone had lost the ability to judge correctly, unsure of how to react. That piercingly bright silver orb, almost covering half the Capital, hung like a second sun, thousands of meters above the city. "My God...!" Someone murmured in a trembling voice. "They are no longer human! They must be aliens disguised as humans!" "Where are the missile defense systems? The air defense network? Why is there no response!" A number of high-ranking officials recovered and immediately started making external contacts to inquire about the situation. But at that moment, Suddenly, a deafening roar of anti-aircraft artillery and missile explosions came from above the conference hall. Boom!!! The conference hall shook violently. People crouched down to find cover. After a while, everything quieted down, and the president slowly crawled out from under the desk. "Is it over?" No one answered. Most people continued to hide under cover, fearing a second wave of explosions. "What was that just now?!" The Army Commander Bar asked with a trembling voice. Again, no one answered. The president slowly sat back in his office chair, opened a drawer, and shakily lit a cigarette for himself. He did not expect the situation to escalate so quickly. The adversary had been on the road not long ago and had now arrived swiftly at Weilanser. "Do we still have a chance to fight?" he asked quietly. "Let¡¯s negotiate. The power we just saw may have only been a warning to us," said the Director of CIA, rising to his feet with the help of two guards, his face pale, evidently just as frightened. "It¡¯s all Rania¡¯s fault, it was his initial miscalculation of the basic policy towards them that led to all of this happening." "Yes... then, let¡¯s negotiate..." President Winnie fell silent, looking at the faces of the other high-ranking officials, anger and restraint mixed with a hint of fear, and finally nodded wearily. * * * Just when a lightning attack occurred in Weilanser City and Yu Hong¡¯s Spirit Light intensity began to rise rapidly again. Far on the other side of the planet, in Bai Luote, the world¡¯s second strongest nation. Deep within a remote Gobi desert. A sleek white transport plane slowly descended, gliding from midair, skidding along the temporary airfield runway for quite a while before gradually coming to a halt. The Blood Energy Group¡¯s armed staff and researchers, who had been waiting for some time, swiftly approached and surrounded the tail of the transport plane. With the faint sound of air valves releasing. The tailgate automatically lowered and unfolded, forming portable steps. Inside the spacious transport hall, researchers clad in thick biohazard suits were pushing a large, all-black metallic coffin, sliding it down the steps. "Thank you for your hard work, Supervisor Apson. This external mission was arduous and extremely dangerous, but luckily you completed it perfectly," said a man with a small black mustache among those who came to greet them, stepping forward to take over from the head of the exiting researchers. "Director Wade, this time we successfully obtained the Perfect Blood progenitor, but the process was somewhat peculiar. Compared to the previous captures, this progenitor seems to possess rudimentary intelligence. She could understand our simple words and cooperated with us. I¡¯m not sure what this implies, as I¡¯m no researcher, but I think it should be recorded and passed on to you for reference." "Rudimentary intelligence?" Wade stroked his mustache, "I understand. We will take note of it, though it may just be a basic animalistic instinctual response. Certain neural feedback mechanisms have nothing to do with intelligence;sometimes, they coincidentally overlap with intelligent responses." "I don¡¯t quite understand all that;anyway, the progenitor is now handed over to you. With that, my mission is complete," Apson said in a low voice. "What about the two professors?" "They¡¯ve already headed back, rushed to the Research Institute with the samples as soon as they acquired them, saying they¡¯ve made a major new discovery." Wade stepped forward and circled around the coffin. "Hm?" Suddenly, he noticed a thin trickle of blood seeping from the hinge at the coffin¡¯s edge, slowly oozing outward. Just then. The lid of the coffin was abruptly flung open. Hiss! A slender arm with grayish skin shot out instantly, piercing through Wade¡¯s thick protective suit, along with the bulletproof vest inside. Aah! He let out a wretched scream, trying to stagger backward. But his body was hoisted up by a tremendous force, suspended in the air, and in the next second, his body started to deflate rapidly as if everything inside¡ªbones, organs¡ªmelted into liquid and was entirely absorbed by the grayish arm. Plop. In the end, all that was left of Wade was a limp suit of skin connected to the clothes, which fell to the ground. The next second, the skin suit re-inflated, and within two seconds, a slightly unfamiliar looking Wade stood by the side of the coffin again. He twisted his neck and looked around. The members of the Blood Energy Group Research Institute, who had come to greet them, had all been taken over by those who emerged from the transport plane, one by one. A few who were frightened began to panic and run away, but were swiftly caught up to and turned into human skins. Wade, now with a mouth splitting into a grotesque smile, bent down and lightly touched the ground. Instantly, a spot of blood appeared out of thin air on the floor. The spot of blood expanded rapidly, twisting and bulging into an eerie, dark-red arched door with ancient patterns carved into it. The door slowly opened, and thick, dark-red, foul-smelling blood gushed out from within. Tap tap tap tap! At that moment, a few soldiers who had just walked in near the airfield opened fire toward them in a frenzy. In just a few seconds, the short bursts from seven or eight guns shot out such a dense stream of bullets that for a brief moment, it resembled the ferocity of a heavy machine gun. "Go to hell! I knew something would go wrong! Sooner or later there¡¯d be trouble! You bunch of egg-sucking bastards!" The leading guard yelled at the top of his lungs. The bullets densely peppered Wade¡¯s body, forcing him to retreat, riddling his body with a sieve-like array of holes as the blood quickly leaked out. But soon enough, in just a few seconds, a yellowish-brown translucent gel rapidly grew over his body, which started to significantly dampen the impact of the bullets. And as time went on. Two seconds later, his skin began to blacken, becoming significantly harder. The bullets now could only make pit marks of varied sizes. After another two seconds passed. The bullets could no longer wound Wade, and continuous sparks were seen hitting his body without effect. "My God...!" The shooters watched as Wade rapidly evolved, dumbstruck, and their arms holding the guns began to go limp. "Run!!" Two of them pulled grenades from their belts, pulled the pins, and tossed them before turning to flee. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The others followed suit, throwing their grenades as well. Boom boom! The explosions swept through the space inside the aircraft cabin. Wade was blown away on the spot, his body tossed like a ragdoll. But the next second, he stood up again, his wounds rapidly healing. As the subsequent grenade explosions hit him, he was merely blown across the ground, quickly getting back on his feet. By the fifth grenade explosion, he was able to stand upright, directly facing the blast of flames and shrapnel, with only minor wounds on his body. At this rate, another round of grenade explosions and he would likely be completely immune to the damage from grenades. But by then, the opportunity was already gone. The fleeing men were caught by the others who chased them down, their bodies were devoured, their insides replaced with blood, and soon they became blood-regenerated beings, just like Wade. Chapter 426: concentration two Wade looked around and sniffed the air, then walked towards the hatch, still wearing tattered clothes. "Go there..." He pointed in the direction of the Blood Energy Group Research Institute closest to this location. There, he planned to obtain a large amount of the special blood he had infiltrated to acquire. In an instant, all the reborn soldiers who had been reinfused with blood followed him and sprinted toward that direction. * * * "The concentration has risen again, but... something is strange." Yu Hong and Ku Chan landed and were walking inside the palace where they were going to negotiate with the Festa officials. The spacious palace corridor was flanked by trembling soldiers holding ceremonial spears. They looked straight ahead without a glance to the sides ¨C what might once have been considered disciplined, but now it was obvious to any outsider that they dared not look at Yu Hong and Ku Chan. Currently, Yu Hong was holding a Red Value Detector, looking at the values as they rose again, reaching around twenty. "There are only two possibilities for the Red Value to increase," Ku Chan said. "One is that low-level shadow Black Disasters are emerging in large numbers. The second is that there are a few high-level Black Disasters appearing." "It shouldn¡¯t be in Festa. Spirit Light¡¯s power is now spreading rapidly across the country with the flow of people. They essentially act as dispersed Spirit Light sensors;as soon as any Black Disaster Monster approaches, I will be the first to sense it." Yu Hong put away the detector. "But the strange thing is, the Red Value is rising, but I haven¡¯t received any response. In any case, Festa¡¯s overall situation is almost settled, and we must act quickly in other regions." "We are too short-staffed. Not enough personnel," Ku Chan replied. "No matter. It will soon be enough. A large number of Festa¡¯s intelligence personnel, soldiers, civil servants... they can all become our broadcasting nodes." Yu Hong smiled and pushed open the heavy red doors at the end of the corridor. The door had a sensor-based automatic opening system, which opened inward automatically with just a push. Inside the five-meter high arched doorway, President Venita and a group of cabinet officials had already been waiting. "It is an honor to meet Alliance Leader Yu formally and solemnly here," the President stepped forward and bowed sincerely. "I am very sorry for the unpleasant situation that happened with the Spirit Alliance before;it was our fault. In fact, before receiving a follow-up report from Rania, the Director of the National Security Bureau, I was completely unaware of the specific situation in Mana City." He paused, then continued. "Rania hid a lot of facts, causing us to have a wrong perception and understanding of the Spirit Alliance¡¯s goals and positioning which led to many misunderstandings... We have already dealt seriously with Rania and a series of related officials..." "We..." "Enough," Ku Chan, with furrowed brows, interrupted him. "We don¡¯t have time to listen to your lengthy explanations. Now, you have two choices." He looked at Yu Hong to ensure he had no intention of intervening and continued. "First, give up everything and turn everything over to us for handling. Second, join us and handle the aftermath on your own. Time is running out. At any moment, the whole world could face a great threat. Keep it simple!" "This..." The President was somewhat dumbfounded;he had seen swift decisions, but never one quite like this. "I¡¯ll count to three, and if there¡¯s no decision, go to hell," Ku Chan narrowed his eyes, gripping the sword handle at his waist. "One." "Two." "I choose the second! The second!" Venita knew he had no other choice and quickly voiced his decision. He was well aware that in psychology, giving such a short amount of time is meant to prevent thinking and planning and to force a basic, deep-seated decision. "Very well." Yu Hong flicked his finger, sending out a strand of silver thread that entered the bodies of the officials present. "This is the power of Spirit Light, and you¡¯ll have one chance to choose what attribute you want to enhance. Strength, speed, protection, recovery, lifespan ¨C anything is possible. But remember, you only have one chance," he explained softly. "This can¡¯t be for real, right?" a Deputy Director from the National Land Security Bureau couldn¡¯t help but speak up in refutation. "Hmm?" Ku Chan¡¯s gaze swept over, his immense Spiritual Cultivation no longer suppressed, instantly transformed into rippling waves, rapidly spreading out from him as the center and exploding. Boom! Terrifying pressure instantly fell upon the Deputy Director, causing him to drop to his knees with a ¡¯puh,¡¯ his hands struggling to support himself, trying to push up but his strength was meaningless against Ku Chan¡¯s might. At least hundreds of kilograms of pressure distributed evenly across his body. After two seconds, he collapsed to the ground, blood oozing from his mouth, nose, and eyes. Not only that, the aftermath of the heavy pressure affected everyone nearby;each of them changed their expressions dramatically, trembled, and became completely immobilized. "Now, let¡¯s talk about how to transfer Spirit Light to more ordinary people," Yu Hong stepped forward and scanned the high-ranking officials in the room. "There are too many people. Let¡¯s halve the number." As soon as he finished speaking. Hiss! Half of the people in the room had silver light rapidly shining out of their mouth and nose, followed by the silver light flowing out like liquid and swiftly returning to Yu Hong. Three seconds later, only four people remained standing on the floor tiles. They were fortunate to be unharmed, but even then, they were trembling and horror-stricken, not daring to make a sound. "I am very reasonable," Yu Hong said to the four, earnestly, "In the time ahead, I hope we can work together sincerely. To complete the entire Festa national Spirit Light Strengthening Plan. No problems, right?" The few remaining people nodded frantically. * * * October 15th. At precisely noon. A large-scale mysterious silver orb event occurred in Festa Capital Weilanser. Later, the meteorological department explained it as a large spherical lightning phenomenon. Despite countless expressions of doubt, the explanation was set in stone. Following this, the Presidential Palace Ares Palace issued a new presidential decree. It announced a half-month-long free National Strengthening Needle injection campaign. Using the national treasury as the foundation, it provides a free Strengthening Needle injection to every Festa citizen. The company responsible for this Strengthening Needle was a newly established biopharmaceutical company called Qingjing Tian. The Spirit Alliance Headquarters also moved from Mana City to the capital, Weilanser. The office location was changed to Ares Palace. Yu Hong took over the Presidential Office, becoming the absolute symbol and spiritual leader within the Festa Spirit Alliance. "According to plans sent by the Central Intelligence Agency, this Strengthening Needle campaign should quickly take effect. Festa has a permanent resident population of 126 million people, with a floating population between 60 to 80 million. To successfully spread it everywhere, the Spirit Alliance needs to dispatch personnel to various places to serve as the core sources for spreading the Spirit Light." Yu Hen kept busy organizing various intelligence materials. Initially, Yu Hong worried he might be too tired, but now, it seemed like the old man was enjoying himself, too absorbed to contemplate others. "Just let the elder decide." Yu Hong dripped a drop of Eye Drops, and the red light in his eyes started to become increasingly unstable and brighter. In these two days, it seemed that with the continuous strengthening of the Spirit Light, the last layer of his Capturing God Skill was also in its final sprint. He could distinctly feel that the last layer, Ding, should be completed within these two days. "Understood." Yu Hen put down the laptop, "Also, I¡¯ve found new information about ¡¯xing¡¯." "Let¡¯s hear it." "According to some records left here, after some individuals¡¯ minds were eroded by the Black Disaster, they wrote down a large amount of text content." Yu Hen quickly took out a portable projector, connected the mobile disk, and aimed it at the lowered projection screen. Snap. The lights dimmed. A line of small characters lit up on the projection screen. ¡¯1981¡¤11¡¤9. 3:12 PM.¡¯ Inside the picture, a narrow, enclosed white room slowly emerged. Within the room, there was only a brown circular wooden stool. Sitting on the stool was a disheveled and emaciated man. The man was wearing an oversized and ill-fitted white hospital gown, with stark black and white stripes. "Qiu Zepeng, please try to recall in detail everything you felt after being possessed by those strange shadows." From behind the camera angle, a deep, aged male voice sounded solemn. "Um, sure." The man lowered his head, his voice clear. "I¡¯ve always had a special and strong memory since I was young, as you know. I am a pretty good hypnotist, for others and for myself, I believe I have decent hypnosis techniques. So, after suffering an accident, I immediately gave myself a suggestion as a switch." He paused. Then he continued. "After I recovered from the severe injuries, I used the switch to re-delve into everything I encountered before, and I discovered a secret from it." "What secret? Is it about the evil spirits?" asked the old voice outside of the camera. "Yes. I found that they seem not to be... purely.... how should I say it?" Qiu Zepeng seemed troubled as he grabbed and rubbed his hair hard. What followed was an intense struggle that lasted over ten minutes, during which the man kept making strange murmurs, sometimes standing up and pacing back and forth, sometimes smashing the wall erratically. He was completely unlike the normal person from before. "This recording was found in Ares Palace¡¯s most highly secret archives that have been preserved for many years," Yu Hen took the opportunity to explain in a serious tone. "What did this man experience?" Yu Hong asked. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "His body was the type that was very susceptible to evil spirit possession, so he often encountered strange incidents of possession since he was very young," Yu Hen explained. "At first, his family and people around him thought he was pretending, until one time, in a possessed state, he snapped the arm of an older bully who wanted to pick on him." "Interesting." Yu Hong continued to watch. In the footage, as the fast-forwarding continued, the man¡¯s words finally began to show some coherence. "They don¡¯t want... don¡¯t want... ¡¯xing¡¯, only with ¡¯xing¡¯... can they find... save... save the self.... so, they¡¯re also constantly looking...." Qiu Zepeng slammed his head against the wall in pain. "Looking for, they?" Yu Hong keenly noticed these two words. In Festa language, the terms used for people and non-humans were different. These "they" clearly referred to those evil spirits. "Looking for itself implies possessing a certain level of rationality. By evil spirits, you mean the Black Disaster, right? I never realized that the Black Disaster could also have rationality...." Yu Hong started to say but suddenly remembered the partially transformed Black Disaster girl he had encountered a few times before. He immediately fell silent. Chapter 427: Concentration 425 3 "What¡¯s wrong?" Yu Hen asked curiously. "Nothing... It¡¯s just that I suddenly thought, at the early stages of Black Disaster infection, it seems possible for a person to still have rationality... I¡¯ve encountered such a rare case, and with the large number of Black Disaster infections, it¡¯s understandable that there would be multiple similar instances," Yu Hong replied softly. "Now that the domestic situation is settled, next, we¡¯ll spread to other countries while also needing to investigate the causes of the rising Red Value," he tapped his finger lightly. "People have already been arranged to investigate, but for the time being, there are no clues. The concentration of Red Value seems to be quite evenly dispersed in the air, and it doesn¡¯t appear to be a recent occurrence," Yu Mo said. "What about the related professionals? With the Black Disaster infection, there must be people who have come into contact, right?" Yu Hong asked. "There are some, I¡¯ll arrange it right away. Actually, we¡¯ve already made contact with a group of people, but most of them were fraudsters," Yu Mo sighed. He looked at Yu Hong, who was now sitting in the president¡¯s chair, with a faintly visible shimmering blue sun behind him. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Now, he had become many times stronger than when he first started. Just standing beside him, one could feel an immensely heavy and oppressive Spirit Light. "Previously, the Church and the Presidential Office hoped to jointly establish an organization called the Spirit Exploring Association, which included all sorts of people with spiritual perceptions." "Spiritually perceptive people? Are they the ones who sniped at me on the road before?" Yu Hong recalled that those people had been detained for many days, and he wondered what their situation was now. "Yes. They possess a variety of quirky abilities, and they don¡¯t repeat. There¡¯s some research value in them," Yu Mo nodded. "The main thing is to find the source of the Red Value increase. We can talk about the rest later, let¡¯s focus our energy on solving one problem first," Yu Hong said. "Understood!" The projected image abruptly stopped, and then with a snap, went dark. * * * Bai Luote. Blood Energy Group Underground Research Institute. Hiss! The subtle sound of blood flowing speeded up. Accompanied by another corpse falling to the ground, blood flowed out, quickly transforming into threads and reweaving into an ancient dark red archway. The door slowly began to open a crack, from which light red blood water flowed out. ¡¯Wade¡¯ with more than a dozen expressionless institute guards, walked slowly through the institute¡¯s main hall. The hall was filled with corpses, with blood and flesh scattered everywhere. Bullet holes and black remnants of explosions were also on the walls. The group quickly arrived at the core secret refrigerated warehouse of the institute. In front of the heavy silver door, Wade merely pressed it lightly with his right hand. The frame around the metal door shook violently. Then, the door tilted inward and became loose. Boom! The door fell inward. In front of Wade, this door, weighing over a hundred tons, only lasted ten seconds. "Let¡¯s go," Wade led the way forward, into the warehouse. At the innermost part, he stopped in front of a crystal red container, taller than a person. "We found it... high-concentration of the previous generation¡¯s Perfect Blood..." Wade reached out, gently caressing the surface of the crystal container, his face showing a look of intoxication. Thud! The next second, he smashed the container with a punch, revealing the blood column frozen inside as an ice block. "We can begin now," Wade stepped back, spreading his arms, while the Revived following him dispersed around the blood column, quickly starting to seal with their hands and chanting under their breath. As they chanted, a pitch-black door began to faintly emerge within the blood column, decorated with fierce monster faces and numerous elaborate floral patterns. Click. The door slowly cracked open. In an instant, a large amount of Red Value Radiation, along with thick black mist, gushed out from the gap in the door. "Fura¡¯er!" "Fura¡¯er!" "Fura¡¯er!!" A group of the Revived began to call out loudly. Wade stood alone with his arms open, flames the color of blood ignited silently on his arms. With the ignition of the blood-colored flames, the black mist seeping from the Black Door quickened. Click. The door was gently pushed wider open by a force. Following that, a sinister black-armored spiked arm with wings at the elbow, slowly extended out. Just a stretch, and the surrounding Red Value seemed to go mad, skyrocketing rapidly. Hisss, hisss! At the same time, from other gaps in the Black Door, streaks of Black Light shot out. These Black Lights landed and turned into long-haired women in black dresses. They floated in the warehouse as if weightless. If Yu Hong were here, he could recognize at a glance that these were the Black Withered Women from the Black Disaster, one of the top contenders at War Level. As more Black Withered Women emerged from the Black Door like a fountain with no end, they quickly left the warehouse, punching through the soil to reach the surface. As the black mist spread, they started to move rapidly towards the most populated areas. Meanwhile, back at the door that had first opened, just as the winged black armored arm continued to extend out¡ª Suddenly, an old and pale human arm reached out from inside the door, grabbing the winged black armored arm. With a deep and strange laugh, the aged hand lightly squeezed and promptly burst the black armored arm on the spot. Immediately afterward, it withdrew back through the door. Everything quieted down. Wade and the others outside also gradually ceased their actions, somewhat at a loss. "Here... it¡¯s actually here..." Plop! Suddenly, from the crevice of the black door, the ghastly pale face of an old crone bulged out. The face wore a sinister smile, forcefully squeezing the black door to creak and crack, almost close to breaking apart. Had Yu Hong been there, he would have recognized that the face of the crone was that of the top Black Disaster Monster he encountered after battling the triple-headed goddess statue. At this moment, she was trying to force the black door open, but it seemed there was still something lacking for her to fully enter, and this small door was simply not capable of withstanding entry at her level. As the face continued to press, the black door was also being slowly and forcefully pried open by a tremendous force. Crack. In the sky outside, dark clouds began to gather, a violent wind arose, and copious amounts of grey-black mist rose and spread, gradually enveloping an area spanning several kilometers. * * * October 19th. The Fista Strengthening Needle policy unfolded, and those injected showed extremely noticeable disease recovery effects, which sparked a widespread outbreak of user-generated videos on the internet. The existence of Qingjing Tian Company and the Spirit Alliance was quickly dug up by netizens as well. For a time, the Strengthening Needle phenomenon swept across the region, and the influence of the Spirit Light finally began to spread spontaneously on a preliminary level. Meanwhile, Yu Hong was about to complete the final stages of his Capturing God Skill cultivation. Inside the Ares Palace, in a quiet conference room. Yu Hong stood silently in front of the window, looking at the gardeners working on the lawn and flower beds outside. His eyes were slightly narrowed, and inside his pupils, a circle of red light continuously spread outward. However, this red light was suppressed by the Spirit Light, resulting in no one outside noticing it. Time trickled by slowly. Soon, more than ten minutes had passed. Yu Hong suddenly shook all over, his eyes flaring open wide. Complicated dark red patterns appeared across the entirety of his eyes. A few seconds later. Finally, a hint of feedback from the Black Mark flowed into his mind. ¡¯Capturing God Skill cultivation has reached its peak, trait evolution occurs: Eagle Eye ¡ª Twisted Eye.¡¯ ¡¯Twisted Eye: You can twist the minds of others with your gaze, if you wish, under your scrutiny, your eyes will launch continuous mental distortion damage. This damage is ineffective against those with mental strength more than three times your own.¡¯ "Uh!? That¡¯s quite a leap, isn¡¯t it?" Yu Hong touched his eyelids, feeling his eyes hot as if they had been heated for a long time. He closed his eyes and opened them again. He looked ahead and found that within his field of vision, all living things gave him a sensation as if within arm¡¯s reach, ready to launch an attack at any moment. ¡¯A pure mental-eye technique, then? Indeed, it is a power against the Black Disaster;it might be worth strengthening further.¡¯ The subsequent enhancement finally developed a trait capable of countering the Black Disaster, which eased Yu Hong¡¯s mood somewhat. These past few days, he had been having the Black Mark enhance various detectors, for the Spirit Disaster, the Black Disaster, and even the Light Disaster, making many simple versions of them. He had not undergone long-term enhancement waiting for the emergence of the trait from Capturing God Skill. Now, the trait had finally emerged. Next... Beep... Suddenly, the urgent ringing of his phone sounded from his person. Pulling out his phone and hitting the answer button, Yu Hong saw that the caller ID showed it was Master Yu Mo. "Master, weren¡¯t you following the Black Light to investigate the source of the Red Value Radiation? Any clues?" "Yes, our combined team of experts has calculated and found the trajectory of Red Value Radiation dispersal. Through multiple checks, we confirmed that the source of the Red Value dispersion is not within Fista!" Yu Mo said solemnly. "As expected, where exactly?" Yu Hong¡¯s expression turned serious as he quickly asked. If they could suppress the onset of the Black Disaster in advance, that would mean they could live securely in this world for quite some time. Time was extremely important to him;just a few years would be enough for him to grow to heights even he couldn¡¯t imagine. "In Bai Luote. Black Light has already dispatched a squad to investigate there, and I believe news will be relayed back soon," Yu Mo answered. "Thank you for your efforts. Keep track of the surrounding Red Value at all times. The density of Red Value Radiation is also dynamic. Also, be wary of any fog," Yu Hong said. "Don¡¯t worry, everyone is dispersed investigating. The outbreak of the Black Disaster is also gradual;it can¡¯t reach extreme intensity from the get-go, so we have plenty of time," Yu Mo reassured. "I just, don¡¯t want to roam anymore," Yu Hong sighed. Silence fell on the other end. After hanging up, Yu Hong took out the Secret Book of Capturing God Skill he carried with him. The Cultivation Technique had reached Perfection, and he needed to progress to the next stage of enhancement. ¡¯But before that, let¡¯s first test the effects of this Twisted Eye.¡¯ Leaving the room, he went out to the lawn, where a team of guards was patrolling the area with walkie-talkies and earpieces, vigilantly surveying their surroundings. Upon seeing Yu Hong, they trembled and quickly lowered their heads, not daring to look any further. After the news spread that Yu Hong, the Spirit Alliance Leader, had reached an agreement with the presidential cabinet, many understood that the Spirit Alliance might be an organization that could have equal dialogue and exchange with the presidential cabinet. Therefore, they treated Yu Hong with almost the same deference as they did the president. Yu Hong stopped, watching them stand erect and pass by his side. "Wait," he spoke. "At your command, sir!" The leading guard immediately stood at attention, turned around, and loudly said. "Bring me a sheep. A live one," Yu Hong said. "??? A sheep?" The guard captain looked utterly baffled. Chapter 428: Concentration 426 April Five minutes later, a live sheep caged in a crate appeared in front of Yu Hong. He stood in front of the crate, surrounded by an empty kitchen space inside the Ares Palace. Staring at the white-fleeced ram, Yu Hong¡¯s eyes focused sharply, and an eerie dark red pattern materialized out of nowhere in his pupils. ¡¯Twisted Eye! Activate!¡¯ He silently chanted the activation in his mind for the first time. Instantly, two invisible and transparent halos of distortion shot out, hitting the white sheep with precision. Baa! The white sheep cried out in panic. The next moment. Boom!! The sheep¡¯s head was instantly distorted into an irregular clump of rubbery paste, blood spurting out and spattering the crate behind it. The headless sheep¡¯s body fell down. ¡¯This... wasn¡¯t it supposed to twist the mind?¡¯ He ordered the guards to remove the crate and return to the presidential office. Although it was strange, since this ability seemed stronger than he had imagined, he didn¡¯t think much of it. He took out the Secret Book of Capturing God Skill again. Yu Hong reached out to place it on the surface of his desk and silently commanded in his mind. ¡¯Enhance Capturing God Skill, direction: strengthen the power of twisting.¡¯ Quickly, a black line flashed, and feedback from the Black Mark came back. After getting approval from Yu, he glanced at the countdown: 73 hours 67 minutes. "Three days? Not bad." * * * Inside the territory of Bai Luote. Phils, wrapped in a thick black coat, trudged through the snowy night. After advancing for over ten minutes, the vague silhouette of a snow-covered town emerged ahead. Phils heaved a sigh of relief, moved forward, and found a night bar still lit up and open for business. He pushed open the door and walked in. "Boss! Give me three smoked meat, egg, and pineapple pizzas!" Phils felt like he was about to starve to death. This in-depth investigation had led him to many details and secrets. But it had also nearly cost him the ability to return. "Three!?" The bartender behind the counter looked at him bewildered, unsure whether to comply. "It¡¯s okay, he¡¯s with me. Go ahead," a deep and robust male voice sounded beside him. The server gave the other man a look, nodded quickly, put down what he was doing, and turned to head for the kitchen. Soon, three servings of pizza meant for six people each appeared in front of Phils. Because there was no space to place them all, they were even put on the neighboring table. Likewise, in the dimly lit bar, a somewhat invisible bald black middle-aged man slowly pulled out a chair and sat down in front of him. "Phils, we meet again." "It¡¯s you... Rekus. What are you doing here instead of being the deputy director?" Phils looked up, not expecting to see a familiar face. "That¡¯s all gone now," Rekus calmly stated. "What?" "The National Security Bureau is no more. I¡¯m gloriously unemployed too," Rekus lit a cigarette, took a leisurely puff, and exhaled a ring of smoke. "What happened?" Phils was surprised, "Are you in a dream? Can¡¯t tell the difference between dreams and reality?" "It¡¯s the Spirit Alliance. They used some method to gain almost unanimous support from the cabinet members. I thought they were being threatened, but..." "That strong? This Spirit Alliance," Phils grabbed a slice of pizza and wolfed it down. "Yeah. They possess special abilities similar to psychic individuals, and strangely, the abilities of many people are quite consistent," Rekus didn¡¯t continue and instead nodded towards a public TV behind Phils. The TV was broadcasting background information about the Spirit Alliance¡¯s Qingjing Tian. And in between, attractive men and women were promoting the Strengthening Needle during commercial breaks. "Strengthening Needles, they are everywhere now! Crazy times," Phils also noticed something was amiss. "How is it on your end?" Rekus asked. "Well... here in Bai Luote, two underground bases of the Blood Energy Group were blood-washed, and on the border, an entire city of more than 300,000 people turned into a ghost town overnight. Did you know that? An entire city... empty, without a single soul... I almost freaked out when I entered! So many people, mysteriously disappearing in one night! It was the local officials who dragged me in to consult on the case. The situation is under lockdown, no word has gotten out yet." Phils, as a world-renowned paranormal expert, usually wouldn¡¯t mind such matters. But now, knowing that genuine paranormal dangers could emerge at any moment in the case, and having seen a small city become deserted overnight. He was no longer as calm and composed as he would be with minor cases. "Is it that serious?" Rekus frowned. "Extremely serious. The military has been mobilized and is ready to cordon off the area anytime. They have already started building quarantine walls urgently." Phils rubbed his temples and bit hard into a large piece of pizza. "But personally, I think it¡¯s useless. This time, the so-called Perfect Blood carrier sample from the psychiatric hospital was released. The Blood Energy Group had an accident on the way, the vehicle overturned. The carrier woke up and immediately killed the team that went to meet him from the research institute." "That monster... The Blood Energy Group actually dared to bring it out... They¡¯re insane," Rekus said helplessly. "That¡¯s right, I¡¯ve learned from the special department that this carrier was originally a mother who went to visit her son at the psychiatric hospital. But an accident occurred, people from the Blood Energy Group at the psychiatric hospital set up a ceremony, attempting to summon the legendary Demon God Fura¡¯er. As a result, Fura¡¯er didn¡¯t appear, but a drop of her blood did. This blood entered the carrier¡¯s body," Phils explained in detail. "That sounds perverse..." "Indeed. Thankfully the military has intervened now, there shouldn¡¯t be much of a problem, just bombarding the area, any monster would be obliterated," Phils seemed visibly more relaxed. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The two of them continued eating pizza and casually chatting about the recent status of other spiritual individuals they knew. Time slowly shifted from 7:30 in the evening to 9:42 at night. After eating and having a few drinks, the two men walked out arm-in-arm, staggering towards the temporary courtyard Rekus had rented here. Just then, beep beep beep! Phils¡¯ phone started ringing. He took out his mobile, and seeing the caller ID, he sobered up considerably. He pressed to answer, and an anxious male voice came from the other end immediately. "Professor Phils, something¡¯s not right! Why did they withdraw the troops at Basarodi?" "Retreat? That¡¯s unlikely. When I left, I made it very clear, do not send people to probe, just use white phosphorus bombs from a distance, burn for three to four days, that should solve the problem." "But now they¡¯ve already withdrawn at Basarodi;we can¡¯t even contact them. The Mother of Blood has started to expand for the second time. According to the micro-monitoring, it¡¯ll reach your town in about ten minutes!" the man on the other end spoke hurriedly. "What! Ten minutes!?" Phils¡¯ expression froze. "So get out of there now, Professor, it¡¯s too late if you don¡¯t leave!" "But there are so many people here! What the hell is going on with the Bai Luote authorities! Why withdraw the troops, what about the more than a dozen towns behind us!? And what about the population of over four hundred thousand people!? Have they gone mad!?" Phils was somewhat stunned, his heart racing faster than ever before, feeling an unprecedented panic. His spiritual ability was precognition, he would always get a warning before extremely bad things were about to happen. And at this moment... the prompt from his spiritual ability was stronger than any before. This meant that the danger this time was absolutely beyond any previous incident! "What¡¯s going on!?" At this point, Rekus, who had been driving, heard something wrong and quickly asked. "The Mother of Blood... The Mother of Blood expanded!" Phils briefly described the situation. "Fuck!!" Rekus had heard about Bai Luote¡¯s unreliability, but such a disregard was unprecedented for him. "What do we do now!? Even if we request urgent mobilization, it would be too late!" Phils was sweating from his forehead, his mind racing, trying to think of a solution. "What¡¯s the ability of the Mother of Blood?" Rekus asked quickly. "Immune to bullets, shells, other damages unknown, suspected to possess unlimited evolutionary adaptive ability. Any damage upon contact with her will begin to adapt at high speed after three seconds and evolve a targeted ability to counter this type of injury." "Damn it...!!" Rekus had heard of outrageous things, but never something as outrageous as this. Such an ability, just by hearing about it, made one feel desperate... "What¡¯s your suggestion?" "Non-damaging capture. When I left, everything was going smoothly, and we even temporarily locked down the Mother of Blood¡¯s trajectory and successfully captured her, but now... something must have happened!" Phils took deep breaths. "We must find a way, otherwise, hundreds of thousands of residents here will be in danger!" Suddenly, a gleam flashed in Rekus¡¯ eyes. "By the way, Phils, did I ever tell you how I came here to meet up with you?" "Why talk about that now!?" Phils was almost frantic, unable to understand his friend¡¯s train of thought. "I just want to tell you... we won¡¯t need ten minutes, we¡¯re in trouble right now..." Rekus looked ahead at the two figures over two meters tall that emerged from the darkness. His heart started pounding. The two hulking figures were clad in thick black metal suits, completely encased like giant cans. They carried a heavy Battle Axe in one hand and a machine gun in the other, with copious bullet chains hanging on their chests. They now stood fifteen meters in front of the car, like two large black bears in the snow, watching intently. "What the hell is that!?" Phils pointed at the two hulking figures in front and turned to his friend. "I remember you said you were unemployed, not that you broke the law!" "Do you think political struggles are easy? I escaped, the National Security Bureau was being hunted down, didn¡¯t you see the news?" Rekus skillfully floored the accelerator, opened the car door, and then kicked his friend out, quickly jumping out of the car himself. Boom!! At that moment, one of the two hulking figures sprinted a few steps and appeared in front of the car in the blink of an eye, slamming the axe down. With a thunderous explosion, the sedan was nailed in place;the hood was brutally smashed open, and the tires whined, unable to move forward. Rekus, now out of the car, moved swiftly, expertly weaving between houses, clearly not his first time doing this. "What are those things!? So fierce!?" "The Spirit Alliance¡¯s Spiritual Energy forces!" "Is the Spirit Alliance that fierce??" Phils looked back and saw the two can-like figures chasing them with the agility of monkeys, a cold sweat breaking out. He was beginning to understand why his friend, despite his high position, was so wary and fearful of the Spirit Alliance. Chapter 429: is about to 1 Crack! The large can-like creature behind them directly snapped a concrete power pole and swept it towards the two people in front. Whoosh! But it missed as Phils ducked and rolled forward, avoiding the horizontal sweep. But they had not run far before another two similarly equipped large cans appeared at the intersection ahead. "Fuck, there are still monsters of this level left in the Spirit Alliance!?" Phils¡¯ precognitive ability flashed, and he hurriedly pulled his friend and squeezed into the narrow passage of a house. "Indeed, coming to find you was the best thing I¡¯ve done in my life." Rekus panted loudly. "You¡¯re screwing me over!" Phils retorted angrily. They dashed out of the alley only to see three more large cans up ahead, blocking the road. "I... still have more!!" Phils felt his precognitive ability was almost overheating. "How many more are there!? Does the Spirit Alliance really have that many of this kind of monster!?" He felt a bit desperate. "I told you before, these are not masters, just, just soldiers from their Spiritual Energy troops..." Rekus said helplessly while gasping for breath. "Meaning, there are many?" Phils gaped, "And you never told me." "Um, actually not that many, probably... just over a thousand..." Rekus abruptly stopped and stared at the line of large cans slowly approaching through the snow and dark, with the one in the front being a middle-aged man with black hair down to his waist, holding a matte longsword. The man walked slowly, and even the blizzard beside him seemed to quiet down and lose its harshness as it approached his vicinity. "Ah, another monster is coming..." Rekus took a deep breath. "What did you say?" Phils didn¡¯t hear clearly. "I said, I have an idea..." Rekus whispered softly. "Spit it out fast!" Phils stepped back. "Is it almost time?" he asked. "...." Phils stared blankly, then a needle-like pain surged through his head. He crouched down, clutching his head while strangely, the Spirit Alliance soldiers in front did not take the opportunity to approach and act. Click. All the Spirit Alliance Black Light soldiers suddenly looked up, orienting towards Phils and Rekus¡¯ side and back. There, the residents of the town had shown up at some point with eerie smiles on their faces, walking in orderly rows, approaching from a distance. They followed the alleys, the streets, the fences, ignoring the destroyed blocks and the broken street lights as if they were merely taking a stroll, and crowded in vast numbers towards Phils and the Black Light Army troops. At first glance through the snowy night, there were at least thousands visible! "We¡¯re done for... seems like we definitely can¡¯t escape today." Phils tensed up, frantically thinking of various ways to escape. "Not necessarily, I don¡¯t think they¡¯re with the Spirit Alliance," Rekus held his breath and drew an automatic pistol from behind his waist, his last means of defense. "You mean... there are only so few from the Ke Ling Alliance..." Phils frowned. "Few does not mean weak." Rekus crouched down, eyeing the lead swordsman of the Spirit Alliance. "Get ready!" He lowered his voice, his muscles taut. "For the Spirit Alliance!!" Suddenly, the surrounding Black Light soldiers of the Spirit Alliance who had been encircling them roared and howled, drawing their weapons and aiming at the bizarre crowd. Da-da-da-da!! The sound of heavy machine guns burst out like thunder in the snowy night, grating and loud. But to Rekus and Phils¡¯ ears, it became the most delightful music. They watched as the large cans of the Spirit Alliance wielded heavy machine guns mowing down the crowd, but soon noticed bullets were ineffective as those knocked down quickly got back up. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Then armed with Battle Axes and covered in silver Spirit Light, they charged forward. Although few in number, they plowed through like heavy trucks, smashing through walls and low buildings in their path. A few cars parked on the road were simply lifted by the hulking figures wielding axes and used as heavy weaponry. Boom boom boom boom!!! Loud, heavy thuds exploded one after another. Rekus and Phils took the opportunity to escape through the gaps. Their escape went unnoticed, as if the attention of the bizarre townspeople was entirely drawn away by the Spirit Alliance forces who ignored their flight. They tumbled and scrambled, only stopping a few kilometers outside the town to catch their breath. Standing on the roof of a small snow-buried house, Phils was sweating profusely as he looked back at the situation in the town. Boom! An orange fireball exploded in the center of the town. Followed by a series of loud thuds, indicating the battle was still ongoing. "Pretty fierce..." Phils had seen the strength of those Blood Mother-infected creatures;every part of their bodies could transform into extremely sharp spikes, instantly piercing human flesh, sucking out organs, blood, muscles, bones, and everything. Then they would rapidly re-infuse blood, converting a person into one of them in a short period. But now... "It¡¯s been over ten minutes? They¡¯re still fighting, pretty tough!" Phils originally didn¡¯t understand the nature of the Spirit Alliance, which his friend had been struggling against. But now, the soldiers of the Black Light had given him a very vivid lesson. "For the Spirit Alliance!!" "For eternal peace!!" The town still faintly echoed with a massive roar. The leading sword-wielding man was now bathed in silver light all over his body, like burning flames, surging up to three or four meters high. He was totally unguarded, swinging his sword wildly in all directions¡ªthe silver light covering the blade wherever it went, causing town residents to be torn apart and limbs to fly chaotically. Accompanied by the silver light, there were white mysterious magical runes revolving in mid-air by his side, appearing and disappearing now and then. Fluttering about. That was one of the talismans against the Black Disaster. For those possessing Black Light, it was better to enchant themselves with the Spirit Light to increase the Special Attack effect of the magic, rather than releasing magic spells with only thousands of Spiritual Value. Otherwise, after casting about a dozen spells, one would be powerless to continue, leading to spiritual exhaustion and debilitating weakness. Initially, this method was imitated by the Power King from Ku Chan, but later everyone found it more suitable for Black Light combat, so it was quickly promoted and popularized. "Do you think they can escape?" Rekus whispered. "I don¡¯t know... But with such a big commotion, they should..." Phils didn¡¯t finish his sentence when suddenly, he saw streaks of silver Spirit Light shooting into the sky from within the town. "Ah!!" "For the Spirit Alliance!!!" Roars in unison rose to the heavens, as if on cue, there was an instantaneous explosion. Nearly half of the town was enveloped in blinding silver light, too intense to look at directly. Rekus and the other person couldn¡¯t help but cover their eyes with their hands. It took a full three or four seconds before they dared to slowly lower their hands and look again. They saw a total of nine streaks of silver light shooting out from the town, disappearing into the distant horizon in the blink of an eye. The town finally quieted down. "I guess they¡¯re gone..." Rekus sighed, only after seeing the powerful congregated force of the Spirit Alliance did he understand that the current Festa couldn¡¯t stop them. "We should leave too," Phils said urgently. "I have a premonition again, those monstrous creatures seem very angry... they¡¯re turning towards us." As he spoke, he started backing away. "Why are they angry?" Rekus followed, starting to jog. "It seems like the Spirit Alliance left nothing for them, not even corpses. Those monstrous creatures have wasted so much effort for nothing, they¡¯ve suffered a big loss!" Phils laughed dryly twice, but his speed increased as he ran. "From what we see now, though the Spirit Alliance is strong, they still can¡¯t fight against the monstrous creatures," Rekus said. "I don¡¯t think so..." Phils had a different opinion at this moment. "How so?" "There must be, definitely must be more powerful people in the Spirit Alliance. This loss, huh... it will definitely trigger a follow-up investigation. Then, we¡¯ll see who is stronger between them!" "....That¡¯s a good thought. But..." Rekus wanted to say something else but suddenly remembered the scene he had seen above the Capital earlier and fell silent. If the big boss of the Spirit Alliance got involved, the situation could indeed change. The two of them ran like the wind, and soon they found a snow vehicle parked by the side of the road, belonging to who knows who. Phils managed to start it with his hard-earned car skills, and they both got on, driving away into the distance. * * * As a small team of the Black Light Army sacrificed themselves in a self-destructive death. The next moment. Far away in the Festa Capital of Weilanser, Yu Hong suddenly opened his eyes. He watched Ku Chan, who was seated in meditation opposite him. "Black Light has been sacrificed..." Within the hierarchy of the Spirit Alliance, different levels of people possess different grades of Spirit Light. The strict and clear differential ranking established a highly orderly command and combat system within the Spirit Alliance. And the Spirit Light of the Black Light Army had always been of the highest grade. "Who could kill Black Light now??" Ku Chan also opened his eyes from his deep cultivation, his face showing surprise. Given the current strength of Black Light¡¯s Spirit Light, even he found it difficult to handle. It would have to be either a quick kill by crushing them with power far surpassing that of Black Light, or it would take Grinding and Ding efforts. "I do not know." Yu Hong shook his head slightly. He could only absorb the returning Spirit Light;anything beyond that would require finding the survivors to learn more. "The Spirit Alliance and Fista have entirely ceased hostilities and started cooperation, while other places haven¡¯t erupted in serious conflicts. There¡¯s no force capable of threatening Black Light, so the only explanation is the possibility of encountering another Source Disaster..." Ku Chan analyzed. "Send some people to this place to investigate and find any residual traces." Yu Hong stretched out a finger and swiftly produced a simple map with his Inner Strength, marking the specific location of the soldiers¡¯ disappearance in mid-air. "Alright. I¡¯ll arrange it." Ku Chan nodded, got up, and walked quickly outside. Yu Hong remained alone, continuing his deep cultivation of the Tai Ling Skill. As the Spirit Light spread and covered more area, becoming more and more extensive, the Spirit Light on him also became denser and more potent. In this situation, the Tai Ling Skill was actually suppressed by the overpowering Spirit Light, making him feel somewhat more inclined towards the Light Disaster direction. This was not a good sign. Although the Light Disaster was more benign than other Source Disasters, getting too close could still lead to problems. The Tai Ling Skill was somewhat better, as it could be balanced with other forces, but the Spirit Light Secret Skill relied solely on the Light Disaster for power. So now he spent more time at Ares Palace, actively practicing the Tai Ling Skill, while waiting for the Black Mark enhancement period to end and using the Tai Ling Skill to completely integrate the Spirit Light Secret Skill back into his control over Inner Strength. Chapter 430: is coming soon. Time flew by swiftly. Yu Hong only woke up to have one meal in the afternoon, spending the remaining time cultivating Inner Strength. But this peace did not last long. After the return of the Spirit Light at the border, the next morning, the newly dispatched Black Light Team sent back intelligence. Upon receiving the intelligence, Yu Hong immediately summoned all high-level members of the Spirit Alliance. "The situation in Bai Luote has somewhat spiraled out of control. Two border towns have been slaughtered, empty of people. One of our Black Light Teams went there and was completely annihilated." S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yu Hong distributed photocopied scene photos to everyone. Yu Mo, Yu Hen, Zhao Jingtang, Qing Huang, Ku Chan, Power King, Chen Yaofeng, and local President Vinita and Army Commander Bar among others. More than ten people, sitting on either side of a long table, picked up the photocopies placed in front of them to examine. In the file, there were eerily clear photos of the ghostly empty towns. "We had better communicate directly with Bai Luote, otherwise this sensitive location could cause a lot of diplomatic issues with any action taken," President Vinita quickly said. "There¡¯s no need. The internal situation in Bai Luote has deteriorated to such a state that it¡¯s caused these outcomes;notifying them is useless and might even alert these monsters with enhanced disguising abilities," Yu Hen countered. "According to the investigation report, the Blood Mother primarily uses Perfect Blood¡¯s viral blood as a contamination source, which seems entirely different from the Black Disaster. We cannot confirm yet that she is the Black Disaster," Qing Huang stated, clearly having conducted thorough research. "What do you think we should do?" Yu Hong asked. "The second batch of the Black Light Team that went was three times larger;even if they encountered problems, they would have had the opportunity to report back. So, it¡¯s best to wait for the latest reply," Qing Huang continued. "Whether it¡¯s the Black Disaster or not doesn¡¯t affect our operation... Anyway, how long will it take to verify the message?" Yu Hong looked towards the Director of the Central Intelligence Bureau. "Only five minutes once we receive the intelligence," the Director quickly replied. "Then let¡¯s wait another day, and gather tomorrow to manage this issue. We can¡¯t act rashly with problems of this level;we must be fully prepared," Yu Hong said. "Understood!" Everyone responded in unison. Click. At that moment, deep within the underground base in Bai Luote. A black door once again displayed new cracks. An old hag inside the door pushed herself towards this side. At this rate, within another moment, enough of a gap would have opened for her to come through. Hee hee hee hee... A strange, elderly laugh echoed continuously throughout the space. Director Wade, with a group of Blood Mother-infected people, stood around, watching the old hag inside the black door with awe. Threads of blood flowed from their bodies, linking to the old hag under her neck, seemingly aiding her in combating the black door, coming through to this side. Click. Soon, another crack emerged on the black door. * * * The next day, at 8:15 AM. The latest intelligence finally arrived at Ares Palace. Inside the President¡¯s Office, Yu Hong was with the president, meeting and discussing the Strengthening Needle with foreign ambassadors. Qing Huang quickly walked up from behind, standing out of the camera¡¯s view, and whispered. "Temple Master, the intelligence is here. We might have a bit of trouble." "..." Yu Hong glanced at President Vinita, excused himself, and left. For overseas stability, all matters required the president to arrange, and Yu Hong¡¯s role was akin to a senior consultant. He stepped towards the back, randomly pulling open a room to enter, Yu Hong looked towards Qing Huang following him inside. "What¡¯s the trouble?" "It¡¯s confirmed, Bai Luote¡¯s border is faced with the Black Disaster. And it¡¯s not an ordinary level of Black Disaster;it has extremely terrifying contagiosity. The Black Light Team that went to the site conducted a detailed check. The local air Red Value has climbed to over seventy, and is still rapidly increasing." "This is abnormal!" Yu Hong furrowed his brow. In Hope City World, even when the Gate of Despair had been open that long, the Red Value never rose so high. "Yes, the past Black Light Team thought so too, so they continued investigating deeply and found trouble," Qing Huang sighed, not waiting for Yu Hong to urge her and quickly continued. "That location used to have a Blood Energy Group base from Bai Luote, the internationally infamous terrorist organization¡¯s underground research lab. They last tried to summon the Demon God Fura¡¯er, but failed, causing the Huailin Mental Hospital to turn into Ghost, inaccessible to anyone. Both the Church and government were at their wits¡¯ end." "So..." Yu Hong slightly furrowed his eyebrows. "The key is this Blood Energy Group?" "No¡­ the situation now is worse than the mental hospital before," Qing Huang slightly shook her head. "They messed it up." "What do you mean?" "They succeeded in summoning the Blood Mother¡¯s Perfect Blood, but due to negligence or some other reason, the Blood Mother virus spread rapidly and possessed a high adaptability for evolution, killing everyone in their research lab." Qing Huang finished in one breath. "The investigation team is waiting for our reply now, how we should respond, please advise." Yu Hong remained silent. After pondering for a moment, he asked again. "Didn¡¯t you encounter large-scale Black Disaster Monsters there?" "No, only a few, all of which were easily dealt with." Qing Huang nodded. "The Red Value concentration is so high... but there are no large numbers of monsters appearing, you know what that means," Yu Hong said. Qing Huang¡¯s expression turned somewhat grim;evidently, he had thought of this as well. "Prepare for it. The Red Value concentration is over seventy¡­" Yu Hong sighed. "Are you suggesting that I go?" Qing Huang seemed uncertain. "No. All of us, everyone will go!" Yu Hong calmly stated. "There is Spirit Light suppression here, so nothing will happen. We can take the opportunity to conquer the entire nation of Bai Luote!" "Yes!" He arranged the itinerary. Yu Hong didn¡¯t delay a moment, returned to the reception hall, finished discussing the Strengthening Needle business, and then immediately went back to his bedroom to fetch the Secret Book of Capturing God Skill. By this time, more than half an hour had passed. The original Secret Book of Capturing God Skill had now turned into a dilapidated, quaint, pale-yellow ancient book. The left side of the ancient book was stitched together with threads, and the cover clearly bore a line of new Han characters¡ª"Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Scripture". ".....Is the style finally different this time?" A glimmer of anticipation finally rose in Yu Hong¡¯s heart. All these enhancements to his eyes felt like upgrading them, while testing the limits of the Black Mark, he also observed how the Cultivation Techniques became more formidable with each enhancement. ¡¯Just don¡¯t know what the power will be like when practiced He gently opened the first page. As expected, the first line was about the origins of this book. ¡¯This scripture originates from Sikong Yan, the Pavilion Master of Chenyuan Pavilion of the Sky Wish Sect, and is one of his seven supplemental Cultivation Techniques. It can train the eyes to shatter largely all illusions, and with the eyes, release Power, emit light, forcibly destroy an enemy¡¯s spiritual power, and rebuild their minds to turn them into puppets for oneself.¡¯ ¡¯Note: Due to this technique, Sikong Yan incited public outrage and was beheaded at the top of Thousand Hands Platform on Dugu Peak in the 724th autumn after joining the sect.¡¯ ¡¯What an ominous Cultivation Technique...¡¯ Yu Hong murmured. He turned to the next page. Upon seeing the text of the second page, a powerful and majestic white-browed tiger with hanging eyes appeared. At first glance, this massive tiger seemed no different from an ordinary tiger, just larger. But upon closer inspection, Yu Hong noticed that this tiger¡¯s body was covered in black and white stripe patterns, and within the patterns of black fur, those thin striped lines were all densely filled with tiny black eyes. However, all these eyes were closed, making them look just like strips of fine seams, barely noticeable. He continued to flip through. This Cultivation Technique had nine levels, similar to most traditional techniques, which revered the number nine. However, every three levels could be categorized into a stage. Thus, it could be divided into three stages: Birth Of Eyes, Heavenly Pupil, and Chaotic God. Three major steps in total. And the specific methods of cultivation were also very bizarre. This technique was a growth-type Magic Skill. It required a mass of precious materials to pile up to ultimately reach the pinnacle of power. The first stage, Birth Of Eyes, as Yu Hong read further, his brow immediately furrowed. to continuously consume the eyes of other powerful beings, and then through cultivation, grow eyes with similar abilities on oneself. The more powerful eyes hunted during the Birth Of Eyes stage, the greater the power of the technique in the later stages.¡¯ Yu Hong shook his head slightly. ¡¯Firstly, one needs to find individuals whose eyes possess special abilities, then directly harvest and consume them... There are no restrictions on the number, the more consumed, the more Birth Of Eyes, the greater the future power Considering this, Yu Hong didn¡¯t know whether to continue cultivating this or to switch after enhancing it. But this kind of growth-type technique depends entirely on what materials you can find, and its upper limit is definitely very high. He was somewhat reluctant to swap it out. After hesitating for a while, he immediately made the decision to practice it!! Since the Black Mark had given it, it definitely wouldn¡¯t be bad. Immediately, he began according to the first level¡¯s text, calming himself entirely, to sense the Heaven¡¯s Eye existing in the void. The void is a vacuum, filled with endless and countless types of energy particles. Even now, with the layers upon layers of cluttered and mixed illusions, it took Yu Hong a full two hours according to the method in the scripture, to find an extremely hidden jet-black Heaven¡¯s Eye. ¡¯...In the void, naturally distributed are many such mysterious Heaven¡¯s Eyes, their origin unknown, nor why they exist in the void. By attempting contact, I found that a portion of them could, through exchange, obtain a certain degree of special power.¡¯ ¡¯After researching this special power, I mimicked it to construct a basic cultivation structure similar to that of Heaven¡¯s Eye, and this was the origin of the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Scripture.¡¯ The technique roughly described the creator¡¯s initial inspiration. "So that¡¯s it, Heaven¡¯s Eye, is that what it refers to?" Yu Hong instantly understood. He closed his eyes, sensing the situation in the surrounding vacuum. At first, after closing his eyes, everything was pitch black. But because his spiritual power was far stronger than before, in a few seconds, countless colorful light points swiftly appeared around him. The Heaven¡¯s Eye was deep within a cluster of purple-black light points. It was like an ornament embedded in the void, fixed there, shaped like a black human eye, surrounded by long, dense black roots. Yu Hong carefully observed the Heaven¡¯s Eye, according to the description in the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Scripture, he had to perfectly replicate all details of the Heaven¡¯s Eye into one of his own eyes meant for cultivation. Yes, this time, the technique was to cultivate one eye at a time. Chapter 431: intercepts one The practice of the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Scripture wasn¡¯t going smoothly. Yu Hong spent a considerable amount of effort trying to imitate and observe the Heaven¡¯s Eye. Initially, he found it bothersome and planned to sketch a likeness of the Heaven¡¯s Eye to observe at his leisure, sparing him the need to enter a perceptive state. But when he actually started to draw, he realized that the Heaven¡¯s Eye simply couldn¡¯t be captured on paper. Fortunately, the Potion made potent by the Black Mark, which facilitated four-hour cycles of Cultivation, was quite powerful. Using Fista¡¯s top-notch eye-care Potion, a concoction named Moist Wood Liquid was enhanced, which, in combination with the automatic Cultivation trait of Tao Breath Circulation, highly complemented the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Scripture. The speed of Cultivation remained astoundingly fast. On the second day of acquiring the Cultivation Technique, he successfully reached the Perfection state of the First Layer. For the Second Layer, however, he had to start looking for sufficiently powerful eyes. Click. Inside the Presidential Office. The door was pushed open, and figures such as Ku Chan, Zhao Jingtang, Qing Huang, Power King, and more entered one after another. "Are we ready?" Yu Hong stood up from his seat. "The logistics are overseen by Commander Chen Yaofeng, with Yu Hen and Yu Mo assisting," Qing Huang reported. "What about the situation on Bai Luote¡¯s end?" Yu Hong massaged his temples, especially the right one¡ªwhere he first cultivated his right eye. At the time, his right eye had a slightly dark red pattern floating over his pupil, and now it had turned into a bizarre monocle filled with countless overlapping tiny purple Arrays. From afar, it looked like the eye was fitted with several colored contact lenses. Due to the overwhelming power of the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Scripture, even when not activated, if the Power was not yet complete and control power insufficient, it could still pose a danger to the surroundings. Hence, Yu Hong simply asked someone for an eye patch specially made for cyclopes and covered his right eye. "Power King is already waiting at the camp with the Black Light Army, ready to depart at any moment," Qing Huang continued. Yu Hong stood up abruptly from his seat. "Let¡¯s set off then, since we¡¯re prepared." Swoosh. A silver Spirit Light suddenly burst forth from everyone, enveloping them all in its brilliance. In the next second, the light faded away. At this point, a faint blue Sun¡¯s phantom began to emerge on everyone. The phantom flashed briefly and didn¡¯t remain as permanent as it did behind Yu Hong. But after the phantom vanished, everyone¡¯s skin seemed to carry a subtle and ancient silver pattern. This was another instance of shared Spirit Light, its strength constantly increasing with each Cultivator¡¯s progress, while Yu Hong remained in the strongest state, constantly sharing his Spirit Light with others to boost them to the same level of amplitude. In theory, this was like fleecing the Ultimate Sun, as long as Yu Hong maintained a constant connection with everyone, ensuring that the Spirit Light kept them at their peak. At this strength, even concentrated artillery fire might not be able to penetrate the Spirit Light. The days where they would be knocked out by artillery fire were gone. It¡¯s also because among the tens of millions infused with Spirit Light, the majority contributed little to its enhancement, only at their death would their enhancements be collected to enhance Yu Hong¡¯s ultimate Spirit Light. Half an hour later, over a thousand members of the Spirit Alliance Black Light donned the latest gear and swiftly boarded troop carriers, heading towards Bai Luote¡¯s border. * * * Bai Luote border. Deep in the snow, the surroundings were an endless white veil, hiding everything from sight. Regus sat in silence with Phils on the snow sled, eyes fixed on the endless white snow landscape around them, without conversation for a long time. Thus far, since driving from last night until dawn, they had passed through two other small towns, both had become ghost towns haunted by Ghost demons. Not a person in sight. Not a single one. Bullet holes and various claw marks remained on the surfaces of the houses in the towns. All these indicated past resistance, but such resistance, solely relying on firearms, was meaningless against the monsters. Whoo. The engine of the snow sled mixed with the wind, drilling into their ears. This only added to their irritability. "What the hell is Bai Luote¡¯s government doing now!?" Phils tried to connect to the internet on his phone to check the situation, but without a network tower nearby, there was no signal on his phone. "Bai Luote doesn¡¯t consider the lives of the lower classes as lives;I reckon their military is now focused on protecting the major cities," said Regus, numb from seeing such scenarios too often. "But that¡¯s hundreds of thousands of people!! Not just a few!!" Phils gritted his teeth, punching the snow sled¡¯s metal handrail, then cried out in pain as the handrail rebounded. "Do you have any better ideas?" Zzzt. Suddenly, Regus slammed on the brakes and looked ahead. His expression turned unsightly at that moment. "Damn it¡­" The sight ahead made him want to curse someone out, but any reaction, any action, might be futile at this point. Just the sight was enough to weaken his body. Mills, sitting by his side, also saw the scene ahead. On the pristine snowfield. A massive, oppressive black cloud was spreading and creeping toward them. Below the black cloud, endless swarms of tiny black bugs. As small as fingernails, crawling on the ground, flying in the air, they were everywhere like a dust storm. And behind the swarm of insects, one could vaguely make out dense, translucent, eerie humanoid figures floating towards this side in droves. The number was endless, easily in the tens of thousands. "Run!!" Phils suddenly shouted. He guessed he must have used his powers too many times before, and for the time being, his precognitive ability could no longer be overexerted. That¡¯s why the monster tide had gotten so close before he¡¯d noticed. Otherwise, based on previous experiences, the two of them would never have found themselves in such an impossible situation. This had also been the main reason why he had been able to keep himself safe for so many years and even become an expert in the supernatural. "We can¡¯t run anymore..." Rekus sighed wearily and patted the fuel gauge on the car, "We¡¯ll be out of gas soon." Phils was speechless for a moment, but as he watched the approaching mass of black bugs and monsters, an uncontrollable and intense fear rose within him. "What will happen to us?" His voice trembled. "Maybe we¡¯ll turn into mummies, or maybe we¡¯ll be cut and eaten like cakes?" Rekus made a joke. In the end, he lit a cigar for himself and took a deep breath while looking at the rapidly approaching Black Disaster army. "I, on the other hand, think we might be treated like blood bags, all drained after a straw is inserted," said Phils. "That¡¯s... kind of terrifying..." Rekus managed a smile. "Isn¡¯t it..." Mills clenched his teeth, "I can¡¯t even use my precognition anymore... It looks like this time, we are truly out of options..." "Precognition...?" Rekus paused, wanting to say something. But he suddenly noticed Mills, who trembled all over, his eyes looking a bit unusual, as though he had realized something. "Wait... it seems... my precognition isn¡¯t broken?" Mills slowly turned his head to look behind him. Buzz. In the sky behind the two of them, a fleet of large transport planes, like pale giants, descended from the high altitude, heading straight towards the Black Disaster fog. Countless white transport planes filled the entire sky as far as the eye could see. The engines¡¯ dull droning filled their ears. "For the Spirit Alliance!!" With a mighty roar, The underside of the transport planes opened, and they dropped silvery canisters into the dense black bug swarm below. Phils and Rekus unconsciously opened their mouths in awe, watching these massively built canisters, all over two meters tall, plummet from hundreds of meters in the air. Boom Boom Boom Boom! In no time, the snow-covered ground was pocked with craters of varying sizes. The canisters, wielding battle axes, giant clubs, and long spears, ignited with silvery flames and climbed out of the craters, roaring and charging at the Black Disaster¡¯s swarm of insects and monsters. The silver flames on their bodies seemed to be the bane of black bugs, instantly igniting them upon contact. In an instant, the black fog was gradually washed away and burned thin by the silver light. One after another, human-shaped Black Disasters let out shrill cries and attacked the canisters, trying to halt their onslaught. But to no avail, intense Spirit Light continuously illuminated the darkness of the black fog. Their assaults merely held up for a few seconds longer in the silver flames before they were instantly torn apart, set ablaze, and vanished. Under the gaze of Phils and Rekus, the large Black Disaster tide in front of them completely dissipated within half a minute. "My God!! That¡¯s incredibly fierce!" Mills watched, his body tense and lips trembling. From despair and waiting for death to a sudden dramatic turnaround, his emotions were now in an abnormal state of excitement. "That¡¯s not it! It¡¯s not over yet!" Rekus suddenly said. Mills looked ahead. The black fog had dispersed, but further afield on the snowy ground, another source of black fog was now visible. It was an immense black hole with a diameter of at least a hundred meters. From within the hole, dark water surged up, slowly lifting three figures. One was a bare-chested middle-aged man with blonde hair cascading down his back, the face strikingly that of the local research director of the Blood Energy Group, Wade. Another was an old friend recognized by both, the gaunt-skinned black-haired woman from the Huailin Mental Hospital, known as Blood Mother. And the third... was a person in heavy, lavish black armor. It floated behind the other two, entirely shrouded in black luxurious scale armor, with metallic black wings extending from the elbows, gently flapping. There seemed to be a crown atop its head, with faint red glimmers slowly rising like smoke. Seeing the first two figures, Phils and Rekus felt nothing but a slight panic in their hearts. But upon seeing the third figure, their hearts inexplicably clenched, as if seized by a giant hand, leaving them frozen in place. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Unable to beat, unable to breathe, their vision darkening and their bodies rapidly weakening... Not just them, the surrounding silver canisters poised to approach were also suppressed by an invisible force, unable to advance any further. "What is that!!?" Mills gritted his teeth... his eyes wide open, as if trying to discern the source of the oppressive force. "It¡¯s pain." "It¡¯s destruction." A deep male voice answered him from behind. Whoosh! A figure in a pure white Daoist robe passed by the right side of Mills and Phils, heading straight for the three Black Disaster shadows. The back of the Daoist robe bore a silver Yin Yang Diagram which fluttered slightly with the movement, and that peculiar silver, like a large umbrella, shielded them from the tremendous pressure coming from ahead in the blink of an eye after passing by them. Chapter 432: intercept two Huff...Huff... The two relaxed a bit, quickly bowing their heads and gasping for air. But their intense curiosity made them unable to resist looking up again, towards the front, wanting to see who it was that saved them, who had blocked that pressure for them. Lifting their heads, they finally saw clearly. Three figures, all dressed in Daoist robes, stood with their backs to them, each calmly walking towards the three figures of the Black Disaster from different directions. "We might not be able to overcome the last one...." one of the figures in a golden mask drew a long sword from his waist and spoke out. "No worries, I am here," replied the figure in a purple Daoist robe mask, his voice soft, walking behind. "You handle the other two;I will deal with the last one." Ku Chan¡¯s voice sounded gently;he stopped walking, and the Chi Xiao Sword slowly drew out, slanting towards the ground. "I am relieved with you here," Qing Huang said at ease. "Don¡¯t take it lightly, this Black Disaster is different from the previous ones," said Zhao Jingtang, the second speaker. "You say that to every small soldier, I¡¯ve heard it dozens of times all the way here," Qing Huang replied helplessly. "Better safe than sorry," Zhao Jingtang chuckled, unconcerned. "Let¡¯s begin," Ku Chan ended the conversation, the blade of his sword trembling. Hiss. A large amount of ominous, eerie dark red flames surged out from the shadows behind him. The flames mingled with Spirit Light, quickly weaving into an indistinct giant bird shape. Roar! The giant bird raised its head and roared, its body ablaze with dark red fire light, rushing up hundreds of meters into the sky. Around it in the air, rings of semi-transparent, heavy spiritual pressure burst forth. This spiritual pressure was several times stronger than what Ku Chan usually released at full force. At that moment, the pressure descended from the sky like an invisible column of light, shooting fiercely and directly hitting the three Black Disaster figures supported by the black water. "Spiritual Technique¡¤Purple Immortal Sky." Ku Chan¡¯s eyes simultaneously lit up with dark red luminescence, within the glow, a purplish-red phoenix silhouette flickered in and out of visibility. This was one of the ordinary Spiritual Techniques of Zihe Palace, which originally should have released a purple phoenix spell, but at this moment it had mutated into a dark red giant bird. And its power was also hundreds of times stronger than the original! Crack. In that black hole, numerous black waters were agitated and churned by the enormous pressure, causing the surrounding ground to continuously collapse and fracture. It was as if a huge round stamp was forcefully suppressing the land. "If you can¡¯t even withstand a greeting," Ku Chan¡¯s eyes cold, his Chi Xiao Sword gently lifted horizontally, pointing forward. "Then let¡¯s die together." Clang. The blade trembled, issuing a clear ring. At the same moment, the tip of the sword suddenly brightened with a dazzling red light. Hiss hiss hiss hiss hiss!! Amidst the red light, cannonball-like, dense dark red fire phoenixes shot out, in the blink of an eye dozens scattered and lunged towards the direction of the three in the black hole. Each phoenix unrestrainedly released a terrifying spiritual pressure. Their bodies mixed with Spirit Light flames, furiously burning everything around them. In an instant, the entire snow field in front turned into a dark red sea of fire, no longer clear to see anything. But at that moment. A clump of pitch-black viscous liquid formed a huge round ball, rapidly expanding from within. Then. Boom! An explosion sounded. The black spherical ball burst open directly. Inside, massive amounts of twisted, centipede-like black creatures splashed out. These creatures had long, slim bodies with fierce mouthparts, each tens of meters long, and as they burst with the explosion, they plunged into the dark red flames, colliding fiercely with the fire birds, then perishing together, exploding into fragments, scattering down. "Oh?" Ku Chan raised an eyebrow, looking towards the sinister humanoid in black scales inside the black hole. "It seems you are worth being consumed by me." "....." The humanoid did not speak, just flashed forward, blinking across tens of meters, rapidly approaching Ku Chan. Ku Chan also advanced with his sword, his speed ever increasing, becoming faster and more urgent. The two charged at each other simultaneously. Afterwards. Bang!!! A loud noise. At the moment of collision, red and black rings of light exploded, rippling outward in circles. Destroying everything within tens of meters around. The ground disappeared into thin air, leaving a hemispherical big pit. Yet the two had no intention of falling to the bottom of the pit, clashing together in mid-air like lightning. Behind, Qing Huang and Zhao Jingtang had already gotten used to such sights, each finding their own opponents, Wade and the Blood Mother, and instantly, areas of silver Spirit Light mixed with dark red blood burst open. The three factions clashed at the same time. And the initial instigators of this large battle, Mills and Rekus, seemed as though they had been forgotten, sitting dumbly on the sled, watching all this unfold. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Should we, now, perhaps, run away?" Mills asked dumbly. "I don¡¯t think running away is a good choice, just like I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a coincidence that the people from the Spirit Alliance just happened to arrive here to save us," Rekus stared at the terrifying scene in front that almost changed the world, feeling like suddenly stepping into a sci-fi fantasy movie. But the real and tangible feeling told him, this was not a dream... "Should we retreat a bit then?" Mills ducked a flying stone, unable to help but suggest. Stones, scattered by the residual waves of the fighting, had already become a serious threat to their lives. If they didn¡¯t run now, it might really be too late. "You drive!" Rekus hurriedly said. "But haven¡¯t you been driving all along??" Mills was stunned. "My hands are out of strength¡­." Rekus sighed, looking at the exaggerated battle scene in the distance, he truly recalled his previous confrontations with the Spirit Alliance. Now, thinking back, he knew how frightening it was. If he had accidentally exposed himself then, his grave would probably have grown grass three feet tall by now! At this moment, Rekus raised his head, took a deep breath, preparing to exhale long to relax his tense nerves. But as soon as he looked up, he saw a vague figure standing on the nose of a white transport plane. "Wait, what is that!? How can someone stand on the plane with such strong wind!?" Rekus doubted his own vision. But on second thought, if the battles just now were real, then it wasn¡¯t too hard to accept that a person could stand on top of a plane. The next second, he was just about to have his friend Mills look too. But the figure on the plane took a step forward, stepping into the air, and lightly falling from the sky. As he fell, he got closer and closer to the ground. Rekus gradually could see the person¡¯s face more clearly. The person wore a wide white Daoist robe, carried no weapons, and had empty hands. But his figure was exceptionally sturdy, his right eye wore a black eyepatch, and his body continuously lit up with faint silver flames as he fell. "It¡¯s the Spirit Alliance Leader!" Rekus immediately recognized the person, who was falling right into the mouth of the dark hole where the black water surged out. "He¡¯s jumping directly into that black hole¡­ This is the Spirit Alliance, huh? So fierce!" Mills now finally understood why his premonition ability didn¡¯t give any danger alert. Because... the whole place was full of Spirit Alliance¡¯s monstrous troops, they didn¡¯t need to worry about being swallowed by the Black Disaster. "The Alliance Leader is personally taking action¡­ Let¡¯s run while we can!" Mills reminded. "It¡¯s useless... If we continue like this, other than running, what can we do? There¡¯s no hope¡­" Rekus rejected his suggestion. "You¡­ plan to join them?" Mills asked incredulously. "Why not? Bai Luote doesn¡¯t care about these hundreds of thousands of civilians, no one can handle it, the military even cut off contact methods, not answering calls. We are the ones being abandoned. Now, only the Spirit Alliance is handling matters." Rekus said, "No matter their reasons, the fact now is, they are handling it!" "..." Mills drove away, turning the car around, and also fell into silence. Yes, no matter how bad the reputation of the Spirit Alliance is, the fact is, they did what even the government on Bai Luote¡¯s side didn¡¯t want to do. In those towns, only they were protecting the residents. * * * Blood Energy Group¡ªUnderground Research Facility. Crack. The floating black gate made a crisp sound again, the door was already half open, and the pale old crone had already squeezed in half of her body into this world. Swish! Yu Hong¡¯s figure appeared directly in this ruined hall. He paid no attention to the battle of Ku Chan and the two others, it was their fight, he indeed could have helped end it quickly, but if he couldn¡¯t take this chance to grow stronger, adapt to fighting with the Source Disaster. Later encountering powerful opponents that others couldn¡¯t handle without him, his allies might end up very tragically. Thus, being able to stand alone was very important. And now, Yu Hong went straight to the root of the problem here, the Gate of Despair. He had just arrived here, but what he saw was different from what he had envisioned. Inside the black gate, the familiar pale old crone had already crawled half of her body out, and her emerging speed was still increasing. "It seems I¡¯ve arrived just in time." Yu Hong narrowed his eyes, his right hand opened, strands and threads of dark red Inner Strength converged in his palm. At the same time, a massive amount of silver light infiltrated from the surroundings, giving the dark red Inner Strength a layer of silver hue. "It¡¯s you..." Yu Hong recognized the face of the old crone. "To think you could follow me here..." Crack. Finally, the gate was forced open even wider. The entire body of the pale old crone was suddenly able to squeeze directly into this world. A series of eerie, high-pitched laughter mixed with painful moans dispersed through the air around, as if accompanying her entrance. Snap! As more of the old crone entered this world, the space around the entire door began to distort slightly, revealing black cracks. It looked like she almost managed to enter completely. Suddenly, the corners of the old crone¡¯s mouth curved up, and she thrust herself forward. Her entry speed instantly accelerated. Crack!! The frame of the gate exploded, turning into countless black fragments. The next instant, a burly figure dressed in a white Daoist robe, appeared in front of her. "Go..." A round of blue and white twisted faces sun appeared behind the figure, burning fiercely. "Back!!" A punch! The figure raised a hand, punching forward, hitting directly with a terrifying force, fiercely smashing into the old crone¡¯s face. Chapter 433: Anning 1 Thunderous boom!! The terrifying Spirit Light amplified Thunderbolt Fist, with a Spiritual Fluctuation reaching tens of millions, connects solidly with its target. A tremendous explosion roars out, and where the fist lands, rings of interwoven blue and red flames ripple out. The ripples, sharp as blades, instantly slice through the surrounding walls, the ground, everything. Everything within the research facility, under the explosive force of this fist¡¯s Inner Strength, is devastated like by a hurricane, transforming in the blink of an eye. The horrific Spiritual Fluctuation Value, coupled with the shockwave from the Tai Ling Skill¡¯s Inner Strength, wildly annihilates all the spiritual entities here. The old crone¡¯s body ripples with ghastly white, with countless black gases surging from her facial features, attempting to withstand Yu Hong¡¯s punch. But beyond just raw Spiritual Fluctuation and Inner Strength, there¡¯s also the presence represented by Light Disaster, firmly suppressing her power. ...With the ghastly blue Ultimate Sun Illusion growing ever brighter, she ultimately roars in unwillingness, her face gradually losing its smile. Crack. The old crone, along with the grand door beside her, now shatters, like a mirror, into a multitude of cracks. The next second. With a swoosh. Everything shatters into countless fragments and debris, scattering to the ground. Yu Hong, maintaining his full-strength punching position, unleashes a terrifying surge of Tai Ling Skill¡¯s Inner Strength from his fist, slamming into the ground behind the door. Hiss!! The ground is pierced by a dark hole as deep as a bucket. Like being penetrated and scorched by a laser, the inside of the hole is all smooth surfaces. With his Inner Strength retracted, Yu Hong gazes at where the old crone disappeared. "Is it over?" He¡¯s not certain if he¡¯s succeeded, but it seems he arrived just in time, intercepting her before she could fully emerge from the Gate of Despair. Silence surrounds him. Buzz! Only now does the sound and vibration from the underground explosion earthquake, caused by the Inner Strength column from his punch, finally reach back to him. Yu Hong, expressionless, carefully senses the remaining Black Disaster and Red Value around him. Splat! At that moment, a pale arm silently reaches out from behind him, lightning-fast piercing through his chest. The arm, with a hand as sharp as a knife, easily penetrates Yu Hong¡¯s back and exits through the front of his chest. But the next second, Yu Hong¡¯s pierced body slowly fades into an illusion, revealing it was just a realistic afterimage. The real Yu Hong, with a chain of afterimages, flashes to the other end of the underground hall, behind him a vast semi-humanoid colossus woven silently from dark red Inner Strength threads. The colossus breaks through the ceiling above with its arms outstretched, swinging its fists. As the fists gouge out a deep chasm in the ceiling, Thunderbolt crashes down onto the pale arm. Boom!! Fist meets hand. Black and dark red, two overwhelming forces, a high concentration of millions of Red Value against millions in Spiritual Fluctuation Value Spirit Light amplified Tai Ling Skill Inner Strength. Neither force shows any sign of obliteration, each piercing through the opposing light, striking each other¡¯s bodies directly. The pale arm, struck by the dark red Spirit Light Inner Strength, crumbles to pieces, with countless tiny dark red ice fragments seeming to spread from within. Yu Hong¡¯s chest is hit by black mud-like high concentration Red Value Radiation, layer after layer of Spirit Light instantly pierced through, with a slight remainder shooting inside, hitting his torso squarely. On the surface of the body, streaks of golden arcs emerge once more, the weakening from the moon¡¯s Divinity only managing to block a small part of the Red Value Radiation, the rest is forcefully endured by Yu Hong¡¯s own high-intensity body. Puff!! He steps back, his Inner Strength already ablaze before being struck. Dark red flames completely engulf his body, as Yu Hong activates the Thunderbolt State with double Inner Strength burning on top of the Spirit Light amplification;this is the strongest state he has ever been in. This residual wave of Red Value Radiation, hitting him, only leaves a burn-like scar the size of a fist in his chest. "Die!!" Raging, Yu Hong¡¯s face contorts ferociously;he charges forward instead of retreating, the massive humanoid figure raising its fist alongside him. Silver and red lights intertwine onto his right fist, punching forward together. At this point, the pale arm can no longer withstand;it only has one arm to counterattack, but clearly, though its body is extremely powerful, it failed to seize the opportunity to emerge earlier, and now it can only rely on a single arm to fight. For Yu Hong, the intensity is ultimately still insufficient. "I... remember you... now..." Just then, the arm suddenly relaxes its grip on its fist, forming a somewhat strange handprint. Boom!! The next instant, Yu Hong¡¯s punch hits the arm at its wrist. The blinding red and silver light completely engulf the pale arm. Seconds later, the light fades, and there¡¯s no trace left on the spot. Huh... Yu Hong stands in place, feeling no more of the terrifyingly intense Red Value from just a moment ago. Finally, he breathes a sigh of relief. "Is it finally over?" Suddenly, a voice came from behind him. The voice was calm and clear, that of a young woman. Yu Hong did not show any surprise, just turned around to look behind him. Standing there was one of the people by his side whom he had intentionally ignored all along. Zhang Kajing. Clad in a white lady¡¯s trench coat, Zhang Kajing was crouching on the ground, gently picking up a white shard that had just fallen from that pale arm. The shard was continuously disintegrating into black smoke and fading away as time passed. "So you¡¯ve finally decided to stop pretending?" Yu Hong said deeply. "Even ¡¯Mother¡¯ has been sent packing by you, it¡¯s meaningless for me to keep pretending," Zhang Kajing said calmly. "Mother?" Yu Hong raised an eyebrow, "The owner of that arm just now?" "Yes, actually, for a long time, we¡¯ve been aware of you. The dissipation of will forced us to look for a substitute... Mother didn¡¯t want to give up power and become one of you;she chose to plunder. But I am different, I choose to surrender and then be reborn," Zhang Kajing had obviously improved her speaking ability by a lot recently. "So where do you stand now?" asked Yu Hong with an unchanged expression, but his interest in Zhang Kajing had grown. "Human? Or Black Disaster?" "If I say I am Black Disaster, they won¡¯t care about me and will just swarm to eat me again. What do you think?" Zhang Kajing answered. "Heh heh... So what do you want to do by suddenly revealing yourself?" Yu Hong chuckled, shifting the topic. "I just suddenly feel very tired, you and I both know you had doubts about me;pretending further is just a waste of time. I want to be honest, it¡¯s more relaxing. Consumes less energy," replied Zhang Kajing. She looked up at the huge dark red figure behind Yu Hong. "And moreover, you¡¯ve become the spokesperson for Light Disaster, do you realize?" "So what?" replied Yu Hong. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "It seems you were well aware of what you were doing before tapping into this power," Zhang Kajing showed a somewhat surprised expression. "If you truly stand with humanity now... then," Yu Hong stretched his hand toward her. "Come to me... don¡¯t resist." "What do you want to do?" Zhang Kajing blinked, "Plant the power of Light Disaster inside me? It¡¯s useless. As both originate from Source Disaster, insufficient quantity will be eradicated by another Source Disaster." "Meaning that, you still have the power of Red Value from Black Disaster inside you?" Yu Hong raised an eyebrow. "Meaning that, all you just said was to deceive me?" "Appearing here now, trying to deceive me with words, I no longer care about your purpose." He lit up with a silver-red halo once more. "Wait! Don¡¯t get agitated, I still have something to..." Zhang Kajing¡¯s eyes widened, she hurriedly spoke out. Boom!! But it was too late. "Die!" Yu Hong¡¯s figure had disappeared from its original place, leaving a blur as he threw a punch at her face in the blink of an eye. The tremor, massive like an earthquake, squeezed the air in the underground space and brought a gale. His punch hit Zhang Kajing¡¯s face instantly. Her nasal bone cracked first, shattering, followed by the fracture of her facial bones, her brain bursting like tofu and spraying backward. Zhang Kajing¡¯s head was blown open by the punch, exploded into numerous red and white fragments, splattering all over the place. Her body stiffly stood in place, trembling a few times, and then fell to the ground with a thud. "Anything else?" Yu Hong stood in place, withdrew his fist, and looked towards the body. Right then, the body slowly dispersed, turning into black foam as if it had never existed from the beginning. A half-transparent illusion of an old crone noiselessly appeared behind Yu Hong. The crone was the very top-tier Black Disaster monster that was nearly about to enter this place earlier. "You¡¯re... very... sharp..." This time the old crone did not take action, but just stood there with a black stone cane, quietly watching Yu Hong. "Zhang Kajing hasn¡¯t spoken this much to me ever since I met her;your slip-up was too big. But... speaking means communicating," Yu Hong turned around and looked at her. "May I ask you a question?" "Hehe... if you¡¯re not afraid, go ahead," the old crone smiled. "Afraid?" Yu Hong was taken aback, then noticed that his own consciousness was unconsciously rising with violent, insane thoughts, wanting to abandon everything. And the golden sparks on his body had already emerged automatically, seemingly resisting something. "The power of xing, just by making contact, will corrupt..." the old crone spoke intermittently. "Communication is also a form of contact;I understand," Yu Hong closed his eyes. He no longer looked directly at her with his eyes, but only used his hearing and sensation. In his sensations, however, the spot where the old crone stood was completely filled with black energy particles in the void, obviously the essence of the Black Disaster energy particles. Apart from these, the Heaven¡¯s Eye in that area of the old crone was showing a fragmented and incomplete state. This gave Yu Hong more options for his speculations about the Heaven¡¯s Eye. "I want to ask, is peaceful coexistence possible with us? Why must you hunt down living beings?" he asked quickly. "Would you live in peace with the roast meat on your plate?" the old crone replied softly. "As for why... hunting you down... it¡¯s naturally because we¡¯re hungry... to maintain consciousness, we require enough replenishment..." "And what about xing? What is xing?" Yu Hong asked again. "That is the source of everything for us, as well as the end of everything. Every kind of disaster has a xing, and finding it means we can avoid hunting for a long stretch of time," the old crone spoke faster and faster, evidently becoming more adept at speaking. Chapter 434: Anning 2 "So, the last question." Yu Hong lowered his head, looking at the black cracks gradually appearing on the back of his hand, as his body emitted faint Red Value Radiation, as if it were porcelain gradually releasing light. Even divinity could not stop this kind of radiation. "Do you still remember who you are?" he asked. "...To be alive is everything." The old woman let out a strange laugh, raised her hand, and pointed at Yu Hong. "You are very strong, in such a short time, you¡¯ve improved by several times, but, my present, is your future¡­." As she laughed strangely, her figure gradually faded and disappeared. Yu Hong stood still, carefully digesting her words. "Once human too?" he started to understand, perhaps that old woman, was the successful Heavenly Master Zuo Yunfeng. To survive, she ultimately chose to compromise with the Source Disaster, and became one with it. Crack. At that moment, the underground base could finally hold no longer, everywhere began to break, bend, and fall. Yu Hong looked again at the black cracks on his body. Merely conversing with the other party had contaminated him to this extent, and this was when he himself had an extremely strong body, the ability of divinity to resist and weaken, and the power of Inner Strength Light Disaster. If it were someone else, perhaps at the very first moment of talking with that old woman, they would have mutated into a Black Disaster Monster. He raised his head and threw a casual punch upwards with his right hand. Boom!! A large humanoid figure behind him also raised its hand and punched fiercely through the layer of earth above. Then. Sizzle! A pillar of red light burst forth from the fist, piercing the earth, creating a smooth, straight passage. Yu Hong lightly touched the ground with the tip of his toe and floated up the passage from the underground. Outside, the black fog was dispersing, but only in this area had the Red Value Radiation decreased, in the distance, there were other sources of Red Value. "Did they open other gates too?" He scanned the area with his gaze and quickly sensed Zhao Jingtang and others of Qing Huang still in battle several kilometers away. The Black Light Army was still fighting against Black Disaster Insects and Evil Shadows, the numbers of Evil Shadows too many, so much so that Black Light was clearly struggling to hold on. Yu Hong also noted that this Black Disaster was different from the previous two. From the beginning here, what appeared was of extremely high intensity. It wasn¡¯t step by step like the normal black insects, shadow, and Evil Shadow. It started directly with strong Evil Shadows like Insect men, speedsters, and Black Withered Woman. Moreover, the numbers were immensely high. He suspected that this might be related to that old woman. "It should end... this time, finally, I can rest properly...." Yu Hong stomped his foot, soaring into the air amidst the black fog, jumping into midair. Buzz! In an instant, a dazzling silver Spirit Light was released from his body. The Spirit Light transformed into beams, spreading in all directions, covering the entire battlefield. Under the cover of the silver light, the radiation of Black Disaster was rapidly replaced by the radiation of Light Disaster, and all the people who had already been implanted with Spirit Light were unaffected by this radiant exposure, instead, becoming even more refreshed. On the contrary, the Black Disaster Monsters, under this radiation coverage, were like carrying a huge burden, their strength plummeting by more than half. They were extremely weak. The situation on the battlefield was reversed quickly. The black fog dispersed. One after another, silver flames soared into the sky. "For the Spirit Alliance!!" "For peace!!" The raging cries of Black Light roared like fierce beasts, their Spirit Light resonating with Yu Hong¡¯s, together resounding and dimly linking into a huge blue sun, floating above the battlefield. From above, looking down, the Black Disaster Monsters were like ice and snow melted by sunlight, rapidly dissolving, shrinking, and scattering. Yu Hong gently landed on the ground, without Ku Chan¡¯s help, he still lacked the Floating Ability temporarily. But it didn¡¯t matter, now everything was over. Standing on what seemed to be a yellowish cliff split by a sword, he looked down at the Black Light Army and Black Disaster Monsters still fighting below. Silver was advancing rapidly, black was retreating swiftly. In the distance, in mid-air, a group of dark red firebirds gradually emerged from the dispersing black fog. They were gathered, tearing at something. As Yu Hong looked over, the flock of firebirds suddenly dispersed, revealing Ku Chan and another humanoid clad in black armor in the center. But at this point, the humanoid was emitting smoke all over, with one arm already gone. A Chi Xiao Sword was deeply stabbed into its forehead, immobilized. Sizzle. Ku Chan withdrew the sword, and his other hand swiftly formed a Seal, then slapped squarely on the chest of the humanoid in black armor. Instantly, the humanoid in black armor was wrapped in dark red flames, the next moment it shrank, turned into a fireball, and burned fiercely. "Alliance Leader, I need some time to digest these gains," Ku Chan communicated to Yu Hong through psychic messaging, still standing at an angle. "Of course." Yu Hong turned his gaze again toward Qing Huang and Zhao Jingtang. Both were covered in scars, yet with the help of the radiance of Spirit Light, they had just resolved their opponents. Everything was progressing in a favorable direction. "This time... as long as we¡¯re a bit more careful, we can definitely protect this world and live peacefully here for a long time!" Yu Hong¡¯s mood also quickly improved as the black mist dispersed. Soon, after more than ten minutes, with the demise of the last Black Disaster Black Withered Woman, slain by two members of the Black Light Army wielding their swords, the eradication of the Black Disaster from the borders of Bai Luote was finally complete. Without any hesitation, Yu Hong immediately ordered a casualty headcount, then led a direct charge to Bai Luote¡¯s capital, Adala City. He intended to capitalize on this victory to rapidly expand the domain of the Spirit Alliance. The charge of the Black Light Army was unstoppable, cutting through the opposition like a hot knife through butter. When detected by satellites, Bai Luote urgently deployed the army and air force to intercept. But it was futile. The onslaught of the Black Light Army was like a steamroller;each of the imposing armored figures could flip over tanks, crush armored vehicles, and smash helicopters with their hands. Apart from the high-flying bombers, they were untouched;neither shelling nor any other weapon could halt their advance. At this time, Yu Hong was not involved in the assault on Bai Luote. Instead, he handed everything over to the management of Qingchen Temple and the high echelons of the Spirit Alliance. He quietly left to find a desolate and hidden military base to begin the large-scale transfer of a massive number of people from Hope City. * * * Three days later. Inside a lush indoor botanical garden, Yu Hong had changed into loose pajamas, receiving a report in a relaxed manner from Chen Yaofeng and the trio of Yu Hen and Qing Huang. Within the Spirit Alliance, the trio was now the most capable of governance. The rest were either Cultivation maniacs or... Cultivation maniacs. Trapped by the shadows of the Black Disaster and Spirit Disaster from the past, nearly all members of the Black Light Army were still unable to relax in the slightest despite knowing that the main force of the Black Disaster here had been defeated. "Now that Bai Luote has been conquered, other nations have declared they will no longer obstruct the Spirit Alliance¡¯s message of expansion. We, in turn, have ceased deploying troops to resolve their official matters," said Chen Yaofeng, his expression carrying an irrepressible weariness. Yet within that exhaustion, what shone through was more a sense of regret and relief. "It¡¯s a pity that so many of our brothers and sisters couldn¡¯t come to see this New World with us, to see this peaceful and stable place..." he said, lowering his head in a sigh. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "We can¡¯t completely relax just yet¡ªthe loopholes for the Black Disaster could appear anywhere, and we must maintain detection of the Red Value at all times. What¡¯s the current environmental Red Value?" asked Yu Hong. "It¡¯s maintained below 1, assuring there are no remnants of the Gate of Despair. Those red gates previously opened by the Blood Mother aren¡¯t Gates of Despair, but lead to another dark red space. We¡¯ve sent drones there to film;it¡¯s all red, with thick coagulated blood plasma on the ground, certainly not the space where the Black Disaster resides," explained Chen Yaofeng. "Whatever they are, close them," Yu Hong commanded. "We¡¯ve already destroyed them all. These gates are not as difficult to shut as the Gates of Despair¡ªdestruction is sufficient," Chen Yaofeng nodded in response. "How is the spread of Spirit Light?" Yu Hong turned to Qing Huang, who was in charge of this matter. "Quite good. The population has grown to a point where it¡¯s no longer feasible to count, we can only estimate¡ªa rough estimate suggests that over a hundred million people have now been implanted with Spirit Light," Qing Huang said with a smile. "Very well... Finally, we can settle down for some time," Yu Hong also smiled. It hadn¡¯t been easy. From the first world to now, he had gone through countless hardships. Now, at last, he had permanently closed the gate of the Black Disaster. Here, there were no Spirit Disasters, nor any other Source Disasters;they just needed to maintain daily supervision, and they could live here for a long, long time... "What are your plans for the future?" Yu Hong asked with a smile. "I plan to rest." Chen Yaofeng patted his stomach. "My wife is pregnant. I suspect it won¡¯t be long before I¡¯m a father, and then, let¡¯s have a good drink." "I don¡¯t have any particular desires;my time is spent either Cultivating or playing online games," Qing Huang said casually. "I¡¯ve started a small organization, teaching disciples and such;it¡¯s named Feisha Sect. I¡¯ll send you the address when I settle on one¡ªcome visit when you have time," Zhao Jingtang also said with a smile. "And Ku Chan?" Yu Hong asked. "Why hasn¡¯t he come?" "Ah, he¡¯s still searching the world for Source Disasters. He¡¯s a pitiful fellow, all his family gone. Other than seeking revenge, he¡¯s got nothing on his mind. So young, yet to face such trials... Ah." Chen Yaofeng shook his head and did not continue. "What about you? Alliance Leader Yu, Master Yu, what are your plans?" Chen Yaofeng turned the conversation toward Yu Hong. "After we finish the transfer, I plan to continue my secluded Cultivation. There are some things I haven¡¯t dealt with yet," Yu Hong admitted outright. Although the Black Disaster was stabilized, how it had been stabilized, others might not know, but he was acutely aware. The century-long restriction of the Black Ship was still in place, and how to resolve being confined to Prison Island required more study. Additionally, leveraging the power of the Light Disaster for the Tai Ling Skill was not without cost, and the time to repay has not yet come¡ªperhaps it might in the future. He did not believe that other Source Disasters were so formidable while the Light Disaster was completely harmless. If it were truly harmless, ¡¯disaster¡¯ would not be part of its name. So while others have settled, he could not yet relax. "Furthermore, I always feel that Quan He might not have died," Yu Hong continued. "I plan to explore other places and probe the Spirit Disaster again. See if it¡¯s possible to rescue her." At the mention of Quan He, the trio fell silent. Chen Yaofeng had not experienced it and therefore lacked a visceral understanding. Qing Huang and Yu Hen had witnessed Quan He being drawn into the gate of the Spirit Disaster with their own eyes. "Could it possibly... stir the Spirit Disaster again?" After a moment of silence, Chen Yaofeng suddenly voiced a concern. Yu Hong paused, giving no answer. Chapter 435: Anning Three Just when things had settled down, were dissenting views starting to emerge? Yu Hong sighed in his heart. Often, there were many things he couldn¡¯t set his heart at ease about. Although the world seemed stable now, it was just like his previous conversation with the tiger from Prison Island. He now understood. The world¡¯s stability was merely a fleeting and beautiful illusion;eternally, some pursued immortality, and in their pursuit, they would discover disasters too powerful to resist that would destroy them regardless. Whether one could truly attain longevity, they would be destroyed. Thus, resistance became the mainstream of everything. How to resist? He recalled the old crone from the Black Disaster, the tiger from the high tower, and the Spirit Disaster... Now it seemed that the Heaven of Spirit Disaster might also be an attempt by the ancient supreme beings. Otherwise, according to the tiger¡¯s theory, how could there be orderly architecture, armor, and patterns in the midst of the Source Disaster? There were far too many mysteries concerning the Source Disaster... He had now cultivated to the Fifth Layer Sunset of Tai Ling Skill;there were four more layers to go before he must solve the merging problem with the Ultimate Sun... With the aggressiveness of the Light Disaster Ultimate Sun, based on that sinister cultivation technique, he might face it within decades... "No matter what, I¡¯ll be careful not to investigate here." Yu Hong replied, his demeanor extraordinarily sincere. Chen Yaofeng didn¡¯t say anything more, the topic was somewhat heavy. To save those who were suspected to have been sacrificed, would risk breaking the hard-earned peace now. But shouldn¡¯t those from the past be saved? After seeing off a few people, Yu Hong walked alone in the base¡¯s botanical garden, looking at the blue sky, silent for a long while. Before long, he suddenly turned around to look behind him. Zhang Kajing had appeared there at some point. She was dressed in a simple white T-shirt and tight jeans, her long hair tied in a ponytail, revealing pure and taut curves. Apart from her rather cold demeanor, her appearance did not differ much from an ordinary female student here. "Did you call me back for something?" Zhang Kajing asked. "Um, I plan to go back once, and I want you to come with me." Yu Hong said seriously. "?" Zhang Kajing blinked, unclear on what he meant. "Quan He might not be dead yet. It might seem like everything is peaceful and stable now, but there are still many things undone. I promised your father to look after you, so you must come with me." Yu Hong said. His expression was stern, leaving no room for argument. ¡¯Is this taking care? Are you sure???¡¯ "...." Zhang Kajing¡¯s expression twisted a bit, but she didn¡¯t reply, just quietly looked at him for a while. "I don¡¯t." She said softly. "This place is comfortable, I don¡¯t want to leave." Boom!! In the next moment, a huge hand came crashing down, grabbing her neck, lifting her high into the air, suspending her midair. Huge silver Spirit Light and Tai Ling Inner Strength crazily poured into her body. Then, he smashed her downwards. Bang!!! A loud sound erupted. The floor of the botanical garden now had a two-meter-wide radioactive crater. Yu Hong held Zhang Kajing down with one hand, watching as her face remained calm while blood slowly trickled out from her facial features due to the shock. After staring at each other for a while, he finally released her. "Shall we go together?" Yu Hong asked again. "..... Okay." Zhang Kajing struggled up from the pit, subdued. "Go get ready." Yu Hong said calmly. He could not knowingly leave Zhang Kajing alone here while she had issues. This piece of the world had been hard to come by and it had settled down at last. He wouldn¡¯t allow any potential risks to ruin it. Zhang Kajing turned and left. Yu Hong also went straight back to cultivate. Since the cultivation techniques were temporarily sufficient, the Moist Wood Liquid needed for cultivation, which had also been enhanced these days, was ready. Now he planned to strengthen the Black Ship. He passed through various places in the base, through multiple areas, and all of the Spirit Alliance soldiers he encountered gave him the utmost respect and salute. Everyone bowed slightly, lowered their heads, stood still, and saluted him. After passing through the playground, the cafeteria, and a shooting range, Yu Hong arrived in front of a private white building. Entering the building, he took the elevator to the second floor. This entire floor had been converted into one big area. Similar to the initial Quan He, this entire floor was filled with various rune symbols he devised while researching the Daoist Vein Array and the principles of Sky Stabilizing Plate. There were also various strange instruments and materials scattered everywhere. The fusion of modern technology and mysticism appeared exceptionally harmonious here. Yu Hong didn¡¯t stop, walking all the way to the other end of this floor. There, there was a specially left empty room. Standing in front of the room¡¯s door, Yu Hong¡¯s thoughts moved. Instantly, black fog rapidly dispersed and spread, and the sound of Black River water flowed into his ears. A repaired wooden bridge, visible and invisible, emerged from the black fog in front of him. He stepped forward, quickly crossed the wooden bridge, and once again stood in front of the Black Ship. Extending his hand, he placed it on the hull of the Black Ship. The smooth and cold hull seemed to be covered with lots of moss-like black material, extremely slimy and disgusting, as if still moving like insects. Yu Hong, however, didn¡¯t mind. He had already come into contact with this black material on the ship and it posed no danger. ¡¯Enhance the Black Ship.¡¯ He silently muttered in his heart. Instantly, the Black Mark on the back of his hand flashed with black lines, flowing into the body of the ship in front of him. ¡¯Direction: Remove the century-old curse.¡¯ In an instant, the black lines retracted, flowing back into his hand. ¡¯No enhancement foundation.¡¯ The cold, emotionless feedback made him sigh. ¡¯I knew it wouldn¡¯t be so easy.¡¯ Adjusting his disappointment, he continued to issue commands to the Black Mark. ¡¯Enhance the Black Ship, direction: increase capacity.¡¯ He had long found the repetitive transportation of residents of Hope City too troublesome. Now was the perfect opportunity to expand the capacity and speed up the transportation. This time, there was no issue. Soon enough, the inquiry about whether to enhance came, and after Yu Hong confirmed, a massive amount of energy, Inner Strength, and physical strength were absorbed. But now, his recovery speed was extremely fast, and he didn¡¯t mind this consumption. Quickly, a countdown appeared on the surface of the ship. ¡¯29 days 11 hours 17 minutes.¡¯ "So long..." Yu Hong was somewhat surprised. But upon further thought, he realized there wasn¡¯t much need to use the Black Mark soon. And enhancing doesn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t use the Black Ship during the process. Now that he had time and was free, it was perfect to go and clarify many things, to see what was really going on. Watching the countdown start to blink, Yu Hong stepped lightly and leaped into the Black Ship, steering the ship into the depths of Black River. He wanted to return to Prison Island again to ask some questions to the tiger. Amidst the gurgling water sounds, Yu Hong stood on the deck, at the bow, listening to the waves slapping against the exterior of the ship. He slightly furrowed his brows. ¡¯Why does it feel... like the river is faster than before?¡¯ Not sure if it was an illusion, he walked over to the side of the ship and looked down. It always felt like the Black Ship, swaying with the waves, had also grown somewhat larger. Suppressing the doubts in his heart, he continued his cultivation while looking for the faintly visible eyes of various monsters in Black River. The second layer of Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Scripture required him to find suitable eyes and slowly assimilate them through cultivation. Of course, at the beginning, one can¡¯t directly start with the strongest and most troublesome eyes. According to the secret scripture, one must first find weaker, special eyes, then step by step, advance. And the New World had only just stabilized;there weren¡¯t any special creatures for him to exploit, turning this place into the most suitable hunting ground in a short time. This Black River originated from Black Disaster, flowing with countless Black Disaster Monsters;always possible to find something suitable. Splash! Amidst the turbulent black water, Yu Hong¡¯s gaze was sharp, penetrating the muddy currents, spotting a school of black fish with two heads and sharp teeth swimming past the side of the ship. Then, a swollen, green-soaked humanoid corpse stood upright, slowly drifting with the current in a particular direction. Following that was a silver-gray cyclops eel, its body emanating strange white light, slowly swimming towards him. ¡¯You¡¯re the one.¡¯ Yu Hong, seeing the cyclops eel, brightened up. He reached out with his right hand, making a grabbing gesture from afar. Instantly, masses of dark red Inner Strength condensed into a giant hand, flew out, and plunged deep into the Black River, grasping that fish. Hiss... But the Inner Strength hand seemed to react as if it was water entering a hot pan due to the high concentration of Light Disaster, instantly steaming up copious amounts of white smoke upon entering the black water. Seeing this, Yu Hong hastened the action, gripping the fish tightly, quickly retracting it, and tossing it onto the deck of the Black Ship. With a slap, The cyclops eel landed on the deck, beginning to thrash about wildly. This fish was seven to eight meters long, lying on the deck, it had considerable strength, causing a loud banging noise everywhere. Hiss! At this moment, the fish¡¯s sole eye brightened with a beautiful and complex pattern of red runes. The pattern seemed like multiple triangular Arrays superimposed together, forming a pattern similar to a sunflower. Hum! Two seconds later. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Centered on the giant eel¡¯s eye, a circle of transparent, invisible force field directly enveloped an area of several tens of meters around the Black Ship. Within this range, everything at that moment slowed down. The black water droplets that splashed in fell at a rate much slower than before, as if a super-slow device had been activated. The cables swayed by the wind, their oscillating speed was also much slower than before. "A slowing ability?" Yu Hong had felt from a far distance that this fish¡¯s eye might have abilities, and pulling it up proved him right. "The intensity isn¡¯t exaggerated, just perfect," he said in good spirits, his arm glowing red as Tai Ling Skill Inner Strength forcefully accelerated. With a hiss, breaking through the slowdown, he reached out and firmly grasped the cyclops eel, while his other hand condensed Inner Strength into a large hand, precisely targeting the eel¡¯s eye, started to gouge. Tear. Accompanied by a strange, agonizing scream, the red cyclops eye, the size of a fist, appeared in Yu Hong¡¯s hand. He did not look at the eel that was writhing in pain, but instead examined the hard-earned cyclops eye. "Eating it raw... kind of disgusting...." But that¡¯s exactly what the cultivation technique recorded, so... Plop. Yu Hong stuffed it into his mouth, preparing to chew and swallow it in a few bites. Suddenly, the Inner Strength of recently cultivated Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Scripture unexpectedly flowed out from the Dantian on its own, drilling into the eyeball. The next second. This cyclops eye instantly decomposed, transforming into a mouthful of clear water-like liquid that flowed down his throat on its own. Chapter 436: Anning Four It was strange that Yu Hong immediately felt itching in his right eye, as if something was beginning to grow deep inside it. He had read the secret scriptures, which described this as a normal occurrence. He immediately sat cross-legged on the Black Ship, quietly following the instructions described in the scriptures. The flow of Inner Strength in the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Scripture and the flow in the Tai Ling Skill did not overlap at all. The two Cultivation Techniques did not interfere with each other. Yet, Yu Hong had high expectations for this Cultivation Technique. Because the Tai Ling Skill ultimately relied too much on the Light Disaster, whereas the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Scripture took a route akin to plundering, which seemed safer. After more than ten minutes. He stood up, removed the eye patch on his right eye, revealing a bizarre eye with deep purple color surrounded by various black scales. Deep inside the eyeball were densely packed purple Arrays, overlapping and interweaving. At this moment, in one of these Arrays, right at the center, silently embedded, was an eyeball. That eyeball was exactly the same as the eyes lost by the Cyclopean Eel. Yu Hong used his right eye to look at the waters of the Black River. With a slight thought, his vision power activated. In the next instant, a sluggish force covering dozens of meters around immediately descended. At the same time, a massive distorting power layered upon it, ready to be triggered by his will at any moment. "Not bad," Yu Hong expressed satisfaction as he retracted his vision power and put on the eye patch. He continued to seek out targets at the edge of the ship. With a splash, the eel that lost its eye was thrown into the river and was instantly shredded and eaten by a group of small black bizarre fish. Soon, an old turtle with three golden eyes arranged in a triangular formation on its shell, slowly swam past the left side of the Black Ship. This old turtle was almost as long as the Black Ship, only slightly smaller. It moved like a mobile reef, leisurely swimming through the Black River. Yu Hong stood on the edge of the ship, carefully observing the old turtle, from his angle, he could see at the edges of the turtle¡¯s shell, the black crevices were densely packed with countless ghastly pale dead human heads. These heads were like herpes, or many white blisters, growing on the body of the old turtle. Yu Hong weighed whether to act against this creature, pulling out the Red Value Detector. The value on the detector skyrocketed to one million the moment it was turned on. He hesitated for a moment but ultimately didn¡¯t act. This value of radiation was no issue for him, but if the creature got angry and damaged the Black Ship, the loss could be significant. Next, he caught several Cyclopean Eels, and then a Black Disaster whose upper body was human and the lower body was an octopus tail. This Black Disaster had a large eyeball on its back that could release a highly toxic mist, corroding and dissolving everything around. It attacked Yu Hong as soon as it appeared, but was instantly killed by a slap of Inner Strength. The eyeball was also given up, serving as nourishment for Yu Hong¡¯s cultivation. After swallowing more than ten eyeballs, Yu Hong already felt that the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Scripture was ready to break through to the next level. He did not immediately break through but planned to accumulate enough eyeball power before breaking through together. After all, the more special eyes accumulated by this Cultivation Technique, the stronger its power. Time slowly passed as the Black Light Army eradicated the remnants of the Black Disaster everywhere. In the blink of an eye, more than half a month had passed. The environmental Red Value had dropped to a level that even the detector could not measure. The Black Light Army could no longer find the Black Disaster through magic, everything also came to an end when Ku Chan cut the last found shadow across the waist. This world finally achieved complete peace. And Yu Hong also stopped his action of collecting eyes and came to Prison Island again. Last time he left a positioned Dragon Lizard here. This time he could quickly find the location relying on the sleeping Dragon Lizard. With a smooth and familiar path, Yu Hong followed the Immortal Strong Wall all the way up, quickly reaching the jail cell window where the tiger was. When he climbed to the window, Yu Hong just saw the tiger kneeling on the ground, bowing respectfully to the air with three burning incense sticks in his hand. Thump thump thump. He knocked on the glass. The tiger also saw Yu Hong and put down the incense, turning his back, too lazy to bother with him. But before he completely turned around, he seemed to notice something, his body suddenly froze, and he turned to look at Yu Hong again. After a two-second pause, he got up and walked towards the window. "You¡¯ve changed a lot," he said in a deep voice. "I¡¯ve come to ask a few questions," Yu Hong said. "I¡¯m not obligated to answer you. I¡¯m not your teacher," the tiger said calmly. "I have found the land of vitality, but now the question is, how can the curse of the Black Ship be lifted?" Yu Hong said. "Hehe, the place you found, is it really the land of vitality?" Tiger laughed, "Do you know what the True Origin Sect¡¯s land of vitality really refers to?" Tiger asked sarcastically. "A place where one can survive, where there is vitality?" Yu Hong could only deduce by himself. "No... it refers to a place that can never be invaded by a Source Disaster. There, there will no longer be inexplicable fear, nor monsters of the Source Disaster. It isn¡¯t just any stable planet that can be considered as a land of vitality..." Tiger answered. "Then, how can it be found?" Although Yu Hong had some expectations, he was still somewhat disappointed when he actually heard Tiger saying this. "If I knew, would I still be here?" Tiger laughed. As he interacted with people, his sanity seemed to gradually recover. His speech was not as crazed or erratic as last time. "How did you guys get in here initially? Were you captured by the real body of the Dragon of Xianglv?" Yu Hong changed the subject. "I told you, I won¡¯t answer your questions." Tiger calmed down. "How strong is his real form? Can it be actually compared with the monsters from the Black Disaster? Honestly, this time I encountered a high-level Black Disaster who seemed like an elderly female human, very old, liking to hold a walking stick, and her hair neatly combed, but actually...." He carefully described the old woman¡¯s appearance. "Oh, it¡¯s her.... Marissa, still lucid? That¡¯s rare." Tiger exclaimed in surprise. "Her name is Marissa?" Yu Hong suddenly thought of how he was different now, and quickly extended his hand to weave and outline the full figure of the old woman in mid-air with his dark red inner strength finely controlled. "That¡¯s her. The little girl who used to follow the senators of the Holy Tower..." Tiger nodded. "The Holy Tower was destroyed, she went mad, afterward disappeared, nobody knows where she went, I didn¡¯t expect her to still be alive." "Actually, she¡¯s not really alive anymore. Turned into a monster, forgotten who she is, can she still be considered human?" Yu Hong said somberly. "As long as there is consciousness, the will is the symbol of our existence." Tiger pointed to his head. "Above the despair level of the Black Disaster, nearly all are monsters that can regenerate from a single drop of blood, and even higher conceptually eternal monsters exist. As long as a trace of their cognitive impression isn¡¯t forgotten, they can instantly reappear, and always in their prime. What you¡¯ve encountered now is nothing..." Tiger spoke casually. "....are there such monsters?" Yu Hong was chillingly astounded. Monsters existing in cognition... this was simply unimaginable! "Have you been to the depths of the Source Disaster?" Tiger didn¡¯t directly answer but instead asked back. "No...." "Go have a look. With your current strength, you have some assurance." Tiger smiled. "To contend against the Source Disaster, you must first understand what exactly we are fighting against, how many enemies there are... If you¡¯re not clear about these, in the end, you¡¯ll be just a sandcastle on the beach, which will collapse instantly when the real tide comes." "....the depths of the Source Disaster..." Yu Hong had always been avoiding this option. After all, the worlds that had been invaded were terrifying already, what more could be deeper in the Source Disaster, it¡¯s unclear. "Go give it a try, the aura on you is somewhat similar to the coexistences, just disguise yourself a bit, you won¡¯t be attacked by the Source Disaster, just remember to return in time, it shouldn¡¯t be a big problem." Tiger said. "Coexistence?" Yu Hong heard a new term again. "They are the ones who think we should coexist with the Source Disaster, dependent on each other. They had many powerful factions, once very glorious and strong, and also preserved some planets for a while, but they eventually perished." Tiger said somewhat emotionally. "Apart from them, there are the Rebels, the Integrators." "As the name implies, the Rebels advocate complete resistance, believing that through diligent effort and study, everything can be overcome. The Integrators, on the other hand, believe in surrendering resistance, blending into the Source Disaster, using their powers to balance and counter each other, even completely surrendering, giving up the self, which they think is what life should do." At this point, Tiger¡¯s face showed a hint of mockery. "The Integrators also have a quite interesting fatalistic view, do you want to hear it?" "Please say." Yu Hong stated. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "They believe that life is just a lubricant naturally derived from the development of the universe and space-time. We are born, we develop, we die, all just to make the operation of everything smoother, to make the transition of the Source Disaster more gentle." "So, sacrificing ourselves to facilitate the Source Disaster, is the mission we are born with...." "Absurd!" Yu Hong frowned. "Hahahaha!!" Tiger burst into laughter. "I slapped them at that time. In their presence, I killed a whole bunch of these ideologically bankrupt beings." "Such fools should all be eradicated!" Yu Hong said earnestly. "That¡¯s the spirit! Boy, you think just like me! Hahahaha!!" Tiger laughed cheerfully. Suddenly, his laughter stopped abruptly. "Too bad we can¡¯t get out now. Those fools are probably almost dead, such beings don¡¯t live long." He looked at Yu Hong. "Boy, have you encountered such people outside?" "I don¡¯t know. I only traveled to two places using the Savior Ship (Black Ship), and now in this place, I finally managed to completely eliminate all Source Disasters, and can finally have some stability." Yu Hong shook his head. "Eliminate?" Hearing this, Tiger¡¯s brows suddenly furrowed. "How did you eliminate? Tell me." Seeing this, Yu Hong¡¯s immense spiritual power suddenly felt something was off. "Don¡¯t call me boy, just destroy all the Gates of Despair where the Black Disaster enters the world, wouldn¡¯t that be the end?" "....." Tiger fell silent, looking at him, his eyes suddenly turned quite strange. "Destroyed?" He repeated softly. "What?" Yu Hong looked at his expression, and suddenly, that ominous feeling intensified. "You call those entrances the Gates of Despair?" Tiger asked again. Chapter 437: Exploration One "How so? Is there something wrong with my approach!?" Yu Hong immediately asked in pursuit of an answer. "You know, a torrential and surging river, with its water flowing rapidly and swiftly¡ªwhat happens if you completely block off the very end of the river channel?" The old tiger did not answer but instead posed a counter-question. "....It will disperse to other places..." Yu Hong instantly realized. "But what if the river is surrounded by walls on all sides, with no way to disperse?" the old tiger continued to inquire. "....." Yu Hong thought of something, his expression subtly changing. "It seems that you¡¯ve also thought of it, yes, such blockage will only bring about greater problems," the old tiger said softly. "How long... How long can it hold?" Upon hearing this, Yu Hong was actually somewhat convinced. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The recently panicked waters had undoubtedly shown the first signs of trouble. "This, you should ask yourself. I am but a prisoner, nothing more," the old tiger settled down. "One last question," Yu Hong asked. "What is your honored name, senior?" "Just call me Fate Master..." The old tiger turned his back, no longer making a sound. Yu Hong, seeing this, did not disturb him any further, mounted Agrius, and speedily glided down. Returning to the Black Ship, he did not linger, silently slipping back to the New World. * * * In the blink of an eye, a month had passed. There were no further increases in Red Value in the New World. Following the advice of the Fate Master, the old tiger, Yu Hong didn¡¯t completely close all the Gates of Despair. Instead, he left one gate sealed and stationed people nearby, opening it every few days to kill the emerging monsters. This not only provided training for the troops but also relieved the accumulated pressure of the Black Disaster. He wasn¡¯t sure if this approach was effective, but... if the Gates of Despair remained numerous as they had been before his arrival, what difference would there be from the beginning? So, it was better to try this approach first, and then determine the solution afterward¡ªthis would be the optimal practice. As for Bai Luote, the stronghold of the Blood Energy Group was found under the pursuit and wanted notice by the Black Light. The Spirit Alliance, along with troops from various countries, carried out a strangling operation against it. The Blood Energy Group released a large number of bioweapons infected with viruses. However, these bioweapons were no match for the onslaught of the Black Light. After three days of searching and strangling, the final hidden dangers were completely eradicated as all the high-ranking executives of the Blood Energy Group were executed by firing squad. At this point, the enhancement of Yu Hong¡¯s Black Ship was finally complete. In the secret base. Yu Hong stood inside a large flat area designated for his research, with black fog diffusing around him, a wooden bridge, and the glacial Black River slowly beginning to appear in front of him. He checked the time on his phone and confirmed that this was the moment when the enhancement of the Black Ship was completed. Immediately, he lifted his leg and walked forward, step by step along the wooden bridge, towards the direction of the Black Ship. He was somewhat worried yet also somewhat expectant, what exactly had the Black Mark turned the Black Ship into¡ªsuch a lengthy enhancement of thirty days was rarely used by him. So... Snap. Suddenly, Yu Hong¡¯s steps halted, he stood on the wooden bridge and stared speechlessly at the berthed Black Ship in front of him. The Black Ship had now completely transformed into something else. Moored at the edge of the wooden bridge¡¯s dock was an enormous vessel, several times larger than the previous Black Ship¡ªan exaggerated giant. If it were just its size, Yu Hong would not be so speechless;but crucially, this huge vessel¡¯s appearance... It was exactly like the mobile headquarters of the Seven Evil Alliance he had encountered in the world of the Taoist Sect. While not exactly identical, they were at least ninety-nine percent similar. Yu Hong¡¯s eyesight was now remarkable. He scrutinized the ship carefully from left to right as he came aboard. He confirmed that this ship now had an approximate length of five hundred meters and a width of over eighty meters. From top to bottom, there were twenty decks. These decks were arranged in circles, jutting out around the main body of the ship, resembling layers of threads. These decks could be used by passengers to come out for air and take walks. The main body of the ship itself consisted of layer upon layer of cabins stacked together, much like a multi-tiered cake, with a total of forty floors. Each layer was densely packed with rooms, housing far more people than before. He meticulously inspected the ship from top to bottom. The forty-story ship body was indeed very large, and it took a long time to explore, only barely managing to finish with the aid of the internal acceleration. Even functional and entertainment zones were segregated, perfectly suiting Yu Hong¡¯s current needs. "At last, it looks presentable. But what about the propulsion? With such a large ship, if the propulsion is still the same as before... could it be...?" He was still concerned. But soon, upon boarding the ship and as the Black Ship slowly began to move, his worries were also set aside. Clearly, the propulsion structure of the Savior Ship was far beyond his current understanding. A vessel of such massive size might also have been understood and enhanced by the Black Mark, otherwise, the thirty days of enhancement wouldn¡¯t possibly have been all dedicated to expanding the ship¡¯s space. Soon, in the Black Ship¡¯s Main Control Room, Yu Hong found the instruction manual for this new ship. A pale yellow, square notebook bound in soft deer leather. Opening to the first page of the notebook. ¡¯The design inspiration for this ship originates from the vehicle of Nine Copper Hermit of the Sky Wish Sect, the Wan Yun.¡¯ "On the basis of maximizing capacity to the extent possible, the original power system has been enhanced, switching from absorbing Red Value Radiation as a power source to converting the radiation from Black Disaster, Spirit Disaster, and Light Disaster into basic chemical energy for propulsion." "The ship, further strengthened in its radiation and Source Disaster resistance, now has an outer hull that not only has a special defensive capability against Black Disaster, but also possesses various degrees of enhanced defense against Spirit Disaster and Light Disaster. It is also equipped with a basic defense Array." "The existing cabins can accommodate thirty thousand people, not including other species and biota. The ship¡¯s air circulation system, water filtration system, and temperature control system can all adjust their parameters according to the species of the passengers on board." Yu Hong carefully read through the materials. The more he read, the more he realized that although this enhancement lacked the mysterious and special characteristics of the previous ones, the mere physical structure and overall expansion of the enhancement alone were already very cost-effective. From the previous capacity in the low thousands to the present ability to accommodate five-figure numbers, the efficiency has increased by as much as tenfold. "This time, the people from Hope City should be able to move over quickly." Yu Hong felt at ease. Hope City had lost many people to the Cold Disaster, and aside from those already moved this month, there was still a population of over a hundred thousand remaining, including an expansion of the Black Light Army to five thousand members, with three additional similar security teams formed. These people could all be relocated in just a few days using the new Black Ship Wan Yun. "Not bad, once the migration from Hope City is complete, I¡¯ll dare to venture to the Taoist Sect world and check on Quan He¡¯s situation..." Yu Hong calculated in his heart. In fact, in addition to trying to rescue Quan He, he had another idea, which was to absorb the power of Spirit Disaster from the direction of the Taoist Sect world. Up to now, he had been relying solely on the power of Light Disaster, and soon he would be constructing the Sixth Layer and starting to build the Light Well. If he doesn¡¯t find other powers to balance the Light Disaster, he was destined to be consumed and merged by the Ultimate Sun in the later stages. Therefore, absorbing other Source Disaster energies to balance himself has become a matter of urgency. "Of course, that¡¯s assuming I can even find my way back." When he left last time, he had spent a long time unable to locate the entrance to the Taoist Sect world. This time, with plenty of time on his hands, he could afford to search slowly. If he really couldn¡¯t find it, then finding where the Spirit Disaster was would also do. He didn¡¯t need much to start absorbing Spirit Disaster radiation;he could absorb while searching. Standing in the Main Control Room of the ship, Yu Hong put down the manual notebook in his hand and gazed out through the circular glass windows of the room. This was the foremost part of the ship, and a position to observe the surroundings at any time. Outside the window, the Black River¡¯s currents were swift and turbulent, with black mist continuously rising from its surface, and vague silhouettes of people and monsters seeming to appear and disappear within the water and mist. Obviously, such a large ship had caught the attention of the creatures in the Black River. The previous Black Ship could perhaps barely blend in with the Black Disaster, but the current Black Ship was no longer able to remain concealed by the Black River like before. Noticing this, Yu Hong¡¯s expression slowly became stern. At this moment around the exterior of the Black Ship, several black figures twisted like sludge were climbing up the ship¡¯s outer layer towards the hull. They were like seaweed, sea grass, or vines along the body of the ship continuously climbing upward. Yu Hong reached out and pressed lightly on the control panel. Click. The basic defense system belonging to the Black Ship from the manual was activated. It was an incredibly simple red switch;pushing up to turn on and down to turn off. Below was simply marked with two characters: "Defense." Buzz. Instantly, the whole Black Ship trembled slightly as the hull began to rapidly absorb the surrounding black mist. The black mist quickly enveloped the Black Ship even more thoroughly, forming a layer of semi-transparent grayish-black glass-like shield that wrapped around all the climbable spaces up the ship¡¯s sides. From a distance, it looked as though a seamless glass dome had been placed over the ship. The shadows and strange figures outside the ship also seemed to be so smooth all of a sudden that they fell into the water one after another. Once in the water, their interest in the Black Ship greatly diminished, with less than one-tenth of the shadows continuing to climb the Black Ship, the rest scattering and leaving on their own. Yu Hong glanced at those remaining shadows, most of which were ordinary Black Disasters with not very high Red Values. There weren¡¯t even Intermediate Black Disasters like spoken language beings;they were all minor players. He thus paid them no attention. "Head to the Hope City World." He gave the Black Ship the command in his mind and quietly watched ahead as the hull began to slowly accelerate, smoothly crossing the misty scenery on both sides of the Black River. Buzz. A fine vibration sound rose. The speed of the ship increased, traveling at least three to four times faster than before, zipping across the water. Bang, bang. Some smaller chunks and monsters that couldn¡¯t dodge in time were struck head-on by the huge hull. The chunks shattered, and the monsters were thrown out with deep gashes. Some were even directly shredded by the ship¡¯s large turbines at the bottom, becoming a bloody mess. It took only a few minutes. Yu Hong saw from the window the faint lights of Black Wind Camp ahead. The white lights in the black mist seemed like a lighthouse, exceptionally clear. He breathed a sigh of relief, stepped out of the Main Control Room, leapt lightly onto the wooden pier, and walked out along the boardwalk. Before long, he was back inside a safe house again. "Next, choose something else to enhance, and then fetch the people..." He took out several small blue Eye Drops bottles directly from his pocket, which were Moist Wood Liquid for external use needed for the cultivation of the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Scripture. Since he was free now, he might as well continue to strengthen the Enhanced Wood Moisturizing Liquid and cultivate his right eye. After giving it some thought, he casually chose some Black Disaster Monster materials, combined them with the Eye Drops, and placed his palm on top. Chapter 438: Exploration II "Enhanced Moist Wood Liquid." There was no designated direction for the enhancement, just random strengthening, which can also be called comprehensive strengthening. A black line flashed, and soon a voice of inquiry came. At the same time, a countdown also appeared. It settled on the surface of the eye drops. "4 days, 11 hours, 01 minute." Yu Hong confirmed the enhancement and immediately stepped out of the safe house. Outside, personnel from Hope City who were stationed there came out to salute him. Inside the Array of the camp, more Hope City liaison officers who had rushed over to stay in the Array were present. They were mostly young women, not only physically attractive but also shapely. Clearly, Chen Yaofeng had impure motives for selecting them this way. "Leader, do we need to begin a new round of relocation immediately?" The stationed personnel was a young girl named Ouyang Die, just turned twenty, most of her family had died due to the Black Disaster, only her and her six-year-old sister were left depending on each other. Now, she took on the responsibility to raise her sister and voluntarily joined the army;due to her excellent performance, she had been promoted repeatedly and now served as the liaison officer for the entire Black Wind Camp. Most older people in Hope City were nearly extinct ¨C people over fifty were rarely seen. Those who had survived to hold high positions were almost all young adults. The constant cooling from the Cold Disaster made the air outside completely unbreathable. Oxygen had also liquified, the outside was coated with a thin layer of pale blue, the color when oxygen becomes liquid. Those entering and exiting had to wear specially made oxygen tanks. "Has the Black Disaster basically disappeared?" Yu Hong didn¡¯t answer but asked in return. "Yes, with the cleaning-up efforts of the Black Light Army, the surrounding area¡¯s Black Disaster has been mostly cleared, but due to the severe worsening of the Cold Disaster, we cannot venture too far from the supply points and can only clean the surrounding areas," Ouyang Die responded. "Let those at Hope City prepare for coordination. This time I¡¯ve switched to a larger ship to take more people at once," Yu Hong spoke in a relaxed tone. "Understood!" Ouyang Die nodded vigorously, "Oh Leader, Miss Lin Yiyi has also come here. Do you want to meet her?" "I know, I¡¯ve already felt it..." Yu Hong nodded, "You go busy yourself." He had given Yiyi a Heavenly River summoning creature and naturally knew her exact location. Stepping out of the base, the outside was teeming with weirdly shaped Light Disaster monsters roaming about. To this day, no monsters had been seen from the Cold Disaster. Only steadily dropping low temperatures. Yu Hong¡¯s body was covered with Spirit Light, using the power of the Light Disaster to counteract the Cold Disaster¡¯s incursion, following his precise senses, he quickly arrived at the right side of Black Wind Camp, the site that previously belonged to White Stone Village. The Black Disaster shadows here had clearly been cleaned up. Now, on the outskirts, a large strengthened plastic shed had been built. Inside the shed, a small oxygen electrolysis tower was installed, looking like a white candy gourd, about seven or eight meters tall, planted in the center of the village. Yu Hong walked to the entrance of the plastic bottle, where a Hope City soldier opened the isolation door for him. First, enter the isolation door, then a machine scan, disinfection, then open the main entrance door. As soon as he entered, a clear sound of reading books came from the houses originally in the village. These houses had previously collapsed and shattered, now all could be seen repaired. Yu Hong was tall and robust, but he didn¡¯t stand out among the Hope City soldiers anymore. Because the Hope City soldiers who had practiced Guanwu Skill and Spirit Light Secret Skill, everyone was very large-sized, averaging over two meters. Furthermore, due to constantly fighting on the edge of danger, each person carried a strong aura of iron and blood. Yu Hong walked slowly and discovered the place had been completely transformed into a school for children. He accurately walked towards the rear center of the village, coming to a slightly larger open space. Finally, he saw Lin Yiyi, who was standing in front of more than a dozen children, teaching a lesson. Her hair pulled back into a simple ponytail, a few strands scattered down from her cheeks, dressed plainly in a light blue T-shirt and brown long pants. Her waist and back were still a bit hunched, but much better than before. Her pretty little face no longer carried various scars and pustules from before. Clearly, the Guanwu Skill and Spirit Light Secret Skill had a very good effect on healing her bodily injuries. Right now, she looked like an ordinary little girl with a bit of a hunchback. Her eyes were large, with some sweat droplets hanging on a perky nose, and lips were a vibrant pink representing new life, full of vitality. After treatment, her figure was more rounded at the chest, showing distinct beautiful curves. At a casual glance, she looked like a pure young girl of fifteen or sixteen. While teaching, Yiyi also immediately saw Yu Hong approaching, whispering to the guard soldiers. "Alright, let¡¯s take a break now, the teacher has a little something to do. Everyone, study and review the content we¡¯ve gone over previously on your own, I¡¯ll be back in ten minutes to quiz you." She put down her textbook fluently, tidied her temples¡¯ hair, and walked towards Yu Hong. "When did you get back?" Yiyi, standing at one and a half meters, looked up at Yu Hong. Her tone was relaxed and familiar, as if they were long-unseen good friends with no barriers. "I just came back, is your stutter gone?" Yu Hong reached out to tousle her hair, kindly speaking. "Yeah, I had a small operation on my throat, then attended quite a long class on psychological trauma. The doctor recommended I teach more classes to the children, which helps with the recovery, so here I am." "It looks like your brain¡¯s healed too." Yu Hong¡¯s face showed a smile that was sincerely heartfelt. "It¡¯s better, the Spirit Light Secret Skill has been a big help in my recovery." Yiyi¡¯s face revealed a radiant smile. "What¡¯s 15 times 4 plus 17?" Yu Hong asked. "..." The smile on Yiyi¡¯s face gradually faded. She bowed her head, unconsciously fiddling with her fingers as she began to calculate. A minute went by. She still hadn¡¯t figured it out. Three minutes passed. Sweat began to form on her forehead. "Forget it, stop calculating, tell me, what have you been teaching the children?" Yu Hong maintained a smile as he tousled Yiyi¡¯s hair again. Upon hearing that she didn¡¯t need to calculate, Yiyi immediately heaved a sigh of relief and looked up with a sweet smile. "I¡¯ve been teaching syllable enlightenment." Pinyin... Yu Hong nodded, seeing her like this, he figured she could only teach this... "Don¡¯t underestimate me!" Yiyi, with her keen senses, immediately frowned. "I am also a PE teacher!" "Not bad, not bad." Yu Hong nodded, this was more suitable. "What are you planning to do when everyone has moved away?" he continued to ask. Yiyi¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, obviously, she had considered this question a long time ago. "I¡¯ll stay here by myself. It¡¯s okay, just come and visit me when you have time. There are so many houses, so many things, all for me to use, I will definitely be very happy." She revealed a sincere smile. Yu Hong did not respond immediately. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yiyi¡¯s situation was different from the others. She herself was part of the key to close the Gate of Despair of this world. Specifically, she was actually a container for the monster called Black Disaster. One was Leiya, and the other was her. The two of them combined were the complete Black Disaster key. So, she couldn¡¯t go to the New World because she, the last bit of Black Disaster of this world, had not been completely shut down. Since the final Gate of Despair could not be shut, it could only be sealed. Only together with Leiya, merging back into the original form of the Black Disaster key and then pushed back through the first Gate of Despair would Black Disaster completely leave this place, leave this world. But this matter, neither Yu Hong nor Leiya¡¯s relatives and friends would allow. So things could only be dragged on. "What about Leiya?" Yu Hong asked. "She left a long time ago... She went alone to explore the source of the Cold Disaster, and now there has been no news for over a month," Yiyi answered. "..." Yu Hong fell silent, looking at Yiyi¡¯s innocent and pure big eyes. "Come with me on the ship. I plan to explore the depths of the Source Disaster, I need people to help, but now there aren¡¯t many people I can trust, just you..." "On the ship? But I am a monster, aren¡¯t you afraid I might eat you in the middle of the night?" Yiyi asked in surprise. Yu Hong was at a loss for words, he could see that Yiyi was serious, she seemed to be teetering between silly and not silly, so her statement just now might really be what she believed. "It¡¯s okay... I trust you." He said with a smile. "That¡¯s also true, I feel that you also have many elements of Light Disaster on you, you are also about to become a monster..." Yiyi suddenly sighed. Yu Hong didn¡¯t say much more, just letting Yiyi think about inviting Leiya to come aboard as well. Both of them had similar fates, and boarding the ship with him was perhaps the most appropriate way out. Because according to this trend, this world was destined to be completely eradicated by the Cold Disaster. After chatting for a while, Yu Hong confirmed Yiyi¡¯s current situation. Her outward appearance was all normal now, and her speech was also clear. But her inner thinking, her logic, still couldn¡¯t match that of normal people. Anything slightly complex immediately caused her to freeze. On the surface, she seemed like she was fifteen or sixteen years old, but actually, her level of intelligence might only be that of a seven or eight-year-old. Or even lower, after all, in this era, many seven or eight-year-old children were also very precocious. In the following days, Yu Hong drove the ship to Hope City. And the official large-scale migration began. Over the following several days, the enhanced Black Ship, renamed as Black Light by Yu Hong, successfully completed the task of transporting all residents of Hope City. And Yu Hong officially took Yiyi, Zhang Kajing, Ku Chan, and started the journey of exploring the world of the Taoist Sect. A massive amount of supplies were moved onto the Black Light, enough for several people to last for more than a decade with all sorts of canned food, drinking water, clothing, everything needed. Yu Hong handed all affairs to Master Yu Hen, with the Black Light Army assisting, and Qing Huang stayed to stabilize the situation, all was settled well after. The Black Light, slowly departed the New World, began preparations to explore the depths of the Black Disaster. * * * Black Wind Base. The Array had completely retracted. Covering the surface of the secure housing. It was like layers of nets flashing with bright white light. Yu Hong, Ku Chan, Zhang Kajing, and Yiyi, the four stood at the door. Gazing at the thermal greenhouse space outside that was about to shut down. "This is the last place, all supplies have been moved over," Yu Hong sighed, "Honestly, giving up everything here, really, feels a bit strange." The Black Light now belonged to the secure housing, the secure housing from now on might permanently close all entrances and exits here. Going in and out in the future would mainly be through the Black Light. "Is there anyone else here?" Ku Chan asked, his expression calm. "I don¡¯t know. I only know we are not here anymore, maybe there are other Hope Cities, but that¡¯s not my responsibility anymore," Yu Hong shook his head. Chapter 439: Exploration 437 Three "Essentially, I¡¯m no saint;saving those beside me when convenient is the limit of my abilities," Yu Hong murmured softly. Turning his head, he looked back at the three people behind him. Ku Chan wore an indifferent expression, clearly uninterested in these matters. Zhang Kajing¡¯s countenance was calm, her eyes a cool abyss, inscrutable in their depth. Yiyi, too, maintained a tranquil facade, yet her gaze brimmed with a clear bewilderment. She and Zhang Kaijun both projected an aura of innocence, shared the same ponytail hairstyle, and both had long black hair. But at this moment, the two presented a stark visual contrast;one mature, the other naive, one sharp, the other natural. Yu Hong felt a silent sigh within his heart, yet regardless, Yiyi remained the person he trusted the most. After all, he was certain of one thing: if he ever found himself in dire straits, the one who would unquestionably come to his aid without a moment¡¯s hesitation was certainly Yiyi. So as long as that assurance existed, anything else could be overlooked. "Let¡¯s go," he turned and entered the sanctuary house. The other three followed him into the sanctuary house. Inside the camp, the Dragon Lizard Nest had been completely transferred onto the Black Light. The Light Disaster Ultimate Gate continued to emit radiation and various monsters unabated. Click. The sanctuary house¡¯s door closed behind Zhang Kajing, the last to enter, and locked firmly. At the observation window, Yu Hong¡¯s face briefly flitted by. And was obscured by a curtain drawn over it. Peace reigned supreme. After a few breaths, the sanctuary house cave trembled suddenly, and the area where the observation window had been turned to stone. Following that, the original sanctuary house door on this section of the mountain wall began to blur, fade, and then seamlessly merged with the surrounding rock wall, disappearing entirely. From a distance, it appeared nothing more than an ordinary rock wall, devoid of any trace of a door. *** *** *** Within the sanctuary house. After Yu Hong mentally commanded the move, a subtle vibration commenced around them. After ten or so seconds, The sanctuary house fully merged with the Black Ship, the Black Light. Long ago, he had enhanced the sanctuary house¡¯s mobility, though it was seldom used. This time, he directed the sanctuary house to move towards the Black Light, engulfed in the black fog. The attempt was a success. Yu Hong watched with wide eyes as the landscape outside the door¡¯s observation window shifted from a blank expanse of snow to the broad, hard, black deck of the Black Light. He looked back at the three companions, who seemed to have noticed something amiss, and he smiled. "Are you ready?" The three, puzzled, watched as Yu Hong walked forward and pushed open the door of the sanctuary house that had just been sealed. Click. Outside the door was no longer the ice and snow nor the shimmering blue light of the Ultimate Gate, but the broad and tidy black deck of the Black Light. "This¡ª!?" Ku Chan¡¯s eyes widened, he stepped out onto the deck and looked back. He found himself standing on the twentieth level of the Black Light¡¯s deck, which was easily recognizable as the main deck. Besides the layers of the ship itself, this level housed the various major areas of the ship. Including the Main Control Room, passages to the stern and bow, and the exits for disembarking¡ªall could be found here. This level was also the most expansive of all the decks. They had already browsed through it earlier during their arrival. "The whole camp... has been moved onto the ship?" Ku Chan asked Yu Hong in astonishment. "To be precise, the camp and the Black Light were always one and the same;now, we¡¯re finally seeing its fully integrated form," Yu Hong replied with a smile. "A fine treasure!" Ku Chan exclaimed. "No wonder you referred to it as the Savior Ship when you introduced it to us..." "This is also a reward from my exploration of the Source Disaster. Consider it the legacy left by the forces devastated by the Source Disaster," Yu Hong said. "..." The word ¡¯legacy¡¯ struck Ku Chan into silence. "This place is so big..." Unlike him, this was Yiyi¡¯s first time aboard the Black Light. At that moment, she was looking around, visibly shocked, wandering about the deck, touching everything curiously. "This will be your home from now on," said Yu Hong. Yiyi¡¯s situation was special due to her identity issues;she couldn¡¯t truly go to any other world. Better then to become his first permanent crew member. "Really?" Yiyi turned around, her face a blend of shock and delight. "Of course," Yu Hong nodded with a smile. "There¡¯s lots to play with, lots of places to rest. You can choose any place you like on this level. Below us is the entertainment area, and above there¡¯s a sports area and swimming pool, gaming consoles, and an audio-visual zone, all in the entertainment area." "Where do I go for cultivation?" Ku Chan was already familiar with the place and disinterested in such pleasures. "It¡¯s on this level, towards the stern. You can use any room marked with a sign," said Yu Hong. "If you need me, I¡¯ll be cultivating. I haven¡¯t finished the Elixir I was refining," declared Ku Chan as he turned to leave. Watching his departing figure, Yu Hong understood that the man probably saw the Black Disaster Spirit Disaster as an object of vengeance, now throwing himself into it wholeheartedly, uninterested in anything else. "I¡¯m off to the entertainment area. Call me for meals. Thanks," Zhang Kajing chimed in from the side. "Go ahead," Yu Hong said with a smile, "I¡¯ve stocked the entertainment area with every game console and thousands of different games available on the market, enough to keep you entertained for a very long time. You can dine in the catering area." Hearing these words, Zhang Kajing¡¯s steps accelerated from a walk to a run, quickly disappearing at the staircase leading upstairs. The remaining Yiyi ran to the side of the ship and looked out, clearly very curious about this place. Beyond the ship¡¯s railing surged the tumultuous black waters of the river. Countless gray-black monsters bobbed up and down in the river, visible one moment and hidden the next. Fog enveloped the entire surroundings of the Black Light, with visibility dropping to zero beyond twenty meters. Moo~~~ From deep within the distant fog, the eerie sounds of monstrous howls continued to echo. The vessel slowly made its way forward, as if navigating an endless river. "Is this... deep within the Black Disaster?" Yiyi¡¯s previously cheerful face suddenly became somber. The world of Hope City had been peaceful for a while, leading her to let her guard down somewhat. But now, seeing the familiar threatening black fog and the countless shadows of monsters in the river, the memories of past events naturally rose up from the depths of her heart. Yiyi¡¯s expression increasingly became serious and tense, as she evidently entered a state of readiness. "Yes. Our objective is to explore the secrets deep within the Source Disaster, to determine what it actually is, how many powerful monsters and enemies lie within, and to anticipate the multitude of difficulties that may arise. Also, I plan to rescue a senior who was once taken away for helping everyone fight against the Source Disaster," said Yu Hong. "I understand, a rescue mission? I¡¯ll help you!" Yiyi nodded. "I¡¯m sorry." Yu Hong walked over to her, gently ruffling her hair. "If it weren¡¯t for me, you wouldn¡¯t have to face these things again." "I can¡¯t escape it," Yiyi shook her head, "I¡¯ve figured out everything about my mother, no matter where I go, I can no longer live with normal people..." "..." Yu Hong fell silent. With Yiyi¡¯s identity, aside from letting her stay alone in the near-extinct world of Hope City, even if she could be brought to the New World, she would only become a node connecting the world to the Black Disaster. After all, she was essentially one half of a Black Disaster Monster. "Don¡¯t worry, this life isn¡¯t too bad," Yiyi said, noticing Yu Hong¡¯s silence. She smiled and gently hugged his arm, resting her face against his hand. "We¡¯re good friends, right?" "..." Yu Hong was taken aback, feeling the soft pressure on his hand and seeing the sincerity and peace in Yiyi¡¯s eyes. "Yes...." He smiled as well. After making the arrangements, Yiyi went to rest in a bedroom aboard the ship. Yu Hong returned alone to the safe house. Now, the safe house had merged with the Main Control Room of the ship. The door to the Main Control Room was located on one of the walls within the safe house. He entered the Main Control Room and looked forward through the circular glass windows. The bow of the ship cut through the waves and the layers of black fog, heading towards an unknown destination. ¡¯I hope we can find it this time.¡¯ He closed his eyes and quickly located the orbs containing the Black Mark in his mind;the largest of these, a dark purple sphere, represented the current Black Light. After enhancement, it had transformed into this state. Controlling the Black Light was simple;Yu Hong just needed to imagine touching the orb and then order it to move to the locations marked by his presence. This mark was primarily his Black Mark accessory. For example, his often-used Dragon Lizards. His senses expanded. Following his spiritual connection, Yu Hong quickly simulated a virtual map in his mind. Within a black ocean. Far to the left of the Black Light shone a white light point, the recently stabilized New World, where many Black Light soldiers served as marks. Clustered together, they were quite distinct. Since the Spirit Light Secret Skill was also a product of the Black Mark enhancement, it could also serve as a marker. Far behind, another slightly smaller white light point was the world of Hope City, where the Light Disaster Ultimate Gate, summoned by Yu Hong himself through his Cultivation Technique¡ªalso enhanced by the Black Mark¡ªserved as a marker too. On the far right, there was a mark of a Dragon Lizard, which was from the recently visited Prison Island. ¡¯Quan He has the Spirit Light Secret Skill that I left with her, being one of the most powerful bearers of it;if we get close enough, I should be able to sense something... Since the Spirit Light hasn¡¯t been reclaimed and there¡¯s no sign of sensing it, the most likely scenario is that she¡¯s been captured and hidden away by some forces on the side of the Spirit Disaster...¡¯ Standing in the Main Control Room, Yu Hong pondered how to find Quan He. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡¯Never mind, I¡¯ll take another trip to the Taoist Sect world and see if I can find an entrance.¡¯ During his last search, the entrance to the Taoist Sect world had disappeared. Although he hadn¡¯t found it, he remembered the approximate location. All he needed to do was to find the direction where the Spirit Disaster¡¯s essence was strongest in the Black River. For now, Yu Hong did not immediately set off, but closed his eyes to sense the current state of the Black Light. The entire structure of the ship quickly became clear in his perception. With his current intensity of spiritual power, amplified by the Spirit Light to tens of millions, scanning and sensing the Black Light was effortless. Adding the Black Mark¡¯s control function, the entirety of the Black Light was under his command, as if observing the lines in his palm. Extending his hand, he projected a strand of dark red Inner Strength. The Inner Strength formed a thread, weaving a glowing model of the combined Black Light and safe house right before his eyes. ¡¯Before departure, let¡¯s set up the security alert system.¡¯ With a thought, storage compartments at the bottom layer of the ship¡¯s interior, each containing Dragon Lizards, slowly opened from the inside out. Hiss... Groups of black Dragon Lizards swarmed out of the storages, densely spread along corridors towards various parts of the Black Light. ¡¯Current Dragon Lizard count: 6721.¡¯ Chapter 440: Exploration 438 Four Yu Hong sensed the approximate number of remaining dragon lizards after many had been stationed in the New World. Considering no new ones had been created recently and the losses incurred during previous battles, the current number was fairly decent. "Dragon lizards¡¯ strength is starting to lag behind... they will need to be enhanced later. For now, they¡¯re temporarily empowered by Spirit Light, which makes them barely usable." Yu Hong kept this matter in mind. Next, the Arrays. He eyed the ship model suspended in midair. "The Black Light itself comes with a basic defensive Array, which offers concealment and weak protection. Its strength isn¡¯t high and it will likely be breached by War Level monsters... I must set up a stronger Array for protection myself." He had tried directly empowering the Array with Spirit Light, but to no avail;the boost from Spirit Light only lasted a very short time, because it wasn¡¯t a living being. In the future, deploying a living being to set up the Array could circumvent this shortcoming. Now, his mastery of Arrays was decent. Although definitely not comparable to the experts from the Taoist Sect world, who had immersed themselves for many years, he was capable of quickly setting up and slightly modifying an Array when given one. Yu Hong made a calculation. "The Arrays I currently master primarily consist of Special Attack Formations from the Taoist Sect world, focused on spiritual power suppression. They¡¯re a bit too ethereal against physical monsters." He turned his attention back to the Wind and Fire Slaughter Spirit Array¡¤Revised, which they enhanced at base. This Array was no longer the original version of the Wind and Fire Slaughter Spirit Array;its strength had been significantly improved. "Combining this Array with those from the Taoist Sect world could set up a layered defense¡ªone against physical entities and one against spirits. However, the strength of the Wind and Fire Slaughter Spirit Array is still weak;it needs to be augmented." This Array could only counter Black Disaster Monsters below Level Nine;anything higher would be too much. As Yu Hong pondered on how to enhance and modify it, he ordered the dragon lizards to start patrolling the Black Light at set points and times. These dragon lizards primarily fed on Red Value Radiation;in times of need, they could directly consume Black Disaster Monsters as their main diet, making them very easy to maintain. Soon, using the materials transported from the New World, Yu Hong set up Array Talismans throughout the Black Light, combining the Wind and Fire Slaughter Spirit Array with a Ziwei Chaotic Star Array selected from the Taoist Sect world. He managed to raise the defense system to a higher level. Transforming the previous basic physical defense system into an overlapping defense system that could strike both spiritually and physically. Hum. As the Black Light navigated through, it quivered throughout its hull, and a faint dark red trace silently flashed across its surface. Following that, various faint red, strange patterns began to appear all over the hull, along with symbols representing the magic of the Taoist Sect system. Standing in the Main Control Room, Yu Hong observed the ship¡¯s body and nodded slightly. "The new Hybrid Array shall be called the Black Light Array. It just needs Inner Strength infusion every thirty days. As long as the Array remains intact, no monster can board and attack. Not bad." He slightly adjusted the ship¡¯s body, reducing the pseudo-camouflage aura effect of the Black Light Array somewhat. This was a feature that came with the ship before the base defense was integrated and worked well. Once weakened, the presence of various Black Disaster Monsters in the surrounding Black River, far stronger than the previous small fish and shrimps, quickly awakened. They sensed the entry of the Black Light. Swoosh! Instantly, the first powerful monster burst forth from the water. Yu Hong took a closer look;it was a towering black giant insect, over five meters tall, reminiscent of a tick¡ªhis old friend, the elephant worm. Moo! The elephant worm roared as it slammed into the side of the Black Light. Boom. Instantly, a layer of dark red halo radiated from the surface of the ship, where red circuit-like patterns spread out as if to distribute the force of the impact evenly. The halo quickly faded, rendering the impact utterly ineffective. The elephant worm returned defeated, plunging back into the Black River. But its attack was just a signal, and the next moment. Pupupupu!! Countless elephant worms emerged, breaking the water surface, accompanied by pale, long-dress-clad figures with black hair appearing out of thin air and flying towards the Black Light, attempting to board. "Shunpo?" Yu Hong squinted, recognizing these advanced-level Evil Shadows. Shunpo swarmed in, and at a glance, there were at least a hundred of them. They crashed against the dark red semi-transparent Array shield on the ship¡¯s body and were harshly repelled, leaving behind transient red circuit-like halos. The thudding of the impacts drew Ku Chan and two others out from indoors to the deck, peering out. Countless monsters slamming against the dark red, semi-transparent Array shield was like looking at a large school of fish bumping against the glass of an aquarium. The overwhelming sense of pressure inadvertently made Ku Chan grip the hilt of his Chi Xiao Sword tightly. Zhang Kajing, with a calm expression, watched intently, still holding a game controller in her hand. Yiyi bit her lip, her body tensed, worry evident in her eyes. Splash. Suddenly, in the Black River outside, there was a sound of a large amount of water being churned. On the river¡¯s surface, massive heads, each about thirty meters in diameter, slowly emerged from the water. These heads, without bodies, slowly broke away from the water and floated upward, their skin pale and rotting, with thin black maggots crawling in and out of their eyes, nostrils, and mouths. The massive heads blocked the Black Light¡¯s path on the river. They tightly packed the river¡¯s surface, perfectly colliding head-on with the even larger hull of the ship. Boom boom boom!! Amidst the continuing collisions, The Black Light¡¯s Array began to violently shake, with dark red glow patterns being constantly triggered. Yu Hong stood in the Main Control Room, his expression slightly furrowed. "This intensity..." He noticed that after the appearance of those giant heads, all the preceding Black Disasters, including the swift beings, had retreated on their own. Clearly, these massive heads were even more formidable monsters. ¡¯How to assess the specific level of the monsters outside?¡¯ He pondered briefly, then suddenly raised his right hand. A black giant lizard more than thirty meters in length materialized outside the hull of the Black Light. It was Agrius. ¡¯Go, kill one of the giant heads,¡¯ Yu Hong ordered mentally. Agrius, devoid of intelligence, directly lunged at the nearest giant head. Boom. It collided head-on with the giant head, which was unaffected, while it rebounded and almost tumbled into the river. The two were similar in length, but the difference in size made it clear they were not on the same level. Instantly, golden electricity flared all over Agrius, and it pounced again, clawing and biting, struggling fiercely with the pale giant head. After watching for a few seconds, Yu Hong roughly grasped the level of the giant heads. ¡¯War Level monsters?¡¯ That the Black Light had attracted so many War Level creatures was unexpected for him. Watching the Black Light¡¯s defensive array on the brink of collapse, Yu Hong roughly calculated the array¡¯s defensive limit and promptly activated the stealth function. At the same time, he recalled Agrius. But the giant heads outside had already set their sights on the large ship;even with the aura concealed, they showed no signs of retreating and instead swarmed toward the ship in dense clusters. Judging by their numbers, which filled half the river¡¯s airspace, there were at least a hundred. "May I take action?" Ku Chan¡¯s voice transmission came all of a sudden. "You may. This array allows for actions from inside to outside without interference," Yu Hong replied via voice transmission. "Understood." Ku Chan¡¯s voice lowered. The next second. A surge of dark red fire shot up from the ship into the sky. Accompanied by the cry of a giant bird, the firelight condensed into a hundred-meter-long flame phoenix, which broke through the array and lunged at the giant heads outside. Upon contact, the giant heads melted rapidly like candles under a flame. ¡¯This guy¡¯s strength has increased again...¡¯ Yu Hong thought to himself. It was worth it for him to have specially developed the Red Food Method to delay the onset of side effects. His progress was almost catching up to his own. He, after all, had the trait of Continuous Tao Breath Circulation, allowing for twenty-four-hour cultivation, a prodigious talent. And the Tai Ling Skill he was practicing was something he himself was eager to advance in. Yu Hong watched the dark red phoenix circle the ship, effortlessly burning all the giant heads, then it returned to Ku Chan, dissipated into flames, and merged back into his body. Then Yu Hong saw Ku Chan take out a white pill from the pocket of his Daoist robe, examined it, then stuffed it into his mouth like a jelly bean, and turned to leave. Speechless, Yu Hong continued to steer the Black Light towards the general direction of the Taoist Sect¡¯s original location. Although the Black River¡¯s course was blurry and shrouded in fog, by using the reference points from Prison Island, the Hope City World, and the New World, he had long determined the region where the Taoist Sect world was. Soon after the giant heads disappeared, the Black Light activated its stealth aura, and thereafter it encountered no other troublesome Black Disaster Monsters. The ship pressed on. The massive turbines below the vessel, irresistible, dragged any approaching monsters into their maw, ground them into mincemeat, then expelled them from the stern, serving as propulsion. Over half an hour later. The Black Light finally began to slow down. Yu Hong stood in the Main Control Room, carefully observing through the windows. Simultaneously, he began sensing the locations of spiritual auras in the surrounding region with all his might. This time, he didn¡¯t intend to return but planned to stay aboard the Black Light, prepared for a lengthy period, searching the nearby area. After all, his Inner Strength was virtually inexhaustible thanks to the Light Disaster;he could recharge the Black Light at any time. There was also an ample supply of resources on board. This time, he decided to spend some time looking for Quan He, and if truly unfindable, he would directly search for the Spirit Disaster. The latter was much easier to find since Ku Chan¡¯s Chi Xiao Sword was still a top-tier Dao Artifact capable of connecting with the Spirit Disaster Heavenly Court. If all else failed, he would have to attempt to communicate with Heaven. However, this would also give away his own location to Heaven. And so, time trickled by. Yu Hong and the three of them continued circling in this river region. One day. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Two days. Three days. By the fifth day... While Yu Hong was using the enhanced Moist Wood Liquid in the Main Control Room to aid his training, suddenly, a faint trace of spiritual light flashed across his perception. It was like a lamp suddenly turning on in the darkness but extinguished quickly. Although it was fleeting, Yu Hong recognized it immediately¡ªit was Quan He¡¯s spiritual aura response! Chapter 441: Lost 1 "I¡¯ve found it!" Yu Hong¡¯s face brightened, this flicker was not just about finding something simple, but more importantly, it was proof that Quan He wasn¡¯t dead! Although she was taken away by the Spirit Disaster, she was still alive until now! At this moment. Yu Hong¡¯s expression suddenly changed. He bowed his head, rolling up his left sleeve. On his forearm, there was a strange, pale tulip-like pattern. That pattern was slowly releasing a familiar Red Value aura. "This aura... it¡¯s that Marissa!" He had just clashed with the old crone, and he had a deep impression of her aura. "Finally found, huh..." Yu Hong¡¯s expression calmed down. He had suspected that the old guy had marked him. It seemed he was right. "Just right..." Probably sensing the recent location of the Spirit Light. Yu Hong stood up and pushed the door open. "I need to handle some things, Ku Chan, act accordingly on the ship. Wait for my notice." He communicated telepathically. "Okay." Ku Chan¡¯s figure flashed, appearing on the deck. He glanced at the figure of Yu Hong, seeing him getting ready to step outside the Black Light array light screen, he immediately said. "How long should we wait for you?" "I won¡¯t be back, and you won¡¯t be able to control the ship. At least an hour," Yu Hong said. The latter words were unnecessary;Ku Chan understood. "Can you transfer some control authority?" he asked. "You just need to enter the Main Control Room to simply control the ship. But the Array and other systems, you can¡¯t handle them," Yu Hong explained. He had already reached the edge of the railing, in front of that transparent light screen. His figure flashed, jumping forward. Puff. Like rushing through a layer of cold water screen, Yu Hong immediately felt a dense, viscous-like Red Value Radiation hitting him head-on. Red Value Radiation was like standing in front of a burning stove, that continually spreading heat-like feeling of corrosion, stinging his skin and spontaneously stirring Inner Strength of the Tai Ling Skill to resist the high concentration of Red Value contamination. Yu Hong¡¯s Inner Strength surged, his foot lightly tapped. Puff! A burst of red Inner Strength like a fountain, ejected from beneath his feet. Using the recoil, he leaped again, lightly jumping high, heading in the direction of the mark on his left arm. Splash! Below his feet was the surging Black River, surrounded by spreading black fog. The halo of the Black Light was quickly left behind, soon disappearing into the black fog. In this entire darkness, it seemed like he was the only one. Yu Hong didn¡¯t even encounter a single Black Disaster Monster again. His expression unchanged, he reconfirmed the sensory position of the Black Light in his mind and continued to emit bursts of red Inner Strength, then leveraging it to leap forward. Soon, after more than a minute. Ahead on the surface of the river, the mist slowly dispersed, revealing a dark small island only about ten meters in length and width. On this small island, an old crone dressed in a dark purple sequined robe, with neatly combed white hair, and holding a black metal cane, stood quietly on the island, smiling and watching this way. This person was Marissa, whom he had encountered before. "I said... you can¡¯t escape," Marissa¡¯s pale face watched Yu Hong, speaking softly. "Do you think I am fleeing?" Yu Hong continuously ejected Inner Strength from beneath his feet, hovering mid-air. "Here, without environmental suppression, I can completely unleash my power..." Marissa raised her cane, and in her hands, the black cane with a crisp snap suddenly sprang open, extending, turning into a slender black sword. "So, you think that was my full strength last time?" Yu Hong from high above, narrowed his eyes. Buzz! Suddenly, a huge blue disc lit up behind him, the Ultimate Sun Illusion slowly rotating behind his body. * * * Black Light. Ku Chan sat cross-legged on the deck, quietly consuming the Elixir. A group of Dragon Lizards crawled past him, emitting sounds like a snake. He opened his eyes, observing these suddenly appearing strange creatures. "Don¡¯t you find it strange?" Zhang Kajing¡¯s voice sounded behind him. "Yu Hong is a very strange person, where exactly did he get these monster soldiers from? And this ship." She slowly walked to Ku Chan¡¯s side, softly said. "I¡¯ve heard the people from New World chatting, they didn¡¯t help Yu Hong build this ship. It¡¯s the same with Hope City, with such a large volume, if there was any modification or transportation, no matter what, someone would have noticed. But..." "So what?" Ku Chan interrupted her. "This is not your concern." Zhang Kajing fell silent for a moment, then continued. "Have you ever thought, if he doesn¡¯t come back, what should we do? We can¡¯t control this ship, so... we can only wait to die here." "The Alliance Hierarch will surely have contingency plans," Ku Chan remained unmoved. "You really trust him," Zhang Kajing raised an eyebrow. "But actually, if you think about it, does he really trust you? If he truly trusted you, why would he bring that fool along?" "Shut up!" Ku Chan said coldly. "It seems you..." Buzz!! The Chi Xiao Sword instantly appeared beside Zhang Kajing¡¯s neck, coming within a hair¡¯s breadth of wounding her. "You wouldn¡¯t dare kill me, he said he would take care of me." A hint of sarcasm appeared on Zhang Kajing¡¯s face. "Hehe..." Bang! Ku Chan struck Zhang Kajing¡¯s left cheek with a backhand slap. The immense force of the slap violently twisted her head to the side, causing blood to seep from her mouth and nostrils. Her head buzzed, and even though her body was enhanced, it couldn¡¯t withstand a slap of Ku Chan¡¯s caliber. "To place all your bets on a person who is so guarded against us, do you really think that¡¯s wise?" Zhang Kajing endured the pain and continued to smile faintly. "Say it again, and I¡¯ll cut off your tongue." Ku Chan said coldly. "Hehe..." Zhang Kajing didn¡¯t dare say more, and could only slowly retreat. Walking on the deck, she wiped the blood from her lips and caught sight of Lin Yiyi looking out over the railing. A peculiar light flashed in her eyes. "The most important person to Yu Hong, huh..." * * * Above the Black River. The blue light of the Ultimate Sun was like water poured into a hot pan, causing the surrounding river fog to roll and boil. Amid the clamorous noise. The blue of the Light Disaster and the black of the Black Disaster clashed and negated each other, forming a huge blue-black ring around Yu Hong. Hiss! In an instant, red inner strength flames ignited on his body, shooting upwards and engulfing him entirely, even his hair surged upward. Wild red flames, centered on him, distorted the surrounding light. Across from him. Marissa¡¯s body rapidly contorted, her back protruding outwards more and more until, with a ripping sound, a row of pale bone spurs erupted forth. Her entire body elongated, heightened, and transformed;her robe tore apart as countless black scales grew all over her body, and two additional pairs of green eyes sprouted on the sides of her face. In the blink of an eye, she transformed into a humanoid monster with black scaly armor and six eyes. Swoosh. She still gripped the Black Sword in her hand, holding it horizontally at her side, and with a slight tremble, it emitted a circle of invisible shockwaves. Her silver hair loosened and fell to her waist, flowing as smoothly and beautifully as silver satin. "You know, above despair, what is there?" Marissa said softly, her voice becoming sweet, young, and with a strange tenderness. "You could try telling me." Behind Yu Hong, a towering half-body giant formed, over ten meters tall. The giant, just like him, also raised its right hand, fingers pointing to the sky. Hiss! A blindingly bright blue light, mingling with his own dark red inner strength, condensed at the fingertip into a slender sword blade! The blade, wrapped in blue and red material, shot straight into the sky, a hundred meters long. Hiss!! In an instant, Yu Hong slashed downward. The sword blade in his hand also plummeted, severing everything before it. The black mist split into two, and the blade headed straight for Marissa on the rocky island below. Marissa quickly raised her sword to block. Clang!! With a loud sound, the Black River water beside her was split, revealing two deep, bottomless black ravines. Simultaneously, hundreds of meters of river surface behind her also revealed similar deep black ravines. Unknown numbers of Black Disaster Monsters in the river were completely annihilated by this sword strike. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Die!" Marissa repelled Yu Hong¡¯s sword light, stomped her foot, and the rocks beneath her shattered, her figure vanishing instantly. When she reappeared, she was behind Yu Hong, her sword slashing horizontally at his waist. The Black Sword cut through the blue light flames, breaking the giant behind him and was about to land on Yu Hong¡¯s waist. Just then, a massive fist from the side fiercely smashed onto her sword, emitting a burst of blue light. Bang!! Yu Hong, with the speed of lightning, spun and pummeled her with a flurry of blows. With Inner Strength infused, each of his punches that landed on her Black Sword carried a formidable decaying property. In just a few seconds, they unleashed a barrage of blue, red, and black sparks in mid-air. Marissa¡¯s Black Sword began to show signs of rust, but the next second, black mist swirled up, and a robed shadow materialized behind her. The shadow held the Black Sword and slashed forward horizontally. This strike was entirely different from the previous sword techniques. Yu Hong, before even approaching, felt a chilling horror and swiftly retreated to dodge the blade. Avoiding the blade, he moved forward again, his hands covered in Spirit Light, and struck fiercely at the side of the Black Sword¡¯s blade. The Ultimate Sun Illusion flared again, countless blue flames surged forward, mingling with the Spirit Light. But in the next second. The robed shadow re-emerged beside Marissa, and the Black Sword flashed as it made a horizontal cut. The blade effortlessly dodged the strike, pierced through the Protective Body Flames, and rushed towards Yu Hong¡¯s face. This counterattack was incredibly strange, as if the speed had suddenly increased multiple times, extremely abrupt. Swish! Yu Hong hastily leaned back to dodge the blade, watching as it flashed over him. With a hiss, the Ultimate Sun Illusion behind him was also severed by the sword, blurring before condensing again. Subsequently, for several dozen moves, every ten strikes Marissa would slash out with the shadow¡¯s Black Sword, which could cleave nearly anything¡ªSpirit Light, Inner Strength, or any other substance¡ªinto two. It was only because Yu Hong¡¯s movement speed was amplified to an extremely high degree by the Spirit Light, with timely dodging, that he avoided injury from the first strike. Chapter 442: Lost 2 But merely dodging will only make oneself increasingly passive. Half a minute later, Yu Hong, slightly slow in evading, got slashed on his right arm. Blood spurted out, and he quickly covered the wound while retreating rapidly. But Marissa swung her sword blade, continuing to soar in pursuit, sticking closely to him. Both retreated 500 meters in just two seconds, leaving behind a trail of airflow indentations on the river surface. In their retreat, the Black Sword¡¯s blade once again neared Yu Hong, slashing straight across his chest. The sword blade slowly accelerated, drawing closer, and even closer, causing the skin on Yu Hong¡¯s left arm, which was blocking in front of him, to slightly tingle. At that moment, Yu Hong¡¯s eyes turned cold, his right eye patch suddenly fell off, revealing another ferocious eye full of black scales. The next instant, purple Array Patterns stacked upon each other in his eyes began to rotate, releasing purple light. ¡¯Chaotic God Heavenly Eye!¡¯ A purple light beam mixed with countless runes burst out from his eyes, hitting Marissa¡¯s face at the speed of light. Hiss!!! Under the enhancement of Inner Strength and Spirit Light, a purple spike emerged from the black fog and fiercely pressed against Marissa¡¯s face, crashing her from mid-air into the Black River. Amid the tumultuous sound of the enormous water current. The purple light slowly faded. Marissa completely sank into the river water, quiet after that. One second. Two seconds. Three seconds! Boom!! Suddenly, with Yu Hong as the center, the Black River waters all around splashed up, forcibly displaced. A giant black dragon covered in rotting pustules completely occupied the river channel, bursting out from the water, and snapped at Yu Hong. Roar!!! The black dragon had four wings on its back, its face sporting the same six green eyes as Marissa, and one of its front claws, similar to a human¡¯s, still gripping a long black sword. She burst out, her dragon¡¯s maw filled with serrated teeth, one of those numerous sharp teeth as large as Yu Hong at that moment. At the same time, rings of invisible Spiritual Fluctuations also automatically spread and oscillated from her dragon body. These fluctuations touched the surrounding Black Disaster Monsters, causing all the creatures to emit terrified shrieks and turn to flee outward. Some monsters too slow to escape only lasted two seconds before silently dissolving into black droplets, shooting out and blending from different directions into Marissa¡¯s body. The Spiritual Fluctuation spreading to Yu Hong made his body shiver, but the next moment, his inherent true nature spontaneously activated. Rays of white Array Patterns briefly appeared on his skin, greatly weakening the invasion of these terrifying Spiritual Fluctuations. True nature reduces psychic interference erosion up to forty percent, and crucially, it absorbs the surrounding fear and converts it into an enhancing force for Yu Hong. "It seems our compatibility isn¡¯t very good," Yu Hong¡¯s body swelled again due to the amplified force of fear. Quickly growing to five meters! His skin burst, splattering blood, but the next moment quickly healed automatically under the effect of the Spirit Light. ¡¯Chaotic God Heavenly Eye!¡¯ Once again, his right eye lit up with purple arrays, and between countless arrays, a beam of purple light burst out downward. This time¡¯s Chaotic God Heavenly Eye, not only enhanced by Inner Strength and Spirit Light, also contained the attribute-absorbed fear power. Marissa roared, lunging to bite fiercely at the purple light beam. However, the seemingly fragile purple light was incredibly tough at that moment, preventing her from closing her sharp teeth. The two remained deadlocked in mid-air. After several seconds. Bang!! Marissa gave up trying to break the purple light, shook her head, and forcefully swirled the purple light aside, shooting it toward the left river bank. The river bank shrouded in black fog was unknown, but struck by the purple light, it was penetrated, and slowly faded like a reflection on water, dispersing, reverting back to dense black fog. Yu Hong seized the opportunity to counterattack, his mind stirring, activating the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye¡¯s newly absorbed Deceleration Field. But the field had barely emitted when Marissa casually shook it off, directly scattering and severing it. Only the pure distortive power belonging to the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Scripture made her quite wary, unable to break it. Unfortunately, he consecutively tried various techniques, but aside from Chaotic God Heavenly Eye enhanced threefold by Inner Strength and Spirit Light attributes, the rest had little effect on Marissa. The power of the Ultimate Sun appeared weak for the first time, its own projection cuts off on the spot multiple times in a row. Clearly, the environment here might be suppressing it too much, hardly allowing much power to transmit. Time continued to elapse. The battle dragged on for hours, neither able to subdue the other. Marissa¡¯s Black Sword could indeed injure Yu Hong, but could not strike decisively. Yu Hong¡¯s Chaotic God Heavenly Eye could suppress Marissa, but could only force her back, unable to deliver a conclusive blow. As the fight went on, Yu Hong started to harbor thoughts of retreating. He could not keep wasting time here battling, as time for Black Disaster Monsters represented a completely different concept than for himself. But he was different... Hiss! The last beam of purple light shot out, repelling Marissa. Yu Hong finally stopped entangling and withdrew. "Thinking of running away!?" The giant four-winged six-eyed black dragon pursued closely, its mouth igniting turbulent black Dragon Flame, aiming from afar. "This is pointless," Yu Hong said coldly. "Pointless? You think I¡¯m wasting time here for no reason?? You think this is just some place!?" Marissa laughed. "!!?" Yu Hong¡¯s heart was shocked, and he instantly understood the other party¡¯s intention. There are accomplices! One Marissa was already a handful for him to handle, and if another one came... Just as he thought about the possibility, suddenly in the distant front of the sky, a slightly blue-colored four-winged, six-eyed black dragon dove down from mid-air, emitting a huge roar. Buzz! The surrounding air began to vibrate, even causing countless tiny particles of river water to jump and steam up a light mist. Yu Hong¡¯s eyelids twitched wildly, this four-winged, six-eyed black dragon of exactly the same form made him have some bad associations. Immediately, he rapidly retreated, his eyes bursting with purple light that transformed into spike-like beams, shooting straight at Marissa. "Thinking about running? Catch him, Ryan!" Marissa blocked the purple light with her sword and laughed loudly. "Eat him, and we can extend our recognition by at least a hundred years!" Roar!! The blue-black giant dragon roared again, and from a distance, it opened its mouth to spew a thick blue Dragon Flame. Hiss!! The Dragon Flame, as wide as tens of meters, looked like a massive column chasing after the retreating Yu Hong, continually moving forward. The dragon moved its mouth much faster than Yu Hong could retreat. In just a second, the Dragon Flame caught up to Yu Hong, engulfing him completely. This was exactly the gap after the release of the purple light from the right eye. In the booming sound, the blue pillar of Dragon Flame fell on the river surface, burning and steaming the water into a large amount of black mist, enveloping the surroundings. Amidst the hissing sound. At the core of the flame. Crack. A brittle cracking sound suddenly drifted out. "Sealing God Realm¡¤Pure Lotus Divine Fragrance!" A sharp female voice spread from the center of the fire pillar. The next instant, the center of the entire Dragon Flame rapidly extinguished as if something was swiftly absorbing the flames. Marissa and the other black dragon Ryan that followed felt a stabbing pain all over their bodies and hurriedly retreated. The next instant, the blue Dragon Flame in their view completely extinguished, replaced by a giant Golden Lotus spanning hundreds of meters in diameter, covering all the surrounding river channels. Every petal of the Golden Lotus was like a sharp blade, spinning at high speed and releasing blinding golden light, piercing through all the surrounding black mist. "Something¡¯s wrong!!" Suddenly realizing something, Marissa did not retreat but advanced, enduring the severe pain as she pounced towards the Golden Lotus, her side flickering with a shadow while the Black Sword slashed forward. Dragon Flash! Hiss! The blade landed right on the Golden Lotus, producing a sound of gold striking iron, unable to cut through. "Ryan! Help!" Soon the other giant dragon also pounced forward, attempting to bite through the Golden Lotus, but instead, its own mouth was cut and bled by the counter-spikes. By this time, Yu Hong was no longer in his original place. He had already quietly departed from behind the Golden Lotus, walking on water toward the Black Light. Looking at the broken square Jade Pendant in his hand, he sighed in his heart. This was originally given to him by Quan He as a life-saving Dao Artifact, and though he thought he would never have the chance to use it, After all, his strength was now so great that ordinary people could not fathom it. But he didn¡¯t expect that he would still need it... Putting away the fragments of the Jade Pendant, he raised his hand to examine the imprint on his arm, which had been completely washed away by the power of Quan He when the Golden Lotus appeared. ¡¯I thought I was nearing Quan He¡¯s strength, but it seems I¡¯m still much weaker than her. No wonder she is the strongest in the Taoist Sect world.¡¯ Feeling the Golden Lotus firmly blocking the two giant dragons¡¯ pursuit behind him, although it was slowly breaking apart, it looked it could still block for a few more minutes. For fighters of this level, being blocked for a few minutes was rather remarkable. He sprinted following the sensations in his mind. Before long, a giant ship slowly sailing through the black mist finally appeared ahead. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Swoosh. Yu Hong leaped up, plunging into the protective light of the ship. He just entered and took a long breath, feeling all the external aura and Red Value being blocked outside. The slight sense of crisis in his heart also quickly faded. But the next second, he thought of something. ¡¯The target of the Black Light is too big;it can¡¯t continue sailing here. Even with the Golden Lotus blocking, this distance is too close.¡¯ ¡¯We must find a way to hide!¡¯ Without any hesitation, he quickly went to the Main Control Room, steering the ship towards the direction where Quan He¡¯s Spirit Light had flashed before. But not long after. Bang. The Black Light crashed into the riverbank of Black River, unable to continue forward. Yu Hong and Ku Chan among others were startled by the impact and came out to look towards the riverbank. Outside the ship, a grayish-white riverbank stretched into the misty distance. It was impossible to see how deep or judge if this was an ordinary island. The grayish-white color of the riverbank surface, all made of broken white bricks, reflected the faint luminescence from the ship, showcasing its color. "You¡¯re injured!?" Ku Chan came out at this point and finally saw Yu Hong¡¯s state, clearly surprised. "Just a minor injury, in the Source Disaster, anything is possible," Yu Hong calmly replied. He put the eyepatch back on, covering his right eye. "The person I need to save may be deep here;Yiyi stays behind to look after the ship, Ku Chan, Zhang Kajing, are you coming with me?" He turned to look at the two. "I will go." Ku Chan did not hesitate, following Yu Hong was to enhance his strength as much as possible;staying on the ship without the Red Food Method to cultivate was pointless. "I am going too?" Zhang Kajing was the surprised one. "I promised your father to take care of you," Yu Hong replied. Chapter 443: Lost Way 3 "This is fucking called taking care...!" Zhang Kajing couldn¡¯t help but blurt out a curse at this moment, but mid-sentence, under Yu Hong¡¯s gaze, she recalled the pain of being beaten previously and instantly knew to shut her mouth. "Understood." If she kept blabbing, the scene from before might be replayed. Seeing her acquiescence, Yu Hong nodded and exchanged a glance with Ku Chan, beginning to communicate through whispered transmissions. Soon after finding out about Zhang Kajing¡¯s little movement from Ku Chan, Yu Hong pondered for a moment. "Find a chance to dump her later." "Leave her outside? Not kill her directly?" Ku Chan transmitted with surprise. "Don¡¯t be so impulsive, I promised her father to take care of her," Yu Hong frowned. "What if she finds her way back?" Ku Chan frowned as well. "This is Black Disaster Black River, who knows if the one who comes back will be her," Yu Hong said. He originally wanted to keep Zhang Kajing as a research subject, but now with Marissa¡¯s threat possibly closing in at any time, to reduce the burden and hidden danger, it was better to first try dumping Zhang Kajing out. If she survives, it means there must be something wrong with her, and then she can be cut down. If she doesn¡¯t survive, then when he returns, he¡¯ll just burn more incense for Old Zhang. He has done his best in taking care of her for so long. It¡¯d be a good resolution. As for seeking out Quan He, he had just tested his strength and found that he still fell short of Quan He. Even Quan He was taken away by that giant hand, with his current strength, he fears he¡¯d be killed instantly as well. He couldn¡¯t rush things. Yu Hong¡¯s initial thoughts had changed after establishing his power level, he decided to further strength his methods against the Spirit Disaster before taking any action. From the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye, the newly enhanced right eye ability in such a short period of time already surpassed the effects of the long-practised Tai Ling Skill in actual combat, this efficiency was indeed strong, also showing that his previous approach was indeed effective. Having established his plan, Yu Hong left the Main Control Room to see Zhang Kajing standing next to Yiyi, whispering something to her. "Let¡¯s go, we can set off." A twitch tugged at the corner of Zhang Kajing¡¯s mouth, not daring to say more, she could only follow Yu Hong and Ku Chan, climbing down the hanging wooden ladder cast off from the ship¡¯s side. Click. Yu Hong walked at the front, the first to step onto the greyish-white gravel road, his brows immediately furrowing slightly. The touch underfoot was extremely hard, the hardness of these stones was a bit beyond his expectations. He bent down, randomly picked up a small stone and squeezed it with his hand. Click. The stone remained intact. Instead, his own skin was squeezed into a deep imprint. Buzz. Spirit Light enhanced his palm, this time finally eliciting a muffled ¡¯put¡¯ sound. The stone was crushed on the spot, turning into stone powder. He looked sideways at Ku Chan, who was also conducting the same test, and was discarding the stone fragments from his hand. "Be careful, this place might not be simple," Yu Hong said gravely. "...My sword is trembling," Ku Chan transmitted. "Spirit Disaster Heavenly Court, huh..." Yu Hong nodded in understanding. The Chi Xiao Sword was still connected to the current Heaven, therefore, the sword¡¯s reaction signified that they had not found the wrong place;this area was indeed closer to the Spirit Disaster. The trio followed the greyish-white gravel road deeper towards the river bank. One hundred meters. Two hundred meters. The surrounding black fog gradually began to fade, replaced by strands of familiar grey fog. "There¡¯s someone! On the right, there¡¯s someone!" Suddenly Zhang Kajing called out in warning. Yu Hong and Ku Chan hadn¡¯t even noticed someone near them, they both startled and turned their heads to the right. They saw that from the fog on the right side of the road, an old grey carriage was slowly emerging. The horse in front of the carriage, with a dull gaze dragging the carriage, seemed like a corpse, utterly lifeless. At the side of the carriage¡¯s rear, a small girl in a grey dress with black hair was sitting at the open door. The girl had a bright red apple in hand, which contrasted starkly with everything around her. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The girl¡¯s eyes were empty, seemingly noticing them too, she showed Yu Hong and the others a sincere yet strange smile. Glug glug... The carriage¡¯s wheels slowly carried the girl into deeper fog, from beginning to end, the girl¡¯s gaze followed the trio, smiling, sitting by the door motionless. Until the carriage vanished into the fog, Ku Chan gradually relaxed his body. "That carriage... there were people sitting inside, they gave me a very strong sense of oppression," he transmitted. "This is Black River, inside Black Disaster, don¡¯t act recklessly before others make a move," Yu Hong gently spoke. The other two nodded and continued to keep up. Yu Hong led the way forward. After about another two hundred meters. On the left side of the road, a brown pavilion started to slowly appear within the grey fog. The pavilion had a yard in front. In the yard, two kids with ingot-shaped hairstyles, white and chubby, were quietly looking at Yu Hong and his companions through the open courtyard door. They wore smiles on their faces, stone-still, like sculptures, yet their eyeballs slowly followed them. Outside the courtyard, on the greyish-white open space, stood an elderly Taoist with white robes and white beard. The Taoist¡¯s eyes shone with silver light, carrying a brownish-red wooden sword on his back facing the pavilion, motionless. His attention seemed completely focused on the pavilion, oblivious to the appearance of Yu Hong and his companions. "The pavilion is being radiated by Black Disaster Red Value, and that Taoist is a Spirit Disaster," Ku Chan quickly transmitted. Yu Hong nodded without changing his expression and continued moving forward. Passing through the courtyard and attic, the Taoists and children all disappeared into the thick grey fog, vanishing from sight. Gradually, as they kept moving forward, more and more buildings emerged in the surrounding fog. Most of these buildings were various types of residential complexes, with their main doors wide open, revealing crowds of pale-skinned people with strange appearances either standing or sitting inside. And on the outskirts of these crowds were corresponding monsters emitting the spiritual fluctuations of the Spirit Disaster. Some of these monsters were Taoists, others were soldiers in silver or golden armor, but they were not Dragon-men, they were purely human soldiers. As the trio passed by, these individuals paid them no mind but instead concentrated on guarding the pale crowds inside the buildings. After moving forward for more than ten minutes. Finally, the grey fog ahead began to turn white. Within the thick white fog, a giant circular portal over thirty meters tall slowly came into view, floating right in front of them. The edges of the giant circular portal were decorated with vine, bead, ruyi, and various mythical creature patterns, and at its center was a white swirling halo of light. "Are we... going in?" Zhang Kajing whispered on the side. "Of course," Yu Hongdao replied, gazing at the white circular portal as he slowly approached. "This must be the entrance to the Spirit Disaster..." According to their previous position in the Dao Mai World, this should have been the entry to the Dao Mai World. But now... ¡¯Did the Dao Mai World get devoured?¡¯ Yu Hong speculated in his heart. He turned his head and looked at Zhang Kajing. "You go first." "..." Zhang Kajing¡¯s face froze, not daring to talk back, and could only move forward, step by step towards the circular portal. Then, she stepped into it. Hiss. The next second, she shattered into particles of white light and disappeared without a trace. Just as she entered. Yu Hong and Ku Chan simultaneously and tacitly flashed back, retreating rapidly. Covering a distance of over a hundred meters in the blink of an eye, the two quickly returned to the original landing spot of the Black Light. Without hesitation, they boarded the ship, started it, and left. * * * Elsewhere, deep within Black River. At the bottom of the thick, black river water, Marissa and Ryan stood apart, both with hands slightly open and mirroring each other¡¯s actions as if summoning something. Hum. Finally, at the riverbed, a black circular archway silently and slowly opened. The gate was positioned right between the two at the bottom of the river. Inside the gate. A creature resembling a humanoid withered tree in dark green color slowly walked out of the black gate, bent at the waist, tremblingly moving as if it might fall at any moment. It was draped in a thick black robe and trembled as it walked, seemingly ready to topple over at any moment. "Marissa... Ryan... Is it you, calling for Holy Tower..." "Erosion... is being obstructed..." Marissa replied with her head lowered, "We¡¯re unable to fulfill our duties as messengers..." "That is your affair... You should not have awakened me prematurely... This will only waste my cognition..." said the tree creature discontentedly. "Alone, our strength is not enough to complete the erosion;we need the power of the giant trees..." Ryan answered. "If we cannot fulfill the erosion task within the designated time, when the Mother Tree starts to spread seeds and devour worlds, unpredictable consequences might arise..." Marissa followed. "... How many tens of thousands of years... No one has resisted the Mother Tree, just as no one can cut off the spread of seed," the tree creature replied. "But there are now those who resist by introducing the Light Disaster." Marissa said, "I was repelled, and had Ryan not arrived in time, perhaps..." "Light? I understand..." The tree creature sighed, turned its head, and reached back into the gate, extending its hand, and gently pulled out a black seed. It spread the seed in its palm and then gently blew on it. Hoo... The black seed cracked open with a snap, and in its palm made of countless tree branches, it quickly took root, sprouted, and grew black tendrils and tender leaves. In less than ten seconds, a black dandelion, shimmering with silver light, grew in its palm. Whoosh! The tree creature blew again. The myriad of silver seeds from the dandelion scattered with the wind, spreading far into the distance in the river water. Those dispersed seeds floated like silver snow, drifting high and low, going further and further away. "Go..." it sighed softly, "My most beloved children... Go find the root of the obstruction to the erosion." A great number of dandelion seeds flew out of the river, rising into the fog-shrouded half-sky, and quickly took root and germinated on their own. The mist then caused them to swell and enlarge in the blink of an eye, transforming into brown plant creatures over five meters tall. These plants had thick roots that they used as legs, and branches for arms, flailing about. They moved and flew like humans, wandering throughout the black fog, searching. At the bottom of the river. The tree creature retracted its hand with satisfaction. "That will do, Marissa. Once you find the target you cannot resolve, I will deploy the giant wood troops to handle it. And as a price for waking me prematurely, I will claim half of your harvest." "Of course, my lord," Marissa said, bowing humbly. "May Holy Tower protect you." The tree creature nodded with satisfaction. Chapter 444: lost, Four On the Black Light. Yu Hong was turning the ship, accelerating away in another direction. "Where are we going now?" Ku Chan asked quietly by his side. "We need to find a place to hide for a while. That top-tier Black Disaster Monster we fought earlier has its sights set on us. We can¡¯t go back, we mustn¡¯t lead the danger there," Yu Hong replied. "But this is the Black River. The enemy knows this place better than we do. If we hide here, we can¡¯t possibly shake it off," said Ku Chan. "Do you think there¡¯s any way to stop them?" Yu Hong obviously knew this. "We find other Source Disaster entrances to enter, or locate a land of vitality to temporarily avoid and conceal our presence," Ku Chan offered, clearly having considered options beforehand. Yu Hong narrowed his eyes, about to respond, when suddenly, in his perception, in the Grey Mist behind them, faint distorted human figures emerged from obscurity. He didn¡¯t know what was behind them, but as those twisted figures drew closer, a strong sense of danger suddenly rose from the depths of his heart. "Something¡¯s behind us!" Ku Chan also sensed something. His expression grew more solemn. "It¡¯s okay," Yu Hong took a deep breath. "We¡¯re here!" Abruptly, he twisted the helm. Bang!! The entire Black Light took a sharp left turn, charging abruptly into a grey mist area on the left. Strangely, as the immense Black Light moved into the mist, it quickly vanished without a trace, all signs and presence dissipated. Behind them, the dandelion treants that were rapidly catching up all stopped mid-air, staring into the deep Grey Mist, and didn¡¯t advance any further. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In a short time, all the treants made way. A withered tree person draped in a black robe slowly floated out of the mist, Marissa and Ryan following behind him. The three of them looked at the Grey Mist together. Then they raised their heads and looked up at the sky above the mist. At the very top of the Grey Mist, passing through countless clouds, crossing infinite distances, a colossal Gold human face closed its eyes and spewed countless amounts of Grey Mist downwards. The face was motionless, completely occupying every part of the sky. "It¡¯s the Spirit Disaster¡¯s area..." the withered tree person said gravely. "Still chasing?" asked Ryan. "There¡¯s no time left. The second phase of the eternal night is about to arrive. If we don¡¯t hurry and prepare for the Ultimate Sun¡¯s arrival, this cycle¡¯s accumulation won¡¯t be enough," replied the withered tree person. "You don¡¯t want to be abandoned by the Holy Tower, becoming one of those indistinct beings outside, do you?" "It seems we can¡¯t completely ignore them. We lack the strength to hold them back," Marissa said. "I will let you have one of the huge trees," the withered tree person said. "Guarding here, as soon as they come out..." * * * In the Grey Mist. As soon as the Black Light entered, it began to rock slightly. Below, the black river water was gradually turning into a mercury-like silver color. The three huddled in the Main Control Room, staring at the endless Grey Mist ahead, all with heavy expressions. Plop, plop. The sound of water slapping against the ship¡¯s hull kept coming. With each slap, the defense Array on the Black Light¡¯s surface fiercely flickered. "We can¡¯t even withstand the turbulence of the river water in this place!" exclaimed Ku Chan urgently. "Haven¡¯t we found a safe spot yet!?" "Almost!" Sweat beads were now also appearing on Yu Hong¡¯s forehead. He was exerting all his Spirit Light Inner Strength into the ship¡¯s body, supplying the Black Light¡¯s defense system to ensure it didn¡¯t collapse. The Black Light Formation was fine for handling common levels of danger once activated, but in a situation that required full-force, all-around protection like this, the ship¡¯s self-contained energy would be depleted in just over a dozen minutes. "Look! What is that!?" Suddenly, Yiyi pointed at the starboard side of the bow and shouted. The two men hurriedly looked, only to see a white light in the mist slowly brightening from darkness, growing stronger. Very soon. After a dozen seconds. Boom!! A vast wave of white light came crashing over, engulfing everything in sight, completely swallowing the whole Black Light. All three of them screamed in alarm, feeling the surroundings shake violently, as if they were on a roller coaster, being violently thrown up and then slammed down. The great Black Light tossed about in the white light¡¯s surge, like a tiny toy, shaking, tossed up, and falling. Ang!! Suddenly a clear crane¡¯s cry rang out. Yu Hong struggled to maintain the ship¡¯s defenses, feeling dizzy and head throbbing. Suddenly, he saw a new silver halo in the middle of the white light wave rapidly expanding and approaching them. The halo was also wide enough to cover the entire field of vision, at least several thousand kilometers across. Quickly, the halo approached at high speed. Then it smashed harshly onto the Black Light. Boom!! With a loud noise, the Black Light was hit squarely by the wave, tossed and thrown into the air. The defenses of the Black Light Formation on the ship flashed wildly with crimson circuits, trying to stabilize the defense system. Still, some corners were forcefully struck, creating cracks and breaches. Many containers and goods in the storage rolled out, breaking their securing straps, scattering all over the place. Ang! The silver halo emitted a crane-like cry once again, sweeping quickly across the vessel and then receding into the distance. As it did so, the Black Light violently crashed down, landing back on the silvery surface of the river, throwing up a vast spray of silver water. "Huff..." Yu Hong let out a long sigh of relief and turned to look at Ku Chan and Yiyi. Even Ku Chan, usually so formidable, now had his whole body tensed up, a look of bewildered stupor on his face. Yiyi, in contrast, was simply dazed and took a seat on the floor, hugging a column tightly. "What was that thing just now?" Ku Chan slowly relaxed his tense nerves and asked in a low voice. "I don¡¯t know..." Yu Hong shook his head. The silver light surge just now was already far beyond his comprehension. If one were to say that Quan He¡¯s spiritual intensity could peak at eighty or ninety million, then the silver surge just now was like countless Quan He¡¯s loosely piled together and then, like building blocks, dumped towards the Black Light. It was just a simple dump, but the impact nearly caused the defensive Array of the Black Light to crumble. "Perhaps, it¡¯s some kind of natural disaster deep within the Spirit Disaster..." Yu Hong hadn¡¯t finished speaking when suddenly the mist ahead fiercely dissipated. The whole vessel broke free from the mist, as if it were diving in and out of a waterfall cliff. Below, the silver waters of the river also disappeared in the blink of an eye. The whole body of the Black Light shot out from the cliff, suspended in the air, floating lightly, completely absent of the turbulence from before. "Not good!!" Yu Hong felt something was wrong, his expanded senses detected the situation, and he immediately energized the Black Light Formation with all his might once again. At this moment, the view ahead of the bow suddenly cleared. What appeared before the three of them was an expansive, pristine white Cloud Sea. Above the Cloud Sea was an equally white sky full of clouds. The scenery was pure and beautiful. But in the clouds of this sky, there were gigantic brass hands stretching straight down from above, reaching into the Cloud Sea to grab something before retracting back. Seen from afar, the dense brass giant hands were like endlessly stretching and contracting Heavenly Pillars, appearing and then disappearing. And right now, one of these brass giant hands was opening its five fingers and reaching down towards the Black Light. Boom!!! The giant hand shot straight down, grabbing hold of the Black Light along with other miscellaneous dark objects, then retracting back towards the sky. The immense pressure compressed the Black Light Formation, the tremendous force far surpassing the Formation¡¯s load-bearing limit. It was like an ocean against an egg, not something that could be compared at the same level. Yu Hong¡¯s resistance under this mighty force essentially crumbled upon contact. Even the apparition of the Ultimate Sun could not sustain half a second before declaring dissolution. Bang! Suddenly, the Array cracked and collapsed, and many parts of the Black Light¡¯s newly reinforced body were brutally burst apart. Inside the Main Control Room, the three of them lost all balance, the world spinning around them, unable to tell up from down. Yu Hong initially poured all his strength into the Array, but once he realized it was unsustainable, he decisively withdrew his power, grabbed the dizzy Yiyi, and threw himself towards the door leading into the safety chamber within the Main Control Room. "Ku Chan! Get in!" he shouted telepathically. "Got it!" Ku Chan, barely maintaining a Passive Technique for protection, struggled towards the entrance of the safety chamber. The three quickly grabbed each other, opened the door, and rolled inside. Thud! With the safety chamber door slammed shut firmly locked behind them, the terrifying external compressive force was significantly weakened. "Huff... huff..." Yu Hong gasped for breath as he stood up. Although the safety chamber was still shaking, it lacked that terrifyingly oppressive force that permeated the air. The simple shaking was mere child¡¯s play to them. "I¡¯m injured!" Ku Chan leaned against a wall on the side, clutching tightly at his rib area. "What happened?" Yu Hong frowned, his Inner Strength on his feet to stabilize himself as he walked over. "I tried to thrust a sword outward, to fight against the trouble, but¡­" Ku Chan extended his right hand, and in his palm, all that was left was a dark red sword hilt. The entire blade of the Chi Xiao Sword had snapped off... "That hand out there, it seemed to have an absolutely solidifying control power, just one encounter and the Chi Xiao Sword..." Ku Chan clenched his teeth and said. Yu Hong lifted the robe in front of him to take a look, and there was a fragment of the blade¡¯s edge stuck in his ribs. Immediately, Yu Hong reached out and swiftly grabbed it, and pulled. Splat! Blood sprayed out, splattering across his face. Spirit Light quickly covered the wound, constricting blood vessels, tightening muscles, patching up the skin, and stopping the bleeding. "Rest and recover. It doesn¡¯t look like there is any other contamination," he whispered lowly. Ku Chan nodded. "That hand felt very similar to the one that caught Elder Quan He back then." "We¡¯ll investigate that later. Now..." he turned his head to look at Yiyi. Yiyi was unharmed, merely dizzy from the violent shaking, lying on the ground and not daring to move. He went over to examine her body, confirmed that Yiyi was not injured, then stood up and slowly moved to the observation window of the safety chamber amidst the shaking. Looking out the window. Most of the exterior of the Black Light had already vanished. Only less than one-third of the vessel remained, connected to the safety chamber, and was rapidly falling. The gray-white thin clouds continued to drift up through the cracks below with the airflow, like white ribbons. "We¡¯re falling! The Main Control Room seems to have broken off from the main body of the Black Light!" Yu Hong shouted loudly. "How are we going to get back!?" Ku Chan was a bit dazed. With the Savior Ship destroyed and them still falling deep in the Source Disaster, were they not doomed? "It¡¯s okay if I¡¯m here. Don¡¯t be afraid!" Yu Hong was initially flustered for a moment, but with the Black Mark on him and the safety chamber stocked with plenty of supplies, they could sustain for a long time, so he quickly steadied his emotions. Just then. The safety chamber, along with the remaining part of the vessel, finally crashed heavily into the Cloud Sea below. Boom!! The clouds dispersed, and the Cloud Sea, like a substantial ground, supported the safety chamber, completely smashing the last bit of the Black Light, turning it into fragments that scattered in all directions. From this moment on, the Savior Ship became a thing of the past, leaving only the numerous times reinforced safety chamber intact, rolling a distance on the white Cloud Sea before gradually coming to a halt. Chapter 445: deep inside 1 Above the Cloud Sea, the detached safe house resembled a nondescript grey-black goose egg stone. A thin layering line ran through the middle of the stone which rolled a few times on the ground and then came to a halt. Other than that, there was nothing particularly special about the safe house. Even the viewing window was disguised by reinforcements and an array as a dark little gap. The only problem was that this was the Cloud Sea, and there were no stones on the ground at all. "Cough cough..." Inside the house, Yu Hong slowly got up from the ground and looked around. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Some corners of the safe house were also a bit deformed, but at least its hardness and toughness had withstood the test. Even the Black Light had not managed to withstand being squashed, yet the safe house still functioned. It was worth his effort to reinforce this house whenever he had time. "Ku Chan, Yiyi," he called out twice. Ku Chan came out from under a pile of overturned bedding, blood dribbling from the corner of his mouth, struggling to stand upright. "I¡¯m still okay!" "I¡¯m fine too." Yiyi, curled up into a ball, rolled out from the fireplace, her body covered in black. At the last moment, she had thought of a good idea. "That¡¯s good." Yu Hong sighed with relief, his body drained of Inner Strength and Spirit Light. The Inner Strength of Tai Ling Skill, which normally automatically linked to the Ultimate Sun, had now completely lost its supply, leaving only a little to maintain basic physical abilities. The same was true for the Spirit Light;without the supply from the Light Disaster, the intensity of the Spirit Light had drastically reduced, even fading to nearly invisible. "By the looks of it, this place should be deep in the Spirit Disaster..." Yu Hong said, "I¡¯m no longer able to recover my Inner Strength and Spirit Light." "I¡¯m the same¡­" Ku Chan nodded, "But unlike Dao Breath, the Inner Strength cultivated by the Red Food Method is fine. This method mainly enhances, forcibly and simply boosting both body and spirit without external aids, using only one¡¯s own stored energy." "For now, we¡¯ll have to rely on you," Yu Hong said, sensing the rich environmental spiritual fluctuations here. "Okay!" Yu Hong stood up, went over to the scattered instruments and wooden frames, and quickly found a blackish detector. Beep. He pressed the switch. "Still working, that¡¯s good." Pressing the detection button again, there was another beep. The LCD screen of the device displayed the current environmental Spiritual Value. ¡¯2421.784.¡¯ "!" Yu Hong¡¯s expression changed slightly, his eyes widening. "What the hell, is it broken?" He tapped the detector, suspecting there was something wrong with himself. Even if they had entered the Spirit Disaster, the value was too high, completely different from inside the Black Disaster. Unless there was a monster nearby. But the next moment, he remembered something, quickly turned around, and walked to the viewing window. Looking out from the window, one could see that the array had already been automatically activated, forming a complex net of white light, protecting the safe house all around. His heart somewhat reassured. Following the viewing window, he continued to look further into the distance. The pure white Cloud Sea was like a plain, extending outwards to the edge of his vision. And at the end, stood a cluster of white, magnificent ancient palaces. "Is that, a palace? Heaven?" Ku Chan squeezed over from the side and also saw the view outside the window. "I don¡¯t know, let me check." Yu Hong focused his eyesight, having already strengthened his vision several times, and quickly zoomed in on the distant scenery. His gaze crossed the vast white Cloud Sea and quickly landed on the outer walls of that cluster of palaces. To the left of the wall stood a tall, sword-shaped white gate. The gate was like a sword planted upside down in the ground, with the center of the blade forming the seam, and the hilt above forming the frame. A golden, ornate plaque hung on the frame. The plaque was inscribed in the Night Language. "North Heavenly Gate," he murmured softly. "It¡¯s said that Heaven has four Great Heavenly Gates in the east, west, south, and north, each guarded by different Great Emperors;the South Heavenly Gate is the front of Heaven, it seems we¡¯ve come to the back of Heaven." Ku Chan spoke gravely. "Great Emperor? You mean, apart from the Immortal Generals above Cai Jing Taoist, there are also Great Emperors?" Yu Hong was not familiar with the myths of Heaven in the Dao Mai World;if he had more time, he might have familiarized himself with all this information, but now, he could only learn the details through Ku Chan. "Exactly, what you referred to as Cai Jing Taoist should be called the ¡¯Myriad Colors Immortal¡¯ in the Ancient Books," Ku Chan said. He coughed a few times and let go of the hand covering his wound. "The myths of Heaven have been circulating in our place for a long time. Now that I compare carefully, I find that everything perfectly matches the descriptions in the myths;this could not be a coincidence." "Tell me more," Yu Hong said as he sat down leaning against the gate. "From the bottom up, I¡¯ll start with the most common Heavenly Soldiers," Ku Chan continued, "After Heavenly Soldiers, there are Heavenly Generals, also known as Silver Armored Snake Head Generals." "Then, the Dragon Head Generals, Three-Eyed Dragon Head Generals, Myriad Colors Immortal and Myriad Intentions God, Immortal Generals, the Immortal Generals with titles in the myth, followed by Great Emperors, and finally, the Heavenly Emperor above the Four Emperors." "...So, according to the myth, above the Immortal Generals there are titled Immortal Generals, Great Emperors, and Heavenly Emperor, three ranks?" Yu Hong asked. "That¡¯s how it¡¯s divided in the myths, but the Immortal General we encountered before, the Primordial Spirit Myriad Mountain Immortal General, might actually have been a titled Immortal General taking action out of tier," Ku Chan said. "Can the Source Disaster also take action out of tier?" Yu Hong exhaled. "Since it¡¯s confirmed that top-tier Source Disaster Monsters have intelligence, isn¡¯t it normal for them to attack beyond their level?" Ku Chan spoke calmly. "Indeed." "What do we do now?" "Rest and recover. Do not go outside until our strength is fully restored," Yu Hong glanced outside the window. "This place is not safe, going out with weak strength is simply seeking death." "Our Dao Breath Inner Strength is recovering too slowly here, and the supplies..." Ku Chan frowned. "The supplies are enough for the three of us to last several years," Yu Hong said, "All compressed food and water are stored in the boxes in the basement." "Let¡¯s do as you say!" Ku Chan nodded. "I¡¯ll try first. The Red Food Method you taught me is not affected here, let¡¯s see if it can help to recover Dao Breath." "Are you now practicing it concurrently?" Yu Hong asked. "Yes, if the Red Food Method can completely surpass my primary Cultivation Technique, I will then completely abandon the current one and switch, otherwise, it affects the strength too much, and moreover, the Spirit Light Secret Skill cannot be recovered here, which is a significant impact," Ku Chan stated honestly. In fact, the drawback of Spirit Light is also revealed here, which is its excessive reliance on the connection to the Ultimate Sun. Essentially, Spirit Light constantly absorbs nutrients from the life of external things to transmit to the Ultimate Sun, and in exchange, gains the infinite power of the Ultimate Light Disaster. Otherwise, the small amount of power people who master the Spirit Light Secret Skill cultivate could not possibly support the exaggerated power they display. Once they arrived at a place where the connection with the Light Disaster is severed, Spirit Light is cut off, instantly reverting everything back to its original state. All boosts disappear;even for Yu Hong and Ku Chan, their strength falls more than a notch. After all, with Spirit Light, the boost¡¯s intensity was already beyond ordinary levels, even consistent power enhancement for both of them is equivalent to an enhancement of dozens of times. "Stop thinking, tidy up the stuff, eat and rest a bit," Yu Hong pulled the cover over the inspection window, "I¡¯ll adjust the Array to camouflage the situation here;this safe house is too conspicuous." "Alright." Ku Chan nodded. He quickly went down to the basement to tidy up the recently scattered supply boxes. "I... I need to use the restroom," Yiyi suddenly said from the side. "....." Yu Hong was startled, suddenly realizing this serious issue. He used to live alone in the safe house, so he used a portable toilet, covered it after use, and just dumped it outside whenever he needed. But now, with three people in the safe house, this.... He looked at Yiyi, whose face was flushed and was clenching her legs together, wiggling, clearly unable to hold it much longer. "Go to the other basement, close the door, and use the toilet," Yu Hong said helplessly. "Okay!" Yiyi looked around, picked up a pack of tissue from the ground, and ran to the other basement. There are three basements in total. The first one is for training, the second one is for storage, and the third one is the main control energy room. She went to the first one used for training. "It seems, setting up an air purification Array is quite essential," Yu Hong sighed. He stretched out his hand, pressed it against the wall, trying to activate the enhancement function of the Black Mark, but there was no response. He then remembered that the Black Mark was still enhancing the Moist Wood Liquid, and it would still be three days before it¡¯s completed. "Three days.... it seems quiet here, let¡¯s wait and see for now." Yu Hong sighed, began to tidy up the scattered items on the floor, chairs, and tables. After several minutes, he sat down again and began to check his body. Not checking might have been better;upon checking, he got a shock. His Inner Strength left in his body was minimal, barely maintaining the Cultivation Technique automatically operating in his body. This was for the purpose of maintaining minimal flow for Dao Breath Circulation traits. Besides, Spirit Light had completely dried up, and there was no Spirit Light transmitted from outside, clearly indicating complete isolation from it. Yu Hong felt his own body, apart from a still strong physique, only the recently practiced Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Scripture Inner Strength was intact. This technique from the Sky Wish Sect, similar to the Red Food Method, also does not rely on external substances, focusing only on the internal self. The more strength accumulated, the more it uses, once used up it needs to be accumulated again. Only, without the boost from Spirit Light, the power of the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Scripture will surely be greatly reduced. ¡¯This time, the strength loss is quite substantial...¡¯ Yu Hong never thought that after detaching from the Light Disaster, his own strength would plummet so much. He took out the detector and pressed it against his temple. Beep. The LCD display on the detector showed his current Spiritual Value: 21839. ¡¯So weak....¡¯ For the first time, Yu Hong felt his own weakness. Without the boost from Spirit Light, and Inner Strength no longer constantly protecting his body, his current status, aside from a strong physique, had Spiritual Value only over twenty thousand. This might be strong among ordinary Magicians, but in the Dao Mai World, even the Seven Evils could easily crush him. ¡¯Back to the state where whoever acts first gets wiped out...¡¯ he sighed. Sitting on the chair, until Yiyi finished using the restroom and washed her hands, and started helping to tidy up, he took out Moist Wood Liquid and continued to cultivate the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Scripture. Without the connection to the Ultimate Sun, he couldn¡¯t practice Tai Ling Skill, couldn¡¯t use Spirit Light, the only Technique that could be practiced unaffected was this Eye Skill. As he began to practice, Ku Chan, after sorting out the food, also started rigorous cultivation. Both entered into a secluded cultivation state, leaving Yiyi alone, with nothing to do, she started cleaning the safe house, checking for any damages. Soon, waves of chill penetrated the house, and the temperature dropped to below minus ten degrees. Following Yu Hong¡¯s instructions, Yiyi turned on the nuclear reactor, and the heat cycle began. The temperature inside the safe house was as warm as spring, and the three of them thoroughly entered a peaceful state of cultivation and recovery. Chapter 446: Deep inside 444, Second Time ticks by slowly. One day... Two days... Three days... Snap. Yu Hong enters the Main Control Room alone and closes the door behind him. "Yiyi, keep an eye on the entrance for me and report anything unusual immediately." "Understood." Yiyi¡¯s voice comes from outside. Yu Hong glances at the nuclear reactor, which has now transformed into a large silvery-gray can, with numerous silvery-gray pipes extending outward from its surface. One of the main pipes even has Yiyi¡¯s skirt and underwear hanging on it. He averts his gaze, reaches into his pocket, and pulls out a bottle the size of an egg. This is the enhanced Moist Wood Liquid. Since it was freely enhanced, he isn¡¯t sure what effects it might produce. Previously, with Ku Chan and Yiyi around, it wasn¡¯t convenient for him to take it out. Now, under the pretext of checking and maintaining the main control equipment, he finally has the chance to examine it thoroughly. Accompanying the small bottle, there is also a white paper instruction manual. As before, Yu Hong picks up the manual and glances over it. ¡¯Isina Golden Ancient Tree Juice: This product is collected from one of the five Golden Ancient Trees in the Elf Empire of Isina, specifically the tree sap from the tips of the branches. It greatly enhances eyesight, nourishes the eyes, and permanently grants multiple enhancements.¡¯ ¡¯For first-time users, one of the following effects can randomly be gained and solidified: 1¡ªGain single-layer material x-ray vision. 2¡ªGain a passive talent Strong Strike (Strong Strike: Significantly increases accuracy with all ranged weapons.) 3¡ªGain the Call of the Elf Ancient Tree (Creating a healing aura with a radius of one hundred meters around the user. Staying within the aura for one hour heals all minor injuries. Staying for two hours heals all moderate injuries. Severe injuries cannot be healed.) 4¡ªReceive a substantial enhancement in the practice of Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Scripture (One drop of the original juice satisfies the energy needs of any layer below the Sixth Layer of the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Scripture.)¡¯ "Hmm..." Yu Hong¡¯s eyes lock onto the last option, "Relying on luck again? No wonder it took over three days to enhance;these effects are truly hit or miss¡­" However, he doesn¡¯t use it immediately. Instead, he stretches out his hand and gently places it on the wall, silently intending, ¡¯Enhance the security facility. Direction: Improve stealth camouflage functionalities.¡¯ A Black Mark flashes on the back of his hand. Feedback comes quickly. ¡¯Enhance the security facility?¡¯ A countdown also emerges on the wall: ¡¯2 days 11 hours 07 minutes¡¯. ¡¯Yes.¡¯ Yu Hong confirms without any hesitation. Shortly after, the wall flickers, and the countdown begins to emit a faint red glow, starting the timer. He sighs in relief and finally takes out the Eye Drops. ¡¯They should be called Golden Tree Juice now,¡¯ he observes the bottle. The previously standard eye drop bottle has turned into a pure translucent crystal bottle the size of an egg. The bottle is filled with a beautiful, faintly glowing pale gold liquid. It appears to have a high viscosity;as he gently shakes it, the liquid flows slowly, clinging to the glass. Gently unscrewing the cap, Yu Hong aligns it with his right eye. Soundlessly, a drop of golden liquid falls into his eye socket. Sizzle! Instantly, a golden halo radiates from his eye, swiftly spreading outwards, illuminating the surrounding area by over a meter in gold. The golden glow continues for several seconds before slowly dimming and extinguishing. A warm, comfortable sensation envelops Yu Hong¡¯s entire right eye. Simultaneously, the Black Mark provides timely feedback. ¡¯You have gained the trait: Call of the Elf Ancient Tree.¡¯ "....." Yu Hong sets down the bottle and notices that all of the Golden Ancient Tree Juice inside has turned colorless, losing its previous golden hue. He pours some out and sniffs it;it¡¯s just like water, clear and without any peculiar smell. "Only usable once? What a loss..." he checks the manual again. This Call of the Elf Ancient Tree primarily produces a healing aura that spans a hundred meters, effective in treating minor to moderate injuries. "Isn¡¯t this just a healing aura?" Yu Hong is somewhat disappointed;what he most wanted was the final effect, a targeted enhancement to the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Scripture. "Never mind, a healing aura isn¡¯t so bad right now." With a thought, a streak of gold flashes across his right eye. In the next instant, a golden ring of light, centered on his right eye, rapidly spreads outward, passing through the walls and quickly covering the entire security facility. But after covering the entire facility, Yu Hong inwardly commands it to stop. Indeed, the golden aura stops just at the boundary of the security facility, not expanding any further. Ku Chan, who is washing clothes at the moment, feels a warm sensation heating up the wound on his chest. He puts down his cloak, stands up, and checks the wound on his body, surprised to find the wound visibly closing, knitting, and healing. A wound as long as a finger disappears completely under his gaze in less than five seconds. "What is this warmth?" Yiyi also rushes up from the basement, looking around for something. "It¡¯s me." Yu Hong steps out, calm, "I¡¯ve been studying an Array that can heal injuries and restore health. I¡¯ve just successfully set it up in the security facility, no need to be alarmed." Ku Chan and Yiyi looked at each other in shock. However, as the Alliance Hierarch of the Spirit Light Alliance, it was true that Yu Hong often brought out some strange artifacts and was researching Arrays and runes. Therefore, this explanation was plausible. "How long do we still need to stay here?" Ku Chan asked. "Either we explore the way to Heaven, or we find a way to retreat and leave this place. Staying put is not an option." "I am already repairing it;don¡¯t worry, as soon as the whole safehouse recovers its mobility, everything will be easy to handle. Or did you think you could withstand that kind of big hand¡¯s grasp if you went out?" Yu Hongdao said. "...Can we have a specific time?" Ku Chan asked. "Wait a few more days, I am going to strengthen the safehouse¡¯s concealment abilities to avoid detection. I¡¯ve already started making adjustments and enhancements." Yu Hongdao replied. "Alright..." Ku Chan sighed softly, "I¡¯ll go Cultivate." "Ku Chan, you haven¡¯t finished washing your clothes," Yiyi reminded from the side. Ku Chan¡¯s footsteps paused, then he turned to sit on a small stool and continued to wash his cloak. Yiyi then began to prepare an upcoming dinner for the three of them. Canned vegetables, canned beef, and heated instant rice. Everything was ready-made, she just needed to boil water for a seaweed and rib soup. In just a few days, everything had become orderly under her arrangement. Yu Hong didn¡¯t look further but walked to a peephole, slightly pulling open a slit to peer outside. Outside. The distant palaces of Heaven were still silent, as if devoid of life. But there was a change in the nearby Cloud Sea. A huge Immortal Crane, with a body covered in silvery white, was standing to the right side of Heaven, bowing its long beak to peck something below. This Immortal Crane was unbelievably large;each time it lifted its head from the Cloud Sea, its beak was filled with densely packed, squirming black creatures. Yu Hong, with better eyesight than before, noticed at a glance that those black creatures were all Black Giants, struggling frantically. The Black Giants¡¯ limbs extended out of the bird¡¯s beak, twisting madly, trying to break free. But with a tilt of the giant crane¡¯s head, they were gone. Suddenly, dozens of Black Giants were swallowed whole. ¡¯This place....¡¯ Yu Hong watched with a startled heart. Although in his current complete state, he could play with Black Giants as toys to kill, they had just arrived here for a short time to encounter such powerful creatures. And most crucially, he was in a very poor state. The Tai Ling Skill could not absorb Light Disaster¡¯s power, and the Spirit Light Secret Skill was virtually crippled. If he encountered this creature, he would probably only be able to rely on the safehouse to take a hard hit. Pitter-patter... Suddenly, a sound of raindrops came from outside. Yu Hong slightly adjusted his viewpoint and looked upward. Above the Cloud Sea of Heaven, it was now faintly permeated with a tinge of gold. Countless golden raindrops showered down, hitting the ground. Bam! Suddenly a drop of golden rain hit the safehouse. The entire safehouse shook violently, as if struck by a powerful beast. Yu Hong, looking at the peephole completely covered by the golden liquid, blocked, could no longer see what was happening outside. He sighed, completely closed the peephole, and returned to his chair. He finally began to practice the Tai Ling Skill. Since they had already reached the depths of a Spirit Disaster, he openly planned to supplement the Spirit Disaster part of the Tai Ling Skill to balance the subsequent layers of Cultivation Techniques. To avoid the dominance of the Light Disaster. After completion, he could continue to break through further. After practicing for a while, Yiyi woke him up to have a meal together;while Ku Chan did the dishes, Yiyi also discovered the golden liquid on the window. She curiously scooped up a full spoon of it. "What is this? Why is it gold?" "I don¡¯t know... It¡¯s rain from the Spirit Disaster, it might not be something good," Yu Hong warned. "Should I throw it away?" Yiyi obediently extended the spoon out, ready to dispose of it. "Wait." Suddenly Yu Hong thought of something, stood up, and walked over. He took the spoon and carefully observed the golden liquid inside. The liquid was very clear, not very concentrated, and seemed no different from regular water. The color being gold was the only exception. He fell silent and then dipped his finger lightly into the spoon. At the same time, he ran the Tai Ling Skill. The method to cultivate the remaining Source Disaster in the Tai Ling Skill was the same as before, needed to be practiced from the beginning, the first layer, one more time. However, since he had already experienced the first cultivation, the second round would be much faster. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ultimately, to train the second type of Source Disaster Power to the Sixth Layer and maintain parity with the Tai Ling Skill of Light Disaster would balance the effects. Yu Hong had just started practicing the first layer. As the Cultivation Technique turned, suddenly with the tap of his finger covered in golden water, a strong aura of Spirit Disaster Radiation surged in. The power of the Spirit Disaster was not as chaotic as that of the Black Disaster, but it was mixed with countless spiritual fluctuations of the Spirit Disaster¡¯s main bodies. If the radiation energy of the Black Disaster could be considered as ink, then the radiation energy of the Spirit Disaster would be a pile of crushed stones, containing many kinds of spiritual will, none compatible with each other. Luckily, at this moment, Yu Hong¡¯s realm in the Tai Ling Skill was already very high, making this easy to resolve. He forcefully suppressed the mixed wills in the golden rain with his own spiritual fluctuations, crushing each one, then absorbed them bit by bit using the Tai Ling Skill. Before long, the golden liquid on Yu Hong¡¯s fingertip gradually diluted and disappeared completely. His eyes faintly brightened as he felt the Tai Ling Skill within him begin to swell once again. Although it was only the Inner Strength of the first layer, and moreover, this time the Inner Strength was different from before. Previously it was dark red;now it was light gold, just like the rainwater. Additionally, apart from the Inner Strength of the Tai Ling Skill, there was also a strangely wonderful and cool energy, like silken threads, emerging from nowhere within his body. As soon as this force appeared, it caused the golden Divinity lightning on Yu Hong¡¯s body to stir violently. Chapter 447: At the depths of 445, Three Several minutes later. Yu Hong grabbed a spoon and gulped down all the golden rainwater from inside it. Hiss. Golden mist steamed out of his mouth and nose as his Tai Ling Skill circulated rapidly within him. With powerful spiritual fluctuations and physical prowess, he activated his cultivation technique to fully absorb and digest the golden rainwater, transforming it into the first layer of Inner Strength for his Tai Ling Skill. Beside him, Yiyi watched blankly, not understanding what was happening, but she quickly reacted, found a basin, and began collecting the golden rainwater pouring outside in large amounts. After filling the basin, she rushed back to Yu Hong¡¯s side, spooning the water to him spoon by spoon. Yu Hong accepted each spoonful without refusal, continually absorbing the rainwater. Five minutes later... A flash of golden light enveloped his body, and he finally ceased his actions. "No need for more now," he murmured lowly. "Oh..." Yiyi nodded. "How are you feeling now? Are you okay?" she asked with concern. "Um, very good. Better than ever," Yu Hong replied. Because just moments ago, he had successfully re-cultivated the first layer of the Tai Ling Skill and completed the re-cultivation of the Spirit Disaster Power. He began cultivating the Second Layer. ¡¯According to previous comparisons with the Tai Ling Skill, the value of the Fifth Layer¡¯s spiritual fluctuations just correspond to the Seven Fierce Level in the Dao Mai World. But because of the amplification of the Spirit Light Secret Skill and the enhancement of physical qualities, that¡¯s why the power far exceeds that of the Seven Evils. Given that the Light Disaster possesses special Spirit Light Secret Techniques, I wonder if Spirit Disaster might have them too...¡¯ Till this point, Yu Hong had felt completely drained of Inner Strength, which caused him some unease. But now, having successfully absorbed a large amount of Spirit Disaster Radiation, his thoughts changed. Cultivating here and replenishing his Tai Ling Skill would be twice as effective with half the effort. Only by adapting to and utilizing the power here could he better explore this place and seize the opportunity to rescue Quan He! Aside from this, he discovered that his golden Divine nature from his Moon God Bloodline was, in this place, like a sponge starved for water, frantically absorbing the energy from the golden raindrops of Spirit Disaster Radiation. A sensation akin to a seed quietly germinating was slowly rising from the depths of his heart. Yu Hong could also distinctly sense that his body was undergoing some sort of special change here. He guessed that perhaps his Moon God Bloodline had always been dormant, and it was only here, with an ample supply of Spiritual Energy for nourishment, that it truly began to fully awaken. "I¡¯m fine now. You can go ahead with your things," Yu Hong comforted Yiyi, who was still worriedly watching him. "Oh..." Yiyi, reassured by his confirmation, reluctantly turned and kept looking back as she went to tidy up the bowls and utensils. Her only pleasure now was in doing these miscellaneous chores. Since she couldn¡¯t grasp cultivation techniques and other complex tasks were beyond her, she could only do simple tasks within her capabilities. Thus, they endured the dullness for several days;the trio, like camping, lived in the safe house which was like a caravan in the wilderness, spending their days cooking, cultivating, meditating, sleeping, and repeating the cycle amidst the deep reaches of the Spirit Disaster. Finally, the enhancement of the safe house¡¯s camouflaging and concealment ability was nearly complete. But trouble was fast approaching. Thump! THUMP!! THUMP!!! A giant and sharp black beak relentlessly approached the safe house. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With each landing, it pecked and gulped down a great deal of disorderly debris from beneath the Cloud Sea. That Immortal Crane, whose size was at least thousands of kilometers in scale, was strolling around, pecking and feeding, and drawing ever closer to the safe house. Whoosh. The viewing window was drawn shut. Ku Chan retracted his gaze from the outside, his expression grave. "Is there any way out? I don¡¯t think we can withstand that Immortal Crane creature¡¯s pecking. Just the mental pressure it emits is suffocating." "It would have been better if Zhang Kajing were still here. It¡¯s my fault," Yu Hong frowned. Ku Chan exchanged glances with him, instantly understanding. If Zhang Kajing were still here, they could have knocked her out to draw the creature¡¯s attention away from the safe house. But now, they had nothing. "Don¡¯t worry... I¡¯ll figure something out..." Yu Hong checked the safe house¡¯s Array conditions. The entire structure quickly came into full view in his mind. The outer stone walls mainly consisted of reinforced hardness and toughness, while the outermost layer had a compound array. The basic camouflage capability was the result of this layer involving the White Stone Array and the Wind and Fire Slaughter Spirit Array. However, the efficacy of these arrays was very basic, merely able to barely hide the exterior color and shape. Even to Yu Hong¡¯s senses, it felt quite crude. Thump! Thump! The Immortal Crane¡¯s massive, heavy footsteps slowly encroached. "I¡¯ll head to the Main Control Room!" Yu Hong said hastily. "Forget it, Alliance Hierarch, I¡¯ll go. You two take the chance to run!" Ku Chan suddenly spoke up. "?!," Yu Hong had just turned towards the Main Control Room¡¯s door, when he heard Ku Chan¡¯s decisive voice from behind. He turned around in surprise. A flash of red, and Ku Chan had already charged out. The door was shut behind him with a backhand. Yiyi, still stunned, stood in place, uncomprehending what had just occurred. By the time she regained her senses and discerned the words, Ku Chan had already charged a significant distance away. AANG!!! A loud, dark red phoenix cry surged to the heavens. In the blink of an eye, Ku Chan flew out hundreds of meters, his body erupting with a vast amount of dark red flames, while in his hand the hilt of the Chi Xiao Sword concentrated a full force of fire light, unleashing his strongest Technique against the gigantic Immortal Crane. Boom!! A loud explosion. Centered around him, a dark red flame ignited across dozens of kilometers. Even for the vast Immortal Crane, this massive burning area seemed merely like a small fire pit¡ªhighly conspicuous. "Go!!" Ku Chan suddenly transmitted a roar, his body¡¯s dark red light surged once more, and a vague, black and red, giant phoenix phantom loomed behind him. It wasn¡¯t the previous Heavenly Venerate, but a pure outline of a gigantic phoenix. Buzz! He soared up into the sky, accompanied by the giant phoenix outline, pulling along the Immortal Crane, and flying towards the direction away from the safe house. Yu Hong and Yiyi stayed at the observation window, watching his fleeing figure, speechless for a while. The next second, Yu Hong suddenly thought of something. He dashed towards the main control room. Entering the underground control room, the first thing he looked at was the countdown on the wall. ¡¯02 minutes.¡¯ Only two minutes left for the enhancement! "Hang in there!" He closely sensed the Spirit Light lingering on Ku Chan, which was rapidly moving away from them. Pfft. Suddenly, the Spirit Light he was sensing disappeared. The Spirit Light belonging to Ku Chan, just at that moment, vanished completely. It was as if it had been isolated by something, disappearing instantly from Yu Hong¡¯s senses. ".....!" Yu Hong¡¯s gaze darkened, but thankfully he did not sense the retrieval of Ku Chan¡¯s Spirit Light, which meant he was not dead! At that moment, the countdown on the wall ticked again, reaching 01 minute. Yu Hong had never felt a minute to be so long. He never expected Ku Chan to bolt out so decisively. With the current terrible state they were in, even he did not have time to stop it. Another brief wait. Click. Finally, the countdown on the wall hit zero and disappeared. At the same time, the outer layer of the entire safe house flashed briefly and became blurry. Then, a layer of white mist rapidly emerged on its surface, which looked identical in color, material, and detail to the surrounding Cloud Sea, appearing as a slowly moving cloud. Simultaneously, all traces of the safe house vanished in that instant, as if it had been completely covered by an insulating membrane. Awooo! The white giant Immortal Crane casually pecked and shattered the flaming phoenix before stepping on the Cloud Sea, shaking the ground with each step, and returning nearby. It shook its head, puzzled as it looked in the direction of the safe house, seemingly searching for something. But after searching for a while with no findings, it eventually casually strolled off towards another area. Phew!! Inside the safe house, Yu Hong and Yiyi both breathed a sigh of relief. Yu Hong picked up the manual that had appeared after the recent enhancement. ¡¯This enhancement, referencing Vice Sect Hierarch Ning Sang¡¯s mobile palace, Heavenly Curtain¡¯s, exterior camouflage coating. It can autonomously adapt and generate camouflage coatings to match the environment.¡¯ ¡¯After the enhancement, it can reach the Sky Wish Sect¡¯s Basic First Class concealment standard.¡¯ ¡¯Basic First Class: Hides visual and olfactory presence, masks certain spiritual radiation scans, causing misdirection to relevant sensing creatures, but does not provide much concealment against tactile and auditory perception.¡¯ ¡¯Not very strong....¡¯ Yu Hong felt a tightness in his heart. The strength of this concealment seemed not as potent as he had imagined, but on closer thought, considering the enhancement process took only a few days and the safe house was so large, it was unlikely to achieve any better effect. Fortunately, just now they were lucky. That giant Immortal Crane wasn¡¯t a monster with exceptional sensory abilities, otherwise, they might have really been in trouble. Watching the giant Immortal Crane pass by the safe house and peck its way into the distance, Yu Hong took a deep breath and carefully sensed Ku Chan¡¯s location. Only now, upon intense concentration, did he barely catch a faint breath, weak Spirit Light, slowly moving towards them in waves. "Yiyi, secure the door, I¡¯m going to pick up Ku Chan!" "Okay!" Yu Hong quickly opened the safe house¡¯s main door. The cold, breathless wind poured into the room. With a burst of speed, harnessing his powerful physical body, he charged two hundred meters within seconds, precisely arriving at the area from where Ku Chan¡¯s senses were emanating. On the pure white Cloud Sea. Yu Hong looked around, activating golden currents on his body, inherent to the Moon God Bloodline. Soon, behind a raised hillock of cloud vapor, he found Ku Chan, bloodied and barely alive. He rushed over, picked the person up, and ran back. One second, two seconds, three seconds! Pfft! The safe house¡¯s main door was precisely opened by Yiyi, who had been keeping watch. The two rushed through the door. Bam! The door quickly shut. All was silent once again. Yu Hong stopped in his tracks and gently laid Ku Chan down on the ground. The guy looked dazed, his body was like a wrung-out cloth, covered in wrinkles, almost all blood drained, and his skin was deathly white. Under normal circumstances, such injuries would have been beyond saving. But the faint golden glow from Yu Hong had already started to work silently as he approached Ku Chan. Hiss. At this moment, the wounds on Ku Chan¡¯s body and the wrinkles were rapidly disappearing before the naked eye. The pallor on his face also gradually began to show a hint of rosiness. But this recovery only lasted ten seconds before quickly halting. Chapter 448: Deep inside 446, four Ku Chan¡¯s injuries had stabilized, but it seemed the aura had reached its limit for the time being, and the healing effect had abruptly stopped, completely ceasing. Yu Hong didn¡¯t know the principle behind it, but it looked like the guy¡¯s injuries were stable, so he felt relieved. He estimated that for a full recovery, one would likely need to wait for a full hour, as stated in the manual. "Hey, wake up." He patted the other person¡¯s face. "I... seem to have a strong will to live..." Ku Chan opened his eyes drowsily, his voice weak. "It¡¯s good you¡¯re not dead, rest well... In the future, don¡¯t be so impulsive. We have other alternative plans," Yu Hong sighed. He could have easily distracted the huge Immortal Crane by sending out Agrius, or have the Moon God¡¯s faction, which was part of the Spirit Disaster, go instead. Even if the loss of these Summonings wouldn¡¯t be as easy to recover from as living people going. "It doesn¡¯t matter... I wouldn¡¯t have lived much longer anyway..." Ku Chan lay on the ground with his limbs spread out, his gaze serene. "...," Yu Hong didn¡¯t know how to comfort him, but indeed Ku Chan¡¯s distraction had been crucial this time. Otherwise, it was uncertain whether the huge Immortal Crane could really have been led away by the Summonings. "The camp¡¯s camouflage Array is now activated. That Immortal Crane probably hasn¡¯t discovered it and has moved away from us. Don¡¯t worry, everything is fine now," he said softly. "Good..." Ku Chan lay on his back, allowing Yiyi to lift him with one hand and place him on the bed, wiping the blood from his face. Yu Hong couldn¡¯t stand it any longer, and he reached out to pat Ku Chan¡¯s body. Buzz. Instantly, a circle of Tai Ling Skill Inner Strength flowed into him, easily rushing out from the pores, perfectly carrying away all the blood. The blood flew out, congealed into a mass in mid-air, and was lightly tossed by Yu Hong into the trash can. "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve already solved the basic energy problem, and the camouflage Array is also activated. Next, we can move slowly as well," he exhaled. He was once again reminded of the convenience of infinite Inner Strength. Although the Spirit Disaster mode of the Tai Ling Skill had only reached the Second Layer, it was hard to ignore the high concentration of Spiritual Energy here. The air itself was filled with thousands of Spiritual Power Value. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Just a little use of the Spiritual Energy Tai Ling Skill, and the next second it was fully replenished by the clear outside energy, restored to full. "It¡¯s solved, that¡¯s good..." Ku Chan didn¡¯t understand these things, but since Yu Hong said it was solved, he finally felt at ease, and after being fed some water by Yiyi, he closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep. Looking at him, Yu Hong felt somewhat of a headache. "I can tell now, this guy has somewhat of a self-destructive tendency, a madman who is fearless with his life, harsh on others, harsher on himself. Yiyi, when you have time, keep an eye on him for me. If you notice anything wrong, tell me," he instructed. "Oh..." Yiyi nodded, looking puzzled. Seeing her also puzzled, Yu Hong knew he had thought too much... Although Yiyi was trustworthy, for complex issues, she might really not come in handy. "Feed him some good food, let him rest for a while. Next, let¡¯s not go out and simply navigate the camp to explore this place," Yu Hong said. "Okay." After instructing her to not drown Ku Chan while feeding him water, Yu Hong went back to the observation window. He pulled over a stool and sat down. Outside the window. The huge white crane had reached a place where giant hands constantly grasped downwards. The Immortal Crane adeptly avoided the hands, moving with exceptional proficiency, obviously not its first time doing so. Without watching further. Yu Hong sensed the safehouse that had finished strengthening. With the enhancement of the camouflage ability, the mobility of the safehouse was also restored. The control method was very simple. It was a matter of a thought, linking to the safehouse light sphere in his mind. Then, it was as if holding onto a joystick, moving in whichever direction he wanted. It was no different from driving a bumper car. Click... Above the Cloud Sea, the safehouse that looked no different from other clouds began to move slowly towards the direction of Heaven, inch by inch. The moving speed was as slow as a person going for a walk, very slow, but the movement was also very subtle. Unless one got very close, it was impossible to tell it was moving. Click. Yu Hong accelerated slightly, and the safehouse immediately made a more noticeable friction sound, prompting him to quickly decelerate, resuming the previously slow pace. Maintaining this speed, Yu Hong waited for Ku Chan to heal while also practicing the Spirit Disaster Tai Ling Skill. Time went by day by day. The safehouse continued moving steadfastly and slowly towards Heaven. Before long, five days had passed. During these five days, Yu Hong had enhanced the camouflage ability of the safehouse again, upgrading it to the basic secondary strength of the Sky Wish Sect. At the same time, Ku Chan had also recovered to the point where he could get up and walk slowly, and began to self-administer medicine and spiritual practice, accelerating the recovery of his body. "How long will it take to reach the North Heavenly Gate?" Inside the house, Ku Chan stood behind Yu Hong, both looking out the observation window. Within the pure white Cloud Sea, the towering giant white Heavenly Palace was already within reach, soon approaching the outermost edge of the building. "According to our current speed, about three more days. How¡¯s your recovery?" Yu Hong turned and glanced at him. "It¡¯s okay..." Ku Chan held the Red Food Method Alchemy he had stored earlier, popping the pill-like sweets into his mouth. "To be honest, I¡¯m actually quite curious about what it¡¯s really like inside Heaven," he said in a relaxed tone. "Perhaps it¡¯s the dwelling of all the Immortal Gods of Heaven?" said Yu Hong. "It feels like most of them have no consciousness, not like they¡¯re living a normal life like ordinary people," Ku Chan shook his head. "Then they¡¯re all like the divine statues in Taoist Temples, sitting motionless, only moving to attack when someone approaches," Yu Hong said again. "This is good, if it¡¯s really the case, the safety of our exploration will be quite high," Ku Chan smiled. "What I¡¯m worried about now is that if we¡¯re discovered by the monsters in this place again, it will be disastrous." "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve optimized the safety house¡¯s camouflage and concealment ability once more. It¡¯s a lot stronger than before and should be fine," Yu Hong said with a slight confidence. "I certainly believe in the Alliance Hierarch, it¡¯s just..." Before Ku Chan could finish his sentence, his expression suddenly changed, staring intently outside the observation window. Not just him, Yu Hong¡¯s expression also changed dramatically. He stood up and looked outside the observation window. Because at that moment, in front of the observation window, there was a white-robed old Taoist standing on the Cloud Sea, who had appeared at some unknown time, quietly watching their safe house. The old Taoist with neatly tied white hair and a long white beard reaching his belly, although sparse. He had a wooden hairpin inserted on his head and was carrying a long rectangular silver-gray box on his back. His arms were tucked into his large sleeves, and his robe made a faint sound as it rusted in the wind. Without any sign, the old Taoist shifted his gaze away from the safe house and calmly walked towards a small house on the outskirts of Heaven. Outside the North Heavenly Gate of Heaven, there were still sparsely scattered houses of various sizes. Like a village, they were scattered sporadically, situated above the Cloud Sea. The elder was heading to one of these houses. Hu. As the elder left, both Yu Hong and Ku Chan let out a sigh of relief. In this place, at this very location, any monster they could encounter might be extremely powerful. Moreover, their current state was without the boost of Spirit Light, causing a significant decrease in strength. Yu Hong estimated that he was now just a level above the Heavenly Master level, while Ku Chan was in a worse situation, having fallen back to the Heavenly Master level. However, his original foundation was high, and he did not rely on Spirit Light to the extent Yu Hong did, so his fall was not as drastic. In such a state, unless absolutely necessary, they would definitely not want to be discovered by any of the natives here. "It seems that the safety house¡¯s camouflage is not very sufficient. Let¡¯s stop here and not move, and after optimizing it a bit more later, we¡¯ll move forward." Yu Hong said with a grave voice. "Can it still be optimized?" Ku Chan asked in surprise. "Yes. But it might take a long time," Yu Hong spoke solemnly. "A long time... We¡¯ve come this far, we can¡¯t return without achieving anything," Ku Chan said calmly. "Good!" Yu Hong glanced at him and nodded. This time, he intended to improvise with materials on the spot to enhance the safe house¡¯s fortification. The previous strengthening of the safe house had mostly been him casually stacking new materials on top. But here, Heaven¡¯s strength had clearly far exceeded his estimation. Therefore, it was necessary to increase the cost-effectiveness of the enhancements as much as possible. "However, if we need stronger enhancements, we¡¯ll have to find something from outside for analysis as a sample," Yu Hong said. "I¡¯ll go," Ku Chan said without hesitation, stepping forward and grabbing the doorknob. "Wait... let¡¯s try other safe methods first." Yu Hong quickly grabbed his forearm, this guy really thought he was invincible. "What methods?" Yu Hong¡¯s thoughts moved. ¡¯Agrius.¡¯ Immediately outside the safe house, a black mist giant lizard over thirty meters long, materialized out of thin air. Hisss. But just as it appeared outside the house, Agrius¡¯s body started spewing dense grey smoke, as if it was being soaked in some kind of strong acid that could corrode it, and its size began to shrink rapidly. ¡¯Go!¡¯ Yu Hong was slightly shocked and quickly commanded Agrius to rush to the nearest grey-white house. A distance of about three hundred meters, Agrius flew, shrinking continuously along the way, and its thirty-meter long body soon shrank by more than half. When it reached the doorstep of the house, it was left with only about ten meters in length. Bang. It turned into a black mist and slipped through the door gap. After about three seconds. The black mist surged out of the door gap and hurriedly returned to the safe house. By the time it returned to the doorstep of the safe house, Agrius was only a little over a meter long. After regaining its form, the once mighty and powerful giant lizard spat out a piece of White Stone, then silently dissipated, vanishing. Crack. Yu Hong quickly opened the door, snatched the White Stone, and retreated back into the house. Slamming the door shut, he let out a sigh of relief and looked at the White Stone in his hand. The stone, like strong acid, continuously burned his skin, sizzling. Ku Chan couldn¡¯t help but step back a few steps. "Such intense Spiritual Ability Radiation!" He had now begun to simplify mental suppression fluctuations as Spiritual Energy, following Yu Hong¡¯s example. "But it¡¯s very chaotic," Yu Hong said. He looked at the White Stone;it was continuously emanating at least a thousand dense Spiritual Fluctuations. Clearly, it was conglomerated with the mental wills of at least a thousand living beings. All the wills were expressing pain, anger, despair, and other negative emotions. "However, it¡¯s enough for the optimization analysis," Yu Hong stood up and quickly walked to the Main Control Room. "You guys go ahead and eat first, don¡¯t wait for me." Dropping a remark, he closed the Main Control Room door, immediately placed the White Stone on the ground, pressed his hand to the side of the floor, and included the White Stone in his thoughts. ¡¯Fully enhance the safe house¡¯s camouflage and concealment abilities.¡¯ Chapter 449: Situation 447 One Black lines quickly flowed into the ground from the back of Yu Hong¡¯s right hand. Soon after, a feedback inquiry rang out, and at the same time, a countdown appeared as well. ¡¯41 days 3 hours 07 minutes¡¯. That long... Yu Hong hesitated for a moment, then immediately replied with confirmation. Having experienced the destruction of the Black Light, he had realized that against the Source Disaster, making oneself undetectable was the best strategy. Because the power of the Source Disaster was limitless, opposition would only lead to chaos. To use one¡¯s limited strength to fight against the infinite Source Disaster was pointless. Hiding and covertly infiltrating to investigate the situation was the optimal approach. He now suddenly understood why the True Origin Sect had built the Savior Ship. A ship infused with the vitality of the Black Disaster could indeed play a far greater role than using the same power to fight the Black Disaster. In order to find the land of vitality within a hundred years and to find a solution for Prison Island, it was very necessary to spend some time strengthening a sufficiently concealed safehouse. With the confirmation of the strengthening, the countdown commenced. The safehouse came to a complete stop in this part of the Cloud Sea that was close to the North Heavenly Gate. Time flowed day by day after confirming the strengthening. Yu Hong devoted himself to cultivating the Tai Ling Skill. On the thirteenth day, he successfully entered the Third Layer. On the twentieth day, he entered the Fourth Layer. On the thirtieth day, he entered the Fifth Layer, matching the progress of the Light Disaster Tai Ling Technique. At this point, all of his strength except for the Spirit Light Secret Technique had returned to normal. And on the fortieth day, Ku Chan, who had been in charge of healing and observing the situation, noticed something here. "This old Daoist, I¡¯ve noticed that he appears once every ten days and stands in the exact same spot for thirty-four minutes, then he enters a house, and when he comes out, he brings a small black jar with him," said Ku Chan, standing in front of the observation window, pointing out the motionless white-bearded elder to Yu Hong. "Besides, each of his actions and steps is as precise as if measured with a ruler, exactly the same as before," he added. "Do you think he has discovered us?" Yu Hong asked in a deep voice. "I¡¯m not sure. But I feel something is wrong here," answered Ku Chan, "Even the most precise person cannot repeat exactly the same action, walk the same path, or take steps of the same width without any variation. Therefore, I¡¯m doubtful whether these Spirit Disasters that seem to talk, move, and attack are really living people." "Whether they are living people or not, we came here with only one purpose¡ªto find Quan He and rescue her," Yu Hongdao said. Now that his Tai Ling Skill had returned to the Fifth Layer and followed the path of Spiritual Energy, it greatly increased his spiritual strength. His previous Spiritual Value of over twenty thousand had now increased to over a hundred thousand due to cultivating the Tai Ling Skill akin to Spiritual Energy and was still growing. This was still far from the limit of the Fifth Layer of the Tai Ling Skill. "Senior Quan He¡¯s Spirit Light signal, I also sensed it twice before, it¡¯s only about two to three kilometers away from here," said Ku Chan. "The key is that it¡¯s inside the North Heavenly Gate;we must not rush things and should approach the situation gradually," said Yu Hongdao. After returning to the Fifth Layer, his perception also expanded a lot under the significant increase in spiritual strength, regaining a bit of the feeling when the Spirit Light was amplified. It must be known that when the Spirit Light was present, he could reach the staggering level of tens of millions. His Spiritual Value was extremely terrifying. But now, he could only sense it very cautiously. While they were discussing this. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Suddenly, a noisy sound of drums and music came from outside. The sound was like that of many people playing ancient instruments such as guqins, zithers, war drums, pipas, etc. The sound was sonorous and powerful, carrying an atmosphere of the battlefield. Yu Hong and the others quickly rushed to the observation window to look out. In the vast white Cloud Sea outside, at that moment, there was a procession covered in Golden Light, carried by two Golden Dragons, surrounded by a group of Golden Armor-wearing Three-eyed Dragon Men, slowly descending from the sky and heading into the North Heavenly Gate. Strangely, as soon as the procession landed, it disappeared with a fizz. "Could that be the convoy of some big shot from here?" Yu Hong speculated. "Once they entered, they disappeared, there must be some highly advanced spatial isolation Array laid out inside," said Ku Chan. "Perhaps we could try getting closer..." Yu Hong mused. After returning to the Fifth Layer of the Tai Ling Skill, his cultivation progress resumed the previous pace, much slower. He didn¡¯t need to cultivate all day long anymore. "Is it feasible to move the safehouse directly in?" Yiyi asked. "I don¡¯t know, let¡¯s try it," Yu Hong released his Inner Strength from the Tai Ling Skill, covering the entire safehouse. He now suspected that he had activated the Moon God Bloodline in his body, and the Moon God was very likely connected to the Heaven here in myriad ways, or even possibly part of it. In that case, he might be able to use his own aura to mask the aura of the safehouse. In the blink of an eye, another day passed. The Black Mark strengthening finally came to an end, this forty-one-day strengthening period could definitely be considered as one of the longest strengthening times that Yu Hong had ever spent. He arrived at the Main Control Room a bit earlier, closed the door, and quietly waited for the final moment. Sitting cross-legged on the ground, Yu Hong adjusted his breathing while staring intently at the changes in the safehouse. Clap. Finally, the countdown ticked to zero and disappeared instantaneously. And the entire safehouse also blurred for a moment. The White Stone used to calculate the enhanced items on the ground vanished as well. The next second. The security house camouflaged as clouds completely lost any last vestige of sound and tactile flaws. It became somewhat translucent. Yu Hong, who was inside, instantly had an instruction manual in his hand. There seemed to be no other noticeable changes inside. He picked up the instruction manual with some confusion, and even as the owner, he didn¡¯t feel much of a difference. He could only check what was recorded in the instruction manual. ¡¯This enhancement, referencing the principles of operation of the Sky Wish Sect¡¯s Light Shifting Chamber, has isolated sound and touch, and the original Array has been enhanced into a Light Shifting Array.¡¯ ¡¯Light Shifting Array: Integrates all the original camouflaging Arrays, significantly enhances stealth effects, and gains an isolation state. Isolation state: When the security house is stationary, it will be in an isolation state. In this state, all energy fluctuations, sounds, and touches are absorbed and stored. The outside world will perceive it as unperceivable, untouchable, unheard, unseen, and odorless. Note: 1 When environmental changes are extremely drastic, the Light Shifting Array¡¯s isolation state cannot be activated. 2 The isolation state will continuously absorb all perceptible energies, which has its limits. An hour later, after absorption is full, it must find a place to release everything that was absorbed previously. The specific manifestation will be a huge sound wave, smell, presence, etc., that far exceeds normal.¡¯ Isolation state... Seeing this feature, Yu Hong knew that this enhancement was indeed a major improvement. As for the after-effect of absorbing isolation, isn¡¯t it equivalent to an hour of absolute stealth? As for the release, just find a spot to empty after an hour and then immediately find a place to hide. With no gaps, Yu Hong immediately stretched out his hand again to touch the wall of the security house, beginning to further enhance it. ¡¯Enhance the strength of the security house¡¯s outer walls, to the limit.¡¯ Moments later, Yu Hong walked out of the Main Control Room looking drained, as if hollowed out. His expression was weary, and his breath weak. This time he had reinjected all his Inner Strength into the reinforcement, so the consumption was naturally much greater. The enhancement time was still about a month, like the last time. Ku Chan and Yiyi were playing checkers at an empty space on the first floor. It was a game of draughts. Every move from Yiyi was pondered over for a long time before she moved. At this moment, seeing Yu Hong come out, she suddenly stood up with an "Ah!" and accidentally knocked over the chessboard, which clattered over, leaving Ku Chan sitting there in silence, slightly shaking his head and simply closing his eyes in meditation. "Yu Hong, you look pale. Are you alright?" Yiyi quickly approached, wanting to reach out to support Yu Hong. "I¡¯m fine, the optimization is done. Now we can try to see if we can enter the North Heavenly Gate," Yu Hong said gravely. He wasn¡¯t sure how strong the effects of the Sky Wish Sect¡¯s Array would be, but they had to try. Upon hearing this, Ku Chan also opened his eyes and got up. "Isn¡¯t it too dangerous to attempt it all at once? Maybe I should try first." "Of course we won¡¯t be reckless." Yu Hong shook his head and walked up to the observation window. ¡¯Agrius.¡¯ As he thought of it, the hardworking and tireless model worker Agrius appeared once again and immediately started to corrode feverishly. Taking advantage of not being completely corroded away, it sprinted, flying straight toward the North Heavenly Gate. From the current location of the security house to the North Heavenly Gate, the distance was just under four hundred meters. Agrius flew at full speed, releasing golden divinity electricity all over. One second. Two seconds. Three seconds. Four seconds! Sizzle! Agrius suddenly charged into the North Heavenly Gate and before it even hit the ground, it sizzled in midair and burnt to white ashes, dissipating as it fell. Yu Hong was at a loss for words, but he wasn¡¯t worried about its resurrection. He had already arranged for Agrius to leave a part of its body tissue in the Heavenly River before setting out, so all that was needed was a bit more time for regeneration. Now that he had infinite Inner Strength, this consumption was negligible. "It¡¯s still not working." Ku Chan frowned on the side, "After entering the gate, the burning obviously accelerated. This means that the Spiritual Energy Radiation inside the North Heavenly Gate might be much stronger than outside." "That¡¯s the case. No hurry, I¡¯ll try again," Yu Hong¡¯s expression remained unchanged. He checked his surroundings. Even if he were to force his way through the North Heavenly Gate, oddly there was no one coming out to stop or search them. The Spirit Disaster Army that was imposing and numerously visible before seemed to have disappeared inside, completely silent. As soon as he finished speaking, Yu Hong pointed a finger outside the observation window. Hiss. Instantly, a black-haired woman in a yellow shirt and white skirt silently appeared beside the security house. The woman kept her head low, her long black hair completely covering her face as if shy. Her feet were hidden under the hem of her skirt, completely unseen;the whole person appeared to be floating in midair. "What is this...!?" Ku Chan had never seen Yu Hong using such a method before. "This is the Fear Shadow," Yu Hong smiled, "You forgot I am the Temple Master of Qingchen Temple, mainly practicing the Guanwu Skill." The precursor to the Tai Ling Skill was actually the Guanwu Skill, and one of the biggest features of the Guanwu Skill is that one must overcome their own Fear Shadow to earn the right to summon it before stepping into the next Layer. And Fear Shadow is one of the quite famous symbols of Qingchen Temple. "This Fear Shadow... why does it feel a bit strange?" Ku Chan scrutinized the floating woman in white skirt through the window. Chapter 450: cases Situation Two "I¡¯m not sure, but it should be related to the environment here," Yu Hong was naturally not going to say that it was a special Fear Shadow that could only be summoned by the Spiritual Energy version of Tai Ling Skill. After re-cultivating the Spiritual Energy Tai Ling Skill, it naturally also had a significant impact on the previously summoned Fear Shadow. Since his realm of spiritual will had already reached the required level, there was no need to defeat a past fear again. After all, these were things he had already directly overcome, and there was no longer any fear in his heart. But it seemed to be due to the re-cultivation of Spiritual Energy. The current Tai Ling Skill, where Spiritual Energy completely suppressed everything else, led to changes in the summoned Fear Shadow. "There is obvious Spiritual Ability Radiation on her...this, it¡¯s somewhat similar to the local Spirit Disaster Monsters...." Ku Chan also noticed some details and was surprised. "Let¡¯s use it to impersonate a Spirit Disaster Monster and give it a try," Yu Hong said with a smile. Immediately, he controlled the summoned Speed Man, flashing towards the North Heavenly Gate, approaching silently. Above the Cloud Sea, in the vast expanse of white. Speed Man quickly crossed the vast white area and arrived before the Level Nine White Jade Stairs. Swoosh. In another flash, she crossed the stairs and arrived in front of the gate. The enormous North Heavenly Gate, compared to Speed Man, was like the gateway of Giant Country, with just the width of the doorframe being at least fifty meters. Swoosh. Another flash. Speed Man crossed the door frame, like a sesame seed, directly entering through the gate. Then, she stood still. One second... Two seconds... Five seconds... One minute! "She¡¯s fine!!" Yu Hong finally confirmed that the Fear Shadow he had summoned was indeed fine and could move freely inside the North Heavenly Gate. Ku Chan and Yiyi also sighed with relief on the side. "Next, let¡¯s return once to check," Yu Hong carefully controlled Speed Man to move back. This time, it was even smoother. Soon, Speed Man returned directly next to the safe house but was blocked from entering by the external Array. Click. Yu Hong opened a small gap. Allowing her to float inside. "I¡¯ll go into seclusion to examine her situation, if it¡¯s completely safe, next I¡¯ll start a large scale search inside the North Heavenly Gate with Fear Shadow. Don¡¯t call me unless it¡¯s urgent," Yu Hong said, taking Speed Man Fear Shadow back to the Main Control Room. Bang. The door closed. He turned around, watching Speed Man who had floated to the center of the room. ¡¯Stay still.¡¯ He issued the command. Then, he walked around Speed Man. ¡¯Take off your clothes.¡¯ he ordered. No response. Speed Man remained motionless. Sighing, Yu Hong had no choice but to do it himself. He approached and carefully observed Speed Man. This was his first time studying a Fear Shadow so closely. The essence of a Fear Shadow is a tangible form of his most feared memory. Essentially, it was an energy phantom reconstructed from his memory. He reached out and touched Speed Man¡¯s hair. The feel was very real, indistinguishable from real human hair. Fine, cold, somewhat hard. Then, following the hair, he touched the face hidden beneath the hair. ¡¯...uh.¡¯ Yu Hong furrowed his brow, surprisingly feeling no facial contours. It was still just the feel of hair. The sensation behind the hair felt like a wall, hard and smooth. There was no nose, no eyes, etc. He retracted his hand, then pinched Speed Man¡¯s white skirt on the shoulder. The material felt was not at all like the chiffon of a skirt but more akin to the firm and cold texture of flesh and blood. ¡¯Indeed... This thing isn¡¯t the real Speed Man, nor a real Black Disaster Evil Shadow, but just a model I imagined, though its intelligence level is somewhat high. But the skirt and body are actually sculpted together, just like a piece of wood carved with a skirt and hair, etc.¡¯ Yu Hong immediately understood the composition of Fear Shadow and realized why it was safe for Fear Shadow to go out, while Agrius was not. ¡¯Thinking about it, I¡¯d rather explore those Black Disaster Monsters, to discover what their essence actually is... So many Speed Man look the same... I wonder what¡¯s underneath the hair?¡¯ Yu Hong¡¯s thoughts unintentionally drifted. However, he shifted his train of thought. ¡¯I¡¯m currently deep in the Spirit Disaster, it¡¯s a good opportunity to capture some Spirit Disaster Monsters, to thoroughly research what their nature is...¡¯ To be honest, he had been coveting the Golden Armor of the Three-Eyed Dragon Head General for a long time. He had never had such powerful protective armor, and the Protective Suit had long been unable to keep up with the intensity. And using Black Mark to enhance equipment alone was too extravagant. Thus, finding a ready-made solution outside had become a new idea in his mind. Coming back to his senses, Yu Hong stepped forward, grabbed Speed Man Fear Shadow¡¯s neck with one hand, and flipped her upside down. Head down, legs up. But even so, the skirt continued floating upwards, stubbornly maintaining its previous form against the laws of physics. Yu Hong tugged on the skirt and peeked inside the turned skirt. The inside was gray and white, filled with a gelatinous material similar to flesh. ¡¯As expected!¡¯ After confirming that there were no injuries on Fear Shadow, he returned to the first floor. This time, he did not control Fear Shadow to move, but moved the safe house towards the North Heavenly Gate. Because Fear Shadow has a summoning range, moving cannot be too far from the main body, Yu Hong¡¯s situation was special since his Guanwu Skill was cultivated to an unparalleled level. This limit was greatly improved. But it¡¯s only the range that has greatly increased. "Now, my control range for Fear Shadow is about two kilometers, beyond which the Fear Shadow will dissipate on its own. So.... let¡¯s get closer first and then probe this distance." The three of them gathered at the window, crowding to look outside. Yu Hong softly explained at this point. "Can exploration share perception?" Ku Chan asked. "No, Fear Shadow is essentially a combat skill, sharing perception instead reduces the summoner¡¯s reaction speed." Yu Hong slightly shook his head. "It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll just summon several more." He happens to have the trait of Extreme Summoning. This was the trait he had obtained back then after his experience at Qingchen Temple¡¯s Wooden Fish Five Spirit Spring. It allows arbitrary adjustment to the Technique under the Guanwu Skill Daoist system in summoning, allowing multiple summons. But a normal Guanwu Skill cultivator can only follow the usual steps, defeating several Fear Shadows, thus they can summon only as many, one of each kind. But Yu Hong is different. "The most suitable Fear Shadow here is Speed Man. Most forms of Spirit Disaster are humanoid, and changing to another form might attract attention. It could mess things up if other Spirit Disasters are encountered." Yu Hong said softly. "So...." He opened his hand, and some strands of white light quietly rose in his palm. Pfft. In an instant, his hands swiftly formed seals, his mouth chanting scriptures. The white light strands in his palm rapidly soared, weaving into ancient white symbols. At the same time, outside the safe house, the figures of Speed Men kept appearing, more and more, becoming denser. In a blink, the number exceeded two digits, bursting towards three digits. Yu Hong¡¯s expression unchanged, continued summoning endlessly. Soon, after just over ten seconds. The Speed Men outside had increased to a number that completely surrounded the safe house. ¡¯Go.¡¯ He commanded in his mind, ¡¯Find the owner of this scent.¡¯ At the same time, he transmitted Quan He¡¯s scent traits into the Technique inside all the Fear Shadows. These Fear Shadows themselves only possessed extremely simple intelligence, couldn¡¯t communicate, couldn¡¯t speak, and he wasn¡¯t sure if this would work. But at the very least, there¡¯s strength in numbers;nearly two hundred Speed Men going out should surely find something and bring it back. Ku Chan and Yiyi, on seeing him summon so many all at once, were astounded. "Why... are they all female!? " Yiyi blurted out. "...." Ku Chan wordlessly glanced at her and voluntarily distanced himself from Yiyi. He feared Yu Hong might misunderstand. After all, he has a wife and children. Thinking of his wife and unborn child, a trace of tenderness involuntarily flashed across his face. Following Yu Hong, he actually harbored a trace of hope, a desire to resurrect his wife and child. After all, the miracles created by Yu Hong were somewhat numerous. The search by the Fear Shadow Speed Men began, and Yu Hong started a timer from the beginning. With his current strength in Spiritual Energy and unlimited Inner Strength, basically, he could support the Fear Shadows¡¯ unrestricted movement. One hour passed, the Speed Men disappeared inside the North Heavenly Gate, still without any movement. Two hours passed... Yiyi, feeling sleepy, leaned against the fireplace and fell asleep. "I¡¯ll go cultivate, just call me if needed." Ku Chan stood up, addressed Yu Hong. The latter waved his hand, silent. He continued to concentrate on sensing the feedback from the Fear Shadows. Ku Chan sighed, turned, and returned to his own quarters. His current accommodation was one of the two rooms partitioned in the underground Cultivation Room. He and Yiyi each had a bedroom;Yu Hong usually stayed in the Main Control Room. The first floor was entirely used for meetings, discussions, and usual activities, essentially a hall. The size of the entire safe house was somewhat cramped for three people. Ku Chan returned to his room, closed the stone door he had fashioned with his hands. Then he carefully reached under the bed and pulled out an iron box, opening it. Inside was an assortment of irregular pieces of tissue soaked in Potion. Each piece of tissue was stored in a high-strength glass bottle, with meticulous labels: Father, Mother, Wife, Child, Elder Martial Brother, Second Martial Uncle... About a dozen small bottles contained tissue samples from all the closest people at Zihe Palace that Ku Chan had collected. He hoped that one day, he might find powerful enough Magic to bring them back to life. "The Alliance Hierarch is always mysterious but always finds a way in critical moments, providing hope, indeed, I made the right choice following him.... Dad, Mom, Senior Martial Sister, I¡¯m now with the Alliance Hierarch deep within the Spirit Disaster, here to save a powerful senior who is very important to us. Also, only by continuously hunting down strong enough prey can the Red Food Method bestowed by the Alliance Hierarch be improved quickly. Perhaps, within a hundred years, I might really find a way to save you." Ku Chan softly brought his face close to the bottles, closed his eyes, and the familiar faces of his loved ones appeared in his mind. That was his only motivation for his frantic cultivation and fighting, and what kept him from becoming a madman who only knows how to kill. "Don¡¯t worry.... in this world, only the Alliance Hierarch keeps moving forward, he won¡¯t give up, always full of hope, maybe it won¡¯t be long...." His voice gradually faded away. Ku Chan rarely refrained from cultivation, just like that, his face lying on a pile of bottles, he fell asleep. The enhanced safe house was very secure, very quiet. Unconsciously, a pair of tear stains slid from the corners of his closed eyes, dropping between many bottles. He had nothing else, his only hope was to follow Yu Hong, to find a future where he could resurrect his family. He had seen the Night Pool, seen the Spirit Disaster, Ku Chan didn¡¯t believe in the Source Disaster, only believed in Yu Hong who constantly created miracles. Because he always had the most suitable and needed items at critical moments, creating miracles. Like the rescue of Quan He, everyone never thought to venture deep into the Spirit Disaster, trying to rescue Quan He. Only the Alliance Hierarch thought of it.... And the boat, that ship before, mysteriously and silently brought out, in one fell swoop moved all the people of Hope City to the New World. And the Red Food Method... was the same... S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He himself had despaired, planned to fight to the death and then self-destruct, not wanting to suffer the consequences and die. But then Yu Hong brought out the Red Food Method, which could delay the sequelae for another hundred years.... Chapter 451: Situation 449 Three Inside the vast North Heavenly Gate. Groups of people in yellow robes and white skirts dispersed and shuttled through various palaces, squares, and corridors, searching for any traces of Quan He¡¯s aura. At the North Heavenly Gate, Yu Hong was operating the safe room, silently inching into the gate. The search had been going on for seven days, but no clues had been found yet. Instead, the Fear Shadows inadvertently triggered some mechanisms, or encountered a few wandering Spirit Disasters, and were instantly eliminated. Yu Hong was unconcerned about this;with Extreme Summoning, he could have as many as he wanted. Gurgle gurgle... Inside the safe room, three people crowded in front of the observation window, carefully examining the situation outside. Behind the North Heavenly Gate was a vast and empty White Jade Stone Square. The ground of the square had a large silver pattern composed of dragons and phoenixes, with a black and white Yin Yang Diagram surrounded by the dragons and phoenixes in the center, whose black and white colors were slowly rotating and releasing an extremely exaggerated Spiritual Ability Radiation. Yu Hong maintained a wide-range search while slowly moving past the edge of the square. "There seems to be someone over there!" Suddenly, Yiyi called out softly. Yu Hong and Ku Chan were stunned;they hadn¡¯t seen anyone, but Yiyi had noticed first. Now hearing her mention it, Yu Hong focused his gaze in that direction and indeed saw on the edge of the square, on a black stone bench, sat a gaunt figure dressed in a white robe with silver trim. The figure watched the erratically sprinting Speed Men, seemingly observing something. Suddenly, the person raised his head, revealing a strangely cut face. On this face, there was only one large solitary eye. The eyeball was red, flickering with a faint luminescence. Next, he did something that surprised all three of them. He raised his hand, his palm shaped like a claw, and then... Plunged it into his own eye. Yiyi, who was watching, couldn¡¯t help but scream in shock, while Yu Hong and Ku Chan had no particular reaction. Soon, the three of them saw the man reach directly into the area around his own eyeball. Then, with a bit of force, he actually gouged out his own eye. He carefully wrapped the eyeball in a handkerchief, then took a new eyeball from his pocket and stuffed it back into his own eye socket. "Is this guy... changing his eye?" Yu Hong, seeing this scene, didn¡¯t know why, but suddenly a thought struck his mind. He just stopped in the square, watching the one-eyed monster change his eyes every two hours. Ku Chan and Yiyi watched for a while, found it boring, and went to do their own things. Only Yu Hong remained, still sitting at the entrance, quietly observing. Swoosh. Finally, he suddenly stood up. At this moment, a Speed Man had just returned, holding a white stone similar to the previous ones. Yu Hong cracked open the door, took the stone inside, then quickly returned to the Main Control Room. Planning to use it as a battery to once again cultivate the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Scripture. This time, however, he chose his left eye. ¡¯The right eye mainly focuses on spiritual attacks. The left eye can completely become an enhancement for physical attacks.¡¯ ¡¯Also, why don¡¯t I, like that one-eyed man, first strengthen the external eyeball and then implant it back into myself? The Black Mark doesn¡¯t allow direct enhancement of oneself, so why don¡¯t I first strengthen an external object and then transplant it back into myself?¡¯ This was the true inspiration he gained from the one-eyed man. ¡¯If the external eyeball isn¡¯t compatible with me, then strengthen it until it¡¯s suitable enough for me!¡¯ Yu Hong suddenly realized that he seemed to have found a loophole in the Black Mark mechanism. As soon as he thought of it, he immediately focused his mind, invoked the Technique, and summoned Agrius from the Heavenly River. Agrius shrank into a ball, crawling motionless in his palm. ¡¯Sorry,¡¯ Yu Hong said inwardly to Agrius, then suddenly extended his hand and precisely gouged out one of its eyeballs. Agrius violently struggled and trembled, but quickly stabilized and remained motionless. Yu Hong looked at the eyeball in his hand, a round black crystal-like sphere, still emitting faint black mist. He placed it separately in a container for preservation. Then he let Agrius return to the Heavenly River. Soon a new eyeball grew, while the one in the external container remained. Yu Hong quietly continued his cultivation. As time went on, day by day. Yu Hong kept observing the changes in the eyeball. Meanwhile, he also started to have Speed Men search extensively in the outer world for weaker Spirit Disaster Monsters. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. To prepare eyeballs for collection. In the blink of an eye, over a month passed. Quan He¡¯s whereabouts remained elusive and were not pinpointed, but instead, Yu Hong collected a large pile of eyeballs by ambushing and targeting the weak. Inside the Main Control Room, the walls were covered with glass bottles of various sizes, each filled with differently shaped and colored eyeballs. Yu Hong sat surrounded by these eyeballs. ¡¯It¡¯s about time... I can try my previous idea.¡¯ He stood up, glanced at the remaining time for the Black Mark enhancement¡ªit was the last day, and the increase in the safe room¡¯s defensive strength was about to be completed. Quietly walking to the wall, he watched the continually flashing red countdown timer, waiting quietly for the last five minutes to completely pass. In a short while. Snap. Finally, the countdown completely vanished, returning to zero. The entire safehouse suddenly trembled, blurring momentarily. Simultaneously, a new instruction manual appeared in Yu Hong¡¯s hand. ¡¯Safehouse reinforcement complete, external walls upgraded to ultra-strong special alloy walls. Strength increased by eleven times, this wall material comes from the ancient star civilization of Ovires, and is part of the level five basic protection wall in the ten-level defense system.¡¯ Yu Hong paused, noticing the wall slowly beginning to show faint blue dim light patterns, reminiscent of technological circuits. ¡¯This Immortal Martial Sect isn¡¯t enough for you, you even reach out to star-level civilizations...¡¯ He exhaled, ignoring the Black Mark¡¯s manual, casually picking up a small bottle containing a silver eyeball from nearby. This eyeball was dug out from a Silver-armored Dragon Man wandering nearby. Strangely, the number of Silver-armored Dragon Men here was very limited, even Golden Armored Dragon Men were extremely rare. Perhaps this was because it was inside the North Heavenly Gate. The only advantage was that these creatures could regenerate, these eyeballs look numerous, but in reality, they were all harvested from two Dragon Men. A total of ninety-nine, for good luck. At this moment, holding a silver eyeball, Yu Hong confirmed the end of the Black Mark enhancement and silently thought. ¡¯Enhance Outer Eye, direction: eliminate all side effects generated during transplantation into my body.¡¯ He didn¡¯t directly enhance functionalities but first removed hidden dangers. Instantly, the black lines on the back of his hand flashed, rushing into the eyeball in the bottle. The silver eyeball slightly contracted, and soon the feedback asking whether to start came. Yu Hong glanced at the countdown that synchronously appeared on the bottle. ¡¯19 minutes¡¯. Unexpectedly short. His heart filled with anticipation. If this experiment succeeded, he would no longer need to slowly cultivate for enhancement as he did before. While cultivation is stable and lays a solid foundation, it always seemed insufficient when strength was needed. If this path proved viable, it meant he could completely change his approach, and use the same principle to modify other organs and limbs. The time of about ten minutes was short;Yu Hong simply sat cross-legged and practiced Tai Ling Skill while waiting. Soon, the time was almost up. He opened his eyes and stared at the silver eyeball in the bottle. At the moment the countdown hit zero, the surface of the eyeball flashed with silver light, then it quieted down, making no further move. Yu Hong exhaled, opened the bottle¡¯s cap. Looking at the ordinary-looking eyeball inside, he took a deep breath. He reached out... Whoosh! Suddenly, he jabbed his hand directly into his own left eye, scooping it out forcefully. With a tearing sound. The eyeball, along with nerves, was brutally pulled out. The intense pain stimulated Yu Hong¡¯s brain, nearly causing him to lose his composure and scream in pain. But the anticipation for the future made him endure the agony, placing his own eyeball into a prepared clean bottle. Then, with trembling hands, he picked up the silver eyeball, stuffing it into the bloody socket of his left eye. Positioned correctly, he quickly released the Elf Ancient Tree¡¯s Call, covered by Golden Light. Soon, new eye nerves and blood vessels began growing from the eye socket, connecting to the newly introduced silver eyeball. Yu Hong, enduring pain, formed a Sealing with both hands, releasing a minor Magic to purify himself of bacteria and viruses. Bacterial and viral particles also emit extremely faint Spiritual Fluctuations, hence the Taoist Sect¡¯s Magic includes this research. This is one of the reasons why those big shots in the Taoist Sect are hard to kill. Even at later stages, Heavenly Master Level practitioners might have secret Techniques to completely change their bodies. At this moment, Yu Hong found it quite handy. After cleaning off the blood, Yu Hong walked to one side, sat down on the ground, and slowly waited for his left eye to adapt and change. The newly planted eye was still completely dark, and he could see nothing. But as time passed. Soon, an hour went by. Gradually, Yu Hong felt the pain lessen, and he quickly applied some anti-inflammatory Eye Drops to himself, this time not his own enhanced kind, but just ordinary commercial medicine produced outside. Waiting a little longer, finally. Little bits of faint light appeared in Yu Hong¡¯s mind. He widened his left eye, the silver eyeball slightly rotating, continually streaming tears. But at this moment, he didn¡¯t care about these;only the light and images emanating from his left eye were thrilling him! ¡¯It worked!!¡¯ he suddenly got up, although the vision of the silver eye wasn¡¯t as good as his original. But at this time, in Yu Hong¡¯s vision, countless thin silver threads floated in the air. These threads, some thick, some thin, floated softly in mid-air, moving around. ¡¯This is....¡¯ Yu Hong reached out his hand, involuntarily grasping at a silver thread. Sizzle! In the instant he pinched the thread, an immensely pure Spiritual Energy madly surged into his body. And that thread slowly shortened, disappearing. The influx of Spiritual Energy was entirely different from that of materials like White Stone. If White Stone was like a jumble of thousands of impurities forcibly compressed together, the thread was pure unconscious Spiritual Energy. Like a newborn Spiritual Energy, it could be freely absorbed and devoured. Chapter 452: Case 450 Status Four "This may be one of the ways the Silver-armored Dragon Men cultivate their Spiritual Energy! The ability to absorb Spiritual Energy without removing impurities means cultivating the Tai Ling Skill will definitely be much faster than before." Yu Hong was quite excited, and immediately, he took another eye from a Golden-armored Dragon Man and pressed his hand on it to start eliminating the side effects. This time, he planned to strengthen it to his satisfaction before transplanting it into his own eyes. This way, he could obtain a sufficiently powerful foundation in one go! sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After that, he would integrate it into himself using a Cultivation Technique, making it a whole. While Yu Hong diligently strengthened the eye of the Golden-armored Dragon Man, the safe house was also slowly moving inside the North Heavenly Gate. Soon, it passed the White Jade Stone Square and arrived in front of a huge, pure white Taoist Palace gate. The door of the Taoist Palace was half-open, and inside, several Cai Jing Taoists were sitting motionless, seemingly hosting a feast. At the highest seat of honor, there sat a tall woman in an opulent turquoise armor, her face blurred. She sat boldly with her legs spread in a figure-eight, her back straight, and one hand holding a pitch-black square halberd, her blurry face slightly lowered, overlooking all the guests in the Taoist Palace. Once Yu Hong confirmed that the strengthening had begun, he came out and observed his surroundings with his consciousness. Seeing this Taoist Palace, he did not continue to summon Speed Man to disturb this place. Without the amplification of Spirit Light, he wasn¡¯t sure he could even defeat a single Cai Jing Taoist. There were at least thirty Cai Jing Taoists here, and the woman sitting in the seat of honor could very likely be an Immortal General. If he stirred up trouble, there would be big problems later. The safe house moved past the gate without making a sound and left. The enhanced stealth ability showed its astonishing effects for the first time. Clearly, each Cai Jing Taoist was sitting rigidly inside the great hall, glancing sideways at the armored woman in the seat of honor;they were not sculptures, their chests were slightly moving, indicating they had heartbeats. Yet no one noticed the safe house that was so close to them. Even the woman in the seat of honor kept her eyes closed and motionless. "Wait! There¡¯s movement!" Suddenly, Ku Chan stood up and moved close to the observation window, looking inside the grand hall. "What is that?!" "!?" Yu Hong also sensed a similar presence at this time. It was Quan He!! After a long time, she was finally releasing her presence again. Buzz!! At this moment, the entire grand hall of the Taoist Palace shook violently underground, the ground lit up with a bright white light, and at the same time, the faint sound of crane cries came from below. "It¡¯s actually underground!" exclaimed Ku Chan in surprise. But Yu Hong showed no expression;he temporarily halted his study of the eye, stepped out of the Main Control Room, and approached the observation window. "It seems this is the place.... Now, the question is, how to rescue someone from underneath the watchful eyes of so many Spirit Disaster Monsters." He spoke gravely. "Your eye..." Ku Chan raised his head to speak but was met with Yu Hong¡¯s left eye that was not covered by a patch. That left eye, silver just like those of the Silver-armored Dragon Men before. "It¡¯s fine, just a small experiment. Now¡¯s not the time to discuss this. Continue." Yu Hong interrupted. "First, we need to find the underground entrance and see exactly where the senior is being detained. Then we can slowly move there using the safe house. Alliance Hierarch, haven¡¯t you strengthened the stealth ability several times? We are so close to these monsters, yet we have not been detected. We can fully use this stealth ability. We only need to show ourselves at the moment of the rescue." Ku Chan quickly thought of a plan. "Are you sure that the woman suspected to be an Immortal General doesn¡¯t have Instantaneous Movement ability?" asked Yu Hong. "Even the three-eyed Golden-armored Dragon Men can perform Instantaneous Movement, do you think an Immortal General doesn¡¯t have it?" Ku Chan was at a loss for words and fell silent before speaking again. "Then I¡¯ll go attract their attention and draw them away a bit." "It¡¯s useless." Yu Hong shook his head. "The range of an Immortal General¡¯s Instantaneous Movement is likely vast, plus here in the depths of the Spirit Disaster, their abilities might even be amplified and strengthened." "Then what should we do?" Yiyi asked from the side. "No rush.....we need to wait for the right moment...." said Yu Hong softly. The safe house immediately stood still, quietly waiting at the edge of the Taoist Palace gate. Hiss. Yu Hong tried to summon a Speed Man some distance away, making it appear in an open space behind the door. The Speed Man appeared abruptly, not yet stable. Crack. A golden lightning bolt flashed and struck the Speed Man accurately. The next moment, the Speed Man turned to white ash, crumbling down. "It wasn¡¯t the Cai Jing or the Immortal General inside the hall who made the move." Ku Chan frowned. "It¡¯s the walls." said Yu Hong. The three turned their eyes toward the outer walls of the Taoist Palace. On the walls near the door, many blue creatures that looked like dragons but weren¡¯t and accompanied by flowers, flames, and waves, surrounded the Taoist Palace. At this moment, what should have been mere bas-reliefs, had all come to life. They were packed densely together, their bell-like eyes glared at Speed Man¡¯s position, with faint golden electric sparks in their mouths rapidly fading away, growing dim. Yu Hong felt a sinking feeling in his heart, seeing that there were at least hundreds of such creatures packed tightly on the walls, seemingly the guardians of the Taoist Palace. "It seems this place is different from others..." he murmured to himself, pondering strategies in his mind. The safe house came to a stop here and did not move again. Without the isolated state, even the Immortal Generals couldn¡¯t detect them here;it was rather a good opportunity to observe if any potential loopholes would surface. After instructing Ku Chan and Yiyi on what to keep in mind, Yu Hong returned to the Main Control Room and continued with a new Golden Eye of a three-eyed Golden Armor Dragon-man. This was the most powerful eye of a Spirit Disaster Monster he had managed to acquire so far. When the three-eyed Golden Armor Dragon-man first appeared, it was already a monster at the level of the Seven Evils. It came with innate abilities like Instantaneous Movement and Forced Stasis and was immune to low-level Spiritual Techniques attacks, extremely formidable. After extraction, it was maintained with the newly acquired Elf Ancient Tree¡¯s Call for a period to sustain its vitality, which was perfect for long-term preservation. He extended his hand and pressed it against the surface of the bottle. ¡¯Enhance Outer Eye, maximize enhancement against the Spirit Disaster.¡¯ Yu Hong thought to himself. This eye had already been enhanced to eliminate side effects during a previous session. Along with it, there were another twenty eyes from Golden Armor Dragon-headed men, which Yu Hong planned to enhance separately into different functionalities ¨C partly as a testing experiment and partly to cope with different scenarios, as the Source Disaster wasn¡¯t limited to just Spirit Disaster, Black Disaster, and Light Disaster. It would be troublesome if high-quality eyes like these became hard to find later on, so it was better to stockpile some in advance. What remained to be seen was to what extent they could be enhanced. Black lines flowed out and the countdown timer soon appeared. ¡¯45 days 7 hours 19 minutes.¡¯ ¡¯The same duration again, around forty-something days... The last time I tried to maximize enhancement, it was also this length. It seems my limit for enhancement can only reach this duration...¡¯ Yu Hong was well aware that his limit for enhancement was entirely dependent on the amount of Essence Qi and Inner Strength he could supply. So, his recent consecutive maximum enhancements all spanned forty-something days, showing that his current state could only support the enhancement of the Golden Eye for forty-something days at most. ¡¯Let¡¯s wait and see, by then I¡¯ll see what changes the enhancement brings...¡¯ Yu Hong had some expectations in his heart. He put down the bottle with the golden eye and left the Main Control Room. By now, the protection of the safe house had been upgraded to a very high level, and its concealment abilities were extremely strong, allowing it to remain undetected even near the doorstep of an Immortal General. Such strength gave Yu Hong and the others an increased sense of security. In the beginning, people were somewhat panicked having a bunch of Cai Jing Taoists and an exceptional Immortal General nearby. At night, they couldn¡¯t even sleep peacefully. But after half a month. The nerves of the three of them gradually relaxed, and once they found the safe house remained undiscovered no matter what, they became much bolder. Yu Hong started to release Summoned Fear Shadows frequently, trying to lure away the Spirit Disaster Monsters within the Taoist Palace. But it was in vain. From Speed Man onwards, all the way up, even the Black Giant was instantly electrocuted upon appearance. The hundreds of dragon-like green creatures on the outer walls of the Taoist Palace alone were enough to crush the summoned creatures. After more than ten unsuccessful attempts, Yu Hong decisively gave up this tactic. Instead, he quietly observed and waited. In the blink of an eye, forty days passed, and the time for the Black Mark enhancement was approaching. During this time, without any other distractions and focusing on enhancement and cultivation, Yu Hong always felt that although each enhancement took over a month, time seemed to fly by quickly. This time, to his surprise, not only was the enhancement about to end, but his Tai Ling Skill¡¯s Sixth Layer was also on the brink of a breakthrough. With double happiness at hand, he had new hope for the improvement of his strength. Although the Tai Ling Skill might encounter problems if relocated and disconnected from the Spirit Disaster, at least it was useful for the time being, and the increase in power was strong enough! While Yu Hong was secluded waiting for the breakthrough and enhancement to end. Ku Chan and Yiyi were still keeping watch at the window, looking out. Inside the main hall of the Taoist Palace, those Cai Jing Taoists and the female Immortal General still maintained the same postures as more than a month ago, even the raised hands, slightly parted lips, and the floating curve of their hair hadn¡¯t changed in the slightest. There was no wind to blow in there, everyone was like a statue, motionless and silent. "It seems that the way of survival for Spirit Disasters here is to venture out when needed to devour living spirits, then return to linger on," Ku Chan sighed, "Living like this, what difference does it have from being dead?" "There is still a difference." Suddenly a voice entered his mind. "Huh!? Who¡¯s there?" Ku Chan shuddered, looked around, and then only saw a puzzled Yiyi sitting on a small stool, looking bewildered at him. "We¡¯ve been together for so long, sense carefully, you should be very familiar with my aura," the voice was strong and robust, like that of an extremely old senior. Ku Chan frowned and calm down to carefully sense it. The voice was not coming from the outside world but seemed to resonate from within himself. But he was protected by the Red Food Method, with Dao Breath condensed into a Passive Technique that isolated everything;no one who wasn¡¯t approved by him could possibly penetrate his inner depths with their consciousness. He hesitated for a while. Shortly, he suddenly placed his hand on the hilt of the damaged Chi Xiao Sword at his waist. ¡¯Chi Xiao!?¡¯ "It is I. Thanks to you, I¡¯ve been able to temporarily shake off the control of the Spirit Disaster Heavenly Court and regain a short period of clarity," Chi Xiao said gravely, "Ever since I was forged into a sword, I can no longer remember how much time has passed. Had it not been for this special place that completely secluded the connection between me and the Spirit Disaster, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to awaken." Chapter 453: Rescue 1 "You are really Chi Xiao, then you should know a lot of things I am concerned about, right?" Ku Chan voiced his skepticism. "Of course. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask. However, I don¡¯t have much conscious time left. Back then, Heaven refined me into a sword, which caused great damage to my divine soul. Being able to be conscious now is all because of my formidable strength." Ku Chan stopped speaking and stood up, walking towards the basement. Aside from the safe house¡¯s array, there were also his own arrays placed there, which have a miraculous effect on blocking external sound transmission and consciousness fluctuations. But soon, he realized that the voice was still there. After entering the double layer of arrays, he could still clearly hear it. "Don¡¯t get agitated, I really am Chi Xiao, and don¡¯t tell your Alliance Hierarch about this;that guy is kind of strange," Chi Xiao said. "What do you mean by kind of strange?" Ku Chan asked. "To tell you the truth, I¡¯m a little afraid of that Yu Hong," Chi Xiao spoke, "I¡¯ve lived for several hundred years, and this is the first time I¡¯ve encountered someone so inscrutable." Hearing this, Ku Chan immediately got up and headed towards the Main Control Room where Yu Hong was located. "Wait! Wait for me!!" Chi Xiao hastily called out to him. "Don¡¯t you want to know why I am speaking out now?" "Go ahead and talk, and I¡¯ll report to the Alliance Hierarch when I get there," Ku Chan said. "Ah, mainly because you guys actually managed to isolate the influences of the Spirit Disaster, something that even everyone from our time together couldn¡¯t accomplish. So don¡¯t rush... I came out to help you!" Chi Xiao quickly said. With a chuckle, Ku Chan turned around and headed towards the Main Control Room, but was immediately called back again. Chi Xiao began another earnest explanation. After more than an hour of hassle, Ku Chan finally began to believe it a little. "So what are you conscious now to help us with?" There is never such a coincidence in the world, not awakening earlier or later, but the other party happens to awaken now, there must be a reason. Thus, Ku Chan straightforwardly voiced his inquiry. "It¡¯s simple, you guys want to save someone, right? The person you want to save is locked up here in the Heavenly Prison, I can help you distract the Guardian Immortal Generals, but you have to do me a favor." "What favor?" Ku Chan asked. "Take away my Primordial Seal that¡¯s kept in the Heavenly Prison," said Chi Xiao. "What is the Primordial Seal?" "It¡¯s the most core imprint that belongs to a person, why you are you and not someone else, that¡¯s determined by the Primordial Seal. Even if I die on the outside, if the Primordial Seal is still here, I can¡¯t be completely freed. I will resurrect here, recover, and be locked in the Heavenly Prison where there is no light, until I go mad," Chi Xiao answered. "...I need to discuss this with my Alliance Hierarch." Ku Chan is an honest child, even if a bit corrupted, he is still very nice to those kind to him. His nature is frankness, straightforwardness, being the first to rush into situations. "Well... okay, alright, I am quite interested in your Alliance Hierarch as well, he is indeed miraculous, always able to turn the impossible into possible! Very formidable!" Chi Xiao reluctantly admitted. He had originally chosen him not only because he was barely capable of withstanding his descent but also because of his plain Chi Cheng heart, open and bright. Now it seems, this plainspoken Chi Cheng sometimes is still a problem... Confirmed by Chi Xiao, Ku Chan immediately got up and rushed towards the Main Control Room. Meanwhile, inside the Main Control Room. Yu Hong was holding an eyeball that shone with dazzling, rainbow-colored light, slowly inserting it into his own eye socket. A silver-lettered instruction slip slowly drifted down beside him. It was clearly written in Chinese characters: Outer Eye (also known as Colorful Mirror Candle Pupil, the cultivation essence of life from the Heaven¡¯s Cai Jing Taoist, automatically enhances one¡¯s Spiritual Energy by seventeen times, comes with high-level spiritual ability Technique Void One Finger, with the Passive Technique Myriad Spirits Guide). ¡¯Void One Finger: Active Technique, launched with a single finger of one hand, the object pointed at will be suppressed by a Spiritual Power five times your own. Can be used within a radius of one kilometer from yourself. Consumes one-fifth of your own Spiritual Energy each time.¡¯ ¡¯Myriad Spirits Guide: Passive Technique, able to spontaneously absorb the spiritual energy of all life forms within a one-kilometer radius, all creatures with Spiritual Energy less than one-tenth of your own will be continuously drawn by the force, unable to isolate or resist, their Spiritual Energy will be forcibly extracted until death.¡¯ ¡¯Note: The Spiritual Energy drawn by Myriad Spirits Guide contains a large number of impurities, directly absorbing it can significantly enhance strength in the short term, but will cause thought disorder, memory recognition deviation, personality distortion. It is impossible to evolve to the next stage and requires Immortal Light to completely purify.¡¯ These two Techniques, at a glance, were the powerful abilities once used by Cai Jing Taoist. Especially the second one, which even caused widespread death among ordinary people before. Yu Hong felt somewhat moved when he saw these two Techniques. ¡¯Void One Finger is against a single enemy, Myriad Spirits Guide is against cannon fodder troops, Cai Jing Taoist really is a versatile Spirit Disaster! No wonder the fight was so arduous back then.¡¯ This was an eyeball freshly enhanced from a Three-Eyed Dragon Head General. Unexpectedly, this eyeball directly evolved into the attributes of Cai Jing Taoist. Originally, the Three-Eyed Dragon Head General needed to devour a large number of living wills and a stream of Heavenly Immortal Energy to successfully ascend to Cai Jing. Now, with just one enhancement from Yu Hong, he had managed to leap past that hurdle and attain Cai Jing. Crack. The colorful eyeball was installed into the socket, emitting a light click. Yu Hong swiftly released Elf Ancient Tree¡¯s Call, a faint golden halo spread, covering the eye sockets. At once, numerous white line-like Spiritual Energy formations appeared in his field of vision. Within the white lines, there were now some silver threads as well. He extended his hand, trying to touch them. Hiss! Suddenly, a stream of highly concentrated and purified Spiritual Energy flowed into his body. Just one silver thread is worth at least five to ten of the white ones. Extremely exaggerated. ¡¯If I can keep absorbing the silver threads, my progress with Tai Ling Skill can definitely increase five to ten times faster!¡¯ Yu Hong contemplated internally. The enhancement of the senses strengthens the foundation of cultivation. This perspective of the Taoist Sect was indeed correct. Of course, the premise is that there is no rejection reaction;he was able to do this because the Black Seal Gang helped him eliminate the problem. Thump, thump, thump. Just then, the door was knocked. "Come in." With a flick of his finger, Yu Hong unlocked the door with his Inner Strength. Turning his head, he saw Ku Chan enter with a solemn expression, which puzzled him. "What¡¯s happened? Is there another problem?" "It¡¯s not... It¡¯s about Chi Xiao." Ku Chan started to speak, then he saw the room¡¯s walls covered with eyeball bottles of all sizes. His breath caught slightly. "You see, I told you, this guy isn¡¯t normal! He¡¯s capable of anything!" Chi Xiao shouted anxiously in his heart. "I think it¡¯s best not to mention me, otherwise, I¡¯m worried you might be in trouble too!" he quickly added. "...." Ku Chan paused, "It¡¯s like this..." Without hesitation, he spoke of Chi Xiao¡¯s voice. "...." Chi Xiao suddenly felt like maybe he had chosen the wrong master. Looking at the situation where the entire family had been wiped out, leaving only him as the sole survivor, he didn¡¯t hesitate at all to fully disclose his greatest secret to a stranger. As if he didn¡¯t worry about others harming him at all. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "So, you¡¯re saying that the consciousness within Chi Xiao now claims it can help us distract and hold off the Heavenly Prison Immortal General?" Yu Hong repeated the entire content once more. "Yes." "Do you believe it?" Yu Hong asked. "Half-belief, half-doubt." "Then let¡¯s give it a try." Yu Hong smiled and touched the Colorful Mirror Candle Pupil he had just transplanted. It was a good chance to test his abilities that he had just pushed to the limit. Say nothing else, pretending to be a Spirit Disaster Monster might have some feasibility. "Your eyes?" Ku Chan also noticed the change in Yu Hong¡¯s eyes and hesitantly asked. "It¡¯s fine, just practiced a Cultivation Technique that changes the eyes." Yu Hong gave a simple explanation. "Okay then, when do we take action?" Ku Chan asked. "We need to find out where Heavenly Prison is first." Yu Hong said, looking down at the Chi Xiao Sword. Seemingly aware of his gaze, the Chi Xiao Sword Handle trembled slightly, evaporating into white light points. The dots in mid-air condensed into a bald, white-bearded Taoist. "Your eyes..." As the Taoist appeared, he met Yu Hong¡¯s colored left eye directly, trembling violently as if he were a quail. "Tell me, you know where Heavenly Prison is, right?" Yu Hong asked. "Of course, I know. To access Heavenly Prison¡¯s location, one must activate a teleportation Array here to enter. The Array is located on the left side of the Heavenly Prison Palace, beneath a dominating statue, and needs Immortal Law to be activated. You don¡¯t know Immortal Law, so even if you know the location, you can¡¯t enter," Chi Xiao quickly said. "Lead the way." Yu Hong said calmly. Chi Xiao still wanted to say something, but seeing Yu Hong¡¯s colorful halo eye, similar to the Cai Jing Taoist¡¯s, he consciously swallowed his words and floated out. The safe house moved stealthily, quickly reaching the left side, in a white garden overgrown with weeds. Soon, they saw the statues of the Dragon Sons. Yiyi was originally cooking and saw Yu Hong and Ku Chan come out with serious faces, followed by a white-bearded old man;they quickly squeezed to the surveillance window. Although she didn¡¯t know what had happened, she hastily put down her spatula and squeezed in with them to look outside. At that moment, in the white garden outside, they quickly found one of the dominating statues. "Let me out," Chi Xiao said. Yu Hong and Ku Chan exchanged a glance, reached out their hands, and forcefully opened a crack in the door. Click. At once, Ku Chan threw the Chi Xiao Sword Handle out like lightning. "Wait, don¡¯t throw..." Before Chi Xiao could finish, he was already tossed underneath the belly of the dominating statue. Click. The door closed. The three watched from inside the house as the old man Chi Xiao grumbled and prostrated himself, moving rapidly and diving under the statue¡¯s belly, disappearing like he was fired from a canon. His actions were so practiced;it was clear he had done it countless times before. "Do we still have any sound transmission?" Yu Hong asked. "None, seems like he really is Chi Xiao." Ku Chan shook his head. Yiyi watched the two men, completely confused about what they were talking about. "I¡¯m going to cook." She turned around to continue what she was doing before. Leaving Yu Hong and another person to continue waiting by the door. Chapter 454: Rescue 2 Soon, the two of them saw the handle of the Chi Xiao Sword quietly wriggling, crawling through the grass towards the direction of the safe house. But when it got close to the safe house, it couldn¡¯t find the exact location and just kept circling in the same spot. "I¡¯ve lived this long and this is the first time I know the handle of the Chi Xiao Sword can bend," Ku Chan exclaimed upon seeing this. "Otherwise, how could it have survived until now?" Yu Hong shook his head. He abruptly pushed the door open, grabbed the Chi Xiao with his Inner Strength, and pulled it in. "Hurry up! I¡¯ve opened the Heavenly Prison!" This was the first thing Chi Xiao said as it entered. Upon hearing this, Yu Hong and Ku Chan¡¯s expressions shifted slightly;they paused for a moment and then, without any hesitation, Ku Chan immediately dashed out the door. Yu Hong, upon seeing this, followed closely behind, also grabbing hold of Chi Xiao and rushing out. The two were only about ten meters away from Ba Xia, and flashed to the statue in an instant. The Ba Xia statue was over ten meters tall, and at its lower abdomen, a pale purple rune light sphere was glowing. "This is it, quickly get in! It can only be opened for four minutes at a time!" Without uttering another word, Ku Chan tried to rush in, but was stopped by Yu Hong with a single gesture. Hiss! Several Speed Men appeared out of nowhere, each dashing into the light sphere in succession. In the blink of an eye, over a dozen people had entered. "It¡¯s fine, let¡¯s go!" Yu Hong sensed their condition and confirmed there were no issues, then immediately became the first to enter the light sphere. Ku Chan was second. As soon as the two entered, their vision blurred drastically. They found themselves on a huge silver-white flower. The flower was situated in a dark expanse of the void, surrounded by pitch-blackness, where nothing could be seen. Only dense Spiritual Energy enveloped the area. The entire flower was over a kilometer in diameter, with nine petals in total. The spot they were standing on was right on the edge of one of the flower petals. "Ahhhh!!" No sooner had they arrived that they heard an angry and weary roar coming from afar. Immediately after, from the center of the pistil, a ring of blue-white halos burst outward like tidal waves. This halo swept across the entire flower, and wherever it passed, everything was covered with a thin layer of blue frost. Hisss. When the blue-white light halo washed over Yu Hong and Ku Chan, it brought them not alarm but joy instead. "It¡¯s the Spirit Light Secret Skill!! Senior Quan He is here!" Ku Chan said with joy on his face. "Rescue mission!" Yu Hong nodded and was the first to dash towards the center of the burst of light. With only four minutes, time was of the essence. Swish! He ran at a speed of nearly one second per hundred meters, sprinting towards the pistil. Leaping over undulating white petals like hills, bypassing a series of empty little white houses. They quickly reached the very center. At the pistil, a moon-white figure encased entirely in golden crystal, appeared before the two. Quan He was still in his moon-white Daoist robe, his black hair spilling down and spread out, his face cold and solemn, his eyes wide open, shining with a pale blue glow. That was the radiation of an extremely dense Light Disaster! Even standing more than ten meters away, Yu Hong could feel a chill coming towards him. This concentration... was even more exaggerated than standing in front of the Ultimate Gate of the Light Disaster. "We¡¯ve found the person! What do we do now!?" Ku Chan circled around the crystal once, sent a Technique flame onto it, which exploded and disbursed, leaving the crystal unscathed. "It won¡¯t budge;this is a Sealing from someone in the Emperor Realm during the Spirit Disaster, with your current strength, you don¡¯t stand a chance! Hurry, move it out, quickly!" Chi Xiao shouted from the side. As an Emperor¡¯s Weapon Dao Artifact, he was crafted by those in the Emperor Realm and was most knowledgeable about these matters. After hearing this, Yu Hong immediately went up, wrapped his arms around the two-meter-tall crystal, and forcefully yanked it out. "It¡¯s fixed, you need to use...." Crack. Yu Hong abruptly lifted the golden crystal he snapped off, the breaking sound directly interrupting the second half of Chi Xiao¡¯s sentence. Then he turned and ran. "What kind of monstrous strength is this!?" Even Chi Xiao, who had lived for hundreds of years, had never seen such exaggerated strength. But now was not the time to be astonished. The fracture in the crystal prison would certainly alert the Great Emperor who had forged it by hand. "Wait, there is still my Primordial Seal!" he shouted as he followed behind Yu Hong. "I¡¯ll get it!" Ku Chan immediately responded. "Come with me! We have one more minute!" Chi Xiao turned and drifted in another direction. Ku Chan followed closely behind. Yu Hong, carrying the crystal, rushed back to the entrance and plunged in. The vision blurred again, and the white garden and Ba Xia¡¯s statue reappeared on the outside. The crystal collided with the statue, shattering the bottom of the statue and leaving a large chunk missing. Yu Hong, carrying the crystal, charged towards the location of the safe house. But as he stepped out from the base of Ba Xia, the Heavenly Prison Dao Palace outside already began to shake. Mighty and terrifying breaths were rapidly awakening inside the Dao Palace. "Those who trespass in Heavenly Prison, die!" A husky female voice roared like thunder, shaking the surrounding air. Hiss! With the sound wave came a terrifying and muck-like Spiritual Energy pressure spreading out. Puff! The moment Yu Hong touched the pressure, he felt a sharp pain all over, as if his head had been hammered, and his consciousness immediately began to swirl. ¡¯The gap in Spiritual Energy is too great;I must hide right away, or I will undoubtedly die!¡¯ A strong sense of crisis surged in his heart. The opponent hadn¡¯t even arrived yet, and just the pressure alone made him vomit blood. This was undoubtedly due to the home advantage, but more so it was the sheer gap in Spiritual Power. Now without the hundreds to thousands of times amplification of Spirit Light, relying on his own little bit of Spiritual Energy, he was far from the match for the opponent with tens of millions or even hundreds of millions in Spiritual Power Value. Just as Yu Hong was about to dive into the door of the safe house. The second wave of majestic force once again swept over, released by the combined efforts of the Cai Jing Taoists. A huge, invisible ripple brushed past Yu Hong¡¯s body in an instant, immobilizing him completely in place. Yu Hong was like an insect frozen in amber, unable to move an inch. But at this moment, his face remained calm, with a burst of colorful light in his left eye. He pointed forward with his index finger. Crack. A formless finger power instantly pierced through all the solidified Spiritual Power in front of him, creating a clear path. Void One Finger! This was a powerful Technique, capable of instantly unleashing five times his own Spiritual Energy. With his current level of Spiritual Energy, he concentrated the finger power into a single line. This immediately shook the Spiritual Power of the many Cai Jing that were awakening in the Dao Palace. Pfft! Yu Hong¡¯s figure, leaving afterimages behind, violently burst into the safety shelter door that Yiyi opened in coordination. He, along with the crystal, entered through the door and landed steadily on the ground. Behind them, the door closed, blocking all the oppressive force outside. Yu Hong set the crystal down, quickly returning to the observation window to control the safety shelter¡¯s movement toward the entrance of Heavenly Prison. Ku Chan was still inside. Pfft! The safety shelter ignored all oppressive forces, like a shadow separated from reality, and plunged into the purple light sphere. ¡¯It was worth spending so much time reinforcing it. It¡¯s really come through when it matters!¡¯ Yu Hong sighed in relief inwardly. Looking out the window, as the view shifted, the large white flower appeared in his sight again, giving him a sense of relief. The next second, he saw Ku Chan and Chi Xiao rushing towards the exit. Ku Chan was holding something silver that resembled a seal, his body covered in blood, with a large section of his head dented as if smashed by something. But his expression was resolute. "Over here!" Yu Hong immediately opened a sliver of the door and transmitted his voice to him, while controlling the safety shelter to move directly towards him. Only then did he notice an eight-armed bronze giant relentlessly pursuing Ku Chan from behind, wielding eight black mallets. The bronze giant, about ten or so meters tall, had a ferocious appearance, with disheveled hair like a golden lion¡¯s mane, and occasionally flashes of Divine golden electricity sparkled over its body. This kind of gold Divinity electricity, capable of weakening more than half the damage, was the most disgusting. Clearly, it was this creature that had smashed Ku Chan¡¯s head. Fortunately, the distance between the safety shelter and Ku Chan was much shorter than that between the Eight-Armed Giant and Ku Chan. Pfft! With a muffled sound, the safety shelter successfully caught Ku Chan and immediately closed the door. The next second, the shelter collided head-on with the Eight-Armed Giant. Boom!!! A loud noise exploded. The room trembled violently, and a significant dent bulged on the door. But it withstood. The next instant, Yu Hong activated the isolation mode feature. Whoosh! The Eight-Armed Giant¡¯s remaining mallet swings all missed, passing through the safety shelter like slicing through a shadow. ¡¯Really effective!¡¯ Yu Hong relaxed again in his heart, worthy of a special active skill that needs to be discharged once every hour. It was almost like isolating to another level. Ao!!! "Remnants of the Moon God, you are seeking your own deaths!" the Eight-Armed Giant roared furiously, swinging wildly but unable to locate the safety shelter. It could only vent its rage on the white petals underfoot. The thunderous noise continued to explode, smashing the petals into many white fragments. Meanwhile, Yu Hong had already maneuvered the safety shelter back to the exit of the purple light sphere. Pfft! Safely and without incident, the safety shelter returned to the white garden. At this time, numerous Cai Jing Taoists were floating in the sky above the garden. And within the Dao Palace, a female Immortal General, holding a halberd and standing on white clouds, her eyes emitting Golden Light, was looking down as if using some detection Technique. "Over here!" Suddenly, the Immortal General¡¯s golden eyesight landed right on the purple light door. The safety shelter had just teleported back and got spotted. The three people in the room felt their breath catch and their hearts nearly stopped. But the next second. The Golden Light moved away, shifting to another direction. "She didn¡¯t see us. She was sensing the movement of the teleportation door, using deceit on the enemy!" Chi Xiao reminded loudly. "Go!" Yu Hong immediately understood and controlled the safety shelter to quickly move away from the garden. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This time, there were no more dangers encountered. They left the entire Dao Palace behind, where the Heavenly Prison Immortal General and a crowd of Cai Jing Taoists continued to search, but their area of search was far from the direction they left. Seeing this scene, Yu Hong finally breathed a sigh of relief. Turning back, he nodded to a nervous Yiyi, awaiting news, and to Ku Chan, who was practicing his Inner Strength to heal his head. "We¡¯re temporarily safe now." "Don¡¯t get too happy too soon." Chi Xiao¡¯s voice echoed, "The crystal is just a simple Sealing, the real issue is the Sealing talisman inside. It was crafted by someone from the Emperor Realm!" "No worries. I¡¯ve already started to loosen the seal and regain mobility." Suddenly, a gentle female voice appeared out of nowhere in the room. "Alliance Hierarch Quan He!" Yu Hong¡¯s face lit up with joy. "You¡¯ve finally awakened!" Having experienced the feeling of someone taking charge, he never wanted to bear the burden alone again. Part of the reason why he rescued Quan He was that she was the most talented person he had ever seen in history. Such a mighty being shouldn¡¯t fall so easily due to one oversight. Chapter 455: End at 453 one "I¡¯m sorry." Quan He¡¯s face, frozen in the crystal, softened and was no longer as cold as before. "Sorry to have worried you..." she whispered softly. "Where are the others, why are only the two of you here?" "....." Upon hearing this, Yu Hong and Ku Chan were both reminded that when Quan He was captured, the Dao Mai World was still intact. But now... The two of them were at a loss for words and could only remain silent. Such silence gradually erased the smile from Quan He¡¯s face. "Where are the others?" she asked again. "Ah..." Chi Xiao sighed. "Girl, they¡¯re all gone. The entire planet has been destroyed. The Taoist Sect is gone, the Seven Evil Alliance is gone, billions of living beings have all been harvested by Heaven..." He continued to shake his head. "The demise of a planet should have given rise to a new Emperor Realm. There should be a fifth Great Emperor in Heaven now. I advise you to run as far as you can while you still can." "Demise..." Quan He, solidified in the crystal, looked bewildered and disbelieving. But seeing the expressions of Yu Hong and Ku Chan, it seemed that the old man¡¯s lingering spirit was telling the truth. "Gone... Are you sure everything is gone?" she closed her eyes, suppressing her breath rapidly. No one responded, Yu Hong merely nodded silently. "Yes, I was captured, how could you youngsters possibly resist Heaven, or fend off those many Spirit Disaster Monsters." "It¡¯s my fault... If, if I hadn¡¯t been captured, if I had been more cautious..." Quan He¡¯s breath began to grow increasingly turbulent. Yu Hong quickly spread the Call of the Elf Ancient Tree, covering her entire body. The swift healing eased some of Quan He¡¯s pain, bringing her back to her senses. She looked towards Yu Hong and the other. "I want to go back and see, see where everything vanished. Is that possible?" She seemed to still harbor hope. "Could it be that you are too weak to notice the entrance to return, thus believing the entire world has disappeared?" "Senior... I was the last one to leave. I went back twice after that. The last time, there were no living people left... only corpses everywhere..." Yu Hong said somberly. Quan He fell silent. For a long while. She finally spoke. "Let¡¯s go again, I want to see for myself." Her voice carried a plea. Yu Hong looked into her eyes. Nodded. "Okay!" This meeting also left him with many questions he wanted to ask Quan He. For instance, the key point¡ªhow, while being deep within the Spirit Disaster, did Quan He manage to absorb enough Light Disaster Radiation to replenish her Spirit Light? Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to emit such strong waves of Spirit Light every so often. If not for those waves, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to locate where Quan He was. Another point. This time, he noticed that Quan He¡¯s Spiritual Power had grown stronger compared to before... And it wasn¡¯t just a slight increase. Something was off. Yu Hong faintly sensed in Quan He an even denser aura of the Ultimate Sun than his own. The major purpose was accomplished. Immediately, Yu Hong moved the safe house towards the North Heavenly Gate. But... the previously open North Heavenly Gate was now completely closed. The gigantic gate, resembling a sword blade, was now tightly shut without a single gap. Above the Cloud Sea, the safe house awkwardly stopped right below to the right of the Heavenly Gate, unsure of how to exit. Yu Hong stood in front of the observation window, his eyebrows tightly furrowed. "Chi Xiao, do you know when this Heavenly Gate will open?" he softly asked the sword hilt behind him. "I¡¯m not sure, I¡¯ve been kept in the treasury since I was made, I never use the main door." Chi Xiao gently shook his head on the side. "Since there¡¯s a South Heavenly Gate and North Heavenly Gate, could there be East and West Heavenly Gates?" Yu Hong asked. "Of course, but those might be far from here, and... we don¡¯t need to risk going to other Heavenly Gates. They¡¯ll probably return to their usual state after a while when they can¡¯t find anyone here," Chi Xiao said. "Are you sure?" Ku Chan approached from behind, holding a bowl of noodles. Quan He followed behind, her movements stiff. After entering the safe house, without the continuous Spirit Disaster Radiation from the Heavenly Prison to maintain the Sealing, it only took her half a day to easily remove the Sealing crystals on her body. "Sure about what, if the gate won¡¯t open, let¡¯s make it open," Quan He said calmly. "Is this... going to be very dangerous?" Chi Xiao hesitated slightly. "There is me here, isn¡¯t there?" Quan He smiled softly, gently tugging a stray lock of hair beside her face. "I know you all have some doubts, wondering why I can still cause such a stir in the Heavenly Prison. While sealed during this time, shouldn¡¯t I be weak and in a poor state?" S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "There is indeed this doubt." Yu Hong turned his gaze back to her. "From your prestigiously elder, I sensed a strong radiation of Light Disaster.... Are you..." He didn¡¯t finish his words, but a look of concern flashed through his eyes. "You¡¯re right." Quan He nodded with a smile, "During the time I was captured, I completely merged myself with the Light Disaster within the Spirit Light Secret Skill. If not for this, I couldn¡¯t possibly have communicated with the Ultimate Sun within the Light Disaster and unleashed a powerful Spirit Light even within the Heavenly Prison." "Wouldn¡¯t that be problematic?" Yu Hong fell silent for a moment and asked. Even he only dared to use the Black Mark-enhanced Cultivation Techniques to cultivate and absorb the power of the Light Disaster;Quan He¡¯s direct merging... "Don¡¯t worry, compared to other Source Disasters, Light Disaster is already very mild. Even if I merge, I still have a long time to maintain myself. Everyone dies eventually, no one can escape that;it¡¯s a natural choice, a law of the universe. Don¡¯t resist it." Quan He consoled softly. Watching Ku Chan, Yu Hong, and Yiyi¡¯s worried faces, she continued. "Don¡¯t worry so much, I actually have many years left before my complete demise, which is enough for me to live the life I want. Relax..." "It¡¯s not that..." Yu Hong pondered for a moment, "I am not worried;I have a century-old curse on me that I can¡¯t shake off, and so does Ku Chan. Due to overexertion in pursuit of power, the side effects will also erupt around a hundred years." He paused and continued. "I was just thinking, so many monsters in the Black Disaster, and so many strong beings in the Spirit Disaster, did they once think like you, but eventually became monsters corrupted by the Source Disaster..." As soon as this statement came out, everyone¡¯s expression in the room slightly changed. Even Yiyi, who half-understood, seeing everyone changing their expressions, quickly tightened her own. The smile on Quan He¡¯s face settled. "You are right, these days, I discovered that many monsters in the Spirit Disaster actually have some remnants of their past memories;they once, at least once, were also complete humans like us. But now..." "Don¡¯t worry about these unnecessary concerns;when the time comes, we¡¯ll talk about it. Why think so much now?" Chi Xiao interrupted the speculation of the two. "The issue now is, the door won¡¯t open. What should we do?" "Let me out, and about five seconds later, open the door and let me come back in," Quan He said seriously. "Are you truly confident, Senior?" Yu Hong and Ku Chan looked at each other and asked. "Shall we try?" Quan He reached out toward both Yu Hong and Ku Chan. Her palms lightly patted their shoulders. The moment of contact, Yu Hong sensed the flow and condition of Inner Strength within Quan He. Contained within her terrifying Spiritual Energy center, which was like the sea, were three stabbing blue-light wells in a triangular formation, floating right in the center of Quan He¡¯s torso. From each of the three blue-light wells, an infinite and boundless surge of Light Disaster radiation burst forth every moment. ¡¯That is... Light Well!!¡¯ Yu Hong immediately recognized the identity of these three blue-light wells. His Tai Ling Skill recorded the development of the Light Well, but it was at the Seventh Layer, which not only requires opening a Light Well but also a Wind Well and a Spirit Well altogether. Otherwise, solely cultivating one would inevitably be devoured by the Ultimate Sun. However, Quan He here managed to open what only the Seventh Layer of Tai Ling Skill could do with a Light Well, and she opened three of them! Yu Hong did not know what to say. It clearly stated in the Tai Ling Skill that the more Source Disaster Wells there are, the stronger the instantaneous burst of output could be. The output strength of one Light Well is comparable to one Ultimate Gate. Three Light Wells are equivalent to three Ultimate Gates. Thinking of this, Yu Hong fumbled on his body and quickly took out the Tai Ling Skill record book. The record book was some key points of experience he had noted down himself after the secret manuals were destroyed, to prevent himself from forgetting. Since the Tai Ling Skill had a strong uniqueness, anything enhanced by the Black Mark was completely fit for oneself and extremely unfriendly to others. Therefore, Yu Hong hoped to record useful things in this way to provide some help to outsiders. "Senior, please wait a moment. I have a cultivation manual here that might be helpful to you." He wrote down the general context of Tai Ling Skill and the dangers to be faced in this record book. Apart from the fascinating visualization which couldn¡¯t be recorded, the main points could be seen here. Handing over the Tai Ling Skill book. Quan He raised her eyebrows, took it over, and quickly started reading. Only reading the first few hundred characters, her brow quickly furrowed. "This cultivation technique...I seem to have seen something similar somewhere..." "Huh?" Yu Hong was stunned. "It was... before, there was a senior Magician whose Cultivation was extremely terrifying, of course, he didn¡¯t compare with me since he passed away before I was born. He was a leader among Ancient Mages, and he created a cultivation technique that could use the balance between Black Disaster and Spirit Disaster to fight against the Sealing, called Taiqing Skill." "....." Yu Hong¡¯s expression became somewhat unbearable. He immediately thought of the usual tricks of the Black Mark. He had thought that this Tai Ling Skill was finally his own fusion-enhanced creation. Now it seems... "Well, the more I look at it, the more similar it is. The thought process and treatment methods below are very similar. Although it has added some other details to the main context, and many minor adjustments. But overall, it¡¯s basically a modified version of Taiqing Skill." Having quickly flipped through the record book, Quan He nodded directly. "I wonder if it has any reference value for you, Senior..." Yu Hong sighed expressively and asked. Chapter 456: the end two "It¡¯s meaningful but not much. The approach I¡¯m using is actually similar to that of the Taiqing Skill. In some ways, this Cultivation Technique is more exquisite than the Taiqing Skill. I reckon it was redeveloped by some predecessor." Quan He said with a smile. Seeing the relieved expression on Yu Hong¡¯s face, she continued with a smile. "However, as reasonable as the idea behind the Cultivation Technique is, trying to use it to resist the Ultimate Sun is a fool¡¯s errand. You must have seen those ancient scenes when you were exposed to the Light Disaster¡¯s radiation, right? Those powerful beings eternally imprisoned within the sun, unable to transcend or die, only able to bear eternal suffering." "Yes..." Yu Hong¡¯s expression turned somewhat ugly. "In the end, whether it¡¯s the Tai Ling Skill or the Taiqing Skill, both rely on employing a combination of approaches, making intricate alliances, balancing on a tightrope among various Source Disasters. This method is actually very dangerous." Quan He said. "So I keep wondering if there is a power capable of surpassing Source Disasters, a power above all, that can allow us to live safely outside of all calamities." "Is there such a power...?" Yu Hong has also thought about this. "I don¡¯t know." Quan He shook her head. "I do know a thing or two." Chi Xiao, who had been listening for a while, suddenly spoke up. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This statement immediately drew the attention of the others. "I¡¯ve spent a quite amount of time in Heaven and occasionally come across some Immortal Generals with residual consciousness coming and going, discussing various topics," said Chi Xiao, "In order to maintain their sense of self and identity, they must periodically harvest the cognition of other living beings to counter the erosion caused by the Source Disaster. Such actions are like drinking poison to quench thirst, for as time passes, the power of the Source Disaster will only grow stronger and the amount of cognition needed will increase." "I¡¯ve seen it too... their fear..." Quan He sighed and nodded. "Some Immortal Generals have mentioned something called Source Material," Chi Xiao continued, "The essence of Source Disaster is actually the chaos of the universe where order is always accidental, but chaos is different. In fact, it is the Source Disaster itself that constitutes the normal state of the universe, and our life order is actually the rare and unnatural phenomenon. Therefore, all that is abnormal will ultimately return to propriety." "I¡¯ve also heard similar statements from a predecessor," Yu Hong agreed. "But even ants possess the will to survive, let alone us humans." "So they are also desperately searching for possible solutions. Among them, Source Material is a treasure that is superior to cognition," Chi Xiao said, "It can provide sufficient shelter and stability for a vast area. If Source Disaster is likened to a raging river, then Source Material is akin to the stubborn rocks within. Weaker currents cannot shake them, and stronger ones will only scour them, causing them to slowly erode over time." "Isn¡¯t that like kidney stones?" Yu Hong caught on. "Yes, for the natural universe, Source Material is a harmful stone, but for our lives, it is the last straw. If we use Source Material to shield ourselves, it can support us for a very long time without being eroded by Source Disasters," Chi Xiao nodded. "Source Material..." The other four pondered. "How can we find Source Material?" Quan He asked. "According to the Immortal Generals, Source Material generally exists deep within Source Disasters. They are the indestructible remnants that could not be crushed or digested, possessing extremely high density and immense strength, with exaggerated resistances," Chi Xiao replied. "Alright. Enough chatter, I¡¯ll go open the door," Quan He interrupted, "Be ready to back me up at any moment!" The others nodded slightly. Click. The safe house¡¯s large door was gently cracked open. With a hiss and in a flash, Quan He¡¯s figure charged out, wrapped in a faint blue light. The next second, she was floating right at the center of the North Heavenly Gate. There were no Spirit Disasters on watch, only she was there, alone and suspended. In an instant. Quan He¡¯s eyes widened as three blinding blue lights shone from her chest. The next second. With a mighty roar. A burst of dazzling blue halo exploded from her body. Within the halo, a gigantic blue light arm as thick as a skyscraper, burst forth mightily. The arm was composed of countless small white cranes, twisted and entwined together, numbering in the tens of thousands at a glance. The dense layer of white cranes was coated with a layer of eerie blue light. Though the blue light seemed to be burning, the Heavenly Cloud Sea it illuminated rapidly covered with a thin layer of ice. "Light, illuminate everything!" Quan He¡¯s voice emanated from the arm. She stood atop the arm, her Daoist robe fluttering, her face solemn, her hands swiftly forming seals, and with the arm, she violently crashed into the North Heavenly Gate. Thud!!! A moment of horrifying vibration and noise emanated from between the arm and the gate. The massive sound waves shook the surrounding Cloud Sea of the gate, making it tremble, loosen, and disintegrate. Finally, a slight crack was made in the gate of the North Heavenly Gate. The crack was narrow considering the entire Heavenly Gate, but it was over ten meters wide relative to the safe house, enough for them to take the opportunity to leave. Yu Hong made a snap decision, forcefully resisting the buzzing in his head from the shaking, and piloted the safe house to burst out. "Senior, hurry over!" He sent out an urgent transmission. "Coming!" Quan He leaped from the giant hand, plunging towards the safe house. The white crane hand beneath her feet then turned to pounce on the various Spirit Disasters that had been alarmed behind her. "How dare you!!" A thunderous roar came from the sky behind. A golden hand descended from the sky, tearing through the clouds above, and slammed towards the white crane hand. With a thunderous clash, the golden hand stalled for an instant, then crushed the white crane hand. But by the time it turned to pursue Quan He, it found the space outside the gate empty. Quan He, who had just exited, had vanished without a trace. After a few breaths, a dissatisfied roar came from the depths of Heaven. A large expanse of Golden Light erupted from the area of the Heavenly Prison Palace, carrying with it faint, tragic screams. * * * In the Cloud Sea. Quan He appeared in the safe house, panting. Seeing the surprised faces of the others, he revealed a relieved smile. "Mission accomplished!" "Truly worthy of our senior." Yu Hong gave a thumbs up. Ku Chan let out a sigh of relief and released his clenched fist, only then noticing that his palm was filled with nervous sweat. Yiyi clapped softly in cooperation. As she couldn¡¯t speak, she simply used body language to express her thoughts. "That¡¯s incredible;you¡¯ve surpassed many Great Mages of ancient times," praised Chi Xiao. "Isn¡¯t that natural?" Quan He replied casually. "The development of things often starts out the weakest and subsequently grows stronger and stronger until it reaches the peak of its brilliance." "Yeah, yeah, you¡¯re always right," Chi Xiao was rendered speechless. He wanted to argue but, seeing the exaggerated, tidal radiation of the Light Disaster on the other person¡¯s body, he decisively chose to shut up. "Now we have a problem;how do we get back?" asked Yu Hongdao. "I can¡¯t find the way back." The ship had blown up, and fixing it would take an unknown amount of time, so he took this opportunity to ask everyone for their ideas in the hope of finding a solution. "No worries, the original route back is too dangerous. After robbing the Heavenly Prison, there will surely be a large number of expert search parties from Heaven. I know a way back," Chi Xiao explained. "Not to toot my own horn, but most Immortal Generals in Heaven don¡¯t even know about this path. Only I, who followed the Great Emperor on many trips, can remember the location of this path." "Please lead the way!" "I¡¯ll go to the window," Chi Xiao floated over to the lookout window. "I... I¡¯ll arrange the food and resting places for the night," Yiyi quickly said. "Call me when you¡¯re there;I¡¯m going to cultivate," Ku Chan stuffed a sugar bean into his mouth and left. Following Chi Xiao¡¯s directions, Yu Hong wandered around the Cloud Sea for a few hours before finally jumping down from a depression in the Cloud Sea, disappearing from this vast and dangerous expanse. Five hours later. Above a tropical rainforest in the New World. The safe house silently emerged into view. Accompanied by a faint mist of Black Light, it fell from more than sixty meters above. Boom!! The house heavily plunged into the rainforest below, crushing a swath of trees and shrubs. "We¡¯re finally back!" The door of the house opened. Yu Hong was the first to emerge, followed by Quan He, Ku Chan, and Chi Xiao. Yiyi did not leave;since the safe house had been merged with the Savior Ship, it was no longer entirely a physical structure, but rather existed in the shallow layers of the Black Disaster. Due to her constitution, she could not casually enter other places and could only live in the safe house alone. "Such a strong concentration of Spirit Light radiation..." Quan He stepped out and immediately noticed the environmental radiation of the Light Disaster, her expression changing slightly. "To obtain sufficient peace, I had to resort to this," Yu Hong said. His eyes also ceased their colorful shimmer at this moment. This trip to the core of the Spirit Disaster in Heaven had been filled with close calls, but it was successful in achieving their goal and even gathered plenty of precious intelligence, making it a fruitful return, though not without significant losses. Setting aside the Black Light, considering the several Dragon Lizard Nests that vanished with the destruction of the Black Light, Yu Hong felt particularly pained. Luckily, there were Dragon Lizard hatchlings in the New World too, capable of integrating new nests and repeating the initial route¡ªonly time was needed. "The place here is stable and peaceful, without any dangers. Just that..." Yu Hong repeated the information he had learned from the Fate Master. "I¡¯ll take you to the newly built base of the Spirit Alliance," said Ku Chan, with a heavy voice. "Alright." Quan He¡¯s mood was somewhat downcast at the moment. She had asked Yu Hong to take her to see the entrance of the Dao Mai World, but... despite searching the entire region, they found no traces left of the Dao Mai World. Unable to find it and with the explosion of the Black Light causing the safe house to move much slower, they ultimately decided to return first and plan for the long term. "Do whatever you want to do;I will guard here. Even if the pressure increases and the Black Disaster surges in, I can push it back directly," Quan He adjusted her mood, gazing at the refreshing scenery around her, and spoke solemnly. "After I finish escorting people, I will follow the Alliance Hierarch," Ku Chan said. "I¡¯ll go with Ku Chan," Chi Xiao quickly said. "You¡¯re too short;I don¡¯t need you," Ku Chan said bluntly. "You!! A person can¡¯t be so ungrateful!" Chi Xiao exclaimed in dismay. Ku Chan had a face of confusion;he felt he was only stating the facts. Chapter 457: ends three "Since that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s head back first. I need to try and see if I can rebuild the Black Light," Yu Hong said helplessly. This rescue mission had been completed to perfection, and there were basically no other urgent matters to attend to. With Quan He around, despite her dejection from not having found the entrance to the Dao Mai World, her strength was undeniable. Her power, even stronger than before, was more than enough to keep this New World in check. The only problem was that Quan He treaded a singular path, lacking the balancing counter of Wind Well Spirit Well, which might lead to serious problems in the future. Yu Hong raised this concern, but Quan He dodged the question. He guessed that perhaps she had no choice back in the Heavenly Prison. Such a consequence meant that her power would increase swiftly but at cost of losing the means to maintain balance later on. Once the objective was set, the group quickly took out their phones and contacted the local Spirit Alliance. Soon after, a plane landed at the nearby airport, and the Spirit Alliance¡¯s helicopter swiftly approached to pick them up, heading back towards the headquarters base. On the helicopter, Yu Hong looked down at the dark green jungle slowly passing by below, felt the hot waves that came rushing towards them, and smelled the scent of flowers mixed with the unique humid odor of the jungle on the wind. He suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of unreality. ¡¯Is everything really settling down? Is it over?¡¯ This thought flickered through his mind. The sounds of Chi Xiao and Ku Chan bantering on the helicopter hovered in his ears, barely audible beneath the noise of the rotor blades. He glanced sideways, looking at Quan He who was sitting behind him. Quan He sat silently, her gaze shifting as she looked out the window, lost in thought. "Since it¡¯s rare for us to be out, stop thinking too much. Enjoy the hard-earned peace," Quan He said softly, not lifting her eyes but knowing Yu Hong was looking at her. "Senior..." Yu Hong started to say something but ultimately remained silent. "There¡¯s still a lot of time ahead of us, don¡¯t push yourself too hard, or you¡¯ll go mad," Quan He said softly through a voice transmission. "Rest assured, your Tai Ling Skill path is still very good. It¡¯s slow but safe, and besides... you can try to rely on me a bit." She finished with a gentle smile. Yu Hong did not reply, merely letting out a sigh. * * * Deep in the Black River, near the entrance to the Spirit Disaster. An ashen-faced old woman and a huge six-eyed, four-winged black dragon still stood guard at the entrance. "I think they may not come out anymore," the black dragon Ryan cautiously said. "It¡¯s not been that long. They might still be cowering in some corner inside. There¡¯s only one entrance nearby, so don¡¯t worry," Marissa said indifferently. "It¡¯s been months, though. Maybe, they¡¯ve already died inside," Ryan added. "Don¡¯t be anxious. I can feel they¡¯re still alive... Even though my mark has been erased, the residual aura on that person persists and will last a while longer." Marissa spoke calmly, "Hunting prey requires patience. What¡¯s this bit of time? Once, I waited forty years by a cave to hunt a top-notch source material." "I understand...." Ryan nodded, continuing to float above the Black River, and together with Maria, they kept their gaze fixed on the Spirit Disaster entrance, waiting. * * * Days and days passed. In the blink of an eye, it had been over a month since Yu Hong and the others had returned to the New World. Over the course of the month, Yu Hong had experimented a little and finally managed to use some parts of the Black Light remnants from the safe house, reinforcing and restoring the ship¡¯s body. However, this time without the burden of transport and considering how a larger target the ship was, he downsized the Black Light to fit the safe house perfectly, merging both. In the following days, Yu Hong continued to strengthen the Outer Eye. The development of the Spirit Alliance in the New World went on rather smoothly. The people of Qingchen Temple and Hope City had built a new city called Hope City in just a short month here. A multitude of cutting-edge technologies emerged in this place, bringing joy to everyone;celebrations and cheers abounded. Dao Mai World inhabitants were pleasantly surprised by Quan He¡¯s return, and in just a month, she had completely integrated into everything here. Everything seemed just like it was back in the original Dao Mai environment. She reclaimed the position of the First Mage with ease. She joyfully attended various social engagements daily, indulged in delicious food, and traveled to enjoy life. And as everything settled, everyone slowly grew accustomed to this calm and safe life. In a flash, another two months had gone by. Hope City. Red Can Tea House. A beautiful female musician tenderly sang while plucking her pipa. Patrons came and went, friends entered and left the private rooms in droves. At a spot by the window of the tea house, Yu Hong sat quietly, pouring himself floral tea, picking at some snacks, passing the time leisurely. "Who would have known, beneath that flower, a young beauty was but a white-haired fox demon. Who would have known the mutual affection could not withstand a single chaos of Daoist skills..." The pipa musician sang what appeared to be the tragic love story of a fox demon and a cultivator. "How come you¡¯ve started to enjoy such plays after not seeing you for a while?" Quan He pulled out a chair and sat down opposite him with a chuckle in her voice. She was now dressed just like a young female college student, with a tight waist T-shirt and black slim-fit pants, her long hair cutely tied into twin ponytails. People who didn¡¯t know her would never associate this pure and beautiful young woman with a granny who had lived for over a hundred years. Yu Hong looked at her outfit and shook his head. "You seem to be enjoying life." "Yes, it¡¯s rare to have such peace and stability. Aren¡¯t you happy?" Quan He said with a smile. "I am happy, but... I¡¯m different from you." Yu Hong pointed to his body and then made a circular motion, gesturing toward the surrounding environment. Following his gesture, Quan He noticed that all the people around were stealthily eyeing Yu Hong who was sitting here. "Well, with such a big figure like yours, it¡¯s normal to attract attention." "In fact... I thought I would be very happy, finally in such a safe environment, but... right now I just feel irritable," Yu Hong said softly. "Are you still worried about the curse on you?" Quan He asked. "Shall I take a look?" She reached out her hand, palm up. "Just give me your hand. Don¡¯t resist." S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yu Hong heard this and extended his hand, gently placing it in her palm. However, their hands were of grossly mismatched sizes. His hand was almost twice the size of Quan He¡¯s, almost not fitting, pressing down so much that Quan He frowned from the weight. After a moment, she withdrew her hand. "Sorry, my skills are not polished, I can only vaguely feel a powerful and eerie force entwined with you." She paused, then continued. "This force is deeply entwined. If one were to attempt to remove it, it would surely alert the owner of the force immediately. Moreover, it would cause irreversible permanent damage to you." "So you mean, there¡¯s no way?" Yu Hong withdrew his hand, "No worries, I didn¡¯t have much hope anyway." "I can¡¯t just ignore what you said. I could remove it for you, but you might get hurt. It¡¯s intertwined deeply with your mind," Quan He said. "What about Ku Chan?" She changed the subject. "He went to cultivate. He¡¯s asked me five times now when we¡¯ll set out to find the Source Material," sighed Yu Hong. "People from Daoist Sect have introduced him to a lot of girls, but he didn¡¯t fancy any of them," said Quan He, "it seems he can¡¯t integrate into modern life either." "So, I¡¯m planning to leave," said Yu Hong. "To deal with the issues I¡¯m facing, as well as the trouble Ku Chan is in." "I guessed as much. When will you go?" Quan He smiled. "Probably tomorrow. Everyone here is happy, we wouldn¡¯t want to spoil the mood," Yu Hong smiled too. "I won¡¯t stop you. This is what I¡¯ve prepared for you." Quan He fished out a crane-shaped jade pendant from her pocket. The pendant had an oval shape with a simple Immortal Crane pattern on it. "This jade pendant is a consumable trump card I¡¯ve crafted. You can use it about five times before the Immortal Crane pattern completely fades. When that happens, come back to me for a recharge." "I shall not stand on ceremony, then!" Yu Hong reached out to take the jade pendant. The last jade pendant he tossed had been very useful, successfully blocking the pursuit of a top-tier monster from the Black Disaster. "Stored within the jade pendant are five instances of magic at my full strength. As long as you don¡¯t use it against the Light Disaster, everything else should be fine. You know the weight of my full-powered magic, so remember don¡¯t use it like before," Quan He said. "Thank you!" Yu Hong nodded solemnly. Stowing away the jade pendant, he turned to look out the window. Cars were shuttling back and forth below, young people in sports cars, middle-aged people in trucks, and elderly people in electric wheelchairs. The course of a human life was so clearly laid out in front of Yu Hong. He drained his cup of tea in one gulp, stood up, and his 2.5-meter physique, along with his extremely muscular build, made even the staff in Hope City, who had seen plenty of big men, feel an inexplicable sense of suffocation. "That¡¯s why I don¡¯t go down the path of physical enhancement. When the body becomes strong, the senses too, and everything in life changes accordingly. Many things will gradually lose their interest to oneself," Quan He chuckled. "But magic is different. As long as I don¡¯t use magic, I¡¯m still a relatively sharp normal person." Yu Hong responded with a smile and stepped out of the tea house. He weaved through the bustling streets, took out his phone, and opened the friend circle to see various photos of bikini-clad beauties at the beach posted by Yu Hen, Yu Mo, and others. The hearts of these two old men were truly young. "Handing over the leadership of the Spirit Alliance to Quan He was indeed the right decision," Yu Hong sighed. Looking at the passers-by and cars on the street, he knew that with just one-tenth of his strength, he could annihilate everything on the street. Cars in front of him were but fragile matchboxes. People in front of him weren¡¯t even substantial enough to be balloons;a slightly faster walk could inadvertently kill someone. He flagged down a taxi, got in after providing a name, and felt the whole vehicle sink heavily as he boarded. The driver glanced at him, seeming to want to say something, but then the car started up and they drove off. Moments later. Yu Hong returned to his place. He now owned quite a few properties in the New World, most of which were gifted to him. When Hope City was established, many countries sent diplomats to establish diplomatic relations and reside in the city. This was treating the city built by Spirit Alliance as if it was a sovereign nation. Over time, a large influx of outsiders began to pour into the city, and the residents started to flow outwards. Everyone was gradually integrating into this place. ¡¯Except for me and Ku Chan.¡¯ Yu Hong checked the protective array set up in his suburban manor. Then, he headed to the specially built underground laboratory. Chapter 458: over, four The square-shaped laboratory was constructed with the most robust special alloy, capable of withstanding the bombardment of main guns without penetration. Then Yu Hong set up various protective arrays inside. Standing in the center of the basement, he silently closed his eyes. Hiss. Silently, a black fog spread from behind him, enveloping him. The next moment, the sound of black water rushing once again filled the air. Yu Hong turned and walked along the wooden bridge towards the depths of the black fog. After about twenty meters, the black fog in front of him dispersed, revealing the newly renovated exterior of the Black Light. Was that... a box-like, double-story small black house? The house floated on the Black River, bobbing up and down, completely unrecognizable from the original Black Light ship. Yu Hong was not surprised;he approached and took a light leap, accurately landing at the doorstep of the first floor. A waterproof railing was installed below the door, wrapping around the safe house, making the whole look like a small boat in the shape of a house. Click, the door opened. "Welcome back!" Yiyi was squatting on the floor cleaning, and turned her head upon hearing the noise. Seeing Yu Hong, she quickly stood up and smiled sweetly. "How is it? Not too bored?" Yu Hong asked as he entered, closed the door, and locked it. "Not bad, there are many things to play with inside the house." Yiyi shook her head. "Get ready to set off. I¡¯m going to a place, and you¡¯ll stay in the safe house. This renovation has added a manual controller for you, located in the basement." "I saw it." Yiyi nodded. Soon after, Yu Hong arrived in the Main Control Room, and a few breaths later. The entire safe house boat shuddered slightly and slowly sailed toward the depths of the Black River. Yu Hong had completely integrated the Black Light with the safe house. Now, the exterior appeared as if the safe house was placed on a perfectly-sized fitting small boat. The boat also had a deck and everything the Black Light had before;compared to the safe house, it could accommodate dozens more people. But the deck outside was not as safe as inside the safe house. An hour later. Prison Island. On the endless high walls, Yu Hong once again arrived at the cell of Fate Master Zhao Chenhu. Thump thump thump. He knocked on the window. Inside, Brother Hu was standing on one leg, face toward the wall, continuously squatting and rising, as if he were training something. "Senior!" Yu Hong transmitted his voice. He knocked on the window again. Brother Hu turned his head and saw that it was him again, immediately showing an expression of speechlessness. Ever since two months ago, Yu Hong had been pestering him every few days. This made it impossible for him to rest for extended periods. "You¡¯re here again." Brother Hu stood up and approached the glass window, his expression grim. "Brother Hu, I¡¯ve forgotten that you told me your name is Zhao Chenhu before;can I call you Brother Hu from now on?" Yu Hong deliberately tried to close the distance. "Call me whatever you like," said Brother Hu impatiently. "What troubles have brought you this time?" During these times, Yu Hong had treated this place as a dumping ground for his troubles, telling him all sorts of messy things. Initially, he was quite interested, planning to hear about what the outside world was like now. But now it seems... "This time, I plan to set out again," Yu Hong said. "Setting out? Can¡¯t sit still anymore?" Brother Hu raised an eyebrow. "I¡¯ve said it long ago, thinking you can live a normal life like you are now is a pipe dream. You have to live the ordinary life fitting for your level;different lives define ¡¯ordinary¡¯ differently. Facing a group of mortals whom you might accidentally disable or kill with a little carelessness, yet still trying to forcefully blend in with them, that¡¯s the greatest restraint on yourself." "Yes, I¡¯ve felt it," Yu Hong nodded slightly. "I came here this time to ask how to lift the curse of Prison Island?" "Find the land of vitality." "What if it¡¯s not found in a hundred years? I feel like a hundred years might not be enough," Yu Hong said. "Then go for a one-on-one duel with Agrius¡¯s true form," said Brother Hu. "Back in the day, the True Origin Divine Sect, in their search for the land of vitality, lacking sufficient strength on their own, had to rely on Agrius¡¯s power to protect the Savior Ship, and the deal with Agrius¡¯s true form was to have the Captain as the bargaining chip." He sighed. "Actually, I quite enjoy talking to you;I feel that my cognition is slowly recovering. This is because you are continuously transmitting your cognition to me. It¡¯s your sacrifice that keeps me from going crazy, committing suicide earlier, like those other fools." "Alright.... As long as it can help Brother Hu, that¡¯s good." Yu Hong nodded, "Then I want to ask, how strong is Agrius¡¯s true form?" "True form... It could crush your entire planet with a slap of its hand." Tiger said casually. "..." Yu Hong¡¯s expression became a bit rigid. "Don¡¯t look at me like that, how could it control so many captains if it wasn¡¯t strong enough? Moreover, Agrius is also a living being, it is also searching for the land of vitality, also resisting the erosion of the Source Disaster. The captains on Prison Island are just batteries it uses to replenish its own fading cognition, nothing more." Tiger spoke indifferently. "So, you could say that you have already become its prospective property. So, I ask you, in this situation, would you negotiate with your property, promising them freedom?" "...." Yu Hong was speechless. "So, stop thinking about it. Agrius has been an Ancient Starry Sky God for who knows how many years;its strength is unfathomable. Instead, think about finding the land of vitality within a hundred years;that¡¯s more realistic." Tiger consoled. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I understand.... Then I¡¯d like to ask, is the land of vitality related to Source Material?" Yu Hong asked. "I don¡¯t know what Source Material is, but indeed, the land of vitality is made up of a lot of things that cannot be destroyed or eroded by the Source Disaster." Tiger laughed, "And the Savior Ship is essentially capable of approaching the land of vitality on its own. It¡¯s because the True Origin Sect had obtained a symbiotic substance from a piece of the land of vitality that they went to great lengths to create these Savior Ships in an attempt to find the last hope." Tiger explained. "Is this kind of land of vitality indestructible by any Source Disaster?" Yu Hong pondered. "Of course, that is the ultimate eternal place. Otherwise, why would the True Origin Sect go to such lengths to search for it." Tiger glanced at him strangely. Yu Hong immediately repeated his definition of Source Material to him. Tiger suddenly laughed. "Source Material is this thing, huh." He clapped his hands, started to do a handstand, legs against the wall, body slightly tilted, and then continued talking to Yu Hong. "That¡¯s not the same as the land of vitality. In the legends of the True Origin Sect, it¡¯s mentioned that once there was a place where many Source Disasters converged, and the land of vitality was nurtured in such a place. So, it won¡¯t be eroded or destroyed by any Source Disaster. It¡¯s a very beautiful place...." Tiger sighed. "Since the curse can¡¯t be lifted for the time being, the only option is to keep moving forward." Yu Hong also sighed;he didn¡¯t want to be trapped in Prison Island forever, until no one spoke to him, losing cognition, eventually going mad or committing suicide. "One last question," he thought for a moment, "Brother Hu, being a captain for so many years, you should know how to identify the land of vitality, right?" "....." With that question, Tiger fell silent. "I don¡¯t know. I have no idea." He replied softly. "I just try to bring other Source Disasters to places not ravaged by one to see." As he said this, Yu Hong suddenly felt a chill. For the land of vitality, perhaps the later-stage Tiger no longer cared about anything else. Even if it was a false land of vitality, even if all other creatures inside were destroyed because of it, he didn¡¯t care. The implication of this statement was very clear. "What¡¯s that look for?" Tiger, seeing Yu Hong¡¯s expression, suddenly burst into laughter, "Of course, I¡¯d make sure all other creatures inside are settled before trying. Plus, the attempt doesn¡¯t need to be large-scale;a small test is sufficient to see, then quickly seal it off. So, what are you worried about? Am I, Yang Chenhu, the kind of person who disregards lives?" "Didn¡¯t you say your name was Zhao Chenhu, Brother Hu?" Yu Hong corrected. "Um... yes, I am Zhao Chenhu... a Fate Master." Tiger¡¯s voice faltered, and he came down from the handstand. "Alright, alright, let¡¯s change the topic. From your narration earlier, I¡¯m certain that you don¡¯t know the correct way to use the Savior Ship." Tiger said. "What do you mean?" "Literally what I said. We captains only have a hundred years. If you have to carefully investigate each place you go to, you simply won¡¯t have enough time before you end up in Prison Island." Tiger sneered. "So you mean...." Yu Hong seemed to realize something. "Yes, that¡¯s right, just as you¡¯re thinking. Don¡¯t disembark;the Savior Ship will stop on its own for a while, and then continue to the next place. Only when it reaches the true land of vitality will it stop completely. But if you, as the Captain, disembark, then the Savior Ship will also remain here. Not moving forward. Moreover, it will take a trip back to where you originally departed." Tiger explained. "I understand...." Yu Hong briefly imagined it and grasped Tiger¡¯s meaning. Since the Savior Ship can move closer to the land of vitality on its own, letting it move continuously at the fastest pace is the correct way to approach the land of vitality more quickly. "But you need to be aware, the places that the Savior Ship initially heads to are not strong, but as time progresses, the places it goes will become increasingly dangerous. If you¡¯re not strong enough, it¡¯s better to stop and enhance yourself for a while. For improvement, I recommend the best way is to modify yourself, divide your consciousness into several parts, store them in different parts of your body, and then...." Tiger began to pitch his set of techniques for self-modification. Yu Hong had already heard these speeches many times in these days. He automatically tuned out. Before long, having gathered enough information, Yu Hong patted Brother Hu¡¯s mount and left again. In the cell, Tiger¡¯s smile slowly faded. He looked in the direction where Yu Hong had completely departed for a long time without moving. After a long silence. He suddenly revealed a strange smile. "Naive boy...." Turning around, he came to the cabinet in the room, pulled open a drawer at the bottom, and sighed while looking at the experimental logs stored inside. "How could I test out the most accurate data without completely drawing in other Source Disasters...." Each of these experimental logs was the memory of a world he had once destroyed. "Kid, I¡¯m not a good person after all...." Tiger closed the drawer, his expression filled with melancholy. Chapter 459: Peaceful One Inside the safe house. Yu Hong and Yiyi were sitting opposite each other on the first floor of the house, by a dining table with a window that looked outside. Since everything could only be seen through a peephole, for convenience, Yu Hong made some minor modifications to the structure of the safe house when integrating the Black Light into it. An additional window was added inside the house. People didn¡¯t need to crowd at the door to see outside. Besides that, the room was also redesigned into a standard square shape. It gave people the illusion of being in a real building. Yu Hong sat on the chair, watching Yiyi happily preparing minced meat to make dumplings. This was a method of eating he had taught her. Yiyi would be very happy whenever people returned. So sometimes he also wondered if the more foolish a person is, the easier it is for them to be happy. "Yiyi, did you hear what I just said?" "Yes, I heard. Going to find the land of vitality, no problem, I¡¯ll accompany you," Yiyi looked up and smiled sweetly at him. Yu Hong returned the smile. "But this way we will go to many dangerous places. Aren¡¯t you scared?" "I don¡¯t know, but if it weren¡¯t for you, I would have been gone long ago. Dying isn¡¯t really that scary. And I have you with me, don¡¯t I?" Yiyi laughed. Her smile was brilliant, not minding the possibility of death at all. This sparked a thought in Yu Hong¡¯s heart, to try making Yiyi break free from her semi-Black Disaster identity. Since fusion was possible in the past, there must be a way to separate in the future. The only trouble was that half of the Black Disaster in Yiyi was actually her mother. This was the fundamental reason Yiyi didn¡¯t want to completely eliminate that half. "The space inside the house has been expanded. I¡¯ll go back and ask Ku Chan and Chi Xiao. I estimate they will probably leave with us, just this few people," Yu Hong said. He had observed for a while and realized that, just like him, Ku Chan could hardly lead a normal life, engaged in cultivation day in and day out. Her cultivation was skyrocketing like a rocket. She would often go to Quan He for sparring. According to Quan He, Ku Chan now had the strength of top Heavenly Masters in the Heavenly Master Mansion. Without her, she might have been able to suppress an era. And this was Ku Chan after losing Chi Xiao. She did not rely on Emperor¡¯s Weapons, nor Spirit Light amplification, and still managed to achieve such explosive improvements. Yu Hong couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the strength of the Red Food Method. Of course, he wasn¡¯t lacking either. Tai Ling Skill had officially begun training the Sixth Layer, and had introduced Spirit Disaster Radiation. However, he didn¡¯t know where to absorb Wind Disaster Radiation from and had to give up on that for now. The Outer Eye of the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye, after testing, was confirmed to be extremely similar to Cai Jing Taoist¡¯s abilities. He also began preparing for his next enhancement. He wanted to see just how strong and powerful the Outer Eye could ultimately become. Watching Yiyi make dumplings, Yu Hong recalled the content of his conversation with Brother Hu. He actually had a big question. That was: Since the Savior Ship could find the land of vitality, why didn¡¯t Ancient Starry Sky God Agrius rely on the Savior Ship to find the land of vitality by itself, instead of having captains, countless times weaker than it, take turns on hundred-year cycles? ¡¯One possibility is that Agrius itself is trapped somewhere, unable to move, and therefore must rely on the captains. Relying on contracts to achieve its goals.¡¯ ¡¯Another possibility is that the deal with Agrius is a scam, using the land of vitality as a lie to deceive the captains into making contracts with it, harvesting cognitive batteries.¡¯ ¡¯However, the second possibility is not very realistic. If it¡¯s about harvesting cognition, is a captain¡¯s cognition enough for an Ancient Starry Sky God to consume? With its immense power, it could easily leach a bit and absorb the cognition of the beings on a whole planet which would be far more cost-efficient than a captain¡¯s. This feels more like recycling, using this mechanism to select the right candidate.¡¯ Yu Hong shook his head. ¡¯Never mind, with my current level of cognition, I¡¯m not at that level yet, so thinking more about it is pointless. Anyway, I have the Black Mark, so I might as well try and see if the Savior Ship can really find the land of vitality. I don¡¯t believe I can¡¯t enhance myself to the limit in a hundred years.¡¯ The power of an Ancient Starry Sky God to shatter a planet with a slap gave him a new goal. ¡¯Maybe I should try it out and see how big of a territory I can shatter with a slap. I haven¡¯t tried it until now.¡¯ A sense of curiosity suddenly sprouted in Yu Hong. "Done! The dumplings are ready!" Yiyi called out happily at this point. "I¡¯ll go boil them." "Good!" Yu Hong got up smiling, ready to prepare the soy sauce and vinegar for dipping the dumplings¡ªYiyi liked to dip in vinegar, but he liked to mix with seasonings and soy sauce. Looking at Yiyi¡¯s busy figure, and with the safe house now inadvertently remodeled to resemble the setting of his home from his past life. A familiar sense of warmth stirred something indescribable in Yu Hong¡¯s heart. He sensed something he hadn¡¯t felt for a long time, a sense of belonging... * * * Ten days later... Night. Yu Hong, Ku Chan, and Chi Xiao stood on top of a small hill in a park near Hope City, looking at the brilliantly lit beautiful city. The magnificent lights, burning like flames, in gold, white, red, and blue... various neon lights intertwined, with the noise of sounds heard in the distance, surging back and forth. "Take one last look. Who knows how long it will be before we can return next time," Yu Hong said. He had already explained to the rest about the correct usage of the Savior Ship¡ªthat once it began, they must travel continuously until it stopped on its own. If they returned, they would have to start all over. Which meant that for this journey, their eating, drinking, and all necessities would have to be resolved at the closest supply points along the way. "How¡¯s the preparation for drinking water and food, young Yu Hong?" Chi Xiao asked gravely. "Some places might not even have water to drink. If we get trapped and can¡¯t get out, being stuck for too long could pose a problem." "Don¡¯t worry, we have plenty for the three of us to drink for a few years," Yu Hong said indifferently. He had specially brought a large amount of food and water. He had even installed a wastewater purification device, intended for cycling the internal water sources. As for food, it was the easiest to solve. Many places should have edible things. As long as they¡¯re checked properly with instruments, there¡¯s no issue. For this, he prepared a cage of testing mice. These small creatures bred quickly, were convenient for testing, and required little food. They could be fed first to check, and once ensured there was no issue, they themselves could eat. The main trouble was still the air. The comprehensive recycling oxygen system that Chen Yaofeng from Hope City assigned a lab to design for him was many times stronger than the previous air circulation system. It could maintain a good effect on oxygen content, humidity, and temperature. With these basics, even if the Black Mark was damaged, it could be repaired and strengthened in time. "Didn¡¯t Senior Quan He come to see you off?" Ku Chan asked. "She said her coming would only add to the worry, better not to come, and wished us a smooth journey. It¡¯s best not to come back," Yu Hongdao replied. He took out his cell phone, which displayed a message of well-wishing from Quan He. "That makes sense. Coming back means not having found it;if you do find it, you definitely won¡¯t need to come back," Ku Chan nodded. "Couldn¡¯t it be that we found it and came back to pick up others?" Chi Xiao said. "That¡¯s true," Ku Chan nodded earnestly. "Alright, time to go after finishing watching," Yu Hong dusted off the non-existent dust on himself, took a deep breath as if wanting to keep a bit more of this place within his body. Then he turned around. Boom! Just then, fireworks suddenly shot skywards above Hope City. The fireworks burst, forming rows of the blurry text. ¡¯Safe travels¡¯. Yu Hong turned his head back, looked in the distance to see the tallest tower in Hope City;Chen Yaofeng, Yu Hen, Yu Mo, and many high-level leaders from Qingchen Temple and the Spirit Alliance were all there, watching from afar. "Let¡¯s go," black fog surged behind Yu Hong, and the wooden bridge faintly appeared. He stepped onto the bridge, followed closely by Ku Chan. But only after a few steps, An eerily black figure, like a massive clump of seaweed, appeared on the bridge. The dense Red Value Radiation spread out. Yu Hong paused mid-step. "Has it already started?" he eyed the Black Disaster, pulling out a detector from his pocket and pressed a button. Beep. The LCD screen displayed the value: 117024.532. "It¡¯s approaching the level of a Speed Man," Yu Hong recalled that the Red Value for a Speed Man was about over a hundred thousand. This was roughly the range for a Level Eight Black Disaster. "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m here," Quan He¡¯s voice suddenly came from behind, close at hand, as if she stood right behind him. Yu Hong was about to speak, then suddenly sensed something, glimpsing sideways. Ao! A white figure flashed from his right side, landing gently. It was a pure white Immortal Crane, taller than a man. The Immortal Crane glowed with white fluorescence all over, its pose graceful and eyes proud. As soon as it landed, it pierced the Black Disaster with its beak, skewering it like spearing a fish, then looked at Yu Hong, turned and soared into the sky, disappearing again as a streak of white light. "Even a character like Long Qingzi can divide his spirit and be reborn;isn¡¯t it a normal thing for me, Quan Hezi, to divide my spirit thousands of times?" Quan He¡¯s light voice came from behind. Yu Hong nodded, finally letting go of the last bit of concern in his heart. He stepped forward to the door of the safe house. The heavy door slowly opened. Yiyi had already been waiting at the doorway. "We¡¯re leaving," Yu Hong said. "Okay!" Yiyi nodded vigorously. Yu Hong and Ku Chan filed in. The door behind them shut with a bang. Outside, amidst the black fog, the faint light from the wooden bridge and Hope City quickly receded. Everything turned pitch black again. Click, the door was locked from the inside. Layers upon layers of complex and precise Arrays on the walls and door continuously activated. The nuclear reactor, combined with the power core of the Savior Ship, emitted a faint vibration and humming sound. The few people came to one of the long rectangular windows on the first floor. They watched the pitch-black Black River outside. The only light in the river was the white glow seeping from the safehouse. In the river, monsters known as Evil Shadows were intermittently attracted by the light, sinking and floating. They drew near because of the light, then hesitated or retreated as they felt they could not tackle the safehouse. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Hum. The river and the monsters were gradually left behind. The surface of the river started to move quickly, turning into a blur. The safehouse began to accelerate. Yu Hong set the moving speed of the safehouse to maximum in his mind. Then he let it move forward on its own. After confirming that the safehouse could move autonomously without further attention, he turned around to look at Ku Chan and Yiyi. "Next, perhaps we can name this safehouse to distinguish it from others. After all, we may have to live here for a very, very long time," he suggested. Chapter 460: Peaceful 2 "Let¡¯s name it Black Light, anyway the ship was called this before," Ku Chan said. "Let¡¯s name it Black Wind. It¡¯s the name of the camp," Yiyi suggested. "Naming it Spirit Alliance isn¡¯t bad," Chi Xiao spoke up. "Since everyone has different opinions, let¡¯s respect each person¡¯s wishes and each take one word," Yu Hong clapped his hands. "Light Wind? That¡¯s not bad either," Ku Chan commented. "No, call it Black Black Spirit," Yu Hong said. "...." The three were speechless. "In short, let¡¯s name it Black Spirit. Okay, it¡¯s settled!" With a grand wave of his hand, Yu Hong finalized the new name after the integration of the safehouse with the Savior Ship. "I¡¯ll go to cultivate," Ku Chan shook his head and turned towards the underground dedicated Cultivation Room. Yu Hong had additionally divided three Cultivation Rooms during the recent expansion and renovation of the safehouse, each heavily fortified. Soundproof, moisture-proof, and insulated against the radiations of Black Disaster, Spirit Disaster, and Light Disaster. "I¡¯m going to wash clothes." Yiyi made up an excuse and quickly left. Chi Xiao sighed, gripping his sword handle, and walked towards the second floor¡¯s entertainment room;he had recently become addicted to binge-watching various TV shows and movies, deeply immersed in them. Leaving Yu Hong alone to return to the window, watching the flowing landscape outside. "Looking at it this way, it feels quite nice, a bit like riding a train," he consoled himself. But after a while, he also felt a bit bored, so he lowered the blackout panel to cover the window and went to cultivate as well. He was about to step into the Seventh Layer, construct the Light Well, a very critical step. Once successful, his strength would increase substantially. He could say he would transform into a human-shaped Ultimate Gate, capable of summoning infinite Light Disaster power at will. Just like Quan He currently, with an extremely high energy burst limit, unlimited usage, endlessly. Although he currently also somewhat qualifies for unlimited Inner Strength, the unlimited of the Light Well is conceptually different from his current unlimited. His current unlimited is because of extremely fast recovery;he doesn¡¯t need constant output, so it appears to be unlimited. But the Light Well is capable of high-limit output that can destroy the world. Yu Hong estimated that it was about three to six times the upper limit of his current burst of Inner Strength. If he could also construct a Spirit Well and Wind Well, then he could have three simultaneous bursts, equivalent to tripling the base of the Light Well. All things considered. If the Seventh Layer is fully completed, his strength will truly skyrocket, reaching nearly twenty times the current standard explosion power. With the expectation for this new realm, Yu Hong also entered a state of intense cultivation. The only ones left on guard were Yiyi washing clothes and the Agrius drone left outside Black Spirit. Time elapsed bit by bit. A black background with white needles, the round clock on the wall, turning its hands of hours, minutes, and seconds. Buzz. Suddenly, the whole safehouse shook slightly, automatically starting to slow down. This subtle change immediately activated the automatic sensing system set up inside the house. An alarm began to automatically ring beside Yu Hong. In the underground Cultivation Room, he abruptly opened his eyes, got up quickly, and came to the first floor. Yiyi was sitting by the window at the dining table, slowly sipping a cup of milk tea. Seeing Yu Hong coming over, she immediately blinked her eyes, pointing outside. "Yu Hong, look outside. It seems we¡¯ve arrived." Yu Hong rubbed her hair and looked outside. Outside, a soft sunlight shone brilliantly golden. They were slowly traveling along a wide river. Black Spirit was also positioned in the shadow. But from the shadow, one could see golden light illuminating a vast landscape not far from the shore. Rounded lines of houses, young women washing clothes by the riverside in dresses, rows of black birds perched on electric wires. And the pure blue sky, white clouds, sunset. The unique shape of Black Spirit seemed to have caught the attention of the laundry women, they paused their movements, pointing this way and talking about something. Children on the shore were flying kites, now also forgetting to pull the strings, turning their heads to watch Black Spirit glide over the river. This ship¡¯s shape was indeed a bit strange, a ship fitted with a compatibility suitable small house on top. Painted entirely black, with a large lizard sculpture (motionless Agrius) on top. "These people, their hair colors are brown, golden, platinum blonde;their features are more three-dimensional, deep-set eye sockets, they look more like Caucasians," Yu Hong said. Ku Chan was also woken up by now, came out from the Cultivation Room, and looked outside the window. "They look very fragile," he commented. "This place, can it have clues about the land of vitality?" "No rush... this is just the beginning," Yu Hong said. "We¡¯re just watching..." "According to what you said before, Alliance Hierarch, this place will also likely face a major impending disaster, otherwise we wouldn¡¯t have followed Black River here for no reason," Ku Chan said. "That¡¯s true. Black Spirit is still moving, let¡¯s talk when it completely stops," Yu Hong nodded. For a time, none of them spoke, silently waiting. Yu Hong closed his eyes to cultivate Tai Ling Skill, with the Black Mark still strengthening the Outer Eye, which is the ability of the Colorful Mirror Taoist¡¯s Outer Eye. He had already started focusing all his time on this Outer Eye, aiming to first bring this single Outer Eye to its peak. He can now independently adjust the strengthening targets to shorten the strengthening countdown. Instead of always maximizing strengthening. This approach allows him to use fragmented time to push a single ability to its limit, for instance, the Void One Finger, which now has been strengthened to a very high level during fragmented times. Perhaps the next strengthening could cause a qualitative change. The four of them just quietly waited, watching the scenery outside gradually turn to night, shore houses gradually disappearing, turning into wasteland. Occasionally, a ship could be seen passing by. An hour later. Puff. Black Spirit finally stopped. However, this time it didn¡¯t stop itself but the flow of Black River here slowed down. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. There seemed to be something blocking the water upstream. Yu Hong walked up to the front of the ship, combining the Main Control Room, to check the situation. Inside the Main Control Room, through the circular glass windows, a huge tall black mountain blocked the river path on Black River ahead. Only a small patch of the river¡¯s surface was left for the waters of the Black River to flow through. At this time, Black Black Spirit simply couldn¡¯t get through because the river¡¯s surface here was too narrow. "How should we handle this situation?" Yu Hong frowned. With a thought, Agrius on the ship transformed into a shadow and pounced out, landing on the black mountain and smashing down with its claw. Thud. The mountain formed a small indent, and judging by the progress, it would take at least several days to dig out a width sufficient for navigation. Yu Hong speechlessly let Agrius continue digging. He then returned to the glass window on the first layer. Since the ship had stopped, the scenery on the riverbank outside had also come to a halt. During the night, the ship stopped at a wide expanse of the river, in front of it, a white cargo ship passing by, emitting thick smoke from its top. "This place looks very peaceful¡­. Doesn¡¯t seem to pose any danger at all. Perhaps we could open the windows for some fresh air?" Ku Chan suggested. "The ship will stay put for a while, as long as we don¡¯t go down, staying on the ship itself shouldn¡¯t be a problem," Yu Hong said. "Alright then." Ku Chan stretched out his hand, unlocked the safety, the switches, the window lock, and the Array lock before finally sliding the window open. The thickness of this window made even opening it somewhat strenuous for him. Suddenly, fresh air along with a cool breeze gushed in. "It feels nice¡­" Yu Hong squinted his eyes, sniffing the scent in the wind. Seaweed, the fishy smell, mixed with a hint of the stench from diesel combustion. "Let¡¯s make a mark. We might come back for supplies later. This is the first peaceful place we have encountered," Yu Hong said softly, flicking his finger lightly outward. A bit of Inner Strength shot out, precisely landing in the river outside. High concentration of Tai Ling Skill Inner Strength condensed into an ice-blue crystal, silently sinking to the riverbed. "Wait, something¡¯s not right!" Suddenly, Ku Chan¡¯s expression changed slightly, looking towards the distant night sky. "Close the window quickly!!" He sharply stretched out a hand and slammed the window shut, then quickly locked it layer by layer. Without needing his explanation, Yu Hong¡¯s powerful eyesight had already spotted the anomaly outside. In the night sky at that moment, an expanse of bright red dots had appeared, unbeknownst to them when they had appeared. The dots swiftly intensified in brightness, even to a blinding degree. Within seconds, they shifted from small lightbulbs to high-power bright lights. The earthly riverbank, initially a night scene, was now illuminated almost like daylight. Two seconds later. Swoosh!! A swath of red meteors struck the ground directly. Boom!!! In an instant, the outside was submerged in red light. The riverbank, the cargo ship, everything, all turned into a red expanse. Massive tremors and roaring sounds drowned out everything else. Inside Black Black Spirit. Yu Hong, Ku Chan, and Yiyi all dove to the ground, protective Arrays throughout the room lit up layer by layer, the massive tremors rippling through and leaving everyone numb. Both individuals, their bodies empowered with Inner Strength, formed two dark red shields, enclosing both Yiyi and Chi Xiao inside. "Why didn¡¯t my spiritual power give any warning!?" Yu Hong couldn¡¯t understand and gritted his teeth to communicate telepathically. Ku Chan¡¯s spiritual power was much stronger than his and should have been more aware of the situation. "I had no warning either, it was my sixth sense that caught something amiss, then immediately tried to trace it back¡­" Boom!! Before Ku Chan could finish transmitting his message, another series of massive bombardments hammered down, violently shaking the entire safety room of the Black Black Spirit. The Arrays¡¯ white lines on the walls flashed intermittently, clearly triggered to their limit. An extremely immense sense of terror compressed onto Yu Hong and Ku Chan¡¯s nerves. The two firmly protected Yiyi and Chi Xiao, crouching below the window, waiting for the bombardment outside to cease. However, the bombings outside seemed endlessly persistent, continuing unabated. An hour later... Finally, the bombardment gradually weakened and began to subside. Slowly, Yu Hong raised his head to look outside the window. On the window glass, there was a clear crack, forming a spiderweb, situated in the upper middle. Through the spiderweb, he could see the current state outside. The entire world outside was askew. The red sky below, the black earth above. He immediately realized, Black Black Spirit was flipped upside down. Instantly, he took control of the safety room, driving it to reposition. With a thud. Fortunately, the safety room¡¯s drive was still functional, quickly readjusting itself, restoring everything outside back to normal. But at the moment when he saw the entire sky, Yu Hong¡¯s scalp began to tingle. "F**k!!" In the red sky outside. A huge black meteorite, occupying half of the sky, was rapidly closing in towards the earth. Anyone could guess with their butt, a meteorite of this scale, once it fell, none would survive! Only then did all his alarms begin to ring madly, urging him to find a way to evade and escape. Chapter 461: Anxiang 3 "Such a huge meteor, is it going to annihilate the entire planet?!" Chi Xiao moaned from the side. "The Array has been partially damaged. The recent meteor shower bombardment is at least equivalent to dozens of hydrogen bombs exploding together. This bigger one... we definitely can¡¯t withstand it!" Yu Hong said anxiously. The protective strength of the bunker is much stronger than his and Ku Chan¡¯s own protections. If the bunker can¡¯t hold it, they certainly can¡¯t either, and will die as well. "What should we do!??" Chi Xiao was also panicked. "I have to watch for the right moment to activate the isolation state to cut off everything, otherwise we¡¯re doomed!" Yu Hong said sternly. He was sweating all over his body now, the intense sense of crisis completely dominating every nerve of his. The volume of the meteor outside, at least by visual estimate, reached over ten kilometers in diameter. The scale of the Hickeslubur meteor that caused the extinction of the dinosaurs is also estimated to be ten kilometers. This one definitely surpasses that! In his past life, the power of a standard hydrogen bomb was at least several hundred thousand tons of TNT, with a strong one like the United States¡¯ Mike at tens of millions of tons, and the strongest being the Soviet Union¡¯s Tsar Bomba at fifty million tons. This was already the limit for humans. But the power of the Hickeslubur, equivalent to hundreds of quadrillion tons... this is not a comparable concept at all. This is the doomsday strike that cleanses the surface of the earth, extinguishing all beings. Yu Hong looked at the huge meteor outside getting closer and closer! The only eye he exposed was bloodshot, filled with blood vessels. He stared fixedly at the meteor outside. He was uncertain how long the meteor bombardment would last. If it were just a normal meteor, the maximum force would last a few minutes at most. But his premonition told him, there was something wrong with this meteor! It had an extremely strong Source Disaster aura! If it were just a simple meteor, he and Ku Chan would not have discovered it only when so close. "Wait, the isolation state can last for an hour! What am I hesitating for?" Suddenly, Yu Hong¡¯s brain buzzed, and he realized. He immediately activated isolation. Buzz! After a slight tremor, the entire bunker, Black Black Spirit, began to turn transparent, and in less than a second, vanished into thin air from the blackened earth. Inside the bunker. Yu Hong, Ku Chan, and the others stood by the window, ignoring the scattered items all around, staring fixedly at the huge meteor about to fall outside. Yu Hong himself was not sure if the isolation state could withstand this collision. That meteor was not normal matter at all. And even if it were just a common meteor, the force generated by the instant collision was far beyond what ordinary things could withstand. "Looking at the distance, I guess it will take about half a minute to..." Ku Chan said in a low voice. But the next second. The meteor in the sky crashed down thunderously. The outside became dark in an instant. The outer layers of the Array of the bunker, under the enormous pressure of the crash, burst like soap bubbles in an instant. The layers of the Array didn¡¯t last even a second. Next were the high-strength special alloys from interstellar civilization, which also deformed rapidly under this terrible explosive impact, cracking. Even though the bunker was already in an isolation state, theoretically cutting off all external damage, the huge impact-induced shock waves still caused a chain reaction that severely damaged the bunker. A series of enormous vibrations that could not be identified by ears engulfed all the sounds that could be heard inside the bunker. The essence of sound is vibration, and the terrifying vibration caused by the impact immediately destroyed the Inner Strength defensive layers of Yu Hong and Ku Chan. The ceaselessly flowing Tai Ling Skill Inner Strength and Red Food Method Inner Strength, combined with the Spirit Light Secret Skill, only lasted less than two seconds before declaring collapse. Then came their auditory systems. Without the protection of the Array and Inner Strength, merely relying on their physical bodies to withstand the impact immediately exposed the gap in strength. Yiyi fainted first but was quickly revived due to her half-Black Disaster constitution¡¯s super-fast recovery powers and Yu Hong and Ku Chan¡¯s protective efforts, which shielded her from much of the physical damage, and her body began to quietly heal. Such a constitution had allowed her to survive fatal injuries in her early years. Naturally, it was no exception here. The Chi Xiao Sword Handle, being made of very hard material, only developed some more cracks at the moment, which was not a big deal. Yu Hong himself flashed with Golden Light, Divinity reducing half the damage, plus his own high strength of the body, he only felt like he was heavily punched in the face, a bit dizzy in the head. After spitting out a pool of blood, it was nothing major. Ku Chan, however, got the worst of it. He practiced the powerful Red Food Method, but for the time being, it was not stronger than Yu Hong¡¯s multiple Cultivation Techniques. After all, he didn¡¯t have the characteristic of Tao Breath Circulation, which allowed for 24-hour automatic Cultivation. He also lacked other miscellaneous traits and had to divide some of his Power to protect Yiyi and the Chi Xiao Sword Handle. Struck head-on by the massive impact-induced vibration, Ku Chan¡¯s chest collapsed on the spot, and his entire body¡¯s flesh, bones, and organs shattered countless times within one second. He flew out and stuck to the wall, with the pattern of the Array on the wall imprinted on his back. Blood, like free-flowing water, seeped out from his body, and he looked like he was about to be finished. "Fuck!" Seeing this, Yu Hong quickly got up and approached, pulling down the person from the wall. The faintly golden light of the Elf Ancient Tree¡¯s Call worked furiously to heal everyone¡¯s injuries. The effect was especially pronounced on Ku Chan¡¯s body. All his injuries were healing at a rapid pace. But it¡¯s not enough... This new ability can at best heal moderate injuries. Ku Chan is at death¡¯s door. "Medicine...." Ku Chan struggled, using the Golden Light from the Elf Ancient Tree¡¯s Call to recover, managing to squeeze out a single word with great difficulty. Yu Hong immediately reacted, reaching into his pocket to search, only to find a mushed paste that had been smashed to a pulp. Right then and there, without a second thought, he lumped the mush together with the broken bottle shards and forcefully shoved it into Ku Chan¡¯s mouth. "Swallow it!" He pressed firmly, then with a surge of Inner Strength, pushed it down through Ku Chan¡¯s throat and straight into his stomach. At their level, a few shards of glass or ceramic didn¡¯t matter. "After this.... I¡¯ll definitely never use... ceramic to store medicine again..." Ku Chan said, with his first words after swallowing the medicine paste and opening his eyes. "Let¡¯s talk about that later." Yu Hong wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and glanced at the window. The window glass had shattered, leaving only a few sharp fragments stuck in the corners. Outside was an engulfing inferno. The orange and white flames devoured everything. Aside from the fire, nothing else was visible. "Good thing we weren¡¯t knocked out of the isolation state, otherwise..." Yu Hong sighed. "A blessing in disguise amidst misfortune." "What¡¯s the extent of the damage?" Chi Xiao emerged from the ground, looking haggard and seemingly even older than before. "Black Black Spirit destroyed over half of the Array. Thankfully, we were in the isolation state;otherwise, we would¡¯ve been undoubtedly dead. Our location was exactly in the area hit by the meteorite, so.... our luck was just that bad." Yu Hong got up and propped Ku Chan against the wall. "No... it¡¯s not luck..." Chi Xiao shook his head. "You both passed out briefly just now, but I remained conscious, and during that time, I heard five more identical impacts and vibrations." "Not the subsequent aftershocks? Are you sure?" Yu Hong was stunned. "No. Even an old man like me can tell the difference. That one just now was on par with a full-force strike from the Heavenly Emperor above the Great Emperor." Chi Xiao shook his head. "....." Yu Hong didn¡¯t know what to say for a moment. Watching as Yiyi and Ku Chan were recovering under the Golden Light, he returned to the window. "We can¡¯t stay here any longer;we must leave immediately!" "The problem is, wasn¡¯t the river route blocked earlier?" Chi Xiao said helplessly. Yu Hong¡¯s face grimaced, trying in his mind to activate the Savior Ship¡¯s Black River mobility power. An invisible black fog emanated from behind Black Black Spirit, enveloping it. In the next instant, the entire safe house was relocated back atop the Black River. The next stretch of the river was still the narrow channel that had been mostly blocked by the black mountainous mass. "Wait, it looks like that mountain was also shattered quite a bit!" Yu Hong¡¯s eyesight suddenly caught the difference, his spirits lifting. "Move! Another one is coming!!!" Ku Chan suddenly yelled out again. He practiced the Red Food Method and seemed to have a stronger sixth sense than Yu Hong. He sensed the anomaly before anyone else. Yu Hong¡¯s scalp tingled at the sound. He hurriedly propelled the safe house at full speed into the depths of the Black River. The black fog gradually diluted the fire¡¯s glow behind them, obscuring it. But less than two seconds later. Boom!!! A massive white flame broke through the black fog, like a white tidal wave, engulfing both the Black River and the safe house in its path. At that moment, the safe house, being in transit, couldn¡¯t enter the isolation state and was caught by surprise by the huge impact force and heat wave, being thrown out violently. "Ah!!!!" "Whoa!!!!" Everyone inside the house screamed aloud. Everything tumbled and swirled, mixing into chaos. All objects lost their balance. Yu Hong¡¯s head collided with Ku Chan¡¯s belly, knocking him unconscious on the spot, and his spine shattered. Yiyi stepped on the broken end of the Chi Xiao Sword Handle, piercing her foot completely. The washing machine, which was initially secured, took off with the lid flying open, its cord breaking off. The communication device on the table was flung around like a bowling ball, all edges worn off, turning blunt and rounded. The lid of the freezer separated from the cabinet, one ending up on the bed, the other in the fireplace. Large items were tossed around and smashed, not to mention the smaller ones. With the protective Array gone, the appliances were thoroughly damaged. Packaged foods had not managed to survive their debut, already smashed and scattered, forming a messy paste that flooded the basement. It was unclear how much time had passed until the enormous tumbling vibrations completely stopped. Only then did Yu Hong slowly rise from the ground. That last hit, though just residuals, had destroyed the safe house¡¯s outer wall since the protective Array was gone, breaking his Inner Strength and Spirit Light;everything had to be endured physically, making it even more disheveled than before. "Cough cough..." He coughed a few times, leaning against the wall, trying to steady his dizzy head. The first thing he saw was the small white rats¡¯ cage which had turned into an oval shape. The white rats inside were all skewed, long devoid of life. "Huff... Yiyi, Ku Chan! Are you guys okay!?" Yu Hong stood up and surveyed his surroundings. Ku Chan had been buried under a pile of debris, with a heavy table that had lost two legs crushing down on him, and large puddles of dark red blood were underneath. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Already motionless. Chapter 462: Peaceful Four Yu Hong felt a jolt in his heart and hurried over to quickly move the debris. After they dug Ku Chan out from underground, his waist had been flattened by something unknown, smashed to about the thickness of a palm. As if a small road roller had rolled over his waist. It was too tragic. Yu Hong couldn¡¯t bear to look directly, but noticed that Ku Chan still seemed spirited. "It¡¯s fortunate that you are a Heavenly Master Mage... you can change bodies if this one is gone," he sighed. "Don¡¯t... Alliance Hierarch, where can I find another body to switch into around here?!" Ku Chan groaned. "There are plenty of white rats over there, just make do with one for now," Yu Hong sighed. "I don¡¯t think I¡¯m at that point yet..." Ku Chan fell silent, then said. "Then try healing yourself first, if that fails, pick one and try it," Yu Hong helplessly suggested. "Don¡¯t worry... I still know some healing spells!" Ku Chan gritted his teeth. "I even have a master¡¯s degree in cellular genetics!" Yu Hong shook his head and walked to the side to check on Yiyi. Yiyi was relatively okay, having been smashed into the fireplace with Chi Xiao. The confined space had actually protected them from more serious injury. Except her foot was pierced through by the Chi Xiao Sword Handle. Now she had passed out from the collision. Yu Hong pulled her out, treated her wounds a bit, then went to check on Ku Chan, finding he had used some unknown method to restore his waist. Finally, he felt relieved. "We¡¯ve only just left the house, right...?" He surveyed the chaotic room and sighed, "Do I have some kind of disaster-prone constitution?" "As long as people are okay, don¡¯t worry," Ku Chan struggled to shift his position. "Alliance Hierarch, I suggest you¡¯d better check what¡¯s going on outside. I have a bad feeling," he warned. Yu Hong nodded. "You reminded me just in time, but I already sensed it earlier. Indeed, it¡¯s not good. Now there¡¯s good news and bad news. Which one do you want to hear first?" "Can I hear the bad news first?" Ku Chan exhaled, "Sugar tastes sweeter at the end." "The bad news is, the ship is broken again, and we might be lost, not knowing where we¡¯ve arrived. One thing I can confirm is we¡¯ve left that destroyed world," Yu Hong said. "And the good news?" "The good news is, we¡¯ve successfully passed through the mountain-blocked river outlet." "So, does that mean we can¡¯t even go back if we want to?" Ku Chan asked. "You understand it well," Yu Hong responded calmly. He walked to the shattered window, looking out at a chaotic, rainbow-like halo. The halo was like many colors of paint mixed together but not blending. Each color was stirred into messy lines. All the lines crisscrossed and intertwined, like a dazzlingly colorful abstract painting. "After that collision, it seems we are no longer anywhere near Black River... I also don¡¯t know where this place is," he watched the continuously shifting colorful lines outside the window and reached out, trying to gently touch them. Hiss. The fingertips that touched were emitted a faint white vapor, seemingly corroded. "The only thing I can be sure of is that this is not the Black Disaster¡¯s depths, nor a Spirit Disaster, Wind Disaster, or Light Disaster," he retracted his hand, seeing a white scar forming on his fingertip. "What should we do?" Ku Chan said hopelessly. "I need some time to repair things, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll handle it," Yu Hong responded, "The most urgent task now is to repair the outer protective array and the outer walls. Otherwise, I¡¯ll have to isolate the inside and outside using my Inner Strength alone which is too draining." "Also, our stored food and drink were all destroyed..." he continued, although the raw materials were mixed up, he could restore them using Black Mark. But it was not cost-effective. Safety was the priority. For food and drink, making do with what they had should work. "Good thing we didn¡¯t leave the ship... otherwise..." Ku Chan recalled everything that had happened and still felt terrified. "Let¡¯s repair the place first." Yu Hong waved a hand, and Speed Men appeared one after another. "Go tidy up the room," he commanded. Thirty Speed Men, under the effect of Extreme Summoning, took less than half an hour to tidy and clean the room anew. Meanwhile, Yu Hong had already placed his hand on the wall, beginning to mend the safe house using Black Mark. A bright red countdown soon appeared on the wall, visible only to him. ¡¯19 Days 11 Hours 24 Minutes.¡¯ "It looks severely damaged, repair will take a long time," Yu Hong sighed. "I think we shouldn¡¯t keep any containers that are uncovered or unfixed inside," Ku Chan suggested. "Good point," Yu Hong nodded. He immediately began discussing with Ku Chan how to deal with and prevent such situations in future. Time went by gradually. Soon, more than an hour passed. The colorful lines outside the window gradually began to fade, and the emitted light grew thinner. Finally. Whoosh! Suddenly, a sharp noise of rustling branches and leaves came from outside the house. Puff. The safe house suddenly stopped. Yu Hong frowned and looked outside, trying to restart the safe house, but it was no longer responsive, except shaking a bit, there were no other reactions. He walked to the window to look outside. Outside was lush and verdant, filled with tall dark green trees, dense gray shrubs and roots, and weeds more than a person tall. "Looks like we¡¯ve arrived at the next place," he turned back and said. "Not the ship breaking down, is it?" Chi Xiao wondered. "Yes, it¡¯s broken and can¡¯t move anymore, so this is our next stop. Otherwise, who knows, it might still be able to move." Yu Hong helplessly nodded. "You think you¡¯re quite humorous, don¡¯t you?" Chi Xiao scoffed. Slap. His forehead was slapped by Ku Chan. "Show some respect to the Alliance Hierarch!" Ku Chan said sternly. "I..." Chi Xiao¡¯s frustration boiled over, "You dare to hit an old man like me...!!" Slap slap slap!! Ku Chan, dragging his broken body, went up and slapped Chi Xiao several times, leaving him a bit dazed. No damage, but extremely humiliating. "You damn brat!! If it wasn¡¯t for your injuries right now!!" Chi Xiao roared in anger. "When I wasn¡¯t injured, you wouldn¡¯t dare either," Ku Chan¡¯s expression remained unchanged. Yu Hong didn¡¯t pay attention to their bickering and stood by the window, looking outside. "I mean, if we don¡¯t disembark, how are we going to replenish our supplies?" "Guess we¡¯ll have to dig the soil and plant our own food... and these branches, leaves, insects, should all be edible," Ku Chan answered. "I¡¯ll try..." As Yu Hong was about to try, his gaze suddenly fixed, and he looked up into the distance. There, although blocked by thick branches, his eyesight was exceptionally strong. Clearly, outside the forest, an enormous creature was slowly flying by. That creature, at least thirty meters in length, almost as big as Agrius but much bulkier. Just its height was over ten meters. Its whole body was pure white, covered with snake-like scales. That was clearly a gracefully beautiful, pure white dragon. A snake-necked white dragon with wings. ¡¯Typical Western dragon appearance...¡¯ This was the second time Yu Hong encountered such a creature. The last time was the old witch Marissa at Black River. The white dragon gazed down at the forest below, seemingly noticing the broken Black Black Spirit. Whoosh. It flapped its wings, circling above before finding a focal point and promptly descending. Amidst the crashing and snapping sounds. The white dragon forcefully made a nest in the forest, landing at a spot in front of the safe house. Yu Hong observed this beautiful creature. Its scales were as shiny as a mirror, and through the space pushed open behind, the tip of a pure white snow-capped mountain was visible. Thud. The white dragon gently landed on the ground, lowered its head, and with its large blue eyes, closely examined the inside of the house. "Can you speak?" Yu Hong asked in Night Language. The white dragon shook its head. "....." Yu Hong, Ku Chan, and Chi Xiao. "I apologize, it wasn¡¯t intentional. I¡¯m using Divine Intent to communicate, it¡¯s a special Dragon Language spell," the white dragon finally spoke, its voice that of a very young man. "You all, look like humans?" It asked a seemingly rhetorical question. "Does that mean, there might be non-humans here?" Yu Hong replied with a question. "Better that you¡¯re humans. One moment." The white dragon said no more, turned around, and flew out, his powerful wings smashing open obstructing branches. It took about five minutes. The white dragon descended from the sky again, landing gently. It opened one wing, from beneath it, pulled out a wrinkled baby. The baby, wrapped in a dirty brown diaper, eyes tightly shut, motionless, lying on the dragon¡¯s wing scales, seemed on the brink of death. But Yu Hong knew it was still alive;though not too far away, he could feel its heart still beating. "What¡¯s this?" Yu Hong looked towards the white dragon. "I was chasing a group of my enemies;this was found in the ruins left after their attack. He¡¯s still breathing;whether you want to save him is up to you," the white dragon gently placed the baby by the window. "Although your carriage looks rather poor, apparently severely damaged by violence, you have women here who should be able to care for this child," the white dragon said somberly. "It¡¯s my first time speaking with a dragon," Ku Chan stood up with support, looking through the window at the white dragon. "I also hold a favorable view towards humans who maintain a friendly attitude," the white dragon spoke softly. Ku Chan nodded, then looked back at Yu Hong. "Alliance Hierarch, can none of us disembark? Is there a way to bypass this restriction?" "I¡¯m not sure, but... now that the ship is broken, I guess going down means we won¡¯t be able to come back up..." Yu Hong patted the window ledge;the safe house and Black Light¡¯s dots in his mind had dimmed, turning into a grayish lump, floating in his memory, waiting to be fixed. "The restriction mainly applies to the captain;it doesn¡¯t limit you," Yu Hong recalled his conversation with Brother Hu, replying. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Good." Ku Chan looked at the dying baby, decisively flipped out of the window break. Then he came before the expanses of the white dragon¡¯s wings. His stature in comparison to the white dragon, twenty meters wide and over thirty meters long. Looked like a black bean next to a large white rag. Inconspicuous. "I can help save him temporarily, but we¡¯re out of supplies, no food or drink, he can¡¯t survive on that alone. So, can you help us restock?" He too communicated his message with mental intent. Such a spell, magicians also have. Perhaps because the methods used were different, a hint of surprise appeared in the white dragon¡¯s large blue eyes. "Are you a mage too? To have two mages in one carriage? That¡¯s quite rare." It pondered briefly. It shook its head. "I¡¯m sorry, I have other important things to do. This is your human child, I¡¯ve already done quite a lot by bringing him here." Chapter 463: resources one "Alright then. In a different way, can you tell us which direction has the most densely populated area of humans?" Ku Chan asked again. White Dragon lifted its left wing, pointing westward with the claws on its dragon wing. "That area has the most people;it is the location of the capital of the Louis Empire." "Thank you," Ku Chan nodded, picking up the infant and turning back to climb through the window into the safety house. As the infant entered the luminance from the Elf Ancient Tree¡¯s Call previously covered by Yu Hong, its complexion soon improved, flushing with some color. This characteristic¡¯s healing capability seemed extremely effective for the infant. In just a few seconds, the baby¡¯s heartbeat grew much stronger. Puff. At this moment, the White Dragon flapped its wings and flew up, disappearing into the distance in the blink of an eye. "If that child survives, remember to tell him that he was rescued by the White Dragon Gabriela." "Though it sounds like a male voice, it is actually a female dragon," Ku Chan raised an eyebrow. He looked down at the infant. "Alliance Hierarch, what should we do with this child?" "Exchange it for food and drink," Yu Hong answered. "What?" Ku Chan and Yiyi Chi Xiao were stunned. "I mean the child must have family, relatives. Let them repay us by sending us supplies," Yu Hong explained exasperatingly. "But we need to hurry, I suspect this place... is also doomed." "..." The three recalled everything they had just experienced, their faces turning grim. "But don¡¯t worry too much;at least the New World is still intact so far, and the situation varies from person to person," Yu Hong added. "Alliance Hierarch, can¡¯t you just say everything all at once?" Ku Chan gasped for breath. "But we can¡¯t move now, so how do we contact the child¡¯s relatives?" "Can¡¯t you move?" Yu Hong looked at the infant, who was now spirited, kicking around, and moving its mouth as if it wanted to drink something. "This task is yours," he patted Ku Chan¡¯s shoulder. The latter was taken aback. "Wait, isn¡¯t Yiyi a woman? Why not let her do it?" "She has radiation from the Black Disaster on her, plus would you feel safe giving the child to her to take care of?" Yu Hong retorted. "....." Ku Chan, looking at Yiyi¡¯s expectant face, was at a loss for words. They fell silent, and eventually, Ku Chan, with a lifeless expression, held the infant and stood by the window, looking out at the lush forest, unable to speak. "Go on, take a walk outside," Yu Hong reminded him from behind. "But what if we encounter a natural disaster like we did before? I¡¯ll surely die out there," Ku Chan stated seriously. "Aren¡¯t you not afraid of dying?" Yu Hong raised an eyebrow. "But I don¡¯t wish to die so arbitrarily!" Ku Chan argued. "Then you¡¯ll just have to keep staying inside the house," Yu Hong shrugged, "I¡¯m going to cultivate. Call me when someone arrives." With that, his figure flashed and disappeared on the spot. "I¡¯m going to watch a drama. Since I don¡¯t have a body and can¡¯t be of any help, I¡¯m just a useless old man," Chi Xiao sighed, and likewise, his figure flashed and disappeared. When there¡¯s need for help, he becomes useless... The remaining Yiyi looked at the infant and then at Ku Chan with expectation. "Come~~" She opened her arms, cooing as if to soothe a child. "....." Ku Chan remained still, still holding the child. He was ultimately too kind hearted. Time passed as the child gradually began to cry. In a moment, after Ku Chan, amid much fumbling, finally managed to feed some water to the child to soothe it. It turned dark outside. The night forest was pitch black, only the round moonlight cast down through the large hole made by the White Dragon in the sky. Cheep-cheep. Unknown nocturnal creatures called out, occasionally accompanied by the rustling sounds of moving bushes. Wind blowing rhythmically through the trees and bushes, produced a sound akin to whistling. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ku Chan leaned against the table, wrapped in a heavy blanket, his eyes squinting as he dozed off. The child, placed on his lap, was urinating freely, the urine quietly soaking through his Daoist robe. Just then, a faint sound of footsteps came from the distant woods. The footsteps were very faint, indiscernible if not listened to carefully. Mingling with the wind, they appeared and disappeared, extremely concealed. In the Dark Forest, three figures draped in black cloaks were quietly passing through the woods in front of Hei Heiling. The three were constantly vigilant of their surroundings, pausing at any slight disturbance to observe, hence progressing very slowly. "This is the right place. Durann¡¯s Life Wave Light stopped here." The middle cloaked figure suddenly stopped, whispering in a foreign language. "Search in a circular spread," the leading cloaked figure instructed in a deep voice. Hiss. He drew a thin sword from his back;under the cloak, his face was stern and cold. It was the rugged face of a middle-aged man in his forties, his stubbled chin not fully shaved. "No need to search further, it¡¯s over there. I see it...." declared the last cloaked figure directly. He carried a long bow on his back, a quiver at his waist, looking more like a war archer than a forest bowman. The other two turned in the direction he pointed, looking towards the safety house. There it was the only place around bathed in moonlight. A circular patch of moonlight illuminated what looked like a massive dark house in the shape of a boat. On the side of the house, there was a broken square glass window, inside which sat a strange person wearing a golden mask. The strange person was dozing off, holding the very target they were looking for ¡ª baby Durann. The three of them carefully confirmed the situation, then silently retreated and soon disappeared into the jungle. The dozing Ku Chan opened his eyes slightly, glanced in the direction of the three, and then continued sleeping. * * * Like a beehive, on the massive sharp snowy mountain. Gigantic White Dragons surrounded the snow mountain, soaring and roaring in the early morning. Gabriela vibrated her wings, gliding into a huge Dragon Cave in the middle of the mountain. Inside the cave, two huge White Dragons, three times her size, were lazily lying on giant ice sculpted lounge chairs, quietly playing chess and chatting. Seeing Gabriela return, the slightly bigger White Dragon exhaled a breath of snowflakes. "Lica, did you handle it? The human baby?" "Yes. I left him with a group of seemingly reliable and kind people to protect him," Gabriela landed, took a few running steps to reduce inertia, then retracted her wings and steadied herself. "Didn¡¯t I tell you to just find a place near human paths to drop him and not to actively interact with humans?" The big White Dragon frowned. "Enough, Anxi, you are no longer the Dragon King, these rules can no longer bind all of us White Dragons," Gabriela retorted discontentedly. "Besides, humans, like our Dragon Clan, have both good and bad. We just need to learn to discern." "My centuries of memories tell me, good or evil, whenever you get involved with humans, trouble arises," big White Dragon Anxi said earnestly. "I don¡¯t think so," Gabriela dismissed, walking towards a branch of the Dragon Cave. "I¡¯ve already killed off that disgusting group of human mercenaries. Though the humans I met are decent, they are also in trouble and need help. Need supplies. Mom, can I get some food and drinks from you later for them? They are just a few people, and what we eat in one meal can last them a long time," Gabriela looked back and asked the other big White Dragon. "Child, of course, but you might suffer for being too kind. As True Dragons, we can¡¯t be overly kind..." the other big White Dragon replied gently. "But I am a True Dragon and an Arcane genius. Why should I be afraid of the humans you deem so weak and look down upon? I want to be kind, so I will be kind. I do what I wish. That¡¯s the reason I seek to become stronger!" Gabriela said discontentedly. "And your statements and actions are contradicting and ridiculous," she seriously added. "I can tell from their eyes, they are not bad people." "Eyes can deceive dragons... back in the day..." Dad Anxi still wanted to say something, but Gabriela, not wanting to listen further, walked deeper into the Dragon Cave. "You always distrust me, always thinking everything I do is problematic, is wrong. I have grown up!" She walked heavily with extreme dissatisfaction, her tail sweeping left and right on the ground, sending ice chunks flying and thumping against the walls, quickly disappearing around the corner of the Dragon Cave. Leaving the two adult dragons looking at each other without words, only able to sigh deeply. "Shaning, she is becoming more disobedient," Anxi said. "Perhaps we should respect her choices. As long as it doesn¡¯t endanger her life, suffering a little isn¡¯t too much," his wife Shaning said softly. "The brilliance of being an Arcane genius has made her somewhat arrogant," Anxi shook his head, "You¡¯ll see, she¡¯ll suffer a loss soon. I am already prepared to intervene at the crucial moment." "...Don¡¯t worry, even if deceived, her strength is still formidable," Shaning smiled. "That¡¯s the only way to think about it." * * * Time continued to pass. Soon it grew brighter, nearing dawn. About three hours later. In the jungle, a squad of fully armed brown lightly armored soldiers slowly hacked through the dense weeds and bushes, moving towards the safehouse. In front of these soldiers were five Sword and Shield Soldiers. Their shields were more than half a person tall and over a meter wide, brown in color. The large shields were bound with thick cloth, cowhide, and metal plates. They looked very sturdy. The squad of soldiers guarded two young royally dressed men and women in their midst as they approached the Hei Heiling. Minutes later, when they were about ten meters away from the safehouse window, they stopped. "Indeed it¡¯s my bloodline, my child, and the bloodline purity is still very high," the royally dressed man in the middle closed his eyes as if sensing something. "It looks like Durann is relatively safe, but what¡¯s with this house? How could there be a house here?" The royally dressed man frowned as he looked around. There were no signs of anyone having traveled in any direction except the route they had just taken. Shuffling sounds. At this moment, Yu Hong walked out to the safehouse window, pausing at the window, first glancing at the baby Durann who was still on Ku Chan. The little guy had wet a large area but wasn¡¯t crying, just sitting there playing with his toes. Yu Hong noticed the group that had appeared outside the window. "Can you understand me?" he asked in Night Language. Seeing Yu Hong¡¯s towering height of two and a half meters, the group was somewhat wary. But soon, the royally dressed lady gave an instruction, and the man pointed to an old man with white hair in the group. The old man took out a black-covered book tied to his waist, flipped open a page and lightly tapped it. Sss. A ring of invisible halo spread out from the book. Chapter 464: Resource 462 Two "Stranger, was it you who saved this child?" a voice inquired near Yu Hong. "We are from the Tela family of the Louis Empire, thank you for rescuing a member of our family..." A barrage of content transmitted over telepathically. "Yes. A kind lady saw an innocent child alone in the wilderness, such a dangerous place, and she cared, so she brought him back to us for temporary protection," Yu Hong nodded, "Since it¡¯s a member of your family, then good, you can take your child back. As a token of gratitude, you can compensate us with some supplies, no problem, right?" "Supplies? Is this a carriage? Or a Mage Tower?" The old man looked puzzled. "Neither, just a means of transportation," Yu Hong replied. "...How much do you want?" the old man nodded, indicating he understood the request. "We need enough supplies for the three of us to eat and drink for a year," said Yu Hong. A year was enough time for them to resupply. "...Okay. But we will need time," the old man agreed without hesitation. Just three people, at most it was a few hundred pounds of grain and a few hundred pounds of dried meat. Though somewhat valuable, it was nothing compared to the life of a family scion. It¡¯s a matter of a dozen Gold Coins. "By the way, what¡¯s your portion size per meal? I might consume more, so prepare triple the amount," Yu Hong reminded. "Can do," the old man nodded. Once the exchange was settled, the tense atmosphere between both parties eased considerably. The old man stopped casting spells and began to speak softly with the elegantly dressed men and women. Afterward, they spread out and began to set up a temporary camp on the spot. Sword and Shield Soldiers kept watch around them, while Crossbow Soldiers scouted the distance. Catapult operators stood behind Shields, ready to assist at any time. But the camp had only been half set up when the old man suddenly discovered something. "There¡¯s... a dragon¡¯s breath here..." His eyes lit up. "A dragon?!" The elegantly dressed men and women were all startled. "Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s just a young adolescent dragon. And it¡¯s a White Dragon," the old man shook his head. "Of course, even just an adolescent dragon is not something our party can subdue. Everyone just needs to be careful and keep an eye on our surroundings." The elegantly dressed man nodded, noting the soldiers around him seeming increasingly nervous, his eyes filled with contemplation. "His Majesty has always wanted a Level Nine Dragon Crystal to craft a staff..." Time rapidly flew by as both sides awaited. Soon, after more than three hours, a team of guards carrying large cloth bags approached one after another. Yu Hong could smell the aroma of flour from the bags. "Flour is good too," he nodded with satisfaction. Soon, the other party sent representatives, two Catapult operators nervously approaching the safe house. That strange house made them feel uncomfortable. Fortunately, Ku Chan didn¡¯t make any unnecessary moves. He promptly handed the child over to them. Then they were instructed to pile all the flour and dried meat through the window. The trade went smoothly. Very soon, the guards escorted the elegantly dressed men and women, who had received the baby, and quickly left, disappearing into the dense jungle. They showed no extra curiosity about why Yu and the others were in this rarely-trodden primordial jungle. Their party came, traded, and left. The whole process was unusually brief. Yu Hong watched the team leave, then retracted his gaze, looking at the large pile of supplies that had just arrived. It was a sizable stack of flour bags and dried pork tucked away in the corners of the room, along with dried vegetables and mushrooms for replenishing trace elements. "These people are quite generous;they gave more than what we traded for," he nodded in satisfaction. "They know how to manage relations. But aren¡¯t you curious about their Magicians, Spells, and all that?" Chi Xiao floated nearby and asked. "Curious, but we can¡¯t stay here long, as we haven¡¯t fully absorbed and peaked in our current power systems. Dipping into others, we lack the energy," Ku Chan shook his head. "I could try researching it, but I forgot to mention earlier, we¡¯ll see if there¡¯s a chance later," said Yu Hong. After eating, Yu Hong summoned Speed Man to tidy up all the trash and throw it all out, burying it in a hole. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As evening approached. Whoosh! A slender dragon shadow descended from the sky, landing once more through the same round hole as last time. Not a fraction of an inch off. "Hello. It seems you are doing well," Gabriela had flown back. As she landed, she saw Yu Hong directing some sort of summoned beings carrying bags. Though the strange summoned creatures didn¡¯t give her a great feeling, seemingly reminiscent of negative energy Spells. But Black Mage and such merely meant utilizing different forces;that was all. She held no prejudice. "Have you finished your business?" Yu Hong was planning to return to his cultivation, as he was on the verge of completely mastering the Sixth Layer of Tai Ling Skill. Once he entered the Seventh Layer and constructed the Source Well, his strength would skyrocket in an instant, which had been motivating him lately. After witnessing the terrifying destructive power of a meteor, he thought that had he mastered the Tai Ling Skill to its extreme, he might be able to withstand the impact of such a horrific collision. Therefore, he attributed all his current hardships to his own lack of strength. Seeing the White Dragon return, he unconsciously focused his gaze on its pair of large and pure blue eyes. Right now, he was still in the process of enhancing the single function of the Outer Eye. If he were to also use the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Scripture to assist in the enhancement, not only would his right eye become stronger, but the power of his Outer Eye would increase further. The Tai Ling Skill and the Outer Eye were the two main aspects he was focusing on enhancing at the moment. The Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Scripture, which collected various unique eyes, could also add new abilities and powers to the Outer Eye. Arriving in this new place, perhaps he could... "I brought some food and drink, but it looks like you don¡¯t need them," sighed Gabriela the White Dragon. "Yes, but still, thank you. You are the kindest and most beautiful among the Dragon Clan I¡¯ve ever encountered," Yu Hong said earnestly and sincerely. He wasn¡¯t lying. The last time he met Marissa, she was aggressive from the start, eager to fight and kill, readily slaughtering all living beings. "Really? Your eyes are like they can speak, you truly are a sincere person," Gabriela seemed happy. "Since you don¡¯t need it, I¡¯ll take it back then. Actually, I live nearby. If it¡¯s alright with you, can I come over and chat with you sometime?" "Since you¡¯ve brought it, no need to go through the trouble, I¡¯ll accept it. Besides food and drink, I¡¯m actually quite interested in many special local products here, such as the Mage you mentioned," Yu Hong quickly said. "Aren¡¯t you Mages?" Gabriela asked in confusion. "No, we¡¯re not Mages;we¡¯re just warriors who know a few small tricks," Yu Hong patted his solid chest muscles. "Have you ever seen a Mage with a physique as strong as mine?" "That¡¯s true, in the realm of humans, you¡¯re indeed very strong," Gabriela nodded. "Exactly, it¡¯s a pity that I am constrained by a special restriction that prevents me from leaving this house. So, I¡¯d like to ask for your help, kind and sincere White Dragon Gabriela, to collect some special items for me. In return, I¡¯ll let you pick from some of the special products I have here. Would you be willing?" That was Yu Hong¡¯s plan all along. From what he had seen of the White Dragon and the Mages, the power structure of this place might not be weak, and he didn¡¯t want to forcefully take resources and knowledge. He was a pacifist and would absolutely avoid conflict if possible. If he could achieve his goals through exchange, why resort to harming each other? After all, he was unsure of the upper limit of the Mages¡¯ strength. The depth of a world¡¯s potential, even as previously seen in Magicians and Heavenly Masters, could be quite astonishing. "A trade? That¡¯s interesting, but with all due respect, I am a True Dragon, and am considered quite talented among the Arcane path Mages of my kin. According to your human classification, I would currently be at the level of a Level Six Silver Robe Mage. So, if the items you offer are too common, I will not accept them." "Oh is that so..." Yu Hong smiled. "Well, if I have nothing that you need, I can offer to repair something that you want fixed as a trade." "Hmm? Without limits?" Gabriela was startled. "Of course," Yu Hong smiled. "Don¡¯t consider me a mere mortal;although we are very weak and currently seriously injured, without some unique abilities, we wouldn¡¯t dare travel to such a remote place." "Oh... intriguing.... Could it be that you¡¯re those mysterious merchants from the stories, with enigmatic origins, capable of trading various strange and wondrous goods?" Gabriela¡¯s dragon eyes lit up. "Mysterious merchants?" Yu Hong was taken aback, then nodded. "In that sense, I suppose I could indeed be considered a mysterious merchant to you. By the way, as long as I¡¯m here, if you or someone you know gets injured, you can bring them here for treatment. But I can only treat non-fatal wounds." "Does it cost money?" Gabriela suddenly asked. "Consider it a gift among friends, no need to pay," Yu Hong said with a shaking head and a smile. "We¡¯ve received your kindness;this is my gesture of goodwill." "We are True Dragons with high resistances, will it still work?" Gabriela was somewhat skeptical. Yu Hong didn¡¯t say much, simply raising his hand and pointing at her. Sss. A trace of the Elf Ancient Tree¡¯s Call in the form of Golden Light flashed over a scar on the White Dragon¡¯s left wing. Soon, the scar faded, disappeared, and new Dragon Scales visibly grew back. This minor injury from a previous battle vanished right before Gabriela¡¯s eyes! Her dragon mouth was closed at first, but as she observed the change, her mouth gradually opened wider. Looking back at Yu Hong and then at the house, which was odd in style, dilapidated, but seemingly sturdy, she suddenly felt he was even more mysterious. "Amazing..." Although Spellcasting could achieve this as well, it required using up a Mage Position, and from Yu Hong¡¯s words, she sensed he did not care much about the consumption. In fact, Yu Hong had already noticed that this new trait could only heal minor to moderate injuries. Here, "minor to moderate" did not appear to be a fixed amount, but rather scaled accordingly. The limits of this trait were still unclear, but its current functions were proving to be valuable. "Good to know it¡¯s impressive. Now, let me list the items I need..." Yu Hong said with a smile. He was coveting their spellcasting system as well, and if he could use her to collect a large number of eyeballs, all the better. As for what he could offer, there were too many things in his house to trade. The vast knowledge of the Taoist Sect, for one, would be more than enough for her to leave satisfied. Moreover, he was the Spirit Alliance Leader and could also employ the Spirit Light Secret Skill. To impart Spirit Light to her. That would be the true trump card. The amplification of Spirit Light could reach up to thousands of times its original strength. He could gradually adjust the amplification for her, from low to high. Chapter 465: resources three Gabriela took the listed inventory and went back, saying she would prepare and bring the items over tomorrow to exchange with Yu Hong. It seemed that everything was going smoothly;even the White Dragon showed a very novel and interested expression. She seemed to regard Yu Hong and the others as mysterious traveling merchants, able to buy various unheard-of items from Yu Hong. After seeing off the White Dragon, Yu Hong and Ku Chan also took a short rest, ate something, then each went to their own cultivation. Agrius remained motionless above the house, disguised as a sculpture, guarding the surroundings. Inside the cultivation room. Yu Hong sat cross-legged on the floor. A noise-canceling array slowly emitting white light patterns around, still barely operational. He closed his eyes, carefully sensing his current condition. ¡¯Tai Ling Skill is my main cultivation technique, but the last incident told me that although this technique progresses quickly and is powerful, it becomes almost useless in highly isolated places. It¡¯s not very versatile. Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Scripture suits better as the main technique to cultivate.¡¯ He planned to switch to it as his main cultivation technique once Chaotic God Heavenly Eye reached a power close to Tai Ling Skill. Besides needing more eyeballs, this technique does not rely on anything else. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Sitting on the black floor, Yu Hong began to assess his current strength. ¡¯Besides Chaotic God Heavenly Eye, other abilities like Thunderbolt State also had no room for further improvement. Extreme Summoning is also an ability, but only useful in combination with Tai Ling Skill... involving Spirit Disaster is problematic. Needs careful use.¡¯ This way, if Tai Ling Skill was used less or not at all in the later stage, his Inner Strength along with associated Fear Shadow, would be greatly affected. Yu Hong opened his eyes, gently touched his chest, feeling the hardness of his skin and muscles. ¡¯Without using Tai Ling Skill, without using Spirit Light Secret Skill, the only thing I can rely on is my body¡¯s strength, and Chaotic God Heavenly Eye and Outer Eye. It seems that my strength is indeed too weak.¡¯ He frowned slightly. ¡¯Divinity is only used for protection, not very useful, can be ignored. Now, if I remove all Magic Skills and Source Disaster Power and only look at the physical strength, my body has been enhanced by the refining breakthrough of Tai Ling Skill, but this refinement mainly enhances resistance to Source Disaster Power¡¯s erosion. There is not much increase in physical strength... need to plan well.¡¯ He used to rely on his body to turn everything upside down, primarily because of the enhancement from Spirit Light Secret Skill, coupled with the protection of Tai Ling Skill¡¯s Inner Strength, giving the misleading impression of invincible strength. In reality, he was still that weak, ordinary person afraid of many things. "Ah..." Yu Hong sighed. He recalled his journey from a basic set of exercises similar to gymnastics, strengthening step by step into Thunderbolt Leg Technique, reaching the peak. Later, however, he had to switch to the sinister path of Tai Ling Skill due to mental weakness and external crisis pressure... "Indeed, quick success leads to the demonic path... To gain something, you must pay something... Tai Ling Skill, a shortcut that only cultivates the spirit, is fast, but has a limitation..." "Still, the righteous path of Chaotic God Heavenly Eye from the Sky Wish Sect is more suitable." Yu Hong thought, using his multiple times strengthened Body Running Thunder State as the base, Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Outer Eye as the trump card, and adding Divinity, Inner Strength, and Spirit Light for threefold amplification protection. Such a framework was too fragile. "And too complex, my energy is limited, Dao Breath Circulation can operate multiple Martial Arts Magic Skills simultaneously, but it seems the effect will be evenly distributed and slow down. It looks like I need to integrate everything and simplify the focus." With the knowledge and experience he currently possessed, he immediately began to integrate Thunderbolt State, Chaotic God Heavenly Eye, and Divinity, three powers independent of external forces. Inside the cultivation room. Yu Hong¡¯s 2.5 meters tall body, the first thing that appeared on the surface was the electric current of Divinity¡¯s Golden Light. The arcs continuously jumped on his body, intertwining into a golden electric net, protecting his whole body. Crackle. Tiny golden arcs continuously weakened the invisible external erosion. Yu Hong observed;he couldn¡¯t see what it was, but from the response of Divinity, there was clearly some undetectable harm continuously detrimental to him. ¡¯The intensity and quality of Divinity are very high, coming from the Moon God Bloodline, but it can¡¯t grow or change.¡¯ He then turned his attention to Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Scripture. ¡¯I can use the growable Chaotic God Heavenly Eye, integrating Divinity and Thunderbolt State...¡¯ Several integration ideas flashed through his mind. Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Scripture inherently had the ability to integrate all other foreign forces. Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t be able to merge other Outer Eye powers into its own eyes. To practice external forces and Outer Eyes into one¡¯s own eyes is the strong core of Chaotic God Heavenly Eye. At this moment, using this technique, Yu Hong began carefully integrating the Moon God Divinity into his eyes. Fortunately, everything went smoother than he expected. About half an hour later, all the Moon God Bloodline¡¯s Divinity Golden Light completely disappeared. Instead, Yu Hong¡¯s right eye underwent a new change. The eye sockets surrounded by black scales, the pupils entirely filled with purple patterned arrays. Now, in the process of integration, streaks of golden arcs continuously emerged out of nowhere, flowing into it. The scene continued for more than ten seconds. Finally. Yu Hong¡¯s body trembled. Sizzle! His right eye, behind the eyepatch, suddenly burst into blinding golden light. In the surrounding air, vague prayers, hymns, and praises inexplicably sounded. Countless voices overlapped around the right eye, forming a translucent blurry circular ring. Swoosh! The ring sharply contracted, completely sinking into the depths of the right eye. Everything quieted down. Yu Hong, somewhat exhausted, let out a breath. "Finally done... Divinity integrated and peeled into the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Scripture system." With his Inner Strength of Chaotic God Heavenly Eye continuously flowing in his body, now much thicker than before, he felt much more relieved. Divinity had always been helpful to him. Now that the fusion and digestion are completed, he surprisingly felt a wonderful sense of ease both physically and mentally. Upon thinking of the countless voices he had just heard, Yu Hong was contemplative. ¡¯Divinity is useful, but it¡¯s better to focus on purity when concentrating power.¡¯ Next, comes the Thunderbolt Leg Technique. As soon as he experienced the state of Thunderbolt, Yu Hong¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡¯The Thunderbolt State relies entirely on the explosive use of the Tai Ling Skill¡¯s Inner Strength;this isn¡¯t a characteristic, but a special state inherent to the cultivation technique... Thus, Thunderbolt State is arguably an auxiliary form of the Tai Ling Skill.¡¯ Yu Hong remembered that the Thunderbolt Leg Technique had gradually integrated into the Tai Ling Skill. But he was reluctant to give it up just like that;after all, Thunderbolt State had been his trump card since his weakest moments, helping him through difficulties. As a result, he immediately began trying to isolate the aspect of the Thunderbolt Leg Technique from the Tai Ling Skill. This isolation was not difficult. Because Tai Ling Skill still included, rather than transformed. Observing closely, what Black Mark called fusion was merely using the Source Disaster Radiation to amplify and mix all other powers. Source Disaster Radiation transcends all other powers;it¡¯s like light, giving Inner Strength a coat of differently colored light. The two are not at the same level of existence¡ªone is like light, radiation, and the other is a liquid Inner Strength that can be distinctly felt. How can light and water merge? When illuminated, the water takes on the color of the light. However, when the light is shifted away, everything reverts to its original state;the two can never truly merge completely. After completing this step, together with his cultivation foundations, he could perform tests for comparison and identification. So... over an hour later... Pure white threads of Inner Strength began to appear on Yu Hong¡¯s body. This represented the purified initial Inner Strength of the Thunderbolt Leg Technique, stripped of Source Disaster Radiation contamination. Moments later, these white lines of Inner Strength, driven by the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Scripture, gradually converged toward Yu Hong¡¯s right eye. Hiss! Lines of white Inner Strength swiftly infiltrated his right eye. Each thread entering the right eye represented a weakening of Thunderbolt State. As time passed, once the forty-second line of Inner Strength flowed in, everything quieted down. No more threads of Inner Strength appeared on Yu Hong¡¯s body. The Thunderbolt State also declared its complete disappearance. This once fundamental cultivation technique left Yu Hong with nothing but a robust body. Replacing this was an even more massive and purer Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Inner Strength circulating within Yu Hong. Simultaneously. A faint white light shadow emerged around Yu Hong¡¯s body. The shadow slowly took shape from nothing. It resembled a sculpture being carved from stone. After over three hours. A silhouette next to Yu Hong finally had a contour. It turned out to be a strong, majestic white tiger with black stripes. The giant tiger shadow lingered for a few moments before slowly fading. At this point, both the Divinity and Thunderbolt State had disappeared from Yu Hong¡¯s body, replaced by a vastly increased volume of Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Inner Strength. He stood up, moved his limbs and found that his physique had decreased substantially. He also seemed to have resumed his original height of about 2.2 or 2.3 meters. "This is much purer now," Yu Hong felt the much clearer and cleaner energy environment inside his body. Now, he had only two Inner Strengths inside him. One was Tai Ling Skill, and the other was Chaotic God Heavenly Eye. Other manifestations like Heavenly River enveloping the summoning, Spirit Light Secret Technique, etc., were actually core abilities of Tai Ling Skill based on Light Disaster and Spiritual Disaster. Just like the base abilities of the Outer Eye and right eye from the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye side. Thinking this, Yu Hong tried only operating the Chaotic God Inner Strength. Hum! A layer of white light automatically appeared on his body surface. Simple and plain. ¡¯It has a protective effect on the body, just don¡¯t know how effective it is. It must be more powerful than my self-made Thunderbolt Leg Technique since, after all, it¡¯s a grand technique of the Sky Wish Sect.¡¯ He thought for a moment, then went to a corner of the basement to search. Soon, he found a small black alloy box. The box was rectangle, secured with a wedge lock, very sturdy. Yu Hong carefully opened it. Click. Inside, there were stacks of secret texts, small books, and papers. These were all various cultivation techniques he had enhanced using Black Mark. Yu Hong rummaged through them and quickly pulled out a previously transcribed book of the Thunderbolt Leg Technique. Flipping through a few pages, he found the origin of Thunderbolt Leg Technique. ¡¯...a youth who encountered the calamity of sect destruction, endured hardships, learned from a master, and ultimately created the Thunderbolt Leg on his own. Hmm, indeed, it¡¯s not very sophisticated.¡¯ Gently touching the martial arts technique he had previously relied on, Yu Hong considered taking it out, simplifying it into a general version for public use, and using it as a merchandise trade. He then closed the box again. Now that the integration was finished, he felt a bit itchy to try out what level the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Scripture had reached. But since the safe house of the Black Spirit was small and didn¡¯t provide space to practice comfortably. Chapter 466: Resource 464 Four "It looks like I¡¯ll need to schedule the expansion of the training ground...." Sighing, Yu Hong could only sit back down and start getting used to the integrated flow of Inner Strength. If the Inner Strength of the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye was previously as thick as a chopstick, it had now become almost bucket-sized. The incorporation of the Divine Powers and the Thunderbolt Leg Inner Strength had given it a massive boost. If Yu Hong hadn¡¯t forcefully kept it under control, he could have stepped directly into the Fourth Layer of the Heavenly Pupil stage. He stretched out his hand, pressed it over his right eye, and felt through the eye patch, suddenly a different sensation made Yu Hong¡¯s expression stiffen. He hurriedly removed the eye patch and took out a metal mirror to take a look. The man in the mirror had black hair draped over his shoulders, a black beard covering his chin, robust and powerful. But what stood out was his right eye! Right next to his forehead, his right eye had a skewed growth of a smaller pale-golden human eye. This eye was only a third of the size of a normal one, but it was filled with a golden hue and exuded a faint scent of Divinity. ¡¯I knew it...¡¯ Yu Hong let out an exasperated sigh. After a brief feel, He found he could completely control this small golden eye. Pfft! Suddenly, a beam of golden light shot out from this eye, hitting the wall next to it. The originally black texture of the wall turned grey in an area the size of a thumb. The golden light was fleeting, lasting less than a second. Yu Hong stepped forward and touched the grey area. Plop! The wall collapsed, revealing a hole. "It seems to be some kind of erosion ability, or rather, a significant weakening ability?" He guessed. The eye abilities developed from the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye need experimentation, and probably this golden eye grew from absorbing Divine Powers. While he was studying it, there was a thumping knock from outside. "Is anybody there?" Gabriela¡¯s voice came in from outside. Because most of the Array was broken, her mental transmission spell wasn¡¯t blocked at all. Yu Hong put his eye patch back on and went up to the first floor. He saw the huge dragon head of the White Dragon poking into the window, huge blue eyes curiously looking inside. From this angle, he could clearly see the moist membrane over the dragon¡¯s eyes. "Do you want some?" Yiyi was holding a black, shiny dumpling of some sort, trying to feed the White Dragon. "Thank you, what¡¯s this?" Gabriela opened her big mouth, and her grey and white tongue quickly rolled up the dumpling, smacking her lips a few times. "I don¡¯t know. It looks like food." "It tastes not bad." She seemed to have a high degree of trust in Yiyi as she casually ate what strangers offered her. Yu Hong walked over, and as he passed the desk, he tore off a piece of paper, quickly wrote something on it with a pen. "Welcome back. How is it? Did you bring the stuff?" Yu Hong looked at the White Dragon. "Of course, I used a space bag." Gabriela replied proudly. "Your house is too small, let¡¯s go outside." She stepped back a few paces, clearing a space in front of the house. Then she crouched down, spreading her wings out like two curtains flattening the weeds and shrubs on the sides. As she lifted her wings, the area became leveled. Yu Hong approached the window, facing the White Dragon. "This is my goods list, take a look." He flung the piece of white paper in his hand. It listed some miscellaneous items he temporarily didn¡¯t need, and Daoist Skills he could teach. But there were more small technology gadgets. Such as solar lights, calculators, handheld gaming devices, etc. The White Dragon took the paper, and a faint blue glow lit up from the tip of her finger. The writing on the paper automatically translated into content she could understand. "A lot of things look very interesting..." Her eyes lit up. "Did you bring what I need?" Yu Hong asked. "Of course." Gabriela nodded her head. "So, how about the pricing? How do we determine the value of each other¡¯s items?" Yu Hong asked. "That¡¯s simple. We just provide an approximate figure." The White Dragon replied nonchalantly. "I¡¯d like to understand a bit first." Yu Hong thought for a moment and asked, "Where you come from, are Mages considered the strongest profession?" "Of course not, there are also Priests and warriors, Priests can communicate divine light. Warriors can step into the Holy Domain, they¡¯re all powerful. According to what you say, it¡¯s not the profession that¡¯s powerful, it¡¯s the person." The White Dragon replied. "Then may we try some magic first?" Yu Hong earnestly said, "I want to see how powerful your spells really are. This will help me estimate the value of the items I offer." "Sure, I¡¯ll start with a Level Zero Spell." Gabriela smiled. She looked around for an open spot, pointed with her wing-claw. "The first is the Level Zero Frost Ray." Pfft. A thin white thread shot out from a point just in front of her wing-claw. It landed on the ground precisely, freezing a small layer of white frost. "Indeed, it¡¯s a trick." Yu Hong nodded. Behind him, Ku Chan and Chi Xiao Yiyi had come over to watch the excitement. "There many types of Level Zero tricks, some are a bit practical, such as the Agile Rope, but they¡¯re mainly used to train the Mage¡¯s various operational skills. That¡¯s why they¡¯re called tricks." The White Dragon explained. "The next one is a Level One Spell, Cold Ice Hand. For comparison of power and effect, I¡¯ll only release one type of attack spell to make it easier to see." She pointed with her wing-claw, and a grinding stone-sized pale blue hand materialized out of thin air, then rigidly flew straight ahead. After flying out more than ten meters, the pale blue hand landed and left a shallow imprint before shattering into many pieces of ice. Several people looked over and found that even the small stones beneath the palm print were not smashed. However, most of the branches were broken. "This power is not bad. If it can be cast instantly, it could compare with a gun. The speed isn¡¯t too slow either," Ku Chan evaluated. "Second Level Magic: Cold Ice Claw." White Dragon pointed forward again. This time, a pale blue hand with a diameter of over three meters, with sharp fingernails, flew out. The speed of the hand was much faster this time, and the white chill it emitted was denser than before. Boom. The hand also slammed into the ground. Creating a half-meter-deep exaggerated crater. "Not bad, the power is good!" Ku Chan couldn¡¯t hold back any longer and jumped out. "I want to experience it myself." Facing the magical powers of another world, he was somewhat curious. Not just him, Yu Hong and Chi Xiao were also curious about the strength gap between the Daoist Sect system and this world¡¯s Mage System. "Can I? The upcoming Level Four Magic might become even more powerful, are you sure you want to experience it firsthand?" White Dragon hesitated. "Come!" Ku Chan formed a seal with one hand, stood on the open ground, faced White Dragon, and an invisible dark red ripple emanated in front of him. He practiced the Red Food Method, and now his physical strength was extremely high, second only to Yu Hong, plus the crazy devouring of Source Disaster Monsters, his growth speed was terrifying. "Alright then..." White Dragon was stirred by a competitive spirit. She pointed once again immediately. "Level Four Magic: Cold Ice Spray!" Puff! In an instant, a cubic stream of ice-blue chill burst out from her fingertip. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The chill was five meters in both length and width. Only slightly larger than the Cold Ice Giant Claw just now. But where it passed, the ground froze and white ice flowers formed, leaving a trail of white frost. In less than half a second, the chill stream hit one meter in front of Ku Chan. Boom! The chill stream was blocked by a layer of red light and could not advance further. "Oh??" Gabriela widened her eyes to closely observe the layer of red light. Its shape was eggshell-like, very thin, semi-transparent, and the surface even flickered with some unrecognizable symbols and patterns. "Is this a unique magic of yours??" She became interested. "Yes, continue, it can still hold," Ku Chan nodded. The original Warlock System mainly focused on mental offense and defense, not particularly strong in actual destructive power. Actually, the Technique he was using now was already the strongest type in the Daoist Sect without the amplification of the Spirit Light Secret Skill. Many techniques seemed grandiose but actually caused more damage to the spirit of life and less impact on the environment. However, he was not an ordinary Magician but a top Great Mage in the Heavenly Master Realm. Therefore, he could withstand this level of power. "Well, okay... The next is Level Five Magic, I can only cast this level of magic twice a day, and it¡¯s quite powerful, you need to be careful," White Dragon cautioned. "Then I must try it out," Ku Chan stood up seriously, his hands quickly forming seals, and behind him the faint shadow of a giant red bird shimmered. The Red Food Method combined with his own self-invented Daoist Skills, along with various Techniques from Zihe Palace, formed the structure of his current overall strength. Although he no longer had the amplification of the Emperor¡¯s Weapon, the subsequent enhancements and growth meant he was not much weaker than his amplified self. White Dragon raised her claw and pointed once more. "Level Five Magic: Ice Storm." Woo... Suddenly, within a range of fifty meters above Ku Chan¡¯s head, the sky revealed a dark blue halo. Within the halo, numerous fist-sized hailstones rapidly fell from above. The hail fell like rain, as quick as machine gun fire, and fiercely blanketed a tens of meters area below. Roar roar roar roar!! From a distance, it looked as if a blue ice column tens of meters thick burst out of the halo and smashed harshly onto the ground. The earth trembled, and a large amount of hail completely submerged Ku Chan. "This is practically a saturation bombing version of magic," Yu Hong exclaimed. "Ku Chan can¡¯t be gone, can he?" Chi Xiao was somewhat worried. "Don¡¯t worry, he has practiced the Red Food Method, his body strength is much higher than yours," Yu Hong shook his head but his gaze penetrated the mist, seeing the figure that stood up inside. "I¡¯m fine! Continue!" Ku Chan¡¯s voice rang out again. Even Gabriela herself was somewhat worried about the power of this spell;if she was caught off guard and took this hit, it would definitely be bad. But unexpectedly, the other party was still alive. "Well then, the last Level Six Magic, is the highest level I can control now, if it still doesn¡¯t work, then it means... you have surpassed the Level Six!" White Dragon immediately raised her claw again and pointed forward. "Level Six Magic, Ice Giant Summoning!" Buzz! Another ring of blue light lit up on the not yet dispersed field. A dark blue figure, over five meters tall, appeared several meters in front of Ku Chan. As soon as it appeared, the large figure raised its hand and smashed it down towards Ku Chan. Boom!! In an instant, an extremely terrifying and exaggerated spiritual pressure burst on the Ice Giant. Feeling this spiritual pressure, the Ice Giant¡¯s face, which was already fierce, stiffened instantly, and its head buzzed as if it had been hammered hard. Craash. The Ice Giant shattered and spread out, turning into a pile of blue ice fragments. "Hm? Why did it go back all of a sudden?" White Dragon hadn¡¯t fully understood what happened, still thinking the spell hadn¡¯t succeeded. Chapter 467: opportunities One "It¡¯s not an issue with the spell, but that your summoning was interrupted by a special Spiritual Shock I deployed, forcing it to return involuntarily," Ku Chan explained. "Is that even possible?" White Dragon exclaimed, apparently not well-versed in spiritual magic. At this moment, she realized that the group she had accidentally encountered wasn¡¯t just kind-hearted but also highly skilled, even claiming expertise in spiritual magic. "Any other spells?" Ku Chan, still not satisfied with the last summoning spell that had just taken place, found it less interesting than the previous offensive spells. "There are, of course." White Dragon nodded, her competitive spirit somewhat aroused. "I¡¯m not the strongest mage, there are three higher levels above me!" "Alright, alright." Yu Hong interjected, smiling and clapping his hands. "Gabriela is already quite impressive, to achieve so much at such a young age..." "Alright, I¡¯ll take your compliment," White Dragon conceded smoothly, her tone softening. "So, how do you plan to trade? Here¡¯s a list of spells that I can exchange." She mimicked Yu Hong, tapping a paw on the ground. Chi! A yellow light flashed, and the ground became hard and smooth. Then, as she continued to project her thoughts, writing began to appear frequently on the ground. In less than a minute, a new list of items for trade was displayed before them. Yu Hong walked over to take a look. ¡¯Basic Meditation, one book.¡¯ ¡¯Mage Tricks explanation, one volume.¡¯ ¡¯Fine operation of spells below Third Level.¡¯ ¡¯Analysis of strengthening weapons with respect to the Holy Domain.¡¯ ¡¯Introduction to Abyss Language.¡¯ ¡¯Introduction to Heavenly Language.¡¯ There was a long series of various mage-related items listed beneath. As he looked, his expression suddenly changed when he saw an item in the lower middle part. ¡¯Tower Spirit Map of Mage Tower.¡¯ "I¡¯ll choose this one." He pointed at the Tower Spirit Map. "This, ah, is a crucial step in constructing a Mage Tower. You¡¯ve got a good eye. This book mainly explains how to forge a spirituality soul into a Tower Spirit," White Dragon explained with a smile, having been worried that Yu Hong might not find anything of interest. "In exchange, you can also choose something from my list," Yu Hong said with a smile. A man and a dragon quickly completed their first exchange. Both left happily and contentedly. Yu Hong, holding the Tower Spirit Map, carefully flipped through it. A set of theories on the page caught his attention. ¡¯Spirituality of life is not exclusive to humans. It¡¯s like a gem washed up by the great waves, or gold occasionally found in gravel, accumulating little by little until it forms a consciousness. When consciousness gives rise to the concept of self, a new life is thus born.¡¯ "This view is quite similar to our belief that all things are spiritual," Ku Chan and Chi Xiao read the book together. "Spirituality is a spark that occurs by chance. According to the belief that all things are spiritual, these sparks can also be artificially collected and manufactured. Hence, our place derived the concept of equality among all things," Ku Chan nodded. "Keep on reading. No rush," Yu Hong said as he continued to the next part. ¡¯....The more spirituality accumulates, the higher the level of the life created. Based on my many years of analysis and research, I¡¯ve divided spirituality into ten stages. Humans are exactly at Level Five. After humans, come elves, demons, divine beings, and demigods. True Gods.¡¯ ¡¯True Gods represent the final evolutionary stage of the accumulation of spirituality. The Tower Spirits we usually try to create have a quantity of spirituality equivalent to that of humans.¡¯ Yu Hong and his companions delved deeper into the book, finding this system very interesting. From it, Yu Hong discovered the minor trick of Spiritual Observation Technique. After finishing the book, he returned to the basement to attempt the most basic Mage Meditation. Because to utilize the Spiritual Observation, one must use the Attributeless Magic Power produced by meditation. And Mana is not spiritual power;it¡¯s another special, peculiar, intangible force transformed from spiritual power. The next morning. White Dragon came again, brimming with enthusiasm. Thud, thud, thud! "Come out quickly, I¡¯ve brought some good stuff!" Gabriela said excitedly, continuously knocking the back of her paw against the outside wall of the safe house. Ku Chan and Yiyi came up to the window first, looking at the pile of new items apparently weapons and armor laid out on the ground before them. "I secretly took these demonized weapons and armor from my mom! Come take a look, I want that video game console we traded for yesterday!" White Dragon couldn¡¯t wait, thumping her tail on the ground. "And you asked about the Holy Domain and the gods yesterday, right? Here¡¯s an Ice and Snow Divine Sword collected by my mom, bearing a trace of the Ice God¡¯s will." Ice God?? Ku Chan was briefly stunned, then grew even more interested. "We¡¯ve got a deal, huh?" "Yes, this is a demigod artifact;being equivalent to a Level Eight Mage or Level Eight Warrior¡¯s existence, it¡¯s much stronger than me!" Gabriela declared confidently. "Let¡¯s get started!" Ku Chan, without a second thought, jumped out immediately. This broken window turned out to be his shortcut for exiting and entering freely without using the door. Man and dragon stood opposite each other, ready to confront. Gabriela pointed a claw at the pile. Chi! One of the ice-blue wide-blade swords, adorned with fine patterns, activated instantly. The blade fluttered up, its own blue glow forming a humanoid figure, holding the hilt and standing about ten meters in front of Ku Chan. "Be careful, this is driven by the Divine Intent inherent in the Divine Sword. Even though I am initiating control, it is so lethally powerful that it may not be easy to restrain," Gabriela cautioned earnestly. "Come!!" Ku Chan took a deep breath, his Red Food Inner Strength surging as his hands molded a Seal. Chi! An invisible, transparent Spiritual Ability Technique coalesced into a spear over a meter long, blasting forward and shooting towards the Divine Sword figure. Clang! The spear technique was instantly annihilated. The Divine Sword in human form charged forward with a booming sound, slashing upwards at Ku Chan. Clang! Ku Chan simultaneously released a dark red flame arrow, hitting the blade of the Divine Sword and knocking it askew. He then took the opportunity to distance himself, preparing for his next technique. But no matter what technique he used, it was obliterated by the Divine Sword. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. There seemed to be an absolute chasm in quality between the techniques and the Divine Sword. "Your guy is losing," White Dragon remarked. As soon as the words were out, a thud was heard. Ku Chan¡¯s Spiritual Domain was blatantly ignored and sliced through. He was finally forced to activate a Passive Technique, sending the Divine Sword flying. After activating the Passive Technique, the battle reached a deadlock again. He had many tricks up his sleeve, but with no decisive move, he couldn¡¯t settle the battle in one strike. The Spiritual Domain was also ineffective against the Divine Sword, being slashed through as soon as it unfolded. "It seems that the individual strength here is still very strong..." Yu Hongguan observed as he watched Ku Chan dodging around. It appears he still doesn¡¯t want to use the Spirit Light Secret Skill, just relying on himself. Unfortunately... the situation doesn¡¯t allow him to hold back. Clang! Suddenly, another muffled sound as Ku Chan¡¯s body emitted a faint red glow, greatly enhancing his speed and strength. This was some secret technique of the Red Food Method. Seizing the moment, he dodged left, releasing a flock of dark red flame birds swooping towards the opponent. "He can still struggle," Gabriela was somewhat amazed. This mysterious merchant¡¯s group, anyone who came out was so formidable. Being chased and slashed by a Level Eight Warrior in the form of the Ice and Snow Divine Sword, and still holding on for such a long time. Level Eight, a master of this level could take a top military official position in any human empire. After all, Level Nine is the human limit, and beyond that, it belongs to the realm known as Holy Domain. At this time in the field, Ku Chan had entered a counter-offensive, pushing back the Divine Sword person form. The speed and power of his technique releases had significantly increased compared to before. A series of techniques were unleashed one-handed by him, from afar, it looked like a continuous explosion of red fireworks. The Divine Sword person form was beaten back step by step. Hiss!! Suddenly, the person form paused, its eyes brightened with dazzling blue light. "No, move aside!!" Gabriela urgently cried out. She suddenly lost control of the Ice and Snow Divine Sword. Swoosh! In an instant, the Divine Sword person form burst in speed, swung a brilliant blue light, and flashed past Ku Chan¡¯s side. Puff! Blood spurted from Ku Chan¡¯s shoulder. But at the critical moment, he dodged the vital points. "Once more!!" His voice noticeably heightened. His whole body¡¯s Spirit Light finally started to activate. But only slightly. After all, the amplification of the Spirit Light Secret Skill is too exaggerated, it would be meaningless to use its full power for honing his own skills. In an instant, figures disappeared from the ground, one red and one blue shadow colliding and retreating speedily, over and over. Finally, with a last dull thump, the Divine Sword person form was explosively thrown out, rolling into the bushes on the right side. But the next second, it could not afford to lose. Boom!! An icy blue halo burst from it explosively. The terrifying spiritual pressure, like an ocean, overwhelmingly pressed down on all living beings within a hundred meters. Melodies praising the Ice and Snow God echoed in the halo, overlapping, causing a mental disturbance. On the other side, Ku Chan, in an instant, erupted with his Spirit Light Secret Skill fully activated. His spiritual strength surged hundreds of times. An invisible Spiritual Energy condensed into a phoenix flame phantom before him. Boom!! The icy blue halo collided head-on with the phoenix flame phantom. The two forces stalemated momentarily. A sound like shattering glass resounded. The red of the Phoenix Flames persisted, and the icy blue halo faded away. "Interesting power...." Suddenly, a cold male voice vibrated from the surrounding air. Ku Chan, covered in Spirit Light, squinted around and noticed the Divine Sword now stuck in the ground not far away, and the humanoid form returned earlier by vanishing from sight. "A god?" He looked towards Yu Hong, who nodded back at him. Then he turned to White Dragon. Gabriela was staring blankly at the Ice and Snow Divine Sword. "It¡¯s over... it¡¯s over... the sword is damaged... and you also triggered the will of the Ice and Snow God, it seems he¡¯s set his sights on you!" Ku Chan was unfazed, having been targeted by many before. He stepped forward, picked up the sword, and casually inspected it, noting that the icy blue color on the blade had completely faded away. The entire sword was covered with fine cracks, clearly overburdened, on the verge of shattering. "It¡¯s over... I¡¯m finished..." Gabriela also saw this, her expression drastically changing. Taking the sword from Ku Chan¡¯s hand, she left dazedly with the items. She even forgot about the trade. Chapter 468: Opportunity 466 Two Yu Hong looked at the child¡¯s condition and could guess what she would go through upon her return. He was thinking about how to collect more eyeballs, but asking for her help was definitely unrealistic. That child looked like she belonged to a good alignment, and digging out people¡¯s eyeballs was simply impossible. Turning his head, he looked at Ku Chan. "Just now, that voice must have been the so-called Ice and Snow God. Do you feel anything?" Ku Chan flipped in through the broken window and jumped inside. "No particular feeling. But that spiritual energy pressure was indeed strong. Without the Spirit Light Secret Skill, I definitely can¡¯t match it. That was probably the result when the other party was who knows how far away," said Ku Chan. "It seems that the waters here are deep too, but no matter, once Black Black Spirit is fully repaired, we should also continue to depart," Yu Hong said. "Did you gain anything from the things Gabriela brought?" Ku Chan asked. "Yes. I exchanged for some Mage System training books. Their system is very rigorous and can be used as a system analysis tool to dissect some completely new and unseen things," Yu Hong nodded. "Moreover, I found a way in the Tower Spirit that might allow me to leave Black Black Spirit for a short distance temporarily without affecting my return." He then smiled. "Are you talking about Divine Split? Aren¡¯t we more skilled in that sort of magic?" Ku Chan asked, puzzled. "No. Divine Split causes too much self-harm. But among the Tower Spirit¡¯s training methods, there is a way to accomplish it without harming oneself," Yu Hong was preparing to start strengthening after the Black Mark enhancement was finished. He didn¡¯t want to be bound by Black Black Spirit and unable to go anywhere. In the following time. White Dragon never came again, and Ku Chan and Yu Hong also began to digest the various knowledge of the Mage series. Day by day passed, and finally. The moment when the Black Mark completely repaired the safe house, arrived. Yu Hong informed the others in advance that he was going to repair the safe house, and set up a Renovation Technique to replace all the damaged areas at once. Telling them not to be surprised. His experience now was that as long as there is something abnormal, attribute it to magic. Now with the Mage System emerging, it was even easier to bluff. In the Underground Control Room. Yu Hong sat down cross-legged, watching the last flickering countdown on the wall: 1 minute. He quietly counted in his heart. Whoosh! S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The next moment, the entire safe house blurred. The next second, it became clear again. All the damaged areas were repaired. The windows were sealed again, with no more gaps. Yu Hong quickly reached out and pressed on the Tower Spirit Map. ¡¯Enhance the map, direction: create an undamaged consciousness split that can stay on the ship in my place...¡¯ Yu Hong specified the details of the requirements. He wanted to be free to come and go without being bound, so he could only think of ways to leave a trace of his consciousness on the ship while allowing the rest of him to move in and out freely. Different from magicians¡¯ Divine Split, one of the Tower Spirit¡¯s training methods was to use spells to collect the spirituality constantly emanating from oneself and eventually expand it into a conscious split of oneself. Since it was one¡¯s own dissipated spirituality gathered together, this split could perfectly take on many responsibilities for oneself without suffering any related harm. The only downside was that it was less intelligent, and in the absence of the main consciousness controlling it, it could only be considered of low intelligence. After all, it was just a collection of overflowing spirituality;it couldn¡¯t possibly be all that powerful. The advantage, however, was that this was a part of oneself, and it could perfectly be used to create a life-saving tool or a core for a split like Tower Spirit. Soon, black lines flowed out, and a new countdown emerged on the map: 5 days 11 hours 52 minutes. After Yu Hong confirmed the start, he waited for the Black Mark to absorb the physical Inner Strength. Then, he left the Main Control Room and went to the first floor. "It¡¯s time for us to go," he said when he saw Ku Chan quarreling with Chi Xiao and Yiyi folding freshly dried clothes. He said it outright. "So soon?" Yiyi was somewhat reluctant. "People here like Gabriela are really nice... Can¡¯t we stay a bit longer?" "Sorry, this isn¡¯t something I can decide," Yu Hong said softly. "Seeing the ship suddenly get repaired, I knew we were leaving," Chi Xiao stroked his beard. "When?" "Uncertain, the ship will decide on its own," Yu Hong shook his head. "I hope we can wait for Gabriela to say goodbye at the end," Yiyi said. "I found out that there¡¯s a Resurrection Technique in the Mage System... If we had a bit more time..." Ku Chan¡¯s attention was elsewhere. "That Resurrection Technique can only resurrect people who have just died here, and their bodies can¡¯t be too damaged. It can¡¯t do anything with those who have been dead too long," Yu Hong shook his head. Ku Chan went silent. Seeing that no one else objected. Yu Hong also somewhat regretfully went to the window, gazing at the bright sunny sky outside. Outside the window, the lush forest remained the same as before, except the ground near it had been flattened, nothing different from when they first arrived. "Actually, this place is quite nice. Peaceful and stable with many strong individuals, it should be able to withstand the Source Disaster for a very, very long time," he murmured. "If the previous Level Eight Warrior with the Ice and Snow Divine Sword is the average here, that is roughly the same level as the Three-Eyed Dragon Head General from Spirit Disaster, which is very powerful." "In fact, it¡¯s much weaker than the Three-Eyed Dragon Head General," Ku Chan nodded. "After all, I only used one-tenth of the Spirit Light enhancement. If I used it all, the pressure would have been too great, and there would have been no point in sparring." "It¡¯s still very good. That was only Level Eight. There are Level Nine, Holy Domain, Demigods, True Gods. The waters here are deeper than everywhere we¡¯ve been before," Yu Hong nodded. "Maybe they really can withstand it?" Yiyi whispered. "It¡¯s impossible to completely withstand it..." Chi Xiao shook his head, "You¡¯ve never seen what a true late-stage Source Disaster looks like. For example, you think Spirit Disaster Heavenly Court is everything? It¡¯s not. The Heavenly Court is also just a force in Spirit Disaster, struggling and trying to preserve its own concept of self. In the late stages, the heavens and earth are continuously assaulted by the highest levels of destruction. Even the Heavenly Emperor can only struggle to survive." "Gabriela is here!" Suddenly, Yu Hong reminded aloud. Quickly, after about ten seconds, a beautiful white figure gently landed, settling on the open ground in front of Black Black Spirit. The ground here had been directly flattened by her, extremely hard. The Gabriela they met again had some very obvious bruises on her dragon face. Bruises on the body of the White Dragon were easily noticeable. "Over here, this way." As soon as Gabriela landed, she turned her head and called out to the sky. Yu Hong and the others then saw another White Dragon, significantly larger in body size, gently stretching its dragon wings and swooping to land, leaving a row of large footprints on the ground. "I didn¡¯t deceive you. Right here the Ice and Snow Divine Sword unleashed the will of God and then shattered," Gabriela quickly explained. "I can discern for myself." The other large White Dragon nodded slightly and then noticed Yu Hong and the other three inside the safe house. "Hello, nice to meet you. I¡¯m Shaning, Gabriela¡¯s mother." Yu Hong and his group looked at the large White Dragon that was clearly larger than both of Gabriela¡¯s forms. They had finally truly felt the existence of what is called dragon¡¯s might. A loop of pale white luminescence was continuously spreading out from beneath this White Dragon¡¯s feet. The luminescence also enveloped the entire safe house and its Black Black Spirit. All four of them felt a strong pressure, trying to make them bow their heads and not look directly at the other party. Of course, although the pressure was strong, it was only to the level of a few hundred pounds of load. The group simply disregarded it. "What a pity... to be face to face with Gabriela¡¯s mother. We just finished repairing our ship and are about to set sail again," Yu Hong said calmly. The release of dragon¡¯s might did not have the intended effect, which made Shaning realize that the others were clearly not ordinary swindlers. Yes, she thought Yu Hong and the others were swindlers. They deceived her daughter into stealing the Ice and Snow Divine Sword, and then brought back a broken sword blade. But now, seeing that they could withstand the dragon¡¯s might, and it was her dragon¡¯s might as a Level 9 Mage White Dragon, these people were clearly not ordinary. Looking at it this way, the likelihood of them being swindlers was actually low. If not swindlers, were they playing tricks then? "Are you leaving so soon? Why not stay and have a seat at our place? You and Gabriela are friends by now, right?" Shaning invited with a smile. Since they were not swindlers, the mysterious merchant identity of the others might actually be true. This piqued her interest. "We would like to, but unfortunately..." Yu Hong declined. "Can¡¯t you stay a little longer?" Gabriela said unwillingly. She wanted to exchange for more game cards;after all, the game console was really fun! "There¡¯s no way, we have our own goals," Yu Hong shook his head, and he turned to look at the young White Dragon Gabriela. "Lastly, as a gesture for our trade, I¡¯ll give you a piece of news," he said earnestly. "What?" Gabriela¡¯s eyes widened. "The disaster that destroys everything is coming soon. Work hard to prepare for the natural disaster. Stock up on food, drink, and supplies in advance;it¡¯s best to be well-prepared," Yu Hong advised. In the worlds he had experienced, each had faced great danger. Without exception, so taking into account the kind-hearted young White Dragon, he still offered a warning. "Disaster??" Shaning next to her furrowed her brows slightly. "Everything here is very stable, there can¡¯t be any disasters." "Mom!" Gabriela decided to believe, looking into Yu Hong¡¯s sincere eyes. "Is this a prophecy?" Shaning asked. "No, this is the reality that¡¯s about to happen," Yu Hong replied. "So, how do you plan to leave?" Shaning asked again. "That¡¯s not important. What¡¯s important is, remember to protect yourself well. This message is freely given for the sake of kind Miss Gabriela," Yu Hong¡¯s gaze fell on Gabriela, revealing a gentle smile. Upon hearing this, Shaning¡¯s eyes turned cold. She remembered that in human society, merchants would only give free gifts to the biggest spenders. The value of the gift depends on how much the big spender has spent. To the point where they are freely giving things away... one can only imagine how much money her daughter spent on that junk at their place. Thinking that even her own collection, the Ice and Snow Divine Sword, was included, Shaning¡¯s heart ached. Looking at her daughter, who was smiling silly and sweet, Shaning made a decision right then. "No, you cannot leave! Return the Ice and Snow Divine Sword! Otherwise, you can¡¯t go anywhere!" "Lady, the Ice and Snow Divine Sword was not taken by us," Yu Hong responded in surprise. "I don¡¯t care, since you broke it, then you have to compensate me with an identical one!" Shaning said coldly. "Mom!!" Gabriela, who was anxious and angry, wanted to step forward to stop her but was flung away with a casual flap of Shaning¡¯s wing. "Ku Chan, you handle your own mess," Yu Hong said helplessly, looking towards Ku Chan. "Alright then..." Ku Chan was also speechless, opening the window and jumping out. Looking up at the huge White Dragon as tall as a small building. His right hand lightly clenched. Hiss. A flame-formed longsword materialized in his palm. "As a courtesy, and as Gabriela¡¯s elder, before we engage, I need to remind you. Do not use the level from the last time I confronted the Ice and Snow Divine Sword as a reference." "Oh? Could it be that you mean you haven¡¯t unleashed enough power last time, and you should be even stronger?" Shaning sneered, thinking this group of swindlers had quite a few tricks. "It¡¯s not about being strong or not," Ku Chan waved the flame longsword casually, "It¡¯s that if you take this lightly." He said calmly. "This sword could kill you." Whoosh! Instantly, with him as the center, a terrorizing spiritual energy might, far surpassing the dragon¡¯s might, explosively burst forth. The entire two-kilometer radius. All trees and grass were as if smashed down by a huge cylindrical body, uniformly sinking, breaking, scattering, crushing, and compressing together. As if they went from three-dimensional to two-dimensional in an instant. Chapter 469: chances 3 "Will die!?" Shaning was about to retort. Merely a human, daring to speak so arrogantly before her, an adult White Dragon Ninth Level Mage. But in the next instant. A heavy load of pressure surged towards her like a storm. Her entire body sank heavily, and the demonized talisman she carried automatically activated a protective spell. Layers of colorful light membranes wrapped her whole body into a ball of light in the blink of an eye. Crack. Shaning¡¯s legs sank fiercely into the ground, up to her knees. Not only that, a continuous spiritual suppression kept pressing down her entire dragon body. "This is... pure spiritual oppression!?" Shaning¡¯s earlier pride and disdain were now nowhere to be seen. She saw the mage armor and other passive spells she triggered in front of her were cracking rapidly under the terrifying spiritual pressure. This is bad, she thought. Quickly, she began spell-casting. "High-level Mental Resistance!" "Absolute Barrier!" "Balance Angel¡¯s Heart!" "Protective Stone Skin!" "Solid Shield!" "High Dragon Iron Skin!" Layer upon layer of protective spells were rapidly released to strengthen her defense. She wasn¡¯t sure what attacks would follow, but regardless, she applied all she could. "One sword." Suddenly, she heard Ku Chan¡¯s voice. Swoosh!! Without her perceiving carefully. A brilliant red light instantly filled her entire vision. Puff puff puff puff! All the protective spells were effortlessly cut through by a red flaming long sword in the blink of an eye. With a swoosh. The red flaming long sword hovered before Shaning, then stopped moving. The crimson tip of the sword was less than a meter away from Shaning¡¯s eyelid. Only at that moment did the massive wave of active spellcasting begin to rise on her body. But everything was already over. Originally, Shaning planned to temporarily block with the previously solidified spells, but unexpectedly. Shaning trembled all over, her face darkened, her expression ugly. Looking at Ku Chan, who was slowly retracting the sword, she opened her mouth to speak but ended up saying nothing. After a pause, she turned and left. "Jiafei!" Gabriela was still a bit dazed, standing not far away, yet to react. Upon hearing the shout, she snapped back to reality, surveyed the significantly lowered marked ground around her. Then looked at the sword-dispelling Ku Chan. That gaze was full of shock and disbelief. "Jiafei!" Her mother¡¯s second call made Gabriela quickly follow. "Catch this!" Suddenly, a dark object rolled over from behind. Gabriela hurriedly caught it and saw it was her favorite game card! It read: Leisure Mini-Game Collection 300! sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She immediately cast a grateful look towards Yu Hong, then spread her wings and flew to catch up with her mother. The battle from start to finish actually took less than ten seconds. Ku Chan suppressed the surroundings with spiritual pressure and set the victory with a single sword using blitz tactics. Shaning didn¡¯t do anything other than wasting many spell slots needlessly. The two White Dragons one after the other quickly soared into the sky, heading toward the White Dragon Cave. "Jiafei, tell me in detail about how you encountered these people." Shaning¡¯s emotions had now passed, but there were still many doubts about the other¡¯s exaggerated strength. "Oh...." Jiafei hurriedly began recounting the scene where she met Yu Hong and Ku Chan. "You¡¯re saying this house suddenly appeared here?" Shaning asked. "Yes. They call their house Black Black Spirit and say it¡¯s their travel vessel. And just now the one who fought with you was called Ku Chan, apparently not the strongest. The strongest is the man with an eye patch in the house," Jiafei explained. "That one-eyed dragon?" Shaning said surprised, paused, then gritted her teeth, "The warrior just now, his strength was at least equal to mine at Level Nine. I was just careless and didn¡¯t create distance. When a mage and a warrior of the same level are so close, I have no time to prepare spells, so I can only withstand it. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have lost!" "Yes, Mr. Ku Chan is actually a very gentle person," Jiafei explained. "Hmph, reckless kids, they tricked us out of the Ice and Snow Divine Sword and then...." Shaning was no longer that angry now. After confirming the opponent¡¯s terrifying strength, she lost, and the other side made no other unreasonable demands. This meant the opponent really didn¡¯t want anything from them. Though she said this, it was just her lips not accepting defeat. Before the words fell, she suddenly seemed to sense something and looked down at the sea of trees below. Three vaguely humanoid figures were rising slowly in the tree sea. Suddenly, one of them raised their head to look toward them. Those pale golden eyes made Shaning tremble all over. "Something¡¯s wrong!! It¡¯s the Holy Domain!!" "Finish quickly!" That person¡¯s voice was calm, "This is not far from the White Dragon Cave." "Not good! Jiafei, run!! I¡¯ll hold them off!!" Shaning¡¯s heart chilled, an indescribable tremor surged through her entire body. Dragon Slayer! The killing intent in the opponent¡¯s eyes was genuine! That was an undisguised Dragon Slayer! They concealed their appearance to hide their identity, avoiding future hunts from the Dragon Clan! "What!?!?" Jiafei had yet to react. Suddenly she felt a huge force ruthlessly pushing her body. It flung her a significant distance forward with a sudden thrust. Ah!!! She screamed, hurriedly stabilizing her form, looking back to see a pale golden light screen rapidly rising from below, blocking her mother behind. The light screen sealed the top in a blink forming an enclosed space. "Run!!" Her mother¡¯s transmitting voice came faintly. Gabriela gritted her teeth, flapped her wings, her body flashing with spell glimmers, soaring quickly ahead. But the next second, a vague humanoid figure rose rapidly, chasing after her. "You won¡¯t escape." The humanoid said with a light laugh, "We¡¯ve waited such a long time, finally catching you, we can¡¯t just let you go so easily." "Summon the Ice Giant Elder!" Gabriela bit through a fake tooth she had in her mouth. That was an expensive high-level spell she sealed with demonic magic, an Eighth Level Spell that could instantly summon an Ice Giant Elder from the Ice and Snow Plane. This creature was an enhanced version of the Ice Giant she previously encountered with Ku Chan. Its power was generally around Level Eight and had an Ice Aura that amplified her own ice and snow attribute spells. Tss! Under the shining blue light, a six-meter tall crystal-like figure entirely made of ice blue appeared beside Gabriela. The giant held a Blue Crystal Wand, its eyes blazing with blue flames, raising its hand to cast an Eighth Level Spell, Great Blizzard, constructing a beneficial environment. "Elemental Elder? I¡¯ve killed more than I can count." That person said indifferently, their body glowing with a faint white light, drawing a double-edged sword in hand. Just floated there in mid-air, flying toward the dragon and giant. * * * Inside the Black Black Spirit. Yu Hong took a last look at the beautiful, pure scenery outside the window. "Shall we take something as a souvenir?" He turned to look at Yiyi, Ku Chan, Chi Xiao. "I brought a wild yam." Yiyi smiled in reply, patting a small bottle she held, inside was a green weed. "I caught some Iron Beetles, they look very pretty." Chi Xiao said casually. "I don¡¯t mind." Ku Chan said calmly. "Alright then, let¡¯s leave. This beautiful place... I hope it lasts a little longer...." Yu Hong finally said. He closed the window, activated the protective array, and in his heart activated the moving function derived from the Savior Ship. Colorful strands materialized from the surroundings of the safe house. This time there wasn¡¯t a Black River, but instead, the endless torrent composed of colorful strands they¡¯d seen before. "Wait." Suddenly a cold male voice rang in Yu Hong¡¯s ear. "??" Yu Hong frowned, looked around, spreading his senses, but detected nothing. "Who¡¯s speaking!?" He said coldly. "There¡¯s an anomaly vibrating through, very faint." Ku Chan nodded, he also sensed it, but since it wasn¡¯t targeted at him, he didn¡¯t know the details. "Able to penetrate the protective array and outer barrier of the safe house?? Interesting." Yu Hong thought for a moment and immediately opened the window, pausing the departure. Rustle, the window opened. Yet instead of the familiar forest, he saw a field of ice-blue snowfall. In the center of the snowfield stood a tall humanoid figure with long blue hair and an unearthly beautiful face indistinguishable between male and female. The figure wore a blue gauze robe, hands and feet adorned with golden bells, with luxurious golden ornaments on their neck and forehead. But besides appearance, the real thing that made Yu Hong and Ku Chan frown was the boundless, ocean-like, terrifying spiritual pressure. "Ice God?" Ku Chan was the first to recognize their identity. He had battled with a shred of their Divine Intent, having some understanding of their spiritual nature. "Rude kid, I am Ostan, ruler of ice and frost," the blue-haired beauty said coolly. Seeing Ku Chan ready to retort, he immediately interrupted. "No time for idle chatter, the situation is urgent. Your friend Gabriela is in distress;please lend a hand. Her mother Shaning is one of my few faithful followers!" "Gabriela?" Yu Hong reacted, "How do we verify the truth of what you¡¯re saying?" "Truth lies in your heart. You must decide for yourself. Can you not verify it with your mysterious and wonderful power, stranger travelers? Here is the specific location." The Ice God Ostan pointed a finger. A streak of information entered the surface consciousness of Yu Hong and Ku Chan. In the next moment, with a rustle, the scene before them shattered completely, everything returned to the lush clearing of the forest. "I¡¯ll take a trip." Ku Chan looked at Yu Hong, flipped out. "Be careful." Yu Hong watched him leave, thought for a moment, the fact that the Ice God¡¯s consciousness personally sought aid indicated not a small trouble. "Just in case." He raised his hand, pointing lightly at the open space outside. The dark red Inner Strength of the Sixth Layer Tai Ling Skill surged rapidly, a capability he rarely used began to activate slowly. * * * The pale golden sealed form resembled a huge golden box, completely enveloped and isolated a large section of the woodland. Explosions, flashes of electricity, and thunder occasionally sounded inside. Rumble! Suddenly, a loud boom, a gap finally opened inside the sealed form. Streams of extreme cold white gas seeped out from the gap. With a crisp crash, the entire sealed form fractured completely. From inside, a sixty-meter-long giant White Dragon flew out. The White Dragon was Shaning, Gabriela¡¯s mother, bloodied all over, with one eye squinted tight unable to open. Her neck¡¯s vital point had a silver long sword inserted, continuously bleeding from the wound. Behind her, a shade of golden eyes in a humanoid figure followed. This person was the human Holy Domain ambushing them partway. "Despicable human! A dignified Holy Domain, yet you don¡¯t dare to act openly! Hiding your identity, not even daring to show your face, what kind of trash Holy Domain!?" Shaning spoke weakly. Had her few life-saving items not been destroyed, she would have been killed instantly. "I¡¯m just out for a stroll, accompanying my disciple to complete a task, unexpectedly found not one but two White Dragons, one big and one small, what luck to buy one and get one free," the Holy Domain laughed lightly. Chapter 470: Opportunities Four "If I hadn¡¯t used up half of my spell positions, you wouldn¡¯t have caught me!" Shaning gritted her teeth and said fiercely. Low-level spell positions can be combined and exchanged to use as a higher-level spell position. And they can be instant-cast by sacrificing multiple spells to instantaneously cast a high-level spell. If most of her spell positions remained, she could fully merge them to instant-cast a Level Nine high-level teleportation spell. Although the opponent is strong, as a warrior, they couldn¡¯t have stopped her from teleporting away with the second female lead. Unfortunately, during the battle with Ku Chan, she had forcefully instant-cast a high-level Level Nine spell, and despite being interrupted halfway and failing to cast it, the depletion of spell positions was not illusory. This is why, when ambushed, she only had a small portion of her spell positions left. "Oh, looks like today is my lucky day?" The Holy Domain drew out another new long sword. Hiss! In a flash, a pair of pure white light wings briefly appeared behind him. The next instant, he shot out like a rocket, slashing towards Shaning. No flashy spells, only a simple and plain Life Battle Energy strike. Hiss! Shaning quickly cast spells, and streams of white cold air appeared around her, meeting her opponent. But in the next instant, the cold air was split in half. Shaning retreated rapidly, using the bit of time she gained to cast a Dragon Language spell. Buzz. A square blue ice wall, several tens of meters wide, appeared in front of her. Thud. The ice wall was also broken open, shattering into pieces. A white shadow flew out from within, striking Shaning¡¯s forehead. Aww! The painful scream sent a shudder through Jiafei, who was still battling not far away. "Mother!" The next high-level spell she was supposed to concentrate on casting instantly collapsed due to intense emotional turmoil. The ice barrier orbs surrounding her silently disappeared one after another. "I will take your Dragon Crystal!" The white light figure laughed and swung its sword again at Gabriela¡¯s wound. A white energy blade, over ten meters long, shot out explosively. The figure held the sword with both hands, channeling all its strength and combat energy to leap forward. "Spiritual Technique." Suddenly, a voice sounded behind him. "What!? Who!?" The figure¡¯s eyes widened in shock. How could someone sneak up to within a few meters of him at such a crucial moment during his strike?!? But the Dragon Crystal was right in front of him, and this second strike would likely open the dragon¡¯s heart, revealing the Dragon Crystal! In that instant, he hesitated. "Heart Image Sky Lake." The voice behind him sounded again. Swoosh! The figure in horror found that the already severely wounded white dragon before him suddenly disappeared. Such a huge white dragon, over thirty meters long, vanished without a trace in an instant. In its place, was a man in a black robe, with black hair draping his shoulders, wearing a golden mask. The man had his back turned to him, with a silver circular pattern slowly rotating behind him, exuding an air of mystery. "Sorry, I¡¯m still on my way and couldn¡¯t make it in time." The man turned around, and the scarlet eyes beneath the mask gazed calmly. "Can you wait a moment for me?" "....!?!!??" The figure shouted in disbelief at the complete disappearance of the white deer just now. In a clean motion, he swung his sword again, slicing through the man¡¯s body before him with a white light blade. But the next second, the body reassembled, healed, and returned to its original state. Everything seemed as though nothing had ever happened. "Let¡¯s have a chat." The man spoke softly, "My name is Ku Chan, what¡¯s yours?" "To hell with you!!" The figure went mad. So close to grabbing the Dragon Crystal, and yet.... "It seems you don¡¯t wish to communicate with me." Ku Chan said quietly, "Then let¡¯s forget it." He lifted his wrist and glanced at his watch. "Give me ten seconds, and I¡¯ll come kill you soon." "What the hell, get lost!!" The figure burst forth with white light, exploding like the sun. "Holy Seal Angel!!" He roared, slashing his sword dozens of times in all directions. Hiss hiss hiss hiss!! Simultaneously, dozens of white light blades shot out, but to no avail. The blades flew far, gradually dissipating. And everything remained unchanged, nothing could be altered. Inside the safe house. Yu Hong shook his head slightly, watching the live broadcast projected by the magic technique in front of him. This was connected through a magic token carried by Ku Chan. They had achieved some results after researching the mage system for these days. "This kid...." He noticed Ku Chan was increasingly fond of showing off. "I don¡¯t know who he learned it from. He wasn¡¯t like this before." "Do you really not know?" Chi Xiao rolled his eyes beside him. "I really don¡¯t know." Yu Hong shook his head. "Speaking of which, this long-distance spell effect of his works well. Deploying from tens of kilometers away, dragging the enemy into the illusion created by his spiritual power. It¡¯s quite effective for both rescuing and trapping people." "It¡¯s one of Zihe Palace¡¯s signature Spiritual Techniques, Ku Chan is proficient in all Daoist Magic Techniques of Zihe Palace, his reputation as a genius is not just talk." Chi Xiao sighed. "Otherwise, would Quan He believe he could perhaps succeed him and dominate the new era? It wouldn¡¯t be a question." "It¡¯s just that he never liked using his brain before, always charging around, giving a different impression." Yu Hong shook his head. Recalling when he started with nothing, having nothing at all, to now, with someone traveling with him, searching for the hope of salvation together. Suddenly, he felt a notion rising within him that it wasn¡¯t so bad to just continue walking this path. * * * Gabriela stood dumbfounded, watching the Holy Domain disciple slashing madly at the sky not far away. She was just preparing to see her life flash before her eyes, only for the opponent to suddenly roar wildly and slash at the sky randomly. "Hey...." She quickly retreated a distance, cast a spell to close her wound, and took medicine. Then she tried shouting to the opponent. But the opponent had no reaction, still shouting and slashing wildly into the sky without restraint. "Could this be.... a relapse??" Feeling lucky about her good fortune, and pondering. Suddenly, Gabriela¡¯s vision blurred as a familiar figure appeared behind that person. It¡¯s Ku Chan!! At that moment, Gabriela understood everything. "Ku Chan!!" She shouted. The opponent turned back and smiled at her. Thud!! The next instant, a red sword light suddenly shone in his hand, slicing down from above, splitting the Holy Domain disciple in two!! Blood splattered, the body paused for a second, then exploded. Scattering a large white light of combat energy. "Such a weak spirit, like an ant." Ku Chan sheathed his sword, dissipating the red sword light, and walked towards Jiafei. In that instant, as she watched him approach, Jiafei¡¯s heart seemed struck by lightning. "So.... so handsome!!" No individual, no existence had ever left such a profound impression on her at this moment. "No!!" Just then, a heart-rending roar sounded not far away. "Allen!!" In an instant, a gold-eyed figure flew rapidly, diving into the spot where the body exploded. The figure spread both hands as if trying to grasp the exploded body back, but everything was already out of control. "Allen!!" The gold-eyed figure trembled all over, "You actually... actually dare!!!" He raised his head, staring at Ku Chan intently. "Death is a part of the cycle;to die by my hand should make you glad," Ku Chan said calmly. "At least, his worth equates to my action once." Papapapa!! Inside the safe house. Chi Xiao slapped the table madly, laughing wildly. This old guy had become increasingly uninhibited since joining Yu Hong. "What a grand display!! Truly incredible!! Hahaha!!" Yu Hong and Yiyi watched him go crazy, shaking their heads helplessly. "Actually, I think Ku Chan has a point;he probably believes himself," Yu Hong said. "Otherwise, who would care what such an insignificant waste¡¯s name and appearance are?" "Indeed, indeed," Yiyi quickly nodded. "Of course, I do think Ku Chan is a bit too pretentious." Yu Hong continued. "See, see! I said it, that kid is starting to lose it!!" Chi Xiao laughed wildly. "Honestly, if it were you, it might not be so dramatic!" "Indeed." Yu Hong nodded. "If it were me, I¡¯d just chop them down, no need for so much nonsense. After all, talking consumes more energy than killing him. It¡¯s too wasteful." "...." Chi Xiao¡¯s laughter halted, realizing they were truly cut from the same cloth. "Right, right." Yiyi kept nodding in agreement, "Look, they¡¯re about to start fighting!" She quickly reminded. At this point, on screen, Ku Chan had already shielded Gabriela behind him, facing off against the gold-eyed figure. Both were floating in mid-air;this looked far more impressive compared to Yu Hong, who still couldn¡¯t fly. Blue skies, white clouds, an endless sea of trees. Beneath them were two white dragons and all kinds of battle wounds and pits left from skirmishes of varying sizes. "I will kill you!! Tear you apart!!!" The gold-eyed man was now unconcerned with hiding his face, revealing his true appearance. A blond, blue-eyed, middle-aged man with a deep-set brow line, sporting a small mustache. His face twisted, holding a silver Cross Sword in hand, eyes glaring as if to devour Ku Chan, fierce and crazed. "Interesting." Ku Chan¡¯s expression remained calm. "Then let me show you the gap between ideals and reality." "Far larger than you imagine....." Hiss. A red flaming long sword formed in his hand once more. But this time, the blade had nine different complex symbols inscribed on it. Opposite him. The man from Holy Domain had suppressed his grief, similarly holding his sword at an angle, pure golden mist rising from his body. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Buzz!! Almost synchronously, the two of them expanded a terrifying aura. Invisible pressure instantly covered a range of over a thousand meters around them. In the sky, two enormous transparent spheres could faintly be seen, contending with each other, grinding against one another! Chapter 471: Fate 469 I "What do you think of the sanctuary¡¯s power in this world?" Yu Hong looked at the scene on the light screen and asked softly. "It looks quite formidable, but it seems to lean towards physical damage. Ku Chan, being more on the mental side, might suffer." Chi Xiao said. "That¡¯s possible, but Ku Chan has already integrated various kinds of magic to perfection, so he still has ways to cope." Yu Hong nodded. "This sanctuary seems to focus more on cultivating the power within oneself. Such individuals are powerful but not many in number, and not very enduring, so as long as you withstand the initial intensity, there wouldn¡¯t be much issue later on." Chi Xiao evaluated. "It¡¯s starting." Yu Hong¡¯s eyes flickered as he quietly watched the scene. He was somewhat concerned about the sanctuary¡¯s type system. This system might provide some value to his current path. If he could get the cultivation system of the warriors... * * * In mid-air. Two spheres of transparent pressure, rubbing against each other, pressing, contending. For a moment, neither could overcome the other. "Another sanctuary? Or a human?" The anger on the Golden Eye man¡¯s face gradually calmed down. "But regardless of your purpose, why help the White Dragon. Today, you must die!!" He shook the silver cross sword in his hand, and the white wings on his back flashed and vanished. The next second, he appeared beside Ku Chan almost like an instantaneous movement, slashing horizontally with one sword. The slash brought out a white sword energy over ten meters long, almost completely covering all angles and positions Ku Chan could dodge. "Left." Ku Chan remained motionless, saying lightly. Swoosh! The sword energy grazed just past his left side, almost touching him at the edge of its path. From a distance, it seemed like the sanctuary¡¯s strike missed. But the Golden Eye man had already flashed so close to Ku Chan to strike;how could it miss at such a close distance!? "Wrong!?" The Golden Eye man¡¯s eyes flickered, quickly retreating, then lunged forward again. Slash, slash, slash, slash! In an instant, he slashed hundreds of sword lights, covering a circular area of tens of meters in front of him. This time the coverage was larger, forming a massive white disc with a fifty-meter diameter in mid-air. "Right side." Ku Chan¡¯s voice came again. Once again, he was just right at the right edge of this massive white disc. Not more, not less, but just outside the attack range. "Again!!" The Golden Eye man¡¯s face turned red. Swoosh!! sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Two pairs of four wings of white light suddenly opened behind him, his speed escalating to a new peak. Boom! At this moment, even a sonic boom occurred as he moved. This meant his speed was much higher than before, approaching two hundred meters per second. At this speed, even Ku Chan and Yu Hong couldn¡¯t ignore it. "Not bad skill, but unfortunately...if your mental resistance were stronger, you might really have a glimmer of hope against me." Ku Chan slightly praised. He slowly raised his flaming sword. "But now..." Buzz!! White lines constantly flashed past him at high speed. Those were white marks swiftly slashed by the sanctuary. Yet no matter how the opponent attacked, they couldn¡¯t truly hit him. "Spiritual Ability Nine Slashes." Ku Chan grasped the sword hilt tightly, with the first rune near the hilt on the sword blade lighting up with a dazzling red light. "First Red Phoenix." Clang!! In an instant, a sword light flashed. As if a red laser flashed between heaven and earth in an instant. Ku Chan¡¯s figure disappeared, reappearing dozens of meters behind the sanctuary in mid-air, slowly sheathing his sword. "This is the ultimate skill I summarized and condensed based on what I learned, a total of nine moves." Behind him, the sanctuary man couldn¡¯t believe it as he looked down at a bleeding wound on his chest. "It was actually in just an instant....." In that moment, his mind went blank for a second. By the time he reacted, everything was too late. His chest was already hit, and a hole pierced through the combat energy defense, creating a hole in his heart. "This isn¡¯t speed..." The sanctuary man suddenly realized. "It¡¯s an illusion! You made me produce an illusion!? A cognitive bias!!" "....." Ku Chan frowned slightly, looking at the opponent whose heart was pierced, yet was still not dead? "Unfortunately....if I weren¡¯t a sanctuary myself, maybe just now would¡¯ve been enough to decide the outcome." The Golden Eye man turned around, and the wound on his chest surprisingly had healed and disappeared. "Again!! Life Holy Seal!!" The man roared, with white light shining behind him, revealing four pairs of eight-winged white light wings. This time his speed and strength were even more terrifying, his body transforming into a white line, cutting through Ku Chan. Bang!! Without any tricks, the two faced each other, colliding head-on with full force. Blinding white light and red light clashed, the red light like a mirror, lifting the incoming white light to the sky. With another flash, the red light transformed into a laser, another Red Phoenix, hitting the sanctuary man¡¯s chest directly. This time, completely creating a big gap through his chest. Blood splattered. The sanctuary man¡¯s eyes widened, losing control of his body, falling helplessly backward. Above him, Ku Chan slowly dissipated the flame long sword in his hand. "I told you before, the gap between you and me isn¡¯t something simple acceleration and force can make up for." "Too restrictive." In the distance, within the Black Black Spirit, Yu Hong sighed. "Ku Chan¡¯s spiritual power is too overwhelming, exerting absolute mental suppression on the opponent." "Indeed." Chi Xiao also nodded. "During the previous pressure clash, it was evident that Ku Chan¡¯s influence on material through spirit caused a pressure almost equivalent to the other¡¯s direct pressure on material. That¡¯s a huge gap in itself. You know, for the spirit to influence material, the difficulty is extremely high." "After absolute spiritual suppression appears, any thought can mislead the opponent and affect sensory precision. This way, no matter how fast or how strong he gets, without accurate direction, he can¡¯t possibly win." Yu Hong nodded in agreement. "However, the development of the sanctuary on their physical body is still worth learning from, such speed just now, even for me it would be challenging." Yu Hong¡¯s tone changed, continuing. This battle reminded him of the beginning. When he first reached the Daoist World, if he recklessly sought trouble with top Heavenly Masters, the situation that might have occurred would be similar to this sanctuary now. The absolute gap in spirit resulted in a predicament where he couldn¡¯t hit anyone no matter how he tried to explode with power. "It seems everything is over." Chi Xiao pouted, "Too fast, this so-called sanctuary isn¡¯t even as good as that Ninth Level White Dragon, at least the Ninth Level White Dragon has a high enough spiritual value, preventing such absolute overpowering." "Not so fast, not necessarily." Yu Hong, with strong eyesight now, noticed something different. At that moment, in the scene. Ku Chan watched the opponent fall straight down and was about to turn around to look at the direction of the two White Dragons. Suddenly. Boom!! A dazzling silver-white pillar of light shot up from where the sanctuary man was. The golden-eyed sanctuary man just a moment ago, now his entire body combat energy turned silver-white, with a faint holy radiance reappearing, soaring into the sky once again. The large gap on his chest remained. That was a big wound Ku Chan opened to prevent him from healing again. Inside, broken pieces of a heart could be seen. But even with his heart destroyed, the sanctuary man astonishingly still floated steadily in mid-air, watching Ku Chan from here. "Otherworld heresy....ought to be purified!" A completely different deep, neutral voice echoed from the man¡¯s mouth. Before Ku Chan could react, the next moment, an overwhelmingly more terrifying and exaggerated spiritual pressure descended from the sky, crushing onto him. Buzz!! The surrounding air twisted and trembled. From thin gas, it suddenly turned into thick, oil-like gelatinous substance. Hard to move, hard to resist! The way Ku Chan just suppressed the sanctuary man, now he was being perfectly suppressed back the same way. "Divine???!!" He instantly understood;the opponent couldn¡¯t afford to lose, calling upon the Divine Intent behind him. Damn! This place is full of sore losers! They keep calling upon the Divine¡¯s will! The Spirit Light Secret Skill on Ku Chan¡¯s body surface kept being squeezed to cause layers of ripples. This indicated it was under heavy strain. Since Yu Hong elevated the Spirit Light to a high level, the amplification strength of this secret technique had long exceeded Ku Chan¡¯s imagination. Even he sometimes couldn¡¯t test the limits of the Spirit Light¡¯s defense. And now, he finally saw the limit. But not in the manner he wanted. Crack. He attempted to move his arm, but the immense crushing mental pressure rendered him unable to move even a finger. "Die." The deity-endowed sanctuary man raised the sword, swiftly approaching Ku Chan, both hands high, and struck down. Slash!! At this moment, a large pale blue sun suddenly appeared behind Ku Chan. As the sword blade fell, it seemed to strike an invisible transparent barrier. "This ends here. Everyone, that¡¯s enough." In mid-air to their right, somehow, appeared a bizarre humanoid figure. The figure¡¯s head was a colorful spinning halo, wearing robes similar to Ku Chan¡¯s but even more gorgeous, exquisite in style. If those who had encountered the Spirit Disaster of the Black Light Army saw it, they would undoubtedly blurt out a name¡ªCai Jing Taoist! "Heh heh....heretic! All of you die!!" The sanctuary man was completely possessed by the Divine Intent, ignoring Cai Jing Taoist¡¯s obstruction. The sword light flashed again. With a crisp crash. The transparent barrier in front shattered instantly, the sword blade slashing straight toward Ku Chan. But in the next moment, a humanoid figure appeared out of thin air in front of Ku Chan. It was exactly that Cai Jing Taoist just a hundred meters away! It lifted its hand and point at the falling sword blade with its fingertip. Boom!! In an instant, Cai Jing Taoist¡¯s body couldn¡¯t withstand, exploding directly into countless white light spots. But after being hindered for a moment, Ku Chan also disappeared from the original spot. The sanctuary man roared, closed his eyes to sense, then quickly reopened them and turned his head, speeding off into the distance. With the terrifying speed of three hundred meters per second, it took him almost only three seconds to catch up with the departing Ku Chan and another person. Now close, the sanctuary noticed, that other person outside Ku Chan was actually the colorful figure he just struck. "Friend, your other disciple is in my hand, let today¡¯s affair end here, let everyone step back, it¡¯s good for you and me both." At this time Cai Jing Taoist was still holding another sanctuary disciple who disappeared earlier, a sultry golden-haired female disciple. This person now revealed her true form after losing the combat energy disguise. Seeing her master catching up, the female disciple became excited, struggling and writhing wildly in Cai Jing Taoist¡¯s hand. Chapter 472: Destiny II Smack. Cai Jing Taoist grabbed her by the neck and lifted her up. "I¡¯ll leave the person to you. My friend has also suffered a loss. You¡¯ve only lost one disciple, and everyone¡¯s happy. Continuing this fight is meaningless. How about it?" Cai Jing Taoist continued. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Penny!!" The Holy Domain man saw this and struggled with his Divine Intent. "Despicable!!" "I¡¯m just trying to minimize losses. As long as the goal is achieved, it doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s despicable or not. You ambushed a mother and daughter first, so isn¡¯t it even more despicable?" Cai Jing Taoist said calmly. "My name is Fomosa, the War God of Glory. Leave your name! We will meet again!!" The Holy Domain replied coldly. "You can call me Captain Black Black Spirit, though I doubt we¡¯ll have another chance." Cai Jing Taoist replied. He retreated swiftly with Ku Chan. At this time, on the ground, streams of Cai Jing Taoist emerged from nowhere. There were at least over thirty of them. After War God Fomosa agreed, they revealed themselves from hiding and started retreating. This number made Fomosa¡¯s heart grow cold. He had experienced the strength of the strange humanoids;his sword strike after descending couldn¡¯t kill them completely and had to strike twice. If so many strange humanoids attacked him together, his body wouldn¡¯t withstand it. Although his divine descent was timely and powerful, in a real fight, he could only last a few minutes. If these humanoids delayed just a bit, they would be the ones to perish! "I¡¯ve remembered you, Captain Black Black Spirit...." Fomosa stared deeply at the departing Cai Jing Taoist, quickly descended, and placed a hand on his chest to heal his injuries. Meanwhile, he checked on the two White Dragons. Sure enough, the two dragons had been rescued without him knowing. Not long after. The female disciple Penny was also returned. She flew back in tears and landed beside the Holy Domain. "Teacher! I...." "Retreat first!" The Holy Domain snorted coldly, withdrawing his Divine Intent quickly, his silver-white Combat Energy returned to its original white. He picked up his disciple and fled. Near supersonic speed was quite decent for escaping. In the blink of an eye, the two disappeared above the forest. At this time in Black Black Spirit. Yu Hong closed the projection magic and clapped his hands. "Alright, the problem is solved smoothly." "Alliance Hierarch... you can summon Cai Jing Taoist¡¯s Fear Shadow now!?" Chi Xiao looked shocked. "Yes, I just recently made a small breakthrough." Yu Hong nodded, having broken through to the Sixth Layer of Tai Ling Skill. The Fear Shadow he encountered was Cai Jing Taoist. With the inherent properties of Tai Ling Skill, the summoned Fear Shadow could be converted between virtual and real through the Spirit Light Secret Skill. So, essentially, the Fear Shadow of Cai Jing Taoist he summoned had strength only slightly inferior to the original, excluding the inability to devour souls massively to enhance itself. It¡¯s practically a high-quality replica. As for the problem of spiritual suppression, the initial Guanwu Skill¡¯s Fear Shadow wouldn¡¯t be affected by pure spiritual suppression. If it was so easily influenced, the Fear Shadow wouldn¡¯t have much use. After laboriously summoning it, suppression would cause it to collapse immediately. Why cultivate this technique then? Essentially, the core of the Fear Shadow is the link with the Light Disaster¡¯s radiation from the Ultimate Sun. This is why Yu Hong is reluctant to use Tai Ling Skill often. Quickly, Cai Jing Taoist returned with Ku Chan and the two mother-and-daughter dragons flying. They were actually under Yu Hong¡¯s control, and upon arriving at the clearing in front of the safe house, they dispersed on their own. Leaving behind a pale-faced Ku Chan and the two severely blood-depleted White Dragons. Yu Hong went to the door and opened it. A pale-golden aura quickly spread out, enveloping both the people and the dragons. The effect of the Elf Ancient Tree¡¯s Call was excellent. Visibly, Ku Chan and the two dragons rapidly recovered in complexion. "I¡¯m sorry, I was careless this time. I didn¡¯t expect the people here to be such sore losers, descending gods because they couldn¡¯t win." He straightened up from the ground and sighed deeply. "If it weren¡¯t for the Alliance Hierarch¡¯s timely rescue, I probably wouldn¡¯t have returned. The world outside is too dangerous. It seems I have to strive harder in cultivation...." "You¡¯ve done very well. It¡¯s not your fault about the divine descent. Here, the rules aren¡¯t just about who¡¯s stronger but also whose backing is tougher." Yu Hong said. "Only when everyone¡¯s backing is evenly matched will there be a fair fight." "Although I want to refute, what Yu Hong says is true." White Dragon Shaning caught her breath by then, most of her injuries were healed, except for a few near-fatal wounds rapidly becoming moderate injuries. "Thanks to you two for the rescue! Shaning is deeply grateful!" White Dragon Shaning lowered her dragon head slightly towards Yu Hong and Ku Chan, somewhat ashamed. Before, she couldn¡¯t win but still threw tantrums and stubbornly refused to admit defeat. In the end.... "Thank you, Brother Ku Chan and Uncle Yu Hong." Little White Dragon Gabriela also quickly expressed gratitude sincerely, "If it weren¡¯t for you, my mom and I might not have..." Her voice choked up. "Brother...." Ku Chan was speechless. More so was Yu Hong. "I¡¯m only in my twenties.... really not that old...." He wanted to argue. But now wasn¡¯t the time to get tangled up in these matters. "Alright, now that this is over, we should get going." Yu Hong clapped his hands, drawing everyone¡¯s attention back. "But we haven¡¯t repaid your life-saving grace.... can¡¯t you stay a few more days?" Shaning became anxious. "I¡¯m afraid not." Yu Hong shook his head. "Lastly, before we leave, a reminder: a disaster is approaching. Be sure to make enough preparations to handle any potential dangers." "I¡¯ll remember your words. But could you tell us what kind of disaster might appear, in more detail?" Shaning had a 180-degree shift in her view of Yu Hong and others by now. Their selfless assistance, leaving without asking for anything in return, was due to their friendship with her daughter Gabriela, not for any other reason. This thought made her feel genuinely ashamed of her previous arrogance. "We don¡¯t know either, but.... we follow the trail of disaster. It always arrives before us. Our appearance here signals that a disaster has begun to invade this place. It¡¯s just that some power within you is possibly blocking it from manifesting completely." Yu Hong explained a bit further. "Alright, I understand." Shaning nodded. "Lastly, Gabriela, keep working hard. We may meet again someday." Yu Hong smiled. Colorful lines began appearing around the safe house, growing denser and thicker, quickly wrapping around most of the safe house. "By the way, Gabriela, I¡¯ve always wanted to say, you have beautiful eyes." "Huh? Thank you." Gabriela blinked, her sorrow interrupted. "Could you give me one as a keepsake?" Yu Hong smiled. "....Huh?" Gabriela blinked, not understanding. "Just kidding." Yu Hong chuckled, waved a hand in farewell. Ku Chan and Yiyi and others waved behind him. Whirr. The final colorful lines completely enveloped the safe house. Next second. With a whoosh, the whole house disappeared from its spot as if it had never been there. "They.... just left like that?" Gabriela asked in disbelief. "Yes.... seems so." Shaning nodded. "Truly a kind and selfless group. They¡¯ve changed my impression of humans greatly." "Sigh...." Gabriela recalled Ku Chan, feeling somewhat lost. * * * In the stream of colorful lines. Black Black Spirit swayed, bobbing as it traversed along. Much like a submarine navigating the deep sea. Inside the safe house. Yu Hong and Ku Chan sat opposite, looking out the window. "Yiyi and Chi Xiao have both gone to rest?" "Yes. Thank you for your help this time, it was my carelessness." Ku Chan sighed. "Don¡¯t worry about it. What you should do now is quickly recover from the mental trauma. I have a feeling we might soon encounter the real....." Boom!! In the next moment. An indescribable forceful impact hit the safe house hard. Every enchanted item inside lit up with white light. Unanchored small items flew up, scattering wildly. Yu Hong and Ku Chan clung tightly to the mounted handrails on the walls, a special detail Yu Hong added during this reconstruction to avoid the embarrassment of flying around during impacts, like last time. Boom!! Boom!!! Boom!!! A series of massive impacts reverberating through the entire safe house. The array was activated to its maximum strength, but cracks inevitably appeared. Sensing trouble, Yu Hong¡¯s expression changed drastically. He hastily transferred Inner Strength from within himself to stabilize the array. The Sixth Layer¡¯s Tai Ling Skill Inner Strength was far higher in intensity than before. Once channeled, the array quickly steadied and healed. Boom! Boom!! The giant impacts continued rhythmically bursting. Ku Chan looked out the window. Outside, in the colorful light stream, enormous human faces made of colorful lines passed through with expressions of agony and fear. These giant faces, each about a third the size of Black Black Spirit. There were many, like schools of fish, streaming past the safe house. Some collided directly with the safe house, causing the booming sounds. "Moluo!!" "Moluoen!!" A string of unintelligible sounds came from the mouths of those giant faces. They were made of colorful lines, frantically weaving past the safe house. Also causing the safe house, which had just left, to rapidly ricochet back towards where the White Dragons were. "What is that!!?" Ku Chan tried to steady his body and shouted out the window. "I don¡¯t know!" Yu Hong shouted back. He didn¡¯t know what these were, nor did he know what this flowing current was. All he knew was, the safe house¡¯s protective strength far exceeded his own cultivation. Without such protection, they would¡¯ve been destroyed or swallowed instantly in such collisions. And this torrent of power was rushing headlong towards the White Dragon World..... Chapter 473: fate three "Jiafei, how are you feeling? Are your injuries any better?" Inside the Dragon Cave. Father Anxi looked at his daughter soaking in the Healing Medicine Spring with deep concern. He had never imagined that just after a short trip, his wife and daughter would return covered in wounds. Some injuries even seemed nearly fatal. This not only startled him but also filled him with deep anger. "I¡¯m actually okay, but mom, she¡¯s in worse shape. If it weren¡¯t for a few human friends I know, we might not have made it back." Gabriela said with lingering fear. "It must be the Louis Empire... I can guess what force it is..." As a former Dragon King, Anxi was well informed about many things. He knew the emperor there was offering a bounty for Dragon Crystals. "I will help you get revenge! Don¡¯t worry!" Anxi declared seriously. "That¡¯s not the point, father..." Gabriela hesitated. She was also uncertain whether to mention the warning Yu Hong gave her because that warning sounded somewhat absurd. "Do you believe that a massive disaster will sweep across the world?" Gabriela whispered. "Disaster?" Anxi asked in surprise, "Are you talking about the wrath of the Supreme God?" "No... it¡¯s not that, but a pure disaster..." Gabriela shook her head. "Don¡¯t joke around, child. See the stars in the sky? Those are the Divine Countries held aloft by the Divine beings. If there¡¯s any great disaster, they would be the first to react." Anxi laughed. "But..." Gabriela wanted to say more. But her father was already talking about getting medicine and leaving. She was left alone, soaking in the Medicine Spring, sighing deeply. In the days that followed, Yu Hong¡¯s words before leaving lingered in her mind. The more she thought about it, the more sincere and earnest the other person¡¯s tone seemed. Her injuries rapidly improved. The White Dragons deployed hunting teams, beginning to harass and hunt along the borders of the Louis Empire. Each time, they returned loaded with spoils, though sometimes they came back injured and angry, losing a few members. Every time Gabriela stood at the cave entrance, she could hear dragons talking about the skirmishes with the Empire. War broke out completely. But Gabriela didn¡¯t know why;she always felt an inexplicable unease in her heart. She mentioned the disaster to her father again, but he thought she was being deceived. Even if Yu Hong had saved them, could Yu Hong and the others not be fooled? These words left Gabriela speechless. But the growing unease in her heart made her realize she couldn¡¯t convince her parents, so she decided to take action herself. In another secluded ice cave on White Dragon Mountain. Gabriela gathered with her two dragon friends. "Mary, Dorsha, we must take action. I found that they completely disregard our concerns." Gabriela gathered these two female dragons mainly because they, like her, were also convinced of the impending disaster. "Yes! Jiafei is right! We need to act!" Mary raised her paw and shouted loudly. "Yes! That¡¯s right! Jiafei is the best! By the way, when can we have cake? I want cake!" The other, Dorsha, licked her front paw, blinking as she spoke. "So you need to cooperate with me, follow my instructions, okay!?" Gabriela said seriously. "Okay!" "Jiafei is the best!" The two dragon friends cheered with their young voices. Yes, they were only two years old and were truly young White Dragons. But it didn¡¯t matter. Gabriela¡¯s eyes shone with determination. From the moment they said they believed in her and believed in the impending disaster, they became her best friends! "Now we need to establish our own secret base to prepare for possible disasters. Tell me, where should the secret base be built? I know the hardest material within the clan is the Golden Dragon Stone, used to craft Long Tomb Coffins!" Gabriela proposed. "How about Myriad Dragon Mountain? There¡¯s not much people there, and I¡¯ve secretly gone there to eat candy. And Dad didn¡¯t find out." Mary suggested. "That¡¯s a good idea." Gabriela nodded. "But that place is used for rituals. If we¡¯re discovered... we¡¯ll be punished." S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "No problem, my grandpa is the High Priest, he won¡¯t blame us." Dorsha said indifferently. "As long as I kiss him, it will be quickly settled." "Well done, Dorsha!" Gabriela nodded vigorously. Soon, without anyone believing her, Gabriela started building on White Dragon Mountain with the pretense of playing games with the two young dragons. A small hidden base made of Golden Dragon Stone, able to accommodate a dozen White Dragons, slowly took shape. Gabriela couldn¡¯t make it any bigger due to limited materials and space. Moreover, she just wanted to ensure the safety of herself, her family, and friends first. So, she decided to give it a go. A month later. As the sun set in the west. All the dragons on White Dragon Mountain were resting in their caves. This was the time of day for eating and resting. Anxi and the current Dragon King Asido were sitting together, pondering the war map in front of them. "I heard your daughter is secretly building some kind of absolutely safe base?" Asido the Dragon King asked softly. "Just playing house, leave her be. Although Golden Dragon Stone is precious, it can be dismantled and reused when needed." Anxi didn¡¯t care. "You¡¯re generous. The four human empires are now subtly starting to unite, and the Dragon God has asked us to pause, to stop wanton slaughtering of civilians and agitating human negative sentiment toward the Dragon Clan." Asido explained. "What do you think?" "You¡¯re the Dragon King, the decision is yours." "Then we continue. Haha, humans only start to fear when they know it¡¯s too late. Do they really think we¡¯ve been at peace for so long that we¡¯ve lost our claws?" The Dragon King laughed heartily. "Then... will you let my daughter¡¯s sneaky use of Illusion Dragon Sand for the array setup slide?" Anxi laughed. "You¡¯ve cast your vote for me as an Elder;what can I say?" Asido laughed. "But you can¡¯t just indulge Gabriela without limits. After all, she¡¯s no longer a child and is getting close to Level Seven as a Mage. At this level, she¡¯s not weak and, with her ability, could easily cause some real trouble." "Sigh." Anxi sighed heavily, "Let her experiment at least;let her vent some pent-up emotions." "You¡¯re spoiling her too much." Asido said helplessly. Anxi was well aware of this, but every time he saw his daughter¡¯s big pitiful eyes, he couldn¡¯t help but soften inside and unknowingly agree to her various messy requests. As a result, at least a third of his private stash of rare materials had vanished! After saying goodbye to the Dragon King and heading home. As soon as he entered the cave, he saw Gabriela approaching him proactively. "Father! I¡¯m still missing some Majestic Stone, and then I can finish setting up the Fourth Layer Defense Magic Array! With Golden Dragon Stone plus four layers of high-grade barrier magic array, the defensive power would be dozens of times stronger than our cave! This is what truly makes an absolutely safe base!" Gabriela seemed a bit addicted to building the safe base. The feeling of being nestled safely inside, untouched by anything outside, was just too gratifying. "Uh... doesn¡¯t your mother have more than me?" Anxi said awkwardly, wanting to refuse. His reserves were running low too. "Ah, mom gave all hers to me. She¡¯s also helping me build the base now!" Gabriela replied happily. "I think our daughter¡¯s base is quite nice, feels very cozy to lay inside." Wife Shaning also came out laughing. "Yes, yes! Once the door is closed, even a Forbidden Curse couldn¡¯t break it now!" Gabriela exclaimed with excitement. "Ah... but I..." Anxi wanted to resist further. But seeing his daughter¡¯s big eyes once again staring intently at him. His heart wavered. "Well, uh..." "Father! Didn¡¯t you say I¡¯m your favorite before?" Gabriela called out sweetly. Immediately, Anxi shivered all over. "Alright, alright... go ahead and take it yourself, here¡¯s the key..." he quickly handed over his treasure vault¡¯s key. Then watched his daughter joyfully run off with the key. Anxi sighed deeply. Ouch. He slapped his own paw hard. "Darn it... why am I so spineless!! Didn¡¯t I resolve yesterday to hold the line no matter what!?" Sigh.... * * * Black Black Spirit. Yu Hong, Ku Chan, and Chi Xiao gathered at the window, watching the strange mass of human faces passing by outside. They resembled a meteor shower, sweeping the safe house along at great speed in the direction they came from. And not just that. "Look at the flow of colored light outside." Yu Hong said in a deep voice. "This flow is also headed in the direction we came from, meaning that this flow should have suddenly changed. At least we didn¡¯t experience this on the way here." "Do you mean that maybe something happened on the White Dragon World side that caused the Source Disaster¡¯s torrent to change, like an environment under high pressure suddenly finding a release point, directing all flows in that direction?" Ku Chan analyzed. "That¡¯s a possibility, and it¡¯s likely that we¡¯re near that release point, which is why we¡¯re being swept back." Yu Hong nodded. "Currently, the Array¡¯s situation is okay, it¡¯s almost fully recovered. But the colored light outside is extremely corrosive, capable of eroding almost all substances and power. I¡¯ve observed that only Spirit Light, which is also from Source Disaster Power, gets corroded the slowest. So the Array¡¯s current defensive strategy is actually to constantly consume Spirit Light, allowing the outside corrosion to happen, and then continuously replenishing it to maintain defense." Ku Chan explained. "Can you calculate how long until we¡¯re back to White Dragon World?" Yu Hong asked. "With uncertain direction and route, we¡¯re not returning directly;however, if we simulate the water flow trajectory, it will take about a week to get back." Ku Chan simply said. "Why so long?" Chi Xiao frowned. "Because we came in a straight line, but we¡¯re going back in a circling curve." Ku Chan replied. "Next, we need to conduct a rough assessment of possible dangers we might face. The outbreak of Source Disaster can¡¯t just be the seemingly harmless stream of human face meteors." Yu Hong stated. "I¡¯ll do it. How about we preliminarily name this disaster Wind Disaster, is that okay?" Ku Chan asked. "Okay." Yu Hong also thought it was fitting. "Next, I need to constantly monitor the Array and protection levels. After confirming everything¡¯s stable, we need to collect some sample materials from the outside for analysis and research to strengthen the Black Black Spirit¡¯s targeted defensive power." "Understood!" "I¡¯ll cooperate!" "I¡¯ll cook!" The three loudly responded. Chapter 474: Fate 472 Four Having confirmed the arrangements, Yu Hong quickly returned to the Main Control Room. The reinforcement of the Black Mark was complete, and the Tower Spirit Map had turned into a book made of light golden metal, with three words printed on the cover: Primordial God Scripture. Instead of flipping through the fortified manual, he pressed his hand against the wall immediately. ¡¯Reinforce the Black Black Spirit, direction: increase the hardness of the outer wall.¡¯ The strength he thought was sufficient before now seemed inadequate again, and he could only further enhance it. In fact, Yu Hong didn¡¯t really want to keep reinforcing the safety house. Because at this point, the strength of the safety house was already extremely high, and each subsequent reinforcement required a long time to achieve a breakthrough. This was a tremendous waste in using the Black Mark. But there was no choice;the dangers outside were also constantly increasing. As the Savior Ship moved automatically, it was foreseeable that even more dangerous situations would be encountered. Thus, further reinforcement was urgent and necessary. Soon, a countdown appeared: 24 days, 11 hours, 9 minutes. "As expected." Yu Hong sighed, confirming the reinforcement in his heart. Suddenly, a large amount of Inner Strength and spirit were absorbed into the Black Mark. About four-fifths were consumed and the absorption continued for quite a while before it stopped. He saw the countdown start to flicker. Only then did Yu Hong pick up the light golden book and gently open the first page. ¡¯This book is referenced from the Guardian Lingxi¡¯s main secret technique Yuanhe Scripture from the Sky Wish Sect. Adjusted for compatibility. Non-original users may result in severe unknown consequences, please use caution.¡¯ A warning clearly imprinted itself in Yu Hong¡¯s eyes. He shook his head silently and continued to flip through. But the content on the second page made him widen his eyes, seemingly not expecting such content in this Cultivation Technique. * * * In the blink of an eye, another week passed. "Jiafei! Jiafei?" Anxi called out a few times in the Dragon Cave, finding no one there, realizing that the mother and daughter had gone to their safety base again. He relaxed and walked out of the Dragon Cave. No one else could extort his treasure vault now. Standing at the entrance of the Dragon Cave, he suddenly looked up and saw in the distant sky, large white dragons, clad in silver armor, flying in formation into the distance. "The real war against humans is finally about to break out fully...." "Father!" Jiafei¡¯s voice suddenly came from afar again. Anxi¡¯s face changed, shivering all over, searching for a place to hide. But after a few seconds, he couldn¡¯t find any place to hide. There was no time left. His daughter and wife were diving swiftly from a distance, approaching rapidly. "We¡¯re just short of a bit of Mithril to set up the Ninth Layer Array, really just a little bit." "You said the same thing several days ago! And then took a full three tons of Mithril from me!!" Anxi couldn¡¯t help but explode. "It was just three tons, didn¡¯t you have twelve tons saved up, Father?" Jiafei said nonchalantly. "But that¡¯s my savings of hundreds of years! How could you squander it in just a few days!" Anxi lamented painfully. "But isn¡¯t this all for everyone¡¯s safety?" Jiafei said with a flattering smile. "You....." Anxi wanted to reprimand her further. Boom!! Suddenly, the world changed color. All chaotic natural colors were instantly dyed grey. In the forest far away. A massive grey light sphere abruptly exploded. The terrifying roar engulfed all surrounding sounds. The grey halo, like a sun falling to the ground, radiated and stained all colors. "What is this....!?" Anxi, Jiafei, and Shaning simultaneously looked in that direction. Crack. Immediately after, from where the grey light sphere exploded, dense cracks automatically spread. Space seemed fragile, like cracking glass, dropping tiny shards and fragments constantly. "Wait!! Look at the sky!!" Shaning¡¯s exclamation brought Anxi and the others back. They looked towards the sky together. Even in the apparent daytime, the sky was now inexplicably filled with numerous dense silver stars. The stars released unprecedented dazzling radiance. More critically, some of the stars were rapidly dimming, falling to the ground, turning into meteors trailing long tails of flame. "The... the Divine Country has been destroyed!?!" Anxi¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. Boom!! At this moment, another loud explosion sounded. On the distant ground, another mass of grey light exploded suddenly, tearing new massive cracks in space. A large amount of colorful smoke began seeping from the spatial cracks, When these smokes touched anything on the ground. Whether rocks, trees, light screens, grass, insects, or animals, everything began to melt upon contact with the colorful smoke. "Could this be....!?" Shaning seemed to recall something. But before she could finish her sentence, Suddenly, a grey light sphere appeared out of nowhere, abruptly appearing 100 meters to the right of their Dragon Cave. The light sphere was only the size of a fist, but once it appeared, it rapidly shrunk to the size of a soybean, then exploded suddenly again. Boom!!! From appearance to explosion, it took only two seconds. The enormous grey light instantly engulfed everything. In the critical moment, Anxi rushed forward, using his massive body to shield his wife and daughter. He was a Holy Domain, a Divine Blessing, the strongest in the family, and he had sworn to protect his family. So, at this moment, he rushed forward without hesitation. The invisible grey light engulfed everything, also penetrating Anxi¡¯s massive dragon body and dyeing it grey. Jiafei and Shaning watched in terror, eyes wide as Anxi was turned into a sieve by grey light beams. The massive shock and fear rendered them speechless for a moment. Until a few seconds later. Ah!!!! Shaning reacted first, letting out a painful, despairing shriek. "Father!!" Gabriela¡¯s cry followed closely. "No!! Father!!" The grey light dimmed. The two dragons hurriedly supported the severely damaged Anxi, soaring into the sky, heading for the best doctor in White Dragon Mountain. But as soon as they took off, they saw that White Dragon Mountain was also riddled with holes. Buildings and Dragon Caves everywhere had collapsed. All the arrays and protective measures in place were completely destroyed in that instant. The corpses of white dragons were strewn on the ground, their blood completely evaporated. A single grey light explosion couldn¡¯t possibly have caused this scene. There had to have been more than one explosion just now. Jiafei and Shaning, carrying the barely breathing Anxi, were at a loss, not knowing where to hide. Boom!! In the distance, the private Dragon Cave of the Dragon King also exploded. The outer wall, said to withstand Eighth Level Spell bombings, was also bombarded with holes by the grey light. Crack. Large cracks in space appeared. From them, a massive amount of colorful smoke poured out, enveloping everything. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The white dragons scattered and fled. They flew away. But it was hopeless;some had just taken off when new colorful mist touched their bodies. In an instant, a strong adult white dragon dissolved into a pool of blood and fell to the ground. Some Dragon Mages cast defensive Spells, flying through the air. But the result was the same;they were dissolved into a puddle of blood. "Medicine... Father needs medicine!!" Jiafei shouted. But the Dragon Cave was also destroyed. The medicines inside were either gone or buried, impossible to find. Not to mention the interference of those extremely dangerous colorful fumes. As Shaning and Jiafei were at a loss, not knowing what to do. "The base!! That¡¯s right, I stole most of the medicine and placed it at the base!!" Jiafei suddenly remembered. "Go!! Quickly!" Shaning¡¯s eyes lit up, immediately flying towards the base with Anxi. The two dragons flew straight to the top of the base, only to find that it too had been bombed. The base, originally underground, had been partially exposed. Luckily, they used the hardest Golden Dragon Stone to build the base¡¯s exterior. So, except for some pits on the outer shell, it was not seriously damaged! "Quickly!!" The two dragons swiftly opened the door and entered the base from the side. Just after they entered. Another loud explosion erupted outside. Buzz!! The entire safety base shook, trembled, but wasn¡¯t destroyed! Shaning and Jiafei clung tightly to Anxi, curling on the ground. They activated all defense arrays of the base. Grey lights penetrated layer upon layer of arrays, hitting the exterior Golden Dragon Stone, leaving deep pits. But fortunately, the explosion did not penetrate the outer wall of the Golden Dragon Stone! The safety base they painstakingly built proved to be much stronger than all defenses at White Dragon Mountain. It finally showed its true value at this moment. Jiafei and Shaning closed their eyes, awaiting fate¡¯s judgment. But after the tremors subsided, they found everything around them intact. Suddenly, the two dragons got up, looking at the intact surroundings. Finally, the enormous fear and pressure eased at this moment. Tears burst out. Jiafei quickly administered medicine to her father, then used the only medium healing Spell she remembered to heal his wounds. But her Spell¡¯s effect was too weak;for a high-resistance species like the Dragon Clan, such treatment could only stop some bleeding. "Father... no... don¡¯t...." She sobbed through tears, lying beside Anxi, her vision blurred, watching the white dragon¡¯s life force gradually fade. "Don¡¯t worry... don¡¯t cry.... Life shall eventually pass...." Anxi lifted a claw, gently wiping his daughter¡¯s tears. "As a Holy Domain, my soul will ascend to the Divine Country afterward, to eternally reside with the Ice God.... So, death, for us, is not the end...." "I just prayed to the Lord... but received no response...." Shaning, trembling, also lay down beside them. She took out a cracked Ice God Statue from her arms. "The Lord¡¯s Divine Country.... may no longer be in the heavens...." ".....Is that so?" A trace of sorrow flashed in Anxi¡¯s eyes. "It seems, Jiafei... what your friend said might be true...." "Is this the apocalypse?" He looked around the intact base. "Fortunately.... Fortunately, you built this base, fortunately...." With the last trace of life slowly dissipating, Anxi¡¯s dragon body stilled completely. Jiafei and Shaning lay beside him, tears streaming down, crying uncontrollably. Chapter 475: Destruction One 473 Black Spirit. Bang! Yu Hong forcefully pushed open the blocked door. The door was heavy, and there seemed to be something outside that even he felt was heavy, blocked tightly at the entrance. With a loud crash. The door was pushed, forcing whatever was outside to move, finally opening completely. A dim yellow light shone in. Yu Hong squinted his eyes, quickly adjusting to the intense change in lighting. Only then did he see the situation outside clearly. The safehouse was perched on the roof of a large gray castle over ten floors high. The house leaned precariously, with half hanging on the castle¡¯s pinnacle. Crackling. From time to time, rubble slipped down the castle¡¯s pinnacle. The door that Yu Hong had just pushed open was blocked by the castle¡¯s top. Now that it had been forcibly opened, the pinnacle had been crushed a small part. Standing at the door, Yu Hong and several people carefully looked outside. In the distance lay a city of deathly silence. Numerous half-destroyed building remnants resembled an ugly pancake, scattered evenly throughout the city. Wherever the eye could see, it was all gray and white. In some places, fires still burned, sending up thin gray smoke, like threads meant to stitch the fractures of this world. "Are we already... too late?" Yu Hong sighed. From the radiation concentration in the air, it seemed a Source Disaster had already erupted here. "It seems like there are no survivors...." Ku Chan stepped out from the door. But as soon as he stepped out. Hiss. His boots seemed to touch something, rapidly emitting white smoke. He was startled;despite his Power shielding him, his boots were still corroded. Implying just how dangerous the outside environment was. "Be careful, this place has become a high-risk area. The air is full of high-concentration Wind Disaster radiation pollution," Chi Xiao warned. "Look, up in the sky!" Suddenly, Yiyi shouted loudly. Yu Hong and the three of them hurriedly looked upward. Only to see the sky filled densely with stars falling like meteors. As if they were real meteors. Silent. The meteors fell to the earth, causing massive quakes, but without sound. You could only see circles of gray light spreading continuously. "Such strong radiation response, but I wonder about the explosive power of these meteors," Ku Chan said in a low voice. "I want to try and see if I can collect some byproducts. Did you not say you needed some Wind Disaster products for research, to prepare for the next enhancement, Alliance Hierarch?" "Be careful," Yu Hong nodded. He also wanted to try, but currently his Summonings could not endure like Ku Chan. Cai Jing Taoist¡¯s attack output was sufficient, but its endurance was equally weak. "Then... I¡¯m going," Ku Chan stood at the door, took a deep breath, then. Swoosh! He dashed out of the house, heading for the nearest crater of gray light explosion. To obtain the relevant products, it¡¯s best to go straight to the point. The group watched Ku Chan swiftly jump off the castle, approaching a deep pit two hundred meters away. Whoosh! Suddenly a thick smoke billowed, and Ku Chan grunted, retreating urgently. In a little while, he rushed back into the safehouse. He knelt on the ground, his clothes and skin sticking together completely. Like two colored clays, merging with water. "It¡¯s too aggressive;my resistance to Wind Disaster¡¯s corrosion is extremely poor. In the core area, almost all my Power was ineffective for defense! Only Spirit Light could barely hold on for a moment," Ku Chan coughed a few times and spoke. "Did you get the stuff?" Yu Hong asked. "I reached out to grab it, but then....." Ku Chan shook his head. He extended his right hand. In the palm were unique melted injuries that looked like burns. "Is this still White Dragon Jiafei¡¯s place?" Yiyi suddenly asked. "I wonder how she is now." "I hope she¡¯s okay," Ku Chan sighed. His injuries began to heal quickly under a pale golden light. "The Black Spirit does a fine job resisting the corrosion. I¡¯ll move around outside and see if I can find some clues," Yu Hong closed the door. He concentrated his thoughts to maneuver the safehouse. Colored lines swiftly wrapped around the Black Spirit, and in the next moment, it disappeared from its original location. After a flash of colorful light outside the window, the safehouse rushed out of a torrent and stabilized. Yu Hong glanced outside from the peephole. It was still a gray-white ruin outside, indistinguishable from where they had been. The ruins looked somewhat like debris left after stones were smashed. Yet around the ruins, it also seemed more like mountains, trees, and wild grasses blended together. "This seems to be the Louis Empire...." Yu Hong saw a half-exposed signboard of a shop within the ruins. Besides the shop name, there were marks of how many branches were in the Louis Empire below. While learning the Mage System, he memorized small bits of vocabulary. Words appearing frequently are the easiest to remember. "It¡¯s too dangerous outside now. We¡¯d better stay in the safehouse. I¡¯ll try multiple times to locate the scent I left earlier," Yu Hong said simply. "Can you do it?" Ku Chan frowned. He was quite worried about Jiafei¡¯s situation. "Not much of a problem, before leaving, I secretly left some power as a temporary coordinate. Originally for positioning roughly, but now it seems it served another purpose coincidentally," Yu Hong estimated the position of the Inner Strength he had left earlier. Although much was covered by Source Disaster radiation, his Inner Strength also consisted of high-concentration Light Disaster Radiation Energy polymer. * * * Boom! The ceiling of the safehouse began to crumble with stone fragments. The nine layers of Array had now only three barely maintained their operation. Shaning hugged her daughter in a corner of the base, desperately keeping the outer layer of the Array running. Trying to enhance the base¡¯s survival rate. Rumble! Another deafening sound came quickly. Shaning watched the Array monitor on the wall, with the last three green lights instantly extinguishing two. A profound despair surged within her heart. "Mom... are we going to die here?" Jiafei clung to her father Anxi¡¯s body, tears streaming, not knowing how long she cried. "No.... We¡¯ve built the best base, our efforts haven¡¯t been in vain. We withstood the initial most dangerous wave of attacks, surely, surely everything will be alright...." Sanning wiped the tears from her face, trying to comfort her daughter. "If.... If I had tried harder, and accelerated a bit more, perhaps the base could be tougher, more solid. Maybe, father wouldn¡¯t..." Jiafei didn¡¯t finish her sentence. Suddenly, there was another violent shaking. The entire base quaked again, with a corner caving inward violently. "What is that!!?" Shaning saw through the Mage¡¯s Eye outside the Array, a swarm of grey-white monsters with human faces surrounding the base, as if hunting wolves, appearing to nibble at something. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Those human-face serpents weren¡¯t really serpents, just that they dragged a long trail of white smoke behind them when flying. The largest among them at that moment was swirling, charging at the base over and over. Its power was tremendous, each strike like a full-speed sprint from an adult giant dragon. "maluo!!" The human faces shouted, making inexplicable cries. Boom! Another part of the base¡¯s outer wall was dented. "No... this can¡¯t go on...!" Shaning realized the problem. Only the last Array light remained. If the last Array were also destroyed.... "Jiafei, Mommy will go out to divert these monsters, and I¡¯ll be back soon, remember to cover me!" Shaning said earnestly. "Okay!" Jiafei nodded. Both dragons knew that without countermeasures, their eventual fate was undoubtedly dying here. Shaning stood up, carefully and gently placing her husband Anxi¡¯s dragon body aside. Then stood at the doorway. Layer upon layer of magical defenses lit up over her body. She took a deep breath. Bang! Suddenly, Shaning darted out the door, flying out towards a gap among the human-face monsters. But as soon as she stepped out, she sensed something was amiss. The air outside was filled with a remarkably exaggerated toxic radiation energy. Once airborne, she felt her whole body aching. Looking down, she saw her scales starting to melt after just a few seconds. The herd of human-face monsters had already been lured away by her. Shaning wanted desperately to return, but thought of her daughter still inside.... If she returned now, maybe.... Gazing at her swiftly melting body. Shaning suddenly remembered her husband Anxi. "Anxi.... were you thinking the same thing when you did it...." She forced a smile, nostalgically glancing back at the base, then flapped her dragon wings forcefully, spiraling towards further distances. "Jiafei, survive!" The melting blood water streamed down her body, spilling. Enticing the human-face monsters below to chase after it, uttering strange cries. At that moment, Jiafei, who was preparing for the rendezvous, finally realized something was wrong. From afar, she saw the blood-red liquid dripping from her mother. Tears immediately blurred her vision. "Mom... don¡¯t....!" She shook her head, tightly gripping the magic wand in her hand. Fortunately, Shaning¡¯s sacrifice wasn¡¯t in vain, the surrounding human-face monsters were drawn away by her blood. For now, everything turned quiet. Jiafei was left alone clutching her father¡¯s body, crying in a corner. A few days ago, she had a beautiful family, loving parents, and now.... Time slowly passed. Bang! Suddenly, another muffled sound exploded. A human-face monster began circling outside again, making strange cries, crashing into the base. Bang! Bang! Bang!!! With its repeated assaults, the Array indicator light on the wall flickered unstably, on the brink of collapse. Jiafei strained to release her mana, trying to restore the Array and maintain its normal operation. Boom! Yet such efforts ultimately proved fruitless. The already broken last layer of the Array finally disbanded and went out. Jiafei tensed fearfully, her whole body¡¯s mana fluctuating violently with her emotions, unable to release any spells at all. She trembled with her paws, attempting several times to cast a high-level Mage Barrier, but continuous missteps prevented her from even performing a basic Mage Barrier. Crash!! Suddenly. A loud explosion came from outside. The entire base also shook, blasting open a large hole. The human-face monster flew rapidly through a large hole in the ceiling, but instead of heading for the curled Jiafei, it directly lunged for Anxi¡¯s body on the ground, which was gradually stiffening. Seeing this, Jiafei¡¯s whole body seemed frozen by ice, immobilized for a moment. Then, a deep-seated anger surged from her heart. "Stay away from my father!!" She roared, layers upon layers of mana nested and activated, forming an Array that lit up beside her. Chapter 476: Destruction II Over ten minutes later. Swish! The Black Spirit suddenly appeared near the Myriad Dragon Mountain, accompanied by colorful streaks of light. "Here!!" With a low shout, Ku Chan shot out from the main door, rushing into the ruins of the base and squeezing through a broken hole. "Are you sure this is the place?" Yu Hong asked through communication magic. "Yes, I just sensed Jiafei¡¯s power fluctuation." Ku Chan replied. His spiritual power is actually much stronger than Yu Hong¡¯s, so his sense of detailed positioning in this regard is also better than Yu Hong¡¯s. In the ruins of the base, Ku Chan quickly searched. Before long, he found a familiar-looking black heap in the corner. He approached and unleashed a spell. Whoosh! A layer of strong airflow quickly appeared, blowing clean the surface of the black heap. The black dispersed, revealing underneath the dragon body of Gabriela, already almost half-melted. She lay with her eyes closed, holding a magic wand, her body shielding a larger dragon body behind her. The dragon body behind her was even more severely melted, barely retaining the semblance of a dragon. "I¡¯ve found her!!" Ku Chan rejoiced, reaching to feel Jiafei¡¯s heartbeat and confirmed she was still alive. "She¡¯s still savable! I¡¯ll drag her back first!" "Alright! I¡¯ll cover with a healing aura." Yu Hong said gravely. Moments later. The Black Spirit¡¯s basement. The massive dragon body of Gabriela, originally over 30 meters, now only a little over 10 meters remained intact. The rest had long since melted into a turbid liquid. Ku Chan and Yu Hong stayed by her side, extending their hands to cover her with a blue-white halo, strengthening Jiafei¡¯s recovery. This was the Spirit Light Secret Skill;with injuries this severe, the Elf Ancient Tree¡¯s Call was of no use. Jiafei hovered on the brink of death at any moment. Making a decisive call, Yu Hong directly implanted a Spirit Light Seed in her, turning its core to enhance recovery. In no time, the two finished their work, cleaned Jiafei¡¯s wounds, applied medicine, and finally left the basement. The original training area was mostly cleared out for Jiafei¡¯s rest space. "Is she alright now?" Chi Xiao asked. "She¡¯s out of danger, but at least half of her body¡¯s tissues have been dissolved. Recovering in the future will be very difficult." Yu Hong sighed. "What do we do now?" Ku Chan asked, walking to the window to look outside. Outside, clusters of explosive gray light and swarms of lurking humanoid creatures roamed. These humanoid creatures were the same type they had encountered in the Wind Disaster currents. Only, here they were much smaller than those they had met before. "This world probably can¡¯t hold on anymore. Let¡¯s search for useful things and leave." Yu Hong sighed. "At least the warrior system here, the True God system, still has some utility." He stood by the window, watching Yiyi go downstairs to care for Jiafei through the glass reflection. Chi Xiao lamented while slicing an apple with his body. Ku Chan, on the other hand, took out a small notebook and was recording something. "But everything¡¯s turned to ruins;it¡¯s hard to find any remnants." After some thought. Yu Hong figured that since the White Dragon could last long without fully melting, then other stronger entities should also achieve a similar effect. "The Temple, or incredibly strong sealed chambers... should have some chance." Instantly, he piloted the Black Spirit to wing around the Myriad Dragon Mountain. Since its last upgrade, the Black Spirit had greatly increased stealth, and with stealth mode activated, it could remain isolated from external worlds, incredibly formidable. Looking from afar, the Black Spirit seemed like a ship rolling across the dry land. Silently here one moment, there the next. Bang. Quickly, Yu Hong spotted a cavern noticeably more ornate than the others around, then broke down the door. He didn¡¯t open up a safe house to enter, as there was no room inside to accommodate the bulk of the Black Spirit. Immediately, he walked to the entrance, a self-replenishing layer of protection automatically appearing. Whoosh! Before anyone could speak, he had rushed out of the safe base, transforming into a phantom and arriving inside the cavern. Inside was a snowy white chill. Each humanoid creature, over ten meters long, slithered like snakes inside. Yu Hong sensed the erosion speed of Inner Strength and Spirit Light on his body. ¡¯I can hold out for about twenty minutes. That¡¯s enough.¡¯ After twenty minutes, he could only physically withstand it, and he didn¡¯t want to get hurt, so he had to hurry. Whoosh! Dashing through the midst of the humanoid creatures, Yu Hong casually waved his hand. Two humanoid creatures instantly exploded like grey-white balloons, bursting into countless tiny fragments. Yu Hong entered the inner passage of the Dragon Cave, sprinting faster while pointing a finger. Shadows of Fear emerged one after another. Ranging from low to high levels. Three seconds later, Yu Hong left a Cai Jing Taoist there, for only the Colorful Mirror had a strong resistance to the corrosion here. This resistance even outdid Yu Hong himself by a bit. "Go scour for any books or treasures in here." He casually instructed, while hastening through the corridor, entering what seemed like a bedroom in an oblong dragon cave. Quickly, he saw a part of the wall showing contents falling out due to the dissolved lid. Before the recess, a viscous form barely recognizable as a dragon sprawled out on the ground, long devoid of breath. Yu Hong stepped over the viscous form and retrieved things from the recess. He glanced slightly at a cover depicting a dragon-headed figure wielding a large sword, performing a sword art. He tucked it straight into his bosom. Yu Hong searched around further. Soon, a small arm-length staff next to the bed caught his attention. Picking up the short staff, Yu Hong found that it had only slightly dissolved. He immediately fastened it to his back waist as well. Confirming nothing else was left, he finally reached the dragon-shaped viscous heap. He stretched out his hand and gently touched the mucus. Hiss! The sound of intense corrosion arose, accompanied by thick white smoke. Yu Hong shook his head, turned, and quickly left. Returning to the Black Spirit, he controlled the safe house to move to other places. Utilizing brief leap-style movements through the Wind Disaster currents. For a second time. The safe house emerged slowly from within the colorful lines. This time, outside lay a half-destroyed chapel and palace ruins. Transparent crows circled, flying above. Massive humanoid creatures dragged long white smoke, hunting for possible living beings. Bang! Yu Hong kicked open a spiral tower¡¯s door. The milky-white tower spiked sharply, up to over twenty stories high. The top flickered intermittently with red light. In the first-floor hall. The red carpet lay soaked;it was unclear whether with blood or water. Half-dissolved humanoid figures slouched against the wall, sitting limply on the ground. Tap, tap, tap. Yu Hong walked step-by-step towards the deepest stairwell. Ascending the spiral staircase. Bang. A mage¡¯s bedroom was forcibly opened. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Inside the gray-white room, aside from books on shelves and a bed, nothing else remained. Without a word, Yu Hong stepped up to shove all the books on the bookshelf into the burlap sack he brought. Spirit Light covered them, slowing the corrosion. Then continued to the next room. One mage¡¯s room after another was emptied. Wands, spellbooks, spellcasting materials¡ªit didn¡¯t matter, as long as they were still intact and uncured, they went into Yu Hong¡¯s sack. Moments later, he finally took down the human head-sized red Crystal still flashing red atop the tower and placed it into the sack. His gaze fixed towards the heart of this city, towards the Temple. Boom. The Temple¡¯s heavy door was kicked open as well. Yu Hong stepped inside. In the gilded great hall, fully armed silver-armored Holy Temple Knights kept kneeling on one knee, maintaining their pre-death prayer stances. Beneath the armor chinks flowed out the murky liquid. That was from their flesh melting down. Yu Hong swiftly moved inward, quickly reaching the idol. The idol depicted a beautiful blonde woman in a diaphanous gown and a crowned head. The woman bore a longbow, with golden armguards on her arms. Majestic with a hint of allure. Yu Hong glanced at the woman¡¯s idol, glanced around, then climbed up to pull the longbow from behind the idol. Snap. It seemed the longbow was stuck by something, not able to be fully removed. Yu Hong applied force. Still couldn¡¯t remove it. He wondered, examining closely. As a result.... A pair of slender, pale hands tightly grasped the other end of the longbow. "Young man, I¡¯m not dead yet. Isn¡¯t it a bit hasty to take someone else¡¯s belongings?" An enchanting young female voice sounded beside him. Yu Hong jumped, swiftly releasing the bow, stepping back several steps to create distance. Only then did he see, that the female idol had actually winked at him. "Sorry, I just thought, since you don¡¯t need it anymore, why not let me make full use of it, let it serve a greater purpose." Yu Hong calmly said. In bygone times, he might have blushed, but now... he was long a changed man. "Indeed... My Divine Country is gone, remaining here would only be pitiful existence." The woman sighed. "This Divine Artifact, you may have it, but I hope you agree to a small request of mine." "You say your request first, and I¡¯ll see if I can agree." Yu Hong cautiously stated. "I see you possess some unique ability to resist this unknown disaster, so.... could you take this child away?" The woman clasped her hands together, then gently opened them. Suddenly, in her palms lay a tiny golden-haired girl with transparent wings, curled and lying naked. "What¡¯s she?" Yu Hong asked. "She¡¯s a part of me, I left all undividable parts here, and gave her all that could be separated. She is me, I am her." The woman said softly. "Now my consciousness is here, but once you take her away, I can transfer my consciousness to her." She paused, adding a word. "I know you wish to gather the knowledge here¡ªif you take me away, my over one hundred thousand years of memory and knowledge will be your fortune. Much easier than painstakingly seeking out scattered, possibly lost or twisted knowledge everywhere." "I cannot trust you, rashly letting you join isn¡¯t aligned with my safety requirements." Yu Hong had long anticipated such situations, so he prepared a strategy beforehand. "Therefore, I need to leave insurance on you." "This is a divine body. Even if I wanted, you wouldn¡¯t be able to exert any control." The woman helplessly said. "No problem. Let¡¯s try." Yu Hong extended his hand, a blue light flickering at his fingertip. Behind him, the phantom of the Ultimate Sun flickered briefly. The woman¡¯s expression slightly changed seeing this. Chapter 477: Destruction 3 "What... ability is this?!" The woman clearly hadn¡¯t witnessed the power of the Ultimate Sun before;the phantom that appeared for a brief moment made her feel a strange discomfort. "It¡¯s nothing, just a little trick. You have a divine body, so you¡¯ll be just fine," Yu Hong reassured. "...." The woman suddenly felt a bit of regret. Boom! Another monster with a human face flew in from outside. The creature screamed as it lunged towards them, interrupting her thoughts. But before it got close, the woman pointed casually, and it exploded with a boom. "It¡¯s time for us to leave," she reminded. "Before we go, do you have anything you can give me to take along, like a divine artifact or divine status?" Yu Hong said with a hint of expectation. "Do you think divine artifacts are just trash on the side of the road that you can pick up so easily? As for divine status, it is a naturally formed rank in this world that doesn¡¯t belong to you;it represents a certain level in the world. If you take it, you won¡¯t be able to leave. Are you sure you want it? I do have a dozen or so spare divine statuses of lesser gods," the woman said, feeling speechless. ".... Forget it. Finally, may I know your name, Your Highness?" Yu Hong heard more human faces approaching rapidly from outside and asked. "Fisina, you can call me Fisina. I am the goddess of hunting and desire. But you won¡¯t need to worry about these things after you leave here. The divine status will vanish, and everything will start anew. I¡¯ll still be that ordinary Fairy Queen from tens of thousands of years ago," the woman said softly. "Lastly... you must leave now." She lifted her head, her gaze seemingly able to pierce through the ceiling to see the sky outside. "...." Yu Hong also sensed something was amiss. He immediately grabbed the miniature Fisina and turned to leave. Whoosh! He rushed out of the temple at full speed. A glaring golden light suddenly illuminated behind him. "Let the last bit of divine power I have here light your way back..." Fisina¡¯s voice came quietly. Yu Hong hurriedly turned back. He saw the entire temple bathed in golden light. The golden light formed a pillar, soaring into the sky, meeting a vast swarm of grayish-white human faces descending from the sky. Yu Hong stuffed Fisina into his pocket, picked up the divine longbow, and rushed towards the safe house with all speed. The Primordial God Secret Technique he had honed could only allow him to operate outside for a short time;if he stayed longer, the Savior Ship might detect the absence and automatically return. Soon, he reached the entrance to Black Black Spirit, and he turned back once more to glance at the golden light pillar. The pillar still battled and consumed a large number of the swooping grayish-white human faces. Though the golden light remained bright, a hint of fatigue began to reveal itself. Meanwhile, the meteor shower of human faces continued endlessly, falling like a waterfall. "Go, leave here, leave this world that has despaired..." Fisina¡¯s voice urged him. Yu Hong pushed the door open and went in. Once inside, he closed the door behind him. Boom!! A sudden tremor shook everything outside. The golden light just now had vanished. In its place were countless grayish-white human faces and colorful streams falling from the sky, engulfing everything. The city disappeared. It was as if the goddess¡¯s resistance had angered some force, bringing about a huge retaliation. Inside the safe house. Yu Hong, Ku Chan, and others stared blankly at the colorful torrent outside that engulfed everything. "Gone again...." Chi Xiao sighed. "How many have there been?" Ku Chan asked. "Don¡¯t think too much about it. It¡¯s time to go," Yu Hong sighed. "Chi Xiao, Yiyi, you guys keep an eye on the situation outside, I¡¯m going to check this time¡¯s haul." "Okay!" Chi Xiao was quite reliable when serious. Yiyi goes without saying. Yu Hong trusted the two of them completely. He took Fisina into the Main Control Room and placed her into a crystal experiment tray. Yu Hong dumped the sack he was holding onto the ground. A pile of books rolled out, followed by various miscellaneous items vibrating with power. He started by examining the books. Picking them up, he found he could barely recognize one or two words on them. Apparently, they were written in a language he didn¡¯t know. He fished out a translator and wore it, finally seeing the meanings clearly this time. "Elemental Mage Basics, Life Holy Seal Analysis, Knight Training, Meditation Basic Skills, Combat Energy Refining." The collection was complete, covering the basics for warriors and mages, all of which were there. Next, Yu Hong used his Inner Strength to generally clean the items, then took Fisina back to the first floor. "How is Jiafei¡¯s condition?" he asked. "Awake, but still unable to move. After going through so many tragedies, it¡¯s not easy to come around," Chi Xiao replied. The safe house continued to occasionally shake slightly, but the strong defensive outer wall, even surpassing Yu Hong¡¯s Inner Strength, coupled with Inner Strength protection, meant these smaller human faces couldn¡¯t shake the safe house at all. Standing by the window, Yu Hong took one last look at this world. The human faces flying down from the sky were becoming more numerous, pelting the ground like raindrops. The explosions of dim light were also becoming more frequent and concentrated. Swoosh. Yu Hong pulled down the window shutter and mentally instructed Black Black Spirit to depart again. Countless colorful lines appeared, completely enveloping the safe house. In the next instant, the safe house disappeared from its original location. Yu Hong then turned around, clapped his hands. "Alright, everyone, please stop for a moment. I need to introduce the newcomer who just boarded the ship¡ªFisina." He paused and continued. "Since she¡¯s new, she¡¯s still in the observation period. Please help keep an eye on her." "Bringing someone on board so easily, won¡¯t that cause trouble later?" Chi Xiao, experienced and sharp, immediately thought of the key issue. "Well, there¡¯s nothing we can do. She offered a lot, but we can observe her first to figure out her character. If it doesn¡¯t work out, I can throw her out midway," Yu Hong nodded. "That¡¯s quite harsh, so I have no objections," Chi Xiao nodded. "Whatever the Alliance Hierarch says goes. I have no objections either," Ku Chan was not interested in these matters. After rescuing Jiafei, he¡¯d start practicing Red Food Method whenever possible again. Yu Hong knew Ku Chan didn¡¯t have the same nonstop training trait he did, so he admired him for being able to barely keep up with his speed. "Fisina can guide us through the warrior and mage system of this world. If anyone¡¯s interested, you can give it a try," Yu Hong continued. "Of course, she is still resting in the Main Control Room. I¡¯ll bring her here when she wakes up." "Is the food supply enough? I discovered a spell here that can condense moisture and draw water from the Water Element Plane," Ku Chan asked. "It¡¯s ample, enough for two years," Yu Hong piloted Black Black Spirit, navigating along the colorful torrents, conversing with the others. After confirming that all arrangements were fine. After lunch, Yiyi went to look after the unconscious Jiafei, while Yu Hong, Ku Chan, and Chi Xiao headed to the Main Control Room to discuss the situation with Fisina. Inside the Main Control Room, crystal bottles filled with various eyeballs were hung all over the walls. Yu Hong entered and saw Fisina sitting on top of a cylindrical eyeball bottle, draping a piece of white paper over herself to form a dress covering her whole body. "So this is your safe base? Quite an impressive structure, with an incredible defensive power," Fisina praised. "What you said earlier, does that still hold?" Yu Hong entered, pulled up a reinforced chair, and sat down. "Of course," Fisina nodded, her gaze sweeping over the entering Ku Chan and Chi Xiao. "Mage, Druid, Warrior, Priest¡ªthe four main professions¡ªI can guide you in all of them. But I don¡¯t have much power left, so the combat part will depend on your efforts." Yu Hong evaluated the goddess who had boarded the ship halfway. To be honest, he was indeed enticed by the abundance of knowledge in her mind, which was why he brought her aboard. Moreover, he had a bad feeling about the sudden disaster in the White Dragon World. As a deity, perhaps Fisina could know a bit more. This was also the fundamental reason for quickly bringing her aboard. "Fisina, I want to ask, do you know what that colorful torrent outside and those strange human faces that destroy everything are?" Yu Hong, thinking as he did, directly asked. "That is the Door of Dissolution of All Things, one of the apocalypse plagues continuously guarded by Bals, the Void God. But for some reason, recently, Bals and the entire Void God system suddenly lost contact with the Temple of All Gods. We were about to send a god to investigate, and then everything happened," Fisina said, still perplexed. "Door of Dissolution of All Things?" Yu Hong frowned, "So, did you discover this power early on and knew it could potentially bring an apocalypse?" "Yes, the God of Prophecy gave us predictions that we firmly believed. Not just this one, there are a total of nine main god systems, each main god has been guarding their own apocalypse door for hundreds of thousands of years," Fisina said gravely. Seeing them fall into deep thought, Fisina looked around. "By the way, what do you plan to do? Just navigate the disaster on this ship?" "Chi Xiao, explain to her. I¡¯ll handle this haul, just in case, I need to use it all immediately to enhance our defenses," Yu Hong instructed. "Okay!" S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yu Hong ushered them all out of the Main Control Room and took out the Primordial God Scripture again. The text in the Primordial God Scripture made him pause for a moment upon first sight. Combined with Fisina¡¯s recent actions, there was truly a sense of different paths converging to the same destination. ¡¯...Primordial Spirit, Primordial God, all gods are one, the god itself represents the sum of all conscious entities, any action of dividing a god is self-destructive.¡¯ ¡¯Hence, I will not teach anyone the method of splitting one¡¯s own spirit. Here, I must emphasize again, a god cannot be divided, only projected.¡¯ ¡¯To realize the Death Replacement and Divinity Splitting Technique, the only method is a fake shell. Creating a fake shell of oneself to move as a god. Call it¡ªDivine Clothes.¡¯ Yu Hong exhaled and approached the nuclear reactor in the Main Control Room. Inside the space next to the reactor, a vague silver humanoid figure appeared and disappeared intermittently. This was the Divine Clothes described in the Primordial God Scripture. The strength of this secret technique lies in its ability to consume one¡¯s own spirit to create a counterfeit Primordial Spirit shell. If it were just that, the Primordial God Scripture wouldn¡¯t be sufficient to serve as the main practice manual for the Sky Wish Sect protector. Another key function is that the Divine Clothes created by the Primordial God Scripture can allow for instantaneous consciousness switching with the Primordial Spirit itself. In other words, within a certain range, Yu Hong and this Divine Clothes can switch consciousness at any time. In one moment, he can control the physical body operating outside, and in the next moment, his consciousness can return to the Divine Clothes, controlling Black Black Spirit¡¯s actions. This means that, even if the body were to perish, he would still have a chance to make a comeback. The more Divine Clothes there are, the more lives for substitution. And the creation of Divine Clothes only requires collecting a small amount of self-exuded spiritual radiation daily. Chapter 478: Destruction 477 Four ¡¯The Primordial God Secret Technique can consolidate three Divine Clothes in total. This is equivalent to three lives... truly monstrous.¡¯ Yu Hong also had contact with the Cultivation Technique of the Sky Wish Sect and increasingly felt the terrifying strength of this faction. But even such a power seemed to have been obliterated in the fight against the Source Disaster. With a sigh, Yu Hong continued to immerse himself in perfecting the Divine Clothes. The cultivation of the Primordial God Scripture was highly compatible with his spirit, making the practice incredibly smooth and effortless. The outline of the first Divine Clothes formed after only a few hours. The condensing of the Divine Clothes also allowed him to temporarily leave the safe house and freely move around the vicinity. Compared to the initial Divine Secret Technique, and the Magician¡¯s Divine Separation Skill. The Primordial God Scripture was incredibly superior. Not only did it not harm one¡¯s own spirit, but it could also cultivate multiple lives for substitution. ¡¯Now that I¡¯ve only consolidated one Divine Clothes, according to the scripture¡¯s description, it takes ten years to fully condense one with substitution ability. That time isn¡¯t long for those cultivation masters of the Sky Wish Sect, but it¡¯s still too long for me.¡¯ He retracted his hand, picked up the Outer Eye once more, and continued with a new round of cultivation. Whether it was Primordial God Scripture, Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Scripture, or Tai Ling Skill, they all required time to build upon cultivation. * * * In the colorful torrent. The Black Black Spirit slowly drifted away from the White Dragon World, reversing course silently toward the next direction. A large number of human faces swept past the ship like meteors, occasionally crashing into the ship with a loud noise. They all seemed to be flocking to the White Dragon World, as if wanting to devour everything desired there. Such situations were frequent at first. Every half an hour, a large group of human-faced monsters would brush past the ship. Later, the time extended to more than an hour between encounters. And later still, it became once every three hours, and the number of human-faced groups began to decrease, their sizes shrinking. Until five days later. The safe house was still undergoing enhancement, with more than half of the twenty-four-day countdown remaining. And the unconscious Jiafei finally woke up. Covered in scars, she used a Spell to reduce her size and lay on the table, crying hysterically. Yiyi quietly comforted her from the side. Ku Chan sat by the window, unusually not cultivating, but staring blankly at the colorful streaks flashing past the window. Chi Xiao and Fisina were discussing something, their expressions solemn. Yu Hong spent five days to thoroughly complete the preliminary stage of the first Divine Clothes from the Primordial God Scripture. The next step was to refine the intricate details over time. This refinement would take ten years to finally gain substitution ability. Of course, as it stands now, it was already sufficient. "Alright, everyone quiet down." He walked to the center of the first floor, clapped his hands, and drew everyone¡¯s attention. "We are about to reach the next place, prepare yourselves. Yiyi, you¡¯re responsible for taking Jiafei to the second floor to rest. Ku Chan, Fisina, Chi Xiao, and I will stay on the first floor, ready to handle any emergencies at any time." Looking at the weeping Jiafei, Yu Hong felt hardly anything inside. Perhaps he had seen too many such examples. Too many people had lost loved ones to the Source Disaster. In Hope City, wherever you grabbed a handful of people, they were all similar cases. Compared to those who lost family and could only struggle desperately within the Source Disaster, Jiafei was actually doing quite well. "Do you all really believe this Savior Ship can find the true land of vitality?" Fisina suddenly asked. Apparently, she had gotten some level of information about here from Chi Xiao. "Do you have a better idea?" Yu Hong retorted. "..." Fisina was at a loss for words, falling silent. After a moment¡¯s silence, she continued. "Have you ever thought about creating a so-called land of vitality by yourself? I heard about your research capabilities, why not give it a try?" "You overestimate me..." Yu Hong didn¡¯t have much to say. If he had infinite time and lifespan, he could indeed give it a shot, but now the pressure from Agrius forced him to find a solution. According to Brother Hu, Zhao Chenhu, it would either be a solo fight with Agrius or finding the land of vitality. That¡¯s why he madly cultivated now, to enhance himself. In hopes of having a chance at future combat with Agrius. "Speaking of which, your arrangements of those arrays, apart from the two layers I don¡¯t quite understand, I could help optimize the rest." Fisina continued. "If you¡¯re willing to do so, you can discuss with Chi Xiao about setting up the first layer and let me take a look. If I confirm there are no issues, I¡¯ll coordinate to optimize it." Yu Hong had his attention focused on the outside at this time. Upon hearing this, Fisina still wanted to add something. Suddenly, the whole safe house shook heavily. Boom! It seemed to have hit something. Yu Hong frowned and quickly returned to the Main Control Room. This was the place fused with the bow of the Savior Ship, therefore having a large circular glass window to see outside. It was usually blocked with a shield for his cultivation. With a sound, he pulled it open. Yu Hong looked shocked, followed closely by Fisina, Chi Xiao, and Ku Chan, who also froze at the sight. Outside the circular window, directly in front of the bow, a black submarine-like vessel was broadside against the Black Black Spirit. The vessel wasn¡¯t large, roughly only half the length and width of Black Black Spirit. Submerged in the colorful torrent, it appeared as a black rubber with a pitted surface. Yu Hong activated the Black Black Spirit, turning to try and shake off the other vessel. But wherever Black Black Spirit went right, the submarine followed right, and when it went left, it followed left. It seemed something was latched onto the Black Black Spirit. "This probably needs to be dealt with outside, something might be caught on it." Fisina frowned. "Who¡¯s going out?" Yu Hong looked at her. "You?" "Uhh..." Fisina glanced at the endless colorful torrents outside and fell silent. These colorful lines could dissolve anything;whoever went out could face immense dangers. Even Yu Hong, if he went out himself, wouldn¡¯t dare claim how long he could endure. "I¡¯ll go." Ku Chan stood up bravely. "My power could last about two minutes. As long as I¡¯m fast enough, it shouldn¡¯t be a big issue." "Be careful." Yu Hong nodded. Then, he glanced at Chi Xiao and Fisina. "You two help watch the other directions to spot any potential dangers." "Alright!" "Leave it to me!" The two of them discreetly breathed a sigh of relief, each proceeding with their assigned tasks. Quickly, Ku Chan activated his Passive Technique, with power fluctuating to protect him, Spirit Light activated, and he stood at the door. "Three, two, one! Go!" Yu Hong abruptly opened the door. A gap opened in an instant, allowing a flood of colorful threads to surge inside. But the next second, Ku Chan shot out at full speed, diving into the outside Wind Disaster, swimming to the front of the Black Black Spirit like a nimble fish. Boom. Yu Hong promptly closed the door. Inner Strength enveloped the incoming Wind Disaster flow, sealing and isolating it temporarily. Then they all looked at Ku Chan swimming outside. A dozen seconds later, Ku Chan found the spot where something was caught. He reached to pull it several times, then used a hand knife to carefully slice and grind off the hooked part. "Too slow!" After waiting a while, Yu Hong estimated the time and frowned. "Forget cutting, come back quickly!" he transmitted directly. Ku Chan stopped his actions and quickly returned. By then, it had been over a minute since he went out. The face under his Inner Strength protection had already begun turning red. Seeing the time was almost up, he hurriedly accelerated and quickly swam to the entrance door. Yu Hong reached out to unlock the door, ready to open it. "Wait! What¡¯s on his back!!?" Fisina suddenly screamed. Yu Hong paused, raised his head and looked carefully. He saw a blurry black-haired figure had appeared behind Ku Chan, somehow without them noticing. The figure had one hand on Ku Chan¡¯s shoulder, with its head lowered, only showing black, tangled hair covering its face. Upon hearing this, Ku Chan was also taken aback. Immediately, red light erupted from his body, circulating Inner Strength and Dao Breath together, combining with Spirit Light Secret Skill, suddenly condensing into a red light ring that spread outwards from his body. He tried to use this spreading force to push away whatever was clinging to him. "It¡¯s still there!! No, wait!!" Fisina screamed again. This time, without her saying it, Yu Hong had already seen it. That black-haired figure¡¯s pale hands, with deeply embedded nails, had sunk into Ku Chan¡¯s shoulders. No matter how Ku Chan shook, it was immovable. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I remember now, it¡¯s a Devouring Divine Abomination!! Pure energy can¡¯t fight it;energy will just be its food!" Fisina, well-versed and knowledgeable, immediately recognized the origin of the shadow. Upon hearing this, Ku Chan rushed forward, enduring the opponent leaving ten deep gouges on his body, forcibly separating from it using inertia. Taking advantage of this moment. Yu Hong opened the door in an instant, pulling him inside. Boom!! The door slammed shut, at the critical moment blocking the black-haired figure outside. "I¡¯ve been lonely for a thousand years... finally waiting for you.... Don¡¯t run.... Don¡¯t escape!" The figure leaned against the door outside, pleading in a near-begging tone. The spot where it leaned began emitting dense white smoke from the safe house¡¯s door. "The array is being corroded! This guy... can¡¯t let him keep corroding!" Yu Hong¡¯s expression drastically changed. The Black Black Spirit¡¯s defense system primarily relied on the array and the outer walls. The two shared the pressure equally. Once the array was destroyed, relying solely on the outer walls might not withstand the invasion and collision of the Wind Disaster torrent. "Do we have any offensive means? External ones!" Fisina asked. "None!" Yu Hong shook his head. He was also racking his brains for a responding method. Suddenly he had a thought, raising his hand to point outside. Three Cai Jing Taoists manifested outside, lunging at the black-haired figure. But the next second, all three figures simultaneously burst like soap bubbles, exploding and disappearing upon touching the figure. "No use! This thing is a Devouring Divine Abomination! Any energy contact with it will be consumed instantly, and it will even strengthen it!" "Then why doesn¡¯t the Source Disaster Radiation outside affect it!?" Yu Hong quickly asked. "Not sure! But any attack with conscious intent won¡¯t work!" Fisina explained. "How strong is this thing?" "About as strong as a Mountain Giant!" Yu Hong thought, and discarded the idea of going out to engage in hand-to-hand combat with this thing. He watched as the array symbols on the inner wall began to flash violently. Understanding that if no measures were taken, they all might meet their doom. He made a decisive decision. "Brace yourselves!!" He shouted, not waiting for a reply, and suddenly twisted the direction. The Black Black Spirit of the safe house accelerated swiftly, charging hard toward the right side. The next second. The entire safe house crashed into a vortex center, disappearing in the blink of an eye. Chapter 479: New Hope One Bang. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Bang. Bang... The rhythmic banging sound pulled everyone back from their haze. Yu Hong quickly regained consciousness and looked out the window. In a dark alley, the streetlights were dim, emitting a faint blue light. The ground was wet from recent rain, and there was a large iron barrel full of garbage at the end of the alley. The Black Black Spirit appeared deep in this alley. Gray walls filled with messy blood-red graffiti blocked the sides. The god-devouring monster outside was still there, rhythmically ramming against the safehouse. "The array has stopped functioning due to energy depletion!" Ku Chan said soberly, after checking. "Fortunately, the outer wall of the safehouse is hard enough. We¡¯re no longer deep in the Wind Disaster, so the absence of the array isn¡¯t too big of a problem." Yu Hong took a deep breath, holding the door handle. "You take a rest, I¡¯ll deal with this guy. Letting it keep hitting the door isn¡¯t a solution. And that submarine too." Yu Hong also saw the submarine, hanging at the bow, wedged diagonally between two walls, right above the monster¡¯s head. "Let me do it instead." Ku Chan voluntarily stepped forward. "Its affinity with you is too poor, I¡¯ll do it." Yu Hong patted his shoulder, stopping him. Gripping the door handle, he suddenly remembered something and turned to look at Fisina and Chi Xiao. The two quickly forced a smile at him. Clearly, they didn¡¯t want to go. "Be careful, don¡¯t push yourself." Yiyi nonchalantly made a cheering gesture. "Don¡¯t worry." Yu Hong twisted the handle forcefully. Click. As the door cracked open, he burst out, lightning-fast, grabbing the monster¡¯s long hair and pulling backward. Whoosh!! Yu Hong¡¯s muscles swelled up completely, without using any energy, relying purely on physical strength and Spirit Light amplification. In the blink of an eye, he dashed over a hundred meters away, out of the alley, crashing into a dark, abandoned building outside. Boom!! Debris splattered everywhere, with smoke and dust all around. Yu Hong picked up the somewhat dazed monster, which was uninjured, merely bewildered from the crash. "Again!" He grabbed the monster¡¯s long hair and slammed it onto the ground with full force. Bang! The ground now had a large pit. "Are you playing with me?" The monster grabbed his wrist, a longing voice emerging from the face covered by black hair. "Sort of." Yu Hong responded directly with spiritual power. Raising his right fist, he punched down without any finesse. Boom! His fist struck the monster¡¯s chest, producing a clear wave that spread around. This punch had an impact force of over several thousand tons, yet when it hit the monster, it was as if most of the impact was neutralized. Only a circle of a few meters in diameter was clearly imprinted on the ground. "Play... hehe, play..." The monster also raised its fist to punch Yu Hong. With a swish, its arm vanished instantly, reappearing beside Yu Hong¡¯s face in the next moment. Boom!! A gigantic, terrifying explosive punch hit tightly beside Yu Hong¡¯s face. A clear, translucent shockwave shot out from the other side of his head. Yu Hong¡¯s head was jerked aside from the blow. ¡¯This punch is heavier than mine!¡¯ For a moment, Yu Hong was a bit dazed from the hit. But in the next second, anger flared, his single eye outside the visor lit up with a clear red light, and he began trading blows with the monster, punch for punch. Boom! Boom! Boom!! The two stayed in the big pit, exchanging punches without going anywhere else. To prevent each other from getting blown away, they held tightly onto each other¡¯s shoulders with one hand, only using one fist to strike each other. This scene left everyone inside the safehouse stunned. "Captain, has he always been this brave?" The newly boarded Fisina was a bit shocked. The monster¡¯s physical strength, which she experienced firsthand, was as formidable as an ancient dragon. It represents the upper limit of material power. It¡¯s said a punch could easily demolish a building. To take down such a creature without a large squad of heroic warriors is unimaginably difficult. Yet, the Captain is fighting it head-on. "This monster can go head-to-head with our Alliance Hierarch in terms of power... it¡¯s... remarkable!" While Fisina¡¯s focus was on the Captain, Ku Chan was astounded by something else entirely. "Overall, it seems the Captain¡¯s strength is slightly superior, but the most bothersome thing about these monsters is their ability to rapidly evolve targeted attack and defense modes when facing different threats." Fisina quickly noted. "It¡¯s futile, the Alliance Hierarch is just warming up." Ku Chan shook his head. "Warming up even after all this?" Fisina was taken aback. The fight outside was now in full swing. Boom!! Yu Hong punched the monster on the head, causing numerous black blood droplets to spray out. The droplets splattered on the walls and ground, immediately corroding into densely packed black holes. The monster punched Yu Hong in the face, distorting his facial skin and causing his head to tilt back sharply. But there was no blood. Just as some blood started to appear, the Golden Light from the Elf Ancient Tree¡¯s Call flashed, immediately healing the minor injury. In other words, unless Yu Hong suffers a severe wound in one hit, moderate and minor injuries can easily heal on their own. At this point, the newly acquired trait showed its exceptional value. Bang! Bang! Bang!! One punch after another. Gradually, the monster¡¯s recovery speed couldn¡¯t keep up. Its movements began to slow down. And it couldn¡¯t absorb the Spirit Light Secret Skill power as Source Disaster Radiation. Slowly, its movements became weaker and weaker. Ten minutes later. Boom!! The final punch. Yu Hong slammed the monster straight in the face, the massive punch force exploding like a mountain torrent. With the explosive punch came the shattering of the monster¡¯s forehead. The upper half of its forehead was blown off, with black blood mixed with flesh and blood splattering all over the ground. Black smoke from the corrosion rose hissing into the air. Yu Hong grabbed the monster¡¯s neck, lifting it up. Standing at two meters three, while the other was less than two meters tall, he held it single-handedly, dangling parallel to himself. After looking around, Yu Hong confirmed there was no other interference and immediately pulled apart the monster¡¯s black hair, revealing an ugly face like it had been burnt and melted. With a flick. He swiftly removed its eyeball. Then tossed the monster aside, retreating quickly. Opened the door, went inside. Slammed it shut. Yu Hong exhaled a long breath, turning around to see the monster¡¯s body dissolve silently, evaporating into countless black smoke, dispersing out of sight. He hurriedly looked at the eyeball in his hand. A pair of black eyeballs the size of mung beans, slowly showing signs of dissolving. He quickly operated the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Scripture to envelop them. Hiss... The eyeballs instantly melted, disappearing out of sight. A rush of new Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Inner Power flowed into his body. "Are you alright, Alliance Hierarch?" Ku Chan had already come up, asking with concern. "Still okay, the monster was truly formidable, without using any energy attacks, I had to rely on raw punches slowly." Yu Hong sighed. He reached out to rub his sorely beaten face. It felt truly beyond human capabilities to deal with. It¡¯s hard to imagine how, without the use of spells, anyone could deal with such a creature with sheer force alone. "That¡¯s why a monster once recorded the destruction of a human empire. Such creatures shouldn¡¯t exist at all," Fisina saw his thoughts. "But your physical prowess is comparable to a Mountain Giant, being able to hold your own and win against such a monster!" She marveled, looking at Yu Hong. Then... her gaze naturally and skillfully went downward. It made Yu Hong tense his legs. Smacking her onto the desk with a hand. "Your gaze makes me feel offended." "Offended? Natural reproduction is the essence of all life. Your powerful physique, let me help you. Together, we could produce offspring as powerful as demigods!!" Bang. Yu Hong smacked her onto the table, like swatting a fly. Suddenly everything was quiet. "Ku Chan, let¡¯s go check out that submarine together." He turned to Ku Chan. "Sure!" The two opened the door again, cautiously stepping out. Despite the recent commotion, the surroundings remained unchanged, silent. As if there was no living being here at all. Yet, the streetlights still emitted a faint blue glow. The two walked out of the safehouse and approached the black submarine. Indeed, Yu Hong saw several rear-view mirror-like objects on the side of the submarine, caught in a dent at the very front of the Black Spirit. The rear-view mirror had been half-cut by Ku Chan earlier. Now Yu Hong stepped forward. "This thing is very sturdy, I used magic and inner strength to enhance my hand blade, and then used a special magic condensing method similar to a divine weapon blade effect..." Crack. A crisp sound, Yu Hong snapped the rear-view mirror off with his bare hand, examining it. Looking up, he saw Ku Chan¡¯s mouth slightly ajar, his gaze under the mask astonished and confused. Yu Hong shook his head. Patted his shoulder, Yu Hong walked to the side of the submarine, walked around it, and found a place that looked like a door gap. Bang! He kicked it. The gap widened slightly. "So hard?" Yu Hong was somewhat surprised, the material was comparable to his current safehouse¡¯s Black Spirit low outer wall. He had enhanced it so many times to reach this strength. The submarine alone, just the material was very valuable. Suddenly, his interest peaked, continuously kicking at it. Finally, after the twenty-third kick, the gap widened enough for the two to enter. Yu Hong went in first. Inside was a narrow space of less than thirty square meters. Various black boxes piled everywhere. In the deepest part, in an oval space, sat a head-tilted blackened corpse. The corpse wore a high-collared silver robe, with worm-like red veins moving on its back. "Looks like this guy was the Captain." Yu Hong approached, his palm enveloped in Spirit Light, lifting the corpse. "Very light, only a few pounds, probably." "Judging by the skeletal structure, it doesn¡¯t look human." Ku Chan assessed. He circled the oval space, searching. Soon he found a black notebook wedged in the wall. He took out the notebook and flipped through it. The gibberish-like writing was completely unintelligible. "Alliance Hierarch." He handed the notebook over. Chapter 480: New Hope 2 "From now on, call me Captain. The Spirit Alliance is no longer here," Yu Hong sighed, taking the notebook. He habitually pressed the translator, only to find it broken from the recent skirmish with the divine monster. Helpless, he could only pocket the notebook and take it back to repair the translator before reading it. He then casually walked to a crate, reached out, and forcibly pried open the lid. Crack. A section of the lid¡¯s connection snapped, and it was tossed aside. Inside the crate lay rows upon rows of black objects resembling sweet potatoes, but they had all dried out and become foul. "Looks like they¡¯re all useless," Ku Chan also examined the other crates. "This incident must have happened a long time ago," Yu Hong surveyed the area and soon found some remnants of tables, chairs, utensils, and books in a corner. These things seemed decayed due to material issues. After searching around, their only find was that black notebook made of some unknown material. "Captain, there¡¯s something wrong outside!" Ku Chan suddenly warned. Prompted by him, Yu Hong rapidly sent out his perception. Indeed. The street lamps that had just been glowing steadily with blue light were now starting to flicker slightly. Outside the alley, a dark mist was silently approaching and spreading towards them. Wherever it reached, everything vanished completely, engulfed in unfathomable darkness. "Let¡¯s go back!" Yu Hong made a decisive call, turning and rushing out of the submarine. Ku Chan followed. When the two returned to the Black Black Spirit, the rear of the submarine had already met the encroaching black mist. Silently, watching everyone¡¯s gaze, that rear quietly disintegrated and decomposed. "What on earth is this thing?!" Yu Hong¡¯s mind was filled with a chilling terror, instantly activating the Black Black Spirit. A vast array of colorful lines emerged, enveloping and covering the surroundings of the Black Black Spirit. Just as the Black Black Spirit seemed about to leave, the black mist appeared to speed up consciously, spreading rapidly towards them. Hiss. The submarine was quickly submerged, shattered, and decomposed. The black mist, upon contact with the colorful lines of the Wind Disaster protecting the Black Black Spirit, recoiled slightly, hissing as if scalded. But in the next second, as if provoked, it lunged forward fiercely, charging at the Black Black Spirit. Fortunately, by then, the ship had slowly vanished into the torrent of the Wind Disaster. The black mist made an empty pounce, burned by numerous colorful lines, retreating swiftly. In the safehouse. Yu Hong and Ku Chan watched the scene with lingering fear. "What was that thing anyway?! So exaggerated?!" Yu Hong looked towards the experienced Chi Xiao and Fisina. "If I¡¯m not mistaken, that¡¯s a Dead Silence Sigh ¡ª per the specification, it¡¯s what you referred to as a Source Disaster companion creature, very low intelligence, but it can lead everything to a final dead silence. The power of dead silence it holds is also one of the nine world-ending disasters we guard against." "The outside is too dangerous..." Ku Chan marveled sincerely. "Indeed... That place we were at must be the remnants of an already destroyed world," Fisina sighed, "Based on the calculation of the distance, if I¡¯m correct, the submarine that the divine monster was in should have come from that very place." "Let me check the logs," Yu Hong pulled out the notebook and found a spare translator in the Main Control Room to put on. Upon hearing about the logs, everyone got intrigued, gathering around. Only Jiafei remained dazed, gazing out of the window motionlessly. Yu Hong pressed the translation function;with a soft beep, fortunately, the translation library contained data on this language, though where it was acquired from was unknown. ¡¯Language identified: Forta Language.¡¯ ¡¯Due to grammar order issues, translating the full text...¡¯ After waiting a few seconds. Finally, the content on the log was translated into Chinese, appearing before Yu Hong. ¡¯I am Di Mo. I never dreamed I would end up aboard the Savior Ship with Charles to flee the world. A Demon King and a divine monster, the only two survivals left, the seeds and hope for salvation. What a goddamn ironic world.¡¯ The first sentence on the first page left Yu Hong somewhat speechless. Demon King, divine monster, Savior Ship¡ªthose three words together gave him an inexplicable sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. An uncaptured Savior Ship Captain by Agrius?? How did he manage that? He continued flipping through. ¡¯The cataclysm has begun anew;I¡¯ve completely lost contact with the other captains. The transfer zone of the Savior Ship is getting increasingly perilous;I don¡¯t know how much longer I can hold on. The deeper I go, the greater the danger. Charles died dozens of times again this morning;he¡¯s on the verge of a mental collapse. Divine monsters are synonymous with destruction, yet here they are, being gnawed to death by those creatures dozens of times.... Haha, real damn funny.¡¯ Next page. ¡¯It¡¯s been twenty years since the last entry;I must have entered deep into the Wind Disaster. Charles said he¡¯s a little scared;something outside instills him with terror, drawing near. I can feel it too, but we have no choice. We used up all the materials that could reinforce the ship. We have even sliced Charles¡¯ body hundreds of times to use it as energy-proof coating on the hull. We¡¯ve done everything within our capability.¡¯ Continued to the next page. ¡¯I discovered the fastest way to use the Savior Ship. That is, for a captain to stay aboard continuously without getting off, activating the ship every twenty minutes to quickly reach the next transfer point. Just recently, another captain gave up and returned to the Prison Island. Those cowards prefer to live under captivity rather than make a final dash. What if... what if the land of vitality is just at the next stop?¡¯ S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡¯Hahahaha!! I found it!! I found the Source Material!! Wind Disaster Source Disaster!! Now the hull can last longer!! I knew my choice wasn¡¯t wrong!!¡¯ ¡¯A year ago, Charles actually said he wanted to become female;I couldn¡¯t understand it. He said he¡¯s going crazy and turning female allows them to produce offspring as a diversion. I refused. With a divine monster? The mere thought of it revolted me. What if it suddenly morphs some extra limbs during exercise!¡¯ Yu Hong shook his head speechlessly. Turned to the next page. ¡¯Ah, it turned out to be pretty adorable, awesome!¡¯ Yu Hong fell silent again, flipping further down, where several pages were filled with musings about Charles being adept, greatly entertaining. It was evident that Di Mo, the Demon King, had sunk completely into idle games he previously scorned. He flipped through five pages before encountering new contents. ¡¯Indeed, choosing entry through the Wind Disaster as a starting point was optimal. The nature of the Wind Disaster is all things¡¯ flow;it decomposes any structure before it, then flows and mixes. Thus, the Wind Disaster is also the central hub capable of connecting all other Source Disasters. Here is the most viable place to find the land of vitality.¡¯ ¡¯I¡¯ve decided. At each stop, I¡¯ll loot the hardest and most resilient materials there, using Source Material at the base, ensuring I reach the furthest!¡¯ More pages flipped. ¡¯Finally....¡¯ The new page surfaced countless exclamation marks. ¡¯There¡¯s a clue... the Land of Eternal Life.... Turns out, the Savior Ship didn¡¯t deceive me! It truly can reach the Land of Eternal Life.... it¡¯s just none could endure till the end! But I¡¯m different! What doesn¡¯t kill me only makes me stronger!!¡¯ ¡¯Tons of Source Material, I¡¯ve reached the Convergence Point, where Source Disasters converge like the eye of a storm! Charge!! Charge, charge, charge!!¡¯ No more after that. Yu Hong closed the last page, lifting his head to face the attentively listening audience. "Any thoughts?" he asked. "In my world, there¡¯s no Demon King called Di Mo. He probably isn¡¯t from our place," Fisina was the first to speak. "According to the record, the Savior Ship appears real, but the further you go, the riskier it becomes, leading to ultimate failure¡ªpossibly their downfall," Ku Chan stated. "From the notebook alone, the authenticity requires verification. Yet, the inadequacy in the Savior Ship¡¯s durability seems to be a fundamental constraint to getting through," Yu Hong said. "So, I propose we do as they did;scour for the strongest materials to bolster the ship at every stop, employing every method to enhance the ship¡¯s sturdiness, as this should be our immediate objective," Chi Xiao suggested. "Agreed," Ku Chan nodded. "Feasible," Yu Hong concurred. "Speaking of which, if I¡¯m not mistaken, this notebook isn¡¯t made of ordinary material," Fisina gently stroked the notebook¡¯s cover with her hand. "Indeed, it¡¯s not ordinary," Yu Hong nodded, placing his hand on the notebook surface. In his mind, the Black Black Spirit expressed an inexplicable desire for it. Much like opposites of a magnet naturally reaching out in attraction. "So, it wasn¡¯t a coincidence the submarine crashed into us;rather, it was mutual attraction," Yu Hong explained. "Hence, if there are other Savior Ships, they might all gravitate towards each other to merge," Ku Chan contemplated. The group grew ever more fervent in discussing due to the notebook. The contents of the notebook instilled a genuine hope within their hearts. The records from Di Mo, the Demon King, seemed to affirm that the land of vitality was no a distant dream, achievable, even appearing closer than it seemed! While their discussion grew intense, the Black Black Spirit had already once more traversed through the Wind Disaster torrent, arriving at a new location. The colorful lines outside the window swiftly faded, thud! A deep muffled sound. The safehouse plummeted, launched straight from the stream of colorful lines, and landed heavily upon a pile of gray-white construction debris. Yu Hong quickly approached the window to observe outside. Outside was dim, the sky devoid of a moon, with only scattered stars emitting faint light. In the distance, clusters of pitch-black tall buildings stood like coffins. "Shall we go out and take a look?" Ku Chan asked from behind. "No need. From now on, we should avoid going out whenever possible, minimizing our impact on the outside world, enabling quicker transfers to our destination." Yu Hong pondered briefly, responding. By not venturing out, they wouldn¡¯t involve causality, entanglements. "Then how do we gather materials? How do we do it without going out?" Ku Chan frowned. "Find the locals;we just need to trade with them. If we can bring them power, spur new progress, perhaps they can hold out a bit longer in the doomsday," Yu Hong said earnestly. He looked at the night scene outside the window. "Now, look, aren¡¯t they coming over?" In the distance, seemingly drawn by the commotion from the fall of the safehouse. A disheveled black-haired young boy, with a frail body hunched over, cautiously hid himself in the shadows, creeping over. He bore not a trace of energy, with a weak spiritual fluctuation, belonging to ordinary human standards. No matter the perspective, he appeared just an average child. ¡¯But it is this banality that underscores the value of our trade...¡¯ Yu Hong swiftly formulated a series of diverse plans in his mind. Chapter 481: Future 1 The night deepened. The boy Badaka carefully approached a massive object within the construction debris. The thing was round and plump, like a giant hot air balloon, yet overall it looked like a large cargo ship. Faint white lines occasionally flashed across its dark shell, full of sci-fi vibes. "How is it?" Xiaomei¡¯s voice came through the walkie-talkie. "It¡¯s still in the interval period, I haven¡¯t seen the proton phosphorescence." Badaka replied softly. "According to my calculations, it¡¯s still seventeen minutes. You can leave yourself five minutes to return, be safe." Xiaomei advised. "Got it." Badaka nodded unconsciously, as if seeing his sister¡¯s solemn advice. Snapping back to reality, he quickly approached the large, dark object. Since the disaster Proton Sea erupted five years ago, this was the first time he had seen such a massive and complete artificial construct on the surface. Before long, he was within twenty meters of the big object. He carefully picked up a tree branch and poked the object¡¯s shell. Very hard. The branch broke easily. "Hello." A sudden voice entered his mind. Badaka was startled and quickly stepped back a few paces, warily staring at the large, dark object. Hiss. A gap suddenly opened on the object¡¯s surface, revealing a window-like area. Inside appeared a big, robust man with black shoulder-length hair, wearing an eyepatch. The single exposed eye of the man glowed faintly red, exuding a sense of danger. "Are you talking to me?" Badaka looked around and refocused his gaze on the figure. "Of course." Yu Hong nodded, "I can¡¯t speak the language here, so I¡¯m using brainwaves to communicate with you directly." "You can do that!?" Badaka¡¯s eyes widened in shock. "What¡¯s your name?" Yu Hong asked gently. "Just think in your mind whatever you want to say." "That¡¯s incredible!?" Badaka was astounded, "I¡¯m Badaka. Who exactly are you people? From the Alliance or the Celestial Star?" "What do the Alliance and Celestial Star mean?" Yu Hong asked. Just arriving, he needed to first understand the situation here. "You don¡¯t even know about the Alliance?" Badaka was shocked again, "Five years ago, the Proton Sea erupted, destroying ninety-nine percent of the world¡¯s cities and conglomerates. A few humans survived in some sealed underground shelters. But the Proton Sea continues to erupt periodically. You don¡¯t even know about this?" "Uh..." Yu Hong glanced at the approaching Ku Chan, who shook his head, indicating he too was unaware of the Proton Sea. Fisina and Chi Xiao also shook their heads. Clearly, they were clueless as well. "Can you elaborate on what the Proton Sea is?" Yu Hong asked seriously. "Uh...." Badaka found it a bit unbelievable, but suddenly thought of a possibility. If the other party had just come from a very safe and hidden place, perhaps them not knowing about the Proton Sea could be understood. So he patiently explained. "The Proton Sea is a terrifying disaster capable of instantly annihilating all technological devices and biological structures. Specifically, it targets anything with a stable energy structure. Whether it¡¯s humans, animals, or plants relying on chemical energy, or the smaller bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other precisely functioning technological tools and devices, they¡¯ll all perish instantly." "Is there no way to counter it?" Yu Hong frowned. "None, you can only hide in very thick inorganic shelters," the boy answered. "What about food and water?" Yu Hong asked again. "Find stored supplies from before, since plants and animals can¡¯t survive, bacteria can¡¯t live, some are kept in shelters for captive breeding and planting," Badaka replied. "But it¡¯s getting harder now because the Proton Sea seems to have started having erosion effects on inorganic shelters." "Don¡¯t you have anything other than technology here? Like magic?" Yu Hong asked again. This question, however, earned him a look from the boy as if he was insane. "Have you been reading too many novels...?" He couldn¡¯t help but ask. "Well.... How about shadows? Special abilities? Or spiritual energy creatures?" Yu Hong continued to ask. "What are you talking about?" Badaka said helplessly, "In a few minutes, the Proton Sea is going to erupt again, your thing doesn¡¯t seem thick enough, I advise you to return to where you came from, or it might be dangerous." He raised his wrist to look at his watch. "I have to go, if I don¡¯t leave now I might not make it back. It¡¯s a pity I didn¡¯t find anything to eat or drink out here." Suddenly, something flew toward him. Badaka immediately raised his hand to catch it. Upon looking, it was a bottle of clear, clean water, about a liter in amount. He looked at Yu Hong in shock. "Is this... for me?" "Of course. I¡¯m right here, looking forward to seeing you again," Yu Hong smiled and waved goodbye to him. Swish. The window closed. Everything was quiet again. Badaka gazed at the bottle of exceedingly clean and clear drinking water. It was incredibly precious to survivors now, usable for disinfecting and cleaning wounds. On the black market, such water could at least fetch three days¡¯ worth of rations! And that person had just easily given it to him. "Generous gentleman!" Badaka delightedly tucked the water safely and bowed towards the figure, turning to quickly run back the way he came. He soon disappeared into the shadows. Inside the Black Spirit. Yu Hong watched the boy¡¯s departing figure, then turned back to the others. "How about it? Any results from the analysis?" "The air index here is different from other places," Ku Chan said. "There aren¡¯t any energy particles in the air, even the radiation energy from the Source Disaster is scarce. It¡¯s strange." "I can¡¯t recover any natural energy either," Fisina nodded. "Since there¡¯s no Divine Power here, I rely mainly on natural energy to sustain my body, which includes the four major elements of earth, water, wind, and fire, but there are none here, meaning it¡¯s impossible for there to be mages." "What about gods?" Yu Hong asked. "I also didn¡¯t feel the presence of any Power of Faith. So there can¡¯t be any gods," Fisina shook her head. "Black Disaster, Spirit Disaster, Wind Disaster, Light Disaster, I sensed none of the radiation energies;it seems something here is completely cleansing away all energy," Yu Hong nodded. "What should we do now?" Ku Chan asked. "Wait. If that kid doesn¡¯t return, we¡¯ll leave directly;if he comes back, I plan to trade with him," Yu Hong replied. "For now, this place seems to be a very pure material world with no supernatural phenomena. But we must remain vigilant." He looked at everyone. "Everyone should focus on their activities and improve their strength as much as possible. We may face more difficult challenges in the future, so staying prepared to tackle problems is crucial." "Actually, you could just find me a world to set me down in...." Fisina raised her hand. "If there¡¯s a suitable one, possibly, but you have to pay off your passage first," Yu Hong looked at her. He understood Fisina¡¯s wish to leave, after all, she was just an ad-hoc crew member without emotional ties or loyalty. After confirming the arrangements, Yu Hong condensed the water he had given away back again, replenishing it. This world allowed water to be condensed from the air, so water supplies could be resolved through Power Spell. That was fine, but food posed the real challenge. Standing at the window, he quietly observed the outside, waiting for the Proton Sea mentioned by the boy to arrive. The clock on the wall slowly ticked away a few minutes. Finally. A large patch of black, oily liquid began to appear outside. They surged out from the darkness, swiftly engulfing all the buildings, skyscrapers, and ground they traversed. These black, oily liquids quickly reached the front of the Black Spirit, immediately making contact with the outer walls of the Black Spirit. Hiss. A subtle corrosive sound was heard, and the slight Array energy remaining on the Black Spirit instantly collapsed and vanished. "It really can destroy all energy structures," Yu Hong attempted to extend his perception outward. But as soon as he did, his spiritual power was cut off abruptly, disappearing in an instant. There were no shadows, no monsters, no earth-shaking explosions or flames, nor any supernatural beings. There was only this endlessly flowing black, oily liquid, quietly devouring all the energy it came in contact with. Time slowly passed. About half an hour later, the black liquids started to become transparent, then vanished without a trace in front of Yu Hong. He halted his cultivation and looked out the window. "Interesting.... A substance that can exist in this environment is definitely the best energy insulator." At this moment, sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yu Hong¡¯s expression suddenly changed. A faint blue light naturally emanated from his entire body. The blue light quickly transformed into red, the color belonging to the Inner Strength of the Sixth Layer of the Tai Ling Skill. But then this red started to continue transforming, from dark red, slowly shifting into a deeper shade of red-purple. ¡¯Something¡¯s wrong!! The Tai Ling Skill is going to break!!¡¯ Yu Hong was alarmed. He hadn¡¯t been cultivating the Tai Ling Skill recently, focusing instead on the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Scripture. He planned to replace Tai Ling Skill with this Martial Arts, but the progress of Tai Ling Skill without practice was faster than the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye! And seemed to be getting faster! This gave Yu Hong an ominous premonition in his heart. Realizing why the Taiyuan Orthodox Sect was eliminated and devoured by the Ultimate Sun, ¡¯Although there is Tao Breath Circulation cultivating automatically, this progress is too fast!¡¯ Yu Hong realized if he didn¡¯t take measures soon, he would have to rely on Black Mark optimizing the Tai Ling Skill. Hoping the Cultivation Technique optimized by Black Mark could prevent the Ultimate Sun¡¯s devouring. Yet, it seemed unlikely, given just those few dozen days of enhancements to solve a top-level Source Disaster Core like the Ultimate Sun. Clearly infeasible. Yu Hong sensed the vast Inner Strength beginning to converge naturally in his abdomen. He forcibly suppressed the panic he felt and carefully experienced it. Massive amounts of Tai Ling Skill were rapidly coalescing into a dumpling-like form, then further reduced to a dark red light dot. The light dot began to gradually move, outlining a bizarre and complex three-dimensional symbol. Slowly, Yu Hong seemed to hear a series of shrill wails echoing in his ears, countless human voices wailing, roaring, screaming in agony, despair, and tears. A blue silhouette of the Ultimate Sun seemed to appear before his eyes. Crack. Suddenly, Yu Hong returned to his senses, again perceiving his internal situation. He found a vortex-like blue sphere calmly floating in the middle of his abdomen. In the vortex¡¯s center, countless distorted, agonized human faces flowed, spun, emitting dense wailing. Simultaneously, endless terrifying Inner Strength of the Tai Ling Skill surged madly from within the sphere, continuously enhancing Yu Hong¡¯s body strength, recovery speed, and energy resistance. Chapter 482: Future Two Seeing this, Yu Hong knew that the Resurrection of the Seventh Layer of the Tai Ling Skill had been broken through. ¡¯I wasn¡¯t even prepared. Didn¡¯t the Light Well say it needed to be condensed by oneself?¡¯ Yu Hong felt nothing, just a flicker of consciousness, and the Light Well automatically condensed and was completed. He didn¡¯t need to worry about anything in the process. However, the Wind Well and Spirit Well used for balancing had no trace at all. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "This cultivation technique... it¡¯s really bizarre...." Yu Hong couldn¡¯t help but take a deep breath. The huge increase in power was supposed to be a joyful thing, but... at this moment, it gave him a sense of impending doom. It¡¯s the Seventh Layer now, just two more layers to reach the highest realm, integrate with the Ultimate Sun. But even he felt that even if he became a hundred times stronger, he probably wouldn¡¯t be able to handle the Ultimate Sun. Prison Island and the Ultimate Sun, two pressures surged simultaneously toward him. Yu Hong felt a heavy burden pressing on his chest. He reached out, gently touching his right eye covered with a patch. ¡¯I must hurry...¡¯ Constantly strengthening the Outer Eye, then using it inversely to enhance the power of the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Scripture. This is the safer righteous path compared to the Tai Ling Skill. Previously, he was somewhat distracted, but now that the progress of the Tai Ling Skill had greatly increased, a growing sense of crisis rose in his heart. Thump thump thump. Suddenly, a faint tapping sound pulled him out of his contemplation. Outside the window stood the boy Badaka. He was holding some messy things in his arms, bending over to place them on the ground. Yu Hong reached out to open the window. "You¡¯re back?" "Yeah. Thanks for the water, it helped me a lot. It¡¯s hard to find unpolluted water outside now," the boy said honestly. "Glad to help, actually, I can trade many things here, water is just the most common one." Yu Hong showed a gentle smile. "Trade?" The boy was taken aback, then picked up the things on the ground, "These are as a return gift, but for trade, I actually don¡¯t have much to exchange with you?" "Tell me, Badaka. What do you want the most right now?" Yu Hong asked again. "To heal my sister¡¯s leg, and then find a safe place to live." Badaka answered. "I can lend you enough power, enough resources, and even heal your sister¡¯s leg, but I also need you to give me something equivalent in return." Yu Hong said seriously. "Really? Are you being serious?" Badaka froze, then became slightly excited. Although he was still half-skeptical, these people seemed to have a lot of resources and strong technology, maybe there was hope. But he couldn¡¯t think of anything he could exchange with them. He was just an ordinary refugee from an underground refuge. "Of course, it¡¯s true. You can go back and think it over carefully, or discuss it with your sister. When will the next Proton Sea explosion and lull be?" Yu Hong asked. "Sometimes it¡¯s short, just over half an hour, sometimes long, flooding for a day or two." Badaka answered. "I¡¯ll be here waiting, you can go back and consider it." Yu Hong said gently. Badaka left muddle-headedly, still reflecting on what he just heard until he returned to the refuge. The refuge was underground, dark, with the air filled with an unpleasant moldy smell and some oily odor. He climbed into the sewer of a building, passing through dark pipes littered with dry corpses. After opening several large doors, he entered a massive cylindrical hall. The walls of the hall were covered with densely populated honeycomb-like small rooms. Following the somewhat blurry door plate number, he quickly found the room where he and his sister lived. Hall 8, Room 1178. Just as he reached the door, about to take out the key to open it, he heard rapid breathing from inside. Badaka stopped in silence, waiting quietly at the door. About ten minutes later. Click. The door opened. A middle-aged man with a gray face staggered out, pulling up his pants. The man glanced at him, put a cigarette in his mouth, and walked away with a swagger. Only then did Badaka push open the door and see his sister Xiaomei dressing. "I exchanged for some food, it¡¯s on the cutting board, go cook and eat it." His sister Xiaomei sat on the bed, looking exhausted, wearing a simple black short dress. Her delicate face still had a faint bruise. "...." Badaka gritted his teeth, walking up to his sister. "Sis... please, don¡¯t do this anymore... I will definitely, definitely find food outside!! For sure!! I even brought back a bottle of clean water last time!" "I know, I know you¡¯re great, Badaka.... Sister promises you, this is the last time, the very last...." Xiaomei carefully reached out and stroked her brother¡¯s face. "Be good, eat the food, you¡¯ll have the strength to keep looking outside." Badaka wiped his eyes, but his sister came over, using her mouth to lick away his tears. "Tears will drain precious salt and water, don¡¯t cry... we can¡¯t afford to cry...." "Mm!" Badaka nodded vigorously, he just wanted to survive... to survive with his sister. "Keep it up, I believe in you! There are only twelve days left until Fission Day, we must save enough money to get into the fortress!" Xiaomei continued. "Don¡¯t worry! This time, we¡¯ll definitely make it!" Badaka nodded again. On Fission Day, the intensity and ferocity of the Proton Sea would increase many, many times. Only the fortress could guarantee safety, and the underground here couldn¡¯t stop the proton sea during Fission Day. But it took a huge maintenance fee to get into the fortress. Those who couldn¡¯t afford it could only stay outside and wait for death. He gave his word in front of his sister, but Badaka had no confidence at all in his heart. Places around had been scavenged many times. Luck seemed bad this time, with no supplies found. Involuntarily, Badaka thought of the mysterious one-eyed male from that strange big guy he met just now. * * * A moment later. Yu Hong controlled the Fear Shadow Speed Man to scout the surroundings. Having just completed the Seventh Layer of Tai Ling Skill Fear Shadow summoning breakthrough, with the Proton Sea receding outside, he summoned the Speed Man to quickly scout the area. Then he saw that same boy coming again. It seemed that the boy was the only one around here, and almost no one else came by. At least so far, Yu Hong had only met this one boy. "Hello." Yu Hong greeted. "I want the water from last time, clean water, lots and lots! Can I?" The boy Badaka ran breathlessly to the safe house window and asked. "Of course. So, what are you offering in exchange?" Yu Hong smiled. "I..." Badaka hesitated for a moment. "What do you need?" "I need the strongest materials you have here, the more, the better." Yu Hong answered, "Of course, you can¡¯t do it now, so you have several options." "One: Take some water and find your management here;I¡¯ll directly communicate and trade with them." "Two: I give you your resources, and then set a deadline for you to take care of the missing process. This choice is dangerous but offers more." "I choose two!" Badaka didn¡¯t hesitate at all. Yu Hong smiled. "Then..." He flicked his finger, a hint of Spirit Light for protection subtly entering Badaka¡¯s chest. "Let¡¯s discuss the trading price...." Shortly after, Badaka left the safe house carrying a large barrel of clean water with some difficulty. His face showed expectations and excitement for the future. "I guess he¡¯ll be back soon." Ku Chan quietly said from the side. "Indeed. Where there are people, there is jealousy." Yu Hong nodded. He smiled, left the window, and went to cultivate. He didn¡¯t plan to continue waiting and accumulating for the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye;the progress of the Tai Ling Skill pushed him to accelerate his cultivation further. Various eyes collected earlier, plus the pair of eyeballs from the God Scourge, had already given him ample reserves. He had been digesting the special abilities brought by the God Scourge¡¯s eyeballs during this time. Over two hours later, several instances of Proton Sea came and went, eroding multiple times. Boy Badaka came back again. This time, he was covered in wounds, one eye unable to open, seemingly blind, with blood slowly oozing out. His right wrist was twisted in a strange shape, clearly broken. He struggled, leaning on a cane, to the Black Spirit Window. "Can... I still trade?" Yu Hong had already noticed his approach and opened the window to look at him. "Of course. It seems you¡¯re in bad shape." "Yes... the water was robbed. They didn¡¯t give the promised money. I was also beaten." Badaka replied. "And my sister..." He painfully covered his face with his hand, sitting powerlessly on the ground. "The world is like this. If you have wealth you can¡¯t manage and can¡¯t protect, you get hurt by it." Yu Hong said. "What... should I do!?" Badaka lowered his head in agony, pleading. "Resources and wealth should be in the hands of those with more power and capability." Yu Hong replied, "If you become more powerful and capable than them, everything in their hands should belong to you." "But I...." Badaka gritted his teeth, "How can I become more powerful!? More capable!?" "Very simple." Yu Hong smiled. "I¡¯ll lend it to you. As long as you collect what I need within the set time, what I lent you, it will belong to you forever." "...." Badaka was stunned. But before he could respond, the next moment, he saw Yu Hong reach out with a finger, gently point at his forehead. Sizzle! A brilliant blue light suddenly shone from his chest. The Spirit Light Secret Skill derived from the Seventh Layer of the Tai Ling Skill, its power more exaggerated than before. Ten minutes later, the boy left again. This time, he bore the Spirit Light Secret Skill that activated a full-body quality enhancement, boosting him from the bodily qualities of an ordinary youth to those comparable to the caliber of a Golden Armor Dragon Head person. Under the protection of the Spirit Light, bullets and shells would be ineffective against him;only high-yield powerful explosives or small nuclear bombs could harm him. "What kind of impact could a person like that have on the environment around here?" Chi Xiao leaned over from the side, having watched the whole process. "I don¡¯t know, I just can¡¯t stand to see a kind-hearted ordinary child treated unfairly." Yu Hong replied. "But I guess, by next time, he should be able to bring back what you need." Chi Xiao said. "Maybe." Yu Hong touched his eye patch. With the further advancement of power, the Seventh Layer of Tai Ling Skill, named Resurrection, already produced some special divine abilities. The biggest feature was that his Tai Ling Skill Inner Strength at this time, when released externally, would revive and resurrect even after being neutralized or eliminated. The Inner Strength at this stage had become truly a Resurrection Inner Power, not something that could be completely eradicated by the equivalent high-intensity Source Disaster Radiation energy, It completely defied the law of conservation of energy, no matter how many times it was eliminated or counteracted, it would revive after a certain period of time. This Inner Strength could now be called Immortal Power. Chapter 483: Future Three Time passed quickly. In the blink of an eye, several days had gone by. The people in the safe house started to live a more regular life. Ku Chan practiced cultivation every day, at all times;even when going to the bathroom, he could practice while sitting there, reaching a level almost comparable to Yu Hong¡¯s Tao Breath Circulation. Chi Xiao watched so many TV series and movies that he became obsessed with various women¡¯s magazines. Who knows where he found these things, but he spends all his time in a private space, busy with who knows what. Yiyi, under the guidance of Fisina, began to learn about the priest profession in the White Dragon World. The little goddess is very clever, and she saw how important Yiyi is to Yu Hong. Plus, Yiyi is pure and simple-minded, making her very suited for a priest profession that demands high faith. As long as she binds Yiyi, Fisina thinks she can ensure one more level of security with Yu Hong. After hearing about the fate of Zhang Kajing from Chi Xiao, she realized it¡¯s crucial to establish a solid foundation in their relationship. As for which god the priest profession worships, it¡¯s naturally herself. Yu Hong was rather pleased to see this because Fisina possessed his Spirit Light Secret Skill anyway. With his current Seventh Layer Tai Ling Skill Power, under the existence of the Immortal Attribute, it¡¯s highly unlikely that Fisina could break free. As for himself, he immersed himself entirely in the practice of the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye. Inside the main control room. Yu Hong sat cross-legged on the ground, carefully removed the blindfold, and glanced at the countdown on the wall. The reinforcement of the safe house¡¯s outer walls would finish in about a week. He touched his right eye again, gripping it firmly with inner strength, instantly severing the optic nerve, and retrieved it. Compared to the initial rough handling, he can now easily and skillfully switch outer eyes. After taking out the eyeball, Yu Hong carefully inspected it, ensuring there were no abnormalities before applying a maintenance liquid and putting it back into the socket. With a flash of golden light, the optic nerve swiftly reconnected and healed. He activated the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Scripture, closed his eyes, and sensed a different kind of inner strength, completely apart from the Tai Ling Skill. This strength continuously gathered at his eyes. The newly absorbed Divine Monster Eye seemed to have added some powerful energy resistance to his eyes. Yu Hong had already reached the second stage of Birth Of Eyes, and now with the enhanced practice eye drops, he accelerated his pace. Furthermore, the continuous Tao Breath Circulation was supplemented by several reinforcements of the outer eye by the scattered Black Mark. Although all enhancements were done during spare time, the numerous enhancements made his right eye significantly stronger than its original version. From the previously collected Colorful Mirror Taoist outer eye to now, it had transformed into an artistic eyeball resembling a purplish-red crystal. The breakthrough was imminent. All previous accumulations and enhancements were finally showing their effects. Yu Hong sat cross-legged, closed-eyed and folded;as soon as he integrated the outer eye into the cultivation technique, he immediately felt a tremendously intense, cool aura constantly flowing out of the outer eye, merging with the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Inner Power. ¡¯The stronger the collected eyes, the deeper the power of the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye, and the greater its might. Although I haven¡¯t collected many eyes, the reinforcement added by the Black Mark seems to work well...¡¯ Yu Hong didn¡¯t know other practitioners of the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye¡¯s circumstances, but at the moment, he felt extremely comfortable. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Inner Power was crazily surging within his body. At the same time, a vague silhouette of a giant tiger appeared faintly beside him, enveloping his figure. This was the manifestation of this martial art. The giant tiger had white fur with black stripes, each black stripe representing a Heavenly Eye yet to open. Yu Hong, with eyes closed, hadn¡¯t noticed the situation outside, as he indulged in the delight of rapidly breaking through to a new power level. As his enhanced outer eye joined the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye System, the inner power surged forward like a flood. It began from a gentle trickle and quickly grew into a roaring river. There were even faint signs that it could rival the Tai Ling Skill. Unfortunately, this growth was not endless. Soon, half a minute later, the potential of the outer eye might have been fully tapped. The Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Inner Power gradually stabilized and stopped skyrocketing as before. At this moment, strands of gray inner power spewed out from Yu Hong¡¯s mouth and nose, then transformed into ribbons, winding around and enveloping his body. This was the level of the new stage, Heavenly Pupil. The Chaotic God Heavenly Eye had three stages in total: Birth Of Eyes, Heavenly Pupil, and Chaotic God. The first stage was accumulating eyeballs and finding eyes strong enough to reserve potential. Yu Hong had just surpassed that stage. Now, he formally stepped into the second stage, Heavenly Pupil. ¡¯Heavenly Pupil is about communicating with the world¡¯s energy, refining oneself with external force to polish the power to an ultimate truth and purity, merging with the universe.¡¯ Yu Hong recalled what the secret manual described. ¡¯This stage is about refining various abilities, choosing the ones to discard and fuse, purifying to leave only one ability while transforming the others into fuel to enhance this ability to the limit, eventually reaching the Heavenly Pupil level.¡¯ He carefully sensed the abilities in his eyes that could be activated. At this moment, closing his eyes, he could see a chaotic array of colorful light spots in his vision. Each of these light spots represented a different ability. Yu Hong¡¯s consciousness slightly touched one of the light spots. ¡¯Activate Twist Power?¡¯ The Black Mark prompted instantly. He switched to another light spot to try. ¡¯Activate Void One Finger?¡¯ He continued to switch again. ¡¯Activate Material Weakening?¡¯ He then tried all the other light spots one by one. The abilities here were automatically named by the Black Mark, respectively including: Twist Power, Material Weakening, Energy Perception Enhancement, Spiritual Power Radiation Absorption Enhancement, Short Distance Instantaneous Movement, Chaotic God Light, Energy Resistance, Low-level Radiation Immunity, and Eagle Eye Enhancement. Some abilities stemmed from the collected eyes, while others naturally evolved as Black Mark enhancements. Yu Hong immediately recognized Chaotic God Light, which he had used previously. It was a powerful burst attack light beam. Back then, against the top creature Marissa of the Black Disaster, it performed well. Although it was shortly after starting to practice this cultivation technique and aided by Spirit Light amplification, that it could function effectively in combat of that level was an extraordinary feat. ¡¯This also proves how amazing the Sky Wish Sect is. Even an Auxiliary Secret Technique could possess such strong power....¡¯ Yu Hong thought with emotion. It was time for the choice. Yu Hong didn¡¯t hesitate at all and used all the assorted abilities as fuel, concentrating on enhancing Chaotic God Light and Instantaneous Movement. He discarded all others, including Twist Power. Whoosh! Instantly, a layer of gray flames ignited on Yu Hong¡¯s body. The flames were silent, translucent, and had no temperature, but exerted an invisible pressure that expanded outward in ripples. As the flames burned, the light spot representing Chaotic God Light quickly expanded, becoming larger and brighter, while the other ability light spots disintegrated and vanished. As Chaotic God Light was reinforced, the Black Mark¡¯s prompts continued. ¡¯Chaotic God Light reinforced, upgraded to Chaotic God Light+1.¡¯ ¡¯...upgraded to Chaotic God Light+2.¡¯ ¡¯...Chaotic God Light+3.¡¯ ¡¯Chaotic God Light+4.¡¯ ¡¯Chaotic God Light+5.¡¯ ¡¯Ability evolved;Chaotic God Light transformed into Chaotic God Heavenly Light. Power increased by 72%. Automatic ability obtained - Summon.¡¯ ¡¯Summon: When Chaotic God Heavenly Light is released, it forcibly summons any similar energy particles that might be around, enhancing its own power.¡¯ At the instant of Chaotic God Light¡¯s evolution, the gray flames on Yu Hong¡¯s body surged up, and the translucent giant tiger surrounding him slowly raised its head and opened its gray eyes, with a pair of blurred white wings growing from behind. The white fur on the giant tiger also started to grow longer and denser, and the black "king" character on its forehead grew more profound and dark. From afar, it looked even more majestic and dignified. Yu Hong opened his eyes and sensed the presence of the giant tiger. ¡¯This cultivation technique is incredible!¡¯ He had just entered the Heavenly Pupil stage in one breath, with power soaring, directly breaking through the Third Layer and entering the Fourth Layer. The entire Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Scripture had only three stages and nine layers. It was obvious that the enhanced outer eye significantly sped up the enhancement of this cultivation technique. With the passage of time, the gray flames slowly extinguished on Yu Hong¡¯s body. He opened his eyes slowly and exhaled a wisp of gray breath. After purifying the Heavenly Pupil, all he needed was to frequently engage with various external energies to grind the Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill and naturally advance. In simpler terms¡ªfighting more often would naturally lead to promotion. "This is manageable." Yu Hong finished his practice, stood up, and felt the two forces within him. Gray Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill and red-purple Tai Ling Skill. The Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill was concentrated in the muscles and bones near his skin, forming numerous eyeball-shaped gray nodes, like a large gray net. While Tai Ling Skill occupied his abdomen¡¯s dantian, with the Light Well as its core, violently emitting vast red-purple inner strength, akin to a red-purple disc. The two were distinct and did not interfere with each other. ¡¯It can indeed temporarily rival the Tai Ling Skill...!¡¯ Yu Hong contently observed the situation in his body. This reinforced his resolve to hasten his Chaotic God Heavenly Eye cultivation plan. With this in mind, he dropped some eye drops into his eyes again, starting a new round as he assimilated and refined the power. If he were to go out for combat, he naturally needed to fully integrate the abilities into his system. Onboard the Black Black Spirit, everyone was absorbed in their tasks, and in the blink of an eye, a week had passed. "Two pair." "Pass." "Five pair." "Pass." "Little joker!" "Big joker! Haha, gotcha, didn¡¯t I?" Chi Xiao, Fisina, and Yiyi were playing cards on the first-floor table. White Dragon curled up in the corner, hazily asleep. She had remained in this dazed state ever since her wounds healed. Crack. The door to the underground control room opened slowly. Yu Hong walked up step by step. His appearance was the same as before;whether in clothing or looks, there was little change. For someone like him now, not bathing or changing clothes for a month wasn¡¯t an issue. But there was something different. This time, as soon as he appeared, an invisible magnetic field seemed to instantly draw Fisina and Chi Xiao¡¯s attention. Upon seeing Yu Hong, Fisina¡¯s pupils shrank briefly, as if something pricked her eyes, causing her to blink unnaturally a few times. While on one side, Chi Xiao was even more exaggerated. As soon as he saw Yu Hong, his expression changed instantly. In that split second, he felt a presence of the Immortal General from Yu Hong. Chapter 484: future four "Yu... Captain, have you finished your cultivation?" Chi Xiao forced a smile, put down his cards, and came up to ask. "Hmm, it¡¯s come to a pause, and just in time, there¡¯s someone outside. I should go and entertain them." Yu Hong glanced at the cards on the table for three people. He then looked at Gabriela, who was curled up to one side with White Dragon. "Where¡¯s Ku Chan?" "Ku Chan is still cultivating, you know how that kid is." Chi Xiao chuckled. Yu Hong nodded and went back to the window, pulling open the window blinds with a swish. Outside was still a dark, gloomy city ruin. But unlike before, the boy Badaka had arrived early, waiting outside the window. Different from his last visit, Badaka¡¯s outfit was completely different now. He wore luxurious shorts and long pants inlaid with colorful gems and diamond fragments. A baseball cap adorned with golden inscriptions sat on his head, and his wrists and neck were adorned with lavish colored crystal gemstone chains. Gone was the filth and tattered mess from before. "Honorable Captain, thank you for your generous gift." The boy Badaka walked up to the window and first bowed, expressing his gratitude. "I have come to fulfill the previous promise." He clapped his hands. Immediately, four burly men came carrying a big box with great effort. The box was made of silver metal casing, with some incomprehensible markings on its surface. Bang. The box was placed below the safe house window. "This is the highest-strength material I could find from the coalition¡ªRed Vine Metal, placed here in the form of some alloy blocks." explained Badaka. He watched the tall man who claimed to be the Captain. Involuntarily, he recalled the words of the institute director who had approached him two days before, helping him swiftly find the strongest metal. ¡¯No matter how we research and analyze, this special ability seems more like a natural fusion within your body, not like any implantation or external trace,¡¯ said the director thoughtfully. "So I can be certain, the transformation on you is reinforced by your own abilities;they are innate, not amplified by any external force." "In other words, this power is essentially my own;it¡¯s just that someone triggered it?" Badaka was astonished. "That¡¯s right. Now you have quite a reputation within the coalition, defeating several emergency response teams, leading many factions to start investigating you. At a time like this, if someone makes contact with the Captain, someone who can trigger one of you might trigger a second or third. Therefore, we must find a way to eliminate this possibility. Otherwise, if more similar powers emerge, your newly built group could collapse instantly," the director said earnestly. "So... what should I do?" Badaka clenched his fist upon hearing that there might be others with powers like his. He¡¯d enjoyed the advantages and conveniences that power had brought these days and wasn¡¯t willing to lose them. His sister¡¯s leg had also received formal treatment, and the small group he had just established must not fall apart halfway! "It¡¯s simple: just sever this person¡¯s transactions, make him disappear... and everything will be yours alone..." The director¡¯s words, like a devil¡¯s temptation, made Badaka¡¯s heart skip a beat. Coming to his senses, he looked at the box being slowly put down, pressed against the ground. "This is all I could find," Badaka said in a deep voice. "Not bad," said Yu Hong, looking at the box, nodding. He reached out, and with a remote motion, lifted the box into the air, floating it to the window. In a swish, the window opened, and the box floated inside. "So, sir, if there¡¯s nothing else, I will take my leave," Badaka bowed again, speaking up. "You may." Yu Hong smiled. "But before you go back, I have a question for you." "...What?" Badaka hesitated and slowly took a step back. "I believe I gave you the power to change your fate. So why did you do such a thing?" Yu Hong asked. The boy¡¯s face changed, but he forced a smile. "I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about," he said. "Forget it. Everyone must be accountable for their actions." Yu Hong opened the box, moved aside a pile of red metal blocks, revealing a hidden silver box underneath. A timer was strapped to the box¡ªit was a time bomb, the timer already counting down to thirteen. In the next second, it would be twelve. "Look, a time bomb." Yu Hong picked it up and examined it. The bomb was almost as large as one of his hands, fitting snugly in his palm. Badaka¡¯s face turned ashen, and he quickly backed away. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He didn¡¯t understand how Yu Hong could discover the situation so easily, but now that everything was exposed, he couldn¡¯t afford to hesitate. He knew the bomb¡¯s power well;it was a special liquid bomb, the most potent existing technology, capable of instantly blowing up a skyscraper with just that little piece. When demonstrating his power before, his arm had been injured by this kind of bomb¡¯s blast. And that was just a shockwave from ten meters away. Yet now, the item was in the opponent¡¯s hand. Just as he retreated the next second. The liquid bomb in Yu Hong¡¯s hand instantly jumped to zero on the countdown. Despite having twelve seconds left, it all suddenly fast-forwarded to detonation in that moment. In the next instant. The box rapidly turned red, a blinding golden flame burst out from within, shattering the box¡¯s casing. The flame continued to gush out, demolishing the box completely within a thousandth of a second. It exploded outward in all directions. Boom!!!! The golden flame erupted in Yu Hong¡¯s hand, but something strange happened. The flames seemed forcibly confined by an invisible force, only exploding within a small round sphere. From a distance, it looked like he was holding a washbasin-sized golden fireball in his hand. The fireball frantically surged outward, seeking to break the invisible constraint, but it was futile. All the flames were held by Yu Hong¡¯s single hand, forcibly compressed, growing smaller and smaller, from the size of a washbasin to the size of a human head. Then. Yu Hong squeezed with his hand. Poof. The fireball dimmed, dissipating, extinguished, vanished. "Pathetic." Chi Xiao watched this scene from behind, shaking his head and sighing. The scene reminded him of the Immortal General holding a nuclear bomb with his hand. "Humans always repeat the same tragedies." Fisina said a classic line. "We clearly helped him, so why would he do this?" Yiyi couldn¡¯t understand. "Because of greed," taught Fisina, "once possessed, one never wants to lose again. Humans are such greedy creatures." Yiyi nodded, half-understanding, looking through the window at Badaka retreating. "Impossible!!... How could it be like this!? That wasn¡¯t mine, someone must be framing me!" Badaka shouted, his face ashen as he backed away. "You¡¯re right, someone did remind me." Yu Hong nodded, "As soon as I opened the box, someone had drawn a stick figure, reminding me of the bomb hidden below." He chuckled. "Isn¡¯t it interesting? In something you sent, someone quietly thought of a way to warn me of danger." Needless to say, the child had been set up by someone. But that had nothing to do with Yu Hong anymore. "Since you¡¯ve done it, pay the price." With a thought, the Spirit Light implanted in Badaka began to withdraw rapidly. In just two seconds. A large amount of white light seeped out from Badaka¡¯s body. He seemed to undergo an indescribable, great pain, screaming miserably in place. A moment later, this once ordinary boy¡¯s body quickly began to dehydrate, wither, and within mere seconds, turned into a black mummified corpse on the ground. The white light flying out of him swiftly returned to Yu Hong, vanishing. Looking at Badaka¡¯s corpse, Yu Hong shook his head, intending to close the window. Soon, he saw another group quickly approaching. "Please wait! I was the one who discreetly notified you of the bomb, Deris!" The one running in front was a blond, middle-aged man with a small mustache. He wore a somewhat old black robe, with a few gun-wielding soldiers behind who seemed like bodyguards. Yu Hong ignored him. "Deliberately misleading a child to make me disappointed, then appearing as a good person to take the child¡¯s place. Do you think this scheme is clever?" As soon as he said this, the middle-aged man¡¯s face changed slightly. "You misunderstand me! I knew nothing about this. I just saw Badaka quietly placing the bomb..." "Boring tricks." Yu Hong didn¡¯t bother to watch more. Just then, a sharp cry suddenly came from outside. From the darkness behind came a young, beautiful woman in a hospital gown, rushing forward. The woman¡¯s long hair was disheveled, as she ran to Badaka¡¯s corpse, kneeling down. Her hands trembled as she cradled the mummified corpse. "No... don¡¯t...!" "Your brother got what he deserved! He received the Captain¡¯s gift but then plotted to kill the Captain with a bomb! An eye for an eye, dying here shows mercy to him!!" Deris seized the chance to reprimand loudly. "Why..." The woman lowered her head, tears cascading down onto the face of the mummified corpse. "Why couldn¡¯t you forgive him once... give him another chance!! He knows nothing..." "He¡¯s just a child... We only wanted a better life, is that wrong!! Is that wrong!!?" She lifted her head, revealing a tear-stricken, contorted face. "No hope left." Chi Xiao, seeing all this from behind, shook his head and walked away with his hands folded behind his back. Yu Hong glanced at the woman, guessing she was Badaka¡¯s sister, and said no more. He picked up a piece of red metal from the box. He squeezed it hard. Indeed, its hardness was high, and even with his current physical strength, he couldn¡¯t crush it. "Let¡¯s go. There¡¯s no need to stay here any longer." He no longer paid attention to the sobbing woman and Deris speaking outside the window. With a swish, he pulled up the blinds, instructing the Black Spirit to set sail once more. "Why?" Yiyi couldn¡¯t help but ask aloud, "Why do they question others for not forgiving them when they do bad things?" "Because of selfishness," answered Fisina. "In this world, it¡¯s not like when you¡¯re kind to people, they will surely repay you with kindness." "Let¡¯s go." Yu Hong returned to the Main Control Room, looking at the colored lines constantly emerging outside the circular window. The entire safe house slowly surged into the Wind Disaster flow, heading deeper within. At the same time, large gray human faces the size of houses suddenly brushed past the safe house like meteors, flying towards the world they had just left. Watching this scene, Yu Hong sighed, turned around, and sat cross-legged, waiting for the safe house¡¯s reinforcement time to end. This attempt proved his previous idea wasn¡¯t feasible. Those who have not mastered power, when suddenly gaining too much, are too easily lost in themselves. Chapter 485: touch one In the colorful torrent of lines. The Black Spirit advanced at a constant speed. Inside the ship, silence prevailed. Fisina Chixiao was accustomed to this kind of human nature, so it didn¡¯t matter to her. However, Ku Chan, Yiyi, and Gabriela were still somewhat moved. Unlike them, Yu Hong felt a bit emotional, but he had somewhat anticipated it. It¡¯s actually the boy Badaka¡¯s inherent kindness, unable to persist until the end. Sitting cross-legged at the bow of the Main Control Room. Yu Hong watched the countdown on the wall that glowed faintly with red light. When the last minute finally ticked down to zero. In an instant, the entire Black Spirit blurred briefly and then quickly became clear again. The previously damaged Arrays naturally restored themselves at this moment, and the outer walls turned from simple black to a metallic matte finish. "Simply judging by appearances, it¡¯s hard to tell if there¡¯s any enhancement unless we encounter real danger," Yu Hong tapped on the wall, focusing on the new enhancements. ¡¯The next to be enhanced is still the Outer Eye.¡¯ First, enhance the Outer Eye to its limit, then lead the Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill power to strengthen, ultimately resisting the Ultimate Sun. This was Yu Hong¡¯s plan. Now that the Black Spirit was strong enough for use, he could start the long-term plan of Outer Eye enhancement again. Removing the eye patch, taking out the eyeball from his right eye, he held it in his palm with one hand. ¡¯Enhance Outer Eye, direction: extreme enhancement of Chaotic God Light and Instantaneous Movement abilities!¡¯ This time, with a clear ability, Yu Hong¡¯s target was clear. The next moment, black lines flowed out, and the Black Mark inquired. Yu Hong quickly confirmed, and then a new countdown appeared55 days, 11 hours, 09 minutes¡¯. ¡¯As expected, the time has lengthened. My Power has improved, and the enhancement limit increased too.¡¯ He harbored a suspicion. Soon, a massive attraction pulled all of his Inner Strength outward madly. But, at this point, Yu Hong¡¯s Tai Ling Skill Inner Strength was endless because of the Light Well. Buzz. As the red-purple Inner Strength crazily surged into the Outer Eye. The previous feeling of weakness no longer occurred. It took over an hour for the energy storage of this enhancement to end. Yu Hong only felt relieved to tuck the Outer Eye back into its socket and wear the eye patch, when he confirmed that the countdown on it began to flicker slightly. Having done everything, he closed his eyes and started wholeheartedly practicing the Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill. Time unknown passed. Bang. Suddenly the Black Spirit seemed to hit something hard, its speed drastically reduced, and even came to a slow stop. Yu Hong sensed something was amiss, opened his eyes, and looked through the ring-shaped window. "Huh?" Suddenly he widened his eyes, as if doubting his sight. He blinked and looked carefully. The scenery outside remained. In the colorful torrent of the Wind Disaster, a gigantic red ship resembling an ancient Chinese tower ship was slowly docking beside an irregularly shaped black-gray rock. That rock was enormous, like a small island. The surface was full of rugged black stones. In the center was a small patch of broken artificial constructions. Those remnants were all gray-black, with no buildings intact, only fragmented walls. The massive red tower ship was docked at the edge of this small island, with figures vaguely seen moving back and forth on the ship. "Unexpectedly, there are other ships that can only navigate in the Wind Disaster?!" Yu Hong¡¯s expression shifted from astonishment to delight. All along, he thought he was the only one in the quest to find the land of vitality. But now it seemed... S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He seemed not to be alone. Soon, the other party also seemed to discover the Black Spirit, and that gigantic red ship trembled slightly, detached from the small island, and moved towards them. Yu Hong controlled the ship to stay still, waiting quietly. Bang. The two ships, one large and one small, finally touched side by side. "Hello, is anyone there? Who¡¯s your Captain?" A gentle voice came across from the opposite side. Yu Hong took a breath, judging that it was pure spiritual power transmission. This method did not require language switching. He got up, opened the door, and went to the first level. Everyone was already aware of the encounter with the large ship and was quietly gathered at the window watching outside. Seeing Yu Hong approach, Ku Chan turned to make room. "Captain, I never expected that besides us, there are other ships able to navigate in the Wind Disaster?!" His eyes beneath the mask looked equally astonished. Besides astonishment, there was even more joy. Obviously, the fact that they were no longer alone brought significant psychological comfort. "No rush, I¡¯ll make contact. The other party inquired. Did you hear it?" Yu Hong asked. "Yes, the spiritual power is strong. Seems they are not weak." Ku Chan nodded. Yu Hong approached the window, looking at the opposing large ship from the side. Seen from this angle, the ship drew close, finally highlighting its immense size. That immensity even gave a sense of being somewhat bloated. "This is the Black Spirit, I¡¯m Captain Yu, and you?" Yu Hong didn¡¯t give his full name, only mentioned his surname. "We are the Red Cloud, I¡¯m Captain You Can. Happy to meet you in such a vast Source Disaster, as this chance is rarer than being hit by a meteor." The man on the opposite side seemed somewhat pleased. "We are also happy to meet a similar ship, it¡¯s too dangerous here." Yu Hong agreed. "What is your destination?" "We are the Savior Ship, automatically heading to the land of vitality." Captain You Can replied. "We are the same, also a Savior Ship. I wonder, is it possible there are other Savior Ships still searching for the land of vitality aside from us?" Yu Hong asked. "Yes, indeed. There are currently fifteen I can contact. Some were built by already destroyed Ancient Forces, having changed Captains multiple times along the way, even rebuilt the hull several times. Others were newly created by strong new forces, and there are several system origins for Savior Ships, such as the Golden Sparrow Tower, Sky Wish Sect, True Origin Divine Sect, etc. We are from the Golden Sparrow Tower. And you?" You Can introduced amicably. "We are from the True Origin Divine Sect." Yu Hong didn¡¯t hide, responded directly. "For our initial contact, I won¡¯t invite you aboard as guests, but we can exchange contact methods. I have a small communication group for the Savior Ship. Would you like to join?" You Can said. "Is it possible?" Yu Hong was pleasantly surprised. "Navigating in the Source Disaster, and you can still communicate over long distances?" "Yes, the Source Disaster is chaotic, not always invincible. As long as it¡¯s not overly deep, in relatively safe comfort zones like now, communication isn¡¯t that difficult." You Can laughed. "I¡¯ll send you something, catch it." As he spoke. The Red Cloud¡¯s bottom clicked, ejecting a small yacht-like thing towards the Black Spirit. Soon, the yacht reached the entrance and stopped, then released a transparent bubble from its bottom. Having done this, the yacht turned back. Leaving the transparent bubble floating in the torrent of the Wind Disaster. Yu Hong sensed it, touching the bubble for a moment, ensuring there was no hint of danger inside. Only then did he move his mind, causing the Tai Ling Skill Inner Strength to extend from the Black Spirit, encasing the bubble, and pulling it back. Swoosh. In an instant, he opened the door to let it in, then shut it. With Inner Strength forming a barrier, not a single breeze from the Wind Disaster leaked inside after improved proficiency in such maneuvers. Yu Hong reached out, pinched the bubble, examining the contents inside. It was a notebook computer that appeared quite ordinary. "So this is the communicator?" He put the notebook down on the table and pressed the power button. Szz... A subtle sizzling sound arose. The computer screen flickered and then slowly lit up with sixteen gray dots. The dots lined up in a row, located at the top of the screen. Below the dots, on the large black portion of the screen, a dialogue box slowly emerged. ¡¯Choose a language.¡¯ Inside the dialogue box, the same phrase scrolled rapidly in various languages. Yu Hong immediately recognized Night Language. He promptly selected Night Language. The dialogue box ceased scrolling, then swiftly transitioned to new text. ¡¯Do you choose the current location as a new communication address? Yes, No.¡¯ "Yes." Yu Hong tapped the option. ¡¯Please state the communication address name in the corresponding language, ending with the word ¡¯end¡¯.¡¯ The dialogue box prompted again. Yu Hong followed precisely. Finally, after filling out a couple of query dialogue boxes, a seventeenth light dot appeared on the screen. ¡¯Communication connection starting....¡¯ The dialogue box hovered, motionless. About five seconds later. Under the eyes of Yu Hong and the others, all the light dots on the screen began changing. Including Yu Hong, seventeen dots total, with three turned green. Names were displayed beneath the green dots. ¡¯Red Cloud¡¯, ¡¯Black Spirit¡¯, ¡¯Light and Shadow¡¯. "Hello, can you hear me? I¡¯m You Can." The Red Cloud dot flashed, showing it was speaking. "I can hear you." The Light and Shadow dot began to flash, "Another new Captain joins us, welcome!" A lazy female voice came through. "Glad to join everyone." Yu Hong quickly greeted. "Young one? Sounds pretty fresh. You Can, where did you find him?" The Captain of Light and Shadow was surprised. "What do you mean where did I find him? I was resting in the safety zone, happened upon them as the Black Spirit approached." You Can explained. "Haha.... I believe you." The Captain of Light and Shadow laughed peculiarly. "Alright, let¡¯s stop with this nonsense, Captain Yu, this is our main communication platform. As long as we¡¯re not too deep into the Source Disaster, we can generally contact each other. Right now, the others aren¡¯t online, so you can talk to them when there¡¯s a chance." You Can explained. "Thank you very much!" Yu Hong sincerely thanked. At that moment, he truly felt that he wasn¡¯t alone. He wasn¡¯t isolated without support. At least there were so many Captains like him, striving to explore and find the ultimate land of vitality. "Thank what? Do you think we built this platform for nothing, it¡¯s for mutual help when needed. Exchange information with each other." You Can said. "Indeed, though the distance is too far for direct meaningful assistance. But even mere information support already helps to avoid the majority of dangers." The Captain of Light and Shadow agreed. "Just right, I have a question to ask." Yu Hong pondered for a moment, organizing his words. "All along, places I pass through always get destroyed shortly after I arrive. Is it just that I¡¯m coincidentally encountering worlds on the verge of destruction, or is it because of us bringing destruction upon them?" "It¡¯s because we are always at the crest of the wave... just like ocean waves, at the forefront we¡¯re being pushed along. The huge wave follows shortly after our arrival." You Can sighed, "In simple terms, this is how it initially is. If you don¡¯t constantly leave the ship to reset, the worlds you encounter will gradually change. Then you¡¯ll understand." "You mentioned making a single charge previously, how many times have you persisted this time?" Captain of Light and Shadow suddenly asked. Chapter 486: contact 2 "... Seventeen times..." You Can paused, his tone growing somber, "My first officer is dead, and half of the crew dissolved, so I had to return." "All of my people are dead;only I came back," the Captain of Light and Shadow said calmly. "You¡¯re just a captured felon, so it doesn¡¯t matter if you die. But it¡¯s different for me. I¡¯ve spent years training my crew..." You Can said in a deep voice. "True. So you should learn from me," the Captain of Light and Shadow said nonchalantly. "Alright, enough talk. I¡¯m heading to the supply base." The green light of Light and Shadow turned grey, and the connection was lost. Only Yu Hong and You Can were left. "Captain Yu, how many times has it been for you?" You Can asked. "I can¡¯t remember, didn¡¯t keep count. Probably five or six times," Yu Hong replied. "As you go further, the danger increases. Be cautious, especially at Wind Disaster. By the tenth time, we usually encounter Source Disaster tides and enter the Phoenix Eye region. The risks there are high, so prepare for the immense pressure. The internal pressure is hundreds of times greater than where we are now, extremely challenging. Be careful," You Can warned. "Thank you for the reminder!" Yu Hong said solemnly. "No need to thank me. It¡¯s rare for our two ships to meet;perhaps we can trade?" You Can said with a smile. "Trade what? What do you need?" Yu Hong was intrigued. "I¡¯m out of Human Pills for cultivation. Do you have capable crew members to sell? We can negotiate a price. I have various Cultivation Techniques, materials, and different types of captured slaves. Choose freely," You Can said casually. Yu Hong was stunned upon hearing this. "Human Pills? Are you using people to cultivate?" "Of course. We are saviors, just using some people to enhance power, nothing unusual," You Can said matter-of-factly. "They¡¯re not from our homeland, just some aliens, as strong as wild animals, just hunting really. I consume a few dozen each month, already quite economical." Hearing this, Yu Hong¡¯s crew trembled. Yu Hong¡¯s expression darkened. "Sorry, I¡¯m not selling my crew." Despite becoming increasingly indifferent, he couldn¡¯t accept using people as cultivation consumables. It wasn¡¯t about kindness;after all, he was human too, and it felt deeply unsettling. "No rush. We are captains;you might be young now, but you¡¯ll get used to it. Let¡¯s not talk about this. Do you have any rare materials? Even those collected in the Source Disaster?" You Can asked. "Do you know about the Heaven from Spirit Disaster? I have some eyeballs from the Three-Eyed Dragon Head Generals there. Want them?" Yu Hong answered. "Eyeballs...? Ah, no thanks, I know Heaven. It was a major force, later surrendered to the Spirit Disaster. Anything else?" You Can continued. Yu Hong revealed his materials, one by one. Unfortunately, none seemed to interest You Can. "Forget it. You¡¯re sailing in the shallow safe zones;the materials you gather are quite ordinary. If you have a chance to delve into the Source Disaster, materials from dangerous areas are valuable. If you visit the Black Hole Mountain in the Phoenix Eye, bring me a piece of Source Material. It¡¯s highly valued, and I can exchange anything you want for it," You Can said. "Sure..." Yu Hong agreed. Despite differing values, You Can initially helped him without malice. He couldn¡¯t be entirely cold to someone who was helpful. "Alright then, could you settle the cost of my communication equipment?" You Can suddenly asked. "Hmm?" Yu Hong was surprised, thinking it was a gift, but quickly realized. "Alright, pick something from what I have here." The computers capable of long-distance communication in the Source Disaster were undoubtedly precious. So he opened up his offer. "I have all your stuff;nothing catches my eye," You Can candidly replied. "What do we do? Can we defer it to next time?" Yu Hong felt helpless. "No way, who knows if we¡¯ll meet again. Communication doesn¡¯t guarantee a meeting. We must settle it now," You Can said seriously. He thought it over. "The only things that interest me are the Sword Spirit and the natural Goddess. Trade them for the completion of the trade," You Can offered. Yu Hong was taken aback. The Sword Spirit was clearly Chi Xiao, and the natural Goddess was the newly boarded Goddess Fisina. He didn¡¯t mind parting with Fisina, but Chi Xiao belonged to Ku Chan, useless as it was, it was still Ku Chan¡¯s companion! Untradeable. Besides, he had just said, he wouldn¡¯t trade people. "They¡¯re a Sword Spirit and a natural Goddess, not our kind. Is that an issue for you?" You Can reminded him. Clearly, he remembered Yu Hong¡¯s words, showing a considerate demeanor. Yu Hong remained silent for a while... "Sorry." Although no saint, he couldn¡¯t engage in such cruelty. "..." Silence enveloped Red Cloud. Evidently, Yu Hong¡¯s refusals had begun to frustrate You Can. This silent tension made Goddess Fisina and Chi Xiao shiver. Both watched Yu Hong closely, fearful he might agree to trade them away. After a long while, a voice finally emerged from Red Cloud. "In all my thousand years, Captain Yu, you¡¯re the hardest person I¡¯ve had to deal with," You Can¡¯s previously warm tone turned cold. "Since there¡¯s no trade possible, return my items. We can trade next time we meet." Yu Hong glanced at the laptop on the table, hesitating. "Sorry, I can¡¯t do that. I need it too," Yu Hong replied. "... Are you going to steal it?" You Can¡¯s tone became hostile. "Of course not. I can owe it to you, and we can set a place and time to meet next time and complete the trade," Yu Hong seriously proposed. "Quit the nonsense!" You Can was furious. "Once more, give it back or not?" "Here¡¯s the deal. I have a power you might need," Yu Hong suddenly remembered something. "I can temporarily enhance any living being¡¯s physical attributes manifold. If you need it, use this for trade," Yu Hong offered. "The Light Disaster radiation from your ship? I want people for Human Pills for cultivation! You give me enhanced people from Source Disaster? Are you trying to kill me!?!" You Can was finally enraged. "I truly had no idea it would be problematic!" Yu Hong frowned, quickly explaining. "Return the item, now!" You Can demanded furiously. Yu Hong, helpless, folded the laptop, enveloped it in Inner Strength, opened the door, and tossed it out. The laptop spun toward the Red Cloud¡¯s main ship, disappearing mid-air, as if by Instantaneous Movement, appearing at an inlet on Red Cloud¡¯s side. "Now, leave my sight immediately!" You Can¡¯s spiritual power pierced through Black Black Spirit, his voice full of anger. "I..." Yu Hong wanted to say more. Suddenly, a thirty-meter long ice spear materialized in front of Red Cloud. The spear¡¯s tip shimmered with a rainbow radiance, its surface gleaming with golden runes like engravings. "Begone!!" Hiss!! In an instant, the spear shot forth, appearing just in front of Black Black Spirit, striking its outer Array. Boom! A thunderous crash. A terrifying force shook the entire safe house, causing violent tremors. The Array on the safe house¡¯s surface groaned, on the verge of collapse. Yu Hong¡¯s expression darkened;the Tai Ling Skill spread out, forming a small red-purple vortex blocking the spear¡¯s tip. Buzz! Two immense forces fiercely clashed. A second later. Both forces exploded simultaneously. The red-purple and platinum-hued auras erupted, scattering. The explosion¡¯s immense force hurled the safe house far away, heading into the unknown depths of the Wind Disaster. "Pure brute force even surpasses mine slightly..." Yu Hong¡¯s expression shifted;he had just reached the Seventh Layer of Tai Ling Skill and encountered an opponent nearly equal to him. What a coincidence. In that initial exchange, he hadn¡¯t used much power. Upon realizing something was wrong, he quickly applied full force, noticing the opponent matched him, enhancing their power similarly. Thus, a simple venting attack became a distant show of contesting might. The result: the opponent had immense brute force, but his Inner Strength was more substantial. In an actual fight, other factors would determine the outcome. "Next time, I¡¯ll have a proper fight with him. Such quick temper isn¡¯t good." Now, as he continued to release Inner Strength, stabilizing Black Black Spirit, Yu Hong surveyed the surroundings. The ship was amid a pale Wind Disaster torrent, the colors much lighter than before. Ahead, colorful vortices of varying sizes appeared and disappeared. Evidently on the verge of entering another world. Yu Hong immediately focused, shielding Black Black Spirit, instinctively rushing into a vortex, disappearing from sight. * * * Inside Red Cloud. A five-meter-tall bald giant in heavy snow-white Ice Armor sat on a throne of ice, blue eyes filled with deep rage. "Black Black Spirit... Captain Yu, I¡¯ll remember you!" You Can growled lowly, raising his right hand. His arm entangled in a strange, semi-transparent red-purple energy ribbon. The energy clung like a band, eroding his body, resistant to his ice powers. "Immortal Realm...! Old man, I underestimated you! Fine... Next time, I¡¯ll bring my grandfather, and show you that even the Immortal can¡¯t do whatever they please!!" Crack. With a crisp sound, You Can¡¯s arm showed fine cracks. The part wrapped by Tai Ling Skill, was turning more red and purple. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Overwhelmed by agony, he couldn¡¯t help but wail. "Quick! Return to the clan!!" The surrounding crew exchanged glances, rapidly steering the ship away from the Wind Disaster. Chapter 487: contact three In the vortex, countless colorful lines twisted and writhed around. Simultaneously, there seemed to be particle-like matter similar to wind and sand pattering against the outer wall, making a crackling sound. Inside the Black Spirit, everyone clung tightly to the handrails, waiting for the ship to reach its final stable state. Yu Hong stood before the circular window of the main control room, gazing ahead. The entire vessel appeared to be traversing a deep tunnel, with the forces of the Wind Disaster rapidly weakening. The number and density of colorful lines were also decreasing continuously. A few minutes later. Boom. The ship jolted fiercely. Bursting out of the vortex tunnel, it crashed heavily into a pitch-black muddy ground. The front half of the ship was deeply embedded into the ground, stuck there, motionless. Yu Hong exhaled and looked outside through the window. Outside lay a vast black plain. Sparsely, dark green short grass grew on the plain, with only occasional clusters of small shrubs. In the distance, pillars of black smoke were rising to the sky, staining the evening sky a gloomy grey-black. Bang bang bang bang! A continuous barrage of artillery fire resounded from afar, audible even through the safety house. It was known that the safety house had soundproofing, so the fact that such sounds could penetrate it meant their intensity was extremely high. Yu Hong stood by the window, watching the incessant explosions in the distance, as clusters of compact fireballs exploded one after another. At the edge of the plain, two modern mechanized troops were engaged in a frontal battle. Dense as ants, the soldiers held their guns and charged toward each other with heads down. Bullets and shells rained down like raindrops, falling into the opposite positions. Squadrons of aircraft screeched past above the Black Spirit, swooping towards the battle zone. Yu Hong paid no heed, instead carefully surveying the surroundings and sensing the terrain. The ship¡¯s body was located just behind a small hill. Though artillery fire filled the distance, here it was tranquil. After a while, the distant bombarding ceased, and a vaguely amplified automatic repeating voice drifted over. Yu Hong did not activate the safety house to leave but waited quietly, observing. In his vision, a black-green jeep was quickly approaching from a great distance. The driver and a sturdy bald man in sunglasses were seated in the jeep. As they drew closer, the jeep soon reached the vicinity of the safety house. The bald man got out of the car, shaking out his crumpled black leather jacket. Then he walked to the side of the safety house. Knock knock. He tapped lightly, seemingly confirming something. Yu Hong left the main control room and returned to the first floor, where everyone was gathered, peering through the windows at the outside. "Captain." Seeing Yu Hong emerge, Ku Chan made some space for him. "Should we open the window to make contact?" "Not for now." Yu Hong shook his head, having observed the technological and military aspects from afar, which so far seemed average. The Red Vine Metal from before was yet unused, still awaiting the sorting of the Black Mark. Now both the safety house and his Outer Eye needed continuous enhancement. "Let¡¯s observe first." He went to the window, watching as the bald man leaned toward the glass, breathed onto it, and then wiped it vigorously, seemingly to get a clearer view. Then, someone from the car called out to the man. He turned, waving a hand to them, then looked around momentarily, turned halfway, and went to the side of the safety house. Subsequently, he undid his belt.... Tss. Yu Hong sighed, a thought crossing his mind as he instantly evaporated the bald man¡¯s urine with his Inner Strength. Afterward, the bald man contentedly refastened his trousers, got back into the jeep, bypassed the safety house, and continued on his way. "It seems he was just passing through," Ku Chan remarked. "Passing by to take a leak in a secluded spot before moving on, I suppose?" Chi Xiao said, speechless. "No big deal, let¡¯s focus on our tasks. This time, we¡¯re not interacting with the outside world;once time is up, we¡¯ll head to the next destination," Yu Hong asserted. "I¡¯m just curious. Given that the further we go, the more dangerous it gets, this place doesn¡¯t seem much different from before. Where¡¯s the danger?" Ku Chan asked, frowning. "Not apparent as of now," Yu Hong shook his head. "However, with the Black Spirit¡¯s array broken, the outer wall no longer has its concealing effect. We¡¯d best leave in twenty minutes." "Fix it amidst the Wind Disaster? Can it be repaired well this time? The array sure breaks quickly," Chi Xiao said, exasperated. "It is a bit bothersome. But the array was never meant for strength as its core," Yu Hong admitted, finding it broke too swiftly. "Here¡¯s a suggestion: forgo the array. Since our outer wall is strong enough, we can simply withstand attacks," Chi Xiao proposed. "That won¡¯t work either. Last time, in Heaven, without the array¡¯s concealment, we wouldn¡¯t have survived," Yu Hong shook his head. "Then let¡¯s do this: repair the array but don¡¯t activate it unless absolutely necessary," Fisina suggested. "That works. As long as it¡¯s not activated, the outer wall will serve as the first defense, prioritizing it to withstand attacks before the array buffers," Yu Hong agreed. "Come, dinner¡¯s ready," Yiyi brought over steaming dumplings and served everyone a bowl of radish and rib soup. "Time to eat," Chi Xiao muttered, being the first to sit down, "afterwards there¡¯s gaming to do." The others joined the table, speechlessly following suit. Fisina and Ku Chan sincerely thanked Yiyi, while Little White Dragon bowed his head silently but nodded to Yiyi in gratitude. Yu Hong was the last to take his seat at the head. After the meal. The time had almost come. In about twenty minutes, the safety house could continue on the next leg of their journey. Yu Hong gestured to summon several Speed Men to wash the dishes while he went alone to the window. He gazed at the peaceful black plain outside. "Hmm?" Suddenly, he murmured, focusing his keen eyesight on the distant sky. At some point, an expanse of grey-black clouds had appeared there. Those clouds took on an odd shape, like a massive grey-black funnel, broader at the top, narrower toward the bottom, connecting to a point on the ground, and slowly moving. Yu Hong concentrated further, his uncovered left eye momentarily glinting with gray. Immediately, the scenery thousands of meters away zoomed in, becoming exceptionally clear. It turned out there was a person!! The funnel cloud connected to the ground at its base, and it was actually a person. A bald-headed, dark-skinned, tall man with black smoke rolling from his eyes, mouth, and nose. The man wore a simple black trench coat and trousers, exposing a robust chest. He faced a vast mechanized army in front of him alone, his mouth slightly moving as if speaking. The distance was far, and Yu Hong didn¡¯t step outside the safety house, unable to hear the conversation due to the outer wall¡¯s obstruction. He contemplated for a moment before reaching out, opening a crack in the window. Instantly, through the gap, his enormous spiritual power surged out, amplifying his senses and receiving the faint messages drifting from afar. "....*#@!&£¤*@." He heard the voice but couldn¡¯t understand the language at all. Yu Hong furrowed his brow. He had to put on a translator, collect data, establish a new language database, and continue observing the situation from afar. The black-skinned bald man spoke for a while before he seemed to grow impatient, extending his hand and clenching it distantly. Instantly, a large number of tanks and armored vehicles on his right twisted, exploded, and turned into a sea of fire. "That move is quite strong," Ku Chan remarked, now at his side, sensing the scene. His spiritual power was much stronger than Yu Hong¡¯s, so naturally, he could also sense the situation. At this moment, having witnessed it from afar, Ku Chan¡¯s face showed a hint of surprise. "But it¡¯s fortunate;we can do that too," Yu Hong nodded. "But not as effortlessly as he does. It seems like he just casually reached out and clenched his fist," Ku Chan shook his head. "That¡¯s true indeed," Yu Hong affirmed. "It seems he¡¯s negotiating with the army." By this time, the armies finally cowered, rapidly retreating and leaving the plain. The black-skinned bald man in the trench coat turned his head, his pitch-black gaze directed at Yu Hong¡¯s location. Swish! The next second, he crossed several thousand meters, appearing ten meters in front of the safety house. Such an instant leap startled both Yu Hong and Ku Chan. Even the Heaven¡¯s Cai Jing Taoist and Immortal Generals could only make instant movements this far. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Hello," the bald man in the trench coat spoke. "You are...!?" Yu Hong was surprised to hear the Night Language of Yu Zhong from him. "I overheard you talking just now. Coincidentally, I also know the Night Language. I am Lien Wiseman, ending this war. And you are?" the bald man said calmly. "I¡¯m Captain Yu. We are free voyagers, merely arriving here by chance. After a short stay, we are preparing to head to the next destination," Yu Hong replied. "A ship?" Lien¡¯s eyes, swirling with black aura, scanned the Black Spirit. "You are peculiar. I thought I was the only superpower user on this planet. Turns out it seems you also possess strong special energy." "Superpower user?" Yu Hong felt the composition of energy particles in the air, then his expression suddenly changed. "You sensed it too?" Lien noticed his change in expression. "Yes, this place is... very dangerous," Yu Hong nodded. "Indeed, that is why I gather all forces, all nations for a united purpose. I need the support of all power to fight against a continuous and immense threat," Lien said solemnly. He gazed at Yu Hong, pausing briefly. "Friend, since you¡¯re here, why not stay? Remain here, and I can offer you anything you desire. Help me, will you?" Yu Hong noticed the extremely high concentration of Red Value permeating the air. This place was about to be corroded by the Black Disaster, no... it had probably been eroded for quite some time. The level of Red Value Radiation in the air was alarmingly high, exceeding a hundred. Yet eerily, no shadows were seen around. Perhaps everything was linked to the man before him. "Sorry, we¡¯re just passing through," Yu Hong declined directly. His aim wasn¡¯t to linger and fight, wasting his time, but to journey with the Savior Ship in search of the true final land of vitality. "Refusal? Why? By staying you can enjoy supreme services and resources. Hundreds of billions would revolve around you, considering everything imaginable or unimaginable," Lien frowned. "Sorry, we have our targets," Yu Hong responded. "..." Lien paused in silence. "That¡¯s a real pity." "In that case, then like this. I hope you stay. Since fate has brought us together, it must be fate¡¯s arrangement." Chapter 488: contact four "I¡¯ve already said it. We¡¯re just passing by..." Yu Hong frowned. "No worries, I won¡¯t allow you to leave. Once you¡¯ve passed by and settled down, you¡¯ll fall in love with this place in time," Lien replied. "What do you mean by this?" Yu Hong stared at him, sensing something off in his tone. "I don¡¯t care where you come from, or where you wish to go, your objectives, dreams, or ideals. None of this concerns me," Lien continued. "Since I¡¯ve encountered you, this is where your journey ends." "You speak quite boldly," Ku Chan couldn¡¯t help but comment from the side, faint Red Food Method Inner Strength surging within him. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Do you have an opinion?" Lien looked at him. "What do you think?" Ku Chan¡¯s hand loosely gripped, naturally forming a flaming longsword. "Don¡¯t be rash," Yu Hong reached out to stop him. "Don¡¯t be so domineering, perhaps we can make a deal," Yu Hong suggested again. "A deal?" Lien¡¯s voice grew calmer. "What kind of deal?" "I need the best..." Boom! Yu Hong hadn¡¯t finished his sentence when the entire safe house suddenly shook with a massive boom. As if something had slammed down hard from above. The loud noise numbed everyone inside. For a moment, nothing could be heard. Yu Hong¡¯s expression changed dramatically, and he finally sensed that above, a mass of dark thunderclouds was slowly rotating. At the center of the thunderclouds, a black-purple electric light descended for the second time. On the opposite side, Lien was surrounded by black energy and extended his hand, gripping the safe house fiercely. "I don¡¯t need any deal;everything I see should be mine. Since you arrived, you are all mine. This world can only have a future, can only continue to exist, by concentrating all resources and power onto one person¡ªme!" His face was cold, and he exerted his strength again. The entire Black Black Spirit safe house in front of him was now enveloped by massive black energy, with huge dark purple lightning bolts continuously falling from the sky. Boom boom boom boom! Amidst the thunderous sounds, countless dispersed purple electric arcs exploded craters of varying sizes into the ground surrounding the safe house. The earth was charred, smoking, and burning. Lien clenched his fist for a moment and, confirming there was no more movement, finally released his grip. The black smoke dissipated in front of him, revealing the Black Black Spirit inside. "To be honest, my thoughts are the same as yours." Suddenly, a voice sounded next to his ear. Lien jerked his head to see a purple eye right next to him, within two meters of his side. So close! Yet he hadn¡¯t sensed anything! The next moment. Whoosh! A massive hand, almost the size of his head, smashed down from above with a boom. Boom!!! A loud explosion erupted. Circles of transparent ripples spread like water waves. The next second. The water waves collapsed. Lien had disappeared from where he stood. Boom!!! The ground collapsed, blasting open an exaggerated pit with a diameter of more than ten meters. The soil exploded like bullets in all directions, causing a radial trace farther out. Yu Hong floated in mid-air, slowly landing, his boots touching down at the edge of the pit. He flexed his right hand, looking into the pit. "How does it feel?" "...." Crack. At the bottom of the pit, a blood-soaked figure slowly stood up, looking up at him. "It was my oversight... and carelessness. But sneak attacks will only succeed once!" Lien gritted his teeth, spreading his arms wide as a massive amount of black smoke surged rapidly beside him, rising like a giant pillar of smoke. "Thunder Emperor!" He yelled. Boom!! Above their heads, countless purple electric arcs converged to a point, forming a dazzling purple light. Sss!! A purple-black tear far thicker than all previous lightning bolts crashed down violently, aiming at Yu Hong. With an electric speed exceeding 150,000 meters per second, it was naturally impossible for Yu Hong to avoid. But he didn¡¯t need to dodge. Tai Ling Skill naturally protected him, with Immortal Inner Strength swirling to form a red-purple light barrier in front of him. Boom¡ªanother loud explosion. Countless purple-black currents madly counteracted Tai Ling Skill¡¯s inner strength. But it meant nothing. Yu Hong, who had constructed the Light Well, now had infinite inner strength. Theoretically, he could now unleash inner strength continuously, even capable of destroying the entire world. "Ordinary lightning, pure energy." He extended his hand, with numerous inner strengths forcibly enveloping, encasing, and shrinking the lightning into a mass of purple-black lightning ball, suspended in his palm. "It¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve seen such simple and unadorned power...." Poof. He gently pinched it. The lightning ball shattered like a soap bubble, vanishing. Since entering the Source Disaster, see what things he had been exposed to. Whether it was the mixing of Source Disasters or godly and magical power, pure natural lightning energy was as rare as a giant panda. Such power was primitive, pure, yet relatively weak. "....How...how could it be!!?" Lien widened his eyes in disbelief, the black smoke on him trembling and twisting violently, clearly with his intense emotional upheaval, his strength fluctuated. At this moment, he saw Yu Hong¡¯s strange purple fluorescent eyes again. "No! It shouldn¡¯t be like this!!" Lien¡¯s voice trembled. He spread his arms wide. "I¡¯m the savior, I¡¯m the protagonist of everything, the incarnation of destiny!!" "To be honest, your strength is actually very powerful. Extremely strong," Yu Hong nodded. "If you hadn¡¯t encountered me, perhaps someone else might have indeed fallen prey to you." "So...." Yu Hong flicked his fingers. A point of white Spirit Light shot out, precisely entering Lien¡¯s forehead. "A small punishment to set an example." After doing this, he turned around and, with a flash, instantly returned to the safe house. The instantaneous movement ability carried by the Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill was still very useful. Combined with Tai Ling Skill, it achieved an almost instant kill effect. "Captain is amazing!!" Ku Chan looked at the reappeared Yu Hong, giving a thumbs up in admiration. He had just simulated if he were facing Lien as an opponent, they might be evenly matched. He could try to use spiritual power for a special attack. But crushing victory like Captain Yu Hong¡¯s was beyond reach. He felt that although he had also grown stronger, the captain seemed to have improved even more. Just now, if it were him, he couldn¡¯t have withstood it. "How about now?" "We should leave," Yu Hong said softly. He closed the window and activated the Black Black Spirit in his heart. Countless colorful lines emerged around, surrounding the ship. "A long time ago, I guessed that in facing a Source Disaster, some people would fight desperately and unite with everyone to strive together. There would also inevitably be those who forcibly gathered the resources and strength of others, strengthening themselves selfishly. This Lien merely confirmed my previous suspicions." "Let¡¯s go to the next place, never to come out again. This time was an exception," Yu Hong locked the window, seeing Lien climbing out of the pit, looking at this side in distress. He waved his hand at the other. The next moment, the colored lines engulfed everything, and the Black Black Spirit once again dived deep into the Wind Disaster. The howling and crashing sounds returned. Outside the window, those massive human faces like meteors once again swarmed against the direction of the safe house, flying towards Lien¡¯s world. Yu Hong watched these Wind Disaster face monsters in silence. "They¡¯ve come again! These monsters!" Ku Chan¡¯s voice came from beside him. Crack. Suddenly, Yu Hong extended his hand, quickly opening the window switch. This action startled everyone inside the house, causing them to shiver. "Wait, Captain you...." "Captain, what are you trying to do!?" "Dangerous!! Opening the window at this time will get those face monsters to notice us!!" Ku Chan, Fisina, and Chi Xiao hurriedly exclaimed. But Yu Hong¡¯s speed was so fast that they couldn¡¯t stop him;he had already clicked it open, pulling the window open, and dashed out. At this point, a large number of face monsters, at least thousands or tens of thousands strong, like a warm gray shoal of fish, swooped downward. Suddenly a red-purple humanoid light spot appeared among them. "moluo!!" All nearby face monsters turned, emitting cries of anguish, rushing towards Yu Hong. "Does it hurt?" Yu Hong¡¯s face was calm as he spread his arms wide. "Let me try to give you release...." Crack. In an instant, a circle of red-purple light halo, centered on him, exploded and spread in all directions. Whoosh!! The Immortal Tai Ling Skill Inner Strength, released infinitely at full power. In just a few seconds, it covered an area with a diameter of several kilometers, enveloping all face monsters within, turning them into a massive red-purple light ball! Inside the light ball, the power belonging to Light Disaster fiercely assaulted the face monsters. But such an assault also seemed to infuriate the power of Wind Disaster, like pouring a bowl of water into a pot of oil. In a flash, around the red-purple light ball, all the colorful lines of Wind Disaster began to emit a glaring colorful light. Their speed increased drastically, encircling the light ball and slicing rapidly at its surface. The powers of Light Disaster and Wind Disaster fiercely clashed and annihilated each other. Poof! Finally, in the seventh second, the light ball shattered and exploded. The countless face monsters inside had dissolved down to just a sparse few dozen heads left. Yu Hong seized the opportunity to fly out, catching up with the safe house ahead, activating instantaneous movement. A flash. He reappeared inside the safe house. Whoosh! He knelt on the ground, exhausted from the brief confrontation. Infinite Inner Strength was still fine, but the exhaustion stemmed from spiritual power. In the premise of infinite Inner Strength, the speed of energy transmission depends on how much spiritual power you can control. It¡¯s like a water pipe¡ªthe supply of water is unlimited, but the thickness of the pipe determines how fast the water flows. And spiritual power is the thickness of this pipe. "Captain! Are you alright!" Ku Chan rushed over to support him. Yiyi handed him a glass of water, worried. "I¡¯m fine.... I was just testing to see if I could redirect or slow down those monsters¡¯ direction," Yu Hong felt his power surge, confidence swelling, wanting to test his limits. "It seems I was too arrogant..." he stood up and drank the water in one gulp, smiling wryly. At this moment, those face monsters outside the window quickly reappeared, recovering. The numbers naturally restored to the previous count, as if nothing had happened. "....no..." Chi Xiao suddenly said from in front of the window. "Captain, it seems you¡¯ve succeeded...." He pointed outside, speaking to the somewhat startled Yu Hong. "The monster horde seems to have changed direction!" Chapter 489: Exchange One "Did it really change course??" Yu Hong walked to the window, staring in shock at the scenery outside. Within the colorful lines, those gray faces indeed no longer rushed in the previous direction, but instead turned, diving straight into another vortex, and soon their numbers dwindled until they disappeared. Watching this scene, the fatigue on Yu Hong seemed to gradually dissipate. "It seems like, perhaps, I can really change something...." "Should we record this?" Fisina suddenly said, "All the way here, I noticed you don¡¯t seem to keep any log of your experiences." "What¡¯s the use of a log?" Ku Chan asked. "I don¡¯t know, maybe to combat forgetting, it always serves as a memento." Fisina shook her head. "Then record it, you¡¯ll be in charge of it." Yu Hong glanced at her. "...." Fisina was speechless. Leaving the world of that neurotic bald Superpower User, Black Black Spirit slowly began to accelerate in the Wind Disaster. As Yu Hong¡¯s Power increased, it seemed even the ship¡¯s speed improved along with it. Day by day passed. The next world was long overdue. Everyone on the ship returned to their previous routine lives once more. Yu Hong continued diligently practicing the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye, and unknowingly, more than a month passed. Tap. Ku Chan stood by the window, gazing at the passing colorful lines of the Wind Disaster, his eyes distant, unsure of what memories he was reliving. Fisina and White Dragon were whispering behind him;since Fisina took on the task of keeping a log, she had proactively resumed guiding White Dragon. It seemed she had now found her key position on the ship. Footsteps echoed up the stairs. Yu Hong slowly walked up. "Outside is always like this, no dawn, no night, so we can only use clocks to determine time." He sighed. "Yes, but it¡¯s been so many days and we still haven¡¯t arrived;we might have traveled to a very distant place this time." Ku Chan frowned. "We¡¯re almost there, I sensed it, which is why I came up to prepare." Yu Hong walked to the window, gazing outside. "It¡¯s here!" Bang!! The next second, the ship crashed into a black vortex, disappearing in an instant. This time there wasn¡¯t much tumbling;the enhancements last time seemed to have strengthened many details, and in terms of balance, the Black Mark patched this shortcoming for the first time. In the black vortex. In less than two seconds, Black Black Spirit rushed out, entering a grayish-yellow expanse. "What is this? Yellow fog?" Ku Chan approached the window, looking outside. Outside the window was shrouded in a thick yellow substance, making visibility extremely low, only allowing vague outlines of something moving in the distance. Yu Hong also frowned, moving closer to look outside. Sizzle! Finally, Black Black Spirit seemed to have dashed out of this yellow region once again. Outside the window, it suddenly opened up to reveal a vast expanse of grayish-yellow sky. The sky was actually yellow. Both of them were somewhat surprised, but when their gazes moved downward, they revealed even more astonished expressions. "What the... is this place!?" Ku Chan rarely used such words to describe things. But at this moment, he really didn¡¯t know how to describe what he was seeing. Underneath the grayish-yellow sky was a vast complex of buildings constructed from yellow cardboard. Towering skyscrapers several dozen floors high were actually all built from cardboard with textures and logos. Not only that, Yu Hong even saw groups of cardboard-shaped people between these buildings! These people had dense horizontal lines on their bodies, with faces beaming with bright smiles, as if everyone was in a good mood. But when Yu Hong enhanced his eyesight for a closer look, he discovered that all these smiles were drawn on with black pen. Moreover, the cars, birds, and cats and dogs between the buildings were all made out of the same kind of yellow cardboard. Their movements appeared quite unnatural, not smooth. It was like a series of fixed animation frames being flipped through. "What the... where have we ended up?" The others also realized something was amiss and gathered by the window, gazing out. Yu Hong didn¡¯t speak, instead, he gazed into the distance. At this moment, the safe house was high in the air, seemingly tilting and plummeting away from this city of cardboard. He looked in the direction where Black Black Spirit was about to fall. Ten seconds later. Bang! The whole safe house heavily hit the ground, carving a deep trench in the earth before quickly settling into silence. Yu Hong went to the Main Control Room and looked out of the circular window;amazingly, the ground they crashed into was also cardboard-like. The dirt that splattered was all paper scraps too. On the right side of the safe house was a river meandering and flowing, filled entirely with yellow paper scraps. Fish made of paper occasionally leaped from the river, seemingly startled by the safe house¡¯s impact. "It¡¯s stopped." Ku Chan followed him to the Main Control Room. "Do we want to go out and take a look? This place... feels quite peculiar." "No need. We won¡¯t stay long and will soon be on our way." Yu Hong couldn¡¯t think of what help this world might offer him. "We¡¯ve come this far, don¡¯t you feel it¡¯s a waste not to experience it?" Ku Chan said, "If I weren¡¯t following you, Captain, I¡¯d never have known such a bizarre world existed." "If you want to go, then go." Yu Hong chuckled;it was rare to see Ku Chan like this. "Then I¡¯ll go out first and see if it¡¯s safe, and then everyone can come out for some fresh air, okay?" "Alright." Yu Hong nodded. "Just twenty minutes." "Understood." Immediately, Ku Chan went out to find the others. Only Yu Hong was left alone, standing with his hands behind his back in front of the circular window, looking out. In the grayish-yellow sky outside, even the sun was a large ball wrapped in yellow cardboard, continuously emitting light rays resembling yellow paper scraps. The paper scraps shot out but disappeared soon after. Click. The door of the safe house opened. Yu Hong saw Ku Chan stepping out, cautiously stepping onto the ground. After confirming it was solid and could hold his weight, Ku Chan continued moving forward. Before long, he stopped by the river, crouched down, and stirred the river water with his hand. When he brought his hand up, there was not a drop of water, only paper scraps. Having walked around and confirmed no danger, Ku Chan returned to the safe house. After a few minutes, soon everyone, including Fisina and White Dragon Gabriela, carefully walked out of the safe house. Initially, they were a bit reserved, but soon they let loose. Fisina found a paper bug in the grass and started playing with it in her hand. Yiyi also got off the ship and tinkered in the river. Rustle! A sound of paper scraps rang out. She actually caught a more than one-meter long big yellow fish with both hands from the river! The yellow fish was also made of paper, twisting and struggling in her hands. Hiss. Chi Xiao was about to say something when the next moment he saw Yiyi tear the fish apart. It fell apart into a piece of yellow cardboard. Tore it apart!? His old eyes widened, but before he could say anything, he saw Yiyi fold the fish back up. Thwack. The big yellow fish slapped Yiyi across the face and leaped out of her hands, back into the river. "It can do that?" Chi Xiao was dumbfounded. Not only was he stunned, but the others were also dumbfounded. Soon, Ku Chan plucked a grass from the ground, carefully unwrapped it, and flattened it into a sheet. After a few seconds, he reassembled it. The grass was still intact, and even the basic scratches were automatically restored. "What the heck is this place!??" he was genuinely shocked. But in the next second, he thought of something. "Wait, if the paper here all has this property...." He quickly dug up a bunch of paper-soil from the ground, and then spread it flat. After a few seconds, these soil fragments connected to form a large sheet of paper. Then, Ku Chan began practicing his childhood skill: folding paper cranes! With dexterous hands, he swiftly folded the large sheet of paper into a human-sized paper crane! Once it was folded, he waited for about ten seconds. The paper crane clicked, and its wings moved! Under everyone¡¯s dumbstruck eyes, it flapped its wings and flew into the air! "It can do that!!?" Everyone else was also stunned. Soon, they all started learning from Ku Chan. Digging up paper from the ground, spreading it flat into large sheets, and then folding. Quickly, someone folded a little pig, which ran around on the ground. Someone folded a warship, which actually started up when placed in the river, even puffing a little smoke, and moved quite swiftly. While everyone was having a great time, in the Main Control Room, Yu Hong saw something else important. ¡¯This paper is so magical! If I use it to make a Talisman Array, talisman paper? It might create a special talisman with vitality!¡¯ His first thought was of battle. ¡¯Secondly, it could be used to test some dangerous areas. But on this note, I have the Fear Shadow, so it¡¯s unnecessary.¡¯ Watching the joyful people outside, Yu Hong unknowingly also relaxed. This place really didn¡¯t seem dangerous;the folding activities gave him a momentary illusion of returning to childhood. Twenty minutes quickly passed. Ku Chan gradually led everyone back into the safe house. Each person brought back a small folded paper work of their own. Yiyi was even more straightforward;she dug soil, using the safe house¡¯s large containers, and filled three entire boxes with paper-soil. While others were playing, she was digging soil;while they were folding animals, she was digging soil. When others started using folded things to fight each other, she was still digging soil. Buzz. Black Black Spirit began to start again. The colorful lines around interwove and appeared. The whole safe house started gradually sinking into it, disappearing. Yu Hong looked at the scenery outside, gradually watching everything be submerged and obscured by colorful lines. He exhaled. Knock knock knock. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Come in." Turning around, he saw Yiyi carefully pushing the door open and stepping in, "This is for you." She took out what she was hiding behind her back. It was a butterfly folded out of paper. The butterfly was entirely yellow, with wings flapping gently. "Thank you..." Yu Hong smiled, reaching out to take the butterfly, placing it on his shoulder. "Hehe... it¡¯s really fun here. If only we could always stay here." Yiyi laughed. "Yes... it¡¯s quite interesting." Yu Hong nodded in agreement. Suddenly, he had a premonition that this world might just be the beginning, a turning point. In the future, the subsequent worlds would change rapidly, far beyond those encountered before. Black Black Spirit sailed steadily and quickly through the Wind Disaster. The colorful lines around were like waves, alternating between rapid and slow, and occasionally, meteors with faces would brush past, diving into some nearby black vortices. Chapter 490: exchange two Finally, more than ten days later. The Wind Disaster colors around the Black Black Spirit had already begun to turn somewhat dim and deep. The surrounding whirlpools also quickly decreased. At first, these whirlpools were plentiful and easy to spot, each one being the entrance to a world. But now, it often takes more than ten minutes of navigation to see a whirlpool. "It seems that since the Paper Shell World incident, we have officially entered a deeper area. The density and intensity are completely different from before." Ku Chan stood by Yu Hong¡¯s side, looking out together. "That¡¯s true. How are the others doing? I see you all folding things every day, even little Jiafei has become much happier," Yu Hong smiled and said. "They¡¯re alright. That live paper is indeed fun. The more complex the folds, the closer to reality it becomes, the more lifelike it is... it feels like creating life!" Ku Chan sighed. Even he couldn¡¯t resist secretly folding figures of his parents and wife and daughter, but unfortunately, they ended up being completely new people, without past memories or personalities, even with very low intelligence. So, he eventually had to unravel them again. "As long as you¡¯re happy." Yu Hong nodded, "I¡¯ve observed that we¡¯re about to reach the next place. Be prepared." "Okay, I¡¯ll go notify the others." Ku Chan nodded and turned to leave the Main Control Room. Yu Hong turned his head to continue looking outside. In the distance, a dim gray-black whirlpool was rapidly approaching. Unlike before, this time the Black Black Spirit flew straight toward the whirlpool without any hesitation. Woo~~~ Suddenly Yu Hong seemed to sense something. He turned his gaze in a direction of the Wind Disaster. Crash! With a dull thud, before reaching the whirlpool, the Black Black Spirit seemed to break through some barrier and suddenly entered a vast colorful space. Within the space, what came into view were giant yellow human faces like sunflowers. These faces were different in form from the meteors before, resembling ordinary planets floating amidst the Wind Disaster, Each with a radiant smile, each enormous and incomparable. The relatively large Black Black Spirit, next to these human face planets, was as unremarkable as a soccer ball next to sesame seeds. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The gray eyeballs of the faces also seemed to notice Yu Hong¡¯s arrival, their gazes converging on him. Woo woo woo~~~ Woo woo~~~ The human face planets puckered their lips occasionally, emitting deep and strange sounds. The successive strange sounds numbed everyone within the Black Black Spirit. Among the gigantic human face planets, the Black Black Spirit maneuvered agilely, accelerating through them. At last. A minute later. The ship charged fiercely into the black whirlpool. Darkness engulfed them. Yu Hong breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that the gigantic human face planets did not actively attack. Looking at the black whirlpool passage outside. He reached out to pinch a paper butterfly, gently stroking it. Waiting for it to end. Whoosh!! The ship surged out of the darkness, then rapidly stabilized. Outside the window was a huge snow-white planet. The Black Black Spirit was floating in space, passing by this planet. Yu Hong felt his body beginning to lose weight, and immediately activated the gravity simulation Array in his mind. Soon, everything in the Safe House floated up but quickly fell and stabilized. Yu Hong looked at the white planet outside the window, then glanced at the massive silver-blue space station orbiting it. The space station resembled a large combination of sharp mountains, with starlight flickering on its surface. From afar, large bizarre creatures covered in Golden Light could be seen flying back and forth between the peaks. "Looks like we arrived at an incredible place..." Yu Hong squinted. Clearly, civilization at this level of development and force far exceeded any he had encountered before. It seemed the appearance of the Black Black Spirit had caught the attention of the gigantic space station. A small spaceship silently launched from below the space station, quickly approaching. "This is Absolute Balance Floating City, unknown visitor, please cease advancing immediately. This is a private security zone. All external entities are prohibited from releasing Instantaneous Movement, teleportation, or any similar spells." An icy, emotionless male voice connected with Yu Hong¡¯s perception, rapidly conveying the message. "Floating City!?" Yu Hong instantly thought of Fisina¡¯s specialty there. To avoid conflict, he halted the Safe House¡¯s progress, staying still in place to wait. Then he left the Main Control Room and went to the first level. Everyone had already arrived by then. "Did you all hear that Spiritual Power announcement?" Yu Hong asked. "Yes, we all heard it," Ku Chan nodded, "Fisina mentioned there¡¯s a strong Divine presence here, and the elemental energy is extremely terrifying, so we should be cautious." Yu Hong looked at Fisina, the little Goddess puffed up her chest and continued. "I can confirm, this is definitely a much more advanced Arcane world than mine. From that Floating City outside, I sensed a great number of Divine presences. Each presence outstrips the ones I¡¯ve encountered before. But..." "But what?" Yu Hong frowned, sensing a bad foreboding from the other party¡¯s expression. "But, all these deities are in a state of unconsciousness. And more than half are in a broken state, with their Divine status or Divine Fire even split and placed in several different locations," Fisina said with a grim expression, "So, I suspect that this is a world dominated by Arcanists, where deities are likely used as experimental research materials...." Upon hearing this, everyone¡¯s expressions changed. Yu Hong and Ku Chan didn¡¯t think they could surpass Fisina in her prime. And now, hearing that even much stronger deities can only serve as experimental materials for these Arcanists. One could imagine, the strength and power in this place must be terrifyingly high. "But don¡¯t worry, if we manage to build good relationships with the natives here and make some trades, we might gain far greater benefits than before," Yu Hong said in a serious tone. His newly gained strength gave him confidence. And the formidable protection of the Safe House, the Black Black Spirit, was their greatest safety assurance. So this apparent danger might actually be an opportunity. "That Floating City, it¡¯s very large...." Fisina said, looking at the silver-blue sharp peaks beyond the window. "I can feel a very frightening element gathering within." "Something is coming, it¡¯s getting close!" Chi Xiao warned. Yu Hong also sensed it, but since the other party was approaching openly, they didn¡¯t plan to entirely hide to avoid misunderstanding, so they stayed put quietly. Soon after. A fish-shaped black vessel launched from beneath the silver-blue Floating City. The vessel sparkled with spots of blue light, its top propped up with a large silver sail, speeding toward the Safe House. Instead of flying steadily, the vessel would vanish at intervals, appearing at closer nodes after each jaunt. After three such jumps, the vessel finally approached the Black Black Spirit and decelerated. "External visitors are not welcome here, leave immediately." A powerful Spiritual Fluctuation emerged from within the vessel. "Apologies, we entered here by mistake and will leave shortly. But before that, let me introduce myself." Yu Hong quickly transmitted through spiritual power, "I am Captain Yu, a traveling merchant. I sell special goods from many places and buy local specialties, mainly through barter. So... since I¡¯m here, I hope to purchase some of your unique materials. Is there anything you need? Perhaps I can provide something." In just a few seconds, he concocted a coherent identity of a mysterious merchant in his mind. He had used this identity when negotiating with Gabriela before, and now it flowed more smoothly. "A traveling merchant? Bartering?" The other seemed a bit surprised. "Did you enter here through spatial jumping? Being able to get here, your technique isn¡¯t bad. My name is Harvey, I am a patrol Arcane Master here. My son needs some materials for advancement, do you have any? Honestly, I¡¯ve met other merchants like you in this dimension, and the materials provided were decent, though the prices were often high." "I am different from those fellows," Yu Hong quickly replied. "I only deal in fair trade, commerce is just a hobby, my essence is still traveling." "Hmm, you say travel then travel, I¡¯ll talk about materials. I need a Cold Ice Heart from a Frost Titan. The crystallized tissue from the right eye of a Deep Giant Beast, any amount will do. Two large teeth from a Six-winged Level Lie Demon, and about ten tons of Dimension Secret Silver." The patrol Arcane Master Harvey quickly listed the materials he needed. "Uh..." Yu Hong was speechless. He hadn¡¯t heard of any of these materials... "Sorry," suddenly an idea sparked in his mind, "Most of my main merchandise is knowledge-based, because I travel to many places, I can¡¯t carry too many physical goods. But knowledge is different, so, you understand." "Knowledge? You¡¯re selling knowledge in Absolute Balance??" Harvey chuckled. "Seems like you know nothing at all. Well, have everyone disembark, and come back with me to the city for inspection." Yu Hong quickly thought, and from his previous collections, selected one, using Inner Strength to send it over, Red-purple Tai Ling Skill Inner Strength transformed into a stream of light in space, rapidly hovering to the edge of the other vessel. "This is a special casting material I collected from somewhere, have a look." From within the other vessel, a pale blue large hand condensed out of thin air, grabbing the collection and flashing with a glint, retracting it inside. "Hmm... an energy-rich material from a Spirit Disaster creature... Not bad. Alright, consider you passed the inspection process. Do you have more of such materials? Trading in this is feasible." Harvey clearly had a discerning eye, recognizing the material¡¯s origin. The Three-eyed Dragon Head General¡¯s eyes still had some worth. Yu Hong breathed a sigh of relief at heart. "We do have more, but I would also need local specialties as trade. Could you tell me what your strongest materials are here, and whether they¡¯re for sale?" he quickly asked. "The strongest? There¡¯s Kaisa Alloy, Nightmare Essence Gold, Divine Blood Black Rock, the strength of these three is about the same. How much do you need?" Harvey replied, "But let me be clear, I purchase them from other mages, requiring a slight handling fee." "Of course, naturally. I need the material with the highest resistance to Source Disasters," Yu Hong stated directly. "Wait, Source Disaster? And you require materials? Are you the Savior Ship?" Harvey immediately caught on. "Based on the Source Disaster depth calculations, this place is roughly a Wind Disaster mutation point fortress world. If you are the Savior Ship, your next stop should be the Phoenix Eye. To reach Phoenix Eye, these three materials are inadequate." He paused for a moment. "Only the Deep Divine Liquid can withstand Phoenix Eye¡¯s pressure. This material is controlled by the Nine-ring Great Arcanists." "Could you possibly introduce us?" Yu Hong quickly inquired. "It¡¯s difficult. The attitude of the Nine-ring Masters towards the Savior Ship is not favorable. They believe that relying on the primitive and rough method of searching with the Savior Ship, it would be impossible to find the legendary land of vitality no matter how long they search. Only our Supreme Floating City is the true hope for all life. So.... Personally, I think it¡¯s unlikely you could obtain Deep Divine Liquid. Any Great Arcanist never lacks rare materials." Harvey explained. "Is that so?" Yu Hong frowned, checking the time, "Very well then, we¡¯ll rest for a few minutes and leave." "Alright, good luck. Even though we don¡¯t think much of the Savior Ship, without doubt, you are pioneers of life," Harvey said earnestly. Chapter 491: Temporarily Paused One Watching the ship fly back towards the Floating City. Everyone inside the Black Black Spirit felt somewhat unusual. Expressions varied. "I originally thought there was only the Savior Ship as a method... Seeing this, the Floating City here seems more reliable..." Fisina couldn¡¯t help but say in a low voice. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chi Xiao shook his head: "Heaven also thought the same back then." "But the power of our Savior Ship is indeed much weaker compared to others...." Fisina frowned. "That¡¯s true." Chi Xiao couldn¡¯t deny this. "So what do you plan to do?" He looked at Fisina, seemingly guessing something. "Can¡¯t we stay and remain here?" Fisina suggested. "Aren¡¯t you afraid of being dissected by them?" Chi Xiao laughed. "I¡¯m so weak, and even their powerful Divine Power has been divided here, what am I? The key is, it¡¯s safe here, just find a place to hide and live." Fisina sighed. "Honestly, ever since my world was destroyed, I¡¯ve been living in fear every day, often waking up from nightmares. I¡¯ve been longing for a powerful world that can truly withstand the Source Disaster. And here... fits my imagination..." "I also want to stay." White Dragon Jiafei chimed in. "If this is the pinnacle of the Arcane System, there must be Wish Technique, Great Resurrection Technique. Perhaps..." As soon as she said this, even Ku Chan¡¯s heart trembled violently, and his face changed slightly. Yu Hong observed the expressions of the few and had an idea in his mind. "Wanting to stay doesn¡¯t mean you can really stay, does it?" He said calmly, "Of course, if this place truly fulfills your wishes, I won¡¯t force you to stay, after all, many inevitable reasons brought us together on this ship. If this is your endpoint, I would sincerely be happy for you, especially Ku Chan and Yiyi." Ku Chan didn¡¯t speak;resurrecting his family was his greatest wish. For Yiyi, it was similar, but the difference was that Yu Hong occupied a place among the most important family members in her heart. "Forget it, saying this now is useless. We can¡¯t stay anyway, right?" Chi Xiao smiled as he tried to ease the tension. He worried that the atmosphere would become stranger, so he quickly spoke up to lighten it. Yu Hong didn¡¯t say anything, just waved his hand and turned to walk towards the Main Control Room. Before long, the Black Black Spirit turned in space, the surroundings appearing with countless colorful Wind Disasters, and with a swoosh, it vanished again into the vacuum. Yu Hong stood before the circular window of the Main Control Room, watching the rapidly traversing dark tunnel ahead. Colored lines around were quickly changing color, turning from colorful to grey-black. The outer walls of the safe house emitted faint cracking sounds, clearly bearing immense pressure. Despite that Arcane Master just telling him that without enough material reserves, they couldn¡¯t pass through Phoenix Eye. But Yu Hong still wanted to try. After all, his Black Black Spirit had been strengthened multiple times by the Black Mark, far stronger than ordinary people¡¯s imagination. Outside the window, the black tunnel sped past, and the surrounding rough cloud-like inner walls made Yu Hong feel as if he were flying inside a necrotic intestine. Time slowly passed. He cultivated while observing the external situation. Buzz. Suddenly, the entire ship trembled as if affected by a massive and continuous vibration. "Moo...." A huge deep sound echoed from the vibration outside. Yu Hong saw the tunnel ahead also start trembling, obviously affected by the vibration. "Looks like it¡¯s starting." He quietly watched outside. As the trembling of the tunnel grew stronger, he felt the ship¡¯s shaking intensify. For some reason, even at such a critical moment, he couldn¡¯t help but be distracted. He remembered the hamsters and chicks he raised in his past life at home. The tender yellow hamsters and chicks, when recalled now, were fluffy and adorable. All of a sudden, the vibration ceased. Outside the front of the window, the black tunnel suddenly shimmered. Countless dazzling colored lines suddenly filled the view, as if the screen had suddenly switched, appearing without any warning. These colored lines formed whirlpool-like clusters, continuously cycling and spinning. The Black Black Spirit struggled to navigate through these whirlpools, charging forward. But this Wind Disaster river seemed to be rapidly widening from here. No longer existing as a river, the widening area in front soon caused Yu Hong to lose direction. Surrounded by whirlpools of colorful lines, unable to distinguish the four directions. The river channel that just emerged was now nowhere to be seen. Crack... The faint sounds of pressure emitted continuously. The outer walls of the Black Black Spirit still managed to withstand the heavy pressure and continued to move forward. Moo.... That huge vibration sound came again. Yu Hong checked the state of Black Black Spirit in his perception, thought for a moment, then pointed his hand at the wall. A simple Magic quickly weaved out a red-green interlaced pointer dial. On the dial, the black pointer pointed at the green area, indicating that the outer walls of Black Black Spirit were very safe now. This was a simulation energy indicator dial Yu Hong specially created to concretize the external pressure and the state of the safe house. Otherwise, if only perceived changes in his mind, he couldn¡¯t intuitively determine the situation. But if he added scales and numbers to these states, the effect was completely different. Time passed by second by second. The pointer on the dial gradually moved towards the red area. Yu Hong watched the situation outside nervously. At another window, Ku Chan and others also gathered, watching the rapidly changing scenery. They also noticed the danger from the commotion just now. Soon, more than half an hour passed. The cracking sounds of the outer walls grew louder, and the pointer on the dial was already pointing to the red area, moving towards the extreme point. Yu Hong remained calm, quickly reaching out, and red-violet Tai Ling Skill Inner Strength lit up in his palm. The Inner Strength continuously emitted a large number of misty light spots towards the ground. These light spots quickly seeped into the ground, then surfaced at the outer walls of Black Black Spirit, forming a layer of Yu Hong¡¯s own Inner Strength shielding. His own Inner Strength shielding was certainly not as strong as the safe house, but using it here was entirely to buffer and reduce the pressure on the outer walls, providing reinforcement and cohesion. At the same time, Yu Hong also reactivated previously turned-off Array to support internally, boosting the overall defensive strength. With these two backups used, the cracking sounds on the outer walls disappeared. The ship also stabilized. Yu Hong breathed a sigh of relief, about to go to the first floor to check on others. Moo! The strange roar from before came again. Bang!! At this point, a massive colorful line whirlpool suddenly appeared in front of the window. This whirlpool appeared very abruptly, like Instantaneous Movement, flashing out of nowhere. Black Black Spirit immediately slammed into it head-on. Unable to evade, it crashed right at the center of the whirlpool at full speed. Boom! The ship collided into the whirlpool¡¯s center, but unlike before, it didn¡¯t penetrate, instead hitting a wall, creating a loud collision sound. Cracks appeared on the exterior wall immediately, the Arrays all collapsed, leaving only Yu Hong¡¯s limitless Inner Strength still supporting, forcibly linking the wall internally, acting as its tendons and bones. Immortal Level Inner Strength. Under enormous external pressure, it finally revealed its strong side. It tenaciously self-repaired continuously, like a butterfly struggling in a storm, adhering to the outer wall to form protection. Wobbly, fragile, but barely maintaining the most basic defense. Sweat appeared on Yu Hong¡¯s forehead, pushing against the pressure, steadily outputting Tai Ling Skill Inner Strength. But the external pressure grew larger, and cracks started to appear inside the walls. The glow of the Array also flickered, on the verge of collapse. Bang!! Finally, with a loud bang. The safe house Black Black Spirit rebounded, violently crashing into something and coming to a stop. Unprepared, Yu Hong¡¯s extending perception was also hit hard by a tremendous force, almost knocking him unconscious from the pain on the spot. He knew they were almost at their limit, unable to sustain, so he quickly controlled the Black Black Spirit to retreat automatically. Strangely, as soon as he began retreating, the external pressure eased rapidly, like a receding tide. Crash! It sounded like sea waves hitting the ship from outside. Yu Hong shook his head, wiped the blood trickling from his nose, and looked out the window again. Outside was filled with colorful light, so dazzling that nothing could be seen clearly. "*!" He couldn¡¯t help cursing, extending his perception again cautiously to probe outwards from the ship. This time was fine. His perception no longer encountered the massive pressure as before, easily extending out to ¡¯see¡¯ the external situation. An expansive ocean formed by endless colorful Wind Disaster lines. In the ocean, the Black Black Spirit resembled a lone boat, swaying back and forth, being pushed wave by wave towards some direction. And this direction was the way Yu Hong controlled the automatic retreat. "Moving forward is going against the wind and waves, huh? No wonder the pressure was so huge." He understood a bit. Moo.... The next moment, the massive vibrating sound came again. No longer under pressure, he relied on his perception to see clearly the source of that sound. In the endless Wind Disaster sea, above the Black Black Spirit, there was a gigantic black human face. Face down towards the Wind Disaster sea, eyes shut, mouth open, continuously emitting a sound like a blend of cow moo and vomiting. A massive number of colorful Wind Disaster lines spouted from its mouth, merging into the sea below. "....I...!!!" Yu Hong initially felt nothing, but seeing this scene, a strong sense of repulsion arose in his heart. But the safe house was already nearing collapse, and his Inner Strength only played a supplementary role;without the walls, the support would likely be blown away by the external pressure instantly. He had no choice but to continue retreating in the direction he came from. As the distance increased, the gigantic black face in Yu Hong¡¯s perception gradually got obscured by numerous colorful lines and disappeared. However, that striking scene remained deeply engraved in his mind. ¡¯So this whole sea was vomited by that thing??!¡¯ This was Yu Hong¡¯s only thought at that moment. Whoosh! When the Black Black Spirit, carried by the current, returned to the narrow Wind Disaster river channel, it was already about an hour later. The ship, wobbling and covered with cracks, struggled to rush into the whirlpool it exited earlier. With a puff. At the edge of the Absolute Balance Floating City, in the dim space. A large ship full of cracks silently emerged with colorful lines. Then, like losing power, it slowly floated in space, no longer moving. Chapter 492: temporarily closed 2 Yu Hong exhaled a long breath in the Main Control Room. He turned around and walked to the first floor. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Everyone from Ku Chan was gathered here, each with a relaxed expression, a lightness after the tension. "We¡¯re back... Was that just now the Phoenix Eye? So thrilling... I¡¯ve never seen such an exaggerated Source Disaster in my life," Chi Xiao sighed with emotion. "The ship is nearly falling apart, we estimate it will take a long time to repair it before we can move on," said Ku Chan. "I want to stay here," Fisina said, looking at the rapidly approaching Floating City¡¯s ship outside the window. "Me too, maybe there¡¯s hope to resurrect my family here," White Dragon nodded along. "Who else wants to stay? Raise your hand," Yu Hong looked at a few people and straightforwardly asked. Shwa! Chi Xiao, Fisina, and White Dragon raised their hands together. Ku Chan glanced at Yu Hong and also slowly raised his hand. "I intend to try and see if the Great Resurrection Technique and Wish Technique here can fulfill my desires." Yu Hong nodded. He actually understood that the reason these people followed him on adventures was simply because they wanted a stable environment and hoped to find a way to resurrect their loved ones. And now, the Floating City world showed this possibility and was more stable and safer. So, even Ku Chan was tempted. He could understand. "Captain, have you thought about it, that you are venturing out to find a stable environment to live your life? If so, maybe this place can also meet your needs..." Ku Chan said. "Not me," Yu Hong shook his head. "You can try, but I can¡¯t..." He bore the curse of Agrius and, with the Black Mark, he would never place his future hope in the hands of external forces. Ku Chan wanted to persuade further, but Yu Hong raised his hand to stop him. "Actually, I thought such a day would come," Yu Hong said, looking at Ku Chan and Chi Xiao, "I just didn¡¯t expect it to come so quickly." "Captain..." Ku Chan hesitated to speak. "It¡¯s okay;once the Arcanists here arrive, I¡¯ll help you handle the identity exchange here, hoping it stabilizes you all. The rest, I can¡¯t help you with," Yu Hong exhaled, walking to the window, looking out at the rapidly moving fish-shaped ship. To others, he didn¡¯t care;only Ku Chan, after all this time together, parting was a bit poignant. Ku Chan and Chi Xiao exchanged glances, stopping their words. Fisina looked towards White Dragon;both were from the Arcane System, naturally feeling familiar and trusting this world. Only Yiyi sat quietly on the side, observing the scene. The atmosphere calmed down, becoming a bit stifling. Until a few minutes later, the Floating City ship approached and stopped. "Tsk, tsk, tsk... What did I say?" the voice of the inspecting Arcanist Harvey sounded again. "Phoenix Eye isn¡¯t that easy to pass;it¡¯s not just the Wind Disaster, but also the Black Disaster, Light Disaster, Spirit Disaster, the Phoenix Eye of all Source Disasters, is an absolute turning point. It almost requires ships built by those who have existed for countless years to have super strong defenses. Otherwise, with a small ship like yours, surviving it is already very lucky," Harvey said. "Harvey Mage..." Yu Hong sighed, "Can you suggest a place for us to dock and repair? We are unfamiliar with this place." "As long as it¡¯s not here, two surrounding Floating Cities are possible. You still have the jumping ability, right? The nearest Floating Earth City is about thirty light-hours away," Harvey reminded. "Light-hours... is it that far!?" Yu Hong, hearing the somewhat familiar unit, felt his mind buzz. "It¡¯s fine, after all, it is a fortress. How about it, do you want to stay? I wasn¡¯t joking when I said many people like you eventually stay here when they can¡¯t get through the Phoenix Eye. None of them are Savior Ship crew, but they are strong people hoping to find Source Disaster hope themselves," Harvey said. "So, if you stay, you will have people with shared interests. Hahaha..." Harvey laughed. "Alright, just a joke, didn¡¯t you hear of light-hours? It¡¯s the distance light flies in one hour," he explained. Except for Yiyi, almost all the crew of the Black Black Spirit instantly understood. Ku Chan was a high achiever, Fisina a knowledgeable divine being, White Dragon also a high-level mage, and Chi Xiao was experienced with the Immortal Generals and even the Great Emperor from Heaven. So, when Harvey explained, they understood instantly how exaggerated this was. At the speed of the Black Black Spirit, they might not reach another Floating City even if they flew for a lifetime. "Can we go somewhere closer..." Yu Hong paused, then spoke again. As he spoke, he once again used Inner Strength to send out an eye of the Three-eyed Dragon Head General, which had been reinforced once. Harvey quickly caught it and checked it. "Tsk, tsk, good stuff! To find something with such high energy density and strength, impressive! Well, originally, our Floating City doesn¡¯t allow foreign ships to stay long-term, but seeing this treasure, I¡¯ll get you a visiting relative identity. As long as there are fewer than a hundred crew members, you can stay to repair and resupply. But don¡¯t mention my name if you cause trouble;I won¡¯t take responsibility," Harvey said. "Thank you!" Yu Hong expressed his gratitude sincerely. Though it was clear from the other¡¯s familiarity that this practice of selling personal benefits was not the first time. But right now, this was the best place they could find to repair. In other places, they¡¯d worry if the world would be completely destroyed by the ensuing Source Disasters. "Follow me then," collecting the benefit, Harvey was in visibly better spirits. He turned the ship around, leading the Black Black Spirit towards the Floating City. The enormous Floating City looked like a series of sharp ice-blue peaks from afar. As they got closer, both ships approached one of the crystal blue peaks on the far right. The peak got closer and larger. There were tens of thousands of blue dots distributed above. Upon closer inspection, each dot was a crystal window the size of a football field. Inside these windows, golden and silver sand-like things flowed back and forth, emitting light. "These are Light Windows, each connected to a plane or a world. Our goods circulate in many places, and also support those places against Source Disasters," Harvey introduced, slightly proud. "The Floating City is layered from top to bottom into three levels: civilians, mages, and the Arcane Circle. Over four billion souls of various races live here, but if you¡¯re not a mage, you¡¯re a civilian. Civilians must serve mages to survive here. So everyone aims to produce a mage in their family," Harvey smiled. Listening to his explanation, Yu Hong was interested, but more concerned about where they could repair. "The repair place... we¡¯re almost there," Harvey, having received the benefit, was dependable. He led the Black Black Spirit around the Blue Crystal Mountain. Soon, they descended towards a Light Window on the mountain. Poof! The ships, along with the Black Black Spirit, flew into the Light Window, disappearing in an instant. The sudden strong light dazzled Yu Hong and the others, not giving them time to adjust. A gentle female voice slowly echoed in their minds. "Welcome to Absolute Balance, this is registrar Emma. Should you have any questions, you may call upon the absolute justice and fairness of Absolute Balance in your heart, and Emma will answer all your questions." "By the way, Captain Yu, how old are you? I¡¯m filling out the registration," Harvey¡¯s voice came over. "Uh... I¡¯m twenty-five," Yu Hong couldn¡¯t actually remember his age but vaguely recalled he was in his twenties. "Huh? Two hundred and fifty? Oh. Then you¡¯re forty years younger than me," Harvey assumed he misheard and corrected himself. Yu Hong heard it, opened his mouth, but didn¡¯t say anything. Because he heard Harvey¡¯s murmuring after. Something about being two hundred and fifty years old and already at Immortal Level, indeed the Savior Ship¡¯s captains are different... how every captain is the same, not afraid to die, with strong talent... Hearing this, he thought it better not to explain in detail... Soon, Harvey seemed to have finished filling the documents. Emma¡¯s gentle voice rang out again. "Welcome, esteemed nephew of Harvey Mage, Yu. You may legally and permanently reside here, please adhere to local laws and regulations. Absolute Balance welcomes you." Nephew?? Yu Hong was speechless, not expecting to suddenly gain the identity of Harvey¡¯s nephew. On the other side, Ku Chan and others heard a similar Emma voice. "Welcome, esteemed Yu¡¯s, the nephew of Harvey Mage, servants. You may legally and permanently reside here, but as civilians, any income will be taxed at seventy-four percent as a maintenance fee for the Floating City¡¯s operations. Thank you for coming. Your life is the most solid cornerstone of the Floating City." "...." The group originally had high hopes, especially Fisina, who hoped to rise again here, transitioning to Arcane, abandoning her divine status to become strong once more, to regain glory. But..... Is this place really called Absolute Balance?! More than seventy percent in taxes and saying your life is the most solid cornerstone is so bluntly stated, and people are still willing to come here!? The group looked at each other. Soon, the light outside the window dimmed. The two ships appeared above a vast azure lake. The scenery was picturesque, the sun was bright, flocks of birds flew past the ship. The two ships slowly descended, landing on a small island in the lake. "Don¡¯t mind it, haha, after all, we Arcanists aren¡¯t those capitalists, we exploit people openly, saying how much is how much. This way also prevents many from coming to the Floating City with unrealistic fantasies," Harvey said frankly. "Indeed," Yu Hong nodded in agreement. The Floating City is so powerful that it would attract many souls from worlds destroyed, trying to escape here. But the resources here can¡¯t accept all refugees, so setting such a high immigration standard is understandable. Once the ship stopped on the beach, Harvey, wearing a gray and white mage robe, with messy hair like a bird¡¯s nest of brown hair, jumped out of the ship¡¯s side door. He held a white jade magic wand, coughed a few times, and approached the Black Black Spirit. He looked to be about fifty or sixty, with a grizzled beard and a pure gaze, just someone who only wanted benefits with no other thoughts. Chapter 493: temporary rest three "Alright, your ships can also be repaired here. This is my territory, Jade Island. Welcome to you all," Harvey said, spreading his arms and smiling. "Oh, by the way, for each month you stay, it costs a gem like the one you gave me." He skillfully made a gesture resembling an eyeball. Yu Hong opened the door and walked out. His towering height of 2.3 meters made him look like a small giant in front of the other. He looked down at Harvey. "Sure." He had dozens or even hundreds of those eyeball-like items. If he ran out, he could just capture more. "Also, you¡¯re a bit too tall. Try to shrink yourself a bit. Getting mistaken for a member of the Giant Clan outside could be very troublesome. Here, the Giants are mostly slaves. Their Royal Titans are pretty much all experimental materials anyway, considered a lower race. Don¡¯t let people think you have similar bloodlines, or you¡¯ll be looked down upon," Harvey advised. As soon as he finished speaking, his gaze shifted and he saw the emerging Divine, Fisina. "Oh, you brought a little snack with you? Let me see, a pure natural god? That size, just right for a bite, isn¡¯t it? Perfect specs. You can eat it and it¡¯ll regenerate on its own, not bad, not bad." "...who are you calling a snack!!?" Fisina was momentarily stunned, then became furious. "A snack that dares to talk?" Harvey shook his head, looking at Yu Hong. "Nephew, your discipline is lacking... Uncle tells you, these Divines have huge weaknesses, they are inherently inferior races. I found a nature god curious once and kept one for a while, but found it boring and stopped. Want me to help discipline it?" Seeing the other¡¯s sincere eyes, Yu Hong suddenly felt that the local power levels might be higher than he imagined... "Well... she¡¯s not really related to me..." he replied sincerely. Since the other was so sincere with him, he responded in kind. Since Fisina had chosen to leave, he had no responsibility towards her. "Are you sure?" Harvey was taken aback, then looked even happier, "Then can I make a move?" "Uh... as you please." Yu Hong didn¡¯t know what method he planned to use, but as soon as the words left his mouth, Harvey suddenly raised his hand, layers of countless blue light talisman arrays lit up at his fingertip. In an instant, even with Yu Hong¡¯s strong eyesight, he saw at least a hundred layers of talisman arrays. All arrays coordinated and worked in unison, like an exceedingly precise machine. The next moment, a massive scorching brilliance burst forth from the arrays, transforming into a straight scarlet beam. Tzz! The beam hit Fisina in the blink of an eye. At the moment, Fisina¡¯s body was also enveloped by something akin to a golden talisman array, but in terms of complexity and number, it was far from Harvey¡¯s. The two arrays confronted each other. Immediately, Fisina¡¯s array melted quickly like ice meeting fire. The anger on Fisina¡¯s little face turned pale upon witnessing this scene. She immediately turned her head and shouted towards Yu Hong. "Help...." Puff. Her entire body was precisely hit by the crimson beam from the blue light talisman array. In no time, she disappeared without a trace. "....." Yu Hong expected that Fisina might lose but didn¡¯t think she couldn¡¯t last even a second. "I think it¡¯s better to let it be;she may be a natural god, but she¡¯s also a companion who came with me." He couldn¡¯t bear it and spoke for Fisina¡¯s sake. "Alright then, she¡¯s rare and I was going to take her back to eat slowly;these natural gods can eat themselves and gradually recover, offering a cost-effective feast every so often. But since you asked, I¡¯ll give you some face." Harvey, considering the strengthened eyeball, decided to give Yu Hong face. He waved again, and a bluish shimmer flew out, restoring Fisina¡¯s figure on the beach nearby. Fisina¡¯s little face was deathly pale, trembling all over, as if those few seconds of disappearance had given her an indelible terrifying impression. "Just a small lesson to let you know this isn¡¯t a benevolent place. If you intend to stay like other refugees, you need to clear your mind about what kind of standards and strength the commoners here have." Harvey was less amiable towards Fisina, with a touch of impatience and admonition. After that, he chatted briefly with Yu Hong about the arrangements. The Black Black Spirit ship was severely damaged, requiring lengthy repairs. Yu Hong paid a bit of advance payment to cover the repair costs. The Black Mark was nearly done enhancing the Outer Eye and would arrive in a few days. By then, the enhanced Chaotic God Light and Instantaneous Movement ability should undergo a qualitative change. Then, he would start enhancing the recovery of the safe house. The safe house had suffered many damages along the way, each repair taking up Black Mark¡¯s enhancement time, which Yu Hong found highly inefficient. Therefore, he planned to acquire some self-repairing materials in the Floating City to add a self-repair function to the Black Black Spirit safe house. On the island, Harvey had allocated a large piece of wasteland for them to reside on their own. There were no houses, no bedding, no food or drink, nothing at all. He provided only the territory, and midway through, Harvey received a notice and left in a hurry. At night. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Amongst the gray-white rocky land on the island, the rest were chatting casually by the campfire, imagining their future in the Floating City, meticulously planning the route to try the Wish Technique and Great Resurrection Technique. Yu Hong stood alone on one side, gazing at the broad dark lake surface. It suddenly reminded him of the beginning, how the camp¡¯s people initially helped each other, but later, with the Black Mark, he quickly became the mainstay, and the rest gradually couldn¡¯t keep up with his pace. Naturally, they dispersed afterward. In a camp where life-threatening crises could unite people, once the deadly threat was gone, all sorts of messy intentions emerged. ¡¯Perhaps, I should move forward alone,¡¯ Yu Hong felt that nobody could keep up with his pace, and rather than dragging others, it might be better to tread the path alone. As the journey grew riskier, even Yiyi might face danger continuing on. No matter how strong he was, there would be times he couldn¡¯t protect her.... The most crucial part is, Yiyi needn¡¯t be endangered alongside him. Her goal was always a stable life, to find a safe place, resurrect her mother, and live peacefully together. If resurrection techniques could achieve that here, settling for life here would suffice. Yu Hong felt Yiyi¡¯s objective might be much simpler than Ku Chan¡¯s. Because Yiyi¡¯s mother¡¯s shadow had already integrated with her. But Ku Chan, the traces of his relatives were probably completely gone. "What are you thinking?" Ku Chan approached from behind. "I¡¯m contemplating whether Yiyi should stay. Following me will become increasingly dangerous in the future." Yu Hong turned, looking at him. Ku Chan¡¯s face was hidden behind a golden mask, but those hopeful eyes left a deep impression on his heart at that moment. "That¡¯s possible. We¡¯ve decided to stick together here. Everyone just had a conversation with Emma, inquiring about much of the relevant information here. This place is really different...." Ku Chan sighed. "The commoners who can live here aren¡¯t softies, they¡¯ve fled from their own worlds, and anyone who can escape a world isn¡¯t likely to be weak." "Then I also inquired about the general division here. The Floating City is divided into three areas: upper, middle, and lower. We, commoners, reside in the lower section, the city area. These separate private small spaces count as the middle section, while the upper is where the mages of the Arcane Circle reside." "What do you think, how does your ability level here?" Yu Hong asked. "I¡¯m not sure, but we¡¯ll know when that one returns. You can also venture out on your own here, we found a small array on the other side of the island that resembles a Teleportation Array. Jiafei and the others are studying it to see exactly how it¡¯s used," Ku Chan said. "In the future, rely on yourselves." Yu Hong patted his shoulder. "Thank you, Captain, for your protection along the way." Ku Chan took a step back and earnestly bowed to Yu Hong. "Once we settle here, Captain, you¡¯re always welcome to join us in settling." He said earnestly and sincerely. "Thank you." Yu Hong smiled, not saying more. Watching Ku Chan bow again and then turn back to the others to continue discussing and making plans. He exhaled, crouched down, and gently stirred the water with his hand. Two small white fish in the water were startled, darting away, disappearing without a trace. ¡¯Perhaps staying is really a good choice...¡¯ The sight of the calm, peaceful little fish raised this thought in Yu Hong¡¯s mind. Early the next day, Harvey returned, bringing information about the usage of the Teleportation Array and the possible destinations. He also brought a permit for a temporary residence. "Here¡¯s your temporary residence. You can move there anytime after. Transportation here mainly consists of two modes: flying and instantaneous teleportation. Generally, it¡¯s point-to-point movement. What you need to do is confirm the coordinates, then purchase a full set of equipment needed for teleportation. Also, Little Yu, how¡¯s your ship doing?" Harvey tossed a stack of documents to Ku Chan and the others while walking over to Yu Hong. "Still under inspection, but nearly ready for repairs," Yu Hong replied, glancing at the others. Last night, none of the group slept in the house. As departure loomed, he felt an odd, silent atmosphere. "Alright then, about what you mentioned before, the self-repairing materials¡ªthere are quite a few here. Among them, the appropriate one is Star Spirit Alloy. This alloy can purify impurities on its own and recover from any damage below severe wounds. For anything beyond severe damage, additional material supplementation is necessary. Most importantly, this material is also useful within Source Disasters, unlike many other materials that are fine in normal environments but useless once inside a Source Disaster." "What¡¯s the price?" Yu Hong acknowledged the explanation, indicating understanding. "Very expensive on the market, but not for you." Harvey grinned slightly, "My teacher, Margaret the Patrol Chief, has plenty of this Star Spirit Alloy, and after hearing from me that you are the recently arrived Captain of the Savior Ship, she¡¯s quite interested in you all." "What do you mean?" Yu Hong frowned. "Don¡¯t rush. My teacher means that Star Spirit Alloy is very rare and precious;she wouldn¡¯t exchange it for money because she doesn¡¯t lack money. So... she hopes you can assist her in an exploration. That place requires the Savior Ship to pinpoint the direction after entering," Harvey explained with a smile. "Is this considered an exploration task?" Yu Hong asked. "Sort of, my teacher acquired a very peculiar coordinate recently, so she hopes the Savior Ship can investigate to see if Source Material can be found. The Savior Ship is the most efficient at sourcing Source Material," Harvey replied. Chapter 494: temporary break 4 "What about the Deep Divine Liquid?" Yu Hong remembered this. Without it, he felt that the current safe house might really be unable to make it through the Phoenix Eye. "This is a strategic material, and getting it would be very difficult." Harvey shook his head. "Great Arcanists are beyond our reach." He tossed over a large book with a silver cover. "Here you go." "What is this?" "The Transmission Navigation Book. It contains the coordinates for all teleportation points;just tap where you want to go," Harvey explained. "For shopping, research, study, entertainment, and enjoying services, this place has it all. There are no streets here;stores are all point-to-point teleportation and advertisements are placed in this Transmission Book. The currency used is the Magic Crystal. It¡¯s the basic mana energy crystal. This crystal can be condensed from any form of energy;the higher the energy, the higher the density, the more Magic Crystals you condense, the stronger it is." Saying this, he threw out a translucent round coin. Yu Hong caught it and examined it. It was a hard coin etched with a Floating City motif on both sides. He opened the book, browsing generally, and saw it was filled densely with all sorts of shop names. Everything for food, clothing, shelter, and transportation was available here, including even a slave market. "Because people here rarely meet face-to-face, occasionally there are large gatherings, like celebrations, competitions, or Mage selections. If you¡¯re free, you can check it out." As Harvey spoke, there was a touch of sincerity in his tone. "You¡¯ve reached the Immortal energy level at such a young age, which means your talent is quite significant. Talents at this level are welcomed by many high-level Arcanists. After all, in the level one to nine Arcane hierarchy, the Immortal level power is mastered at level three. You¡¯re starting at level three, which is excellent!" "So?" Yu Hong seemed to guess what he wanted to say. "So, do you want me to introduce you? Compared to becoming the captain of the Savior Ship, isn¡¯t becoming a powerful and versatile Arcanist a more worthy goal?" Harvey suggested temptingly. "What¡¯s your level?" Yu Hong suddenly asked. "Uhh... level three." Harvey answered honestly. "How long have you been studying?" Yu Hong continued to ask. "More than 230 years." Harvey answered again honestly. "I can live for about ninety more years." Yu Hong said. "Why?" Harvey was stunned. Yu Hong did not hide it and explained Agrius¡¯s situation to him. "Agrius, huh... that famous and powerful Star God...." He fell silent, seemingly weighing the balance of gains and losses. After about a dozen seconds, he still nodded in understanding. "Then there¡¯s nothing to be done. I¡¯ll report your situation to my teacher." Instantly, Harvey¡¯s expression underwent a huge change, from earnest to cold, in the blink of an eye. This blatant rapid transformation left Yu Hong in awe and, at the same time, quite comfortable inside. He liked this straightforward way of communication. Compared to those who kept everything hidden deep within, such straightforwardness was actually more reassuring. Watching Harvey move to one side and talk into something that looked like a button. Yu Hong waited quietly. After a short while, Harvey turned back. "Let¡¯s go, my teacher wants to meet you to verify whether you really have a contract with Agrius." "Alright." Yu Hong agreed readily. The two of them went to the teleportation array at the edge of the island. As the array lit up with white light, a transparent distortion rose from below, instantly transforming Yu Hong and Harvey into countless white light points, disappearing without a trace. The next moment. Yu Hong¡¯s vision blurred and he found himself in a grand palace of mixed red and black. The palace had an architectural style reminiscent of Europe, filled with curved arches and bas-reliefs of bird men with long wings. The gray-white stone slabs beneath his feet were polished to a mirror-like finish, and the large black tapestries on the walls depicted scenes from legendary mythical stories. Directly in front of their teleportation location, a five-meter-tall heavy black door slowly opened with an invisible force. Inside was revealed a cylindrical white empty hall. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In the hall, a woman whose entire body was composed of blue flowing water was drowsily seated on an ice-blue high-backed chair, wearing a white robe lined with silver threads. This woman was completely made up of flowing water;even her facial features weren¡¯t fixed and would undergo subtle changes with her slight movements as she dozed. "This is my teacher Margaret, a legitimate North Faction Water Element Lord, who passed the exam to become a level six Arcanist ninety years ago, and she is also one of the twenty-seven Patrol Chiefs of Absolute Balance. You may refer to her by her title," Harvey communicated via spiritual transmission. Yu Hong nodded;he didn¡¯t know much about the North Faction, but he understood what a Water Element Lord was. Simply put, this lady wasn¡¯t human. She was water. "Honorable Patrol Chief Margaret. I am the captain of the Savior Ship¡¯s Black Black Spirit, Yu." He bowed simply and greeted. "Agrius¡¯s contract huh.... it is indeed real... such a pity..." The Water Element Lord on the seat opened her eyes and appraised Yu Hong. Her face showed a distinct expression of regret. "Then there¡¯s nothing to be done. Let¡¯s proceed according to the rules. Complete the task for me and I¡¯ll give you the Star Spirit Alloy you want." "Alright. If I may ask, what level of Arcanist power does Agrius possess, if he were here in the Floating City?" Yu Hong suddenly had a notion and asked one more question. "Ninth Level Great Arcanist level. Agrius is also quite famous here because he once held one of the highest positions in the Floating City... he stayed in the Arcane Circle for tens of thousands of years," Margaret answered coolly. "Thank you for the clarification." Yu Hong now understood why the other party¡¯s face turned cold so quickly after confirming the contract was real. Apparently, Agrius was once part of this place too.... and a Ninth Level Great Arcanist... was he that powerful? "Alright, you may leave." Margaret waved her hand. Harvey promptly took his leave with a bow, leading Yu Hong out of the hall. The doors slowly closed, and Yu Hong encountered for the first time other traces of Agrius outside of Prison Island. "Master Harvey, if Agrius was once a Ninth Level Great Arcanist here, could the other Great Arcanists break the contract on me?" Yu Hong mused aloud. "I¡¯ll check first....." Harvey quickly contacted Emma for information. "Hmm.... it should be possible, the Ninth Level Great Arcanists are all in contact with each other, but according to Emma¡¯s database records, the Great Arcanist Agrius left the Floating City over four thousand years ago, so resolving it peacefully may not be possible. And for us small fry at level three, we should forget about making the Ninth Level Great Arcanists lift a finger for us." Yu Hong fell silent. The last bit of hope in his heart was extinguished. Seeing the strength of this place, he initially entertained the idea of using its power to break free from Agrius¡¯s restraint. But now, Harvey¡¯s words and Margaret¡¯s change in attitude told him that this path was untenable. ¡¯I¡¯ll have to rely on myself...¡¯ Exiting the hall, returning to the teleportation array, Yu Hong turned his head to look at the hazy starlit sky outside the palace. There was no longer any wishful thinking in his heart. On the third day. Harvey came looking for Yu Hong again and handed him something. It was a hexagonal red box. "Here, this is the task requirement. The coordinates are inside as well. Explore more than half of the area inside and determine whether there is Source Material. Use this to record it. It will activate automatically when close to the Source Material," Harvey explained briefly. "Once you¡¯ve recorded it, contact me with the Transmission Book when you get back, and I¡¯ll give you the Star Spirit Alloy you want." "Alright." Yu Hong nodded. He looked towards Ku Chan and his group who were already packing their things not far away. They were currently taking their personal items out of the safe house, packing them onto their backs one by one. Fisina and White Dragon Jiafei were very efficient, quickly determining their next moves. They planned to go separately to take the Arcane Qualification examination. The examination was free, and if they passed, they would have plenty of channels to earn money. If not, they¡¯d find other ways to work. "Leaving today?" Yu Hong saw Ku Chan approaching. "Yes, it¡¯s all arranged. I asked Emma, and Yiyi¡¯s mother¡¯s condition can be restored here." Ku Chan nodded, with a genuine look of relief and information on his face. "And my family¡¯s condition, theoretically, can also be restored through the Wish Technique!" "Congratulations." Yu Hong nodded, sighing once. "So Yiyi will stay behind too?" "I spoke to her actually;she wants to follow you, but it makes no sense. On the ship, besides doing some regular chores, she can¡¯t do anything else. She¡¯s better off staying here, where it¡¯s safer and more stable, and when I become an Arcanist, I might be able to help solve her problem first," Ku Chan confidently claimed. "She just refuses." "You tested? So confident?" Yu Hong chuckled. "No, but I inquired about some hard requirements needed for Arcanists and found I satisfy them all perfectly. Especially the quality of my spiritual power!" Ku Chan laughed as well. Yu Hong fell silent, looking over at Yiyi who was gazing his way. He returned her smile, then turned his head back to Ku Chan. "Indeed, if it¡¯s safer here, I shouldn¡¯t forcefully keep her around. The ship will only grow more dangerous over time, and if she sticks with me, something will eventually go wrong..." Yu Hong knew this day would come, just didn¡¯t anticipate it coming so soon. "Captain, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m leaving Chi Xiao with you. You¡¯ll have someone to talk to during the journey." Ku Chan remarked. "I¡¯m staying too. I have hope to restore my body here! Ku Chan, stop saying nonsense!" Chi Xiao immediately panicked and quickly shouted out. Since boarding the ship, he hadn¡¯t rested peacefully for even a day. Now finally having a chance for stability, he wouldn¡¯t join Yu Hong¡¯s travels. Following a known doomed path, only fools would charge along. "It¡¯s okay.... I¡¯m fine by myself." Yu Hong smiled. "Once I¡¯ve resurrected my family, I¡¯ll come help you!" Ku Chan earnestly declared. "Then you¡¯d better try hard." Yu Hong broke into laughter. He looked at Yiyi. She returned his smile. "When are we leaving?" Yiyi approached to ask. "You stay. Ku Chan will look after you. I¡¯ll walk the rest of this path on my own," Yu Hong stated seriously, "Your skill is too weak;following me would be a death sentence." "But, what we talked about before..." Yiyi paused. "What was said can also change, right?" Yu Hong reached out to tousle her hair. "But if I stay, I¡¯d cause a danger here..." Yiyi worriedly expressed. "I asked Emma;the Black Disaster can¡¯t invade here. This is the frontline in resisting the Source Disaster. Your issue isn¡¯t difficult to resolve," Ku Chan quietly chipped in. "But Yu Hong...." Yiyi still tried to speak. "Yiyi, don¡¯t you want to bring your mother back to life?" Ku Chan interjected. Silence. For the first time, Yiyi showed a look of struggle and confusion on her face. Seeing this, Yu Hong presented a gentle smile. "Don¡¯t worry;I move better alone, without any of you to hold me back, it¡¯s actually more liberating." Chapter 495: Mission 493 One Absolute Balance Isolation Zone Inside the Floating City, within one of the deep Light Windows. Harvey and another young blonde twin-tailed female mage guided Yu Hong to the location of the new coordinates. In the vast, dimly lit Black Castle, the trio was surrounded by emptiness, with no other human figures in sight. The stone bricks beneath their feet, each more than ten meters long and wide, were the primary building blocks here. A large number of cross-shaped, rhombus, and circular mysterious symbols were scattered on the walls, making the place seem a bit chaotic. As they walked, Harvey and the other stopped halfway. "Hey Yu, nearby is the Source Disaster frontline of our Absolute Balance. Want to take a look?" "Can I?" Yu Hong was quite interested. He also wanted to know how the Arcanists fought. "Of course you can." Harvey felt it was a pity, wishing to spark Yu Hong¡¯s interest in arcane arts. "Since you just arrived, you¡¯re not clear on the difference between arcane and spell. How about I tell you briefly?" "I¡¯m keen to hear." Yu Hong saw his enthusiasm, clearly in a recommending state. While taking a turn, Harvey began to describe with a slightly proud tone, raising his voice. "What we call spell actually refers to all supernatural abilities that can be released. Whether innate or learned over time, all can be classified as spells. But the arcane is different." "Spells can be learned without thinking. You can rely on talent and brute force. But the arcane requires a spirit of exploring mysteries. We divide elemental energy into many disciplines, exploring deeply and researching its essence in an extremely specialized manner. Academicization, in-depth exploration, that¡¯s the essence of arcane!" Harvey¡¯s eyes shone when speaking of arcane. "Impressive!" Yu Hong said sincerely. "Glad you understand. The simplest explanation for arcane is the art of exploring mysteries. Thus, for Great Arcanists, many things in the world hold no secrets. But...." Harvey shifted his tone, "this is the source of Arcanists¡¯ strength, and also our great weakness. Great curiosity and the thirst for knowledge when exploring mysteries, make any Arcanist almost powerless in the face of rampant curiosity. Consequently, some Arcanists have gone astray." As Harvey spoke, he led Yu Hong quickly to a side hall on the left. There was a floating red oval portal here. From its center, many red chains extended, linking to the surrounding walls. "This is the Principle of Balance. We use the power of multiple Source Disasters to counterbalance, creating a long-lasting defense system." Harvey explained. "Besides sealing the contact point, Arcanists actively patrol the surroundings, counteracting any Source Disaster radiation as soon as it¡¯s detected." Harvey continued, "I¡¯m one of them. Besides the patrol, there are Magic Statue Masters who, alone, can control thousands of soldiers to repel Source Disaster monster attacks." He turned in another direction, heading to another side hall. Shortly, the three arrived at a second hall. On the surface, it looked no different from the previous one. But Harvey went straight to the teleportation portal in the middle. Swoosh! He vanished. Yu Hong and the other Arcanist followed suit. After a flash of red light, the three appeared on a towering city wall. Harvey, in the lead, continued walking along the city wall. "This is Wind¡¯s Edge, as the name suggests, it¡¯s the frontline of the Wind Disaster." He pointed his magic wand towards the outside of the right city wall. He pointed to the distant gray-black ground, where giant black spheres like hot air balloons rolled. Occasionally, many tiny dots like lice would split from them. Upon closer inspection, Yu Hong found that the tiny dots were actually numerous tall black statues. As soon as they came out, they wandered around the ground, patrolling. "Each of these spheres is a unique base for the Magic Statue Masters. Inside are tens of thousands of magic statues, ready to respond to any possible Source Disaster monster." Harvey explained. "Don¡¯t be fooled by each statue only being the size of a building. In reality, inside them are Self-Destruction Cores. Once in desperate situations, they instantly self-destruct. The resulting annihilation effect can instantly destroy almost all nearby material energy, even breaking down the structure of Immortal Energy. As you know, Immortality is just a type of reconstruction, a more stable and stronger form than ordinary constructs. But this reconstruction can still be broken. Annihilation Effect can do it." Yu Hong nodded slightly. By now, he¡¯d estimated the number of those giant spheres and felt a bit numb. Already having seen over a hundred of these enormous spheres in his vision, he knew this was only a small portion. With the trio continuing along the city wall top, the scenery on both sides transformed from black plains to dense tree sea, then from tree sea to a vast sandy desert. Finally, crossing the desert, they arrived at a rugged and steep snowy mountain range. Amidst the snowy white, there was a grape-shaped black void suspended in the air, continually emitting black smoke. "We¡¯ve arrived, this is it." Harvey stopped, flashed forward, and instantly moved to the front of the black hole. Yu Hong and the other Arcanist followed with instantaneous movement. "You can teleport short distances too?" Harvey and the other were a bit surprised. "A little, not much." Yu Hong nodded. "What a pity." Harvey sighed and didn¡¯t continue. Yu Hong could guess what he regretted, but there was no choice. If he hadn¡¯t accepted the Black Ship Contract back then, he wouldn¡¯t have reached the Floating City today. "When do you plan to go inside? Your ship can directly come over and dock nearby." Harvey asked. "Is this the depths of the Wind Disaster?" Yu Hong replied. "According to the teacher, yes. But it¡¯s too chaotic inside, with too much radiation interference. It strongly repels the power of order. So, once Arcanists go in, professional order-side beings like us would immediately trigger a boiling reaction, and either we get expelled out, or this coordinate entrance is destroyed entirely by violent fluctuations." Harvey explained. "So the Savior Ship isn¡¯t as repelled?" Yu Hong asked. "Exactly, the Savior Ship¡¯s structure is fundamentally crude, bringing a more stable and less precise whole. The principle of the order side is the more precise, the less tolerance for errors and distortions." Harvey nodded. "How dangerous is it?" Yu Hong asked again. "I don¡¯t know, but that is the price, isn¡¯t it?" Harvey smiled. Yu Hong fell silent. "Okay, when to set out?" "Up to you." "Then let¡¯s go now." Yu Hong turned around and headed back. "I¡¯m starting to admire him a bit." The other young blonde twin-tailed Arcanist spoke up. "So am I." Harvey nodded. "My father was like that, with absolute decisiveness and extraordinary action, he successfully escaped the original world and came here. He reminds me of my late father." The female Arcanist sighed. Harvey said nothing, just patted her on the back. * * * Half an hour later. The massive Black Black Spirit slowly floated, and under the arcane purple aura, it sailed into the black hole deep in the snowy mountains. The black hole had been enlarged many times, enough to allow the slowly entering ship. Yu Hong sat alone in the ship¡¯s Main Control Room, looking outside through the ring-shaped window. Whoosh! Suddenly, Black Black Spirit felt as if yanked by something, accelerating rapidly inward, diving into the black hole, and disappearing. The circular window in front of Yu Hong turned pitch black. But in the next second. The darkness receded. Gurgle... A string of bubbles floated upward, skimming past the window. Yu Hong steadied himself, quickly adapting to the changed gravity, and looked outside again. Outside the window, Black Black Spirit floated amid countless liquid layers like a deep sea. Absent of Wind Disaster¡¯s special lines, only countless black smoke surrounded them, continually swimming like living beings. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Below the window, in the distance stood a solemn and dark, seemingly magma-soaked and ignited black city. The city was mainly of cathedral style, full of fierce and sharp decorations everywhere. Between the buildings were cobblestone paths as if drenched in oil, reflecting light. On these paths, some strangely twisted creatures tottered around, wandering. "A city? A city even in the depths of the Source Disaster?!" Yu Hong squinted, scrutinizing this bizarre city. Whoosh. In the distance outside the window, a sharp building tip suddenly sent a giant shadow flying. It was a completely black rock statue with wings on its back. Holding a giant sword and with a solemn expression, it flew straight toward Black Black Spirit. With a thought from Yu Hong, Black Black Spirit¡¯s outer side automatically gathered the giant shadow of Agrius¡¯ avatar. Swoosh! The two shadows approached rapidly, colliding fiercely in mid-air. Bang!! A circle of shockwave rippled open. Agrius forcibly battered the opponent, rolling it away, but just as it was about to continue pursuing. Whoosh!! From below in the city, a dense swarm of similarly black stone winged statues rose into the air. In an instant, before Yu Hong could control it to return, Agrius was inundated by a mass of winged statues. The connection broke. Yu Hong maintained a solemn expression, continuing to summon Fear Shadows, channeling the full force of the Tai Ling Skill¡¯s Immortal Realm energy. In an instant, countless Cai Jing Taoists and Tong Ange appeared around the Black Black Spirit. Seventy-three Cai Jing emerged, the maximum number Yu Hong could maintain a balance for with full strength. "All this time, it¡¯s been about running and hiding, I¡¯ve had enough, this time I¡¯ll try a frontal assault!" Perhaps the parting of teammates stirred his emotions. An unspeakable pressure squeezed Yu Hong¡¯s chest, rarely did he no longer hide, but instead truly unleashed all his power without restraint. Spirit Light covered the bodies of seventy-three Cai Jing Taoists. This summon wasn¡¯t a weakened version like before, but one that compressed his power as much as possible, mimicking the original strength of the Cai Jing Taoists. This meant massive continuous output helped Yu Hong see his current maximum power level. "Go." He murmured to himself, watching the seventy-three Cai Jing Taoists materializing outside the window. Chapter 496: Mission 494 Part 2 Whoosh! Seventy-three colorful mirror figures faced thousands of dense black-winged stone statues head-on. All the colorful mirrors raised their hands simultaneously, Void One Finger. Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle!! In an instant, the dense black stone statues shattered and fell. Immediately after, the colorful mirrors released a massive spiritual energy pressure, instantly suppressing and slowing down the reaction of these black-winged stone statues. Then, like seventy-three pulverizing blades, they madly annihilated the flying black stone statues. For a moment, there were massive vibrations, explosions, and the dense sound of metal shearing. Yu Hong stood by the window, his entire body glowing with a reddish-purple light. That was a sign of fully exerting the Tai Ling Skill. The Immortal Level inner strength allowed the Cai Jing Taoists to quickly repair and recover, even if accidentally dispersed and severely damaged. "I see, ordinary attacks are no longer meaningful against the Immortal Realm.... No wonder it¡¯s named Immortal. Only Immortal can completely shatter the structure of Immortal...." Yu Hong watched large swathes of black stone statues being quenched while the seventy-three colorful mirror Taoists remained unharmed. He finally understood the meaning and weight of Immortality. Each black stone statue actually wasn¡¯t weak and could reach the level of the Golden Armor Dragonhead people without using Instantaneous Movement and special abilities. Even in speed and strength, they were higher. They were not lacking in moments when they could smash and sever the colorful mirror Taoists. But the final outcome was that the colorful mirror Taoists quickly repaired their bodies, unaffected, while they, once smashed, could not regenerate. It¡¯s not that they lacked regenerative abilities, but it¡¯s as though being smashed by Immortal, their energy structure was also shattered and dispersed.... Yu Hong¡¯s eyesight was now terrifyingly sharp, easily discerning some details. He could see that the shattered black stone statue fragments were struggling to recombine, but his Tai Ling Skill inner strength also dispersed light points, quickly extinguishing this recombining phenomenon. "Is this the suppression of higher-level regeneration and revival abilities?" He mused. Soon, the statues outside were completely quenched. Everything quieted down. The Black Black Spirit continued to fly forward. The seventy-three colorful mirror Taoists guarded both sides. Yu Hong completely let go of the Black Black Spirit¡¯s control, allowing it to act on its own. The main characteristic of the Savior Ship is self-propelled action to find Source Material and the land of vitality. This was also the fundamental reason why Patrol Chief Margaret asked him to come and investigate. The Black Black Spirit floated and traversed over this city that seemed to be burning with magma. Soon, a huge silhouette appeared in the black smoke ahead. It was an ultra-large black-winged statue over a thousand meters tall. The statue half-kneeled in the vast cluster of buildings, resembling an adult amidst a pile of small toy models. Its body was like a mountain peak, with four black wings extending behind it, and a black crown with thorn-like spikes on its head. Its eyes were burning with fierce dark red flames. Yu Hong¡¯s expression slightly tensed, controlling the colorful mirror Taoists to instantaneously move over and use Void One Finger. Sizzle! An invisible finger power abruptly blasted a small hole in the statue, but that was it. The statue ignored it, raising its hand to punch towards the Black Black Spirit. There was no extraordinary phenomenon, just extremely fast speed. The distance of over a thousand meters was crossed in an instant. The Black Black Spirit had no time to evade, getting hit directly. Boom!!! S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The ship shook violently, the struck upper back exploding with a burst of black debris. At this moment, the other colorful mirror Taoists swarmed up, repeatedly performing Void One Finger, blasting patches of small holes on the gigantic statue. But such an impact was minimal. Although each of these small holes had a diameter of over a dozen meters, they were of no consequence to the thousand-meter-tall four-winged black stone statue. Yu Hong checked the degree of damage to the hull. By percentage estimation, it was roughly 3%. ¡¯The previous damage hasn¡¯t been repaired, it seems I can¡¯t continue to withstand it head-on.¡¯ The initial confrontation was to test the opponent¡¯s destructive power for a solid understanding. But there was no need for it afterward. Whoosh! Seeing the enormous fist approaching swiftly for a second time. Yu Hong decisively activated the Isolation State. The Black Black Spirit emanated layer upon layer of transparent ripples mid-air, then quickly vanished from sight. In the next instant, the enormous fist, nearly a hundred meters in diameter, swept through where the Black Black Spirit had been, striking empty air. The remaining colorful mirror Taoists once again charged up, frantically destroying the gigantic four-winged statue. Unfortunately, the effect was minimal. After a while of fighting, the four-winged statue flapped its wings, and its entire body quickly healed as if nothing had happened. ¡¯This guy isn¡¯t affected by Immortal Energy?¡¯ Yu Hong, hidden in the Isolation State, observed frowningly. He discovered that the external corrosion of Immortal Energy had a duration. For oneself, it¡¯s capable of remaining always intact, and rapid recovery even when damaged. But the external damage and impact effect could only last for a period of time. This period was approximately five to ten minutes. He memorized this time limit. The Black Black Spirit silently flew over the four-winged statue, continuing deeper. Once the colorful mirror Taoists dragged the statue, they quickly dissipated on their own. Yu Hong released the control, standing in the Main Control Room, watching the dark red city as it became deeper and deeper outside. Suddenly, a silhouette appeared in mid-air ahead at the deepest point. It was a humanoid figure bound by countless magma chains. Numerous magma chains, glowing with a slightly dazzling red light, converged to a point, all bound to the armored human at the center. The armored man was about two meters tall, with two dark red spiral horns on his head, wearing heavy red-black armor over his entire face and body. His body was full of cuts, scars, and burn marks. He hung his head low, motionless, as if dead, quietly suspended in the air. Yu Hong stood inside the Black Black Spirit in Isolation State, carefully observing this humanoid through the circular window. ¡¯The appearance looks very much like the legendary great demon. But this is the depths of the Source Disaster.... These buildings, this humanoid, what on earth is....¡¯ Yu Hong had a tight frown. At that moment, the humanoid slowly raised its head, as if sensing Yu Hong¡¯s gaze. "This is the Third Epoch of Destruction.... the Great Annihilation has begun.... all things will be destroyed.... order will crumble, and chaos will come...." An old and trembling voice echoed inside the Black Black Spirit. "Whoever you are, please bring the message out.... I can no longer leave this period...." "With the eternal wind of flow, return to where you came...." That voice gradually weakened, becoming quieter. Then, the armored humanoid slowly faded away, together with the surrounding endless magma chains, all disappearing without a trace. Yu Hong widened his eyes, using all his eyesight to search, yet found not a single lingering trace. Outside, it was still the dark red dilapidated city, yet not a single trace of the armored humanoid could be found in the city skies. Even the magma chains were nowhere to be seen. Recording the scene just now, Yu Hong exhaled. The Black Black Spirit continued to hover and roam in the air. After an unknown length of time. Perhaps half a day, perhaps two days. All timing devices within Yu Hong¡¯s ship had stopped, causing him to lose his sense of time. Only the countdown of the Black Mark on the Outer Eye continued to flow. This roughly let him know how long he had been here. ¡¯Twenty-three hours?¡¯ Yu Hong poured himself a cup of hot water, sipping slowly. While also keeping a close watch on the changes outside. Finally, the Black Black Spirit stopped moving. It floated over something resembling a black building structured like an accordion. There was no sign of any Source Material nearby. With a thought, Yu Hong summoned a colorful mirror Taoist to fly down to that building. After wandering within the building for a while, no anomalies were found. However, on the walls, there was a large amount of unrecognizable text records. All these records were captured by Yu Hong using a translator. "Overall, this place isn¡¯t dangerous, so why didn¡¯t Margaret enter herself to look?" Yu Hong furrowed his brow, pondering the reason. He didn¡¯t believe the gigantic four-winged statue would be Margaret¡¯s opponent, there must be another reason. Controlling the Black Black Spirit, he flew out. Yu Hong quickly returned to the entrance he had originally come through and emerged. Outside, Harvey and that blonde twin-tails were still waiting there. Seeing the Black Black Spirit emerge and deactivate the Isolation State, both of them appeared surprised. "Done so quickly?" Harvey exclaimed in amazement. "Quick? I was inside searching for a day and found nothing." Yu Hong opened the door and jumped out, landing. "A day?" Harvey asked, surprised, "It hasn¡¯t been a day;you were only in there for less than five minutes." "Hmm?!?!" Now it was Yu Hong¡¯s turn to be shocked. He clearly saw through the countdown of the Black Mark that he had spent twenty-three hours after entering, but why did Harvey say he was only in there for less than five minutes?? "Regardless, let¡¯s report back to our teacher first." Harvey said seriously, "If what you said is true, then there is possibly a chaotic time current involved here, requiring a re-adjustment of the sealing." * * * Patrol Chief¡¯s Palace. Margaret was conversing with a robust humanoid figure composed entirely of flames. Both were seated in black stone high-back chairs within the grand hall, with various food and drinks tinged with a faint purple hue laid out in front of them. "You¡¯re still the same, Margaret." The flame humanoid expressed dissatisfaction, "But this matter cannot be decided by us Patrol Chiefs. This is the decision of the Arcane Circle and it cannot be altered." "Rumors of the Great Annihilation beginning are spreading everywhere, everything is being equally destroyed. Order will perish, chaos will come, this is not mere rhetoric. Over the past few thousand years, how many have left the Floating City because of this? They were tired of the unchanging rigid rules. They didn¡¯t want to just follow the steps towards demise, but try to find a more appropriate and accepting path for themselves!" Margaret said lowly. "Rules are rules, breaking them is the beginning of shaking all foundations." The flame humanoid said firmly. "Of what use are those meaningless foundations? Cannon fodder for fighting on the front lines against the Source Disaster?" Margaret laughed. "Time Rifts are different. Entering recklessly at our level will inevitably lead to unpredictable chaotic results." The flame humanoid said solemnly. "But in our era, all available Source Material has been exhausted. Where else can we search next? Apart from the past and future, we have no other choice." Margaret countered. "So you let a Savior Ship enter the Time Rift to help you find Source Material? Anyway, he¡¯s weak, won¡¯t have too much of an impact?" The flame humanoid asked. "Is that not okay?" "The Savior Ship does have the least impact, but...." "No buts, Andre, as long as you, being the Time Patrol Chief, don¡¯t report it, everything isn¡¯t a big problem." Margaret said earnestly. "We are friends, childhood friends! Aren¡¯t we?" she added. "Sigh...." The flame humanoid Andre sighed helplessly, "You¡¯re going to cause big trouble.... Margaret." "What does that have to do with us?" Margaret smiled, "According to the first principle of time, it is impossible for us to interfere with the time of our universe. So the time and source material we can access belong to other universes, and if their Source Material decreases, what¡¯s that got to do with us?" Andre was silent. He picked up the wine pot and took a sip. He asked once again. "What about that Savior Ship? How do you intend to handle it? You don¡¯t really plan to give him the Star Spirit Alloy?" "How could I. Something that will be imprisoned and never released in a few decades, giving Star Spirit Alloy to such a small thing is just a waste, isn¡¯t it?" Margaret laughed. "When I get the information, I¡¯ll just chase him away. Anyway, the little fellow that lasts only decades, he has no future to speak of." Andre was speechless, continuing to drink. Chapter 497: Parting 1 Inside Margaret¡¯s Water Elemental Palace. Yu Hong and Harvey quietly awaited the arrival of the Patrol Chief. The air inside the palace was cool and moist, yet not pleasant, as there was a moldy smell everywhere. Clearly, Margaret did not care about these things. Only after Yu Hong and the others had waited for over an hour did she finally arrive, leisurely. "How was it? What were the investigation findings?" Margaret¡¯s figure coalesced like water onto the seat, looking at Yu Hong. "It¡¯s basically a small space inside..." Yu Hong carefully recounted what he encountered after entering. "Black Winged Stone Statue? A burning architectural city?" Margaret furrowed her brows, "I see, next, you can go outside to claim your task reward. I¡¯ll first consult the records to see the origin of this place. Everything has a source." "Yes." Yu Hong was led away from the main hall and transmitted out. Together with Harvey, they soon arrived at the place where the Patrol Chief mentioned for collecting the task rewards. A particularly obese old man, wearing a green and slightly white apron, was tidily arranging a large stack of supply crates inside the spacious palace. There were already quite a few people in line. About a dozen people with peculiar looks, all quietly waiting in line. Harvey indicated a spot for Yu Hong to queue up, then left first with his junior apprentice-sister. Yu Hong stepped up, queuing in the last position. Time passed, and the people in front of him, one by one, left with what they received. Soon it was Yu Hong¡¯s turn. He stepped up in front of the obese old woman. "Name, what are you collecting? Who approved it?" the old woman asked coldly, not even lifting her head. "I¡¯m the captain of the Black Spirit, Yu, here to collect the task reward issued by Patrol Chief Margaret," Yu Hong briefly said. "Margaret?" The old woman paused slightly and found a black parcel the size of a human head from the stack of parcels. Picking it up, she casually tossed it to Yu Hong. "This is yours." "Thank you." Yu Hong took the parcel and moved to the side to quickly open it. He tore off the outer cloth, revealing a black small box inside. He lifted the lid of the box, inside of which was a small bottle, with Night Language engraved on the outside: Clearing Spirit. "?" Yu Hong was confused. "This isn¡¯t Star Spirit Alloy..." He suspected he received the wrong item and returned to the fat woman to inquire. "No mistake, this is yours. A standard portion of Clearing Spirit, stabilizes mood and concentration, about a week¡¯s supply, is the maximum dosage we can give," the fat woman said impatiently. "Is there anything else I haven¡¯t received? Please check again..." Yu Hong asked again. "It¡¯s all here. There¡¯s nothing else." The fat woman waved her hand, pushing Yu Hong aside and continuing to distribute items to the next person. Yu Hong silently stood aside, looking at the small bottle in his hand. He already understood. Margaret intended to default on the reward.... But even if she defaulted, what could he do? Make a scene here? Fight his way in? Snatch the reward that was rightfully his? Yu Hong looked at the tightly closed palace doors of Margaret in the distance, then at the Clearing God Spirit Pills in his hand. After a pause, he said nothing, merely turning silently towards the teleportation point. Shortly after, with a flash of white light, he disappeared into the Teleportation Array. And until he completely disappeared, a team of tall, water-blue Water Elemental beings appeared quietly inside the palace door behind. "Quite the discerning fellow." The armored leading Water Elemental muttered coldly. "What if he wasn¡¯t discerning? Charge in here and fight? A Level Three guy, while decent, anyone here can easily suppress him," another Water Elemental mocked. "Teacher instructed, if he dared to make a move, we¡¯d eliminate him on charges of intrusion. Didn¡¯t expect this guy to hold his temper so well, he saved his little life," the lead Water Elemental smiled. "Since that guy chickened out, our task is complete, Hunter, it¡¯s your turn to treat today, right?" someone in the team said with a laugh. "Alright, alright, I, Hunter Dells, keep my word! Today we¡¯re going to the Dark Forest, my treat!" The lead Water Elemental laughed. The group laughed and joked as they left the palace gate and disappeared at the teleportation point. On the other side, Yu Hong silently returned to the Black Spirit with the Clearing God Spirit Pills. The ship flew out of the Light Window, slowly maneuvering between the massive Floating Cities, heading back toward Harvey¡¯s Light Window. ¡¯Time to bid farewell, then it¡¯s time to leave.¡¯ He thought, standing in front of the ring-shaped window, gazing at the mountain-like buildings of the Floating Cities outside. A multitude of blue Light Windows, like spots on the black structures, each represented an entrance to a space. Some were large, some small, some private, some public. In addition, there were countless airships and peculiar creatures emitting golden light, constantly entering and exiting the Light Windows, either passing by the Black Spirit or traveling alongside. Yu Hong looked at the bustling and prosperous scene here, yet he clearly felt that he did not belong here. He picked up the Transmission Book, which automatically flipped to a certain page, with colorful, complex advertisements appearing on the page. One moment, it was a group of rainbow-colored snails lifting themselves up, clumsily waltzing with their heavy shells to weird music. The next moment, it turned into two dragon-headed humans in red and blue tights, standing in a boxing ring, looking fierce as they prepared to fight, surrounded by a cheering crowd of various strange creatures. The next second, it changed into a pitch-black earthworm standing up, wearing ancient Chinese-style long robes on a plain stage, performing stand-up comedy. Yu Hong watched these strange scenes and finally began to truly appreciate the cultural depth of the Floating City, accommodating countless species. Humans here were neither the only nor the largest group. "What a pity..." If he could, he¡¯d like to stay for a stable life, but reality was always this harsh. He looked at the Clearing God Spirit in his hand once more, pocketed it, and sped towards Harvey¡¯s Light Window. Bam. Suddenly, a splat of green snot-like slime struck the Black Spirit¡¯s window. In the distance, a green airship lowered its window, revealing a strong, crocodile-headed monster, who yelled furiously at Yu Hong. "You damn fool, you blocked my way!" Yu Hong didn¡¯t respond, only maneuvered the Black Spirit with a sharp turn, skimming past the green airship. Splat. The green airship collided lightly with the Black Spirit, scraping off a large patch of its surface. This enraged the crocodile-headed figure even more, who loudly cursed and threw things but couldn¡¯t catch up with the Black Spirit ahead. Evidently, the speed of the Black Spirit was slow in combat, but here, it was just a bit faster than the other. Over ten minutes later. Yu Hong drove into Harvey¡¯s Light Window, arriving once more at Jade Island. The Black Spirit slowly descended. Yu Hong exited the door, finding only Ku Chan, Yiyi, Chi Xiao waiting there. "Jiafei and Fisina are participating in the assessment and can¡¯t come. Because Nature God isn¡¯t eligible, Fisina is accompanying Jiafei as her combat partner," Ku Chan briefly explained. "It¡¯s okay." Yu Hong wasn¡¯t concerned about them, as long as these two were present. "What about you, when are you participating in the assessment?" "Starting tomorrow," Ku Chan replied, "But I was lucky to meet an old gentleman beforehand, who appreciates me and thinks I can be exempted from the first round of testing and go directly to the second round." He seemed in good spirits, with the assessment going exceptionally well. "I also tried, but the Arcane Master test was too difficult. I only attempted the assistant position, not sure if I passed," Yiyi added. "It should be fine. The threshold for the assistant isn¡¯t high, and if it doesn¡¯t work out, I can get an entry for her after I pass," Ku Chan said seriously. "Hmm, I trust you." Yu Hong nodded. He had great confidence in Ku Chan¡¯s character. "What about you, when are you leaving?" Ku Chan asked back. "... I¡¯ll leave tomorrow," Yu Hong replied. He also planned to find out the price of the Star Spirit Alloy himself. If it¡¯s too expensive, to see if he could buy some needed resources himself before leaving. Margaret¡¯s breach of promise, he remembered it. But that¡¯s to settle after he returns, right now he needed to purchase urgently required supplies. "I heard from Harvey that you went on a mission and now that you¡¯re back, you should¡¯ve gotten the Star Spirit Alloy, right?" Ku Chan casually asked. Yu Hong didn¡¯t respond, he just took out the bottle of Clearing Spirit and tossed it to Ku Chan. "What¡¯s this?" Ku Chan caught it, confused. "Task reward." "Hmm?" Ku Chan¡¯s expression changed, "Defaulting?" "Yes, defaulting. Who told me to be of little significance? Actually, I had some hunches before, but some things, only when they come face to face do you believe it¡¯s happening to you," Yu Hong said calmly. "...." Ku Chan examined the Clearing Spirit, his gaze beneath the mask was unpleasant. "This Clearing Spirit is only a few Crystal Coins per bottle on the market. Captain, the mission you executed is worth at least tens of thousands of Crystal Coins! Ruthless, really ruthless!" "It¡¯s okay, this is reality. I can accept it." Yu Hong¡¯s expression was indifferent. Ku Chan didn¡¯t know what to say, biting his lip as he scrutinized the bottle of Clearing Spirit, silently returning it to Yu Hong. Then, with a blank-faced Yiyi, he left. Yu Hong was indifferent, in such environments, being weak meant being exploited. Clearly, Margaret thought he had no future, so she didn¡¯t intend to fulfill her promise of the reward. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It was understandable. Now he was weak, accepting this reality. If the other party acted this way, so could he. When he was no longer weak in the future, he would return and do the same to the other party, surely the other party would have the same realization by then. Reality has treated me harshly, so I will repay with equivalent harshness. This was Yu Hong¡¯s philosophy of life. After a final check overnight on Jade Island, Yu Hong remotely transmitted and traded some Crystal Coins with the Transmission Book, then used the Crystal Coins to buy a basic Arcane Master Meditation Method. The transmission transaction process was very simple. You just click on what you want on the Transmission Book, triple-click, and the book would project a small Teleportation Array onto the ground ahead. Just place items into it. All purchases and sales were verified and brokered by Emma. Very convenient. It¡¯s akin to Arcane version online shopping. Chapter 498: Leaving at 496, two In addition, Yu Hong also bought some snacks and nibbles, intending to pass the time on the road by eating them. Life is not just about cultivation;it also needs some adjustments and relaxation. On Jade Island, for a moment, he was the only one quietly exploring the use of the Transmission Book. The bonfire flickered continuously in the sea breeze, and the once lively Black Black Spirit now left him alone. Early the next morning. Yu Hong stuffed the things he bought into the ship, stood at the doorway, and took one last look at this pure and spacious little island. He sighed, hesitated no longer, and turned to walk inside. "Captain!!!" Suddenly, a familiar voice floated over from afar. It was Ku Chan. Yu Hong turned to follow the sound and saw him and Yiyi standing on a flying carpet, flying back here together with Harvey. "Wait!" Ku Chan waved towards him. "Weren¡¯t you all going for the examination?" Yu Hong, feeling better, smiled and asked. "Yes." Ku Chan flew closer and said, "We passed." He jumped off the flying carpet and thrust a black handheld box into Yu Hong¡¯s arms. "A farewell gift we prepared for you, a piece of our hearts from Yiyi and me." "Yes, our heartfelt intentions!" Yiyi nodded earnestly beside him. "I appreciate your kindness, but you should take it back. Compared to me, you are more in need of money." Yu Hong¡¯s heart warmed as he attempted to return the box to Ku Chan. "Just accept it. As for the matter with the teacher, it was unfair of her." Harvey sighed on the side, "I found out and helped Ku Chan contact the seller. It took quite an effort to acquire this.... Honestly, I¡¯m a bit shocked that Ku Chan even had the means to buy it." "Though it¡¯s not much, it is still part of my heartfelt intentions." Ku Chan said earnestly, once again handing the box to Yu Hong. "This item is only suitable for you, Captain. It serves no purpose for me now that it¡¯s bought and paid for, so don¡¯t waste my intentions." Yu Hong had a vague guess and immediately accepted the box, quickly opening the lid. Inside was a small, irregular metal piece with a rainbow sheen. Beside it was a note that read: Secondary Star Spirit Alloy (self-healing capability is one-fifth to one-tenth of a complete form. Contains many impurities and is relatively weak). Yu Hong looked at this small box of metal chunks and raised his head to see Ku Chan turning his gaze away in embarrassment, not daring to look at him. "Where did you get so much money to buy this!?" He had seen this thing in the Transmission Book too;even if it¡¯s secondary, one kilogram costs over ten thousand crystal coins! It seemed to weigh at least seven or eight kilograms here! "Why fuss over so much, Captain? Compared to the magic skill you gave me, this is nothing." Ku Chan immediately showed an impatient posture. "He sold all the meditation resources that his teacher gave him..." Harvey muttered softly beside them. "You don¡¯t know anything!" Ku Chan barked uncharacteristically, "I passed the examination in one attempt, with full marks in all! Ranked second to the highest tier genius! With such aptitude, I don¡¯t need these resources!" "I can get the same back anytime!" "Is the welfare that good?" Yu Hong¡¯s hands trembled a bit, and after a moment of silence, he suddenly joked, "Can I also take the test?" "You can, Captain;you¡¯re definitely stronger than me, but... the second test might not be something you¡¯d want...." Ku Chan hesitated a moment. "Ku Chan took the examination by Dean Liu Chixuan of the Aus Academy. It¡¯s incredibly difficult..." Harvey continued explaining quietly, "In the first test, only 100 people are selected from 300,000, and the second test is even trickier;it requires opening all memories from young to old for inspection, with no concealment allowed." "...." Yu Hong didn¡¯t need to think to know that he wouldn¡¯t pass the second test, only someone like Ku Chan, who is honest and with a clear conscience, would have the qualification and the courage to take it. Thinking carefully, this guy is upright and distinguished between love and hate, with excellent aptitude and a sense of duty;he always rushes to the forefront in situations, brave and unafraid of danger. If he had to accept a disciple, he would probably pick such a guy first. Yu Hong didn¡¯t want to be such a person but didn¡¯t mind spending time with such people. Or rather, no one would avoid befriending someone like Ku Chan. "I¡¯ll accept this." Yu Hong wasn¡¯t sure what he felt at this moment, looking at the box of metal in his hands, he fell silent for a moment. "Can the aftereffects on your body be resolved?" he asked. "The teacher said it won¡¯t be a problem. Besides, having the Red Food Method to suppress and delay helped;otherwise, without this magic skill, I might not have been able to hold on until now," Ku Chan earnestly replied. He finished speaking, looking at Yu Hong, hesitating to speak further. He really wanted Yu Hong to stay too, but... Agrius¡¯s situation, he had also asked the teacher.... "Captain, if you encounter trouble, remember to find me!" Yu Hong didn¡¯t say more, merely reached out to pat him on the shoulder and then moved forward to embrace Yiyi. "Take care." "Can¡¯t you come back occasionally?" Yiyi asked, a bit dazed. "Uh... it seems, I can." Yu Hong blinked;a slightly somber atmosphere of parting was completely disrupted by such a sentence. "Okay, I¡¯m off then. I¡¯ll come back to see you later." He said no more, turned, and walked into the gate. The gate slowly closed. Shielding the waving silhouettes of Ku Chan and Yiyi. The Black Black Spirit ascended, turned around, and without even finishing the repairs, chose to leave once again. With a swoosh, the ship disappeared at the teleportation exit of the sky. Leaving Ku Chan and Yiyi standing blankly in the air. "Since we¡¯re done seeing him off, it¡¯s time to return with me." A vague blue figure silently coalesced and appeared behind Ku Chan. "Teacher! What brings you here?" Ku Chan exclaimed in surprise, immediately turning and saluting along with Yiyi. Harvey also hurried to bow in greeting. "Inspector Mage Harvey, greets Dean Liu." "Is it worth it?" The blue figure ignored Harvey, merely gazing at Ku Chan and asked gravely. "The meeting gifts I gave you, they¡¯re equivalent to a few decades of savings for an ordinary mage, and you sold them all to exchange for such a box of secondary Star Spirit Alloy. Do you realize how much value you lost in between?" "It is worth it," Ku Chan replied earnestly. "Just for a captain of the Savior Ship, who has no future and is destined to be imprisoned by Agrius until death?" the figure inquired again. "The captain is one of the people I admire most in my life. If it weren¡¯t for him, I would have died in my own world back then." Ku Chan responded. Looking at his determined and sincere eyes, the figure remained silent for a while. "I¡¯m a bit doubtful whether taking you on as my disciple was a correct decision... Arcane requires reason, absolute rationality, not to act impulsively upon things that may cause regret in the future." "I will not regret it. Neither now, nor in the future." Ku Chan said decisively. The figure said no more, merely snorted coldly, and turned away, heading towards the teleportation array. "Let¡¯s go, back to the academy." "Yes." Ku Chan, pulling Yiyi, saluted Harvey in thanks before hurriedly chasing after the blue figure. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Only after taking a few steps did he feel something black and heavy flying towards him. Smack, he caught the object, which turned out to be another black box wrapped in blue and black cloth, identical to the one he had just given to Yu Hong. "Is this....!?" Ku Chan glanced at the teacher in confusion. "There are two parts to the meeting gift;this is the second part. Fortunately, I didn¡¯t give them all to you at once, otherwise, if you sold everything, you would have lost big time?!" The blue figure snorted coldly as it continued forward, vanishing within the teleportation array in the blink of an eye. Though he did not consider wasting resources on someone like Yu Hong, who seemed to have no future, to be a wise thing, since it was what his disciple wanted to do, he could only acquiesce. After all, though people with aptitude like Ku Chan¡¯s are rare, they can still be found here and there;however, those with comparable integrity and resolute will... It¡¯s been few and far between over the past century. Ku Chan blinked, looking confusedly at the box in his hands, and walked away with Yiyi. Leaving Harvey to watch their disappearing figures and sighed wordlessly. "Truly eye-opening..." He lifted his head to the sky, recalling his own experience of apprenticing with Margaret, it was all him gifting the teacher. "I¡¯ve never seen a teacher give a student gifts, two at once no less...." * * * In the heart of the Wind Disaster, amid the flowing rainbow threads. Yu Hong controlled the Black Black Spirit floating amid the threads, no longer advancing. He stood alone at the window, gazing at the colossal sunflower-like human faces floating by outside, unemotional. "Everyone¡¯s gone, and now there¡¯s no one to disturb me...." He took out the strengthening Outer Eye. The countdown showed there were 33 hours and 12 minutes remaining. Just over a day. "I¡¯ll wait here till the strengthening finishes, repair Black Black Spirit, and then set off again." He decided;here, adjacent to the Floating City Absolute Balance, the surroundings were actually safer. He didn¡¯t need to force himself to set off now. Though Black Black Spirit had strong concealment even without activating Isolation State, its defense ability had decreased significantly;if bad luck coincidently brought them in front of a perceptive behemoth, that would be troublesome. Yu Hong thus sat cross-legged before the window, bathed in the colorful light streaming in from outside, entering the cultivation state of Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill. Oddly enough, usually, when cultivating the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Scripture, he only entered a meditative state and never fell asleep, but this time, unconsciously, he actually drifted off. "Yu Hong....." "Yu Hong..." A deep and grand voice echoed continuously in his ears. Yu Hong gradually came to his senses in a daze, realizing he was floating in a boundless, vast starry sky. Above, below, all around, the space was filled with silver stars in the black expanse. And that voice was coming from directly above him. Above? Yu Hong looked up, his pupils suddenly contracting. He saw an enormous black giant lizard clinging to a yellowish-brown planet. The giant lizard¡¯s head rested on the planet¡¯s surface, its body coiled around the planet. At this moment, this pitch-black giant lizard, with platinum eyes, was calmly observing him. Watching Yu Hong, small as a dust particle. "Nice to meet you, I am Agrius." The giant lizard¡¯s deep voice, akin to thunder, echoed in Yu Hong¡¯s ears. Agrius? The main body!? Yu Hong was stunned;gazing at the counterpart, an inexplicable chill rose from his heart. "The time hasn¡¯t arrived yet, right?" He suppressed his innate fear aroused by the immense status gap and said gravely. "Of course not. I am here because just now, all the other Savior Ships under my jurisdiction have been annihilated;only yours survives." Agrius stated calmly. "You must have seen the message left by the Space-time Demon before its annihilation. It was a scene from three thousand years ago, at the onset of the Great Cataclysm." Chapter 499: Parting at 497 No.3 "I¡¯m the only one left!?" Yu Hong was taken aback. "What do you mean?" "Literally." Agrius replied calmly. His massive eyes resembled two huge lakes, with gentle ripples like patterns. "In the Great Extinction, everything will be destroyed, whether it¡¯s the Absolute Balance or Forest Sea City, all Floating Cities are merely struggling to survive." "The strength of the Source Disaster will continue to rise until you can no longer withstand it." "But if the Floating City has already endured for tens of thousands of years, isn¡¯t its destruction inevitable, as there is no eternal and indestructible fortress in this world?" Yu Hong suddenly asked. "You¡¯re right. But that¡¯s in regard to your kind of feeble life. When your lifespan spans millions or even billions of years, a world that perishes over tens of thousands of years is also an error for you," Agrius explained calmly. "Alright, so why are you seeking me out now?" Yu Hong understood and asked directly. "For a hundred-year-old life like mine, such a future is too distant." "I see your potential," Agrius said in a deep voice. "Although I¡¯m not sure how you¡¯ve done it, you have a power that gradually makes ordinary things extraordinary. The other captains also have their specialties, but ultimately none compare to you." "So..." Yu Hong knew Agrius was referring to the Black Mark, though he probably couldn¡¯t dig to the deepest reason. He could only observe the surface and draw that conclusion. "So, I intend to renew the contract with you," said Agrius. "Of course, that¡¯s just the superficial reason. The real reason is... I¡¯m almost at my limit too." "What do you mean...?" Yu Hong was puzzled. "My body has mostly been eroded and destroyed by the Source Disaster, and now I could be completely obliterated and turned into an empty shell of the Source Disaster at any moment," Agrius answered. "You¡¯ve already reached the Phoenix Eye. Though the Savior Ship has also entered the Phoenix Eye, in my line, you are the only one. I have no other choice." "...." Those words seemed as if choosing him was barely a choice at all. Yu Hong was at a loss for words. In the next instant, he saw a platinum beam of light shoot out from Agrius¡¯s forehead, arriving before him in the blink of an eye. The light stopped, transforming into a small sphere composed of countless silver metallic runes. Inside the sphere was a flowing platinum liquid, which slowly parted, revealing a vague, miniature humanoid shape. The humanoid shape, astonishingly, had Yu Hong¡¯s own face. "Drip your blood, and the contract will be renewed indefinitely. But do not think you can hide in the Floating City to enjoy your time. Though I don¡¯t know why, you¡¯ve been targeted by the Ultimate Sun. The Light Disaster is rapidly approaching you. Your time is short..." Agrius¡¯s voice drifted from afar. "And you... what about you?" Yu Hong frowned. Although the hundred-year limitation of time was lifted, he felt even more restless for some reason. "I am about to die," Agrius replied. "Perhaps in the next moment or maybe years later, perhaps even longer, but I have no hope left. Only when you find the land of vitality in the future will there be hope, and I might possibly revive. While you¡¯ve been delaying, the Great Extinction has advanced to more distant regions. If you do not act now, everything you encounter will be remnants and fragments of destruction." After finishing these words, Agrius raised a fingertip, where a speck of golden light gleamed briefly. In the next moment, another object appeared before Yu Hong. A key. A golden key, with countless moving black spots on its surface. "This is the Key of All Things. It¡¯s a token I once obtained from a prophecy, proving the existence of the land of vitality. As long as you get close, it can guide you and open the entrance." Agrius¡¯s voice gradually faded, diminishing until it fully dissipated. Yu Hong looked at the two objects before him, extended his fingertip to release a drop of blood into the sphere, and then grasped the key. Whoosh! All of a sudden, everything before him seemed to dissolve like an illusion. He was instantly pulled out from a drowning-like state. Hiss.... He looked around, realizing he was still standing in front of the window of the safe house Black Spirit, outside where multicolored lights shone, and the ship was still anchored deep within the Wind Disaster. "Just now... was it an illusion?" But the next moment, when he looked down, he saw a golden key tightly gripped in his hand. He understood, it wasn¡¯t a dream or an illusion. "So, the restriction really is lifted.... The hundred-year contract is gone?? Does that mean the captains on Prison Island can come and go freely too??" "There is no longer a Prison Island," Agrius¡¯s voice sounded. "Five hours after you last left, Prison Island, along with the world you originated from, was utterly destroyed by the Primordial Catastrophe deep within the Black Disaster. Whether confined or not, you are the last captain. Take care...." "Hey? Agrius!?" Yu Hong called several times, finding that there was truly no response now. Regardless of how he tried to summon after that, no answer came. Confirming there was truly no response, Yu Hong simply sat cross-legged, holding the key to study it carefully. After more than ten minutes of observation, he discovered that the key seemed not to exist in reality;it was something only he could touch. Any other object he tried to meet with the key would pass right through, as if the key didn¡¯t exist. Upon retrieval, neither the key nor the object bore any marks, as if he held a shadow. Having found nothing significant, Yu Hong got up to eat, reminiscing for a few moments about Brother Hu from Prison Island, and then continued practicing the Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill. Black Black Spirit remained at its spot, waiting for repairs, and Agrius had lifted the century-long contract, leaving time unrestricted. Now, he just had to wait for the Black Mark¡¯s enhancement to complete, repair the ship, and then he could continue forward. No companions, no crew. Yu Hong watched the countdown on the Outer Eye, ate, slept, and practiced cultivation. Before he knew it, the countdown ended. He moved the bed to the window on the ship, sat cross-legged on it alone, watched the outside through the window, and then took out the Outer Eye to wait. Coloured light fell upon him, painting him into a patchwork of blues and yellows, vibrant with many hues. Hiss. The last minute lightly ticked away on the Outer Eye, completely ending. The countdown ended. The Outer Eye in Yu Hong¡¯s hand blurred for a moment, and then the next second, it transformed into a peculiar orb of pure white with an intensely bright internal light. A sheet of white paper instructions flashed below the orb. Yu Hong, unperturbed, picked up the white paper to examine the instructions. ¡¯Outer Eye: Also known as the Immortal General¡¯s Eye, this single eye possesses abilities comparable to the Immortal General¡¯s eye from Heaven¡¯s Qishan. Everything in its sight can be immediately reached by teleportation. Everything in its sight can be destroyed with a thought.¡¯ ¡¯Ability 1: Eye of Destruction (Able to destroy any target lower than one¡¯s own spiritual power under visual lock. It absorbs the force of destruction in reverse from destroyed targets;the more targets killed, the stronger the Eye of Destruction. The limit is the body¡¯s strength tolerance, capable of targeting multiple objectives simultaneously.) Ability 2: Eye of Transmission (Able to teleport oneself across distances to any desired location without cost, every second interval. Note: Under extreme conditions, transmitting over great distances may require bodily strength, and insufficient strength can lead to the body decomposing midway, leaving only the will to arrive.) "This time it¡¯s quite impressive, just amplifying two abilities, directly upgrading me to the Immortal General¡¯s tier," Yu Hong said contentedly, picking up the globe of white light, but he didn¡¯t insert it into his eye socket immediately. Instead, he continued to extend his hand, suddenly inspired, placing the just-obtained Key of All Things on it. The two made contact as one. ¡¯Enhance the Outer Eye, full enhancement,¡¯ Yu Hong thought silently. He wanted to try it out, to see what kind of enhancement the combination of the key and Outer Eye would yield. Certainly, this was just an attempt;he still had to first repair the safe house before considering more. Just to have a look. Soon, a dark line shot out from the Black Mark on the back of his hand, merging into the Outer Eye. The countdown naturally surfaced. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡¯139 years, November 15th, 42 minutes.¡¯ "Indeed..." Yu Hong put his hand down without surprise, removed his eye patch, and inserted the Outer Eye into his eye socket. With a flash of golden light, this Immortal General¡¯s Eye quickly linked with the body, and a great amount of Inner Strength from the Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill surged into it, assimilating it into his own system. Then, in the next second. The Immortal General¡¯s Eye also began seeping nurturing, cooling airflow, blending into his Inner Strength under the influence of his cultivation power. The Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill was inherently a technique that accelerated and improved the stronger the eyes became. At this moment, with the Immortal General¡¯s Eye enhanced, the dramatic boost in eye strength activated the whole cultivation method into auto-acceleration. Buzz. Yu Hong sat cross-legged, a circle of dark-rimmed, two-winged giant tiger¡¯s phantom naturally appearing around him. With the nourishment of the Immortal General¡¯s Eye, the Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill Power surged rapidly as if on a highway. Grey Inner Strength circled densely in Yu Hong¡¯s body, quickly refining the essence of the Immortal General¡¯s Eye, absorbing it into the entire cultivation system within, fusing into Yu Hong¡¯s whole body. Roar...! A low growl rumbled from the giant tiger as its body gradually solidified, the thick, fluffy white fur floating in the breeze, looking exceptionally pristine and dignified. Poof. Before long, Yu Hong¡¯s entire form trembled slightly. A gray light flashed briefly across his face. The next layer of the Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill was broken through. And that is not all.... The potential of the Immortal General¡¯s Eye was far from fully tapped;the grey Inner Strength continued to circulate wildly, absorbing and refining the potential of the new Outer Eye. Time passed little by little. In the blink of an eye, more than three hours had passed. One barrier after another in the Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill was breached. Hiss! With another faint sound, gray light flashed across Yu Hong¡¯s body once more. This time, the cultivation technique reached the Eighth Layer, marking the final phase, the mid-stage of the Chaotic God. Reaching the Eighth Layer, breaking through just once more would bring the cultivation technique to its apex, signifying that the Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill has been trained to its limit and acquired a brand new cultivation technique trait. Yu Hong sat cross-legged on the bed, enveloped in a radiant gray glow, the outline of the giant tiger highly realistic, with most of its black eyes now open, revealing densely packed, peculiar black eyes. At this time, the gray Inner Strength within him was entirely pressing down the red-purple Inner Strength from the Tai Ling Skill for the first time. The Light Well in his Dantian was also tightly encased in layers of gray light, woven tightly as a sealed entity. Chapter 500: Farewells Fourth ¡¯This time the enhancement of the Outer Eye, this step was really the right one.....¡¯ Yu Hong slowly opened his eyes, feeling the drastic changes within his body. The Immortal General¡¯s Eye allowed his Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill to break through to the Eighth Layer in one go, increasing his power several dozen times over. It even suppressed the Inner Strength of the Tai Ling Skill. Of course, the Tai Ling Skill has the support of the Light Well, so if they were to maintain output over time, it would definitely be stronger, but in terms of equal quality, the current Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill could already fully suppress the Tai Ling Skill. Standing up, he felt the surging and robust Inner Strength within him. Although he had grown much stronger, without a specific reference point, it was difficult to know his own standing. After some thought, Yu Hong stretched out his hand and placed it on the window. First, repair the ship. ¡¯Repair the Black Black Spirit.¡¯ Black lines flowed out, questions arose, and soon a countdown appeared on the window. ¡¯11 days 18 minutes¡¯ ¡¯Not bad.¡¯ Yu Hong nodded slightly, confirming the start of the repair. The increase in power really made a difference. He didn¡¯t plan to add the materials given by Ku Chan just yet;he intended to separately enhance the materials first before using them all together. ¡¯For this period, we can only stay here and wait until we are fully reinforced before setting off.¡¯ Yu Hong was determined this time, planning to strengthen everything to the utmost, then make a breakthrough with the Phoenix Eye and enter the next area. After confirming the enhancement, the countdown quickly began. Yu Hong continued to stabilize his cultivation, consolidating his newly advanced Inner Strength. Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill, upon reaching the Seventh Layer of Chaotic God, would give rise to a brand-new capability. That is Chaotic God. Simply put, it allows one to see through illusions and confuse and control living beings from their core essence, turning them into one¡¯s puppet with an evil ability. The original creator of this skill was ultimately overwhelmed by his ever-increasing desires due to this ability, leading to grave mistakes and self-destruction. Naturally, Yu Hong also acquired this derivative ability. But with no test subjects to experiment on, he could only practice against the wall in boredom. More than ten days passed, monotonous and dull, coinciding with a significant increase in his cultivation, as well as acquiring such a special new ability. After sitting idly for six days, Yu Hong finally couldn¡¯t bear it any longer. He didn¡¯t intend to set off again but started navigating the ship, once more breaking away from the Wind Disaster, returning to the nearby space where the Floating City was located. This time, having learned from experience, he appeared directly in the area away from Absolute Balance. Thus, avoiding alerting the inspection team over there. Then, he kept the ship in Isolation State, letting it drift quietly around the exit of the Floating City, waiting. Having just made a breakthrough, naturally itching for a target to practice his skills on. But fighting Wind Disaster monsters was not intriguing. Moreover, it could easily cause disturbances. So naturally, Yu Hong set his target on Margaret, who had just offended him. Of course, Margaret is a Level Six Arcane Master, undoubtedly very powerful. In the Floating City where even Level Three could wield Immortal Energy, a Level Six is assuredly a terrifying existence. Therefore, to be safe, Yu Hong waited patiently, waiting for an opportune moment. He wasn¡¯t worried about targeting the wrong person. The advantage of the Floating City is that every mage has their own Light Window. And Margaret is already considered upper-middle class, her Light Window being larger and more conspicuous than Harvey¡¯s. Yu Hong had been there once;for a powerhouse like him, with incredibly strong spiritual power, remembering such trivial matters was child¡¯s play. Inside the Black Black Spirit. Yu Hong stood in the Main Control Room, quietly observing the Floating City through the circular window. His terrifyingly powerful eyesight allowed him to easily see through some superficial barriers to locate Margaret¡¯s Light Window. He could also see all the coming and going ships there. ¡¯Since there¡¯s nothing to do while waiting for enhancement, why not create some trouble for that woman and test the results first.¡¯ With his power increased, his overall strength had at least skyrocketed compared to before, making Yu Hong feel capable and excited to try. He quietly observed the ships entering and exiting Margaret¡¯s Light Window, including their number, markings, direction, and size. Everything was documented. Three days of continuous observation. Finally..... ¡¯It¡¯s here!¡¯ Suddenly, Yu Hong¡¯s mouth curled into a smile as he saw a giant spaceship composed of sky-blue liquid slowly flying out of Margaret¡¯s Light Window. The exterior of this ship bore a special aqua blue three-petal flower mark. Having seen it often, Yu Hong knew this was Margaret¡¯s mage seal. Every mage has their own unique seal. Margaret¡¯s seal was this aqua blue three-petal flower. Each petal bore her three encrypted true names. ¡¯Such a big ship..... And of this specification, it should be a cargo ship..... Interesting.....¡¯ Seeing this ship, Yu Hong¡¯s heart moved slightly. He had been waiting, unable to find an opportunity, almost ready to give up temporarily, planning to return for revenge when he was stronger and more confident. But now, it seemed the opportunity had arrived. £ª £ª £ª Inside the Floating City. Inside the sky-blue spaceship. Three water-formed Water Elements were bidding farewell to Margaret and her disciples who sent them off. ¡¯Mother, you can stop here. We can go back on our own.¡¯ One Water Element, looking frail and clearly male in appearance, showed no masculinity between his brows. He wore a white mage robe, his hands adorned with several permanent enchantment rings just given by Margaret. Behind him were smaller Water Elements carrying and arranging the large amount of cargo just loaded onto the ship. ¡¯The supplies being sent back to the tribe this time are 80% more than before, definitely enough for a prosperous year for the tribe. Be careful and cautious on your journey,¡¯ said Margaret, looking nothing like her usually stingy and mean self, but instead wearing the gentle expression of a mother. ¡¯Although Absolute Balance is very strong, Forest Sea City has been increasingly active these years. As another Floating City, their twinkling troops often act as interstellar pirates. Be careful.¡¯ ¡¯Don¡¯t worry, mother.¡¯ The Water Element man nodded, ¡¯I have Si Ha and Mei Lan to protect me, and with our cargo ship of this size, we shouldn¡¯t attract piracy. After all, exposing themselves for a single ship isn¡¯t worth it for any pirates.¡¯ ¡¯That¡¯s true.¡¯ Margaret thought about it and agreed. Si Ha and Mei Lan, one a Level Three Arcane Master, the other a Level Four, were both absolute experts. Escorting such a cargo ship wasn¡¯t much of an issue. In usual circumstances, especially a Level Four Arcane Master, given enough time, they could even destroy a planet. Placed outside the Floating City, in any force, they would be in the highest echelons. Having these two escorting her son and such a small amount of cargo was indeed not a problem. Not to mention that the Oyster had a formidable Level Five Illusion Array, significantly concealing its presence and hiding its aura and image. For forces capable of breaking such an array, these goods wouldn¡¯t be of interest. And those interested in these goods couldn¡¯t break the array. Plus, with two Arcane Masters escorting them, the safety was considered the highest. ¡¯Return now, mother, the inspection department still has so much work to do, it¡¯s enough to send us here.¡¯ Son Uelman advised. ¡¯Alright.....¡¯ Margaret looked around, ¡¯It¡¯s a pity that the distance is too far, with too many intervals, otherwise directly setting up a teleportation array wouldn¡¯t be such a hassle.¡¯ ¡¯A distance of over a thousand light-years, the cost of instantaneous teleportation is too high.....¡¯ Son Uelman smiled wryly. ¡¯Would I not know that?¡¯ Margaret¡¯s glance scared Uelman, making him tremble all over, not daring to say more. ¡¯Get going, seeing you act all timid and hesitant just riles me up.¡¯ Margaret looked at her son like that, her heart filled with a sudden surge of anger, itching to hit someone. Who wouldn¡¯t want their son to be a mighty Great Mage? She was no different. But Uelman might have been beaten too much since childhood, his personality set in such a manner, changing wasn¡¯t easy. ¡¯Yes!¡¯ Uelman was startled, quickly ordering the cabin door to close. The Oyster slowly turned, glowing with a water-blue light, its hull becoming rapidly translucent, entering the illusion array activation state. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡¯See you after the New Year, mother.¡¯ Uelman transmitted mentally. ¡¯Hurry up and go!¡¯ Margaret waved impatiently. But despite her harsh words, as she watched her son leave, a gentle look unavoidably flashed across her face. She¡¯s been saving resources and seeking benefits, for what? Isn¡¯t it for her son¡¯s future to be successful? Her son might not have the best talent, possibly halting when his Arcane Path reaches Level Five, but when it comes to breaking through the qualitative change at Level Six, the resources needed are incalculable. And Uelman is already the most talented person in the tribe. So, whether it¡¯s for her son or the tribe, she must cultivate a second Level Six Arcane Master. She knew the pressure on her son was immense, very difficult, but there¡¯s no choice..... In her position, she sees things differently than lower-level mages. Some barriers, if she can¡¯t break through now while she¡¯s in power, thinking about the future is even more pointless. The decline of the tribe is almost inevitable. ¡¯Teacher, don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s okay. The Oyster is already in illusionary mode, it¡¯s highly concealed when leaving, nothing will happen.¡¯ Harvey comforted in a low voice beside her. ¡¯Hm.¡¯ Margaret nodded and flew back to her Light Window. Harvey glanced at the distant disappearing image of the Oyster and sighed, following closely behind. At the same time. Outside the Source Disaster Floating City, in the isolated state within the Black Black Spirit where Yu Hong hid, he removed the eye mask, revealing the newly enhanced white fluorescent Outer Eye, staring at the departing Oyster. A vague smile appeared on his face. He had seen..... The interactions between Margaret and her son, although he couldn¡¯t hear the content, he could see that subtle warmth and gentleness. And the ship.....the cargo aboard seemed substantial..... He initially thought the opportunity for revenge might only come in the future, but unexpectedly, it came so quickly..... The Immortal General¡¯s Eye released a soft white light at this moment, with a ring of golden light dots at the center of the pupil, converging and dispersing, repeating continuously. This was the manifestation of the Breaking Illusion capability of the Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill. Yu Hong didn¡¯t know the extent of this Breaking Illusion ability, but at this moment, using it to lock onto the sky-blue spaceship was easy. Quietly, he waited. Waiting for the ship to slowly leave the Floating City, gradually starting to accelerate and fly off into the distance. Yu Hong¡¯s eyes flashed, and the Instantaneous Movement ability triggered. The next moment, he had disappeared from within the Black Black Spirit. Chapter 501: Attempt One Inside the Oyster. Uelman sighed as he stood in the spacecraft¡¯s cockpit, gazing at the accelerating stars outside, his expression not particularly joyful. "Si Ha, how long have you been with mother?" he asked softly. "About four hundred years, I guess. Why?" The water element Si Ha appeared female, with long blue ponytail hair, carefully sewing the fallen pages of the Arcane Book back together at the moment. With one hand, she released a blue-purple mana thread, and with the other, she held onto the pages of the Arcane Book, fully focused. Answering the question required only a slight diversion of attention. "Four hundred years, Si Ha, you¡¯ve reached Level Three, and Mei Lan is even a Level Four Arcanist... perhaps there¡¯s hope to reach Level Five in the future... Unlike me..." Uelman sighed again. "You¡¯re not doing badly either, though slower than us, you should be able to reach Level Three soon. Speaking of which, what spells did you solidify for the first two levels?" Si Ha asked casually. "Protection from Range and Protection from Sharp." Uelman answered honestly. "...No attack spells?" Si Ha¡¯s mouth twitched. "No, mother said I just need to ensure my absolute safety;the rest doesn¡¯t need consideration." Uelman nodded. "...That¡¯s too one-sided... What about Level Three then? What do you plan to solidify? You can only solidify one spell per level, so choose carefully." Si Ha was speechless. "Mother said it¡¯s still Protection Against Blunt Objects. At Level Four, continue to enhance Protection from Range. In space battles or Source Disasters battles, most attacks are ranged, so strengthening this protection is absolutely correct." Uelman replied seriously. "It¡¯s true, but..." Si Ha wanted to persuade him. With such a one-sided focus, in case of any unforeseen changes, purely defensive arcane couldn¡¯t survive independently in danger. But when she thought of the teacher¡¯s disposition, if she found out that she had influenced her son¡¯s spell solidification... After thinking it over, she gave up. "What¡¯s wrong?" Uelman asked, puzzled. "Nothing. This is great. Certainly a teacher¡¯s arrangement." Si Ha nodded repeatedly, brushing it off. The Oyster continued its voyage, its speed increasing rapidly, accelerating. At this moment, the main control intelligent system¡¯s prompt sounded inside the cabin. "Space jump is about to begin, target¡ªRemote Interstellar Gate. All personnel, please return to your resting positions and fasten your seatbelts to avoid injury from excessive motion." This massive sky-blue spacecraft quickly distanced itself from the Floating City, gradually merging into the vast surrounding starlight, becoming one with the darkness. The blue light on its body swiftly disappeared under the concealment of the Illusion Array, completely vanishing in the starry sky. Click. Yu Hong carefully clutched the outer shell of the spacecraft, releasing a gray light from his Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill on his hands. Silently, he cut open a small opening on the spacecraft¡¯s shell, just enough for him to enter alone. At this moment, his face was covered, and his whole body was enveloped in an indistinct white, simulated by the Spirit Light Secret Skill, which resembled Light Disaster Radiation, making it impossible to see what he actually looked like. His aura was also completely scrambled by the radiation. Tumbling into the opened hole, Yu Hong closed it back with a reverse hand maneuver to prevent pressure leakage that could cause imbalance. But even though he was exceptionally speedy, a piercing alarm sounded instantly inside the spacecraft. "Outer wall breached, enemy intrusion detected, jump halted, please eliminate the intruder immediately." A red glimmer suddenly ignited on Yu Hong¡¯s body, its origin unknown. "Interesting." Yu Hong tried to erase this red flame with his hand, but it seemed non-existent, continuing to burn on his shoulder, untouchable. Yu Hong¡¯s Tai Ling Skill flowed out in large quantities, persistently flooding that small area completely. The Source Disaster¡¯s power proved absolute, extinguishing the little flame on the spot. Yet... Yu Hong stood in the passageway of the spacecraft, already faced by a water-blue humanoid figure, entirely composed of elements. Astonishingly, it was the accompanying Level Four Arcanist Mei Lan. Behind her, numerous strong water elements, clad in black protective armor and wielding silver firearms, charged forward. They aimed their guns. Click. Over a dozen silver firearm barrels simultaneously targeted Yu Hong in the ten-meter-wide passageway. Simultaneously, at the other end of the passage, Mei Lan and Uelman arrived in time, the water elements beside them raising large riot shields, surrounding and protecting them completely. "Who are you?!" Uelman asked in a deep voice, staring at Yu Hong. "Quick response...." Yu Hong nodded approvingly. "It seems with the intelligent system, the speed indeed far exceeds without." He directed his attention to Mei Lan standing in front, raising the magic wand. "Oh well, originally intended to sneak in quietly, but now that I¡¯ve been discovered, I¡¯ll just have to eliminate you all...." Before the last word fell, Yu Hong had already darted forward, transforming into a white phantom, appearing before Mei Lan in the blink of an eye. Only then did gunfire start echoing around him. However, it was too late, too slow. Yu Hong flashed a smile as he reached out, clawing at Mei Lan¡¯s translucent neck. In the next moment, a thin blue barrier appeared in front of his hand. Boom! Blue light splattered. The barrier shattered, but Mei Lan seized the opportunity to flicker and shift several meters away, raising her magic wand to unleash a second spell. Unfortunately. The second spell hadn¡¯t even fully formed, with the blue light just burgeoning at the tip of the wand. With a thundering bang, it abruptly interrupted her casting. She saw the intruder¡¯s missed claw wasn¡¯t withdrawn;instead, it clenched in mid-air. It seemed a high-explosive grenade detonated in his palm. With a deafening boom. A massive surge of white energy exploded from the intruder¡¯s hand, instantly engulfing the surrounding water elements. The entire passage filled up with white light, the screeching of metal distortions and tearing sounds fully filling Mei Lan¡¯s hearing. Her heart sank instantly. ¡¯To break my mana barrier so swiftly, it¡¯s definitely a Level Four or even stronger expert!! Trouble!¡¯ She rapidly released layer upon layer of Arcane Barriers, protecting herself, while slapping a necklace hanging on her chest. ¡¯Detection initiated.¡¯ ¡¯Sample collection completed, hostile target identified, searching large database spell library, confirmed as Light Disaster Radiation-derived destruction entity, corresponding spell selection completed.¡¯ ¡¯Spell model activation, mana fill-in ready?¡¯ "Yes!" Mei Lan internally shouted, her mana washing through like waves, rapidly infusing into the necklace. This was the Arcane Intelligence, a basic spell-casting aid platform possessed by every Arcanist. Though the preceding chain of processes seemed complex, it actually only took less than a tenth of a second thanks to the exceptionally fast chip speed. Next moment, exceedingly dark deep light emanated from Mei Lan¡¯s magic wand. Darkness shouldn¡¯t have light, but at this moment, the energy released from her magic wand indeed continuously emitted an illumination blackening the surroundings. "Level Four Ghost Energy Arrow, charging complete." Swish!! In the blink of an eye, the dark light twisted into a massive black arrow, bursting forth, instantly appearing less than five centimeters before Yu Hong¡¯s face. The arrow traversed the white Light Disaster Radiation energy in-between, directly materializing before Yu Hong¡¯s face. Then. BOOM!!! A massive explosion. Yu Hong was entirely engulfed in black light. All the Light Disaster Radiation energy on him was effectively compressed and neutralized, leaving the surroundings silent, as the radiance dissipated, revealing the previous scene anew. The black light encapsulated him, forming a massive elliptical sphere, incessantly contracting and expanding. But at this moment, Mei Lan¡¯s expression suddenly changed. "Wrong!!" She decisively retreated. But she was already a step too late. In the next instant, the black light exploded like a popped balloon, releasing a frenzy of endless red-purple misty energy from within. Through the red-purple mist, a towering silhouette steadily approached her. At the silhouette¡¯s back, a hint of a colossal ice-blue sphere burned silently. "An energy well... Do you think you¡¯re the only one who has it?!" A flash of determination twinkled in Mei Lan¡¯s eyes. She tossed her wand, arms spread wide. A vague deep blue vortex appeared behind her. The voice of the Arcane Intelligence rapidly echoed. ¡¯Water element energy well activated.¡¯ ¡¯Full power spell-casting mode enabled.¡¯ Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡¯Maximum simultaneous spell-casting enabled.¡¯ ¡¯Annihilation mode engaged.¡¯ Within a flash, copious amounts of blue light gushed from behind Mei Lan, all converging into a unified mass of Ghost Energy Arrows, densely firing like artillery shells at Yu Hong. Likewise, before Yu Hong, vast quantities of Light Disaster Radiation energy bodies materialized, recklessly surging forth as if sparing no cost. Immensely multiplying quantities of red-purple Tai Ling Skill Inner Strength, under the Light Disaster¡¯s support, rapidly formed a red-purple tide in an instant, practically filling the entire passage, confronting masses of Ghost Energy Arrows head-on. On one side, blue-black mixed with infinite arrows. On the other, red-purple, gathered into a sea of Inner Strength. Upon collision, terrifying annihilation effects erupted immediately. Numerous black holes emerged like bubbles at the midpoint of the two forces¡¯ expansion. The surrounding space started becoming unstable. Both Yu Hong and Uelman, Mei Lan, and others perceived something wrong, observing how the originally straight walls inside the spacecraft bizarrely twisted, bending. Yet there were no signs of breaking. The two combatting limitless forces also experienced distortion. "Indeed, one must not underestimate, even a mere cargo ship harbors individuals possessing limitless power." Yu Hong¡¯s mind stirred slightly, knowing persistence might lead to complications. He immediately increased the output. "Too bad, the difference remains even among limitless!" He instantly exerted full power, releasing Tai Ling Skill. The Seventh Layer of Tai Ling Skill fully unleashed, unable to handle the high pressure, the spacecraft passage shattered and fragmented in various directions. Boom!! Individuals scattered, floating in the weightless interior of the spacecraft. All around were distorted and shattered black metal walls. The immense energy compression squeezed and compacted all surrounding compartments and passages like a compressed box, forming a deformed massive spherical space. At this moment, the red-purple on Yu Hong¡¯s body swiftly suppressed Mei Lan¡¯s blue-black. "Uelman, you must leave quickly!! I¡¯ll cover you!" Mei Lan whispered, blood spilling from her mouth and nose, enduring the strain to send the message across. Chapter 502: Attempt 500 Two "Mei Lan!!" Uelman looked terrified, "No! We go together!" "Get lost! Go find the teacher!! While I can still hold on!!" Mei Lan roared, frantically unleashing her mana, releasing the inexhaustible power of the Water Element Light Well. But unfortunately, the power of the Water Element was ultimately hugely inferior to that of the Light Well. Even though both sides wielded infinite energy, Yu Hong¡¯s red and purple Tai Ling Skill Inner Strength steadily corroded the blue and black Water Element power. Countless energies overflowed, making the environment increasingly dangerous and oppressive. A massive amount of energy compressed into such a small space, ready to cause a colossal explosion at any moment. "Go!!" Mei Lan looked at the calm and imposing figure opposite, her own skin beginning to crack, with a lot of blue blood seeping out. She knew her end was near. Even though she had chosen counter-measures specifically targeting the opponent, the instantaneous output of their infinite energy far exceeded hers, and the quality of their energy was also superior. "This guy.... is almost Level Five!! If you don¡¯t leave now, it¡¯ll be too late!! Hurry!!" she shouted the last message. Instead of retreating, she advanced, gripping her Magic Wand, struggling step by step towards Yu Hong. "Let the teacher avenge me!!" With a final roar, Mei Lan¡¯s entire body quickly dissolved, transforming into a blue light merging with countless Water Elements to form a Ghost Energy Arrow. In an instant, this wave of Ghost Energy Arrows was covered by a layer of bright blue light. Boom!!! The final thousands of Ghost Energy Arrows shot explosively, detonating violently upon contact with Tai Ling Skill waves. The ship exploded like a burst water ball in the blink of an eye, ejecting massive amounts of blue-black Water Element energy. But in the next second, the blue receded, replaced by a surge of red and purple Tai Ling Skill Inner Strength. Yu Hong floated in the center, sighing somewhat. ¡¯I really just wanted to do a little raid....¡¯ He wasn¡¯t a person with a heavy sense of vengeance. Margaret shorted him on mission rewards, so he planned to take one of her cargo ships. A fair exchange, tit for tat. He truly didn¡¯t intend to kill. But now. He hadn¡¯t even made a move, just scared his opponents, and the other side self-destructed. ¡¯What to do now....¡¯ Yu Hong watched as Uelman and the others were instantaneously teleported away by the explosion. "It¡¯s a life-or-death feud now." He hesitated for a moment. Eventually, he still reached out, remotely grasping towards the two. "Looks like I have no choice but to root them out completely." "Don¡¯t blame me;blame your bad luck." Countless blue-purple Inner Strengths surrounded him like seawater, quickly forming countless spikes, which were about to be instantaneously launched. But the next moment, Yu Hong¡¯s hand paused. He saw another familiar humanoid figure suddenly appear beside Uelman and the others. It was none other than the water element Arcane Master who had just seemed to have self-destructed! This discovery made him quickly dissipate the spikes around him. ¡¯Since she¡¯s not dead, that¡¯s good.¡¯ Yu Hong actually just wanted to teach Margaret a small lesson. He hadn¡¯t intended to go overboard;the current situation was just about right. ¡¯Looks like I need to engage more, I¡¯m not used to the current style of combat after so long without action.¡¯ Yu Hong shook his head inside. He used to engage in close combat brawls. Violent but dangerous. Now, with such immense Inner Strength, he didn¡¯t need to rush up;just a wave of his hand could drown the opponent with waves of Inner Strength. The previous bout looked intense, but for him, it was just a matter of moving his mind once, twice, thrice... Waving his hand was just habitual. At this moment, his strong eyesight allowed him to see Uelman and the others continuously teleporting back to the Floating City. Yu Hong knew his time was limited, so he quickly flashed into the center of the ship¡¯s wreckage, scavenged, then called on the Black Black Spirit to leave quietly. More than three minutes after he left. A blue shadow finally arrived tardily, teleporting above the remnants of the Oyster ship, overlooking everything. The blue shadow had a cold and stern face, clad in a white mage robe lined with silver thread, holding a menacing black Magic Wand like a spear, taller than her, with the top end flashing with blinding blue light. "All the cargo is gone!!" The blue shadow was Margaret, "Three years¡¯ worth of cargo I painstakingly amassed...!!! Who!! Who did this!!!" She shouted furiously. This shipload of goods worth millions of Crystal Coins had been saved through years of thrift and savings. And now, it¡¯s just gone... all destroyed by the explosion.... "Investigate for me!!" A small blue-black necklace floated in front of her chest. ¡¯Clue investigation in progress...¡¯ ¡¯Energy environment too chaotic, increasing investigation precision.¡¯ ¡¯Residual energy radiation discovered, identified as Light Disaster Radiation Energy, suspected Light Disaster advanced creature attack.¡¯ ¡¯List filtration concluded, identified pure white sea whale of Light Disaster as 77.65% likely.¡¯" ¡¯Where would a pure white sea whale come from nearby!!¡¯ Margaret really wanted to crush the Intelligent Spirit with a slap. ¡¯Keep searching!!¡¯ ¡¯Apologies, current precision is adjusted to maximum, if deep search is desired, please apply for future information inquiry privileges from Prophetic Department.¡¯ The Intelligent Spirit replied calmly. "Useless!!!" Margaret waved her hand fiercely, and a vast expanse of Water Element Light Wells materialized behind her. The next moment, brilliant blue light engulfed everything around. In a diameter of tens of thousands of kilometers around the ship, the entire space region was annihilated. The blue light obliterated everything, matter or energy. "Whoever you are! Don¡¯t let me find you!!" Margaret yelled impotently in rage. * * * Thud. Yu Hong forcefully shoved a pile of golden-glowing ores into the house. But the house was already so full, even the fireplace was stuffed with goods, and there was really no room left. Sigh... He sighed, standing at the door, pondering how to enter the Main Control Room. Because the entire first floor of the Safe House was packed with all sorts of supplies. There was no walking space left. Indeed, considering he could teleport, he left no room for walking;it was all taken by supplies. ¡¯Right, I can teleport.... still not used to this way of moving...¡¯ Yu Hong realized. Clapping his hands, he blinked directly into the Main Control Room. The entire Black Black Spirit was filled with containers of all kinds, except for the Main Control Room. Some boxes were even burst, spilling things all over the place. ¡¯It¡¯s a shame I don¡¯t recognize most materials, don¡¯t know how to handle them, guess I need to find a place to fence them....¡¯ Sitting in the Main Control Room, Yu Hong contemplated how to deal with this batch of goods. He actually only managed to take about half;the rest were destroyed in the explosion. ¡¯Arcane Masters are all tricky individuals;if they tampered with the goods, it would be problematic. So... this batch of supplies can¡¯t stay for long.¡¯ After a half-second hesitation, Yu Hong immediately decided to reinforce the Black Mark and merge all these goods into the Black Black Spirit! No matter if they are useful or not, merging first is what counts. Let Black Mark work its magic;it would surely find a use for every material. Once his idea was confirmed, Yu Hong settled down in the depths of the Wind Disaster in Isolation State for a few days. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He acted only after the Black Mark finished repairing the Safe House. Click. Yu Hong took hold of a toilet and with an Instantaneous Movement, threw its contents into the depths of the Wind Disaster. Then with another Instantaneous Movement, returned to the house. The toilet was scoured by Wind Disaster colorful lines, not only emptying the waste but was as pristine as new, looking brand new. This was one point Yu Hong was quite satisfied with about traveling in the Wind Disaster, better than the Black Disaster Black River. In the past, when emptying a toilet over Black River, it not only didn¡¯t clean it but contaminated it with a lot of unknown filth¡ªvery disgusting. But here, it was different. Having settled the toilet, Yu Hong looked around at the newly repaired Safe House, nodded in satisfaction. The repaired Safe House was fully intact, with formations completely restored. "Finally, I can deal with dirty goods." Yu Hong breathed a sigh of relief;initially planning to strengthen the secondary Star Spirit Alloy given by Ku Chan, but now he had a better choice with this plundered batch of goods. He rummaged around the corner and soon brought out a watermelon-sized box. Opening the lid, it contained a pile of hard metal ingots with colorful luster. A note was pasted inside the lid with: Star Spirit Alloy 15 Ker. Ker was a weight unit unique to the Floating City. Yu Hong weighed it in his hand;there was about a hundred kilograms of Star Spirit Alloy, much more than what Ku Chan had given, and it was not secondary. "Tsk tsk tsk.... To think there¡¯s so much, yet she didn¡¯t give me any..." Yu Hong didn¡¯t know how Margaret was reacting, but he felt quite pleased now. Using something taken without consequence felt so satisfying! ¡¯Pity, if it weren¡¯t for dealing with dirty goods first, I could have strengthened this to the extreme before merging it into the Safe House. But there¡¯s no time for that now.¡¯ He placed the alloy back, then pressed one hand on the floor. His consciousness enveloped all goods. ¡¯Enhance Black Black Spirit, focus: prioritize enhancing self-repair ability. Others freely enhance.¡¯ A black line flickered, and the Black Mark¡¯s feedback promptly sounded. ¡¯Enhance Black Black Spirit?¡¯ Included was a countdown: 48 days, 17 hours, 51 minutes. "A bit long, but acceptable given the amount of material to merge." Yu Hong paused, quickly responding affirmatively. At once, the countdown trembled slightly, stabilizing and counting down. Simultaneously, a deluge of Inner Strength flowed out, pouring into the Black Mark on his backhand. This Black Mark seemed bottomless, no matter how much energy went in. After completing this, Yu Hong gazed at the colorful lines passing outside, recalling the intensity of the Phoenix Eye he experienced earlier. ¡¯Speaking of which, although the Safe House was unfinished in enhancement, my Inner Strength has vastly increased now. Maybe I could try again, see if I can pass through the Phoenix Eye.¡¯ If not, spending more than forty days idling in the Wind Disaster seemed to him wasteful. Now with unlimited Inner Strength, he could afford to try it out. Setting his next plan, he acted without delay, maneuvering the Black Black Spirit towards deeper regions of the Wind Disaster autonomously. Previously he had forcibly restrained the Black Black Spirit from moving, but now, that restriction was lifted. The Black Black Spirit trembled in response, quickly accelerating as it dashed toward a direction in the Wind Disaster. Soon, the ship jolted suddenly, plunging into a slightly darker swirl of colorful lines, vanishing. Yu Hong stood by the circular window, watching the continuously darkening stream of colorful lines outside. The Black Black Spirit seemed to enter a tunnel darkening. This tunnel was filled with an invisible pressure, and its walls turned increasingly black. ¡¯Last time I remember it took about fifteen or seventeen minutes to get through;this time it¡¯s faster... maybe it¡¯ll only take...¡¯ Just as Yu Hong thought. The window abruptly shook. Buzz... A huge and deep sound echoed. The dark tunnel outside turned into countless colorful lines in an instant;seeing this, Yu Hong knew he was about to enter that strange black ocean. He and Ku Chan had analyzed afterward, believing that black ocean might actually be the true Phoenix Eye. Immediately, he operated all his Power, first letting Tai Ling Skill flow out forcefully, spreading across the ship, forming an external protective membrane. Then it was Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill Inner Strength, gray Inner Strength akin to buffer material, behind the Tai Ling Skill Inner Strength. Next came various Arrays, finally another Tai Ling Skill blended into the outer walls as sinews to strengthen defense. ¡¯This time, the defense strength should be vastly superior, perhaps able to get through!¡¯ Chapter 503: Pursuit of No. 501 In the black ocean. The Black Spirit was like a gigantic stone, drifting in the sea, constantly sailing against the wind and waves towards a certain direction in the ocean. Ugh! In the sky, that enormous face occupying the entire sky appeared once again, looking down, opening its mouth to vomit large amounts of colorful threads that merged into the Black Sea below. The colorful threads fell into the sea and were quickly covered by the blackness below. Yu Hong stood by the circular window, looked carefully, and found that the water was not actually black but had too many deep colors, making it seem black at a glance. He focused his mind, ready to deal with the impact of the Phoenix Eye at any time. ¡¯Last time, it was the inexplicable wind and waves that caused severe damage to the ship¡¯s hull. This time, taking advantage of the enhanced setup that will automatically update fully, it¡¯s just right to test again...¡¯ The wind and waves outside came one after another, gradually increasing from weak to strong, impacting the shell of the Black Spirit. Yu Hong remained vigilant, ready to provide ample Tai Ling Skill Inner Strength for the defense system. Bang!! About half an hour later, a huge impact came as expected, shaking the entire ship violently. The outer Tai Ling Skill defense layer of the Black Spirit instantly collapsed. But the Inner Strength of the Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill in the middle tenaciously blocked the subsequent invasions, firmly sticking to the surface of the Black Spirit, without dispersing. Yu Hong quickly took the opportunity to repair the outer defenses, finally managing to prevent further erosion in time. But just after he finished the repair, a second impact from outside began. Boom!! The Black Spirit shook violently, its forward speed instantly dropping to zero, blocked by a sudden appearing whirlpool. The whirlpool inexplicably emerged in the middle, just blocking the route of the Black Spirit¡¯s advance. A huge force came instantaneously, without warning, crashing along with other colorful threads. The array on the surface of the Black Spirit was damaged again, breaking through two layers of the external defense system. Just as Yu Hong was frantically starting to tidy up the recovery. Another loud noise came from outside. The enormous face in the sky had stopped vomiting and was slowly retreating, as if it was about to leave. After fixing the defense system, Yu Hong carefully watched the direction the face was leaving. But the next moment. Crunch. A terrifying massive pressure descended from the sky, firmly suppressing the Black Spirit and rapidly weakening its speed. The outer wall¡¯s strength still wasn¡¯t enough, and Yu Hong could only continuously repair it to maintain a dynamic balance. The three-layer defense system on the surface of the Black Spirit began to crack under the invisible pressure, revealing the runes and energy surging inside. Sweat appeared on Yu Hong¡¯s forehead as he rapidly increased his repair speed, while the external pressure increased just as swiftly. Time passed by second by second. As the pressure rapidly rose to a point of stability. The defense system on the Black Spirit¡¯s surface finally couldn¡¯t hold on, silently cracking and dispersing. Massive pressure landed instantly on the newly repaired outer wall surface. Crunch. Fine cracks appeared almost immediately. But in the next second, the entire Black Spirit suddenly veered, plunging into a dark whirlpool that suddenly appeared on the right side. The pressure fell into nothingness, and the ship vanished instantly. Inside the Phoenix Eye, the Black Sea returned to calm again. * * * Absolute Balance Floating City. At the entrance of the Prophetic Department in Vina Tower. Margaret waited solemnly outside the door, having already handed over the remnants of the scene to the other side;the next step was to wait for the Prophetic Mages to trace and investigate. She originally thought this matter was simple, but now, after many days, they had only vaguely found a trace. Crunch. At this moment, the door reopened, and an old mage with graying hair walked out from inside. The mage shook his head towards Margaret. "What a pity, we had initially found some traces through the goods, but now... we don¡¯t know why, we suddenly completely lost contact." "Even Master Vena couldn¡¯t do it?" Margaret became anxious upon hearing this. "The master is too busy to cast spells for such a small matter," the old mage said helplessly, "Patrol Chief, keeping the Prophetic Wisdom Spirit on all the time is very energy-consuming. Why don¡¯t we just let it go?" "No! We must find that bastard!!" Margaret gritted her teeth. "But as the Patrol Chief, you¡¯ve used up your free quota;next, you¡¯ll have to pay out of pocket," the old mage reminded. "Then I¡¯ll pay! As long as we find the core goods and bring them back, everything can be compensated!" Margaret said fiercely. "Alright, then we¡¯ll continue... I¡¯ll remind you first, it costs 100 Crystal Coins per hour," the old mage said. "100!?" Margaret¡¯s anger quickly cooled a bit, "So, how long does it usually take to find something?" "It has been three days already. Probably another four or five days might yield new clues. If we can¡¯t find it even then, it means the object is too far away, beyond the limits of what Arcane can detect," the old mage explained. "Four or five more days?!" Margaret had often heard people say that prophecy was the most profitable direction;she didn¡¯t take it seriously before, thinking it was a rumor, not true. But it seems now... Five days, 120 hours, at 100 Crystal Coins per hour... That means searching for five more days would cost at least 12,000 Crystal Coins.... And that¡¯s not even guaranteed to find it! Already suffering heavy losses, Margaret looked at the old mage¡¯s helpless face, suddenly feeling a wave of indescribable exhaustion emerging from deep inside. "Still searching?" the old mage, seeing this state often, lowered his voice. "To be honest, I personally think another three or four days and you might find it. Five days is the maximum estimate." "I¡¯ll... think about it...." Margaret clutched the Crystal Coin card in her pocket, the anger in her eyes rapidly fading. "What do you think? It¡¯s the golden period for searching now;missing it will make it harder to find later," the old mage advised. This statement made Margaret very clear about one thing: the other party was just exploiting her financially! "What if we can¡¯t find anything in five days?" she asked through gritted teeth. "Then we¡¯d have to ask Master Vena to intervene personally, if you insist. You know the cost of a Level Seven master¡¯s intervention," the old mage said deeply. "Can¡¯t we invite the master to intervene directly?" Margaret asked in a low voice. "It¡¯s possible, but without the Intelligence Spirit¡¯s preliminary collated information, the cost for Master¡¯s intervention could be a bit higher," the old mage gestured a small amount with his hand. "How much more?" Margaret held onto a glimmer of hope. "Only 50,000 more, a small amount for you." The old mage spoke easily. "Fifty thousand... only!?" Margaret was nearly exploding, "So, how much is the price for Master Vena to intervene once...?" "Three hundred thousand per session. The cost-effectiveness is quite high," the old mage replied sincerely. He didn¡¯t notice Margaret¡¯s hands were trembling. Three hundred thousand was indeed affordable, but... this was only to find a piece of information, a location. She estimated that the goods prepared for this venture by her group were worth about a million. Adding the personal resources for her son, altogether it might be worth five or six million. Most of these goods were destroyed in the explosion, and the rest, which was plundered, might still be worth three or four million. The cost here was three hundred and fifty thousand for one session, so if they could find it, it was still feasible. Gritting her teeth, Margaret made a decision. "Then please have Master Vena intervene directly once." ....It¡¯s just madness. In her heart, even she couldn¡¯t control herself. It was like gambling;if she could retrieve the looted goods, everything would still be fine, still profitable. But if she couldn¡¯t find them.... Margaret didn¡¯t dare to think any further. "Great! True to the name of Patrol Chief! Definitely magnanimous!" The old mage clapped his hands, "Rest assured, with Master Vena¡¯s prophetic achievements, they¡¯ll certainly provide you with absolutely clear clues!" * * * Clang, clang... Yu Hong shook his head, waking up from a daze. He looked around. He was leaning against a cargo box in the room, hanging upside down in midair. The room was filled with various items, most had fallen down, while fixtures like tables and chairs were hanging from the ceiling just like him. Clearly, the Black Spirit had rolled over, turning upside down. Cough, cough... Yu Hong cleared the debris from his lungs, ignored the mess in the room, and turned to look out the window. Outside was a sky blue, with countless tiny blue crystals floating in the air. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. They drifted like snow, sometimes rising, sometimes falling, appearing exceptionally crystalline and beautiful under the illumination of the room¡¯s lights. The white light inside the safe house shone out from the window, forming a rectangular beam illuminating the area several tens of meters away. Yu Hong controlled his body, first moving the safe house. Slowly adjusting its direction. Creak, creak... After a difficult motion like an old machine, with a muffled thud. The entire Black Spirit returned to its normal upright position. Phew... Only then did Yu Hong walk back to the window, wipe the moisture from it, and look outside. At this moment, using his full eyesight, he saw clearly that within these blue crystal-like snowflakes lay deep and mysterious towering buildings. These were tall cylindrical skyscrapers, all frozen by the blue snowflakes, with no signs of life. "Why does it feel a bit cold..." Yu Hong suddenly felt waves of coolness coming over his body. He was initially stunned, then shocked. He had already reached this level! How could he still feel cold!? This indicated the temperature here had reached an extremely terrifying level. ¡¯No... it¡¯s not just the temperature....¡¯ Yu Hong felt the coolness seeping through his skin, but he hadn¡¯t felt this before. The safe house had been here for at least ten minutes already. Yet until he looked out the window, he hadn¡¯t felt cold. He took out the Key of All Things to check, and seeing no reaction, he put it back. Yu Hong controlled the safe house, slowly starting to move through the blue snowy wind. Amidst the dim snow, the safe house moved up a sloped highland, overlooking from afar. Outside the window was a vast blue crystalline land. Clusters of cylindrical buildings, some intact, some broken. But no matter how he searched, Yu Hong found no signs of life. Crunch. Suddenly, on the ground outside, a massive black crack slowly appeared. Yu Hong¡¯s eyes focused on the crack, suddenly recalling what Agrius said. The Great Extinction has already moved ahead of him. If he cannot hurry, perhaps most of what he encounters will be Destruction Fragments. His heart stirred slightly, controlling the Black Spirit to move quietly over this land. ¡¯Since the Great Extinction has already passed, naturally the worlds that can endure longer will be there for me to reach. This way, perhaps I can directly reach sufficiently strong worlds for resupply and repair.¡¯ Just like the Floating City, it was so. Chapter 504: Pursuit 2 Realizing this, Yu Hong circled around the safe house and discovered that this place was only the size of a small city district. No living creatures survived. However, he did find some grave mounds near a crevice¡¯s edge. Stone tablets stood in front of the grave mounds, but the inscriptions were frozen by blue snow, obscuring any text. Crack. The door of the safe house opened. Yu Hong, his whole body enveloped in Tai Ling Skill Inner Strength, quickly stepped out and approached the stone tablets. The blue snow blew against him, and he immediately felt an inner coldness accumulating slowly. After exhaling a breath, he held his breath and moved to the largest stone tablet. Boom. He punched the base of the stone tablet, attempting to break it off to take back as a memento. To his surprise, the thing merely wobbled, leaving a shallow fist imprint on the surface without breaking. The layer of blue snow ice on the stone tablet was shattered, revealing the inscriptions beneath. Yu Hong looked closely and recognized the inscriptions as the previously recorded Second Night Language. He recalled the approximate grammar;he had mastered most of this language and could roughly understand it without a translation machine. ¡¯A letter to future generations.¡¯ The stone tablet¡¯s title read. ¡¯We survived the wave of Source Disaster Monsters, thinking everything was finally calm, unfortunately... it was just the beginning.¡¯ ¡¯Wu Grandmaster exhausted his efforts to establish the Qianji Sect, synthesizing the essence of various schools, writing books, and expanding the cultivation of all people, hoping to forge a path different from the sages. But unfortunately.... it all ended in vain.¡¯ ¡¯The Qianji Sect was annihilated, even the extraordinary talents of Wu Wen perished due to the Source Disaster. In desperation, we sought opportunities to flee. Now, as we are about to depart, amid the extinction of all souls, there may be those who escape the net. If you see this message, you can follow the line to the Tan Kong Realm.¡¯ ¡¯Message left by¡ªFei Hongzi.¡¯ Seeing this, Yu Hong already understood;it was similar to the message he originally left behind as guidance. It served to offer the possible surviving a final glimpse of hope. "It seems everyone here is already dead...." He looked around, feeling his body getting colder. He immediately examined closely to find where this so-called line was. Soon, he discovered a thin red line at the base of the stone tablet. Picking up the line, Yu Hong quickly returned to the safe house. Inner Strength circulated back and forth in his body dozens of times, gradually dispelling the deep-seated cold. "This place is not safe to linger in!" He became alert, understanding the coldness here was not merely due to low temperature, and immediately controlled Black Black Spirit to start the engine while holding the red line. Buzz. An almost inaudible sound arose. A vast amount of colorful lines appeared around Black Black Spirit, disappearing within seconds into the Wind Disaster lines. However, this entry into the Wind Disaster was different from before. Standing by the window, Yu Hong was somewhat surprised to see the red line in his hand. At the moment of entering the Wind Disaster, the red line floated up automatically, its end glowing red, pointing slightly in a certain direction with a gentle tugging force. "It really can point the way??" Yu Hong was a bit surprised. Hesitating for a moment, he decided to head in the direction indicated by the red line. However, before he could control it, he noticed Black Black Spirit automatically moving. The direction it was headed was precisely the direction pointed to by the red line. Time kept passing. After passing through the Phoenix Eye, the colorful lines around seemed to have deepened considerably in color. The surrounding pressure and line friction also intensified significantly. But these were within the bearing capacity of Black Black Spirit. It seemed that after the peak at the Phoenix Eye entrance, everything behind weakened and stabilized. Yu Hong simply meditated by the window, no longer heading to the Cultivation Room. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. That segment of red line was tied to his little finger, guiding the direction forward. A day passed. Three days passed. Five days..... Boom. Black Black Spirit suddenly trembled slightly, seemingly entering a relatively calm region. The colorful line torrent around gradually weakened, and the colors brightened. Yu Hong gathered his energy, staring ahead. As expected. In less than three seconds. A black vortex suddenly appeared ahead. Black Black Spirit plunged right into it. For a moment, the light went dark, but the next moment it immediately brightened. A dark red sky appeared outside the window, accompanied by scorching hot waves, quickly raising the overall temperature of the safe house. The sky outside seemed like flowing magma, or thick tomato juice, as if it might drip down at any moment. The ground was charcoal black everywhere. Columns of black smoke reached the sky, gently surging and swaying with the wind. Black Black Spirit floated in mid-air, slowly descending due to the Array¡¯s influence. Standing by the window, despite being at least a thousand meters high from the ground, his powerful eyesight could still see clearly. The ground was dense with various black skeletons. These skeletons piled like mountains, some burnt and melted into heaps, some incomplete, making it hard to tell what they were in life. Others were partially buried, with their hands raised toward the sky, as if yearning for something. Yu Hong instinctively held his breath, looking at the red line in his hand. Sure enough, the red line changed direction again. He quickly controlled Black Black Spirit to drift in the direction the red line pointed. Before long. Boom. Black Black Spirit successfully landed, wheels popped out at the base, and began rolling forward. Roar!! Just as it landed, the ground not far away condensed into a over two-meter-tall black human figure. The figure had dark red fissures all over its body, with flowing magma inside. Its body was bloated, extremely fat. Upon seeing Black Black Spirit, it roared angrily and charged step by step towards this way. Yu Hong focused his mind, and outside the house emerged the figure of a Cai Jing Taoist. Clap! The Cai Jing Taoist stood tens of meters away and lightly pointed his finger. The power of the Void One Finger struck the human form, instantly causing it to explode entirely. Boom!!!! A huge dark red fireball engulfed the area within hundreds of meters in a blink, and also engulfed the safe house Black Black Spirit. "F**k!" Yu Hong couldn¡¯t help but curse, finding the external array was damaged by about 30% in an instant. The explosion came too quickly and suddenly, with immense power. Almost comparable to a small-scale nuclear explosion. A few seconds later, after the flames faded, not only was the safe house array damaged, but even the Cai Jing Taoist couldn¡¯t teleport in time and was directly blown away.... "What the hell is this place!?" Yu Hong could only curse briefly before seeing that dozens of meters away, black human figures rose again, roaring as they approached. No words, no communication, only the menacing figures roaring and charging. Rumble!! A series of explosions echoed. The surface of Black Black Spirit began to show cracks once more. What frustrated Yu Hong immensely was that these humanoids seemed like they were designed to self-destruct. They would explode once they got within a certain distance of the safe house. And the explosions were tremendously powerful. After withstanding over a dozen, Yu Hong immediately summoned the Fear Shadow Cai Jing Taoist for long-range attacks. Only then did he barely manage to keep the emerging black human figures within a certain range. Standing at the window, he looked outside at the continuous explosions with a grim expression. "If it were anyone else, they¡¯d have been blasted to smithereens by now," he muttered, lowering his gaze to the red line. Finding that the red line still pointed in a certain direction. He immediately controlled Black Black Spirit to move slowly in that direction. After traveling for over an hour. Finally, the black humanoids ahead began to decrease. And the surrounding terrain began to gradually rise. A large stone tablet, entirely crimson like a red crystal, appeared at the end of the horizon. Upon seeing it, Yu Hong hurried to speed up. As the distance shortened, the surrounding black humanoids became fewer. Coming within fifty meters of the stone tablet, the black humanoids disappeared completely, no longer emerging from the ground. Everything around also fell silent. With subtle clicking sounds, Black Black Spirit approached the tablet, and through the window, Yu Hong could make out the inscriptions. ¡¯Fei Hongzi again?¡¯ he thought, surprised to see the name, not expecting it to be left by the refugee from the last world, Fei Hongzi. ¡¯....Here could not resist successfully either. The Nann Emperor was undoubtedly the mightiest and most wise emperor in history. For three hundred seventy years, Nann ruled over seventy-one life planets in the vicinity, consolidating a population and power in the tens of billions to fight against the Source Disaster.¡¯ ¡¯Unfortunately, such tremendous strength was still defeated.¡¯ ¡¯Hundreds of billions of troops sacrificed themselves for the homeland, fearless of death. Every citizen of the empire did their best, unafraid of life and death. I admire such a great empire, yet feel sorrowful. Even such a mighty empire couldn¡¯t fend off the dreadful Source Disaster;what else, who else, can bring the final hope??¡¯ ¡¯I will continue wandering, continue searching, for the ultimate hope to counter the Source Disaster.¡ªFei Hongzi.¡¯ "....Seventy-one life planets...." Yu Hong was somewhat shocked, "If the tablet¡¯s record is true, and even such power couldn¡¯t fend off the Source Disaster.... What about Quan He.... What about the Floating City...." Yu Hong¡¯s mood rapidly plummeted to the bottom. He looked at the red line in his hand;the line was gently snapping and crumbling away. And below the stone tablet, a new red line quietly formed. Evidently, this was Fei Hongzi¡¯s trace left for future generations. In other words, if he was walking the path of life, then these traces would constitute the path of survival. But if he was heading toward a dead end, it could still serve as a reference for those who followed. Yu Hong opened the window and retrieved the red line into his palm. Watching the red line float gently, its end pointing in a new direction, Yu Hong knew this was where Fei Hongzi next headed. Since after passing the Phoenix Eye, allowing the Savior Ship to act freely would definitely be unsustainable. It¡¯s better to follow this Fei Hongzi during the waiting reinforcement period to see what he went through. Maybe he could gain sufficient reference information. Yu Hong contemplated and immediately steered Black Black Spirit, following the red line back into the Wind Disaster, flying towards the next destination. * * * At this time, within the Floating City, Margaret stared blankly as the old mage of Vina Tower handed her the bill. Utterly despondent. Three hundred fifty thousand!! Three hundred fifty thousand for a single prophecy from the master, only to come up with ¡¯unable to investigate¡¯!!? If it weren¡¯t for the recorded video proving Master Vena wasn¡¯t intentionally being perfunctory, but seriously conducting a complete prophecy, Margaret might really want to die. "To be honest," the old mage sighed, "with such a situation, there¡¯s only one possibility, and that is a power far beyond a Level Seven master¡¯s mana was obscuring the prophecy¡¯s detection. With that kind of capability and motivation... in my view, perhaps only one entity fits." "Forest Sea City!!!" Margaret suddenly realized. Indeed, only Forest Sea City had the power and motivation. If an influential person from there arranged a trial for their prot¨¦g¨¦, they might genuinely undertake such a task. Chapter 505: Chase Three Wooo... A wailing sound came from outside the window. Countless dark-colored threads quickly skimmed past outside the window, producing a hissing friction sound. Yu Hong sat by the bed, holding a cup of jasmine milk tea, and slowly took a sip. The steaming milk tea flowed down his throat, soothing his somewhat irritable mood. Traveling alone, for a long time, can also breed all kinds of negative emotions. What¡¯s more, he still needed to keep an eye on all the changes happening outside in order to react in time if danger arose. It had been at least a month since he crossed the Phoenix Eye. All this time, he had been following the red line forward, without stopping at all. By now, he had no idea how deep into the Wind Disaster he had entered. Outside, he could no longer see any human-faced monsters. ¡¯It seems those human-faced monsters were just creatures encountered in the early stages of the Wind Disaster;they couldn¡¯t exist deeper in.¡¯ Finishing the milk tea in one gulp, Yu Hong casually tossed the cup behind him. Behind him, a Speed Man in a white dress and yellow jacket with black hair covering her face appeared out of thin air and caught the cup. "Another cup, please," Yu Hong said politely. The Speed Man silently turned around, went to the sink, and began washing the cup, preparing to make another cup. In fact, he controlled these Speed Men himself;such intricate work was not something Fear Shadow could manage, as many instructions would get jumbled, so it was mostly Yu Hong handling it himself. However, sometimes, a person needs some self-comfort. Even though he knew it was fake, the feeling generated by those actions was the real goal. Bang. Just as the Speed Man went to wash the cup, the entire Black Black Spirit shook slightly. The vibration made Yu Hong jump down from his seat. Not because he lost balance, but because he sensed that a new world had arrived. Outside the window, the dark threads instantly transformed into a milky white sky. In the sky, patches of cloud like pieces of cloth drifted slowly. Seeing the cloudy sky, Yu Hong breathed a slight sigh of relief. "Since there¡¯s still a sky, this world shouldn¡¯t have gone wrong yet." The previous places he had passed through all had no sky left. The basic atmospheric environment couldn¡¯t be maintained. But here, there should still be living beings. The Black Spirit slowly descended in altitude. Below was a vast sea of milky white clouds. The black Black Spirit plunged into the cloud sea, like a stone into cotton. About ten minutes later. Poof. Breaking through the cloud sea, the view ahead suddenly opened up. "Sure enough, there¡¯s life...." Yu Hong¡¯s involuntary words ceased as he froze by the window. "What the... is this!?" He rarely showed a surprised expression, but this time he truly couldn¡¯t help it. At this moment outside the window. In the sky, beneath the cloud sea, were black-and-white cows wearing transparent space helmets, standing upright and floating in midair. Their limbs were stiff, eyes closed, and faces naturally wore gentle smiles. Each of these cows was over three meters long and more than two meters wide, fat and large, comically so. Yu Hong approached the window and carefully observed these cows floating in the air, noticing they no longer had any breath. All were corpses. He thought for a moment, adjusted the window direction downward, and looked at the ground. Sure enough, the ground was densely filled with cow corpses. Each of them wore transparent space helmets, looking serene. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "This place.... what the hell...!" he sighed, looking at the red line in his hand and directed the Black Black Spirit towards the direction indicated by the red line. About an hour later. Finally, a new stone tablet appeared ahead. This time, the inscription was more extensive than any before. Yu Hong quickly approached and read through the window. Unexpectedly, the first sentence in the inscription shattered his certain hope. ¡¯Fei Hongzi is gone, the following record will be continued by me, Cow Boy. Before I write the whole truth, I must record a sentence. That is: Ultimate Milk exists in reality!!¡¯ "....." Yu Hong was exasperated, thinking, what does this even mean.... Could it be Fei Hongzi arrived in a world full of cows? He continued reading. ¡¯Ever since we, the Cow Clan, defeated the Human Clan and seized world dominance, all the cows fell into a frenzy of joy, lost in the glory of victory, neglecting improvement, and wasting Martial Arts, until the endless terrifying Source Disaster struck.¡¯ ¡¯It was at this critical moment that Master Fei Hongzi arrived in our land, teaching us how to more effectively resist the Source Disaster. He saved many of our cows and made indelible contributions to the alliance of the Human Clan and Cow Clan.¡¯ ¡¯Unfortunately, good times were short-lived. The Wind Disaster we resisted was not truly dangerous in the initial swarms of ordinary monsters. Master Fei Hongzi divided the Source Disaster into several stages. The first stage was the invasion of numerous self-aware monsters. In this stage, Master and our five Immortal Realm cows joined forces to successfully repel them.¡¯ ¡¯Then came the second stage, the Unconscious Destroyers. If the previous stage¡¯s monster swarm could be defeated by crushing their conscious spirit, this stage¡¯s monsters could no longer be considered beings but should be called Destroyers.¡¯ ¡¯They have no consciousness, capable of terrifying self-detonation at any time. Only those in the Immortal Realm could resist. Even Master Fei Hongzi, who initially held his own, eventually resorted to prayer along with everyone else, hoping for the Cow God to grant more Ultimate Milk to revive the many fallen Cow Kings.¡¯ ¡¯The war erupted, lasting until the 532nd year after Master¡¯s arrival. Finally, an unexpected event broke the long-standing deadlock. Among the Unconscious Destroyers appeared stronger Conscious Waverers.¡¯ ¡¯Later generations, no matter your strength, be cautious, be wary of facing such terrifying destructive existence.¡¯ ¡¯In ancient times, they were called the Intervals, once destroying countless cows and humans.¡¯ ¡¯Resistance lost its meaning, countless cows perished in their sleep, in confusion, with Ultimate Milk becoming a distant dream. Master decided to leave, leaving the final inscription to be written by me, Duan Wushang. If you find yourself here as a later generation, you should understand our attempt failed. Despite Master¡¯s experience and preparations, resistance lasted through the first two stages, but the appearance of the third stage was beyond our power.¡¯ ¡¯Later generations, if you can leave this world, follow the red line to the Huicheng realm.... Perhaps there you¡¯ll find some fleeting hope. ¡ªFrom: Duan Wushang.¡¯ Reading the words on the stone tablet, Yu Hong had an indescribable feeling in his heart. The other party was clearly not of the Human Clan, yet under Fei Hongzi¡¯s teachings, they displayed will and faith no lesser than humans. Though the notion of Ultimate Milk was amusing, those were minor details. Yu Hong was more concerned about the Unconscious Destroyers and the Intervals recorded above. Gazing with focus at the bottom of the stone tablet, he indeed found a new, bright red line appearing in his hand. Simultaneously, the red line in his hand turned to ashes and disappeared. Without hesitation, Yu Hong activated the Black Black Spirit and continued entering the Wind Disaster. In the stream of colored lines, he once again accelerated towards the direction indicated by the red line. This departure turned out to be far longer than Yu Hong had anticipated, much, much longer.... More than ten days later. Deep within the Wind Disaster. Countless colored lines slid past the window. Yu Hong sat by the window, waiting for the completion of the fusion. The Black Spirit was about to undergo a complete major upgrade. The cost of this upgrade was the worth of millions of all materials from Margaret. Yu Hong anticipated that not only would it gain automated repairs, but it would also see considerable enhancement in many aspects. Wooo... A faint vibration came from outside the window, but Yu Hong didn¡¯t even lift his head. Many days before, he had already grown weary of the unchanging scenery outside. Since entering the Phoenix Eye, he hadn¡¯t encountered any monsters from previous invasions. Outside, except for the radiation energy, it was still more radiation energy. The monotonous scenery quickly made him feel weary. At this point, all his attention was focused on the major upgrade of the safe house. Watching as the countdown gradually approached zero. The last minute flickered away in an instant. Finally. Buzz! The entire safe house experienced an unprecedented tremor. Everything around became blurry and unclear. This blurriness lasted only three seconds before clarity returned. And everything around had undergone a complete transformation. In the wind disaster of colored lines, the shape of the Black Black Spirit suddenly transformed from its previous irregular stone block form, rapidly expanding, with specks of silver appearing on its surface. Though it still appeared as a stone, it now resembled a silver ore, rather than an ordinary stone block. Inside, Yu Hong watched as the original two-story Black Black Spirit swiftly turned into three stories. At the same time, everything inside stayed intact, briefly flashing with a layer of silver light. That light seemed to replace all interior walls and all furniture connected to the ground with another material. Simultaneously, a piece of brown-yellow instruction paper landed in his hand. Everything quickly settled down. Yu Hong looked around, as if everything had changed, yet seemingly nothing had changed. Oddly, although he was inside the Wind Disaster, he felt no trace of external vibrations. The surroundings were eerily quiet, without the slightest noise. Picking up the instruction manual, he took a deep breath and read carefully with a hint of anticipation. ¡¯Safe house enhancement complete, outer wall strength upgraded to Ring State Civilization¡¯s highest level¡ªEndless Dragon Level. Automatic restoration ability of 1% per hour. If materials are damaged, timely supplementation of materials nearly at Endless Dragon Level strength is required. Obtained automatic concealment fusion capability: Able to find suitable carriers when entering any area, virtualize and transform the carrier into its real structure. Prevents detection by any probing capability.¡¯ The instruction manual was simple, just these two paragraphs, but Yu Hong saw the power of this enhancement. Disregarding strength, the automated recovery of 1% per hour meant that in just one hundred hours, all damage would be fully repaired and updated. In a little over four days, all injuries would be repaired, which already perfectly satisfied Yu Hong¡¯s needs. Moreover, while he was inside the house, he felt no friction or collision from the external Wind Disaster, indicating that the degree of enhancement this time made coping with the current external Wind Disaster a breeze, very easy. The new capability also seemed to be an enhanced version of the Isolation State, shifting from requiring active initiation to a passive ability. What additional effects it might have weren¡¯t clear to Yu Hong until it was actually used. But it was conceivable that the magnitude of this enhancement far surpassed any previous one. "I can finally get a good night¡¯s sleep..." he sighed, a look of ease appearing on his face. "Next...." Crack. In a daze, Yu Hong shuddered all over. Chapter 506: Pursuit Four At this moment, Yu Hong was horrified to discover that his Tai Ling Skill had surprisingly broken through another layer! Without cultivation, just by relying on the automatic cultivation characteristic of Tao Breath Circulation, he unexpectedly reached the Eighth Layer¡¯s Eternal Day so quickly! Hiss... A kind of inexplicable soft light, white with a translucent glow, started to illuminate faintly behind him. Yu Hong stood up, turned around to see the light, but as he turned, the light seemed embedded on his back, rotating with him. He could feel the Light Well in his body start to divide like cells, splitting into two, then four, then eight, multiplying rapidly. Although the newly appearing Light Wells weren¡¯t as big as the original one, in just a few seconds, the single Light Well in his Dantian had multiplied into hundreds! The Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill that could previously suppress the Tai Ling Skill could no longer continue to suppress it, gradually being forced out. Roar! Under the agitation of the gray Inner Strength, a two-winged tiger with white base and black stripes appeared around him, roaring and struggling, but it was in vain. The Eighth Layer of Tai Ling Skill was already extremely close to the ultimate Ninth Layer Bright God, about to face the Ultimate Sun. Endless Light Energy surged within Yu Hong¡¯s body, giving him an illusionary feeling of being able to destroy everything at this moment. But this was not what he wanted! "No... I must find a way to suppress the Tai Ling Skill, or I¡¯ll be doomed before I can find the land of vitality!" Feeling the unrestricted Light Disaster Radiation Energy in his body, Yu Hong felt not strength, but anxiety. At this moment, he was no longer restricted, and his burst power was hundreds of times stronger than before. One could say, he could wave his hand and instantly kill his previous self now. Thinking of this, Yu Hong pinned his hopes on the Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill. He immediately took off his eye cover and dug out the Outer Eye from its socket. ¡¯Strengthen the Outer Eye, direction¡ªcapable of resisting Light Disaster Ultimate Sun.¡¯ The sudden explosive increase in Tai Ling Skill brought unexpected changes to his original plan, forcing him to set everything else aside and first resolve the threat of the Ultimate Sun. Soon, a black line flickered on the back of his hand. A new countdown appeared on the surface of the Outer Eye: November 8th, year 32275. ¡¯Begin strengthening of the Outer Eye?¡¯ The Black Mark¡¯s inquiry came as expected. "..." Yu Hong was stunned. He had expected the time to be long, but not this long. Such a long time was definitely not feasible;before the strengthening was finished, he would be gone. So he quickly canceled it, then sat in place and pondered for a moment. ¡¯Since direct strength enhancement to resist is unrealistic, then the only way to save myself is to borrow strength!¡¯ Reflecting on the fact that he was currently deep in a Wind Disaster area. Yu Hong quickly formulated a plan. He once again extended his hand, and this time, what he wanted to strengthen was not a power or a technique, but... direction! ¡¯Strengthen the Outer Eye, direction: Enhance my ability to guide me to a place that can resist the Ultimate Sun.¡¯ The black line flickered again. A new countdown and Black Mark inquiry appeared simultaneously. Yu Hong ignored the inquiry, focusing instead on the red numbers on the surface of the Outer Eye: 3 days 11 hours 02 minutes. Whew! Finally, he let out a long sigh. Indeed, just indicating a direction drastically reduced the time required by the Black Mark. He immediately chose to begin. As a large amount of Inner Strength was absorbed, the countdown flickered and began. Yu Hong sat cross-legged, beginning to try to absorb Wind Disaster Power, constructing a new Wind Well in his body to balance the excessively powerful Tai Ling Skill Light Well. * * * Three days later, deep within the Black Disaster. The endless torrent of black was tumbling and surging outside the window. Yu Hong stood by the window, looking out at the black liquid, not saying a word. Poof. Suddenly, a ghastly white hand pressed against the edge of the window, slowly relaxing before being washed away by the black water, disappearing into the torrent. Yu Hong touched the newly strengthened Outer Eye;it was this eye¡¯s ability that guided the Black Black Spirit to return to the depths of the Black Disaster. The strengthened Black Black Spirit remained unshaken regardless of any monster encountered here. It was as if the world outside and inside the window were two separate realms, not interfering with each other. But Yu Hong knew that the end of the direction seen in his eye was approaching soon. The clue that took three days to strengthen couldn¡¯t be reused;it was a one-time ability that would disappear after being used. This gave Yu Hong more confidence in his self-rescue journey this time. Playing with a newly strengthening Outer Eye in hand, he gazed out at the world, quietly waiting. "Yu Hong." Suddenly, a familiar voice sounded in his ear. It was Agrius! Yu Hong instantly recognized this distinctly characteristic voice. "You¡¯ve ventured too far, in five more minutes, at your current speed, I¡¯ll lose all ability to sense you;you are now in the Source Desolate Zone, a depth unreachable by any Savior Ship, be careful...." Like a parting message, Agrius¡¯s voice quickly faded away after saying this. Yu Hong lightly grasped the Outer Eye in his hand without speaking. The significant enhancement of the safe house allowed him to push through the Phoenix Eye and subsequent areas in one go, reaching places no other captain had before, which surprised him a bit. "Am I the only one? Unexplored territory, well then... wish me luck..." Yu Hong turned away from the window and headed to the Main Control Room on the second floor. Half an hour later. The Black Black Spirit took a sudden dive into a surprisingly appearing transparent vortex within the black torrent, disappearing. After a short moment of confusion. Yu Hong awakened from his meditative state;he opened his eyes, stood up, and looked out from the Main Control Room. Outside the circular window was a scene of wind and snow scattering over a gray-white mountain range. The mountain range stretched endlessly, extending to the limit of visibility. Yu Hong let out a breath, looking up at the sky. The sky was a grey-white hue, and a massive dark red planet occupying half of the sky was slowly rolling and hovering as if ready to fall at any moment. The planet¡¯s surface, with its rugged mountains and valleys, was visibly clear. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yu Hong noticed that at the bottom of this gigantic red planet, a spaceship resembling an ancient Chinese sailboat was flying towards him. The spaceship was entirely brown, with white sails billowing in the wind, trailing dots of white light, unclear if propelled by wind or some other energy. Standing at the window, he watched as the ship rapidly closed in, then decelerated as it neared. With a splash, several figures leaped off the ship. The figures, stepping on flying swords, wore white garments like snow, with long black hair neatly tied at the back, exuding the demeanor of a Sword Immortal. As they approached, Yu Hong suddenly widened his eyes at what seemed like a surprising scene. Thump thump thump. Soon, the door to the Black Black Spirit was knocked. A sword-wielding man with a silver headband led the way, knocking on the door. "Is this the place?" "This is it," a woman behind him nodded in response. "Why do you knock, Senior Brother?" "Since it has been made into a door, it means the owner wishes for visitors to knock," the man smiled, revealing teeth and a mouth full of silver-gray metal parts crafted from machinery. More precisely, his entire body, half of his head, was mechanized, one half flesh, the other machinery. His Junior Sister, beside him, was similar, even more so, a complete silver-gray mechanical being with eyes flashing electronic red lights scanning the surroundings, and her face full of intricately fitting assembly lines. "Bai Sheng from Qinghe Mountain, here to visit the master of this cave mansion. I request an audience," the Senior Brother declared loudly. Yu Hong observed these people, noticing that the traces of flesh on their bodies were minimal, with most parts turned mechanical. He didn¡¯t know exactly where he had arrived, but since the strengthened ability of the Outer Eye suggested there might be a way to defeat the Ultimate Sun here, he was determined to find clues. The language they spoke was a variant of Night Language, which was generally understood;with a little adaptation, he could grasp their meaning. Yu Hong thought for a moment and responded through the door. "I am just a wandering traveler, afflicted with a severe illness, hoping to find a chance for healing here." "Severe illness? What illness prevents you from showing your face?" The Senior Brother chuckled, questioning. "Are you aware of the Source Disaster?" Yu Hong countered. At these words, the expressions of the people at the door changed abruptly. "The Gui Hong Cave battle should have completely sealed the Source Disaster, shouldn¡¯t it? How does the gentleman know of this secret?" The Senior Brother stated in a low voice. "We were cultivating in the mountain when we noticed spatial fluctuations within our territory. Upon investigating, we discovered it was your cave mansion. You trespass into our sect¡¯s territory unprovoked and mention such a secretive matter as the Source Disaster... what are your intentions?" The Junior Sister¡¯s tone was unfriendly. "May I ask, how much do you know about the Source Disaster?" Yu Hong did not get angry but instead released a wisp of Light Disaster Radiation Energy. Just a trace of energy instantly caused the people outside the door to change their expressions greatly and retreat rapidly. In the blink of an eye, they retreated dozens of meters away. "In today¡¯s Universe, since the Ninety-Nine Star Realms were sealed and isolated by many Heavenly Venerates using the Purple Grass Secret Technique, many Star Sects consider themselves island kingdoms;it¡¯s been over twenty thousand years," the Senior Brother said solemnly, "The term ¡¯Source Disaster¡¯ was used in ancient books;now it¡¯s more generally referred to as Star Disaster." He paused, looking gravely at Yu Hong¡¯s door. "You carry the power of the Star Disaster and claim to be gravely ill;are you possibly an infected person cursed by the Star Disaster?" "I don¡¯t know what an infected person is, but I am indeed afflicted by the Star Disaster you mentioned, unable to free myself, which is why I came here seeking treatment," Yu Hong answered earnestly. "Treatment... you have come to the right place, but treating infected people is extraordinarily costly." "Cost is not the issue;the crucial point is whether it can be cured," Yu Hong stated seriously. "Being cured is certain, but we must first ascertain your origins. If your background is dubious, our sect will definitely not offer help. May I know how to address you? I am Bai Sheng. This is my Junior Sister, Hei Ying," the man introduced himself. "I am Yu Hu," Yu Hong gave a false name. "By the way, where exactly is this? I had an issue with a spatial jump, so..." "This is the Eastern Divine Domain¡¯s Southern Perpetual Fall Star System, Qinghe Mountain. It¡¯s known as one of the resourceful stars around, primarily producing Qinghe Secret Medicine, and is one of the sects under the Nine Star Sword Sect." "....." Yu Hong was a bit perplexed, "So, may I ask, how large is this Perpetual Fall Star System?" "Huh?" The two were also perplexed, thinking perhaps this person had a problem with his mind? He didn¡¯t even know the Perpetual Fall Star System? "Well, the Perpetual Fall Star System consists of sixty-seven million Constant Star Systems. Qinghe Mountain is an insignificant little region, with only seventy Constant Star Systems under its jurisdiction, a mere drop in the ocean. You this...." Chapter 507: Situation One "This big??!" Yu Hong¡¯s temple throbbed slightly upon hearing this explanation. In his previous world, most places were the size of a single planet, with only a few having multiple planets. But this place suddenly jumped to such a vast extent. "So, this is Qinghe Mountain¡¯s...." "...One of the Mining Stars in the Sixth Constant Star System." Bai Sheng added, "My junior sister, master, and I have been here for over a hundred years. Our master was assigned by Qinghe Mountain to manage this Mining Star. To be honest, it¡¯s been over a hundred years, and the top hasn¡¯t actively contacted us here, probably having forgotten us by now." As he spoke, a bitter smile appeared on his face. "So, you all were from Qinghe Mountain, sent here to guard the planet?" Yu Hong understood. "Actually, it¡¯s not really a branch anymore. We¡¯ve long since established ourselves here. Over the years, the situation everywhere has become increasingly strange, and communication devices often fail. Even when ships return, they can¡¯t always find anyone. I¡¯m almost starting to wonder if we¡¯re the only branch left managing the Sixth Constant Star System." Bai Sheng said helplessly. "So when we saw you jumping over, we were so surprised and rushed over immediately to investigate." "Senior brother, stop talking so much. We haven¡¯t even tested the safety yet." Hei Ying, standing by, protested slightly. "Oh, I almost forgot! Brother Yu Hu, if you¡¯re seeking treatment for a serious illness, you should go to the main star system of Qinghe Mountain, not to a resource-managing Mining Star like this." Bai Sheng explained. "Actually, my spaceship also malfunctioned, preventing me from reaching the main star system. Getting here is already a great fortune." Yu Hong replied helplessly, knowing that the distance in the universe was extremely exaggerated, often measured in light years and light days. Not to mention, just a light hour alone would take him an unknown amount of time to traverse on the Black Black Spirit. So often, he would move with the wind disaster. Distances weren¡¯t that exaggerated there. "Well then, brother, come out, and I¡¯ll take you to see my master. Let¡¯s check the severity of your illness." Bai Sheng said earnestly. Such straightforwardness made Yu Hong feel a bit vigilant. Seeing Yu Hong¡¯s silence, Bai Sheng continued. "Of course, if it¡¯s inconvenient for Brother Yu Hu, then never mind. You can wait till your ship is repaired and head directly to the main star system for treatment." Yu Hong sensed his surroundings, confirming that these two were the only living beings around. So he no longer hesitated, tidied his clothes, and opened the door to come out. He was about the same height as Bai Sheng and Hei Ying, but people here seemed noticeably taller. As soon as he came out, Yu Hong took a deep breath and sensed the faint Red Value Radiation in the air, causing his expression to shift slightly. "Greetings, you two. I am Yu Hu. I didn¡¯t avoid meeting you on purpose, it¡¯s just...." He pointed to the faint white glow behind him, looking helpless. Bai Sheng and Hei Ying noticed the faint glow behind him as soon as he stepped out, causing their expressions to change dramatically. "It¡¯s indeed the aura of a Star Disaster, and very strong." A faint click came from the side of Bai Sheng¡¯s head. After a few seconds, he spoke gravely. "It¡¯s already quite serious. In no more than three months, the Star Disaster will erupt with your body as the source! We must seek master¡¯s help to suppress it as soon as possible." At this moment, Hei Ying also recognized Yu Hong¡¯s genuine need for help, realizing her misunderstanding. Her eyes flashed red a few times as she spoke. "This is the aura of a Light Disaster. At this level, it must have been affecting you for over a hundred years. Why are you only seeking treatment now...?" "Not over a hundred years," Yu Hong smiled bitterly, "I mastered a Cultivation Technique, advancing rapidly, thinking I¡¯d found a Divine Skill Secret Manual, only to realize...." "Quickly, get on the ship!" Bai Sheng said gravely, whispering a few words to Hei Ying. Hei Ying raised her hand and formed a few seals. "I need to temporarily sever your connection with the Light Disaster. It might hurt a bit, so please bear with it!" "Okay!" Yu Hong nodded, somewhat surprised that even a disciple could temporarily sever the issue on his body. In fact, he was a bit doubtful. But in the next moment... Hei Ying pointed a single finger at him. A layer of purple-black glow enveloped his entire body out of thin air. The glow was filled with countless black chains formed by numbers, intertwined and overlapping, almost dizzying at a glance. The power of the glow wasn¡¯t very strong, but it was extremely precise and highly dense, confronting the Inner Strength of the Light Disaster Tai Ling Technique effortlessly, cutting it apart like a knife through tofu. Soon, numerous black chains penetrated Yu Hong¡¯s Dantian, slowly sealing a large number of Light Wells within him! This left Yu Hong in awe. Seemingly seeing his awe, Hei Ying also smiled. "What¡¯s so surprising? You¡¯ve only cultivated this technique for two years. No matter how fast the progress, how could it compare to my hundreds of years of pure power? We cultivators, without the ability to seal a Star Disaster, wouldn¡¯t be sent to guard a Mining Star. Even when the Heavenly Venerates sealed Star Disasters for tens of thousands of years, sporadic leaks still caused outbreaks of plagues and epidemic humans." After confirming Yu Hong¡¯s genuine need for medical help, her attitude improved significantly. Yu Hong checked his Divine Split within Black Black Spirit, confirming everything was fine, and followed Bai Sheng and Hei Ying towards the spaceship. After a few steps, silver flying swords lit up under the two¡¯s feet, shooting upwards. Yu Hong hesitated for a moment, jumped with great force, and soared over thirty meters high, joining them on the flying sailboat. "Uh... Brother Yu Hu, could it be... you can¡¯t fly?" Bai Sheng asked, surprised after landing. "... Am I supposed to?" Yu Hong shook his head. "Apologies, just a bit surprised." Bai Sheng waved his hand, "Considering your power, you must be at least close to the Nascent Soul Stage, yet you can¡¯t fly, which is indeed rare." "Nascent Soul Stage?" Yu Hong asked, puzzled. "Yes, with True Yuan undying, able to endure for hundreds or thousands of years, that¡¯s one of the hallmarks of the Nascent Soul Stage. The power you have is nearly at this level, showing some Immortal characteristics, though not yet strong." Bai Sheng went to the front of the boat, skillfully operating the helm. Click click... The spaceship emitted a faint sound like old gears turning, moving slowly towards the distant Gray-White Mountain Range. "Pardon us. This place is remote, and supply ships come once every decade to transport goods. Not even tourists visit. The whole planet only has the three of us and master. Everything else is automated equipment." Bai Sheng sighed, "So when you appeared, my junior sister and I rushed over immediately, quite surprised." "Repairing the ship isn¡¯t too difficult, what¡¯s hard is the lack of materials and high-precision machines." Hei Ying added. "Out of the thirty-plus production lines, half have stopped. But even if we send a message, no one cares. No reply at all." "When we first arrived, master contacted the top early on, and five years ago, they said they would send someone to maintain things. But something happened on their end, the person was replaced, and the replacement didn¡¯t want to suffer in such a remote place, so they just took the position without doing any work. It¡¯s been over a hundred years now." Bai Sheng said helplessly. "Our branch has long since distanced from the core. It¡¯s normal not to be cared for, but the frustration comes from inadequate repairs. If the goods aren¡¯t produced, the top won¡¯t care about our excuses, and there won¡¯t be any leniency when blaming us." Hei Ying said, annoyed. "Master already has a plan, no rush." Bai Sheng said calmly. Yu Hong listened to their back-and-forth about their sect and their branch. Listening, he somewhat understood the situation here. Not to mention the Nine Star Sword Sect, even Qinghe Mountain is immensely large, overseeing seventy Constant Star Systems, with each system having ten to twenty-two planets. Most are resource and mining stars, with only five habitable planets altogether. The branch of Bai Sheng and Hei Ying¡¯s master is calm and avoids conflict, naturally distanced in disputes, assigned to the remote Sixth Constant Star System to manage a Mining Star. Until now, Bai Sheng, his junior sister, and master have been here for at least a hundred years. Yu Hong remotely controlled Black Black Spirit to move with the spaceship while listening to the two chat and inquire about his situation. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "What!? You¡¯re only in your twenties!?!" Bai Sheng, in the middle of drinking a milky-white beverage, almost choked at these words, coughing loudly with white droplets even spraying from his nostrils. "What? Not believable?" Yu Hong examined himself, seeing no issue. Bai Sheng fell silent, exchanged a glance with his junior sister, and began quietly transmitting sound. ¡¯In his twenties and already at Golden Core Stage perfection? Almost stepping into Nascent Soul? Are our years cultivating Nascent Souls just for dogs then?¡¯ "Maybe it¡¯s a problem with his Cultivation Technique." "Possibly. Some Demon Techniques rush the process, but eventually get stuck, permanently at one level, and ultimately backfire, irreversibly. His case seems like that." Bai Sheng nodded. "Should we save him?" Hei Ying hesitated. "That depends on master. After determining his nature, if there¡¯s no issue, I think Master might help." Bai Sheng replied. The spaceship slowly crossed over one gray-white snowy peak after another, soon descending into a basin-like brown depression. This depression housed a Taoist architecture style complex made of silver-white metal mixed with rock. Palaces, H-shaped courtyards, and towers cast dappled shadows under the faint sky light. Yu Hong noticed most buildings had fallen into disrepair, some areas perpetually in darkness with no lighting and devoid of brightness. "We¡¯re here. This is Wanxue Palace, my master Yu Xuezi¡¯s residence built at his own expense. Brother Yu Hu, when you meet my master, try not to lie. Master hates juniors lying to him." Bai Sheng said softly. "Understood!" Yu Hong nodded. He followed them off the spaceship. Since he couldn¡¯t fly, Bai Sheng helped him down gently from the spaceship. The three entered through Wanxue Palace¡¯s gates, crossing a vast corridor. Yu Hong immediately saw a handsome Taoist sweeping snow in front of a palace. "You¡¯re back? Is this the guest you brought from that spaceship?" The Taoist¡¯s silver hair flowed like tassels, shimmering in the sun. Behind him was a pair of white wings, with fine, soft feathers fluttering gently. He wore a simple black Daoist robe and a bronze Eight Diagrams Mirror around his neck, his visage as youthful as someone in their thirties, with pure and fair skin. Chapter 508: Situation 506 Second "Yu Hu greets Master Yuxue." Yu Hong already knew at this moment that the other party¡¯s cultivation was unfathomable, so he immediately took the initiative to lower his posture and stepped forward with a bow. "Where do you come from? Where are you going? Why are you seriously ill?" Yu Xuezi asked calmly, looking at Yu Hong. He was nearly four meters tall, much taller than Yu Hong. From afar, he looked like an enlarged and handsome Lei Zhenzi. "Senior, I come from a remote planet and am headed to the land of vitality to explore the Star Disaster. As for why I¡¯m seriously ill..." Yu Hong smiled wryly, "In times of crisis, I had no choice. Any power I could grasp, I would take hold of first and worry about the rest later." Thinking about it now, the cultivation techniques he strengthened in such a short time with such great progress were inevitably demon path and evil path techniques, weren¡¯t they? What orthodox technique could become so powerful in just over two years? Such rapid advancement was bound to bring great repercussions. "Land of vitality??" Yu Xuezi was stunned, carefully looking at Yu Hong. "You want to go to the land of vitality... I¡¯m afraid your hope is slim...." "This junior knows all too well, but in one¡¯s life, there must be pursuits," Yu Hong replied. "You carry the scent of a Star God contract. These primordial entities love to do such things. What they cannot accomplish themselves, they hope others will help them complete. Little do they know, the beings they find naturally won¡¯t be stronger than they are. In such a state, except for relying on luck, the success rate is pitifully low." Yu Xuezi seemed somewhat knowledgeable about Star Gods. "Master...." Yu Hong wanted to say more, but Yu Xuezi raised a hand to stop him. "Enough. Solving your condition isn¡¯t that difficult, just isolate the Light Disaster¡¯s connection to you. But as for the reward for treatment, what will you use to pay?" Yu Xuezi said straightforwardly. "Junior..." Yu Hong thought for a moment, about to speak. Unexpectedly, Bai Sheng on the side suddenly moved his lips, seemingly transmitting a message. In the next moment, Yu Xuezi¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, and he began to look at Yu Hong with a questioning and unbelieving gaze. But soon, the doubt in his eyes quickly turned into shock and amazement. "What the heck! It¡¯s really two years!!?" Yu Xuezi couldn¡¯t hold back, crushing the broom in his hand into pieces that shattered all over the ground. Unconsciously, he stepped closer to Yu Hong, bent over, and his emerald-like eyes emitted two green beams, scanning up and down Yu Hong¡¯s body. "What... a mess of a hodgepodge is this??" The eyes with peculiar power fluctuations succeeded in attracting his attention. The fluctuation was similar to some advanced monsters from the Spirit Disaster, but without the unique pollution of the Spirit Disaster. It was as if it had naturally developed within the person before him, with an integrated qi. No matter how Yu Xuezi calculated, he couldn¡¯t figure out how such a thing could possibly develop within Yu Hong¡¯s body of this strength. It was like a diamond being formed in a lump of dough. Just arriving at this conclusion made Yu Xuezi start questioning whether there was an issue with his own calculative knowledge. Meanwhile, the other eye was also very similar to some cultivators with innate gifts, possessing special abilities. ¡¯Could it be an implant? The qi mechanism shouldn¡¯t be so naturally integrated if so!?¡¯ This was the crux of what left him utterly perplexed. This was a young man full of mysteries, definitely not more than thirty years old, but he already had the perfection of the Golden Core Stage. Although it was a fast-tracked evil path cultivation, even in the evil path, he had never seen someone advance in the Golden Core Stage this quickly. "Master?" Yu Hong was bewildered, feeling somewhat uneasy under the other¡¯s scrutiny. "Nothing." Yu Xuezi retracted the glow from his eyes and said calmly. "The treatment is not difficult, but my Qinghe Mountain is a famous orthodox path, while your magic skill is from demon path and evil path, heavily tainted by killing aura. Therefore..." "I ask you this: among those you¡¯ve killed, were there any innocent and kind people?" sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He asked this with great righteousness and utmost seriousness. "No!" Yu Hong also replied solemnly and loudly. "In your actions, have you ever gone against your conscience? Have you ever harmed others for personal gain?" "No!" Yu Hong answered again. "Good!" Yu Xuezi clapped Yu Hong on the shoulder. "In that case, I will suppress the problem in your body for you. But suppression is all I can do;to completely resolve it, you need to practice orthodox techniques to strengthen virtue and suppress evil, thoroughly blocking the channel connected to the Light Disaster within your body." "This... may I ask, Master, what exactly is orthodoxy? I¡¯ve never seen a power capable of resisting the Source Disaster and Star Disaster on my journey. It¡¯s all about leveraging another Source Disaster¡¯s power to reach a delicate balance." "That¡¯s a good question," Yu Xuezi said with a hint of astonishment. It seemed he hadn¡¯t expected Yu Hong to have such insight. "But the answer is a secret we do not pass on. If you wish to know, you must join our sect." "... So, Master can only help suppress it temporarily. To resolve it, I must practice orthodox techniques, and to practice orthodox techniques, I must join your sect to receive the teachings?" Yu Hong realized the meaning. "What nonsense is this? Am I the kind of person who forces a sale?" Yu Xuezi said with narrowed eyes, holding his head high. "I will suppress it for you for free, and later you can seek other orthodox masters." He said earnestly. "But this place is remote, and even the nearest branch of Qinghe Mountain is more than ten light-years away." "If you want to leave, you need to carefully consider whether your journey will be timely enough...." Yu Xuezi added, "After all, my suppression can only extend the time by three months." "....." Yu Hong was left speechless, catching a glimpse of Hei Ying sneaking a laugh out of the corner of his eye. He roughly understood the other¡¯s intentions. Immediately, he no longer hesitated, bowing deeply to Yu Xuezi. "In that case, this junior humbly requests for Master Yu Xuezi to accept him into the sect and impart the true teachings!" "No rush, no rush, your character needs to be observed further. Let¡¯s first suppress the Light Disaster connection in your body." Yu Xuezi was indeed in no hurry to accept him. "Thank you, Master!" Yu Hong hurriedly expressed his gratitude, "Then about the reward...." "It¡¯s a trivial matter. Don¡¯t mention it again." Yu Xuezi said lightly. As Yu Hong stood up, a speck of golden light lit at Yu Xuezi¡¯s fingertip. Instantly, the golden light shot out, leaving a trail of afterimages, striking the center of Yu Hong¡¯s dantian. All of a sudden, the numerous Light Wells in Yu Hong¡¯s body, which had already been sealed once, now seemed as if the wells¡¯ openings were blocked with sand and stone, causing the radiation emissions to plummet greatly. In just a few seconds, all the Light Wells in the dantian completely shut, as if disappearing, with no more sound. At the same time, the Inner Strength of the Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill rapidly filled the void, completely occupying the dantian and further blocking the power¡¯s outburst from the Light Wells. Yu Hong stood in place, bewildered by the whole situation. The Ultimate Sun issue that had troubled him for so long seemed to be resolved effortlessly by this person before him. This gave him a strong sense of unreality. "Is this... done?" he asked in disbelief. "Of course not," Yu Xuezi shook his head, "The source of the Light Disaster is the Ultimate Sun, and you have already had a minor connection with the Ultimate Sun. Therefore, the connection isn¡¯t easy to sever. It¡¯s just temporarily cut and isolated." He paused and continued. "To achieve a complete isolation and disconnection, you must rely on yourself to cultivate along the righteous path, to cultivate your Essence Qi in perfect unity, to enter the Golden Core Realm of no leakage, only then can you avoid your qi mechanism being captured and linked by the Source Disaster." ¡¯The evil path and demon path routes you took before caused your qi mechanism to leak like a sieve. Your power increased rapidly, but so did the risk of death.¡¯ Yu Xuezi commented unreservedly. Yu Hong nodded in understanding. "So next...." "You should go rest first, further observation is needed to ensure everything is thoroughly stable," Yu Xuezi explained with a wave of his hand. "Junior takes his leave." Yu Hong immediately saluted. Hei Ying led him to his resting place. Leaving Bai Sheng behind, once everyone was far away, he spoke to Yu Xuezi via transmission. "Master, why did you....?" "Why did I accept that person and even treat him for free, right?" Yu Xuezi finished his sentence. "Exactly, this disciple doesn¡¯t understand. Even if it¡¯s you, the energy consumption wouldn¡¯t be light, would it? After all, it is the ultimate source of the Light Disaster," Bai Sheng frowned. "Actually, it¡¯s not that bad," Yu Xuezi laughed heartily. "It sounds intimidating, the ultimate source of the Light Disaster, the Ultimate Solar Power. But do you know how big the Ultimate Sun is?" "How big???" Bai Sheng paused. "The current Ultimate Sun should be about as large as ten to twenty Constant Star Systems combined, note that it¡¯s all the space fused together, not merely stacked planets," Yu Xuezi explained. "That large!!?" Bai Sheng was shocked. "Actually, for the ultimate powers of each Source Disaster, we all have observations. Upon reaching a certain realm, they are disasters that must be encountered. Such a vast Ultimate Sun, the little guy only bears an insignificant speck. To be blunt, the total amount of borrowed power that little guy has isn¡¯t even a billionth of the Ultimate Sun. Cutting this amount off was incredibly low-difficulty for me." "But even so... why does Master want to take him as a disciple?" Bai Sheng was still puzzled. "Let me ask you, when I took you as my disciple, how much did I give your family?" Yu Xuezi asked. "Um... about ten thousand Source Stones..." Bai Sheng replied honestly. "And how much did I give your junior sister¡¯s family?" Yu Xuezi asked again. "Fifty-five thousand." Bai Sheng remembered this very clearly. "Then why did you choose to become my disciple instead of another Qinghe Mountain Immortal?" Yu Xuezi asked again. "Because you offered more money," Bai Sheng answered honestly once more. "Correct!" Yu Xuezi clapped his hands, "Now, why was I willing to give money to your families?" "Because... my junior sister and I have good potential..." Bai Sheng thought for a moment and answered. "Precisely!" Yu Xuezi nodded. "Now let me ask you." He turned around, looking at his eldest disciple. "When a potential ten times better than yours appears before me, what do you think I would do?" "... Give money?" Bai Sheng asked, puzzled. "Bribe?!?" Yu Xuezi slapped him on the forehead. "Do you think I have that much money? Can I outdo other immortals?? I can¡¯t! In such times, bribing is pointless;retaining the person and making established facts is what¡¯s crucial!!" "Master, you¡¯re wise!" Bai Sheng quickly complimented, holding his head. "Of course, to guard against any potential issues this person might have, I¡¯ll observe him for some time, but establish the relation first, and if problems arise, expel him from the sect. If we can cultivate a new high-level immortal for the sect, the three of us can also leave this bitter cold place and return to the main star system to enjoy life!" Yu Xuezi sighed. "Leaving is key, and the rest we¡¯ll address later on." Chapter 509: Situation 507 Three Hei Ying led Yu Hong through the dark and deep mine tunnel. Having left Wanxue Palace where Yu Xuezi resided, the two moved at a brisk pace, walking along the mine tunnel for more than ten minutes. Hei Ying walked silently at the front. Strangely, she neither accelerated nor used her power to fly, but merely walked quickly like an ordinary person. You could say she wasn¡¯t in a hurry, yet her footsteps were also hurried. You could say she was in a hurry, but why she didn¡¯t use her power to accelerate was unknown. Yu Hong glanced around. The pitch-black mine tunnel held no lights, with only the occasional dim blue luminescent stones on the walls providing some light. If others were here, they might be stumbling around blindly, seeing nothing. But with the faint vision function inherent in his eyesight, Yu Hong was unaffected. He looked at the back of Hei Ying a few meters ahead. Yu Hong didn¡¯t know how much longer they would walk, and couldn¡¯t help but call out. "Senior Sister?" No response. Hei Ying continued walking straight ahead, not turning her head, silent, as if she hadn¡¯t heard him. "Senior Sister??" Yu Hong called again. Still no response. Walking straight through the mine tunnel, there was a slight stiffness in Hei Ying¡¯s movements for some reason. This was completely different from the somewhat temperamental but straightforward Hei Ying Yu Hong had seen earlier. "Sen...?" Yu Hong was ready to call for the third time. "What¡¯s the matter?" Hei Ying suddenly responded, stopping in place with her back to him. "I was just wondering why we¡¯re not accelerating and just walking like this, it¡¯s unknown how long it will take," Yu Hong suppressed his doubts and asked. "Ah¡­ sorry, I forgot..." Hei Ying slightly tilted her head, as if only now realizing she could accelerate. "Alright!" Yu Hong nodded, following closely as they continued onward. Hiss... Suddenly, a black hole appeared before his eyes in the black wall of the mine tunnel on the right. Inside the hole, there was no wind, no light, just pure darkness. "We¡¯ve arrived." Suddenly, Hei Ying, who was leading, turned a corner and found a stone staircase leading upward in the surrounding wall. She proceeded to enter first. Yu Hong took another look at that hole before following after her. They ascended several dozen stone steps before Hei Ying finally reached the surface. Above ground, a hundred meters from the entrance to the underground, stood a five-story pointed-roof pavilion. Its exterior was a mix of black and red, with some bell-like objects hanging from the corners of the eaves, emitting soft tinkling noises as the wind blew. "You¡¯ll be sleeping here from now on. This pavilion comes with its own cultivation room, quiet room, kitchen, and latrine. It¡¯s one of the few places we have left that is still in a decent condition," Hei Ying said, standing at the entrance to the corridor, casually pulling open the slightly crooked heavy iron door. Clatter. It seemed something at the door hinge broke. But Hei Ying was unfazed, turning her head to look at Yu Hong. "Right, this place is old and hasn¡¯t been maintained, so you might encounter some strange noises. Don¡¯t worry about it. We¡¯re short on materials and maintenance personnel, so bear with it a bit." "It¡¯s no problem, Senior Sister. The conditions are already great," Yu Hong nodded. "Good, that¡¯s great," Hei Ying nodded with satisfaction, releasing the heavy iron door in her hand. Clunk. Half of the door instantly separated completely from the frame. Only a part remained tenuously attached, seemingly ready to fall at any moment. Hei Ying showed no expression of concern, as if she hadn¡¯t noticed anything. "I¡¯ll leave now. If you have any issues, just come find me or Senior Brother. I live in the eastern Youxiang Pavilion, and Senior Brother lives in the northern Wuyou Pavilion. Just head in those directions to find us." "Understood, thank you, Senior Sister." Yu Hong quickly bowed with clasped fists. "No need for politeness." Hei Ying turned and quickly walked into the darkness, vanishing soon after. Yu Hong was left standing alone in front of the gloomy pavilion, looking at the half-dangling metal black door. He sighed silently. Bang. Finally, the iron door completely tore off, crashing to the ground and stirring up a cloud of dust. He didn¡¯t concern himself with the door but instead surveyed his surroundings. It was all gloom, with only a distant hint of gray-white light, its source unknown. ¡¯It seems Senior Sister wasn¡¯t just being modest when she said this place was in a state of disrepair Yu Hong didn¡¯t enter immediately but first walked around the pavilion. In the back, he found a small plot whose purpose was unclear. On either side, he discovered two short little houses, perhaps once power supply rooms, but now their machinery had long stopped working, inside and out all covered in rust. At the front was the main entrance and the underground entry point. That underground entrance was the way they came. After wandering for a while, Yu Hong returned to the pavilion¡¯s entrance, sensing Black Black Spirit had quietly arrived at the empty ground behind the pavilion, allowing him to relax and step inside. He could go back to sleep in the Black Black Spirit¡¯s safe house, but with the hospitality offered here, he decided to give it a try. He entered the pavilion. The corridors were in ruin, gray-white walls scarred and peeling. The black floors he walked on occasionally bore holes, with dust accumulating everywhere. Yu Hong wandered around, using Night Language marks quickly to find a bedroom where he could rest. The bedroom surprisingly was clean, just the air was stuffy, as though the window hadn¡¯t been opened for a long, long time. Apart from the bed, there was a wardrobe and a dressing table. These pieces of furniture seemed to be electronic initially, with various buttons and indicator lights on the surface. But perhaps due to disrepair, the functions had long since failed. Pulling them open with some effort produced a sharp creaking noise. The bed was the simplest wooden one, square and plain, with a mosquito net hanging over, devoid of embellishments. White quilt, black bedspread. Poof. Yu Hong patted the pillow, frowning suddenly. There seemed to be something under the pillow. He lifted the pillow and discovered two dark green socks pressed underneath. "...." With a burst of Inner Strength, he tossed the socks aside. But beneath the socks, a few dark red stains were revealed on the sheet. Yu Hong reached out to touch them;the stains were long dry and hard. ¡¯This place....¡¯ For the first time, his brow furrowed. If his initial encounters with Bai Sheng and Hei Ying seemed normal, then once Hei Ying led him here to rest, no¡­ or rather, from the moment he joined them at Wanxue Palace, flying on the ship, he¡¯d begun to sense something amiss. ¡¯Bai Sheng said everything here is automated mining systems, yet I haven¡¯t seen any mining machinery operating until now. Of course, perhaps there simply aren¡¯t any functioning mining systems nearby, considering the size of a planet, not seeing any so soon isn¡¯t unusual.¡¯ Speculation popped up in his mind. But then, considering Yu Xuezi¡¯s terrifying cultivation, sealing his Light Well with a wave of her hand, staying here for a while might indeed be beneficial. ¡¯After all, Agrius has already re-established the pact. The only major threat left is the pursuit from the Ultimate Sun. As for whatever¡¯s happening here, it¡¯s none of my concern.¡¯ With this thought, Yu Hong felt at ease. He stood by the bed, pointing casually. All the dust on the bed scattered to the sides automatically. With another point, five white-skirted Speed Man figures appeared with lowered heads beside him. "Patrol the area. Alert me if anything suspicious arises," Yu Hong instructed. The Speed Man, their black hair covering their faces, nodded silently, then exited the bedroom to begin their surveillance. Yu Hong swiftly set up a small dust-free array for alert and protection inside the bedroom. This was a spell primarily learned from the Heavenly Master World, combined with spell magic arrays, a simple array personally designed by Yu Hong through self-taught comprehension. Its effect was to position an array centered on himself, able to connect and alert him through his Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Skill¡¯s inner power. The array required no materials, primarily relying on Inner Strength to set up. With the Immortal Attribute¡¯s longevity, it could last an entire day as long as it wasn¡¯t triggered. If triggered, it would last no more than an hour. Yu Hong could no longer use Tai Ling Skill. However, having the Eighth Layer of Tai Ling Skill sealed was beneficial, as without the seal, Tao Breath Circulation would automatically cultivate itself, accelerating progress. These arrangements done, he lay fully clothed on the bed, gradually closing his eyes to rest and meditate. Time slowly passed. Tap. Tap. Suddenly, Yu Hong groggily awoke from meditation. He had heard some sounds. Sff. He opened his eyes and sat up abruptly. ¡¯I actually fell asleep!?¡¯ Yu Hong was surprised. He remembered clearly he was meditating practicing Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Scripture, yet somehow, he had drifted off to sleep. Outside, faint gray-white daylight was starting to seep in. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It was almost dawn. Yu Hong lay back down, planning to adjust his state. He wanted to understand what was going on. But just as he lay down, his vision instantly focused. He saw, on the ceiling above the bed, on that gray-white surface, unnoticed before, appeared some purplish-red pipes. These pipes formed a network, intertwining like branches, merging with the wall. Yu Hong got up again, pulling aside the mosquito net and using Inner Strength to extend his hand, gently touching these pipes on the ceiling. Hiss. Smooth to the touch, no protrusions at all. Yet what Yu Hong saw was clearly many of these purplish-red pipes. They looked a lot like¡­ blood vessels. Yu Hong frowned slightly, intending to use Inner Strength to lift himself closer to take a closer look. But the next second, with a flicker in his eyes, all the blood vessels on the ceiling vanished instantly. As if he had been hallucinating. Unconvinced, Yu Hong looked carefully again, but still saw no blood vessels. He removed his eye patch and let his hidden right eye unleash its sight. But even then, the ceiling was just a ceiling, no anomalies. Inhaling the faint Red Value Radiation in the air, Yu Hong began to suspect whether it was the Black Disaster at play. After many attempts and spending more than ten minutes, Yu Hong still found nothing, though he nearly tore apart the ceiling in his efforts. Unfortunately, the removed panels turned out to be mere ordinary metal powder mixed with a plaster-like material. By now, outside was broad daylight. After completing his checks fruitlessly, Yu Hong ceased his insistence, dispelled the array, and left the bedroom. But the next second, he realized something was amiss. Where were the Speed Men!? Where were the five Fear Shadow Speed Men he had released!? Standing in the corridor on the second floor where his bedroom was, Yu Hong finally understood, this place had issues! He tried to sense the presence of Speed Men, yet found not a single trace. The five Speed Men were as if they had never existed, leaving no aura whatsoever. It might seem like a small matter, but Yu Hong knew full well ¨C those five Speed Men were essentially extensions of his Inner Strength. Even though the Tai Ling Skill was sealed, the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Skill remained, still possessing preliminary Immortal attributes. Otherwise, this skill couldn¡¯t possibly suppress the Seventh Layer Tai Ling Inner Strength. And the Fear Shadow summoning inherently relied on a secret technique, blending spirituality and Inner Strength. Using his current ability, with some modifications, he could replicate it using other Inner Strength, though its potency wouldn¡¯t match the summoning through his own Tai Ling Skill. Chapter 510: situations four ¡¯But even so... the Fear Shadow I summoned should have given me some feedback upon disappearing. Yet, I didn¡¯t detect anything all night long.¡¯ Yu Hong looked at the desolate ground around him. For a moment, he fell into deep thought. It wasn¡¯t until daytime that the surroundings of the attic became clearer. This place was situated in a basin. Mountains surrounded it on all sides, their gray-white bodies resembling high walls that blocked most of the light. The only convenient entrance and exit was through the ground tunnel on the floor. Taking a deep breath, Yu Hong was unsure if his impulsive decision to become Yu Xuezi¡¯s disciple was the right one. This apprenticeship felt like a child¡¯s play;he didn¡¯t hesitate, and the other party was equally hasty. They quickly decided on the relationship upon just meeting, with little understanding of each other. Had it been before, Yu Hong would never have acted like this, but at that time, Yu Xuezi¡¯s methods were astonishing. Plus, he was a bit speechless and at a loss under the pressure of the approaching Ultimate Sun, so he just followed along. But exactly what the other party¡¯s intentions were, he couldn¡¯t say. ¡¯Regardless, as long as it helps me suppress the Ultimate Sun, nothing else matters. Surviving, that¡¯s the most important thing.¡¯ Wandering around the attic and sweeping some dust, Yu Hong remained alert, setting up small dust-free arrays in various places. Staying in the place arranged by the other party was basic etiquette. But that didn¡¯t mean he completely trusted the arrangements. After setting up the array and establishing an embedded array to isolate Red Value Radiation, Yu Hong finally sat down to rest. "Junior Brother Yu Hu. Are you awake? It¡¯s time to go to the Master." Bai Sheng¡¯s voice came from outside the attic. Yu Hong quickly stood up, walked to the corridor, and looked downstairs through the window. At the edge of the ground tunnel entrance, Bai Sheng was standing there in white clothing, carrying a long sword, waving his hand upwards. He immediately went downstairs, and the two of them set off together, continuing along last night¡¯s path through the underground passage. They soon returned to Wanxue Palace. Unlike last time, this time they met Yu Xuezi in a quaint and quiet meditation Taoist Palace. Yu Xuezi had changed clothes, wearing a green Daoist robe embroidered with silver carp and dragons, a crown of jade dragon scales on his head, holding a white horsetail whisk, sitting cross-legged on a cushion, meditating with closed eyes. He only slowly opened his eyes when Yu Hong and Bai Sheng were within ten meters. "How is it? How did you rest last night?" Yu Xuezi¡¯s gaze on Yu Hong was like viewing some indescribable hope, his eyes straightforward and fervent. "It was fine, but something unusual happened when I woke up this morning..." Yu Hong described in detail the situation he encountered. He was consistently candid, hiding nothing. Because the thing he hated most was misunderstandings caused by concealment. "Is that so?" Yu Xuezi was taken aback, then nodded indifferently. "It¡¯s okay, the issue is minor. Ever since the Heavenly Venerates sealed the Star Disaster, small insignificant things like this occasionally appear. Don¡¯t worry, they disappear quickly on their own. Many predecessors were initially concerned too, but after careful research and investigation, they found it was just a simple illusion with no harm, so they stopped paying attention." "Really?" Yu Hong was astonished. "Indeed," Bai Sheng nodded with a smile. "Junior Brother, there¡¯s no need to worry. You¡¯ll get used to it in the future and understand." Since both of them said it was fine, Yu Hong said no more. Afterward, Yu Xuezi had Yu Hong follow him in reciting a Daoist Scripture called the Spirit Snow Scripture. Reciting gently or firmly a hundred times, time reached noon. Bai Sheng led Yu Hong to have lunch together. The massive dining hall, size of a football field, had only three of them sitting down for a meal. Splat. Bai Sheng placed a plate of brownish-yellow mud-like mixture in front of Yu Hong. "Sorry, because of our bodily structure, we eat different things than you. The energy meal supply machine also broke down long ago. We mixed some backup nutrient liquids with dry rations to make you a meal, please make do with it for now." He apologized. Yu Hong looked at the plate of brownish-yellow mush with a pungent smell, chuckled dryly, and was about to decline. Suddenly, his gaze focused, seeing a bathtub-sized dark red eyeball on the wall behind Bai Sheng and Hei Ying, which had appeared out of nowhere! The eyeball embedded in the wall turned left and right, seemingly scanning everything in the dining hall. Blood sluggishly oozed from beneath the eyeball, but it was indifferent, still wriggling, its surface reflecting a moist sheen. The seeping blood trickled down the wall, emitting a pungent stench. "Look behind you!" Yu Hong stood up abruptly, stepping back a few steps, urgently reminding. Bai Sheng and Hei Ying were startled, turned to look back. "Behind us, there¡¯s nothing there? What is it, Junior Brother Yu Hu?" Bai Sheng turned back, looking confused, questioned puzzledly. Hei Ying also glanced back and then mirrored his confused expression toward Yu Hong. Yu Hong looked at the enormous eyeball on the wall and then at their oblivious expressions. "You all, can¡¯t see it?" The two exchanged glances, showing rather puzzled looks. "See what? What¡¯s going on with you, Junior Brother?" Yu Hong wanted to explain, pointing at the eyeball on the wall, but in the next instant, everything blurred before him, and the eyeball vanished at once. It was as if everything he had just seen was an illusion. Even the blood water dripping on the ground and the stench had entirely vanished without a trace. "Are you alright?" Bai Sheng waved a hand in front of Yu Hong. "I-I¡¯m fine..." Yu Hong was now vaguely feeling something was wrong. But he didn¡¯t know if it was his issue or theirs. Those strange things... Could they really be as Yu Xuezi described, all normal phenomena? He explained to them the scene he saw. But they showed even more bewildered expressions. "Honestly, we¡¯ve lived here for hundreds of years, and have never encountered what you described." Bai Sheng stated. "It should be the regular minor issues Master mentioned." Hei Ying added. Seeing them unconcerned, Yu Hong could only let it go, secretly increasing his vigilance. After the meal, the afternoon continued with scripture recitations. Then in the evening, return to rest. The rhythm was unhurried, continuously repeating. Yu Xuezi didn¡¯t teach any Cultivation Technique, only persisted in making Yu Hong recite scriptures. This went on for more than two weeks. One morning, after finishing the scripture recitations, Yu Hong was about to get up and have lunch with Bai Sheng. "Wait. Yu Hu, stay here," Yu Xuezi spoke, eyes closed. "Yes." During this period, Yu Hong focused on reciting scriptures, not thinking about any other matters, sleeping and rising early every day. Not only did he no longer see those previous visions, but his Inner Strength in the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Scripture also naturally grew stronger. Seemingly, this tranquil cultivation was also greatly beneficial to him. Soon, after Bai Sheng and Hei Ying saluted and left the Taoist Palace. In the Taoist Palace the size of a football field, only Yu Xuezi and Yu Hong remained. "Yu Hu. During this time, I¡¯ve observed that your essence hasn¡¯t been tainted by the Evil Path and Demon Technique. Your mindset has been largely restored. Beneath the appearances, your inner nature is indeed upright and kind." Yu Xuezi¡¯s seated posture silently shifted around to face Yu Hong. "Therefore, from now on, of the two Cultivation Techniques on you, the one involving the eyes can continue, but the other cannot be practiced simultaneously." Yu Xuezi stated, his expression becoming solemn. "To be honest, I took you as my disciple for my own reasons." "We should be clear with each other. You come from an unknown origin, with an unknown identity, although your aptitude is good, rationally, I shouldn¡¯t have rashly accepted you, but... this is essentially an exchange." "Exchange?" Yu Hong questioned. "Yes," Yu Xuezi nodded. "The three of us as master and disciples shouldn¡¯t have come to this Mining Star, yet we¡¯ve stayed here for over a hundred years. If there are no other surprises, we may stay here for thousands or even tens of thousands of years, unnoticed and unknown, possibly eventually forgotten." He sighed. "If I alone was so, that would be fine, but there are also Bai Sheng and Hei Ying. They are still young. If they do not achieve the Immortal Realm, they might die of old age at five thousand, spending their entire lives on this lonely Mining Star." "So... my arrival, could it change all that?" Yu Hong speculated. "Yes... there¡¯s hope," Yu Xuezi frankly nodded. "Your aptitude surpasses them tenfold. Even starting from scratch, you have a great chance of breaking through to the Immortal Realm. According to Qinghe Mountain¡¯s rules, by grooming an Immortal, I can re-earn a qualification to apply for an assignment spot. Leaving here would be easy." "I see..." Yu Hong realized. "Then, may I ask Master, how many years does it typically take to cultivate to the Immortal Realm?" "Though you have your own cultivation, you¡¯ll have to start from scratch;therefore, the soonest would be around three hundred years." Yu Xuezi replied. Three hundred years... Yu Hong had considered it for a long time but didn¡¯t expect it to be this long. "Of course, reaching the Golden Core Stage will allow you to step into Imperfection-Free status. By then, with my assistance, severing the connection with the Ultimate Sun would be a simple matter, so no worries." Yu Xuezi smiled. "...." Yu Hong wasn¡¯t worried about that, but rather if, in three hundred years, Yiyi, Ku Chan, Quan He, and the others would still be around... Moreover, could the Source Disaster really wait for him for three hundred years? From Agrius¡¯s tone, it seemed unlikely. "Before practicing, I need to clarify things with you to avoid any lingering doubts that prevent a mind clear as a mirror." Yu Xuezi said, "Additionally, the Qinghe Mountain Cultivation Technique is not to be spread externally. If someone with exceptional aptitude emerges, you may apply to establish a separate sect and take them under your wing." These were standard school rules, which Yu Hong quickly agreed to. "Next, I will teach you the most orthodox Foundation Establishment Technique of Qinghe Mountain¡ªthe Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique." Yu Xuezi gently took out a scripture from his large sleeve, handing it over to Yu Hong. "Take it, study it carefully, and if you have any questions, feel free to ask." At this moment, when the other party just pulled out the scripture, Yu Hong was entirely stunned. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Because that scripture was covered in dark red, foul-smelling flesh. The thin white bones formed the edges and corners of the book, and mold-spotted, blood-stained rotten flesh constituted the cover. Yet Yu Xuezi acted as if he saw nothing, still smiling as he held the scripture, handing it over. Just looking at the scripture, Yu Hong felt a bizarre sense of dizziness continuously crashing into his mind. An indescribable and powerful strange spiritual power spread from the scripture, like an awl, desperately trying to penetrate into his brain. This place... Had issues!!! At this moment, he was one hundred percent sure of this! Chapter 511: Cultivation One Inside the loft. Yu Hong looked at the Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique he had brought back. The booklet hadn¡¯t changed at all and was still in the eerie state he saw at first glance. He pinched the booklet and gently opened the first page. ¡¯The universe and everything within it have life and death, beginnings and ends. If the source represents the absolute end, then we, as beings, represent the crystal of life.¡¯ ¡¯If Star Disaster is infinite, is life also infinite?¡¯ This passage was written prominently at the beginning, and Yu Hong immediately understood the core of this cultivation technique. "If Source Disaster is infinite, is this method trying to expand vitality to infinity as well?" He continued to turn the pages. ¡¯If vitality can also become infinite, flowing into a river, it forms a Heavenly River, pure and untainted, gathering myriad spirits.¡¯ Below was a general outline for basic entry-level practice. ¡¯This technique is the way to ascend into an immortal realm, from Qi Cultivation, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Divinity Transformation, Returning to Void, Mahayana, Ascension, to the Immortal Realm. From a mortal to the Immortal Realm, one needs to go through nine major stages, with a total of thirty-one minor stages. It is as difficult as climbing to the heavens, as the saying goes. Cultivators require immense resources, time, and effort. They must endure twenty-two Heavenly Tribulations, transforming from the mundane.¡¯ ¡¯Here is recorded the Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer Cultivation Technique, the Nine-layered Inner Viewing Map, and the various required resources and elixirs. For leaving the booklet...¡¯ The next part was about the essentials of the first layer of Qi Cultivation. ¡¯Everything in the world, all living things contain vitality. Vitality means growth, resilience, and readiness to act, turning nothing into something. In the initial stage of the first layer, one must gather life into oneself...¡¯ Following that was a discussion about daily life, on what things possess vitality and can be used as resources for Qi Cultivation, and which cannot. ¡¯Vitality is divided into three categories: Heavenly, Earthly, and Human. Heavenly Vitality is the moment of vitality that arises when chaos intersects and everything is infused with spirit, making it the hardest to gather. Earthly Vitality is the instant vitality that springs forth on earth, mostly found in natural plants and microorganisms, making it moderately difficult to gather. Human Vitality is the easiest to gather. Anything living and active, with flesh and spirit, humans and animals alike, fall into this category. But this vitality is of the lowest quality, filled with impurities.¡¯ ¡¯One chooses which type of vitality to gather based on perception, aptitude, and accordingly follows one of three routes: gathering the essence of the heavens, gathering the essence of the earth, or gathering the essence of humans.¡¯ Turning to the back, there were methods of cultivating insight for each of the three routes. After gathering external essence, one must form an external Heavenly River around the body, channeling the gathered essence into it. Then, refining and purifying it day and night with concentrated spirit before absorbing it into oneself to cultivate one¡¯s vitality. As Yu Hong read along, he felt a sense of familiarity, especially with the essence of humans at the end... "Wait!" Suddenly, Yu Hong froze. "Isn¡¯t this the secret technique Wuji Heavenly River Technique of the Wuji Palace?!" Wuji Palace, also known as the Infinite Demon Palace, had disciples skilled in a special secret technique called Wuji Heavenly River Technique. It could gather into an invisible spiritual energy Heavenly River around oneself, absorbing the opponents one defeated, nurturing and restoring them to summon for personal combat when needed. This was an extremely formidable secret technique. Theoretically, one could sustain battle with battle, continuously strengthening themselves as long as their Inner Strength kept up with the nurturing. Yu Hong carefully retrieved the method of Wuji Heavenly River Technique from his memory for comparison. He found them quite similar. ¡¯I wonder who copied whom. But the Wuji Heavenly River Technique is only for combat with no self-enhancement effect, while this Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique seems to be the fundamental method, able to absorb external vitality to enhance oneself. From the effect, it¡¯s far superior.¡¯ He quickly flipped through the whole booklet and found that all nine layers of the Qi Cultivation technique were there, though enveloped in rotting flesh and blood molds, looking quite horrifying. But the techniques were proper righteous techniques. Rip. He tore away the flesh and bone envelope from the cultivation booklet, extracting the clean booklet inside. He then conjured a stream of clear water, rinsing the whole booklet multiple times before washing his hands, only then tucked it relievedly into his coat pocket. Looking around, Yu Hong unwittingly recalled the strange scenes he had previously seen here, along with the mysterious disappearance of five Speed Men. They were not the lowest level Black Disaster, yet they completely vanished without a trace. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It made him realize that this place was far from harmless as it appeared on the surface. After a moment¡¯s thought, Yu Hong got up, opened the window, and leaped directly from the second floor. He circled half the loft and returned to the hiding place in the Black Black Spirit behind the open ground. Bam. The moment the heavy safety door was closed, Yu Hong suddenly felt a lightness as if something was severed at the instant the door shut. He stood at the door, gazing back at the loft through the observation window, lost in thought. ¡¯Forget it, don¡¯t overthink it;the truth will reveal itself over time. The urgent task is to begin cultivating the technique immediately. However, before cultivation....¡¯ Yu Hong stretched out his hand, took out the Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique, placed it on the table, and laid it flat. Then he pointed his finger at its surface. ¡¯Enhance the Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique, direction: eliminate hidden dangers.¡¯ He had been holding onto the Black Mark, not enhancing anything for this moment. After all, whether it was the cheap master, the surrounding environment, or senior brothers and sisters, everything around him radiated a sense of wrongness. If he dared to practice anything recklessly obtained, he might end up not knowing how he died in the end. Black threads swiftly emerged from the imprint on his hand, flowing into the booklet. But in the next second. The feedback from the Black Mark made Yu Hong slightly startled. ¡¯Unable to enhance, no hidden dangers detected.¡¯ "Really?" Yu Hong retracted his hand, placed it back on, and tried again. Yet the feedback from the Black Mark was the same as before: unable to enhance due to the absence of hidden dangers. Thus, Yu Hong tried using other terms to broaden the scope, such as aftereffects, side effects, toxicity, pollution, etc. But none worked. The response from the Black Mark remained consistent: none, unable to enhance. After fussing around for more than ten minutes, Yu Hong finally accepted that there was nothing wrong with this technique. ¡¯Interesting... The booklet looked so severely polluted, yet the technique recorded within turned out to have no issues... If the technique has no problems, what does? Could these rotting flesh and blood molds I¡¯ve seen all be normal phenomena?¡¯ Yu Hong was puzzled. But since the Black Mark confirmed it as safe, he chose to believe it. After all, he had relied on the Black Mark to reach this point. Immediately, he opened the first layer of the technique and attempted to sit cross-legged and sense Heavenly Vitality. Unfortunately, he did not sense Heavenly Vitality, only a heap of chaotic vacuum energy particles appeared instead. But these were not what he needed now. After trying repeatedly more than ten times with no clue, Yu Hong had no choice but to opt for the Earthly Vitality route. This was unlike the mysterious and elusive Heavenly Vitality and required searching for microorganisms or budding plants. Yu Hong opted for microorganisms, specifically bacteria, fungi, and viruses. For an ordinary person, this path might be extremely challenging, but for him now, with his terrifying eyesight strengthened many times, he could easily see various microorganisms floating around in the air. He watched them in the air, on the ground, on furniture, on clothes, and even on himself, aging, dying, propagating, and growing generation after generation. At the very moment when a new bacterium shattered or was born, Yu Hong adjusted himself according to the Inner Observation Diagram with Mnemonic to capture it. He persevered for more than ten hours. Finally, he faintly sensed an extremely subtle special breath. The breath had no warmth or cold, only giving him a feeling of lightness and ethereality, as if it was both present and absent. It resembled strands of mist, drifting from the breeding microorganisms and evaporating instantly. He didn¡¯t know where they disappeared, and this breath was extremely difficult to capture. Yu Hong tried several times without being able to use the small methods of the Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique to collect it. Gradually, his state of mind began to grow irritable and impatient. He didn¡¯t know how much time had passed. Thud, thud, thud. A sudden knocking at the door startled him from his meditation. Yu Hong opened his eyes, seeing a blurry figure of a person in white clothes pressed against the outside glass. The person had pressed their face tightly against the glass, squeezing hard with a weird smile, their facial features distorted out of shape. Thud, thud, thud. The figure reached out and tapped the glass window. It turned out that the knocking didn¡¯t come from the door but the window. "A Black Disaster? Courting death!" Yu Hong frowned slightly, his mind stirred. A Cai Jing Taoist Fear Shadow suddenly formed in the air outside the room. The Cai Jing Taoist flashed and pointed at the figure. Swoosh! Void One Finger was unleashed. The figure instantly vanished with a hiss. Though the figure vanished, Yu Hong¡¯s brows knitted even deeper. ¡¯Just now, Void One Finger, missed....¡¯ He focused on the spot where the figure disappeared. There was a faint black handprint on the glass, indicating that what he saw wasn¡¯t an illusion. "This place... is peculiar...." With a thought, he decisively used his Inner Strength to pull up the window shutter, shielding his sight completely. The immediate priority is to quickly cultivate a Golden Core to completely rid himself of the Ultimate Sun trouble. The temporary seal of Yu Xuezi, the cheap master, needed refreshing every few months. Even if there is a problem here, able to suppress the trouble of the Ultimate Sun requires Yu Xuezi, leaving Yu Hong no choice but to endure and stay. He understood the principle of focusing on major issues while letting go of minor ones. He closed his eyes, meditated, and continued sensing Earthly Vitality. This time, he concentrated his attention on the table. There was an uneaten plate of vegetable dumplings with meat filling that Yiyi had previously prepared and frozen. As soon as he focused, he ¡¯saw¡¯ the rapid growth of tiny microorganisms on the dumplings¡¯ white surface. These microorganisms were vast. In Yu Hong¡¯s perception, they were like fine dust, occupying every side of the dumplings. Feeling that his mere perception was insufficient, Yu Hong straightforwardly removed his blindfold to observe with his eyes. His terrifying eyesight became significantly useful at this moment. His eyes faintly shone with a white glow, and the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye¡¯s phantom outline of a ten-thousand-eyed white tiger swiftly manifested, enveloping him. Yu Hong clearly saw. The gray microbial colonies of varying depths on the dumpling surface in the dish slowly changing over time. Chapter 512: Cultivation 510 Part 2 Every moment, old colonies of microorganisms die, and new ones are born. With each new birth, wisps of gray smoke, extremely subtle, waft out and quickly disperse a few centimeters above the dumplings. If not for his intense focus, Yu Hong wouldn¡¯t be able to see this swiftly dispersing, delicate smoke. Moreover, the minuteness of this smoke is exaggerated to the extent that it can¡¯t be seen by the naked eye, unless one uses a high-power electron microscope combined with potent spiritual power to detect it carefully, only then might one barely perceive traces of it. ¡¯From appearance to disappearance, it only exists for two seconds;indeed, collecting Earth¡¯s vitality is exceedingly challenging,¡¯ Yu Hong mused. The three paths of Heaven, Earth, and Human, categorize by difficulty, and the future developments and gains are vastly different. He originally thought that with his current traits and body, which had been refined to a decent degree, he should be able to take the top-tier Heavenly Vitality route, but... it seems he¡¯s still somewhat lacking. But regardless, practice is necessary. Carefully sensing those threads of vitality rising, Yu Hong operated the Inner Observation Diagram and the collection technique. Immediately, the smoke of Earth¡¯s vitality wafting from the dumplings slowly drifted, gathered into a beam, and then leisurely floated towards him. Whoosh. The smoke instantly merged into the void outside Yu Hong¡¯s body, completely vanishing. Still, Yu Hong could sense that strand of Earth¡¯s vitality orbiting around him like a satellite, continuously rotating. ¡¯Success. The first thread of Earth¡¯s vitality collected.¡¯ He exhaled with relief and proceeded with the second collection. It¡¯s a task requiring time and patience, continuously collecting Earth¡¯s vitality from the outside world, accumulating and expanding it, forming a heavenly river to orbit around, then refining and purifying it to absorb it into the body, thereby achieving his cultivation. This is the fundamental principle of the Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique. Yu Hong sat in meditation, initially his collection technique was slow, sometimes even failing to collect, but as time passed, his technique became more proficient. The result was that the tiny colonies of microorganisms, fungi, and viruses around him suffered dramatically. Inexplicably, their newly formed groups naturally perished. Without the ability to regenerate, the old colonies soon died off, and the entire safehouse began slowly transforming into a completely sterile safe environment. But the vitality from these colonies was far from enough to satisfy Yu Hong. He thought for a while, did not open the door to leave, but instead, with a slight movement of his mind, another heavenly river appeared outside his body. This was the Infinite River Technique fused with the Tai Ling Skill. Within it were hidden an Agrius Divine Split, Moon God Remnant Spearman, and for later replacement during downtime, a Golden Armor Three-eyed Dragon Head General added. This was also the source of the large collection of eyeballs in his room. Thinking for a moment, Yu Hong¡¯s gaze shifted to the Moon God Remnant Spearman. Soon, with a flash of red light, a red muscle tumor man with two legs shot out from the Tianhe, appearing in the empty space in front of Yu Hong. "As the spear points!" The Imperial Spearman remained spirited, shouting as he landed. Yu Hong scrutinized the other;entrusting this guy to protect Yiyi for her safety had served its purpose. ¡¯If using living creatures, it¡¯s part of the human vitality route, but it¡¯s worth a try. The three paths aren¡¯t fixed;whichever suits best should be used. However, the difficulty of refining impurities from the collected vitality varies by path.¡¯ Immediately, Yu Hong turned to the page on human vitality collection, studying it for a while. Then, pointing remotely at the Imperial Spearman. Sss... Suddenly, a thick wisp of gray smoke sprang from the top of the opponent¡¯s head, rapidly flowing into Yu Hong¡¯s side. The next moment, a second heavenly river began to materialize beside Yu Hong, encircling him. This was a gray and extremely slender heavenly river, maintained not by inner strength but purely by externally collected vitality. The vitality of the Imperial Spearman was far from exhausted, continuously emitting rich gray smoke, incessantly feeding into Yu Hong¡¯s second Qingyuan Heavenly River. Making the river thicker and broader. Three hours passed in the blink of an eye. At this moment, the Qingyuan Heavenly River around Yu Hong was as thick as a palm, resembling a gray ribbon, encircling and whirling around him. Meanwhile, the Imperial Spearman appeared utterly listless, his entire dark red muscular body slackened and feeble, with a weary, depleted face emerging from within the enveloping muscles. "Are you alright?" Yu Hong couldn¡¯t help but ask. "As the spear points!!" The Imperial Spearman mustered his muscles weakly to reply. Seeing this, Yu Hong said no more, simply intending for him to transform into a red line to return to the Infinite River for recovery. Upon retracting, he noticed a problem. The Infinite River relies on the Tai Ling Skill inner strength for maintenance, which is different from the Fear Shadow Summoning Secret Technique. The river can¡¯t entirely switch over to rely on the Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill¡¯s inner strength. Fundamentally, they are different, and forced usage won¡¯t produce the effects of the Infinite River Technique. Yu Hong felt the rapidly absorbing Infinite River at this moment, watching the river shrink swiftly, quickly restoring the Imperial Spearman. He remained silent for a moment, deeming this not a long-term solution. ¡¯It seems I still need to venture out to seek vitality for absorption in the short term.¡¯ Click. Suddenly, a light sound resonated. The Qingyuan Heavenly River beside Yu Hong emitted a clear ring, signifying it could no longer contain more vitality. Yu Hong promptly sat cross-legged and entered a meditative state, beginning to employ the subsequent Refining Method, consuming spiritual power, to purify and refine the vitality within the heavenly river. Cultivation is timeless. With this practice, he almost forgot the passage of time;the daylight outside changed to night, then from night back to day. After a full day and night, Yu Hong finally awoke from the refining process. By then, the Qingyuan Heavenly River had had its impurities refined, leaving only a circle as thin as a finger. This refining wasn¡¯t complete;it needed to be repeated eight more times. A total of nine refinements and purifications were necessary before it could be absorbed into the body. When enough vitality is absorbed into the body, to the point of showing signs of renewed growth and development, it¡¯s a sign that the first level of Qi Refinement has been achieved. During the subsequent time, after acquiring the Cultivation Technique, apart from visiting Wanxue Palace every few days to pay respects to his mentor, the rest of the time, he devoted himself to intense cultivation. The difficulty of refining increased with each round, but fortunately, his spiritual power was vast and formidable. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In just five short days, he completed the first level of Qi Refinement. His body began to show signs of a second growth. Moving swiftly onto the second layer, he also succeeded by absorbing the vitality of the summonings within the Infinite River. However, by the third layer, the Infinite River had severely diminished, with the three summons inside one by one becoming feeble;further absorption would lead to their complete downfall. Yu Hong also realized he was progressing too quickly, covering in days what others would in years. Yet, he truly couldn¡¯t wait any longer. So he turned his doubts to his mentor, Yu Xuezi. "Earth¡¯s vitality... it is indeed quite easy to refine, and your aptitude is indeed remarkable." Yu Xuezi couldn¡¯t help but twitch slightly upon hearing that Yu Hong could actually sense Earth¡¯s vitality. Behind him, Bai Sheng and Hei Ying couldn¡¯t help but look down, remaining silent. "Disciple is now troubled by finding places rich in Earth¡¯s vitality, hoping to absorb more." Yu Hong said helplessly. The Infinite River was nearly barren, and the microorganisms around him were too weak to absorb enough to fill a Qingyuan Heavenly River anytime soon. Yu Hong estimated that if he relied on absorbing microbial vitality to reach the next layer, at his current rate, it would take at least three to four years, not to mention. That¡¯s why he sought his mentor¡¯s assistance. "In truth, for Earth¡¯s vitality, you can choose places rich in vitality, capable of nurturing numerous forms of life;it¡¯s easier to absorb more there. However, it¡¯s challenging, and the amount extracted is far from sufficient to complete Qi cultivation. Therefore, I also combined absorption in the past;later, you can ask your senior brother to guide you to appropriate locations," Yu Xuezi advised. "I understand, mentor." Yu Hong nodded. "You naturally bring cultivation with you;previously accumulated inner strength can help you make rapid progress initially, but after reaching the Qi Refinement Realm, previous accumulation is not just unhelpful;it can actually affect the consolidation of your foundation. Be cautious," Yu Xuezi warned. "I understand," said Yu Hong clearly, though this pace still made anxiety rise in his heart. He had already started using the Black Mark to aid in cultivation. Meanwhile, another avenue of thought presented itself for reference. He was on the verge of reaching the final Ninth Layer of the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Skill, and once reached, it would yield a noteworthy Cultivation Technique trait. From this line of thought, perhaps practicing a wide range of ordinary Cultivation Techniques could incorporate traits into himself, and if he could acquire another trait similar to Tao Breath Circulation, his cultivation speed could advance another notch. "Then may I ask, Master, does the sect have a recorded collection of ordinary cultivation secret techniques? I wish to practice while reading through other techniques for reference," Yu Hong asked respectfully. "Of course. Hei Ying, please escort your junior brother to the Book Collection Pavilion later," instructed Yu Xuezi. "Certainly!" Hei Ying nodded respectfully from behind. "In that case, disciple will take his leave for now." Yu Hong said spiritedly. "Go ahead," Yu Xuezi watched as Yu Hong was led away by Hei Ying. Once they were distant, he sighed softly. "Why the sigh, Master? Isn¡¯t it a good thing that Junior Brother is so exceptionally gifted?" Bai Sheng asked in puzzlement from behind. "We can only sense human vitality, our aptitude graded within human vitality, and it typically takes at least seven or eight days to achieve one session of cultivation refinement. Yet, Junior Brother effortlessly handles human vitality and even manages to successfully absorb the mythical Earth¡¯s vitality in just a few days. Is this not joyous news, Master?" Listening to Bai Sheng, Yu Xuezi shook his head. "Certainly not, but the overwhelming joy in my heart is too much to handle. However, it¡¯s just the Qi Refinement stage, too early, no need to rush." "Yet in the Mining Star, finding vitality is indeed tricky. Master, can I take Junior Brother to find the Life Well?" Bai Sheng asked. "No hasty decisions. If Yu Hu encounters a bottleneck, then take him afterwards," Yu Xuezi nodded. Meanwhile. Guided by Hei Ying, Yu Hong quickly arrived at an internal pavilion within Wanxue Palace. The pavilion, crafted from jade, stood amidst a deserted garden in the palace, with a plaque reading: Book Collection Pavilion. "This is the place. Take your time to explore;I must leave now. The day¡¯s cultivation tasks are yet to be completed, and I cannot be lax," Hei Ying said earnestly. "Thank you, Senior Sister," Yu Hong replied promptly. He watched as she swiftly departed, vanishing from sight. Then he turned to focus on the Book Collection Pavilion. ¡¯Whether I can shorten cultivation time depends on this visit.¡¯ He strode towards the front door. Chapter 513: Cultivation Three Another part of Wanxue Palace. Yu Xuezi walked slowly, passing through some desolate corridors. Unknowingly, he arrived in front of a pavilion with two statues of dragon turtles. Above the pavilion, a plaque bore three characters: Longevity Hall. Standing alone, Yu Xuezi looked up at the plaque. ¡°Seeing Yu Hu¡¯s progress, once he completes Qi Cultivation, I can bestow upon him a Taoist name. I must prepare the formal apprenticeship gift first.¡± He stepped inside. ¡°And Bai Sheng and Hei Ying¡¯s cultivation elixirs are almost used up, time to get new ones¡­ and also bring a set for Yu Hu¡­.¡± Mumbling to himself, he ascended the stone steps, crossed between the two dragon turtle statues, and entered the pavilion. The grand doors of the pavilion were long ruined, fallen to the ground, with the interior walls everywhere covered in thick, writhing red flesh. The entire great hall was like a warehouse, with black containers marked with names scattered everywhere. Yu Xuezi, unfazed by the fleshy walls, navigated skillfully through the piles of boxes to reach the core area. At the core of the hall, numerous dark red tendrils extended from the walls, wrapping layer upon layer around the racks filled with elixirs on the ground. There were a total of twelve racks, each filled with various bottles of elixirs. Amidst these racks, a withered figure floated silently in mid-air. The figure was garbed in a pale yellow Daoist robe, the robe in tatters, exuding an aura of decay and senescence. His hair was completely white, the brittle strands devoid of any luster, hanging down to obscure his face. Though this figure was so conspicuously floating in the middle of the racks, Yu Xuezi seemed not to see him as he passed by, muttering, searching for suitable elixirs for his disciples. ¡°Found them! Nourishing Pills! One bottle for Bai Sheng, one for Hei Ying, and since Yu Hu has good aptitude, two bottles Not long after, Yu Xuezi approached a rack and, looking satisfied, picked up a palm-sized white jade porcelain bottle. He unstoppered it and poured it slightly, revealing a gray worm egg that seemed to quiver as if alive. He sniffed it. ¡°How peculiar, the scent of these elixirs seems odd this time But without much thought, he quickly collected four bottles and prepared to leave. Unnoticed, the rack where these porcelain bottles sat had been largely overtaken by dark red flesh. Elixirs in hand, Yu Xuezi turned to leave. Suddenly, his body trembled slightly. ¡°Why do I remember the scent of the Nourishing Pill differently?¡± He frowned, turning back, scrutinizing the rack. Slowly, part of the flesh on the rack bulged, as if alive, lifting the contaminated bottles to him. Yu Xuezi reached out to take them. But a trace of pain and struggle suddenly flickered across his face. ¡°I hope I must not¡­ the Nourishing Pill¡­ isn¡¯t like this His eyes bloodshot, thin red lines seeped from the corners, trailing down his cheeks, dripping to the ground. Immediately, the flesh on the racks began to writhe as if detecting a delectable delicacy, extending tendrils to absorb his dripping blood. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Yu Xuezi returned the four bottles he had previously taken and hesitated a moment before reaching for a few bottles untouched by the flesh. Holding the porcelain bottles, he turned to leave. Whoosh! Suddenly, a fleshy tendril shot forth from the withered figure in mid-air, aggressively targeting the untainted bottles in his hand. But Yu Xuezi seemed aware, raising his right hand to deftly block the tendril¡¯s assault. The blocked tendril entwined his arm, turning and merging into his skin, vanishing. Unperturbed, Yu Xuezi carried the bottles and slowly walked away. His actions seemed to provoke the withered, white-haired figure in mid-air. Whoosh! Whoosh! Two more large tendrils shot out, fiercely striking at the porcelain bottles in Yu Xuezi¡¯s hand, only for him to swiftly shift, using his body to shield them. The tendrils struck Yu Xuezi¡¯s body. Bang!! Yu Xuezi¡¯s body was pierced through, decaying, foul-smelling blood gushing from the two bloody holes in his abdomen. Tendrils delved into the wounds. Soon, tendrils extracted from the wounds two organ-like objects before retreating. Yet Yu Xuezi remained oblivious, merely swaying slightly as he left, content with his four bottles. The blood holes on his body quickly healed over time. But his skin appeared even paler than before. Inside the Longevity Hall, the floating withered figure remained silent, unmoving, like a corpse. Yet one hand, at some unknown time, tightly gripped a thick black-red tendril protruding from his chest. His skeletal hand held the tendril firmly, preventing it from taking flight again. ¡°Yu Xue¡­ junior martial brother ¡°Live¡­ live on¡­.¡± The whisper-thin voice of the figure fell silent, gradually vanishing. * * * Book Collection Pavilion. Yu Hong looked at rows upon rows of towering bookshelves, densely packed, and couldn¡¯t help but gasp. Each of these bookshelves was over twenty meters long, laden with countless books. The books were uniformly wrapped in pale yellow binders, with neat black titles written along the edges. The sizes varied greatly, some thick, some thin, some large, some small. At a glance, there might well be tens of thousands, forming this so overwhelming a sight. Yu Hong took a deep breath and eagerly stepped forward. But¡­ Cough, cough, cough¡­ He started coughing violently. The deep breath resulted in inhaling a great deal of dust. The air within the pavilion was thick with inexplicably odorous white dust. ¡°What the hell!?¡± Yu Hong expelled his Inner Strength, creating a strong airflow that swept all the dust out from the doorway. Countless white dust particles gathered into a constantly morphing gray ball, encased in the airflow, skimmed past Yu Hong, and splashed into the black soil in the garden with a thud. Having done this, Yu Hong surveyed the scene, then waved his hand again. Expelling Inner Strength, stirring the air. Boom, boom, boom, boom. All the windows flung open. Light from outside streamed in, bringing fresher air. Yu Hong nodded in satisfaction and started examining the bookshelf labels. History, Astronomy, Geography, Essays, Medicine, Arts, Secret Techniques, Mortal Martial, True Martial, Immortal Martial. One after another, the labeled bookshelves flashed before Yu Hong¡¯s eyes. Finally, he paused before the last four bookshelves. Secret Techniques, Mortal Martial, True Martial, Immortal Martial. Starting with the Secret Techniques. He reached out and pulled out a booklet titled Heavenly Number Secret Technique from a pile. He flipped through it. ¡®Heavenly Number Secret Technique: a special skill born from our sect¡¯s ancestors, inspired by machine civilization, to swiftly calculate an opponent¡¯s weakness during combat through the esoteric theories contained within numbers.¡¯ ¡®Resources needed for cultivation: Yellow Phoenix Pill, Golden Energy Pill, Seven Skill Pills, unlimited quantity.¡¯ ¡®Cultivation time: 137 years to 189 years.¡¯ .so long¡­.¡± Yu Hong frowned, putting it back, and picked out another book. ¡®Earth Tunneling Secret Technique: unlike ordinary Earth Tunneling Techniques, this one far surpasses ordinary ones in speed and technique initiation. Contributed to the collection by Chang Yuanzi at the age of 721 from Qinghe Mountain.¡¯ ¡®Resources needed for cultivation: ten pairs of Heavenly Horse hoofs, unlimited Black Pine Pill.¡¯ ¡®Cultivation time: 98 to 211 years.¡¯ .¡± Yu Hong felt exasperated, leafing through several more Secret Techniques, the shortest requiring at least eighty years¡­. Though the abilities of the Secret Techniques looked very enticing, yet¡­. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. To gain traits, it seemed only those with lower difficulty would be suitable for him. Yu Hong skimmed through the True Martial shelf and saw similar timescales, often ranging from hundreds to thousands of years. The Immortal Martial shelf was even more exaggerated;flipping through dozens, the cultivation required thousands to tens of thousands of years, with one stretching to 560,000 years to achieve minor progress¡­.when would he ever gain any traits? Yu Hong decisively returned to the most plain, ordinary Mortal Martial shelf¡­ ¡°You still suit me best,¡± he sighed. He no longer doubted the level of Qinghe Mountain. Just looking at these cultivation manuals showed this power¡¯s unimaginable level. Without making hasty choices, Yu Hong began checking books one by one from the bottom of the Mortal Martial shelves. Within the Mortal Martial shelves, there were further subdivisions into movement, offensive, defensive, Inner Strength, external power, weapons, etc. He started with the defensive category first. The first book at the bottom shelf was¡­ ¡®Shoushan Eight Skills.¡¯ Yu Hong opened the book, skimmed directly to the cultivation time. ¡®Eight years, not bad!¡¯ He breathed a sigh of relief, accepting this time, especially with the help of the Black Mark to shorten it. Continuing to read. ¡®Shoushan Eight Skills distill the lifetime martial expertise of Shoushan Taoist into eight defensive techniques and eight martial strikes. When deployed, the skin¡¯s strength and flexibility are enhanced eightfold, enduring attacks from experts two realms higher in practical combat. Without equivalent peer-level arts, ordinary techniques cannot draw near effective range.¡¯ Yu Hong reviewed the technique, which in essence were eight different Moving Stances, combined with meditative baths, internal ingestion, and mental visualization, for simultaneous practice. He wasn¡¯t especially interested in the effect of the cultivation technique, focusing instead on what kind of traits could be cultivated. For at his current Inner Strength level under the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Skill, such cultivation techniques had long lost practical value. Not being picky, he collected the booklet and promptly left the Book Collection Pavilion. He soon returned to the Black Black Spirit. Yu Hong began gathering all the resources needed for cultivation, seeking out Yu Xuezi, Bai Sheng, and Hei Ying for what was lacking. Within two days, all medicinal materials were gathered. While the Mining Star was largely desolate, it still harbored some regions abundant with forests, herbs, and whatnot. Bai Sheng simply took a spaceship trip, acquiring whatever was needed. With the medicinal bath ingredients prepared, he then used the Black Mark to enhance, boosting efficacy, and reducing cultivation time. Yu Hong¡¯s daily life gradually found a rhythm, primarily focusing on practicing the Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique, and after completing fundamental tasks, dedicating his energy entirely to cultivating the Shoushan Eight Skills. Meanwhile, the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Skill was temporarily let to evolve naturally through Tao Breath Circulation. Thus, after a full week¡­. Bang, bang! Bang! On the clearing outside the Black Black Spirit, Yu Hong spun and maneuvered, swinging his fists with marvelous arcs, striking a stone wall, but resulting in triple echoes. Completing the move, he gathered energy, regulating his breath. ¡°At last, the final technique of the Shoushan Eight Skills is complete.¡± With all eight Moving Stances mastered at an elementary level, the next step is perfecting, mastering, achieving small completion through medicinal baths, culminating in major completion with the accretion of time, essence qi, and medicinal power. Yu Hong exhaled. Elementary, proficient, mastery, small completion, major completion¡ªthese epitomized the levels of this martial prowess. Indeed, a very simple and conventional classification method. ¡°Having honed the techniques, it¡¯s time for the medicinal bath.¡± He promptly poured the prepared herb powders into a large tub, then gestured to draw cold water from the Black Black Spirit¡¯s cooling system, allowing ample warm water to flow in. Chapter 514: Cultivation Four A few minutes later, the large wooden tub was filled with hot water. The pale yellow medicinal liquid bubbled, exuding a rich herbal aroma. Yu Hong took off his clothes and lightly jumped in. The medicinal powder had been enhanced by the Black Mark, shortening the cultivation time and strengthening the medicinal effects. A dose like this would usually take three days to enhance, which was quite rare. As soon as Yu Hong entered the water, he felt the difference. A fiery prickling sensation surged from all parts of his body continuously. He had tried a normal herbal bath before, but that had no effect on his body, now at this level of intensity. But this herbal bath was far more potent. After half an hour, Yu Hong leaped out of the potion, and clear water gathered around his body to rinse him off. Then he put on his clothes and immediately began practicing the Shoushan Eight Skills. His fists moved like lightning, tracing different trajectory styles in front of him with his fists. Each pattern was a fist move of a technique. Accompanied by the effects of the medicine, Yu Hong focused entirely, pouring all his energy into cultivation. The Shoushan Eight Skills were practiced repeatedly. Time passed¡ªone hour, two hours, five hours. The sky gradually darkened. Finally, at this moment. Yu Hong¡¯s fists gradually began to shimmer with a silver light. Noticing the change, he quickly stopped and raised his hands. ¡°So fast?¡± Yu Hong himself was a bit surprised. ¡°Silver on the fists, according to the book, is the sign of entering the proficient realm.¡± Keep in mind that any Mortal Martial Art recorded by someone of Yu Xuezi¡¯s level wouldn¡¯t be of low quality. So these Shoushan Eight Skills had considerable power. But for Yu Hong, whose body was already extremely strong, coupled with the constant practice of the Tao Breath Circulation, and the crucial effects of the Black Mark-enhanced herbal bath, he had crossed the entry level to proficiency in just a week. And that¡¯s not all. The next day, after another herbal bath and training, the Shoushan Eight Skills reached the mastery level. His fists started to show a light golden color. On the third day, after the herbal bath and fist practice, he easily surpassed mastery, and his fists completely turned gold, achieving small success. By the fifth day, Yu Hong had just finished his final round of the Eight Skills in the morning and was about to take a break and drink some water. Suddenly, a prompt sounded in his mind. ¡®Shoushan Eight Skills have reached the peak, gaining the trait: Steel Fist.¡¯ ¡®Steel Fist (Your fists gain triple physical defensive power when in a defensive stance.)¡¯ S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡®Got a trait¡­ but Steel Fist Yu Hong paused, furrowing his brow slightly. This trait wasn¡¯t what he needed, though its effects weren¡¯t bad. The limitations were many, but the increase was significant;a threefold effect is quite impressive in practice. Shaking his head, Yu Hong set off immediately, heading to the Book Collection Pavilion, coming back to the Mortal Martial shelf. He put the Shoushan Eight Skills back in place and took out the second book next to it. ¡°Heavenly Thunder Palm.¡± ¡®Another Hand Skill?¡¯ Yu Hong continued to browse the following volumes and found they were all fist and hand techniques. He put back the volumes, contemplated for a moment, and switched to another spot to pick a book. ¡®I need a trait that can accelerate the Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique, such traits might be associated with Body Refining Skills But on second thought, the Tao Breath Circulation trait was obtained after perfecting Thunderbolt Leg. Getting these traits doesn¡¯t really depend on whether the cultivation technique itself is a Body or a Hand or Leg technique. Thinking for a bit, Yu Hong returned to the Shoushan Eight Skills shelf, took out the second book Heavenly Thunder Palm, and turned to leave the Book Collection Pavilion. The Thunder theme, maybe it will bring some luck. Then he went to find Senior Brother Bai Sheng to get herbs. Bai Sheng was practicing a set of soft punches in front of his attic, impressively moves in a methodical manner. Not as slow as Tai Chi Boxing, the speed of this boxing wasn¡¯t slow, but it gave Yu Hong a very soft feeling. Seeing Yu Hong coming over. Bai Sheng continued practicing for another ten minutes before finishing and stopping. ¡°Junior Brother so early today?¡± He greeted with a smile. ¡°I guess you¡¯re here for herbs, right? No rush, no rush, by the way, you and I as brothers have never sparred before, do you want to try this time?¡± Bai Sheng wiped the sweat from his forehead and beckoned to Yu Hong. ¡°This¡­ isn¡¯t good¡­ Senior Brother, your cultivation is definitely far superior to mine, I can¡¯t win, surely can¡¯t win.¡± Yu Hong said helplessly. ¡°Not necessarily, I heard from Master that the cultivation you practice is equivalent to the Golden Core Stage perfection. Quite powerful. Except for its Evil Path style that it¡¯s best to use less often, there¡¯s not much of an issue.¡± Bai Sheng smiled. ¡°So don¡¯t worry, there are only the four of us on this planet. Nothing to worry about.¡± ¡°What stage is Senior Brother currently in?¡± Yu Hong asked curiously. ¡°Still in the Nascent Soul, other details are not convenient to disclose. Little Tiger, remember in the future not to casually ask others about their cultivation stage. The cultivation stage is a cultivator¡¯s most personal matter. Moreover, cultivation rank doesn¡¯t determine combat strength. Cultivators of the same stage can differ greatly in actual combat skills. A strong individual might handle a group of the same level easily.¡± ¡°Then, is it possible to win over someone from a much higher stage?¡± Yu Hong recalled the stories he¡¯d read before, where the protagonist would effortlessly win over a higher stage. So he asked now. ¡°Qi Cultivation against Foundation Establishment, there¡¯s some possibility, because aside from flying, Foundation Establishment hasn¡¯t widened the strength gap much yet. But Foundation against Golden Core, the gap is large. Golden Core Stage comes with various magic treasures for protection, even standing still for Foundation attacks won¡¯t break through them. Golden Core against Nascent Soul, if it¡¯s a very strong Golden Core perfection against a very weak Nascent Soul, it¡¯s possible to win.¡± Bai Sheng analyzed, ¡°The biggest difference between Golden Core and Nascent Soul lies in the spiritual consciousness and mana quality. Golden Core has no spiritual consciousness, whereas Nascent Soul has and can handle vast amounts of information. There is a huge intelligence advantage. At the same time, in terms of mana, Golden Core is far inferior to Nascent Soul cultivators.¡± ¡°So, Senior Brother, you still plan to spar with me?¡± Yu Hong said helplessly. ¡°This is just for fun, isn¡¯t it?¡± Bai Sheng laughed, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the Mining Star has the Mountain Protection Array, our powers are restrained within the damage scope, there won¡¯t be any damage to the planet itself.¡± Yu Hong was stunned to hear this. This sparring could damage the planet? He felt like he didn¡¯t have such ability¡­ ¡°Come, come!¡± Bai Sheng said no more, raising his hand. Swish! A cyan flying sword unsheathed from his back, with stunning speed, crossing dozens of meters like a flash of light, stabbing towards Yu Hong¡¯s right arm. The speed of this sword was so fast that even the current Yu Hong almost couldn¡¯t react in time. When he came to his senses, his vision was already overwhelmed by a glaring cyan light. ¡°Junior Brother, focus!¡± Bai Sheng¡¯s voice came slightly later. Yu Hong felt a slight pain in his chest, looking down, the sword had obviously targeted his arm, but his chest had a small incision in his clothes, and the tough skin and flesh inside, though not yet touched by the sword, had a slight cut of blood. At this moment, he finally had a real sense of what it meant to be a Nascent Soul Stage Sword Cultivator. This speed¡­ that one moment faster than facing supersonic missile bombardments from before, much faster. And the sharpness of the flying sword was beyond his imagination¡­. It hadn¡¯t even touched him, at least over ten centimeters apart, yet his strong body had been hurt. At this point, he didn¡¯t dare be careless, quickly considering his response. ¡®He¡¯s controlling the flying sword, incredibly fast, I either match his speed or dodge, then engage in close combat!¡¯ After that sword strike, defense clearly wasn¡¯t enough. His own Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill had an automatic protective feature, but it hadn¡¯t made it in time to protect him from being injured by the sword Qi. That showed its power and speed. Thinking this through. Yu Hong launched into speed, quickly closing in on Bai Sheng. Now, the Thunderbolt State had merged, Tai Ling Skill was also sealed, and his only support was his main cultivation of the Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill, interwoven with his previously learned fist and leg techniques. With the abundant Inner Strength of Chaotic God Sky Eye, to use it properly was the orthodox way to spar. He had just moved. Shhh!! A cyan flying sword was already poised near his neck. The sharp, icy sword Qi, though over ten centimeters away, made the back of Yu Hong¡¯s neck chill. He froze in place, barely two steps into his running stance. And then it was over. ¡°Too slow, too slow¡­.¡± Bai Sheng seemed slightly disappointed. ¡°Junior Brother, with this speed, if you want to fly to other planets alone someday, wouldn¡¯t it take you dozens of years?¡± ¡°Never mind, let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll take you to get the herbs.¡± He somewhat listlessly beckoned, and the flying sword disappeared in an instant, a green light flew back into the scabbard on his back, making a slight sound. Yu Hong was speechless. He hadn¡¯t even had the chance to make a move before he lost¡­ Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill couldn¡¯t completely fend off the flying sword¡¯s piercing. And his greatest trump card, a strike from Chaotic God Sky Eye, probably wouldn¡¯t have time to be unleashed before being beheaded by the flying sword. The gap was too wide¡­. He suddenly began to understand what it meant to break ten thousand arts with one stroke. Silent, they went together to the pharmacy in Wanxue Palace to get various dried herbs preserved. ¡°Junior Brother, think about it;consider which path you¡¯d like to take in the future.¡± Before parting, Bai Sheng mentioned. ¡°Don¡¯t be discouraged, I¡¯m a Sword Cultivator, and my cultivation stage far exceeds yours, so winning against you is the normal outcome.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Yu Hong nodded. He glanced at the cyan flying sword on the other¡¯s back, ever since the spar, he¡¯d been thinking if there was any way in the various dangerous monsters he had encountered that could counter such an incredibly fast and powerful combat technique? And thinking of this, he reached a conclusion. If you¡¯re not as fast as Bai Sheng, nor can defend against the flying sword¡¯s piercing, the only way is to immobilize him. If the flying sword can¡¯t even be unsheathed, naturally, you won¡¯t lose. He now had an answer. The only possible way to defeat Bai Sheng is illusion! In the Black Disaster, many monsters inherently had capabilities to influence perception with illusions. If this capability could be strengthened, not much, just enough to slightly mislead Bai Sheng, it would be sufficient to make his flying sword lose its attack direction. ¡®If you can treat illness like preventing illness, making the enemy unable to strike, it ensures victory.¡¯ Yu Hong for the first time in his heart gained some insight on martial strategy. In a situation where the cultivation strength isn¡¯t vastly different, this is the only way to defeat a Sword Cultivator like Bai Sheng who focuses all power into a single flying sword attack. ¡®It seems I might start with traits¡­. Just right, my Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill is also adept at disturbing the mind¡­.¡¯ Carrying the collected herbs, Yu Hong walked back while gradually sinking into contemplation. Chapter 515: Night of May 15th, Part 1 Holding the potion for the Heavenly Thunder Palm, Yu Hong returned to the Black Black Spirit without stopping along the way. Sparring with his senior brother gave him a vague insight into the path he should take in the future. Previously, he was driven forward step by step by the Source Disaster, but now, he finally had the leisure to calm his mind and consider his future plans. Yu Hong walked alone slowly from Wanxue Palace back to his residence at Black Black Spirit. The pavilion where he lived was conveniently named White Tiger Tower by Bai Sheng. Yu Hong found this name quite fitting, primarily because the outline formed by his primary cultivation of the Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill appeared as a giant, bizarre white tiger. Centered around White Tiger Tower, an approximately two-kilometer radius was designated as his personal area by Yu Xuezi. ¡®What a pity¡­ If only Ku Chan and the others could hold on a bit longer and make it here, perhaps they could also become disciples under Yu Xuezi A sense of regret filled Yu Hong¡¯s heart, as the information suggested that Qinghe Mountain here was far more formidable than the Floating City. Moreover, one was located deeper within the Source Disaster after the Phoenix Eye, while the other guarded outside the central hub of the Phoenix Eye, unable to delve deeper. The gap in strength was immediately apparent. Hehe¡­ Just as Yu Hong was pondering cultivation techniques and the future while walking, suddenly, from the dark underground mining path, a low laugh echoed. Yu Hong looked in the direction of the voice. He saw a small figure on the right side of the mining path ahead, carrying a large pack, standing quietly by the wall, facing him. ¡°Who are you?¡± Yu Hong halted and focused his eyesight to see, immediately discerning the figure¡¯s appearance. It was a dwarf-like figure, less than a meter tall, dressed in black-gray filthy clothing, layered and somewhat tattered, with all sorts of small pouches hanging from the outside of the clothes. Apart from these, the most noticeable was the large black and red tumor growing on the dwarf¡¯s back. This tumor was over two meters in diameter, resembling a small mountain pressing on the dwarf¡¯s back, causing the figure to hunch over, hiding their face. ¡°Hehehe¡­.¡± The dwarf continued laughing. ¡°Customer, need anything? Very cheap¡­.¡± ¡°Are you a merchant? A peddler?¡± Yu Hong realized this was a wandering trader selling in the underground mine. He paused and asked, ¡°What do you have? What currency do you use?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have much, but everything is useful, especially for you now¡­.¡± The dwarf smiled. Yu Hong squinted his eyes and stepped closer. As he got closer, he saw more clearly the large tumor on the trader¡¯s back that occasionally had unknown bulges inside, not protrusions, but sometimes indentations, which seemed quite eerie. ¡°Have a look.¡± The dwarf merchant spread his hands, each palm holding an elixir. The left hand was black, and the right hand was white. ¡°What are these?¡± Yu Hong frowned and asked. ¡°The black one is a Heart Protecting Pill;it can protect your spiritual awareness from unknown assault and contamination, but it only lasts for a month and requires continuous consumption,¡± the dwarf replied. The white one is a Body Protection Pill;it protects your body from unknown contamination. It also has a one-month effect and requires continuous consumption.¡± ¡°Do you think I need this?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°Then how about these?¡± The dwarf merchant retracted his hand and rummaged through his pockets, pulling out two items. In his left hand was a faint purple dagger made of an unknown material. In his right hand was an old, tattered piece of thin paper. ¡°Now, the left hand is a bone weapon;I don¡¯t know what it does, it depends on your luck. The right hand is a fragment of an unknown scripture, suspected to be part of a powerful cultivation technique,¡± the dwarf described with a smile. ¡°All transactions here are priced in crystal coins.¡± Yu Hong didn¡¯t have any crystal coins, but he was more curious about where this guy came from than buying anything. ¡°Senior brother clearly told me that there are only four of us on the whole planet,¡± Yu Hong said. ¡°Seems like you don¡¯t want to buy?¡± The dwarf smiled and retracted his hand. ¡°Then I won¡¯t disturb you. Looking forward to your next visit¡­. if there is a next time¡­.¡± Whoosh! Yu Hong wanted to say something in the next instant, but his vision blurred, and he couldn¡¯t see anything. The figure disappeared right before his eyes. It wasn¡¯t instantaneous movement, as his powerful eyesight could tell;instantaneous movement required strong spatial fluctuations and a burst of intense internal energy, regardless of the nature of this energy. But the way the dwarf left seemed more like a traceless, spontaneous disappearance. Yu Hong walked closer and checked the ground, finding no trace at all of where the dwarf had stood. ¡®What did that guy mean by his last words?¡¯ After a slight sense of alertness rose in his heart, he turned and accelerated his pace, quickly returning. Whoosh. Just a few minutes after returning home, a torrential downpour began outside. The black-gray raindrops struck the ground, faintly dyeing the earth in dark shades. Yu Hong stood by the window, staying inside the warm, spring-like safe house, gazing out at this slightly mysterious and peculiar planet. Recalling the words of the dwarf merchant, he remembered again the abnormal things he had discovered these days. ¡°Perhaps that guy was right. There is a deep secret and a profound danger hidden here. If I had the choice, I wouldn¡¯t stay, but unfortunately¡­. For now, only Yu Xuezi can help me suppress the Tai Ling Skill for some time. If I leave now, I don¡¯t know when I can encounter someone else with goodwill and strength like Teacher Yu Xuezi again.¡± This was also why Yu Hong, aware of something wrong, had to stay, as he had no other choice. Early the next morning, Yu Hong began to ponder and read the Heavenly Thunder Palm while preparing the potion for the medicine bath. The heavy rain still continued, but he was unaffected within the safety of the house. Quickly placing the herbs into a large tub, once he soaked himself, Yu Hong tidied up and then hurriedly left to pay respect to his teacher at Wanxue Palace. Yu Xuezi was someone who placed great emphasis on daily salutations. Except when retreating for long periods, he didn¡¯t allow disciples to slack off excessively, so daily salutations were necessary for assessing their daily state of life. After paying his respects, Yu Hong quickly left Wanxue Palace and entered the underground mining path for his return. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Woo¡­ A slight breeze blew from the side of the mine entrance, where a familiar black hole was. Yu Hong had passed by here many times. But only the first time did he encounter this broken hole;for a very long time, it was never seen again. Until now. This broken hole appeared again. He had thought that it was patched up by his senior brothers and sisters, but today, he saw a broken hole exactly the same as before in the original spot. Slap. Yu Hong stood still. He tried hard to peer into the broken hole, but could only see an abyss of darkness within. After hesitating, he waved his hand, summoning a Speed Man to emerge and head towards the broken hole. Poof. Silently and without a trace, the broken hole vanished. The Speed Man seemed to have triggered its disappearance as it went inside. ¡®Again with this. Sudden appearance, sudden disappearance.¡¯ Yu Hong tried to connect with the Speed Man, but unfortunately, there was no response. Their connection was completely severed. Without uttering a sound, he turned and quickened his pace back to the safety of Black Black Spirit. On this Mining Star, the only place where she could rest assured was at Black Black Spirit. As time went by day by day. Yu Hong began transitioning from Shoushan Eight Skills to learning the Heavenly Thunder Palm. This hand skill had six layers, each named with four characters incorporating the word ¡®Thunder.¡¯ It was reputed that when fully mastered, one could draw Heavenly Thunder to the body barehanded, stacking immense personal strength to strike down foes. This hand skill also trained one¡¯s physical strength. Yu Hong used the Black Mark to enhance the effectiveness of the potion and continued to immerse himself in frenzied cultivation. After a week, he successfully reached the entry stage of the Heavenly Thunder Palm. With a splash of water. Yu Hong got up from the large tub, drying the water off himself. It was time again to visit Wanxue Palace and greet the master. He changed clothes, quickly left, and entered the underground mining path. Accelerating all the way. Soon, just as he was nearing Wanxue Palace, his steps suddenly halted. The broken hole in the wall appeared again. Not only that, but a rotten black-yellow arm extended from the broken hole, groping and scratching on the ground outside. The arm was quite thick, two circles thicker than Yu Hong¡¯s arm now. It fumbled aimlessly around the outside, as if searching for something. After searching for a while and finding nothing, the arm slowly retracted, ceasing movement. Only after the arm had completely disappeared did Yu Hong¡¯s mind stir, summoning the figure of a Cai Jing Taoist. ¡®Go in and see.¡¯ He commanded. The Cai Jing Taoist, with a head of colored light, quickly flashed, appearing before the broken hole, then plunged in. Not broken! This time Yu Hong sensed that his connection with the Cai Jing wasn¡¯t severed. He stood at the hole¡¯s entrance, waiting briefly until the Cai Jing came back out. Only then did he slowly approach and reach out into the hole. It felt as if passing through a cold water curtain. Yu Hong confirmed there was no issue and stepped forward. Poof. In an instant, the world spun around him. The next moment, he found himself again in front of the broken hole, seemingly having never entered at all. But soon, Yu Hong realized something was different. The red value in the air here was too high!!! With one breath, the red value concentration he sensed far exceeded the intensity from before. In the air, at least over ten thousand red value radiation energy, unrestrainedly spread around. Yu Hong looked around. He noticed a thin mist filling the underground mining path. Considering it for a moment, he waved his hand, summoning nine more Cai Jing Taoists, instructing them to rapidly spread out and investigate. The investigation lasted a few minutes. Soon, Yu Hong seemed to discover something and turned towards the Wanxue Palace¡¯s exit. Passing through the exit. Yu Hong¡¯s pupils shrank abruptly. He stood still. Little did he expect the sight before him to be like this. Woo woo¡­ The cold wind softly blew, lifting the tails of Yu Hong¡¯s long hair. He stood quietly in front of Wanxue Palace¡¯s gate, gazing at the complex he had entered and exited many times. At this time, lost in thought. The entire Wanxue Palace, before him, had long been reduced to ruins. Only sporadic remains of broken walls still stood. Yu Hong slowly walked inside, checking the situation along the way. ¡°Not right!¡± Suddenly, he furrowed his brows, picking up a bit of debris from the ground. ¡°This mark, its state, suggests it hasn¡¯t collapsed recently. It should¡¯ve been completely destroyed a long, long time ago.¡± Yu Hong quickly surveyed and first went to the Taoist Palaces where his teacher often stayed but found nothing. No traces of human activity were left on the palace grounds either. He became more certain that no one had visited this place in ages. Chapter 516: Night 514, Number Two Returning along the way through the broken hole soon. Yu Hong made a mark on the wall, quietly memorizing everything he saw. He continued practicing the Heavenly Thunder Palm when he got back. In the blink of an eye, another five days passed. The Heavenly Thunder Palm smoothly broke through to the Third Layer. With his current comprehension and physical strength, cultivating such martial arts was not difficult at all, especially with the aid of the Black Mark enhancement potion. And just when he was about to break through to the Fourth Layer, on the way to pay morning respects again, he encountered that mysterious dwarf itinerant merchant. ¡®You¡¯re still alive¡­ hee hee The dwarf seemed a little surprised, emitting a strange laugh towards Yu Hong. Inside the mine shaft, the light was dim, and all light seemed to be swallowed when it reached the dwarf, revealing nothing. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Yu Hong frowned. ¡°Hee hee¡­. Did you see that broken hole? Have you been inside?¡± The dwarf avoided answering and changed the subject. ¡°What is inside, and why is there a completely ruined one in Wanxue Palace as well?¡± Yu Hong asked solemnly. ¡°That is the truth¡­.¡± the dwarf replied with a smile. ¡°Haven¡¯t you already found the answer in your heart?¡± Yu Hong was silent. Indeed, he had speculated about certain things. And as time went on, his speculations were gradually being confirmed. ¡°Danger is everywhere;what you see and hear may not be safe the dwarf continued, ¡°Leave¡­ leave¡­. hee hee With the last gleeful laugh, he vanished in the blink of an eye again. Yu Hong stood there silently for a long time, this time not heading straight back to the safe house but instead turning towards the Book Collection Pavilion. In the Book Collection Pavilion, there was a bookshelf labeled with history. It was likewise densely packed with various books about Qinghe Mountain. Yu Hong quickly searched through and soon found the one on Wanxue Palace. It was a handwritten book placed prominently on the outside. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The cover depicted a pattern of dry yellow leaves. Yu Hong gently opened it, flipping directly to the last page. The first paragraph inside was clearly written. ¡®In the seventeenth year of Qinghe, the Yu Xuezi lineage from Wanxue Palace fought on the front line. Eventually, the Taoist Palace was completely destroyed, resulting in heavy casualties in the Yu Xuezi lineage, leaving only three missing and unaccounted for.¡¯ ..¡± Yu Hong, looking at this recorded text, recalled the Taoist Palace that had turned into ruins, confirming part of his speculations. When he continued to flip through, the rest were records of fruitless searches. The final paragraph announced the abandoners¡¯ decision to leave this mining star, completely removing it from Qinghe Mountain¡¯s registry. Yu Hong quietly caressed the last page before putting it back. Then, he began to search through other books in the historical section. Soon, he found an introduction book about the main branch of Qinghe Mountain. Browsing through it, it was roughly the same as Yu Xuezi¡¯s descriptions, but there were additional records of Qinghe Mountain retreating step by step against the Star Disaster later on. Flipping all the way to the end, Yu Hong saw the recorder¡¯s name was unfamiliar yet somewhat connected. ¡®Recorder: Wanxue Palace Feng Xuezi.¡¯ ¡®Yu Xuezi and Feng Xuezi, both from Wanxue Palace, must have some connection,¡¯ Yu Hong silently noted down the name. By now, the sky outside had darkened;he stood up, ready to return to his quarters, planning to check again tomorrow. But just as he stood up, he noticed there was an extra faint black shadow beside his shadow on the ground. He turned around slowly and saw a stranger standing at the entrance of the Book Collection Pavilion, wearing white clothes like snow and carrying a long sword on his back. The man¡¯s face was ghastly pale, with bluish eyes, smiling stiffly at him. ¡®It¡¯s the guy who tried to enter the safe house that day!¡¯ Yu Hong recognized the figure at once. His heart went slightly cold. ¡°Who are you?¡± he asked in a deep voice. The man didn¡¯t speak, just curled his lips into a peculiar smile. Whoosh! The next moment, the flying sword behind him shot out instantly, transforming into a green lightning bolt heading directly towards Yu Hong¡¯s head. The lightning was so fast that despite Yu Hong being fully focused, his reaction still lagged, allowing him only enough time to block with his arm and take a step back. Whoosh! A fine, long gash opened up on his outer arm. His protective Inner Strength activated, covering his whole body. Simultaneously, as the golden light flickered, the wound started to heal rapidly. But Yu Hong had no time to notice these because the green sword light returned. Whoosh!! The green sword light turned completely into lightning, traversing over ten meters in a flash, heading straight for Yu Hong¡¯s forehead. This speed was so fast that even Yu Hong, at this point, couldn¡¯t keep up and react in time, at a speed reaching at least dozens of times the speed of sound. Watching as the sword light neared his forehead. Yu Hong¡¯s full-alert immediate response arrived belatedly. Chaotic God Heavenly Eye!! Without hesitation, Yu Hong executed his ultimate move. His right eye¡¯s eyepatch shattered, shooting out a dazzling rainbow beam from his eye. The rainbow beam, said to be colorful, had a core primarily purple, surrounded by other colors, forming a rotating beam shape. Swoosh!! The colorful eye beam was also extremely fast, hitting the green sword¡¯s body. Both were frantically stalemated in mid-air, less than half a meter from Yu Hong¡¯s forehead. Bang! Finally, the green sword burst into countless green light dots. And Yu Hong¡¯s Chaotic God Heavenly Eye beam gradually extinguished, leaving behind the violent energy particle fluctuations in the air from their clash. ¡°Junior Brother! Are you alright?!¡± Bai Sheng¡¯s figure appeared at the Book Collection Pavilion¡¯s door. He held his drawn flying sword in his hand, looking around, with a trace of blood still on the sword¡¯s tip. ¡°Sometimes, there might be a few Black Disaster Monsters;if you encounter them, don¡¯t try to resist. Right now, you¡¯re still a bit weak.¡± Bai Sheng warned. ¡°Alright.¡± Yu Hong wiped his forehead, realizing it was already covered in cold sweat. That sword cultivator freak, although not nearly as strong as Bai Sheng, was still far beyond his capability, nearly overwhelmed him within just two moves. If Bai Sheng hadn¡¯t arrived, he might not have been able to defeat the opponent. Yu Hong realized his current strength, having been heavily restricted after the sealing of the Tai Ling Skill, leaving him at the very bottom of this place¡¯s food chain. ¡°Glad you¡¯re okay!¡± Bai Sheng breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°I sensed something amiss and flew straight here, luckily in time. Now, I¡¯ll escort you back. It¡¯s very dangerous out here at this hour.¡± ¡°Then thank you, Senior Brother!¡± Yu Hong quickly thanked. A few minutes later, Bai Sheng walked Yu Hong back to the White Tiger Tower, then swiftly headed into the darkness with his sword in hand. Yu Hong had no idea where he was heading, but it was certainly not for a leisurely stroll. He stood in the safe house, looking out through the window at the night engulfing the planet, feeling emotional. Pop. Suddenly, there was a light sound. A white twisted face, with a strange smile, suddenly appeared on the window before him. It was one of the white-clad sword cultivators that had assaulted him! Squeak¡­. The face stared at Yu Hong, pressing and rubbing against the window. Its tongue extended, leaving a grayish-white slimy mark on the glass. Yu Hong stared at the face silently, remaining calm. ¡°It seems the night here is also very dangerous He recalled how each time he had encountered these creatures, it was either at dusk or night. Fortunately, he had the Black Black Spirit safe house, or if he slept in the White Tiger Tower, he might not even know when he got taken out. He doubted the small Dust-free Arrays he set up could hold off such a formidable creature before him. Even the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye only barely managed to repel the opponent, showing its strength. No wonder it¡¯s the depths of the Source Disaster. No wonder it¡¯s an area unexplored by other Captains. With a swish, Yu Hong ignored the staring face, pulling down the shutter and turning away to practice the Heavenly Thunder Palm. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang! There were rhythmic thuds from outside the window. The impacts were strong enough that the whole room was slightly shaking. Fortunately, the safe house had been reinforced many times over, boasting exceptionally high defensive power. It could even self-repair now, making it even more impressive. Yu Hong returned to the Main Control Room to cultivate;the more dangerous it got, the more urgent it was for him to cultivate suitable traits swiftly. The thuds continued throughout the entire night. Not until the next morning, as dawn approached, did the noise gradually subside. Yu Hong came out of his meditative state, looked at the sky outside, stood up, took a deep breath, and drank a vial of enhancement potion. He started practicing the Heavenly Thunder Palm fist technique. Gradually, a faint blue electric arc started to appear around his palms. This was the effect of activating the Heavenly Thunder Palm. Such cultivation techniques generally required intense physical conditioning in the early stages, so Yu Hong¡¯s current high physical endurance was a big advantage initially. As it was now, upon reaching the Fourth Layer, he no longer had the physical advantage but shifted to understanding and merging with the essence of thunder. Perhaps it was the impact of the green sword lightning from last night that stimulated Yu Hong. As soon as he thought about merging with thunder, he naturally related it to the green sword. Zila¡ªa deep blue electric arc suddenly flashed between his palms. The Inner Strength of the Heavenly Thunder Palm instantly broke through to the Fourth Layer at that moment. After tidying up himself, Yu Hong felt little joy. Instead, he headed towards Wanxue Palace. It was time for his morning visit to Yu Xuezi. The timing was perfect to inquire about those creatures. After eating, ten minutes later, Yu Hong was already standing in front of Yu Xuezi, waiting quietly. ¡°A night-time attack?¡± Yu Xuezi was taken aback. ¡°Oh, you mean those wandering Life Souls?¡± He nodded, showing understanding. ¡°This place is the depths of the Star Disaster. Even with the Heavenly Venerate sealing the entrance, there must be phenomena different from other areas;these situations are common, you¡¯ll get used to it over time.¡± Seeing his unconcerned demeanor, this was evidently not the first time such occurrences happened, and it was habitual. ¡°But the problem is, Disciple can¡¯t seem to handle them¡­.¡± Yu Hong said helplessly. Now he understood why other captains couldn¡¯t enter. Even setting aside the extremely high requirements needed to pass through the Phoenix Eye, getting in only led to being fodder for those monstrously strong Source Disaster creatures. ¡°Can¡¯t fight them? This¡­.¡± Yu Xuezi was somewhat surprised, then looked serious, ¡°Hmm¡­. like this¡­. let me give you this.¡± He removed a roughly woven grass bracelet from his wrist and handed it to Yu Hong. ¡°This is the Nine-leaf Jade Ring, able to calm the spirit and emit an odor that repels Star Disaster creatures, preventing them from approaching,¡± Yu Xuezi explained. ¡°Thank you, Teacher!¡± Yu Hong sincerely expressed his gratitude with the most heartfelt voice. ¡°Additionally, don¡¯t wander too much. Here, the Star Disaster creatures are rampant like wild animals. You struggle with even the occasional ones nearby, so venturing further is futile. Train well here for a while, preparing your magic artifact and securing your safety before going out.¡± Yu Xuezi advised. ¡°Teacher, Disciple also saw something strange¡­.¡± Yu Hong quickly recounted his discovery of the broken hole and the sight of a destroyed Wanxue Palace inside. But Yu Xuezi seemed not to hear him at all. ¡°Alright, everything that needs to be said has been said, go back and cultivate. Without age limits, with your qualification, you¡¯ll soon break through Qi Cultivation, don¡¯t worry.¡± He continued talking to himself. Witnessing this, Yu Hong sensed something amiss, waiting for him to finish before repeating his words. But¡­.. Yu Xuezi couldn¡¯t hear a thing. He closed his eyes, sat cross-legged, and promptly entered a state of cultivation¡­ Chapter 517: Speed 515 one Seeing the teacher entering meditation, although Yu Hong had countless doubts in his heart, he also knew that continuing to ask at this moment would yield no results. After a moment of silence, Yu Hong put on the hand ring, bowed, and then turned to leave. On the way back to Black Black Spirit, he didn¡¯t see that peculiar broken hole again, nor did he encounter that mysterious trader. Not only that, but for the next ten days or so, everything seemed to return to a safe and normal daily routine. Perhaps it was the hand ring taking effect, or perhaps it was just a period of stability. The kind of sword cultivator monster from before certainly hadn¡¯t appeared again since Yu Hong wore the hand ring. Woosh! Inside Black Black Spirit. In the spacious bathroom on the second floor. Yu Hong immersed his entire head in the warm water of the bathtub, relaxing his body as much as possible. Since arriving at this mining star, his progress had been forced to halt, whether due to the threat of the Ultimate Sun or the increasing danger of his subsequent journey, compelling him to pause and solidify his foundation. ¡®But¡­ what¡¯s really going on with Wanxue Palace? Is Yu Xuezi¡¯s master still alive? Or perhaps something similar to that half-human, half-Black Disaster I encountered before?¡¯ The warm water enveloped him as if providing a layer of cozy protection. But he knew this was merely an illusion. The only true protection comes from oneself. Continuously enhancing strength, reinforcing the defensive power of the safe house, venturing out for investigation and exploration, and returning to rest after exhaustion¡ªthis cycle of tension and relaxation is the right path. After the bath, Yu Hong dried himself with Inner Strength, changed clothes, and headed to the first floor. He extended his hand and pressed it on the box of elixirs on the table. Thunder Sound Pill. This was a supplementary cultivation medicine given by Yu Xuezi, but not to assist the Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique;rather, it was for aiding in the refinement of Mortal Martial Heavenly Thunder Palm. Although Yu Xuezi found his request strange¡ªMortal Martial was fine to broaden one¡¯s mind and perspective, but spending too much time on it would undoubtedly delay cultivation progress. So after repeatedly asking Yu Hong for assurance that it wouldn¡¯t delay his primary Qi Cultivation, only then did he consent to provide the Heavenly Thunder Palm cultivation elixir. ¡®Enhance Thunder Sound Pill. Direction: Accelerate the body¡¯s refining speed.¡¯ Yu Hong skillfully issued instructions to the Black Mark. A black line flashed, and a countdown quickly appeared: 3 days, 11 hours, 7 minutes. Inner Strength surged rapidly, but to Yu Hong, this consumption was negligible. After confirming the Thunder Sound Pill began strengthening, he glanced at the sky and decided to pause cultivation for a while today. The sword cultivator monsters he encountered previously, along with the unusual behavior of his teacher, senior brother, and senior sister, made him feel uneasy. Thus, once he confirmed the situation was stable, he decided to visit the Book Collection Pavilion again to research the history of Qinghe Mountain. Indeed, since the last attack, he hadn¡¯t been back to the Book Collection Pavilion. ¡®But I must understand who my enemies are.¡¯ Yu Hong was well aware of the danger of the Black Disaster. Many monsters within the Black Disaster, if encountering them without knowledge, indeed possessed terrifying first-sight killing power. Therefore, information was critical. Adjusting his hand ring, he sat cross-legged and continued cultivating the Heavenly Thunder Palm with eyes closed. One hour later. Yu Hong¡¯s entire body shimmered with electric light, resembling the lightning in his palm. This state didn¡¯t last long, swiftly dissipating within a few minutes. In the instant it dissipated, he retrieved the previously enhanced elixir and stuffed it into his mouth as if it cost nothing. Crack! Electric light brightened again, refining his entire body, including muscles, bones, and skin. This time, the electric light lingered longer, lasting over two hours. Puff. Finally, as the electric light extinguished, a faint crackling sound echoed from both of Yu Hong¡¯s hands. He raised his hand, observing the surface of his hand, which had already been firm and resilient, now covered with dense blue-purple cracks. ¡°Is this the Fifth Layer?¡± Just moments ago, Yu Hong had successfully surpassed the Fourth Layer of the Heavenly Thunder Palm, advancing to the Fifth Layer. Only one more layer remains to master this Mortal Martial art fully. Noting the sky growing darker, Yu Hong calculated the time and stood up. With a thought, instantly shadowy figures of Cai Jing Taoist appeared around, guarding the safe house. Additionally, more than a dozen accompanied him to the Book Collection Pavilion. Since the attack last time, whenever heading somewhere alone, he preferred summoning a crowd to cover himself. After checking the hand ring, ensuring everything was alright, he opened the door. Whoosh! Without hesitation, Yu Hong sped towards the Book Collection Pavilion. The Book Collection Pavilion was located inside Wanxue Palace, and after several visits, he gradually became familiar. About a dozen minutes later. Yu Hong stood once more in front of the Book Collection Pavilion, with Cai Jing Taoists automatically scattering around, protecting his safety. Entering with strides, he headed straight for the history section bookshelves area. Following his previous position, flipping back, he soon found another thick collection of historical maps. Yu Hong skipped the maps and glanced through the rest, scanning the covers one by one. ¡°Overview of Star Disaster Creatures¡± Suddenly, a book that stirred his interest appeared in his sight. ¡°Such bold claims, an overview¡ªlet¡¯s see what it contains.¡± He quickly drew out this book. Without flipping through it on the spot, he continued searching for several more books on the shelf before swiftly exiting the Book Collection Pavilion. ¡®The Book Collection Pavilion isn¡¯t a safe zone;just occasionally coming here to switch books is sufficient.¡¯ Taking the books, Yu Hong made his way back, quickly returning to the safe house, where he closed the door and started reading. He urgently needed to know why the Black Disaster Monsters here were so strong. Were there any other patterns, and any yet unseen dangers? Sitting at the desk, he placed today¡¯s books on it and first opened Qinghe Chronicles. It still introduced Qinghe Mountain¡¯s background, its power, and long history, mentioning that this Qinghe Chronicles had been recorded since the inhabitants landed on this planet. Page by page, words were turned over, and Yu Hong saw that this mining star was originally a paradise with nothing unusual, just an ordinary planet. But disaster struck inexplicably one day. ¡®At first, countless void shadows could possess various beings, indistinguishable between friend and foe, dividing everyone into small groups.¡¯ ¡®Fortunately, the mentors possessed transcendent cultivation, quickly eradicating the first wave of monsters after a brief adaptation. These monsters were weak, but everything was just starting.¡¯ S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡®Subsequently, the second wave of monsters emerged, whose power was vastly stronger than before. Many monster corpses even became excellent materials for crafting artifacts. Therefore, people didn¡¯t consider it a disaster, but merely resources.¡¯ ¡®By the third time, Nascent Soul Stage monsters appeared, constructing Night Pools to amplify themselves. The catastrophe affected 80% of the Star Domain in Qinghe Mountain. A great battle erupted again. Nobody took this attack seriously. With Heavenly Venerate present, could there be a stronger monster than him?¡¯ ¡®But unfortunately¡­ post-third battle, Heavenly Venerate vanished without a trace. Countless planets of Qinghe Mountain were destroyed, turning into dead zones.¡¯ Reading this, Yu Hong quickly turned to the corresponding section in the monster overview. Soon, he found the descriptions matching those monsters. ¡®Soul Devouring Body: Lacking actual killing power, relying only on possession of cultivators to control their bodies for fighting. Strength equivalent to the Golden Core Stage.¡¯ ¡®Eight-Armed Giant Divine Weapon: A war machine with strong defensive and regenerative capabilities. Strength equivalent to Golden Core Perfection.¡¯ ¡®Pale Six-eyed Black Dragon: Highly intelligent, excellent at disguise, specializing in assassination. Strength equivalent to Nascent Soul Early Stage.¡¯ ¡°Isn¡¯t this Pale Six-eyed Black Dragon Marissa¡¯s true form?¡± Yu Hong recalled having faced that Black Disaster Surrender Faction before. ¡°To find it¡¯s the same category, turns out there are quite a few.¡± Though Yu Hong had speculated earlier, seeing it now still left him silent. Because there were several other major level monsters listed thereafter. A chain of monsters, along with diagrams, lay before him. Scanning these unfamiliar monster data, he could only memorize them firmly, for later use if necessary. Finally, he directed his attention to the last page of the monster overview. He wanted to see what the ultimate source of the Black Disaster was. ¡®Star: The source of all the Black Disaster¡¯s power, possessing a unique ability to corrupt everything. It can manifest corresponding Black Disaster monsters based on the life form¡¯s former power level. Strength equivalent: Unknown.¡¯ Beneath ¡®Star¡¯, there was a black pattern resembling a locust tree. ¡®Night Mother Tree: Suspected as one of the external forms of the star, the source of Chaos Body¡¯s derivation, existing at the boundary of reality and void. It can infect countless planetary worlds and spacetime. The main body possesses a spacetime superimposition state, incapable of complete destruction, only capable of sealing. Strength equivalent: Unknown.¡¯ As expected. Yu Hong reflected on these ultimate sources of the Black Disaster. Xing is the Star, and the Night Mother Tree¡­ it seems to be quite formidable indeed¡­ ¡®If it is through infection, then the sword cultivator monsters I encountered might be the original sword cultivation disciples of this planet. Otherwise, such a large Wanxue Palace couldn¡¯t possibly house only three people for cultivation. With only three people, there¡¯s no need to build such a vast space.¡¯ Yu Hong pondered. ¡®Moreover, what exactly is this Chaos Body?¡¯ He sought its origin in the book and soon found the Chaos Body reference. In the monster overview, it mentions: ¡®Chaos Body: When a creature is infected by the Star Disaster source, it enters a continuous Chaos State. The period for continuous Chaos State depends on the creature¡¯s cultivation level. During this time, the infected creature will gradually experience structural collapse and annihilation phenomena.¡¯ There was also a brief warning below. ¡®Warning: Chaos Body is only a temporary state. Those who are overly close may be influenced by the Chaos State, thereby showing similar infection and collapse.¡¯ Yu Hong pondered over this. Then, he turned back to the Qinghe Chronicles, page by page. Soon, he found the record of Yu Xuezi and his disciples arriving here. But it only contained a brief statement. ¡®Disappearance, after fruitless searching, this mining star was sealed, isolating all response coordinates.¡¯ ¡°What can be confirmed now is that I¡¯m indeed facing the Black Disaster, but of a higher grade, approaching the source, so their power is extremely strong.¡± Yu Hong organized the information. ¡°Also, based on the book¡¯s content, it¡¯s clear that once cultivation reaches the pinnacle here, one can indeed seal the Source Disaster Core head-on. Only something unexpected occurred midway, possibly affecting Heavenly Venerate.¡± ¡°In other words, this path is truly formidable, with an extremely high strength limit. It offers a reliable path forward!¡± He continued reading, hoping to find more information about Qinghe Mountain¡¯s later happenings. But to no avail. Instead, he managed to find some records on Heavenly Venerate suppressing the Star Disaster. Chapter 518: fast two According to the records, whenever a Star Disaster occurs, as soon as the Heavenly Venerates take action, they can quickly resolve the issue. The Black Disaster almost has no power to retaliate. Even in the last moments when trouble was about to arise, the Heavenly Venerate could still effortlessly suppress and resolve the high-level tide of the Black Disaster. ¡®It seems so simple and easy, yet in the end, something still went wrong Yu Hong sighed. Throughout the night, he quickly flipped through the borrowed basics and confirmed that the opponent was indeed the Black Disaster, with no other new Source Disasters appearing. This made him breathe a slight sigh of relief. Against the Black Disaster, many of his fortifications were highly targeted, and now it seemed that they were not in vain. Early the next morning, Yu Hong stacked all the books neatly and went back to the Book Collection Pavilion to exchange them for a batch of historical books. His eyesight now was astonishing, and his memory also improved significantly along with his spiritual power. Learning these things was not difficult. After greeting, carrying the newly borrowed volumes, Yu Hong walked back along the mine tunnel. Clink clink clink¡­ Suddenly, a crisp ringing sound pulled his attention from the state of walking and cultivating. Yu Hong furrowed his brow and looked up at the dark mine tunnel ahead. On the right side of the road, a short hunchbacked figure was silently waiting there. Hehehe¡­ The figure kept its head lowered, emitting a strange and unpleasant laugh. ¡°It seems you¡¯re doing quite well This mysterious merchant seemed to have a sarcastic and mocking tone no matter what he said. ¡°But you don¡¯t think things will always stay this way, do you¡­?¡± Yu Hong stopped and stared at the figure. ¡°How should I address you?¡± ¡°Address?¡± The merchant laughed again. ¡°Such a thing isn¡¯t important anymore. I just want to sell some things, sell them to those who need them.¡± ¡°But I need to know how to refer to you, right?¡± Yu Hong asked calmly. ¡°You have a point;many people say I¡¯m dirty and rotten, that my whole body is decayed like a wriggling maggot. So you can just call me Rotten the merchant answered with a smile. ¡°Alright then, Rotten Merchant, what did you mean by what you just said?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°As it is¡­ everything will arrive as destined Rotten Merchant answered with bowed head. ¡°So, why have you come to find me?¡± Yu Hong watched him warily. ¡°I¡¯ve come Rotten Merchant slowly extended a hand, revealing a jet-black elixir lying in the palm. I don¡¯t need elixirs,¡± Yu Hong replied, ¡°but if your answers satisfy me, I could provide compensation.¡± ¡°I know what you want to ask, hehehe¡­ this is not an Illusion Realm¡­ Illusion and reality are the domains of the Black Disaster Rotten Merchant put the elixir back and took out two objects anew. One was a small pill furnace that emitted a blue light. The other was a fan, fiery red with a prominent long tail, and its surface was intricately and mysteriously adorned with patterns in gold, silver, and black. ¡°Since you¡¯re here, buy something Rotten Merchant chuckled sinisterly and bowed his head. ¡°If I buy something, can I ask you a question?¡± Yu Hong asked, staring at the other person sternly. ¡°You can, but no guarantees Rotten Merchant replied. Yu Hong looked at the two items in his hands and directly chose the blue-light emitting small pill furnace. ¡°How much for this?¡± ¡°With gratitude for your patronage, one hundred crystal coins,¡± Rotten Merchant honestly quoted. Yu Hong had some crystal coins he got from his master, as there were only a few of them here, and no use for crystal coins. Moreover, a hundred was a bit pricey. He had thick skin to ask for crystal coins just for this moment. Taking out a piece of cyan jade from his pocket, he handed it to the other person and then spoke. ¡°Can I ask now?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Rotten Merchant placed the small pill furnace into Yu Hong¡¯s hand. ¡°I plan to cultivate here for a long time, so I want to ask, what dangers might I face in the future?¡± Yu Hong asked with a little trickery, essentially asking several questions at once. ¡°Hehehe¡­ someone is holding it, supporting the fragile balance¡­ that¡¯s why you¡¯re so safe. Only when the balance is broken, and the person can¡¯t hold on, will danger come.¡± ¡°Who!? Is it Yu Xuezi?¡± Yu Hong quickly asked. ¡°Well, that¡¯s it for this time¡­ thank you for visiting.¡± Rotten Merchant chuckled softly, took a few steps back, and his figure slowly turned transparent, disappearing from sight completely. Looking at the spot where the figure disappeared, Yu Hong glanced at the blue-light small pill furnace in his hand. Not knowing how to use it, it certainly didn¡¯t come with a considerate manual like the Black Mark. Wrapping it with Inner Strength, he put it into his pocket and quickly returned to the safe house. ¡®Someone is supporting this¡­ is that why it¡¯s so safe here?¡¯ Yu Hong recalled the words of the Rotten Merchant, also considering the attitudes and views of his senior brothers and sisters towards the outside world. He sighed and stopped overthinking, taking the small pill furnace out and placing it on the table. ¡®No matter what, continue refining traits and focus on the Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique. Even if I knew the entire truth now, there¡¯s nothing I could do about it.¡¯ The Heavenly Thunder Palm was only one layer away from reaching perfection. He had been diligently practicing for the past few days. The enhancement elixir from the Black Mark, combined with Tao Breath Circulation, led to a cultivation speed akin to a rocket. The greater the danger outside, the more intense his desire to become stronger. Finally, another three days passed. On the afternoon of the third day, a large swath of blue-purple lightning suddenly appeared in Yu Hong¡¯s cultivation room on the second layer. He stood in the center, his body bathed in electric light, with muscles subtly trembling, adjusting and adapting to the intensity of the current. At the center of all the electrical currents in the room were Yu Hong¡¯s hands. At this moment, his hands had become as white as jade, with smooth skin free from any pores. Just like they were sculpted from jade. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Heavenly Thunder Palm had achieved greatness! His offensive ability had been further strengthened. But these things were not his primary concern. At this moment, the prompt given by the Black Mark regarding traits was what he focused on the most. ¡®Heavenly Thunder Palm has reached its peak, gaining the trait: Thunder Speed.¡¯ ¡°Hmm??¡± Yu Hong was momentarily stunned. Although he didn¡¯t get the cultivation acceleration trait he most desired, this Thunder Speed¡­ He continued to read the following instructions. ¡®Thunder Speed (When energy circulates, it can significantly stimulate and enhance the body, unleashing speeds far beyond the usual. The current enhanced speed is 1.7 times the original speed.)¡¯ ¡°Just as I am not as swift as the Sword Cultivation Monster here, this trait came at the right time. It passively enhances my movement technique speed.¡± Yu Hong attempted to circulate the Inner Strength of the Heavenly Thunder Palm throughout his body. In an instant, crackling blue-purple electric arcs spread out. Swish! The next second, he appeared in open space more than ten meters away. He moved his hands and legs. At this moment, it seemed as if his whole being was in fast-forward mode. ¡®The speed of actions, the burst speed, and even the speed of Inner Strength circulation, all have been enhanced¡­. a very practical trait for strengthening combat ability.¡¯ Though he still felt it a pity that the Heavenly Thunder Palm didn¡¯t provide the trait he desired. Fortunately, he had experienced such things many times. After cultivating so many techniques, the genuinely most practical one remained the Tao Breath Circulation. Therefore, such matters could not be rushed. Yu Hong understood this clearly and immediately calmed himself, sitting down cross-legged to begin cultivating the Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill. However, as soon he commenced his cultivation, he noticed something amiss. ¡°Wait, this Thunder Speed actually enhances the circulation speed of other Inner Strengths as well!?¡± Yu Hong was still in the Thunder Speed state, and the electric arc Inner Strength hadn¡¯t entirely dissipated. He didn¡¯t expect to discover this exaggerated aspect of the new trait while cultivating the Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill in this state. At this moment, Yu Hong was sitting cross-legged, with the Inner Strength of the Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill vigorously circulating throughout his body at a speed greatly surpassing the usual. The bottleneck to the final layer was rapidly approaching. Yu Hong suppressed the joy in his heart and focused on cultivating for an entire afternoon. As the night approached, he opened his eyes, and the Inner Strength of the Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill in his entire body had grown a bit more. ¡®Amazing, this afternoon¡¯s progress was equivalent to a full day of practice before!¡¯ Yu Hong roughly calculated and confirmed that this new trait truly benefited cultivation as well. ¡®I must keep the Thunder Speed activated at all times. It¡¯s too advantageous! If¡­.¡¯ His thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a cold stream surging from his Dantian. The stream darted rapidly throughout his entire body, as if leaving its mark, before it finally returned to the Dantian and condensed into a pea-sized, pure white point of light above the sealed Tai Ling Skill Light Well. ¡°Qi Cultivation Second Layer! Accomplished!¡± Yu Hong was filled with joy. Recently, he had been frantically practicing Mortal Martial to refine traits, barely practicing the main cultivation techniques, yet with trait enhancement, it reached the second layer on its own. Having tasted the sweetness, Yu Hong was eager to fetch some more Mortal Martial techniques to continue refining traits. He envisioned if he could raise the cultivation speed to tens or hundreds of times the normal rate¡­ wouldn¡¯t he rapidly perfect the Mortal Martial techniques and acquire traits? The faster the trait¡¯s automatic cultivation speed, the quicker Mortal Martial trait refinement becomes¡ªa perfect cycle! The sudden trait breakthrough infused a glimmer of hope into Yu Hong¡¯s previously heavy and oppressive mood. Early the next morning. He hurriedly rushed to the Book Collection Pavilion. He began screening for the next cultivation technique from a new row of Mortal Martial techniques. ¡°Why are you still practicing Mortal Martial?¡± Bai Sheng¡¯s voice came from behind. Yu Hong turned to see him carrying a wooden bucket, pouring water all over the floor as he entered. ¡°Senior brother, are you planning to mop the floor?¡± he asked. ¡°Hmm, last time I came, I found dust everywhere. It makes me feel better to clean properly,¡± Bai Sheng nodded. ¡°But why are you still practicing Mortal Martial after so long?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mortal Martial is only a reference for me. I haven¡¯t put aside my main cultivation, the Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique,¡± Yu Hong explained. ¡°That¡¯s all right then,¡± Bai Sheng nodded. ¡°By the way, senior brother, is there any illusion martial art that can affect the five senses?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°There is, but such martial arts are weak. No matter what, illusion is still illusion and not reality. Once its weakness is discovered, the cultivator becomes a toothless tiger, easy to subdue. Are you thinking of practicing it?¡± Bai Sheng raised an eyebrow. ¡°I have such thoughts Yu Hong considered using the Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique as his foundation, the Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill for offense, and selecting a top-notch Illusion Skill for defense and escape. A combination like this would definitely frustrate his opponents to death. Chapter 519: speed Three ¡°Speaking of Illusion Skills, our sect indeed collected similar Cultivation Techniques, mostly derived from the Magic Skills of Evil Path and Demon Path sects we have conquered¡­ Oh, there is one more, a top-tier Illusion Skill realized by one of our Ascension period ancestors using the Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique. But it¡¯s only an idea;the ancestor barely started before passing away at the Returning to Void Stage, and the development ceased there.¡± Bai Sheng, well-versed and knowledgeable, recalled a Magic Skill that Yu Hong needed. ¡°Only to the Returning to Void Stage¡­ that¡¯s sufficient for now, as I¡¯m just using it to transition through my current phase. Well, Senior Brother, where should I find this Magic Skill now Before finishing his sentence, Yu Hong saw Bai Sheng¡¯s figure flash, disappearing for two seconds, then another flash, and he reappeared in place, throwing a heavy black-covered book like a Xinhua Dictionary to him. ¡°Catch.¡± With a thud, Yu Hong caught it with his hands and looked at the cover. ¡°Qingwei Heart Technique.¡± The book had no special phenomena, no brilliance, just like an ordinary mortal¡¯s book. ¡°This Cultivation Technique¡­ entirely suits your needs. It¡¯s fundamentally a defensive Cultivation Method centered around illusions, powered on the foundation of the Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique. But its power limit only reaches the Returning to Void Stage. Beyond that, you¡¯ll need to replace the Cultivation Technique;otherwise, even if you attain Ascension to Mahayana, you would only wield Returning to Void level power. This limitation is common across many cultivation techniques.¡± Bai Sheng carefully advised. ¡°Thank you, Senior Brother,¡± Yu Hong quickly expressed his gratitude. ¡°No need to be polite, just cultivate more when you have the chance. We¡¯re all counting on you to break through to the Immortal Realm soon, so we can return to the main sect of Qinghe Mountain together.¡± Bai Sheng laughed. ¡°Yu Hu will certainly give it his all!¡± Yu Hong replied. ¡°You focus on the book, I¡¯ll go tidy up. This place can¡¯t randomly employ spells;it¡¯s prone to triggering the reactive mechanisms of some profound Secret Arts. You also need to be cautious, as some Secret Arts have a level of vitality. Though not very high, they can react in various ways. Therefore, it¡¯s best to use spells sparingly in the Book Collection Pavilion.¡± Bai Sheng advised. ¡°Understood,¡± Yu Hong replied calmly. Although he had used a spell once before to clear dust, it was because he wasn¡¯t aware back then. Watching Bai Sheng start sweeping while humming, swinging left and right. Yu Hong lowered his head to look at the Qingwei Heart Technique. As he opened the first page, his breathing hitched, startled by the opening general statement. ¡®Observing various heavenly Illusion Skills, they all focus on the confusion of living beings, yet none has pondered where life originates.¡¯ ¡®Since illusion can ensnare a living being, why not go further, ensnaring the very foundation of its composition?¡¯ Wow, this statement elevated Illusion Skills to a new height. Yu Hong eagerly flipped the pages forward. ¡®The root of life lies in countless micro-living organisms dividing work, integrating part with whole, transforming quantity into quality, thereby giving life, producing spirit. This is the first sublimation.¡¯ ¡®For us cultivators, the goal is to produce god with spirit, the second sublimation. Upon reaching the Immortal Realm, it¡¯s producing yuan with god, the third sublimation.¡¯ Observing the three sublimations, each constructs the whole with parts, ultimately changing quantity into quality. If so, why not deceive and bewilder at the root, and from the initial illusion derive the reality?¡¯ Upon seeing this theory, Yu Hong instantly felt a seemingly ordinary Illusion Skill ascend to a doctrine pointing directly to the root by this ancestor. He continued to the next page. ¡®Based on this aim, I¡¯ve divided Illusion Skills into three Realms with nine Levels.¡¯ The first Realm, Illusion Human. The so-called Illusion Human is inferior to deceiving a single part, such as hands, feet, internal organs, meridians. The human body constantly undergoes countless cell divisions and deaths. If one can bewilder the nascent cells, they can cause internal discord during combat, self-consumption, triggering the internal immune system to destroy own cells, thereby confusing its immune recognition system, leading to self-collapse¡­.¡¯ Wow! Yu Hong exclaimed in amazement. This ancestor not only integrated various types of knowledge but also succinctly touched the core in one statement. The summary is simple. What is easiest to deceive? The answer is newborns. Therefore, the ancestor chose a different path, deceiving newly born cells to cause disarray in opponents. The continuation involves specific manipulation on how to utilize mana to plunge opponents into self-consumption. The process is quite complex since in combat, the power between both sides is usually similar, so bypassing the opponent¡¯s defenses to affect their body is a skill. This is also why this Cultivation Technique can only serve as support rather than the main path. It lacks attack power but once given a chance to infiltrate even a tiny influence, it can utilize that minor foothold to swiftly cause chaos and internal consumption in opponents, snowballing to collapse. But the premise is breaking through the opponent¡¯s complete defense to create an opening for one¡¯s mana to permeate. Then leverage this unique thin line of mana. Of course, this mana isn¡¯t ordinary either, requiring slight modifications on the foundational Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique¡¯s mana. Yu Hong skimmed through the table of contents, the full name of this Qingwei Heart Technique is Qingwei Confusing Heart Dao, commonly shortened as Qingwei Dao. The entire book details three realms with nine levels: Illusion Human Realm, Illusion Life Realm, Illusion Death Realm. The Cultivation Technique details only the Illusion Human Realm;the following parts reaching the level of Immortals are just theoretical constructs by the ancestor with no physical form. So there¡¯s only one realm with three levels. Yu Hong scoured through subsequent content. It had over 1,900 pages, covering only the three levels of the Illusion Human Realm. The cultivation¡¯s complexity and difficulty ranked the highest among techniques he had practiced. ¡®However, if mastered, this technique is indeed an exceptionally robust protective Cultivation Technique.¡¯ He started from the first level, realizing it begins with analyzing the basic composition of a human, organs, bones, muscles, skin, membranes, the shared principles, and mechanisms of their division and operation. These were compiled as the fundamental characteristics that all living beings possess. Further, it discussed the structure and operation of tissues and cells, finally mentioning the need to refine a unique mana called Misty Sky. Yu Hong, deeply engrossed, noticed Bai Sheng had finished tidying and was ready to leave as he looked up. ¡°Care to walk together?¡± Seeing him return to his senses, Bai Sheng smiled and invited. ¡°Sure.¡± Yu Hong nodded, ¡°But can I borrow some books to take back?¡± ¡°Of course, as long as you return them the next day,¡± Bai Sheng agreed indifferently. Immediately, Yu Hong took out the books he wanted to read, packed them, and summoned a Speed Man to carry them. The summoned Speed Man caught Bai Sheng¡¯s attention. He circled around the Speed Man a few times. ¡°Isn¡¯t this one of the low-level monsters from the Black Disaster? Different in appearance but essentially the same, impressive junior disciple, mimicking it so well,¡± Bai Sheng remarked in surprise. ¡°Just a small trick. If Senior Brother wishes to learn, I can teach you,¡± Yu Hong smiled. ¡°I¡¯d rather not;too much haste makes waste. I¡¯m not even well-versed in the Chengxing Sword Technique yet, so I won¡¯t touch other stuff,¡± Bai Sheng politely declined. The two walked out of the Book Collection Pavilion, leisurely strolling through the garden of Wanxue Palace. ¡°By the way, Junior Brother, you¡¯ve been at Wanxue Palace for a while. How is it? Have you adapted?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, very quiet here. Occasionally odd things happen, but overall it¡¯s excellent, a great place for cultivation.¡± Yu Hong evaluated objectively. ¡°But quite dull, with little to amuse ourselves with on normal days,¡± Bai Sheng sighed. ¡°Back at the Main Star, we had lots more fun like flying sword competitions, banquets, aq exhibits, treasure appraisal events, ruin explorations, new star developments, native education. It was endless entertainment.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have much demand. Being able to cultivate peacefully is already wonderful,¡± Yu Hong replied indifferently. ¡°Indeed, myself and Hei Ying both noticed, you can settle down for cultivation, more suitable for it than us,¡± Bai Sheng nodded. ¡°That¡¯s also why I came to see you today.¡± He paused, continuing. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Since the Heavenly Venerate¡¯s disappearance, various phenomena gradually appeared across the Star Domain. We¡¯ve re-established the source for Cultivation Arts at Qinghe Mountain, because absorbing the core of heaven and earth¡¯s Human Vitality has become more challenging. Therefore, the elders discovered a new, faster method of absorbing Vitality, which is the Life Well.¡± ¡°Life Well? Vitality can gather into a well?¡± Yu Hong asked in amazement. ¡°Of course, but this vitality isn¡¯t the pure Vitality we cultivated. It should be considered a special environment containing infinite Vitality. This is why we call it Life Well, after all, our dream is to have our own Vitality form rivers, lakes, and seas,¡± Bai Sheng explained. ¡°Does the Vitality within it truly have no end?¡± Yu Hong asked skeptically. ¡°Indeed it does,¡± Bai Sheng nodded, ¡°because the source of the Life Well is a place named the Sea of Life, which seems to be a kind of Star Disaster, also known to you as a Source Disaster. However, this Star Disaster is comparatively special, not yet fully matured.¡± He reached out and grasped Yu Hong¡¯s shoulder. Suddenly, the two vanished, reappearing kilometers away in a grayish-white dense forest. Towering gigantic trees pointed straight at the sky, the ground blanketed in thick grayish-white fallen leaves. All composed of finger-shaped slender leaves. Amidst the countless leaves was a circular well cover buried under thick layers of leaves. The cover was in an iron-black color, resembling plain wrought iron. Bai Sheng stepped up, placing his hand on the well cover. ¡°This is the Life Well, where our rapid enhancement bases. You¡¯re a genius, your aptitude far surpasses ours, so be extra careful while absorbing it. The Vitality within is terrifyingly potent;a moment of carelessness, you¡¯ll grow odd new parts in your body. For it enhances not only your regular cells, organs, and tissues but also deviant ones, equally nourished. Any slight negligence might render you terminally ill.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite extreme,¡± Yu Hong looked at the Life Well, extra cautious now. ¡°Yes, after all, the Life Well is connected to a Star Disaster, albeit the Sea of Life is a relatively weak, unformed Star Disaster, it¡¯s still beyond ordinary cultivators to counter. It harbors the same malevolence as annihilate life,¡± Bai Sheng replied. He glanced at his watch. ¡°Alright, you can absorb the Vitality Power here by yourself. Inside are various highly regenerative insects and such, I¡¯m heading back now. Remember, just slide the cover a little to create a gap.¡± ¡°Senior Brother, go attend to your matters,¡± Yu Hong nodded. ¡°No real business, just agreed with a Junior Sister to stroll on the Orbiting Satellite. Your Junior Sister is shy, she dislikes such occurrences in familiar places, you understand,¡± Bai Sheng gave a knowing look. Yu Hong immediately understood. These two had been involved for quite a while¡­. ¡°Then Senior Brother better hurry. Don¡¯t let Senior Sister wait,¡± he replied, at a loss for words. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m heading off now,¡± Bai Sheng said, smiling. ¡°Mm.¡± Whoosh! Before Yu Hong finished speaking, Bai Sheng shot up into the sky, vanishing into the horizon in an instant. Chapter 520: speed 4 This eager look made Yu Hong sigh involuntarily;indeed, reproduction is one of humanity¡¯s most basic needs. Returning to his senses, he slowly approached the well cover, reached out, grasped the edge, and gradually exerted force. Hiss. An incredibly thick moldy smell, accompanied by a wisp of blue-green smoke, wafted out. .¡± He should have thought of this;the abundance of life force results in an overwhelming multiplication of microorganisms. However, as his senior brother said, this place is an excellent holy land for cultivation. Moreover, he could absorb the Earth¡¯s Vitality, essentially the life force of microorganisms, so bugs weren¡¯t needed at all. Immediately, without hesitation, he waved his hand. Within a range of several meters, he quickly laid down a small Dust-Free Array using his Inner Strength. Then, a group of Cai Jing Taoists appeared out of thin air, spreading around to start vigilant patrols. After doing all this, Yu Hong sat cross-legged and began absorbing the Vitality Power seeping out from beneath the well cover. Instantly, endless amounts of invisible vitality emanated from the blue-green smoke, being inhaled by Yu Hong through his mouth and nose. Then, entering through his mouth and nose, it was taken into his body, forming a new Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Method True Qi. Inner Strength and True Qi were entirely different from this point, leaping to a new level. Yu Hong absorbed relentlessly, lost in himself. The Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique for the Qi Cultivation Stage theoretically has no bottleneck, only requiring the absorption of massive amounts of vitality to transform into True Qi to fill oneself. Once the body is fully saturated without being able to contain even the slightest bit more True Qi, he could begin Foundation Establishment. During Foundation Establishment, it is also necessary to continuously produce True Qi to maintain that saturated pressure environment. Thus, every cultivator of Qinghe Mountain has a significant demand for vitality. With this absorption, Yu Hong entirely lost track of time. The sky rapidly darkened around him. The gray-white forest turned into a pitch-black scene. Familiar wisps of black mist gradually emerged among the woods. Human-like figures bearing long swords approached silently from all around. But the next moment, before Yu Hong noticed anything, the bracelet on his hand slightly trembled, emitting a mysterious aura. Immediately, these figures retreated silently again, disappearing from sight. From start to finish, the patrolling Cai Jing Taoists didn¡¯t sense a thing. And Yu Hong continued immersing himself in the mad rush to enhance his True Qi, unable to extricate himself. With three days passing without eating or drinking, finally, at 6:13 on the morning of the fourth day¡­ Yu Hong exhaled a long breath of turbid air, a flash of white light over his body quickly subsiding. ¡®Fifth Layer, reached¡­.¡¯ Hurriedly returning to the safe house for some food, he went back to the spot to continue obsessively absorbing the Earth¡¯s Vitality. The vitality heavenly river surrounding him grew more intense, gradually shifting from gray to gray-black, creating a stark contrast with the semi-transparent Infinite Heavenly River. Absorb, purify, assimilate. The speed of these three processes in his body was astonishing. The newly acquired Thunder Speed increased his speed by seventy percent. Whether it was absorption, purification, or assimilation, everything went up by seventy percent. Yu Hong¡¯s body, initially modified to an extraordinary degree, now exploded in progress thanks to Thunder Speed amplification. Time went by, day by day. Bai Sheng occasionally came by to check Yu Hong¡¯s absorption progress but always turned with a constipated expression after just a glance. No reason other than Yu Hong¡¯s speed was too fast. Half a month passed in a blink. Yu Hong woke from his meditation once more. Looking at his much-lengthened beard, hair, and nails, he exhaled, and with a thought, a Cai Jing Taoist appeared behind him to start trimming his hair and nails. Another Cai Jing Taoist carefully collected the fallen hair and nails, avoiding leaving a hidden danger. ¡°The Sixth Layer¡­ this speed is indeed impressive¡­ the vitality is incredibly dense, undeniably worthy of being called the Life Well.¡± He felt no change in his body strength;it was apparent he had already reached Golden Core Realm physique strength before Qi Cultivation, thus reducing the self-modification step now. The progress was even faster. He paused, not because he couldn¡¯t continue, but he hadn¡¯t paid respects in a long time, and he couldn¡¯t neglect the Mortal Martial traits either. Thunder Speed had significantly boosted his pace, so the subsequent activity of brushing for traits couldn¡¯t be disregarded. Immediately he got up, resealed the well cover, dismissed the Cai Jing Taoist, and with a flash of movement technique, headed towards Wanxue Palace. After greeting the meditating Yu Xuezi, Yu Hong swiftly proceeded to the Book Collection Pavilion. ¡°What should be practiced next?¡± he thought, standing before the bookshelf. ¡°Or perhaps continue exploring cultivation techniques related to ¡®thunder.¡¯ The traits gained from the last two were quite notable.¡± Deciding on action, Yu Hong rifled through the bookshelf, soon holding a new manual. ¡°Tiger Roar Thunder Sound.¡± A martial art focusing on sound waves, somewhat peculiar, yet it found narrow application in cultivation since sonic speed might seem fast to mortals but is trivial to cultivators. With trust in the Thunder characteristics of gong methods, Yu Hong opened it to look. He found the martial art followed a unique path, transmitting sound waves through solid mediums directly into the enemy, meaning its full name should be Tiger Roar Thunder Sound Palm. ¡°Still a close-quarter technique,¡± Yu Hong didn¡¯t nitpick. After all, the propagation speed of sound waves in solid flesh greatly surpasses that in the air. It still has some practical applicability. Holding Tiger Roar Thunder Sound, he left the Book Collection Pavilion, planning to return for more secluded training. Thud. Upon just entering the mine tunnel, he saw the strange broken hole on the wall. Inside the hole was a thick arm reaching out, scrounging and clawing handfuls of rock and soil back inside. Yu Hong halted, quietly observing the broken hole. He felt strongly that the biggest secret of Wanxue Palace was hidden within that hole. Whoosh. Soon, the arm stopped rummaging, swiftly retracting, and didn¡¯t emerge again for a while. Recalling his previous venture inside, Yu Hong cautiously approached. ¡®Should I go inside for a look?¡¯ The thought was intense, but equally intense were the dangerous feelings faced when encountering Sword Cultivation Monsters. The latter continually reminded him of his weakness here, urging not to act rashly before mastering his cultivation. Clearly biding time would bring growth, so why venture fatally into danger? Thus, Yu Hong¡¯s extended foot retracted. He then ignored the hole as if invisible and left. ¡®Hold on a bit longer, wait until my divine skill is perfected¡­ there¡¯s no rush to go inside then!¡¯ Soon his figure disappeared into the tunnel without reappearing. Another few minutes passed. A squat figure with a giant hump appeared at the hole¡¯s edge. It was the Corrupt Itinerant Merchant. He observed the hole on the wall, then the direction Yu Hong had left, releasing unclear laughter. Suddenly, he reached out, pressing hard against the hole. Poof. The hole abruptly faded, vanished, as if it had never been. Having done this, the Corrupt Itinerant Merchant turned and vanished into the tunnel¡¯s darkness. Meanwhile, in the safe house. Yu Hong played with the glowing small Pill Furnace, pondering its purpose. Inputting Inner Strength, there was no reaction. Inputting True Qi. The Pill Furnace¡¯s white light brightened, but nothing else happened. He set it aside and resumed practicing Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Skill, as evening fell outside. Hours later, Yu Hong opened his eyes, watching the fleeting blurred figures outside the window. He lifted his wrist, staring at the bracelet wrapped around it, thinking a moment before gently removing it. Then he rose and walked to the window. Poof! Suddenly a pale face smashed against the window before him. Only a dozen centimeters away from Yu Hong¡¯s face. It was the Monster Sword Cultivator who had appeared before! Yu Hong recognized him. ¡°Sure enough, it¡¯s the function of the bracelet.¡± Yu Hong maintained a blank expression while watching him. The Monster Sword Cultivator wore a white Daoist robe similar to Bai Sheng and Hei Ying. Yu Hong himself had a set and was quite familiar with them. This Wanxue Palace Daoist robe had snowflake patterns at the collar and the Qinghe Mountain¡¯s blue-green triangle symbol at the cuffs. The blue-green triangle, with a mountain character inside, was Qinghe Mountain¡¯s simplified mark. Following these, Yu Hong¡¯s gaze moved from the robe to the sheathed sword on his back. That sword was peculiar too. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The sword sheath was emerald green, and the hilt had no crossguard wings, only a round, glowing dark green pearl embedded centrally. The overall form was ancient and slender. The sword blade, Yu Hong remembered seeing during the last fight, was green as well. ¡®I remember breaking this guy¡¯s sword last time, didn¡¯t I?¡¯ Yu Hong squinted, recalling. Swish. In a flash, the Monster Sword Cultivator outside the window vanished abruptly. Unconcerned, he turned around and reattached the bracelet. And returned to rigorous training. Thus, the Black Mark enhanced practice and cultivation for Yu Hong, refining Qi, Chaotic God, and Mortal Martial, training all three together. Time flew rapidly. Over a month passed again in the blink of an eye. Yu Hong sat cross-legged inside the safe house, listening to the thunderstorm raging outside. But inside, he brimmed with joy. Within a month, not only did he achieve Qi Cultivation breakthroughs to the Seventh Layer, but also swiftly mastered the newly selected Tiger Roar Thunder Sound. Thunder Speed stacking with Tao Breath Circulation, the bonuses from both traits rendered his cultivation technique absurdly fast. And now, at his throat, a faint golden light flickered, a sign that Tiger Roar Thunder Sound was reaching the ninth layer¡¯s perfection. Poof! Suddenly, Yu Hong opened his mouth, emitting a silent roar. There was no sound, only vibration. An invisible vibrational circle expanded from him, quickly enveloping the entire room. ¡®Tiger Roar Thunder Sound reached its peak, acquiring the trait: Tiger Form.¡¯ ¡®Tiger Form: By mimicking the Tiger Form¡¯s moves, enhance destructiveness by 2.5 times.¡¯ ¡®A good trait.¡¯ Yu Hong smiled with satisfaction;though unrelated to cultivation, this trait significantly boosted his combat performance. Over twice the enhancement, achieved merely by executing Tiger Form, was highly worthwhile. At that moment, Black Mark issued another reminder. ¡®Ten traits reached, slight disharmony detected;proceed with fusion?¡¯ ¡°Traits can be fused?¡± Yu Hong paused, finding the Black Mark¡¯s functionality unexpectedly rich. ¡°Does fusion require using Black Mark enhancement time?¡± he questioned. ¡®Fusion and enhancement cannot proceed simultaneously.¡¯ Black Mark¡¯s reply indirectly answered his query. ¡°How to fuse?¡± Yu Hong inquired with interest. No response came. It seemed the Black Mark¡¯s built-in prompts didn¡¯t cover this aspect. After several futile attempts, he resigned to exploring on his own. Chapter 521: returns one Yu Hong wandered around the safehouse a few times, found some paper and pen, and wrote down all his traits in Chinese characters. ¡®Tao Breath Circulation, Underwater Breathing, Night Moth, Spiritual Sharpness, Extreme Summoning, Heart Imprint, Elf Ancient Tree¡¯s Call, Steel Fist, Thunder Speed, Tiger Form¡¯. A total of ten items. Among them, the most practical are Tao Breath Circulation and Thunder Speed, the others are used less frequently except for Elf Ancient Tree¡¯s Call. Looking at these traits, Yu Hong pondered for a moment and closed his eyes to explore the dark space in his mind with his consciousness. In the dark space, the light orbs belonging to the safehouse Black Black Spirit and the summonings were in one corner. In another corner, the light was dimmer and not noticeable. Yu Hong had never paid attention to this place before. Upon closer inspection now, he discovered that there were different light clusters corresponding to each trait here. A total of ten light clusters, all a dull gray-white color. Yu Hong¡¯s consciousness floated in front of the light clusters, and as soon as he slightly imagined touching a light cluster, he could immediately obtain the information of the trait he touched. He touched each one, confirming that every trait was here. ¡®So, how to fuse them?¡¯ Yu Hong pondered for a moment, imagining his consciousness growing a body, growing limbs. Pop. Soon, in the dark consciousness space, a real body condensed and appeared. After moving his body a bit, he found that compared to reality, the body here was more flexible and reactive. Raising his hand, he saw that his palm was light blue, glowing with fluorescence. ¡®Then, should I push two traits together?¡¯ He picked two unimportant ones at random. Night Moth and Underwater Breathing. He grabbed the light orbs of these two traits, one in each hand, and squeezed them together in the middle. Biu! The two light clusters merged seamlessly together. Then they became a slightly larger white light cluster. Soon, as Yu Hong touched it, a surge of new information flowed into his hand. ¡®Do you want to fuse Night Moth and Underwater Breathing into one? Warning, the original traits will disappear after fusion, and the new trait may be higher or lower than the original. It cannot be changed.¡¯ On the light orb, a clear countdown timer appeared: 11 days, 1 hour, 13 minutes. Yu Hong didn¡¯t hesitate and confirmed it in his heart. Exiting the consciousness space, he suppressed his curiosity and quietly continued with intense cultivation, waiting. Eleven days was not long for him now, so he chose another Red Training Palm Mortal Martial and continued to refine traits. The Black Mark continuously enhanced all martial arts¡¯ required elixirs as well. Every day followed a cycle of Wanxue Palace, Life Well, and safehouse in three points and three lines. Soon, the enhancement time arrived. Yu Hong woke up early specially for this day, bathed, changed clothes, and calmed his mind, just waiting to see what trait could be fused. Before dawn, he sat cross-legged in the cultivation room, activated the soundproof array, and summoned Cai Jing Taoist to inspect the surroundings. Buzz. Finally, close to noon, there was a soft sound in Yu Hong¡¯s mind. ¡®Fusion complete. Acquired new trait¡ªNight Breath.¡¯ ¡®Night Breath (At nightfall, all your recovery speeds increase by 3 times, immune to all normal toxins, and have 80% resistance to extraordinary toxins. Immune to suffocation)¡¯ ¡°This enhancement¡­amazing!¡± Yu Hong¡¯s eyes widened. Previously, Night Moth only increased recovery speed by 75% and provided full toxin resistance, but now it¡¯s a super-enhanced version. He immediately tried to start the fusion again. But¡­ ¡®Traits are less than ten, cannot start fusion.¡¯ The Black Mark¡¯s prompt came. ¡®It seems I must maintain a full ten to be able to fuse Yu Hong suppressed his expectation and continued to patiently cultivate the newly acquired Red Training Palm. After fusion, he now had nine traits, so he at least needed to cultivate one more to be able to fuse again. From this attempt, it seems that the fusion is based on the abilities of the included traits, with enhancements and extensions added. Given this, Yu Hong most anticipated the fusion enhancement of Tao Breath Circulation. Of course, to be safe, it¡¯s best to fuse two traits that both enhance cultivation speed, so no matter which is dominant, he can ultimately gain enhanced cultivation speed. For example, Thunder Speed and Tao Breath Circulation. In the practice of cultivation, time is immeasurable. While Yu Hong is devoting himself to the study of trait fusion and rapidly improving his cultivation, far across two Source Disasters, in the Hope City World. The sky was dark. Gray-black mists spread out, covering the earth. The Spirit Alliance¡¯s top echelons were gathered at a location, gazing at the anomaly in the sky. Quan He stood at the forefront, with Qing Huang and Hope City committee member Chen Yaofeng by her side. Behind them stood a group of Qingchen Temple elders, including Yu Mo and Yu Hen. Everyone¡¯s faces were solemn, with deep worry or anxiety in their eyes. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s the Gate of Despair appearing in the near-earth orbit?¡± Quan He asked in a deep voice. ¡°Confirmed, various devices linked with satellites have captured photos from different angles and sent them back. It¡¯s 100% confirmed.¡± Chen Yaofeng solemnly replied, ¡°We have already confirmed seventy-nine gates. Obviously, they didn¡¯t open in a short time but started much earlier. It¡¯s just that they were far from us, so we didn¡¯t notice.¡± ¡°Any solutions?¡± Quan He asked. ¡°The distance is too far. Many weapons are hard to send up in time¡­ We attempted to launch some large hydrogen bombs, but they were detonated before getting close.¡± Chen Yaofeng shook his head. ¡°What worries me is not the Gate of Despair¡­.¡± Quan He gazed at the sky, her eyes heavy. ¡°According to the pattern, each Source Disaster is stronger than the last. We repelled it last time, and this time it¡¯s undoubtedly far stronger. I fear that what¡¯s coming this time won¡¯t just be the Gate of Despair Chen Yaofeng did not speak further, as he didn¡¯t know how to answer or solve the issue. The only hope now was to see if Quan He could propose a suitable solution. ¡°I will¡­.¡± Quan He was about to say more when her expression suddenly changed dramatically. ¡°Be careful, it¡¯s coming!!¡± She quickly raised her hand and formed a seal. Her hand released a burst of golden light that shot toward the sky. Screech! The golden light rushed toward the dark clouds above. At that moment, a colossal black meteorite suddenly burst out of the clouds. The meteorite nearly filled the entire sky, pushing apart all the clouds. The surface of the meteorite was jagged and crawling with countless wriggling Black Disaster Monsters. Elephant worms, speak-men, three-headed birds, Black Giants, three-eyed Black Giants, a countless number, perhaps millions, perhaps tens of millions, stretching as far as the eye could see. Boom!! Just then, the golden light launched by Quan He collided with the center of the meteorite. The golden light exploded, flattening into a disk with countless golden runes swirling and rotating, stirring up fierce winds all around. The golden disk forcefully held the enormous meteorite back. Quan He channeled endless power from her body into golden beams that bolstered the disk. Whoosh! The people below finally relaxed slightly, exhaling heavily. In that brief moment, they almost fell into despair, as the meteorite was overwhelmingly massive. Luckily, Quan He Monarch was there¡­. Chen Yaofeng and Qing Huang, feeling relieved, couldn¡¯t help but look at Quan He. But upon seeing her, their hearts sank. Quan He¡¯s eyes and nose were slowly bleeding. No power was escaping her body, meaning all her strength was concentrated in the golden disk above. Despite this, they could see the golden disk sinking gradually. Crack. Some parts of the meteorite began to fracture, sending varying-sized fragments flying as a meteor shower across the world. The fragments were crawling with Black Disaster Monsters. Ranging from weak to strong, everything was there. Simultaneously, huge three-headed goddess statues with eight arms crawled out from deeper cracks in the meteorite, wearing eerie grins as they flew out. Each stood over a hundred meters tall, covered in patterns like porcelain cracks, trailing thick plumes of red value black smoke, shooting as hundreds of meteors relentlessly crashing into the golden disk. Crack. Tiny cracks appeared on the surface of the disk. ¡°Jade Pearl, with all my heart!¡± Quan He¡¯s whole body burst with golden light, and a golden Jade Pendant was thrown high, transforming into a giant immortal crane fashioned from gold in mid-air. The immortal crane rapidly expanded, its wings spreading to nearly cover everyone¡¯s sight. Buzz! The golden crane collided head-on with hundreds of three-headed goddess statues. Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh. The crane¡¯s body released countless golden feathers that turned into blades, swiftly piercing through the goddess statues. Feathers and statues exploded into brilliant golden lights in the sky. At this moment, Quan He was taking on the enormous Black Disaster army amassed from more than seventy-nine fused Gates of Despair all by herself. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Another ray of light¡­.¡± In a trance, a black figure resembling deadwood appeared on the surface of the giant meteorite. The figure wielded a staff with its legs fused to the meteorite. Beside it were innumerable pale skeletons. Beyond the skeletons, more three-headed goddess statues madly rushed out. ¡°Destruction, unstoppable¡­ Sorry, only through your disappearance can we survive¡­.¡± The deadwood figure raised its staff, aiming far below at Quan He. ¡°May the Holy Tower bless you¡­.¡± Hiss. The tip of the staff quietly gathered a black-purple aura. Within the aura swirled a deeply concentrated red value energy. Bang!! The next moment, the black-purple aura shot out violently. * * * Hmm!? On the Mining Star. Yu Hong, who was immersed in cultivation in the safehouse, suddenly felt a massive surge of Spirit Light frantically pouring into his body from some unknown source. The previously sealed Light Well was immediately impacted by this external force, stirring restlessly from the inside and the outside. ¡°Not good!¡± Yu Hong¡¯s expression changed slightly. Such a situation would only arise if a significant number of the Spirit Light Seeds he had sent out were destroyed. This meant that the seeds he left behind might be in trouble. Immediately, Yu Hong put his cultivation aside, looked at the sky outside. It was still afternoon. He dashed out the door, quickly heading towards Wanxue Palace. No matter where the problem occurred, he must find a way to take a look! Chapter 522: returned 2 Inside the Wanxue Palace. Yu Xuezi stood in a side hall, carefully painting the afternoon sunset with a brush. The soft red sunlight slanted into the palace, casting his shadow long and old. ¡°In such a rush, what¡¯s the urgent matter? Yu Hu?¡± Without turning around, he already knew of Yu Hong¡¯s arrival. ¡°Master! I recently noticed something about the mark left on someone I care about, and it seems unusual. I suspect there might be trouble. Could I take leave to return and check on things?¡± Yu Hong entered the side hall, bowed with clasped hands, and explained immediately. ¡°Just go yourself;come back after resolving it.¡± Yu Xuezi turned his head to look at him. ¡°But, I can¡¯t go back. Once I return¡­ I¡¯m afraid it will be very difficult to come back to the Mining Star Yu Hong worriedly said. He could indeed return, but returning to the Mining Star would be much harder, as he relied on the Savior Ship drifting around without a map before. ¡°I see, that¡¯s easy to handle.¡± Yu Xuezi pondered for a moment and then walked out of the hall. After a while, he returned and handed Yu Hong a brass ball the size of a palm. ¡°This is the Water Instrument Ball, which can discern directions within a Star Disaster and open a portal back to the Mining Star. There¡¯s no distance limit. It¡¯s a must-have for disciples from Qinghe Mountain going on journeys. Unless you¡¯ve gone deep into some extremely intense Star Disaster, this can bring you back.¡± ¡°The usage is to input your True Qi. The further the distance, the more True Qi it requires, so you may need to input for multiple times. Don¡¯t worry about not having enough, you can input multiple times.¡± Listening to this, Yu Hong was delighted, quickly receiving the Water Instrument Ball. ¡°Thank you, Master!¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing, do you need help?¡± Yu Xuezi asked again. ¡°No need;I just need to temporarily release part of the seal in my body.¡± Yu Hongdao said. ¡°The seal shouldn¡¯t be recklessly touched, or the situation will worsen.¡± Yu Xuezi contemplated a bit. ¡°How about this, let your senior brothers and sisters come over, wait a moment.¡± He closed his eyes for a few seconds, then changed the topic, starting to inquire about other matters. ¡°You have already reached the Seventh Layer in Qi Cultivation? Your speed is good, but for you, the Qi Cultivation has no bottleneck and is quite fast. From Foundation Establishment on, the difficulty will increase layer by layer. By then, this speed won¡¯t be possible. Remember not to be arrogant or impatient, calm down and practice. Within a hundred years, reaching Returning to Void is already successful.¡± ¡°Disciple understands!¡± Yu Hong was not surprised that his cultivation couldn¡¯t be hidden, after all, the gap in cultivation was too large. Moreover, being from the same source and system, being seen through is normal. In a short while, outside the side hall, Bai Sheng and Hei Ying transformed into two streams of light, landing and entering the room. ¡°Master, why did you summon the disciple?¡± ¡°The disciple was bathing, is there an urgent matter?¡± The two asked one after the other. ¡°It¡¯s your junior brother, there¡¯s an emergency at home, encountering trouble, needing help, you guys look into resolving it.¡± Yu Xuezi pointed at Yu Hong. ¡°Encountered trouble? That¡¯s easy to handle, Junior Brother, catch this.¡± Bai Sheng was delighted upon hearing this, taking out a green token engraved with the character ¡°Victory¡± from his sleeve and throwing it over. Pa. Yu Hong caught it. On the other side, Hei Ying also threw out a black token with the character ¡°Ying¡±. ¡°These are our temporary summoning tokens, which can open a temporary arrival gate lasting half a minute. As long as the distance isn¡¯t too far, we can come out in time to help you ward off trouble.¡± Bai Sheng explained with a smile. ¡°Use mine first. Your senior brother is less composed, my interventions are quieter.¡± Hei Ying added on the side. ¡°Who¡¯s saying that, use mine first, my strength is greater, and if Senior Sister can¡¯t resolve it, you might eventually need me to rescue.¡± Bai Sheng argued. ¡°Who are you saying is not strong!?¡± Hei Ying was immediately displeased. ¡°That¡¯s the truth!¡± Bai Sheng retorted stubbornly. ¡°See you on the neighboring star then!¡± Hei Ying challenged for a fight. ¡°Heh, I¡¯ll let you use one hand.¡± Bai Sheng sneered. ¡°Then don¡¯t ask me to change positions later!¡± Hei Ying flared up. ¡°Er¡­.¡± Bai Sheng¡¯s old face reddened, ¡°Can we not discuss this here?¡± ¡°Heh¡­.¡± Hei Ying scoffed, turning and leaving. ¡°Hey, Junior Sister, wait.¡± Bai Sheng hurriedly chased after her. Leaving Yu Xuezi and Yu Hong speechless. ¡°They¡¯re about to get married, yet they don¡¯t avoid suspicion Yu Xuezi sighed. ¡°Alright, you¡¯ve got the things, go if you want to, be careful, and come back early.¡± He instructed. ¡°Yes!¡± Yu Hong quickly lowered his head to salute. Hurriedly leaving Wanxue Palace, he returned to the Black Black Spirit and entered the Main Control Room. Taking a deep breath. ¡®Start.¡¯ He commanded in his heart. Buzz. The safe house, Savior Ship, that had been dormant for so long, finally started up once more. In the next moment, colorful threads surged around the safe house. Countless threads wrapped around it layer by layer. Soon, the threads faded away, disappearing along with the safe house. Entering the familiar depths of the Wind Disaster, Yu Hong steadied his mind, carefully feeling the continuously surging Spirit Light Threads. He accelerated, sitting in the Main Control Room, watching the safe house stream toward the source of the Spirit Light. When going deeper into the interior, most was against the current, extremely slow, but now rushing to the outside end, it¡¯s riding the current, making its speed at least twice as fast! Yu Hong only felt the entire house shaking violently, and then with his own power and the colorful lines outside pushing him, the speed grew faster and faster. The colorful lines outside the window turned into extremely slow forward movement. This meant that the safe house¡¯s direction and the colorful lines outside were consistent at this moment, and its speed was just slightly slower than the lines. Soon, a violent shock, the safe house crossed the Phoenix Eye, passing by huge eerie humanoid faces. Large meteor-like faces flashed by, some jellyfish-like translucent creatures appeared vaguely, accompanying the safe house forward. Yu Hong sensed the safe house crossed the node where the Floating City was, his heart slightly relieved, meaning that Yiyi and the others were alright. What remained was only the place with a large amount of Spirit Light, which was¡­ * * * Hope City World. In the dim sky, gray-white smoke transformed into columns, connecting heaven and earth. Hiss. Strands of colorful threads floated in midair, emerging, and split apart, revealing the irregular shape of the Black Black Spirit, the safe house. Whoosh. The next second, the Black Black Spirit shot out, plummeting fiercely toward the ground below. In a split second, the thousands of meters of altitude reached the ground. No massive impact, as it was about to land, layers of arrays emerged below the safe house, shimmering white light cushioned the massive impact, and then it landed softly. After landing, the safe house quickly transformed into a three-story high black building, fixed atop a scorched wasteland. Click. The door opened. Yu Hong, dressed in a white Daoist robe, stepped out slowly, scanning the surroundings. The outside world was littered with chaos. On the scorched plain, piles of burning debris emitted thick gray smoke. Apart from the slight crackling of flames and the sound of the wind, no other sound was perceptible. ¡°So things did happen here¡­.¡± Yu Hong took out an enhanced detector. He pressed the switch. Beep¡­ The LCD showed the Red Value here: 789.126. ¡°Trouble.¡± Yu Hong surveyed the surroundings, feeling the continuous surge of Spirit Light from a direction. He exerted force through his feet. Boom!! The ground shattered into a large pit, and he shot out, breaking the sound barrier, charging towards the south. Amid the rumbling, accompanied by continuous sonic booms, the temperature on Yu Hong¡¯s body rapidly rose. But he paid no mind, constantly observing the two sides¡¯ situation during the mad rush. Soon, following the direction of the Spirit Light Threads, after over an hour of sprinting, a different scene appeared beyond the ruins ahead. A city-sized massive black meteor was half-embedded into the ground, with its other half exposed. Around the meteor, an innumerable amount of Black Disaster monsters surged like a tide, rushing toward a certain direction. Yu Hong knew he had arrived. He immediately accelerated again. Meanwhile, he took a deep breath, the Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill within his body operated freely, transforming into a protective gray light that shielded his entire body, then charged head-on into the wave of Black Disaster monsters. The next second. He collided head-on with the black tide. An elephant worm just sensed something amiss, turned to look at him, and before it could roar, it was struck straight in the middle, exploding instantly like a bomb. Following closely were crowds of Black Giants, pushing toward a certain direction. They too were rammed by Yu Hong, creating a blood-soaked path. The Three-headed Bird, gigantic humanoid figures seemingly made of black slime, dripping with long wet hair. Various levels of Black Disasters became nothing before Yu Hong at this moment. In a short while, all the monsters in front were cleared away, replaced by a colossal silver-gray fortress. The fortress continuously sprayed torrents of shells, flames, bullets, and strong acids, pushing back the thick clouds of flying monsters besieging it. Yu Hong leaped high, skillfully evading cannonballs and bullets, landing accurately inside a damaged opening. A Three-headed Goddess Statue roared upon discovering him, lunging to crush him. It was repelled by a single point from Yu Hong¡¯s hand. The power of the eighth layer of the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Skill surged at his fingertip, transforming into a gray light beam, shooting out. Sizzle! The beam hit the Three-headed Goddess Statue right between its brows, causing no visible harm. But the next moment. As the Black Disaster¡¯s top monster was about to smash into Yu Hong, right before impact, it suddenly halted, suspended in mid-air, then turned to attack a group of Three-headed Birds nearby. Its six eyes tinged with strands of gray white blood lines, evidently temporarily controlled by the Chaotic God Sky Eye¡¯s chaotic influence. ¡®The effect is not bad.¡¯ This was Yu Hong¡¯s first practical use since reaching the Eighth Layer. Surprisingly, even a Three-headed Goddess Statue could be temporarily controlled, although he wasn¡¯t sure what the control limit of the Eighth Layer¡¯s power was. With thoughts flashing by, Yu Hong charged through the opening, entering deep into the fortress. Meanwhile. In the fortress core, a spherical internal space. Layers upon layers of various Golden Light Arrays completely isolated and encircled the place. Quan He was confronting a strange humanoid entirely made of withered wood. Her left arm had inexplicably vanished, and her body was covered with wounds. Her face was pale as she stared intently at the humanoid opposite her. ¡°What exactly¡­ are you!?¡± Still unwilling to submit to the Holy Tower?¡± The withered wood humanoid spoke calmly. ¡°I have given you opportunities. Three chances, you have lost twice.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t wish to become like you, neither human nor ghost, barely maintaining self through destruction.¡± Quan He replied coldly. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Your talent is rare in the world, and your comprehension is extremely high, which is why I gave you three chances. Now, only one remains. But you must also understand that my patience is limited.¡± The withered wood humanoid coldly stated. Chapter 523: returns Three "I don¡¯t know what the Holy Tower is, I only know that the way you survive makes me feel disgusted!" Quan He still had a cold expression. "It¡¯s not survival, just going along with the tide, that¡¯s all." The withered wood figure said indifferently. "Then what is the tide?" Suddenly, a somewhat unfamiliar voice came from beside the two. The withered wood figure and Quan He both instantly focused their attention, seeing a large hole had somehow appeared in the inner wall of the circular cavity. A tall and burly figure slowly walked in. The figure was wearing a white Daoist robe, with long hair draped over his shoulders, fair skin, a black eye patch over the right eye, and a left eye that was purple like glass. "Yu Hong!!" Quan He exclaimed in surprise. "Why did you come back!? Leave quickly, this is not a situation you can handle!!" She knew Yu Hong¡¯s strength was significantly weaker than hers, while the guy who called himself the Withered Wood Commander was someone even she couldn¡¯t contend with. Even if Yu Hong rushed over, it would mean nothing more than an unnecessary sacrifice! "Quan He, you look really pathetic," Yu Hong¡¯s gaze flicked over Quan He¡¯s broken arm, then quickly landed on the withered wood figure. "And who is this?" "Du Yuan," the withered wood figure replied to Yu Hong¡¯s question in a low voice. "Holy Tower, Du Yuan." He turned slightly, facing Yu Hong. "Your potential is not..." Suddenly, he paused mid-sentence, seemingly interrupted by something, and didn¡¯t continue. Silence. The withered wood figure inexplicably fell silent. Yu Hong and Quan He waited for him to continue speaking, hoping to gather more background information. But for some reason, this guy suddenly just stopped. "On you... is it Qinghe Mountain?!" Unexpectedly, the withered wood figure Du Yuan recognized the Daoist robe symbol on Yu Hong. "Oh? You know it?" Yu Hong said in surprise. Unexpectedly, a Black Disaster monster could recognize the symbol of Qinghe Mountain. "An ancient force long since destroyed, a bit surprising," Du Yuan said coldly. "But it doesn¡¯t matter anymore." His right arm dropped, his palm growing numerous slender black tendrils, which quickly congealed into a sharp long spear. "This is your last chance, Quan He, your final choice of freedom." Sizzle! The spear tip exploded into a giant semi-transparent web, spreading across the entire cavity in an instant. "I choose no!" Without the slightest hesitation, Quan He pinched a spell with one hand, circles of golden runes forming a sphere, constantly exploding out from her, layer by layer breaking through the giant web of transparent threads. "Immortal aura..." Yu Hong on the side clearly felt the difference. Since cultivating the Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique, he had gained an increasingly clear understanding of various forms of power. In Qinghe Mountain, all forms of power were divided into different stages. Normal, Transcendent, Immortal, Transformative, Unity of Heaven and Man, Saintly position. A saintly position is where the Heavenly Venerate resides. They wield saintly-level power, their every move effortlessly reshaping the laws of heaven and earth and the universe, thus standing at the pinnacle of all, resisting the Source Disaster. And at this moment, according to the characteristics described in his cultivation technique, Yu Hong recognized that both Quan He and the withered wood man called Du Yuan were at the Immortal level, possessing Immortal-level energy like his own Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill. ¡¯Theoretically, there are extremely vast differences even within the Immortal level, as if different Immortals might complement or counteract each other, with strong or weak comparisons involving absorption, etc.¡¯ At this point, Yu Hong observed the power techniques released by both. Clearly, he noticed Quan He¡¯s golden spherical array required at least three times, if not more, energy to cancel out an equivalent volume of Du Yuan¡¯s translucent webs. This forced Quan He into a cycle of continuously unleashing massive energy bursts to maintain it. Meanwhile, Du Yuan stood effortlessly calm, with an expression of tranquility. ¡¯The gap is evident...Quan He is not his match....¡¯ Yu Hong instantly judged in his mind. Immediately, without hesitation, his hands suddenly glowed with blue-purple lightning. With a step. Boom! He leaped off the ground, instantly appearing by Du Yuan¡¯s side. One palm!! The lightning converged in his palm, transforming into a blinding small purple sun, fiercely aiming at Du Yuan. In that instant, the special trait of Thunder Speed activated, both the attack speed and explosion speed enhanced. The small purple sun in Yu Hong¡¯s hand grew even more intense, its power increasing by over seventy percent. With the full operation of the Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill and the Thunder Speed trait combined, the Heavenly Thunder Palm. Even without the endless force of the Tai Ling Skill, the Immortal-level Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill was equally powerful. A palm strike directly hit Du Yuan¡¯s left shoulder. Boom!! Blue-purple lightning scattered, transforming into electric serpents that slithered away. For a moment, the entire cave was lit up with blue-purple flashes. "Not a bad palm strike, but unfortunately...if it were a bit stronger, it might have hurt me." Du Yuan stood there unmoving. Despite taking Yu Hong¡¯s palm head-on, he felt nothing. "Power leakage, your strength doesn¡¯t even surpass Quan He." As he finished speaking, his right arm suddenly shot up, aiming to grab Yu Hong¡¯s right arm which was about to strike again. Bang. Their hands collided, sending a ring of gray light into the air. It was obvious, Yu Hong grunted, stepping back several paces, raising his hand to see his palm swollen and red, evidently slightly injured. "Seems I¡¯m still quite weak..." he sighed. In the next moment, his form flickered, capable of appearing in two different spots within a second, each time launching a lightning attack around Du Yuan. For a moment, Yu Hong¡¯s flickering figures filled the cave, exercising the instantaneous movement capability the Outer Eye enhancement provided, giving it full play. But even so, Du Yuan remained standing, casually blocking the incoming lightning palm imprints. Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!! The series of explosions continued non-stop. Quan He¡¯s Golden Light Formation, meanwhile, hadn¡¯t paused, building layer upon layer, gradually condensing into pure golden Immortal Cranes, flying around. "Get away!" Suddenly, Quan He spirit transmitted with a mental shout. Yu Hong reacted sharply, pulling back to create distance. Sizzle!!! In the next moment, a giant golden light pillar more than ten meters thick crashed past his side, hitting the standing withered wood Du Yuan directly. Boom!!! A ten-meter diameter charred hole was blasted in the central cavity. Yet Du Yuan. Remained suspended in mid-air, with no ground left beneath his feet to stand on, but at this moment, he was entirely indifferent, watching Yu Hong and Quan He. "What a pity....my patience is at its limit." He raised his spear. Swish!! Likewise using instantaneous movement, in the next moment, he appeared behind Yu Hong and Quan He, with the spear tip exploding, transforming into a vast densely meshed gray-black web, covering the two. His instantaneous movement far surpassed Yu Hong¡¯s, appearing to unleash a wide-range ability covering the entire cave the moment he arrived. "Gray Sound." Du Yuan sighed softly, swinging the spear faster, the giant web descending upon them. Within the giant web, Yu Hong and Quan He simultaneously unleashed their power, but were both unable to break through the pressing gray-black web. The gap in density and quality of their Immortal power was too great, requiring multiple efforts to counteract a single unit of Du Yuan¡¯s power. This gap resulted in consuming time and lacking force. "Go!" In an instant, Quan He¡¯s body shone with golden light, grabbing Yu Hong¡¯s shoulder with the intention to forcibly send him away. But at the cost of overexertion, her skin cracked, and a large amount of blood started to seep out. "I didn¡¯t come back just to escape!" Yu Hong instantly spirit transmitted, gazing at the descending gray-black web. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Seems the gap even between Immortals is this vast...." Crack. At that moment, his right eye patch fell off on its own, revealing an eerie pupil glowing with white light, with layers of purple array formations spinning and shining. The Eighth Layer of Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill! Fully activated. Buzz.... A dazzling halo centered on violet, surrounded by vibrant colors, condensed and appeared deep in the pupil. ¡¯Chaotic God!!¡¯ In the next instant. Yu Hong slightly raised his head. His right eye shot forth a magnificent violet light. Sizzle!!! The violet light, sharp like a blade, instantly split the gray-black web in two, slicing it from top to bottom. Then it rapidly approached the web¡¯s creator, Du Yuan. Du Yuan noticed the anomaly in time, raising his hand to catch the violet light. Pfft!! His hand continuously blocked the beam, yet for the first time, he was forcefully pushed backwards step by step. "On the verge of stepping into the next power stage...it¡¯s strong....but...how long can you maintain such power?" Du Yuan said calmly. "Longer than you expect!" Yu Hong gritted his teeth, fully urging his power, a massive amount of Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill¡¯s inner strength gushing from his right eye, transforming into a purple beam outpouring. This was an exaggerated attack at least several times stronger than the prior Immortal power, yet even with such an attack, it merely forced Du Yuan back a few steps, still unable to injure him. The violet beam lasted a full ten seconds before gradually fading. Hiss... Black smoke rose from Du Yuan¡¯s palm. "Not bad, your trump card is even stronger than Quan He¡¯s, but that is all," he said. "Next." He stepped forward towards the two, "It¡¯s time to pen the last stroke to end this world...." "Is that your final words?" Suddenly a cold female voice sounded behind him. "What!!!?" Du Yuan jolted, he hadn¡¯t noticed anyone behind him! How could it be!!?? He was an actual high-ranking officer of the Holy Tower, a commander-level powerhouse! How could he not notice someone getting this close!?? In a fraction of a second, his whole body tensed, raising his hand, the spear in his palm spun rapidly, backward. Pfft!!! Yet in the next second, all motion halted. An exaggerated spurt of black blood erupted from his chest. Du Yuan¡¯s eyes widened, his entire frame rigid, unable to move. "This....!!!?" He desperately attempted to look back. But his body¡¯s stiffness rendered him unable to shift even a finger. "Who is it....exactly!!?" "Seven Times¡¤Instant Hell." That female voice sounded again at this time. Yet Du Yuan could no longer listen. His body began to shatter like foam, turning into countless black dots, rapidly dissipating. Behind his dissolving form, Hei Ying¡¯s graceful figure emerged. She held a pitch-black long sword in one hand, her long ponytail flowing to the left, wearing a snow-white Daoist robe, with a cold face. Chapter 524: returns 4 "Junior Brother, is it on time?" "On time, on time!" Yu Hong quickly replied, breathing a sigh of relief. "Am I cool or what!" Hei Ying asked again. "Cool, very cool!" Yu Hong promptly replied once more. "That¡¯s good. I¡¯ve been thinking about this entrance for a long time!" Hei Ying nodded. "Senior Sister, can we hurry up? We¡¯re running out of time, there¡¯s only half a minute left!" Yu Hong couldn¡¯t help but urge, looking helpless. He had actually shattered Hei Ying¡¯s token ten seconds ago, but for some reason, she hadn¡¯t shown up. It turns out she was thinking about how to make a more stylish entrance!? "This can be easily done." Hei Ying nodded, turned around, facing the gaping hole, looking at the incoming swarms of Black Disasters like ocean waves. "Let me show you the pinnacle of the Immortal Realm." She clasped the sword in both hands, raising it high above her head. "Seven-Time Sword Technique." "Divine Separation!" Buzz! In the next instant, a raging and dazzling white Heavenly River emerged from beside her. The river surged into the sword, as if it was a deep chasm, capable of containing endless True Qi. Shing! Hei Ying swung her sword downward. The sword blade slashed down, transforming into a black sword scar, infinitely extending from the breach. The black sword scar rushed out of the breach, slicing through the battlefield outside, cutting all the Black Disaster Monsters in half, forming a fissure of unknown length. At this moment, on the planet¡¯s surface. A faint black sword scar suddenly appeared, carving a thin line on the gray-blue sphere¡¯s surface. The line rapidly extended, directly stretching across half of the planet¡¯s circumference. The earth was split apart, the ocean severed. Mountains cleaved in two, the immense tremor making everyone and every monster numb and unable to move. The battlefield seemed to have been paused for a moment. Yu Hong and Quan He gaped at the scene. Before they could even voice their shock, The sword scar had not disappeared but suddenly unleashed a terrifying suction force. Whoosh!! A raging wind swept through, with the enormous attraction pulling all the surrounding Black Disaster Monsters into the sword scar. The black sword scar, like a gigantic invisible abyss, only absorbed Black Disaster Monsters, doing no harm to people or anything else. Such terrifying control left Yu Hong in awe. "Remember to treat me to a meal when we get back!" Hei Ying only had time to leave this one sentence before her form faded, became transparent, and disappeared. The sword scar continued to absorb Black Disaster Monsters without end. Yu Hong and Quan He, clearly standing to the side, felt nothing apart from a stronger wind force. The battle was completely over. The two were still immersed in the recent shocking sight. Until there were no more sounds of fighting from outside, did they snap out of it. Quan He walked step by step to the corner, picked up her severed arm, pressed it to the wound, and activated a spell to reconnect it. After spending a few seconds to reconnect it properly, she walked to the black sword scar still floating in mid-air. She reached out to try and touch it. But the sword scar seemed illusory, completely untouchable. She could only touch empty air. "I¡¯ve learned a lot." She sighed deeply in silence. "So have I...." Yu Hong sighed in agreement. "Wasn¡¯t that senior brought by you?" Quan He looked at him. "Yes, but I didn¡¯t expect her to be this strong either..." Yu Hong smiled wryly. "I thought she was just a bit stronger than that Du Yuan...." He gestured with a small gap. "Alas.... you came back a bit late..." Quan He lowered her head, looking dejected. "Everyone is dead. Only Qing Huang, Yu Mo, and I are left, nine-tenths of the Spirit Alliance have perished...." "What about Chen Yaofeng?" "He died in the first wave. His strength was the weakest.... couldn¡¯t withstand the initial impact," Quan He replied. "What about Master Yu Hen and the others?" "The same...." Both fell into silence for a moment. Until hurried footsteps were heard from outside. They collected themselves and headed towards the breach. Half an hour later.... At the highest point of the fortress, a relatively intact warehouse was used as a meeting room. Yu Hong, Quan He, Yu Mo, and Qing Huang, all gathered here. "The people of the Taoist Sect are all gone, only a few of us are left. What¡¯s happened to this world?" Yu Mo, the elder, looked much older, with a sorrowful and despondent expression, hunched in a chair. "Alliance Hierarch..." Qing Huang still recognized Yu Hong as the Alliance Hierarch, standing by his side. "The disaster broke out two weeks ago, a giant meteor suddenly fell from the sky, then a Black Disaster force calling itself the Holy Tower rushed in with countless monsters. Ordinary people died nine-tenths in the first wave...." "Holy Tower....." Yu Hong squinted and remembered the name, recalling he¡¯d heard of it from Brother Hu as well. Holy Tower is rumored to be notoriously submissive. "What do you intend to do next?" He looked at Quan He, as she was evidently in charge. "You mentioned you¡¯ve joined a sect, and that senior who dealt with Du Yuan just now is from that sect?" Quan He asked again. "Yes," Yu Hong nodded. "With your talent, if you join Qinghe Mountain like me, you will surely soar to great heights in the future." "I am already seriously ill, completely bound to the Ultimate Sun..." Quan He smiled bitterly and shook her head. "Give it a try. Perhaps my sect truly has a way?" Yu Hong urged. "This place, that sword scar still exists, continuously absorbing Black Disaster Monsters. How long will this last?" Quan He asked. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Since Senior Sister Hei Ying said it¡¯s the pinnacle of immortality, then...." Yu Hong hesitated. "Then what?" Quan He pressed. She hated when people spoke hesitantly. "Then it means, as long as the sword scar doesn¡¯t encounter an immortal force of the same level, it will continue to exist here," Yu Hong answered. "That¡¯s good news. We¡¯ve noticed this sword scar... wait, that¡¯s a sword scar!!?" Qing Huang was about to explain, but suddenly realized something was off. "Yes. It was created with a single slash by a senior named Hei Ying," Quan He nodded. The others were dumbfounded, plunged into shock. Then she looked at Yu Hong. "Immortal Realm, so that¡¯s what it means?" She pondered Yu Hong¡¯s earlier suggestion. "I understand.... you¡¯ve encountered a far greater world than I¡¯ve known, staying put leads only to stagnation and awaiting destruction, nothing else matters. So.... I am willing to join you!" She had planned to enjoy her final years peacefully, but even this wish, the Source Disaster wouldn¡¯t grant her. The world in its current dilapidated state was largely due to her inadequate strength and inability to advance. "That¡¯s good." Yu Hong breathed a sigh of relief. He then quickly became happy again. Having witnessed Quan He¡¯s talent and insight, he wondered what realm she might achieve if she cultivated the Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique! "When shall we leave?" Yu Hong asked. "I wish to... pay my respects to the Spirit Alliance and Taoist Sect brothers before leaving...." Unlike Yu Hong, Quan He had stayed here all along, with daily interactions with the Spirit Alliance and Taoist Sect, and was extremely downhearted at the time. Although Yu Hong was the Alliance Hierarch, he didn¡¯t have much interaction with his subordinates. Besides feeling a bit rueful, he was otherwise not very emotional. He had witnessed too many similar destructions... After wrapping up things in the afternoon, Quan He left together with Yu Hong, while the others chose to stay behind. After a detailed understanding of the sect Yu Hong had joined, they believed the environment at Qinghe Mountain was equally dangerous. Except for Quan He, who might rely on her terrifying talent and insight to quickly receive treatment, the rest feared they would only be a burden. They chose to stay because they discovered that the terrifying sword scar was not only absorbing the approaching endless Black Disaster Monsters but also the infinite Red Value Radiation continuously emitted by the giant meteor. Absorption and emission, the meteor and the sword scar formed a delicate balance. This gave them hope of stabilizing once again. Yu Hong respected their choice. Originally, he intended to stay longer to help with the aftermath. But the continuously returning Spirit Light, intermittently, back into his body made him realize. It wasn¡¯t just here that had issues. Other places where he left Spirit Light had issues too. Taking the severely injured Quan He, the two rapidly departed the Hope City World in the Black Black Spirit safe house. Following the direction of the Spirit Light, they continued forward. Inside the safe house. Quan He carefully massaged and applied medicine to her severed arm, looking exhausted. She was unconcerned, exposing her upper body, wearing only simple undergarments, while conversing with Yu Hong, who was meditating and cultivating Qi not far away. "Qinghe Mountain, what kind of place is it? Will I really be able to adapt?" "There will definitely be no problem. With talents and insights not as great as yours, I was still considered potential for the Immortal Realm. I can¡¯t imagine what my master¡¯s expression would be in front of someone like you. Didn¡¯t you see that old guy Du Yuan from the Holy Tower also tried to subdue you?" Yu Hong noticed her concerns. "Okay, I trust you, just...." Quan He wanted to say something. Suddenly, a resonating sound slowly emerged inside the safe house. "You¡¯ve finally come out, Yu Hong." The scenery around the two suddenly changed, instantly shifting from the safe house to an endless deep starry sky. In the starry sky, an immensely large pitch-black dragon was coiled around a sepia planet surface. Its scarlet eyes quietly watching them. It was Agrius¡¯s true form!! "Lord Agrius!" Yu Hong greeted promptly. Having gone through this summoning before, he wasn¡¯t surprised this time. "Yu Hong, do you know you¡¯re in great danger now!" Agrius¡¯s first words caused a slight change in their expressions. "Danger? My Lord, what do you mean?" Yu Hong frowned. "Could it be related to the Holy Tower of the Black Disaster?" "The Holy Tower is merely a small vanguard under the Night Mother Tree, insignificant. The real danger I speak of is the mysterious faction you¡¯re in now¡­ Qinghe Mountain!" Agrius stated solemnly. "My Lord¡­. do you know anything about the new sect I¡¯ve joined?" Yu Hong¡¯s heart skipped a beat, he quickly asked. "Qinghe Mountain¡­. its highest-ranked entity was a terrifying individual named the Heavenly Venerate. But that was more than tens of billions of years ago¡­. Long ago, 8.4 billion years back, this immensely powerful faction was completely overwhelmed by the Source Disaster, leaving no trace, and vanished without a trace. It¡¯s only unexpected that you¡¯d encounter their remnants in some place deep within the Wind Disaster following the Phoenix Eye," Agrius said, causing both Yu Hong and Quan He to turn pale. Chapter 525: intercept One ¡°Even if it¡¯s already destroyed, why is there still a so-called danger?¡± Yu Hong reacted, suppressing the emotions in his heart, and quickly asked. ¡°Since you know it¡¯s been destroyed, then for all these years, what could possibly still exist, able to persist in the depths of the Source Disaster?¡± Agrius reminded. Indeed. They could only be monsters, corrupted together with the Source Disaster. Yu Hong and Quan He both thought of this point. ¡°Monsters, can they also save people and live daily lives like normal humans?¡± asked Yu Hong again. ¡°Perhaps they can, perhaps they can¡¯t. It all depends on their remaining will.¡± Agrius answered. Its enormous eyes swept over the two. ¡°I came out only hoping you can stay away from danger. You are my last investment, if you disappear too, my Savior Ship will lose all hope sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Sir, this isn¡¯t my problem.¡± Yu Hong felt a stir in his heart, sighed deeply, ¡°It¡¯s truly because my strength is too weak, so now I have to stay under the Qinghe Mountain Gate, painstakingly cultivating techniques to improve myself. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t dare to advance further into the Source Disaster.¡± .I understand now¡­.¡± Agrius instantly got it. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the contract on you, with the connection to the Light Disaster, I could have placed you in a place where time flows much faster, one day outside would be a year inside, and in just a few days you could quickly grow. But now, the only thing that can help you improve is a few rare resources.¡± He pondered for a moment, lifted his right claw, and flicked it lightly. Swoosh! A red stream of light shot out, directly floating in front of Yu Hong, hovering in place. ¡°The help I can give you is limited. This is a precious bead I once acquired in the depths of the Source Disaster, somewhat related to the residual Moon God Bloodline in you. At that time, Heaven fully submitted to the Spirit Disaster, and the Moon God led the resistance, hence was extinguished. This bead should have circulated out from that time.¡± Agrius explained. Yu Hong looked at the red glow in front of him, within the halo suspended a crystal-clear bead the size of a fist, containing a silvery white lunar mark, emitting a faint glow. Finally, Yu Hong felt he got some benefit from Agrius. He felt somewhat comfortable. This top executive of the Savior Ship is also stingy, being a powerhouse at the level of a Great Arcanist, only willing to give a little help when compelled by circumstances. This was only because he himself was about to kick the bucket, placing his hopes on the Savior Ship, that he was willing to make a small change. ¡°This bead is suspected to contain the broken divinity of the Moon God, be careful not to get discovered by Heaven when using it, or else they¡¯ll rush over to get you at all costs.¡± Agrius warned. ¡°Understood!¡± Yu Hong nodded. ¡°Alright then, be cautious!¡± Agrius left one last bit of advice, and his figure silently dispersed away. Yu Hong and Quan He blinked, instantly returning to their senses from the starscape. Breathe! Quan He exhaled a long breath. ¡°Such intense pressure, I couldn¡¯t even dare to speak!¡± Her eyes revealed a sense of shock, this was her first time seeing such a massive and terrifying top-class expert. Agrius¡¯s oppressive air, even more exaggerated than the sky-covering meteor she had seen before. No, they are not even on the same level at all. Incomparable. The meteor¡¯s pressure might as well be just a pinky finger of this being. ¡°That¡¯s my boss. I¡¯m working for it now.¡± Yu Hong briefly introduced the situation of the Savior Ship. Quan He stood there, dumbfounded. ¡°Then why doesn¡¯t it go look for the land of vitality itself??¡± ¡°Perhaps¡­it¡¯s afraid of dying?¡± Yu Hong speculated. ¡°This Quan He suddenly felt Agrius¡¯s oppressive aura wasn¡¯t that strong anymore. As Quan He was processing this information, the safe house continued to head towards the direction where the Spirit Light intermittently flowed. Meanwhile, Yu Hong started studying the newly acquired special bead. He took the bead into the Main Control Room, closed the door saying he was going to meditate and cultivate, telling Quan He to manage on her own if she needed anything. Then, holding the bead, he closed his eyes, allowing his consciousness to shallowly connect. ¡®Detected external trait: Ancient Moon Divinity. Absorb it?¡¯ At just a contact, the Black Mark¡¯s prompt automatically popped out. ¡°?? This thing is actually a trait? And it can be absorbed??¡± Yu Hong froze for a moment. He just happened to lack one trait to reach ten, enabling another fusion. This was like getting a pillow when feeling sleepy! Without much hesitation, he directly responded with a yes! Swoosh! The next second, the bead melted quickly like an ice cream, spreading and covering Yu Hong¡¯s chest, and soon seeped into his skin. ¡®Absorption complete, acquired trait: Ancient Moon Divinity.¡¯ ¡®Ancient Moon Divinity (weakens all ordinary damage to 10%, weakens transcendent damage to 20%, gains command over Moon God¡¯s subjects, receives Moonlight¡¯s Blessing.)¡¯ ¡®Moonlight¡¯s Blessing (enhances your physique by 300%)¡¯ ..Weakening damage and enhancing physique, indeed as straightforward as the Long Spearman.¡± Yu Hong felt the rapid, dramatic changes in his body. His mind was becoming clearer, a boundless energy surged within, free of fatigue, and the lingering dark injuries and sluggish areas on his body were rapidly dissolving and healing. Simultaneously, a semitransparent, tough membrane surfaced on his skin, significantly enhancing his physical defense. Muscle density was swiftly increasing, bones were regrowing and restructuring, becoming extremely hard. Body temperature quickly rose, breathing became heavier, hair gradually thickened. ¡°Feels good, physique enhancement. But, the key is fusion!¡± Yu Hong didn¡¯t care much about mere physical improvement, as no matter how powerful the physique, the Moon God was still taken down by Heaven and the Source Disaster. So, fusing and gaining greater strength was the real path. ¡®Trait fusion.¡¯ His consciousness entered the space in his mind again, arriving at the dark corner. He stared at the ten trait light spheres of varying sizes. Tao Breath Circulation, Spiritual Sharpness, Extreme Summoning, Heart Imprint, Elf Ancient Tree¡¯s Call, Steel Fist, Thunder Speed, Tiger Form, Night Breath, Ancient Moon Divinity. The other nine were pure white, except the Ancient Moon Divinity was slightly silver-hued, distinct from the rest. Yu Hong thought for a moment, first drawing Tao Breath Circulation and Thunder Speed together, pressing them firmly. Biu. The two spheres merged into one, becoming a ball with a brighter halo. A countdown appeared on its surface: 1 hour, 12 minutes. The time was short, so Yu Hong cultivated a bit while waiting. Soon, time was up, the new sphere flickered slightly, lighting up with a stronger, dazzling white glow, simultaneously transmitting trait information. ¡®Tao Breath Thunder Transfer: Any cultivation technique you practice can self-operate during idle time, achieving 80% of active cultivation effect.¡¯ ¡°Totally worth it! Eighty percent, there¡¯s barely any difference from full effect, plus it¡¯s automatic 24/7, covering all techniques practiced.¡± Yu Hong imagined the implications, feeling ecstatic. This means as long as he practiced enough techniques, as long as his body could handle and not conflict, he could simultaneously use Tao Breath Thunder Transfer to automatically cultivate multiple techniques. This speed far surpassed his active cultivation! ¡°Totally worth it!¡± He was excited internally. Although it lost the speed-up effect for other areas, just the enhancement in cultivation speed more than justified it. Seeing the traits back to nine, Yu Hong exited the consciousness space. Then, he immediately noticed the changes in his body. Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill, Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique, and the barely practiced Qingwei Heart Technique, all three techniques began to operate at a faster speed. Previously, they were also cultivating automatically, but at half the efficiency, far less fast and noticeable than the current eighty percent. Feeling the changes, Yu Hong¡¯s face revealed a satisfied smile. ¡®Now, whether I actively cultivate or not doesn¡¯t make much difference, I can totally free up time for other things.¡¯ Immediately, he began carefully studying the newly absorbed trait, Ancient Moon Divinity. Time slowly passed. Just as he was attempting to use the command over Moon God¡¯s subjects on the Long Spearman for a test. The Black Black Spirit¡¯s safe house suddenly quivered slightly. Bang. Outside the window entered another vast and boundless starry universe. A familiar silver Floating City reappeared once more in the circular window of the Main Control Room. ¡°The source of the Spirit Light, how can it be here!?¡± Yu Hong frowned, standing up. Ku Chan, Yiyi, White Dragon, Fisina, Chi Xiao, among those with Spirit Light, only Fisina and White Dragon. Yiyi¡¯s was discovered and removed after he found the Spirit Light¡¯s hidden danger. ¡®So, it means White Dragon and Fisina, had an issue? But also, there are only two of them, how did so much Spirit Light come back?¡¯ Yu Hong was perplexed by the constant flow of Spirit Light Threads. He kept the Black Black Spirit from getting too close to the Floating City, suspending in space, planning to contact Ku Chan first. As for Harvey, better not, he just looted a bunch of stuff from Teacher Harvey, now everything has been strengthened into the safe house, greatly enhancing its robustness and adding auto-repair capability. If they meet again, he¡¯s afraid¡­ Afraid he won¡¯t hold back his laughter. Opening the door, Yu Hong saw Quan He dressed in simple black body-fitting clothing, standing by the window, long hair draping down to her waist, arms crossed, creating a full curve, looking at the view outside. ¡°What¡¯s up? My clothes from before were torn, so I might as well modify them like this, to prevent snagging when flying.¡± Quan He raised her hand, expressing her satisfaction. ¡°By the way, where is this place?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a front-line resistance force against the Source Disaster, called Absolute Balance Floating City.¡± Yu Hong replied. ¡°Weren¡¯t we heading to Qinghe Mountain?¡± Quan He asked, puzzled. ¡°Coming here first. I have something to handle.¡± Yu Hong explained. ¡°Alright, I happen to need time to recuperate.¡± Quan He nodded. Then she watched Yu Hong close his eyes, seemingly trying to contact the outside world using some method. * * * Inside the Floating City ¡¤ Aus Academy. While focused on experimenting with elemental traits, Ku Chan suddenly trembled, accidentally dropping an extra drop of fire element energy liquid into the test tube. Whoosh! Immediately, a red flame erupted from the blue liquid in the container. ¡°Sigh¡­. failed again.¡± He sighed, put away the test tube, covered it, and then closed his eyes to perceive who was contacting him. The other party was using a Heavenly Master World special spell to contact him, rather than through the Conduction Book, which was the reason he hadn¡¯t ignored the contact. Soon, after a few seconds, Ku Chan¡¯s expression subtly changed, quickly showing joy. Immediately, he put down everything, turned around and ran out of the lab, returned to his dorm, changed clothes, then boarded the magical ship his teacher loaned, and in the blink of an eye sailed out of the academy¡¯s Light Window. Following the Floating City¡¯s designated track, he sped up, soon reaching the exit gate. ¡°Ku Chan, where are you going?¡± Teacher Liu Chixuan¡¯s voice suddenly echoed inside the ship. Chapter 526: Intercept Two This is Liu Chixuan¡¯s ship. If it goes out to the Floating City, it naturally notifies him. "It¡¯s my big brother returning." Ku Chan stated honestly. "Your big brother? That Captain of the Savior Ship?" Liu Chixuan was taken aback. He had heard that Yu Hong went to the Phoenix Eye, a deeper and extremely dangerous zone of the Source Disaster Wind Disaster, which was already nearing the core area. How long has it been, and he already came back?? So quickly?? "Alright, be safe. Lately, Margaret seems to be acting strange, causing trouble for you all over. With me here, she doesn¡¯t dare to make a move in the Floating City, but it¡¯s different if you go out." Liu Chixuan cautioned. "I understand. I haven¡¯t done anything, and it¡¯s impossible for others to pin Margaret¡¯s missing goods on us." "She hired a Prophetic Department master, spent a lot, and must have found some clues. It¡¯s unrelated to you, but whether it¡¯s related to your former group is hard to say." Liu Chixuan spoke calmly. "I understand." Ku Chan nodded. "Please don¡¯t worry, teacher. I¡¯ll go and return quickly." "Good!" The communication cut off. The spaceship slowly passed through the inspection gate, traversing layers of silver light circles, and then accelerated. Whoosh. The next second, the entire spaceship disappeared like a silver fish, and when it reappeared, it was hundreds of thousands of kilometers away. It passed through vast space regions, and soon the spaceship began to slow down, stopping about ten light-seconds away from the Floating City. In the distance, a burning star quietly emitted brilliant golden radiance. The silver spaceship stopped, with its surface flowing like a silver mirror liquid. Ku Chan was waiting, the location of the magic connection was right here. Soon, within half a minute. A black meteorite, similar to a three-story building, quietly emerged at the edge of the spaceship. The surface of the meteorite, black with specks of silver, appeared like a kind of metallic ore. Hiss. A rectangular door emerged on the meteorite¡¯s surface. A viewing window appeared on the door. "Ku Chan!" Yu Hong¡¯s face appeared behind the window. Upon seeing this, Ku Chan immediately sighed in relief. "Brother Yu!" He quickly sent a message. "It¡¯s good that you¡¯re alright!" "I¡¯m alright, but what¡¯s going on over there??" Yu Hong could still feel a trickle of Spirit Light constantly flowing into his body. Though not much, it was continuous. "Uh... if you¡¯re talking about others, Yiyi is fine, currently attending classes honestly at the academy. She¡¯s using my slot to attend some professional courses, simple and practical ones. As for others..." Ku Chan stopped mid-sentence. "What happened to the others?" Hearing Yiyi was safe, Yu Hong was largely relieved and his tone relaxed a bit. "Chi Xiao is wandering around outside all day, which isn¡¯t a big problem. The main issue is with Little Goddess Fisina and Little White Dragon Gabriela..." Ku Chan replied. "What have they done??" Yu Hong asked. "They couldn¡¯t accept failing the assessment, which I only discovered a few days ago. Fisina secretly established a Desire Club by distributing the Spirit Light Seed you gave her to many people..." Ku Chan lowered his voice. "... Could it be..." "Yes... just as you think, she gathered many goddesses and non-human races similar to her to provide erotic services...." Ku Chan said with an awkward tone. "... But even so, I shouldn¡¯t be receiving Spirit Light returns from here." Yu Hong said puzzled. "Ah... that might be because, just the other day, their club was raided by internal security forces of the Floating City, and many goddesses and non-human races were killed in the resistance." "They dared to resist?" Quan He exclaimed from the side. "True Monarch Quan He, you¡¯re here too!" Ku Chan was a bit taken aback. "Mhm, continue, continue." Quan He seemed quite interested, listening intently. "According to Floating City law, illegally obtained goods reaching a certain amount is a major crime, and Fisina and her group also avoided taxes... Regarding the resistance, if they didn¡¯t resist, they¡¯d still end up as experimental materials when caught, so resisting or not makes sense." Ku Chan explained. "But I can still sense Spirit Light feeding back to me. Does that mean they¡¯re still resisting? Are they that strong?" Yu Hong asked with doubt. "Ah... the arrest ended the day before yesterday. Now, they might be forcing goddesses and non-human races to have abortions. Most of them didn¡¯t use contraceptive measures, and now they¡¯re all pregnant." Ku Chan guessed. "....." "...." Yu Hong and Quan He remained speechless. After a moment of silence, Yu Hong asked again. "What about Little White Dragon Gabriela?" "She was sent by Fisina to learn modeling, and just as she was about to complete it, the incident occurred. Luckily, she¡¯s still at her residence, and I asked a teacher to protect her." Ku Chan sighed. "Forget it, since everything¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll leave. Originally, I thought I had come back urgently for a crisis, but it turns out...." Yu Hong felt it was the wisest decision he made not to bring Fisina earlier. That one was indeed a troublemaker, causing such chaos even in the Floating City. "Since you¡¯re back, won¡¯t you rest a bit longer?" Ku Chan felt reluctant. Although he had new friends, mentors, and classmates over here, Yu Hong was the big brother who had guided him through thick and thin, and the bond was different. "No. Time waits for no one." Yu Hong was now in a hurry to return and continue cultivating, refining his traits, and accelerating his practice of the Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique. After chatting with Ku Chan for a while longer, the spaceship and the safehouse slowly parted ways, each returning to the direction they had come from. A mass of colorful threads loomed around Black Black Spirit, beginning its entry into the Wind Disaster. But in the next moment, an invisible pressure crashed onto the surface of Black Black Spirit. Boom!! The entire safehouse shook violently, and was held in place. "Captain Yu Hong, hold on a moment!" Suddenly, a cold, stern female voice penetrated the walls of the safehouse, reaching Yu Hong and Quan He¡¯s ears. Accompanied by the voice, an ice-blue spaceship appeared, over ten times larger than Black Black Spirit. The spaceship bore down on Black Black Spirit from above like a magnet, releasing an invisible force, firmly anchoring the safehouse. Margaret and two other Water Element women appeared within the spaceship, looking at Black Black Spirit through its semi-transparent windows. "Patrol Chief Margaret, what do you mean by this?" Yu Hong frowned, "I¡¯ve never offended you, have I?" This question was probing, probing whether she was here because of the missing goods. "Correct, you haven¡¯t." Margaret, dressed in a silver-gray mage robe and holding a golden magic wand, had eyes gleaming with glaring blue light. "I merely heard that you successfully entered the Phoenix Eye, and returned from there." She sneered twice. "Last time you went in, you didn¡¯t succeed, and the ship was mostly damaged. Why this time, after going in and out, the ship is unharmed??" "Such significant strengthening must be costly, right?" She indeed had not found out where the materials went, but the clues provided by the Prophetic Department master led her to suspect Yu Hong and his group. Especially, what place could block predictions from a Prophetic Department master? Aside from the depths of the Source Disaster, it would either be other Floating City bigwigs. She spent a fortune investigating traces of possible major players, but found nothing. So, in matching the timing, the biggest suspicion naturally landed on the Savior Ship. "Patrol Chief, what are you suspecting?" Yu Hong maintained a composed voice, showing no change in expression. "Explain where you got the materials to enhance the ship." Margaret said coldly. "Couldn¡¯t I have earned it from the Phoenix Eye?" Yu Hong smirked. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "It seems you won¡¯t give up until the last minute...." A flash of menace crossed Margaret¡¯s eyes. In pursuit of this matter, she already spent vast amounts of funds, energy, and time. Even though she had no evidence now, the sudden enhancement of the Savior Ship was highly suspicious! Therefore.... she intended to detain the ship for investigation. If he was guilty, she¡¯d eliminate him and the ship. If not, she¡¯d find out how he enhanced the ship quickly and to such an extent. It must have required a large amount of rare materials, and finding their source could make up for her earlier losses! Therefore, whether Yu Hong was guilty or not, she didn¡¯t intend to let him escape. Inside Black Black Spirit, Yu Hong also sensed this. "It seems the Patrol Chief doesn¡¯t care about the truth, only what capturing me will get you." "Since you understand, stop wasting words. Tell me, where did the materials come from?" Margaret stopped pretending and said bluntly. Inside the safehouse, Yu Hong remained calmly composed. "No matter where they came from, it seems you are overly confident in yourself, Patrol Chief." "Enough, apprehend him." Margaret stopped speaking further, and tapped her magic wand. A blue light started glowing at the tip of her wand. The next moment. The blue light burst into a bubble and exploded. Screech!! In that moment, with the two spaceships at the center, everything within a radius of thousands of kilometers in the surrounding space turned into an ice-blue expanse, in the blink of an eye. "Absolute Freeze." At this moment, the Intelligent Spirit beside Margaret finally uttered the name of the spell chant. Everything within the ice-blue zone stopped moving completely, entering a state of absolute stillness. "Philis, go break down the door and bring him out." Margaret ordered. Beside her, a Water Element mage slightly bowed, then with a flicker, appeared in the space outside the spaceship. He raised a white magic wand with one hand, aimed at Black Black Spirit, and chanted a spell. "Spell Technique Construction Initiating." The white speck-like Intelligent Spirit hovered beside his face, announcing. "Array Foundation Construction Completed, Spell Technique Transmission Completed, Level Four Magic Cutting Blade, about to launch." HISS. A silver blade shot out from the tip of his magic wand straight for the door of Black Black Spirit. Clang clang clang clang clang!!! Though it was just a blade, at the moment of collision, it erupted into five consecutive rippling silver shock waves. After the ripples dissipated. With confidence, Philis moved forward, ready to enter through the door. But.... The door of Black Black Spirit only had a shallow white mark on the surface. Beyond that, there was no other trace. "It¡¯s pretty tough, but no matter, as long as I can leave a mark, I can use cumulative spells to cut through quickly. Please wait a moment, Patrol Chief." Maintaining his composure, Philis said, though his facial muscles twitched slightly. But as soon as his words fell, he saw the white mark on the door rapidly disappear, as if vaporizing.... "....." The calmness on Philis¡¯s face was starting to falter. Chapter 527: entry level 1 "This ship indeed used extremely precious materials to be so sturdy," Philis said in a deep voice. "Looks like I need to get serious." He held his magic wand, and the white Intelligent Spirit beside him sounded the alert once again. ¡¯Level Five Spell Space Blade begins constructing.¡¯ ¡¯Spell Base established.¡¯ ¡¯Mana filled, activation initiated.¡¯ ¡¯High focus mode on.¡¯ A mass of purple-black light emerged beside him, quickly transforming into a slender purple blade. Swish! In the next instant, the blade fiercely pierced the Black Black Spirit¡¯s door, going in an inch deep. Then... it fell silent. Philis¡¯s face turned red as he exerted all his efforts to channel mana, but it was futile. The purple blade trembled violently but couldn¡¯t penetrate any further. "You¡¯ve been a bit lax lately, Philis," Margaret from behind was already out of patience. She reached out her hand, and a wave of ice-blue light instantly cascaded down, enveloping the entire safe house along with Philis. Countless ice crystals appeared out of nowhere, surrounding the Black Black Spirit layer by layer. Margaret¡¯s face was icy as she raised her magic wand with one hand and pointed it at the Black Black Spirit. This was the Sixth Level Spell Ice Crystal Hell, originally stored in her wand for instant use in case of an attack. But now, in her extreme anger, she couldn¡¯t care less and directly acted. Countless blue ice crystals began swirling around the safe house, releasing cold air and freezing it. But inside the house, Yu Hong and Quan He didn¡¯t feel any movement. "Explode!" Margaret suddenly said in a low voice. All the ice crystals around the safe house simultaneously exploded with a roar like explosives. Blinding blue light accompanied by intense cold slammed into the Black Black Spirit¡¯s shell. Crack. Clear cracks appeared on the surface of the main door. But in the next instant, the entire safe house slowly faded, disappeared, transparent. The massive Black Spirit ship disappeared right under the noses of Margaret and her two companions. "Trying to escape!?" Margaret frowned and tapped her wand, and a ripple of invisible waves spread out from her center in all directions. But bizarrely, there was no discovery. Her reconnaissance spell revealed not a single trace. "Dimensional shift, or space-time traversal?" Margaret¡¯s expression slightly changed. She quickly tapped her wand again. Two extremely intricate and complex silver metal spheres appeared at the wand¡¯s tip. Bang! One of the metal spheres silently exploded. The next moment, the invisible state of the Black Black Spirit ship was forcibly shaken, revealing itself from concealment. Swish!! In the next instant, a broad pillar of light surrounded by purple hues burst out from the viewport on Black Black Spirit¡¯s door. This pillar of light slammed into the air in front of Margaret, blocked securely by an invisible barrier. "Useless struggle," Margaret didn¡¯t even pay attention to the beam, waving her hand with disdain. Countless ice-blue crystals began to encircle the safe house layer by layer. "Such sturdy materials, once brought back, all of it is mine," Margaret¡¯s previous explosion had failed, proving the safe house¡¯s remarkable durability far beyond her expectations. Right now, she only lacked the proper tools here, but once brought back to her Light Window, she was confident she could find a way to dissolve it. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With a thought, a layer of temporary teleportation runes began to appear below her. These runes were silver, expanding rapidly until they enveloped the entire safe house, then stopped. Clearly, she intended to teleport the whole thing back, people and all. Inside the safe house. Yu Hong covered his right eye, just after releasing the Chaotic God. "I am indeed still too weak. The most powerful attack skill, for the opponent, was effortlessly blocked." He was somewhat disappointed;on this trip, he had taken action twice, and both times were easily dealt with by the opponent. "This person¡¯s strength is considerable," Quan He stood aside, analyzing, "The power she releases remains around us constantly. Did you see that?" "This is a very high-level form of Immortal. Similar to what your senior sister used before," Quan He explained, "My sensing spiritual power tells me that this person¡¯s energy level is likely beyond Immortal." Yu Hong looked at the teleportation array patterns continuously appearing beneath the safe house. He couldn¡¯t help but squeeze the token belonging to his senior brother to summon assistance. He didn¡¯t want to use it so soon unless necessary. But unfortunately, the enemy¡¯s power level was vastly superior to his. "I find it strange that Margaret, each time she releases, actually uses limited strength, and not strong. But once released, the impact is enormous. Maybe this is the power level of one stage below Immortal," Quan He frowned. "What do we do next?" She looked at Yu Hong, seeing him still unusually calm, which reassured her troubled heart. "What else can we do, call for reinforcements." Yu Hong retrieved the token. But just at this moment, outside, Margaret¡¯s movements suddenly paused;the teleportation array patterns were completed but not activated. "I¡¯ll ask one last time." Her eyes burned with blue flames. "Where are my goods?" "I really don¡¯t know!" Yu Hong quickly replied, "My ship was repaired and fortified in the Phoenix Eye¡¯s place, completely unrelated to your lost items!" "Then let¡¯s change the question, where did you acquire the reinforcement materials?" Margaret asked again. This was her real question. From the effects of the recent attack, she felt her goods might not have been enough to fortify the ship to this extent, which was a bit naive. So, it¡¯s very likely, Yu Hong indeed found a source with a large amount of rare and high-strength ore. "Just beyond the Phoenix Eye, would the Patrol Chief like to take a look?" Yu Hong¡¯s voice came from within the safe house. "Junior Brother, don¡¯t be like this. If you¡¯ve done it, admit it. Lying and quibbling are of no benefit to yourself, and instead, harmful." Another unfamiliar voice also spoke from the safe house. "Senior Brother... No, whose side are you on?" Yu Hong appeared slightly stunned, turning to look to one side. There, in the air, a familiar figure quickly coalesced. In white clothes, with a sword on his back, half his face was a silver mechanical structure. It was none other than Qinghe Mountain¡¯s Bai Sheng. "Naturally, I¡¯m on your side," Bai Sheng smiled. "But the side paths are not to be followed. One must be sincere within themselves and avoid lies and heated disputes with the world. Only then can one remain calm." "As they say, with no distractions in mind and a clear conscience, as long as you walk the right path, the sword you wield will always advance, quickest, strongest!" As he spoke, he walked to the door, turned the lock with ease before Yu Hong and Quan He¡¯s astonished gazes and calmly stepped outside. This move not only stunned Yu Hong and Quan He but also the trio opposite them, including Margaret. Margaret was just troubled that opening the safe house would take a lot of time, considering its high strength. Unexpectedly, someone actually opened the door from the inside!? She couldn¡¯t help but curve the corners of her mouth. "Fool!" In an instant, numerous blue runes lit up around her. ¡¯Sixth Level Cold Ice Illusion constructed.¡¯ ¡¯Sixth Level Heart of Water Source constructed.¡¯ ¡¯Sixth Level Frost Hand constructed.¡¯ Dense array patterns and energy characters swirled around her, forming a massive, elaborate 3D composite magic array. Margaret raised her magic wand, with a magnificent mirror-like ice-blue lake appearing behind her. ¡¯Comprehensive Eternal Freeze Array ¡ª Starry Lake, constructed.¡¯ From Bai Sheng opening the door to Margaret constructing the array, no more than a second passed. It seemed cumbersome, yet the speed was extremely fast. "Seems you¡¯re prepared," Bai Sheng looked forward, revealing a slight smile. In front of him, the enormous ice-blue Starry Lake, several kilometers in size, was controlled by Margaret, pressing down fiercely towards them. Beyond the great lake, countless layered water element arrays interlocked, building an extremely grand super-giant magic array. "Next, I¡¯ll attack your left side," Bai Sheng said earnestly. "Just a..." Margaret¡¯s face twisted, she raised her magic wand, about to mock, But a rapidly expanding shadow made her face drastically change, and swallowed the rest of her words. Hiss... That shadow was Bai Sheng gently unsheathing his sword. The sword disappeared, faded, transparent. In the next moment, the sky darkened. Above Bai Sheng, a gigantic silver blade longer and wider than two ships combined appeared, blocking the entire starry sky overhead, silent in its reveal. The blade, like a floating continent, entirely obscured the nearby star, casting a huge shadow down, covering Margaret¡¯s Starry Lake as well as the safe house where Yu Hong and Quan He were. "I said, next, I will attack your left side." Bai Sheng repeated. Margaret¡¯s face was stunned, what difference did attacking left or right make with a sword like this!? Touching it would obliterate everything, right!? "Run!!!" Philis shouted, regaining his senses from the shock, immediately activating emergency teleportation. Swish, swish, two white lights flashed, and they disappeared from their original spots. Margaret also tried to teleport, but she was held in place by a terrifying gravitational force, unable to move. The next second. Boom!!! The world turned pitch black. Bai Sheng¡¯s sword descended. No, it pressed down. The Starry Lake composite magic array first collapsed instantly, exploding like a water balloon, releasing a massive amount of blue lake water. Then came Margaret¡¯s smaller ship. The entire ice-blue ship was like a paper box, crushed by the giant sword, disappearing from the spot. Not only the ship, but Margaret also vanished at that instant, gone in the wake of the sword¡¯s impact, fate unknown. "...Your senior brother... has quite a character..." Inside the safe house, Quan He looked at the exaggerated scene outside, uttering a few dry laughs. A continent-sized sword crashing down... The scene was like clearing everything off a table at once;the ship, Margaret, everything gone. The view in front returned to an open space. "..." Yu Hong didn¡¯t know how to reply;he could only say, no wonder his senior brother advocated walking the right path. With such an impressive and strong ¡¯right path¡¯, who would dare traverse the crooked ways? "Junior Brother, your opponent actually had power, but just poor execution and bad luck meeting me," Bai Sheng now had his sword turned into a slender form, sheathing it back. "Senior Brother..." Yu Hong looked at the sword on his back, suppressing the shock in his heart. "When I reach Nascent Soul, will I be as strong as you?" Chapter 528: Entry Level 526 Level 2 "This... First, you need to work hard. Second, I also benefited from the magic treasure." Bai Sheng said modestly. "Actually, my true cultivation level is about the same as that young girl just now, at most a little stronger. The difference doesn¡¯t look that big. But in our line of cultivators, to truly exert combat power, it still depends on various weapons, equipment, tools, and magic treasures." ¡¯Alright, this place is not safe to stay for long, better leave quickly. My sword just now might have caused quite a stir among strong individuals, so be sure to hide yourself.¡¯ Bai Sheng advised, and at the last moment, his body slowly faded in space and disappeared. Yu Hong watched this scene unfold before him, looking downwards, straining his eyesight, only then seeing some broken icy blue fragments in the vast space thousands of kilometers away. That seemed to be the wreckage of Margaret¡¯s spaceship. "Time to go." He sighed. "The Patrol Chief might be gone." "She should have been prepared for this when she intercepted us." Quan He was indifferent. Instead, she was very interested in Senior Brother Bai Sheng¡¯s performance. "Speaking of which, I¡¯m becoming increasingly interested in the Qinghe Mountain you mentioned." She keeps recalling that one sword of Bai Sheng. Thinking that even if her strength were doubled, she probably couldn¡¯t withstand that overwhelming sword. Yu Hong shook his head silently. Back at Wanxue Palace, the senior brothers and sisters seemed fine, but once they came out, they exhibited something unusual. As expected, truly cultivated by top forces, they are quintessentially different from ordinary organizational forces. With this thought, his hands didn¡¯t stop, manipulating the Black Black Spirit to escape into the colorful Wind Disaster again, quickly disappearing without a trace. Margaret, being the dignified Patrol Chief of Floating City, got hit by such a sword, so either she died or became crippled. If you don¡¯t hurry up and flee, are you waiting for the Great Arcanists that might be attracted by her? Yu Hong didn¡¯t think a Level Six Patrol Chief wouldn¡¯t have some backing. Ku Chan Yiyi has her teacher Liu Chixuan to look after her, so there shouldn¡¯t be much problem. Instead, he strikes deeper into the Source Disaster area, easily caught slipping. Sitting cross-legged in the safe house, Yu Hong brought out the Water Instrument Ball under Quan He¡¯s curious gaze. "This is the secret tool my master gave me before leaving. With it, we don¡¯t have to worry about the direction and path and can return to Wanxue Palace without mistake." With that, he injected his internal Qi Cultivation True Qi into it. Ding. The Water Instrument Ball received the True Qi, and the entire sphere began to glow white. Hiss! In the next instant, the white light completely covered Yu Hong and Quan He¡¯s vision. The light lasted a few breaths, then gradually dimmed and extinguished. As the light faded. The two suddenly found that a round white portal had inexplicably appeared in the wind disaster void ahead of the Black Black Spirit. The door frame was made of White Stone, carved with snowflake patterns similar to those of Wanxue Palace. As soon as this door appeared, it quickly expanded, growing just large enough for the Black Black Spirit to enter. * * * An hour later, Wanxue Palace. Yu Xuezi stood with his hands behind his back, looking at Yu Hong not far away, along with Quan He following behind him. "Actually, it¡¯s good that people return safely, no need to bring gifts for everyone." Yu Xuezi said, "The one standing behind you is your fellow you want to introduce to our Wanxue Palace line?" "Yes." Yu Hong nodded. "Sister Quan He¡¯s aptitude is stronger than mine, her comprehension surpassing by far. If she can cultivate, she will definitely be far stronger than me!" This was what he truly believed. "Aptitude is not like yours." Yu Xuezi¡¯s words made him pause slightly. "Her physical aptitude is far inferior to yours, and she is entangled with the Light Disaster. So next, let¡¯s test her comprehension." Yu Xuezi didn¡¯t mind, casually pointed out, and immediately a cabinet by the wall in the palace automatically opened. A light yellow paper flew out from it. At first glance, it was filled with various exam questions. "Finish this test paper, then we¡¯ll see how her comprehension really is." Yu Xuezi said lightly. "Then should I¡­" Yu Hong hesitated. "Do I need to avoid it?" "Just go out." Yu Xuezi nodded. Yu Hong looked at Quan He, who gestured reassuringly, blinking at him. Only then did he feel at ease, exhaled a breath, bid Yu Xuezi farewell, and left Wanxue Palace. Waiting outside the palace gate, after a while, high-pitched whistling came from the distant sky. Two white sword lights shot down, transforming into Bai Sheng and Hei Ying. "Junior Brother, how is it? After I left, was there any trouble?" Bai Sheng asked urgently. "Nothing, rest assured, Senior Brother." Yu Hong felt a bit warmed, noticing it was genuine concern. "You¡¯ve only been out for so little time, and you¡¯ve already used up the two opportunities we gave you. Is it really that dangerous outside now?" Bai Sheng asked puzzledly. "You have been active in the surrounding areas, surely you don¡¯t know anything." Hei Ying quipped from the side, wordless. "Actually, it¡¯s not that bad. Mostly, I went out because I ran into trouble." Yu Hong explained helplessly. "And now, what is¡­" Bai Sheng looked at Yu Hong puzzled, not understanding why he was standing outside the palace gate. Yu Hong quickly explained a few words. "Another genius!?" Their expressions momentarily froze. "Junior Brother¡¯s aptitude is already astonishing enough. Forgive me for being blunt, but I can¡¯t even imagine what it would be like to be more talented than you." Bai Sheng sighed. Just as the three were talking, a faint door-opening sound unexpectedly came from within Wanxue Palace. Quan He came out through the main palace door with a calm expression, looked around, and saw Yu Hong there before slowly approaching. "Quan He, you..." Yu Hong couldn¡¯t help but ask. "Alas.... no matter how I pleaded, Master wouldn¡¯t agree to letting me become your Senior Sister..... At my age of over a hundred, I still have to coquettishly call you Senior Brother... This..." Quan He looked at Yu Hong with a complex expression, visibly helpless. "...Then... Sister Quan He?" Yu Hong blinked, showing a smile. "Just call me Quan He." Quan He was resigned. "Hahahaha!!" Bai Sheng burst into a hearty laugh on the side. "Truly, it¡¯s a great joy for our line! In less than a year, we joyfully welcomed two fellow disciples! It seems our Wanxue Palace line is truly turning for the better!" "What did Master say?" Yu Hong remained a bit curious, curious about what reaction Quan He¡¯s aptitude triggered in Yu Xuezi. "Nothing much;just checked my answers, corrected my mistakes, and let me out." Quan He shook her head. "To be honest, this place truly lives up to being an Immortal Sect;those questions were so hard¡­." At this moment, deep within Wanxue Palace. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yu Xuezi, holding the test paper completed by Quan He, quietly walked into a hidden side hall. This side hall was densely arranged with numerous gray-white jade tablets, whose engravings indicated they were all elders from the same lineage of Wanxue Palace. The Qinghe Mountain is vast, and the line of Wanxue Palace was just a branch, although slightly declining now. But they too once had glorious days. Yu Xuezi quietly walked up to a set of plaques. Puff. He lightly knelt to the ground, on a prayer mat, bowed, lowered his head, kowtowed. "Master, Grandmaster, Ancestors¡­ did you see!?" With a swish, he raised the test paper in his hand. "I picked the wrong test paper!! This is an aptitude test for Nascent Soul to Divinity Transformation stage!!" "By the time I thought to exchange it back, she had already completed it!!?" Yu Xuezi lifted his head, tears silently streaming from the corners of his eyes. "Not only did she complete it, but the accuracy was actually eighty percent!! What¡¯s this level of..." His face streamed with tears, his hand holding the paper trembling. "I was only able to solve three questions in Nascent Soul, just a tenth....! And she hasn¡¯t even begun Qi Cultivation!" "With this level of comprehension, this level of talent, how could it have come to our Wanxue Palace before? Those were always first snatched by other main branches as Immortal Seeds!" Yu Xuezi prostrated again, body trembling continuously. "I thought Yu Hu¡¯s aptitude was the limit;unexpectedly, Quan He is far more exaggerated! Where is the justice! Where is the justice!!" He cried with agitation, both moved by gaining such an Immortal Seed and happy that he and others were about to break free from hardship, returning to the main branch. * * * Time passed swiftly for three days. During these three days, Quan He fully demonstrated what it means to be a genius. The Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique, for her, took only ten minutes to go from introduction to the first layer. From Qi Refining first layer to Qi Refining Fifth Layer, it took only three days. The speed left Yu Hong dumbfounded. Though he himself wasn¡¯t far off, he had various traits speeding him through. While Quan He, was just herself. Moreover, since Quan He arrived, almost all of Yu Xuezi and the other two¡¯s attention was focused on her. While Yu Hong himself was a little overlooked. Taking advantage of this, Yu Hong continued to focus on pursuing his path of traits. In the Book Collection Pavilion. He once again took out a new manual from the Mortal Martial bookshelf. "Senior¡­ Brother." Quan He, who was also looking for books, noticing Yu Hong picking a Mortal Martial manual, blinked and awkwardly called out. "What¡­ are you doing with that?" "Nothing, just a personal hobby." Yu Hong did not explain. Luckily, Quan He was just using this as an excuse to make a conversation and continued. "Did Senior Brother come here because you noticed something odd around at night?" "Do you still remember what Agrius said?" Yu Hong asked. "Of course." "If you find anything unusual, inform me immediately." Yu Hong nodded. "There¡¯s one thing." Quan He nodded immediately. "At night, I can¡¯t find a suitable place to sleep¡­ these days I¡¯ve been sleeping within Wanxue Palace, but at night, I always feel like I¡¯m the only one there. The Master¡­ is not in any room." Quan He frowned, visibly noticing something was off after being here for only a few days. "And every night when I¡¯ve truly settled down to rest, I always feel someone is watching from some unknown place." Quan He took a light breath. Looking around, she extended her left hand to Yu Hong, rolling up her Daoist robe sleeve to reveal her fair forearm. There was a distinct black and red handprint on the forearm. "I discovered this last night." Quan He sighed. "... Have you set up an array?" Yu Hong paused before asking. "I did, but it was useless. I set it up before settling down, only to find it completely vanished after, when I was settled." Quan He explained. "So what are you planning to do?" Yu Hong asked. "Can I stay with you?" Quan He said seriously, "Now I suspect the safest place is your safe house." Chapter 529: Entry Three "Umm..." Yu Hong actually didn¡¯t mind, as there were plenty of rooms in the safe house, so having one more person staying didn¡¯t matter. However, Quan He¡¯s expression and tone at the moment gave him a strange feeling. "No problem, there are many rooms here. Just come back to rest at night, but...." He intended to speak about some unusual things he had seen in advance. But outside the Book Collection Pavilion¡¯s door, Hei Ying¡¯s figure suddenly appeared and approached. "What are you hiding here for?" Hei Ying naturally entered the door and began looking for the book she wanted to read. "Speaking of which, don¡¯t mess around here;many of the books here are old seniors, having a certain consciousness, and it¡¯s not good to be seen." "Books have consciousness?!" Quan He exclaimed in surprise. "Naturally, high-level books carry a lot of the author¡¯s Spirit, and a bit of Spirit from some strong individuals is equivalent to all that of a mortal, so it¡¯s not exaggerated that the books develop self-awareness," Hei Ying explained. "However, the consciousness of a book is different from a human¡¯s;due to structural issues, they usually don¡¯t have emotions or feelings¡ªjust repeating the state and vague ideas infused by the author." "Can one directly cultivate the techniques recorded in such books?" Quan He became interested. "It¡¯s possible, but this type of manual has a major issue, and that¡¯s danger. Books have no emotions, no feelings, they can¡¯t gauge the severity...." Seeing Quan He¡¯s interest, Hei Ying simply stopped and chatted with her in detail. Yu Hong, searching for his Mortal Martial Arts, walked away a bit, not participating. The Mortal Martial Arts manual he picked this time was Yang¡¯s Heart-shattering Palm. It is a very famous martial art, practicing a single force called the Heart Shattering Palm Force. This palm force is unified;once unleashed, no matter which part of the opponent it hits, it naturally flies out, directly targeting the heart, thereby destroying the opponent¡¯s core. The power and concept are both impressive, but like loading ammunition, the Heart Shattering Palm Force requires nurturing, accumulation, and strengthening over time¡ªthe longer the accumulation, the stronger the force. After one usage, new palm force must be accumulated again. It is quite troublesome. But Yu Hong only wanted the trait, not caring about the trouble. As agreed, near evening, Quan He and Hei Ying bid farewell, she didn¡¯t return to her loft but followed Yu Hong back in the direction of the Black Black Spirit. "So this is the life you¡¯re living now?" Quan He sighed on the way, "The Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique you¡¯re cultivating is indeed very strong, but... for such a cultivation technique, even at its peak as Heavenly Venerate, eventually... so what meaning does it have for us to cultivate this technique?" "If life is destined to end with death, then what¡¯s the point of living? Why not just commit suicide at birth?" Yu Hong retorted. "You make a valid point," Quan He smiled. The two returned to the safe house and locked the door. Swish. Yu Hong pulled down the window shutters. "If you hear some strange noises at night, don¡¯t worry, block your ears, and just rest well," he instructed the bewildered Quan He. "Alright...." Quan He widened her eyes and nodded. Although she didn¡¯t understand, listening to Yu Hong was definitely not wrong. After finishing, Yu Hong arranged for accommodation, with him on the second floor and Quan He on the first. Each had their own bedroom and cultivation room. The reinforced safe house, whether the walls or fixed facilities, was frighteningly solid. Even testing cultivation techniques carelessly in the cultivation room had no impact. Yu Hong tested it, and the marks he left would be entirely removed in less than an hour, very convenient. This was thanks to the generous support of Patrol Chief Margaret. Once settled, both began their separate cultivation lives. Greet in the morning, then one practiced Qi Cultivation at Wanxue Palace, while the other searched for the Life Well in the dense forest. In the afternoon, they still cultivated;occasionally, they would go to the Book Collection Pavilion to check information. Only in the evening would they return together to the safe house Black Black Spirit. This cycle continued. Time flew by, and in a flash, more than three months had passed since Quan He arrived on the Mining Star... Three months¡¯ time was just a snap for Bai Sheng Hei Ying, but for Quan He and Yu Hong, it was an immensely long period. Because for them, three months were enough to bring earth-shattering changes. In the dense forest. The two sat cross-legged together by the edge of the Life Well. Quan He, like Yu Hong, was absorbing Earth¡¯s Vitality from within. A continuous stream of green mist poured from the Life Well, and before dispersing, both quickly divided it. Buzz. At the next moment, a white light flashed on Quan He¡¯s body, and she exhaled a long, thick white breath from her mouth and nose. "Finally, the Ninth Layer." She opened her eyes and sighed. "At first, the speed was swift, but later, each layer took much more time than before. The total vitality needed was too great." Sitting cross-legged opposite her, Yu Hong also slowly opened his eyes with a complex expression. "You¡¯ve only been here for such a short time, and you¡¯re at the Ninth Layer...." He¡¯d been here much longer than Quan He, and only yesterday did he barely reach the Ninth Layer of Qi Cultivation. "Younger Sister, what kind of vitality are you absorbing exactly? It can¡¯t be just Earth¡¯s Vitality, right?" Yu Hong finally couldn¡¯t help but ask. "I can absorb all three. Heavenly Vitality only appears at a fixed time each day. Mostly, I absorb Earth¡¯s Vitality and Human Vitality," Quan He replied straightforwardly, without concealment. "Heavenly Vitality.... As expected, I suspected you weren¡¯t normal for a long time. Now, it appears to be true." Yu Hong sighed. Since Quan He¡¯s arrival, Yu Xuezi¡¯s attention to him had noticeably decreased, with most of her attention now constantly watching Quan He. Obviously, Quan He¡¯s potential was greater than his, which was the core reason for this situation. "Next, we need to take the Foundation Establishment Pill, transform True Qi into a foundation, and collect it together?" Quan He proposed with a smile. She lived over a hundred years longer than Yu Hong and naturally saw through his emotional state. "Actually, it doesn¡¯t matter sooner or later. Later on, breaking through one layer would require years of massive hard work. But have you really decided to stay here until you cultivate to the Immortal Realm?" She softly transmitted her voice to ask. "To keep going, the deeper dangers, with my current strength, I can¡¯t counter at all, so I can only accumulate here," Yu Hong nodded. "Let¡¯s go;it¡¯s about time," Quan He looked at the sky. "By the Foundation Establishment Stage, we can receive basic magical tools. Attack, defense, and flight, three types. Hope the teacher doesn¡¯t give us some generic items," said Yu Hong. The two closed the Life Well¡¯s cover and headed back towards Wanxue Palace. Before long, they found Yu Xuezi, who was munching on sunflower seeds in one of the side halls. "Come, I¡¯ve been waiting for you," Yu Xuezi was in a good mood, beaming at Yu Hong and the two. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "The magical tools are all standard sets, one set each. After Foundation Establishment, you can freely travel to surrounding planets. Centered on the Mining Star, the surrounding Constant Star System can be accessed at will. But remember, if the magical tools get damaged, flying back would be troublesome. So, Yu Hu, remember to carry your Water Instrument Ball with you," he carefully instructed. "Yes," Yu Hong quickly nodded. "In the starry sky, the distance between planets is calculated in billions of miles. Without special magical tools, us cultivators can only travel freely once we reach the Divinity Transformation stage. So...." He stood up, opened his palm, and two small black swords marked with the Qinghe Mountain symbol lay flat on it. "Each of you take one. This is the Xuan Kong Instrument, exclusively for long-distance travel between planets." He gave each of the small swords to Yu Hong and his companion. "Then there is the Heavenly Shield Device," two silver-black small shields appeared in the air beside him in mid-air. Also, one for each person. "And lastly, the Hundred Treasures Bag." Finally, there were two fist-sized black and silver-spotted small pouches. "This is a basic spatial storage bag, inside are some basic cultivation pills and a Foundation Establishment Stage guide booklet, all carefully arranged by me." Then, like a caretaker, Yu Xuezi began meticulously advising on how to use these magical tools and some special points of caution. "The star system we are in is a regular constant star system named Mining 19428. The most valuable thing here is the Mining Star we stand on;the other planets lack resources needed by the sect, and cultivation doesn¡¯t have a Life Well, so while you can wander, eventually you still need to return here for cultivation." "Additionally, be cautious about leaving the boundaries of the star system. The Xuan Kong Instrument will automatically return at the boundary, fearing you might boldly adventure outside. Without sufficient cultivation, going out will only result in you becoming a meal for others¡ªit¡¯s extremely dangerous!" Yu Xuezi cautioned sternly. "What about the main vein?" Yu Hong asked. "The main vein has long been disconnected from us;only regular mineral shipments bring automatic ships here," Yu Xuezi shook his head. He looked at the two before him and suddenly seemed to think of something. "If you¡¯re really bored, you can explore the orbiting satellites around the Mining Star. There¡¯s a space port for the transport ships. It¡¯s fully automated, but occasionally, the main vein cultivators leave some traces." "Thanks, teacher," Yu Hong bowed, indicating he understood. The two received their magical tools and found a small pouch of Foundation Establishment Pills each from the Hundred Treasures Bag before exiting Wanxue Palace. Quan He went directly to the Life Well to prepare for a breakthrough. Yu Hong first returned to the safe house. His trait, from the Heart Shattering Palm, was finally approaching Perfection. It took three months to reach Perfection this time, mainly because his attention was focused on cultivating the main technique. Quan He¡¯s arrival spurred his Qi Cultivation progress. So unknowingly, his Qi Cultivation progress rushed forward swiftly, directly reaching the Ninth Layer. And the Heart Shattering Palm, aside from the initial entry, later relied entirely on the passive trait Tao Breath Thunder Transfer for self-cultivation. In three months, Tao Breath Circulation forcefully brought this Mortal Martial Art close to Perfection..... Just returning to the entrance of the safe house. Yu Hong was about to open the door when he suddenly felt a thunder roll behind him. Crack. In mid-air, a blue bolt of lightning shot out, fiercely striking the spot where Quan He had just been cultivating. "It has begun, the Heavenly Tribulation..." Yu Hong sighed, "After successfully establishing the foundation, one must start facing the Heavenly Tribulation." He paused, opened the door, and entered. Then quickly returned to the cultivation room, sat cross-legged, and actively started cultivating the Heart Shattering Palm, expediting its Perfection. Time slowly passed, and Yu Hong gradually entered an ethereal, almost selfless state. An hour. Two hours. Three hours... Sss. Finally, the single Heart Shattering Palm Force in the Heart Shattering Palm, at the last moment, rapidly transcended, seamlessly transforming from a simple palm force into a real True Qi force. Chapter 530: Entry Four At the same time, the Black Mark¡¯s prompt arrived silently. ¡¯Heart Shattering Palm has reached perfection, acquiring the trait: Weakness Strike.¡¯ ¡¯Weakness Strike (When facing an opponent no more than one energy level above oneself, can detect their weaknesses within five minutes.)¡¯ "A rather standard trait." Yu Hong was not very satisfied with this, but the trait was meant for his fusion experiments, and now he had filled all ten slots, so he simply re-entered his consciousness space. He glanced at the rest of his current traits. Yu Hong pondered for a moment, and moved this Weakness Strike, along with the previous Tiger Form, together. Pop. The two gray-white light orbs instantly fused into one, and the surface of the new light orb displayed a countdown: 5 hours and 12 minutes. After completing this task, Yu Hong exited the consciousness space and took out the Hundred Treasures Bag he had obtained before. Using the Hundred Treasures Bag was simple: just reach in through the bag¡¯s opening and think of the item you want to take out. Yu Hong took out a white jade porcelain bottle containing the Foundation Establishment Pills and called for a Speed Man to wait outside, ready to open the door for Quan He. He himself swallowed a Foundation Establishment Pill in one gulp, preparing to break through the Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer and elevate his foundation platform. * * * Elsewhere, within the devastated ruins of Wanxue Palace. A skinny figure, charred black as if burned by flames, was slowly walking step by step on the ruins. The shadowy figure wore tattered Daoist robes, with a faint mark belonging to Qinghe Mountain on the cuffs. In his hand, he held a slender sword with jagged edges. "A variance... appears again..." The figure sighed lightly, raising the black longsword in his hand. "Even reaching the Immortal Realm, what then? It can only break the balance here, serving no other purpose...." He walked step by step out of the Wanxue Palace, where hordes of strange sword cultivators in Daoist robes awaited. These sword cultivators had sallow faces with eerie, stiff smiles, holding longswords as they silently approached the ruins of Wanxue Palace. But all these strange sword cultivators were stopped by an invisible circular boundary when they reached a certain distance from Wanxue Palace. The entire Wanxue Palace seemed like it was covered by a giant transparent bowl, shielding it. The emaciated shadow finally approached these strange sword cultivators. Hiss! Threads of black extended from the figure¡¯s body, like strands of iron wire, streaking like lightning towards the strange sword cultivators. Pop pop pop pop. Amidst the dense sound of penetration, masses of sword cultivators collapsed and exploded into black mist, dissipating entirely. The shadowy figure also silently walked a circle around Wanxue Palace, thoroughly clearing the strange sword cultivators pressing in from outside. "Feng Xuezi." Suddenly, a short figure with a huge humplike burden on his back appeared behind the shadowy figure. It was the Corrupt Pedlar. No one knew when he appeared or how he approached the other. It was as if he suddenly added a stroke to a complete oil painting. He abruptly appeared less than five meters behind the emaciated figure. "Are you planning to eliminate potential threats?" the Corrupt Pedlar asked with a peculiar smile. "Why not?" The emaciated figure turned around, looking at him. "I sacrificed everything to maintain such balance. If this fragile balance were broken, everything would be destroyed." "So you reject all outside factors?" the Corrupt Pedlar said. "Better to enjoy a slow death than face instant collapse...." Feng Xuezi said coldly. "Don¡¯t you have confidence in those two talents?" the Corrupt Pedlar asked softly. "No." Feng Xuezi admitted frankly. "With the Heavenly Venerate missing and even the Golden Immortal eroded, what use are two mere Immortal Seeds, even if they achieve immortality by tomorrow? They¡¯d end up like me, trapped here, slaughtering Chaos Bodies day after day." "How tragic...." The Corrupt Pedlar lowered his head. "So when do you plan to eliminate those two?" "Same as before. At the one-year mark." Feng Xuezi replied indifferently. The Corrupt Pedlar said no more, turning around, a large black hole appeared out of nowhere in front of him, resembling a door for him to enter. But before entering, he halted. "Actually, I think... these people, this time, are different from before...." "There¡¯s no difference. Merely better aptitude, nothing more." Feng Xuezi responded coldly. The Corrupt Pedlar said no more, only letting out a strange laugh as he walked slowly into the black hole. * * * Crack. A bolt of blue lightning descended from the sky, striking heavily on Yu Hong¡¯s head, only to be easily dissipated by the protective Inner Strength of Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Skill. The next second, Yu Hong, sitting cross-legged, felt a peculiar cool sensation swiftly enter through his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. As soon as the sensation entered, it stimulated the Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Method True Qi within him to accelerate its circulation. Realizing this, Yu Hong quickly began visualizing the three-dimensional Foundation Establishment Platform according to the Foundation Establishment Stage technique. The Foundation Establishment Platform of Qinghe Mountain was refined by countless predecessors to near perfection. It could be said that, in terms of safety and cost-effectiveness, it far surpassed all other cultivation method platforms. This was according to Yu Xuezi, for Yu Hong had not encountered other sect¡¯s Foundation Establishment Techniques, so he was skeptical. Soon, the cool sensation merged with the True Qi, gradually slowing its circulation speed. The True Qi became more sluggish, like cement mixed with water. At the same time, the outside world injected a massive amount of newly absorbed life force to maintain the internal True Qi concentration pressure. After over ten minutes. Yu Hong, eyes closed against the dense forest, abruptly opened them. A flash of brilliance flickered in his eyes but soon faded back into plain serenity. "Foundation Establishment Stage, accomplished!" He sighed in relief and stood up. At this moment, his True Qi had transformed into another kind of special power. It was the power recognized as True Yuan. The True Yuan surged, rapidly emerging from his outstretched fingertip, condensing into a blinding white light. Besides this, Yu Hong could also feel that the True Yuan of the Foundation Establishment Stage was slowly but steadily merging and assimilating the Inner Strength from the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Skill. This process was slow, but the inner power from the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Skill offered no resistance, clearly indicating a quality gap between the two. "Congratulations, junior brother, on successfully taking the first big step in cultivation!" Bai Sheng stepped out from the dark, smiling as he clasped his hands together. "Thank you, senior brother, but this is just the first step, far too early for the Immortal Realm." Yu Hong responded with a good mood, smiling. "True, but you should now visit our master. The formal Foundation Establishment means you should have a Taoist name of your own." Bai Sheng reminded him. "Ah, right, there¡¯s also something I haven¡¯t confessed to the master. Might as well clear it up too." Yu Hong replied, storing the fingertip light ball, as he thought it was time to reveal his fake name. Thus, the two flew from the woods towards Wanxue Palace one after another. Yu Hong could finally fly. The True Yuan surged through his entire body, and with the application of a simple levitation spell, he rose into the air, soaring with the wind. The ease of it brought a sense of wonder to him. After cultivating so many techniques and learning various system knowledge, it was only now that he could finally rely on himself to hover and fly. The two quickly arrived at Wanxue Palace. Quan He and Hei Ying were already waiting in the main hall. Their teacher Yu Xuezi was facing a painting hanging on the wall, speaking with a pensive look. Upon sensing their arrival. Yu Xuezi turned around, a charming smile on his face. "It seems your cultivation has thoroughly stabilized, Yu Hu." sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Master..." Yu Hong landed, just about to disclose his assumed name situation. "I¡¯ve already thought of Taoist names for you." Yu Xuezi impatiently interrupted him, speaking out. "Quan He will be Quan Hezi, and you will be Yu Huzi, what do you think?" "....." Both Quan He and Yu Hong fell silent. "What? Don¡¯t like it? Actually, my master gave me and my senior brother such names too, it¡¯s a tradition of the Wanxue Palace lineage." Yu Xuezi questioned. "Quan Hezi is fine, but this Yu Huzi for me...." Yu Hong could barely hold on, speaking. "Master, I once had a Taoist name, Zheng Rou, can we continue using it?" "Zheng Rou... not bad either, balanced and gentle, meaningful, so Zheng Rou, then." Yu Xuezi nodded with a smile. Quan He didn¡¯t mind her Taoist name being Quan Hezi, as it had already been her name, so there was no objection to keeping it. After a ritual ceremony, the two were officially registered and became a part of the Wanxue Palace lineage. The few celebrated briefly in the spacious Taoist Palace, fruit wine, beast meat, unknown wild vegetables, alongside some apple-banana-like fruits. This was the best cuisine this Mining Star had. After dinner, Yu Hong stood by the window, listening to Senior Brother Bai Sheng singing from behind. Hei Ying played a lute resembling a pipa, accompanying with a smile. Yu Xuezi tapped a bowl with chopsticks to chime in. An silver-black robot stood by, continuously serving them wine. "If it weren¡¯t for all the chaos, the life here is actually quite nice, right?" Quan He approached from the side, speaking softly. "Perhaps." Yu Hong nodded. Looking up at the night sky. Beside the round moon at night, a black square ship was slowly flying towards a pale red satellite. "That¡¯s an automatic ore transport ship, usually transporting once a year to the satellite, where it is further refined, waiting for the main artery ship to come by and collect." Yu Xuezi joined in from the back, observing the ship as well, filled with emotion. "Master, actually there¡¯s something I haven¡¯t told you." Yu Hong spoke out. "What is it?" "Actually, my real name is not Yu Hu, but Yu Hong." Yu Hong confessed. "Is that so? No problem, it¡¯s a trivial matter. Anyone in your situation would be cautious about revealing their true name, I understand." Yu Xuezi waved it off, unbothered. "Master, didn¡¯t you say you hate liars the most!?" Bai Sheng came over from behind, shocked. "Indeed, but your junior brother had legitimate reasons, right? If not for his careful and cautious nature, he wouldn¡¯t have survived to meet you two here." Yu Xuezi chuckled. "Master, you!!!?" Bai Sheng showed a baffled expression. He recalled being beaten for lying in the past and, seeing the now-kind expression of Yu Xuezi, felt it hard to maintain composure. "By the way, is there an elder in our lineage named Feng Xuezi?" Quan He suddenly asked from the side. "Feng Xuezi..." Yu Xuezi was taken aback. Chapter 531: change One ¡°Feng Xuezi is your master¡¯s senior brother and also the last Golden Immortal of our Wanxue Palace. Unfortunately, many years ago, he traveled far beyond the domains, and his whereabouts have since remained unknown,¡± Yu Xuezi said with some regret. ¡°If he were still here, he would be your martial uncle, casually guiding you, which would be invaluable.¡± Feeling nostalgic, he started recounting Feng Xuezi¡¯s path to success step by step. ¡°Back then, your martial uncle was also of remarkable talent, comparable to Quan He and you. Later, he entered the main lineage, received an abundance of resources, and his cultivation level rose rapidly. Ultimately, he was accepted by the Heavenly Rainbow Long Light Venerable and achieved the status of a Golden Immortal. His ranking was within the top one thousand in the entire Qinghe Mountain, and his powerful strength was renowned throughout the surrounding star domains. Unfortunately¡­.¡± He talked while drinking, gradually falling into his own memories, with Yu Hong and others becoming secondary. It wasn¡¯t until more than half an hour later that Yu Xuezi sighed, with an inexplicable loneliness flashing in his eyes, and let them disperse. At night, Yu Hong and Quan He parted ways with Bai Sheng and Hei Ying, heading back along the mine path. ¡°It seems that even Immortals are no different from us, just that they see themselves more clearly in many ways and have clearer goals.¡± Having interacted more with his master, Quan He seemed to have gained some insight. ¡°Does Junior Sister have a goal now?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°Taking one step at a time,¡± Quan He said, her eyes tinged with a hint of confusion, after witnessing several terrifying Source Disasters. Although her talent is strong, the terror of Source Disasters is unparalleled, which is why she previously asked, what if she cultivated to the Heavenly Venerate. But Yu Hong was different. With the Black Mark on him, he was never confused about the future. The two of them, one deep in thought, the other with a calm expression, walked in the mine without speaking again for a long time. Returning to the Black Black Spirit. Yu Hong went straight back to the Cultivation Room. At this moment, a new trait was in his mind, but he hadn¡¯t researched it carefully because he had just been at the banquet. Now Yu Hong reentered the corner of his mind, examining the new trait that had finished merging. The new trait was a light mass twice as large as the other light spheres. He approached and lightly touched it with his hand. ¡®Trait: Fierce Tiger Type (simulates the destructive power of a tiger¡¯s attack with a fivefold increase.)¡¯ ¡®Truly simple and crude Yu Hong shook his head slightly. Clearly, Weakness Strike was merged to strengthen the Tiger Form trait. However, the fivefold enhancement was valuable. With his Foundation Establishment Stage True Yuan, it was stronger than the Inner Strength of Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill. Increasing by fivefold, not counting Tai Ling Skill, his strength had already far surpassed himself when he first came to the Mining Star. And this was his achievement in less than half a year on the Mining Star. ¡®Next, it¡¯s time to test how many Mortal Martial Arts techniques his body can simultaneously cultivate.¡¯ He had been contemplating this question previously. Currently, he was cultivating four Cultivation Techniques with the Dao Breath Thunder Transfer: Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique, Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill, Qingwei Heart Technique, and one Mortal Martial Art. He theorized that his body¡¯s strength should allow him to cultivate more techniques simultaneously. However, the occupied meridians meant he couldn¡¯t operate multiple techniques simultaneously. So they had to be alternated. ¡®Now, the four Cultivation Techniques¡¯ pathways don¡¯t conflict. If I want to co-cultivate more, I must avoid occupying the existing meridians.¡¯ For this reason, he had carefully chosen several Mortal Martial Arts over the past three months. Now, upon detailed research, he discovered that the Mortal Martial Arts and Qingwei Heart Technique he previously practiced had minor meridian conflicts with Chaotic God Heavenly Eye¡¯s meridians. Otherwise, his Chaotic God Sky Eye would have long been perfected. ¡®In other words, when Qingwei Heart Technique and Mortal Martial Arts operate uninterruptedly, Chaotic God Sky Eye is actually stopped¡­no wonder¡­.¡¯ No wonder he suddenly felt that the speed of Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill had slowed considerably. Now, with the issue discovered, the Mortal Martial Arts he chose had completely unrelated meridian operations. At this time, he returned to the Dao Breath Thunder Transfer trait, lightly touching it. Instantly, in the light sphere, two different meridian white light maps appeared before his eyes. They were the automatic operations of Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique and Qingwei Heart Technique. And sure enough, Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill had long since stopped. After thinking for a moment, Yu Hong forcefully initiated the active operation of Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill. He allowed it to reside permanently within Dao Breath Thunder Transfer. Over these three months, he explored a method to allow techniques to automatically operate, and now, with his hand on Dao Breath Thunder Transfer¡­. Soon, Qingwei Heart Technique stopped operating, replaced by another white light map resembling a tiger. ¡®It seems conflicting techniques can only be operated one at a time¡­.¡¯ After some thought, Yu Hong decided to first complete the Chaotic God Sky Eye, obtain the trait, and then talk about it. Another characteristic of Dao Breath Thunder Transfer is that a skill actively initiated will automatically replace the ongoing automatic operation. Exiting his mind, he sat cross-legged and browsed through the three Mortal Martial Arts he selected from the Book Collection Pavilion. ¡°Huntian Palm¡±, ¡°Flying Transition Nine Revolutions¡±, and ¡°Climbing Cloud Skill¡±. These three Mortal Martial Arts had non-conflicting operation routes with his existing Cultivation Techniques. Meaning they could be co-cultivated. He picked up the first technique, Huntian Palm, and quickly entered a state of object-person oblivion. In no time, after taking the prepared medicinal inducer, he successfully entered the introductory stage of Huntian Palm, producing the first trace of Internal Breath. He once more entered his mental space, confirming Huntian Palm had begun automatic cultivation, Yu Hong then picked up the second book, Flying Transition Nine Revolutions, similarly entering the introductory stage in less than an hour, producing the first trace of Internal Breath. The last one was Climbing Cloud Skill, an obscure Qinggong technique requiring exceptionally uncommon meridians, making it non-conflicting with all other techniques. It took twenty minutes for Yu Hong to master this technique, successfully entering the introductory stage, and adding it to the automatic cycle. At this point, all his meridians entered into automatic cultivation, leaving no idle ones. Feeling the simultaneous operation of the three Mortal Martial Arts within, Yu Hong let out a long breath. Standing up, he had one more task to complete. Coming to the mirror within the chamber, he lifted his eye patch, removing his right eyeball. Placing it in his palm, he silently recited in his heart. ¡®Strengthen Outer Eye, Direction: Extreme Enhancement.¡¯ With all the medicinal enhancements for his various Cultivation Techniques almost prepared over the past three months, and Dao Breath Thunder Transfer progressing steadily, he needed only to follow the routine dosage to supplement resources daily. The Black Mark was currently unnecessary for the fusion function, so he intended to continue enhancing the strength of his Outer Eye. Admittedly, his body¡¯s aptitude exceeded that of Quan He significantly due to the continuous enhancement of the Outer Eye, which bolstered his entire physique to reach such heights. Having tasted success, Yu Hong decided to take advantage of the abundant time and strengthen the Outer Eye to its maximum potential in one go. Soon, a black line flashed by, revealing a countdown: ¡®2 years 11 months 7 days 14 hours 8 minutes.¡¯ Two years¡­. Yu Hong furrowed his brow, thinking that this seemed rather long. Yet, the longer the enhancement period, the better the end result, he hesitated for a moment before confirming the start. Suddenly, he paused, released his hold, and from the pocket of his Daoist robe, he took out a small pill furnace glowing with blue light. This was the mysterious small object that the corrupt merchant had sold him, which he studied for quite some time but failed to discern its purpose. However, that guy surely couldn¡¯t have sold it to him without reason. Yu Hong pondered for a moment, beginning to explore the pill furnace by following the earliest method he used when applying the Black Mark. He placed the pill furnace on the ground before him. Then, he put his hand on top and silently recited in his heart. ¡®Enhance Pill Furnace, Direction: Defense Ability.¡¯ A black line flashed, flowing into the pill furnace, but in the next second, it returned. ¡®No basic defense ability, unable to enhance.¡¯ The Black Mark provided feedback. Yu Hong¡¯s expression remained unchanged, continuing to test other abilities. This trial-and-error of attributes was his method devised to identify object functions using the Black Mark. Time ticked away bit by bit. Quan He called him outside to have breakfast. Quickly going out, he grabbed a pack of instant noodles and canned meat, solving his hunger, then continued testing the pill furnace. All the tested fields were noted in a small notebook, preventing redundant attempts in the future. As time passed, the number of tested attributes gradually increased. Finally¡­ ¡®Do you want to enhance the Pill Furnace?¡¯ The Black Mark¡¯s feedback finally changed from having no basic function to offering a yes or no choice! Yu Hong immediately perked up, realizing he was asked about enhancing the purification ability of the pill furnace. ¡®Purification direction, then? Next explore the specifics!¡¯ What to purify was key. This time, the speed quickened considerably. Since he didn¡¯t care about what needed purification, he only needed to determine whether this furnace provided any functionalities he required. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If it didn¡¯t, then purifying other things held no significance for Yu Hong. Immediately, he quickly tested various Black Disaster powers he controlled, the physical body, Source Disaster radiation, etc. ¡®Whether to enhance the purification of Black Disaster Red Value?¡¯ As expected, the Black Mark feedback reconfirmed the furnace was intended for purifying Red Values. The countdown appeared simultaneously: 7 hours 11 minutes. Yu Hong glanced, seeing it wasn¡¯t long and acceptable, promptly confirming ¡°yes.¡± Leaving the pill furnace in the cultivation chamber, he got up, went out with Quan He for morning greetings, and then went to cultivate near the Life Well until the dusk, returning to the safe house when the day was close to ending. By then, the seven hours had long passed. Crack. The second floor¡¯s cultivation chamber door was opened slowly, and Yu Hong walked in only to be momentarily stunned by what he saw. The cultivation chamber initially the size of a basketball court, now had an unexpected fine black pill furnace more than a person high and two meters in diameter in the center. The outer side of the pill furnace was imprinted with dragon and phoenix patterns along with various odd beasts and birds, with the four ears respectively crafted into wing shapes. On the furnace lid was a miniature rugged hill, and the slots of the cover radiated blinding blue light, illuminating the entire chamber in a blue glow. Most critically, a greyish-white instruction sheet hung from the furnace lid. Yu Hong closed the door with his free hand, walked a few steps closer, reaching out to take the instruction. ¡®Pill Furnace: Originally named Purification Furnace, created by the Palace Master of Wuji Palace to combat Black Disasters, later incorporated universally by many factions. It can extremely purify all Red Values within ten thousand meters, condensing them into Black Mountain Crystals.¡¯ ¡®Black Mountain Crystal: High concentration condensation of Black Disaster radiation, unknown application. The Palace Master discarded it into the Light Disaster Domain to restrain the spread of Light Disaster radiation.¡¯ .it¡¯s actually this thing Yu Hong muttered, somewhat surprised. It¡¯s his first time to steal.. oh no, enhance something that belonged to the Palace Master of Wuji Palace. But it seems it¡¯s only usable for establishing factions or sects. It possesses no other functions. ¡®However, this is the effect after enhancement. Before the enhancement, the purification ability should have been much weaker. That corrupt merchant sold it to me seemingly with good intentions, meant to purify the high concentration of Red Values near me now.¡¯ Chapter 532: changes No. 2 Here is the translated text: Staring at the Purification Furnace before him, Yu Hong continued to read the manual, finding the method to activate it. He extended his hand, gently pressing it against the surface of the furnace, and True Yuan surged into it. Sssss. The Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique True Yuan, carrying a white light that was impartial and harmonious, swiftly poured into the Purification Furnace. The next second. A layer of transparent light circle spread out from inside the Pill Furnace. This light circle ignored the protection of the safe house, traversed walls, passed over the attic outside, through the surrounding mountains, and kept expanding to a farther range. It stopped only when it reached about ten thousand meters. Soon, within this range of ten thousand meters, all Red Values began to plummet swiftly, as if disappearing into thin air. At the moment the Purification Furnace successfully activated. Inside a hole, on another Wanxue Palace ruin. Feng Xuezi lowered his hand, having just killed a group of monster Sword Cultivators, and turned his head towards the direction where Yu Hong was. ¡°Is this¡­ the feeling of a Purification Furnace!? And the effect is actually this strong?¡± Behind him, the short-statured Corrupt Traveling Merchant also suddenly appeared, looking in that direction with equal amazement and doubt. ¡°It is indeed a Purification Furnace, and it¡¯s not of ordinary quality,¡± the Corrupt Traveling Merchant remarked with a hint of surprise and shock. ¡°Was it your doing?¡± Feng Xuezi looked towards him, only to see the Corrupt Traveling Merchant equally bewildered. ¡°How could it be? The main vein has long since disappeared, the Heavenly Venerate mysteriously vanished, and no one has known how to craft a Purification Furnace for a long time,¡± the Corrupt Traveling Merchant shook his head. ¡°But I remember you possess a Purification Furnace,¡± Feng Xuezi frowned. ¡°Mine broke long ago, with only a little bit of Purification Ability left, and I gave it to a new entrant the Corrupt Traveling Merchant paused abruptly. ¡°Wait, that direction He seemed to confirm something. ¡°Who did you sell it to? The new entrant? Was it that Yu Hong, or Quan He?¡± Feng Xuezi became solemn. ¡°It was Yu Hong!¡± the Corrupt Traveling Merchant promptly replied, all the usual eccentricity gone. This was because the Purification Furnace was too crucial for them now! ¡°Could he have repaired the Purification Furnace!? But no, the effect of my former Purification Furnace isn¡¯t even close to this the Corrupt Traveling Merchant¡¯s expression shifted. ¡°Why bother thinking? Let¡¯s go and see for ourselves,¡± Feng Xuezi said with some urgency in his voice. ¡°You can¡¯t go out;I¡¯ll take a trip!¡± The Corrupt Traveling Merchant decided quickly, then vanished from sight. In the next instant, he appeared directly outside Yu Hong¡¯s safe house, within a hundred meters. Standing on the hillside, he looked toward the three-story building-shaped Black Black Spirit, feeling the air that was extremely pure, without any trace of Red Value. His heart was filled with indescribable shock. ¡°Is it really¡­ this guy¡­!?!¡± He looked towards the direction of the safe house, momentarily lost for words. This feeling¡­ was like an adult, coming across a kindergarten child they found pleasing to the eye along the way, and decided to give them a broken phone they were about to discard. Unexpectedly, a few days later, upon checking back, finding that this child not only repaired the broken phone but upgraded it to the latest high-tech foldable screen! This stark contrast left the Corrupt Traveling Merchant¡¯s mind buzzing¡­ he suddenly felt a bit numb. ¡°No, I need to confirm!¡± If it was indeed¡­ truly Yu Hong¡¯s doing¡­ then At once, he flickered again, appearing directly at the door of the safe house, then extended a hand to knock on the door. Knock knock knock. He could indeed rush straight in, but that wouldn¡¯t be polite. He attached certain importance to this kid, Yu Hong. Unlike Feng Xuezi. He has spent his life looking for a sliver of possibility. He doesn¡¯t care about the future of Yu Xuezi or Feng Xuezi;he traveled extensively, only because he calculated that waiting here might result in some small gain. Thus he waited for more than five hundred years. And now, finally¡­ finally, he sees a sliver of hope he¡¯s waited for so long. ¡°Is it you?¡± Suddenly Yu Hong¡¯s voice came from within. ¡°Corrupt Traveling Merchant¡­ Is there anything?¡± He didn¡¯t bother to open the door, just spoke across it. The Corrupt Traveling Merchant didn¡¯t mind. His face naturally revealed a peculiar smile. ¡°Just now, I sensed a sudden presence of Purification Power here¡­ Zheng Rouze¡­ Can you tell me what¡¯s happening??¡± For countless years, he had traveled far and wide, and coming to Mining Star was an accidental discovery of Feng Xuezi¡¯s plotting, leading him to calculate a sliver of hope here. Waiting for centuries, now he seemed to finally see a glimpse of dawn, which made him unconsciously feel a bit anxious. He cared little about Wanxue Palace, but hope, he must grasp! ¡°Senior¡­ Could you feel it?¡± Yu Hong paused for a moment, unexpectedly finding the safe house could not block the Purification from the Purification Furnace. ¡°Ten thousand meters around, as clear as day, any living being can feel the change,¡± the Corrupt Traveling Merchant chuckled softly. ¡°I see Yu Hong paused, knowing there was no hiding it, and immediately started thinking quickly. The Black Mark was definitely not to be disclosed, but he could showcase his strong repair ability and research prowess as before. Immediately, he showed a calm demeanor. Even though the other couldn¡¯t see him through the door, who knew if the mysterious guy could somehow see through him. So, his facial expression management also had to be flawless. ¡°Truth be told, junior repaired and enhanced the small Pill Furnace you sold to me previously. I used some materials I¡¯d collected during my wanderings in a Source Disaster to upgrade it, and the effect turned out quite nice.¡± Yu Hong said honestly with a sincere tone. You? Able to repair a Purification Furnace?!¡± The Corrupt Traveling Merchant expressed disbelief. It¡¯s not hard to repair one of these, but the issue is there¡¯s no one left outside. It¡¯s impossible to find an Artifact Master to repair them, and we can¡¯t do it ourselves. That¡¯s why he had given Yu Hong the previously broken Purification Furnace. As for selling it, the price was equivalent to giving it away. ¡°It¡¯s alright, it¡¯s not that difficult, is it?¡± Yu Hong hesitantly replied through the door. He felt the strengthening process took only a few hours, so it shouldn¡¯t be too difficult. The Corrupt Traveling Merchant took a deep breath, lowering his head even more. ¡°It seems, young brother is a repair expert He couldn¡¯t help laughing oddly, clearly a joyous laugh, but from his throat, it turned into a creepy weird laughter that also sent a chill down Yu Hong¡¯s spine. ¡°How about we make a deal?¡± The Corrupt Traveling Merchant quickly stopped the eerie laughter that made Yu Hong¡¯s whole body tingle, and spoke again. ¡°What kind of deal? Senior, just say it straight.¡± Yu Hong quickly replied. ¡°Sell me your repaired Purification Furnace, and I can give you whatever you need, as long as I possess it The Corrupt Traveling Merchant smiled. ¡°As long as you have?¡± Yu Hong¡¯s mind started to figure out. ¡°But junior requires nothing;even cultivation resources are adequately prepared.¡± ¡°Think carefully¡­ you¡¯ll find some needs The Corrupt Traveling Merchant chuckled sinisterly. ¡°Even if I don¡¯t have it now, I can soon retrieve it for you Retrieve it??! Hearing this, Yu Hong¡¯s heart stirred. His immediate task now is to cultivate rapidly to improve his realm and strength, and to achieve this goal, refining Cultivation Technique Traits is one aspect, and the other is to enhance his own aptitude. The former merely requires extensive cultivation. The latter can be achieved by strengthening the Outer Eye to consequently enhance the intensity of Yu Hong¡¯s entire qualification. So if he could get a stronger Outer Eye, for further enhancement¡­ ¡°Junior requires, a sufficiently powerful being¡¯s eyeballs.¡± Yu Hong immediately voiced his needs. ¡°Sufficiently powerful? That I cannot accomplish. The outside world now makes it very hard to find anyone,¡± the Corrupt Traveling Merchant spoke lowly. ¡°The eyeballs of Source Disaster Monsters would do!¡± Yu Hong added. ¡°Is that so?¡± The Corrupt Traveling Merchant was briefly stunned, then surprisingly began to ponder genuinely. ¡°My power is limited;it¡¯s hard for me to find such items for you, yet¡­ I have something here, although damaged, if you could repair it to well condition, might provide you significant help.¡± He smiled, ¡°You seem to have cultivated the Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill of the Sky Wish Sect, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Senior knows this skill?¡± Yu Hong was stunned, increasingly feeling the profundity of this figure. ¡°Naturally, I know¡­ but this skill doesn¡¯t have a high upper limit, since after forming in the later stages it can¡¯t enhance the eye strength anymore. Are you asking me to find a strong eyeball to replace?¡± The Corrupt Traveling Merchant quickly guessed Yu Hong¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Senior¡¯s impressive!¡± Yu Hong realized he had underestimated the other party¡¯s level. ¡°You don¡¯t need a replacement eye, the rejection can be very dangerous;I have something here, though damaged, if you can repair it, you can use it to absorb external eyeball core pupil power to strengthen yourself,¡± the Corrupt Traveling Merchant spoke deeply, carrying a hint of temptation. He was testing, testing whether Yu Hong really possessed repairing abilities and the extent of his repairing range. Of course, it was real;he had many damaged treasures collected over the years, repair them, and they could be used;he indeed wasn¡¯t lying to Yu Hong. This was an open plot, as long as Yu Hong truly needed it, he couldn¡¯t refuse. ¡°Senior, is what you say true?!¡± Yu Hong was immediately delighted upon hearing this;if he could absorb pupil power to blend and enhance, he didn¡¯t dare imagine how much he could strengthen his Outer Eye. ¡°Of course it¡¯s true¡­ come, give me the Purification Furnace, and this¡­ will be yours.¡± The Corrupt Traveling Merchant extended his hand, and in his palm suddenly appeared a beautifully crafted Triangular Crown made of purple crystal. Moments later. The Corrupt Traveling Merchant carried the Purification Furnace and vanished before Yu Hong. Meanwhile, Yu Hong held the purple crystal Triangular Crown, a look of seriousness mixed with joy on his face. The Corrupt Traveling Merchant hadn¡¯t lied to him. The first moment he got it, he tested it using the Black Mark, realizing this thing indeed had the function to integrate pupil power and enhance oneself, in perfect synergy with the Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill! Although it seemed somewhat damaged, even a good one wouldn¡¯t be his turn to use. After all, its value was undoubtedly too high. He had always felt a pity that after the stages of Chaotic God Sky Eye were completed, the Outer Eye could no longer be enhanced, only replaced. But now, he could finally continue to enhance it. While using the Black Mark to strengthen, also further integrating pupil power, he couldn¡¯t even predict to what extent his qualification could be enhanced in the future. On the other side, The Corrupt Traveling Merchant appeared with the Purification Furnace in front of Feng Xuezi. ¡°It¡¯s indeed the Purification Furnace! And better functioning than the one I previously had, even before it broke! Larger too!¡± The Corrupt Traveling Merchant remarked with emotion, placing the furnace in the center of Wanxue Palace. ¡°Confirmed it¡¯s Yu Hong who repaired it?¡± Feng Xuezi questioned skeptically. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Confirmed. I also gave him something needing repair, to test his real skill. If even the Purple Extreme Crown can be repaired ¡°Purple Extreme Crown? The iconic treasure of the Sky Wish Sect Sect Hierarch?¡± Feng Xuezi arched an eyebrow. ¡°Exactly Feng Xuezi looked at the Purification Furnace that was rapidly purifying near Red Values after being placed on the ground, feeling the ambient Red Value Radiation drop rapidly. The monster Sword Cultivators approaching slowly from afar also began to fade and retreat, seemingly dreading this inconspicuous little furnace. ¡°So, now do you still think they¡¯re just mere geniuses?¡± The Corrupt Traveling Merchant¡¯s eerie laughter rang out beside him. Chapter 533: notice 1 Feng Xuezi silently watched the Purification Furnace that continuously emitted a transparent glow, his expression complex. He remained silent, but his reaction at this moment already revealed his hesitation and contradiction. ¡°I always thought that hope was false. The power of the Star Disaster was insurmountable;all hope was just an illusion. But now ¡°A Purification Furnace can reduce at least a third of your burden. And he¡¯s merely a Cultivator at the Foundation Establishment stage.¡± The Decaying Wandering Merchant laughed, ¡°How is Qinghe Mountain now, how is Wanxue Palace now, don¡¯t you have any sense of it in your heart?¡± ¡°What do you plan to do?¡± Feng Xuezi looked at the Decaying Wandering Merchant. ¡°I happen to have a lot of things that need repair. Let¡¯s see how far he can go.¡± The Decaying Wandering Merchant replied with a smile. Keep observing.¡± Feng Xuezi answered. * * * At this moment, in the safehouse, Yu Hong was still holding the damaged Purple Extreme Crown, examining it repeatedly. The Black Mark provided the enhancement time: 11 days, 3 hours, and 8 minutes. The enhancement magnitude was very low;Yu Hong enhanced it only for the sake of repair. But since the Black Mark could only repair items it had enhanced before, it was designed this way. He placed the Purple Extreme Crown in the corner of the secret room, then ignored it, focusing entirely on cultivation. Training, taking pills, absorbing from the Life Well, visiting Wanxue Palace, Yu Hong and Quan He rapidly advanced in this cycle. In eleven days, their cultivation rose another level, reaching the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, and the Heavenly Tribulation increased from one to two strikes. But for both of them, whose cultivation was already strong, it wasn¡¯t much. And the Purple Extreme Crown finally reached its true restoration moment. Inside the safehouse. Yu Hong returned early from the Life Well today, specifically to wait for the enhancement of the Purple Extreme Crown to complete. He had high expectations for this treasure obtained from the Decaying Wandering Merchant trade. As noon approached. Yu Hong sat cross-legged in the secret room, quietly awaiting the countdown¡¯s end. The pale red numbers flashing on the Purple Extreme Crown reached the last three minutes. He calmed his mind, closed his eyes, and remained still. Soon, a point of purple-golden halo lit up silently on the Purple Extreme Crown. The countdown completely vanished. The previously indistinct Purple Extreme Crown blurred for a moment, the next moment, as if refreshed, glowed more brilliantly than before. A few seconds after the purple-golden halo illuminated, a thin sheet of pale yellow paper appeared on the ground in front of the Purple Extreme Crown. Yu Hong opened his eyes and picked up the paper. This was the manual after enhancement. ¡®Purple Extreme Crown+1: The emblem of the former Sky Wish Sect Hierarch, capable of extracting pupil power from all things to replenish oneself. Unending, perpetual. Target¡¯s internal Energy Level must not surpass that of the wearer. After enhancement, the extraction speed is improved, reduced from six seconds to five seconds.¡¯ ¡®Ha, it¡¯s the Sky Wish Sect again?¡¯ Yu Hong chuckled. Wuji Palace and Sky Wish Sect seemed to be rushing to gather today, joining in the excitement together. He took a deep breath, putting on the Purple Extreme Crown. Swoosh. The Purple Extreme Crown flashed a gleam and resized itself to perfectly fit his head circumference. Simultaneously, Yu Hong immediately felt a warmth in his eyes, and an impulse rose within him as if seeing anyone would draw out their pupil power to replenish himself. He stood up without hesitation, entered the Main Control Room, and took out the previously accumulated large amount of Outer Eyes from within. First, he brought out a pair of Outer Eyes from a Three-eyed Dragon Head General. They were the ones he had enhanced, appearing as a pair of pale golden orbs, lying quietly in his palm. Yu Hong looked at the Outer Eyes, and his mind stirred. At that moment. Swoosh. Threads of transparent smoke swiftly rose from the Outer Eyes and entered his own eyes. Quickly, an extremely soothing cool sensation spread from his eyes throughout his body. Yu Hong couldn¡¯t help but let out a sigh of comfort, a few seconds later, he reopened his eyes. The Outer Eyes in his hands had completely turned into a pair of shriveled husks, devoid of any life. He discarded the husks, took out the next pair, and continued to absorb. Now that he had the Purple Extreme Crown, the remaining Outer Eyes were meaningless. He only needed to keep fortifying the pair he wore. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Soon, as time passed, after absorbing seventy-three pairs of Outer Eyes. Suddenly, Yu Hong¡¯s eyes felt warm. ¡®The Outer Eyes received enhancement, evolving into the Immortal General Heavenly Eye. Original abilities unchanged, effects enhanced. 1. Eye of Destruction¡¯s destructive power increased by 50%. 2. Eye of Transmission¡¯s bodily burden reduced by 50%.¡¯ ¡®Not bad, the pupil power absorption directly enhanced the previous two abilities.¡¯ In fact, he hadn¡¯t had the opportunity to use these two abilities yet. The Eye of Destruction could annihilate opponents weaker in spiritual power than himself. The Eye of Transmission could directly move to his desired location, as long as his body could withstand it. These were abilities brought by the Immortal General¡¯s Eye. In reality, according to Yu Hong¡¯s understanding, orthodox Qinghe Mountain cultivators typically required the Nascent Soul Stage for the Eye of Transmission ability, though many Cultivation Techniques granted similar effects to the Eye of Destruction. This essentially gave him an auxiliary mobility device in advance. ¡°Again!¡± After tasting the benefits, Yu Hong continued using the Purple Extreme Crown to absorb the various Outer Eyes he had previously enhanced. As his abilities stabilized, his plans and goals for the future became clearer. His current environment also stabilized, and the demand for various functional Outer Eyes vanished. It was indeed time to clear out and refresh the batch of Outer Eyes. After all, the eyes of the Three-eyed Dragon Head General were too low in starting point for him now. Yu Hong once again resumed absorbing the pupil power. Over an hour later, the Outer Eyes granted another enhancement, the Eye of Destruction¡¯s destructive power increased by 70%, and the Eye of Transmission¡¯s burden was further reduced. As the last pair of Outer Eyes was fully exhausted, he let out a long breath, pausing the absorption process. Removing the Purple Extreme Crown, Yu Hong didn¡¯t plan to wear it frequently, only to don it when needing to absorb pupil power, as it was a bit too conspicuous, belonging to the Sky Wish Sect Hierarch, and it wouldn¡¯t do to be recognized by someone. With a click, he opened the door and walked out of the safehouse. Yu Hong felt refreshed, removing the eyepatch from his right eye. At this point, his right eye had completely become an enhanced version of the Immortal General Heavenly Eye. ¡®Let¡¯s test its effect first.¡¯ First was the Eye of Destruction. Previously, the Eye of Destruction combined the Destruction Beam of the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye. Enhancing the Eye of Destruction now meant boosting the ultimate strike of the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye. With this thought, Yu Hong focused his gaze on the slope outside. Hiss! An invisible beam instantly landed on the Gray Stone Mountain cliff, boring a hole through it in an instant. The hole¡¯s depth was unknown, silent and soundless as if a sharp spike pierced through tofu. ¡®Without a specific opposition, it¡¯s hard to gauge the effect. It will be useful when encountering an opponent after this. Let¡¯s also check the Eye of Transmission.¡¯ This ability had been shadowed as Yu Hong always covered his right eye, only frequently utilizing short distance Instantaneous Movement. Now, with the bodily burden of long-distance transmission cut in half, he intended to test it. Standing outside the safehouse, Yu Hong envisioned an open space outside Wanxue Palace. ¡®Transmit!¡¯ He stirred within. Swish! In an instant, his body felt slightly numb, and a blur flashed before his eyes, and he appeared on the target open ground outside Wanxue Palace. Swish! The next second, Yu Xuezi¡¯s figure also appeared simultaneously in front of him. ¡°Eh?¡± Yu Xuezi stared at him in surprise. ¡°I was wondering who you were, to teleport here in an instant. Never seen this wave before, turns out it¡¯s you?¡± ¡°Master, this is a new superpower I gained,¡± Yu Hong quickly explained. ¡°Superpower?¡± Yu Xuezi blinked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you a pure Human Clan member? Where did you get a superpower?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t a member of the Human Clan have natural talents? I¡¯m surely an exceptionally gifted one among the exceptions.¡± Yu Hong cleverly replied. ¡°Haha¡­. I believe you.¡± Yu Xuezi shook his head, amused. ¡°Alright then, remember to teleport farther next time, don¡¯t jump around here. It¡¯d be troublesome if you trigger the protective Array.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Yu Hong nodded vigorously. ¡°Disciple takes leave.¡± He bowed slightly, and the next instant, he vanished with a swoosh. Before his eyes, flashes of color filled his vision, and a second later, Yu Hong felt a mild ache throughout his body. Looking again at his surroundings, he found himself in a dim, damp swamp forest. Thick poisonous fumes pervaded the air, with a mix of bacteria and viruses confined in the semi-open space. A faint glow emanated from Yu Hong, isolating the air as he surveyed the surroundings. He had just thought of transmitting to the far side of the Mining Star. And then, he somehow arrived here. ¡®Quite handy.¡¯ Yu Hong thought pleasantly, then looked upwards, through the treetops, at the slowly moving satellites in the sky. ¡°Go to that satellite.¡± He thought to himself. Swoosh! A sudden blur crossed his vision. His body began experiencing a more intense pricking pain. A second later. Yu Hong staggered onto a silvery-gray desolate metal platform. Above was the boundless starry sky. Beneath was an endless silvery-gray metallic terrain. The platform he stood on was in front of a gigantic temple-like architectural platform. Bong. Bong. Bong. The surroundings were hollow and empty, with no people, no flora or fauna. Only a faint rhythmic metal beating sound lingered in the air from afar. Standing on the platform, Yu Hong felt light, able to float easily at any moment. ¡®Gravity is only about one-ninth of the Mining Star¡¯s Yu Hong considered as he came to a satellite for the first time, moving along the platform, taking steps, and flying inward. With a gentle leap, he glided like low-altitude flight. He entered the temple-styled metal structure. Before him appeared the enormous machine, as large as a house. This machine had numerous wheels of varying sizes, with seam-like marks on its surface, and a faint blue glow flickering from within these seams. Despite the blue glow, the machine seemed inactive for a long time. Black-yellow rust spots adorned the wheels. The floor was strewn with bizarre tools and toppled chairs in disarray. Frowning, Yu Hong recognized that the satellite, as Yu Xuezi had mentioned, was a place to transport mined stones, refining them. Yet now, it seemed as though the machines hadn¡¯t operated in a long while? Chapter 534: Notification 2 After wandering around the satellite for a while, Yu Hong discovered that the place had long been abandoned. Many of the automated conveyors had stopped working, and several areas marked with ¡°Do Not Enter¡± signs had their doors half-open, with robots inside that had lost their power, lying on the ground. The surveillance monitors were also out of power, covered in dust. Having found nothing, he teleported again and visited the remaining few satellites, only to see the same scene. The satellite¡¯s automated purification and refining systems had long been out of operation. Thump. Landing gently from mid-air, Yu Hong stood on the top of the highest metallic tower of the fourth satellite, gazing at the burning star in the sky. All around him was a grayish yellow fog, lifeless and motionless. It seemed as if he was the only moving thing on this entire planet. The sound of the howling wind swirled, stirring the yellow fog as it drifted continuously. ¡°This place¡­ seems worse than I imagined Yu Hong sighed. ¡°What were you originally thinking?¡± The voice of the mysterious merchant suddenly came from behind him. Yu Hong shivered, quickly turning his head, and saw the figure appearing at the entrance of the tower top, one foot on the step, standing lightly. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you, senior.¡± Yu Hong exhaled, quickly adjusting his tone. Although the other did not seem to care about such things, showing respect never hurt anyone. ¡°Actually, I had a strange feeling since my first few days on the Mining Star.¡± He said frankly, ¡°Here, bizarre things appear and disappear constantly. Strange sword cultivators occasionally attack at night. My master, senior brothers, and senior sisters mysteriously disappear in the evenings and are untraceable.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not wrong.¡± The mysterious merchant cackled, ¡°But compared to here, with the impending cataclysm, other places are even more hopeless¡­. Here, at least, maintains some sense of normalcy.¡± ¡°Senior, may I ask, besides Qinghe Mountain, are there other forces deeper into the Source Disaster?¡± Yu Hong suddenly changed the topic. ¡°Who knows. Qinghe Mountain is not the only place with Heavenly Venerates;this universe is vast with many Heavenly Venerates, perhaps other places like this still exist.¡± The mysterious merchant murmured. ¡°Besides¡­..¡± He let out a high-pitched, piercing laugh. ¡°Have you¡­. fixed it??¡± .Are you referring to the Purple Extreme Crown, senior?¡± Yu Hong squinted. ¡°Yes, fortunately, the damage wasn¡¯t too severe;it took more than ten days to fix, and it was highly challenging, with a touch of luck. Otherwise, with my current skills, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to fully repair it.¡± He added several preconditions to indicate his skills weren¡¯t that great. Like the damage not being significant, it took more than ten days, and required luck. However¡­. ¡°Hehehehe¡­.. Yes, not severely damaged¡­.¡± The mysterious merchant laughed sharply. A Purple Extreme Crown, damaged by nearly half, and that¡¯s called not significant damage!?! More than ten days!? If everything outside were normal, a Magic Treasure like the Purple Extreme Crown, damaged about half, would typically require years for repair. More than ten days wouldn¡¯t even be enough to finish assessing the damage! ¡°Very good¡­. very good.¡± The mysterious merchant lowered his head, and the massive tumor on his back quivered along with his laughter. ¡°Yu Hong¡­. what do you think of Qinghe Mountain? Do you want to¡­.¡± Bang!! Before he finished speaking, a sudden sharp noise came from the metallic tower they stood on, as if something had snapped. The mysterious merchant immediately fell silent, yet the smile on his face couldn¡¯t be hidden. ¡°Good child¡­.¡± He extended his hand again, revealing a small, exquisite apple-like pink fruit in his palm. ¡°Check this out¡­. can this be repaired?¡± he asked softly. Yu Hong stepped forward, reaching out to take the pink fruit. His heart stirred, as the Black Mark flowed from the back of his hand, seeping into the fruit. ¡®Enhanced Apple, Direction: Slightly increase the hardness of the apple¡¯s skin.¡¯ He casually named it. The countdown swiftly emerged: ¡®February 11, 5:19 AM.¡¯ Over two months!? That long? Yu Hong was shocked, and his expression was noted by the mysterious merchant. ¡°Is it doable?¡± the mysterious merchant asked again. ¡°It¡¯s extremely challenging Yu Hong said in a deep voice. If over two months were entirely spent on enhancing this, it meant he couldn¡¯t use the Black Mark to enhance other things or integrate them for two months. The sacrifice was substantial. ¡°Challenging¡­ Is that so!?¡± The mysterious merchant¡¯s voice trembled slightly. He didn¡¯t have high hopes when taking this thing out, merely trying his luck, jokingly. But unexpectedly¡­ Yu Hong actually replied that it was challenging to repair??? Is it a matter of challenge? It¡¯s that it can be repaired!! The mysterious merchant felt his emotions, unstirred for tens of thousands of years, underwent unprecedented fluctuations. ¡°If you can truly repair it, then¡­. what do you need?¡± ¡°I have the materials, but I¡¯ll need to dedicate lots of time and energy to it, and I also need to cultivate.¡± Yu Hongdao said. ¡°If you can fix it, this place, perhaps¡­. will become a real place of hope the mysterious merchant said. ¡°Whatever else you want, I can give you!¡± ¡°Could you tell me the truth about the Mining Star? What happened to Wanxue Palace?¡± Yu Hong frowned and asked directly. ¡°To be frank¡­ The true Wanxue Palace was destroyed years ago during a Star Disaster¡¯s siege. Yu Xuezi and the other two did not die, they were merely polluted into Chaos Bodies.¡± The mysterious merchant withheld no more, slowly recounting the events of those years. ¡°Yu Xuezi is the junior brother of Feng Xuezi and the last relative of the Wanxue Palace lineage. The whole Wanxue Palace fought against the Star Disaster, leaving only the two brothers. Feng Xuezi is highly cultivated;he advanced to Golden Immortal early on, with formidable strength. Yu Xuezi, knowing his inadequacy, remained barely at Critical Human Immortal for a long time. But ¡°One accident, Yu Xuezi was unfortunately infected into a Chaos Body during the Star Disaster¡¯s siege. Once Feng Xuezi found out, he rushed back swiftly, timely preventing a report to the main line, blocking the disaster of Yu Xuezi becoming a Chaos Body. He completely sealed off the Mining Star, severing all contact with the outside world to ensure his junior brother¡¯s condition wouldn¡¯t leak out, avoiding the main line¡¯s preemptive eradication.¡± The mysterious merchant said softly. ¡°Chaos Bodies carry a strong virus, so they must be eradicated immediately upon discovery.¡± ¡°Originally, Yu Xuezi was doomed, for he had no opportunity to slowly fade away as other Chaos Bodies, eventually disappearing. He would have been instantly killed by the main line. But Feng Xuezi¡¯s complete seal of the Mining Star prevented the main line from ever learning of Yu Xuezi¡¯s existence, and his destruction was interrupted.¡± ¡°Time flew by, and the Mining Star was sealed off for hundreds of years, during which the outside world underwent massive changes.¡± ¡°Heavenly Venerates vanished, Star Disasters swept through, and Qinghe Mountain and other major forces were mysteriously tainted almost overnight. Numerous forces were besieged, engulfed by star-destroying monsters. Only the Mining Star¡¯s Wanxue Palace survived, due to its complete isolation without any sign of it, and because Yu Xuezi being already a Chaos Body attracted little external monster attention, they survived. ¡± ¡°In a blink of several tens of thousands of years, the Mining Star remains, while everything outside has long perished. The entire Qinghe Mountain Wanxue Palace became the sole surviving remnant.¡± ¡°Meanwhile, Feng Xuezi, in maintaining the Mining Star¡¯s seal, was also corrupted into a Chaos Body. As Chao Bodies, they weren¡¯t assaulted, but as Chaos Bodies, they could only die slowly in such isolation, waiting to be obliterated.¡± The mysterious merchant spoke, having walked ahead of Yu Hong, standing on the tower top platform, gazing at the endless sea of yellow mist outside. ¡°This is the history of the Mining Star. Do you have any questions?¡± ¡°Senior¡­. I want to ask, have we also been infected by the Chaos Body?¡± Yu Hong couldn¡¯t help but ask softly. ¡°No. The infection period of a Chaos Body is mainly the first three thousand years or so, which has long passed.¡± The mysterious merchant answered. ¡°Then, the junior has no more questions.¡± Yu Hong thought for a moment and replied. ¡°Knowing all this, are you still willing to stay on the Mining Star?¡± The mysterious merchant asked. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be willing? My master, senior brothers, and senior sisters treat me well. Even if they are Chaos Bodies, since they don¡¯t infect me or harm me, why should I not want to stay?¡± Yu Hong countered. His words instead inquired back the mysterious merchant. ¡°Then about those strange sword cultivators at night? Are you afraid?¡± He thought for a bit, changing the topic. ¡°Where do they come from?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°They were once disciples of Wanxue Palace. Before Wanxue Palace was destroyed, leaving only Feng Xuezi and Yu Xuezi, it was a prosperous branch. Later, with the siege of Star Disaster, the branch was decimated, leaving only the two of them. This is also why Yu Xuezi strived for disciples with superior aptitude, determined to restore Wanxue Palace lineage.¡± The mysterious merchant explained. ¡°No wonder, but as long as I don¡¯t go out at night, they pose no danger to me, right?¡± Yu Hong didn¡¯t mind. .¡± The mysterious merchant glanced deeply at him, recognizing his genuine indifference. ¡®You¡­ have great courage¡­. great courage. From your heart, I¡¯ve never felt the slightest despair¡­ fear¡­ anxiety¡­.¡¯ he murmured. ¡°Hope will certainly come, senior.¡± Yu Hong said earnestly. ¡°Is that so? Then, I will look forward to you bringing new hope The mysterious merchant took a step back, his figure rippling like water and disappeared on the spot. Yu Hong gazed at where he left, mind repeatedly recalling the story he just heard of Wanxue Palace. A Senior Brother willing to protect his junior at all costs inadvertently preserved the last breath of life of his sect. Though slowly dying, he achieved what he wanted, waiting for that glimmer of hope he wished for. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t entirely believe everything the mysterious merchant said. Many details still needed confirmation and proof. But the entire logical chain seemed intact. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Moreover¡­. Yu Hong lowered his head, looking at the apple-like seed in his palm. ¡°Leaving something that seems quite important like this with me?¡± The Black Mark would take more than two months to repair it, indicating a foundation far surpassing what he had repaired with the Purple Extreme Crown before. Chapter 535: Experience One Inside the real Wanxue Palace. On the ruins, Feng Xuezi glared at the decay merchant with a hostile expression. ¡°What were you trying to do just now?¡± ¡°Since you don¡¯t appreciate it and want to eliminate interference factors, why not give it to me as a disciple, wouldn¡¯t that make everyone happy?¡± the decay merchant said in a strange tone, lowering his head. ¡°That was before! From now on, I will value it! Take your claws back!¡± Feng Xuezi said coldly. ¡°Also, you gave him the Red Sky Fruit, do you actually think he can repair it?¡± ¡°Why not? The Purple Extreme Crown is a Golden Immortal level magic treasure that he can repair;although the Red Sky Fruit was developed by several Heavenly Venerates together, it¡¯s not very rare in itself. If it can be repaired, that would be the greatest hope,¡± the decay merchant said in a low voice. ¡°Even if it can be repaired, what could you offer him in exchange? Don¡¯t tell me you want to take advantage of an information gap. With long-term cooperation, you¡¯ll be found out sooner or later. Plus, he¡¯s a disciple of my Wanxue Palace lineage! He is my junior nephew!¡± Feng Xuezi said sternly. ¡°Oh? Now he¡¯s your junior nephew?¡± the decay merchant laughed oddly. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for a lack of choice, do you think I would want to take action to eliminate external factors?¡± Feng Xuezi replied. ¡°The damage to the Red Sky Fruit, basically, can¡¯t be repaired for reuse. It¡¯s essentially a one-time treasure, but if it can indeed be repaired, the implications¡­ even at Qinghe Mountain¡¯s peak, it would stir the Heavenly Venerate,¡± the decay merchant said. ¡°So, according to this exchange, I will give him what he wants most, something of equal or even greater value than a complete Red Sky Fruit.¡± ¡°You certainly are wealthy, but aren¡¯t many core resources of various forces now in your hands?¡± Feng Xuezi said coldly. ¡°Not much¡­ just a little bit,¡± the decay merchant replied with a smile. ¡°Next, I will focus on protecting Yu Hong and Quan He since hope has been seen. The previous ideas can no longer continue,¡± Feng Xuezi said in a low tone. ¡°What about your junior brother¡¯s Chaos Body the decay merchant asked. ¡°Yu Hong and Quan He will be the new leaders of my lineage. Once they are capable, my junior brother and I will take our exit together,¡± Feng Xuezi said calmly. The decay merchant said no more, falling silent upon hearing about the exit. ¡°By the way, the purification from the Purification Furnace triggered some backlash from the Star Disaster. I need you to investigate,¡± Feng Xuezi switched topics. ¡°I¡¯ve already checked. Star Disaster is like that, the stronger your resistance, the greater the pressure until it completely crushes you. But this level of backlash would, at most, produce a Divinity Transformation level Tree Puppet. Still quite mild,¡± the decay merchant replied. ¡°Tree Puppets are different. Sixteen Divinity Transformations forming an array can contend with one Returning to Void. Following the number sixteen, sixteen Returning to Void can contend with one Mahayana. In endless numbers, even I, given current deficits and severe injuries, invaded by Chaos Body, can¡¯t stop a large number of Mahayana assaults.¡± ¡°Did a Mahayana appear last time?¡± the decay merchant asked in surprise. ¡°It did. On the night the Purification Furnace appeared, more than five-thousand Tree Puppets attacked, which I suppressed and drove back,¡± Feng Xuezi said sternly. ¡°Indeed the decay merchant sighed, ¡°Even producing a single Mahayana in the cultivator¡¯s ranks takes at least a thousand years, longer by ten thousand, yet this Star Disaster can deploy tens of thousands at once.¡± ¡°But that is also its limit. The evolution of Ascension Tree Puppet Star Disasters is difficult, with few numbers, probably in the hundreds only, mixed in the attack. The pressure isn¡¯t too much yet.¡± Feng Xuezi took a breath. ¡°If I weren¡¯t so decayed, resolving this situation would be easy.¡± ¡°If you were in perfect health, the Star Disaster¡¯s dark tumor mother body would come for you, killing you even faster,¡± the decay merchant laughed oddly. .¡± Feng Xuezi snorted coldly, saying no more. ¡°This time, I hope everything goes smoothly, or else I wouldn¡¯t want to enter the time turbulence with you again, being sealed for unknown years,¡± the decay merchant said with a laugh as his form slowly dissipated. * * * After meeting the decay merchant, Yu Hong had a clear understanding of the situation on Mining Star. He and Quan Hetian would inevitably return to the safe house before dark, with strict plans and steps for daily cultivation. By avoiding risks this way, the two of them on the Mining Star had almost no difference from regular Sect cultivation. In the blink of an eye, more than a month passed¡­. Rumble¡­. The sky was filled with dark clouds, with rolling thunder, and faint blue electric arcs occasionally flashed through the clouds. Quan He, Yu Xuezi, Bai Sheng, and Hei Ying stood atop the mountain, looking blankly at Yu Hong, who was sitting cross-legged on the peak not far away. ¡°Wasn¡¯t¡­ didn¡¯t Zheng Rou just break through to Middle Stage Foundation Establishment a month ago?¡± Bai Sheng asked in bewilderment. ¡°Now he¡¯s about to face a tribulation again?¡± Hei Ying shook his head: ¡°It might be some magic treasure he refined that¡¯s causing this tribulation, right?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s a tribulation from a breakthrough in realm.¡± Yu Xuezi shook her head. ¡°This is the Heavenly Tribulation of the Late-stage Foundation Establishment, matching the power and form.¡± ..¡± The three of them looked confused. ¡°Quan He, how about your current progress? Are you about to break through to the late stage as well?¡± Bai Sheng looked at Yu Hong, couldn¡¯t resist, and then looked at Quan He. ¡°How could it be possible,¡± Quan He shook his head with a bitter smile, ¡°I just broke through the middle stage, the difficulty gets greater as it goes, and the True Yuan required is massive, not so fast at all. I estimate I need at least another half a year.¡± ..¡± Bai Sheng and Hei Ying were left speechless. It had taken them over twenty years to move from the middle stage to the late stage! ¡°Isn¡¯t Junior Brother Zheng Rou possessed by some ancient monster?¡± Bai Sheng suspected. ¡°Are you doubting my insight?¡± Yu Xuezi¡¯s brow furrowed, her voice growing cold. ¡°Disciple wouldn¡¯t dare!¡± Bai Sheng quickly bowed his head. ¡°But none of us have seen what the highest quality Immortal Seed is like. Perhaps Junior Brother Zheng Rou is perfectly normal in this regard. After all, it¡¯s just the Foundation Establishment stage, being quick isn¡¯t a big deal,¡± Hei Ying speculated. At that moment. Crack! Three blue arcs of electricity crashed down loudly. They struck harshly at Yu Hong¡¯s head. But the arcs did not even scratch his flesh;they were neutralized by a thin layer of golden light. This was the weakening effect of the Ancient Moon Divinity. At this time, Yu Hong, although just a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, had a strange blend of various traits and methods. How strong his power could be was not clear. A moment later, Yu Hong opened his eyes and stood up, his body true yuan flowing like a tidal wave, spreading in all directions, and only dissipating faintly after extending dozens of meters. He rose into the air, flying straight towards Yu Xuezi and the others. ¡°Thank you, Master, Senior Brother, and Senior Sister, for your protection.¡± Yu Hong cupped his hands in salute. ¡°It seems to have stabilized. How do you feel?¡± Yu Xuezi asked, slightly nervous. ¡°Everything is fine. It entirely conforms to all descriptions of the Foundation Establishment stage. The breakthrough was smooth without any delay.¡± Yu Hong replied swiftly. ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good.¡± Yu Xuezi breathed a sigh of relief. The primary concern was that Yu Hong¡¯s breakthrough was too fast. He was soon approaching the Golden Core stage, and it had been less than a year since he joined Wanxue Palace. ¡°Speaking of which, when Junior Brother first arrived on Mining Star, he was also at the peak of Golden Core strength. Who would have thought that starting from scratch, he would almost catch up Bai Sheng mused. ¡°How could you compare? The foundations are different. A Golden Core for a normal human and a Golden Core from a giant planet can¡¯t be compared,¡± Hei Ying retorted. ¡°It¡¯s true¡­ when Junior Brother breaks through to the Golden Core, he¡¯ll be much stronger than when he first arrived. He could easily crush even with the infinite Light Well¡¯s support,¡± Bai Sheng nodded. ¡°Now at the late stage of the Foundation Establishment, Zheng Rou staying at the edge of the Life Well for training is no longer sufficient. Forming the Core requires perfect fusion of essence, qi, and spirit, gathering and compressing to the extreme. Simply increasing true yuan or enhancing spirit and physique is not enough. What you need now is Mixed Elements as One, integrating all your power, resolving delays, breaking through hindrances and impurities, and fusing everything,¡± Yu Xuezi directed. ¡°I understand, Master,¡± Yu Hong nodded solemnly. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t randomly increase types of internal power now. Gain power through Mortal Martial Inner Strength after your fusion, and it¡¯s easier to supplement with the Golden Core,¡± Yu Xuezi continued. ¡°Yes!¡± Yu Xuezi gave more guidance on some breakthrough details, cultivation tips, and thoroughly checked the sealing situation inside Yu Hong¡¯s body. After confirming there was no problem with the Light Well, she satisfiedly teleported away. Leaving Bai Sheng, Hei Ying, Quan He, and Yu Hong, they returned to the edge of the Life Well together. ¡°I¡¯ll lead the way first. Junior Brother, remember the route. Once inside, don¡¯t run around. Just cultivate in the safe zone. Remembered?¡± Bai Sheng said earnestly. ¡°Mm, Senior Brother Bai, are we entering the Life Well?¡± Yu Hong, seeing Bai Sheng uncover the well cover, immediately guessed the situation. ¡°Yes,¡± Bai Sheng nodded, ¡°The life force outside isn¡¯t nearly enough for forming a core. The amount you need can only be obtained by entering the safe zone we set up.¡± He pinched a spell with one hand and pointed into the well. Whoosh! Instantly, a wave of green light rippled inside the well, and vine-like green tendrils grew rapidly. A large number of tendrils intertwined quickly to form a green passageway, extending before the few. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Bai Sheng was the first to enter it. Hei Ying followed, and Yu Hong and Quan He exchanged a glance, then stepped forward into it. In the next moment, their vision blurred, and they suddenly found themselves in a verdant grassy field. Except, in this grass field, every blade of grass was much taller than them. Some taller ones were even like buildings, standing on one side, swaying in the wind. In the surrounding air, a dense number of blackish-brown particles, similar to dandelion seeds, floated. Farther away in mid-air, through the grass, they could see huge, jellyfish-like pale golden creatures floating in the air, dragging long tendrils, flying steadily. Yu Hong looked up at the sky. There was no sun, only a rift spanning the sky, emitting golden light that illuminated the land. He looked down at the ground. The ground was not soil but some black sand, fine and thick, moist and soft. ¡°This is the first safe zone we established inside the Life Well, suitable for nascent soul to divinity transformation practice. Although Zheng Rou, you¡¯re not yet a core yet, as a genius, you may enjoy this privilege in advance without issue. We¡¯ve trained here before as well. Further ahead are practice safe zones for nascent soul to divinity transformation, divinity transformation to returning to void, progressing step by step in rank. The sect reportedly has higher safe zones for Human Immortal to Heavenly Immortal, but they haven¡¯t been maintained in ages and are no longer safe. Master alone can¡¯t constantly maintain them,¡± Bai Sheng warned. ¡°If you venture too deep, be careful and stay safe.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve ventured before. When teleported to the Ascension to Immortal Realm¡¯s safe zone, there was already a problem. Presumably, the external array cycle has damage,¡± Hei Ying mentioned. Yu Hong surveyed his surroundings, focusing his eyesight to identify the boundaries of this place. This place was roughly a closed space about five football fields in size. The inner walls of the space were a layer of translucent barrier, visible to the outside, but impenetrable. Chapter 536: Experience 534 II ¡°By the way, if you¡¯re idle here, you can go to the edge buffer zone and use the monsters outside for practice. The vitality here is immensely rich;the monsters are all in Immortal bodies, and you can only temporarily destroy them by killing their spiritual consciousness. But it¡¯s only temporary;their bodies quickly regenerate new consciousness, taking over the body and reviving again.¡± Hei Ying mentioned. ¡°Understood!¡± Yu Hong nodded. ¡°Alright, you can explore any other trivial things by yourself. Quan He, let¡¯s go. You can¡¯t stay here for long.¡± Hei Ying pulled Quan He and stepped back into the green passage behind them, and the two figures disappeared in an instant. ¡°Be careful here. Although you can practice actual combat, the monsters outside are not as strong as those from other Star Disasters, but occasionally, some freaks show up. If you sense something wrong, retreat to the safe zone immediately!¡± Bai Sheng advised. ¡°What¡¯s the strongest monster encountered by brother here?¡± Yu Hong asked about the upper limit first. ¡°The strongest monster encountered around here required a Nascent Soul Late Stage expert to resolve it.¡± Bai Sheng replied, ¡°Compared to other Star Disasters and the wild monsters wandering at night outside, the biggest characteristic of these monsters here is their flesh and blood!¡± ¡°Flesh and blood?¡± Yu Hong seemed to think of something. ¡°Just as you thought, if the wandering monsters outside are categorized into Ordinary, Transcendent, and Immortal levels by energy level, then the monsters here are primarily strong in their physique¡ªstrength, speed, defense, growth, biological toxicity¡ªyou know the deal.¡± Bai Sheng said solemnly. ¡°If you¡¯re not careful while dealing with them, you might get injured before you have a chance to use any technique.¡± ¡°The body, huh? I understand!¡± Yu Hong nodded. He remembered that ordinary energy mainly involved conventional physical attacks, including most thermal weapons and heat attacks below three thousand degrees, all counted as ordinary. Transcendent refers to attacks above three thousand degrees and many energy attacks with special properties or spiritual attacks. This stage is generally mastered during Qi Cultivation to the late Foundation Establishment stage with True Yuan characteristics. Immortal encompasses everything with immortal nature, which can completely suppress all energies below immortal, consuming them and enhancing itself. This is the power mastered from Golden Core to Nascent Soul. As for the ¡®infectious¡¯ level, according to Master Yu Xuezi, this is the power trait mastered from Divinity Transformation to Ascension. The difference lies in the speed, range, and duration of infection in different realms. A Great Cultivator in the Ascension Realm can infect an entire planet with a single drop of mana. At full power, they can destroy all areas within a Constant Star System in an instant. This terrifying spreading power is the fundamental ability for becoming a cultivator of the starry sky, leaving behind the planets. If your mana¡¯s infectious trait is insufficient or too slow, trying to attack an opponent in the starry sky is merely a pipedream. Others can slap you from a few billion kilometers away, while to retaliate, you¡¯d have to fly for a few hundred to a few thousand years¡­what¡¯s the point? As for the further fairyland, it¡¯s where the higher level of immortal power, Unity of Heaven and Man, is mastered. In a sense, energy level is actually a universal evaluation method used by any cultivation power system. No matter what system you belong to, the difference in energy level generally determines the strength. Because these represent major stage differences. ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll leave first. You try it yourself.¡± After explaining, Bai Sheng apparently had his affairs to attend to. He said his farewells and turned back into the passage, disappearing. Yu Hong stood alone, glancing around. He simply sat down cross-legged, focused on the golden crack overhead, and began cultivation with closed eyes. Hiss¡­ Instantly, faint translucent smoke was drawn from the surface of the giant green grass surrounding him and entered his body. That was the vitality of the grass. Countless brown seeds floating in the air also released their vitality, which flowed into Yu Hong¡¯s body. Upon absorbing this, he immediately sensed a huge difference. The concentration of vitality here was countless times more intense than what he¡¯d absorbed at the Well of Life¡¯s entrance. After two hours, Yu Hong left through the green passage, his late-stage Foundation Establishment base completely filled with True Yuan converted from a vast amount of vitality. While outside, it would take at least three days. He stood at the entrance of the Life Well passage, watching the green vine passage rapidly wither, turn black, crumble, and fall to the ground. Quickly, he covered the well cap. Only then did Yu Hong notice that the sky outside had already darkened. The surrounding forest was deep and eerie, with faint shadows beginning to flash into existence. He was about to Instantaneously Move back to the safe house, but in the next moment, he stopped. Having just broken through, he also wanted to test the current gap between himself and these former Wanxue Palace disciples. Yu Hong slowly moved to the left, targeting a shadow in the forest and walking towards it. With steps of ten meters each, he reached the opponent¡¯s side in three steps. Swish! This was a typical Sword Cultivation Monster clad in a white robe, with bluish skin. Upon seeing Yu Hong, it instantly drew its sword and thrust it forward. Clink. Yu Hong grabbed the sword tip single-handedly and pulled it outward. The long sword flew out of its hand and landed in his grip. Swipe. The sword flashed, and the Sword Cultivation Monster tried to raise its hand to block, but to no avail. In the next moment, its entire body was split in half, thoroughly divided into two pieces. ¡°Too weak!¡± He continued moving further away. Swish! Another sword flash came from the left side, moving extremely fast. Black energy of Immortal Realm was entwined on this sword, indicating that the opponent was an expert. Yu Hong also used the Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill, gray smoke-like Inner Strength coated the blade, and met the opponent¡¯s strike. Clang!! The opponent¡¯s long sword flew out of their hand, swept away by the huge force, and landed in the distant darkness. The Immortal Energy started devouring the gray Inner Strength of the Chaotic God Sky Eye, but the pace was slow, not enough to exert power. The Sword Cultivator let out a low growl and unexpectedly charged at Yu Hong. This charge was not only entangled with Immortal Energy but also seemed to follow some pattern, clearly a Martial Art as well. As it neared, the Sword Cultivator brought its right hand together into a sword-finger, using its hand as a sword, barely missing a stab at Yu Hong¡¯s left eye due to its speed. Simultaneously, a green light flew from its back, silently launching a surprise attack towards Yu Hong¡¯s rear head. This flying sword green light, which once made Yu Hong¡¯s reaction impossible, was now extraordinarily clear upon seeing again. He brandished his sword, gathering full power, and casually tapped. Clang! Immediately, the flying sword green light was flicked away by the sword tip. At the same time, his right leg kicked, precisely targeting the oncoming Sword Cultivation Monster, kicking it far away. Yu Hong finally tossed the long sword in his hand lightly. Swish, the sword blade shot out, instantly hitting the Sword Cultivation Monster in the air¡¯s brow, pierced through it. Poof. While still in mid-air, the Sword Cultivation Monster exploded into a cloud of black smoke, disappearing without a trace. ¡°The flying sword that was hard to respond to before is now nothing. It seems my speed has improved quite a bit.¡± Yu Hong clapped his hands satisfactorily. He glanced at the other approaching Sword Cultivation Monsters around. He thought for a second;nowadays, his most advantageous point is the various Martial Arts based on the Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill. The Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique is strong, but he didn¡¯t actually cultivate any matching powerful martial techniques. Just trained this main method as a foundation. Originally, he used the Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill for offense and the Qingwei Heart Technique for defense and escape;however, the Chaotic God Sky Eye hasn¡¯t reached Perfection, and the Qingwei Heart Technique is still on hold. Hence, the entire system hasn¡¯t fully formed yet. Yu Hong just practiced a bit and retreated backward, not venturing further. But just as he prepared to Instantaneously Move away, A sharp, cold killing intent was locked on him from behind, interrupting his ability. The space around him subtly rippled, stirred by the massive Immortal Energy accompanying the opponent¡¯s killing intent. Yu Hong narrowed his eyes, slowly turned around, and looked behind him. About ten meters away behind him in the forest stood a white-robed Sword Cultivator, whose face was covered in black spots, holding a Black Sword. The opponent¡¯s complexion was still an iron blue color, clearly not alive. It was the same type of Sword Cultivation Monster. However, this one was distinctly different from those before. Yu Hong¡¯s gaze fell on the black smoke energy at the end of the opponent¡¯s Black Sword. The spatial fluctuations caused by the Immortal Energy there far exceeded those of the previous Sword Cultivation Monsters. It gave him the impression of having a bit of his senior sister Hei Ying¡¯s aura. Calming his mind, Yu Hong quietly watched the opponent. The surrounding was silent, death still. Though the Well of Life was just beside them, the green mist released from its crevices wasn¡¯t approaching due to being tainted by the black smoke energy escaping from the Sword Cultivation Monster, swiftly vanishing. Yu Hong squinted;his Tai Ling Skill¡¯s Inner Strength belonged to the Immortal Level, but since Tai Ling Skill was sealed, his Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Method True Qi still belonged to Transcendent Energy Level, making a pure power struggle impossible for him to win. So, he had to rely on other Secret Techniques, methods¡­. Traits and rare skills were his keys to victory. With a thought, Yu Hong took the initiative. His right eye¡¯s eye-patch was instantly pierced by a ray of purple light. The purple light encircled colorful dots of light and shot forward with lightning speed, as fast as a bolt of lightning, targeting the opponent¡¯s forehead. This was the Eye of Destruction ability. It was also his first time using the Immortal General Heavenly Eye after evolving from the Outer Eye. Unlike others, the superpower of the Outer Eye was a unique ability method belonging solely to itself, uninfluenced by the Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique. It solely depended on Yu Hong¡¯s Spirit. In other words, even if his power disappeared now, the Eye of Transmission and the Eye of Destruction from the Outer Eye could still be used. That¡¯s why it¡¯s called the innate superpower. It¡¯s just that Yu Hong used a Black Mark to attach it to the Outer Eye, making it supposedly innate. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Puff! The purple light was extremely fast;even the opponent couldn¡¯t dodge it, getting hit on the spot. Yet, the purple light only made a small dent in the Sword Cultivator¡¯s forehead, soon blocked by the subsequent surging black mist. The Sword Cultivator retreated two steps, the Black Sword in his hand vanished silently, and his arm transformed into nothingness along with it. This was due to such rapid speed, causing a bizarre scenario where the visual couldn¡¯t keep up. This moment, Yu Hong was intensely shaken. His eyesight now was no ordinary cultivator¡¯s, and despite his powerful eyesight, he couldn¡¯t clearly see the opponent¡¯s sword-drawing speed. It had evidently surpassed his maximum handling capacity by far. Immediately, he swiftly retreated. At this time, the Water Instrument Ball bestowed by his master suddenly emitted a touch of blue light. Subtle runes flashed by. Clang! A pitch-black sword blade materialized in front of Yu Hong out of thin air. Clutched by the Sword Cultivator, it was firmly blocked by a thin blue light. Seizing this gap, Yu Hong quickly retreated, gaining distance. Sensing the Sword Cultivator across paused inexplicably, he hastily triggered Instantaneous Movement in his mind. Swish! The next second, he was at the doorstep of the safe house, quickly pushing the door open and entering. ¡°Impressive!!¡± He hadn¡¯t expected that the life-saving Water Instrument Ball given by his master would eventually be activated. The Water Instrument Ball is renowned for being able to teleport someone back at any time, anywhere, and also serves the temporary life-saving function. This is also the fundamental reason Yu Hong dared to be a bit rash. Reviewing the previous combat scenario. He was more eager for the completion of Qingwei Heart Technique;currently, his method is merely exchanging injuries to win. Against higher levels, he is easily defeated. ¡°Still too weak, although, that Black Sword¡­.I haven¡¯t seen it around before, should be one of the stronger monster Sword Cultivators. I could ask my master about it later. Immortal Realm¡¯s power, at the minimum, is the Golden Core Realm. I, being in the Foundation Establishment Stage, was battling a Golden Core-level monster, truly a bit He used to read novels where geniuses could fight higher levels, but experiencing it personally, leveling up? Easier said than done. ¡®The realm is still crucial¡­ breakthroughs, continuous breakthroughs!¡¯ He was about to acquire the three traits of Mortal Martial. Furthermore, the Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill, after Outer Eye evolution, had also given an enhancement in overall body and aptitude. Now is the perfect time to make another enhancement surge. Strive for Core Formation next month! Chapter 537: Facing It 1 Floating City, Absolute Balance. Margaret Palace. An elderly mage with blue skin, leaning on a light golden crystal wand, slowly walked into the palace. ¡°How long has Margaret been missing?¡± The mage¡¯s face was calm as he looked around and asked. ¡°It has been some time. The Patrol Chief said she was going to investigate the missing cargo ship case. She left Floating City several months ago.¡± Inside the palace, a petite translucent young girl appeared, floating in mid-air, and respectfully replied to the elderly mage. ¡°You are the intelligent spirit of this palace. You should know the last route she took, correct?¡± The elderly mage asked in a deep voice. ¡°I regret to inform you that I do not.¡± The young girl responded, ¡°The Patrol Chief sealed her movement tracker before she left. I have no authority to view or record it.¡± ¡°Useless!¡± The elderly mage¡¯s face turned cold. ¡°Lord Lu Xian, she is just an intelligent spirit. The urgent task now is to find the one causing the large-scale energy disturbances around here.¡± A tall and thin man, covered in dark grey, appeared behind the elderly mage. ¡°According to remote calculations, the energy level fluctuation at that time reached the peak of the Immortal Level.¡± ¡°Level Eight standards¡­ indeed significant¡­ Margaret didn¡¯t die in vain.¡± The elderly mage¡¯s eyes grew colder. ¡°What does the Prophetic Department say?¡± ¡°They couldn¡¯t find anything either, but based on trace analysis, we determined that Margaret received a warning from Mage Liu Chixuan before she left. Her journey is definitely related to Mage Liu Chixuan;they are definitely connected.¡± The tall thin man replied. ¡°Liu Chixuan recently accepted a new disciple. It¡¯s said that this person¡¯s friends had some conflicts with Patrol Chief Margaret.¡± The man continued. ¡°That child named Ku Chan, right? He has decent talent and disposition. Too bad¡­ he stands on the opposite side of us.¡± The elderly mage Lu Xian turned around, looking at the empty palace. After a long silence, he turned back around. ¡°Daring to attack and kill the Patrol Chief nearby is a grave crime and must be severely punished. We will start by investigating Liu Chixuan.¡± * * * ¡°Lately, I¡¯ve had an uneasy feeling.¡± In the Black Black Spirit, Yu Hong and Quan He sat opposite each other, eating freshly prepared small dishes. ¡°When our spirit reaches this level, if our magic is strong enough, we will naturally sense some premonitions about potential bad futures.¡± Quan He explained with his ample experience. ¡°So, do you mean I might encounter something disadvantageous?¡± Yu Hong frowned, but upon careful reflection, he found no possible threats around him. ¡°If the feeling is faint, sometimes it means something related or significant to you might go wrong.¡± Quan He continued. ¡°This Yu Hong knitted his brows. The first thing that came to mind was the chain reaction in Floating City after he killed Margaret. Margaret¡¯s disappearance would take some time to be discovered since she often went out as a Sixth Level Mage. People would need to notice her absence before starting a missing person investigation. He shared his guess with Quan He. ¡°I¡¯m worried that Floating City might affect Ku Chan and others.¡± Yu Hong said softly. ¡°Stop hesitating, why not go back and check?¡± Quan He suggested softly, ¡°There are the masters backing you. Returning to check on them and even bringing them here seems like a good idea.¡± ¡°You are right.¡± Yu Hong nodded. With his cultivation breaking through to the late-stage Foundation Establishment, his True Yuan was catching up to his unsealed Tai Ling Skill. Returning to check things out would give him peace of mind. Right then, Yu Hong quickly finished his meal, put down the bowl, and stood up. ¡°No time to lose. I¡¯ll go seek leave from the masters.¡± He felt a strong premonition, and at his level, such feelings were never unfounded. He quickly left and used Instantaneous Movement to reach Wanxue Palace to speak to his teacher. ¡°Have you fused the Xuan Kong Device and the Heavenly Shield Device?¡± Yu Xuezi asked. ¡°They¡¯ve long been fused.¡± Yu Hong nodded. He had fused these essential magic artifacts long ago. ¡°Then go.¡± Yu Xuezi nodded, ¡°Last time, your senior brother and sister gave you protective talismans. This time you ¡°This time, I¡¯ll go by myself without troubling them.¡± Yu Hong stated. ¡°Not troubling them but you mean to trouble me, right?¡± Yu Xuezi sighed, ¡°Knowing you might encounter danger, do you think I will stand by and not react?¡± ¡°Teacher, I didn¡¯t mean that Yu Hong said quickly. ¡°Then what do you mean?¡± Yu Xuezi¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°Enough talk.¡± He pointed at Yu Hong with one hand. Swoosh! A faint golden rune flashed and disappeared on Yu Hong¡¯s forehead. ¡°Alright. Go now. If you encounter danger, just shout Yu Xuezi gave a few instructions before waving Yu Hong away. Yu Hong memorized the mantra, feeling the increasingly urgent tremor in his heart. Without hesitation, he quickly took his leave. Returning to the safe house, he swiftly packed up and then went to visit his senior brothers and sisters. Only then did he activate the Black Black Spirit, slipping into the depths of the Wind Disaster, disappearing without a trace. * * * Inside the Floating City ¡¤ Aus Academy. Dean¡¯s office. Liu Chixuan stared grimly at the group of Arcanists who had barged in unauthorized. Leading them was none other than the old mage Lu Xian, who had previously entered Margaret Palace. ¡°Mage Lu Xian, even if you are a member of the Nine Rings, barging into a high-ranking mage¡¯s private domain like this seriously violates the seventh ordinance of Floating City¡¯s Absolute Balance! A mage¡¯s private space is sacred and inviolable!¡± The old mage¡¯s expression remained calm as if he hadn¡¯t heard the warning. He paced slowly within the office, like a lion king inspecting his territory. ¡°Margaret has been missing for some time, did you know?¡± he suddenly spoke. ¡°The Patrol Chief is missing?¡± Liu Chixuan immediately grasped the gravity of the situation. Margaret was a trusted subordinate of this Lu Xian, one of his power holders. Lu Xian¡¯s faction was not weak in the Floating City but also not exceptionally strong, so the power held by a Patrol Chief was not trivial for him. As the leader of a faction, Lu Xian had to react accordingly upon discovering Margaret¡¯s disappearance, in order to reassure his remaining subordinates. This was necessary to gather support. Various strategies flashed through Liu Chixuan¡¯s mind instantly. Now that he understood the other¡¯s purpose, coming up with countermeasures was much simpler. Although Lu Xian was a Level Nine Great Arcanist and a member of the highest council, Liu Chixuan also had a Level Nine council member behind him. For Lu Xian to storm into Aus Academy like this was already crossing the line. ¡°You needn¡¯t worry. I¡¯m here merely to investigate all the clues Margaret came in contact with before her death. After all, the disappearance and death of a Patrol Chief from Absolute Balance would seriously undermine the entire Floating City¡¯s authority if the truth is not uncovered.¡± Lu Xian said calmly. He wasn¡¯t sad about Margaret¡¯s death;rather, he was more agitated. Many of his plans involved Margaret¡¯s tasks and roles. Without the Patrol Chief position, a series of subsequent impacts needed reassessment. Compared to other Level Nine Great Arcanists, he was relatively young and inexperienced with many eyes keenly watching him. If this matter were not handled perfectly and forcefully, it would bring him unnecessary trouble in the future. The Great Arcanists from the opposing factions certainly wouldn¡¯t stand by and watch him smoothly handle everything. ¡°Very well, I trust Councilor Lu Xian will maintain a fair attitude.¡± Liu Chixuan said coldly. ¡°Good, then have your disciple Ku Chan come over.¡± Lu Xian nodded. He understood Liu Chixuan¡¯s anger but took advantage of the time gap. The councilor behind Liu Chixuan was currently tangled up in other matters and couldn¡¯t come immediately, hence Lu Xian personally led the team to find clues quickly. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Fine!¡± Liu Chixuan¡¯s face was grim as he picked up the communication crystal on the desk and whispered a few words. Soon, Ku Chan entered the room, clutching a stack of spell notes. ¡°Teacher, you called?¡± He saw Liu Chixuan¡¯s stern face as soon as he entered and felt a jolt in his heart. Then he noticed Lu Xian¡¯s smiling face. ¡°This is¡­.¡± Liu Chixuan reached out to introduce Lu Xian¡¯s identity. At that moment, Lu Xian suddenly pointed. Hiss! ¡°No need for introductions, just come with me.¡± A point of purple light glowed at his fingertip, which rapidly expanded into a giant purple web that enveloped Ku Chan abruptly. The next moment, Ku Chan¡¯s mana was sealed, and his body was wrapped in the web, shrinking quickly into a small ball that flew towards Lu Xian¡¯s hand. ¡°Councilor Lu Xian! You!!¡± Liu Chixuan was shocked. He raised his magic wand, and a radiant golden glow lit up beneath his feet, spreading outwards and activating the defense magic array within the office. ¡°Spell counter.¡± Lu Xian tapped his magic wand, and instantly a ripple of transparency spread out from him, extinguishing the golden array completely. ¡°I¡¯m taking Ku Chan back for investigation now. Whether it¡¯s Liu Xiran or anyone else, I¡¯m strictly following the rules!¡± He grabbed the purple ball containing Ku Chan and turned to leave. ¡°Lu Xian, you storm into my place and abduct my disciple. Are you declaring open hostilities with Aus Academy?¡± Just as he stepped out, numerous golden electric lights swiftly descended from the sky outside, forming a vague humanoid shape made of electricity. ¡°Liu Xiran? You reacted quickly. But you¡¯re far away at the front line now;you can¡¯t stop me!¡± Lu Xian said calmly. ¡°We councilors can see through the truth of the situation even if ordinary mages cannot.¡± ¡°And what if I can? Failing in action and getting killed, then you, stepping in yourself¡ªisn¡¯t that bullying the weak?¡± Liu Xiran retorted coldly. ¡°For beings like us, the traces of time and space are clear. You too can look into the identity of the assailant. As a trade-off, capturing just one person is already lenient.¡± Lu Xian said in a low voice. ¡°Instead of capturing the culprit, you¡¯re capturing my people. Are you hoping for a conflict when I return?¡± Liu Xiran raised his voice. ¡°I capture him because he is the closest to the culprit, making him crucial for drawing the culprit out, without harming your disciple at all. As for whether it leads to conflict, we¡¯ll see when you return! Right now, a mere avatar can¡¯t stop me.¡± Lu Xian pointed, and Liu Xiran¡¯s humanoid form exploded and faded. The next second, golden light burst beside him, like a bubble bursting. When the golden light dimmed, the person had disappeared, leaving only the constant angry shouts of Liu Chixuan and the other mages who had rushed out. Chapter 538: is upon us, the second one Billions of kilometers away from the Floating City, on the edge of a tumbling asteroid. The surroundings were dark, boundless, with huge planets in the distance rolling like bowling balls. Hiss. Suddenly, strands of colorful threads appeared out of thin air, and within them, a black irregular building silently emerged. As soon as the building appeared, the colorful threads quickly faded and disappeared. Crack. The door opened. A tall, burly man, two and a half meters high, pushed the door open and slowly floated in space. The man was dressed in a white Daoist robe, with a square face and fair skin. He wore a black eye patch over his right eye, and his muscular frame was evident even under the roomy robe. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong!¡± It was Yu Hong who had rushed over. He clutched his chest, feeling his heartbeat grow stronger as he approached the area. His current sensation was different from before. If initially, he had a mere hunch, an inkling that something might happen, now that he had arrived, an intense feeling of impending doom was spreading rapidly through his body. ¡°What¡¯s going on!?¡± Yu Hong quickly realized something was wrong. The matter with Margaret in the Floating City had always been a hidden danger. Arcane Masters were enigmatic and their spells varied;who knew if they would follow some unknown clue to him? Thus, Yu Hong had always been worried about Ku Chan and Yiyi. Now it seemed his worries were justified. Though Ku Chan claimed to have a backer, when it came down to it, strength and determination mattered even with a backer of equal power. ¡°I¡¯d better go to the Floating City and check on Yiyi and Ku Chan.¡± Yu Hong turned back to the safety house, activated the Black Black Spirit, and sped towards Absolute Balance, navigating through the Wind Disaster. In a sense, the Wind Disaster functioned like a spatial jump wormhole. Other Source Disasters had similar functions. Meanwhile, near the location where Margaret was killed. A silver, leaf-shaped boat silently emerged. On either side of the boat were sixteen winged humanoid angels, struggling to lift the boat and assist in its flight by flapping their wings. At the bow. Lu Xian stood holding the Golden Wand, wearing a luxurious robe adorned with many golden runes, standing straight and quietly observing the empty space ahead. ¡°According to the future vision, this is where Yu Hong will appear. The desolation around here makes it easier for me to set up the Array.¡± Behind him, in a silver metal cage, stood a dazed Ku Chan. Ku Chan¡¯s eyes were fixed on Lu Xian, filled with dread. Lu Xian was one of the top nine most powerful individuals of Absolute Balance in the Floating City, and one of the two newly appointed members, yet here he was, suddenly capturing Ku Chan and bringing him to space. He didn¡¯t know exactly how powerful a Level Nine Great Arcanist was, but having witnessed the terrifying and comprehensive skills of his Level Seven Arcanist teacher Liu Chixuan, he could imagine. Level Seven Arcanists had started involving themselves in time-space research. Among countless information, very few things could be hidden from them. In the eyes of many Mages, Level Seven and above were like gods among Mages. The vast reserves of knowledge, the incredibly fast responses, and the immense, strong mana spirit were more than enough for Level Seven Mages to handle any situation, even distorting time and reversing local moments. And now, such a powerful top-level Mage had unexpectedly taken action against him. ¡°Councillor Lu Xian, I gather you didn¡¯t capture me just because of Margaret?¡± Ku Chan calmed down and quickly analyzed the whole process, identifying the critical point. On the Silver Leaf Boat, Lu Xian raised an eyebrow and looked back at him. ¡°You are right. That¡¯s just one reason.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just an ordinary outsider, having joined the Floating City recently, yet I¡¯ve caught your attention. What is your true purpose? Let me die understanding.¡± Ku Chan said in a deep voice. ¡°You won¡¯t die. As the grand-disciple of Liu Xiran, I won¡¯t kill you. I captured you because I found something interesting during the investigation of Margaret.¡± Lu Xian squinted his eyes, with countless gold-like particles in his eyes assembling and dispersing in an endless cycle. ¡°Something interesting?¡± Ku Chan didn¡¯t understand. ¡°I saw the memories you unveiled during your assessment. That child named Yu Hong has very intriguing abilities Lu Xian said calmly. ¡°Wait, aren¡¯t memories supposed to be confidential!?¡± Ku Chan¡¯s face changed. ¡°Yes, but in front of my eyes, no secret is truly hidden Lu Xian smiled. ¡°Disrupting my plans requires adequate compensation. From you, and your friend as well.¡± ¡°Councillor, are you aware my friend also has a background?¡± Ku Chan quickly added. ¡°Do you know why the other councillors said nothing when I took action? Except for Liu Xiran, they all tacitly allowed my personal actions.¡± Lu Xian laughed. ¡°This world doesn¡¯t only have my Floating City Absolute Balance. Is there any background bigger than our Arcane Council?¡± His laughter grew louder. At that moment. In front of the Silver Leaf Boat, a large area of colorful threads emerged in space, intertwining and forming a black irregular building dotted with silver stars. It was the Black Black Spirit. ¡°He¡¯s here.¡± Lu Xian focused on the safety house, somewhat surprised that even with his eyesight, he couldn¡¯t completely penetrate the house. ¡°Spatial confinement.¡± He pointed his finger. An ocean of terrifying mana instantly locked every space around them, preventing any escape. The Black Black Spirit shuddered a few times and then ceased moving altogether. Yu Hong¡¯s expression inside the safety house changed slightly. This was the first time he had encountered someone capable of completely imprisoning the safety house. Through the viewing window, he examined Lu Xian and Ku Chan standing on the Silver Leaf Boat, his face looking a bit grim. He had just randomly emerged from the Wind Disaster, intending to see how far it was from the Floating City. But¡­ as soon as he came out, he was immediately locked down, unable to move. Moreover, he also saw Ku Chan¡¯s shadow on the opposite boat. ¡°As expected¡­ my premonition was correct.¡± He took a deep breath and began to think of countermeasures. First, he activated the safety house Array. Bzz! Black Black Spirit buzzed a few times, then completely died, unable to activate or move. Yu Hong¡¯s expression changed slightly. He quickly removed his eyepatch and aimed at the Silver Leaf Boat outside. He took a deep breath, gathered all the True Yuan in his body, and channeled it into his right eye. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Hiss¡­ A dazzling purple light, like a small sun, condensed in his right eye. Chzz! The purple light shot out, through the viewing window, directly at Lu Xian. Poof. The purple light bizarrely curved in front of Lu Xian, actively avoiding him. This scene left both Yu Hong and Ku Chan stupefied. Bam. Without a word, Yu Hong hastily pulled out Bai Sheng¡¯s Protective Talisman and threw it outside the viewing window. A black passage quickly condensed and appeared. A figure in a white Daoist robe swiftly flew out, holding a long sword, and looked towards the opposite side. It was Bai Sheng. ¡°Junior Brother, this time again¡­ um Bai Sheng looked at Lu Xian on the Silver Leaf Boat opposite. He stiffened in mid-air. ¡°Junior Brother, this one I might not be able to handle ¡°It¡¯s okay, Senior Brother, just hold them off for a bit Yu Hong quickly replied. But before his words reached out, Bai Sheng¡¯s figure rapidly became transparent, faded, and completely disappeared along with the passage. ¡°I¡¯m off, Junior Brother, you¡¯re on your own. This one I really can¡¯t handle;he¡¯s a top-level Contamination level powerhouse.¡± The last remnants were Bai Sheng¡¯s embarrassed message. ¡°Wait, Senior Brother, what should I do now?¡± Yu Hong was speechless. ¡°What do you mean, what to do? Didn¡¯t Master give you something to save your life? What are you afraid of? Also¡­ heh heh.¡± Bai Sheng¡¯s voice completely disappeared before finishing his sentence. Shush! The next second, outside the safety house door, Lu Xian appeared out of thin air, holding a Magic Wand and hovering in place. ¡°Yu Hong, my young friend, right? Don¡¯t be afraid. Margaret was corrupt and foolish, and deserved to die. As her mentor, I share the responsibility. I am here this time not to demand answers but to compensate for the trouble and inconvenience Margaret caused you.¡± ¡°Hmm??¡± Yu Hong was stunned. Ku Chan on the boat also looked puzzled. ¡°Young friend, you can state any request you might have. If it¡¯s within my ability, I will try my best to satisfy it. Consider it a small compensation for Margaret¡¯s ineptitude.¡± Lu Xian sighed. ¡°Councilor, you Ku Chan was about to ask loudly from behind, but suddenly felt the cage around him vanish. Lu Xian had actually released him. ¡°Do not be afraid;I bear no ill will. To be frank, I was once a devoted admirer of Senior Agrius and have a bit of understanding about the Savior Ship.¡± Lu Xian smiled. ¡°The reason I stopped you in this manner is simply to ask for your help with a small task.¡± ¡°Mage, what do you need assistance with?¡± Yu Hong paused for a moment and asked seriously. ¡°I would like to invite you to my Light Window to recuperate and help me repair something Lu Xian said softly. ¡°If you succeed, I will personally put an end to the Margaret matter and sever all future troubles.¡± ¡°And if I can¡¯t repair it?¡± Yu Hong asked. Lu Xian didn¡¯t reply, only smiled. The answer was obvious. Arcane Masters were mostly highly rational. If there was no significant value, the consequences didn¡¯t need much deliberation. ¡°Oh, and this isn¡¯t just my intention;it also includes the sentiments of the other three members of Absolute Balance. If you succeed, you will gain the friendship of all four of us.¡± Yu Hong fell silent, his mind racing. ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee that I can repair it, but I¡¯ll give it a try,¡± he said in a deep voice. ¡°I believe in your abilities.¡± Lu Xian nodded with satisfaction;this was his true purpose. Arcane Masters seldom acted on emotions;those like Liu Chixuan and Margaret were rare. Interest was the greatest bond linking Arcane Masters. As for capturing people, it was merely a staged performance for certain entities to see. Chapter 539: Facing It 3 Looking at Ku Chan, who was captured in the distance, and then looking outside the door at the kind-faced Lu Xian. Yu Hong knew very well that the other party was just being polite on the surface but was actually resorting to coercion and inducement. If the other party had treated him kindly, he might have been willing to help with the repair, but now using threats, the other party was mistaken! ¡®The current situation is, if I call my master, will he be able to handle the opponent? After all, a Level Nine Arcane Master, how strong can they be? No one knows. Moreover, the other party consists of four people and likely has the assistance of the Floating City¡¯s Arcane Mage Tower Array.¡¯ The risk is very high. Yu Hong measured the situation for a few seconds before nodding decisively. ¡°Alright, I agree to fix whatever it is you need.¡± ¡°Great, then come out, and I¡¯ll take you there,¡± Lu Xian said with a smile. ¡°Why not have the item that needs repair sent in here?¡± Yu Hong countered. ¡°It seems you still don¡¯t trust me.¡± Lu Xian looked around, ¡°Are you waiting for your back-up to rescue you? It¡¯s useless;this place is adjacent to the Floating City, where my mana can be amplified several times. No matter who comes, the result will be the same.¡± He saw the Daoist robe of Qinghe Mountain on Yu Hong but didn¡¯t mind. Qinghe Mountain had already been an extinct super-ancient force billions of years ago. Not to mention Qinghe Mountain, even other similar super-ancient forces had entered ruins and found leftover artifacts. From the memories left by Ku Chan during the assessment, the little guy in front of him indeed had some power behind him, capable of killing Margaret, which was not bad. But¡­ if they could repair the artifact they obtained, the power of the four of them would be greatly enhanced! ¡°Of course, I trust the senior¡¯s words, but this repair requires precious materials and resources, and I need to see the item to estimate accurately,¡± Yu Hong quickly said. ¡°Of course, since you don¡¯t want to come out, I¡¯ll just take this little thing along with you,¡± Lu Xian¡¯s smile remained unchanged as his magic wand made a slight gesture in the air. Hissing. A circle of transparent ripples bloomed from under his feet, encompassing the entire safe house. ¡®Level Eight Arcane: Space Shift, activate.¡¯ A mechanical voice from an Intelligent Spirit sounded beside him. ¡°Please specify the target location.¡± ¡°The target location is the Philip Meteorite Belt,¡± Lu Xian replied. In an instant, silver-white runes appeared around the safe house, bright symbols emerged into the air, slightly rotating, forming a huge array around the safe house. The space blockade was quickly lifted, and a new spatial teleportation began to brew. Poof! Just then. The safe house where Yu Hong was located trembled and suddenly disappeared from its original position. Lu Xian wasn¡¯t angry but smiled instead. ¡°It¡¯s useless, I¡¯ve already set up spacetime markers around you, and no matter how you hide, the markers will send your location back to me. You can¡¯t escape or dodge.¡± He tapped the magic wand again. Another circle of silver ripples spread from the tip of the wand, quickly covering the position of the safe house. In the next second. The safe house trembled, forcibly brought out from its isolation state. But what surprised Lu Xian was that the inside of the safe house was quiet, with seemingly no one there. Suddenly, he sensed something and turned to look at the ship he was on. ¡°Interesting.¡± He smiled again. On the ship, Ku Chan, who had been bound, was now liberated from the restraints. Yu Hong had somehow passed through the ship¡¯s protective array, appearing inside to rescue him. The two stood side by side, their bodies quickly fading, clearly in the process of teleporting away. ¡°No mana fluctuations, no energy waves, just a natural twist and flicker of spacetime?¡± Golden sands swiftly rotated in Lu Xian¡¯s eyes as he quickly determined the type of ability Yu Hong was using. ¡°It seems there¡¯s yet another reason to keep you around¡­.¡± He raised his magic wand high, and for the first time began to chant a spell. Low, strange syllables drifted from his mouth. In the next moment, Yu Hong and Ku Chan, who had already begun teleporting, were forcibly pulled back, their bodies quickly becoming solid again. ¡®The Eye of Transmission was interrupted!¡¯ Yu Hong felt a jolt but remained calm. The opponent was a Level Nine Great Arcanist, and any degree of counterattack was to be expected. The Eye of Transmission¡¯s surprise flicker, saving someone, was the best plan he could come up with. When he first used the Eye of Transmission, he had directly teleported into Wanxue Palace¡¯s array, prompting his master to appear and warn him, fearing the array¡¯s counterattack. Just now, he decisively used this trait to try and save someone, but unfortunately, he failed. Standing on the ship. Yu Hong held Ku Chan¡¯s hand, looked at Lu Xian. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you have backup?¡± Yu Hong asked Ku Chan in a low voice. ¡°The backup went to the front lines to collect materials¡­ my master can¡¯t hold him off Ku Chan smiled wryly. ¡°So, your side can¡¯t be relied on?¡± Yu Hong was speechless. ¡°Not entirely, if you can escape, just go, don¡¯t worry about me, I¡¯ll only be caught for a while, with my master¡¯s faction involved, I¡¯ll soon be released. But it¡¯s different for you.¡± Ku Chan transmitted privately. ¡°It¡¯s too late to run¡­.¡± Yu Hong sighed. Ku Chan was stunned, about to say something. Suddenly, a flash of golden light appeared beside them, and Lu Xian teleported back, returning to the bow of the ship. ¡°This works as well, saves me from having to open the array for you to board the ship. Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll show you the artifact I need you to repair.¡± He smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re only asking you to repair a small component of the artifact. We¡¯ve handled the rest ourselves, except for this component¡­.¡± ¡°Can I ask, if I can¡¯t fix it¡­ what will you do with me?¡± Yu Hong asked softly. ¡°I believe in your ability. If you can¡¯t fix it, it only means you haven¡¯t had enough time. As long as we give you enough time, you¡¯ll surely succeed,¡± Lu Xian responded with a smile. Yu Hong fell silent. The other party had made up their mind;if he couldn¡¯t fix it, they wouldn¡¯t let him leave. ¡°Senior, I want to remind you. If I can¡¯t return to the Savior Ship for a period of time, it might cause some unnecessary trouble and chain reactions,¡± Yu Hong said solemnly. Actually, after confirming that the other party didn¡¯t intend to harm him, he wasn¡¯t as worried as before. Upon further confirmation that there would be no danger from Ku Chan¡¯s side, he quickly calmed down. Regarding Lu Xian, the other party had been relatively restrained and hadn¡¯t attacked him. So, he spoke up to remind him. ¡°Trouble? You mean Senior Agrius?¡± Lu Xian chuckled, ¡°That one has been missing for goodness knows how many years, no need to worry. And even if it appears this very moment, the Arcane techniques it masters are no match for our current iterative system. If it weren¡¯t for bearing the title of Star God, Senior Agrius¡¯ strength would have long been relegated to the lowest tier.¡± He spoke casually, tapping his magic wand. The Teleportation Spell activated once again. The Intelligent Spirit emitted a programmed beep. Golden light surrounded the entire ship, began to flicker, and entered teleportation state. One second. Two seconds. Three seconds. Thud! The halo faded and disappeared. ¡°Hmm?¡± Lu Xian was taken aback and tapped his wand again. The faint golden halo reappeared, and the entire ship entered teleportation state once more. Soon, after three seconds. Thud! Another muffled sound. The ship stopped again, motionless. Unwilling to give up, Lu Xian triggered the golden halo once more. Thud. This time, not even three seconds had passed before it extinguished as soon as it lit up. Huff¡­ Lu Xian¡¯s eyes sharpened. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He quickly released his perception. With a sudden shout, he spun around, looking behind. There, behind the ship in the dark space, a massive black lizard, several stories high, had appeared out of nowhere. The enormous blood-red eyes of the lizard gazed at him calmly. Lofty, yet without a hint of condescension. One of the lizard¡¯s claws was gripping the ship¡¯s rear, forcibly interrupting the teleportation state. Evidently, the thudding noise just now was caused by the claw gripping the ship. Agrius¡­ Senior?¡± Lu Xian¡¯s body tensed, the smile on his face fading. ¡°What did you just say?¡± Agrius, though having reduced its size countless times, was still much larger than the ship. ¡°I couldn¡¯t hear clearly, could you repeat that?¡± Lu Xian¡¯s expression grew serious, his golden eyes narrowing as he stared at Agrius. In his peripheral vision, he saw Yu Hong taking Ku Chan and quietly flying away. He wanted to stop them, but Agrius¡¯s presence completely restrained his mana, leaving him no strength to handle anything else. ¡°Why ask when you already know the answer? Compared to us newcomers, what do you have to be proud of besides your seniority?¡± He tightened his grip on the wand, layers of golden arrays unfolded around him, stacking continuously. Ten layers, a hundred layers, a thousand layers, ten thousand layers! Countless runes wove into a dazzling golden armor, covering his entire body, exploding with the radiance of a sun. ¡°This is why I despise you overconfident newbies,¡± Agrius sighed. Boom!! In an instant, Agrius¡¯ figure flashed, and its black tail struck down on Lu Xian like a lightning bolt, the two vanishing from the original spot. Only the ship was left, floating in mid-air, losing its controller, it could only drift in place. Yu Hong exhaled. ¡°Let¡¯s go, while that guy¡¯s not back yet.¡± Actually, he had already received Agrius¡¯s transmission of its imminent arrival. This was his key reason for daring to teleport out to attempt a rescue. Unfortunately, it still failed. The Eye of Transmission¡¯s ability was indeed strong, but the opponent¡¯s reaction was too quick. ¡°This time really is Ku Chan stretched his arm released by Yu Hong and smiled wryly. As the two were about to leave. Suddenly a flash of golden light appeared before them. Lu Xian had actually teleported back again. Without a word, he pointed his wand at the two of them. His face was now haggard, one eye swollen like a panda, pale-faced, and both arms covered in various sizes of bloody wounds. His right leg was limping, blood dripping down his robe. Clearly, in the few seconds after being taken away by Agrius, he had suffered an unimaginably terrible beating. Chapter 540: in front, four ¡°Go!¡± Lu Xian gave a low shout. In a flash of golden light. The three figures instantly vanished from their original spot. Roar!! Soon after, outside the boat, a gigantic black lizard, tens of times larger than the boat, flashed into view, its blood-red eyes glaring, and one claw thunderously smashed into the boat. Boom!! The boat exploded on the spot, turning into white fireballs along with the nearby winged people, shooting out in all directions. Clearly, it was a step too late. ¡°It seems my arcane system really needs an update Agrius¡¯s voice was low, with a faint hint of anger. He wasn¡¯t too worried about Yu Hong¡¯s safety. Because¡­. Several light hours away from the boat, somewhere in space. A black-haired Taoist dressed in a snow-white Daoist robe was holding a white long sword, quietly watching Lu Xian and his companions who had just teleported over. ¡°Compared to the estimated time, you are 0.7 seconds late.¡± Yu Xuezi said calmly, raising his wrist to check his watch. ¡°!?!!¡± Lu Xian¡¯s eyes widened, the golden eyes of his future vision instantly contracting to two golden points, staring intently at the Taoist in the white robe before him. He had just¡­ completely failed to notice someone here!! How is that possible!!? His future vision is the highest-level solidified spell in the entire Floating City, even other Floating Cities have only imitations of its first layer, and only he¡­. due to his innate racial talent, further cultivated and strengthened to reach this level. But now¡­. Lu Xian didn¡¯t know why, but the moment he saw the man in the white robe before him, his heart pounded violently like a war drum, oppressive and stifling. ¡°What is the meaning of stopping us!?¡± he suppressed his discomfort, speaking in a heavy tone. ¡°You are taking my disciple to repair something for you¡­. what do you think I am stopping you for?¡± Yu Xuezi replied coldly. .¡± Lu Xian¡¯s body trembled, instantly thinking of the always calm Yu Hong. He glanced at Ku Chan and found that this guy was as shocked as he was, then his gaze fell on Yu Hong. As expected. At this moment, Yu Hong had a calm expression, stepped forward a few paces, and bowed respectfully to the white-robed man opposite. ¡°Zheng Rou, greets Master.¡± ¡°You were quite fast, barely left the door and you triggered the mark I gave you. Is the outside really this dangerous now?¡± Yu Xuezi looked at Lu Xian and asked doubtfully. ¡°Not necessarily, it was just a coincidence.¡± Yu Hong said helplessly. He had just arrived here, and was soon discovered by Lu Xiann with his future vision, and then was intercepted in space midway. ¡°This trouble was caused by him?¡± Yu Xuezi glanced at Lu Xian and asked. ¡°Indeed¡­.¡± Yu Hong wanted to explain in detail. But the next moment. Buzz! Golden light burst from the armor on Lu Xian¡¯s body, innumerable golden serpents emanating and converging in front of him, forming a three-meter long golden spear. The tip of the spear faintly twisted and pierced through layers of space. The aura from various spaces entwined around the spear¡¯s shaft. ¡°Level Nine Arcane: Creation Spear.¡± As soon as the intelligent spirit¡¯s voice sounded, the spear trembled all over, a silver-white serpent coiling around its body. The serpent¡¯s red eyes lit up with a glow. ¡°Go!¡± Lu Xian shouted. Swoosh!! The Creation Spear suddenly vanished, the next moment, it shot straight at Yu Xuezi, appearing and flashing at his forehead. The tip of the golden spear pulsated with an aura of destruction, fiercely piercing Yu Xuezi¡¯s forehead. Poof. Yu Xuezi¡¯s whole body seemed to be blown by a fierce wind, his Daoist robe flapping wildly. His originally handsome face now expanded rapidly, distorting, becoming hideously ferocious. Exaggerated black muscle lines emerged and grew all over his body, in an instant, his once thin figure inflated to a towering, terrifying, muscular figure over ten meters tall. Hiss! His black hair moved without wind, as if alive, breaking free from the hair tie, flowing behind him like countless black serpents, writhing and entangling. The next moment, the golden spear at Yu Xuezi¡¯s forehead cracked all over. Shatter. The golden spear shattered. Countless golden fragments scattered like raindrops, and at the moment of shattering, Yu Xuezi appeared before Lu Xian, his right hand immediately grasping Lu Xian¡¯s neck. Hiss!! Countless semi-transparent gray vitality surged out of Lu Xian¡¯s body. Ah!! He shimmered all over with golden light, trying to struggle, but all the golden light was forcibly suppressed by an invisible force field, unable to extend more than half a meter from his body. ¡°It¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve absorbed such pure human vitality¡­ Ah Yu Xuezi tilted his head back in pleasure, exhaling a long breath of dark air. ¡°Zheng Rou, remember, as a disciple of Qinghe Mountain, anyone who dares to strike at us is a demon. Transforming the vitality of demons into our own combat strength is the true intent behind the founding patriarch¡¯s creation of our sect¡¯s magic skills. We fight against the Star Disaster to purify it, and we must also shoulder the heavy responsibility of purifying the internal demons.¡± Yu Xuezi opened his mouth full of sharp black teeth, revealing a terrifyingly twisted gentle smile. Yes Yu Hong felt a chill all over his body. Although Yu Xuezi did not target him, the naturally emitted terrifying radiation field still made his heart stiff, as if he were in a quagmire, making it difficult to think or move. He had seen large opponents before and had never felt fear in battle. But the abnormal state of his body and consciousness at this moment made him realize that this was clearly the result of his master¡¯s naturally released substantial force field. He watched as Lu Xian¡¯s body rapidly thin in his master¡¯s grip, seeing the vitality drain from him. Yu Hong was about to speak out in persuasion. ¡°You¡­ What are you¡­!!?¡± Lu Xian struggled, clutching the thick arm around his neck with all his strength. Scattered golden mana flickered continuously on his body, but it couldn¡¯t shake the arm¡¯s terrifying grip. ¡°No need to kill him?¡± Yu Xuezi seemed to understand Yu Hong¡¯s thoughts. He slowly released his grip, allowing Lu Xian to float weakly away. ¡°It¡¯s unnecessary. This person didn¡¯t intend to harm the disciples initially.¡± Yu Hong replied. He wasn¡¯t one for unnecessary killing. Despite Lu Xian¡¯s reckless and rude behavior, he hadn¡¯t actually caused harm. ¡°Very well. My mark can only bring me out this once. Clean up the aftermath and return quickly.¡± Yu Xuezi nodded and cast one last look at Lu Xian. ¡°Regardless, you forced me to activate the mark and come out, so it won¡¯t be a wasted trip.¡± Swish! With a flick of his fingers like a sword, Yu Xuezi severed Lu Xian¡¯s right arm and held it in his hand. ¡°Consider this the interest.¡± Silently, Lu Xian¡¯s arm in Yu Xuezi¡¯s hand quickly turned into gray vitality smoke, which he completely absorbed through his nose, dissipating entirely. ¡°Return soon.¡± Yu Xuezi left one final remark, his figure instantly contracted into a point, and in a flash, he vanished completely. Only after he had completely left did Ku Chan dare to slowly relax his tense state. He was drenched in sweat and his face was pale, clearly also frightened by Yu Xuezi just now. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that was the teacher you later apprenticed to Ku Chan, calming himself, looked at Yu Hong with incredulous eyes. ¡°Teacher is usually not like this Yu Hong momentarily fell silent and then offered a bitter smile in explanation. ¡°He¡¯s a very gentle and caring enlightened master.¡± Gentle.¡± Ku Chan turned his head to look at Lu Xian, who was still groaning in pain. Lu Xian had lost too much vitality, his skin now shriveled, his mana flickering, his face twisted, and he had lost an arm. If not for the mysterious power within his magic wand struggling to sustain his life¡­ Even the vacuum environment of space outside could have easily crushed him. ¡°Someone¡¯s coming.¡± Yu Hong suddenly received a message from Agrius. ¡°You need to leave. It¡¯s best to avoid coming to Floating City again.¡± ¡°Boss¡­ How are things on your side?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°Fine. Is that senior still around?¡± Agrius asked cautiously. ¡°He¡¯s gone.¡± Yu Hong could hear the caution in Agrius¡¯s voice. Clearly, the gap between Agrius and Master Yu Xuezi was significant. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be so wary. ¡°That¡¯s good Agrius visibly breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°I don¡¯t care what relationship you have with that person, but here¡¯s a piece of advice¡­ Try to keep that one from leaving Phoenix Eye!¡± ¡°Why?¡± Yu Hong frowned. ¡°Qinghe Mountain¡­ That person was also wearing a Qinghe Mountain Daoist robe. Clearly, he¡¯s a remnant master from the previous era. The faction¡¯s composition is extremely complex. But regardless of the era, Qinghe Mountain has never had a good reputation. All historians refer to the era of Qinghe Mountain as the ¡®Dark Star Period.¡¯ You can have your companions look into the specifics, but that¡¯s all you need to know. Qinghe Mountain has never been well-regarded in its time or in any era since.¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yu Hong wanted to argue, but recalling his master Yu Xuezi¡¯s behavior just now, he fell silent. At this moment, Ku Chan had already cast a spell to stop Lu Xian¡¯s bleeding, temporarily protecting him and awaiting further rescue. ¡°You should go. I¡¯ve informed the higher-ups in Floating City;they¡¯ll be here soon.¡± Ku Chan said in a low voice. Yu Hong nodded and was about to teleport away, but then he saw Lu Xian, still in pain. ¡°Wait, I was coerced by this guy. Leaving just like that wouldn¡¯t be fair.¡± He looked at Ku Chan. The latter looked back, confused. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m just going to exchange something with him.¡± A slight smile appeared on Yu Hong¡¯s face. * * * Ten minutes later. In the Black Black Spirit, outside the window, Wind Disaster Color Lines swirled fiercely. Yu Hong sat inside the Cultivation Room, examining a pair of golden eyeballs in his hand, a satisfied smile on his face. Before leaving, he had exchanged his enhanced pair of Outer Eyes with Lu Xian¡¯s eyes. Two eyes, that¡¯s all. He believed the other party wouldn¡¯t mind such a small loss. After all, he had saved the other¡¯s life from his master¡¯s hand, not robbed him outright, just traded. Putting on the Purple Extreme Crown, Yu Hong activated the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Skill to absorb the pupil power from the golden eyes. This outing had been free of real danger, starting with Agrius secretly communicating with him. The only unexpected moment was the instant when Master Yu Xuezi truly unleashed his power. In that state, was he truly in the Immortal Realm of the Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique? Yu Hong became lost in thought. Chapter 541: pills for one dose ¡®In the Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique, it seems there is no mention of such physical transformations. This is a fundamental Cultivation Technique meant to enhance Energy Levels. If offensive and defensive techniques are needed, one must cultivate other techniques additionally. Perhaps, the teacher just happened to cultivate a transforming Attack Secret Technique.¡¯ Yu Hong, wearing the Purple Extreme Crown, found a reason for himself in his mind. Threads of pupil power were transmitted from the Purple Extreme Crown. However, the transmission speed was extremely slow. Perhaps it was due to the energy level difference. Yu Hong clearly understood the vast gap between his level and that of Lu Xian. Being able to absorb the pupil power was already quite fortunate. He didn¡¯t mind, calmed his emotions, and entered the state of cultivation. Under his control, the safe house flew towards the Mining Star and soon disappeared into the vast Wind Disaster Color Lines. Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, several months had passed. At the top of a snow-covered mountain on the Mining Star. The cold wind howled, misty clouds spread around, obscuring the distant view. Yu Hong sat cross-legged alone at the mountaintop, his entire body emitting a faint white light. At the same time, a semi-transparent giant tiger¡¯s phantom enveloped him, forming a shield. Hiss¡­ Not sure how much time had elapsed, the white light around his body quickly turned into points of light, converging at his forehead to form a white mark resembling a three-pronged trident, which was then imprinted deeper. The white light disappeared. Yu Hong¡¯s entire body emitted the crackling sound of bones. Suddenly, a black line flowed from the Black Mark on his hand, entered his forehead, and then flowed back to the Black Mark after a second. Soon, a new prompt silently entered Yu Hong¡¯s mind. ¡®Aptitude enhancement has reached a qualitative change;you have acquired a trait: Innate Body.¡¯ ¡®Innate Body (Cultivation Techniques are more advanced than ordinary people, much faster. The meridians and acupoints are naturally unobstructed, achieving complete access. It has a special effect of breaking through bottlenecks without the need to clear meridians or acupoints.¡¯) ¡®As expected!¡¯ Yu Hong couldn¡¯t help but raise the corners of his mouth in a smile. Since obtaining Lu Xian¡¯s Golden Eye, he had diligently absorbed it every day. Together with the enhancement of his Outer Eye, which in turn improved his entire body¡¯s enhancement. The Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill sent power into the Outer Eye, then returned it to circulate throughout the body, transforming his entire physique. This cycle, over the past few months, had remodeled his body into a higher aptitude. Although the foundations of this technique were far inferior to the Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique, it had a natural and wonderful effect on feedback and transformation. ¡®I anticipated another enhancement in aptitude, but I didn¡¯t expect to gain an extra trait. It works out well, as the traits have reached ten again, and I can continue to fuse them.¡¯ Last time, the effect of the Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill combined with the Eye of Destruction failed to achieve anything significant, leading Yu Hong to gradually have a poor impression of this trump card. Since obtaining this trump card, he had never used it to decisively end a battle. After contemplating for a moment, he stood up and used Instantaneous Movement, appearing in his safe house the next moment. He sat down cross-legged again. Yu Hong closed his eyes and entered his mind. ¡®The offensive techniques are still very lacking. Steel Fist and Fierce Tiger Type are almost useless when sparring with experts. The opponents would never wait for me to get into position, and most of the time, the battles are over in the blink of an eye. So, let¡¯s merge these two first. Anyway, I¡¯m about to acquire three more traits from the Mortal Martial Arts techniques.¡¯ The three higher-tier Mortal Martial Arts techniques he chose afterward were nearing perfection under the automatic cultivation of the Tao Breath Thunder Transfer. Although Tao Breath Thunder Transfer has only eighty percent of the regular cultivation speed, the accumulation over time has brought it near perfection. Plus, his own aptitude was continuously improved and enhanced. This speed was also considered normal. Instantly, Yu Hong, in his mind space, reached out and merged the light spheres of Steel Fist and Fierce Tiger Type. Poof. The two light spheres quickly merged into a silver-tinged light cluster. At the same time, the Black Mark countdown appeared: ¡¯11 hours and 24 minutes¡¯. ¡®Not too long, fortunately.¡¯ Yu Hong nodded in satisfaction, exiting his mind space. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Sitting cross-legged in the safe house, he exhaled and stood up. The Eye of Transmission activated instantly. Whoosh. In the next moment, a dense forest appeared before him. A few meters away was the well cover leading to the safe point within the Life Well. Yu Hong opened the well cover, formed a seal with one hand, and pointed forward. Immediately, countless green branches swiftly surged out from the well, weaving into a light green tunnel entrance. Yu Hong walked into it calmly. Entering the tunnel, his vision blurred, and the front suddenly opened up. A patch of grass two stories high appeared before his eyes, with a few white flowers the size of a bath tub swaying gently in the wind. His senior sister, Hei Ying, was holding a gigantic black pair of scissors taller than two people, trimming the shape of one of the white flowers. Seeing Yu Hong emerge from the tunnel, she waved at him from a distance and continued trimming the petal of the flower. ¡°Why is senior sister gathering flower petals again today? Didn¡¯t you just collect some the day before yesterday?¡± Yu Hong walked out of the tunnel proficiently and found his own gray cushion on the vacant land, sitting cross-legged. The small clearing, surrounded by green vines, formed an open area roughly the size of a basketball court. Several cushions were placed around, which belonged to Yu Hong, Quan He, and Hei Ying. Originally, Hei Ying didn¡¯t need the vitality from this place early on, but she recently claimed she needed to gather flower petals and often returned to trim materials, seemingly for alchemy practice. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it, yesterday¡¯s batch was a failure.¡± Hei Ying¡¯s face showed a look of deep regret, ¡°This time, I¡¯ll gather more to avoid the trouble of coming back and forth frequently.¡± ¡°What kind of pill is senior sister refining? Can you tell me?¡± Yu Hong began to cultivate and absorb the surrounding vitality, asking casually. ¡°It¡¯s the Lubrication Pill. Some mechanical parts in my and senior brother¡¯s bodies need to take one every now and then to ensure smooth functioning. Otherwise, both cultivation and daily life would be affected.¡± Hei Ying explained openly. ..¡± Yu Hong understood immediately. Glancing at Hei Ying standing on the grass, his senior sister was wearing a black dress, and standing in the high place, she revealed a pair of long, white legs, seemingly wearing nothing underneath¡­ This angle is somewhat impolite at a glance. Yu Hong immediately averted his gaze. ¡°By the way, Senior Sister, do you remember if there were any special signs when you were about to break through to Core Formation?¡± he changed the topic and asked. ¡°Signs? It¡¯s like all your spirit and power merge into the Dantian, then there¡¯s this¡­ uh, forgetting yourself, forgetting everything, your heart feels empty and uncertain, and you have only one thought, and that is Core Formation.¡± Hei Ying was speaking when suddenly she felt a trace of golden light shining from below. She put down the scissors and looked down. There, she saw that Yu Hong, the junior brother who was just talking to her, now had a peaceful expression, eyes closed, and his entire skin seemed to be made of gold, emitting a faint golden glow. Upon closer inspection, Hei Ying found that the golden glow was all emanating from Yu Hong¡¯s abdomen. There, a golden sun-like particle was slowly rotating, surrounded by countless rune chains gently turning. ¡°This Hei Ying was stunned. She put down the scissors and leaped down, just landing a few meters in front of Yu Hong. She bent down to carefully observe her junior brother. She waved her hand in front of his face. No reaction. ¡°No way Hei Ying swallowed. ¡°This seems to be¡­ Core Formation!?¡± Five months!! It¡¯s only been five months!! Junior Brother has been in the Foundation Establishment stage for less than half a year, and now he¡¯s about to form a core!!? Hei Ying¡¯s mind buzzed, and she felt a bit numb in an instant. She stood there, staring intently at Yu Hong, just to see if he could successfully form a core! Back then, it took her ten years to arduously become a Golden Core cultivator, and now¡­ Junior Brother has taken less than half a year!! Is there any justice in this world!? Ah!!? Hei Ying¡¯s face twisted a bit, wishing she were the one meditating and forming a core right now instead of Yu Hong. She had been stuck in the Nascent Soul Late Stage for countless years, and the path to Divinity Transformation seemed indefinitely far. And judging by Yu Hong¡¯s speed, wouldn¡¯t he catch up to her millennia of arduous cultivation within a century?? Upon thinking this, an evil fire surged in Hei Ying¡¯s heart. She took several deep breaths, barely suppressing the jealousy welling up inside her, then looked down again. Swoosh! Two pairs of eyes instantly fell on her. Master Yu Xuezi and Senior Brother Bai Sheng, she didn¡¯t know when they had arrived around them. Their expressions were serious, staring at Hei Ying. ¡°Stay away from him, you are too close, it might interfere with your Junior Brother¡¯s breakthrough!¡± Yu Xuezi said in a deep voice. Hei Ying glanced at Yu Hong five meters away, her face twisted. This is called close? She could only retreat more than ten meters. ¡°Master¡­..¡± she said reluctantly. ¡°Silence, your Junior Brother is in a breakthrough, can you be considerate and not speak!¡± Yu Xuezi raised his hand and said displeasedly. ¡°Right, right, it should be quiet.¡± Bai Sheng nodded repeatedly from the side. ¡°You shut up too!¡± Yu Xuezi slapped Bai Sheng on the head, ¡°Is your voice that loud, don¡¯t you have any awareness!?¡± At this moment, the usually calm Yu Xuezi had a trace of nervousness in his eyes. Less than half a year¡­. Yu Hong actually started forming a core! Judging from his external condition, he seemed to be doing quite well. Yu Xuezi had heard about the cultivation speed of Immortal Seeds, and now Yu Hong¡¯s cultivation speed was exactly the same as those top Immortal Seeds contested by major powers!! For a moment, the three of them surrounded Yu Hong in silent immobility, waiting for the Core Formation to be complete. Hiss¡­ A large amount of vitality mist condensed and rapidly gathered around Yu Hong. Before long, countless vitality gradually coalesced into a ball, enveloping Yu Hong. As time passed, the golden light on Yu Hong¡¯s body became increasingly bright and dazzling. ¡°Four stages must be passed from Foundation Establishment to Core Formation,¡± Yu Xuezi watched Yu Hong intently, speaking through voice transmission. ¡°If everything goes smoothly. We should see results within three days.¡± ¡°Junior Brother is now in the stage of condensing Dan Qi. Are the steps Master mentioned the four final ones: amalgamation, molding pattern, binding thought, and fusion rotation?¡± Bai Sheng sent a voice transmission, speaking solemnly. ¡°Correct, passing the amalgamation stage requires gathering all one¡¯s energy together. The more types and quantities of energy cultivated, the harder it is to merge everything. Your Junior Brother happens to fall into this category, with various types of energy within him that need time to fully integrate, possibly needing to discard some¡­.¡± Poof. Before the words were finished. A light sound came from Yu Hong. The Inner Strength from the Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill and other Mortal Martial Inner Power within him, all at that moment, transformed into differently colored light spheres. All the light spheres were seamlessly controlled and merged into the Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Method True Essence in his Dantian. The different powers originally would clash and resist when pressed to merge. But now, under the coordination of Yu Hong¡¯s Innate Body, all powers were completely absorbed by the True Essence, obediently becoming tiny points that fully integrated into the golden True Essence and disappeared. ¡°Master, he¡­ has passed the amalgamation stage!¡± Bai Sheng couldn¡¯t help but send a voice transmission. Chapter 542: Dan Two Yu Xuezi fell silent, watching as golden True Yuan within Yu Hong¡¯s Dantian began to merge, compressing into a walnut-sized Golden Core. ¡°Looks like he has quite the luck. Next up is Molding Pattern. This stage determines whether the Golden Core can stabilize its form, and it¡¯s very difficult. The vertical patterns need to be maintained in a single-minded state while appearing on the not fully formed Golden Core¡¯s surface to prevent it from expanding and exploding. This is a true test of one¡¯s basic skills, as this step relies solely on the cultivation technique¡¯s natural autopilot, to erode different vertical patterns onto the Golden Core.¡± Poof! ¡°Master, Junior Brother is starting the Binding Thought!¡± Bai Sheng couldn¡¯t help but remind. Yu Xuezi hadn¡¯t finished speaking and got choked up, quickly taking another look. Indeed¡­ Yu Hong had already passed the Molding Pattern stage in less than three seconds. He was now entering the next step¡ªBinding Thought. Yu Xuezi was silent for a few seconds before speaking again. ¡°Binding Thought¡­ Binding Thought requires gathering all subconscious distractions. This stage is not easy, as the subconscious cannot be controlled by people. Thus, this step must¡­.¡± Ding! ¡°Master, Junior Brother has finished!¡± Bai Sheng interrupted again. Yu Xuezi¡¯s face froze for a moment before looking closely again. He saw Yu Hong opening his eyes, golden light shining from his body, as a Golden Core slowly emerged from his mouth, spinning and releasing rays of multicolored light. .!!?¡± Yu Xuezi was dumbfounded, speechless. Watching Yu Hong, he reminisced about the arduous hundred-year journey of his own Core Formation. An indescribable pang surged in his heart, causing his eyes to mist slightly. ¡°Master! Disciple has lived up to expectations! I have passed all trials, achieving Core Formation!!¡± Yu Hong stepped forward, clasping his fists and bowing, a smile on his face. ¡°Master, why are you¡­.?¡± Seeing Yu Xuezi¡¯s misty eyes, Yu Hong was somewhat puzzled. ¡°I¡­ just got overly emotional.¡± Yu Xuezi paused, shaking his head with a long sigh. A mix of joy and helpless sorrow surged within him. He could finally understand why many cultivators from the same generation as the Immortal Seed ended up obscure. Yeah. Anyone seeing this terrifying speed of achieving Core Formation in half a year would think themselves worthless. Years of hard cultivation, and the other party catches up in half a year¡­ This huge gap¡­ even the strongest-hearted person would feel immense defeat. ¡°Good, very good!¡± Yu Xuezi patted Yu Hong¡¯s shoulder. Luckily, this is my disciple¡­. At this moment, an immense sense of relief filled his heart. * * * True Wanxue Palace. Amidst the ruins. The emaciated Feng Xuezi quietly watched the silver Water Mirror Technique in front of him, showing the scene of Yu Xuezi and Yu Hong. ¡°Core Formation in half a year¡­.¡± Feng Xuezi murmured. ¡°How long did it take you back then?¡± The Corrupt Traveler appeared beside him, asking with a strange laugh. ¡°Two years.¡± Feng Xuezi fell silent before giving his answer. ¡°Another Quan He is at Mid-stage Foundation Establishment. Not bad, very good. Though not as good as Yu Hong, still promising for immortality.¡± The Corrupt Traveler remarked with a smile. ¡°Perhaps, he really has a chance¡­.¡± Feng Xuezi said solemnly. ¡°How¡¯s the situation outside? Can it be held off?¡± The Corrupt Traveler changed the topic and asked. ¡°Not bad. Here is just a small breach. The spacetime rift is minor, and the pressure is low. The previous purification by the Purification Furnace somewhat agitated them.¡± Feng Xuezi replied coldly. ¡°The Black Disaster forces near us mainly involve the Heavenly Sun Sect and the Holy Tower. Be cautious of the Heavenly Sun Sect¡¯s Evil Sun Radiation;it¡¯s insidious.¡± The Corrupt Traveler reminded. ¡°No need for your reminder. If not for worrying about the ensuing chaos monsters, I would¡¯ve long dealt with these two forces.¡± Feng Xuezi frowned. ¡°You didn¡¯t come just because Yu Hong formed his core, did you?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± The Corrupt Traveler laughed. ¡°Though surprising, a Golden Core cultivator is insignificant in the current situation.¡± Feng Xuezi responded. ¡°Alright, alright¡­ indeed you guessed right. I came for this.¡± The Corrupt Traveler slowly extended his hand, revealing an apple-like fruit in his palm. ¡°Red Sky Fruit!!?¡± Feng Xuezi¡¯s eyes instantly lit up with dazzling golden light. He lunged but caught nothing. ¡°A complete, newly restored Red Sky Fruit¡­.¡± The Corrupt Traveler said in a low voice, laced with a bit of sentiment, a bit of relief, and some inexplicable complex nostalgia. ¡°It¡¯s him!?!?¡± Feng Xuezi instantly realized, rushing forward like mad, grabbing the Corrupt Traveler¡¯s collar. ¡°It¡¯s him¡­.¡± the Traveler replied. ¡°Can¡¯t believe it¡­..!!¡± Feng Xuezi released his hold, his body trembling slightly. ¡°Let me see again! Let me see again!!¡± He urgently stretched his hand toward the Corrupt Traveler. This time, the Corrupt Traveler didn¡¯t refuse, gently placing the Red Sky Fruit in Feng Xuezi¡¯s hand. Feng Xuezi cautiously brought it to his eyes, near his nose, inspecting every detail like a nearsighted person, examining every pattern and texture. ¡°It is¡­. indeed the fully intact Red Sky Fruit! No damage!! No damage at all!!¡± His body trembled, gazing up at the dark sky, letting out a silent long howl. It took him a good ten minutes to calm his excited heart. He lowered his head and looked at the corrupt traveler. ¡°With the Red Sky Fruit, we can use the Mining Star as the core to continuously convert all surrounding Source Disaster Radiation into the Vitality Power we need! As long as we can withstand the counterattack of the Source Disaster, this will be the starting point of a brand new land of vitality!!¡± ¡°The key is, can you withstand it?¡± the corrupt traveler retorted. Feng Xuezi immediately fell silent. This was indeed the crux of the matter. ¡°Back then, the Heavenly Venerates collaborated to create the Red Sky Fruit. It¡¯s the only treasure that can completely convert all Source Disaster Power into the Cultivation Power we need. But soon, news came that the Heavenly Venerates had disappeared. I don¡¯t believe that was an accident,¡± the corrupt traveler continued. ¡°You¡¯re saying¡­ the Source Disaster is intentionally designed?¡± Feng Xuezi frowned. ¡°Those weak and insignificant rebel factions?¡± ¡°Of course they can¡¯t manage that. Let alone the Heavenly Venerates, even you and I are not something they can easily deal with,¡± the corrupt traveler shook his head, ¡°But the appearance of the Red Sky Fruit likely triggered the core resistance deep within the Source Disaster when used. Like a drop of water in boiling oil, the reaction would be extremely intense until the drop completely evaporated and disappeared.¡± ¡°If what you say is true, then it¡¯s a hot potato. What use is it to repair?¡± Feng Xuezi frowned. ¡°Of course it¡¯s useful. As long as we don¡¯t fully activate the Red Sky Fruit, but only partially utilize its effects, we can stabilize this small area of Wanxue Palace. While waiting for Yu Hong and Quan He to grow up, we don¡¯t know how many treasures we¡¯ll have repaired by then. We can then use those to delve deeper into other Star Domains, searching for possible survivors.¡± The corrupt traveler smiled. ¡°I used to think that apart from us, no one could survive this era. But Yu Hong¡¯s appearance made me realize that many things in this world are beyond our expectations.¡± ¡°Alright! I¡¯ll trust you once more. But I get to use the Red Sky Fruit,¡± Feng Xuezi said gravely. ¡°Agreed.¡± The corrupt traveler smiled, ¡°Besides, the time rift that Yu Hong and the others came through is about to close. Should we notify them?¡± ¡°Up to you. When he becomes strong enough, opening the time rift himself and returning to his own time won¡¯t be a problem,¡± Feng Xuezi said casually. ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°With the Red Sky Fruit, I can almost start rebuilding Wanxue Palace! Completely isolating the pollution and radiation, and our disciples¡¯ conditions will be greatly extended! With the conversion reducing most of the stress, we can start repairing and reactivating the previous isolation and Defensive Arrays.¡± For a moment, Feng Xuezi seemed to see the hope of rebuilding Wanxue Palace. * S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. * * Click, bang. The door of the safe house was opened and closed. Yu Hong walked in with a bunch of supplements given by his Master, senior brothers, and sisters. At first glance, he saw Quan He sitting by the window, quietly looking outside. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you cultivating, sitting here by yourself?¡± He put the things down and walked to Quan He¡¯s side. ¡°Congratulations on breaking through to the Golden Core, becoming a Golden Core Cultivator, and taking a huge step up,¡± Quan He said with a smile, clasping her fists in congratulations. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to give you, so I¡¯ll just offer my verbal congratulations.¡± ¡°And congratulations to you for breaking through to Mid-stage Foundation Establishment,¡± Yu Hong replied with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s a pity that in Master¡¯s eyes, there¡¯s only you. My little Mid-stage Foundation Establishment is nothing compared to the Golden Core,¡± Quan He said. ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± Yu Hong smiled, extending his right hand and opening his palm. A black wooden ring inscribed with the character ¡°He¡± appeared in his hand. ¡°This is a gift from the teachers for you. They couldn¡¯t find you earlier and guessed you were hiding here, so they asked me to bring it to you,¡± Yu Hong explained with a smile. He tossed the ring over. Quan He quickly caught it and probed it with her spiritual power, her face freezing in shock. Inside were various cultivation resources, Elixirs, and hand-written notes of insights she would need. Her expression softened slightly. ¡°I¡¯ve just¡­ never experienced this feeling.¡± Indeed, she had always been the one others looked up to, and now, she had become the one looking up to Yu Hong. Yu Hong¡¯s speed was incredible¡­ Half a year to Golden Core ¡ª no matter how hard Quan He secretly cultivated, she couldn¡¯t catch up. She had secretly checked records in the Book Collection Pavilion, and such speed of half a year to Core Formation had only appeared in many top-tier Immortal Seeds. In other words, even among Immortal Seeds, those with ordinary qualifications were no match for Yu Hong. ¡°Actually, it¡¯s just the beginning that¡¯s fast. I can¡¯t quickly reach the higher realms. I was just quick at the start,¡± Yu Hong reassured. ¡°Ha, you don¡¯t think I¡¯ll get depressed, do you?¡± Quan He smiled. ¡°Glad to hear. By the way, after Core Formation, Master arranged for me a special task to temper my Dan Qi. For each of the Golden Core Third Levels, different special powers are needed to temper the Dan Qi and enhance its quality. So I won¡¯t be able to stay in one place for long,¡± Yu Hong said. ¡°Are you going out?¡± Quan He asked. ¡°Yes. And I need to take the Black Black Spirit with me,¡± Yu Hong emphasized. ¡°Will I go too?¡± Quan He asked tentatively. ¡°What do you think?¡± Yu Hong smiled. ¡°So you¡¯re kicking me out?¡± Quan He¡¯s face turned tearful. ¡°Senior, you¡¯re over a hundred years old.¡± Yu Hong dealt a crushing blow. ¡°This expression is suitable for young people, not for you.¡± ¡°Ha¡­ you brat, you¡¯re no fun at all.¡± Quan He put her expression away, stood up, and clapped her hands. ¡°It¡¯s just as well my safe house is ready. I constructed it like yours, based on the Black Black Spirit II structure. I was planning to find time to tell you.¡± ¡°Haha Yu Hong didn¡¯t believe it. If he didn¡¯t bring it up, Quan He would probably stay until he reached Nascent Soul. He actually didn¡¯t really want to drive her away. After all, Quan He still looked like a woman in her early twenties. She had a curvaceous figure and a striking appearance, ranking among the top three of the women he knew. Living with such a woman, especially one so bold and hearty, was actually quite nice. But the main reason was, after repairing the Red Sky Fruit, the corrupt traveler had returned a treasure he didn¡¯t want anyone to discover. So he had no choice but to ask Quan He to leave. Chapter 543: Depart at 541, one Quan He left early the next morning. When Yu Hong woke up from his meditation, many of the other¡¯s personal belongings had already been removed from the room. He quickly summoned Speed Man to clean up a bit, then stocked up on fresh water and food. Although he could absorb moisture from the air and condense it into usable water, there were places where even the air might not be guaranteed. Therefore, preparations had to be made in advance. After tidying up, Yu Hong began to check the condition of the entire safe house. This time, he planned to restart his journey, continuing to let the Savior Ship take him to find new lands of vitality. He had already been staying on the mining star for a very long time. With the Water Instrument Ball in hand, he could return at any time. Unlike before, when he returned for resupply, his safety base had changed from other places to the Mineral Star Wanxue Palace. After a busy half day, everything was ready. Yu Hong finally headed to Wanxue Palace to bid farewell to his teacher and senior brothers and sisters. ¡°It seems you are about to leave.¡± Yu Xuezi smiled at the respectful Yu Hong in front of him. ¡°Have you decided where to go?¡± ¡°Yes, Master. I now need special power to refine my Dan Qi and enhance the quality of my Golden Core. So, I plan to further explore the Star Disaster. Perhaps I can find suitable items.¡± Yu Hong said earnestly. ¡°Going further, your current strength might encounter greater dangers, so be extremely careful.¡± Yu Xuezi showed a hint of concern in his eyes. He was actually planning to suggest that Yu Hong find something within this space-time universe to refine his Dan Qi. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But considering that the risks in the local universe¡¯s star domain were no less than those in the deeper parts of the Star Disaster, especially since the disappearance of the Heavenly Venerate, all kinds of bizarre dangers were emerging in the depths of the universe. So letting the Savior Ship continue to go deeper into the Star Disaster was also a good choice. ¡°Your safe house¡¯s protection is extremely strong. I won¡¯t say much more since you understand, but there¡¯s one thing you must heed¡­ If you encounter a discontinuity, absolutely do not leave the safe house. You must return immediately. The area where discontinuities occur is already relatively deep into the Source Disaster. It is close to the Source Disaster Core Zone. Any trivial trouble that appears could be completely beyond your ability to resist.¡± Yu Xuezi said seriously. ¡°Disciple understands!¡± Yu Hong nodded. ¡°Alright, go then. As cultivators, if we always remain closed off in retreat, without experiencing the winds and rains, our future achievements will be limited, and we will not be able to withstand heart demons. This journey is a necessary part of our cultivation¡­.¡± Yu Xuezi said, feeling a bit reluctant at the thought that Yu Hong might encounter insurmountable dangers. But a cultivator cannot always remain in seclusion. After the Golden Core Stage, the mind¡¯s state is required. Flowers in a greenhouse definitely couldn¡¯t break through to the Nascent Soul Stage. The training period is also when many Immortal Seeds are most likely to perish. So all he could do was to give as many safety tips as possible to Yu Hong and explain how to avoid potential dangers. ¡°Master, why worry? The top Immortal Seeds are nearly all peerless geniuses;ordinary calamities only serve as their growth fodder, and their survival capabilities far exceed ordinary people¡¯s imaginations.¡± Bai Sheng, next to them, was not worried at all. ¡°Disciple once had the privilege of encountering one before arriving at the mining star. That genius Immortal Seed was ambushed and surrounded by opponents a whole realm above him. He managed to reverse the situation in absolute adversity, breaking through on the spot, his power surging exponentially. So, geniuses like Junior Brother, seeming ordinary on the surface, can indeed explode with unpredictable power when pushed to the limit.¡± Yu Hong: He had no idea he was so impressive. Bai Sheng¡¯s words did ease Yu Xuezi¡¯s mind a bit. But looking at Yu Hong carefully, he felt that Yu Hong lacked the aura and presence of those peerless genius Immortal Seeds. Instead, he had the cautious and meticulous nature of an ordinary refugee, careful in everything. Seeing this, he felt even more worried. ¡°Sigh He reached out and grabbed the Water Instrument Ball from Yu Hong, holding it in his hand. Buzz. Layer upon layer of silver immortal power surged out, transforming into countless threads that converged and poured into the Water Instrument Ball. The silver threads disappeared after a few seconds, condensing into a complex silver symbol. Using the same method, Yu Xuezi condensed three symbols in a row before handing the Water Instrument Ball back to Yu Hong. ¡°There, these are three trump cards I¡¯ve condensed for you. Each Immortal Talisman can, once activated, allow you to instantaneously move a short distance closer to the mining star. However, this movement is uncontrollable and cannot be accurately positioned. So you must use them sparingly and only as a last resort.¡± Yu Hong took the Water Instrument Ball, looking at the three Immortal Talismans on it and then at the somewhat tired-looking Master, feeling slightly touched. ¡°Disciple obeys!¡± He stepped back and bowed deeply. ¡°Actually, I hope you don¡¯t go too deep. You can find enough to refine your Dan Qi in the surrounding areas. But I also understand that geniuses always have unique thoughts. No matter how much I caution you, once you¡¯re out there, it¡¯s up to you to decide what to do.¡± Yu Xuezi sighed. ¡°No, actually, disciple is very afraid of death.¡± Yu Hong quickly defended himself. He was not a natural-born genius but had grown and tempered himself bit by bit through acquired experiences, making him cautious about everything. ¡°If you are willing to listen, try not to go deeper into the Star Disaster. Maintain your current position. To determine if you¡¯ve gone too deep, look at the Immortal Talismans;the deeper you go, the brighter they will glow.¡± Yu Xuezi reminded. ¡°Yes, disciple understands.¡± Yu Hong nodded. ¡°Junior Brother¡­ be extremely careful. On this journey, heed the advice carefully Hei Ying also reminded from the side. ¡°Yes! I am very afraid of death, rest assured.¡± Yu Hong smiled. Finally, bowing deeply to them, he looked back and saw Quan He standing outside the palace gate, quietly watching. He smiled and waved at him. Shhh! In the next second, the Eye of Transmission activated, and the palace gate in front of him instantly transformed into the tables and chairs inside his safe house. Buzz. Inside the safe house, layers of protective Arrays activated, isolating all means of transmission and instantaneous movement. This was a Sealing Array set up by Yu Hong and Quan He together, specifically targeting individuals like him who could move freely via instantaneous movement. Using himself as an experimental target, the Sealing Array had been tested repeatedly to effectively block instantaneous movement abilities. After activation, he could not move in and out freely. Soon, with a rumbling sound coming from the walls, the entire Black Spirit slowly lifted off from the surface of the mining star, gradually accelerating and flying towards space. Swish! Just as it left the atmosphere, the next moment, a large number of colorful threads suddenly appeared around the Black Spirit, and it re-entered the Wind Disaster, disappearing. At the moment the Black Spirit disappeared, a short figure with a huge tumor on its back suddenly appeared in mid-air nearby. Watching the previous location of the Black Spirit, it sighed and disappeared as well. * * * Countless colorful threads rapidly flowed outside the glass window. Yu Hong stood at the window, watching the scenery outside, allowing the Black Black Spirit to move on its own. The long-unstarted journey was now restarted, making him feel somewhat uneasy. After all, the mining star he had previously reached was already a dangerous place he could not handle. If he went further in, he might enter an even more dangerous area than the mining star. Yu Hong was already prepared to return at any moment. He sat cross-legged in front of the window, cultivating while remaining vigilant about the outside situation. Time slowly passed. Not long after, the Black Black Spirit suddenly trembled slightly. It seemed to have plunged into a turbulent flow of strong compressive forces. The walls began to emit subtle cracking sounds from the impacts, and the entire safety house started to shake slightly. After about ten minutes, the shaking completely stopped. Yu Hong breathed a sigh of relief, momentarily letting go of his anxiety, and resumed his cultivation. Until more than an hour later. The colorful threads outside gradually began to dim, and the Black Black Spirit suddenly jolted. Bang!! The entire ship seemed to have broken through something. The colorful threads outside instantly turned into a dark black. Yu Hong quickly got up and walked to the window to look outside. He saw that it was pitch black outside, with the colorful thread entrance of the Wind Disaster like a colorful cave rapidly receding, becoming smaller, and turning into a blurry light spot. ¡°Have I left the Wind Disaster? Where am I now?¡± He kept checking outside through the glass, but the surroundings were all pitch black, with no light at all. Soon, more than twenty minutes had passed according to the wall clock. Finally. A loud bang rang out. The entire safety house seemed to have hit something and came to a sudden stop. The house shook violently a few times and then completely stood still. Yu Hong stood by the window, looking at the pitch-black, lightless scene outside, his eyebrows furrowed. ¡°What is going on here?¡± He circulated his True Yuan within his heart, pushing his eyesight to the maximum. Soon, a blurry scene finally appeared in his vision. Outside the window was a pitch-black, rugged terrain. The ground was pitted as if it had been bombed by shells, with no flat places at all. In the distance, at the horizon, some continuous black mountain ranges vaguely appeared, among which stood a hemispherical dark-golden building, motionless and silent. ¡®This should be deeper into the Source Disaster than the mining star, but I don¡¯t know which part of the Source Disaster I am in now. I clearly left the Wind Disaster earlier.¡¯ Yu Hong estimated in his heart. The purpose of this trip was mainly to continue exploring the land of vitality using the Savior Ship, while also seeking power to temper his Golden Core. ¡®Theoretically, the stronger the power found, the faster the speed of tempering the Golden Core. Good luck to me.¡¯ After confirming that the Black Black Spirit had stopped moving, Yu Hong knew this was where the Savior Ship temporarily halted. He took a deep breath and, with a thought, summoned it through the glass window. Hiss! The next second, the form of the Cai Jing Taoist rapidly condensed and stood on the black ground outside. ¡®No air, extremely low temperature, about minus two hundred degrees Celsius.¡¯ Yu Hong frowned;at this temperature, the activities of the Cai Jing Taoist were somewhat difficult. The meaning of low temperature, in essence, is the intensity of particle movement;minus two hundred seventy-three degrees is the temperature where all particles stop moving completely. And the current external temperature was already close to that. This made the Cai Jing Taoist¡¯s body emit a faint colorful glow, each movement requiring him to resist the super-low temperature load that stifled particle movement. This made the energy consumption of the Cai Jing Taoist unusually high. ¡®The True Yuan infused during a single summon should last around two hours¡­.¡¯ Yu Hong estimated the consumption speed of the True Yuan within the Cai Jing Taoist¡¯s body and had a rough idea. On the dark ground outside, the colorful light from the head of the Cai Jing Taoist became the only light source, illuminating a circular area of about a dozen meters around. Yu controlled it to swiftly approach the hemispherical building. At the same time, he also controlled the safety house to move closer, to avoid the consumption increase due to the distance. As the distance gradually shortened. Yu Hong vaguely seemed to hear a faint sound. ¡°What is that sound?¡± He frowned and stopped moving, eliminating all noise, listening quietly. The sound was faint, intermittent, as if a woman was softly singing opera in an empty theater. The voice was melodious, rising and falling, with a certain unknown orderly rhythm. Thump thump thump! Suddenly, there was a rapid knocking sound. In such a silent and dark place, Yu Hong was clearly sensing everything around, but did not notice anyone approaching outside. Yet, the knocking sound came so suddenly. Chapter 544: departs 2 Thud thud thud! Thud thud thud! The urgent knocking made the door tremble. Yu Hong¡¯s heart trembled with numbness, a strong bodily instinct seemed to be warning him, inducing a tremble of fear. He glanced at the door, then quickly looked out the window towards Cai Jing Taoist. But outside, at some unknown time, had turned pitch black. The Cai Jing Taoist, who was just there, had completely disappeared now. Thud thud thud! Thud thud thud!! The knocking grew stronger and louder, making the entire safe house shake and tremble. The warning and trembling in Yu Hong¡¯s mind grew stronger, and the True Yuan within him began to operate at high speed, forcibly attempting to pull his consciousness out of this tense state. But the knocking seemed to be a different kind of power, continuously counteracting the struggle of the Golden Core True Essence. ¡°Turn off the lights!¡± ¡°Turn off the lights!!¡± ¡°Turn off the lights!!!¡± Suddenly, a faint cry slipped into Yu Hong¡¯s ear. The cry was weak at first, but with continuous repetition, it gradually grew louder. Although it was still far less than the knocking, it was clear enough for Yu Hong to hear. At this moment, his True Yuan and the knocking had reached the peak of their confrontation. Hearing the voice, Yu Hong felt a shock in his heart and quickly slapped the wall. Snap. All the lights in the safe house instantly went out. The knocking also abruptly stopped, completely disappeared, as if the previous noise was just an illusion. Huff¡­ huff¡­ Yu Hong breathed heavily, walked to the door, and touched it, feeling a slight numbness in his heart. He saw that the center of the safe house door had bulged out into a fist-sized bump. It seemed as if someone outside had used immense force to pound it into this shape. He walked to the window and looked outside again, everything was calm, the dome-shaped building, now barely a hundred meters away from Black Black Spirit. But at this moment, the safe house had stopped. The faint singing voice still lingered around Yu Hong¡¯s ears. ¡°Thanks for the warning earlier.¡± He didn¡¯t know where the warning had come from, but since the other party could transmit a voice, it¡¯s likely his voice could also be heard by them. ¡°No problem, didn¡¯t expect to encounter a survivor like you in such times.¡± That faint voice sounded again, speaking in the Second Night Language. ¡°You look like you came from elsewhere?¡± the voice asked. ¡°Yes. Friend, where are you? Can we meet?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°Better not, meeting would be dangerous. It¡¯s better for both of us this way.¡± The person replied, sounding like an old man. ¡°How should I address you, elder? I¡¯m Zheng Rou.¡± Yu Hong said softly. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°You can call me Su Dan,¡± the old man replied, ¡°Names are just codes. Where did you come from? How did you get here?¡± ¡°I came from far away, I don¡¯t know how I got here either. My ship leads me to find the land of vitality,¡± Yu Hong said truthfully. ¡°The land of vitality? What¡¯s that?¡± Old man Su Dan asked, puzzled. Yu Hong explained, but was met with a cold laugh from the other side. ¡°I don¡¯t understand your nonsense about a Savior Ship, you¡¯ve probably lost your mind after traveling alone for too long. An absolutely safe place that can withstand all Source Disasters, how could such a thing exist!?¡± Su Dan completely denied it. Yu Hong didn¡¯t mind whether the other person believed him or not, as he couldn¡¯t prove it himself. So he changed the topic. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that, elder, since you don¡¯t want to meet, can you tell me, what is this place?¡± ¡°This is the City of No Light,¡± Su Dan replied, ¡°One of the ruins completely destroyed by the Source Disaster. There are many such ruins.¡± ¡°Ruins? So, the materials here are not completely disintegrated by the Source Disaster?¡± Yu Hong was stunned. ¡°I know what you¡¯re asking, it won¡¯t work here, the materials decompose and disappear periodically, then new materials are replenished from outside,¡± Su Dan replied with a cold laugh. ¡°Basically, this is the last repository for non-Black Disaster materials.¡± ¡°Black Disaster?¡± Yu Hong keenly caught the keyword. ¡°Yes, this is deep within the Black Disaster. Once the ruins of the immensely powerful Spiritual Formula Empire,¡± Su Dan confirmed his query. Yu Hong frowned deeply. ¡°Have you heard of the Holy Tower?¡± He thought of the surrender faction in the depths of the Black Disaster. ¡°No living thing can exist here for long, the Holy Tower? Never heard of it,¡± Su Dan replied. Yu Hong pondered for a moment. His goal was to find the land of vitality, and this place was undoubtedly deep within the Black Disaster. Even the Cai Jing Taoist couldn¡¯t last long outside. The intensity here far exceeded all the regions he had previously traversed. Having found this place, venturing further might exceed his capabilities. Rather than risking it, it would be better to first understand the situation here before deciding. Maybe he could find some special energy here suitable for Golden Core grinding. Moreover, judging from Su Dan¡¯s words, if this place is truly the deepest ruin in the Black Disaster, he might find some clues about Source Material. Source Material can resist Source Disasters and not be destroyed. If he could find Black Disaster Source Material, the safety of the safe house would be greatly enhanced. Thus becoming indestructible. At least within the Black Disaster, it can be indestructible, absolutely safe. ¡°Old man, how long have you been here?¡± Yu Hong asked again, having determined his goal. ¡°I can¡¯t remember. Do you have any music? I¡¯d like to listen to some music, any type will do,¡± Su Dan requested. Music? Yu Hong initially thought the other person would seek material assistance from him but didn¡¯t expect it to be just this. He immediately rummaged through the miscellaneous boxes and found a phone, turned it on, and played the locally stored music. Soon, ¡°Going Home Often¡± softly played in the confined safe house. ¡°Find some free time, find some time¡­.¡± The melodious music seemed to dilute the recently tense and dangerous atmosphere. Su Dan also quieted down, listening to the music quietly. It was a song Yu Hong had transferred from his own phone¡¯s memory card. He hadn¡¯t expected to dig it up now. Soon, song after song played continuously. Su Dan also began to hum along softly, his voice carrying a hint of tremor and nostalgia. Seeing him enjoy the music, Yu Hong put down the phone and sat cross-legged on the ground, beginning to cultivate during his free time. Time flowed slowly, and it was unclear how long had passed. ¡°Thank you¡­.¡± Su Dan¡¯s voice sounded again. ¡°I can¡¯t remember how long it has been since I¡¯ve heard such beautiful music¡­. It feels like I¡¯ve come back to life.¡± His tone carried a renewed vigor, light and powerful. ¡°You should leave. This is not a place for you to stay long,¡± he reminded. ¡°Mr. Su Dan, do you know if there¡¯s any malevolent energy here that corrodes life and matter?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°As long as you turn on the light, it¡¯s everywhere. Why do you ask?¡± Su Dan responded, puzzled. ¡°Never mind that.¡± Then, without waiting for Yu Hong to reply, he sighed. ¡°Since you are here, you must be here to explore treasures. Do you see the hemisphere building in front of you?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Yu Hong nodded, looking at the hemispherical metal structure not far from the window. ¡°That¡¯s the City of No Light. Within the houses there, some traces and items from the initial entry remain randomly. Anything that has survived without disintegrating from the Black Disaster by now is almost always valuable. If you manage to get in, you¡¯ll gain a lot. But the prerequisite is¡­.¡± ¡°What is the prerequisite?¡± ¡°The prerequisite is that you can get through this final absolute distance,¡± Su Dan answered. ¡°From your current position, approaching the City of No Light will expose you to something called Dark Dust. This stuff can quickly condense into a type of monster called Black Puppet, temporarily existing to attack you.¡± ¡°If you can get past the Black Puppets, you¡¯ll earn a ticket to the City of No Light.¡± ¡°The Black Puppets¡­.¡± Yu Hong took a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯ll give it a try first.¡± He controlled the Black Black Spirit, moving slowly toward the City of No Light. One meter. Five meters. Ten meters. Hiss. In an instant, countless black sand grains appeared out of thin air in front of the safe house, condensing into a thin humanoid figure in a gray cloak. The humanoid¡¯s pitch-black hands were holding an icy and sparkling rhombus-shaped white gem in front of it. ¡°Be careful! This is the Black Puppet! They can¡¯t be killed, only temporarily scattered! During the scattering interval, you must quickly approach the City of No Light. Remember, the reassembly time shortens rapidly with each scattering! It will eventually reassemble instantly, making it very troublesome!¡± Su Dan quickly advised. ¡°I¡¯ll give it a try first.¡± Yu Hong¡¯s heart stirred. In an instant, more than ten Cai Jing Taoists appeared out of nowhere outside, simultaneously pointing at the black humanoid figure. Void One Finger! Bang!! In an instant, destructive finger power, driven by True Yuan, struck the Black Puppet within a blink. Clang! Immediately, a flurry of faint red sparks burst out. The cloak on the Black Puppet wasn¡¯t even broken, and all the Void One Finger techniques felt like a gentle breeze, completely ineffective against it. This made Yu Hong¡¯s expression change drastically as he immediately controlled the Black Black Spirit to retreat quickly by dozens of meters! Poof. Seconds after his retreat, the Black Puppet quickly disintegrated and disappeared as if it had never appeared. ¡°No.¡± Su Dan¡¯s voice came again, ¡°Did you actually take action just now? Don¡¯t try to test it;Black Puppets have immunity mechanisms, and the same move is completely ineffective against them.¡± . I did just take action¡­.¡± Yu Hong felt helpless. Having broken through to Golden Core, he supplied significantly stronger True Yuan to Fear Shadow, which should, in theory, have enhanced Fear Shadow¡¯s strength¡­. But¡­. ¡°You call that taking action? Was that just a tickle?!¡± Su Dan evidently didn¡¯t believe it. ¡°If that¡¯s what you call taking action, how did you even survive to get here? Don¡¯t joke around, be serious.¡± Yu Hong: ..¡± I¡¯m really sorry for being so weak¡­. He took a deep breath, checked the time, and saw that the fusion of traits was almost complete. ¡°Senior, this junior really only has this level of strength.¡± The enhanced Fear Shadow collaborated in action, though still much weaker than himself. But using my Eye of Destruction combined with Chaotic God Heavenly Eye, it would at most be twenty to thirty times stronger than just now. With such power, it would probably still be useless against that Black Puppet. After all, the combined effort of Fear Shadow¡¯s single finger strike didn¡¯t even tear the opponent¡¯s clothing¡­. Chapter 545: sprouts, first ¡°You¡­!!¡± Su Dan seemed infuriated. A guy so weak, yet daring to come to a place like this, must have relied on some external help. Seeing him hiding inside the house and not coming out, he instantly understood everything. ¡°You¡­ then why did you come here? To seek death?¡± Su Dan said in annoyance. ¡°Senior, I only wanted to explore the origin of the Source Disaster, to find the direction for the future. Of course, the real purpose was to see if I could get lucky and find some Black Disaster Source Material.¡± Yu Hong replied honestly and sincerely. Source Material? I have some Black Disaster Source Material here, forget it, I¡¯ll give you a bit, quickly go back.¡± Su Dan said helplessly. ¡°Your strength level is too poor, if you stay here longer, you might easily lose your life.¡± ¡°Ah!?¡± Yu Hong was stunned, was it really that easy to get the Source Material? As he was taken aback, suddenly outside the safe house window, a lump of black stuff like coal emerged from the ground and bumped against the window as if it were alive. Knock, knock. Yu Hong stared at the thing, dumbfounded. ¡°Is this¡­ Source Material? Black Disaster Source Material?¡± ¡°Yes, I have plenty of it here, it¡¯s not worth much.¡± Su Dan said nonchalantly. ¡°But, isn¡¯t it said that this stuff can be used to create something that will never be destroyed by a Source Disaster¡­?¡± Yu Hong felt his worldview crashing down. This wasn¡¯t valuable? ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Su Dan affirmed, ¡°But you¡¯ll understand once you actually get it. This thing is far harder than you can imagine. Nothing you can think of can even wear it down a bit. So whatever shape you get it in, it stays that shape. Other than using it to hit people, you can¡¯t do anything with it.¡± Not even you, Senior?¡± ¡°The Black Disaster can grind on it for countless years without any damage, you overestimate me.¡± Su Dan said self-deprecatingly. ¡°Take it. In the past, a lot of people thought it was very precious, but in reality, it¡¯s just like that. This place is actually full of it. Many worlds, many universes, have this stuff left over after destruction.¡± Yu Hong looked around, first testing it with his Eye of Destruction but leaving no mark with its destructive force on the black coal, which made him believe a bit more. Then, he focused his mind, conjured a Colorful Mirror Taoist, grabbed the Source Material, quickly opened the window, threw it in, and shut the window. The whole process took less than a second. Thud. The black coal fell to the ground, rolled a few times, and stopped moving. Yu Hong didn¡¯t touch it immediately but summoned a Speed Man, carefully approached, and placed it in a metal box that could isolate Red Value radiation. After that, Yu Hong quickly formed seals with his hands, activated his True Yuan, and set up layers of Sealing and Isolation Arrays. Among his knowledge, besides the Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique, he also practiced magic and Taoist skills, being very proficient in basic sealing techniques. Previously, his strength wasn¡¯t enough, so it wasn¡¯t very effective. But now he had broken through to the Golden Core stage, his True Yuan increased, and his overall energy level reached the Immortal Level, making his knowledge significantly more effective, achieving Immortal Level results with slight modifications. ¡°You¡¯re quite cautious, but it¡¯s good to be cautious. Alright, now hurry and leave, this place is not safe to stay in.¡± Su Dan advised. ¡°Then why don¡¯t you leave, Senior?¡± Yu Hong felt somewhat indebted for the favor. ¡°I can¡¯t leave. Long, long ago, I integrated with this place, I can¡¯t move, nor can I get out.¡± Su Dan replied. ¡°Alright, but earlier, you said this place is full of the kind of erosion energy I need?¡± Yu Hong asked again. ¡°Of course, if your main body comes out for a short while, you can naturally feel it.¡± Su Dan answered. ¡°Understood.¡± Yu Hong stopped talking, walked to the window, and carefully set up a tiny array to create a small isolation space with True Yuan. Then, he grabbed the window handle, lifted it, and gently pulled open a small gap. Hiss. In an instant, a surge of icy airflow rushed in. A thin layer of white frost quickly formed on the window and Yu Hong¡¯s body. ¡®Earlier I moved too fast, opening the window and closing it in an instant, I didn¡¯t feel anything. Now that I slowed down¡­ the discomfort is immediate Yu Hong carefully felt the cold air rushing in. Sure enough, there was a bone-piercing, needle-like erosion power quickly damaging his skin. It should be noted that his body now far surpassed the strength of over half the Golden Core stage cultivators. After all, with various traits and continuous tempering by numerous special energies, his physical body had long reached a strength comparable to a Golden Core body cultivator of the same level. Plus, the core Ancient Moon Divinity made most energy levels, even Transcendent Levels, not much of a threat to him. Yet this piercing erosion was unimpeded, clearly due to an extremely high energy level. The energy level was so high that the Ancient Moon Divinity had no effect, so his body strength was like paper. ¡®At least a contamination level far above¡­!¡¯ Yu Hong felt the erosion, quickly channeling the golden core in his abdomen, circulating True Yuan, fully resisting the needle-like erosion. At the gap in the window, the invisible erosive power continuously poured in. As time passed, it repeatedly advanced, invading Yu Hong¡¯s internal organs. Strangely though, every time the power was about to thoroughly necrotize his organs, it abruptly stopped. Consistently, a green-light halo enveloped and isolated it just in time. After isolation, the organs rapidly regenerate and recover their strength, while the erosion force has to start over from scratch. After trying five or six times, Yu Hong was sure there was no problem and finally breathed a sigh of relief. ¡®As expected, the elder of decay didn¡¯t lie to me He looked down at his neck, where he wore a necklace that was half-transparent, resembling numerous snowflakes strung together. The necklace was emitting a faint green glow, which protected the organs inside Yu Hong¡¯s body. This necklace, according to the elder of decay, was a powerful healing treasure comparable to the Red Sky Fruit. The name was long forgotten, but the necklace could guarantee that Yu Hong would regain full recovery every ten seconds in any situation and any environment. This full recovery could heal all injuries and remove all abnormal statuses. The key is that the necklace doesn¡¯t require any consumption;it activates automatically and supports itself. Its effect is nothing short of miraculous. This was also the core confidence behind his boldness to continue charging into the depths of the Source Disaster. ¡®The elder of decay gave me this treasure, clearly worried something might go wrong with me¡­ Now it seems, it truly is practical.¡¯ Yu Hong felt his rapidly recovering organs and sighed. He named the necklace the Recovery Necklace, a simple and understandable name. At this moment, under the protection of the green light, combined with his Elf Ancient Tree¡¯s Call trait, his survival ability had reached an extremely terrifying level. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Inside the safe house. Yu Hong sat cross-legged, green light flashing on his body, layers of white True Yuan constantly appearing on his surface, resisting the invisible and intangible strange erosion. Time passed bit by bit. Vaguely, Yu Hong fell into an extremely focused deep meditation state. He seemed to hear some hints, but at this moment, having completely entered the state, he had no time to care for anything else. Because¡­ his Golden Core, the strands of golden Dan Qi surrounding it, had become purer, and the gold color was much richer than before. On the Golden Core, a face of his own slowly appeared. The face meditated with closed eyes, looking serene, exactly mirroring his current state. Sigh¡­ Slowly opening his eyes, Yu Hong¡¯s whole body surged with True Yuan like ocean waves. A lot of new, richer True Yuan surged out again from the Golden Core. The refined Dan Qi flowed continuously back into the Golden Core, making its golden color even more brilliant. Crack. A slight sound was heard. A golden ripple exploded from Yu Hong¡¯s body. ¡®I¡¯ve broken through¡­ to the Golden Core Middle Stage.¡¯ A slight smile of satisfaction appeared on his face. He stood up, carefully feeling the changes inside his body. The output of the Golden Core at the middle stage was faster, the True Yuan flow was stronger, and the total amount was much greater than before, at least five to seven times more. Strangely, as soon as he broke through to the middle stage of the Golden Core, Yu Hong immediately felt that the invisible erosion entering from outside was not as unbearable as before. The speed at which that breath eroded him also quickly decreased, almost imperceptible. It was clear that his body had developed resistance due to repeated pulls. ¡°Thank you, elder.¡± Yu Hong got up, closed the window, and bowed vaguely forward. ¡°No need to thank me. It¡¯s your own effort, unrelated to anyone. Also, it¡¯s time for you to leave Su Dan reminded. ¡°I understand, elder. Before I leave, I¡¯ve received such a great favor from you. Is there anything you want or need? Next time, I can bring it in or help you solve it.¡± Yu Hong spoke up. ¡°You are too weak;you can do nothing. Hurry up and leave. If you don¡¯t go, and the Black Tide breaks out here, you won¡¯t be able to leave even if you want to.¡± Su Dan said solemnly. ¡°There is also a Black Tide here? But I still need a place to temper myself¡­ May I ask, elder, if you know of any other force nearby that can erode external objects?¡± Yu Hong asked again. ¡°You brat¡­ not planning to leave, right?¡± Su Dan was speechless. He paused for a moment. ¡°Yes, there is. Here, there¡¯s something called a Black Puppet. It can emit invisible music to erode a person¡¯s spirit. It also accompanies an undefendable strange bone-eroding power. This bone-eroding power only affects bones, turning them into crumbly bone powder polymers that shatter upon the slightest knock.¡± ¡°Elder, can you show this junior the way! I¡¯m extremely grateful.¡± Yu Hong hurriedly said. He now lacked only one more tempering of Dan Qi to step into the Late Stage of the Golden Core. The Innate Body was truly extraordinary, cultivating like eating and drinking, without any bottlenecks. ¡°You still haven¡¯t left? Do you know how long you¡¯ve been meditating?¡± Su Dan was speechless. ¡°Two days?¡± Yu Hong didn¡¯t notice. ¡°Two months.¡± Su Dan answered. ..¡± Yu Hong was shocked and quickly looked up at the digital clock on the table. Sure enough¡­ the time was already 6582, July, of the 12th era of the Mining Star. He had left in May. Because of the constant travel through the Source Disaster, each place¡¯s time was different, so the dates and calendars were always messy, and he gradually paid less attention to them. Now reminded by Su Dan, he was horrified to find that a shallow meditation had consumed so much time. Chapter 546: Seedling 544 Number 2 Thinking of this, Yu Hong quickly checked his consciousness space. Sure enough, in the corner of the trait light ball, he saw the newly fused trait. Steel Fist and Fierce Tiger Type fused to form a giant white light ball three times larger than before. Yu Hong stretched out his hand and lightly touched it. ¡®Fusion completed, obtained trait: Giant Tiger Form.¡¯ ¡®Giant Tiger Form (In close combat, all techniques¡¯ destructive power enhances sevenfold.)¡¯ ¡®Tsk tsk Yu Hong praised briefly, indeed, fusing feels great. Then he glanced at the other three newly appeared small light balls. He reached out and touched them one by one. ¡®Huntian Palm cultivation perfected, obtained trait: Heaven and Earth Rotation.¡¯ ¡®Heaven and Earth Rotation (Mental resistance to dizziness attacks increased by 80%)¡¯ ¡®Flying Transition Nine Revolutions cultivation perfected, obtained trait: Light Body.¡¯ ¡®Light Body (Body weight reduced to 20% of original.)¡¯ ¡°This one is simple and crude, weight reduction naturally increases speed.¡± Yu Hong nodded slightly. In a gravity environment, this trait would tremendously boost his movement speed and burst speed. Of course, reducing weight would also weaken impact, it¡¯s both advantageous and disadvantageous. Then came the third one. ¡®Climbing Cloud Skill cultivation perfected, obtained trait: Cloud Hand.¡¯ ¡®Cloud Hand (Your hands can freely transform into cloud gas, dispersing and regathering.)¡¯ ¡°???¡± Yu Hong was stunned;having seen various traits, this type of Cloud Hand was the first he¡¯d encountered. He carefully sensed his hands and temporarily detached from the consciousness space. Raising his arms, suddenly a strange sensation surged in his heart. It felt as if he could freely control his hands to naturally disperse. The next moment. His hands started from the arms, down to all parts, instantly decomposed into dense white gas. A large amount of white gas spread in the room, permeating, gradually fading in color, almost invisible. At this moment, Yu Hong had a peculiar feeling, as if his hands were everywhere in the room, capable of touching and feeling everywhere. He moved his right hand, directly picked up a cup five meters away on the table. Threads of transparent white gas encircled the cup, which was part of his hand. ¡®Interesting.¡¯ Yu Hong did not yet know the use of this ability, but such a peculiar capacity was worth keeping for a while. The newly fused Giant Tiger Form restored the trait count to nine, but with the new three Mortal Martial Perfections yielding three new traits, the total count once again exceeded ten, reaching twelve. Yu Hong didn¡¯t hesitate, the three new traits were not ones enhancing cultivation speed, so he could freely fuse them. He looked at the remaining traits. Giant Tiger Form, Innate Body, Spiritual Sharpness, Extreme Summoning, Heart Imprint, Elf Ancient Tree¡¯s Call, Night Breath, Dao Breath Thunder Transfer, Ancient Moon Divinity, Cloud Hand, Light Body, Heaven and Earth Rotation. ¡®Spiritual Sharpness, which immunizes low-level techniques, is essentially useless now. My True Essence Protection already has this effect. It can be fused.¡¯ ¡®Heaven and Earth Rotation and Heart Imprint are also not particularly useful. Heart Imprint would be useful in a society of beings, continuously replenishing spiritual power and converting beings¡¯ fear. But I am facing Source Disaster¡­. Heaven and Earth Rotation increases mental resistance, slightly better, keep it for now.¡¯ Immediately, he merged Heart Imprint and Spiritual Sharpness, pulling the two light balls together. Soon, a new silver light ball emerged, showing a countdown: 3 hours and 12 minutes. ¡°Once the fusion is complete, another fusion will be possible.¡± Detaching from consciousness space, Yu Hong glanced outside;it was still pitch black outside the window. ¡°Senior?¡± He tried calling out. ¡°What?¡± Su Dan was indeed watching him all along. ¡°The monster you mentioned that can erode humans¡­.¡± Yu Hong asked cautiously. ¡°You really aren¡¯t afraid of dying? If you truly fear nothing, go ahead, just at the reverse side of your door, at your safe house¡¯s speed, about ten minutes¡¯ journey.¡± ¡°Thank you, senior!¡± Yu Hong sincerely bowed. First, he packed away the source material from the box, then operated the safe house, swiftly heading in that direction. * * S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. * Real Wanxue Palace. At the once rubble site of Wanxue Palace, a small pink light gleaming fruit was suspended in mid-air, illuminating the surrounding hundred meters. Above the fruit, large masses of black fog formed a funnel, rapidly pouring into the fruit. The inflowing black fog quickly transformed into more pink light, maintaining the safety of everything within the hundred-meter range. Feng Xuezi and Corrupt Traveler stood within the pink light, watching numerous Sword Cultivation Monsters outside wanting to approach but powerless to continue. ¡°It¡¯s almost done. The Red Sky Fruit activation is successful, I¡¯ve masked its aura. With it standing, I have virtually no pressure, no need to personally act anymore.¡± Feng Xuezi smiled contentedly. After all these years, this was his first real rest. ¡°How¡¯s your body? Any relief?¡± Corrupt Traveler asked. Feng Xuezi looked down at his legs;his legs had long disappeared, replaced by a large number of entwining black tree roots. ¡°Still no good. I¡¯ve been deeply eroded for too long, no hope left. But it doesn¡¯t matter, Wanxue Palace is far from lacking successors.¡± Feng Xuezi said indifferently. ¡°Be cautious, the transformation of the Red Sky Fruit is thorough in nature, many chain reactions cannot be masked, it will inevitably incite counterattacks.¡± Corrupt Traveler reminded. ¡°Your reminder was timely.¡± Feng Xuezi suddenly lifted his gaze towards the distant darkness. ¡°The reaction has come.¡± Buzz. From the distant darkness, even before the words had fully dissipated, a gray-black stream of light shot out, heading straight for Feng Xuezi¡¯s face. Clang! The stream of light was struck away by his sword, revealing a short sword, spinning heavily before embedding itself in the distant ground. From the distant darkness, eerie shouts began to echo. A four-sided palanquin, adorned with black and red phoenix patterns, was slowly carried out of the black fog by four black-skinned giants. On either side of the palanquin, gray-black long swords were embedded. ¡°The radiance of the sky, ubiquitous.¡± Inside the palanquin, a woman with black hair and a ghastly pale complexion, wearing a red long dress, lifted the curtain and walked out slowly. At the center of her brow was a black sun pattern, and the corners of her mouth seemed to be slit open by a knife, extending to her ears. Her eyes were deep and pitch black, with no whites visible. ¡°Kill!!¡± As soon as the woman emerged, her red dress fluttered without wind, and with a wave of her hand, The long swords on both sides of the palanquin shot out like bullets, piercing towards Feng Xuezi. ¡°A Prayer of the Heavenly Sun Sect! As expected, they were the first to catch the scent.¡± Feng Xuezi frowned with disgust. With a casual wave, the flying long swords were instantly snapped by an invisible force, ricocheting elsewhere. ¡°Be careful, the Prayer has arrived, and their higher-ups are not far away.¡± The Corrupt Traveler said in a low tone. ¡°The strength of the Heavenly Sun Sect Leader is indeed significantly weaker than yours, but after transforming into a Black Disaster Monster, their strength will increase considerably. If it comes to a real fight ¡°Shut up!¡± Feng Xuezi raised his hand, pointing with his long sword. A point of white light twinkled at the tip of his sword, transforming into a cluster of white flames. The flames floated away, instantly appearing before the Prayer woman. Boom! The pea-sized flame exploded suddenly, engulfing the woman entirely. A moment later, the woman vanished, leaving only a layer of black ash on the ground. But in the next moment, numerous more women in red dresses, riding palanquins, continuously emerged from the darkness. Further away, a massive fat man, over ten meters tall, with crimson flames burning in his eyes, carrying a gigantic black cleaver, walked towards them step by step amidst the black mist. ¡°Long time no see, Feng Xuezi.¡± The fat man clad in ancient black armor, with a large black sun pattern at his brow, greeted. Behind him, a semi-circular halo faintly appeared, within which countless laughing faces emerged. ¡°Ancient Rong Mountain, do you think coming here personally makes you my match?¡± Feng Xuezi said coldly, a semi-circular halo also faintly appearing behind him, though within his halo, jagged snow-white mountain ranges emerged. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. Those in the lower ranks are useless against beings like us. Only us old-timers can take action.¡± The fat man chuckled gently. ¡°Taking action personally won¡¯t change the outcome,¡± Feng Xuezi said indifferently. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. If we wait until you fully activate the Red Sky Fruit, it will be too late. Over the years, you¡¯ve killed me hundreds of times, but I could recover to full strength each time. But if the Red Sky Fruit appears, which restricts our revival power, that would be troublesome.¡± The fat man placed the seven or eight-meter-long black cleaver on his shoulder. ¡°Just you alone, it¡¯s meaningless.¡± Feng Xuezi said coldly. ¡°So, Lord Gesha is with me¡­.¡± The fat man smiled slightly, and from the black mist behind him, a golden humanoid armor with a dark purple cape slowly emerged. Only the armor, without any humanoid figure inside wearing it. ¡°The Holy Tower has never forgotten your grace, Lord Feng Xuezi.¡± A heavy, rough male voice resonated from within the golden armor. ¡°It¡¯s time to repay the pain of decapitation from seven thousand years ago¡­.¡± ¡°What? You think you¡¯re capable now?¡± A faint attraction began to emerge around Feng Xuezi. He released his grip on the long sword, crouching slightly. Buzz! Behind him, a dense array of planets in various sizes and colors slowly emerged from his halo. In an instant, the entire surrounding star domain, and all the nearby planets trembled slightly, releasing invisible power that converged into Feng Xuezi¡¯s body through a mysterious channel. Crack. Feng Xuezi¡¯s Daoist robe shattered instantly. His body rapidly expanded, growing larger and more gigantic. In the blink of an eye, he shot up to over a hundred meters tall, his black and red muscular body continually splitting and multiplying like foam. Then, it was three hundred meters, five hundred meters, two thousand meters¡­. Feng Xuezi¡¯s body grew taller and more immense, piercing through the black clouds, entering space. Soon, in space, the Mining Star appeared like an apple before him, Feng Xuezi¡¯s entire body had far exceeded what the Mining Star could accommodate. ¡°You think you can kill me just by joining forces!???¡± Feng Xuezi¡¯s enormous laughter shook the entire Mining Star violently. Two rifts suddenly appeared in the Mining Star¡¯s atmosphere. The Heavenly Sun Sect Leader and the Holy Tower Master shot out, watching solemnly at the scene before them. ¡°He¡¯s broken through again!!¡± ¡°Do we fight?¡± The two rapidly transmitted messages to each other. ¡°I don¡¯t want to die;the last time it cost me a lot of subordinates to recover.¡± Gesha in the golden armor suppressed his voice. ¡°Then retreat.¡± The fat man from Ancient Rong Mountain was the first to turn and flee, transforming into a black meteor and disappearing in an instant. Gesha snorted coldly, black mist surging behind him, and he too vanished in the blink of an eye. ¡°Ants!¡± Feng Xuezi¡¯s enormous hand swiped through space where the two had been, narrowly missing, but smashing a belt of asteroids behind them to pieces. ¡°Next time, Feng Xuezi, your actions have angered the Mother Tree. It won¡¯t be just us next time.¡± Gesha¡¯s final voice echoed throughout the surrounding space. Chapter 547: revolutions 1 ¡°Ah¡­ refreshing!¡± In the City of No Light, Yu Hong spread his arms wide, feeling the continuous radiation of the invisible erosion force from outside. Even the windows could not block the incessant erosion from that crooked-mouthed, cross-eyed, black-skinned woman outside. But this was exactly what Yu Hong needed at this moment;he needed the constant erosion strength radiating in from the opponent. The Golden Core within him was operating at high speed, with no need to worry about damage or the meridians and body being harmed by rapid advancement, as every ten seconds would bring a comprehensive recovery. Should any sudden issue arise within ten seconds, the Elf Ancient Tree¡¯s Call would completely take over. Ever since he encountered this bizarre woman outside the window, Yu Hong gradually fell into this ultra-high-speed cultivation state. The Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique was soaring crazily, the Innate Body breaking through the low-level bottlenecks, and the strange radiation continually refining the secondary Golden Core¡¯s Dan Qi. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Outside the window, a tall woman covered entirely in pitch black, with purple glowing eyes and slender hands, was madly pounding on the window glass. This woman stood a full five meters tall, her whole body like a bamboo pole, with a gaping mouth drooling and cross-eyed, appearing as if a child¡¯s random scribble on paper had come to life. But her strength was anything but random. The tremendous impact made the entire safety house tremble incessantly. Nevertheless, the current safety house had extremely strong defensive capabilities, along with an automatic repair function, making it incredibly resilient. Yu Hong hadn¡¯t seen anything break through its defenses quickly in a long time. Safety house, safety house, at this moment, the Black Black Spirit was truly the well-deserved safety house. Unconsciously, in his haziness, he seemed to faintly hear some notification sound. Immediately following was a crisp click. Yu Hong jolted awake from deep meditation cultivation. Hoo! He exhaled heavily, and the impure Dan Qi flew out from his mouth, landing on the wall and corroding it into a shallow grey-white spot. But soon, this grey-white spot disappeared automatically, as if it had never been there. This was the automatic repair function of the safety house. The first thing Yu Hong did upon waking up was to check his current cultivation level. As he initiated inner vision, his heart skipped a beat. ¡°Sure enough¡­ I broke through again¡­ Could it be several more months have passed?¡± He had anticipated breaking through the late stage of the Golden Core, but apart from the breakthrough, he was worried about the time spent. Quickly looking up at the date clock on the table: August 11, 13:09. ¡°Thank goodness¡­ only a month has passed¡­ but I should go back and reinforce the seal before the Light Well causes more issues. However, with my current cultivation, I should be able to gradually suppress the Light Well on my own and resolve the flaws of Tai Ling Skill. I¡¯ll have to ask the teacher how to do that.¡± Yu Hong glanced outside. The black woman was still furiously pounding on the safety house, looking utterly brainless. ¡°Do the outside monsters all have intelligence, and has this place become completely brainless?¡± he remarked. ¡°Senior, do you know why this is?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple,¡± Su Dan immediately replied. This old guy had obviously been watching all along. Probably too bored with nothing to do. ¡°You¡¯re still weak and don¡¯t know what you¡¯ll face later.¡± He paused for a moment, then continued, ¡°The forces that surrendered, the monsters that were contaminated, could initially maintain their self-awareness during the Source Disasters. They also developed different dispositions and worldviews due to the varying nature of Source Disaster radiation. The Black Disaster is relatively more peaceful, retaining more of the self.¡± ¡°This is the cognitive maintenance phase;they need to continually devour the cognition of other living beings to replenish their own ever-eroding self. This is why we view the surrendering faction as traitors because to avoid death, they turn on us and slaughter and devour us.¡± ¡°After this phase comes the Unconscious Body. Before this, including Chaos Body contamination, they can only be considered conscious bodies. Conscious bodies will gradually become unconscious bodies over time. At this stage, with cognition not promptly replenished, their self-awareness will completely vanish, leaving only a shell.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate just a shell;in the Unconscious Body phase, our tests indicate that their general strength can increase by a hundred to five hundred times, extremely exaggerated. It¡¯s like two different species. Though they lose consciousness, they gain terrifying speed, strength, and an undying body, all bestowed by the Source Disasters.¡± ¡°This amplification must have a limit, right?¡± Yu Hong felt numb hearing this, over a hundred times increase seemed too exaggerated. ¡°Yes, it has a limit. Usually, it stops at the peak of the Contamination Level. However, the Contamination phase itself has a vast span, so hundreds of times increase is nothing.¡± Su Dan explained, ¡°The level that can destroy a tree with one hand is contamination, and a single breath¡¯s particles instantaneously destroying a star system is also contamination. It represents only an energy level, but many factors affect combat power.¡± ¡°But contamination should have reached the stage of infinite energy, shouldn¡¯t it?¡± Yu Hong asked puzzledly. Many Immortal Level beings had already mastered infinite energy, such as the Light Well and Floating City¡¯s element pools. The difference was only in the output power. ¡°It¡¯s different. Some systems do not have so-called infinite energy, and the so-called infinite you mentioned is actually borrowed power, external power, not truly infinite. In the later stages, neither side can communicate with external power.¡± Su Dan replied patiently. ¡°When you reach the middle stage of contamination, you¡¯ll understand. Low-level infinite energy is useless in combat;the space-time distortions caused by the mere aftershocks of a battle are enough to render your long-distance absorption of infinite energy a useless garbage ability. By the time you extract energy from a far distance, the opponent would have countless chances to instantly kill you.¡± So, how should we cope later?¡± Yu Hong felt numb. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Utilizing your own infinite energy. Transform yourself into infinite, won¡¯t that solve it?¡± Su Dan smiled, ¡°You¡¯re still weak now and can¡¯t understand this. Alright, let¡¯s go back. Don¡¯t stay too long. The Black Tide is due in about six months.¡± ¡°Six more months, that should be enough time. Senior, why not tell me what comes after the Unconscious stage?¡± Yu Hong eagerly prompted, speaking respectfully. Perhaps from having no one to talk to for a long time, Su Dan clearly wanted to chat more and did not mention leaving again. ¡°The later stages? After that, there is nothing left, only the disaster of destruction.¡± ¡°Nothing left?¡± ¡°Yes, even the surrender faction cannot exist any deeper within the Source Disaster. A little further in, there is the concentration zone of the Unconscious Bodies. It is a spherical region filled with countless Unconscious Bodies, many of which are the fallen failures from the surrender faction. They lose their sense of self, and their destructive power increases by hundreds of times, turning that area into an absolute destruction zone.¡± Su Dan sighed, ¡°We named it the Heartless Belt.¡± ¡°Senior, beyond the Heartless Belt is the area where the destruction disaster exists?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°Yes, the destruction disaster there is constantly erupting and exploding, known as the Disaster Belt. Its intensity exceeds the highest level that Unconscious Bodies can reach several times over. And yet, it is not the true core of the Source Disaster.¡± Su Dan sighed, ¡°Deeper inside, we named that region the Invisible Belt. The dangers there cannot be perceived or detected. Until the moment you are destroyed, you won¡¯t know what attacked you. There is no source, no direction;many people just inexplicably disappear before our eyes¡­ No matter how powerful your Cultivation Technique or how high your Cultivation level As he spoke, he seemed to fall into some sort of personal memory. ¡°Senior¡­ Senior¡­!?¡± Yu Hong sensed something was wrong and hurriedly called out to him. It took more than ten seconds before Su Dan¡¯s voice reappeared. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m getting old;thinking about past events makes me a bit ¡°Have you been to the Invisible Belt, Senior?¡± Yu Hong asked. ¡°I have, but I could only reach there. Any deeper, we could not touch, and we didn¡¯t even know how to proceed further. We guess that it might be the core area of the Source Disaster, the true origin area. If the deeper level of the City of No Light is the source core area where our living beings can exist, then deeper inside is not a place where living beings can survive. Even the Unconscious Bodies cannot.¡± Su Dan answered. ¡°Not even someone as powerful as you, Senior, can see any hope?¡± Yu Hong felt a faint sense of helplessness and despair rise in his heart. Su Dan¡¯s level was far beyond his imagination, yet even at that level, he couldn¡¯t see what the core of the Source Disaster was¡­ So, could his current cultivation really find the path to everlasting vitality? ¡°The road is walked step by step. You are still weak and do not understand this principle. The more you see, the more you will lose the motivation to move forward. Don¡¯t be afraid;don¡¯t look too far ahead. Just keep moving forward, and you won¡¯t regret it. No matter where you are, in what predicament, keep moving forward. Hope will not come to those who stand still;it is something that changes and moves on its own. As you continuously approach it, it will slowly come closer to you. Remember, it is closer than you think.¡± Su Dan softly consoled. ¡°Yes¡­ I understand, Senior.¡± Yu Hong¡¯s heart slowly calmed down with Su Dan¡¯s words. Obviously, Su Dan used some special Cultivation Technique, making his words have a special effect. ¡°It¡¯s good that you understand. Go ahead, I believe you will find your own direction.¡± Su Dan said. Yu Hong gave a serious bow, then controlled the Black Black Spirit and retreated. Countless black mists surged out from the surroundings of the safe house. The next second, the safe house silently disappeared into the mist, leaving the City of No Light. The black-skinned woman who had been relentlessly banging on the windows lost her target and finally calmed down, turned around, and returned in the direction she came from, disappearing into the darkness within moments. The entire Land of No Light returned to its original quietness. In the breeze, a faint lonely sigh from Su Dan could be heard. * * * Poof! The Black Black Spirit rushed out of the Black River, entering the Wind Disaster¡¯s entrance. Outside the window brightened again, restoring the state of countless colorful threads flowing. Yu Hong sat cross-legged, facing the gate, and began to sense the situation inside his body. With his eyes closed, he quickly entered the consciousness space. There, the Trait Light Ball had already completed its fusion, Heart Imprint and Spiritual Sharpness had merged into a silver light ball. With a trace of anticipation, Yu Hong reached out his hand and gently touched it. ¡®Fusion complete, acquired trait: Spirit Barrier.¡¯ ¡®Spirit Barrier (Consciousness Body density enhanced by 90%, total amount increased by 200%.)¡¯ This is not bad.¡± Yu Hong¡¯s eyes lit up. The pure increase in spiritual power and spiritual strength made this trait¡¯s effect quite good. It turned the previously useless two traits into something valuable. He carefully sensed the changes in his own body. Indeed, his spiritual consciousness was clearer than before, and thinking about problems became much faster. Because spiritual consciousness was hard to quantify, it could only be understood subjectively through feeling. He wasn¡¯t sure what this trait¡¯s enhancement brought him. Anyway, becoming stronger was all that mattered. ¡®Then, there are still eleven left, two more fusions possible. Next¡­.¡¯ Yu Hong thought for a moment and quickly identified two traits. Ancient Moon Divinity and Heaven and Earth Rotation, the former is physical damage resistance, the latter is dizziness resistance. Both were resistances, and combining them might produce a stacking effect. He immediately brought the two light balls together. Poof. They merged into a washbasin-sized light ball, and a countdown appeared: ¡¯12 hours 7 minutes.¡¯ Chapter 548: revolutions, 2 After finishing this, Yu Hong felt refreshed and began to sense the impact of his enhanced spiritual power on himself. First, he entered meditation rapidly, cultivating the Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique, and immediately felt that the speed of Dan Qi generation was much faster than before. ¡®Based on the speed of Dan Qi flow, my cultivation speed has roughly doubled. However, the surrounding vitality is still too sparse to verify accurately;I¡¯ll have to go back to the Life Well and check carefully. It seems that spiritual power dictates the speed of cultivation, as long as the body can withstand it.¡¯ He had the recovery necklace, so there was no need to worry about his body;he could push himself to the limit without issue. Only now did Yu Hong truly realize that the greatest use of the recovery necklace was not for combat, but for cultivation. It allowed him to not worry about any injuries, continuously pushing forward with overload. As long as he didn¡¯t die, everything would fully recover in ten seconds. It was simply terrifying. Next, he checked the subtle changes throughout his body to ensure there were no issues after leaving the City of No Light, finally easing his heart. Buzz! Not long after, there was a buzz outside, and the Black Black Spirit burst through the colorful threads, returning once again to the dense forest above the mining star. The dark green sea of trees below swayed with the wind, emitting faint rustling sounds. Flocks of birds spotted the Black Black Spirit, flying closer and chirping around the safe house. Seeing this peaceful scene, Yu Hong¡¯s heart quickly relaxed. Controlling the slowly descending safe house, he stood up, changed his clothes, opened the door, and closed it behind him. Then, with a thought¡ª Whoosh. The scenery before his eyes changed rapidly, and the next second, the grand and towering buildings of Wanxue Palace appeared before him. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The cold wind howled around, and dense snowflakes fell, landing on Yu Hong¡¯s hair and neck. He adjusted his hairstyle and strode forward. Upon entering the palace gates, Yu Hong¡¯s figure flickered again, teleporting into various palaces, searching for his teacher¡¯s trace. Soon, he saw the figure of his master, Yu Xuezi, in a pavilion in the back garden. Yu Xuezi was sitting opposite Quan He, holding a book, seemingly giving a lecture. ¡°Teacher! I¡¯m back!¡± Yu Hong walked over quickly, speaking in a loud voice. ¡°You would never guess where I¡¯ve been and what I¡¯ve obtained this time.¡± A smile bloomed on his face, and seeing Yu Xuezi and Quan He, the sense of urgency in his heart quickly faded. With Yu Xuezi above, Wanxue Palace was absolutely safe. Not to mention the more mysterious corrupt traveler senior in the dark. It could be said that the mining star was now the safest place for Yu Hong ever. ¡°I sensed you coming back just now. So, did you gain a lot this time?¡± Yu Xuezi turned back with a smile. ¡°Teacher, have you heard of the City of No Light?¡± Yu Hong stepped forward and, under Quan He¡¯s gaze, sat down on a mat beside them. ¡°The City of No Light? How did you end up there Yu Xuezi¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°That place is very dangerous. Since the Heavenly Venerate disappeared, no one has been able to enter. It is the last relatively safe place at the heart of the Star Disaster. Of course, this applies to immortals;for you, it remains a deathtrap.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ You know, teacher I have a safe house, and its defense abilities are quite sufficient,¡± Yu Hong argued. ¡°Alright, that house of yours is indeed a freak;its defensive power has reached a level I can¡¯t crush in a short time.¡± Yu Xuezi was speechless. ¡°Did you go into the City of No Light, and then what happened?¡± Yu Hong did not hide anything, truthfully describing his subsequent experiences. ¡°Su Dan? That¡¯s clearly an alias. The other party probably doesn¡¯t want you to know their real name. But to integrate with the City of No Light, they must be a Chaos Body. That place is at the Black Disaster Extreme, right next to the Night Mother Tree. Without a Chaos Body, one cannot stay there for long,¡± Yu Xuezi said seriously. ¡°But it seems he meant no harm to you, and even gave you a piece of Black Disaster Source Material.¡± Yu Hong immediately took out the source stone and handed it to Yu Xuezi along with the box. ¡°Teacher, this is for you.¡± ¡°No need, keep it for yourself. It¡¯s of no use to us. Indeed, as the person said, it serves no other purpose except to hit people,¡± Yu Xuezi shook his head and declined. ¡°Then I¡¯ll study it myself,¡± Yu Hong planned to fuse the source material with the Black Mark into the safe house but considered that it might take a long time, so he decided to complete the fusion later. By now, he found that the traits of ordinary martial arts were becoming increasingly ineffective. He now needed much stronger traits. Additionally, the Cultivation Technique, Outer Eye, and other aspects had shorter strengthening periods and were becoming less useful to him. Perhaps in the future, he would start to extend the strengthening duration of the Black Mark. After all, he had already broken through to the late Golden Core Stage and was about to enter the Nascent Soul Stage. ¡°Wait!¡± Suddenly, Yu Xuezi slapped Yu Hong¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just go out for three months? How are you already at the late Golden Core Stage?¡± His expression changed, holding onto Yu Hong with a hint of suspicion in his eyes. ¡°Teacher, didn¡¯t you say that after the Dan Qi is refined, one can freely break through?¡± Yu Hong was puzzled. ¡°Yes, I did say that, but you need to nurture it, wait for the refined Dan Qi to feed back into yourself, strengthen yourself, and then start the breakthrough. This nurturing time should be at least six months. What happened!? Could there be some kind of mistake?¡± a hint of concern flashed in Yu Xuezi¡¯s eyes. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be a mistake¡­. I have a superpower that allows my body to heal and repair itself, so perhaps this caused the rapid progress Yu Hong hesitated. He had promised not to reveal the recovery necklace to the senior corrupt traveler. So he just attributed it to a superpower. ..¡± Yu Xuezi carefully examined Yu Hong¡¯s cultivation, then turned to look at Quan He. Quan He sat upright, his face solemn, his hands gripping the hem of his Daoist robe on his thighs. ¡°Master rest assured, I have long forgotten about Senior Brother Zheng Rou. As long as I disregard him, he cannot disturb my Dao Heart!¡± Quan He raised his head, looking resolute. ..¡± Yu Hong was left speechless. Yu Xuezi was also at a loss for words and turned his eyes back to Yu Hong. ¡°Then, with your speedy breakthrough, have you felt any discomfort?¡± ¡°Disciple is completely fine, no issues at all,¡± Yu Hong replied. ¡°Hmm¡­ Now that you¡¯re in the late Golden Core stage, one more tempering of your Dan Qi and you can break the pill to form a Nascent Soul. You could use this opportunity to spar with your senior sisters.¡± Yu Xuezi paused, planning to use another method to gauge Yu Hong¡¯s condition, ¡°Recently, some Black Disaster Monsters have started to appear around the mining star¡¯s surrounding airspace, just the right chance for you to practice.¡± He waved his right hand. Whoosh. Hei Ying, dressed in black tight-fitting clothes, suddenly appeared on the open ground outside the pavilion. ¡°Master, did you call for me?¡± Hei Ying quickly adjusted her clothing around her hips with a slightly peculiar expression. ¡°Greetings, Master. Junior brother, you¡¯re back?¡± Bai Sheng also appeared beside her through instantaneous movement. He naturally took a step forward, positioning himself in front of Hei Ying. ¡°You two Yu Xuezi¡¯s face darkened, ¡°Go back and change your clothes immediately! What a disgrace!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The two replied and quickly left through instantaneous movement. Short Distance Instantaneous Movement was merely a small trick for them. At their level, most strong cultivators would always have the ability to use instantaneous movement frequently;without it, they would be at a disadvantage in a fight. However, their usage of instantaneous movement was different from Yu Hong¡¯s, as it consumed more True Yuan and using it continuously for a short period would lead to a significant increase in energy consumption. Therefore, most of the time, they still preferred to use flying swords or other transportation tools to travel. Yu Hong and Quan He could sense why Yu Xuezi¡¯s face darkened. Just now, when Hei Ying was teleported over, there was a tear in her tight-fitting clothes. ¡°Senior brother and sister are still too lax,¡± Quan He sighed. ¡°You two, on the other hand, are too conservative,¡± Yu Xuezi glanced at them. Yu Hong was at a loss for words, unsure how to respond. Quan He¡¯s expression was unchanged;at over a hundred years old, she was not one to blush over such matters. ¡°Mainly because Senior Brother Zheng Rou is too small, can¡¯t make a move on him,¡± she teased upon seeing Yu Hong¡¯s thin-skinned demeanor. ¡°Heh, you didn¡¯t see when I got bigger,¡± Yu Hong immediately retorted. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough,¡± Yu Xuezi, single for a long time, could not handle their explicit banter and interrupted directly. ¡°Now that Zheng Rou is back, spar with your senior sister to determine your current situation, and I will prepare a magic treasure tailored for you before you go out for real combat training.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Yu Hong stood up and walked to the open space outside. Soon, Hei Ying and Bai Sheng reappeared, having changed into standard white Daoist robes of the sect. They bowed respectfully to Yu Xuezi. Yu Xuezi repeated the instructions. Hei Ying readily agreed. After both she and Yu Hong meditated to adjust their states, The Taoist Palace¡¯s sealing formation immediately activated. Layers of intricate, lavish Taoist patterns formed a light shield enveloping the ground where the two stood. ¡°Junior brother, the main focus this time is on assessing your defense abilities and escape skills ¡°Ahem.¡± Bai Sheng coughed twice outside the shield. Hei Ying quickly snapped back to her senses and corrected herself. ¡°Uh¡­ I mean escape skills. Attack abilities are secondary. Surviving is the priority, as everything else follows if you live.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Yu Hong nodded. He quickly scanned his current traits. After ensuring there was nothing that could cause misunderstanding, he bowed to his opponent. Hei Ying returned the salute. The two stood still, not moving. ¡°Be careful. The sword technique I practice is the Seven-Time Sword Technique, known for its piercing power. It¡¯s one of the only nineteen sword techniques in the sect that directly reach the Immortal Realm. It¡¯s incredibly fast and powerful,¡± Hei Ying said, twirling her single hand. ¡°You are in the late Golden Core stage¡­ Hmm!? Wait, weren¡¯t you in the middle Golden Core stage just recently!?¡± Suddenly, her expression changed. She had only been out on an adventure with senior brother on a foreign star for three months¡­ and on return, she found¡­ Weren¡¯t they told that the progression slows down once in the Golden Core stage!? Hei Ying¡¯s face subtly twisted with a hint of envy. Late Golden Core stage, in just three months!!? Junior brother is already about to reach the Nascent Soul stage!? A profound sense of urgency made her body tense up. ¡®No, I can¡¯t waste my time like this anymore! I must strive harder! I need to cultivate! Let Bai Sheng go to hell!! He¡¯s always dragging me around recklessly!¡¯ With a hard resolve in her heart, Hei Ying¡¯s grip on her mana tightened unconsciously. ¡°Fine, since you¡¯re in the late Golden Core stage, I will suppress my cultivation to your level to make the spar fairer and to better assess if your foundation is solid. So, be vigilant,¡± she said. ¡°I understand, senior sister,¡± Yu Hong said seriously. He had no weapon, so he stood with one foot in front and the other behind, adopting a Tiger Form Boxing stance. He had cultivated numerous martial arts and dabbled in many. Basic martial arts like Tiger Form Boxing were still within his skills. Hiss! In the next instant, a long black sword shot out from behind Hei Ying. Before the sound even reached, the sword was already before Yu Hong¡¯s chest. Chapter 549: lives one The black sword shot forward, and in an instant, it was at Yu Hong¡¯s chest. However, although the speed was fast, it was far from the swiftness when Hei Ying intervened before, at best only two or three times the speed of sound. Though faster than Yu Hong, it was not completely uncatchable. Bang. Yu Hong suddenly raised his hand, his right hand formed into a tiger claw, catching the sword¡¯s side. His body had been strengthened multiple times, and after the refinement of Golden Core True Essence, it had reached a new height, much faster than before. At this moment, he struck the target with one blow. Under the intense collision, tens of thousands of tons of explosive power erupted between the claw and the sword. The floor beneath Yu Hong cracked into a large area. This was due to the array¡¯s protection, and the hardness of the material, causing only such a response. If it had been the land outside, his legs would have sunk, and the ground would have exploded into a big crater. Yu Hong deflected the black sword with one claw and rushed towards Hei Ying. But before he could get close, another sharp pain shot down from above. Looking up, the black sword had circled in mid-air and was coming back, falling at great speed towards his head. Clang! Yu Hong again deflected the black sword with one claw. But this time, he could not get closer to Hei Ying, as the black sword continuously circled him, piercing and flying around, its immense power hindering his every move. Hei Ying stood not far away, forming a sword gesture with one hand and easily commanding the black sword to change. ¡°Little junior brother, you just broke through your cultivation. You haven¡¯t fully utilized the power of late-stage Golden Core True Essence yet. Such usage will only¡­.¡± Crack. Suddenly, a faint cracking sound was heard. Hei Ying¡¯s face changed abruptly, urgently summoning the black sword in front of her. With a swoosh, the black sword flew back, already covered with dense tiny cracks! ¡°!!??¡± Hei Ying could not understand and looked up at Yu Hong opposite her. ¡°What have you done!?¡± ¡°??¡± Yu Hong was also a bit confused. But it did not stop him from taking the opportunity to sprint and close the distance. In the next second, the two collided fiercely. Yu Hong struck with his right hand using eighty percent of his strength, aiming at the opponent¡¯s shoulder. This claw met with Hei Ying¡¯s raised left palm. Boom!! Upon contact, Yu Hong had no significant reaction, but Hei Ying¡¯s face changed drastically. An overwhelming force, far beyond the late-stage Golden Core, surged from the opposite side, at least five times stronger! The terrifying power instantly triggered a higher level of Nascent Soul power to protect her body. With a buzz, a black light screen suddenly appeared on Hei Ying¡¯s body, forcefully blocking the incoming force. Despite this, Hei Ying staggered back several steps, her face stiff. ¡®Is it a secret explosive technique? Let¡¯s see how long he can hold out!¡¯ With her Nascent Soul cultivation triggered, she had essentially lost. However, since it was sudden and Yu Xuezi and Bai Sheng wanted to see Yu Hong¡¯s limits, they did not call to stop but continued to spar. Yu Hong felt it was normal and continued to engage in close combat. In an instant, the two moved across the courtyard, flashing around, sometimes dashing, sometimes instantaneously moving. The black sword, wrapped in mana, reassembled and healed, wielded in Hei Ying¡¯s hand like a black streak of lightning, flickering. Yu Hong fought honorably, using punches, kicks, palms, and claws, responding to each move quickly. He was much slower than his opponent, but his immense strength made a difference. One punch, if it didn¡¯t hit, was fine, but if it did, it immediately knocked the black sword off balance, causing the mana to scatter. The reassembly required more time, giving him more breathing room. Moreover, Yu Hong¡¯s mana combined with his physical body made his defense strong. The black sword barely scratched him unless he couldn¡¯t dodge, leaving only shallow marks. These marks quickly healed under a pale golden light. ¡°This¡­ I remember the little junior brother hasn¡¯t really practiced our sect¡¯s Immortal Realm attack techniques?¡± Bai Sheng hesitated outside the array. ¡°Yes, he indeed has not chosen any strong attack secret techniques,¡± Yu Xuezi nodded. ¡°What he uses is still the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Skill he knew before joining our sect. Although it is a lost superior martial art, it is still just martial arts, unlike our Immortal Dao techniques. It mainly cultivates Inner Strength.¡± ¡°But what¡¯s with little junior brother¡¯s monstrous strength?¡± Bai Sheng frowned, ¡°Clearly, I observed carefully, and his True Essence usage was just the normal output of late-stage Golden Core, but when he strikes, it¡¯s immediately several times stronger! It¡¯s outrageous.¡± Yu Xuezi shook her head, ¡°I can¡¯t figure it out either. It should be your little junior brother¡¯s natural monstrous strength ¡°This Bai Sheng was speechless. Watching as Hei Ying began using Nascent Soul early stage power to enhance the black sword, he felt somewhat shocked. It¡¯s astonishing enough that little junior brother¡¯s cultivation was rising fast, but now even his combat power could surpass levels¡­. Is this the level of a genius Immortal Seed? ¡°Enough.¡± At this moment, Yu Xuezi spoke to stop them. ¡°The result is clear.¡± sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With a slight flick of her finger, a pure white True Yuan turned into a white line, instantly cutting between Yu Hong and Hei Ying, forming an extremely hard barrier, separating the two. In the center of the field, Hei Ying¡¯s face was flushed with frustration as she gripped the Black Sword, wanting to continue. Yu Hong, on the other hand, remained calm as if he had just gone through a routine warm-up. ¡°Alright, I can see the basic situation clearly now, it¡¯s enough,¡± Yu Xuezi said, ¡°I have a rough idea about Zheng Rou¡¯s magic treasure. After returning this time, come here again in three days.¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Yu Hong immediately bowed. Hei Ying also followed suit in greeting. She was really confused from the beating. She had suppressed her cultivation to the Golden Core Late Stage, yet her True Yuan at the Late Stage was still not enough to match Yu Hong. Despite having the same True Yuan output, and she even output a bit faster, she still couldn¡¯t win. And it wasn¡¯t just a minor loss;the disparity was so vast that she was completely crushed. This left her no choice but to use her Nascent Soul Power. Otherwise, she would have been forced out of the field after a few exchanges. ¡°Hei Ying, you will take your junior disciple out to train later, is that alright? Focus more on cultivation and stop fooling around with your senior brother all day long,¡± Yu Xuezi reprimanded. Even though Yu Hong¡¯s performance in this duel was surprising, Hei Ying¡¯s reaction left him somewhat disappointed. ¡°Understood¡­.¡± Hei Ying reluctantly bowed her head. After the test, the disciples gathered around to ask Yu Xuezi some questions about their cultivation difficulties. They also inquired about Yu Hong¡¯s recent outings, and Bai Sheng talked about his recent inspections of the surrounding planets. ¡°Because a large number of Black Tide monsters have appeared recently, I decided to look for the source around us. You know, the low-level monsters from the ordinary Gates of Despair pose no threat to us, but if the radiation becomes strong enough, extremely powerful top-tier monsters might emerge, like Immortal Level, or even Contamination Level terrifying entities,¡± Bai Sheng narrated while sitting cross-legged in the pavilion, with others sitting around him, listening intently. ¡°After destroying more than ten Gates of Despair in a row, I finally made a discovery.¡± He paused and took a sip of tea, ¡°On a small asteroid near Fixed Star Ningyang, I found a special Night Pool.¡± ¡°Night Pool? Isn¡¯t that the so-called malicious wishing device created by the Black Disaster to tempt fools?¡± Hei Ying asked doubtfully. ¡°Yes, but this Night Pool is different. If the previous ones were crude versions, this one is much more refined and complete. The difference is significant. It seems like something is being nurtured inside, and there are four strong monsters guarding around it, so I couldn¡¯t get close to observe it carefully,¡± Bai Sheng answered. ¡°Even you, senior brother, couldn¡¯t get close. It seems the Night Pool has a very high level¡­.¡± Quan He said. ¡°Indeed, in that case, I¡¯ll go check it out with you later. If possible, we¡¯ll destroy it. You all stay on the Mining Star and stay vigilant,¡± Yu Xuezi said solemnly. ¡°Yes,¡± they all nodded in response. ¡°Additionally, Zheng Rou, it¡¯s best to keep your Black Black Spirit within Wanxue Palace for now, just in case,¡± Yu Xuezi specifically looked at Yu Hong. Right now, Yu Hong was his hope for leaving Mining Star in the future. Even if not for leaving Mining Star, with Yu Hong¡¯s exhibited talent, he might have a chance of becoming a Golden Immortal in the future. By then, Wanxue Palace would once again shine because of him! The reason it¡¯s just a chance is that achieving high-level realms and cultivation isn¡¯t solely based on talent;many factors like timing, environment, and experience through numerous hardships are required. Talent is merely a necessary condition, but having talent does not guarantee becoming a Golden Immortal. After giving some words of advice, Yu Xuezi dismissed everyone. Quan He did not return to Black Black Spirit with Yu Hong but went to her self-built Crane Spirit House instead. It was a new safe house she built by imitating Black Black Spirit, but its strength was far inferior to Black Black Spirit, so it was temporarily built within Wanxue Palace for protection. Yu Hong performed an instantaneous movement and appeared directly in front of Black Black Spirit Gate, about to open the door and enter when a golden light flashed across the sky behind him. The halo illuminated the Black Black Spirit gate with a faint golden hue. He quickly turned back and saw a large mass of surging Black Tide falling swiftly from beyond the atmosphere in the direction north of Wanxue Palace¡¯s sky. In the black tide, countless Black Disaster Monsters were squeezed together, twisted and bizarre, emitting a nauseating noise that made people feel extremely uncomfortable. They moved like waves, flowing like liquid, scattering in large swathes. Below, above the numerous palace buildings of Wanxue Palace, a layer of golden protective shield appeared. As soon as the protective shield came into contact with the Black Tide monsters, it ignited them, turning them into golden torches, illuminating the surroundings. The golden flames spread rapidly around, quickly igniting the entire sky filled with Black Tide monsters. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will handle it,¡± Yu Xuezi¡¯s voice sounded in his ear. Yu Hong nodded quickly and bowed. Then he turned to open the door and went inside. After entering, he stood by the window, staring at the sky above Wanxue Palace where the Black Tide was being set ablaze. The Black Tide continued to plummet endlessly, but before it could fully descend, it was ignited into golden flames and burned to ashes in mid-air. From afar, it looked like a giant golden torch was burning above the white palatial structures of Wanxue Palace. ¡°So this is Contamination?¡± He was deeply shocked. He had clearly sensed that Master had only used a tiny bit of mana just now. But even that tiny bit had first ignited a small part of the Black Tide outside the light shield. Starting from that small part, it rapidly spread around, turning the entire sky full of Black Tide monsters into fuel within seconds. ¡®Contamination is essentially high-level power crushing low-level power¡­. Or perhaps, it¡¯s the rapid spreading¡­.¡¯ Yu Hong looked up at the golden flames in the sky and felt something. Master¡¯s power was indeed terrifying, and the Contamination Realm was far beyond his current understanding. Seeing the situation stabilize, Yu Hong swiftly lowered the shield and returned to the Main Control Room, sitting cross-legged. His trait fusion was about to be completed¡­. He was always filled with anticipation for new traits. This was like drawing lots;although most of the time there wasn¡¯t anything particularly good, what if? Chapter 550: life 2 On the back of the star, there was a small red asteroid. The surface of the asteroid was filled with meteor craters, illuminated by the golden starlight. Except for the giant star, the sky was a pitch-black starry expanse. Without atmospheric protection, the radiation intensity of the sunlight here was hundreds of times that of a Mining Star. Swish! A white figure silently appeared above the asteroid. The figure was dressed in a white Daoist robe, holding a snow-white sword, looking down at the surface of the star. The figure was none other than Yu Xuezi from Wanxue Palace. ¡°The Night Pool His Divine Sense scanned, and soon locked onto a meteor crater mountain range on the side of the star. In the shadows within the mountain range, four massive black shadows were lying low, guarding an oval pool made of black crystal. From the pool, a huge amount of black mist continuously surged out, with a hint of purple light flickering within. ¡°It really is a special Night Pool Yu Xuezi¡¯s expression changed slightly. From those four monsters, he vaguely sensed a strange danger. It wasn¡¯t the power of the four monsters that posed a threat, but¡­ The other aura they carried was the terrifying aura of the Unconscious Bodies¡­. ¡°How can there be Unconscious Bodies here!? Has the Black Disaster spread this quickly?¡± Yu Xuezi¡¯s expression grew serious. Thinking for a moment, he flew towards the direction of the Night Pool. The next second, the four massive black shadows, like mountains, looked up in this direction. Boom! A white light exploded above the Night Pool, instantly covering the four black shadows. Yu Xuezi released a piercing white light from his entire body and plummeted down like a meteor. The terrifying immortal power disintegrated and destroyed the four massive black beasts in less than two seconds. Along with the Night Pool, which also exploded and turned into countless black mists, dispersing. Yu Xuezi retracted his immortal power, looked down, confirmed the destruction was thorough, and was about to turn and leave. But immediately, his brow furrowed, noticing a pitch-black hole in the depth of the crater where the Night Pool was located, floating in the air and emanating a deep, unknown cold aura. He pondered for a moment and quickly approached. ¡°This is¡­?¡± * * * The sky grew dark. In the Black Black Spirit Safety House on the Mining Star. Yu Hong sat cross-legged in meditation, his body emitting a faint golden light. It was the invisible halo naturally emitted by the Golden Core, gathering all his Essence Qi and energy. He was cultivating and waiting, waiting for the last moment of trait fusion. After multiple fusions, he had realized that simple Mortal Martial fusion did not bring much improvement. He had to consider changing the current situation and practice a higher level Martial Arts Cultivation Technique. At this moment, there was still more than half an hour until the countdown. Yu Hong concentrated and calmed his mind, cultivating the Qingwei Heart Technique while slowly waiting. ¡°Little Junior Brother, come to Wanxue Palace quickly! Something has happened!!¡± Suddenly, Bai Sheng¡¯s voice transmission sounded in his ear. Yu Hong was stunned, then his complexion immediately became solemn. He got up and flashed to the door, opening it and stepping out. Locking the door, he moved his mind, instantly disappearing from where he stood. When he reappeared, he was already in front of the gate of Wanxue Palace. Following Bai Sheng¡¯s aura as a locator, Yu Hong flashed again, directly appearing in a square white side hall. Inside the hall, Bai Sheng and Hei Ying were already there, but Quan He had not arrived yet, probably still on the way. Yu Hong had just steadied himself when he saw that Master Yu Xuezi, looking pale, was sitting quietly on a White Jade Meditation Mat in the center, surrounded by layers of Golden Light Array rotating around him. ¡°What happened!?¡± He vaguely guessed the situation. ¡°Master is injured!¡± Bai Sheng said seriously, ¡°I was patrolling the palace, checking various arrays, when I suddenly saw Master descending from the sky, rushing in here silently to start healing.¡± Yu Hong nodded and carefully examined Yu Xuezi. Upon closer inspection, he noticed a subtle issue. There was an extremely dense Black Disaster Red Value aura lingering on Yu Xuezi. He was very familiar with the Black Disaster Red Value. After all, they had been fighting against it from the beginning, using various tools for a long time. At this moment, he immediately identified the crux of the problem. ¡°Wait a moment. Don¡¯t be hasty.¡± Bai Sheng said in a deep voice from the side, ¡°Master¡¯s condition should be stable now. Let¡¯s each wait a bit.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Yu Hong nodded. Soon, Quan He arrived too. Seeing this scene, his expression quickly became serious. The four of them sat around, meditating and cultivating, quietly waiting. About ten minutes later. The Golden Light Array around Yu Xuezi slowly dissipated. He weakly opened his eyes and took a breath. ¡°I was careless. I went to investigate that strange Night Pool and didn¡¯t expect to be ambushed by experts from the Heavenly Sun Sect. Although I repelled them in time, I got a bit injured.¡± He looked at the four of them. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry. This is just overexertion;I had to kill them more than ten times to drive them away.¡± ¡°Is it an Immortal Realm cultivator?!¡± Bai Sheng asked in a deep voice. ¡°It should correspond to the Ascension Period realm. The Immortal Realm is not so easy to enter our sect¡¯s star domain array. Mainly, the experts of the Heavenly Sun Sect attracted an unconscious body, a powerful Ascension Period unconscious body that can revive in an instant,¡± Yu Xuezi said helplessly. After a pause, he continued. ¡°Fortunately, we managed to repel it, otherwise¡­.¡± Rumble! Before his words had fallen, the Wanxue Palace suddenly shook violently a few times. Everyone¡¯s expression changed as they urgently sensed outside the palace. At this moment, outside the palace, the massive black tide that was continuously burning began to press down despite the death and injury. Among them, faint figures draped in black robes with deathly pale skin floated over the mining star. Each of these black-robed people had a black sun pattern on their foreheads. ¡°The Heavenly Sun Sect! These persistent enemies have caught up!¡± Yu Xuezi¡¯s face slightly changed. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, with the sect¡¯s grand array, they can¡¯t come down.¡± ¡°But we also can¡¯t get out,¡± Hei Ying said coldly. ¡°We are just an ordinary mining star, why would we attract trouble from the Heavenly Sun Sect? This group of opportunists never act without profit. There aren¡¯t enough living beings here for them to devour and replenish their knowledge. If they suffer too much loss, it would be counterproductive for them. What is going on?!¡± Yu Xuezi couldn¡¯t understand. Only Yu Hong seemed to have thought of something and had some guesses. But knowing the real situation of Wanxue Palace that Yu Xuezi reacted to, he knew it was useless to say anything now. He decided to call the Corrupt Traveler elder later to ask about the situation. ¡°Everyone, don¡¯t run around during this time. Stay hidden in Wanxue Palace. Although we are not afraid of them coming down, the black disaster¡¯s strongest point is various infiltrations. I need time to heal, only then can I exert the full power of the sect¡¯s grand array. So be patient!¡± Yu Xuezi advised. Next, he assigned a few cautionary tasks and then continued laying down the Golden Light Array, resuming his healing process. Yu Hong wanted to give the Recovery Necklace to his master, so when the others dispersed for cultivation, he took off the necklace and walked towards Yu Xuezi alone. ¡°It¡¯s useless.¡± Suddenly, the voice of the Corrupt Traveler sounded in his ear. ¡°This treasure only works for you, it¡¯s useless for anyone else.¡± ¡°Elder?¡± Yu Hong paused in his tracks, asking softly. ¡°It¡¯s me. If you have time, come here,¡± the Corrupt Traveler continued. At the next moment, a black directional arrow appeared in front of him, floating in mid-air. Yu Hong glanced at his master Yu Xuezi, seeing that he was still meditating and healing with no reaction. Only then did he follow the arrow and turn to leave. Passing through several Taoist Palaces, soon, he saw the Corrupt Traveler with a massive tumor on his back in a corridor outside a row of washrooms. The Corrupt Traveler was examining a large black arm emerging from a crack in the corridor wall. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The black arm groped around wildly, occasionally being slapped or hit by the Corrupt Traveler. He seemed to be having a lot of fun. ¡°Elder,¡± Yu Hong said in a deep voice, stopping a few meters away. ¡°Want to go and see the real mining star, the real Wanxue Palace?¡± The Corrupt Traveler turned around and looked at Yu Hong. His black hair covered his eyes, only the lower half of his face with a strange smile could be seen. ¡°Is it possible?¡± Yu Hong trembled and asked again. ¡°Others can¡¯t, but you can,¡± the Corrupt Traveler replied. ¡°Alright!¡± Yu Hong nodded without hesitation. ¡°Very well.¡± The Corrupt Traveler¡¯s smile widened. He turned around and pointed at the wall. Hiss! A black hole as tall as a person suddenly opened on the smooth white wall. ¡°Come in.¡± He took the lead and stepped into it. The black hole remained, waiting for Yu Hong to enter. Yu Hong took a deep breath and stepped into it. Swish! The darkness before his eyes flashed and was gone, followed by a dim white light. A large gray and white ruin appeared before him. Some broken plaques were buried under collapsed walls, with only the parts exposed above the ground barely recognizable as some side halls of Wanxue Palace. This kind of ruin stretched continuously in front of Yu Hong until it reached the end of his vision, densely packed. The Corrupt Traveler stood beside him on the left. ¡°Look back,¡± he reminded. Yu Hong slowly turned his head, his pupils constricting instantly. Behind him, a hundred meters away in the gray and white ruins, was a grotesque figure in a black robe with disheveled hair. Their legs were made of countless black roots. The figure had its back to him, raising a hand to resist the endless black tide monsters ahead. The black tide monsters here included countless three-headed giants of an inky green color, massive decaying black dragons with six eyes and black wings, and warriors with eight arms resembling hideous Asuras. Each type released a terrorizing red value far exceeding the war level. ¡°These are the Holy Wolf Legion, the army under the Black Disaster Night Mother Tree¡¯s Holy Tower faction,¡± the Corrupt Traveler explained. ¡°They want to destroy the Red Sky Fruit.¡± Yu Hong understood instantly. His gaze turned to the emaciated figure standing alone against the army. ¡°Who is that? Able to single-handedly block such a terrifying large army.¡± ¡°He is called Feng Xuezi,¡± the Corrupt Traveler smiled. ¡°More accurately, he is your senior uncle.¡± ¡°Senior uncle¡­.¡± Yu Hong squinted, instantly connecting many things together. ¡°The force of the Heavenly Sun Sect you were dealing with was actually just a bit that accidentally leaked from here. The battle here has been going on for several days already,¡± the Corrupt Traveler explained. ¡°Letting you come in to see the situation here is to make you understand that the Red Sky Fruit brings greater hope, as well as greater pressure from those attempting to destroy that hope. If we maintained the previous slow demise, no one would care. But¡­ Feng Xuezi does not accept this fate!¡± ¡°Because of your appearance, he does not accept it!¡± The Corrupt Traveler patted Yu Hong¡¯s shoulder. Chapter 551: is approaching 1 What is fate? It is a predetermined trajectory, a fixed future. But will the future truly be fixed? Yu Hong did not know. Perhaps the grand phenomenon would confine people within certain bounds, just like after he acquired the Black Mark, he was destined to rise amidst the dark Source Disaster. Many things can determine the lower limit. The upper limit might require a lot of elements to reach. But the lower limit does not need that much. The Red Sky Fruit might already be affecting Feng Xuezi¡¯s lower limit. Yu Hong watched the figure over there holding back countless Black Tide creatures, and countless thoughts flashed through his mind. ¡°So, the real danger has always been blocked by Uncle-Master Feng Xuezi, which is why on the other side of reality ¡°You¡¯re wrong. This is the reality, the true Mining Star. Where you were before was a powerful closed Array set by Feng Xuezi. Although that Array has started to be infiltrated by some impurities, it¡¯s still much safer compared to the outside reality.¡± The Corrupt Traveler explained. ¡°I brought you in to make you understand what you¡¯ll face in the future. Yu Xuezi is sealed by the Array and can¡¯t hear the truth of this reality, but you¡¯re different, different from all of them.¡± He continued. ¡°Actually, Quan He is also different, but she is far behind you. So we have great expectations for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just a low-level Golden Core Stage.¡± Yu Hong said dejectedly. ¡°But you can cultivate the Red Sky Fruit.¡± The Corrupt Traveler smiled. I understand. What else do you need, Senior? Just tell me.¡± Yu Hong instantly understood. ¡°Straightforward! I like straightforward people like you.¡± The Corrupt Traveler patted his shoulder again. Then he suddenly thrust his hand into the huge tumor on his back with a swish. His hand, covered with dark red blood, pulled out of the tumor, holding a silver object that looked like a miniature building block model, resembling a circular toy. ¡°This is a Melting Breath Level heavy-duty defense belt, heavily damaged, about sixty percent broken. If you can repair it, it can ensure the safety of the entire reality Wanxue Palace for fifty years!¡± Yu Hong was stunned. So powerful!? He took over the palm-sized silver object. It looked like a metal ring, with many intricate symbols carved on the inner side, and dark golden fluorescent dots densely floated in the middle. These light dots seemed to appear out of nowhere, constantly disappearing and regenerating. ¡°Give it a try.¡± The Corrupt Traveler¡¯s tone was full of encouragement. Yu Hong glanced at Feng Xuezi, then at the object in his hand. Did this guy think too highly of him¡­. He stretched out his hand, placed it on the heavy-duty defense belt, and with a thought, added some skin flakes from his own skin as additional materials for enhancement. ¡®Enhance the heavy-duty defense belt. Direction, random.¡¯ He decided to test it first. A black line flashed, as expected, the Black Mark was still powerful, and the Corrupt Traveler senior in close proximity did not notice anything. Soon, the black line flowed into the heavy-duty defense belt, and a clear countdown appeared: ¡®April 11th, 15:04¡¯. ¡®A bit long, but acceptable.¡¯ Yu Hong looked at the defense belt, and he instantly understood that this thing was harder to repair than the Red Sky Fruit, probably due to the high degree of damage. ¡°How about it? Can it be repaired?¡± The Corrupt Traveler asked, his tone carrying a hint of expectation. ¡°This¡­ can, but it will take some time, and the cost Yu Hong hesitated. ¡°As long as it can be repaired!¡± The Corrupt Traveler obviously breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°If you can repair it, I¡¯ll give you another item of the same level!¡± Yu Hong¡¯s eyes lit up, immediately thinking of the Recovery Necklace from before. This level of good stuff was something he couldn¡¯t even dream of before. The Recovery Necklace had no level restrictions on its recovery;at least the Corrupt Traveler senior did not mention any level requirements. Which means it might allow him to recover every ten seconds regardless of his level. ¡°Okay! Leave it to me!¡± Yu Hong immediately pounded his chest to assure. ¡°This thing is indeed very complex, but I have some insight from studying repair techniques for many years.¡± The corner of the Corrupt Traveler¡¯s mouth curled up without speaking. He and Feng Xuezi had long suspected that this repair ability was likely a superpower of Yu Hong himself. After observing in the dark for a long time, they had discovered that Yu Hong always had various inexplicable magical abilities. His research abilities were indeed good, but the repair technique that went far beyond his own realm was beyond logical explanation. So he just listened to Yu Hong¡¯s words lightly. ¡°By the way, the necklace I gave you, you need to know it¡¯s useful against most of the troubles you might encounter: injuries, diseases, toxins, curses, negative effects, etc., but it¡¯s not omnipotent and has limits. Otherwise, we could have used it to recover from our own injuries long ago.¡± The Corrupt Traveler reminded. ¡°Of course, its limit is very high, enough for you to use until the Golden Immortal Level. For now, it is essentially unlimited recovery for you. No need to worry. At the Golden Immortal Level, it¡¯s not that it can¡¯t heal, but it becomes unnecessary as the Golden Immortal can self-recover at any time.¡± ¡°Golden Immortal, huh? Understood.¡± Yu Hong nodded. That was too far off. He didn¡¯t even need to think about it. ¡°Alright, Feng Xuezi, do you want to greet your apprentice-nephew?¡± The Corrupt Traveler suddenly shouted towards the distant Feng Xuezi. .¡± Feng Xuezi was speechless. He had been maintaining his posture for so long to create the heavy impression of a lone hero for Yu Hong to inspire loyalty towards the sect. But the shout from the Corrupt Traveler ruined much of that atmosphere¡­. ¡°He rarely comes, shouldn¡¯t you have a good chat?¡± The Corrupt Traveler laughed. ¡°Am I in a state to chat?! Can¡¯t you see how weak, powerless, and on the verge of collapse I am!?¡± Feng Xuezi couldn¡¯t hold back and turned around yelling. ¡°You see, his spirit is still very strong, don¡¯t worry.¡± The Corrupt Traveler turned back and smiled at Yu Hong. ¡°If he was really about to collapse, he wouldn¡¯t even have the energy to speak.¡± ¡°Mmm¡­.¡± Yu Hong was speechless, looking at Feng Xuezi who was full of energy and glaring at him, feeling slightly more at ease. He saw Feng Xuezi¡¯s palm in front, continuously releasing pure golden light. The golden light rapidly expanded, forming a light screen, becoming a giant light wall that connected heaven and earth, firmly blocking the Black Tide. All the monsters that touched the light wall would quickly ignite in golden flames, turning into torches and burning up within seconds. Clearly, this was an energy level he couldn¡¯t comprehend. ¡°Rest assured, Martial Uncle. I will not fail you and will repair the heavy defense belt as soon as possible!¡± He bowed deeply towards Feng Xuezi in the distance. ¡°I believe you! This place is not suitable for you to stay long. Once you¡¯ve finished observing, leave quickly,¡± Feng Xuezi¡¯s eyes softened as they settled on Yu Hong. ¡°Yes. Please, take care, Martial Uncle.¡± Yu Hong bowed again. Now he understood, whether looking at the records in the classical books or judging from various signs, Feng Xuezi was the pillar supporting Wanxue Palace, preventing it from being destroyed by the Source Disaster. Previously, he had always been puzzled. Wanxue Palace on the Mining Star, clearly situated in the depths of the Source Disaster, faced far less danger than many other places outside. It now seemed¡­ Yu Hong¡¯s gaze fell on the endless swarm of Black Tide monsters outside the golden light wall. Any one of the monsters out there emitted an extremely horrifying Red Value Radiation, much stronger than those like Marissa he had faced before. And here, they threw themselves forward, attempting to extinguish even the smallest golden flame from Martial Uncle. Here, they could only act as cannon fodder, with the mere hope of living an extra second being a rare luxury. ¡°Martial Uncle, just how strong is the Source Disaster?¡± he suddenly asked. The Source Disaster has no end, but being able to preserve your strength within it is a visible feat Feng Xuezi softly replied. ¡°If you can reach the Golden Immortal level, you will see that realm too.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Yu Hong nodded. ¡°Alright, don¡¯t delay anymore, go now.¡± Feng Xuezi forced a slight smile onto his face. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, these trash in front of us are just a breeze to me, not worth mentioning.¡± ¡°Please excuse me then, I will come to see you again later.¡± Yu Hong said. ¡°Enough stalling!¡± The Corrupt Traveler grabbed Yu Hong¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Swoosh! In the next second, the two disappeared from the spot. Only Feng Xuezi remained, standing amidst the ruins, sighing. His gaze sharpened again as he looked at the Black Tide monsters ahead. In the depths of the countless Black Tide monsters, a humanoid black shadow with extremely elongated arms stood silently, staring at him through the creatures. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The shadow¡¯s arms spread wide open, the lengths several times its body, resembling two thin lines attached to its form. ¡°Have you come? Tree Puppet Feng Xuezi¡¯s eyes became serious as a semi-circular halo faintly appeared behind him, with dozens of colorful planets revolving within it. * * * In front of the Black Black Spirit Safety House, the Corrupt Traveler placed the heavy defense belt in Yu Hong¡¯s hands. ¡°It¡¯s all up to you, how long will it take to repair it?¡± ¡°About five months.¡± Yu Hong replied. This matter was urgent, and he planned to set aside everything else, and begin the repairs as soon as he finished integrating the trait. ¡°Good, I look forward to your good news. I also have something great prepared for you!¡± The Corrupt Traveler was in high spirits, ¡°To be honest, before meeting you, I always felt gloomy and hopeless, seeing nothing but a bleak future. But now, it¡¯s different. For some reason, I feel like the future will be different from the past.¡± ¡°You flatter me, Senior.¡± Yu Hong felt it was a bit exaggerated. ¡°It¡¯s not exaggerated at all. You underestimate your impact.¡± The Corrupt Traveler patted Yu Hong¡¯s shoulder again. ¡°Keep it up. I have many good things waiting for you to repair and many treasures for you to exchange!¡± he said, laughing. It was a laugh completely different from before. The previous sense of oddity and pessimistic gloom had entirely vanished. Amidst the laughter, the Corrupt Traveler disappeared. Yu Hong was left standing at the safety house¡¯s entrance, looking out at the dense sea of trees, exhaling deeply. He turned, opened the door, entered, and locked it behind him. He went straight to the Cultivation Room and started a new round of seclusion. His master Yu Xuezi was injured, and he had to swiftly complete his current tasks and consolidate his strength to deal with the potential dangers and troubles that might arise. Yu Hong sat cross-legged, activated the Cultivation Room defense array, closed his eyes, and entered the Consciousness Space. Time passed, and the sky outside gradually darkened. The array above Wanxue Palace continued emitting golden light, contending with the overwhelming descending Black Tide. The golden flames burned fiercely, illuminating half the Mining Star, turning night into bright day. Yu Hong, using this golden light, waited for the fusion with the Black Mark to be completed. The golden light streamed through the window, casting a faint golden hue on half of his face. He entered the corner of his mind where the Trait Light Ball was, seeing the final minute of the countdown. He waited a moment. Click. Finally, the countdown reached zero. The entire light ball flashed slightly, then became still. Yu Hong felt a surge of joy, quickly stepping forward to touch it. ¡®Fusion of Ancient Moon Divinity and Heaven and Earth Rotation complete, acquiring new trait: Ancient Moon Divinity.¡¯ Chapter 552: is coming second ¡¯....¡¯ Yu Hong was speechless. What does adding one more word mean? The more ancient, the more powerful? Regarding the Moon God, he understood it to be a member of the Star Gods like Agrius, only polluted. Compared to those faith gods, it was on a completely different level. But after fusing for so long, only one word was added... Harboring a bit of doubt, he continued to check the new trait prompt. ¡¯Ancient Moon Divinity: It is rumored that in the Ancient Times, the moon was enormously vast without a physical form. It was the essence of all darkness, the source of all yin. The Moon God of that time was not anthropomorphic like later, having no consciousness or cognition, merely a massive conglomerate of pure power. At its core, ninety-nine divinities were nurtured, eventually evolving into ninety-nine different levels of Ancient Star Gods, with the Ancient Moon God being one of them.¡¯ ¡¯Divinity Fusion Successful, you have obtained the essence of the Primordial Star God, you have obtained Moon¡¯s Glory.¡¯ ¡¯Essence of the Primordial Star God: A subordinate ability of the Ancient Moon Divinity, it allows oneself to grow rapidly over time, with no innate limitations.¡¯ ¡¯Moon¡¯s Glory: You have inherited the glory of the Ancient Moon God, increasing your physique by 600%.¡¯ ¡¯....¡¯ Yu Hong seemed to have unlocked a key switch upon seeing this final message. Instantly, his entire body rapidly heated up. A powerful, intensely cold aura, akin to a Cold Disaster, surged from the Trait Light Ball, flooding every part of his body. Despite the icy cold aura, his body rapidly heated up, as if being rapidly tempered and strengthened in the process. This enhancement lasted only a few seconds before quickly fading. Yu Hong opened his eyes to see his reflection in the window. He had grown taller... Just after the successful trait fusion, in just over ten seconds, he had shot up to three meters tall. ¡¯Indeed, my body¡¯s strength has greatly increased...¡¯ Yu Hong clenched his fist. Without a point of reference, it was hard to judge the exact effects of the enhancement. However, the greatest advantage of a strengthened physique was the ability to deliver more powerful attacks and defenses. ¡¯Since this Ancient Moon Divinity enhances physique so simply and crudely, and the Giant Tiger Form also enhances it simply and crudely, why not try fusing the two together!¡¯ Given the situation with Feng Xuezi and the confrontation over Wanxue Palace, Yu Hong was feeling the pressure. What he urgently needed was a trump card that could immediately enhance his strength;cultivation speed was something for the late stage. He needed a trait that could enhance him right now. Without hesitation, he fused the newly acquired Ancient Moon Divinity with the Giant Tiger Form. Instantly, the two large light balls merged, and a new countdown appeared: 13 hours and 9 minutes. Confirming the fusion with the Black Mark, the countdown began to blink, indicating the start of the fusion. * * * Outside the Mining Star, on the dark side of a planet untouched by the star¡¯s light. Holy Tower Master Gesha and Heavenly Sun Sect Hierarch Ancient Rong Mountain stood side by side before a gigantic black monster¡¯s skeleton, waiting. Time passed by the minute and the second, and in the blink of an eye, three hours had gone by. Finally, a point of purple flame appeared out of nowhere within the gigantic black monster¡¯s skeleton. The flame burned silently at first, floating as if it were a rootless fire, that a gust of wind could extinguish. But soon, the flame swelled and grew, becoming over five meters tall and more than three meters wide, transforming into a long rectangular purple flame door. From within the door emerged a bizarre figure, covered in violet cracks, from which purple fire continuously burst forth. "Welcome, Child of the Mother Tree!" Holy Tower Master Gesha and Heavenly Sun Sect Hierarch Ancient Rong Mountain quickly bowed and cupped their fists in greeting. "Enemy...where...?" The figure¡¯s voice was a hoarse roar, intermittent, as if it could not articulate properly. Yet, the two did not dare to show any negligence. The Child of the Mother Tree was the closest messenger to the Mother Tree, a Tree Puppet¡ªor Black Puppet¡ªwho could barely maintain a shred of consciousness, making it extremely formidable. Simply put, in terms of the Immortal Realm Level, it was nearly at the position of a Heavenly Venerate. However, it lacked the intelligence of a Heavenly Venerate, with thoughts and awareness as muddled as a beast¡¯s, barely able to discern friend from foe. ¡¯Here.¡¯ Gesha raised his hand and pointed. Instantly, a complete image of the Mining Star appeared in the space between them. ¡¯There¡¯s a remnant Chaos Body Golden Immortal here, resisting the fusion of the Mother Tree¡¯s offspring.¡¯ He said in a deep voice. ¡¯You should have seen that person through the Black Tide in a special way before. That person¡¯s name is Feng Xuezi.¡¯ ¡¯Good....¡¯ The Child of the Mother Tree nodded slightly. Whoosh! In the next instant, he vanished from where he stood. The purple flame door quickly extinguished, leaving Gesha and Ancient Rong Mountain, both breathing a sigh of relief. ¡¯Didn¡¯t Feng Xuezi just break through? With the Child of the Mother Tree dispatched now, he¡¯s a goner.¡¯ ¡¯I¡¯m not worried about that;I¡¯m worried about the Child of the Mother Tree losing control midway and taking us down with him...¡¯ Ancient Rong Mountain said helplessly. His massive form was now huddled on the ground, surprisingly giving off a pitiful aura. ¡¯I understand. The immense power brought by chaos harms both enemies and allies. This Child of the Mother Tree, known as Zika, has been deployed three times over billions of years. Twice, it destroyed its subordinate armies right along with its enemies... I only have enough cognition reserves to resurrect once. If I get killed, it will be very difficult to find a suitable source to replenish my cognition around here...¡¯ Gesha said in a low tone. ¡¯Let¡¯s check the outskirts together then, while Feng Xuezi hasn¡¯t been dealt with yet.¡¯ Ancient Rong Mountain sighed. ¡¯There¡¯s nothing left to consume on the outskirts...¡¯ Gesha shook his head. ¡¯No, there are still a few spots.¡¯ A sinister smile appeared on the massive, pudgy face of Ancient Rong Mountain. "Are you referring to those small universes nurtured by the Elemental Emperor?" Gesha seemed to have thought of something. "He maintains cognition by nurturing small universes and constantly initiating universe wars to reap cognition. This method is actually worth learning from. If it weren¡¯t for the Great Annihilation, I would have done the same with a few worlds. Unfortunately... I woke up too late." Ancient Rong Mountain nodded. "But the Elemental Emperor is a ruler on the same level as the Candle Dragon Star Lord... he is the strongest, infinitely close to the Child of the Mother Tree... If we get discovered." "Everything¡¯s going to disappear, what are you still worried about?" Ancient Rong Mountain dismissed it nonchalantly. Gesha fell silent too. Why did they surrender and choose to merge with the Source Disaster in the first place? It was to avoid facing death, facing disappearance, wasn¡¯t it? Now there are only a few options left to choose from. "Fine! After completing the Mother Tree¡¯s mandatory task here, we¡¯ll do it together!" "That¡¯s it, my brothers, we¡¯ll advance and retreat together, sharing fortune and adversity." Ancient Rong Mountain laughed. "Which universes of the Elemental Emperor are the nearest?" "There are four types: Arcane, Abyssal, Heaven, and Hell. They are all adjacent to each other, with many intelligent beings, enough for you and me to replenish our resurrection dozens of times." "That¡¯s too slow. I worry something might happen soon." Gesha shook his head. "What do you propose then?" Ancient Rong Mountain frowned. "I¡¯ll devour two-thirds of the Holy Tower first, and you distribute some from your side to me. Let¡¯s first replenish cognition for one resurrection." "Alright." Ancient Rong Mountain didn¡¯t mind at all. For them, subordinates below could always be replenished in large quantities;after all, there were always those afraid of death all around. "How do you plan to absorb it?" Gesha extended his right hand, revealing a golden diamond-shaped crystal in his palm. "This is my Seed of Calamity, just throw it into space as usual." "Leave it to me," Ancient Rong Mountain grinned. "If only we had the power of the Child of the Mother Tree, we wouldn¡¯t need to be covert;we could just devour and annihilate everything directly." Gesha sighed. "Abandoning consciousness would achieve that." Ancient Rong Mountain stated, "Chaos is the ladder to power;if we give up, we can immediately become the next Child of the Mother Tree." "Would you be willing?" Gesha asked. Ancient Rong Mountain remained silent. * * * The next morning, outside Wanxue Palace. Yu Hong, Quan He, Bai Sheng, and Hei Ying gathered outside the palace gate, looking up at the large swathes of Black Tide falling from the sky. "Are you ready?" Hei Ying led Yu Hong, while Bai Sheng led Quan He. The two groups planned to head in different directions to fend off small groups of invading Black Tide. "Ready." Yu Hong and Quan He responded together. "There are three invasion points on the Mining Star: Yellow Leaf State, Centipede Mountain, and Red Stone Plain. I¡¯ll go to Yellow Leaf State with Yu Hong, and you two go to Centipede Mountain. After handling those, we will regroup at Red Stone Plain. Any issues?" "None." Bai Sheng nodded. "Then let¡¯s move." Hei Ying patted the Black Sword, and a small, sleek black ship about ten meters long appeared out of nowhere behind her. The ship looked like a small fish, with some colorful flower and cute animal stickers on its sides. It was styled like a standard wooden sailboat, protected by layers of translucent array light screens around it. "Off we go, Little Fish." Hei Ying led the way, flying up and landing on the ship¡¯s deck. "I¡¯m not called Little Fish;could you please call me by my full name, Senior Sister?" Yu Hong followed her, landing lightly at a point on the deck behind Hei Ying. "Our task this time is to eliminate the small groups of Black Tide that have infiltrated, preventing them from affecting the array¡¯s operation and weakening its defensive effect. Originally, I planned to take you out for experience later, but we might as well start now. Catch this." Hei Ying suddenly threw a black phoenix-shaped jade pendant. Yu Hong caught it and inspected it. The pendant was about the size of a walnut, depicting a phoenix soaring into the sky. "What is this?" "This is a Magic Treasure from Master for you. It¡¯s a Black Phoenix Jade. By channeling your True Yuan into it, you can summon a powerful phoenix corresponding to your current realm to help you attack enemies or cover your escape from strong foes. If the phoenix dies, you can summon it again, so don¡¯t worry about it being damaged." Hei Ying explained casually. "The level of a Magic Treasure corresponds to our cultivation realm. Only a treasure of the same level can fully harness the power of your True Yuan at that level." "Understood. Thank you for the treasure, Master." Yu Hong nodded. This was quite similar to his Heavenly River Summoning, but his current Heavenly River Secret Technique and summoned Fear Shadow didn¡¯t match the danger outside. His strongest summoning couldn¡¯t even deal with many Golden Core Undying level foes, only being useful for weaker targets. This Magic Treasure came at just the right time. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, more than the treasure, he was now looking forward to his new fusion trait. The fusion of Giant Tiger Form and Ancient Moon Divinity ¡ª what kind of powerful trait would it produce? He was very much looking forward to it. By now, nine hours had passed since the fusion began last night. Chapter 553: Attack No. 551 The mining star, Yellow Leaf State. The black fish-shaped ship rapidly enlarged in the sky and soon hovered a hundred meters above the ground. On the ship¡¯s deck, Yu Hong and Hei Ying stood together, looking down. The ground below was flat and covered with massive yellow dead leaves, layered upon each other, gleaming with a golden hue. Each dead leaf here was more than ten meters wide and long, with some as large as buildings, which was extremely exaggerated. In the middle of the land stood giant bald white trees, tall and straight, embedded among the leaves. The white trees were almost the size of cities, with trunks as transparent as jade, bearing marks of patches and the passage of time on their surface. "This is Yellow Leaf State. The ground here is formed by layers of fallen leaves from these giant yellow trees. Although it looks solid, the ground is actually very deep, with countless layers of yellow leaves piled up to this height. Be careful," Hei Ying cautioned. "Understood," Yu Hong nodded. "Where are the Black Tide monsters?" He looked around, not spotting any Black Tide creatures. "Since it¡¯s a small infiltration, it won¡¯t openly roam around. We need to find these Black Tide first," Hei Ying said, taking out a purple talisman, which burned to ashes with a shake. She then closed her eyes, seemingly sensing something. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After a while, she abruptly opened her eyes. "Twenty kilometers southeast!" With a swish, the ship turned and accelerated towards the southeast. Soon, in the yellow leaves below, thin black creatures began to appear among the giant leaves. These wriggling creatures resembled black, eyeless maggots with dark red cracks on their backs, releasing thick black mist that polluted the surroundings. "Those are black lineworms, ranging from Qi Refinement Realm to Foundation Establishment Stage. They can be easily handled, but they¡¯re just tools for the Black Tide to transform the environment. After opening a Gate of Despair, they¡¯ll release these tools like black beetles and black lineworms to adjust the environment until it¡¯s suitable for higher-level monsters to arrive," Hei Ying explained seriously. "So, do you want to give it a shot first?" She turned to Yu Hong, who was a step behind her. "Fine. How many can an average Golden Core Stage handle?" Yu Hong asked. "These creatures are numerous and can form large pollution fields when they unite. I can handle two to three thousand with no problem. The latter stages might be trickier," Hei Ying explained. "Alright, I¡¯ll give it a try." Yu Hong stepped to the bow of the ship and looked down. Among the vast golden leaves, he could indeed see numerous black lines wriggling and weaving in and out. They looked like black water. Yu Hong didn¡¯t use any other techniques but took out the Black Phoenix Jade his master gave him and injected True Yuan into it. Buzz! Immediately, the Black Phoenix Jade floated up and rapidly spun in front of his chest. Whoosh! A beam of black light shot out from the jade pendant, swiftly forming a ten-meter-long black fire phoenix in the air. The phoenix had delicate feathers, a long tail trailing flames, and black smoke rising from its back. Its strikingly white eyes stared at Yu Hong, the only white spot on its body. "Go," Yu Hong commanded with his mind. Scree! The black fire phoenix cried out and dove down like a burning black meteor. In the next moment, countless black lineworms leaped up from the ground like a black sandstorm, swarming the black phoenix. Instantly, the black sand encapsulated the phoenix, forming a sphere. But then, boom! The sphere erupted with black fire from within, burning and turning countless black lineworms into ashes. "Not bad," Yu Hong nodded. "But couldn¡¯t I just use True Yuan to deal with these black lineworms directly?" "Give it a try," Hei Ying smiled. Yu Hong pondered, then formed a seal with one hand, gathering True Yuan to create a firebird, a simple spell with a slight change in True Yuan properties. The firebird, dark red and around the same size as the black phoenix, dove down. Sizzle! Before it got close, dozens of black lineworms leaped up, piercing through the firebird, which quickly disintegrated. "This..." Yu Hong frowned. His late-stage Golden Core True Yuan spell was easily dispersed by those lineworms. "It¡¯s normal. The Black Tide¡¯s characteristic is that the more they gather, the stronger and more resilient they become. Different Star Disasters have different traits," Hei Ying nodded. "Let me try again," Yu Hong was determined, focused his mind. Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh! Dozens of Cai Jing Taoists appeared, looking down. This scene made Hei Ying take a second glance but only for a moment. "One of the Spirit Disaster troops? Not bad," she commented. "You¡¯re too kind," Yu Hong controlled the Cai Jing Taoists to dive down, fully releasing his spiritual power. Buzz!! Enormous spiritual power solidified the air with a bang, turning it into a hard wall. Countless yellow leaves shattered on the ground below, and the black worms were momentarily stilled, frozen in place. But it only lasted a few seconds. Slowly, the black worms adapted from slow to fast, quickly overcoming the suppression of the spiritual power, leaping up again like waves of the sea, instantly tackling dozens of Cai Jing Taoists. In the next moment, all the Cai Jing Taoists were swept away and disappeared, probably devoured by the black worms. "My summons clearly can perform instantaneous movement, what¡¯s going on!?" Yu Hong frowned. "When the black worms gather, they create void stiffness. This special force field can completely deprive enemies in a certain range of control for a period of time. Only sufficiently high spiritual resistance can counteract it. Even us Nascent Soul Cultivators are somewhat affected if we don¡¯t have a protective spell in place," Hei Ying explained. "Is it continuous stiffness or a one-time trigger?" Yu Hong asked. "It usually depends on the person, activating roughly once every few minutes. Quite annoying," Hei Ying replied. "Alright, do you still want to test it?" "Let¡¯s give it one last try," Yu Hong said after a moment of silence, still somewhat skeptical. He removed his blindfold, opened his right eye, and aimed it at the ground. Shhh! Countless colorful lights exploded from his right eye, surrounded by violet light, condensing into a thin beam shooting straight at the ground. The Chaotic God Heavenly Eye and the Eye of Destruction activated simultaneously. The immortal-level True Yuan of the late Golden Core stage became the energy source of this colorful beam. Shhh! Shhh! Shhh! Shhh! nol.c¦Òm As the beam pierced the earth, countless tiny colorful lights burst from beneath the black worms, illuminating a circular area with a diameter of around several hundred meters. All the black worms within this area were shattered by the colorful lights, turning into black mist and dissipating. The immortal-level True Yuan even continued to maintain the destructive power of this area. "This move is good. Its power is comparable to the Black Phoenix Jade your teacher gave you. Does it have a name?" Hei Ying asked with great interest. "Chaotic God Light," Yu Hong sighed. He had painstakingly fused so many traits and cultivated for so long, only to find the power comparable to a magic treasure casually given by his master. It made him somewhat disappointed. But he quickly recovered. Lately, he had faintly felt that the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye was finally nearing perfection. This cultivation technique had always carried his great expectations, and its impending completion should provide a good trait. After all, it was a high martial cultivation technique, far surpassing mortal martial arts. Plus, with the fusion of two powerful traits underway, it wouldn¡¯t be long before he experienced a qualitative leap in strength. "Alright, that should do it. The testing is done, let¡¯s start clearing," Hei Ying said, glancing at her wristwatch. "Okay. How does Senior Sister plan to clear it?" Yu Hong asked. "These are just minor nuisances. I¡¯ll clear them out directly," Hei Ying said, gripping the sword hilt and drawing out the Black Sword from her back. "Once the area is cleared, we will need to deal with some particularly tricky enemies one by one. Then, you can cover me. I¡¯ll leave a few suitable ones for you to train with." "Alright!" Yu Hong nodded. His experience was far inferior to Hei Ying¡¯s, so it was best to follow her arrangements. "Stay sharp," Hei Ying said as she slowly unsheathed her sword, channeling her mana rapidly to form a small, white mist-like version of herself above her head. The small Hei Ying wielded a miniature Black Sword, her expression stern, eyes glinting with a faint silver light. "Time Splitting Sword Technique." "Chaotic Wind Sand!" In an instant, the Black Sword shattered into countless black grains of sand, which scattered and fell. At first, the sand was just a small stream, but it rapidly grew, swelling into a massive black tornado column in the span of a hundred meters. With an ear-piercing whistle, the black tornado landed, sweeping up countless black worms, shredding them to pieces while also grinding many yellow leaves to dust and absorbing them within. Wherever the tornado passed, it left black residual stains that automatically destroyed any new black worms passing over them. Yu Hong stood on the deck, watching the tumultuous scene below as large swathes of black worms were annihilated in the blink of an eye. When he compared it to his previous attacks, the difference was stark. Ang! At this moment, the Black Phoenix burst out from underground again, soaring back to his side, circling in mid-air to guard the surroundings. "The Time Splitting Sword Technique has sixteen styles in total. This one is my only large-scale clearing sword technique. The rest are various types of piercing and cutting sword techniques, so handling situations like this is actually a bit strenuous for me," Hei Ying said as she sheathed her sword, watching below. "I¡¯m better suited for point-to-point dealing with individually powerful opponents." "Indeed," Yu Hong recalled the time when he summoned Hei Ying for help. That earth-shattering sword strike left a deep impression on him. "Alright, something is coming out. Keep an eye on it. Once.... Here it comes!!" Hei Ying warned, quickly drawing her sword again. Shhh! Shhh! Shhh! A web-like black sword mark suddenly slashed downward. The black web flew out a dozen meters, colliding with a massive figure that suddenly appeared. Roar!!! A pale giant over thirty meters tall, covered in countless white skeletal arms, roared furiously. In the center of its chest was a black seed-like object, with numerous black roots extending throughout its body. Its head lacked eyes, ears, nose, and mouth, with only a large black maw full of sharp teeth that howled in anger. Chapter 554: Attack 552 II "Hundred-Armed Giant Monster! This guy¡¯s strong enough, perfect for you to practice your skills. It¡¯s yours!" Hei Ying raised her eyebrows and transmitted. "Alright!" Yu Hong¡¯s mind shifted, and the Black Phoenix beside him instantly swooped towards the towering white giant, over thirty meters high. This height is nothing;even a two-hundred-meter Black Giant was just like this. But the Immortal Level energy on the opponent is what makes it tricky. The Hundred-Armed Giant Monster landed with a bang, leaving sticky footprints everywhere it stepped, resembling a slug, remarkably clear. "There are other monsters, I¡¯ll go after them, be careful." Hei Ying threw out a sentence and leaped off the deck without waiting for a response. Leaving Yu Hong alone to control the Black Phoenix, starting the entanglement with the Hundred-Armed Giant Monster. The Black Phoenix, covered in flames, swooped down and knocked the Hundred-Armed Giant Monster staggering. Roar! The phoenix spread its claws and fiercely embedded them into the giant¡¯s shoulder flesh. But before it could exert force, its back was struck by numerous arms, sending black feathers flying and eliciting continuous screams. However, the Black Phoenix¡¯s black flames persistently burned the Hundred-Armed Giant Monster, spreading from its shoulder to the surrounding areas. The areas burned by the black fire, infused with Yu Hong¡¯s late stage Golden Core Immortal True Essence, also continually burned the Hundred-Armed Giant Monster¡¯s body to pieces, vaporizing and disappearing. Bang! The Hundred-Armed Giant Monster hugged the Black Phoenix and slammed it hard to the ground, but had to let go the next moment, as its neck was pecked by the phoenix, creating a large hole, white blood oozing out, causing it to scream. Man and bird madly slaughtered each other on the ground, black fire and white blood flying everywhere, corroding the ground into dense small holes. Yu Hong stood on the deck, controlling the Black Phoenix, continuously familiarizing himself with the usage of the magical artifact. During this, he also tried to release spells himself, aiming at the Hundred-Armed Giant Monster, but to no avail, unable to even break its outer skeleton armor. Clearly, the attack methods he mastered, except for the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye, were all outdated and ineffective against ordinary monsters. But facing enemies of the same level, his shortcomings were instantly exposed. His True Yuan¡¯s power couldn¡¯t be fully amplified or utilized. Sighing, knowing it was useless, Yu Hong could only concentrate on controlling the Black Phoenix Jade to oppose the Hundred-Armed Giant Monster. Both sides began a prolonged tug-of-war. Fortunately, as he occasionally used Chaotic God Light for surprise attacks and the Black Phoenix constantly absorbed True Yuan to heal itself, the battle slowly tilted in his favor. While Hei Ying chased other monsters and Yu Hong fought the Hundred-Armed Giant Monster, two pale-skinned men with sun-black markings on their foreheads stood on a giant white tree branch in the distant Yellow Leaf State. One man wore black armor and had a huge blade strapped to his back, roughly as wide as his waist. The other, dressed in a robe and donning a pointed black hat, resembled the legendary Black Impermanence, clutching a chain scythe. "Just those two?" "Just two, we¡¯ve probed their power levels. One at Nascent Soul Late Stage, the other at Golden Core Late Stage, both at Immortal Level." "The Nascent Soul guy is tough, we probably can¡¯t handle him. But the other one, seems easy enough. You or me?" "I¡¯ll go, after we harvest, we split fifty-fifty. I really wonder what the higher-ups are thinking, coming to this godforsaken place with barely anyone." The robed man sighed. "You¡¯re lucky, I just woke from slumber, was cleaning up a nearby small area, barely halfway through when called here, such a loss." The armored man sighed as well. "Once I leave, the other legions will definitely seize the chance to take it..." "The worst part is moving alongside those entities whose consciousness is barely holding on..." added the robed man. "Alright, end of discussion, the Nascent Soul guy is gone, I¡¯ll go for the ambush, prepare to act!" "Got it! As soon as I¡¯m done here, I¡¯ll join you." "Okay." The two transmitted their conversation silently, simultaneously dissolving into black mist, disappearing. At this moment, on the deck, Yu Hong was still focused on wrestling with the Hundred-Armed Giant Monster. Both sides continuously restored themselves, making decisive defeat impossible, resulting in prolonged attritional combat. But Yu Hong had no better option, his ultimate move was the Chaotic God Light, and currently, its power was comparable to the Black Phoenix. The situation remained in a stalemate, persistently unchanged. Time ticked away. Hei Ying hadn¡¯t returned yet, only occasionally could Yu Hong sense large sharp auras spreading from the far distance, indicating her efforts to clear out the monsters. So he continued controlling the Black Phoenix to engage the Hundred-Armed Giant Monster. One hour passed, two hours, three hours, four hours... As time went by, the Hundred-Armed Giant Monster gradually weakened. After all, its recovery relied on the small infiltrating groups of Black Tide provided by the array. Constant attrition inevitably led to fatigue, even for such a strong entity. "Probably need another two hours to grind it down..." Yu Hong was somewhat tempted by this monster, being a top-tier Golden Core Stage entity. Perfect for replenishing the battle power reserves in the Heavenly River. Assuming the Heavenly River could contain it. While Yu Hong concentrated on observing the battle below. A shadow quietly climbed from the rear of the ship like flowing water. The shadow silently infiltrated the defensive array and approached Yu Hong¡¯s feet along the deck. As time passed, closer and closer... Yu Hong¡¯s body suddenly shuddered, sensing something, but at that very moment. The shadow abruptly leaped up, mouth releasing a silent impact. A semi-transparent shockwave blasted from its mouth, directly targeting Yu Hong¡¯s head. Buzz!!! A massive spiritual shock suddenly hit Yu Hong¡¯s head. This is a special attack that could knock out a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator if caught off guard. It is also the innate racial ability of the man in the black robe, enabling him to rise to a high position within the assassination squad of the Heavenly Sun Sect through this extremely covert spiritual shock. "Die! All of it, mine! Swallowing you, I can last another hundred years!!" The man in the black robe, filled with desire and anticipation, gripped his scythe tightly and swiftly thrust it toward the center of Yu Hong¡¯s back. An ambush, dizziness, and then a full-force strike taking advantage of the opponent¡¯s unpreparedness! This is his assassination technique. Bang!!! The man was stunned. The good news was that the scythe had accurately hit the target¡¯s back. The bad news was.... The opponent wasn¡¯t dizzy, and had not even broken through the defense.... S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "What is this!? How could it sneak onto the ship!!?" Yu Hong was focusing on the entanglement below with the Hundred-armed Giant Demon when he suddenly felt a slight itch on his back, and he was momentarily startled. What kind of monster could silently infiltrate the ship like this? He was also scared, instinctively slapping hard. Boom!! The ship trembled harshly. Something exploded in a sonic blast on the deck, disappearing in an instant. Yu Hong turned around quickly to scan, but found nothing but emptiness. "Was it an illusion?" He slightly frowned and scratched his back. He continued to focus on the fierce battle below. What he didn¡¯t know was that at this moment, the special spiritual barrier in his mind and the integrating Ancient Moon Divinity were faintly glowing. The former trait increases spiritual power density by a percentage and continually amplifies the overall spiritual power by twice. The latter inherently enhances the physique by six times. With his current Golden Core Late Stage combined with the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Skill refined physique, directly strengthening by six times.... plus the sevenfold increase in close combat destructive power from the Giant Tiger Form... As a result, his close combat power had far exceeded the remote True Yuan¡¯s explosive killing power. And he hadn¡¯t even noticed.... Swoosh! From a distance in mid-air, the figure of the Corrupt Traveler silently emerged, frowning as he watched Yu Hong below, unaware of anything. "What just happened? How did Zheng Rou suddenly explode with such strength?" He had clearly sensed Yu Hong¡¯s True Yuan suddenly enhancing dozens of times at the moment he retaliated against the ambusher. After striking back and sending the ambusher flying far away, seriously injuring him, Yu Hong¡¯s True Yuan naturally returned to normal. "What kind of ability is this? Fishing?" The Corrupt Traveler couldn¡¯t understand. Yu Hong was only Golden Core Late Stage, but just now his momentary burst of power was at least Nascent Soul Late Stage.... Except without energy level support, unable to instantly kill the ambusher, with that power just now, no one below Divinity Transformation Realm could withstand it. "Could he have some special treasure? This kid is mysterious, with such strong repair ability, maybe he really has some special card up his sleeve." Shaking his head, the Corrupt Traveler seeing the situation felt relieved. But then he frowned again, as at Wanxue Palace, Feng Xuezi was already up against the Tree Puppet Mother Tree¡¯s Son... ever since Feng Xuezi¡¯s breakthrough, even he had been slightly inferior. His coming out this time was also due to worry about Yu Hong¡¯s safety. Now confirmed that Yu Hong was fine, the Corrupt Traveler quickly sliced through space and disappeared, returning to aid Feng Xuezi in sharing the pressure. At this moment, several kilometers away from the ship, in a murky river. The man in the black robe lay on the ground, his body covered in black smoke struggling against and counteracting Yu Hong¡¯s white Golden Core True Essence. Without completely counteracting the Immortal Level power, it can infinitely devour nearby material and flesh, self-growing, maintaining immortality. Even without a source to devour, Yu Hong¡¯s Immortal Level True Essence could last at least several days and nights without extinguishing. During the confrontation of the True Essence, the black-robed man endured the painful sweat as almost all his bones had fractured. His forehead was deeply indented, transformed from a sphere to a flat bead. To an ordinary person, such injury would be lethal, but for him, he had already died once, now slowly self-rescuing, expelling the Golden Core True Essence. "What just happened?" The man gazed at the sky, he seemed to forget a bit. Death for them wasn¡¯t a severe consequence, but the cognitive loss and memory vanishment following death were far more terrifying. Swoosh! The next second, an armored man appeared by his side. "What happened to you??" His companion frowned at him, "How did you get injured like this?" "I.... can¡¯t remember...." The robed man looked confused. "You can¡¯t die again, or you¡¯ll become one of those mindless monsters." The armored man said solemnly. "I know, I know...." The robed man nodded. "But my target isn¡¯t dealt with...." "Forget it, I¡¯ll complete the task for you, and I¡¯ll share half the cognition with you later. Rest first, we¡¯re brothers, I¡¯ll help you this time." The armored man said solemnly. "....Brother Li.... be careful!" The robed man was moved. "The Nascent Soul side is temporarily held up;you must be severely injured by some hidden power attack. Don¡¯t worry, my protection is far stronger than yours, though less suitable for covert assassination, but for frontal attack, I¡¯m stronger." The armored man said with confidence. "Alright." Chapter 555: Fusion One On the other side, Bai Sheng and Quan He also stood on the spaceship, gazing at the surging mass of the Black Tide below. "This place has already been completely overtaken by the Black Tide... there¡¯s no hope." Bai Sheng sighed. "As is customary, you try to test your skills, experience the destructive power and lethality of your cultivation level, and thereby determine your position in the Extraordinary World." "Alright." Quan He¡¯s expression remained unchanged, mentally prepared for this. She was also granted a magic treasure by her master, a silver-edged, palm-sized mirror with a simple and elegant appearance. Pointing the mirror downward, suddenly, with a whoosh, a pillar of silvery white light surged out. But the light pillar¡¯s descent was extremely slow, covering an area of only about ten meters wide, turning a small section of the worms below into ash. Quan He sighed, retracting the magic treasure. ¡¯I wonder how Yu Hong is doing over there. Probably facing something similar, the Black Tide here is much harder to deal with than outside.¡¯ She felt this kind of emotion for the first time in her life. It was fresh yet tinged with a hint of melancholy. "Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re just at the Foundation Establishment Stage, it¡¯s natural for the magic treasure¡¯s power to be small. Let me explain how to effectively combat the Black Tide here," Bai Sheng¡¯s voice rang out beside her. "Yes." Quan He responded immediately. * * * Boom! The Black Phoenix once again swooped down, finally shattering the upper body of the Hundred-armed Giant Demon. Black flames quickly spread across the remains of the Hundred-armed Giant Demon, burning it until it was turned into a massive torch, engulfing everything. "Finally...." Yu Hong on the spaceship breathed a sigh of relief. After grinding it down for so long, he had finally dealt with this creature. The power of the Black Phoenix was indeed impressive, even though it had been crushed several times in between, it had always reborn using True Yuan. This magic treasure clearly had an unending supply of True Yuan and relentless attacks. He looked down, the land of Yellow Leaf State, once covered in countless yellow leaves, was now almost completely destroyed due to their battle. The land was now nothing but a charred black ash. This area had been burned to a black ash, resembling a huge black scar on the land of Yellow Leaf State. The remaining black tentacle worms were mostly burned to ashes in the prolonged battle. Yu Hong identified the positions of the remaining black tentacle worms;with a thought, the Black Phoenix flew out again, diving towards them. A few minutes later, the last of the black tentacle worms were cleared out. He let out a sigh of relief, about to use his magic artifact to contact Senior Sister. "Kill!" Suddenly, a deep roar in the Night Language came from the mid-air behind him. He quickly turned around to see a giant black whale, its head covered in a ghastly white bone armor, flying at high speed towards him from the sky. The giant whale was only about fifty to sixty meters long, but its body was riddled with numerous black holes, from which black smoke continuously emanated. On the giant whale¡¯s head stood a tall man in black armor, wielding a gigantic sword. "Who are you?" Yu Hong rarely encountered a monster that could speak. He couldn¡¯t help but use the Night Language to communicate. "Heavenly Sun Sect, Protector Li Xun!" "Heavenly Sun Sect?" It was the first time Yu Hong heard this name and wanted to ask more. But the opponent had already entered within a hundred-meter range. Immediately, he controlled the Black Phoenix to meet the attack head-on. Screeeech!! The massive phoenix, engulfed in rolling black flames, fiercely swooped towards the giant whale. The phoenix was only over ten meters long, but with the added black flames surging around it, its momentum was in no way inferior to the giant whale. The two monsters collided instantly. Bang! The Black Phoenix was sent flying on impact, tumbling with a screech, scattering black flames everywhere. The giant whale¡¯s speed slightly reduced, still charging towards Yu Hong, about to crash into the spaceship. Yu Hong¡¯s expression changed slightly, rapidly channeling True Yuan, his right eye flashed with colored light. Swish! A slender beam of colored light shot forth, hitting the giant whale¡¯s head. This time it worked, the light beam pierced through, creating a hole in the giant whale¡¯s head. But the black-armored man leaped up, brandishing his giant sword, rolling and flying towards Yu Hong. "Die!!" At this distance, the man reached Yu Hong in an instant, striking down at Yu Hong¡¯s shoulder with his giant sword. The giant sword¡¯s swoosh came with a deafening boom, rings of white air currents being compressed and displaced. As the giant sword descended, the rapid speed created a small vacuum in the air surrounding it. The sword¡¯s surface, rubbing against the air, even sparked thin red flames. ¡¯Thunder Sound Sky-breaking Blade!!¡¯ The black-armored man¡¯s entire body surged with black energy, dyeing the giant sword pitch black, sealing off the surrounding space, prohibiting instantaneous movement and teleportation. One deadly strike! Right on target! Boom!! There was a burst of explosive roaring on the spaceship deck. Everything fell silent. Shhhhh! Suddenly, a broken black blade, spinning at high speed, flew out of the spaceship, plunging fiercely into the ground below. On the deck. Yu Hong grabbed the giant black blade with one hand, pressing the other onto the black-armored man¡¯s forehead. The scene froze. The front half of the giant blade broke off and flew away, disappearing without a trace. The man¡¯s head tilted back at a right angle, forehead blasted open with a giant lotus-shaped wound. "Is it over?" Yu Hong furrowed his brow in confusion, retracting his hand as the man fell backward with a thud, his body beginning to disintegrate into black smoke. Then he looked up at the giant whale floating in mid-air. Swoosh! The giant whale involuntarily shrank back, its whole body trembling. The next second, it flicked its tail, turned around, and lunged into a black crack, disappearing from sight. "So timid, why even come out to be a Black Tide monster?" Yu Hong was speechless. Now he finally understood why conscious beings couldn¡¯t match the strength of those acting instinctively. Fear and terror inherently weakened their normal strength. "Such a big display, I thought it was formidable, but in the end..." Yu Hong shook his head. He had actually just wanted to block it initially, but didn¡¯t expect that as he blocked, the creature exploded by itself. He hadn¡¯t even put in any effort yet. Looking down, he checked the spaceship to ensure that his senior sister¡¯s ship was undamaged under his precise control. Yu Hong let out a breath of relief. ¡¯It must have been severely injured beforehand. By the time it got to me, it was already at its wit¡¯s end.¡¯ After all, the Black Phoenix had also been shattered by it before. ¡¯Probably shattering the Black Phoenix was its last burst of strength.¡¯ Only this explanation could justify why it suddenly disappeared at the last moment. Refocusing, Yu Hong took out the talisman from his storage bag to contact his senior sister. True Yuan ignited, and as the talisman slowly burned, a message was sent out. "Senior sister, are you done over there? I¡¯ve finished up here." "Almost, almost. These rats are scattering everywhere, so troublesome!" Hei Ying said helplessly. "You didn¡¯t run into any trouble, did you? I was just ambushed by a human-shaped monster riding a Black Whale." "No problem. I also ran into that one, but it¡¯s all resolved. It suddenly charged at me, and when I just blocked, it exploded. Guess it was severely injured somewhere else." Yu Hong said. "Severely injured? Well, maybe I stabbed it before leaving." Hei Ying speculated. "Probably. It exploded suddenly, scared me a bit." Yu Hong laughed. "As long as you¡¯re fine. I¡¯m coming back soon. We need to meet up with the senior brothers." "Okay." * * * Beside the turbid river. Plop. A tall man in black armor, holding a black blade, fell by the riverbank, motionless. "Brother Li? What¡¯s... What happened to you..." The man in black robes lying on the ground looked at his friend in astonishment, not knowing what happened. "I... What was I going to do just now?" The man in black armor was weak all over, his face confused. "Why does my head hurt so much?" "You said you were going to avenge me," the man in black robes answered. "Really?" The man in black armor turned over, looking up at the sky. "Did I go?" "... I don¡¯t know..." The man in black robes was puzzled, "I forgot." S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "... I forgot too..." The man in black armor raised his broken black blade, looking at the half-cut edge. "My blade is broken. What mission were we here for again?" "... Mission?" The man in black robes started to think, "Did we have a mission?" "Aren¡¯t we Black Disaster? Why do we need to do missions?" The man in black armor also questioned. "Yes... We¡¯re Black Disaster, we¡¯re free, why take orders..." "Yeah, forget the mission... Lying here feels so good..." "Really, so comfortable..." The two lay side by side, looking at the sky, their clear eyes gradually turning into confusion and daze. Before long, as the surrounding black worms completely disappeared, black mist appeared beside them, enveloping them and taking them away together. * * * Red Stone Plain. The vast expanse of blood-red rocks covered the ground. Two spaceships, one black and one white, were floating in mid-air, meeting. On the deck, Bai Sheng and Hei Ying were exchanging the information they had gathered and the spoils of war. Yu Hong and Quan He were standing guard around them, occasionally chatting softly. "I was really lucky this time, only encountered opponents I could handle well. Solved the Hundred-armed Giant Demon and later picked off some severely injured monsters easily." Yu Hong summarized his training this time. "I was just cleaning up some black worms alone. Encountered two Broodmothers and it took a long time to grind them down. My cultivation is still too weak." Quan He sighed. "Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re already very fast." Yu Hong comforted her. "I¡¯m much slower compared to you." Quan He shook her head. "Don¡¯t compare yourself to me. I just look fast now. When it comes to stages requiring comprehension, I¡¯ll be stuck and unable to move forward. By then, you¡¯ll be way faster than me," Yu Hong said sincerely, "I¡¯ll have to ask you for advice a lot then." "You¡¯ve become more articulate than before. I¡¯ll help you more in the future." Quan He smiled. She had indeed noticed Yu Hong¡¯s poor comprehension compared to her, so she knew his words were genuine. "What are we doing next?" "Only this plain area needs to be cleaned up. This place is the most troublesome because there are too many deep holes requiring gradual, thorough handling." Bai Sheng answered Quan He¡¯s question. "Next, I¡¯ll arrange the divisions here. The plain has five large areas, each with many small cave groups..." While Bai Sheng was arranging the split tasks, Yu Hong suddenly felt a burst of heat in his body. Sensing something, he immediately closed his eyes, sending his consciousness deep into his mind, reaching a corner of his traits. The trait light ball he had fused earlier was now emitting a pure pale golden glow. Clearly, the fusion was complete. Chapter 556: Fusion 2 Yu Hong¡¯s heart was slightly lifted, with a sense of anticipation, and he slowly floated to the front of the light ball. He reached out and gently touched it. Hiss. A strand of information was transmitted from within. ¡¯Fusion successful, acquired trait: Holy Tiger Type.¡¯ ¡¯Holy Tiger Type (A special ability formed by the fusion of the Ancient Moon God Divinity and an unknown force. Your physique has been enhanced ninefold, your melee destructive power is automatically amplified elevenfold, your body and spirit are flawlessly merged, and you possess an unlimited growth foundation.)¡¯ ¡¯Note: The density of your physique has started to cause a notable shift in the surrounding space gravity. Temporal attribute magic¡¯s effect on you is weakened by 10%.¡¯ ¡¯Note: Every action you take may bring irreversible powerful destruction. The overall change will affect all other cultivation powers.¡¯ The series of prompts from the Black Mark was rarely this overwhelming, indicating that this enhancement likely reached a qualitative change. Its impact was profound. Yu Hong drew out of his mind, carefully sensing the changes in his body. Indeed, upon close examination, he discovered that the previously overflowing Golden Core True Essence within him seemed to have been shrunk and reduced, now only filling a small corner within his body. The rest of his veins and acupoints were completely empty. Evidently, with the enhancement of his physique, the total storage of True Essence had greatly increased. Furthermore, the Golden Core seemed to have undergone subtle changes. Yu Hong felt a stirring within his heart, suddenly opened his mouth, and a Golden Core slowly emerged from it. He took it out for a look and immediately found out what the issue was. ¡¯Why is it so large!?¡¯ Quan He, who was beside him, noticed his actions and also saw the Golden Core in his hand. "Yes..." Yu Hong nodded. He had also noticed that the Golden Core had become much larger than before;if it was walnut-sized previously, it was now like a goose egg. At least two to three times bigger. "Our Golden Cores aren¡¯t that large." Bai Sheng and Hei Ying, who noticed him, approached with surprise. "Mine is only egg-sized." Hei Ying said. "Mine is slightly bigger than yours, more like a large egg." Bai Sheng nodded. "Maybe because my physique is somewhat different, so the Golden Core is also slightly different," Yu Hong explained. He couldn¡¯t reveal the reason behind his traits since it involved the Black Mark. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. From a long time ago, he had decided never to disclose the existence of the Black Mark. "Perhaps that¡¯s it. Alright, hurry and put it back, the Golden Core leaving the body impacts yourself greatly, don¡¯t keep spitting it out." Bai Sheng advised. "Understood." Yu Hong hurriedly stuffed the Golden Core back into his mouth. Surprisingly, it tasted sweet and quite nice. Now, his trait was finally fully fused. The appearance of the Holy Tiger Type significantly elevated his melee destructive power, reaching a new qualitative change. He hadn¡¯t tested the precise effects yet. But the further enhancement of his physique evidently brought new changes to Yu Hong. That is, his Golden Core True Essence was much more abundant than before. The infiltration of the Mining Star lasted for about three days before it was completely and thoroughly cleaned out. Yu Hong followed his senior brother and sister flying around, clearing the Black Disaster, and swiftly brushed up his proficiency in using the Black Phoenix. Now he could simultaneously control the Black Phoenix and freely release abilities and spells at the same time. After the enhancement of the Golden Core, he was capable of using the Black Phoenix to solve the Hundred-armed Giant Demon within half an hour. After the final cleanup ended, he returned to the Safety House and officially began to reinforce and repair the heavy defense belt given by the Corrupt Traveler. Outside the Black Black Spirit Safety House. The Corrupt Traveler and Yu Hong stood on the open ground, with a pile of dark green raging bonfire burning on the black mud ground between them. "Weren¡¯t you missing the final Golden Core Dan Qi refinement? I specially brought this most suitable refining material, Kamen Beast Fire," the Corrupt Traveler explained. "In your sect, Qinghe Mountain Golden Core Stage uses this material for one section of the Dan Qi refinement;it¡¯s quite commonly used. The advantage is stability and safety, no side effects. The drawback is mediocrity;it won¡¯t bring significant improvement, just standard results." ¡¯Therefore, whether to use it or not, is your choice.¡¯ "I understand." Yu Hong nodded, "Of course I¡¯ll use it. The safer the breakthrough, the better. As for being mediocre, I don¡¯t care. As long as the realm breakthrough is high enough, no matter how mediocre, I can ensure my basic safety." Having personally experienced how difficult cross-realm battles are in Immortal Dao, Yu Hong naturally wouldn¡¯t disdain so-called mediocrity. "That¡¯s good." The Corrupt Traveler smiled, "Finish your last refinement then, after that I¡¯ll take away the Beast Fire. After refining, reaching Golden Core Perfection, you¡¯ll need to consider how to break the pill to form a Nascent Soul. You can seek advice from your master for details." "Alright! Thank you, senior." Yu Hong nodded. He stepped towards the green flames, one step at a time, walking into them and letting the flames burn his entire body. The green fire appeared to have extremely high temperatures, even causing the surrounding ground to blacken slightly, but upon touching Yu Hong¡¯s skin, it merely caused a slight reddening of his complexion. Besides this, there were no other changes. Yu Hong sat cross-legged in the midst of the fire, the Golden Core in his Dantian glowing with golden light, slowly combating the surrounding green fire, the Dan Qi steadily getting refined through this struggle. The Corrupt Traveler nodded slightly at the sight, stepped back, and quietly vanished into the darkness. Time passed day by day. Yu Hong meditated within the Kamen Beast Fire, unmoved like a sculpture. And his Golden Core also gradually became tinged with a hint of green amid the confrontation with the flames. Until the seventeenth day of the refining. Hei Ying, Bai Sheng, and Yu Xuezi were monitoring this place remotely with their divine senses. Finally. A new change appeared in Yu Hong¡¯s body. Crack. His skin unexpectedly revealed countless dense black cracks. As the cracks increased, he slowly started to move and stood up from the flames. Crash, large pieces of semi-transparent skin fell off from his body. Whoosh! Yu Xuezi, Bai Sheng, and Hei Ying appeared nearby through instantaneous movement, concentrating intensely on Yu Hong. "This is the Elixir Shedding;it seems the final refining is almost complete. Late-stage Foundation Establishment... Zheng Rou truly is..." Yu Xuezi¡¯s injuries hadn¡¯t yet fully healed, her face was still pale, but it flushed with a hint of red due to the disciple¡¯s breakthrough. This was a change brought by happiness. "Generally after elixir shedding, it lasts around a week, completing the Golden Core transformation, and then it¡¯s truly Golden Core Perfection. After perfection, one needs to find an opportunity to nurture a spot of Innate Spiritual Light within the Golden Core, and thereby complete the step of nurturing the Primordial Embryo," Bai Sheng murmured softly, "The growth and expansion of the Primordial Embryo eventually become the Nascent Soul, breaking the pill. This process generally takes about three to four years. Of course, our junior brother possesses heavenly talent, it¡¯s likely the process will be greatly shortened." Ever since he had been shocked by Yu Hong multiple times, he felt no matter what Yu Hong might do, he wouldn¡¯t be too surprised. A genius, especially an Immortal Seed level genius, anything odd happening could be understood. "Indeed, it took me fourteen years to break the pill into the Nascent Soul, and that was considered smooth. For our junior brother, I guess at most a year." Hei Ying nodded in agreement. At this moment, Quan He transformed into a white streak of light, gently landing and revealing herself, swiftly glancing at Yu Hong after hearing these words. "So that¡¯s Golden Core Perfection?" She unconsciously bit her lower lip. Just a few days ago, she had just broken through to Late-stage Foundation Establishment and received congratulations from her senior brothers, sisters, and master. Within a few short months, she had broken through two realms rapidly, yet... "Look quickly! It¡¯s starting! The Golden Core is leaving the body, and the Heavenly Tribulation is about to arrive!" Bai Sheng¡¯s voice suddenly interrupted her complex thoughts. Quan He swiftly looked up, seeing the clouds in the sky dispersing, revealing a large black hole. Outside the hole, in the boundless dark starry sky, a cluster of purple electric light formed a vortex, spinning and aiming at this area. Thunderous booms constantly echoed. An enormous amount of lightning energy far beyond her imagination surged rapidly, compressed, and gathered at the center of the purple electric light vortex. Crack. The next second. A purple electric light as thick as a barrel crashed down, instantly hitting Yu Hong¡¯s head within the green flames. The electric light split the green flames open, completely extinguishing them, then enveloped Yu Hong entirely. The massive electric current frantically invaded his flesh, trying to turn him into charcoal. But... Yu Hong suddenly opened his eyes and inhaled sharply. Hiss... His daoist robe immediately expanded and tore. His body visibly grew taller and larger. Previously he had reached three meters, now he directly shot up to four meters. Then five meters, six meters, seven meters.... Until seven meters, it finally stopped and stabilized completely. At this moment, the purple electric light of the heavenly tribulation seemed nearly consumed, starting to slowly dim and extinguish. Yu Hong looked up at the heavenly tribulation vortex, which gradually faded and disappeared without continuing to strike. Confirming there was no more threat, he breathed a sigh of relief, quickly operated the Bone Shrinking Technique combined with similar body compressing spells, shrinking his body. In no time, his body returned to the standard height of about two meters. "Master, senior brothers, senior sisters, junior sister Quan He, I was fortunate to successfully break through." Yu Hong condensed True Yuan, covering his lower half, and bowed slightly to the group. "Congratulations, Zheng Rou, next you should prepare for the Nascent Soul breakthrough.... Late-stage Golden Core is already very close to the mana of the Nascent Soul. Essentially, mana is an ascending force produced by burning Golden Core True Essence. Utilizing this powerful ascending force, we can accomplish many seemingly miraculous feats. Just as humans can use electric currents to create many powerful tools, it¡¯s the same principle. Once you reach Nascent Soul, what you need to do is to refine, engineer, specialize and professionally utilize your mana comprehensively." "Master¡¯s words are certainly true," Bai Sheng supplemented, "In the ancient times, the crude cultivation techniques of the Immortal Dao have long been outdated. The refined usage of mana allows you to leverage a hundredfold greater power with a single unit of mana. Understanding how to leverage this requires mastering various fields, research results, formulas, and theorems. It¡¯s a vast, highly specialized area." "...I understand." Yu Hong listened with bewilderment and awe. "In the era of professional, refined research cultivation, Qinghe Mountain may not be the most supreme force, but we¡¯ve already increased the probability of breakthrough to the Immortal Realm by thousands of times from its original. Therefore, research cultivation is a crucial skill you need to grasp next," Yu Xuezi reminded, nodding. "Disciple understands," Yu Hong acknowledged, dispersing the green flames around him and nodding respectfully. "As long as you understand. Now, what you need to do is prepare thoroughly for breaking the pill to form the Nascent Soul. The quality of your Nascent Soul will affect how far and how smoothly you can proceed in your future path," said Yu Xuezi. ? "Disciple understands," Yu Hong nodded seriously. However, when he quickly checked internally, seeing the current condition of his Golden Core, he was somewhat uncertain how to describe it. At this moment, on his Golden Core, were densely packed reflections of his five facial expressions appearing on the surface. Joy, anger, sorrow, fear, and sympathy, these five emotions protruded from the Golden Core¡¯s surface, covering the whole, making it seem both eerie and harmonious. Chapter 557: fusion 3 After breaking through to the late Golden Core Stage and entering the Perfect State, this good news gave Yu Xuezi and his disciples a strong boost of morale. After the breakthrough, Yu Xuezi repaired the leaking Array points all over, and everything quickly returned to tranquility. Yu Hong also resumed his daily routine of greeting and cultivating. However, the Corrupt Traveler elder who said he would come to reclaim the Beast Fire has not appeared since he mysteriously disappeared that day. He wandered several times in the underground tunnel but could not find the inexplicably appearing black hole. The Black Mark started repairing the heavy Defense Belt and could not be used for anything else. Yu Hong could only focus on his cultivation. He went to the Life Well every day, absorbing a large amount of vitality. Thus, more than a month slowly passed. Knock, knock. "Come in," Bai Sheng¡¯s voice came from a side hall of the Wanxue Palace. Yu Hong pushed the door and entered, looking inside. The side hall was all white, with thick White Jade Bricks laid on the ground, each carved with intricate Sealing Talisman Arrays. A sculpture resembling a winged dolphin stood in the center. Under the sculpture was a large black square table with good wine and dishes set up. Bai Sheng sat at the table. "Junior Brother, have a seat," he pointed to the seat opposite him. "Is there no one else?" Yu Hong asked. "Just the two of us," Bai Sheng nodded, "I invited you here because I received some news a few days ago." "What news?" Yu Hong sat down, picked up a cup of wine on the table, and drank it lightly. "The Absolute Balance Floating City you visited before has a problem," Bai Sheng said in a deep voice, "It is said that a war broke out, a large-scale battle." .... Yu Hong¡¯s hand, which was about to pour a second cup of wine, trembled slightly. "Of course, the Absolute Balance Floating City is far away, and it will take quite some time to get there, but the situation is true. I told you early so you have extra time to prepare. I heard you have friends there?" "Thank you for the reminder, Senior Brother." Yu Hong poured wine and toasted Bai Sheng. "Speaking of which, you¡¯ve been on the Mining Star for quite some time. How do you feel? Is it boring?" Bai Sheng sighed. "Actually, it¡¯s not bad," Yu Hong shook his head. Secretly, Senior Uncle Feng Xuezi and the Corrupt Traveler elder were still holding back the Black Tide. How could he find it boring? He only felt a sense of crisis. "The Black Tide has been held back for now, blocked outside the Array. Now all external passages are blocked. Even if you want to leave through Source Disaster or Wind Disaster, you might need to wait for the right time. But typically, the Black Tide¡¯s invasion lasts over a year and then recedes, so you don¡¯t need to worry," Bai Sheng comforted, "It¡¯s just a bit strange that the interval between this Black Tide and the last seems off." Yu Hong didn¡¯t speak;of course, it didn¡¯t match. His Repairing of the Red Sky Fruit prematurely triggered the Black Tide¡¯s counterattack. This time the intensity would certainly be greater than before. "My Senior Sister and I have long lost our parents and family. They did not attain immortality and have long turned to dust. So now our Master is our family, and now you are part of it too. We see you and Quan He as new siblings. So if you have any troubles or anything, don¡¯t worry, don¡¯t hide it;just tell us directly. We will not refuse any help if we can provide it," Bai Sheng said. It was evident that Bai Sheng had recently noticed Yu Hong¡¯s concerns. Since learning that Feng Xuezi was secretly supporting the overall situation, Yu Hong¡¯s sense of urgency had subtly manifested in his daily cultivation and interactions. After the daily greetings in Wanxue Palace, everyone would slightly discuss their recent cultivation state. Any doubts could be directly and quickly resolved. Bai Sheng had clearly noticed something. "Senior Brother, I understand," Yu Hong nodded, "Actually, it¡¯s not a big issue. It¡¯s just..." He hesitated. If Yu Xuezi¡¯s consciousness was sealed and unable to know any truth about Wanxue Palace, what about Bai Sheng and Hei Ying? He pondered for a moment and decided to try. "It¡¯s just that recently, I discovered something." "What is it? Tell me. You are now Wanxue Palace¡¯s greatest hope. Any trouble must be swiftly resolved to avoid affecting your progress," Bai Sheng joked. Their cultivation often spanned several years, decades, or even centuries. After reaching the Nascent Soul Stage, some even cultivated for tens of thousands of years to reach the Nascent Soul Late Stage Perfection, stuck at that stage without progress. And Yu Hong, in such a short time, was about to break through to the Nascent Soul Stage.... Such speed was simply terrifying. And Quan He also was about to reach the Golden Core stage. Although his speed was slightly slower than Yu Hong¡¯s, it far exceeded that of Bai Sheng and Hei Ying. In the past, Bai Sheng and Hei Ying hadn¡¯t deeply understood why their master always sighed when mentioning the Immortal Seed or Master Uncle. But now, he had some feelings about it. "Senior Brother, have you noticed any changes around Qinghe Mountain outside Wanxue Palace?" Yu Hong tentatively spoke out. "Changes?" Bai Sheng showed a puzzled expression, "Qinghe Mountain¡¯s main sect is extremely far away from our star system. Without a Space Gate or long-distance Star Gate jump, we can¡¯t contact them. It¡¯s a distance measured in light-years, crossing star array formations." "I understand what you mean, Senior Brother, but doesn¡¯t it make you wonder why no one from Qinghe Mountain has come to handover duties for such a long time?" Yu Hong asked. "Do you mean something happened to Qinghe Mountain?" Bai Sheng laughed, "I too thought that way before, but have you considered, if something happened to Qinghe Mountain, could any of us here be spared from disaster?" "...." Yu Hong frowned and was silent for a moment, "That¡¯s because someone behind the scenes is helping us resist the Star Disaster." "Behind the scenes?" Bai Sheng¡¯s expression slightly changed as he spoke. "You...Junior Brother, have you come into contact with something?" "Senior Brother... recently I came across someone called Feng Xuezi¡­." Yu Hong directly said. "It¡¯s him!" Unexpectedly, Bai Sheng didn¡¯t miss a beat and even slapped the table, "Wasn¡¯t he with a guy called Corrupt as well, telling you they are the true protectors of Wanxue Palace?" "Uh...." Yu Hong blinked. What was going on here? Could it be that Bai Sheng already knew the truth? "Let me tell you... sigh...." Bai Sheng sighed deeply. "Master Uncle Feng Xuezi was indeed a top genius in our Wanxue Palace lineage, once appreciated by the Heavenly Venerate and taken as a disciple, successfully reaching the Golden Immortal cultivation. At that time, our Wanxue Palace was incredibly prestigious and powerful. But good times never last...." He shook his head slightly, poured a drink, and took a sip, unconsciously tapping his fingers on the table. "In one battle against the Star Disaster, Master Uncle Feng Xuezi had an accident. It was said that he was eroded by the Black Disaster, but in truth, he was tragically eroded by the most mysterious Heart Disaster, which drastically changed his personality. To the outside world, he claimed that Wanxue Palace had long been destroyed, and he had been secretly combating everything to protect everything." "Sigh.... At that time, the Heavenly Venerate hadn¡¯t disappeared and had tried many times to save him, but unfortunately, wasn¡¯t able to pull him out of those absurd illusions. In the end, Feng Xuezi¡¯s teacher, Heavenly Rainbow Long Light Venerable, had no choice but to seal him in the dark side of Wanxue Palace, watched over by Master Yu Xuezi. But even so, he frequently appeared on the Mining Star with his friend Golden Immortal Fu Bai...." Bai Sheng¡¯s words left Yu Hong stunned. "Wait a minute, Senior Brother, may I ask, what is the Heart Disaster?" This was the first time he had heard of it. "It¡¯s the source of the Heart Demon, endless illusions, the most terrifying and powerful of all Star Disasters." Bai Sheng sighed. "Why do you say that? From what I know, Light Disaster, Spirit Disaster, Wind Disaster, Black Disaster, and Cold Disaster all seem to be on par. So why is the Heart Disaster the strongest?" Yu Hong asked out of curiosity. He was growing more curious, wondering whether Bai Sheng or Master Uncle Feng Xuezi held the real truth. He still leaned towards Master Uncle Feng Xuezi for now. "Do you know that in this world, to reach a goal, one must distinguish between the right and wrong paths?" Bai Sheng explained. "The correct paths are few, while the wrong ones are numerous. Whether it¡¯s a living error or a non-living error, as long as there¡¯s change, there will be errors. The stronger the correct path, the countless errors combined will certainly be far stronger. These endless mighty errors accumulate into the conceptual Heart Disaster." Bai Sheng took another sip of wine. "You usually can¡¯t feel the Heart Disaster, but once it appears, it silently guides you towards the wrong direction. Every time you face choices and crossroad moments, once the Heart Disaster shows up, the incorrect options would greatly increase. And... if you choose incorrectly three times in a row, you¡¯d gradually fall into an unknown illusion. This illusion is naturally derived from within you and not even the Heavenly Venerate can reverse it." "This.... wouldn¡¯t this fundamentally change a person!?" Yu Hong was shocked. "Exactly. Once trapped in the Heart Disaster illusion, a person is essentially ruined. They will see right as wrong and see everything they do as what they hope to see." Bai Sheng nodded, "That¡¯s exactly what happened to Master Uncle Feng Xuezi. Furthermore, the Heart Disaster has another characteristic ¡ª the more people believe in it, the stronger it becomes, eventually replacing reality. So, if you encounter Master Uncle Feng Xuezi, don¡¯t believe a single word!" Yu Hong was speechless.... He fell into silence for a moment. Suddenly, he thought of a key point. "Then, if Qinghe Mountain is fine, why aren¡¯t they coming to rescue us from this siege? Is there no way to send an alert to the main sect?" "Of course, there is. Some time ago, Master already reported the situation. The response was that someone will come to relieve us soon, and that we should hold out for a bit. This unexpected change in the Black Tide surely startled them as well, so they plan to send someone to investigate. Previously, they barely responded to our reports, but this time they quickly stated they¡¯ll come." Bai Sheng stroked his chin. This left Yu Hong truly at a loss for words;whether it was true or false would be clear when the people from the main sect arrived. "But don¡¯t worry about Master Uncle. Although he may be insane, his heart has always been good and he would never harm us." Bai Sheng added. "I understand...." Yu Hong was bewildered when he left Wanxue Palace, his head filled with thoughts of Heart Disaster, warnings, illusions, errors. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But when he returned to the Black Black Spirit, closed the door, and felt the cold, real sensation of the Recovery Necklace on his neck, he instantly sobered up. ¡¯Forget it, it doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s true or false. Strengthening the defense belt and acquiring treasures is the real deal. The benefits at hand are practical. As for the truth, when the people from the main sect arrive, everything will be clear.¡¯ Chapter 558: Fusion 4 Putting aside Bai Sheng¡¯s argument, Yu Hong sat cross-legged and began to meditate. This time, however, mere minutes into his meditation, an inexplicable heat sensation quickly spread from his right eye. Before he could use his inner vision to check the situation, suddenly, a half-transparent giant white tiger with twin wings appeared around him, enveloping him within. Roar! The twin-winged white tiger roared deeply, its countless black eyes opening and shining with purple light. In an instant, an indescribable sense of euphoria surged from Yu Hong¡¯s heart. Sitting cross-legged on the ground, every pore on his body opened at this moment, inhaling and exhaling the energy particles from the outside vacuum. At this time, the Black Mark¡¯s prompt came belatedly. ¡¯Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill cultivation perfected, you have obtained the trait: Illusion God.¡¯ ¡¯Illusion God (grants 50% illusion resistance, enhances illusion effect by 500% when cultivating illusion techniques)¡¯ "This...." Yu Hong¡¯s initial joy cooled upon seeing this trait. "What use does this ability have? Wait!" Suddenly, his emotions soared like a roller coaster. "Isn¡¯t the Qingwei Heart Technique that I¡¯ve been cultivating an illusion technique!? Directly enhancing the effect by five times? Amazing!!" Because Lu Xian conflicted with the Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill, he had initially chosen to cultivate the Qingwei Heart Technique, constantly yielding to the Chaotic God Sky Eye. Now that this martial art had finally reached its end, the newly obtained trait greatly enhanced the Qingwei Heart Technique. Yu Hong immediately began to actively cultivate the introductory stage of the Qingwei Heart Technique. As long as he actively cultivated it once, the Dao Breath Thunder Transfer would automatically include it in the auto-cultivation range. Then, without the Black Mark continuously integrating traits, Yu Hong went to the Book Collection Pavilion to choose a new cultivation technique. This time, he no longer chose an ordinary Mortal Martial technique. He understood that while Mortal Martial techniques yield traits quickly, constant integration is required to achieve a useful effect. However, higher-level techniques like the Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill, once fully cultivated, yield traits far superior to ordinary ones. Just like Illusion God, the newly obtained trait initially was almost on par with the previously integrated Giant Tiger Form. The cost of integrating traits with the Black Mark was actually a significant hidden expense. Selecting from the rows in the Book Collection Pavilion. This time, Yu Hong went straight to the High Martial section. Unlike Mortal Martial techniques, High Martial techniques are superior in power and cultivation time but not as advanced as Immortal Martial techniques. Yu Hong prided himself on having the talent trait of an Innate Body, which greatly shortens the cultivation time, allowing him to select higher-level techniques confidently. On the High Martial section shelves, a variety of sword techniques, stick techniques, and even unique shield skills using shields were available. Soon, he saw the Time Splitting Sword Technique that Senior Sister Hei Ying was cultivating. Unexpectedly, such an impressive sword technique was merely a High Martial technique... Yu Hong picked it up and browsed through it. ¡¯Time Splitting Sword Technique: Divides oneself into different time phases, with power fluctuating in each phase. It comprises sixteen forms;at the highest level, it can forcibly alter an enemy¡¯s time phase, trapping them in their weakest state forever while adjusting oneself to always maintain the strongest state, freezing time at the peak strength moment.¡¯ "Incredible." Yu Hong praised. No wonder Hei Ying¡¯s single sword strike was so powerful;it permanently solidified her peak moment of strength. But this sword technique was not suitable for him. He preferred techniques that ensured safety, not these aggressive, slaying High Martial techniques. Returning the manual, Yu Hong diverted his attention from weapon techniques. ¡¯Although weapons can enhance power, they also pose a drawback. Once the weapon is lost, one¡¯s strength is significantly weakened. Therefore, the best techniques are those involving fists, palm skills, and leg techniques that do not rely on external items.¡¯ ¡¯Moreover, the Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill has laid a good foundation for me. I can continue to improve by cultivating stronger eye techniques.¡¯ Soon, his gaze settled on a row of specially categorized manuals. "Three Elements Divine Light","Thousand Eyes Fixed Light Scripture","Soul-locking Divine Eyes","Three-Eyed Chaos Record","Heavenly Eye Skill","Nine Revolutions Void Scripture". S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A total of six High Martial eye techniques were in the same category. These few manuals, being so few in number, were combined and placed at the end section of the Secret Chapter Technique Manual area. Yu Hong picked them up and briefly flipped through them. Soon he understood the directions of these six High Martial eye techniques. "Three Elements Divine Light" trains one¡¯s gaze into a pure laser-like weapon. The drawback is the need to train with eyes closed for many years. "Thousand Eyes Fixed Light Scripture" opens thousands of true eyes on the body, forming an array to paralyze and control enemies, rendering them immobile. It¡¯s purely a controlling flow technique. "Soul-locking Divine Eyes" has a similar effect but works by briefly separating an enemy¡¯s body and soul to control them. The remaining three techniques focus on penetrating insight, identifying enemy weak points and fatal spots. Without much deliberation, Yu Hong chose the Three Elements Divine Light. The Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill follows a path of destructive power;thus, further reinforcing this direction with the Three Elements Divine Light would achieve twice the result with half the effort. He tried it out, but High Martial Arts could only cultivate one technique at a time. The number of involved meridians and acupoints far exceeded Mortal Martial Arts, making simultaneous cultivation impossible. Thus, he returned to the Black Black Spirit with the Three Elements Divine Light and began a new round of arduous cultivation. Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, more than two months had passed. The countdown for the heavy defense belt had also mostly elapsed. But the Corrupt Traveler and Feng Xuezi still hadn¡¯t shown up, and Yu Hong faintly felt that his Golden Core was becoming larger. Now, inside his body, it was almost as large as a watermelon. Moreover, there were increasingly numerous faces on the surface, even starting to show some strange dynamic phenomena. He didn¡¯t know whether this situation was normal or abnormal. He scoured the classical books, but didn¡¯t find anyone¡¯s Golden Core looking like this nonsense. Yu Hong suspected it was related to the cultivation technique he was practicing and the transplanted Outer Eye. And there were a whole bunch of random traits that surely had a significant impact. Just as he hesitated, planning to ask his master what was going on with his Golden Core... A somewhat shocking piece of news came from Wanxue Palace. The news was transmitted via Divine Sense by Senior Sister Hei Ying, and the content was... the main sect of Qinghe Mountain had really sent someone! Inside the Black Black Spirit. Yu Hong frowned and woke up from his cultivation, the white light on his body dissipating. "The main sect of Qinghe Mountain has really sent someone!?" He had originally fully believed that Bai Sheng and the others were deceived by the array, and that the true situation lay with Feng Xuezi. After all, people from the Floating City had also said similar things like Qinghe Mountain had long been extinct. But now... what was going on?? "Junior Brother, come quickly. The envoy this time is a senior sister from the Spiritual Palace! She must be the type you like!" Bai Sheng¡¯s transmitted voice also sounded in Yu Hong¡¯s ear. He stood up speechlessly. The Qingwei Heart Technique had reached the Third Layer of the First Realm. The Illusion Human Realm was the highest level below the Immortal, with the subsequent parts being those imagined and deduced by the creator ancestor, which couldn¡¯t be taken seriously. Now, after cultivating for two months, he had successfully cultivated the Qingwei Heart Technique to the Second Layer. The Mist Heaven Magical Power produced was highly compatible with his dual eyes. With the compatibility of the Innate Body and the dual eyes, plus the blessing of the Illusion God¡¯s trait, Qingwei Heart Technique was being cultivated incredibly smoothly by Yu Hong. "In at most half a month, I can cultivate to perfection in the Third Layer and complete the First Illusion Human Realm, then break the pill to form a Nascent Soul." Yu Hong now had a feeling, that at the moment he perfected the Illusion Human Realm, it would be the crucial step for breaking the pill to form a Nascent Soul. This strong feeling came from nowhere. The Innate Body had allowed him to cultivate up to now without encountering a single decent bottleneck. Truly a divine trait! "First, let¡¯s see if this envoy is real or fake." Yu Hong believed he had a 50% resistance to illusions, and combined with the Qingwei Heart Technique¡¯s strong resistance to hallucinations, he should be able to determine the authenticity of the visitor. Without delay, he rose, changed into a clean Daoist robe, tidied his appearance slightly, opened the door, and flashed to the entrance of Wanxue Palace. By now, two rows of mechanical greeters in Daoist robes were already lined up outside the gate. Red carpets were laid on the ground, and incense seemed to have been lit around, instantly elevating the ambiance considerably. Yu Hong sensed the atmosphere inside the palace, quickened his pace, and entered the palace gate. Soon, he arrived at the Frost Palace in the main hall, where he saw his master and senior brothers receiving the envoy. Several people were sitting upright, all eyes focused on a young woman with black hair in a green robe sitting in the first seat on the left. The woman¡¯s long hair was coiled high, fixed with a green branch, holding a simple horsetail whisk in one hand, wearing a smiling face that was slightly chubby and a somewhat full figure. "Come, come, Zheng Rou, let me introduce you. This is Senior Sister Qian Rong from the Spiritual Palace of the main sect, the special envoy here to assess the situation." Yu Xuezi warmly introduced. "Senior Sister Qian Rong is still young, only three hundred years old but has already stepped into the Mahayana Realm. The Immortal Realm is in sight. Even in the talent-filled main sect, she is a rare genius Immortal Seed." "You give too much credit, Uncle Master Yu Xue. Compared to those senior brothers and sisters in the main sect, Qian Rong still has a long way to go. My modest cultivation is not worth mentioning." The woman warmly smiled and responded. "Zheng Rou greets Senior Sister Qian Rong." Yu Hong stepped forward and saluted. Mahayana Realm... only three hundred years old. He couldn¡¯t help but glance at Bai Sheng and Hei Ying on the side. The two had expressions of apparent distress, clearly having been compared unfavorably by their master. No wonder they were in a hurry to call him over. Yu Hong immediately understood, realizing he was brought here to share the pressure. Without pointing it out, he took his seat as arranged by Yu Xuezi. Then he quietly listened to Yu Xuezi and the other side discuss the anomalies appearing on the surrounding planets recently. "Please rest assured, Uncle Master, Qingyu Cave has already taken note of this anomaly. They will dispatch the second batch of inspection envoys soon to resolve this sudden star disaster problem." Qian Rong assured. "The specific time won¡¯t exceed half a year." "That would be great." Yu Xuezi looked relieved. "Strangely enough, this is the first time such a situation has occurred since our sect severed the time and space. Logically, our traces outside should have long been erased by the Holy River. The star disaster shouldn¡¯t actively seek us out. It¡¯s unclear if it¡¯s due to the impending Great Annihilation or some other factor triggering a chain reaction." Qian Rong pondered with a frown. "Perhaps this is the price of constant evasion..." Yu Xuezi sighed, "Some things can¡¯t be avoided by hiding." On the side, Yu Hong listened with narrowed eyes, initially thinking he would catch some flaws in the other party¡¯s words. But the more he listened, the more he felt, that this side might also be real?! What was going on!!? Chapter 559: true or false One Sitting in his seat, Yu Hong felt a tangle of confusion in his heart. Truth and illusion, he could no longer distinguish reality. Listening to his master and Qian Rong gossip about why the sect hadn¡¯t contacted them or handed over minerals in such a long time, his attention was gradually drawn back. "For the sect... it¡¯s a long story. They are also facing the onslaught of the Great Annihilation right now. Coming here is actually very troublesome because the two star zones that originally belonged to us were eroded a few years ago. Now, there¡¯s only a very narrow path that can be used for jumping and traversing. Low-cultivation crew members can¡¯t make the trip without being detected," Qian Rong sighed. "Which two star zones?" Yu Xuezi asked in a low voice. "Heavenly Spring and Dingshan, the Golden Immortal seniors responsible for them are missing...." Qian Rong¡¯s expression became gloomy. "This..." Yu Xuezi and Bai Sheng Hei Ying looked at each other, realizing that even Golden Immortals could go missing. The danger must be far beyond their imagination. "Let¡¯s not dwell on this. When we received the master¡¯s message, we were surprised to find you all still here. Honestly, if it weren¡¯t for that, we had basically planned to abandon such a far-flung place. So... I have another task this time, which is..." Qian Rong paused. "That is to bring you all back to the sect ahead of time. This area can no longer be defended. The sect has no choice but to retract its borders. I hope you understand, master." Her words made Yu Xuezi and his three disciples fall silent. The three of them tried to maintain a composed appearance, but their hands holding the wine cups began to tremble slightly. Yu Xuezi had long dreamed of returning to the sect and leaving this godforsaken mining star. Originally, he thought it would only be possible for them to return after Yu Hong broke through to the Immortal Realm, but he didn¡¯t expect Qian Rong to bring such surprising news. How could this not fill him with joy, making his heart surge with emotions!? "Master?" Qian Rong repeated, somewhat puzzled. "No... nothing, just too happy. I didn¡¯t expect this... didn¡¯t expect this at all...." Yu Xuezi waved his hand repeatedly, unable to hide the smile on his face. Beside him, Bai Sheng Hei Ying couldn¡¯t suppress their smiles either. For a moment, the few of them chatted with Qian Rong about where they might be placed once they return. Yu Hong listened quietly on the side. After a while, Quan He also arrived late and took a seat below him. Yu Xuezi introduced him, and although Quan He was only in the Foundation Establishment Stage, Qian Rong did not show any disdain and conversed with him earnestly. "Half a year later, when the second batch of envoys arrives, you will be able to return to the sect with them. Before that, I hope you all prepare as soon as possible," Qian Rong reminded before getting up and saying farewell. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yu Xuezi personally escorted her out of the palace and towards her resting place, the Mukang spaceship. The spaceship was hovering a thousand meters high in the sky, not far from Wanxue Palace, shaped like a blue-black shuttle. Yu Xuezi and Qian Rong flew to the side entrance of the spaceship. "Nephew, you didn¡¯t receive the task of taking us back before, did you?" Yu Xuezi asked softly. "I noticed a change in your expression after I introduced Zheng Rou, and then you mentioned taking us back. You... must have...." "Master¡¯s eyes are sharp. Indeed, it was a temporary task," Qian Rong sighed. "I have a magic treasure that allows me to communicate urgently with my master for a short period. After confirming that Zheng Rou was an Immortal Seed, I asked my master and received the order for your return." "Master... the sect is really struggling to face the Great Annihilation," Qian Rong said helplessly. "I understand. Otherwise, we fringe immortals wouldn¡¯t have been remembered only now," Yu Xuezi nodded. On this return trip, he might have to step up to the front line. If not, they wouldn¡¯t be taking him back. "Honestly, with the arrival of the Great Annihilation, most of the peripheral strongholds have been consumed. The fact that you managed to hold on for so long makes you one of the few exceptions. Without Zheng Rou being an Immortal Seed, the sect still wouldn¡¯t have given up on such strength. Immortal Seeds are precious, but I was once one too. I know their importance isn¡¯t that high," Qian Rong continued. Yu Xuezi said no more. Qian Rong also stopped and turned to fly towards the spaceship entrance. On the other side, Yu Hong and Quan He exited the palace. After walking a few steps, they were about to teleport back. Suddenly, a thin figure blocked their way. "Wen Daozong, a disciple under Qian Rong, greets fellow disciples." The figure was a robot dressed in a green Daoist robe with black hair over its shoulders. Yu Hong confirmed that it was indeed a robot. A silver face, black metal arms, and no part of its visible body was made of flesh. "Ah, don¡¯t mind it. I was injured once before, and now only my head and brain remain. The rest are mechanized structures," Wen Daozong introduced himself. As he spoke, he took out two small items from his Daoist robe, tossing them to Yu Hong and Quan He. "These are greeting gifts from my master to you Immortal Seeds. Please accept them." Yu Hong and Quan He caught them precisely, finding they were two identical black jade talismans. The talismans had a large engraved character, "Meteorite." "These talismans contain a nourishing treasure only available to the sect¡¯s Immortal Seeds, the Meteorite Immortal Brew," Wen Daozong explained. "It can be consumed once below the Immortal Realm to forcibly elevate one¡¯s realm by one stage. Use it when you hit a bottleneck. The effect is excellent!" "This... is too valuable," Yu Hong frowned. Such treasures that could break through small realms were unquestionably precious. Qian Rong¡¯s gesture seemed like an offer of goodwill. "It¡¯s nothing. Master said that if you feel uncomfortable accepting it, you could look after her family descendants a bit when you return to the sect. She¡¯s always on missions and rarely has the chance to care for them," Wen Daozong smiled. The robot¡¯s smile was a simulated expression made by liquid metal on its face, giving off an awkward and eerie feeling. "In that case, it would be impolite to refuse," Yu Hong no longer declined. Clearly, Qian Rong was making early investments. Take advantage of the fact that they haven¡¯t returned to the sect yet. Moreover, there¡¯s a more crucial reason why he readily accepted it. Seeing him accept it, Quan He no longer said anything. "That¡¯s good. In that case, I¡¯ll take my leave now. You two take care." Wen Daozong nodded, leaped up, and opened a cover behind him, revealing a rocket propulsion system. With a hiss, he shot into the sky and quickly disappeared into the night. "What do you think?" Yu Hong retracted his gaze from the sky and asked telepathically. "Just like you think." Quan He remained expressionless. "This Senior Sister Qian Rong, suddenly arriving, not sparing even our remote outpost, and sending a second batch of messengers to help suppress, it just doesn¡¯t sound normal. In the end, maybe there isn¡¯t a second batch of people at all, and migrating us back to the sect is what they really want to do." "...Maybe." Yu Hong exhaled, "This Meteorite Immortal Brew, don¡¯t be in a rush to use it, I¡¯ll study it first." He left these words, took a step forward, and with a hiss, disappeared on the spot. Leaving Quan He alone, holding the Jade Talisman, deep in thought. * * * Inside the Black Black Spirit. Yu Hong held the Jade Talisman, exerting the power of the Qingwei Heart Technique, trying to discern if it was real or fake. But no matter how he observed, how he checked the details, this thing truly existed. So, Yu Hong decided to try another method. His Black Mark could.... "Wait, the Black Mark is still strengthening the Defense Belt... can¡¯t use it." Yu Hong frowned deeply. With the Black Mark occupied, he couldn¡¯t immediately verify the authenticity of the supplement given by Qian Rong. There was still more than half a month left until the Defense Belt¡¯s strengthening was completed, and Qian Rong¡¯s migration decision time was set for half a year later. By then, he could fully test the authenticity of Qian Rong with the Black Mark after the enhancement. ¡¯Where has Senior Corrupt gone? Not showing up at a crucial moment....¡¯ Thinking of this, Yu Hong looked outside. The night was dim without mist. Evidently, the recent repairs by his master Yu Xuezi had reinforced the Array of the Mining Star, patching up all previous vulnerabilities. At this moment on the Mining Star, after their clean-up operation, it was the safest time since Yu Hong¡¯s arrival. With that in mind, Yu Hong planned to search for the true entrance to Wanxue Palace again. Currently, his Golden Core was at Perfection, and he could break through to the Nascent Soul at any time. Combined with his various traits, his power was vastly superior to when he had first arrived on the Mining Star. He was no longer as wary of the monstrous Sword Cultivators outside. Yu Hong pushed open the door and looked up at the night sky. At this time, the spaceship from Qian Rong¡¯s world was emitting a faint white light, illuminating the surrounding area from high above. With a thought, his figure flickered and appeared in the mine tunnel leading to Wanxue Palace. He had searched this mine tunnel many times but had never found the entrance. But tonight, a strange impulse drove him to leave the safe house and come here again. In the dark and deep mine tunnel, white lights illuminated the entire passage. At a glance forward, the deep tunnel extended thousands of meters to the bend, silent and empty. Yu Hong stopped using instantaneous movement and swiftly moved forward, step by step, along the tunnel. His gaze constantly swept the walls on both sides, looking for the entrance to the true Wanxue Palace that might appear. Suddenly. Yu Hong¡¯s vision blurred. It seemed like something flashed past. He stopped abruptly and looked around. But with his repeatedly enhanced sharp eyes, the top-tier Immortal General¡¯s Eye, he couldn¡¯t find any problem. ¡¯At my level, it¡¯s impossible to have a vision blur. Either I¡¯m having an illusion, or there really is something flashing past....¡¯ Yu Hong tensed slightly, took a deep breath, and slowly activated the Qingwei Heart Technique to break through the Second Layer. Soon, a cool sensation flowed through his body, quickly gathering at his eyes. At the same time, the trait Illusion God in his mind began to emit a faint glow. This instantly raised his resistance to illusions to its maximum. Suddenly, Yu Hong¡¯s vision blurred again, and this time, he accurately caught a glimpse of something flashing past. It was an entrance!! The entrance to the true Wanxue Palace!! The entrance was eerily moving rapidly on the right wall at high speed. Without thinking, Yu Hong immediately chased after it. "Wait a moment!" Suddenly, a somewhat familiar voice entered Yu Hong¡¯s mind from behind. He paused slightly and quickly turned to look behind him. Chapter 560: True or False 2 In the dark tunnel, a voluptuous woman in a green Daoist robe appeared in the middle of the path without warning. It was Qian Rong. "Just before my bath, I noticed that Junior Brother was searching for something, so I came to take a look. Unexpectedly, it was that." Qian Rong¡¯s gaze was calm as she looked at Yu Hong. "Senior Sister Qian Rong, what brings you here?" Yu Hong frowned, heightening his vigilance. At this time, in this place, the other party seemed to know what he was looking for... this made him wary. "This isn¡¯t the place to talk. Do you dare to come with me?" Qian Rong looked around lightly and said. Then, she waved her right hand, opening a pure white oval Light Gate beside her. She walked inside calmly. Yu Hong hesitated for a moment, then turned and walked away. He wasn¡¯t so foolish as to follow someone without knowing where they were teleporting to. After only a few steps, Qian Rong¡¯s figure appeared in front of him again. Her face looked rather helpless. "Alright, since you don¡¯t want to, let¡¯s talk here." She then waved her right hand, and an invisible membrane instantly enveloped the two of them, isolating them from the outside world. "Zheng Rou, do you know that your master and the others are all Chaos Bodies?" After isolating the outside, Qian Rong¡¯s first words made Yu Hong tremble all over. "I..." He opened his mouth, wanting to say something but not knowing how to start. "Why was this place abandoned by our sect? Why did we suddenly come here again and pay attention recently? You might guess what it¡¯s all about." Qian Rong sighed. "...Is it because of the Red Sky Fruit?" Yu Hong instantly reacted. "Correct." Qian Rong nodded, "A Red Sky Fruit suddenly appeared here, and its efficacy is stronger than any previously seen. Originally, our sect planned to remain hidden, but such a treasure, if missed, may never appear again... So, after weighing the options, the sect sent me to investigate." "Then what you said before about taking us back to the sect was..." Yu Hong paused and asked. "It¡¯s true, but Chaos Bodies have their own place for settlement. You are different." Qian Rong continued, "The Wanxue Palace has long been extinct. Martial Uncle Yu Xuezi is suppressing the sealing formation and is slowly heading towards self-destruction. This place had lost its value long ago, even the Star Disaster didn¡¯t pay attention to it. Until recently...." "The appearance of the Red Sky Fruit changed the overall situation here. My mission was originally to investigate this matter, but I didn¡¯t expect to encounter you." Qian Rong¡¯s tone softened. "Zheng Rou, the Great Annihilation is imminent, Qinghe Mountain is about to reappear in the world. Someone like you, a top Immortal Seed, staying in a declining place like Wanxue Palace has no future. If my master knows about your situation and verifies everything, he is willing to personally accept you as a disciple. Would you be willing?" "What exactly is going on with Martial Uncle Feng Xuezi?" Yu Hong didn¡¯t answer but instead asked another question. "Feng Xuezi and Fu Bai Golden Immortal were corrupted long ago and sealed here. They stubbornly believe that besides them, everyone else in Qinghe Mountain is annihilated. Therefore, they see any sect cultivator approaching them as a Star Disaster monster and attack them. Only the people of the Wanxue Palace line are unharmed. This is one of the reasons why our sect abandoned this place." Qian Rong explained. "And now? For the Red Sky Fruit, are you willing to reconnect with Wanxue Palace?" Yu Hong asked. "Of course, the Star Disaster is now fiercely attacking the sealing place of Martial Uncle Feng Xuezi because of the Red Sky Fruit. But for some reason, despite being corrupted by the Heart Disaster, Martial Uncle Feng Xuezi is desperately resisting the attack to protect the Red Sky Fruit. I¡¯m here to clarify the situation. The best outcome is to take the Red Sky Fruit and relocate the entire Wanxue Palace back to our sect." "So... will Martial Uncle Feng Xuezi and the others come with us?" Yu Hong asked. "How could that be possible..." Qian Rong shook her head, "This is their sealing place. No matter what, they can¡¯t leave this star system. This is the Heavenly Venerate¡¯s work;no one can defy it." "I... will consider it." Yu Hong said in a low voice. "Think carefully. The Star Disaster¡¯s annihilation is unstoppable. Staying here, Feng Xuezi and the others will eventually be completely swallowed and become part of the Star Disaster monsters. If you continue to stay, you won¡¯t see any hope..." Qian Rong sighed. She didn¡¯t say more, her body glowed green, and the next second, she disappeared from the spot. "By the way, never go to the real Wanxue Palace. It¡¯s a fiercely contested place right now. With our cultivation levels, stepping inside would mean instant corruption and destruction. Don¡¯t seek your own death." Qian Rong¡¯s last advice echoed again. "Thank you for the reminder, Senior Sister." Yu Hong somewhat understood now. The sect behind Qian Rong was highly likely to be real. They had been evading the Source Disaster using some special means. But when the Red Sky Fruit emerged, they couldn¡¯t resist the temptation and decided to take action. They found themselves and Quan He while intending to quickly grab the Red Sky Fruit and thought of taking them along when returning. But in doing so, if they left, Feng Xuezi and Senior Corrupt Traveler would still be struggling against the Star Disaster, which meant abandoning them completely. Yu Hong didn¡¯t look for the real Wanxue Palace¡¯s entrance. He directly used Instantaneous Movement to return to Black Black Spirit. After a long silence, he suddenly thought of a question. ¡¯Wait, if the Heavenly Venerate disappeared long ago, isn¡¯t the highest realm of the current Qinghe Mountain sect just Golden Immortal? Martial Uncle Feng Xuezi and Senior Corrupt Traveler are also Golden Immortals. No matter which side I go to, the result would be the same. Although Senior Sister Qian Rong said that Martial Uncle and Senior are corrupted by the Heart Disaster, no matter what, they wouldn¡¯t harm me. Moreover, who can guarantee that there will be no problems on the sect¡¯s side?¡¯ Yu Hong still inclined more towards the more familiar Corrupt Traveler and Feng Xuezi, as they had indeed given him many benefits. Knock knock knock... Suddenly, outside the safe house window, a pale-faced, white-daoist-robed monster Sword Cultivator was knocking on the glass with a sinister smile. Yu Hong glanced at him. The Qingwei Heart Technique quietly activated. Whoosh. The next second, the monster Sword Cultivator, with a smile on his face, lifted his hands, grabbed both corners of his mouth, and pulled hard. Rip! With a bloody, crisp sound, the Sword Cultivator¡¯s head was torn in two. Then his entire body silently shattered, turning into black mist and disappearing. Only then did Yu Hong withdraw his gaze. This was his first time using the Qingwei Heart Technique. Just now was the basic move of the Heart Technique¡ªBroken Heart. The Illusion Human Realm has three levels, each with one move. Broken Heart, Broken Soul, Broken Spirit. Their levels correspond to hallucinating the heart of the body, hallucinating the root of the soul, and hallucinating the origin of life. This ability activates automatically with the exercise of power. Anyone with hostile intentions towards him will suffer a backlash corresponding to their cultivation technique level. So, the Qingwei Heart Technique, once successfully cultivated, is actually a very dangerous defensive technique. Yu Hong tried its effect briefly, and his previously tense mood was somewhat relieved. ¡¯The truth about Qian Rong is still not confirmed. I have to wait until the Black Mark is reinforced before making a judgment. Until the judgment is made, I cannot leave with him.¡¯ Finally, he made a decision. After settling his mind completely, Yu Hong sat cross-legged and began cultivating the Qingwei Heart Technique again. There is insufficient vitality here, making it impossible to cultivate the Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique. So generally, in the safe house, he cultivated the Qingwei Heart Technique. Soon, on the sixteenth day after Qian Rong¡¯s visit to the Wanxue Palace. Yu Hong¡¯s heavy defense belt was finally repaired. And his Qingwei Heart Technique also broke through to the Third Layer in just two weeks. Which is the highest realm of the Illusion Human Realm. Inside the Life Well. Huge blades of grass surrounded Yu Hong, swaying violently with the intense airflow. Yu Hong sat alone on a futon in the clearing, his eyes tightly closed, with a faint golden light of his Golden Core shimmering on his body. Boom. Above his head, the clouds dispersed, revealing the vast expanse of the cosmic starry sky. In the starry sky, purple electric arcs gathered like a spider web, becoming more numerous and denser. Swoosh! Yu Xuezi instantly appeared in the surrounding air. Then came Qian Rong, Bai Sheng, Hei Ying, and finally Quan He who was transported in. Everyone spread out over a distance of a thousand meters, floating in mid-air, watching the impending heavenly tribulation. "This is.... the Nascent Soul Tribulation!?!" Qian Rong¡¯s expression trembled. She had heard that Yu Hong was less than forty years old, but he was already reaching the Nascent Soul Stage? This speed was almost comparable to her own. "How long has it been? He¡¯s already starting the Nascent Soul Tribulation!?" Bai Sheng was even more stunned. "Immortal Seed is like this;I was similar back then because the cultivation time required increases as the stages progress. Before the Divinity Transformation Stage, basically, the Innate Body has no bottlenecks." Qian Rong explained. A Mahayana cultivator at 300 years old, she indeed had the authority to say this. After all, from Nascent Soul to Mahayana, one must go through Divinity Transformation Stage and Returning to Void Stage, two major phases. If Yu Hong¡¯s progress slows down later, he might not reach her level. "The key is, there¡¯s a Star Disaster outside, the entire star system is sealed. He¡¯s undergoing tribulation here, which will surely attract an attack from the Star Disaster. Everyone, be cautious and protect the surroundings!" Yu Xuezi said solemnly. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The rumbling grew louder at this moment. Purple electric arcs amassed more and more. The golden light on Yu Hong¡¯s body also began to shine brighter. Everyone waited continuously, but strangely, the heavenly tribulation didn¡¯t descend, remaining motionless. Moreover, its power and momentum continued to grow. The purple lightning had already formed a dense vortex, with the center of the purple color turning pitch black. "Wait, why is the power increasing!? Isn¡¯t this the Nascent Soul Tribulation? This momentum is far beyond the level of the Nascent Soul Tribulation, at least the middle stage of the Nascent Soul!" Qian Rong sensed something was amiss. "Zheng Rou, be careful. The first phase of the Nascent Soul Tribulation is the Heart Demon Tribulation!" Yu Xuezi transmitted a message. "The illusion guidance of the Heart Demon Tribulation is very troublesome, make sure to steady your mind!" "Understood!" Yu Hong was fully focused, constantly alert for any potential danger. Poof! The next second. An invisible, transparent stream of air plunged down from the sky, directly hitting his head. The air stream disappeared. The vision around Yu Hong abruptly trembled and started to distort. But just then, an Illusion God trait in his mind also suddenly trembled. Poof. The surrounding vision distortion halted violently, returning to its original state. Everything seemed as if nothing had happened. "Where did the Heart Demon Tribulation go?" Yu Xuezi and Qian Rong looked at each other in disbelief. Bai Sheng and Hei Ying, who had experienced it, were even more shocked. When they underwent the Heart Demon Tribulation, it was truly horrific, leaving them severely wounded and nearly dead. How could it be now.... But before they could react, the next moment, a thick purple lightning bolt as wide as a barrel abruptly struck down. At that moment, Yu Hong, who was sitting cross-legged, opened his eyes and raised his hand to fiercely strike at the lightning bolt. It seemed he had anticipated it, making a preemptive strike that perfectly met the rapid descending lightning bolt. Boom!! A loud explosion. The thick lightning bolt shattered like a soap bubble with a pop. Not only that, the shards of the shattered lightning bolt reversed direction, shooting back into the sky and violently smashing the purple vortex to pieces. "This heavenly tribulation is somewhat weak..." Yu Hong furrowed his brow and withdrew his hand. It¡¯s said the weaker the heavenly tribulation, the weaker the post-breakthrough power. This made him a bit worried about whether his Nascent Soul would be affected. Chapter 561: true or false three The purple thunder tribulation gradually dissipated, and the clouds and mist of the mineral star once again covered and restored. A group of people looked inexplicably at Yu Hong, not knowing whether this counted as having passed or not. "This, the thunder tribulation only struck once. I remember the nascent soul tribulation takes at least three strikes...." Qian Rong said in confusion. "Indeed, at least three, at most nine, depending on the quality of the golden core." Yu Xuezi also couldn¡¯t be sure of the situation. "Just go over and ask him directly." Hei Ying flew towards Yu Hong, but before she could get close, she was forcibly blocked by an invisible force. Whoosh! Around Yu Hong¡¯s entire body, massive invisible force fields were constantly jetting out like a spray. These complex intersecting fields were like snowflakes, some large, some small, more like countless tiny blocks, densely shooting out in all directions. "It¡¯s done!! Nascent soul!" Bai Sheng suddenly exclaimed, "Look at his head!" Everyone quickly focused on the top of Yu Hong¡¯s head. They saw a golden baby crawling out from the top of Yu Hong¡¯s head, as if there were a hole. This baby looked ninety percent like Yu Hong, with a dignified expression, long hair falling over his shoulders, and a mature face. "Indeed it is the nascent soul... Junior brother has truly succeeded!" Bai Sheng laughed heartily. "Thank you, all seniors and fellow disciples, for your protection." Yu Hong¡¯s nascent soul solemnly bowed to everyone. He felt very peculiar now, as if his entire being was floating out of his body, able to soar into the sky at any time. His body felt incredibly light, as if weightless, a breeze could make him float away. "Finally stepping into the nascent soul, at this level, true yuan transforms entirely into mana, allowing you to mobilize substantial heaven and earth primordial qi. The type of qi you can mobilize mainly depends on your previous cultivation attribute. If you are of the water attribute, you can gather all the water attribute power within a certain range, and similarly with the fire attribute." Yu Xuezi explained, "Now, try and see what attribute you have?" "Yes." Yu Hong¡¯s nascent soul flew back into his body, closed his eyes and sat cross-legged, and quickly after a few seconds, a moderate invisible force spread out. The air around him began to fill with white mist, the ground started to roll and boil, as if it were boiling. Threads of electricity climbed and spread on his body, and red sparks flickered and burned on his head, while small trees and grass nearby began to grow rapidly. "This is the most common five elements attribute, without any bias." Yu Xuezi slightly frowned and judged. "Indeed it¡¯s the five elements attribute, but being able to achieve nascent soul at this age is already very impressive." Qian Rong smiled. "Absolutely, tonight we should have a celebration banquet to also mark Zheng Rou stepping onto a new stage." Yu Xuezi said. "I won¡¯t join the festivities." Qian Rong shook his head. At that moment, Bai Sheng and Hei Ying approached Yu Hong to discuss the detailed state of his breakthrough to nascent soul, to ensure there were no issues with Yu Hong¡¯s nascent soul. "Starting from the nascent soul stage, true yuan within the body converts into mana. Feel your body¡¯s condition? Mana is the hallmark of breakthrough at the nascent soul stage, as the nascent soul gradually grows until the mana births a bit of divine sense. That marks the turning point into divinity transformation. The growth of the nascent soul mainly affects mana." Bai Sheng explained with some concern. Yu Hong closed his eyes to sense it, and indeed, the true yuan within his body had transformed into a substance similar to clear qi. This qi was much lighter compared to the previously dense true yuan, and extremely easy to control. "Indeed it¡¯s transformed." Yu Hong nodded. "That¡¯s good!" Bai Sheng and Hei Ying sighed in relief. "This is great, even our junior brother has reached the nascent soul, sharing the same realm as us. I reckon it won¡¯t be long before he overtakes us." Hei Ying joked after relaxing. "Not necessarily, not necessarily. The nascent soul realm is profound and extensive. I only had a slight advantage in aptitude initially. Later on, my speed will quickly slow down, and I will need the guidance from senior brothers and sisters a lot." Yu Hong hurriedly replied. Quan He, slowly flying closer, felt somewhat familiar upon hearing these words. That night. Wanxue Palace held a lively banquet to congratulate Yu Hong on breaking through to the nascent soul stage. Yu Xuezi gifted a bottle of frost cloud pills, these pills were extremely precious, consuming one bottle could forcibly increase the chance of breaking through to divinity transformation by ten percent. According to Yu Xuezi, all their fellow disciples had these pills, but Bai Sheng and Hei Ying could not break through even after consuming them. The coming challenge of divinity transformation would depend on him and Quan He. After all the festivity, Yu Hong finally calmed down. He did not return to Black Black Spirit but directly entered the space around the mineral star. In the dark starry sky, the mineral star floated beneath Yu Hong¡¯s feet, presenting a soft pale yellow overall. Yu Hong sat cross-legged, motionless, and mentally focused on mobilizing a thread of internal mana. ¡¯How do I use this?¡¯ He pondered for a moment, using his most familiar Tiger Form Boxing, he clenched his right hand into a claw and swung it forward. Whoosh! Mana flowed through his right hand, also swinging forward, disappearing into the air. The next moment. Shh-shing!! Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. An exaggerated white blade of light, hundreds of meters long, appeared and shot out from his right hand. This blade of light instantly divided the space several hundred kilometers ahead, before gradually dissipating. "Is this mana?? Tsk tsk.... such power, swinging randomly can have such a strong effect..." Yu Hong was moved. ¡¯This is just basic power. Next, according to what senior brothers said, I need to carefully determine the direction for expanding my mana, deepening my cultivation spell. Currently, I have cultivation techniques that can be upgraded to nascent soul level, only Chaotic God Heavenly Eye and Qingwei Heart Technique.¡¯ Yu Hong was planning. ¡¯Chaotic God Heavenly Eye is understandable, being the cultivation technique of the elders from Sky Wish Sect, high upper limit is normal. Qingwei Heart Technique is the same. The key is how to deepen it.¡¯ He reached into his storage bag, and immediately, a somewhat old dark green book appeared in his hand. The cover of the book was titled: Magic Power Origin. Holding the book, Yu Hong instantly moved back to the safety house and began to carefully study its contents. According to Bai Sheng, each page of this book contained a large amount of key information, with the nascent soul breakthrough focusing mainly on the detailed control and transformation of mana. The three layers of nascent soul correspond to three stages of mana: micro, fusion, explosive change. At the same time, the realm of manipulating mana also synchronously promotes the enhancement of mana¡¯s quality. These two aspects complement each other. ¡¯Master the micro-details, and you can advance to the middle stage of the Nascent Soul;merge them and you can step into the late stage. Master the sudden change, and you will be able to spark a trace of Divine Sense, achieving Divinity Transformation...¡¯ Yu Hong quickly skimmed through the booklet in the safety house and summarized the key points. ¡¯Next, let¡¯s see how powerful this Innate Body can be.¡¯ Feeling the strength of his mana, he looked around the arrays in the safety house and noticed flaws and loopholes everywhere. Immediately, Yu Hong began re-arranging the various arrays in the house. Using his mana, he upgraded them comprehensively. Just as Yu Hong was adapting to his Nascent Soul power and beginning to learn fine control, Quan He seemed to be stimulated, practicing in the Life Well for a long time, almost reaching her physical limit, with her meridians faintly aching all over, before stopping and getting up. When she walked out of the Life Well, it was already dark outside. In the dense forest, Quan He looked up at the spaceship of her senior sister Qian Rong and sighed;she finally felt the complexity in the hearts of those who once looked up to her. ¡¯Don¡¯t lose heart, cultivation is a marathon. It¡¯s not time for me to exert force yet. I must endure and be patient.¡¯ She comforted herself. Forming a spell with her fingers, she was about to return to the Crane Spirit House. Boom!! Suddenly, in the distant sky above Wanxue Palace, the Black Tide, which had been constantly clashing, surged violently and fiercely suppressed the Golden Light Array that was soaring into the sky. At the same time, several thick streams of black air separated from the Black Tide, flying towards various locations on the Mining Star. Those directions were precisely where the people of Wanxue Palace were located. One of the streams of black air shot directly towards Quan He. Quan He¡¯s pupils contracted;she wanted to act, but the surrounding space suddenly condensed and completely locked her in place. Roar! A roar that didn¡¯t sound human came from above her head. Reflexively, she flashed to the left. Puff! A black shadow sliced past her side, cutting a two-meter-long black fissure on the ground behind her. The depth of the fissure was unclear, a pitch-black chasm, evidently a terrifying power. "What is that!?" Quan He, a battle-hardened warrior, quickly activated her defensive spell. A triangular Magic Treasure on her waist glowed blue, quickly flew out, expanded, and shielded her in front. The next moment. Clang!! A huge collision sound erupted. The triangular Magic Treasure was knocked askew and flew out, and the black shadow seized the opportunity to rush towards Quan He¡¯s face. Its speed was so fast that she had no time to react. That unknown level of speed surpassed the so-called several times the speed of sound by far. Clearly, the attacker¡¯s cultivation had long surpassed Quan He¡¯s comprehension. Just as the black shadow was about to hit her forehead. A white jade-like plump hand suddenly reached out from the side and grabbed the black shadow. Puff! The black shadow struggled frantically in the hand, trying to escape but to no avail. It was gently squeezed by the hand. With a puff, the black shadow burst apart, turning into countless black mist dissipating. Quan He was just recovering from the shock and looked at the owner of the hand, and it was none other than her senior sister Qian Rong, who had just arrived at the Mining Star! "This place is dangerous;you should retreat first. I¡¯ll handle this." Qian Rong¡¯s face was serious as she looked around. "Yes!" Quan He knew she would only be a burden if she stayed, so she withdrew immediately without saying a word. She did not return to the Crane Spirit House but headed towards Wanxue Palace. At this moment, being by her master¡¯s side was the safest place. After Quan He left, Qian Rong¡¯s face turned serious. Her hands slowly formed a seal in front of her like a blooming lotus. In an instant, a group of green light shot out from her hands, hitting a black figure in the darkness. The figure exploded, but then more black figures quickly appeared. "Courting death!" Qian Rong¡¯s face turned cold. She drew a green scimitar from her back with a reverse grip. * * "So fast!!" In the Black Black Spirit Safety House, Yu Hong¡¯s face was grave as he stared at the black figures madly attacking the glass window outside. The opponent wore tattered black clothes, and their skin and flesh were rotten beyond recognition, indistinguishable in features, with disheveled white hair, vaguely resembling former cultivators of the Immortal Dao Civilization. But now, these cultivators had completely lost all rationality and would only emit beastly growls. They repeatedly hurled themselves against the glass window. Their speed was extremely fast, a flash, a collision, a retreat, then another flash. This cycle repeated. Their speed was so fast that Yu Hong could only barely see them. With a heavy expression, he quickly retrieved an ultra-high-speed camera from the storage room deep inside the house. Carrying the camera, he returned to the hall on the first floor and started recording. Chapter 562: true or false 4 Soon, the speed of these rotting human figures was tested on the bottom right corner of the camera. Between forty to fifty times the speed of sound! "And there¡¯s no sound barrier... the laws of physics have completely failed..." Yu Hong put down the camera, his face grave. Although he had anticipated encountering such high-speed opponents, it was only when they appeared before his eyes that he felt the enormous pressure closing in on him. "No wonder my senior brothers and sisters are so fast;those who aren¡¯t fast enough have long died at the hands of these high-speed monsters." Yu Hong now understood why his senior brothers and sisters all took the path of the Sword Cultivator. Only that path could deal with these high-speed monsters. ¡¯However, I am also a Nascent Soul Cultivator now, so...¡¯ Yu Hong checked the safety house. Although it was constantly being struck, the house remained unshaken and undamaged. Feeling reassured, he focused his thoughts and converted his mana into the Mist Heaven Magical Power of the Qingwei Heart Technique. Then, following the usage method of the Illusion Human Realm, he covered his entire body. ¡¯Broken Heart.¡¯ A complex crimson symbol appeared out of thin air in front of Yu Hong;it resembled the shape of a heart, or an ideogram similar to the word ¡¯heart.¡¯ ¡¯I definitely can¡¯t keep up with their speed. My fastest is only a few times the speed of sound, and I haven¡¯t practiced any speed-enhancing cultivation techniques, so... I can only rely on other methods to counter them.¡¯ After spreading the Broken Heart, Yu Hong slowly walked to the window. Bam! Bam! Bam!! A series of continuous, huge impact sounds rang out in front of him. At the same time, the symbol representing the Broken Heart began to glow bright red, taking effect. This was his first time using Nascent Soul Power to execute the Qingwei Heart Technique. Soon, the effect emerged. Outside, five rotting human figures abruptly stopped, no longer striking. Their whole bodies trembled, standing scattered on the ground, with their decayed faces seemingly showing expressions of pain. At the same time, Yu Hong¡¯s mana started to deplete significantly. ¡¯Are they resisting?¡¯ He immediately realized that the Mist Heaven Magical Power was taking effect, as the Broken Heart was influencing the basic components of these monsters. He immediately intensified the mana conversion, turning a large amount of mana rapidly into Mist Heaven Magical Power. Soon, the Mist Heaven Magical Power was more than half depleted. The five figures outside finally came to a complete halt. Boom!! All the figures exploded simultaneously, turning into large clouds of black mist, disappearing without a trace. Whoosh! Yu Hong exhaled a long breath. He quickly looked toward Wanxue Palace. The Black Tide and Golden Light had returned to their usual balance. It was obvious that it was just a sudden outburst of the Black Tide just now. "Even I had so much trouble, over at Quan He¡¯s side...." With that, he opened the door and stepped out. As soon as he shut the door, his figure vanished from the spot. Just as he arrived in front of Wanxue Palace, Yu Hong felt a heavy sense of oppression permeating the surroundings. A kind of faint purple particulate matter floated in the air here. These particles, about the size of a thumbnail, seemed to be alive, constantly wriggling and flashing. Fortunately, all these particles were blocked by the Broken Heart. Once they got within ten centimeters of his body, they would automatically disintegrate and disappear. The power of the Qingwei Heart Technique, boosted by Nascent Soul Power, began to show its might. Yu Hong rushed into Wanxue Palace, heading straight for the area with the most intense energy outbursts. But before he could reach it, a blinding silver light burst forth from that area. The silver light pierced through every wall and stone pillar, only to be blocked by Broken Heart when it reached Yu Hong, splitting and sliding past him on both sides. In the next moment, Yu Hong felt a sharp, blade-like invisible force sweep over him, then pass by him, spreading out behind him. "What is this!!?" His expression changed, and he sprinted towards that area. Ten minutes later. Everything had settled down. In the Frost Palace, Yu Xuezi held a wine cup, unable to suppress the smile on his face. "It was truly thrilling this time. I was held up by that unconscious monster, Bai Sheng and Hei Ying were both attacked and almost met their demise. Fortunately, Qian Rong intervened at the crucial moment and even gifted the Meteorite Immortal Brew to Bai Sheng, helping him break through to the Divinity Transformation in one fell swoop. We at Wanxue Palace owe you a great debt!!" He raised a cup to Qian Rong. "Uncle-Master, there¡¯s no need to mention it. At such critical moments, Senior Brother Bai Sheng¡¯s life was at stake. Under the influence of that illusionary realm, we couldn¡¯t intervene either. The Meteorite Immortal Brew was just to give him a push from behind. The real effect came from Senior Brother¡¯s own substantial foundation." Qian Rong replied modestly. Yu Hong and Quan He listened below, finally piecing together what had happened. nol.c¦Òm ¡¯Senior Brother Bai Sheng consumed the Meteorite Immortal Brew and directly broke through to the Divinity Transformation Stage. At last, with the help of this Cultivation Holy Medicine, he overcame the bottleneck. The cold consciousness we felt earlier was Senior Brother¡¯s Divine Sense condensed through his sword. And Senior Sister Qian Rong also killed a large number of invading Black Disaster Monsters during the attack.¡¯ Quan He transmitted his thoughts. ¡¯Did you consume the Meteorite Immortal Brew that Senior Sister Qian Rong gave us?¡¯ Yu Hong asked. ¡¯No.¡¯ ¡¯Neither did I.¡¯ Yu Hong nodded. There was no need to say more;the two shared a mutual understanding. Watching Qian Rong speak eloquently at the table, Yu Hong squinted his eyes and lowered his head to pour himself a drink. Meteorite Immortal Brew.... Soon, the enhancement and repair of the Black Mark will be completed in just a few days. Then we will know whether this thing is genuine, and if Senior Sister Qian Rong is really... Calculating the time internally, Yu Hong maintained a calm demeanor on the surface, occasionally responding to his master¡¯s concerns about him. He didn¡¯t hide the effects of the Qingwei Heart Technique, openly shared it, causing a slight surprise among everyone. After all, even Yu Xuezi had not practiced this cultivation technique before. This was the first time anyone had seen its specific effects. After a gathering, mechanical servants began to tidy up the place, and everyone returned to their residences as agreed to start patrolling for the next period. After Bai Sheng broke through to the Divinity Transformation Stage, he was full of vigor, with his whole demeanor completely transformed. He proactively took on the main tasks, patrolled the surface of the mining planet every day, full of energy, showing off his eagerness. Occasionally, he would run over to Yu Hong¡¯s safe house, pretending to patrol, but actually wanting to see Yu Hong¡¯s reaction to his breakthrough. Having been stuck for so many years and suddenly breaking through, Yu Hong could understand his senior brother¡¯s enthusiasm. He also demonstrated a supportive attitude, expressing shock and amazement at the Divinity Transformation Stage¡¯s divine sense. For four consecutive days, no matter where he went, he could feel his senior brother¡¯s vast divine sense covering the entire mining planet, comprehensively aware of everything. On the fifth day, everyone finally couldn¡¯t stand it. Master Yu Xuezi also unleashed her vast divine sense, giving Bai Sheng a heavy blow. Only then did the situation calm down. At this moment, Yu Hong¡¯s heavy defense belt finally reached the point of repair completion. Inside the safe house. Yu Hong watched the countdown timer hit zero with a final click. He finally breathed a sigh of relief. Ignoring the defense belt that started emitting blue light, he quickly took out the Meteorite Immortal Brew given by Qian Rong and placed his palm on top of it. ¡¯Enhance the Meteorite Immortal Brew, direction: strengthen the effect of breaking through minor realms.¡¯ Instantly, the black line on the back of his hand flashed and flowed into the jade token. ¡¯Do you want to enhance the Meteorite Immortal Brew?¡¯ The prompt from the Black Mark appeared directly. ¡¯It really is genuine!?¡¯ Yu Hong¡¯s expression stirred slightly as he withdrew his hand. The Holy Medicine given by Qian Rong could indeed break through minor realms! But then, he seemed to think of something and reached out again. ¡¯Enhance the Meteorite Immortal Brew, direction: increase the Source Disaster poison within.¡¯ The black line flashed again, quickly providing feedback. ¡¯No basic function, unable to enhance.¡¯ Yu Hong felt relieved and continued. Next was enhancing the hidden Controlling Creatures technique, which also did not exist. Relying on this special method of identification, he evaluated dozens of different directions in one go, finally confirming that the Meteorite Immortal Brew was genuine. Moreover, its effect had no side effects, no aftereffects, extremely potent. Truly worthy of being a breakthrough Holy Medicine! This also seemed to prove that Senior Sister Qian Rong might genuinely be from their sect, not a disguise infiltrated by the Source Disaster. Most of Yu Hong¡¯s wariness was lifted after receiving the confirmation from the Black Mark. A few days later, news of Senior Sister Hei Ying breaking through to the Divinity Transformation stage also arrived. She too broke through after consuming the Meteorite Immortal Brew given by Qian Rong. This made Yu Hong increasingly certain that Qian Rong was trustworthy. Several times afterward, he saw Qian Rong battling Black Disaster Monsters more fiercely than his senior brothers. One strike would clear a large area. Everything seemed to be progressing in a positive direction, but.... the defense belt was repaired, yet the Corrupt Traveler senior still hadn¡¯t shown up. This cast a faint ominous shadow over Yu Hong¡¯s heart. * * * At the edge of the Mineral Star System, near an earth-yellow planet. In space, a pitch-black vortex was continuously spinning at high speed, drawing in all nearby material and energy, absorbing them. At the core of the vortex, on a floating massive black island. Feng Xuezi raised one hand, a complex white light symbol shining in the center of his palm. The symbol released an invisible force field, enveloping the slender-armed monster standing motionless in front of him. The monster was covered in purple-red cracks, as if purple flames were ready to burst out from within at any moment. Both Feng Xuezi and the monster stood in a standoff, seemingly engaged in an unknown level of confrontation. External observers could not perceive this. Not far away, the Corrupt Traveler quietly observed, with an invisible force field behind him forming a wall, firmly blocking the massive black vortex from entering this area. "How long has it been? I can sense the defense belt¡¯s energy;Zheng Rou really didn¡¯t let me down, he¡¯s repaired it!" A rare smile appeared on the Corrupt Traveler¡¯s face. His extended confrontation with the Child of the Mother Tree had nearly drained most of his power. The repair of the defense belt was indeed good news for him. "I can handle this alone. Go back for now. I can hold out for the time being. If I wasn¡¯t worried about destroying the mining planet, I could seal him myself! Quickly activate the defense belt, then we can all breathe a sigh of relief!" Feng Xuezi¡¯s voice sounded in his mind. "I will return as quickly as possible!" replied the Corrupt Traveler seriously. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In the next moment, his figure flickered and disappeared in an instant. Chapter 563: Ding 561 Decision One Mining Star. Yu Hong sat cross-legged within the Well of Rebirth, absorbing vitality. The enormous vitality needed for the Nascent Soul Stage had driven him away from his previous base to a deeper area. His surroundings had transformed into rows of gigantic corn stalks, towering like skyscrapers, with golden ears of corn the size of yachts between them. Mechanical servants were diligently working on the corn. These dark robots mainly harvested various foods from here to supply the diets of a few people in Wanxue Palace. With the Well of Life, there was never a shortage of meat or fruits and vegetables. The robots carefully harvested each golden corn kernel, then extracted the juice to be transported to another Well of Life base to feed the special livestock there. Hoo. Yu Hong let out a long breath, opened his eyes, and a purple beam of light shot out over a meter. ¡¯The enhancement of the Chaotic God Heavenly Eye is complete, and the Qingwei Heart Technique is also finished. An attack and a defense, ensuring basic safety.¡¯ He sighed, stood up, stretched his body. The Black Mark had completed its strengthening and repair, and it was ready for a new round of trait fusion. Thinking of this, he closed his eyes once more and entered his mind. Currently, his traits were: Phantom God, Sacred Tiger Form, Spirit Barrier, Innate Body, Extreme Summoning, Elf Ancient Tree¡¯s Call, Night Breath, Dao Breath Thunder Transfer, Light Body, Cloud Hand. ¡¯I still need two more¡ªstronger aptitude, stronger attack and defense. So enhancing the Sacred Tiger Form and Innate Body are two options.¡¯ Yu Hong pondered. He wanted to strengthen the Innate Body but feared losing this top-tier trait. Although there had been no failures so far, with effects always directly strengthened, what if the enhancement didn¡¯t affect the Innate Body but the trait it merged with? So, he needed to wait for another trait that increased aptitude before making a more suitable fusion. Similarly, for the Sacred Tiger Form, at this level, an unexpected result would be too costly. It was best to enhance a trait with both attack and defense capabilities when it appeared. After careful consideration, Yu Hong finally focused on Night Breath and Phantom God. ¡¯Night Breath increases recovery effects threefold at night, immune to normal toxins, and has some resistance to extraordinary toxins. This effect is pretty redundant for me now, with the Recovery Necklace making the tripled recovery redundant. However, its resistance is nice. Perfect to merge with Phantom God¡ªno matter which part is strengthened, it won¡¯t be a loss.¡¯ Immediately, Yu Hong grabbed the light spheres of Phantom God and Night Breath with both hands and pulled them together. Poof. The two spheres were instantly compressed together, forming a white light sphere the size of a watermelon. A countdown appeared: 7 hours and 13 minutes. ¡¯Would you like to merge Night Breath and Phantom God?¡¯ The Black Mark¡¯s question arrived on cue. ¡¯Yes.¡¯ The countdown blurred and began to flicker. Looking at the reformed nine traits in his consciousness space, Yu Hong felt some of his obsessive-compulsive pressure relieved. Exiting his mind, he turned towards the teleportation portal to leave. But his steps halted abruptly. Behind him stood a person, someone he hadn¡¯t noticed before. A short man with a huge tumor on his back. "Corrupt Traveler!?" Yu Hong wasn¡¯t startled but delighted. "You¡¯ve finally returned!" "Yes, I was held up by the Child of the Mother Tree." The Corrupt Traveler sighed. "Was it that difficult?" Yu Hong frowned. Seeing Yu Hong¡¯s concern, the Corrupt Traveler shook his head. "Not that I couldn¡¯t defeat them, but the opponent is undying and resurrects infinitely, impacting a large area. If we fought near the Mining Star, the outcome would be undecided before the planet blew up. So, we had to move the battle to other regions." "I see... But isn¡¯t there an array set up by the Heavenly Venerate?" Yu Hong asked. "Yes, but... it¡¯s just a rough perimeter and doesn¡¯t care about the planets inside..." The Corrupt Traveler shook his head. "Understood. Let¡¯s not talk about that. Senior, the item you gave me has been repaired!" Yu Hong said respectfully. He didn¡¯t mention what it was, just in case he needed the other party to call it by name first. "I came for the Defense Belt." The Corrupt Traveler gave a peculiar low laugh. "As a trade-off, you still need a strong enough protective magical artifact, so... here, take this." He extended his hand, palm open. A dark gold eye-shaped ornament the size of a fist lay in his hand. "This is the Royal Golden Eye of the Spiritual Formula Empire, also known as the Immortal Eye, extremely rare. But there¡¯s some bad news..." The Corrupt Traveler paused, a smile curling his lips. "It¡¯s broken." "Senior, you..." Yu Hong was speechless, guessing the other¡¯s intentions. "The good news is, it¡¯s not heavily damaged, and it¡¯s very powerful. I know you have a particular fondness for eyes, so I¡¯m gifting you this." The Corrupt Traveler laughed. "What¡¯s its function?" Yu Hong¡¯s heart skipped a beat. "Its function is simple: it automatically alerts and monitors approaching danger and releases a layer of Immortal Spirit Light to ensure your absolute safety. The light¡¯s intensity is fixed;within ten minutes, no attacks below Golden Immortal level can harm you. But above Golden Immortal level, it¡¯s a different story. So be mindful and evade." The Corrupt Traveler explained. "That strong!?" Yu Hong¡¯s heart trembled. This level of protection was the best suited for him among all magical artifacts he had encountered. "Of course, provided you repair it first to regain this function." The Corrupt Traveler smiled. "I, as the junior, will do my best!" Yu Hong expressed that he must repair this treasure, even if it costs his life! With this thing, he would no longer be trapped in the safe house endlessly;at least he could go out for short trips. Immediately, Yu Hong took out the defense belt and handed it to the corrupt traveler, while also receiving the royal golden eye of the Lingfang Empire. Both parties were extremely satisfied with this transaction. After putting away the defense belt, the corrupt traveler said, "By the way, I noticed guests arriving at the mining star when I came back just now?" "Yes, there is indeed such a matter that requires your attention." Yu Hong immediately began recounting the special circumstances he encountered during this period. "The Qinghe Mountain main sect? People came??!" Corrupt was stunned. "The main sect has disappeared for many years, where did they come from?" "According to Senior Sister Qian Rong, back then the Heavenly Venerate severed all connections between the sect and the outside world to avoid a great disaster. Recently, sensing the appearance of the Zhu Tian fruit, they couldn¡¯t resist sending someone to look for it," Yu Hong explained. "This...." Corrupt hesitated, "If it was the Heavenly Venerate, it is indeed possible." He pondered for a moment. "I¡¯ll go check on this Qian Rong. If what she says is true, migrating the Wanxue Palace of the mining star is definitely not something she could do alone. The situation here is quite complicated;under the siege of the Black Disaster, it is impossible to come and go without sufficient strength." Obviously, Corrupt was also a bit hesitant. Yu Hong could understand;after all, this matter involved the Heavenly Venerate, and the power of the Heavenly Venerate was unimaginable. "If there is any issue, please notify me in time, senior," Yu Hong quickly added. "Alright." The next second, Corrupt flickered and disappeared in place. In the spaceship above the mining star, within Qian Rong¡¯s residence. Qian Rong, dressed in a bathrobe and preparing for a bath, walked slowly along the corridor covered with a pink carpet. Suddenly, she paused, turned, and looked towards the corrupt traveler who had suddenly appeared behind her. "So it is the Golden Immortal Fu Bai, Qian Rong greets the senior." She quickly expressed respect, bowing and saluting. "You..e from the main sect?" Corrupt frowned, his eyes hidden under his long hair, staring at her. "Yes. My master is the Golden Immortal of Mt. Taichong and was once your junior. He advanced to the rank of Golden Immortal after you left the sect and founded your own," Qian Rong replied. "He instructed me to present this item if I meet you and Senior Feng Xuezi, which would prove our identity." She raised her right hand, and a white ice pearl appeared in her palm out of thin air. "...The hidden cold pearl...!" Corrupt seemed to recognize the item. He reached out gently and took the white ice pearl. In his hand, he treated it as a precious treasure, handling it delicately and meticulously, his hand even trembling slightly. "How is my junior sister?" Corrupt asked softly. "The Demon Pride Golden Immortal is still alive, but she suffered some injuries recently while resisting the Source Disaster. You know, because of the Zhu Tian fruit, we unsealed the Heavenly Venerate¡¯s array, attracting many attacks from the Source Disaster. Several Golden Immortals were injured because of it," Qian Rong sighed. Corrupt remained silent. His powerful divine sense continuously scanned the woman before him countless times. But everything seemed fine, even the hidden cold pearl in his hand carried the aura of his junior sister from back then. "Then, what is the purpose of your visit this time?" he asked in a deep voice. "As for the Zhu Tian fruit, it is impossible for us to hand it over to you;you must know that." "Senior, don¡¯t you want to return to the main sect with us?" Qian Rong asked softly, "Master and the Demon Pride Golden Immortal are waiting for you." "Then why didn¡¯t she come in person?" Corrupt retorted. "The presence of a Golden Immortal is too noticeable. I risked my life to sneak in this time. In fact, I came with a will to die. Fortunately, everything went smoothly," Qian Rong replied. "There are still about three months left. Master and the Demon Pride Golden Immortal will arrive by then, and you¡¯ll see the truth." "Three months... fine!" Corrupt nodded, "I will wait for these three months!" Whoosh! In the next instant, he disappeared instantly with the hidden cold pearl. Leaving Qian Rong standing alone, sighing. Actually, the main sect did not plan to take Corrupt and Feng Xuezi with them;they couldn¡¯t leave anyway. Both Corrupt and she knew this. So, the earlier conversation was simply rekindling old bonds, hoping Corrupt would let go of the Zhu Tian fruit for the sake of the Demon Pride Golden Immortal... All that talk about leaving together was mere politeness. She stood in the corridor for a while before turning around, heading toward an elliptical room instead of continuing to bathe. With a point of her finger, blue light patterns lit up around the room instantly. In midair in front of her, a white-haired figure in a cross-legged floating posture appeared simultaneously. "It seems you¡¯ve made contact with Fu Bai and Feng Xuezi," the elderly voice of the figure echoed in the room. "Yes, Master. The Golden Immortal Fu Bai seems to be swayed, but whether or not we can take back the Zhu Tian fruit is still uncertain," Qian Rong lowered her head respectfully. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I hope he understands. He and Feng Xuezi alone cannot protect the Zhu Tian fruit;only within the Void Realm set by the Heavenly Venerate can its effectiveness be maximized," the white-haired figure said in a deep voice. "Master, if the Golden Immortal Fu Bai still refuses...?" Qian Rong asked hesitantly. "As disciples of the same sect... we would not resort to force. I and Demon Pride have prepared items for trade. If it still doesn¡¯t work, we will retreat to take other people from the mining star. This time, you¡¯ve done well in discovering two Immortal seedlings, one of which is likely a top-tier seed. In a thousand years, they could be two top-tier Golden Immortals! This will greatly enhance the foundation of our sect. After returning, you will have made a great contribution," the white-haired figure praised. "Thank you, Master!" Qian Rong¡¯s face lit up with joy, quickly saluting. Chapter 564: Ding 2 On the other side, Yu Hong returned to the Black Black Spirit, playing with the Royal Golden Eye of the Spiritual Formula Empire that he had just acquired. It looked like an ordinary golden ornament, with nothing particularly special about it. But upon closer inspection, one could find that this thing was unusually hard. When Yu Hong applied some force, it didn¡¯t deform at all. One should know that his strength now was far beyond what it used to be;a casual slap might cause an extremely exaggerated effect. ¡¯After the fusion is complete, I will test this item.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t because he didn¡¯t trust Senior Fu Bai, but because it¡¯s better to be safe than sorry. Testing and then fortifying it would be safer. This is how he always did things before. Sitting cross-legged, he started practicing the Qingwei Heart Technique again, while waiting for the fusion to complete. More than four hours passed in the blink of an eye. Suddenly, a flash of white light flickered outside the window. Yu Hong quickly looked out and saw a dazzling white light illuminating everything in the sky. It was as if something had exploded. But that exploding object seemed to be very far from the Mining Star, so only the light reached here, with no other effects. Yu Hong stared at the blossoming white light, suddenly feeling a sense of familiarity. ¡¯This light... it seems to contain some of the light from the Defense Belt I repaired....¡¯ The repaired Defense Belt would emit a peculiar blue light, whose hue was very distinctive, not sky blue, but with a special metallic luster. So at this moment, it looked somewhat familiar to him. ¡¯Perhaps Senior Fu Bai has already started using the Defense Belt... I wonder how effective it is?¡¯ "The effect is very good. The Defense Belt has already started working, but it needs some time to complete the seal." Fu Bai¡¯s voice suddenly sounded in his ear. "The function of the Defense Belt is to forcibly segment space-time, using a method similar to that of a Heavenly Venerate, temporarily isolating us from the Source Disaster. This is a powerful Magic Treasure refined by the Heavenly Venerate, and each use can isolate us for fifty years. Now, the Child of the Mother Tree won¡¯t be able to find us for the time being, and soon, the entire Star System of the Mining Star will completely disappear from its sight, until fifty years have passed." Fifty years!? Yu Hong¡¯s heart trembled. This time might be short for others, but for him, it was enough to grow to an unknown height. "As long as it¡¯s useful, Senior Fu Bai, what about Sister Qian Rong...." "That side seems to be real because I have obtained an old friend¡¯s token.... It can¡¯t be fake." Fu Bai replied, "But there¡¯s no rush. After more than three months, when the second wave of people from our Sect arrives, you can decide whether to leave with her." "Really?" Yu Hong felt relieved. Without any hesitation, he directly responded. "I do not intend to leave. Our Sect has nothing more than Golden Immortals in charge, and both you and Senior Uncle Feng Xuezi are Golden Immortals. Staying here is more cost-effective than going back. With the guidance and protection of two Golden Immortals here, it¡¯s much better than going back to our Sect. I can¡¯t believe the Golden Immortals in our Sect would neglect their own disciples to take care of me. Even considering my talent, I can at most receive the majority of a Golden Immortal¡¯s attention, which would be the limit. But here, I can enjoy the guidance of two Golden Immortals exclusively!" Yu Hong replied with a smile. "You are quite practical." Fu Bai laughed at his words. "You are right, we do not intend to hand over the Red Sky Fruit. Now that we have the buffer of the Defense Belt, if we can repair more good items in the future, we might be able to establish another branch of Qinghe Mountain! By the way, I forgot to tell you, I have temporarily returned to Qinghe Mountain as a Guest Elder. After all, after the war back then, almost no one is left in my lineage." "What the senior said is very true." Yu Hong also smiled. "Although the outside is sealed by the Black Disaster, your Vitality Ship might not be. The Vitality Ship itself can find suitable gaps and loopholes, and your Cultivation level is still low, so it won¡¯t attract attention. My meaning and that of your Senior Uncle is to have you avoid the situation while the Defense Belt takes time to fully activate. The sealing area is very large. Also, if there are any problems when people from our Sect arrive in more than three months, you will need to avoid them. So...." Fu Bai didn¡¯t finish his sentence. "So the senior means that we should go out and avoid it?" Yu Hong understood immediately. "Yes. The Mining Star is not safe now, it is even quite dangerous. Before the Defense Belt fully activates, this place is where the Source Disaster is focused. Then your Senior Uncle and I will find an opportunity to open a gap to send you and Quan He out." Fu Bai responded. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Alright." Yu Hong didn¡¯t ask why not to take others along. At this point, both he and Fu Bai were already clear that he understood the situation of Yu Xuezi and the other two. The three of them, being Chaos Bodies, were closely linked to the Array of the Mining Star, and were sealed and connected by Feng Xuezi with a Grand Array to slow down the self-destruction time. The Heavenly Venerate¡¯s Array seals Feng Xuezi and the others, and Feng Xuezi¡¯s Array seals his junior brother Yu Xuezi and the other three, layer upon layer. Over time, it was even hard to distinguish which Array belonged to whom. As Fu Bai¡¯s voice gradually disappeared, Yu Hong quickly got up and went out, heading towards the Crane Spirit House to discuss the matter with Quan He. "Leave for a while? Then where do we plan to go?" Quan He was a bit surprised. "Without enough vitality, what about our cultivation?" "We are not completely leaving, just temporarily. Cultivation won¡¯t be stopped entirely, it will just be slower." Yu Hong said. "What if it¡¯s not temporary?" Quan He asked back. The two of them were talking in the open space in front of the Crane Spirit House, and Quan He¡¯s question stunned Yu Hong. "Although I don¡¯t know why you have so much confidence in Senior Uncle Feng Xuezi and Senior Fu Bai. I have never seen them, but from my perspective, don¡¯t you think it looks like they are not confident, worried they can¡¯t take care of us, so they are arranging a fallback in advance?" Quan He said calmly. With her over a hundred years of experience, watching the development of things during this period, she had seen through it even more clearly than Yu Hong. "Whether it¡¯s temporary or deciding whether to go to the Sect, they¡¯re just excuses. Essentially, the two seniors might have serious trust issues with the Sect that Sister Qian Rong represents." Quan He continued. "Do you think our sect is fake? After all, even the people from Floating City and Senior Agrius have said that Qinghe Mountain has been gone for countless years." Yu Hong¡¯s mood plummeted, and the ease on his face gradually disappeared. "What does it matter if it¡¯s real or fake? Everyone is here for the Red Sky Fruit. If our sect, even if it¡¯s real, can¡¯t get the Red Sky Fruit, do you think they¡¯ll leave empty-handed? Wouldn¡¯t our sect¡¯s Golden Immortals far surpass those from the Mining Star? Qinghe Mountain, a colossal sect that once governed countless Star Domains, producing dozens of Golden Immortals is no big deal. What decisions do you think they¡¯d make regarding Golden Immortals Fu Bai and Feng Xuezi?" Quan He understood human nature too well. Even Golden Immortals wouldn¡¯t be soft-hearted in the face of significant enough interests. Immortals are still fundamentally human. As long as they are human, there will be disputes and conflicts of interest. Yu Hong fell into silence. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that Quan He was right. "So, what¡¯s your decision?" "Leave." Quan He replied. "We have to leave, no matter if the sect is real or fake. Trusting Senior Fu Bai and Uncle Feng Xuezi is the best choice for us. But even leaving requires thorough preparation." "Alright! I¡¯ll ask the seniors about the vitality issue and see how to handle it. As for Master and the others..." "Don¡¯t tell them. Just say it¡¯s our decision to go out and train." Quan He reminded. "Besides, I believe Master and the others would also agree with our approach." "Alright!" Yu Hong nodded. Immediately, he began discussing the details of their next steps with Quan He. In over three months, they prepared to temporarily leave the Mining Star. As for where to go, he had already thought it through¡ªfirst to the City of No Light. The two of them were small targets and wouldn¡¯t cause much disturbance. The last time they went to the City of No Light, it was fine. The most crucial thing was that there was still Senior Su Dan there, who they could possibly seek advice from. That night, Yu Hong and Quan He packed their belongings and returned to the Black Black Spirit together. Quan He¡¯s room was still there, untouched. Not long ago, she attempted to leave and create her own safe house, but that plan also failed. Before, she saw Yu Hong¡¯s Black Black Spirit wasn¡¯t impressive, seemingly easy to repair and upgrade. Anyway, watching Yu Hong maintain and fix it seemed effortless. But when she actually started doing it herself, she realized that building a sufficiently safe house was far more challenging than she imagined. After putting in immense effort only to end up with a half-finished product, Quan He decided to give up. She didn¡¯t even have enough time to cultivate, let alone waste time on the safe house. She thought to herself, once her cultivation was higher, dealing with these things would be a piece of cake? With that in mind, she comfortably moved back in with Yu Hong. The two of them planned to first go to the City of No Light that Yu Hong mentioned, and then head to Floating City to check on Yiyi and Ku Chan. After hearing that there was trouble there and a war had broken out, they were both somewhat worried. Late at night, Yu Hong listened to the sound of Quan He showering in the bathroom. The safe house felt more lively, and he didn¡¯t know why, but he felt much more relaxed. He had given Quan He a separate bedroom and a cultivation room. The cultivation room had an attached bathroom, with 24-hour lighting and hot water, and protective arrays to prevent outside spying and attacks. Earlier that day, after confirming their plans, they went together to the Life Well outpost and stocked up on various supplies. They filled their storage bags to the brim, with enough food and necessities to last decades. "By the way, Yu Hong, the body wash from the Floating City, the Blood Castle brand, do you still have any?" Quan He¡¯s voice came from the Array on the wall. "Yes, check the miscellaneous cabinet in the corner of the hall, look for the label." Yu Hong replied. "Why use bath products when there¡¯s the Cleaning Technique?" He was puzzled. "Don¡¯t you bathe anymore?" Quan He asked in shock. "I spend all my time cultivating... bathing is useless." Yu Hong answered. "Uh... what about using the toilet?" Quan He asked cautiously. "No need for a toilet. A clearing spell can empty everything. In the time you find a place to use the toilet, I can complete two Grand Circulations." Yu Hong replied bluntly. "..." Quan He was speechless. After thinking for a moment, she couldn¡¯t help but ask one last question. "Then... don¡¯t you have any physiological needs? The stronger the body, the stronger the needs, right..." "No such feeling." Yu Hong replied. "....." Quan He was utterly speechless. Standing in the bathroom, looking at the small toy Hei Ying gifted her, she felt ashamed comparing the wasted time to Yu Hong¡¯s dedication. "Understood!" she finally replied seriously. She then tried to crush the toy, but after hesitating, she stored it away instead. She quickly dried herself and went back to cultivating! Chapter 565: Verification 563 One The next morning. Yu Hong slowly woke up from his meditation and the first thing he did was to check the fused trait in his mind. Sure enough, a bright and dazzling light sphere was quietly waiting in the corner. Anticipatingly, Yu Hong stepped forward and lightly placed his hand over it. Sizzle! A thread of information immediately surged out from the surface of the light sphere. ¡¯Fusion successful, you have acquired the trait: Super Illusion God.¡¯ ¡¯Super Illusion God: Illusion resistance increased by 200%, any illusion-based abilities, magic, or automatically triggered effects are enhanced tenfold.¡¯ ¡¯Warning, please be cautious of the coverage area when releasing abilities. This talent once belonged to an ancient being who governed illusions in a certain universe, until it eventually destroyed its own homeland due to a mishap during a magic experiment.¡¯ "....." Just looking at the tenfold enhancement of the automatic effect, Yu Hong couldn¡¯t help but draw a deep breath. Night Breath and Illusion God were obviously entirely used to strengthen the Illusion God. He had anticipated this, but didn¡¯t expect it to be strengthened this much. "Now I have no choice but to practice illusion techniques, it would be a waste otherwise!" Yu Hong tried hard to calm his emotions. His number of traits returned to nine, and he quickly took out the Royal Golden Eye and pressed his hand on it, silently chanting for enhancement. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The countdown was reasonable;it would take just seventeen days to complete the repair. After finishing all this, Yu Hong stood up, feeling the progress of the advanced martial arts Three Elements Divine Light. The progress had now smoothly entered the beginner phase and reached the second layer. Because it required closed-eye cultivation, he hadn¡¯t met the qualification conditions, so the progress was somewhat slow. At once, he quickly found a strip of cloth to blindfold both of his eyes. Instantly, he felt the cultivation speed of the Three Elements Divine Light increased significantly. This technique primarily relies on converting a special type of mana to temper the eyes, thereby enhancing their abilities. After handling these miscellaneous matters, Yu Hong joined Quan He to head to Wanxue Palace, looking for their master to see if they could solve the problem of cultivating vitality. "Cultivation outside the Well of Life is certainly possible." Yu Xuezi lay leisurely on the jade couch, lazily fanning himself with one hand. "It is suitable for you to go out on a training trip now because once we leave, it will be difficult to return to this vicinity. Although the Well of Life speeds up your cultivation, you can still absorb vitality outside of it. The three types of vitality - Heaven, Earth, and Human - though Human Vitality is scarce on the Mining Star, Earth¡¯s Vitality is abundant," Yu Xuezi explained. "However, won¡¯t that cause a large-scale disaster of extinction?" asked Quan He softly. "Yes, it might, which is why we spend most of our time cultivating in the Well of Life. But if there is no other way, we cannot let it halt our cultivation progress, can we?" Yu Xuezi smiled. Knowing that they would soon leave the Mining Star and return to the sect he had longed for, he had been in a very good mood recently, smiling at everything. "So, our sect¡¯s disciples used to go out and hunt down heinously evil individuals to absorb their vitality," Qian Rong said, entering from outside with a smile. "Besides, our sect¡¯s disciples compiled a book named the Book of Life when there was no Well of Life. The book records the images and texts of over seventy thousand types of vitality sources. Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t bring it this time, but when you reach the sect, you can get a set from Wanfa Pavilion." "Greetings, Senior Sister Qian Rong." Yu Hong and Quan He promptly saluted her. "No need for formalities. Training trips outside do slow down cultivation progress, and that¡¯s why many cultivators often stay in seclusion, as it is the fastest way to progress. Think about it: traveling while cultivating, worrying about the environment, limited resources, and unresolved issues;versus having all cultivation resources at hand, instant solutions to problems, undisturbed focus, resulting in rapid advancement. The difference is huge, isn¡¯t it?" Qian Rong¡¯s words made Yu Hong and Quan He nod in understanding. Previously, the two hadn¡¯t thought deeply about this, but now they understood immediately. "However, while out, there are indeed some methods to sustain for a while," Qian Rong changed the topic, smiling, "You can use magic treasures to bring large individual sources of vitality from the Well of Life, enough for your cultivation during training trips." "I see, thank you, Senior Sister," Yu Hong said, saluting. "No problem. We¡¯ll be leaving in three months, so make sure to explore the surroundings while you can. It will be difficult to come back later. Although there¡¯s a Black Disaster encircling, you can still walk around nearby areas," Qian Rong nodded. "That¡¯s what we intend," Yu Hong promptly replied. "Alright, you may leave now. Your Senior Sister Qian Rong and I have migration-related matters to attend to. Prepare yourselves during this period," Yu Xuezi reminded. "Understood." Yu Hong and Quan He responded together and saluted him before exiting the palace. Watching their departing figures, the smile on Yu Xuezi¡¯s face slowly faded, and for a moment, he was inexplicably stunned. He watched them until their figures completely disappeared before snapping back to reality upon hearing Qian Rong calling him from the side. "It¡¯s alright, let¡¯s continue with our previous plan...." * * * More than ten days later. Within Black Black Spirit Gate, Yu Hong and Quan He had prepared everything they could. They stocked plenty of supplies and captured two self-growing Taisui from the Well of Life to absorb vitality during cultivation. The Royal Golden Eye repair would be completed today. "I want to visit Wanxue Palace one more time, would you like to come?" In the safe house, Quan He asked softly, looking towards the direction of Wanxue Palace. "Go..." Yu Hong seemed to have a premonition. He nodded, packed up, and changed into a Daoist robe. The two left together, Yu Hong grabbed Quan He, and the Eye of Transmission flashed. In the next instant, they were at the gate of Wanxue Palace. The two walked straight into the palace, and in the Frost Palace, they found Yu Xuezi sitting at a table, drinking alone. "You¡¯re here?" Yu Xuezi¡¯s face immediately lit up with a genuine smile upon seeing them. "Just in time, you two need vitality for your cultivation, right? I¡¯ve prepared something for you. It¡¯s more than enough for your use while you¡¯re out." "Thank you, Master!" The two immediately bowed, and as they looked up, Yu Xuezi approached and handed each of them an object. In Yu Hong¡¯s hand was a black seal, intricately carved with the character for "mountain." In Quan He¡¯s hand was a golden sachet, emitting a faint fragrance from within. "Alright, go back now, don¡¯t disturb my drinking, I¡¯m also feeling a bit nostalgic as the departure approaches..." After giving them the items, Yu Xuezi waved his hand, signaling them to leave. "By the way, when are you leaving?" He suddenly called out to ask. "These next few days," Yu Hong replied. "Stay safe. But I have confidence in you two. Even with such weak cultivation back then, you managed to safely reach the Mining Star and navigate those dangerous areas. It¡¯ll be even easier now," Yu Xuezi smiled. "That¡¯s true, Master, don¡¯t worry," Yu Hong said solemnly. "Yes... don¡¯t worry, go ahead, go ahead..." Yu Xuezi looked at them with a mysterious expression in his eyes. Not until they completely left the palace did he lower his head and pour himself another glass of wine. Yu Hong and Quan He left the palace and each examined the treasures they had received. "This is...!?" Yu Hong was slightly shocked as he realized the space inside the black seal with the mountain character was far larger than he imagined. Inside was a massive spherical space, about a thousand meters in diameter, with a floating flat metal plate in the center serving as a partition platform. "This is Master¡¯s Thousand Mountain Seal!" Yu Hong quickly realized. Yu Xuezi often used the Thousand Mountain Seal as his spatial storage treasure, but Yu Hong hadn¡¯t expected him to give it to him. "And this... is the Fengxiang Bag... It¡¯s Master¡¯s vitality treasure for cultivation, capable of storing ten days¡¯ worth of his vitality!" Quan He also recognized his treasure. Ten days!? Yu Hong was slightly shocked. Yu Xuezi was in the Immortal Realm, and his ten days of cultivation vitality far exceeded what he and Quan He needed. If Master could use it for ten days, it would last them at least ten months, maybe even more! Realizing the preciousness of their treasures, the two fell silent for a moment. "Let¡¯s head back first," Yu Hong sighed, grabbed Quan He, and with a flicker, they returned to the Black Black Spirit Gate. They opened the door to find a short figure with a large tumor on his back standing silently in the center of the room. "The security of your safe house is quite lacking," the Corrupt Traveler said as he turned to Yu Hong. "I¡¯ve upgraded it a bit, added some reinforcements. With my mana and my undying magical power, it¡¯s much safer now," the Corrupt Traveler explained softly. "Thank you, Senior!" Yu Hong¡¯s heart leapt with joy. With the Corrupt Traveler¡¯s help, their safe house had transformed greatly, and its safety significantly improved. "No need to thank me. Your safe house was already strong;I just made some enhancements. The key is..." The Corrupt Traveler paused, glancing at Quan He. "Are you leaving?" "Yes, we plan to leave today," Yu Hong nodded. "I guessed as much. I thought you might stay longer, but leaving now is good too," the Corrupt Traveler smiled. "No time to waste. Do you have everything ready? I¡¯ll send you off now." "We¡¯re fully prepared. Just need to absorb some vitality," Yu Hong replied quickly. "Go ahead then, I¡¯ll wait here," the Corrupt Traveler smiled. Immediately, Yu Hong grabbed Quan He and quickly left the safe house, using instantaneous movement to enter the Well of Life. After more than ten minutes, they returned and opened the door. The Corrupt Traveler had just lifted his shimmering golden finger from the wall. "Your place couldn¡¯t block someone of my realm from coming and going freely, so I put in some restrictions. Hope you don¡¯t mind," he smiled at Yu Hong. "Of course not. I¡¯m grateful for your help, Senior!" Yu Hong said sincerely. "Since you¡¯re leaving, take this." The Corrupt Traveler suddenly tossed an object to Yu Hong. Yu Hong caught it and found it was a black and red dagger with a sheath. "This is...!?" Chapter 566: verification 2 "This is the life-saving item your martial uncle prepared for you. It contains three full-force magical attacks from him. Use it carefully." The Corrupt Traveler collected his smile, "This thing, using it once can destroy an entire Constant Star System. If not released under special conditions, it could cause immense collateral damage. Use it very, very cautiously!" "This junior understands! Thank you for your efforts, Martial Uncle Feng Xuezi!" Yu Hong said emotionally. "Remember, before using this item, you must stand within the circular area three meters behind the dagger. This is the absolutely safe zone;all other places are extremely dangerous." The Corrupt Traveler reminded again. "Understood!" Yu Hong nodded solemnly. Quan He, on the side, listened with a pounding heart. She even had some doubts whether the Corrupt Traveler was deceiving them. Such tremendous destructive power, could it really be packed into such a small dagger? "Alright, are you truly ready this time?" The Corrupt Traveler asked again. "Yes, everything is ready." Yu Hong and Quan He exchanged a glance and confirmed with a nod. "Then... let me send you off." The Corrupt Traveler revealed a slight smile on his face. He pushed open the door and walked out, a faint layer of Golden Light suddenly appearing on his body. At the same time, Yu Hong quickly activated the Black Black Spirit, locking the door from the inside. From the window, he watched the Corrupt Traveler outside. Sizzle sizzle sizzle sizzle!! In the next moment, long-absent colorful lines emerged around the Black Black Spirit, like living creatures. In a flash, they enveloped the entire Black Black Spirit. Then they began to slowly and very gradually fade away, disappearing. It seemed as if something was blocking them firmly, far from the usual smoothness of entering and exiting the Wind Disaster. The Corrupt Traveler snorted coldly and pointed with one finger. There was a crisp snap. Invisibly, it seemed as if something was shattered by that finger, and the speed at which the colorful lines surrounding the Black Black Spirit disappeared increased rapidly. A few seconds later. All the colorful lines completely dissipated, leaving no trace behind. Only a deep pit remained on the ground, which was pressed out by the Safe House. Seeing this, the Corrupt Traveler let out a slight sigh of relief. He glanced towards the Wanxue Palace and suddenly disappeared. At this moment, in the Wanxue Palace, Yu Xuezi, Bai Sheng, and Hei Ying were gathered together. Yu Xuezi slowly filled a cup with wine, raised it, and silently made a toast towards the direction of the Black Black Spirit. "We are returning to our sect. Are you happy?" he suddenly asked. "Happy..." Bai Sheng nodded with a smile. "Very happy." Hei Ying also nodded. But inexplicably, the smiles on their faces carried a certain indescribable quality. "Yes... This has been our dream for many years... I, as your master, am also very happy." Yu Xuezi drank the wine in one gulp and then raised the empty cup. "This cup, to tomorrow." * * * On the floating island within the black vortex. Feng Xuezi watched the returning Corrupt Traveler. "Did you deliver the items?" "Yes. You can trust me to handle things." The Corrupt Traveler said calmly. "The Defense Belt is now successfully deployed, but... if the matter of Qian Rong is true, it¡¯s fine, at most the sect people will come. If it¡¯s false..." Feng Xuezi did not continue. "If it is false, they will invade first, then the Defense Belt will be deployed, which means they will also be enclosed within. This means the Defense Belt can defend against the Black Disaster, but is ineffective against them." The Corrupt Traveler added. "Indeed... if it truly is them...." Feng Xuezi fell silent. "Is it the Red Sky Fruit?" The Corrupt Traveler asked. "It should be. The principle of the Red Sky Fruit theoretically can also be applied to other Source Disasters, so it¡¯s normal for it to attract them." Feng Xuezi nodded. "Then aren¡¯t we doomed?" The Corrupt Traveler sighed. "We are people who should have died long ago. Are you still afraid?" Feng Xuezi raised an eyebrow. "Afraid? I¡¯ve traversed many realms for years as Fu Bai;when have you seen me afraid?" The Corrupt Traveler smiled. "The Red Sky Fruit and the Defense Belt have given us a second hope. Are you willing to give up just like that!?" Feng Xuezi asked again. "Of course not. With Zheng Rou and Quan He sent off, we have no worries. Whether we win or lose, it hasn¡¯t even started yet!" The Corrupt Traveler laughed. "Yes, it hasn¡¯t even started...." Feng Xuezi also laughed. * * * Countless colorful lines swiftly flitted past outside the Black Spirit Window. Yu Hong and Quan He quietly watched the scenery outside the window, not saying a word for a time. Until the colorful lines outside gradually began to darken and turn black. Plop! A muffled sound echoed as the entire Black Spirit suddenly plunged into a pitch-black tunnel. They finally came to their senses. "Is this the City of No Light you mentioned?" Quan He asked. "Yes, I¡¯m a bit worried, so I want to consult a senior there," Yu Hong nodded. "I understand the feeling you mentioned, I feel the same," Quan He said softly, "Don¡¯t you think the magic treasures Master gave us at the end were a bit too precious?" "I do," Yu Hong nodded, "And Senior Corrupt, reinforcing the safe house¡¯s protection for me without a word. He¡¯s not the type of person to give so freely. This completely doesn¡¯t match his character." Corrupt Traveler usually dealt with him only through transactions. Offering for free like today was very unusual. "Perhaps, the so-called arrival of our sect member is a complete scam," Quan He said softly. "With such high costs, they wouldn¡¯t leave empty-handed." "....." Yu Hong said nothing more. Outside the window, the black tunnel sped past. This time, Black Spirit did not tremble at all, remaining incredibly stable, with a faint golden glow on the walls. It was clearly the handiwork of Senior Corrupt. Time slowly passed. Not long after, the entire house suddenly trembled, and everything outside the window stopped completely. The safe house had landed on a vast, black plain at some unknown time. Through the window in the distance, they could see a silent ruin of buildings standing still, with the wind howling and a thin layer of frost covering the ground. "We¡¯ve arrived at the City of No Light," Yu Hong said. Quan He nodded and pressed her face against the glass, examining the place Yu Hong had recently mentioned multiple times. "The outside temperature is close to minus two hundred degrees, don¡¯t go out. Besides, there are various highly dangerous Unconscious Bodies. This place fundamentally isn¡¯t somewhere people at our level should be. It was only the Vitality Ship that forcibly brought me here," Yu Hong said. "Be careful, even inside the house, don¡¯t let your guard down." "Understood," Quan He responded, quickly pulling out pen and paper to start sketching the terrain. "I¡¯ll try to map this place." "Alright," Yu Hong nodded. He stood by the window and softly called out in his mind to Su Dan. "Senior!?" "Senior Su Dan?" "I saw you coming! I heard your noise from far away. The entire City of No Light could feel it." Su Dan¡¯s old and impatient voice sounded. "It¡¯s been a long time, Senior," Yu Hong greeted. "Not that long, just a moment for me. The space-time here is isolated from other places. Since you left, you¡¯ve been affected by it. Anytime you come back, it¡¯s the next moment for me," Su Dan explained. "Is this the work of the Heavenly Venerate?" Yu Hong asked in surprise. "It¡¯s the handiwork of the Source Disaster. Time¡¯s essence is merely a unit describing change. Here, time slows down when you enter and accelerates rapidly after you leave. So, your comings and goings are very noticeable here." Su Dan answered. "It¡¯s not a matter of noise, but the time impact you carry." sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I see," Yu Hong understood. He glanced at Quan He, who was unaware he was communicating with Su Dan. "This is my junior sister Quan He... Senior, can she¡­?" "No. She¡¯s different from you," Su Dan interrupted. "You haven¡¯t realized yet, have you? The fact you can communicate with me directly proves your significant uniqueness." "Why is that?" Yu Hong was puzzled. "I¡¯m not sure, but if it were her, she would be affected negatively the moment she heard my voice. I don¡¯t know what would happen, so don¡¯t try to let her communicate with me," Su Dan advised. "Alright¡­" Yu Hong couldn¡¯t figure out his own situation either. He had many special traits, making him much more unique than Quan He. "Alright, tell me, why did you rush back so quickly? There must be something you need my help with, right?" Su Dan¡¯s insight was evident, seeing through Yu Hong¡¯s thoughts in an instant. "Your wisdom is unparalleled, Senior," Yu Hong smiled. "My eyes are brighter than a torch, don¡¯t flatter poorly. Your words are laughable, like saying someone is as tall as a mouse," Su Dan retorted. "Uh¡­ You¡¯re right, Senior. I¡¯ll get to the point. It¡¯s like this¡­" Yu Hong quickly described a series of recent events on the Mining Star. "No need to say more, it¡¯s a Heart Disaster," Su Dan concluded immediately. "You mean that Senior Sister Qian Rong and the sect are fake?" Yu Hong asked seriously. "I don¡¯t know. Show me that Meteorite Immortal Brew," Su Dan replied. This was what Yu Hong was waiting for. He quickly took out the Meteorite Immortal Brew and placed it on the table. After a short wait, Su Dan¡¯s voice sounded again. "This is real. It is indeed a Treasure Medicine beneficial to you all." "Then does that mean Senior Sister Qian Rong is real?" Yu Hong felt a bit relieved. "I don¡¯t know, but even if she¡¯s real, it doesn¡¯t matter. The Heart Disaster can swap reality and falsehood. Even Qian Rong herself wouldn¡¯t know she¡¯s a product of the Heart Disaster transformation. Heart Disaster transformations are another form of reality, directing everything towards your destruction, like an alternate tragic ending to a story," Su Dan explained. "So, you mean an alternate possibility in a parallel world?" Yu Hong tried to understand. "Parallel world? Similar, but the difference is, Qian Rong and the Qinghe Mountain sect exist in your world. The Heart Disaster can resurrect them from annihilation. It¡¯s not difficult," Su Dan elaborated. "In other words, it¡¯s a puppet show staged for us, right?" Yu Hong asked after a pause. "Yes, what¡¯s troublesome about the Heart Disaster is that the controlled person believes they¡¯re real and are moving towards their desired direction," Su Dan sighed. "So¡­ the three-month period¡­" Yu Hong inquired. "Without any surprises, the three-month period is the time of ultimate destruction. These three months are to create a semi-belief mindset in you, enhancing the Heart Disaster¡¯s infiltration," Su Dan affirmed. Chapter 567: knows One Three months.... Yu Hong¡¯s mind sank. If Senior Su Dan wasn¡¯t lying to him, then the Mining Star was truly in danger. "Now that you know the situation, what do you plan to do?" Su Dan asked again. "With your current level, going back is certain death. That¡¯s why your master and martial uncle sent you away. Staying behind is of no use." "Do you have any suggestions, Senior?" Yu Hong asked after a moment of silence. "Stay in the City of No Light. It can keep you safe here, but venturing outside would make survival difficult. Your martial uncle has the Red Sky Fruit, but escaping is unlikely." Su Dan sighed, "I¡¯ve seen too much destruction. The key is the decision you make at this moment." ".... There¡¯s no way. Yu Hong¡¯s mind raced, thinking of all the possible methods. But time was too short. If he had enough time, he could create something like a treasure that could break open a large array and help everyone escape together. But there were only three months.... And he himself was only at the Nascent Soul stage, far from becoming an Immortal.... "I suggest you don¡¯t go back. Go train, grow. When you reach a sufficient height, reviving them won¡¯t be difficult," Su Dan advised. "But by then, will they still be themselves?" Yu Hong asked. "Why wouldn¡¯t they be? Their death only means their bodies dissolve into countless particles, scattered elsewhere. As long as you¡¯re strong enough, you can gather all their particles and reverse their physiological time. Everything will be as it was before. Haven¡¯t I told you? Time is just a measurement term for change;the change of all things is not irreversible," Su Dan explained. ? "What level must I reach to achieve that?" Yu Hong asked, a little depressed. "You need deep involvement with space-time and cycles. You must first understand micro-level particles that make up everything," Su Dan answered. "Thank you, Senior!" Yu Hong expressed his sincere gratitude. Although the distance was great, Su Dan¡¯s words at least alleviated some of the despair in his heart. All this time, his only choice was to run. Forced by the Source Disaster, he couldn¡¯t stop for a moment. Now he finally had a sect that could help him resist the storm, but soon.... Seeing Quan He¡¯s clueless eyes, Yu Hong knew she couldn¡¯t hear the conversation. After a moment¡¯s pause, he quietly explained the situation to her. "So what do we do now?" Quan He asked, her face changing after hearing the whole story. She trusted Yu Hong wasn¡¯t the type to lie, and Su Dan¡¯s existence wasn¡¯t a lie. The key now was what to do about the Mining Star? "I don¡¯t know." Yu Hong sat down on a chair, wiping his face with his hands. He hadn¡¯t made such a gesture in a long, long time. Only when feeling powerless and exhausted would he subconsciously do this. "Let¡¯s go back and see. It¡¯s just three months, right? We can wait. Maybe there will be a turnaround," Quan He said gravely. "Alright!" Yu Hong agreed. Their small target, strong defense, and weak attraction meant they could wait three months to see what happens. Immediately, the two said goodbye to Su Dan, quickly controlling the Black Black Spirit to leave the City of No Light, entering the Wind Disaster, and attempting to return to the Mining Star¡¯s location. But..... Buzz! The Black Black Spirit suddenly plunged into a colorful vortex, the surroundings flickering as it entered a dark, boundless cosmic space. Pale stars slowly rotated around them, emitting a bright white light. "This isn¡¯t it!" Yu Hong recognized at a glance that this wasn¡¯t the Star System where the Mining Star was located. He quickly withdrew, re-entered the Wind Disaster, and charged into another vortex that looked similar. But... Minutes later. The Black Black Spirit appeared inside a crimson cloud. A huge red star in the distance shone brilliantly, releasing terrifying heat and light. The moment the Black Black Spirit exited the Wind Disaster, its body temperature rapidly rose, with faint orange flames appearing on its surface. Beep! Beep! Beep!! The temperature sensors inside the room emitted alarm sounds, and the defense¡¯s Constant Temperature Array began to show cracking red lines. The entire safe house¡¯s walls were filled with spreading red glowing cracks. "The temperature is too high, let¡¯s go!!" Quan He shouted nervously. "I¡¯m trying! Something here is sticking to us!" Yu Hong urgently responded, glancing at the sensors. The upgraded automatic sensing system¡¯s LCD screen showed the external temperature had exceeded millions of degrees. At this moment, the Black Black Spirit abruptly emitted a layer of Golden Light from the red cloud, breaking free from the invisible bindings. The colorful Wind Disaster reappeared around it, swiftly enveloping it and causing it to disappear. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The beeping alarms finally stopped. Yu Hong and Quan He both sighed in relief. "To think there¡¯s an environment with such high temperatures. It seems the temperature control of the safe house is still inadequate," Yu Hong wiped the sweat from his forehead, still shaken. "What¡¯s going on, can¡¯t we find our way back?" Quan He asked quietly. "...No, it¡¯s the right direction, but the positions are off once we enter. I suspect the Mining Star is now surrounded and blocked, with a significant shift in location," Yu Hong quickly explained. He indeed can sense the direction of the Mining Star, but upon entering, it is not the Mining Star, but another place. "Could it be that this is the work of the Corrupt Immortal?" Quan He suddenly said. "...." Yu Hong also thought about this point;the Corrupt Immortal¡¯s inexplicable entry into the safe house claiming to strengthen its defenses, now with the safe house unreachable, it¡¯s highly likely it¡¯s a preemptive measure by the Corrupt Traveler to prevent them from foolishly returning. Both guessed this but were helpless. The means of a Golden Immortal are not something they, one at Foundation Establishment and the other at Nascent Soul, can handle. It was quiet for a long time before Yu Hong stood up with a bitter voice. "Regardless, let¡¯s stay here and wait, three months... perhaps..." Quan He didn¡¯t speak, but she too carried an inexplicable emotion toward the Mining Star. Yu Xuezi and Bai Sheng Hei Ying were also quite kind to her. No matter what, there must be an outcome. The two of them immediately fell silent and started cultivating. With Tai Sui providing vitality, cultivating was not an issue. Yu Hong now mainly was not relying on vitality to break through;his key to breaking through was to comprehend Micro. This is critical in the middle stage of Nascent Soul. Thus, they hovered and waited within the Wind Disaster, in the safe house, both of them had just broken through, silently consolidating their cultivation. The timer on the table kept flashing and the clock on the wall turned circle after circle. The colorful light outside of the Wind Disaster grew bright and dim, occasionally some unknown thing flashed by or struck the surface of the safe house, producing a clang sound. The Royal Golden Eye of Yu Hong had long been repaired, and he continued to use the Black Mark to reinforce the safe house. The safe house¡¯s Black Black Spirit, after many modifications, even excluding the Golden Immortal¡¯s modifications, the current time for a single defense reinforcement had increased to over five months. Absorbed mana was still not a problem;with Yu Hong¡¯s current realm and cultivation, mana could be rapidly recovered, continuously. Actually, the five plus months of reinforcing the safe house was already Yu Hong¡¯s preparation for the future. In his heart, the Mining Star, whether successful or not, they might not be able to return. The Red Sky Fruit would continuously attract successive attacks from Source Disaster, which might also be the key reason the Corrupt Immortal advised them not to return. In the blink of an eye, over two months had passed. Deep within the Wind Disaster, among countless colorful threads, a golden ray of light suddenly shot out. That beam of light, like a swimming fish, shuttled through and slid, quickly and precisely flying to the hidden position of the safe house¡¯s Black Black Spirit. Swoosh! It crashed into the glass window. Then, without resistance, it passed through the window. Yu Hong and Quan He, who were cultivating, noticed the movement and quickly came to the main hall. They saw the golden strand suspended midair. "Long time no see, Zheng Rou, Quan He. I am Feng Xuezi." From the Golden Immortal, a gentle male voice was transmitted. Both their faces tightened, and they quickly saluted. "Master Uncle, how is the situation!?" Yu Hong asked impatiently. "Why can¡¯t I return using the Water Instrument Ball?" "You should have guessed it;yes, I asked Senior Fu Bai to make an adjustment to seal it off." A voice from the golden strand was transmitted. "Don¡¯t speak;I can¡¯t hear your reply, this is just a recorded message." This statement immediately silenced both who wanted to ask more. "Five days after you left, Black Disaster started its offensive early, two Children of the Mother Tree attacked together, fortunately, our defense belt had already taken effect, hiding the Mineral Star System, preventing them from finding it. But Qian Rong of our sect, Senior Fu Bai and I suspected something was wrong, we contacted her master using the contact information provided by Qian Rong, and the result...." The voice paused. "The result was that their sect was completely genuine... and they promised that Fu Bai and I would also return with the entire Star System Array. When the time comes, they will bring three more Golden Immortals, with five people combined, enough to relocate the entire Mineral Star System with its defense belt. After testing the power, we agreed." "Soon, three days later, the Golden Immortal of their sect arrived early, we temporarily repelled Black Disaster together, and relocated altogether. This message is only to inform you, don¡¯t search, the entire Star System has been moved. After we have confirmed safety, we will trace the Water Instrument Ball¡¯s aura to find you. So, you and Quan He should find a place to hide, cultivate well, and wait for our news." The voice ended, and the golden strand suddenly dissipated, transforming into a gray mist, which swiftly flooded into the storage space of Yu Hong¡¯s Thousand Mountain Seal. Yu Hong probed mentally and discovered that the two Tai Sui in the Thousand Mountain Seal had inexplicably gained a large amount of vitality, becoming vibrant, not only had they recovered what was previously absorbed, but also additionally enhanced significantly. "Master Uncle is lying." Quan He spoke at this moment. "Indeed.... if the Water Instrument Ball can find us no matter how far, then the monsters evolved by Source Disaster can also find us using the same method. So.... the last words were just to comfort us." Yu Hong nodded. "Then, do we still wait?" Quan He looked at Yu Hong. Now that it was confirmed the Mining Star had moved, her worries had lessened significantly. Even if their sect was affected by Heart Disaster, it shouldn¡¯t be an immediate issue because everything evolved from Heart Disaster is real. Since it¡¯s real, it shouldn¡¯t instantaneously be destroyed in a short time. Chapter 568: knows two "No more waiting, it¡¯s pointless to stay here. Let¡¯s head to the Floating City first!" Yu Hong said decisively. "And then?" "Then¡­ we continue exploring. If we can find a place completely free from the Source Disaster, absolutely safe, we can solve all problems!" Yu Hong said in a deep voice. Quan He remained silent. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She actually didn¡¯t believe such a place existed. But the Vitality Ship moving forward by itself brought them a trace of hope and expectation. * * * Half an hour later, in the Floating City Universe. In space filled with debris, the massive silver Floating City was surrounded by countless black spheres. Each sphere was a conglomeration of countless Black Disaster Monsters, wrapped in black fog, continuously shedding sand-like monsters that swarmed towards the huge Floating City. A layer of rhombus-shaped purple light screens appeared around the Floating City, piecing together like building blocks into an oval shape, blocking most of the monsters. The remaining monster swarms entering through the gaps were blocked by dense silver spaceships floating inside, firing beams of light. A silent war, judging from the floating debris, no one knew how long it had been ongoing. There was a loud hiss. In the distance of space, the back of a hemispherical black metal fragment suddenly revealed a large spread of color lines. The color lines dispersed, revealing the dark silhouette of the Black Black Spirit inside. "It¡¯s already started!" Yu Hong stood at the window, looking towards the direction of the Floating City through the glass. "Looks like it can still hold out. What should we do?" Quan He asked. Yu Hong remained silent. Rescuing people might not be safe for Yiyi and the others. Staying at the Floating City, they weren¡¯t strong enough to fight, and with Ku Chan¡¯s teacher taking care of them, their safety might be higher. Moreover, rescuing people now, they wouldn¡¯t be able to rush in. At this scale, no doubt there¡¯s a significant amount of space distortion and blocked instantaneous movement. "We can¡¯t do anything." Yu Hong replied. "Let¡¯s go." Ultimately, he decided to leave directly, sensing Ku Chan and his group¡¯s status seemed fine. As a powerful faction, the Floating City couldn¡¯t be destroyed quickly;it could hold out for a while. The Black Black Spirit didn¡¯t stay and vanished again into the Wind Disaster. But its direction was not Yu Hong¡¯s command for free navigation, rather¡­. Time passed continuously. During endless cultivation, Yu Hong and Quan He in the Black Black Spirit, after eating and drinking daily, returned to their rooms to cultivate. Unknowingly, March had arrived. Silently, the Black Black Spirit kept moving towards the original position of the Mineral Star System. Each time Yu Hong reacted swiftly, upon sensing something off, he immediately departed. Entering the Isolation State didn¡¯t trigger any monster attacks. Yu Hong followed the Water Instrument Ball¡¯s direction every few days. He didn¡¯t fully trust the Golden Line transmissions, still holding onto the last bit of hope. Finally, after the twenty-first return search entering the vortex. The pale yellow Mining Star reappeared in front of Yu Hong. He stood by the glass window, at the moment of seeing the Mining Star, his hand instinctively clenched into a fist. The Mining Star was surrounded by countless large black spheres. These spheres were similar to those attacking around the Floating City, continuously shedding monster swarms from their surfaces. But different from the Floating City, above the Mining Star, there was a dense black network of massive roots, spread across the starry sky. The network of roots slowly tried to envelop the entire Mining Star;its speed was slow but exceptionally stable. "Wasn¡¯t the Mining Star supposed to be relocated?" Quan He appeared beside Yu Hong, watching the scene outside with concern. "But it clearly hasn¡¯t moved. Which side is real?" Yu Hong didn¡¯t respond;he wasn¡¯t sure either. If he believed the Golden Line transmissions, then everything visible now was fake. If it was real, then the previous Golden Lines were fake. Yu Hong silently watched the cosmic battle, where countless monsters approaching the Mining Star were blocked by a golden net, turning into golden torches and disintegrating into ashes. On the flashing golden net, one could vaguely see the giant figure of Feng Xuezi, holding Golden Light, his face stern. His body was almost half the size of the Mining Star, mostly hidden, only revealing momentarily when the golden net appeared. Yu Hong controlled the safe house, trying to get closer to observe the situation. But Feng Xuezi seemed to sense something. His stern expression relaxed, glancing towards the Black Black Spirit, seemingly detecting it. Then he smiled, waving his hand to signal Yu Hong to leave quickly. "It¡¯s safe here, let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll find you and bring you back when everything is resolved. Be good." A vague voice echoed in the safehouse. Yu Hong didn¡¯t speak. He remained silent for a moment, just taking one last look at Feng Xuezi¡¯s massive figure, and the huge tree web above that covered the sky, then decisively activated the safehouse, drilled into the Wind Disaster Color Line, and disappeared. In the Wind Disaster. Quan He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but remained silent. Before long, the two returned to the City of No Light. "Senior." Yu Hong stopped the safehouse, stood up, and bowed. "Did you go back?" Su Dan asked. "Yes." "Have you given up?" "....." Yu Hong was silent for a while, then described what he had just seen. "Senior, could you help me discern which side is real?" "What you saw later was false. When you first returned, there was a strong Heart Disaster aura on you." Su Dan replied. "Then why...?" Yu Hong was stunned. "You mean why did your master uncle let you go?" Su Dan replied, "It¡¯s simple because he is indeed Feng Xuezi. Everything the Heart Disaster manifests is true. He is Feng Xuezi, so what he did is what Feng Xuezi would do. So, whether true or false, they all hope you don¡¯t return, understand?" "...." Yu Hong and Quan He were speechless. "They probably aren¡¯t dead yet. You shouldn¡¯t be sad now but should think about how to make quick progress to go back and help." Su Dan reminded. "What are your plans next? Do you want to stay here with me? After all, you currently lack nothing, right?" "City of No Light... isn¡¯t it dangerous?" Yu Hong frowned. "Don¡¯t you have a safehouse? As long as you don¡¯t recklessly intrude into the core area, it¡¯s not dangerous. Plus, I can remind you in time, so it¡¯s not a big problem." Su Dan said. "Alright. Then I¡¯ll trouble you, Senior." Yu Hong also wanted to learn more about the secrets of various fields from Su Dan. From now on, it seems that Su Dan¡¯s Realm energy level may be higher than Golden Immortal. He can evaluate their master uncle from a higher and superior perspective. Such a level may only be possessed by a Heavenly Venerate... Yu Hong suspected that Su Dan was actually a Heavenly Venerate trapped in the City of No Light. "Stop guessing. I am not a Heavenly Venerate. What I am is not important. Besides the voice, I can¡¯t do anything now." Su Dan seemed to have guessed Yu Hong¡¯s thoughts. "Aren¡¯t you starting Nascent Soul? Next is Micro. Do you mind if I look at the cultivation method from Qinghe Mountain?" "If it doesn¡¯t involve specific cultivation methods, I don¡¯t mind." Yu Hong actually hadn¡¯t heard his master ask for secrecy. The basic cultivation techniques of Qinghe Mountain, even if spread out, wouldn¡¯t be practiced by many people. After all, most people cannot sense both parts of heaven and earth to absorb vitality, only sensing Human Vitality. And simply practicing Human Vitality without unique resources like the Life Well of Qinghe Mountain would externally appear to be a path of Demon Path cultivation that destroys life. He then carefully explained the basic cultivation techniques through spiritual transmission. "This cultivation technique is quite overbearing... plundering external items to supplement oneself. Your sect is probably a major Demon Path sect?" Su Dan said speechlessly. "Senior, you¡¯re mistaken. My Qinghe Mountain was one of the larger Mystical Sects at the time, a major faction in the Righteous Path." Yu Hong had read classical books and had some understanding of the situation at that time. "Given your cultivation techniques, what would you do during resource shortages?" Su Dan asked. Yu Hong remained silent. "See, but no wonder your Heavenly Venerate could resist Source Disaster for so long and the formations laid down could persist for so many years. Such means are essentially like a scorched-earth policy. Your Source Disaster absorbs and destroys living beings, right? So, first, absorb all living beings, equating to forcibly aggregating all life force to collectively resist Source Disaster." Su Dan pointed out the key incisively. "Senior...." Yu Hong showed an expression of helplessness. "Alright, alright, let¡¯s not talk about it. But I bet your sect was certainly a target for everyone at that time." Su Dan laughed, "Alright, your current issue is how to enter the Micro level of the primary cultivation technique, right?" Yu Hong nodded. "Exactly, I¡¯ve been exploring for a long time but can¡¯t find any clues...." "Such a long time? Others in Nascent Soul close themselves off for decades. You¡¯ve been exploring for just a few months?" Su Dan interrupted. "Micro means observing and contacting finer things. What you need to do first is make yourself finer. So, observe yourself, find the basic units of your spiritual power and consciousness, that¡¯s your first step. Didn¡¯t your master say this?" "He did. Master Yu Xuezi even gave me a small magic skill to observe the smallest units of oneself." Yu Hong replied. "And you still can¡¯t do it?" "No clues...." Yu Hong said helplessly. "Your comprehension is not good... How did you reach this level? Your comprehension is at the mortal level." Su Dan was speechless. "...." Yu Hong was again speechless. "Comprehension isn¡¯t just about having strong spiritual power, fast reaction, or enhanced memory. If so, mechanical civilization¡¯s robots would be much stronger in spiritual power, have reaction speeds beyond light speed, and have whatever memory capacity desired. Wouldn¡¯t such entities be invincible?" Su Dan said. "Then what exactly is comprehension?" "It¡¯s Spirit Light." Su Dan answered. "Spirit Light?" "It¡¯s a spark from the essence of your Life Evolution, illuminating a bit of external content needed for evolution. The instant it is illuminated is the moment of your enlightenment." Su Dan explained deeply. "Since each life¡¯s evolution differs, Spirit Light naturally varies. To enhance your comprehension, you need to fully recognize and accept yourself. Then you can capture the fleeting Spirit Light from the deepest self." Hearing this, Yu Hong seemed thoughtful. From the beginning, he was driven to exhaustion by Source Disaster. Now settled, he finally had the chance to look back. As Su Dan said, he was just an ordinary person. Without the Black Mark, he might never have met Quan He. Accepting and recognizing oneself? So, what kind of person is he? Chapter 569: Crossing the Tribulation I "What kind of person am I...?" Ever since arriving in this world, he never had time to ponder this question. The crisis of survival kept pushing him forward relentlessly, constantly running away. But now, after reaching the Nascent Soul Stage, he had to confront this difficult question. "Am I willing to sacrifice everything for others?" He asked himself this. "No, I would only help those who are good to me if I have the capacity left after ensuring my own safety." S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Am I the kind of person who upholds justice? Am I someone with strong will?" "Not really. I¡¯m just being forced to move forward by constant danger, nothing more." Yu Hong questioned himself repeatedly, continuously affirming and denying himself, until finally, he came to several answers that reflected his true nature. In the end, the conclusion was quite simple. "I¡¯m just an ordinary person... a little selfish, a little courageous, afraid of dying, and a regular person who trembles with fear...." Yu Hong had never recognized himself as clearly as he did now. He closed his eyes, and his spiritual power continuously scanned his body, every inch of flesh and blood laid bare in his mind. "This is who I am, no need to hesitate, no need to worry, no need to fear criticism. I was born this way, raised by life, shaped by my environment. I will continue to change, but right now, at this very moment...." Scenes of his journey flashed in Yu Hong¡¯s mind, he could clearly see his gradual growth and transformation with each step. Every thought he had ever had resurfaced at this moment. Suddenly, he sat down cross-legged, right in the Black Black Spirit hall, under the gaze of Quan He and Su Dan. He sat down on his own. His vast and unrestrained spiritual power rapidly disintegrated into numerous thoughts, impulses, notions. These things were borne by strands of differently colored spiritual power. His rationality stemmed from the instinct to seek benefit and avoid harm. The spiritual power derived from this instinct was blue, mostly concerning how to avoid harm and how to maximize benefits. The instinct for sensual and reproductive desires was split into five senses¡¯ desire and reproductive desire, a collection of pink, red, and yellow, constantly changing color but overall much weaker than the blue. There was also a faint thread of silver spiritual power, a small essence derived from the interweaving of rational and sensual spiritual power. That was the collection of perseverance, persistence, never giving up, courage, and so on. At this moment, Yu Hong¡¯s mind was devoid of any thought, he just observed quietly like a high-above eye, watching the structure of these three types of self. Suddenly, he sensed that his Nascent Soul Power seemed to start disassociating along with the self-structure. The originally integrated mana began to classify according to different self-parts, turning into three types of differently colored mana. Simultaneously, the mana¡¯s form transformed from simple halos into delicate threads. With the change in mana, Yu Hong clearly sensed his five senses being amplified, their strength increased manifold compared to before. He carefully experienced this brand-new change, feeling how the categorized mana operated more smoothly. Rational mana controlled and commanded, sensual mana was responsible for attack and defense, and the silver mana linked and reinforced the two. Yu Hong sat still, not knowing how much time had passed. Suddenly, a golden light shone from his body. In the golden light, his Nascent Soul slowly grew. From the previous infant form, it gradually grew taller and larger, and in just over ten minutes, it grew into the form of a young boy. "It seems you have broken through," Su Dan said with satisfaction. "Yes...Thank you for your guidance, senior." Yu Hong stood up and bowed respectfully towards the window. "After reaching Micro, all the forces obstructing myself were eliminated, and the amplification of mana has increased by more than double." "Good, the Micro level has no limits, continue to consolidate it yourself in the future. Now, let¡¯s continue discussing your plans," Su Dan said warmly. "I still plan to keep moving forward. However... I need to find a place to prepare thoroughly first." Yu Hong felt the rejuvenation of his mana. After reaching Micro, the categorized mana began to meticulously strengthen every aspect of himself. The efficiency of mana was also much higher;tasks that previously required two portions of mana could now be done with one. "Alright, young people should be energetic. Keep going," Su Dan laughed a few times, gradually fading away and making no more sound. Yu Hong exhaled and briefly explained the current situation to Quan He. "I agree. Our strength is too weak right now, we can¡¯t accomplish anything. Instead of blundering around, we should find a place to cultivate ourselves first. The Great Annihilation won¡¯t come immediately," Quan He nodded. "Alright, let¡¯s stay in the City of No Light for a while first." After numerous instances of powerlessness, Yu Hong decided to stop for now, resolve to strengthen his cultivation to the utmost before taking action. Only then would he not be helpless when facing despair. Cultivate first, then explore, seeking the hope of the land of vitality! After setting their goal, the two action-oriented individuals quickly returned to the Cultivation Room to cultivate diligently. Apart from eating, drinking, and excreting, they even replaced sleep with Half Meditation. Days passed. The two focused on cultivation, almost forgetting everything. They didn¡¯t move from the City of No Light, occasionally asking Su Dan about cultivation puzzles. Su Dan, craving company, responded happily and comprehensively. Although Quan He couldn¡¯t hear the voice, she could still ask questions through Yu Hong¡¯s relay. In the blink of an eye, nearly two months passed again. Yu Hong, calculating the countdown, quickly apologized and left the City of No Light with Black Black Spirit for a while. Quan He remained deeply immersed in cultivation, caring nothing about the outside world. She seemed to have entered a peculiar state of self-forgetfulness, with her cultivation level soaring. In just two short months, she had already started forming her Golden Core. Yu Hong didn¡¯t disturb her;instead, he informed Senior Su Dan about needing to resupply and then returned to the depths of the Wind Disaster on his own. Poof. In an instant, the Black Black Spirit stationed in the depths of the Wind Disaster blurred momentarily before returning to normal. There weren¡¯t many changes to the exterior of the safe house, and the interior remained unchanged as well. Only Yu Hong, sitting in the Cultivation Room, felt the difference from before. At this moment, he was holding a newly appeared enhanced manual, reading it carefully. "Safe house enhancement completed;outer wall strength enhanced to Bernardo Level of the Spiritual Formula Empire, granting immunity to any damage below Immortal Level. For attacks above Immortal Level, damage is reduced by 32% before impact." "Special ability: Merging Void State (can perfectly disguise and integrate itself in any environment without being repelled. Undetectable by Perceptions below Heavenly Human Level)." "...No wonder it took five months of enhancement... This effect is getting more and more monstrous. But it¡¯s still not enough!" Yu Hong knew where he needed to go. So, although the safe house was already very strong, it was still not enough, far from enough. Heavenly Human Level corresponds to Golden Immortal Level, and this strength, combined with the array set up by Golden Immortal Fu Bai, had already maxed out the safe house¡¯s strength. Yu Hong pondered for a moment and then took out the Source Material he had previously obtained from Senior Su Dan in the City of No Light. "Let¡¯s try this." With a mix of anxiety and anticipation, he reached out his hand to press on the Source Material. "Enhance the Source Material. Direction: Toxins for humans." First, he checked for any hidden dangers, as was his usual practice. "No human toxins. Enhancement not possible." The Black Mark¡¯s feedback started again. Yu Hong meticulously examined each item until he was sure that there were no problems. Only then did he place it on the floor and reached out to press the ground. "Enhance the safe house, direction: Fusion Source Material, free enhancement." Dark lines quickly flowed into the ground, and the feedback sound Yu Hong anticipated soon rang out. "Enhance the safe house?" The countdown then appeared on the ground. He focused and looked. "March 7, 114 at 11:45." Precise and exact... hmm, very realistic. Yu Hong stood up silently, taking away the Source Disaster. He now understood the value of this item, even Senior Su Dan found it useless. To integrate it into the safe house required so much time. He removed the Source Material, casually took some other item to enhance the current safe house, and the countdown appeared as just over six months. Then he added back the Source Material, and the time changed once more to 114 years... "Indeed, this thing is damn tricky!" A hundred years¡ªwho knows what level of cultivation he¡¯d reach by then, would he even need it anymore? Temporarily abandoning the idea of merging the Source Material, Yu Hong controlled the safe house to return to the City of No Light and then began enhancing his own Outer Eye. In reality, he had many items on his body that could be enhanced;it was just that he never had the time to deal with them. Now that he had some free time, he started progressing on these enhancements. Removing his eye, Yu Hong held it in his hand and had a sudden thought. "Wait, what if I enhance the Royal Golden Eye along with the Outer Eye? What would happen?" Yu Hong acted on his impulse, placing the eyeball and the Royal Golden Eye together. His current eye strength was already very high, with hardness comparable to stone. Putting them together wouldn¡¯t cause any damage. "Enhance the Outer Eye, direction: Random." Yu Hong used his consciousness to encompass both items, initiating the enhancement. Dark lines flowed out from the back of his hand, converging into the Outer Eye. The countdown quickly appeared: March 11 at 4:07. "It can actually work!?" Yu Hong¡¯s anticipation grew. Without a doubt, the Royal Golden Eye was extremely formidable, providing complete defense against all attacks below the Golden Immortal Level. The Outer Eye had also evolved to a very high level, comparable to the eyes of top Immortal Generals in the Spirit Disaster. The combination of the two was bound to create some marvelous changes. The Black Mark¡¯s inquiry quickly rang out, and Yu Hong promptly confirmed. He then separated the two items, placing the Outer Eye back in its socket. He had tried before;once the range of enhancement was determined, the enhanced items would remain intact until the enhancement completed, at which point they would disappear, leaving only the enhanced result. He had thought of using this method for some no-cost trades in special circumstances. But he hadn¡¯t found the opportunity yet. Enhancement began again, and life returned to the previous monotonous state of cultivation. Time flew by, and over a month passed. Knock, knock, knock. Suddenly, there was a light knock on the door of Yu Hong¡¯s Cultivation Room. "Come in," Yu Hong didn¡¯t need to guess who it was. He opened his eyes and looked towards the door. With a click, his mana moved, unlocking the door. Chapter 570: Catastrophe 568 - Part 2 Quan He slowly walked in. She was only wearing a simple white tube top and shorts. She had been undergoing medicine baths to temper her body recently. For the sake of convenience in her cultivation, she simply stopped wearing outer robes frequently. "I am about to form my Core, but I still lack one crucial element. It can¡¯t be achieved here, and we can¡¯t achieve it either." "You mean... the Heavenly Tribulation?" Yu Hong instantly reacted. "Precisely. The Heavenly Tribulation is both a test and a blessing. It¡¯s the natural reactive response of the universe to our cultivators¡¯ evolution. If we can¡¯t start to overcome it, we won¡¯t be able to absorb the Heaven and Earth Essence that we should gain during the process." Quan He nodded. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "She¡¯s right. The Heavenly Tribulation is essential. Your own breakthrough is the same. From the early to the middle stage of Nascent Soul, there is actually a Heavenly Tribulation. The fact that you haven¡¯t experienced it yet doesn¡¯t mean it won¡¯t come. Once the environment is set, it will gather and give you a massive one. So where to undergo the tribulation is a crucial consideration for you." Su Dan¡¯s voice also echoed simultaneously. "Speaking of which, there are a few places near the City of No Light where you can try." "Please enlighten me, senior. This junior is all ears." Yu Hong hurriedly bowed. "One place is Tingma Plains. That place is the territory of Red Armor. It¡¯s very dangerous, but as long as you don¡¯t pick up scraps on the battlefield, he generally won¡¯t bother you." "Another place is Nianxin Cave. It¡¯s the abode of the Nianxin Patriarch. He was a survivor who fled from the Spiritual Formula Empire back then, with great grievances and deep hatred. He was hell-bent on seeking revenge on the Source Disaster but ultimately failed, becoming neither human nor ghost. Now he¡¯s in a state of dormancy. You can undergo the tribulation inside his belly." "Inside his belly?" Yu Hong was stunned. "Yes, that guy is also of the Immortal Dao but differs from your Immortal path. There are thousands of Immortal Daos, and although all lead to immortality, different Immortal Daos have different effects. The route of the Spiritual Formula Empire is both very strong and very weak. You will understand once you visit." Su Dan commented. Yu Hong pondered for a moment and asked. "So, senior, which place is safer?" "There¡¯s no such thing as safety in the Heavenly Tribulation. Go to Nianxin Cave, where the Nianxin Patriarch is dormant;it¡¯s relatively safer. If he wakes up, mention my name. I helped him back in the day, and he might show some respect." Su Dan said. "Thank you, senior. Senior has helped this junior so much, I don¡¯t know how to repay you." Yu Hong said sincerely. "Talk about repayment when you are stronger in the future. It has no meaning now." Su Dan sighed. "To enter Nianxin Cave, once you enter the Wind Disaster, silently chant the entering magic spell a thousand and one times in your mind while keeping your safe house spinning in place without moving around, and you¡¯ll get in easily." "The content of the spell is: ¡¯Thousand Spirits, Thousand Hearts, Nine Directions Unite as One.¡¯ "¡¯Thousand Spirits, Thousand Hearts, Nine Directions Unite as One¡¯... Is this referring to the Spiritual Formula Empire?" Yu Hong repeated. "It¡¯s good you know. That guy is actually a major figure of the Demon Path. In the Spiritual Formula Empire, he was once a character called out for elimination. Later, during the great disaster that destroyed the universe, he chose to put aside personal grievances and join forces to resist the Source Disaster, but still failed. Ultimately, due to his immense power, he was the one chosen by multiple strong entities of the Spiritual Formula Empire to be sent out with the mission of rebuilding the Spiritual Formula Empire. Unfortunately, he caught the attention of the Source Disaster, perhaps due to his considerable size and strong allure, making the possibility of reconstruction distant and unachievable." Su Dan explained. "Figures like him and Red Armor are, in fact, the last remaining strongest in the universe. They are like living Source Material but ultimately cannot escape the fate of becoming Source Material." Upon hearing this, Yu Hong was horrified. "Senior, does this mean all Source Materials come about this way?" "Not necessarily, but the piece you have might be one such example. He might once have been a supreme powerhouse, capable of destroying worlds with ease. Having endured countless Source Disaster washes, he gradually lost himself and turned into a heartless and mindless Source Material stone." Su Dan sighed. Yu Hong was speechless. "Of course, apart from these two places, you can just randomly choose a place to undergo the tribulation. However, the degree of danger would be unpredictable. Given your current state, tainted by the Heart Disaster aura, it¡¯s possible you might attract another invasion." Su Dan advised. "This junior understands." Yu Hong nodded. "Make your own choice." Su Dan left these final words and then fell silent. Yu Hong relayed Su Dan¡¯s words verbatim to Quan He. "What¡¯s your decision?" "We can choose the direction given by the senior now, but ultimately we¡¯ll need to face everything ourselves someday. So, I think we should go to another place by ourselves." Quan He said seriously. "What if we encounter danger?" "That¡¯s what we must face. If we can¡¯t overcome it now, we won¡¯t be able to later." Quan He answered. "...." Yu Hong understood her meaning and nodded, "Alright!" Both of them were actually unwilling to choose the safer place for their tribulation. Although Senior Su Dan had good intentions, facing trials earlier would help them grow sooner. They made their choice and immediately activated the Black Black Spirit to leave the City of No Light. Yu Hong did not let the Black Black Spirit navigate freely. After all, since they couldn¡¯t handle even the City of No Light, venturing further would be more dangerous. So they chose... the Floating City World! After setting their direction, they sat down to wait. Additionally, they wanted to check on Yiyi and Ku Chan¡¯s situation. If things were bad, they would need to evacuate them in advance. * * * Absolute Balance Floating City. The dense Black Disaster Monsters were like sandstorms, continuously blowing into the defense gaps. Among the spaceships facing the battle, there were more than three hundred belonging to Aus Academy. All the ships formed a massive united array, activating the automatic locking system, controlled by the Intelligent Spirit, concentrating fire to annihilate any approaching Black Disaster Monsters. Within the battle group, aboard a blue spindle-shaped ship. Dean Liu Chixuan¡¯s face was solemn as he stood in the Main Control Room, looking out at the endless Black Disaster Monster waves. Behind him were his three students, one of whom was Ku Chan. "Xu Feng, Ouyang Rui, both of you keep an eye on the left and right sides. Ku Chan, watch the stern, we¡¯ve been fighting continuously for four days, the spaceship array¡¯s energy stones need to be replaced, are the spares ready?" Liu Chixuan asked. "Yes, they have already been delivered." One of the students, burly and heavy-voiced, answered. "Have we received any reply from the council members yet?" Liu Chixuan squinted and asked. "No... There are too many Black Tide Battle Stars." Xu Feng replied. Despite the helplessness he felt, Liu Chixuan¡¯s expression remained calm as he raised his hand to check his wristwatch, just about to speak. Suddenly, an expression of surprise and astonishment appeared on Ku Chan¡¯s face, which quickly turned into worry. "Teacher, I sense that my elder brother is approaching." Ku Chan hesitated, then spoke. "Your elder brother?" Liu Chixuan immediately reacted. "The one you said disappeared earlier, Zheng Rouzi Yu Hong?" "Exactly." Ku Chan nodded. "He is approaching the Floating City." He and Yu Hong had previously left communication locators for each other, as long as the other side did not intentionally conceal it, they could generally sense each other¡¯s well-being. "This..." Liu Chixuan frowned. The disappearance of Margaret and the serious injury of council member Lu Xian were all related to this Zheng Rouzi. Last time, when Lu Xian was rescued, his family was greatly angered and paid a huge price to secure the promises of three council members, agreeing to join forces to deal with the perpetrators behind Zheng Rouzi. "Make him stop immediately, tell him not to come!" Liu Chixuan quickly spoke. "Why? With my elder brother¡¯s strength, we could support him, letting him in would not be a big problem, hasn¡¯t the previous case already been settled?" Ku Chan asked in astonishment. "On the surface, yes, but... your elder brother unknowingly got involved with Qinghe Mountain, Lu Xian¡¯s family, at great expense, not only asked three council members to make Arcane Oaths as promises but also invited powerful adversaries who had a longstanding blood feud with Qinghe Mountain from somewhere. They are waiting for your elder brother to appear!" Liu Chixuan said sternly. "Qinghe Mountain... it has disappeared for so many years, yet..." Ku Chan was astonished. "For the powerful, thousands or tens of thousands of years are just fleeting. The key is, these powerful individuals are the descendants of survivors whose entire clans were drained of vitality by Qinghe Mountain. Such blood feuds, no one will easily forget." Liu Chixuan replied. "..." Ku Chan was speechless and hurriedly tried to contact Yu Hong. But as soon as he activated the array in his body, he froze. "What¡¯s wrong?" Liu Chixuan frowned and looked at him. "The contact array is isolated... someone over there stopped my elder brother!" Ku Chan¡¯s face was grave. "Can you sense who it is?" "I¡¯m not sure, but the elemental fluctuation is flame!" "Xu Feng, check which Fire Element Arcanists of Level Six and above have left the array now?" Liu Chixuan quickly looked at another student. "Just a moment... there are Mage Bordeaux and Mage Yihafar!" "Bordeaux is one of council member Tim¡¯s two assistants invited by Lu Xian¡¯s family! Yihafar is another council member Shannanxi¡¯s nephew!" Liu Chixuan realized and quickly pointed his hand in front of him in the void. Schiii! Instantly, a circle of blue ripples spread out and condensed into a round screen. On the screen, two small ships, one black and one red, were swiftly shaking off Black Tide Monsters pursuing them from behind, flying towards deep space. "It¡¯s indeed them! Can you notify your elder brother now?!" Liu Chixuan¡¯s face was solemn. "No way, it¡¯s completely isolated over there, there must be someone who set up an array in advance. They must have been keeping an eye on me!" Ku Chan understood. "But since even council member Lu Xian was seriously injured last time, this time, with just two assistant mages, shouldn¡¯t there be less of a problem?" Student Xu Feng asked in confusion. "Even you know about this, do you think the two Level Six mages rushing over wouldn¡¯t be aware?" Liu Chixuan countered. "They were in the same grade as me back then and were never people of impulsive character. Since they dare to go personally, they must be fully prepared!" "Moreover, I remember that the nearby space-time order was destroyed by the Destruction Star Cannon some time ago. Now, long-distance teleportation is no longer possible for positioning. Within ten light-years around, long-distance Instantaneous Movement is completely impossible. You should know what this means." Liu Chixuan quickly said. No way to teleport long-distance? Hearing this, Ku Chan and Xu Feng realized the severity of the situation. According to Ku Chan¡¯s recount, they all knew that Yu Hong had relied on calling an outside Qinghe Mountain expert to successfully deal with council member Lu Xian. And now, due to the intense battle against the Black Tide, using highly potent strategic weapons, the space within ten light-years around couldn¡¯t be used for long-distance teleportation, meaning Yu Hong could only rely on his own lone combat.... "No! I have to go rescue him!!" Ku Chan suddenly got anxious, "Teacher! Please think of something!" "Council member Liu Xiran is also struggling in battle and can¡¯t return for the time being. With just us here, it¡¯s impossible. At this moment, we can only... ask that person!" Liu Chixuan¡¯s mind turned rapidly, quickly coming up with a solution. Chapter 571: Siege 1 In the outer Star Domain of the Floating City, strands of Black Tide like smoke continuously swept past Black Black Spirit, heading towards the Floating City. Yu Hong and Quan He stood at the window, looking at the countless strands of smoke outside that seemed endless, always holding their breath in fear. "Fortunately, the newly upgraded hidden function is strong enough, and in this area, no higher intensity Black Tide monsters have appeared. Otherwise..." Yu Hong said with relief. "I can already feel the Heavenly Tribulation brewing. That kind of oppressive feeling, like the sky is full of dark clouds, ready to pour rain at any moment," Quan He said in a deep voice. "Me too. This place seems to be temporarily isolated by the Black Tide, preventing the Heavenly Tribulation. I guess if we change locations, we can get through it smoothly," Yu Hong speculated. At this time, Black Black Spirit was quietly navigating away from the Black Tide, but unfortunately, after sailing for over ten hours, they still couldn¡¯t see a way out. Outside the window, it was still full of dense Black Tide. "Wait, something is coming..." Suddenly Yu Hong¡¯s voice sank, and he looked in a certain direction with his covered eyes. The two men focused their gazes, seeing outside the glass, a giant spotted shell about the size of a large part of a planet, extending dense, withered yellow soft legs, flying towards the Floating City. Countless Source Disaster Monsters formed a sphere, floating beside it, charging together. On the back of the shell, human figures could be vaguely seen standing. "Can you see who they are?" Quan He asked. "No, there¡¯s a barrier. But I noticed a black sun-like pattern on the side of the giant shell," Yu Hong shook his head, but keenly observed. "I suspect it¡¯s the Heavenly Sun Sect. It is also a force in the Black Tide, capable of driving ordinary Black Tide monsters, which is normal," he speculated. "Can the Floating City withstand it?" Quan He looked worried. "It depends on whether the main force of the Heavenly Sun Sect is dispatched... The Floating City has existed for so long, it¡¯s definitely not as simple as it looks," Yu Hong said. The two of them fell silent for a moment. Black Black Spirit flew covertly within the Black Tide army, with the ability to fuse camouflage. To the outside monsters, it looked like one of their own. So it was completely inconspicuous. About five more hours passed. Outside the window finally cleared up and opened up all of a sudden. All monsters instantly disappeared, replaced by the boundless starry sky. Yu Hong and Quan He had no time to think, immediately sensing a strong oppressive force quickly descending from the universe above. Hiss... Two vortices composed of purple electric light quickly condensed above their heads. The vortices split into two, one targeting Yu Hong, the other targeting Quan He. "Go out and resist!" Yu Hong said in a deep voice. Staying in the safe house could also withstand the Heavenly Tribulation, but they wouldn¡¯t be able to absorb the accompanying Heaven and Earth Essence. Immediately, he opened the door and rushed out, intending to use Instantaneous Movement, but found the surrounding space completely failed, and the Eye of Transmission¡¯s ability directly failed. No time to think more, Yu Hong looked up at the purple electric light vortex above, His vortex was more than ten times larger than Quan He¡¯s, with a gigantic cold and ruthless purple electric eye staring down at him. Boom!! Without any brewing, a thunder pillar rumbled down from the vortex, instantly crossing tens of thousands of kilometers, directly hitting Yu Hong¡¯s head. He couldn¡¯t dodge, and couldn¡¯t even if he wanted to. The speed of this Heavenly Tribulation far exceeded his dodging time. In the instant he saw it, the lightning had already struck him. Crackling electric currents paralyzed every part of Yu Hong¡¯s body, destructive high-temperature currents forcibly breaking down his Body Protection Mana. Yu Hong sat cross-legged, purely relying on his Mana to resist the disintegrating lightning. But perhaps he progressed too fast, causing his Mana to be unstable, and even though he reached Micro level, he retreated under the terrifying lightning strike. The Nascent Soul frantically squeezed out Mana, trying to support the situation, but it was futile. His whole body began to show fine blackened patches, his hair started burning, and his robe turned black. Swish! At this moment. Yu Hong¡¯s entire body blurred for a moment, and the next second, all the scorching blackness on his body mysteriously vanished completely. The Recovery Necklace hanging around his neck slowly dimmed, indicating it had been used once. Only the depletion of his Mana indicated it was not an illusion. Seemingly angered, another thunder pillar crashed from the vortex above. The purple thunder pillar instantly struck Yu Hong again, with massive purple electric arcs crazily breaking down his Mana. Unfortunately, ten seconds later, Yu Hong¡¯s entire body flickered again, and everything returned to normal. Then came the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, until the ninth strike. The purple electric vortex finally dissipated. Yu Hong let out a long breath and turned to look at Quan He in the distance. Quan He over there was all charred black, an arm nearly destroyed, her clothes long burnt, but there was no worry about exposure because her entire skin was also carbonized by the electricity. "Fortunately, I succeeded..." Quan He said with a grin, sending a voice transmission while smiling. "Me too, just that my Mana was mostly consumed, but my body is fine," Yu Hong once again marveled at the high value of the Recovery Necklace given by the corrupt seniors. This Heavenly Tribulation was extremely strong, completely different from the kind easily dispersed by a punch last time. But, relying on the Recovery Necklace, he managed to pass the tribulation without even a scratch. "Let¡¯s go back and recover for a while." Yu Hong turned and flew towards the safe house. Quan He quickly followed. But they had only flown a few dozen meters. Buzz!! A huge, iridescent web suddenly appeared before them, blocking the space between them and the safe house. Both were startled and quickly stopped, looking at the two figures standing on the net. One was tall, the other short, both blonde men in white mage robes. The tall one held a black wood magic wand inlaid with a gold gem, looking down at Yu Hong from above, his gaze icy. The short one was round like a barrel, holding a miniature multicolored web model in his hand, clearly the one who created the obstacle in front of them. "Got you, Zheng Rouzi and Yu Hong!" the tall mage said coldly. "I don¡¯t know who you are," Yu Hong replied expressionlessly, as mana began to naturally release the body protection technique from him. The activation of the Qingwei Heart Technique was now invisible and intangible;this cultivation technique was primarily based on covert defense and counterattack. "You caused Patrol Chief Margaret¡¯s death, led the Source Disaster Monster and the remnants of Qinghe Mountain to severely wound Senator Lu Xian;your crimes are numerous. We are here on orders to capture you and take you back to the Floating City for sentencing," the tall mage said harshly. "Aren¡¯t mages supposed to be self-preserving? Lu Xian is crippled, Margaret is no more, why are you still trying so hard for two unworthy people?" Yu Hong retorted. Both of their faces changed slightly and they stopped talking. If it weren¡¯t for the Arcane Oath, which gave them the precious resources they had longed for, they would not have come out to intercept him willingly. "Enough nonsense, capture him directly. Without long-distance transport, he can¡¯t summon the remnants of Qinghe Mountain!" the short mage said in a deep voice. "Qinghe Mountain cultivates the Immortal Dao. He must have just passed a Heavenly Tribulation, he¡¯s at his weakest now¡ªattack!" The tall mage hit the ground with his wand. A circle of golden rings appeared in front of him, and from it emerged a hideous, deep blue monster resembling a plesiosaur, which lunged rapidly at Yu Hong and his companion. The monster was covered in blue scales, with two rows of pale bone spurs on either side of its head, like wings. Roar!! It let out a huge roar, eyes glowing with blue flames, opening its jagged mouth to bite at Yu Hong. Splat! But a bizarre scene unfolded. The monster lunged forward, its mouth clamping down hard, but it didn¡¯t reach its target at all. The spot it bit was at least several dozen meters away from Yu Hong! "Ayino!?" The tall mage¡¯s expression changed slightly and he raised his wand again in urgency. But no matter how much mana he channeled, the monster just kept snapping at the air wildly, looking around and swinging its claws, completely ignoring Yu Hong who was right in front of it. "Forward! Ayino! Forward!!" The tall mage quickly cast his spell, trying to dispel the mind magic influence, but to no avail. The monster remained in place, frantically attacking the air. "Ayino, relax, let me control it! I¡¯ll handle it!" The tall mage transmitted his voice, certain it was an extremely sophisticated illusion guidance technique at work. He immediately chose to take control himself. But.... S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Splat!! The next second, his body suddenly stiffened. A large hand pierced through his chest from behind, retracting with sticky, hot blood. "Who told you that I was still over there?" Yu Hong¡¯s figure appeared behind him, his towering frame like a shadow in the darkness. "Was it your eyes?" The tall mage opened his mouth, his eyes filled with disbelief. How had he been suppressed by Margaret just a short while ago? What happened!? This was too fast!! He...just who is... The short mage, seeing this, turned pale. The next moment, he decisively let go of his array and rapidly flew towards a hidden spaceship not far away. At the same time, silvery elemental force circles appeared around him, protecting his body. But.... Seconds later, his vision blurred, and the spaceship he had just lunged at vanished like an illusion. In its place was Yu Hong, watching him quietly from the front. "Regret it?" Yu Hong sighed, reaching out and grabbing the mage¡¯s head. His powerful mana forcibly shattered the elemental force around him, breaking it into countless silvery light particles. "I... I am willing to sign a master-servant contract with you! Spare me..." Splat! Yu Hong crushed his head, discarding the corpse and calmly looked up at the two figures that had appeared above at some unknown time. These two were dressed in blood-red robes, wearing tall, chef-like red hats, each holding a pitch-black scimitar. "So, you are indeed the remnants of Qinghe Mountain, practicing the Qingwei Heart Technique... such a rare defense cultivation technique, few train in it, but to reach such effectiveness.... very few...." one of them said in a deep voice. "You all...?" Yu Hong frowned deeply, clearly sensing that these two were on a different level than the previous mages. Their energy levels...gave him a strong sense of threat, a premonition that grew stronger after reaching the Nascent Soul Stage. Contamination Level energies.... At his stage, the only things that could make him feel danger were Contamination Level energies. Nascent Soul was still at the Immortal Level, but upon reaching Divinity Transformation, it marked the beginning of Contamination, a broad energy range from Divinity Transformation to Ascension. Only by stepping into the Immortal Realm could one reach a new level, the Celestial Human Realm. Chapter 572: blockade 2 Yu Hong noticed that on the blood-colored high hats worn by the two men, he could vaguely see a shadow of a black planet slowly rotating. And on their foreheads below, there were also black sun patterns. Instantly, he understood. "Heavenly Sun Sect...." He wondered where these remnants came from. Now it was clear they were just disguised defectors, which is why they could exist for so many years. "Looks like you know us. Back then, Qinghe Mountain exterminated our Taiwang Blood Saber Sect. We brothers swore that even if we fell into the Source Disaster, we would kill all the surviving remnants of Qinghe Mountain! You are the 1,013th batch of Qinghe Mountain remnants we¡¯ve killed!" One of the two men said calmly. "In fact, after killing for so long, we have already become bored, but knowledge needs to be supplemented. It¡¯s a good excuse to supplement our knowledge." "Brother Wu Chen, this time I wasn¡¯t wrong about the reward...." On the other side, a woman in a long purple dress slowly appeared, wearing various jewelry made of purple crystal. "That¡¯s right, the reward is at the old spot, take it yourself. Next, you can leave.... hmm!?" Suddenly, the two from the Blood Saber Sect¡¯s faces changed. "Where are they!?" Yu Hong and Quan He, who were just in front of them, had disappeared!? The two brothers reacted instantly, looking towards the Black Black Spirit direction. Sure enough, they saw Yu Hong and Quan He already standing by a window, looking this way. "When did they go back!?" Wu Chen suppressed the shock in his heart. "I don¡¯t know, I just felt my eyes blur...." his younger brother Wu Ran¡¯s face was ugly. "Do you think hiding in a broken house guarantees your safety!?" Wu Chen felt he had lost face, his gaze becoming even colder. He raised the scimitar in his hand. "Blood Rain Dao Scripture." Suddenly, countless blood-red runes lit up on the surface of the scimitar, like numerous blood-colored ants, constantly climbing on the blade. "Break!!" Wu Chen swung the scimitar forward in a slash. Hiss!! A thin blade light shot out of his hand. Initially small, as it flew rapidly, it began to lengthen swiftly, from three meters to five meters, five meters to ten meters, ten meters to a hundred meters! In an instant, when it reached the front of the Black Black Spirit Gate, it was already a thousand-meter-long gigantic blade light. In the next moment, the blade light slashed fiercely onto the safety house door. Clang!! Circles of bloos-colored ripples accompanied by vibrations, constantly spread out and exploded around. Soon, the ripples dissipated, and the door of the safety house remained undamaged. Through the glass window, Yu Hong and Quan He were pointing and commenting on the power of that slash. The faces of Wu Chen and his brother darkened, they exchanged a look, and instantly rushed towards Black Black Spirit Gate with their blades. Swish!! The two flew into two red lines, with lightning speed, rapidly circling and slashing around Black Black Spirit. In just a few seconds, they had slashed out thousands of dense, blood-colored blade lights. Clang clang clang clang!! The safety house continuously suffered slashes, but.... To the brothers¡¯ shock, not even a mark was left on the outer walls of the door.... "I don¡¯t believe this!!" Wu Chen gripped his blade with both hands, raised it over his head, and an endless black mist crazily flooded into the blade. "Sword Technique of Ten Thousand Worlds!!" This was a powerful Absolute Killing Technique of the Blood Saber Sect, one that forcefully squeezed out three times the usual power of a strike but at a great cost to the body. Given Wu Chen had become a Black Tide Creature, losing half his life meant he recovered in seconds. With determination, he struck continuously, forming a sea of blood-colored blade lights slashing at the outer walls of Black Black Spirit. Bang bang bang bang!!! Under the continuous strikes, faint white marks finally started appearing on the outer walls of the safety house. Boom! Wu Chen¡¯s scimitar broke due to the intense strikes. "I don¡¯t believe this! Can¡¯t even take down a lowly disciple!?" His eyes bloodshot, he condensed another black blade and madly hacked at the safety house again. His younger brother joined the hacking process as well. As time passed by. Yu Hong and Quan He, after watching for a while, found it boring and went back to their rooms to continue cultivating. Before leaving, Yu Hong couldn¡¯t help but yawn. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This made Wu Chen and his brother¡¯s heart burn with rage, feeling deeply humiliated. They slashed even more fiercely. Time passed slowly, speeding by. In an instant, more than a month had passed. In space, the Black Black Spirit Safety House drifted aimlessly into the distance, with two blood-robed men weakly slashing blood-colored blade lights at the safety house¡¯s back. "They haven¡¯t given up yet?" Quan He, wearing a bathrobe after a shower and with a face mask on, walked to the window and asked. Yu Hong, cooking a hotpot alone, looked up at the window. "Yeah, they¡¯re quite persistent. Could it be that Supreme Blood Blade Sect¡¯s Sword Technique has the effect of refining willpower? I¡¯ve seen it for so many days, I¡¯ve even learned their sword technique. Maybe I¡¯ll practice it myself another day." He opened a pack of frozen venison and placed it into the small electromagnetic hot pot. "Want some? I made some tasty chili sauce." "Sure. It¡¯s been a while since I had it. By the way, I¡¯ve come up with an answer to the question you asked last time." Quan He sat down cross-legged, condensed his True Yuan, conjured up bowl and chopsticks, and started eating right away. "To delve deeper into Micro, you should head towards the source of your thoughts. What constitutes the core of thinking? Sensuality, rationality, and sublimation can¡¯t truly dissect spiritual thoughts in finer detail." She stuffed a piece of meat into her mouth. "The foundation of thoughts should be information. Basic cognitive information is needed first to have logic, then emotions." Yu Hong pondered over this. "Recently, I¡¯ve been reading the Sect¡¯s Nascent Soul Encyclopedia that my master prepared for me. It mentioned that the essence of spiritual thoughts is not much different from many forces flowing in the external world. The real difference lies in the construction." "Bio-electric energy forms thoughts and spirit;other energies can too." "Indeed, so the next step into Micro, I suggest you meditate thoroughly, capturing each fleeting thought and then reducing the number of thoughts until only one remains. Repeat that one thought continuously, and then deconstruct it, examining where it originates, how it transfers, and then how it forms." offered Quan He. "I¡¯ve learned a lot." Yu Hong nodded. Quan He¡¯s words gave him an actionable direction. After all, just following the methods from the classical books felt somewhat hollow. "By the way, is your Golden Core stabilized?" Yu Hong veered the conversation. "Almost, but cultivation at the Golden Core Stage is much slower than during the Foundation Establishment Stage. It¡¯s at least ten times slower!" Quan He had seen Yu Hong¡¯s exaggerated speed;comparing it to himself felt like comparing a car to a snail, the disparity was enormous. "Take your time;cultivation is a slow grinding process. You can¡¯t rush it." Yu Hong comforted him. "Are you at the Nascent Soul Late Stage now? Why have I been hearing thunder outside these past few days?" Quan He asked. "Just reached the Middle Stage, not that fast." Yu Hong chuckled bitterly. "It¡¯ll take at least another two months." "....." Quan He almost choked on the meat in his mouth. How many years did it take Bai Sheng to reach the Late Stage? "Don¡¯t compare yourself to me. Really...." Yu Hong sighed. "I¡¯m different from ordinary people. My talent is actually quite average;it¡¯s just that I got lucky." "...." Quan He decided to keep his head down and continue eating, not paying him any attention. "I plan to go back for a while. The Heavenly Tribulation is over. Earlier, I sensed the positions of Ku Chan and the others, and everything is fine." Yu Hong continued. "Your ship, go wherever you want. I¡¯m just hitching a ride. It¡¯s good enough that you don¡¯t charge me rent." Quan He was very self-aware. "Junior Sister, don¡¯t be disheartened. Building a safety house is not something that happens overnight." Yu Hong comforted. "Don¡¯t try to compare with me;I¡¯m different. I just got lucky." "I¡¯m full!" Quan He stood up abruptly. She really couldn¡¯t listen to this anymore. Watching Quan He leave, Yu Hong shook his head. He was speaking the truth, but no one believed him. Turning his head, he looked out the window at Wu Chen and his brother still valiantly hacking at the safety house. With a sigh, he continued to eat his hot pot. At this moment, the safety house began to manifest the Wind Disaster Color Line around it. Countless colored lines wrapped around it and disappeared in the blink of an eye. "Trying to escape!!" Wu Chen, who was almost out of strength, saw the safety house attempting to flee and felt sure that Yu Hong was at his limit. "It¡¯s almost down, chase it!!" Younger brother Wu Ran also perked up, the two brothers, with sunken eyes and tired faces, mustered their strength and charged into the Wind Disaster Color Line, disappearing as well. Only the woman in the purple dress was left, shaking her head helplessly and disappearing into the air with a sigh. Whoosh... Within the numerous flowing Wind Disaster Color Lines, Black Black Spirit was swiftly darting and flying through the lines, with Wu Chen and Wu Ran, the two blood-clad men, hanging on its outer wall. As soon as they entered, they sensed something amiss¡ªthe intensity of the wind disaster around them was too high. This was deep within another Source Disaster. Not only did they fail to receive any support from the Black Disaster, but they were also continuously depleting their own black mist to protect themselves, avoiding being sliced into countless pieces by the Wind Disaster Color Lines, disappearing in an instant. "Wait! Which direction is this house heading!?" Wu Chen clung to the Black Black Spirit¡¯s outer wall with all his might, looking around. "No idea, but I feel a familiar energy approaching fast." Younger brother Wu Ran replied urgently. As the two brothers struggled with their fatigued bodies to fend off the invasion of the color lines, the surroundings suddenly went dark. The lights inside the safety house were turned off, and the color lines outside quickly turned black. They seemed to have entered a pitch-black tunnel. Soon, a few minutes later. Pop! The safety house suddenly burst into a vast black plain. The surroundings opened up completely, with no trace of Wind Disaster Color Lines. Instead, a dense aura of the Black Disaster filled the area. The dense black mist of the Black Disaster immediately excited Wu Chen and Wu Ran. "This place... actually...!!" The two let go of their grip on the safety house¡¯s outer wall, floating into the air and surveying the area. "What is this place!? The black mist here is even denser than near the mother tree¡¯s branches!!?" Wu Chen exclaimed. "Exhilarating!! Hahaha!! It¡¯s exhilarating!! This power, I feel it, power pouring into my body!!" Wu Ran stretched his arms wide, a dark red blood glow emanating from his body. It was a sign of an impending breakthrough. "Brother, do you feel it? This force...." Pop!! Wu Ran¡¯s voice abruptly ceased. The red glow burst like a balloon, instantly dissipating into darkness again. "Aran!?" Wu Chen¡¯s heart sank, carefully transmitting his voice. "Aran!? Don¡¯t scare me!?" He cautiously felt his way toward his brother, his black blade illuminating with dense blood-red characters, summoning the full power of the Blood Saber Technique. "Aran.... where are you??" "Ah!!" A scream suddenly echoed. A black shadow flashed once more. The blood-red characters on the black blade shattered and extinguished with a clang, and everything returned to calm. Only the faint sounds of flesh being chewed could be heard.... Inside the safety house, Yu Hong sighed as he pulled up the shield. Chapter 573: again 1 The rules of the City of No Light have actually never changed. They were mentioned from the moment I first arrived here. Unless the safehouse is completely sealed, with no light leaking out at all, once you open the shutter, you must turn off all light sources;otherwise, you will endlessly attract the attacks of the Unconscious Entities lurking here. The strength of the Unconscious Entities is calculated based on their power in life, generally at least hundreds of times their power before death. Those who can come to the City of No Light tend to have power levels roughly equivalent to the defensive capabilities of the safehouse back in the day. The Black Black Spirit Safehouse then was capable of defending against threats at the Heavenly Human Level. So, the deaths of these two here are truly not surprising. Yu Hong closed the shutter and glanced at Quan He, who also shook his head as he left. "So this is the ¡¯safety¡¯ that Senior Su Dan spoke of..." "Indeed, with these Unconscious Entities wandering around, no one dares to rashly enter. For us, this is actually the safest place," Quan He responded. Issue resolved, Yu Hong wasted no time, closed his eyes, sat cross-legged, and entered a meditation cultivation state. The vast vitality continuously emanated from the two colossal Tai Sui in the hall, then was quickly absorbed by Yu Hong and Quan He without a single bit wasted. Meanwhile, on the Floating City Battlefield¡ª Where the Black Black Spirit disappeared¡ª A gigantic black lizard silently appeared. The giant lizard looked down at the battlefield, which appeared minuscule in comparison to its size, like a box of building blocks, not even as large as its fingernail. "I can sense the presence of the Vitality Ship. Yu Hong and the others are fine, rest assured," the giant lizard spoke in a deep voice. "That¡¯s good. The two people Lu Xian recruited are indeed very powerful and mysterious. If they make a move, they must have some confidence, after all, Lu Xian mentioned the existence of Qinghe Mountain¡¯s remnants," another figure formed of blue electric currents vaguely materialized next to the giant lizard. "I¡¯m not in great shape, drifting in and out of sleep. Most of the time, I have to rely on you," the giant lizard said. "I¡¯ll be careful," the electric figure nodded slightly. "In fact, I¡¯m envious that you found such a resilient captain and crew." "Don¡¯t you also have Aus Academy?" the giant lizard asked. "It¡¯s different..." the electric figure sighed. "Anyway, no need to dwell on that. I noticed something off about the two people Lu Xian¡¯s family brought in. They aren¡¯t individuals you can just find through resources alone," the giant lizard said. "So what do you suggest... a thorough investigation?" the electric figure hesitated. "Given the current situation, do you still have time to hesitate? If the Floating City collapses, you all know what you¡¯ll face. A thorough investigation is mandatory," the giant lizard said in a low voice. "Alright... if I have your support, pulling in two more council members shouldn¡¯t be a big issue," the electric figure immediately decided. "I have a feeling this might be the battle that determines the life or death of Absolute Balance," the giant lizard sighed. The electric figure didn¡¯t respond. * * * After the Floating City expedition, Yu Hong and Quan He returned to their all-encompassing cultivation. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The high danger of the City of No Light had ironically become their greatest protection. Yu Hong decided that unless necessary, he would not venture out until the Black Mark could no longer be enhanced or until he could no longer break through in cultivation. Time flew by. Soon, it was time for him to enhance the Outer Eye. In the Black Black Spirit Safety House, Yu Hong sat alone in his cultivation chamber. Surrounded by layers of Isolation Arrays connected with the Golden Light Array set by Fu Bai, protecting him from outside detection. At that moment, he was holding the outer eye, just taken from its socket. The countdown on it had mere two minutes left before it reached zero. Yu Hong quietly waited, watching the remaining time. Hiss! Finally, after a faint blur, the Outer Eye and the Royal Golden Eye disappeared for a moment, leaving only a golden eyeball floating before Yu Hong. Invisible and gentle golden light radiated from the eyeball, exuding a kind of indescribable majesty, vast and boundless, continuously spreading. Yu Hong never thought that a single layer of golden light could convey such an overwhelming amount of information. Just being illuminated by it naturally brought similar feelings. Plop. In the air beside him, a white instruction manual slowly fell to the ground. The sound of it hitting the ground snapped him out of his daze. He turned and picked up the paper, reading it carefully. ¡¯Outer Eye enhancement complete. After merging with the Royal Golden Eye, the Outer Eye has been randomly elevated to the Eye of Emosa.¡¯ ¡¯Eye of Emosa (Your gaze will bring destruction and desolation. In the deepest unknown spacetime, there exists an immortal holy corpse named Emosa, born from countless immortals. It symbolizes the culmination of desolation and death. At the height of its power, it controlled the entirety of a small universe¡¯s desolation and death. It was the most terrifying and dangerous existence in countless beings¡¯ hearts, the ultimate symbol of destruction and death. Later, in war with Heaven, during the Source Disaster, it was ambushed and killed by four Heavenly Emperors, its body and consciousness shredded into countless pieces before finally falling.)¡¯ ¡¯Warning: Your Outer Eye has undergone some kind of contamination enhancement, raising its energy level to the Contamination Level. Usage may result in passive energy diffusion. Low energy beings coming into contact and gazing at it could trigger Emosa¡¯s Destruction Resentment.¡¯ ¡¯Emosa¡¯s Destruction Resentment (An unknown, terrifying destructive power. When triggered, it will indiscriminately annihilate everything around it.)¡¯ "...This...." Yu Hong¡¯s hand holding the instruction sheet trembled slightly. "It has actually enhanced to the Contamination Energy Level??" The previous Outer Eye had two great abilities: the Eye of Transmission and the Eye of Destruction, but now, along with their enhancement being lost, even the self-protection ability of the Royal Golden Eye has disappeared. Everything has transformed into this so-called Eye of Emosa. That was a Golden Immortal-level protective power!! Yu Hong¡¯s heart trembled. Now, it¡¯s gone... He had never failed an enhancement before, but now, it seemed like he truly experienced his first failure. Not only was the useful Eye of Transmission gone, but even the Golden Immortal-level protective magic treasure was gone. Looking at the Golden Eye ball in his hand, Yu Hong felt as if his heart were bleeding. Sitting cross-legged in place, he worked hard to calm his emotions for a long time, only then did he tremble as he slowly placed the Golden Eye ball into his eye socket. Hu! At the moment the golden eye ball entered the eye socket, an inexplicable invisible whirlwind suddenly swept through the surrounding space. A purple-black crocodile-headed humanoid figure silently emerged behind Yu Hong. It spread its arms, with its upper body bare and its lower body wearing a golden, ornate skirt-armor. A pair of purple eyes exuded deathly silence and coldness. Ka. At the instant the humanoid figure emerged, Yu Hong didn¡¯t notice, but the Golden Immortal Array inside Black Black Spirit immediately lit up with layers of golden patterns, as if resisting some force spreading from within. "Ah..." Yu Hong, who was inserting the eye ball, had no time to care about the abnormalities behind him. At the moment the eye ball was inserted, his entire being suddenly exploded as if his consciousness had detonated. An incredibly mad, angry, and despairing consciousness surged out from the eye ball, violently rushing towards his spiritual power. But at the very moment it approached, this consciousness abruptly veered and forcibly charged into the black mark on his hand. As if using the black mark as a filter, the next moment, this consciousness emerged from the black mark again, like a river, fiercely merging with Yu Hong¡¯s spiritual power. It no longer had the traits of erosion and harm, but rather merged seamlessly as if it were originally part of Yu Hong¡¯s consciousness, quickly integrating with his current consciousness without distinction. Yu Hong sat cross-legged, his body immobile, but his mind felt as if it were soaring higher and higher, becoming larger and larger. He felt himself quickly expanding to the size of the secret chamber, but then being compressed back by the surrounding array. Originally, it was just Nascent Soul Stage spiritual power, but now, under this massive consciousness¡¯s fusion, it was growing wildly. Very soon, his spiritual consciousness expanded to more than twice its original size, and continued to surge with time. One hour later... Yu Hong¡¯s spiritual power had surged to three times its original size, finally slowing down. But it was not over yet. As the spiritual power gradually stabilized, fragmented memories began to flow out from the Outer Eye. ¡¯Are these Emosa¡¯s memories?¡¯ Yu Hong frowned, slightly lowered his head, enduring the chaotic influx of various memory fragments. Most of these memory fragments were useless scenes of dark, deathly stillness. Only a few were combat scenes and feelings with various monsters and creatures. Soon, as the memories were absorbed. ¡¯You have inherited Emosa¡¯s Martial Arts.¡¯ ¡¯Emosa¡¯s Martial Arts have been elevated to perfection, acquiring the trait: Innate Battle Body.¡¯ ¡¯You have inherited part of Emosa¡¯s consciousness, affecting your physique and spirit, acquiring the trait: Emosa¡¯s Body.¡¯ "Luckily... luckily this enhancement is not as bad as I imagined..." Yu Hong rubbed his temples, slowly coming back from the vast sea of memory fragments. The fusion of the Outer Eye also brought two new traits, which were perfect for merging with other traits. This was an unexpected path for him;enhancing the Outer Eye could also yield traits. "It seems that traits are not only brought by cultivation techniques but through any path that can fundamentally change oneself." Yu Hong relaxed, then began to examine the traits Innate Battle Body and Emosa¡¯s Body. ¡¯Innate Battle Body: You have experienced countless battles, possessing extremely rich close combat experience, with ample knowledge to fight any race and any group. In combat with equal energy levels, you can spot the weaknesses in the opponent¡¯s fighting methods within one minute and deliver a fatal blow.¡¯ ¡¯.....¡¯ Yu Hong was stunned... This trait, isn¡¯t it a bit too exaggerated?! Equal energy levels, and a fatal blow within one minute of combat??! In many cases, the cultivation levels are not equal in energy level?! Yu Hong clearly remembered that the Immortal level spans across the Golden Core and Nascent Soul stages. ¡¯This is simply the perfect trait for assassination!¡¯ He instantly thought of the best use for this trait. Hide and observe for a minute, then strike and deliver a fatal blow! After a burst of excitement, he calmed down his emotions and looked at the second trait. ¡¯Emosa¡¯s Body: You have become a hybrid of Emosa¡¯s bloodline and human. Over time, you will gain one-tenth the strength of Emosa¡¯s peak state. Your physique will consistently increase to fourteen times the original body strength, your outer skin will toughen greatly, able to withstand any attack below Golden Immortal level.¡¯ "This is good, it¡¯s equivalent to stabilizing the Royal Golden Eye within myself. Plus, there¡¯s the additional fourteen-fold increase in physique." Yu Hong felt somewhat relieved. Without the Eye of Destruction and Eye of Transmission, he at least gained new physical enhancement. Chapter 574: again 2 "Let¡¯s see, the most crucial part is how it affects cultivation." This was what Yu Hong was most concerned about. The enhancement of the Outer Eye can be utilized through the Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill, gradually dispersing the powerful traits of the Outer Eye throughout the entire body, thereby achieving overall enhancement. He quickly closed his eyes and immersed himself in the practice of the Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique. Heavenly rivers slowly appeared and flowed around him. Buzz! As soon as he activated the technique, the golden Outer Eye seemed to be stimulated, rapidly emitting a golden light. The golden light seemed to be continuously drawn by the Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique, transforming into strands of invisible vitality, converting into Nascent Soul Mana. Yu Hong carefully compared the operating speeds before and after. ¡¯The extraction speed of this mana is at least seventy to eighty percent faster! It even has a vitality storage feature. I just don¡¯t know how long the vitality of this Outer Eye can support my cultivation.¡¯ Between the Outer Eye and the cultivation technique, Yu Hong naturally chose the cultivation technique. After all, the enhancement of the Outer Eye was for the improvement of the cultivation technique. Sitting in the cultivation room, he carefully reviewed the enhancements obtained from the Outer Eye. Emosa¡¯s Body, Innate Battle Body, the Outer Eye obtained the ability to wither and destroy enemies with just a glance. This ability was useless against objects. Yu Hong planned to find an appropriate time to test it. ¡¯Now that the enhancement is over, I¡¯ll first fuse the traits of the Black Mark and then continue enhancing them. This time, I¡¯ll stay in the City of No Light until the enhancement reaches its limit!¡¯ After adapting to the changes in his body, Yu Hong felt that his body was becoming more compact, dense, and rapidly increasing in weight. This further solidified his determination to hide away and cultivate. After fusing the traits of Sacred Tiger Form and Innate Battle Body, Yu Hong obtained a golden fusion orb with a countdown of over two months. Then he continued to immerse himself in the cultivation of the technique. As time passed day by day, his already rapid cultivation speed increased by nearly double again, becoming even more terrifying. A month later... In the safe house. Under the gentle and warm white light, Yu Hong and Quan He sat facing each other, sipping the Calming Flower Tea they had just brewed, one of the supplies they had gathered from the Floating City, with certain calming and mind-clearing effects to aid in cultivation by removing distractions. "Why do I feel like there¡¯s something different about you again?" Quan He frowned, scrutinizing Yu Hong with an inexplicable feeling. Indeed, Yu Hong had undergone considerable changes compared to a month ago. His body had become stronger, and his skin had a seemingly indestructible hardness. Even with his eyes covered by a black cloth, faint golden light seeped through. Sitting across from him, Quan He couldn¡¯t help but feel a hair-raising sensation, as if an immense creature was sitting in front of him. It seemed that if Yu Hong wasn¡¯t careful, he could bring about Quan He¡¯s destruction. "I don¡¯t know, maybe my cultivation has broken through to a new level." Naturally, Yu Hong couldn¡¯t say it was due to his physique. After all, the connection to the Black Mark was something he couldn¡¯t explain, nor did he want to. "Previously, you said... you wanted to break through to the late stage of the Nascent Soul?" Quan He¡¯s eyes widened. "Yes, I¡¯m just a tribulation away. The fusion in the later stages is essentially a repeated comprehensive fusion, similar to the core formation during the Golden Core Period, but using Nascent Soul¡¯s mana to combine with the body and aid its evolution," Yu Hong explained. After obtaining a large amount of Emosa¡¯s memory fragments, he felt he had a top-down viewpoint on many things. Although Emosa wasn¡¯t from the Immortal Dao system, its memory fragments contained encounters and battles with similar strong figures. The Immortal Mana in the Nascent Soul Stage was nothing to Emosa¡¯s Body, barely even tickling, at most akin to brushing hair. Having seen enough in the memory fragments, combined with the guidance of Senior Su Dan, Yu Hong naturally understood the developmental changes of the Nascent Soul. "Are we planning to find a place to undergo tribulation?" Quan He sighed inwardly and asked. "Yes. How about you? How¡¯s your progress?" Yu Hong asked politely. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I¡¯m... not that fast, every step after the Golden Core Period takes a long time to accumulate..." For some reason, despite knowing it was normal, Quan He couldn¡¯t help but show a look of shame. "Don¡¯t rush. The road must be taken step by step. Hastiness leads to nowhere," Yu Hong comforted. "Don¡¯t mind my fast speed. I have ordinary qualifications but a lot of luck..." "I¡¯m full!" Swish, Quan He stood up abruptly and ran away. Leaving Yu Hong sitting bewildered. "Aren¡¯t we¡­ not having a meal?" He glanced at the teapot and teacups on the table. "You indeed feel different," Su Dan¡¯s voice rang in his ears. "Senior also saw it?" Yu Hong asked seriously, "I¡¯ve indeed awakened a mysterious bloodline power a few days ago, and it inexplicably enhanced me a lot." "Your physical strength increased significantly, and your spiritual power has also enhanced a lot. If it weren¡¯t for your unchanged spiritual frequency, I¡¯d suspect you were a different person," said Su Dan, puzzled. "Senior is perceptive. Indeed, my body and spirit have greatly enhanced," Yu Hong replied respectfully. "Forget it, you have your secrets. Don¡¯t talk about these. Where do you plan to undergo tribulation?" "The old place. Last time, I was chased away. This time, I must find out what¡¯s going on. Who¡¯s causing trouble?" Yu Hong said. He clearly felt his body¡¯s changes becoming stronger. Initially, the Sacred Tiger Form enhanced his physique ninefold. Later, Emosa¡¯s Body further increased it fourteenfold on that basis. At this point, the strength of his body had reached a level he couldn¡¯t comprehend. This wasn¡¯t a simple addition, rather another fourteenfold enhancement based on the already enhanced physique. "Alright, your body¡¯s enhancement is so extreme that even I can¡¯t understand it. Pay attention. You¡¯re the only one I can talk to. If something happens to you, well..." Su Dan¡¯s voice fell silent. "I understand, Senior." Yu Hong nodded solemnly. After finishing his tea, he began to study the essential magic engineering of the Nascent Soul stage. The magic power of the Nascent Soul stage, in terms of sheer strength and power, is not significantly stronger than that of the Golden Core stage. The key lies in the characteristics of the Nascent Soul power, which makes it easier to construct advanced composite arrays. This provides greater potential for Immortal Dao cultivators. Hence, they used this power to build an extremely complex and advanced Immortal Dao civilization. Among them, talismanic magic, array formations, and artifact refining are the three main categories. Before the Nascent Soul stage, the requirement for True Yuan was brute strength, like throwing bricks with great force. After entering the Nascent Soul stage, the path becomes more refined and engineered, with precision being paramount. After a brief adjustment, Yu Hong and Quan He temporarily bid farewell to Su Dan and once again headed towards the Floating City Universe to begin their tribulation. * * * In the boundless space. In the distance, the Black Tide was still fiercely battling the Floating City, surrounded by dense space debris, forming a massive belt of ruins. The black belt of ruins surrounded the Floating City, like a giant black belt, slowly rotating. On the outer periphery, streams of black fog and Black Tide continued to converge. Yu Hong¡¯s Black Black Spirit appeared further out in space. This time, luck wasn¡¯t as good as last time. Just as he appeared, a massive Black Tide monster sphere flew towards him. The monster sphere was as large as a city, rolling as it moved, with countless monsters on its surface roaring and emitting circles of black-purple illusion fields. Any creature that gazed upon them would instantly fall into a hallucinatory state, entering a desperate and passive mood of giving up resistance, then be devoured and torn apart, becoming cognitive fodder. In front of the monster sphere, the Black Black Spirit was as small as a grain of sand, completely inconspicuous. The size difference between the two was immense. At this moment, the two sides collided head-on. The countless monsters on the monster sphere didn¡¯t notice or care. Just like before, they thought they could rely on the great mass of the sphere to crush the opponent directly. However, the Heavenly Sun Sect disciple inside the sphere realized something was wrong. Unfortunately, everything happened too quickly. By the time he attempted to adjust his direction in time, it was already too late. The monster sphere and the Black Black Spirit collided head-on. Buzz!! A corner of the massive monster sphere instantly caved in, creating a sizable gap. The Black Black Spirit pierced through the monster sphere and flew out from behind. In the next instant, a purple-black lightning vortex appeared above the Black Black Spirit. At the vortex¡¯s center, a huge purple-black eye coldly stared at Yu Hong in the safe house. "It¡¯s here!" Yu Hong felt calm inside, opened the door, and leaped out. "Be careful. If it really doesn¡¯t work out, come back immediately!" Quan He said with a heavy expression. This time, the size of the heavenly tribulation was more than twice as large as the one Yu Hong had faced before, and its intensity had increased significantly. She was somewhat worried. "Don¡¯t worry, help me control the safe house, and make sure it doesn¡¯t get entangled by the Black Disaster." Yu Hong replied. The safe house¡¯s strength was off the charts now, but its power wasn¡¯t equally overwhelming. If it were to get tightly wrapped up and not allowed to leave, it would be a huge problem. "Leave it to me." Quan He nodded. Poof. Closing the door, Yu Hong looked up at the lightning vortex above. "Speaking of which, despite crossing tribulations several times, I never really got close to the lightning tribulation..." Curiosity arose in his heart as he thought about his body strengthened fourteen times, along with the Recovery Necklace¡¯s protection, feeling that crossing the tribulation wouldn¡¯t be a big issue. Immediately, he leaped directly towards the purple-black eye of the lightning tribulation. Boom!! A loud explosion erupted, clearly in a vacuum where sound waves shouldn¡¯t transmit. Yet, the vibration still traveled through some unknown medium, reaching the consciousness of all nearby monsters and Quan He. With the explosion, a deep purple lightning condensed into a sharp long spear, shooting out from the vortex center, drawing a long purple trail, instantly reaching Yu Hong¡¯s face. Stab!! Bang!! The huge impact sound exploded once more in the minds of all creatures nearby, bringing a massive paralyzing sensation, causing everything to momentarily freeze. Quan He and the Heavenly Sun Sect disciple inside the monster sphere were horrified, looking at Yu Hong again. They found him standing with his forehead against the thunder spear, his expression unchanged, hands behind his back, suspended in space, utterly composed. "Such thick skin!!" Quan He couldn¡¯t help but blurt out a comment. "This strength feels like a breeze, completely unfazed." Yu Hong smiled, waving his hand to dispel the thunder spear, letting it scatter into numerous purple arcs in space. "Is there anything stronger?" This guy is still pretending!? Quan He¡¯s face darkened. Chapter 575: again three The thunder tribulation once again crashed down a second thunder spear. All the monsters within thousands of kilometers around were paralyzed, unable to move. This was the natural retaliation of the universe¡¯s rules. The Source Disaster also followed the great rules of natural operation, sharing the same nature. The two would not conflict with each other. Boom! The second thunder spear was directly shattered by Yu Hong¡¯s head. He flew straight towards the vortex of current nurturing the heavenly tribulation, but unfortunately, the distance was too far. By the time the third thunder spear formed and crashed down, Yu Hong still hadn¡¯t gotten any closer to the thunder tribulation vortex. The power of the third thunder spear far exceeded the first two combined, more than three times stronger! This blow was beyond Yu Hong¡¯s expectations. Although it didn¡¯t pierce his skin, the tremendous impact still slammed him back violently. After three thunder spears crashed down, the thunder tribulation vortex rapidly dispersed and vanished. Yu Hong struggled to steady himself, shook his head, and looked up, only to find that the thunder tribulation vortex had completely disappeared, making him a little disappointed. He looked around and found himself amidst a swarm of Black Tide monsters. The endless monsters around him were slowly recovering from their paralysis, just like him. "Without instantaneous movement, it¡¯s quite troublesome..." He sighed, the mana on his body transformed into white flames, propelling him to move swiftly towards Black Black Spirit. Plop! Plop! Plop! Some Black Tide monsters that tried to stop him, regardless of their strength, were easily pierced through by him, offering no resistance. Before long, he reached the door of the safe house. Yu Hong turned around, removed the black cloth covering his eyes, and opened a pair of dazzling eyes that shone like colorful lights within purple crystals. The Eye of Emosa! The invisible gaze fell on a nearby group of Three-headed Birds. These birds, dense as a fog of sand, were rapidly rushing towards Yu Hong. At a glance, their numbers formed a black pillar of sand, flying swiftly. But under the gaze of the Eye of Emosa, these Three-headed Birds¡¯ bodies began to rapidly shrivel and dehydrate naturally. In just three seconds, the dense flock of Three-headed Birds turned into dry corpses, crumbling and dispersing into ash, disappearing without a trace. Yu Hong continued to move his gaze, setting his sights on a distant group of red-skinned giants covered in black tumors. These giants emitted a scarlet glow constantly, which seemed to be a natural radiation they possessed. Wherever they went, one could clearly see lines of persistent, unfading red light in space. That was the mark of just entering the Immortal Level. Yu Hong fixed his gaze, and the invisible Eye of Emosa effortlessly reduced the thousands of red-skinned tumor giants to dry husks, turning them into black fog that disappeared. ¡¯No consumption at all, this ability is incredible!¡¯ Yu Hong marveled inwardly. After slaughtering so many Black Tide monsters, his eyes hadn¡¯t consumed any energy. It was unbelievably powerful. Immediately, he continued looking at groups of stronger monsters further away. But, unfortunately, there were none. The red-skinned tumor giants were the strongest monsters nearby;the others were merely numerous. Minutes later, Yu Hong had wiped out two groups of beak-headed, goat-bodied monsters numbering at least ten thousand, all around the Immortal Level. Then, he further annihilated all the small monster groups around, making the surrounding cosmic space completely void, before returning to the safe house. Upon entering, he saw Quan He standing on the first floor, staring at him with his mouth agape. "Don¡¯t mind it, this is what it means to be at the late stage of Nascent Soul. When you reach this level, you¡¯ll be able to do it too. Think of our senior brothers." Yu Hong smiled and said. Senior Sister Hei Ying was even more exaggerated;she once annihilated all living beings in a straight line for tens of thousands of kilometers with a single sword. "...I understand, it¡¯s just that a short while ago you were about the same as me, and now you¡¯ve become so..." Quan He stammered, still disbelieving. Especially seeing those tens of thousands of Immortal Level monsters, shattered and shriveled under Yu Hong¡¯s gaze, the huge contrast left her feeling hugely inadequate. Not to mention, she had just entered Immortal Level, while Yu Hong could kill so many monsters of her level with just a glance... This gap couldn¡¯t be described as a simple double or triple difference. "Soon, you too will be able to do it. The difference seems big, but at higher Immortal Levels, because the energy remains constant, even a small energy level difference can turn power into a parasitic entity within. It can quickly consume the original power, transform into its own power, and ultimately destroy the original." Yu Hong explained. "So at the Immortal Level, a small difference in energy level is like the difference between heaven and earth. Initially, killing may be slow due to a slower devouring speed, but it gets faster the further you go. Now that I¡¯m at the pinnacle of the Immortal Level, crushing those below is naturally effortless." The logic was clear, but the shock Quan He felt upon seeing that scene lingered for a long time. "Alright, the heavenly tribulation is over, I need some time to stabilize my cultivation. Wait a moment." Yu Hong said and then entered his Cultivation Room to meditate and stabilize himself. The myriad of special essences and energies from the heavenly tribulation surging into his body were being rapidly absorbed, transforming into the source that nourished his body. Due to his unique traits, his body¡¯s growth was now unlimited. Though his appearance remained unchanged, his true internal form was continuously growing larger. As Yu Hong entered a state of meditation to cultivate, Black Black Spirit once again entered a concealed state, heading towards the Absolute Balance of the Floating City. This time, his main purpose for returning was to investigate the incident involving the two people who had suddenly appeared to blockade them last time. The Floating City was where Yu Hong had placed Yiyi and Ku Chan in the rear. If the problem was not resolved, he wouldn¡¯t feel at ease exploring and cultivating outside. As the Safe House entered a concealed fusion state, Ku Chan, sensing the approach, promptly notified Principal Liu Chixuan of the academy. The Aus Academy ship began actively attacking the Black Tide, offering support. Inside the mother ship of Aus Academy. Liu Chixuan sat in the command seat, turning his chair to look at the few students who had just entered. Xu Feng, Ouyang Rui, and Ku Chan¡ªthese three had been the most loyal followers by his side throughout the war. In two critical moments, when Liu Chixuan was too preoccupied to act, it was these three who had timely handled the situation. Hence, his appreciation for them had grown. Among the three, Xu Feng and Ouyang Rui were at the Fourth Level, while Ku Chan was just starting at the Second Level. However, given his very short cultivation time, reaching this level was already quite impressive. "Ku Chan, your elder brother is moving rapidly towards us and should reach the edge of our war zone in about three days. What do you think his intentions are?" Liu Chixuan, not knowing much about Yu Hong, asked Ku Chan due to the significant incident last time. Last time, the two advanced mages mobilized by the Lucian family, along with a mysterious outsider, had all disappeared. Due to the Black Tide¡¯s blockade, it was impossible to investigate thoroughly, but from various subsequent indications, it was likely a disastrous outcome. Given such achievements by Yu Hong, Liu Chixuan naturally increased his attention towards him. "Elder Brother Yu Hong¡¯s thoughts are actually quite simple," Ku Chan said with a bitter smile. "Anyone who is inexplicably blockaded and attacked as soon as they appear would first think to find out why and then seek revenge!" "...sigh." Liu Chixuan understood this reasoning, but he still sought confirmation from Ku Chan. "The Lucian family probably already got the news. In fact, since the last blockade failed, they have been preparing for a long-distance migration to leave the Floating City. But the Black Tide¡¯s blockade has left them with no chance to escape. Now that Yu Hong is making a comeback, they¡¯ll be compelled to flee for their lives." "This matter was a small issue at first, but it escalated step by step, and now it has become..." Ku Chan sighed, having not seen Yu Hong for a long time, unsure of how he had changed. "But Yu Hong may not be able to get through. The core of the Black Tide has the Mother of Corpses, which is a massive war machine comparable to a Level Nine Senator. Naturally, its surroundings emit space-time traps," Liu Chixuan said gravely. "Since my elder brother dares to come, he must have a way," Ku Chan trusted Yu Hong a lot. * * * In outer space, Black Black Spirit silently flew through countless Black Tide monsters, weaving its way through. The densely packed monsters completely covered the surroundings, forcing the Safe House to move cautiously through narrow gaps. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. From the Safe House window. Yu Hong and Quan He stood on the inside of the glass, watching the outside situation quietly. The myriad of black monsters, strange and various, quietly clung together, forming branch-like network structures. Most of them were asleep, motionless, with only the outer layers constantly waking and flying off to battle. They were navigating through what felt like a vast black forest. "As we enter the innermost part, the Black Tide seems quite serene," Yu Hong said softly. He was somewhat nervous at this moment. Because just as they were entering, they had encountered three waves of strange monsters at least at the Contamination Level. He even encountered a giant meatball with a presence similar to his teacher, Yu Xuezi. If these monsters were alarmed, the Safe House¡¯s defenses would surely hold, but being trapped would be troublesome. The current power of the Safe House primarily depended on him. The original small nuclear reactor had long been unusable as the primary power source. It couldn¡¯t even reach Golden Core Level power, let alone a foundation establishment level. "We¡¯ll visit Ku Chan and then head back. This place is still too dangerous and not suitable for us to intervene now," Yu Hong said, being very self-aware. "Indeed, we can only ensure basic safety now, even if we discover something, we can¡¯t solve it," Quan He nodded. Yu Hong didn¡¯t respond. He himself wasn¡¯t sure of his exact strength either. The Eye of Emosa was merely his conventional power;the truly formidable force lay in his exaggeratedly stacked body traits. Three days later. Black Black Spirit quietly emerged from the Black Tide army, encircling the Floating City like dark clouds, and entered the outer edge of the war zone monitored by the Floating City. Ku Chan had already brought people ahead in a ship to meet them. He and Yu Hong had numerous methods of contact and positioning. Furthermore, he had the Spirit Light positioning of the Tai Ling Skill. This Source Disaster Level power couldn¡¯t be isolated even by the Black Disaster. Chapter 576: again Four The Tai Ling Skill on Yu Hong¡¯s body, though gradually being devoured and diminished, retains its basic sensing ability, unaffected by sealing and weakening. Black Black Spirit did not enter the deeper parts of the Floating City. The experience of being encircled several times made him distrust the Absolute Balance Floating City. Soon, Black Black Spirit dispelled his disguise in the void and slowly emerged. Naturally, he slowly approached and connected with a nearby small black-silver spaceship. The hatch opened, and Yu Hong also opened his door and walked out, leaving Quan He in the Safety House to ensure someone was always in control. The Safety House is strong enough now, the only worry is it being dragged away when no one is controlling it. "Brother Yu!" Ku Chan, in a white Mage Robe with two silver stripes on the sleeves, his hair also turned ashen, looking much more weathered, greeted him. He greeted Yu Hong with joy, flying close and giving him a hug. "Long time no see!" He said with a smile. "Yes, it has been a long time." Yu Hong sighed. "It seems like you are doing well?" "Let¡¯s go inside and talk. Yiyi and the others are here too, I have gathered everyone together. It¡¯s easier to take care of each other." Ku Chan said. "Is White Dragon Jiafei here too?" Yu Hong scanned with his spiritual power and understood immediately. Ads by PubFuture "Yes, weren¡¯t we deceived before? So I brought everyone together. That little Goddess was too outrageous;she¡¯s been taken for reform now." Ku Chan said in a deep voice. White Dragon Jiafei was almost sold for sex services by the little Goddess, which left Ku Chan quite speechless. To prevent White Dragon Jiafei from being deceived again, he simply brought her back. The two flew back to the spaceship together. Inside the ship, Yiyi and White Dragon Jiafei were present. Seeing Yu Hong, Yiyi happily grabbed his hand. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Are you staying this time? Join us, don¡¯t leave. It¡¯s too dangerous alone." Yiyi said. "Some things must be done by someone." Yu Hong gently touched her hair. "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m safe." He said. "But it¡¯s been so long since we last saw you..." Yiyi¡¯s pretty face fell. "After everything is done, I¡¯ll come back and won¡¯t leave. Then I¡¯ll stay." Yu Hong smiled. He comforted Yiyi and then looked at White Dragon Jiafei through the black cloth. White Dragon Jiafei was in a white dress, her long hair tied with white ribbons, standing nervously not far away, not daring to approach. "Work hard, don¡¯t regret when you need strength." He encouraged solemnly. "Hmm!" Jiafei nodded vigorously. "Alright, Ku Chan, let¡¯s discuss the matters from before. Who is targeting me?" Yu Hong finally turned to ask. "It¡¯s the Lu Xian family. They used a large amount of resources and promises to exchange for the support and acquiescence of other council members. They also invited mysterious strong individuals for the siege against you. This matter is no secret within our circle;everyone knows." Ku Chan quickly explained. "If I act against the Lu Xian family, will other council members intervene?" Yu Hong asked further. "Two might, but our old dean and former council member Agrius may intervene to stop them. So, it¡¯s not a big issue. The key is, if you face the Lu Xian family alone, can you win?" Ku Chan said seriously. "If it¡¯s only them, it¡¯s not a problem. Lu Xian is severely injured, his eyes are still in my possession." Yu Hong smiled. Speaking of the eyes that can see the future, he has kept them sealed, yet to find an opportunity to use them. Once the energy level is reached, he should be able to swallow, absorb, and fuse them directly. "Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll block the other council members." Ku Chan assured. As the two discussed in hushed voices about handling the Lu Xian family, a humanoid figure completely formed from blue electric currents appeared on the floor beside the group. "Old dean!" Ku Chan quickly stepped back and bowed. Everyone but Yu Hong quickly paid respectful homage to the newcomer. During their time in the Floating City, this old dean had taken care of them greatly. "You must be Yu Hong? I am Liu Xiran, currently one of the council members of Absolute Balance. Agrius and I will handle the council side, just find any excuse. But we can¡¯t directly help you against the Lu Xian family because of the Arcane Oath." Liu Xiran explained. "Understood, thank you for your help!" Yu Hong sincerely said. "Just be careful. The Lu Xian family has deep potential behind them, and their connections are quite complex. Don¡¯t be careless." Liu Xiran reminded. "Alright! Please inform me of their location." Yu Hong nodded. "I received news when I came that they¡¯ve already begun retreating. I don¡¯t know where they¡¯re going, but I secretly planted something in their team..." Liu Xiran showed a subtle smile. "Lu Xian disregarded my opposition and captured people from my academy, really thought I had no temper. Take this." Liu Xiran tossed a small silver object, like a button, letting Yu Hong catch it. "It will guide you." Liu Xiran said. "Thank you!" Yu Hong glanced at the object. "Go quickly, I just discovered they¡¯re moving." Liu Xiran smiled. Yu Hong smiled back. "Then I¡¯ll take my leave for now." He said. Grasping the button, he carefully sensed the direction and turned to stride towards the hatch. * * Ads by PubFuture * At the battlefront of the spaceship and Black Tide, tens of thousands of kilometers away from the Floating City. A silver-white seagull-like spaceship with double wings was rushing quickly toward the Black Tide. Inside the spaceship. Lu Xian, dressed in a silver-white mage robe, leaned on a golden wand with one hand, gently touching his empty eye sockets with the other. "The grudge of having my eyes gouged out! Yu Hong, you just wait!! This time, I will make you wish you were dead!!" "Teacher, even the two strongmen from the Blood Blade Sect have gone missing. Isn¡¯t it too risky for just the few of us?" Behind Lu Xian, a tall and thin female mage with purple hair spoke with a worried look. "Feilapu, explain it to her;we¡¯ve come this far, there¡¯s no need to hide it." Lu Xian glanced at his younger cousin standing by the wall. "Brother, there¡¯s no need to say more, haven¡¯t you felt it yet? The other side has already arrived." The cousin, Feilapu, smiled. Ever since Lu Xian lost his eyes, which were his mana core, his mana had dropped significantly. At this moment, he finally felt something and looked towards the front of the spaceship. There, a massive black mist appeared out of thin air. In the black mist, a huge arched black door, over a thousand meters tall, slowly emerged. The door was covered with countless black moths, some as small as a palm, while others were as large as an airplane. Some crawled and wriggled on the door, while others lightly took to the air and slowly circled around the black door. "This... this is...!!?" The purple-haired female mage stared in shock at the scene and quickly looked at Lu Xian but found her teacher¡¯s face calm, clearly having seen this before. Even though Lu Xian¡¯s eyes had been gouged out, the immense spiritual power of a Level Nine Arcanist allowed him to use spells to replace his eyes. "Don¡¯t be surprised. You always wondered why our Floating City was able to hold out for so many years under the attacks of numerous Source Disasters, didn¡¯t you?" Lu Xian smiled. He raised his hand, pointing at the giant moth door that was slowly opening. "This is the answer." Crack... A slight tremor slowly emanated from the thousand-meter giant door. From the crack in the door, a group of humanoid creatures with moth wings on their backs slowly flew out. These creatures had long gray necks full of wrinkles, like a section of hose, topped with large bald heads. Among the moth people, an old bald man wearing a black mage robe and holding a black crystal staff slowly flew out. At this moment, Lu Xian and the other two also flew out of the spaceship, respectfully saluting the old man. "Scholar Yanier, it is a pleasure to see you again. Praise the great Emperor. It is an honor that you personally led the team this time." "The Emperor is already aware of the Heavenly Sun Sect¡¯s sneak attack on the Floating City. The generals have already moved to encircle and kill the Heavenly Sun Sect¡¯s officers. Originally, I wasn¡¯t responsible for this, but I got interested when the two from the Blood Blade Sect went missing." The mothman elder Yanier walked through the void as if it were solid ground. "Tell me, which palace in Qinghe Mountain does this Captain Yu Hong have backing him?" Yanier asked. "Not sure, but judging from the energy traces left at the scene, it should be from the Wanxue Palace lineage." Lu Xian had clearly researched and understood Qinghe Mountain well. The archives of the Floating City were extremely vast, and it was normal for them to have information on Qinghe Mountain. "The Emperor mentioned that deep within the Black Disaster, in an isolated area resides remnants of Wanxue Palace. However, that territory belongs to the Heavenly Sun Sect, so it should be an expert from there." Yanier thought deeply. "Scholar, you mean to say...." Lu Xian hesitated. "It¡¯s simple. That place is isolated by space and time, and the experts inside cannot freely enter and exit. Just a little isolation will make it impossible for them to respond to summons." Yanier smiled. "Actually, even if he comes again, it¡¯s no big deal. I am here to prevent any contingencies." "Thank you, Scholar! Once the task is accomplished, I am willing to offer five planets to reimburse your consumption," Lu Xian said joyfully. "Each planet must have at least one hundred million effective cognitive entities," Yanier reminded. "Of course! We have the Knowledge Temple and the Reproduction Holy Hall increasing the birth rate while adjusting the time flow rate. Within ten years, we can cultivate a batch of high-quality cognitive entities that will surely satisfy you," Lu Xian answered skillfully. Clearly, he had already established a perfect supply chain for this. "That¡¯s good." Yanier smiled, suddenly looking up at the distant starry sky. "He¡¯s here. Interesting, chasing after us openly. Quite bold." "This Yu Hong may not even know what he¡¯s about to face." Lu Xian also smiled. Not far away, inside the Black Black Spirit Safety House. Yu Hong stood with his hands behind his back, looking out the window at the massive Moth Gate. "So, it is linked with the Black Disaster?" From the two Blood Blade Sect strongmen, he had already determined that there was something wrong with the Lu Xian family. Given the size of the Floating City, it had no right to withstand the siege of so many Source Disasters for so many years. Now it seems... They are simply a breeding ground, cultivating a large number of high-cognition mages and then consuming them in wars to turn them into cognitive food, supplying the surrender faction. "Such behavior is truly disgusting..." Yu Hong¡¯s face darkened, gently caressing the Black Phoenix Jade given by his mentor. "Considering the scale, it¡¯s a good opportunity to test the strength of my enhanced body..." Since gaining the ability of infinite growth, he had never fully unleashed his true form. This time, such an opponent might be worth his full effort. Chapter 577: End of 575 One In space. The two sides¡¯ auras gradually approached. Although Yu Hong only had one safe house--Black Black Spirit on his side, the aura emanating from inside faintly coalesced into a massive white-haired, black-striped, twin-winged tiger, staring intensely at the other side. On Lu Xian¡¯s side, the spaceship had become insignificant;the truly eye-catching sight was the huge Moth Gate. Yanier and a group of Mothmen stood together with Lu Xian, their combined auras naturally forming a gigantic gray moth, revealing sharp mouthparts toward the opposite side. Silently, Black Black Spirit stopped hundreds of kilometers away from the opposite side. Click. Yu Hong opened the door and flew out directly. "Lu Xian, you should understand my purpose for coming." He loudly transmitted his voice. Being named, Lu Xian did not shrink back;he flew out coldly, hovering in mid-air, looking over at the opposite side. "Yu Hong, you killed my disciple and gouged out my eyes, and yet you dare to chase me today...." Ads by PubFuture "Wasn¡¯t it you who first attacked me, blocked my way, and captured me? And now you start accusing me?" Yu Hong raised an eyebrow. "Me first? I originally didn¡¯t intend to...." "Enough nonsense!" Yu Hong didn¡¯t want to listen to the other side¡¯s nonsense;he rapidly injected mana into the Black Phoenix Jade in his hand. The vast mana of the Nascent Soul Late Stage surged quickly. Roar! A massive cry exploded, and a black fire phoenix leaped out of the Black Phoenix Jade, rushing towards the opposite side. Before the black fire phoenix could approach, an invisible gaze pierced through the black fire, insidiously shooting towards Lu Xian¡¯s head. ¡¯Four Elements Shield!¡¯ Lu Xian instantly cast a high-level spell, forming a four-colored round shield in front of him while rapidly chanting, preparing his exclusive forbidden curse. As a Level Nine, he naturally had his most proficient forbidden curse;it was just that he had been careless last time, not having the time to use it. "Golden Blade Storm!" Two seconds later, a dazzling golden metallic torrent appeared from in front of him, coalescing into a huge golden sphere, flying towards Yu Hong¡¯s black phoenix. But as soon as the golden sphere flew out, a hole was suddenly opened in the middle. Sizzle!! In a panic, Lu Xian instinctively tilted his head to the left. Only then did he dodge the invisible gaze that penetrated through the forbidden curse and the Four Elements Shield. "What the hell!?" His face turned sinister, having seen the opposite side wasn¡¯t this exaggerated last time. How had they progressed so far, having means to threaten him? Boom! Not far away, the giant golden sphere formed by the Golden Blade Storm expanded to a diameter of a hundred meters, colliding head-on with the black fire phoenix. At first, the golden sphere scattered the phoenix, continuing to rush towards Yu Hong. But it collided with a void. Yu Hong was no longer at his original location, having disappeared. ¡¯Left side!?¡¯ Lu Xian expanded his spiritual power to scan, "No! Above!!" He raised his head sharply and released the second forbidden curse that he had been preparing in his hand with a booming shout. Frost Lock!! A massive white freezing gas turned into a white torrent, blowing upwards, precisely hitting Yu Hong who was about to fall from above to attack. The mana defense on Yu Hong¡¯s body was instantly frozen and shattered, his entire being hit by the freezing gas, becoming an ice sculpture on the spot. Lu Xian sneered, stopping the freezing gas. "Without support, just relying on you, you dare to face me head-on, overestimating yourself!" But the next second, his heart jumped, hastily moving away from his original position. Sizzle!! In the next instant, a purple beam of light brushed past his original location, coming from Yu Hong, who had been frozen. Yu Hong¡¯s face remained unchanged, his right eye shining with a thick purple light. With a slight movement, he broke free from his confinement. "I told you, you talk too much." He pounced towards Lu Xian, his right hand forming a tiger claw, swiping downwards. Sizzle! This move prompted Lu Xian to urgently release a magic shield to resist upwards, but in the next instant, he blocked an empty space. The original figure of Yu Hong rushing downward had suddenly turned transparent, fading away. "Elemental Star Flash!!" In a panic, Lu Xian sensed danger, directly crushing a golden crystal he carried with him. The crystal amplified with his mana exploded;within a second, he released his strongest spell to date¡ªforbidden curse: Elemental Star Flash. Even without the mana core of his eyes, greatly affecting his strength, he still had the capabilities of Level Nine and the heights of Contamination Level. In an instant. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With Lu Xian at the center, layers of various colored light masses expanded, exploding, turning into dazzling flashes, covering everything within a radius of ten thousand kilometers. Some nearby wandering asteroids were also silently disintegrated by the light. This was a star-annihilating destructive strike. Yu Hong, in the surrounding space, had no escape and could only withstand it. The terrifying elemental flashes continuously impacted Yu Hong¡¯s body, shattering all his body protection techniques. Countless beams of light struck his body¡¯s surface, obliterating his clothes completely, hitting his skin below. In an instant, he was illuminated from his concealed state, floating in mid-air, being repeatedly bombarded from all directions. Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle! Masses of color shredded through all the mana techniques he released. Ads by PubFuture ¡¯Nascent Soul Stage, definitely still can¡¯t beat this guy....¡¯ Yu Hong felt the overwhelming increase in the other¡¯s power spreading rapidly around. Gained a deeper understanding of Contamination Level power. This energy level is characterized by pollution and rapid spread. Originally, he planned to test his Nascent Soul Late Stage cultivation;he had to see how it would perform. Unfortunately, Lucian¡¯s energy level clearly surpassed his own, and his attack and defense techniques were far superior. "Forget it." Yu Hong felt his body constantly being bombarded but showed no signs of injury. Even his eyeballs were hit by the opponent¡¯s flashes, yet he still felt nothing. Emosa¡¯s Body¡¯s tough skin defense was terrifying and flawless. "Since the spell test is over, then...." Yu Hong stretched his arms, relaxed his entire body, and bathed in the horrifying bombardment of the surrounding Elemental Star Flash in mid-air. The next second. He started to burn. Danger! Danger! Danger! At the same time, Lucian¡¯s inner alarm went off wildly. He didn¡¯t have time to think and immediately ceased spellcasting, initiating spatial shift and teleporting backward! But he was a step too slow. Swoosh! A gigantic humanoid figure over six meters tall appeared suddenly before him. The humanoid figure was almost clinging to him, arms spread wide. Embrace! Boom!!!! The teleportation light beneath Lucian¡¯s feet suddenly lit up, teleporting both him and the gigantic figure away. At the same time, he felt a sharp pain in his back as his defensive Demonized Necklace exploded into pieces. The Elemental Magic Shield shattered in two layers, and then he was heavily struck on the back by two large hands. Puff! Lucian spat out a mouthful of blood on the spot. "Die!!" He felt a sense of disbelief and maddening humiliation. The previously weak existence he could instantly capture had suddenly.... At this moment, all of Lucian¡¯s mana boiled over, unleashing an explosion that indiscriminately erupted in all directions. Boom!! A gigantic white mana explosion formed an exaggerated white sphere hundreds of meters in diameter. But soon the explosion dispersed, and Lucian was still embraced by the gigantic humanoid figure, motionless. The instant self-detonation of all his mana couldn¡¯t even make the opponent loosen his grip! Crack. Yu Hong embraced Lucian, exerting force with his arms, and a massive wave of bone-breaking vibrations sounded beneath him. "In spellcasting, I¡¯m not your match, but it doesn¡¯t matter. Mages are fragile;once you get close, one strike is enough." His expression was calm as he released Lucian, letting his limp body float away like a pile of mud. Lucian¡¯s Energy Level was Contamination, but he was not a well-rounded immortal dao cultivator;he was an attack-heavy and defense-light arcane mage. Contamination¡¯s advantage lies in its offense, capable of amplifying mana countless times and destroying vast areas. But if this offensive power fails to work, the result would be as it is now. Yu Hong looked at the breathless Lucian, feeling uninterested. "Even a Level Nine Arcane cannot withstand a close-range lethal strike...." Before his voice fell, a scorching pillar of flames from behind suddenly engulfed him. "Fiery Flame Burning Body!" Lucian¡¯s figure reappeared from behind, while the corpse in front of Yu Hong quickly melted and decayed, turning into bones before disintegrating and disappearing. Lucian¡¯s face was grim. His Substitute Death Technique had activated, using one of the nine available times, now leaving only three more opportunities for rebirth. Originally, he thought Yu Hong could be easily defeated, but now Yu Hong showed an exaggerated combat power. "It seems it¡¯s not Qinghe Mountain behind you that needs to be guarded against...but you yourself!!" Lucian¡¯s black eye sockets stared intensely at Yu Hong, who was slowly walking out of the flames. The tens of thousands of degrees of high-temperature flames did not cause the opponent any damage. At this moment, Yu Hong, standing over six meters tall, with pitch-black skin, purple glowing eyes, and a cross-star-shaped dark golden pattern on his chest. This appearance seemed somewhat familiar to Lucian. He felt as if he had seen this form in some classical book. "Elemental Amplification¡¤Ultra-Spiritualization¡¤Ice Polar Hell!!" Lucian had no time to think, combining Intelligent Spirit Coordination and began casting. This time, he dared not hold back, using his most powerful destructive spell. He had once completely frozen a giant planet with this spell, pulverizing it into cosmic dust within five seconds. Circles of ice-blue rune arrays expanded behind him, rotating and glowing brightly. Fierce winds blew around, despite being in outer space, with extreme cold air appearing out of nowhere, swirling all around. The temperature dropped rapidly, quickly reaching absolute zero. Crack. Large patches of ice-blue fog emanated from Lucian, drifting outward. Fine ice flakes began to appear even in outer space, seemingly freezing the very fabric of space. The freezing range rapidly expanded, covering everything Yu Hong could see. Even the giant Moth Gate gained a thin layer of frost. Lucian¡¯s mana quickly recovered, as he struggled to maintain this compounded forbidden curse, looking towards Yu Hong. Chapter 578: ends 2 Clash! A crisp sound. Yu Hong, who should have been frozen, broke through the ice layer once again with ease. With every movement, he shattered the ice around him and continued flying toward his opponent. Lu Xian¡¯s face turned pale. "Great Elemental Star Flash!" He exhausted all his spiritual power and frantically cast spells at Yu Hong. "Aurora Freezing Technique!" "Space Cutting Technique!!" "Rapid Golden Blade Storm!" "Instant Death Ray!!" One after another, powerful elemental spells¡ªice, fire, blue, green¡ªrepeatedly struck Yu Hong. But as the spells dissipated, Yu Hong continued to fly toward Lu Xian steadily. Ads by PubFuture In contrast, Lu Xian, despite being a Ninth Level Mage of Contamination Level, had overexerted himself by casting such powerful Star Destruction Spells in a short time. His face turned ashen, and his spiritual power was severely depleted. "Is it over?" Yu Hong flew up to Lu Xian, less than three meters apart. "You...!!??? What on earth are you?!" Lu Xian¡¯s lips trembled as he stared at Yu Hong. "I¡¯m just an ordinary person with good luck." Yu Hong grinned. Bang!! In an instant, he struck with his palm. Lu Xian¡¯s head exploded, and his corpse was flung away, smashing into the door of the Moth Gate, creating a cloud of dust. "Brother!!" "Teacher!!" The other two mages suddenly snapped out of their daze and rushed toward Lu Xian¡¯s corpse. Behind the corpse, a new body of Lu Xian was rapidly forming, the Substitute Death Technique taking effect once more. "Oh? There¡¯s still more," Yu Hong was surprised, then continued toward Lu Xian. "Enough." Suddenly, an elderly figure holding a purple crystal staff appeared in front of Yu Hong. The old man had a pair of gray moth wings on his back that slowly flapped. It was Yanier, who had been observing all along. "Yu Hong, your talent is rare in the world. Even in the Floating City, it¡¯s unique. Qinghe Mountain has long been destroyed and cannot offer you the future you desire. We belong to the Elemental Imperial Court, and His Majesty is eagerly seeking talent. If you join us, you will enjoy wealth, immortality, and freedom. Wouldn¡¯t that be wonderful?" Yanier smiled, persuading Yu Hong. "Wealth, immortality, and freedom? I can achieve those on my own. Why should I pledge my loyalty to you?" Yu Hong said, looking at Lu Xian, who was resurrecting again. "Move aside!" "You¡¯ve killed him twice;any anger should be appeased by now. Let¡¯s just end this here. We might even have opportunities to collaborate in the future," Yanier suggested with a smile. "Your Elemental Imperial Court..." Yu Hong looked at Yanier. "Are you surrendering?" Yanier¡¯s smile faded. "Source Disaster is the trend of the times. It affects countless universes and timelines, and there¡¯s no escaping it. Even Qinghe Mountain, once so powerful, with Heavenly Venerates in the sky, what has become of it now?" "Enough talk. If you¡¯re unwilling, I¡¯ll have to... use force!" He abruptly raised his hand, and his wings rapidly extended, turning into two curtains that enveloped the surroundings, charging toward Yu Hong. This seemingly simple tactic was something Yu Hong couldn¡¯t counter. In the last moment when Yanier¡¯s voice echoed, the space around Yu Hong transformed into an unbreakable giant lock, holding him firmly in place. Yu Hong struggled, but even his strengthened physique couldn¡¯t break free from such confinement. "Have you ever faced an Immortal directly? Unity of Heaven and Man means controlling the space-time around oneself. To fight an Immortal is to fight against everything within their domain," Yanier¡¯s voice echoed in Yu Hong¡¯s ears. "So...." Buzz! A golden light suddenly shone from Yu Hong¡¯s body. It wasn¡¯t his own light but a trump card gifted by Feng Xuezi, glowing clear as water. "So what?" Yu Hong looked up at him. Bang. The giant Moth Gate began to close slowly and fade away. Yanier, who had been speaking moments before, vanished without a trace, along with the other moth creatures. Only Lu Xian and his two comrades remained, their spaceship floating aimlessly in the air. .... Yu Hong was speechless and glanced at the three. Swish! His terrifying physical strength erupted with an instantaneous movement-like speed. He raised his right hand and slashed. Bang! Bang! Bang!! Ads by PubFuture Three crisp sounds, and the elemental shields on the three mages burst like balloons. Their bodies were shattered at the same moment. "No!!" Lu Xian¡¯s body once again resurrected and condensed in the air not far away, but Yu Hong flashed again and smacked it to pieces. After this time, there was no more sound. Yu Hong sighed, turned around, and flew towards Black Black Spirit. His body also quickly shrank during the flight, returning to its normal state. Crack. The door opened, and Quan He was standing silently at the door, throwing him a set of clothes. "Welcome back victorious." "Thank you." Yu Hong took the clothes to cover his lower body. Luckily, Quan He was in a state of shock and confusion, otherwise, it would be somewhat embarrassing to be discovered naked. After entering the room, Yu Hong immediately operated the safe house, turning towards the Wind Disaster. "We must leave immediately. My earlier move was just to scare the opponent. I heard from my master that both the Heavenly Sun Sect and Elemental Imperial Court have Golden Immortal experts holding power. Our goal this time is reached, it¡¯s time to stop to avoid attracting higher-level troubles." "Your arrangement, then." Quan He nodded. She was now numb, thinking this time would be a hard fight, but Yu Hong went out and settled everything in just a few moves and even turned into a massive black humanoid over six meters tall. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Honestly, Yu Hong, what is your cultivation level, exactly?" Quan He couldn¡¯t help but ask again. "Nascent Soul Late Stage. It¡¯s just that I accidentally awakened a mysterious bloodline, so I can transform and fight. It¡¯s not a big deal. You¡¯ll certainly be able to unearth some bloodlines within your body in the future too. I just got lucky. These things everyone can do, it¡¯s nothing special." Yu Hong naturally replied. "...." Quan He now didn¡¯t know how to face the words ¡¯got lucky.¡¯ "Alright, now that this matter is settled, we should leave. The Heavenly Tribulation is over, it¡¯s time to return to the City of No Light to continue cultivating." Yu Hong, in a good mood, piloted Black Black Spirit and quickly disappeared into the multitude of colorful threads in the Wind Disaster. * * * Time flies like an arrow, and years pass by like a shuttle. After resolving Lu Xian and the other two, Yu Hong and Quan He did not leave the City of No Light at will. They remained within, focusing on cultivation and strengthening. Breaking through, they would go to Floating City to undergo tribulation, repeatedly. In the blink of an eye, three years had passed. Yu Hong unsurprisingly broke through to the late stage of Divinity Transformation smoothly. During this period, he did not fuse any new traits but continuously enhanced his Outer Eye. After savoring the benefits of Emosa¡¯s Body, upon returning to the city, Yu Hong immediately fused Lu Xian¡¯s eye to further strengthen his Outer Eye. The result was a countdown of three full years. Aside from this, Yu Hong also cultivated the Qingwei Heart Technique to the third layer, and the Three Elements Divine Light art also reached perfection, acquiring a new trait. But by this time, both he and Quan He were almost unable to stay any longer. Because the vitality reserves they carried had finally been exhausted from cultivation and absorption. Without enough vitality in the future, their cultivation progress would slow down significantly. In three years, Quan He had also advanced to the middle stage of the Golden Core, thoroughly understanding the vast gap between herself and Yu Hong. Understanding that Yu Hong¡¯s so-called good luck was genuinely just saying it nicely. "You should indeed leave, it¡¯s time." In the safe house, Su Dan¡¯s voice echoed in Yu Hong¡¯s ears. "The Black Tide I warned you about earlier is real this time. The enormous Black Tide covering the City of No Light is not comparable to those outside. Only the strongest Unconscious Body monsters can enter here, and the truly most destructive Heavenly Disaster will arrive. You can¡¯t withstand it." Su Dan sighed. "Senior, the formation in the safe house was set up by a Golden Immortal..." Yu Hong frowned and said while sitting cross-legged. "So what? A Golden Immortal can indeed hold it off, but only at the initial stage. As it progresses, dangers that can penetrate the array and affect you will arise. At your current level, facing them means certain death." Su Dan answered. "Then, Senior, how long will the Black Tide last?" Yu Hong asked in a deep voice. "It will last ten years each time. After ten years, you can come back. Besides, you must go out to absorb vitality." Su Dan said. "By the way, where are you planning to go to replenish vitality?" "Not yet, Floating City can¡¯t be used for replenishment. The Black Disaster is still spreading, and there are too many spies from the surrender faction. It¡¯s too dangerous and attracts too much attention." Yu Hong shook his head. "I can recommend a few directions for you. At your current cultivation level, you can find sufficient vitality in any universe. But going out only to recharge vitality is a waste. So... you can also collect some resources and treasures suitable for your Immortal Dao, enhancing yourselves. Additionally, you can help some small universes extinguish the Source Disaster¡¯s initial invasion, delaying the Great Annihilation." "So, Senior means we should go to a universe where the Great Annihilation is about to erupt, repair and delay the Annihilation, and also gather vitality and resources?" Yu Hong understood. Wasn¡¯t this what he used to do? "Yes, but unlike before, relying solely on the power of living beings won¡¯t accomplish these tasks in the Great Annihilation. The strength of the Great Annihilation is immensely exaggerated. You need to find the most essential induction point of that universe, which is also the critical reason why the Source Disaster leads to the annihilation of the universe. Finding the induction point, whether to conceal, destroy, or remove it, will effectively delay the invasion intensity of the Source Disaster." Su Dan explained. "Then, how should we find this induction point?" Yu Hong inquired, understanding. "It¡¯s straightforward. The most dazzling and brilliant being among the living things is likely the induction point. This being might be the strongest, a top scholar, or even another creature, not necessarily human. As long as its influence is considerable, and its life force is abundant and resilient, it could be the induction point." Su Dan replied. "There is a simplest recognition method: the soul of an induction point being usually presents itself as a golden light dot." "Junior understands!" Yu Hong replied solemnly. "Good. When do you plan to leave?" Su Dan asked. "We¡¯ll leave in about a day after a little preparation!" Yu Hong replied. Lacking vitality, he and Quan He needed to replenish it swiftly. "Great! Be cautious. Tracking the induction point might attract the surrender faction. At your current cultivation level, do not expose yourselves easily." Su Dan expressed some concern. After all, Yu Hong was the only individual he could communicate with in these years. "Junior knows!" Yu Hong nodded solemnly. His Outer Eye enhancement would complete in a few hours. He planned to start integrating the Black Mark¡¯s traits immediately after it completed and then set off. Chapter 579: Approach One After arranging the departure time with Quan He, Yu Hong returned to the Cultivation Room, sat cross-legged in meditation, and began quietly cultivating, waiting for the final moment of fortification to arrive. In the traits within his mind, the Three Elements Divine Light he initially cultivated had now reached Perfection, granting him a trait called ¡¯Piercing Eye.¡¯ ¡¯Piercing Eye (an offensive ability released by the eyes, enhancing piercing effect by 500%)¡¯ had no embellishments, only this one effect of increasing penetration. This trait directly amplified the power of Yu Hong¡¯s Eye of Emosa when casting Chaotic God Heavenly Eye by several times. Over the past three years, Yu Hong tested it;now, the power of his Chaotic God Heavenly Eye, Eye of Emosa, had far surpassed other Divinity Transformation Stage magic techniques. Therefore, he abandoned the pursuit of other Divinity Transformation spells, as his piercing gaze and terrifyingly enhanced close combat Holy Tiger Type rendered spells and magic techniques superfluous to him. He now uses a combat style based on the Qingwei Heart Technique and Divinity Transformation spells as his external disguise. It deceives opponents into believing he is an ordinary Immortal Dao cultivator, only for his strong close combat destructive power to bring them a massive surprise when they engage him closely. Time slowly passed. A few hours quickly went by, and the final moment of Outer Eye fortification finally arrived. Sitting cross-legged and unmoving, Yu Hong gazed at the countdown timer reflected in the mirror in front of him. At the instant when the last minute ticked down to zero. Ads by PubFuture He suddenly felt a pain in his eyeballs, followed by a surge of new information flooding into his mind. ¡¯Outer Eye fortification complete, you have obtained the Withered Eye.¡¯ ¡¯Withered Eye (one of the ultimate evolutionary paths of the Eye of Emosa, enables rapid decay and decompose targets when gazed upon, dismantling their structure. Additionally, gains the King of Decay trait and Withered Body trait.)¡¯ ¡¯King of Decay (Your abilities related to decay and withering are at the highest priority. In your eyes, even time can be shattered with sufficient power. Your body, mind, and soul gain an eternal stability trait, preventing aging from the passage of time. Your growth trait gains infinite enhancement. You gain 80% resistance to time-space related effects, and 100% resistance to decay effects. You can partially control the speed of decay and withering within a small area and reverse it at will.)¡¯ ¡¯Withered Body (Your physical attributes are amplified 20 times, and your close combat destructive power is enhanced 20 times. All your attacks will automatically carry a decay erosion effect. Your innate control over power far exceeds that of ordinary beings, and your cultivation speed in any power system will be increased tenfold.)¡¯ ¡¯Warning: Due to acquiring a top-tier Heavenly Human Level complete organ, your body will passively undergo Heavenly Human transformation, and your actions will automatically carry a regional influence.¡¯ "...Tsk tsk, this time¡¯s fortification is quite substantial, a Heavenly Human Level organ. It was definitely worth it. Everything needed has been obtained." Yu Hong opened his eyes, reaching out with his hand to grip lightly. Bang! The transparent space within his palm twisted as if squeezed like a soap bubble, then rebounded back to normal. This grip seemed to cause the surrounding space to show fine black lines due to the spatial distortion. Although the black lines disappeared in a flash, Yu Hong still followed them to sense the deep connection to the source¡ªthe Heaven¡¯s Eye. The Chaotic God Heavenly Eye Scripture was essentially a Cultivation Technique mimicking the Heaven¡¯s Eye, and this fortification unexpectedly directly influenced the Heaven¡¯s Eye, which Yu Hong hadn¡¯t anticipated. ¡¯Continuing to fortify at this pace, I wonder what level this eye can achieve.¡¯ Yu Hong felt the immense feedback of mana starting from the Withered Eye in his eye sockets. The feedback mana, in both quality and quantity, was far superior to his previous mana, and much more viscous. He realized that the comprehensive evolution of his body, brought about by the Outer Eye, had begun, which would also accelerate his cultivation speed. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He didn¡¯t stop but quickly decided on the next trait to fortify. Without hesitation, he merged the Withered Body with the Innate Body to enhance his cultivation speed trait. The countdown quickly appeared: April 11, at 8:54 AM. Yu Hong sighed. A hint of frustration in his heart, knowing that previous trait fusions took only a little time, but now both fusion and fortification times were getting longer and longer. After finishing these, Yu Hong seriously closed his eyes to sense the changes in his body. He extended his hand, feeling that any dust or gas approaching him was naturally attracted to him. The natural heat he emitted was also wholly absorbed back by an inexplicable force. ¡¯Is the excessive density starting to cause gravitational pull?¡¯ Yu Hong understood the phenomenon, recognizing it as akin to stellar collapse, though currently only subtly manifesting. He then carefully performed the Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique, a pure white Heavenly River naturally emerging and revolving around him. He had now begun to touch upon the Contamination Level, characterized by extreme mana density, which significantly amplified the area of effect with just a small amount of mana. The huge density difference caused the mana to naturally create a big explosion-like phenomenon, resulting in contamination. ¡¯Divinity Transformation Stage Cultivation, plus twentyfold physical attributes and twentyfold close combat destructive power... Looks like I need a suitable opponent to test the current results.¡¯ Yu Hong didn¡¯t know the exact gap between Divinity Transformation and later Returning to Void Mahayana Ascension, but he now considered himself a small expert within the Immortal Dao. Time passed unconsciously. Soon, the clock on the table showed it was 9 AM the next day. Yu Hong stood up and, along with Quan He, tidied up the belongings in the safehouse before starting their long-awaited departure journey by controlling the safehouse. "See you in ten years, Senior," Yu Hong transmitted in a deep voice. "With your cultivation speed, I hope you can step into the Immortal Realm in ten years." Su Dan encouraged. He had truly witnessed Yu Hong¡¯s terrifying prowess and discovered something special about him in the past three years. "I hope so!" Yu Hong smiled. The Black Black Spirit soared into the sky, colorful threads emerging around, slowly enveloping the entire safe house in the center. Ads by PubFuture Then with a swish, the safe house completely vanished. In the wind disaster, the Black Black Spirit sped through the colorful lines like a swimming fish, accelerating in the direction given by Su Dan. Buzz. Shortly, a huge, tapering colorful tornado appeared ahead in the colorful lines. "Is the coordinate correct?" Quan He asked doubtfully. "Correct. The coordinate given by the senior is inside this. The surface is covered by the wind disaster, but it¡¯s actually a hidden cosmic passage inside." Yu Hong checked the coordinate recorded on the Water Instrument Ball, controlling the Black Black Spirit, and accelerated towards the tornado. "Watch out! Something¡¯s coming!" Quan He suddenly called out in a low voice. Just as the safe house was about to rush into the tornado, a group of golden heads, each the size of a car, flew in from the side. These heads, rolling and laughing, brushed past the safe house at high speed. Their massive size caused the safe house to wobble. And this wobbling shifted the Black Black Spirit¡¯s direction, sending it rushing into another side of the tornado. Boom! The whole Black Black Spirit began to be lifted and spun at high speed. Yu Hong and Quan He cast spells to steady themselves, activating the internal protective array, waiting for the safe passage through the tornado. About ten minutes later. With a pop, the entire safe house suddenly stilled. The swirling lines in front disappeared, replaced by a dark, hexagonal tunnel entrance. Without any hesitation, the safe house accelerated again, rushing into the tunnel in one go. * * * Light Calendar Year 11287. Intercontinental strife erupted on Flame Star, as Elza, Fran, and Linglong, the three major powers, conspired through proxy wars to silently carve up the planet¡¯s resources and reestablish a new world order. Three months into the war, a giant alien warship descended overnight upon Ford Mountain, the largest city of Elza. The alien civilization known as Yinluo arrived on Flame Star, initiating a full-scale invasion and colonization. Meanwhile, the powerful biochemical technology known as Life Armor also spread to Flame Star along with them, Yuanxi City of the Linglong Empire. In an old gray-white residential building. Yu Hong slowly shook his head, waking up from the daze. He glanced around. The safe house was as usual, unchanged, with the array perfectly securing all items inside. Quan He was sprawled near the desk, her head hitting the corner and creating a small notch, though her forehead was unharmed. The bright and soft golden sunlight was streaming in through the window and observation window. "I actually passed out?" Yu Hong stood up in disbelief, moving his body and swiftly scanning himself internally with his vast divine sense. The major difference between the Divinity Transformation Stage and Nascent Soul was the birth and nurturing of a new spiritual power called Divine Sense within the Nascent Soul. The strength of the Divine Sense lay in its deeper subtleties, higher density, and quality of spiritual strength. It originated from spiritual power but far surpassed spiritual force. The difference in strength was like that between charcoal and diamonds. Divine Sense was also a prerequisite for refining top-level protective magic treasures in Immortal Dao cultivation. Abilities like multitasking, photographic memory, and super comprehension were maximally enhanced at this stage. Yu Hong walked slowly to the window and looked outside. Outside was a bustling street. People riding bicycles and electric scooters weaved through each other, while commuters flowed quickly along the sides of the road. Horn sounds, shouts, and the chirping of birds on the power lines intermingled in layers. "It looks like a very ordinary place... where is the vitality here?" Behind him, Quan He also woke up, slowly getting up and walking to Yu Hong¡¯s side, rubbing her temples. "How did we pass out?" she asked in confusion. "That tornado was problematic. Given our physique and level of cultivation, it¡¯s impossible for us to experience dizziness or unconsciousness. Also, we seemed to have been hit by something at the last moment, skewing our direction. This isn¡¯t the target universe pointed out by Senior Su Dan." Yu Hong said in a deep voice. "I suspect that we experienced a time-space shift when we entered the tornado." In the City of No Light, he had received much guidance from Su Dan. As he entered the Contamination Level at the Divinity Transformation Stage, he had already begun preliminary studies and research on time and space. "Time-space shift?" Quan He asked in confusion. "What¡¯s that?" Chapter 580: Thinking Path 2 "Any spatial entity has a time attribute. The essence of the time attribute is the quantification of the speed of change of all things within the space. If an entity moves suddenly from a place with a fast time speed to a place with a very slow time speed, this huge disparity will cause immense discomfort to the entity itself, resulting in phenomena such as collapse, disintegration, and structural restructuring. We, because of our high cultivation and strong physique, just fainted, which is already a very good result," Yu Hong explained. "I see. No matter what this place is, first understand the situation, then quickly replenish vitality to ensure cultivation," Quan He said in a serious tone. "Okay." Yu Hong nodded and swiftly used his divine sense to feel the safety of the safe house at this moment. Black Black Spirit had completely integrated into this world and this city, becoming the houses connected on the second, third, and fourth floors of this old residential building. The previous safe house structure had entirely fused into this ordinary gray-white small building. Click. Yu Hong turned the doorknob of the safe house and slowly walked out. At this moment, he had already reduced his body size and changed into a simple gray T-shirt and black casual pants. All abnormal signs and marks on him were hidden with magic. He planned to go out for a stroll and see what the condition of this city was. Quan He temporarily decided not to leave. She was in the room adjusting the radio and television previously stored, intending to gather some information through wireless signals on this world¡¯s network. The two collaborated, one openly and one secretly. Bang. Ads by PubFuture Yu Hong gently closed the door and glanced at the old gray concrete stairwell. The stair railing and walls were covered with red, graffiti-like small advertisements. He was standing on the second floor;walking a short distance down the stairs would reach the ground floor. "Huh? No one was here yesterday. Brother, did you just move in?" Before Yu Hong could go downstairs, he saw a young man with yellow hair holding a basketball, standing at the staircase entrance, looking at him in surprise. "Yes, I just moved in today. I¡¯ll probably stay for a while, sorry for the disturbance." Yu Hong revealed a natural smile. Language for him now could be solved with a small magic trick, which not only translated but also made people unaware. "You¡¯re too polite, brother. Did you add the phone number of the building manager? Don¡¯t forget it. It¡¯s pretty strict outside now," the young man kindly reminded. "Yeah, got it. Thanks for the reminder." Yu Hong walked down the stairs and stood in the bright sunlight, basking in it. He felt warm all over;although it was just a little bit of radiant heat, the feeling was warmer than being in flames. Behind him, he heard the young man opening the door upstairs. His divine sense perfectly captured the young man¡¯s every move, naturally presenting it in his mind. This young man happened to live in the unit directly opposite the Black Black Spirit¡¯s front door. Yu Hong followed the sidewalk, walking slowly in the sunlight. People passed by him, now being noon, the aroma of food wafted from somewhere, making one¡¯s mouth water. Yu Hong strolled leisurely on the street. Unconsciously, he walked through the snack street and past the clothing district. He hadn¡¯t returned to normal human society for a long time. Seeing the messy shops on the street, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a slight urge to go in and re-experience life. ¡¯This seems to be a very ordinary natural human planet...¡¯ Yu Hong gradually concluded as he walked. ¡¯The technological level is much lower than before the Black Disaster broke out in the Hope City World.¡¯ But... "Quickly disperse!" "Disperse! Move out of the way for idle people!" Suddenly, a sharp shout came from afar on the street ahead. A convoy slowly moved along the street, heading towards them. All the vehicles in the convoy were uniformly black, totaling only five cars. The central car had its window open, and inside was a strange armored man, fully dressed in black armor with blue glowing eyes, sitting upright in the back seat, watching the passing pedestrians. "It¡¯s a Yinluo person!" "Aren¡¯t Yinluo people only seen in special districts?" Seeing the armored man, the surrounding people looked alarmed. "What about the Empire¡¯s army? Isn¡¯t this area not a occupied zone?!" "The army had been completely defeated long ago. Since the co-governance treaty was signed, many resistance officials were executed for war crimes by the government... Now they should be welcoming the Yinluo envoy to the embassy..." Yu Hong¡¯s divine sense instantly reflected the multitude of whispers around him. He saw the surrounding people bow slightly, not daring to look directly at the Yinluo person as they passed by. He quickly mimicked their actions, blending in with the crowd. Fortunately, the Yinluo person did not pay much attention to him, just looked around for a while, then closed the car window and drove off. Yu Hong quietly scanned the other body with his divine sense. ¡¯Such strong quality!?¡¯ Yu Hong was slightly surprised upon receiving the feedback. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The body quality of this Yinluo person was equivalent to more than ten times that of the average adult. After the convoy drove away, Yu Hong wandered around the street for a while before arriving at a newsstand. Picking up a newspaper, Yu Hong keenly discovered something amiss. "Yinluo Warship Successfully Liberates Capital Xu Ning," "Thirteen Articles of Friendly Cooperation Between Humans and Yinluo Civilization," "The Mystery of Evolution: Seven Key Principles of the Powerful Yinluo Civilization"... A series of news articles were all about Yinluo people. Moreover, all were flattering and cautiously supportive. Yu Hong flipped through it and quickly found a notice, "Regarding Yinluo Hastar Regional Administrator Officially Taking Over Linglong Empire Law Enforcement Authority." Ads by PubFuture ¡¯Has it been completely crushed?¡¯ Yu Hong guessed the situation. In his Divine Sense, the physical qualifications of humans here were very ordinary. And the Inlorian who just passed by was far stronger, not to mention the armor he was wearing. Putting down the newspaper, Yu Hong tried cautiously to release his Divine Sense, starting to scan the entire city area centered on himself. But as soon as he started, he felt something was wrong. Above the city, there was a powerful invisible wave covering the area. The Divine Sense touched it slightly and immediately retracted. Yu Hong¡¯s face slightly frowned. He hurriedly and quickly left the place, disappearing into the depths of the alleys between the buildings in no time. A few seconds later. Shush! A blue light flickered, and a blue-eyed Inlorian wearing black-gray armor appeared at the spot where Yu Hong had just stood. ¡¯He has already left. Or maybe, it was just an illusion?¡¯ This person said in a deep voice. ¡¯It should be an illusion. This planet is full of inferior humans. There is no so-called individual who can threaten us.¡¯ Swish, another Inlorian figure appeared. The appearance of the two made the surrounding crowd quickly scatter and leave. No one dared to make a sound. An elderly man didn¡¯t have time to hide in the stairwell. Shush! One Inlorian raised his hand, launching a transparent air cannon. Pop. The air cannon directly punched a large hole in the old man¡¯s forehead, and he fell to the ground dead. This time, there were finally screams. More people started to run frantically into the distance, leaving the once bustling street empty in a few blinks. In the distance, Yu Hong observed everything, making some judgments in his mind. He quickly returned to the safe house, where Quan He was holding a printed document, rising to hand it to him. ¡¯You came at the right time. This document is information about the Inlorians I found on the internet.¡¯ Yu Hong took the document and quickly scanned it. ¡¯Aliens colonists... openly announcing that they are looking for something?¡¯ The document clearly printed some purposes and physical abilities of the Inlorians. ¡¯These aliens, have they really come all this way just for some Nether Sand Mine?¡¯ ¡¯Mining should be an excuse,¡¯ Quan He shook his head. ¡¯The Inlorians have left behind forces on Flame Star. Their biochemical armor cannot be pierced by even the most powerful human cannons and missiles. The technological disparity is too great.¡¯ ¡¯We can¡¯t worry about so much. What about vitality? Have you found a way to replenish it?¡¯ Yu Hong asked. ¡¯I understand somewhat why we¡¯re here. The Inlorians¡¯ top technological achievement, known as Life Armor,¡¯ Quan He explained. ¡¯The Inlorians descended on Flame Star with three large ships, suppressing and crushing all active forces of the three major nations, wiping out the resistance forces several times over while the opponents didn¡¯t even manage to make a few injured. The sheer power of technological disparity allowed the Inlorians to completely control Flame Star within a week,¡¯ Quan He said. ¡¯Humans simply cannot defeat the Inlorians on their own, which led to the emergence of the surrender faction. Some of their leaders, because of their excellent performance, were rewarded with Life Armor by the Inlorians, making them puppet government heads managing Flame Star for the Inlorians.¡¯ ¡¯There¡¯s a phrase circulating among the resistance faction online: "Only by mastering Life Armor can there be hope of defeating the Inlorians."¡¯ ¡¯Life Armor...¡¯ Yu Hong realized the key. ¡¯Yes, I checked. This thing can instantly modify genes and integrate into the body to modify the whole body. It¡¯s likely the source for our vitality replenishment,¡¯ Quan He nodded. ¡¯Don¡¯t rush. We need to understand these Inlorians thoroughly first. Acting rashly now, we don¡¯t have the City of No Light as a retreat route,¡¯ Yu Hong said gravely. ¡¯Understood!¡¯ Quan He wistfully recalled the days on the Mining Star, when they didn¡¯t need to worry about vitality and just focused on cultivating. ¡¯By the way, I found out that although the official governments of various countries here have been fully taken over, the local people have not given up resistance. They organized a human liberation organization named the Tower of Dawn, attempting to resist the Inlorians through stealing and seizing Life Armor. Maybe...¡¯ ¡¯You mean, contact the Tower of Dawn?¡¯ Yu Hong asked. ¡¯Yes,¡¯ Quan He nodded. ¡¯Don¡¯t rush. We are newcomers. First, we need to determine the technological and power level of the Inlorians. When I tried a Divine Sense scan earlier, I found a massive invisible wave covering everything above. I suspect the Inlorians are monitoring the place at all times,¡¯ Yu Hong said in a low voice. ¡¯We need to test it out,¡¯ Quan He understood. ¡¯Do you have an idea?¡¯ Yu Hong asked. ¡¯As I said, through the Tower of Dawn, we subtly assist them... use them to test the Inlorians,¡¯ Quan He said. ¡¯Feasible.¡¯ ¡¯We are just short of staff now. We can¡¯t handle everything by ourselves,¡¯ Quan He said. ¡¯Leave it to me,¡¯ Yu Hong smiled. His Extreme Summoning could come in handy this time. After thinking for a moment, he waved his right hand. A row of black-haired shadows standing straight appeared. These were the lowest level of Black Disaster Illusion Summoning Bodies. With Yu Hong¡¯s current cultivation, he could summon as many as needed. Divinity Transformation Stage, theoretically, is powerful enough to annihilate a star. This small trick was effortless for him. ¡¯These can only be used for minor tasks. We need intelligent assistants,¡¯ Quan He said helplessly. ¡¯...That¡¯s tricky,¡¯ Yu Hong pondered, ¡¯The Tower of Dawn is too prominent. This planet cannot be the only ones dissatisfied with the Inlorians. I¡¯ll find a few more human resistance members and try forming a new Spirit Alliance.¡¯ Chapter 581: initially entered 1 One hour later, Linglong Empire¡¤Beijiang City. In an exhibition gallery named Four Seasons. A series of special paintings themed around the four seasons hung on the walls, for people to slowly appreciate and comment on. Yan Wei disguised herself as an ordinary tourist and walked into the exhibition. She glanced at herself slightly, wearing a white dress, a large wavy copper-colored hat, long hair draped simply behind, with a large V-neck that exposed her ample chest. In fact, she disliked dressing like this, but for this mission, the role she was playing required such attire. At this moment, enduring and conflicted, her mood had already plummeted to rock bottom. Her state was extremely poor. She touched the pearl earrings on her ears;these things appeared to be earrings but were actually long-distance hidden wavelength communicators. "Do we really have to dress this disgustingly? I feel my chest is very cold, and my legs are also cold!" Yan Wei whispered. "Your current identity is the second daughter of a wealthy merchant, returned from studying abroad, with considerable accomplishments in art. The country you went to is very open and has a hot climate, and the second daughter you¡¯re playing is relatively free-spirited. This is her most conservative outfit." Miaozhi¡¯s helpless voice came through the earpiece. Yan Wei glanced down at her legs, only wrapped in a thin layer of white silk. "Can¡¯t I change into something warmer?" "No way, you should take this up with Lord Safra who arranged this plan." Miaozhi shirked the blame, "But doesn¡¯t this outfit look great on you? Very fairy-like. You are fair-skinned and beautiful too." Ads by PubFuture "Ha. Looking good has no value, it only serves as a mere accessory to increase objectification. If you can¡¯t talk properly, you might as well shut up." Yan Wei said coldly. "Weiwei, your temper is too explosive..." Miaozhi couldn¡¯t help but say. "What¡¯s wrong with looking good..." Yan Wei was known within their small organization for her bad temper, impatience, and coldness. Although she was very beautiful, had a great figure, full and strong, with a large chest and long, evenly proportioned legs. Almost the stereotypical ice beauty. But due to her temper, no one could tolerate her. They belonged to an official secret organization named Green Light. This time, a top-secret message came from above. Yinluo¡¯s experimental life armor named Sha River, made of Flame Star¡¯s native materials, had just been assembled and was ready for transportation to Linglong Capital. They needed to assist in guarding it along the way. And Beijiang City was one of the key points for this transfer. "There are fifteen minutes left. The transfer team¡¯s vehicles will pass by the street in front of the gallery. We will release the scout unit about thirty seconds in advance, keep an eye on the timing and be alert." Miaozhi reminded. "Got it." Yan Wei nodded covertly. She pinched the hidden armor component inside her sleeve. This time, the organization dispatched three officers, each proficient in life armor components, and far superior to ordinary people. She was one of them. She checked the time and naturally pretended to appreciate the paintings, walked a few steps, and moved to a different painting. This painting depicted a child accidentally falling out of a window but was caught by a passing flying Yinluo, who gently held him and placed him back into the window. When Yan Wei arrived, there was already an argument in front of this painting. "I told you, Yinluo are just a group, a community, with both good and bad individuals. This painting expresses that Yinluo are not as cold and ruthless as they appear. There are good ones amongst them. We should respond to them with a gentle attitude, find the moderate faction among them, and rely on them to oppose the hardline and ruthless faction." This was said by an elderly man dressed in a casual outfit with white hair, his face tightly knit, accompanied by two young people who seemed to be his juniors. "I also said that competition between groups is not bound by morality. Sympathy arises more broadly when life levels are similar. Hardliners won¡¯t be guided by sympathy, only moderates will. Moderates are inherently gentle and can¡¯t compete against hardliners in internal power struggles, so they are destined to be a minority. Relying on moderates to counter hardliners will only lead to one result: total defeat." On the other side was a robust young man who said this. He seemed to be alone, wearing a simple white T-shirt and dark blue jeans, which didn¡¯t hide his solid muscle contours. "Then what do you think the best approach should be?" The old man looked at the robust young man solemnly. "Retreat. First, find a way to avoid confrontation. Knowing you won¡¯t win and still confronting them is suicidal, a meaningless sacrifice. Only by preserving useful individuals will there be hope for the future." The robust young man replied. The old man snorted coldly upon hearing this, seemingly disdainful, and turned to leave with his group. Yan Wei also felt a surge of disgust. "Escaping will only make oneself more miserable." She couldn¡¯t help but blurt out. Pictures of her family lying in a pool of blood spontaneously emerged in her mind. Back then, she escaped. Using the opportunity her parents fought for, she survived, but in return, she was left with deep guilt and pain towards herself. If she could have sought help in time, reported to the police to rescue her family affected by the Yinluo combat aftermath, maybe things wouldn¡¯t have been so.... But there is no "if." "Retreat is not passive avoidance but strategic withdrawal for stronger counterattacks in the future." The robust young man smiled and responded. "Do you think you can counterattack?" Yan Wei asked coldly. "You don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re facing at all!" "Everyone has weaknesses. It might be difficult, it might be dangerous, but only if people survive can there be hope. Isn¡¯t that right?" the man continued. Ads by PubFuture "If everyone were like you, the entire Linglong would have been wiped out long ago!" Yan Wei retorted. "Actually, that¡¯s not true..." The man was about to continue. "That¡¯s bullshit! Shut up!" Yan Wei suddenly raised her voice, a surge of anger welling up in her chest, cutting him off. "You don¡¯t understand anything! If you haven¡¯t truly experienced it yourself, stop spouting nonsense here!" "How do you know I haven¡¯t experienced it?" the man retorted. "One person escaping alone, and then what? What can you achieve by isolating yourself from the group? The opposition is a collective, and if everyone thinks like you, the front vanguard will naturally try to escape during a confrontation! The end result will be that, even if you are stronger, you will face inevitable defeat time and again!" Yan Wei said coldly. "So what do you suggest?" the man asked. "Surrender, join them." Yan Wei responded coldly. "Only by integrating can we learn their key techniques, which is the only hope for our people to rise again. The Life Armor of the Yinluo people is technology far beyond the reach of the entire Flame Star. Many of them are willing to help us, as long as we are friendly enough!" "Heh..." The man fell silent and simply chuckled. "Besides laughing, you can do nothing." Yan Wei said, leaving a remark before turning and walking toward the next painting. The man behind her seemed to be lost in thought as he left the painting as well. "Still continuing? It¡¯s said that the people from the Tower of Dawn will be here to seize the Life Armor from Sha River." A faint female voice also rang in his ear. "It has nothing to do with us." The man shook his head slightly. He was Yu Hong, who had come all the way from another region searching. Finding a suitable entry point is very troublesome. If the chosen person is not outstanding enough, the initial investment can easily go to waste and aid the enemy instead. Therefore, choosing a good target is not easy. "From the girl just now, it¡¯s evident that the people here have developed a deep fear of the Yinluo people. To find suitable candidates, we might need to use some tricks..." Yu Hong said. "What kind of tricks?" Quan He asked. "No rush... Let¡¯s leave here first." Yu Hong said. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "The next possible target location is Weirong City. There¡¯s a newly emerged small resistance group there;we might try to make contact." Quan He said. "Alright." Yu Hong turned and slowly walked towards the door. Having found no suitable candidates here, the only gain was knowing that the people here were already demoralized by the Yinluo people. This somewhat disappointed him. After all, the Yinluo people had not been here for long. Yet they had easily caused such a troublesome situation. Yu Hong exited the exhibition hall, hailed a taxi, gave the destination, and then closed his eyes to rest. SCREECH!! At that moment, a white delivery truck suddenly appeared from the front, abruptly slamming on the brakes. The friction between the wheels and the ground generated massive heat, causing white smoke to billow. The long, ten-meter truck tilted viciously forward with momentum, crashing into a dessert shop by the street side with a loud boom, and stopped moving. But while the truck stopped, more than ten people, all wearing black metal masks, rushed out from the surrounding streets, armed with guns, charging towards the truck. "Is this the Tower of Dawn making a move?" Yu Hong immediately realized. He was somewhat curious about this resistance group and simply stopped to watch the unfolding attack from the roadside. Over ten masked men rushed to the truck, quickly dragging down three crates, laboriously loading them onto their getaway van, attempting to speed away. But by then, police cars and the exclusive flying crafts of the Yinluo people had already appeared in the perimeter. Simultaneously, hundreds of armed soldiers, led by three plainclothes figures, were closing in. Yan Wei¡¯s hand turned into a silver cover as she coldly and disdainfully watched the masked gunmen. She was the chief expert of this alert mission and the main commander. "Has the Automated Security Team arrived?" she asked in a low voice. "They¡¯ve been here for a long time, but it seems the Yinluo lords don¡¯t trust our handling ability," Miaozi replied. "Weiwei, you need to show them your capability." "Watch me then." Yan Wei raised her hand, and suddenly a large number of silver metal pieces erupted from the ground behind her. The dense metal fragments, each only the size and thickness of a fingernail. The masses of metal pieces converged, and with a gesture of Yan Wei¡¯s hand, they turned into a torrent, rushing towards that direction in an instant! The rumbling vibrations made the entire street tremble continuously. In that direction, all the masked soldiers of the Tower of Dawn were instantly shredded into countless pieces of flesh and blood under the onslaught of the metal torrent. Chapter 582: first entry 2 Yan Wei¡¯s expression remained unchanged as she bent down and sprinted, reaching the next alley where the masked military was hiding in just a few moves. The metal torrent surged in again. Before long, the masked military¡¯s van was smashed to pieces, its top lifted. But, eerily, the crates that had just been transferred had disappeared? Yan Wei didn¡¯t have time to think;she knew something was wrong and quickly began searching the alleys one by one along the street. The masked military had deliberately scattered to confuse them, fleeing in all directions. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. There were even five identical vans. Yan Wei sent two subordinates to chase the vans while she stayed behind to clean up the remnants of the pursuit. Swish! Using the Life Armor components that enhanced her physical abilities by more than ten times, she leaped lightly, appearing at the entrance of an alley. In the alley, two masked soldiers, seeing the situation turning against them, roared and aimed their guns at her. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Dense gunfire filled the alley, but the next moment, the metal torrent roared in, tearing the two of them apart like ballooning meat paste, scattering pieces everywhere. With a cold expression, Yan Wei continued to the next alley. Ads by PubFuture Another masked soldier thought he could survive by hiding in a trash can and using a jammer, but the metal torrent flew in directly, indiscriminately shredding everything. In the third alley, just as Yan Wei was about to act, a flash of light appeared behind her, revealing a figure clad in purple-black armor. "Yan Wei, greetings, Lord Safra!" She hurriedly turned and saluted. "No need for formalities, act quickly." Safra, with his hands hanging down, raised a hand, and an even larger, more sturdy metal torrent rose behind him and then surged forward. Boom! Everything in the alley was instantly pulverized. The two of them flashed again, arriving at a new alley. With the continuous scour of the metal torrent, the number of masked soldiers rapidly decreased. Until the last one was shredded and destroyed, Safra¡¯s blue eyes scanned the surroundings, finding no trace of the boxes containing armor, their positioning devices destroyed. He brought his men back to the front of the exhibition hall. The captains of the other two teams also returned, each with an ugly expression. "Is the armor still there?" Safra held onto a last sliver of hope. "..." "... This..." The two bowed their heads, unable to answer. "Useless!" Safra roared angrily. With his anger, the ordinary people around the exhibition hall, including soldiers and police officers, all knelt on one knee, not daring to look up. But as they knelt, they inadvertently exposed a few passersby who hadn¡¯t reacted in time. Two were half-grown children looking around for their lost parents. One was a robust young man. Their failure to kneel immediately made them conspicuous. "Looking for death!" Safra¡¯s fury erupted as he raised his hand, and a large mass of metal fragments flew into the air, tracing an arc like lightning, and pounced on the three. Clang! At that moment, a much smaller metal torrent rushed out from the side, just in time to knock Safra¡¯s torrent askew and send it shooting skyward. "Yan Wei! What are you doing?!" Safra roared in fury, turning to glare at Yan Wei. "Lord, they are merely innocent passersby! Please, Lord, only capture the principal offenders! Randomly implicating innocents is not justice!" Yan Wei gritted her teeth and bowed her head. Swish! Safra said nothing, manipulating the metal torrent to rush into the sky and then swiftly back down at the three on the ground. The enormous, sky-covering metal torrent terrified the three below into standing still, petrified. "Lord!" Yan Wei once again knocked Safra¡¯s torrent off course from the side, urgently reminding him. "Yan Wei, this powerful weapon was specially bestowed upon you by His Highness to protect our Yinluo interests!! Not for you to turn it against us!" Safra shouted. "I know my mistake!" Yan Wei quickly apologized. "But still, I believe handling the case should not harm innocents!" "You!" Safra pointed at Yan Wei, his blue eyes flashing intensely. "Mere inferior Human Clan...!" His finger trembled, with thin streams of metal converging at its tip, ready to shoot out and pierce Yan Wei¡¯s forehead in his anger. "Do you understand the consequences of the Sha River theft?!" Safra finally restrained himself, realizing these three had been specifically chosen by His Highness as examples for this planet¡¯s Human Clan to submit. He wasn¡¯t qualified to deal with them directly! "..." Yan Wei said nothing more, keeping her head bowed and remaining still. After a moment¡¯s standoff, Safra angrily turned and vanished in a flash. "I will report the whole story to His Highness! Await the judgment of the law!" Yan Wei sighed, straightening up as a line of blood slowly dripped from her hair. She touched the blood, pulling out a tissue to press against the scalp wound. Without glancing back at the alley, she slowly walked toward the exhibition hall. In the alley behind her, Yu Hong narrowed his eyes, watching her back. "I thought I was exposed just now." Ads by PubFuture "You reacted too slowly;everyone else had already knelt. Why didn¡¯t you?" Quan He laughed through the transmission. "Why should I kneel? I¡¯m just wary of whether the power behind the Yinluo people exists in a higher dimension. But for the current level of this planet, if I¡¯m exposed, at worst, I¡¯ll just kill all the Yinluo people and run." Yu Hong said nonchalantly. "Better not to. Based on the clues we have so far, I¡¯m increasingly inclined to believe there is a hidden faction of Source Disaster surrenderers here. This Yinluo might be backed by an even bigger problem." Quan He reminded. "I know. Besides, if I really did that, it would bring catastrophe to the people here.... So, the best method is to keep the situation in a state where they think they can control it, but it¡¯s somewhat stalemated and can¡¯t be completely resolved quickly." Yu Hong said. "You¡¯re right. By the way, did you fancy that girl just now?" Quan He asked curiously. "A bit. She¡¯s forcing herself to do what she thinks is right, but it¡¯s not something she wants and is willing to do. This inner conflict torments her every moment. For someone who has endured such agony for a long time, once she clarifies her mind and determines her goal, the mental force she erupts will be extraordinarily powerful, almost unbeatable." Yu Hong nodded. "But it¡¯s not the right time yet. Only when the timing is right..." Yu Hong smiled. Swish. In the next second, he disappeared from the spot, leaving the two scared children beside seeing nothing, still staring at the alley entrance. * * * Outside the city, in a desolate mountain among withered forests. Yu Hong extended his hand and took out a set of dark yellow close-fitting armor from the storage bag. "Rather than calling it armor, it¡¯s more like a set of high-intensity tight-fitting clothes. It contains a strong vitality.... It¡¯s indeed very suitable as a consumable for our cultivation." Yu Hong examined the life armor. Yes, the life armor that the Tower of Dawn painstakingly fought for ultimately ended up in his hands. "You try to absorb it first and see how much we need for our cultivation." Quan He reminded. "Okay." Yu Hong nodded. He didn¡¯t hesitate, directly operating the Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique, swallowing the vitality of the armor in his hand. Eeek... The eerie thing was, as it was being absorbed, the armor really let out animal-like screams, as if it were alive. But it was futile. The immense vitality within it gushed out rapidly, flowing quickly into Yu Hong¡¯s body. One minute. Two minutes. Five minutes. Half an hour! "Amazing!" Yu Hong stopped, "Wait!" He stared gravely at the armor. "The vitality inside isn¡¯t much, it¡¯s using a special technology, turning pure matter into energy, then using that energy to nurture immense vitality for itself." He shook the life armor, its surface losing much of its luster. "This set alone is enough for me to cultivate for five days, and this is just a low-grade life armor! The key is, if we master their method of using energy to rapidly generate vitality, we can produce vitality ourselves! No need for external objects!" "That would be great, you bring it back first, let me study it." Quan He, aside from other things, had strong research abilities, though her cultivation talent overshadowed this aspect. Now that Yu Hong took the lead in cultivation, she wanted to find ways to help him. After some secret contemplation, she decided to position herself as a researcher. "Okay!" Yu Hong nodded slightly and disappeared again, not through instantaneous movement, but simply moving quickly. The theft of the life armor caused quite a stir in the Linglong Empire. Numerous police and soldiers were deployed, searching everywhere for people from the Tower of Dawn. The Tower of Dawn was furious because they didn¡¯t even get the life armor! At this moment, Yan Wei was suspended from duty due to negligence and was meditating at home. Seven days later. The thin rain drizzled outside the window. Yan Wei held a cup of hot tea, standing quietly by the window, gazing at the blurred view outside. "Do you regret it?" came the voice of her friend, Zhao Yingfei, from behind. "Regret what? Since I made the choice, there¡¯s no room for regret." Yan Wei said calmly. "It¡¯s also good to stop now, otherwise, if I kept going, I might cause bigger trouble. Even now, people are accusing me of treason every day." "Honestly, does it matter who manages? Under the Yinluo¡¯s administration, everyone is fine. Why insist on forming a resistance organization?" Zhao Yingfei sighed. Yan Wei said nothing. "To be honest, Weiwei, you should be more careful. Don¡¯t clash with your superiors for unrelated people, it¡¯s too dangerous." Her friend advised softly. "I know. Don¡¯t worry." Yan Wei sighed. "By the way, did your family secure that armor parts production cooperation?" "Hardly, not yet. The Yinluo demand at least seventy percent of the profit before they will teach our engineers the basic skills, and that just covers the basic skills regarding limbs." Her friend said helplessly. Yan Wei thought for a moment, just about to speak. Swoosh! Suddenly, two blue lights flashed behind her abruptly. Two Yinluo in black armor, carrying long spears, stepped out. "Yan Wei, you¡¯re suspected of colluding with the Tower of Dawn to seize life armor. Come with us." The two said, grabbing her arms. "Wait, you must be mistaken!" Yan Wei was stunned, not knowing what was happening. Chapter 583: seeds one Within the Black Black Spirit. Yu Hong looked at the disassembled pieces of Quan He¡¯s Life Armor. "How is it? Found the key?" "Yes, this armor¡¯s energy system is very advanced. It¡¯s the most cost-effective type I¡¯ve seen across many systems. It can decompose a special metal mineral, convert the released energy to nourish a peculiar, rapidly multiplying microorganism. This microorganism then merges into the human body, enhancing it for a significant power boost." Quan He explained briefly. "Theoretically, the energy of this Life Suit is sufficient for its full power use for hundreds of years. That¡¯s the power of this energy core." "Very good. Now the problem is, how do we get enough of this stuff?" Yu Hong pondered. "Rob?" suggested Quan He. "A little is fine, too much will definitely be noticed. We need a way to cover it up, but all this will have to wait until I¡¯ve tested it out." Yu Hong walked to the window, watching the muddy rainwater flow down the street below. "We can¡¯t spend too much time here, so...." Yu Hong had a thought, and instantly, rows of Cai Jing Taoists appeared out of thin air in the safe house. With another thought, all the Cai Jing Taoists quickly donned a set of grayish cloaks and covered their faces. This was a disguise formed from mana, combined with the spells of the Qingwei Heart Technique, almost indistinguishable from the real thing. Ads by PubFuture Whoosh. The door opened, and over a dozen Cai Jing Taoists flew out, disappearing beyond the door. "What are you...?" Quan He was somewhat confused. "Just saying hello, laying the groundwork," Yu Hong smiled. After speaking, he turned and returned to the Cultivation Room to continue his practice. Quan He seemed to understand something, looking at the peaceful scene outside the window. She too moved her fingers slightly, producing a spell. After more than ten minutes, she also smiled, turned, and returned to her room to continue her cultivation. Time passed slowly, and two weeks went by in the blink of an eye. A mysterious new organization named the Moon Palace began to appear worldwide. This organization was not as hidden as the Tower of Dawn, gaining fame because its members were fearless of death. They followed each other into battle, achieving their organization¡¯s goals even if they perished in the process. In two consecutive attempts to seize Life Armor, the Moon Palace was almost completely annihilated, but they also inflicted significant damage on the Yinluo people. The battlegrounds of both sides invariably ended with a massive explosion. This was the distinctive feature of Moon Palace¡¯s operations: fighting to the last and attempting to perish together with the Yinluo people. This fearless and courageous fighting style was key to their rapid rise in notoriety. One month later, the Yinluo United Government, in collaboration with the three governments of Flame Star, issued a joint statement, announcing the highest level of search for the Moon Palace. Informants could receive rewards ranging from a minimum of one million to a maximum of fifty million Spiritual Luminous Coins. For a while, people were on edge, many began to closely observe and search everywhere, while some secretly offered cover for the Moon Palace. Some even posed as Moon Palace members, attempting to muddy the waters and disrupt the Yinluo people¡¯s pursuit. The entire Flame Star once again fell into chaos due to the emergence of the Moon Palace. * * * Click. In a dark cell. Yan Wei sat cross-legged on an iron chair, hands shackled. The only light source in the cell was a two-meter-high circular bulletproof glass window, casting dim white light that formed a cross on the wall opposite Yan Wei. Click. Another crisp sound echoed. The cell door slowly opened. "Yan Wei, have you thought it through? Despite His Highness¡¯s protection, the theft of the Life Armor did happen on your watch. You cannot evade responsibility." Outside the door stood a Yinluo person clad in white armor, eyes glowing a faint green light. With a curvaceous chest and slender figure, it was evident this Yinluo person was female. "I truly have not secretly communicated with any resistance organization. How can I confess to something I didn¡¯t do?" Yan Wei spoke softly. Wearing a black-and-white striped prison uniform, her cold and beautiful face appeared even paler from the long absence of light. "Regardless of whether you confess or not, if you want to get out, you must first atone for your previous dereliction of duty." The white-armored Yinluo person said in a deep voice. "What do you mean?" Yan Wei squinted her eyes, sensing the implied meaning. "You need to prove that you have no connection with the resistance organization. So, there¡¯s a special investigation task for you to handle," the other party quickly replied. "Speak." "We have cornered the latest hiding place of the resistance organization Moon Palace in a small town, but the residents refuse to admit they¡¯ve harbored Moon Palace members. You will conduct the investigation. I will assist you," said the white-armored Yinluo person. "Alright. I¡¯ll do it!" Yan Wei had long wanted to escape her confinement. Though she wasn¡¯t clear about this Moon Palace¡¯s origin, she knew how to atone and earn merit. This must be an opportunity His Highness arranged for her to redeem herself. That¡¯s her belief. But twenty minutes later, as Yan Wei arrived at the so-called Moon Palace hideout in the small town, she fell silent. Ads by PubFuture The entire town had only a dozen houses, clearly visible at a glance. Whether the Moon Palace members were hiding inside could be easily discovered with a slight investigation. The surrounding area was a desolate hilly forestland, already surrounded by soldiers dispatched by both the Yinluo people and the United Government. "In such a place, it¡¯s impossible to have any hiding spots. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to start with the residents themselves?" Yan Wei suggested. "Too slow." The white Yinluo person shook his head slightly. "Now the Moon Palace Tower of Dawn is experiencing unrest everywhere, posing a great challenge to societal order stability. His Highness means that it must be handled quickly." "What do you mean?" Yan Wei sensed something was wrong. "I can tell you clearly that at least more than half of the residents here have inseparable ties with the Moon Palace. What are you planning to do?" The white Yinluo person asked calmly. "More than half?" Yan Wei squinted. "How was this found out? Didn¡¯t you say there was not enough time?" "You don¡¯t need to know how it was investigated. Now, I¡¯m telling you this is the fact. What are you going to do about it?" The Yinluo person repeated. Yan Wei fell silent. It seemed she had guessed the method His Highness had used to clear her of suspicion. But this method... As one of the key figures in His Highness¡¯s grand fusion plan, she guessed that His Highness would preserve her at any cost. However, she could not have foreseen that the way to preserve her would be like this... "Yan Wei, in the face of national interests, the Moon Palace and the Tower of Dawn are both serious disruptors of Yinluo and Flame Star people¡¯s friendship. What is there to hesitate about?" urged the white Yinluo person. Yan Wei remained silent, standing on the hillside outside the town, speechless and growing paler by the minute. "Think about it carefully. His Highness has high hopes for you," the white Yinluo person said in a disappointed tone as he turned and left the scene. Leaving only Yan Wei and the armed soldiers responsible for sealing off the surrounding area. Yan Wei stood still, quietly waiting for a while. Then she suddenly walked towards the town. She wanted to see for herself, to see if the residents here were truly as the investigation claimed, in collusion with the Moon Palace. Down the hill, across the stone bridge, and onto the town¡¯s streets. Three kids in crotchless pants were kicking a ball by the roadside. Two old men were playing chess on an old tree stump facing each other. A rooster from some unknown household was still crowing away. Yan Wei changed into a deep purple tight military uniform, her right hand covered with her own armor pieces. She walked step by step into the town with her long military boots stepping on the gravelly ground. Because of the lockdown, there were few people on the streets, and the place was desolate. Occasionally, adults would see her and, noticing the military insignia she wore, would naturally show expressions of wariness and disgust. "What a coincidence, to meet you here again." Suddenly, a low male voice sounded behind Yan Wei. She froze, turned around, and saw a somewhat familiar face. "It¡¯s you..." She suddenly realized, recalling the man¡¯s identity. It was this man and two other children who had almost caused her to clash with Shangguan Safra. Because of that, she had been subjected to a long period of imprisonment and investigation, so she remembered this man¡¯s face very clearly. "Such a coincidence." The man in front of her was strong, dressed in a simple black T-shirt and gray trousers, standing in the breeze with his hair gently swaying. "Officer, you look like you¡¯re in a bad mood," the man said softly. "Did something troubling happen?" "Is my mood that obvious?" Yan Wei asked in a deep voice. "Yes, it¡¯s very obvious," the man replied. "Alright, I am just... a bit sad." Yan Wei paused, turning her head to look at the peaceful and tranquil small town. A feeling of depression and suffocation suddenly filled her heart. "Why are you sad?" the man asked. "Because I see people who know something is destined to fail and will come at a great cost, yet... why do they still go for it?" Yan Wei lowered her head, her hands unconsciously clenching tighter and tighter. "Because sometimes, there are things more important than the cost," the man said lightly. "But clearly, just by taking a detour, they could achieve more possibilities, survive quietly, and avoid all dangers." At this point, Yan Wei had already more or less guessed the man¡¯s identity. Because many things couldn¡¯t be mere coincidences. "So what? Taking a detour means telling everyone else that there¡¯s no hope, that this is it. If everyone believes there¡¯s no hope, there might really never be hope," the man said softly. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "..." Yan Wei gritted her teeth and remained silent. After more than a minute, she took a step forward. "Are you a member of the Moon Palace?" "Yes..." The man nodded straightforwardly. "Why are you doing this?! You know you can¡¯t resist! You know you¡¯ll implicate the ordinary people here...!" Yan Wei¡¯s pale face gradually turned red with anger. It was her fury igniting. "We just didn¡¯t expect the Yinluo people¡¯s technology to find this place so quickly." The man answered calmly. He looked seriously at Yan Wei. "You actually don¡¯t want to work for the Yinluo people, do you?" Yan Wei extended her hand, with tiny silver metal fragments appearing at her fingertips, converging. "You people..." her voice became faintly hoarse. "The Yinluo people are not invincible. They can fail;they can die. Fear and terror have blinded you..." the man continued. Chapter 584: Seed Two "Shut up! You don¡¯t understand anything, know nothing! You worthless pieces of trash, all you do is harm people! You get innocent people killed and then just leave!!" Yan Wei erupted with rage. She remembered why her parents died;it was because during the pursuit of the resistance by the Yinluo, internal conflict arose, and the aftermath of their confrontation destroyed a residential area. Later, she chose to forgive the Yinluo, which briefly gained her much fame. But now... "It¡¯s all your fault! Everything is your fault! All of it, all of it, aaaah!!!" With red eyes, Yan Wei fully activated her Life Armor, gathering into a silver torrent, fiercely charging at the man before her. Boom!! A loud explosion. Everything blurred before Yan Wei¡¯s eyes. Suddenly, she realized that the human man who was a member of the Moon Palace a moment ago had turned into a terrified Yinluo wearing white armor!! This was the guide who had released her from prison! "Yan Wei!! Are you insane!? What the hell are you doing! Stop immediately!!" The other party roared furiously, also commanding a silver metal torrent to block the attack. She had just been explaining the specific precautions to Yan Wei, conveying the prince¡¯s deep trust in her. Unexpectedly, the next second, Yan Wei suddenly attacked, bursting out with intense spiritual power, using the Life Armor to ferociously strike. Unprepared, she only managed to block a small portion of the damage, the rest of the impact completely hitting her chest. She spat out a mouthful of blood on the spot, severely injured. "What¡¯s going on!? What is this!!??" Yan Wei realized something was wrong, instantly stopping her attack, standing dazed on the spot. Looking at the exasperated white Yinluo, for a moment, a deep-seated and immense fear surged from an unknown place, pulling her into suffocating waters. Her heart sank rapidly, sinking. "Capture her, attacking a superior officer, recklessly attacking a military official! Yan Wei, you¡¯re dead!!" The other¡¯s screams seemed to float from afar. Yan Wei went numb, completely giving up resistance, standing dumbfounded in place. Letting the surrounding soldiers charge up and press her down hard. "Look. This is your true self." The man¡¯s voice sounded again in her ear. Bang bang! Yan Wei¡¯s head was struck twice, her consciousness gradually blurred. In a blur, she saw, behind the white Yinluo, a tall, strong figure standing there, silently watching her. That figure was the man who had just been talking to her. "You¡¯ve been running from it for too long, so much so that your inner self has condensed into a me that desperately wants to resist." The man¡¯s voice sounded clearly in her heart. "You¡¯ve placed everything on me, all the guilt on me. Subconsciously, you think women are less aggressive than men, so you¡¯ve projected my image as a strong male." "You want to resist like the rebels and seek revenge for your family. But you don¡¯t want to destroy everything around you now. So you made me a member of the so-called resistance force." The man¡¯s voice, like a sharp spike, pierced deeply into Yan Wei¡¯s heart. "But you forgot, I am still you... Everything I do is merely a fantasy when you imagine it, but when you can¡¯t distinguish fantasy from reality...." The man laughed. "What I do, is what you do." Bang!! Vaguely, Yan Wei heard a larger explosion beside her. It seemed that someone was screaming, someone was scared, howling in anger. She lost control of her body, only faintly smelling the scent of blood in her nostrils. Outside the small town. Yu Hong stood on a thick ancient tree, gazing at the massacre happening in the town. Yan Wei, with her eyes closed, was controlling the components of her Life Armor, recklessly slaughtering the approaching armed soldiers and a few Yinluo. "The Life Armor components she possesses seem quite powerful." Yu Hong mused. "Indeed, it appears to have been taken from a set of high-grade armor and modified." Quan He confirmed via transmission. "I¡¯ve got some leads on the armor core¡¯s conversion system, but many materials are insufficient for experimentation. If you can get more than ten sets of Life Armor, I should be able to disassemble and restore it within a year." "Are you talking about the vitality conversion system or energy?" "Vitality conversion. We have sufficient substitutes for energy;the core issue is still vitality," Quan He replied. "Ten sets, huh? Got it." Yu Hong nodded. "How do you plan to deal with this Yan Wei?" Quan He asked again. "When she figures out her true will, it will be the beginning of her being given enough power." Yu Hong smiled. "At that time, if she can stabilize here, we can also use this place as a base to supplement vitality." "Though I don¡¯t know how you did it, this child is already very pitiful, don¡¯t go too far." Quan He sighed. After investigating Yan Wei¡¯s background, she also sighed. "I did nothing, just a little guidance for her to see her true self." Yu Hong replied with a smile. At this moment below, Yan Wei had already started fighting with the surrounding military. Her movements were extremely fast, her figure flashed, piercing through dozens of bodies;any attack evasion couldn¡¯t delay her slaughter.[/p> S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Blood and corpses were strewn around. Half a minute later. Ads by PubFuture When the last escaping armed soldier fell before Yan Wei. She trembled, looking at her right hand... The intense fear of the future, combined with the massive pleasure surging inexplicably in her heart, made her flush all over, a faint pink appearing on her pale face. "I must be crazy." She smiled, kneeling on the ground with a thud, grasping her trembling right hand. "But... it feels like I¡¯m going to die..." The pleasure slowly subsided, replaced by tremendous fear that the Yinluo people would soon discover and start hunting her. "So, we should leave." The man¡¯s voice came again from behind her. "Who the hell are you?" Yan Wei wasn¡¯t a fool;there was no way she could believe the absurd claim that he was herself. "I am who you wish to become." Yu Hong replied with a smile. "You can call me, Mentor." Bang. Before Yan Wei could react, her mind went blank, and she fell into a daze once more. * * * In the safe house. Yu Hong and Quan He watched Yan Wei lying on the bed in the hall. "Her wounds are all healed. Surprisingly, the Yinluo¡¯s Life Armor didn¡¯t seal her, which took me by surprise," Quan He said softly. "It¡¯s best not to leave too many of our traces on her, to avoid being discovered by the Yinluo people," Yu Hong reminded. "Rest assured, I just left a simple mark, to help us find her as quickly as possible. But her power is still too weak, how do you plan to strengthen her? Otherwise, she might get killed by the Yinluo people too quickly," Quan He asked curiously. "I¡¯ll give her something. If she can survive it, then with this armor piece... we¡¯ll see how much she can grow." Yu Hong reached out, a small black metal box inexplicably appearing in his palm. Click. The box opened to reveal an Outer Eye he had previously used. He planned to see if his restorative power could forcibly transplant the Outer Eye into someone else. Essentially, his Outer Eyes were meant for his use only, due to the exclusivity of the Black Mark. But the workaround was simple - first, use Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill to make Yan Wei a puppet, then transplant the eye, and finally release her from being a puppet. Then use his healing ability to help her through the adaptation period. An hour later. A blood-stained white cloth covered Yan Wei¡¯s face, and Yu Hong withdrew his hand. "It went smoothly. Her willpower was indeed as strong as I anticipated, and she easily overcame the rejection reaction." "Should we send her out now?" Quan He asked. "Yes, I have controlled some people with cultivation techniques, specifically to cooperate with her to form the Moon Palace. If everything goes well, she should be able to make the Yinluo suffer a bit. When they can¡¯t withstand it, they will surely seek help from the forces behind them," Yu Hong said. "Then we will see what stands behind the Yinluo," Quan He nodded. She paused for a moment, then suddenly asked. "What if there is nothing behind them?" "Then we consume them," Yu Hong replied, "Would you let a roast duck on the table go free into the forest?" Quan He hesitated slightly. She watched Yu Hong step forward and touch Yan Wei¡¯s brow with a finger. Then Yan Wei got out of bed herself, still wearing the tight military uniform she had worn during the massacre. The two of them walked out of the safe house, one after another, and with a flash of mana, they disappeared together. Soon after, Yu Hong entered alone. "Everything is set up, now we wait to see how far Yan Wei can go." His face showed a hint of anticipation. "That girl, repressed for so long, once triggered, having mastered enough power to act unscrupulously... it¡¯s going to be troublesome," Quan He thought briefly and realized the complications. Yan Wei had long harbored immense hatred toward the Yinluo people, and once that anger and hatred, repressed yet so present on the surface, was unleashed... "I gave her a little external force, to prevent her from being ambushed when things go too smoothly. It shouldn¡¯t be a big problem," Yu Hong explained, misunderstanding Quan He¡¯s concern. "And give her some guidance at critical moments." "As long as you know what you¡¯re doing," Quan He said, speechless. The two returned to their cultivation, while Yan Wei, now modified, slowly woke up in an abandoned mountain building and began her journey of escape. Just as Yu Hong had said, he no longer concerned himself with Yan Wei¡¯s matters, only periodically releasing batches of his summons to act as members of the Moon Palace, continually assassinating Yinluo people and seizing Life Armor. Over time, Yan Wei surprisingly established her own team, also calling it the Moon Palace, which quietly grew. The situation on Flame Star grew more chaotic with the Moon Palace¡¯s involvement, and the Yinluo people began deploying stronger armor bearers to the planet to investigate the matter. Three months passed in a blink. Just as the situation on Flame Star began to shift, Yu Hong¡¯s integration of the Innate Body and Withered Body was nearing completion. Both traits enhanced cultivation speed, and Yu Hong had long looked forward to seeing what kind of cultivation trait they could fuse into. Chapter 585: Gift 583 One Inside the safehouse. Quan He was lounging in the first-floor lobby, sipping fruit juice and watching TV. The variety shows on Flame Star had become her new way to pass the time. As for cultivation, she was no longer under Yu Hong¡¯s influence. She trained for twelve hours daily, allocating the rest of her time as she pleased, eating and drinking without restraint. Although she had also experienced the Source Disaster, she could not be as singularly focused as Yu Hong, who forsook all entertainment solely to improve his cultivation and strength. Boom. Just as she picked up her phone to order takeout, a sudden, dull tremor echoed from Yu Hong¡¯s cultivation chamber downstairs. Quan He felt a jolt in her heart and furrowed her brows;she had a vague sense of foreboding. "What¡¯s going on? The Black Black Spirit should guarantee absolute safety, so why this feeling...? Where is it coming from...." She stood up, closed her eyes, and carefully sensed any changes within her body. At the same moment, drastic changes were occurring in Yu Hong¡¯s cultivation chamber unlike anything before. The walls, ceiling, and floor of the chamber were all flowing with a layer of strange, multicolored fluorescence. Ads by PubFuture Within this fluorescence, countless human eyes with black pupils on white backgrounds could faintly be seen, densely packed and moving fluidly like schools of fish. Yu Hong sat cross-legged in the chamber¡¯s center, his face calm and his eyes covered with a black cloth. He had never anticipated that merging the Innate Body with the Withered Body would invoke such large-scale changes. At this moment, all his Divine Sense was focused on his mind, intently observing the newly fused trait. It was an enormous golden sphere of light, within which countless black-pupil eyes could be faintly seen, continuously blinking. ¡¯Fusion complete, successfully obtained new trait: Ancient God Body.¡¯ ¡¯Ancient God Body (The Ancient Gods existed before the emergence of intelligent beings. They are special entities that the universe naturally endowed with certain dominions. They are eternally lasting, as old as heaven itself, and the most revered among natural-born beings. They are unaffected by faith.)¡¯ ¡¯Due to the Ancient God Body, you have gained 200% increased resistance to all energy. Time-space resistance increased by 100%.¡¯ ¡¯Due to the Ancient God Body, you have acquired Primal Pollution, where the area you inhabit will gradually experience material solidification over time.¡¯ ¡¯Due to the Ancient God Body, you have obtained Primal Control, passively increasing your cultivation speed to 50 times that of your original form, and enhancing your strength, speed, and recovery by 100 times.¡¯ ¡¯You have gained the eternal dominion: Decay (You can accelerate or decelerate, even completely stop decay.)¡¯ ¡¯Your body density has been greatly increased. Please note that your body density has reached the space-bearing threshold. You may choose to enlarge your body to disperse the density or enter an isolated space to avoid space-time collapse.¡¯ ¡¯Space-time collapse is imminent.¡¯ The series of notifications from the Black Mark left Yu Hong momentarily stunned. Before he could react, anomalies began appearing in the surrounding space, and layers of multicolored fluorescence lit up the chamber. He knew he had to make a choice. After a brief pause, he immediately released the magic that constrained his body. Hiss... S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In an instant, his body rapidly expanded, growing from two meters to six meters in seconds. The colorful glow in the surrounding room began to dissipate slowly. Whew. He exhaled deeply and raised his hand to examine his palm. His originally slightly pale skin now had a jade-like luminescence. It was smooth and unmarked, like porcelain, devoid of any skin texture. ¡¯My body feels immensely stronger, but I can¡¯t quantify it at the moment. I¡¯ll have to test it later. Then there¡¯s the dominion of Decay...¡¯ Previously, the Withered Body had the power to induce decay in its vicinity, but now this had directly upgraded to a dominion. Immediately, Yu Hong spread his Divine Sense, directing it to a potted green plant set on the chamber floor. This was a small gift Quan He had brought back after a stroll. ¡¯Accelerate decay.¡¯ Yu Hong willed. Hiss. In an instant, the plant began to wither visibly, turning black, wilting, and drooping. Its leaves and stems started to sprout tiny mildew spots, then melted like ice, turning into a thick, dark green liquid that soaked into the black soil below. ¡¯No energy consumption at all;this is quite powerful....¡¯ Yu Hong then targeted a wooden chair. The chair quickly turned yellow and black, its surface cracking and breaking apart. It soon deformed, softened, and finally disintegrated with a snap. ¡¯This dominion is incredible... but I wonder if it works on high-energy-level objects.¡¯ Pondering for a moment, Yu Hong took an Outer Eye from his storage bag. Under the dominion of Decay, the Outer Eye swiftly blackened, softened, cracked, and oozed thick liquid, eventually shriveling into ashes and disappearing. Yu Hong contemplated for a moment, then turned to the Black Phoenix Jade, a magic treasure gifted by his teacher. Holding this Jade Pendant, he activated the dominion of Decay. Hiss. Soon, the pendant¡¯s luster visibly dimmed, losing its shine. He sensed that the array within the pendant had already incurred slight damage and aging. "It even affects Immortal-level magic treasures....!" Yu Hong¡¯s heart trembled. He immediately initiated Decay Reversal. Soon, the Black Phoenix Jade quickly regained its fluorescence, looking brand new without any energy consumption. "This ability might prove unexpectedly useful." Yu Hong¡¯s thoughts stirred, and he tried directing the dominion towards the wall. Ads by PubFuture The walls not only had the highest level of reinforcement from the safehouse itself but also the protective Golden Immortal Array, boasting extraordinary defensive power. Crack... Crack... Then, unexpectedly for Yu Hong, even the Golden Immortal Array on the wall showed signs of decay and yellowing. Frightened, Yu Hong quickly reversed the decay, restoring the wall to its original state. After testing those, he began testing the cultivation speed. As soon as he entered into meditation, the surrounding space instantly darkened. Then, countless purple light points, like grains of sand, swarmed in from all directions, rapidly pouring into Yu Hong¡¯s body. "This is... Heavenly Vitality!!?" Yu Hong recalled the difference between the three types of vitality mentioned in the Cultivation Technique. Seeing the countless purple lights, he immediately recognized their origin. As the massive amount of Heavenly Vitality crazily poured in, his Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique also began to rapidly improve. After a while, he stopped cultivating and exited meditation. ¡¯At most one month, and I can break through to the Middle Stage... this....¡¯ Divinity Transformation mainly involves absorbing vitality to transform into Divine Sense, allowing the Divine Sense to grow to its peak. In just that short moment, Yu Hong felt his Divine Sense surge enormously under the nourishment of Heavenly Vitality. Usually elusive and extremely rare, Heavenly Vitality now poured into his body freely.... ¡¯It seems that constantly strengthening the Black Mark is also a powerful path. If so, why should I laboriously cultivate the Immortal Dao? Directly strengthening the Black Mark continuously would be much easier.¡¯ Yu Hong was deeply doubtful at this moment. But he quickly came to his senses. ¡¯Still not right, Immortal Cultivation can quickly increase my Energy Level, which in turn provides energy for strengthening the Black Mark.¡¯ ¡¯If the Black Mark also needs to strengthen the Cultivation Technique, it would be a huge waste.¡¯ Soon, he redefined his approach: Immortal Cultivation focuses on enhancing Energy Level as the core, while Black Mark strengthening serves as a supplementary protective measure. ¡¯Next, which one should I merge...¡¯ He pondered for a moment and decided to merge Cloud Hand and Piercing Eye. ¡¯Let¡¯s try and see, maybe it can merge into an offensive trait.¡¯ The two light orbs quickly fused together, and a countdown appeared: January 11th, 8:42 AM. * * * Time passed in an instant. On Flame Star, the activities of the Moon Palace became increasingly evident and aggressive. Under Yan Wei¡¯s leadership, the Moon Palace launched multiple terror attacks on the Yinluo people, causing significant casualties. Simultaneously, with the covert support of Yu Hong¡¯s summoned holy creatures, military lockdowns appeared worldwide. Yinluo people were constantly being assassinated. In response, Yinluo¡¯s Prince Badis dispatched a powerful team called the Conquerors to Flame Star, launching a comprehensive assault on the Moon Palace. This team¡¯s weakest member was an elite in high-level Life Armor. Compared to Yan Wei, who only had a single high-level component, the disparity was enormous. Yu Hong initially thought Yan Wei wouldn¡¯t withstand the assaults, but to his surprise, she managed to dodge the Conquerors¡¯ pursuits, using her External Eye Ability and armor components. Five days after the last confrontation between the Conquerors and the Moon Palace... Yu Hong¡¯s new trait completed its strengthening, and he broke through in cultivation, entering the Divinity Transformation Middle Stage.... Boom!! Streaks of purple Thunder Spears descended from the sky, striking Yu Hong¡¯s forehead violently. He remained motionless, sitting cross-legged in the cosmic void. Not far away, Quan He watched the scene in bewilderment. Just a couple of days ago, she had been delighted with her slight advancement in cultivation, expecting to reach the Golden Core Late Stage in two more years. Then... she heard Yu Hong saying he was going out to undergo tribulation again!? What tribulation? Hadn¡¯t he just broken through to Divinity Transformation? Why is he undergoing tribulation again? Quan He watched Yu Hong continuously struck by tribulation lightning. Even if she tried to ignore it, the commotion was too significant to overlook. ¡¯Moreover, why has he grown so big??¡¯ Quan He glanced at the now six-meter-tall Yu Hong, sensing something was off. Shortly after, Yu Hong calmly passed the Heavenly Tribulation and flew back to the safe house. "The Moon Palace and the Yinluo people have become entangled, just as we anticipated," he said, barely acknowledging the tribulation. "Should we then hide on Flame Star and focus on cultivating until we can no longer improve before leaving?" Quan He proposed. "We can, but I¡¯ve had a bad feeling recently," Yu Hong frowned. "I plan to return to the Floating City. Will you come with me?" "Yes," Quan He agreed. She had also felt the same unease during Yu Hong¡¯s cultivation, without finding a reason. No time to lose, they activated the Black Black Spirit and swiftly moved through the Wind Disaster toward the Floating City. They hadn¡¯t stabilized the safe house when they noticed something amiss. In the cosmic space, the Absolute Balance Floating City was silent. The previously abundant Black Disaster Monsters had vanished, and the defensive light screen and force field around the city had also disappeared. "What... happened here?" Yu Hong looked around, quickly forming a spell, then waited quietly. "Ku Chan and the others are still there;the Black Tide must have retreated!" he sighed in relief. Chapter 586: Gifts Part 2 "But isn¡¯t the Black Tide relentless? How could it possibly recede?" Quan He asked incredulously. Yu Hong¡¯s immense divine sense quickly spread out, scanning thousands of kilometers around, and indeed found no Black Disaster Monsters. "The Red Value in the space is unusual! It¡¯s very dense!" Yu Hong frowned deeply. "The Red Value is very dense, but there are no monsters... which means..." Quan He¡¯s face also became serious. "I remember Senior Su Dan mentioning that the outermost areas of the Source Disaster are inhabited by those low-level monsters and the Surrender Faction. As you go inward, there are unconscious monsters. Now the monsters have disappeared, but the Red Value has increased instead of decreased. There¡¯s a high likelihood that the dangers from the subsequent stages are about to erupt, and even the Surrender Faction forces didn¡¯t dare to stay and quickly left." "Can this be confirmed?" Quan He asked. "It¡¯s impossible to have evidence for this kind of thing, but it¡¯s better to be safe than sorry. Let¡¯s make preparations first." Yu Hong replied. The two exchanged a glance and immediately activated the Black Black Spirit, quickly flying towards the Floating City. Driven by Yu Hong¡¯s powerful mana, the safe house approached the Floating City at a much faster speed than before. Quickly, the Aus Academy¡¯s ship also took the initiative to come out and greet them. The two sides docked in mid-air without entering the Floating City further. Ads by PubFuture "Brother Yu, why are you here?" Ku Chan came forward joyfully and gave Yu Hong a hug. "Something¡¯s not right, you and Yiyi come with me for now, we¡¯ll avoid it for a bit and then talk!" Yu Hong transmitted a message to him. "What¡¯s going on?" Ku Chan was a bit confused. Yu Hong quickly recounted his and Quan He¡¯s findings to him. "It can¡¯t be happening so soon, right?" Ku Chan frowned in disbelief, "The Floating City has existed for so many years, and we¡¯ve only been here for a short time. How could something big happen just like that? It seems too much of a coincidence." "Moreover, my teacher and classmates are still here, along with the council members. With the defensive formation, we withstood such a massive Black Disaster before. I think it should be fine," Ku Chan said softly. "We¡¯re just speculating too, but better safe than sorry. Yiyi, come with me and avoid it for now." Yu Hong called to Yiyi behind Ku Chan. "Alright!" Yiyi walked over without hesitation and stood behind Yu Hong. "Brother Yu, are you serious?" Ku Chan¡¯s expression became serious. "I¡¯ll give you one spot, bring your teacher along." Yu Hong said. "....." Ku Chan fell silent for a moment. "It¡¯s useless, my teacher has his family and important people. Besides, the Black Black Spirit might not have better defenses than the Floating City." "Then you come with me." Yu Hong said again. ".... I...." Ku Chan hesitated. He had been studying and living here for so long, forming bonds with his teacher and classmates. To suddenly abandon everything and leave was hard for him to accept. "How long will we be gone?" he suddenly asked. "I don¡¯t know, we¡¯ll return when the Red Value returns to normal." Yu Hong replied. "Forget it, Brother Yu, I¡¯m not leaving." Ku Chan shook his head, "Staying in the Floating City is quite good... it has existed for so many years for a reason." "Do you know that some council members have colluded with the Black Disaster Surrender Faction?" Yu Hong said bluntly. "That¡¯s just a few. After Lu Xian, the council conducted a thorough investigation and found no further issues." Ku Chan shook his head. "Besides, Lord Agrius has also returned to the council. The strength of the Floating City has not declined." "Are you sure you¡¯re not leaving?" Yu Hong gave him a long look. He did not mention that Agrius was not long for this world. "I¡¯m staying. If I leave, I¡¯ll just be a burden to you, Brother Yu. The places you¡¯ll go in the future are far beyond our reach. Instead of dragging you down, it¡¯s better not to follow from the start." Ku Chan answered. "Yiyi, you should stay with me." he said, looking at Yiyi, who stood behind Yu Hong. But she ignored his arguments and stood firmly behind Yu Hong. Then Yu Hong went to find Xiao White Dragon and Elder Chi Xiao. Both of them were determined to stay with Ku Chan and go nowhere. "This place has food, drinks, and fun. Only a fool would follow you to wander and suffer. Your method of avoidance has no quality of life;it¡¯s better to enjoy life for a while." Elder Chi Xiao expressed his dissatisfaction with Yu Hong¡¯s method of avoidance. In the end, the Black Black Spirit left with only Yiyi. After leaving some mana as a marker, Yu Hong prepared to leave the Floating City Universe and return to the Flame Star. In the vast emptiness of space. Yu Hong listened to the sound of Yiyi making dumplings on the first floor, his divine sense looking at the Floating City floating in the distance outside the window. The silver Floating City had already restored its former splendor and bore no scars of war. The dense flow of ships moved in and out, like swimming fish rebuilding the bustling scene of the past. "It looks pretty good, doesn¡¯t it?" Suddenly, a familiar voice appeared next to Yu Hong¡¯s ear. His divine sense stirred, and the surroundings instantly transformed into a dark, boundless starry sky. In front of him, a massive black lizard as large as a planet stared quietly at him. "Agrius... long time no see." Yu Hong looked up and said. Ads by PubFuture "Long time no see, you...." Golden arcs of electricity instinctively lit up on Agrius¡¯ body, a passive defensive activation of some sort. "You seem to have undergone some kind of remarkable change..." it said in a deep voice. "That¡¯s not important, what is important is that since you came to see me, there must be something very significant you want to say," Yu Hong said. "Yes, you guessed right," Agrius affirmed. "You must have noticed, right? This universe is filled with a high concentration of Red Values...." "Yes, do you know what¡¯s going on?" Yu Hong asked, frowning. "No, but the Heavenly Sun Sect and the Elemental Emperor have already left, very suddenly. Now, only a few Black Tide monsters remain at the fringes of the area;the rest have all left on their own," Agrius replied. "Is a larger Black Disaster coming?" Yu Hong asked, his expression growing even more serious. "Perhaps, or perhaps not... no one can guess accurately. Despite all my years of travel, I still can¡¯t precisely judge the information," Agrius said calmly. "Then you came for..." Yu Hong wanted to ask more. "It¡¯s time to transfer the authority of the Vitality Ship to you." Agrius spread its claws, and a dense, purple-black sphere of smoke rose from its palm. "I have only one month of life left, after that, the hope of finding the land of vitality rests with you," Agrius said calmly. "....." Yu Hong was a bit dazed by this sudden gift. "Take it." Agrius lightly tossed the sphere, which shot out and appeared in front of Yu Hong in the blink of an eye, then zoomed into his chest and disappeared. In an instant, every corner, every region of the Black Black Spirit was clearly reflected in his Divine Sense. A sense of close kinship, as if connected by blood, transmitted from the Black Black Spirit into Yu Hong¡¯s mind. "And this." Agrius condensed another colorful ball of light and gently tossed it, which quickly merged into Yu Hong¡¯s chest. "This is a map of Source Disaster distributions I have spent over ten thousand years collecting and drawing. It includes Wind Disaster, Cold Disaster, Drought Disaster, Black Disaster, Flood Disaster, Light Disaster, and Heart Disaster. Anywhere you want to go, if it¡¯s a place I have explored, will be marked on it." Yu Hong placed his hand on his chest, feeling a steady stream of information flowing into his mind. It was a very large and complex three-dimensional map in vibrant colors. The surface of a huge disc-shaped map was unevenly divided into seven regions of Source Disasters. Different disasters were marked in different colors, with Heart Disaster appearing at the bottom of all the Source Disasters, faintly visible. At the very center of all the Source Disaster regions was a small, pebble-like grey area. Within the grey area, many tiny black particles were scattered. "Those black particles are our universes," Agrius explained, "Every now and then, the forces of the Source Disasters intersect and impact these universes. Some will be destroyed, some will shrink. Now, it¡¯s the Great Annihilation period, the universes won¡¯t regenerate, only annihilate, until everything is reset to zero." "Alright, that¡¯s all I have to say," Agrius sighed, "I know you cultivate the Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique from Qinghe Mountain. I wasn¡¯t planning to do this, but now you seem to have changed, something quite terrifying is sprouting within you...." "Terrifying?" Yu Hong frowned. "Yes. Besides the Source Disasters, there are many other existences capable of destroying everything. They once existed but were destroyed by the Source Disasters, like the thing lurking within you," Agrius said, "Indeed, I chose you, and you chose me. That¡¯s our greatest fortune..." Not waiting for Yu Hong to respond, its massive body suddenly moved like a snake, swiftly approaching Yu Hong, flying towards him. "Come, use your Cultivation Technique to absorb me, my last vitality!!" Agrius¡¯s voice gradually grew louder. Its body came closer and larger, until it completely occupied Yu Hong¡¯s vision. Boom!! In that instant, Yu Hong instinctively activated the Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique, and a white Heavenly River appeared around him. A series of explosions erupted around him, and he felt immense pain all over his body, as an endless surge of vitality crazily flooded into him. Fortunately, the recently strengthened Ancient God Body played a huge role in withstanding the terrifying vitality pouring in a short period. Strands of purple-gold arcs began to appear and shine on his body, forcibly compressing the excessive vitality of Agrius into thin lines, and storing it in his Dantian. "Goodbye, my final bequest, my hope of ten thousand years." Agrius cooperatively retracted its vitality, its massive body began to crack rapidly, shedding large fragments. "Wait!!" Yu Hong struggled, forcing himself to stay conscious, "You...." "Don¡¯t be sad, this is my own choice...." Agrius said calmly. "No... not... your.... treasure vault, where is it!?" Yu Hong squeezed out a sentence with difficulty. "Anyway, you¡¯re going to die... so I¡¯ll give you the treasure vault..." With a cold hum, a sudden roar exploded. Yu Hong instantly lost consciousness. The vitality Agrius accumulated over countless years, even its remaining amount, was far more than Yu Hong could absorb or digest with his current ability, given its planet-sized body. Just like Bai Sheng said before. Even if both were in the Golden Core stage, can you compare the size of an egg to that of a planet? S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Although Agrius was only a Ninth Level Arcane Master, his size meant he could not be compared to other council members of the same level. Compared to Lu Xian, the amount of vitality he held was far, far greater. Chapter 587: ready one Yu Hong didn¡¯t know how much time had passed before he slowly woke up from unconsciousness. He opened his eyes and could vaguely see through the blindfold that he was still standing by the window. Behind him, Yiyi was still making dumplings, and Quan He was speaking softly. ¡¯Agrius¡¯s actions seem to involve time manipulation. Not much time has passed since just now.¡¯ Yu Hong spread his divine sense and sensed his own body. Countless tiny black crystalline particles were evenly distributed in his meridians and blood vessels. There were also many surrounding the Heavenly River outside his body. Each of these crystals contained a massive amount of Agrius¡¯s vitality aura. "This gift is a bit heavy... Agrius..." The permissions of Black Black Spirit¡¯s safe house were transferred, and in the end, he also left this large gift. If I successfully find the land of vitality, it wouldn¡¯t make sense not to resurrect you... Yu Hong still remembered that among his summoned creatures, there was a sub-body of Agrius, which meant that as long as his strength was sufficient, he could completely use it as a marker to reverse and resurrect Agrius¡¯s entire body. ¡¯It¡¯s too early to think about this now.¡¯ Clearing his thoughts, Yu Hong turned around and headed towards the two people in the first-floor hall. The safe house also gradually disappeared in space, wrapped in countless colorful threads. A month later.... Flame Star. The entanglement and covert struggles between the Moon Palace and the Yinluo people had temporarily reached a stalemate. Every once in a while, a group of Moon Palace officials would die, followed by the deaths of several Yinluo people, almost becoming a routine. The Yinluo people, initially furious and searching everywhere to no avail, gradually got used to it and started to ignore it, reluctantly maintaining the situation. All this was because the Moon Palace lost more people each time they were besieged, far more than the Yinluo people. Under such a casualty ratio, it seemed unsurprising that a few Yinluo people would die. What they could not have imagined was that most of the Moon Palace¡¯s deaths were Yu Hong¡¯s summoned Fear Shadows... As for the so-called Yinluo people¡¯s casualties, it was just a regular cycle of harvesting vitality by Yu Hong and Quan He. This process gradually stabilized over time. Yu Hong and Quan He also focused on lying low, diligently cultivating and conducting research on Flame Star. Click. Yu Hong sat cross-legged in the secret room, frowning as he perceived the new fusion trait in his mind. Cloud Hand and Piercing Eye, and this is what it resulted in? ¡¯Thorn Dragon Bloodline: All of your attacks will gain a 200% piercing effect enhancement.¡¯ He took out a High Martial Secret Manual from a hidden compartment in the wall and started cultivating while pondering over the follow-up arrangements for Black Mark. ¡¯This enhancement obviously resulted in a lemon. It seems the possibility of fusion failure does exist. Just because it rarely happened before doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s nonexistent.¡¯ ¡¯Previously, the Piercing Eye could amplify the effects of eye-released attacks by five times. Now, it gets a broader range but only amplifies by three times. This is undoubtedly a failure...¡¯ ¡¯There¡¯s still a chance for another fusion... but there¡¯s nothing particularly worth fusing right now... I¡¯ll wait for now...¡¯ Compared to fusing traits, Yu Hong had realized that without superior similar traits, the cost-effectiveness of fusing traits was not high for him now. ¡¯Enhancing the Outer Eye provides higher returns. Utilizing the high energy level obtained through Immortal Cultivation to supply and enhance the Outer Eye through Black Mark until the highest level, then feeding back to the entire body, progresses much faster than the cultivation realms...¡¯ After hesitating, Yu Hong finally decided to take out the Outer Eye and arbitrarily add something from the side. ¡¯Enhance the Outer Eye, direction: Overall comprehensive enhancement.¡¯ The appearance of Emosa¡¯s Body essentially marked the enhancement of the Outer Eye after Emosa¡¯s Body began to take off, meaning the return from enhancing the Outer Eye was far greater than from cultivation. Yu Hong made up his mind to let Black Mark focus on this. After getting good traits, then fuse. Soon, black lines flowed from the back of his hand and into the Outer Eye. The Outer Eye, emitting colorful light, flashed slightly, and a line of red countdown numbers appeared inside: November 17, 5 years, 9:43 AM. "...Indeed, the higher the energy level, the longer the required enhancement time. This is just a simple comprehensive enhancement, not an extreme one, yet it takes so long..." But Yu Hong still confirmed the enhancement in his heart. Enhanced Outer Eye feeds back to cultivation, and cultivation enhances energy to supply the enhancement. This has been his set path from the start. In the next moment, countless amounts of mana inside him madly surged into the Black Mark imprint. The continuous mana supply, once gone, was swiftly replenished by the Immortal Dao Tianhe¡¯s conversion of vitality. Essentially, the Immortal Dao focuses on constant quality improvement and self-evolution, unlike the Arcane which can provide limitless energy once reaching a certain point. The limitless energy of the Arcane is essentially infinite low-tier energy, which, at high energy levels, is far inferior to the Immortal Dao. The continuous supply of mana lasted for more than ten minutes before it slowly reduced and then completely stopped. .c Only when the countdown timer slightly flashed and began to move did Yu Hong wipe the invisible sweat from his forehead and breathe a sigh of relief. ¡¯The energy requirement is increasing... If it was my previous cultivation level, it wouldn¡¯t fill up even with a few days and nights of absorption... Fortunately, I had the foresight to cultivate the Immortal Dao and elevate my energy level...¡¯ Using Inner Vision to observe his body, Yu Hong found that the vitality converted madly for over ten minutes hadn¡¯t even used one-tenth of Agrius¡¯s gift in his body. He finally felt how rich this guy¡¯s worth as a Star God was. After a sigh in his heart, Yu Hong got up and walked out of the secret room. Quan He and Yiyi were not there. The stable environment of Flame Star allowed them to often go out for shopping, playing, and living much better than before. Looking at the empty safe house, Yu Hong shook his head internally, then spread his divine sense outward to perceive the surrounding Chaotic God Sky Eye Puppets. Most of the Moon Palace people were composed of his summoned Fear Shadows and Chaotic God Puppets, while the people Yan Wei roped in accounted for only a small part. Ads by PubFuture After all, how many terrorists in this day and age aren¡¯t afraid to play with self-destruction every day? This perception immediately made Yu Hong reveal a hint of surprise. After entering Returning to Void, the range of his divine sense could already cover tens of thousands of kilometers around him, which was quite small among Immortal Dao cultivators. Because his stabilization time in each realm was too short, his divine sense didn¡¯t naturally grow to its limit before quickly breaking through to the next realm. So it was very normal for this situation to occur. But even so, the range of tens of thousands of kilometers was enough to cover almost half of Flame Star¡¯s huge region. Within his divine sense, it seemed that the Yinluo had stealthily dispatched a special forces unit, targeting the Moon Palace for reconnaissance and a beheading plan. Unlike the powerful squad sent last time, this special forces unit had nine members in total, all of whom wore high-level life armor codenamed Black Mark. The team leader, in particular, wore specially designed armor called Beheader. It was obvious that this high-level armor was specifically for the Moon Palace. As Yu Hong observed them, this squad was quickly moving towards a sub-base of the Moon Palace. The mountain forest was rugged, light rain was falling, and wild grass was growing chaotically. The members of the beheading squad were all enveloped in a faint purple light. This purple light allowed them to move at supersonic speeds without causing any sonic booms. Swish! Swish! In an instant, the squad went from extremely fast to extremely still, stopping abruptly. The team leader, standing at two meters tall, had a helmet similar to a triceratops, with three horns standing upright. His body armor was mostly composed of overlapping round spots, giving an appearance of bulging muscles. "The enemy might have already detected our presence," the team leader said in a low voice, his voice clear and cold on the communication channel. "The leader of the Moon Palace, Yan Wei, indeed possesses certain special abilities, but her key strength lies in the immense effect produced by combining her abilities with the armor. Therefore, our insider will trigger a strong interference particle at the crucial moment, making all the stolen armors in the Moon Palace inoperative for about twenty minutes. This is our key period to handle all the trouble," the team leader continued. "Yes!" The Yinluo members replied solemnly. "Let¡¯s move." The next moment, all the Yinluo members disappeared on the spot, rushing straight towards the Moon Palace¡¯s sub-base. At that moment, inside the sub-base of the Moon Palace, in a temporary air-raid shelter two hundred meters underground, Yan Wei was in a conference room with several sub-base leaders, formulating the latest action plan. Unbeknownst to them, danger was quickly approaching. Yu Hong¡¯s divine sense noticed this, roughly simulating the energy level response of both parties. "The captain of this special forces team has reached the Immortal level. Yan Wei probably won¡¯t be able to handle it. Plus, the interference particles affecting the activation of the armor, this time, it might be really dangerous...." Yu Hong estimated the clear gap in combat power between the two sides. Even if Yan Wei used her Outer Eye with the armor, she could at most exert nearly-Immortal strength, comparable to the Cai Jing Taoist without using regular abilities. In essence, the strength of many monsters is extremely hard to gauge and difficult to compare in parallel, usually, whoever captures the opponent¡¯s weaknesses first will win. Therefore, the practical combat gap within the same energy level can be very large. And now, this special forces captain directly crossed to the Immortal level. This is a qualitative difference. A strong person at the ordinary Extraordinary level, even if they can destroy stars with one hit, if their energy level is not high enough, it¡¯s just a result achieved through quantity. Facing the Immortal level, one hit can obliterate them. "It looks like I¡¯ll have to lend a hand a bit..." An Immortal-level captain, coupled with his specialized armor... Now that the Great Annihilation is imminent, and having learned from Agrius that the forces of the Elemental Emperor and the Heavenly Sun Sect have already withdrawn entirely. Yu Hong also stopped worrying too much and decided to accelerate the Moon Palace¡¯s plan. Testing the Yinluo¡¯s backing could be advanced further. Thinking this, Yu Hong walked to the door and pushed it open. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With a click, the door automatically bounced back, closing. The next instant, he had disappeared from the spot. Immortal Dao magical power enveloped Yu Hong completely, condensing black flames released by Black Phoenix Jade into a Fire Bird, speeding towards the Moon Palace¡¯s sub-base. Meanwhile, inside the base, Yan Wei lightly touched her right eye, which had a mysterious transformation that she had discovered upon waking up. A powerful force continuously flowed from this eye throughout her body. This power enhanced her body, which was already several dozen times stronger than ordinary people due to armor amplification, even further, increasing it several times over. At that moment, she was extremely confident in facing any armor of the same level. She was meticulously simulating possible Yinluo attack strategies and routes with two sub-base leaders. Boom!! Suddenly, the entire base violently shook, and the three people swayed, immediately hearing the piercing alarm sound around them. "Quick, arm up!" Yan Wei¡¯s face turned cold;she flew towards the life armor in the corner of the conference room. The other two did the same, though they were very fast, it was still a step too late. A wave of invisible vibrational sound spread throughout the base. The sound wave penetrated the walls, covering the entire base, causing Yan Wei, the two leaders, and everyone inside trying to put on armor to freeze slightly. With a pop, Yan Wei resumed movement, grabbed her armor component, and activated it with her mind. But nothing happened. The life armor, which usually responded to her mind, was now like a stone, completely unresponsive. Chapter 588: Ready 2 Yan Wei¡¯s heart quickly sank. The next second, a sharp pain pierced her back, as if something sharp was speeding towards her at an incredible velocity. In a panic, Yan Wei hurriedly rolled to the side, dodging the attack from behind. Boom!! The wall behind her was directly shattered. A black-armored figure, holding a black electric spear, ferociously stabbed towards her. "!!!" Yan Wei¡¯s mind went blank. The opponent was equipped, but she was not. Without the tenfold increase in strength provided by armor, the only thing she could rely on was her mutated right eye! But... Ah!! With two screams, two other sub-base leaders, who were not equipped, had their heads blown off in front of the more than tenfold strengthened Yinluo soldiers. They were also experienced armored fighters, but without their armor, they were like pigs and sheep waiting to be slaughtered, completely defenseless. This was the difference between being equipped and not being equipped. With the armor on, the more than tenfold increase in physical strength was enough to make anyone capable of instantly killing a battle-hardened veteran. This was the gap. Yan Wei¡¯s right eye suddenly lit up with purple light. In the next instant, she disappeared from her original spot and appeared directly in the hallway outside the meeting room. This was the instantaneous movement ability belonging to the Immortal General. She had managed to develop this ability after much effort, using it to turn the tide of battle multiple times and seize the life armor worn by the enemy. But this time, it seemed... Boom! Another two loud bangs came from behind, the walls were once again shattered, and two more armored figures dashed in, not stopping but heading straight for Yan Wei¡¯s position. Yan Wei instantaneously moved away again, pressing the armor component in her pocket, but it was no use. Her heart was heavy, and in the next second, she continued to use instantaneous movement. But this time, as soon as she reappeared, a giant black electric spear was already rushing towards her from the front. "Such a conspicuous space teleportation fluctuation, Yan Wei, are you mocking this hall?" The captain¡¯s icy voice suddenly sounded from beneath his helmet. "Your Highness?!" Yan Wei¡¯s face changed dramatically, but it was too late for her to use instantaneous movement again. In desperation, her right eye shone brightly with a purple light, shooting out a purple beam, directly hitting the spear. Boom! The purple electric spear exploded at once. Without protection, Yan Wei was blown away on the spot, hitting the wall hard and creating a big dent before rolling down. Without armor, she couldn¡¯t even beat an ordinary Yinluo soldier, let alone such a top expert. Poof. Yan Wei spat out a mouthful of blood, struggling to get up. But. Swoosh, a black electric spear was suspended by her neck. "Yan Wei, you betrayed my trust..." The Yinluo captain¡¯s voice was low as he walked closer, staring at her. "What trust? Your Highness, you never trusted me, how could I betray it?" Yan Wei¡¯s face was calm as she slowly got up from the ground. "The victor becomes king and the loser is vilified. You won, kill me." "I want to know why you betrayed me in the first place?" The captain asked calmly. "Because of you, my policy planning for Flame Star had errors, causing me a huge disadvantage in the political arena." "Since the moment my parents died because of your people, there has been no such thing as betrayal...." Yan Wei¡¯s face was expressionless as she suddenly grabbed the spear, squeezing toward the tip with her palm. In the critical moment, the captain saw in her palm, what was surprisingly a high-level armor component she was assigned before. At this distance, once the component was pierced and damaged, it would cause a huge explosion immediately. Considering the enclosed space of the underground base corridor, even with his armor, he would be severely injured! "You!" The captain hurriedly withdrew the spear and retreated. But the next moment, he knew he had been tricked, as Yan Wei disappeared once again before his eyes. "Courting death!" He followed, activating the armor¡¯s instantaneous movement ability to track the space fluctuation. Just as he appeared. Beep... A sharp siren sounded around. Boom!! Before he could see his surroundings clearly, a massive explosion swept him away, engulfing everything. Outside the base, on the surface. Yan Wei stood quietly on the grass, watching the huge hole blown open in the underground base area not far away. "The timing was just right, and I didn¡¯t misjudge His Highness¡¯s personality. This explosion should damage his armor¡¯s instantaneous movement ability. Unfortunately, this base is finished;it¡¯s time to retreat." The others in the base had no chance of being rescued, but Yan Wei never intended to save them. To have a prince of the Yinluo people buried with them was not a loss by any means. Swoosh. The next second, she disappeared on the spot. Without armor, she couldn¡¯t confront them head-on. She must find out why the armor couldn¡¯t activate. But for now, it didn¡¯t matter, she still had backup armor! A few hundred meters away from the sub-base, inside an abandoned factory. Yan Wei appeared instantly in a corner of the factory, squatting down and lifting a cover from the ground. Below, in the dark compartment, lay her backup armor set. It was also a high-level armor set. Reaching out to touch the armor, she was about to equip it. Suddenly, a sharp pain spread from the back of her head again. Yan Wei made a decisive move, leaving the armor and rolling aside. Sizzle!! A black light shot through her previous position, piercing the wall and leaving a charred hole. Ads by PubFuture Yan Wei¡¯s expression changed slightly as she once again instantly appeared next to the armor, reaching out to grab it. But in the next moment, a black spear appeared out of thin air between her and the armor. Thud. Hiss. The flesh of her palm instantly charred upon contact, but Yan Wei¡¯s face remained unchanged as she flipped away from the second black spear crashing down from behind her. Boom! With a deafening crash, the black spear created a large pit in the ground. She was also thrown high into the air, disappearing once more in an instant teleportation. "Chase!" The two special forces of Yinluo simultaneously began to teleport after her. The factory returned to an empty and silent state. Plop, plop. A tall, strong humanoid figure slowly walked in, approaching the hidden compartment, and looked down at the life armor placed inside. The figure was tall, dressed simply in a black shirt and trousers. For reasons unknown, perhaps the lighting or something else, his face was always shrouded in a layer of dim light, the contours unclear. At this moment, outside the factory, Yan Wei rushed in quickly. Her face pale, she coughed into her chest, spitting out a bit of blood, and hurried towards the hidden compartment. But just as she stepped through the door, she saw the tall figure standing there, and her steps involuntarily slowed down. "Who are you!? Please step aside, I need to get something." Yan Wei steadied her emotions as she walked towards the figure. "Step aside for what?" The figure turned back to look at her. Yan Wei¡¯s vision was starting to blur slightly from having teleported too many times and from bodily strain. She couldn¡¯t teleport anymore;otherwise, she would collapse before she got the armor. "Where you¡¯re standing, can you please move?" Worried about the Yinluo special forces possibly catching up, she couldn¡¯t help but quicken her pace. "You look injured, need help calling the police?" The man didn¡¯t answer, instead asking with concern. "No need, why are you alone here anyway? It¡¯s very dangerous;you should leave immediately and find a place to hide. Didn¡¯t you hear the explosions just now?" Yan Wei quickly said. "I¡¯m a Taoist Cultivator," the man replied earnestly. "I came here because I heard the explosions. So, do you need help?" "Thanks for your kindness, just step aside, that¡¯s all I need. You should leave right away," Yan Wei advised kindly. "Don¡¯t worry, though my time in cultivation is short, I can still protect myself a little..." the man smiled brightly, stepping aside. Yan Wei had already moved to the side of the hidden compartment, her hand pressing on the armor, but to her dismay, it didn¡¯t start. She looked up at the man, triggered by his earlier kind words. "You..." As soon as she spoke, she noticed the space behind the man warp with instant teleportation distortions. A tall, burly black armor appeared instantly, and a spear crashed silently towards the man¡¯s head. Screech! In the next moment, purple light shot from Yan Wei¡¯s eyes, deflecting the black spear. "Run!" she yelled sharply. But it was too late. The black spear corrected itself and struck like lightning towards the man¡¯s back. Bang!! A loud explosion. The black spear struck the man¡¯s back heavily, creating a circle of white ash ripples. But... it was completely different from what she expected. The man remained standing, his back facing the black spear. Only his face, looking towards Yan Wei, began to twist violently. The vague face twisted and squirmed rapidly, like clay. Hiss. It was as if an invisible thin membrane on the man¡¯s body was torn and stretched. His body rapidly expanded, growing taller, wider, and larger! Two meters. Three meters. Four meters! Six meters!! The man¡¯s body inflated like a balloon, reaching over six meters tall in the blink of an eye, standing like a small mountain. Colorful glowing lines radiated from his body, illuminating the surroundings. Those lines wriggled along the ground and walls like worms. Yan Wei looked up to see the man¡¯s eyes covered with black cloth, yet couldn¡¯t hide the piercing light beneath. "What the hell...!!!" The Yinluo special forces soldier holding the black spear, who witnessed the transformation from start to finish, was stunned. From widening his eyes to gaping his mouth, he was forced to retreat bit by bit. For a moment, he doubted if he was dreaming. Boom!! In the next instant, a giant hand pressed him from above into the ground. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As the hand lifted, only a mix of fragmented armor and flesh remained in the deep pit. Witnessing this, Yan Wei¡¯s mind went blank, unable to comprehend what had just happened. Yu Hong looked at her dumbfounded face and smiled gently. "Young one, there¡¯s little time. Go do whatever you desire..." The Great Annihilation is imminent. The Floating City is very close, so it¡¯s not far from here either. Yu Hong knew their time here was limited. Thus, after gaining the Ancient God Body and his strength surging again, he decided it¡¯s time to gather this place¡¯s vitality... Chapter 589: Pack up 1 In the factory, Yu Hong looked up at the gentle sunlight outside. "Such warming sunlight, I wonder when I¡¯ll ever see it again...." This time, he did not hide anymore. The primary reason was that the Great Annihilation was approaching. He couldn¡¯t take everyone here with him, but before leaving, he could give them a gift. Gulp. Yan Wei¡¯s face turned pale as she backed away step by step until her back was against the wall. "You... who exactly are you...!?" She vaguely sensed a familiar tone in his voice. This manner of speech was very much like the mentor who had once guided and betrayed her to this point. "You¡¯ve done well during this period. After I¡¯m gone, you¡¯ll have to manage the situation yourself." Yu Hong¡¯s face quickly transformed, clearly revealing the familiar face of her mentor. "Mentor....!" Yan Wei was stunned, "It¡¯s really you..." Yu Hong did not respond but rather made his immense body quickly vanish, leaving behind only a two-meter-tall human figure like before. He walked slowly out of the door and exited the factory. His true body, due to its collapse, had to constantly appear outside. Ads by PubFuture But to avoid arousing the enemy¡¯s suspicion and to achieve the effect of a surprise attack, he used an Illusion Technique to set up a false body in front of his true self, hiding himself behind it, ready to strike at any moment. As soon as he stepped out the door. Several Black Armor Yinluo people suddenly appeared outside. Five in total, formed into a simple array, surrounding Yu Hong at the center. Among them, a prince was also in the formation. "Among these people, which one is the inducement point?" Yu Hong transmitted in a low voice. Yes, the other reason for his impatience was to delay the arrival of the Source Disaster¡¯s Great Annihilation as much as possible. According to senior Su Dan¡¯s method, as long as the inducement point was found and either removed or destroyed, the Source Disaster¡¯s intrusion time could be greatly delayed. At first, he thought the inducement point must be on a human from Flame Star. However, upon closer inspection, he found that none of the slightly famous people on Flame Star were it. The inducement point is characterized by immense influence. After secretly inspecting, he confirmed that Yan Wei was not it, and neither were the leaders of various countries. So, it seemed highly probable that the inducement point existed among the Yinluo people. If not, then it must be in other regions of this universe. That would be beyond his concern. "Not sure, let¡¯s check it out. If we can¡¯t find it, we¡¯ll just leave." Quan He transmitted, "After all, we only need to verify if the inducement point is truly effective. Whether we can extend the vitality of the humans here depends on their luck." Quan He was also open-minded. After all, they were merely passersby;they couldn¡¯t carry or take responsibility for the fate of billions of people here. "But are you sure you want to cut the knot quickly?" Quan He hesitated to ask. "Yes, there¡¯s no time. We¡¯ve been here for some time already. The initial objective has been achieved, there¡¯s no point in staying any longer." Yu Hong answered calmly. It was still critical to escape for their lives. "Understood." Quan He comprehended. "You should handle the immediate situation first." "Mm." Both were Immortal Dao Cultivators. Despite the content of their telepathic exchange seeming ample, it was completed in merely two seconds. Now, Yu Hong refocused on the five individuals in front of him. The leader among them, the Yinluo prince, stepped out of the formation, slightly ahead of the rest. "Yan Wei, stop hiding, come out." In the factory, Yan Wei slowly walked out, her face pale, eyes complicated as she looked at Yu Hong¡¯s back, then shifted her gaze to the prince. "Your Highness, you shouldn¡¯t have come...." "Are you rambling nonsense because you know you¡¯re about to die and have become delirious?" The prince said coldly, "Although I don¡¯t know how you killed Tren, now, with five against one, you stand no chance." "You overestimate me...." Yan Wei shook her head, her gaze fixed on Yu Hong. "From the beginning, I have always been just a puppet...." Now she understood. All the previous puzzles were finally solved. Why there was always a continuous strong dark force in the Moon Palace supporting her to attack the Yinluo people. Now it seemed that it had always been this mentor orchestrating everything... The prince and the others noticed Yu Hong at this point, this seemingly insignificant tall human male. Swoosh! Suddenly, a black laser shot out from one of the Yinluo people¡¯s shoulders, hitting Yu Hong squarely. This was an ambush! While everyone thought the prince was about to question Yu Hong and converse with him, the swift and precise ambush of this laser was unexpected and struck Yu Hong right in the forehead. They had been alert and cautious as soon as Yu Hong appeared and stood nonchalantly within their encirclement. After all, until now, no ordinary human surrounded by the Yinluo people had remained so composed. Thus, they knew this person had to be problematic! But despite hitting the target, Yu Hong had been distracted. This laser shot pulled him back from his distraction. In the moment he walked out, his Divine Sense recklessly spread, encompassing the nearby two Yinluo motherships floating above Flame Star. He was calculating the total number of Yinluo people on Flame Star. Most Yinluo people, due to their disdain for living too close to the lowly humans of Flame Star, chose to stay in their three motherships. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This made it easier for Yu Hong to scan now. "Seventy-one thousand four hundred and fifty-two in total." Yu Hong said. "What!?" The prince was the first to grasp the meaning of Yu Hong¡¯s statement, "How do you know this number!?" His eyes flashed blue, his voice becoming grave. This was indeed the total number of Yinluo people currently on Flame Star. Ads by PubFuture "Time is running out. Could I ask you to hand over all your Life Armor?" Yu Hong managed a slight smile. If he wanted to gather them all, it was essential to drain every bit of life force from the Armor. The vitality Agrius bestowed was abundant, but no one ever felt it was enough. Therefore, his true intention was to take as much as possible. The only restriction he faced was the storage capacity for vitality. But with Agrius having demonstrated it, it was straightforward to learn by following suit, and his current body could bear it regardless. "Is this guy mad!?" an Yinluo person scoffed with laughter. But in the next second. Poof! A black spear instantly pierced through his heart from behind. The spear tip penetrated the chest armor, carrying remnants of blood and flesh, then swiftly retracted. The Yinluo person stood rigid, his eyes quickly dimming from green. "What... is... happening...!?" He kneeled, clutching his heart, helplessly collapsing on the ground, gradually losing his breath. Standing behind him was another Yinluo person in formation. Not just that, two other Yinluo persons mysteriously began to lift black spears and started savagely attacking each other. Judging by their stance, it was as if the opponent was their mortal enemy, fighting with full desperation! The prince, upon seeing the lasers fail, felt an immediate rise in his heart rate. Now, witnessing this scene made him involuntarily step back two paces, loudly ordering his subordinates to stop, but to no avail. "Don¡¯t be afraid." Yu Hong¡¯s silhouette vanished, reappearing suddenly at his side. "You still have value. For Yinluo people, if you are willing to cooperate, I don¡¯t mind sparing your lives." "Arrogant! What position do you represent to say such words?" Though the prince was terrified, he couldn¡¯t help but retort upon hearing this. "I represent myself." Yu Hong was unwilling to waste words. Now, he no longer suppressed his control. The Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique automatically operated, and immediately a gray vitality mist began to rise from the three Yinluo people surrounding the prince and Yan Wei. As the mist flew out and integrated into Yu Hong, their bodies became increasingly emaciated and frail. Their armor rapidly dulled. In less than three seconds, the three collapsed lifelessly to the ground, their armor also turning completely gray and lifeless. This scene made both the prince and Yan Wei shiver uncontrollably. Without any movements, just standing and speaking a few words caused the four elite Yinluo Special Forces, capable of destroying a small country, to lose vitality and collapse on the ground with seemingly damaged armor. "Let¡¯s go, lead the way. To your mothership." Yu Hong lightly patted the prince¡¯s shoulder. The prince began to tremble unconsciously. He very much wanted to refuse, but didn¡¯t dare. The ordeal his subordinates had just faced rendered him incapable of making any rash decisions. ¡¯Right, the mothership! The mothership has high-intensity fire control systems surrounding it. As long as we enter the zone, we can use death rays to instantly deal with this guy!¡¯ A rapid burst of thoughts brought a solution to his mind. "Can you tell me who you are and what you want?" he asked, trying to suppress his fear. "You can call me Mentor, the true leader of the Moon Palace in the shadows. As for what I want?" Yu Hong chuckled. "That depends on what you have...." Whoosh. The two soared skyward, heading toward the Yinluo mothership. Yan Wei hesitated before quickly leaping toward another distant point, sensing that something significant was about to unfold. With the armor unusable and his eyes strained from overuse, Instantaneous Movement was unlikely. So, he had to resort to other tools¡ªthere was a light helicopter stationed at the other point, which might keep up with the Mentor¡¯s duo. In the sky. Yu Hong followed the prince, flying swiftly. Soon, they approached the Yinluo Linglong mothership. The massive mothership resembled a continent, hovering motionlessly above the Linglong Capital. "This area is already a no-fly zone. Inside the mothership are my two brothers, even for me, entering here will inevitably provoke them into action. To secure the throne and eliminate competitors, they¡¯d gladly take any chance to kill me. So threatening me further serves no purpose." At this point, the prince had discerned Yu Hong¡¯s strategy, explaining hurriedly. Yu Hong floated in the sky, observing the dense array of Yinluo armored troops swiftly emerging around the massive mothership. He soon realized the prince wasn¡¯t lying. "No worries, just lead the way." Yu Hong was unconcerned. The prince dared not say more and could only watch helplessly as dozens of Life Armor figures from the mothership flew towards him and the person behind him. But.... Swish swish swish!! In the next second, this group of Yinluo armored figures unexpectedly flew past them, then paired off, beginning an insane slaughter among themselves. Their eyes steadily transitioned from blue and green to red, swiftly targeting their comrades with full force, even resorting to self-sacrifice by triggering explosions while holding a colleague. Enormous flames erupted continuously in the sky. The entirety of the Capital below remained in a state of intense shaking. The authorities had long been alerted but dared not approach upon seeing the Yinluo forces mobilize, resorting to deploying helicopters to film from the periphery. "This....!!?" The prince looked at the continuously exploding Yinluo armored figures, feeling the coldness intensify in his heart. From his vantage, he could see countless gray mist constantly emanating from the Yinluo figures, converging towards Yu Hong. Chapter 590: pack up 2 "Let¡¯s go, continue. There should be the highest level of life armor stored in your mothership, right?" Yu Hong asked calmly as he approached the mothership. "Yes... excluding the advanced armor, the highest level is the Immortal level. There¡¯s one set inside the mothership that¡¯s currently under repair," the prince replied hoarsely. "Let¡¯s take a look." Yu Hong was suddenly interested. He flew towards the mothership, continuously absorbing all the vitality from the Enro people flying out of it. A large amount of vitality was condensed into black crystals, suspended within his bloodstream. The quality of the vitality here was indeed very high, which made Yu Hong very satisfied. The two of them flew unimpeded, quickly reaching the outer armor layer of the mothership. The mothership¡¯s fire control system had no reaction at all, as if it was blind, allowing Yu Hong to enter the area. The prince quietly opened the channel in an effort to communicate, requesting the fire control to aim and kill the monster beside him. But all the messages he sent were like stones sinking into the sea, with no response. Hiss. The entrance of the mothership opened automatically, very peacefully. Inside, two rows of Enro people stood apart, like they were welcoming guests, their eyes glowing red as they saluted in unison. Ads by PubFuture Soon, a large cloud of gray smoke emerged from above their heads. As Yu Hong walked into the mothership, the Enro people lined up fell weakly to the ground one after another. Their flesh became shriveled and blotchy, and their armor quickly faded from black to gray-white. Every time Yu Hong walked a certain distance, several Enro people would wither and die next to him. The prince vaguely connected the dots and began to tremble violently. He seemed to know what Yu Hong really was... "I¡¯m very interested in your Enro people¡¯s vitality conversion system. I wonder if you could introduce it to me," Yu Hong said clearly as he walked ahead, his voice reaching the prince¡¯s ears. "...Do you think you can win!? The power standing behind us, even you cannot match!" the prince gritted his teeth and said. "Is it the Heavenly Sun Sect or the Elemental Emperor?" Yu Hong asked directly. "What?" the prince was stunned. This stunned reaction also surprised Yu Hong. "Could it be the Holy Tower?" he asked again. "What Holy Tower, we Enro people are gathering resources and forming the Great River Alliance for the Oshus people!" Upon hearing this, Yu Hong was completely relieved.... "So it¡¯s neither the Holy Tower nor the Heavenly Sun Sect, nor the Elemental Emperor... that¡¯s good, that¡¯s good." He immediately laughed, causing the prince to feel a strange chill in his heart and his steps to quicken. Along the way, countless Enro people appeared within a certain range around Yu Hong, and they instantly withered, lost their vitality, and eventually fell dead. Yu Hong didn¡¯t encounter any notable resistance along the way. Occasionally, two Immortal level Enro people, clad in armor, tried to engage him in close combat, but they couldn¡¯t even penetrate the passive defense of the Qingwei Heart Technique and fell into illusions, desperately fighting each other. During their scuffle, Yu Hong directly drained their vitality. Half an hour later. Yu Hong and the prince stood at the core of the entire mothership - the Energy Furnace. The Energy Furnace was located in the deepest part of the mothership, composed of hundreds of anti-gravity engines and kinetic engines. The gigantic Energy Furnace resembled a towering green furnace, constantly emitting terrifying heat. Within it, a set of dark gold armor quietly floated. "It¡¯s this!" Yu Hong stood in front of the Energy Furnace. The Black Black Spirit lacked this particular part, and the safe house¡¯s defenses had been fortified to an extremely high level, but the only thing missing was the power. If he could seize the power of the Enro people¡¯s mothership.... "I need all the technology of this Energy Furnace," Yu Hong turned and looked at the prince. "I... I¡¯ll sort it out and prepare everything for you to collect," the prince replied hoarsely. In just over ten minutes, he had witnessed the death of no less than three thousand people around him! For the Enro people, losing three thousand was an extremely horrendous loss. And now, the prince was even more appalled that Yu Hong dared to make him work for him!? The prince thought maliciously, planning to prepare some fake information and then flee on a ship. "I hope you don¡¯t waste either of our time," Yu Hong stated calmly. "As a warning, I can send you a small gift first." He extended his hand, and a black flame suddenly sprang up in his palm. Ao!! The next moment, a black flaming bird shot out from his palm, piercing through the walls of the mothership with a bang. The flaming bird charged through the walls layer by layer, becoming larger and hotter by the second. Three seconds later. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Bang! The black flaming bird broke free from the mothership, enlarging enormously, becoming even bigger than the mothership itself. In the next moment. The black flaming bird abruptly turned back and, in front of everyone¡¯s shocked eyes, swallowed the entire mothership in one gulp. The bird¡¯s mouth grew larger and larger, eventually resembling a gigantic black hole that swallowed the mothership instantaneously. Soon, the bird dispersed and disappeared. The only thing left in the air was the thick remains of ash, mixed with metal fragments, falling like raindrops. The prince was suspended in mid-air, dumbfounded, having witnessed the entire scene in just a few seconds. The thousands of Enro people on the entire mothership... were all gone in a flash of black light... Gone!! Ads by PubFuture His mind was completely blank. The immense shock and impact, mixed with fear, made it hard for him to breathe. At this moment, Yu Hong had no time to waste on him with unnecessary words. He had already put away his armor, flown out of Flame Star, and entered the surrounding starry sky. With a glance, he immediately saw another small mechanical metal planet hidden and floating around Flame Star. This planet was only four or five thousand kilometers in diameter, entirely silver with a huge red glow at its top. On the planet¡¯s surface, countless Yinluo people could be seen working overtime, using the mineral resources transported from Flame Star to manufacture various weapons and warships. "Let¡¯s give it a try." Yu Hong suddenly remembered the sword strike from Senior Hei Ying earlier. Now that his cultivation had far surpassed his sister¡¯s, he thought he might as well try... Immediately, he extended his hand towards the mechanical small planet, holding his palm in an empty grip. Buzz!! Tremendous mana surged wildly, condensing into an enormous invisible devouring force. The devouring force gradually formed an extremely exaggerated invisible vortex, quickly spreading outwards. This was contamination. A bit of mana could autonomously pollute and assimilate the surrounding lower-level energies, achieving the effect of one transforming into ten thousand. The gigantic invisible vortex, initially less than a hundred meters, rapidly expanded to a diameter of over a thousand meters within two seconds under the effect of contamination and continued to grow. By this time, Yu Hong had already withdrawn his hand. But the vortex had taken shape;the mana he had injected was still expanding crazily, as the limit of the contamination had not yet been reached. Soon, ten thousand meters, one hundred thousand meters, over a thousand kilometers, five thousand kilometers!! At this point, the mana injected by Yu Hong finally halted the spread of the contamination. Now, a massive invisible vortex with a diameter of five thousand kilometers around Flame Star began to rapidly cover that metallic planet. Two colossal objects of almost the same size approached each other swiftly in less than half a minute. Then... all the Yinluo people on the metallic planet, along with their worn armors, were instantly drawn by the immense devouring force. Their terrifying vital smoke flew into the invisible vortex and, through the connection of mana, was transmitted to Yu Hong. Oddly enough, this massive devouring of vital life even subtly improved his cultivation, which had just stepped into Returning to Void. The already extremely fast cultivation speed of the Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique improved further, as if on the right path. Returning to Void after Divinity Transformation meant integrating the Divine Sense and Nascent Soul into one to comprehend the so-called Realm of Void. This was a further step to integrate oneself with the universe, stepping into the void realm to intensify the extremely exaggerated contamination level. The Mahayana stage after Returning to Void, and Ascension, were all about deepening this void, gradually getting closer to merging with the surrounding space-time of the universe. Until the final Unity of Heaven and Man. At this moment, devouring a massive number of Yinluo people in one breath indeed gave Yu Hong considerable progress in his Immortal Cultivation. This suggested that the foundational cultivation technique of Qinghe Mountain might inherently encourage such plundering behavior... Hmm... Yu Hong finally experienced what it felt like to devour the vitality of an entire planet in one gulp. If the gift from Agrius was taken as one unit, he had just devoured a total of one percent of Agrius¡¯ vitality! As his cultivation level rapidly increased, his total demand for vitality also soared. Now he understood why Qinghe Mountain was notorious in that era... Such a lucrative business of devouring planets would inevitably happen again after the first time. A single devouring could sustain an ordinary cultivator for hundreds of years. Such enormous gains were a devilish temptation for the cultivators of Qinghe Mountain. No, even a devil would be drained dry in their presence. "It seems that doing this kind of lucrative business is really satisfying... That previous covert attack was too inefficient." Robbery can be addictive, especially since Yu Hong had a righteous cause, robbing an alien tribe that enslaved the Human Clan, which was like a divine feast. Not taking it would be a waste. At this moment, countless methods and ideas to replicate this scene flooded Yu Hong¡¯s mind. ¡¯There are two other motherships, and there should be plenty of Yinluo people...¡¯ But for now, he first had to get their Vitality Conversion Technology and then leave this place quickly. Yu Hong¡¯s thoughts were spinning quickly. He swiftly flew back towards Flame Star. At this moment, he also realized the hassle of not having Instantaneous Movement. ¡¯It looks like I need to find some time to study Immortal Teleportation spells.¡¯ Meanwhile, on the surface of Flame Star. The Highness listened dumbfounded to the cries and chaotic reports coming through the communicator, unable to utter a word. Just now, the Yinluo battle star, Mishaga Star, responsible for transporting resources and processing weapons, was completely devoured and destroyed by a massive vortex in full view!! That vortex... According to the shared video in the communication, it was sent by the same monster that had previously held him hostage and killed everyone on the mothership! The Yinluo people on the battle star numbered not just in the millions... far exceeding the amount on the three major motherships. And now... this escape route back to their home planet was completely cut off. Suddenly, His Highness felt fear towards Flame Star. Run away! This unprecedented thought popped into his mind, and once it did, he couldn¡¯t get rid of it. Hand over the technology and leave immediately! He knew clearly that staying further would mean death. At this moment, Yu Hong had already returned to Black Black Spirit, also beginning to prepare the departure plan after leaving Flame Star. Chapter 591: tidy up three Half a month later.... Moon Palace Base. In the abandoned factory, Yu Hong sat cross-legged on the open ground surrounded by a mess of abandoned machines. The rusty dark red color mixed with the sunlight streaming through the holes in the walls, creating extremely vivid hues. Click. Suddenly, a blue light flashed, and Yinluo appeared instantaneously, standing in front of Yu Hong. "I¡¯ve brought the items. Are you really willing to keep your promise and let me and the remaining Yinluo people leave?" "Of course, killing you all doesn¡¯t mean much to me." said Yu Hong, who had already killed over ninety percent of the Yinluo people. "...." His Highness clenched his fists but could only hold back, not daring to say more. He lowered his head and tossed a small metal box from his hand, letting it fall to the ground. "This is the storage unit. You can read the contents with a universal computer interface. Inside is the energy furnace technology you requested." "Leave the finished product with me. You can take a spaceship and leave." Yu Hong said generously. ".... Okay." His Highness endured the humiliation and fear in his heart and turned to leave. As he reached the door, he stopped abruptly and turned back. Ads by PubFuture "Sir, may I ask, what exactly is the Elemental Emperor you mentioned?" "It¡¯s the truth of this world." Yu Hong replied casually. His Highness was momentarily stunned but asked no more questions and turned to step out of the factory. When he couldn¡¯t resist turning back to look again, he found that Yu Hong had already disappeared. In space, Black Black Spirit quietly moved away from Flame Star, flying toward the boundless starlit universe. In the safe house, Quan He held the storage unit that had just been obtained and plugged it into the computer, reading various technologies for Yu Hong. "It requires a lot of materials. It¡¯s good you brought back an actual sample." She sighed. "How is it? Can it be installed on the safe house?" Yu Hong asked. "I¡¯m not from the science side. I don¡¯t understand it. I can only use the magic method to integrate it, but this may consume nearly half of the power energy. Is that acceptable?" Quan He asked. "Even if it¡¯s only half, it¡¯s much better than before. Let¡¯s try installing it first." Yu Hong tossed his storage bag to her, which contained the energy furnace of the last spaceship. "Where are we heading now?" Quan He asked. "To another place, where there¡¯s no Great Annihilation." Yu Hong sighed. Black Black Spirit suddenly flashed, colorful threads wrapped around it, and it quickly disappeared. Following Su Dan¡¯s guidance, there was now enough vitality that Yu Hong no longer manipulated Black Black Spirit intentionally but allowed it to freely move towards the land of vitality. The approaching Great Annihilation reignited a sense of urgency in him. He needed to find the land of vitality as quickly as possible and take everyone there. Otherwise, everyone would die. The slow increase in cultivation was now compensated significantly by the emergence of the Ancient God Body. Yu Hong decided to try again. Three days later... Boom! Black Black Spirit tore through colorful threads, breaking out of the Wind Disaster, and crashed violently into an endless sea shimmering with silver light. The seawater was heavily displaced and splashed large water droplets. Even the splashing water droplets were silver. This was a sea composed of something resembling mercury. Yu Hong and his two companions stood in the first-floor hall, looking out the window, they could only see a vast expanse of silver. "No signs of life detected, no islands or land discovered, at least not within the range of my divine sense." Yu Hong said solemnly. "Let¡¯s settle here. I¡¯ll set up an array, then modify the energy furnace, and we¡¯ll continue once it¡¯s completed." Quan He said. "Okay." Yu Hong nodded. "I¡¯ll tidy up the items and miscellaneous things." Yiyi raised her hand. "Monitor the environmental data and the conditions throughout the safe house." "Hmm." Yu Hong gently pinched Yiyi¡¯s cheek and nodded again. Once the two left to their tasks, he returned to his cultivation chamber, examining the Immortal Life Armor he had acquired. He had researched this armor for several days and had almost figured out how to use it. Once Black Mark was free, he could let Yiyi use it. The armor operated through Immortal Level energy reaction. By using its Immortal Level energy core to absorb low-energy levels, it could maintain power indefinitely. And since the armor contained high-level Immortal energy, nearly matching Yu Hong¡¯s own level, it could continue to exist by absorbing low-energy levels as long as it wasn¡¯t countered by the same energy level. This energy utilization method gave Yu Hong significant insights. He began to study how to create similar immortality armor using his own power, although it would be a simplistic version with far lower energy efficiency compared to Life Armor. However, the advantage was that this type of armor could greatly protect those he wanted to protect, allowing them to receive continuous protection from his power even in dangerous environments. After researching the armor for a while, Yu Hong took a short break, glanced outside, and swept his divine sense over the surrounding area within tens of thousands of kilometers. Still empty, without any signs of life. Quan He had already gone out to set up an isolation array around Black Black Spirit, preparing to upgrade the energy core. Standing by the window, he could see her moving back and forth. Yu Hong also stepped out of the cultivation chamber and went out the door. He saw that a slightly larger circular transparent barrier had been erected around Black Black Spirit. The barrier kept the silver seawater at bay while Quan He was busy, and Yiyi was helping with a tablet computer. "Do you need help?" Yu Hong asked. "No, just focus on your own tasks. It should be done in about two more hours." Quan He transmitted, "It¡¯s just setting up an energy conversion array." "Alright, then I¡¯ll take a walk around." Yu Hong responded. This time, Black Black Spirit had moved to this place on its own. Given the duration of the journey, it was unlikely they had entered a place more dangerous than the City of No Light. Following senior Su Dan¡¯s guidance, their direction had actually backtracked a little. With Yu Hong¡¯s now greatly-enhanced strength, cultivation, and physical body, his courage had also significantly increased. He flew to the transparent barrier, touched it lightly. Ads by PubFuture A rounded oval opening automatically appeared in the barrier. As soon as he emerged from the opening, Yu Hong came into direct contact with the silver seawater outside. Hot! Very hot!! That was his first sensation. Although it wouldn¡¯t harm him, it was certainly uncomfortable. Yu Hong reached into his pocket and took out a modified detector he had been working on recently. Red Value Detection: 0. Spirit Light Radiation Detection: 0. Wind Disaster Radiation Detection: None. Light Disaster Radiation Detection: None. Temperature: 11,790 degrees Celsius. "... Over ten thousand degrees... Is it broken?" Yu Hong frowned and shook the detector. If it truly were this hot, the detector should have been burnt out. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The remaining radiation detection¡ªred value and spirit light¡ªwere originally present, while the other two were his own modifications. Since he couldn¡¯t quantify them precisely, he could only measure them in three levels: low, medium, and high. In simple terms, there were some detection substances sensitive to both types of radiation inside. The different reactions of these substances would give a summarized result. Putting away the detector, Yu Hong used his divine sense to check on the Black Black Spirit behind him. Confirming it was still safe and sound, he sped upward. The silver seawater constantly receded behind him. Like a sharp arrow, he shot straight upward and with a soft "poof," he broke through the surface and rushed into the sky. The sky here was also silver, devoid of clouds or sun, but filled with many floating structures. There were broken gray high-rises, pitch-black decaying castles, massive circular playgrounds, and shattered metal towers. It seemed the entire world had been torn apart by some immense force. Yu Hong slightly reduced his speed, judged his surroundings, and aimed for the closest silver-gray rectangular building that had broken into three sections. Whoosh! He accelerated towards it, then slowly descended to the entrance of the bottom fragment. The door was slanted, and the dilapidated lobby inside rotated slowly along with the building fragment. He slowly entered through the doorway. Inside was a crooked stairwell. The floor was littered with various scattered items¡ªsome yellow cardboard boxes covered in black ash. Yu Hong floated lightly, following the stairs upward. Suddenly, he stopped. A small, long-haired figure stood at the bend of the stairs, silently gazing at Yu Hong with a pair of pale eyes. The figure was a girl of about seven or eight years old, dressed in a pink strap dress with her exposed shoulders and arms slightly darkened. "You..." Yu Hong slowly began to speak but paused again. Because the girl in front of him started to slowly disintegrate, crumbling into black ash that gently dispersed. In less than two seconds, she vanished completely before his eyes. Yu Hong approached and found a white envelope at the spot where the girl had disappeared. There were some red characters he couldn¡¯t understand on it. Yu Hong quickly took out a small bottle from his waistband, poured some golden powder from it, and sprinkled it on the writing. Then he softly recited a few magic spells. Language Comprehension, spell activated. This was a universal spell to translate languages by communicating with the ambient pheromones, one of the fundamental spells of the Arcane System. Although Yu Hong didn¡¯t practice arcane magic, he had studied the spell system. Given his current cultivation, simulating a basic spell after understanding its principles wasn¡¯t an issue. Soon, the writing on the envelope became clear and understandable to him. ¡¯Lu Sha, wait for Daddy.¡¯ The envelope contained only this sentence. Yu Hong continued moving forward while attempting to extract the letter inside. But the letter had long been reduced to crumbs and could not be pulled out. He could only gently open the flap and peer inside. ¡¯The evolution has begun. If successful, Daddy will come to take you away. If it fails, stay home and don¡¯t go anywhere. Wait for Mommy to find you. ¡ªSun Yingchao.¡¯ Yu Hong sighed inwardly. There was no need to read further;he knew that the so-called evolution had likely failed. He continued upstairs. Household by household, almost everything was covered with thick black ash¡ªfurniture, floors, walls, sinks, everywhere. No remnants of food or corpses were found. Yu Hong quickly flew out of the building and headed towards another structure, which appeared to be a government building. Ads by PubFuture This building looked like a white chocolate wrapped in a circular wall. The surface was covered with large cracks. It floated in the air, moving very slowly into the distance. Bam. Using his mana, Yu Hong blasted open the white security door at the building¡¯s entrance. A huge cloud of black ash immediately gushed out from within. He stepped back, waited for a while, and after a good ten seconds, the black ash gradually lessened, weakened, and finally disappeared. Yu Hong flew inside through the door. In the black corridor inside, a tall, thin black figure stood. It was a middle-aged man with short hair, wearing glasses, holding a white briefcase, standing quietly in the corridor. As Yu Hong entered, the man¡¯s body quickly cracked and disintegrated, turning into flying ash from foot to head within seconds. Where he had been standing, only a very worn-out black glasses case remained. Chapter 592: tidy up 4 Yu Hong walked over, picked up the glasses case, and opened it. Click. Inside was a piece of black silk cloth, and on the cloth was a cute little silver swan pendant. He put the items away and continued inward. Walking through the corridor, he went up to the second floor and in one of the offices, Yu Hong quickly found an office where a few plastic bagged documents were placed on an empty desk. He stepped forward, picked up the documents, and gently took them out of the bag. ¡¯On the comprehensive implementation of the adaptation evolutionary injection detailed plan¡¯ The first document made him faintly understand what had happened here. Yu Hong opened the document. ¡¯The erosion of the Source Disaster is becoming more frequent, resistance is futile, and giving up equals certain death. The only option is adaptation. Adapt to the Source Disaster, treat it as a new major environmental change, and then maximize the preservation of human civilization in the new environment. This is the initial purpose of this plan.¡¯ The document set the tone right at the beginning. Beneath were some details, specifying what to do at each step, what would happen, and how to respond, all explained in detail. Ads by PubFuture Yu Hong did not continue reading. Instead, he swept his divine sense, quickly walked to the edge of the table, and pulled out a small silver safe from underneath. With a single hand, he broke the lock and then gently opened the box door. Inside the box was a silver test tube protected by silver metal patterns. The mouth of the test tube was firmly sealed with transparent adhesive. There was a label on the outside: Adaptation Potion. Yu Hong¡¯s heart moved, he carefully took it out and placed it in the outer pocket of his robe. Then, he quickly searched the building and found two more of these adaptation potions. A total of three. He flew out of the building and began a carpet search of the surrounding areas. After more than an hour, Yu Hong had six more adaptation potions in his hand, making a total of nine. And through the exploration here, he roughly understood everything that had happened. Standing at the tip of a sixty-degree tilted iron tower, looking at the wide floating building groups around in the air, Yu Hong sighed softly and turned to head back towards the Black Spirit direction. Before long, he returned to the silver sea. He lightly passed through the array outside the safe house. "How did it go?" Quan He was still debugging the added energy furnace. He asked casually. "This is a destroyed world. I only found these." Yu Hong reached out and took out nine adaptation potions to show. "If we continue inward, won¡¯t we encounter any living beings?" Quan He was silent for a moment and asked. "Probably not," Yu Hong replied. "Those capable of surviving in the deepest parts are either monsters or supreme beings. The rest can only be dead things." S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "It¡¯s really cruel..." Quan He sighed. "It¡¯s still safe here for now. I didn¡¯t find any threatening danger. We can stay here for a while longer, thoroughly repair ourselves before moving on." Yu Hong said. He didn¡¯t want to run around, but the pressure of the Great Annihilation forced him to keep pushing forward. The three of them continued upgrading the power, along with subsequent debugging and testing, staying in this silver world for about a week before gradually packing up the array to prepare for the next place. This time, it could really be the Source Disaster zone beyond the depth of the City of No Light. The three of them checked the safe house over and over again, setting up all the preparations that could be done. "If anything happens, notify me immediately." Yu Hong had Yiyi put on the Immortal Armor and carefully instructed. "Mm!" Yiyi nodded vigorously. Quan He was on the side debugging the computer, checking the status of various systems in the safe house. After several upgrades, except for the magic part, the rest of the safe house could be queried and detected by computer. "Everything is in order! Ready to go." She made a gesture to Yu Hong. "Good!" Yu Hong nodded and focused his mind. Suddenly the entire Black Spirit shook violently, and then the modified energy core burst out a power far greater than before. Boom!! In an instant, the entire safe house shot out, pulling a huge white line in the seawater, flying into the sky, bursting out of the sea surface. In mid-air, colorful lines emerged around the Black Spirit, wrapping it and disappearing. Bang bang bang!! In the Wind Disaster, the Black Spirit shot out of a huge tornado, heading away from the City of No Light at explosive speed. The upgraded power was countless times faster than before. Yu Hong only felt the Floating City World and the City of No Light in his perception rapidly distancing from the three of them. Within five seconds, his divine sense could no longer perceive it. Outside the window, a blur of dazzling colorful lines stretched into a blur from the terrifying speed. "This speed... isn¡¯t it a bit too fast!!?" Yiyi, tied to a chair, asked loudly with a trembling voice. "It is a bit. According to my post-upgrade tests, at full power acceleration, we can reach speeds between 151 and 200 Mach." Quan He explained. Yu Hong recalled the snail speed of the safe house, which was slower than a car before, and was speechless. "....." "Be careful and always pay attention to your physical condition. At this speed, who knows what kind of area we will enter this time." Yu Hong pointed with one hand, and a colorful three-dimensional map gifted by Agrius appeared in mid-air. Their current location naturally appeared on it. In the colorful zone of the Wind Disaster, a flashing green dot represented them. The little dot was now about to rush out of the Source Disaster overlapping area, entering the deepest part of the Source Disaster where there was absolutely no trace of the universe. Ads by PubFuture Yu Hong looked at the map. At their current speed, the next area they were about to reach was... "Careful!! We¡¯re about to enter the Unconscious Layer!!" His expression changed, and he urgently shouted. But it was already too late. The next moment. His voice instantly disappeared. Not just his, all sounds around them vanished entirely at that moment. An unprecedented silence enveloped everything around them. Yu Hong quickly tried to transmit his voice, attempting to speak loudly, but it was useless. No sound could be transmitted out. He had no choice but to gesture towards Quan He and Yiyi. They both understood his meaning. Quan He quickly took paper and pen from a drawer and began writing to communicate. But before they could start writing. Suddenly, Yu Hong¡¯s entire body began to emit a violent purple light. Countless thoughts flashed rapidly through his mind, and the metabolism of every cell in his body accelerated a million times at that moment. His cultivation also circulated countless times in an instant. The small area where Yu Hong stood, the ground, the water kettle and cups on the table, all turned black, cracked, and quickly crumbled into fragments, becoming a mixture of debris and dust. Even the table and chairs integrated with the safe house gradually developed a layer of old, gray-black stains. Yu Hong felt as if a slight movement of his thoughts caused countless distracting thoughts to surge madly, instantly overwhelming his mind. He quickly calmed his mind and entered a meditation state for cultivation. The cultivation of the Returning to Void Realm and the resistance of the powerful Ancient God Body allowed him to quickly stabilize his mind. Eliminating the distractions, he looked at Quan He and Yiyi a few meters away. Both women, Quan He was glowing with white light all over, with a Golden Core rotating wildly in her abdomen, resisting the changes. But Yiyi was struggling, only the Immortal Armor she wore was flashing with a faint dark gold hue. But the surface of the armor also began to crack rapidly, and it seemed it wouldn¡¯t hold out. Yu Hong¡¯s heart trembled, and he quickly manipulated the Black Black Spirit, controlling it to reverse direction rapidly. Boom!! The room violently shook. A few seconds later, the interior of the Black Black Spirit suddenly loosened. The voiceless state instantly disappeared, and the wildly accelerated Yu Hong and Quan He immediately exited that strange state. Thud. Quan He fell to the ground, her cheeks and hair showing a trace of white. Huff, huff... she gasped for breath, her eyes filled with fear. "That was just now...!?" "Time acceleration!!" Yu Hong said deeply, recovering from meditation. "The flow of time around us accelerated by at least tens of thousands of times in an extremely short period!" Yu Hong¡¯s expression was grave. He quickly got up and rushed to Yiyi¡¯s side to check her condition. Yiyi had already lost consciousness. The special nature of the Immortal Armor, which fused with the body as an external organ, made it a new complete life form when worn. So the time acceleration of tens of thousands of times did not instantly claim Yiyi¡¯s life. But even so, Yu Hong¡¯s heart was pounding wildly with fear. He¡¯d always thought that as long as there was a safe house, as long as Yiyi didn¡¯t go out, she would be secure with no problems. But now it seemed... He quickly checked Yiyi¡¯s body to ensure there were no malignant changes, and then heaved a heavy sigh of relief. Boom!! A dull sound. The colorful line outside the Black Spirit Window disappeared, replaced by the vast, boundless dark universe. The Floating City Absolute Balance hovered in the distance, with a sea of spacecraft still flowing in and out. The Black Black Spirit suddenly accelerated again, flying straight toward the Floating City. A moment later. Aus Academy Medical Department. "The patient¡¯s body has no major issues, just some physiological indicators are weak, even weaker than a normal person¡¯s. Just pay attention to daily diet and rest," the school¡¯s doctor said gently after removing the testing equipment. "Thank you, doctor, we will take care," Yu Hong nodded. Looking at the unconscious Yiyi lying on the bed, he felt an inexplicable sorrow. "Didn¡¯t Yiyi¡¯s body constitution already evolve? How come?" Quan He frowned beside him. "The time flow was too intense, and it might have been overdrawn, exhausted..." Yu Hong answered grimly. He turned to look at Quan He. "If that area always has such terrifying acceleration, Quan He, can you withstand it?" "....." Quan He opened her mouth. She wanted to say she could handle it, but... even though Immortal Dao Cultivators live long, they are not immortal. The cultivation technique of Qinghe Mountain grants longevity, and as a Golden Core Stage cultivator, she naturally has a lifespan of one hundred thousand years. Achieving Golden Core adds a hundred thousand years. Attaining Nascent Soul adds another hundred thousand. Not to mention Divinity Transformation and Returning to Void, where Returning Void Cultivators have lifespans close to a million years. But even for Returning to Void, staying too long in such terrifying time acceleration would be unbearable. Thousands of times faster per second... and there¡¯s no knowing how long we would remain inside. It¡¯s also unclear if the acceleration would increase further. This means that even Golden Core Cultivators would only have a few years to live inside. Returning Void would have at most a few decades, like ordinary mortals. Chapter 593: Deep into One The passage of time, when stable, is not frightening. What is terrifying is the rapid and violent changes over a very short period, and even more terrifying is when the conscious mind can perceive these changes happening. Under normal time flow, consciousness will accelerate together, not detecting any anomalies. But Yu Hong and Quan He sensed something wrong, which meant the time acceleration in that area was abnormal. Yu Hong reached out and patted Quan He on the shoulder. "It seems that the path ahead is one I must walk alone." He sighed. "We..." Quan He wanted to say something but couldn¡¯t find the words. The unconscious layer had already begun to show such eerie dangers. Going further, the danger might be even greater. Yu Hong, being too preoccupied, might not have the time to take care of them. "I understand," Quan He finally nodded after a moment of silence. "We¡¯ll find a place to wait for you." "How about the silver sea world we just left? It¡¯s close to the unconscious layer but far from the Great Annihilation," Yu Hong suggested. "How are you doing? What happened?!" Ku Chan rushed in from the doorway, looking worried. Yu Hong signaled for the medical staff to leave and then carefully explained their troubles to Ku Chan. Ads by PubFuture "Besides the unconscious bodies, the unconscious layer is that dangerous? Wasn¡¯t there any recorded data to reference?" Ku Chan frowned. "No, we even asked some of the old elders, but no one had described such changes. If those elders hadn¡¯t deliberately withheld information, then these changes might have emerged recently," Yu Hong explained. "The Great Annihilation..." Ku Chan¡¯s face turned grim. "Let¡¯s go together, keep migrating;we can¡¯t stay here," Yu Hong proposed again. "With the upgrades to my power source, I should be able to carry enough people." The safe house Black Black Spirit was now a three-story building. It could squeeze in dozens of people without much problem. The living quality might suffer, but with storage bags, they could manage for a long time. "I actually mentioned this to my mentors. They recently confirmed through observations that what you said is true. Two distant space guard post cities have already lost contact...." Ku Chan continued, "The council has initiated the Space-Time Giant Wheel project, using the Great Wishing Technique to build a space-time giant wheel within five days. It can enter the Source Disaster, leveraging its jump effect similar to space traversal to escape the Great Annihilation." "How many people? Have they chosen a destination?" Yu Hong¡¯s spirit was uplifted, knowing that no one in the Floating City wanted to wait for death. They were all striving for self-rescue. "The space-time giant wheel can accommodate about half of the Floating City¡¯s area, including all formal residents. However, the circle of informal residents in the outer city won¡¯t make it," Ku Chan solemnly replied. "What about the destination?" "It¡¯s not decided yet. The council¡¯s Great Arcanists received a Source Disaster map as a gift from Agrius and are currently studying it," Ku Chan explained. "When do we leave!?" Yu Hong asked urgently. "If you had come back two days later, no one would be here..." Ku Chan chuckled bitterly. "Understood. The Great Annihilation is so severe that even the surrender factions are fleeing. But their escape means they are more aware of the dangers than we are. What if we follow their escape route and traces? Wouldn¡¯t that be safer?" Yu Hong pondered. "That¡¯s a thought the council had as well." Ku Chan nodded. "You have many people and Arcanists who use their minds for cultivation, surely more thorough than I. I¡¯ll leave Yiyi and Quan He in your care. Look after them," Yu Hong conveyed his trust. "Rest assured, brother, I¡¯ll take good care of them," Ku Chan promised with a serious tone. "??" Yu Hong was stunned, "What?" "What?" Ku Chan was also puzzled. "Surely, brother, you haven¡¯t gotten together with Quan He and Yiyi yet? You¡¯ve been living under the same roof for so long. What would people think if they knew they stayed with you for so long?" Yu Hong was at a loss for words. He hadn¡¯t considered that aspect. If word got out, anyone could easily interpret Quan He and Yiyi¡¯s intentions. "Wait, what intentions? Why don¡¯t I know?" Quan He was baffled. She had stayed with Yu Hong simply because she had no stable safe house. But from Ku Chan¡¯s words, it sounded like she had moved into Black Black Spirit to pursue Yu Hong. "Ah... you two really are slow..." Ku Chan sighed helplessly. "You don¡¯t understand..." Quan He was also speechless. "Your big brother¡¯s situation is different now. With a body size of six meters, who could handle that." "Let¡¯s not talk about this. Leave a mental imprint in the water instrument ball, so we can later confirm your state and location," Yu Hong said. "I¡¯ll test the path ahead. Although the time acceleration zone is extremely dangerous, it might also have some benefits." This caught Quan He¡¯s attention, and she nodded. "Indeed, with enough stored vitality, cultivation inside there would be highly efficient. One second in there equals several thousand outside seconds;it¡¯s very convenient for accelerated training. Of course, the lifespan has to be long enough," she said, touching her graying temples with a hint of gloom in her eyes. "There might be more than just acceleration..." Yu Hong murmured. He sensed his internal state. Within just those few seconds, his Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique was on the verge of reaching the middle stage of Returning to Void. Under normal circumstances, despite abundant vitality, he would need at least ten years of intensive cultivation to progress to the next stage. But since his last breakthrough, only months had passed. If used properly, that place could indeed be an excellent zone for acceleration cultivation. Provided one could withstand it. After assigning Ku Chan several precautions, Yu Hong re-entered Black Black Spirit, setting off for the unconscious layer once again. The unconscious layer, also known as the Heartless Belt, is a circular zone close to the Source Disaster Core. Even before fully entering, they were hit hard by its time acceleration phenomena. After placing Quan He and Yiyi down, Yu Hong piloted Black Black Spirit and re-entered the Wind Disaster at full speed, reactivating the Vitality Ship¡¯s function. Buzz... The enormous energy furnace accelerated madly, pushing Black Black Spirit to race through the Wind Disaster. Yu Hong stood at the window, watching the colored lines blur into a kaleidoscopic haze. He was tense, standing on the first floor, ready to reach their previous destination. In midair, the mana-formed colored map showed Black Black Spirit¡¯s green light dot nearing the previous location. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yu Hong focused, waiting in silence. The wall clock¡¯s second hand ticked steadily. But soon, the next second... Ads by PubFuture Crack. The second hand of the clock suddenly began to decelerate. It now took two seconds of normal time for one tick to pass. Then it became three seconds, five seconds, ten seconds... the intervals kept increasing. Until... click. The second hand came to a complete stop. Yu Hong also froze in place, standing still. The mana within his body still circulated, but at an unfathomably slower rate than usual. Everything in the surrounding air came to a standstill. Even the formation arrays at the Golden Immortal level within the Black Black Spirit ceased operation. Tiny specks of dust hovered next to Yu Hong, clearly visible in the light filtering in through the window. Yu Hong¡¯s thoughts also came to a complete halt, but this static force didn¡¯t entirely bind him. The time-space resistance of his powerful Ancient God Body allowed him to gradually open his eyes, and his divine sense and body began to adapt, slowly starting to function again. ¡¯Is time itself frozen this time?¡¯ he wondered to himself. This stasis didn¡¯t last long;soon, there was a booming sound. Stasis vanished, replaced by the once again roaring Black Black Spirit, heading straight into the depths of the Wind Disaster. Hiss... Yu Hong stood on the first floor, raised his hand, and sensed that the time around him had become completely chaotic. He could feel that, on his left hand, the time flow on five patches of skin had accelerated to an alarming degree. But aside from these five spots, the rest of the areas experienced significant time dilation. More than that, his body also faced similar issues. The time on his cheek accelerated by thousands of times, while his abdomen experienced time slowdown, with his heart beating once every few hours in a normal state. If it weren¡¯t for his incredibly strong physique, his powerful Ancient God Body, and his immense time-space resistance and recovery, anyone else in his place would have fallen apart by now. Yu Hong stood in the center of the hall, his body constantly flickering with dazzling colored lights, shifting from one spot to another without any fixed position. At this moment, the entire Black Black Spirit also began to tremble violently. Woo~~~ A sound like a ship¡¯s whistle began to ring in Yu Hong¡¯s ears. His vision started to spin, rotating clockwise as if in a drum of a washing machine. Everything in sight began to rotate faster and faster... Thin streams of blood flowed from Yu Hong¡¯s nostrils, unnoticed by him. Just then. A high-pitched screech erupted from the protective array set by Fu Bai, the Golden Immortal. Clang!! It was a burst like the explosion of a drawn sword. This explosion seemed to shatter some diffuse presence in the surrounding space. The time flow distorted and instantly returned to normal. The light outside the safehouse window also reverted to normal, transforming into the quiet, deep starry cosmos. Inside, the hum of the energy furnace petered out, bringing silence, allowing the safehouse to drift slowly in space. Poo. Yu Hong¡¯s legs gave out, and he half-knelt on the ground. "What... just happened!?" He shook his head, his vision already restored. A trickle of blood hung beneath his nose like snot. He wiped at it, seeing the blood with tiny glints of silver. "Where... have we ended up?" Outside the window was a magnificent cosmos dominated by dark red and silver-blue hues. Yu Hong looked down through the window. Behold, the safehouse was floating at the edge of an enormous black stone pillar. Several light blue and grey planets orbited the pillar, which stood silently in the cosmos, its surface covered in mottled grey scars. The safehouse was positioned slightly to the right above it. Compared to the other planets, it seemed like an insignificant speck of dust. And Yu Hong, inside the house, could see the full view of the pillar only because of the long distance and the pillar¡¯s sheer length. From this angle, Yu Hong saw that the end of the pillar was connected to a silver-grey building that looked like a sedan chair. This pillar seemed to be a road, a cosmic path leading to that silver-grey building. ¡¯I can¡¯t go on anymore. I need to rest and recover;if I keep going, even I won¡¯t be able to hold on... I need to stop here and strengthen myself again.¡¯ Looking around, that building clearly held a lot of clues about this place. Chapter 594: Deep Entry 2 Click. Yu Hong stretched out his hand and turned, the mana surged, lightly guiding the safety house to slightly change direction, gently flying towards the silver-grey building connected by the giant stone pillar. "Luckily Quan He, Yiyi, and the others weren¡¯t here, otherwise..." Yu Hong felt a deep sense of lingering fear in his heart at that moment. He possessed the trait of an Ancient God Body, inherently having a high resistance to time and space, yet he had almost failed to endure it just now, getting injured. If it were anyone else, they would likely have been torn to dust by the chaotic flow of time in the middle. No wonder even Agrius couldn¡¯t continue exploring further... Yu Hong opened the map, noting the green dot representing the Black Black Spirit, which had already reached the farthest point in the Wind Disaster area, the deepest part of the Wind Disaster map, and the location furthest from the Central Universe Group. Beyond that, there was nothing. This did not mean the Wind Disaster ended there, but rather that Agrius could not continue exploring the regions beyond. "This map now holds little significance... It¡¯s mainly useful for getting a comprehensive understanding of the overall layout of other Source Disasters." Yu Hong exhaled, sitting cross-legged to start adjusting his physical state. The vast contaminated mana within his body had already self-aligned and returned to normal. Watching the safety house fly towards the distant silver-grey building. Ads by PubFuture He decided to enter meditation to cultivate his mana. The Returning to Void Realm mainly emphasizes comprehending how to unify the Divine Sense and the body, returning to the void, and merging with the surrounding environment, which is key to this step. Soon, little points of silver light began to glow all over Yu Hong¡¯s body, a silver-white Heavenly River appeared, circling around him. Within the river, innumerable densely packed silver sands flowed and circled, extraordinarily beautiful. But if someone were to magnify these sands with an electron microscope, they would see that each grain of silver sand was a twisted, pained human face of the Yinluo people. They were the vitality of Yinluo people, swallowed and merged by the Heavenly River, forever trapped inside, unable to escape. Soon, Yu Hong¡¯s Divine Sense merged into his body, emptying everything, continuously immersing himself into the surrounding void following the Divine Sense Labyrinth Method recorded in the Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique. Poof! Ten minutes later. A circle of silver light spread out from Yu Hong¡¯s body, covering the entire internal space of the Black Black Spirit. But just as it was about to spread out, the silver light stopped. It seemed to be blocked by the external environment. The rumbling sound of thunder faintly echoed outside but soon disappeared. Yu Hong frowned, tearing off the black cloth covering his eyes and looked out the window. ¡¯Here.... there¡¯s no way to merge with the external environment.¡¯ He now somewhat understood why Heavenly Venerates could possess such terrifying power. The path of Immortal Dao leads to the Heavenly Human Unity Saint Position Level, where ultimately, one merges with the universe itself and controls the power of the entire cosmos. Therefore, Heavenly Venerates would not leave the place where they achieved Heavenly Human Unity since there, they could manipulate everything with invincible power. But here, deep in the secluded area, in the Unconscious Layer, the external environment is already quite close to chaos. As soon as Yu Hong extended his Divine Sense out, a piece was instantly torn off, retreating like an electric shock. Without the protection of the Ancient God Body or the powerful defenses of the Golden Immortal Array in the Black Black Spirit, he couldn¡¯t even adapt to the external environment by simply releasing his Divine Sense. ¡¯Chaos equals disorder... and disorder is the nemesis of will.¡¯ Yu Hong stood up, watching the slowly approaching silver-grey building outside. "The speed is still too slow..." The energy furnace¡¯s propulsion, reaching speeds of hundreds of Mach, was almost negligible in the vastness of space. "It would take at least decades to fly over from here..." After pondering for a moment, he walked into the storage area piled with various supplies. He quickly found the Teleportation Array in the sect¡¯s classical books. The array that both Hei Ying and Bai Sheng mastered was naturally not a challenge for Yu Hong, who was now at the middle stage of Returning to Void. An hour later, he put down the book, raised his fingers, and a point of silver-white mana glowed at his fingertip. "Rise." Hiss! The fluorescent light brightened, instantly enveloping the entire safety house area. The next second. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The entire safety house blurred, turned transparent, and disappeared. When it reappeared, it had moved hundreds of thousands of kilometers closer to the silver-grey building. ¡¯No, the spatial rules here are too chaotic, more than half of them are disordered!¡¯ Although the instantaneous movement had covered a great distance, Yu Hong¡¯s expression became stern. The recent teleportation had consumed one third of his mana. Most of the mana was used to stabilize the spatial distortions and tears during transmission. ¡¯I can¡¯t rush...¡¯ Yu Hong exhaled, starting to use the gift from Agrius to recover his mana. A few breaths later, his mana returned to its peak state. After observing his surroundings to confirm there was no danger, he activated the teleportation spell again. Hiss! A flash of white light. This time, the safety house instantly vanished and reappeared directly at the steps of the silver-grey building¡¯s entrance. ¡¯I¡¯ve arrived!¡¯ Yu Hong entered the main control room and observed the interior of the building through the circular window in front. The grand entrance of the building was not closed but opened outward. Two massive, heavy black stone gates, their edges full of cracks, damage, and grayish decay marks. In mid-air, the dust-like security house slowly floated inward. Inside the building, a beam of golden light shot from an unknown source, slightly inclined, illuminating a stone platform in the deepest part. The stone platform was cylindrical, with complex carvings on the top, forming a shape similar to a display stand. The carvings included eyes, human faces, flowers, mythical beasts, and patterns of pure arc lines, cloud patterns, and triangular rings. Under the beam of light, all these patterns shifted like quicksand, flickering, constantly flowing and deforming every moment. Yu Hong gazed at the cylindrical stone platform above. On top of it lay a gigantic book with a golden cover. The book lay open in disarray, as if recently perused by someone. The security house flashed again and teleported forward. The next moment, it appeared above the gigantic book, hovering motionless in mid-air near the golden beam of light. Standing at the window, Yu Hong looked down. The book was filled with densely packed, huge white characters that he couldn¡¯t decipher. Immediately, he cast a spell to comprehend the language. The enormous white characters quickly converted into pure information, flowing into his mind. ¡¯This is the Star Singing Hall, the final place of eternal silence....¡¯ ¡¯We failed..... our will shall dissipate, falling into chaos, while our bodies turn into this last prison, awaiting discovery by later generations...¡¯ ¡¯I am the Star God Ausmure Pattaya....¡¯ followed by a string of more than thirty characters in a lengthy title. ¡¯On the eve of the Second Great Annihilation, countless Star Gods formed the Holy Hall of Stars to launch a reconstitution plan. Combining the power of all Star Gods, we communicated with the cosmos and forged the ultimate sanctuary with Source Material...¡¯ ¡¯The strongest Star God¡ªJi, led us into the Source Disaster. Nothing could hinder our advance. Our power was invincible, galaxies could be destroyed at our whim, and even Unconscious Bodies could only slightly catch our attention. The repeated counterattacks of the Source Disasters were easily crushed by the Holy Hall. Ji¡¯s power was limitless;he wove time, controlled space, organized chaos, sorted and indexed all energies, and created Heaven¡¯s Eye to lock and stabilize everything.¡¯ ¡¯Newborn universes thrived under our care, representing hope, order, and our future.¡¯ ¡¯But alas.... we underestimated the power of the Source Disaster... silently, Ji, who always fought on the front line, was corrupted by the Heart Disaster.¡¯ ¡¯Destruction descended, Star God after Star God perished, and the survivors fled with newborn universes. The once Holy Hall turned into a land of despair. Can anyone tell me, is the Source Disaster truly unbeatable?¡¯ The enormous flow of information poured into Yu Hong¡¯s mind, and for a moment he seemed to see countless Star Gods, their bodies as vast as stars, rushing through the Source Disaster, establishing glory, only to be corrupted by the Heart Disaster and self-destruct shortly after. The glorious civilization was now only ruins. ¡¯Even such a powerful Star God Holy Hall failed??¡¯ After reading the information left by the Star God Ausmure, Yu Hong inexplicably felt a sense of defeat. ¡¯Star God King Ji, who could organize chaos and create Heaven¡¯s Eye to stabilize the universe, also fell to the Heart Disaster.... Can I truly find the land of vitality?¡¯ Yu Hong¡¯s resolve began to waver at this moment. Despair began to slowly surface. Yu Hong knew that if he didn¡¯t handle his current state of mind well, the Heart Disaster would exploit it;he would fall into an illusion and inevitably die. Immediately, he closed his eyes, no longer looking at the Golden Book, and sat cross-legged in the security house, quietly meditating, cycling his mana through the Cultivation Technique. But at this moment, the gigantic Golden Book seemed to sense something, and without wind, it gently turned to the next page. A new flow of information entered Yu Hong¡¯s mind. ¡¯After Ji¡¯s death and the death of countless Star Gods, I escaped here, barely surviving for billions of years, reduced to a Chaos Body, awaiting death and dissolution. But a group of new successors delved here.¡¯ ¡¯They told me that the Source Disaster is not invincible. They called themselves Heavenly Venerates, possessing the Power of Cosmic Law. Though not as powerful as us, their clever use of it could still unleash considerable destructive force.¡¯ ¡¯The Heavenly Venerates told me that destruction is chaos. Facing the Source Disaster, the more destruction, the more it grows. Only by continuous transformation, using the Source Disaster to create new order, is the only solution.¡¯ ¡¯I was convinced and gave them my last remaining power. Then I watched as they sealed each counterattack of the Source Disaster, continuously consuming and transforming it, establishing patches of new land.....¡¯ ¡¯Perhaps... they are the true hope...¡¯ The information broke off. The Golden Book didn¡¯t turn again. Yu Hong snapped back to his senses and suddenly perceived something. He looked up sharply, gazing out the window. The security house¡¯s window was directly facing the building¡¯s grand entrance. And outside the entrance, an enormous silver-gray eye, a round human eye as big as the gate itself, blocked the doorway, slowly rotating, staring at him. The eye had a silver base and black pupil, with a black cross deep inside the pupil, upon which a humanoid skeleton, burning with silver flames, was tied. The skeleton slowly struggled, falling off the cross, floating downward. It held a dark red, somewhat damaged serrated long knife. The hilt of the knife was embedded with something like crystals, forming a guard. The blade was carved with wave patterns on the side, with a row of fangs-like spikes on the back. Roar!! The moment the skeleton landed, it opened its mouth and let out a terrifying roar. The roar turned into a whirlwind, roaring and sweeping through the hall, shaking the Black Black Spirit violently. ¡¯An Unconscious Body...¡¯ Yu Hong¡¯s face was grim. The Unconscious Body that could exist in the Land of Fallen Star God must be terrifyingly powerful without a doubt... Chapter 595: Destruction One Floating City Universe. In the vast and boundless cosmic starry sky. Meteors slowly streaked across, clusters of star systems like illuminated flower blooms. The colossal Absolute Balance Floating City, behind it, a vast plume of silver-white flames was slowly ejected, propelling it forward at an accelerated speed. Buzz! In an instant. A vast expanse of deep black fog quickly spread from the distant starry sky. The black fog moved at a breakneck speed, engulfing meteors, planets, even the dazzling and glaring stars, which were extinguished like turned-off light bulbs the moment they made contact. In the black fog, countless stars could be seen, floating like bubbles, intermittently appearing and then constantly sinking and disappearing. Huge dark purple tree roots occasionally emerged from the black fog, quickly becoming invisible once again. At this moment, within Absolute Balance. A group of Great Arcanist councillors stood on the floating city¡¯s highest control platform. On this golden, complex, and luxurious platform, they clearly saw everything happening hundreds of light-years away through extended vision arcane magic. "The Night Mother Tree... has arrived...." The current speaker of the floating city was an elder of the rhino people named Nid Jaton. He held a golden wand, with fist-sized, blood-red elemental crystals orbiting around him. "No... it hasn¡¯t come, it¡¯s also like us, running for its life!" Agrius¡¯s voice echoed from the surrounding void. "The Night Mother Tree possesses extremely weak basic instincts and is not an unconscious body. If caught by the Great Annihilation, its remaining consciousness would collapse instantly. The deepest part of the Source Disaster is chaos, a place of all order, a place of life, the enemy of will." "... We must hurry. Activate the Wind Disaster Star Gate. With the path left by Agrius¡¯s Vessel of Life, we can ensure the maximum safety of our journey." Speaker Nid Jaton said in a deep voice. The other councillors nodded, raising their wands simultaneously. Buzz! Golden light radiated from the top of their wands. The entire floating city shuddered violently, then in the space directly ahead of it, a huge elliptical door woven from colored threads slowly emerged. Countless Wind Disaster color lines swept out from the door like tentacles, grasping at the approaching floating city. This was because the Wind Disaster, being a part of the Source Disaster, was self-organizing, attracted by order, and sought to destroy everything orderly. The floating city accelerated forward, and just before the black fog reached it, with a puff, it plunged into the Wind Disaster and disappeared. In its wake, everything the black fog touched turned pitch black, time eternally stilled, and space shattered and vanished. Only countless chaotic fragments remained, being decomposed by the Source Disaster into ever-smaller particles. And even the particles, further subdivided into invisible entities.... * * * Unconscious Layer. Star Singing Hall. Roar! In the enormous silver-gray hall, the burning skeleton, wielding a long knife, roared fiercely as silver flames enveloped its entire body, growing more intense with its anger. Step by step, it approached the Black Black Spirit. Its size within the hall seemed normal, but it had to be known that this hall was much larger than typical planets. This meant that the skeleton was extremely large, appearing normal only due to the hall¡¯s immense size, given that even the Black Black Spirit appeared as insignificant as a speck of dust here. Swish! In the next moment, the skeleton, holding a dark red long knife, suddenly flickered and disappeared from its original spot. Just as Yu Hong was searching everywhere for its position. Bang!! A shadow of a red blade slammed into the exterior wall of the Black Black Spirit from behind. In a massive collision, the Black Black Spirit was sent flying backward, barely avoiding crashing into the wall. But before it could regain stability, the skeleton flickered again and struck it squarely in the middle. Clang!! A deep crack appeared on the surface of the Black Black Spirit¡¯s exterior wall. Golden light flickered inside, clearly indicating that without the Golden Immortal Array, it would likely have exploded from the previous blow. Inside, Yu Hong felt his whole body go numb from the shock, transparent waves rippling through the surrounding space. Items scattered around the table and floor were compressed and exploded by the space waves. He struggled to steady himself, sitting cross-legged, attempting to control the safehouse to enter a hidden and merged state. But it was of no use. The skeleton seemed to know his location, raising its knife and slashing at the rooftop of the safehouse like lightning. Clang!! A horrific crack appeared in the safehouse again. ¡¯This can¡¯t go on! I must deal with it!¡¯ Yu Hong¡¯s heart was stern, he stood up immediately, coming to the window. His right eye slowly lit up with a colorful halo, with the center being the most striking violet. Returning to Void middle stage mana surged in, added with the amplification of Chaotic God Sky Eye Skill, controlling the decaying power of the Ancient God Body. Sizzle!! In an instant, a burst of violet light shot out like an arrow from the window, heading straight towards the skeleton. But to Yu Hong¡¯s frustration, the violet light flew slower than expected, seemingly crawling like a snail, taking two full seconds and still far from reaching the skeleton. The skeleton once again flickered, suddenly appearing above the safehouse, its blade tip glowing red, stabbing downwards. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Crack. Finally, the safehouse emitted a slight cracking sound. Yu Hong, inside the house, was preparing to also set up a teleportation array for an attack. Seeing this scene, his face turned pale, quickly taking out a glowing gold object. It was a small, sheathed knife, black and red in color. He clenched the knife tightly, waiting for the skeleton to appear again. The moment it flashed to the right side of the safehouse and slashed down. Ads by PubFuture Swish! The skeleton warrior¡¯s sword light in his hand was as even and transparent as fabric. Another slash hit the ceiling of the safety house fiercely. At this moment, a slender pure gold blade light suddenly shot out from the safety house window. The blade light was extremely fast, knocking away the skeleton warrior¡¯s sword before circling the hall once, then rapidly aiming at the descending skeleton warrior. ¡¯Golden Permanence Slash.¡¯ The voice of Senior Uncle Feng Xuezi faintly echoed in Yu Hong¡¯s ears. The next moment, the small knife, originally spinning toward the skeleton warrior, exploded instantly as the voice sounded. Boom!!! In an instant, an infinite golden light burst from inside the small knife, forming a golden glowing ball. Apart from condensing into a light ball, the golden light emitted by the small knife spread beyond the speed of light limit, illuminating everything in the hall within a moment. The ground turned golden, and the walls sparkled with golden light. Yu Hong felt a tremendous shock throughout his body;both he and the safety house shook violently. Two seconds later. Everything calmed down. Yu Hong shook his head and stood up from the ground, supporting himself against the wall. He looked around. The safety house was still intact, but outside the window, the skeleton warrior had stopped moving. Yu Hong extended his divine sense and saw the skeleton warrior floating to the right of the safety house, holding a red sword, motionless. Hiss... As Yu Hong watched, the silver-gray flames covering the skeleton warrior quickly dissipated, and its entire body began to disintegrate into silver-gray powder, drifting out of the hall. Yu Hong let out a breath at this sight. ¡¯Fortunately, I had that life-saving trump card from Senior Uncle Feng Xuezi...¡¯ The skeleton warrior nearly tore down the entire safety house. He sighed, controlled the safety house to change direction, and flew quickly toward the main exit, not daring to linger any longer. There was no sign of that giant eye outside the door now. The safety house flew out of the Star Singing Hall. Yu Hong controlled it, not allowing it to move any further on its own. This place was the Unconscious Layer, and even the Heartless Belt was so dangerous here. If he went further in, Yu Hong knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it. He simply controlled the safety house, making countless colored lines reappear around them, returning to the Wind Disaster high current. Returning in the direction he came from. Not long after entering the Wind Disaster high current, the safety house suddenly gave a violent jerk and got stuck in place. The surrounding flow of colored lines rapidly passed by, pushing it passively in a certain direction. Yu Hong¡¯s heart tightened;his divine sense covered the entire safety house and discovered that almost half of the Black Black Spirit had been damaged by the recent Golden Immortal strike. The array arranged by Fu Bai, the Golden Immortal, had completely collapsed, and the safety house itself had suffered severe damage. The outer wall structure and internal arrays were on the brink of complete breakdown. He had no choice but to release mana, stabilizing the safety house in place. ¡¯I have to wait for the safety house to repair itself...¡¯ In the cultivation chamber, Yu Hong frowned, sitting cross-legged. ¡¯Fortunately, I strengthened it with a self-repairing ability;otherwise, this would have been a huge problem.¡¯ He temporarily covered parts of the safety house with his mana, and then he and the house floated in the depths of the Wind Disaster. Ahead lay the Time Turbulence Zone, and behind him was the silver high-temperature ocean universe. The appearance of an unconscious body like that skeleton warrior made Yu Hong understand that he and the Black Black Spirit were far from having the resources to delve any further. So, he decided just to stay in the Wind Disaster and quietly start cultivating. The gift of vitality from Agrius was abundant, and the supplies were plentiful, so there was no need to worry about running out of food and drink. Time passed slowly. As the safety house gradually repaired itself. Yu Hong¡¯s cultivation also began to make rapid progress. The terrifying cultivation boost from the Ancient God Body made him sense signs of an imminent breakthrough after just over a month. Bang. In the cultivation chamber. Yu Hong brought up the long-distance communicator he had acquired from the Floating City, placing it on the ground. He brought this device mainly to try and establish a connection with the Floating City. They should also have set out by now, and if they were likewise in the Wind Disaster, within a certain range, this device could establish contact. Click. Yu Hong turned the knob switch. The communicator was a watermelon-sized black square box, with faint colorful lights showing through inside, a plum blossom symbol printed on the right edge, and a small line of text indicating the brand and the maker¡¯s name. The hissing of static noise filled the chamber continuously. Yu Hong didn¡¯t mind. It was his break time, and he took out the device just to try his luck and see if he could make contact. Click. ¡¯Device connected.¡¯ A sweet female voice suddenly came from the device. Yu Hong¡¯s spirits lifted, and he manually adjusted the knob finely. Soon, the static noise reduced, and a faint human voice started to become clearer. "Can you hear me?" "Can you hear me?" "This is the Floating City High-Energy Communications Department, I am Jackson, the communication officer." "I am Yu Hong, from the Vessel of Life Black Black Spirit." Yu Hong quickly responded. "Oh my! Finally, finally we made contact!!" The voice on the other side let out a sharp, relieved cheer. "Mr. Yu Hong, we¡¯ve finally got in touch with you! Please hold on, I¡¯ll notify Mage Ku Chan immediately." "Alright!" Yu Hong answered, feeling somewhat relieved as well. Chapter 596: Destruction 2 Waited for about two minutes. The communicator once again transmitted a familiar voice. "Yu Hong! Are you there? It¡¯s Ku Chan!" "I¡¯m here. How are you guys? Where are you now?" Yu Hong¡¯s spirit lifted as he quickly asked, "Are Yiyi and Quan He okay?" S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Everyone is fine, but we are still deep in the Wind Disaster area. We have been to the Flame Star side already. The situation is dire," Ku Chan sighed. "The Floating City Universe has almost completely lost contact. It is probably gone. The councilors followed our advice and went to the Flame Star, but most of the area there is now shrouded in the black fog of the Great Annihilation. We just escaped from there and are preparing to continue migrating to avoid the annihilating fog." "Can¡¯t find a fixed foothold?" Yu Hong understood. "No. The problem now is, resources are limited and the population is large. Even with a closed inner circulation loop, it won¡¯t last long. After all, we need to swiftly escape the Great Annihilation. Do you have any suggestions, Yu Hong?" Ku Chan asked quickly. "Let Quan He lead the way to the Silver Ocean World. It¡¯s likely safe there for now." Yu Hong thought for a moment and answered. "Okay." Ku Chan nodded, "The key issue now is that we can¡¯t find a safe enough spot to stop and recuperate. How¡¯s the situation on your side?" "...." Yu Hong fell silent, pausing for several seconds before answering. "Not good either. We encountered an Unconscious Body, and the safe house was damaged. We are repairing it now, still in the depths of the Wind Disaster, and dare not move forward." "Are you short on supplies? Maybe you can come here to replenish them?" Ku Chan said. "No need, we still have plenty here, and I don¡¯t need to eat much now," Yu Hong refused. As an Ancient God Body and a Returning to Void Stage cultivator, he no longer needed to eat. With a sweep of mana, he could extract the necessary nutrients from the materials and surrounding air to maintain balance. Ads by PubFuture "That¡¯s good. Wait a moment, I¡¯ll let Yiyi and Elder Quan He come to you...." Boom! Suddenly, a huge explosion came from the other end of the communicator. "What was that?! What just rushed in?!" "Where¡¯s the defense ring?! Where¡¯s the inspecting mage?! My god!?" "Run! Quick!!" Beeeeeep!! A sharp burst of noise erupted from the communicator, the harsh static causing Yu Hong¡¯s heart to leap up. "Ku Chan!? Ku Chan!?" He raised his voice, but there was no response, only a cacophony of noise. His emotions were at their peak. He anxiously listened to the commotion on the other end of the communicator. The explosion roared on for several minutes. Clank. A sound of adjusting switches came from the other side again. "Yu Hong... sorry, there was an incident just now... something rammed into the Floating City. It was huge, like a bird. It disappeared after the impact... now the repair team is checking the damage, but that¡¯s not the worst part. The problem is, we seem to have been knocked off our course..." "Where¡¯s the map? Where¡¯s Agrius¡¯ map?" Yu Hong asked tensely. "The map is malfunctioning. We don¡¯t know where we are now... I..." Crack. After a burst of static, the communication was cut off. Yu Hong¡¯s heart tightened. He quickly adjusted the knobs, but it was useless. The communicator remained silent. He sat down, simply starting to cultivate while waiting. Time passed slowly. In the blink of an eye, more than a week had passed. Chirp... A faint static sound finally came from the communicator again. "They¡¯re here!!" Yu Hong abruptly opened his eyes, quickly looking at the communicator. "Yu Hong, our situation is terrible. Can you locate us with the Water Instrument Ball?" It was Quan He¡¯s voice. The tone sounded exhausted, as if they hadn¡¯t rested in a long time. "I¡¯ll try right away." Yu Hong took out the Water Instrument Ball and infused mana into it. The ball carried the personal spiritual imprints of Quan He and Ku Chan. As long as they were within the sensing range of the Water Instrument Ball, their location could be pinpointed. But... after infusing mana, the Water Instrument Ball only emitted a sliver of white light and then fell silent. "No... you must be too far from me," Yu Hong said gravely. "I see..." Disappointment was evident in Quan He¡¯s voice. "After being hit by that unknown thing last time, we drifted into a mysterious space. There are no colored lines of the Wind Disaster here, only a dark red light around. The surroundings are boundless, and the temperature is very high. According to the map, we likely entered the Drought Disaster area. But the map doesn¡¯t show our exact location, I suspect we¡¯ve entered a hidden area." "Given the councilors¡¯ level, they should be able to figure out a way out, right?" Yu Hong said gravely. "The councilors thought so at first. Now... people are dying in the Floating City every day. The temperature here is too high, even with the Ice Array, the external temperature reaching through is still hundreds of degrees. Some groups unable to withstand such harsh conditions have fallen ill or died, and the inner circulation¡¯s ecosystem has collapsed. Now... everyone is researching how to leave this place and rebuild a special high-temperature resistant ecosystem..." Quan He explained. "Are Yiyi and Ku Chan okay?" Yu Hong quickly mobilized the safe house, intending to return to the Floating City Universe, but... Ku Chan and Yiyi had long left, and he had no idea where to find them. Even if he found them, with the massive population of the Floating City, his safe house wouldn¡¯t be of much help. "They¡¯re fine. I should go help. There¡¯s a severe water shortage now. At first, no one noticed that the water elements in the air leaked out a lot from the impact, and now we¡¯re running low." Quan He answered. "Go ahead..." Ads by PubFuture Yu Hong exhaled deeply, his mood heavy. He didn¡¯t turn off the communicator but stood up to check the restoration status inside the safe house. The Black Black Spirit had returned to normal, but the array set up by Golden Immortal Fu Bai was completely destroyed. This was just the first time entering the Heartless Belt, and such a huge problem had already arisen. ¡¯It seems it¡¯s best to stay here for a while, improve my cultivation, and then attempt to go deeper,¡¯ he thought, recalling the Chaotic God Sky Light Beam he had shot out earlier. The beam was too slow, failing to even get close to the skeleton man. ¡¯Here, the attack speed is a big issue. Even the Chaotic God Sky Light Beam can¡¯t keep up;if it were me, the result would likely be the same. Continuing deeper would just lead to beatings... I can¡¯t go further....¡¯ He calmed his heart immediately and continued cultivating the Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique. Only with sufficient cultivation could he learn the corresponding spells to match the speed of the skeleton man. It¡¯s important to note that contamination itself is a stage of rapid speed escalation. From this moment, Yu Hong started a repetitive cycle of cultivation, eating, and cultivation again. He worried that the Great Annihilation would catch up, and there wasn¡¯t much time left, so he immersed himself wholly into arduous cultivation. Quan He contacted him roughly once a week. But each time, the situation grew worse. Two months later.... Yu Hong¡¯s whole body flashed with a golden light. His aura suddenly restrained, no longer possessing that strong presence from before. His entire presence seemed to vanish at that moment, serene and peaceful, merging with everything around him. Hoo... Yu Hong slowly opened his eyes. "I¡¯ve reached the peak of Returning to Void Stage... I can¡¯t cross the Heavenly Tribulation here... must find another place..." He was increasingly worried about Quan He recently. The situation at the Floating City had worsened, and last week¡¯s contact revealed that they had encountered massive lava monsters from the drought disaster¡ªa group of lava angels over a thousand meters long. Their energy levels ranged from the transcendent to even the top-notch immortal, and their numbers exceeded ten thousand;they fiercely fought the Floating City upon appearing. Though repelled, the Source Disaster Monsters¡¯ greatest characteristic is their immortality. The Floating City had suffered massive losses in resources and population, with the mages facing heavy casualties, and even a councilman was severely injured. The war continued unabated. Yu Hong skillfully adjusted the communicator to the Floating City¡¯s channel. Buzz... Buzz... "It¡¯s connected!" A low cheer came from the other side. "Brother Yu...." It was Ku Chan. "The situation here is dire.... We¡¯re on the verge of collapse...." "Wait, didn¡¯t you say you could hold on before!?" Yu Hong¡¯s scalp tingled as he anxiously inquired. He had planned to go and pick them up once they survived, but now Ku Chan was saying they couldn¡¯t hold on!? What a joke!!!? An indescribable tension surged through Yu Hong¡¯s mind. Yiyi, Quan He, Ku Chan¡ªthey were his most important ties and connections in this world. If they disappeared, he¡¯d be alone in this world.... "Sorry.... Brother Yu... sorry...." Ku Chan laughed bitterly, "Right now, outside, the mages are fighting.... too many monsters, too many... the lava angels have brought in the solar angels... nine solar angels in total.... several council members have fled.... the remaining ones are about to collapse...." "Where are you guys!? I¡¯ll come to get you!!" Yu Hong stood up, quickly controlling the safe house to fly back along the way he came. "I don¡¯t know.... I really don¡¯t know.... Brother Yu.... it¡¯s a pity.... If only, if there was a bit more time.... perhaps I could revive my senior sister, my dad, my mom... and everyone in the sect...." "Yu Hong..." Yiyi¡¯s voice came from the other side, "You have to live well... alone." "Yiyi...." The pressure in Yu Hong¡¯s heart grew heavier, almost uncontrollable. "Don¡¯t worry, I heard that if you reach a certain strength, you can revive us. By then, don¡¯t forget me." Yiyi earnestly reminded. "Actually...." She paused. "And mom, I had already arranged a plan with an undead mage to separate her spirit, give her a body, and successfully revive her.... but there¡¯s no time.... and... I¡¯m leaving, you have to take care of yourself alone...." "My turn, let me say something." Quan He came closer. "Yu Hong, don¡¯t worry, don¡¯t be sad for us. After all, you are different from us. We can only barely survive in this world, oppressed by the Source Disaster, but you are different, you have hope.... I admit, I am not as talented as you, but if I could become the strongest in a world, you can definitely go further. Just like Yiyi said, don¡¯t forget to revive us in the future... death now is just a short separation. If you meet the master, senior brother, and sister in the future, remember to help me...." Buzz!! The sound broke off. Suddenly interrupted by a massive tremor, followed by several seconds of silence. No more sound was heard. Yu Hong was silent. He sat there, staring blankly at the communicator. For more than ten seconds, then suddenly stood up, controlling the safe house to fly frantically back along the way he came. Chapter 597: Deep into One Floating City Universe. In the midst of the Wind Disaster, the entrance and exit links of this universe, which Yu Hong frequently visited, had now completely turned into an oval wellhead constantly spewing black fog. The Black Black Spirit was floating in the Wind Disaster, and inside it, Yu Hong looked at the entrance and exit that had been completely destroyed, expressionless. He held a Water Instrument Ball in his hand, injecting mana into it continuously, carefully sensing the traces left behind by Ku Chan and the others as they walked. But unfortunately, the Wind Disaster seemed to be triggered by the black fog¡¯s Great Annihilation, and around the black fog, black and white intertwined threads were slowly brewing. Yu Hong, far away, looked at those black and white threads from a distance, feeling a sense of heart-pounding fear. "Is the Great Annihilation of the Wind Disaster going to begin as well? It¡¯s not safe here anymore... I thought the Wind Disaster was the safest place, but now it seems..." Yu Hong took one last look at the black fog wellhead, steered the Black Black Spirit, and quickly left. He constantly tried to contact Ku Chan and the others along the way, but unfortunately, there was never any response. Clatter. Yu Hong swept the debris and fragments on the table to the ground and sat by the edge of the table. The communicator was still on, but only faint static noise remained. Ads by PubFuture Outside the window, colorful halos constantly passed by, sometimes bright and sometimes dim. He sat by the table in silence. One world and universe after another was being destroyed, the people he knew had all disappeared. In the future, more disasters would follow, constantly erupting, all life decomposing, everything returning to silence. Only now did Yu Hong understand why many people chose death in the face of the Source Disaster. He didn¡¯t know how long he had been sitting when a subtle fluctuation in mana occurred within him, a small breakthrough in the second High Martial Technique during passive cultivation. This slight fluctuation snapped Yu Hong out of his negative state. He stood up and came to the window. "I won¡¯t give up just like this..." Yu Hong¡¯s gaze focused as he watched the colorful lines flowing swiftly outside. "Upon reflection, the earlier situation seemed a bit like a Heart Disaster. They probably wouldn¡¯t encounter trouble so quickly. No matter what, I just need to work hard to improve my cultivation. Any status will be beneficial." Immediately, his mind moved, steering the Black Black Spirit rapidly back toward the Heartless Belt. He didn¡¯t plan to enter it again but sought a place around the Heartless Belt to endure the Tribulation first. * * * Over three hours later. In a desolate, uninhabited unknown universe. Black Thunder Spears fell like rain, furiously suppressing and covering Yu Hong completely. Huge vibrations and roaring accompanied countless sparks of electricity. Yu Hong remained unmoved, sitting cross-legged in mid-air. His terrifying physical strength allowed him to soak in the Heavenly Tribulation without much feeling. More than ten minutes passed. The Heavenly Tribulation vortex slowly disappeared, and a stream of invisible mysterious energy essence quietly descended, seeping into Yu Hong¡¯s body. His expression remained unchanged, while the mana within him began once again to elevate its quality under the nourishment of the essence. Several seconds passed, and the invisible energy essence dissipated completely. "It¡¯s done." Yu Hong exhaled and stood up. Looking outside, the place he had found was not a complete universe but rather a larger fragment remnant. Initially, he hadn¡¯t expected the remnant to trigger the Heavenly Tribulation. Though its intensity was slightly lower, it had successfully allowed him to reach the Returning to Void Peak. "Next is the Mahayana... The so-called Mahayana is to expand one¡¯s physical body as much as possible. Other realms don¡¯t have the word ¡¯Great¡¯ attached, but this one does. This is the true reason for it." He recalled the cultivation method of the Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique during the Mahayana Realm. Mana at this level rises quantitatively, storing as much as possible to prepare for future Ascension. However... looking outside, Yu Hong couldn¡¯t muster the previous drive to forge ahead and cultivate hard to find the land of vitality. The Black Black Spirit accelerated its flight, and the surrounding colorful lines flashed as it quickly returned to the Wind Disaster. This time, Yu Hong no longer wandered but instead stayed in the house, cultivating diligently every day. Left alone, even consumption of food was simplified;with a sweep and a spit of mana, everything was taken care of. Time passed slowly. The communicator had not sounded again. About a month later, the Black Black Spirit finally moved again. This time, it didn¡¯t continue staying where it was but flew around the Wind Disaster zone near the Heartless Belt. Cautiously, Yu Hong mapped out the distribution areas of the Time Turbulence Zone and then began attempting to accelerate his cultivation using the time acceleration. He still had the gift from Agrius with him, a vast amount of vitality that had yet to be transformed into strength. Now, with the Time Turbulence Zone, the transformation could become a reality in a short period. "You and my heart, like honey added~~ like that cloud in the sky, floating uncertainly..." The computer speaker played an old song Yu Hong brought from Hope City World. The graceful female voice sounded somewhat like Yiyi, so he recently enjoyed playing this song on repeat. At this moment, he stood in the center of the first-floor hall. All the trash and debris around had been cleaned up, revealing a large, empty space. He concentrated quietly, waiting for the Black Black Spirit to approach the Time Turbulence Zone and slowly enter... Hiss... In the silent, suddenly, wooden blocks placed on the ground in front of Yu Hong gradually whitened, disintegrated, and turned to ashes. Ads by PubFuture "Here you go!" His face hardened as he observed the distance at which the wooden blocks turned to ash. Suddenly, he stepped forward. He crashed headlong into the time acceleration zone. At the same time, the vitality crystals he had prepared in advance began to shatter frantically, releasing a massive amount of vitality. The Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique inside his body began to circulate so quickly that its shadows flickered, almost impossible to trace. Tracks overlapped, forming a golden network that lit up inside Yu Hong¡¯s body. Buzz!! A massive amount of vitality was digested, absorbed, converted into mana, and filled into his body. The mana at the late stage of Returning to Void soared crazily, according to the traditional model of Qinghe Mountain, his body should start to expand and grow at this moment. However, because Yu Hong¡¯s body had long been strengthened to an Ancient God Body, its strength far exceeded the original degree of the late stage of Returning to Void. Therefore, the rapidly increasing mana could not make Yu Hong¡¯s Ancient God Body expand. Yu Hong just stood in the turbulence, his cultivation surged rapidly, while the countdown for the Black Mark¡¯s enhancement also decreased quickly. But... it didn¡¯t take long. The time acceleration stopped abruptly, and before he could react, everything suddenly came to a halt. Time acceleration directly turned into a time stop! As time paused for a moment, Yu Hong saw the front wooden block, which had turned to ash, begin to rapidly revert to its original state, returning to wooden in a few moments. He immediately realized the danger, once entering time reversal, the mana inside his body would start to rapidly degrade and revert to vitality! The countdown for the Black Mark would also start to reverse increase. ¡¯Time reversal! Withdraw!¡¯ Yu Hong¡¯s thought flashed in his mind, realizing the danger, and immediately forcefully controlled the Black Black Spirit to disengage. He himself was still in the time acceleration status, highlighting the peculiarity of this area. Separated by only a few meters, there were two different time zones. Buzz! The Black Black Spirit buzzed, forcefully disengaging from the turbulence zone. The row of wooden blocks in front of Yu Hong also ceased to change. At this moment, the front fraction of the wooden blocks astonishingly reverted to a fresh green as if just chopped down. While the middle section of the wooden blocks remained in a white ash state. Yu Hong took a breath of relief. He sensed the mana state in his body, and mana had increased by approximately three-quarters. He looked again at the Black Mark countdown, the countdown on the surface of the Outer Eye was reduced to only about two years and three months. Originally over five years, reduced by three years in such a short moment! ¡¯In this brief moment, three years have passed.... If the Black Mark is affected by the time turbulence, does it mean that the enhancements and items the Black Mark grants could also be degraded by the time reversal, regressing?¡¯ Yu Hong suddenly thought of this point. Now, he understood the value of his time-space resistance. After resting for a while, he continued to cultivate on the edge of the time turbulence zone. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He had no choice but to take risks, clearly on the edge of danger. Because he didn¡¯t know if the time turbulence zone would change, if it expanded, one slip-up would trap him in the time reversal zone. Then all his efforts and hard cultivation might suffer a huge loss. But Yu Hong had no choice. In his estimation, the Great Annihilation wouldn¡¯t take long to catch up, and the Heartless Belt ahead couldn¡¯t be passed without Golden Immortal level cultivation. After all, each Unconscious Body was unimaginably powerful. If he waited to grow to Golden Immortal level and explore, the Great Annihilation behind would already catch up and erase him and his safe house completely. Only by using the time turbulence zone to accelerate his cultivation to the maximum, enhancing his strength, could he see a glimmer of hope in the subsequent struggles. Time passed bit by bit. About five days in normal time. Bang! Yu Hong stepped on the floor, creating a deep pit. In that moment, within just five seconds, the time turbulence zone drastically changed, and the time acceleration suddenly multiplied countless times. His mana surged more than half again, and the vitality gifted by Agrius melted completely in seconds, converting into mana and cultivation. Yu Hong¡¯s weight increased more than ten times within those seconds! His weight technique failed, his feet pressing into the ground, creating huge pressure pits. Luckily, the materials of the safe house were strong, otherwise he would have broken the Gravity Simulation Array. "Enough!" Yu Hong quickly operated the safe house, vaguely hearing the Black Mark¡¯s transmission feedback, but the time flow accelerated so much that his senses couldn¡¯t catch up. When the Black Black Spirit completely disengaged from the turbulence zone, he regained consciousness. Crack. He looked down, finding his skin was covered with dense golden cracks. ¡¯Is the rapid time flow unbearable even for me?¡¯ He used Inner Vision to find the mana inside had completely transformed into golden threads. They flowed continuously through his blood vessels, like traffic on a highway, releasing pressure attempting to expand outward. Chapter 598: Deep Entry 2 But this swelling force was nothing to Yu Hong, the strength of the Ancient God Body easily suppressed everything. ¡¯Mana turning into a golden line is a mark of reaching the Mahayana realm... It seems I¡¯ve surpassed the Returning to Void stage.¡¯ He breathed a sigh of relief. Next was the Heavenly Tribulation. Finding a place to undergo the tribulation would ensure the stability of the Mahayana Realm. Then, he looked at the feedback information flowing in after the enhancement of the Black Mark. Buzz... Suddenly, a slight vibration came from outside the window. Yu Hong¡¯s divine sense twitched, and an uncontrollable fear surged up from the depths of his heart. He knew something was wrong, he quickly rushed to the window and looked outside. Outside the window, at the rear flank, the originally multi-colored Wind Disaster now had black and white disaster threads appearing in a small section. "The Great Annihilation, it¡¯s coming!!" Yu Hong¡¯s heart trembled. Estimating the approaching speed of the black and white threads, he figured there was only about an hour before this place would be engulfed by the Wind Disaster Great Annihilation. "I have to flee!" Without thinking, he quickly placed a row of small wooden blocks on the Black Black Spirit ground, then manipulated the Black Black Spirit to change direction, charging swiftly into the Time Turbulence Zone. The mana, after being stimulated, was ordinary mana before flowing into the Ancient God Body. However, after circulating within Yu Hong¡¯s body for a while, this mana initially gained some temporal resistance of the ancient gods. Ads by PubFuture At this moment, a large amount of mana wrapped around the inner and outer layers of the safe house, forcibly blasting through the Time Turbulence Zone, passing through a large area. A few minutes later... Whoosh! The Black Black Spirit once again darted into the Heartless Belt. Ahead was a long, straight black stone pillar avenue. At the end of the stone pillars was the enormous silver-gray Star Singing Hall. This time, Yu Hong did not stop, but activated the Black Black Spirit¡¯s stealth integration function. The teleportation technique flashed, and the safe house brushed past the Star Singing Hall, rushing deeper. In the dark red and silver-blue interwoven starry sky. The Black Black Spirit continuously flickered, teleporting rapidly away from the Star Singing Hall behind. The once enormous silver-gray hall gradually shrank with increasing distance, becoming blurred until it was no longer visible. Yu Hong opened the map and looked at the next area. ¡¯Next to the Heartless Belt should be the Invisible Belt... also the extremely dangerous zone that Senior Su Dan mentioned, where danger comes without warning and time of arrival. I can¡¯t rush in blindly...¡¯ S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Boom!! Suddenly, a loud explosion resounded. The entire safe house seemed to be heavily struck by something, creating a huge dent in the middle. Yu Hong¡¯s mana was scattered on the spot, the material of the safe house bent, twisted, and cracks appeared, with all arrays collapsing instantly. This enormous pure monstrous force sent the Black Black Spirit soaring upward in an instant. Yu Hong tumbled and floated within the house, vaguely seeing through the window a silver humanoid figure, even larger than the Star Singing Hall, waving countless silver-white arms, clearly the one that had hit the Black Black Spirit just now. The humanoid figure¡¯s lower body was like a snake tail, entirely pitch black, with the tail end connected to a long, indeterminately extending silver river. The tail and the river were entirely merged, indistinguishable from each other. Yu Hong noticed the humanoid figure had no facial features, only the silver flames enveloping it, similar to the skeletal humanoid from earlier. ¡¯Another Unconscious Body...!¡¯ He had no time to think. His entire body¡¯s mana furiously stirred, supporting the Black Black Spirit to decelerate rapidly until it finally stopped flying. After two minutes, the entire safe house slowly came to a halt. The originally small building-like safe house had now turned into a U-shape, with a large dent in the middle. Yu Hong sat cross-legged in the cultivation room of the house, his face pale, panting heavily. ¡¯So this is the Heartless Belt...¡¯ He finally understood why Senior Su Dan always mentioned the deepest part in a state of reticence. Just now, that monster only didn¡¯t pursue him;otherwise, the safe house could have been smashed to pieces. Yu Hong truly didn¡¯t dare to move recklessly this time. Sitting cross-legged, he adjusted his breath for a while, with all his vitality already converted into mana, leaving no room for further cultivation. After recovering his state, he got up and looked out the window. This glance made his heart tighten suddenly. Not far outside the window, countless silver stars surrounded the center. Sitting there was a white-haired elder in a white and blue robe. The elder¡¯s eyes were closed, smiling, holding a jade ru yi in one hand, and placing the other hand calmly on his knee. If it were just this, Yu Hong wouldn¡¯t have been so scared. The key was, this elder was enormous beyond imagination... The Star Singing Hall he had just escaped from, and the long stone pillar avenue. From here, they seemed like mere specks of dust floating beside the elder¡¯s fingers. Even the elder¡¯s fingernail was larger than them. Moreover, the elder¡¯s white hair was coiled into a bun, and the silver-black triangular crown adorned with a constantly rotating golden star system in the center was above it! Yu Hong didn¡¯t even dare to breathe heavily at this moment, carefully manipulating the Black Black Spirit to fly away from the elder in the opposite direction.... Although he knew that, at his current level, it was unlikely that his actions would disturb such a powerful being, but instinctively, he felt compelled to do so. The teleportation spell was quietly activated. With a whoosh, the next second, the Black Black Spirit instantaneously moved a considerable distance away. Ads by PubFuture As time passed, he teleported again and again, until the old man shrank to the size of a palm, and he finally slowly relaxed. Only then did he have the chance to check the feedback from the Black Mark. n?vel.com ¡¯Hint: You have successfully entered the Cloud Racing Venerable¡¯s radiation zone and gained the trait¡ªCloud Speed.¡¯ ¡¯Cloud Speed (Your own speed increases by 25%. During the exploration of the Source Disaster Core, the Cloud Racing Venerable perished for unknown reasons. His body, upholding his will, does not erode over time and constantly emits special radiation to combat the Source Disaster. This radiation mimics the Red Sky Fruit and can convert the Source Disaster Power into a special enhancement for life within its range. Once you leave this range, the enhancement will disappear. This radiation will continuously consume the Venerable¡¯s body until it completely disintegrates into everything and ceases.)¡¯ "...." Yu Hong¡¯s initial fear slowly subsided due to the Black Mark¡¯s prompt. "Heavenly Venerate.... Even such a powerful Heavenly Venerate mysteriously perished...." Gazing at that colossal corpse once more, a profound despair rose within his heart. ¡¯No... I still have the Black Mark!! I still have hope!¡¯ He suddenly pulled his consciousness away from the depths of despair. ¡¯That¡¯s right, I haven¡¯t checked the enhanced traits!¡¯ He quickly regained his composure, using Inner Vision to examine the state of the Outer Eye in his mind. In his mind, in a corner belonging to his traits, a peculiar light ball shimmering golden with black lines, floated silently among a cluster of traits. Yu Hong stepped forward and gently touched it. ¡¯Outer Eye: Also known as the Galaxy Eye, its origin is unknown, its material is unknown. The All Saints Venerable discovered it during a Source Disaster exploration and refined it into his right eye.¡¯ ¡¯You have acquired the Galaxy Eye, you have gained the trait: Immortal.¡¯ ¡¯Immortal (You will not be affected by changes in time and space. Immune to space-time techniques) ¡¯You have acquired the Galaxy Eye, you have gained the traits: Sound of Decay, Decaying Eye.¡¯ ¡¯Sound of Decay (Your voice can decay all things), Decaying Eye (Your gaze can decay all things). ¡¯You have acquired the All Saints Right Eye, you have gained the trait: Incomplete Heavenly Venerable Position.¡¯ ¡¯Incomplete Heavenly Venerable Position (You can perform mass-energy conversion without any loss on all energetic and material substances within the range of your divine sense, once per day) Hiss... Yu Hong suspected that this enhancement would bring significant changes, but he didn¡¯t expect it to be so extensive... Especially this Incomplete Heavenly Venerable Position.... Lossless mass-energy conversion.... This has already touched upon the highest fundamental laws. Converting matter into energy is one thing, as there can be many types of energy with simple methods of conversion, but if energy wants to condense into matter.... The required level would be extremely exaggerated. Standing still, Yu Hong touched his right eye, momentarily lost in a nameless shock. ¡¯The Heavenly Venerate¡¯s right eye.... Indeed, strengthened to this point, I have hope before the Great Annihilation arrives! There¡¯s still hope!!¡¯ His heart, just struck into despair by the looming Great Annihilation, now brimmed with hope again due to the Black Mark¡¯s enhancements. ¡¯If the Heavenly Venerate can¡¯t break through this dire situation, then enhance once more!!¡¯ Reaching out, Yu Hong moved his mind, and a perfectly intact turquoise-green wooden block floated into his palm. ¡¯Convert.¡¯ He commanded internally. Hiss... Instantly, the wooden block melted like ice meeting light, rapidly transforming into a ball of bright white ionic energy. The entire process of conversion from wood to energy was completely overlooked by the Heavenly Venerable Position. One step, one success. But the incomplete version could only be used once. "And the Immortal trait, it came at the right time!" No longer troubled by the Time Turbulence, now he didn¡¯t have to worry. Immortal directly immunized against the effects of time and space on himself. Yu Hong carefully felt the sensation of the Heavenly Venerate¡¯s right eye, feeling as if there was a scorching little sun within his eye socket. Mana flowing in and out, transforming from cold water to boiling water. The altered mana then began to transform and influence his entire body. Having tasted its benefits, Yu Hong immediately drew the Immortal and Ancient God Body traits together, forcibly merging them. Quickly affirming the Black Mark¡¯s query, the two light balls merged, revealing a countdown: 19 days 3 hours 7 minutes. After finishing all this, Yu Hong began to help with repairing the entire safe house. The benefits brought by the Heavenly Venerate¡¯s organ were far more than just traits;it also included the unique changes due to the strength of the Heavenly Venerate¡¯s body. And this, in the Qinghe Mountain Universe, where there was long no more Heavenly Venerates, would be the only hope to resurface. At the moment Yu Hong enhanced the Heavenly Venerate¡¯s right eye. Far away in the Heavenly Venerate Universe, Feng Xuezi and the Corrupt Traveler¡¯s bodies slightly trembled, sensing some unusual change burgeoning in the universe. The two stood apart on a patch of red light ground. The ground lay in the pitch-black lightless fog, with a massive vermilion fruit floating in the center, continuously absorbing the surrounding Black Disaster radiation, converting it into new vitality power. "Just now, the Source Disaster seemed slightly weaker than before...." Feng Xuezi, single-handedly releasing layers of golden light, suppressed the innumerable Black Disaster Great Annihilation mists outside. Capable of suppressing the Black Tide protecting an entire planet, he could now barely envelop himself, Fu Bai, and a small Red Sky Fruit area in the Great Annihilation black mist, and that was all.... The two had thought they could no longer hold on, but suddenly the intensity of the Black Disaster Great Annihilation decreased by a small margin. Though it was just a tiny reduction, it offered them a brief respite. Chapter 599: grid one "You didn¡¯t sense wrong... indeed, the Black Disaster has weakened a bit..." Fu Bai affirmed, "The power of the Source Disaster is infinite, it doesn¡¯t weaken due to dispersed forces, its intensity remains eternally fixed. Its strength is the same for one as it is for a billion. The only possible way to weaken the Source Disaster¡¯s strength..." "Is that something is helping to resist the entire Source Disaster!" Feng Xuezi said solemnly. Golden halos lit up around both of them, with masses of planets floating and sinking behind them. They weren¡¯t just borrowing the power of the planets;they were also protecting these planets from being destroyed by the Great Extinction. "What did you think of!?" Fu Bai¡¯s heart moved as he glanced back at his companion. "Don¡¯t you think the current situation is exactly the same as when the Heavenly Venerate laid out the seals back in the day?" Feng Xuezi asked in a deep voice. "But all the Heavenly Venerates have disappeared, nowhere to be found." Fu Bai frowned. "Yes, so the seals laid down by the Heavenly Venerates have failed, no longer effective. Suppose, just suppose, a new Heavenly Venerate suddenly resurfaces from time, would the seals be reactivated?" Feng Xuezi speculated. "Certainly, the Heavenly Venerate¡¯s power is eternal due to their immortality. Though there¡¯s a fixed number of uses for their power, once they exert their power, it never disappears. As long as they exist, their power is eternal, never fearing any eradication." Fu Bai nodded. "So, you¡¯re guessing a participating Heavenly Venerate has revived from the shadows?" "Only this explanation...." Feng Xuezi nodded. "Master... Senior Fu Bai!!" At that moment, a faint sound transmitted through the Great Extinction¡¯s black mist, penetrating the fog and reaching both of their ears. Both of them were stunned and immediately channeled their mana, listening intently. Ads by PubFuture "Master, Senior Fu Bai!" Yu Hong¡¯s voice gradually became clearer from within the black mist. Soon, a small three-story black building slowly pierced through the thick fog, floating not far in front of the two Golden Immortals. "Master! Senior, are you alright!?" A sturdy tall man sitting by the window on the first floor of the building waved excitedly at the two. "Yu Hong!? How did you come back!?" Feng Xuezi frowned. "I delved deeper, reaching the Heartless Belt, where I suffered severe losses. Thankfully, I found a safe zone to rest!" The man was none other than Yu Hong, who had already broken through to the Mahayana Realm. Feeling slightly emotional, seeing Master and Fu Bai safe and sound sparked a clear hope, replacing the original despair in his eyes. The Safe Zone quickly approached, hovering several kilometers from the two Golden Immortals. Yu Hong scanned the surroundings. "Master, Senior, we¡¯re already in the Great Extinction here;it¡¯ll only get stronger, and other Source Disasters might sweep through, intersecting. Why don¡¯t you follow me to a newly discovered safe area?" "Safe area..." Seeing Yu Hong unharmed, both Feng Xuezi and Fu Bai felt a sense of relief. The fact that the Safe Zone could even temporarily block the Great Extinction validated their painstaking efforts. Both felt a slight movement in their hearts. The idea of using the Safe Zone¡¯s materials to construct a defense area for Red Sky Fruit certainly seemed effective.... For a moment, both were tempted. Feng Xuezi carefully inspected Yu Hong and the Safe Zone. "Indeed, we can¡¯t stay here long. Only one type of the Great Extinction is here now;once other Source Disasters and the Great Extinction erupt together, escape will be difficult." "Alright, let¡¯s go together;I¡¯ll take over, you prepare to move out! Zheng Rou, you lead the way." Fu Bai said solemnly. "Yes!" Yu Hong nodded firmly. * * * Within the Wind Disaster. Black and white threads continuously surged, eroding everything around them, whether it was living beings within the Wind Disaster or the remnants of floating ruins, all were disintegrated and dissipated within the threads. In front of the black and white threads, amidst a surge of colored lines, a massive silver-gray building was speeding the opposite direction, bursting with colorful flames. Silver-gray bands floated around the building. On the surface of these bands stood five Grand Arcanists holding golden magic wands, continuously guiding the Floating City forward. "Can we still contact that person?" Among the five, a rhino-headed humanoid mage peered through the protective shield with fish-bubble eyes at the external situation. The current Speaker of the Floating City, the rhino person Nidgeradon. "No news yet.... but we¡¯ve detected slight fluctuations!" Another Grand Arcanist replied deeply. "Following the map, we can¡¯t bypass that checkpoint. Such a high-intensity area must have special passages, otherwise, with that person¡¯s current cultivation, how could they easily get through compared to our combined efforts?" Nidgeradon sighed. He was referring to Yu Hong. Since leaving the original universe, the Floating City had been following the traces of Yu Hong¡¯s Safe Zone. With the shared map from Agrius, the safe zones Yu Hong pioneered ahead were clearly displayed on the map. Ads by PubFuture This was a little private matter that Agrius didn¡¯t tell Yu Hong. Black Black Spirit explored the safety zone, followed closely by the Floating City. He believed that if Yu Hong knew, he wouldn¡¯t blame him either. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After all, on the Floating City side, Ku Chan, Yiyi, and others were the closest people to Yu Hong. "According to the cultivation realm of Qinghe Mountain, Zheng Rou should still be at the Divinity Transformation Stage cultivator, just entering the Contamination Realm. In terms of energy level, she is estimated to be much weaker than us. There is no reason that the place she can freely enter and exit, we can only be blocked outside..." Liu Xiran, who knew Yu Hong and Qinghe Mountain the best among the council members, said. His disciples were Ku Chan, so he got the most complete and accurate information. "Is it possible that there are subtle differences in Immortal Cultivation?" a council member asked in a low voice. "There are differences, but in actual application, it is just the method that varies. The disparity within the same energy level is not that big." Liu Xiran replied. The others remained silent. Including the speaker, everyone was silent, and their brows furrowed. In their previous encounters, they were suddenly attacked by the Black and White Silk Wind Disaster, directly losing one-third of their population and several Great Arcanist council members. If it weren¡¯t for Liu Xiran promptly adjusting the direction based on the information given by Ku Chan, the entire Floating City might have been swallowed and destroyed by the Black and White Wind Disaster. "In that case, we¡¯ll try that entrance and exit again. If the space expansion spell still doesn¡¯t work... then we won¡¯t follow Zheng Rou anymore." Liu Xiran finally decided. "Agreed." "Agree." "Okay." One by one, the council members nodded slightly. In fact, if it weren¡¯t for the Great Annihilation forcing them, they wouldn¡¯t want to enter the Heartless Belt either. And if it weren¡¯t for the extreme danger of the Heartless Belt, they wouldn¡¯t want to follow Yu Hong¡¯s trajectory closely without daring to venture freely. Unfortunately, the key now is that Yu Hong seemed to have entered the entrance of the Heartless Belt because the Floating City was too big to get in. "Then..." Liu Xiran was about to give the order to start. "We¡¯ve made contact!" Suddenly, from within the Floating City, a communication spell was heard. "Council Chairman, council members, we have successfully made contact with Zheng Rou ahead of us! The signal has been maintained steadily and can be directly communicated at any time. May I ask if you would like to..." The voice of the Communication Mage responsible for contact sounded from the spell. "Quick, quick, quick!!" Council Chairman Nid Jaton immediately relaxed his expression and urgently confirmed the connection. Not only him, but the other council members, including Liu Xiran, also felt a sense of relief. Since leaving the original universe, they have encountered at least dozens of various troubles and dangers. The number of dead and injured mages and damaged arcane war weapons was countless, and the losses were comparable to the prolonged Black Tide war. And now, at last, they had made contact with Yu Hong ahead. With Yu Hong¡¯s precise guidance, the Floating City¡¯s subsequent navigation would undoubtedly be much smoother and safer! At this moment, all the council members, including Liu Xiran, were quietly waiting for the transmission spell to transfer the signal. About half a minute later. In mid-air among the five. A tall and indistinct figure slowly appeared. His eyes were covered with a black cloth, with a tall and strong build, short black hair, and dressed in black. It was Yu Hong, who hadn¡¯t appeared for a long time. "Finally, we made contact, thank goodness..." Seeing the five council members, Yu Hong also let out a long breath. "The signal check is correct. It seems this is indeed the Floating City." He glanced at the five council members, his eyes suddenly focused. "Where is Senior Agrius?" "Council Member Agrius completely dissipated some time ago." Liu Xiran, as Ku Chan¡¯s teacher, took the initiative to respond. "Zheng Rou, we are now facing great difficulties. When we followed you forward, we encountered huge resistance upon entering the Heartless Belt." "Do not enter! You and I are different, entering there will only encounter an extremely dangerous terrifying Unconscious Body." Upon hearing this, Yu Hong¡¯s face became serious. "I didn¡¯t know you were following, otherwise, I would have left markers behind." "Why? Isn¡¯t the route you took the safest and most reliable?" Liu Xiran frowned and asked. "It¡¯s safe, but I managed to avoid trouble several times by relying on the concealment function of safe houses. The two Unconscious Body monsters I encountered only ignored me because I¡¯m small. This is a special advantage of my small size, but for the Floating City, it definitely won¡¯t pass! The danger will increase sharply." Yu Hong stated seriously. "So, can you give us any better advice? Compared to you, we haven¡¯t spent as much time in the Wind Disaster." Council Chairman Nid Jaton humbly asked. "Advice... let¡¯s do this, I¡¯ll circle around to avoid the Unconscious Body ahead, you wait for my notification. When I tell you to follow, follow steadfastly and immediately." Yu Hong thought for a moment and said in a low voice, "Remember, if you follow, you must trust me fully. In the Source Disaster, many places can¡¯t be judged safe or dangerous by appearance alone. Appearances can be deceiving." "This...." The five council members hesitated. The council chairman didn¡¯t hesitate for a few seconds, and immediately made a decision. "Alright, since we choose to trust you, we have no other choice! I¡¯ll wait for your notification!" he said firmly. "Rest assured, Ku Chan, Yiyi, Quan He, and all the Aus Academy members are in the Floating City. Even if I trick myself, I won¡¯t trick them." Yu Hong said sincerely. "Alright! We trust you!" Nid Jaton nodded seriously. "That¡¯s good!" Yu Hong nodded, and his figure gradually disappeared. The five council members then controlled the Floating City to hover in place, quietly waiting for the notification. Chapter 600: grid 2 About half an hour later. A black shadow, belonging to Yu Hong¡¯s Black Black Spirit shadow, appeared in a certain location at the right front of the Floating City. The surface of Black Black Spirit glowed with a layer of bright Golden Light, the light flickering continuously, releasing a simple communication signal. The Floating City responded to the signal, indicating that it had been received. Soon, Yu Hong¡¯s figure once again emerged among the five councilors. "Alright, everyone, please follow me! The situation here is somewhat different from the map¡¯s representation. The Floating City is too large, so we need to take a detour that covers a longer route. We might encounter danger at first, so please hold on for a while," he explained seriously. "Alright, we trust you! Lord Zheng Rou," Chairperson Nid Jaton nodded. "That¡¯s good!" Yu Hong affirmed. Soon, the Black Black Spirit turned forward, directly rushing into a deep unknown area of the Wind Disaster towards the left. The Floating City followed closely behind, with one large and one small, disappearing into the colorful torrent after a while. * * Ads by PubFuture * Inside the Heartless Belt. Yu Hong concentrated on controlling the Black Black Spirit, carefully gliding over the side of a giant red monster lying on the ground. This red monster was only half the size of the previous corpse of Cloud Racing Venerable, but it was still an extremely large being. The monster¡¯s entire body was covered in red hard skin, its form was humanoid, and spikes extended down its back. Its head was a strange triangle shape, and it had three long dark red tails dragging behind. ¡¯This guy... might also be a Venerable of another race similar to Cloud Racing Venerable...¡¯ Yu Hong speculated in his mind. It was natural that Venerable beings could not be exclusive to humans, and he had seen this in the classical books on Qinghe Mountain. Looking out the window, he watched the massive red corpse gradually receding into the distance, and his heart began to settle. These few days, he had floated in this area of the Heartless Belt, perhaps because he was close to these Venerable corpses, he had not encountered an attack from unconscious bodies a single time. It might also be that the security house¡¯s target was too small to be noticed by those unconscious bodies¡ªbeings the size of star systems. But regardless of the reason, Yu Hong found some relief in his mind. ¡¯Soon... once the trait fusion is complete... I will certainly advance further... this way, when I delve deeper, I¡¯ll have greater confidence...¡¯ Time waits for no one;this was Yu Hong¡¯s greatest anxiety at the moment. Stepping away from the window, he looked around at the various items and arrays in the room. Over these days, taking advantage of the relative calm, he had repaired the arrays. Although there were no more Golden Immortal level arrays, his mana, having the incomplete version of the Heavenly Venerable Position, had begun to show some special changes. His mana had become more solid and less prone to dispersal. Upon discovering this, Yu Hong immediately reset everything in the security house using his current mana. Coming back to his senses, he looked at the communication device on the table. It still emitted only static noise, with no sound from anyone else. Merely looking at the device made Yu Hong feel a deep, profound loneliness welling up from within. He stood up, sighed, and turned to head to the Cultivation Chamber. But after a few steps, a thought suddenly flashed through his mind. ¡¯Wait... this communication device still uses Floating City technology... why not enhance it with my current mana?¡¯ He wasn¡¯t unfamiliar with communication arrays;even if the energy sources needed substantial modifications, he could probably accomplish it now. In truth, expecting the Floating City¡¯s current energy level to create a device capable of penetrating far distances through the Source Disaster was a bit unrealistic.... ¡¯Could it be that the communication device malfunctioned, and it wasn¡¯t the Floating City having issues, but just a temporary interruption?... Moreover... I still have the Water Instrument Ball, and I can combine it with the communication device, enhancing it with my evolved mana!¡¯ The more Yu Hong thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. Although his mana cultivation was still in the Mahayana Realm, the incomplete Heavenly Venerable Position¡¯s trait was extraordinary, directly related to a Venerable. In mundane terms, it was like: he might still be a village cadre, but a special one who could make small requests directly to state ministers! He lightly covered the communication device with one hand, his mana flowing into it slowly. Meanwhile, he took out the Water Instrument Ball with his other hand, placing both together. This was his first time performing a fusion modification himself. As mana poured in, the arrays inside the Water Instrument Ball and the communication device began to decompose and restructure. The Water Instrument Ball¡¯s array was far more powerful than the communication device¡¯s, having been personally crafted by Yu Xuezi at the Immortal Realm level. If it weren¡¯t for Yu Hong being in the Mahayana stage and having transformed mana plus the incomplete Heavenly Venerable Position trait, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to reforge this item. Nevertheless, the reforging process was extremely complex and tedious;after persisting for over an hour, Yu Hong¡¯s divine sense was largely exhausted, forcing him to stop and recuperate. ¡¯Vitality is running low... I need to find a sufficient source of vitality next.¡¯ Yu Hong, sitting cross-legged, felt the slow circulation of the Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique within him, contemplating where to obtain resources for cultivation. ¡¯This is the depths of the Source Disaster, there is basically no normal living being that could exist around here. The only possible entities are... Unconscious Bodies...¡¯ At his current realm, even the enormous vitality accumulated by Agrius was only enough to push him to the Mahayana Realm. The subsequent vitality needed would surely be even more terrifying. Ads by PubFuture If he didn¡¯t want to devour entire living beings from the universe, then the only choice he had was the Unconscious Bodies floating everywhere in the Heartless Belt. ¡¯Firstly, they are large enough, and their vitality is abundant. Secondly, it¡¯s almost certain that the rest of the universe is either fleeing from or being obliterated by the Great Annihilation outside... I have no other choice....¡¯ Feeling his cultivation nearly come to a standstill, Yu Hong paused. While taking out the Life Armor Core he had collected from the Flame Star to study its special structure that converts energy into vitality, he also controlled the Black Black Spirit to carefully patrol around in circles, searching for suitable vitality targets. But after two hours had passed... the surroundings were still as silent and lifeless as the starry sky. The enormous corpse of the Heavenly Venerate floated in space, motionless and devoid of any vitality. Feeling a bit irritated, Yu Hong stopped flying, stood up, and walked into the Cultivation Chamber. ¡¯I possess the Galaxy Eye now and have the ability to control decay. So, doesn¡¯t decay also signify a form of control over vitality? What if I reverse the process of decay? Would I be able to extract the vitality needed from it?¡¯ An idea suddenly struck him, and he quickly retrieved a bundle of Tai Sui remains he had packed from the Life Well. This Tai Sui had long been drained of all its vitality by him and Quan He, utterly dead. Now, as he took it out again, Yu Hong placed it on the ground. The Tai Sui, about the size of a washbasin, was pale yellow all over. In its dried-up state, it looked like a huge piece of octopus jerky, emitting a faint fishy odor. ¡¯Decaying Eye.¡¯ Yu Hong¡¯s right eye narrowed as a translucent beam shot out from his pupil, shining upon the dried Tai Sui. ¡¯Decay Reversal.¡¯ He commanded in his mind. In an instant, the Tai Sui began to quiver violently, then quickly started reversing the process. The previously dried flesh began to plump up again, absorbing moisture from the surrounding air, and becoming visibly moist and elastic. About eight or nine seconds later, the Tai Sui stopped changing. No matter how he activated the Decay Reversal Eye, it wouldn¡¯t change anymore. ¡¯Is this the limit?¡¯ He stopped the Decay Eye, grabbing the Tai Sui with one hand. Hiss. A steady stream of vitality once again flowed into Yu Hong¡¯s body. "It actually worked!" His expression changed, revealing a look of pleasant surprise. But before he could rejoice for long, the Tai Sui shriveled up again, its internal vitality completely gone, devoured entirely. Even an entire Circulation within Yu Hong¡¯s body hadn¡¯t been completed... He immediately understood: the amount was too small... far too small... Placing the dried Tai Sui back down, Yu Hong gave up completely. "Then, how about trying the Mass-energy conversion at the Heavenly Venerable Position level?" Another thought rose in his mind. He had attempted this many times over the past few days. This Mass-energy conversion ability could only be used once per day, and each time it covered only the scope of his Divine Sense, with a limited range. But... its exaggeration lies in the fact that, apart from the piece of source material given by Senior Su Dan, all other substances could be converted into energy effortlessly. This energy was not limited to the types he mastered;any kind of energy he could imagine could be converted directly. That was indeed quite exaggerated. ¡¯In a sense, this incomplete Heavenly Venerable Position already defies logic and science. I really wonder how the Heavenly Venerates cultivated to such a level.¡¯ While feeling emotional, Yu Hong also began to contemplate. ¡¯From this perspective, pure vitality could also be viewed as a kind of energy. If I directly convert matter into vitality, would it succeed?¡¯ These days, he had been testing with very small objects. This time, he planned to do a new test. In the chamber, Yu Hong took out a high-energy protein ball he had stocked from the Floating City. This thing could sustain a grown man¡¯s protein supply for five days with just one ball, truly a powerhouse among compressed foods. Now, Yu Hong held it in his palm, his eyes fixed on the black, sesame ball-like protein ball. ¡¯Transform!¡¯ He thought, centering his mind as he activated Mass-energy conversion. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Hiss. In an instant, the protein ball suddenly scattered, turning into a small pile of black powder. The powder then melted again into a puddle of viscous black liquid. Bang! The liquid swelled up with a big bubble, then exploded instantly. All the liquid splattered as the bubble burst, and simultaneously, an immense surge of invisible vitality swept throughout the chamber¡¯s space. In no time, the invisible vitality rapidly retracted, condensing into a fingernail-sized golden crystal, floating in Yu Hong¡¯s palm. The direct conversion had shocked him, leaving him startled in place. ¡¯No wonder... it¡¯s no wonder the Heavenly Venerates could delve into the Source Disaster and seal its manifestations. If they could use such an exaggerated ability infinitely, they could indeed become self-sufficient in any environment, creating something from nothing, converting at will!¡¯ Holding the golden crystal, feeling the enormous vitality inside equivalent to one-thousandth of Agrius, Yu Hong suddenly understood why, in the eyes of Heavenly Venerates, ordinary life forms might truly be seen as disposable objects created at will. Beep beep beep... At that moment, the communicator and Water Instrument Ball on the first floor, seemingly fully infused with mana, suddenly emitted a beeping sound indicating an incoming communication request.